First off, we found out about this restaurant through social media. We knew eventually we'd want to…read moretry it. Luckily, we were by the mall and made the VERY short 10-ish minute drive. Worth it! Walked into a very quiet, but colorful restaurant with only one other patron inside. The employees were so nice. We were told to pick anywhere, we were brought menus and instantly asked if we'd like anything to drink or if we wanted to look at the menu first... We asked for suggestions and the waitress offered the types of drinks they have. She brought us chips and salsa. The chips were homemade with a perfect crunch. The salsa was fresh, chunky and not spicy. The pepino cone limo aqua Fresca was the best aqua Fresca I've EVER had. Not too sweet at all and was SO REFRESHING. We also ordered an horchata and I was told that was just as good. The food... Where to start. We ordered an empanada and some quedabirria tacos. The empanada was HUGE, deliciously filling with fresh ingredients. It had great flavor. The quesabirria tacos were probably the best we've had. You order the amount you want. They are 5.99 each and oh so delicious. The meat tasted SO FRESH and flavorful. The creamy jalapeño salsa had a NICE kick to it. All meals come with radish and pickled onions as garnish, but eating them with the meal made it even more refreshing and delicious. They need more than one location, but until then we will be back! (Luckily, I heard they do catering.)

Cool ambiance and good service…read more Ordered a couple of wet burritos to go; chicken and chile verde. Wife liked her burrito but felt that chicken was a little dry. My burrito was pretty good so we will need to come back to dine in and try some other items. Overall 4 stars.

Great people, great food, and great service. Love to get a Family Pack to go. Highly recommend.read more

Panchito burritos had zero flavor--No seasoning, not even salt. My wife and I had to add…read moreseasonings and salt to the burritos in order to eat them because they were so bland that they were difficult to eat. The nachos were soggy with 90% refried beans (I thought nachos were mostly chips and cheese? Where was the cheese?!?! ) I remember when Frank used to run the restaurant and his wife would cook--Those were the good old days. Unfortunately, I'm writing a review because this has once again been a below par meal we've had from here and may not chance our money here again. Sorry Frank, but it's just not the same place we used to love when we started going 23 or so years ago. Anyways, I wish the best of luck to you guys. Please strive to take this place back to its original standard.

This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant. From the moment you walk in, the place is set up…read morebeautifully--clean, inviting, and with a great atmosphere that makes you want to stay and enjoy your time. The drinks are excellent--well-made and a perfect complement to the food. I ordered the tacos, and they were absolutely A1. Full of flavor, fresh, and cooked perfectly. We also got the fajitas, and those were just as impressive--great seasoning, sizzling hot, and packed with flavor. Everything about this place just hits right. Great food, great drinks, and a really nice environment. Anytime someone asks me where to get delicious Mexican food, this is the spot I recommend. I'll definitely be coming back again and again.

Food was really good, the plate for two was alright. The ambiance seating outside was really really…read morenice. But the service was awful. The table next to us had a server who checked on them every few minutes. We got two different servers, one who took our drinks and the other who said she's taking over and then we didn't see her until we got the check. They charge more for card over cash. But based on the service alone, I wouldn't return. It wasn't that they couldn't do better, but that they didn't want to.

I come here pretty often, and it's always a solid choice for Mexican food in town. The food is…read moreconsistently good, the drinks are solid, and they easily have the best chips and salsa around. Service is always friendly and reliable, which keeps me coming back. My only real recommendation is to avoid sitting in the bar area if you're in a hurry. Service there tends to move a lot slower, so it can take a while to get your order in and get your food. The restaurant itself is a little run down, and the bathrooms could definitely use some attention, but the bar and outside area is decorated nicely and has a good atmosphere overall. All in all, it's a great local spot and one I keep going back to.

Unfortunately, this was a really disheartening experience…read more We waited over an hour for our food, and when it finally came out there was an issue with the size of the menudo bowl that had been offered to us. Instead of trying to resolve the situation or make it right, the manager, Noah, became argumentative and tried to debate what had been said rather than listen to the customer. After waiting that long, the last thing anyone expects is to feel like they have to argue just to be heard. What made it more disappointing was the lack of willingness to fix the issue or offer a solution. We came in hoping for a good meal and left feeling frustrated and unheard. It's sad because good service could have easily turned this into a positive experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. At the end of it he realized and came back and finally apologized.

I love the food, and the service, the drinks, and especially the patio. Great burritos too.read more

Very terrible experience. Food was cold and not very good,…read morenone of our party of 8 finished their food. The waitstaff was unfriendly, unhelpful and never spoke to us, never smiled or offered us drink refills.... Will not be returning. With all the good Mexican food in Modesto, I was seriously disappointed and regretted taking our friends from out of town here.

Everything was wow, the food, how nice the staff was, the mom and pop feel the place had. I…read morepersonally never leave reviews but couldn't even wait till my entree was finished to leave one. Tamales were so tender, enchiladas had great flavor, chips and salsa both tasted fresh. 10/10 perfect mom and pop Mexican spot. Definitely coming back!

