Amazing quality food. You can tell the food is fresh. I love the open kitchen concept. Service was very "humble" lol. Really though... I liked this place a lot! I'm so happy it's in the valley. Don't move! Cooks and the server was very nice. Server was attentive. Very rare to find now a days. Thanks y'all.
Brian G.
This quixotic eatery located the end of an unassuming strip mall next to the train tracks is an experiment and experience that is finding its identity; for the starry-eyed gourmand in search of something different on this side of the SF Valley, Humble Bee Cocina represents an opportunity to experience an eatery in metamorphosis, en route to something that perhaps the team there hasn't quite grasped yet. In short, do try.A cousin to the popular Humble Bee Bakery & Restaurant, Humble Bee Cocina is something different. After months of passing by this place, we decided to give it a try. We were impressed with the use of fresh, local ingredients and its refreshing spin on healthy Cal-Mexican fare. After a few return visits, we were disappointed to see that Humble Bee Cocina had changed its hours and was updating its menu. I was rebuffed during a lunch visit and wandered away for a few months. Then, I started hearing about a new dinner format that features rotating chef's inspired dishes and a separate daily lunch menu that still has Cal-Mexican influences.Dinner on Friday is happening. It's as if half the Valley seems to be descending on this small place. On the night we went, it was gourmet Mexican themed. We tried 4 different dishes including the cocktail. To be honest, not every dish hit home. The cocktail was intriguing, but we found it to be too herbaceous and light on other flavors. The popular mashed avocado with chips was delightful. The soup was just ok. Our pork was smoky and delicious, but the bean side was overwhelming. We love the vision of where this team wants to go and though our dinner wasn't 5 star across the board, we were pleased and still open to coming back. I've since gone back for lunch twice. The first time was excellent. I had the fish burrito and it was fresh and amazing. The squash frittata was incredible as well. The drip coffee superb. My second lunch the other day was unfortunately not quite as good - even the squash frittata was not as good as my previous visit.Despite my uneven experiences, I am excited for what the team is trying to do at Humble Bee Cocina. The price point, especially for dinner, is a bit eye catching for the zip code - I would expect to see some of those prices at fine dining options in other parts of the city. Service is friendly, but it can get uneven and less friendly during busy dinner rush times. When it's slower, the staff is lovely. I look forward to seeing how Humble Bee Cocina evolves!
Roxana G.
The french toast was delicious! Best whip cream ever! Service was great too. We will be coming here often. The place is welcome great atmosphere.
Carlene Edwards
We need more stars in rating this Topnotch restaurant - five stars is not enough!!!I’ve driven by Humble Bee Bakery and Cafe on Saticoy many times, but never stopped to check it out. So the other day when I saw Humble Bee Cocina on Lindley, I decided to give it a try - by the way, same owner. I will definitely be visiting the Cafe on Saticoy after my five star experience at the Cocina on Lindley.Humble Bee Cocina resides inside a tan stucco structure with a Spanish style roof overhead and has a sign that’s rather “humble” in design. This, coupled with the fact that it sits alongside other Valley-generic storefronts, you might have the impulse to shrug it off with a slight Unh!. But remember this impulse, for after you’ve experienced the Cocina, you might just say. “I have never been so wrong in all my life”.Let’s start with the yellow bicycle out front, it has plants inside its little bike basket - that’s super cute. Now let’s take a trip inside. There’s approximately 10 to 11 tables, all arranged in such a way that the area doesn’t seem too small - but if you want a different experience, there’s plenty of enclosed outdoor seating as well. The interior decor is simple yet elegantly modern. It has a warm overhead lighting that’s perfect, along with some natural lighting from windows in the front; the combo creates a relaxing environment - so we’re off to a good start. The music is quite diverse, (loved hearing Johnny Cash) The ceiling is quite high which allows for good acoustics - in other words, I can hear myself talking. The chairs are ergonomically made for comfort and there’s a nicely designed bar with a few stools located off in the distance. The walls are delightfully displayed with original artwork and when done gazing upon these uniquely painted canvases, feel free to turn your attention to the preparation of the food, as there is an open kitchen adjacent to the restaurant. Moving to the back section of the restaurant, the bathroom is super practical, nothing fancy here; but this is how we want it, right; a public bathroom to be straight utilitarian so it can be kept exceptionally clean? Now for the waitstaff, very professional and friendly; they honestly seemed to care about my experience (are we still in L.A.?). The over-all ambiance is important - this Cocina has a positively welcoming vibe that is in my opinion, Topnotch!! It must have been planned this way so as to not distract us from savoring the most incredibly delicious and extraordinary food one can imagine. I haven’t been this Wow’ed in a very long time. I thought somehow I had been magically transported to the Westside - no offense San Fernando, The chef, who is also the owner, is charming, with a great sense of humor. I swear, if he hadn’t been so focused on creating his delectable display of amazing food-art, he would be welcoming every customer as if they were a long-lost relative.Thank you Humble Bee, for coming to our humble little valley and for bringing your high quality food at such a reasonable price. You are, without a doubt, San Fernando’s local paradise; a place where we can go to experience the optimal levels of quality and care that you have so successfully provided for us.I am a writer and when I leave a review, I leave it with honesty and sincerity. If you read a bad review for these restaurants, please allow my review to over-ride it and remember that experiencing is believing. Take on the experience of Humble Bee - I’m certain you will be satisfied.
