Real de Oaxaca Restaurant
Plaza México,11215 Long Beach Blvd, Ste 1010, Lynwood, CA, 90262
Real de Oaxaca Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lynwood for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lynwood for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lynwood for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
Plaza México,11215 Long Beach Blvd, Ste 1010
Lynwood, CA, 90262 - Phone (310) 884-9234
- Website https://www.realdeoaxacarestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Diana H.
Much closer to us that the Koreatown location so decided to check it out. It's definitely as good! Mole sampler plate is worth sharing, I ordered chicken breast to accompany the mole. (I love that you can chose dark or white meat at this location. I ordered white meat and it was great). We also enjoyed the queso fundido as an appetizer (this is melted chese with chorizo, and is delic). I also enjoyed a delicious cadillac margarita (this is the mexican style margarita with agave instead of regular tequila). Mole is enough for two or to have left overs. delicious and definitely a treat! We came on a Monday to celebrate my birthday with the family and it was reasonable enough for my husband to pick up the tab! My only suggestion is to skip the flan, it's not good.
(5)Stacy S.
Came here for lunch and got the Tlayuda Real De Oaxaca - layered with aciento paste, and black bean paste, topped with queso fresco, lettuce, Tazajo, Cecina, Chorizo and Oaxaca Cheese (see photo). It was HUUUGE... like the biggest pizza I've ever seen in my life! This was my first time trying it and I loved it! Since it was so big, I was only able to eat 1/4 of it, and had to take the rest home. We also got chips and salsa. I absolutely loved the salsa! This is a big restaurant and it can seat a lot of people. When we went, the restaurant was only a quarter full. They're located in Plaza de Mexico and there is plenty of parking. The service is attentive enough and the food came out fast. This is an authentic Mexican restaurant. I would definitely return!
(4)Araceli G.
First of all, the service was bad. The waiter failed to bring us our forks and drinks he was over there chatting with some waitress! Then he didn't tell us that for every tortilla was almost $3 each! We ordered 4 tortillas so that was expensive specially for tortillas. The drinks were $3:48 which he didn't even come to give us refills, because again he was busy flirting with the waitress. Then he took like 15 minutes to take our order and when he came with our food He brought us the wrong order everything was a big mess and to rope it off all together for four adults it came to be $96 dollars yeah almost $100 dollars I could have gone to better restaurant with better food and service and better live music then here. One thing for sure I will never come here again!
(1)C. O.
I must say that I regret not coming to this restaurant earlier. The chips with chile coloradito were the best. I liked the flavor so much that I had to get the enchiladas with chicken with the same sauce. My husband got the parillada and when it arrived I was surprised on the amount of food. loved the horchata especially the pieces of fruit and the pecans. For dessert we got the plate with the four desserts, everything was very yummy. The service was outstanding, and good music. We will definitely return.
(5)Yuri K.
~~Mole Rojo y Mole Negro~~ ~~~~~To-Go, Please!!~~~~~ This review is just for the mole pastes I just picked up for $8 per 16 oz jar. I bought both the red and black mole pastes that have an eight month shelf life. Must refrigerate after opening, peeps!! I was just going to get the milder mole paste but asked if I can have a tasting of both since I've never tried mole here. To my delightful surprise, Matthew brought over both diluted moles w/fresh chips for me to try!! OMG...so freakin' delicious! (Trying to contain my Big Smile & Wide Eyes...so I don't look like a dork) Mole Rojo (red mole paste) is a little spicy & sweet & on the milder side than Mole Negro. Mole Negro (brown mole paste)...more chocolate taste & supposedly harsher on the tummy although in my opinion it's sweeter than most dark mole I tried (I was expecting bitter but it was on the sweeter side). SOLD!!! One of each jar, please!!! Loved the hospitality Matthew provided. He offered to bring more chips and water. Why Yes Please & Muchos Gracias!!
(4)Jennifer A.
My husband and I enjoyed the food and drinks, service was wonderful - food portions are larger than they show in menu, FYI! We'll for sure be back, and recommend a visit if you're hungry!
(5)Kim P.
The mole is a bit too sweet for me, I came on a Friday night and they had live music which was nice. 5 stars for their awesome service.
(5)Gia V.
Have been to many Oaxacan restaurants before to find the best mole! I have to say the mole here was incredible. They even have grasshoppers as appetizers but not going to try those! Food here is really authentic and fresh and so far best mole I have ever had. We had lunch and were served by a little girl which was really endearing. I think she was a child of the owner and it was really cute.
(5)Mike V.
Came here with my wife it was me first time and the food was delicious. Everything was perfect. definitely coming back with my family!
(5)Elizabeth M.
I had the mole negro & the horchata con tuna y nuez. I went on a not so crowded type of day, they had a live band who was playing 80's Spanish rock which I love so that was a plus. The mole negro meh nothing spectacular I've had better mole. Plus I was expecting more for my buck. The horchata was good however, they don't have free refills. The place is a bit pricey if you ask me. The great thing about it is that that you see them making the huge tortillas but they also forgot my sisters order so we had to remind them! Everyone was served except for her. What I like is that they start you off w/ complementary tortilla chips over mole rojo & cheese not bad. I tried other dishes that my family got and I enjoyed their chorizo quite a bit. I give it a 3 because of the ambience w/ the live band at the place!
(3)Christian P.
Great costumer service best original Mexican food ,just the best especially the mangoneadas and micheladas
(5)Siempre A.
The food was good, the ambiance was very fun and lively on a Saturday night, and the service was very good. They had a great cover band that was very entertaining. Everyone from start to finish was very friendly and polite. My only qualm and the reason why I gave this restaurant only 3 stars is because it's extremely overpriced for the type of food it is and the amount you get. My mom and I each got the Mole Negro, which was very tasty, but all that was on the plate was a small chicken leg with a very small thigh attached to it, a small scoop of white rice, and of course the mole. Not worth $15! Also, the waiter asked us if we wanted homemade tortillas, we said yes, but failed to inform us that it would cost an additional $2.05 per plate for that. It's not a bad restaurant, but it seems that the owners are greedy and in turn are screwing their customers. I will not be back.
(3)Steve S.
I had mole on my mind. A craving that needed to get filled. Would Real de Oaxaca be able to fix this craving? TBD. The day I went for lunch, I was the only one there. I had to ask the waiter who greeted me if they were open. I had the pick of any table in the place and sat right across from the open kitchen. Unfortunately since there was only one customer (me) they cooked my mole inside (no show). The waiter brought out a plate of Chips with mole Coloradito. That was very good. For drink, I ordered a Horchata con Tuna y Nuez. This drink is a sweet rice water drink, topped with cantaloupe, chopped nuts and cactus fruit. It smelled and tasted flowery but very refreshing. I loved the floating fruits & nuts on top. It was my first time here and I was definitely going to order a mole, but which one. They had a few to choose from but I settled on the Mole Negro. It was just okay for me. The chicken was cooked perfectly. It was super moist & tender. The mole negro sauce was very mild. I think I expected a more flavorful dish than the one I got. A bit disappointed with this dish. The service was excellent. I got Antonio as my waiter and he answered all the questions I asked. He also gave me a couple of suggestions to choose from. That was greatly appreciated. He was stirring me towards the mole rojo, but I've had a red mole before so I got the mole negro, E (error) Steve. Next time listen to Antonio. Lol. The price here is on the high side. Probably why I was dining by myself. They need a lunch menu at a more reasonable pricing to attract more customer. Mole craving not filled, that was on me. I chose the wrong dish. Would I come back? They have a lot of other items on the menu that peaked my interest. I might be back. But not anytime soon.
