My wife and I love coming to Playa Mesa, especially during their generous happy hour from 3 to 6pm. The happy hour menu is one of the biggest we've seen with tons of great food and drink options. Everything we've tried has been delicious. On our most recent visit, we were lucky to have Josele R. as our server and he absolutely made our experience. He went above and beyond with his service and hospitality. It honestly felt like we were guests in his home. Warm, welcoming, attentive, and just top-tier service all around. One of the best parts is that it's never too busy if you come right at 3pm, which makes for a really chill and relaxing meal before the dinner rush. We're regulars here for a reason. Great food, even better service, and always a great vibe. Can't wait to come back again soon! read more

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Visited Playa Mesa in Costa Mesa on a Wednesday around 7pm. Valet is $5 (your only clear option if you're driving directly to the location), or you can walk - though where you're supposed to park otherwise is unclear. We were seated right away and chose the bar. Ambiance was cute, and service was fine - nothing stood out, but nothing to complain about either. They start you off with free chips and salsa, which was a nice plus nowadays. We both ordered the Pollo Asada Tacos, which come with rice and beans. The tortillas were good, but that's about where the excitement ended. The rest of the plate felt flat and underwhelming - not bad, just... not worth remembering. Personally wouldn't return or recommend unless you're just going for drinks and the vibe. read more

Playa Mesa - Pollo Carne Asada Taco Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We used to be regulars at Playa Mesa and I always got the carne asada burrito and loved it! We returned after a while and quality of food was not the same. The burrito was not bad but not as good as before. A lot more rice and bean ratio and not a lot of flavor. The steak was cut very small and not as much as before. It used to be much more steak and larger pieces with less of the rice and beans. They also got my order wrong but we ended up eating it to avoid wasting the food despite our nice server's offer to take it back. The side arugula salad barely had any dressing and it was old/wilted. Overall not our favorite visit to Playa Mesa. Service was great. read more

Playa Mesa - Carne Asada Burrito with no sauce - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came here for brunch on a Sunday. We were a group of 3 and ordered few beers, Micheladas, and margarita flights. Interestingly the cucumber one was the worst and didn't taste like cucumbers at all, more like a fake syrup. On the other hand, the Tamarind and watermelon were good. I ordered the octopus and it tasted good but I wish it had a sauce or some sort of potatoes to eat it with read more

Playa Mesa - Octopus - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came here to eat with a group of friends and the wait wasn't too long. The valet parking was $5 which made our experience dining here much easier. Since we came on a Friday night, it was pretty busy but it took them a while to get our orders in. Other than that, our server was very attentive and frequently checked up on us. We got an order of their fried calamari and I 10/10 recommend, it was so yummy. I also ordered their steak fajita which was delicious, along with their margarita flight (original, sandia, and spicy cucumber). The drinks were amazing but the spicy cucumber does has a pretty strong kick in it. Overall, I would come back here again due to their ambiance and vibes. read more

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The food is delicious here! We got the augachile appetizer but it's really spicy!! Then we got the shrimp fajitas and they were super hot and delicious! They have amazing Guacamole and very generous portions. I enjoyed the experience they do take their time with the service (not in a bad way) it allows you to enjoy your appetizers and have good conversation. It was an excellent experience and I can't wait to go back! read more

Playa Mesa - Churro dessert - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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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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Great spot for BOTTOMLESS mimosas especially when celebrating a birthday!! They had options to choose from like GUAVA, ORANGE, PINEAPPLE, MANGO, TAMARIND, CRANBERRY, and STRAWBERRY!! Bottomless champagne and a juice was $22 which is hard to beat (although extra juice is an add on). We liked strawberry and tamarind. Honestly what made the experience was our server JOSELE !! He was so nice and welcoming and made the experience feel homey and special. We were a large and loud party and he handled us so kindly and patiently which I really appreciated! I got a chorizo burrito which was not my favorite although I loved the pickled sides. It tasted too lean and simple for what I was craving. Although I didn't love the food, the service and bottomless made the experience for me! read more

