While in the High Desert for business with my partner, we stopped into Montecito Kitchen for lunch…read more She was craving Mexican food, which I'm always happy with, but I personally wanted something a little lighter and healthier--ideally a good salad. I'll admit I was a bit skeptical at first. In my experience, salads at Mexican restaurants can sometimes feel like an afterthought: a handful of greens with a few random toppings tossed in. That definitely wasn't the case here. I ordered the Montecito Chicken Salad, and it completely exceeded my expectations. The chicken was served warm (exactly how I like it on a salad) and seasoned perfectly. It wasn't dry or bland like you sometimes get with salad proteins--it was flavorful and clearly prepared with care. The portion size was also generous. Instead of a few tiny pieces scattered around, there was plenty of chicken, making the salad feel like a full and satisfying meal rather than a side dish pretending to be lunch. Everything tasted fresh, balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. It's the kind of salad that reminds you a simple dish can still be done really well. Another thing that stood out was the service. The older women working there were incredibly kind and welcoming. You could tell they take pride in their work and in the place itself. That kind of genuine hospitality always makes a dining experience better. Music was at a tolerable level and reminded me of my childhood home, my mom played some great music when she cooked, cleaned or just vibed. Sometimes the most unexpected places end up being the best stops. Montecito Kitchen turned a quick lunch break into a really pleasant surprise. Next time I'm back in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in again--there are plenty of other dishes on the menu I'd happily come back to try. Great food, warm service, and a salad that actually delivers. Definitely worth the stop.

Birra tacos are now my fav! Consummé was very flavorful. I could detect a little grease, but it…read moremade it very authentic tasting. The meat in these tacos was outstanding, with not one speck of gristle.. Homemade and better than my homemade. Perfect little diced onions that were sautéed or cooked with the meat so every bite was delicious. Cilantro & onion in the consummé was ideal. Order at the counter but food is served to your table, usually with a little bowl of chips and salsa.

The handmade flower and corn tortillas are amazing very authentic Mexican food and the service was…read moregreat and always with a smile. Been there 6 times in two weeks great stuff.

One of my favorite places ever! It's all home made and amazing and the owners are so nice one of…read morethe best little secrets here

The location on Dale Evans is just great!…read more Sometimes it is too salty (the asada) but other than that it is always fresh and good. We eat here often.

I ordered 2 cheese enchilada combos, 12 rolled tacos with guacamole, a cheese quesadilla, and 6…read moreempanadas for my family's dinner tonight. Grubhub delivered. The enchiladas were awful- the sauce on the enchiladas was bitter, the tortillas were hard, and there was nearly no cheese inside the enchiladas. The refried beans were stiff and dry. The rolled tacos were fine, but there was very little quacamole. After tasting the rest of the food, no one touched the quesadilla. The empanadas were tasty, but not tasty enough to make up for the poorly prepared entrees. I do not recommend this restaurant.

Started going here last year with friends and family. The kind service, the delicious food and the…read moreoverall ambience was extremely good! 100% recommend

My wife ordered something she orders from almost every Mexican restaurant, and LOVED it from this…read moreplace! What I ordered was good, but wasn't 5 stars good. The included chips and salsa were enough for two people, but felt like less than I'm used to. I would have preferred normal table service to take a little more time to look at the menu, but that's not their fault. So I recommend you take a good look at the menu beforehand (there are a lot of GREAT options I missed because I felt rushed--again that's not their fault), or just take the time when you're there to appreciate the menu and take care of yourself, too. We will definitely be going back, and I'm sure our next trip will be a 5-star trip when I order the right stuff!

I'm always greeted with a smile! Awesome food. Affordable…read morefresh cuisine. Quick service. Nice family ambiance.

We came back to try their Thursday night two for one dinner. It is Mojarra Frita with rice and…read morebeans and a good value for two people. Delicious homemade corn tortillas came with the meal. The fish was fried simply and tasted good. It was a bit of work to eat around the bones but that is expected from a whole fish. Both rice and beans accompaniments were very tasty as well. There was also a bottle of Salsa Huichol Black on the table which is a plus. Service was, as always, friendly and efficient. Looking forward to another visit to try other menu items.

My husband was craving tacos so we stopped in and picked up a few street tacos and a crispy potato…read moretaco. The tacos were yummy and the kitchen was very quick to prepare our order and get us back on the road. Looks like a cute little restaurant but we were coming back from an all day event and just wanted to pick up something quick but delicious and go home. It was a freezing day so I was looking forward to sweats and a big old sweater. I would definitely recommend and will definitely come back.

I gave 1 star for the reason that I had been there three times prior, excellent burrito. Went in…read morethis afternoon. Burrito had absolutely no flavor. Turned into a commercial style burrito. 95% beans and rice. 2% meat. Yes I know there's 3% missing. That belonged to the how well they wrapped it in foil. Bummed out. Now I'm stuck with this meal if I can call it that.

Chicken was fresh, sides were good. A bit pricey for my tastes but a great change of pace,…read moreespecially if u can't get to Costco for their rotisserie chicken...

Great food at a good price the staff is very polite and the drive thru is a super plus !!!…read more Side is always clean and food come out quick !!

My place to eat at when in Apple Valley Great food,…read moreatmosphere, best jalapeño margaritas !! Service is great Happy hour at the bar!!

Micheladas are so good there, tap beer is cold. Chips and salsa are bomb too. Service is greatread more

Consistently well done food. Fresh warm chips. Very good salsas (a good sign from the get go)…read more Today they offered champurrado and pumpkin flan, it's November. Their Sunday brunch is well done, clean, managed well, affordable. Family owned, very good customer service. My hubby's favorite today: cheesy cheese enchiladas. My fav: beef mulitas. A favorite little spot!

In my opinion this is the best Mexican food in the High Desert! Everything I've had here is great!read more

I was disappointed in the carne asada fries. These had to be store bought, frozen fries. Thin fries…read moreis a no no other than fast food. On top of that, they put enchiladas sauce on top of it. I would bet the house that it was PATO sauce. So basically they maybe made the carne asada. Overall, uneventful. The service was ok this time around. There was a full house for a Sunday.

I went in on Christmas Eve to pick up a pot of posole for Christmas morning.. so I sat at the bar…read moreand waited and I watched the bartender pour the wrong beer twice and give it to the man and said oh it's the same thing and the guy is like no it's not .. so I got my order and left ,Christmas morning I go to put the pot on the stove to warm it up for the family and it's Menudo not posole. Nobody in my family really likes Menudo so kind of disappointing. I wish these guys would just pay a little more attention to their job. It would make a big difference.