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Food is great!! It is, but service and speed of food is pretty bad. We came here on a Saturday night and got seated right away, we heard it's usually packed on the weekends. I got the 2 combo plate with the chile relleno and the shredded beef taco, subbed for fries, my partner got a chicken enchilada with taco. My friends got a carnitas plate, and we also ordered drinks for the table. Their margaritas are pretty strong and the michelada is good! However our server wasn't on the friendly side. Although she was quick, every-time we needed some thing after she stopped off at our table, she would already be off to do something else. At the end of the night their POS didn't work and she just came back to the table saying card declined, when other customers experienced the same thing. She could've said do you have another card or something else, but she just said card declined. I also don't like have for substitutions you have to pay extra like for green sauce. Food is good, but hopefully next time we get a better server and food doesn't take forever to come out.
A friend brought me here and said they have THE BEST Mexican food in town. It was my first time dinning here. When we got here we had about a 10 minute wait which wasn't too bad. After getting seated waited about 5 minutes before our waiter came and took our drink orders. He wasn't too friendly had no personality, just very dry. Maybe it had been a long day for him as it was around 7pm for us and maybe he had been there most of the day already.. who knows Anyhoot...... After going over the menu the first thing that caught my eye was how they have noted that they use traditional "RED SAUCE" on there dishes. At that point I was solid on what I was getting. 2 cheese enchiladas plate with beans / rice. Anyone who is a true enchilada lover knows that enchiladas are made with the traditional Colorado red sauce made from red chili's and not that orange sauce made with red chilie's & tomatoes. I gotta say I was a bit disappointed when my ordered arrived. Turned out they don't use a traditional red chili sauce, they use the orange sauce recipe it's wasn't bad but it definitely wasn't the true traditional red sauce. But the blends of cheeses they used are on point! and their beans & rice as well as their salsa were good. I also ordered a dinner salad with ranch dressing. The salad was fresh not dried out. Came with fresh tomatoes, cheese and carrots. But the ranch dressing was horrible , it definitely is not homemade and tasted like that gawd awful wishbone salad dressing. Our waiter never did come back to ask if we needed drink refills or to check if we were fine with our meal. But as I said earlier maybe it had been a long day for him. He brought us our check and asked if we would like anything else, we asked for 2 food to go boxes and we pretty called it a night. I'm very torn between my rating, if I could leave a 3 1/2 stars I would. But i feel a 4 is a bit high for my personal experience. If I'm ever in the area again and I'm hungry. I may consider stopping by and getting something different on the menu. But I don't see myself driving out of my way to dine here. Photos attached are the ones my friend took of her meal. She had the cheese enchilada with a hard shell chicken taco with the chips & salsa The other photo is a picture of enchiladas with the red sauce ( Colorado red sauce) which is what I like
THE BEST! This is one of those if you know, you know; kind of restaurants. The food is absolutely amazing. No other Mexican restaurant compares in my opinion. Even the rice and beans are better than other places lol The rice is so fluffy and soft! I've never had rice that good. The chips are better than other places lol You can tell that they make them fresh. I got the shrimp enchiladas with extra cheese. It was delicious. The shrimp enchiladas came with shrimp and pico de gallo inside. It was topped with cheese. Very good! I scarfed it down. Next time though, I will order the cheese enchiladas. Those are my favorite! The flavors are just great. The food is freshly made and great service. They get you in and out quickly. We did have to wait for about 40 minutes, ambiance was crowded. There were people lined up outside! Worth the wait!!
What a delightful surprise, realizing that the previous seating area in their covered parking lot is now a completely enclosed building, replete with attractive furnishings, wall decor, multiple ceiling fans, and attractive-&-spacious restrooms! I have to remind myself not to overindulge in their complimentary warm, thick-&-crunchy tortilla chips, served with salsa. Aware that I'd already consumed a good amount of chips, I ordered their Junior's Plate: choice of 1 item (Shredded Beef Taco), rice & beans ($11) -- good amount of beef; my thoughts, easier (and more elegant) to eat with fork & knife. Hubby enjoyed his order #18 Pork Carnitas ($18). Cocktails: I enjoyed the presentation and taste of my Paloma, $16; hubby thoroughly enjoyed his Farolito, $11, commenting it was good-&-strong and reasonably priced - a win-win! With this newly-added attractive and comfortable dining room, El Farolito is among our options when in the mood for Mexican cuisine.
Gosh, can't believe I haven't left a review. It is my friend's favorite. We popped in because we wanted a delicious lunch. I was able to get street parking. It must have been a while since we've been because the entrance is now the exit, and the entrance is on the side. I think we waited ten minutes for a table for three. I stick to what I like, crunchy beef taco, enchilada and chile relleno. I like the rice and beans, and can't stop eating the chips and salsa. When we left to pay, the cashier was the grandson of the owners. He said the grandma lives in the house next door. she comes to the restaurant sometime. Their photo was on the wall behind the register. So cool, be back soon!
