Palenque

Situated in the culture and arts area of Riverside, this place was easy to get to from the hotel I stayed in for the week on business. Inside was beautiful and gave you Mayan heritage feel. They didn't have happy hour, however their drinks were reasonably priced. There were 4 of us so we ordered several things to try. The taquitos, ceviche w/ tortillas, fried octopus, queso were amazing! Our waiter was so nice and gave us a history lesson about the name of the restaurant and helped me figure out which mezcal I was going to try for the first time. Their chicken fajitas were really good also. They played good music which made the vibe even better along with the food and drinks. I would go back here for sure and try other dishes.

The waitress was very attentive and checked on our table frequently. My favorite thing at any restaurant is what they serve complimentary. Whether if it's bread or chips and salsa. That's what people look forward to and it was disappointing that you have to pay for chips and salsa here. They give you very little chips and small cups of salsa that doesn't pack any heat. The cubana sandwich was good. I think it can be shared between 2-people. The atmosphere is cool and I can understand why people come here. Nice decor and is a place you want to take pictures with your friends. It definitely isn't a place for me. I like quiet place to have dinner and to be able to enjoy conversation. Also it's a one man restroom so you have to wait in line to use it.

Service was great! Irene was on point. Recommend tacos and drinks and all were great! Fish tacos were the best!! Had two rounds of them, didn't disappoint. Beer was cold and top shelf alcohol did the job. Give this place a chance!

Check out Palenque in Downtown Riverside to enjoy traditional Mexican dishes with a different twist, in a more upscale, modern setting. The food had great flavors that went well with one of the signature cocktails.I started off with the Sandia Pepino, A Margarita with watermelon infused tequila, house citrus, blue agave, tajin rim. I tried the combo Fajita plate with sautéed poblano mixed peppers, onions, butter, sour cream, mexican rice, beans, warm tortillas, and guacamole.We were welcomed and seated right away. Great service! Definitely will be back the next time I'm in the area.

I booked reservations for a Saturday night and we were seated within a few minutes. Service was nice, our waiter was friendly despite seeming very busy. The restaurant is just a quick 5 minute walk from the Mission Inn.The inside is on the smaller to medium size with aesthetically pleasing neon lights in dim lighting. The food was just okay to me. The best thing was the guacamole but they such a little scoop in a big bowl. The presentation looked a bit disappointing because of that. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and the verde sauce had too much acidity for my liking. The chicken was moist but the flavor was okay. The Spanish rice was undercooked and hard with a funny chlorine taste to it. The margaritas were also a better a highlight as it was strong and pretty to look at it.Although the atmosphere is fun for a night out, I've had way better Mexican food at higher end places that cost just as much if not less.

Was in the area for the Riverside Mission Christmas lights and wanted a bite to eat. Located in the center downtown Riverside, definitely a great spot for Mexican food. Given how many people were in the area for the lights we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly we were seated by the hostess. Our server Jose is the sweetest! He came by immediately and brought us waters and got our orders for food. He even gave us some suggestions on popular drinks! He came by a couple of times to check on us and always has a smile on his face. Watermelon margarita 10/5 - took Jose's suggestion and got the margarita. Even comes with a slice of cucumber! Delicious and super addicting. Could've drank 10 of these. Fish tacos 5/5 - 2 beer battered fish tacos were delicious. Fish tasted fresh and seasoned well. Comes with a side of Mexican rice and beans. Fajitas 4/5 - comes with all the fixings of a fajita plate including meat, Mexican rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, and tortillas. The meat was a little watery for my taste. Other than that flavors were great. Will definitely come back to try more stuff on their menu!

We visited Riverside last night for the Festival of Lights at the Mission and decided to grab some food beforehand. I had initially booked a reservation at another restaurant, but this place caught my eye and looked way better--so glad we switched!We arrived just before 5 PM, and they were able to seat our party of four right away. Perfect timing, because shortly after, the restaurant completely filled up, and a line started forming outside. The Festival of Lights clearly draws a crowd, and without reservations, we were lucky to get in. Had we arrived any later, we might've missed out on this gem!I consider myself a Michelada connoisseur, so I have to say the drink was just okay--but that's the only thing I wasn't wowed by. The carnitas plate? Phenomenal. Everyone at my table ended up stealing bites from my plate after seeing how good it looked and confirming it tasted even better. The fresh guacamole was another standout, and the esquites were pretty tasty as well.The service was excellent, and the staff was both attentive and (bonus points!) very good-looking. They made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal.This spot is definitely worth a visit. I'd love to come back, but it'll likely be next year during the Festival of Lights again. Highly recommend this place if you're in the area--just be sure to arrive early!

I came on a Monday night and it was very lovely, we came to celebrate an early Valentine's Day dinner date with my wife and the service was amazing! Sally was out waitress and she was very helpful and welcoming and brought us everything we asked for In a timely manner! The food was also amazing their torta cubana was so delicious. If you're ever in the area I recommend coming here!!!

Absolute the best service. Sally was the best. Loved my time here. I would definitely come back again. Drinks are delicious.

The food the delicious and the drinks were made to perfection. But I would like to thank sally the waitress for the amazing service she provided it was top notch. Ask for sally she'll provide the best customer service.