Late review but I felt like I should leave this here just in case people are wondering cause if they closed down cause of the food quality. -- Came back to Playa Mesa for my friend's birthday. The chips and salsa were really good. The aguachile had a nice spicy flavor that made it stand out. The queso fundido was SO good super cheesy, and paired with the handmade tortillas it was one of my favorites. We also ordered the calamari and I was surprised by how good it was. Everyone ordered different rounds of cocktails throughout the night and honestly, not one missed. Service was a little slow, but it was a busy Friday night, so that's somewhat expected. I've been here before and the grilled octopus tacos and carne asada burrito were just as good as I remembered them. They also made the birthday celebration really cute. They sang happy birthday, brought out a small ice cream, and gave my friend a big mariachi hat. Good food, great drinks, and still consistent as I remembered it. So long Playa Mesa. 9.5/10 read more

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Playa Mesa has a great atmosphere with beautiful aesthetics. In the evening, the open windows create a nice breeze, though they do let a few flies in. The hostess was friendly, and our server was funny and kind. He was a little less attentive as it got busier, but the staff worked well as a team, so we never had to wait for refills or anything we needed. Parking in the back can be a little tight. The birria tacos were packed with flavor, and I loved the inside-out cheese crust. My husband's fajitas were flavorful, although the chicken was a little overdone. The guacamole was excellent, especially with the pepita seeds adding great texture. Overall, we enjoyed the flavorful food, service, and atmosphere. We'd definitely come back! read more

Playa Mesa - Chicken fajitas & chicken enchilada & taco - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Parking was weird. Not clearly marked but there's a guy who tells you after you're parked, if you're not going to Wild Goose (literally right next door), he tells you to move. Um... okay. So we got back in the car to park over to the spaces nearer Playa Mesa, when another guy tells us where we should park. What the heck? Anyway, we finally found parking. Super packed restaurant! Luckily we got a booth for 6. They had a lot of tables and booths. A couple of TVs but they were small so we couldn't see the FIFA score from where we were sitting. Food was decent. It's California Mexican. Kind of like Chevy's. We sat down and we were served chips and salsa right away and asked for our drink orders. I ordered a margarita with salt. It was just table salt. Wish it was margarita salt. :( We ordered: Guacamole - It was a bit salty and very oniony. Ceviche de Pescado was okay. It had more "stuff" than fish. Salmon Salad was okay. Wish they chopped the lettuce leaves more. I had to use knife to cut down the whole leaves of butter lettuce. Lol. Service was okay. The other folks in our party asked for the sauce off the burrito (not serve a wet burrito). The waiter was understanding and took the burrito back to fix it. It came back still covered in sauce but without the sour cream design. Had to send it back a second time and this time he got it right. :) One of our orders didn't arrive which was weird because the waiter recommended the fish tacos. When we inquired, he said he remembered talking about it and placing the order but for some reason it wasn't on the ticket. The tacos finally arrived after a few minutes. It seemed longer because we had 3 kids who were tired and hungry. read more

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I was a little weary when my friend mentioned this cool spot in Costa Mesa for brunch. Why? Because of parking. However, parking is not something you have to worry about for this spot as they have their own parking lot. The place has an open window concept, so you will not get out of there smelling like the food, however the rich flavors of Mexican cuisine can be definitely experienced. The decor is beautiful and picturesque. The staff were super friendly and attentive. So very attentive that they kept trying to take my plate as I was actively still eating lol but I know they were just trying to be attentive. I got the breakfast tacos. Simple but delicious. The flavors were so good. And the 2 tacos were super fulfilling. I enjoyed every single bite and I'd totally recommend it. I also got a mimosa to celebrate my graduation, although their mimosa flavors were basic and the orange juice was the bitter type. Also the glass for the mimosa wasn't the best. I attempted to cheer a couple times but it was filled to the top and it spilled everywhere. Anywho, the girls all loved their brunch and we totally recommend this spot. You'll feel like you went to a Cancun vacation read more

