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    El Primo

    4.1 (31 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Latin American
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

    El Primo Photos

    EL PRIMO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    They are not greedy with the shrimp at all.
    Vannessa L.

    Straight up BOMB.COM!! I go to all these other restaurants they are expensive and hardly give you any meat it's more vegetables than seafood. You are not going to be disappointed.

    La P.

    Love this place the food is very good love the menudo posole they even have goat soup

    Brisa C.

    Really good food with decent prices. The people here are really friendly and humble. I recommend it. So far everything I've had here is delicious. The sopes, birria, tacos dorados are all good. I can't wait to try their menudo.

    Bland, dry nasty "birria"
    Maria B.

    The girls taking our order was RUDE! She acted as though it was a bother to take our order.. Brought our food to the table and just set it there with such attitude and bother! The place is Dingy, ugly and boring!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY not worth it.

    Salsa
    Kat F.

    We just moved to CA and have been looking for authentic Mexican and finally found a legit place. We had the beef and chicken tacos. The owner and cook served us and were real nice. He hand makes all the tortillas to order. The salsa is awesome. This is now our new regular spot

    The best Ceviche and shrimp tostadas.
    Julie F.

    I was Kind of skeptical in eating here, but I can say this place has the Best ceviche and shrimp tostadas in town..... Hands down! Trust me there made just right. There so delicious no hot sauce or salsa needed.

    Delicious hard shell tacos with fresh salsa.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good food and good family business! It's a family owned restaurant... service is friendly.

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Good food menudo best in town I recommend to try this place very reasonable in price aswell

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    Photo of La P.
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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best Mexican authentic home made food. My husband and I love this place. Best Mexican spot in Wilmas.

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    8 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Bombdotcom. The birria is of the hook. Hands down on this food. Definitely going back again and again

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    9 years ago

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    La Esperanza Restaurant and Bakery - Tamales Guatemaltecos

    La Esperanza Restaurant and Bakery

    4.2(976 reviews)
    3.0 miHarbor Gateway
    $$

    Still delicious after all these year! We stopped by the bakery on Easter Morning. Got a selection…read moreof baked goods and tamales. Employees are helpful. When I was lost and confused since a lot of tags were missing and I didnt recognize all the pastries they helped us identify a bunch of them. Lol, I realized later their website also lists a lot of them. The slice of cheese cake was delicious, great texture and flavor. I also love the mexican biscuits, Bought one to make breakfast sandwiches. It's savory and delicious (also huge). We got mexican tamales but next time I must get the guatemalan ones! Definitely Will be going back for more. Highly recommend La Esperanza.

    Sunday morning I picked up a few assorted conchas for breakfast, and this place definitely…read moredelivered. The bakery is tucked into a small strip mall, and while it was buzzing with people inside, I'll admit I felt a bit intimidated approaching--there were two men outside staring, and I wasn't sure if they were customers or just loitering. Once inside though, it was a completely different vibe. The place was busy, with lots of people grabbing pastries, and the energy felt lively and welcoming. The conchas were fresh, soft, and had just the right amount of sweetness--you can tell they're made with care. Prices were very affordable, which made it even better. Even with the crowd, the service moved pretty efficiently. Overall, great pastries and worth the stop--just wish the outside experience felt a bit more comfortable. Next time I'll come earlier to hopefully grab conchas fresh out of the oven, and maybe give the tamales or chilaquiles a try.

    Photos
    La Esperanza Restaurant and Bakery
    La Esperanza Restaurant and Bakery
    La Esperanza Restaurant and Bakery - Pupusas

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    Pupusas

    Madre - Pulpo Taco

    Madre

    3.8(1.9k reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Madre - Inside

    Inside

    Madre - Carne Asada Torta

    Carne Asada Torta

    Madre - Squash Blossoms

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    Squash Blossoms

    La Casita - Bukelazo #1.

    La Casita

    4.1(40 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    Right across the street from UCLA Harbor Medical Center. First time eating there, staff is super…read morefriendly, prices are affordable. Ordered the desayunos (breakfast plates), they were super delicious! Tortillas are excellent! The horchata was okay, a little too sweet for my taste. I personally like the taste of all the spices in the Salvadorian Horchata, the sugar was over powering. We also ordered some pupusas revueltas to go. Those were okay, not bad, but not the best. The curtido was more like a coleslaw. It needed more time to pickle and much more spices. I didn't taste the oregano at all or pepper. The red sauce that typically comes with the pupusas tastes like canned tomato sauce. Very vinegar-y.

