El Tepeyac Cafe

I’ve been coming to this place since I was a little girl. I remember my parents sharing their food with me, especially the huge burritos. I remember the old man Manuel going around giving customers a drink! What great memories!
The food is great and waitresses are so nice to everyone, you feel like if you’ve known them forever! The only bad thing is that the restaurant is really small. The tables are all cramped up to fit as many of them as possible, but they do have a bar to sit at and an outdoor seating area. I prefer sitting inside and enjoy my food while the jukebox is playing.
I normally get the T-​bone steak, crunchy chicken tacos or the chicken taquitos. The T-​bone steak comes with sautéed onions and jalapeños. The crunchy tacos come with rice and beans, and the taquitos come with a generous portion of guacamole. Yum!

Best burritos in town! They haven’t changed a bit since I was little coming here with my parents. One stop shop for great Mexican food. I love the homie atmosphere. They are famous for their Hollenbeck Burritos, if your super hungry you can «try» to finish it yourself, but can easily be split.

If this place only had extra parking spots I’d weigh about 20 pounds more!
So this place may not look like a million bucks but your meal sure as hell does. Not only does it look good but it is authentic and delicious. The food is some of the best home made style Mexican I have ever tasted and the portions are huge. Let’s not forget the prices, yep you guessed it, reasonable. Om top of all that the service is friendly since it is run by family. This place kills any west side restaurant with professional ratings. I’d have to say it is definitely top 5 Mexican restaurants in Califas (California).
Go and give it try before the word spreads and your outside waiting in line with the City workers and police.

This place reminds me of an old New Jersey diner except it’s a full blown, homemade, family owned, Mexican restaurant. You wait out front along the front of the place (you can also order from a counter to go which is very tit) We opted to sit at the counter which was nice, chairs aren’t uncomfortable and I’m a pretty big guy. The staff was super, super friendly and everyone seemed to be working hard. It’s always nice to see a spot that is so true to what it really is, you can see that they all enjoy being there. The chips they bring you are probably the thing I will remember most simply because well, fresh fried tortilla chips that are like little crispy tortilla croissants all flaky and oily — dash some salt on there and you’ll want to start shoveling them like a little slob. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and my bud had a gigantor burrito — this thing is insane. The dishes were both bomb, and the rice stole the show. The rice is like little and a tad crispy but also a little soft — very intense feelings on the rice — rice shoveling is very very easy to achieve with this. Honestly nothing makes me happier than when you ask for a side of sour cream and they bring you a mother fucking XL ice cream scoop of it. I was like wow, this place just gets me. Like a little pig I was taking chips and quad dipping from sour cream, to enchilada, then to the rice, little dip into the refried beans and bam bam bam bam I couldn’t stop. That is until, my stomach could not go any further. I looked around and said «fuckin a man» split the check and rode happily into the sunset knowing I had just experienced one of the greatest Mexican spots in Los Angeles I could have ever asked for.

Found out about this place recently and within a span of a month or so, went on 3 different weekends. I’m sure the rest of the food is good here, but the only things I’ve ordered are the huevos rancheros and the chilaquiles.
Those 2 dishes are the best of each I’ve ever had anywhere. hands down. Huevos rancheros is probably my favorite Mexican dish and throughout my life, I’ve been on a mission to find the best one. I’ve now found it.

Living in San Diego, this is probably the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. The only thing I’ve had is the Hollenbeck but it only gets better each time. I’ve been here several times and this is a must go to location everytime I’m in LA. I will continue to come here whenever I can and get as much of my friends and family to try this place!

This establishment is my favorite place to eat when in LA. Living in San Diego, we have awesome taco shops galore, but this place is unique. The Hollenbeck is the ultimate masterpiece here. I’ve always wanted to try this place when it appeared on MVF, and to find out that my GF’s family is from this neighborhood was a pleasurable shock to my senses! I go here every chance that I’m in LA and will continue to do so. Everything is great here. If you haven’t been here yet, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Treat yourself to the Hollenbeck, because you’re worth it.

It is a lowdown crying shame that one must drive eight-​hours FROM A BORDER STATE to East L.A. in order to buy authentic and delicious home-​cooked Mexican comfort food ! !
The food, staff, restaurant, grounds — all make you feel like you are getting a giant cozy hug!

This place is disgusting. I came here as a kid when my parents didn’t know any better. Decided to give it a try 20 years later and boy, what a salty burrito. Flavourless, cheap quality, large portion burrito.
Weekend was packed and took some time to get served. I have definitely been here for the last time. Used to be cheap but now it’s just sad. Horrible décor with boxers on the wall and furniture make it an unpleasant dining experience.
I’m all about cheap, but come on, this wasn’t even affordably priced.