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I came here for a friend's birthday in a really big group. Service was fine considering we had two big table worth of people. A few people kept ordering drinks and it seemed like it came out pretty quickly each time. I ordered the combo plate with the birra taco and chicken enchilada. It also came with arugula salad, rice, and beans. I thought the birra taco was going to be one that I could dip, but that wasn't the case, so I was a bit disappointed with that. The chicken enchiladas was okay, nothing special. I felt like it needed more flavor. I did ask for a side of pico afterwards, and that made the food a bit more enjoyable. I may consider coming here again just to try other entrees, not in a big group setting. I came for a 7 pm reservation and the parking lot was full. So I had to park down the street and walk. It wasn't too bad, but a slight minor inconvenience. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The complimentary chips and salsa are both great! Hot, thin and crispy chips with a delectable salsa for dipping Shared chicken fajitas and enjoyed our meal very much. My companion had a margarita and said it was the best she'd ever had! Seemed a bit short handed for 12:30 on a Friday afternoon (one server, one bartender) but they kept up with everything. Beautiful restaurant/bar. read more

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My first time here and I really love the atmosphere and my food was good!! For my food I ordered a side Caesar salad and guacamole!! They made the guac without tomatoes and onions, which at first they said no but they did!! I was happy with that! I'll give my guac 5/5 for sure!! Only had a Prosecco for my drink but it was solid! The service was 3/5 I felt that the guys at the bar was confused and lagged to help us out. It wasn't even crowded so not sure why??? Hmmmm Anyways, the ambiance was greattttt!! It gave me vacations vibes like I was in Cabo!! It's very cute and Modern and perfect for summer time!! Came on a Saturday and didn't need any reservation but I feel you should for the evenings times!! The manager and the guy who brought out our plates were very nice and accommodating besides the other service we had at the bar! I will def be back here!! -Marshay D. read more

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What a great find. I had not eaten at this place before, but it came highly recommended from a friend of mine so I thought hey I'm going to check this out. I am so glad I did, especially since it was happy hour. The place definitely has a great vibe to it. Plenty of seating throughout the restaurant. I recommend sitting at the bar as that's where all the action happens. You definitely want to make sure you get there for happy hour and Taco Tuesday especially, $10 Margaritas $4 tacos and these are not cheap tacos. These are like serious tacos that will fill you up. Their salsa is great, not super spicy and makes great for munching while you're talking with friends. The margaritas are definitely strong, which is nice, as some places tend to water them down for happy hour. I would say that this is a great choice to go check out and have a taco or two or three or four. I had the carne asada, the carnitas, and the pastor, every single one of them was perfect and the salsa that they came with was out of this world. Bottom line? This is a great place for Taco Tuesday as well as just a hangout and have a drink after work. Whenever I am in Costa Mesa. I am definitely coming here again. read more

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Service was fine. A little slow. I do understand it was a Friday night and busy. But something to note. Now the food was average Mexican. Appetizers great. We got the elote and it was delicious. The entrees were fine. I didn't like that they only used one tortilla on the tacos. Double up so it doesn't get soggy. read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a long time & I'm glad I finally got the chance to eat here for dinner. What an experience, our server was awesome, our cocktails were delicious, and the food was perfect. We made reservations on the Sunday after valentines and we're expecting it to be packed but it was decent! We didn't have to pay for parking, our food came out quick, and the ambiance inside was great. Nice dim lights, beautiful decor, really such a great find. I would recommend the steak fajitas & dulce muerte cocktail read more

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I love their brunch menu. It's a place where you can make a reservation for brunch and enjoy unlimited mimosas if that's your thing. It's great that I can avoid the typical long queue for weekend brunch. I had the French toast, and my friends had the tres leches waffles, the chilaquiles, and the breakfast tacos. Everything was solid. We especially loved all the fun, colorful brunch drinks. We were celebrating a birthday, and they brought out a hilarious giant sombrero, which was a big hit. The service was excellent too -- our server was very friendly and professional, serving our big group and making our birthday celebration special. The interior decor was great too -- breezy Baja style. read more

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Went to Playa Mesa for a birthday dinner, and it seemed like we picked a popular night as there were at least five groups celebrating birthdays. Unfortunately, it took about an hour for our food to come out. A manager came by to apologize and explained that the kitchen was backed up and offered us complimentary churros. It was delicious and probably the best dish of the night. The chicken enchiladas and fish tacos were nothing special. The ceviche was not good and the calamari was okay. Their spicy sauce was very spicy. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I ordered the margarita and shrimp tacos and it was delicious. They give lots of chips and salsa for the table. Staff and ambience were lovely. read more

