La Cabañita

Visited for the first time on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Only two other tables were occupied, yet service was shockingly nonexistent. My date’s order came out wrong, and no one ever checked on us. No refills, no “how’s everything,” nothing. Our server was on his phone by the register while we sat there for 45 minutes, completely ignored. The drinks were bland and the tacos completely savorless, which only made the lack of service stand out more. I called afterward to speak with a manager, but was told multiple times that no one was available and to “call back in a few weeks.” Reading other reviews, it’s clear this isn’t a one-time issue. Many guests mention the same indifference from the staff. The restaurant may look nice, but when guests feel invisible and the food lacks flavor, there’s zero reason to come back. It was one of the most inattentive experiences I’ve had in any restaurant ever. I wouldn’t return even if offered free food and drinks for a year. Waste of my time and money. Never again.

Food is good and portions are huge. Quite popular so sometimes there’s a wait. When it’s busy the service can get a bit slower, especially if you’re in the back room. Good assortment of kid options. Margaritas are on the sweeter side. Highly recommend if you’re in the area.

Delicious Mexican flavors with generous portions and a warm, vibrant atmosphere. The staff was friendly and made great recommendations. A good spot for a mexican food lovers!

I was disappointed with the overall quality of the main dishes. The flavors were underwhelming and lacked complexity. The ingredients seemed fresh, but the preparation fell short. The only redeeming element of the meal was the salad, which was crisp and refreshing. I would not recommend ordering the main courses.

Tasty Mexican restaurant on verdugo! Quick, and prompt. No outdoor seating, and not dog friendly (understandably!). We were recommended to them by our friend who also recently moved to the area from west la. We have been missing some of the quality, taste, and access to great food. This spot seemed to be closer to the level of quality/taste that we experienced in LA proper. The restaurant is sandwiched between some more car repair shops; easy to miss when driving down the street! There is some limited curb side parking out front. Be aware to turn your wheels into the curb when parking to ensure you don’t have issue with the incline. Apparently the police do monitor and cite this commonly. The restaurant had signs all over to warn its patrons of the ticketing. Salsa was tasty. Food was fresh. They have a large bar, and two large dining sections. Busy, but no wait. We ordered take out, they quoted 10 min, and it was ready in that window. Most of the staff was very attentive, and friendly. They asked if we needed cutlery or anything else to enjoy our take out. We will be back!

Enjoyed a wonderful dinner tonight! The servers were friendly, attentive, and remembered the little details of our orders. Wide selection of items on their menu, including classic items and dishes that are not found on most menus, like mole. The kids and parents were all happy with their meals. Adults enjoyed their margaritas. It seems that they have yummy options for breakfast and lunch, too. You can hop on the waitlist via Yelp. There is seating for small and large parties. Be sure to visit this neighborhood gem!

Very difficult to find parking. Acoustics make for a loud atmosphere making it hard to hear conversations. Once it gets less crowded it's nice. Decor is lovely. The food was so so in flavor. I was excepting more. Wait staff attentive and friendly.

I have been coming here for years because the food is always good. I really enjoy the chips and salsa. One of my favorite dishes is the chili relleno from La Cabañita.

I came here with my girlfriend on a Friday afternoon around 3pm. There was no wait, the food was served quickly and hot, they even give you warm nacho chips and salsas to snack on while you wait for your meal!! I got the enchiladas de Puebla and my girlfriend got the enchiladas de mole and they were delicious! The staff is super friendly as well!

