Mexicali Cocina Cantina

I come here almost weekly. The vibe is immaculate. Whatever your speed, you will get service and good food. On Ventura blvd that's not always a 100% guarantee. Here, it is. The salsa made for the chips is fresh. It's never too spicy, but sometimes its absolutely perfect golden ratio. Love it. I've sampled the whole menu and love it all.

Wanted some chips and salsa passed by here driving on the blvd. Stopped in during and placed our orders. James was our server, very hospitable and honest and was attentive. Not once was our drinks empty, just amazing service by James. Food was great too as we ordered the fundido and fajita and the prices were very reasonable. Will be back

A charming spot to enjoy brunch. 🍳 Food: Delightful flavors, served at the right temperature. However, the queso was a bit too runny, and the portion size didn't quite match the price. Their bottomless mimosas were decent, but the limit of three servings can be a bit of a deal when each glass costs $5. 👨‍🍳 Service: Our waiter was exceptionally courteous, providing the kind of attentive service one would expect from a high-end dining establishment. 🏡 Atmosphere: The restaurant boasts a plethora of cozy booths, and we were fortunate to be seated by the window, adding to the overall experience. 💰 Price: Reasonably priced, with an average cost of around $15 per person. While some portion sizes left us wondering, the overall value was acceptable.

This was always my place to go !! Delicious food..the Flan outstanding flavor!!! amazing service really fun!! For 20 years!! But killing of the Happy hour is kind of ignorant compared to all the other Restaurants…and now have to do my Girls HH somewhere else !! Just came back for sentimental reason!!

Just didn't get to feel like, "I'll be back". I was a bit disappointed. The chili relleno just wasn't what I expected. I love traditional Mexican restaurants... well any restaurant like when I want Italian, I want a true traditional Italian restaurant. My grandma started to teach me how to cook mexican and Italian dishes since I was 15 years of age. I'm 70 now and still cook my own tamales, chili rellenos, pozole, frijoles, , chicharrón, costillitas, tortillas, and so much more... Sorry Cocina Mexicali...

Restaurant is great with friendly staff. A little slow to stop by tables but not really in a bad way. They were nice and personable and giving us time to talk, but just a little more check in needed. The food is AMAZING and the cocktails werr yummy! The area has gone down and there were quite a few homeless drug addicted people out front, otherwise we would have sat in the front outdoor patio because it was a beautiful afternoon. But all n all..the Restaurant was great

Great food spot! Their skinny margaritas are “amazingly” good. The service was super friendly, ambiance relaxing and pretty inside and food very good. Highly recommended.

Location: Okay, Parking: Okay, Service: Okay, Price for food received: A bit high, Overall first time try and I had heard alot of good things from a frequent visitor. The place seemed semi busy for a mid afternoon crowd. Ordered a burrito, and it did have a nice taste to it. I found the sides of rice and beans to be rather small for the price paid. Would I go again? Only if required and it was work related. I give 3 stars and hope they can give bigger portions of rice and beans to future patrons..

Ryan was my waiter and he was awesome. Great service, great food. Good vibe in the restaurant.

What's this? A delightful CALIFORNIA TOSTADA salad enjoyed last night at Mexicali Cocina in Studio City. As described on their menu: A crisp flat corn tortilla topped with black beans, Mexicali rice and mixed lettuce tossed with our balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Topped with grilled onions, goat cheese, avocado, and tomatoes. Enjoyed of course with some warm tortilla chips, salsa, and their uniquely special creation, a Watermelon Margatini ™ . Hard to believe they are about to celebrate their 30th anniversary in a city like Los Angeles where restaurants are here today and sadly gone tomorrow. Best wishes to Bernadette, Glen and Allen who have kept this restaurant operating successfully for these many years where food quality and service have never wavered. Hope you continue to thrive in 2025 as one of Studio City's cherished restaurants!

Appalling and arrogant service. Really bad attitude after having overcooked eggs 4 times in 4 separate visits over time Avoid the inept manager, Quinn. Unapologetic, self-absorbed twit

Mexicali Restaurant is one of my favorite spots for food and fun times with friends! I've been here many times, and it never disappoints. The food is consistently excellent, and the drinks are top-notch. We always start with their margaritas--they're some of the best around. My go-to dishes are the carnitas plate and the steak tacos, both of which are flavorful and perfectly cooked. One of the standout features is their unique salsa, which adds an extra kick to everything. Whether you're going for a casual night out or a celebration, Mexicali is the place to be. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food, drinks, and a lively atmosphere!

Quinn was incredibly professional and made my favorite cucumber drink perfectly. The food was excellent, and I highly recommend this place!

We were welcomed and seated right away. The waitperson was very helpful with helping us with the menu. There are a lot of historical photographs throughout the restaurant. The food was good. We enjoyed the Fajitas. The chips were very yummy.

