We visited Xacalli Kitchen with friends at their recommendation. What a lucky find! This small unique eatery is tucked away in Silverado Canyon. Food and drinks were chef inspired, unusual and exceptional. The service was excellent and attentive. We will definitely return. read more

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The food was excellent!...Salsa, Guac and fresh corn tortillas were terrific, but expect to pay more if you want extra. They charge for extra salsa in a 1 ounce ramekin. I would suggest they use "salsa" sized bowls. Be prepared to pay about $16 for a margarita. No happy hour pricing here. Farm to Table fresh was great however, In this diners opinion, all items are overpriced including the $25 corkage fee. Atmosphere leaves much to be desired. Plain hard tables and chairs, no decor to speak of. Service was good, but not exceptional. I would go back again.........but with more in my wallet!!! read more

The food and service at Xacalli was AMAZING! I enjoyed the entire experience. The drive through the canyons up to the restaurant was scenic and such a pretty view. Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly by the staff. Not only were our drinks fantastic, but our meal was impeccable, and service was great! I enjoyed my experience so much, I had to come back the very next week. Between the three of us in our group, we ordered the ceviche, carne cruda, mole enchiladas, birria, queso fundido, pollo al pastor, and the agua chile negro. Every single plate was absolutely spectacular. I have yet to try their weekend brunch, but I am sure it will be just as delicious. Highly recommend, I will definitely be returning. read more

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I went here with my wife and sister and brother in law for our birthdays (my sister and mine) The food was absolutely fantastic with really well thought our flavors that did justice to mexican cuisine in a elevated way that felt right. Got the Lamb leg- amazing with the best sauce ever Aqua chile roja with himachi sushi grade- so perfectly tart with amazing flavor The oxacana fondu- least favorite but still good, would skip next time Carne asada steak- one of the best steaks i have had Duck mole, absolutely fantastic Cocktails were superb read more

The ambiance was amazing. The food was perfect in every way with great presentation. The service was outstanding. Our helper provided detailed information about every dishes we ordered. Thank you so much. read more

If you'd like to escape a little inside the real OC, enjoy a delicious unique mocktail or cocktail, and experience Mexican-Asian fusion flavors unlike anywhere else, venture into Silverado to this amazing gem of a restaurant. This location is inviting, from the moment you finally arrive , with the soothing sound of water and birds, behind the restaurant, to the cantina - like entrance where you are warmly greeted by the host. The servers, bartenders, and manager, all go above and beyond to make you feel welcomed. Acknowledging your arrival, friendly demeanors, and great knowledge of the menu, the ingredients, especially those locally sourced and prepared. The food and drinks are outstanding. Just bursting with flavor, the right amount of spice, and creativity. A few favorites are the Camarones Asados ( whole grilled prawns) , Berenjena ( tempura fried eggplant) and the whole Branzino. Their dishes are intended for sharing. This makes the experience very intimate , whether you are a couple or a group. They have a bar too, perfect for when you prefer to explore the menu solo. Xacalli is deserving of some major "best of" awards attention. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant in all of OC and LA! Not to mention the location and beautiful drive to get there! read more

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Great food and service. Shared 4 apps and 2 mains for 4 people and that was plenty. Queso fundido and hamachi were the favorite apps. Broccolini and Agua Chili negro were good. Carne asada and lamb shank were excellent. Also had ranchero frijoles, rice and tortillas to accompany the mains as they are a la carte. Definitely do the ranchero and not black beans. Fried donuts and cheesecake for dessert. Cheesecake wasn't a favorite, but I liked it. Almost more savory than sweet so if you're looking for a traditional cheesecake, this isn't for you. Donuts were good with the chocolate sauce, some whip or ice cream would have made it better. All in all a great meal. The only downside is the location. Though it's not far mileage wise, it's in the sticks. We had a DD, but if you plan on a ride share, good luck getting a ride home. read more

Excellent food!! What a secret find. We loved the variety of the small plates. Drinks were wonderful as wells.

