Don Cuco's

03/11/09

Great food, worth the occasional wait

by evildrneutron at Citysearch

Don Cuco's is a local treasure for Toluca Lake residents. They've got a wide selection of Mexican dishes, and just about everything's great, so take a chance and try that thing that caught your eye on the menu!

The service has always been friendly and helpful. The atmosphere inside is quite pleasant and quiet so that you can keep up a conversation without yelling.

The only downsides are in the Don's popularity. The restaurant is on the small side, and going on a Friday or Saturday night means you'll probably be waiting a bit. The bar area is tiny and more than likely, you'll end up standing.

• Pros: Fantastic food, broad menu, decent prices
• Cons: Bad parking. Demand is sometimes higher than their capacity

01/19/09

Great Mexican Food

by Foodlover52 at Citysearch

If you love great, traditional style Mexican food, this place is great! Large menu, multiple choices like three varieties of beans (black, refried, & whole pintos). I have been eating here for quite a few years and the food and the service has always been consistant. Yes, they get crowded at dinner time, especially on the weekends so plan on a wait if you don't have reservations. Parking can be brutal during busy hours since there is only street parking available and all the other restaurants and shops fight for the same parking on the street. I saw where another reviewer complained about the wait and went across the street to El Torito and was seated immediately. What does that tell you?They're not as busy because their food is not as good as Don Cuco's. I can't think of a "GOOD" restaurant I've gone to for dinner that someone wasn't waiting to get seated. Maybe for people who hate waits, they should eat at Denny's, I'm sure they must have some kind of offering that resembles Mexican food like a burrito. Someone else mentioned rude service and getting violently ill from the food. I've never noticed any examples of bad service, who knows, maybe the customer was being unreasonable and the staff reacted accordingly and I'm sure you could get ill from eating out but that's always a possibility no matter where you choose to eat. I know that neither myself or anyone in my family has ever gotten ill from eating there. So, all things considered, Don Cuco's provides, great Mexican food, great service, great drinks and great atmosphere all for a reasonable price.

• Pros: Great food, great service, large menu, good value, hand-made torillas
• Cons: Parking can be terrible during peak meal times, expect waits during busy periods

08/08/08

HORRIBLE SERVICE

by lottalotta at Citysearch

If your idea of a great time out is being treated rudely with little regard as a customer. If you like waiting too long to be treated poorly, then by all means go to Don Cuco.

How was the food? I dont know, I waited so long to eat it starvation took over and survival kicked in, I never tasted it because I was too busy trying not to die. How was my drink? Couldnt tell you, I was so irritated from being treated poorly that I used it as a vise to keep from knocking the server out. If you are in an anger management program, dont eat here. If you are not, you will need one when you leave.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: everything

Suburban watering hole infamous for potent margaritas and inexpensive Mexican fare.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Kitschy decor and peach-hued stucco walls create atmosphere inside and strong margaritas and reasonably priced, homey Mexican fare keep the room filled. Traditional offerings like beef tacos and enchiladas lead the menu, though there's flair in spicy shrimp burritos. Open-face quesadillas pile shredded chicken, chorizo, green chilies, black olives and Jack cheese on a flour tortilla. The salad supreme--iceberg lettuce with avocado, cheese, olives, tomatoes, chicken breast and shrimp--is one of the healthier choices.

03/26/08

Great Mexican food

by hawnk at Citysearch

I eat there a lot. Tostada's are great, fried burritto is excellent. Milanesa is one to get as well. The Cadillac's pack a whollop and taste great! It is a small place and you need to call at least 2 hours in advance for reservations, so there is usually a wait unless you eat at the bar (which I mostly do).

• Pros: Great drinks and food
• Cons: a wait is usual due to size

12/27/07

Some of the Best Mexican Food Anywhere

by culinaryman at Citysearch

Living in Southern California with Mexico our neighbor to the south, we obviously have a large hispanic population here. These may also be some of the reasons why there are many, many restaurants catering to the lovers of Mexican cuisine. There are probably so many Mexican Restaurants that it would be difficult to proclaim any one of them "The Best" but I will say that the food at Don Cuco's at least rates up there with the best of them. The menu offers a large selection of choices from the basic tacos, enchiladas, and burritos to specials of the house like carne asada, chicken (in many forms), carnitas, to seafood like shrimp and crab offerings. They offer both refried beans and whole pinto beans (frijoles de la olla). Fresh made torilla chips and salsa and hand made tortillas to compliment your meal. Other reviewers have complained about the wait during rush hour. If you ever eat here you will understand why it 's crowded and why there is a wait, THE FOOD IS GREAT! One thing that any prospective diner should know, parking can be touchy, there is no on site parking and you must rely on local street parking. Because other restaurants and businesses suffer the same parking situation, sometimes it takes a little searching and a short walk to Cuco's after you park. In the end, if you like good Mexican food, you like a good selection to pick from and you can deal with a short wait for seating, please try Don Cuco's, you should be very satified. By the way, the Margaritas are great too!

• Pros: Every aspect of their establishment
• Cons: No on site parking, street parking only

11/27/07

BEST MEXICAN FOOD!!!!!!!!!!

by rbncali at Citysearch

DON CUCO'(burbank location) is the best mexican food i have ever had....i've eaten at a lot of places and never been so addicted...the chips are warm and salted just right and it comes with salsa and sour cream..what a great combo surprisingly! i ordered a mango marg(recommended) and crab enchiladas...what a great choice...fresh crab inside and the green sauce on top was terrific...but the best thing about DON CUCO'S is the white rice...its garlic rice..so good not overwhelming at all...if you have never been please go there you will not be disappointed. very moderate prices...given a lot of food for your money! by the way the service is great too; very friendly and helpful.

• Pros: food and service especially margs and white rice
• Cons: needs to be bigger; very narrow like a hallway but extends all the way back

10/20/07

The best...

by beaarthur4 at Citysearch

Don Cuco's has the absolute best tortilla soup I've ever had. It's worth it just to go, have the free chips and salsa (and they are very quick to bring you more) and a bowl of this soup. Highly reccomended!

• Pros: food, decor, service
• Cons: it's a little cold inside...

09/21/07

The best mexican food in the valley!

by traceyharris at Citysearch

I love Don Cuco. The atmosphere is fun, but the food is amazing. Just had dinner again there last night.! Take out is good too when you don't want to wait. The staff is friendly, and service is quick. Really one of my favorites...can't say enough about how good!

• Pros: food, service
• Cons: can be long wait, noisy

06/18/07

Totally unremarkable food

by skidoo007 at Citysearch

Watered down drinks and a melted mix of refried beans and cheese with the smallest sliver of avocado. Do yourself a favor and eat across the street.

• Pros: seating inside
• Cons: food, service, manager