Centro Cocina Mexicana

This was our first time here. Absolutely incredible food. So flavorful,authentic & the presentations were spot on. Our server Richard was wonderful. He did an amazing Job. We were ordering a lot of different dishes and appetizers and special requests and he handled them all with ease or at least he made it all look easy. Always smiling and engaging us with light conversation. I would easily give this restaurant 10+ stars ⭐️ if possible. Clean restrooms. Very nice outdoor patio seating. Small back lot where they have valet parking for a small fee except on Tuesday nights then it’s just free parking. We got to chat with one of the Chiefs (Juan) very nice gentleman. He was telling us that they make their Mole ,which by the way was also incredibly tasty & authentic, fresh every day.

Centro has been my favorite spot for Mexican food in Sacramento for over 20 years, it's a shame I hadn't written this sooner as it's well deserved. They’ve done an amazing job updating the menu over time while preserving the heart of their flavors, making every visit feel like a reliable and authentic experience. Stepping into Centro means entering a warm, lively atmosphere where you can smell the delicious food being prepared—a detail that makes you feel like you’re part of the cooking process. I’ve tried nearly everything on their menu, and the standout favorites are the Enchiladas Oaxaqueñas, Cochinita Pibil, and the Manchamanteles - which never disappoint. The burrito and taco combo plate is also a fantastic value, offering a great mix of flavors and portions. I personally think their carnitas is a little dry but I'm not much of a carnitas person anyways. The drink menu is very wide and their margaritas are exceptional, with a selection of flavored tequilas and a Cadillac margarita that’s especially satisfying. Even their house margarita is fantastic value, with quality ingredients and no reliance on subpar well options, which is a huge plus. Some may even find themselves there just for the tequila tasting alone. Inside, the ambiance is lively but not too loud, perfect for everything from a celebratory night out to a relaxed dinner. Centro has mastered the blend of atmosphere, quality, and innovation, making it a Sacramento gem and my go-to spot for outstanding Mexican food, year after year! The only thing that I do miss is the skeleton riding the motorcycle in the window which was a really cool decoration for everyone!

Beyond incredible!! We came in last week the night before my birthday and our server made excellent recommendations - I tried the salmon special with garlic chili oil and rice with plantains - I cannot speak highly enough of this dish!!! Insanely good!!! My husband got one of the pork dishes our server said is his favorite. Delicious! And the margaritas were perfect. Wish we had found this place sooner, highly recommend!

I went to earlier in the day so it was pretty quiet and they gave me the choice to sit wherever I wanted so I picked outside. The food was delicious, fresh, and the outdoor seating was shaded and beautiful.

Saturday brunch was delicious. Huevos Rancheros, Pan Frances, and the Brunch Margarita. Our party also had the Mexican Coffee (amazing), Huarache de Res, and Chilaquiles. There was a tiny hiccup with the check, but it was handled with outstanding customer service. They have a casual, friendly vibe and a great midtown location. We'll definitely be back to try Happy Hour and the Dinner menu.

Cute place on the corner. Service was decent. Went for happy hour. Drinks were on point!! Had the carnita tacos. 3 for $10. Good just a lil fatty. Sliders with the pickled onions were yummy. Happy hour is 3-6pm

Excellent chips and salsa! Very relaxed atmosphere in cool and stylish surroundings. Good food, had a mushroom taco and a carne asada taco. Lots on the menu I need to come back and try! A definite new favorite!

Service was great. Guacamole and salsa was delicious. I tried the shrimp tacos - they were big shrimp with breading. It was a good meal. I tried the frozen rum and lychee slush too.

Recently went in to Centro Cocina and it did not disappoint! I don't write many reviews but this place definitely deserved a shoutout. By far the best Mexican food. From the delicious food to the inviting atmosphere, I could really tell this restaurant prides itself on making you feel right at home. The staff was attentive, service was quick, food was excellent and vibes were at 100%. Bartenders were lively and a good time, everyone seemed to be on top of it and in a good mood. The manager even came by to check on us and told us how they use fresh ingredients in every dish which is a huge plus. I could definitely tell by the quality of everything I had. The energy was there for sure. Definitely recommend the Anniversary Infusion Margarita. Straight fire and such a great concept to add a spin on the traditional cocktail. Chicken Enchiladas were to die for. Same with the Camarones a la Parrilla. Honestly, all around amazing, even down to the chips and salsa, especially the green one. This place is absolutely to die for. I will be back...and I'm bringing everyone I know! Can't wait to try some other items on their menu next time. Thank you Centro!

