We had a party of about 10 with one server, so of course service was expected to be a little slower. BUT how slow they actually were was outrageous! The food was extremely generic and bland, majority of the table had Fajitas and they were all over cooked and drowned in a sauce that didn't have much flavor other than its ketchup base. I had a Chimi, I can honestly say you'll get the same exact thing from one of those .79 cent "Tina's burritos" from the grocery store. The beans were tasteless, and the rice was nothing to rave about. We were all pretty excited about this place because majority of our table knows authentic Yucatán. This is far from it, unfortunately all the good yelp reviews let us down. read more

Great food and great service. Came on Mother's Day and they gave out flowers to all the mothers which was a great surprise at the end of our meal. Will come back for sure read more

I paid $11.75 + tip for a sliver of chicken tamale and rice and beans. Very disappointed by this place. I wish I had taken a picture of it to show on yelp because it was the saddest looking dish I had ever seen. It was completely flat and you'd be surprised to know there was actually a tamale in there somewhere. Service was alright for the most part. We did have to fight off three different waiters from taking our friend's half eaten food while he was in the bathroom, lol. They clear the tables FAST. The only redeeming quality about this place is the chips and salsa. read more

Belo, nos atendió muy bien, me gusta mucho su amabilidad. Las instalaciones y la comida esta deliciosa

All the food was extremely dry and overcooked. The only saving grace was the drinks. Over hyped not even close to any taco trucks.

I hate leaving bad reviews esp when I had a good time and the service was great. But the food was not that great. I dont think the price is worth the food quality. I came for a 25 year celebratory event they had so I was able to try multiple plates that others ordered. I thought it was ok. Not the best Mexican food I've had..... read more

I give this place 5 stars! The staff was so nice to My friends, husband and I! We went here for my bday dinner and I couldn't be happier. The decor is super cute, the staff was friendly, and we actually loved the food! Also, the margarita pitcher was cheap and delicious! I will definitely come back to this restaurant :) read more

Had an amazing dinner here last night. The service was fantastic and that really made the experience! We arrived around 8:30 and were immediately greeted at the door and seated on the patio. The atmosphere is off the hook! It was a warm summer night, but the corona's on tap kept us cool! Our servers were excellent and on their game the whole night. I had grilled shrimp tacos and black bean soup and it was amazing! My husband had chicken enchiladas and tortilla soup and he enjoyed everything! Other recommendations: the bar area is also a cool hangout, especially if there's a game on. I don't know any other Mexican food spots in the area with Corona on tap. We will definitely be coming back El Portal! Thanks for the amazing service! read more

Two visits about three weeks apart and the same roach issues. First time sitting at the bar and roach scurrys by and I take care of it with a napkin. Bar tender sees it and apologized. My wife and I finish our drinks and bartender comps the drink. Very nice. Second visit at the bar about two days ago, wife opens up the menu and a roach falls out and runs across the bar, different bartender grabs it with a napkin an nonchalantly removed it. Wife is starting to have second thoughts. While waiting for our order of tacos I see three more roaches at the bar, but do not tell my wife. Grand finally is when the taco plate comes and as it is put down a roach comes running out from under the plate. Check please. They need to address this infestation ASAP. Going to find somewhere else. read more

Lousy place to go. The waiter service was terrible. They couldn't even get orders right. I ordered a carne asada burrito and they brought me pork. The margaritas taste like a spritzers. The only recommendation I suggest is turn around and find a better Mexican restaurant. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, food was great. The meat was cooked perfect, very juicy and tender. The rice was cooked perfectly. Salsas had great flavor and tasted fresh. The chips were mediocre. The drinks were A+, as well as the service. Bathrooms were clean as well as the rest of the restaurant and patio areas. This place is a perfect place to have an upbeat family dinner, or a night out with your friends. I would highly recommend this place if you want to have a fun place to enjoy a sit down meal. read more

El Portal - Ordered the tacos with rice only no beans. So yummy - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Nope. Dont do it. We waited so long for our food and drinks. A steak instead of carne asada. Flour tortillas on enchiladas.veggies instead of beans. Horrible drinks. Waitress appeared to be very busy but wasnt doing much. Go to alfredos/albertos instead read more

The music tonight was amazing! Loved IMAGEN LATINA - more melodic and quieter than the usual band, hoping they'll be back! Tilapia excellent and love the Flaquita margaritas. Wooot! read more