Playa Mesa - Gobernador Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We came here for my birthday and had a reservation but it wasn't super busy. The service was quick and the food was really good. We got the queso fundido, pollo burrito, steak/shrimp fajitas and a margarita flight. Everything was delicious. Will be back to try other dishes. read more

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I came here because of the great reviews, and I couldn't agree more with all of them! The service was great, as soon as we walked in the gentleman at the front were so welcoming, and our server was just as great! He was very attentive and funny. My mom did say she wished she had more carne asada because it was so good. My Birria plate was so juicy, along with my michelada that was made just as I like it! I would definitely come back. This would be a good place to come for a birthday, as it is a beautiful restaurant. read more

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My wife and I came here for a monday date night. The dining room is cozy, comfortable, very beautiful and well kept. Service was quick and friendly between the host and our waitress, they were very nice. You'll be given chips and salsa at your table, be careful because they are very good and you might fill up on them before you even order. Now for the good stuff- My wife ordered the Birria tacos, which came with a side of rice and beans. I of course finished them for her as she got full fast and they were great! I'm not a huge fan of birria as I often find it stringy or tough- not at Playa Mesa! The birria was fantastic and very tender. For myself I got the Surf n Turf burrito. It came wet with both red and green sauce. The burrito was packed with steak and shrimp, they didn't hold back on the meats but kept the burrito balanced. My wife did ask for her Margarita with a Tajin rim, when the waitress brought it out she (our waitress) immediately noticed it had a salt rim, not a big deal and she fixed it right away. all in all I'll definitely be returning for more date nights. read more

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Had a group outing at Playa Mesa for the holiday. I was able to secure my reservation with the Yelp app, which was super convenient. The restaurant was spacious and great for a group outing. I got the surf and turf fajitas that came on a sizzling plate. They did put a lot of tomatoes in my fajita plate, would have been nicer to have more onions and peppers . I did enjoy the queso appetizer. If you like it spicy, ask for the habanero salsa and the chili oil. read more

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Brunch was such a great experience Miguel J. was so attentive and made sure our mimosas stayed bottomless. I loved the green chilaquiles with my medium rare steak. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is awesome. They sat our large party after we had just come from an event and even though we were sweaty, they were very kind there were chips at the Wazzu perfect amount of salt. read more

Playa Mesa - Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Pre-Bday celebration with my honey! First time for dinner and it was amazing! I got the mushroom tacos with rice and beans. My boyfriend got the Tabla. Lots of flavor full, juicy and filing food. Our waiter was great, detailed, and very friendly. The restaurant has a happy, vibrant atmosphere. Great background music too! read more

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we recently hosted a surprise engagement party at this restaurant, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the experience! From the moment we arrived, the staff went above and beyond to make the night truly unforgettable. The team helped keep the surprise perfectly timed, and their attention to detail made everything feel effortless. The food was spectacular. every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavor. Our guests are still talking about the appetizers and how perfect everything tasted. The atmosphere was warm, elegant, and ideal for such a special celebration. Most importantly, the service was exceptional. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, incredibly kind, and genuinely excited to be part of our special moment. They helped create memories we'll cherish forever. Thank you for making our engagement celebration absolutely perfect. I highly recommend this restaurant for any special event or even just a fantastic night out! read more

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I really enjoyed this place for a few reasons: The service was excellent! The staff was so friendly and attentive. The interior of the restaurant was open and inviting. The chips and salsa were fantastic. The food came quickly and was good. We ordered Fajitas and enchiladas. I wish the fajitas came out hot and sizzling but were good, not excellent. The enchiladas were good, not excellent. Parking seems to be Valet only, which is not fair when the restaurant is slow. They had only one handicap spot. Overall, a good time. I recommend this place. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I've always loved Playa Mesa from the first time I found this place a few years ago. I love their Tamardino Margarita and their chips and salsa are always delicious too. My friend and I went here for Taco Tuesday and the tacos did not disappoint. They are a good size and have plenty of meat/fish in them. Servers are also pretty attentive here and come around at a good pace. Overall ambiance in here is open and airy which l enjoy. Parking is a bit challenging at times esp. when they don't have valet parking (seems to be only on the weekend) as it seems Wild Goose Tavern goers tend to park in Playa Mesa's spaces as well, so just give yourself extra time to find a parking spot. read more

