El Farolito

Great food. absolutely love this place. Sometimes there is a long wait but its worth it. The food is authentic and very flavorful. Ive been going here for a few years and its still one of my favorite mexican food places.

Located in old downtown Placentia, this is a diamond find! Great traditional Mexican cuisine… amongst the hustling, friendly service… established in 1978. With food like this it will be here a long time to come!
If you out this way. Or just make it you destination dinner… you won’t be disappointed… it will be the building on the corner overflowing with happy patrons and anxious customers. Be prepared to wait, but it worth it! By the way, really reasonable prices!

Try the salsa! Be warned its hot! If I was rating in salsa alone, I’d give 5 stars.
For no-​frills, delicious and greasy Mexican food, GO! Beans and rice good delish, green salsa enchiladas good, and my friend loves the carnitas plate. Jalapeño
«skinny» margarita was good too!
Ugly and old interior of the building but they have a comfortable patio and neat artwork inside. If you ate with a blindfold, you’d experience beautiful mental colors of rainbows and smiles. Enjoy.

I’ve been coming to El Farolito for years and have never been disappointed by the food or service. Everyone there is very nice and friendly. The food is homemade and delicious! I’ve always ordered the carnitas plate, and it is consistently good. Although the prices have increased slightly over the years, you can still get a great meal for $ 10 or under! Plus the portions are huge! I’ve even called in to order food to go and it is still fast service. Check this place out, you won’t be disappointed!

Beware of coming here on a Friday night folks!
I have not been to El Farolito in quite some time, but I was excited to have dinner here tonight when a friend asked me to join her. The food was as good as I remembered and we did enjoy our meal, so two stars for the food and waitress who served us. HOWEVER, what I did not expect was to practically be KICKED OUT, by a gentleman, when we finished our meal.
As soon as we asked for boxes, our check was also provided to us. At this point, a gentleman wearing a black shirt approached our table and asked us if we needed anything else, and we politely said no, as we were finishing up our drinks and still having conversation. Approximately 8 – 10 minutes later, this same gentleman approached us and asked if we needed anything else, we again politely said no and he proceeded to say something like, «I’m sorry, but we are really busy you know, we have a lot of people waiting for a table.» We were obviously being kicked out, so we paid our bill. My friend asked the hostess if the gentleman with the black shirt was the OWNER, and she said «yes.» My friend asked if the owner always has the habit of kicking people out when they’re finished with their meal. She appeared embarrassed and apologized. I am appalled that an owner would treat customers this way.
To the OWNER– While I understand you are busy on Friday nights and would like to turn tables over quickly, you should still respect your customers. If you would have tried to sell me some coffee and dessert, I probably would have said yes to both and spent more money, creating higher profits for you. But instead, you created an awkward situation that I have never encountered at a restaurant before. Yes, we are young, but we are also working very hard professionals who enjoy spending money with a night out– most business owners’ dream customer. Instead, your staff is left to apologize for your behavior. What a shame…

I moved to the east coast and came back to visit the family so we came here. GOD BLESS EL FAROLITO. I miss real Mexican food so much and this was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Now that I am back east I am dreaming of those enchiladas and chile rellenos.

Lives up to the reviews… a fine Mexican place. The crowd on Saturday night was out the door so we need to get our timing right to avoid the rush. Chips and Salsa were great! The dishes big, good and reasonably priced. A winner.
The atmosphere is meager so don’t expect more and you’ll be happy.

Really Good food, Cheese enchiladas where my favorite. Wasn’t bad for my first time there. Definitely coming back!

I loveee Mexican food!
I came from SF and was a huge fan of el farolito in mission district.
Turn out this wasn’t the same, but the food here is one of the best I can find around here.
The carne asade was so tasty! I also got the enchiladas. Yum!

Heard about this place and decided to try it out. This of course is MY own opinion and take it with a grain of salt.
First off, the parking situation at this place seems like a nightmare to me. Luckily I found a spot behind the restaurant in the 8 car lot. LoL We waited for about 10 min, which is not bad. Overall great service, good attention to detail, when i needed a drink fillup, they were there to fill me up, they walked by a couple times to ensure everything was up to par. I was extremely hungry at the time, so i finished everything. The food was okay. Not the best mexican food Ive had, it was just that, food. I may have different taste buds or maybe Ive been to many mexican restaurants and know whats good food and whats Great food. Reasonable prices Id have to admit, dinner for 2 was about 25 bucks. Huge portions. Will I come back, maybe. :D

I miss this place sorely. This was one of my personal favorite sit-​down Mexican food restaurants, but I’ve moved up North.
This place has truly good Mexican food. Big portions and home-​y. Authentic. Like your mom cooked it (if you’re Mexican), and your mom happens to be the best cook in the world.
Love the atmosphere. Compared to the new location in DTF, which is more modern, the one in Placentia is cozier and fun.

