Good food. Enjoyed their happy hour food and drinks although we had to ask for the menu. The tacos were so delicious and margaritas were good quality, the ambience is great and service is quick and attentive. read more

Palenque Kitchen - Asada taco and Tonga taco. Margaritas. - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

The waitress was very attentive and checked on our table frequently. My favorite thing at any restaurant is what they serve complimentary. Whether if it's bread or chips and salsa. That's what people look forward to and it was disappointing that you have to pay for chips and salsa here. They give you very little chips and small cups of salsa that doesn't pack any heat. The cubana sandwich was good. I think it can be shared between 2-people. The atmosphere is cool and I can understand why people come here. Nice decor and is a place you want to take pictures with your friends. It definitely isn't a place for me. I like quiet place to have dinner and to be able to enjoy conversation. Also it's a one man restroom so you have to wait in line to use it. read more

Palenque Kitchen - Cubana - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

They state online they offer so much for the guests but when I went in with a group of business associates to work on our laptops while we are eatting they said they didn't offer any WiFi for guests EVEN THOUGH they promote online they do have WiFi available for guests this ruined our experience we CANCELED OUR ORDER AND LEFT! I wonder what else they DONT HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR GUESTS read more

Love love this place! MUSIC On point DRINKS Awesome! FOOD Always good. Come by and say Hi to Victor he's amazing! read more

Palenque Kitchen - Victor! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Situated in the culture and arts area of Riverside, this place was easy to get to from the hotel I stayed in for the week on business. Inside was beautiful and gave you Mayan heritage feel. They didn't have happy hour, however their drinks were reasonably priced. There were 4 of us so we ordered several things to try. The taquitos, ceviche w/ tortillas, fried octopus, queso were amazing! Our waiter was so nice and gave us a history lesson about the name of the restaurant and helped me figure out which mezcal I was going to try for the first time. Their chicken fajitas were really good also. They played good music which made the vibe even better along with the food and drinks. I would go back here for sure and try other dishes. read more

See all

I booked reservations for a Saturday night and we were seated within a few minutes. Service was nice, our waiter was friendly despite seeming very busy. The restaurant is just a quick 5 minute walk from the Mission Inn. The inside is on the smaller to medium size with aesthetically pleasing neon lights in dim lighting. The food was just okay to me. The best thing was the guacamole but they such a little scoop in a big bowl. The presentation looked a bit disappointing because of that. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and the verde sauce had too much acidity for my liking. The chicken was moist but the flavor was okay. The Spanish rice was undercooked and hard with a funny chlorine taste to it. The margaritas were also a better a highlight as it was strong and pretty to look at it. Although the atmosphere is fun for a night out, I've had way better Mexican food at higher end places that cost just as much if not less. read more

See all

Check out Palenque in Downtown Riverside to enjoy traditional Mexican dishes with a different twist, in a more upscale, modern setting. The food had great flavors that went well with one of the signature cocktails. I started off with the Sandia Pepino, A Margarita with watermelon infused tequila, house citrus, blue agave, tajin rim. I tried the combo Fajita plate with sautéed poblano mixed peppers, onions, butter, sour cream, mexican rice, beans, warm tortillas, and guacamole. We were welcomed and seated right away. Great service! Definitely will be back the next time I'm in the area. read more

Palenque Kitchen - Sandia Pepino - Watermelon infused tequila, house citrus, blue agave, tajin rim - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

We weren't sure if Palenque required a reservation, so I called ahead. The man who answered said it was a slow night and that we could walk in, which we did. My friend and I arrived, picked a table, and were greeted by our waiter, Hailey. At the very beginning, the service actually seemed fine--she was attentive and checked on us regularly. Things started to change once the rest of our group arrived. We initially told Hailey it would be four people, but two additional friends joined, making it a party of six. From that point on, the energy noticeably shifted. Hailey became far less attentive, and when we asked questions, her responses felt awkward and dismissive. She would laugh in a way that felt uncomfortable, like there was an inside joke we weren't a part of. I can't pinpoint exactly where everything went wrong, but overall the experience was very underwhelming. We did not feel welcomed in the space at all, and the change in service made the night uncomfortable rather than enjoyable. Unfortunately, this isn't a place I'd return to or recommend. read more

Ratings as follows for the trinity: Food & Drinks: 3/5 * guacamole as a starter was great in itself. However, the chips tasted like burnt oil. The salsa that came with it was delicious. 3/5 * birria tacos were as expected and came with a solid consume and a side of rice and pinto beans. 4/5 * the asada plate was a bit underwhelming. The meat was not cooked to the temperature of our choice and was a bit chewy. Not really a flat meat. The vegetables, however, were solid. 3/5 * watermelon margarita. Very refreshing highly recommend to order. 5/5. Service: very attentive and accommodating. 5/5 Ambiance: lively with music and cute decorations. 4.5/5 read more

