I came to Mama Lupita's for lunch one day after several hours in the court room listening to juror selection procedures. So I had pretty high expectations and an empty stomach. There's not too much to say about the restaurant itself. It's somewhat bare, but it's the kind of raw, undesigned design where you can be pretty sure you're about to eat some incredible Mexican food. But let's verify that. How good really was it? To begin my meal, I was provided the standard chips and salsa, as well as a consommé that was more like a fiery noodle soup and was quite enjoyable. The chips tasted fresh and rich. But I was let down by the salsa. It really just tasted like watered down cayenne powder, with no interesting notes in flavor or texture. Thus it was also unjustifiably spicy, which is a terrible sin for a salsa to commit. I ordered the costillas con nopales, and they arrived on an enormous platter with fresh, housemade corn tortillas. The dish was also quite spicy, but this time it felt earned. There were layers in the rich scarlet broth (it looked much brighter in person), some of which were supplied by the meat and nopales. It was a cohesive dish, and not like anything I've had before. The beans and rice were surprisingly good, as I thought they had an anemic appearance. The tortillas were intriguing as well. Not as succulent as a typical housemade corn tortilla but with a curious chewiness and leathery exterior that gave them a delightful mouthfeel. I wish I could have had a few more. I had a pretty good lunch, and I had the good fortune to discover that Mama Lupita's also has rather comfortable bathrooms, which beat the courthouse stalls by a mile. If you're looking to beat the jury duty blues I wouldn't off the bat recommend this place (there are plenty of others to try, and I have found better not too much farther away) but given the short walk and decent food I wouldn't tell you not to give it a shot -- just don't take that as legal advice.
Jack Goodman
Great home style Mexican cooking at decent prices
Christy Broome
Fantastic food and great service. Combo plates are a great value. Lupita’s daughter was so kind!
Cory Mader
Great breakfast burrito wrapped in a sensational tortilla, spicy salsa and chips were a lovely bonus. The cookies for sale at the counter were a nice surprise, absolutely delicious!
Ryan Logue
Paid 20$ for an order of albondigas (meatball soup) and they only put 3 meatballs in it. I will never eat here again. Don't like getting skimped on my food when paying top dollar. Only a tiny bit of rice and beans too. I think they are trying to starve their customers.
Dina Rosenthal
Tamales and burrito were excellent. The salad was so little for the price...barely any meat too.
TK’z Scale Garage
Had breakfast and it was very good and authentic. I will definitely go again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 3 Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Beans
Gabino Gonzalez
Oh delicious food ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
E “J” C
Good food & service. Very consistent. Priced competitively.
Vegetarian options: Just ask your Server
Dietary restrictions: Just ask your Server
Parking: Located across the street from public two tier parking
Kid-friendliness: Food made to order.
Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp at front entrance, all tables and chairs are movable
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Huevos Con Chorizo, 3 Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Beans, Menudo, Steak Fajitas, Chicken Tacos with Rice and Beans, Huevo Divorciado, Chile Verde, Caldo De Res, Super Burrito, Carnitas, Soup, Wet Burrito
Kyler Freeman
It's one of those hole-in-the-wall mexican restaurants. Those are the best because they always have amazing food. This place definitely didn't disappoint! The tortilla for my street taco was homemade and delicious. The rice was top-notch. The waitress was sweet and helpful and deserves a raise. I would definitely come back here at any point.
We ate there Saturday, June 22 for lunch and ordered the tacos and carnitas burrito. The pork meat was spoiled and when you cut the burrito you could smell the bad meat and when my cousin bit into her pork taco and she gaged because of the meat was bad. We told the girl and she just asked if we want different meat and was given a plate to put the bad taco and burrito on. Will not be eating there again.
Food: 1
Service: 2
C
I was craving caldo de res, came here based on the reviews. Got the caldo de res, was lacking flavor, the vegetables were really hard and corn tasted old. From where I was sitting I could see the man warming up everything in the microwave so the tortillas got hard and cold quick. The service was great and the place looks decent. My spouse did like the food he ordered so maybe just the soup isn’t their best.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup
Fred Booker Malcolm
Amazing Tortillas! Warm service. I had the machaca con huevos, it was sensational and very generously portioned. I will be back when next I am in Salinas.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M Pagan
Excellent all the way around! Next time I’m passing through Salinas I’m going to detour here again, well done Mama Lupita’s
I came to Mama Lupita's for lunch one day after several hours in the court room listening to juror selection procedures. So I had pretty high expectations and an empty stomach.
