Balvina's Mexican Kitchen

This place is probably the best Mexican food I’ve had in OC! The food is delicious, the staff are so friendly… their margaritas are very flavourful .. 10 out of 10 !! Recommend

This is a family-owned restaurant that truly embodies a warm, homey atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted with cozy decor and friendly smiles from the staff, making you feel like part of the family. The menu features a variety of delicious dishes, but my personal favorite is their fresh vegetable stew. It’s made with a medley of seasonal veggies, simmered to perfection, and served steaming hot. Overall, it's a fantastic place to enjoy a hearty meal in a welcoming environment.

Ashley Willett

Our food and service were equally above par and expectation. We loved the ambiance and location of this restaurant as well. Highly recommend.

Sean Tabler

Who needs Javier’s when you have Balvina’s. This place is way too underrated. High quality food and service without any pretentiousness. Plus they serve authentic dishes from Puebla Mexico you can find anywhere else.

Ana S

This place is probably the best Mexican food I’ve had in OC! The food is delicious, the staff are so friendly… their margaritas are very flavourful .. 10 out of 10 !! Recommend

Ent-inc

This is a family-owned restaurant that truly embodies a warm, homey atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted with cozy decor and friendly smiles from the staff, making you feel like part of the family. The menu features a variety of delicious dishes, but my personal favorite is their fresh vegetable stew. It’s made with a medley of seasonal veggies, simmered to perfection, and served steaming hot. Overall, it's a fantastic place to enjoy a hearty meal in a welcoming environment.

Alan Smallbone

Great food. We had the machaca con huevos and an Azteca combination plate. Both were excellent. Our server was knowledgeable and very nice. Service was excellent. Definitely will be back to try some of the other delicious choices. Portions were decent and nice presentation. Prices were decent. Mole sauce was excellent. Give it a try you will not be disappointed.

Joe Pequet

My dad brought me to Balvina's for breakfast, I was very impressed. This little restaurant serves some really awesome food, the presentation was amazing, great ingredients, made with care. The service was great as well. I had the huevos rancheros, I loved their version of the dish! Also my dad got the huevos con machaca and that was amazing as well! The whole experience was excellent. I will be making this spot a weekly breakfast spot for myself, and I would recommend to anybody!!!

gabriella cullum

Great ambiance, great service, clean restaurant and restrooms. They serve Mexican bottled sodas, and the tamarin margarita was delicious. The appetizer was Queso Fundido served with either corn or flour tortillas. It was flavorful! Dinner was their famous chicken mole... The flavors of this rich sauce were superb!!! Will definitely be eating there again!!!

Oscar Garcia

Balvina's Mexican Kitchen is a delightful culinary haven! With a fantastic atmosphere and homemade authentic Mexican fare, it's a must-visit. The vibrant ambiance sets the stage for a memorable dining experience, while the flavorful dishes, like their Tierra Maya and homemade Flan, transport you straight to Mexico. A fiesta for your taste buds!

Ev Stanton

Every once in a while you run into a beautiful place, a secret garden of delights that enraptures all of your senses. Balvina's Mexican Kitchen is one of those magical restaurants that is truly a delight on absolutely every, single level. I devoured every bite of the fantastic lamb that I was served. It was accompanied by a terrific sangria and red wine. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a wonderful place for any meal. The chefs are amazing and the owner is a genuinely delightful man. It is a place that should not remain a secret. Go. Enjoy.

Jackie Saravia Aguirre

Wow! Incredible! The food, service, and ambience are superb! We ordered the Queso Fundido (first time trying it), Mole Poblano, and Pozole Verde with a nice glass of Baya Baya… We were beyond satisfied! We will definitely come again as I will try everything on the menu.

Kaushal Desai

Mole Enchiladas are really good here.

Robert Vandygrift

What a real surprise. We got here at 5PM, restaurant was dark as we walked up to door Owner turns on lights and unlocked doors. Food was excellent 👌 😋 we will be back to try more item. We started with Queso Fundido the Wife had Enchilada Suizas I had the Combinacion Balvina's both meals we found to be excellent 👌 the real cool thing tonight no one else was there until 5:30. I'm guessing this place is jumping later.

Here’s a polished example you could use or adapt for your review: --- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This restaurant is truly a gem! It’s not your typical taco-and-burrito spot—instead, it offers an elevated take on Mexican cuisine that highlights the richness and diversity of the country’s culinary traditions. Every dish we tried was beautifully presented and bursting with authentic flavor, from the appetizers to the mains. The menu goes beyond the classics, featuring creative specialties that show real artistry in the kitchen. Their wine selection pairs perfectly with the food, and the cocktails are just as impressive—balanced, refreshing, and thoughtfully crafted. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with attentive service that makes the whole dining experience even better. If you’re looking for a place that celebrates Mexican food in a sophisticated and modern way, while still keeping its soul, this is it. Highly recommended!

