This place is right around the house, a locals joint. Arrived and was greeted promptly. The service was neutral. Not friendly nor rude. Ordered the cemita de milanesa. Compared to the pictures previously posted, jt looked a bit different. It was really good. It was filling as well. Restaurant also has a ton of seating. Can get busy as well, but they keep up. Price is a bit high, but it's worth it. Paid slightly under 15 for this. read more

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La Cemita poblano is a hidden gem in Santa Ana they specialize in cemitas and their cemita game is on point ! Parking is fairly small but when I got there There wasn't that much foot traffic so not sure but I went around 11-ish 12ish for lunch Ambiance is your typical Mexican joint not much from the outside but the staff is friendly The price point is mid to high but when you order their food it's so worth it ! They don't skimp out on the meat,cheese all that good stuff other places go skimpy on they load your cemita up I got the milaneza cemita ! Bomb! Check them out ! read more

Delicious food! Got two cemitas and dam It was so good! Would come back again for more

I rating the tacos a 1 star not that great plus there small and expensive but the cemita are very good not that big but very good taste

Food was absolutely amazing, We live in south county and was just up that way to get work done on car. Must try, love little spots like this and I'm gonna make a better effort to start leaving reviews when i have great experience. read more

La Cemita Poblana - Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Great food! That red sauce is fire. I am definitely coming back next time im in town.

Everything was so great! Food was delicious!! I wish I took one to go! Will be back soon!! read more

La Cemita Poblana - Food - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

2 Cemitas de Asada, came out to be $27!! I don't remember it being that much before - inflation? All in all it does taste good, bread was a bit hard from my last time, but good. read more

I'll bet almost everyone can recall a meal from their youth that brings back great memories about how delicious it was and how they would really like to experience that once again. Having been born in Mexico and having lived there for a few years, the food that I have longed for was that great Torta with Milanesa that was located down the street. The place is long gone, but my quest to find a great Torta for that same experience has followed me ever since. However, today's review is not about the Torta (not available here with Milanesa), but a sandwich that is very much in the same family . . . the Cemita sandwich. Sure. . . purists would call them completely different altogether, but they are so similar and my continued quest drew me to La Cemita Poblana to give their Cemita a try. My order included all of the fixings that make this an excellent sandwich with the Milanesa, string cheese, avocado, papalo and jalapenos. The Cemita comes loaded and sits between a tasty roll. My first, second and third bites reminded me of the what made a Torta great, and gave me great satisfaction that the sandwich and all of those calories were worth the experience. But, offer a few thoughts to consider. Overall, the sandwich was really good. I did not eat on site, so it cooled a little before I jumped in. Nevertheless, the Cemita was tasty and all of the flavors melded well and were enhanced by the papalo leaves. The temperature may have enhanced it further along with a crusty Torta bolillo and mayo, but that would take you into the Torta neighborhood which this is not. I'm glad that I gave La Cemita Poblana a try and would encourage anyone to interested in the Cemita to take it to go. Without a doubt, there is a great deal of authenticity at La Cemita and the folks there know how to prepare their food. While I may likely return for a sampling of some of their other cuisine, my quest to find an incredible Milanesa Torta will continue and will report back when my discovery is made. In the meantime, Bon Appetit! read more

Combo 7 Camita with cheese , with a drink ... I see myself happy with you in the Netherlands or Luxembourg read more

Placed order in advance, Food was hot and ready when I arrived. The Cemitas was amazing! Make sure to ask for salsa. read more

I really do enjoy coming here and having their sandwiches. I've had their Cocinero and their Milanesa Cemitas and they are seriously addicting! Service is great - everything is wrapped "to-go", all the times we've visited it has never been too busy; it's good to call ahead to place your order. Their sandwiches are probably big enough to share between two people. read more

La Cemita Poblana - a person holding a sandwich - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Price is insane for a freaking torta. I did not like the leaf they put in my sandwich either and did not taste fresh. However, the staff was really kind and the Christian music made me feel more at ease. Overall might go again but not for a torta. read more

This is the first time I come to eat here and definitely the last time. I walk in and there's flies everywhere. I was looking at the menu and saw some crawling over it. Every other second I had to slap a fly off me. The person cooking has no mask on nor gloves while handling food and to top it off they are handling money, not once did I see them wash their hands. I had to walk out because I couldn't stand in there to order in peace imagine eating there ? Christ. read more

