Restaurant and market? Already winning. Imperial is always clean, bright, and staffed by genuinely kind folks--which makes hanging out (and eating) even better. The food has been consistently good, but let's talk about that Chicken Mole: so tender it basically forgot it came with bones Absolute comfort-food magic. We stopped by during the Tamales Festival and tried both--chicken tamales were good/solid, but the pork tamales completely stole the show. Rich, flavorful, and the clear overachiever of the duo. All in all, we've always had great luck dining here. One of the few truly dependable and delicious options in Old Town--bonus points for being able to shop and eat in one stop. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

From the outside it looks like a corner market/liquor store, but I wondered in here during Tamale Fest after seeing a sign that said they sold strawberry tamales. When I walked through the door I saw that they sold food and were a restaurant and market! Followed the signs to the back and received one strawberry tamale and waited in line to pay for it. The tamales were over by the meat counter so if you're looking for carne asada you can get it here. As for the strawberry tamale, it was bomb! I love sweet tamales, specifically the strawberry one, and the only way I could describe it is it tastes like a really nice, warm, fluffy cake with a bite to it. Not sure if they made it on site or purchased it from someone else, but it was perfect! I purchased two meat tamales earlier at Tlaquepaque, but had I known they sold tamales I would've just went here since the line was not bad and it smelled amazing in there. While I was in line, I noticed they had very cool snacks that I would not expect a corner market to sell. Notably, they had those Korean fruit ice creams that went viral on TikTok! The mango one was in the front, in the deep freezer for sale. I then noticed this wasn't just any ordinary market, they had other worldly snacks that were popular or that I'd never seen before. The layout is so cool inside because it's a historic building and has that historic building charm with the cool layout. That particular part of Old Town looks like you could film a movie scene there, but walking into this place confirmed it could be used for a period piece in a movie or TV show. I DEFINITELY slept on this place for the longest time and will be back to try the food in the restaurant and buy international snacks and peruse the aisles. They also make fresh juice there as well! read more

See all

Great service here. The lady is super nice and the food is amazing. My favorite is the caveza tacos. I will come back here again for some authentic mexican food. The place is neat and clean. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Outside - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Bomb.com! Easily the best and freshest tacos in Placentia! They're located inside Imperial Market, and you can taste the difference. The tacos were loaded with perfectly cooked meat and super fresh ingredients--probably because they use the same high-quality products sold in the market. The salsa was on point, and the service was fast and friendly. They made me feel like family! This is officially my new go-to Mexican spot. If you haven't tried them yet, you're seriously missing out! read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Sorry could not wait, had a taco before snapping the pic. - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Great market right next door to The American Legion. We sometimes order food there and take it back to the legion. Food's outstanding they have tables inside the market if you want to sit and enjoy your meal there. Manny's the man! read more

local Mexican home cooking! Open early extensive menu for a great variety of main& side dishes and desserts! Don't forget the delicious margaritas and drinks!!! read more

One of my favorite hole in the wall spots. Food is authentic and flavorful. Truly one of the best burrito's I've come across. Staff is also so kind and welcoming. Out of all the Mexican food restaurants in this area, this one is my preferred spot. read more

We have been coming here for years. Delicious Mexican food and unlimited coffee. If you order machaca or ribs with shrimp plate you won't regret it. Weekend menudo is a must. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Our machaca breakfast with dirty orchata drink. - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Kind of place that makes you happy to be apart of a community. Food is great, workers are always kind, prices are great and they're quick to bring out your food. read more

bean and cheese burrito with chili verde on top and a couple of tacos of carnitas on the side is perfect!! The tortas are great as well, make sure to get avacado on them. read more

The burritos were very affordable and had delicious fillings.. I went on Wednesday when the burritos are in special for eight dollars and they're very large. Three burritos for $25. I cut them in half and served our family of four read more

The food was authentic, flavorful and generous. Price was right. The people behind the counter are very nice. The place itself is a grocery market also and after the great food I'll be coming back to buy some meat. The inside is also very clean and laid back. -after coming back a second time I got really old meat in my tacos and bits of hard stuff like fat or cartilage. Meat was dry and smelled like dog food. I'm not coming back it's too much of a gamble. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Super special hole in the wall. Fish tacos specials on Thursday are on point for only $1.50. Great prices and they even have tamales. Highly recommend read more

I really liked their beef taco, and their chip and salsa was amazing!!!!! Very fresh and tasty~ The servers and the chef are so nice~~~!!! read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Chip and salsa - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

See all

My son recently had a "Favorite Food" presentation at school where he also had to bring in the food item for students to taste. What's his favorite food, street tacos of course! Imperial was able to accommodate our order of 33 street tacos and boy were they a hit!!!! They individually wrapped each taco and put all toppings such as onion, cilantro, and limes on the side along with salsa. The tacos were stuffed with delicious asada and were a favorite by the class. Thank you so Imperial, we will definitely be ordering soon! read more