(3)Gloria R.
Friends and I used to come here quite often before they changed their name and their menu. So Roy B said he wanted some great Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo so I suggested we come here. Parking here in Plaza Mexico is always hard to find and since it was Cinco de Mayo it was ten times worse with half of it blocked off for the festivities! We were seated right away and noticed they had a band playing. The atmosphere was fun and quite loud and we fit right in! We were started off with their signature chips and mole. I could eat just this all day long, it's so good! yelp.com/biz_photos/real… After perusing the menu for some time we decided to try a couple different things so we could experience all Real de Oaxaca had to offer! We started with the Queso fundido con chorizo y champiñones: yelp.com/biz_photos/real… I ordered the Tlayuda tradicional con pollo: yelp.com/biz_photos/real… Roy ordered the Nopal zapoteco: yelp.com/biz_photos/real… The queso fundido was so yummy, I couldn't get enough of that. The queso was full of flavor and the combination of the chorizo and champiñones (mushrooms) made this an absolute must try as an appetizer. The tlayuda was huge and filled with pollo and quesillo. It was a little dry but I really enjoyed the quesillo that covered the pollo. After all that I attempted to eat and Roy munching on it as well we didn't even put a dent in the plate! I really enjoyed the nopal zapoteca, the nopal was juicy and sweet, definitely a must try. We topped off all that food with dessert. We tried the dessert platter (forget what it was really called) as well as the flan. yelp.com/biz_photos/real… yelp.com/biz_photos/real… ? select=FR2clX_7EGPyEeBigDdBlQ I really loved plantains and fresas, very sweet!!! Thanks Roy for an awesome Cinco de Mayo! I will definitely be back, Real de Oaxaca is definitely a must try.
(4)Roy B.
Sinko de mayo? Came here with my pal Gloria R as I was craving Mexican yet something different for May 5th. I like to celebrate all holidays with a little ethnic munching. She suggested the Real de Oaxaca Restaurant. I Yelped it and noticed that the main picture for the restaurant is a plate full of grasshoppers! yelp.com/biz_photos/real… Hmmm what was I getting myself into? yelp.com/biz_photos/real… These dudes greeted me by the door. The restaurant is a pretty cool & impressive joint. Its vibrant décor and lighting was very nice and seemed very new and well appointed yelp.com/biz_photos/real… having 2 levels of dining and a very cool open cooking area. HELL YEA Party de Cinco was in full swing and I was feelin' it as a banda played not too far from our table. It was loud but fun. I love it like that! I was a little stymied at first as the menu was only in español and super gringo here only knows the basics ... taco, cerveza, baño. Our waiter was useless as his English was as bad as my Spanish. Thus began my Spanish lesson for the day. No worries we figured it out faster than a Rubik's cube. yelp.com/biz_photos/real… While we munched on the the house chips with queso and mole rojo yelp.com/biz_photos/real… FOOD: Fancy Smancy names part one ... did you know that Queso fundido con chorizo y champiñones: meant melted stringy cheese with a hint of chorizo and a couple of mushrooms? yelp.com/biz_photos/real… Me either but our appetizer was pretty dang good. Could have used a few more shrooms and touch more chorizo though it was still worthy. Fancy Smancy names part two ... did you know that Tlayuda tradicional con pollo means giant Oaxacan pizza with chicken and string cheese? yelp.com/biz_photos/real… Huge but not my cup of tea, could have fixed it up with a hot oven, tomato's, chili's and some Tapitio. Fancy Smancy names part three ... Nopal zapoteco! Sounds like a dance to me. And it was for my tounge. This cacti fajita deal was bomb! yelp.com/biz_photos/real… I rarely eat dessert but lately I've been getting a sweet tooth. Guess I'm getting sweeter in my years? Flan de frutas plato desierto yelp.com/biz_photos/real… with its flan, fried sweetened plantains, nicuatole, strawberries, crema and a strawberry sauce was some pretty tasty stuff! yelp.com/biz_photos/real… Sorta Mexican History Lesson 101: Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was only manufactured in England. And in fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost. The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo. Thanks Gloria for a fun night, maybe we'll get the bugs next time!
(4)M Q.
I love this place. Came here a few months ago and ate my favorite dish of enmoladas with the delicious mole negro. Don't forget to try their Horchata drink with diced walnuts and melon. The environment is nice with good live music. Prices are good and food is delicious. Can't wait to come back again soon for more!
(4)maricela r.
Horrible customer service the worts place I have been I asked for enchiladas not enmoladas and guess what I got enmoladas I did not ask for it and did not even touched them and got charged for them never will return here no wonder there was no one there
(1)Abe R.
The food is decent. For being in lynwood at plaza Mexico its way over priced. Avg price for a meal anywhere from $16 to $20. Save your money for a nicer mexican restaurant in downtown LA if your going to spend that much.
(2)Ruby M.
I came upon this traditional restaurant while i walked around. I have to say that the environment of the restaurant is great and I love the live band they had playing as i enjoyed my dinner. I am not a big fan of mole paste, but this place is okay for me. I would recommend it to any person who is a big fan if mole. P.S : the authentic drinks are great here!!!
(3)Lily C.
The first time I came to this restaurant was with my bf and I loved it!! They give you chips with mole and queso fresco to start off (something different, yet so unique and good). I've tried the memelitas, the tlayudas, the enchiladas, and other dishes I can't remember the name of. Their horchata has pieces of melon and pecans. They add red coloring which makes it pink, the best horchata ever btw! Their hot chocolate is also tasty. They have great customer service and they are very attentive on whatever it is that you need! I love their food and would recommend to anyone :)
(5)Angel Z.
The food was good. I ordered the mole coloradito, but it WAS NOT worth $14.99. The plate came with one chicken breast and rice, no beans. I noticed they had hand made tortillas but the order came with what looked like store bought tortillas. I am sorry I'm never coming back. The waiters never came back to check on us, not even for drinks.
(2)Abel C.
The food here was old and salty. Avacado wasn't fresh it taste like refrigerator. The mole is way too sweet and my pozole de pollo had one small wing and leg in it, for 15$ a bowl I was very disappointed. The place looks nice, but don't be fooled the food is poorly made. The only thing I enjoyed were the French fries on my sons plate, who ordered the quesadilla plate. Receiving the plate it barely had any cheese please take my advice and find another place to eat. I would have rather driven 5 more minutes to king taco.
(1)Joyce J.
Just introduced to some of the best Oaxaca food. The staff was pleasant and friendly food is delicious. I will definitely return for more tasty dishes and great customer service.
(5)fernando g.
Worst Service Ever! Do Not Eat At This Place! Long Story Short I Was There This Morning The Server Took Over 20 Minutes To Take My Order. My Party And I Walked Out!
(1)Erick B.
This place has some really good food but the service could use a little help...I never have a problem with the food but always with service! It's not doing any justice to the food when your waiter or waitress are talking having a good time instead of doing their job. Overall I can't sabotage this place with less stars because it really is good authentic Mexican food!
(4)Patty G.
