Our go-to place for Mexican food in the area. Consistently good food, a menu with nice variety, friendly service, cold cervezas and strong margaritas...what's not to like? Much better than the competition in the area. It can get crowded at times, but that's because others think the same way we do! read more

Of course the chips and salsa are great given the name of the place. We love the carne asada, it's among the best I've had. Other items we've tried have all been solid. read more

This place has fake Mexican meat which they call "Asada". Their Horchata is a joke and frankly an insult to any Mexican that knows the true flavors of Mexican food. Will never be returning here because on top of that, it's over priced. The service was good which is the only reason why it gets 2 stars. And I really highly doubt anyone named "Mark" knows anything about Mexican food. (Talking about the response to this post) I think it's rude that someone from the restaurant is basically calling me ignorant without even knowing me. Especially since customers just like I was, PAY HIS SALARY!!! He should be inviting me back to his restaurant in hopes I change my mind about the food...Highly unprofessional, and probably the reason why the restaurant is far from good!!!!! STAY AWAY!!!! I have now taken one star off and I would give it 0 if I could!! Go to Carnivale!! You will not be disappointed!!! Excellent food and exceptional service! And you won't find rude unprofessional people like "Mark"! SHARE MY REVIEW PLEASE! read more

Bartender needs to get a new job where a personality is not required. My wife and I went in to have a few margaritas before coming home to make dinner. The male bartender barely looked at us, said little to nothing, but I ordered nonetheless. Seriously, how hard is it to welcome someone to your restaurant? Although another female worker was friendly and engaging (we spoke with her about a movie she had seen recently), he basically ignored us aside from a few "fly bys". The female worker engaged us and was friendly when the male bartender ate his dinner on the patron side of the bar. Not that we cared about that, but don't you think common courtesy dictates at least a statement like "she'll take care of you while a take a small break, is there anything I can get for you right now?" When he was working again, his wife came in with his baby. The baby is very cute. My wife asked if it was his baby. He said "yes". She asked how old, again trying to give him a chance to be human to his customers, and with his BACK to us he said how old she was. My wife asked her name and he mumbled it, again with his back to us. We still have no idea her name. The remainder of our "experience" was him talking to a patron or two who walked in, presumably friends as he told them his wife and child were there, and looking at us only if our drinks were empty. When he thought we were done his only word, quite curtly, was, "Check?" When I handed him the cash when my check arrived, I asked if he was at all interested in how we liked our food, how we liked our drinks, etc. He gave us an annoyed, "sorry" and stated that most couples just wanted time to themselves. I guess he wasn't paying attention to the fact that we started a conversation with the female employee about the movie, we asked about his child, and we tried on a number of occasions to enhance our brief night out with some friendly conversation. I can be ignored anywhere. We frequent many restaurants with inferior food, but much superior service. We'll be going back to them, not here. read more

Not a fan... the decor is so outdated & the carpet is gross. This place needs a total over haul. Our server was good, very attentive and knowledgeable. The Margaritas were decent, didn't like they were served inside a soda glass. The chips were random, some stale, some fresh. I did like the individual salsas. We ordered out food and it did come out in a timely manner. The beans were to salty, my tacos were to spicy(chipotle seasoning & salt), my rice had no seasoning. Our enchiladas also had to much seasoning, almost to the point of being not edible. And now we have the bus boys vacuuming & cleaning the tables(spanking the chairs with a towel). The check was brought, our bill was $47.73, we put in a $50 & a $20, they gave us back 2 $10's. Kind of like saying we have to tip them one of them. This place reminds me of "the cup" in Countryside Mexican style... not a fan or a returning customer. read more

I ordered a taco salad. I had a torilla with a small amount of lettuce, 2 tomato slices, a small amount of cheese, some hamburger and a couple slices of onion. I have had indigestion all aftennoon since eating that - I should have sent it back. I won't eve go there again. read more

If your looking for authentic Mexican cafe salsa is not the spot. The food is expensive and it was not that good. We wanted to try something new I don't blame cafe salsa for the food it's just not what I'm looking for when I want Mexican (it is more Americanized) The service was non existent for the first 20mins. The hostess sat us down and we received chips and salsa. After that we did not have anyone assist us for 20 mins. We were looking around and every waitress just walked right passed us. Finally a waiter came and assisted us, he was very friendly, efficient and made the experience so much better. read more

