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Santa Cecilia

4.3 (46 reviews)
Open • 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Santa Cecilia Photos

Business Info

SANTA CECILIA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Santa Cecilia

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Finding this place was a total gem, I honestly don't know where to start, from the food, the energy, the comfort, the customer service, everything was amazing. We order inside, instead of outside. See the thing is when we went inside it's not what I expected, everything looked disorganized &' small but tbh I really didn't care, Because I felt at home, I felt like if I was in my grandmas kitchen back in Mexico. So cozy and welcomed. The señor and lady gave us the best experience ever here and I will be coming back because my dad loved the menudo and I totally loved the chilaquiles .

Restaurant
John D.

Best asada and pollo tacos and burritos in Boyle Heights. A small dive spot. The food is priced well and has a simple traditional menu. Soup and other options are available on weekends. Worth the trip on Metro.

CicLAvia bicycle event
Franklin M.

We were participating in the cicLAvia bicycle event and made a pit stop at Mariachi Plaza. I ordered a Bean & Cheese burrito with the hottest spiciest chili sauce. The good size burrito cost $5 and I went outside to share it with my lady. The burrito was luke warm which I couldn't believe because I just walked out of the tiny restaurant. Eating a cold basic tasting burrito isn't the most pleasant foodie experience.

Estupendisimoooooo
Nick F.

This restaurant is mindblowing!!! When I'm back home in Hawaii I just fiend all their food constantly!!! I will be Santa Cecilia, I will be back!!!

this is a small restaurant that seats 8 people indoors .the Chile Verde is outstanding and 3 Tacos and a soda for only a few dollars
Mark W.

I was recently serenaded my Mariachis while chowing down on some exquisite Home Cooked Mexican Food at Santa Cecilia Restaurant at Mariachi Square.. this is a small restaurant that seats 8 people indoors and 8 outside... the Chile Verde is outstanding and 3 Tacos and a soda for only a few dollars

Taco combo plate + 2 more tacos. Very large portions! :)
Taylor I.

I love tacos and I love looking for amazing tacos places in LA! Santa Cecilia is one of the best taco spots I've found. Great taste, authentic, spicy salsa verde, yummy tortillas, and rice + beans like your abuelita's. I had the 2 chicken taco with salsa verde combination plate with rice and beans. My bf had 2 carne asada tacos with salsa verde. We shared the rice and beans and a horchata. Everything was absolutely phenomenal. The total for all of this was $10, too! The best part of this place other than the location (right in Mariachi Plaza) is the way the owner greets you. He's so happy and the woman makes you feel like you stepped into her home for a delicious meal. :) Amazing spot and will mos def recommend to everyone who visits LA.

Good meal from Santa Cecilia...Huevos a la Mexicana con frijoles de la olla y una ensalada.

I've been meaning to write this review and it's long overdue. I recently moved back into Boyle Heights and I've seen many changes but Santa Cecilias hasn't and I REALLY hope that it won't be one of them. This is probably my favorite comfort food in LA that is as close to home cooking as it gets. Just walking in is a breath of fresh air. It's definitely not a sight for sore eyes but it's definitely like walking into your grandmas kitchen...you just feel the love with that little Mexican sting.lol A little word of advise to those who are, shall I say, pretentious snobs and a bit uppity, this may not be the place for you. The decor may not be up to par and seating is limited. Otherwise, enjoy with an open mind and a hungry tummy. Armando (the owner) is a master at his trade. Wonderful food and excellent hospitality is what it's all about. You can feel the pride in his food and service. He wants you to leave happy and satisfied. You can't go wrong with any dish he prepares for you and it will make your tummy smile. I personally love the barbacoa plate, caldo de res, carne de res en chile verde, tacos de tripa and FRESH HOMEMADE TORTILLAS! This is the only spot that I have come across that makes authentic Capirotada with all the timings. It's absolutely spot on and delicious! He is always willing to accommodate and substitute an order which speaks that he cares about customer service. They are all sweet and I appreciate the warm welcome and 10 minutes of wise cracks while I'm there.lol I've recommended this place more times than I can count to multiple people for good authentic Mexican food without paying hipster prices...and it actually has flavor! Places like these are a rarity nowadays and I hope it's around for generations to come. Stop in and if you don't know what you're in the mood for just trust him to hook you up with something special! Grab a Mexican coke from the fridge while you're at it!

Kitchen
Megan J.