Such a cute atmosphere and great service!! I ordered the ceviche which came with a side of flour or corn tortillas. The portion size was generous and the fish was very fresh. The ceviche had the perfect amount of citrus. Even took some home for leftovers the next day(: There's a large parking lot behind the restaurant! Will definitely come visit again to try more things on their menu!

I have been coming to Mexicali for at least 15 years and I have yet to be disappointed. Our server Ryan was excellent and very accommodating to our somewhat finicky orders. He brought our food in a timely fashion and it was correct to our specs. Bernadette is always a joy to see/she is iconic and an essential part of my Mexicali history!

We went with family on a Friday night. Our server was a bit overwhelmed, but it was a very busy evening crowd. I ordered the steak Caesar salad. Mine was very good. my husband had the shredded chicken burrito which was huge and delicious and tender. It can be rather loud when they are busy, so maybe go during an off time.

Had a great girls night at Mexicali's. The food was good and Tall Mike was so amazing. He kept checking in with us and making sure we were taken care of.

We visit Mexicali at least once every few weeks for dinner and drinks. Last night I had the Rotisserie Chicken with Black Beans, Corn Succotash and was simply delicious ( I usually get the Steak Plate or two item combo with a Taco and Enchilada). I made my own tacos which I smothered with the Chipotle and Green salsas (and some Guac) shown in the picture (messy hands not shown). Tracy (Vegetarian boo...) had the Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole which she highly enjoys (usually gets the bean burrito) and side salad. The chips are always fresh and crisp with the perfect sprinkles of salt (not to mention the flavorful salsa for dipping)! Nate was our bartender who made us quenching Watermelon Margaritas on this hot summer evening. It was another great escape from the apartment kitchen. Mexicali is such a local gem in Studio City. Bern, Glenn, Chris, Nate, Sandi and Quinn are delightful humans cranking the gears of this establishment. I have met and become good friends with many locals here the past 13 years sharing many fun/interesting conversations and experiences.

To say we love Mexican food is a huge understatement...that's why when discovered Mexicali in studio city ..we knew we had "our place" So let me go further - LA has no shortage of really great Mexican food - so I want to state that upfront but what makes Mexicali a stalwart for us is: 1-Amazing food quality - it's super fresh and always consistently hot and rich with authentic flavors 2-the service - from the second we walk in the door immediately there's a feeling of being welcomed and belonging! The owners are visible and chime with each of us to make it feel like we are in their home as opposed to in a restaurant 3-EZ ample parking!! This is huge in the LA or Valley area.. nuff said Our favorite orders are: the perfectly crispy yet juice platos de carnitas, the incredible house made tamales (get there early because they go quickly) and of course their chicken enchiladas Don't forget the bar!! Their signature margaritas (best tequila list I've seen) will knock your socks off whether by the glass or pitcher - will wow you! Mexicali is excellent to eat solo in the bar, twosome date or even a group! Their takeout is equal to the dine in experience too! Run don't walk to our fave Mexican spot !

Our server, Mike, is why Mexicali is a great experience! He is attentive, knowledgeable, and exceptionally friendly. He is the epitome of what all servers should aspire to be. Mexicali is delicious food, and fun ambience, but service is critical to being a successful restaurant -- Mike knocks it out of the park. Great meal!

Hadn't been here in 20 years so it was nostalgia that brought me back and it was as good as I'd remembered. Nice atmosphere, very good food and margs, good service and moderate prices. Always reliable Mexicali.

Absolutely love coming to Mexicali! Make sure you get Nate as your server/bartender--he's truly the best of the best. 10/10

Ryan and Ben were fantastic, excellent service, very friendly and outgoing. Look forward to coming back!

Food was tasty as usual, and also as usual service was great. Loved having Michael as our server-- impeccable professional service. Thank you Michael!

Ryan was our waiter. He was professional, friendly and very prompt with our order. I especially liked how he was able to describe our menu selections. Great service, great food. Thank you Ryan, I will definitely be back!!

This place is the best. Their watermelon margaritas are the best margaritas in all of LA! The queso fundido is a must, and will have you hooked here for life!

Love this place! The vibe is very relaxed, the staff is efficient and friendly. The restrooms are clean and private. There's plenty in parking. Ok now onto the food... My partner and I shared the fajitas for two (chicken and stake) my mom got the cali chicken and shrimp plate, and we shared the queso fundido with added shrimp as an app. Everything was delicious. The food was hot, seasoned perfectly, and the portions were generous. I also love their flan which is served with buñuelos, my god they're tasty! Definitely recommend.