If you are looking for authentic Mexican food this is the place. I have tasted many many Mexican restaurants and many disappoint but this restaurant has a very home made taste. Be aware that you won't find the typical Mexican plates that you find in other restaurants because this is food specifically from Oaxaca. Other than that, the place is very clean and elegant and the food is tasty. I will definitely be coming back.
(4)Brenda C.
This place is delicious. You want good mole then try the coloradito. The coloradito has a red tint and is very delicious!!! My aunt had a tamal de mole negro and she said it was amazing. The micheladas are also great. The beans were also very good and the rice was soon get and just right. The service here is good but not great. Keep in mind that this place is busy. They are usually the most busy during the evenings and Sunday afternoons. They also have live music which is great! However, the bands change, they have a cumbia band, a banda of like 11 dudes, a rock en español band, and I think they had a mariachi as well. This place is pretty big but there are any tables. There is a second floor that is pretty cool because you can it with your date away from the loud music. The ceilings are very tall so the music bounces pretty loudly. The drinks take a while on the second floor but the food is worth the wait. The mole is very good and the chorizo con queso is also delish!!! Also, if you try the tlayuda you must share it. It is about 18 inches in diameter, no joke. Also, the tortillas are hand made! The coffee is also great.. I think it is cafe de hoya. Since its located in the plaza there is a lot of parking.
(5)Oscar G.
Food is decent. Had better food in other restaurants though. Service was the worst, never came to ask if everything was okay or if we needed anything. Didn't refill my drink! If you don't mind less than stellar service then give it a try.
(3)Eder P.
I came here on a Saturday night. They had live music and the crowd was.... peculiar. Peculiar? Well.... older people that look like my parents. This place is a Oaxacan restaurant which is borderline Central American, which made me understand a little bit more about this peculiar crowd. I'm Guatemalan and I just felt weird. Like I was drinking around my parents and their friends. The menu did boast some unique looking food and drinks. Sadly, because of how odd I felt, I just had a beer or two. The live music was cool but after awhile the DJ came on and started playing hip hop and club hits, which always makes me feel weird. You know, having live banda then Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg then throw on some merengue or cumbias? I love it when DJ's have an identity crisis.
(3)Alma C.
OMG! Worst restaurant I've been to in a long time I read the reviews beforehand and it seemed like a good place to spend Mexican Mother's Day but I should've known better when they told me they had ran out of tap water ! What?!?!? How does that happen then the waitress brings me bottled water with their logo on it and is disturbed when I ask her how much it is since they have no non alcoholic drinks on the regular menu so if I don't ask I won't even know how much I'm paying for a soda or an agua fresca she was quick to refer me to the alcohol menu but I'm 8 months pregnant so that was useless ! The food was mediocre the mole negro was watery the tamal oaxacaqueño was blah the plate that brings different types of meats was cold and when the waitress was asked to take it back and warm it there was some eye rolling this experience was the worst oh and btw if you want some handmade tortillas they'll cost you $2 a piece are you Effin kidding me !!! Oh and after complaining to the manager and getting free refills when the check came they still charged $30 gratuity and a water I didn't drink ! Very disappointed ! Customer service -F Food-F
(1)Ert T.
Tasteless and watered down horchata. The mole negro chicken tasted as if was boiled, not good. As for the price, its not worth the price for what you get. Im not going back.
(1)Jazmin E.
This review will focus on the mole negro and caldo de pollo. I had the opportunity to finally check this place out. There were plenty of big screens showing the soccer games and of course a lady in the center of the kitchen making tortillas by hand. The mole negro was amazing. It had just the right amount of spices and sweetness. The mole negro came had chicken and rice on the side served with tortillas made by hand. The caldo de pollo was perfect. The broth was clear and full of flavor. It had large pieces of chicken with green beans and chayote. It came with a side of rice and a plate of finely chipped cilantro, onions, and jalapeño. I will definitely be returning and ordering more mole. The perfect cold weather Mexican comfort food. It was just what I needed. The staff were VERY accommodating. They worked as a team so you didn't have just one waiter. My glass of water was never empty. I loved this place.
(5)Karina G.
Service was horrible it took 2 hours to be seated, we order food and waited, when received it was cold! I gave one star for the waiter. He was still smiling while knowing how bad they sent the food to be served! I would never eat her again! I would not recommend it, mole was very watery! Horrible experience.
(1)Daryl C.
Nicer than the Koreatown location. 95% of their clientele were Hispanic - tell you anything? Atmosphere was 100% better than the Koreatown location. Menu seemed the same though. I enjoy most of their moles and would highly recommend this restaurant for anyone wanting to try a mole for their first time -- off menu, you can ask for a sampler of their moles. Had Pechuga de Pollo Echipotlada ($15) this time. Basically chicken with an adobo sauce spread over it. Excellent - I'll order it again. Table bill was $60 with tip for 2.5 people, we also had leftovers.
(4)Rebeca M.
My parents took me out for a birthday dinner but they were planning to take me to La Huasteca which is in the same shopping center as this restaurant but I threw off the plan by saying "let's try this place". Big mistake of mine, I should have stuck to the other restaurant. This place looks nice with traditional decorative taste from Oaxaca Mexico and has Tequila bottles in display. I ordered the black mole with boneless chicken breast. The moles sauce was alright but the chicken very flavorless and it has a scoop of white rice on the side. I didn't like my fish I had more than half of the plate boxed to go but I'm not eating it. My daughter had some weird dish that we taught were close to enchiladas but smothered in tomato sauce, well instead of stuffing them with chicken they just slapped the chicken ontop on the tortillas.. We have had this type of dis called "entomadas" at other places and they are ole for kids but never served like that. I tried her dish because she wouldn't really eat it, and it really had no flavor. I don't blame her. No food choices for kids. Not the best place to eat.
(2)Uri A.
First time here.. Had the mole negro w/chicken breast (good portion size) it was delicious. The mole is the perfect mix sweet and spicy. For a first timer tho, I wish I would have been warned about the over sized hand made corn tortillas, I ordered two and only finished half of one... I hate wasting food or money and knowing the sizes ahead of time would have saved both. Also, the mole (sauce) portion could be more I cleared the mole before I ate half my chicken breast .... My recommendation to the chef is to add just a bit more! Over all great food but a bit over priced.
(4)Mari H.
The food was not very good. The mole was very watery. It says that they have homemade tortillas but the tortillas that they gave us seemed to be right out of the microwave. This place is very over priced for bad quality food. Next time I will make the drive to Mi Casita in Bell. They have way better mole & give you samples of their mole on fresh chips when you first sit down.
(1)Rix C.
Yesterday, I brought some relatives to LA GUELAGUETZA, one of my favorite places in L.A. for mole and tlayuda. I found that there were some changes: now it is called REAL DE OAXACA. Inside, everything still the same, inclusive the menu. Usually, my guests opinion is: WONDERFUL MEAL!, but it went down to: GOOD. The horchata use to be creamy and tasteful, but it became mild and light. Mole verde was the same. At least my Tlayuda with Chapulines still as good as usual. We needed to change table because some are directly under the A/C vent and it started licking water. Unfortunately the one offered had an air flow that kept our food cold. I am going to give them another chance, probably it was a bad day for them. UPDATE: I spoke with the Management and I am glad to say they proactively answered to my comments. And yes, I am going to give them another try.
(3)Juan Carlos A.
