Brendan

Excellent Mexican Restaurant with small town Taqueria-like vibes but excellent food and cocktails that are more akin to Mexican sit down restaurants and more upscale dining. We were really impressed with the food, the service, and the vibe that made it feel casual and inviting for all types of events. I’d highly recommend any one of the several plates they have on the menu. We wanted a light lunch so I ended up trying the “taco trio”, but it was presented beautifully on a wood plank. I tried a chicken mole taco and they were all excellent. The quesabirria tacos were excellent too! The service here was super friendly. They speak Spanish and English, explained the menu to us, and attended us throughout. We sat by the window and got to view all the cars and people passing by on Veterans Avenue. Parking can be difficult during busy periods but there are lots nearby. Highly recommended!

Juan Carvajal Brizuela

The food was amazing and they had a few dishes that I don't typically find in other restaurants in the bay. The drinks were personally my favorite part because they were delicious and refreshing. I'm definitely coming back! They specialize in rare tequilas and mezcals. If you enjoy those type of drinks you will be impressed. The bartender knows what he's talking about and give you history on the bottles. Really cool art!😁👌🏽

Lynn Eglan

My first time here, it gives you a nice and warm kind of vibe.  The walls were bright and had nice photos and decorations I ordered: 1. Chilaquiles verdes with steak - The steak was tender and chilaquiles cooked perfectly with the egg.  The verde sauce had a kick, where you can't stop eating it. 2.  Gorditas de chiccharon -    First time having this, but it was good.  The tortilla was crispy with a light doughiness.  Chicharon was perfectly seasoned. Once you get to the middle, the spiciness hits you. Overall the food was delicious and the lady who took my order was nice.   I will definitely come back to try their other items.   My only complaint would be,  I wish it came with chips.   Something to help balance out the spiciness.

Michael Dvorkin

What a joy! A friend of mine recommended this place, and finally, my kid and I tried it for lunch. This place is simply amazing. We had gorditas, fish tacos, and something else I can't remember anymore. I had a mezcal with hibiscus cocktail. My kid had mango water. Everything was so ply amazing. This is now my favorite sit-in mexican, and of the favorites of any category, restaurants in the area. Simply beautiful experience. Check out the mezcal and tequila selection. It's at the same level as the quality of food. Love. Oh, and the service is spot on. Highly recommend.

Lari Gomez

My experience was amazing!. The food was delicious with an authentic flavor. The service was very kind and friendly.// Mi experiencia fué muy buena. La comida tiene un sabor original mexicano.

The food here was some of the best Mexican that I've had in a long time, especially in the peninsula. Service was excellent, with the waitress giving us spot-on recommendations. Atmosphere is light and jovial. Will be back!

+3

It is a Latin dream. Stepping into your favorite relatives kitchen knowing you're welcome and in for a treat. Feeling like royalty from the beverage to the appetizers to the meal and the dessert. Customer service at its best. Erika is an angel. And the kitchen is not messing around. You will not regret stopping by.

+6

My experience was amazing!. The food was delicious with an authentic flavor. The service was very kind and friendly.// Mi experiencia fué muy buena. La comida tiene un sabor original mexicano.

What a joy! A friend of mine recommended this place, and finally, my kid and I tried it for lunch. This place is simply amazing. We had gorditas, fish tacos, and something else I can't remember anymore. I had a mezcal with hibiscus cocktail. My kid had mango water. Everything was so ply amazing. This is now my favorite sit-in mexican, and of the favorites of any category, restaurants in the area. Simply beautiful experience. Check out the mezcal and tequila selection. It's at the same level as the quality of food. Love. Oh, and the service is spot on. Highly recommend.

+6

The food was amazing and they had a few dishes that I don't typically find in other restaurants in the bay. The drinks were personally my favorite part because they were delicious and refreshing. I'm definitely coming back! They specialize in rare tequilas and mezcals. If you enjoy those type of drinks you will be impressed. The bartender knows what he's talking about and give you history on the bottles. Really cool art!😁👌🏽

+6

Excellent Mexican Restaurant with small town Taqueria-like vibes but excellent food and cocktails that are more akin to Mexican sit down restaurants and more upscale dining. We were really impressed with the food, the service, and the vibe that made it feel casual and inviting for all types of events. I’d highly recommend any one of the several plates they have on the menu. We wanted a light lunch so I ended up trying the “taco trio”, but it was presented beautifully on a wood plank. I tried a chicken mole taco and they were all excellent. The quesabirria tacos were excellent too! The service here was super friendly. They speak Spanish and English, explained the menu to us, and attended us throughout. We sat by the window and got to view all the cars and people passing by on Veterans Avenue. Parking can be difficult during busy periods but there are lots nearby. Highly recommended!

