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El Camino Cafe

3.8 (1.3k reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

El Camino Cafe Photos

Business Info

EL CAMINO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - El Camino Cafe

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Nadia M.

Cute little cafe located on the main strip of old town Tustin. It's not full service, so you do have to order at the counter, choose your own table and then they bring you the food. The service was excellent from beginning to end. The lady that greeted us at the door, the girls who were behind the counter and the servers were all incredibly polite, friendly and really made you feel welcome. I had the chilaquiles rojos and they were absolutely delicious, best ones I've ever had. It is a very generous portion too, with rice and refried beans as sides. I also ordered a dirty horchata which was equally tasty. The ambience and patio are cute, we opted to sit inside since it was kinda chilly. Overall a great brunch spot!

Huevos Rancheros and Asada wet burrito
Lydia B.

Wonderful, cozy breakfast spot on a sunday morning. We tried coming here once before and got totally caught in a chili-cookoff instead. Finally, 1 year later, we made it!! We came totally starving and ready to wait, but the food came out SO fast. You pay ebfore you sit, and walk away from the counter with your drinks. I got their cafe de olla (delicious, syrup made in-house!) and boy got the horchata. Sat down and were almost immediately served our food. My only complaint is the beans - they seemed a little watery and unseasoned. But the salsa more than made up for that :) The inside is tiny, and theres limited outdoor seating. But it's cozy and homey and all the employees were incredibly kind. I forgot my purse when we left and a woman pretty much ran down the sidewalk to get it back to me. Thank you!!!!

Sunday Menudo -- look at that honeycomb!
Christine L.

Been coming to this local cafe for a few months since moving into the area. It's a nice neighborhood Mexican cafe away that's far enough from the Old Town main drag (Main Street) but still walkable (2 blocks) after a meal for shopping/strolling. Street parking is much easier to find, no circling required. Each time we come on the weekend we would try something new -- EVERYTHING is excellent. Burritos, chilaquiles, tacos, etc. Every time we come, nothing is too salty -- just how we cook at home. This particular visit we happen upon their SUNDAY MENUDO, made by Chef Mom. Gotta try a bowl, and let me tell you -- I was blown away. Heavily and nicely spiced (not "water"), chockful of tripe/stomach, including the HONEYCOMB. AND NO HOMINY. I LOVE IT -- because I'm never a fan of hominy and hate it when all the dads and uncles at family gatherings get all the good stuff and the kids are left with the bottom of the pot. Speaking with the staff, menudo is a SEASONAL item, so I'm glad I was able to try some during this visit. Will DEFINITELY come again and try their other stuff!

Enchiladas Suizas (I added carnitas to my order)
Michelle T.

Came here for brunch with my cousins a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about this dish! I ordered the Enchiladas Suizas and OMG it was delicious! The cream sauce was unlike any other I've had with enchiladas and they were stuffed with a good amount of cheese! I added carnitas on top because I wanted a protein with it. This was a filling breakfast for sure! I also ordered an iced dirty horchata which I think next time I will order it to go so I can enjoy it later. The people behind the counter were so nice and helpful! Really want to come back to this place soon!

Cute interior
Rishi C.

Came here for breakfast and was wondering why I've never been here before! El Camino Cafe sits at the tail end of El Camino in Old Town Tustin away from all the hustle and bustle, so parking is easier to find. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. You go up and order and then take your seat, and they are quick with preparing your food. Service was great, everyone was super friendly and quick to address any additional requests. I ordered the meat scramble and my wife got the huevos rancheros, and both tasted great. You could tell everything was freshly made, and the salsas provided were solid. The rice & beans were also good and well seasoned. It was a little odd they didn't provide complimentary water, but otherwise this was a solid, reasonably priced meal. I definitely want to come back and try their breakfast burrito next time, and would recommend this place to anyone looking for a quick breakfast in Tustin!

Bonnie S.

Came here for brunch with the whole family. There was a line out the door but I guess that is standard for a Saturday morning. You order before getting seated and there is a host that helps get you a seat. There were 6 of us so it took a little longer. The place itself is clean, cute but small. The food here was good, I liked my albondigas and was happy that I got to try it. It was a seasonal item. Although the overall experience was good, to be completely honest there is nothing special on their menu that I want to come back for. I would eat here again if invited but I wouldn't personally pick it.

Chilaquiles Rojos with Avocado
LaRon D.

