La Cocina Bar and Grill

The first thing you see entering the restaurant is a sign effectively stating there is a 75 minute cap per table. While unwelcoming, the rest of the physical environment was pleasant, mainly booths. Chips and salsa were served quickly and the salsa was good with a mild kick that built up. That was all the spice we would have. We ordered the pastor tacos and the enchiladas tapatias. My partner found the pastor to be too salty and lacking a pineapple taste. While the plate came with guac and pico (no kick at all, decent flavor), there was no salsa paired with the dish. My enchiladas came out very well, but also didn't have much of a kick. Despite the lack of spice, the flavor for the enchilada/fajita plate is definitely worth a trip back. . . To go. The food was quick to come, but the service was distant. Staff looks generally discontent and our server specifically checked in our table once, and we had to reach out to get the check. Tldr: Distant service. Fast decent food. No spice. Decent physical environment.

The food was so fresh and plentiful that I couldn't even finish it. The prices were reasonable in my opinion. All the waiters were polite and committed.

Overall for take out a decent experience. The shrimp cocktail is $26 after tax. It's only about 16 oz vs 22 oz like the menu shows. I'm sure there's a more budget friendly option nearby but it worked for what I needed it for. Atmosphere inside was nice. I'll have to try dine in option next time.

2 Stars is being generous for the customer service. Ordered over $100 in take out, included 3 kid meals and they forgot to put the apple juice in the bag, kids were not happy. So I called because I was so mad and all they said was SORRY do you want to come back and get them, I said no because my food will get cold. A manager could have said please let us know next time you are in and we will make it up to you, NOTHING. So tried the next week, take out again, only this time I caught it before I left, I asked where’s the kids drink, the kid at the kiosk says “oh I’ll go get it” It would have happened again. So as I’m waiting the manager is close and I tell HIM about the two occurrences, all he says was “okay thank you for letting me know.” He could have offered a discount on the next order or (FREE chips and salsa! which is ridiculous that they charge for them at take out, because you can dine in and it’s unlimited!) NOTHING !!! Their food is good, but not for the prices they charge. In the bar $16 for a margarita which consists of a glass FULL of ice so you don’t even feel like you had $16 worth of an alcoholic beverage. Pay attention to your bill, it might automatically include the tip.

My friends and I stopped by this restaurant after realizing the first place we wanted to go to was going to be a long wait. We were able to snatch a table outside on the patio since our dogs were part of the guest list and a lovely server greeted us. He was entertaining and quite helpful but since we were the only guests sitting outside, he often seemingly forgot about us. For appetizers, we got the freshly made guacamole to go with our chips and salsa. I finally got a chance to witness guacamole being freshly created in front of me! I was able to add or take away ingredients if I wanted to and I wish I asked for extra salt. For entrees, I wasn’t feeling too hungry so I went with the ceviche de pescado. Other entrees that were ordered but I didn’t try were the carne asada tacos (they strangely didn’t have street tacos), shrimp cocktail, and the chicken salad. Overall, everything tasted decent but nothing really stood out. When we finally got the check, we were slapped in the face with a 20% service fee that was added onto the bill with no warning or explanation. It was a required fee and on the bottom of the receipt, it mentions that this doesn’t count as tip for the servers. This unfortunately soured our entire experience and we don’t wish to ever return to this establishment.

The good was okay, but great salsa and guacamole! I had the chicken chimichanga with rice and beans. The staff was great but very short on time. I think our waiter seemed very over extended. The staff were attentive but overwhelmed. Also, the margarita was the worst I've ever had.

Excellent food, very fresh and tasty. Service is slow all the 3 times we went. Definitely the spot to go for Mexican food.

The service here is amazing. They took us in about 45 minutes before they closed, and they still had a smile on their face and were very friendly. Sadly, I did not try the fresh guacamole that everyone talks about, but I will definitely return to try it! Definitely a hidden gem🙏 I ordered the carne Asada fries, and it was a very big portion. It is definitely worth your money.

Service is top notch. Solid in fact! Food is good and honestly a good place to come for a good dinner.

