Patrona Cocina + Tequila

Cute, little intimate restaurant + bar with a specific menu and unusual appetizers. Besides your regular nachos they had charred Octopus + spicy chorizo with arugula and lemon olive oil, a steelhead trout dip with a queso crema blend + fried capers & crostini and ribeye skewers with a chimichurri sauce. The Octopus was tasty and refreshing. I had the chicken pozole and it was light and refreshing and enough to take home. Leo, our server, made this dinner 5+ plus stars! He was attentive, aware, helpful and gave excellent service. He welcomed us in and thanked us on our way out despite being busy at another table. Thank you Leo!

We tried Patrona Cocina Tequila last night for the first time after seeing advertisements. I gave this new restaurant 3 stars for being overcharged. When I arrived there were only 2 other tables with customers. I made reservations but was told we had to sit at the bar to get happy hour prices so we dined at the bar. Mind you HH is all day on Monday at the bar and outside patio. I ordered the Paloma off the regular menu for $13.00 and was charged $15.00.I ordered HH nachos off the HH menu for $12 and was charged $16 from the regular menu. I ordered 2 HH Taqueria (4 street tacos) for $11 and was charged $12. We were never told if we added steak/chicken instead of fish/pork there would be an extra charge. Not like it really matters but if you are going to charge extra tell your customers. Please check your receipts to make sure the prices are accurate.

With my fiancée's mom in town for her last night, I figured it was the perfect time to try something new. Mexican food is always a go-to for us, but we've got our tried-and-true spots. So, I wanted to mix it up a bit, and Patrona Cocina + Tequila, tucked away in the Kaleidoscope Mall, caught my eye. It's not flashy or trying to be anything it's not--just a humble spot with real potential. And I'm glad we took the chance.Let's get the vibe out of the way first. The space could definitely use some warmth. The cold, industrial seating area didn't have much personality, and while it didn't necessarily kill the experience, it definitely wasn't the place to linger for hours. But we weren't there to judge the decor--we came for the food, and that's where the real magic happened.We started with the homemade chips and salsa, which is always a great indicator of what's to come. The chips were crisp and fresh--just the right crunch--and the salsa had a perfect balance of spice and sweetness. We also ordered the pork belly appetizer and guacamole, but sadly, those never made it to the table--probably a casualty of the staff shortage (only two people running the floor). It didn't throw us off, though--we were still eager to dive into the main event.My fiancée had the crunchy carnitas tacos, paired with their Mercado salad. She's picky when it comes to tacos, so when she says they're good, you can take it to the bank. Her mom went for the Camarones al Gusto, and she couldn't stop raving about them. Fresh, flavorful, perfectly cooked--exactly what you want from shrimp. I went with La Tampiqueña, a ribeye paired with a mole enchilada. Now, I'm not usually a huge mole fan, but I was feeling adventurous. And I've got to say--I was pleasantly surprised. The steak was tender and juicy, and the mole had a perfect balance of sweetness and richness that didn't overwhelm. The flour tortillas were soft and fresh, and I ended up using them to scoop up every last bit of sauce.But let's talk about the real unsung hero of the night: the green sauce. It wasn't the showstopper, but once we tasted it, we slathered it on everything. Don't skip it--ask for extra. Trust me.Service was slower than expected, but it's easy to forgive when you realize there were only two people working the floor. Leo, our server, was warm, attentive, and made us feel right at home. He took the time to explain the daily specials (Taco Tuesday sounds like a must, and kids eat free on Thursdays), and made sure we were well taken care of despite the slower pace.The tequila selection isn't huge, but their cocktails more than make up for it. The bar has a clean, modern vibe, though the industrial-style seating inside felt a bit disconnected from the rest of the space. The outdoor patio, though, looks like the ideal spot to enjoy your meal next time--cozy seating with heaters, perfect for a relaxed evening.Patrona Cocina + Tequila isn't reinventing Mexican food, but it's doing it right. You can tell they genuinely care about the flavors and the experience. It's one of those places where you leave feeling good about supporting a local spot that's passionate about what it serves.**Pro Tip:** Don't skip the green sauce.Would I return? Yes. The flavors were solid, the food was great, and I'll definitely be back to explore more of what they've got. If you're in the area, don't miss this place--it's worth checking out.

