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Amorelia Mexican Cafe
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
2200 Harbor BlvdSte C110
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 646-1422
Announcement
Happy Hour: Tue - Fri 4-6:30 ($5 apps $4 Sangrias $3 Beers
Taco Tuesday: 4-9 ($1 Street Tacos $5 Apps $3 Beers
Live Music: Fri-Sat 7-10
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 8 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 8 am - 10 pm
Sun 9 am - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
156 reviews for Amorelia Mexican Cafe
Review Highlights
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"If you like coffee you will love CAFE DE OLLA." In 10 reviews -
"Their horchata smoothie was also awesome." In 8 reviews -
"The carne asada is a regular treat for me there too." In 22 reviews
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155 reviews in English
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Review from Adrian A.
Newport Beach, CA
4/10/2012 8 Check-ins Here
Superior service is the key here...OK, in addition to the fantastic tacos!
Have to admit, I love coming here for the Taco Tuesday and for happy hour too (note, happy hour is ending at like 6:00 or 6:30 now, so arrive early!). And the cafe de ollo is wonderful! And I'm not really a coffee drinker!
Another set of must-trys are the papas tacos, Amorelia tacos, and tres leches for dessert! Live music is a nice touch too.
Don't let the look of the shopping center fool you, the interior of this place is way more upscale than the nearby K-mart might otherwise suggest...
A few tables are located outside for when it gets warm too...though I still perfer the ambiance inside (see above comment).
You won't be disappointed!
Enjoy! -
Review from Rickey R.
Costa Mesa, CA
5/26/2012
Authentic! That just about sums it up for Amorelia Mexican Cafe. I've been to quite a few mexican restaurants and I have to say, there are few that can compare to the taste and atmosphere of this place. The service is beyond exceptional, and the food gets more than just a "yum". The dishes make you want to stop and appreciate the wonderful blend of flavors.
The sauce on any of the Enchiladas can stand on their own but don't overwhelm the enchilada itself. The meats are top quality and the rice and beans are done the right way.
If you want some real authentic mexican food, I would highly recommend Amorelia, I've been twice in the last week and I'll be going back again soon. -
Review from Sadia C.
3/10/2012
Came with my coworkers and I must say, very cute place :)
It was dimly lit and clean. All tables and no booths, so it had the feel of a cafe.
Service was also awesome! I didn't catch the name of the server, but he was friendly.
OK TO THE MAIN POINT! the food
it was pretty good, but not mind blowing. We went on a Tuesday and their tacos are only a dollar!? :D and we made it just in time for happy hour too from like 3-6:30.
Also, the guacamole was super bland too! ADD lemon juice please!!! the ingredients were good, but you're wasting them by not adding lemon juice!
Heres why 1 star went down...the complimentary salsa was blah...nothing memorable. It tasted fresh, but it needed more cilantro or lemon juice or anything for more of a punch. BUT it was spicy, so that was a plus.
The tacos are small, but yummy. Carne asada was a little tough, BUT the chicken tacos were delicious. These tacos are street style with a soft corn tortilla. I don't know if the tacos are the same size at regular price., but definitely not worth it if they cost more than a dollar.
We ordered the flautas off the happy hour menu and these were also good. The chicken and potatoe were delicious. There was tons of flavor. These were my favorite items of the night. We were in a taco mood, so we didn't order anything else, but ill be back to try out other items. -
Review from Anita L.
1/31/2012
Came here for breakfast with Selene S and we were the first to arrive. The restaurant is cute, lovely decor with an ethnic feel all around. The staff were great too, very accommodating when I wanted to sit at a table with better lighting.
We ordered a few things to share.....
Chilaquiles -- they were good, but nothing special -- just simple tortilla chips with some sauce and a sprinkling of cheese.
Pozole (red) -- good flavor and I would definitely order this again.
We also ordered 3 tacos -- shrimp, fish and potato -- the shrimp and fish were kinda gross. You could tell they were frozen because the coating was crisp but the inside was very mushy and wet. The potato taco was the best one out of the three.
The three stars is for the pozole and service. -
Review from Kunney T.
Costa Mesa, CA
12/26/2011
This place is your run of the mill mexican restaurant that gives you nothing different that what an Acalpulco would give. The rice, beans, and steak are just A-ok, and the price point is there because of the way the place looks, not for the quality of its food. Also, they do not have a liquor license, so their margaritas are a bit, in the words of their own waiters, "weird".
I don't think I would come back without a coupon or some other type of enticement. -
Review from Monica S.