This place is absolute my most favorite place to go! I discovered it about 7 – 8? Years ago! Dang. Through a school project ironically.
Anyway I ALWAYS end up getting the mama’s place with an enchilada and a chicken burrito. I still never finish it and am not sure why I still get it. For some reason the meal is simple but tastes delicious! Like one of the most authentic place I know for Mexican food. It’s never too greasy. It comes with rice and beans so it’s great. It sometimes gets a little dry (the burrito mostly) but I have a solution for that. In the beginning they give some chips and salsa. Both are amazing! The chips are definitely a little unhealthy cause of how fried they are. But the salsa tastes amazing! Only con is sometimes it gets too watery. I usually use this salsa with my food later. I also think thy charge for extra chips just incase you didn’t know. They also have a Diablo sauce that is a bit spicier but wasn’t too spicy for me.
The place itself is hidden so hard to just come across since its in the neighborhood. It also gets really crowded during dinner time and especially on the weekends. Go early or expect to wait! But worth the wait trust. I’ve gone from groups of 2 – 8 so it’s accommodating but just depends on the amount of people there.
Basically, go! Eat! Chicken flauntas are also good. Everything is good. Salsa is a plus :).
Will be back every time I come home.

A very mom and pop place was gets very busy.
They have very authentic Mexican food. Ordered burrito special, shredded pork n bean top with sauce. I usually don’t like wet burritos but this came out real tasty. Portion was real good but it was so tasty that I finish within one sitting.
Also ordered chicken and rice which was excellent.
Their flan is the best I’ve had. It’s so dense like a cheesecake. Would come back just for that.
Price is very reasonable. Came out less than $ 25 for 2 meal, a dessert, and a margarita.
Will def come back.
Con: no street tacos.

The place is deserving of a 5 star rating! The exterior looks run down but the interior is surprisingly large and can accommodate a lot of people. Our group of 18 arrived on a Saturday evening at 5:30pm. There was already a line of people waiting. We split our group in 2 and were seated within 15 minutes. The interior décor was simple but was comfortable. The energy of the place was also positive.
It came down to either the Carne Asada Plate or Arroz Con Pollo (#80). I finally chose the chicken plate. The hand made tortilla chips were thick cut but their salsa was the best I’ve ever had. It started mild but then at the end there was an addicting bite of heat that kept me coming back for more! So good! When my chicken plate was brought before me, I was intimidated by the sheer girth of the food. It was topped with a generous amount of cheese. It looked super heavy and dense, but to my surprise, it was light and extremely flavorful. It was ridiculously good! So good in fact that I ate the whole damn thing! My friend ordered the Carne Asada so I stole a few bites of it but it was surprisingly dry and chewy.
Overall, I absolutely loved this place! The food was excellent, prices were great, service was great and the ambiance was positive which equates to a 5 star rating!

Service:
Friendly service. The chips and salsa came right when we sat down. Toward the end of the night our waitress disappeared, but she could’ve been busy with other tables.
Food:
Combo plate with enchiladas and taquitos $ 7.99
Very reasonable prices. Large servings, so don’t worry about not ordering enough food. I can’t complain about the food. The rice, beans, enchiladas, taquitos were all delicious.
Overall:
Be careful with the chips and salsa… They are very addicting and you can easily get full off of them. I will be a continuing customer. Highly recommend if you are around Fullerton.

So I’ve actually been coming here since I was a kid with my Grandpa, God rest his soul. It’s a family business and he knew all the servers, cooks, and hosts by name as well as their lineages. He would always say, you can judge the quality of a Mexican restaurant by their beans. Needless to say, the frijoles here are very tasty and that’s just the beginning.
The chips are sliced tortillas fried up into strips (often still glazed in hot grease when they’re served.) The salsa is soooo yummy, but quite spicy so get your beverages ready. Save some salsa to spread on your meal too.
I had the Carnitas Machaca Plate which is like a pork and egg scramble with peppers mixed in. I always order beans only, but their Spanish rice is actually quite tasty too. I made my own tacos filling the flour tortillas (que gringo soy) with the meat/​eggs, beans, and the salsa from the chips… Delish! If you can carve out time for a nap afterward, then take down the whole plate. Otherwise you may want to save some for later.
My friend had a Burrito and Enchilada combo and exclaimed «I’m so full!» after cleaning his plate. He’s 6’3″ and eats like a horse, so that ought to tell you how filling the combos are.
It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but I don’t remember ever having anything I didn’t like. I especially have fond memories of the Carne Asada plate, the Camerones De Diablo, and the Carnitas plate.
Not sure if they take reservations, but it was crowded in the waiting area. Since we were only a twosome we got seated quickly at 11:30 before some of the bigger groups waiting before us. It’s definitely worth the wait if you have the time and aren’t starving.

I came to El Farolito on a Thursday night for dinner with my boyfriend and his family and had one of the best most authentic Mexican meals served in a restaurant.
Right when you are seated, FRESH chips and spicy salsa are brought to your table. I came with the intent to order nachos but the free chips and salsa satisfied my crunchy craving.
I ordered the Chicken Fajita plate and it was amazingggggg. The sauce that the chicken and vegetables came with was so good — could have had it as a soup. The rice and beans here are also bomb.
My boyfriend ordered a Burrito Special with Carne Asada and it was HUGE. Normally a portion of that size would require two people to eat it, but of course my boyfriend killed it. Obviously, he enjoyed it.
Our table also shared a pork tamale which was also super tasty. It came with a sauce over the top which was so good everyone starting dipping their meals in it.
The food here is AWESOME and the portions are HUGE. Out of five people, my boyfriend was the only person able to finish his meal — everyone else had left overs for the next day.
I really which I knew more about Mexican cuisine besides «it taste amazing» because most of the dishes came with very different but delisious sauces but I really couldn’t tell you what its made of.
Highly reccomend!

