This place reminds me of javiers, just not as fancy and expensive. The interior is very modern, and the outside design makes you feel like you're in cabo. I tried the steak fajitas, it was pretty tender and nicely seasoned. Came with tortillas, black beans, mexican rice, veggies, and a lot of avocado. The carnitas was juicy and pretty soft. Elote corn had a good smokiness to it but it was a bit too spicy, and they put too much mayo in that. Chicken tortilla soup was too salty. Besides that, decent experience. Service was good here, they even have a photographer that comes around to take pictures (pictures are additionally purchased). read more

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Very disappointing experience. Food was good. But very odd experience: a woman came around taking photos of us during dinner, then tried to sell us printed copies outside afterward. I didn't realize I was dining at a cheap county fair...it felt completely out of place for a restaurant like this. Service was also very poor. Our server checked on us once during the entire meal. And surprisingly, the tortillas were clearly prepackaged rather than made fresh in-house. At a restaurant positioning itself at this level, fresh tortillas seem like a pretty basic expectation. Overall, the experience felt far below what we expected. read more

We visited for brunch on a Sunday afternoon around 12-12:30 pm and it was pleasantly NOT crowded! You need to get a ticket for parking and the restaurant will validate it. We were happy to be seated right away at a large table in the bar area. I didn't realize that they had an all-you-can eat type buffet set-up, as well as unlimited mimosas (already included in the price for Adult brunch, no opt-out option). The food selections were plentiful and varied. There was a coffee station with sweet breads, lots of main dishes like meats/sauces/rice/beans, a carving station, omelet station, menudo and pozole, salads, and desserts including a chocolate fountain as well as vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, mom mom got the menudo and it was more on the cold side than hot so she asked our server to microwave it and he did that right away. We got several items to try like the chile relleno, the enchiladas and all was luke warm at best. That was so disappointing, so one of our party spoke to the Manager about it and she worked right away to address this. She even brought out individual items from the back (although those were cold too!!). As the team refilled the food containers, the food was more hot and fresh and we absolutely appreciated them making sure the food was better. I thought the pozole was excellent, so flavorful and light. The dessert were delish! The rice, the flan, the cream with berries it was all too good. I tried some meat dishes and those were great, as well as the refried black beans. Once we were done, the awesome Manager came by to apologize and rectify the situation and we were very pleased with the turnout. We will definitely come back because the team here goes out of their way to make sure customers are happy!! read more

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Came here for a work lunch. Plenty of seating and parking (validated). Clean restaurant. Service was a little slow but that probably had something to do with us being in the corner of the bar area. The complimentary chips and beans were nice but I was a little surprised there was no salsa. Even when we ordered the guacamole it was surprisingly a smaller helping than I expected. The appetizers were overall good. The corn was flavorful. The shrimp taquitos were pretty solid. The calamari was interesting. If you don't like coconut flavor then stay away. It was definitely a different take on the traditional calamari I was expecting. It wasn't bad but it was interesting. For main the table ordered the branzino, octopus, tacos, and carnitas. I personally ordered the carnitas, which was plentiful in terms of quantity but it left a bit to be desired. It was super oily yet dry at the same time. I did not finish it primarily for those reasons. To be fair it wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. To be honest I probably should gone for the branzino because it looked more flavorful and delectable. The desserts were good. We ordered the tiramisu and this chocolate muffin sort of dessert with ice cream on top. Were it not for the dessert I would have rated this place a 3 out of 5 stars. I really wish I could put this review as 3.5 stars but alas I can only round up to a 4. Overall not a bad spot. But not the best spot either. read more

