LA FONDA DE LOS CARNALITOS

Walked in for lunch recently, was immediately acknowledged and politely asked to wait while the table was wiped. Very attentive server, just one woman. Atmosphere/Interior is nice and decorative. TVs were off which was nice. Good 1st impression. Paper menus are heavily soiled, though. I wish I had brought rubber gloves. Please throw these gross menus away! Bad 2nd impression. Ordered a Mexican IPA $9 and the fish taco lunch $16 which comes with a small soup and side salad. I tried to order the mahi mahi ceviche, but they were out of it. Small pieces of lettuce very difficult to eat with a fork, so I used the fork to shovel greens into my spoon. Server brought my beer together with my food about 10 minutes after I placed the order. She forgot to bring my soup, too (soup is usually served first in my experience), so I had to remind her - “this lunch comes with soup, doesn’t it?” - after nearly finishing my 2 fish tacos, which were ordinary, not outstanding in terms of either taste or volume. The fish has a light batter and is fried. I was still hungry, so I ordered the mini crispy gorditas $14 filled with chiccharon. These were specifically mentioned in the article I read. After tax and 15% tip, my bill was over $50…. for lunch!! Oh, I forgot to mention that my server originally billed me for TWO beers which would have brought my subtotal to $48, but I looked at the handheld screen and said, “excuse me, but you only served me one beer!” How could the server make such a silly mistake? She removed the extra beer. No apology for forgetting my soup nor for trying to charge me for a beer I did not drink. Mind you, she’s the one who poured my beer. I found this place on SF Eater’s list of 25 top places to eat in the Peninsula and saw the high Google ratings, so I was looking forward to it, but alas, disappointed AGAIN by the opinions and 5-star ratings of so-called foodies and food critics. Ho hum. Overpriced and underwhelmed. Cute plates and dining area, though! I’ll stick to the taquerias frequented by Mexicans. Not a single Mexican person in this place except for the staff. That says something! FOOD - 3 stars SERVICE - 3 stars ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars Overall 3 stars. Just ordinary nothing even close to 4.6 stars. Update: Printed Menu says $14 for Gorditas de Chicharrron, but my receipt says $15. Dropped from 3 stars to 2 stars for discrepancy and overcharge. Not worth driving to Redwood City for a refund.

Hands down the best Mexican food I’ve had outside of Mexico City. Every dish is bursting with flavor and freshly prepared, from the bold mezcalitas and creamy guacamole to the unforgettable mole sauce. The food transported me right back to the streets of CDMX. Ambience is laid back with a steady stream of local regulars. The service is warm, though it can take a bit of time, and can be a little inconsistent. Be sure to check what is included in your order. The servers made a mistake with the order but were open to feedback. Their drink menu features a great selection of mezcals and well crafted cocktails, and the house-made churros are the perfect sweet finish. The menu is concise but well curated and you really can’t go wrong with anything you order. I loved it so much I went twice during a short visit to California, and I’m already looking forward to going back. Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic, soul satisfying Mexican cuisine.

An extraordinary restaurant with the freshest produce, lively spices, and an excellent presentation. We ate at the bar and had precision pour cocktails, mahi mahi ceviche, pozole, and cochinita pibil (marinated pork, red onions, rice, beans and handmade tortillas). The comfortable bar is stocked with a vast array of very high quality tequilas and mezcals - their specialty. The best high-end mexican restaurant I've been to in a very long time. The staff is knowledgeable, efficient, and polite. It was a great pleasure to dine there.

El mejor restaurante de comida chilanga en San Mateo County! We had loved the lunch and dinner options, and today we tried their breakfast. Everything we’ve tried on the menu is authentic, homemade, and delicious! We ordered chilaquiles verdes with arrachera and bistec a la mexicana with homemade tortillas 😋 it was very flavorful and the server made us feel right at home 🍽️✨

Super authentic with amazing flavors. Great value and friendly staff - definitely a place I would return too.

It is a Latin dream. Stepping into your favorite relatives kitchen knowing you're welcome and in for a treat. Feeling like royalty from the beverage to the appetizers to the meal and the dessert. Customer service at its best. Erika is an angel. And the kitchen is not messing around. You will not regret stopping by.