Oh, how I wish I could love this restaurant. I live only three blocks away from this Pasadena fixture. I have been here at least five times now, and every time I felt distinctly disappointed. The menu is unique with its Yucatan spin on Mexican cuisine. Unfortunately, the food itself is nothing to write home about. The presentation is stale, and the ingredients are supermarket quality. Probably the worst aspect of this restaurant is its bar. Stick to beer, because their margaritas all taste like syrupy lemonade - lots of sugar, no alcohol. The service is good, and the ambiance is good too. A solid three stars. read more

Never experienced such a bad experience.. I'm a server myself been in the industry 10 years n this place completely was the worst I ever had they treat you like ehh if your not older read more

We had the most amazing wedding ever in El Portal. My family and friends loved their food and the customer service was excellent. The place was full of good vibes and the art and decor was so exquisite. They are very nice and friendly and they make you feel welcomed. Thank you so much El Portal. read more

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Usually better but last time the chicken tostada had absolutely no taste. Mentioned it to the server and her reply was sorry to hear that. Sent an email commenting on chicken w/o flavor but got no reply. Adios El Portal. read more

Amazing service the manager was attentive friendly and made my family and I feel as we were guest in his home. The owner not only came and spoke to us but introduced us to his I believe granddaughter who was just as friendly and personable. It was a special occasion as I introduced my girlfriend and her son for the first time to my family and your family at El Portal made it all the more special sincerely thank you. read more

Great restaurant I have been coming to for decades. Family owned friendly staff. They have a nice patio / courtyard setting that is dog friendly. The outside patio probably holds more than the interior and where you want to sit. This restaurant also owns a pastry / coffee shop next door called Vanessa's and then a breakfast place in the front called Yajaira's so usually if you're cool with the staff they can bring you items from all 3 with seperate checks (don't say I mentioned). Staff are great and they hustle and keep the chips, salsa and iced water coming. For some reason this patio always seems about 10 degrees hotter than outside so it's all tented off to keep the sun off you. Food is great and I've tried most everything. Standard fare. The chef always has something on special at night in the higher price range but excellent!! Yesterday I had a #4 I think - 2 hard shell tacos with ground beef, rice and beans. Cooked perfect. Got a beer that turned warm in 5 minutes (bad choice) and then a pink cadillac which was excellent. Drinks are not measured pours and tend to be on the strong side, which I appreciate. Parking here is a little iffy since it's one hour on the street if you can find a place and $5 in a private lot next to their restaurant. What I totally recommend, unless you don't mind paying $5, is to go south of Green in the residential area where parking is plentiful and 2 hours. Walk is a block or less. Last tidbit, usually mariachi's on Friday / Saturday. Not my thing because they kind of come by your table looking to play a song and get money. Not pushy at all but I like more of a quiet setting, but some patrons eat that up and have a blast so good for them!!! read more

If you like authentic Mexican dishes this is not the place for you. The chilaquiles sauce is worse than canned sauce. The staff is polite but waiter service is terrible. We asked for the basics like more water , more chips & salsa & after asking three different times...then we got those things. My pineapple margarita was basically water with a splash of canned juice. The glasses water is served in stinks of Egg. read more

Great great food! I made a reservation through yelp's app and it worked perfectly. Very cool environment there. Food was also spot on. The only downside I could see is that it can get packed so make sure you make a reservation or call ahead! read more

I ate lunch at El Portal in Pasadena, CA on 12/19/2016. I've been there many times before. This time there were four of us (we were celebrating my cousin Lisa's birthday). Two of us had the #13 (chili rellano, taco, enchilada) for $12.50 each. The pork & beans burrito and the vegetarian burrito were both $10.00. Coffee was $2.75 while XX amber draft was $6.00. Our server, Beatriz, did a fine job. Plus, I took photos. read more

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The food is way over priced! Especially since it DOES NOT have the authentic flavors of Yucatecan food, the food tastes bland. As a Yucatecan myself I am very disappointed in this place. read more

Great service. Wonderful food. The outside patio is lovely!! It is our go to Mexican resturant in Pasadena.

