Carne asada plate went crazy. Best thing we had no doubt. Chicken enchiladas were also in the top tier. I'd get it again. We tried the margarita flight just for fun. The watermelon one was suuuuuper good. The house was also classic. Good marg if that's your thing. Service was friendly & helpful! Threw in a free marg on the house for our table. And it was on Halloween weekend so all of the servers were dressed as Luigi. Wa-ha! It's got a great vibe in there. Pretty loud and buzzin'. Dim lighting. Fun spot for a fun date. The noise makes it a little hard to have a more intimate convo I suppose. But definitely fun in there, with sports on the tvs too. read more

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

Stopped in on Sunday for brunch and sat at the bar. Very friendly and welcoming bartender who suggested their freshly squeezed margaritas where everything is juiced fresh daily! WOW amazing!! Food suggestion was the carne asada plate which was very delicious (just how momma used to make it) meat was seasoned well and the handmade corn tortillas was just the cherry on top. I will definitely be stopping by every time I'm in the area! read more

Playa Mesa - Carne Asada Plate - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We absolutely love Playa Mesa!!! Everything is so good. The margaritas, the ceviche, the guac!!!! The fajitas, enchiladas, tacos all so so good. We come here very often so we did notice on our last visit the chips were different. Please bring back the old ones, they were crisper and had way more flavor. The new ones are sad and bland, and I'm sure it's to save money. But when you pay $$$ for Guac you want some good chips or it's just a waste. So please bring them back. We absolutely love you guys. read more

Walking in and looking around and was a good feel and staff was all nice . Service was top notch and was on the game . The wife got the papa tacos was good for the Vegan wife , son got egg and ham and boy did he clear the plate and for my self I got the fajitas steak and shrimp excellent choice For me the chips and salsa is always a go to . Ask for the extra hot sauce you won't be disappointed. read more

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Playa Mesa is a lively Mexican spot with a great atmosphere and a beautiful bar. I came here for my birthday with a large group, and they accommodated us really well -- perfect place to celebrate something special. The vibes were fun, the drinks were solid, and the tacos tasted authentic and fresh. Always a good time and a good date option too! Bonus: valet parking is only $5 on weekends, which made things easy. Definitely a go-to for good food, drinks, and a fun night out. read more

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I've come here for happy hour & taco tuesday a handful of times it's become a habit. Their esquites is to die for it's amazing!! I've tried plenty of items off of the happy hour menu, and I have not been disappointed once. The menu is priced well, and the margaritas on happy hour are $10, such a great deal. The bartenders Edgar and Rachelle are the best, they are attentive and kind. There's lots of seating and the place is super cute, love it! read more

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I was in town and a friend recommended this restaurant to us and let me tell you it didn't disappoint!! The margaritas were so delicious. Our server was so sweet and gave us good recommendations on the food her name was different it if i can remember it was something like Magai. Amazing service and ambiance. Will definitely come back. 5 stars for her and def the restaurant!! read more

Firstly the restaurant had a nice vibe, they had the windows opened so I felt a nice breeze. Everyone at my table really enjoyed their food. The spicy cucumber margarita was refreshing and I also enjoyed my margarita flight. I had the birria tacos which are very meaty and delicious! I thought there would be bottomless mimosas on Friday but it's only available on sat-sun, we asked our waiter if he could make an exception for 3 people but he said the manager had said NO! I was a bit bummed by that but whatever. The customer service was ok, could've been better. The waiter seemed a little irritated and couldn't accommodate any of our requests. 20% gratuity added for a table of 7 read more

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Randomly found Playa Mesa on Yelp and decided to stop by after doing some Birthday Kayaking for a friend. I was a little annoyed with the service. It took 30 minutes to place our order and that's only because we decided to wave someone over and have them ask for our waitress. At the end we also had to do the same thing when it came to the check. Heads up - you can only split the check between two cards. When the waitress told us, she couldn't even give us a minute, she just walked away and once again we were left waiting. The food is not bad. I don't know if I would call it authentic Mexican food but they use quality ingredients which I appreciate. I ordered the Enchiladas Suiza con Pollo. I asked for extra sauce inside my enchiladas. They were tasty but I would probably order something else next time. We also ordered guacamole for the table. It was a small portion but I want to say that was my favorite part of the meal. The Spicy Cucumber Margarita was delicious. I do want to mention they have margarita flights. They are a good size and if you feel like drinking you might as well just order the flight. I think the price difference from ordering a single margarita was $8. I'd also like to add that they were nice enough to bring out a Mexican Candy Shot in honor of my friend's birthday. That was really sweet since we only casually mentioned her birthday when we first got seated. She loved it and felt extra special so thank you for that! The ambiance of this restaurant is super cute and the parking situation is super easy. Parking is valet only but for only $5 why not. read more

