I asked ChatGPT to recommend the best Mexican restaurant in the Coachella Valley--the kind of place…read moreyou'd take an elite chef visiting from Mexico to show off just how good our Mexican food can be. El Tranvía in Coachella was the top recommendation. I tried it, and damn, I see why! It's amazing. Their birria tatemada is out of this world, and the aguas frescas are to die for. Hands down, this is the best birria I've had outside of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Absolutely worth the trip!

Whoa flavor explosion! The food here is so good…read more Service was a bit slow, and the food took a while to come out. We also had to figure out on our own that we needed to grab our own salsas. They have a salsa bar near the cash register. All was forgiven once the food came. The carne asada in both the tacos and burritos was so flavorful, and I loved the homemade fresh tortillas. The salsas were all tasty, though definitely all on the spicy side. What really stood out to us were the camarones zarandeados (grilled shrimps). The sauce on them was delicious! They also have a full bar, and I couldn't help but notice everyone ordering these yummy looking red margaritas with a chamoy rim! Too bad it was a little too early for me to try one. However my husband did enjoy the beer. The decor is fun and lively, with a stage right in the middle. It was nice that the owner/manager came by to check in on us.

Great food and great service very friendly people I will come back soon we order de birria and the…read morebarbacoa they were very delicious

Excellent service and delicious Mexican food. I definitely recommend coming here. Authentic birriaread more

Was in the search for some tacos, and decided to try this place out. It used to be various other…read morerestaurants but Olga's is delicious! She's very nice and the other staff is also very friendly. We were the only ones in the restaurant, but they were people in drive-through. I had the green chicken enchiladas, and my husband had 3 crispy beef tacos, very flavorful. The salsas are on point! Spicy and very flavorful. Definitely would be better if they offered alcohol, but we were there for food lol I will be back. This place is very good!

Beautiful as always, amazing service and delicious food...the food came out very quick as well! I…read moreloved this place in cathedral city and the one in Coachella is amazing as well!

Fun little place in old town Coachella. Wonderful older area with great architecture and small…read moreshops. Appears to be a popular locals place as there were several workers sitting down for lunch. Certainly not a picture perfect place but that was just fine. The pass thru window had charming signage above the window with all the meats and combinations explained in English and Spanish. Very helpful for us gringos. And wow! They have a very good assortment of meats. Hard working waitresses kept busy ! Cold modelo started the meal perfectly. Chili relleno plate and birria burrito soon followed. Rice was nice and fresh. Beans very puréed and not quite as good as I would expect. Entrees were so-so. With plenty of Mexican restaurants around we will keep trying them out! But I suspect this place will be just fine.

The Real Deal: Like Sunday at Tio's…read more If you're looking for a "fusion" taco with micro-greens and a side of existential dread, keep driving. But if you want a meal that feels like a warm hug from a relative who's slightly disappointed you haven't visited more often, welcome to Jalisco Restaurant in Coachella. The Atmosphere: Family Values & Smoke Walking into Jalisco isn't like entering a business; it's like walking into Tio JP's backyard. That nostalgic aroma of hard work and seasoned grills immediately greets you. It's a throwback to being a kid, watching your tios hover over the fire, treating every flip of the meat like a sacred ritual. There's no "new-age hype" here--just the perfected craft of a family that knows exactly what they're doing. The Heavy Hitters: Tripas & Cabeza Whether you're a "seasoned veteran" of Mexican street food or a nervous newbie, you have to commit to the Tripas and Cabeza. The Texture: The Tripas are cleaned and cooked to that elusive, crispy-yet-tender perfection. The Vessel: Whether you tuck them into a taco or go big with a burrito, it's a masterclass in traditional cooking. The GOAT (Literally): The Birria Let's get one thing straight: most places are out here serving "beef seasoned with birria spices" and calling it a day. Don't be fooled. This is the real deal. We're talking authentic goat meat, slow-cooked using the De La Torre family recipe straight from Jalisco. It's rich, it's tender, and it carries the weight of generations. It's the kind of flavor you can't replicate with a "modern twist." The Refreshment: Homemade Chavelas You're going to need something to wash down that Menudo or those wet burritos. Their homemade Chavela recipe is the MVP here. For the Modelo Negro fans: It adds a dark, savory depth. For the Michelob Ultra drinkers: It gives that crisp finish a spicy, citrus kick. The Verdict Jalisco Restaurant is one of the valley's originals for a reason. It's honest food for people who respect the process. In a world of trendy "reimagined" Mexican food, Jalisco reminds us that the original recipes never needed fixing in the first place. Go for the food, stay because you feel like family.

The food is very delicious. The people were nice and friendly. my best friend had referred me to…read morethis restaurant months ago and I finally had a chance to stop by and the restaurant did not disappoint.

Our party of 9 was warmly greeted and promptly seated upon arrival. Our waitress introduced…read moreherself right away and took down our orders. They brought us two tiny baskets of chips with no more than maybe 12 chips per basket. Within minutes they were devoured so we asked for more. Who knew that the baskets could get even smaller?! All but one of us received our drinks. One of my friends didn't get the beer he ordered. Then when our food came out, it was definitely not what we were expecting. Some of us didn't have meat in our taquitoes. Others had rolled up flautas without the meat. It was a very odd and disappointing experience. Unfortunately no one in our group had anything positive to say and all were quite disappointed in the food. Don't think we will ever go back.