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We just left here than an hour and 20 minutes ago... We were here for a work outing... I'm a part of a team that some reside in Los Angeles and some reside in Costa Mesa so because there's more of them in Costa Mesa we are always having to drive to Costa Mesa... I have not been to this restaurant before I don't really go to Orange County very much... But this restaurant was really interesting. I loved the open bar area so like everything kind of revolves around the bar there's some amazing seating outdoors to get the cool breeze. The food was delicious. I had the Al Pastor store plate. My other coworkers had the steak and shrimp fajitas. My manager had the Carne Asada burrito. We a few appetizers is my favorite was the aguachilie. The servers were very attentive and took care of us very well. I had to drive to LA so I had a two drink maximum starting at the beginning of the night and then another one a little bit later so the last hour and a half there was no drinking and I felt bad because had this been somewhere where I could Uber to I would've had a few more drinks the drinks were delicious, but there was not a lot. I could do about that. I'm not paying $200 for an Uber home from Costa Mesa... But this place was pretty fire! read more

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The vibe here is electric ! Loved the smokin pina cocktail (mezcal based), spicy shrimp with cilantro lemon rice was v good. Chicken fajitas hit the mark as well. Calamari with shishito peppers was good. Our server Marcos took good care of us. They have a huge bar area and tables are always available. We will be back ! read more

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My second visit to Playa Mesa and still a pleasant dining experience. If I was a local resident of this area, Playa Mesa would be my regular go to restaurant for really good scratch recipe Mexican food. Every item we ordered was delicious. This time around I ordered their Lobster & shrimp Burrito which is prepared as a wet burrito with a delicious red sauce, crema, and lots of melty cheese. Our server Alexandra, is the best. All around great service by her and the food runners were all super nice and willing to help. Without a doubt, if I'm craving Mexican food and don't mind making the drive, I'm coming to Playa Mesa. read more

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Gobernador and the enchiladas taco dinner. Delicious . We came during Happy Hour so it might have changed my opinion ... but I thought it was Delicious. The sauce with the calamari was the best I've ever had. read more

Playa Mesa - Enchiladas and taco .. pollo - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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It's unusual to find a restaurant that excels at food, service, and ambience. Every dish, from appetizers to dessert, seemed to have been carefully prepared and joyfully served. The creativity and flavor of the food surprised me. I liked how they enhance traditional recipes while adding an innovative twist adding quality across the board. It's clear that the kitchen takes its craft seriously, and the staff (Miguel) adds the extra touch of care. Miguel was extremely friendly and made our experience a perfect one by explaining the menu in detail, which made it easy for us to place our orders. We all were happy that Miguel took our orders. He is the BEST!!!! read more

Decent Mexican food and great margaritas. Came here for lunch last Saturday and enjoyed our meal. Great variety of super tasty margaritas. We enjoyed our food as well. Service was great. read more

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Came here for a group meet up and our server did not disappoint. He was on his A game and made sure our bottomless mimosas were never empty. You get the champagne in its own glass with the juice of your choosing on the side. I got their birria tacos and they were tasty. Just what I needed. The rice and beans that come along with the meal were pretty good as well. If I recall correctly cause of our group size we were charged a large party fee of 20%. Not an issue and was 100% expecting it cause of our size but in case anyone wants to do a group thing there, just know it's 20%. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Tried out this cute Mexican spot in Costa Mesa and had a good time. It was not crowded and the service was super friendly and attentive. The food was yummy and priced well which made it even better. I would definitely come back for a casual lunch or dinner. The outdoor seating is really cute and the drinks were so good last time I went. read more

Playa Mesa - Short Rib Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The worst experience ever! They brought us 2 meals of huevos rancheros with raw eggs. Boiling kids plate that had been microwaved on high because even the fruit was extremely hot. Manager Scott did nothing to correct this, we asked for our food to be redone he said no, that he would cover the bill but wasn't going to go back to the kitchen because he's been having issues with them for days. After waiting 1.5 hours for their poor service we left with no food, kids wee hungry and they did nothing to make it right. Will never go back. Poor management shouldn't affect a customer, we had reservations and were celebrating a double birthday. Such a waste of our time. read more

