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El Tapatio

4.5 (69 reviews)
InexpensiveMexican
Closed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

El Tapatio Photos

EL TAPATIO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - El Tapatio

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Reviews With Photos

Carne en su Jugo

I ordered a Carne en su Jugo that was worth almost 20$. you'd expect the plate to be big and flavorful but to my surprise this 20$ plate was the smallest i've had. i complained about the size of my small order and they're no help. unworthy, unsatisfied, flavorless, just bad.

Chilaquiles c/ Carne Asada
Mario H.

A good 3.75-4/5 The food was good. Service was also good and friendly. Ambiance is nothing special at all. Sat down here just to check it out. Asked for guac and chips, not sure if it was on the menu, but they made it for us. Seasoning was pretty good on it actually. The meal was yummy and filling. Close to $55-60. It was a solid meal. I didn't get too adventurous with ordering. I got something that i thought would be solid to make. I wouldn't make a special stop here to try it out, but if it works for you and you want Mexican food, this will do the trick. You'll have good service if you come here. They do their best to take care of you. Not the cutest of places, but it's acceptable. Parking is tough. You gotta find street parking on the Main Street or in the neighborhood.

:)
Adrian A.

Authentic Mexican food at its finest! My friend and I went here because she has been bugging me about a pozole soup, which they have it on their menu. The place from the outside looks like run down next to a chicken fast food joint, but the inside's perspective looks homey and feels like some abuela is making food for you. Too bad its Covid season because it might be a great idea to dine in. Don't get me wrong, the neighborhood around this place is pretty rough since its near Downtown LA, but nonetheless they serve legit Mexican food. I ordered their Chliaquiles con Carne, which is a shreded tortillas in chile sauce with steak on top. This menu item comes with deep fried beans and rice for its side. The tortillas are great and it is as fresh as you can get. And yes, as I mentioned it before; Seems someone's abuela made it for me because of how they cook.. a real homemade flavor! I ordered their Cucumber and lime fresca juice and it soften the blow pretty nicely and refreshing, as well. Of course, my friend ordered her Pozole and she was suprised that has a large serving. Funny enough, she has been raving this place on the way back home. Overall, very underrated place to be.. if you're in LA and you want some good Mexican food.. this is the spot to be! :) PS: Parking is rough around this neighborhood PSS: Worth the time though :)

Carne Asada Sopes

DELICIOUS, CHEAP, AUTHENTIC this place is a hole in the wall, hidden in the streets of cesar chavez and did not disappoint with their menu and pricing. they have sopes, caldos, mariscos, breakfast, micheladas, enchiladas, any thing Mexican you name it! The service is really good and makes you feel right at home!

Huevos rancheros

I had Breakfast here the other day, The place is very clean the girl behind the register it was really nice, my eggs were perfect and so was the rice and beans. I highly recommend and i will definitely come back

Freshly made tortilas.
Alma R.

You can never go wrong with this little whole in the wall. From the roasted salsa, freshly made tortillas, chorizo con huevo, cafe de olla and huevos rancheros, everything continues to have its authentic flavors. Stop by the neighborhood and enjoy a delicious Mexican meal.

Ziv W.

I had a delicious beef soup. So much food for 8$: hand made tortillas, beef,,rice, potatoes, vegetables, nachos. 2.5$ happy hour beers.

Menu
Elkin D.

The place is very small nothing fancy,but the food is very good ! My wife loves the chilaquiles