We chose to have dinner here for a girls' night and it was the perfect spot. We really loved how it didn't feel like we were in Orange County. Favorites were the oyster mushrooms, calamari (weekend special), pork chop, & carne asada. Drinks were so pretty and yummy as well. Staff was extremely attentive but not overbearing. Atmosphere was perfect for us to get loud without feeling obnoxious lol. Can't wait to come back to try brunch. read more

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Everything is amazing here on this off the beaten path restaurant. The setting is lovely. The food is yummy delicious and the service is top notch! I e been a few times and will go again! Great drink list too! read more

Food was okay. Service was lacking. Restaurant was not busy at all on a Saturday, yet the server and/or bartender got two of our combined four drinks wrong (simple vodka tonic and a rum and soda). read more

Amazing food bucolic location innovative ingredients. They have a chef who is not afraid to stray from what all the standard menus are coalescing around. Wonderful service. An absolute hidden gem. Not too busy and easy to get in. read more

Nice drive to get to this place. Menu was not ordinary, and everything we ate was delicious. Cerviche, prawns, corn, carnitas, choc mousse. Very friendly and helpful staff. We needed interpretation of some items, LOL. Give it a try. They didn't disappoint! read more

I have mixed feeling about this place. It COULD be great, but tonight it was not. There were sparks of inspiration on the menu, and the ambiance leaned toward cool, but it didn't quite click. Granted, we visited on a Tuesday night and there were a total of three tables sat in the place, but if you're that far out of the way and priced like a downtown hot-spot, you really should be nailing it every night. Specifics: Service - lacking. Like I said, three table in the entire place, but we spent a significant amount of time wondering where our server was and waiting for drinks. Drinks - The cocktail program needs help. Drinks weren't nearly balanced, interesting, or diverse enough to be priced on par with really excellent craft bars. Food - MOSTLY excellent. Esquites had decent flavor and texture. Queso Fundido was underwhelming and one-note, but there are so many versions of that dish these days that it may be personal preference. The Duck Al Pastor and Lamb Carnitas were wonderful! Well balanced and portioned to share. It is clear that this place is chef driven. Extra note - I have a food allergy. Whenever I check out a new spot, I take a look at the menu to see if it has a "modifications are politely declined" footnote. I respect the chef's decision to stay faithful to the profile of each dish, but I like to see what I can have before I get there and decide if I'll be too limited. Xacalli's menu didn't have that footnote, so I thought we were good to go. When I asked to leave a topping off one of the small plates, the server just said no. No leaving it off, no putting it on the side. Again, I understand, but I wouldn't have trekked out the canyon had I known this going in. I suggest they add that note to the menu and on the website moving forward. In summary, I'd love to try it again in about a year and change this review, but a few good entree bites does not save the rest of the evening. read more

We had the most amazing meal tonight! This restaurant is located in beautiful Silverado Canyon. This restaurant is not your regular taco and burrito restaurant. The food is designed to be shared. They have small, medium and larger plates. There were three us tonight. The food is spectacular! Very upscale. It is a farm to table restaurant. We started with the Ceviche. It was fresh and made with octopus, ripe tomatoes and avocado and other yummy ingredients. They serve it with homemade corn tortillas. The sauce was beyond good! Next we had the carne asada. It was an 16 oz. bone in porterhouse and was perfectly cooked. It is cooked after you order it. Next we had the lamb shank Birria. It melts in your mouth. The sauce was excellent. It is served with their homemade corn tortillas. Lastly for desert we had chocolate hazelnut mousse with a tasty raspberry sauce. Delicious. The drinks did not disappoint. Two of us had the Hibiscus Lemonade and I had a glass of sauvignon blanc. The staff is absolutely awesome. The service is top shelf. Everyone is so friendly, efficient and make you feel like family. If you like food to die for, you have to come to Xacilli Kitchen. We cannot wait to go back!!! read more

The food was good, although the filet mignon carpaccio was in little chunks, which seemed a little odd to me, but the portion size was quite a lot. Drinks were awesome! And great service. Would go back for both! read more

We have enjoyed the food from this chef at other restaurants he's worked at. This menu is all of his creations and everything was amazing. We had the ceviche to start and it was excellent. We then had the broccolini, carne asada and the pork. Every bite was amazing. The mule with mezcal had a delicious smoky taste. We loved it so much we made another reservation while we were there. Can't wait to go back! Great place for a double date or as a couple. Shareable plates that allow will enjoy. The staff was extremely friendly as well. read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Carne asada and spicy pork - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

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We tried Xacalli for the first time last night and we will definitely be back. The drive up the canyon is beautiful right now and the food was delicious! All the dishes are meant to be served family style so we tried a few different things. We had the carne cruda, esquites (corn) and mole duck breast. The only complaint was the duck breast wasn't that large of a serving for 2. My sangria was perfect, similar to the best one I had in Spain, and my husband's margarita was just the right amount of sweet. Service was great and it felt like a small neighborhood restaurant. Love finding a non-chain restaurant in OC! read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Exterior - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

