Really good food! Loved the chips and salsa, the carne asada and the Chile relleno. Seating can get crazy so make sure you peak past the wait to be seated sign to get the hostess attention. Parking may appear scarce but they have a nice fenced off lot across the street. Gotta try one of the soups when I go back. read more

First time at the location. I was impressed with the service, and the food was great. Chili rellenos were outstanding.

When they bring the plate out and the amount of food is more, you know, the quality is less. Have been coming to Mitla's over 30 years. I always come for my birthday because chili relleno is my favorite . My boyfriend and I went but after we each took one bite we looked at each other with yuck looks. I had to ask, is this restaurant under new management? Did they change some ingredients to save money? 5 months ago we came and my review from then was 5 stars. What ever was changed, changed food drastically. Sauces? Cheese? To lazy to prepare chilies like grandma did? NOTHING TASTES THE SAME. The beans, the rice, the enchilada, the chili relleno all taste different and not in a good way. Chili relleno had seeds and NEVER had in it before. Seeds are hot and take over the taste of the chili itself. The cheese was not like cheese. It almost looked like cheese made with oil it was not stringy it was clumpy. The sauce the rice was cooked in what tasted more like enchiladas and enchiladasauce tasted strong. The shredded beef taco was okay, but was over cooked a bit. Normally when you would get to Mitla Cafe you would be greeted with warm chips and salsa and the chips were not warmed and the grease left a film on tongue. Salsa was different. I don't understand why you would change so many things when you had a Cafe with outstanding reviews. Maybe a subtle change that became more noticeable as other ingredients were used while implementing new ingredients? Our town has lost many restaurants that were in business a long time from either new owners or new managers or family taking over and using less quality products. The service was great. Wish the server could have what the dishes cost, and the food got what the tip would be. We always got the number 6, this time rice, beans not included. Pretty sure they used to be. Sorry, not Sorry to say we won't be returning. They may get at least one more visit after friends hear this, but probably not. New menu sucks. With a dish that references TACO BELL SLAP IN THE FACE OF GRANDMA. Taco bell is popular in the eastern states and upper mid west because they can't easily get authentic mexican food there. read more

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Mitla Cafe has been on our list for a very long time. Over the years we have seen celebrity chefs eat here, and review it. We have done Route 66 and never have hit the restaurant when we could stop and eat, so on the way back from Joshua Tree National Park and a little bit of a detour, we made time to have lunch. So glad we finally got to eat here. The restaurant has been open in this location since the 1930's and is a gem in San Bernardino. We were seated right away, our server came over immediately and brought water, chips and salsa. The first basket of chips is complimentary, but you will pay $2.99 for a second basket, which I don't have a problem with. We both decided on our dishes. I went with a shredded beef taco, and Mr. B had the two enchilada plate with a shredded beef taco. The taco shell was crispy, filled with tender shredded beef, fresh crispy lettuce and lots of cheese. Sounds basic I know, but it really had an authentic taste to the dish. I did snag a couple of bites of one of the cheese enchiladas filling Mr. B's plate and they were amazing. He loved his plate, again the taco was filled to the brim, the two cheese enchiladas were filled with perfectly melted cheese and a unique and flavorful red sauce. They were not the flat enchiladas many Mexican restaurants serve, these were full of cheese and so good. The plate did not have rice and beans, which was great too. The plate was filling enough. We found street parking which was nice. The food was excellent, service great, and you feel the history within the walls and the photos that fill the walls. If we find ourselves in San Bernardino we will definitely eat here again. Note, that I didn't notice any vegan options, vegetarian options with the cheese enchiladas which are filling. Also, the menu states no substitutions and they mean it. So don't go in expecting to order a plate of food and change it, you can't. I believe others have complained about this, but we didn't have a problem with it. Sometimes you need to eat the food how it is prepared. read more

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The worst experience ever first walking in the guy Jose did not greet us or tell us to hold on and then after we were done eating, we waited a good 20 minutes and nobody took our checks so then we get up to go pay because we didn't know where to pay or nothing was told to us how to pay, but as we get up to walk to the cashier Jose was arguing with employees right in front of us for a good 10 minutes I didn't care to acknowledge the customers. There was an older lady waiting as well. It is a hold on completely ignored us to argue in front of us with the employees then we said excuse us can you please help us he came rudely and didn't really help us, but the other guy did which I didn't get his name but I do not recommend this place! read more

Mitla Cafe - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

Best beef tacos in California. I drove from San diego to try this place and was amazed. Ordered over the phone and did was ready quickly.