This is a review based on ordering birria (lamb) 4 times for delivery from El Tapatio over a 3 month period. I am giving one star due to overall consistency with the food and will not order from this restaurant again. Keep in mind this is something I order a lot from other restaurants, all serving very authentic Mexican food, so this is based on my fair experience with this dish. 1st birria order was excellent tender flavorful meat. Large pieces of lamb and made roughly 6 tacos (high expectation set) 2nd birria order was completely inedible chewy meat; I order this dish for a 2 year old, we go to Tijuana monthly, and this is one of the only foods he eats, but despite that, the meat was too chewy for me as well, an adult with all my teeth. And the consumé had no flavor, it was almost a traumatic experience it was completely different from the first order. 3rd birria order was so so. it was fine, but not to where I would think of this restaurant first when going for birria. 4th birria and last. I will not order from the restaurant again. All skin (I didn't order lamb skin and the restaurant photo is different from what I got here, some skin is expected maybe, but you can see from the photo I received a bowl of lamb skin) a weird gamey tasting broth, and barely enough actual meat for two tacos. I'm not sure if they have people training to cook, who are just not familiar in making this consistently, but it has been very different with each order. I'm not trying to find excuses for this. I won't order from this restaurant again since 2/4 times the food is actually inedible. I didn't pay 15 dollars for two skinny tacos where most of the meat came from me separating it off the skin as with this last order, and I will not subject myself to this again.

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8 months ago

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7 months ago

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3 months ago

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

Great taco Tuesday. Need to update the website. Beers have gone up in price. Will continue to eat here.

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

The best place for breakfast and coffee. The salsa is fresh and the coffee is Mexican home style.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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8 years ago

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10 years ago

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5 years ago

Best customer service!! Food was great!! Tortillas made by hand! We loved it here and for sure we will be back!!

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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4 years ago

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

Great food and great service. Becoming one of my favorite local places to eat. Their Birria tacos are fantastic, never disappoints

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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13 years ago

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

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8 years ago

Best Mexican food and service for the price. Staff is very cordial and accommodating. Chefs have an authentic Mexican seasoning

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Ka'teen

Ka'teen

4.1(1.1k reviews)
7.7 miHollywood
Outdoor seating
Private events

We celebrated an early Valentine's dinner at Kateen in Hollywood and had such a beautiful…read moreexperience from start to finish. We kicked things off with the queso fundido, and wow, it was absolutely delicious! Rich, melty, and packed with flavor, it was the perfect way to start the evening. For my entrée, I ordered the cochinita pibil, which was incredibly tender and saucy in the best way. My husband ordered the short rib, and it was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. On the side, we shared the papas bravas and esquite, both of which complemented our dishes perfectly. The drinks truly elevated the night. My husband and I both love mezcal, and Kateen delivered. I ordered the Valentine's Day "Zona Romántica," which featured mezcal and wine almost like a sangria, but completely unique and beautifully balanced. My husband had the "Gypsy Fever," also mezcal-based, and it was smoky, smooth, and refreshing. Between the food, cocktails, and ambiance, it made for such a romantic and memorable evening. We'll absolutely be back!!

This was my first time dining at this restaurant. The server was great, the food was delicious, and…read morethe atmosphere was amazing. However, the reason I'm giving 2 stars is because of the valet parking experience. First, I was charged $25 even though the sign clearly stated that valet parking is $17 for the first 3 hours, and $25 after 3 hours. Our reservation was at 6:30 PM, we arrived on time, and we left before 9 PM, so the charge did not make sense. When I asked the valet attendant, he kept saying, "because you dined there," without giving any clear explanation. If it is actually a flat rate for restaurant guests, then that should be clearly stated upfront to customers. Second, when I got into my car, I noticed that someone had touched the navigation settings because the compass direction and display were different from what I normally use. I do not understand why there was any need to adjust or touch my navigation system at all. I really think the restaurant needs to improve and better manage its valet parking system. Honestly, it felt like I was being charged a random price just because I was told, "you dined there." If there is a flat valet rate for restaurant guests, that information should be clearly communicated upfront instead of leaving customers confused at the end.