This use to be our favorite Mexican restaurant in all of Sacramento, we used to come all the time but hadn't been in maybe a year and came on a whim on a Wednesday night. 3 of the 4 of us were disappointed with our food. The guacamole was too spicy for any of us, inedible. They changed their chips and they are now just mediocre. All three burritos we tried were overpoweringly spicy. One persons order came incorrectly. Ambience remains the same, always pleasant and nicely decorated. We were so excited to come here and eat our favorites...we're seriously let down and not sure we will return. Per my dad who has been coming since opening day, "it breaks my heart"

This was my 2nd time here. The staff was friendly and greeted us right away upon entering. My friend and I were seated right away at the bar. The ambiance was inviting with great music and lighting. It wasn't to dark or bright. We ordered their small plates, the chicken enchiladas and chicken taquitos with a margarita and a Paloma. I enjoyed my taquitos as it was not dry and flavorful. I just added the hot salsa as I love my food spicy! Happy Hour started at 9pm so we ordered the infusion margaritas drink with mango flavors. Next time will have to come during happy hour for the food. Definitely a great place to hang out with friends. Great company and food all around.

I was hesitant to leave this review because I really do enjoy Centro and usually have a great experience here. That said, one of my biggest frustrations is when a business doesn't follow their posted hours. Last weekend, I came by for brunch only to find them closed. I realized they no longer serve brunch, which is on me for not double-checking. No biggie. But when I came again on Wednesday around 8:45, the doors were locked and the restaurant was empty even though hours say they close at 9. I'm not sure if they had a reason for closing early but it's disappointing for one of my favorite places to do this.

Came in to celebrate my birthday and was not disappointed with my choice. The atmosphere was great and it immediately smelled incredible. Their infusions were highly recommended so I had an anniversary margarita that was delicious, very refreshing. We started with gooey, delicious queso fundido and then our server recommended the asada de puerco which was INCREDIBLE. Our server was attentive and helpful and answered all our questions. Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because it was VERY hot in the restaurant, I think their air was just broken that day though.

We brought a big group here on Monday night, and the staff were very accommodating. We called about an hour ahead of time to let them know there would be 12 of us. When we arrived there was a high top table set for us in the bar area. The chips and salsa are $3 each, and we ordered a few for the table. They have margaritas and other cocktails available. The margaritas here were just ok. The chips and salsa were good. The chips are thin and light. They brought out salsa roja and verde, and those were both tasty. The roja has just a little more kick than the verde. I ordered the two taco plate with refried black beans and 1 carnitas taco and 1 Camarones taco. The shrimp was breaded and complimented with a cabbage slaw and mango salsa. The carnitas were a little crispy and had great flavor. The side of rice was steamed and seasoned white rice. The refried black beans were pretty good. Overall he food was good, but the timing for all the dishes to come out was a little off. The last dish for our last person waiting took significantly longer than the other food even though it wasn't a particularly complicated order. Other than that, everything seemed to be prepared well and tasted nice. It's a good, casual Mexican spot, and I would eat here again. I would definitely want the carnitas again.

As someone who is Mexican, when you usually come into these kind of restaurants you think to yourself, "this might be bad or it might be pretty good". For Centro, they have my trust in coming to eat Mexican food late at night and any other time of the day. They are usually open with a fuller menu which is also really good but we usually come for their late night happy hour (9pm-12am). That menu consists of many small Mexican dishes which are honestly pretty filling. They also have a variety of cocktails and some very delicious infused tequila shots. The setting is always nice at night, with good music playing in the background that honestly makes you feel really comfortable while being there. Service is also always really good, with everyone being attentive to everything around the restaurant. Definitely check them out next time you have late night cravings for REAL Mexican food.

