Cacao Mexicatessen Reviews

Saturday evening dinner with friends. First off the cute atmosphere but it’s rather noisy and that made it difficult to carry on a normal conversation. They were not overly busy and yet service wasn’t very good. The service was very slow. I’d ordered the barría burrito. It was quite tasty. I feel like the barría was overtaken by the rice and beans. Meaning not much barría meat inside. I’d ordered a margarita and when I went to order the second on I asked to have the tequila on the side because I really didn’t taste any. I was told it’s premixed. What a turn off. If it wasn’t for my friends I’d probably look elsewhere because of the average at best service. My standard question in my reviews, would I return? If it was my decision, I think the average service was a turn off. There are far too many places with better service. But if this is where friends Want to meet I would

After several years of being a loyal customer and endulging in the rich flavors of their Mexican cuisine, it is with sadness that I write this review since over the past year, the food has devolved to being just another typical Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles... a step away from Acapulcos. For several months, Cacao Mexicatessen, has switched from using cotija cheese to the nastiest mozarella/cheddar blend in their enchiladas, chillaquiles and burritos. Yes, in an effort to prove my assumption wrong, I have retried the basics, their staples, and have been disappointed. From their bags of chips that are now being sold at a higher price with less than half the chips to their over priced salsa and now rarely seen fresh tortilla selection, the restaurant has compromised what they stand for.

I tried this restaurant for the first time recently when I was down in Los Angeles visiting friends, and I can't wait to go back. The food was delicious, the service quick and efficient, and the atmosphere comfortable. While there was a line waiting to order when we arrived at lunchtime on a Saturday, the line moved quickly. We used our time to study the many (and I mean many!) menu choices, trying to make up our minds what to order. I ended up with a duck taco, something I'd never had before; a fried fish taco; and a side of black beans. Despite the fact that the restaurant was full, a table freed up quickly, and before we knew it, a server brought our food. The duck taco was moist and delicious, the fried fish taco was perfect, and the black beans were creamy and tasty. The tortillas are made on the premises and are excellent. This will definitely be one of my go-to places whenever I'm in the area.

Delicious Mexican cuisine in a nicely decorated space. It can be a little intimidating to Anglo newbies like us, as you get in a slow-paced line to wait for an available table and to order from the counter from signs all en Espanol, but there are English-translated menus by the register where you order or online. Signs warn you must be ready to order everything when you get to the front of the line at the register! Once we ordered and sat, our food came in a reasonable time (not super-fast) since the restaurant was full. Other than the lengthy and somewhat intimidating line-up experience, we liked the service. It may help to tip when you order as we did, not when you leave, but then of course you are rolling the dice with little leverage if disappointed with service. Food highlights for me included mole fries, the carne asado burrito, and chips. Lots of tempting vegetarian choices, not always found in Mexican restaurants. No misses on the food I tasted. Go at an off time if you don't want to wait as this place gets crowded at peak. Inadequate lot parking, some street parking. We'd go back, absolutely.

Mole is in creditable. Everything we had was wonderful. Avocado tacos were excellent. It’s a locals place.

I've never had such delicious black beans. Love all the vegetarian tacos. The calabacitas are particularly tasty. Great smokey red salsa, housemade guac and chips. Tiny place, but cute, warm atmosphere.

Great new twist on Mexican food. Your choice of meat in taco, sope or burrito. Sope are big and burrito are huge. Order the carnitas sope and carne asada taco for myself AND shared the chips with two salsas and the mole fries with 2 others. Way too much to eat! Everything was soooo tasty and fresh. Too bad it only serves beer and agave. No tequila for the drinks; used wine for margaritas. The michelada was very salty and spicy like Bloody Mary but with beer. Cute rustic house ambience. Expect a line to order and order first before finding a table. Street parking only; best to find parking on the northside of the street.

I have always wanted to try this restaurant but every time I've tried it has been difficult to find parking. I didn't know they had parking in the rear until now. This is a great place for Mexican food. You order at the counter, then they bring the food to your table. Take out is also available. Menu is a variety of Mexican dishes. I liked that you can have your food 3 ways, tacos, sopes or burritos. They have a bar in the main dining room where you can also have your meal and watch TV. This restaurant is quite popular, even at 1 o'clock in the afternoon it was packed with patrons. I had take out and I was really impressed that they included a business card thanking me for my order and to enjoy my meal in my bag. I'm definitely going back soon.

