Hortencia's Mexican Grill is a fairly new Mexican Restaurant on the side of Highway 18 in the Sky Forest community. It is across the street from the Deli with the bear in front. There is parking in front of the restaurant. They have a small dining room, with about 6-8 tables that accommodate parties of 2-6, but they have a HUGE deck that will accommodate 2+ the number of people in the restaurant. We came in for lunch on Sunday, and we were seated immediately. We took advantage of the beautiful summer day and sat on the patio. It's nice that the patio furniture is more permanent that you may be used to - vinyl, cushioned chairs with wood laminate tables. There are lots of umbrellas to create shade, and they even have a couple of high chairs. A busser immediately brought menus/chips/salsa and inquired about our beverages. This guy was an absolute gem, because otherwise the service was not very good. There was one waitress taking orders, and she was VERY slow and really didn't come by until we were halfway through our meals. Our meals came out of the kitchen in four waves, and the kitchen did not get those orders right. Inattentive waitress and poor kitchen management - 1 star. We had: Kids' Quesadilla ($4) - 2 stars - it was a taco size flour tortilla with cheddar and jack that was cut in half. My fav place on the mountain does a slightly larger and much fresher version for less. They brought this last - you never bring the kid's food last. They go ballistic. Come on now. Shrimp Taco ($3.49, I think) - 2 stars - this was a HUGE taco. Two corn tortillas were topped with 12-13 smallish shrimp, caramelized onions, cabbage, tomatoes and crema. The shrimp were overcooked and the crema was not seasoned. The tortillas, onions and veggies were good, but this is not the point of a shrimp taco. Chili Verde ($9.99) - 3.5 stars- DH loved this. Tender chunks of pork in a VERY mild (almost sweet to my palette - like they forgot the jalapenos) verde sauce with refried beans (that tasted house made with lard), tomato flavored rice and sour cream. I like verde sauce with a little kick, but it was tasty and the meat was tender. Chorizo and Eggs ($6.99) - 2 stars - the first batch were practically burnt - sent that back. The second batch were meh - pretty overcooked. If you smothered it in sour cream, then it was edible. It was also served with rice and beans. Pork Mexican Taco ($2.49) - 4 stars - this was the second best thing that I tasted. Two corn tortillas had a very generous serving of tender, slow cooked pork with a little verde sauce, lots of chopped onion and cilantro. I prefer a little heat in my verde, but the flavor was good. The meat was very tender and not filled with gristle/fat. This was large enough to split into two tacos that you could get your mouth around. Chile Relleno/Chicken Enchilada Combination ($9.49) - 3 stars - we ordered no rice and bean with lettuce/tomato and no sour cream. They left off the rice and beans but put on the sour cream, which essentially rendered the lettuce/tomato inedible if you don't like sour cream. Lame. The guacamole was tasty enough - not spicy, but it was fresh. The chicken enchilada was pretty mild too but generous. A corn tortilla was wrapped around quite a bit of tender chicken and TONS of cheese. I think that the sauce was fresh rather than canned, but it was very tomatoey and had few (if any) chiles. The best thing that I had was the chile relleno, even though it had NO heat. The chile had an excellent, even egg coating, had a proportionate amount of cheese inside and was well sauced (but, once again, no chiles in the sauce). Maybe a chile relleno/taco combo is the way to go? Overall, between disappointing service, poor kitchen management, some seriously overcooked food (eggs and shrimp), and some seriously underseasoned stuff (verde sauce, enchilada sauce, crema), you can do better. Even on the mountain. read more

Hands down, the BEST Mexican food up in the mountains! You'll definitely get your money's worth with their food & amazing service. My husband & I were greeted by a sweet old lady who sat us down & gave us the menus. A couple minutes after we sat down, someone took our drink orders & our nice waitress took our food orders. I ordered the steak Mexican tacos & my husband ordered the enchilada, chile relleno, & taco combination plate.. now that's what you call Mexican food [in comparison to the other "Mexican" restaurant located inside the Lake Arrowhead Village]. Our waitress along with other waiters checked up on us, which gives them an A+ for customer service along with their delicious food. We were stuffed & very satisfied with our food.. definitely worth every dollar. My husband & I heard a rumor that they're opening up another location nearby sometime later this year, which is perfect! They'll definitely put other so-called Mexican restaurants in the mountains out of business.. I'm just saying! That being said.. Hortencia's Mexican Grill is the place to be when you're craving Mexican food. I know I'll be dining here often whenever I'm in the mood for delicious Mexican food! read more