I came here with my friend. bartender was so nice and food was so good! I had the Tostaditas Yucatecas and it was BOMB! my friend loved her tacos- food quality was amazing. great service as well

Omg had the best food and drink I forgot to take a picture lol. I had the tacos de pollo and burritos de carnitas with a margarita. Omg everything was perfect. The beans and rice were amazing and service was great. The ambiance is nice a bit busy but not bad. The girls and I had a good time

This place was amazing. i was able to get in and the service was fast, friendly and attentive. The food is super healthy and wonderfully prepared. The blue quesadillas and the chicken taquitos were a perfect pairing. Their salsa verde is sooo good.

The seating areas are both inside and outside, the specials are worth looking at! The service was a little slow and not incredibly attentive, but we were sitting outside at a busier hour. I had the birria tacos (one of the specials) and they were pretty good, i do feel the portions could have been a little more generous for the price but the food was good. the rice is fabulous.

Met up with friends for dinner. The food was great we all enjoyed what we had and drinks tasty. The restaurant wasn't loud so we were able to visit and enjoy each other. Great spot to meet up! Service was wonderful too!

I've only been here a handful of times in the last 15 years, and the most recent time was earlier this month for my brother's birthday. The customer service was excellent. The food took a very long time to come out, but they kept refilling our water and chips and salsa while we waited. The food was extremely flavorful. I took too long to post this review, so I don't remember the exact name of my fish. However, it was pork with a sweet potato tamale (phenomenal) and it had chunks of pineapple. It was a very unique dish -- inspired by Yucatán I believe. Everyone was happy with their food. Their margarita pitcher was decently priced. The ceviche was so refreshing and the chips and salsa were fresh and addicting. I liked that they had a fall specials menu too (photographed). I will be back soon!

I was craving some fish and chips and heard this place had some of the best. I discovered a new fish and it's called Totoaba! It's absolutely amazing. I will say the batter was a little heavy but interesting. I ended up leaving quite a bit of the batter on the plate.The service was so friendly and they were so knowledgeable. This restaurant is beautiful and semi elegant but still very approachable, Maintaining a very comfy space. A cold cerveza was all I needed to finish.

The food was overpriced for what I got. $16 for two tacos and rice and beans. I will say I did love the rice though. The spot itself is cool. On the corner with a nice patio and attentive servers. Just not a great value when there are $2 tacos around Sac that are just as tasty if not better.

The food is amazing! Ordered the salsa and chips, camarones a la parrillo and the enchiladas oaxaqueñas. The place was very busy so the service was a bit slow but we didn't mind it at all. We ordered a drink and enjoyed the ambience. I'll have to try something new next time but the enchiladas are delicious.

This is a cute vibrant Mexican Restaurant walking distance from the Hyatt House Hotel. It's cute and colorful inside giving a vibe for any occasion from a casual dinner, business work dinner, or date night and the service was friendly. The food was REALLY good. First- their salsa is a verde salsa and it's the best "green" salsa I've ever had served with homemade chips. I usually don't care for verde salsa, but this Id eat all day. Full of flavor and not too spicey. I had the rib which came with their mole sauce which was amazing. Again something that I may not have thought was my favorite and it was delicious. Definitely try it!! The only downside was that my margarita wasn't amazing, but I think I had the premium one. Maybe next time I'll just try the regular one. Overall if you're in Sacramento, I highly recommend spending at least one of your evenings here.

Service was decent, except for a few things here and there. We ran out of both salsas, but our server didn't notice. She broght more chips and then said she would bring more red salsa only. Also, my friend had bit of a wait on his michelada. My crab enchiladas, which were on special, were alright. The recommended pork dish was alright as well. The pibil cochinita was the most flavorful of all. I would rate this all as a solid three stars. I have to subtract a star because I ordered a Chardonnay off the menu. It was $9. The waitress asked if the Navarro was okay, because that's all they had. I has no idea what that meant, but it was a Chardonnay so I said it was fine. I thought it was merely a different brand. However, when the bill came, it was $4 more expensive. I had two glasses, so it was a total of $8 more. When I contested this, she asked her manager who said he couldn't do anything because I agreed to the wine. However, I was never told about the upcharge. How was I to know that it was more expensive? It was not listed on the menu. The fact that this was put on me, instead of the server for not asking, is disappointing. If I wasn't with a group, I would have made a bigger deal, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. To me, this is terrible customer service and bad business practices.

the service was great and the staff were really friendly! the food came out pretty quick and the drinks were very aesthetic! some of the tables are very close to other tables but it didn't really affect the vibe that much! the quantity of the food was a little smaller than expected.