The fajitas bar is the best I have ever had! I ordered catering for 30 people and this is the first time that I have no leftovers. Best customer service, on the phone and when the food was delivered. I highly recommend! read more

We're big fans of Cafe Salsa. We always get the Southwest Salad, it comes with fresh avocado, char-grilled chicken strips that are perfectly seasoned for this salad and it's tossed in this homemade dressing that really should be bottled. The salad can feed 2 people easy. The CHILE RELLENO is simple and perfect - If you want steak the stuffed carne asada is one of the best we've every had. We've never been disappointed. If you want tacos, the hard shell here is amazing, and doesn't crumble into pieces after the first bite. Really love the tacos here. Salsa and guac are the best we've had, we always order more to bring home. They have a nice bar and the staff are always very friendly and boy do they know tequila. They could use better silverware, when we order the steak or chicken I always wished I brought my own fork and knife from home. It all looks so pretty on the plate, but the silverware feels flimsy and cheap. Strange comment, but I believe it would add to the overall feel of the dining experience. read more

We were in town from Kansas City, MO. Stopped in for dinner on a Sunday night and absolutely loved it. Had read the rave reviews about the salsa and chips and we completely agree! The food presentation was beautiful. Our entire experience was just fantastic. Great food and service! Susana was our server and she was just wonderful! If we ever stop through here again, we will be sure to make it a point to eat at Cafe Salsa! read more

I have never had a bad experience at this place. The food here is amazing, and this is one of the top places my girlfriend and I love to go for a nice dinner. The steak tostado's are phenomenal, and definitely my favorite dish. I am always full before my meal arrives, because of the amazing unlimited chips and salsa. Their salsa is probably the best salsa I have ever had. There are times I will just eat the salsa with a spoon and no chips, and I rarely do that with salsas or condiments. The service has always been amazing, and the waiters/waitresses go out of their way to ensure you are being taken care of. Overall, this is the best Mexican restaurant I have been to, and I will continue to be a loyal customer. read more

Everything here is delicious! Awesome customer service and very reasonable prices. I go here every time I am looking to get Mexican food!

this is a nice place for good, quick, inexpensive mexican food. they aren't all that authentic, but the portions are good, the prices are reasonable, and the food is yummy. be careful not to fill up on tortilla chips - they'll bring you an endless supply. my favorite dish is the bbq chicken quesadilla!! plus, if it's your birthday, they'll bring out a sombrero and take your picture in it! it's fun if you get into that kind of thing, but it's even better when you do it to a friend who hates it! ^_^ read more

Very friendly service. Our waitress Susana was very sweet and helpful and knowledgeable with answering our questions about the different sauces. Food was plentiful, drinks were strong. Even the busboy was very sweet. read more

I fell in love with the chile relleno dinner. Amazing. Great chips & salsa, excellent service, good atmosphere & some strong margaritas. Worth returning? Mos def. read more

Was not happy this time. Our server wasn't friendly at all, looked like she was having a bad day. The food was ok. The chips & salsa were good. read more

Love this place! They have fantastic Patron margaritas - worth every penny, seriously ORDER one. We've been here a few times and have had tacos, tamales, carne asada, enchiladas, and carnitas. Everything has been delicioso and the service has been great. There's a bar in the front where you can order if it's busy and the outdoor patio is cool too. read more

Very so, so. From out of town so we stopped here. Wouldn't come back if I lived nearby. Nothing bad but, nothing good.

So pleased!! We catered steak/chicken tacos and steak/chicken fajitas for my sons birthday party this past weekend. The food was excellent!! The portion sizes are fair, I catered for 30 when I had 25 guests and we had plenty of food for seconds and leftovers. Also the sides are fantastic, you cant beat it for the price per person. We will be catering Cafe Salsa again. read more

The food is pretty good, you go for a pitcher of margaritas. I wish they would have an adult section since the kids are allowed to run wild. read more

We love this place - it is our "go to" at least every few weeks. The food (especially the chips!) is great. We really enjoy the patio during the warmer months. read more

