Enjoyed dinner with my daughter. Gigi took care of us, she's a doll and attentive. The patio and fireplace were very nice, the service/ambiance made up for the weak drinks. Tacos were delicious and flavorful. We are excited to come back to try dishes on the main menu. read more

We had a wonderful experience at SOL Mexican Cocina. Andrea, our host, was super sweet and welcoming from the moment we arrived. Our server, Robert, was very attentive and helpful, and gave us great food recommendations on what to order. The food we had was really good, and we all enjoyed our meals. The ambiance was also amazing, very relaxing, and perfect for a great family dining experience. Moises, the manager, was also very kind and made sure we had an excellent dining experience. It's our second time here, and we always look forward to coming back again. read more

Great staff ask for waiter Blue provides great service helpful with food selection food substitutes/modifications. Easy parking 5 stars read more

I was so impressed by the food here. It is absolutely delicious. We came after work around 5pm and we did not need to wait for a table. We order the carne asada tacos and the chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla was the best quesadilla I ever had. It was amazing and honestly my favorite thing on the menu. The chips and salsa are also very good. The quality of food is impressive and honestly I am very happy with the overall experience. If you are going to happy hour, make sure to mention that you want to sit on the "cantina" side. The separate the bar side and restaurant side. So you cannot order happy hour on the restaurant side. I did not like that they do not tell you that before you are seated. So make sure to check before they seat you. read more

2 stars for the food, NOT the service, every single person there was kind! Was insanely excited to try SOL for the first time as we were drawn in by the tacos y tequila tuesdays + live music. Arrived and parked in the parking structure that was right next to SOL. They validate your parking at the hostess table! Live music was a solo dj Complimentary chips + salsa and black beans, but these beans were terrible. Absolutely burnt and had such a burnt, acrid taste, so we stopped eating them. You know when something is burnt when it has an extremely overpowering gas/bitter taste to it We ordered the pan seared salmon, taste of baja, and grilled wagyuala tampiquena. Everything desperately needed salt and honestly, just flavor and seasoning. Just request for salt & they bring it out to you in a small molcajete (super cute!). I ordered the wagyuala and it tasted off, salt was desperately needed & i thought that the cilantro chimichurri would've added robust flavor but nope, literally everything on that plate was under seasoned or probably not seasoned at all, not joking. Maybe it was a bad day in the kitchen, but even sprinkling the salt over the beef did nothing, it tasted so bland. Meat was tender, requested medium and it came out fairly medium, but the meat also had a very strange aftertaste (to me), so i stopped eating it. And trust me, i NEVER stop eating my beef/steak uneaten because I will tear it up lol The food was BAD and wished so bad that we just stuck with our usual go-to, which is Javier's, but we wanted to try something new yesterday for dinner. Their borracho beans and rice side were just okay, everything seriously lacked so much flavor- salt, pepper, garlic/onion/cumin powder, ANYTHING. I'm just throwing out general seasonings. Bad decision. It really kills me to write this review because this has NOTHING to do with the employees, everyone was AWESOME. That food was seriously terrible, that burnt black bean dip should've been the red flag/indicator for how the rest of the food was going to taste like, but we remained positive. Glad others enjoy SOL, but its not for us 2 stars for the kind employees + ambiance of the restaurant. I echo the other similar reviews that say there is hardly no flavor, nothing stood out, not much to write home about, going to Javier's Irvine Spectrum/Newport or Red O in Newport read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I got lucky to be able to make a day before reservation at SOL in Irvine for Cinco de Mayo! Hadn't yet been to this location, so I was looking forward to checking it out. The ambiance is nice; beautifully decorated. It was also very busy, but it was Cinco de Mayo. The deals that day were all day happy hour. Score! I started with the Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita skinny. That was good but I could barely taste the tequila. Felt watered down almost. Skinny just means less sweet, not less alcohol. I then switched to a frozen margarita and that was too sweet, but yummy. For food, my favorite was the Firecracker Quesadilla. That was deeeeeeelicious!! Highly recommend. The naked guacamole was good too, but not worth $9. And the Animal Tacos were O.K. I barely finished mine. When you make the turn to go to parking, don't go straight to the corporate parking structure. Make a u-turn and park in the structure that says restaurant and is right adjacent to SOL. Then they validate. But we didn't see that parking and ended up in the corporate parking, which they don't validate. I don't know if I'll go back. It's a bit pricey for happy hour. read more