Super expensive!! We got a alambre and a cemita the alambre was a carne asada alambre and had bell peppers more than anything they charge for everything when u order a cemita. Its super expensive and they give u a slice of ham and no papaloo and onion i do not recommended read more

Nope, I won't come back. Flavor: 1 from 1-5. Ambience: 0 Clean place: 0 Service: 2 Price: super high

The service it's bad The guy with the glasses always charge different prices for the same item I tolerate this because the flavor it's good Unfortunately today was the worst The bread was hard and I pay for extra items and they only place 1 slide of pierna this was the end of it I call the restaurant and the guy in glasses answered and he give me the worst attitude worth saying there it's not a manager on site and the manager only works on Saturday with not specific hours to reach him read more

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Used to be my favorite spot. Came today and ordered 3 cemitas. In one of mine a piece of cheese fell out and there was a dead fly on it. Like it got squished in the prep. We let them know and they offered us another. No apology no money back. Flies are totally controllable. But I dont see us returning anymore. The bathrooms are pretty gross too. read more

Tbh I've never had a cemita or torta or anything before so I don't have anything to compare it to, but what I do know is that it was frikken delicious! The service was good and the lady at the counter was super helpful and friendly, and didn't mind explaining everything to me. There's plenty of outdoor seating & it was pretty clean too. The cemita was deeeelicious! Cemita de cocinero $8.49 - steak and ham. I split it with my bf, but man, it was so good, I really wished that I had gotten my own D: It came with avocado, onions, cheese that tasted like string cheese, a yummy chipotle sauce that added a nice kick to the cemita. It also came with papalo (think a stronger cilantro) -- I wasn't really a fan of this, but figured I'd just give it a try. The ingredients were really fresh and it made for a delicious sandwich! I'll definitely be back to try the other cemitas :) read more

La Cemita Poblana - Cocinero (steak & ham) $8.49 - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The Quesadilla were meh, the tacos were a joke. My husband ordered carne asada tacos and they came with no onions or cilantro. We had to request it, even then, they seemed put out when we asked for it. As for the taco flavor it was nothing special. Definitely not worth it. As for the cemitas, I got a Milanesa Cemita and it was good. I did end up with a tummy ache the next day - don't know if it was related to the food. Over all, customer service was non existent and the food was ok. I don't see myself going back. Also, beware if you use the restroom. You might loose your appetite. Dingy and smelly. Edited : dropped to a 1 Star. Other people in my group woke up with upset stomachs! read more

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This is a tough one. I rate the food here 4.5 stars.... why do I rate it 3 stars? Let me begin by stating that if you're looking for a delicious cemita, you'll find that here and this is based upon my first visit here. I had the "Cemita del Cocinero" and was really impressed by how fresh the ingredients were. A very nice touch was the addition of pápalo - a delicious Mexican herb - which really made this cemita stand out. Order this cemita and you won't regret your decision. Now the bad: This place is a divey, hole-in-the-wall with an enclosed patio which isn't a bad thing....but...Its benches are old and dirty and the tables were only marginally better. My boys and gf couldn't help but notice a large, dead cockroach near where we sat which, apparently, we all ignored as no one mentioned this until we'd left the restaurant. Seeing this had a huge, negative impact on my gf's appetite. Me, well, I chose to ignore it and enjoy my cemita. Lol. I wish i could rate this more than 3 stars but the lack of hygiene and a dead cucaracha kinda killed the vibe and impacts my overall rating. If you can overlook this, though, and want a good sandwich (or if you're squeamish) then my recommendation is to order those cemitas to-go. read more

La Cemita Poblana - Cemita del Cocinero - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I'm from Puebla and have had authentic cemitas from Mexico and this place was about the closest to that of Mexico. I even thanked the workers there because it was bomb. I usually can never finish past half of a cemita because i have a small stomache and they're always about the size of my head lol but I pretty much finished! read more

La Cemita Poblana - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Best Cemitas in Orange County, bread is always good and the puerco empanizado is always good