Molly C.
OMG. Seriously. I have no idea how lucky I was to find this place. I saw it was closing by 3 and usually some of the best places serve a breakfast and lunch only so I went. Cute little place in a strip mall. Clean, all gender bathroom smelled nice, no joke. I sat down looked over the menu and ordered a vegetable panini with a salad. There was a guy sitting across from me and I caught his eye quickly. He looked at me and said this burrito is so good! I said, what did you get? And he said I got the fish burrito. This guy was seriously losing his mind over this burrito. I suddenly felt bad. I got my vegetable Panini. I told him I got a vegetable Panini. He said oh, I was almost going to get that one. He made me feel better. better until my Panini arrived. It was beautiful and so was the salad and it took me all of 15 minutes to take that thing down. It was a real vegetable sandwich on sourdough zucchini, spinach gosh I don't know what else, but it was just delicious. The salad was so special and it was beautiful to look at. I couldn't be happier about the lunch I had at a place I stumbled upon by happenstance.
Kent K.
As always some of the best food in Northridge. Today a Bee Burger and beer . A great way to have lunch...
Chahin N.
Super nice place very clean chef-owner is extremely nice I had a burger that was so delicious I think they make their bun at the premise and he even gave me a delicious donut as for being there for the first time I absolutely recommend this restaurant
Kira Taylor
The food is amazing. Be sure to try the fries! Skirt steak sandwich is delicious. Friendly staff. I’ll be coming back.
Jade Dotson
I originally went here when it was Sol Bee, and enjoyed the tacos. I came back (1/13/23) and they have revamped the menu for breakfast and lunch but still have amazing options for allergy, vegetarian and meat eaters! I'm from Tucson,AZ which is a City of Gastronomy so I've been struggling to find great food but this is definitely hitting the spot!Vegetarian options: The mushroom tacos were amazing!Dietary restrictions: I love that they have GF and vegetarian options, they'll also sub for allergies!
amber weinberg
This place is so good! The chips and salsa were perfect and so was the guacamole! The tacos were amazing too! There is a lot of creativity in the menu. And the server was a sweetheart.
Very good food! I went here and got many scrumptious things! Good service, but poor hours. Also very irregular hours, you can't count on their posted hours. Call ahead.Vegetarian options: VERY vegetarian friendly! So many options, and things you might not necessarily see everywhere such as nopale.
Kazem R.
The food quality is great. I've tried everything on the menu - from the apps to the tacos to their main plates - and have throughly enjoyed them all. The pickled veggies on the side are the perfect addition of crunch and flavor. The owners are wonderful, and very friendly. I've been extremely satisfied every time and everyone I've recommended Sol Bee to has had a fantastic experience. Highly recommend Sol Bee you won't be disappointed.
Candice Adams
Cozy, delicious, friendly staff. I will definitely come again. The only thing you can find fault with is that loud music makes it difficult to hear the interlocutor, but this is if you really find fault with it. I recommend visiting, at least evaluate the format and understand whether you should go to such establishments or not.
Lilia A.
I can't wait to try it. The description online looks tempting! Looking forward to adding to this review.
Jon C.
Popped in for the first time today to a friendly staff, interesting and flavorful gourmet tacos, a fun beer selection (Baltic porter is pretty good), and some tasty nachos. I'm always wary of trying Asada because it can be really chewy at places, but not here. Chicharron taco packed a punch, shrimp and daily fish landed really well for me and will probably be my go to when we come back. Great textures across the board. Handmade tortillas. Cute water glasses. Will definitely return.