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All sunshine and smiles at Sol Mexicana Cocina! It's got total vacation resort vibes, and I'm all in for good times. And good food! We came here for brunch today, and everything was so good! I ordered their chorizo and potato scramble. It was delicious. Generous portions, they are not sheisty when it comes to their servings. My daughter got their chilaquiles and it was huge! Also so delicious. Hubbie got their fajita, he was a bit disappointed that it did not come in a sizzling skillet. Save room for dessert! Their tres leches cake was SO good! We shared it between us three, and could not finish. Not because we did not like it, but because it was so generous. Will definitely order again. This is our third visit to Sol, and we will definitely be back. The food. The atmosphere. The friendly service. Everything is just superb. Like a day full of sunshine! read more

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Nice and big place, great customer service every time we come and we enjoy the food. I have tried a variety of items and my favorites have been the Wagyu steak entree, shrimp chile relleno, and of course the chips and salsa they give you when you sit down. Each dish is unique and good and feels like there's a couple dishes where you can pass but depending on what you like but you can't go wrong. They are great for HH and just to sit down and chit chat with some girlfriends read more

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SOL has never disappointed! We've been to the Newport Beach location a few times, but this was the first time at this Irvine location. A nice clean restaurant. Service was amazing, we were very well taken care of! We ordered the following - Sol guacamole, Shrimp taquitos, grilled Esquites, Hot & Raw tropical ceviche, Branzino, Ensenada-style fish taco, Grilled shrimp Quesadillas, Grilled shrimp burrito - everything single dish was really really good! We had an incredibly satisfying meal, and we will definitely be back =) read more

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Went here wirh a big group for Sunday brunch. The seats are really low so a few of us felt like we needed booster seats. The menu looked so great it was hard to choose. I decided to restrict my choices to the brunch menu and come again for dinner to try the delicious sounding tacos and Chipotle seitan along with the drinks! Service was great and the restaurant is beautiful. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Huevos rancheros - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Had a routine solid night with friends going out to eat recently. Only leaving this review because our server Mariana blew my mind at her level of service. She was attentive at all levels, bringing out everything for us by herself, when usually I expect a runner or other staff helping the server out. Food, drinks, extra sides, anything we needed, she was there to provide and kept checking up on us. This wasn't even a slow night, I can't imagine how many steps she probably hit. Easily the best service I've had in a longgg time at any restaurant and that's why I had to come back and leave a review. She seemed as hardworking as it gets and I hope she's recognized for it. This might be a review off one experience, but damn she's got a bright future read more

My steak fajitas looked good but they really weren't. In fact no one at my table said they'd return. My steak had no flavor and neither did the rice it came with. Server was great but that was it... read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - SKIRT STEAK SOL FAJITAS - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

We booked a massive table for a birthday celebration here and we all had a great dinner. I'm personally surprised they weren't busier for a Saturday night, but I'd guess it has a lot to do with their location being nestled in with the office buildings so they're the only business within walking distances really. Brandon was our helpful and friendly server for the night, he made sure everyone had everything they wanted from pre-dinner drinks all the way to dessert. 5/5 to Brandon! He also recommended me the chef's special chile verde (pork), which was VERY good! I highly recommend it too, pork was well cooked and tender, cheesy chile verde sauce with tortillas, black beans, and mexican rice. I have heard the margaritas are good here, but given it was my birthday all I got were shots of tequila. Overall, I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu so everyone should give this restaurant a shot for lunch/dinner! read more

Gigi was our AMAZING server on a busy and hectic Cinco de Mayo! She was attentive, kind and so very detail oriented! I would give her 100 Stars if I could! Thank you so much, Gigi!! :) read more

Visited when they first opened and held back on my review because I figured it was not fair. I visited again this past weekend and feel that a review is appropriate. Summary: Average food on the higher price side, and "hotel lobby" ambiance. The price point rivals Javiers but the experience is far from. We ordered some carne asada tacos that were not our favorite. Tortillas were cold and hard to chew. Could not really enjoy the meal to be honest (as a taco lover). I really wanted to enjoy this restaurant, we may try again in the future. read more

