El Comal

Shauna McIntyre

Inventive, high-quality, and truly excellent Mexican food. Friendly staff and a lovely setting. Highly recommended for a relaxing lunch or fun night out!

The food was delicious, with that homemade touch and authentic Mexican flavor. Honestly, it was really good—I highly recommend it.

El Comal delivers outstanding Mexican fare with exceptional service from David and his crew. They welcomed us warmly, checked in attentively, and made every moment feel personal and efficient. The carnitas stole the show—tender, slow-cooked pork with crispy edges, bursting with savory citrus flavors, served with fresh tortillas and zesty salsa. Paired with hearty sides, it was unforgettable. End with the coconut flan: silky, coconut-infused custard topped with caramel and toasted flakes—light, indulgent perfection. A vibrant spot with great value. Five stars—highly recommend!

We were in Los Altos and stopped in here. Super delicious and unique dishes. One of the owners stopped by to talk about where many of the dishes originated. Very attentive service and fun atmosphere. Highly recommend if you like Mexican food but want a more authentic, slightly elevated experience.

thrilled to have a higher end, healthy and delicious Mexican restaurant in downtown Los Altos. We had the ceviche, guacamole, and burrito bowls, which were all extends. Some of us had shrimp and some of us had chicken and they were all very flavorful. It was so good. We came back the next day.

Great atmosphere, good food. The place looks excellent and clean. Service was quick, and the whole experience was first-rate. If you're ordering tacos, get the Taco Gobernador, I order it every time. I'm definitely coming back.

This restaurant delivers the perfect balance between traditional Mexican home style cooking and a high end dining experience. Every dish was outstanding the beef and chicken fajitas were tender and flavorful, the pozole was rich and comforting, the quesabirrias were crispy, cheesy perfection, and the tacos gobernador (shrimp, cheese, peppers goodness 🤤) were absolutely next level. One detail I’d highlight is that chips and salsa are not automatically served yet they’re still available if you want them. This intentional choice keeps the experience rooted in authentic Mexican dining, where the focus is on the main dishes, while also elevating the vibe by moving away from the typical “default appetizer” most local Mexican restaurants rely on. It feels thoughtful, refined, and culturally accurate. The ambiance is just as impressive. Classic copper Comales and custom Aztec copper pipe engravings crafted by the owners/contractors themselves, give the space character, warmth, and a powerful connection to heritage. What made it even better was the family atmosphere and incredible hospitality from both the owners and staff. This meal genuinely felt like being transported back to my hometown in Mexico with the added bonus of a polished, classy dining experience. An absolute gem that Los Altos desperately needs, Authentic, elevated, unforgettable. Highly recommend.

We ate here last week and loved it so much we went back last night. We have tried many of the dishes they offer and all of them have been authentic and delicious. My husband can’t stop talking about how delicious the mole sauce is. The owner and his mother who created the mole sauce stopped by our table for a quick introduction. Lovely people. I would highly recommend giving this noce little restaurant a try.

Jordan Lopez

The food was delicious, with that homemade touch and authentic Mexican flavor. Honestly, it was really good—I highly recommend it.

Steve Lopez

Hands down one of the best places I’ve been to in a long time. Their molé is fire!! 100% recommend to try this place if you haven’t yet

Edwin H. Mora

This restaurant delivers the perfect balance between traditional Mexican home style cooking and a high end dining experience. Every dish was outstanding the beef and chicken fajitas were tender and flavorful, the pozole was rich and comforting, the quesabirrias were crispy, cheesy perfection, and the tacos gobernador (shrimp, cheese, peppers goodness 🤤) were absolutely next level. One detail I’d highlight is that chips and salsa are not automatically served yet they’re still available if you want them. This intentional choice keeps the experience rooted in authentic Mexican dining, where the focus is on the main dishes, while also elevating the vibe by moving away from the typical “default appetizer” most local Mexican restaurants rely on. It feels thoughtful, refined, and culturally accurate. The ambiance is just as impressive. Classic copper Comales and custom Aztec copper pipe engravings crafted by the owners/contractors themselves, give the space character, warmth, and a powerful connection to heritage. What made it even better was the family atmosphere and incredible hospitality from both the owners and staff. This meal genuinely felt like being transported back to my hometown in Mexico with the added bonus of a polished, classy dining experience. An absolute gem that Los Altos desperately needs, Authentic, elevated, unforgettable. Highly recommend.

Stephanie Belier

We ate here last week and loved it so much we went back last night. We have tried many of the dishes they offer and all of them have been authentic and delicious. My husband can’t stop talking about how delicious the mole sauce is. The owner and his mother who created the mole sauce stopped by our table for a quick introduction. Lovely people. I would highly recommend giving this noce little restaurant a try.

Seth Northrop

We were in Los Altos and stopped in here. Super delicious and unique dishes. One of the owners stopped by to talk about where many of the dishes originated. Very attentive service and fun atmosphere. Highly recommend if you like Mexican food but want a more authentic, slightly elevated experience.