Playa Mesa - Raw eggs in the huevos rancheros Disgusting - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Vibes for days and the best Margaritas in CM! Playa Mesa is easily one of my favorite spots in Costa Mesa for a lively dinner. The atmosphere is incredible--bright, coastal, and "boho-chic" with a great indoor-outdoor flow. The Food: You have to start with the guacamole and the ceviche campechano (the octopus is so tender). For mains, the Birria Tacos are the standout--the consommé is rich and flavorful. My husband got the Al Pastor plate and said the grilled pineapple made the whole dish.The Drinks: They aren't lying about their margaritas. The Spicy Mangosita has the perfect kick, but if you want something refreshing, the Spicy Cucumber is the move.Pro Tip: It gets packed on the weekends and for Taco Tuesday, so definitely make a reservation or use the Yelp waitlist. Also, valet is usually the easiest way to deal with the 17th St parking situation. read more

Great spot , the place is super cute ! The drinks and food were good ! Service was good very attentive ! read more

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August 2025 This restaurant was quite nice, super friendly & welcoming. Which began with the parking attendant, he was so polite. The food was delicious, the chips were perfectly crunchy, the salsa was so so. We got the guacamole appetizer, really fresh and flavorful. I ordered the carnitas tacos with rice/beans and I loved every bite. They did not skimp on the meat! My friend got the steak salad and it looked really fresh and also good portions on the steak, she really liked it. I had an espresso martini, which I throughly enjoyed :) I will definitely go back. read more

Playa Mesa - Carnitas tacos, delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Delicious! Met a friend for lunch. The place was clean. Everyone was very nice especially our server, his name was Josele R. Very attentive but not overbearing. We both had the new drink they were promoting, the "strawberry dreams forever". It was really good. We had the calamari appetizer and both had the birria tacos. It was my first time here and I can't wait to come back. Found it via Yelp looking for a place in the area. read more

Playa Mesa - This drink was so good! - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I give it 10,000000 stars the best restaurant and delicious food and nices co workers and good company I'm definitely coming back it's my go too spot thank you for making my day so beautiful read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Amazing food and service!! Came to celebrate my sister's birthday with a group of 8 girls. The appetizers were delicious. My only wish was that the salsa was spicer. There was no kick at all. The margaritas were delicious (although the first flight came out wrong), our hostess fixed it right away. Everyone felt that the dishes were nicely portioned and the price point was right. They do charge a 20% gratuity for a large party. read more

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Happy hour until 6pm with food and drink specials. The Tamarindo Margarita was way better than the House Margarita. The chips are homemade. The salsa is made from scratch. The guacamole and the queso are great. The Camarones al mojo de ajo shrimp was boring. It comes with a lot of vegetables and plain rice. They provide tortillas but what's the point. In that car is rather have fajitas. The Carnitas entree was great. read more

Playa Mesa - Camarones al mojo de ajo shrimp was boring - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I'm genuinely sorry for the review I'm about to leave because Playa Mesa has been a long-time favorite, but the unfathomably horrible service last night leaves no choice. Last night we decided last minute to head in and made a res (although it was completely unnecessary because the place was pretty quiet). We head in, get seated, our server greets us and tells us he'll be back with chips and salsa. He then disappears for at least 20 minutes. Once he finally came back (and mind you not even for us, just kind of wandering the place), we politely asked again about the chips and first he tells us he's going to send the manager over (not sure why), then he says the restaurant is backed up and the kitchen is busy (again, maybe 7 parties total at this point with just as many servers). We try to put in drink orders and he tells me they don't have tamarindo, I ask what they do have and he says "honestly not too much". At this point we have been in the restaurant for 40 mins without a drink, nor the complimentary chips, nor food orders placed. Even another staff member who stopped by was shocked when she saw our empty table. All we got were multiple encounters with a server whose affect tells us he would rather do anything but serve us. We really weren't sure what it was as we were very polite despite the rude treatment, but ultimately we got up and went to another establishment that did a fantastic job serving us and making a wonderful experience. On our way out we saw another family who was also being treated similarly to us. I'm not sure if the staff has got some bad seeds or if expectations have lowered at PM, but it sure is a waste of the lovely food because I wouldn't go back so long as the service is so disrespectful and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either. read more