Playa Mesa - Enchilada Suiza de Pollo Brunch - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is such a vibe! If you're into bold flavors and a little spice, you're in for a treat -- I was literally sweating (in the best way possible). The service was super friendly and on point, and they even had a non-alcoholic michelada that totally hit the spot. But the real surprise? The fried ice cream. I wasn't expecting much, but wow -- crunchy, creamy, sweet, and just delicious. Definitely one of those "you have to try it" desserts. Playa Mesa nailed it -- fun atmosphere, amazing food, and great people. I'll be back for sure! read more

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This trendy place had fast service and pretty decent food. They give you chips and salsa to start which I always appreciate. My partner had the fish taco plate and he enjoyed it as it had good portions and filled him up. I got the seafood burrito but wished I could actually taste the lobster. Not much seafood flavor but still yummy. I also got the lychee cocktail and was my fave part aside from the salsa and chips. I was kinda shocked we had to pay for parking even tho it wasn't packed or anything. But it was only $5. You could have it valeted or u hold the keys yourself, which we did. Either way, yummy spot if you are in the area read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Playa Mesa has the best Margaritas in town! I've tried a few spots down 17th street during happy hour and none of them compare to playa mesa. Food and drinks taste really fresh so please come try them out! The bar is spacious and the staff is super friendly and attentive. Whether you are here for a quick getaway or a date night, this is the place to visit ! The birthday candle was super thoughtful of them read more

Playa Mesa - Tamarindo Margarita & Crispy Fried Calamari - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Beautiful restaurant! However, the food and service were not the best. Everything I ordered unfortunately lacked flavor and was not very authentic. I felt that their aguachiles were overly cooked and they were too tough. I also ordered the carne asada plate, and again, no flavor. I would put some salsa on top of my carne asada because it was so bland. Even their chips lacked flavor and were too greasy. I ordered the coco mesa drink and it was alright. I would've preferred for it to have more of a coconut milk flavor. It would've also been nice for the carne asada plate to have some guacamole included, especially since the dishes were overpriced, imo. The service was not great. I had ordered my aguachiles as an appetizer, and then the waiter never came to check back in to ask what I was going to order for my main dish. I had to wave over another server to take my order. They only offer valet service, which is $5. What I did like was how beautiful the restaurant was, although, for some reason the lights kept flickering on and off. I wasn't sure if they were doing that on purpose or not. read more

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We had our server Miguel pick our drinks and dinner. The drinks were on point and the food was amazingly delicious. Nachos and tacquitos, yum! Love the ambiance. read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This is my second time here and it definitely didn't disappoint! There is plenty of parking in the lot, everyone is very friendly and attentive, and the ambiance is super cute! We came during happy hour 3-6pm and got the tacos and some margaritas. Simple and delicious! Definitely worth a try if you're in the area. Food review: Chips & salsa: (5/5) | love a complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa is delicious. I literally slurped it down on my tacos. Calamari: (5/5) super tasty and crispy. Good dipping sauce. Tortilla soup: (5/5) small portion, but comes with lots of yummy toppings! Cucumber margarita: (10/5) this was one of the best damn margaritas l've had. It's refreshing with a little spice. Definitely worth a try. Casa margarita: (5/5) who doesn't love a classic margarita? It was tasty. Tacos: (5/5) These are a great size, I was expecting small tacos. 3 was more than enough! We tried the carnitas, carne asada, and birria. Birria and carne asada were definitely our favorites and the tortillas are soooo fresh and tasty. read more

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Really enjoyed our first time dinner at Playa Mesa. The staff was friendly and the design of the interior open and attractive. Looking forward to my next meal there. read more

The restaurant is buzzing when you come in! It's on the louder side and very lively! The room has cute decor up for cinco de Mayo, including a photo backdrop! So cute! The food was amazing and so was the service! We would definitely come back again next time we're in town! read more

Playa Mesa - Steak Surf and Turf Fajita Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Exceptional! Service was fast and super accommodating. Food came out hot and ready! The Al pastor was so flavorful and the corn tortillas were exceptional. Made right in the back. Homemade as they come. The ceviche was outstanding! Make sure to ask for the homemade salsa and be cautious with the serving as it is spicy with a punch! Ambiance is fire! Come sit and get a Jamaica margarita! Ask for Rochelle! read more