If you like authentic Mexican food, look elsewhere. This place is very white-washed and watered down. The people who love it only love it because they either have never had real Mexican food or can't stand the heat of real Mexican food. Upon seating you, they give you chips and salsa. I eagerly tried both salsas and was met with good flavor but....no spice. When our entrees arrived, I was met with the same disappointment. The food was edible, but everything tasted rather bland. There was hardly heat temperature-wise, and definitely no heat spice-wise. And I say this as someone who does not like my food very spicy, so I feel like that's saying something. I don't even get the red sauce at Chipotle, ya feel me? So I have never in my life asked for habañero sauce because that's way out of my spice tolerance. But when I ate the bland food, I asked if they had any spicy salsa. They offered habanero or chile de arbol. They didn't even have tapatio to offer (what kind of establishment is this?!). So I hesitantly asked for the habanero, since Chile de arbol is way hotter. It was hardly spicy. I used the whole container just to achieve the level of spice I was used to at other Mexican restaurants. Also, my mom (who grew up in Mexico) ordered the chilaquiles and was surprised that hers did not come with an egg. You had to order it as an extra charge! And she was so confused as to why it came with a bolillo. As if the bread is supposed to be a substitute for the egg. I have eaten many chilaquiles from all over LA and I have never had a plate that doesnt already come with egg and comes with a bolillo. This place does not know what they're doing.

Very good, overall. Service was excellent, attentive, and friendly. Chicken Mole Enchiladas were delicious. Tamales, 1 pork and 1 chicken, were good but needed more salsa. Black beans were very good! If we lived close by, we'd visit more often.

Food and service were great. Easy to get into on Saturday night, we all enjoyed ourselves

A cute little place my friend wanted to try in the hilly part of Glendale right below downtown Montrose on Verdugo. It was pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon. Once we were seated - the server was right over. Throughout the entire visit, service was very attentive. We ordered the Chiles En Nogado and a combo with a chicken mole enchilada and a Chile Relleno. My friend was happy with her dish (Chiles En Nogado), her main reason for coming here. She raved o er the fresh handmade tortillas that came with it. My combo was good, not great but good. The mole was good and not too overly chocolate-y like some tend to be. A good balance of all of the rich flavors you'd expect. The Chile Relleno was just ok. Overall, not a bad experience but I wouldn't make another trip from West LA for it. Expect to park on the street I. Front or around the corner. The local parking enforcement will ticket you if your tires are not turned the right way on the hill and they write tickets seven days a week.

This has been a local favorite for sometime. I haven't been here in 5-7 years, so it was nice to revisit. I enjoyed my meal very much. The staff were accommodating and friendly. Ordered the street tacos, also the green cheese enchiladas, along with a Pina colada. Street tacos very flavorful and very filling. Husband enjoyed the cheese enchiladas. Chips were fresh and crunch. Nice to have both green and red salads at the table. Two complaints. Pina colada lacked alcohol. Felt like I was drinking a coconut smoothie. Ladies bathroom was not clean. Price for two was $51.00 not including tip. Sadly that's reasonably these days.

Came back again today, service top tier, their entire staff is friendly & the food is AMAZING seriously can't get enough. I was craving it the second I left & they didn't disappoint today when I came back. Will 100% be sending my family & friends here. The ambiance is also too tier.

A forever favorite for almost 15 years now. I try to make a special visit to La Cabanita every trip back home to LA, and I almost always get the same thing: their vegetarian mole enchiladas and a cadillac margarita. The only thing I switched up on my last visit was trying a mezcal margarita which was surprisingly too sweet, like they were trying to balance out the smoky mezcal, except that's the whole reason I ordered it -- to taste the mezcal! Regardless, it didn't ruin my night or my dinner. The food was typically delicious, and the staff was typically friendly. Recommend arriving early if you don't want to wait to be seated, or calling ahead to put your name on the list on a weekend evening. But even when I've had to wait to be seated it's always been much faster than the time they've quoted me. And always worth it.

I recommend La Cabanita for any occasion, but especially after a hike at Switzer Falls. Margaritas quenched my thirst and the food met my cravings. Go there!

Made lunch stop during a recent visit. Had the enchiladas and flautas. Both were great. Friendly service.

Sooooooo good and unique, with attentive service. Excellent chips and salsa as well. La Cabanita stands in its own category and have been coming here for years. Thank you from @michelle_merchantservices

This was my second time dining at La Cabanita. There are many great options on their menu that you normally would not find and any other mexican restaurant. My favorite is the Puerco en Salsa Verde and also Chiles en Nogada. Food was very flavorful and service was good.

The food is amazing serving authentic Mexican flavors. The service is great. The ambiance is very authentic with amazing Mexican decorations.

