I was having a bit of an off day, so my wife suggested we had to La Peña Mexican Grill. Their margaritas, chips, salsa, and guacamole were exactly what I needed to cheer up! They definitely didn't disappoint! You should definitely check them out. read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - Best in town margaritas! Chips, salsa, and guacamole! - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

What a great 1st time visit, unlike any before, at any restaurant in Temecula! From welcome, to greetings, smiles beyond and followed by the best authentic food!! Jessie, his lovely wife and daughter Blanca made us feel like family. Great margaritas, complimentary chips, more tvs than we could count for Sunday football, mariachis and delicious food! I ordered the best chili rellenjo I have ever had! We will never go elsewhere for Mexican food! I am Mexican and grew up with the best cooks. read more

My husband and I decided to try this restaurant for dinner on a Wednesday night. Easy to get a table and service was fine. I ordered the poblano chicken enchiladas and he ordered the California burrito covered in queso. Before ordering he asked the server if the queso was good, to which she replied with a definitive yes. Our food arrived about 2 minutes later. I took the first picture before we dug in. Mine looked... dry. His looked like a large burrito covered in queso. My first bite, the texture and taste of the chicken was very similar to canned chicken. Very soft and no flavor at all, like not even salted. I pulled out a little of the chicken to look at it and couldn't find a speck of seasoning. My husband tasted it and said he wouldn't even be able to eat another bite of it. He said his cheese sauce tasted like Que Bueno cheese from a can. His carne asada also had no flavor. So basically it's a restaurant that doesn't believe in seasoning meat. Odd. So I try my incredibly dry looking beans. Yup, terrible. Canned. My server assured me they make them fresh. They must have found the perfect Rosarita copycat recipe then. I look at other images online of my same meal and they look completely different. I have lost the lottery tonight. We notified our server because it was just inedible. She seemed surprised. Asked if we wanted it removed from the bill, but we said we'd pay for it. Then she returns after we paid and told us that she agrees the chicken is rather bland. Ummm, why so shocked when I mentioned it then? $50 later for 2 entrees plus tip and no drinks and we came home and ate something else read more

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Wow, after trying the insane amount of other Mexican restaurants around this town I am always disappointed. Until tonight! The food at la Pena was the best I've had as far as Mexican restaurants go in a while. I got the two item combo with tamale and enchilada, my boyfriend got the cali burrito. The masa in the tamale was super fluffy and really flavorful. And the sauce on the enchilada was sooo yummy! Our server Erika was really kind and I could tell was working her ass off! Great spot I will be recommending to all of my friends read more

I came in to celebrate my friends birthday with her family. I had no idea this place was here before now. I'm so glad they chose here because it was delicious. The hostess was very friendly and greeted me with a smile as I walked through the door. The server also was super nice and got my drink order almost immediately when I sat down. I opted for a peach margarita although they did have traditional margaritas on happy hour at the time. The margarita was a bit sweet but I still enjoyed it. As with most Mexican food places you get chips and salsa for the table. The salsa tasted so similarly to one I used to enjoy at a place I grew up near. It wasn't very spicy but had great flavor, I could've eaten buckets of it. I opted to share the chicken fajitas and it was so much food. The chicken was so tender and the veggies were cooked perfectly and had great flavor. It came with rice and beans, tortillas, plus some guacamole and sour cream also. Everyone in our group ordered a variety of different items such as a carnitas burrito, chili relleno and taco combo plus more. Everyone said their food was delicious. I definitely want to come back and try more dishes. read more

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This place just recently opened up. It's located in the area with plenty of parking inside. We got there at 11 and only a few people so far. Three of us ordered enchiladas with either red or green sauce with chicken and one ordered chili Verde. The chili Verde was a little tart or sour tasting on the sauce so I did send it back and re-ordered a shrimp enchilada, which was just OK. The other three people got all chicken and two out of the three did not like the chicken because it's lacked seasoning. They said I did try the chicken. It is very moist but yeah, it's more like a boiled bland chicken versus a grilled chicken. Service was good not sure yet if I would go back to try anything read more

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For being a brand new family owned restaurant, I would say we had a good experience. Our server Elaina was the Best. Very friendly, made sure we were taken care of from start to finish. I had the chile verde and my husband had the carnitas plate. Our food was delicious and the portions were good. We finished with the the churros and ice cream recommended by Elaina, holy moly...so Good! read more

