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Ay Caramba
Rating Details »
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown714 Traction Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 620-0274
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- None
9 reviews for Ay Caramba
This place looks a bit sketchy from the outside and I've walked by it many times, but today for some reason I decided to step in. I want to give it three stars but the guy who runs the place is SO nice, he alone merits a star.
The five dollar burritos advertised outside were the most tempting option to my rather empty wallet, so I was pleased to find that they're enormous - I have plenty left over for a snack later - and delicious! The only thing keeping it from a higher ranking is that it doesn't come with all the trappings us white-folk are used to thanks to Chipotle, Qdoba and so on: lettuce, tomato salsa, cheese, etc.
I'd like to go back and try some of the other things on their menu!
Also good was the cucumber lemonade, which is just as refreshing as it sounds!
My initial reaction: I can't believe Mexican food could taste this bad! Where to begin? I'll start with their tortilla chips: stale chips that were reheated but weren't even fresh to begin with! I ordered the enchiladas for the entree and the chicken was quite putrid and foul that I took about a few bites before I couldn't proceed any further. On top of that, the food wasn't even warm (yes, warm not hot). If I didn't know any better, it seems to me that they cook their food in advance and reheat on request. If you're going to do that, at least reheat it thoroughly!
I eat Mexican food literally every day, and I've visited some seemingly run down shops (both in the U.S. and in Mexico), and by far this is the worst place I've been to. And this includes eating frozen Mexican food. The only good thing is the portion size; that is, if you like eating their food.
Rating: 2.5 stars
I'll give Ay Caramba credit for having vegetarian and even vegan options. Most Mexican joints put pork fat in just about everything: beans, tortillas, tap water, etc. Not that I'm complaining, but it can be a hassle for people who don't roll like I do.
But the problem I have with this place is that even the non-veg options taste 'healthy'. I'm not the biggest fan of this. I mean, don't get me wrong: I have nothing against healthier versions of Mexican food. God knows we need that because of the aforementioned affinity of pork fat that we have. But healthy food shouldn't taste "healthy" - it should ideally taste just like the original. The enchiladas suizas plate was decent, but nothing memorable. It was lacking in flavor, and the sauce was just a little tart, but that's about it. The rice and beans were the same: edible but nothing special. Bottom line: I wouldn't order it again.
I did try a bite or two of my friend's potato tacos and those were actually quite good. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned. Best non-fried potato taco's I've had in a while. We also tried the mexican hot chocolate and that too was disappointing. This isn't the thick and creamy homemade style that I grew up on. Instead it's a thin cocoa with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, and served in a surprisingly small mug. Ah well, at least they were generous with the whipped cream.
Service is okay. It looks like a family run business, which I always appreciate. At least it better be family run, or else the kid who served us might want to check the state labor laws. Yeah.
this place is a diamond in the ruff.
AND the old Bloom's General Store is now gone so Ay Caramba has taken over the store so they have a bunch of extra's in addition to being a great little find.
This place boasts real authentic southern Mexican style food and the owner will cook any delite your tongue palates as he always likes a challenge.
Burrito's at $5 (and they're HUGE) to an always changing menu of sandwiches it's still one of Los Angeles best kept secrets (until now)
As promised, I went back for a $5 burrito. I had the vegetarian burrito. Decent. Incredibly plentiful, but not particularly flavorful. Feeds the hunger, but not the palate! Generous chunks of avocado were a nice touch though.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2009
I concur with Sofia Y.'s exclamatory remarks below. A Mexican place downtown with vegan food! As the… Read more »
This is a good little find, across the street from Wurstkuche. I pretty much agree with Steve L's review. The food was solid but nothing special. I liked the quaint little dining room. GIve it a shot. Downtown is full of surprises!
had a late lunch here. sat outside and had the asado burrito with green sauce. it was good sized but a bit flavorless and had to be doused in quite a bit of hot sauce for any real taste. for the price $5, it wasn't bad but i probably wont go out of my way to return.
the service was very friendly though. our waiter was a young kid who was always attentive and quick to follow through.
had lunch at a shoot here....was suprisingly Great!
the seating room is nice but where you order could be nicer...
I had Chichen CHimicungas not fried with Mole sause..excelent...
next time im down town for lunch I'll skip the smaller places on Brodway and come here insted...
a mexican restaurant in downtown la that serves vegan food??? ohh was i happy! vegan fideo?! i couldnt believe it, since traditional fideo is made with chicken broth. they proudly exclaim that no lard is used in their beans. they also have vegan burritos and other vegan options. loads of vegetarian options and yes, they do have meat. they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
i had the vegan bean and rice burrito and it was tasty, nothing outstanding though probably because i ordered it right when the place was closing. the owner was nice enough to let me sit and eat in the dining area while he was cleaning up. i definately want to come back to try the other vegan dishes.
the interior dining area is nice, traditional mexican decor, beautiful wood chairs and tables. nice outdoor seating area. right next to sci arc and art share.