Orange, CA
I came here on a Friday night with some friends and family. I had called the restaurant earlier to make a reservation, but they said that they were over capacity; however I was able to get a reservation. I thought this was ridiculous, but as soon as I walked in, I could see what they were saying, this place pretty much has 10 tables (give or take). it was a crazy small establishment and the food is NOTHING to rave about. I decided to try it because my fellow yelpers had good stuff to say about it. I got a chicken and carne asada taco with beans on the side. The meat was flavorless & bland and why is it that I got re-fried beans and everyone else got black beans?!
However, I must say that we walked in a good hour and half before our reservation, but someone had pushed back their reservation so we got a table right away. It was right in front of the door though so the cool breeze made us shiver just slightly every time it was opened. Also, the margaritas had way too much ice which watered it down and it just tasted like lemonade to me, but i noticed that everyone got really sleepy after the pitcher of margaritas, who spiked it with sleeping pills!?
I must say though, the staff is nice and attentive. The gentleman I made the reservation with was very attentive to our group the whole night. However, the woman that was serving our table just smiled and giggled a lot which was not helpful at all. Also, she assumed we knew everything there is to know about Mexican food and were not helpful to some people in our group who knew nothing and needed recommendations. In a nutshell, I highly doubt I'll be visiting again anytime soon. -
Review from Gigi M.
Aiea, HI
12/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is my new taco Tuesday spot! $1 tacos! Combined with HH Tues.-Fri., between 4-7, $3 beer, $4 sangria and $5 appetizers! Awesome! And the cool part is this isn't a hole in the wall dump! Looks pretty upscale with dim lighting and decorative lights! The best part, they bring your tacos to you along with the rest of your order! None of this, go get it yourself like other taco Tuesday places! Full service, baby!! And while the servers are very busy running around, they are still accommodating and friendly! Yes, there is a bit of a wait to get your food but they make it up by stocking you up on the chips n salsa!
I wanted to try the coconut flan but I was just too stuffed! Couldn't even finish my tacos after my beer, appetizer and tons of chips/salsa! Next time, dessert first!! -
Review from Dani S.
Los Angeles, CA
10/16/2011
Found another awesome Happy Hour spot!!! woohoo! Thank you yelp app!
Was in Costa Mesa visiting a friend, craving tacos. Whipped out my swanky iPad with my awesome yelp app, and found this place. Made it just in time for Happy hour! $2 tacos, $5 appetizers, $5 drink specials. The beef taquitos and the cheese chorizo dish were both AMAZING! Amorelia taco and the Charne Asada tacos were both favored well.
Total hole-in-the-wall, but the inside decor is very new and nice. Service is great, easy parking, all you can eat chips and salsa!Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from Maite H.
12/11/2011 4 photos
My family and I had an early lunch at Amorelia's which is located in the K-Mart shopping center on Harbor Blvd. We sat at one of the tables and were handed paper menus. Umm, am I placing a to-go order, lol? Kinda strange that they don't have regular menus for dine in patrons.
While ordering our lunch, our server asked, "Would you like some fresh guacamole with your chips?". Umm, no thanks because we haven't even been served any chips and you already want to increase my tab by $7? Upselling....not a good start. Then I wondered if they charged for chips & salsa becuz hubby had to ask for them.
As we were waiting for our lunch entrees, the server asked two additional times if we wanted some guacamole with our chips. So annoying! Then hubby was looking at the wine menu on our table and the server said, "Oh, I have some excellent chilled sauvignon blanc. Would u like a glass?". I told my family, not to look at anything in the restaurant in fear that the servers would ask if we wanted to order it, lol.
Our lunch order consisted of:
(1) Chips & Salsa - Complimentary
Warm, fresh chips and red salsa were yummy. However, they need to serve their salsa in a bigger container. 4 Stars
(2) Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy) - $15.00
Medium sized shrimps sauteed in a red sauce served with white rice and salad. My shrimp sauce lacked the "spicy" component but the dish was still tasty. The rice and salad were fresh 3.5 Stars
(3) Mole Verde - $14.00
Chicken breast with a tomatillo sauce and served with rice and salad. Sonny boy didn't like the sauce and said his meal was just "ok".
(4) Taco Plate - $7.95
Hubby selected carne asada tacos and liked his meal....especially the beans.
There were some hits and misses with Amorelia's. I enjoyed my lunch entree that was light and delish. However, I didn't like that the servers tried to upsell us. In addition, when I looked at our receipt after we left the restaurant I noticed that they either overcharged us or they don't have the current prices on their menus. My Camarones a la Diabla was listed as $14 and sonny boy's Mole Verde was $12.95 on the menu.
My lunch experience earns 3 Stars -
Review from Roy E.
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
We found out about Amorelia from LIvingSocial and were pleasantly surprised! Upon reading the reviews, the chile relleno plate seemed to be the fan favorite. I love chile rellenos but there are just some things I like more such as the enchiladas placeras I had! We also ordered a carne asada torta to split. I was told from an employee that the food is based on what you could expect to eat in southern Mexico. He said, "It's a colonial type restaurant influenced by southern Mexico." Cool... sounds like I'm in for a treat I thought.
