Culichi&#x27;s Zone

This was surprisingly really good. I ordered the huarache and a fountain drink for total of $10…read more The food was very filling and delicious. I never tried a huarache before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The base is like a crispy dough, and I got it with all the toppings (no meat). I really liked the sauce they put on top of the dish. The service was very quick and nice. Inside is a very causal dining seating. The surrounding area is a little confusing, and it was hard to find via google maps.

Really wanted to love this place and give it the glowing remarks that they seemed to have on here…read more We passed up a few other places because of the reviews on here. We decided on this place because it stated that they served menudo/pozole on the weekends and that is what I was in the mood for. As soon as we walked in we noticed it was a tad warm. As if they didn't have the a/c on. However, they had their front door open. We walked up to the counter, and my husband was giving the cashier our order, but she seemed like she was in a hurry. Which was weird because no one was behind us. We chose a table closest to the front door, so it was cooler. About 5 minutes past and our number was called so my husband got up to get our order and as he started walking back towards out table I could tell on his face something was wrong. He set the tray down that had chips, salsa and his plate of chicken taquitos, rice and beans and says "apparently they no longer have anymore pozole so she didn't charge me." So why did not one come to our table and let us know and see what we wanted instead? Why did they wait until this was done to tell us knowing this was a dine in order? So then I say ok well can I just get what you ordered? By this time there was about 6 people ahead of my order. So now my husband's food was getting cold even though I insisted he eat but he refused to eat until I received mine. As I said, we wanted to love this place. We've learned that little unassuming hole in the wall places such as these are gems, but when customer service fails like this, you don't make people want to come back. It was just really careless. No one was behind us when our order was submitted. There was at least 5 minutes that past before a line formed after us. There were only 3 items on that order between the front of the house and the back of the house no one caught that one of those orders was an item you ran out of, and you should probably fix that sooner rather than later? Being in the restaurant business is being of service to people and in that moment I the customer and my best interest was not a priority and that's disappointing.

Free sauce instead of the 2 green I paid for

See all

Current Menu as of May 2025

Mariscos El Picosito

4.4(105 reviews)

0.7 mi

No matter what, I will always get the Picosito taco. It's 2 tortillas with melted cheese in between…read morewith seasoned shrimp on top!! We ordered the ceviche this time, but the aguachile always hits the spot! The restaurant is really small and there's limited seating, so be prepared to take to-go! The cashier is always so sweet and nice whenever we order from her!!

With so many options for Mexican food here it is hard to really go wrong. This place is a no frills…read morerestaurant. I love it. The food? Is spot on and very tasty. Quick service also and very friendly staff. I have been here for Breakfast and Lunch and will always return when in town. I sat across the street and watched people look in and walk away presumably because it wasn't busy, just to watch them go stand in line at the busiest place on the street. That's like putting your towel down next to all the other people on the beach while it is completely empty 20 yards away. If you appreciate really Mexican meals without the drowning of cheese...try it. You'll be back

Menu

Carne Asada Burrito

See all

Menu part 2

El Palenque Mexican Restaurant

3.8(183 reviews)

1.2 mi

It doesn't look like much other than an old school casual dining Mexican when you walk in but wow…read moredoes the food deliver. Everything was so fresh and homemade sauces. I had the No. 8 wet burrito with chili verde (pork and green sauce) and cheese enchilada. We also had the salmon diabla (slightly spicy red sauce) and wow did it have flavor. Service was fast, friendly and pleasant. What a gem in Santa Maria.

Great food and service El Palenque tostada recommended…read more Beans are delicious Vegetables are fresh

No 8 wet Burrito chile verde and cheese enchilada

See all

Beef chimichanga

Lo Mejor De Jalisco

4.0(200 reviews)

1.2 mi

Great food! I had…read morethe enchiladas de queso, my husband had a cóctel de camarón and my daughter had a mojarra frita! Food was amazing and chips and salsa re so goood!

Lo Major De Jalisco might not be the fancies place, let me tell you they are extremely clean, and…read morethe food is authentic Mexican food and the most delicious food you'll get on the central coast, if you haven't tried it. You need to. The waitress was very attentive and very kind.

Inside.

See all

Outside.

Maya Mexican Restaurant

3.7(351 reviews)

0.7 mi

My favorite place to be on a Friday night! The live music and vibes never fail. We love coming for…read morethe great authentic food. I got the shrimp cocktail that was portioned just right. Our server was great. He kept our drinks filled!