Though i am not as famous as the couple (Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky) photographed in the 90's sitting at a wall table here: I still adore La Cabanita. In fact as a major Elizabeth Taylor fan i was sitting at the table that she and her then hubbie, Larry Fortensky sat. I had been having a hankering for some of La Caba's patented Tex Mex Nachos and a bowl of their excellent Chicken Soup (Caldo de Pollo) so i landed here this morning in preparation for the extreme heat that is purported to land in Los Angeles today. There is plenty of parking at the back of the restaurant (in the shade) at about 930 am and just a few die-hard Caba Breakfasters here. As is the norm , there are plenty of waiters to take care of our needs: all of them happy to serve. These are the kind of servers that i like: people who take their jobs to a professional level and work their tables as such. I ordered a delicious, malty, dark, cherry, nutty "Bohemia" and with it came the thick, crisp, fresh chips of which this joint is famous. Along with these we get 2 dipping salsas: tomatillo based and a red: both are mild. I asked and received a bowl of Hot salsa which upped the ante, spicy-wise. I also ordered a bowl of Caba's Caldo de Pollo and a plate of their famous Tex-Mex-style Nachos (see the photo for the style of the preparation) It's very unusual: a style that of Texas (San Antonio for example) i have never seen. These Nachos come with Cheddar though you can ask for White. Yellow or White Cheese with beans or Meat or without: these Nachos are the best that i have ever tasted anywhere though there are certainly places that serve mountains of Nachos though taste-wise do not come near the unctuousness of these. Yum. Good Stuff. The Caldo de Pollo today was a bit below par: as if i had gotten the bottom of the huge pot bubbling in the back. But it is still full of real chicken broth flavor with lots of shredded chicken and huge accoutrements as in Avocado slices and chopped onion, potatoes and zucchini. As usual a good time is had by all. I will of course be back. Cheers!

Horrible overpriced and 18% service charge automatically added! Really! Save ur money and time go to a taco truck instead

I have been a patron of La Cabanita now and then over many years as I do not live directly in the area. The menu is a unique and delicious take on traditional Mexican food. The quality has remained consistent for all these years. We recently booked their small banquet room for a wedding party of approx 30 guests, as the wedding took place at the nearby Descanso Gardens. A fixed but varied menu of items they could provide in a reasonable time for our large party. Many guests had never been to La Cabanita, but all were quite delighted with the food. Above all, I want to thank Joscelyn, Rene and staff for the attention and kindness they displayed for this event. As well, for Joscelyon's expert cutting of a very large cake! It felt like having additional family members added to our party. A very good time was had by all. :)

Horrible service. The servers are so rude, they do not welcome people and their faces are always grouchy! Food is just okay. Without shame they ask more tip. I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone! You spend money there they don't welcome. They don't recognize that people go to restaurant not just for food they go to have nice hospitality and experience. But this restaurant their attitude is why you are here. Such a unwelcoming atmosphere!

The best Mexican restaurant in Montrose. I love they have been here for as long as I can remember. Middle school dinners with my family. Used to be junior high back then. I love their chicken mole enchiladas and the Cadillac margarita on the rocks.

Awesome jalapeño margaritas!!!!!! Our server was really kind and our food was excellent. It's a nice, cheerful, place and I can't wait till next time.

My honest opinion: Like others have stated. The food, desert and drinks are GREAT. - Carne Asada - Carnitas Plate - Fajitas Combo - Flan, try the coconut one too - Margaritas All great dishes to try. Service was acceptable. Nice cozy location, and well decorated. Issues: - If you park on the street, don't forget to turn your wheels to the curb or you will get a ticket. - The check-in part was a joke. Needs attention. - The SERVICE CHARGE. Not acceptable. I didn't see anything advertising a SC would be placed on final bill. Again food was GREAT and Service acceptable. A must try, just be ready for the issues.

We were looking for somewhere good to eat after enjoying Descanso Gardens, and this place was close as well as highly recommended. While the food was nothing fancy, it was delicious and felt like home-cooked comfort food. The tamales were amazing - I actually had leftovers, and they were just as good the next day. All the staff were super friendly and efficient. Parking, at least from what we found, was street parking only, so I imagine it could get difficult at higher peak times. Overall, this was a good find that we would return to if we were in the area.