I wanted to love this, but unfortunately it lacked too much. The Chile Colorado was tasty, there was just not nearly enough of it in the tostada bowl. The tableside guacamole was fresh and good.

The food and service was great, the way our reservation was handled is a joke. We called and reserved a week ahead , got a confirmation call back. When we showed up the day, our party was split between two booths, by were the kitchen staff goes in and out. When asked about our reserved table, they said it was closed and not set up, manager didn't even come apologize or talk to us. The host was sent. Half way thru our dinner, they started seating people in our reserve spot. It was a couple joke, I work in the restaurant business for 20 years and never seen lack of management. This is our last time going to this location, or their wildomar location.

We love La Cocina! This place is always packed and it's for good reason. I typically sit in the bar whether I'm coming in for a drink or for my very favorite the Enchiladas Tapatías. Fernanda is the best she always takes great care of us. Although it's a busy spot it does feel somewhat intimate since the seating is mostly booths. Like I said I usually sit in the bar so there's about 4 round high top tables and a bar top that maybe seats 8-10? I recommend coming in and getting a drink from Fernanda and order my favorite enchiladas.

So after placing orders for pick 12 times this year. I was told that you need to pay before they start your your. I told them I'm paying cash and pay when I get there like I have the last 11 times I order from here. But now they can't start your order until you come in and pay. Every one in the west who is eatting haven't paid yet and they order Les there food before they paid. The manager this rule have been in effect being of this year. But I have order ahead of time 11 times this year and not once until today have the told they have to wait until I paid. Which the manager full of BS. Also you have the make sure you bring exact change because they don't have change. How stupid it's that. When I have eaten in the restaurant I paid cash I have received change. Management is as backward and not customer friendly

My friends and I stopped by this restaurant after discovering that our first choice had a long wait. We managed to snag a table outside on the patio since our dogs were with us, and a lovely server greeted us. He was entertaining and helpful, but because we were the only guests outside, he often seemed to forget about us. For appetizers, we ordered freshly made guacamole to go with our chips and salsa. It was my first time seeing guacamole made right in front of me, and I could add or remove ingredients as I liked--I should have asked for extra salt. For entrees, I wasn't very hungry, so I opted for the ceviche de pescado. Other dishes ordered by my friends included carne asada tacos (oddly, they didn't offer street tacos), shrimp cocktail, and chicken salad. Overall, everything tasted decent, but nothing really stood out. When we finally got the check, we were surprised by a 20% service fee added to the bill without any prior warning or explanation. It was a mandatory fee, and the receipt noted that it didn't count as a tip for the servers. This soured our entire experience, and we don't plan to return to this establishment.

We love this place. Temecula wine tasting with La Cocina Authentic Mexican food really is a treat! Thank you Wedo for the awesome service and hospitality!

*** Service was courteous, forgot to bring guac order **** Ambiance: cozy booths, nice decor ** Food: very good fresh chips, spicy salsa, sweet house margarita w grand marnier shot. Three ala carte selections were disappointing. Small portion eg very thin filling in cheese enchilada, small wet chile relleno, dry carnitas taco, larger than a street taco 2 small cadillacs: $30 Food: ~ $35 (3 ala carta) + tip Improved Food quality and portions could increase customer loyalty.

We visit La Cocina weekly, usually on Mondays because we enjoy watching Monday night Football, sipping a few drinks and enjoying their menu. We visit this place because it really is like a second home. The staff treat you like family. They have the best margaritas and fajitas in town, highly recommended!

