Chiguacle, Restaurant & Tortilleria

Definitely very different for most Mexican restaurants, huge emphasis on all the mole dishes. Absolutely loved mole flight, it was so cool to be able to try so many different ones so I could get a feel for what was my taste. Wonderful portion sizes, definitely did not leave hungry. There’s also a huge seafood selection and it is very fresh. The shrimp quesadilla is definitely a favorite. And seasonally they do add certain things to the menu which is really exciting. Also my first time trying crickets, though not my favorite they were extremely well seasoned and I could see how people would enjoy them.

This place was fire 🔥 . Went here after working on a Saturday nearby. Ordered 3 tacos as a plate. Mazatlan, fried shrimp, carnitas. All three were amazing. They each came with a salsa for the flavor profile. The rice was very good! Beans also much better than average. Will totally go back.

Wow! I am thoroughly impressed by the restaurant. The food and service were PERFECT!! Andrea was my waitress. Even though she was busy, she was very attentive. The food and drinks are excellent. I will be coming back here!

I love the huitlacoche quesadillas and braised lamb. Octopus ceviche was super tender and flavorful.

Definitely coming back! Camarones a la diabla was deliciously spicy. Highly recommend the Pulpo sarandeado

It was my Grandson's Birthday week and we took him to another place the day before which was just awful. So we all piled in the car for the long drive to Sunland, at least for us it is a drive. They say it is in Los Angeles, but not really. No matter, we knew it would take a bit and boy was it worth it. First of all, there is parking. The place is just so cute with lovely art, comfortable seating and great service. The food is amazing. We got there and were seated right away. Our drink order was taken and chips were delivered. We started with guacamole and it was great. But they don't give you much so we ordered more and more. It was just that good. We then tried their Enchiladas de Puebla, which is Chicken Tinga filled and topped with Mole Puebla served with rice and rajas Poblanas. this is not easy to find at other places. This was amazing. We also had Carne Asada Arrachera Mexicana, which is Marinated skirt steak with rajas and nopal. It was cooked perfectly. We will have that again. Their Ceviche de Camaron y Pescado, which is Fish and cooked Shrimp ceviche is so amazing. There is just not a bad dish to have there. The place is just spotless. The service is fast and so kind. Go there.

Delicious fajitas. Solid guac (reco requesting habanero version or spicy Sereno). Amazing homemade flour tortillas. Mole dish was tasty, but the table favorite was the steak fajitas! Chips were standard fair. Great service, plenty of outdoor dog friendly seating. Parking lot on site; can be a little tight entering/existing the lot, but nice to have an actual lot in addition to the street parking! The Main Street is a bit busy, and there is an active train south of the restaurant. Pretty expansive menu; with some house specialities! Hope to be back again soon! Back for more! We had the grilled shrimp tacos and carne asada. Both delicious. The dish included red sauce was spicy and tasty. And the service was awesome. The server was perfectly attentive, proactive, and caring without disturbing the family feel of the meal. This is our Mexican restaurant go to spot!!

Our server Patty was upbeat! Rock vibe-fun spot with Mexican decor. They offer $5 happy hour beers 3-5 pm. Had the mole chicken enchiladas. So tasty! I could tell the chef really makes an effort. That matters to me a lot these days. Because so many don’t! Give it a try!

We order the fish / zarandeado was incredible and the shrimp plate was fantastic! Cynthia the server was super nice and the atmosphere inside was nice and relaxing. Parking outside was easy! Highly recommend for family outings for great food!

It was my Grandson's Birthday week and we took him to another place the day before which was just awful. So we all piled in the car for the long drive to Sunland, at least for us it is a drive. They say it is in Los Angeles, but not really. No matter, we knew it would take a bit and boy was it worth it. First of all, there is parking. The place is just so cute with lovely art, comfortable seating and great service. The food is amazing. We got there and were seated right away. Our drink order was taken and chips were delivered. We started with guacamole and it was great. But they don't give you much so we ordered more and more. It was just that good. We then tried their Enchiladas de Puebla, which is Chicken Tinga filled and topped with Mole Puebla served with rice and rajas Poblanas. this is not easy to find at other places. This was amazing. We also had Carne Asada Arrachera Mexicana, which is Marinated skirt steak with rajas and nopal. It was cooked perfectly. We will have that again. Their Ceviche de Camaron y Pescado, which is Fish and cooked Shrimp ceviche is so amazing. There is just not a bad dish to have there. The place is just spotless. The service is fast and so kind. Go there.