Came here for lunch and was blown away by the food, service, and vibes! This spot is a somewhat hidden treasure for the Peninsula, food is super fresh and flavorful, your tastebuds will do a dance! In top of the amazing food, the artwork is incredible. You can tell that those who work at this establishment rightfully have a lot of pride in this place. Highly recommend La Fonda!

I stumbled upon this very listing here on Google Maps and was intrigued right away. The dinner I had there did not disappoint. The food was delicious, the cocktail I had was absolutely amazing (guava and mezcal), the service was friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was comfortable and not overly fussy. Perfect for my tastes.

La Fonda has always been a spot I've passed by in the area, but I've finally gotten to try it and I wish I've gone sooner! This spot offers dishes that I don't often see in the area, especially mole. The interior is nicely decorated and feels very welcoming. It was busy when we came but were able to get a table. The service was super quick and she was very attentive. We order the guacamole to start which comes with chicharrones and if you do not eat pork, they add more chips instead which was really great. For mains, we shared 3 dishes, the mole, enchiladas & the arracherra. Everything was delicious and super flavorful. The arracherra was cooked perfectly, and the dish also comes with chorizo but instead they added extra steak. I love how accommodating they were and we truly enjoyed the whole experience along with the meal. Highly recommend you stop by if you're in the area!

I came in with high expectations, and while the service and ambiance were great, the food didn't quite land for me. Nothing was bad -- the staff was very kind, and the place itself had a nice, relaxed vibe. But flavor-wise, nothing stood out as particularly memorable. I left underwhelmed.

First time visiting this spot and loved the cute decor! Their drinks menu is so fun and they have a great selection of Mezcal if that's your thing. I got La Pinche Vida and husband got a margarita. Wonderful presentation and the vida was surprisingly tasty - the rhubarb offsets the sweetness and gives it an unexpected flavor. A little tart, a little sweet and overall delicious. Margarita was good too, classic salt rim and good, balanced flavor. We started with the guacamole, and both ordered the enchiladas verdes de Pollo. The guacamole was excellent and had a good little kick to it, might be a little spicy for some, though I loved it. I could've used a few more chips because it came with Chicharrones well, which are not my favorite. The enchiladas were excellent. I really liked the sauce and the rice was so good! We had our baby with us and she loved the rice and beans as well. Service was good, but it was pretty slow when we were there (we ate at the parent dinner time at 5:30pm LOL) so can't comment on how it would be when it's busy. My husband thought the enchiladas were just so-so, but he also loved the guacamole. Overall, a solid place with good food, but definitely a bit on the expensive side.

Walked in for lunch recently, was immediately acknowledged and politely asked to wait while the table was wiped. Very attentive server, just one woman. Atmosphere/Interior is nice and decorative. TVs were off which was nice. Good 1st impression. Paper menus are heavily soiled, though. I wish I had brought rubber gloves. Please throw these gross menus away! Bad 2nd impression. Ordered a Mexican IPA $9 and the fish taco lunch $16 which comes with a small soup and side salad. I tried to order the mahi mahi ceviche, but they were out of it. Small pieces of lettuce very difficult to eat with a fork, so I used the fork to shovel greens into my spoon. Server brought my beer together with my food about 10 minutes after I placed the order. She forgot to bring my soup, too (soup is usually served first in my experience), so I had to remind her - "this lunch comes with soup, doesn't it?" - after nearly finishing my 2 fish tacos, which were ordinary, not outstanding in terms of either taste or volume. The fish has a light batter and is fried. I was still hungry, so I ordered the mini crispy gorditas $14 filled with chiccharon. These were specifically mentioned in the article I read. After tax and 15% tip, my bill was over $50.... for lunch!! Oh, I forgot to mention that my server originally billed me for TWO beers which would have brought my subtotal to $48, but I looked at the handheld screen and said, "excuse me, but you only served me one beer!" How could the server make such a silly mistake? She removed the extra beer. No apology for forgetting my soup nor for trying to charge me for a beer I did not drink. Mind you, she's the one who poured my beer. I found this place on SF Eater's list of 25 top places to eat in the Peninsula and saw the high Google ratings, so I was looking forward to it, but alas, disappointed AGAIN by the opinions and 5-star ratings of so-called foodies and food critics. Ho hum. Overpriced and underwhelmed. Cute plates and dining area, though! I'll stick to the taquerias frequented by Mexicans. Not a single Mexican person in this place except for the staff. That says something! FOOD - 3 stars SERVICE - 3 stars ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars Overall 3 stars. Just ordinary nothing even close to 4.6 stars. Update: Printed Menu says $14 for Gorditas de Chicharrron, but my receipt says $15. Dropped from 3 stars to 2 stars for discrepancy and overcharge. Not worth driving to Redwood City for a refund.