We read a great review on Next Door and decided to try it out. What a beautiful destination restaurant nestled in the foothills of Silverado Canyon. The service was excellent and the food delicious. We ordered the lamb shank and the Branzino and both were delicious and served with homemade corn tortillas that were out of this world. This place is a hidden gem! read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Lamb shank - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

We went for dinner last night. We were so disappointed after hearing how good this restaurant is. We liked our waitress and our cocktails were great but the wine list is really lacking. There were four of us and our dinners came out one at a time so by the time all four dinners were out the first two were completely cold. The food was OK but not great and my friend's chicken was completely burnt on the outside and pretty raw inside. When we sent it back someone from the kitchen came out and told us that it was smoked chicken and therefore we were wrong. Believe me when I say we can tell when something is burnt and we can tell when somethings uncooked. My friend asked them to take it away. They charged for it anyway even though he never ate any of it. Not cool. The acoustics were horrible and there was a very loud group near us. It was really a disappointing experience and at $260. to drive out into the canyon and receive that treatment was just bad customer service. It was not the waitresses fault but managements! Shame on them!!! We won't be back! read more

I feel bad writing a review for a business that's so new but if you can't at least try and have great service and be humble while you work out your kinks then a review feels justified. My drink was decent. It tasted like a basic old fashioned and for $16 I expected it to be a little more 'special' as it was described on the menu. We walked over to the bar to say hi to some friends we knew and as we walked up the manager (owner?) told our friends (who had been there the night before for the grand opening and spent a decent amount) that they couldn't sit at the bar. They explained they wouldn't be eating just ordering drinks but were again told that they physically couldn't sit at the bar. So they had to move to a bar table about 2 feet away. Weird. We went back to our table and my friend and I ordered the queso which we never received but another person in our party got theirs so we tried it. It was very bland and simple and really just seemed like a block of melted cheese with no other ingredients and some raw squash blossoms on top. There were a few ingredients in the description that seemed to be missing. It came with two (2!) warm corn tortillas. When I asked if we could have some chips or more tortillas for dipping since the two (2!) tortillas were gone within a minute, I was offered their 'salsa trio' which came with salsa verde, salsa roja, a cherry tomato salsa and a small bowl of baked corn tortillas. The baked tortillas were very stale tasting and the salsa verde and roja had a weird almost but not quite smokey flavor that just wasn't good. They cherry tomato salsa was decent but nothing special. We also ordered the steak and were told the $50 New York that was on the menu wasn't available, they only had a $65 bone-in porterhouse (why they have a porterhouse when that's not even on the menu I'm not sure). But at this point we were pretty hungry and had heard the other entree options on the menu weren't great so we went for it. The steak was cooked well and it was very good. It was probably about 12 oz. of meat. It was served with no sides (and none were available to order on the menu) and accompanied by some large slices of slightly grilled but still fairly crunchy red onion. The rest of our party never got their entrees after an hour of waiting. The waiter was apologetic and obviously sorry that it wasn't in his control, but when they addressed management about it they were treated rudely and the manager (owner?) acted like she really couldn't care less. She spent the evening chatting with her employees and never came over to apologize or explain they are working out the kinks, etc. you'd think with a new place that's obviously having problems you'd be walking around checking in with people or something but she couldn't be bothered. We all left feeling ripped off and mistreated and none of us will be giving this place a second chance unfortunately. read more

Very disappointed. I was so excited to try this restaurant for Mother's Day for first time but unfortunately that didn't happen. My husband surprised me and made reservations for a party of 4 and requested a high chair for my daughter. We arrived at at 12:50pm ( reservations were at 1). Host advise our table will be ready soon. Checked back in at 1:10pm (20 mins later) and looked at us and asked if we had a reservation? Confused we told her yes and said our table will be ready soon again. They advise that they did not have a high chair and two of there high chairs were occupied. I asked how long would it take, and they said maybe 30-45 mins. While the restaurant closes at 2pm. We told her we requested a high chair when making a reservation and she said it comes in a first come first serve basis. Then why would they allow us to make reservations in the first place. Thanks for ruining my Mother's Day Lunch. read more

Love the vibe of this place, Silverado Canyon might be one of my favorite places in OC which makes this spot that much more special! The food was spectacular, we ordered the queso fundido, caesar salad, and carne asada. The tortillas were amazing! I absolutely love the farm to table concept. With that being said, service was lacking. I don't think our waiter smiled at all and you would think they would be more welcoming with the few people that were in there. And after seeing all the yelp reviews/photos and the 3 other tables receive the palate cleanser after their meal, we were excited to try it... but it never came - it's a small detail that made us feel excluded. Although the food was perfect, the service makes me question if I want to return. P.S. Make sure to stay under the speed limit if you decide to drive through the canyon :) read more