What an amazing dining experience this evening at Patrona Cocina and Tequila in Mission Viejo. Francisco was our terrific server and was friendly, professional and knowledgeable. We started with drinks. I had a few Paloma Hermosas with Mezcal and my wife had the frozen margarita. We also ordered the guacamole which was made by Francisco tableside and tasted amazing. For dinner my wife had the chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and I had the La Tampiquena medium rare. The food, drinks and service were excellent and the ambiance very positive and upbeat. Our compliments to the chef, Francisco and the other staff members. The place is clean and we saw another table ordered the fajitas and they look great as well. They also have several fish entrees.Highly recommended

*Our experience here was a few months ago, before they had their opening, so I want to give them some credit...*Make sure you order their guac, it was insanely delicious. We came here for a birthday get together with adults and kids. The food was tasty, with exotic flavors and the margaritas flight comes in a really cool display. The adults ended up all ordering the same dish, but it was a little too spicy. If you do not like spicy food, even their mild was really spicy. They have a nice bar area and they do live music, too. Also have kids menu, which is more on the pricier side (for being for kids). While we enjoyed our meal, we felt somewhat overwhelmed by the frequent visits from our server and other staff. We were checked on more than eight times, which felt a bit excessive.We understand their intentions were good, but the constant interruptions unfortunately disrupted our conversation and led us to think about shortening our dining experience to spend more time socializing elsewhere, but they were closing, so it all worked out nicely. The classy/ exotic, romantic ambiance is a nice experience and staff were kind to accommodate our kids' needs. I'm pretty sure they show sports here too. Nice little bar area with good drinks!

I was quite disappointed with my recent visit to Patrona Cocina & Tequila. Despite the restaurant being nearly empty, I had to wait a lengthy 10 minutes to be seated.I ordered a skinny, spicy margarita, it was overly sweet and not spicy, requiring a remake. While the second attempt was better, it still fell short of expectations. The Taquitos Al gusto were decent, but the overall experience was marred by these issues.Given the slow service and drink quality control problems, I would hesitate to recommend this restaurant to others.

So if you have not been here yet, you are missing out. This place replaced the previous owner Sol Agave. Similar aesthetic, but I feel the food at Patrona is even better. I frequently come here prior to going next door to Burke Williams. My food, service and drinks today were all to my liking. Also the salsa is spicy and excellent!

Food and service were great! Happy hour appetizers were delicious and filling. The restaurant also had great patio sitting options, will come back again

We love sitting at the bar here and tonight we had the best waitress, her name is Marlene and she did such a great job with all my special needs! She's awesome!

Wow! What a wonderful experience at Patrona Cocina last night. This brand new restaurant is 100% worth a try and i will absolutely be back! The restaurant itself down to the menu, silverware holder and bowls/plates were beautiful! The staff - especially Brianna (host), Diana (waitress) and Cisco (Bartender) were incredibly friendly, they shared recommendations, laughs and were genuinely so kind! We had a Cadillac margarita and a Violeta cocktails - i could have drank 10 more Violetas it was beautiful in color and garnish and tasted so good! Food options we tried were as follows:- Spicy Ahi Tostada a had a delicious aoili and the fish was super fresh- table-side guacamole was very fresh as well, we got to determine our spice level and it was very balanced and made quickly! - tacos de Pascado which was a blackened mahi had a great kick and came with white rice and black beans; i love spice and really enjoyed this meal - pollo ala tomatillo which had a great cream sauce on the chicken and came with a huge chile relleno! The tableside chips were delivered right away with salsa and a mole dip - the mole dip was SO full of flavor! Ultimately all the food items were so flavorful and delicious and we will be back indeed!