Juquila Restaurant

Not a really satisfying restaurant. The food’s quality was low and did not taste that good, it was also slightly overpriced. $6 for a tamale that tasted so and so, when you can get a better one elsewhere for $4. The Mole was not as good as the reviews from years ago claim. The service was decent, staff were friendly and attentive. We couldn’t really finish our plates, ended up boxing it to go and leaving earlier than usual. Place is not horrible, but I wouldn’t come here again.

5 stars does not do justice! The BEST restaurant & BEST food I've EVER had *drooling*. Fernando was also the BEST waiter. Perfect recommendations. Authentic cuisine from Oaxaca. I will be back every time I'm in LA and highly recommend to everyone! Thank you again for an exquisite experience,

Unfortunately I have to be the bad guy this time, the food taste really good till I saw a hair in my food, I asked the waiter to change it politely and he took it away but he brought the same food with the same hair. He said I didn't had to pay for it and he said he erase it from my check but he only erase 7 dollars when I actually pay for it with meat but all that aside I feel that lying to your customers is not fair. I will never go back to this place.

a gem.. the mole is some of the best in LA. good cumbia music playing. good service. good portions

One of the best Mexican Oaxacan Food, rich in culture and history as well as the food. It becomes for me and my family like a ritual, we gather to eat and get some drinks once a month. The food is excellent, my kids always goes for the fajitas or quesadillas. For us we always get different plates , birrias, burritos, the choice is so vast that sometimes we let the owner and his daughter choose for us which makes it very easy. They also have their own merch as well (shirts, hats, hoodies) that we love to rock when we go eat there. Love the place!!! It's a must try.

I was actually surprised the food was good because the service was so substandard and the place is evidently neglected.

Killer tacos. Great in-house hot sauce.

I have never seen an oaxacan restaurant that charges you extra for the quesillo on a tlayuda, and if you order it mixta which is the 3 meats,they barely put any meat on it.👎

My lady and I got a little hungry while walking around Culver City, as you do. If you've never been to Culver City, you should really go. It's a cute little section of the LA metro with lots of restaurants and, to me, that quintessential Old Las Angeles feel. Juquila, which specializes in Oaxacan cuisine, is actually snuggled in amongst at least 4 other restaurants. I'm not familiar with Oaxacan food so I voted for that. I'm so happy we went for it! Inside, the dining room was clean and comfortable. The decor was not aggressively bar-like but there was a case of tequila bottles and several TVs hung on the walls giving the place the feel of a sports bar, almost. The bathrooms were clean and tidy. The music was a little loud for my taste but not terrible. The gentleman working front of house was flying solo, so we didn't have the fastest service ever but he was kind and attentive and taking care of multiple tables as efficiently as possible. No marks off for the speed, dude was doing his best. I've had a huevos con chorizo craving for days now but decided to branch out since I was in a place with Oaxacan roots. I ordered the enfrijoladas mixtas (it has eggs and chorizo, so it still hit my craving) and a Mexican Coke which is the best Coke. Don't agree? Fight me. My lady got the regular enfrijoladas and horchata. Okay, I think I'm pretty familiar with Mexican food. This, it turns out, is wrong. I don't even know what I don't know about Mexican food. Who, and I mean this with all respect, the F**K decided to keep enfrijoladas a secret from me??!!?? It's just so GOOD!!! The rice, the perfect fried egg, the black bean sauce over the tortillas, the cheese! I didn't know! And the mixtas came with some delicious thin-sliced beef, some extremely well seasoned pork, and my old friend chorizo. It's officially my new favorite Mexican breakfast. Juquila turned me on to something special. Listen, I know I'm not your mom. But I'm telling you right now. Go to Culver City. Go to Juquila. Eat good food. Maybe drink and watch soccer. Whatever, I'm still not your mom.

First time ordering. I didn't spend much time in the restaurant itself (less than 30min), but even in that time, I was able to appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship behind the scenery of the establishment. The service was friendly (though a bit annoying that you can't split a check), and the food was ready faster than expected. I got the chicken burrito + wet with salsa verde, & it TASTED and LOOKED like a QUALITY burrito. Even driving 30 minutes to the beach, it wasn't too soggy, either. I quite literally inhaled it while enjoying the sunny California coasts and pondering many, many things. But anywho. I WILL be coming back. And I reccomend you come too.