Service was pretty slow for dinner time. Stayed longer than expected and to even get drinks. Pazole…read morewas not the best, my hard taco and enchiladas were okay. The michelada was great. Probably would not come back.

Restroom Signs

Lunch special of chile relleno, beans, and rice

See all

Front of restaurant

Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ

4.3(990 reviews)

2.4 mi

Limited parking in the lot but there are more options like Disability spaces and street parking. I…read morelike the "order at the register" process. They have a big menu and the staff was welcoming and knowledgeable. - I got the brisket plate to go and oh my gosh, was it delicious ! The meat was tender and flavorful and the serving was gigantic! It came with rice and beans. I really appreciate that they used my environmentally friendly to go container that I bought from home. - There is both outdoor and indoor seating. I waited for my order outside on the patio and listened to the live band which was really good. My order was ready to go almost immediately and came with free tortillas. The meal was heavy, but in a good way, and I will definitely be returning.

I've known about this place for several years. I always wanted to come here. Everything sounded…read moregreat. So on our little trip up to Central California I decided to stop here for lunch. Oh boy, real Santa Maria BBQ! Woo Hoo! Tri-Tip is the name of the game in these parts so that's what I'm doing. Got the Tri-Tip Dip and a side of BBQ sauce so I could have it both ways. I was really looking forward to these West Coast Chili Beans too. Wife wanted BBQ Chicken so I got her the BBQ Chicken Combo. I asked the girl at the register if we could get dark meat with the combo. She looked a little confused and said "You mean like Tri-Tip?" Oh boy. No, dark meat chicken like a thigh and drumstick. "Oh, do you want a breast or a thigh?". Let's roll with the thigh, thanks. Our food came out pretty quickly. I asked for horseradish for the Tri-Tip Dip and was politely told they don't have any. Silly me, why would they have horseradish when they sell a French Dip Sandwich? The Tri-Tip Dip was decent. Not going to lie. The West Coast Chili Beans were a disappointment. I expected so much better. The BBQ sauce was runny and tastes like molasses and maple syrup. Nah, Stick with the Au Jus and you will be fine. The Chicken Combo was a train wreck. Beans cold, rice cold, chicken overcooked by a mile. It's not easy to overcook the hell out of dark meat chicken but they found a way. Wife not happy, at all. It's another one and done. Sorry Rancho Nipomo Deli & BBQ.

Brisket sandwich

See all

El Herradero

4.0(110 reviews)

1.1 mi

So the food there is so good nice workers good service food doesn't take long to make a lot of…read moreoptions over all 10/10 recommend

Food is fine but the interior is not very clean and the lady serving me gave me a dirty look…read moreoverall it's fine i guess

My Brothers Modelo Especial

3 choice platter

See all

Rancho Viejo

4.5(235 reviews)

5.1 mi

Excellent Mexican Food! Customer Service was good too…read more The place was packed with people.

Located in the cowgirl, La Placita market, is Rancho Viejo. The parking lot was full, had to park…read morein the back. The restaurant was filled as well. I ordered the wet Chile Relleno Burrito. I thought the chile Relleno was good (cheesy and nice coating around). The sauce was also pretty good. The burrito definitely could've been bigger and the tortilla was pretty dry underneath and not warm. It was actually kind of stiff. All of it was kind of just lukewarm. And the flavor could've been a lot better. Chips were OK too. *Overall, it's ok*

Quesabirria tacos

See all

Taqueria La Coqueta

3.7(122 reviews)

2.1 mi•Midco

Recently went for the Pompanator burrito (with some spicy salsa in the side) and it was BOMB AF…read more 10/10. I do recommend it. I also want to add that the service was excellent as well! Good job to the guy who took my order he was very nice and cheerful.

Food simply burned fried steak, dry and burnt Order food…read morethrough uber eats can not tell anything about Restarant service Ambiance do not know

Seating

The only menudo in town

See all

Menu

805 Tacos

3.9(146 reviews)

1.0 mi

Over ladt few weeks n months , I have repeatedly call to place orders and no one answers the phone…read more I dont live close so im not wasting time driving only for it to be closed.

