I've given Morena's their props before, but I had to add some extra love for these beautiful fish…read moreand shrimp tacos with mango salsa and for their World Cup happy hour (whenever there's a game on). Service was just as sweet as always. Pretty quiet in here for happy hour and World Cup on TV.

We recently had lunch at Morena's Mexican Cuisine, and while it was a mixed experience, I think it…read morehas potential! The meal started off strong with their chips and salsa--super fresh and flavorful. For my entrée, I had the chicken fajitas. While they were cooked properly, I wish they had a bit more seasoning to really bring out the flavor. My wife had the enchiladas divorciadas, which were beautifully presented, but unfortunately, the filling was a bit cool. She probably should have sent it back, but since we were in a hurry, we didn't bother. On the positive side, my daughter had the carne asada burrito, and she said it was excellent. Service started off great with our younger male waiter being very attentive at first, but it slowed down significantly as our meal went on. By the end of our visit, I actually had to go up to the register to ask to pay. It was lunch time, and it wasn't that busy, so this felt a bit out of the ordinary. Despite the hiccups, I'm willing to give Morena's Mexican Cuisine another try, as it may have just been an off day. The chips and salsa, along with my daughter's burrito, showed that they definitely have what it takes to impress. I'll reserve final judgment after my next visit!

If you're looking for the perfect romantic date night spot, you should definitely check out…read moreEstrella. My boyfriend found this restaurant on Yelp when we were in the Riverside area, and it did not disappoint. It's a very vibey lounge with live music and incredible food. We ordered the shrimp cocktail (10/10) and the salmon plate (10/10), along with agua frescas, guac, frijoles, freshly house-made tortillas, and chips. Everything was perfect--from the quality of the food to how well each dish paired together. Our server, Dani, was very kind and made sure we had everything we needed. We will definitely be back next time we're in Riverside.

Warning, terrible for Taco Tuesday and prohibitively expensive…read more However, they have a terrific brunch and I highly recommend coming on the weekend or any time outside of Tuesday. The molcajete is really good--recommend the verde salsa over the mix or rojo salsa. The appetizers are really good. Their birria is very tasty and I highly reommend. They've removed from of the apps they used to have, but for the most part, the brunch menu is legit and you can't really go wrong. For example, last time we brunched here, I got the waffle and it was phenomenal.

Ancho's is one of those places I honestly don't know if it's considered a hidden gem or not, but…read moreafter living in Riverside for the past 3-4 years, I can't believe I've never been here until now. I found out about it through my cousin, who's a UCR alum, and I'm really glad I finally got to try it. The staff were super nice and attentive, constantly coming by our table to check if we needed more water, tortillas, or anything else we might want. Even with how busy it was, they still made sure everyone was taken care of, which I really appreciated. The restaurant was packed, and it actually surprised me because I don't usually see that many people at restaurants in Riverside. The energy inside felt lively but still comfortable. One of my favorite parts was the fresh tortillas. They come out hot and fresh from the oven, and you can literally watch them being made right in front of you, which made it even better. And the best part is they're free. We ordered the carne fajitas and chile relleno. The fajitas were incredible, the meat was juicy, tender, and packed with flavor, with that perfect smoky sear that comes from being cooked fresh on a hot skillet. Everything came out sizzling and stayed flavorful with every bite. The chile relleno was also really good, with a nice balance of savory and slightly creamy filling that paired well with the sauce. It was actually my first time trying fajitas, and I can confidently say I'll be ordering them again the next time I come back. I definitely plan on returning while I'm still at UCR to make up for all the years I didn't know this place existed.

If I could rate separately for service I would give it a 5…read more This place is not lacking any help in the waiter and waitress department. We have not been here since the 90's and I have to say, it was much better back then. All in all, there is just no flavor. The salsa tasted like watery tomatoes, our waitress gave us a little side of habanero salsa to incorporate with it but that heat is the extreme for me. We ordered the Mesquite chicken and steak fajitas which were less than average. Not sure if it was just a bad day, but the taste of the protein did not match up to the wonderful smell of BBQ outside the restaurant. The tortillas were just ok, first batch was not even warm. My Michelada was good though. Bummer visit after being away for so long. Looks like the interior could stand a makeover.

I wish I had pictures to show what my wife and I ordered for dinner and drinks. Meli, our waitress,…read morewas great. She was kind enough to change tables after we ordered our food. The sun was shining on my face. I don't know who came over to our table to recommend a tequila for our flight. Dame Mas was a very good choice. My wife is more of a tequila drinker than I am. I did hog up the Dame Mas to myself. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere for a relaxing dinner. I recommend ordering the bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab meat; it's the best. We loved the food and the drinks. I also recommend the Black Widow, a very good drink to end our dinner date.

