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"Wow. If you want AUTHENTIC style mexican food with a dramatic flair....definitely come to this place. Housed on Olvera Street in the first…" read more »
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Wow. Very friendly. Thx for the refill on the coke. That was unexpected.
I try not review bad places. This is good place.
I don't like Olvera Street but was with some tourists and found a gem of a place.
This has been my favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican food place since I had one of their taquitos for the first time. I've been coming here for many years. (For fancier dishes like mole, I take out-of-town guests across to La Golondrina, but this is my go-to for day to day dishes.) You can order most of the food "a la carte" or go for the combination plates.
Favorites (I've liked everything I've ordered here -- these are just the ones I like best and order most):
- taquitos: crispy and light with a mild and runny guacamole sauce that helps to bring the temperature down so you can start eating! (currently, an order of 2 is $2.15)
- enchiladas: the cheese is my favorite. The combination of red sauce and mild soft cheese and corn tortilla is wonderful.
- birria: only $6.15, served every day, and just amazing! You can have it either the usual way, as a soup, or as a plate with rice and beans (and just the chunks of meat), both with lime wedges, chopped onions and cilantro and your choice of tortillas.
Service is fast, no-nonsense but pleasant, and I love watching the cook work. They also have soft drinks as well as horchata and either jamaica or tamarind drink. They've also started serving fried corn tortillas with a little bowl of the guacamole sauce as soon as you sit down to order. There are some pan dulce choices for dessert, or you can buy some Mexican candy from the stall across the way.
I was expecting a bit more outta this place.
I went early to Union Station just so I could get my lasts' on some mexican food here in LA. (headed on a 6day 5 night backpacking trip in the High Sierra's...so yeah, I definitely wanted a cooked mexican meal!) Olvera street....historic mexican area or something right? Maybe that's why I was disappointed. Anyways, to the food.
Two tacos meal (soft, of course). I went a different route for some reason, and started with a pollo taco, coupled with asada.
Now, if you like your taco with a salad on top, then by god, you just might like this place. But my preference of taco is rooted in peasant style minimalism...which means...onions, cilantro and some salsa.
Don't get me wrong though, sometimes I like having fancy salads on top. In their defense, it filled me up, and had a fresh taste that was satisfactory, but I wasn't....content.
Anyways, check my pics to see..but if you're lazy, I'll just tell you. They top it with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onions, cilantro, and sprinkled with white cheese to finish.
The pollo was good. Lightly seasoned. The asada was also good. But both meats were not great.
A-OK sounds about right. But with so many other options in the area...I might think twice about going here.
love love love this place
Much shorter line and better food than Cielito Lindo.
La Noche Buena is the only other place I would eat at besides Philippe's in the area. Where else can… Read more »
A few weeks ago, my wife and I decided to take the Gold Line down to Union Station and explore Olvera Street. It's something we'd been meaning to do for quite some time, but had not yet had a chance...so one day we decided just to go for it.
One of my goals there was to find a hole-in-the-wall taco stand. I know they have several sit-down restaurants on Olvera Street as well but, really, who wants to do that?
This place fit the bill, and we were greeted by our server almost as soon as we sat down. He was fast with our drink refills- getting them to us almost instantly whenever our cups ran dry. I ordered the carne asada burrito and one of the asada tacos and my wife ordered two asada tacos. Our food was delivered quickly and we were both satisfied.
I'm not sure how it compares to the other taco stands on Olvera Street...it's my mission to sample all of them and determine which one is best.
Good food, but not the best (you've got stiff competition in a city like LA). Staffers are great, good at moving guest around and along, tending to your request.
The flautas were good, something difficult to find at every hole-in-the-wall joint, so highly recommended. Otherwise, the tacos were good and different, but not the best (nor cheapest) that I've had.
Loved the free refills and fast service. Might give this place another try if I'm ever back in that hood, otherwise, won't be making any special trips.
Wow! I'm lovin it!