I seriously wish I could give this restaurant a negative five-star rating. The customer service was atrocious and rude. I didn't know now in California that we refuse to serve people based upon political viewpoints/affiliation. This wasn't something that occurred to me but it was something that I observed in overheard and was extremely offended by. I had come here on a reference from somebody who had mentioned the food was worth it. I have been to other locations and the food was mediocre, but not authentic mexican. The parking is what it is, the food is mediocre nothing to really write home about. Can't say that I would be back to this location. The restrooms left a lot to be desired. There was toilet paper and paper towels all over the floor as if somebody had spilled something and then failed to wipe it up. The feel here and the vibe is extremely rushed like they want to push you out the door so they can turn that table quickly. Greed is a real thing here. Do yourself a favor look elsewhere for your authentic Mexican cuisine, the prices they charge here I would have expected much better quality. You're welcome. read more

Beautiful setting for an intimate romantic dinner. Menu of the classics (tacos, burritos) with proteins that satisfy every dietary need. Very much loved the decor and vibe of the place. read more

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I've stopped by SOL in Newport Beach a few times to charge my car, but this was my first time actually sitting down for a meal. The space is bright with good lighting, and the restaurant has a paid parking garage. If you have a Tesla and the code, the first 45 minutes are free, which makes it really convenient. The food was decent overall. I ordered the Mexx Chop Salad, which was big and filling. Chips and salsa were complimentary, and the red salsa was the standout for me. The chips were thin, fresh, and crisp. I also tried the carne asada tacos. They were okay, not amazing, but still enjoyable. Service was friendly, the environment felt relaxed, and the convenience of being able to charge while eating is a big plus. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 and would come back again. read more

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Blue , our servicer very knowledgeable and gave us great suggestions . Great Ambiance , food tasting great so far !!! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Yum !! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

My go-to order is Carne Asada burrito!! Great taste of asada and beans inside. Burrito held up well and didn't fall apart. Love that it comes with salsa, pico, jalapeño and small guac! The spicy slaw is amazing, and not spicy! Quinoa is okay, but next time going with spicy slaw for both dishes! If you like slaw and a bit mayo base! Service was great! Went Wed afternoon, and Katie was server and was great! Very attentive, nice and helpful! Restaurant is large and in my big group of 12, it felt like a private party. I don't like the area though, you have to take a ticket to park. There are very small parking structures and they only valet for 90 mins! Otherwise you pay for parking! Plus it's tucked away in business complex area so hard to get to if you aren't familiar read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - CARNE ASADA BURRITO - W. Spicy Slaw and Quinoa - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Traveling on business and staying close by I noticed SOL from the street. After looking at the YELP! reviews I decided to give it a try. Everything....everything was outstanding! I sat at the bar, was acknowledged immediately, provided with a review of the dinner and drink menu. Next were 2 Cadillac Repo margaritas that went down that quick! Awesome report with the bartender and a customer near by - a nice environment. Awesome food and drinks....I remember....LOL read more

Great Mexican place! Decent music not too loud Great for a ladies night! Drinks are amazing !! Service was slow even though not crowded on weekend! We got the apps - shrimp taquitos was awesome!! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

This was my 3rd time visiting, the first time having been a friend's birthday and the second time having been my graduation dinner. I was extremely excited to be back, as I recalled the service and food being above par. The exterior of this restaurant is mesmerizing, and I saw people taking photos the entire time. I visited on Valentine's Day for a family dinner. Immediately, I was relieved by the kind service from the staff. We arrived early to our reservation, and the employees were understanding and sat us way sooner than we were supposed to be. I ordered the Goat Cheese Enchiladas, which were amazing! The tortillas were perfect, and the goat cheese blended perfectly with the salsa verde & crema. I wish I had caught our server's name, as he was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, kind, and spoke Spanish! This helped elevate the experience for our whole party. I will say... the prices are on the higher end. read more

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Delicious food, refreshing cocktails, and great service. We started off with cocktails and appetizers: Sangria Roja Baja Coastal Vibe Tableside Hot & Raw Tropical Ceviche Coconut Calamari Followed by our favorites: Pineapple Serrano Margarita Watermelon Hibiscus Margarita Short Ribs Barbacoa Shrimp Chile Relleno And ended with sweet indulgence: Rosca De Churro Banana-Chocolate Bread Pudding Carajillo read more

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The service and ambiance was goood, way too loud to have a conversation, the service was good.

