It's been a few years since I have had food here - actually it was during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and my family wanted to help local businesses by ordering takeout foods as the once weekly treat we do. I had first went here in the 1970's as a RCC student on the occasional eat in a restaurant meal. This was a go to spot. I came back recently with a former neighborhood friend who was visiting from out of State. She too have memories of coming to here as well. The atmosphere was quaint and enjoyable that allow us to visit extensively. The food tasted good - had a homey feel to it for me. The cost still reasonable. The waitresses were personable and check on us a few times to make sure we were satisfied or needed anything. Will definitely go back. read more

They steal your money, happy hour with 1.75 tacos, then they add 20 dollars for modelos. The place was half empty and now I know why. Service alone was horrible, had to keep reminding her of the salsa. Spend your hard earned money someplace were happy hour doesn't cost 158 for some tacos and a couple modelos. Hope they close down soon. read more

The roulette wheel of Taco Tuesday stopped at Templo. I hadn't had their TT special but when I saw it was $1.75 I figured it was well worth the trip. I ordered 6 crispy tacos to go. 3 chicken and three ground beef. I ordered by phone at 2:30 pm and showed up just before three. The front of house was empty and the jefa was outside with the construction guy working on the beautiful outdoor patio. I had a 6 or 7 minute wait before someone came from the kitchen and acknowledged me and my order ( which she said were almost ready). When she brought the small paper bag with my tacos, I asked was that all six and she confirmed and added they are pretty small. I agreed. The bag contained one container of salsa. She said they don't give one for each taco. She offered an additional one and I gladly accepted. When I got home and opened the package two things were obvious 1) the tacos were small and were basic tortilla, protein, lettuce and cheese. 2 maybe three biter. Flavorful ground beef and seasoned chicken were still top notched. They weren't as small as street tacos but weren't as big as the regular crispy tacos. The larger, 1 salsa container was def enough for 3 of those tacos. And getting the additional one meant we actually had salsa left over. All in all, still a great value. My only real mistake from lack of awareness, was not bringing cash and not ordering 10- 12 tacos! Next time I will know better!!! Gracias, Buenos Tardes. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Pricing as of 9/15/26 - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Came in on a Friday around 2:30pm. Came to enjoy our old spot from years past. Our group of six ordered: shrimp cocktail, burritos, nachos, and enchiladas, shredded beef taco, tostada supreme, horchata and margaritas. Food is always on point. The nachos were loaded. The shrimp cocktail - delicious (first time trying it). Burritos huge and stuffed. Tostada well made with crispy tortilla "bowl". Margaritas were great and horchata too! Restaurant is quaint and clean. Thank you for still being in business. read more

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Old school Mexican operating since the 1970's- yeah the enchilada sauce may have been stewing since then but still love the place. Has a local feel and the food remains the same in a good way. Will keep coming back. read more

Service is non-existent. Salsa and drinks remained empty even though we asked for refills. No napkins. Had to ask twice. Three people working the floor.. one sat glued to the TV while the other 2 rarely came out from back except to deliver food. Food was good. Prices are reasonable. Restaurant is clean and staff was friendly. read more

I came for hard shell tacos the other day, they were horrible! Why did you guys change the shell to those nasty premade shells?! I have Been coming here for over 40 years and the food had been consistently good! The shells were fried not baked like taco bell! Horrible please go back to authentic taco shells! read more

I went with 2 friends because I had not been inside the restaurant for many years, and neither friend had even heard of Templo del Sol despite working in the downtown area for decades. I have ordered delivery a few times and enjoyed it very much. We ordered different combination meals which, in total, included cheese enchiladas, crispy ground beef tacos, chile rellenos, a bean tostada, beans and rice. For the first time that I can remember, we three delicate, sophisticated ladies scarfed down our meals with nothing left to take home - it was that good. Although still tasty, my least favorite item was the tostada, only because the tortilla was fried a little too dark for my taste and could have used a little more cheese. Everything was very flavorful and freshly made including the chips for the salsa. The salsa itself is a basic dried red chile type. more like a taco sauce. I tried a house margarita which was made with a good mixer but was a little light on the tequila. The decor is very basic with just a few paintings and Mexican decorative items here and there. I don't think it's changed one bit since I was a kid coming here with my parents. The service was very friendly and quick. A sign on the wall advertises $1.50 tacos, tostada, and enchiladas on Tuesday (cheaper than fast food!). We definitely will be back. In fact, I've made myself hungry as I wrote this, so I may go tonight! read more