Service: 5 stars
Our waiter, Paco, was super nice and explained everything in detail when a question was asked. He was very friendly and even gave us a quick rundown of how he stumbled onto his job as a waiter here. His sense of humor was funny and he was extremely attentive. Even some regulars said, "Bye Paco!" as they walked out the restaurant. They also shouted out that we try the chile rellenos. I didn't the second gentleman's name who approached us as we ate but he was nice and gave us a brief history on the restaurant and what part of Mexico the food is based on.
Food: 4.5 stars
I'm part Mexican but am in no way shape or form a Mexican food expert. I have hit plenty of hole in the wall joints in the hood, your Americanized Mexican joints in the beach cities, the homemade grandmother cooking, and countless other styles. But here's the thing, I trust my taste buds. Often times authenticity takes a back seat to what my mouth tells me. I would imagine Amorelia's is pretty spot on as far as authenticity goes. My taste buds were definitely dancing and the food was delicious.
As with most Mexican restaurants, chips and salsa are the first thing on your table. Their salsa is pretty good and has a nice kick to it unlike most restaurants who keep it relatively mild. We were even brought out a sample of their cafe de olla (I believe it's called) which was entirely too sweet for me but thought it was interesting.
We started off with a carne asada torta as an appetizer which we split. the torta is served with these awesome and lightly fried potatoes with melted cheese on top. The torta definitely looked the part and when I was done with the potatoes... I took a bite. The bread is nice, fresh and soft... even at 8pm! Everything inside of it was fresh and their carne asada was mouth watering! I wanted more!
Soon after we demolished the torta, our dishes came out. I ordered the Enchiladas Placeras which were a shredded chicken enchilada. These were topped with a spicy homemade red sauce that definitely got your attention. The chicken was moist and delicious! I would definitely recommend this dish to anyone. It's served with a side of re-fried pinto beans and Spanish rice. I must admit that I have had better rice but I still have no complaints with Amorelia's.
Overall: 5 stars
Amorelia's hit my set in stone expectations in every way. Their service was superb and their food hit the spot. The decor/ambience was nice a low lit which makes for a nice dinner spot. There's real spanish music in the background (not KISS FM). I also saw their add for happy hour which looks like a great time! I also noticed their $1.00 taco Tuesday! If you're looking for a nice little restaurant to enjoy a nice, simple and delicious Mexican dinner... Amorelia's fits the bill. I gotta try Amorelia's for breakfast next time... I hear it's good!
Parking is abundant. Cheers.Listed in: ITCH for a SANDWICH!
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Review from Darren I.
Orange County, CA
12/9/2011
We were very satisfied with our meal this evening at Amorelia. The restaurant is located in the back corner of the shopping center. The decor inside was clean and neat and our server Carlos was great!
Like most Mexican places they start you off with chips and salsa. The chips were freshly made and the salsa was bright and spicy, full of flavor. I was excited for the meal!
We ordered a fajitas plate along with an al pastor carne asada plate. The meat was tender and the flavors were spot on. Both dishes were reasonably priced at $13.50 and $14.50 respectively. The al pastor was smokey and flavorful. Just the right hint of acid too. I have to say I am a fan!
We definitely will come back to try other menu items. -
Review from Jake G.
Huntington Beach, CA
3/9/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Meh...but awesome flan.
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Review from Mel M.
Costa Mesa, CA
CHILE RELLENO!
Yes, that is me, screaming it from the Yelp review roof tops. That's how I roll. The Chile Relleno is one of the BEST things to ever step foot into this here mouth of mine. SERIOUSLY.
Serio time? Yep. Here we go. Typically when ordering this particular food item I'm skeptical because it can be extremely greasy, taste like an overcooked omelet or be straightupbad. BUT NOT HERE! It was flavorful, savory and unlike any I've had before. With every bite I was happier and fatter. But in a good FAT way. Ya know? And the duo of red and green sauce not only looks gorgeous it tastes bitchin. YES BITCHIN!
I know what you are thinking! What kind of serious person says BITCHIN?
Me, duh! -
Review from Josh C.
Long Beach, CA
9/13/2011
Do not under any circumstances order a margarita here.
Only with high expectations can there be great disappointments, and the yelp reviews led me very astray on this one. I tried Amorelia for the first time tonight, and had a very so-so experience. First, yes it is a Tuesday, and yes I am a bargain man, so all of this talk of Taco Tuesdays and happy hour had me excited. But when we sat down, not only was there nothing about these promotions on the menu, but our server was even reluctant to tell us what they were. He seemed annoyed when I asked, and his response was vague enough that I had to ask follow-up questions.