Hubby and I live close by, and have come by before COVID and during COVID for either their restaurant items (which we'd take to-go) or something quick from their market area. Regarding the market area, I feel like they cater more to the restaurants close by in case the restaurants run out of ingredients. For example, the ground beef has around a 25% markup if you purchase here versus going to a chain super market. Since it's more of a "emergency" price, I completely understand and would pay the premium if I'm being too lazy to drive out to a nearby supermarket. Regarding the restaurant menu, we've had a good chunk of their menu by now, and have noted that they're pretty consistent. In the past, during a Tamales Fest, we'd honestly go here to order some items to go. Of course, anytime there's a Tamale Fest, EVERY restaurant (with some exceptions) will be extremely busy with a long wait time. Otherwise, on a normal day-to-day, we can probably receive our goods in around 15 minutes or less. Piping hot straight from the stove and into the to-go containers! Prices are decent. For the flavor, quantity, and how it tastes like it's catered to be authentic cuisine, I'd pay the price for their meals versus going to El Farolito. There's a parking lot closer to the train tracks, or behind the Q Tortas. Please don't park in any red areas, unless you don't mind your car being dinged up as large cars/trucks try to get past your car. Would come back again! read more

A hidden gem! I tried their chorizo breakfast burrito and salsa roja today and it's bomb. They actually put a lot of chorizo unlike other places where it's mostly potato and beans. Also, they operate a market/butchery so I feel like their ingredients are fresh. I will definitely go back and try the rest of the items on their menu! read more

I'm sorry I didn't take a picture. I ordered my burrito from the Specials menu, sat down, ate some provided chips and salsa and waited for the burrito. It came, I ate it and I left. It was a delicious Al Pastor burrito, full of meat, beans, rice, salsa verde, onions, and cilantro. The chips that preceded it were freshly fried and the tomato salsa had just the right amount of heat. I took a look around the market, too. They have products that I could not find in Northgate. All the prices are great, too. It's like a market with lunch counter that you might find in Mexico. Great food, great selection and great prices. read more

The food is good for a very reasonable price. It is a banquet style restaurant so there are many dishes to choose from. My favorite is the crab legs. read more

This place is located in old town Placentia. One of my coworkers took me to this place because they have a Mexican food place inside. The supermarket is pretty big and you can grab a drink here. Me and my coworkers always come here on Thursday for fish tacos because it is only a dollar. The fish tacos are grilled not fried with all the fixings together. The white sauce is fire. The beans and rice are all homemade. You can tell if a place is good by the way they make their frijoles. I also grab a Mexican coke here or a jarritos. Overall I highly recommend this place if you are in or near old town Placentia. read more

Beautiful People, Great Food ! 6 stars all the way ! Let's gooooooooo! Huge menu ! And Mexican chips and Sodas available read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Torta de asada en bistec con Todo ! Don't forget Salsa and Limes on the side ! - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Great food at a great price! I highly recommend you visit. They have daily specials, my favorite is Taco Tuesday

The tamales from here were good. Called in afternoon and was able to come in and pick up easily. While I was there I asked for a few more tamales and a side of rice and beans. The service was so friendly. They kept assuring me it was no problem to add more. Glad I did too because my 8 year old gobbled up the rice and beans exclaiming they were amazing. read more

wow just wow !! this place is another hidden gem we found in old town Placentia. Parking is limited since it's only street parking and is shared with many other local businesses. They offer specials on Monday (Sopas) - Tuesdays (Tacos) - Wednesday's. The restaurant is located inside the Imperial Meat Market but has a dividing wall separating the location from the grocery store. The food here is affordable and delicious. The portion sizes for the Entree are generous and my BF says it was the best rice and beans he's had in a long time. I got the Sopa and Chicken Taco = $4.90 My BF orders the Huevos Rancheros Total bill: 12ish Overall will be coming back and Don't forget to fill up on the Chips and Salsa(: read more

I consider myself an experienced menudo lover, but not just any menudo will do. Imperial may be as close to a to a perfect happy bowl that Ive tasted. They start with a fresh carniceria market / restaurant starting with a savory broth from the meat and spices add generous portions of chopped tripe all the trimmings fresh tortillas! Service with a smile and fair prices.. You now have one of the best homemade eatery by far any where in LA possibly the US. it's that good. The other menu items made with love and served with care! Ive tried most restaurants in Placentia! Hands down Imperial you win!!! read more

Friendly owners and employees! Ordered some bomb Tortas and fries that were on point. Can't wait to comeback and try the rest of the yummy Mexican food served up here in Old Town Placentia. The bonus is they take EBT too for the hot meals. Thank you Imperial and GOD BLESS! read more

Great food for reasonable prices! Cabeza and carnitas are bomb dot com, and its cheaper and quicker than just about all of the restaurants in Old Town Placentia. Pro tip, mole wet cabeza burrito is GREAT. Also, as an added bonus they accept EBT and CalFresh for their hot food section as well as grocery. It comes in handy when I'm broke and don't wanna cook. read more

This place 100% lived up to its 5 star rating. Bought some Carne Asada to go and it was outstanding. My kids devoured it. I literally almost drove back there to get more. The manager / owner was back there training a young kid. He was super patient with him. Love to see a business owner treating their employees with respect. Says a lot about the place. 100% going back there. read more

Secret underrated spot! Old school people cooking delicious meals. If it's not on the menu they will make it for you just ask!