If you are a mole lover, as we are, you will be thrilled by the Mission Fig Mole. The other two moles are also very good (in our opinion esp the verde) but the mission fig is exceptional. We make mole (both an easy recipe with only 30 ingredients and a more complex one with 42). We seek out good mole, And have traveled to Mexico to eat it. Cacao"'s is excellent. Parking in the rear. Small patio for outside eating. About 10 tables inside and bar seating for 10-12. Good wines (only a few) and a few wonderful small beers from Mexico as well as the normal selection Mexican and American beers. Take out available. Don't miss!

My son and I stopped by Cacao Mexicatessen for breakfast burritos. They were fantastic and we stuffed ourselves.

I dont care for the layout of the restaurant but -shrug- You stand in line to order and then have to find your own table or counter space, which was a pain because there are not many tables. I got the Huevos Benedictos, I was not a fan and I love eggs benedict. Though my Mother loved what she ordered, sadly I dont remember what it was (sorry). BUT the drink I had was AMAZING, it was like am iced Mexican hot chocolate with chili and cinnamon YUM!!

No frills here,but the food is amazing . . . meals you will never forget. CaCao Mexicatessen is not your typical or average Mexican restaurant, so don't expect the usual combinations with the usual accompaniments of rice, beans, cheese, guac, etc. This is really fresh food with emphasis on serving combinations from lesser known regions of Mexico. I had an gorgeous egg white omelet stuffed with mushrooms and cheese, accompanied by beautifully sauteed fresh vegetables. I enjoyed the Mexican coffee, redolent with cinnamon. I also tasted the special chai of the day made with fresh pumpkin and it was amazingly delicious; it would have made a yummy dessert if I had had room for dessert. The menu is extensive - - - so many options and possibilities I can't begin to mention the specifics. Our server was friendly. My only suggestion is don't be in a rush when you eat here. Since everything is made with love and care, the food takes a while to come and then you want to eat it slowly, so you can enjoy the freshness, flavors and combinations of ingredients. We did not wait for a table on a weekday late morning, but CaCao is small,so don't be surprised when it gets crowded at peak times.

Up for the Mexican food? I think this is the place you must go! A friend recommendation was this particular gem.He lives there so he knows it :) I was surprised by seeing black/blue tortilla chips as i never heard "blue corn" before.Yeah i'm European! all food were like "home made" rich taste and very friendly atmosphere! Don't miss it!! Its on my "best" list for sure,.

So, no, it's not a place for fine dining, a romantic evening out or fancy food. But it is a place for really, really good Mexican food. The items we tried were clearly based on authentic Mexican recipes and prepared by people who knew what they were doing and cared about what they were serving. Yes, the place is apparently always crowded. Yes, you have to stand in an awkward line to get to the register and order. If you find a table you sit there with your number on a stick and then the food is brought to you. It's not a bad experience, it's just what it is. Our college daughter took us there (the local college kids all know and love the place). It's a bit funky, but if it's good, reasonably priced Mexican food you're after, it's the place to go.

i really like this place, their food is really tasty. I have to say my favorite meal is their breakfast, it's amazing. Have also gone for dinner, food is good, but i would have to say the reason i gave it 4 starts was that i felt for dinner was a little over-priced. We ordered a regular type dinner, no frills and for my husband, 11 year old and myself was close to $70 Yikes! But again, it was good. Will be returning.

Don't go any where else until you have been here!!! Shrimp tacos were amazing! Korean short rib burrito is huge!! And amazing! Make sure you get it wet!! And I'm a super picky eater!! Like it's the first meal I've liked since I got here!