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

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Great service & love the vibe of the place. Good parking. Food was good & steak was tender. read more

Playa Mesa - Chips & salsa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I came here for a friends birthday dinner and it was super easy to make a reservation the day before. We were able to be sat before our entire party arrived which was much appreciated. Our server was very kind and gave us all complimentary chips and salsa. I personally thought the chips were just okay but the rest of the group really enjoyed them. I had the birria taco plata. It was a perfect portion, the tacos were delicious and the consome paired really well with it. I liked how it didn't come with a massive cup of consome and I always feel bad wasting. The rice was fluffy and delicious. The interior was nice, it was a lively environment and all in all everyone really enjoyed their meal. I would recommend! read more

Food is really great here - fresh, authentic. I've now had Playa cater TWO meals for 50 or so hungry flag football girls and their parents and did so easily with the help of their catering director, Leanna. She made it so easy for me to order ahead of time (from Nor Cal!) and then had all our foods ready to go when we picked up after game time. All the parents, kids and coaches were thrilled not only with the quality of the food but with the price. I was thrilled with the ease of ordering and their ability to meet all my expectations and timelines. Thank you Playa team! read more

This place was perfect. We had a party of 13 and were able to book reservations day of. Immediately walking in the ambiance was very nice. Tons of celebrations all around- girl's night, birthdays and saw a bridal shower. The staff was great and attentive with our large group. I saw someone order the dramatic steak fajitas and I had to go with the same. I got it medium rare and it was a perfect cook. The food was delicious and flavorful. My friends enjoyed their cocktails, I had a Cava which was good. We didn't itemize the bill but we had chip guacamole appetizers for the table, our entrees, and everyone had roughly 2 drinks and it came out to 64 a person! Extremely reasonable. One of my friends and I even stayed at the bar after. I cant remember her name but a new bartender - she was absolute gem. This place was literally spectacular on all fronts (ambience, food, service and drinks). read more

Playa Mesa - My rice and bean side - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Great place! Food is delicious, good prices, the staff is outstanding. Good ambiance. We loved the music We definitely come back again read more

Wonderful food and a great place to catch up with friends! The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. The service was excellent.

We chose to eat here because the reviews were great and it looked like a really cute spot, but - Service was terrible! We were told we would have to wait 5 mins for a table, no one came and let us know the table was ready - when there were plenty of available tables. Then we got seated and server never came and instead greeted the table that arrived AFTER we arrived! So we left! I won't spend money in an establishment that treats theri patrons like they don't matter. read more

Amazing margaritas! And the food was great along with the service . We will definitely be back

While driving home from Newport Beach we stopped by Playa Mesa to have dinner. We walked in and were greeted by the most friendly hostess ever. I requested a booth and she said no problem at all. It was around 5 pm so a bit early for dinner so the place was just filling up. As soon as we sat down our waiter approached us and took our drink order. He was very friendly, welcoming , helpful and attention. I ordered a tamarind margarita and loved it. The Birria tacos were the best I ever had and the carne asada my husband and daughter ordered was amazing. Full of grilled steak , avocado, rice , grilled pepper etc. served over a red sauce and topped with sour cream. We all loved our dishes and were very happy with the ambiance and the service. We will definitely be back next time we are around this area. Great great customer service.... The parking is valet only and it's $5 .... I can't believe people are complaining about a parking fee as if the shopping centers and other restaurants don't charge parking fees. Overall a great place to hang out with friends or family. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. read more

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Beautiful!!! It was our (my mom, my younger brother, and me) first time here. We came here for Tuesday Brunch around 11 am, just when the place opened and it's been a nice atmosphere with people slowly trickling in for lunch. It was our pleasant surprise to discover it was also Taco Tuesday today! Chips and salsa are provided as you decide on what to eat We asked our waiter what the best dishes would be and we got the following: *small guacamole ($8 because of Happy Hour, originally ~$13) - not needed unless you're Crazy for guacamole *ceviche campechano - a wonderful appetizer, supposedly better than the ceviche de pescado *fajita steak - good for sharing with family *four tacos ($4 each because of happy hour, you can choose between flour or corn tortillas) - two fish tacos (flour) and two birria tacos (corn) We got to take leftovers home. Thank you for an outstanding meal and service!!! God bless you all. I appreciate the variety of foods, presentation, and intentionality of it all. read more

