Puesto Park Place — Restaurant in Irvine

Not sure how some people are giving this place good reviews, guess a lot of them have never had good Mexican food or have no cares about value, I don’t leave a lot of reviews, but we were so put off by this restaurant I thought I have to warn… We walked in at 11:30AM and asked hostess for a booth, her response was “a booth?” Like I had invented the word or she had never heard the request. I asked again, “could we sit in a booth?” She replied “do you have a reservation?” I looked around incredulous, there was literally not a single diner in the entire restaurant, not one. I said no, and was told she can probably get us in… of course she sat us right by the kitchen in an empty restaurant. But she must have figured out the meaning of booth, because she did put us in one. We asked for chips and salsa, it came with a price tag of $4, every other Mexican rest. i have ever been to has free chips and salsa. The menu is tiny, tacos start at $10 apiece, enchiladas are $20/30 , want a burrito or carne asada? Out of luck? Wife had a caesar $18, add $8 for chicken, $26 for a Salad? I guess if it was the best salad ever OK… It was terrible, she could barely eat it, chicken was totally dry and flavorless, and dressing was weird with lemon being the overpowering flavor. Lemon on a Caesar salad? I had shortrib enchiladas for $30, nothing with that, add rice and beans $8. Rice was white rice, not mexican rice with a tiny bit of cilantro and beans were simple black beans no flavor. So almost $40 for two tiny enchiladas with rice/beans. The enchiladas were spicy but with a harsh chile flavor, not great, but edible. A little avocado and cilantro garnish with this. Did not finish anything and asked for bill, The food, 2 sodas ($5 each) and chips/salsa was $80. Thanks in part to an added 4% service charge. Pretty steep for Mexican meal with no drinks and kind of crappy food. As we paid and left, I looked around, there were prob 20 people in the entire place that probably served 200, so I’m not sure what the ‘reservation’ thing was all about. It is in the middle of a business hub, so my guess is, it is really just a pretentious place catering to business men and women who are spending corporate money as write offs and willing to overpay for bad food. There are no other Mexican restaurants close by, so I guess that helps. As I said before, I don’t leave a lot reviews and readers can accept my words or not, but prepare yourself. For my money, the best Mexican places nearby for quality, value and atmosphere are SOL and Cha-Chas. Cha-Chas would have been about half the price and much better food…I would avoid Puesto of you want...

I recently visited Puesto, a Mexican restaurant known for its beautiful decor and friendly service. The interior design is stunning, creating a vibrant and inviting atmosphere that truly sets the stage for a memorable dining experience.

🍺Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by the staff, who remained attentive and pleasant throughout my visit. I started with a michelada, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark, lacking the distinct flavor one expects from this classic Mexican drink.

🍹 I decided to switch to a mojito, which was an improvement but still fell short of being truly satisfying.

🌮We ordered a variety of tacos and ceviches. The tacos were undeniably delicious, with rich flavors and fresh ingredients.

📌However, I did find them to be a bit overpriced, especially considering that they arrived at our table only lukewarm.

The ceviches were enjoyable, though the long wait time for our food was a notable downside.

Another challenge was the parking situation—it was quite difficult to find a spot nearby. Additionally, the cleanliness of the restrooms left something to be desired, which detracted from the overall experience.

📌In summary, Puesto has a lot of potential with its gorgeous decor and friendly staff, but there are areas that need improvement, such as food temperature, drink quality, and overall service speed.

Ratings:

Service: 3/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 Food: 3/5

With a few tweaks, Puesto could truly shine. I hope to see these improvements on...

A great local place to my company's main office in Irvine. They are a part of the strip mall shopping area and per usual in that area, the parking is a nightmare! There are seats both inside and on the patio. It was cooler when I visited so we opted to sit inside. They had some space warmers on and that was nice.

We were greeted and taken to our seats right away. Our server was excellent. I thought it a bit odd that the booths had a steel rail on the one side, which made it impossible to get in / out of one of the sides. But the decor and the vibe were good. When it is busy it is definitely a tight space feel.

I have a nut allergy so it was very nice of them to have clearly outlined markers for what included different allergens. They notate gluten, nuts, dairy, and others. It's a good place to go if you have an allergy or a food sensitivity concern.

I went with one of the bowls and it was excellent (pic included). I'm not a fan of spicy food, but my co-worker is and says that they have great spicy offerings! Their guac appetizer is a must as well.

Overall: A- A busy location with tight spacing and odd booth designs, but great food, excellent service and attention to dietary needs....