Service and Staff: - Staff was nice and we were lucky to get…read morea table for four on a Saturday evening - Tables are quite close, so just a heads up Food and Drinks: - Margaritas: refreshing and delicious - Side of rice: perfect with the tacos - Baja taco: flavorful. The frisée was a little much since the pieces were big and took away from the fish - Quesabirria taco: not the messy taco I was hoping for, but it was tasty - Chips & Guac: always a classic to get at Mexican restaurants Miscellaneous: - Lots of seating space (tables are close together) - Good for small and large groups - Because tables are close together, this restaurant is on the louder side - Parking is available via street parking - Bit on the pricier side for Mexican food

Luis was fantastic! Great experience and ambiance - I highly recommend the platos de carne and the…read morechocolate flan.

So I've heard plenty about this place and wanted to check it out because honestly the places around…read moretown in Novato that are Mexican food just don't really cut it. Don't get me wrong. They're fine, but just not true Mexican food.. I'm really glad that I did and I was not disappointed. The weight staff was on top of everything took our drink orders right away offered appetizers. We ordered the guacamole and I got to tell you the guacamole was to die for it did not taste processed or anything. I probably could've eaten the whole bowl because it was that good and the serving was huge! My husband ordered the chicken enchiladas with a green sauce, which she did offer two other options for sauce and he opted for the green sauce cause he thought it wouldn't be that spicy, but it was a tad bit spicy for him. It comes with a rice and beans your choice of whether you want black beans or pinto beans and of course he chose black beans because he loves black beans. The rice is not your typical side of rice that you normally get at a Mexican restaurant it has so much flavor in it and it was very light and fluffy. I ordered the Carne Asada tacos with pinto beans. And again it was very tasty. I could not finish my second taco just because I was filling up on all the guacamole and a beer before hand so I ended up taking my food home. The flavors in my tacos were so good and it was not dry steak. It was so moist and tender. You could probably cut it with a fork! The flavors were just perfectly matched and not too spicy. We will definitely go back there again and try a few more things off the menu. They are open fairly late so that's a plus. It's definitely a must try place so hope to see you there soon! Before I go, let's talk about the decor. It is so nicely decorated in there. It makes you wanna stay a little bit longer just because it makes it so nice and comfy. They redid the place much to a heritage. Definitely gonna go back!

For a restaurant that's been open for four years, I'm surprised our experience revealed so many…read moreopportunities to smooth out the kinks. The owner, manager, or a staff member might benefit from a walkthrough to experience the restaurant from a patron's point of view. I'm not going to list everything because I'd rather not complain. For instance, the ladies' restroom has no light when you first enter, so it's quite dark. A very loud whine also continued the entire time I was in the restroom, which was extremely unnerving. Upon our arrival, the hostess was efficient but not personable. Perhaps she was overworked, but only a handful of patrons were dining before 5 p.m. The restaurant offers several rooms to choose from. To the left of the huge cow in the reception area sits a lovely bar. A separate room accommodates a large party or meeting, while a spacious indoor dining room and an outdoor patio with a large tree offer additional options. Large paintings and various sizes of statues featuring Día de los Muertos themes are delightful to view--almost like visiting a museum. We chose the covered outdoor patio on a lovely summer early evening with pleasant weather. Only one other table was occupied. Oddly, a random thwack repeatedly came from the canvas wall covering near us, which distracted us as we talked throughout our visit. We could also occasionally hear traffic zooming by, accompanied by loud Latin music or the roar of an engine. I chose the grilled fish tacos with a side salad, all beautifully plated. However, the sauce was watery and leaked considerably from the thick tacos, which appeared to be homemade. The tortillas had a peculiar bitter taste and fell apart as soon as I picked them up. My companion preferred two chicken enchiladas, but the server said the plate comes with three. I thought that was odd since most restaurants serve just two, so he simply conceded his request. The restaurant played loud, upbeat Cuban music, so don't expect soothing music to calmly accompany your meal. As we were leaving, a large gathering of workers was chatting among themselves. I was surprised that neither they nor the hostess acknowledged us or thanked us for visiting.

I was choking on a piece of lettuce. Fortunately there was a man who had training on the Heimlich…read moreManeuver who helped me clear my throat. Unexpectedly the manager compted our meal, which was delicious. I highly recommend The Cantina.

