Hi guys, Happy Taco Tuesday!
So obviously, California is known for having the best Mexican food in the country! There are so many yummy spots that I have been to but for this blog, I decided to go to three old school Mexican restaurants that I have been wanting to try since I moved here almost 12 years ago, LOL! Two have been featured in movies and the other one is a fun classic.
Enjoy! 🙂
Casa Vega – Sherman Oaks
Casa Vega has been a staple in San Fernando Valley since 1956! It was also featured in the Quentin Tarantino movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” where Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) enjoy a fun dinner.
My dad actually lost a bet to me during the Super Bowl (obviously I cheered for the Rams) and said dinner was on him, lol! On this particular day, I was coming from an account I was working in Sherman Oaks at and stopped by for lunch. While the inside is a big dark with some pretty lights and paintings, I decided to sit outside instead.
First up was the complimentary chips n salsa. It was mildly spicy and I was picking up some cheese notes? I don’t know what was in it but it was pretty good!
I decided to order the Casa Vega House Margarita ($12) that was light and citrusy and the Tres Tacos Chicos ($21 for lunch, $26 for dinner) in corn tortillas with a mix of the Carne Asada, Al Pastor and Grilled Chicken, topped with a small dollop of salsa verde, cilantro and onions. It also came with this mild spicy yellow sauce that I cannot figure out what is was, but it was unique!
Out of the three, the Carne Asada was my favorite! It also came with a side of refried beans and Spanish Rice both topped with cheese. The refried beans tasted incredibly fresh and creamy while the Spanish Rice was full of seasonings!
Price Range: $3 – $33
Rating: 4/5
Address: 13301 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Phone: 818-788-4868
Hours: 11:30am – 12:30am, Sunday through Saturday
Parking: Behind the restaurant. Lunch was free but I do not know if valet is required for dinner.
Website: www.casavega.com
El Cholo – Various Locations
El Cholo was established in 1923 and is considered the oldest and very first Mexican Restaurant in LA! I went to the Cafe location which is literally a few doors down from where I live in Pasadena, so it was very convenient for me!
Inside, I was welcomed by Spanish greetings and many historic pictures on the wall. It was also well lit.
First up I ordered the El Cholo House Margarita ($13) that was very strong, OMG! It also was very citrusy with a huge lemon flavor. I felt it tasted better once I got my meal!
Of course, complimentary chips n salsa were also brought out. I was somewhat disappointed that the chips were not warmed up but the salsa was very spicy with fresh tomatoes!
The Enchiladas were the hot thing to order on the menu, so for the main course, I ordered the Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas ($21.75) with Tomatillo Salsa, sour cream, avocado, black beans and Spanish Rice. OMG this was so good! The chicken was shredded and the Enchilada didn’t taste too salty, it just melted right in my mouth! The Spanish Rice also had added cheese to it and the black beans tasted creamy.
Price Range: $11.95 – $24.95
Rating: 4.5/5
Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm, Sunday – Saturday
Locations: Los Angeles, Downtown LA, Santa Monica, Pasadena
Parking: In the ramps or on the street
Website: www.elcholo.com
El Coyote – Hollywood
El Coyote has been around LA since 1931 and you cannot miss its vintage sign from Beverly Blvd.! My friend Wing was in town from Minneapolis working the Super Bowl Halftime Show and I was so excited to catch up with her after 8 years! I figured going to an authentic Mexican restaurant would be the best experience.
El Coyote was also another Mexican restaurant that was featured in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and also the last place Sharon Tate ate at the night she was murdered by the Manson Family (actress Margot Robbie who plays Tate in the movie is seen at the restaurant below). There is also a ton of celebrity signed pictures in the waiting area and it was fun to view them all!
First up was some homemade, complimentary chips n salsa. This was a spicy, peppery salsa that had a kick to it, I loved it! There was also a green salsa verde that was delicious but the red one was by far my favorite!
FYI: I ordered a few Margaritas here, LOL! We were out for quite some time! I had the Scratch Margarita ($6.50) and Wing had the House Margarita ($5). The difference between the two is the Scratch Margarita was more tart with citrus and the House Margarita had a mix of pineapple juice in it. Both tasted amazing! I also ordered a Blended Strawberry Margarita ($6) and the Spicy Margarita ($7.50) with jalapeños! They were all fresh and that’s what made them amazing! Also, the Spicy Margarita wasn’t too spicy for me, it was well-balanced!
Wing ordered us the Combo Sampler ($10.50) with mini cheese quesadillas, flautas and three pieces of chicken in substitute for the poppers that the restaurant ran out of. It was simple but tasty, it’s a fun appetizer to share and of course, I dipped more of my quesadilla into the red salsa!
For the main course, Wing ordered the Enchilada ($11.95) with rice and beans and said that it was filled with tons of sauce and melted cheese. Cooked to perfection and one of the best enchiladas she has ever had!
As for myself, I ordered the Chicken Street Tacos ($11.53) in corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, chopped onion and another red salsa! This one was a bit smokey and perfect to dip the tacos in. I had zero complaints about this dish, the tortillas were fresh and the chicken was cooked to perfection!
Price Range: $7.75 – $18.95
Rating: 5/5
Address: 7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-939-2255
Hours: 12 – 9 pm Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, 12pm – 10pm Friday and Saturday, closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Parking: There is only valet ($10 with tip) or street parking! I suggest to valet because the street parking has many permit restrictions.
Website: www.elcoyotecafe.com
And the winner is…
All three restaurants have something unique to offer, but if I had to choose my favorite one, it was probably El Coyote. Everything from the drinks to the chips n salsa and the food was to die for, I had no complaints. I loved the atmosphere and even paying for parking was worth it!
If I had to order something different at Casa Vega, it would probably be another main dish and for El Cholo, it would be a different drink. They were not horrible at all but just not my style!
Have you ever tried any of these restaurants and if so, which one is your favorite? 🙂
