Authentic Mexican Food That Tastes Like Home! We visited El Patio in La Quinta while vacationing in the Palm Springs area and WOW--the food was incredible! From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was beautiful, with authentic Mexican décor, colorful lanterns, a koi fish fountain, and outdoor seating with misters. We chose the A/C inside . Even though we were visitors from out of town, the staff treated us like family--like we were compadres! The service was amazing, warm, and attentive. We started with horchata and Jamaica, and these are NOT your typical machine-made drinks. The horchata had that homemade rice, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla flavor, while the Jamaica tasted naturally made from hibiscus and wasn't overly sweet--just like my mom makes it at home. The fresh chips and salsa had the perfect spice level. We also ordered the Tacolgado, which was delicious and such a fun presentation! But the seafood platter was AMAZING! It included fresh oysters, octopus ceviche, shrimp, fish ceviche, and salmon poke. Everything tasted incredibly fresh. The poke reminded me of Hawaii! My favorite was the fish, while my hubby loved the octopus so much he called his best friend in Texas and told him he had competition! Then came the Trompo al Pastor. I'm from East LA and we even have our own trompo at home, so my expectations were HIGH. It did not disappoint! Juicy, beautifully charred al pastor with pineapple, onions, cilantro, salsa, small street-taco tortillas, and homestyle beans. I felt like I was back home at the taco stand! What I loved most is that this family-owned restaurant isn't just Mexican in appearance--the flavors taste authentic and homemade. We left completely stuffed with leftovers that were still delicious reheated the next day. My only regret was having no room for dessert! Next time, I'm trying the mole poblano and churro cart. The biggest compliment I can give: my mom would approve. The flavors reminded me of home. Amazing food, fresh seafood, wonderful service, and hospitality that makes you feel like family. Come hungry and leave feeling like one of the compadres! read more

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El Patio for the win! We had just missed happy hour in a Monday evening but didn't matter, it was a happy visit nonetheless! If you haven't checked out El Patio, their second location, you've got to try! The food is on point, priced fairly with good sized portions. The service with Luz our server, was excellent! She knew the menu well, was thoughtful in her recommendations, and was warm- felt like catching up with an old friend who had a genuine love and appreciation for the place. Food was surprisingly not too salty or oily. Margaritas were made not too sweet, just as we had ordered. Timing of drinks and food was a great tempo. And of course, the ambiance was everything!!! Someone really enjoyed the process of making this a vibrant local spot. We can't wait to come back soon! read more

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Variety of food choices and drinks. Ambiance is great beautiful decor and great family business. Food amazing and excellent service read more

El Patio La Quinta - Molcajete... - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

I came for brunch with my friends. This was my first time at this location. The food and the employees were great! I kinda wish the chairs were a little more comfortable but overall I had a great experience. I will definitely be back! read more

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Smiling service, the decor is enchanting, and the food was super delicious! It was good quality food from start to finish . I had the shrimp and mushroom quesadilla, Wow! Couldn't have been better. read more

Delicious Mexican food! The restaurant is so pretty and their dishes are delicious. Pictured: - Chiles Gueros - Camarones - Homemade Corn Cake read more

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We stumbled upon this place based on Google's reviews. I should've came here to check first, but I couldn't get access to Internet for some reason I ordered the Carne Asada, the plate, which was just OK probably a 2/5. They give free chips and salsa, which is nice, but the salsa wasn't very spicy My colleague ordered a chicken dish that had some sort of sauce and she said it was excellent so I feel like I got the wrong dish. But I would definitely be down to try something else. It is very aesthetically appealing on the inside and cute so I would try it for that reason. They had a decent crowd and service was good. No complaint read more