You know you're in the right place when, as you are waiting in line to place your order, you watch fresh tortillas being prepared - hand made. It takes some time to read through the pages of items - even more on weekends when breakfast is offered. You then take a number after paying and the food is brought to you when ready. In the meantime order a beer, glass of wine, or a wine-based cocktail. There are local craft beers available as well. A VERY narrow driveway next to the restaurant leads to a private parking lot behind the restaurant. The staff is very friendly, patient and helpful for first-timers when placing your order. I enjoyed the fish tacos. And I shared a chilaquiles sope and plate of 3 taquitos with my two friends. I can hardly wait to go back and try more things at Cacao

I ve been coming to this place since they open and it's great to see it growing and becoming so popular without downscaling their products. I'm serious when I say they have the best huevos rancheros in LA.

didnt like the price difference from the menu we had- we were told that the difference was dinner service. Maybe Cacao should offer two menus reflecting the price difference. Very busy and noisy, no liquor license so your margarita is not in fact a real margarita- something else that was not explained while ordering. Food was ok,, I have had better and worse. Would I return? nah,, to many other places to try, would I recommend? probably not to be honest for the same reason. I think you can get more authentic and better food elsewhere.

Spent the last 5.5 years in Mexico and yet this place amazed me. Very tasty, great service, friendly atmosphere. Never had duck in a taco before - delicious. Also fried avocado. Yummy. Only wished they also offered Jamaica tea and flour tortillas otherwise perfect.

This place is delicious, the carne guisada tacos are amazing! My boyfriend went 2 days in a row for the duck tacos. Great service

Of all the places I've eaten in Pasadena, this is one of the best places I've ever been to. I went on a Friday night at 7pm on Labor Day weekend and the service was great and it wasn't too busy. We got 2 duck tacos, 2 fish tacos, and the beef taquito appetizer. I couldn't believe how full I was from two tacos and four mini taquitos! But let me tell you, I will be going to this place every time I visit the area from now on.

We were in the neighborhood and stopped in here promoted as a Cocina Moderna- Baja California, a specialty deli. After waiting in line to order, we sat inside. The food arrived promptly, very warm and appealing to the eye and nose. I really enjoyed the rellenos (I try them every time I can) and they were some of the best! One green (not deep fried) poblano was filled with roasted corn and cheese and the other filled with wild mushrooms & cheese. Both were covered with mole verde de pepita, cotija cheese and pumpkin seeds. They were delicious! Although pretty pricy ($20+) they were worth it! My other reported a thumbs up for the fish tacos too! The place was busy on a Monday night early in the evening. This is located in the Eagle Rock Area, a part of Glendale and just west of Pasadena.

I'm changing my review, because since I first visited this restaurant I had bad experieneces; the only time that I can honestly say that you'll get great service and your order correct is one the owner is there first thing on Saturday mornings; even freee chips and salsa with your order but at other times just to place an order you have to wait in a very small space and the cashiers somehow never make you fell welcomed; I gave them 3 chances to improve but just yesterday was the las time that we expended our hard earned money at this place. Sorry Cacao you can do so much better if you hire good help and don't keep increasing prices.

I've been to lunch here twice in two weeks. It's absolutely fantastic. Don't be afraid to try their more unique items on the menu. You won't be disappointed.

It appears that most of the reviewers have never had good Mexican food. They need to go to East Los Angeles. The servings were small and served cold. Drinks were brought to our table half way through our meal. As for pricing they are very high for what you are served.

Authentic Mexican dining is the draw here. Handmade tortillas with tacos, such as cochinita pibil, fish, and calabacitas (squash and corn). One small-sized ala carte taco is $3.50 to $4.00, depending on choice. Enchiladas are served New Mexico style, flat and open-faced. Some negatives here are no nearby parking, line-up ordering (often long lines), higher prices, and extra charge for chips and salsa. All things considered, (if you can hit this spot when not crowded), the quality of the food will make it worth the effort.

the poblano chili releno is filled with mushroom or corn and has a wonderful green sause and is not battered or fried. this is our favorite restaurant in eagle rock. there is also a bar with wine from the baja and beer on draft. My wife had a Porter in a bottle and it was great.