One of the ONLY restaurants I've found since moving to California that does NOT have an "A" rating posted. They're a "B"... and that's scary. Their customer service from the female staff is lacking to say the least... and their "flan" is... not... flan :( Won't be going back... tried them several times... each time was more disappointing than the last. And their guacamole was a paste. read more

Seated within 15 minutes during busy times. This is the regions best Mexican food. Great taquitos, to St Ada's and fajitas.. large portions. Pretty good service but they are understaffed during busy times. There's additional parking down the hill next to the restaurant. Park backwards to make it easy to get out. Their salsa has a great flavor. If you need something spicier ask for the hotter one. There inside and outside seating with gas heaters. They also take visa and MasterCard read more

We had such an excellent and enjoyable meal at Hortencia's. We sat outside on a lovely summer evening. The service was excellent and we were never left waiting for anything. Carnitas were amazing; they must bbq the butt there on-site for hours (I'm going to ask next time and check out the grill). Chili relleno (my other indicator of a good Mexican restaurant) were fabulous. Tacos and enchiladas were really good. Fajitas were served to another table and they looked like the usual "never get the smell out of your hair and clothes" fare. Someone at the next table got a whole fish, which did not smell like something I'm going to try. We spent $80 for two couples, but that includes two glasses of wine, three beers and tip...That's only about $10/plate. The only problem was there were no left-overs; not for lack of food, but because it was that good. Parking is a bit limited and backing out onto highway looks a bit sketchy. We parked on the road going behind the restaurant and climbed back up (burned some calories so we could eat that meal. read more

Yum...this is where to go on the mountain for good Mexican food (and at a good price). The food is consistently delicious. I usually order enchiladas and the red sauce is good, but if you like spice, try the green sauce...delicious! I also tried a couple bites of my friend's chile relleno and it was really good, especially considering it's not a dish I like very much. The service is good...very responsive, quick, and friendly. read more

Great food and reasonable prices. Service is terrific and has a large patio in the trees.

Really sad. This place has nosedived since my first review. Bummer. I wont go back. The food was disappointing during my last couple of visits. read more

Finally, a good restaurant on the mountain. Delicious food. I had taquitos (don't tell my hubby [mex]) and they were superb. Everyone at my table loved their order. Enchiladas, fish tacos, lobster tacos, albondigas, all yummy and authentic. I also had the wine tequila margarita. I have to admit i was apprehensive when I ordered it, and this is the real reason I'm writing this review, but these margaritas are some of the best I've had. Very lime-y and delicious. Try one. You won't be disappointed. We've lived here in Arrowhead part time for 13 years and have seen alot of restaurants come and go...I hope Hortencia's is here to stay. Lovely family atmosphere and really good eats. read more

Amazing food!!!! I got the Chile verde and the wife got 2 taco combo. Delicious, big portions, cold beer, nice patio.... what else do you need?? Great service and great times. People next to us got menudo, looked legit. I will go back every time we are in the area. Highly recommend!!!!! read more

Fantastic food!!! Truly! Small, quaint and friendly place!! We had Camarones a la Diablo, lobster taco, vegetable tostado, and flan for dessert. All GREAT!! read more

Absolutely fantastic. Whenever I crave Mexican food, this is my first and only thought! The service is pretty friendly and we get our food in a decent amount of time. Real, authentic tastes and a fresh beautiful atmosphere. The fajitas are absolutely to die for. read more

