Had a great experience at IXMOTA. The food is incredibly fresh, and you can really taste the quality in every bite. The duck taco is a standout--rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The fish taco and shrimp taco are also must-tries, both super fresh, well-seasoned, and nicely balanced. Everything we ordered was consistently good. Highly recommend if you're looking for fresh, flavorful Mexican food! read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Fish, Shrimp and Beef Taco - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

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Yeeeeeesh. Maybe was good awhile ago. Here's my $12 burrito, crumbles of meat, mostly rice and beans. Uhhh whaaaaat? Most meat burritos are just meat plus guac and a bit of pico. Not this, no pico, no guac, meat crumbs. If you like rice burritos, come here. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Meat burrito - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Sigh. Used to be my spot, now it's not. Attention to detail and quality down bad. This was my last order, who thought it was okay to send this order out like this? Fries burnt, soggy and flavorless. Very little to no meat on my meal. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

I have no business even being in El Monte. But I stumbled upon this place while getting a wheel alignment down the street and had the best tacos of my life. I have eaten at many vaunted taquerias such as San Francisco's La Taqueria and North Hollywood's Birrieria Familia Castro (Yelp ranked best taqueria in the U.S.). But the five (!) tacos I had at Ixmota topped those. I planned to have three tacos, but liked them so much I had to have more. I plan to load up a car with a bunch of friends to come back here to sample what I have not yet had on the menu. Be sure to check out the "secret menu" taped to the window. Plus, they play cool Spanish-language goth/dark wave music on their speakers. No internet hype (yet), no line out the door (yet), but this place deserves all that and more. I can't believe my luck. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Doesn't look like much from the outside. That's how you can tell it's either really good or really bad. Fortunately, it was really good. - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

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In LA a lot of taco places get hyped up due to social media or because the owner loves attention and tries to put himself on every video/tiktok/Super Bowl. But it's all bark and no bite. This is the opposite case with Ixmota Taqueria. I came here for lunch and ordered an asada/korean BBQ/chorizo taco and I was not disappointed. Hand made tortillas were a great touch. The Korean BBQ taco has a great flavor to it. I loved the atmosphere as this is a no frills, spooky taco place on the side of a mechanic yard. I will be returning to try more tacos in the future. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Menu - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Fish Tacos and Quesadillas! Yes! I swallowed everything! I can not stop raving about their Fried Fish Tacos and Mango Habanero/Chipotle Salsa! This is a local favorite taco joint that has my taste buds rejoicing. The salsa is delicious and the perfect companion to the Pescado!! read more

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Do you want to eat at a punk tacos place? Do you want to listen to all your favorite gothic punk/post punk music but in spanish?? Look no further Ixmota is the place to go My boyfriend and I were in the area visiting friends and I really wanted to show him a fire taqueria given we were near Monte and he is from WLA hopped on yelp and found this place Ixmota did not disappoint I had their extra large asada sope which was double the size of a normal one, which made sense as to why the cost was so much I also had the al pastor vampira taco My boyfriend had the 3 taco sampler with fish, al pastor and asada He thought the white fish tacos was the best out of all three I also had their tamarind aquarium fresca which was a little too sweet for me and included jelly pieces 10/10 would go back if and when we are in the area read more

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4++ A spot that does traditional and creative tacos and food items. It's located in the same lot as an auto body shop. The service style is fast casual in that you order from a window and they bring you your food when it is ready. This place was recommended to me from a fellow taco enthusiast at another spot. They mentioned duck tacos which had me curious, but also let me know that it wasn't served every day. They didn't have duck tacos when I went, which makes sense because I think they have a 'secret menu', which they have off the main menu and it changes up daily. I saw that they had crab so I ordered that in taco form. I also ordered the carne asada as a oxa queso taco (the shell or 'tortilla' is cheese - so good for the keto folks), and I got the potato taquitos. Thought everything was tasty and fresh. Good flavor and textures (everything what needed to be crispy was crispy, etc.) The vibe was interesting. It's casual and there was some post-punk playing over the speaker. This place felt like less of a traditional taco spot and more like an eatery where counter culture folks eat at. That or a spot where a detective in a gritty crime drama would be eating with this partner. Really solid spot and definitely would come back. Parking along the street was pretty easy to find or at least on the street within a block walk. It is a busy street though, so parking in a side street would be less stressful than parallel parking out front. read more