Santa Cecilia is my favorite Mexican restaurant. Since I like Mexican food, I've tried a lot of Mexican restaurants in LA. I found this restaurant on Yelp. I wasn't that big taco person. But their tacos are so good, big and cheap ($1.50). 2 will be enough for one meal. If you like spicy, get red salsa. Green salsa is not spicy. Inside of the restaurant is very small, but they have big place for outside seats. They have simple menu, don't have that many options for menu like another Mexican restaurants. However, everything was delicious so far. I almost go there everyday from last week. I recommend this restaurant if you want real tacos with reasonable price.

Armando (The Taco God) at Santa Cecilia!

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1 year ago

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very good tripas taco. crispy. def worth a stop if in the area. order at the counter. street parking

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4 years ago

Amazing food - this is one of the best spots in Los Angeles, for sure

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5 years ago

Authentic and warm and loving place. Amazing customer service! Great food all around!!!

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14 years ago

I was so ready to eat there for dinner...however there has no seat and tables...just strolls. Lame

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Mi Corazon - carne tacos

Mi Corazon

3.8(772 reviews)
5.0 mi•Los Feliz
•$$

This bar is fantastic! A large space with lots of options for seating inside and out. Very chill…read morevibe. We had intended to go to the bar next door, but one look at the crowd there and the loud throbbing music turned us off. I had wanted to go to Mi Corazon anyway, and was glad the group agreed. Lots of great mezcal and tequila options, as well as a well-stocked bar with wine, beer and cocktails. And the food menu looks great, but we didn't try it. Next time! The bartender was great and served us at our table. Brought us chips and a delicious homemade spicy salsa. The atmosphere was perfect for conversation, with good indie music playing at the right level. I will be back.

1 Star -- Extremely disappointing experience…read more Unfortunately, our experience at this restaurant was horrible from the moment we arrived. When I first arrived, I gave them the name of our reservation, and the staff had no idea what I was talking about. We were a party of 6, yet they seated us at a tiny table that was clearly not appropriate for our group. When it was time to order, my husband very clearly told the waiter which pasta he wanted and even showed him a picture of the item on the menu. The waiter looked at it and agreed. My food came out, but my husband's food never did. We eventually found out that his order was never even put in. What made it worse was when the waiter came out saying, "Oh my God, I thought you said you didn't want it." Everyone at the table looked at him completely confused because my husband had literally told him what he wanted and showed him the menu item. Instead of simply acknowledging the mistake and fixing it, we were left waiting. On top of that, trying to get anyone's attention was nearly impossible. We had to repeatedly try to get someone's attention just to get basic service. Then there was another issue with the entrance fee. My sister-in-law had messages showing that we were told that if we ate at the restaurant, we would no longer have to pay the entrance fee. We showed those messages to the woman handling the wristbands, but instead of looking into it or speaking to someone who could clarify the situation, she simply said, "I don't know, you have to pay." No attempt was made to investigate or resolve the issue. After everything that happened, they still added a tip to the bill, despite the extremely poor service we received. Overall, this was one of the most frustrating restaurant experiences I've had. Poor communication, poor service, lack of organization, and no effort to make things right. I definitely will not be recommending this place to anyone, and we will not be returning.

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Mi Corazon - The veggie burrito diet works!

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Guelaguetza Restaurante - Complimentary Chips and Mole.

