We had the quesadillas fritas & sopa de mariscos both were excellent. Ask for a side of chile sauce to give an extra kick. Both were great without it though. read more

Hole in the wall vibes, but the place was popping! Which goes to show that the locals know what's up. This place was great! We were seated immediately. The food came quickly and was delicious! We tried the mole sampler, and we loved it. Got the torta, which was a big portion for how reasonable the price was! So good and clearly very authentic. Random note, the water was addicting. It was literally just water. But something about it was so good. Crisp!! If you know you know. read more

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I am so happy we got to try a new style of Mexican food. My family and I are from Jalisco and love all kinds of Mexican food, but Jalisciense food is definitely our favorite. We were on our way home from the 17-Mile Drive and wanted to get dinner before our long drive back. I found Padrino Restaurant on Yelp, and we decided to give it a try. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted and seated. I loved that they provide the table with a pitcher of water, but I do wish it was a little larger. We ordered the kids' food while we looked over the menu. This restaurant is a little more expensive than most Mexican restaurants. A kids' quesadilla was $8 with no sides included. We ordered a side of rice and beans for the kids to share since they were $4 each. My oldest got two fried quesadillas, and my youngest got one regular quesadilla. They don't automatically bring out chips and salsa, but they do offer them. I actually don't mind that because it can feel wasteful to give them to every table when not everyone will eat them. I understand the choice. I ordered the Stuffed Chilaquiles with beef. I loved the flavors. They were definitely different from what I am used to, but still very delicious. The asada was seasoned really well, although don't expect a huge portion of meat. I would give this 4/5 stars. My husband ordered the Enchiladas Rojas with a side of rice and beans (for an extra charge). He did not like the sauce at all because it was more like a dark mole sauce than the red sauce he is used to. I traded plates with him, and I actually liked it. It had a darker flavor than what I am used to, but it was still delicious. I would give this 3/5 stars. My mother-in-law ordered the Green Enchiladas. They were very different--they were more like flautas covered in green sauce. Still good, just not what we expected. I would give them 3/5 stars. I am happy we got to try it, and the service was great. I am just not sure if I would come back again. That may simply be because we are so used to the flavors and style of food we grew up with. read more

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Moeller has the best hospitality and truly stands out. It's one of the top spots to stop for authentic Mexican food, and you really have to check this place out. CHITO and Biff was here And Tony & Julian read more

All I can say is WOW!!! Amazing . The good reviews were on point! The Mole nachos were so beyond yummy!! I ate way more than I should have. Everything we ordered we loved! This is real authentic food!!! Service was also 5 stars! And the free sample of lentil soup feed my soul! Love it!!! read more

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We went for a late lunch, so plenty of seating available & easy parking. Greeted & seated right away. I had a seafood dish that was served w/rice. The sauce was delicious & I enjoyed the rice that came w/it. A bit disappointed w/the teeny scallops. They were maybe the size of my pointer finger nail. There were a few shrimp & pcs of fish in there as well, but overall, the portion of seafood wasn't that great. My husband had a mole dish. While he did enjoy the smoky taste, the sweetness threw him off & he found the pork to be a bit dry. I read the reviews, so I was aware & inquired about getting chips & the complimentary lentil soup, which was delicious, but they weren't offered without asking. Chips were nice, thick & crunchy. Overall, not really a place that I would come back to. read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Seafood with rice - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

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Coinciding with a ping from Yelp on this new restaurant we were also talking to a friend of ours (a chef) from the Oaxaca region of Mexico who said how thrilled he was and impressed by a new regional authentic restaurant on Broadway (Seaside) that gave him the flavors of home... I mentioned the Mole which I had trepidation over but you dont know what you dont know !.. Jo and decided to trek down there this evening, she had the special - 'Shrimp in Chipotle sauce' while I went for a traditional 'Pork Mole Coloradito' whilst washing them down with glasses of fresh coconut and a glass of tamarind water. The service was super, the chap I spoke with was passionate about the food, very accommodating and spent some time to explain the regional specific spices as we were not familiar with this particular area of Mexico. I can happily report back that both dishes were beautifully executed, full of flavor and most enjoyable and I now have a total appreciation for a well executed Mole. Added to this the complimentary lentil soup and chips'n'Sala hit the right notes. We already planned what we will be ordering on our return. suffice to say we'd fully recommend it for the service and food but also to experience the subtle differences they bring to the table. Well done to the team, thank you .. read more

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Wow! The food is so delicious here. The mole negro was the star, but the enchiladas rojas was good too! The server was friendly, fast, and helpful. read more

First time here & the food was great! Would definitely come back again! I shared the sample plater & tried a bite of of my besties chicken mole. They offered complimentary lentil soup but passed since it was hot outside lol. Homemade tortillas is always a bonus! read more

El Padrino Restaurant - $25 sample platter. Taquitos, quesadilla & I forgot the name of the other but it has potatoes & chorizo. - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