Purchased menudo which had good flavor but was disappointed they do not sell it with pata

met a good friend for breakfast at this So-Cal legend. Had the menudo, it was as I remember, very good. I honestly had not eaten there in probably 30 years, but had been on my list to revisit when I am in the area. Very happy I did. read more

It's a little hole in the wall, the food the service and the atmosphere was excellent I will definitely come back here again. !!! read more

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The role that Mitla Cafe plays in food history as well as culture is huge. Mitla has been serving the San Bernardino community since 1937 on the Historic Route 66. Their recipes remain relatively unchanged since then. Cesar Chavez would hold many of his meetings at this very establishment. The legendary story of Taco Bell's genesis also lives on here. Glen Bell would learned of Mitla Cafe's tacos and was not only inspired, but also taken from this very restaurant. When you enter Mitla Cafe, you can see and feel the history in its walls. The dining room is adorned with historical prints, news articles, and photos that tell Mitla Cafe's story. They provide a complimentary basket of tortilla chips and salsa which is always great. We had the original classic tacos, chicken enchiladas, and carne asada nachos. All the food was delicious. The meat in the taco was so flavorful and juicy. The enchilada had a great blend of sauce and cheese with perfectly cooked shredded chicken. The nachos didn't feel heavy at all but had a lot of toppings. All of this food was priced so competitively too. The service was great from all of the staff. They constantly checked up on us to ensure we were happy. We had a great experience and would definitely make the 1 hour drive from Orange County again for their food. read more

Mitla Cafe - Original Classic Taco & Chicken Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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Awesome Breakfast! I have been a customer for many, many years. They catered my wedding 42 years ago! They'll be catering my Christmas (2025), too. Love Mitla's !!! read more

As a lifelong resident of San Bernardino this was my first-time at Mitla's! Plenty of parking. This isn't in the best part of town, not for the faint of heart, but we had no issues. We stopped by for breakfast. The restaurant is a little dark inside, but there is plenty of seating. There is a counter-style area, as well as dining area. We enjoyed the chorizo potato and huevo ranchero plate at the recommendation of our waitress. The staff and service was excellent, all very attentive, our food was ready very quick. The homemade tortillas are some of the best we've had, tortilla chips are complimentary after 11am. Free refills on sodas. Great prices, we will return. read more

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Walked in on a Sunday afternoon they weren't busy at all, service was ok Burrito I give it a 7 out of 10 Jamaica didn't taste like hibiscus not authentic tasted like fruit punch Please keep in mind per the server they make and cook EVERYTHING with LARD so if you are vegetarian careful read more

Mitla Cafe - 7 out of 10 carbs asada wet burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

Food is delicious service is great our server was Jose Paz he is a very polite man I highly recommend this restaurant

Best chile relleno in the world! Family owned, history all over the walls. The service and very generous portion of food was excellent. Can't wait to go back. read more

OG Mex-Amer food. The original model for the Taco Bell taco. These are way better than TB. I ts been there forever. Try it its a fixture of the community read more

The food continues to impress with homemade goodness. The ground beef tacos, cheese enchiladas and rellenos are still leading the charge. The communication with the staff (thanks Jose and Brenda) on wait time and our server whose name I did not get, made it even more special. I also understood how they choose to serve their customers. Just because we came through the door a party of six, they wouldn't just cram us into the first available table and rush our meal potentially overwhelming the kitchen and reducing the quality of the plate. Once we were seated we were attended to nonstop until the take home boxes and to-go orders came. The old pictures and news articles shout of authenticity and pride. The prices have gone up but the value is still there. Worth the trip from Riverside. Food-5 Service-5 Value-5 ROMEOs-Retired Old Men Eating Out. read more

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Amazing authentic treat. Lived up to the legends. First hard shell tacos to Southern California.