Lenny, George and the American Dream.
You might have read John Steinbeck’s short novel/​novella in the 9^th or 10^th grade. You groaned when your English teacher announced that you had to read yet another book that was part of the curriculum. As soon as you saw the book and read the first chapter, you mostly likely had these thoughts.
«Wow, this is a short book!»
«And there’s bad language!»
First visited in 2008, I had to return because I only been here once before and that was when I was student a Cal State Fullerton. That time I took the food to go. I wanted to experience the majestic and historic El Farlito dining in.
I love how they have a lunch special for each day of the weekday.
$ 6.59
Monday through Friday
11am-​4pm
Dine in only.
Lunch specials
Monday — Pork Carnitas
Tuesday — Enchiladas Rancheras
Wednesday — Arroz Con Pollo (chicken with rice covered with mild ranchera sauce and topped with melted jack and cheddar cheese.)
Thursday — Mexican Combo (ground beef taco and cheese enchilada)
Friday — Chile Con Carne (tender pieces of pork in mild and red tomato sauce)
As soon as I walked in, I was brought back to the 80s and 90s. That feel ran chills down my body because I was a 90s kid. The 90s was the last decade to experience what it was like to play outside, be cell phone less and dial collect to our parents to pick us up. It was very nostalgic.
I ordered the Wednesday lunch special, the arroz con pollo. It came out on a hot plate with the jack and cheddar cheese already melted. It was a generous portion of Spanish rice topped with white meat chicken, the melted cheese I described earlier and a bit of pico de gallo.
Biting into it was wonderful and felt like I was warmly invited to a home style dinner at a Mexican family’s home. But the flavors were the same and I wish it came with a side of re-​fried beans just so that I’m not getting the same scoop over and over. However, I suggest finishing half of it and taking the left overs home for dinner because that way you’re not overwhelmed with the massive amount of carbs and you can enjoy the experience of first spoonful flavor again at a later time.
Park on the street or there’s an additional parking lot before you reach the actual restaurant. Look for the El Farlito Extra Parking Customers Only sign. It’s about several hundred feet away and most people will likely frown upon the idea of walking. It’s sad that people don’t like walking even for a short distance. I experience this at 24 Hour Fitness parking lots everyday with people trying to park right in the front.
I would have given it 5 stars, if I didn’t feel rushed. The service was fast yet a bit hectic, maybe because the server was scrambling to other parties. I wanted to be a part of El Farlito. It was something I yearned for because everything was screaming you’re part of the family.
What stood out, was that it had the 90s feel with the devastating (in a complimentary way) one two knock out punch with that left hook. Most old looking restaurants lack renovation and have mediocre food so there’s no incentive to even go. If you watch restaurant shows, they always change the interior because it’s a huge factor when people try a restaurant for the first time, but as you know, a lot of hole in the wall and historic restaurants don’t change. El Fartlito is one of those rare restaurants, as long as the food doesn’t change and stays consistent, there’s no need to change the interior.
After reading the story of El Farlito and the history behind the restaurant which is written on the menu, it touched my heart, because my family and millions of other families, came here to live the American Dream.
It was a dream George and Lenny were so close to living until it felt short.
But this is reality, and El Farlito is a living testament that if you work hard enough, that the American Dream is achievable.

The Mexican food here is soooo delicious! I’ve tried a few dishes, all of which were amazing. My favorite is the cheese enchilada plate with rice and beans, and I like the add guacamole in there. So delicious. I’m craving it now as I’m typing this!
The chicken and rice dish is also pretty good. It’s huge, so you can definitely share it with someone else!
Their salsa is really good too– although, when it’s done right. I’ve had two salsas on the table, and one was much saltier than the other. I don’t know if that happens often, but I don’t think it does. And their salsa looks and tastes fresh, so I believe that one time they probably just made it and added salt one time and forgot about it and added some more salt. Regardless, it’s really good. A bit spicy if you don’t normally have sliced food.
I also had a mango margarita which was delicious. Not too sweet, and not overly icy. Just perfect.
Can’t wait for my next trip here!

One of the best Mexican restaurant I’ve been to. Great price and friendly staff. Most of the time you have to wait, but it’s totally well worthwhile when you get your food. Also, one of the best Pina Colada in the nation. Highly recommended.
Staff-​5/​5
Price-​5/​5
Food-​5/​5, best carne asada super nachos in the universe
Cleanliness-​5/​5
Overall 5 Stars Plus

Good spot.
Friendly service, fresh salsa, real tortilla chips, cold beer, mucho queso.
The Arroz con Pollo is awesome. Your heart won’t thank you, but your taste buds will.

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants. The arroz con pollo is delicious and the green sauce enchiladas make me cum a little.