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My husband and I took my parents in law out to Sol to celebrate their birthdays. To start off with the good, the ambiance here is really nice!! It definitely feels like a fancy restaurant. Alongside this, they give complimentary chips, salsa, and bean dip. I love how the chips were fresh and warm and having bean dip was a nice touch because most other Mexican restaurants don't serve that complimentary. I thought that the bean dip and salsa were exceptionally tasty. Unfortunately, I can't say the same with our entrees. Everyone on our table ordered something different and some items were better than others, but overall, we were all pretty underwhelmed. I ordered the carne asada burrito and it was honestly one of the saddest burritos I've had--the filling essentially only had beans and beef. Although I came hungry, I didn't finish my burrito because it wasn't super enjoyable. Alongside this, a lot of my party felt like our dishes came out room temperature instead of warm. Service was also just okay. We were seated on a table without utensils and napkins and had to ask multiple times until they actually came out. Alongside this, our waiter didn't check up on us too often and we felt like it was an effort to try to flag him down. Overall, although the ambiance and chips, salsa, and bean dip were good, I wouldn't say that it's enough for me to recommend this place. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - CARNE ASADA BURRITO - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Came for happy hour and they have a really good happy hour menu. The shrimp taquitos were so good! They come with two per order. I ended up ordering another because they were that good. I also had the Animal Taco. It's a carne asada taco with fries, cheese, and fried onions. It didn't have any salsa or sauce, so it was pretty dry. The cucumber jalapeño margarita was really good too. The only downside was the service. It was slow. Our waitress hardly checked on us, and every time we wanted to order something else, we had to wait forever for her to come back to the table. They do validate parking, so make sure you give the hostess your parking ticket before you leave. Also, if you have a Tesla, there's a Supercharger in the SOL parking lot, so you can charge your car while you eat, which is really convenient. read more

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Service was good; the waiter was very cordial and offered several suggestions for our group on what drinks to try. However, the speed of getting both our food and drinks was below expectations. On top of that, some of our party got food poisoning from the cochinita meals we ordered. Portions are rather small for the price. The ambiance is good, a bit loud, but that is expected in a restaurant with seating near the bar. read more

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Exceptional Mexican restaurant that is great for any occasion. The vibe is wonderful, very modern and spacious with an intimate and lively setting. The food is the highlight though. The complimentary chips are the biggest I have seen, and pair wonderfully with the salsa and bean dips. All of the dishes are delicious and fairly priced for some great value. They validate parking and have a convenient entrance from the parking garage. The staff are very friendly and there is a photographer that comes around with options to buy a framed photo or just take a complimentary photo for the memories. The quality of the physical menu was also super satisfying to see and hold. read more

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Had reservations on Friday for a group of 8 that ended up being 10 and our waiter was able to accommodate us. He had such a great and fun personality. We shared guacamole and coconut crusted calamari to start. I got the perfect pineapple and chile margarita. It was delicious. And for my entree I ordered a grilled shrimp quesadilla that came with a side of rice and black beans. I always say I'm not going to fill up on chips and salsa but I can never do that here. The chips are so good and the refried beans they serve with it I could ear with a spoon. read more

Very yummy taco!! Very cute vibe. Sat on the outdoor patio. Service was okay. All in all was good. Would come back maybe every year. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Steak Taco - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

2 stars for the food, NOT the service, every single person there was kind! Was insanely excited to try SOL for the first time as we were drawn in by the tacos y tequila tuesdays + live music. Arrived and parked in the parking structure that was right next to SOL. They validate your parking at the hostess table! Live music was a solo dj Complimentary chips + salsa and black beans, but these beans were terrible. Absolutely burnt and had such a burnt, acrid taste, so we stopped eating them. You know when something is burnt when it has an extremely overpowering gas/bitter taste to it We ordered the pan seared salmon, taste of baja, and grilled wagyuala tampiquena. Everything desperately needed salt and honestly, just flavor and seasoning. Just request for salt & they bring it out to you in a small molcajete (super cute!). I ordered the wagyuala and it tasted off, salt was desperately needed & i thought that the cilantro chimichurri would've added robust flavor but nope, literally everything on that plate was under seasoned or probably not seasoned at all, not joking. Maybe it was a bad day in the kitchen, but even sprinkling the salt over the beef did nothing, it tasted so bland. Meat was tender, requested medium and it came out fairly medium, but the meat also had a very strange aftertaste (to me), so i stopped eating it. And trust me, i NEVER stop eating my beef/steak uneaten because I will tear it up lol The food was BAD and wished so bad that we just stuck with our usual go-to, which is Javier's, but we wanted to try something new yesterday for dinner. Their borracho beans and rice side were just okay, everything seriously lacked so much flavor- salt, pepper, garlic/onion/cumin powder, ANYTHING. I'm just throwing out general seasonings. Bad decision. It really kills me to write this review because this has NOTHING to do with the employees, everyone was AWESOME. That food was seriously terrible, that burnt black bean dip should've been the red flag/indicator for how the rest of the food was going to taste like, but we remained positive. Glad others enjoy SOL, but its not for us 2 stars for the kind employees + ambiance of the restaurant. I echo the other similar reviews that say there is hardly no flavor, nothing stood out, not much to write home about, going to Javier's Irvine Spectrum/Newport or Red O in Newport read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