Went on a date here w a cook and he recommended the mole enchiladas i said ok they made me physically ill I don't recommend it! But its cute ig

Giving 4 stars because the last time we came they shorted us a quesadilla and the service is extremely slow.....!!!! We love the quesadilla epazote appetizer, it's usually 4 small quesadilla/empanadas, but today they only gave us 3. Haha! Still delicious but I would have loved my fourth one thanks. And also the service is quite slow, I finish my drinks and have to wait 10 minutes before the servers come back to ask if I want a refill... and that's each time.... Like today I got 3 drinks and each time I finished my margarita I had to wait 10-15 min for the server to come back. Besides that the food here is great, I love the margarita infusiones, The corn tacos are delicious.everythign we have tried has great flavors

Solid place. From walking up, the outside appeal is cool. Busy and quick service. The Tequila selection as you would imagine, was very large. eating at the bar made it even more convenienT. can't wait to return.

It's been years since I have been here and so glad I came back! I love their infused tequilas. I ordered the strawberry and hibiscus margarita and it was delicious! The drink came with a salt rim. Also ordered the Toro "Travesío" and that was delicious as well. I love pineapple flavored anything and a lot of their food and drinks are pineapple infused! The chips were nicely salted and the green salsa was my favorite! The red salsa was also good, you could tell they used fresh tomatoes. Came in about 40 minutes before closing and I never felt rushed! Shout out to our server for letting us know when the kitchen closed and we wouldn't be able to order anything else. There were plenty of people who were still there after we left. Only recommendation (and reason for not 5 stars) is to offer more vegetarian items! I would have loved to try the enchiladas, but the server mentioned the sauce was not vegetarian. However, both the elote and papas y rajas are amazing! I ordered those as my entree and it was delicious, and filled me up. I did have quite a bit of chips and salsa though

The food is okay, and the presentation of the food is pretty; however, the taste is simply not there, and the "Sazon" which means flavor or seasoning is missing. 7 yrs. Ago this place was my go-to place but so much of the taste in the food has changed that I hardly come back and when I do I am disappointed. This evening I had mole enchiladas and luckily I shared them with my husband because the sauce had no taste, even my husband's American palate realized how flavorless the enchiladas were. Service is good Ambiance is nice and quiet if you are there before 6pm.

My gf surprised me with a birthday dinner at Centro last night. I was super excited because I had never been there. The ambiance was adorable. One of the cutest places on J street. We were in the main room not near the bar. The drink selection was on point. So many great options and they also have infused tequila. I'm a tequila girl so this is right up my alley. The food was delish! I got a chicken burrito combo that came with a taco (meat of choice) and rice and beans. We also had a huge guacamole for the table. The service was great. I even got a free ice cream dessert for my birthday! Can't wait to back again!

Amazing place for my first time visit. I've been in Sacramento most of my life and I've never stopped at this place until today. I was walking around with my daughter and decided to grab a bite before her nap time. I let the waitress know I only have 45 minutes she was on it and also very playful with my daughter. I appreciate her energy, the food was amazing. I really thought the plain white rice wouldn't be delicious. It tasted like butter so delicious that I think that's how I want to make my rice from now on. All of the food I tried was delicious fresh and did not taste like it was warmed up. I stopped here before 11 AM. I know they have a great brunch menu. I did not explore that yet and I will be back to do so I highly recommend you check this place out. It is beautiful inside and very cozy inside and out. The staff is what makes this place worth coming back, they treat you really well.

Once again a 10 star experience. Zenia you are the best server in Sacramento. On to the food = EXCELLENT. Everything is consistently great, The black refried beans have an amazing flavor - I can't figure it out but they have a spice and texture that's like no other. Carnitas a scale of 10 as well. The food here is just great - period. And the guac has pumpkin seeds and Pomegranate toasted. Amazing. Best in town. I'll end this with we go where the service is good, great food and this place has got it. Especially Zenia, Thank you always for your kind thoughtful service. You are an asset here for sure. So fun to see you! Thank you!!!

Service was spectacular!!!!!Margarita was good. I had tortilla soup that was underwhelming. Very thin broth with what tasted like seaweed. Cheese & avocado in soup was good. Guacamole delicious with pomegranate seeds. Tortilla chips were thin & lacked a lot of flavor. I would come back, because service was great. I wouldn't come back for the food.