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Ka'teen
Ka'teen
Ka'teen

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DAMA - Seafood Tostada

DAMA

4.4(1.4k reviews)
2.5 miDowntown
$$$

I am so happy I finally got to try Dama! I absolutely love Antonia LaFasso so I've been dying to…read moretry one of her restaurants. Now when you pull up originally you might think, "am I in the right place" but once you park and get into the courtyard, it is LOVELY! Amazing ambience! There is a bocce set up, string lights. It is a little slice of oasis in the middle of the fashion district. The restaurant itself - beautiful. I couldn't ask for more. Absolutely perfect in my book. Beautiful plants hanging, perfect Spanish music in the background (any place playing Natalia LaFourcade is a win). The drinks were great! I had the jungle bird which was fun. Food was so good too. The whipped beans are the star! We had the guacamole which was tasty, great tostadas with it. The arepas were good but the pork belly was a little too fatty (I know pork belly is always fatty) to the point the fat muted the flavored for the arepa a bit, but still delicious. The empanadas were great and as someone who lived in South America and ate empanadas every day, these really took me back to my Paraguay days. The squash blossoms were light and perfectly fried. Unfortunately my friends had gone to Funke the night before so they were comparing the squash blossoms and Funke won out, but they still liked Dama's! Small plates were enough for the 3 of us. The service was quick and attentive. Parking was easy for us. I will definitely be back!

Wonderful escape right in the heart of downtown. Plenty of street parking. There are lots around…read moretoo Love the outdoor area They have permanent benches that are cushioned with backrests too So enjoy the outside protected from the wind Most tables are shaded with the buildings surrounding too so you have this nice alcove feel Enjoy your mimosas and cocktails!!

Photos
DAMA - Lovely interior and decor -- summer getaway

Lovely interior and decor -- summer getaway

DAMA - Whole Organic Rotisserie Chicken Dinner (serves 3-4)

Whole Organic Rotisserie Chicken Dinner (serves 3-4)

DAMA - Bread. Flavorful!

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Bread. Flavorful!

Mirate - bar downstairs

Mirate

4.2(1.1k reviews)
5.9 miLos Feliz
Private events
Outdoor seating

Parking: street parking if you get lucky, there's also valet around the corner…read more Food: We had 1 of each taco Ceviche Mixto And the tuna tostada Appetizer side of guac All of our food was amazing, I was not a big fan of the tuna tostada, the red/orange sauce was too much for me. However, the mushroom taco was delicious it had so much flavor! As well as the gobernador taco (the one with shrimp). The fish taco was okay but thought it was cute that they wrap it in a little tusk. I would mention the drinks but I'm not sure what my friends got and I got a mocktail. The service was delightful, from start to end! I don't recall our waiters name but she made sure we were taken care of. Overall this place was very cute! The pillows were so comfortable! The food was amazing! Service was great, will definitely be back

Firstly, I want to say the food was just as good as the first time we visited. Unfortunately, my…read moresecond experience here...bringing my mom for Mother's Day ...was extremely disappointing because of the service. We initially had one server who brought us water and took our appetizer order, but then disappeared for quite some time without checking back in. At that point, I even went looking for a manager or hostess and couldn't find anyone available. Eventually, we were given a new server, but she came across as extremely rude and inattentive. What upset me most was the overall lack of communication and attentiveness throughout the experience. It made what was supposed to be a special Mother's Day outing feel frustrating and disappointing. Sadly, this experience soured my impression enough that I don't see myself returning.

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Mirate - Brunch

Brunch

Mirate
Mirate - Brunch

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Brunch

Tu Madre - Los Feliz - Brisket street tacos

Tu Madre - Los Feliz

4.3(767 reviews)
5.8 miLos Feliz
$$

Tu Madre in Los Feliz was such a great experience from start to finish. The ambiance is super fun,…read morevibrant, and welcoming without feeling overwhelming. You can tell they really put thought into creating a place where everyone feels comfortable. The staff was absolutely amazing -- friendly, attentive, and genuinely warm the entire time. They made our family feel so welcomed, and that honestly made the experience even better. What I loved most is that this place works for literally any occasion. It's perfect for a family outing like ours, a casual hangout with friends, or even a special date night. The energy is just right. Great food, great vibe, and amazing people. We'll definitely be coming back!

