WOW. Stumbled upon this place on the Seed Oil Scout app and I cannot stop raving about it. This has…read moreto be one of the best meals I've had in OC in a while. Chef has crafted an exceptional menu with perfectly balanced and layered flavors. We got the chicken taco, nachos (secret menu item - thanks to our cashier!!), breakfast burrito, and steak tacos. I arrived famished and the 2 tacos was plenty of food - huge portions The nachos were hands down my favorite item - well seasoned tallow fried chips with plenty of toppings and the PORK???? Wow. Huge chunks, no grease or thick fat on it, meaty and delicious. Exceptional meal from the owners of Taco Mesa, we will absolutely be back!! And a drive thru if you're in a rush

I'm going to start this review by saying we go here often and we love the food. Quality is great…read moreand flavor is there. The drive through can take a bit , but it's not fast food so that has never bothered me. My one gripe, and it's enough for me to knock 2 stars, is their stinginess with salsa. Only Mexican restaurant I've ever been where they are vehemently stingy with their salsa. Order chips and pay close to $5 after tax and you get a solid amount of chips, but they only allow you 2 salsa and half the time they barely fill the salsa containers (honestly sometimes like 1/4 full which is less than an ounce of salsa). Again, it's literally the only Mexican food restaurant I've ever been to that limits you on salsa and it's not even reasonable. And this last time I went finally sent me over the edge because they charged me extra for salsa because I wanted more and I finally agreed to just pay up only to get home and realize half the containers were less than half full. Honestly unacceptable. And on top of that I'm a frequent customer that will tip a few bucks every time even though I'm not dining in and I continuously get screwed on the salsa.

Had a great lunch here. Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by Denise at the front counter…read more She was very friendly and gave us some good suggestions on what to try. Denise made our lunch trip quite enjoyable. Ended up having the fish tacos, shrimp tacos, surf and turf burrito and some beef birria tacos. Paired everything some Pacifico beers and a Michelada. This is a nice little restaurant with ample comfortable seating inside and out. Parking is also plentiful. It is also has some of the best salsa combos I have ever had! We will be returning.

Been on a carne asada taco bender for the most of 2026... Saw that this place was just a short…read moredrive from us AND they have watermelon drinks... had to try it. The tacos are fantastic! Not just the carne asada but the fish taco was great too. Lightly coated and fried to perfection. The chicken taquitos were very, very good too.. nice sauce on top with a bit of pico de gallo. Definitely recommend this place.

Found this place a little while back and honestly so glad that I did…read more Food is fresh. Quite an eclectic menu with items I don't typically see at other places. They have the huitalacoche (corn fungus) quesadilla that I really enjoy as well as their pupusa loroco y queso. Trying out their Lengua taco and taco jaracho which I have been eyeing for a while. All their food is tasty, made fresh. All bursting with flavor. Salsa bar is probably one of my favorites having literally a salsa made for every kind of taste bud. Don't let the small restaurant deceive you. Small restaraunt but with bit flavors. The tortilla made with the quesadilla is nice and soft but with a good chew to it. Tastes like a homemade corn tortilla versus flour. The cheese is rich and has a wonderful pull to it. The lengua is extremely tender, little skimpy on meat portion, but overall good taco. The jarocho taco which is basically a shrimp taco on a cheese crusted tortilla is excellent. Service is what you would expect at a ma and pop shop. The cashier was patient enough to explain to me what a jarocho taco was and also spoke English which was nice for me. Last time I dined I just used butchered Spanish and got by with that but thats on me with practicing more Spanish.

(I came been coming here on consistent basis for the last 6 months and I feel its finally time for…read morea review, I guess i cant keep this to myself any longer, Last revisit on February 03 2026) Some places don't announce themselves... they whisper to the people who are meant to find them. El Habanero is that kind of spot  the ultimate hidden gem. You walk in expecting a quick bite and somehow leave feeling like you discovered a secret the city has been quietly protecting. I ordered the carne asada torta and immediately realized this wasn't just a sandwich  this was architecture. The bread? Perfectly toasted, soft inside with just enough crisp to hold the universe together. It cradles everything like it knows how important its job is. Then the carne asada shows up  tender, juicy, smoky, and seasoned like someone's abuela personally supervised the grill. Every bite releases layers: char, citrus, salt, and warmth all hitting at once. The toppings don't just sit there either they collaborate. Creamy, fresh, bright, and balanced so the meat stays the star while everything else plays the perfect supporting role. The sauces? I'm convinced they bend time, because the torta disappears way faster than logic allows. This isn't just food  it's the kind of meal that makes you pause mid-bite and look around to see if anyone else realizes what just happened. El Habanero didn't just make a torta... they made a reason to come back.