I'm not sure if last night was just an off night or if the restaurant has changed. We used to use El Portal as our standard for Mexican restaurants in Pasadena. Their black bean soup was delicious, their cheese enchiladas with verde sauce were the best anywhere, ... So last night our daughter wanted Mexican food, and being tired of Margaritas, we figured we'd try El Portal. My carnitas were dry, some pieces so hard I could barely chew them. Rice and beans were under-seasoned. My wife didn't even like her favorite shrimp tostada. Daughter said her Yucatan Trio was good. So 2 stars for that Yucatan Trio. But I don't think we'll be ordering from them again. And I'm disappointed. Because at one point, at least, they really were the best Mexican restaurant in town. read more

We arrived here for dinner on our last night in Pasadena and got a great seat in one of their outdoor booths.....a fabulous table.....great spot to people watch and to enjoy the evening weather. Once seated, we were given the usual salsa with chips.......eh...ok. For dinner, I ordered the carne asada......it came with one cheese enchilada, rice, salsa and guacamole.........the carne asada was not the usual thinly sliced flank steak. It was a small 8 ounce sirloin steak.....ok but not great. The enchilada and rice.......again ok...nothing special. For desert, we had the flan...........caramel flavored....very sweet.....very average. Overall, an average meal with a great table........! read more

This was once the number one Mexican restaurant selected by Pasadena News. It has a creative menu and a variety of cocktails. Its best is Yucatan cuisine, using Yucatan spice. They use a lot of achiote, so the dishes appear colorful, mostly red, however it is not spicy. I alo like the fish, chicken or carnita wrapped in banana leaves. The Yucatan Trio is also very good with three different types of meat. The Chayotes Rellennos is also very good with Salsa and rice.. The strawberry, mango margarita as well as the Mojito and Tequila are excellent liquor that goes well with the Mexican cuisine. read more

For those of you that follow my reviews you know I'm ALL about street food and supporting small Mom & Pop type places, El Portal hardly fits in these categories but IS one of the very few restaurants that I go to on a fairly regular basis, generally on a Friday evening listening to the Mariachi Trio * (make reservations if you want to come listen to Mariachi's it gets packed). As with most Mexican Restaurants when seated they bring out chips and salsa (pico de gallo), IF you like good salsa?, do yourself a favor and ask for the HOT salsa http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=zQqgRAagRHngmyy5QGZbjQ it's off the hook good!, the wife ordered Enchiladas de Mole and I ordered the Cochinita Pibil. Enchiladas de Mole - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=M05wz7NvaCRuaxXIJMrXww Two chicken enchiladas covered in mole then topped with sour cream and toasted sesame seeds, with sides of Rice and Black Beans. The mole had good flavor and enchiladas had a nice amount of white meat chicken http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=T_hShi14xtSH2ec6JxIG-A , the black beans were very flavorful, the rice....well I'm not much into rice so I didn't even touch it. Cochinita Pibil - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=2omMaT5RbEmfJKofPpnAvQ This dish is a specialty from the Yucatan and made with tender pork that is marinated with achote and other spices, some lime juice then wrapped in banana leaves and slow roasted for hours http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=2JM9t7gjzlMj3mv4U3830g , comes with pickled onions, rice, black beans and corn tortillas. The cochinita pibil was very good, full of flavor while not the best I've had, it's pretty damn good. Black beans are fantastic loaded with flavor http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W0XgWet5Fb23lbEvI9pTPw?select=hGcGt3z2zQsRYaMlh9UjRw , rice.....well I passed, now the corn tortillas are not very impressing, NOT even the best packaged tortillas I've had, one of them was actually falling apart, for a nicer restaurant and the prices $$ you charge for the dishes how about some hand made tortillas!?? 4-Stars read more

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Address listed is not correct. Intended to eat here with a friend but we wandered around in confusion until we decided to eat somewhere else. In the photo attached, the red dot is the address listed but el Portal is actually across the way. Very bizarre! read more

El Portal - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

If you want authentic Mexican food then you will be disappointed by how Americanized their dishes are prepared. This place seem to cater towards non-Mexican diners who think that burritos and nachos are typical foods served in Mexico. Personally I would rather go to King taco and get my fix of Mexican food cravings for a lot less money. Perhaps this place is busy and popular for being in the heart of Pasadena. Unfortunately, someone like myself who is Asian has eaten better Mexican food. This place is great if you would like to dine with your dogs or enjoy outdoor patio dining. read more

