Acapulco Restaurant & Cantina

We had dinner, service was,slow and our waiter only had 4 tables. Lors of people working but, seemed to just be walking baxk and forth to the kitchen. Food was okay, happy hour drink prices were great

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 2

Perla G was a great server. The brunch buffet was wonderful and the mimosas were never empty :) my first time here and I’ll definitely be back with friends.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Extraordinary Tacos Tuesday.
Delicious plenty of meats and beverages are great.
Dessert are amazingly delicious.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I love the food and drinks

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

My family always comes here for Sunday brunch + bottomless mimosas. We always ask for Jesus and he is the best! 10/10!

Great buffet for Thanksgiving. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the turkey was a bit dry & chewy. Otherwise, lots of buffet options, friendly staff & great place to bring family & friends.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

My family and I went for Thanksgiving dinner. This was our third year choosing to go to Acapulco. The food, the service, everything was great!! We look forward to going again next year!

The Thanksgiving buffet was amazing. It reminded me of the Vegas buffets. Every kind of Thanksgiving food, every kind of Mexican food, huge dessert table, unlimited champagne and mimosas, many types of drinks, omelet bar. Everything cooked to perfection. It was just melt in your mouth delicious.

Wednesday the bartender is hilarious and cool..
Thank you guys for turning a rough day into funny .

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent service and food love going to this place always friendly attentive great customer service the best in Orange county

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Carne Asada \u0026 Cheese Enchilada

All was great

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Update: Back to Being Costa Mesa’s Favorite!

Review:
Big thanks to Steven and the Acapulco Costa Mesa team for completely turning things around! The food, drinks, and service are back to top quality — just like the Acapulco we’ve loved for years. The manager now personally checks in, and Mario continues to provide excellent, attentive service every time.

Our group has returned to our usual Monday spot by the bar outside near the TV — it truly feels like home again. Highly recommend giving this location another visit; you can tell the team really cares!

— Sal O.

Used to Be One of the Best Mexican Restaurants in Costa Mesa — Now a Disappointment

Our group of 15–20 friends and coworkers has been coming to Acapulco Mexican Restaurant y Cantina in Costa Mesa for almost nine years. We met here nearly every Monday night to enjoy great fajitas, margaritas, and the lively patio atmosphere near the bar. It used to be one of the best spots in town for authentic Mexican food and friendly service.

Unfortunately, things have changed a lot over the past month. The food and service have gone downhill under the current manager, Brian. Simple things like chips and salsa now take 20+ minutes, drinks are watered down, and fajitas arrive cold or one at a time instead of sizzling hot. You can tell the restaurant is short-staffed, and the manager doesn’t step in to help the team.

During our last visit, 18 of us waited over an hour to be seated. When we politely asked if tables could be moved together like they used to, the manager told us, “If you don’t like it, don’t eat here.” After nearly a decade of loyalty, that was a huge disappointment.

Even the servers seemed embarrassed and did their best to help, but it’s clear morale is low. The recipes are still good, but without proper management, the quality and atmosphere have suffered.

We truly hope Xperience Restaurant Group takes a closer look at this location. Acapulco Costa Mesa used to be a go-to for great food and Mexican hospitality near South Coast Plaza — it would be a shame to see that reputation lost.

Rating: 2 stars — for the memories and a few hardworking staff who still care.
— Sal Ortiz

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I haven't eaten it in Acapulco restaurant in a long time. I ordered ceviche which was “OK”. The seafood in it was a little tough, which means it was either cooked first or marinated too long. They were also way too many pieces of jalapeño in the accompanying pico de gallop making it super spicy for someone who can't handle a lot of heat. I picked out the pieces of seafood and left the rest behind. The lock on the bathroom stall is not functional, making the bathroom feel old and rundown. Service was quite good, no problems at all with our waiter, he was very attentive. The $7 Cadillac margarita was VERY delicious( it's a Wednesday special.)

Overall, our experience was pleasant as usual, the staff is Courteous, Nice and ready to accept and prepare your orders! Good place to eat!

Hector was our waiter and did the best he could. We were a table of 17- with a reservation- he was the only waiter in the entire place so things took a very long time. He worked hard but your restaurant needs more staff