This was such a pleasant find my friend took me to! So delicious and amazing service! I will definitely come back here the food is so good!!! Plenty of free parking. Our server was so nice and I loved they had Mexican Coca Cola in a bottle! Great vibe for sure you will not be disappointed!! Homemade everything like mama is cooking it in the kitchen!!

Outrageous prices for the amount of food we received. Each plate had one little scoop of rice. The mole Oaxaca with the chicken breast was super super smokey, bitter, and just overall not appetizing. The waitress described it as spicy but no spice was found. I had to smear off the mole sauce there was so much of it. Legit overpowered the entire meal. Terrible! I wouldn't come back. The prices don't match the amount of food you get.

Authentic Deliciousness!!! I've been here so many times, and I've never been disappointed! The service is always amazing and the waitress' are amazing. We ordered the pescado zarandeado and the Molcajete de carne, everything from the salsas, the tortillas, to the ice cold beers! Wow, just wow!!!

I've driven past this place many times and finally tried it. I ordered the taco plate with one battered fish taco and one grilled shrimp taco. Came with a side of rice and beans. It's not always i finish the beans but they were delicious and tasted homemade. Tacos were perfect. Sauce and salsa on the side to add to your liking. Shrimp and fish tasted fresh and the batter to fish ratio was perfect. Ceviche with pulpo and fish was also fresh tasing 10/10, been looking for a good ceviche spot and this is it.

Third time here, never a disappointment with the food very delicious. Homemade corn tortillas. The rice was really good. Plenty of parking and outside seating area. Service was good, friendly, the bathrooms need help. My enchiladas were good. They were with chicken tinga. They were a little dry but still delicious.

Outstanding Mexican food! There is comfortable outdoor seating. The waitress was very helpful. As to the food, I had an really tasty chili relleno in the verde mole sauce. The sauce had a lot of depth and flavor. The chili was lightly battered, not heavily breaded like so many bad chili rellenos. We also shared the cauliflower in verde mole sauce. Really good as well. To try, I ordered a beer battered fish taco. Also really good. For desert we split a flan that was perfect. Not too sweet and the perfect density. I have this now in my favorite list.

Wow! Super fast friendly service!! I had one grilled chicken taco and one cheese enchilada. The green sauce was absolutely delicious.

This place is Amazing. I am Mexican and picky about eating Mexican food when eating out because nothing can possibly compare to Abuelita or mom's cooking... but this place was freaking delicious. The authenticity of the food, the spices in the Moles and freshness of the hand made tortillas took me back home to my childhood visiting grandma! The mole plater is a Must Try. The service was also great. Will return with the rest of the family for sure.

Found this last weekend while driving out to Sun Valley for my son's football tournament,while I waited I found this place the chile relleno with mole was amazing.

Man. So enjoyed eating here. That molten cheese dish! With tacos. My friend was a chef for Billy Idol and is used to TexMex being from Texas. He loved it as much as I. The servers and bartender were terrific. Lots of room so bring friends. Go now!

Excellent, I have eaten there twice and both times very satisfied, authentic poblano Oaxaca Mexican food!

Ambiance, service, the food, everything was absolutely amazing! Not even done and already planning when we are coming back! 10/10 recommend to everyone!

The food, the service the ambiance is all on point!! The food was tasteful and fresh.. highly recommend the oxancan mole!! Shout out toour waitress Cynthia for giving us amazing service!! Thank you!! Highly recommended

Better than all the Mexican eatery in sunland, La Canada and Tujunga .... Best mushroom tacos , enchiladas... plus Open space , music playing. Customer service great

The best snook (pescado zarandeado) in the Valley !!! I normally have to travel to LA for a good snook, but I discovered this place in sun valley and it is delicious. The staff are very friendly and has great customer service. I love the decorations as it makes the restaurant have a happy feel. The queso fundido with mushrooms was delicious and I will be back soon. I highly recommend this hidden Gem.

Such a great place to have lunch or dinner, with or without kids. This was my second time here and the ceviche is amazing. There's parking right in front & we were seated right away. The nice lady that was serving us was very accommodating to my 2 year old. We didn't order drinks this time but I remember the micheladas from last time were great.

I experienced this restaurant in my quest for the perfect taco! So far, this has been my best experience. Every other taco I have had so far seems like a joke compared to these! I tried steak and beer battered shrimp tacos. Huge portions, so for a person like me two tacos are enough for lunch and three for dinner. The ingredients are fresh, good quality and deliciously made. The tortillas are freshly made in the restaurant. What I loved was that they do not drench your tacos in sauce! Instead, they put the sauce and other ingredients on the side for those not used to spicy food. Also, none of the tacos were greasy. Everything was the right amount. Prices are reasonable, inside the restaurant is clean and pleasant, and the woman in charge is nice, fast and efficient. Good service! This place is far from home, but I will surely visit again. My only small issue: The menu is a bit hard to navigate for a person who does not speak Spanish.

