El Buen Sabor

I ordered a tres leche cake for my company’s cinco De mayo party and was shocked at how much everyone loved it! We ordered the smaller sheet cake that feeds 25 and it was more than enough for our company of 35! Will definitely be coming back for another in the future. The only downside is that this place doesn’t have a wide selection in items to go. You would have to ore order anything you need at least a day in advance.

Came in at 9 AM Sunday morning to place an order for a cake. I ended up paying $ 20 before tax for a nice tres leches cake, custom made with birthday text and decoart. The cake was bomb! I would definitely come here again!

Not much in the bakery at about 4 o’clock and nothing was there. the owner was not very helpful or knowledgeable about her own products. I will not be returning here sad because it’s so close to my house

I dropped by here after picking up a few things at the Stater Bros. just a few units next to this place. I thought it was a customer with her grandson here but it was actually someone who worked there and she was friendly, I guess the workers went on a lunch break and I don’t blame them because I was basically doing the same thing. Strange how that works, anyhow, I decided to place an order here.
It was empty, but that worked in my favor as my order was done quickly. Normally it sounds like a bad thing when your food is prepared quicker than a fast food place, but they actually made the order perfect. If anything I’d complain they served yellow rice, but I actually enjoyed it so no complaints here.
Soon as I finished most of the meal I had to head out, can’t have those groceries in the car too long. The lady was nice to talk to, I guess this place has been around 18 years, and I got to take my leftovers home. I guess people could complain about the appearance, otherwise the food was made right and you can take it home.
I sort of liked the display they had, a few Tommy Lasorda pictures reminded me of some places I’ve enjoyed around Los Angeles. The back area for the restrooms was confusing, no lights were on around the back so I wasn’t sure if I was even allowed there until the worker told me it was fine. Parts of the place could use new paint, maybe be slightly remodeled only based on other restaurants being all fancy looking.
The restrooms were clean, just a lack of paper towels and minor stuff that can be fixed up within minutes, same with a few items being stored in the back. I would recommend a napkin dispenser and a trashcan where the customers can throw things away. Otherwise, that was the best damn chicken and mole I’ve ever had from a restaurant.
I thought the service was solid, this is authentic Mexican food so be aware that they put the right spice to it. Next time I’ll have to try a few other items on the menu. It would be amazing if this place was busier, I also saw an arcade in the back that would have been fun to play.

Wonderful service. Extremely friendly owner & workers. Great food.

Came in for the tacos, hard to find good street tacos in Tustin and I was not disappointed! I had the adobada, carne asada, and carnitas tacos which were all delicious. The cashier was very friendly and courteous. The habanero salsa was spicy yet had great flavor. I will definitely be coming back!

This is for the restaurant.
Unsanitary. Didn’t wash hands to prepare my food after receiving cash.
Used bare hands to reassemble my tacos after having them flipped upside down when preparing my food to go.
1 star for the baked goods

As I was walking in there were two females behind the counter. They walked in the back. I was looking at the panera bread n menu. Still waiting for someone. Still waiting. I decided to leave. Will never go back. I drove down the street to El Habenero and got service right away.

Came here with a coworker during lunch. This place is your typical hole in a wall place that serves good food.
I had the chicken taco plate which came with two chicken tacos on corn tortilla, rice and beans while my coworker ordered the taco plate with carne asada. Both of us liked our food. They also gave us two bottles of hot sauce to eat with our meal — red sauce and a light orange spicy buttery sauce. Both were good though I preferred the red sauce. It was yummy on the rice and tacos.
If you are on a date, I wouldn’t say this is the place to impress your date, but if you are craving for some authentic tacos and don’t need the fancy décor with mariachi band, come check this place out.

one of the worst mexican bakery ive been to. definitely on my list to come back.
the pan dulce (
) was very dry, old, stale, and very dense! the top was not crispy at all and it cost $ 1 each which is way more expensive than what grande and tortilla bakery charge (60 cent each).
the tres leches $ 1.75 (
) was considered one of the worst tres leches ive ever tried. i didnt know this mexican cake would taste so bad and this is the first time i found the tres leches i did not like at all. the milk texture was so thick and if i have to describe it, it almost have the same texture as «saliva.» yes i know its disgusting, but i ccouldnt find words to describe it.
the flan $ 1.75 and strawberry mouse $ 1.25 (
). the flan didnt taste like flan at all. the texture is pretty much the same like the jello you bought at supermarket. bad bad bad. the strawberry mouse didnt taste any better either. taste so artificial. they also didnt use plastic wraps instead of the actual lids on the dessert cup. im wondering does plastic lids really cost that expensive?!
i dont know how this place manage to get such high ratings. maybe their tacos is good. but i dont think i have the willingness to come back and waste my $$ here!
easy parking and just ‘ok’ service.
cash only.