This restaurant is excellent. I've been 3-4x in 3 years and every time I leave, I think it's a knockout meal. Cocktails are excellent, bar service always friendly and attentive and I need to enjoy the spot much more often.

Great place to get tacos. Guacamole is amazing. Clean kitchen and awesome staff. Becoming regulars here and proud of it!

Highly recommend! Food from Mexico City, a bit different to that served at other Mexican restaurants. Really delicious. Great service. Comfortable ambiance. We'll be back to try more of the dishes!

Had a fantastic dinner here. I would highly recommend a visit. Everything really was perfection. Everyone either got the taco trio or the plata de arrachera and both were so good. Amazingly fresh ingredients and flavor. Our expectations were exceeded.

Surprisingly nice interior for a restaurant in a strip mall. And the people working here are very nice. Huevos Rancheros: 4.5/5. Really well done. And it is great that you can order it during lunch time during the week. Just the right amount of food and spice-level. I will be back!

Huevos Rancheros took me back to my roots. Just spectacular atmosphere and the waiting was minimal. At best Coffee and the in-house made tortillas were outstanding. Great customer service. Highly recommended!!!!

My group and I came around 6pm on a Saturday. The parking lot is quite small, but we luckily found a spot and it wasn't as busy inside. The vibes were pretty chill and not too loud. Food: - Guacamole: Delicious. Seasoned perfectly and super flavorful. The creaminess of the avocados balances out with the salt and zest. It also came with chips and chicharrones made to order. 10/10 - Gorditas de Chicharron: The gorditas were crunchy, the pork belly was juicy and not dry at all, and packed with flavor. I enjoyed the fresh cheese with its soft texture and mild flavor which paired well with the dish. The salsa was delicious and added some heat to the gorditas. 8/10 - Plato de Arrachera: The skirt steak and chorizo were tender and juicy and presented in a mini cast iron skillet. It came with handmade warm tortillas. The grilled cactus was too slimy in texture for me and bitter. I was also not the biggest fan of the refried beans. 7/10 - Enchiladas Verdes: The salsa verde packs a zesty punch which goes well with the crab/shrimp meat. It was too liquidy for my preferences, but my cousin enjoyed it. 8/10 - Churros: Fresh and crunchy. There was an unexpected caramel vanilla filling that came out hot like lava. It was evenly coated with cinnamon sugar and also came with a condensed milk dip. 9/10

Free lentil soup to start, and the mole was delicious. My server was the sweetest too

Came here during the weekday. Parking lot is small but thankfully it wasn't busy. The restaurant itself is cute but small. There is a bar so you can enjoy drinks. Service was quick and we were seated promptly. Choriqueso- This was 4/5. The flavors were good and it was extremely cheesy. I would get this again! Cochinita pibil- 4/5 the presentation was amazing but this was extremely spicy so just be aware when you order. The flavors blended really well and meat wasn't dry but the spices overtook the flavor. I'd give it a try if you like spicy. Overall, it was a good first experience and I would go back if I was around the area!