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I always wanted to stop by this spot because of how cool they look. This spot is located right next to an auto stop. It gave me the feeling a hole in the wall. There were a few tables, and it gave me the vibes as if I was at Playa Del Carman in Cancun! I love mulita, but they do not have it. The cashier lady recommended me to try vampiros as it is similar. Also, I saw cabeza is the secret menu, which is my favorite. I ordered a vampiros with cabeza, and a carne asada fries. Both items were a disappointment unfortunately. The cabeza was tasteless, and it was very oily. The carne asada was overcooked, and the fries was soggy. Price was a bit on the pricy side. I probably would not stop by again. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

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Food: - shrinkflation! - we order from this restaurant for take out frequently - nachos: so little toppings, we had half a box of chips left - churros has barely have any cinnamon sugar on it - esquites still very good, the hot cream sauce is on the side now - all of the sauces we got in our order is only half filled read more

I'm not sure if there has been a change in management (can anyone confirm that?) because the name changed recently to Ixmota and I noticed the taste and quality isn't the same as it used to be. I would come here and look forward to seeing what new items would be on their secret menu but now, it just seems like the same items are showcased. I used to love the carne asada and pork belly, but on this recent visit, the carne asada tasted really gamey and pork belly was really sweet vs. savory. Anyway, I used to think this place as more of a 8/10, and now it's gone down to a 6.5/10. Also, I went midweek during the day around 2 and there was no parking in the lot because the parking lot is shared with a car repair shop and all spots were taken for them bc I was the only one at the restaurant. There also wasn't any nearby street parking. I don't really like that I couldn't find parking as the only patron there. I may give ixmota one more try but we'll see. read more

We ordered 9 tacos: 2 pescado, 2 shrimp, 2 scallops, calamari, carnitas, and asada al carbon all grilled. Our favorites were hands down the seafood. It was fresh and grilled perfectly. The meat tacos were a bit dry. Other standouts were the salsas, the rojas and chipotle salsa paired welled with all the tacos; they were smokey and spicy. We'll def come back and try the other seafood tacos! read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Pescado, camaron, and carnitas tacos (all grilled) - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

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One of my go-to spots for tacos! When I go here, I HAVE to order the grilled fish taco. They do have two options: fried or grilled, but I prefer the latter. What I love most about the grilled fish taco is the amount of fish they give you and how soft it tastes. If you're not into fish tacos, they have a variety of other tacos, burritos, drinks, etc. Depending on the day and time you go, they might have some discounts on certain items. FYI: There is limited parking, but plenty of street parking nearby. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Grilled fish taco - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

The best tacos in El Monte! With a variety of meats including duck, this is my favorite taco joint in the 626. Right off Valley Blvd, this taco place is small and cozy with a lovely outdoor patio dining area, which you could bring your four-legged friend. They even offer dog friends tacos! My favorite taco proteins was the cabeza which so tender and fatty and their fried fish taco which was nicely crispy and generous fillet (see the food pic!). The prices are a little boujie scale BUT the flavor reflects the price, and it is worth it. I'm def coming back to this place since it was so tasty. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - 2 fish tacos plus a cabeza street taco - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Parking: Medium difficulty. It's a small lot shared with a repair shop and the street. The service is slow, so be prepared to wait. They've grown out of their toddler and teenage phases. This place is now fully grown and delicious. My go-to order is now only the chicharron and duck supreme nachos. It sounds like a weird combo, but it's my favorite. The nachos come with beans (I'm not a bean person, so meh), sour cream, guac, and cotija. Now, close your eyes and imagine fried duck and crispy chicharron. It's so unexpected and tasty. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a different style of nachos. Nachos are $13.50 + tax = $14.85 + $2.22 tip = $17.09. I recommend them and come back often for these nachos read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Supreme nachos with duck and chicharron - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

If you like a thick corn tortilla and heavy meat portion, this taco place will hit the spot. My husband and I were looking for some bomb tacos in the area and came across Ixtaco. Their signage actually says "Ixmota Taquiera" but I guess Ixtaco is more family friendly. Just off of Baldwin in El Monte it has a private small parking lot and outdoor patio only seating. It's a very small business, seemingly only having two or three employees working so each order had about a 20 min wait on a slow night. The service was good and the tacos were pretty decent too. The portion of meat for each taco was enough to split in two and the salsas were fresh. My husband liked the superior version of his pastor and chicarron tacos which meant they added guacamole, sour cream, and cheese. They were also bigger than my regular asada tacos. Overall it's a pretty good spot. read more

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It's very bad that they are trying to ride off, ixtacos's reviews and Instagram followers. The quality of meat fell off and it was gamey Sauces are generic from the market No ice on drinks Overall bad read more