I remember being here a long time ago... they gave us chips with Mike sauce and quesillo instead of chips & salsa. This is the only reason I came. Things have change since... but we were still able to order. However, they don't have quesillo I was a bit disappointed. They have a happy hour menu. The tacos are good. The margaritas are mild, so that is good (in my personal opinion). The server was attentive and polite. The dinning room is small, but clean. My carne asada was good. All in all - it was a good experience.

We stopped by for happy hour and caught it about 30 minutes before the end. In that time, we only received one drink (server never returned until after the hour mark). Complimentary chips and salsa were great. We ordered the nachos, too, which proved to be too many chips. They weren't well layered with ingredients, so it was like a pile of chips with beans and sour cream on top. The drinks still came out to be basically normal price, despite the happy hour - I wonder what they are normally??

This is an Oaxacan Mexican restaurant so people should understand it is not typical Mexican fare. I was not happy with the meat in my entree(too chewy and leathery)but the server did honor my request to replace it with a fish taco which was only average. Prices are high with my meal costing me $25. The ambience is nice with nice decor and bar but it's a small dining area and it was too cold and drafty.

I'm so glad I live right down the street from this place. I stopped in the other night because I was craving a wet Al pastor burrito and some chips and salsa. The place was pretty clean inside and I was greeted right away. She gave me chips and salsa within a couple minutes of sitting down which was perfect. They have a back patio also which gets pretty lively. I had a passionfruit drink with my dinner which was so good. Can't wait to come back here for happy hour!

The food here is so good! We usually get mole dishes and they're always delicious. Staff is friendly and nice atmosphere.

This is a great place although not perfect. The carne asada was delicious. It's not the best in LA in my opinion but I bet most people would really like it. The chips and salsa come out right away and it's really fresh. It was rather mild for a place that is so authentically decorated. The place is small and there isn't a lot of seating but that wasn't a problem. I bet they do a lot of takeout business. I wasn't impressed that a virgin margarita cost $8. Dinner for 1 person cost me $35. That's 1 Diet Coke, 1 virgin margarita, and 1 carne asada plate. The staff was pretty much "down to business". Not overly chatty and nothing was missed. That's kinda a big deal nowadays. I will order from them in the future for sure.

Was craving a torta after some long post-vacation unpacking and decided to order from here. Got a torta de milanesa and took a few bites when I felt something taste weird. Opened it up and the bottom bread was burnt. The other half was equally as burnt in the bottom bread. Was really disappointing given how good reviews this place had

Great service, wonderful staff and a great happy hour. Couldn't ask for more! The asada tacos are good and they have a great selection of mescal.

Mole. That's why I went. That's what I got. It was great. Look. I'm from the Midwest. Is it "authenticity mole? Don't know, don't care. It was delicious. Do it, get it, and get some more. Price. Was fairly price. Service. Simply okay. Atmosphere. Nonexistent.

Food is amazing, flavors are there,! Authentic "comida oaxaqueña" the atmosphere is great music was nice. We sat at the patio. Service was a little slow, but besides that I love the place definitely coming back , funny thing there was a guy arround and he offered me and my friends a mezcal. Not once , but twice or a third time. So I was like yeahh fine bring the mezcal. He insisted that for a minute I thought it was gonna be on the house . 30 dolllat later I realized it wasn't on the house z but yes . Very recommended try it but don't fall for ten mezcal lesson learned.

La comida estuvo deliciosa y el servicio. Excelente. La música definitivamente mi estilo. Totalmente Mexicano.. muy limpio y la decoración sumamente impresionante.

Fun spot for bottomless mimosas with an outdoor patio for larger groups. It can definitely get rowdy on the patio with Juquila being a popular spot for local college students, so be prepared. Tacos ($2.99 ea): I got the al pastor, chicken & asada served with cilantro, onion & salsa. Pretty solid tacos, not the juiciest like the street tacos drenched in marinade but not too greasy & oily either Burrito mojado verde ($16): Served with rice, beans, onions, cilantro and salsa topped with red sauce. Juicy, flavorful, and fully packed with flavor! Breakfast burrito ($13): your choice of chorizo, ham or bacon. Plus free chips and salsa! The food isn't mind-blowing but acceptable if you're just here for the mimosas

Dinned in on a Friday afternoon. Ordered an horchata- do not recomen because it is the machine kind. Food was okay, not too impressed. Parking can be challenging.