I've had El Camino Cafe bookmarked for years and finally got the chance to visit with some friends. First off, the team is SUPER nice and welcoming. Everyone welcomed us and asked if we had any questions about the menu. The gentleman at the register was super cool and gave some good recommendations. Make sure to order your drinks (water included) at the register so you can pay for them at time of purchase. Once we sat down the food came out pretty quickly! The chilaquiles rojos were delicious with a great depth of flavor. We did the egg overhard and added avocado. Presentation was great and flavors were on point. The place is designed well and has a cool ambiance in Old Town Tustin. Can't wait to come back to try the breakfast burrito! Thanks for the great food and awesome service!

Breakfast burrito + chips and salsa
Tatianna A.

Came here bc I was in the area and wanted a breakfast burrito. I added beans (2$) to the breakfast burrito ($14) and got a side of chips and salsa ($5). The burrito did the job but wasn't remarkable. Service was pretty fast. I think overall there could've been more flavor in the burrito and salsa. Beautiful location and cool ambiance but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back, for the price point you can find better food.

After dental visit around the corner I located this awesome Mexican food eatery .. Wow , Alex , Shiloh , Betsy blessed me.
Dana F.

best ever flavor and hot as it came hot to enjoy Thank you Betsy Shiloh and Alex Taste was incredible

Christin P.

This place is fantastic! I got the Chilaquiles with asada, fresh OJ and a bottle of prosecco. Betsy was so helpful, making sure I got the best first time meal and now I can't wait to be back. Love the vibe of this place. Especially hers.

Bacon Breakfast Burrito and chilaqulas!
Ryan R.

Nice little hidden gem in Old Town Tustin. Phenomenal breakfast! Now I may call this a hidden gem but be prepared for lines! However, the staff is very efficient and courteous with arranging seating. It's the perfect spot to enjoy nice quiet Sunday morning breakfast when you eat outside on their patio. Highly recommend on all accounts!

Elisa S.

My sister introduced me to this place and I'm so glad she did. The food is so good, tastes like a homemade Mexican breakfast that my grandma would make. In addition to it, I love the vibrancy and homelike feel that the place has, it feels like you're walking into someone's home rather than a restaurant. It helps even more that the owner and workers are so welcoming and friendly with their guests. Despite the space being somewhat small, they were accommodating of the baby stroller I had which I greatly appreciated. I had their red chilaquiles and added avocado and sour cream to it. 10/10! Really great flavor. Their dirty horchata was equally delicious!

Alondra C.

Omg!! Loved all the food. So happy everyone in my group ordered something different. I got to try it all Service was 10/10 everyone is so nice.

Mamosia fresh squeezed orange juice/ champagne

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Great food, quick service. Dirty Horchata is a must! Had the bacon breakfast burrito and it was delicious. Definitely will be going again.

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2 months ago

Their Asada burrito is world class. I've been there 10+ times and it never disappoints. Coffee is amazing too.

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3 months ago

Food, service and Ambiance are great. I was extremely surprised at how authentic and flavorful their chilaquiles were. Highly recommend.

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El Camino Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - El Camino Cafe

Do they charge for water??I had heard this, hoping it's a rumor. Also, Why are all the one star reviews filtered out? Seems sus to me.

They refuse to give tap when you ask. The guy says, "it's not possible." If you don't order any drink, you get an attitude. The food is expensive and isn't even good. Pass on the abuse.

What are the vegan options? :)

None

Do they take reservations?

No. You also have to order first before you can take a seat.

Is there barbacoa?

Yes but depends on if they have the meat

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Chaak Kitchen

Chaak Kitchen

4.3
(1.3k reviews)
0.0 mi
$$$

Wow. Totally outstanding. We had reservations for 1:30, but traffic was really bad so it looked…read morelike our arrival time was more like 2 o'clock. We call them and give them a heads up and wondered if there was still availability. Melody was pretty transparent and said that there is a different menu between two and five ---a more limited menu. She asked if there was anyway we could get there before 2 o'clock. Long story short, she was super gracious and told the cooks that we would get there a little after two and they would make us something from the lunch menu. Isa was our waitress, and she was phenomenal! Great sense of humor, very transparent about the different menu items. I got a copal and it was fantastic! Smoky and spicy, but not too spicy. We started our late lunch with Caesar salad, Sopa Limon, Seabreem fish dish. We also got the cubano. We were so stuffed by the end of it, but everything was phenomenal. The Caesar salad was a great way to start the meal, but after a couple of bites of it once we had the other dishes, it didn't stand out as much. We probably would've ordered the same thing all over again, with the exception of the Caesar salad (although it was still good!) Sopa Limon had a very unique bone broth flavor. It was a little sweet. So amazing. Seabreem dish - the vegetables played an important part in the flavors! The fries and the aïoli for the Cubano was amazing. The Cubano was excellent, but was a big serving. We sat outdoors, but if I had to have my choice, I would prefer indoors because the ambience indoors is similar to a resort. It reminds us of a place up in the Bay Area called Luna in Campbell. Except the food here is slightly better :). Will definitely return!

