Found this place a little while back and honestly so glad that I did. 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. read more

El Habanero - Huitalacoche (corn fungus/"mushroom") Quesadilla- May 2026- on my favorites here - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

(I came been coming here on consistent basis for the last 6 months and I feel its finally time for a review, I guess i cant keep this to myself any longer, Last revisit on February 03 2026) Some places don't announce themselves... they whisper to the people who are meant to find them. El Habanero is that kind of spot  the ultimate hidden gem. You walk in expecting a quick bite and somehow leave feeling like you discovered a secret the city has been quietly protecting. I ordered the carne asada torta and immediately realized this wasn't just a sandwich  this was architecture. The bread? Perfectly toasted, soft inside with just enough crisp to hold the universe together. It cradles everything like it knows how important its job is. Then the carne asada shows up  tender, juicy, smoky, and seasoned like someone's abuela personally supervised the grill. Every bite releases layers: char, citrus, salt, and warmth all hitting at once. The toppings don't just sit there either they collaborate. Creamy, fresh, bright, and balanced so the meat stays the star while everything else plays the perfect supporting role. The sauces? I'm convinced they bend time, because the torta disappears way faster than logic allows. This isn't just food  it's the kind of meal that makes you pause mid-bite and look around to see if anyone else realizes what just happened. El Habanero didn't just make a torta... they made a reason to come back. read more

First time here and I was very impressed with their customer service and food. It was late Sunday, perhaps 1pm and they still had menudo which I was craving. The menudo was very flavorful and I can tell the tripe was cleaned well since the menudo didn't have a greasy film. They served free chips and gave you cups to fill at their delicious salsa bar. The salsa bar looked clean and fresh. I tried three and I loved every one of them. We also ordered the chile relleno burrito and that was also very flavorful. Our food came out within 10 mins of placing our order which was awesome. I highly recommend stopping by read more

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I happen to be in the area and seen this Mexican spot. didn't think much of it just by driving by but glad I stopped in the food was delicious and portions are big. read more

El Habanero - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

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Very good Mexican restaurant. They serve beer, and other bottled drinks, along with an amazing salsa bar! The Carne Asada is sliced up with grilled jalepeno's and onions. The carnitas is soft and moist, with plenty of fatty pieces. They do take credit cards, but do not take Apple Pay. You can walk in, or call to place an order. Although they do not delivery, and do not take payment over the phone. There's also no option to order online. They are old-school, and those are at many times the best! read more

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We went for dinner tonight...comedy of errors... the food was good but the young lady taking our order didn't speak English well enough to get our order right the first time...or the second... My cheese pupusa was amazing... we also ordered a chili relleno alacart which came with the red sauce, a combo plate with a chili relleno & an enchilda... I asked for green sauce for the enchilda but they didn't put any sauce, red or green on the chili relleno... we also ordered chili verde... all dinners were supposed to be double beans, no rice & she forgot... 3 times... sigh... then to top it off, how hard is it to take the plate back, scrape the items onto a new plate & add double beans??? It took forever for her to bring the plates back that had rice on them...they weren't even that busy. The young lady was very nice & the food was good but the comedy of errors ruined it for us...then she brought us one to go box that was a small clamshell & it was supposed to hold the chili verde, a chili relleno & 2 orders of double beans... I made it all fit but there'll be beans on my chili relleno.... read more

My coworkers have been here many times, but it was my first time here at El Habanero. This place is a no-frills hole in the wall family run type of restaurant. Warning, there's no air-conditioning so beware when dining in when it's super hot. I was dying from the heat and I shouldn't have ordered pozole verde soup. Actually, I'm glad I did because the soup was good. I was anticipating shredded chicken breast because that's the only way I've had it before. Instead, it came with one chicken drumstick. My co-workers ordered chili relleno plate with rice and beans, chicken soft tacos plate, and California burrito. They all enjoyed their food. The one thing that provided me some relief from the hot stuffy restaurant was the refreshing Chia, cucumber, and lime drink. My coworkers recommended it and I'm glad I ordered one and I finished all of it. It was so refreshing and thirst quenching. It's a regular place on our lunch rotation with my co-workers. I'll bring my family next time. The service was just OK. Despite the fewer number of customers dining in, the staff was not as attentive. We had to get up a couple times to go ask for basic things that we needed. read more