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Very new restaurant in the same building that Bastards used to be in. We heard about it so went in for brunch. The interior is clean with a black theme. They have touch lamps on the tables if you'd like more light. They have a nice, extensive menu with plenty of options. There's a dedicated kids' menu as well. The service was excellent and the owner, Maria, came over to our booth to greet an welcome us. We had a breakfast burrito and a carnitas burrito, both very tasty. We were impressed by the fact that they toasted our burritos. We'll be back again soon to try some of the many other options! read more

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Another great day at La Peña! Service on point. Atmosphere good! This time just came for margaritas and chips and salsa. I would suggest you ask for the trio of salsa! read more

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Came in around 7:45 p.m. on a Friday and waited about 5 minutes. The vibe is cool, with colorful décor and a lamp at every table that makes it feel cozy without being too much. Food was hot, portions were big, and everything tasted really good. The shrimp burrito was loaded with shrimp, which was a nice surprise. The California burrito was large and great as well. Only downside: the food took over an hour to come out. That said, it's a new spot, so hopefully they're just working out the kinks. We'll be back! read more

The food mediocre, wait service non attentive, never brought chips and salsa another waitress attended to us, food service was quick More than likely will not visit again, came mid afternoon was slow read more

This place is fairly new so they didn't have a bar menu but I asked for a margarita flight. I was thinking it was gonna be a few little cups like the one I seen this other lady have, but little did I know it wad going to be 5 tiny patron bottles on a huge tower. The drinks were good, I wasn't fond of the blue one. The salsas were good as well the green one I think would be good on some breakfast eggs. The 2 reds were really good mixed together. The mango ceviche was really good. The tamale and enchilada had good flavor and the sauces were adequate. Overall we had a good meal and would go back again. Inside was nice and clean, staff was friendly but service was a little slow. read more

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La Pena is a great New Mexican restaurant in Temecula. I live in LA and this will definitely be my go to restaurant on weekends when I visit the area. The food is great and authentic. I would definitely recommend the Steak Picado and the Mango Lime Ceviche. They have great margaritas and other drinks. The owner Jesse and his staff are very attentive and professional. I would definitely recommend this great Mexican food spot. G read more

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Stumbled on this place while checking out a nearby coffee place. I didn't know it was established just this year (2026)! I ended up coming back to try it the same evening I discovered it. I came in around 8:30 and it was quite busy! I was seated quickly (table for 1) and was served fresh-made chips and salsa, both of which were good. I was between the La Peña burrito and the combo plate, but I ended up ordering the La Peña burrito with chicken with waitress Lexi and I understand it was a busy night, but it took some time for the food to come out, 20-30 minutes. I noticed that many of the other tables nearby were also experiencing longer than normal wait times. My food came out piping hot and the flavor was pretty good. I definitely think they give you bang for your buck on portion size. I would definitely come back and try the combo plate. It's good to see they're having such good business! read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - La Peña burrito - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Great food with authentic flavors and tasty drinks. They have a variety of classic dishes that hit home created with family recipes. The staff and ownership are super friendly and welcoming. The chili relleno and poblano chicken enchilada were packed with flavor, I can't wait to come back and try all the dishes. If you are looking for great tasting Mexican food this is the new spot in Temecula, I highly recommend you give them a try. read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - Chile Relleno and Chicken enchilada with Poblano sauce. - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Well we visited 2 weeks after opening on a Sat about 1130 not very busy but receiving food took awhile literally kinks not sure ? Ordered desert same delay!!!! Ambiance same layout as previous restaurant with some Mexican flair Lots of staff working so must be the kitchen that is slow? Food overall was ok however was out of items when asked about it on menu ! Overall will try again hopefully the wait for a 2 hour lunch during the week will be quicker?? Salute read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - House margarita - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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I've been in about a dozen times. Pluses: Free parking; warm fresh chips brought to the table free; nice ambiance in the restaurant and bar; good food overall Negatives: Quite a bit of vandalism going on in the parking lot (our car was hit and then the hothead who hit it kicked in the side with a boot print on the paint; parking lot is poorly lit at night; no video coverage of the parking lot; No guest WiFi (is this 1991?); There's a lot to like about this relatively New Mexican eatery and bar. But on the negative side I'd have to add --- way too many flies buzzing our table and crawling around on our food. I asked for a to-go box, waited for it and finally stepped off to the restroom. I returned to find two flies bonding over a shared dinner on the almost full remains of my Mexican Salad. No food to take home that night. I was seated at the bar. The bartenderess couldn't have cared less. I've discovered a new personal pet peeve: when you have a beer or maybe two. No one is drunk. Yet the waitress gives a worried look as you leave and utters "Drive safe!" There's an implied judgement disguised in the expression and utterance. As if to say "You are way unfit to drive!" If that's the really case, friend, just kindly stop serving alcohol to the customer. What's with the false concern? Its judgement dressed up as concern. Better to just thank the customer as they're leaving and wish them a fun night or even just a good night. No need for the condescending attitude. Several good people here deserve mention. They're all waiters: Sunshine, Claudia and Erica. read more