Jane Bessin

thrilled to have a higher end, healthy and delicious Mexican restaurant in downtown Los Altos. We had the ceviche, guacamole, and burrito bowls, which were all extends. Some of us had shrimp and some of us had chicken and they were all very flavorful. It was so good. We came back the next day.

Uriel Cervantes

El Comal delivers outstanding Mexican fare with exceptional service from David and his crew. They welcomed us warmly, checked in attentively, and made every moment feel personal and efficient. The carnitas stole the show—tender, slow-cooked pork with crispy edges, bursting with savory citrus flavors, served with fresh tortillas and zesty salsa. Paired with hearty sides, it was unforgettable. End with the coconut flan: silky, coconut-infused custard topped with caramel and toasted flakes—light, indulgent perfection. A vibrant spot with great value. Five stars—highly recommend!

Mike Graves

Great atmosphere, good food. The place looks excellent and clean. Service was quick, and the whole experience was first-rate. If you're ordering tacos, get the Taco Gobernador, I order it every time. I'm definitely coming back.

My shrimp taco was delicious. But I can’t say the same for the chicken and beef fajitas. The meat was very rubbery and very bland. The seasoning was missing and we didn’t enjoy the fajitas. Also surprising that it didn’t come any salsas or dips.

Visited on a weekday for lunch. Chips & salsa arrived quickly. The red and green chips shocked me but the salsa was delightful. We ordered the pulled pork (generous portion and delicious) - 5 stars and the veggie fajitas. Unfortunately the veggies in the fajitas were not the asparagus, broccolini, mushrooms, etc. as described in the menu but squash, bell pepper and onion. I remarked on this to our friendly and kind server and they allowed me to change my order to a veggie chile relleno - 4 stars. I knocked a star off the atmosphere score because the chairs have these metal bars on the sides that make it difficult to sit against the back support unless you are a size 4 (or have smallish hips).

Smitha K

My shrimp taco was delicious. But I can’t say the same for the chicken and beef fajitas. The meat was very rubbery and very bland. The seasoning was missing and we didn’t enjoy the fajitas. Also surprising that it didn’t come any salsas or dips.

Nina V

Visited on a weekday for lunch. Chips & salsa arrived quickly. The red and green chips shocked me but the salsa was delightful. We ordered the pulled pork (generous portion and delicious) - 5 stars and the veggie fajitas. Unfortunately the veggies in the fajitas were not the asparagus, broccolini, mushrooms, etc. as described in the menu but squash, bell pepper and onion. I remarked on this to our friendly and kind server and they allowed me to change my order to a veggie chile relleno - 4 stars. I knocked a star off the atmosphere score because the chairs have these metal bars on the sides that make it difficult to sit against the back support unless you are a size 4 (or have smallish hips).

I thought the food at El Comal was okay. We have been to several Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area and I like the ones in East Palo Alto a little better. This restaurant was good though. The selection of items was limited

Combat Fisher

I thought the food at El Comal was okay. We have been to several Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area and I like the ones in East Palo Alto a little better. This restaurant was good though. The selection of items was limited

Very good outdoor dining atmosphere. Food is so so: too spicy and oily for my taste. The only Mexican restaurant I ate at that served cold chips and paid $14 for the chips!

RK Sum

Very good outdoor dining atmosphere. Food is so so: too spicy and oily for my taste. The only Mexican restaurant I ate at that served cold chips and paid $14 for the chips!

Updated review 12/30/25: For the last dinner of my visitors from out of the country, I decided to take them to El Comal in Los Altos. My partner and I had a great experience back when they first opened in early 2025. I was one of the first diners to review them and enthusiastically recommended El Comal to quite a few friends and work colleagues this past year. Things got off to a bit of a strange start when our reserved table for five was not prepared in advance unlike the two seat table by the window which already had a reserved sign on it, ready for a couple that arrived 10-15 minutes after my party. They dragged over a 2 top and a couple chairs to complete our table. Once seated, we noticed right away that the menu had changed significantly. The beet salad that was the main dish my partner wanted to order...gone from the menu. The Sopa Azteca that I was looking forward to...also gone, and the "Soup of the Day" listed on the menu was not available at all. The light and airy tricolored tortilla chips were also gone, with denser and less crispy chips in their place. Even the mashed avocados in the guacamole had a slightly darker greyish color rather than the bright green you'd see in a fresh guacamole. My partner asked for a salad with no onions or cucumbers. Unexpectedly, the waitress quickly brought out a salad that had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and onions. With no Sopa Azteca available, I ordered Enchiladas with Roja sauce. I was really puzzled when what was served was a cooled dish of Enmoladas topped with Mole sauce. Now I may not be Latino, but I know there's a huge difference between a roja sauce and a complex mole sauce. At first, I thought they may have misheard me when I ordered enchiladas. So when the waiter, who I believe is also one of the owners, tried to explain to me that they were similar and that they substituted enmoladas because they ran out of enchiladas, I had a few thoughts that I kept to myself. To his credit he offered to take the enmoladas back and let me order something else. But I very rarely send fully-prepared dishes back to the kitchen because it is wasteful and I'm not the type to openly complain. But if they had run out of enchiladas, I would expect that most restaurants would send someone to let me know before preparing and serving a completely different dish. That way I would have been able to order something else instead of getting a fully cooked dish that I wouldn't have ordered. I also didn't want to cause a fuss in front of my visiting guests so I kept the enmoladas and ate them in disbelief. The waiter brought by another dish (Bocolitos, I believe) on the house as we were nearing the end of our meal, which was a kind gesture. But the whole experience was such a letdown compared to the previous visits that I felt the need to update my review to better reflect the current state of the restaurant. One can only speculate about what's happening behind the scenes but based on our experience last night, there's been a noticeable decline in the selection and quality of the dishes as well as the service. In all likelihood, we won't be returning to El Comal after this sad turn of events.