Recently came here for lunch and got their lunch special. You can join their waitlist on Yelp beforehand and check in with the host / iPad when you arrive. Overall delicious meal and great service! Orders: - Lunch special with Horchata and Tamales (chose one with pork and one with chicken): Delicious! Great with the beans and rice. Horchata tasted refreshing - Lunch special with Horchata and Flautas (chose one beef, one chicken, and one potato): Decent size and good. - Lunch special with coffee and Enchiladas (one with chicken and one with beef): Chicken one tasted great! Don't need the beef one. Would come again if in the neighborhood.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in La. My bf is Latino and I have had a lot of Mexican food in different states and this is great food. The food isn't super spicy but the flavors are amazing. The different types of chile relleno are what I always come back for. The sauces are so good and they make fresh corn tortillas that I love. I almost don't want too many people to discover this restaurant. My bf always gets the meat stew plates and they are delicious. The alboniga soup is great and of course the carrot or corn soup that comes with some plates. If we were closer we would eat here every week

Thirty YEARS I've been going . Best Mexican in CA! I lived all over Mexico, nothing comes close In authenticity, originality and FLAVOR! The chips and (2) salsas alone!

A true gem in Montrose. I stopped in on a rainy LA night looking for hot soup. They were super busy but I did not have to wait long. Had a michi with my chips and salsa. Then ordered red pork pozole. Everything was delicious. I left warmed up and satisfied.

Very great refreshing experience for out of state visitors. Filling, but not heavy. Fresh ingredients made from scratch.

Food was really good. Traditional, tasty, well-prepared, good portions. Service was a bit spotty but it was very crowded and the server was very nice, even if he disappeared for long periods. Ambiance is loud, bustling but fun. I got the fancy double Cadillac Margarita. It was just OK. All-in-all, a really nice Mexican restaurant to enjoy with friends. Prices are reasonable.

Great traditional Mexican food, the chips, and salsa's are to die for! I highly recommend that you try everything !

If you want to taste the southern style Mexican food this is an excellent place to go. My favorite is their mole sauce, and the Chile Relleno en Nogada is also very, very good.

Un sabor muy rico!! probé las chuletas y la sopa de crema de zanahorias! 100% worth it ! and the service too !! los meseros muy atentos y con buena actitud

Great food and service. I just happen to be in the area stopped here. Service was great and food tasted authentic Mexican. I would go again.

La Cabañita has quickly become a staple in my household. My first meal after birth was La cabañitas Caldo de Pollo. (that was also my first time trying La cabañita) I quickly became a fan as the taste was so homey, authentic, and delicious! Moving to Glendale from LA, it was extremely hard finding a good authentic Mexican restaurant until we tried La Cabañita, and now we have it once or twice a month. Service is always great, very attentive, and fast. Highly recommend the caldo de pollo, carne asada plate, pozole, chiles rellenos, street tacos (barbacoa is our fav).

This La Canada/Glendale/Montrose Mexican restaurant was the ideal spot to meet for tres amigas coming from West Covina, Santa Clarita, and Northridge - it was central for all three. A good first visit. Here are a few tips and helpful info: 1. Parking - is the most challenging one for only street parking on either N. Verdugo or Ocean View (rear area of the restaurant) and both are busy streets 2. Service - excellent Note: They got one of our orders wrong - my friend asked for dressing on the side on her pollo enselada and they did not do so and she is on a strict diet so she felt bad but she raised it to their attention and they quickly replaced it Also, they kept checking on us (this can get bothersome in some cases) but they do it so inconspicuously that it was appreciated 3. Food Chips - love their complimentary homemade chips and salsa Enselada with chicken (pollo) - Good Lunch Special Chicken Soup with choice of drinks (horchata) side of rice and beans - Ok ( Soup could have been hot and not warm) Taco Combo - Good