My family and I visited for a late lunch on a Sunday, and there was a fifteen-minute wait to get seated. There's only an outdoor waiting area, but it has chairs. We parked across the street near an intersection with a stop sign. Our table inside had a nice view of the Placentia Water Tower, and it felt somehow relaxing to gaze at it in the distance. I ordered the pork carnitas ($18), which included pico de gallo, rice, refried beans with melted cheese, and three warm tortillas. The portion size was large, and I took a some carnitas home. While the carnitas were tender, they weren't as juicy as I hoped. They provided only three tortillas that lost their warmth quickly in parchment paper. The rice had a good texture that had the right amount of firmness. I also tried the guacamole, which had a somewhat fluffy texture with a pleasantly light and savory flavor. While not affecting my review of this restaurant, I wish they served a mole dish.
Yum Yum Yum! The portions here are so big! The carnitas was super soft and the free chips and salsa was amazing. The food was a 5/5. The only bad thing is that the bathrooms had a gross urine smell....
Alwaysbthe best tasting food. Now the back parking lot has been converted to a full dining room. Front door is now take out, side door for dine-in. Papa's plate (3 item combo) is still available, but not on the menu. Combos (papa, mama, jr) still can order a burrito even though not on the menu. Note: you can no longer grab a beer the fridge while you wait, especially since we have stand outside. You can't
This is still one of my favorite Mexican restaurant here in Orange County and my go to place whenever I crave good chips and salsa! Currently their new patio is under construction but it should be open at any moment now and I can't wait for it. Bon Appetit.
This is my go to place for great comfort Mexican food. I can eat here daily. The salsa has a serious bite to it. I always order the arroz con pollo. With the tortillas they give you with the plate, I make 3 soft tacos out of it and still have over half the plate to finish. The tacos rock too. And with the new seating area, you don't wait too long for a table.
El Farolito is a cute spot with fast, friendly service and seriously satisfying food. The horchata was smoother than a politician's empty promise and not overly sweet, one of the better horchatas I've had. Portions are generous, and the table chips come out warm with an addictive spicy salsa. Ingredients taste fresh, and the flavors are super comforting across the board. Solid place for a casual, reliably good meal.
I stopped by for dinner with my family. We ordered some jamaica, several fish tacos, and a burrito special. The service was amazing and our food came out very quickly. The food was delicious. There were a lot of tables available and the place filled up pretty fast. It was a great place for a family dinner at the end of a long week. Would highly recommend and will be coming back in the future.
The best enchilada spot must try!!! I've been passing by this place for a while and always noticed a long line outside, and now I totally understand why. I got lucky with no wait, but about 15 minutes after I was seated, it quickly filled up. The service was great we were greeted right away, and our server Alex was amazing. He recommended the chilaquiles with carne asada, which were definitely worth trying, but the enchiladas truly stole the show. They were absolutely delicious. I could be wrong, but it looks like they may have added more seating because the restaurant feels much bigger now, and it's really nice inside. Would 100% come back!
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Hostess = $ of $$$$$ Tech-Enabled = $ of $$$$$ Service = $$$ of $$$$$ Deliciousness = $$$ of $$$$$ Cleanliness = $$ of $$$$$ Ambiance = $ of $$$$$ The hostess had no idea how to estimate seating time. First it was 30 minutes, then 30 minutes later we were told it'd be another 40 minutes. Owner Dudes, you need to get tech to enable your restaurant operations. You shouldn't rely on human error to determine ETAs... it will only frustrate your patrons. Once we got in, our party of nine was squeezed into separate tables. Definitely not ideal, but we were hungry. So many people on a Saturday night over the holidays...they should've expected and planned better for it. The food was decent when it finally came. Cheesy, greasy, spicy -- what you want in a Mexican restaurant. Aguas frescas were good. Don't come on Fridays or the weekend -- you'll avoid a slow and frustrating experience. Farolito is much better Monday-Thursday. Avoid getting sick like we did -- too many stuffed into a small space, and you know some folks don't care when they're coughing/sneezing everywhere. Do a better job of actually disinfecting the menus versus using a wet rag to spread germs everywhere. And please train your workers to wash their hands. A cook or someone who works there went into the women's restroom, used a stall, then didn't bother washing her hands. We should've left there and then and perhaps avoided the week long Covid we contracted. Don't know if I'll be back. read more
3 months ago
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2 years ago
Have not been here in years. Fantastic food. The salsa has a great little burn and the chips are thick and crisp! They are busy for lunch and do a good job of serving you quickly. I had the burrito special with carnitas. It has a mild sauce and is very wet! I added the salsa from the chips to make it a bit more spicy. My wife enjoyed the enchiladas, the rice was excellent. She loved the enchilada sauce. Very creamy and not watery, more homemade. read more
3 months ago
LARD! Why are the beans so tasty? Why are the tortilla chips so good? What makes the crispy carnitas (cause you have to ask for them crispy). So damned irresistible? The answer is they are cooked in lard. This amazing family run restaurant has been serving up top notch Mexican food for over 50 years. You can generally expect a wait although with the addition of the large tented area, it's a lot shorter. Wait staff is attentive and gets your order right away. They want you out in 90 minutes. The margaritas are intense and strong! The salsa is entertainingly hot. Perfect for those lard fried chips. Definitely get the carnitas (ask for crispy) at least once but really the whole menu is full of proven winners. read more