We had the Mole Negro and Tlayuda Regular. Both were very good. The corn tortillas almost look and taste like flour - which is great by me! Our sweet waitress offered us complimentary lentil soup. It was delicious. We shared the two entrées and couldn't eat it all between the two of us. The decor is very bright and colorful. The only complaint I would have is that it was cold in there. It's not somewhere I'd go on a fancy date, but for good food at a fair price, it was a good date night for us. read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Very colorful walls and tables. - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

Came back and just as amazing as the first time! Tlayuda w steak - our favorite dish, a little bit smoky, super fresh and delicious steak on top Oaxacan taco with pork - second time, excellent again. Loved the green salsa on top with the cheesy center. My 5 year old loved it Yellow mole empanada - very good as well We all enjoyed the lentil soup at the beginning too read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Empanada yellow mole - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

Truly Authentic menu and food is excellent!!! Service was great, prompt and happy to explain the menu. Great if you need gluten free! Plenty of tables and comfortable! read more

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Unbelievably incredible. This restaurant not only has some of the best food in town but great service from the staff. We ordered the memelas with beef and picadillo with chicken. I wish I could explain in writing how delicious it was. The sauce it comes with tops it as well. Cannot wait to eat here again. Thank you for the great experience read more

Amazing!! Cooked to order and fresh and very good. Friendly staff and lots of indoor seating. My plate was clean when I was done.

The food is EXCELLENT! It tastes so good! It's not a big restaurant but the food is authentic, light, fresh, homemade tortillas, homemade chips and the green salsa has fresh pieces of avocado in it along with authentic, fresh pico de Gallo. The staff is AMAZING as well! Best food EVER! read more

This place was so good!! My husband and I got the mole negro with chicken and the flautas enmoladas and both of them were outstanding. Run, don't walk, to this place. read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Mole negro with chicken and flautas enmoladas - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

The MOLE!!! Get the mole negro. It so so damn good. The hand made tortillas are phenomenal. The verde empanada was also good. Cute little spot. Decent service. Would return read more

So I read the reviews and decided to try. Been burned before on Mexican restaurant food -- typically very Gringo. So went with not much in the way of expectations. It is I think the only 5 star rating in Monterey County for Mexican food. First, you want into an immaculately clean Taqueria. Spotless. Greeted by two young energetic people with big smiles. Checking all the boxes. Showed to a table and offered me a menu. A menu filled with Oaxacan food. Great Oaxacan food -- the menu is extensive and full of choices. This is not a place for giant super burritos or tacos ( thankfullyj) as there are a number of those places already. This is top quality home made food. I ordered Enchiladas Verde with chicken.. see picture. I can assure you these were made for me -- they weren't sitting around to be heated in the Nuker. You can taste the freshness, and they were wonderful . Four corn tortillas lightly deep fried but the crust was not hard. Filled with a large amount of chicken. Quality chicken. Covered with verde sauce raw very thin white onions. Mex cheese on top. No rice, No beans and fine with me. About $15. Worth every penny. I found out they are known for their Mole. They have three types -- from the pictures it looks like the mole sauce is accompanied by chicken or beef with rice beans cheese. Next time trying this for sure. Go Now --=no disappointments. read more

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My father is from Oaxaca, and we've gotten Oaxacan food before at other places and this one takes the cake. The service was prompt and kind. Everything they gave us was so tasty and full of flavor. They do charge you three bucks for refills though, but the jamaica tasted authentic so it's ok. read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Mole verde empanada - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

I will be dreaming about their quesadillas and flautas oh my gosh, the very best!!! our server was so friendly made the whole meal special read more

El Padrino Restaurant - So so good!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

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Tried this Oaxacan spot and everything was so fresh and full of flavor! The mole was hands down my favorite -- rich, complex, and absolutely delicious. The menudo broth had amazing depth and really hit the spot. Chips and salsa were a great start, and the memelas were tasty, especially the chorizo one. Personally, I think adding a little lettuce and sour cream on top would've taken it to the next level, but still very enjoyable as is. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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Ridiculously good molè holy moly. My 7 yo rated the taquitos a 10. He doesn't give out tens. Great service. read more

Wowzers. Best mole I've ever had outside the marketplace in Oaxaca (and rivals the moles you can find there, too!). Went two nights in a row while visiting Seaside - first night had Black Mole chicken (amazing), second night had flautas with Mole Coloradito (OMG, to die for). Excellent service to boot! I want to try everything on the menu! read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Flautas w/Mole coloradito - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

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Stopped today, by accident, looking for Mexican food....and thoroughly enjoyed my meal at El Padrino. I had taquitos and quesadillas (Oaxacan style)....set totally apart by a delicious bean sauce, avocado green salsa, and the freshest cheese possible. Will add: great service! Totally recommend. read more

The food was amazing, definitely authentic. Buddy and I had the memelas as an appetizer and the green mole for dinner 10/10 recommend. Hidden gem even the service was great. read more

