Chichen Itza — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Chichén Itzá is the site of what was once a great Mayan city, now ancient ruins in the center of Mexico's Yucatán state. As you would expect, the L.A. restaurant bearing its name focuses on that region's unique miscegenation of Mayan, Spanish, and Lebanese cuisines. After nearly 20 years of operation in the Mercado La Paloma, Chichén Itzá is still run by the founding Cetina family, and is still known to be the pre-eminent destination for Yucatecan cooking in the city.

I found one of my favorite tacos in Southern California here: the "Poc Chuc Taco," consisting of browned thin strips of tender pork bearing strong flavors of mesquite smoke, oregano, and the citrus marinade it was pulled from, along with roasted red onions and a luscious black bean purée, all stuffed into a steamed house-made corn tortilla. A roasted tomato sauce is spooned on top of the meat, adding a bit of zip to the affair. The entirety of the composition brings to one's mouth all the pleasure of a great taco al pastor, but simpler: the exquisite quality of the smoked marinated pork, seasoned with just the right amount of salt and spice, is allowed to take center stage.

Most tacophiles come here for the "Cochinita Pibil Tacos," which are excellent as well. The stringy pork is tasty and juicy, with a prevailing taste of sour orange and recaudo rojo, but more mellow and earthy than what I would typically expect from Cochinita Pibil and, in fact, a subtle sweetness can be discerned, likely imparted from the banana leaf it was cooked in. In this taco, the red onions are pickled rather than roasted as they were on the Poc Chuc Taco. There is a self-bottled, self-branded habanero sauce at each table that I suggest using with Chichén Itzá's Cochinita Pibil. You don't need a lot; a little bit of heat goes a long way on this taco.

Another of Chichén Itzá's tacos that should not be ignored is the "Chicharrón Taco." Chef Gilberto Cetina solves the textural challenges of fried chicharrón by chopping it into a texture of crumbled "bacon bits," some pieces crispy, others chewy -- and combining it with bits of avocado diced small. The chicharrón bits bind with the avocado pieces, offsetting salinity with a rich and fresh creaminess. A small amount of chopped onions and tomatoes is added into the taco for more freshness. I again suggest using the table sauce on this, which not only adds some heat, but also helps balance the richness of everything else in the tortilla.

Be aware that finding parking in this neighborhood or in the parking lot can sometimes be absolutely impossible. Rideshare is your friend. Also, you should know that Chichén Itzá follows "fast casual" conventions, but is not a "quick-stop" restaurant. The food takes a little while to come out, and you should expect to wait for your food 15-20 minutes after you put your order in. Plan to be here for a while, pleasures like these take time to create and should take...

Yucatan inspired Mexican food. My experience was outstanding. Parking may be challenging but for us we parked in the DMV parking lot since it was Sunday so zero cost which was awesome since we were going to an event at the nearby LA Coliseum anyway. We had and shared for two people: Panuchos - Fried corn tortilla, split and filled with black bean puree, topped with lettuce, shredded turkey, pickled red onions, and a slice of avocado. They don't hold up once they get cold but hot/warm they were delicious. Ceviche De Pescado-Basa fish marinated in lime juice with tomato, onion & cilantro. Fresh, bright and outstanding. Cochinita Pibil-Pork marinated with achiote, sour orange juice, and spices, cooked in banana leaves, topped with pickled red onions served with sauteed black beans, rice and corn tortillas. Fantastic. Get this if nothing else. And then we got some black beans over rice. Very good. Finally we got fried plantains that was a benchmark plantain dish. Sweet like it was a dessert. It's in the Mercado de Paloma. A really cool food hall with lots of choices for you to eat. If you choose Chichen Itza you will not be disappointed. Finally we got all this for 48 bucks. To me that is a big deal and very affordable for a spot very close to downtown L.A. Highly...

My friend and I planned to eat at Holbox, but with an hour-long wait just to order, we didn't have the time. Thankfully, we discovered Chichen Itza right in the same Mercado complex—and while it's not at the level of Holbox, it's still a solid choice for delicious food without the wait.

I ordered the Pollo Asado, a flavorful boneless chicken grilled over mesquite charcoal and marinated with achiote and sour orange juice. It came with perfectly cooked fried plantains (crispy on the outside, soft and sweet inside—so good!), roasted red onions, rice, and black beans. My friend chose the Cochinita Pibil, which was tender, juicy pork marinated in achiote and sour orange juice, cooked in banana leaves, and topped with pickled red onions. It came with rice, black beans, and warm tortillas.

We also shared a large Ceviche, which was fresh and zesty. Overall, the food was tasty and well-prepared, with good portions.

The ambiance is casual and unpretentious, perfect for a quick, satisfying meal. The Mercado itself has a bustling, lively vibe, which adds to the experience.

The big win here? No wait and quick service! Plus, we found street parking right out front, which was super convenient. If you don't have the time to line up for Holbox, Chichen Itza is a great...