We enjoyed the soft opening of Xacalli and excited to see the menu continue to transform with the Chef's creation. We travel to the Valle de Guadalupe often, so loved experiencing the authentic flavors of Mexico in a restaurant nestled in Silverado Canyon. We will be definitely be back! read more

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SO SO GOOD !! beautiful restaurant very fancy and authentic, everything was so amazing from the fresh ceviche to the lamb birria, the queso fundido was my absolute favorite with the handmade tortillas!! but everything was top tier and very high quality, the servers were very kind and on top of everything, I highly recommend this place I had such an amazing experience !! definitely will come again :) read more

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This is a really unique restaurant serving authentic high end Mexican food. The mountain setting of Silverado Canyon makes dining here even more authentic. The food and service is top notch. We came out here on Friday night. My wife ordered Queso Fundido and I ordered a Pork Chop. The plating was beautiful and everything was delicious. We loved the rustic wood decor of the place. My only gripe was limited parking in front of the restaurant. Other than that, everything was top notch. every foodie in Orange County should come check out of this place! read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Best pork chop I ever had:) - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

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This place is completely off the beaten path, and if you find yourself in the farthest reaches of Orange County, I highly recommend making your way to this establishment. Every single part of our meal was highly curated and the drink program is phenomenal. read more

Take a drive in the Canyons its perfect for a date Night. We sat at the bar started and this is how it went... drinks made well, fresh squeezed juices, fevertree tonics, farm fresh herbs and good quality liquor. Ordered ahumado (smokey) old fashion, Xacalli margarita and a tamarindo Mule. Fave was the Old Fashion. Definitely order the Ceviche, but the star was this beautiful Birria Lamb Shank with the accouterments and fresh made to order tortillas. read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Birria - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

Yelper's Beware!! Disappointing to say the least! Was so excited to finally try Xacalli. Things started off well with the: "Sope Octopus" starter. But the real reason we came was for the: "Lamb Shank" that many have posted about and the photos show on Yelp. Well, it's off the menu and replaced by what the Chef is calling Lamb confit. It's the saddest thing I've ever been served. It was tiny chopped lamb bits that were fried beyond recognition. But Dry and Tasteless. The Chef should be embarrassed to serve this dish. It is in no way confit of Lamb. We will not be returning and our expectations were not met. read more

Under cooked prawns and mushrooms. The flavor profiles are okay but the execution was terrible. I really wanted to like this place but you can't serve undercooked shellfish. I travel for a living and eat prawns often and there is no way that a translucent prawn is acceptable (even in the head)-which is what one of the owners tried to convince me. I also work in the food safety space-the USDA would not find this to be compliant. The mushrooms were also undercooked/barely cooked but at least they won't make me sick. The cocktails were okay but did not make up for the food. The chicken was also extremely salty and the duck mole enchiladas were not well balanced either. I know they are trying and the wait staff was nice but I will not be back. read more

Felt like I was in the movie, "The Menu." In other words, the Chef is always right and the patrons are idiots. You don't tell a customer that you can't/won't cook their medium rare more, when it's clearly rare. Sad, because it's a great spot and good menu. My chicken was delicious. My friend's dish was undercooked, and the meals came out at varied times. Chef should be more open to his customers and better timing so all can eat main dish at same time. Chefs are not in charge. The customer, especially when gracious, should be better served. read more

The best authentic Mexican restaurant in California. Every dish we've had was outstanding. Cocktails superb, service and management so friendly. Ambiance and vibe blends well with the serene Silverado Canyon Creek and surrounding greenery. read more

Ordered Queso Fundito and Birria. Food was delicious and the perfect amount for 2 people. Nice interior design and the servers were very helpful and friendly. read more

Xacalli Kitchen - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Silverado, California

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What a great Mexican Fusion Tapas style restaurant and all farm to table. I wish I could post my dinner but we just kept eating and forgot. The food was fresh and tasty. The service was wonderful and I'm not going to lie, the individual Basque cheesecake was still warm from the oven. We will be going again soon! read more

A lovely novel restaurant, tucked away in rural setting of Silverado Canyon. What a charming find. Unique California cuisine menu. Everyone who works there is so outgoing and helpful. The menu needs to be explained because everything is so extraordinary and different from any food I've ever eaten. Enjoyed myself very much. read more