El Patio La Quinta - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

Stopped by El Patio for cocktails and had the most refreshing guava margarita and Mexican Candy Shop -- you can truly taste the fresh-pressed juices. I also love that they carry Squirt (my all-time favorite soda, and so hard to find!). Although we didn't eat this visit, we've dined here many times and their TACOLGADO. (barbacoa and cheese with red tomatillo sauce, clipped up with clothespins) is a must-try signature dish. The ambiance is always warm, family-oriented, and welcoming. You can tell it's a family-owned business that takes pride in what they do. Great food, delicious margaritas, and genuinely kind people -- definitely worth every dollar. Highly recommend! read more

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Annually considered LaQuinta's best Mexican restaurant, El Patio still maintains its quality and generous servings. With offerings not found in most Mexican restaurants, its unique menu covers pretty much anyone's desires. They also are open on weekends for some of the best breakfast options in the valley. Don't be afraid to try something you've never had, the quality runs throughout the menu. read more

Best family Mexican restaurant around. Great food & great service. Wonderful family spot.

We visited mid-afternoon. They are supposed to have happy hour from 2:00-6:00. We were seated at a table on the patio and had to ask for the happy hour menu. There were only about 4 other tables, all of which were also outside. The service was extremely slow. It took forever to get our check. The food was mediocre. We won't return. read more

We love El Patio and always forget to post our food! We usually come for breakfast but finally made it for dinner. We tried the Mojarra Frita for the first time and it did not disappoint. Per usual the service was amazing and great food and drinks. They also have a spicy habanero side sauce and a few others you can ask for if you like spicy like I do. Love the ambiance and cute decor, always a fun vibe and good music too! read more

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The restaurant is absolutely stunning, beautifully decorated and well kept. Went with a friend and we were treated with a welcoming smile. We were seated and treated to drinks immediately. Fast service and delicious made to order dishes. Highly recommended. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Beautiful ambience. - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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My wife and I were excited to try El Patio for the first time after hearing about it for years. We always like to judge a place for ourselves instead of relying on reviews, so we went in with an open mind. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the start. The restaurant was extremely hot due to what we were told were A/C issues, so we were seated in a back room. While we appreciated the effort, that room was just as uncomfortable because the swamp cooler made it feel humid and sticky. The one bright spot was the hostess. She was incredibly kind and welcoming, bringing us water along with complimentary chips and salsa while we waited. She was the only part of our visit that left a positive impression. Sadly, the food didn't help. The chips were stale and completely lacked seasoning, and the salsa tasted like watered-down tomato sauce with no flavor or spice. After looking over the menu, we sat for an additional 18 minutes without a single person coming to our table. No one greeted us, took a drink order, or even acknowledged we were there. Meanwhile, there appeared to be plenty of staff on the floor, including four women behind the bar laughing and chatting (I'll assume they were servers). Whether they were on break or not, it left a poor impression while guests were sitting unattended. After waiting nearly 20 minutes without any service, we decided to get up and leave. Not one employee acknowledged us or apologized as we walked out. I'd heard mixed reviews about El Patio over the years, but I always prefer to form my own opinion. Unfortunately, this visit confirmed many of the criticisms I'd heard. There are too many great Mexican restaurants in the area that value their customers' time and provide a much better dining experience. Based on our experience, I can't recommend El Patio. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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We had the most amazing meals at El Patio La Quinta! From breakfast on Valentine's Day of Chilequilles and Chile Verde with the best coffee to lunch to close out our weekend. Service was prompt and courteous ... just a great finish to our superb meals. The Salsa is authentic, the drinks delicious, and the meals amazing. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Fish Burrito - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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By far the best and most authentic Mexican food I've ever had. I typically keep secrets like this to myself. Yet, upon learning it's a family owned establishment, I had to share. We had the Mole enchiladas which were absolutely amazing. We are excited to try everything on the menu. In addition, I read all of the negative reviews so you don't have to. They are a bunch of donkeys with trivial "complaints." read more