The waitress was playing cards and drinking on the job with the men at the bar. Waited forever for…read moremy bland tacos. I noticed kitchen floor was filthy. Too much clutter on the counters, tables were ALL wobly. Just run down. Wouldn't recommend.

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

3 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Angela Q.

5

2

8

9 years ago

Culichi's Zone , sin duda mi Restaurant favorito , a mi me encantaron los suchis, me tocó esperar un poco pero vale la pena la espera todo es recién hecho lo mejor q he probado en Santa María se los recomiendo ... oh y olvidaba el lugar super limpio .. era hora de tener un lugar digno de nosotros los mexicanos ... read more

Kim M.

30

1

0

8 years ago

Uno de los mejores restaurantes con comida mexicana, lo recomiendo mucho. La comida está súper deliciosa

Xxadrian09 X.

3

1

0

8 years ago

Muy buen servicio y la comida fenómenal sin duda uno de los mejores restaurantes de comida mexicana

Culichi's Zone - seafood - Updated September 2026

Browse Nearby

BEST of Santa Maria, California Parking near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Restaurants near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Sushi near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Desserts near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Cocktail Bars near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Dinner near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Coffee near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Things to Do near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Wineries near Culichi's Zone

BEST of Santa Maria, California Shopping near Culichi's Zone

Best of Santa Maria

Things to do in Santa Maria

Browse Brands

Brands by name

Browse Articles

Articles by date

People who viewed Culichi's Zone also viewed

Old Town Mexican Cafe

3.4

(168 reviews)

I am a DoorDash Food Photographer, so as you can imagine I visit many restaurants to do shoots…read more While I'm there I will evaluate them and their food. The Old Town Mexican Cafe was a nice surprise. Quaint very clean and comfortable is how I'd describe it. Oh yes, and with amazing food. The main cook Pedro, was an artist at preparation and efficiency. His food was delicious and portions were large. The manager Desiree couldn't have been nicer and more helpful during my shoot. She runs the operation and you can tell she knows what she is doing. Also helpful and pleasant was Terry her #2. Located in Orcutt, a suburb just south of Santa Maria, if you're traveling or around the Santa Maria area be sure to stop in for a meal you won't forget. They open around 9am and it's street level, easy access and kid friendly. Plenty of parking too. Don't forget to get slice of Desiree's home made Flan. It's the best I've ever tasted. I'd go out of my way just for that amazing Flan. Stop in at The Old Town Mexican Cafe, you'll thank me.

The rice tasted like rice a Roni beans and cheese enchilada were good nothing special…read moreTeresa was an awesome server

Cielito Lindo Mexican Grill

3.2

(199 reviews)

Just ok Mexican food. A bit washed out in authenticity. The chips are horrible tasting. Not home…read moremade. The salsa is bland and for me that's saying a lot. It looks like it came from a jar. Tomato flavor forward. Ask for the spicy one and that's just one kick up. My taquitos were good. The beans and rice were just ok and I only ate half. My husband ordered two tacos. He liked them both but again, the salsa topping didn't help the flavor profile. This is a one and done for us.

Had dinner here the other night with my family. I ordered a 2 item plate with a crispy beef taco…read moreand a chicken green enchilada. I loved the beef taco but didn't care for the enchilada at all . Rice was good and fluffy. My man had the sea bass tacos. He loved it. My MIL had carnitas tacos and she liked them .

Golden Corral

3.0

(98 reviews)

Daniel had incredible service. The food was top-tier. I will always come to this golden corral for…read morean unrivaled experience.!! arrival

It's a good place to go, for a huge variety of buffet foods. Many of the options are made fresh,…read moreespecially all the salad bar items. The restaurant is kept very clean and our waitress gave us exceptional service.

Las Cazuelas Restaurant

4.0

(302 reviews)

10/10 as someone who really likes Mexican food…read more This place is phenomenal from start to finish. The salsa is super tasty with a nice kick and the chips are always fresh Their menu has something to please everyone and they have a rotating daily special along with a happy hour. The staff is really friendly as well and they are well staffed which is always nice to see. The atmosphere is really nice as well inside and outside. This is a hidden gem of a place and will be our regular spot They also have an expansive tequila section and even tequila tastings if that is up your alley. Something unique I haven't seen at other places

I placed a to-go order and the staff was kind and polite. The wait time was not too long…read more - I got two a la carte tacos for $10.70 and they were not good. The meat was over cooked, dry and crispy. - The to-go containers are plastic and not environmentally friendly. Please send me a message to claim a refund.

