Based on all the reviews here on yelp I was looking forward to trying this place, but was disappointed. The food was tasty, but the two stars are based on sloooooow service from the waiter and small portions. After being told to sit anywhere, I think it was about 10 minutes before someone offered me a menu and asked me if I wanted something to drink - and that person was not the waiter; maybe the cook or dishwasher - it was hard to tell. I ordered a torta made with ham and shredded pork, (from the nice waiter - finally) and I did get my food pretty quickly. Like I said, the sandwich was tasty but it only had one measly thin slice of deli style ham and a meager teaspoon of shredded pork. The bread was good but it was a very thin sandwich for the price I paid. When it came time to get my check and pay the bill, the waiter was nowhere in sight. Again, I waited about 10 minutes before he showed up with the bill, then another 10 for him to come back and take my money. read more

The best Mexican-American restaurant in the SAN Gabriel Valley. Not greasy and fresh food. Favorite is the breakfast burrito with chorizo. Going try the Mexican Benedict next time. read more

Don't bother going past 2pm because they close early. We made a special trip for the outdoor tables with our dogs. 2:25 and they said it was closing. Bummer. Never again. read more

Like everyone else has mentioned, Yahaira has great coffee with just a hint of cinammon which makes all the difference. My friend and I went there for a late Sunday breakfast and I had the portabella mushroom chicken quesadilla and my friend had the breakfast burrito. Both of our meals were great and the service was very attentive. The quesadilla was $12 which is kind of steep and thats the only reason I took one star off the rating. read more

I had the steak quesadilla special. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it! The best part was definitely the tomatillo avocado sauce. Absolutely delicious! The chips were also good and slightly addicting. read more

I saw this place on yelp and I'm so glad I came in to check it out! Our server Eric was very nice and personable. He made some great recommendations and I got the shrimp tostada, which was amazing. I will be back! read more

We walked by this restaurant many times and finally got to try it. The Chicken Empanada was delicious; it came with some guac. I had the 2-Taco Combo. I opted for grilled shrimp & grilled snapper. Fries, instead of rice, beans and salad, were chosen as the side. They were pretty good. Hubby had Pasilla Chile (chile relleno) He liked it, but too much was going on for me. I have to admit that I've never been a fan of Mexican food. This place is decent, but just not my cup of tea. read more

This is a tasty diner, but it's just that. There's nothing to crow about or complain about, but it's not likely that I'll be back.

I came in to a small restaurant and I was told we could sit anywhere. My date ordered the 3 tacos combo with fries, I ordered the roast chicken with creamy polenta and capers. It was out of this world delicious. I enjoyed the atmosphere there. The cook was amazing we got to see him in action and also sing a couple of Holiday tunes. The waiter was also amazing. We will be coming back for sure! read more

The glorious food is most excellent here. I've enjoyed nearly all I've eaten at this little quaint joint. The breakfast burrito is num num num. But, come back for dinner and feast on the fish tacos! The plate has it all, black beans, mini salad and a glob of avocado. The two tacos a sooooo tasty! Service is great. Prices are reasonable for the location. Seating is limited due to size. Perfect for a pre - movie or Play meal. read more

First timer and was impressed. Waiters are friendly and courteous. Loved the ambience. It felt very homely. The food was great - not piled on or greasy. I had the Spanish omelette which was small but refreshing. I was not full but enough to get me by without the feel of being too stuffed. The vegetables were fresh and tasted so. The coffee was to die for. They add a little but of cinnamon so it tasted wonderful especially if you drink coffee black like me. Keep up the good work. Will be back next time in town. read more

I frequent Yahaira's and it never disappoints. First of all the staff are all so sweet and attentive. small cute little place. My favorite is the Chile Passila stuffed with chicken and rice. It's enough for two people, or tomorrow's leftovers. I hear their breakfasts are awesome. Same owners as El Portal, down the alley. I love how the food is made right there in front of you. Bring a bottle, as there is no wine selection. If the weather's warm, definitely sit outside. read more