Ahhh found a gem. We were in the mood for tamales, looked at what was around, and this place had what we were looking for. I was super excited about the mole one, but the chicken one was the star. The nachos were excellent, too, and the Carne asada was so good, my man went back again a couple days later to get it in taco form. The second time I got the cheese and chicken enchiladas, and damn, blown away again. Even the beans and rice were better than usual. And the portions are so big, it can last for a couple meals. Lo encanta.

We love Juquila! Been eating here for years and beyond due to leave a review. Some of our favorites are the tacos, particularly the Al Pastor, the Camarron A La Diabla, the enchiladas, the Mojarra Frita, Barbacoa de Chivo. Everything is fantastic! They have also done some amazing renovations as of late inside that look tremendous. We are so lucky to have Juquila in the neighborhood!

Life changing experience. The food, service, and ambiance are great. As a non-mexican, there were items that I had never seen before. I got the Molcajete Mixto and it was one if the greatest dishes I have eaten in my life. The sauces, meats, and cooked veg were out of this world. There were several different meats and each was amazing. Can't recommend this place enough on the west side. They also have an outside area which is great for parties or the best Mexican pregame that you can get

Downgrading my original review from 3 stars to 2, I just got the weakest nachos I've ever had -- barely any steak, and the chips were incredibly soggy even though I picked it up on time. And they cost $18. I won't be returning for a while, I feel like I should've learned my lesson by now...

This restaurant has great potential, but might want to consider making a few changes. The music is WAY too loud. I'm not coming here to listen to a concert, I'm coming here to eat and have a conversation. Please turn down the music. The service is very helter skelter - the waitresses seem very stressed out frequently, and the service is quite spotty at times. I have had several different dishes there and they have been very good, but the carne asada was tough and not very tasty. The meat was not very good quality. Fantastic chile rellenos and enchiladas.

Chilaquiles con huevos before and after. SO GOOOD!! Would recommend for sure. Huge potions. We also got a quesadilla and were seafood burrito!

I came with a large group for a friends birthday party without reservations and we had a great time! Half of us got bottomless mimosas, and we shared various dishes. The carne asada tacos were good but definitely not the best we've had. I enjoyed the chips and guacamole and the blended strawberry margarita and mimosas were delicious!. The back patio was extremely rowdy so come prepared for that. The servers offered a complimentary dessert and sang happy birthday to my friend which was a nice touch. Service was very nice, I would definitely recommend for bottomless!

My spot in Santa Monica for authentic Mexican food! I came in this time for the Chilaquiles!!

Service was nice, food was good, patio was large and decorated well, but unfortunately quite empty on a Taco Tuesday and also no specials. Drink selection was also limited although the passion fruit margarita was yummy! This place would be awesome if they had a special. It would attract more customers!

I live a few blocks away and hadn't been here for over a decade. This used to be a hole in the wall joint. Inexpensive food and beers. But it has now changed into a much higher-end bar/restaurant. Prices have skyrocketed. The house margarita is $15 and a bit fancier ones are $18+. Average plate is $20+. They have bar seating, so it's a great place if you're dining alone. I had the carne asada plate ($23) and a couple of margaritas. $61 (excluding tip). On the higher side for a Mexican/Oaxian little restaurant. But the food and drinks were good.

