Late review but I felt like I should leave this here just in case people are wondering cause if…read morethey closed down cause of the food quality. -- Came back to Playa Mesa for my friend's birthday. The chips and salsa were really good. The aguachile had a nice spicy flavor that made it stand out. The queso fundido was SO good super cheesy, and paired with the handmade tortillas it was one of my favorites. We also ordered the calamari and I was surprised by how good it was. Everyone ordered different rounds of cocktails throughout the night and honestly, not one missed. Service was a little slow, but it was a busy Friday night, so that's somewhat expected. I've been here before and the grilled octopus tacos and carne asada burrito were just as good as I remembered them. They also made the birthday celebration really cute. They sang happy birthday, brought out a small ice cream, and gave my friend a big mariachi hat. Good food, great drinks, and still consistent as I remembered it. So long Playa Mesa. 9.5/10

Playa Mesa has a great atmosphere with beautiful aesthetics. In the evening, the open windows…read morecreate a nice breeze, though they do let a few flies in. The hostess was friendly, and our server was funny and kind. He was a little less attentive as it got busier, but the staff worked well as a team, so we never had to wait for refills or anything we needed. Parking in the back can be a little tight. The birria tacos were packed with flavor, and I loved the inside-out cheese crust. My husband's fajitas were flavorful, although the chicken was a little overdone. The guacamole was excellent, especially with the pepita seeds adding great texture. Overall, we enjoyed the flavorful food, service, and atmosphere. We'd definitely come back!

If you haven't been here, you are missing out on life! Who would have thought going to a market…read morewould be an incredibly fun experience? Everything is clean, beautifully organized, colorful, and incredibly fun. It's almost like Disneyland of Mexican markets! We loved sampling the tacos and exploring all the different food stalls. We picked up a whole roasted chicken with warm tortillas, salsa, and beans, which made the perfect family meal. Easy, delicious, and no one had to cook. That alone deserves applause. The entire market feels like a fiesta. There is vibrant fresh produce, option of authentic food in different stalls, and churros served hot from the fryer. We also grabbed some carne asada to grill at home to keep the party going! And then there is pretty impressive collection of tequila for the tequila lovers! Mercado González is more than a market. It is a full experience for the whole family, and we will absolutely be back. Come hungry and give yourself plenty of time to explore. Salud!

I'll be taking a very extended break from You Mercado after today, because today was my breaking…read morepoint. I've been shopping at this location for about a year and have been a customer of Northgate Markets for several years. Unfortunately, my experiences at this location have become increasingly disappointing. I've encountered raw chicken left on the shelf two or more days past its expiration date, fresh fruit and salsa still being sold after their use-by dates, and produce that was visibly rotten and infested with bugs. These aren't minor issues when it comes to a grocery store--they're basic food-safety and quality concerns. And then there's the customer service. Today, there wasn't a friendly employee in sight, and the customers weren't much better. I'd especially like to thank the grumpy woman on the scooter who apparently tried to run me down three separate times. I assume you were having a bad day, but judging by the atmosphere in this store, it seems like everyone is having a bad day, every day. No one smiles. No one acknowledges customers. No one seems remotely interested in providing even basic courtesy. I understand that people have bad days--I really do--but when the entire experience consistently feels cold, hostile, and unwelcoming, it becomes a pattern rather than an isolated bad day. The cashier couldn't be bothered to say hello back or even make the slightest attempt at being friendly, and the young man bagging my groceries was just as dismissive. I've spent years shopping with Northgate Markets, which makes this especially disappointing. Customers shouldn't walk into a store and feel like they're an inconvenience for simply being there. Today was the final straw for me. There are plenty of other places willing to take my money while treating me--and other customers--with basic courtesy and respect.

Very good service from Salvador and Yolanda felt very welcomed for our very first time here!!!read more