We were hesitant to try this place, but wow SO glad we took the chance! This restaurant completely…read morewon us over from the moment we walked in. The young lady at the front was an absolute sweetheart and made us feel so welcome right away.The atmosphere and tables were very simple nothing fancy but it was CLEAN. Now, the food let's talk about it! We ordered the carne asada and al pastor tacos and they were absolutely delicious. The flavor was incredible, the texture was spot on, and the meat was lean with no fat. These tacos are the real deal !!! filling, flavorful, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you're on the fence about coming here, don't be! The food and customer service are both top-notch. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in town. Highly recommend!

In the mood for some Mexican food! We usually go to El Maguey that's in Modesto because it's just…read moreso good and so are the drinks. We wanted to venture out and see what else is good. Came across this place on Yelp with pretty good reviews. It feels just like the (comidas caseras) restaurants in Ensenada I grew up going to. Brought me back, I absolutely enjoyed my food! Will definitely be back.

Hubby and I tried this place today and we knew it was probably going to be great based on how…read morepacked their parking lot was-and we were right. The food was definitely authentic and delicious. Even though they were busy, the waitress was very efficient and provided great service. My hubby had the carne asada platter with corn tortillas, and I ordered a chile relleno alacarte and a sopa with grilled chicken alacarte . My sopa was a little too crunchy (the masa base) but the flavors were good. I asked for green sauce, and it was more like a creamy white sauce, but still ok. We had a favorite Mexican restaurant that we went to in our hometown, the next city over, but since it shut down a year ago, we might make this our new go to place.

Absolutely the best Mexican omelettes on Earth , a must when in Modesto Ca , nestled in a quiet and…read morequaint village like atmosphere in Central Modesto , lovely vintage neighborhood and beautiful trailhead nearby called Virginia Corridor, I'm definitely coming back for seconds !!!

If you're looking for carne asada fries that are fresh, hot, huge, loaded with flavor, and have…read morenacho cheese PLEASE GO HERE. The workers were so nice and the asada was to die for. Super seasoned too, it was AMAZING.

Pretty good experience here today, we were seated promptly but it took a while for drinks to come…read moreand much longer for the meal after the wait for the server to take the order. The food was well done, the ambiance was the busiest we have seen it in a while (they seemed to have a party on the bar side which is a good thing). We didn't order the margaritas this time but definitely can recommend them. Overall, a solid 4/5.

My husband and I came here for an early lunch (11 am). We were attracted to the sign stating that…read moreit was "La Morenita The Original" We ordered off the lunch menu: *Burrito supreme- chicken with green sauce (4/5) This is my go to at Mexican restaurants. However, I should've asked for grilled chicken, instead of shredded chicken. * Wedding platter- asada with corn tortillas (5/5) The "signature medium spicy cream sauce" was delicious! The service was great. We were greeted with a smile. We arrived right when they opened, so we received our food promptly. While waiting for our food, we received chips and salsa. The ambiance was kinda quiet, being the only ones in the restaurant, but they had upbeat Mexican music playing. *The cook did get our order wrong, they gave my husband chicken, instead of asada. But the waitress and cook were quick to correct this. Overall, good food (4.5/5) and good price. We spent less than $35.

Great traditional Mexican food. This place never disappoints. I started with the whiskey smash,…read morewhich was a refreshing variation of almost a margarita. The complimentary chips along with their salsa and beans paired amazingly well. I proceeded to get the choose three build your own combo with a beef taquito(pictured), green chicken enchilada, and a chicken burrito. The beef taquito was first of all huge, the biggest one that I have ever seen. It came with plenty of toppings including guacamole, sour cream, cheese, cabbage, and tomatoes. The burrito was decent, definetely could have used at least some more salsa, ended up being a filler on my plate. I saved the best for last, the classic enchilada was smothered in a delicious salsa that I dipped my other two items into. If you want to try out different things and get a good amount of food for your money, you can't go wrong with the build your own combo, especially from this establishment. Apart from the food, the service exceeded my expectations and it is perfect for your next casual dining experience.

Gave them one more shot for a taco salad... and they blew it again. You'd think a taco salad would…read morebe a simple win, but nope. I asked for grilled chicken and got stewed chicken with absolutely zero flavor. They said it came with guacamole and sour cream--neither were anywhere to be found. The "salad" was basically lettuce, pico, and whole beans with a super tiny portion overall. I added bell peppers and onions, maybe five pieces total, and they hit me with a $6 upcharge. Would've been nice to know that before so I could've said no thanks. Final price for this subpar salad? $25. I actually had to go back just to show them. The bar manager, Hamad (spelling), tried to help by adding more chicken and then told me the sour cream and guac were "under the shell." Really? Who hides condiments under the shell? Total waste of time and money. I'm done. No more chances.