SOL Mexican Cocina in Irvine is an easy pick when you want solid Baja-style food and a chill vibe without driving down to Newport. It's got a great outdoor patio with firepits that's perfect for a long lunch or relaxing after work. Definitely start with the chips and guacamole. The guac has a really fresh lime flavor with a bit of a kick from serranos, and the chips come out warm and thick enough to actually hold it. For an appetizer, the taquitos are great--super crispy, loaded with shredded meat, and topped with plenty of crema and cotija cheese. For the main meal, the braised short rib is hands down the best thing on the menu. The meat is so tender it just falls apart with a fork, and it comes covered in a rich, deep red chile sauce. It comes in a hot skillet with rice, black beans, fried plantains, and warm tortillas wrapped up so you can make your own tacos at the table. Drinks are great too, since they actually use fresh citrus in their margaritas instead of sour mix. It's definitely on the pricier side, and the parking lot off Main Street can be annoying around happy hour, but the food and drinks are always on point. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Great everything. Came here on a working lunch and from being greeted by the host to paying the check every aspect was on point. This place has a spa like feel where every sense of your well being is cared for. The place is immaculate while the staff are well dressed and kept from head to toe! Ordered: Fresh Guac - perfect in everyway...fresh, clean, vibrant and went well with any bite on the table! Steak and shrimp taco - this was such a well balanced taco, I had to pull it back and look at it bite after bite. Each ingredient played off the other very well. Salsa's perfect spice, and freshness - another great addition to any bite at the table especially the fresh warm tortilla chips that come as tostadas! Will surely be back again and again!!! read more

I got lucky to be able to make a day before reservation at SOL in Irvine for Cinco de Mayo! Hadn't yet been to this location, so I was looking forward to checking it out. The ambiance is nice; beautifully decorated. It was also very busy, but it was Cinco de Mayo. The deals that day were all day happy hour. Score! I started with the Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita skinny. That was good but I could barely taste the tequila. Felt watered down almost. Skinny just means less sweet, not less alcohol. I then switched to a frozen margarita and that was too sweet, but yummy. For food, my favorite was the Firecracker Quesadilla. That was deeeeeeelicious!! Highly recommend. The naked guacamole was good too, but not worth $9. And the Animal Tacos were O.K. I barely finished mine. When you make the turn to go to parking, don't go straight to the corporate parking structure. Make a u-turn and park in the structure that says restaurant and is right adjacent to SOL. Then they validate. But we didn't see that parking and ended up in the corporate parking, which they don't validate. I don't know if I'll go back. It's a bit pricey for happy hour. read more

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All sunshine and smiles at Sol Mexicana Cocina! It's got total vacation resort vibes, and I'm all in for good times. And good food! We came here for brunch today, and everything was so good! I ordered their chorizo and potato scramble. It was delicious. Generous portions, they are not sheisty when it comes to their servings. My daughter got their chilaquiles and it was huge! Also so delicious. Hubbie got their fajita, he was a bit disappointed that it did not come in a sizzling skillet. Save room for dessert! Their tres leches cake was SO good! We shared it between us three, and could not finish. Not because we did not like it, but because it was so generous. Will definitely order again. This is our third visit to Sol, and we will definitely be back. The food. The atmosphere. The friendly service. Everything is just superb. Like a day full of sunshine! read more

