Located in a strip mall. Lots of parking…read more I've walked by and didn't even realize it was here. The only reason I came is because the owner was in a POV husband video. Takes credit card. Sell bottle beer and seltzer They have a condiment bar available. Taco $3.25- feels like a steep price. But the tortilla are hand made and have a nice chew. They are thick, but not too fluffy. Carnitas taco- the meat was really tasty. It was soft but still crispy with texture. A little excess oil. But was really good. Could be seasoned more. Asada- meat was soft. Has a nice grilled taste Al pastor- soft. The flavor is average. Nice texture to the meat grilled. Top shelf fries $16- was super super good. I would get this again. Great to share. Fries has your choice meat, topped with sour cream and guac. The fries are seasoned shoe string fries

I am so sad to say that top shelf tacos just isn't what it used to be. I used to frequent the area…read morea few years ago and this place was my go to spot for fresh tacos. I think the biggest difference is that they stopped making the tortillas by hand and the meat doesn't taste as good as it used to. In all honesty, the quality has gone downhill. I know that they started a burger food truck that they have parked outside and maybe they are focusing their efforts on that but the change is definitely noticeable in a negative way. I was so excited to come back, but was pretty disappointed with my meal. I will say that the one good thing that they still have going for them is their amazing staff. All of the workers are extremely kind and helpful and they work very hard to keep a clean and aesthetic area. If you heard the hype of fresh handmade tortillas and wanted to try top shelf tacos, save yourself the trip. They don't do it anymore and It's just like any other taco place.

Great atmosphere, good for groups, friendly staff. Got the chicken mole enchiladas which was a big…read moreserving with rice and beans and it was very good!! No complaints here. Complimentary chips and salsa was also delicious. They have a lot of things to choose from on the menu! Bathrooms available.

Delicious food and aguas! Came during the lunch hour and the service was still great! Such a cute…read morerestaurant too great for my team lunch!

I was overdue for another visit at Madre. I kept thinking about mole three times during the week…read morethat's when I know. Seating: usually like to decide beforehand if I want to sit on the patio or inside. Most of the time, I prefer the patio, and that's what we ended up with. Service: Staff immediately offered the heater, which I readily agreed to. Two people spoke and helped us out outside of the waitress, meaning they were constantly checking in on us. This checks out similar to the service I received last time I was here. Food: We had nachos. I had mole and the chido way cocktail. My boyfriend had dark Mexican lager and cochinitta pork dish. I was really happy with our The food was excellent, and my cocktail was truly exceptional. It was on par with some of the best fancy cocktail bars I've visited, yet prices were more reasonable, typical of a restaurant. The mezcal was smoky and delicious. I also noticed that most of their cocktails are tequila and mezcal based. You should get a cocktail if it's your first visit. Vibes: It's always loud, especially at its peak on a Saturday evening. I can overhear bits and pieces of conversations from three tables next to me, but somehow it all fits perfectly. Suddenly, a live mariachi band started playing an emotional Ballad. It's always cool when I run into live music when I'm here. I like it here! Wanted to let you know that they seem to have slightly increased the prices vs the menu? It wasn't updated on the menu, but for example my Mole Negro was $1.50 higher at checkout mentioning so others are aware.

We went to Madre on a Sunday. It wasn't really planned, but we were walking in Old Torrance, saw…read morethe place and decided to go in and try it out. We weren't really starving, just wanted to check the vibes, try the food and see how it was. Unfortunately, things just weren't how we were expecting. We love mexican food and we are used to the food trucks that we can find everywhere in LA. I used to have tacos from the taco truck across the street from me when I lived in San Pedro and they were just perfect, simple and on point. I think I had that idea when I ordered the taco, but it wasn't really what I expected. It was bigger and looked beautiful, but the amount of spice was extremely high, which didn't even let me taste the flavor. And on top of it, the salt felt off too. Too much spice, not enough salt. My fiance ordered tamales, and the mole was more on the chocolate side than anything. The flavors just didn't match. Service wise we have nothing to complain about. They were nice and helpful! It's just the food that wasn't good for us.