I've always wanted to try El Patio is Palm Springs, however, the no reservations is a slight deterrent. Luckily for me! (and for you), El Patio La Quinta accepts rests via Opentable. We had Saturday brunch here. While it was relatively quiet inside, the patio was packed despite it being windy. People are brave here. For brunch, I misread and ordered the enfrijoladas ($16.00). The enfrijoladas come with three tortillas stuffed with chorizo + queso panela simmered in their homemade bean sauce. These were good! Or at least the insides were. The bean sauce was a bit overpowering. So unless you love beans, I'd suggest ordering the breakfast enchiladas instead. Besides that, their breakfast offerings are Mexican inspired with plenty of options to choose from. Everything else we ordered was very good. I especially liked their shrimp (your choice of protein) nachos ($18.00). They're topped with beans, melted cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole. Their in-house tortilla chips are fire, so the base of the nachos is already solid. Their nachos are topped with so many pieces of shrimp that you could literally eat one with every single bite. The El Patio menu is expansive and their hospitality is top tier. Not bad for a lil ole place in a giant strip mall. read more

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Place was amazing. The Carne en su jugo is the best. My wife got lidia tacos made of chirizzo and asada and grilled onions. The best combo. Nice family owned restaurant. We will be back for sure. Alex- Orange County read more

This is our new GO TO MEXICAN RESTAURANT in La Quinta!!! Family owned & operated by lovely, gracious people :) The service is exceptional and the food is exceptional too!!! LOVE their steak fajitas, carne asada plate but their salsa is OF THIS WORLD!!! So fresh and delicious!!! read more

What a great place! We went here on a Sunday night, as a party of 10. The place is so cute! Beautifully decorated and the service was wonderful! The food was fantastic and I wish we had one near our house! We were on a weekend getaway with another family and just stumbled upon this great restaurant. If you are in the area, eat here! Kids loved it, as well as the adults in our group. Please open one in Los Angeles area!!! read more

El Patio La Quinta - Tacolgado - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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The food tasted great, service was top notch and the presentation was a happy surprise. Loved it! Will be back. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Taquitos Dorados - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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Service & Ambiance are great. Limited wine selection. Food was good, had the Salmon w/rice, guest had beef tacos. No issues with food, it was good. read more

Food is just alright, a bit plain..seems like for being a Mexican restaurant it's aimed towards a different vibe since country music is played. Service is the main reason I give this place only 2 stars. Hostess was very nice but a bit stressed out expressing that she didn't realize it would be this busy on a Friday. Gave our name & went to the bar to have a drink where another couple was also at the bar having a drink waiting for their table. We were given a talk about how they are not a full bar & they have to take care of the whole restaurant so basically like this is not your seat instead of welcome. Once we said this is our first time here the tone was slightly nicer but not welcoming. Couple next to us had a drink & were given complimentsry chips & salsa, my party was served nothing but our drink. Then a couple people came after us & were seated, once the hostess noticed we looked her way she came to seat us. Asked for salsa, never got it, asked for hot sauce 2x with two different people & got it on the second time. Had 5 different servers at our table, & when it came time to get our ticket no server was around. A plate was dropped by a server & the fork & glass flew all under our table area as well as other tables surrounding us. Not a pleasant first time impression. read more

Loved this place! The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating from the moment we walked in. The food was really good. Classic Mexican dishes done well , big portions and definitely hit the spot. But the ambiance was what really stood out to me. The decor was so cute, fun, and totally IG worthy. Such a great vibe overall. Would definitely come back! read more

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My husband & I had a lovely lunch & margaritas on the patio !!! We parked the dog under the table & had an enjoyable time . The service was great from MAYRA . Highly recommend read more

Came for a late dinner with the family. The service is amazing we were sat quickly even on a festival weekend. The food was amazing! I had the pollo ala pasille (chicken breast in a cream sauce), my daughter ordered the tacolagado which is street tacos (barbacoa with cheese) served on a line with clothes pins and hubby had the filete miriascado (fish filet with shrimp) with garlic sauce and the diablo sauce on the side. The tamarind margarita was delicious and the house margarita was "yummy" not sweet not too strong as to over take the taste. Our server was very kind giving us a background on the family who owns this and 9 other restaurants some of which we already frequent. We will be back! read more