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Overall, this place is great. I came for the Menudo and the taste is always stellar. Small little cozy environment. The workers are always very nice. Just had an unpleasant experience when I last went, and I don't want to necessarily blame this establishment because it could've been a one off and which I'm hoping for. I really enjoyed the Menudo so if you're looking for some Menudo, this is your spot. read more

El Habanero - Menudo - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

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The service was ok but the food hadn't been the same my eggs were overcooked and a little burned I did want to ask if they had a different cook but I didn't. I guess I need to find another good Mexican restaurant read more

The only thing this place has going for it is the salsa bar. If I'm ordering a 9 dollar bean and cheese burrito, I would expect it to be bigger than something from a fast food joint. This is compared against the veggie burrito. And to add insult to injury, there is hardly any beans in the burrito. read more

El Habanero - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

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Stopped by El Habanero on a slow weekday after a doctor's appointment and boy was I pleasantly surprised! The cozy yet bustling ambiance with several patrons was a promising sign. The staff were warm, welcoming, and friendly, and the Breakfast Burrito (with Ham/Chorizo/Bacon) is available all day long and the thin tortilla really hits the spot! Located in a tight plaza in Tustin; typical for SoCal strip mall plazas. Stop in here soon! read more

Comfort food for sure! The restaurant is box of Salvadorian and Mexican food. The space is on the smaller side with a few tables, and the parking in this small plaza is just as tight. The ladies taking your order are always friendly and willing to offer recommendations. We usually order to go, our family favorites are Pupusas of chicharon con queso (its not the crunchy chicharon, its a special meat mix from El Salvador) and loroco con queso (loroco is a small flower bud, very perfumy and a Central Amreican delicacy). We also usually order the mojarra frita (fried tilapia), as a plate comes with a side of beans, salad, and tortillas. It's all absolutely delicious, but beware of the salsa, treat them with respect as they are spicy! You also get a side of chips, O recommend ordering a side of guacamole to complete the meal. read more

Great authentic Mexican food with large portions. Breakfast and lunch are both good, served all day. Micheladas hit the spot every time too.

I came here to eat a breakfast burrito once and it was delicious! HOWEVER, this morning my husband and I were waiting outside of the business and a worker at the restaurant opened the door inches from my husband's face, nearly hitting him, without saying "excuse me." It was incredibly rude and I will no longer be supporting this business. read more

I ordered a chile relleno and was disappointed in the quality of the food. It had no flavor, was salty, and the cheese they use was stringy. it came with rice, beans and tortillas but nothing was tasty or enjoyable. read more

Very delicious Mexican food. Highly recommend coming here. Food and service was all on point. I got some Al Pastor Tacos and a Carne Asada Quesadilla. Both were super flavorful, filling, and cooked perfectly. Didn't go wrong with these choices. Girlfriend also got some tacos and she loved them. I like their salsa bar as well. They had 6 or 7 different salsas available for you to choose from. Fresh limes, onions and cilantro too. The lady working here was very nice and gave great service. She didn't speak English but it's ok. They know what you want! read more

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This place has decent food. I'd say it's in the middle of the pack as far as Mexican food.

The review is strictly on the food alone. Been coming here for a very long time. I've had their carne asada tacos, carne asada fries, burritos, and shrimp cocktail. The quality of food is always on point. *****The part I take issue with is they OVERCHARGE and add extra charges. They don't provide an itemized receipt and the prices posted are NOT what they're charging. I feel this is a habit because it's happened more than once and I trusted them the first couple times after my total wasn't what I expected and came out a lot higher. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. The last time, I had my calculator out and went item by item so they couldn't overcharge me. I know I looked like a Karen but Im sick of them pulling a fast one. And guess what?? I wasn't overcharged! Who knows if this is normal practice for the and how often they get away with it. So be aware when you order take out!!!! Ask for prices and confirm what you're being charged****** read more

Food is great Salsa bar is fire Service is fast and friendly Ambience is fiesta Parking outside all around Tortillas read more