Playa Mesa - Chorizo burrito - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Stopped in around 6:30pm for dinner. Place was not busy at all. Took too long for a host to greet us. Then once seated, the server was nowhere to be found. Once we were finally greeted, the server wanted to take our order immediately... no welcome/greeting, and no "do you have any questions or can I make any recommendations?". When I asked about vegan options the server looked at me with a blank look. Had no answer for me. Then after a few seconds she said there's veggie fajitas or vegetable tacos... to confirm are these vegan or vegetarian options??? No confidence, no knowledge, and no offer to ask to confirm. Then she suggested the potato tacos from the appetizer menu as a vegan options... I opted for the Mesa salad no cheese, no onion, and just put the dressing on the side. The "roasted" carrots weren't roasted enough so I couldn't cut them with the butter knife that's on the table (and you guessed it, there server was not attentive enough to visit after food was served so I could ask for some kind of sharper knife. I won't mention how long it took to get the check:/ There is nothing worse than poor service + poor quality food and this place gets top award for overall horrible experience. read more

Happy Hour is a must! The prices are awesome and everything we tried was really good. The calamari appetizer was delicious, and the guac and salsa were seriously addicting. The fish tacos were just okay, but all the other tacos were packed with flavor. Our server was super friendly and even brought out a special dessert for a birthday we were celebrating! Parking is valet and not too pricey -- otherwise, you're looking at a bit of a walk to get there. read more

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First time here on Mother's Day. The place is very cute. Had a reservation but didn't get sat until 40 minutes after.. after that it took awhile for us to order. It was about 2 hours after our reservation time that we got our food! The food was delicious and given the holiday we understand why it took so long. Overall we would go back! read more

I have been here in the past and really enjoyed their food and their regular menu! Food and drinks are always so good however this weekend we tried their Easter buffet, first time ever trying their buffet option & it was underwhelming! Food was decent but the place preferred other options for brunch, or truthfully el torito brunch buffet can't be beat.. will definitely return to playa mesa but only for the regular menu! Service was quick and friendly. When we arrived around 10 AM Easter Sunday they weren't busy yet. read more

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It's been years since I have eaten here and drinks are still good but the food is blah and especially for the price. It's also very loud in here so if you want to talk to the person/people you came with this is not the place. You also need to valet since there's no parking what so ever. The valet wait time was a while as well. read more

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Good food great prices...Will be coming back for their happy hour, servers were very attentive.

Had such a great experience getting served by Dominic and Mario. Thank you so much for everything I will be back. The food was phenomenal

Awesome time!! Margarita crawl was a success!! Had an amazing server Diego!!! He made the night!! Great food pairing with the margaritas!! Highly recommend!! read more

The food was good, definitely needed some salt and their salsas just weren't very spicy but I am not even taking off any points for that. We were in for a Sunday brunch and in the middle of our service they let our waiter go because it was slow. We were still drinking and eating but they brought the check and did not even have another waiter introduced to us. We had to flag someone down to get Togo boxes. Just left a bad taste in my mouth. I wish we had a better experience because I've been here before and remember it being good. Not sure if I'll be returning. read more

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The food here was amazing!! Service was great mixed drinks were great I can't express how amazing this place was!! Highly recommend! Also the vibes great too! All in at a 10/10 experience read more

Customer service was amazing. Went on a Friday night it wasn't too busy. The food was very delicious and warm which I loved! I got the enchiladas de Camarón, wish it had a little more shrimp but rather than that the plate was good. I would definitely go back, the drinks look delicious too. read more

Playa Mesa - Enchilada de Camaron - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This restaurant gives me similar vibes as Palmilla Cocina in Newport, but for a better price. Took my mom here for dinner and she loved the whole experience. She honestly felt like she was in Cabo with all the nice Latin inspired decor. Thank you for making it a pleasant night for us! We started with the shrimp ceviches as appetizers. The shrimp was meaty and the crisp of the chip was crunchy. 5/5. As for the entrees, we ordered the fish tacos and the chicken enchiladas. The chicken enchiladas is freakin delicious. I enjoyed eating the brown rice and the beans it came with. Very savory and flavorful. 5/5. It was a lot of food so we had it for togo. The fish tacos were good, but not crazy good to talk about. Just glad it was crispy then soggy. 4/5. We also ordered the jalapeño margarita and the Paloma Mesa cocktail. Both tasted good; barely taste the alcohol which can be dangerous lol. The bill wasn't too bad. I feel like it was worth it. Will come back again! read more