    La peor experiencia hoy en este lugar. No puedo opinar sobre la comida, pero el servicio me dejó…read moremuy insatisfecha, por decir lo menos. He ido a este lugar muchas veces y en varias ocasiones he tenido malas experiencias, pero hoy se superaron a sí mismos. ¡Incluso mi iglesia celebró allí la fiesta de Navidad de los líderes durante dos años seguidos! ¡Nunca más! Llamé a las 11 de la mañana para pedir yuca sancochada con salsa y curtido para recoger a las 11:30. Pregunté el precio y aclaré que solo quería salsa y curtido, sin chicharrón. Llegué al restaurante a las 11:45 y todavía me hicieron esperar 30 minutos. ¡Ni una disculpa por las molestias! La mesera dijo que el pedido no estaba listo y mintió diciendo que ella no había tomado mi pedido, que la chica que lo tomó ya se había ido. ¡Qué descarada! Si vas a mentir, hazlo bien y deja de llamar a la gente "linda", "mi amor", "corazón". Era la misma chica mintiéndome descaradamente. Finalmente me entregó la comida y era solo yuca sancochada. Quería cobrarme un dólar extra por el curtido y la salsa diciendo que la yuca se sirve asi. ¿Cuántos salvadoreños conoces que coman yuca sola? Le dije que habían perdido una clienta, a lo que respondió: "Haz lo que quieras, no voy a discutir contigo". ¡Qué asco! ¡Me da mucha rabia la falta de profesionalismo de esa mujer! ¡Nunca más mientras ella esté allí! The worst experience today at this place. I cant talk about their food, but their service leaves me dissatisfied to say the least. I have been to this place many times and many times I have had a bad experience but they outdid themselves today. My church even celebrated our leadership christmas party there two years in a row $$$!. No more! I called to place my order for yuca sancochada con salsa y curtido at 11am for pick up at 11:30am . I asked for the price and clarified i only wanted salsa y curtido, no chicharron. I got to the restaurant to pick up my order at 11:45am and they still had me wait 30 min. No apology or anything for the inconvenience! The server said the order wasn't in and lied saying she didnt take my order, the girl who took the order left already. Girl! You want to play that game, play it right and stop calling people linda, mi amor, corazón no! It was the same girl lying straight to my face. She finally gives me my food and it is plain yuca sancochada. She wanted to charge me an extra dollar for curtido y salsa. How many salvadoreans do you know eat plain yuca?? I let her know they had lost a customer to which she answer do as you wish, Im not going to argue with you. Ugh! Im discussed by that women's lack of professionalism! Never again while she's there!

    Photos
    La Casita
    La Casita - Very very delicious

    Very very delicious

    La Casita

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    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen - Paell Valenciana

    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen

    3.9(2.8k reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$$
    Live music
    Kitchen open late

    Stopped at this location after our concert. No wait time to get seated. Sat down and ordered some…read morefood and beverages. Received our food in a timely manner. Food and Service was good. We really wanted to hear some latin music while we eat. We were dissapointed since the dj or live band was set to start late. It was already 1030pm, no music to vibe too. Just to give you a heads up, there are two locations. Long Beach and Costa Mesa. The one in Costa Mesa displays shows like Flocorica dancing and live latin bands. Long Beach, not so much Overall, the food, service and latin ambience was great. I would comeback and try again.

    If you want good paella, do not come here…read more This was honestly the worst paella I've ever had, which was really disappointing because the restaurant itself had a nice atmosphere and live music. We ordered a half seafood and half meat paella, with added lobster and pork belly. Unfortunately, the actual food was terrible. Main issues: * The bottom of the seafood side was completely black and burnt instead of having a crispy socarrat. There's a huge difference between crispy rice and burnt rice. * The lobster was severely overcooked, burnt, and tasted terrible. * The pork belly was an extra charge, but there was barely any visible pork belly in the dish. It honestly just looked like tiny bacon pieces. * All of the meat throughout the paella was severely overcooked. Positives: * Our waiter was very nice. * The ambiance was good. * The live music added a fun vibe. * It was my birthday, so they gave me a complimentary ice cream dessert at the end, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, none of that made up for how bad the paella itself was.

    Photos
    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen
    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen - Paella Valenciana, Pan con Tomate, Afternoon in Valencia Craft Cocktail

    Paella Valenciana, Pan con Tomate, Afternoon in Valencia Craft Cocktail

    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen

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    Frida Mexican Cuisine - Tacos de Cochinita Pibil

    Frida Mexican Cuisine

    3.5(1.6k reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    I met my son for drinks and appetizers here, and let me tell you--the service was amazing. The…read moreambiance was nice, the drinks were great... but the appetizers just didn't quite hit the mark. One of those places where everything starts off strong--you just wish the food matched the rest of the experience.

    I visited Frida at Del Amo Mall for a birthday celebration. We were seated at a round table with…read moreplenty of space between us, which made for a comfortable setup. I've been to other Frida locations, such as the one in Glendale, and the food here is decent. Think of it as a slightly pricier, upscale El Torito. The guac is served in a clay pot, though they don't make it tableside like El Torito does. Overall, the food is okay, though not particularly memorable - I probably wouldn't come this location again, given the many Mexican restaurants nearby. That said, it's a fun place for celebrations (beside some safety concerns, keep reading); they do offer a free slice of cake with a candle that shoots fireworks, which is a nice touch for birthdays. The main issue for me, and the reason I cannot give a higher rating, was the customer service and safety. While we were comfortably seated, a server accidentally burned my fingers while carrying a hot plate of sizzling fajitas. I understand serving hot dishes can be challenging, but he was carrying one plate in each hand, and one of them was a cast-iron sizzling plate with hot oil. The oil splashed on my hand, causing a burn that immediately turned my skin pink. What concerned me most was how the situation was handled. I had to track down the floor manager to report the incident, and the response was not proactive or apologetic. The manager even made a sarcastic comment about whether he should call an ambulance. This left me feeling that proper training on handling hot plates and customer service may be lacking. As I mentioned, it is a competitive market and neighborhood for good Mexican restaurants, and given their poor quality in service and safety, you can be sure I will never return to eat here. I share this not to be harsh, but as constructive feedback. The food itself is fine, and the setting works for celebrations, but safety and respectful, professional service should come first, especially in a busy restaurant environment.

    Photos
    Frida Mexican Cuisine - Bar area

    Bar area

    Frida Mexican Cuisine - Fajitas de Filete

    Fajitas de Filete

    Frida Mexican Cuisine - Margarita

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    Margarita

    El Primo - mexican - Updated May 2026

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