I acknowledge that LA LUZ DEL DIA is in a tourist spot, OLVERA STREET. Though the location will make most people doubt the quality, the food turned out REALLY good. The BEST Café de Olla I've had. No cream. Just drink it the way it's served. You will NOT regret it. The refried beans in all of our orders were comfort food. The rice is not the best, but is solid. The CHILE RELLENO is stuffed full of cheese, thank goodness, because it was surrounded by HEAT, which though delicious, is too much for my weak a... tastebuds. Tastes awesome, but I'm lame. Sue me. We all walked out stuffed! Walk up to the glass display, order your food, pay at the cashier next to the display, then you will be directed to a table. read more

We stopped in for lunch while visiting Olvera St. this place is cute, quaint and historic. Food was good and tasty with absolutely no ill effects afterward - if you know, you know! Staff were friendly but I had to deduct a star because a sign basically tells customers to eat and leave - there's a 15-minute limit on table seating, apparently. That felt a tiny bit inhospitable to me. Still, a nice place for a quick bite while exploring old LA! read more

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I was in the area for the World Cup Fan Zone. The food trucks were ridiculously expensive, so we walked across the street to Olvera Street. I should have gone with my instinct and eaten somewhere else. First, the food was sitting in warming trays, and they don't have or serve carne asada. What respectable, authentic Mexican restaurant doesn't have carne asada? So, I ordered two chicken tacos with rice and beans. They served the food on cheap paper plates with plastic utensils. I also ordered a tamarindo drink, which tasted watered down. We attempted to sit in their nice dining area, but the waitress closed the door when she saw us walking over. I'm not sure why. The food wasn't bad, but I've had much better elsewhere. This was my experience and I won't be returning to this restaurant. There are other restaurants on Olvera Street with better food that also serve carne asada. read more

Small shop with indoor and outdoor seating. Easy to order, good prices for the amount of food, and delicious! Rice is fluffy, beans are light, meat is flavored really nicely! Not salty, oily, and doesn't make you feel gross. Everyone was beyond friendly, helpful, and always moving. From talking to customers, cleaning, or serving, this team stays busy. Tacos and tamales were absolutely perfect! Extra salsa costs more, but it's worth it. It tastes so good! read more

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This restaurant brings back so many memories. I've been coming here since I was a kid. And I've always gotten the picadillo tostadas. It's my go to and my comfort food. I love it! Whenever I come to Oliver's st. I come here and to Cielito Lindo. It's a must for me! I will definitely recommend this restaurant to all my family and friends! read more

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The food was amazing. Handmade tortillas and delicious salsas. Tamale was fresh and so good! Authentic old school recipes and the prices were very reasonable. We went on a Friday at lunch time. No wait. Fast service. Very friendly staff! Ambiance was like the old Mexican L. A. places I remember from my youth. Save this gem!!! read more

La Luz Del Dia - Patio dining, delicious Salsa Verde Chicken Taco and pineapple tamale combo. Chips and salsa even seemed homemade! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Very quaint first time here. Friendly service great food. They bring your food to the table. Waiting for Dodger Game so decided to come here. read more

La Luz Del Dia - Chili relleno plate - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

2 taco plates and 2 beers for well over $50, for two people and they gave us one 2oz container of salsa to split. Mind you the tacos were just meat and tortilla! Horrible for the price. read more

I found La Luz Del Dia through a Reddit post by Gregory. His family owns the restaurant. I wanted to try the food and see if it was good. I ordered the carnitas salsa and guacamole. Carnitas were delicious. They were savory and easy to chew. Rice and beans were great. Salsa was mild and guacamole was creamy. There is a staircase for a second floor. I like how the food is very hot. I like how tortillas are included since they weren't in the picture online. I felt full by the end of the meal. I asked an employee if the nopales were spicy, salty, sour, bitter, savory or sweet. She said it's like salad. I ordered nopales. It was slimy and a bit spicy. It has cactus, onion, tomato, cilantro. It's not that bright inside. There's already a line of customers. Banners decorated the top part of the restaurant. Tables had tiles on them with beautiful designs. Photos line walls. It seems like there's another room for others to eat. I like how there's outdoor and indoor seating. POS is clover. Not sure if cash is accepted so I paid in card. read more