I love this place. I first visited Cacao before they expanded. They now have the whole building, before there was some sort of flower shop next door. Some parking in the rear makes it even more convenient. Now my #1 recommendation: Chicken tortilla soup. Their cafe de olla is also a favorite of mine. You can't go bad with any of their selections. I cannot speak on their drinks as I've never visited their bar but it does always seem to have a good crowd so I'm sure its a great. It can get quite crowded but worth the wait if there are no tables open. Lots of items to purchase to take home. These is no other place for fine, authentic Mexican as good as Cacao.

The first thing you will notice when you grab a seat at this place is that they go beyond their way to transport you to a twilight place that is 90% mexico and 10% bombastic!!! Cm'on they even have a Mexican Luchador Mask Shrine on the wall !!!! (check out the pics) The food here blew me away!!! I was expecting a run of the mill mexican restaurant, but the food was like being in a good part of mexico, not in the drug war zone. I had the Camarones enchipotlados burrito (wet) and every bite had an explosive taste with camarones!!! My wife had the chile rellenos. The chile cheese stuffing was not just plain cheese as it normally is, it had spinach and mushrooms!!! They don't even do that in Mexico, what a great personal touch!!! When I go to mexican restaurants I really don't consider going there for breakfast, but this place has a special breakfast menu with true classic tasty original preparations such as Huevos a la Mexicana-(with cilantro, cotija cheese and serrano chiles), Also Cacao's Signature Breakfast including Mexican pancakes, Huevos de los angelitos, Huevos del valle de guadalupe. It doesn't stop there!!! Oh, no. They also sell their own personal hot sause that takes you places without hurting you, at every table they have 'Sea of Cortez Natural Sea Salt' that they also sell (and you will want to buy it). All kinds of original mexican treats such as flan. I even saw on the chalk board lunch specials that they serve the classic mexican dog wrapped in bacon!!!!! To top it all off, the staff is super cool and friendly. When we got there they had gotten a bollus of people and were busy taking orders. Apparently they are suppose to ask you if you want chips and salsa with your meal and if you say yes then they add a $1.50 to your meal. Well, they forgot to ask and so they just brought the chips for FREE. They said that to our face too, it wasn't like I was trying to get away with free chips. I would of gladly payed $4 for chips at this place. What an incredible experience. You have to try this place for yourself. Be prepared to wrap yourself in a truly delicious experience. Bonus!! Soft but present Pedro infante music playing in the background.

The ambiance was amazing. Loved the house sangria! We sat at the bar and had the coolest bartender/server. He was so sweet. The food was delicious. Can't wait to go back!

The dishes offered were unique with great flavor combinations, a great fresh take on Mexican/Southwest food. The only drawback were the prices, which were a little high walk-up restaurant. Everything else was great!

I love this restaurant but my favorite is always breakfast time along with the best organic cinnamon cofee you ever had; I had their organic blue cornmeal mexican pancakes (with plantains) 3 huge cakes topped with sweet plantain and organic maple syrup with cinnamon sticks inside the syrup jar, my friend had the Huevos del Valle de Guadalupe (I know difficult to pronounce unless you speak fluent spanish) anyway these are 2 eggs prepared your way (of course all their ingredients are organic) you can taste the flavor I'm an organic food junkie, first a handmade large flour tortilla, topped with tasty refried beans then the eggs topped with two kinds of fresh sauces (red and green) not spicy just a little hint of for flavor and all of this topped with fresh sour cream (little swirls); I had breakfast at some of the best mexican restaurants but the food at Cacao is just as good as some of the more expensive restaurants without the large price tags. Give them a try!

Enjoyed a gigantic duck carnitas burrito at Cacao. The concept of using a duck confit in lieu of pork carnitas sounded really interesting and Cacao delivered a rich, tasty serving. Even though you order at a counter, there is table service to make sure your meal is satisfactory, and if anything else is needed. The servers were really friendly and helpful. Food service was very quick.