We visited Riverside last night for the Festival of Lights at the Mission and decided to grab some food beforehand. I had initially booked a reservation at another restaurant, but this place caught my eye and looked way better--so glad we switched! We arrived just before 5 PM, and they were able to seat our party of four right away. Perfect timing, because shortly after, the restaurant completely filled up, and a line started forming outside. The Festival of Lights clearly draws a crowd, and without reservations, we were lucky to get in. Had we arrived any later, we might've missed out on this gem! I consider myself a Michelada connoisseur, so I have to say the drink was just okay--but that's the only thing I wasn't wowed by. The carnitas plate? Phenomenal. Everyone at my table ended up stealing bites from my plate after seeing how good it looked and confirming it tasted even better. The fresh guacamole was another standout, and the esquites were pretty tasty as well. The service was excellent, and the staff was both attentive and (bonus points!) very good-looking. They made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. This spot is definitely worth a visit. I'd love to come back, but it'll likely be next year during the Festival of Lights again. Highly recommend this place if you're in the area--just be sure to arrive early! read more

Palenque Kitchen - Carnitas -- highly recommend! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

No vegetarian options besides salad & sides! So easy to do Mexican vegetarian dishes but not one on the menu.

Was in the area for the Riverside Mission Christmas lights and wanted a bite to eat. Located in the center downtown Riverside, definitely a great spot for Mexican food. Given how many people were in the area for the lights we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly we were seated by the hostess. Our server Jose is the sweetest! He came by immediately and brought us waters and got our orders for food. He even gave us some suggestions on popular drinks! He came by a couple of times to check on us and always has a smile on his face. Watermelon margarita 10/5 - took Jose's suggestion and got the margarita. Even comes with a slice of cucumber! Delicious and super addicting. Could've drank 10 of these. Fish tacos 5/5 - 2 beer battered fish tacos were delicious. Fish tasted fresh and seasoned well. Comes with a side of Mexican rice and beans. Fajitas 4/5 - comes with all the fixings of a fajita plate including meat, Mexican rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, and tortillas. The meat was a little watery for my taste. Other than that flavors were great. Will definitely come back to try more stuff on their menu! read more

See all

Service and ambiance was good. Very small portions for the price. We ordered shrimp and steak fajitas and only got 3 shrimps and a few pieces of meat. My father and I ordered the Caldo Tlalpeno and it was super salty, not edible. Overall not worth it for how expensive it was, especially because the food was not that good. read more

Everything was great. Sally was our host and couldn't ask for better service. Ordered the papas bravas as an appetizer and it was amazing. Entrees were amazing as well couldn't as for more. Highly recommend to anybody in the area. Will definitely be returning soon read more

We recently stayed at the Mission Inn and found Palenque on Yelp and decided to give it a try. The place is very close to the hotel so you can easily walk here. It's located in the Main Street mall with outside and inside seating. The restaurant has a club vibe (very sleek and modern) and has a good size bar in the middle. My bf and I both ordered tacos. I got quesa birria and he got asada. The menu says you get two large tacos with beans and rice for $25. I was hoping these tacos were on the bigger side but they were about your average size tacos. Everything on my plate was good, just pricey. Service was great. We got seated right away and our food came out fairly quickly. Our server was very friendly, too. It was a good dinner but the portion was quite small for the price. read more

See all

What a fabulous experience. Our server Victor was a delight and on point with his recommendations. Everything we ate and drank was absolutely delicious. There were four of us at the table and we all completely cleaned our plates! We will definitely return!! read more

Palenque Kitchen - A delicious suavacito! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

I always enjoy coming in here, the vibes were a romantic moody perfect for the winter occasion. I ordered an espresso martini with reposado, might I say, I found my new obsession. The drink was a prefect blend, a gentle drink not over powering, smooth, classy, and exactly what you might hope for in drink when you want to take the easy and treat yourself. Sonia the bartender outdid herself with this concoction. I also ordered the pozole per recommendation of Irene, a great compliment to the cold air. I always leave with a smile on my face. Thank you. read more

The staff was prompt and friendly. Food was excellent and authentic. But the star of the meal was the patron tree.