Guelaguetza Restaurante

3.9(3.3k reviews)
4.7 mi•Harvard Heights
•$$
Family-owned & operated

My parents were visiting from Florida for their annual family trip, and I wanted to treat them to a…read moremeal and introduce them to the diverse food scene in Los Angeles. Since they live in an area with limited Mexican cuisine, I chose Guelaguetza, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant with authentic Oaxacan recipes, something completely new to them. They were excited to try something different, as they don't have many Mexican food options where they live, and I wanted to expand their culinary horizons. We were greeted with complimentary chips - some were drizzled with mole and Oaxacan cheese, which we requested refills of, and others were served with red and green salsas. The green salsa had a nice kick to it. For our meal, we shared two large dishes: the Festival de Moles ($53.00) and the Tlayuda Guelaguetza ($27.50). The Tlayuda Guelaguetza, which is also called a Mexican pizza, was layered with bean and chicharron spread, queso fresco, cabbage, quesillo, beef tasajo, pork Cecina, and pork chorizo. While I've always wanted to try Tlayuda, this one wasn't good, and I wouldn't recommend it. The pork chorizo was particularly unappetizing, and neither my parents nor I enjoyed the dish, feeling it was a waste of money. The Festival de Moles ($53.00) featured four individual moles - negro, rojo, coloradito, and estofado - with a choice of shredded chicken breast or pork spare ribs. We opted for a mix of both and found this dish to be excellent, and we would definitely order it again. They were very impressed with the moles, and enjoyed them for the first time. The only minor complaint was a lack of tortillas to dip with the mole, though they did provide some rice. We ordered several drinks, which significantly increased the bill. I was surprised we spent $200 on lunch for three people with only two meals. I started with the Pasion De Oaxaca ($16.00), a mezcal, tequila, passion fruit, grapefruit juice, and tajin cocktail that was excellent, perfectly balanced, strong, but not too sweet. For my second drink, I had the refreshing Aquas Frescas - Jamaica ($6), which was perfect after my meal. I even took it to go, and they kindly provided a cup. My dad ended up taking it, as he needed it with his medication (they're old!). My parents, who were trying mole for the first time, were very impressed and really enjoyed it. Our only minor complaint was the lack of tortillas to dip in the mole, although they did provide some rice. The food took a little longer to come out, even though the restaurant wasn't busy. I imagine this type of cuisine is labor-intensive, and you can't rush the cooking time for mole. You just have to trust the process! We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Guelaguetza Restaurante and will definitely be back. I can see why they're a James Beard Award-winning restaurant; you can get authentic Oaxacan flavors in LA! We're lucky to live here.

Amazing food and drinks and there is live music but it is way too loud in there. The place is huge…read moreand gets packed but I think the speakers need to be turned down. Good for big groups but I don't really recommend if you actually want to have conversation. Got the enchiladas campesinas and mango slushy both of my visits there, it's a huge serving so had leftovers for another meal each time.

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Guelaguetza Restaurante - Beautifully painted mural outside of Guelaguetza Restaurante

Beautifully painted mural outside of Guelaguetza Restaurante

Guelaguetza Restaurante - Delicious chocolate cake.

Delicious chocolate cake.

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Mirate - bar downstairs

Mirate

4.1(1.2k reviews)
5.6 mi•Los Feliz
Private events
Outdoor seating

I only came here for the bar so this review is strictly for the drinks. I did not know this place…read morewon Top 50 Bars of America for 3 years in a row, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that sign when we entered. My girls and I were bar hopping in WeHo for our friend's bachelorette and this place was recommended to us for good drinks. We went in with no reservation and the seats downstairs for the open bar area were full, so one of the servers told us we can lounge around at the bar upstairs and grab some chairs until someone kicked us out. Thankfully, we were able to grab a couch and everyone was super friendly and sweet. We ordered some signature cocktails off the menu and as the night went on, we ordered some tequila shots as well. Instead of lime and salt, they gave us our shots with golden berries and salt and wow. I'm definitely going to be taking my tequila shots with this combo! It was sooooo good. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and very spacious, and the food looked really good too. I'd love to come back with my husband to give them a try!

I would actually give Mirate a 3.5 because the drinks are phenomenal but the food was a huge let…read moredown. Unfortunately the flavors for the food here fell really flat for us for the most part. We came here for my friend's birthday and her steak was perfectly cooked and delicious. The pulque bread with miso butter and the guac were also delicious appetizers. Those were the 3 best dishes of the night. We also shared the crab bunuelos, the cochinita sopes, and the pulpo tacos. Sopes are my favorite Mexican dish, but these ones were too difficult to cut through/bite through. The pulpo taco, we could mostly taste the tortilla, the pulpo didn't shine through. And the bunuelos were fine, but not something super memorable. One of my friends had the duck emolada, and I had the branzino. As I mentioned, the birthday girl got the steak and that was delicious. But my other friend was really let down by his emolada which he has been wanting to try forever. My branzino was well cooked, the green sauce was pretty good. But the tomatillo greens salad on the dish was possibly one of the worst things I've ever eaten. And I love bitter, and I love greens.... But this was next level where I involuntarily made a sour puss face with each bite. For dessert we had the chocolate cake with cafe de Olla which was moist and good. We also got the pulque with the prickly pear, which was veryyyyyy sweet and none of us cared for that much. (Even tho I usually love prickly pear desserts) The service was nice, no one dropped the ball, but nothing stood out either. The restaurant itself is beautiful but it is open air (with no AC) so it was very hot since we have had so many hot days here in LA. We took a Lyft so we didn't have to worry about parking.

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Mirate - Brunch

Brunch

Mirate
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El Tepeyac Cafe - 7/28/24: Okie de Pollo Burrito -- fireeeeeee!!!