Let me start by saying that I've been coming here for over 15 years... been a loyal customer making the drive from the west valley and now from DTLA when there are literally thousands of other Mexican food/restaurant options. We got take out during the pandemic at least 1-2 times a week to show our support. So I'm still a little salty at the visit we recently had where we were treated so rudely by our server. We dined in around 7:30pm, were seated at the tiniest table in the back room that was on a "hill" and was wobbling like crazy. Once a larger table next to us opened up, I asked if it would be ok to move and our server rolled his eyes and said yes. We made the move ourselves with zero assistance from him. The food was amazing (as always) and we ordered another round of margaritas. Never were we told it was last call or that they were closing soon. Apparently they close at 9pm. At 9:10pm (only a few minutes after our drinks were dropped on the table, along with the check), our server literally came to our table and said in the most condescending voice, "OK, it's time to go home now." My bf and I looked at each other in a state of disbelief. As a restaurant manager myself, I would never, ever say that to a guest. And did he want us to slam our full margaritas and get behind the wheel of a car? Completely unacceptable behavior. I woke up the next morning still thinking about it, so I called and spoke to the manager. He was deeply apologetic and mortified and said he'd have the owner/GM give me a call. It's been over a month and I have yet to receive a call which tells me that the owner doesn't care about how her guests are treated at her establishment. Very, very disappointed.

Cute place, I stopped here after class with 2 friends, one of them been here before and said we have to try this place. I got the enchiladas one green and the other 1 mole. I loved the green sauce one, didn't feel the mole to much. The salsa and chips were really good as well.

Everything about this place is so great! Service: amazing, the waiters really try and help if you need to modify plates, and they're overall just really kind. Loved the decor and setting, it's feels so homey and authentic; so many beautiful decorations . Food: Their tortilla chips feel so homemade and came out warm- they're so addicting. I was full by the time my Potato Flautas came! They were topped with guacamole, cotija cheese, lettuce, and salsa. The tortillas they're made with are so yummy, similar to the chips. I honestly do wish the inside of the flautas had some sort of salsa or filling other than potato to make it juicy but I'm sure that if you order meat flautas then it'll taste even better! Overall really yummy and carefully crafted. The rice and beans were also good. We got the flan de nuez and the sopapillas. So delicious!! The flan isn't super sweet which I enjoyed. The Sopapillas were my fav- very sweet and taste similar to beignets! Would definitely come back to try more dishes and desserts, and of course for the tortilla chips!!

This place came highly recommended, but unfortunately it didn't really hit the spot for me and my guest. Our food took a very long time to arrive. And it wasn't overwhelming. We came, we tried it, and that's it. I understand some people really love it and that's fine for them. And to end on a more positive note, our margaritas were delicious.

overpriced bland food, service non-existent. only good thing are the homemade tortilla chips with two kinds of salsa. first time coming after enjoyed coming 20yrs ago. things have changed

I live on the Big Island of Hawaii. I'm Hispanic, born and raised in Los Angeles and love Mexican food. My older sister lives in Texas and also loves Mexican food. We both cannot find authentic Mexican food where we live. We came to California for our mother's 90th birthday and our first dinner out was at La Cabanita. I ordered the Chili Rellanos rice and beans. My sister ordered the Fajitas rice and beans. Our server was very nice. When our food arrived the server will usually say " be careful, hot plate" well he didn't say that. I touched the plate and it wasn't even warm. I touched my food and it was barely warm. I took one look at the food on the plate and thought " oh no" Well, I wasn't going to just assume it wasn't good so, I did give it a try. The black beans were just ok. The Spanish rice wasn't the best. The Chili Rellano was absolutely horrible! There was barely an egg batter on it. The green chili inside was thin and black not green and the cheese inside wasn't even melted. I was able to stick my fork into the cheese and lift out the cheese in one hard piece. It was ridiculous and I got 2 Chili Rellanos with my rice and beans. I couldn't eat it. My sister wasn't impressed with her fajitas either! We were really disappointed because we were craving good Mexican food. We will never go back there.

Met a friend here and really loved the food and received excellent service. I ventured out of my comfort zone to try the three chiles...one traditional with cheese, one vegetable, and one with chicken. Each one was great and had their own sauce. The server was very pleasant and inviting. I was visiting the area, but I will recommend to friends and come back again when next in the area.

I work locally and my office loves getting together for lunch at this place. Great food and service!