My fiancée & I had a wonderful experience today at Sol Mexican Cocina. After our meal the owner, Wagner came over and we shared that we were celebrating a special occasion, me winning over Cancer! We highly recommend this restaurant! Go & enjoy! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Great spot for lunch with coworkers or after work hangs. Th atmosphere is lively and they play the music moderately, enough to hold conversations. Staff is supportive, and attentive to needs of the table. Love the chips and salsa. And the food tastes fresh and well seasoned. Had a great experience, if you want to ensure you get a table you can make a reservation. read more

My kiddo wanted to eat a chile relleno for her birthday, so I booked a reservation here for a party of 7 at 6:30p on their website the day before (they use Open Table). They have more than one location, but this one is located at the corner of Main Street and Mercantile, and there is a parking structure right next to it. We drove down Main Street from Jamboree Road towards MacArthur Boulevard, so we entered the parking structure from Gillette Avenue (where Izakaya Osen is), but I think there is an entrance from the Mercantile side, too (Gillette turns into Mercantile). SOL validates the parking ticket, maybe for 1.5hrs? We arrived a little after 6:30p and left a little after 8:00p and had to pay $1.50 when leaving the structure. The restaurant is spacious, so we probably would've been able to sit down right away without a reservation (but better safe than sorry). We ordered the coconut calamari ($19.00) and grilled sweet corn ($11.00) for starters, and I got the frozen guava margarita ($15.00+$2.00 guava). I ordered the shrimp chile relleno ($27.00) and asked for no cilantro and pico de gallo. The rest of the group ordered the short ribs 'Barbacoa' ($36.00), chef's special chile verde ($22.00), chile poblano relleno con elote ($19.00), filet & shrimp 'El Jefe" with rice and beans ($17.00+$4.00), carne asada burrito served wet with red salsa ($22.00+$3.50), and the shrimp chile relleno as well. The calamari came with 3pcs, but they were huge pieces. Still, very fresh and tender for their size. It came with a spicy mayo sauce mixed with cilantro. The sweet corn was shaved off the cob and mixed with the same spicy mayo, so it had a kick, but tasty. The chile relleno was served open style and not fried in egg batter as I typically see, but rather stuffed with arroz verde and cheese with plenty of shrimp on top. Even though I asked to skip the onion and cilantro garnish, there were sus-looking herbs cooked into almost everything...but I didn't taste any so maybe my cilantro radar was muddled by the margarita, lol. The dish was pretty spicy for me, but it was still yummy. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their dish, including the chips and salsa/bean dip at the beginning. I did ask about any birthday treat, and our server said that they do have one, and brought it out. It was fried tortilla chips with a scoop of whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce and topped with almond slices. When I initially reserved the table and put down "for birthday," I guess they didn't see it since it was on Open Table? Not a problem since I still was able to get my kiddo a birthday treat. I just didn't know that I was going to be charged $6.00 for it...not a big deal either, just a bit surprised. Either way, our server was very nice, food was pretty good, and they don't skimp on the alcohol. They seem to serve a lot of spicy food, so not a place I can frequent though. read more

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I've been to multiple Sol locations and although they're always great, this one is THE BEST! ALL the staff are always incredibly friendly and attentive. The food is amazing especially with the newer menu, but the staff and the environment they help create is the reason my friends and I keep coming back. Special shoutout to Moises, Elias, and Austin for always making our experience memorable. Truly a treat! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Bar area - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Food was delicious and our server Blue was very helpful and friendly ! Great atmosphere and we got to see the sunset as we ate ! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Sunsets at Sol! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