The ambiance looks authentic, but the music is so loud. They blast the music in the bar area even…read morelouder. If the owner wants a patron's that likes Banda playing very loud and no socializing this place is for you. I did ask to lower the volume but that didn't last long. My family liked the salmon, taco dorados, chile relleno, and club sandwich. I ordered chicken sopes and I couldn't see them because they were downed by water crest lettuce. The flavor was bland and ate watery. My sister ordered tortilla soup and she didn't like it. There was no broth, and too many veges and cheese.

Salsa and chips are amazing, tortillas have really good flavor, and service is amazing…read more I got a carne asada burrito and it was beautiful after a round of golf. Highly recommend and would definitely come back. Been a while since I've had good Mexican food like this

This place is like walking into your grandmas kitchen! Warm, inviting and like your Tia is making…read moreyou a plate. They have a ton to offer and all of it is delicious. I've even come in during a vegetarian stint and they offered to make me alternatives off menu that were incredible! I highly suggest their carnitas! They are probably the best in town. If you're looking for a hidden gem with fantastic food, this is the spot.

Honestly I had no expectations.. often overhyped restaurants are not very good, but this was a very…read morepleasant surprise! We came to celebrate my sisters birthday and it was perfect! The ambiance was everything - elegant yet fun; the staff was very professional. The food was truly the surprise because it was DELICIOUS! The birria tacos were so good, the mini elotes had me wishing for more! The "el jefe" plate was sooo good! It was more than enough for my husband and I. The carne asada was very juicy! My only qualm is that our waiter didn't check in on us more than once, but aside from water we didn't need much! I'll definitely be back!

My wife and I went here a while ago and we were not impressed…read more The restaurant was not busy, a lot of empty tables, and the service was still slow. We waited a while just to order drinks, never mind the food. It took a long while to order our food, long enough that we were looking around for our server. Once we were able to order our food, it arrived and we were both disappointed. Neither dinner tasted good and was bland. They were definitely not worth the price, and, again, our we had to look for our server. During all the waiting and searching both my wife and I suffered with the extremely loud music, and my wife is deaf (not a joke). The music was so loud it vibrated on the table and chair, which bothered my wife, and luckily we use ASL to communicate. The few other tables had to speak loud enough that I could hear their conversations. Bad food, slow service, and way too loud music, we won't be back.

This is the definition of authentic Mexican food. Are the photos on the wall terrible, yes. Don't…read morelet that scare you away from ordering and having a great meal. My go-to is Chile Verde anything haha. They cook it to perfection and it's the perfect amount of spicy... which is pretty spicy. The service is always great and the dine in area is fantastic with all tile and stone tables. Don't miss out, have some awesome food and try one of the specialty items like a hot Cheeto burrito. You'll never be let down.

I got the Al pastor burrito which was really good but I am a bit disappointed that I didn't get any…read moresalsa or lime with my order as I ordered to go. Inside was clean and the service was nice. It was a bit late and not crowded inside. Overall I'd say a good experience.

I've read up on reviews saying some of the food is bad, etc SO I did my research on what multiple…read morereviews say tasted GREAT! Their Mojarra for one, is amazing with some corn tortillas, beans and rice, and lettuce. The lime garlicky sauce on that one, is what I've been dreaming of. It was THE star of the show. And we also got their wet supreme burrito mojado, with the mole sauce all over it Also tried their agua fresca, loved the cucumber and lime flavor! Great size for two to share, and we had a blast just eating and enjoying the sights laid out to see. Their pickled onions got a spicy kick to it! I loved the added crunch instead of just having the typical hot salsa. Service was great, with the waiters and waitresses checking in on us every now and then, and I liked that we pay first then eat, so we just leave after we're done! Excellent experience as the weather was perfect too, the outdoor seating has some mosquitoes but be sure to go when it's not molting hot outside! After food we got to go on a photo spree and it was wonderful.

I got the vegan tacos with potatoes and even though there were only two it was loaded with toppings…read moreand salsa. Really good and a decent price. I do wish there was a vegan protein thrown in like black beans or soyrizo or something to make it more filling but I'm glad there was a vegan option on the menu. There is a salsa bar that can help add to your meal like spicy pickled carrots, cucumbers, salsa and pickled onions. My favorite part of this place is the art decor. They're all made from materials that were bound to go in the trash, most notably cans that they open for cooking. So you'll see lids and the other material from cans beautifully molded into these structures. It may seem random but I found lots of humor and play thrown into the craftsmanship of it all. Some pieces are like playing I Spy. It was funner to see than a lot of museums I've gone to actually. It's truly just packed with art. I even got to meet one of the artists as he was working on something. He was really friendly. There's a few of them who work on them together and I learned they've been doing this since the 90's! How cool. It's so nice to see all the things they've come up with to create. Go check it out! Definitely a date worthy spot too. My bf and I had a lot of fun walking around seeing what they created.