The ambiance: A little hole in the wall on Olvera street. Literally, a hole in the wall! I love those! :) Not a lot of space, but clean and brightly colored...aged with character! Love the intimate feel. I wanted to sit at the outside counter, but it was full. Darn!
The food: YUMMY!!!!! Wow, everything we ordered tasted so fresh! It's definitely made to order. I ordered asada tacos, my friend ordered a chicken quesadilla + the finance ordered asada sopes. The sopes weren't hard at all, and crispy on the sides. Topped off with clinatro, sour cream...YUM! The tacos were really great as well - topped with cucumbers and tomatoes. I loved the tortilla it was in, reminded me of the ones I had in Mexico! The quesadilla tasted really fresh, esp the chicken. Definitely want to try the burrito + enchilladas next!
The price: For $5.50 you get 2 tacos, rice and beans (btw...loved the beans...and I usually don't like it!) or other combos. They have almost everything you want, there were also a bunch of items that I didn't know what they were...so I'm tempted to go back and try them! GO! :)
The service: Great! Very prompt + attentive. :)
Really. Good. Authentic. Mexican. Food.
Tacos, burritos,horchata they have it all. And it's all delicious.
Well seasoned dishes in the heart of Olvera St's lively culture.
Come here, have a bite, and walk it off.
Camarones rancheros. Don't know if it was a special cause it's not on their permanent menu. Their Ranchero sauce is Good!
Place is cramped as all hell but service was fast and food was great.
Located in a tourist trap, don't be suckered in, even if you're starving and waiting 2 hours for your train like I was.
1) The carne was premade (I sat outside of the kitchen and watched as he made my burrito) and wasn't very flavorful.
+
2) My burrito fell apart.
=
I left feeling cheated. This is LA, part of So Cal, don't these people have any pride in their burritos? Oh well, I'm glad this place was right across from the train station so I could catch my train back to San Diego, the land of California Burritos.
I thought I had it all....
For years my wife and I have gone to Cielito Lindo on Olvera Street. It was our "place." Their green sauce was runny, spicy and so guacy all at the same time. We had no need to go elsewhere.
Today however, we were entertaining and wanted a "sit down" place. A quick check of Yelp Mobile and we were off to La Noche Buena.
It was a bit hard to find. We found it though and realized that this is not one of the large sit down restaurants, but a small stand (with some seating). Too hungry to go elsewhere, we ate here.
This is an awesome little stand which truly makes me feel like I am in Baja California. There are about 5 small tables and a bar area in front of the cooking area. We got an assortment of tacos and taquitos.
They did offer table service after all and service was attentive. I had a Jamaica, and they offered several refills without my asking.
The tacos were sheer genius. They were small, but were full of deep fried shredded beef goodness. The taquitos were equally as good and covered with a cool guacamole sauce. They were accompanied by rice and beans that were great as well.
Now I have a new place to work into my Olvera Street dining options.
Good stuff my foodie friends. The kind of place you wished you lived within walking distance because its that good but then wish you didn't becuse it really is that good and you would be huge. Hello.
Good service, good food, at a good price what else do you want? A little cramped if you want to sit down but I find that to be part of the charm. Hard shell, sherred beef, tacos................................ A must. Try a combo plate.
Cinco de Mayo celebration and La Noche Buena together made today one of the best sundays ever!!!
My friend and I went to Olvera street to check out all of the cinco de mayo celebrations and it was so fun! There were live bands and singers and tons of vendors selling everything from cinco de mayo tshirts to not very politically correct boardgames such as 'La Migra" which is a chutes and ladders type of game of people trying to get across the border! Luckily everyone thought it was funny because there was nothing but joy here today!!
The food here just continued to make our day amazing!!!! Get their combo plates which come with rice and beans that have to be some of the most authentic I have ever had, and I have had quite a bit of mexican food in my day ha ha. Their chicken and cheese enchilada made my tastebuds do a little mexican hat dance on their own!! My taco was also delicioso even if the hard taco shell was a little too crispy that it broke in half while I was eating it, but I didn't care because it was THAT GOOD! For about $6 how could you not love a place that gives you fresh, quality, authentic mexican food??