Amazing quality food. You can tell the food is fresh. I love the open kitchen concept. Service was very "humble" lol. Really though... I liked this place a lot! I'm so happy it's in the valley. Don't move! Cooks and the server was very nice. Server was attentive. Very rare to find now a days. Thanks y'all.
This quixotic eatery located the end of an unassuming strip mall next to the train tracks is an experiment and experience that is finding its identity; for the starry-eyed gourmand in search of something different on this side of the SF Valley, Humble Bee Cocina represents an opportunity to experience an eatery in metamorphosis, en route to something that perhaps the team there hasn't quite grasped yet. In short, do try.A cousin to the popular Humble Bee Bakery & Restaurant, Humble Bee Cocina is something different. After months of passing by this place, we decided to give it a try. We were impressed with the use of fresh, local ingredients and its refreshing spin on healthy Cal-Mexican fare. After a few return visits, we were disappointed to see that Humble Bee Cocina had changed its hours and was updating its menu. I was rebuffed during a lunch visit and wandered away for a few months. Then, I started hearing about a new dinner format that features rotating chef's inspired dishes and a separate daily lunch menu that still has Cal-Mexican influences.Dinner on Friday is happening. It's as if half the Valley seems to be descending on this small place. On the night we went, it was gourmet Mexican themed. We tried 4 different dishes including the cocktail. To be honest, not every dish hit home. The cocktail was intriguing, but we found it to be too herbaceous and light on other flavors. The popular mashed avocado with chips was delightful. The soup was just ok. Our pork was smoky and delicious, but the bean side was overwhelming. We love the vision of where this team wants to go and though our dinner wasn't 5 star across the board, we were pleased and still open to coming back. I've since gone back for lunch twice. The first time was excellent. I had the fish burrito and it was fresh and amazing. The squash frittata was incredible as well. The drip coffee superb. My second lunch the other day was unfortunately not quite as good - even the squash frittata was not as good as my previous visit.Despite my uneven experiences, I am excited for what the team is trying to do at Humble Bee Cocina. The price point, especially for dinner, is a bit eye catching for the zip code - I would expect to see some of those prices at fine dining options in other parts of the city. Service is friendly, but it can get uneven and less friendly during busy dinner rush times. When it's slower, the staff is lovely. I look forward to seeing how Humble Bee Cocina evolves!
The french toast was delicious! Best whip cream ever! Service was great too. We will be coming here often. The place is welcome great atmosphere.
We need more stars in rating this Topnotch restaurant - five stars is not enough!!!I’ve driven by Humble Bee Bakery and Cafe on Saticoy many times, but never stopped to check it out. So the other day when I saw Humble Bee Cocina on Lindley, I decided to give it a try - by the way, same owner. I will definitely be visiting the Cafe on Saticoy after my five star experience at the Cocina on Lindley.Humble Bee Cocina resides inside a tan stucco structure with a Spanish style roof overhead and has a sign that’s rather “humble” in design. This, coupled with the fact that it sits alongside other Valley-generic storefronts, you might have the impulse to shrug it off with a slight Unh!. But remember this impulse, for after you’ve experienced the Cocina, you might just say. “I have never been so wrong in all my life”.Let’s start with the yellow bicycle out front, it has plants inside its little bike basket - that’s super cute. Now let’s take a trip inside. There’s approximately 10 to 11 tables, all arranged in such a way that the area doesn’t seem too small - but if you want a different experience, there’s plenty of enclosed outdoor seating as well. The interior decor is simple yet elegantly modern. It has a warm overhead lighting that’s perfect, along with some natural lighting from windows in the front; the combo creates a relaxing environment - so we’re off to a good start. The music is quite diverse, (loved hearing Johnny Cash) The ceiling is quite high which allows for good acoustics - in other words, I can hear myself talking. The chairs are ergonomically made for comfort and there’s a nicely designed bar with a few stools located off in the distance. The walls are delightfully displayed with original artwork and when done gazing upon these uniquely painted canvases, feel free to turn your attention to the preparation of the food, as there is an open kitchen adjacent to the restaurant. Moving to the back section of the restaurant, the bathroom is super practical, nothing fancy here; but this is how we want it, right; a public bathroom to be straight utilitarian so it can be kept exceptionally clean? Now for the waitstaff, very professional and friendly; they honestly seemed to care about my experience (are we still in L.A.?). The over-all ambiance is important - this Cocina has a positively welcoming vibe that is in my opinion, Topnotch!! It must have been planned this way so as to not distract us from savoring the most incredibly delicious and extraordinary food one can imagine. I haven’t been this Wow’ed in a very long time. I thought somehow I had been magically transported to the Westside - no offense San Fernando, The chef, who is also the owner, is charming, with a great sense of humor. I swear, if he hadn’t been so focused on creating his delectable display of amazing food-art, he would be welcoming every customer as if they were a long-lost relative.Thank you Humble Bee, for coming to our humble little valley and for bringing your high quality food at such a reasonable price. You are, without a doubt, San Fernando’s local paradise; a place where we can go to experience the optimal levels of quality and care that you have so successfully provided for us.I am a writer and when I leave a review, I leave it with honesty and sincerity. If you read a bad review for these restaurants, please allow my review to over-ride it and remember that experiencing is believing. Take on the experience of Humble Bee - I’m certain you will be satisfied.