I had pretty high expectations for this place given the glowing reviews on here but was sadly disappointed. The food was pretty bland, overpriced, and broadly disappointing. Not many vegetarian options as well. Great ambiance and good service though

Went here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Place is pretty casual and wasn't very busy. We were seated right away and checked the menu. Waitress brought some water and we ordered the Tacos de Pescado and the Cochinita Pibil. Food arrived pretty quickly. The cochinita pibil was mostly good and nice combination with the pickled onions. Had a few dry pieces in there as well though. Overall was bit too spicy for me, but still a good dish. The fish tacos were good, crispy fish, but also a bit too spicy. Service was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed.

Five stats for my new favorite Happy Hour spot! The two for $5 tacos al pastor and $11 Mescalita with small batch mezcal and artisan chapulin (grasshopper) salt ( a surprise and a revelation - when I commented and was informed of the secret ingredient. i could see the tiny legs and detect thr crunch to the salt) are both very special. In fact I ordered two orders of the tacos because I was starving and they because they were perfect. The handmade soft (thick enough to hold up to being filled without breaking )corn tortilla and pickled nopalitas and onions with the most delicious green salsa. Quality ingredients for an incredible price, especially at Happy Hour.

La Fonda De Los Carnalitos had been on my wishlist for a while, and was worth the wait! We made a same day dinner reservation for our party of 9, which wasn't an issue on a Monday. The interior had brightly colored walls, lots of Mexican decor, and an overall casual vibe. Service was super friendly, and we were immediately walked through the most popular menu items. We started with 3 orders of Guacamole for the table, which was the perfect amount for us. The Guacamole was so fresh and tasty, and came with both tortilla chips and chicharrones. For drinks, I got the Mango Agua Fresca - tasty, good level of sweetness. Their signature cocktail menu featured a ton of enticing options, and my friends loved the La Pinche Vida and Rojo Amanecer (both boozy and so well made). We were also given a cup of complimentary soup before our entrees came out, which was a cute touch! For food, I went with their specialty, the Mole Poblano. The mole was so rich and flavorful, and the chicken was perfectly juicy. They let me substitute the beans for a double serving of rice, which was also tasty. It didn't look like a huge dish, but was deceptively filling. My friends all loved their entrees as well, including the Cochinita Pibil (another house specialty), Chile Relleno, Flautas, and Enchiladas Verdes. Overall, La Fonda was great for dinner as a large group!

The meal started out really well, when we got the gorditas; they were so warm and tasted amazing, with a crispy but not hard shell. Our entrees were okay, but not great. The pozole lacked flavor. I did appreciate the plethora of shredded lettuce and radish on top. Service was fast!

We were referred to this restaurant by a friend because it was near my Kaiser clinic. It was located next to a donut shop with a couple of small parking lots. Once entering the restaurant you are greeted by a wonderful inviting bar with a shining wall housing lots of tequilas. Loved the hanging lamps. You can sit at the windows, at the bar, along with other surrounding tables. Service was friendly and attentive. The food was fantastic, fresh and generous. It was beautifully presented. It was delicious. I had the shrimp and crab enchilada with a pyramid of rice which included a salad and a little soup. And of course, I had a margarita which refreshing. Unfortunately, they were out of the chocoflan recipe I wanted to try. Need to come back soon.

Great experience! Nice place, attentive staff and freshly hot food. The fish tacos were awesomeeee.

The food and service here are amazing. I loved the grilled pork plate and the rice here is just amazing. I like the vibe of the restaurant, it feels very open and refreshing.

I love this quaint Mexican spot in RWC. Friendly service , very cool decor and most importantly quality food. Have had several dishes here but I lean towards the Mole and the Green Enchiladas which remind me of dishes members of family make. Great friendly service as well which makes it a place I'd totally go out of my way for as well. If you like my reviews, consider "following" my profile for reviews all across the SF Bay Area . Why "follow" someone? It causes the person you follow's reviews to tier to top when you pull up a business. I find this very handy when researching venues. Rod's Review grading scale explained. Essentially I personally base it on the likelihood of a return visit and I try to be stingy with 5 star reviews since they should be "special" in my eyes. Price/Value also play a role obviously but there are $ and $$$$ littered across my grading scale. 5 stars - "I'll go out of my way" (approx 6 % of my reviews) 4 stars- "If I was in the area I'd go here and would recommend", (approx 38% of my reviews) 3 stars "Maybe if was nearby", (approx 37% of my reviews) 2 stars -"Would likely not return, Only if you want to go", (approx 16% of my reviews) 1 star -"No thanks, even if I was hungry", (approx. 3 % of my reviews)