Great food and service! We were greeted very warmly, and everything is very clean. The restaurant itself is small but cute!! Prices are good compared to other spots. I had the carne asada burrito and honestly it was a tad bit small for 10.99, but most local places would probably charge more so it's not that much of a biggie! We will definitely be retuning!! :) read more

Best Taco Tuesday in Riverside California! Yummy, served hot, delicious you pick tacos enchiladas or tostada for 1.50 all day! I love this places since I discovered it. DON'T TOUCH THE PLATES, they really are HOT! Your food doesn't get cold. Great for lunch! Dinner time happy hour too. Sweet servers too :) read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Taco Tuesday special menu - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Came to check this place out, at first, the outside looked rough, and I even thought it was closed. But once I stepped inside, I was pleasantly surprised. The place is very clean, well-maintained, and has a welcoming atmosphere. The service was genuine, attentive, and on point. The salsa had a nice kick, and the chips were fresh. The food itself was authentic probably the closest you'll get to real Mexican flavors in Riverside. Everything was perfectly seasoned. The pricing is unbeatable, I spent $35 for three beers and a burrito, which is a great deal. I got the carnitas burrito, and while I felt it could've had a little more meat, the flavor was definitely on point. Overall, great experience. I'd definitely recommend this place and will be coming back! read more

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I have been coming here for 40 yrs. Templo has been our "GO TO" Place for the best Mexican food! I can't think of any other place that I could go in the area for the same experience. I recently talked to the owner Josie and told her the reasons we I hold this place dear in my heart the recipes!!! The food has been consistently Great! Since the first time I experienced this place. One of my favorite things is how Hot! The food would come to the table please Josie, if you are ever considering going away from the Hot plates and the old school plates. This is why this place is famous OK? Don't go away from what made this place famous. Thank you for serving delicious food to my parents, myself and my kids and my children and my grandchildren. God bless read more

Come here if you want really bad tacos and horrible service and food that takes way too long to come out. And very rubbery shrimp with grainy beef.. read more

We've been coming here for probably 30 + years. Sadly, I think the changes over the years have finally taken their toll on this classic restaurant. The food has always been good and still is, but as the economics have changed, so have the prices and portions. No longer included in the combo meals is the basic salad. I would also say the plate the food is served on has shrunk as has the size of the taco. We used to see value in the amount and quality of the food but not so much anymore. The quality is still there for the most part but for $17-18, a combo plate isn't the value it used to be. I'm holding a tortilla chip next to the taco for reference. Yeah, that's how small the taco is. It's hard to believe these changes are saving enough money to make much of a difference. Go back to the way things were and maybe add one more $1 to the price. I could handle that. Oh, and we miss Yolanda. She was the best waitress they had. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Wonderful family restaurant service and the food was amazing! Had the Joey play and the nopale burrito both were very good we will definitely be back again. read more

Incredible food. Best Chile relleno I've ever had. Our second time here and we planned on coming. We will definitely be back when we are in the area. Love the family owned vibe. read more

Love it. Very homey and service is great. Their chile relleno is amazing. I highly recommend.

The delicious food and excellent service has remained the same after nearly 4 decades that our family has been coming to this restaurant (we drive 1 hour to eat here). Thank you for your wonderful service and delicious foid yesterday for the birthday lunch !!! read more

Food was great f everybody was really friendly back regularly I haven't tried the wet burritos yet so that's my next order

The food was amazing, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and the prices are great! I highly recommend giving this place a try.

We've been regulars here for many,many years. Overall the food isn't as consistent as you'd want but when it's on point, it doesn't get any better. The service is always solid, especially if you get Yolanda. I'm particular when it comes to relleno's. The one I just got on the Joey combo was one of the best ever. I like when they clean the seeds out and the spice level of the pepper was perfect. I know they have no control over that but they can take the seeds out. Most of the time they do. The combo includes a salad, taco and cheese enchilada. Everything was top notch. My understanding is they even make their own blue cheese dressing. For the reasons listed above, my wife gets the Joey combo every single time without fail. I change it up once in a while, but the Joey is the go to. read more

I enjoy the food and the ambiance. The service is pleasant too. If you want a fast meal, I would suggest calling ahead and ordering it to go. read more

I absolutely Love this restaurant!! My husband and I have eaten here for at least 25 years. My husband passed away and I still love to dine here. Yolanda, The waitress that is so amazing, She knows exactly how I prefer my plate. Joseph too. He always is smiling!! God bless this restaurant and Family!! read more

This place we found from a critic in an article writing about the top three places for Mexican food in Riverside. The place was cute and it was clean The employees were very friendly and service was good WOW! The food. No flavor. Not good. If you want good Mexican food. It won't be here This person that wrote the article might not be too familiar with good Mexican food. It also may have been the day we went. Who knows but we won't go back read more