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All I can say is I'm very impressed. I will be coming back when in town. New favorite Mexican food in the valley. Very friendly staff and very family friendly. Everyone needs to try this place. We had the Lydia tacos and carne en su jugo 10/10 read more

I'm completely baffled by the positive reviews. I had heard this place was good and had a fun vibe so I was excited to try it. We went with a group of five, so we tried a pretty large variety of dishes. The ambience is fine, it was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday at 6pm in the middle of Summer which was surprising. The food and cocktails were terrible. At the least the cocktails were inexpensive, but I wouldn't have wanted a second even if it was free. Every variety of margarita our group ordered was watery and flavorless. The chicken nacho portion was tiny for the price, needed more seasoning, and was already dry and gloopy when it got to the table. Carne asada plate came with a piece of steak so thin and desperately overcooked it was like leather. The shrimp and carne asada tacos had a totally different type of beef than the carne asada plate, something grey and chewy that looked more like a gristly cheesesteak shaved beef than any carne asada I've ever seen. You would think a carnitas plate would have actual chunks of pork, but it looked like cat food. Maybe the kind of shredded pork you would pour out of a bag. The biggest joke was the lobster tacos, see photo. It's actually just a cheese and pico de gallo taco with a couple tiny pieces of diced langostino sprinkled near the top to make it look full. Two of them for $39. What? And yet, the place was packed. I guess serving fried ice cream in a tiny miniature bicycle-shaped receptacle is all it takes these days. Sad. read more

El Patio La Quinta - The world's saddest lobster taco. - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

A good friend of mine recommended this spot, and I have to say it really exceeded my expectations! The ambiance is cute with an earthy, colorful vibe and an open half-kitchen concept. The chips and salsa were very flavorful, and we started our meal with house-made margaritas -Tamarindo, Jamaica, and Mango with Tajín. They were all delicious, but I think the mango was my favorite! I wasn't in the mood for meat definitely had seafood on my mind, so I ordered the octopus tacos, while my partner got the fish burrito. It was perfect because we could share! The service was great throughout the meal, but we hit a snag when it came time to pay. I had given our server my card to charge everything, but when I was ready to settle the bill, there seemed to be confusion as if they hadn't received it. It took a bit of time to sort it out, which was frustrating since I had tried to ensure a smooth payment process. On a side note, the beans were tasty, but the rice was just okay. read more

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Food was ok. Happy hour well drink prices are too high. Didn't find it special for the overall price. Spent $85 all in with tip for happy hour tacos and a burrito and 3 well drinks. read more

How does one say it nicely, off season is still difficult for businesses in CV and El Patio rocks it keeping open. We commend them and try and visit as often as possible. YELP SHORT ANSWER: Yes, enjoy is special little spot but bring a pillow for you butt. LOCATION: Very nice, lots of parking. FACILITY: Nice quiet outdoor seating and indoors is very traditional and a little dark in places. MENU: As you'd expect, great Happy Hour/s. FOOD PREP: Very good. FOOD QUALITY: Very Good. LIBATIONS: Hit or miss depending on who is there. They could improve this but being short staffed means drink quality will vary as they hand pour. Usually never weak. WAITSTAFF: Depends, off season everyone looks depressed as business is down which means tips are down. We try and take care of people in the Summer months. OVERALL VALUE: Seems very fair. TIP: In season get there around 4 pm, the patio fils up but bring a pillow their chairs are really uncomfortable. read more

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$31 trio fajitas become $50 when you get some extra tortillas (because 3 isn't enough) and extra sour cream (because 1 isn't enough) and extra guacamole (because 1 isn't enough) Their menu is served dry despite being priced high. You have to pay extra to actually make it palatable and delicious because obviously the sauce is key to all cooking. Who wants dry food? Gross. Slimy business tactic to sell expensive tiny cups of sour cream and guacamole and tortillas. Horrible establishment that nickels and dimes customers for what should be included in the entrees to make them as good as they can be. What awful standards. What terrible business practices. What revolting primitivity. read more