Finally made it back!!! And although I got the smaller tamer " original house taquitos"…read moreWith beef...Still so delicious and a great meal. As usual the place is run by a handful of very pretty and super nice latinas who wrangle orders and table delivery like pros... it's such a good place

I had been passing by this place for a while. The name is catchy. A colleague told me it was…read moretasty. Today, I decided to give it a try. This is an "order at the counter and they bring it out to you" type of place. The name "& cantina" makes me think you be sat down and someone takes your order. A tad confusing. Let me start with the service. The cashier was friendly but didn't give me any time to decide if I wanted a receipt before declining it on her end. It's a pet peeve. The place was empty. The menu is hard to read and the printed/laminated menus are poorly printed making them difficult to read. They seem to be promoting rolled tacos (aka taquitos) but this says "Blue Burro Burritos." I went with a burrito. It just contained carne asada, guac and pico. No rice. No beans. No cheese. All are extra. It's served with chips and a drink if you get the combo. They do give tiny portions of salsa on the side. The burrito itself looked like it had been on Ozempic for a few months. It tasted fine but just didn't seem plump. The chips were crispy, salty (in a good way) and tasted fresh but there wasn't anything to really dip them in. The salsa they served are in tiny cups so you can't get the chip in it. Honestly, they felt more like hot sauces. The habanero was okay, not really that spicy. The green one was too vinegary for my taste. The place was clean and they had loud music playing in the background. It was empty when I got there and considering all the ingredients in my burrito seemed precooked (like Chipotle), it took a while for the food to come. I went to the beverage bar and the different flavors of the non-soda beverage options had unnatural colors. The horchata looked like got into a fight with a Smurf and lost. The strawberry aquafresca was an unnatural milky opaque red. The cucumber seemed just a bit too neon green. The first two were not to my liking. The cucumber was refreshing but tasted like it contained a LOT of sugar. It was also annoying they didn't have any signs what was what. Back to the service. I had some chips left but went to get a refill on my beverage and the worker there took my food away assuming I was done. I caught her just before she left the dining area and asked her to return the food. She apologized. I think they can/should wait until someone leaves the establishment or at least ask. The combo was about $17. Bottom line: will I return? I would not come here on my own. I think the food is pricey for what it is. However, if I was with others who wanted to come here, I wouldn't say no. There are just better Mexican food restaurants in the area.

Wow, the portions here are HUGE!…read more Ordered the Enchiladas and Arroz con Pollo and these plates were hefty! Each order comes with a soup or salad. Go for the albondigas soup because it's so good! The bowl looks small but it's filled with 3-4 meatballs and loaded with veggies. I will be ordering a full portion on my next visit.. yes, it's that good! Great service!

I have lived in Torrance for over 20 years and when I was a kid, people would rave about La…read moreCapilla. So one night I decided to try it with my husband. We were sorely disappointed. He ordered a wet burrito. His reaction was it was okay. That's his way of saying it was edible. I ordered a fish taco and a shrimp taco a la carte. The fish taco was so soggy I couldn't pick up the taco, it kept falling apart. Absolutely no flavor or salsa or anything on it. So it begs the question why was it soggy? The fish was off and it look like it had been boiled instead of grilled. The shrimp taco also contained fish that were boiled not grilled or pan fried, less soggy because shrimp doesn't retain water like white fish does. Yet again zero flavor, sauce, salsa or anything. I had to put the table salsa on it to get any flavor. Worst of all, I am 99% confident I got food poisoning. Service was okay. People were nice but food was a huge disappointment.

La Gordita is a small restaurant with a few tables for dining in or take out…read more An older gentleman and his sweet wife prepare, cook and serve absolutely delicious Mexican food that is ALWAYS fresh and flavorful. The meat is always moist and tender. The tortillas are grilled to perfection with crispy edges. The gentleman is always friendly, polite and happy to serve you. The portions are generous and prepared with care and the prices are definitely reasonable. My family and I enjoy visiting La Gordita often ( and you should too) !

Quaint little Mexican food place, with great food options. Make sure to come a little early if you…read morewant the chile relleno options, as sometimes they run out. This place is cash only and is run by the owner, he works really hard and is so sweet to each person. I only saw him working, so do be patient. Not a lot of area to sit down and eat there, so this is also great if you want some takeout. I had the ground beef and potato burrito, so yummy! I normally am not a huge fan of beans but his beans are the best. My husband got the nacho supreme and two chicken tacos. Nacho supreme was great, lots of toppings and beans and cheese. Tacos were good, but he wishes the tomatoes in the tacos were diced. They gave us two salsas, both were not spicy! Great spot for a quick meal with a nice owner.

A very casual place to enjoy some Baja surf & turf!…read more We came on Wednesday to take advantage of their Fish Tacos Wednesday Special for $1.99. Hard to beat a fresh fish taco for that price! Great deal for a delicious fish taco! We arrived before the dinner rush, but it was already busy here! Hubby ordered at the counter at 4:51PM and our food was ready to be picked up by 4:58PM. Quick service! As we were eating, I noticed all the banner hanging overhead. There are certain specials on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs. Plan your visit depending on what special is happening that day of the week! Beyond the specials, they offer tacos, burritos, Mojarra Frita, Seafood Cocktails, Quesadilla, Fish Chicharrones, Sopes, Nachos, and some seasonal items. You can get seafood (shrimp, fish, and meat (beef, pork, and chicken). The only thing I really didn't like were the seats. They are benchlike with a slight curve. I'm short, so my feet don't reach the ground and the edge of the seat that curves upward was uncomfortable for my legs as they were dangling. Short person problem. I would definitely return again for Fish Tacos Wednesday! We each had 2 tacos and shared the Chips with Guacamole & Salsa. Our total came out to $14.21 ... now that's a real deal!!

