so.... whoever loves food needs to read this before going to this place, seriously. ok, so I have been wanting to try this place out for a while. so finally, I got to get over here and wow, not what I was expecting. they have these combos that they charge you 17 $ plus, and they don't come with rice or beams ! WHY ? ! oh, I know why because you want the people to buy a side of rice and beans for an additional $7. that's shady. also, under the build your own dinner, choose two plus rice & beans and tortillas $26, but if you buy everything separately, it comes to about $21. also shady. the classic ground beef taco that put em on the map is absolutely DISGUSTING.. ground beef tasted like salty fish. ugh.... OVERRATED AND EXPENSIVE ! Won't be coming back !!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Andrea Shaner
Amazing fresh food. So worth the drive.Parking: When facing the front of the restaurant...there is a parking lot for the restaurant on the left side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros, Shredded Beef Taco, Cheese Enchiladas, Enchilada, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before
Erik G.
All I can say is if you like beef hard tacos, then this is the place for you. The service and food is above and beyond what anyone else provides in this genre.
James Hern
The birth place of Taco bell, wasnt bell the mail man that delivered to the McDonald's brothers? Great food service I really like thier coffee
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sis H.
I really enjoy Mitla cafe. Their food is delicious, I love their albondiga soups and shredded beef tacos. My family and I dine here often, we try our best to come during the week day, when there isn't a wait, when there isn't that many people dining in, we get better service. If you go on the weekend, it's packed and there's a lot of people coming in and out. Service is a bit slower on the weekends, with food coming out staggered and not all at once and refills taking a bit longer than expected. So go on the weekdays!! They offer lunch special, their food is always delicious.
Randell Brand
Nice place, try it for date night,or Birthday party, alot of history, open 1937..
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
j covarrubias
Very delicious original mexican food. This place opened in 1037
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Chips, Beef
Katherine Meza
This restaurant has been a Family favorite for over 60 years. VIVA Mitla Cafe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Huevos Rancheros, Beef
Andrew Nagano
Found out that this was what inspired Carl Bell to form Taco Bell, so when I was in the neighborhood, I stopped by for some tacos and was not disappointed. The atmosphere was an old school "Mexican restaurant." Very quaint. Everyone was very friendly with great service. The food was served quickly and was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ground Beef Tacos, Hard Shell Taco, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before, Chips, Beef, Carne Asada
Dee A.
One of my favorite restaurants. I love the Irene Special, but everything on the menu is delicious
I so would like to give this place five stars, but they do not budge when it comes to their menu. Not everybody eats meat. And cheese, tortillas and sauce (enchiladas) are HARDLY a balanced meal. This was my second time there and again they could not honor a simple request. I ordered two cheese enchiladas and a taco the first time, and gave the taco away. That, after asking if I could have a potato taco instead of meat taco. NOPE. My 2nd time I figured, since they have guacamole tacos/taquitos on their menu, I asked if I could have a guacamole taco instead. No again. I do not understand, considering meat costs more than avocado and potatoes (last I knew). The flavor of their food is very authentic, but the service has not been the friendliest. A tad robotic actually. Which to me, effects taste. Nothing worse than eating food made or served by a grumpy person and/or personnel not quite there. I did not see cooks, so I cannot blame them, but someone in that establishment is setting a terribly contagious dark mood. Those visible are there in body, but in mind/emotion... lights are on but nobody's home. Cut and dry, rather emotionless. Place is big, and includes a banquet room in the back building with lots of parking. Will a third time be a charm? I doubt it, so I won't waste my time. I discovered this place after seeing a short video about it on how it was responsible for the original Taco Bell. Flavors are fabulous, catering to vegetarians sucks. And customer service could use a serious attitude adjustment. May the owners/management send in someone to fix the vibe because, as someone highly sensitive to food and energy, it is affecting the food and workers. Another potential solution is to hire a vegetarian who could bring Mitla Cafe up to the 21st Century. Because eating cheese enchiladas (my literal only choice on their menu) alone gets boring and needs some major balancing. I stopped eating Mexican rice because of the MSG in the bouillon cube/powder. Please and thank you on being open to vegetarians. If not, not a big deal. There are many places that do cater to my needs. Many of which, do so on the spot mind you. **Understand, I am not a vegetarian by choice. I was born one due to a birth defect.
Bruno Z.
Mitla Café is a GEM in the heart of San Bernardino, California. Wonderful environment! It is authentic Mexican food bursting with flavor. Friendly staff make you feel right at home. Can't go wrong with their bomb tacos or some delicious handmade tamales!!!!
Cela C.
Food was hot, and the enchilada tasted good. But that really it. Ground beef taco had hardly no meat. My husbands had raw meat. Their food does not include beans and rice. That's an extra 7 for small portion of beans and rice. 2 cheese enchiladas and one taco was 15. So at 15 dollars a plate plus 7 is 22 for one plate. it's just not worth it. I can make the same food at home. They kept pushing drinks and that's cause they charge for refills. The bathroom was old and smelled. The service gets a 1 star, ladies are rude to you. I asked to sit at a different table and the waitress wouldn't let me. She said it was for bigger parties but in the whole time we were there, no one sat there. We ordered churros to go, the churros stunk like they had been cooked in old lard. Not edible, gross nasty taste. 9.75 fir churros we didn't eat. Simply put the price is way too high for what you're getting. I don't recommend it. Alberto's nachos are much taster and you get allot of food for price. What a disappointment.
