I have had a lot of Mexican food in my life, but nothing comes close to what we were served. Delicious and the best I have ever had. Fish burrito and beef enchiladas was out of this world. Ignore the negative here and go make your taste buds happy. read more

The food was delicious, outside seating due to Covid was a great option. Staff was very kind made us feel like home. shared a super sampler which was amazing great for two people. read more

After 30 years in SB, I finally went to Palapa for dinner on a Friday night. It was busy and there was a GREAT Mariachi Band playing which added to the fun. If you're looking for a high end place, that's not what Palapa is offering. However, if you're looking good food and an authentic feel, this is the place for you. It reminds me of local joints I've been to in Mexico. I'll be back for sure and feel SO silly that it's taken me decades to finally stop in! read more

Food seemed a little pricey, but is was good. Location seems unfinished but it was comfortable

AMAZING food. Great service. Fun atmosphere. What a great find! We went with a party of 10 and not one person had a complaint. Gracias Palapas!! read more

One of our favorite places. We probably get takeout from here once a week. I always get the same thing: combo with chicken mole enchilada and chile relleno, black beans, and vegetables. It always tastes different, making it seem really homemade. (Somehow, it always seems to taste extra good on Thursday nights!) My son likes the kid's burrito which comes with rice. I take some and put the red salsa on top. When I was sick the chicken soup was delicious, a bit on the salty side, but good. The people who work there couldn't be nicer. read more

My friend and I ventured out of our normal eating spots today to try something new for us. After discussing our option I recommend Palapa for breakfast....the menu is large but everything sounded so fabulous it was hard to choose!! We decided on lunch instead!!....boy! What a surprise! Ordered they're Agua Chili to start with...it takes, 15 min to marinate, its a blend of large shrimp , butterflied, lime juice, cucumbers, Roma tomato, orange slices, and fresh avocado!! So freshening and the flavors!! For my entree I had they're fish tacos!! Fish was moist and tender, flavor were delicious, served with green rice and steamed veggies! We Will definitely will be returning!! Thank you Palapa, you were a big suprise!! read more

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This was the best breakfast we've had in so long! Our hotel offered a buffet breakfast but it turned out to be gross breakfast burritos or sandwiches to hit up in the microwave This restaurant was right next door. They sat us outside in a very shady and quiet spot. My husband and I had Machaca eggs and Chilaquiles which were out of this world!! Absolutely worth going. We also loved their version of their Michelada's! read more

Excellent. By far the BEST Mexican restaurant in SB. Chips and salsa were awesome, thin & crispy chips and real salsa with just enough kick. Our entrees were delicious, service was quick and very attentive. Can't wait to come back to try something else! read more

Our favorite restaurant for ceviche, micheladas and our usual order of wet burritos! Their customer service is top notch and the memories we have made there over the past 10+ years are unforgettable! We love Palapa! read more

We were staying right next door at the Hyatt so instead of driving we decided to have our anniversary dinner at Palapas. Food tasted wonderful but in the middle of the night my husband got the worst food poisoning he has ever had in his life. Ruined our night. We do not know what it was that he ate but it might have been the chili rellano, or the salsa. So sorry we ate there. read more

This place is the best for a weekend brunch. The chilaquiles and tortas really don't compare. It's a cute little family-operated restaurant and I enjoy being here every time I come! read more

The specials are amazing and the prices are even better. Do yourself a favor and hit this place up. I had the best enchiladas I've ever had with a chocolate mole sauce that was amazing. They have beans to die for as well and green rice go for it! read more

My husband and I tried this place for the first time last night. We went around 5:30 and the outside area was not busy at all. There seemed to be only one waitress for the whole area. Took forever for us to get noticed, took for ever for the food to come. The waitress was standing by the door twiddling her thumbs rather then being attentive to her guests. I got a chicken taco that was small and the chicken was VERY dry. Beans and rice were ok. The waitress never checked on us for refill of chips, we had to ask. My husband wanted another beer, we had to ask again. Once we finished our food we waited about 20 min for our check. When we were ready to pay, never saw the waitress so we ended up just walking it to the "to go" counter to pay so we could get the hell out. This whole experience took over an hour. Service is poor. Will not be trying this place again. read more