This is not good service at all, but fine, I get it, you are proud of the other dishes on the menu and I'm sure that you have profiled me as a clueless Taco Tuesday gringo by this point. Ok. How about a margarita?
Out comes a pint glass, filled mostly with crushed ice, and a weird, unnatural green-colored liquid. Oh boy. Is this going to be like the time I ordered a margarita at the Thai restaurant? Worse. I would have rather had half a shot of tequila and a green-flavored popsicle; that is exactly what it tasted like, except involving more nasty saccharine-y syrup. This must be the cheapest margarita mix in all of Southern California... and I got looked at askance for asking about the specials?
The food turned out to be not bad, but not great. I had a chile relleno that was above average - two salsas on it, neither was too watery (see photo), flavorful chile, good job with the batter, good cheese. The potato taco was average at best, and the rice and beans were fine.
So in the classic 2 stars vs. 3 stars debate, it all came down to: will I go back? Nope, not worth it.
If you DO give Amorelia a try and you have ever had a good margarita in your life, please, do NOT order one here. You will be sad. -
Review from Nancy O.
Costa Mesa, CA
11/28/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I always forget how good Amorelia is. My boyfriend and I came to Amorelia to use our Yelp deal. I was delighted with their vegetarian option plate that comes with a chile relleno and a potato taco. Their black beans and white rice are delicious. We also tried their guacamole that I thought was very creamy and tasty, however my boyfriend thought it didn't have enough "kick" to it (just add salsa to it). The carnivore had the carne asada plate that he thought was satisfying.
Quick Tip:
If you're dining-in and waiting for a table, either get the attention of the waiter to sit you or sit on the seats to the right of the entrance -but DO NOT sit on the seats to the left near the butterfly tree because you will never get noticed nor seated. We saw this happen to about 4 different couples. Amorelia's can get busy and if you're sitting on the wrong seats you won't get noticed and someone else might get seated before you. -
Review from Peter P.
Newport Beach, CA
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went the other day for lunch with my wife.
I typically ask the server of a new restaurant "What is the best thing on the menu?"
The reply is usually: "Oh everything is good !!"
Then I have to ask "What do most people order?"
I couldn't get a straight answer out of this guy. It was almost like Laurel and Hardy. So after a few moments of figuring out what we were going to have, the food came out and it was great.
Pozole=Nice.
Chile Relleno=Double Nice!
I'll definitely go back. -
Review from Angela C.
Costa Mesa, CA
11/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I REALLY like this new place. The location tends to swap owners a bit so I REALLY hope this one stays.
$1 taco Tuesdays are the way to go to try it for the first time.
Or the weekend, they have live music.
I like this place because its tasty, fulfilling Mexican food without being greasy or heavy.
The must have - Posole (Pazole) - Not sure on spelling. But who cares, eat it, dont spell it. :)
Its moist chicken in a green or red broth with hominy and radish, cabbage, onion, and dont forget the lime! The portion is huge for $9 and they dont skimp when you get it to-go either!
The carne asada is a regular treat for me there too.
They also have that awesome pellet ice that is soft like a snow cone. Makes any drink taste better.
They always have mailer coupons and Groupons/Living Social deals too. Its seriously one of my new favorites! -
Review from Luanna Y.
Updated - 8/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Came back here due to a Living Social deal where we got $30 worth of food for $15. Didn't take any convincing for me to JUMP on that deal!
Got the shrimp fajitas this time. Paired it with corn tortillas (to try to be a little healthier). The tortillas they use here are really high quality and tasty. I don't even really like corn tortillas much, normally, but I really enjoyed them here. The fajitas came with plenty of veggies as well as delicious beans and rice. Generous portions. One small critique would be that the tails were left on the shrimp - made it more awkward to eat as I had to de-tail each shrimp before I could stuff them into my tortilla. But flavor was all there - no complaints whatsoever.
The steak quesadilla appetizer was also YUMM-i-LICIOUS. Lots of savory, well-seasoned steak stuffed in a perfectly toasted tortilla. Plenty of cheese, salsa, and guacamole to add some extra flavor and kick.
One of my fave places to indulge in Mexican food in OC. Reservations are a MUST on friday and saturday nights if you don't want to wait.
Everything I've had here so far has been really good. It would be amazing if they could add some tamales to the menu though... I had such a huge craving for one after watching a tamale show on Food Network, doh!!Listed in: Caffeine, Caffeine, Caffeine!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/22/2011
Thank YOU Yelp for another amazing find! Came here at the perfect time on a friday night. Still… Read more »
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Review from traci l.
7/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
From the looks of the shopping center this place is located in, you would be pleasantly surprised at how nice it is inside.