Breakfast review. Ditch the IHOP and come here if you are feeling like you want something more than just eggs, bacon, and pancakes. This is a Mexican-themed restaurant (they also have "all-American" breakfast available here) so most of their menu consist of things with tortilla, chorizo, salsa, and guac. Their menu is simple, but at the same time overwhelming because there are so many things on there that you'd want to try in one sitting. I ordered the Lomitos Scramble which consists of scrambled eggs with tender stewed pork served with guacamole, potatoes, and corn tortillas. Absolutely delicious. Extra points for extra complimentary salsa, Tapatio sauce and some other hot sauce brought to the table. The only complaint is that the restaurant was understaffed at the time we went. There were three servers and two cooks for a restaurant that can easily serve over 50 covers if all their tables are full. Our server actually stopped serving, put on an apron and started cooking. Whaa? He seemed extremely busy and it took much longer than usual to receive our check. Nonetheless, he was still cheery and provided great service otherwise. I'll be back here again - good thing it's within walking distance! read more

I've always gone to El Portal since it's one of my favorite restaurants, but today my siblings and I went to Yahaira's for breakfast. Setting: It's a nice small cozy restaurant. There are about 5 tables, 3 of which can hold 4-5 people and the two tables can sit up to 2 people. They also have a bar area where you can eat as well. I'd say the max number of people that can fit in the restaurant would be 25-30 people. Drinks - we ordered their Mexican hot chocolate which was really delicious. It reminds me of Nestle's Abuelita chocolate milk, the one where you have this huge chunk of chocolate that you need to stir in warm milk over a stove. My sister and I dunked some toast into it and the sweetness of the chocolate milk balanced the buttered toast. Yum Food: I ordered the Huevos Yucatan. Basically it was a large tortilla chip topped with two eggs over easy, puree of black beans, ham, and sauce of stewed tomatoes and green peas. I asked for the black beans on the side, however I wished I had allowed it to be combined with the rest of the ingredients. It's a nice sweet balance to the rest of the dish which is a bit on the salty side. My siblings and I decided that their breakfast burrito was the best. It came in a spinach tortilla with this interesting salsa on the side that you can pour on your burrito while you're eating. You don't even need the guacamole. Just the burrito itself is sooooooo good. My brother ordered the traditional breakfast which was OK. I honestly don't understand why my brother decided to order such a simple dish at a mexican restaurant but.. boys will be boys. After tasting my sister's breakfast burrito, my brother wished he had ordered the burrito. Lesson learned. Anyway, back to the food. It was just 2 eggs anyway you wanted, a choice of ham, sausage, or bacon, and hash browns or chopped potatoes. The sausages that my brother got were small just too oily and salty. Nothing to be impressed about. I think IHOP can do better. Price: Pretty decent. All dishes were less than $10. The Mexican hot chocolate was $4 though. Overall this is a great restaurant, and I would definitely recommend anyone to come here as well as to El Portal. I will definitely be coming back here again. read more

The Portobello Quesadillas was savory, balanced and so good. The shrimp tostada was layered with flavor. Between the well seasoned shrimp, guacamole, mango salsa, black beans and fluffy fried shell we could not ask for more. read more

Yahaira's Cafe - Portabellow quesasia is yummy - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Pros: - Breakfast = We come here for breakfast on the weekends when Hubby and I are jonesing for some breakfast burritos filled with avocado and topped with spicy salsa. - Service = Terrific service. We always get what the servers recommend and the specials and we have never been steered wrong. - Parking = There's parking in the back of the restaurant and I believe they validate. Cons: - Price = Their prices are higher than other Mexican places. Comments/Recommendations: I don't know what it is about this place but Hubby and I love coming here for their breakfast burrito and specials when we want to spend some quality time together on the weekends. The servers are always more than happy to recommend items to you and have always made sure my coffee cup is never empty. Ooh, their coffee is delicious! It has a hint of cinnamon that is intriguing to my taste buds and keeps me coming back for more. The spicy salsa is bomb on anything. read more

The grilled fish tacos were so good and their black beans are amazing! Super generous with their fresh guacamole. Chips were warm and lightly seasoned. Left full and happy- we will be back soon! read more

Visited Yahaira's Cafe for lunch and I ordered the steak taco salad. The meat was so tender and perfectly marinated. The margaritas were hands down the best I've ever had! Lastly, their chips with salsa and guacamole were amazing. The service was phenomenal and I will definitely come back when I am in the area again. read more