La Pena did not disappoint! Service was on point and place looked fantastic. My wings were BOMB too. 30% off during Happy Hour, 2 to 6pm 7 days a week. Beers were cold and both salsas were very tasty as well. Jesse, the owner and his entire crew were friendly, hard working and detailed oriented. Go today, thank me later! read more

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We had the best Mexican food in Temecula. Food was fresh and the beans and rice we delicious. House salad was fresh. Prices were very low for all the food we got. read more

I stopped by La Peña for a drink and a small bite, and I was not disappointed. I ordered a skinny margarita made with CaliFino Tequila and the potato tacos. Unfortunately, I ate the tacos way too fast to snap a picture, but they were absolutely delicious. The margarita, on the other hand, was pure perfection. Jesse welcomed me as soon as I walked in and immediately made me feel at home. Daniel and Jose were incredibly attentive and friendly, taking the time to chat with every guest sitting at the bar. Their hospitality really elevated the experience. The ambiance was fantastic. The space feels much warmer, more inviting, and far more comfortable than when it was Bastards. I'm already looking forward to coming back to explore the rest of the menu. Highly recommend checking out La Peña! read more

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The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great! Everyone is so nice and friendly. Definitely going back read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - Mole enchiladas were melt in your mouth. - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Second time here, tacos were good, wish the tortillas were yellow corn, but I'm not mad. Ask for the spicer salsa, the green one that the tacos came with was not spicy at all. Service was good read more

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Average. Stood there at the front door and waited pretty long to be greeted and sat. Food was average. The ambiance is cool. I like the low-lit tables at night. It just seems like the place struggles to stream things along. Hard to recommend this restaurant when there's stronger competition all around. read more

I had enchilada combo plate with red sauce - sauce was excellent, rice was good, beans were runny. My wife had salmon plate - salmon was 8 out of 10 and it had cauliflower, rice, and broccolii. Music was loud and not relaxing and made it hard to carry on a conversation. Service was a solid 10 out 0f 10 though food took a little longer than expected. Definitely will go back again. read more

Changing my rating because we really gave this place another shot. This was our second visit for lunch we started with drinks. My husband ordered a Pacifico (no problems there) I ordered a Michelada. When it arrived it looked like they put a light splash of Clamato juice and let me tell you the taste was not there. I added salt , squeezed lime juice and it's still lacked flavor. We asked the waiter to please add more Clamato juice and I don't feel they added much more cause it tasted the same. This was disappointing. Moving on to our food, a shrimp cocktail for my husband and fish taco for me. The shrimp cocktail was okay , we'd give it a hard 6. My fish taco had some presentation but completely fell apart. We had no napkins and were surprised there weren't some just on the tables. Our waiter took a minute or 15 to circle back and check in at that point we expressed our concerns and asked for the tab. Again was completely overpriced for what was ordered . We will not be back. read more

We decided to see for ourselves if the hype was justified and it didn't disappoint (I'll be honest, I thought it would). I'll start with the drinks - they were delicious and well crafted. As Mexicans the first thing we always judge are the rice and beans; they were delicious as was my asada and pastor. The service was also excellent and the ambiance is lively but pleasant. The prices were reasonable also. We will definitely return. read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - El Luchador - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Fantastic owners, great food and service! Came here on Taco Tuesday and was greeted by smiling owners. I felt so welcome, like I was a part of the family! I can't wait to come back! read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Was very excited to try La Pena, we have been there twice now and very happy with the drinks! the ambiance very nice! without these two things we will not go back, so big plus! however, very disappointed in the food, both my husband and I tried different entree's each time and not something we would re-order. We are hoping they are watching these reviews and make some changes. We want this to be one of our favorite places! read more

