Restaurantji's guide to Lake Elsinore's top Mexican dining experiences. Explore a variety of Mexican flavors, from a Carnitas to Pozole, and enjoy great Mexican cuisine in the city.
Mexican · $
31731 Riverside Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Great food! Great drinks!!”
Mexican · $
16989 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Juan's Rotisserie Chicken is one of best chickens, but the customer service is bad. I ask for 2 burritos with fres meat the guy that makes it gave an attitude like if I was asking to give it to me for free. I end up paying for a whole chicken for fresh meat burritos”
Mexican · $
31724 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Can't wait to go back! What's not to love? Vero is clean with a spacious variety of seating arrangements for everyone from romantic snuggles to watching the game. Service is prompt and friendly. The menu is varied and huge; and the food: fresh and delish; great prices, too. Yep, I'm definitely going back!”
Mexican · $
105 North Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Have been going to Guadalajara's for years I think it's one of the best Mexican restaurants in Lake Elsinore although I pretty much only had maybe three things on the menu I love to get the Macho burrito I can eat on it for days it is so big the food is authentic”
Mexican · $$
110 North Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“I really wanted to like this place, because the food was really good. A girlfriend of mine and my 9 year old son visited here on Tuesday around 4pm. We walked in, we're immediately greeted and sat in a comfy booth, noticing the very unique artwork and decor. Pros: The Cadillac Margaritas on the rocks were very good. Ordered to start the guacamole and chips, was very tasty. We shared the Main Lobster Puerto Nuevo Style, the cook level was on point, and the seasonings were delicious. Now we were told it's 2 lbs of meat, which was definitely not the case. The cost for how much meat, I would say, is not worth the price at $95 an order. My son had grilled chicken tacos that he said were good. And we all appreciated the little churro ice cream dessert I received for a special birthday surprise. Cons: On a 1-10 level of volume, the music was at a 9, for 4pm on a Tuesday, it felt like they were trying to turn the place into a dayclub. Just seemed unnecessary to have it that loud. We could barely hear each other across the table. After sitting a while listening to the music, I would absolutely never bring my son back here. A couple of songs passed as we sat, where every other word was N$gg@#, F@$k, or other explicit words. Some may not agree, but I'm only 38 and find that highly inappropriate for a restaurant. Now, if that's the ambiance you want to have in your restaurant, no argument, however, then make it a 18 and up place or post something stating children may not be the best audience for your restaurant. We even made a comment to our waiter, and he just smiled and said, "Ya, there's a lot of songs like that we play!" and walked off. Our service was definitely less than stellar with him, let me tell you. As we walked in, we stated it was our first time. Anytime we asked a question, before we could finish our question, we were cut off and met with a very dismissive, hasty response as he would be walking away as well. It felt as if we were offending him or he just had more important things to do. Their menu is very confusing, as we were trying to figure out the taco pricing (since it was Taco Tuesday). The service from our waiter, I would say, was a 1 of 10. He was not friendly (even though he smiled) his demeanor was uninviting and sometimes condescending. In the end, thankfully, we had another young lady who was taking care of us. She was very sweet and pleasant as we commented on our concerns she stated she would let the manager know. In understanding, it's not her fault, we would've told our waiter. However, he disappeared after we received our food. All in all, this place has good food, but it is not good enough for us to spend almost $200 for horrible and condescending service.”
Mexican · $
243 South Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Outdoor seating is fun, and there's tons of little birds. Got the asada torta. The asada is among the best I've had. The meat was seasoned perfectly, the bread toasted perfectly, and the red sauce was a superb addition to the flavor 👌 10/10 if I lived it in the area I would for sure be here every day”
Mexican · $
31735 Riverside Drive Unit H, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Delicious food amazing service, thanks Juaquin and Pepe and Giselle.”