This place is so cute! In the heart of old town Tustin. Open air seating, good vibes + the best…read moreservice and food. Everything we ordered was so good. I forgot the names of them all but just trust me on this one! Our server brought us out their house made hot sauce that complimented every dish we ordered. Don't forget to ask for it! One was a black charred ghost pepper paste like sauce, nothing like I've ever had. So good. The best thing about all of the food was nothing was too saucy or salty. My girlfriends ordered some drinks and they loved it too. We went on a Thursday and they had a farmers market on the streets as well!

Photos
Dining Room and Kitchen
Dining Room and Kitchen
Bone-In Prime New York Strip
Bone-In Prime New York Strip
Parrillada Yucatan

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Parrillada Yucatan
El Habanero

El Habanero

4.1
(580 reviews)
0.8 mi
$$

Great spot for burritos. I haven't tried anything else there. I had lunch there twice in two weeks…read more The first time I got a chicken burrito. It was delicious. The second time I tried the chile relleno burrito. It too was delicious. And I really like their salsa bar. Great salsas. The service was as good as any other small taco joint. If I had complaints, it's the usual. No AC and no fountain drinks (namely Coca Cola products). And it was pretty dang hot these past few weeks. But I'm gonna go back. The food is awesome here.

Found this place a little while back and honestly so glad that I did…read more Food is fresh. Quite an eclectic menu with items I don't typically see at other places. They have the huitalacoche (corn fungus) quesadilla that I really enjoy as well as their pupusa loroco y queso. Trying out their Lengua taco and taco jaracho which I have been eyeing for a while. All their food is tasty, made fresh. All bursting with flavor. Salsa bar is probably one of my favorites having literally a salsa made for every kind of taste bud. Don't let the small restaurant deceive you. Small restaraunt but with bit flavors. The tortilla made with the quesadilla is nice and soft but with a good chew to it. Tastes like a homemade corn tortilla versus flour. The cheese is rich and has a wonderful pull to it. The lengua is extremely tender, little skimpy on meat portion, but overall good taco. The jarocho taco which is basically a shrimp taco on a cheese crusted tortilla is excellent. Service is what you would expect at a ma and pop shop. The cashier was patient enough to explain to me what a jarocho taco was and also spoke English which was nice for me. Last time I dined I just used butchered Spanish and got by with that but thats on me with practicing more Spanish.

Photos
Salsa bar
Salsa bar
Carne asada fries
Carne asada fries
Drinks

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Drinks
Tacos El Bandido Express

Tacos El Bandido Express

4.2
(362 reviews)
0.4 mi
$

I've been here about 3 times already and this place has not disappointed! I drive out from long…read morebeach just for this spot because it's halal friendly and they have sooo many great options! Each time the quality is consistent and on par. The service is great, attentive, and friendly. I absolutely love how they have the interior decorated currently due to the World Cup. It just makes it so much more lively and fun. My go to is the classic birria soft taco. It's so simple, but so good. They don't skimp out on the meat here at all. The taco is full of birria and you can add your own toppings (cilantro, onion, salsa etc) from the salsa bar. It just tastes so comforting and flavorful each and every time!

This spot has great queso birria tacos and tacos al gobernador. Their birria is *halal*, which is a…read morehuge plus! My husband tried their burrito and wasn't a big fan, but we both agreed that the tacos are definitely the standout menu item. My biggest shoutout goes to Lupita. She is incredibly sweet, welcoming, and made us feel right at home, like we were having dinner at a relative's house. While waiting for our food, I noticed how well she handled a busy rush with kindness, patience, and a smile for everyone. She truly works amazingly under pressure and provides exceptional customer service. We'll definitely be back for more tacos and because of Lupita. She is an absolute gem and deserves a raise!