Some time ago, we dined here while staying at the Riverside Mission Inn Hotel. I remembered ordering Mexican hot chocolate which was delicious. This time around, on our way back to L.A, I remembered that delicious hot chocolate and decided to call and see if they still served it. Yes, they still have it on their menu! Made a pit stop, ordered 3 to go. Yes, still delicious as I remembered, the scent and taste of cinnamon, served piking hot! Also, the ambience of the interior of the restaurant was very cozy, comfortable, and retro. Made a note to myself to visit here soon! read more

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Great service . A huge tostada for 11.00. We will back!!!! A little gem we happened to drive by. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Outside - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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I ordered fish tacos and they were terrible. I think they forgot to season them because they were flavorless. The other 3 people said their food was ok. read more

The food was absolutely delicious and true "authentic" Mexican food! This is definitely a hidden gem! The staff is courteous and friendly!! 10 out 10 I recommend this restaurant!! read more

This was my first time at Templo Del Sol and i will be back again soon for lunch. I got a combination plate with a hard shell ground beef taco & enchilada + rice & beans. My friends got carne asada burritos and said they were great. The food comes out hot and fresh. I love how affordable this place is! read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Ground Beef Hard Shell Taco and Enchilada Beans & Rice 8/10 - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

This place is cute and they were very kind, however.....the horchata tasted like a glass of sugar. I couldn't wait for the ice to melt just so I could palate all the sugar. Then the chips and salsa arrived at the table...the chips were fine but the salsa was red spicy water basically. I was hoping the menudo was going to redeem the restaurant. It was spicy tap water & lengua. Very disappointed. I took a bite of my flour tortilla to wash it down, disappointed there too. I feel bad leaving such an awful review but I definitely won't be back. It's surprising to see these awards on the wall. How have they been in business since 1970? read more

I've lived in Riverside 48 years best Mexican place ever we go there all the time lots of locals where everybody knows your name type of place always a hot plate always fresh authentic Mexican cuisine. read more

Oh. Man. The disappointment. I ordered food to go and it was not good at all. Let's start with their shredded beef tacos- they were over fried, barely had any shredded beef and the beef that was in them was burnt black. They were so crispy and dry they can break your teeth. We also ordered the Taxquenas Dinner- enchiladas with beef it was disgusting. The "beef" was ground beef not shredded and it was really bland, no flavor and very poorly put together. In my opinion they should have specified what kind of beef it was on their menu because I was not expecting that. Their green sauce was advertised as extra zesty/tangy but it was not like that at all. I was surprised because they have some pretty good reviews. Their carne asada tacos were just mediocre at best. Nothing special, they come with guacamole. Their horchata was good but really sweet. The only thing I loved was their Spanish rice lol. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Shredded Beef Taco to go - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Coming coming here for years great food and great service but I was there last week and ordered a tostada taco salad. It was half the size half the meat half the vegetables half the cheese not sure I'll come back here again. read more

I love this little spot. I especially love the deep-fried chili, Relleno burritos. If you don't say what you want on the menu, they will try to accommodate you read more

The food is amazing. Crispy tacos and enchiladas are fantastic. The sauce is to die for and they have a great taco Tuesday. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

A true hidden gem..but most locals know about it! Family owned with Fresh homemade food made by the Gramdma! It doesn't get much better than this! Busy during lunch but good food is worth the wait! read more

I would avoid this place. This doesn't have the best Mexican food around here. I ordered the carne asada ranchera and it was meh. The meat's juices tasted more acidic than anything else. The rice is pretty okay (lacks salt), and the beans taste like they've been sitting in a pot for a while. They have a unique taste. I asked for no cheese on any of my food and they dumped cheese on my beans and salad. I made it very specific on the phone that I didn't want cheese on anything. Also paid for a guacamole on the side that wasn't anything special. I'll never be returning and probably will go over to the Zacatecas cafe, it's a little more expensive, but way better tasting food. read more

Joe Aguilar's Templo Del Sol - I removed the cheese and in my salad too. Made me waste most of my salad. - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Been coming here for two years now that I discovered this place...staff is very hospitable ...always smiling and friendly ...the food is very good and their prices are relatively cheaper than a lot of other Mexican restaurants...at Joe Aguilar's Tiempo Del Sol you will find great food with great prices in a clean atmosphere ...thank you for having such a great business read more

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I tried the chilaquiles and menudo today. Delicious! Templo del Sol is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area! read more

Took my family for New Year's Eve 2023!!! Everything was great! Service was good , atmosphere was good. The food was good too. Will definitely go back! Forgot how good this place was read more