frank tamayo
Family friendly,Great food and serviceParking: Street onlyKid-friendliness: Kids menu, crayons and color books for child
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Albondigas, Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Ground Beef Tacos, Shredded Beef Taco, Hard Shell Taco, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before, Chile Verde
Diana Lozano
The best place in San
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Albondigas, Shredded Beef Taco, Chips and Salsa
so.... whoever loves food needs to read this before going to this place, seriously. ok, so I have been wanting to try this place out for a while. so finally, I got to get over here and wow, not what I was expecting. they have these combos that they charge you 17 $ plus, and they don't come with rice or beams ! WHY ? ! oh, I know why because you want the people to buy a side of rice and beans for an additional $7. that's shady. also, under the build your own dinner, choose two plus rice & beans and tortillas $26, but if you buy everything separately, it comes to about $21. also shady. the classic ground beef taco that put em on the map is absolutely DISGUSTING.. ground beef tasted like salty fish. ugh.... OVERRATED AND EXPENSIVE ! Won't be coming back !!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Amazing fresh food. So worth the drive.Parking: When facing the front of the restaurant...there is a parking lot for the restaurant on the left side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros, Shredded Beef Taco, Cheese Enchiladas, Enchilada, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before
All I can say is if you like beef hard tacos, then this is the place for you. The service and food is above and beyond what anyone else provides in this genre.
The birth place of Taco bell, wasnt bell the mail man that delivered to the McDonald's brothers? Great food service I really like thier coffee
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really enjoy Mitla cafe. Their food is delicious, I love their albondiga soups and shredded beef tacos. My family and I dine here often, we try our best to come during the week day, when there isn't a wait, when there isn't that many people dining in, we get better service. If you go on the weekend, it's packed and there's a lot of people coming in and out. Service is a bit slower on the weekends, with food coming out staggered and not all at once and refills taking a bit longer than expected. So go on the weekdays!! They offer lunch special, their food is always delicious.
Nice place, try it for date night,or Birthday party, alot of history, open 1937..
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Very delicious original mexican food. This place opened in 1037
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Chips, Beef
This restaurant has been a Family favorite for over 60 years. VIVA Mitla Cafe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Huevos Rancheros, Beef
Found out that this was what inspired Carl Bell to form Taco Bell, so when I was in the neighborhood, I stopped by for some tacos and was not disappointed. The atmosphere was an old school "Mexican restaurant." Very quaint. Everyone was very friendly with great service. The food was served quickly and was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ground Beef Tacos, Hard Shell Taco, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before, Chips, Beef, Carne Asada
One of my favorite restaurants. I love the Irene Special, but everything on the menu is delicious
Restaurantji Recommends
I so would like to give this place five stars, but they do not budge when it comes to their menu. Not everybody eats meat. And cheese, tortillas and sauce (enchiladas) are HARDLY a balanced meal. This was my second time there and again they could not honor a simple request. I ordered two cheese enchiladas and a taco the first time, and gave the taco away. That, after asking if I could have a potato taco instead of meat taco. NOPE. My 2nd time I figured, since they have guacamole tacos/taquitos on their menu, I asked if I could have a guacamole taco instead. No again. I do not understand, considering meat costs more than avocado and potatoes (last I knew). The flavor of their food is very authentic, but the service has not been the friendliest. A tad robotic actually. Which to me, effects taste. Nothing worse than eating food made or served by a grumpy person and/or personnel not quite there. I did not see cooks, so I cannot blame them, but someone in that establishment is setting a terribly contagious dark mood. Those visible are there in body, but in mind/emotion... lights are on but nobody's home. Cut and dry, rather emotionless. Place is big, and includes a banquet room in the back building with lots of parking. Will a third time be a charm? I doubt it, so I won't waste my time. I discovered this place after seeing a short video about it on how it was responsible for the original Taco Bell. Flavors are fabulous, catering to vegetarians sucks. And customer service could use a serious attitude adjustment. May the owners/management send in someone to fix the vibe because, as someone highly sensitive to food and energy, it is affecting the food and workers. Another potential solution is to hire a vegetarian who could bring Mitla Cafe up to the 21st Century. Because eating cheese enchiladas (my literal only choice on their menu) alone gets boring and needs some major balancing. I stopped eating Mexican rice because of the MSG in the bouillon cube/powder. Please and thank you on being open to vegetarians. If not, not a big deal. There are many places that do cater to my needs. Many of which, do so on the spot mind you. **Understand, I am not a vegetarian by choice. I was born one due to a birth defect.
Mitla Café is a GEM in the heart of San Bernardino, California. Wonderful environment! It is authentic Mexican food bursting with flavor. Friendly staff make you feel right at home. Can't go wrong with their bomb tacos or some delicious handmade tamales!!!!
Food was hot, and the enchilada tasted good. But that really it. Ground beef taco had hardly no meat. My husbands had raw meat. Their food does not include beans and rice. That's an extra 7 for small portion of beans and rice. 2 cheese enchiladas and one taco was 15. So at 15 dollars a plate plus 7 is 22 for one plate. it's just not worth it. I can make the same food at home. They kept pushing drinks and that's cause they charge for refills. The bathroom was old and smelled. The service gets a 1 star, ladies are rude to you. I asked to sit at a different table and the waitress wouldn't let me. She said it was for bigger parties but in the whole time we were there, no one sat there. We ordered churros to go, the churros stunk like they had been cooked in old lard. Not edible, gross nasty taste. 9.75 fir churros we didn't eat. Simply put the price is way too high for what you're getting. I don't recommend it. Alberto's nachos are much taster and you get allot of food for price. What a disappointment.
Family friendly,Great food and serviceParking: Street onlyKid-friendliness: Kids menu, crayons and color books for child
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Albondigas, Taco Enchilada and Chile Relleno, Ground Beef Tacos, Shredded Beef Taco, Hard Shell Taco, Combination Plate, Beans and Rice, Basket of Chips & Salsa Before, Chile Verde
The best place in San
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Albondigas, Shredded Beef Taco, Chips and Salsa