Ordered chicken mole. Chicken tasted and looked like processed chicken that you would get in a TV dinner. Mole sauce had minimal flavor. My husband had a combination platter, which also was not good--edible but not good. Maybe for chips and margarita's it's fine, but food is very poor quality. This place is not for me. read more

I am TOTALLY shocked at some of the negative reviews. We cannot say enough POSITIVE things about Cafe Salsa. EVERYONE from the owner to the service staff are EXCELLENT, in addition, to all of the food and drinks. We're tried almost everything on the menu (throughout the past 20 years), and it's all DELICIOUS and FRESH. read more

Good food, outstanding service, awesome margaritas. We have been patrons of this restaruant for over 20 years. We so appreciate the fact we are greeted as old friends when we come to dine. Special shout to Chandro who we view as a friend. read more

Great freshly baked chips and salsa. Fiesta platter was delicious! -- beef skirt steak skewer was perfectly prepared. Cheese quesadilla was tasty. Rice and been very good. Food was presented very nicely. Waiter was attentive and friendly. I really, really liked this restaurant. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys flavorful Mexican food. read more

I have been going here for years, and is hands down the closest to authentic Mexican food you would most likely eat in southern California. The serve homemade tortilla chips that are flaky and warm. The best chips ever. You are also given your own salsa, so double dip away. I have tried numerous items from the menu and they a always big portions with the freshest ingredients. Their ice tea is also my favorite, it has a peach taste to it. The staff are always pleasant and attentive. read more

Our Wednesday goto place for Margs and Mexican. Food is only good but the Margs are strong and good. Staff is great.

The best restaraunt for great food and service. Juan is the best waiter I ever had at any establishment. Philly and Checka compliment the friendly staff and are always very helpful. A must if your in the area. read more

I will not be going back to Cafe Salsa. The beef tacos were so greasy that it dripped off the end. I ate one, but could not stomach any more. The rice and beans were tasty. Another person who order steak in our group said his food was also greasy. The other two in our group who ordered chicken thought their food was okay but nothing special. read more

Used to be a great place. One of my favs. Really in need of some maintenance. Carpet is filthy and decor hasn't been changed in decades. Entrance smells like dirty water. Sad to say I think it's Cafe Salsa is past its prime. I really hope they give it some TLC. I loved this place. read more

I've been coming to Cafe Salsa for over 10 years, and have never had anything but a fantastic experience! I always get the steak tacos, which are amazing, and their margaritas are great too. The service is always friendly and speedy! I go to a lot of Mexican restaurants as Mexican is my favorite type of cuisine, and I can honestly say there is not another restaurant out there like Cafe Salsa. I would strongly recommend going! read more

I went to Cafe Salsa on Wednesday. I had a great time. The enchiladas were excellent! Really enjoyed the margaritas and they were half off. The only problem was we had to wait awhile for the food to come out, but it was busy. I would defiantly go back again! read more

Tonight my wife and I had possibly the worst dining experience ever. The entre my wife ordered normally comes as light on ranchero sause but was submerged in so much sause you barely see the steak. It had drowned. When bring it to waiters attention,it was nothing but pure attitude and riolling of the eyes with few sarcastic comments. The refills on our beverages seemed to take forever. When wife asked for something else as entre and asked for Authentic steak tacos the waitet seemed bit confused as to what that even meant. After taking entres back,we left the table for 5 mim max to go for cigarette outside,only to come back and notice our table was completely cleared. When asking for manager,our waiter adressed us as being the manager as well while trying to rush us out. The manager had also our cellphones at the front check in and in lamen turns didnt care about how we were treated,the food being prepared at all and was extemely unprofessional. After leaving we headed to Cocula across the street and had far better experience. At Cafe Salso the service sucks as well as the food. How appalling... read more