It is a little confusing to get seated but you have to walk towards the back to get to the staff so they can seat you and if it isn't too busy, they will tell you to sit anywhere.
The food here is decent and they just class it up by putting everything on nice, big, white plates.
The first time I tried this place, I asked for the carne asada taco plate but ended up with the carne asada plate (which is a few more dollars). Since I was hungry, I didn't bother sending my plate back. The meat was good but a little over cooked. I did enjoy my meal but wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be.
On Saturday evenings, they have live music which is pretty cool.
My second venture, I got the pollo asado tacos and actually got what I ordered. Again, the meat was a little overcooked and dry. Maybe I just have too high expectations for this place because of all the good reviews it has received. -
Review from Christina C.
Orange County, CA
Updated - 8/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I came here today to celebrate my dad's bday. Great choice! We started with the Chilaquiles with chorizo. Three cheeses mixed with chorizo served with fresh flour tortillas. Very cheesy and the chorizo is awesome, had a lot of flavor. This is a great starter, but was a little greasy for me....but that might be because I don't eat chorizo too often. I suggested the chili relleno to my dad...he cleaned his plate! Yes, it really is that good. I ordered the Chicken fajitas...very good! The chicken and the veggies were well grilled and came with rice and beans (the orange rice and re-fried beans) with a scoop of guacamole.
I secretly told them it was my dad's bday. So two male servers came out with some bomb cheesecake and sang Happy Birthday Panchito! The best part is seeing my dad smile ear to ear and turning red....he even blew out the candle.
They later came out with CAFE DE OLLA. If you like coffee you will love CAFE DE OLLA!! Hands down, feet down, face down...mmm just go try it already!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2011
I am not sure how I discovered this place, but I am glad I did!! Yes, this place is GOOD!! I came… Read more »
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Review from janie j.
Cerritos, CA
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here twice and really enjoy the food.
I ordered the taco plate which comes with 2 tacos, rice & beans. The rice was really delicious and flavorful which is a true testament to the quality of food this restaurant makes. There are hints of garlic and butter and a little chicken broth ...mmmMmM so tasty.
Fish Tacos - AMAZING, the breading is crunchy and not oily and the fish is light and flaky. I can devour so many of these.
Service can be a little on the sluggish side but the servers are very friendly and it is a mom-n-pop kind of joint. The quality of food definitely makes up for it. Will come again for tacos. -
Review from Nora K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2011
Their horchata smoothie... YUMMIE. who would have thought to make that delicious drink into an even more delicious drink! :)
Their breakfast was pretty good too. Nothing spectacular, but made my stomach feel happy!
Their customer service is great! People there are soo nice! Maybe on my next return they will get a 5 star depending on what I get! :) Definitely will get the horchata smoothie again :) YUMM -
Review from Jorge I.
Irvine, CA
2/21/2012
LOVE this place!!! The chile relleno is the best here.........I try to come here as often as possible!
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Review from Norma L.
8/14/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
We came here with a coupon that I purchased here on yelp. $50 bucks worth of food for $25. The food was really cheap, so we were kind of scrambling to find extra items to order.
We had the queso fundido as an appetizer and thought it was okay. It did not really stand out in comparison to other places we have tried locally. I forgot what else I ordered from here, which goes to show that it probably wasn't that memorable. I do remember ordering dessert, the tres leches cake, which was okay.
Overall I enjoyed this place. I might return if someone else suggests it and we happen to be in the area. -
Review from Peter B.
Newport Beach, CA
Updated - 7/16/2011
My wife and I decided to go to Amorelia for breakfast! We have eaten there for supper on many occasions and have always had an excellent meal. It reminds me so much of some great restaurants that we have eaten at in Mexico.
My dish was the pappas con chorizo. This dish is so tasty especially with their salsa! Everyone should try the cafe de olla, which is coffee made in a pot with some cinnamon and dulce.
My wife raved about the Chilaquiles with chorizo. I spoke to the owners and they indicated that they had to search for the right supplier to get the perfect chorizo. They indicated that most chorizo sold is low quality.
The one thing I would have to say about Amorelia's is that the food is fabulous. The ingredients are top notch. The prices are very reasonable for the quality. Definitely a must visit for any Mexican food fan!Listed in: My Favorite Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/19/2010
The only way to describe the food is delicious! This is not your typical small Mexican restaurant.… Read more »
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Review from Mike T.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food:
The food is pretty good and I'd recommend it. This is my second time here at this place actually. I noticed my favorite dish "Camarones a la Diabla" (which is pretty much Shrimp w/ super-hot sauce, rice, & some veggies, a MUST if you love seafood, and rice-curry type dishes) wasn't on the menu, and I mustered the courage to ask the server about it. I asked the server if they make this food and they said they can whip one up for me (totally awesome)! The dish came out excellent. They gave plenty of shrimp, probably about 10 pieces, the hot sauce was excellent as well- it was very spicy and wasn't sweat. They recommended getting garlic bread w/ my Camarones (instead of tortillas), and it came out excellent. The dish also has plenty of veggies and lots of bell peppers & onions in it. A very delicious meal and the portions were very generous. I was full when I left.