OMG. Seriously. I have no idea how lucky I was to find this place. I saw it was closing by 3 and usually some of the best places serve a breakfast and lunch only so I went. Cute little place in a strip mall. Clean, all gender bathroom smelled nice, no joke. I sat down looked over the menu and ordered a vegetable panini with a salad. There was a guy sitting across from me and I caught his eye quickly. He looked at me and said this burrito is so good! I said, what did you get? And he said I got the fish burrito. This guy was seriously losing his mind over this burrito. I suddenly felt bad. I got my vegetable Panini. I told him I got a vegetable Panini. He said oh, I was almost going to get that one. He made me feel better. better until my Panini arrived. It was beautiful and so was the salad and it took me all of 15 minutes to take that thing down. It was a real vegetable sandwich on sourdough zucchini, spinach gosh I don't know what else, but it was just delicious. The salad was so special and it was beautiful to look at. I couldn't be happier about the lunch I had at a place I stumbled upon by happenstance.
As always some of the best food in Northridge. Today a Bee Burger and beer . A great way to have lunch...
Super nice place very clean chef-owner is extremely nice I had a burger that was so delicious I think they make their bun at the premise and he even gave me a delicious donut as for being there for the first time I absolutely recommend this restaurant
The food is amazing. Be sure to try the fries! Skirt steak sandwich is delicious. Friendly staff. I’ll be coming back.
I originally went here when it was Sol Bee, and enjoyed the tacos. I came back (1/13/23) and they have revamped the menu for breakfast and lunch but still have amazing options for allergy, vegetarian and meat eaters! I'm from Tucson,AZ which is a City of Gastronomy so I've been struggling to find great food but this is definitely hitting the spot!Vegetarian options: The mushroom tacos were amazing!Dietary restrictions: I love that they have GF and vegetarian options, they'll also sub for allergies!
This place is so good! The chips and salsa were perfect and so was the guacamole! The tacos were amazing too! There is a lot of creativity in the menu. And the server was a sweetheart.
Restaurantji Recommends
Very good food! I went here and got many scrumptious things! Good service, but poor hours. Also very irregular hours, you can't count on their posted hours. Call ahead.Vegetarian options: VERY vegetarian friendly! So many options, and things you might not necessarily see everywhere such as nopale.
The food quality is great. I've tried everything on the menu - from the apps to the tacos to their main plates - and have throughly enjoyed them all. The pickled veggies on the side are the perfect addition of crunch and flavor. The owners are wonderful, and very friendly. I've been extremely satisfied every time and everyone I've recommended Sol Bee to has had a fantastic experience. Highly recommend Sol Bee you won't be disappointed.
Cozy, delicious, friendly staff. I will definitely come again. The only thing you can find fault with is that loud music makes it difficult to hear the interlocutor, but this is if you really find fault with it. I recommend visiting, at least evaluate the format and understand whether you should go to such establishments or not.
I can't wait to try it. The description online looks tempting! Looking forward to adding to this review.
Popped in for the first time today to a friendly staff, interesting and flavorful gourmet tacos, a fun beer selection (Baltic porter is pretty good), and some tasty nachos. I'm always wary of trying Asada because it can be really chewy at places, but not here. Chicharron taco packed a punch, shrimp and daily fish landed really well for me and will probably be my go to when we come back. Great textures across the board. Handmade tortillas. Cute water glasses. Will definitely return.