We have visited El Patio in La Quinta a few times and have had the best meals and service there! No matter if we are sitting in the bar or outside, we always get the Chiles Gueros. They are delicious, and honestly, you want to get a bowl of the sauce and just eat that! We have also had the appetizer Tacolgado which was such a cool experience. The tacos are hanging over a very flavorful red sauce. We have been there on a Tuesday and the tacos were great. Their margaritas are all freshly made and you can tell. We have gotten the Cadillac and Spicy Margaritas and we recommend them both. All the servers we have had have been so nice and helpful. It's a great restaurant! read more

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Went here with friends for a casual dinner last week. I ordered the chile rellano dinner- which tasted like a block of salt ! Husband had the octopus tacos which he said were skimpy and tasteless - basically sauce with a tiny amount of octopus. Decor was fun - waitress pleasant. Food was a big disappointment. read more

This place is great. We stopped in 2/6/25 for a friends birthday. The staff was so helpful in helping us get set up and putting the cake in the fridge to keep cold. They sang the best birthday song, there was a few that might actually and the whole place just had a really great vibe. The food was amazing! I got the chicken enchiladas and ate the whole thing! My favorite part of my plate though would have to be the beans, they were SO good. I will definitely be back to this place to try something else! I recommend 10/10. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

OK. The only reason why this place gets two stars is because there were two people in this restaurant who made everything happen. The service from the host at the very beginning was so awkward. We asked to wait for a table outside, she sat us inside, and then gave us an excuse that there were two parties of 30 and they were really busy. She said next time she'll see us outside. Onto our next server. She stopped by to tell us about the drinks and never returned. This is where our two Awesome service people came in to make up for the others, take our order, and get food out to us right away. The food looks great online, but has no flavor. I got the ceviche and had to ask for a bowl full of limes, salt, shaker and hot sauce to give it any sort of flavor. The side Caesar salad was good. My friends fish tacos were like fried fish nuggets with all breading and not really a lot of fish. Nothing I would ever want to return for. I don't recommend putting this place on your list of places to try. Not worth it. I've had better Mexican food off of the food truck. read more

The food, the ambiance, the service, everything was amazing! The family is from Guadalajara so you know they have the SAZÓN and non of that Americanized Mexican food. My favorite dish has been the enchiladas de mole and the enfrijoladas ‍ read more

El Patio La Quinta - Enchiladas de mole (left) breakfast platter (center) enfrijoladas con chorizo y huevo (front) - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

This place is amazing! From the food to the ambiance to the friendliness of the staff it's a hit! We discovered this place about 2 years ago on our many trips to Palm Springs with our kids. Now everytime we go to Palm Springs we make it a point to eat dinner at El Patio. Recently we brought our family for my nieces 15th birthday and they treated us to a churro cart and sang. You can't really go wrong with the food. The molcajete is seriously amazing and enough to feed 3! The cheese on top and chili are superb. It sits in this amazing sauce. We get our kids the carne asada plate to share and again it's seriously delicious and perfectly priced! The fried ice cream and churros are seriously to die! You will never be disappointed! We plan to make the drive next weekend to bring my mother in law for her 60th birthday because she loved it so much when we brought her a few weeks back! read more

El Patio La Quinta - Churro cart! - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

This is a hidden gem!! I don't know how this restaurant doesn't have glowing 5 star reviews everywhere! I am very picky & would consider myself a foodie, and this restaurant was absolutely phenomenal. My husband & I both really loved our meals! read more

El Patio La Quinta - Shrimp fajitas & Enchiladas de Camaron - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

Recommended to this place by the bartender at The Sands. She was spot on, food was incredible. Service super friendly and price point was great. Would definitely return from Pittsburgh, PA. read more

El Patio La Quinta - Mexican Near Me - La Quinta, California

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