In order to honor Cinco De Mayo, with festivities that were okay for me, I went to Mandala Cantina…read morefor Latino beats and Loteria--- otherwise known as Mexican Bingo, which kind of takes the red, white and green flavor of the game. But quick understanding the term suffices. As I entered Mandala Cantina, I knew that I had stepped inside a vibe of Latin frenzy and buck--- it was replete with a sophisticated backyard boggie energy. Or in other words, the carne asada barbecue had adopted an elegant, glamorous and modern Talum motif that hit with bright mellow lights, beige beauty all around and a good time fueled by tequila shots and cocktails. I was sat at the bar, but I was warned that my sit would be bellow the regular bar line. So I sat alone, and I could look up at everyone else sat from by de-elevated sit. I was ok, I had arrived late, I was by myself with no reservation and on a whim, so I took my corner seat and did my best to forget that I sat below everyone's eye level. The party vibe was strong and palpable all across the bar. In fact, I have been to very few bars where the move was to sit, yet, the music and crowd almost demanded that we acted like we were on a club, but sitting down. More clearly, I wanted to move and dance but since there was no space, and we were playing Mexican bingo, we were implicitly required to sit and dance. For those who did not, the party still pulsed. There was this huge Cantaro (Mexican clay cup or vase) with six straws. So like a fishbowl drink that is commong in Tiki or Island theme bars, but in a large Mexican mug. This guy was moving it around while he was filmed in a way where he showed the drink for six like Mufasa showed Simba to the residents of Pride rock. So I am basically saying that all the people in the bar and crowd found a way to honor the old school hits of Reggaton and Banda that dominated the airwaves of the spot. I could not help but beat my head back and forth when Oye Mi Canto played and the lasers of the spot moved around wildly. In short, it was an experience that can be described as lit. The experience of game play was also electric. As soon as you entered, you were asked to pick a card from a large stack. You were also required to get some frijolitos-- small beans, that did not jump. I put all my beans into my card and removed them as my cards were called. I came close to winning, and maybe I did, but it was hard to focus amidst the noise and bop, so maybe I did win and did not register that one of my cards had been called so its frijolito remain on top of that square. Regardless, of the lack of victory I expeirenced I was still very happen I went here to celebrate Cinco De Mayo with appropriate festivities. After I soon sat, some tacos were placed in front of me. They were for my neigbor. I was honest and made them aware that they were not for me. After all a Mexico Hero-- Benito Juariez reminds us that respeto a lo ajeno es la paz. Or in other ways, respecting what is not yours equals peace.

If I could give 0 stars, I would. I'm honestly disappointed with how disorganized Mandala was…read moreduring the Mexico game on July 5, 2026. I've tried multiple times to call and speak to a manager about what happened, but after receiving no response, here I am leaving a Yelp review. This wasn't my first time at Mandala, but it will very likely be my last. I made my reservation the same day Mexico won and reservations opened. I reserved a table for 8 people at 3:45 PM, which was the maximum party size available. I arrived around my reservation time, definitely before 4:00 PM, and security directed me to wait in the line designated for guests with reservations. By around 4:30 PM, the reservation line had barely moved, yet I watched other people walk up, give their names, and be let inside. At the same time, I could clearly see two reserved tables for eight sitting completely empty.I finally asked one of the waitresses, "I reserved for 8 people, and I see those two tables are empty. May I ask what the hold up is?" She asked for my name, looked up my reservation, confirmed it was there, and then told me, "It was canceled." I asked, "What was the reason? I've been here." She replied, "You never checked in before 4:00 PM." Which in fact I did, and security even confirmed that I had arrived before 4:00 PM. Despite that, no one was willing to honor my reservation. At that point I told her, "Only three people from my party of eight are here. Can we just get a table for the three of us?" She spoke with another waitress, and they came back saying it would be standing room only. I asked, "Why?" Again, they referred me back to my supposedly canceled reservation. By now I was beyond frustrated. While they spent another five minutes trying to "figure something out," I continued watching people walk up, give their names, and immediately be seated. Meanwhile, the two reserved tables for eight were still sitting empty. Then I was told, "The best we can do is standing room at the bar, or you can stand anywhere in the restaurant with one of the cocktail tables, but there's a $100 minimum per person." That requirement was never advertised or mentioned when I made my reservation. I reminded her, "This isn't my first time here." She simply replied, "Or you can stand at the bar. No minimum." At that point, it was so close to game time that I just wanted to get inside. We were never greeted--menus were simply placed in front of us. And throughout all of this, those two reserved tables for eight remained empty. The biggest lie I heard all afternoon was, "We're at capacity." I must have heard that at least 10 times. If Mandala was truly at capacity, how were people continuously walking in without reservations and being seated? Why were guests with confirmed reservations turned away while empty reserved tables sat untouched? Thankfully, the game was delayed until 6:00 PM, which gave us enough time to leave and take our business elsewhere. This was poor planning, poor communication, misleading reservation practices, and some of the worst customer service I've experienced. I wasted my time, my gas, and what should have been an exciting afternoon watching the Mexico game with family and friends. I expected much better from a place I'd enjoyed before. Instead, I left feeling ignored, frustrated, and completely disappointed. I rest my case.