I have never eaten at the same place and ordered the same thing over and over like I have at Yahaira's. My friend and I go about once a week for breakfast and order the same thing: the healthy breakfast that comes with black beans and is loaded with veggies, then we add an english muffin, green tea with soy milk, and a side of salsa. Jorge has our order down and so all we need to do is show up and our food comes out fresh and hot within minutes! I'm not sure why more people don't come here. Maybe it is the location? It's easy to miss in the middle of the street on Colorado and doesn't look like much from the outside, but it has come to be one of my favorite places. I think it's especially a hidden gem on the weekends when everyone else is tolerating long waits. Maybe one of these days I will try their lunch menu! read more

This place is great if you're looking for casual, no hassle, breakfast/ brunch. I love coming here for the hefty breakfast burrito :) It's filled with egg, cheese, tomatoes, chorizo, and hash browns. read more

This cafe is awesome! The service was fantastic and the food was fairly inexpensive. For breakfast: Lomitos Scramble - stewed pork scrambled with eggs, home fries, corn tortillas and Guac. Best guac ever! Breakfast Burrito - Chorizo, egg, hash brown, cheese wrapped in a spinach tortilla. The Chorizo was extremely yummy!!! read more

Was in the area for a movie at the Laemmle and was looking for some good grub. Noted that there were a lot of people at this place and walked in. A very pleasant find. The service was very prompt, the restaurant is small and cozy, there was a guitarist playing Latin inspired tunes which really set a welcoming mood. The waiter was very friendly, gave us the run down of the specials. I ended up ordering the De Carne Asada Torta, which was really good. Very flavorful. It came with a choice of potato salad, fries or mixed greens, and went with the fries which was awesome since they do a blend of seasoning and toss the fries in it rather than just plain old salt. My wife got the chicken salad, which she really enjoyed and raved about how fresh the avocado tasted. This place gets 5 stars since we got great food at a very reasonable price. There is almost thing really over $10 at this sit down restaurant. Totally would come back if we are in the area! read more

I am not usually the one to waste my time on writing reviews but this place is exceptional. We've lived in Pasadena for the past few years and have eaten here 1-2 twice a week for the past few years. The freshness of food is always top notch and it's also phenomenal to sit at the bar as you watch the cooks use quality and wholesome ingredients in your food. After you finish eating, you feel healthy and not bloated. I love their healthy chicken wraps (burritos) and I usually get double the meat to up my protein content. The wrap always taste delicious. We sometimes also order Tortas, quesadillas and guacamole which also all taste exceptional. The cafe has a very cozy, warm and homy vibe minus all the pretentiousness. Staff are all courteous, well mannered and professional. I don't care about price when it comes to high quality food but I would say it's on the affordable end considering what you are getting. read more

We've been to this place twice.. food is ok.. service not so good. I asked for extra tortillas and I was charge 3 dollars for 3 tortillas.. not hand made, a pack is 3 dollars. Waited for salsa until my food was almost done. read more

Nice atmosphere. Waiter took our order wrong. Gave us 2 wrong orders. When we finally got our order both mine and my guest's plates were luke warm. Needed to ask for reheating. Food is bland and not interesting. For a truly delicious, hot, authentic Mexican meal, I recommend Casita Del Campo on Hyperion, in Silver Lake. The atmosphere is beautiful too. Will not return back to this restraunt joke of a place, in Pasadena. read more

Love their food, but my last experience there (Saturday Jan 28) was not good. Called in an order for pick up. They told me it would be 20-30 minutes for a panini and a burrito. That's pretty slow, but, whatever, maybe they're really busy. Get there 30 minutes later because I hate waiting on to-go orders. Surprise, nothing's ready and it'll take another 15 minutes, I'm told. It was actually 20 minutes later that I finally got my food. 50 minutes for a panini and a burrito? They've got to make some improvements before I'll be back, even though my food was very tasty. read more

Had breakfast here with a few friends on a bike ride. The food is very good! Their heaters work to keep the outside tables comfortable.