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I've read reviews that name this restaurant the "best Mexican food in the mountains " but I'm not from the mountains and this place is pretty average. Parking is dicey, but that is true of a lot of mountain businesses. Service is very good; at least four different employees gave us their attention during our meal. We ate on the lower patio and you can't really ask for a more pleasant atmosphere, assuming good weather. There were three of us on this visit and we wanted to get a good variety of dishes; so I ordered the carnitas plate, my wife opted for the carne asada plate, and my daughter gave the chile verde a try. These are basically our favorite dishes and we expected to be eating from each other's plates. My carnitas were good, but they were more like pulled pork, missing that glorious crispy layer that makes for great carnitas. My daughter's chile verde was made with the same meat, which we thought was odd since we're used to this dish being prepared with cubed pork. The verde sauce was a bit odd also; it was orange. The flavor wasn't quite right either. Now, my wife's asada was the best dish of the day. It wasn't over cooked, the seasoning was delicious, and it was covered in peppers and onions. It was a bit odd that it was served as a whole steak. Altogether the meal was good, but not great. read more

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i was so disappointed going to hortencia's with their services was horrible and the food was the worst i have ever eater... i am sorry but i cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone on the way home i stopped next door and ordered a pizza. read more

We ordered the nachos. It was ok. There were lots of meat. However, it was not flavorful. The margarita needs more tequila. Service was nice. Maybe I'm used to Mexican food from ELA. read more

Hortencias was fantastic. We were a party of 12 and arrived on a busy Saturday night. We were quickly accommodated and sat down within 10 minutes. There was seemingly an army of servers, taking our orders, getting our drinks, retrieving additional chips and salsa, etc. Great service, great food. read more

It's a must you have to stop the lobster tacos were phenomenal........ The staff was amazing we were on our way to Big Bear lake....... read more

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Wow. Should went exploring for new Mexican when I first arrived here Lake Arrowhead. Food atmosphere service were great there. if you want good Mexican food to make sure you get out of the village read more

Shrimp cocktail is great, I'm always scared that that will suck, not here! Employees are super friendly and fast! I've had the shredded beef tacos, enchiladas, the Mexican nachos, You can always tell if a Mexican restaurants going to be good because of the refried beans and they are good, also Mexican rice is real Mexican style. Here I've never been disappointed I can also order over the phone and pick up for dinner, sometimes I pick up lunch for all my employees and they're always happy, they cater and definitely have save me a couple times! thank you for keeping this location open, and sometimes They stay up until 9 PM which is a lifesaver when you're getting in late. Love the outside atmosphere is very comfortable but if it gets chilly you could eat inside, You never have to wait long they always have plenty of staff running around making sure everybody gets service fast! It is also very clean & prices are 100% reasonable! Yum! Now I want some of their food! Deliciousness in my tummy! read more

This is a great find, as we have been looking for a good Mexican restaurant near Lake Arrowhead, ever since Tony's closed. We noticed Hortencias, when we stopped at the Charter Cable office in Sky Forrest. We gave it a try and are glad we did.! Good Mexican food, and the best we have found up here. Good size portions, I enjoyed my enchiladas, but thought my taco was just okay, overall a good place read more

Rosalva's - Beef enchiladas and taco combination - Mexican Near Me - Skyforest, California

So delicious... what a hidden gem. Coming back on our next visit.. Food Is authentic..ladies are so nice. Thank you.

The food here is OKAY. It's not bad, but it's not great. I love stopping by places with promising reviews and this place I did not understand how it received so many stars. I'm starting to believe it's because of the limit of places around and many might not know what authentic Mexican food is. Hence, please don't claim it is. :) I must mention, I LOVED the patio. By all means, please come here and sit in the beautiful patio and enjoy trees around you! read more

This place is great! Best Mexican food on the mountain, hands down. As a local, I really appreciate all the delicious restaurants opening in sky forest. Keep up the great work. My only complaint is that the business is really small and a bit crammed, but that's probably because the food is so delicious, everyone wants to eat there. read more

This place is a unique restaurant around Los Angeles . The view the food & the staff are great & super friendly . A must try place!!!!! read more

Rosalva's - The table with a view of heaven - Mexican Near Me - Skyforest, California

Really good food! We had tamales and sopapillas, and everything was good enough to comment on ('mmmmmm!). The only down side is there is not much indoor seating and it can get very chilly on the porch at night. Well, and no liquor license for tequila so no 'real' margaritas. If they had their heaters going and some tequila pouring, we would have been very happy campañeros... read more

