Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ortega's Mexican Restaurant

    3.1 (139 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

    Order Ortega's Mexican Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Ortega's Mexican Restaurant Photos

    ORTEGA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Ortega's Mexican Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Ortega's Mexican Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    a plate of mexican food
    Iva S.

    I have driven by this restaurant many times to and from work and finally decided to stop in. I was Greeted quickly and was able to sit where I wanted. Their menu has quite a few options to choose from. Food was really good and so was the margarita. I ordered the Cheese filled Chile Rellenos and Chicken Flautas. Both really good. The chips were good. The salsa could be a bit more chunky vice soupy but all in all I liked it. I would stop in again.

    Chicken chimichanga
    Vanessa P.

    This place was more of a miss than a hit to me if I'm going to be honest. This place is more on the tex mex side in terms of cuisine. I ordered a chimichanga and it came with a side of rice, beans and pico de gallo. The chimichanga wasn't fried a bit like they normally are, and sauce was added on the top so it made the tortilla a bit soggy. The inside of the chimichanga was really good though. The chicken was flavorful!! The rice and beans were alright. The waitress was quick to serve my friend and I right from the beginning. We even got two orders of chips and salsa! Overall, it was an okay experience. Not sure if I would come again but who knows!

    See all

    14 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    The food was hot, fresh and delicious. Will order from here again. The taste was authentic.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Family own and from Houston; therefore, If you want real tex- mex this is the best place in CT to find it.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Iva S.
    209
    547
    2880

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Ordered take out. Food was kind if disappointing. The guacamole had an odd taste and very salty. The rest of the meals were very bland.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sue H.
    0
    21
    2

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of T N.
    0
    2
    2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Danny M.
    8
    179
    28

    2 years ago

    Very good traditional Mexican food. Not fancy but that's ok. The service was great! The drinks were great!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom S.
    1
    61
    37

    2 years ago

    We've been here many times. Love their enchiladas verde. Excellent service. Highly recommend.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Ortegas is consistently good food the birria taco special was fantastic, wifes tacos were fairly decent too

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Traditional Mexican food with actual Hispanic/Mexican owners and staff. Tiny shop with a great vibe. I take my wife and kids here routinely.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Me N.
    0
    48
    24

    3 years ago

    So good! Such nice people! So clean! If you love Mexican food, try it. In plaza you can hit pharmacy while you wait for take out

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy P.
    0
    36
    17

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C. E.
    0
    111
    28

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kris W.
    1511
    225
    1743

    7 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marina E.
    64
    587
    2063

    15 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Julia A.
    107
    14
    3

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lee C.
    0
    14
    0

    5 years ago

    Standard Mexican fare, tasty. Tamales were good. They were accommodating for my lactose issue. Friendly people.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ortega's Mexican Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ortega's Mexican Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Mexican 1,472 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    374 Kitchen & Cocktails

    374 Kitchen & Cocktails

    4.3
    (96 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    My wife and I had a great meal at 374 when we spent a day in Niantic. We started with the buffalo…read morewings, which were excellent. Crispy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. My wife ordered the tomato soup, which she also said was very flavorful. I had the hot and cold lobster roll combo and loved the option to try both styles. The lobster was fresh, generously portioned, and delicious! The cocktails were also outstanding and complemented the meal perfectly. The restaurant has a very cute, welcoming vibe and we stopped by between lunch and dinner times, so it was not busy. It was perfect. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in Niantic!

    I have struggled with whether to write this review because this has become one of our favorite…read morelocal restaurants over the last year. In fact, one of the reasons we kept coming back was because this was one of the very few local restaurants that I believed truly understood celiac disease and took gluten-free dining seriously. However, as someone with celiac disease, I feel a responsibility to share my experience because what I have encountered goes far beyond a one-time mistake. Several months ago, we ordered takeout and I tested three separate items that were represented as gluten-free: tacos, a wedge salad, and a pop tart dessert. Most was already naturally gluten free. All three tested positive for gluten. These tests are not cheap, costing approximately $12 each, so this was not something I did lightly. I contacted the restaurant and spoke directly with the head chef. She was professional, understanding, and seemed genuinely concerned. She thanked me for bringing it to her attention and even mentioned that she planned to order a test herself because she could not understand how those items would contain gluten. Because of that conversation, I chose not to leave a review. I genuinely believed the issue would be investigated and corrected, and I wanted to give the restaurant the opportunity to make things right. Unfortunately, a later visit resulted in a positive gluten test on the smoked fish appetizer. Most recently, I returned again and tested several items. The calamari tested negative, but my gluten-free tacos once again tested positive for gluten. At this point, I have simply been glutened one too many times by a restaurant that I genuinely wanted to trust. What makes this especially difficult is that this restaurant presents itself as understanding celiac disease. I was told that members of the restaurant's family, including a daughter, have celiac disease. Hearing that gave me confidence that gluten-free orders would be taken seriously and that proper precautions would be in place. That is what makes these repeated positive gluten tests so confusing and disappointing. When a restaurant claims to understand celiac disease, I expect more than simply offering gluten-free menu items. I expect systems that actually prevent gluten contamination. After multiple positive gluten tests across multiple visits and after bringing my concerns directly to management months ago, it is difficult for me to reconcile those claims with my actual experiences. During my most recent visit, the waitress was kind and helpful, and I appreciate the way she handled the situation. However, I was told that a manager would come speak with me, and no manager ever did. My tacos were removed because they tested positive for gluten, yet I was still charged for them after deciding to take them home (for my non celiac hubby) rather than have them thrown away. In the end, I received a discount, but only after spending nearly $50 on gluten tests during that visit alone. As I write this, I am sitting here sad, frustrated, and in pain, knowing exactly what the next couple of weeks are likely going to look like for me. People often do not see what happens after someone with celiac disease is exposed to gluten. We do not go into anaphylaxis in the restaurant. We go home and suffer through the consequences alone. The symptoms may not be immediately visible to others, but the physical toll is very real. Every restaurant can make a mistake. My concern is not a single mistake. My concern is a repeated pattern over multiple visits, over several months, after the issue was brought directly to the restaurant's attention. I truly wanted to continue supporting this restaurant. I truly wanted to be able to recommend it to others in the celiac community. Unfortunately, after repeated positive gluten tests, repeated gluten exposures, and no evidence that the underlying problem has been corrected, I cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant to anyone with celiac disease or anyone who requires a truly gluten-free meal for medical reasons.

