We have been coming to Cabrera's for a number of years. I was surprised to recently find I had never posted a review. We discovered Cabrera's during the almost 2 year time span when our then go-to for Mexican, La Fiesta Grande in So. Pasadena, closed and their new location on Glenarm/Marengo opened. We tried a multitude of Pasadena places, including Mijares, Casa del Rey, Margaritas and El Torito (gringo!). Cabrera's was our fave, with a better location for us vs. La Fiesta. Their menu extended beyond the "ordinary", and I liked their plating/presentation. A slice of cucumber or orange adds a lot to a mound of shredded lettuce garnish. Mind you, our family fave for +40 years is still El Tepeyac in Boyle Heights, but that's quite a shlep. Cabrera's has also been around awhile (40 years) and now has 3 locations--Arcadia (the original), Pasadena and Duarte. All are owned/co-owned by 2 families, one named Cabrera. The Pasadena location is near the corner of Lake and Orange Grove, next to popular breakfast spot The Reyn, with which it shares a rear parking lot. All locations have a full bar. I have ordered off the regular menu, breakfast menu and Happy Hour bar menu. The breakfast menu is mostly offered on weekends when they open at 10 am, but you can ask for it weekdays at 11 am opening. My fave dish is the chilaquiles. As stated before, their all-day menu has some unique items, but I stick with the more gringo choices. Their chile rellenos used to be quite large, with the poblano chile clearly visible. They're a bit smaller and more generic now, but still fine. We order it as a 2 or 3-item combo or a la carte. Note their complimentary chips and salsa comes with 2 salsas, one red and one dark green (smoky and quite spicy). Lately we have been coming here for their Tuesday or Wednesday specials. Tuesdays is of course Taco Tuesday, and I love their crispy beef tacos. They have a special avocado salsa on Tuesdays. Every Wednesday, a certain dish is 50% off for the entire month if you order a soft drink, a great value. The most recent specials were fish tacos and steak or chicken fajitas, both delish. As AARP members, we usually arrive at 11 am opening. Inevitably either Christian and/or Guillermo, scions of the 2 founding families, are on duty then (Christian is the Pasadena manager)--shout outs to both of them! We are very comfy and happy with our newish go-to for Mexican food. read more

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I've been coming to Cabrera's more often lately for lunch, especially when there's a game on like the World Cup. They have plenty of TVs, so it's a fun spot to grab a bite and watch soccer. The main reason I've been coming back is Taco Tuesday. The tacos are around $2 each, come with a decent amount of meat, and they also give you chips and salsa. They usually have carne asada, chicken, carnitas, and chorizo. I can normally eat about 4 to 5 tacos and be pretty stuffed, so I think it's a great deal and definitely worth stopping by on Tuesdays. I've had some of their other menu items before, and they were just okay. But between the Taco Tuesday special and all the TVs for watching games, I've definitely found myself coming back more often. If you're looking for a casual place to catch a soccer match or other sporting events and grab some affordable tacos, this is a solid spot. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Taco Tuesday's ! - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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It was hot this day and I assumed the ac would be on well, so the service was slow. The hostess came to seat us chewing her food like we interrupted her break. Anyway their food is good I had the chipotle chicken with veggies and Spanish rice. The chipotle sauce was good but there was a lot of it . It comes with tortillas as well. Again tasty food and the decor is authentic yet I can't support the staff. I can say the server , he was continually coming by to make sure all was well. So the AC in this place apparently was on and yet it seemed like it wasn't, I say this because I started to feel sweat on my back and I asked the server and he said yes, the ac was on and did not work well. read more

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I look forward to having lunch or dinner at Cabreras. I have tried most of their menu and everything is great, the service is also good and their weekly deals. read more

Wonderful spot to enjoy Mexican food it's delicious, they are incredibly creative with their display of alcohol, the servers help often I would recommend 9/10 pricing is great for a family of 4+ read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

My second visit to Cabrera's Mexican Restaurant and it didn't disappoint! I had the shrimp cocktail it was good. My friend ordered the fajita plate with chicken, steak, and shrimp, served with rice and beans... it looked amazing and she loved it! We also enjoyed nopal, guacamole, and of course chips and salsa. The service was top-notch, the place is spotless, and the decor is beautiful. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to! read more

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CARLA rules! Stopped in with some friends after doing errands in the area. It was their first time and we all will definitely be back. Carla is amazing, best service ever. The happy hour is INSANE, in a good way. 3-6pm. You would be stupid not to check it out. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Happy hour Menu - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Food. 10/10. Tacos. Chips. Queso. Chimichanga. Solid. Drinks-margarita. Zero alcohol. Pad a lot for coconut flavor. Service. Slow. Asked for each item. No water for almost 20 min. Great music. Bad Bunny!! Little sterile inside but no worries. If based on food alone 5/5. Not too expensive either. read more

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Great googly moogly, what a restaurant. It's definitely a top 10 Mexican spot for me. My best friend and I eat here frequently, and will happily pay to eat their great plates of mole con pollo, enchiladas, and sizzling fajita plates. That is if the little starter salsitas and fresh tortilla chips don't fill you up. Don't skip out on their drink menu too as their blended and classic margaritas and cocktails are clutch as well, and may be deceptively boozier than they taste. End your delicious meal with flan or churros, both of which are also perfectly sweet. read more