Service is not that good I ordered my food and I asked for order of tortillas and my food get cold and never got my order of tortillas. After 15 minutes I pay and I left the food in the table. read more

Authentic (from what I can tell) sit down casual or take out Mexican food. They also have some mix of other Latin cultures as they have fried plantain (yummy!) and ceviche on the menu. Love that they have a variety of meats including lengua (tongue), al pastor, etc. also love that that hand make their corn tortilla here (you get one thick tortilla instead of 2 store bought put tougher like most other places). Why not 5 stars? The meat wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked. The meat was tender but not flavorful. Something like grilled onions would help out this place to 5 stars to me. Service here was polite and efficient. Food does take a little time to make so it isn't "instant" (maybe 10 minute wait for food?) read more

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Service was good, had the fish tacos that were excellent. Menudo was really good. Bathroom was clean and music was jamming.

The drinks are good here we ordered the horchata and Jamaica. I ordered asada tacos, Al pastor tacos and 1 sope of chorizo. The meat for the tacos were not good at all. The Al pastor was over cooked. read more

El Habanero - Al pastor tacos, asada tacos and chorizo sope - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

We were looking for Mexican and found this little place. Tortillas and sopes made in-house and you could really taste the difference. They have a little salsa bar that is self serve. Three of us and everything was tasty. Ate well for $52 for the food. read more

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Service is abysmal. Cashier seems absolutely miserable and she makes sure you know it. One and done.

Second time same thing, but I noticed she over charge me for a breakfast burrito; $10.50 on the menu right in front of me and she charged me, $12.99. There are other Mexican restaurants I will try in the area next time. ~Doesn't matter how good your food is, if you treat customers like that it leaves a bad taste in their mouth. read more

Simple, fast, Mexican food with kind service. It's right next to my favorite matcha cafe too, so the location is super convenient. Salsa bar is great too! read more

Amazing food and great service! This place has authentic Mexican food and it is delicious! My husband and I were feeling like having some tacos and we ended up here and I'm so glad we did. I got carne asada and al pastor and the quality of the meat is perfection! The tortillas are also delicious and taste home made. They also have an assortment of salsas you can choose from and they were all delicious! My favorite was the green tomatillo salsa. The prices were also very reasonable and they have a lot to choose from on their menu. The portion sizes are decent as well, I got full after 2 tacos. I know there's a good amount of mexican restaurants in the area but I think this one takes the cake in terms of quality and authenticity! The restaurant itself is small and more of a casual dining spot rather than date night but they have a few tables to sit at if you want to eat there. Overall I highly recommend and I will definitely be coming back again soon! read more

El Habanero - Al pastor and carne asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

Great little spot for lunch or dinner. Try the El Pastor Tacos with a side of guacamole. You're welcome. read more

Trash service. Literally took 30 minutes to make 2 burritos and 2 tacos. Other people came in after me and still got their food before me. Won't be coming back read more

Total $38 for two asada burritos, bottle of coke and an horchata. Burritos had majority rice and beans. read more

El Habanero - Asada burrito, rice, and beans - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

Wow, I really wanted to like this place. Not too far from the house. Right around the corner from a couple of my other favorite taco places, (Taco factory and Holey Mole). Went with friends so we could try a good assortment of things. I'm going to start on a positive note. The young woman who helped us was utterly fantastic. Very kind, explained the offerings well, waited on us at one of the tables so we didn't have to order from the counter (although you could). The salsa bar had some great offerings as well. There are some marinated onions that are labeled as spicy but does not look that way. BELIEVE THE SIGN! They were great, take a bite and absolutely nothing happens. Wait about 20 seconds and you say, "oh, there's a little something." About 20 more seconds and you are "There it is, that's the spice!" 20 more seconds and then it's like "can I get a refill on my drink or another beer!!!" The salsas are very good and flavorful, nothing really mild, all medium and up which is fine by me but be aware. Now, here comes the other shoe dropping. The food was just not that good, I'm so sorry to say. The rice was bland. The beans were bland. The Al Pastor tacos were so greasy it was like trying to eat a Birria taco that had just been submerged in a cup of the broth. Literally. There was so much grease coming out of it that I held it over the rice trying to give the rice some flavor. The carne asada was cooked well but felt like it had no seasoning to it. One of my companions said the same thing about the chicken, bland. The carnitas was dry. The chorizo had a good flavor but was also really dry. The demographic dining in there was mainly Hispanic, so I had really high hopes. I will have to come back to try it again just to verify, but the food was really disappointing. I am hopeful it was just perhaps an off night, but you only get one chance to make a first impression. I will update this review again after I go back. read more