Do you ever go to one place to eat and while you wait to have tables and tell you 45 minutes wait for to be next to seat? Well we wondered around with my other half and as we read the signs on the buildings we ended up here at LA COCINA BAR AND GRILL! It seem slow outside and we check yelp page to see if they had food, which as you see they do and decided not to wait for the other place. This place is nice very rustic appearance beautiful bricks and color, big tables and comfortable. Little to say the food was very good and I mean it with all the flavors Mexican food can reminded you at home. Meat was tender and juicy, omg the chilaquiles sauce was medium spicy with flavor and the huevo ranchero I ordered was set in a crispy tortilla that just made the whole experience more pleasant. Again a nice over all place that didn't have the right ratings when we saw it. I had some food left over and the second time we eat it was still wondering why did a had low ratings. I hope this helps cause the community deserves to be put up for their credits.. my bill was good for $63. Note: my reviews aren't to be made with the intention of getting a FREE MEAL . The honesty of this is to make businesses grow within the community I visit. I'm here to make a business better not to take advantage of them... I work hard and everyone is entitle to eat a good meal if you are paying for it. SO PLEASE EVERYONE DO NOT USE AN EXCUSE TO EAT FOR FREE.

We went here to celebrate my dad's 71st birthday. My youngest son is 2 and completely feral, I was so worried that he wouldn't be able to handle going out to a restaurant. The staff was so amazing they brought our food really quick and there was 7 of us so we were so pleased. The staff was so kind to my little one and made our dining experience enjoyable.

We came here after sweating out our hangover in a lagree class and a michelada was just what the doctor ordered. This is a fairly large restaurant and although we got there right as their hours stated opening, the place was pretty full. The birria was unassumingly delicious. My husband ordered this and the chilaquiles and I practically ate the entire plate of birria. They give you a really small juice side, so ask for a larger one so you can really dunk these suckers. As others have stated there's already an added service tip on every bill so be sure not to double tip, unless it's warranted. Sometimes the service can slack with a pre-loaded tip so we weren't too crazy about that but our waitress noted that the gratuity was already added (only two of us), so that was helpful.

Came in a few nights ago. We were seated quickly, and the ambiance was great. The room was decorated nicely. Our server, Raegan, was incredible. She was attentive and recommended great dishes. Some of the kid's dishes did seem small, but other than that, our experience was great.

Great Mexican food! Excellent service and server Julio. We sat down and ordered a couple of Cadillac margaritas. Our party ordered the chicken fajitas, mini chimichanga with enchilada, another ordered the taco with the chille relleno and the last one ordered the chile relleno with the chicken enchilada. After ordering maybe 10 minutes someone arrived with food to our table and we were sure that it could not be our order. However we were surprised to get everything fresh out of the kitchen steaming hot. Everyone pretty much finished all their food. Everything tasted delicious. We didn't have room for dessert. The manager even stopped by to chat with us and we explained how stunned we were with the food being ready so promptly. She advised that it wasn't that fast the day before which happened to be Mother's Day and they were much busier. We discussed the poor yelp reviews due to the 20% service fee that was added and we all agreed that it was just forcing people to pay the amount that is customary anyway. We didn't have a problem with it being added to the bill because that's what we expect to give a server if not more. I will be back, the food was worth it.

Had lunch with my SIL today. Service was ok but the food was terrible. I ordered a chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla had no cheese in it and the chicken was cut into little tiny cubes. I had to send it back. It came back with some cheese added, but found a huge bone in it. Only ate part of the quesadilla. paid for my meal, but never really ate it. I've been coming to LA Cocina for several years since they opened and have never had bad service or food until today very disappointed and won't go back.

This place has some of the best Mexican food in the IE. If you're in the area, you should definitely give them a try.

Stopped here the soccer game . The service was on point friendly server and very attentive. His name was Christian. The ambiance was very family friendly . The food was good. It was tasty .

Came here last week on recommendation from some friends and was very pleasantly surprised. Once we walked into n we were greeted and sat down and it felt like we were in a restaurant in either Cancun or Cabo. From the decor to the music to the wait staff I felt like I was on vacation. He food was delicious and the only reason I took off one star was because once we got our food we had a hard time getting a waiter to check on us for drink refills and then for leftover containers and the check. They did start to get busier after we got there but I saw two or three staff just standing there. Would I come back. Yes I would. Maybe just an off day. We all have them.

