La Casita Azul — Restaurant in Yucca Valley

As a blind consumer, I can only rely on my heightened sensitivities. Such as, my hearing and taste buds. My uncle had brought me to Yucca for some errands and decided to grab dinner, later on. After debating between types of foods, fast food or server type restaurant, it came down to the Asian Buffet or La Casita. My uncle and I have eaten at the Asian Buffet and know their food is good. We chose wrong!

Pricing $8.00 for a margarita on the rocks (well tequila) $12.00 for a shredded beef burrito (around the size of Del Tacos mucho combo burrito $4.00) $13.00 for a grande chimichanga (Del Tacos mucho combo burrito $4.00) For a small town like Yucca Valley and a supposed family restaurant, La Casita misses the mark. They are way overpriced for their lack of server/manager skills/knowledge, product, service and food/drink quality.

Everything seemed fine after being seated. I was told, La Casita is your typical mexican family restaurant. (To give me a mental picture). We were asked for drink orders within a minute or two, of being seated. Nice! I ordered a margarita with no salt. What came was a margarita on the rocks with no salt. Not nice! After my uncle reading the menu to me, I decided on the "huge chunks" of pork entree. I also ordered another margarita, since it had taken awhile to order food. (Partly in due for my uncle having to read a large menu) and (partly in due for my uncle having to track down and raise his voice to get her to come over). The second margarita, also came as a margarita on the rocks, but with salt this time. Not nice! Food arrives. Nice! I ask my uncle how my food looks. He says, 'shredded'. Huh? What? What's 'shredded'? What looks 'shredded'? Your meat, he said. I said I ordered pork. The huge chunks of pork entree. My uncle said, oh yeah, you're right. Well that's not what you got. It is shredded pork. I asked him to flag down our server. After several minutes, my uncle was finally able to get our server to our table. I told her the problem. She said that sometimes that happens. I told her that pork cannot miraculously shred itself. She said, other customers seemed to like it. I said, maybe they were scared to say something. She even had to go retrieve a menu to find item I ordered. (To see if it actually does say 'huge chunks' of pork). She then gets a manager. After hearing the jest of the problem, the manager offers to make a new plate or something else. She also said that sometimes there aren't chunks of pork in the huge chunks of pork entree. Wth? I said, because of the obvious wrong order, time it took and the lack of food and management knowledge, I voiced my thoughts that, that meal should be free, because they should be held accountable. My uncle told her forget it and just take it off the ticket.

I had ordered a grande chimichanga and shredded beef burrito to go, when I ordered the huge chunks of pork. For the half hour drive to take me home, not to mention, not eating before going out to eat, I was starving. And my uncle had to...

After trying to eat at three other restaurants, I’m happy to say that La Casita Azul was the one that truly stood out. From the seamless experience of joining the queue online to the attentive service throughout the evening, every moment was filled with enjoyment.

I used the online system to add myself to the queue, which was incredibly convenient. There were five parties ahead of me, but the wait time was minimal, and I was quickly ushered to my table once it was ready.

The service at La Casita Azul was exceptional. Our server, Araceli, was extremely attentive, ensuring we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. She was warm and friendly, and it was clear that she genuinely cared about providing a great dining experience. Additionally, we were checked on by David, who also added to the overall great service. When one of the items I ordered was out, Araceli came over promptly, apologized, and even suggested a suitable alternative. Her attentiveness to these little details made the night feel personalized and stress-free.

As for the food, La Casita Azul definitely didn’t disappoint. The Molcajete was nothing short of phenomenal—full of flavor and perfectly presented. The combination of meats, vegetables, and sauce served sizzling hot in a stone bowl was a true standout dish that I’ll be dreaming about for days to come. It was clear that the ingredients were fresh, and every bite was packed with bold, rich flavors.

To complement the meal, the drinks were equally impressive. Whether it was a refreshing margarita or a flavorful craft cocktail, each drink was expertly made and paired well with the food. The drink menu had a great selection, and they certainly added to the overall enjoyable experience.

The ambiance was relaxed and inviting, perfect for a night out with the family. The staff’s professionalism and the quality of the food made it clear that La Casita Azul takes pride in what they do. Every course was delicious, and the overall atmosphere was nothing short of delightful.

All in all, our night was nothing less than perfect. From the online waitlist to the impeccable service, amazing Molcajete, and tasty dishes, La Casita Azul delivered on all fronts. I’ll definitely be returning and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable...

The restaurant is just two blocks away from my home - close enough for my bestie and I to walk there and walk home (tipsy from their excellent margaritas).

Excellent margaritas aside, they gave me a hassle about my service dog. She is small. She gives me notice of an impending panic attack. I bring a flat pad made of, I dunno, polyester? It doesn't hold hair, so I can just shake it out as I exit my car - no hair.

I seat her next to me in a booth, on her pad. The server told me that she couldn't be on the seat but had to be on the floor. The thing is, she needs to be where she can see my face and smell me.

The server brought the manager to my table, and she argued with me. But unlike the server, the manager gave me attitude. I explained three times that my service dog needed to be where she could see my face and smell me, and she finally figured out that I would not be giving in.

Now, I'm vegan. I chose the restaurant not only for its location but also because they don't use lard in their refried beans. My bestie and I were there for refried beans, salsa, chips, and as many margaritas as would have us stumbling home in each other’s arms.

When she (the manager decided to serve us) brought out the beans, they had cheese on them. I had been very clear about no cheese. I asked her to take them back and bring me some with no cheese. She brought back fill beans, not those attractive to customers. And she was smug about it.

We ate our snacks. We drank our margaritas. I made a point of tipping the original server, not the manager.

There are a number of Mexican restaurants here in town. We will not be returning...