If your looking for some great Mexican food and friendly service this is our favorite stop in Placentia. We often frequent for taco Tuesdays but we have also found many other delicious menu items. The crunchy tacos we tried today were out of this world delicious. Their house Torta's are amazing! Highly recommend.... read more

A humble restaurant inside of a grocery store that offers great food. The chips seem homemade. They are not amazing, but they have a great crunch. The chips that were darker in color tasted the best. The salsa is actually really damn good. It's got this refreshing, spicy feel in the taste, but light and non-acidic in the body. I couldn't stop eating the salsa! The horchata was pretty damn good. The cinnamon was pronounced, ranging from the low and high tones. I could also taste the rice milk as well. Had a great mix between chalky and milky textures. Every taco I got was excellent. I felt their carnitas and lengua were simply boiled, but it still turned out with some character. My favorite was the cabeza, chorizo, and lengua. They give you the right amount of cilantro and onions on each taco. Their red sauce was heavily based in Ancho peppers, which I'm not use to but provided a dark robust profile. The tortillas were sturdy, had some character, but weren't amazing. Overall, I was impressed with this restaurant/grocery store. I can see why people love this place for what it has to offer. With a few tweaks, this place could be amazing. But otherwise, it's still worth your time and stomach space. read more

Gotta love a market that sells tacos and burritos. Great weekly deals on tacos (Tuesday) and burritos (Wednesday). The meat is delicious, you have to enjoy it as a whole. The pork verde was a little dry. I'll probably skip it next time. The enchilada (red sauce) is special! It tastes almost like molé sauce. Yum. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Menu - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

The food here. Wow. It's excellent! The pasada sope was spicier that expected but was still very delicious! Tasted super fresh and the portion was super generous that I barely was able to finish my second sope. The pollo sope was just as good with the chicken being very juicy. When me and my family walked in it was pretty empty but it could be due to how early we came for dinner with a combination of the 100 degree weather. The market was super clean with a decent number of tables if you plan to eat there (we ordered ours to go). Staff was super friendly and helpful with taking our orders and seemed very humble. The cost was very inexpensive with a meal for two people only being about $21. And the for the amount you get definitely worth it. Will definitely go back again for taco Tuesday. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

I was very clear that I wanted carnitas not a mixture of other pork. The attendant even asked me if I wanted mixto meaning other pork stuff added. I said no. I specifically asked for just the carnitas meat. Hours later for lunch I go to heat up all this fatty mixture. I end up throwing it out because it's more greasy fatty stuff I did not ask for. I call the store to see what they can do?? The women on the phone wants me to go through the trash and bring it back for a refund or exchange. It was clearly the cook for not following instructions to begin with. I am not gonna go dig thru the garbage. So dissatisfied and disappointed. The fact that I overpaid for carnitas $ 8.99 for half a lb The need to teach there chef some English so he can follow order instructions would be helpful. FYI. I AM NOT RACIST, I AM HISPANIC and ordered my food in Spanish, very clearly. To not get this resolved was a huge disappointment due to the fact that I clearly ordered straight carnitas and for they not to accept their mistake is an understatement. read more

Not only do they great food.they have a kind heart..I order food to get picked up but I ended up going to the ER..I told them I'd pay but they to l d me not to worry just to get better.. read more

Excellent service and delicious food. All orders are made fresh and very tasty. I ordered the carne asada sopes and they're a large size. I ended up taking one back home with me. I will definitely be returning and ordering different items off of the menu. read more

I love that La Imperial has a special for each weekday. Delicious sopes on Monday for $3.50, 95 cent tacos on Tuesday, fish tacos on Wednesday, etc. As if that's not enough, the butcher prepares the most scrumptious carne asada and chicken for those weekend barbecues. Don't forget their beans and salsa casera to complete the meal. read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Unbelievably good food for market slash restaurant Machaca burrito comes in a choice of pork or beef I chose the pork my wife had the Chilaquiles with eggs also excellent. read more

Food and service are incredible. Staff is kind and attentive, food comes fast and fresh. Get the pAstor wet burrito read more

Imperial Restaurant and Market - Grocery Near Me - Placentia, California

Your market/restaurant is a hidden gem in old town placentia! Time to give you a serious !!