I was at Starbucks across the street and looked for restaurants near me. I decided to come here due to the good ratings. When I arrived I was a bit skeptical because it was a fancy Mexican restaurant, my experience with places like this the food is bland. I was pleasantly mistaken. Nice bar, nice dining room, the Mexican tile was beautiful. Sat at the bar and really wasn't feeling the service it so decided to sit outside. James my server was very friendly and recommended a few dishes. I went with the carnitas plate with rice, beans, guac and sour creme. Spanish Rice I always taste the rice first. It was fluffy and amazing flavor so I knew at that point the food would be good. Carnitas were delicious, had a flavor I could not identify, family secret right. Refried beans very good. The only think lacking were good flour tortillas. They tasted like store bought. I am sure someone in LA makes something that tastes homemade. Again James was great and the food overall was great. Top shelf spanish rice.

Always love seeing snarky responses from management. Not a good look. The best way to address a customer's complaint is to make them feel heard, actually reflect on their feedback, acknowledge the compliment that was there (our server really was great!) and respond in a way that makes people want to come in and see how great you are. All this was was a thinly veiled attempt to insult me.

Always a great Sunday afternoon dinner at Mexicali. Great food and drinks. Quinn is the best bartender around and always makes us feel welcome here. Our favorite Mexican hang out. Thanks Mexicali

We just got back from dinner, our first visit to Mexicali. I had the chile relleno. If you are into cheese, this is your dish. The plentiful cheese pairs well with the crispy corn coating. The attention from our waiter, Caesar, was outstanding. He made us feel relaxed and was super attentive. Just amazing service. I see a previous review mentioning the complementary chips and salsa. Our chips were fresh and warmed, the salsa was perfect.

Delicious!! Can't wait to go back and try some tacos! I am Latina so Tex-Mex is just perfect! I highly recommend this place! The employees are very nice and Anthony and Pam are just the sweetest couple! Looking forward to my next visit

The food was fresh and drinks were good. The service was friendly and nice too. I think it was a bit dead in ambience and they probably need to modernize it a bit and do something to gather more of a crowd. Besides that, I would recommend it.

I moved to Studio City a little over a year ago and now I can't keep track of how many times I have been to Mexicali. Definitely too many to count! The food is amazing (highly recommend the grilled artichoke - it's the best I've ever had) but really I've tried almost everything on the menu and have never had a bad meal. And while food is important the experience also makes you want to return and, for me anyway, to make me a regular the people matter just as much. Their team is so friendly and fun. I feel like a Cheers experience when I walk in and James and Nate always greet me like a friend as does Bernadette. I look forward to my at least weekly visit (if not more!) to Mexicali. At this point I consider it necessary self care!

I love this place. The ambiance and staff are great. The food is ok but it's my friend's favourite so we keep coming back. My one complaint is the margaritas are served in very small wine glasses and the prices don't reflect that. Parking can often be difficult.

Michael is a server par excellence! Be sure to ask for him, but only if you want a flawless dining experience! Our dinners for four were yummy and ample in size. Sangria was delightful, but for the price, could have been more ample. The hot fudge sundae made up for it--definitely enough for 2-4 ppl to share and full of yummy crunch & chocolate chunks. High ceilings, soft lighting, generous-sized booth seating, and feel-good vibe made for great ambience. Overall, such a pleasant experience, we are considering returning 3-4 times a month!

I love their clean, tasty Mexican food. Great service, too. I have been going for years.

AY caramba! This is one great Mexican restaurant. Love this place. It's one of those old fashioned Mexican restaurants, very simple, friendly, charming. It sits right on Ventura Blvd in Studio City so there is great people watching from the windows at the front. Their menu is more sophisticated than some Mexican places, with very interesting choices, not just tacos and burritos. My friend had the carnitas plate, shredded pork with black beans and rice. Simple but he said it was great, the meat was very tender and flavorful. I had the Mexicali Shrimp and Chicken dish and it was . . . FABULOUS! Often chicken comes out really dry but this chicken was terrifically juicy, paired with 2 huge shrimp, with some sauteed spinach at one side, and a bunch of nicely sauteed veggies, including parsnips! Who puts parnips on the plate? Very courageous choice, as some people may find them unappealing. I happen to LOVE parsnips and was so pleased to see them added to the other vegetables. Adds a particular flavor that ramps up the sauteed veggies. And then there was a side of black beans and delicious, soft, flavorful Mexican rice. A huge plate of food, but I managed to do pretty well, and took a chunk of the chicken home. The flan had a delicious taste, but it was a little soft and liquidy. I am used to flan that is more like custard that holds its shape. But oh well, it tasted great. The servers are so friendly, the place is fun, there's a full bar, and I'll bet it's hopping on weekends! I'll definitely be back.

What a great restaurant. The staff were friendly and the food/ drinks were spectacular. The ambiance was so nice and it did not take long to be seated and receive my food. Definitely will be going back.