Excellent Food, excellent service I ordered the Grilled…read moreRomaine with chicken, the most delicious salad I've ever had I also ordered the calamari and shrimp appetizer, simply delicious Recommend this Restaurant 100%

Finally got a chance to try this place out. There's ample parking. Ambiance has an authentic…read moreSpanish feel. Restaurant is open, clean & spacious, is open and nice. Service was fantastic. We felt their warmth, friendliness and tended to. We ordered the following dishes for 2: *Ceviche sampler: duo shrimp ceviche & ahi aguachile. Preferred the shrimp ceviche. The ahi was a bit too fishy. *Fresh seafood caldo was fantastic with great sampling of fresh shrimp, clams, fish, squid, herbs, light toasted angel hair pasta on a bed of savory saffron tomato broth. The dish was very fresh & flavorful; my favorite. Would definitely come back just for this!! Three enchilada combo came with rice & tasty beans. Libations: Mango-Habanero signature cocktail & Cha Cha's Margarita. Solid amount of alcohol. Chips with salsa - I preferred the red salsa more than the green salsa but both were good.

I've been here about 3 times already and this place has not disappointed! I drive out from long…read morebeach just for this spot because it's halal friendly and they have sooo many great options! Each time the quality is consistent and on par. The service is great, attentive, and friendly. I absolutely love how they have the interior decorated currently due to the World Cup. It just makes it so much more lively and fun. My go to is the classic birria soft taco. It's so simple, but so good. They don't skimp out on the meat here at all. The taco is full of birria and you can add your own toppings (cilantro, onion, salsa etc) from the salsa bar. It just tastes so comforting and flavorful each and every time!

This spot has great queso birria tacos and tacos al gobernador. Their birria is *halal*, which is a…read morehuge plus! My husband tried their burrito and wasn't a big fan, but we both agreed that the tacos are definitely the standout menu item. My biggest shoutout goes to Lupita. She is incredibly sweet, welcoming, and made us feel right at home, like we were having dinner at a relative's house. While waiting for our food, I noticed how well she handled a busy rush with kindness, patience, and a smile for everyone. She truly works amazingly under pressure and provides exceptional customer service. We'll definitely be back for more tacos and because of Lupita. She is an absolute gem and deserves a raise!

Just moved here from San Diego, and this place has some fire fish and shrimp tacos. They have great…read moreservice. It's a nice little taco shop with great atmosphere and awesome deals! I was there for Wave Wednesday. Baja Fish tacos for $2 bucks and Baja Shrimp tacos for $2.50. !! Hell yeah! Tacos were loaded, batter on fish was nice and crispy, not too thick not too thin, fresh veggies, good crema and the tortillas were great. The green salsa could be better but still add another layer of flavor to the t Coming back for tacos and tall boys(Don't ask, you're not ready) The Brisket Bowl and definitely Taco Tuesday.

Disappointing Food & Horrible Customer Service "Ordered 6…read moretacos for my wife and me, then sat in the outdoor seating area waiting for our number. We never heard it called, though we clearly heard other numbers and saw employees actively delivering food to other tables. After 15 minutes, I went inside to check on our food. Our order was just sitting on the counter. When I checked the tacos, the meat wasn't just lukewarm--it was completely cold to the touch. When I caught the cashier's eye, he just gave me a thumbs-up. When I told him the food was cold, the cashier, Irvin, immediately got defensive and told me with an attitude, 'I called the number twice.' I explained that we didn't hear it, and pointed out that staff had been bringing food out to everyone else anyway. Instead of offering a solution, he doubled down, saying, 'I heard my voice over the speakers,' giving me a 'too bad, so sad' look. When I asked him to remake the food, he completely refused, repeating that he'd called the number. Unwilling to argue with someone that unprofessional, I told him to keep the cold food and just give me a refund. He refunded the money and we left. Absolutely terrible service from Irvin--we won't be back."

Stopped by for lunch for the first time yesterday. The Asada con Salsa was really good, and the…read morestaff was super friendly. Juliet helped us out and we had a great experience. Recommend stopping by if you're in Newport!

The food was amazing and the staff were so friendly. Angelina's service in particular was…read moreincredible.

What a treat !…read more Everything was delicious! We got the cafe de olla 5/5 Chilaquiles verdes 5/5 BEST ONES IVE HAD IN OC Chilaquiles Rojos were delicious too ! Such cute decor! & the staff was super nice and helpful

My wife and I had lunch there yesterday which ran $60.00. This 77 year old customer asked for a…read morecup of water to take medications. In California, that is a STATE requirement to provided water for customers. They stated that they DO NOT provide water. You must purchase it! Then when we left, we asked where to put our trash from LUNCH. We were directed to walk it outside and deposit the trash in the City Trash reciprocals, which was OVERFLOWING! Really? The restaurant can't handle the trash they produce? The MANAGER confirmed their policies... NEVER AGAIN! THEY WILL NOT SUPPLY TAP WATER TO CUSTOMERS! California restaurants are required to provide tap water, but only upon request. Under state water conservation regulations, restaurants, bars, and similar establishments are prohibited from automatically serving water unless specifically asked. Key details regarding this regulation: 1) Mandatory Upon Request: While they cannot automatically serve it, restaurants must provide complimentary tap water when a customer asks. 2) Violations: Restaurants failing to follow these rules could face fines, sometimes up to $500.00 per day.