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Been a hot second since I've been here. I've been on a low carb esk diet as of late and remembered them having a queso shell style taco. Food: Shrimp queso taco - A must try for those in keto or low carb diet. Flavor packed with shrimp that has a very good crunch to it. Asada taco - homemade tortilla but I was not a fan of this one. The taco as a whole was a bit dry. Pollo taco - The chicken had a slight crisp to it which I love! As with the asada, the meat itself was delicious and moist, but with the tortilla it felt very dry. I tried dosing it with salsa and lime, but it didn't change it much for some reason. Service: Lady at the order stand was attentive enough. They brought my food out. Environment: You're sandwiched between a large street (Valley blvd) and a car repair shop. Price: Not pricy in my POV for this style of food. Food: 4 Service: 4 Environment: 4 Price: 4 read more

Hit the spot just right! I loved the selection of meats and seafood so hard to choose but I went with fish, calamari, asada al carbon and langosta all tacos and all so delicious! Also picked up a mango agua fresca drink which was also really good and so refreshing. Service is nice but they are a small place so don't expect super quick service as everything is made from scratch including the tortillas which is amazing btw u can't beat home made tortillas! Now for the bad news: parking.... This place lives within a mechanic worshop so there is a parking lot but don't expect to find a spot as the cars getting serviced will take those spots, best be is to park on the street next to the liquor store. Price: go in knowing these are not cheap tacos so don't expect that, but don't let that defeat you, this place is a must try for sure. Pro tip: They have a deal of 3 tacos and a drink u get like 5-10% off I think which is nice. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Menu of food - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

If you like your tacos wrapped in cheese in place of tortilla you're going to LOVE this spot! I ordered a couple asada queso tacos only to order 2 more after devouring the first 2. Make sure you ask for salsa, because they won't ask you what kind of salsa you want. Both the red and the green sauces lacked any spice, so I'll have to try their other sauces to see. I also ordered the "guacamole" which comes with chips...only to see that it looks and tastes like the grocery store premade guac, that's smooth and barely has any flavor. Almost like mushed pea baby food. Pass. Last but not least, I ordered the asada sope superior, which indeed WAS superior to all sopes I have ever had! Piled high with meat and cabbage! I would definitely order it again. Parking is terrible there, so look for street parking...I was fortunate to grab one of what looked like only 2 spots in the lot. There are a few tables outside with umbrellas and a counter top to eat on so you'll be ok there. I definitely want to try some of their seafood taco offerings so I'll definitely be back...catch me if you can! read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Oxa Queso Taco - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

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I came here to grab a late night bite and it was great! I ordered their al pastor and carne asada tacos and it was really good (4/5). The flour was thicker than what I would have preferred, but they gave ample amount of meat. It's outdoor seating, which was nice since they have cute decor outside (during Halloween period) and it wasn't crowded when I went. There's also a small private parking lot. The staff was also friendly, and it didn't take long from the moment we ordered to receiving the food. Overall, solid taco spot if you are in the area. I saw that they had some other items on their menu that weren't traditional Mexican (ie. asian-fusion) so I would be curious to try what those dishes are. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Al Pastor y Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Came here for a quick bite and loved it! Only ordered chips and one taco -- super flavorful and freshly made. Service was fast and friendly. Definitely planning to come back again with my wife to try more dishes. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Asada sope is 10/10. I'd get it again! I really like the dough! It would be cool if they could make it a little more chewy like a pizza dough! Fish taco is 9/10! I love how much fish they give you but I wish it had a creamy mayo sauce on the side. It's a bit plain. I saw in photos it had an orange creamy sauce and I thought it came with it but I should have asked. Chicken quesadilla is 8/10. The tortilla is a little dry. Elote 20/10. This is honestly the reason why I keep coming back. It's the best elote I've ever had! Asada fries is 5/10. I honestly don't like the home cut fries. It's kind of dry and not the texture I like. Everything else is good. The shop is very small and parking is hard because the auto shop leaves a lot of the cars in the lot. But the owner is super nice and the shop has very cute dog friendly stickers posted everywhere. read more