La Luz Del Dia - Nopales - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I stopped her with my Girl Scouts. We needed some place fast and tasty, and La Luz Del Dia met both requirements. We got our food quickly and it was so yummy. My girls enjoyed their food - particularly the carnitas. I had the chile relleno, and it was great. I was sad they ran out of tamales because that's what I wanted most, but a couple of my girls got them and liked them. The owner (or manager, I'm not sure) spotted us before we ordered and explained a little about the menu, and then he checked on us later to make sure we enjoyed our meal. Great little place! read more

We came in to this place to get beers my wife surprise me with a day trip to downtown and to a dodger game. The beers were a little pricey, but I ended up getting a taco Papa and it was by far one of the best taco Papas I've had in a long time. I highly recommend the taco papa the customer service was excellent nice and friendly. read more

The food is absolutely exquisite. Rice, beans, carnitas, and tortillas all very delicious. Service is amazing with beautiful decor. Only negative comment is that they close early :/ Love this place! read more

How absolutely delicious everything was! I wasn't expecting a whole lot since the items are ready made and plated once you order but the chile relleno was awesome. The pan de elote was the best as well! The iced coffee had a bit too much ice but it was sweet and yummy (don't add extra sugar!) read more

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Food was old and overpriced tamales have no meat carnitas dry and an $11 Michelada with a small cup read more

La Luz Del Dia - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Have been coming to this place in Olvera Street since I was a kid. They make the best handmade corn tortillas! I always order the #2 plate with rolled carnitas tacos, rice and beans - yummy! It's an easy three minute walk across the street from LA Union Station, and you can watch them making the tortillas behind the counter. Indoor and outdoor seating available. I also like that they are sustainable and use "real" plates and utensils for dine-in orders. read more

La Luz Del Dia - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My grandmother and mom would bring me here when my brother and I were about 6 years old. Today, after going to the Train Festival at Union Station, I had lunch here for the first time in about 30 years. Walking inside was like l walking back in time to my childhood. I already knew what I wanted to order when I walkd up to the counter. The #9 Chile Relleno plate. After paying for my order I sat outside in the patio. The dug right into my chile relleno. Delicious. There was a lot of cheese and the meat of the chile was thick. It came with 3 homemade thick corn tortillas. I made myself 3 tacos by adding their awesome beans, rice and the chile relleno. I put some of their salsa on top and was taken to another place. Some places never change and that's a good thing. When one grew up eating at place that had great food years ago and you happily return years later only to find out it's still great, that makes me happy. Keep up the great work La Luz del Dia. read more

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I've been going here for years, but never thought to leave a review. This is a great family run restaurant. The service is professional and friendly. The food is consistently very very good. I think my favorite thing here is their carnitas tostada, but everything I've ever ordered has been excellent. They've been there for decades, but they're not resting on the laurels. read more

If you want authentic Mexican food experience and flavor this place is NOT it. My party ordered the #6 plate (carnitas, refried beans, rice, guac, salsa), menudo, and tamales (1 chicken, 1cheese) and absolutely nothing was fresh made in house. You could taste it immediately. Canned beans, and menudo, pre-cooked tamales and rice. MAYBE the carnitas were made in house but nothing else was. I asked about the horchata and even that was "commercial" horchata drink. The Jamaica drink was the only thing advertised as made in house. The flavor of canned refried beans is unmistakeable. They were a slurry of brown paste saturated in salt. The rice was dry and flavorless. The salsa/salsa verde were dry and separated, the guac was a soupy mess with small pieces of onion. Overall this was a terrible experience and I'm genuinely surprised this place is still in business. The staff is rude and as dry as their food. Best way I can describe their food is "edible," barely. The inside has a small booth that resembles a confessional booth, presumably for the staff to confess their sins upon Mexican cuisine and food in general. read more

La Luz Del Dia - Front, menu - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