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A good pit stop since I had to charge my Tesla. Good deals on happy hour in terms of food. I had shrimp taquitos as a snack before dinner. Service was prompt. I'd come back to try other items on their menu read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Nice and big place, great customer service every time we come and we enjoy the food. I have tried a variety of items and my favorites have been the Wagyu steak entree, shrimp chile relleno, and of course the chips and salsa they give you when you sit down. Each dish is unique and good and feels like there's a couple dishes where you can pass but depending on what you like but you can't go wrong. They are great for HH and just to sit down and chit chat with some girlfriends read more

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My first time here. The attached parking garage is so convenient and they validate; the garage has a walkway to restaurant entrance. Arrived on a quiet Saturday in between the lunch and dinner rush; sat at the bar. Bartender Andy G. couldn't have been a better ambassador with knowledge and service. Their Sauvignon Blanc is delicious. The chips and salsa were fresh and delicious. I personally don't recommend the queso - greasy and surprisingly bland. The pollo fajitas were divine. The protein so tender and moist, along with their salsa was worth going back for. The fresh breeze, decor, comfortable bar stools (a first) and service were so appealing. Is it overpriced? Yes, in comparison to other well done upscale Mexican restaurant menus - No, when you consider the quality of the food presented, the service, location and convenience of validated parking. I'll be back for sure! (Had takeout delivered nine days later and it was as delicious!) read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Salsa is delicious! Chips so fresh!! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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We came here for the first time to celebrate our birthdays, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. The service was extremely poor. We had to repeatedly ask for silverware, chips, and salsa because nothing was brought to our table. When our food finally arrived, everything was cold. Even the fajitas, which are supposed to come out sizzling, were not hot at all. When I told the staff that the food was cold, they offered to remake it. I asked if I could switch to the chicken fajitas instead. It took a very long time for them to bring the replacement, and when it finally arrived, they said they had run out of sizzling plates, so it was served on a regular plate instead. The biggest issue was with my daughter's meal. She has a tomato allergy, which we clearly informed the server about when ordering. The server assured us there were no tomatoes in her meal, but when it arrived, it had tomatoes. They took it back to remake it, but after another long wait, they brought it back with tomato rice still on the plate. That was unacceptable, especially considering it involved a food allergy. Overall, the service was slow, the food was cold, and there was a serious lack of attention to an important dietary restriction. This was supposed to be a special birthday celebration, but it turned into a frustrating experience. We won't be coming back. read more

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This was my 3rd time visiting, the first time having been a friend's birthday and the second time having been my graduation dinner. I was extremely excited to be back, as I recalled the service and food being above par. The exterior of this restaurant is mesmerizing, and I saw people taking photos the entire time. I visited on Valentine's Day for a family dinner. Immediately, I was relieved by the kind service from the staff. We arrived early to our reservation, and the employees were understanding and sat us way sooner than we were supposed to be. I ordered the Goat Cheese Enchiladas, which were amazing! The tortillas were perfect, and the goat cheese blended perfectly with the salsa verde & crema. I wish I had caught our server's name, as he was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, kind, and spoke Spanish! This helped elevate the experience for our whole party. I will say... the prices are on the higher end. read more

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Came here to meet some friends for dinner. The drinks are strong which is a good thing. Our waitress Zully was great and attended to our needs. The food was decent but needed a little more spice and salt. read more

Had lunch yesterday at Sol for the first time. Let me start by saying the service and ambiance was great although there were flies buzzing around us during the entire meal. Very annoying for a higher end food establishment. I ordered the chicken burrito and was not a fan at all. It is stuffed with chicken, beans, and onions etc. I only ate a few bites and had enough. Honestly, I've had much better burritos at Rubios for almost half the price. If you looked around at the table of 7, everyone left food uneaten, which should really tell you something. Note, they also add a 5% surcharge to your bill. read more