Banana pudding ‍ Really good food and service, really fresh food without a unreasonable wait read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Came here because someone recommended this place to have very unique tacos such as duck, but they no longer serve duck. In the past, I'd drive past and there would be a very long line for this place, however, after trying it out I wasn't sure if something changed. Parking needs to be on the street nearby and walk since it's inside where an auto service shop is located therefore parking inside might not be allowed. We came at night when the shop was closed so we were ok, but very few spots. When we arrived, no idea why but it took sooo long to order food and sooo long to get our food. A few people who ordered before us had to ask again if their order was ready due to the length of time. Seating is a few tables and a long table with stools. Not sure about the restrooms, it was pretty dark and didn't want to explore the area. We ordered nachos with carne, a taco carne, and taco chicharrón. They ran out of carnitas around that time. And two diet cokes, which we asked about when they brought us the nachos. Unfortunately, the nachos were stale. I was surprised and disappointed, in addition the meat was very chewy and I had one piece I could not chew! Minus a star... Tacos were late, not sure if they forgot. We finished our nachos by the time we checked on the tacos. Once we got it, they were ok, we thought about the taco superior but 4$ for regular seems to be fine instead of paying 2.50$ for add ons? Drinks were canned soda and they gave us a cup with lid to pour it in. The ice cube was so big it bent the lids and had a hard time putting my straw in. Overall, I think I'm glad I at least tired this place, I'd like to come back but for the duck tacos if they ever bring it back. read more

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What a disappointment. Have not been to this place in over five years because the food and service were going downhill fast. And with today's order, this train has gone off the rails. Poor quality carne asada, it was all tendons and the carnitas were dry and extra greasy. I'm from Michoacan and have not been this disappointed in carnitas in a long time. Service is the same. All employees look like they just rolled out of bed and went to work. What a shame. read more

I love how you can order online for pick up ahead at this restaurant. Parking is really tight here, but I've always managed to squeeze my car in for a late night pick up. The flavors of the tacos are amazing. I love the mango salsa. Very fresh chunky. The flavors are delicious and the meats are seasoned very well and I don't feel like the tacos. have a bunch of fillers like cabbage. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Shrimp, fish, and Carne Asada tacos with a variety of salsas - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Been wanting to try this place for awhile and finally had a chance! Came late around 8pmish and we were able to get a parking spot! It is an area...that you would want to go with friends instead of alone. The employees were super friendly and they have a fun decorated window where you order. We ordered the Sope Superior and found out it was $12 because it's huuuge!! Also got one Al Tocino Vampiros and everything we ate there was DELICIOUS!! There is ample seating (especially the time we arrived). Credit card is accepted. It is a great unique taco restaurant! read more

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I used to be a big fan of Ixtaco Taqueria, but after the recent visit, I'd probably won't come back. I visited the store around 8:00 pm on a Saturday and it was very busy. I had to park on the side of the street and walk over. After placing my order, it took over 25 minutes to get it. However, 2 people that ordered before me ended up getting their order first. After that the staff called me up to check on my order. This is when I realized my order was sitting on the side, but they never called it (I was sitting in front of the window the entire time and they didn't call my name). For the order, I got a chorizo burrito and horchata to-go. The burrito was extremely greasy and even soaked through the wrapper and bag. The chorizo was very salty and I needed to drench the burrito with hot sauce to finish it. The horchata wasn't good and just tasted watered down. They included a side of chips in the order. However, it was stale and wasn't worth eating. The only positive part was that they were generous with the hot sauces. Note: They accept American Express. read more

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What a beautiful hidden gem in El Monte! I can't believe I haven't tried this place sooner! We always pass by this hole in the wall place but never tried til now. We tried earlier this week and it was so good we went again in the same week. They created and remodeled such a beautiful little outdoor oasis of lovely music, clean and simple chairs, bar tops, tables with plenty of shade by big umbrellas. Very cute outdoor area to eat as dine in or you can order takeout. The food is delicious, delicious, delicious. I cannot rave about the tacos and quesadillas enough! The oxa queso taco is also to die for! They even do two types of quesadilla: flour or corn tortilla. I need to try their burritos next. They offer a generous variety of proteins from sea to animal. There are also seasonal and fusion types of toppings too like jackfruit or Korean bbq. Each protein can be ordered with any of the variations such as taco, burritos, torta, etc. Pros: -delicious food -cute ambiance -clean eating outside -friendly service -accepts card -generous with the meats and seafood toppings -made fresh to order -fast service -buy3get1free aqua frescas -drink options change daily -restrooms -self serve napkins -delicious salsas and generous with how much they give -lemons limes radishes included Cons: -no parking lot but plenty of street parking Tip: go during happy hour Monday through Thursday from 420-710 read more

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Located what it appears to be a Auto Service spot, this interesting little taco spot is a hidden gem. The first impression was not great as the cashier was not in front and had to call to take the order. We tried a few of the popular items on Yelp and did not disappoint. The only knock I would give it is that the Al Tosino was a little salty. The taco sizes were great and the quality of the home made tortilla was delicious. The name of the spot is funny, I wish I knew the origin. Looks like a chill spot but only three or four tables to seat and eat. read more

