La Mexicana Restaurant

Reviews

• Ann C.

  star star star star star 3 June 2026

  This place is amazing.  Every dish is exactly what you wanted and didn't know until the first bite.  I love chile rellenos.  They have the best I've ever had.  The tomato sauce is drinkable.  The chicken mole is also to die for.  Guacamole is fresh and spicy.  Go.  Immediately.

• Tim B.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 1 June 2026

  Ugh, that was bad. The location isn't great, the interior is dated, the prices aren't cheap. But I wouldn't mind any of that if the food was good.
  
  The food was terrible.
  
  Chicken quesadilla was greasy and the meat tasted bad (mix of dark and light meat). No salsa, or sour cream to make the dish more pleasant.
  Chile releno was sweet.
  Beef burrito had some weird sauce.
  
  As a result, we had a lot of leftovers but didn't take much home.

• Jonathan W.

  star star star star star_border 27 May 2026

  This is a little hole in the wall on International Blvd in Oakland, serving authentic Mexican food. I ordered the Steak A La Mexicana and an soft and crispy carnitas taco on the side, add a side of sour cream and the bill came out to $28 which was a little expensive but I think the tacos were a little overpriced. The steak portion was hefty in itself so I think I would skip the tacos next time. The tortillas are handmade I'm assuming and very large. I think I'm going to try the Chile rellanos next time based on other people's reviews but I would have to say I am impressed with the quality and flavor.

• Hannah P.

  star star star star star 19 May 2026

  I have been a patron of this restaurant my entire life- quite literally. Emma, who is a genuine and wonderful person watched me grow up, and even if I'm away from the States for years, remembers me (and my usual order!) whenever I come in.
  
  As mentioned by many, the chile relleno is beautiful, made with a very delicate chile and not overly battered. The handmade tortillas are to this day the best tortillas Ive ever tasted. It's worth a try just for them.
  
  Complaints about the decor come off as ridiculous. This is a classic restaurant of old Oakland, and I understand that you all are new here, but stop trying to whitewash it.

• william s.

  star star star star star 15 May 2026

  The S.O. and I have been coming to this establishment for the past 4 years. Sorry it has taken so long to write a review of our experience. I felt that many of the earlier positive reviews accurately depicted what you should expect, so it wasn't necessary to 'pile on' with the Lap Dog compliments.
  
  I recently read some of the more recent reviews, many of which were quite negative. Mostly were complaints about the decor. Sorry, but this the Fruitvale District of Oakland....ground zero of the authentic Mexican food. This is not the Rockridge, Temescal, or Montclair district where the hipsters and sub-30s love to their experience and decor to be like Chevy's. Sorry not quite like that, but I digress. This place is all about the food.
  
  So....here's my review to hopefully set some folks minds at ease when thinking about dropping by to sample Emma's food.
  
  The signature dish (as per fellow Yelpers) is the Chicken Mole´. It is indeed as advertised. The sauce is wonderful and complex. It is the one dish that the S.O. orders every time we drop in. You probably won't find a better C.M. in Oakland. Sublime!
  
  My favorite is Chile Relleno. I would suggest ordering the enchilada sauce on it instead of the sauce that normally comes with it. As other reviewers mentioned the CR sauce seemed too sweet. Try the enchilada sauce instead over the CR. It is a complete and wonderful dish, and your opinion on that dish will change for the better.
  
  The salsa that comes with the chips at the start when you sit down, is very flavorful & complex but can be quite hot at times. I hate it when I can't stop eating this heat monster b/c it's so delicious, but my hair is almost (j/k) almost starting to smoke, and the eyes are watering.
  
  We come here often, b/c after a few weeks away, I just have to 'get my Chile Relleno on'. In my opinion, it is the best CR I have ever experienced. Very consistent!
  
  All of the dishes served by Emma and her kitchen staff are very consistent....the mark of a professional!
  
  While the Enchilada is as good as you'll find anywhere, I am now at the age that, trying to chow down on the Chile Relleno/Enchilada combo plate after stuffing my face with the wonderfully tasty (and HOT!) salsa, just doesn't' work for me anymore.
  
  Go ahead, try this place, you won't regret it.