My girl ordered carne asada fajita plate. The Fajita plate isn't like a "traditional" fajita plate that's sizzling or whatever at Chili's or TJI Fridays. It's just seared steak, Mexican rice, some guacamole, tortillas, beans, and bell peppers/onions. All items came out excellent and high quality. My girl asked for hot sauce and they gave her 3 types of hot sauces to choose from. I'd recommend mixing a little bit of each sauce together and it adds a nice flavor to your meal. Portions were also generous here too.
We also ordered 2 margaritas and they come out pretty good. Lots of alcohol in it, but the taste of tequila was masked very well w/ the sweetner. The bartender did a good job.
They also give you chips & salsa. My first experience the salsa was good, second time the salsa was whatever.
(I've also been here on Taco Tuesdays and you can order up to 4 tacos for $1 each. The tacos are pretty solid)
Service
As noted above, service was excellent. They went out of their way to prepare a dish for me that wasn't on the menu. Additionally, they always checked on our food and refilled our waters. They also gave my girl plenty of hot sauce and different types to choose from. I was very pleased.
Location
The ambiance is pretty nice. It's dimly lit and has a nice atmosphere around the area. It's perfect for any occasion really, be it casual or something sit-down nice.
Overall:
This place is pretty solid and I'm definitely coming back. The food was excellent, had good prices, and great portions. Everytime I've been here I've been full to my stomach. -
Review from Matthew C.
Irvine, CA
6/12/2011
Very well prepared Mexican food with great service and nice decor in the safe confines of Costa Mesa. If you want to see what real Mexican food tastes like and are afraid to go to big, bad Santa Ana, here is a good place to get your feet wet.
Chilaquiles are insanely good. Loved the chicken mole as well.
Posole has chicken - very good and certainly healthy but I'm a pok guy. -
Review from Kay D.
6/5/2011
Oh yes. I came here with my family on a Saturday evening, and it was easy to grab a table (we had a reservation, but we arrived early and they had no problem seating us immediately). Live music starts around 7 pm, and then the restaurant starts filling up. Our server was great and super friendly. Excelente!
We started with the free chips and salsa, and this was delightful. I ordered a horchata, which turned out to actually be a horchata smoothie. It was still delicious, but not what I wanted. My friend also got the horchata smoothie, and mentioned how delicious it was at least 15 times throughout the dinner, and a few more times on the way home. Ok, got it. I took a sip of their wine margarita (they don't have a liquor license, so no tequila), and found it to be much too tart/limey. I think I will pass on those.
The guacamole was tasty, very fresh and delicious. To eat I ordered the enchiladas verdes...OH MY GOD. SOooooooo good. Quite possibly one of the best enchiladas I've ever had. They were filled with chicken perfection, and topped with an amazing green mole sauce and some sort of white cheese drizzle. I let two other people try them, and they were in agreement. I sampled some of the chicken from the fajitas, and while this was very yummy, it was nothing compared to my enchiladas.
My dad had the chile relleno, and said it was great. My husband had the carne asada torta, and said it was just alright...the meat was bland. My friend had the carne asada/enchilada combo plate, and she seemed to enjoy it (but she agreed that my enchiladas were best).
Oh man, so good. I love me those enchiladas!!Listed in: OC Register's Top 25…
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Review from Dawn G.
Los Angeles, CA
Created and named after a town in Mexico, Morelia, Amorelia is a family owned business that takes everything into consideration. Much like any family restaurant, Amorelia's menu reflects childhood recipes, traditional influence, and a new spin on recognized classics. I had the pleasure of dining there this evening and sitting down with Daniel, the owner. Daniel and his family pride themselves on food that isn't what everyone expects. Growing up, they cooked a lot of vegetarian dishes and while their menu has plenty of food for meat lovers, it is a fair balance of both. To start, I ordered their infamous Cafe de Olla. Scrumptious! This is coffee infused with fresh cinnamon and it is utterly exquisite! Who knew something so simple could transform you to feel like you're in the center of an exquisitely ornate Mexican city.