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Hole in the wall. Hidden. 2 parking spaces. Saw this place on IG, in my neighborhood, so why not. We ordered one horchata, 2 asada burritos; one with beans and one without. Two asada tacos plain. One grilled shrimp taco. $44 Lots of fatty asada pieces, which I personally do not like, so this was a turnoff. The burrito is a hearty size. The shrimp tacos didn't have any sauce, so don't expect a Baja style taco. The horchata is not your traditional horchata. Its not even off white and they gave me a boba straw. I don't think I'll go back but I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Current name IXMOTA Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

You don't get Mexican food like this as much anymore. Not only are the tastes great, but the portion and cost were insane. We got two agua Fresca for just $4.5, which you can do buy 3 and get 1 free, and they tasted amazing. They're not too sweet and were very light and I drank it in a blink of an eye. Maybe I should've gotten 4 instead of 1. Their churros had the same deal, but 3, get 1 free. This deal we took and they were pretty decent size. The churros were crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside, and they had vanilla cream inside to give it extra sweetness. The Korean bbq taco had me falling in love with this place even more. Very flavorful. We also got their Esquites, which was not $4 but had a huge amount in the cup. They were generous with the cheese and sauces and I couldn't get enough. We ended up coming two days in a row because everything was too good read more

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Over the years, Ixtaco manages to distinguish itself with its sauces. The chipotle sauce always hits so hard. The fact they use cotija cheese and crema in their papas superior adds to the sauce factor. Their meat is fairly generous too and also there is a wide range of choices for meat, including seafood and vegan choices. The fries alone aren't necessarily the best for adding sauce since they are somewhat soft but they are house made and are excellent as a standalone (or dipped in their chipotle sauce). Not to mention, they will give you as much sauce as you ask for! Every time I ask for extra chipotle sauce and they are incredibly generous while other establishments might charge you for a 2oz container. One time way back they gave me a huge sauce container of it and that was one of those memorable moments. To sum it up, SAUCE, SAUCE, SAUCE and meat variety is what makes me come back every so often when I don't want to make my own fries. read more

Ixmota Taqueria - half eaten Papas Superior with Al tocino (pork) - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

Can this place ever get an order right anymore??? The last few times I've been to Ixtaco/Ixmota there's always something wrong with my order. I hate that I find this out when I'm already home (after the 15-mile round trip through cities where the drivers aren't the best!)! I'm never coming back...It's just not worth it anymore! read more

Great food at a great price! Little food stand with a few tables outside. The esquites is worth it!

Wow, this place was recommend by my tattoo artist and it did not disappoint! Like others have said, it is a hole in the wall type of place. The windows to order are short, so you have to crouch down to get someone's attention to order. The tacos are $4 each, which is on the higher end. However, you can tell the tortillas are freshly handmade, and they PACK on the meat!!! It was super loaded. Glad I ordered only 2 tacos. I got it with everything and with green sauce. It only took about 10-15 min total from ordering to getting my order to go. Would highly recommend this place! read more

Ixmota Taqueria - Asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - El Monte, California

I watched a review on youtube ON MEXIPAPI and it was all the hype! I have been meaning to come back! If it weren't for that drive man I would be there all the time. Location: It is located on Valley Blvd. in a small strip small! It is not a very big restaurant no indoor seating only outside. Parking if you find any in the lot or plenty on the street. Food: 5/5 These aren't your regular type of street tacos. They have some interesting tacos on the menu but I stuck with the shrimp ones. We had the shrimp tacos and nachos. We also had the Korean, carnitas and asada tacos. All the tacos were really good! Great taste. I mean they had all kinds of tacos to pick from. The salsas are legit! Mango habanero and chipotle...Like really good... picante but you can still taste your food! Ambiance: 5/5 Even though it is not a sit down restaurant I really liked all their stickers and fun things that they have on display! Super simple order at the window they take your order, you get a number and find your own seat. Their service was awesome and answered all of our questions about the different tacos and their appearance on the Mexi Papi show. I will make this drive again soon!! that is a promise!!!.... TBC Trust me you won't be disappointed .. read more

The food--especially the tacos--is good; the service is good, and everything is fresh and made to order. I particularly recommend the handmade tortillas. I would recommend visiting this place in the evening, as there isn't much parking available. The place is family-friendly--it's just a small spot. read more

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The food is always so delicious. The ambience is great. Idk how but they always have a fantastic playlist going. Service is always friendly. Definitely a spot I love coming back to! read more