De Poca Madre Modern Mexican Kitchen — Restaurant in Corona

Update: When we 1st found this restaurant about 3 years ago, I fell head over heels over everything from the service to the decor and certainly the food. The last time we were here was about a year ago. We stopped in again just a couple days ago enthusiastically awaiting what we had experienced so many other times. Since our last visit from about 1 year ago, things have drastically declined. The food was bland and lacked luster. They used to serve a lovely refreshing salad as a side and now all I saw was potatoes. One of their appetizers is the queso flameado which used to be a nice block of cheese with yummy toppings has been replaced by what looked like and tasted like a basic blend of cheese and was yellow. On the menu it is listed as queso Oaxaca y asadero, none of which I have ever had yellow. When we ordered it, I didn't bother reading the description because I knew we had loved it in the past, but after receiving it and eating it with my in-laws, I figured they had changed it. I was disappointed but figured it is my fault for not reading the description. Then, I thought to look at the description on the menu, and what we were served was not what was advertised. I asked our server if she could inquire in the kitchen to see if they were using the same cheeses that were on the menu and she told me that they were. But I was left very much wondering. They did discount 10%, which was about two dollars, off of this one item. I would've liked to have had what was on the menu or have it removed from the bill.

But it is still lovely place and they even have some updated furniture. However, with the decline in the food, I'm sad to say we will not be returning.

In addition, they need to water their plants at the main entrance. Those poor succulents are suffering...

They call it De Poca Madre, but after eating there I think it really means De Poca Ganas — no effort in the food or service

I came here for brunch at 11am and it was honestly one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had. We waited 50 minutes outside before being seated. Once inside, the place was extremely noisy—no music, no ambiance, just a small restaurant echoing with everyone’s conversations.

The service was awful. We had to flag down multiple employees just to get basic assistance. I ordered the Café de Olla—it was cold, bitter, and so strong I had to add four half-and-half packets just to drink it. When I asked for a refill, I was told there were no refills, and we weren’t even offered water until 20 minutes later, after repeatedly asking.

It took 30 minutes for the food to arrive, and when it did, it was trash. Every dish was all about presentation but had zero flavor—not the salsa, not the pico de gallo, not even the whole onions. De Poca Sabor!!! Everything was bland, lifeless, and overpriced. By noon, they were already out of French toast, which was one of the few things we wanted to try.

We ordered multiple dishes to give them a fair chance (Beef Empanadas, Guacamole y Chicharron, Eggs Your Way, Arrachera y Huevos, La Gobernadora), and every single one was disappointing. What’s worse is that this place is clearly a scam built on Instagram hype. The fancy plating is meant to trick people into thinking the food is special, but it’s all for show.

This place is overpriced, poorly managed, and absolutely not worth the time or money. It felt like fraud. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they went out of business soon because they are ripping people off.

Everyone beware: save your money and...

Mexican food isn't usually my go-to because what most Mexican restaurants offer is what I have at home. With that in mind, I tried to keep an open mind. It was lunch time. The menu is limited and is not like the menu on their website. Many menu options on the website menu were not on the restaurant menu. I noticed that the prices seemed a little higher than expected for Mexican food.

A single taco is $6.50. The tortilla was a weird consistency, it looked like it was corn but tasted and felt like a flour tortilla. It has your meat of choice and guacamole. You get a small side of salsa. There were no other toppings (cilantro, onions, radishes) or a lemon wedge for it.

The agua fresca (cucumber lime) was delicious. Beware, they do not provide refills and you will get charged full price if you ask for more.

We also tried their shrimp cocktail. That was surprisingly good and they provide a decent portion of shrimp (10 of them). Price was $21 for one cocktail.

My husband also tried the pork with potatoes and Chile verde. It was tasty however when he asked for additional tortillas to finish enjoying his meal, he was told yet again it would be an additional cost per tortilla. It's pretty ridiculous. I have never heard of a Mexican restaurant that charges extra for tortillas and furthermore per tortilla.

I got the impression that this restaurant is geared towards non-Mexicans or the price of the food includes the cost of decor? 🤔

I rates 3 stars because the food wasn't stellar and the service wasn't that great either. I recommend the agua fresca and the shrimp cocktail.

I don't know that I...