Danny K (DSKO)

Updated review 12/30/25: For the last dinner of my visitors from out of the country, I decided to take them to El Comal in Los Altos. My partner and I had a great experience back when they first opened in early 2025. I was one of the first diners to review them and enthusiastically recommended El Comal to quite a few friends and work colleagues this past year. Things got off to a bit of a strange start when our reserved table for five was not prepared in advance unlike the two seat table by the window which already had a reserved sign on it, ready for a couple that arrived 10-15 minutes after my party. They dragged over a 2 top and a couple chairs to complete our table. Once seated, we noticed right away that the menu had changed significantly. The beet salad that was the main dish my partner wanted to order...gone from the menu. The Sopa Azteca that I was looking forward to...also gone, and the "Soup of the Day" listed on the menu was not available at all. The light and airy tricolored tortilla chips were also gone, with denser and less crispy chips in their place. Even the mashed avocados in the guacamole had a slightly darker greyish color rather than the bright green you'd see in a fresh guacamole. My partner asked for a salad with no onions or cucumbers. Unexpectedly, the waitress quickly brought out a salad that had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and onions. With no Sopa Azteca available, I ordered Enchiladas with Roja sauce. I was really puzzled when what was served was a cooled dish of Enmoladas topped with Mole sauce. Now I may not be Latino, but I know there's a huge difference between a roja sauce and a complex mole sauce. At first, I thought they may have misheard me when I ordered enchiladas. So when the waiter, who I believe is also one of the owners, tried to explain to me that they were similar and that they substituted enmoladas because they ran out of enchiladas, I had a few thoughts that I kept to myself. To his credit he offered to take the enmoladas back and let me order something else. But I very rarely send fully-prepared dishes back to the kitchen because it is wasteful and I'm not the type to openly complain. But if they had run out of enchiladas, I would expect that most restaurants would send someone to let me know before preparing and serving a completely different dish. That way I would have been able to order something else instead of getting a fully cooked dish that I wouldn't have ordered. I also didn't want to cause a fuss in front of my visiting guests so I kept the enmoladas and ate them in disbelief. The waiter brought by another dish (Bocolitos, I believe) on the house as we were nearing the end of our meal, which was a kind gesture. But the whole experience was such a letdown compared to the previous visits that I felt the need to update my review to better reflect the current state of the restaurant. One can only speculate about what's happening behind the scenes but based on our experience last night, there's been a noticeable decline in the selection and quality of the dishes as well as the service. In all likelihood, we won't be returning to El Comal after this sad turn of events.

Cute restaurant. It was empty when my husband and I arrived at around 6pm during the week. The menu was not the same menu that was posted on Yelp -- the menu was much more limited. My enmolada dish was lukewarm. My husband's dish was very cheesy and small. No chips, no salsa, no drinks ordered -- small, lukewarm, mediocre dishes and the bill was over $70. I've lived in Los Altos for over 20 years and I think this is the worst Los Altos restaurant I've ever dined at. Disappointing.

Terrible food - got the fajitas and they were NOT good and lacked flavor. Also tried the octopus and was very chewy. Margaritas were like out of a can. The mariachi band was just a little too much and took away from the atmosphere rather than adding to it. Overall, would NOT recommend.

Pritica Hogg

Terrible food - got the fajitas and they were NOT good and lacked flavor. Also tried the octopus and was very chewy. Margaritas were like out of a can. The mariachi band was just a little too much and took away from the atmosphere rather than adding to it. Overall, would NOT recommend.

Phyllis Yamasaki

Cute restaurant. It was empty when my husband and I arrived at around 6pm during the week. The menu was not the same menu that was posted on Yelp -- the menu was much more limited. My enmolada dish was lukewarm. My husband's dish was very cheesy and small. No chips, no salsa, no drinks ordered -- small, lukewarm, mediocre dishes and the bill was over $70. I've lived in Los Altos for over 20 years and I think this is the worst Los Altos restaurant I've ever dined at. Disappointing.