    Photos
    Bar inside
    Bar inside
    Tomato soup
    Tomato soup
    Adult Capri sun

    See all

    Adult Capri sun
    The Port of Call

    The Port of Call

    4.2
    (106 reviews)
    5.4 mi

    Currently docked in: Paris!…read more Wow. Truly a phenomenal dining experience all around and I'm very sad I didn't think to take pictures. We went for an early seating yesterday and bravely brought our 8 month old. This was already a bold ask because this restaurant doesn't scream children but port of call took it with stride. We were accommodated with a highchair and several staff stopped to say hi to our baby. (For his part, our baby was relatively chill although a loud babbler, and no tears which we would call a win). Now onto the product. Absolutely phenomenal. We were wowed from start to finish. Every single drink, dish, and dessert far exceeded our expectations. The happy hour menu is very generously priced and had several favorites off the actual menu, as well as some items which I believe are available all the time. Our server (I'm very sorry I can't think of his name) was fantastic and offered excellent recommendations to like drinks on the current menu based on drinks we said we usually steer towards. Every drink (we had 4 different ones) absolutely knocked it out of the park. This would be an awesome spot for cocktails and apps with friends but is also a superb full service date night spot. We can't (and won't) stop raving about port of call!!!

    Let's start with the positives:…read more Strong flavor choices, boldly executed, with notable skill and expertise. Uniquely thoughtful menu with beautiful ingredients. This restaurant provides a higher quality meal than 99% of restaurants in CT. To the detriment of an otherwise fantastic experience: The overall experience here lacks some of the polish you'd expect from a restaurant operating at such a high culinary level. There seem to be consistent breakdowns of the overall communication, planning and operations throughout the restaurant experience. While the service team is friendly, capable, and professional, there are recurring lapses in communication and organization that affect the overall flow of service. These hiccups express a system lacking in polish and organization, perhaps due to a breakdown of cohesion, a weak overall structure, or management issues...? The intimate dining room is a part of the restaurant's charm, but it also leaves little room for error. Seating logistics and pacing require careful management, and we've experienced a few situations where communication between the front and back of house appeared to break down. To the staff's credit, any issues we've encountered have always been handled directly, graciously, and professionally. Port of Call remains a top dining choice, but the operational inconsistencies keep it from feeling like an automatic recommendation every time. Food: 5/5 Servers: 5/5 Finesse/Operations: 2/5

    Photos
    The ceiling details with an interesting light.
    The ceiling details with an interesting light.
    SMOKED HOT DOG Bonito Aioli, Spicy Kimchi, Shallot & Kelp Crunch, Double-fermented House Steamed Bao Bun
    SMOKED HOT DOG Bonito Aioli, Spicy Kimchi, Shallot & Kelp Crunch, Double-fermented House Steamed Bao Bun
    Mini martini

    See all

    Mini martini
    I Know You Know

    I Know You Know

    4.4
    (49 reviews)
    42.2 mi
    $$

    What a fun night! Came here with a couple of girlfriends. Started at the little lounge area, but…read moresoon took the party to the bar when we ran into another yelpie! Don't let the outside of this place fool you because looks are definitely deceiving. We were cautious coming to this place due to the appearance of the outside, but once we were in it was so much fun. Agus, aka rawbartender, was Ah-mazing and truly made the night fun. He was truly such a vibe!! I ordered the SpongeBob, which was Goslings rum, pineapple spice, ginger, lime, angostura bitters. Especially with the show that was put on, my drink tasted even better. It was a Smokey, yet smooth and refreshing drink! We also got the Snow White, on the sweeter side made with Pear vodka, orgeat, pear juice, lemon juice, cinnamon. And of course, we can't forget our schooling in tequila and Mezcal from Agus. He was very informative of what he was serving and we tried a few different shots. He gave us the rundown of how you're actually supposed to taste tequila. And I have to say I've never had an experience like that before. I wish the party didn't stop and I will definitely be coming back specifically for Agus and of course the drinks!