The staff welcomed us as we walked in. Yhe wait time was very short. Our server was very friendly…read more The restaurant was brightly lit and comfortable on the eye. I Love the usage of the mason jars because they made me think of my Grandmothers kitchen. The Bacon Waffle touched my soul, it was GREAT!!

I always feel so welcome at the Nest. I know I will get a great meal and great service.read more

Have tried the ceviche here recently and it is very good! My favorite so far is the Agasajo, which…read morecomes with shrimp and octopus and is made quite spicy. It also comes with a side of tostadas, more than enough to finish the bowl. The service is also quite fast despite them having a high volume of people at times and the ambiance is very lovely. On the weekends, they have a mariachi come in and a Banda as well.

Dropped in at a spur of moment because I was thirsty and shopping. Boy Im so glad i did. Fernanda…read morethe bartender was so nice and attentive. She made me micheladas the bomb! Thanks Fernanda! ps The waitress, on a Monday afternoon 7/27, with cute arm tattoos was very attractive(crushing), loved her accent. In closing, thanks Xecora. As Arnold stated "I'll be back!" Miguel R.

The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is awesome, and I loved the outdoor seating. Watching a FIFA…read morematch there was a lot of fun--you could really feel the energy from everyone around. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the experience. I ordered the Una Persona Parrilla, and the grill itself was cold. At that point, it might as well have been served on a regular plate because there was no point in the sizzling presentation. The meat was cold, stale, dry, and lacked flavor. The only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because I had such a great time with the atmosphere and the surrounding area. If I ever come back, it definitely won't be for the parrilla. I won't be ordering that dish again.

Calling all Carnivores, you don't want to skip this place. The chicken, the beef and ribs were…read moreseasoned and cooked to perfection. I also found out the sausage served was a Blood Sausage which I wasn't a fan because of its consistency. We ordered the Parrillada for one person but it fed two of us. It came with a side of fries and salad( see photo). We also ordered empanadas which were mouth watering. They tasted handmade and fresh. There is lots of tables to sit down and other restaurants nearby. The ambiance is family friendly. Free parking in lot is a plus.

Delicious pesca mojarra!…read more Good food! Our kids loved their meals. Quaint interior and television. Service was fast and nice.

This place leaves much to be desired, first off the rice seamed old and hard, the soup ordered had…read morebarely any taste. Order a juice of maracuya with no sugar, asked for Splenda none available. My friend also had rice that was hard, she order juice of guanábana and it tasted like water. Paid with CC, no receipt to sign. Will not return.

Tried the Horchata Cold Brew from Tierra Mia and it was delicious! The horchata flavor was creamy,…read moresweet, and blended perfectly with the cold brew. Definitely a refreshing drink if you love horchata and coffee! I went through the drive-thru around 7 AM and there was no line, which made it super convenient. The location is HUGE and honestly one of the nicest Tierra Mia locations I've seen. It has such a nice atmosphere that I'd definitely come back to meet up with a friend to catch up or even sit down and get some studying done. Definitely a spot I'd visit again!