Very good and creative Mexican food for more than a reasonable price. You order your food at the register, and it gets brought to you to your table. Simple, non-fancy, but tasty and affordable.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in all of Los Angeles. This is a fresh, vibrant handling of Mexican cooking with the freshest produce, meats, grocery foodstuffs, cooked in a Mexican manner of interpreting ingredients. This is not the normal enchiladas, etc. to be found everywhere. They have an Abuelita enchilada with mission fig mole. My favorite. They have sopes, zucchini blossoms, fresh corn tortillas. They have a wonderful, crisp posole: the broth has aromatics and the garnish raw vegetables give the soup crunch and flavor. The menu is creative and traditional. It is not inexpensive. There is a full bar. It is easy enough to park around the corner. Street parking on Colorado is limited.

Start with their chips, salsa, and guacamole. Normally we order for delivery and the wait time is fast considering we live six miles away. The wet Carne Asada burrito is amazing.

We've returned home to Atlanta and this little place still haunts us...sea urchin tacos, stuffed squash blossom tacos, chile relleno with sashimi surrounding it…and the most delectable FLAN we’ve ever had. This is a culinary GEM!

After three years in France, my first stop for Mexican food was my old favorite, Cacao. A GIGANTIC serving of guacamole was conveniently served in a plastic container ready to cover and take home to go. The serving was easily enough for four people and although I didn't have a ruler with me, I'm guessing it was 6" in diameter and 2" deep! The fresh home made chips had a nice spicy sprinkling if you didn't want one of the two salsas, one spicy, one not. Lovely touches like rosemary table water set this place apart from the plethora of other Mexican places in Los Angeles. Mission Fig Mole Poblano with free range airline chicken breast, topped with homemade mole sauce, marcona almonds, and sesame seeds, side of calabacitas, a vegetable mix of zucchini, squash, corn, and tomato for $19.95 is a great choice if you have never had home made mole. The quality of the chicken breast was evident with every moist bite, and the portion was generous enough to feed 2 or one very hungry athlete. I couldn't decide whether I wanted my red snapper fish tacos fried or grilled so I got one of each for $3.95 each. The fried version used Alesmith brown beer batter, both topped with crema, cabbage, pico de gallo and salsa, and the grilled version was perfectly grilled. Even after eating both versions, I still would want both because I would have been unable to pick a favorite; it's like trying to decide if you prefer regular bacon or billionaire's bacon for your BLT :) During lunch they offer a taco truck special of three tacos with a non alcoholic drink, rice and beans for $9.95. I chose the carne asada and adored the grilled scallions on the side as much as the classic asada. Their menu encompasses all the classics, a few twists, like sea urchin, duck, and Korean style kalbi. There are several vegetarian options, and people come in just to buy their chips or get orders to go because quality and care are two of the most important ingredients in any dish. Eagle Rock may be a bit of a trek for most Angelenos, but it's closer than Mexico :)

If you are looking for a Mexican Restaurant this is not it. It would be Nuevo Mexican with tacos made with duck, whole wheat tortillas, and a partial vegan menu. That having been said, try it, if you like the food go back if not there are many Mexican restaurants in Eagle Rock and Highland Park. I have never been a fan of standing in a line to order but it was early when we went so there was no problem but I can see in a busy situation it wouldn't be pleasant. I admit to being older and I like sit down service. My friends ordered mole fries that were too rich for me. The charming thing is the chef brings you your food. I ordered a carne asada burrito that had a strange taste due to different spices but I fixed that with hot sauce. My horchata was wonderful. I repeat, this is not Mexican food ( hold the aioli and wheat tortilla) but my friends enjoyed the food which looked fresh and was plated well. Lots of Craft Beers. I don't drink but heard the michaelada (sp) was great. Parking is non-existent so be prepared to park on a side street and walk. Not a bad idea as Colorado Blvd. has lots of shops to look at.

Had lunch here yesterday. I'm not a huge Mexican fan but I have to admit I was very pleased with my lunch, which were the fish tacos. They were very good with awesome corn tortillas. I also shared the chips and guacamole dip, which was also excellent. I had a margaretta which was excellent. If you are looking for great Mexican, you can't go wrong here.

I got visitors last weekend, randomly I decided to take them at this resto, we don't know what to order so we tried duck and kbbq tacos, we never go wrong they are so delicious, you taste the flavors every bite. Their margaritas were great, but I'm not fan of the other drink that we ordered that I forgot the name it combination of Mexican beer and other spices that we didn't like. Overall come here for their foods, you will get what you paid for.