Terrible experience! I went there on a quiet Saturday afternoon, and even then I felt rushed! The waiter brought me the check while I was in the middle of enjoying my food. Not only that, but he also checked to see if I had paid already less than a minute after he brought the check. I also got charged more than what the menu said--it said 9 dollars for a sandwich with a side and I got charged 11.25. Never again. read more

I LOVE this place a lot! The service, the food, the location, the food :) Breakfast - I love the quesadilla and I get it with sprinkles of bacon inside...yummy yum! Lunch - I love the grilled vegetable tostada...wow...mix everything all up and it's pure deliciousness! Dinner - I love the steak adobado burrito...much too big for me but my husband finishes it off for me! Those are the favorites but I'm sure everything else is great too! I love sitting outside, people watching, chatting with my husband, eating great food...that's my idea of a great day! read more

Yum, yum, and YUM! Went for breakfast, party of 6, and sat outside. Plenty of shade from a big patio umbrella, and were able to push two tables together. They have the usual breakfast fare (bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, french toast), and then there are mexi-breakfast type items. Breakfast burrito, sausage scramble, etc. We had a little of everything and let me say the pancakes were GREAT. Hubby and I ordered Lomitos Scramble - YUM. And get this - They have MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE. You don't see that too many places, so I definitely had to order it. Another thing we noticed was that they were watching Food Network inside, so it's nice to think they are that into cooking and looking for new ideas. Service - excellent. Both of the guys were very attentive. Go here. We'll go again, but for lunch or dinner next time. read more

BEST french fries in Pasadena! That's all I have to say :) I also had the Philly Cheese Steak, my girlfriend had the tuna sandwich and it was all amazing! read more

Wow! I was blown away by the service and the prices at this place. My husband and I walk past Yahaira's all the time, and it is always a place we "want to stop at sometime." We had breakfast there late this morning (around 11:30), and the experience was great! The server greeted us before we even walked in the door, and he continued to check on us even when he turned out not to be serving our meal. The food was hot and served extremely quickly! (We ordered, gave up our menus, talked for a few minutes, I went to the restroom, and the food was there when I got back to the table!) We had two types of omelettes and a breakfast burrito, all of which were great. Lastly, the omelette was about $7 with coffee at $2 (good coffee, not cheapo). Go and share, and you will eat for around $15 including tip. I hope that you all enjoy this great new find. PS - they have a great little coffee shop nestled back farther in the shopping court. Very cute and Pasadena-ish! read more

Not really Mexican Food!! Okay, now that that's out of the way I can tell you the food is fresh. The fish tacos I ordered were probably not the best thing on the menu and my husband's shrimp burrito was $13 or something. Hostess was very sweet and the waiter was hustling but not the kind of food I crave. Another reviewer said 'spa food' and that is how I would describe it too. This is the kind of food I cook at home and was looking forward to some Comfort Mex but didn't find it here. read more

I have only been here once for breakfast. The food is pretty good. Nothing particularly mind blowing, but solid and tasty (huevos yucatan). The coffee has a hint of cinnamon, and the price is a good value. However, No service to speak of. It took 15 minutes and 4 server visits to get a refill on coffee. 4 stars for food, 1 star for service, being generous and rounding up. read more

Cute café at the corner of this small arcade plaza in Pasadena. Always saw it as I passed it on Colorado. Finally had the chance to try it. Always seems like there is  crowd here eating outside.  Had a lot of good looking burritos on their menu. I ordered a breakfast burrito and my friend did the same.  Their burrito was delicious and full of flavor. It was packed with tomatoes, egg, rice, cheese and guacamole and wrapped in a green tortilla wrap. My friend and I finished both of ours. Would definitely order this item again. Service was great here as well. Got our food quickly and were able to find a lot of seating available outside by the walkway. It also has a great location along Colorado Ave., for people watching. read more

Yahaira's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Apparently the breakfasts there are good, who knows... If my torta de adobada, with it's skimpy paper thin slice of beef, one slice of a tiny tomato and overabundance of shredded lettuce had cost $5, I might not have felt so ripped off. As it is, I got the sandwich and an iced tea and paid over ten bucks. But this isn't why I regret having gone here for lunch. What offended me most was the waxy slice of American cheese on my torta. read more

Delicious guacamole. Consistent good food. Unique menu, hot food. Good, quick service. Yum! Better breakfast menu than dinner. read more

My boyfriends cousin works here , and its honestly so delicious, i totally recommend!!

Light, healthy, and delicious Mexican food, this place even has great coffee, and great service. They clearly take great care with their food, and have kind, attentive service. It is a great alternative to Urth up the street, which is usually a little too packed and sometimes a little greasy. read more

Yahaira's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ate at Yahaira's this morning with my wife and ordered the Mexican Burrito. I was about to ask for salsa when I took a bite and realized it didn't really need it. We were both happy and the prices are reasonable. read more

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