Love delicious food? Love authentic mole? Love reasonably a reasonable priced meal? Juquila won't disappoint! Love a fancy atmosphere? Not your place. My husband and I are visiting Oaxaca soon, and decided to try Juquila for date night, based upon a friend's recommendation. Since it was a rainy and cold night, we skipped the patio and sat inside. I was hesitant at first as the atmosphere feels "basic Mexican restaurant that's good for families you'd see on any TV sitcom:" too bright with well-worn booths and Latin music playing. After that first bite of the Tlayuda (think Oaxacan pizza) that Fernando graciously offered to prepare vegetarian for us, I no longer cared about the atmosphere. The booths were comfortable, we love the music and it wasn't too loud (a pet peeve), and who needed a dim restaurant? The mole sealed the deal. We're not gourmands with great expertise in mole, but we know and appreciate delicious food. Apparently, the mole is made from scratch from a native Oaxacan and involves an extensive process. I'll save the interesting story for you to ask and hear directly. I look forward to returning for the food and trying the patio, since I love eating outdoors. We purposely avoid weekends to eat out, so I can't speak to the other reviews of crowds, noise and long wait times for food. We had great service and speedy food, which you'd expect at 6pm on a rainy, cold Thursday night. Plus for the pay by spot parking lot in back and free street parking nearby. Highly recommend you give it a try!

I think food is Mid but the bottomless mimosas is a good price and it's also more alc than og lolol

Went into this restaurant pretty excited since I myself am Oaxacan so I love supporting and trying new Oaxacan restaurants! First thing I saw before walking in was "PATIO NOW OPEN" so I immediately knew I was going to check it out since I prefer patios on a nice day. My family and I had picked out a table and the waiter proceeded to tell us that it wasn't open. I was a little upset since it looked really cute and it felt more claustrophobic inside. I asked the waiter why it was closed since there was a big sign out front and he said "it usually is open but we're working on things in the front so we closed it for now". 5 minutes later a group of white girls came in and walked to the patio and the waiter told them absolutely nothing. He came back to our table and then said "I just wanted to let you know we're opening the patio now if you want to move". We immediately said yes but we're shocked that it took white people to go back there in order for them to open it up Literally less than 5 minutes passed when we had sat back there and situated ourselves when we were told it was closed and to move. It felt like they just didn't want to put the effort into serving in the patio because it was just us. I'm upset this place isn't friendly to their own people but will bend over backwards for the white guy. Apart from this the waiter was snarky and had attitude when we asked questions about the food. Which btw is VERY MID LEVEL but their drinks are overpriced and underpoured. There are WAY better Oaxacan restaurants out there. Go to Madre on national for better service, cleanliness, food, AND drink. Overall I wouldn't support this establishment again. If they can be shitty to people of the same skin tone as them and super nice to the table full of white girls next to us, they don't deserve any of my hard earned coin.

More attuned to there local collegiate crowd, especially in the patio... raucous would be an understatement. Lol. Just accept the beer aroma + somewhat sticky tables and you'll have a good time though . Food takes awhile to arrive, again that's likely due to the nature of the place. Chips and house made salsa are dec facto reasons to linger, even after the grub is gone. It may take several asks to get whatever you're looking for but it'll eventually come. Decent overall, albeit pricey

Carlos took good care of our party. The food came out fresh and hot. The carne asada was tender and delicious. Enchiladas were also great, they don't skimp on the protein. And finally we couldn't help ourselves and ordered some yummy nachos. Will definitely come again!

The food was delicious black beans are my favorite. And the mole was on point!!!! So good highly recommend

Amazing food, great portions. Their mole is unmatched. I order a side of mole with chips every time I go there. Place is a 10 in my book.

The staff was friendly, and seriously everything we ate was delicious! We had one tamal de rajas and one tamal de mole before, a tlayuda de tasajo (huge), chilaquiles, and cafe de olla. We were so pleasantly satisfied, the food is seriously very good.

Extremely nice people working there. Seemed like a lot of locals eating there. Got a carnitas verde wet burrito to go. Massive. Great flavor too. Will be back!

Worst service. And the guy himself 30$ as a tip. We talked to the older lady and she was making excuses the whole time as to why we didn't get checked up on once or why she didn't tell us the time limit or the auto gratuity.

I came here after a friend recommended the place to me. We ordered tacos and mole negro. The flavor was not appetizing for me. Glad I tried but Mole NegroI'm going to explore other places

Strengths: 1) Juquila's provides free chips & salsa as an appetizer, 2) the vegetarian burrito that I ordered met my expectations in terms of price & quality, and 3) the two servers on duty were prompt, courteous & "good people" to all appearances. Weaknesses: The main weakness is that the music is just too loud. To prove this point, you only need to compare Juquila's with the two restaurants on either side of it (viz. Café 50's to the west and Bad Sushi to the east)--both of which play their music at a more reasonable volume. The loud music completely ruined my dining experience; and, were I a regular or an employee of Juquila's, I should worry that the music might ruin my hearing as well. Looking at the other reviews on Yelp, it seems that other customers have already drawn attention to this problem. So it is a shame that the management at Juquila's have not addressed the problem--after all, it costs absolutely *nothing* to turn the music down. To my fellow customers, my advice is to steer clear of this establishment. To the employees, my advice is to measure the volume at the start and end of each shift & to file a complaint with CAL OSHA for unsafe working conditions (sc. anything above 70 dB will damage your hearing over time).