Very good restaurant with real Mexican flavors, just prefect! Tacos, tortas, micheladas... Faire prices...

A nice break from the usual Mexican fare we typically see in Southern California. Some meat dishes can be a little on the greasy side though. You can taste the freshness in the foods prepared. Staff was pleasant and helpful in selecting from the menu. Flan was outstanding!

Second time back here. Our daughter had me try the duck burrito . It is awesome. The house marguerita is better than many premium ones I have had at other restaurants. We had on all around great meal for a party of 6. You order at cash register staff dinner and refills handled by friendly and efficient staff.

Went here for late breakfast with friends and really enjoyed it. I usually go for something sweet like pancakes for breakfast out but I went for savoury instead. I really liked it but I still regret not trying the tres leches pancakes!

My family took me to this rather no frills restaurant for my birthday , knowing how much I like the authentic Mexican Mole done the right way ........ What I was going to experience later was going to stay put in my memory forever. This is a very small place tucked in between a grocery market and a small shopping mall . Parking is hard to get once those places are extremely busy most of the times. We took our time until a grocery shopper left and parked our car right in front of their place , A sort of a western Hollywood B Movie shack with a cramped terrace and a tight interior dining room. The wait was 15 minutes long because this place is very , very popular . You have to order the food first , pay and go to your designated table to eat. We ordered some chips and salsa with fresh avocado and they were just great , real avocados , freshly cut with all the right condiments and the ships are thin and crispy , not oily plus a green and red salsa to die for. They opened our wine (corkage fee costs $10) we were in heaven munching on great stuff and sipping a nebiollo D'Alba . The plate all of a sudden disappeared .....and then came our plates ! My God! They just looked great ! I had the Abuela's Chicken quesadilla with Mole sauce , my daughter had the Cheese quesadilla with green mole and my wife some amazing Chiles Rellenos on a green reduction sauce with fresh Cherry tomatoes. They also brought some rice and roasted mixed vegetables that pairs really well with their exquisite sauces. We shared our plates and everything was delicious and fresh , nothing from a can or a jar , my black Poblano mole was unbelievable. Just the way they make it in Mexico . This place really deserves the name Mexicatessen .....if only they had more real estate to make the dining experience much more comfortable ....that would match with their top notch food for sure .

Cacao is such a cozy, hidden gem in Eagle Rock and if you have not gone yet, you're truly missing out. With an air of sophistication in how they deliver their dishes, yet located in a casual, intimate environment Cacao is able to meet the needs of any solo diner to groups of four, however, I would not recommend taking a larger group to the restaurant because of how boisterous larger groups can become.

The way you order and get food was confusing for newcomers; but once we got clued in, we were well cared for. The variety of food on offer is amazing and everything we ordered was very, very tasty! This cafe is very popular with students and locals, so plan a little extra time to find parking if you are on a schedule.

We went with great expectations and were thoroughly disappointed. To begin with, it's confusing to even find the front door. Then we wandered to the back of the place to find the beginning of the line. Nobody handed us a menu. We had to stare at the hard to decipher chalk board. I picked the carnitas and was told they don't have carnitas. I pointed to it on the menu and was told that it is carnitas del paco. They expect everybody including new customers to know what is going on. Then my wife ordered food. She couldn't hear the young lady who was helping us and the young lady couldn't seem to hear us very well either. There was a big communication problem. My wife told the young lady that she couldn't eat flour. So the young lady helped her select some supposed gluten-free items. It turned out that both items that my wife ordered contained wheat and so they had to be returned. Our table wobbled violently almost tipping over our glasses of water. Our food took forever to arrive. When my wife sent food back, it didn't take too long for the replacement dishes to arrive. My wife asked for rice but was told by the manager that there was flour even in the rice. She ended up ordering a bowl of fruit. My dish was dry and too salty. We will never go back to Cacao Mexicatessen because there a plenty of other, better Mexican restaurants in the area. Our fave Mexican restaurant is La Cabanita in North Glendale next to Montrose.