    Finally got to check out this hidden speakeasy in new Britain ! If you're looking for a fun night…read morewith the girls , a cozy date or just wanna grab a drink this is the place ! The code to enter is updated daily on the website , once inside the you enter through the bookcase door. The ambiance is nice cozy , low -moderate lighting ( not to dim ..you can still read the menus without a flashlight... which is nice) We sat at the bar and the seats were very nice and comfortable ( which I enjoyed a lot) and spacious I didn't feel squeezed between chairs/people ! The bartender was fabulous . And made great drinks ! We just got drinks I got the peaches peaches which was pleasantly really good not to sweat or bitter , not to overpowering with peach flavour very well balanced . They also offer small bites / food. I will def be back to try some more options !

    Photos
    I Know You Know
    I Know You Know
    Nice lounge area

    See all

    Nice lounge area
    The Social Bar + Kitchen

    The Social Bar + Kitchen

    3.4
    (204 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    A fantastic intimate, yet roomy venue for live music. Service was outstanding, staff was friendly…read moreand professional and food was delicious, but be sure to save room for dessert...The Cakes are Out of this World Good! It's on Bank St in New London, so be mindful of your surroundings, otherwise, a great place to unwind and have a good time!

    Sounds like the time to go and have a reservation is for Brunch. Went for dinner on Monday before…read morea show at the Garde. Made a reservation, just in case but it was not needed. The place is very big, so if you are going with a group or family they have the space. There is a small awkward parking lot in the back, so mostly street parking. Arrived (party of 4) just after 5pm, took a few minutes to be sat, even though the place was empty. One bartender and one waitress. Received two menus and were told to scan the QR code on the table, seemed odd. It took a while to give our order, so we ordered everything at once. Wings, truffle fries to start. Scallop Risotto, Fish& chips, fried shrimp basket and caesar salad with chicken. Drinks arrived minus one because they were out of the whiskey, provided a replacement, but the drink never came to the table. Food was ok. The fried things were very tasty and well made. The wings were nice, tender and good sauce/flavor. Truffle fires were good, little heavy on the truffle oil, but tasty Scallops were prepared well but the "risotto" was more like rice pilaf. The caesar salad was nicely dressed, the added chicken was grill to as close to raw and still be "cooked". It was very soft and chewy - that was pushed to the side. If you go, stick to the bar, brunch, apps, or something fired. I think this place is good if you go when they are fully staffed or something. I would happy choose someplace else if I were in town for a show.

    Photos
    Bar has plenty of beers on tap!
    Bar has plenty of beers on tap!
    Miss Judis Brunchwich
    Miss Judis Brunchwich
    Is that a smash burger on your plate or are you just happy to see me?

    See all

    Is that a smash burger on your plate or are you just happy to see me?
    Lynn's Hula Hut

    Lynn's Hula Hut

    3.9
    (45 reviews)
    21.4 mi
    $$

    I took the ferry from New London, CT to Orient Point and drove the hour + to this amazing location…read more I had friends playing in the band that night... all top musicians and a few of international fame in the hard rock genre so it was for sure worth the trip just to see them.. good job booking them Lynn! the big surprise was the amazing staff. -Lynn herself was all over the place creating a vibe like this was a backyard party not just another venue- Dimitri was great behind the bar and the whole staff seemed really happy to be there to bring the party to us! The food was amazing as well.. I never had to ask for a knife and fork for a Hot Dog before, but didn't want to unhinge my jaw to take a bite!- it was righteous !!! the Watermelon puree margarita was my go to drink and I appreciated the lemon/lime water stations inside and out to pace myself from overdoing it.. it helped that the weather was perfect too on the Saturday I went. I will gladly make the trip back, this time with my girlfriend to enjoy a day at Lynn's Hula Hut!! - Top Notch!!

    Congratulations to Lynn for making her beloved Hula Hut even bigger and better than it already was…read more The new location is on the Cove Marina with beautiful boats as the backdrop to her fantastic bands playing nightly that are there to enhance the classic waterfront tiki vibe, which have been loved by all for the last 12 years. The full kitchen served us a plentiful variety of appies, tacos, lobster rolls, and a full dinner menu. The delicious and reasonably priced food was a forerunner to soak up her incredible award-winning cocktails, most made with Lynn's own proprietary brand of naturally infused spirits, like Lynn's hula juice. Lynn herself is warm and welcoming, getting to know everyone on a first name basis. She makes everyone feel like a regular, whether it's your first visit or your fiftieth. The whole place is simply the old Montauk magic, beach party energy that's hard to find anywhere else. like her cocktail book, "Tiki with a twist", it's tropical and laid back- a magical go to get a way.

    Photos
    Lynn's Hula Hut
    Lynn's Hula Hut
    Lynn's Hula Hut

    See all

    Ortega's Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...