The food was amazing. My wife had the mole verde chicken enchiladas and I had the mole coloradito with chicken. Everything was authentic and tasted delicious. We come to Monterey often and will definitely be there again. read more

Ordered the mole negro and Amarillo, both were excellent! Extremely kind and attentive staff, homemade tortillas were delicious :) read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Mole negro - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

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Very clean restaurant. Very inviting. People and service were great. The food is very different. I guess I'm just not used to that style of Mexican food. It was all good just different. read more

Everything about this place was great! You enter and immediately get greeted. Their staff are polite and friendly. When you get seated, you're asked what you'd like to drink. Their drink menu is on the table. After you order, they'll give a small but delicious cup of lentil soup. So much flavor! It seems to get busy Sunday mornings, we got here at 10:45ish and the restaurant was steady, people would leave, more would come in. I got the enchiladas verdes and it was SO good! The sauce was flavorful, the chicken inside of the tacos was also full of flavorful (it had tomato) and it was chicken breast meat, no fatty pieces. The ambiance was really nice, Oaxacan music was playing in the background. What I really like is that they don't have a lot on their menu but once you get your plate, it's full of flavor. It's good that they didn't add a lot of items, because you know that whatever you'll get, it'll be delicious! read more

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Talk about a happy accident! We got turned away from the pizza joint next door (party of 6, no room), and walked into El Padrino instead. Best thing that happened to us all night! Seated right away, which was already a win. Our server was fantastic - super attentive and went above and beyond when we mentioned one person in our group can't have cilantro. They made sure to modify dishes accordingly without any fuss. Started with complimentary lentil soup that was surprisingly amazing. Then we went all out - different moles, chili rellenos, you name it. Every. Single. Dish. Was incredible. And trust me, our group is notoriously picky. Here's the thing: we're from Tucson, so we know good Mexican food. But authentic Oaxacan cuisine? That's a whole different level, and this place absolutely nails it. The moles were complex and rich - exactly what you'd hope for from this incredible culinary tradition. Plus, it's family-owned and local, which makes the whole experience even better. You can taste the care and generations of tradition in every bite. If you're in the area, don't walk past this place. Authentic Oaxacan food is rare to find (let alone done this well), the service is top-notch, and you'll be supporting a business that clearly gives a damn about preserving their culinary heritage. Go. Now. Thank me later. read more

I can't emphasize enough how delicious this restaurant's food is. I went in not a mole lover and left being a convert! We ordered the mole sampler for $6 so we could try all of their moles. Their free salsa and chips were house made and superb. We also tried several other dishes and everything was so good. Service was very good too. Highly recommend! read more

Great first experience! While the restaurant wasn't crowded, I did appreciate the personal approach of the hostess, who answered all of my questions about the menu, and made helpful suggestions about the dishes. Atmosphere was pleasant and friendly, and the food was really great! I'd would definitely recommend the mole negro and the empanadas with cheese. Looking forward to a return visit! read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Nice background on the walls to get you in the mood! - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

Great food and amazing service. Location is a bit small but very cute and comfy inside. Totally recommend if you want authentic food. Flavors are all to die for. read more

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I lived with my wife (Silvia) in Oaxaca for three years, and we moved to Monterey about eight years ago. When we first tried El Parino's, it felt as though we were back in Oaxaca! The food is EXCELLENT, the ambience is great, and the service is fantastic. --Ty ad Silvia Vossler-- read more

Yes, come and eat here! Something about the food that makes you feel like you're in Oaxaca. The restaurant is clean, the service was excellent. I will be coming back to try other dishes. read more

El Padrino Restaurant - Atole de Espuma - Mexican Near Me - Seaside, California

Really nice service. I had spicy shrimp with fresh tortillas and my son had a burrito. Both of us very happy.

We've been wanting to try this new Oaxacan Mexican restaurant. So happy we did. Incredible everything! Service, cleanliness, and food. Checked all the boxes. Extremely nice staff and owner Sergio. We started with the Nachos Mole appetizer. Light delicious mole with fresh crisp homemade chips with Oaxacan cheese on top. The table salsa is a perfect not too hot or mild. We tried the all three molea they have in different dishes. Even the rice was delicious. We will be back. read more

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Food, people and place were amazing! The place was clean, the food was hot, flavorful and perfect and the staff were nice and attentive.

My family and I enjoyed the food very much. The service was great friendly and fast. Husband had mole negro we had heard this place has the most authentic mole so we wanted to see what that was like: it was delicious it has smokey flavor which other moles I have had did not have. I had the quesadilla it was so goody with a crunchy corn tortilla. My son had a carne asada taco I'm not sure that's what it was called exactly but he doesn't usually eat much and he ate this very well. The lentil soup was very tasty. The water tasted like they serve filtered water which I really appreciate. The place is clean . Oh my son also got hot chocolate but he ate so much taco he couldn't drink it so I helped it was tasty. read more

The mole negro is delicious. We came here two days in a row while on vacation because we enjoyed our dinner so much the first time. The service is excellent as well. read more