+3

Long list of cocktails and plenty of food options, but you only need to try the chocolate mole with chicken. It's really good. Plenty of seats at the bar and they have seats upstairs as well. Parking isn't too bad.

Came here for lunch and was blown away by the food, service, and vibes! This spot is a somewhat hidden treasure for the Peninsula, food is super fresh and flavorful, your tastebuds will do a dance! In top of the amazing food, the artwork is incredible. You can tell that those who work at this establishment rightfully have a lot of pride in this place. Highly recommend La Fonda!

Hands down the best Mexican food I’ve had outside of Mexico City. Every dish is bursting with flavor and freshly prepared, from the bold mezcalitas and creamy guacamole to the unforgettable mole sauce. The food transported me right back to the streets of CDMX. Ambience is laid back with a steady stream of local regulars. The service is warm, though it can take a bit of time, and can be a little inconsistent. Be sure to check what is included in your order. The servers made a mistake with the order but were open to feedback. Their drink menu features a great selection of mezcals and well crafted cocktails, and the house-made churros are the perfect sweet finish. The menu is concise but well curated and you really can’t go wrong with anything you order. I loved it so much I went twice during a short visit to California, and I’m already looking forward to going back. Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic, soul satisfying Mexican cuisine.

+1

Great food, beer and cocktails. All the food was very fresh and distinctive. Especially loved the mole poblano sauce. Very attentive and friendly service.

Food was Great, Customer Service was Great. Even the Menu has some very Intresting Names for their Plates. It also has some Great Art Work all around. We sat on the Top Balcony and the Murals where Awsome. I would defenetly Recomend this Place.

Great food! Felt like home cooked food and awesome and quick service. I loved the pozole and the cochinitas pibil trios tacos

I came in on a Friday morning and from the moment I walked through the door, the person who seated me was incredibly sweet, attentive, and caring—it felt almost like being at home. The food was amazing and truly exceeded my expectations, especially the handmade tortillas. To top it all off, the cafecito with flan was the perfect finishing touch. While prices may be on the higher side, the outstanding service and quality of the food make it absolutely worth it. If you come here, your expectations will not only be met, but exceeded.

I went with the recommended mole and my daughter had the chicken dish. The place is amazing all the way around and while the prices are a little on the higher side, you get what you pay for. We enjoyed the food and the service!

A Gem! Each dish was bursting with flavor. Guacamole was fresh, nice lime tang. Huevos con chorizo and huevos ranchero were also excellent. Fresh and flavorful. Lentil soup was on the house. Some of the best lentil soup I’ve tasted. Service was attentive and warm. Definitely be back!

Stephanie Katz

A Gem! Each dish was bursting with flavor. Guacamole was fresh, nice lime tang. Huevos con chorizo and huevos ranchero were also excellent. Fresh and flavorful. Lentil soup was on the house. Some of the best lentil soup I’ve tasted. Service was attentive and warm. Definitely be back!

Dale Shinskey

We were driving through on the way to SF airport and looked for an authentic Mexican place to eat and this place was awesome. Their special of the day was pork ribs cooked in a salsa and falling off the bone delicious. They also had a great selection of Mexcal Tequila which we both love.