Not sure they even have anyone sit inside anymore due to the huge tent in the parking lot. Arroz con pollo was good, not great. Loved the lunch price for $11.99z Good value. I wasn't blown away and wouldn't get it again. There were nice chunks of white mean too which is good. Kind of dry. Steak Picado was ok as well but there were the hard chunks of fat / gristle that ruin the meal. Loved the beans. Service was good for lunch. There are lots of rules about ordering drinks, not sitting too long at a table etc. Kind of felt like a kid being scolded. There were less rules in the cafeteria in school! lol. read more
3 months ago
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Had dinner with my kids at El farolito tonight carnitas plate is my go to. A Cadillac margarita made for a complete meal experience. Service speed was great, not rushed but steady, chips and salsa, drinks, and main dishes. It was busy, as usual but the wait for a table was reasonable at half an hour. The noise level was moderate, considering the crowd. Food never disappoints and the margarita was strong. read more
10 months ago
Hands down one of the best Mexican restaurants in Southern Ca. Of the hundreds of Mexican restaurants I have tried in my lifetime, they have one of the best salsas (love their salsa) and all of their food is amazing!! Great prices on entrees and great customer services. They have quadrupled in size over the years but on average a 15 minute wait because guest drive from all over So Cal to dine at El Farolito. read more
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Definitely a hot spot that has legacy. Straight up Mexican food that is exquisitely simple but delightful. I had the pollo a la plancha tostada salad. Ask for pico de gallo on the side. The beans are the secret sauce that pulled it together. The carnitas plate that my wifey had we tasty and tender. Solid performance that explains the crowds. Drinks well not so much my Paloma was a bit soda like instead of cocktail. read more
5 months ago
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8 months ago
After reading so many positive reviews posted on Yelp, we decided to check this spot out. I'm glad that we did, even though it isn't in a favorable area of the town. When you go, just know that no reservations can be made. It's first come, first serve and you must give your name and the number in the party to the person at the front. The wait for our party of five wasn't too much as it was for Wednesday around dinner time. However, there was still a fair amount of people waiting to be called. There's seating indoors and outdoors. I believe they put a makeshift seating outdoors in the parking lot. Due to that a lot more people can be served. I liked the decor and music of the place as it made you feel like you're in Mexico. Once we were seated, I noticed how the servers were too few and far between. Once they take your order and serve you, they don't come back until they have another table next to yours. So, we didn't see our waiter for most of the meal. You first get served complimentary really spicy salsa and chips to go with it. I ordered the taco combination meal, which comes with beans and salad. I didn't like the hardshell, but I did enjoy what was inside of it. I did try someone's Carne asada, and that was really tasty. The burrito that I tried was too wet, so it wasn't for me. I ordered the margarita a while ago, and that didn't come out until way at the end. I wanted to complain, but the waiter didn't even come by until I was almost done with the meal, so they gave it to me on the house. The reason why I didn't give it 5 stars was due to the lack of service and my forgotten beverage. read more
This was the perfect lunch spot. They were super quick to seat us. And the server was very attentive. The food came out soon after ordering so if you are in a rush you shouldn't have an issue. The food was very flavorful. The chips and salsa were delicious with a little kick too. Definitely worth a stop. read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
Food is great, very family oriented ambiance. Server was quick to take our order and to bring out plates. Everything was delicious with big portions and affordable prices. First time here, visiting from SF and would definitely come back if visiting LA again. read more
Haven't been to El Farolito in a while, but was pleasantly surprised by the tented dining area. Luckily, the service is still awesome and the food delicious. I ordered a tostada salad with a chicken taco on the side; the portions are still big and super filling. Will definitely be back! read more
2 years ago
My wife and I hadn't been since the beginning of summer. But on this fall morning this menudo was exactly what we were looking for!!! Simply the best!!! read more
We arrived around 2:30pm on a Saturday. The wait was about 15 mins. The service and food were excellent. The ambiance not so good. Pretty crowded and tightly packed seating. Looks like they are adding on more room with the construction going on. Hopefully this will resolve this issue. read more
More info about El Farolito
201 S Bradford Ave
Placentia, CA 92870
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(714) 993-7880
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http://www.elfarolitomex.com/
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Ask the Community - El Farolito
Do they serve complimentary chips and salsa?
First serving is complimentary but don't fill up on these. The food is so good.
Do you take reservations fora party of 9?
No, they are always first come first served
Are you open New Year's Day?
I think they recently had a Covid situation because it had a sign saying they were under staffed so they had to close. Sorry. Not 100% sure that's why but the sign was present this past week.
Drove over this morning and it was closed. Why?
They are "understaffed" as of late. Possible Covid situation.
Are your dishes cooked in lard? Or are there options for vegetarians in which Lard/Chicken Stock has not been used?
They have pot-boiled beans (no lard)! They also have a veggie burrito; to make it vegan-friendly ask to sub the regular beans for pot-boiled beans and take out the chesse! It's very filling ??
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