Unfortunately, I had a really disappointing experience at Tierra Mia in Paramount. The customer…read moreservice was poor, and the baristas were not attentive or helpful when I had questions. They came across as dismissive, which made the experience not great . They also never called my name when my drink was ready. I eventually noticed it sitting on the counter, and there was coffee spilled all over the lid and on the counter from the drink that had been made for me. I understand mistakes happen, but the lack of attention to the order and presentation was disappointing. My husband ordered a chai latte, and unfortunately, our experience was similar to a previous review we had seen. It essentially tasted like milk with a tea bag rather than a properly prepared chai latte. It also seemed like they did not let the tea steep long enough for the flavor to develop. Overall, the customer service and quality of the drinks were not what we expected. Hopefully management can address these issues, because this location has a lot of room for improvement.

My second visit to this restaurant. The first visit was five stars…read more This time I ordered the Carne Asada plate. I was not disappointed. The beef was very tender and did not have much fat. I love the rice and beans. The empanadas were delicious as were the fried plantains Miguel, who waited on me. the first time was super busy this time, however, he was able to provide excellent service to all of the guests that were there! This is a very quiet and cute little restaurant. I'm going to try their Buena Park location next. But their Long Beach location is still five stars.!

My boyfriend recommended this place for a Sunday lunch. I'll just ask, when you buy a soup that…read morecontains only potatoes, plantains, lots of broth and a tiny cut up corn, "Where is the meat that I saw on the photos that I paid for?" Rice looked old and salad also. Maybe it was just a bad day! I'll try other locations!

Ok I absolutely love the food from this company. I got to try their food at their food stand on…read moreCSULB during the farmers market! It's easily one of the most affordable options here at the farmers market at CSULB! For $5 a papusa you get a fluffy, warm papusa with pickled cabbage/vegetables and a tasty red sauce. The service is fast and the staff are super nice, 10/10 will be coming back!

Pupusas Salvadorenas is my Saturday morning go-to. They have a stand at the South Park farmers…read moremarket in Dtla. Out of all the vendors, this is the best. We never miss it. The Pupusas are so fresh and consistent. They give you the best pickled veggies and salsa with it that compliment the Pupusas perfectly. At this point they know our faces and we are always welcomed with a warm smile. Service is great. See you again next Saturday!

It was a trip down to memory lane, as we returned to El Rocoto after 12+ years…read more A very pleasant ambience and modern decorations, we were seated right away, the server very courteous took the order and brough the drinks, and no more that 5 minutes after our dish: -Chicharron de calamar - Good flavor, deep fried just right, a good size portion. Maybe another 5 minutes after showed up with the second dish: -Ceviche de pescado - basic ingredients ceviche fresh and vibrant, a bit too small portion but well prepared. Finally not too long after the last dish was brought over: -Tacu Tacu de Mariscos - big plate, big portion. Her is in my opinion where they lost 1 star. The rice and bean mixture was very dry and we couldn't tell what kind of beans were used, more common is what is called "frijol canario" or also known as mayocoba beans, as said, unknown and that also affect flavor. The seafood sauce served was plenty., a combination of seafood, cooked just right, but the sauce itself was a bit bland and watery. The chicha morada was refreshing, and the dessert leche asada not quite there, it was over cooked up to a grainy consistency. Prices are on the high side : 3 dishes + drink + dessert + tax = 107.18. Will we come back?, maybe maybe not

Hadn't been here in about 8 years. Went for dinner...wasn't crowded…read more Food was good but I could definitely tell the difference with the amount of food/sauce I received on my meal. I remember when the cream sauce was thicker and a bit more flavorful and it used to literally cover the fish. Not nearly as much sauce was on my plate this time. We were only given 1 serving of tartar sauce for our calamari (which was delicious) but for 2 people, it was not enough. At $3 for another serving! Nope I could buy a whole jar at that price. Food overall was good with good service.

We watched Encanto and really wanted to try Arepas con Queso like in the movie. The arepas are so…read moregood! They are $9 for 5z We ordered during the week and picked up on Saturday. It is homemade food and she packed it frozen to fry at home! The arepas are so cheesy (no regrets even i'm lactose intolerant) and easy to cook at home. Make sure to use non-stick pan for it!

Amazing can't wait to go back. Service was on point! The plane is wonderful and food even betterread more