Great first time experience at Avilas - Costa Mesa. From the moment I pulled in to the driveway,…read moreSalvador was waving hello. At first I thought he confused me with someone else, but nope, he was just being nice and welcoming. The experience: I came with my mom on a Sunday and it was pretty busy; however, the wait time wasn't bad. We were seated fairly promptly and began with chips and salsa. We shared: Camarones à la diabla, menudo, and chingolingas. The camarones were 10/10! I've tried this dish at numerous restaurants and this is by far the second best tasting camarones à la diabla I've ever had. First place is a restaurant in NorCal from years back. The red salsa is delicious! The shrimps are a nice size and they have the shell on so it retains all the flavor. Even the beans and rice were delicious. The menudo was delicious as well! I'll definitely be back for this too. It's only served on weekends, and we were lucky they still had some available. The chingolingas are almost like flautas de pollo, it came with guac and sour cream. They were delicious too, however, I'll probably order this as an appetizer or to share with others. Rocky was our server and he was amazing! Super friendly and attentive. We talked about the food, other locations, and even their anniversary event coming up on October. From the moment I drove in until we left, it was a great experience. Not only was the food delicious but the service was superb. All the workers seemed happy and it looks like a nice environment to work at, I think this adds to the experience for people who come eat here. It's nice to see everyone working together, smiles, and being to attentive. I almost hesitated coming here because I thought it was going to be Acapulco style "Mexican food" but I was wrong. Definitely real Mexican food.

Food was delicious great service Out server Dana was very…read morenice had a great personality Very good ambiance

Best food. Best service- everyone is happy to work here. This place is underrated!!! I can't get…read moreover the quality of the food and cocktails. Try the guavamente! If she's available, Dana is the best! LOVE YOU PALENQUE

sheesh i chugged that blackberry margarita it was delicious (but not that strong)…read more the tacos were phenomenal. ribeye tacos were tender and juicy and i love building my own taco. halibut tacos were also crazy good, seasoned to perfection staff was so incredibly nice, loved the ambiance of the place

The ambiance here is definitely hip and cool--maybe a little too cool for me because it was so…read moredimly lit that I could barely read the menu. This old lady needed the flashlight on her phone. Service was attentive--possibly a little too attentive. They kept clearing plates while we were still eating, and a few times there was still a little food left on them! That said, they were kind enough not to rush us out, which I really appreciated since we were busy socializing. The appetizers were all fantastic, and overall, I enjoyed the experience.

The food was great and the restaurant itself was beautiful. I took my staff here for a nice team…read morelunch, and we were really looking forward to enjoying the experience. Unfortunately, it was extremely hot inside the restaurant. I understand it was a hot day outside, but we were literally sweating throughout our meal and were very uncomfortable. Considering the price of the meal for our group, I really wish the temperature inside had been more comfortable. If the AC isn't working properly or can't keep up with the heat, guests should at least be informed before being seated so they can decide if they're comfortable staying. Great food and a beautiful atmosphere, but the heat really took away from what should have been a nice lunch for our team.

This place is amazing. the food was great but the service stands out above all…read more The cook did an amazing job and educated us on so much but Manna was the star of the night. his service and care for the customers is out of this world. we will be eating here monthly moving forward just for the environment and care for customers. Best chili Rellenos ever, hands down.

Ah nostalgia. One of my favorite hangover cures, an ETB Carnitas burrito. Careful: they are…read moremassive; and delicious. Basic tortileria, you stand in line and wait to order. Line moves very quick and that's also when you have your opportunity to grab some chips or tortillas to go. Portions here are huge and everything is authentic.

Check your order and check your bag …read more.. 1st bad experience here, kind of floored we even got this treatment but ... Simple order especial #9 add some rice and beans. It seems the 1st guy hears us and put it together. Made it to the cashier and she pieced it all out not giving us the #9. Didnt notice until we drove back home in HB. No Asada, but she charged us for it? When we got back, she insisted we did not order the #9?? Ok, you still didnt give us the pound of asada she charged us for? Then she wants to see the bag? Hello, you left it on your counter, and my bag is back in HB. So after she haggled my wife and got 4 staff involved we got our missing meat and started back home. Thinking on the way home she didn't do the special #9, so I wonder if she gave us tortillas? NOPE... (called home to verify) 3rd trip back to get the tortillas and we payed for EVERYTHING separate and didn't get the deal we drove to CM for. Over charged and three trips just to get lunch for my family. That's a lot of gas driving past many places just to everything wrong and overcharge us for it and give my wife attitude for YOUR mistake. My 1st time checking out I even asked her about our soda that comes with the especial, she denied my soda and still didn't look that we should have got the deal for the special? Way to make the customer feel scammed. New place at Harbor and Wilson has amazing deals but we have been coming here for 35 years, I guess they don't care about that as much as we did.