There's not too much to say about the restaurant itself. It's somewhat bare, but it's the kind of raw, undesigned design where you can be pretty sure you're about to eat some incredible Mexican food.
But let's verify that. How good really was it?
To begin my meal, I was provided the standard chips and salsa, as well as a consommé that was more like a fiery noodle soup and was quite enjoyable. The chips tasted fresh and rich. But I was let down by the salsa. It really just tasted like watered down cayenne powder, with no interesting notes in flavor or texture. Thus it was also unjustifiably spicy, which is a terrible sin for a salsa to commit.
I ordered the costillas con nopales, and they arrived on an enormous platter with fresh, housemade corn tortillas. The dish was also quite spicy, but this time it felt earned. There were layers in the rich scarlet broth (it looked much brighter in person), some of which were supplied by the meat and nopales. It was a cohesive dish, and not like anything I've had before. The beans and rice were surprisingly good, as I thought they had an anemic appearance. The tortillas were intriguing as well. Not as succulent as a typical housemade corn tortilla but with a curious chewiness and leathery exterior that gave them a delightful mouthfeel. I wish I could have had a few more.
I had a pretty good lunch, and I had the good fortune to discover that Mama Lupita's also has rather comfortable bathrooms, which beat the courthouse stalls by a mile.
If you're looking to beat the jury duty blues I wouldn't off the bat recommend this place (there are plenty of others to try, and I have found better not too much farther away) but given the short walk and decent food I wouldn't tell you not to give it a shot -- just don't take that as legal advice.
Great home style Mexican cooking at decent prices
Fantastic food and great service. Combo plates are a great value. Lupita’s daughter was so kind!
Great breakfast burrito wrapped in a sensational tortilla, spicy salsa and chips were a lovely bonus. The cookies for sale at the counter were a nice surprise, absolutely delicious!
Paid 20$ for an order of albondigas (meatball soup) and they only put 3 meatballs in it. I will never eat here again. Don't like getting skimped on my food when paying top dollar. Only a tiny bit of rice and beans too. I think they are trying to starve their customers.
Tamales and burrito were excellent. The salad was so little for the price...barely any meat too.
Had breakfast and it was very good and authentic. I will definitely go again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 3 Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Beans
Oh delicious food ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food & service. Very consistent.
Priced competitively.
Vegetarian options: Just ask your Server
Dietary restrictions: Just ask your Server
Parking: Located across the street from public two tier parking
Kid-friendliness: Food made to order.
Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp at front entrance, all tables and chairs are movable
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Huevos Con Chorizo, 3 Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Beans, Menudo, Steak Fajitas, Chicken Tacos with Rice and Beans, Huevo Divorciado, Chile Verde, Caldo De Res, Super Burrito, Carnitas, Soup, Wet Burrito
It's one of those hole-in-the-wall mexican restaurants. Those are the best because they always have amazing food. This place definitely didn't disappoint! The tortilla for my street taco was homemade and delicious. The rice was top-notch. The waitress was sweet and helpful and deserves a raise. I would definitely come back here at any point.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Nice place with good food and friendly staff!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
We ate there Saturday, June 22 for lunch and ordered the tacos and carnitas burrito. The pork meat was spoiled and when you cut the burrito you could smell the bad meat and when my cousin bit into her pork taco and she gaged because of the meat was bad. We told the girl and she just asked if we want different meat and was given a plate to put the bad taco and burrito on. Will not be eating there again.
Food: 1
Service: 2
I was craving caldo de res, came here based on the reviews. Got the caldo de res, was lacking flavor, the vegetables were really hard and corn tasted old. From where I was sitting I could see the man warming up everything in the microwave so the tortillas got hard and cold quick. The service was great and the place looks decent. My spouse did like the food he ordered so maybe just the soup isn’t their best.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup
Amazing Tortillas! Warm service. I had the machaca con huevos, it was sensational and very generously portioned. I will be back when next I am in Salinas.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent all the way around! Next time I’m passing through Salinas I’m going to detour here again, well done Mama Lupita’s
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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