Really great options for vegetarians. The waitress suggested 3 of her favorite options, but said the one she would most recommend are the Vegetarian Enchiladas, so that's what I went with. They were really delicious, and came with black beans, and vegetarian Spanish rice. The green sauce on top was also vegetarian (the waitress confirmed). Service was wonderful; several people came by to ask how things were, and to refill the chips and tasty salsa (the 2nd dip was mint-based). The corridor leading to the restrooms had a newspaper cutting sharing that this was one of LA's Top 10 Mexican restaurants about 15 years ago. I am glad we picked this place.

This has been our go to Mexican food spot for years. The food is always great no matter what you get. We usually always stick to the same items. Pro tip ask them to make sure the food is extra hot. The service is always great and love the family run approach they have. You can also bring your wine and corkage is $15. Must Get Items: Corn Soup Flautas Chiles Vegetarianos With Extra Sauce Chicken Poblano Enchilada Chicken Verde Enchilada Black Bean Chicken Enchilada

Great Mexican American staple dishes. A popular local restaurant for a margarita, Friday and Saturday evenings can be crowded with many patrons. On some occasions, the carne asada may be a bit overcooked, but homestyle dishes such as Chile Rellenos and Enchiladas are properly made. Mole sauces are also on par. Striving for simplicity is what is the star here.

Okay I met a friend here for lunch first time ever, not impressed. The place looked cleaned , but walking in I could tell they were slow. As I waited for my friend i was served chips and salsa. Chips weren't fresh like you'd expect from a Mexican joint. I ordered a coke with a side of lime wedges. He looked bothered when I ask for them. Soda was flat!!!! Huge cup too which sucked. Strike one. My friend came she ordered jaimaca this place is her spot. I ended up getting beef taquitos combination. Food was cold , the guacamole was old, like green on top , brown on bottom which layed on my soft not crunchy taquitos. Not going back. Bathroom was clean

Non-authentic Mexican food. Burritos came with no beans and I even stabbed the roof of my mouth with the shredded chicken burrito bone (see picture). Horchata tasted like it was made from premade mix powder. Staff was nice, but I'm not there to eat staff.

Went back recently. Had the street tacos. There were 6 tacos in the order, which was impressive. I think I previously gave the place 3 stars but the street tacos were really good so I am adding one more star. I am also a fan of the complimentary chips - freshly made and very crispy. Service was a bit slow, although it may have been because it was Veterans Day and things were busier than usual.

Food great. Service is ok but the food makes up for it. The place itself is charming.

Our go spot with the family! They are great with accommodating our kids. We stop in anytime of day for my favorite green salsa and chips with a michelada and margarita. Service is always great and the food is good. As packed as they are we are always able to get seated quickly.

I have a love hate relationship with this place. The food is out of this world, but the service really makes me dread coming. But alas, my tummy loves this place too much to (1) find an alternative (2) give this less than 5 stars. But just know that the service here is pretty bad (except for 1 or 2 outstanding waiters). Whether i come for the lunch special or for dinner, I always get the same thing. Prices for the lunch special has gone up over the years and so the real difference is for the same price as dinner, you're also getting rice and beans (which I would say is worthwhile since the rice and beans are amazing). The toastas (specifically chicken) is my all time favorite. You can get other toasta fillings (sweet ground beef or guacamole). If you like sweet, than the sweet ground beef is good, but it's a big no no for me. The guacamole one is basically the chicken tostada without the meat so I would say for the best bang for buck, i always go for 3 chicken toastadas (each order comes with three). Now, the REAL star of the show is the chips. I. LOVE. THE. CHIPS. I could eat 2 bowls by myself. When you dip them into the green or brown sauce, it is pure chef's kiss. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Note: if you order take out, they sadly only give you 1 small bag of chips (no matter how many orders you're placing - whether it's 2 orders of 5+). This alone makes me re-think whether I eat in or not. Overall, this place is incredible. I would drive across down to come to this place. I only wish the service was friendlier and they would more accurately give out chips for take out orders. Pro Tip: Come during lunch - waiters are wayyy better (more attentive and friendly).