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    Palapa

    3.0 (604 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Palapa Mexican Restaurant Photos

    PALAPA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Palapa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Birria Nachos  Drink: agua Fresca de Jamaica
    Josie F.

    Hello Fullerton Community. Let me tell you about the gem in Mexican food in Fullerton! You don't have to search far for good quality made fresh Mexican food. I went out for dinner with my mother and sister to Palapas restaurant it did not disappoint. We got a plate of Birria Nachos and two Carne asada sopes with a side of rice and beans. The owner was in last night and she gave us consomé on the house and for dessert she gave us a slice of their delicious creamy flan. We also ordered a plate of churros because you can't end the night at a Mexican restaurant without trying their best desserts. Can't wait to try the breakfast menu, see you soon Palapas.

    Alfie E.

    Dropped by on a whim (with the help of Yelp locator) and was interested in the birria ramen, which was something that I wanted to try at foodie fests but didn't get a chance to. The restaurant is modern but cozy. The music is loud which makes it a fun casual place to take your friends and family. Service takes place at the counter and they take your order to your table if you decide to eat in. The day was beautiful so I chose to eat outside at the covered patio. The ramen was hella good! It came out in a Tapatio ramen bowl but hacked the stock with the consomme and the birria. My order even came with a queso birria so I can try the meat in a taco form. It is also delicious so so ordering the queso birria tacos on their own is a good choice. After ordering a gobenador taco and eating both tacos, I was very full. It is a lot of food! Because the ramen is sold in the ramen cup, they don't have a lid or a container with a lid so be forewarn if you want to bring the soup home. They can provide a foil to seal the top then a small bag to secure it in. Ramen was good the next day as the flavors intensified. Overall, I had a good first visit.

    Inside
    Andrea B.

    Went for a quick bite on taco Tuesday ($1.90) each taco. It was nice and clean inside and we were greeted and seated quickly by the woman in the front. She was the only server there but it also wasn't very busy, only one other person there. She was very attentive, and took our order right away. So that was very nice. The food took about 15 minutes to come out, between my girlfriend and I we ordered 3 tacos al pastor, 2 asada and 3 carnitas, so 4 tacos each. Flavor wise they were "meh" , I was actually kind of disappointed . They were actually kind of small and they were street tacos with "hand made" tortillas but the tortillas weren't doubled so it made the tacos feel even smaller. The salsa had no spiciness only the red had any kick to it. The Agua de horchata was very good and sweet , great flavor. It was $4 for a regular size cup. So overall it was just an okay place to go eat, definitely could do better and I probably won't be going again anytime soon. Sorry Palapas.

    Menu
    Lucy S.

    Got together with the girls for a much needed Sunday Brunch and it did not disappoint...well for the most part. We arrived at 11am and waited about 20 min or so not bad considering it was a Sunday and it was pretty busy. The place itself is not very big in fact its pretty small so minus the 1 star for that. There is plenty of parking in an adjacent parking lot and it's free.We were seated in their patio area which is also not very big , it was shaded but unfortunately it was a hot day and it was toasty. Servers were attentive, efficient and personable. Everyone enjoyed their food and portions are a decent size. We shared the mimosa flight and they were just ok for me not very strong but I guess it is just a miimosa lol-next time I'll try a drink drink ;) overall a fun brunch and I would recommend to come check them out!!

    Asada tacos
    Johnnie C.

    3 1/2 stars. I came here for Taco Tuesday $1.75 each. Great deal and good sized tacos. Good tasting the food was a bit cold though when I got home. They had a salsa bar, with four or more red and green salsas. They charged a .50 cents fee to use a credit card Quick and easy ordering and clean space. They have other specials for burritos, etc. I will return

    Traditional margarita for Valentine's Day.
    Jacki O.