Want real Mexican food this is the place. Traditional platillos from #Oaxaca and the rarest of high quality tequilas!
(4)Laura S.
Tried their food at THE TASTE at TACO TEQUILA TRYST... I had their mole' and it was alright. The customer service was SO nice tho. I really liked how personable they were. They guy said if I didn't like it come back and let him know and he'll try to fix it but it wasn't that it was bad. I'm just not used to the flavor. My beau liked it... I'm willing to go to the restaurant and try their other foods :)
(3)Victor E.
Food was superb, and so was the music! Only thing though, my plate of food was a little on the lighter side in regards to amount.
(4)Jackie R.
I loved it! Some people are 2 picky!! Seriously ! This place is awesome! I went with my hubby , we were expecting to see the other restaurant it's starts with a G . Lol I wont embarrass my self by trying 2 spell it. :-) My husband asked me do you want to try this place or go somewhere else. We came from the sf valley , so a good 45 min drive. I said sure lets try it. We were greeted immediately , sat inside in a big table, they let us :-). Server was amazing .. Umm I'm sorry don't remember his name but he was gay. No biggy, sorry for not remembering . I ordered the cocktail de camarones .. Yummm spicy but good my husband had the Ttayuda. Which he said was Hugh!!! His aunt has a Oaxaca restaurant and hers are not like these!! The cheese my husband said was made here , not imported. He would know, but still no biggy he ate everything! Me too! He got a Jamaica to drink , no complaints, I got a sangria with alcohol, Good!!! I saw someone else order like 4 matini's so those must me good. Hugh seating arrangement , we were inside which was nice and cool since it was over 100 outside, seating above and patio. We finished that pick up our plates , dropped the check, no waiting. 5 Star!! Love it! We Will definitely be back!
(5)Kungfu P.
Awesome mexican pizza! I like the dark moles the best. The others are so so. The decor is very nice. A bit pricey though.
(5)Osmar A.
Came for the food, but left with CREDIT CARD FRAUD! I came here with my family to have a nice dinner, but I left with some employee in the restaurant STEALING my credit card information to purchase something on a porn webpage. I called my credit company ASAP to cancel the transaction, but it was already charged to my account (they are working on it). I emailed the owners and anyone that was on the webpage, but of course they responded by saying no one in their restaurant would do that. HA! It is funny because someone in the restaurant just did, SMH! I did not ask for a refund of any sort. I just wanted to let the owners know what goes on in their establishment when they are not present. When the cats away the mice will play. I am probably not the first this happens too, but since this a dominate hispanic area they would probably not voice their opinion. I will be avoiding this place from now on and spreading the word to everyone I can.
(1)Ari Z.
THE WORST...HORRIBLE FOOD & CUSTOMER SERVICE!! I was looking forward to a wonderful meal to enjoy with my family, unfortunately, this was not the case. I started by ordering the horchata with prickly pear ice cream which was served with pieces of ROTTEN CANTALOUPE/MELON and nuts. When I told the waitor he stated the melon had just been cut, instead of replacing it right way. They cut up ROTTEN melon and expect us customers to eat it - NOT!! Since the waitor did not offer to replace it, I fished out all the pieces of rotten melon myself and ignored the BAD customer service. continued to order BECAUSE I was starving. I then ordered the huge round tortilla smothered in mole with cheese, When it got to me it was COLD, I told the waitor, he said he would take it back to warm it up. Really? Shouldnt it come to your table already warm? When it came back it was now dried mole. By this time I've had it. I'm used to receiving good customer service and this place just plain DOESN'T have it. IF YOU GO HERE, REMEMBER YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER AND DESERVE TO BE TREATED AS SUCH. This is a pricey restaurant, the waitors should be educated and reminded that they are NOT working at a restaurant in a market. By the way, I asked to speak to the manager, the MANAGER NEVER came. PLEASE BEWARE!
(1)Audrey M.
I would give this place negative stars if i could. First of all the food was mediocre, and I'm probably only saying that because i was starving by the time it arrived but most likely could be comparable to taco bell. Now let's talk about the horrific customer service. They first placed us at a table under a leaking ceiling.. Seriously how could they not have known? Then when asked if we could move the hostess gave us attitude and acted like we offended her mother or something, and placed us upstairs, in the corner at a kiddie table, when other tables were clearly open. We ordered an appetizer, they only gave us four tortillas when there were five of us. How rude is that? They didn't give us silverware. The server never came to check on us. Drinks weren't refilled. I could continue, but i must find somewhere to have a real meal now.
(1)Ashley S.
Some of the best Mexican food I've had in Los Angeles since moving here. They have a huge menu to choose from and its all reasonably priced. The menu's pictures make the mole sauces look disgusting, but in actuality, they're absolutely scrumptious! Their serving sizes are huge and I wanted to eat it all because it was so good. I went with a group of 18 people and they were able to seat us in a reasonable amount of time and get our food out fairly quickly. Great service, even though some of the wait staff doesn't speak English. Even though its not in the best part of town, they have valet parking.
(5)Roxy A.
The lighter brownish/reddish mole they serve with the chips was good but the damn chips were stale..blah! So maybe it was a busy weekend, I wouldn't have even mentioned it if the rest of the meal was bomb. I was excited when I ordered the banana leaf wrapped tamale with mole negro and it actually look enticing when it came to my table (NOT thrilled about not having any veggies or salad or even garnish served on my plate). First bite was OK but as I kept eating the mole was too pasty and the tamale dough not seasoned enough. The chicken was soft and moist but bland. I 'm thinking the mole negro enchiladas might be better because the Oaxacan string cheese offsets some of strong mole flavor yet you still experience it. The rice was gross, straight out ,not much more I can say about that. The bowl of black beans topped with crumbled cheese were tasty and I kind of resorted to making myself bean tacos with the tortillas and salsa they brought to the table. I took some Chayote out of my daughters chicken caldo so I could have some kind of veggie. She said the caldo was good and ate most of it but I was unsatisfied that I paid almost 10 dollars for boiled chicken and chayote. There weren't any other veggies in it besides the tomato in the broth. I thought hey at least she'll get a good serving of veggies in her meal, not so. Other than the food,the staff was friendly and proper, they had a live band with traditional Mexican music (it was a Sunday) and the decor was nice. I do feel like I'm in Mexico with the Plaza Mexico architecture. It only makes it cheesy when they have but cheap swap meet stores there but whatever it's interesting. I'll deal with the cramped space at La Casita in Downey next time I want mole.
(2)Mrs S.
Very good, a little too authentic with the chicken soup- I don't like seeing the bones. Although there was only 4 couples in the restaraunt our waiter kept forgetting about us. Service not so good but food made up for it. Just don't expect refills.
(4)Evelyn V.
I love Mexican food and Oaxacan is definitely one of my favorites. Guelaguetza is the place where I have had the best mole in my life, mole negro, mole coloradito (my favorite) I've had the pollo en mole and the enchiladas with pollo and quesillo which is string oaxacan cheese and it's heaven in a plate. I could eat the cheese all by itself and be happy. The horcahata is served with cantaloupe, pecans and this red juice called agua de tuna roja. I like to go on Sundays cuz they have marimba and I love listening to it. Everything in this place is awesome! clayudas, memelas, chilaquiles con cecina, tasajo and do not forget the mole. I've tried it all and never been dissapointed.