La Luz Del Día... Right across the street from the Union Station...you can find day parking for $20 behind the Union Station and walk a couple blocks to Olvera if their parking is full which is exactly what we did as we arrived a little early afternoon... so a little late...for Plaza fans... We walked around the Olvera alley and caught the eye of about three Mexican restaurants not including LA LUZ... LA GOLONDRINA was gone!!! now that is a tragedy... this was my go to place on Olvera two decades ago... La Luz Del Día...At the end or start of Calle Olvera... depending on how you look at it...is now the go to place after LA GOLONDRINA closed for the most authentic Mexican experience on OLVERA...this is coming from the sellers that eat there every day... Came on a weekend ... had to try the famous Chile Relleno... plate... the beans were exquisite...the Chile Relleno ... probably best I ever tasted... Their tacos ... the Carnitas were superb... the Chicharrones not bad although they were outshined by the red sauce they came bathed in... I sometimes like to taste the gaminess of a good cow gut...these rones tasted more like the sauce they came in... which wasn't half bad... just that I wanted that Chicharrone taste in my mouth... but I wasn't gonna get it w these rrones ... Still a perfect place to walk around in the plaza ... catch some folklorico dancers on the weekend... prancing around in full regalia in the full heat of the sun...we opted out of a catch a foto w the Burro before they excommunicate the poor "ass" from the plaza...probably for charging tourists $20 a foto... you can find el BURRO outside La Luz...the city is currently trying to oust this establishment (the Burro) ... not LA LUZ... for being behind rent during pandemic times... I say leave that poor "ass" alone... if he wants to stay at Olvera let him stay...if people want to pay ! Let them pay! No harm no foul... they already caught up on their rent so let them stay... all these places are gonna leave if the city doesn't help them... what a shame...City of LA... This summer is a hot one... so bring an umbrella and try to stay out of the sun ... NOT LA LUZ!!! Definitely go in THERE and refresh yourself with some Tamarindo or Jamaica juice... Maybe try a Torta next time... Their pico de gallo and salsas are next level...btw read more

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Still terrific after all these years!!! Best Carnitas ever! Been coming here for fifty plus years. Moved away from LA twenty years ago... but still coming back when in town for a "Plato's de Carnitas". read more

Here's a fun fact, I made a reservation here by accident because I had another place in mind. But I brought my team here, and they were able to accommodate our large group in their little dining area which was nice and secluded, the food was absolutely delicious. The service was so wonderful, and it was a happy accident. I got the number six, I think it was the green chicken chili, it came with beans and rice, the tortillas were handmade and everyone in my party had a really really wonderful time. Thank you so much, will definitely come back again read more

Terrible! The food had no flavor, dry and totally no presentation. The food is presented as, " ok, here's your food, just pay and good-bye". I would not recommend this restaurant". read more

I love this restaurant & eat here each & every time I am in LA. Feels like my grandmas kitchen. Order in the front & then find a table. If you're sitting outside & need to go back inside for something, beware.... the birds will go after your food! Also, check business hours before you go. I went once & they were closed & had to return next day. But ok as I love Olvera St & visited shops. Their food is DELICIOUS! Make sure you get a Modelo as well!! Support our Latino Small Businesses!! read more

I've been meaning to write a review for La Luz del Dia! La Luz del Día isn't just a place to eat -- it's a family tradition. My parents have been bringing our family here since I was a baby, and it has always been one of our most cherished Sunday rituals at Olvera Street. The tacos here are simply the best I've had in my entire life. Their carnitas and chicharrón tacos are unmatched -- rich, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor in a way no other place comes close to. What makes them even more special is that nothing has changed over the years. The food is still made the same way it always has been, with fresh, handmade tortillas and recipes passed down through generations. Every bite brings back memories -- of family, tradition, and the comfort of knowing some things remain wonderfully the same. If you want authentic, timeless Mexican food made with heart, La Luz del Día is an absolute must. read more

I've been going here for over 40 years!! It has the best carnitas and handmade tortillas. The beans and rice are very good Please try it out, you won't regret it It's a family tradition for all of us. read more

The best carnitas I've had in such a long time! Tortillas are delicious and so is the cup of cafe de olla. By 1p they ran out of tamales and chile rellenos but then I would have never tried the carnitas. Great service as well. Very friendly. read more

Theres plenty of food en la placita olvera pero this place is different . It's like not a full-blown restaurant experience, but not fast food as well just in between. The service is always really good here. They are very helpful with deciding what to get if you are undecided what you want to eat, and it's pretty quiet. Not too loud, My first time back in 5 years and it was just i remember soooo delicious and they make hand made tortillas! read more

