La Fogata Mexican Restaurant
5142 Van Nuys Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 (818) 501-9065
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
121 reviews
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
"One thing gets this place 5 stars - Green Corn Tamales. That's all I ate, and it was absolutely amazing. What I'm told is that this is…" read more »
29 Reviews for La Fogata Mexican Restaurant
If you are in the mood for Mexican food and you have little time, lunch hour etc...this is the place to go.
No waiter service but the food is consistent and very affordable.
If eating breakfast at the FourN20 or the Lamplighter scares you, try this little hole in the wall in the same part of Van Nuys boulevard for some quick, hot, fresh, and inexpensive food.
The steak and eggs are about $10, which includes a huge griddle steak, hash browns, toast and coffee all included. They serve all American style breakfasts and also Mexican style huevos as well. All the other breakfasts include either coffee or a drink and are lower in price.
They also have a lunch and a dinner menu, and are open early on Sunday morning.
No wait service, but I wasn't disappointed by the food, and I am pretty picky about what I put in my mouth.
there's something happenin here.... what it is ain't exactly clear... there's a man with a burrito over there, telling me I shouldn't eat here...
Sorry, for some reason I had to sing that part.
I used to love La Fogata, but the last few visits, things haven't been quite the same. The strange thing is, it doesn't appear that anything has changed. All the employees at the counter are the same, the menu is the same, the dining room is the same. But the food is not so good recently.
It's a combination of problems, for example, my two good friends who usually order bean and cheese burritos have noticed that there are large, unmelted chunks of shredded cheese in their burritos lately. And the beans are warm in some places and cool in others.
Personally, I'm more of a taco gal. And I've noticed the carne asada is overcooked much of the time. It's not like, yum, crunchy overcooked, it's bland and dry. Also, the rice tastes too salty, like it's being cooked in nothing but broth.
Sadly, I don't think La Fogata will be getting my six dollars anytime soon.
We had a good run, but I think it's over! I'm sorry. I wish I could say it was me, but it's not, La Fogata. It's you. Don't worry, you'll find someone else, and for awhile they'll think that your food is pretty good.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/13/2008
Consistently good food and friendly cashiers at a low price, La Fogata is a great place to grab a… Read more »
Sorry fellow Yelpers...I wasn't impressed with La Fogata.
The food is okay, but I really think it's over-priced and over-rated. Here's what my husband and I ordered;
#10 Enchilada/Tamale Combination $8.75
#20 Asada Burrito Combination $8.50
Side of Chips $.50 (I couldn't believe they charged for chips)
Large Coke $1.25
X-Large Iced tea $1.60
With tax, the total came out to $22.29. It's not bad, but considering there's no waiter service, the portions were small and the food is just average, we hope to find better Mexican restaurants in or near Sherman Oaks.
If you're ever in the East San Fernando Valley, then you have try Perry's on Roscoe and Whitsett (diagonally across the street from Poly High). It's a dive, but definitely better food and cheaper. It's closed on Sundays.
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I'm new to Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks and I also haven't had a ton of "authentic" mexican food, being a Korean adoptee, raised by white people in suburban Minnesota. That being said... I really like La Fogata. And I just looked up the translation of the name which I guess (according to Babel Fish) is The Bonfire. Hmmmm... interesting name.
I've only ordered to-go and I usually get a chicken burrito, chicken enchilada or bean and cheese burrito. I think they are all very tasty and I especially like that the last time I was there there were two guys playing mariachi and they stood still for so long before they played, I thought the one guy, that I could see, was a statue. CREEPY, but awesome nonetheless!
The only thing I don't dig about this place is I think the prices could be a little lower. It's not outrageous, but considering you're not getting waiter service, it's a little high. I still love it though!
Let me start with really I found the food here very average the handful of times I have been here.
That was until my husband and I tried their Chorizo Burritos. They are good, and normally the service here would make this a nice Mexican morning.
Last weekend I came and ordered two burritos to go, it was 2:00 long after they stop serving breakfast, but they made them for us anyways. I was thrilled with how lovely that was and would make sure to get their earlier to ensure a nice Chorizo burrito morning.
This weekend, I was there in line before 11:00 (cut off for breakfast) my friend and I get to the front of the line and place our orders only to be told its after 11:00 (by a couple minutes) and that we couldn't have Chorizo Burritos. The cashier didn't bother to ask the cooks, she just said no, and smiled sarcastically as I asked her if she was kidding.
Next time I will just make them at home. Who needs attitude when you are trying to support a local restaurant. Its amazing how far a restaurant can slide with bad service.
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Sooooo delicious. And soooo authentic. I love this place. Its my favorite Mexican place in the valley. The food is great AND they use NO MSG or lard. How awesome is that?! Thats so rare for mexican food. AND its inexpensive. What more can you ask for?!
