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    El Chilacatazo

    4.7 (204 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    EL CHILACATAZO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Carne Asada Burrito
    Jerry C.

    this place was a bomb! We were looking for a place to eat Mexican food before we headed to Sea Otter bike expo at Laguna Seca. We saw the great 5 star rating and read the feed back. They were all spot on it did not disappoint us. I had the green pozole and my buddy Gary had the huge burrito, both order was awesome we will it again next time we are in the area.

    Ceviche
    Sonya E.

    Cute locally owned mom and pops type of restaurant serving up tacos, burritos, ceviche, enchiladas, pupusas, and Mexican style lunch plates. During my most recent visit, I tried their Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas (Tostadas de Ceviche) and it was quite a refreshing treat. Lots of fresh ingredients like cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado etc. blended well with seasoned shrimp and dressed with lime juices. I topped it off with some hot sauce and it made for such a light lunch. Loved how the restaurant was playing Mexican music loud enough for a vibe. The restaurant itself is relatively big offering space for groups of all sizes. My server was really sweet and checked in a few times. Would definitely recommend.

    Aimee H.

    I had a great experience here from start to finish. It was open seating, our waitress was incredibly friendly, and the coffee tasted just like café de olla, with creamer and sugar served on the side. I ordered the small molcajete, which was the perfect size for one person, and it was absolutely delicious. It even came with a bacon wrapped jalapeño popper, which was a great addition. I couldn't finish it, so I happily took the rest to go. This was my first time here, and I'll definitely be back for the authentic Mexican food!

    Guacamole
    Lupe J.

    As someone currently on a mission to explore more local restaurants around the Salinas area, El Chilacatazo turned out to be an incredible find and a place I'm already excited to revisit. We started with the guacamole appetizer, which was bright, fresh, and tasty. You could really taste the freshness of the ingredients, and it set the tone for the meal. The star of the night was the molcajete mixto, served hot and packed with an amazing variety of ingredients, chorizo, shrimp, cheese, chuletas, carne asada, and nopales. It also came with some surprise finds, which was a bacon wrapped chile, cebollitas, and pieces of grilled queso panela. It also came with rice, beans, and fresh made corn tortillas. The molcajete itself was a feast of flavors and textures. The meats were well seasoned and tender, the shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the chorizo melted in the cheese brought everything together beautifully. What really stood out was the seasoning. Every element was so flavorful on its own that we didn't feel the need to add salsa or anything extra, which is a something that doesn't happen often. It was clear that a lot of care goes into the preparation of this dish. And the homemade corn tortillas deserve their own mention. They were warm, soft, and incredibly delicious, so much so that we had to ask for a second batch just to keep enjoying everything in the molcajete. Portions were generous and incredibly satisfying, making it a hearty and shareable meal. The service was friendly and attentive, and the menu has a great selection that makes you want to come back and try more. One of the workers came by to ask if it was our first visit and shared their weekly specials menu with us. For anyone looking for bold, authentic Mexican flavors in the Salinas area, El Chilacatazo is definitely worth a visit. This was a fantastic foodie experience and a restaurant we're already looking forward to returning to.

    Horchata ($4)
    John D.

    You Guac My World Family-owned restaurant that's owned by two cousins and features Guerrero-style Mexican cuisine as well as Salvadorean pupusas in honor of one of the owner's Salvadorean husbands. Located in quaint Downtown Salinas, El Chilacatazo (Mexican slang for "delicious") is a relative newcomer to the restaurant scene being open less than two years (ca. Feb '24). Their rave Yelp reviews drew us in to check them out after a hike nearby. The Good: *Friendly service by make sure you pay at the counter or you'll be sitting at your table for a long, long time... *Fresh housemade flour tortillas *Horchata was delicious and not too sweet. *I loved their Guacamole which was nice and chunky (like me), but my only complaint was it needed a little more salt for our liking. *Birria tacos were Mexcellent! Absolutely packed with meat and cheese and with a nice helping of their delicious consomé that put it over the top. The Meh: *Small shared parking lot that was packed on our arrival, but empty when we left. There's free street parking as well, and another (free) City-owned lot right across the street, which is where we ended up parking. *Hard to complain about complimentary chips and salsa, but the chips weren't my favorite. Too thin and a weird texture to them. The salsa however was fantastic and had a great kick. *No outdoor seating The Ugly: *Need a code for the restroom, which is kinda annoying. *I don't know if the area is always like this, but man is was a nightmare crossing the street from the city lot. So many friggin cars coming around those two incoming curves on San Luis St. Conclusion: Tasty authentic Mexican eats in a family-friendly environment with friendly service.

