The Yummiest Latin American in Irvine

Tamaleria Rincon Sinaloense

★★★★☆ 4.2 (302) • $

"I feel like tamale season is basically upon us, so I stopped by to try this place out. I gotta say I was pleased with their cheese and chicken tamales. I also had their carnitas plate which was pretty good, but I feel like they specialize more in their tamales. The service itself was great, and it was such a cute little establishment to enjoy a meal in."

Kalaveras

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"Oh my goodness. This is the only places where I could eat the beans because I don't really like beans. The portion was great and the food was really good! Probably one of the best Mexican restaurant I've had. However, the wait was soooo long. We had to flagged down our servers so many times and our food took about 30-40 minutes to come out even though there were only 3 tables at the time."

Magdalena Kitchen & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (42)

"It is a very cute and trendy restaurant. It is the perfect spot for work meeting or just getting together with friends. It is a nice spot for your first date, anniversary and wedding. Their drinks are strong. I like the whiskey and you can have it smoke. Their bartender is nice and I like to sit closer to the bar. The food portions are huge their clam chowder is a must try. I also like their steak the lobster. The strawberry salads is fruity and delicious. Don't forget to try their house made dessert. Parking is free in the parking structure. I highly recommended this spot for a night out."

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"I love Cha Cha's! We come here every so often and I pretty much always get the same thing - short ribs. They are so tender and flavorful. They have a bit of a kick to them. It's a good portion size too. Highly recommend.Another dish I really like is the three seafood enchiladas. I think it comes with crab, shrimp and one other thing (can't remember off the top of my head!). It's so good that I tried to recreate it at home but couldn't live up to Cha Cha's version.They have nice cocktails here too and a variety of seating options. There's indoor, patio and bar seating and they have heat lamps for when it's cold. It's a great mid- to nice-level Mexican/Latin restaurant and it's one of our regular rotations!"

Pacific Hideaway

★★★★☆ 4.1 (628) • $$

"Hidden rooftop gem in HB! The food is always delicious and we love how dog friendly the restaurant and hotel are! Our favorite brunch dishes were the Chilaquiles (decent spice level) and the Breakfast Burrito (looks boring in pics but was filled with deliciousness)! They also validate parking for two hours."

Silva's Sports Bar & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.4 (807) • $$

"I love this sports bar by my house. The bartenders are very friendly and make you feel very welcomed. The tacos here are super yummy and the drinks are delicious! They also have great happy hour. Definitely a chill place to hang out at."

Carniceria Tierra Bella

★★★★☆ 4.3 (32) • $

"Carniceria Y Taqueria Tierra Bella is a hidden gem located in the back of a small Mexican grocery store. My coworkers and I came here for tacos and we were pleasantly surprised that the grocery store had 5 little tables in the back. This spot has plenty of things to order. Tacos, Burritos, Tortas, Sopes, Quesadillas and more. My coworkers and I all ordered Tacos.Prices per Taco: - $1.25: asada, al pastor, pollo, chorizo, chicharron, carnitas, birria- $1.55: guisado, cabeza, lengua- $2.25: tripa, ranchera I had 3 tacos: carnitas, al pastor and lengua. I liked the carnitas the most and I was most disappointed in the lengua. My coworkers tried a variety of tacos and I heard the asada and the pollo is pretty good too. Not the best tacos in the word, but for these prices, they are great. Ask for their special sauces. They keep the condiments in the fridge and there a yummy avocado sauce and a spicy sauce. We would definitely come back here for a quick and affordable meal!"