Melissa Fenson

You need to come and try this place!! You can tell every dish that comes out is well thought out. The service here is amazing. Our waitress was so sweet!! While we were waiting for our food to come out she gave us fideo(soup) to tide us over. We ordered: Drinks- media naranja, subeté and the guava agua fresca. Oh my god!! Sooooo good!! Just the right amount of sweetness and alcohol. Flavors were very well balanced. Perfect! Appetizer- Gordita chicharron. This thing was on another level!! It was like a Mexican version of a pizza pocket but so much better! And the side of chile was amazing! 1st Main dish- Chicken verde enchiladas. Their homemade tortillas adds such a good flavor and texture. The sauce is slightly tangy but still really good! The rice was very nice as well. I do wish the dish came with beans. 2nd main dish- Arrachera ( skirt steak, chorizo, cactus and black beans) The skirt steak was pretty tender. It would have been a lot better if they added more salt. The chorizo looked more like a sausage. It tasted good but I was expecting the Mexican style chorizo. It was more similar to Spanish style. The beans were very good and flavorful! We even ate the fried tortilla bowl it came in. The side salsa that came with the dish was not that good. Dessert- churros with a guava sauce I want to start by saying you can definitely tell these are homemade! Thats very impressive!! But I wasn’t blown away with the filling inside the churro or the guava sauce. I would have loved something like vanilla ice cream, Caramel or like a Mexican chocolate dipping sauce. Would 100% recommend this place and we do plan to come back!!

You need to come and try this place!! You can tell every dish that comes out is well thought out. The service here is amazing. Our waitress was so sweet!! While we were waiting for our food to come out she gave us fideo(soup) to tide us over. We ordered: Drinks- media naranja, subeté and the guava agua fresca. Oh my god!! Sooooo good!! Just the right amount of sweetness and alcohol. Flavors were very well balanced. Perfect! Appetizer- Gordita chicharron. This thing was on another level!! It was like a Mexican version of a pizza pocket but so much better! And the side of chile was amazing! 1st Main dish- Chicken verde enchiladas. Their homemade tortillas adds such a good flavor and texture. The sauce is slightly tangy but still really good! The rice was very nice as well. I do wish the dish came with beans. 2nd main dish- Arrachera ( skirt steak, chorizo, cactus and black beans) The skirt steak was pretty tender. It would have been a lot better if they added more salt. The chorizo looked more like a sausage. It tasted good but I was expecting the Mexican style chorizo. It was more similar to Spanish style. The beans were very good and flavorful! We even ate the fried tortilla bowl it came in. The side salsa that came with the dish was not that good. Dessert- churros with a guava sauce I want to start by saying you can definitely tell these are homemade! Thats very impressive!! But I wasn’t blown away with the filling inside the churro or the guava sauce. I would have loved something like vanilla ice cream, Caramel or like a Mexican chocolate dipping sauce. Would 100% recommend this place and we do plan to come back!!

+2

A unique menu featuring dishes you won't find in many Mexican restaurants. Food is delicious, though chese in my Chili Relleno was not melty at all. I'm not sure if that was intentional, but I wouldn't order it again because of that. We also ordered the pozole and the enchiladas, which were fantastic. Full bar with a good choice of tequilas.

Marianne

A unique menu featuring dishes you won't find in many Mexican restaurants. Food is delicious, though chese in my Chili Relleno was not melty at all. I'm not sure if that was intentional, but I wouldn't order it again because of that. We also ordered the pozole and the enchiladas, which were fantastic. Full bar with a good choice of tequilas.

TLDR; it was an “ok” meal. La Fonda is a beautiful two-floor restaurant with a bar and regular dining plus an upper terrace of additional tables next to a stunning mural. We had the pleasure of having most of the second floor seating to ourselves. Service is generally slow, but we were enjoying our visit with friends so we weren’t bothered so much. Food was generally good - not super flavorful but good portions and vibrant. We go the guacamole which came with tortilla chips and pork rinds which was a nice touch. The guac was sizable but not nearly enough chips (which were old/stale). For entrees we got the enchiladas verdes (three large pieces and a cone of rice), huarache (plate-sized, bean filled tortilla with tiny chunks of steak), and the pork and grilled pineapple special. We ended the meal with churros (three, with a sugary dipping sauce). The staff was nice but didn’t check often enough (we weren’t able to order a second round).

+5

Very small portions! more like appetizers than a main dish, and quite expensive. The service was friendly, but the wait was about 30 minutes for what ended up being a mini-sized plate. The food itself was delicious. I ordered the gorditas, and they were probably the best I’ve had, but they were tiny. I paid $18 for two mini gorditas and a small container of soup that was only filled halfway. For a to-go order, they didn’t include napkins or utensils. Also, several items on the menu were unavailable when I tried to order. If you’re hungry, be prepared to order more than one dish and spend over $50 per person.