    The food is soooo good. I had the Carne Asada platter and my boyfriend had enchiladas both were delicious . The salsa is served warm and sooo yummy! The chips are super fresh and also served warm. They seem to have drink specials most of the week. I definitely recommend this place for quick service and great food!

    Bland carnitas, laughably tiny portions of beans and rice.
    Brian F.

    So disappointed. We ate here back in December and the food was amazing. Best carnitas I have ever had. The prices were fair as well. We revisited today and the entire experience has changed. First, they changed from fast-casual to full dining. Which is fine. The staff are all attentive and friendly. Great service. However, they have a new chef (since January) who changed the menu entirely. The prices more than doubled. The portions shrank a lot. The salsa bar is gone. The carnitas were bland- worse than store-bought packaged. Beans and rice are inexpensive, yet there was maybe 2-3 spoonfuls on our taco combo plate. Ridiculous. The huevos rancheros was basically just 2 eggs and a crisp tortilla with some sauce. Barely any beans. The chicken & waffles had the tiniest of portion of dried out fried chicken. It was a small piece sliced and stacked to look larger. The prices are just too high for what you get. $20 for huevos rancheros that was literally a snack size. They actually have the nerve to charge $18 for 3 pancakes! Honestly, I hate being this harsh. I prefer to praise restaurants, but the experience was so bad I have to warn others. We were so excited to have found a delicious restaurant, and now thanks to these changes we won't be back.

    Senia O.

    You need to come here Upon walking in imely got greeted which is awesome I did get a sample of their horchata. It's pretty much seat yourself and pick up your order when they call your number We got the carne asada fries I got the video quesadilla and the Cali burrito tamarindo and two horchatas and let me tell you it is on point Please come here I don't advertise for anyone for free . however , when I walked in , it wasn't as busy as I thought but when we left it did give a little bit busier definitely have to hit this place up when you're craving some Birria anything. I will be back

    Kendra A.

    Service was quick and food was fresh. Good selection of salsas. Food was pretty good, big portions. Sat inside and vibed to the music with happy food dances. Birria pizza Birria fries

    Torta cubana
    Summer V.

    It's a cutie little restaurant with both in door and outdoor seating. The food is really good i definitely recommend the pozole it's a good size portion. They are also very quick and nice.

    Tres Leches Cake
    Sarah D.

    TWO RESTAURANTS UNDER ONE ROOF! Looking for a lively, nice brunch spot... QUE HUEVOS is the spot! With coffees, mimosas, micheladas to start off the morning... to their sweet and savory dishes! Palapas Tacos resumes their normal hours after brunch! My favorite is their fries and burritos. Their hot salsa also packs a lot of heat, which I love! With newly renovated decor and ambience, seating indoor and outdoor is equally nice. Service is quick and their staff is very welcoming. Definitely give QUE HUEVOS/PALAPAS TACOS a try!

    They serve breakfast too
    Verito V.

    Food was great environment. Was okay. I was honestly expecting a little bit more from all of the advertisement on all social media. But I will recommend it food. It is good, they have good portions parking. Is a little bit hard to find Selection was not a whole lot of variety.

    carne asada fries, birria tacos
    Joy Z.

    Pretty overpriced for food that isn't anything life changing. The last time I came here, the birria tacos were bigger and actually had queso in them. I ordered quesabirria tacos again and there was no queso, and I was left still hungry after eating my meal.

    al pastor & carne asada street tacos.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Doubled the price of taco Tuesday. Literally more than doubled the price. Like this isn't a deal. Goodbye.

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    2 years ago

    I love coming here everything is good service is great!! I prefer coming here then anywhere else for tacos !!

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    2 years ago

    Service and wait times were terrible for brunch! Very expensive and they didn't give us a receipt

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    Page 3 of 16

    Palapa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Palapa

    Do they take apple pay?

    Yes

    Is the birria ramen made with goat or beef?

    beef

    Do they charge extra for using a card?

    Yes there's a 1 dollar charge.