Hands down the best Birrieria in the valley, can't go wrong with any item. Don't sleep on the…read morecabeza tacos!

They get stars due to the food being decent. They got my order wrong and then charged me twice. I…read moreordered the child's meal was supposed to come with 2 tacos, a small quesadilla, chicken nuggets, and fries. Instead, I got 2 tacos and a small helping beans and rice. To top it off, I was charged twice for my whole order. Very disappointed. I won't be returning.

Delicious Mexican food! One of the TOP PLACES in the valley! Definitely has cold air and very…read moreclean!!! I like the tacos but I seafood is out of this world!!! Great service too!! Don't forget the chelada style beer!!

My friend and went here for lunch here yesterday. We arrived around 1 pm…read more The food was good, but the waitress only came back once to check on us. It wasn't busy. We each ordered the 3 rolled taquitos w/guacamole. We each had a regular margarita. The Bill was $76 without the tip. That's almost $40 each. We didn't get rice and beans with meal. I'm not paying that much for lunch in a place like this.

SHORT ANSWER: Just an update, but Casa Mendoza seems to be just getting better. Some new staff but…read morefood quality and people here are very welcoming. LOCATION: In Old Town La Quinta, OTLQ easy to find, tons of parking but at times it gets busy so you may have to walk a bit. FACILITY: very traditional inside and out, clean, and lots of space between tables. MENU: rather massive, we usually order the same things so all the other options makes my head hurt so we just go with what we know. FOOD PREP: excellent, always looks the same which is a good things. FOOD QUALITY: some of the best in the valley. LIBATIONS: lots of choices and not too expensive, wish they had a locals city of LQ discount like some of the other options in OTLQ.. WAITSTAFF: very nice, everyone. OVERALL VALUE: if you order the right things, it is a great value but you can go nuts and spend a lot, tourist dollars spend well, upselling happens for those who want it and deserve it! TIP: Sitting outside is great most all year, we don't go out when it is crazy hot, but have dined outside in 100+ temps, we prefer the front outdoor space.

*Mi Casa es Su Casa*…read more My buddy had a small casual bday get-together with his family and invited me to join the celebration. I saw all the favorable reviews on Yelp and was looking forward to my first visit at Casa Mendoza. Very chill & lively family owned Mexican joint in Old Town LQ. The place was kinda busy @6:30pm on Hump Night ~~ always a great sign when I see this. Felt more like a Sunday Evening. It took an hour to receive our meals. Ordered @6:45 arrived @7:45pm. Good thing the Chimichanga & Gauc apps arrived pretty quickly. The Gauc was Excellente. All their food was very good. But all our meals arrived cold/lukewarm. Took forever to receive our food and we knew for a fact it's because all our plates sat a while until we were served. The actual plates weren't even warm and the sizzling fajitas had sizzled out and lost its dazzle. Because it was still 95 degrees when dinner was finally served, our lukewarm meals were doable on a hot night. Everyone did enjoy their meals tho. I was very pleased with my Mahi Mahi in Garlic Butter Sauce. The refried beans were outstanding. The rice very good...and I made tacos with the 3 corn tortillas. But would have enjoyed it even more had all the food been a little warmer. I stuck with H2O but all margarita drinkers said their drinks were good and hit the spot on a warm night. The service in general was also inconsistent for our small party of 8. The Birthday Boy was a little frustrated and got up a few times from his throne seeking assistance -- such as missing tortillas for meals, water refills, extra napkins. We even had to wait longer than anticipated for them to acknowledge the bday boy with a celebratory bday song & sombrero...and the fried ice cream, which didn't include a candle. Tho we all enjoyed ourselves and time together...a 2 hour dinner at a Mexican joint on a Wednesday night wasn't what we anticipated. Especially with one restless 7 year old ;-) But everyone working at Casa Mendoza is very friendly with great attitudes. Hostess team, waiters, servers & runners too. So that made up for the spotty service, just a little bit. Since I'm closer to the other Casa Mendoza in Palm Desert, I'd go there in the future with my wife, and order the exact same thing. But hope for much better service and warmer food.

Excellent meal here yesterday. I had the gigante quesadilla and qeso tacos and both were excellent…read moredipped into the sauce is a great. Comfortable restaurant with mostly booth seating. Excellent service.

While I appreciate a reply -- I disagree with your response. That is not what your employees or…read moremanagers are practicing. This is not what Mireya did for us during our visit. Our unused gift card was denied and taken out of our possession. Attitude and unwillingness to work with us over a 25 dollar gift card.

Best fish tacos ever! Everybody's very nice. You just go order it bar and sit down. I love the…read morebeautiful plates they give you the food on just a really nice atmosphere within the grocery store.

Over priced for a not so good margarita. Beans especially lack flavor. Service is friendly and…read moreatmosphere is good.