But you WILL, I repeat, you WILL feel very full afterwards! Don't let the smaller plates fool you! This plate is packed with goodness in every bite!!
oh ya, and if you want water while you are roaming around the bottled water they sell here for $1.75 is one of those GIANT ONES!! such a deal!! ha
There are several stands in that great tourist trap of Placita Olvera - but if you're looking for some awesome taquitos and excellent chile (salsa)... It's here.
Add to this that the prices are lower than just about any other place and you can't go wrong.
What to get?
Well the taquitos are hot and crispy. If you like tortas ( my favorite Mex food item other than pozole), then the asada torta is great. Their tacos are good & in particular the colorado style.
The service is good and the owner is usually around out front. The place tends to be packed on the weekends so expect to wait for a few minutes. It's tiny and cramped, but worth it.
We were looking for a kickass little taco stand at which to eat after visiting the California Endowment across the street...and we were so not disappointed in this gem of a place!
We did walk up and down Olvera Street...you know, just to check out the goods. And seeing as it was evening and the middle of the week...it was EMPTY!
Since La Noche has an "A" and was VERY reasonably priced, I and my three friends, decided to pop a squat and order some grub.
The soft tacos are FANtastic...the Carne Asada was delish and the Pollo was extremely tender. I also had one Tamal...chicken to be precise...also quite good, and authentic. The red sauce drizzled over the top had a tad of kick which was just enough to make it superb.
All in all...you just CAN'T beat two tacos, a tamale, and a large lemonade for a whopping $7.90 (including the tax people!). The service was terrific...friendly and speedy. And everything was made right there in front of us...none of that sitting on a buffet line under a red light crap. Only yummy goodness.
Park across the street from Olvera on a week night...there's a lot surrounded by an arc of tall trees...its' free in the eve!
Olvera Street is magical in many ways. It has a mystic sense, like native american drumming. So when faced with a birthday alone, it somehow called me.
I ordered the carne asada quesadilla. And let me tell you, ohhh, it was heavenly!!! No need for salsa! You won't want to put anything on this. And actually don't order their guacamole, because it's really bad.
But the quesadilla will turn you on, it's so good, it's like an aphrodisiac! ha! enjoy
This is one of the most authentic places to eat within Olvera St. not to mention also one of the cheapest places to eat. The only exception to the authentic part is that they put cheese, lettuce, and tomato on their taco. Who does that besides Texan Chicanos? Anyway, the food is SUPER good and the service is GREAT! No matter how busy it gets in there you are never ignored or neglected. They come and check on you often and they make for a great dining experience. Did I mention the food is DELICIOUS? No matter what you order here you can't go wrong. Also, they don't charge for refills on aguas frescas which is a big giant PLUS for me.
We went to La Noche Buena Restaurant around 11:40 am, and the stall was packed!! That had to be a good sign, and I ordered the "B" Special (Tamale, Taquito, and Taco with rice and beans) while my friend ordered the #6 Special (Taco and 2 Taquitos with rice and beans). There was at least a 10 minute wait to place our order, and then another 10 minutes to pay, then five minutes to get our food.
Here are the things I noticed while waiting:
1. You get free refills if you eat on the premises;
2. The hard shell tacos (and the taquitos) are pre-made, and deep-fried (a second time) to be heated, then the cook puts the cheese, tomato wedge, and lettuce in your taco. (I was watching him through the window.)
3. It is extremely busy, and yet the guys working there have a systematic method of cleaning the tables, serving refills, taking payment for takeout orders, and filling orders. (They didn't seem grumpy either!)
