Top notch hole in the wall Mexican food…read more The burrito was huge and the carne asada was full of flavor and super tender. Baja fish tacos were also delicious. Staff was friendly and food came out pretty quick. Just an excellent experience all around and will definitely be back

The fish tacos are really good but I've had their burrito and quesadillas and they're very mid…read more Unfortunately, the Mexican food I've had wasn't good. They burnt my quesadillas, I live far so I didn't bother going back.

El Cocinero is magic. Plant based, mouthwatering, food coma portions MAGIC. You're gonna want to go…read moreagain and again so you can try everything! I still have so much to try. Been blown away by everything. My bf who has been scarred by some 100% vegan restaurants in the past tried a bite of my bowl and went back for at least 10 more bites. The true test.

There is a term you say in Hawai'i that when something is good, it "broke da mouth." AND THIS…read moreVEGAN Mexican dinner by El Cocinero BROKE MY MOUTH! I recently tried out El Cocinero's food at an event that they catered to. As a person who eats meat and is not restricted, I would come here for the good food. The vegan al pastor had chunks of pineapple and it is seasoned and cooked to taste just like the meat version. The texture is just a little bit different but it does resemble a lot like meat. The vegan pastor also tastes just like the meat version, just less "smoky" and the texture is softer. The rice is flavorful and fluffy. The beans are seasoned just enough to have flavor but not compete with the other dishes. The creamy chipotle sauce was perfect topping the rice and beans. I do like vegan food but the only reference I had with Mexican vegan are places that try to add fake cheese and lean heavily on beans and rice. This business shows that you can still have all the flavors and not rely on cheese and meat. They focus on the flavors and not what would make non-vegans feel comfortable. Initially, I was going to give this first time experience a 4 star review so that it encourages me to go check out the restaurant so I can add the service and the ambiance. However, I was lucky enough to bring home leftovers and as I was eating it, the food tastes better. Had to add the extra star!

Food was great! Service was Excellent! Rosa was very attentive and provided superb service!read more

I rarely ever remember to leave Yelp reviews, but this restaurant was EVERYTHING. The place was…read moresuper clean with such a cute aesthetic. The waitresses were so pleasant and attentive the entire time. Now let's talk about the food... 10/10. We ordered aguachiles, mango shrimp ceviche, tacos gobernador, camarones rancheros, and enchiladas. Every single dish was well seasoned, juicy, fresh, and the presentation was beautiful. Definitely worth coming back for.

My wife and I were (once again) in the mood for a breakfast burrito while we were in the van Nuys…read morearea this morning. I was put in charge to find a place close. I stumbled upon Monarca on Yelp and we decided to try it out! We arrive and are nicely greeted by one of the employees at the counter. The inside was clean and well kept which we love. My wife and I ordered 2 breakfast burritos and the green chilaquiles. She got the Deluxe burrito and I got the chorizo. We bring them home and open up the bag and these things are MASSIVE! In the best way! We begin taking bites and are both amazed. Me a little bit more. I really really enjoyed this burrito. Maybe because it has rice instead of potatoes, I'm not sure, but it was delicious. My wife also really enjoyed hers; she gave it a 7.5 out of 10. I give my burrito a 9/10. Our chilaquiles were a whole other story and flavor profile. The carne asada that came with it was life changing. Whatever seasoning they used on tha carne asada is perfect. My wife was deeply impressed. The sauce, the chips, the eggs, beans and rice were all very very good as well. All complimented each other very well. If you're ever in the van Nuys area, please stop here for breakfast, you won't regret it!

What Devine delicious place to eat at big portions great tasting great carne asada burrito will be…read moregoing back anytime I get a chance for lovely Mexican food and also the man that took my order was very helpful and new all the different sauces they put on it great place thank you so much

Lovely spot for Mexican food with fun vibes!…read more I came for Sunday brunch/lunch with some friends. I made a reservation through Yelp a couple days beforehand and there was plenty of availability. The restaurant is located right off Ventura Blvd and has an attached parking garage in the basement which can be accessed via the parking lot behind the restaurant. There were plenty of spots available Sunday afternoon when I came. It's a bit hidden, but there is an elevator from the garage to the top level where the restaurant is located as well. We had two babies in strollers with us, so I requested a table with plenty of space nearby for the strollers. They seated us outside on their covered patio, and indeed, we had plenty of space. I peeked inside and there's also a nice lounge area with a beautiful flower wall as well as a proper dining area. When we arrived, there was a live DJ spinning tunes. I assume he's there during brunch hours, as he left around 3 pm when brunch ended. I started with a frozen lime margarita ($12). It was okay; it felt like it was only half frozen as the ice wasn't blended that well. For my main, I got the famous Anejo carne asada and shrimp plate for $40. Yes it was pricy, but the portion size was also huge! I was starving and somehow managed to finish the plate, but it'd be a great dish to share for two people with small appetites. I really enjoyed it as well. I asked for the steak to be cooked rare, and they didn't overcook it. Each bite was super tender and flavorful and paired well with the rice. Everyone else also enjoyed their dish. One friend got the wet chicken burrito for $15 and it was massive! Another got the veggie fajitas with steak added and really enjoyed her dish as well. Solid food all around. I would love to come back on a weekday and try their happy hour! Sipping on $5 margaritas and $6 sangrias sounds like my idea of a great time!

Great experience! Authentic food so delicious. I like the dish of sautéed vegetables it's healthy…read moreand yummy Karen was so amazing and helpful! Thank you

Amazing evening!! Great food. Everything had different flavors that worked so well together…read more Gotta order the cauliflower and fish tacos. Also come on Taco Tuesdays. Great music. Service was amazing. Kieran was a great waiter!!