I love the Chile rellenos plate here! Definitely coming back to try other offerings... The service was fast and friendly. I was told this is a multigenerational business here.. I can see why, everything look and smell so delicious! The price is totally reasonable, I highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a great "LA" meal... I am coming back soon! read more

I'm truly surprised this restaurant only has 3.5 stars! I love going here, but parking does suck because it is either metered or you pay at the nearby lots. Going to this restaurant brings me back memories. Although the food is not the same as it used to, it is still delicious, and worth the price you pay. The service is amazing - I've never truly had a bad experience here. I always get their champurrado here. It is rich in chocolate taste and the thickness from the masa makes it so much better. To eat, I usually get the carnitas plate, which comes with rice, beans, carnitas, and 2 delicious hand made tortillas. They have home made salsas that are spicy and adds additional flavor to each bite. I hear a lot of good things about their chicharron as well, but I have not tried it out yet. After eating at this place you can also walk around the area, there are many things to do around here. I recommend stopping by and giving it a try! read more

This restaurant has been my favorite in the whole world since I was a child! We travel from Pomona and are willing to pay for parking and gas just for the pleasure of a carnitas plate with homemade corn tortillas or carnitas tostada! read more

I picked up out of town friends at Union Station and when they said they were hungry for Mexican Food I said they were in luck because we could walk to Olvera Street and get some good authentic Mexican Food, I've eaten at several places in Olvera over the years. Unfortunately we went into this restaurant, the first we came to, where I've never eaten. We went to the counter without looking at the menu as we simply wanted a la carte tacos and burritos and to our surprise they don't make burritos? The only restaurant in Olvera that doesn't make burritos and we picked it. Perfect. Anyway, we ordered salsa verde tacos from a sour-faced older man, along with chips and beers, that would have to do. I watched them make the tacos and almost lost my appetite...a watery green sauce with cubed chicken which they simply spooned onto the tortilla. No shredded lettuce, tomato, onions, cilantro, queso fresco...nothing. The food was served on paper plates with plastic utensils, a few chips were thrown on a paper plate and the taste of the tacos was abominable, like they boiled and cubed chicken and poured a jar of salse verde over it. There weren't any red hot sauces at the table and when I asked for salsa I got tasteless green stuff, no pico de gallo or anything tasty...just watery sauce. (To be fair, the tortillas were freshly made and very good). I paid the check, which seemed kind of high, and noticed the chips were $1.85, that's like 10 cents a small chip. The Modelo beers were $9.35 a piece? I wouldn't have blinked at a 6 or 7 dollar beer, even 8 dollars, but over $9? Between getting gouged for the beer and eating the worst tacos of my life I was pretty embarrassed for having brought my friends here. While at the table I checked out the Yelp reviews, and they were low, not surprisingly, and when I glanced at the menu, which Yelp stated was updated 2 months ago...the beers were $6.33, the tacos were a dollar cheaper, and the chips were $1.17. The bill was close to $52 this time but 2 months ago the bill would have been about $37? Almost a 41% increase??? Still wouldn't be worth it. read more

La Luz Del Dia - $52 for 4 watery flavorless tacos, a small plate of chips, 3 Modelos and a soda. Wow - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

sat down SO quick and waiter came 5 minutes. our food came less than five minutes after!! AMAZING service and the food is INCREDIBLE. special shoutout to out our waiter uriel for the amazing service, he was so kind and got iur food out so fast!! will 100% be coming back next time im in LA. read more

Los Angeles, in many respects is transitory. Architecture, landscape, and businesses are constantly changing. It is rare to find a gem like La Luz del Dia which has been feeding its lucky customers since the late 1950's on Olivera Street in downtown LA. A bougainvillea covered archway welcomes you to a cafeteria style counter where welcoming staff greet you and take your order. The open kitchen area is behind the counter where all the magic happens! We ordered the Chile Relleno and the Carnitas Tostada. The Chile Relleno had a wonderfully light and fluffy dough that was perfectly fried. The chile inside this crispy shell was stuffed with a melty cheese that was very yummy. The whole dish was covered in a delightful red sauce. The beans, rice, and guacamole were excellent accompaniments to this satisfying dish. The carnitas tostada was also delicious. The slow cooking of the pork gave a great flavor to the resulting extremely tender meat. Yum! The cheese, cabbage, guacamole, and pico de gallo were perfect accents to this sumptuous dish. We sat at a table on the outdoor patio where we enjoyed our delectable lunch looking out on the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. We loved our visit to La Luz del Dia with its great food choices and its connections to LA's past! read more