Tortilleria Mexico # 3

3.0

(49 reviews)

the most absolutely bulls**t excuse for mexican food. food:…read morelol i ordered a monster burrito and it wasnt even rolled lmaaao, then i had two tacos de lengua wich was like a rubbery texture, the burrito for my wife instead of being pastor they mixed it with some chewy fatty asada, and the aguas frescas were soooooo assssss the jamaica tasted like watered down cran-grape juice, the horchata like drinking straight lechera for the can avoid this place at all cost save your money!!!!!!!! service: they didnt even remember what we ordered and were waiting 15 minutes at the window ambiance: this place is so fucking trashhhhh, avoid at all cost!!!

They got my order wrong and the way they handled my order without gloves it's outrageousread more

D & A Hawaiian BBQ

3.6

(249 reviews)

VERY clean! Fast service. Their teriyaki is excellent so I got a chicken bowl, but I've had…read moretheir rolls before.

D&A has never disappointed. Great food at reasonable prices and very consistent. Plenty of seating…read moreif chose to eating. Atmosphere very pleasant but could get crowded during dinner time

Ming Dynasty

3.5

(122 reviews)

Food: 3.75 - 4.25. Came by for lunch on a Wed just before 12 noon. Place was mostly empty at the…read moretime but got busier as time passed. We were promptly greeted upon entering and directed to our requested booth. We chose their buffet which, at around 12 noon on a Wednesday, is $16.45 per person. There is no senior discount (at least not posted). Buffet is a nice size with a variety of common dishes like orange chicken, kung pao chicken, chow menu, sweet and sour pork, pot stickers, egg rolls, and mushroom chicken. My favorites were the tangerine beef and, orange chicken, and green beans. There was also a dessert section with soft serve and assorted cookies, cakes, and fruit. Staff was welcoming and friendly and bussed our table often. Ambiance is simple and fine. Their buffet is a great value and I'll definitely be back when I have a craving for Chinese food especially if ,I'm really hungry like this time.

I came here for the lunch buffet recently and it was delicious! A coworker recommended it and we…read morewere easily able to get a table during the lunch hour on a Monday. The buffet was well stocked and had all of the Chinese staples people love. The orange chicken was so good. They had green beans cooked up in a super flavorful sauce that were also delicious. The egg rolls were great and they even have a selection of soups. The service was great and the buffet was only $15.95/person.

7 Luminarias

3.6

(25 reviews)

Ordered carnitas to go. Came with 2 lbs of meat, beans, rice, and tortillas. Paid a little over…read more$60, but It was worth every penny. Delicious meal for a family of four or five.

PLEASE READ MY LAST REVIEW. My sentiments remain the same…read more AUTHENTIC Mexican Food. Absolutely delicious! I still travel 30 mins to purchase my Liquid Gold. It's pure lard from the carnitas. It's what goes into my maza for tamales. ITS ALL WORTH IT!!!

Beso Cocina

3.7

(186 reviews)

Been wanting to try this place for some time. We were able to make it there for happy hour…read more Food: Had the French fries and they were perfect. Cocktails: Cocktails are awesome here. The house margarita on happy hour was fantastic. Definitely one of the best I've had in the area. Not to many places offer real margaritas Service was perfect and the place was really awesome on the inside. Great decor. We will be returning for a full meal and cocktails. Definitely recommend this spot to check out.

We drove 10 miles yesterday to eat lunch at what we thought was Beso Cocina, but were unpleasantly…read moresurprised when we saw that it is now labelled Blast & Brew. The menu now includes only a few generic Mexican dishes and a single Margarita, apparently to keep folks like us from just turning around and going home (I was very tempted). They don't even have anything like the broad beer selection like that at the Arroyo Grande Blast & Brew, which has many of their own very good brews. We got the Chile Verde nachos, but it was tough to find much Chile Verde. They nicely split the order into two plates without our asking, apparently because we indicated that we would be sharing and charged $5 for that useless "improvement". Adding two tiny containers of dipping sauces for the Truffle Fries added $1.50 each (no one mentioned that they were "extra"). We don't care about the added cost, but this seems like a sleazy attempt to squeeze as much revenue as possible from patrons. We certainly will never go back.

Taqueria Carmelita

3.3

(27 reviews)