The food was bland; we ordered tacos with different flavors, but they all tasted the same. The only pleasant part was the black beans served with the tacos. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Taco de CARNE ASADA STREET TACOS - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Such a fun place. We had a wonderful experience at SOL Mexican Cocina. Zully, Our server,, was very attentive and helpful, and gave us great food recommendations on what to order. The food we had was really good, and we all enjoyed our meals. The ambiance was also amazing, very relaxing, and perfect for a great family dining experience.. Moises the manager is as wonderful as well !! and we always look forward to coming back again. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Nice place. Aguachiles needed a little bit more salt and spice. Zully the waitress is awesome. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - AGUACHILE ROJO - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Unfortunately, the service and food weren't great. We came here for a birthday dinner and left pretty disappointed with the overall experience. I ordered the fajitas, and the flavor was off. They had a strong shrimp-like taste to them that I really didn't enjoy. I hate leaving negative reviews, but honestly, none of the food our table ordered was particularly good. The service also had several issues. I ordered a beer and was initially brought the wrong one. It wasn't a huge deal, so I decided to keep it. The server later came back with the beer I had originally ordered and asked if I still wanted it. I ended up taking both so the other one wouldn't go to waste, but there was never really an attempt to acknowledge the mistake or make it right. My wife was also brought the wrong drink. Again, mistakes happen, and individually these things wouldn't have bothered us much. The bigger issue was that the level of service didn't match the type of restaurant they portray themselves to be. We also waited extremely long for both drinks and food. Our reservation was at 7:00 PM, and we didn't leave until around 9:30 PM, mainly because of how slow the service was. Overall, for a birthday dinner, it was disappointing and unfortunately not the experience we were hoping for. read more

The food was disappointing. The chicken in the fajitas was thigh meat, the portion was very small, and some of it was not fully cooked. We also paid an upcharge to add steak, but received only four small pieces. The service was extremely slow, likely because they were short-staffed and didn't have enough people working in the dining room. The restaurant itself is beautiful, but unfortunately, the food, portions, service, and overall experience were not worth the price. read more

I was so impressed by the food here. It is absolutely delicious. We came after work around 5pm and we did not need to wait for a table. We order the carne asada tacos and the chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla was the best quesadilla I ever had. It was amazing and honestly my favorite thing on the menu. The chips and salsa are also very good. The quality of food is impressive and honestly I am very happy with the overall experience. If you are going to happy hour, make sure to mention that you want to sit on the "cantina" side. The separate the bar side and restaurant side. So you cannot order happy hour on the restaurant side. I did not like that they do not tell you that before you are seated. So make sure to check before they seat you. read more

Ordered soup off door dash and wow the quality of take out food here is horrendous. The soup says onion carrot cilantro lime avocado... all there was, was chicken and cheese. Straight up it was so salty and just overall BAD. I've gone to the newport locations a couple times and food was okay. Wouldn't order from here ever again :) read more

Beautiful restaurant! Buffet Style! The food was decent, however the food wasn't as fresh and hot as I hoped it would be. Every dish I tried seemed at room temperature or cold. The enchiladas was very dry and cold. For desert I got arroz con leche but it looked very dry. Bartending service was exceptional, very welcoming and gave us alcoholic and non alcoholic recommendations. As far as service, our server seemed to be more attentive to everyone else around our table except us. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be returning. read more

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The food was nothing special. It matched the aesthetic of upscale Mexican food but definitely far from authentic. We got a calamari appetizer, the breading was a bit much and the calamari itself was too tender. Not your typical squid. The octopus "paella" was okay. The octopus itself was 7/10 but the stuff under in the dish didn't do much. It was bland and seemed unnecessary. We also got a shrimp and fish taco. Very big in size, the amount of shrimp and fish didn't match the size of the taco unfortunately. The service was good. Helpful when we asked questions of what's popular and what he personally enjoyed the most. The inside was very pretty and upscale. The food was mediocre and overpriced. read more