I was very excited to try chiguacle because of the great reviews. We went on a weekday and got seated immensely. It was a slow night with only one server and a total of of 3 tables. I was surprised that they charged $5 for chips and salsa and became very disappointed with the taste. Definitely recommend skipping it. I observed the server coughing and then proceeded to handling our tostadas without washing her hands.As for the main courses, the aguachile and camarones a la diabla were served in surprisingly small portions. The quality of the food was below average, with the seafood lacking flavor. Although it was a slow night, it took 10 minutes to request napkins. Overall, the combination of slow service, overpriced salsa, hygiene issues, and disappointing food left me with no desire to return.

I have been here over a dozen times. I have tried almost everything on their menu and I always leave satisfied. The ambiance is beautiful which adds to the whole experience. The staff is attentive and nice. Will continue to have meals here!

Me and my coworkers constantly order food from here and not once has it disappointed us the food here is great the tortillas are amazingly delicious

Food is great been here couple times. However I came in today exactly 7:58 pm on a Saturday. Online schedule says they are open till 9pm. When I was about to walk in the waitress stopped me and told me they're closed already. They close at 8 she told me, which was hard to believe considering the amount of people that were inside dining. Only to find out she was at the bar drinking an alcoholic beverage with what looked like another waitress or a friend. That was annoying because I was really craving their pescado zarrandeado. Not my fault she don't want to work . Completely unprofessional

If you don't speak spanish, They are going to be rude to you. Orders tacos was going to pay but the girl was rude so I walked out.

Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral de México has  excellent Mexican cuisine that hews to a more native Mexican flavour profile, not so much Mexican American with its overuse of plastic orange cheddar or Monterey jack as well as not using native  ingredients such as epazote, huitlacoche, achiote, chapulines, etc.   The restaurant  is named after Chilhuacle (cheel wah cleh) which is an ancient & rare chile grown only in the Cañada Valley of Oaxaca, México supposedly with hints of cherry, anise, chocolate, tobacco. Shapes and colors also vary.  Sabor Ancestral/Ancestral flavours  1) Carnitas Michoacán:  The Carnitas are fried in its own fat and juices. Unlike Carnitas elsewhere which can be dry, tough, sinewy, excessively chewy, Carnitas Michoacán are moist, meaty, almost succulent, w/ a pleasant chaw.  It is porky, bit gamey which is countered by a slightly sweet acidic fruitiness from being marinated in orange juice as explained by the helpful waitress.  Accompanied by finely puréed fresh, acidic Tomatillo & mild green chile Salsa.  The Frijoles Negros de Olla are whole black beans resting in its own thickened earthy juices. There is a faint, milky, lactose acid like sweetness. Small sprinkling of crumbled, well aged Cotija cheese which adds a great fermented,  dairy funkiness.  The Arroz is special. Very al dente, colored a light green w/ a slight woody, grassy, green herbal aromatic similar to oregano. Perhaps Epazote? Cooling, watery crisp, mixed salad w/ orange slices to refresh the palate between bites as well as adding healthful fibre, vitamins, phytochemicals.  Large, uneven, thick, rustic, creamy Tortillas that seem to be a corn & wheat combination where the texture is smoother than corn but a bit rougher than wheat.  Platos con Mole (moh leh) 2) Chile Relleno: Soft flour & egg fried coating around the green Pasilla chile stuffed w/ melted gooey, Mozzarella-like Queso Oaxaca. Crowning glory is your choice of Mole.  I chose Mole de Agave.  The mole is fairly thick, lightly reddish, medium dark chocolate brown w/ an inviting sheen. There is a distinct fruity, fermented, earthy aroma of possibly Mezcal which is distilled from the smoky, roasted Agave (ah gah veh) succulent plant.  There is a strong smokiness similar to a chaparral brush fire scent. Sweet, piquancy from red chiles, and a complex of herbs & spices I couldn't suss out since they all blended together smoothly to create a new synergy of sensations to tease the papillae.  This is a very sophisticated Mole that reminds me of Mole Palenquero de Pechuga Real Minero by Chef Ivan Vásquez at Madre restaurant which makes a Mole out of the ripe fruits used to flavour the Mezcal while it is being distilled.   I suspect that La Diosa de los Moles, Chef Rocío Camacho would approve of the Moles produced by Chiguacle. In fact, the site here was formerly Chef Camacho's restaurant until there was a fire shutting it down permanently.   1-2a) Negra Modelo is touch acidic, refreshing, bitter dark lager beer enriched w/ slow roasted caramelized malt for a toasty, smooth hint of sweetness. It paired well with the Carnitas and especially the Mole de Agave.  3) The Flan is excellent. Lightly egg yolky, good bit of cream to smooth and enrich the creamy texture and richness. Great quality Mexican Vanilla from Veracruz initially hits the nose.   Delicate, not overly sweet so all the subtle flavours in the Flan are not covered up. The caramel sauce is equally not excessively sweet.  3a) Café de Olla is coffee brewed w/ cinnamon and sweetened. Unfortunately, it had a metallic after taste.  For me, Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral keeps good company with Babita Mexicuisine by Chef Roberto Berrelleza who pioneered La Haute Cuisine Mexicaine,  Alta Cocina Chicano Cuisine by Taco María's Chef Carlos Salgado. All these restaurants in some way further high quality and the spirit of sophisticated Mexicanismo in their cooking styles. ¡Bravo! 4+ stars