The staff here is fantastic--super friendly and attentive, making every visit enjoyable. Plus, they serve the best Kobe beef tacos I've ever had! Highly recommend stopping by to experience both the excellent service and delicious food.

No disability entrance from the parking lot, only from the street which makes it very difficult when parking is in the back.

I first want to say the staff is excellent. Our server Justice was so attentive, funny, and all-around great! He explained the menu in detail while maintaining a professional and energetic demeanor. If I returned, it would be to ask for him as my server and for drinks. Now.....on to the food. When I say absolutely no seasoning, I mean, ABSOLUTELY, no seasoning. Please bring your own salt shakers, Adobo, Sazón, Tajin, cilanteo, hot sauce...etc., or anything that can give you food some type of flavor Ex: The Salsa: It is sweeter than most Cailifornian Mexican restaurants. No salt or spice factor, but to each their own when it come to their choice of salsa. The Chicken Taquitos: perfectly fried, but zero salt! The same goes for the side of guacamole. It should just be advertised as a side of smashed avocado. The Chile Relleno: The batter was cornmeal, instead of a flour batter. Not terrible, but not expected. But again, no seasoning. Finally, Fried Shrimp Tacos: Great variety of ingredients....again, zero seasoning. I needed something to offset the aftertaste of the food. I only recommend this Mexican restaurant for the cocktails and the staff. The bartender makes great cocktails!

This has a great local feel to it for a place that seems to be in a tourist area. I had different bartenders on each visit and while different people I received great service on each visit. I like their carnita tacos with black beans and rice. I was visiting for work and will go back when I'm in the area.

So the owner or manager contacted me, which he also noted below. He invited me back which was very sweet, saying he'd send a gift card. It's been at least a month, no gift card. So did y'all offer me a gift card to see if I'd change my review? I'd still be willing to give it another shot, but man, this kind of just proves my feeling of overall "blah" from this place you know?

My husband and I had an amazing dinner at the authentic bar at Mexicali. The food service and drinks were delicious and Nate our server/bar tender was extremely humble and attentive. We will definitely go back as there are not a lot of places in the valley that offer an old school feeling with on trend food and drinks

Far from authentic/good Mexican food. The dishes on the menu are very Americanized. Food was meh overall. However, the drinks, service, and overall ambiance were good.

Mexicali it's a Gem on Ventura! I frequently come over for appetizers and main dishes. The flavorful dishes like the Carne Asada capture the essence of Mexican cuisine to the attentive and friendly service! I sat at the bar and Nate was very attentive and got my whole order perfectly (i hate cilantro) this place is one of me top-notch choice for enjoying a great night and eating Mexican food. I encourage you to try the MEXICADILLAC and if you deserve it order the FLAN... TASTIC.

I haven't been to Mexicali in years, and tonight was so great I'm planning to come back again soon! Adam was our waiter and he was so attentive. We sat on the patio and he always seemed to stop by at the perfect time, checking on us and making sure we had whatever we needed. Such great service and great food!

Very attentive service. Easy and free parking. Average food. Wish it were better because it is close and convenient.

Our server Ryan was FANTASTIC! Service was quick, easy, and seamless. The ambiance is always great and the food is delicious. We always order the Steak fajita's for 2 and they are always perfect.

Loved it! Fast service , nice staff, great flavorful food, and quality drinks at perfect prices! Will def come back! I was at a diff spot and left bc the customer service sucked! This place def turned the night around with good food and a good time !

The food and service is always excellent! The fajitas for two is a very tasty dish and it has an excellent price. Their salsa is well-made and fresh.

I have been going to this place last few years with my friends. First of all the service AAA.,The servers are so accommodating, no attitudes, very very nice service. Food gets to your table on time and to your liking. Food is always very good. They have a large selection. The restaurant ambience is very nice and relaxing.

Had a great meal for a big group! Ryan our server was outstanding, very attentive and considerate of dietary restrictions.

Mexicali has been a staple over the past decade I've lived in Los Angeles. The food is always solid and the atmosphere is welcoming and cozy. It's also one of the few places to eat as a newly diagnosed Celiac and needs things to be gluten free. Absolutely no cross contamination in the kitchen. I've never gotten sick here with a gluten allergy. So it's very safe, whether you might have a just a preference, intolerance or a true allergy. Service is always top notch. Justice our server is a fresh of breath air. He's such a light and extremely professional. I confidently believed him that he would relay my flagged allergy to the kitchen. What a joy to be around and Mexicali is lucky to have him. Can't wait to come back!

TALK ABOUT SERVICE!!!! I was reading a bunch of great yelp reviews raving the Lobster Tacos and so I made a reservation. In the reservation notes, I told them how excited I was to try said tacos, to which two managers independently reached out to me to let me know they were currently out. Excellent attention to detail. The spicy margarita was worth the price of admission, and the other tacos were perfectly balanced. Such a delightful gem.