We came for the Father's Day buffett, as we have been to this location for Sunday buffets for about 3 decades as an El Torito mostly before. We were surprised to see the buffett offered, and surprised in a great way! Layout was generous but not crammed, we made reservations so that helped a ton. It was busy but the service was still amazing. It has a cute "hacienda" feel to it like the old El Torito but with a clean and modern design. Now the food? All your Mexican breakfast staples from Chile Rellenos, Menudo, Green Posole, Enchiladas, Waffles, Omelet bar and what was by far the most impressive and popular was the Ceviche station. It had a couple other seafood offerings beside it that was constantly being refilled all the time. Super popular offerings!! I'd come back for the buffett in a heartbeat, it's nostalgia for us and Sol is doing a great job with a kind and caring staff, great food options and amazing vibe for breakfast. Parking tip: Pull in on Main St. to the parking structure, Sol will validate for 1.5 hours so don't get lost! read more

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I've stopped by SOL in Newport Beach a few times to charge my car, but this was my first time actually sitting down for a meal. The space is bright with good lighting, and the restaurant has a paid parking garage. If you have a Tesla and the code, the first 45 minutes are free, which makes it really convenient. The food was decent overall. I ordered the Mexx Chop Salad, which was big and filling. Chips and salsa were complimentary, and the red salsa was the standout for me. The chips were thin, fresh, and crisp. I also tried the carne asada tacos. They were okay, not amazing, but still enjoyable. Service was friendly, the environment felt relaxed, and the convenience of being able to charge while eating is a big plus. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 and would come back again. read more

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Food was really great and we had a lovely dinner on the patio. Staff was very friendly and everything came out perfect!

My go-to order is Carne Asada burrito!! Great taste of asada and beans inside. Burrito held up well and didn't fall apart. Love that it comes with salsa, pico, jalapeño and small guac! The spicy slaw is amazing, and not spicy! Quinoa is okay, but next time going with spicy slaw for both dishes! If you like slaw and a bit mayo base! Service was great! Went Wed afternoon, and Katie was server and was great! Very attentive, nice and helpful! Restaurant is large and in my big group of 12, it felt like a private party. I don't like the area though, you have to take a ticket to park. There are very small parking structures and they only valet for 90 mins! Otherwise you pay for parking! Plus it's tucked away in business complex area so hard to get to if you aren't familiar read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - CARNE ASADA BURRITO - W. Spicy Slaw and Quinoa - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

This place was very packed in the bar and lounge area on a Tuesday. Got to the restaurant around 5:30pm and not a single seat in the bar area. Wanted to sit at the outside bar but they were using that part of the patio for a private party so instead sat in the other patio area. Furniture was pretty dirty but it was nice that the host who brought over the menus at least wiped down the table. You can get a house margarita and two street tacos for $15 which is a pretty good deal for Taco Tuesday. Also shared the shrimp flautas which were crunchy and delicious. Also enjoyed the Cobb salad which came out with no dressing, not even on the side and took awhile for our server to bring. Service overall was pretty slow but at least the server was nice enough to apologize that the bartender was backed up so your drinks would take a bit to come out. It's definitely a vibe inside with a DJ as well. My only complaint is that the service was soooo slow that I still had to pay $8 to park even with the 1hr and 30 min validation. My experience overall from the moment I sat down was about 2.5 hours which seemed a bit absurd seeing I got there at 5:30pm. read more

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Decided to come here for a little sweet treat and it did not dissapoint. I ordered the rosca de churro and flan. The flan isn't on the menu but it was recommended by our server Jerry and it was great! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - ROSCA de CHURRO FLAN - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Great Mexican place! Decent music not too loud Great for a ladies night! Drinks are amazing !! Service was slow even though not crowded on weekend! We got the apps - shrimp taquitos was awesome!! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Excellent crab chowder, chili verde and Cobb salad. Food and service was very good. Ambience excellent! read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Chili verde - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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To begin with, Moi was the most professional and experienced worker i have ever seen. Started off with a great menu with learned recipes by Moi and explained well on the types of wine he had available for us. We were also brought some shade to our table as we sat by the sun which made our experience a 10 out of 10. The food was great, service was awesome and the vibes were nothing but perfection.! Definitely not the last time I come again. read more

SOL Mexican Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California