While they are continually expanding the menu, making adjustments, including adding more vegetarian dishes, the food I tasted was really delicious (and comforting!). Since I had a pint-sized guest with me, we ordered a few different items:
Kids Menu: Bean & Cheese Burrito
Enchiladas Placeras: Cheese and Vegetables with traditional Placeras sauce (red)
Flan: for Dessert
Both dishes served were served with rice and beans. It's important to add that the beans are NOT cooked with lard and the rice is mixed with peas and corn and bits of cilantro. Their theory is to cook food naturally without adding fatty content like lard. After dinner, I got one last pass of that zesty Cafe de Olla and I ordered the House Flan. Dessert was really fantastic. The flan was not mediocrity. It is certainly made with love.
The decor of Amorelia is simple, yet very warming. The walls are made of stone, near the kitchen is a wall with a window pane housing a worn wooden frame set in the stone, and the lighting is in the form of iron lampposts with two-to-three butterflies strategically placed on them - some of which open and close. (In order to understand the butterflies, it is worth mentioning that Morelia, Mexico, is known for the Monarch butterflies that migrate there each year in the hundreds of thousands. It is said to be quite miraculous.)
As the night drew near, the live sounds of Spanish guitar performed by Pasion Gitana hummed in the background. I glanced at my check which was modest to say the least. Great food at an incredible price (almost unheard of!). The restaurant staff is very friendly and there is live music on selected evenings. Amorelia is still working on their menu but it is a kid-friendly, delicious, healthy, and really tasty stop in Costa Mesa. It is wonderful to find Mexican fare that isn't like everyone else. The only tip is keep in mind it's in the shopping center and NOT the side road Yelp! will take direct you to. Well done, Amorelia.
Amorelia Mexican Cafe
2200 Harbor Blvd
Ste C110
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 646-1422Listed in: Taste Buds
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Review from Jolene L.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/17/2012
So I have been skeptical of this place since its in the Kmart plaza near my house, however I have read great reviews so my hubby and I have decided to try it. We did have to wait about 15 minutes for a table, which is fine, the place is small and I'm patient, so wasnt a problem. We started with the chips and salsa which were fresh and yummy! The salsa was perfect ! We also ordered some guac which was super yummy too! I decided on the Chicken Mole' which was tender and rich, but it had a perfect balance! The homemade tortillas were super yummy too! I will for sure be back! Dinner for the bothof us with appitizer, entrees, deserts and drinks was $50!
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Review from Sally D.
Costa Mesa, CA
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Seriously, you need to check this place out. First of all, it's a lovely uptown space in an ordinary strip shopping mall on Harbor Blvd. The deco and lighting are classy - unexpected for the location. Someone did a really good job! Second of all, the service is impeccable. The servers treated us as if we were guests, not customers. So charming! Third, those were the BEST chicken enchiladas verdes I have had EVER! The chicken was moist and flavorful. The sauce was different - probably made fresh. I was disappointed at first when I saw that the rice was white, not Spanish, but it actually complemented the meal better. Go!
And, thank you Yelpers for the encouragement. I'm glad I went! To anyone who is thinking about going, read more reviews for more food recommendations.
Love, Sal -
Review from Sharon D.
Costa Mesa, CA
9/8/2011
This establishment really wasn't what I expected after all the glowing reviews.
The food was bland.
The service was great and the ambience was nice.
Though this didn't make the food have any better flavor. We will have to try one more time. -
Review from Chris B.
Newport Beach, CA
1/23/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Love this place.. love the papas tacos and the chile rellenos! The sauces are excellent, service is great and the spicy hot sauce.. MUY Delicioso! I'd give it a 5 STAR but think it's a little bit over priced for Mexican. I'd go back and have many times!
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Review from Neeta J.
Costa Mesa, CA
8/7/2011
Came here for the first time using a livingsocial deal, and have been back twice since then! Great food, great service, taco tuesday is an awesome deal!
Definitely try this place if you haven't been! -
Review from Amanda P.
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a very pretty little restaurant tucked away in the back of a strip mall that we'd never actually noticed. There are not very many vegetarian options listed on the menu here, only the chile relleno and potato tacos. However, our waiter was happy to make recommendations for more options when I told him I was vegetarian. He suggested the flautas with potatoes instead of chicken, with some rice and beans (the rice and beans here are vegetarian--no lard, chicken broth, etc.). My husband ordered tacos and it was no problem to switch out the default toppings for tomatoes and cheese. The man loves tomatoes. There's at least one restaurant where they know him and automatically ask if he wants extra tomatoes. Really. But I digress.
All of the food here was really good, from the chips and salsa to the entrees to the iced tea. The potato flautas were excellent. The salsa was just spicy enough for my wimpy tastes. It's a good thing the iced tea is good, because I drank a lot of it with the salsa.
I would really like it if there were more vegetarian dishes, or options for making the current dishes vegetarian, listed clearly on the menu. The fact that there are currently only two makes it seem as though there aren't many choices, but that certainly isn't the case since the folks here are so accommodating. Hopefully they will continue expanding the menu, but in the meantime, don't be afraid to ask for suggestions if you don't see what you'd like. -
Review from Sara C.