I LOVE the chicken enchiladas. I highly recommend this spot. Do yourself a favor and check it out!
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Best Mexican food in the Valley, period. Their chorizo con huevos is to die for. Great prices, genial atmosphere.
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I want to crawl inside their giant smooshy burrito and go to sleep.
La Fogata rules for a proper Mexican chow fix for cheap.
Crunchy tacos rule. Chicken milanesa is stunning (and coma-inducing). Good fresh salsas at the salsa bar. Burritos like the perfect sleeping bag smooshiness. I swear, when I find my bag of money I'm going to get them to make a giant one for me to jump into.
I'll add that to my last wish list.
You can park in the lot across the street with no worries. Yay!
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This is our regular joint at work since it's down the street. Everything I've had is pretty darn good. I recommend the chicken enchiladas. Beans and rice are great also. Guacamole is good if you order it there. Otherwise, if you order it to go, you get a measly small portion not worth what you pay for. Make sure to go before noon at lunchtime or expect to wait in a long line w/ nowhere to sit!
This place is amazing, everyone that I know has been going here forever, its one of those places that quickly becomes on the top places to go out, the enchilladas are great, everything is just wonderful
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I really enjoy the food and the quick service. It's basically, order, eat your food and get the hell out, perfect for someone like me - always on the run.
The prices are reasonable and the chips and salsa are delicious!
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I've always maintained that it's quite difficult to screw up Mexican food. After all, it's fairly simplistic at its core.
While La Fogata doesn't quite screw it up, the food is extremely average and having now eaten there on 3 different occasions, none of the times was I impressed with the food.
There are cheaper and much better Mexican places around that actually do something with their dishes other than keeping it as bland and boring as possible.
And this is the only Mexican place in the history of the world where you actually don't get enough food for your money.
this place is authentic, cheap and delicious. i love the free salsa bar. the chips are great. the tacos, rice, beans, enchiladas-2 thumbs up.
Not the best "authentic" Mexican food I've ever had, but (to quote Larry David) pretty, pretty good.
I like the wet shredded beef or chicken burritos here. The meat is seasoned just right and loaded inside a huge tortilla with a bunch of other tasty stuff.
The salsas are also really good and flavorful.
This place gets busy for lunch, and it's sometimes hard to find a place to sit if you get there too late.
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So mexican food is the reason that I need to lose 30 pounds...That said I really like La Fogata.I want to go eat here right now. It's a good lunch spot for cheap. Reminds me of vacationing in Mexico. Don't expect any fancy frills or efforts for presentation. I like the enchiladas and chile renos. Service is kind of slow so don't go here if you are in a rush
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Meh. I tried this place based on some lovely written yelp reviews :) The food was okay, nothing too awesome. I had a Machaca taco and enchilada combo. The only thing I would say really stood out was the Spanish rice, which I will say was some of the best I've had. Sauces were average, meat was average, beans were average. Like I said, neither here not there, neither high nor low, neither blow my taste buds away or bland. So, meh.
The odd thing was that we had food at 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon, by 6:00 both my husband and I had a weird smell emanating out of our pores of a mix of red pepper, cilantro and lard. It stayed with us after a shower that night and another the next morning.
The prices were very average . The ordering process took way longer than it should have. I have had much better food and had much cheaper food and have been in much more interesting environs. Not sure I get why this place is rated so awesomely. If I'm in the area, I might stop by for some rice, but other than that, don't think I'm gonna be goin back.
Absolute favorite, quick, no fuss place to eat in the valley. Prices are cheap and the food is fantastic. I have ordered just about everything on the menu. The tacos and burritos are very good although I didn't enjoy their shredded chicken, stick with the beef. The Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is really good as is the Cocido soup (a meal in itself) which is only $6.
There is nothing fancy about this place, order your food and get a number ... refreshing in LA where every other restaurant makes you pay $5 to valet and charge you $18 for a margarita.
Live music on the weekends is nice too.
I can't even talk about it. It's so good. My god. Super fresh, always delicious. Seriously, go. Just not when I am because you'll be in my way. The fish tacos? The best I've had. Everything is so fresh and CHEAP and, wow. So good. I went 5 times in 8 days. No joke.
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Simple, fast, cheap. Not amazing quality, but If you're hungry, go. I like the large dishes they give you for salsa, and their salsas are fantastic.
I wish they offered black beans in their bean+cheese burritos.
Also good for take out.
We can't get enough of this place...when we lived closer, we were among the regulars (and yes there are regulars) in for breakfast every single weekend, however lunch and dinner are equally as yum.
As a vegetarian - there are plenty of options...same for kids - this is my 4 year old's favorite place.