    Camarones a la Diabla
    Edward S.

    At El Chilacatazo, you can find great seafood dishes, such as tacos gobernador and molcajete, inspired by Guerrero-style cooking and the fresh ingredients so close to the Monterey coast. Camarones a la Diabla: The plump shrimp are fresh and flavorful, which is no surprise considering how close the coast is. The devilishly delicious sauce contains chili peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, with a sweet and buttery flavor, and a nice kick. You can never go wrong with rice and beans, but the thin fries add some great crispiness. The freshly made corn tortillas are warm, thick, and chewy. I sopped up all the sauce as an excuse to finish the tortillas. The same thing happened to the chips because of how great and spicy the salsa was.

    Mixta Tostada
    Miss E.

    Discovered this place recently and we're so happy we did. The food is truly authentic and packed with flavor. On our first visit we tried the red enchiladas, mixta tostada, and the shrimp and fish tacos--everything was fresh, bold, and delicious. Our second visit was just as good with the menudo, molcajete, and a pupusa, all cooked perfectly. The guacamole is an absolute must, and the chips and salsa are great on their own. Don't skip the horchata--one of the best we've had. We also noticed they offer daily specials and we can't wait to come back to try the Tuesday special. There's a constant flow of patrons, which is always a great sign. This spot is officially in our regular rotation.

    Molcajete

    We got the quesabirria tacos, pupusa revuelta and a molcajete, over all our food was delicious! The restaurant is clean and inviting and our waitress was friendly. My only reason for not giving 5 stars is that all our drinks were empty and no one came to check if we needed a refill.

    Birria is too salty and the meat doesn't taste like meat. It's weird

    Food is salty and sandwich doesn't taste anything. The server got my order wrong and came out later and it was not worth it at all. Not worth the time and money, sadly. I was hoping for good experience. Too bad

    Molcajete
    Andrew D.

    My wife and I shared the large Molcajete and it was amazing! My son also loved his Quesabirria tacos. The salsa verde was delicious and tasted so fresh. The staff were very friendly and attentive as they kept that salsa verde coming when I needed more. We were there an a rainy day and it was warm and cozy inside plus my family was able to really relax in the comfortable booth seating. It's very bright and colorful inside plus they had some great Mexican music videos playing on the big screen TV that we enjoyed. Highly recommended!!!

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    4 months ago

    It was our first time. We had quesobirria. I thought it was goood. The wait was a bit long. They were friendly.

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    Bag O’ Crab

    Bag O’ Crab

    3.2(258 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    Free parking
    Wheelchair accessible

    We definitely love coming to Bag O' Crab. It's the most authentic and closest taste to Boiling Crab…read morethat we've found in the Bay Area. I lived in the Bay Area for several years, and this is honestly the closest you'll get in flavor. There is usually a wait, but that's the same experience at Boiling Crab. I also love that they offer combo options that Boiling Crab doesn't. I can get snow crab legs and shrimp together, which are my two favorites.

    Ever since I moved here from Sacramento, I have been coming to Bag o Crab for at least once or…read moretwice a week, because there is no seafood boil close to the one in Sacramento. Me and boyfriend came in as a party of 2 with the possibility of one more as the other party just got off of work and already ate and only coming for a drink. We walked in at exactly 4:30pm and the place was not busy. They asked for how many and I said 3 they then stated to us that we must have the entire party before we are seated. This is the first time this has happened to us. I may understand this as most restaurants do this but for it being 4:30, with multiple booths and tables open, no rush, staff just sitting in empty booths, no waitlist, how can they not accommodate this? I understand restaurants have policies that are important, but what happened to hospitality. Dining out is not only about serving good food it's also about providing thoughtful, welcoming service. When the restaurant is clearly not busy, a little flexibility and basic consideration can make a significant difference in a customer's experience. A post like this can easily be avoided if there was a bit of empathy. The food is good so I leave this a 3.