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This place is delicious. Our waiter was very upbeat, friendly and on top of our table. Very authentic Mexican vibes inside. The mojara was so good I ate every last bite. I'll definitely be dropping by again. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine has a roomy dining area, which is perfect for families, couples, and groups. Our server was super friendly and welcoming, which we appreciated. That said, the service overall could have been more efficient. Some items were missing from our order, like tortillas for my fajitas and onions and cilantro for my friend's tacos. After our food came out, we weren't really checked in on, even though the restaurant wasn't very busy during lunch. The food itself was just okay. The carne asada taco plate was a bit disappointing. The meat was tough and lacked seasoning. The trio fajitas and burrito were a bit better, but still underwhelming. The proteins in the fajitas didn't have much flavor, even with cheese on top. Given the price point, we expected better. The saving grace was dessert. We ordered churros with ice cream, and they were honestly the highlight of the meal. Crispy, warm, and paired perfectly with the ice cream, they helped pep us up after a so-so lunch. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Churros - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Dropped in for lunch and was not disappointed. This place has the authentic Mexican food vibe which I loved. The service was great, our waiter was very attentive and patient since we had a relatively large party. I got a Cadillac margarita, it was decent. I ordered a two Chicken taco plate that came with rice and beans and it was solid! We ordered guac for the table which was really good! This place is worth a try! read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Cadillac Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

We recently came here on a weekday evening and entered to a near-empty room. We were seated pretty quickly and then completely ignored for what seemed to be "forever". I finally waved a server down and he took our order, but drinks took a really long time to arrive, as did the food. As usual, our dinner was ok, but the service was kind of lacking. The final straw came when another (female) server brought the little machine with the bill over and she'd automatically selected a 22% tip. W.T.F.??? I never tip that much, and in this case that wasn't going to happen b/c of the subpar service we'd experienced. I thought this was low-class (bordering on sneaky) and that Cabrera's was/is better. Bad move, there... We'll probably be back, but that experience with the check and the poor service left a bad taste in my mouth this last time. read more

Not a bad place lots if seating and pretty fast service we order led a few different plates. Carnitas Michocan, Mocajete Norteño, shrimp, Caldo de Res and forbdeinks Michaladas. The Michaladas needed help,the person that made them must have been new at bartending they were super watery. The Mocajete was very good wifey and son loved it!!! The Carnitas Michocan needed something nothing sure maybe it was the beans not your typical homemade with Cotija... They tasted more like from a can... My daughter really enjoyed the Caldo de Res the bowl was huge!!! Mixed feeling but overall not bad for the price, I rated 4 stars but real close to a 3, because of the beans and Michaladas 2 main staples of Mexican culture need to always stand out!! read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Carnitas Plate - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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First time here. Food and service was great will come again thank you. Didn't get the breakfast menu until we asked. read more

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Horrible experience! The busser was the best but everything else was awful. Took 42 minutes to get food. Cold food The two servers were talking the chef was backed up but the place was empty complete opposite from my last experience there 2 years ago. Place has gone down hill. No lock on the men's bathroom door. I asked for extra cheese and my dish came with no cheese. Won't be going back Here are images of people bored waiting because it was such slow and bad service read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Empty but people waiting - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This is a great place to go and watch the game and enjoy good food! Also they will be bringing back karaoke on Friday nights. All of the staff were very friendly. Krissi, the manager, stopped by all tables and had lively and authentic conversations with patrons. My dad was thrilled with the steak tostada salad. I ordered the carnitas which came with beans and rice. Everything was very tasty. This was my first time back in a long time. I truly felt like family when I left. Highly recommend! read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Menu cover - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

My whole family has been coming to this place for a few years now, and we absolutely love it! The servers are super friendly and attentive, which makes our visits even more enjoyable. The food is fantastic, and one of our all-time favorites is the "Mole." And you definitely can't leave without trying one of the scrumptious desserts--my personal favorite is the "flan." read more

Update: 9/6/25 Fajitas, fajitas and fajitas. Cabrera's has the absolute best fajitas and servers. Look at my photo. Tony and Abby were very helpful. We went in at 7:30 and all the tables were filled. The food is excellent and the employees are curious and friendly. You will love Cabrera's! read more

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Great authentic Mexican food, reminds me of mom's cooking vibes, the service was also great I'd recommend stopping by.