Cemitas are delicious. Huge portions. Not shy with the cheese. Quesillo + queso fresco is awesome. The combo of Chipotle spread on the bread and the red jalapenos is amazing. Only reason they don't get 5 Stars from me...the last 2 times I've been here they don't have Papalo. Thats the herb that gives it the distinct herbaceous flavor that makes the dish. Shame. read more

If you are in Santa Ana with a hungry stomach. STOP! No need to look anywhere else, this is real deal food right here! The Cemita was so fresh with all its seeds still in it. I had the one made out of Milanesa and I am sitting here 30 minutes after eating it simply dumbfounded. I cannot believe I've worked in Garden Grove for over a year and I have not had this yet. Again all around amazing food. Do not let the stand or location scare you at all! This is top notch culinary action at its finest! read more

I came here and loved it! Looking forward to coming again! I had a ham cemita and it was so delish! Pros: the portions are big so if your tummy can't wolf down a lot of food then share a cemita. I ate about half and was stuffed. The service is awesome! The lady at the counter was really nice and didn't mind explaining the ingredients. (I had never had a cemita before) The wait is modest. I went on a Saturday night and there was a bit of a wait but I don't mind since they make it when you order. Cons: No parking :( the parking lot behind this place is small and most of it is taken over by the mariscos customers next door. Either make your own parking space (like we did) or park on the street. They put queso fresco on my cemita even though I had told them I didn't want any. I mean, not a major mistake but I'm not a queso fresco fan....I still ate it tho =] Overall, I would recommend this place! I will probably be back soon to try another cemita. read more

La Cemita Poblana - Ham cemita! Loved it - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Saw this place in OCMgazine and had to try it. Absolutely fantastic! I got thebeef milanesa sandwich with Chipoltle sauce and WOW was t good! If you like smoky chipoltle flaor and some heat then this is the place for you. If you want it a bit milder then ask for liht sauce or the chipoltle on the side as it is not for he weak of heart. Go adventure and see this neighborhood and the many shopping expriences it offers. Great food and great people! read more

Heard about this place and itsa cemitas tortas from my cousin. Went down on a lazy weekday. Outdoor seating, music playing in the background, not bad, but not great on a chilly afternoon. Cemitas go for $5 topped with queso fresco. Nice! Default is no tomato. Nice! Topped with carrots in vinegar, thinly sliced red onions, fresh avocado. I bought an asada with jalapenos and a pastor with chipotle. Sliced em both halffers and shared. The chipotle was very good with the pastor. Smoky and spicy! The asada was a bit dry, but nice and crisp (crema is extra, I went basic). I forgot to order both with salsa as instructed, so ask for salsa on your visit. Final verdict: not bad for the price. I'll go back on a weekend when there are more customers and give it another shot. Will order the horchata next time also. read more

La Cemita Poblana - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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If your ever craving some sopes de asada, this is the place to buy. The asada meat is well seasoned to perfection, and its well prepared with the toppings plus avocado slices are part of it. I always order sopes from here once a week. There just so good its hard not to eat them. read more

This place is great. Local restaurant, great service. My family and I always come here during the weekends even weekdays sometimes. The food is delicious. Freshly made with its seasonal papalos. I always get the cemita de milanesa, carne asada, al pastor or pierna ahumada. There is a difference when ordering a torta and cemita my brother got it confused once lol just letting you know for those who are new to this. So if you want the one from the pictures ask for a cemita. read more

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The place looks I little bit dirty Good customer service but the food was fast and delicious I ordered a cemita of milaneza was amazing and my husband ordered a torta cubana I definitely we'll be back read more

Drove all the way from Vegas and OBVIOUSLY had to come down here. Hands down best cemitas EVER, I always get cemita de milanesa, great to bring the family, the tables are outside so great to enjoy the outdoors meanwhile you eat and they keep it real clean and tidy which I enjoy. They also have tacos, burritos, burgers and quesadillas and a couple of other plates on the menu. read more

La Cemita Poblana - I mean just look at that menu! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The cemitas are excellent (and huge) service is very good kind of a hole in the wall atmosphere which are always the best, I would recommend the Cocinero comes with a little bit of everything. The location is good easy to find and you sit outside to eat. No Papalo on the sandwiches when we went but still delicious and filling would deff go back read more