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First time visit The place is huge, three ample size areas of seating, outdoor area that is surrounded by bugambilla, indoor area near the counter and a huge more formal dining area, all dressed orated in beautiful blue tile. I ordered a hard shell chicken, and hard shell meat taco It was t bust shredded, these were more like a sopa, very tasty Logistics- parking lot across the street read more

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Came here about 7 weeks ago to eat with R, his dad and his step mother while we were walking through Olvera Street. I've eaten here many times over my lifetime, and it hasn't changed much during all these years. This place could use a deep cleaning, though. When I was little, and I mean really little, like couldn't-see-over-the-order-counter little, I wondered why there were slapping noises coming from the kitchen, just on the other side of the order counter. I finally found out what that noise was all about after I went upstairs to use the restroom. On my way back down the stairs, I heard the continuous slapping noises and I saw women in the kitchen below forming the corn tortillas out of the masa, quickly passing the tortilla from one hand to the other until they were satisfied with the result. No wonder why the corn tortillas were always so flavorful and on the thicker side - they are truly hand made! We didn't have to stand in line very long at the order counter inside because it was a weekday, and it was past 2:30 pm. There were maybe a total of 5 other customers, all of them eating their food. I ordered the #6 combination plate - carnitas, rice and beans, salsa, guacamole and corn tortillas. The others ordered the #5 combination plate - peccadillo, rice, beans and salad; the #2 combination plate with two soft tacos with carnitas, rice and beans; a peccadillo tostada; and a side order of chicharrones (in a tomato based sauce). Tile floors, heavy, old wooden (and slightly wobbly) tables and sturdy wooden chairs are in the indoor dining areas, while sturdy wooden tables with nice, colorful tiled table tops and metal chairs are used outside in the patio dining area. Since it was nice outside, we chose to sit in the patio outside. A couple of us went inside to see if our food was ready, but one of the employees brought out the trays of food herself and served all of us. The food looked and smelled so good! I didn't hear any complaints about any of the food. I loved the carnitas. The roughly chopped pork meat was very flavorful and had just the right amount of fat with it. The rice was slightly moist (I hate when the rice is dry) and the beans were on the thick side and were tasty. As long as I'm alive and La Luz Del Dia stays in business, I'll keep coming whenever I'm in the area to eat here. read more

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My dad has been coming here since he was little & sold newspapers at Union Station for candy money. The ladies at La Luz Del Dia are so nice & helpful. They always recommend the best food. I love their cute & cozy patio with all the beautiful fuchsia bugambilia trees cascading around the Spanish arches. Sadly I miss the Donkey that used to be Infront of the patio. Hopefully councilman Kevin Deleon can get it back asap! I highly recommend the chicken tacos & horchata. Yummy!! The prices are reasonable and the salsas are delicious. read more

La Luz Del Dia - The donkey that used to be Infront of La Luz Del Dia - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Overall, everything is excellent and the food is delicious. Specially, the champurrado. They have great customer service. It's a beautiful, cozy and family restaurant!!! read more

A lovely, little restaurant with a rustic feel serving delicious delights in a beautiful location where the manager and his staff are incredibly attentive, warm & welcoming. Gracias!!! read more

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I've been to this restaurant for many years to eat with my family. One thing I'll let you know, I will be coming here no more. They have decreased their serving portions so much that for the past two visits I have kindly asked them to serve me a portion worthy of the money I've paid. The rice and bean portions have also decreased and when you bring it to their attention they get pissed off. Their customer service is bad, don't come here. This restaurant is not what it used to be. Save your money and just go the little restaurant further down. read more

The best chicharrón north of the border. The food was delicious and the service phenomenal. Thank you for making our Family Christmas Party just perfect. read more