Isla Cuban-Latín Kitchen & Rum Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"Celebrated Valentine's Day the day after with the bf to avoid all the crowd and busyness of a Friday night Valentine's Day.Isla Cuba-Latin Kitchen & Run Bar is located in a small plaza with neighboring cafe and other restaurants. It seems to be centrally located within an industrial business are, trust your navigation!The restaurant is a wide open spaced with a tent outside if you wanted to dine outside but not totally in the elements. The vibes were fantastic, chandeliers hanging provided intimate mood lighting. Dark wood across the seating area, to the bar, and a large picture taking up a good portion of the wall in the back center.We arrived right at opening (4pm Sat), and there was only one other couple dining at the time. It definitely gets busier as time goes in so reservations are the way to go. Staff and waiter were very friendly, it was our first time so asked the waiter for recommendations on the starters. We went with the Papas Rellenas, which are similar to Portos potato balls, but I loved how Isla made them. Perfectly fried potato mash forming a thin crust. It was stuffed with deliciously seasoned ground beef, the perfect bite. The cilantro cream dipping sauce only added more flavor to this great starter. For the main entrees we went with the Lechon Asado (pork) and Rabo Encendido (oxtail). The Lechon while initially we didn't think had enough flavor, actually did the more you chewed the pork was marinated well and released more flavor (if that makes sense. It was also topped with a lot of grilled onions and rice. The Rabo Encendido was delicious. The oxtails were so tender and fall off the bone. The savory sauce it was stewed in was amazingly tomato-y. The rice for both dishes were nice and fluffy almost buttery. Both meals also came with caramelized plantains, sweet and minor crunchy from how they were cooked. They also start you off with complementary plantain chips with a garlic dipping sauce.The only minor thing was that as it seemed to get busier, the staff really didn't check up on us but again it wasn't an issue. I think I would've liked our waters refilled more instead of the once near the end of the meal, but that is also on us to get a waiters attention.Overall a great place for Cuban-Latin quisine."

El Adobe

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"It'd been years since I stopped in San Juan Capistrano, and upon doing so, we soberly stumbled into El Adobe one Sunday afternoon. The building seemed vaguely historic, but the historic dates didn't seem to match on the various signs, a conflict probably completely ignored by the famously historically-challenged denizens of Orange County.But I digress...The place is very cute, but it was slightly odd that we and everyone else were all seated in what was by far the least interesting of the various dining areas in this quirky building. Although this space wasn't unpleasant, you would think that the restaurant would want to highlight it's best areas when it wasn't particularly busy. Our server was very funny and nice, which was refreshing in a touristy place like this.I ordered the enchiladas suizas, which were good but not amazing. My girlfriend very much liked her fish tacos. The cilantro cucumber margarita was a very well-done and refreshing take on an old standard. It's a great hot day drink, and both of us would order it again in a heartbeat. On the downside, the salsa was very tomato-y and the refried beans quite sub-par. Another oddity -- the weird square plates were way too modern for place that is leaning on a sense of being historic. It seems like a small detail, but is very jarring in this environment.After eating, we poked around the rest of the space and found a pretty cool bar area and an interesting event space. All in all, El Adobe was a bit of a mixed bag, but I'd go definitely back if I was in the area."

Fuego

★★★★☆ 3.5 • $$$

"Restaurant is filled with beautiful art on the inside, but you can't beat the view outside. The staff is super accommodating with customizations and getting things out quickly or adjusting your seat if the sun changes. The food is fabulous - amazing tacos, tasty salsas, creamy guac, crunchy chips, and yummy margs."

Raya

★★★★☆ 4.1 (783) • $$$

"Top notch service and surroundings, from the complimentary valet parking to the hotel's interior common area décor, to the staff/service at Raya. Hue waited on us; however, we did interact with several staff members and the service was excellent from all. We stopped in on a Friday evening for some late-night cocktails and a snack before heading home and the bar was still hopping. We were presented with a beautiful tray of complimentary snacks (almonds, wasabi nuts, and mixed nuts) while we enjoyed a Frida y Diego Anejo Old Fashioned ($22) and a Tamarind Margarita ($22). Wanting a little more, we ordered a 5-piece Shrimp Cocktail ($21) and two more drinks, a Ritzy Smoked Old Fashioned ($28) and a Baja Coast Cosmo ($22). All drinks were very well made, and the shrimp were perfect.Yes, it's a little pricy, but the service and quality of the food and beverages are definitely worth splurging once in a while. We had a wonderful "date night" experience and will definitely stop in again."