Food came with cold tortillas, but the menu says hand-made? I expected warm, hand-made delicious torts but nah. Pescado was soggy and tbh...nothing really stood out except the $55 dollar bill for 4 tacos and two sparkling waters. Not going back

Decided to meet a friend for dinner and we both wanted to try something new. So we came here. We were seated quickly, it wasn't too busy. Our server was ok. At first, a little creepy. Leaning into the table and on it... asking how old we were (before we ordered drinks...) just felt weird and creepy. Once we ordered our drinks, a margarita and a model beer. Which didn't come in the bottle and as a server you should probably share that with your customers and be more focused on that, than how old I am and how many drinks were getting... Food was Ok. Not that great, not terrible. We won't be trying this place again. Hopefully the server can learn to be a little more professional on selling the menu / drinks, and less of trying to get to know customers in their 20's. Best of luck

Best late night meal I've had in a minute. Carnitas tacos, quac, and taquitos, all highly recommended!

Enchanting space for a lovely Valentine's Day dinner . We enjoyed our meal, but the service is what truly stood out. I've never experienced such proactive service. I stood up from the table, took one or two steps before one of the staff read my mind and knew I was looking for the restroom. Our drinks were refilled without needing to request it. There were many examples of the subtle ways the waitstaff took care of us during our dining experience. We will be back!

Very friendly and helpful. Staff here is amazing and would definitely come back. Maria the host/server and Jaden the bartender were so friendly and made us sooo comfortable! Would highly recommend based on the service alone. Ambience is wonderful!

One of my favorite go to places for the fresh veggies very well prepared! The slaw has a perfect mix of peppers, black beans consistency is flavorful and Mushroom Tacos are excellent! Services is excellent and responsive. Open kitchen to view the chef and assistants!

We love this place. Food is always delicious and they have a rotating seasonal menu. Service is the best in Sacramento, staff is always super attentive and kind. Centro is a go to spot for us. My go to items are pineapple jalapeño infused margarita and the enchiladas de pollo. My husband loves the asada de puerco.

When we sat down our waitress was nice he brought us immediately waters but they didn't taste good it tasted like Sacramento water which is very un sanitary. Our food came really fast however, our food came out cold. Parking is well, for being downtown it was fast to find parking with the taste of the food not very good. I ordered the chilaquiles and my niece ordered the French toast the toast was fluffy good. The chilaquiles didn't taste well if I could I probably order the French toast it came with strawberries and berries which was all good. Shout out to the waiter there he was super good sweet and quick! Inside it was nice and clean.

Last night I had the pleasure of visiting Centro while staying with my brother for a few days in Sacramento. We made a reservation and I'm glad we did, this place was packed on a Friday at 6. The hostess gave us the option of sitting in the dining area or at a high top by the bar. We opted for the latter. Our seating choice put us in prime real estate for watching the chefs and kitchen staff prepare the food. Almost immediately upon being seated, we received chips, salsa, and water. The salsa is a green salsa that was fresh, tangy, with a little heat. A ton of citrus though. Very fresh! Maybe the best green salsa I've had. We ordered our meals and I had a Cadillac Margarita as well. The drink was pretty good, but the food was amazing! Tons of depth to the flavors with the ancho chilis sauce and the grilled pineapple and plantain provided the perfect sweet contrast to the spices of the meal. The staff was attentive and friendly and despite being busy, made sure we were taken care of! Parking can be tough but valet is available right next door for $10. Recommend you spend the $10 on headache free parking.

I visited Centro for the first time last night and LOVED it! The ambiance is fun. The staff was super prompt and friendly. Drinks were great. The guac is AMAZING! The food was just as good. I had the Taco de Pescado and it was so good! I will definitely be back.

One star quality, one star experience, priced like it should be 5 stars. For just shy of $30 we got two 5"x2.5" chicken burritos, some white rice with slaw, and chips with salsa. My wife's burrito had a large bone in it that could easily have choked a child or an adult, which we luckily caught in time (see photos included). First and last time bringing my business here. I recommend you go somewhere else where you can pay half the price, get twice the quantity AND quality, and find infinitely fewer choking hazards in your food.