My mother in law saw an ad for pollo loco or somewhere like that and thought the taco salad bowl looked good. My husband figured we should go to a "real restaurant" so we came here based on the good reviews. We sat out on the large open patio area, it's finally cooling off a bunch! I wonder if they have heaters for when it really cools down. Anyway, we were seated right away and service throughout dinner was prompt and attentive. We ordered 4 entrees with intentions to share everything. The size of the plates and the tables didn't make it easy. We ordered nachos, fajita tostada, cochinita pibil, and camarones ajo. The nachos are definitely a skip item, my husband was just had eyes bigger than stomach and had to get extra stuff. My MIL enjoyed the fajita tostada - the chicken was lightly seasoned and it was filled to the brim with grilled onion, bell peppers, lettuce, and black beans at the bottom. The cochinita pibil came with tortillas, beans, rice, and red pickled onions. We made little tacos and the meat was really tender and flavorful. If you haven't had it, it's not spicy, it's just a savory marinated pulled pork. The camarones al mojo de ajo (garlic shrimp) was drenched in butter and so tasty! It came with rice and a large portion of mixed veggies (broccoli, squash, carrots). Definitely not super authentic food, but the service is good and food is good. A bit overpriced, good for picky-ish eaters. read more

My experience with El Portal was really Bad. We had planned for a group of 30 Unfortunately only 15 showed up. So we paid 100 dollars for the room and 47.00 per person. You must read the very small print! The food was nothing to jump up and down about Pretty bland actually. So even if all the guests came And we only spent 100. For the room and 33.00 A plate I would've still been very disappointed. read more

We've eaten here at least 2-3 dozen times. We've even brought my parents here. The food is usually good and the service is usually average. Unfortunately, today, the service was deplorable, and my boyfriend urged me to write a review, so here I am. After we ate my boyfriend immediately had to use the restroom, so he left the table. The bill was brought to the table and I waited for my BF playing games on my phone and checking my email until he returned. He placed his card on the check and we waited for quite a while. No one came to pick up the check or his card so, he took it to the front desk and gave it to someone. I am disabled and it's difficult for me to stand and/ or walk so I waited at the table while this was happening. He came to get me from the table and told me he had to use the restroom again. He hadn't eaten all day, so whatever he ate at El Portal just didn't agree with him. I asked him if he signed the bill and he told me yes as he ran to the restroom. (Hindsight is 20/20 - when I asked him later why he told me he had signed the bill, he said he didn't realize he had told me that because he was in such a rush to get back to the restroom. I would not have tried to leave if I had known that he hadn't signed the bill yet.) I slowly walked to the car, which was parked in the handicap space right in the front of their patio. But as I walked the waitress stopped me and declared that I hadn't paid, in front of all the other customers sitting on the patio. I told her that my boyfriend told me he paid the bill and she said he hadn't. So I said, "Ok, I'll wait here." And I sat down at the nearest patio table chair. It would have been much too difficult for me to follow her into the restaurant and sit at the table we had eaten at inside after walking all the way to the patio. I had the feeling she wanted me to come with her inside, but I can't walk back and forth like that. I waited for a short while and she brought me the bill, his credit card and the credit receipt on their little card holder. I exclaimed, "Oh, he *has* paid the bill. Great!" And I started to exit again. But a man stopped me and declared loudly in an intimidating manner, "Ma'am, you have not paid and you need to pay before you leave." He was standing inches from me between me and the parking lot - as if to stop me from leaving. I'm disabled! I couldn't have outrun him if he had been 20 feet behind me! Actually, if he had touched me at all, which he did not, I would have probably fallen to the ground - that's unfortunately how weak I am. But because I am so weak I feel very vulnerable and I really didn't like his demeanor - he scared me. The waitress demanded that I sign the bill. I said, "I can't sign for someone else's card. He is in the bathroom and as soon as he gets out, he will sign for it. I'm disabled and I can't walk back and forth. I will just wait here until he has signed the bill." I thought she had brought it to me to show me it was, in fact, paid. They said, "Oh, you are disabled" and "Oh, he is in the bathroom", "We didn't know." And they took the bill back inside. How about an apology to me for yelling at me (twice) that I hadn't paid and couldn't leave when you already had a credit card that had been approved after it had been run through the machine? How about remembering who gave you a credit card and not demanding customers sign credit card receipts fraudulently? So, there I sat, at the patio table, very embarrassed and unable to leave. In the hot sun. About ten feet from my car. Sitting in the hot sun is not great for my condition either, by the way. I texted what happened to my BF who was still in the bathroom - for the second time in a 10-20 minute period after eating. Not good. Anyway, after a little while longer my boyfriend finally came out and I asked him if we were allowed to leave and he said we were. I don't know what my BF said to them after he left the bathroom, but I know he is very protective of me, and I know he scolded them for being rude and mean to me since he had given them his credit card to pay for the bill while he went to the restroom. For which they not once apologized to me for at all. I understand that there was a series of miscommunications here, but all of this drama for a $33 bill? How sad - they must be starving broke to go through all of that over two lunches and an order of guacamole. And we've eaten there many times before! They may not have recognized us, but we recognized which of the waitresses and waiters have served us there before. My BF usually tips between 18-25% when we eat out, which has been a lot lately, since I've not been able to cook at all due to my health. He told me he didn't leave them a tip at all for this visit. Miscommunications that are handled so poorly are very draining for me. We will not be returning to El Portal. read more