My husband and I have been coming here for years. We absolutely love this place. The food is always fresh and flavorful and the staff is friendly and attentive. Tonight we went in for dinner we were greeted by a friendly waiter and immediately seated by another. My husband and I both ordered the shrimp cocktail which were out of this world delicious and unlike most other restaurants, these cocktails were packed FULL of shrimp! And to top it all off, this place has the best micheladas in town! I love this place and highly recommend it! read more

I went here for the first time this evening. Wow! The Chile verde was outstanding. As good as it gets. The rice and beans and flour tortillas also were excellent. This restaurant greatly exceeded my expectations. I am eager to try other things on the menu. read more

Omg best salsa and great prices. Chorizo breakfast burritos to die for. I'm not sure why anyone would give this place a bad review because it was some of the most delicious food we've had in a long time. read more

If you're on a budget, this is the place for authentic Mexican food! Chips and salsa on your table right when you arrive. The happy hour menus are great for the price. For the price I can't complain, the ingredients are really fresh, even the salsa! I call in orders over the phone sometimes and the carry-out food never fails me here. The Ceviche de (Camaron?) is really good. I may not have the spelling of the dish right, but it's the one that has the shrimp and octopus in it. Octopus is better than squid/calamari in my opinion.. less rubbery taste. To the reviewer stating the prices are high, go to their happy hours (around 3-6pm) and get a nachos plate or quesadilla for $5 or $6.. geez!! read more

I used to love going to this restaurant for Menudo on the weekends but lately service and quality of food has really taken a dive. One waitress in particular moves at the pace of a snail and isn't very friendly. This morning the menudo was served nearly cold. The only good thing about this restaurant is the handmade tortillas....but they're not always fresh. Probably won't be back here again. read more

Definitely an authentic Mexican restaurant, the environment reminds me of spots I've been to in downtown Ensenada or Cabo. I ordered the vegetarian tostada and boy, the plate was more than generous. The veggies were enough for 2/3 people to feast on. My husband ordered the tacos and enjoyed it alright. I wouldn't call this a place I'll return to, but it was good enough for an off-ramp, close to the freeway joint. From reading the other reviews, maybe we missed a lot of something not having arrived at happy hour... read more

Great happy hour: $2 tacos, $2.50 bottle beers, and $3.50 for a 22 oz Island Brew Co Blonde. They don't serve hard alcohol so the margarita is a "wine margarita". Great breakfast deals too. They usually have a $4 breakfast with eggs, toast, etc. and sometimes a complimentary quesadilla if the owner is outside working the comal. And great authentic food all-around. I can bring my dog and sit on the front patio too! Mariachis on Friday. P.S. If you get a hard shell taco for happy hour, they throw on cabbage and a slice of avocado. read more

Mediocre food. Almost no service whatsoever. Waited several minutes each time my glass was empty. Had to wave someone down to get the check.

Palapa was an AW Root Beer several years ago. My dad and I were interested in a light lunch and beer. Every week day between 3pm and 6pm Palapa celebrates happy hour. Delectable tacos and beer for half price. Outstanding fish tacos not just like Joes but just as tasty. The authenticity of Palapa the fresh ingredients and casual atmosphere makes the experience pleasent and worthwhile. I think you'll really like it happy hour or not. Ask for Genaro. read more

Really good food but the service is horrible, which is disappointing because it kind of takes away from how delicious their food is. I do not recommend coming here if you are really hungry because they do take a while. But their food is great! read more

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. Horrible Horrible. They advertise Full Bar we get there and order a margarita the waiter said oh I am sorry we only serve Beer and Wine my menu is wrong. We ordered wine and some ordered soda they brought drinks in disgusting plastic stained old cups. We ordered our food in the meantime a 10 piece Mariachi band came in to play music this would have been nice except there are literally 10 tables the band was SO LOUD we were trying to visit and a woman next to is came to our table and said can you stop talking so we can hear the band. We could not believe it. We were done eating and the waiter kept coming to the table after we payed and kept saying are you done. This is the worst place and horrible food. Beware if you dare... This would not let me do -5 star. Horrible horrible horrible period. read more

