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    La Cocina de Ricardo

    4.0 (611 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order La Cocina de Ricardo Takeout or Delivery

    La Cocina de Ricardo Photos

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    LA COCINA DE RICARDO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Taco  Tuesday!
    Tony J.

    Happy taco Tuesday! This is a great place to have tacos, authentic, Mexican food. A margarita perhaps too. But today taking just taking the food to go. Family asked if I'm going bring tacos home, so this is my location to swing by. I called in the order in advance and the tacos are generously prepared quickly, waiting for me. In my opinion, the shredded beef tacos are delicious. Generous with the sauces and chips. In addition, It's a great price as well. So when I feel like going to an authentic Mexican restaurant, this is one of my top choices, especially on taco Tuesday when I can't beat the price.

    Beer and c hips salsa
    Michelle T.

    It's been a while since I dined here. I remember how good the chips & salsa were and this time was the same - delish. Restaurant wasn't crowded, plenty of tables available in the front and back room. The server took our drink order quickly and service was great the whole time. We had the albondiga soup, the pulpo and a sope dish. Everything was really yummy and fresh. Portion size was perfect, we brought home a good amount of the pulpo. Great frijoles, that's always my way to know if a place is legit!

    Corri C.

    Our favorite place to come to. Big bowl of white pozole with a side of taquitos is our go to. This time we got the oysters with ceviche! Delicious! Very nice staff and the restaurant is always very clean.

    Enchiladas De Mole
    Harry P.

    Tasty authentic Mexican food in an unsuspecting strip mall in Lake Forest. Mole was great but the chilaquiles was a bit too salty for me. I'm a bit sensitive to salty food so I'm sure it's really for other folks. Fun decor like a fancy Mexican restaurant. I'm coming back for the mole!

    Morgan S.

    What a delightful treat!! A super cute mom and pop Mexican restaurant. The servers were very nice and helpful. The chips and salsa were fantastic - and they kept them coming! For dinner, they had a variety of yummy looking options. I ended up try the guarachon and it was AAAAMAZING!!! I devoted my plate because it was epic. It's essentially a large flat tortilla smothered in beans with a whole bunch of goodies piled high. It was like a salad on top of the fat tortilla. I'm already wanting to eat another one because it truly was to die for. The quality of the food in the dish shone through. Absolutely insane!!

    Skinny spicy margarita and breakfast burrito were so delicious. Ask for Mario to make you this same margarita!

    Mario makes the best drinks. Always a huge smile and great service. Really enjoyed the breakfast burrito.

    Pozole Rojo, Fajitas, extra rice and sour cream, chips
    Jennifer L.

    The servers were so friendly and the interior was cozy! I'm in the northern OC area, but had ordered caldo de res from here to my workplace nearby, and the caldo was perfect. I had to make sure my SO and I came to dine in despite the long drive. I ordered pozole and he ordered fajitas with an extra portion of rice and sour cream. The chips and salsa are so addicting that by the time my pozole came, I could barely make a dent in it. Everything was delicious and my SO, who is very picky with food, agrees. We definitely want to come back.

    Carne Asada. Hidden under the delicious sides but worth the hunt.
    Fred F.

    Service is always friendly here. Ambiance is standard for food genre. Food is delicious. Only down side this visit was margaritas were very sweet and felt like had zero tequila. Other than that, La Cocina is a hit!

    Pozole
    James L.

    Came here with some coworkers for lunch on a weekday, was not busy and we were seated immediately. Loved the inside and the ambiance, the decor make you feel like you walked into an authentic restaurant in Mexico! They have a few big TVs inside that had the soccer games playing. I heard it gets very busy and lively during the weekends, especially when there is a sporting event being broadcasted. We ordered the pozole, which is a traditional Mexican hominy with meat and garnished with shredded lettuce, cabbage, chili peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, salsa, and limes. It tasted extremely healthy and hearty. All the staff were extremely friendly and there is definitely a family feel to dining here.

    Chili Verde was excellent, with rice & beans, Celantro, onions, lettuce and choice of corner flour tortillas. So good!!!
    Barbara W.