(5)Nicole P.
The main waiter guy refused service to me, my boyfriend and his family because they were gonna close in 35-40 minutes and didn't want to cook. I do not recommend eating here just because of that. It's truly bullshit how inconsiderate people are now in days, seriously how hard can your job be to wait on 4 more people almost an hour before closing time?! Definitely will NEVER go back to that sad and pathetic excuse for a restaurant, I'd rather shit in my hands and clap.
(1)Adolph L.
The mole is good and the giant tortilla de maiz (Corn tortilla) is novel. It's pretty overhyped though. Don't get me wrong, it's really nice and I'd definitely go back. I prefer the food here to La Huasteca hands down.
(3)Jay T.
The short version: 5 stars for the service and the mole. That's what this place is about, so don't expect everything (or maybe even anything) else on the menu to hold up that well. The long version: I'd been to the small version of this place in West LA (in the Trader Joe's parking lot on Palms and Sepulveda) back when it was still open, on the recommendation of a friend who said it had the best mole around. That restaurant did, so I was sad when it closed. This place, in the crowded Plaza Mexico, has just as good food, and is much nicer inside (though the area isn't as nice). I took my girlfriend here, as she loves the mole at Mexico City in Los Feliz. For some reason, she didn't want mole and ordered the chicken taquitos with guacamole. She enjoyed them (and could only eat half of the dish), but I thought they were on the bland side. I can't hold that against the place though, as their specialty is mole. I ordered the mole negro, which was anything but bland. If you've never had mole before, this is the way to have it. A little spicy, with a hint of chocolate...delicious. It's the same price for white meat or dark, so you get to have it however you like. Served with a side of rice and fresh tortillas, the price seems a bit steep at $13.95, but I couldn't finish. It's enough for two meals. That may be because I had so many mole-covered tortilla chips that they brought out to start with. And kept bringing more since we kept agreeing when they asked. I also decided to try the horchata, which they don't serve as usual, but instead add fruits and nuts. The horchata itself was basically sub-par cheap Mexican place stuff, and the fruit didn't add anything. In short, I don't recommend it for the $3.50 it costs. Maybe if it were $1. The waiters were very nice, whether they thought we spoke their language or not (for some reason, a couple of them did and kept trying to talk to us in Spanish), and very attentive.
(5)Karla L.
You have to try the mole here. I had the enmoladas (enchiladas with mole sauce instead if chile sauce). So good. If you're in the area, stop by.
(4)Tom M.
I heard about this place from co-workers with mixed reviews. I went in with an open mind knowing this was not going to be a typical Mexican restaurant. A big warning sign was coming here at the height of lunch time and there was only a total of four people including ourselves. Service was very slow but friendly. The food was good but not worth what they charged for it. I will recommend the Oaxacan tortillas wholeheartedly as they were really good.
(3)Jamie Q.
After reading LA Magazine's list of top ten Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles, this place was the one I was most excited to eat at. On my way back home from LAX, I decided to stop by the Plaza Mexico and check it out. If you haven't been to Plaza Mexico before, you may have some difficulty finding the place. My plan of action was to find a map / directory of the place but once I got there, it wasn't even located on the map!! WTF? Luckily on my way to find someone to ask, I turned a car and voila! It was right in front of me. The restaurant is designed like the rest of Plaza Mexico in a "faux Mexico" style. The restaurant is huge. It has two floors and a kitchen that opens to the restaurant. They started us off with a plate of chips topped with mole and cheese. Although the taste of the mole was good, the chips were soggy and the mole was luke warm at best. Not a good way to start off the meal. For my entrée, I decided to get something with mole since I had heard that this place was known for its moles. I elected to get the emmoladas which in gringo talk is a variation of chicken enchiladas topped with mole negro and oaxacan cheese (string cheese). I had hoped the mole would have more of a kick, but the mole definitely had a nice chocolate taste to it. I generally don't like sweet in my entrees but I finished practically the whole thing, so I definitely enjoyed it. Cost: $38 for emmoladas, enfrijoladas, horchata, and a coke
(3)Martin B.
Food ok ,drinks not so god unless you get a michelada. Service needs to improve they try but i think the manager needs to go to Tijuana and learn how service is done. music can be loud sometimes.
(2)Vic V.
Food is alright. Drinks are pricey, like a club. Staff is pretty friendly. Ambience is fun with the live band. The horchata is not the typical cinnamon rice water drink, but a less flavored juice water with pecans and contaloupe.
(3)Jonathan G.
place sucks. $20 plates for the most basic meals. carne rice and beans? i could make that entire plate for less than $10. the shrimp tostada i ordered still had shavings of the hard skin in it. i didnt even bother returning the plate because my mom and i waited 20min for our orders.
(1)Leslie B.
I absolutely love this place! This was my first time trying authentic Oaxacan food (besides the cheese, I've had that before) They have many yummy options to choose from. Staff was very helpful and friendly , food was great, location is beautiful and to top off the night .. me and my mom danced the night away to the tropical beats the awesom 4 man band's tunes!!! I will be back again... :)
(4)joss z.
When it comes to oaxacan n mole, this is as good as it gets. the downtown LA is my original and much more of a dive (which i love), but the fare is just as good here.
(4)Rita M.
This place is inside/next to Plaza Mexico in Lynwood, which is sort of a mexican version of The Grove. Anyhow, it was about 4pm and my husband, child and myself were starving. We saw this place and decided to try it out. I thought it'd be your average mexican restaurant that serves canned refried beans with queso fresco sprinkled on top and orange wedges to garnish your plate. We walked in and I almost walked out because the entrance/waiting area was dark and the sofa looked dirty due to the light color and velvety texture. My husband had heard good things about this place so I gave in. As others have mentioned, your complimentary chips are served with mole coloradito sauce and crumbly cheese. I am (scratch that - WAS) not a mole lover or even liker but as I mentioned before, I was starving so I had one and soon found myself snatching chips with mole away from my child. Hubby ordered cecina (thinly sliced pork meat) and it was a bit on the dry side. He also tried an order of chapulines, which are grasshoppers and are considered a delicacy. Eww, he ate them but probably won't be ordering them again. Ordered chicken torta for the child as their kid's menu is pretty poor (why do restaurants feel the need to stuff fries down kids throats all the time?). It looked like your standard torta. On to the good stuff. After stuffing my face with mole chips, I needed more of that mole coloradito. So I ordered the quesillo enchiladas and fat girl was in heaven! Quesillo is Oaxacan string cheese and it was piled a mile high on top of the enchiladas which were swimming in mole. SO GOOD! Husband was jealous of my fabulous ordering and I am still thinking about that delicious plate of food 3 days later. I must go back. Waiter was excellent. There was a very mediocre duo playing live music. We walked around Plaza Mexico for a bit and when my child had to pee, due to my fobia of public restrooms, we walked back to the restaurant and a manager who was VERY nice let us use it there. I wasn't as afraid of the restroom there bc I had eaten there earlier, if that makes any sense lol. They were very clean too I should add. Oh, minus points for the flan being the cheap jello kind.
(4)Maribel M.