I wasn't originally planning to eat here. We had intended to go to Hook Fish at Proof Lab, but the…read morewait was over an hour, so we ended up at The Cantina instead. Because of that, my experience may be influenced by expecting a bit higher quality, especially given the other food options in the area The Cantina in Mill Valley is a pretty standard Mexican spot with a Tex-Mex lean. I usually enjoy this style of food; I was a big fan of places like El Torito in SoCal, but this one didn't quite land for me. We ordered two burritos. The portions were generous, but the flavors were very mild. I love bold, spicy food, and these were lacking seasoning in my opinion. I ended up taking half home and adding avocado, lemon, and salsa from my own kitchen to give it the punch it was missing. We also tried the queso fundido, which was interesting. I hadn't had it prepared quite like that before, and it definitely leaned more Tex-Mex. It wasn't bad, just different from what I expected. Unfortunately, the service was a letdown as well. I had to find menus myself, and the only ones available at the bar were happy hour menus. Later, the server told us that happy hour isn't honored on holidays, which was disappointing. If that's the case, those menus shouldn't be out at all--it sets expectations that weren't met. Overall, if you're looking for a basic Tex-Mex spot and aren't big on spice, this might work for you. For me, between the bland food and the service issues, it's not a place I'd rush back to.

Came here after hiking and wow the oysters were so good along with a cider. It's dog friendly which…read moreis great so I was able to have my dog sit with me. The prices are reasonable and they have a happy hour going til 5pm. Parking can get full quick but I would suggest coming around 6pm and after.

What a gem! I was hanging with some friends who live in the area, and they wanted to check out…read moreStillwater. So happy we came here, as everything was phenomenal, and they're dog-friendly. The restaurant is quite big. They have a parklet out front which is popping, colder, but great to gather at. Inside is more intimate and well spaced, perfect for dates or hanging out with friends. They also have a patio outside, which is where we sat. It's super casual, relaxing, and quaint. We appreciate how dog-friendly they are and how kind the service is! Everyone who helped us was courteous and friendly, plus our food and drinks came out super fast. I got the Fish Tacos, and honestly they exceeded my expectations. I love how the tortilla was nice and crispy. The fish was well fried, and the taco had ample flavor. The portion was pretty solid for the price, and I left full. My friends enjoyed their appetizers and mains. We also got some drinks which were so delicious! I would love to come back here. Stillwater is a wonderful watering hole in Fairfax. Find them off the main stretch, Broadway Blvd. Parking is free but limited during busy times. It's worth a visit if you live in the area, like food and good drinks, and bonus if you have pups!

Group of 5 of us stopped by on our way to Napa…read more Friendly waiter took our order of ceviche, chips + guac/salsa to share. For entrees, got a shrimp burrito (split w a friend), few tacos, and steak nachos. We filled UP on the chips and accouterments, which were tasty. Shrimp burrito I had was good. My friend asked for extra sour cream, and they came out with a comically MASSIVE cup of sour cream. Nachos were absolutely massive. Street parking only. Nothing to write home about, but really enjoyed the fresh chips (probably because we ate our weight in them) and the fast service.

It was Mother's Day and I carelessly thought we would be fine going to Joinery since you walk up to…read moreorder from the wall menu. Well, there were 8 of us and a line out to the parking lot. Yikes. I walked across the street to Salsalito and asked how long. There were others waiting and the server said 10-20 minutes. Sounds good to us. We were all greeted with a bucket of cute hats and started with drinks and chips and guacamole. Service was excellent. Food was yummy and large portions we could have shared. It was like being on vacation.

Wow, wow, wow, there certainly is a new Vin in town! Same…read morecozy, modern vibe with new flavors that hit it out of the park. The menu highlights sharing is caring with a la carte options or a full table participation tasting menu adventure. We decided to do our own selection, sharing every dish along the way. Every plate was outstanding from fresh oysters with a refreshing mignonette to the best pasta I have had in Marin. The pasta was textbook - light, perfect chew and pinched to perfection. The earthiness of the mushrooms countered with the sweetness from the fruit was absolutely divine. The snap pea salad was splendid, the tartness of the yogurt dressing with the freshness of the snap pea was a match made in heaven. The chicken schnitzel with lemon, herb salad and the perfect crunch was a fun modern take on the classic. So happy this establishment has renewed itself and has hit every ball out of the park. Until next time!

I honestly think the tasting menu here remains the best meal I have had in Marin in my life…read more After 8 years in SF I've come back to Marin and there are lots of great places to eat but rarely do I find the consistency of quality and creativity that I found in the city. Vin is very very good. Pricing feels pretty reasonable, especially for a tasting menu. I recommend the lamb wonton and celery salad. Service was solid and the space is gorgeous.