Popped by La Fonda for a quick lunch last week and I'm so glad I stopped by! I had about an hours lunch for jury duty and since La Fonda was nearby, I was able to just walk over and get a bar seat pretty quickly. There weren't too many people in there so it was relatively quiet. There were a few items on the menu that weren't ready yet as those were for dinner but I had my eyes set on the mole poblano as I haven't had mole in a while. The mole was fantastic! I've only had mole in Mexico City and this was comparable to that. The chicken and rice were both well done and the tortillas were hot and fresh. I'm definitely coming back again for dinner to try out some other goodies and to try out their drinks!

La Fonda has been in my bookmarks for some time and my friend wanted to meet up in Redwood City, so we decided to try this place. I made reservations for 4 and the place was pretty full. There was about a 5 minute wait for our table upstairs. The place has interesting art pieces as well as a nice chandelier! As for the food, here's what we ordered: **APPETIZERS** MAHI MAHI CEVICHE ~ this was bland. When we have ceviche, we expect tartness from lime juice and spiciness from jalapeños but there was neither. Chips were hard. All of us rather have crispy chips. 3/5 **ENTREES** 2 TACOS TRIO ~ in our party of 4, 2 ordered this with beef and fish. From what they told me, beef was better than the fish. It tasted ok but there wasn't much to eat for $18. My bf left hungry, so if you're starving, this probably won't fill you. 2/5 COCHINITA PILBIL ~ if you like spicy food, maybe you'd like this one. This was my order and it was spicier than I would have liked. My friend ended up eating most of my dish! My ears were tingling cuz I don't typically eat too spicy. 3.5/5 PLATO DE ARRACHERA ~ tough skirt steak! My friend left her skirt steak and ate the red ground beef since it was the only meat that wasn't like beef jerky. And she ate the rest of my cochinita pibil because she could handle the spiciness. 2/5 **DRINKS** MARGARITA ~ I've seen margaritas and this one looks plain and much smaller than the usual margarita. It wasn't in a margarita glass. Tasted ok. 3.5/5 MEDIA NARANJA ~ Pretty drink, but it would have been better if they included a stir or straw so it could be mixed while drinking because the bottom was too sweet and the top tasted like alcohol. 3/5 Pretty unfortunate because we haven't seen this friend in a while and wanted to have a nice dinner with good food! Ambiance was nice, but food was mediocre at best. $150 for disappointing food and drinks. My mistake, so I ate the cost.

I've had La Fonda on my list for years, and after dining here, I'm mad at myself for not coming sooner! We stopped in for dinner about an hour before closing and we were able to get a seat right away on weekday night. Looking at the menu, the prices are definitely reasonable for the amount of food you get for the main dishes. I went with the skirt steak plate, and this was absolutely delicious. It came with plenty of skirt steak, homemade chorizo, cactus, and a grilled jalapeno. It came with a side of refried beans and their homemade tortillas which was very tasty. The steak was cooked perfectly but the chorizo was by far my favorite. I could eat an entire order of chorizo if it was available! I asked the waitress about serranos instead of jalapenos, and they said you just have to ask when you order, which is something I'm going for next time around. If you enjoy Mexican food, mezcal and tequila as much as I do, IMO, this spot is worth checking out!

Low key, full service and very casual. I'm guessing this is a family owned and operated place. If you don't want pomp and circumstance and are just looking for solid, filling Mexican food in a nice warm atmosphere. This is it. They make their own tortillas in house, that should say enough right there. Our server was great. A very nice older woman who actually seemed to care about our food. Do it.

I was pleasantly surprised and hate that it took me so long to try this spot out. Everything was delicious and full of flavor. I got the chilaquiles with ranchera.. The meat had a rich and yummy seasoning, the sauce was good (maybe a little too much sauce for my liking), and the chips had a nice crunch which I personally prefer. Also tried an appetizer but I forget what it was called, it was potato taquitos or something, but they were also really good, just wish the gave more verde sauce with them. I'll definitely be back to try more dishes!