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We reserved a spot on a Saturday at 11am. Came here and waited for the whole party of 5 to arrive to be seated. They gave us chips and salsa which was really good. The server was nice and they occasionally came over to refill the chips (3-4 bowls). The service was a bit slow in refilling the water. --We sat down at 11:30ish. The food came at 1pm-- We came during restaurant week so not sure if it was especially busy but a 1.5hr wait for the food is kinda ridiculous. The chips made it slightly better and held us down for a while but still. I got the eggs benedict on the brunch menu which was super delicious. I think the food is great but seriously that was the longest brunch I've ever had. read more

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Visiting from Chicago and the menu here looked irresistible. The food in Chicago is incredible, especially the Mexican food so I was eager to try. Started with the guacamole and calamari. No complaints on the calamari, but the guacamole lacked a little salt. For my main I had a chicken enchilada and short rib enchilada. Also a birria taco. I wasn't a fan of the birria but the enchiladas were good. read more

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Wow! Service is excellent. The drink is phenomenal and the place is really nice and cozy. Very good food. I didn't care for the guacamole much, it was a bit too sour. read more

Went to Playa Mesa to celebrate a birthday. The place is beautiful, well-lit, clean, and featuring a great ambiance with classic Mexican and Spanish music playing in the background. Went on a Saturday morning, not overly crowded. Parking is spacious and offers valet for $5. Our waiter, Scarlett, was amazing. There was a small issue with the kitchen bringing out our appetizers after our main dishes, but Scarlett immediately apologized and offered solutions. While it initially took her a little while to take our orders, she was very attentive overall and had a great, positive attitude. Our group ordered the chilaquiles rojos, pozole, breakfast sandwiches, and the steak and eggs plate. The pozole was my favorite, though every dish was packed with flavor and absolutely delicious. They offer bottomless mimosas and really good drinks. I myself had their michelada and the mix was very tasteful. I was really impressed with the food quality. I would definitely come back, not to mention, the prices were very affordable! read more

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Came for OC Restaurant week and it was awesome! The deal was $25 and I had: *Hamachi crudo sliced sushi grade hamachi, pineapple & lime citrus marinade, avocados, petit micro greens, caramelized pineapple, sliced radish and chile oil. *Grilled salmon tacos: citrus slaw, pico de gallo, morita sauce, pickled fresno peppers. served with rice & beans And the churros - FRESHLY MADE, and are served with a cafe de olla syrup... while the syrup was good, I'm more of a dulce de leche or ice cream person hehe. We also made it during happy hr so we got rally good Margaritas for $12. I definitely recommend! read more

Playa Mesa - Churros - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Now here are some damn good birria Tacos. Food was excellent. Service was attentive and the vibes inside are excellent. That's how you do a restaurant read more

Omg this best for top-tier!! They had valet which was cheap, we love that! We only waited for like 10mins for walk-in for 3 people, and it was a Saturday Night! We ordered the shrimp and steak fajitas, it was delicious and the presentation was fantastic! The cocktail were to die for, I had mango marg. mocktail mmm! And for dessert don't forget to try their Flan! They did seem like the servers had too big of a sections, there was only like 2 servers and so many bussers and bartenders. The inside was so pretty and but the booths' seats needs to be replaced. read more

Playa Mesa - Street tacos - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Scallops are amazing. Love the ambience and Mexican lounge music. Attentive service. Tres leches desert are the best! read more

Playa Mesa - Scallops yummy - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Amazing staff. Lovely decor. Delicious food. Awesome service. What is not to love? Went there tonight at 6:45. We had reservations and I think it's a good idea given the space got busy. The bar looks great but we sat at a table. If I was alone, I'd definitely had sat at the bar. The guacamole and queso fundido were so good. Their margaritas, Virgin and alcohol based, were WOW. We had shrimp enchiladas, shrimp tacos, and steak and shrimp fajitas. All the food was amazing. We left happy and full. If in the area, just show up. You won't be disappointed. read more

