La Serenata

THE TASTIEST SAUCES!

by kaukau808 at Citysearch

I have only had great dining here. From Marta greeting us at the door to Marco's Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding. If I'm very hungry I will start with an appetizer (panuchos or plantain empanadas), they are filling. When it comes to the main dish, I always order one that includes a sauce. They have the most incredible tasting sauces. I tend to favor the Ribeye ala Martin or the Camarones Yucatan. The decor is charming, the service is hospitable and the food delicious. And many times, star-gazing...many come here.

• Pros: Consistency.
• Cons: None for me.

Worst Mexican Place

by paul4 at Citysearch

Horrible place. Really fishy fish.

Oh and Expensive and slow.

2 small tijuana tacos will run you over 13 dollars.

The manager thinks that this is some kind of gourmet restaurant, but it lives off the fame of the original-which is better, but not fantastic.

The staff has major attitude as well.

Crappy just crappy. Go to East LA or San Diego if you want real Mexican.

• Pros: Hahahaha
• Cons: Everything

Rip Off, Misleading

by foodloverca at Citysearch

We asked for mexican beers sorry we are out, mexican seabass, ( not in season ) so what do you sell in a mexican restaurant? ordered cadillac margaritas that took 10 minutes to get to our table and tasted like lemonade, our waitress maria made a mistake in taking our orders, we got our food and our entrees were cold. my sugestion DO NOT GO HERE, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY,,,

• Pros: NOTHING
• Cons: SERVICE,FOOD,ETC.......

AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE

by TexMexisTheBestest at Citysearch

My boyfriend and I went here hoping to find something remotely similar to Tex-Mex ( I know, that was dumb). It all started off on the wrong foot when we parked in a space at the back under a sign that read "Customer parking." A valet told us we were in a valet spot - though no sign was present. We argued, lost, and eventually moved our car ( to the Westside Pavilion garage.. it's free).

When we got inside, there were mostly older folks everywhere. The place was definitely busy, as there was a wait. We asked to sit on the patio since it was a lovely 70 degree evening, and the hostess looked at us like we had just asked if we might urinate on the floor. She then said we could sit outside but there's no alcohol out there. That's okay, we just wanted the food. She said she would bring us menus.

So I sat out there for 10 minutes while my boyfriend moved the car. When he joined me, we still had no menus, no water, no chips, no nothing. We literally had to ask for everything the rest of the night. My boyfriend ordered steak tacos - which were actually decent. However, they were smallish but cost 16 bucks for 3 with a side of rice and beans.

The trouble was my order: pork tostadas. It was literally INEDIBLE. Underneath a mound of bag shredded lettuce was a crispy tortilla somewhere, with chunks of dry, rubbery "pork" dumped on top. There was literally no seasoning, no salsa, no dressing, nothing remotely liquid to tie the dry, bland dish together. It was the worst excuse for Mexican food I've ever had in my life - and I've had a lot.

We asked to speak to a manager. After we watched him go to the wrong table, we asked again. Finally he came over and I could tell he didn't want to hear it. I said, "I can't eat this. This is horrible. The pork tastes like it was microwaved, and..." he interrupts me. He argues with me, telling me that its not. "Well that's what it tastes like. This is the worst Mexican food I've ever had" I tell him. And again, he argues, saying, "Well, we've been on the Food Network and blah blah blah, but okay, I'll take it off your tab." I'm sorry, but that's not how you manage a business! A sane, normal, smart manager would do everything he could to make me happy - perhaps offer something else, and apologize for the poor food. He sealed the deal that we would never go there again - and here I am, writing a bad review on City Search.

If you like to be respected as a paying customer and you also have taste buds, don't go here. If you are an old lady who likes to eat beef tongue while being treated like a second-class citizen, then be my guest. I've had bad experiences before, but this was THE WORST. DON'T GO HERE!!!!

• Pros: A patio.
• Cons: Poor service, bland food, inept management....

THE WORST FOOD EVER

by Candideater1 at Citysearch

WE WENT THERE FOR LUNCH, AND GOT SEATED AT A BOOTH OUR SERVER WAS THIS BOLD GUY SERVER/OWNER? HE HAD TOTAL DISREGARD FOR US HE WAS TOO BUSY TALKING TO A FEMALE WAITRESS, WE ORDERED SOME MARGARITAS THAT TOOK 15 MINUTES TO GET TO OUR TABLE AND HE TOOK LONGER TO TAKE OUR ORDER, THE ENCHILADAS SUIZAS ARRIVED COLD, AND WERE AT THEIR BEST MEDIOCRE, WE THEN CALLED THE WAITER/OWNER NAMED MARCOS? TO EXPRESSED OUR DESSAPOINTMENT JUST ACTED LIKE IT WAS OUR FAULT. WE WILL NEVER GO BACK!!

• Pros: NONE
• Cons: RUDE OWNER