Great food, drinks, and service here, tonight. My wife and I came here about a year ago and really liked the vibe and appreciated the excellent service and food. However, due to unwelcome, surprising and mandatory additional charges that were added onto our bill, we decided not to return. We heard through the grapevine that they stopped this practice and decided to go back and give it another chance. We are so glad we did! Food was delicious, drinks were well made, and the service was impeccable. We will now be regulars. So happy we gave La Cocina another chance.

Another phenomenal experience at La Cocina Came the other night about 45mins before closing and the restaurant was still full of patrons and had a great energy to it. We were sat promptly and ordered skinny margs plus table side guac. Our burritos both tasted so fresh and flavorful of homemade authenticity that I ate more than I should have If you're looking for good food, good service, and an authentic restaurant; then look no further.

First time coming to this restaurant after our Temecula wine tasting trip. Service was excellent! From the first interaction with the host to the hospitality from the manager, I felt welcomed, and everyone was very attentive. Glad I found this gem. Todo el personal fue muy amable. La comida estaba caliente y muy deliciosa. Gracias por todo!

Quality and authentic Mexican food at reasonable prices. Nice ambience and good service.

Table side Guacamole! Ya heard me correctly. Made to your liking. I was won over by that at first. But then I got the best server ever. I can't remember her name but she was fantastic. Marcella maybe. God i am so sorry I don't remember. But she was fab! The hostess was fab. The fun guy that made our TABLE side Guacamole was fantastic. The place was so cute. We went on Mexican Independence day and suprized it wasn't slammed. It was busy but it was not crazy. I appreciated the quick service and the outstanding staff. Oh wait the food! Omg so my husband really wanted carne asada fries and they did not disappoint. I got carnitas taco. And it was fresh and very tasty. (I could of done without the cheese) but it was a good different. don't sleep on this cute little spot Temecula. It's worth it!!!!

Such an amazing dining experience! I had such a lovely very lunch with my son. The service was fast and the food was amazing. The chip basket and salsa always full. Great menu as well. It was difficult to decide among all the delicious food! Well done La Covina. We will definitely be back.

Not impressed with the food- service ok- the 20% operating fee- insult to the waiters busboys and the cooks. Has to be a better place in the valley than this!

We came here tonight with a large party of 13. We sat at separate booths with was no big deal. We ordered plenty of food. Fresh guacamole is made right in front of you it was delicious. I couldn't get pictures of what everybody ordered but I got some pictures. Everybody said that their food was great. The service was great too. I know some people are upset about the gratuity amount but it is what it is. If you don't like it then you don't have to give your business here. I enjoyed my food and will be back. This place is more on the pricier side so when I do come back it will have to be a treat. Overall, I would recommend coming here.

They have massively raised their prices. Been coming here for years. Had a late lunch there today. I ordered a SINGLE chicken taco with beans and rice, $16.50!! That's insane. That's a $11 plate max. My Sol margarita (no price on the menu) served in a small bucket glass was $14 each!! I didn't even taste tequila. After Covid they started adding 20% gratuity for everyone. Now from what my server said, They've added that price to the menu but have removed the automatic 20% gratuity. Server notified us, the price increase paid the kitchen. Sorry $150 out the door ($25 tip) for 3 people at a Mexican restaurant is too much. We wont be back. We went to Guadalajara's on Jackson with 5 people and paid less. So sad! 2 Pacificos, 2 Carne Asada burritos, single chicken taco, beans, and rice and two margaritas $150. Wow!! There are definitely better options for that price point.

hello justo let you guys know about my experience during dinner at la cocina the service was excellent before the cocina take off the tips from guest check we see the difference before and after we hearing alot of la cocina employees talking about típs the is the reason service is not the same as before they don't care just throw out our food to the table don't say hello or welcome any more food still good service very poor just because típs are removed from guests checks me and my family will not return back staff are not friendly like before Pablo 951-348-5514

First, Ruben our server gave an amazing service- thank you again!Second, our food were more amazing!! Shrimp fajitas and carne asada fries were to die for, it's our new favorite Mexican restaurant! Ambiance is not that great, there were food markings on the wall that didn't get cleaned that's why I had to knock one star off because cleanliness is a must for me. We will come back again for another date night in this place.