Not sure what all the hype is about. Maybe I went on an "off" nite which is a consistency issue but the drinks, food, etc. were not as expected based on the reviews. We had the steak and shrimp fajitas which lacked flavor. The drinks were not impressive either. I'm giving 3 stars for the service we received but that's about it. I would not return to this establishment as it did not stand out. Just saying.... read more

I tried Playa Mesa Today and really enjoyed my experience. The ambiance inside is very nice with a unique decor. Our server was extremely friendly and checked up on us frequently. The menu has a wide selection of Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, burritos, and combo plates. Their chicken enchiladas taste delicious. I just wish that the chicken was more seasoned. I also wish that the restaurant offered chile rellenos. Overall, Playa Mesa is an excellent restaurant read more

Playa Mesa - Inside of restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Lovely ambiance, friendly staff, food is good. Will definitely be back for another brunch. read more

Playa Mesa - flight drink - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great casual/nicer spot for some Mexican in Costa Mesa! Waiter was nice but we really wish he would have spaced out our food. We ordered apps and food all at once and had it all at our table at the same time.... And it was a small table... Recommendacione: - tortilla soup - warms the soul - carne asado tacos - only 2 but they were full of meat :P - guac - good and at any good Mexican spot you need to get it. But I've had better Overall, go here with friends or fam! Fills up so make a reservation! read more

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Delicious Mexican food! Friendly and attentive service. So patient didn't feel rushed. Came for some comfort food after a really stressful night and left with full tummies and warm vibes. Our waitress continued to check on us and was so caring throughout the night read more

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They do valet parking, but you can park on the other side for free. There is plenty of seating inside with a bar as well. They provide salsa and chips as well. I ordered the Enchilada Suiza con Pollo. The enchiladas were good, but the chicken was a bit dry. It does come with salad and Spanish rice & beans. Overall, great vibes in the place and good food. Recommendation(s): - Enchilada Suiza con Pollo Service: 5/5 Tip(s): - If you don't want to do valet parking, park on the other side - Restrooms available read more

Ambiance was so cute. Loved the decor and the vibe of the place. Parking was no issue with a big lot. It said valet but there were no valet attendants so the parking was free. I got the Jamaica Margarita which was tasty and for food got the short rib enchiladas which were a good size potion. Service was nice. Would reccomend to anyone looking for a more upscale Mexican restaurant read more

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

Miguel was our server. So attentive and made sure we had our bottomless mimosas always filled. We had two tables which was about 20 people. We honestly had so much. He made sure I was taken care of for my birthday. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great food with amazing customer service. Ask for Josele as your server and you won't regret it. He is always around for any needs and very helpful with menu suggestions. Josele's customer service is what really brings me back to Playa Mesa. read more

Playa Mesa - Churros and ice cream - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Love this restaurant! The service is great, the drinks are phenomenal, the chips and salsa are definitely the bomb and the tacos are so fresh. My server Lenin was such an amazing help, knew exactly what to recommend food & drinks. Definitely coming back for that flight great at providing great service! Please consider this restaurant if you want good vibes, good drinks, and great servers that truly care about your experience. read more

It's been at least a year since we've been to this restaurant, but we came back this past weekend as a little birthday celebration. We had an early reservation for a larger group. We were sat right away as soon as we arrived even though we were a bit early to the reservation. They already had water on the table and the chips and salsa were dropped off within a minute of us sitting. The server took our orders as soon as we were ready. He was super attentive, not pushy or rushing us to order, but was ready to accept the order once we had what we wanted in mind! Near everyone got a drink. Some had whiskey, most had margaritas. I had the house margarita that was awesome. My wife had a berry one (sorry, forget which one) but she loved it! My wife got the quesadilla and added mushrooms (has always been our favorite here), and as always, it didn't disappoint. Loaded with cheese and mushrooms, it still lived up to our number one quesadilla. She also got a cup of chicken tortilla soup on the side that was also delicious I got the burrito de mar. This was a 10/10. At $23 for a lobster and shrimp burrito, it can't be beat. Absolutely enormous portion and loaded with seafood. Honestly was shocked at how much came in it. It came with rice and a salad and was so delicious. Even though it's been a year+ since our last visit, nothing has diminished. In fact, it's gotten better since our last visit. We will be sure to come back soon as it was a delicious meal at a relatively affordable price! read more