El Matatan The Finest Fusion Of Latin Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.8 (408) • $$

"Every thing was great 100 % coming back The service was amazing The food also was great I thought chef Ramsay was here that good"

AVEO Table + Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (300) • $$$

"Beautiful beautiful restaurant !! You can literally see the ocean from here. Came here for brunch with some girlfriends for my birthday LAST YEAR. I know, I know. It took me long enough to write this review. The food was okay. Nothing stood out to be honest. But I'm not huge on brunch so there's that. Service was slow. We kept having to remind our server for the basics: utensils, water, Etc. By the time we finally got everything we needed, our food was already cold because we were outdoors. the true star of the show is the view. Whether seated indoors with panoramic windows or on the breezy outdoor terrace, you're treated to uninterrupted vistas of the glistening ocean stretching to the horizon. I'll be back for drinks if I'm in the area because it's conveniently located at the hotel I typically stay at, but it's a hard pass on the food."

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"Couldn't get enough of this restaurant that our family returned on Christmas day for lunch. We made a reservation and even though the policy is to have everybody present they let us in with two party members on the way, which was nice. The front desk was very kind and accommodate our needs promptly. Our server also had a superb service serving us the whole time. She was present throughout the meal and never had our drinks empty. Usually, due to music, the restaurant is pretty loud but this day, it was very quiet with soft music on the background so we were able to have a conversation among ourselves. The ambiance is always chic but with the Christmas decoration, it elevated the Christmas spirit.It was less dishes than we ordered last time but pretty much it was the same thing we ordered again because it was unforgettable. The only two different things we ordered were the lemonades and fish tacos and it was phenomenal. Each dish has amazing flavors and beautiful presentations that I recommend to everybody.Thank you for giving us a wonderful Christmas memory to me and my family!"

Habana

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"Located inside LAB anti-mall, there's plenty of parking in the back. Recommend getting reservations as this palce can get busy, especially on weekends. Weekdays aren't as crowded. I've been here for happy hour and regular dinner time on weekdays. Their happy hour menu was decent but that was years ago so I'm not sure if it's changed. I recently came on a Monday night for dinner with my fiancée and we loved it. It's a nice spot for a dinner date, lighting is dim and set the mood for romance lol. They have indoor or patio seating, our host recommended patio seating for better lighting but it was still dark. They do have heat lamps all around so that was nice. Appetizer - chicken empanadas were delicious. Each other comes with 3 empanadas and some slaw and dipping sauce. Entrees - filet mignon with fries, medium rare. Comes with chimichuri sauce. So so soft and tender, cooked to perfection. I finsihed eating my filet mignon before I even ate the fries, it was so delicious. Their fries are also pretty good. Lightly crisp and seasoned. My fiancée ordered the Kobe burger and that was huge portion that also came with fries. He said it tasted great and it was all that he thought it would be. Exceeded expectations. Overall, we had a great date night here and would come back again! Staff was super friendly and just loved the vibes~"

Bella Cuba

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"Oxtail! The Rabo Encendido (Sauteed Oxtail) is sooooo good! Lots of meat, it is tender, and just has a huge amount of flavor. Then you pair this with the chicken rice.... dang.... it just hits. The Pollo Asado is another great item to get. Empanadas were delicious. We tried the beef, chicken, and spinach. I personally love Spinach Empanadas, and this one did not disappoint. Halibut had great flavors, but was overcooked and dry. Scallops needed more garlic and flavors, it was still cold when it was served to us. Service was excellent and kind. For me, going forward... it is the Rabo Encendido (Sauteed Oxtail) dish. I would definitely come back for this item. Thank you Bella Cuba!"