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    Certified Philly’s

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    This place absolutely deserves five stars! The garlic noodles were the highlight of the…read moremeal--perfectly cooked, packed with flavor, and tasted authentic. They had that rich, garlicky, buttery goodness without being overwhelming. You can really tell they put care into their food. The rest of the meal was just as impressive, and the service was friendly and welcoming. If you're looking for a spot with authentic, flavorful Asian fusion cuisine, this is definitely one to check out. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend!

    This place is a little out of the way and easy to miss if you're driving by, but it's worth seeking…read moreout. The staff were very friendly, and while the music was a bit loud and the decor is fairly minimal, everything was clean and well maintained. The food is made to order and clearly prepared with quality ingredients. The lumpia were excellent. I ordered them without the ranch seasoning because I find it very salty, and I'm not a fan of the accompanying dip for the same reason. Honestly, they're good enough on their own. The Cajun Parmesan wings were cooked perfectly, but I didn't get much Cajun flavor from them. I'd probably try a different wing flavor next time. The fries were great, and the ranch was even better. The Mongolian beef was another standout. The steak was cooked perfectly, tender, and flavorful. There were plenty of onions, which I loved. It was a little heavy on the sauce, but still very enjoyable. Prices are a bit higher than average, but the quality justifies the cost. It's a locally owned business that's definitely worth checking out and, in my opinion, much better than most restaurants in Salinas.

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    Certified Philly’s - Inside

    Inside

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    Garlic Lemon Pepper Wings with Truffle Fries

    Certified Philly’s - Exterior shot of Certified Phillys... with our cars out front for good measure. You could never be too safe, Y'know.

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    Exterior shot of Certified Phillys... with our cars out front for good measure. You could never be too safe, Y'know.

    Patria

    Patria

    4.3(627 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    •$$$

    We visited Patria in to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, and it was a hit for all of us. We…read moremade reservations ahead of time and were seated promptly. The restaurant has a great drink selection and a great menu. We were pleasantly surprised to learn they offer a Tuesday dinner special that includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for only $32! This menu also had a special drink selection. I ordered the house salad, prawn risotto, and chocolate lava cake. The salad was very fresh with spring mix and butter lettuce, which I especially enjoy, and it was topped with a light vinaigrette style house dressing that was light and delicious. The prawn risotto was creamy, flavorful, and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. The chocolate lava cake was rich and very chocolatey, a bit too rich for my personal taste, but still enjoyable. It also came with vanilla gelato, which was delicious. As a table, we also ordered the tableside tiramisu, which was such a fun and unique experience. I am a tiramisu connoisseur, so anytime I see it on the menu, I ordered it. It is my favorite dessert. Although this was not my favorite one, I very much enjoyed the experience. I will mention the espresso needs a little more time to fully soak into the ladyfingers, but the presentation and experience alone made it worth trying. The ambiance was lovely with nice background music, and the service was attentive and welcoming. Everyone in our party truly enjoyed their meal, especially the birthday girl. Overall, Patria is a fantastic dinner spot in Salinas, and I would absolutely return and highly recommend it.

    Food was great, start to finish, and there was finally some ambiance and I say this as my sole…read moreissue in the past was that the place was silent as a library, because when I'm out for dinner and drinks I like at least a little ambiance. I'm glad to report that last night had some music in the bar, it was soft and sounded like Italian folk (Frank Sinatra would've been nice too) but it was perfectly fine because it broke up the atmosphere in a positive way. Calamari appetizer was great and my pork chop was too. Service was equally great as it was prompt and accompanied. I'll be back soon, so if you haven't tried Patria yet, you should.

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    Patria - Dining Area

    Dining Area

    Patria
    Patria

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    El Chilacatazo - mexican - Updated September 2026

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