I came to La Guelaguetza this past Saturday with my sis, her boyfriend, and my hubby this past weekend on a whim. Both my sister and I love Oaxacan food and my husband really loves mole, so we were excited to go to a place that focuses on both. We ordered their fried appetizer combo, a couple of Tlayudas (chorizo and quesillo), their black mole chicken tamale combo, and also their black mole plate (with chicken). One of our main issues was the fact that the appetizers and the main entrees were delivered to our table at the same time. It made it very difficult to focus on anything and there was really no room for anything at our table after that. The appetizer combo was pretty good (it came with fried chicken, fish, and shrimp), but I did not get to try much of it because we quickly became overwhelmed with the rest of our food. We were excited to try the Tlayudas as they looked similar to a dish we had in Oaxaca, but the looks were where the similarities ended. We found the Tlayudas pretty bland. They could have certainly benefited from some salsa, but none was provided at any point during the meal. They are also huge, so we could have done with just one. The mole was tasty, but certainly not the best we've had. The tamale, however, was nice and moist with plenty of mole and chicken. We also enjoyed the rice. The black beans were nothing special so I pretty much ignored them. Something of importance to note: this place does not offer you even one free tortilla to go with your meal. It would have been nice if this had been mentioned to us. Service was pretty good. While I usually enjoy when we are not asked how we are doing too often, we were left alone a little too much. Will we be back? Maybe. It's really a toss-up at this point.
(3)Chiefs Wife S.
Would have given them 4 stars, but my waiter was always busy flirting with some chic at the bar.. I hate waiting when I need something especially if the waiter isn't busy, he was trying to get busy just do it on your own time, okay amigo? And no I wasn't jealous, yukk! I liked their extensive menu, everything has mole negro! OMG, it was so hard making decisions last sunday. My mom ordered a sweet tamale, it was okay. I had the oaxacan tamale with chicken and mole. The mole was the bomb with sesame seed in it, very tasty, the chicken was a little dry. The masa was delicious and it was wrapped in a banana leaf. They also serve cafe de olla, which I've had at the competitors "La huasteca" just down the parking lot. I liked their cafe de olla just a little better, but over all it was a very pleasant experience.
(3)Chelsy W.
VERY,VERY unique experience. Best mole I have ever had. AND chillaquillas if I'm spelling right. Can"t wait to go back and try everything
(4)Iris A.
I ordered the chicken tamale with mole sauce last night for dinner and wouldn't you believe it I got food poisoning. I call them this morning as a courtesty to let them know their food made me sick and I got the "it's impossible it was our food cause it's always fresh" speech. Honestly take the call for what it's worth you have a bad batch of tamales but the jerk on the phone wasn't hearing it. Never again! Although their other location on Olympic Blvd rocks! This place will never see my mug or my friend's mugs again! Quality is definitely sub par.
(1)Jaycee T.
When I was trying to find this place, I was pretty aggravated because it's seems it's hidden in the corner away from the main street. I seriously wanted to go home after 10 minutes of driving around in circles trying to find this spot. Finally found the place, got some close parking and made my way towards the restaurant. Needless to say, I'm happy I didn't go home that night. Granted, this place is located in Lynwood, which isn't the best of all places, however--Plaza Mexico lit up at night looked really beautiful. I entered the restaurant and I felt such a good vibe being there. The ambiance is so welcoming and their employees so friendly. Outside, there was a fire pit with chairs all around. The feel of the place made me want to sit outside and hang by the fire with a beer just to chop it up with friends and listen to music. This place has such good food. I've had my share of Mexican food but not Oaxacan. Their plates are filled with food and are so flavorful. I had their horchata and it was by far, not the regular horchata I would ever get. It was so delicious. I had a plate that was to the equivalent of an asada plate, but this blew me out of the water. Their service was great, their employees very friendly and willing to help you at any moment's notice. Yee, 5 stars for an exciting experience
(5)alicia e.
Beautiful interior, nice music, professional wait staff. Excellent Mole sampler plate. I was tempted to this place from the tasting that was hosted through an event with LACMA. I never made it to the event: I instead explored on my own. It is located i the PlazaMexico mall so crowded weekends. Really authentic flavors. We even had another table buy us a second round of beer. Thanks so much.
(5)Liz Z.
This restaurant is in fact still open! I went for a Valentines Day dinner and they were still alive and kicking! Food was great, live entertainment had me dancing and the service could have been a little bit better, but it was definitely not bad. Go and check it out!
(4)Avital C.
Goat stew/ birria de borrego is really flavorful & authentic ! Margaritas taste like cheap tequila :( .. The mole is also good..& a female worker goes around from table to table w/ bottles of tequila & shot glasses selling shots ;) They have live music but a bit too loud & charge $20 a song otherwise they pick their own songs.. & btw parking situation sucks, so I parked by food 4 less & walked lol obviously valet isn't available in the ghetto. There was a hooker on the corner in plain daylight lol wtf
(3)Maria M.
I never complain about places, but this place the food was just blah... their menu looks impressive, but once I ate my food I couldn't even finish it! My boyfriend didn't like his food either! Also their live band pretty much kept asking and continiously repeating that each song request was $20. Also some waitresses walk around selling you a shot of different types of tequila. I don't know about you, but when I go to a restaurant I don't want to be bothered only by my waiter who actually happened to be really cool.
(1)Joseph D.
Plaza Mexico in Lynwood. There's a lot of interesting things to do and enjoy in this shopping/eating area. Several restaurants are pretty good as is the shopping. I REALLY like the Cafe de Olla (coffee from the pot), Mexican coffee, at the small corner cafe. However last Sunday we stopped at Guelaguetza, yes its as tough to say as it reads, or Los lunes del cerro (Mondays of the Hill). Guelaguetza is an annual cultural celebration in Mexico that takes place in the city of Oaxaca. Oaxaca is well known for mole. The famous sauce mostly pour over chicken but it taste great over most anything. They even pour it over their toastada chips. First off the large wooden front doors resemble the entrance to some rustic mission south of our border, except for the glass. Once inside you take in its beautiful decor, so vibrant with color, culturally inviting and lively. There's an open dining area and a second floor via large curved stairs. Ok, so we were seated by a very nice young hostess up near the open view kitchen which was fine. I actually like seen food being prepared. We ordered cafe de olla while we reviewed our menu choices. Unfortunately the cafe de olla was too sweet and not at the caliber of the near by cafe. I ordered the chicharrones sauce. Basically deep fried pork rhines stewed in a tomato based lite sauce. I've eaten this elsewhere and always loved it, hence why I ordered it instead of mole, at a mole place. Sorry to say it was less then ok. It had zero flavor. WHAT?! How could this be. Too bad. On the upside she ordered the Nopals con carne y queso (Cactus topped with steak, veggies and sting Oaxaca cheese). BINGO! This was really good, of course you've got to like cactus. The cactus was tender and flavorful, the meat delicious with a slight lime citrus ting, the cheese consistent and the serving large. Take note that if you ordered the hand made tortilla, its an additional charge and about the size of a medium pizza. Also you may see some big salad looking dishes covered with crumbled cheese, however they're tostada plates. Big pizza sized tortilla with refried beans, meat, sauce, lettuce, cheese, etc. I, or we, will definitely recommend this place to friends, family and anyone else who'd like to give some Oaxaca style dishes a fork or two. I look forward to returning and savoring some mole but nil again the chicharrone sauce. Oh and you'll have to deal with the cheesy musc and crappy sund bites. Arriba el sur. May yuz tase budz dance in da sabor de Oaxaca.
(4)Ronald B.