Seafood 1555

★★★★★ 4.8 (104)

"Taco prices are ~$7-10, but are justified by the portion sizes (basically 2 tacos in 1). The baja fish taco had 3 pretty big pieces of fish, so one taco alone was enough to have me full. Both the fish and gobernador tacos were flavorful, but the fish was a little salty--I wish there was more sauce to balance it out."

Lola Gaspar

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"First time here.Our party of 4 made a reservation for Friday at 7 pm. We were excited to try this restaurant.Started off my dinner with an old fashioned. It was perfect with a tiny bit of spice. If you like flavorful food that is of good quality and attention to detail, you have to try Lola.Service: Amazing Food: Delicious and amazing attention to detail.Location: Park along the street with metered, structure, or neighborhood parking down the residential streets.Loved this place and come hungry!"

Birrieria Guadalajara

★★★★☆ 4.4 (166) • $$

"Super quiet inside on a weeknight, so if you're looking for some comforting birria-based meals for lunch or dinner, this is your spot!Birria was very savory and drenched with that beautiful, tasty consomme. The chunks of shredded meat goes so well with just onions and cilantro, but they also provide some sauces that add a bit of kick. Kinda messy but worth it.Interior was clean enough for a fast food place. The ladies behind the counter were patient in answering our many questions.Parking lot was small but pretty much empty; it wasn't busy at the restaurant, so I'm sure that helped. The area itself is slightly janky, and we saw transients walk by or plop right next to the front door, so be cautious of your belongings and surroundings."

Cali Pie Guy

★★★★★ 4.9 (56) • $

"Bolivian Salteñas are by far the juiciest! Have you tried them yet?Cali Pie Guy takes the traditional meat pies up a few notches. Their unique flavors are bursting with the essence of Bolivia and its culture. They hand select and hand ground all their own meat, carefully measure their spices and they are oven baked at the Brea Farmers Market.I tried... Spicy Beef - not your classic beef Saltena. Slowly simmered in a special blend of spices but with an extra kick of chili pepper. Potatoes, carmelized onions, and a thick beef sauce. Regular Beef - without the chili pepper Flavors: Spicy Beef, Beef, Spicy Chicken, Chicken, and Vegan. Their spicy Vegan is available October - February.These meat pies have a crispy dough. Very juicy and flavorful! They do come out of the oven piping hot so be careful when taking your first bite Stop by their booth and pick up a few! You'll thank me later. Thanks for the rec @enjoybrea Save & Share Brea Farmers Market | 155 S. State College Boulevard Brea, CA 92821 Every Thursday 3 - 7 pm@calipieguyllc"

Basil Brazil Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.7 (70) • $$

"Unique food from Brazil. The staff are all Brazilian and while we were there more Brazilians came to eat. The food was authentic to Brazil. We had good cheesy rolls that were doughy inside with guava jam. I had fish with shrimp sauce, which had a tomato base and really good mashed potatoes.I love having anything unique in town so will definitely come back again."

Inkas

★★★★☆ 4.1 (594) • $$

"Really love this place. There is nothing you can order that won't be amazing. The green pasta and the seafood rice are my personal favorites.Don't skip the green sauce for the bread. It is spicy goodness and just on another level.This place gets very busy on weekday lunches. Occasionally I have to wait a bit to order after being seated. It came be annoying, but it's worth the wait.The staff is super sweet and they work very hard for your business."

El Mercado Taco Shop

★★★★☆ 3.5 (46)

"Great great spot! We went here at lunch time and our family needed something quick and delicious and we definitely found the place. Everyone loved their tacos and the lunch special with two tacos and rice/beans was cheap and perfect for what we needed. The food had a lot of flavor and each person loved their order. We had somewhere we had to be and we let the server know and she was on it. The place wasn't busy when we went but we had a bigger party so it was nice that the serve was so attentive. We will for sure be back and we will recommend for anyone visiting!"