    Do they still have all you can eat tacos? If they do, how does it work now that you're not able to dine in?

    yes 2 hr time limit

    Heard they have birria ramen anyone try it yet?

    Yes I really liked it. This was before Covid. The sopa was really flavorful

    View All 6 Questions

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    Monkey Business Cafe

    3.8(1.8k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    This seems to be a very a chill, casual place. There's parking in the back, as well as street…read moreparking. They hand you menus when you walk in & tell you it's open seating. When you're ready to order, you go to the counter to order & pay. The food was good, hazelnut latte was tasty, service was fast & pretty friendly. I met a friend there to catch up & they let us sit there for a couple hours - We were aware & made sure no one needed our table though! The oddest thing happened... a guy came in, ordered & sat down. I can only guess that he just worked out cuz, as he was waiting for his food, he put his foot up on top of the backrest of a dining chair & proceeded to massage his leg with a massage gun. Then of course did the other leg. Oh and while doing so, he played music from his iPhone very loudly, to cover up background music playing in the restaurant. -- Is this what people are doing now?

    Monkey business has a whole business model around service and taking care of the community and I…read morelove that. Beyond that I don't have anything super amazing to say about this restaurant. It's very standard fare at standard pricing. It gets the job done if you're hungry. I was sad to see a piece of bacon in what was supposed to be a vegetarian selection. I didn't complain because they were busy, but I do wish they'd be more careful because it had me dissecting the rest of my omelette with insecurity about the contents. On the plus side, the fruit cups have more than just melon in them: pineapple, strawberry, orange and green melon, blueberries, and blackberries. Solid mix. It was strange to me that I had to ask for jelly to go with my sourdough toast. We also had to go up to the front where you order to get water refills. Again, none of this was major... just led to a really "meh" experience. Maybe they were just having an off day? We had to wait for a table. The food doesn't come out together, so the kids were a little antsy when my husband and I each had food but they didn't. There were no coloring sheets for kids so I had them drawing on napkins on the tables with pens that I just happened to have in my purse. Food was simple and fine but not anything special. Just not in a hurry to come back to this one.

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    Early Bird - Churro Waffles

    Early Bird

    3.9(3.3k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    I've been here several times in the past back when I was really into Benedicts, and this place made…read moresome delicious ones. The pork belly Bennie used to be my go-to every time. But now that I've kind of moved on from my Bennie phase, I found myself staring at the menu wondering what to order instead. After going back and forth for a while, I decided on the Serrano Chicken Sandwich - and it ended up being a great choice according to our server. It had a really nice spicy kick, and I especially loved the crunchy onions that added extra texture to every bite. I picked the mixed greens salad as my side, though the dressing made it a little too sour for my taste so I couldn't finish it. My boyfriend, who's a big omelette person, ordered the veggie omelette. It was decent, though I do wish they offered more than just 4 omelette options on the menu. Overall, still a good brunch spot with good food and a nice atmosphere.

    Early Bird is a cozy brunch spot favored amongst Brea's locals. Given the popularity, it's helpful…read moreto get you and your party on the waitlist by calling ahead or using Yelp. I can't remember everything we ordered, but I will say what stood out to me were the Lomo Saltado and Smoked Salmon Waffle. Lomo Saltado's portion was a bit small, but my friend really enjoyed her plate and she said the flavors played off one another wonderfully. The Smoked Salmon waffle inherently doesn't sound like anything special, but I was so glad I ordered it. The fresh ingredients featured weren't overly salty, the portion-to-price point ratio was a nice surprise, and the waffle itself was quite fluffy. I really enjoyed this. Funny enough, I had to take the other half home because I was so stuffed. More Deets: - Took less than 10 mins to get seated - Attentive Customer Service - Plenty of Parking - Hot Tea wasn't anything special, wouldn't get this again I'd love to come back and try more of the menu the next time I'm in the area!