Great addition to an area sorely in need of an upscale restaurant. Authentic Mexican food from different regions of Mexico. Wonderful take from the Chef who cares to get Mexican food correct. Thoughtful drink menu. Nice atmosphere along with friendly staff. Plenty of parking. read more

I understand the intricacies of the restaurant world & I am bias in a positive way due it because of my experience within it. I waited a few days before I posted this because I was livid, very unsettled, disrespecting, & in a weird way violated. We sat & ordered a couple of their signature drinks. They were great so we ordered some food. Their menu is a shared plate menu so we started slow w/an order of Agua Chili Negro. It looked beautiful but when we tasted it, it had an extreme amount of salt on the shrimp. The sauce & vegetables were fine, but the shrimp was overly salted. I thought it was just 1 shrimp that was over salted so I tried another, but it was the exact same. I made sure I had every ingredient in my bite & it was still inedible. My fiancé confirmed & we returned it. I explained the salt situation, & we said we would then order the ceviche. While eating the ceviche, the manager came up & apologized & explained that the shrimp was "salt cured", & "that's how it was supposed to be". I asked if the chef tasted the shrimp & she said yes & it was fine. I doubt she actually asked the chef. I told her I was a chef for over 30 yrs & it's "OK, this stuff happens sometimes no big deal" & if it was salt cured (w/ that taste of salt) then it would've partially cooked the shrimp yet the shrimp was a perfect raw texture & that it was just over salted prior to serving. "No worries", I said "All good",so we ordered 2 more drinks finished our ceviche and decided on the grilled octopus next. The manager returned & said the chef recommends we don't order the octopus because it also "has salt". I said, I don't mind salt or even a heavy handed salted items but that shrimp was just too much. I said I wanted the octopus & she insisted I steer from it, "per the chef". I'm a Chef, so I asked if the octopus was "salt cured or just treated w/salt". I explain that w/octopus, (as I noticed in the skinless octopus in the ceviche), that you would heavily salt the raw octopus to take off the slime & to peel off the skin. I said I'd really like to try it but again she insisted I steer away from it. I said Ok, so we ordered the mushroom appetizer. While waiting for that app she revisited our table & told us, "maybe we are just not a good fit for you". I asked "what do you mean", she said maybe you shouldn't eat here. I said, are you asking us to leave. She said, "you can have drinks." I said I didn't come here just to have drinks I came because of your food menu. She said the "Chef feels like we're not a good fit" & maybe you should leave. I'm thinking WOW, this is really weird. I then asked if the chef was the owner, thinking he got a little butt hurt about me sending something back. She said yes the chef was the owner. Then I asked her if this sounded like a weird situation & if she had ever experienced anything like this before. I have never been asked to leave, nor have I ever heard any other similar situation. She explained that she just started w/the company recently & she had no previous restaurant experience. There was a couple next to us so unlike my natural instinct, I kept calm & quiet this whole time. I told her this was ridiculous and absolutely unacceptable. But I calmly said "give me the bill". So she, the manager, dropped off the bill, & yet another surprise, it had the returned item still on the bill. Before I could question that, the server came by & apologized for anything. I then gave him a $20 bill & said "don't worry bro it's not you". He then asked if I would like to speak with his manager "Mimi" again. I said, "no thank you". My fiancé, being the awesome woman she is, Googled the restaurant. Lo & behold, Mimi is the owner & the chef is just the chef. W/that knowledge, I then waved down the "manager" & I proceeded to say, "Mimi, right, why did you lie to us & say you just started w/the company & that you were just a manager & the chef was the owner & that all these decisions were his". She said, "well, I did just start, we opened last November". So I presume she herself got butt hurt by my knowledge and comment so she pawned off responsibility & decisions to a fake "chef owner" & she didn't have the guts to say, "I don't want you here anymore, please leave" As I stated @ the beginning, I understand the in's & out's of a restaurant & I am totally OK w/occasional mess ups, but to ask us to leave, was a slap in my face & a slap in every consumers face. I hope everybody the best in their endeavors, but I can honestly say that I hope these people do not continue serving people, but if they do, hopefully they learn their lesson form this review & change their ways. Thanks, Cordially , A cook, a chef de partie, a Chef & a restaurant manager. read more

Amazing place, for a date night! Romantic and off the beaten path. If you want to experience via Guadalupe in Irvine, look no further.

The setting is beautiful peaceful driving to the restaurant but food wasn't wonderful it was good but not wonderful. The service was great. Very helpful with the menu pleasant services read more