L & J Cafe

My cousin and I were searching for quality local eats at an affordable price point and he came across L & J Cafe. At any Mexican restaurant my go-to is a wet burrito, but the specialty was so clearly the chile verde here that it was not hard to stray from the usual plan.I needed to get to the airport after the meal so we planned on placing a takeout order. We were about to submit an order on their website but received an error message upon checkout. We then gave them a call, found out the online ordering was down, but managed to place our order easily enough over the phone.We were quoted a wait time of half an hour but I'm certain that we arrived closer to the 20 minute mark. Checked in at the front desk, paid, and were handed our order neatly bagged up immediately. We decided to drive a bit closer to the airport just to be safe before opening the bag and chowing down.I've been a fan of potato taquitos since having them for the first time during happy hour at a Mexican restaurant in San Diego, so I was very excited to see them on the menu here. I'm not a vegetarian whatsoever but I'd quickly order these again. The shells were perfectly crispy, not greasy at all, and the potato filling was soft and warm. I love the balance that comes with consuming them covered in lettuce and tomato, plus the cheese, sour cream, and guacamole just took it to the next level. Normally you wouldn't think of taquitos as healthy, but after eating two of these I certainly didn't feel heavy.My cousin got the chile verde con carne plate. The rice, beans, and chile verde soup came neatly packed in separate containers. I had a taste of the chile verde and thought it was delicious, he'd eaten the whole container in the short time that we had so I have no qualms recommending this menu item.I had to leave two taquitos behind to catch my flight, but they definitely didn't go to waste since my cousin reported enjoying them later. I'm glad we decided to order from this spot instead of eating at Cracker Barrel!

Had to get some Mexican food before heading to the airport. Stopped by L&J for their steak burrito, ordered to-go at the front counter and waited about 15 min. The restaurant was bigger than I thought on the inside.I ate my burrito in the car at a nearby park and it was so delicious. Seemingly so simple..steak, some bell pepper and onions, and cheese sauce on the side for dipping but it was mouth watering good! That burrito was a highlight of my trip.

My mom dropped by for an event this week. We started off with am EP classic.She stuck with her chicken mole, but Liz and I had their green chile chicken enchilada. I wish there rice was a bit fresher, it seemed overdone. The refried beans were good, and the chicken enchiladas were very good. The amount of chile and cheese atop the enchiladas were healthy.I also ordered a small menudo cup for a starter. It was full of hominy and chitlins...it's just today that they put a lot into their menudo. The broth was warm, and could have been piping hot.Alyssa was a very nice server. If we needed something we got it. She and her team got our food out to us quickly. The manager came out to check that everything was okay...it wasn't needed, but was very much appreciated.Staple in EP, it's consistent, and the food is pretty good too. They have so papillas, so it'll be good to come back for those next time.

Food wow wow! Everything we ordered just amazing. You need to come taste for yourself. Service was perfect, wait was not that long. Staff were inviting and kind.

What a fantastic restaurant, but be warned. It's street parking and you might have a bit of a walk. We came in at 4 and the place was packed, and loud. Our wait time was 20 minutes but well worth it cuz the food was amazing. There was lots of it and it tasted like it came out of our kitchen (if we could cook Mexican food very well). We loved it. We shared the Mexican combination plate and hubby got some mini flautas. So so good. And the sopapillas were the best ending ever to a great meal. Our server Jazmine was professional and gave some recommendations that were spot on. We will most definitely be back, maybe even again on this trip!

Ray was our server and he was amazing. He took care of us and made great food recommendations. The green chili enchiladas were amazing. Get the egg on top sunny side up! The atmosphere is casual. The margaritas are wine based here they do not use tequila.

Oh yeah, this place is amazing! Love the ambience! And so close to the airport. I had to come and get their Chile con Queso, which was addicting. Can't go wrong with any item son their menu. I went with the fajitas and Chile Con Queso Steak and it was absolute delicious. Everything I had was spot on. The service here are friendly and welcoming. Would definitely come back!

I was here once before, maybe 10-12 years ago, and I remembered it being very good. That may sound like a long time, but this place has been here for 90+ years, so it's really not that long at all. Well, my recollection served me well, the food, service, and ambience were all great.We had a variety of items, all were good. I actually ordered the Mexican Combination plate. The standout item for me was the chile verde. The taco and the enchilada were also very tasty, but that pork was the bomb! I love the memorabilia, old photos, and general decor that just adds to the charm of this old place. Prices are on point and portions are good sized. I plan to return, I would highly recommend a visit if you've never been there!

Massive portions. The we got the chicken Colorado verde enchiladas and the Mexican combination. Both were great! Super cheesy. Busy with lots of indoor seating even on a Monday at lunch. Friendly service.

Food is unbelievably good!!!! Service is outstanding as well. Make sure you get the Chile con queso to start.