My first time here, it gives you a nice and warm kind of vibe.  The walls were bright and had nice photos and decorations I ordered: 1. Chilaquiles verdes with steak - The steak was tender and chilaquiles cooked perfectly with the egg.  The verde sauce had a kick, where you can't stop eating it. 2.  Gorditas de chiccharon -    First time having this, but it was good.  The tortilla was crispy with a light doughiness.  Chicharon was perfectly seasoned. Once you get to the middle, the spiciness hits you.      Overall the food was delicious and the lady who took my order was nice.   I will definitely come back to try their other items.   My only complaint would be,  I wish it came with chips.   Something to help balance out the spiciness.

Two stars is generous. Had lunch here today at 1:30PM. Busy but not slammed. I ordered chicken enchiladas with mole. My wife ordered enchiladas suizas. I ordered an IPA draft. My food came with a dark Modelo? beer. My wife's enchiladas came with an additional salad which she did not order. No chance to say anything about the wrong beer or the unwanted salad as the food was plopped down and the person just ran off. My wife's enchiladas were very salty. I tried to get a server to take back the beer and get me the correct one, but no servers would stop, it was very chaotic. We finished our two small glasses of water and could not get any ones attention for more water. After about 10 minutes of waiting for a server we were able to get the check. Never again.

Great food, cozy place and friendly service! Everything was fresh! I'll definitely come back!

This restaurant and its servers are always perfect. All the food, even the tortillas and fruit purées in the cocktail, are made in house. The food could not taste fresher. I came here with a group and it was fantastic and felt low key enough. But my husband and I also came here for our anniversary, and though it's not fancy, the food here is so thoughtful and made with so much love, it also felt perfect then. Go. Anything on the menu is great.

I absolutely cannot say enough good things about this restaurant! Firstly, the decorations are gorgeous! I love the paintings on the walls and the whole ambience of the restaurant. We went on a Wednesday afternoon and were seated immediately. The server was so sweet and polite! We also noticed that it was all women! Chef, cooks, server! Go ladies! Now the food...omg. Everything was just amazing! The sauces were so well balanced but with bolt flavors. The choriqueso was to die for! I could eat that over and over again even though I'm lactose intolerant...the taquitos de papa were perfection! And I love that they came with some lettuce on top to add some freshness to the dish! I am going to tell everyone about this place! And I definitely will be back for dinner so I can try the mole! Hands down top 3 favorite Mexican restaurants for me!

Fresh mango juice and a great green chile enchilada - food was bold, fresh, sour, spicy. Woke up my tastebuds and my spirits.

Visiting SF and staying in San Carlos and found this restaurant. I had the huarache with nopales, it was very delicious. For our appetizer, we had choriqueso, and that was excellent. The menu could have more variety as it's limited. I also had the Agua de guava, and that was amazing.

We loved the food and service! Todo delicioso! The fish tacos lunch was super yummy and included a delicious soup and very refreshing salad.

For looks, presentation, and cleanliness, I'd say 5 out of 5 stars. Nothing to fault, as far as what I was aware of. I had to knock a star for a Mexican restaurant (especially in the Bay Area) that doesn't have chips and salsa... not even an option to order. If it's not something that's brought out, like bread & butter at other restaurants, at least have an option to order some! I would totally be fine with that. But come on..... the complimentary soup is nice and all but we all know what people look forward to at Mexican restaurants, the chips and salsa! I felt like another star should be knocked because the portion size, along with the lack of chips and salsa, leaves your stomach still growling for some food. And no, not everyone is looking to have chocolate flan at lunchtime. It's hard to know what the portions are just by looking at photos posted, but it's not nearly what you're used to. If you've grown up in the Bay Area, eating your fair share of great Mexican dishes from all over, you'll know right away the portion/price scale is definitely off. We also had two dishes of enchiladas. First thing we noticed was the lack of beans... weird. Then I noticed that my mole enchiladas didn't have a salad with it, but the verde enchiladas did... again, weird! My overall take: The price is too high, portions too small, and key traditional (maybe Bay Area traditional) elements are no where to be found. Also, we were given some excuse as to why they don't have chips and salsa and instead give a small cup of soup... it didn't really make sense to me and I didn't care to clarify it. I noticed on another person's yelp post they were told they were given the soup because some of their food was taking a long time to prepare.