Ordered a few shredded beef tacos to go. My husband and I wanted to try them. The shell was so crispy with great flavor. Shredded beef was juicy and delicious. Tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese were all fresh. The salsa they gave on the side was also a great compliment with the slightest kick to it. One of the best hard shells I have had. The hostess and girl working takeout were on top of everything and so kind. Glad we made the cruise out there to try them. read more

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Service was awesome, ambiance was nice, food portions and taste could be improved compared to other restaurants

It's such a cute hole in the whole, really great ambiance and server staff. I came in with a party of 10, we were seated in fast timing and I think it would go to say a lot that none of the drinks for my party went unnoticed for long. read more

Overall great experience. Yummy chips and salsa with iced cold beets. Taco Tuesday so enjoyed some tacos and beer. Also tried the shrimp cóctel. It was delicious! read more

My family and I had a wonderful dinner at Mitla today!!! The staff and the food are amazing. We had a cup of pozole, a cup of menudo and the asada dinner plate. Thank you so much! read more

Came here for the first time this afternoon. Parking will be no problem as they have dedicated parking space for the restaurant just across from the restaurant, which is very nice. The place was quite busy - its full house. But don't affect their services at all. They came bring the chips and salsa and waters right away. Since this is our first time so we asked our server Francisco what he can suggest. Thank you Francisco for your suggestion, they are both great!! He is not just knowledgeable but he is also attentive and very kind. We ordered the Albondigas Soup - its superb! I think its Mexican meatballs. And also combo #6 which is Taco, Enchilada and chile Relleno. They are good but the Chile Relleno still the show. Ambiance very cozy with all memorabilia and Awards and all kinds of recognitions. Family read more

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The foods is always delicious and tasty. Its good to see this family business have their family work together to carry on the tradition. The have recently changed the look inside and spaced out the tables and less booths. Its looks more open. My favorite meal is the chili relleno with all beans! read more

We recently picked up an order from here because we saw on YouTube that this place was the original inspiration for the guy who created Taco Bell. They did NOT disappoint! My husband LOVED the tacos and I had a really great carne asada burrito. The staff was SO polite and helpful and double checked our order before I left out the front door. 10/10 recommend. We'll be back! read more

I really expected better from this place but unfortunately this place was disappointing not only was the food gross and oily but the service was worse than the food I thought Rodrigos mexican restaurant was disgusting but Mitla takes the trophy not only was the tacos chewy and oily but also the gross chips and salsa I sent my order back 3 times because they kept messing it up we just got fed up and left the food on the table and left read more

Mitla Cafe - It took 4 sets of napkins to drain the oil from this disgusting taco - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

First time eating here and the food was awesome. Even had secured parking across the street with security. Rice, beans and salsa were delicious! Good experience, service was awesome, will definitely go back when in the area. read more

We drove here from east la. The food was amazing, and had such good flavors. Our waiter was great and friendly, answered questions and gave great recommendations. The restaurant was decorated for fall, and had ample tables and space in the dining room. We would definitely come back and drive the hour to get there just to eat here again read more

My friend and I were on a road trip when we chose to stop by. It's a beautiful family place with plenty of street parking. The burrito I ordered was interesting and delicious and full of carne asada. Limited staff so it took a while to get our order and get going after. Great historic spot to check out! read more

Mitla Cafe - Combo Asada burrito, with cheese and sauce - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

I cannot say ENOUGH great things about Mitla Cafe! One of the few truly authentic Mexican restaurants around, and their history is so rich. I absolutely love the vibe in here, and the service is always top-notch. Don't get me started on how good the food is! Like grandma cooking in the kitchen read more

I love coming to meatless it's definitely an old school route 66 type Cafe. With such decorations. The service is always top notch. Today I had the special combination burrito and french fries and it was delicious. The chili Rellenos ' are the best. Definitely recommend to stop here. You won't be disappointed. read more

Mitla Cafe - Combination burrito with french fries - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

They have roaches here. One pipped out and ran across the seats when I was waiting. Food is not that good, dry meat and not very flavorful.