This is definitely NOT El Torito type Mexican cuisine. This is authentic Oaxacan food located at the Plaza Mexico in Lynwood. The restaurant was very clean and well organized. There are 2 levels for dining (upstairs & downstairs) which is a pretty cool setup. They have a nice bar that's fully stocked. They feature live music as well (although it was kind of loud). The Michiladas were delicious! They make their own spice mix instead of the usual Clamato & lemon you'll find at most spots. I'm not big on mole, but theirs was really good. I also had tostadas de jaiba which was different but tasty. The whole menu was reasonably priced and I'd like to try some other dishes next time....however I don't think I'll be kicking in Lynwood again any time soon.
(3)Michael F.
I had never experienced mole before eating at La Guelaguetza, and I am hooked! So far I have tried the chicken tamale and chicken with mole, both of which are drenched in mole, and both were excellent. The tamale was in black mole and the chicken was in red. Both moles are very good, and I would have a hard time deciding which one is better. The portions at La Guelaguetza are pretty small, which does not seem to be the norm at Mexican restaurants in LA. I have left the restaurant feeling hungry all three times I have eaten there, but luckily there are a few ice cream places and churro carts in the vicinity. La Guelaguetza's menu and staff are also not all that english friendly (but they are very nice!). I don't speak that much spanish and I had a hard time ordering and completely understanding everything on the menu. There are some pictures, but the english descriptions are not that complete. Also, the kids menu is pretty bland, and is almost as expensive as ordering from the adult menu. It left a lot to be desired, so I would suggest just getting your kids something from the regular menu that they can enjoy. La Guelaguetza is a nice, casual restaurant with really good food and service. There seems to always be a band playing, which adds to the atmosphere. I would have a hard time recommended La Guelaguetza if you don't speak spanish as it seems to really be geared towards a spanish speaking audience. However, if you in the mood to try a type of Mexican food that you typically don't encounter in LA, give La Guelaguetza a try.
(3)Rick R.
My son and hit this place up on a Sunday afternoon. It is located in an obsure part of Lynwood. The parking lot was crowded because it is an OUTLET MALL. The restaurant was clean and well organized. The menu explains the specific style of mexican food. The service was good. And the food was...very good. My son had the carnitas plate and I had the huevos rancheros, STOP LAUGHING HOWARD, the tastes were distinct. There is definately thought and care given to their food. They specialize in moles, so the next time I go back I will venture into MoleLand. I will be back.
(4)Lusina M.
I've been here many times throughout the years with my family. Weekdays are best to get a parking spot nearby and to get seated quickly. Weekends are very crowded at Plaza Mexico and La Guelaguetza. We always get seated right away on weekdays. The place is kid-friendly; they provide high-chairs if requested and a coloring activity. They have live music in the evenings; please tip them. The enmoladas and the horchata with fruit and nuts in it are my favorite! The chips topped with mole as a free appetizer is great. The service is often slow, even on weekdays when there are few customers. Nice Mexican decor. Overall good place to eat authentic Mexican (Oaxacan) food. I'd give it 5 stars if the service was faster.
(4)Ken W.
Who needs a passport? As native Angelenos we have everything here, so when I had my first carnitas taco, glass of aquas frescas, and I understood that chile colorado came with beef and the verde version, with pork, I thought I knew all about Mexican food. Silly, silly me... I've been wanting to try La Guelaguetza for a long time and last night seemed to be a good time. Of the four locations, the one in the sprawling Plaza Mexico off Imperial Highway and Long Beach Boulevard seemed the best (safest) bet. La Guelaguetza, named after some big Oaxacan holiday honoring corn, is supposedly famous for its mole and chapulines, aka grasshoppers. To be honest, we ordered neither of these dishes. My fiance is not a fan of mole; she even didn't care for the coloradito on top of the chips, although I thought the mildly sweet flavor with a faint hint of spiciness was really interesting. The chips themselves were very fresh though. We decided on sharing a clayuda de choriqueso, a memela de asiento, and a caldo de res. It was only three dishes; we could always order more food, right? First off, the clayuda: it's basically a large, thin, corn tortilla, the consistency of which reminded me of those crispy, brittle South Asian papadums. Our clayuda de choriqueso "appetizer" arrived with chunks of subtly seasoned chorizo and quesillo, which is a salty Oaxacan string cheese. This clayuda also came drizzled with something called asiento, the likes of which I'll write about later. This thing was huge! The edges overflowed parts of the large oval plate on which it came. Dang! It really was "Oaxacan pizza"!! The memela is a smaller, thicker corn tortilla, but still a good size, a little larger than a pupusa. In my mind I thought they were the size of sopes, so I wanted to order three, but our server assured me that they were also big. Our memela de asiento (in addition to the asiento) came smeared with this black bean paste and sprinkled with a white crumbly cheese. A choice of meat topping was available so I chose the tasajo, which is a thin slice of seasoned beef round plopped down in the middle of the memela. Sure enough, when the memela arrived it was a pretty good size; there was no way I could eat a beef, pork and cheese memela. The caldo de res was unlike any I've seen before. I'm used to the half a potato, whole carrot stick, and half a corn cob floating in there, but this beef soup came with beef, potatos, some kind of squash and green beans. Everything seemed bite sized, which was a nice change. Even the broth was a crimson color which made it look spicy, but actually had a subtle beefiness to it; almost bland. I have to say that this meal was the most "unusual" mexican fare I've ever had. I've never had a clayuda nor a memela; and I've never had asiento, which is a Oaxacan spread made with pork, but to say it was "made with pork" is an understatement! Asiento is pork flavor on steroids and the rich taste reminded me of liquid pork rinds - good if you're expecting it, but bad if you happen to hate deep-fried pork skin. I wasn't too thrilled about the asiento; although I love all things piggy, I don't think I was in the mood. I have to say that this food is unabashedly MEXICAN! Self-satisfied and with no need to prove itself, it seems to thumb its nose at its relatively pedestrian Mexican-American cousins. I can't say that this was the best mexican food I've ever had because until I ate at La Guelaguetza, I don't think I've ever had food inspired by Mexico's indigenous people. Did I like it? Yes and no. I think like most ethnic foods, there's a breaking in period. Definitely an acquired taste unless you were raised on the stuff. I liked the fact that this food made no attempt to cater to American tastes. You like it, then you eat; you don't like it, go to Taco Bell. I definitely have to return and try their mole dishes, and maybe their special horchata drink with cubes of cantaloupe and topped with a red sweet syrup float. Parking is crowded and we discovered the part of the lot closest to the restaurant was closed to traffic from the main entrance, so you might want to access the Plaza from the Long Beach Boulevard entrance. Also, the menu is large and full of Oaxacan terminology. Luckily, the bright colorful menu has descriptions of the different moles and explanations of the Oaxacan food terms (I happen to love reading menus). The service was very nice and welcoming even though we were the only non-asians there. Although I'd say a good number of the servers have a hard time with english, ours had no trouble communicating with us and he was super-helpful, e.g. the memela incident. If you want a REAL run for the border (actually, Oaxaca is way down, close to the Yucatan on the pacific side), come here!!
(4)Miguel H.