    OMG!! me and my family had been here to this restaurant probably 20 years ago because I believe it's the same family that owns a restaurant in San Juan Capistrano and we'd like the one in San Juan so we decided to try this one many years ago and it was great many years ago it was just kinda like a deli style. You walk up to the counter or your food sit down so I walked in just because I'd remembered and I said let's just try it. I was starving of course it was so cute inside it had a bar which it never had before and when I looked at the menu, I knew this is authentic Mexican and they had stuff on the menu that are things that they only make in Mexico seafood items very interesting combinations but I always judge a restaurant just because I love chili Verde and I love salsa. It was excellent. It was beyond compared and it was very reasonably priced, I brought the rest home and had another meal at home. It was delicious. I loved it and the people were so nice. Very sweet. Very attentive. Food was very attractively presented with a lot of it and as I said just excellent I'm going back on Sunday so I'm so excited because this is a go to place and so quaint so so quaint I'll post some pictures. You'll love it. You will not regret.

    Caldo de Res Soup
    Rebekah W.

    Been coming since they were in San Clemente in the 1990s. Best Caldo de Res I've found! Their salsa and chips are also authentic and flavorful! Wonderful family owned and operated business!

    combination plate with chile relleno & quesadilla
    Karl G.

    True, authentic, home-cooked Mexican food can be a rarity these days with most of us gravitating towards food-trucks or fast-food chains . However, I highly recommend one spot that will certainly change your mind -- La Cocina de Ricardo -- located just south of Irvine for a taste of Mixtlán Jalisco, México . My go-to order is their combination plate where you can choose up to 2 of a variety of items served with rice & beans . Got the Chile Relleno, Quesadilla, and Enchilada across 2 orders. Definitely get the Chile Relleno which is a fried egg-coated green pepper stuffed with hearty minced meat & baked with cheese . Still craving it today . I don't usually rave about salads but I would highly recommend ordering their side salad . The leaves & tomatoes were so fresh and went perfect with the cheese topped with any dressing you like ! They also serve Menudo 7-days a week which is a traditional Mexican stew cooked in a red chile broth and made of beef tripe -- a true local favorite . Btw, their homemade chunky salsa & warm crunch tortilla chips are to-die-for -- fast free fresh . Loved their warm service & familia vibes . I first discovered La Cocina de Ricardo during covid and can't wait to go back !!c

    Carne a la Tampiquena Family Special

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    8 months ago

    Great happy hours, prices and size of plates. Great service. Good food. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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    The food is excellent! Service is always great And my favorite part, ambience and margaritas!

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    Mario A.

    Thanks, Brad! We look forward to seeing you again soon!

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    Menudo to go. $18.26. Pretty delish, among the better ones around imho. Only problem was there wasn't enough but will return for more. .

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    Page 1 of 16

    La Cocina de Ricardo Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - La Cocina de Ricardo

    When do they serve menudo, is it only certain days?

    What is the taco Tuesday deal?

    $2.50 tacos choice of crispy it soft with either shredded beef, chicken, or pork tinga. Price is only good with purchase of a drink.

    Is pozole gluten free?

    I think pozole is gluten since it is made with hominy.

    View All 5 Questions

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    La Casita Olvera

    La Casita Olvera

    4.0
    (549 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    honestly i usually hate parking around here because it feels like fighting Thanos just for a spot,…read morebut parking was super easy and we parked right out front with no problem at all and was free. total Tony Stark VIP treatment lol The service was excellent and very attentive as they checked in on us to refill drinks and checked how the food was. Very friendly and the staff were basically moving like Spider-Man around the tables. The food was excellent and very fresh and tasty. It was so good that we came back the next day for the Sunday brunch! We really loved the fish tacos, which were out of this world. Neck and neck with that are the Chihuahua tacos where the meat was tender, and the cheese was charred into the tortilla to give it a very wonderful flavor,, kinda like Iron Man blasted it himself to get that crust. We also tried the Carnitas tacos and a couple of others, which are also very tasty. This Sunday brunch was lovely and our favorite was the steak ranchero and the ceviche, as well as the corn cake. But basically the whole buffet was excellent,, felt like an actual feast in Asgard. We had a Diablo margarita and that was excellent! definitely hit with a kick like the Hulk tbh. One of the two days we sat outdoors, and it was lovely with plenty of space. The second day we had a nice booth and there was plenty of space and seating was very comfortable. basically as chill as hanging at the Avengers compound. Definitely five stars!