The first time I ever came here, I asked my friend what her favorite dish was, and she replied.."The Panuchos..by far!" Panuchos? I looked at the description..."corn tortillas topped with a fried black bean paste, with shredded chicken, salsa, pickled red onion and avocado..." sounds like it might be good. Well, they're amazing! Second time to this place, and I ordered them again. Still amazing. Complete that with some albondigas soup, guacamole, chips y salsa, and some sips of your bf's margarita because you can't order your own on account of you having left your ID at home, and you have a wondrous meal. Oh, minus one star for some undercooked chicken in my bf's dish. read more

I really wanted to love this place, it's local, cute, cozy, and I love old town pasadena. I've been searching high and low for the perfect mexican restaurant in this area. But el portal comes up a bit short, and here's why? Service: 2 stars. Slow and a bit inattentive. The waiter could barely understand english, it was like pulling teeth to get his recommendations. Chips/Salsa: 2 stars. I think chips and salsa is a big deal at mexican restaurants, almost as important as the food they serve. And their salsa is mediocre, refill is SLOW, and you HAVE to ask, we were a party of 6 girls and all the bowls were pretty much empty 50% of the time during our meal. FOOD: 3 stars. The fish tacos were ok, a bit greasy but good size and flavorful. Atmosphere: 5 stars. I think this is my favorite mexican restaurant decor. The space is intimate and cozy, I felt like I was eating at someone's house. Making it a 3 star place. El Portal is the hot girl with no personality. Swoon at first site, a few hours in, you realize you have better conversations with your cats. read more

It's been two weeks since we went here for lunch and I still cannot bring myself to eating Mexican again! Has to be the worst Mexican food I have ever had. The salsa had an odd flavor, the "large" guacamole we ordered tasted old. The chips were cold and stale. When our food came it was bland and fatty. Much of the meat was so fatty it couldn't be eaten. When we complained to the waiter about one of the dishes not being what we had ordered, he argued with us, before finally taking it back. Overall the food was bad, the service was awful. I couldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Crazy good y'all omg everything was so delicious. Definitely coming back and the service was amazing! Morena was Awsome!

We were extremely disappointed with our experience at El Portal. The atmosphere on the patio is nice, and the food looked amazing. The salsa was also decent. However, they clearly forgot to put our order in. Instead of telling us that, 20 minutes and two baskets of chips later the waiter asks us to "remind him" what we ordered. He told us it would be out in 3 minutes. A few minutes later he says it'll be just out. At the 30 minute mark we asked for our check. He said he was sorry but that it was really busy and they had to deal with a large party. He also said that our food was ready. Sorry, bud. You could have at least sent a manager to talk with us. Heck, the manager standing right by us (two tables over, doing nothing) could have asked us how we were. Now we will never go back, and tell all our friends to avoid this restaurant. Too bad, because we ring up quite the large happy hour bill. read more

Ayayayay nothing better than good mexican (authentic) food. And El Portal has it! Makes me wanna sing with the mariachi trio... "Ay ay ay ay, canta y no llores!!!" There was excelent except for one thing: my undercooked chicken in the mole enchiladas. The waiter listened, asked what was wrong like 2 times and then took it to the kitchen to bring a new plate, this time with perfectly cooked chicken. My galan ordered the "panuchos," a name that makes me laugh every time I hear it (or write it) because of its similar sound to a naughty Mexican slang word (wont tell you what it is, I'll just say I don't have it). But the panuchos were definitely much more tastier than whatever comes to mind when hearing the word. Guaranteed. I liked them so much that I kept staring at my bf's plate like a cute puppy so he would stop swooning over them and share a bite ;-P The margarita was Ok, the chips salsa and guacamole were fabulosos! The tables were close to each other, and the waiters/staff are running around with little walkie talkies making sure everything is fine. Next time I'll get the panuchos. read more

My family has been coming here for years. We actually had a family reception here as well and everything was well taken care of. I love the spinach and shrimp enchiladas and the margaritas. The service is always on point and we will continue to come here for a different taste of Mexican food. read more