What a fun spot to enjoy a great meal. My rolled potato tacos were so good. Open kitchen and great service. They gave a screaming happy hour! I'll be back!

Definitely a disappointment; Flat/warm beer, watered down salsa, stale chips, cold tortillas, insufficient pork in my entrée Won't be coming back

We decided to stop for appetizers before we hit up Harlows. Their Camarones a la parrilla was delicious. The sauces and grilling were on point. I would definitely order that for myself again. I also loved their guacamole. Definitely a pre party snack and drink place.

Met up with a friend for happy hour. Customer service 5/5 the host got me seated quickly For drinks I had an Infusion cocktail and a Paloma both were good but could've used a bit more alcohol so I would give 4/5 For food we both got Chicken Taquitos . I loved the topping on the taquitos, very fresh and not overpowering 5/5 It was a nice feel to the restaurant though not many people for happy hour which is great if you're a bit of an introvert or just looking to meet up with friends. Picked up a little after 6pm. Unfortunately didn't get any pictures but I would definitely recommend !

I recommend checking this place out. Pros: Clean, quick, efficient. Ask for the spicy salsa (habanero). Has a decent kick to it. Pina colada wasn't bad either. Strong margarita. Server was awesome and attentive. Had the chicken enchiladas w/mole and a carnitas taco. Pretty tasty. Cons: None

Plenty of outdoor seating here to enjoy a socially distanced meal! My friend made reservations the day before so we didn't have any trouble grabbing a table. There were so many yummy things on the menu, I couldn't decide! There's even a section for tacos and burritos, and you could choose two tacos, two burritos, or one of each. Technically I think if you want the most value, go for two burritos, but don't be surprised that they're on the smaller side! I chose one taco (carne asada) and one burrito (chorizo y papas, per the server's recommendation), which was plenty of food for me and I still took 3/4 of my burrito home. The rice was cooked nicely, light and fluffy, and the refried beans were really good. Based off of my main entree, I'd say it was a 4-star meal, as it wouldn't be my go-to for Mexican food, BUT the queso fundido that we ordered off of their specialty September Queso Specials menu brings this to a 5-star! It was super yummy. It's definitely on the small side and a great appetizer for a group of 4 or less, but the taste is on point. Can't go wrong with that combo of chorizo with Monterey cheese and salsa verde! Another reason for 5-stars: their service! Everyone was so friendly here, and their speed and quality of service was on point. The service and the queso fundido are enough to bring me back to try other things off of the menu!

We loved the options of infused tequila! So many flavors to choose from! We had the anniversary infused tequila in a margarita style and it did not disappoint. You can also enjoy the infused tequila in a drink and I highly recommend it. They have a breakfast menu and lunch menu. Their salsa and food has a lot of flavor. Parking can be an adventure but it depends on what day and time you visit. The staff were amazingly customer oriented. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We love this spot and will definitely be back to try more of their infused tequila and food options! Overall, we had a great experience at this restaurant. The highlight for us was definitely the infused tequila options, which provided a unique twist on the classic margarita. There were so many flavor options to choose from, and we were impressed with the quality and taste. Additionally, the food was flavorful and delicious - we especially enjoyed the salsas. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, which is a plus. The staff were incredibly attentive and helpful, making sure our experience was top-notch. The only minor downside was that parking can be a bit of an adventure, but that's to be expected in a busy area. Overall, we highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to come back and try more of their menu options. If you're looking for a fun and delicious spot to enjoy a unique tequila experience, definitely give this place a try!

I always love dining at Centro. Great cocktails, delicious guacamole, and friendly service. We recently went for brunch for the first time. There aren't many vegetarian options for brunch, but I ordered the chilaquiles, which was great. I paired it with a morning margarita. We sat on the patio and it was a great people watching spot.

One of my favorite Mexican places in sac! Come here so often and everyone I bring here ends up really liking it as well. Their fusion margaritas are delicious and their food is pretty authentic!

Review is solely off of the drinks. We stumbled upon this on a day of exploring Midtown Sacramento. We tried the infused tequilas and polanco drinks. Everything was delish! Complimentary chips and salsa are available. The bartender was helpful with picking tequilas and food items on the menu (if needed). Indoor and outdoor seating available.