Avoid this place at all cost, we went there to celebrate our sister's birthday we order for drinks; lemonade (which they did not have); Horchata which on their menu say: served with Cactus sorbet: well it was missing the sorbet; they used coloring food to make the effect of the reddish cactus sorbet, the chips and mole; hhhh!!!; what can I tell you; chips were stale; mole sauce was mainly water with sugar and some mole mixed; the Tlayuda plate say on their menu ( OAXACAN CHEESE quesillo AUTHENTIC mexican string cheese, WELL they use the regular string cheese you find at any market; but they price their dishes as the real deal. empanadas de flor de calabaza ( they use one freaking flower if any) that one sucked too. Kids menu items: MEMELITAS; come on they use a plain tortilla with some black bean paste and some cheese. DO A QUICK SEARCH ON GOOGLE IMAGES TO SEE HOW THEY SHOULD LOOK, EVEN BETTER THE OWNER SHOULD LOOK TO SEE HOW THEY SHOULD BE DONE. I've lived with OAXACAN people, I know how they suppost to be served. the salsas;come on; salt and garlic are not that expensive. guacamole; same thing. SERVICE: you had to call them up to get a refill; otherwise there was no service; I almost felt that they were about to ask you are you sure you want more coke? perhaps they can not handle a group of 20 ppl FOOD AND SERVICE "0" STARS, RESTAURANT DECORATION: Got to say it is beautiful. ***THE BILL CAME TO $550.00 "INCLUDING $70.00 TIP ON THE BILL"(WHICH I THINK THEY DID NOT DESERVE. WE DO NOT MIND PAYING THAT AMOUNT IF THE SERVICE AND FOOD ARE WORT IT, IN THIS CASE; DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT; SO WE WILL TAKE OUR BUSINESS SOMEWHERE ELSE. 'this is NOT oaxacan cuisine" this is the worse cheap imitation of the real oaxacan cuisine. the only good thing about this place was the live music.
(1)Andrea N.
Great, friendly service and great food! After reading some of the reviews of this place, I was really worried it was in the ghetto -- whatever. Ignore such comments, the place was just fine. True, I was the only white person in the entire shopping complex, but last time I checked, that doesn' t mean I'm going to get shot. The only thing that disappointed me was that this location doesn't have chapulines, which are friend grasshoppers. My husband was really looking forward to trying them, and, for some reason, this place doesn't serve them, even though the Web site says it does. However, the mole here is really good. They bring out a tray of chips, quesa fresca and mole sauce as an appetizer. They also have excellent aguas frescas -- I had jamaica. My sister-in-law got the horchata, and it was amazing, full of candies and nuts. I had the empanada with huitlachoche and Oaxacan cheese, which was really good, but, in my opinion, was a bit heavy on the huitlacoche. My husband had the barbacued goat, which he really liked, although he said it wasn't too different from what he's tasted at other Mexican restaurants. I'd suggest that, if you go here, you try something that's really a speciality of the Oaxacan region, like moles. Otherwise, your experience will probably be a little lackluster.
(4)Joel M.
A solid almost authentic Mexican spot in the silliness of Plaza Mexico in Lynnwood. Beers are affordable and the food avoids the usual beans/rice lameness. A great spot for sports if your'e in the area or want a festive atmosphere.
(3)FoodSlut T.
This place is a chain found in other parts of the city as well. This is my fav. Wow, what amazing service and mole. When I walked into this restaurant, the waiters immediately recognized me. See, first of all, I'm probably one of only Asians that come to this park of town. The place corners Long Beach Blvd. and Imperial..not one of the safest areas. Just 1 block south of MLK. One of the hostess asked if I worked as a Korean vendor at the swap meet. I guess I'll take that in order to avoid being jumped by the local gang. OK, back to them having great service and remembering me...well a couple weeks back, my clients bday was held here. I didn't yelp it b/c I barely remember eating the food. See my client loves to drink and since it was his bday, I had to abide and drink with him til our livers would burst. So I guess we caused such a scene that all the waiters/waitress/owners/hostess/dishwashers/ and busboys remembered me. It almost felt like home. 10 bucks for Don Julio shots. Who can resist? Points points. oh, and they have live mariachi at night. I came here today for lunch with two business partners and we were greeted with the warmest welcomes. They served up some chips and mole drizzled on top. Excellent. Not just the plain chips and salsa. I ordered the mole appetizer but didn't finish it. I even brought it home! That's right, doggie bag!! And that's SUPER rare for me. Now I can pour mole over EVERYTHING for the next couple of days. As for the entree, I had mole enchiladas...perfect blend of sweet and spices. Rachel Ray would say "Yum-mo" and contort an orgasmic face. Probably my favorite mole in the town. I think it was even better than the one I had in Mexico City last February. See I also brought two friends, born in Mexico with an experienced palate, and they approved. They said "Damn tony, why is a china man showing the Mexicans where to eat Mexican food". I was proud. very proud. Why not 5 stars? A gang war can erupt any minute here.
(4)elizabeth c.
I've eaten here four times and it's declined each time. Now that they have done away with their lunch specials, this restaurant is way overpriced for mediocre mostly flavorless food. The service, if your waiter is a male, is likely to be non existent (unless you are a hot 24 year old female, be prepared to be ignored). Really love good Oaxacan food, but won't be returning to the Guelaguetza.
(2)Electric E.
Their mole with chips is good. The string cheese is good. We wanted family style food, so the waiter suggested that we get their combo dish which came out to about $40. It included 2 tortillas per person, guacamole (pretty good), and a bunch of different meats. Their cactus is ok, nothing great. One thing that was semil disappointing was that the string cheese melted on the grill platter if you dont eat it all up within several minutes. The food here is good, but not great compared to the spectacular reviews that it was getting. Also, it was friday night, not very packed, and we waited about 20 minutes just to get our food. I wouldn't mind coming to try out other dishes that they offer and myabe that can up the rating a bit.
(3)sunchip g.
I had never been to or heard of this restaurant until last Sunday. My boyfriend and I were craving mole, so he suggested we eat brunch at Guelaguetza Restaurant based on a recommendation he got from a friend. Although the restaurant itself is nice (interior and exterior), my bad experience started when I ordered my horchata. Let's just say it did not taste or looked like a traditional horchata. There was a pink liquid that floated on the top portion of the drink (which I later learned is tuna extract), and there were little chunks of almonds floating on the top. I thought, "okay, this is interesting, looks good". Nope. It tasted mainly like bland rice water with a hint of a fruity flavor. So I then ordered chicken enmoladas instead of the traditional dish (enmoladas are tortillas dipped in mole sauced and rolled with your choice of chicken, beef or cheese inside, much like the enchildas). To my disappointment, the mole sauce was very thin and tasted like it had been burned. They also topped my enmoladas with like a pound of Oaxaca cheese, making them hard to find under the huge heap. Then, to top it all off, as I was digging my fork into my second enmolada (I had already eaten the first), I pulled a friggin' hair from in between the shredded chicken inside. What a way to make a first impression Guelaguetza!! You failed with me and I don't think I'll be giving you a second chance.
(2)Jenny V.
The Lynwood Restaurant looks very nice inside and out. The service has always been great. I love their black mole with tortilla wrapped chicken (Enmoladas), the flavor is sweet and delicious. I am also fond of the chips they serve you when you sit down, they are topped with delicious red mole and fresh cheese. The Horchata with tuna y nuez is so very good, too. You can't go wrong, the food quality here is very good, and the prices are mid-level, but fair.
(5)