Was eager to try this place after hearing/​reading so many good reviews. Their portions are huge… I really liked the burrito. I saw someone order a steak plate, and it looked amazing, definitely wanna give it a try next time!

WHAT A RIP OFF!!!
I have heard that this place is a long standing LA establishment for good Mexican food. All the Unilocal reviews seemed to reiterate this reputation. Wanted something super tasty for lunch, so my coworkers and I decided to order for delivery.
When the food arrived, the driver was given a generous tip. What we DID NOT know was that they tacked on a HEFTY $ 10 delivery charge for being more than 3 – 5 miles from the restaurant. We were NOT given this disclaimer. SO MAD!!!
The food portions were HUGE as described in the reviews. It could’ve easily fed 2 people. I got the machaca burrito for $ 12.99 since it was highly acclaimed. With the extra $ 1.00 for jalepenos, tax, secret delivery charge, and tip, my burrito came out to $ 22!!! What the heck!!! When I cut the burrito in half, it was ALL RICE!!! Where’s the BEEF??? Ok, ok, maybe it’s in the other half. I had the other half the next day and it wasn’t in there either. Maybe it got lost on the greater than 3 – 5 mile radius delivery. :P All together, there was probably my only 3 ounces of meat. Yes!!! All that for only $ 22!!! The rice & contents in the burrito were tasty but this was NOT what I paid for!!! FUMING!!!

Descubrir un restaurante de Comida Mexicana en Los Ángeles no es difícil, lo difícil es encontrar uno verdadero y bueno. Tepeyac lo tiene, excelente comida, abundante, buen precio y una excelente atención. Un verdadero pedacito de México en Los Ángeles. Se necesita Gps para llegar pero vale la pena.

Superlative Mexican food! The food is tasty, the portions large and the service friendly.
I’ve been a regular customer for over 40 years. It’s comforting to come to a spot that has changed very little over that much time. Yes Manuel is gone and they have an electronic POS system but little else has changed. I hope the café stays just the way it is.

Everything on the menu looked good. There’s a dine-​in inside portion and a to-​go patio option.
Tepeyac is quantity over quality, too much «average» food. The servings size is huge and the prices are good, but overall nothing to brag about.

First time here and carna asada burrito was delicious. The horchata was okay. It was my first time here and there was a line out the door. Since we were two, it was easier and faster to sit at bar. There was also the option of sitting in patio. It beats waiting in line. It’s right across the street from a church so I can imagine how busy it would get on Sunday’s.
Minus one star for not having alcohol. I’d go again but I think I’d go to city of industry next time.

This place was so great. We went around 6 and it was poppin, the wait was about 30 – 40 mins because it was packed. And to be honest, the wait was worth it because the place was great. Shoutout to our waitress Denise who took care of us the entire time we were there. The food was amazing, the burrito was so big. They said it feeds about 3 – 4 people, there were 7 of us and we legit couldn’t breathe after. The chiliquiles was the best thing I ate there. 100% would come back.

I’ve read from several Unilocal reviews that their regular sized burritos are huge. How huge you ask? Well read on to find out!
I ordered the regular sized Okie de Pollo burrito to go. When I got home and opened the box, I didn’t realize just how huge it was. It felt like it weighed at least 2 lbs, but didn’t officially verify this. I then took out a ruler and started measuring the dimensions of the burrito. My rough measurement marked this burrito to be 8 inches long, 4.5 inches wide, and 2 inches deep (20.3 cm x 11.4 cm x 5.1 cm for you metric system peoples!), giving a rough total volume of 72 cubic inches (~1180 cubic centimeters). What exactly can you compare to this? Perhaps eating a whole pineapple or a rack of baby back ribs. Either way, it’s a lot of food!
Now for the actual tastiness of the food itself. I enjoyed the integration of the guacamole in the burrito (and they didn’t skimp on the guacamole!). However, it felt like most of the beans/​rice were towards one side of the burrito and the chicken was towards the other end. Nonetheless, very tasty indeed!
I also ordered a side order of chips with ½ a pound of guacamole in addition to a regular sized horchata. I’m not 100% certain if their chips are homemade, but if they are, yum! The chips are very thick (felt like 2 chips in one) and crunchy and went very nicely with the guac. On the other hand, the horchata seemed to have lacked on the cinnamon and was quite watery overall. A little bummed by that.
Overall, I enjoyed their food! I definitely couldn’t finish it all within one sitting — probably have enough for at least 2 more meals. Also happy they accept phone pickup orders! However, if you’re going to order by phone, make sure you go to the patio area directly adjacent to the main restaurant and pick it up there!