This is the second time I have eaten at Palapa. And it will be my last. Despite a parking lot full of cars, there were only four occupied ables. I ordered a very simple Palapa burrito with a soft drink yet it took a full 20 minutes to get my food. My burrito was bland to say the least. The service was just as prompt and bland as was my food. As if the food and service were poor enough my bill came to a whopping $12.50 for lunch. read more

This place has a great deal on margaritas!! The music can be a little loud and over bearing on a Friday but other than that a nice place to have good Mexican food ! read more

I have been to this restaurant a long time ago and didn't temper if I had liked it or not. A group of friends and I were looking for really great authentic Mexican food when we remembered this place while driving to our original choice. We stopped at Palapa instead and were so happy we did. Great service, food, and portions. Definitely come here more frequently. Their seafood options were amazing! read more

Ah Palapa, your siren call beckons me some days to the Shores of Meh and others to the Hallowed Heights of Culinary Greatness! Why do you leave me stranded in the Valley of Uncertainty? Last night, the hot winds blew gently and the retro bulbs glowed slightly under the covered patio. I swooned to the sound of Mariachis in the other room and the crunch of the world's most perfect tortilla chips. The sad truth about their salsa is that it is fairly terrible. Their margaritas aren't much better. I still give the place five stars. They do chips and tortillas uncommonly well. Their seafood selection and preparation have always been good to great. Everything is cooked in lard and they don't skimp on the cheese. You also get your choice of beans (refried or black) and rice (red or green). Let me put it this way, I ALWAYS leave happy. In this topsy turvy world, sometimes that is enough... read more

The food was quite flavorful and plentiful. What topped it was the great service! I am from out of town and will be back =]

Great cozy hide a way great food feel like on a nice Mexican vacation.

Very nice staff, excellent food! Decent prices. Fun atmosphere. My mom and I went early on easter Sunday to get take out and they were so nice and accommodating. We ordered a mini burrito and chili relleno burrito from the breakfast menu and they were muy delicious! Can't wait to eat there again. read more

Food was good, but service was awful. They messed up all three of our orders at the table (asked for rice, got beans instead etc.) and they took the plates back to correct. After we were done eating, we waited for over 30 minutes for our check - which we had to flag down a busser for! Our server never came to our table again after taking our order. Worst of all was we were only one of 4 tables sitting outside, yet we were not attended to properly. Will never return solely based on the service. read more

A nice spot to grab lunch. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and the staff has been very nice every time I've been here. Plus the food is really good so it's a win-win situation here. I've had their enchiladas and their chile rellenos, and both tasted great without breaking the bank. I'm a fan! read more

The food was pretty, pretty, pretty good. The service was another story altogether. It took almost an hour for our meal to arrive, which is just insane. read more

Big portions. Cute patio. I found the food to be kind of bland but not bad.

Palapa has the most amazing staff, the smiles on the people there make it so inviting and if u go in on Saturday they do fresh tortillas with cheese omg it's so delicious you must try this with there variety or salsas, also enjoy a glass of horchata yum hands down definitely awesome place read more

Standard Mexican place. Looks a bit questionable from outside, but food was okay, nice ambiance. They play Vicente Fernandez (classic) and the like. Staff is friendly. They have an outdoor area, seems like it'd be a fun place for drinks. I don't really eat Mexican food when I go out so it's hard to impress me. First time, had a burrito. Not bad, but not impressive either. Second time around, had one beef and one chicken taquito. Delicious. It came with rice and beans, which was filling but didn't leave me feeling gross. read more

Great food, terribly slow service. We watched 2 groups of people come and go while we were there. We've been here for over an hour now! Reviewing while I wait to see our server again. read more

Some of the best fresh salas I have ever had and they give you a huge bowl. I had the fish tacos which were delicious. Loved the grilled onions and peppers inside the taco. Also, I highly recommend trying the green rice. You can tell a lot of locals come here and it looks like they have a pretty good happy hour as well. read more