I got blindsided with a 20% service fee added to my overall bill. I had no idea I was going to get hit with that fee until my check arrived after the meal. This local Temecula guy will NOT be coming back because I don't like to be blindsided. I will also be telling all my friends as well.

The meal was OK we had six guests and I personally ordered an iced tea. The iced tea was $4.50 and the glass was never refilled. I asked for chips and salsa twice and we never got a refill. The food was fine. It's just sad that the service was the way it was

Food is always good , however we have noticed service has gone down hill . Been 2x in last 2 weeks in Sept. and waited for service plus food came out wrong. Was corrected but seemed like it took longer. Asked for table side guacamole and had to ask 4x . Wanted more drinks and never came back to our table to ask both visits actually. May just give them a break for awhile, plus drink prices have increased $21 for a skinny margarita

Food is good quality Mexican food!Y husband and I loved here a few years ago and this is the only in person dining Mexican restaurant that we love in Temecula! They have a decent size selection and the food tastes fresh. Their staff is always so friendly and I've never had a bad experience here. This is a staple restaraunt we frequent often. I don't know why people would complain about 20% tip being automatically added, they give great service and the food is always good. I think the people complaining about the 20% surcharge must be the type of diners that wouldn't even normally tip 20%. To me, adding in the surcharge automatically makes it easier since I don't have to do math! Given the service is always amazing as well as the food, I have no problem paying 20% since I'd be tipping 20% anyways. They have table side guacamole and the overall ambience of the restaurant is really nice. I'd highly recommend this restaurant and in fact we always bring our out of town relatives here when they visit! Please don't let these negative reviews simply bc of the tip included steer you away. I guarantee you will enjoy this place.

Decided to try this place out for a date night and we were pleasantly surprised. It is super hard to find good Mexican food and this place hits the nail on the head. The chips tasted so fresh and the salsa was so flavorful. They're michelada was one of the best micheladas I've ever had. Their prices don't even compare with the affordability. They automatically add a 20% service fee for your check and they don't expect you to tip on top of that. Which is really awesome. The customer service was really great. The staff was super friendly and inviting. We had a great time and I cannot wait to bring my kids back one night so they can see what the hype is about

I love Taco Tuesday & friendly staff....The chef & the waiters all are great & my family & I always leave with very good memory ....

This place was busy on a Friday night and it's easy to see why. The food here was amazing!!! We were looking for some good Mexican Food and we certainly found it. First, when we pulled up, we were told it would be about a 25 minute wait. We put our name on the waitlist and we were texted when our table was ready. It was only about a 15 minute wait. We were promptly seated and then our server quickly took our drink orders and brought out the chips and salsa. The chips were hot and the salsa fresh. Note: they have a standard salsa which is hot and a mild salsa that is not as spicy. The menu is extensive. It was really hard to narrow it down, but I wound up going with the Oaxaca Enchiladas- They were amazing! The tomotillo sauce was delicious and the zucchini and potatoe filling was great! Rice was perfection and the borracho beans were really good too. My husband had the Enchiladas Maria (which was 3 different sauces) which I got to sample and it was great too. Plus big KUDOS goes to their refried beans. OMG- how many times do you see refried beans being shouted-put I. A review? Take my word- they were absolutely marvelous. BEANS! Not to be neglected, I would like to mention our Dr.Pepper and Cokes were perfect. Fizzy and just the right mix of syrup. A lot of restaurants overlook this, but not here. From start to finish our meal was great and the service was attentive. I had seen some people on here give poor reviews because the gratuity is automatically added into the bill (which is not uncommon in some areas, like South Beach in Miami for example) and therefore giving it poor reviews. Listen, I will gladly pay that automatic grat and we even left more money for our server because we appreciate the great service, the food and the hard work it takes to run an establishment like this. Next time we are in Temecula, we'll definitely be back!

EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED! Great food, clean environment, & great service (shout out to Riley W.). I highly recommend this location and I will definitely be back next time I am in the Temecula area! (Sammy - Upland)

Amazing! Food was delicious. Table side guacamole was sooo good. Carnitas fajitas, bomb. The churro dessert, freakin phenomenal. Service was top notch. Super quick. Ambiance is great.

Great service ,food is excellent table side guacamole and the fajitas for two you can't go wrong .My server Mario should be commended for his customer service. I have been here a few times and it is worth the drive of 60 miles for great food and atmosphere deserves 10 stars.

Ambiance: This place is super cute and quaint. There can be a long wait sometimes so plan ahead. There seemed to be a lot of indoor seating and the service was very good. Taste test: So I went here over Christmas break and from what I remember the food was good but also very filling and heavy. There was lots of flavor in everything. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the cheese dip. There are a lot of options to choose from.

I use to love this place for their Sunday brunch buffet. They took it away which is fine but their breakfast plates are boring. My albóndiga soup (with 3 albóndigas) was salty asf and the service was a bit slow. They have a kids eat breakfast free with an adult meal every Saturday and Sunday advertised on their IG but they acted like they didn't know 2x. I would've let it slide but I didn't speak up about my nasty soup so I did.

My family and I went on Sunday for the first time to have lunch at La cocina. Julio was our waiter and was incredible. The service was amazing and the food was great! I had Camarones Al Mojo Ajo, and they were so good. I highly recommend this restaurant. :)

this location provides good customer service and the house salsa is very tasty This is my second visit here and when I'm in this part of SoCal I like to stop by!

The food was decent but nothing to write home about. I came in due to the cheaper prices with the enchilada plate being $14.95. They have deceptive pricing because they charged a mandatory 20% fee on top of the total bill which out priced taxes on the bill, making it more expensive and not worth it. This establishment should advertise their fees upfront. Don't recommend as there are so many Mexican restaurants everywhere that wouldn't charge that fee.

They started tacking on a mandatory 20% fee/tip for dine-in orders. I ate indoors, paid the fee and placed a separate to-go order and they tacked on the fee. When I asked for it to be removed since it was a take-out order and I already paid the fee for dine-in, the manager told me, "Well the people in the back have to pack up your order, you know." I then asked her would the fee be tacked on if I called the order in, and she said "no." Top tier management you have there, La Cocina.

Very solid gringo-esque Mexican. We ordered the fajitas for 2, the steak was really good, the fajitas came with onion, mushrooms, nopales, and bell peppers. The tortillas were probably microwaved ( not my favorite). The beans and rice were good, there weren't any chilies with any of it? The food came out amazingly fast. The service was fast and friendly.

The service is absolutely terrible. Waited about 10 minutes to even be greeted. Our food came fairly quickly and we had to wait again and ask for the tortillas that were supposed to come with the fajitas. I ordered a Diet Coke that never came to the table. Though the table that sat after I ordered my drink got their drinks first. We had to ask two separate servers for water refills (one that came with no water and just ice) and another set of tortillas. We sat with empty water glasses the majority of our meal. It was next to impossible to get our servers attention until we wanted to pay the bill. Prices are overly expensive for the quality of the food, though it is ok. I would suggest going to Guadalajara or Mexico cafe. The service and quality of food somewhere else, is worth the price (which is slightly cheaper).

We didn't have a long wait and staff was quick in bringing chips and our orders out initially. Then our waitress disappeared for awhile. Food was good, had really good flavor. Fried ice cream was delicious.

It's been a while since I've been back here. The food is always good, the restaurant is beautiful, but it's just out of the way from my side of town in French Valley. But I found myself on that side of town with my son and we stopped. I was kind of disgusted with the 20% service charge on all orders to help pay their people a livable wage. I am all for paying people good wages and providing benefits. But don't make it an extra charge. Build iin to your damn prices. Don't just blind side people with 20%. Imagine going to Home Depot and getting charged 20% when you check out under the guise of to pay living wages and provide benefits to our staff? You wouldn't deal with it. Neither will I. So I definitely won't be back.