The food was excellent. And I am not a big Mexican food guy. But what I had was tasty and plentiful. The strawberry margaritas was served in a pint glass to over the rim. It was cold and tasty and well. Service was adequate won't say rude or overly friendly either. They got the job done. Ambiance! Well for a senior like myself hearing the wait staff was a bit challenging. It ain't upscale. But it's been around sine 1937, so what would you expect. They must be doing something right. read more

Me and my Family from outta town went out to Mitla's , i'm sorry , but it was pretty gross!! Tacos very very greasy , ff old oil taste old, and must i go on?? what's going on Mitla? Please get it together, it's been a while since i've been there , and they wanted Mexican food .. i was more shock about the presents/taste of the foods ?? #partyof11‍ C'mon Mitla ?? read more

If you know the story about Glen Bell (Original owner of Taco Bell) then you know Mitla Café... the same café that inspired this dude to create his own crunchy shelled tacos! Since I was in the area for a show, you know I had to check them out! Didn't find out till later but they actually have their own parking lot (100 ft on the left behind the restaurant) , there was parking in the front but people drive sooo close to the car you have to wait to get out. As soon as you walk in it's like a mini diner with barstools and to the right is the dining area. This place really felt cozy and was already decked out in Christmas decorations. The chips and salsa were good, Ordered the special combination plate - salad, rice, beans, chili con carne, taco, enchilada, and chile relleno. Taco ala carte - shredded beef. Shared all this with my partner, it was more than enough, we even had left overs! Let's talk about the food. Stoooooop, dressing the salad ahead of time, it wilts and taste's terrible, everything else was bomb! Yes Yes Tacos crunchy and delish, enchilada typical, Chile relleno, big portion, rice and beans good! read more

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These are the best hard shell shredded beef tacos that I've ever had, better than Titos and Chuys or however you spell it. I wish they had one of these out in la :( the restaurant looks nice inside but I would recommend getting the food to go read more

Saw this on social media and had high hopes. We were disappointed. Service was so slow. The side of albondigas was supposed to come out before our meals (soup or salad choice) but it came out after we already had our main dishes. And the rest of the food was not great. The main item was the hard shell taco; the chicken was cold, had no flavor, and it was super greasy. I would love to give this place another try but honestly I don't think I can. read more

Mitla Cafe - Combo plate: hard shell taco, enchilada, chile relleno - Mexican Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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I mean YUM. This is not your standard Mexican restaurant. It is the inspiration for Taco Bell! Park on the street, expect a crowd and eat! It's not fancy, but you will be satisfied! read more

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I so would like to give this place five stars, but they do not budge when it comes to their menu. Not everybody eats meat. And cheese, tortillas and sauce (enchiladas) are HARDLY a balanced meal. This was my second time there and again they could not honor a simple request. I ordered two cheese enchiladas and a taco the first time, and gave the taco away. That, after asking if I could have a potato taco instead of meat taco. NOPE. My 2nd time I figured, since they have guacamole tacos/taquitos on their menu, I asked if I could have a guacamole taco instead. No again. I do not understand, considering meat costs more than avocado and potatoes (last I knew). The flavor of their food is very authentic, but the service has not been the friendliest. A tad robotic actually. Which to me, effects taste. Nothing worse than eating food made or served by a grumpy person and/or personnel not quite there. I did not see cooks, so I cannot blame them, but someone in that establishment is setting a terribly contagious dark mood. Those visible are there in body, but in mind/emotion... lights are on but nobody's home. Cut and dry, rather emotionless. Place is big, and includes a banquet room in the back building with lots of parking. Will a third time be a charm? I doubt it, so I won't waste my time. I discovered this place after seeing a short video about it on how it was responsible for the original Taco Bell. Flavors are fabulous, catering to vegetarians sucks. And customer service could use a serious attitude adjustment. May the owners/management send in someone to fix the vibe because, as someone highly sensitive to food and energy, it is affecting the food and workers. Another potential solution is to hire a vegetarian who could bring Mitla Cafe up to the 21st Century. Because eating cheese enchiladas (my literal only choice on their menu) alone gets boring and needs some major balancing. I stopped eating Mexican rice because of the MSG in the bouillon cube/powder. Please and thank you on being open to vegetarians. If not, not a big deal. There are many places that do cater to my needs. Many of which, do so on the spot mind you. **Understand, I am not a vegetarian by choice. I was born one due to a birth defect. read more