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This is our go to Mexican spot. We often bring friends and family and everyone loves it. Between us and family/friends, we have tried quite a few items. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. That being said, it's not my choice in style of Chile relleno. The salsa bar is one of the best around; only problem is choosing because they are all so good. The service there is always with a smile and quick. Prices are extremely fair. Love that this family owned business survived the pandemic. They usually have a soccer game on the TVs and some of them cumbias! read more

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Food is always incredible. The California burrito is the best in town. Service 5/5 always helpful & kind Ambiance 5/5 authentic & genuine read more

El Habanero - Carne asada taco plate! - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

Love this small business. Great food. Love the milensa, carne asada and al pastor that I have tried so far. The lime cucumber and chia seed agua fresca is so refreshing. Really good salsa also Please come and give this place a try. Remember to do random acts of kindness as it will make everyone feel wonderful Happy Yelping read more

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I have been coming here for years. They have the best Mexican food in the area (there aren't very many authentic options here.) I love how big and yummy the pupusas are and you can grab your own salsa and fixings from the salsa bar. It would help if someone spoke English cause my poor lil gringo boyfriend had a hard time picking up our food but apart from that this place deserves FIVE STARS! read more

My typical order here is 2 fish (and/or shrimp) tacos, 1 pupusa revuelta (beans, cheese, and pork), and a large lime-cucumber-chia agua fresca with a chamoy tajin rim. Ugh, just typing this order out is making my mouth water.. I love that the fish tacos here are pan-fried. They are light with a well-seasoned crust, topped with a crunchy cabbage slaw, soft shredded cheese, and a creamy orange sauce. If I'm not in the mood for a pupusa, I'll sub it out for another fish or shrimp taco. I also can't get enough of their curtido, which is a pickled cabbage slaw that is typically served with pupusas. The crunchy tanginess of the slaw perfectly compliments the rich meaty and cheesey pupusa filling. Their tortillas are handmade, which I love because they're chewier, thicker, slighly sweeter, and more filling than your typical store-bought tortillas. Each order comes with some fresh chips and they have a salsa bar towards the back that has a number of options ranging from mild to spicy. The pale green salsa is deceptively spicy. Highly recommend. read more

El Habanero - Fish Taco and Shrimp Taco - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

The lengua torta is delicious. It's taken me years to find a good torta and I'm relieved to have finally found one. Most places skimp on the meat so you end up with more bread than filling. The lengua was tender and the bread was perfectly toasted. My husband ordered a carnitas burrito and lengua taco and he was more than satisfied. Zero complaints. He's finicky because he grew up around Mexican cuisine and said this was definitely one of the better places. They have a salsa bar, which is a huge plus but it's a bit messy. The salsa was fresh-tasting and authentic. The location is in a weird, very old plaza so the navigation is odd because it's sandwiched in between Newport and McFadden. Parking, however, is sufficient. read more

Nice little restaurant in Tustin. I was craving pozole but ended ups with the caldo de res. I started with a Diet Coke but saw the aguas frescas and had to get the pepino limon! You come in and sit down. The cashier/waitress came by to give me a menu and take my drink order. She was also the waitress. There are a number of salsas but you have to get it on your own. There aren't a lot of seats but for the location it's enough. I will have to return to try their other meals and pupusas. read more

El Habanero - Caldo de res - Mexican Near Me - Tustin, California

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Some of the best Mexican food I've had in OC thus far, will definitely be back! I stopped by El Habanero to get takeout for dinner and it was great. I got the combo meal with green chicken enchiladas & a carne asada taco. Service was quick and friendly. The food tasted fresh and made with love. Everything was very flavorful, including the rice and beans on the side. I've eaten at lots of Mexican spots and it's easy for the food to seem the same at a lot of them, but something about the food at El Habanero really impressed me and makes me want to come back for more. read more

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