You may be skeptical when you walk in. It cannot be that good. The ambience is not fabulous. And, you are not wrong about the food if you are ordering a classic meal. Their enchilada platters, etc are not fabulous. But if you order the Degustación de Mole (order all six if you are a group) and add a taco or two, you will have a tour of the best moles in LA. Trust me - that is what you order and then it is 5 stars.

I tried 3 of the mole varieties and they are amazing! Mole is such a complex and labor intensive sauce, and I appreciate what they have made. The interior is nicely done, and our server was very friendly as well. I'm coming back!

Had a great meal here. Our waitress was super friendly. We had the molcajete carne and it was delicious! It came out with salsa verde. I prefer salsa rojo but it was still great. My fiancé really liked the bacon wrapped shrimp. The frijoles here are sooo good. I appreciated that they gave us each our own beans and rice. The rice is also tinted green from the cilantro! Very tasty. The margaritas are a pass, too sweet and not enough tequila. I'd stick to beer instead. I want to come back to try their other things!

Mexican food can easily be boring when not done right. For some reason most Americans think Mexican food is tacos and burritos when in reality there is so much variety as Mexico is huge! This restaurant knows Mexican food. I love their quesadillas with flor de calabaza, agua de nopale, and their cochinita pibi! The servers are so kind and their tortillas seem freshly made. My only quarrel is the enchiladas I ordered once were a little plain but other than that all the other food I've had has been exceptional!

This place was alright. My aguachiles were pretty spicy even tho i got the level below medium i couldn't eat even half because my mouth was on fire. My son's dish off the kids menu wasn't good. He didn't eat any of it. And automatically marking a star off for a place that had kids menu but no crayons for the kids. We would not go back here sadly.

Omg we are so happy with this restaurant, Cinthya helped us she is the best, also the food is delicious the service was excellent. Highly recommend this restaurant because they also have a great food options even if you are vegetarian.

Great food, great service! Happily accomodates large parties. Last night we came here for a family dinner after hearing great reviews. The food is great. Tortillas are hand made to order and we just had a great time eating and exploring an array of menu items. My husband had a huge muchelada to start. The kids enjoyed a quesadilla and the meat of a carnita taco and meat of the asada taco. All fresh, rice was green and delicious, I can't believe I had never been here before. My friends enjoyed the mole samplers and for the mains we ordered cochinita pibil, molcajete de mariscos and mole enchilada plate. It was epic! We are so much but we really enjoyed every bite. Will definitely return

I got the cochinita pibil and the meat was so tender and flavorful, beans were also good and the rice, and tortillas were soft and so good. The waitress who served us was so nice and kind, she kept coming to check on our table. I was there for a while, and the entire staff was friendly and helpful. The place inside is so festive, the decor is colorful and the place is clean and welcoming. Totally recommend that everyone comes and tries this place. I'll definitely be going back for the pechuga de pollo con mole.

Finally checked this place out. Now I'm upset I didn't before..lol. Carnitas were fire . Nice and crispy on the outside but soft in the middle. My friend had ceviche and it looked so good I had to jack him for some. Even the horchata was good and creamy. Had to stop myself from downing it before I order more and more of them. ‍lol And O YEA, the waitress though??? Soooo easy on the eyes...

Friendly service, good music, clean and well kept. Great food, plenty of options for kids and adults. Very flavorful and fresh seasonings and ingredients. Thanks for the meal! We will be back, with friends.