We wanted to try a new Mexican restaurant so picked La Fonda and ventured out into this lovely weather! Restaurant was very busy and very noisy. We sat in the back and the hostess noted that they were going to turn down the music which I thought was nice. Service was very nice and super prompt. Almost a little too fast. We ordered a margarita, a Coke, the enchiladas and I got the poblano mole. The mole sauce was delicious but the 3 pieces of chicken were tiny and all bones. Hubby said his enchiladas were full of chicken so I guess that's where it all went. Entrees came with rice and beans plus they serve a nice cup of soup. Tortillas were nice and hot. Unfortunately the margarita, at 16.00, was very weak and had a dried out slice of lime for garnish. I would not order a drink there again. All in all, I would give it 3.5 stars but rounding up because the servers were so nice. Not sure if we will be back but glad we tried it.

Located next to a donut shop/cafe, Red Wing shoe store and Chinese take out place, this is not your everyday Mexican joint. It seems like a nice little secret tucked away in this drab, unassuming spot. It's not large but probably seats 50 - 60 people. You enter on the first floor, there's a bar, a bunch of high tops and 3-4 low tops that seat 4. There's an upstairs loft area that seats about 30 comfortably. The servers know their food well and are super courteous and helpful. The food prepared well and full of flavor. GUACAMOLE - Avocado, pico de gallo with chicharrones and chips - very fresh and light, not a ton of lemon squeezed in, good crunchy pico throughout. The tortilla chips have to be made there, they were on the thicker side and warm. It's not a big serving but it was more than enough as an appetizer for 3. ENCHILADAS VERDES - Chicken, or Crab Shrimp, Salsa verde, sour cream, Chihuahua cheese. I'm not a big enchilada fan unless they are exceptional. These were exceptional. Like the chips, the tortilla was hearty. Even soaking in the sauce, it had great texture and "chew" to it. It was filled with imitation crab and bay shrimp. The verde sauce had a slight kick but wasn't hot hot. COCHINITA PIBIL - Marinaded pork, pickled onions with habanero, black beans, rice and handmade tortillas. My friend says this is her go to. Always, no matter what other dishes she tries, she always prefers to eat this one. DAILY SPECIAL - pork ribs w/ nopales, black beans & rice. Our server rattled off this daily special and even speeding through it she made it sound grand. My friend didn't like it. He didn't like it SO much that he ate everything and might have just wiped the plate clean with his tortilla to get every bit of sauce. CHURROS - filled with cajeta and a side of condensed milk for dipping. I was surprised to see the churro filled with cajeta down the middle. I've only been regaled with stories of the amazing churros in Mexico from another friend. This churro was a little dense for me BUT I did love that the sugar on the outside was lightly sprinkled and that the cajeta down the middle made it moist and provided sweetness from the inside out. I'd definitely choose to eat here again. The decor is interesting, the furniture is "warm" but the space is somewhat cold and sterile. The walls are decorated with modern x folk-y art, there are interesting (but maybe misplaced) glass chandeliers hanging from the two story ceiling and large cold tile floors. If you come in the winter bring a sweater. I can imagine Parking is terrible during the week. The attached lot next the donut shop is super small.

This spot is located off of Veterans Blvd which is a main street, so it's easy to miss. They have a small parking lot outside the restaurant so parking may be tricky during a busy time. We were seated right away but service was a little slow as it took multiple attempts to flag our waiter down to take our order, and we waited around 35 minutes for the food to come out even though the restaurant was not fully packed. I ordered the Taco Trio with fish (you can also get the tacos with a different protein) which were decently sized. The fish pieces could have been a little bigger but they tasted fresh, and the sauce had a little kick of spice to it. I tried my friend's flautas which came with hard shelled rolled tacos. Pretty good flavor, we were just expecting soft shelled rolled tacos. We tried their flan napolitano and churros for dessert; the flan was much thicker than we expected and the churros came with a filling that wasn't too sweet.