El Tepeyac Cafe

3.8(2.9k reviews)
1.3 mi•Boyle Heights
•$$

We go to El Tepeyac all the time. I just can't review them every month. They are famous for making…read morethe biggest burrito in LA. That big burrito in the photo is one of them They have traditional Mexican food at a great price. If you want fancy fine dining go elsewhere. This is a small, old place, that is kept up to date and is spotless. Whether you eat at the counter, outside or at a table it is comfortable. The service is the best. Many of the servers and cooks have been there many years. They are friendly and great with kids. You will love whatever you order there. I love their tacos and taquitos. My husband and the rest of the family love the burritos and their wonderful guacamole. Their chips are served warm and are great. They also have really good salsa. Parking is free in their lot. They do not take reservations. I posted a photo of the line to get in. We always skip that and eat the counter which often has seats waiting. We also go outside which has lots of tables with a cover so you are out of the heat. You can eat there, do take out or have it delivered.

Been coming to this place since I was a kid & recently started coming back. Taste is always great…read morebut the business is practicing deception w their pricing. Last time I was here was last June & the menu prices were not the correct prices. I was not notified of this by the waitress but when I received the receipt. A difference of $3 for the burritos from the menu prices. The waitress's reasoning was they haven't got their new menus OK no problem. I go back today, 3.5 months later. The burrito menu prices have not been corrected in the menu & I revise the receipt w an increase of $3 and no indication on the menu. The waitress uses the same excuse as she did in June, except this time I call her out on it. She states that it indicates that "prices are subject to change", in very small print. I inform her that that change must be indicated by the waitress or the menu by California law. Even though I brought this to her attention, she stuck by it. She also charged twice for cheese. I also paid for the Large burrito but it came out the mini-burrito. I hate to say, but this place is practicing pricing deception. The owner and the supervisors better correct this, quick. It is the waitresses job to inform the customers of the price increase. This Is technically theft, just like if a customer walks out on a bill. I didn't argue. I just adjusted the tip accordingly. These are tough times & no one should be taken advantage of. Manny would not be cool w this. ***Just spoke w the Manager Ghay about the issue & he was unwilling to listen, & very defensive. He claims that he knows the law & does not have to indicate the current prices. After I explained he was violating city laws by not informing patrons of prices. He said I could speak to the owner "Carlos" & hung up on me. This guy is gonna learn the hard way that he's committing theft. This guy better change his tune bc the place is usually empty these days.

Photos
El Tepeyac Cafe
El Tepeyac Cafe - Chicken enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas

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Holbox - Smoked kanpachi tostada

Holbox

4.7(2.7k reviews)
4.0 mi•Historic South Central
•$$

We came to Holbox right at noon and ended up waiting about an hour, but it was worth it. The prices…read morefelt very reasonable considering the quality and freshness of the ingredients. The tuna & uni tostada was the standout. The tuna had the perfect balance of acidity, and the uni on top added just the right amount of richness. Every bite had so much going on without feeling too heavy. The ceviche was incredibly fresh and bright. The octopus taco was another favorite. The octopus was so tender with no chewiness, it was cooked perfectly. We also tried the aguachile, which was really good, but the tuna dishes stood out to me so much more. Overall, such a great menu with really high-quality seafood at a reasonable price. There are so many other things I want to try, so I'll definitely be coming back!

Holbox has been on my list of places to try for a long time. We finally decided to come on a Sunday…read moremorning. We arrived as they're opening and there was already a long line out the door. The staff were wonderful and offered everyone umbrellas so we can wait in the shade. Be prepared because the wait is LONG, we probably waited 45 minutes before getting in the building, then you wait a bit longer to order. Patience definitely pays off because the food was absolutely delicious! We started with a huge bowl of creamy guacamole, it was well seasoned and great but we ran out of chips. My uni and bay scallop ceviche was super fresh, the seafood tasted so sweet and was paired with the perfect amount of citrus and creamy sauce to tie everything together without overpowering the seafood flavors. I also tried a bite of the kanpachi tostada and that was wonderful too! Everything they made highlighted the seafood so well. I didn't get a chance to try everything we ordered but we all loved every dish we tried. Definitely check this place out if you love seafood, but I'd recommend coming either on a weekday or really early to avoid the crowd. There are a few parking spots available outside and street parking as well so it's pretty convenient.

Photos
Holbox - Kitchen view

Kitchen view

Holbox - Taco de pulpo

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Santa Cecilia - mexican - Updated October 2026

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