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    Fullerton Brew Co - Chicken nachos (very good)

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    My friends and I visited this restaurant for the first time, and surprisingly, there was no wait on…read morea Friday night. They have a good selection of American food, and I ordered chicken risotto ($24) from the "favorites" section of the menu. Portion sizes here are good, and we were very full after dinner. Service here was basic, and we got everything we needed. Friday night is also a peak time at Downtown Fullerton, so it was hard to find parking spot. However, the ambience here was relaxed. While the chicken risotto was pricy, I enjoyed the mixed flavors and large portion size. The flavor came from the caper-parmesan beurre blanc sauce. It's a slightly creamy butter sauce with mild sweetness and added flavor from white wine. The capers added a very welcome tangy and savory seasoning to the sauce; they're one of my favorite garnishes. The flavors from the breaded chicken and risotto weren't too strong. However, I would've liked the dish more with if they put less parmesan because I enjoyed the flavor from the beurre blanc sauce the most.

    Sundays brunch are popular here! Came on a Sunday brunch…read moretime, was in a mood for steak and eggs. The steak is pretty large , it comes with eggs any way you want and either potatoes or hash browns. I prefer the hash browns there perfectly Crunchy. My bf ordered the chicken salad.. I preferred mine. The service was ok, I feel like they could have visited more often, but the food made up for it!

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    The Classic Cafe

    The Classic Cafe

    4.6(425 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$
    Free WiFi
    Wheelchair accessible

    First off, this cafe is absolutely beautiful! I adore the vintage vibe and there is so much…read moreseating, both inside and outside in the backyard! It's probably one of the most creative cafes I've ever been to and it's a perfect spot for photos. I got their double ube latte, which was amazing and so rich in the ube flavor. It's not too sweet and it had the perfect balance of coffee and ube. They do advise you to mix it until the ube is all mixed in with the coffee and the presentation of it is so pretty! I never thought I'd be a fan of ube, but this drink sold it for me. Their banana einspänner is nice and creamy with a non-artificial taste of the banana. It tastes very "elegant", if that makes any sense at all. Overall, their drinks are a 10/10! They also have a lot of food that is Korean-inspired and I'll have to try a good eat next time I come! Service was amazing and the drinks come out pretty quick. I would definitely recommend this cafe for a pretty aesthetic and great coffee!

    Super cute cafe with a whimsical and charming aesthetic. Would definitely come back here with a…read morefriend or to study. Drinks 8.5/10 I ordered the Double Ube latte and my friend ordered the "Ruby" (one of their hibiscus tea lemonades). I was a bit disappointed to find out both the Choco Tiramisu latte and Iced Salty toffee latte both have nut products (I'm allergic), but I'm glad I found out before ordering it. My ube latte was yummy and had a good mix of coffee flavor and ube with coffee being the dominant flavor. As an ube lover I wish the ube flavor was a bit stronger, but it was still really good. I would order again. The Ruby was so refreshing and the perfect amount of sweetness with a lovely splash of citrus. Would love to order this next time I visit! Service 8.5/10 Friendly service! We ordered at the counter and they gave us buzzers to let us know when our drinks were ready so we were free to roam the gardens while we waited. Ambiance 10/10 Would come here just for the unique environment. The aesthetic was a cozy, vintage cottage fairy aesthetic with a lot of unique and eclectic trinkets and knick-knacks while staying very clean and tidy. I'm amazed on how clean the outdoor seating is considering how much seating is available! There is a decent amount of seating inside, but a ton of options outside and so many cute quiet corners for seating. There is wifi, outlets, blankets for use, an electric bug zapper to keep the bugs away, and a bathroom located outside. Outdoors was very peaceful and quiet on a Friday afternoon. A lot of thought went into the atmosphere and style of this place and you can definitely feel it. Highly recommend this spot! I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Would love to go here with a book and a friend and another cup of their Ruby tea lemonade!

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    Palapa - mexican - Updated June 2026

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