    Happy Cinco de Mayo! This is the place where our family…read morereally wanted to be to get our delicious tacos, at an excellent price, plus it's taco Tuesday ! I still love the fish tacos here, everything is delicious especially the salsa bar when we get to do all the toppings ourselves! They mariachi singers today, Spanish songs are playing by different Mexican folk music-often rancheras (performers), setting a wonderful Cinco de Mayo vibe. They have a full service bar, or you could get a delicious Mexican coffee with a huge slice of flan like I do! - My dessert. :) Yumm

    Photos
    $1 taco Tuesday  11am-9pm w/drink purchase  9 different meats to choose from
    $1 taco Tuesday 11am-9pm w/drink purchase 9 different meats to choose from
    Free pancakes every Saturday and Sunday 9am-1pm fallow @La_casitaolvera
    Free pancakes every Saturday and Sunday 9am-1pm fallow @La_casitaolvera
    $2 Coronas every Thursday all day come watch Thursday night football

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    $2 Coronas every Thursday all day come watch Thursday night football
    Lupe's Mexican Eatery

    Lupe's Mexican Eatery

    4.0
    (521 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Lupe's Mexican Eatery has a surprisingly fulfilling array of appetizers, plates, and drinks, though…read morethe main draw for me are their stuffed and voluminous burritos. I've tried several of the burritos here for their size, flavour, and variety of ingredients, most memorably the Lupe's, Hot Cheetos, California and birria burritos. The Lupe's is stacked with steak and bacon, grilled onion and cilantro, jack cheddar cheese and Chipotle sauce AND guac, so you'll love it as the mash of distinct savoury flavours it is if you love each of those ingredients. It's filling and fills you with both strength and fatigue to prep for or recover from a day of hard work. 5.7/10. Hot Cheetos burritos are something you occasionally see around for some reason, and the one's here are solid, though I prefer the version available at Primo's by a solid margin. Lupe's Cheeto's burritos do have an interesting compressive texture that I strangely somewhat enjoy. 4.4/10. The California burrito is a standard and very solid rendition of a classic. I would put the Lupe's version at above average in quality as they're definitely not mediocre or disappointing. 5.3/10. The birria burrito is just as packed and filling as the other burritos, but tastes and feels significantly more fresh as it consists of a juicy but light birria steak, red beans, and LOTS of chopped cilantro and diced onions. In fact, it primarily tastes of the leafy green, so definitely avoid it if you're not a fan. I enjoy it, though it definitely feels lighter and less satisfying to eat than its less healthy, heavier siblings, and suffers from its birria juices settling at the bottom of the burrito to be largely untasted throughout the eating experience, possibly as there isn't enough of it provided. 4/10. This spot also has a good salsa bar with particularly tasty sauces. My favorites are the classic verde and another, pale green sauce with a creamy flavour, both of which go well with all meals to varying effect. I like how the tortilla chips feel a bit cakey- it's slightly hard to describe, but they're not excessively salty either and fun to eat as a receptacle for the delicious sauces here. A solid spot with a nice, comfortable and fun, kitsch decorated interior, solid burritos and a solid selection of menu items at fairly standard prices.

    They were weirdly hostile with the elderly Asian man in front of me. I am sure it is frustrating to…read moredeal with broken English, but it hurt to see, so I can only imagine how he felt. Nothing explicitly was said but I know when someone is acting in away to say unwelcome without saying it directly. Then he asked which salsa was hot. They did answer but he needed more help and clarification. Little did he know he must have exceeded his secret amount of allotted questions because he was still ignored after his repeated attempts. They were standing right there. I have doubts that didn't hear him. I ended up helping him out for them. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I was only picking up food and yet in that short time, wish I could just leave. Yes, their food is good. Now I have to grapple in the future with condoning the ill treatment I saw with all that.

    Photos
    Veggie Breakfast Burrito Combo with all hashbrowns $18.49
    Veggie Breakfast Burrito Combo with all hashbrowns $18.49
    Dolphins Burrito
    Dolphins Burrito
    California Burrito

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    California Burrito
    Xclusive Mexican Kitchen

    Xclusive Mexican Kitchen

    4.6
    (591 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Excellent tacos al pastor and service. Enrique gave us an unforgettable tasting experience with…read morerare tequilas

    My sister and our pups went to eat at this wonderful little restaurant after a great hike with our…read morepups Kobie-Star and Willow . We sat outside in their outdoor patio where they had a couple of TV's -one with the basketball playoffs going on ( my favorite)! The staff was just amazing and welcomed us and our pups and brought out water for both pups without us even having to ask for it , love that . They have lots of food to choose from but we stuck with the traditional combo plate : Cheese enchilada and carnitas taco - mine was a crunchy and hers was soft taco ( both were delicious). I also ordered a delicious blended strawberry margarita and it didn't disappoint. Our servers were : Enrique and Alfonso both were great . They brought us extra bean mixture dip for the chips as their dips and chips are AMAZING as is their food . If you haven't tried this place, you must try this place as not only is the food great , the people that work here are really amazing and that made our time here even better . We checked their hours and found they are open ALL DAY something like 8AM for breakfast -10 PM like what ??? Not everyday but most days , this isn't fast food either ... You have to try this place and for those who want to eat inside it's nice inside or sit at their bar or sit outside at the really big outdoor eating area , you can't go wrong ... Stop by after a Target run it's near by !! Thank you to you all for helping us and our pups - Enrique and Alfonso we will be back for sure !! Thank you again ! Prices very reasonable! Location corner in center - plenty of parking Margarita $$