LOVE this place for GREAT, FRESH, Coastal, Mexican food!…read moreThis location in Costa Mesa in particular, has been updated (new paint, new chairs, new lighting, etc.) and they have updated their menu with even MORE, Seafood items! They make GREAT Guacamole, customized at table side to your specs and their FRESH Chips, Tortillas and Salsa's are homemade in the restaurant. Husband LOVES their Pomegranate Margherita's and I can't get enough of their Enchilada's (Cheese, Chicken) and their Crunchy Taco's (Shredded Beef is my Fave!). Add in that their FRESH, Side Salads are AMAZING along with their new menu items - including Seafood combo's and there is no where else to go in OC for better Mexican food! Our INCREDIBLE Server, Hector (He IS the Acapulco restaurant - always upbeat and advising us about their new menu items!) and their FANTASTIC Chef Hector and all of the other Servers and Cooks there, make this a casual, yet special date-night restaurant! P.S. We've also tried their EXCEPTIONAL, Sunday Buffet and literally had to almost be wheeled out of there, there were SO MANY DIFFERENT, AUTHENTIC foods to choose from and sample! VERY nice to find this level of a PERFECT MEXICAN restaurant - with HIGH QUALITY FOOD INGREDIENTS, nearby! Can't wait to go back!

This was my first time at Acapulco as I had a fajita craving that needed to be satisfied. And it…read morewas! My server was very friendly and brought me chips and salsa about 5 minutes after I sat down. The salsa was really good by the way. I was able to place my order right away as I already knew I wanted the steak and chicken fajitas. The steak had a yummy char on it, and the chicken was moist. They provided a good amount of "fixings." I'm partial to fajitas in Texas. but besides that, I really enjoyed this spot and can't wait to come back to try more of their menu!

Dare I say I prefer this place over Javier's??…read more Okay okay I came here on a whim with a girlfriend and Palmilla fully exceeded our expectations. We did not have a reservation but we were able to sit at the bar, and eventually we moved to the center communal table. Honestly, I would prefer to sit there than at a private table! You are so in the mix of the whole restaurant, great place to be social. To drink I had a skinny margarita with raspberries added and my friend had the orangutan (espresso martini). My drink was SO good and SO cute. I am being serious when I say after I ordered it, the entire communal table got it too. I love that instead of chips and salsa they bring you fresh, hot tortillas with salsas and HONEY BUTTER?? to dip them in. This was so yummy and definitely unique to Palmilla. We ordered the guacamole, combo plate with a cheese enchiladas and crispy beef taco, and the filet mignon tacos. The only thing I might skip is the guac but thats just knit picking because everything else was so good. The ambiance of this place is beautiful. Think boujee beach bar in Tulum with a natural pallet and foliage. Every member of staff we met was also a 10/10! I'll be back!

10/10 Most…read moreimportantly: Oliver @ the bar made this is most memorable experience. All of the cocktails and margs we had were delicious! The hand made tortillas with salsas was such a great and unique choice! Someone finally realized that as delicious as they are, eating that many fried tortillas in one setting can't be good ...Oh! And that honey butter. Divine. Fruit margs, spicy margs, every single one of them is PERFECTION. Make sure you upgrade to Ocho blanco (trust me it will save you a hangover)... Shared the carne plate with chimichurri with asparagus and spanish rice...so flavorful and delicious. Large portion and perfectly cooked. Seabass ceviche was spot on and the plantains were next level. Music, ambience, people and vibes were just POSITIVE. New favorite Newport spot...I mean seriously, what other place has a motorized ceiling that opens at sunset hour? Take my money.

As I'm writing this review, I'm deeply saddened that it appears La Vida Cantina is coming to an…read moreapparent closing! I've developed so many fond memories here with awesome Taco Tuesday and DJ dance nights with friends that it's a bit emotional. Literally designed to feel like you've been transported to Cabo, Mexico or somewhere exquisitely beautiful along the Latin American Coastline and beach, La Vida Cantina in my view was such a wonderful spot to get some yummy Mexican bites and drinks and just have an amazing time with the people you love being with! I really loved the ambiance, from the artsy cabanas to the fire pits and the cool dance floor inside with the colorful strobe lights. Everything about it was glamorous! I particularly loved their crunchy tacos and their special mango habanero salsa was to die for! And the servers here were almost always awesome! Situated at the popular Triangle Square, La Vida Cantina was hands down one of my favorite Tuesday Taco spots in Orange County and again, I'm truly saddened to see it go. I wish a sad farewell!

Worse service ever…read more Overprized for the quality of service they offer. Our drinks were horrible and bartender kept just talking with the server... Don't recommend this place at all.