I have eaten here more than a handful of times and I'm never disappointed. There is indoor and outdoor patio seating. The waitresses are always very nice and attentive and the food is delicious. I have tried the carnitas plate, grilled Shrimp Tacos, battered fish tacos, ceviche, poblano rice, Menudo, Horchata, raspberry iced and everything was delicious!!!

Honestly, please just come eat here. The octopus.. tender? Savory, perfectly cooked. Micheladas, I want more. The oyster shooters...just lovely. I love this place so much

I got the pollo tacos with beans and rice and it was perfect ! It stayed warm and all the food had amazing taste. I came here solo for a quick spot to sit down and eat and this worked out. The food tasted authentic and made me feel at home !

I ordered for the first time to be delivered, and it was pretty good; I especially liked their queso fun Dedo with mushroom accompanied with handmade corn tortillas! Their quesadillas with flower of squash were good, and their shrimp enchiladas with green sauce were pretty good as well, Bumin my opinion had too much sauce covering them! The food was just okay

This is probably the most underrated restaurant in the area. Their food is phenomenal considering the location and price. You must try their micheladas and oyster shooters. Also, their large pulpo plate and pozole are my favorites. It's very tender and full of flavor. You cd t go wrong with anything you order. Cynthia always takes care of us when we go and makes sure the service matches the quality of the food. Thank you guys!

Coming to visit Southern California we were hoping to find authentic Mexican food that would knock our socks off. Our Yelp friends helped us out and we found this restaurant. Being it was our first time here I asked the folks next to us what they recommended, they were exactly the folks we hoped we would meet. We ordered the Mole Trio and shrimp Ceviche and guacamole as appetizers . I ordered the carnitas and my wife ordered the chili relleno Let's start with the service, the service was outstanding! The chips were hot and the salsa had fantastic flavor, did I mention the guacamole? The flavor of the guacamole and the presentation were awesome, nothing like a fresh guacamole. Next came our shrimp ceviche and home made flour tortillas, the fresh flavors were delicious. Next came the carnitas and chili relleno, I'm not sure how they cooked this , but it was by far the best I have ever had. The flavors that came out in this twice cook pork was delicious. Mouth watering! My wife ordered her chili relleno with a green mole on it and she loved it, the chili relleno had cooked carrots under it and she was in heaven. This was the best authentic Mexican food we have had in many years . We will be back to eat here again , highly recommended

This place is fantastic! So many different Mole sauces, and every one I've tried has been great. Today I brought home a Chile Relleno with their Oaxacan (black) Mole sauce. It was great. As they say, a picture tells a thousand words

This place was decent. Came here for the chapulines (cricket) taco and the name appealed to me. The food was okay, I hate to say it but eating out so much has made me a bit of a food snob and it takes a lot to impress me. I did really like the service from our waitress, she was very sweet, in spite of being short staffed. The food was just okay. I wouldn't not go out of my way to go back.

Warning: do not order the sea bass because it's actually tilapia being sold as sea bass. Four stars for the drinks though.

Always been wanting to try this place was on Sunland Blvd and gave it a try. Was not disappointed at all. Customer service was alright but the food was delicious. Started off with Queso Fundido with mushroom. Basically cheddar/Mozzetta cheese melted with mushroom chopped up inside. Must order recommend. Main dish carne asada arrachera kinda on the salty side but the sides on the plate got the saltiness away. Rice, beans, grilled onions, and grilled Serrano pepper. Will be back soon

Ample parking. Came on a Saturday for lunch with a group of 10. We started off with some agua frescas, beers, and juice for the kids. Asked for a plate of chips and guac off the bat. The rice is almost like a cilantro lime blend, which goes well with everything. I ended up going with the aguachiles negro, which could have been spicier (but I'm a masochist when it comes to spice). Our server was knowledgeable and friendly as well.

Mole Oaxaca - YUM. Even the pechuga was juicy, and I'm a dark meat kind of girl. Just the perfect amount of spice. My boyfriend got the tacos with some kind of beef and chicken. The beef was tender! He said the chicken was just ok. The consomé de camarones was also delicious. Last time I got a different kind of mole and it was good, but now it's Oaxacan mole forever for me. Cute ambience, love that they have a great patio space (although please fix the blinking lights), waitstaff are always nice. And there's parking!

OMG. YES STOP AND HAVE A MEAL. Customer service was great and the food was delicious! I even bought homemade tortillas to take home.

And we're back... it's been so long. Yes! They are still amazing Another successful date night for my partner and I. As always we ordered too much food, beer battered shrimp tacos and enchiladas de tinga. The service is amazing, you don't feel rushed, you are always greeted with a warm smile.