Large freeway-adjacent Mexican restaurants are a thing I've long noticed, Maya Palenque being one…read moreof several to be found as you traverse north on Highway 101. I've often wondered about such places, fantasizing that they may be great but if Maya Palenque is representative of the genre I've been missing nothing. The dishes here were nice enough in presentation. The place itself is very large and the menu quite extensive. I ordered the Taco Salad with grilled chicken and though there was nothing wrong with it, I'm someone who requires spice with my Mexican food choices. Green and red salsas were delivered to my table and - wow - I've never tasted salsas that had zero spiciness. Now I have. These added exactly nothing to the taste profile making it clear that were I desirous of any spiciness it would have to come from Tapatio or Tabasco. If you're okay with very bland Mexican fare, Maya Palenque is serving it up. My curiosity about large, freeway-adjacent Mexican restaurants has been satisfied and no further exploration of the genre is required.

For many years, and I really mean years, as we drove up north or south on Highway 101, Maya…read morePalenque in Novato caught our eye, but we never stopped there for a meal or a drink. We finally got the chance to do that, and it made us wish we had done it earlier. As we entered the restaurant, I saw the bar with people sitting there, drinking, chatting, and watching football on TV. My first mistaken impression was that this was more of a working man's hangout. But when we went into the dining area, we were seated, and I looked around at the other folks there and overheard some of their conversations, I realized that the place is more of a local favorite. The atmosphere was warm and family-oriented. I saw couples, young and old, and families with children of various ages. Our server stopped by shortly after we sat down, and we received a basket of freshly made chips and salsa, both of which were delicious. I had read about their tasty margaritas but decided against ordering one this time because I was tired and driving home to San Francisco. So we went straight to the main course! I ordered Adobado, a dish I hadn't tried before. Adobado features thin slices of pork tenderloin marinated and grilled in a chipotle-adobado sauce, served with plantains and sour cream. It turned out to be a very satisfying and fulfilling choice, but not enough to prevent me from asking for a flan. Let me tell you about my obsession with flan! I love flan, but to me, a good flan is one that is not too sweet and not overcooked to be too hard. It should be firm enough to not fall apart when served to you, but soft enough to tremble as it is presented! The flan here was perfect! The two guys who worked on the floor were wonderful. They answered our questions while we were ordering and stopped at our table several times afterward to see if we needed anything and to make sure everything was fine. The restaurant has nice decorations. I don't know much about its history in the neighborhood, but it seems to have been there for years. I spent a few minutes looking around at the various drawings on the walls and other decorations around the dining area. It will grab your attention. Overall, this was a pleasant experience. We will stop by there again, and I'll make sure to try their margarita next time!

Over a week ago, we were driving south to San Francisco through Novato when we decided to have…read moredinner, and Mexican food won the majority vote! We chose to try a new place, and El Rey caught our attention. We arrived around 7:30, and the restaurant wasn't busy since it was a Sunday evening. Looking at the menu, I was drawn to their ceviche. We decided to start with guacamole and chips, share a ceviche, and have a Quesadilla con Carne Asada. The guacamole was fresh and well-made, the ceviche was exceptionally delicious, and the quesadilla was very well prepared and tasty. Our server was very friendly and helpful with our questions, and we even shared a few good laughs. The service was excellent. El Rey has been a local spot in Novato for many years, family-owned and known for serving traditional Mexican dishes in a welcoming setting. It has built a reputation in the community as a reliable place for a hearty meal, and many locals have been coming here for decades. The restaurant is a standalone building in a shopping center and offers a large seating area. They also have an outdoor seating area, which I imagine would be especially nice on a warm evening. As a first-time visitor, I left impressed. The food, service, and relaxed atmosphere made for a very enjoyable stop on our drive. We would definitely come back again the next time we're in Novato.

Well, how things evolve over time. My dad was JONESING for menudo Sunday morning, and it was too…read moreearly to visit any of his usual weekend Mexican haunts. My wife called around to find that El Rey was open - and had menudo. What we didn't realize was that there was a full-on buffet-style brunch going on every Sunday from 9-2. First, the aromas were intoxicating. Second, there was a HUGE buffet line with Pozole, Menudo, rice & beans, chilaquiles, sausage or eggs with chorizo, veggies, potatoes, huevos ranchero, birria, quesabirria tacos, EVEN American brunch favorites like scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and pancakes (but why eat those when there is AMAZING Mexican buffet to choose from?). Coffee/soda also included, and desserts including fruits and custards. I figured for sure it was upwards of $30 a head for the buffet, but the bill comes and it's like $68 for the three of us! What a value! BTW, everything I had was delish. Fresh. Hot. Tasty. And the fact that 90% of the people dining at the restaurant were Latinx tells you all you need to know. Highly recommend this brunch, Novato!