    Photos
    Dining Room / Kitchen
    Dining Room / Kitchen
    Taco Sampler (3) - chicken x2 and al pastor x1
    Taco Sampler (3) - chicken x2 and al pastor x1
    Xclusive asada tacos, grilled onions and mushrooms

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    Xclusive asada tacos, grilled onions and mushrooms
    Avila's El Ranchito

    Avila's El Ranchito

    3.6
    (903 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I haven't walked into an insanely decorated restaurant since the rainforest cafe and there's just…read moredecor ALL over, really making you feel like you're not in Lake Forest for a moment. There was 7 of us total and we walked in being seated right away for lunch. Staff were very friendly, attentive and made sure to check on us. The kids portions were really generous and def fulfilled them. Our meals also were insanely huge and because I was trying to be on the healthy side, my order of the chicken with lemon salad with veggies was not a wow factor and that's on me. I wish the bathrooms were inside. You have to walk to the front of the restaurant to get to it and doors don't completely lock, we accidentally walked in on a gal Overall though this place gets busy and is a fav among the locals here.

    This is my favorite location because of the ambience and the decor! It's super cool and so much fun…read moreinside! The staff is very friendly and our hostess and waiter are very helpful and quick to get a seated and our food came quickly. It's just a fun environment to be at and great for a date night! We went for a Valentines dinner but the night before Valentine's Day. The chips and salsa are really good and those are complementary. Normally, I would get the tableside guacamole, which is really good, but I didn't want to fill up too much so I could eat dinner. They also had a special valentines drink. I got it as a mocktail style and it was so delicious that I want to make it at home because this was just a specialty drink that they had. So me and my husband both ordered fajitas he ordered the steak and I ordered the chicken. The rice and beans were incredible! But I have to say unfortunately my chicken was did not taste very good. It was just kind of dry and not juicy and flavorful. And way too many bell peppers. I love bell peppers, but it was overloaded. But the portions are big and the price is competitive for the area and for this type of food and the amount. Will I come back here again absolutely but maybe I'll try something else like the soup! The soup looked really yummy

    Photos
    The atmosphere is so cool
    The atmosphere is so cool
    Grande Taco Salad w shredded beef
    Grande Taco Salad w shredded beef
    Delicious Sauvignon Blanc choices!

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    Delicious Sauvignon Blanc choices!
    Adolfo's Mexican Food

    Adolfo's Mexican Food

    4.2
    (233 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Always friendly service, the best hours, and great food…read more Good salsa bar where most of the salsas have a good kick and there's good variety too. The California burrito is excellent. Everything comes out hot and fresh similar to any of the other "ertos" type Mexican spots. The location is sort of hidden in an awful little shopping center but adds to the mystique of the place.

    So I can see why Adolfo's has such high reviews!…read more 5/5 stars Friendly/Helpful Customer service 5/5 Food Taste 4.5/5 Variety of Menu (They only have large tortillas so they can only do large size tacos - not the traditional street tacos aka mini tacos - and Also if you order a burrito for your kids it's going to be big adult size - they also don't have kids meals you need to order a la carte) But they do have a lot of menu options 5/5 stars Cleanliness 5/5 Free&Easy parking (located off the 5fwy at El Toro) 4/5 Ambiance - for what it is, it is nice and clean = there are 4 booths and 2 tables you can sit at inside. Obviously not expecting high end here (Also it is order and dine in only = NO drive thru) Favorite things: -The Carnitas is amazing! Crispy outside and flavorful inside. I just wish they had mini tacos (only large tortillas) and next time I'll ask for only cilantro & onions since I prefer street tacos over the ones with guacamole & everything....) -Service! I've never had service so nice at one of these fast casual Mexican restaurants!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Adolfo's Mexican Food
    Wet Burrito (green is Spicy & red is Mild)
burrito mojado
(verde es picoso rojo es mediano)

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    Wet Burrito (green is Spicy & red is Mild) burrito mojado (verde es picoso rojo es mediano)

    La Cocina de Ricardo - mexican - Updated June 2026

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