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    El Padrino Restaurant

    4.8 (88 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 8:00 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - El Padrino Restaurant

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    Leah H.

    All I can say is WOW!!! Amazing . The good reviews were on point! The Mole nachos were so beyond yummy!! I ate way more than I should have. Everything we ordered we loved! This is real authentic food!!! Service was also 5 stars! And the free sample of lentil soup feed my soul! Love it!!!

    Menu
    Guy C.

    Coinciding with a ping from Yelp on this new restaurant we were also talking to a friend of ours (a chef) from the Oaxaca region of Mexico who said how thrilled he was and impressed by a new regional authentic restaurant on Broadway (Seaside) that gave him the flavors of home... I mentioned the Mole which I had trepidation over but you dont know what you dont know !.. Jo and decided to trek down there this evening, she had the special - 'Shrimp in Chipotle sauce' while I went for a traditional 'Pork Mole Coloradito' whilst washing them down with glasses of fresh coconut and a glass of tamarind water. The service was super, the chap I spoke with was passionate about the food, very accommodating and spent some time to explain the regional specific spices as we were not familiar with this particular area of Mexico. I can happily report back that both dishes were beautifully executed, full of flavor and most enjoyable and I now have a total appreciation for a well executed Mole. Added to this the complimentary lentil soup and chips'n'Sala hit the right notes. We already planned what we will be ordering on our return. suffice to say we'd fully recommend it for the service and food but also to experience the subtle differences they bring to the table. Well done to the team, thank you ..

    Empanada yellow mole

    Came back and just as amazing as the first time! Tlayuda w steak - our favorite dish, a little bit smoky, super fresh and delicious steak on top Oaxacan taco with pork - second time, excellent again. Loved the green salsa on top with the cheesy center. My 5 year old loved it Yellow mole empanada - very good as well We all enjoyed the lentil soup at the beginning too

    $25 sample platter. Taquitos, quesadilla & I forgot the name of the other but it has potatoes & chorizo.
    Alesia i.

    First time here & the food was great! Would definitely come back again! I shared the sample plater & tried a bite of of my besties chicken mole. They offered complimentary lentil soup but passed since it was hot outside lol. Homemade tortillas is always a bonus!

    Very colorful walls and tables.
    Jacki S.

    We had the Mole Negro and Tlayuda Regular. Both were very good. The corn tortillas almost look and taste like flour - which is great by me! Our sweet waitress offered us complimentary lentil soup. It was delicious. We shared the two entrées and couldn't eat it all between the two of us. The decor is very bright and colorful. The only complaint I would have is that it was cold in there. It's not somewhere I'd go on a fancy date, but for good food at a fair price, it was a good date night for us.

    So so good!!!!

    I will be dreaming about their quesadillas and flautas oh my gosh, the very best!!! our server was so friendly made the whole meal special

    Gar C.

    Truly Authentic menu and food is excellent!!! Service was great, prompt and happy to explain the menu. Great if you need gluten free! Plenty of tables and comfortable!

    Mole negro with chicken and flautas enmoladas
    Chelsea B.

    This place was so good!! My husband and I got the mole negro with chicken and the flautas enmoladas and both of them were outstanding. Run, don't walk, to this place.

    Mole verde empanada
    Miguel G.

    My father is from Oaxaca, and we've gotten Oaxacan food before at other places and this one takes the cake. The service was prompt and kind. Everything they gave us was so tasty and full of flavor. They do charge you three bucks for refills though, but the jamaica tasted authentic so it's ok.

    Enchiladas Verde ( Taquitos)
    Greg C.