The name of this place, literally translated, means «the good flavor». It’s not an understatement. The food here is cheap, delicious, and quick to get to you. Mexican cuisine is my absolute favorite, so I know good Mexican food when I taste it. I’ve had just about everything on the menu here, and it’s all fantastic. It’s one of those locally owned and operated joints that’s packed during the lunch hour and on weekend afternoons. The baked goods are as good as they come. I’d highly recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting quick, cheap, super good eats.

got the carne taco plate for about $ 7. I actually liked these tacos better than the Original Taco Factory tacos down the road! I also got a plain sugar cookie, which was ok, not amazing but I’m not a big fan of panderias as I’ve only been to one good panderia which was in Mexico sooooo I may have different standards.
One of the owners (?)/​cooks (?) even let us sample their fresh toasted baguettes with a bit of olive oil which was fantastic!
I will have to try El Buen Sabor and the Original Taco Factory again to compare the two, but this one wins for me!

This rating is for their tacos.
Had a craving and Unilocaled tacos in Tustin. El Buen Sabor came up. I thought they were just a bakery… And that bakery aroma when I walked in…
With enough good reviews I went and I tried one each of the Pastor, Carnitas, and Asada taco. That is also the order starting with my favorite. I just went there again and got 2 Pastor and 1 carnitas.
I noticed them tasting a little different but that’s what you get when it’s «home» made and made daily. The first carnitas taco had the meat kind of crispy which I really like. This time it was juicier and soft which was good too. I would definitely recommend to try them (Specially the Pastor) and always, decide for yourself. The normal hot sauce was the bomb! Really good. Scared to try the hot hot.
If you want atmosphere, get your food to go and eat at the park around the corner. The restaurant is clean inside, just old. Old tables, old paint and old décor. Nice owner who talked with me while I was waiting. Price was fair for how much they stuff in those little tortillas.

Came in here to grab some food, thought it would be really quick. What caught my eye was the sign outside that said 50 cent ground beef tacos. Figure I would give it a try since ive walked by the place a few times while going to Stater Bros. It was around noon so you figure this place would be quick about it. Well that wasnt the case, things moved like molasses here. Ended up having to take my food to go.
As far as the décor is concerned, this place looks really run down, almost to the point where I would question if they really deserve a A rating. The food tasted alright but the tacos didnt taste any better than taco bell. Overall I wouldnt really recommend this place, nor do I expect to come back. There are plenty of other places on newport ave that I would prefer to eat at.

Sometimes you have to TOFTT, tonight I did. I was planning on going to Gyro and Kabob next door but changed my mind. So walking in the place looks kind of sketchy, sketchy but clean. (If you go you will understand) I ordered the chicken Torta., it did take quite a while to get my order, however it gave me a chance to speak with the owner (Female with white hair). She said that they have been their 16 years, so that made me feel pretty good. She gave me suggestions for the next time I return and I certainly will!
The Torta was good!

Incredibly authentic.
Home made breads, cakes, and hard to find seasonal items like roscas and pan de muertos. Excellent tres leches.
As for the food, huge menu and I can honestly say I’ve never been unhappy with food here. Hands down one the most authentic and consistently delicious Mexican Restaurants in Orange County. They take phone orders, I recommend calling it in to avoid waiting taking it home and feasting. Sopes are very good.