Mexican · $
111 North Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“friendly, good customer service”
Mexican · $
1503 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Great food here. Probably one of the most overlooked places in the area. Stop by enjoy some great food and tell them Santa sent you. Been going here for over 5 years now and i have never been disappointed”
Mexican · $
19980 Grand Avenue Ste L, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“The food is good but....I ordered a large menudo to go when I opened it at home there was no spoon and there was more juice than menudo I mean there was VERY little menudo in the cup to the point that you actually had to look for it with your spoon. I've had their tortas and they were good. Haven't tried their burritos or tacos yet. So I'm giving them”
American · $
19980 Grand Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“never had a bad meal extremely friendly staff.”
Mexican · $
16005 Grand Avenue East, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“excelente antención.felicitacioanes al cheff”
Mexican · $
16331 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Tacos Elsinore has been a staple in Lake Elsinore for a very long time, and it’s easy to see why. It’s solid, reliable Mexican fast food that covers all your favorites , quick, tasty, and affordable. They also run daily deals, which makes it even better if you’re trying to grab something good without spending much. My only gripe is the salsas. They’re not the best and definitely not spicy, and the complimentary carrots fall into the same category , not terrible, just not doing much. But honestly, for fast Mexican food at this price point, it’s not a dealbreaker. Stop in for the deal of the day and enjoy some great, fast Mexican food.”
Mexican · $
29280 Central Avenue Ste G, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Found this place on google and it lived up to its name. I got the shrimp burrito with cabbage, crispy cheese, Chipotle sauce and pico on the side. It was delicious! Wifey got the potato taco and carne asada and was pleased as well. Definitely stop by if you're in the lake elsinore area.”
Mexican · $
17053 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
“This place is the best tacos I’ve had in Southern California. Small hole in the wall but the best tacos. Their al pastor was marinated perfectly. Their Micheladas absolutely delicious. We don’t live in the area anymore but whenever we roll by this place we try to stop. Staff is super friendly. This is how tacos should be made!!! Salsa is ? ?”
Mexican · $
29989 Canyon Hills Road, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Great place and service. Major upgrade with the menus and cashiers. Place has turned around. You won't be disappointed. Carne asada burritos are my favorite.”
Tacos · $
161 South Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“This one is for their newer location in Menifee CA. Painful wait, no heads or tails. Even the assigned number they issue has zero sense, as numbers called jump up and down. Let’s say one consumer is issue the number #350 at time of arrival. Numbers called while waiting for the lucky number varied as they are called: 169! 422! 269! etc. Heavy wait waiting for the lucky number: 45 minutes, and in my lucky case 55 minutes. Wether ordering online or in person, there will be people who arrived much later yet they get their food faster. A crew of about 12 lemmings, I mean staff appearing busy but the pace is painfully slow. What can one do but wait. Perhaps Taco Tuesday was a little more challenging. Food ordered: Carne Asada Tacos, Carnitas, Chicken, and Shrimp at $2.89 each. Favorable aspects: Presentation, well served amount wise, nice place, order was accurate, salsas not too shabby (red, green, and the viciously hot ? orange). Not so favorable: all meats for some reason seemed to taste the same, except for the shrimp. Greasy to a certain degree. To repeat the long and almost agonizing wait I would have to drink several cold beers which would make a safe return somewhat hazardous ⚠️ so I pass. For the number of personnel on duty, it should move faster. Perhaps they secretly believe it is worth the wait, but in our case it was not spectacular by a wide margin. Almost $30 for a 3.5 Stars at best.”
Mexican · $
31712 Casino Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Hands down one of the greatest restaurants in Lake Elsinore. The food and service was awesome. My mom and dad had their reception there. Not only was the staff nice. They helped us with everyone and everything. They took good care of my parents, and our friends and family. And let me tell you there was a lot of people. Everyone at Emilio’s was family to us at the end of the night! They even partied with us! 🥳 Thank you so much for everything. One more thing the food was delicious!!!!!!! We had beans, enchiladas, flautus, rice and guacamole. I wanted more round of the flautus!”