    So I read the reviews and decided to try. Been burned before on Mexican restaurant food -- typically very Gringo. So went with not much in the way of expectations. It is I think the only 5 star rating in Monterey County for Mexican food. First, you want into an immaculately clean Taqueria. Spotless. Greeted by two young energetic people with big smiles. Checking all the boxes. Showed to a table and offered me a menu. A menu filled with Oaxacan food. Great Oaxacan food -- the menu is extensive and full of choices. This is not a place for giant super burritos or tacos ( thankfullyj) as there are a number of those places already. This is top quality home made food. I ordered Enchiladas Verde with chicken.. see picture. I can assure you these were made for me -- they weren't sitting around to be heated in the Nuker. You can taste the freshness, and they were wonderful . Four corn tortillas lightly deep fried but the crust was not hard. Filled with a large amount of chicken. Quality chicken. Covered with verde sauce raw very thin white onions. Mex cheese on top. No rice, No beans and fine with me. About $15. Worth every penny. I found out they are known for their Mole. They have three types -- from the pictures it looks like the mole sauce is accompanied by chicken or beef with rice beans cheese. Next time trying this for sure. Go Now --=no disappointments.

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    6 months ago

    Amazing!! Cooked to order and fresh and very good. Friendly staff and lots of indoor seating. My plate was clean when I was done.

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    2 months ago

    Really nice service. I had spicy shrimp with fresh tortillas and my son had a burrito. Both of us very happy.

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    5 months ago

    Food, people and place were amazing! The place was clean, the food was hot, flavorful and perfect and the staff were nice and attentive.

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    El Padrino Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Padrino Restaurant

    Is the mole vegetarian?

    Yes, we do have vegetarian mole

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    El Pollo Rey - Half Chicken Combo (super moist chicken and awesome beans) - 5/6/2024

    El Pollo Rey

    4.5(370 reviews)
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    The family pollo & carne very delicious. Everyone is very nice. Highly recommend this spot for…read moreauthentic pollo asado.

    We've gotten take-out from this place several times already. It's consistently good! It does take…read moreabout 15-20 minutes to package the food, so you'll want to call it in before. We usually get the Whole Chicken Combo. It is not possible to get only white or dark meat. The chicken is "slick" enough that even the white meat is good. There is some char on the outside and the skin is cooked nicely. It comes with a few tortillas (can pick flour or corn), 2 kinds of salsa (spicy red and chipotle based), and pickled onions. Roasted hot peppers (yes, they have some heat!!) and onions are a nice touch. The whole chicken isn't too large. Sides are Spanish Rice (great flavor, but seemed a bit hard), seasoned whole beans (tender and flavorful). It's enough for a family of 4 with little kids. But you might think about ordering more if you have more adults or older kids. We also got a guacamole (loaded with onions, tomatoes) and chips. Guacamole is fresh and creamy. You'll love it if you like the style with extra stuff added. Chips are thin and oh-so-greasy, in a good way. Kids loved the extra colors. Portion size isn't too big, could probably have ordered an extra one, because you won't want to stop eating them! Overall, a great place to grab a quick dinner. Can't go wrong with this spot!

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    Taqueria Zarape - Large Menudo

    Taqueria Zarape

    3.9(315 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    Visiting the area for a service and was a little hungry - stopped here for some tacos - wow! If I…read morelived here I'd be eating here a lot! Ordered the ceviche tostada and ate the ceviche off of it - not fishy just tasty - also ordered a lengua taco and the meat was so tender and well prepared, no weird grisly pieces - husband ordered green chili pork and al pastor and was very happy with his selection as well - I had a bite of each of his and they were delightful. I love that you can help yourself to pico de gallo - which was fresh and alive with jalapeño ends - pico de gallo should be on the nutritional food pyramid as required daily haha - wow we were so happy with this meal, I wish we had been hungrier to try more items!

    ¡RACIST! Went with…read moremy family and unfortunately had a disappointing experience. The staff appeared more focused on watching a football game than helping customers, and the overall atmosphere felt unwelcoming from the moment we arrived. We were first-time guests and did not feel encouraged to return. When ordering drinks, our IDs were repeatedly questioned, which felt excessive and uncomfortable given that everyone provided valid identification. While I can understand staff needing to verify IDs, the interaction came across as distrustful and unpleasant. The food itself was decent, and the complimentary chips and salsa at the bar were a nice touch. However, service plays a huge role in the overall experience, and in this case it overshadowed the positives.

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    Menu side 1

    Taqueria Zarape - Burrito wrapped with chips and salsa's

    Burrito wrapped with chips and salsa's

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    El Padrino Restaurant - mexican - Updated May 2026

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