Los Angeles, CA
6/18/2011
What a cute little place! Not a hole-in-the-wall, but more like a place that has always been around... you've just never ventured into it.
Decided to hit Amorelia during their happy hour. Because yelp claims that during this time, tacos are $2 and appetizers are $5, I was thinking about ordering their papa taco. However, they told me that only their carne asada and pollo tacos were $2 and none of the appetizers are $5.
This saddened me a bit...
Nevertheless, my friend and I decided to split the falutas and we each ordered a carne asada and pollo taco.
Not going to lie, the food took a little while to come out.... but when it did... you could just look at it and tell it was made out of the freshest ingredients!
Flautas
Freaking delish. My friend described them as "Mexican eggrolls," but boy, they wree something else. So crispy, not too oily, and so fresh and goooood.
Carne Asada Taco
Yum! Great seasoning and the lemon definitely compliments the meat. Speaking of the meat, it was just so tender and so, so good!
Pollo Taco
My favorite of the two tacos. The seasoning for the pollo was EVEN tastier and once again, this taco was chock full of savory chicken.
If it weren't so far, I'd definitely go here again. The food wasn't "OMG" quality, but it was definitely good. And again. And my goodness were those waiters charming or what! Unfortunately, we JUST missed the live music, but it seemed pretty cool! A great ambience as well!
Forgot to mention... they gave us 25% off of our flautas anyway! :DListed in: Dear Yelp,, Girls' Night Out
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Review from H T.
Tustin, CA
I came here with a discount voucher and was able to get my meal half off! It was such a great deal and a great find. They have the best potato tacos and happy hour. You can't beat $2 tacos and $4 sangria for happy hour! The guys were great and provided excellent service. They also have great coffee here too. It is hidden in the K-Mart shopping center, on the right with other little stores in the plaza. I will be coming back for happy hour again when I am in the area.
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Review from Cass H.
Not only was the food fantastic, but the service was superb.
Where to start...well, we came here because we had a living social coupon deal. Would have NEVER thought there would be this little gem hidden in the Kmart shopping center on Harbor and Wilson.
The food was soooo good. We are used to the greasy "Cheese Restaurant" as my husband calls Mi Casa. I didn't notice a ton of excess grease (or cheese, for that matter) in any of the dishes we had. It was amazing to not have to run to the restroom after a Mexican meal! We started with the flautas, which were super yummy. They drizzle sour cream on top and there's a bit of guac on a bed of lettuce as well. For entrees, husband ordered the chile rellano, recommended by our fantastic server, Paco. Husband loooved it. The potato "papa" taco that comes with it is really yummy too. I liked that the dish came with black beans instead of refried pinto beans. I ordered the chicken quesadilla off the appetizer menu. The chicken is marinated and tender and there is just enough cheese to be noticeable, but not overpower everything. It also came with the drizzle of sour cream and guac.
Now if the food wasn't enough to convince you, let me tell you about Paco. Paco was one of the best servers we've ever had. Our drinks were always refilled, he checked on us enough to know if we needed anything, but not too much that we were annoyed. He kept calling my husband "my friend" as in, "I hope you like my recommendation, my friend." It was the coolest thing ever. Every time he left the table I mentioned how much I loved this guy!
Go here. I don't think you'll be disappointed. -
Review from Keith F.
Huntington Beach, CA
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Muy bueno! I dare you to finish the huevos rancheros and cafe de olla without saying "mmmmm." Fantastic food and nice ambience.
edit: we went here several times since that first visit and the quality was inconsistent, just depends who is in the kitchen that day I guess. Still good, but taking back a star, it hasn't ever been as good as when we first tried it. -
Review from albert l.
Irvine, CA
6/2/2011
This place really made an impression on me. To get really good authentic Mexican food you usually have to go where they only speak Spanish and can be a little intimidating. The other option you have is going to a "white people friendly restaurant" where its basically a El Torito claiming to be awesome Mexican food. Amorelia is clean, authentic and provides awesome customer service at a great price
The food was authentic and tasted delicious. Everyone spoke English and the service was impeccable.
Items
Chile relleno plate--it was amazing. Chile Relleno was perfectly fluffy with the egg batter and the sauces were not canned at all. Potato tacos was one of the best around. Even the most basic part of the plate which is the rice was absolutely phenomenal. The rice was fluffy and flavorful. It did not taste generic like most places seem have their overlooked rice.
Fluatas were also really good. Chicken was soft and tender while the shell was perfectly fried.
Atmoshphere 9
Service 10
Food 10
Food for the price 9
38 out of 40 points for a 95%
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