Two starts because our server Echo was Amazing! One star because the place was clean and comfy. Cool modern aesthetics , but the food lacked flavor. My chicken pozole was clear almost like water and very bland. The Aguas frescas also lacked flavor... presentation was fancy but no flavor or color. read more

I was starving with no clue where to go, so I typed "food" into my GPS and Palenque popped up. The photos looked promising, so I figured why not? Little did I know I was walking into more of a club vibe than I expected. I'll be honest, I wasn't in the mood hungry, a headache, and questioning my decision. But then Iris greeted me with such a warm, genuine smile that it instantly shifted my mood. I was a mess, and she met me with kindness and reassurance that I was in the right place and she was right. The food did exactly what I needed it to do. It was flavorful, satisfying, and honestly turned my whole mood around. What started as frustration ended in relief. read more

Because of good Yelp reviews we decided to try Palenque restaurant. We were very disappointed. First we split the trio of margaritas but we were pretty sure they didn't have any alcohol in them and they tasted more like Kool-aid. Then we tried the queso fundido with felt very heavy and greasy. We tried to order the cerviche and fish tacos and they said they weren't available. We ordered chicken and shrimp fajitas and they were bland. With tip and 2 beers we spent $175.00 and it was not worth it. I have made better fajitas. There were only 3 tables on a Wednesday at 6:00 which should have been a warning. Because the restaurant was almost empty the service was good. read more

Christmas night 2025: Drove an hour to see the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn, lucky to get a seat at the Palenque bar where the full menu is available. The esquites and chicken taquitos were both excellent and my server behind the bar was friendly and attentive. A chill experience, highly recommended. read more

Palenque Kitchen - Chicken taquitos and Esquites at Palenque, Riverside - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

I had an early dinner on Sunday. The host and our waitress were nice, and welcoming. The restaurant itself was clean and good for photos. The food was also good, the potatoes were decent- missing some flavors but when I added a piece of carnitas it tastes better! The enchiladas were spicy but good flavors. I would come back! A little overpriced. read more

See all

Sally Margarita Chips and salsa Ceviche Margarita Guacamole Bacon wrapped shrimp tacos Steak and shrimp fajitas Margarita Churros Sally The perfect evening... read more

Palenque Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Went to Riverside and stumbled upon this place on a Sunday evening. Since I'm always in the mood for Mexican, we peeked our heads in. It had a cute ambiance and a good menu, so we decided to try it. We're pescatarian so we ordered the esquites, veggie fajitas and I asked if they could add veggies to the cheese enchiladas. The esquites were limey, buttery and cheesy! SO good. Shareable (2) portion The shrimp fajitas were good, and the enchiladas, although they put different vegetables than I would have - carrots, mushrooms, and squash, they did a good job with it. It was really tasty. The green enchilada sauce was hittin'. Ok, the prices. A little pricey for my liking. There was an up charge for adding shrimp (+$9!) to the fajitas $21. And it was $6 to add veggies to the cheese enchiladas which were priced at $22. Margarita was $17! That's pricey for a good drink, and it was just ok. Our server Sally was super sweet, and even made me some complimentary churros, since I'm pregnant. The bathroom needs some work, but that's what you get with unisex bathrooms. All said, I'd definitely return. read more

See all

Food was surprisingly very good considering the limited menu and rather boring selection; was hoping for more of a fine cuisine approach considering the core downtown location and great reviews. I honestly had a rather low expectation when I saw the generic menu. But, I was surprisingly pleased that everything we ordered had a strong umami and yummy flavor. Service and ambiance was good and acceptable. read more

My husband and I visited this place for dinner on date night. I enjoyed the ambiance and great music. Ambiance is great. I saw a mix of families, couples, and friend groups. The food was nothing to rave about. We ordered queso fundido with chorizo. There was only enough for 1 tiny taco each. For about $18 that felt like a rip off. I ordered the birria tacos which were incredibly dry. They were served with refried beans and rice which were fine. My husband ordered the chicken enchiladas. Personally I didn't love the sauce. It was a tad too bitter for me, as if it came from a can. My husband said it's ok and nothing to rave home about. He was not a fan of the refried beans. He found something hard in it as if the beans weren't washed well before cooking (maybe a rock?). Although the food was mediocre at best, it was miles ahead of the service. Our server was likely not sober as he was sweating a lot, wasn't a great listener, and kept forgetting things. He kept mixing up our orders. We ordered flour tortillas for the queso fundido and received corn. My husband ordered a Modelo beer and received an Old Fashion. I ordered an agua fresca de sandía and they gave me some alcoholic beverage. It's not that I don't drink, but I'm currently on medication that shouldn't be mixed with alcohol. I never got my agua fresca. We also had to ask three different people for water and ask twice for a box. We just laughed it off. It kept the night interesting for us, but we won't be back. Also, parking was a challenge. We had to pay $10 flat fee at a parking garage. Lastly, even though the name on the wall is Palenque, I actually think it's called "Mezcal Cantina Y Cocina." It's right next door to a lounge called Mezcal and they advertise it all over this restaurant. Save your money if you want good food. read more