I’m always excited when I walk into a potential, winning hole-​in-​the-​wall. El Buen Sabor had all the trappings of a new love in eating: questionable strip-​mall location, proximity to check-​cashing and water-​vending establishments, dilapidated tables, homemade decorations from 1992, and a wall-​mounted TV, blaring channels in other languages. Perfect!
By now you know it’s a combo bakery-​and-​restaurant, and the place has been here 14 years (who knew?) Nice owners and a decent-​sized menu.
I ordered the chicken flautas with rice and beans. Sadly, it was another restaurant with canned sodas, so I grabbed my usual Coke. Mexican food and Coke seem to go together like, well, anything good and Coke. If Coke can strip a penny down to its copper in 20 minutes, it can surely cleanse my palette between bites.
Before your order comes they give you two kinds of salsa, telling you one is a habanero-​mix and is very spicy, and the other is more gringo-​ized and milder. I have to tell you, the hot habanero sauce is excellent! If you like spicy-​but-​flavorful, this one’s for you! So good. Fresh and homemade.
Points off for stale-​ish chips. Sorry, but they were. The beans are very homemade and have a «casero» flavor just like you’d get from mami in the cocina. The rice was good too– nothing to write home about but good.
The flautas were uncharacteristically bland; just tasted like chicken. I dressed them up with liberal amounts of the hot salsa and they were much better. Good, but bland is what I’d call them.
Overall this is a fair place. I wouldn’t drive way out of my way, but the food here is good. After all, 3 stars means not bad, and it is not bad. I was disappointed because it didn’t thrill me, but I wouldn’t stay away. If you’re near here and have a hankerin’ for some decent Mexican, give them a whirl. Great salsa. I hear the menudo is great but I was just not in the mood for a cow’s stomach lining today.
Maybe I’m just picky?

This place is a true example of that home cooked meal found at your local restaurant.
First off, its half restaurant, half bakery, and it located in the same plaza as Stater Bro’s and Phở Bac Ky, across the 7 – 11. In the corner lies this Mexican restaurant/​bakery., filled with 4 small tables, a kitchen, counter, cabinets full of fresh-​baked treats, a small fridge with their tres leches cake and other cakes, and non-​working videos games… it already spells disaster… for most folks, but for someone who prefers your food to ambiance, this looks promising.
Lot’s of yoru standard tortas, dishes, and specials like any other place, but it has that great Sunday treat… the kind you only remember having Mexican friends (for a filipino like me) and having lola’s Fresh Menudo. O-M.G, only «mamacita» could make it that great, but this place comes very close.
The people here are really friendly, and I would assume the owners. The chef came out and talked to us personally, like we were family, and even made a salsa for us (per request) that was really hot, because well… we like hot things. A few habanero’s. and we’ve got a contender!
Anyway, the food is great, the people are great, and the desserts are all pretty good. So while nothing fancy, it does with a place in my heart for some of the best Menudo i’ve had in the OC.

If you’re on a low-​carb or low-​glycemic diet, don’t torture yourself by going in here.
The pan dulce is really really good. The conches are light and fluffy in the middle. I had never had a fluffy conch prior to eating one from here. Before, to me, conches were the armpit of pan dulce. But at El Buen Sabor, they are worthy of being experienced again and again. I’ve enjoyed all the pan dulce I’ve gotten here, especially the bread slices coated with sugar and spread.

Hidden Gem
If you are looking for some authentic Mexican food around Irvine, I suggest giving this place a try. It’s in Tustin off Redhill. The sign is very hard to see. However, it’s in the same plaza as Stater Brothers. So just look for that.
I exited the freeway and my stomach must have done the talking because I wound up making the wrong turn and heading in the opposite direction I should have been heading. By the time I realized it, I decided to go with the «road less traveled» and try something new. That’s when I stumbled upon El Buen Sabor and the lovely lady at the counter who recommended to me, the Huarachez.
In most of Mexico the word huarache means «sandal,» but in the central Mexican uplands a huarachez is a large, oblong bread made of fried masa, often of the blue kind, stuffed with yellowish bean paste, and liberally garnished. Mine had carne asada, cilantro, onions, sour cream and tomatoes. It’s a similar to a tostada in a sense except instead of a hardshell, it was a soft fluffy masa bread. Actually, a better comparison would be to that of a Gordita from Taco Bell.
For those of you who are not familiar with masa…
Masa is the moist, cream-​colored paste resulting from grinding nixtamal. In the old days grinding was done with stone mortar and pestle — and in some isolated villages it still is. Nowadays it’s more typical for it to be ground with a hand-​turned, metal grinder mounted on the side of the table, or else to be carried to special shops, usually in or near the mercado, where large electrically powered grinders do the job.
Anyways, enough with the history and explanation. Back to the Huarachez. It was awesome. It was a very tasty surprise from the usual burrito or taco. Very flavorful yet simple. I would definitely come back here to sample some of their other items on the menu.
Also, I thought I would mention this is also a Bakery. However its services are not limited to the bakery and restaurant. They cater for large parties and even have party supplies for rent.
I highly suggest taking the «road less traveled» the next time you are craving Taco Bell and giving this place a try.