With our takeout, we got small containers of liquid-y guacamole and green salsa. The guacamole was okay, but I didn't try the salsa. The taquito was nice and crunchy as was the taco, but both were greasy. Yes, food will be greasy if you deep fry it, but I thought it was a tad too greasy. The tamale was pretty good. By the way, the place was so busy that I didn't mention what kind of filling I wanted (I think you have a choice of beef, chicken, and pork), and the guy taking our order didn't ask, so they defaulted to the beef filling. It was okay for me, but my friend thought it was too "gamey". The spanish rice and the refried beans were okay.
Bottom line is that I'm glad I was able to try this place after reading all the positive reviews. I'm not sure if I'd come back again, though. The food was okay, though a little greasy, but I didn't care too much for the wait. Of course, that's a sign that something's great about the place, and more power to those that choose to wait for their food, but that's not for me. I have not crossed out La Noche Buena Restaurant off my list altogether, and I may go another day, but maybe when it's not too crowded!!
This little nook inside Olvera street is amazing. Great taco's, Birria, taquitos, enchiladas, and the best Horchata I've had in LA, save for La Golondrina.
This is a lunch staple for my office, be prepared to eat either at the counter outside or in the park, which is better. Sometimes you can squeeze into the tiny stall that is no more than 10-10.
There is no chicken except in the taquitos I believe so go for the carne asada as it beats everything else there.
Just kidding they have since added chicken...
Food here is good and cheap. The taquitos are awesome!!
They do have chicken in the enchiladas.
An okay place stuck in the middle of a tourist trap. The tamales aren't half bad, but otherwise unspectacular. The jamaica is what it is, but is nice on a hot day. And the prices aren't bad considering where this place is. Great place for a quick lunch before you hop on a train across the street at Union.
We were attending, for the first time, the very lovely and moving Las Posadas Christmas procession on Olvera Street (lots of cute little rugrats in angel and shepherd costumes,and the Holy Family borne aloft by some very serious-looking dudes). But thinking about the baby Jesus always makes me cold, and it was freeeeeezing downtown, so I begged out of following the procession the whole way and agitated for food instead. Once I get that little internal furnace going all is good, you know what I'm sayin'?
We'd been told to go to La Golondrina but there was a line and I couldn't bear the thought of standing there in my religiously-appropriate fishnet stockings under jeans and satin lace-up ankle boots (yin/yang, vintage, etc. etc.), and I remember what a cholo friend told me: when it comes to taco stands, go where the old men go. They ate their mama's good food, and chances are their wives are no slouches in the taco department, either. So I heeded his words and we made a beeline for La Noche Buena . Ding ding ding! Jackpot! Absolutely the best tacos al pastor I've ever had--beautifully marinated with lots of zingy cilantro and a heavenly salsa on top. Even the chopped tomatoes tasted like...tomatoes. And the folks at the tiny counter were friendly, and a mamacita scolded me for only having one (you need to have at least two!). So I ordered another. And then what the hell, one more. The guy at the counter was beginning to enjoy himself (how many can she inhale?) when I made myself stop, because I needed to save room for a churro from the stand up the road. I would have gotten one for the Baby Jesus, too, but by then he'd moved way up the road, and I was too cold to track him down.
La Noche Buena is one of those pocket-sized restaurants in Placita Olvera that offer great food for a more than reasonable price. Forget La Golondrina and Las Anitas, because La Noche Buena is anything but mediocre. I had their Tacos de Chile Coloradito which I thought were unheard of but they were GOOD! I had them in a combo with rice and beans along with a great horchata and only for $6.55! Their tacos are not like a traditional taco because they put shredded lettuce, and tomatoes on top and sometimes, cheese but I don't mind it too much. When you sit down, try some of that red salsa they have on the tables but be careful not to put too much because it packs a powerful punch that will get to you afterwards so don't get stupid with it! The waiting staff at La Noche Buena is also very nice and attentive no matter how busy it gets so you'll never really have a bad experience there when you go. I think they are cash only though, so make sure you stop at an ATM if you don't have any cash on you.
We Are Now Open For Dinner!
Neighborhood: South Los Angeles
Family Special 1
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Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Mexican
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