Great drinks and food!! . Our server Iris was very attentive and checked in on us. We liked the vibe and the dim lighting . read more

Palenque Kitchen - Margaritas flight and guac with extra Chiles - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Came to Palenque with my girlfriends for Margarita Monday, and wow we had such a fun night! The vibes were great, the food was incredible, and the drinks were dangerously good. A huge shoutout to Sally, who was both our server and bartender she was amazing! Super friendly, fun, and made the best margaritas of the night. I had the watermelon m,strawberry and the classic margarita, they were absolutely delicious. She also recommended I try the steak tacos, and I'm so glad I listened, they were phenomenal. We started with the Queso dip with chorizo, which was rich, flavorful, and totally addictive. It came with warm tortillas, but we also got chips to scoop it up, a perfect combo. The salsa and seasoned tortilla chips they bring to the table were also on point. The steak tacos, OMG yummy! The steak was juicy and flavorful, and the tortillas had melted cheese cooked right onto them, which took everything to the next level. The restaurant is beautiful and has a great energy. They've got specials for different days of the week (I snapped a pic of the weekly deals and added it to the review), so there's always a good excuse to come back. Can't wait to return,next time we're aiming for Sunday brunch! Thanks again, Sally, for the great service and even better drinks! read more

See all

Service was great! Victor did a great job serving our table. Great attitude and food was delicious. read more

Palenque Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

RAMOʻN did an amazing j0b. My custom old fashion with habenaro bitter was perfect. CEVICHI was delicious

Update: Management Follow-Up & Clarification I wanted to provide an update to my previous review. A manager from the restaurant reached out to me directly and took my concerns seriously. After reviewing the security footage, they explained that it was not a staff member who handled my purse improperly. According to the manager, another party appears to have attempted to locate identification inside my wallet in order to determine who the purse belonged to. While I still wish my belongings had been secured immediately and handled differently, I do appreciate that management investigated the situation, reviewed the cameras, and followed up with transparency. The manager also assured me there was no ill intent and that staff did not go through my purse. I'm thankful for the communication and accountability shown after the fact. Situations involving personal property are understandably sensitive, and prompt, clear follow-up goes a long way. read more

First review! I am fairly new to the area and came across this kitchen the drinks were great staff was attentive and the food was good, I was hoping for a little bit more selection but found something I liked. I would recommend it! read more

Victor provided the best service possible! Deff took care of my girls and me! 10/10 recommend for a girls brunch!

Food was excellent, got the salmon pastor and it was delicious. Grandma got the Enchilada and loved them. We then got tres leches and it was super delicious as well. To drink, I got a watermelon and cucumber agua Fresca. Everything was very fresh, and most if not everything was made in house and on demand using fresh ingredients. Our waiter Victor was very friendly and gave us excellent recommendations, which we based our order off of. It simply wouldn't have been the same experience without him. Very calm and pretty view from outside. Would come back again even though I live rather far. Excellent food, excellent waiter! read more

See all

Service was great! Irene was on point. Recommend tacos and drinks and all were great! Fish tacos were the best!! Had two rounds of them, didn't disappoint. Beer was cold and top shelf alcohol did the job. Give this place a chance! read more

It was my first time at Palenque this evening. We ordered papas bravas for our appetizer and for my entree, I ordered the quesa birria tacos. The papas bravas were slightly spicy with a good crisp, very flavorful. My quesa birria tacos were tasty, but on the oily side. The meat itself was tender and juicy. The ambiance was great and the inside had such a fun vibe! Also, our server was nice. It was a good time for a Sunday evening dinner! read more

Palenque Kitchen - Quesa birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

See all

Bad... overall just bad. To begin: 1. Food took over an hr to come out. We ordered the DF asada when it came out the piece of meat was smaller than the tortilla and it was mostly fat. 2. The chips and dip... the salsa was watered down. No flavor, chips were greasy 3. Bathrooms dirty paper everywhere 4. Drinks were okay Dissatisfied and disappointed. Will never come back read more

The food was tasty and Victor was super attentive. He made our drinks with time and perfection. He made sure we tended to and the food was delicious. We came during their brunch time so it was light but it was exactly what we were looking for. read more

See all

I've only ever gone here for their weekend brunch and it's always been fun. The restaurant is lively, filled with patrons during this time. The service is quick, we do hit some bumps here and there about items not being available, but we just adjust the order and it comes right out. I like the enchiladas the most and crave them from time to time. It's a good place to meet up with friends for brunch and drinks. read more

See all