Barry Louie

Walked in for lunch recently, was immediately acknowledged and politely asked to wait while the table was wiped. Very attentive server, just one woman. Atmosphere/Interior is nice and decorative. TVs were off which was nice. Good 1st impression. Paper menus are heavily soiled, though. I wish I had brought rubber gloves. Please throw these gross menus away! Bad 2nd impression. Ordered a Mexican IPA $9 and the fish taco lunch $16 which comes with a small soup and side salad. I tried to order the mahi mahi ceviche, but they were out of it. Small pieces of lettuce very difficult to eat with a fork, so I used the fork to shovel greens into my spoon. Server brought my beer together with my food about 10 minutes after I placed the order. She forgot to bring my soup, too (soup is usually served first in my experience), so I had to remind her - “this lunch comes with soup, doesn’t it?” - after nearly finishing my 2 fish tacos, which were ordinary, not outstanding in terms of either taste or volume. The fish has a light batter and is fried. I was still hungry, so I ordered the mini crispy gorditas $14 filled with chiccharon. These were specifically mentioned in the article I read. After tax and 15% tip, my bill was over $50…. for lunch!! Oh, I forgot to mention that my server originally billed me for TWO beers which would have brought my subtotal to $48, but I looked at the handheld screen and said, “excuse me, but you only served me one beer!” How could the server make such a silly mistake? She removed the extra beer. No apology for forgetting my soup nor for trying to charge me for a beer I did not drink. Mind you, she’s the one who poured my beer. I found this place on SF Eater’s list of 25 top places to eat in the Peninsula and saw the high Google ratings, so I was looking forward to it, but alas, disappointed AGAIN by the opinions and 5-star ratings of so-called foodies and food critics. Ho hum. Overpriced and underwhelmed. Cute plates and dining area, though! I’ll stick to the taquerias frequented by Mexicans. Not a single Mexican person in this place except for the staff. That says something! FOOD - 3 stars SERVICE - 3 stars ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars Overall 3 stars. Just ordinary nothing even close to 4.6 stars. Update: Printed Menu says $14 for Gorditas de Chicharrron, but my receipt says $15. Dropped from 3 stars to 2 stars for discrepancy and overcharge. Not worth driving to Redwood City for a refund.

Walked in for lunch recently, was immediately acknowledged and politely asked to wait while the table was wiped. Very attentive server, just one woman. Atmosphere/Interior is nice and decorative. TVs were off which was nice. Good 1st impression. Paper menus are heavily soiled, though. I wish I had brought rubber gloves. Please throw these gross menus away! Bad 2nd impression. Ordered a Mexican IPA $9 and the fish taco lunch $16 which comes with a small soup and side salad. I tried to order the mahi mahi ceviche, but they were out of it. Small pieces of lettuce very difficult to eat with a fork, so I used the fork to shovel greens into my spoon. Server brought my beer together with my food about 10 minutes after I placed the order. She forgot to bring my soup, too (soup is usually served first in my experience), so I had to remind her - “this lunch comes with soup, doesn’t it?” - after nearly finishing my 2 fish tacos, which were ordinary, not outstanding in terms of either taste or volume. The fish has a light batter and is fried. I was still hungry, so I ordered the mini crispy gorditas $14 filled with chiccharon. These were specifically mentioned in the article I read. After tax and 15% tip, my bill was over $50…. for lunch!! Oh, I forgot to mention that my server originally billed me for TWO beers which would have brought my subtotal to $48, but I looked at the handheld screen and said, “excuse me, but you only served me one beer!” How could the server make such a silly mistake? She removed the extra beer. No apology for forgetting my soup nor for trying to charge me for a beer I did not drink. Mind you, she’s the one who poured my beer. I found this place on SF Eater’s list of 25 top places to eat in the Peninsula and saw the high Google ratings, so I was looking forward to it, but alas, disappointed AGAIN by the opinions and 5-star ratings of so-called foodies and food critics. Ho hum. Overpriced and underwhelmed. Cute plates and dining area, though! I’ll stick to the taquerias frequented by Mexicans. Not a single Mexican person in this place except for the staff. That says something! FOOD - 3 stars SERVICE - 3 stars ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars Overall 3 stars. Just ordinary nothing even close to 4.6 stars. Update: Printed Menu says $14 for Gorditas de Chicharrron, but my receipt says $15. Dropped from 3 stars to 2 stars for discrepancy and overcharge. Not worth driving to Redwood City for a refund.

+6