I wanted this place to stay awesome but over the past year the food just hasn't cut it. Worst tacos we've ever had and everything else is mediocre at best. Don't even think about ordering takeout. Everything is thrown into a styrofoam container and you can't even tell what is what. My 21yo son said it was too disgusting looking to even eat. That is saying something. Another place scratched off the list. read more

Visiting from Arizona, we happened upon this charming hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The tacos were crisp, hot, and delicious! Frijoles and rice were delicious complements. My husband loved their Verde sauce...Made certain to get there for breakfast. Our personal remarks included: too bad this place was 7 hours away. Authentic. read more

I'm am so disappointed. After reading the reviews I was expecting good food, good service, and a nice dinner. I'm trying to understand how my experience was so different from those with the 5 star reviews. The service was absolutely horrible, and the food hardly edible. I can hands down say this is possibly the worst cuisine I have had in my life. Cons: My two year old son enjoyed the fries, the tap water, the cat/dog meat chicken, and the bathroom was relatively clean. Go next door to the pizza place! You're welcome! read more

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant, up or down the hill! We try to go every time we are visiting Lake Arrowhead. Their enchiladas are out of this world! My wife likes their shrimp "ajo". Ask for their extra hot salsa, which they don't serve unless you request it. The service is exceptional, and everyone is so nice. read more

Great service, wonderful find in the Lake Arrowhead area. Would definitely return in the future. Has a nice patio and inside seating.

Really good food and enjoyed the outdoor patio by the trees. Everything we had was good from chips, salsa, drinks and entrees. Will be back.

Great service and very reasonable the staff is very nice we have been there for dinner and breakfast very good. I ordered a breakfast burrito and it was not on the menu I loved it. A must go to restaurant. read more

Offers all the classic Mexican favorites. Food is always fresh, hot and delicious. Service is prompt, pleasant and friendly. Outdoor seating is all covered with umbrellas, situated under tall beautiful pine trees, a lovely setting. We highly recommend Rosalva's skyforest! read more

Let's just say that in a place where a good restaurant is hard to find, Hortencia's is what you should expect from a Mexican restaurant anywhere else, so anyone coming from an area where they have a lot of choice should take that into account when mentioning this place in a review. Everything tastes the way it should , the service is good, and the prices are great. Is it the best Mexican place ever, no, but it is the best standard Mexican restaurant anywhere within 45 minutes and is consistently good. That's a winner up here and I hope they stick around for a long time. read more

Excellent food everything was great, really hit the spot. Chili relleno was one of the best I've had, chips and salsa excellent too, Nacho dessert yum yum!! read more

Rosalva's - Amazing - Mexican Near Me - Skyforest, California

This was a wonderful experience, the food was delicious, the service was great and the location and view was very relaxing. I had the fajita trio, it was big enough for my wife and I to share, no skimping. Lots of meat, chicken and at least 8 large butterfly shrimp. I will be back no question. read more

Rosalva's - Fajita Trio, big enough to share. - Mexican Near Me - Skyforest, California

As a big fan of Lou Eddies next door, I decided to give this a try. No regrets! Authentic Baja style food. Fast service too. My new go to for Mexican in Arrowhead area. read more

Good food, and great atmosphere. Loved the fresh chips and salsa. I had the shrimp and fish taco, very good would order again. Kid friendly with the tacos, and ice cream nachos. Good food for not a lot of money. Would come again... Servers very nice and friendly. read more

Amazing food and service. Trio fajitas are the best I have ever had! Salsa is the bomb!!! Free WiFi! Best Mexican food on the mountain!

Good Mexican food from this busy local spot. We picked this restaurant, based on the Yelp Reviews, and were not let down. We visited about 2:00 on Saturday. It was busy and we had a little wait for a table. The food and service were both good. I had the Chili Relleno and the tamale, Both were very good. One of the better Rellenos I have had since leaving New Mexico. Some reviews say they do not have Beer and Wine, but we had Negro Madello and the coldest glass I have ever seen. We were in the side room, which is utilitarian but workable. They are busy and for good reason. They have a nice outdoor space in the warmer months. The stars are well deserved. read more