Food is good the service at this location is horrible. It happened the first time I was there and…read morethought maybe they're having a bad day but same thing today. First time going to this place and the girl working there just ignored me trying to place an order at the counter. Second time the another worker ignored me for pickup order. I stood there after she helped another customer with her pickup order and she just walked away. The bleached hair lady kept waving her hand at me to wait while she was boxing up orders coming out of the kitchen. My order was already at the pickup station but she chose to ignore me 10min. All she had to do was give me my order that was already done and go back to boxing up orders coming out. Food is good but don't expect any type of customer service at this location. Worst customer service with two different girls working here. Time to find another place

Went with my friend for a monthly catch up. Loved it…read more Drinks were soooo delicious and honestly pretty strong. Happy hours not to badly priced. I liked the seating too. It has booths that made it nice for me and her to catch up on private issues too and the waiter wasn't too much. Would do again. 10/10. It also had parking.

Whenever I'm sick I really enjoy their caldos. Their rice is the star of the show sooo much flavor…read more The tortillas and salsa provided are delicious as well. The chicken of the soup could definitely use more flavor but it still hits the spot. Will buy again. Ordered for pick up and it was ready in 15 minutes so speedy service. Prices are on the high side. They have street parking but also a parking lot across the street.

Flores Cafe sits in a nondescript shopping center at the corner of Carson Street (x) S Wilmington…read moreAve. A prominent tenant of "Car-Wil Plaza" is Starbucks. An additional landmark--"Malamalama Ole Lalolagi" Church, is across the street. Mexico is a large country. As such there are many regional cooking styles. Barriers to entry are relatively low; so, if someone feels that they have good recipes, they can open their own business. The plus side is that in Southern California, we have access to a variety of "Mexican" food. I have had many good meals in small family restaurants. But a lot of small restaurateurs don't have a lot of capital; as such, decor is an afterthought. While not polished, the owners of Flores Cafe have put a lot of effort into decoration. The interior walls are covered with portraits of entertainment personalities, with a Día de los Muertos overlay. It's probably worth at least one visit to go and see. Service at some smaller restaurants is sometimes wanting. The waiter and waitress were outfitted professionally in black jeans and black dress shirts. The table service offered was also good. On this occasion, I ordered the carne asada burrito; rice, with no beans ($12.99); covered in the red sauce ($3.99). With a Pepsi ($5.99) and tax ($2.40), my ticket was $25.37 before gratuity. The texture of the food on the plate was a bit rustic; but I think this is attributable to cooking style. Overall, the taste was good; the overall size of the burrito, and its contents, was reasonable in the current environment. I took lunch, mid-day, mid-week; so, I can't comment on their promotional events, like karaoke,

I work right across the street from this place and had not yet tried it so I decided today's that…read moreday. I went early enough (11:15ish) prior to the lunch crowd and was the 2nd customer in the restaurant. I was immediately greeted by a server whom quickly took my order and brought chips and salsa to my table. I ended up ordering the two hard shell taco combo with rice and beans and a fountain soda. The food was ok (not the worst); however, very pricey: 16.99 for the taco plate and 4.99 for my fountain drink! With tax and before tip it came to 24 bucks! I definitely won't be eating here again. Service was great and the servers were friendly enough and very efficient but overall not worth the price. Side note: this is a great place for large parties. Parking is tight except around the side of the bldg. Decor is dark inside almost like Dia de Los Muertos type!

This used to be a place that I would give five stars, but in recent months it has become less…read morewelcoming and inattentive to customer requests. The food is still good - I really like their beef birria - and the portion size is very generous. However, my wife hates guacamole and wanted only sour cream; her burrito came with guacamole and no sour cream. This in not the first time this has happened. I said 'No salsa' and got salsa, and when ordering take-out 'No plastic utensils' and still got them. The service is not as friendly as in previous times as well. There is not a smile or often even a 'hello' or 'welcome'. I understand that being at the front counter at a place that does a lot of take-out is not an exciting job, but part of the goal should be welcoming the customers and making them want to come back.

It was a chilly, cloudy day today and I took my mom to Vaquero, and we had their caldo de res--beef…read moresoup with big chunks of potatoes, carrots, and super tender beef. I loaded it up with spanish rice, onions, cilantro, lemon and chili. I didn't try the pozole today, but it's always a hit, and the menudo is great too--just ask for hominy since it doesn't come with it. And those corn tortillas? So good --they taste like homemade.