Went there with my wife and son. We really enjoyed the whole atmosphere, service and the food. Nothing fancy, your order and pay up at the counter and then they bring the food to your table when it is ready. We had a variety of entrees, the Guacomole was great, the salsa a was spicy and tasty, the corn chips were good, burritos, tacos and enchiladas were delicious. Would not hesitate to go back again. Street parking

First time here and it's delicious. You do have to wait in line to get your order placed, but then they bring it to you. Huge creative menu - all delicious. Full bar too. I had the Carne Asada Taco and the corn. So good. The corn is on the cob and delicious. Lot's of drinks and snack and options., Highly recommended.

I had the steak and eggs with beans and home potatoes and flour tortillas. The coffee was excellent as well. Every single plate that went by our table looked amazing. As you park in the back and you start walking towards the front entrance you can start to smell the food. Everyone is very friendly.

This place is so small it wouldn't be hard to miss on busy Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. And the size of the tacos shouldn't discourage those used to giant, lettuce-filled creations found in most Mexican restaurants that cater to American tastes. Here, the kitchen delivers on such delicious offerings as duck carnitas, venison and fried duck skin tacos. And, not a shred of lettuce to conceal the various flavors of the meat. We also tried a batter-free chile relleno, stuffed with roasted corn and cheese, surrounded with a wonderful mole verde. All washed down with a watermelon-flavored horchata. What's the Spanish word for delightful?

Went to this CaCao on the advice of many people to have the Duck confit taco. So I did one better. I got myself a little taco sampler if you will. I had the Duck confit, the carne asada, the chicharone taco and the crispy duck skin taco. The asada was terrific. If you ask me, it is hard to mess that one up. I could not tell the difference between the crispy duck skin and the chicharone. Both were just really hard bits of hard to chew meat. Did I mention they were hard? The duck confit was exactly what I expected it to be, greasy duck. I mean, The aqua fresca was amazing and so were all of the salsas. I bought 2 of them and the guacamole. The atmosphere was nice and I had great company so I enjoyed myself. I wouldn't be opposed to going back, I would just stick with the basics!

Just came back from our first meal at Cacao. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You order at the counter and pay. You take a number on a holder and put it on your table. They bring the food. Service is adequate although slow. And it had some ellipses in it--more on this later. The place is very nicely decorated and established, very comfortable and attractive It has a counter with things to take out and table to eat in. There is also a little outside area looking on Colorado which is quite nice too. Street parking is easy. I ordered a lamb burrito, wet. It came over-cooked on top so that nothing could be called wet whatsoever. Ample salt. The birria was tasty, but the thing was dry. And the sauce on the outside had been cooked into a substance that made it difficult to pry from the plate itself--a dried sticky substance that would not give in to the fork's prying. Not that I wanted to eat such an overcooked substance anyway. I messed with it to test just how cooked into the plate it had been. It was not a success. The draft beer was a success though. But the salt left me thirsty for three pints of water. The carne asada burrito had heavily smoked beef, which was clearly well done for someone looking for that taste, but staff should have and could have constructively advised that the beef was so smoked. It is a matter of sharing reliable and useful information, which eludes the staff at the moment--a quiet before-the-rush hour moment. We asked, does this beef burrito come with cheese? Answered, yes. Staff confirmed "with cheese." Asked, does it come with cheese? Staff answered, yes. Responded, then I don't need extra cheese. It came with none, though, when it arrived. The waiter who brought the burrito back with cheese- added explained that someone working there as recently as two days ago added cheese, but the burrito doesn't come with cheese, and explained in a reasonable way that they were sorry for the confusion. The burrito had now some cold cheese grated on top of the burrito. The explanation was reasonable, but the cheese was not. We opened it and stuffed the cheese inside it. No cheese in the burrito? Fine, but it does and doesn't and does come with it, and when it comes, it is cold and hanging on top. Salsa was sophisticated and tasty, requested when it did not come, though. Meal was not a success. It veered on the curves of the restaurant-road's edges of really good but fell back on an overcooked, salty seco burrito billed as mojado, what sauce there was baked right into the plate; a highly smoked beef burrito with-without-with but sprinkled cold on top cheese. Poor. Too many writers and customers praise the place. This was a bad night. We will come back one more time and try something simpler like tacos exactly as they are listed and presented with no changes. I think they are bound to be worthy of the praise they get. Our meal flat out wasn't of that order. Maybe we will order what a food writer suggests and describes, exactly as it is written. The place had some families with little ones, some couples, and a short line in the deli area to order take out and in-house meals. It is very cozy and inviting. It is a good feeling. It has a bar with three or so tvs, but all very comfortable and quiet and pleasant.