If you arrive after 11am or so on Sundays, be prepared to wait as this is their busiest time. Also noteworthy - there is Mariachi during the week in the evenings.
We were looking for a Mexican restaurant in this area and thanks to yelp, we weren't disappointed.
I've only been here once so far and only tried the carne asade plate but I'm gonna go back to try out the burritos.
I have yet to find a restaurant in the valley that makes food as good as King Taco's/El Taurino's or Mariela's but I'm hoping that this place will suffice.
The only thing that somewhat bothered me was that you actually had to pay for chips. The salsa's free but the chips aren't . I guess it's better than people just throwing it away if they just gave it out for free.
Also, they serve beer. Didn't notice their selection but just saw some dudes drinking some Coronas.
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Look, if you're expecting gourmet, you're in the wrong place. This is a great, cheap place to have some fajitas or what have you. I found this place fifteen years ago by accident and it's my first go to place if I want to sit down and have an inexpenceive Mexican meal.
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I have to completely disagree with fellow Yelper Mateo E. on this one.
La Fogata is 100% serious Mexican comfort food. Working my way outside in:
No problem finding a parking spot. Ever.
Once inside, you feel like you're in an authentic joint and not some gringo's idea of what a Mexican restaurant should be.
The staff is really nice and accommodating. If you have special requests for your food, they do so willingly and gladly. Not an ounce of 'tude.
The food. Oh my lordy, the food! The rice is light and tasty, the beans are great (and lard free!). Their chips and salsa are always fresh and it takes all my strength not to just fill up on them. I can't tell you how many times I have eaten the one cheese enchilada and one chile relleno combo and I will never, EVER tire of it. Sometimes I will venture out to other menu items and I have yet to be disappointed,
After sitting with my friends or family for twenty minutes going, "Where do you want to eat?" "I don't know. Where do you want to eat" "Oh, I don't care. Where do you want to eat?", this is the place we can all agree upon.
Only qualm: this place can be crowded sometimes and then the wait kinda sucks. They say good things come to those who wait...but make it easier on yourself and get there before you're ravenous.
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Forget Las Fuentes in Reseda. That place is bland and boring, Americanized Mexican food. (Maybe that's where Mateo E., the first reviewer, actually went.) La Fogata is awesome. It's an authentic Mexican restaurant that is fresh, clean and has easy parking (across the street in the park's parking lot).
I can't get enough of their carne asada tacos. The meat is really good quality, the tortillas are great and they are a huge bargain. I've tried other things, but the carne asada tacos are still my favorite.
Two things I wouldn't recommend - the guacamole (it tastes like paste to me) and the wine margaritas. I know they only have their beer and wine license so they can't make margaritas with the real stuff, but the ones they make just don't have any punch. They do have some good Mexican beers (like Negro Modelo).
I also like the live music they have on some evenings.
my friends and i LOVE La Fogata! I had just moved to the area and passed La Fogata every time i went to the freeway, so i decided to pop in and see what the flashing lights were all about. I fell in love! I started raving about it to my friends and everyone I brought became hooked.. La Fogata has become a common word in our vocabularies... my brother is usually not a fan of authentic mexican food, but he got tired of my friends and i talking about it so he finally caved in to see what we were talking about and now he leaves me voicemails saying "La Fogata, La Fogata, La Fogata..." letting me know he wants me to stop by on my way home from work. There is always ample parking, staff is always friendly and the food is so delicious!
you know, my good friend and fellow Yelper has had a thing for this joint ever since high school.
Back then, I tried it and never liked. So I went back after many many, many moons away to give it another shot.
Um, I still don't like it. Everything tasted like it was out of a can using not one fresh herb or sauce or anything. Very bland and one note.
The decor and tables are nice. The employees didn't make me feel very at home or welcomed. The food came quickly and was not that pricey so I guess if you must go try it, you got that working for ya'.
*** I'm Looking at the reviews after mine and I gotta tell ya - I don't get it, I just don't get it. But I guess I like my food spicier than the rest. Arieba!!!!***
Great quality Mexican food. Not authentic Mexican but your typical American Mexical food.
I've heard the owner is very picky over his ingredients and it shows.
The mild salsa is a little on the mild side but, if you're a gringo, DO NOT TOUCH THE HOT SALSA... they're not kidding; one drop will burn so far down your gut your child-bearing years will be OVER. They got 'em mixed up once and I think I set my office chair on fire the next day.
Never had a bad meal there and I frequent the place once or twice a month.
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Authentic Mexican food, great prices, fast service. I eat here about 3 times a month and have tried much of the menu. I recommend the chicken taco salad and chicken flautas. The chips/salsa and $3 margaritas are quite good too. Parking is tight, but there are plenty of spaces on the surrounding streets.
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