Really gone downhill. I've been going here for awhile and every time we go it gets worse. The food is not authentic as it's served-doused in sauce. I ordered the carne asada which was swimming in ranchero. I get that it comes with ranchero sauce but this is overkill. Can't even taste the true flavor of the steak. The service is more of a turn em and burn em type-they want you in and out so they can fill the seat again. The server I had tonight was CLEARLY annoyed by me sending back the over sauced dish. I typically do not send food back as I've been a server for many years and I know it can be frustrating but to roll your eyes at me and laugh? I then ordered the steak tacos and asked that they be prepared authentically-Mexican style with onions cilantro and lime. He laughed and said that he didn't know what I meant by authentic and that the rice had a small amount of sauce in a condescending manner. My husband and I then stepped outside for a cigarette and left our belongings at the table. We come back and every staff member is looking at us-stopped in their tracks. Our table was cleared and our belongings were at the host stand. I asked to speak to the manager. Our server comes-apparently he WAS the manager. He told me that he thought I walked out. He said he knows I was disappointed and that I should just leave. He gave us our belongings and rushed us out of the restaurant. I have NEVER been so insulted at a restaurant in my life. All because I didn't like my dish swimming in soup. The worst Mexican restaurant and that goes for food and service. What a huge disappointment. Oh I forgot to mention the lipstick all over the rim of my glass. And this Mark guy leaving nasty immature comments towards anyone who has had a bad experience with this place. That in itself speaks volumes. He responds to my husbands comment with "grow up". Really? What a shame that he is representing customer service. Guess it makes sense though. read more

Consistantly good food and service. Good pitchers of margars, great chips and salsa. Steaks and tuna are top notch for a joint like this. Short and sweet, this is one of our faves, period. read more

This is NOT MEXICAN!!!! Had a horrible first time experience and will never go back. The food was not authentic! Tasted bland and just plain disappointing, there drinks were below standards. I dont know who taught them how to make margaritas, but last time i checked you do not pour salt into a margarita. The wait staff was clumsy and took forever to come back to the table to check up on us. I do not understand why this place is so busy! The pictures look great but when you order it does not turn out the same. read more

Their margarita's are the absolute best. The food is ok. The service runs hot and cold. Mostly good. We go here about 2 times a month. Parking can be challenging. The margaritas make it worth the effort. They have a nice patio for the warmer months. The atmosphere is fun. The salsa is wonderful. We will be back! read more

I work in the area and have been here on several occasions, unfortunately i don't believe i will be returning. Although the food is really good and wait staff friendly i was horrified at what i saw on my last visit. I took a group of prospective business people on Saturday which just happened to be National Margarita Day (or so i was told). The place was packed and while waiting for our table i saw the bartender approach a young girl (another employee) and began berating her in front of everyone. He just kept screaming at her because she used the phone which apparently in frowned upon. I was embarrassed not just for the girl but for my group as well since i was the one who suggested the place. It was just uncomfortable and really uncalled for. Management really needs to retrain this bartender. it just set a poor tone for the evening. read more

been eating here for more than twenty years. used to love this place. just not the same. now they've completely changed the chili con queso. it's orange instead of red, tastes like crap, no frijoles at the bottom,plus, it's now smaller...but costs more. the food seems to be hastily made, and low quality. the carne asada is now the worst...pretty much tasteless. service is slowest i've ever seen. fifteen minutes for beer re-fill...on a very slow saturday night. ordered two dinners to go. waitress asked if we preferred corn tortillas or flour. told her flour. didn't matter, because when we got home, there were NONE. requested some jalapenos. got a bowl full of pickled carrots. they seem more concerned with pushing expensive margaritas, than with the quality of the food. sorry...not coming back. ever. there are too many better places now. read more

I recently attended a first recognition luncheon for our group. There were about 35 of of us ready to dig into the combination fajita and taco bar. Full pans of beans, warm soft tortillas, harder taco shells, rice with a side of mild red salsa, and chopped romaine with fixins (think Caesar Salad). There were four choices for proteins: half pans each of grilled chicken fajitas, grilled beef fajitas, pulled chicken and taco meat. The salsa bar had a full case of real tortilla chips (no Doritos, here!), 1.5 gallons of mild/medium salsa, diced onion/tomato veggie mix, sliced jalapeno/carrot "giardeniera", half-gallons of spicy/hot salsa brava, and mild tomatillo salsa verde. Additional toppings included sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese and shredded lettuce. The beef fajitas were well-seasoned, tender, and grilled with a smoky edge. In a tie for close second were the two chicken offerings. The rice and beans seemed more bland than most, but a separate salsa served with them added a gentle kick. The tortilla chips were the authentic, thin kind- not Fritos, Doritos, Tostitos, or any other kind of "itos". Obviously, I hope this luncheon becomes annual event! read more