Mexican · $
132 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana
Customers’ favorites
“Our company has partnered with Soho Taco for multiple events, and we have consistently had positive experiences. Their service is exemplary, communication is clear and efficient, and the quality of the food is outstanding. Additionally, the staff is friendly and professional, making collaboration a pleasure. We highly recommend Soho Taco as a vendor for your events, and we encourage you to try their tacos, which are a standout option.”
Mexican · $
32251 Mission Trail Ste G4, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Great outside seating area to enjoy the food and watch the World Series!”
Mexican · $
301 Summerhill Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“the burritos are massive. if you are hungry you get a lot of food. the cashier on a friday night was probably the nicest cashier i ever heard as far as i can remember; she sounded like a genuinely nice person. the atmosphere feels like a mexican establishment and feels authentic. the food tastes…. different. i dont know what it is but i found it to be quite bland for some reason there was hardly any flavor. the horchata was tasty. it was a nice leisure drive on a nice cool evening and getting food from here was actually interesting for some reason. the burrito looked massive when i opened the cool looking black container but the flavors didnt really pop. its a very interesting establishment however with a lot going on. the vibe is very interesting on a cool night in september.”
Mexican · $
29263 Central Avenue Ste F, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“just had the best fish tacos, rice and beans, birria quesadilla, hot cheeto corn, and fries. DELICIOUS!! 5 stars from me. will be back soon!! 😋🙌🏼😃”
Mexican · $
15883 Grand Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Great food for an after ride recharge.”
Mexican · $
18292 Collier Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“The food is always good at this location. You can ask for the chicken to be well done, juicy or in between. Personnel are always pleasant and friendly. The restaurant can get busy, specially at the drive thru at peek hours. Dine in is OK, place is clean but it's just a basic dinner. You eat and you leave, nothing different than other Pollo Loco restaurants. Don't forget to ask for your senior or military discount. Same for first responders. They don't mind you asking.”
Caterers · $$
318 Avenue 6, Lake Elsinore
“I hired Michelle’s Kitchen to cater my staff Xmas party. The food and service was amazing! Great communication from start to finish!! I also ordered tamales and they were amazing!”
Mexican · $
31550 Grape Street, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“I hit up El Pollo Loco last weekend when I needed something quick and satisfying, and the combo options really stood out. You can build meals in so many ways with all the sides and fixings, which makes it easy to switch things up without getting bored. The chicken itself was juicy and full of flavor, exactly what I was hoping for on a busy night. The restaurant was spotless too, from the dining area to the counter, which always gives me confidence in a fast casual spot. My only real gripe is how the menu sticks strictly to chicken as the main protein. If you’re in the mood for variety or something else, it feels pretty limiting. A couple of the staff members also came across a bit short and rushed, which took away from the experience a little. Still, it’s a reliable go to for solid flame grilled chicken when you want it fast. Has anyone else run into the same menu or service quirks there? Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.”
Mexican · $
25361 Railroad Canyon Road, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“The Super Breakfast Burrito 🌯 is my favorite! It is enormous, delicious and the fresh salsa bar is extensive... The fresh carrots are flavorful and spicy, I especially love the fresh salsa with cilantro! Thank you for providing a delicious quality breakfast to me, (my favorite) and being there for the entire community throughout this COVID-19 pandemic insanity! The staff is very friendly and helpful, thank you!”
Mexican · $
18320 Collier Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Miguel’s Jr in my home town is a winner! Beautiful new location; same great taste 😋! Miguelitos is a staple for Inland Empire and now SoCal residents who want a delicious meal without the long wait of a sit down restaurant. Plus the Red Sauce is boss! Cada dia! 🙌”
Fast Food · $
18285 Collier Ave h, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Good fish tacos at a reasonable price. The atmosphere got a 4-star rating only because it gets very crowded at peak hours and homeless people lurk in the parking lot. But that's not within the restaurant's control. And the crowd is a good sign that people love the food. So good get some good fish tacos NOW!”