Playa Mesa Great Vibe / Great Food Always start off with their homemade chips and Guac read more

Stunning restaurant with such a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere! We've been coming here for lunch and dinner for years and absolutely love it. Recently, we discovered their brunch--and now we're hooked! We've been back for weekend brunch multiple times, and our server Josele truly went above and beyond. He was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and made the whole experience feel special. The food, vibes, and service are all top-notch. Highly recommend--especially if you can request Josele! read more

Ambience was the best part of our experience. It's an airy and well lit venue. Food was decent, I liked the fresh rolled tortillas. Ordered the pollo burrito which was decent except for the veggies inside, I prefer without. Service was good. The dealbreaker is they require you to valet park. It's not optional and it's not complimentary. We parked in an adjacent lot at a business that was closed and had plenty of parking. upon leaving we were told by the valet that we couldn't park there in the future since it was for valet overflow. There were no signs or other indication to verify, but duly noted. read more

We came here to celebrate a friend's recent engagement and what better way is there to celebrate than Mexican food?! Playa Mesa has a decent amount of variety in their menu which would help satisfy any Mexican craving you may have. I ended up ordering the enchilada combo plate with a birria enchilada and a shrimp enchilada. I would say both enchiladas are solid but didn't really blow me away. From the two, I enjoyed the shrimp one more. The plate also came with an arugula salad, Spanish rice, and beans, which I felt really completed the meal. Overall, a plate is a lot of food and I ended up having leftovers. The ambiance here is really nice and what makes the restaurant stand out and our server was very friendly too. The store itself has a dedicated parking lot, however, it is valet only, but it was $4 which is pretty inexpensive. Overall, I'd say that this restaurant is more for the vibes than the food, but with that being said, I would be open to coming back if I was in the area! read more

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Service was excellent. Decor is beautiful. Food is... not great. For the price, you can find much better Mexican food literally anywhere else in OC. Also, they force you to use valet parking ($5) if you go there for weekend brunch, even though the parking lot was almost empty at 11:10am in a Saturday. So that part is a total ripoff. read more

We had the most amazing birthday dinner experience at Playa Mesa Saturday night! We were able to make a reservation super easily online for 9 people 2 days prior. Called ahead and they said it was good to bring a cake and they could refrigerate it. Lupe & Stephanie at the front were SO kind and accommodating. They took the cake and refrigerated it immediately and made sure they wrote the table number for our party. We were also running a little late and they were so kind and understanding! Even helped us to take a group photo at the end of the night. Courtney was our server and she was great! She took our orders and did an amazing job all night. I was to really emphasize that she brought out the cake with the candles we supplied and lit it and everything! We were able to sing and just not worry about any of that. At the end when we had leftovers, they even brought the box out for us to take it home. 10/10 experience, food was great and hot and delicious. Thanks so much!! We will definitely be back. The entire restaurant is so pretty and calm and everyone was so impressed by the ambiance. read more

Our waitress Scarlet was amazing! The food was also great. We ordered the Queso Fundido, carne asada burrito, and Chilaquiles. The environment was extremely welcoming and we can't wait to come back! read more

Playa Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Subpar food and crazy high pricing!!!!! Even the chips and salsa were dull and boring. Hard pass.

I had a great time! Our server Miguel was wonderful! Everything tasted amazing and the atmosphere was amazing. Definitely coming back.

Great time at Playa Mesa tonight, our server Miguel was the best!! He was super attentive and nice to us all night! Will definitely be coming back read more

This was our first visit. We were immediately seated and brought chips and salsa. They were very good. Fresh chips and salsa not too hot. I loved their salsa. I ordered the enchiladas de mar which was a lobster and shrimp enchilada. It was made with a freshly made tortilla. I loved their green sauce they put on them. My wife ordered a chicken enchilada. She also enjoyed her meal. The restaurant was clean and had a nice atmosphere. Service was excellent. We will definitely come again. read more

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

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Great service and food as always. This time I ordered Fish and Birria Tacos and they were served with handmade tortillas. Their Birria really tastes authentic like of my family's. Great portion size and flavors were of authentic Mexican food. We asked for a side of chiles toreados and house spicy salsas and that made the dishes even better. Drinks were delicious as well. I cannot emphasize enough how good their Lychee Martini and Espresso Martini are. Service was friendly and fast. read more

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