This Mexican spot is very conveniently located near office buildings, with garage parking attached and easy access right off the freeway, which makes it a great option for lunch, happy hour, or an easy after-work dinner. The food quality is strong and a step above your average casual Mexican place. The animal taco was the standout -- flavorful, well-balanced, and definitely worth ordering again. The chips and guacamole were pretty tasty, too. On the drinks side, the cucumber jalapeño margarita packed some heat but was still refreshing and well made. If you like a little spice, it's a good choice. Happy hour pricing is decent, especially considering the elevated take on Mexican food. Overall, a convenient, reliable spot with good food and drinks that works well for office crowds and casual meetups. read more

Came here for lunch. I got short rib Barbacoa. Meat was tender and flavourful. Came with rice and sweet potatoes on the side. Super yummy. My coworker got tortas and swear potatoes/black bean tacos plate. Both said those were good. They have non alcoholic drink that smell like real drink, but non alcohol . Good option for business meeting. Our server was tentative and friendly. Definitely will come back read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came to SOL for happy hour with friends and it was so good! Our server Blue was friendly, attentive the whole time. He made sure everything met expectations and brought such a positive energy to the table. Amazing service and great outdoor setting! read more

We finally decided to try SOL Mexicana at the Irvine location, even though it's been around for a while. The restaurant is beautifully designed and has a warm, welcoming vibe. Our server, David, was fantastic--very kind and attentive. He took the time to understand our food allergies and made some thoughtful suggestions, which we really appreciated. The reason for the 4-star rating is the pricing. There's a sign at the entrance stating a 3% surcharge will be added to support their family-run business, which we understand. However, the pricing of the food itself felt a bit steep. Their specialty tacos are advertised as "large," but they're actually quite small--\$15 each, and if you want rice and beans, that's an extra \$4. My husband ordered two tacos and still left hungry. Overall, it's a nice spot with good service, but just be prepared for higher-than-expected prices for the portion size. read more

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One of the best Mexican food place! Love the vibes of Taco Tuesday. The fun part was you can see how food is being prepared through the glass window. Quick and nice service there! Thank you! read more

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First time eating at SOL, it was a great experience. The restaurant was modern with great ambiance, no issues with noise, we could easily have a conversation. Our waiter, Blue, gave excellent service. Our drinks, along with chips and salsa were refilled quickly. The food tasted great, and loved the varied menu. We had the crispy calamari, and they were perfect. My wife and I each ordered fajitas, she had the chicken andI had the steak. Overall, we enjoyed our entire experience and will definitely be back with our family. read more

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Decided to make a reservation here and specifically put that we wanted to be seated outside. We were not seated outside but okay no big deal because the inside is very nice. We were seated and NOBODY greeted us. Our waitress's first words to us were "do you want to get in drinks" instead of a normal Hi how are you. We were given chips and dips and the chips were so stale. We then put in an order for an appetizer which was also awful so we sent that back. The waitress took 30 minutes to take our actual order and was just really unprofessional. We decided to tell the manager and offered to pay for a beer we ordered but he insisted we didn't pay and that we give the food a chance so that was really nice of him but we kindly declined because it was already just a bad time. Then when we left the waitress chased us down and told us we needed to pay for the beer lol. read more

Wow what a surprise. I ordered the TACO VAMPIRO CARNE ASADA and wasn't quite sure what I was going to get. It is served as a flat double stacked tortilla stuffed with melted cheese, serrano chile & scallions, guacamole, pico, chipotle sauce, coxita cheese and steak. This was the bomb. I wasn't too hungry so I only ordered one. With rice and beans it was more than enough. You can order two or three, but that might be too much. Pico had a lot of jalapeños. So if that isn't your thing get it on the side. read more

I came here for dinner with my wife and we had an excellent experience! This is the third time we have been to the restaurant, and the quality is great and consistent. The restaurant feels lively with out being too loud or brig We had the carnitas and a jalapeno margarita, which were very tasty. Gigi took great care of us! We never had to ask for anything. It was a very pleasant experience. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Food was awesome, our server Blue was also great. A+ drinks too. Ambiance is top notch. Don't forget to order a dessert! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Tres leches cake and CARAMEL SEA SALT BUDIN & DARK CHOCOLATE RUM GANACHE - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California