La Cemita Poblana - El Cocinero. Delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great portion, taste is not too bad either. The best part of the order was the two types of cheese. I got an asada cemita and horchata for around $11 including a $0.54 credit card charge. read more

La Cemita Poblana - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Totally overpriced!!! We ordered one cemita, one mulitas, one side of rice & beans, and one agua fresca togo for a total of nearly $30. The food was just ok and the restaurant was dirty. My friend and I were in the mood for some Mexican food in town, and this place was definitely a wrong choice. There are plenty of other Mexican restaurants nearby offer delicious food with reasonable prices, we will not be coming back here. read more

Best tortas! I don't think there is much more to say, food is good. Location is more of an outdoor seating area. Best tortas, so unique.

Dad-in-town-eating-frenzy Episode 5! Okay, I don't know what hit me in the head and made me forget to return to La Cemita Poblana between June 2011 and now, but whatever it was, it must have been heavy. That's the only way I can explain not having patronized the heck out of this place and its perfect cemitas in the last two years. If you have 10 bucks, you can drink a bucket of tamarindo agua fresca (yes, a bucket, it's like 32 ounces) and eat a huge, bulging, intimidating brick of a perfectly balanced sandwich: fired up with chipotle, cooled down with avocado, crunched out with breaded steak, and squeaky on your teeth with cubes of fresh cheese. And of course, beneath it all lies that awesome papalo leaf whose praises I sung in my last review. read more

I've been in search for the authentic Cemita Poblana and I think I found a legit spot at La Cemita Poblana in Santa Ana. I've tried some food trucks in LA, but if it doesn't have three key items, it's not legit! It needs 1) Quesillo or Oaxan cheese 2) It needs papalo, a delish herb that gives it a wonderful fresh flavor and 3) cemitas or seseame seed bun. La Cemita Poblana has it covered!! It's also an easy to spot location, unlike the food trucks, It is a small hut off of Main that you can easily spot with the name in large letters. You order at the counter and eat on any of the clean tables in the patio. GRRREAT!! Cemita= SUPER amazing cross between a torta and a burger with amazing ingredients including a choice of meat, chipotle or jalapeno, heaping portion of aguacate, quesillo, papalo and what makes it the best, the amazing bun!! GET ONE NOW!! :) read more

I ordered the cemita milanesa because of all of the favorable reviews about it on Yelp. It sounded like a sandwich with which I could become obsessed. Unfortunately, that was not the result. Location - This is a small order from the counter, mom and pop location in downtown Santa Ana. All of the seating is outdoors. The service at the counter here is very good. The girl who took my order at the counter was very friendly and gracious. Food - Cemita is a type of sandwich originating from Puebla, Mexico. Milanesa is a breaded, deep-fried thinly pounded (about a quarter inch in this case) slice of beef. The portion of meat was very generous exceeding the bounds of the bread. But, the piece of beef which should have been the star of the show did not have any flavor, let alone beef flavor. It was crunchy on the outside and a little dry on the inside. I was disappointed because I really wanted to like this sandwich and wanted to taste the beef. The bread/roll was a very fresh tasting sesame seed bun or roll which I really enjoyed. There were fresh sliced avocados, sliced onions, I believe what was Quesillo, which is Mexican string cheese (it sort of had a mozzarella flavor), papalo (which is a green herb resembling cilantro but, from my taste, a little milder and earthier), and a yummy and addicting, smokey, and thick chipotle sauce. The chipotle sauce was not too hot but still had the perfect amount of kick, and really added to the flavor of the sandwich. Were it not for the bland tasting milanesa beef, I would have given the sandwich a higher rating. Perhaps a 3.5 or even 4 stars. The reason being is that the rest of the ingredients in the sandwich were quality and fresh ingredients. I am not sure if I will return. But, because of all of the other fresh ingredients in my sandwich, I may return to try another type of sandwich. This restaurant is seemingly very authentic (and I mean that in a good way). I like it when an establishment gives you what is very authentic food from whatever region they come from, instead of offering watered down american versions. Watered down american versions of regional or out of the US food are usually disappointing. read more

La Cemita Poblana - The Cemita Milanesa - Mexican Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Got Sopes and Asada Tacos and both were pretty good. I ordered over the phone and the order was done pretty fast 10 mins!