I ordered two cheese enchiladas with red sauce, a side of beans and one horchata for pick-up. The restaurant was cute and colorful with friendly staff. When I got home and took my first bite of cheese enchilada, flames errupted on my tongue and shot out of both ears. It was painfully hot ( as in spicy) and made me cry. I had to drink Horchata, suck ice and chew bread to try to soak up the heat. they should put stars beside that item or label it spicy. I've happily eaten hundreds of cheese enchiladas in my life, but these went straight into the trash.

Vine a desayunar con mi hermana y yo comí la ranchera encebollada estuvo deliciosa y uffff lo disfruté como no tienes idea! Siempre vengo aquí pero hoy qué probé algo diferente quede encantado! Mi hermana comió unos chilaquiles con quesillo y hasta yo terminé comiéndomelos ! El café de olla y el servicio de Hibet excelente como siempre! No hay foto porque no quedó nada en el plato !!

Juquila has been a favorite for the past 4+ years - finally getting to a review! Really just a good spot across the board - big portions, good margaritas, friendly service. I've been limited to takeout in the pandemic and have missed the atmosphere. For dinner, I usually end up with a burrito (often enough for two meals). Their mole is a hit, too. Breakfast is the real under-the-radar gem, though. Order the huevos rancheros or breakfast burrito, but you probably can't go wrong with any pick. If you can't walk over, parking is on Santa Monica Blvd or in a convenient Pay by Spot lot in the back.

I love this spot - If you like mole (and if you don't, you can stop reading this review and maybe all of my reviews because we probably won't agree on anything) this place is fire. Restaurant itself is small, booth and table seating, cozy and colorful. Playing futbol on the TV's, you know I'm sold. Food: I've tried a number of things, but I recommend the camarones a la diabla (pretty spicy actually), chile relleno, molcajete and the dish with nopal. Very authentic, great flavor and comes out quickly. Drink selection: a bunch of aguas frescas, and the essentials beer-wise (modelo, corona, etc.). Parking: street parking everywhere, you won't struggle to find a spot (maybe to parallel, haha). Check it out!

I just love this place. my favorite burrito - it's just perfect, zero notes. staff so friendly, great vibes, great margs.

I would 100% recommend this place! It's got great food, their caldo de pollo, and tortas are definitely my favorite. The staff is very nice and friendly as well! There are beautiful paintings inside and are always decorative for the holidays!

Good neighborhood spot. Love the addition of the patio out back. Solid food. Dig the mole chicken enchiladas. Wife gets the torta, this time to go so it's only photo I have at moment. Staff is always friendly.

Cerveza bien helada y unas buenas enchiladas de el mejor mole de los Ángeles Muy buen servicio y amables los meseros

I love this place, the salad in a basket is from another planet, drinks are great and service too! A must visit if around Brentwood

This place is a hidden gem the food the staff is just amazing I've been here many times and will go back again and again

I agree with LA.Eater.com. Juquila belongs on a list of definitive Oaxacan restaurants. I have only scratched the surface of their menu but can't wait to try more. The chicken burrito was well seasoned and very big. The chips are light but the salsa was a wee bit spicy for me. Many choices here. Must try rice and beans next. Can't believe when made right, simple ingredients taste so rich and hearty. Juquila is open late, too til 11 pm. There's metered parking and a very small lot behind it. Service was good and cordial. It's not a big place but you can taste the authenticity in the first bite.

The service i received revealed the bread was stale and hard not fresh. The food was not authentic, and the food size specifically the meat was small and just terrible. The hot chocolate and bread order was placed but I got it way later when my food arrived. the waitresses were not attentive. I strongly do not recommend.