This is the best Mexican food I've ever eaten - just delicious! The tacos we had were awesome - also the guacamole is so tasty. Really recommend this place.

Always full, great vibe. Quite expensive for a Mexican restaurant but the food is great and the service immaculate. Lovely place.

This review is tough. First I feel this is a quintessential, hipster, LA restaurant. If we had spent anymore time there I feel I may have started turning into a hipster. I think food is 5 stars. Everything we had was DELICIOUS and there were plenty of menu items that could be made vegan. The omnivores were equally happy. Ambiance, service, noise, comfort all left something to be desired. Probably 1-2 stars. We were told about 10 times that water is self-service. Counter service is a real pain and previous comments about it being confusing just to figure out where to stand in line, how to get a menu, etc are all true. This is a good place for take-out, but not a great place to sit and eat.

The breakfasts here are flavorful and plentiful. I had the machaca and eggs. Prices are step for small size lunches. Stop by before 1 pm and get breakfast.

Stumbled upon Cacao Mexicatessen while staying out in Pasadena and trying to find good carne asada. Cacao fit the bill and then some. Good San Diego/Baja style carne asada, not the carne asada that's marinated in lime, orange, or some other citrus juice that seems to be Sonoran style. Price for a single a la carte taco is a bit high but everything else is reasonable for the quality and portion size. Save room for the tres leches cupcake or flourless chocolate torte. There's parking in the back, just be brave and make your way down what looks like the too narrow driveway between Cacao and the neighboring building.

This place is popular for a reason. It has delicious food made with fresh ingredients, interesting specials and yummy desserts. The pozole chased away my cold. The mole fries are a decadent must-try.

There are so many great options here you just can't go wrong. If your idea of Mexican food is Taco Bell enchiritos (whatever those are) or flour tortillas (what I call lard pancakes), forget it. You've been living in a false alternative universe and have been missing out. This is the real deal with a lot of imagination! We shared the posole verde. It's moderately spicy hot and really great. One bowl is a meal! Get the fig mole dip for some chips if you don't order the plate. The carne asada and carnitas de pato (duck) tacos are great! So is the abuelita's enchiladas, made with stacked handmade corn tortillas. and a choice of chile guajillo red sauce, mole verde de Pepita (what we got), or their signature mission fig mole poblano sauce. It's excellent! For your drink, choose the hot chocolate (choh-coh-LAH-teh). You can get a beer or margarita anywhere, but this is a great cacao beverage. Remember the name of the restaurant. It's not sweet like that sugary Abuelita (Nestle) brand or Swiss miss cocoa. Unless you have a medical or ethical reason not too, it's best with milk. The other option is almond "milk", but the gallon of water wasted on the production of a single almond makes that a no go for me. Give me the milk, please! Tortillas are made in the Boyle Heights community (where it's at), from organic, non-GMO, family-farmed heritage corn. Feel good about them tortillas, people! We came on a Friday evening and didn't have to wait, but it does have a line to order in, then you sit and they serve you at your table, like a sit-down restaurant, but order like in a deli. Interesting artistic decor, dimly lit, wonderful for lunch or dinner. Family friendly, people of all ages, community feel.

Firstly Americans use Yelp for reviews way more than us Brits do so you need to check stuff out on there as most places have barely any reviews on trip advisor. This restaurant was great the choices on the menu vast and each dish was chosen let as a taco, Soba or burrito, the burritos where huge and came with nachos on side, I had the Soba which was about right size for me and I have a reasonable appetite. Servers where good and you could see them making up all the own sauces as we are. Highly recommended