First time here !! Pleasantly impressed with everything. Food was amazing . I loved the rice ! Mexican candy shots were on point ! First time having chicharron guacamole . Bomb!! Will definitely come back read more

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Food, Ambiance and Service was exceptional. Krissy our server was awesome and so attentive. I wasn't sure what drink to have, Krissy suggested the "Beso" and oh it didn't disappoint. My husband order the shrimp ceviche and I ordered the shrimp coctel, so good 10/10. We were in an area of Pasadena where we didn't think Cabrera's would be authentic Mexican food but oh were we so wrong. Just everything about the place exceeded our expectations. We also met the owner, such a nice person. P.S Krissy the show was so good, thumbs up! read more

The servers are so sweet here! I came in a small group and they were so kind throughout my meal. I ordered the passion fruit margarita to start and loved it- presentation was so cute. For my main, I had the Carnitas Michoacán. The meat was tender and the portion was so huge that I had leftovers. I also had a michelada and it was super refreshing. Would definitely come back for more! :) read more

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We reserved in advance to set up a table of 12 to watch the World Cup game. We arrived and they did not have the game on or sound on. In addition, they told us that they would not be able to do that because they had two long-standing customers that they didn't want to anger with the sound of the game. We acknowledged that and said please just try your best. We could not hear the game and missed the national anthem. We decided that it would be best to just sit at the bar where they would have sound. They said they would force us to pay 20% and one bill for everyone. We said OK we will separate and they were being completely inattentive. We were cheering for our team and they told us that we cannot get out of our seats. We felt so disrespected and wanted to leave. We had such a big group that we ended up staying, but will never come back. read more

I've been here five times and the service is always exceptional. Today i came in again for the fajitas and the manager Krissi changed my experience from a 4star to solid 5star. Her professionalism and humor just made me laugh. If you're lucky you will meet Krissi. Must Go!!!!!! read more

One of the best authentic Mexican restaurants in Pasadena. Their enchiladas are absolutely my favorite. They are very flavorful and delicious, with just the right amount of sauce and cheese. The staff is always friendly, even when they are busy.If you're a margarita fan their spicy jalapeno margarita is the best in town. read more

I went to the Pasadena court today, and left early so wanted to try a new spot around it. I was feeling like Mexican food, and I'm glad I checked the reviews prior to coming in. The place is cute, it was pretty quiet for lunch but it was nice for me. I ordered the Cocido plate (caldo de res) and let me tell you, it reminded me of my mother's caldo! So good!! The service was extremely attentive and the ladies were so nice. Plus I had a michelada and I was not mad at it at all. I'm definitely coming back here if I'm in Pasadena again. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Cocido Soup- so good!!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

The food is always amazing and staff is so kind and friendly! We've come here twice for Father's Day and it's always been a pleasant experience. read more

The bartender Anabel is amazing and prepare excellent drinks the food is very good avocado with chicharones so delicious. read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Good food - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is my spot! Good size restaurant. Pretty good service when I dine in on the bar and/or booth side. The drinks are always good. The happy hour menu has great deals and great food. When I'm not doing HH, my go-to plate is the shrimp and crab enchiladas. It's so good! read more

food was amazing and fresh ! staffs are nice. they greet you and you can ask questions from the menu without them getting annoyed . i'd deff gonna come back ! read more

Looking for Mexican in Pasadena, we found Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine on Yelp. We liked that we saw vegan options on the menu. They offer soyrizo as a meat option and potato tacos as À la carte. Our service was excellent, young man very personable and fun interactive with our group. When he found out we were celebrating my mom's birthday, they dimmed the lights, came out with a piece of Flan with a lite up sparkler. The food and drinks were plentiful and delicious! Free parking behind the restaurant was very welcoming and convenient. read more

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Cabrera's gets an "A+" for ambience and a friendly staff, but the food gets a "C-" at best. The meat in the taquitos and tacos have zero flavor. Skimpy portion of guacamole with the taquitos - much more is needed to help make up for what is lacking in the filling. The margarita I ordered was also sub-par. So disappointing! read more

I'm a huge fan of Cabreras! They took care of me at another location and after having an incredible experience in Arcadia, we decided to try Pasadena as well! Very consistent food and drinks. The ambiance is very similar, some places have larger outside areas than others. Everyone working here is very nice and polite! read more

The seafood was old, steak super chewy. This was my second time there and what a huge difference from my first experience 2 years ago.

Came for lunch got the Grande Burrito which is wet and delicious and the Cocido was super flavorful as well.... read more

Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine - Cocido - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

We came here to celebrate a birthday and had 27 guests. The staff was very attentive. Food was great and a fun time was had!

The staff is super nice and friendly. The food is ok. The food is not good. The guacamole was ok. I was surprised it's been open so long. I suppose others like it. They have lots of customers. But I won't go back. read more

Food was great, Molcajete was grand and so was my beef fajitas. Service was fabulous.

was craving some frozen margaritas and found this place on yelp- so glad we did! ~Food~ mangoneada margarita: 10/10, perfect mango to chamoy ratio and the mango flavor was great coconut margarita: 8/10 still yummy but preferred the mangoneada. this one had a bit of an aftertaste and stronger alcohol taste molcajete de mariscos: 10/10 everything was so tender and flavorful. this was enough for two and we had a lot of leftovers tacos a la mexicana: 9/10 tacos were very filling with great soft tortillas. loved the rice and cheesy beans ~Service: amazing service! was one of the friendliest services i've ever received. the server was always checking in and refilled our waters and gave us napkins before we even knew we needed them! ~Parking: limited parking in back or street parking read more

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