HUGE shoutout to Kiki, Anya and Jake who made our first time here AMAZING…read more We came for happy hour on Sunday based on a recommendation from a friend. we got the Guac & Salsa tower and their Casita Margarita. both 10/10 the salsas were flavorful and the guac was freshhh margaritas made by our wonderful bartender Kiki and so delicious, we couldn't stop. she was so helpful and kind. Anya, Kiki and Jake went above and beyond to help us celebrate our anniversary we cannot wait to come back!!

Had friends in today from out of town who were craving some good Mexican Food so we made our way…read moreover to Salsa and Beer! Despite it being the middle of the day and a Tuesday it was still hard to find parking and we parked on the side streets and walked. The main entrance is not well marked and we were pointed to the side door. On entering it was nice and air conditioned and we were seated quickly. Menus are on the qr codes on the table but the menu is hard to scroll through because you have to click each different items to look at and then scroll down and up. We asked for regular menus to make it easier and we were given menus that had hole punches throughout from punching out all the prices because I'm assuming prices have gone up. I hope that they could make the virtual menu a little easier to look at since i think they might be phasing out their physical menus. While we waited on our order we were given delicious chips and spicy bean dip which were excellent. So delicious. For salsa we were directed to the salsa bar. While I think the bar is cool, the tiny cups to get salsa are too small. I would have liked the bean dip sized bowl to get enough, instead of having to get several tiny cups which are hard to scoop from with the chips. I orderd the #7 which was a cheese enchilada, a crunchy beef taco, and rice and beans. My friends ordered two different taquitos plates, one orderd a fajitas plate, and the youngest got cheese quesedilla. My food was delicious but the portion was so large that I could only eat the taco and take the rest to go! Same with My friends, everyone ate maybe a 3rd to a half of the plate and then we all needed to go boxes. Overall a very delicious visit!

Salsa & Beer is a Valley staple, and for good reason! The food is consistently delicious and…read moreflavorful and the portions are literally humongous. One meal can easily be split between multiple people. My favorites are the green enchiladas and the spicy chipotle burrito, and the rice and beans are just as flavorful and delicious as the main entrees. Upon being seated, you are served a spicy and cheesy bean dip with fresh chips, and there is a salsa bar inside where you can fill up on your choice of salsas. I sat in the outside patio area in my most recent visit, and while the quality of the food didn't change, the service was not the greatest; my table and a couple of other tables had a difficult time flagging anyone down for refills, to go containers, or the bill. There's also a pretty big price difference between paying with card and paying with cash; multiple menu items were at least 3-4 dollars more if you plan to pay with card. Still, the food is good and if you're craving some hearty and comforting Mexican food, S&B is a good option.

This food is absolutely amazing. It's delicious, filling with the best service around. I highly…read morerecommend coming here with family, friends or even a nice date. It's an absolute must! If you can ask for Debany she made the experience 1000 times better. I will never forget how she made us feel.

Debany is the best waiter I've ever had she was incredibly polite and welcoming. Her service was…read moreexcellent, and she made the whole experience enjoyable. I highly recommend asking for Debany if you visit this restaurant!

Probably 4.5 stars. Nothing fancy here, just great Mexican food!…read more Order at the counter (or online). We tried breakfast burritos, asada burritos, birria tacos and sopes. Everything tasted very good, fresh ingredients and flavors... delicious! Good prices and portions, too! This place is very well-managed. Experienced workers had my large to-go order ready on time and they double-checked it for accuracy. Good amount of parking in back. Highly recommended!

Been hearing about this place for a long time. Finally tried it, and now have good Mexican…read morerestaurant to go to. Parking is small, but there's plenty of parking around and across the street. Went on a Tues around 12 wasn't to busy but I'm sure it's packed on weekends and evenings. Plenty of in door and out door seating. You can call in or order on line and pick up food at the take out window outside. You place your order, find a seat and enjoy. Employees are very nice. Helpful. Great salsa bar. I had 2 sopes , one chicken, the other asada delicious. Rice and beans were good. Also tried a beef hard shell taco. Again delicious. Wife had a chile relleno plate and she loved it. My fried had a huge nacho plate and two tacos. Food is fresh as if you were eating at a family gathering. Restaurant is clean. A few tv s. Didn't get a beer maybe next time, enjoyed a Jamaica. Looking forward to going back!

Solid Mexican eatery in a very nondescript building in Northridge, Tierra Caliente brings a lot of…read morefire with some tasty food and beverages. Don't let the exterior of the building deter you from checking out this hidden gem. Once you enter, you are greeted by an incredibly friendly staff and some authentic Mexican decor. The menu is stacked with a lot of traditional staples. The food overall is simply tasty and the portion sizes are large. Prices are very reasonable for the amount and quality of food and drink. A special note is the chile relleno, any burrito, and the molcajete, which is filled with incredible chicken, steak, shrimp, cactus, cheese, and wonderfully-spiced vegetables that is perfect to share. The spices and flavor are on point and delicious. Fun atmosphere is perfect for couples and families, and a bar with a big screen TV has the latest live sporting events for those patrons. Plenty of parking in a retail lot and the restrooms are clean and well-stocked. Tierra Caliente is bringing the very best of Mexican cuisine in the area and Northridge is at the epicenter of this fire. Check them out!

The only real complaint I have is that I didn't discover this place sooner!…read moreThe decor immediately sets the tone; warm, welcoming, and perfectly matching the vibe of the staff. Our servers were attentive without being pushy, making the entire dining experience effortless. As for the food? Outstanding. Every single bite was bursting with bright, vibrant flavors that remind me why I love the Valley's food scene so much. As a chile relleno connoisseur I'm glad they didn't ruin my favor didn't dish. We will definitely be back.