Back in the day Manny’s was my go to, the machaca burrito was my meal for the whole day ! RIP Manny !

I’m literally writing this review while laying on my bed absolutely stuffed from eating the Hollenbeck Asada burrito. I was skeptical at first of this place, but decided to take a chance, and it is really really delicious! I bought the burrito plus two hard shell chicken tacos. The chicken tacos weren’t mine but I managed to take a bite and they were off the hook! Great place, parking a little congested, not too crowded for a Wednesday night! Definitely will have to come pack to try the pork on pork burrito ! For 21 bucks for well proportioned food… Its definitely worth all of my 5 stars!

My favorite place to get really good authentic Mexican food. Have been going here since I was an infant. Try the chilie Colorado (#2) it’s delicious!

It has been almost a year since I last visited — and the place is just as yummy as always. The burritos seem about the same size as I remember but the price has stiffened a bit. I paid $ 9.50 or so for a Torta de Guacamole burrito! It was just over 10 with tax. I remember when these were under $ 5 or so? I snapped a photo of a Manual Special as it was going out — and it looked fabulous indeed. Even so there was a line at lunch time for the dine in as well as the patio side… though the temps were a bit chilly for me. Sigh… I may just have to visit again in less then a year from now — it was SOOO yummy.

Was here to meet up my good friend and her family, eat, chat, and just well, eat, chat. Based on existing reviews, I had to order the raved about Hollenbeck; I ordered a mini, which is still ~1.25x larger than the typical-​sized burrito. This is also my very first wet burrito. I know, embarrassing right.
Absolutely delicious. Burrito wrapped in shredded and seasoned pork, topped with a red sauce/​stew containing a few cubes of pork. Plenty of guac within the burrito, yum!
The chips were awesome too! Fresh; the oil apparent on your finger tips.
Downside is how small the place is. Lunch time, holiday time, whatever time, there is a wait. We waited ~30 minutes in the December cold. You bet I ate that burrito.

I grew up eating at this place and am disappointed to say that the quality has gone down.
The manual special is $ 27, and what you are paying for is essentially a rice and bean burrito. They are skimping on the meat. Today ordered a manual special and my dad took 2 bites in to find a long hair in it… we called tepeyac to tell them and they did not offer to replace or refund us anything. .at the restaurant Bernadette helped us as we paid… not sure if she is the one who also answered the phone when we called to report the hair.
I won’t be going back to any of the tepeyacs.

This used to be my favorite Mexican restaurant where I could rely on consistency and really good food. I’ve eaten here all of my life, my grandmother used to live around the corner. But something has changed in the last two years. I like spicy food but the Hollenbeck Burrito is so spicy I can’t even eat it without dowsing it with sour cream which kind of defeats the whole purpose of eating this delicious burrito. Also, in my burrito last night, I found four jalapeño stems. I think they’re just getting sloppy now because you should not be finding a stem in your meal let alone four in one burrito. So sad.

Manuel’s (as the locals call it)
as a character in the role of, «the best man»
when toasting would say, «I Love You Man»
I grew up like 6 blocks away and every time I visit friends
and familia in Los Angeles, I ALWAYS get my Mexican fix.
This is truly the BEST burrito I’ve ever had
period, mic drop with feedback.
The burritos I love are called Manuels Special Burrito
and the MSB smaller baby brother, the Hollenbeck Burrito.
Both have pork, sauce, rice, refried pinto beans,
cheese, and tons of FRESH
(dude in the back slicing avocados all day)
guacamole. (no extra charge) it’s all part of the dealio.
Slow cooked pork in a tomato based sauce
oh so gently poured on top, then hit with a
handful of cheese on top. All wrapped in a
home made tortilla. *salivating*
The flavors are so unique and truly
the best Mexican food in I’ve ever had.
They also have great Taquitos, again with
fresh guac on top and a side salad.
The horchata is still the BEST i’ve ever had.
It’s just about PERFECT. The balance of cinnamon and
rice water and sugar is so great.
When in ELos, you will see my
a** in line.

Since this place has good ratings on Unilocal,I stopped by during lunch since I haven’t had Mexican food in a while. The restaurant is tiny and feels crowded.
I wanted a wet burrito with the red sauce so I got the Okie De Machaca (shredded beef). I got the mini size and it was still too much food for me.
The burrito was good, but not great. It came out steaming hot and was drenched in sauce. The flavors were mediocre, but the portion size was HUGE!
Overall, it was satisfying, but nothing over the top. I probably wouldn’t come back if I had to wait outside for 15 minutes again. If I do, I’m going to order the Hollenbeck burrito and update my review.