Every once in awhile while traveling to a new neighborhood you end up someplace really great. Tu…read moreMadre is one of those places. Stopping for a bite on our was the the Greek for a show, my bestie and I had dinner and cocktail here in Los Feliz. Our hostess and bartender made the most delicious and fresh mango margaritas. At the recommendation of another reviewer we had Potato taquitos. Amazing. Sweet corn and a variety of the worldly flavored taco proteins. Outdoor with heaters and indoor. In a lovely walkable neighborhood. You can walk up to the Greek or Uber 10 minutes up the hill. Super friendly staff. Variety of patrons: girls having a meetup, families, coworkers, friends of all ages. We felt so comfortable and it was money well spent. One complaint: do something about your bathrooms. Great experiences don't end with gross bathrooms.

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Tu Madre - Los Feliz - Atmosphere

Atmosphere

Tu Madre - Los Feliz - KBBQ Street Taco

KBBQ Street Taco

Tu Madre - Los Feliz - Korean BBQ Taco

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Korean BBQ Taco

El Tepeyac Cafe - 7/28/24: Okie de Pollo Burrito -- fireeeeeee!!!

El Tepeyac Cafe

3.8(2.9k reviews)
0.8 miBoyle Heights
$$

It's been many decades having this goodness…read more Quality value flavorful authentic supporting local business fresh plethora goodness The chili relleno burrito I pass on as there was a thicker egg batter than chili that was quite small in comparison to size of burrito The original hollenbeck absolutely hands down tender spice stuffed goodness Rice beans guac stuffed away Their veggie burrito also worth the value All burritos very shareable or leftover worthy or have an amazing happy belly Would certainly purchase and try other goodness!

I work in East Los often, this is one of those places the locals always recommend. On a couple…read morelunchtimes I ordered through DoorDash for pick up, quick easy and convenient. The building is an original piece of the City's history, boasting a menu that features their famous burritos that vary in size from a regular to a huge party size beast that can feed several. I tried the Hollenbeck and the Okie burritos on two separate occasions via pick up, as aforementioned, the service was quick, convenient and the pick up window is seamless, parking is located next to the structure and I haven't had problems getting there. Hollenbeck was good but I definitely enjoyed the Okie burrito more, I ordered the "original" size once and didn't seem to learn my lesson the second time, these burritos can feed two in Original size. They offer a "Mini" version which would be satisfactory for one person. My favorite thing about these burritos is how "home-made" they are, the salsas and meats are fresh and taste like they came out of an abuelitas kitchen. I still need to try the crunchy tacos and nachos which look great, I recommend trying this classic establishment at least once if you're in the area.

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El Tepeyac Cafe
El Tepeyac Cafe - Chicken enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas

El Tepeyac Cafe - Beef tacos Crunchy

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Beef tacos Crunchy

Holbox - Smoked kanpachi tostada

Holbox

4.7(2.6k reviews)
4.4 miHistoric South Central
$$

Love this place. Been there twice now. Must try their octopus entree. Must try their scallop…read moreappetizer. Prices are moderate. The quality of their food is 5 star.

I finally got to try Holbox in Los Angeles with my family and now I completely understand why this…read moreplace gets so much hype. The food was honestly incredible from start to finish. Holbox is a Mexican seafood spot inside Mercado La Paloma and the quality of the food seriously speaks for itself. You can tell there's real care and freshness put into every dish. It absolutely deserves all the recognition it gets as one of LA's standout seafood spots. I had the ceviche mixto with rice and a shrimp taco and both were sooo good. The ceviche was bright fresh flavorful and packed with seafood. The shrimp taco was perfectly balanced and honestly one of those tacos you think about later. My partner got the smoked kanpachi taco and a shrimp plate that neither of us can remember the exact name of but the sauce on it was INSANE. We were literally talking about it the whole meal. My daughter got the coctel and loved it too. Even the lemonade was electric... refreshing flavorful and honestly one of the best lemonades I've had in a while. Everything tasted fresh clean and thoughtfully prepared without feeling pretentious. The whole meal felt comforting while still being exciting and unique. Overall this place absolutely lived up to the reviews and I'll definitely be back next time I'm in LA. Holbox is officially worth the hype.

Photos
Holbox - Kitchen view

Kitchen view

Holbox - Tostada de Atun

Tostada de Atun

Holbox - Tostada de Jurel

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Tostada de Jurel

El Tapatio - mexican - Updated May 2026

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