Mexican · $
31900 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Fish taco and Shrimp taco were amazing!! And I love their taco sauce on top!! Enchiladas and chile rellenos were also fabulous. This was the best restaurant Mexican food I've had since moving down here 10 years ago from the Central Coast!! So glad I stumbled upon El Burrito Lake Elsinore!!”
Seafood · $$
31733 Riverside Dr A, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“the food it's really food and the service it's great”
Burgers · $
16820 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“I will never eat at a Corporate or Billionaire fast food joint as long as there an S S Burger Basket available. Double bacon Cheese Burger and Fries were the best. Reminds me of the burger we got in the late 70s. Charbroiled with fries and great portions. This is a must if you are hungry.”
Fast Food · $
31257 Riverside Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Awesome KFC Taco Bell in Lake Elsinore, California As a disabled veteran I have to say the staff were truly setting the bar for excellence with regard to customer service super friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful on both the KFC and the Taco Bell side as we ordered from both my daughter ordered the chicken nuggets on the KFC side ; and my wife and I ordered from the Taco Bell side. She got a chicken quesadilla with extra chicken a soft taco subbing for chicken and I got the three soft taco supreme as well as a Chalupa steak establishment overall was clean. The restrooms were clean. The service was extremely fast like very very fast. We had barely sat down from getting our drinks and they already had our order ready so five stars for fast. My only critiques would be that the Chalupa shell was a little stale. They don’t offer a military discount and your purchases in store don’t count towards your point accumulation with the app on either the KFC or the Taco Bell side.”
Fast Food · $
29245 Central Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Friendly staff that always gets our order right!”
Fast Food · $
31904 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Sucks they don’t have any outside dining but I guess they don’t want any bums around”
Fast Food · $
29230 Central Avenue, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Came here on Tuesday June 6th at 10PM. Whoever was working there tonight was friendly and polite. I ordered the cheesy gordita crunch and a hard taco and both were made beyond perfect. You guys were awesome tonight and the food was so well made. Thank you so much to the staff tonight.”
Fast Food · $
16810 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Tonight’s visit was outstanding, drive tru cashier made our night by being friendly and helpful. We had a big order with lots of picky eaters. They listened to every detail did not miss a thing. All my meals were bagged as meals (saved me from guessing where each item is at) plus all my fries were hot. It’s very refreshing to see great service with people who care about customers.”
Fast Food · $
31712 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore
Customers’ favorites
“Drive thru cashier, I wish I would have got his name EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Patient, kind, it's been awhile since we have been to that Taco Bell we did not really understand the menu he took the time and explained items and boxes on the menu especially offered options or something similar to what we wanted”
El Pollo Loco is betting that loyalty members want more than discounts. The fire-grilled chicken chain rolled out a refreshed Loco Rewards program earlier this year, pairing exclusive experiences with app-driven promotions as part of a broader turnaround that's already delivering results. The centerpiece of the relaunch: a partnership with Coca-Cola for a "soccer challenge" giving members a shot at a VIP trip to the 2026 Major League Soccer All-Star Game in Charlotte, N.C., on July 29. The grand prize includes two game tickets, hotel accommodations, flight vouchers, and a $300 Visa gift card. A hundred runner-up winners each receive a $25 El Pollo Loco gift card.
Qdoba Mexican Eats is speeding up its growth across the nation, adding 33 new locations to its plans and bringing total restaurant commitments to more than 500 across the United States. The fast-casual Mexican chain is growing through key franchise partnerships in many regions. In the Northeast, PFGS, LLC will build 15 locations across Springfield, Mass., and Hartford, Conn. Meanwhile, Empire Inc. has agreed to open 10 restaurants in the Columbus, Ohio area, using their experience running over 100 restaurants including Subway and Dunkin' stores.