I love legit places like this! When I first heard about this place from «Man vs. Food», I had to check it out. So I went here for the first time for my mom’s birthday lunch and it didn’t disappoint! At that time, Manuel was still alive and was so kind to all of us while we were waiting in a long line outside that he gave me a complimentary shot of tequila! I will never forget his funny and kind personality and how he really took great care of his customers. May he rest in peace.
Now fast forward to November of 2015, my cousin (who came from the Philippines) really wanted to experience Mexican food in California, so we brought her here for dinner and were quite surprised that it wasn’t so busy on a Friday night. There was no line outside and it wasn’t really crowded inside. My boyfriend, cousin, brother, and I ordered nachos and the big Manuel special burrito for dinner, which consisted of chile verde, rice, beans, and guacamole topped with cheese and salsa. Because the burrito was huge, the four of us had to eat with a knife and fork, but the burrito was delicious with each bite! We also got complimentary chips and salsa, which were definitely fresh (the chips were made here) and tasty! At the end of our meal, we were all happily satisfied and full.
Overall, Manuel’s Original El Tepeyac Café was definitely one of the best places to eat Mexican food in Los Angeles!
P. S. I like how there was a grotto near the parking lot and that there was ample parking at that time.

Pretty good. Burritos are big enough for two to share. Historical restaurant in the area. Worth checking out if you are ever in the area.
The place is small, therefore there is always a line outside full of people waiting for their turn to get in. Place is hidden in a residential area, behind a house rumored to belong to he owners.

This place serves authentic Mexican food. At least what I imagine authentic Mexican food should taste like. The tortilla chips were thick and crunchy, with fresh oil still coating the chips. Some might think this is good. The green salsa was delicious — fresh and spicy.
Plenty of parking in the back. Small dining area with bar seating. Definite diner feel and popular neighborhood place. The restaurant is family owned and service oriented. Friendly and attentive.
The portions are huge, as in the regular burrito took up all the space on what is easily a 10″ plate! Try the mini burrito if you don’t have a monster appetite. The chicken enchilada in red sauce was ok. Chicken was dry and we expected better since the salsa and guacamole were so delicious. Rice and beans were perfect. I cannot imagine how many calories were in the beans so we didn’t count them this day!
They’re open till 11 PM on Saturdays and that was very good news to us. We got seated right away (took the last table for the moment). This place keeps busy — well past 10 PM and they don’t take reservations but we would have been willing to wait because their food is really tummy and worth the wait!

I Love this Restaurant so much
I’ve been coming here for many years and it is the best Mexican food around in East LA
If you’re looking for the biggest cheapest burritos world you’ve got to come here and open for breakfast and it is fantastic I could eat here every day

Wow, what an Old School spot! Definitely a place to visit whenever you’re in East Los Angeles. I can see why the people of this neighborhood keep this restaurant packed just about everyday. This Mexican restaurant offers delicious dishes that remind you of home… man, if lived in this neighborhood I would be there everyday.
My wife had the Chorizo with Eggs dish, and I had their Chile Relleno. I was taken by surprised that they did my Chile Relleno fresh… yes, fresh!!! It wasn’t greasy at all and it was full of flavor… just like my Mother makes for me in Dallas, Texas. Hell, when I come back to visit my friends in L. A…I’ll be bringing my Mother to this place so that she could taste their wonderful food too. I fell in love with this lil hidden gem of a restaurant. Oh I forgot about my wife’s dish, she LOVED it!!! :)
If you’re into BIG meals that feeds several people, I highly recommend their Machaca Manuel’s Special Burrito or their Massive Breakfast Burrito.
Note: This place a bit small, and their parking too. But, their excellent food makes up for it! LOL!!! :)

If you’re a burrito lover, you MUST come here. I preordered the massive breakfast burrito & picked it up around lunch time. The breakfast burrito was SO good (eggs, potatoes, cheese & beans topped with cheddar cheese & ranchera sauce) I shared it with 6 other ladies (trust me, it was more than enough) The burrito itself was so delicious!!! Service was great & parking was easy, overall great experience.
I definitely will be back to try other yummy stuff on the menu. I recommend preordering and picking it up, since I heard this place gets crowded.
xo,
Naomi

Petit restaurant mexicain: traditionnel (donc délicieux) et familial. Les portions sont plus que généreuses, ce qui permet d’emmener la fin de son repas à la maison dans une «box to go». Quant au prix… il défie toute concurrence, le in-​n-​out burger du coin né saurait pas s’aligner! Pour les personnes visitant L. A, aller dans ce petit restaurant permet également de sortir des sentiers battus et d’éviter les pièges à touristes d’hollywood blvd.