Photos
Cool Wall with El Bandido, The Bandit and Salsa Bar- old condiments and yellow cucumbers
Cool Wall with El Bandido, The Bandit and Salsa Bar- old condiments and yellow cucumbers
10/10 highly recommended
10/10 highly recommended
Cali burrito ($11)

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Cali burrito ($11)
Holé Molé

Holé Molé

3.9
(1.5k reviews)
0.8 mi
$$

Just moved here from San Diego, and this place has some fire fish and shrimp tacos. They have great…read moreservice. It's a nice little taco shop with great atmosphere and awesome deals! I was there for Wave Wednesday. Baja Fish tacos for $2 bucks and Baja Shrimp tacos for $2.50. !! Hell yeah! Tacos were loaded, batter on fish was nice and crispy, not too thick not too thin, fresh veggies, good crema and the tortillas were great. The green salsa could be better but still add another layer of flavor to the t Coming back for tacos and tall boys(Don't ask, you're not ready) The Brisket Bowl and definitely Taco Tuesday.

Disappointing Food & Horrible Customer Service "Ordered 6…read moretacos for my wife and me, then sat in the outdoor seating area waiting for our number. We never heard it called, though we clearly heard other numbers and saw employees actively delivering food to other tables. After 15 minutes, I went inside to check on our food. Our order was just sitting on the counter. When I checked the tacos, the meat wasn't just lukewarm--it was completely cold to the touch. When I caught the cashier's eye, he just gave me a thumbs-up. When I told him the food was cold, the cashier, Irvin, immediately got defensive and told me with an attitude, 'I called the number twice.' I explained that we didn't hear it, and pointed out that staff had been bringing food out to everyone else anyway. Instead of offering a solution, he doubled down, saying, 'I heard my voice over the speakers,' giving me a 'too bad, so sad' look. When I asked him to remake the food, he completely refused, repeating that he'd called the number. Unwilling to argue with someone that unprofessional, I told him to keep the cold food and just give me a refund. He refunded the money and we left. Absolutely terrible service from Irvin--we won't be back."

Photos
Inside
Inside
Fish Ensenada Burrito: Hand Battered Fish, Cabbage, Onion, Tomato, Cilantro, Crema, (NO Rice & Beans) | $11.29
Fish Ensenada Burrito: Hand Battered Fish, Cabbage, Onion, Tomato, Cilantro, Crema, (NO Rice & Beans) | $11.29
(3) Yellow Chiles | $0.79

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(3) Yellow Chiles | $0.79
Casa Ramos Restaurant

Casa Ramos Restaurant

4.6
(285 reviews)
2.9 mi
$$

We recently relocated from Garden Grove to the Santa Ana/Fountain Valley area and have been on the…read morehunt for a Mexican restaurant to fill the void left by our beloved spot in Los Alamitos. Thanks to Restaurant Week, we stumbled upon this gem, and we are so grateful. The hospitality alone would earn five stars. But then came the food. The tacos? Absolutely exceptional. The steak was tender and flavorful in a way that reminded me of eating throughout Mexico, you could actually taste the meat. A light, gentle pickle of vegetables on top, minimal cheese, nothing heavy or greasy. These are not the American-style tacos drowning in a pound of melted cheese. These are the real thing. The beans were lovely, the rice was solid, and my passion fruit winearita drink was genuinely a treat. Restaurant Week gave us the perfect low-pressure reason to try somewhere new, and we walked out with a new favorite. We'll be back for lunch. We'll be back for dinner. And yes, Taco Tuesday, we'll absolutely be back for that.

Honestly, I have no idea how this restaurant has nearly 5 stars…read more We arrived around 6 PM with a party of 6 adults and 3 toddlers, and we didn't receive our food until almost 8 PM. To make matters worse, one of our meals was completely forgotten. The service was extremely slow throughout the entire visit. Every time we needed something, whether it was a refill, an update, or assistance, the wait felt excessive. The restaurant may have potential because the food itself was flavorful, but it seemed like they were either understaffed or unprepared for the number of customers they had. Another disappointment was the drink selection. We were told they don't have a liquor license, so hard alcohol isn't available. Their sodas were canned, and when we asked for juice for the kids, they told us they were completely out. As for the atmosphere, the restaurant is on the smaller side and felt more like a converted house than a traditional restaurant, complete with a fireplace and television in the dining area. The food had good flavor, which is the only reason I'm giving more than one star. Unfortunately, the long wait times, missing meal, lack of drink options, and poor service made the overall experience disappointing.

Photos
Indoor seating
Indoor seating
Pork Belly Tacos
Pork Belly Tacos
Crispy chicken taco and beef enchilada

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Crispy chicken taco and beef enchilada

El Camino Cafe - mexican - Updated July 2026

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