Highly recommend the cumbersome jalapeño margaritas! Very friendly staff, great service, and amazing food! read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - The bar. - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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The service was excellent, as it being the first week of opening. The staff were attentive and friendly. Food came out fast and very fresh. The soft shredded beef taco had a soggy tortilla. The chicharron was still popping. Loved the crispness of the tostada. The mango ceviche was refreshing, would get again. read more

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Service is amazing. Owners are extremely nice. The food is incredible. My husband and I went. Normally he doesn't like green enchiladas sauce but absolutely love it! Will be back. Thank you for the great food. read more

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This is the best Mexican place around!! The service, food, drinks and environment is perfect. They have TV's and music playing and it's at a perfect volume so you can still enjoy talking at the table because it's not extremely loud. If you are looking for real Mexican food this is the place!! read more

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We had such a great experience! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun and welcoming, and the service was excellent. One thing that really stood out was that the owners came around to introduce themselves, check on us, and make sure everything was going well. It made the experience feel much more personal, on top of our server being so attentive. Everyone on the staff was incredibly friendly, and we're so excited to finally have another great Mexican restaurant in the area. We tried the La Peña Burrito, the fajitas, and the molcajete, and every dish was flavorful and cooked perfectly. We'll definitely be back! read more

We were excited to try this new restaurant. Recommend you save yourself some money and go elsewhere. When we arrived we could see a number of empty tables, but were told the wait was 15-20 minutes. I would think it would be better to seat us and let us order drinks, but no we had to wait. They brought the chips and salsa and the salsa was thick and sweet. Not a fan of it. We ordered the chicken fajitas and a burrito. The fajitas were just ok, just average. Now the chicken burrito had beans, rice and chicken and was extremely bland. No seasoning at all! They didn't even have salt and pepper on the table to try to improve it and the server was not around. So disappointed, we will not be returning. read more

food was amazing. I had the chilaquiles and the server gave the best service by checking in on us a few times and keeping our drinks refilled. We sat in the both and it was very comfortable. if your into sports this place has lots of Tvs to watch the games. read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - red chilaquiles with grilled chicken and scrambled egg. - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

5/5 Stars -- Outstanding food and top-tier service! I brought my grandparents here, and let's just say... WOW! My grandparents are as old-school as it gets and extremely picky about Mexican food-their motto is usually, "If I want Mexican food, I'll just cook it myself." They only accept truly authentic flavors, but this place completely blew them away! Not only was the food incredible, but the service was phenomenal. Our server was so attentive, warm, and friendly; she truly deserves recognition for making our visit special. She mentioned they are a fairly new restaurant, and I have no doubt that if they maintain this level of amazing quality and hospitality, they're going to be a massive success We live 50 minutes away, but we will 100% be making the drive back very soon. Thank you for a wonderful meal! read more

Very nice staff. Casual dining establishment. We enjoyed the Chili Verde Enchiladas plate & the Chicken Fajitas dinner. We will come back after 2:00 for Happy Hour on drinks & appetizers read more

La Peña Mexican Grill - Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Thank goodness this place finally opened! This area has been needing a real Mexican restaurant, and this one absolutely delivers. The food was incredible, the drinks were even better, and the service was outstanding. With Jesse and Maria behind it, this restaurant has the kind of experience and passion that gives you confidence from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere was perfect--the music was at just the right volume, and the décor is beautifully done. Everything came together to create an amazing dining experience. I can't wait to come back. This is going to become one of our regular spots! . read more

We were seated yet no one came to our table for set-up for 10 minutes plus. We then asked two separate servers for water, each of whom replied that yes, they would bring us water, but then promptly returned to what they were doing before.......clearing tables! Having read reviews from others about poor service, we decided to not waste any more time, and we left. As we were leaving, we passed a table where a woman was getting her check. As she saw us leaving, she said "Wise Choice!" One block away is Guadalajara, where we had a delicious lunch WITH WATER, and 5/5 star service! I can't comment on whether the food at La Peña is good, because we couldn't even score a glass of water in 95 degree weather! We won't be giving La Peña a second chance. read more

We have found the best Mexican restaurant in Temecula!! Excellent Steak Picado!! Very tender carne asada. Chile Colorado is the best too. Many good choices. Good service and very good cocktails too. Many TVs for the games!!!!! Highly Highly recommend!! read more