Can't say enough about the food and the service we got. Our server was super friendly and professional, every food and drink we got was delicious. We were offered Lentil soup which was great also and it was perfect for the cold weather days. Highly recommending this place for anyone who'd like to experience delicious Mexican food. Oooh and don't forget to Churro

I have driven by La Fonda many times, after reading rave reviews we decided to have dinner here. On a recent Saturday evening the service was friendly, the Spicy Margarita had the perfect amount of heat from the jalapeños. My favorite Chicken Mole was the best I have had, the sauce was luscious, spicy with a hint of dark chocolate with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. The bar area had a large selection of tequilas to choose from. I will return for their delicious mole.

Went here on MLK Day and definitely glad I did. It was the perfect day for their delicious pozole. It was rich and flavorful and the addition of their tostadas with crema and cheese provided a nice crunch. It was definitely a hearty soup! I also got a glass of their guava agua fresca. Nothing too shocking, but still good Overall, I would come back here if I was in the area! Only bummer was they didn't have the choco flan, which I really wanted to try.

I had some very good enchiladas verdes here. The green sauce was creamy and similar to an avocado salsa texture. Excellent. We also started off with gorditas--small, but mighty I flavor. I'd definitely get these again. My husband and I wanted Mexican food, and we ended up taking our rambunctious toddler with us. Thankfully, our waitress has experience with kids. She knew all the right things to say and made some recommendations for food since they don't have a kids' menu. She also knew where to place food and glassware so that they would be out of reach of our wild toddler. One thing I love about Mexican restaurants is consuming way too many chips and salsa before the meal. Sadly, this restaurant doesn't offer this option. We did opt for chips and guac, though, and that was pretty tasty. With how well they make everything else, I was surprised that their chips weren't fresh and made in-house. Overall, I enjoyed the food and I will be eating here again.

The food was great the service was friendly and the atmosphere was lovely! I really enjoyed my enchiladas and there were plenty of vegetarian options as well.

I have no idea why this place has such high reviews. What we ordered was absolutely horrible. I had the crab and shrimp enchiladas Verdes. The problem was all the fake lukewarm crabmeat and very chewy tortillas. They tasted rubbery. It was so overwhelming bad. The worst part was our waitress came over and asked us if everything was okay and I said no, the fake crab was awful, and she just said that's the way it is and walked away! Why ask, and I tell you exactly how I feel, and you don't try and make things better? She also didn't bring us more napkins (that we requested), or refill our water. The guacamole was okay. Two small pieces of Chicharróns, and not enough chips. Our original plan was to get the enchiladas and see how they were before ordering another one OR something else, but they were so bad we decided not to order any more food here. I broke down and ordered their chocolate flan which was 3 stars. Super cheap tasting cake (like a cheap cake mix) drenched in syrupy sugar sauce topped with flan. Just horrible food all around and a waitress who didn't care. No way am I, or anyone I know of, will come back to this place.

The food here is absolutely SOLID. Perfectly seasoned, satisfying portions, and the staff is polite/friendly. The interior is aesthetically pleasing and tasteful. The mole, albondigas, posole, and arrachera plate are some favorites and are served with care for plating without being pretentious. Drinks are well balanced and complement meals. Ta rico

Not authentic and completely flavorless. I enjoyed my beer and sent food back. Crab enchiladas had barely a drop of meat. Unless it's a drink don't waste your time. Service is wonderful

Second level view!-- the menu is all in Spanish but explained description in English. I like it. Yum.

Phenomenal food authentically from DF. If you've ever been lucky enough to taste cdmx delicious food, you will know the real deal when you see it - this is it. La Fonda has a large mezcal and tequila menu along with Mexico City's necessary food staples. We tried the huarache and the arranchera and everything was superb. We are looking forward to trying more next time. Service was prompt and courteous. The ambiance is a mix between family friendly and place to get drinks before going out.