An absolutely hidden gem. Excellent, authentic Mexican food. We tried the shrimp ceviche, mole poblano and the combinacion Azteca, and flan for dessert. Everything was amazing. The mole was so flavorful. The flan was delicious! We also tried three different margaritas. They were all great! My favorite was probably tamarindo. Highly recommend this place.

CP

An absolutely hidden gem. Excellent, authentic Mexican food. We tried the shrimp ceviche, mole poblano and the combinacion Azteca, and flan for dessert. Everything was amazing. The mole was so flavorful. The flan was delicious! We also tried three different margaritas. They were all great! My favorite was probably tamarindo. Highly recommend this place.

Ernesto

Here’s a polished example you could use or adapt for your review: --- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This restaurant is truly a gem! It’s not your typical taco-and-burrito spot—instead, it offers an elevated take on Mexican cuisine that highlights the richness and diversity of the country’s culinary traditions. Every dish we tried was beautifully presented and bursting with authentic flavor, from the appetizers to the mains. The menu goes beyond the classics, featuring creative specialties that show real artistry in the kitchen. Their wine selection pairs perfectly with the food, and the cocktails are just as impressive—balanced, refreshing, and thoughtfully crafted. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with attentive service that makes the whole dining experience even better. If you’re looking for a place that celebrates Mexican food in a sophisticated and modern way, while still keeping its soul, this is it. Highly recommended!

I have to say I expected more... a lot more. First, the service was not good. Way too slow and long wait sitting at the table. This was fine Mexican dining served like a little French cafe. Portions were quite small. The food overall was pretty good. But definitely not deserving of the price, especially for the slow service. We had 2 lunch plates... small portions, and one appetizer (a queso dip that was so hard we had to use a knife to cut it) and two iced teas... $80 with tip. Food served with 2 or 3 small tortillas. Waited almost 15 minutes to get more. Asked for chips, was brought a small basket with about a cup of chips. Asked for a hot sauce or salsa to go with this designer Mexican food and was handed a ¾ empty bottle of tapatio. The cook was running out bussing tables. One waitress for the entire place. Sorry, I don't be coming back. Nothing memorable about the experience.

Maurice Naragon

I have to say I expected more... a lot more. First, the service was not good. Way too slow and long wait sitting at the table. This was fine Mexican dining served like a little French cafe. Portions were quite small. The food overall was pretty good. But definitely not deserving of the price, especially for the slow service. We had 2 lunch plates... small portions, and one appetizer (a queso dip that was so hard we had to use a knife to cut it) and two iced teas... $80 with tip. Food served with 2 or 3 small tortillas. Waited almost 15 minutes to get more. Asked for chips, was brought a small basket with about a cup of chips. Asked for a hot sauce or salsa to go with this designer Mexican food and was handed a ¾ empty bottle of tapatio. The cook was running out bussing tables. One waitress for the entire place. Sorry, I don't be coming back. Nothing memorable about the experience.

Wow, was this a disappointment. My wife and I ordered the queso which was a skillet of melted cheese, a Margarita from a mix, tacos with tortillas from a bag (saw the cook pull them from the Mission bag), and a steak that was not seasoned. What topped this terrible meal off were the Costco rice and refried beans. Come on, make at least an effort to cook the beans! All for only $90. What a deal. Two stars because our waiter was great.

Robert Christiansen

Wow, was this a disappointment. My wife and I ordered the queso which was a skillet of melted cheese, a Margarita from a mix, tacos with tortillas from a bag (saw the cook pull them from the Mission bag), and a steak that was not seasoned. What topped this terrible meal off were the Costco rice and refried beans. Come on, make at least an effort to cook the beans! All for only $90. What a deal. Two stars because our waiter was great.

There were two other customers when I arrived at 1230 PM. We finished lunch and left at 2 PM. We were the only customers. Chips and salsa are available as an appetizer. The salsa was okay at best. We each ordered Pacific Halibut tacos. It came with rice and beans. The fish was fried but fresh. There was no sauce. Just fried fish and dry cabbage. With so many good Mexican restaurants competing in OC, this place needs to step up their game. Definitely not ready for Triple D. Maybe Restaurant Rescue?

The restaurant was closed. The signage and internet said the restaurant opened at 9:00 am. We waited till 9:15 and went across the parking lot to Woody's Dinner m. There we had great service and a wonderful breakfast. Obviously, the restaurant is either no longer in business or they are very poorly managed.

Shaun Hughes

There were two other customers when I arrived at 1230 PM. We finished lunch and left at 2 PM. We were the only customers. Chips and salsa are available as an appetizer. The salsa was okay at best. We each ordered Pacific Halibut tacos. It came with rice and beans. The fish was fried but fresh. There was no sauce. Just fried fish and dry cabbage. With so many good Mexican restaurants competing in OC, this place needs to step up their game. Definitely not ready for Triple D. Maybe Restaurant Rescue?

Tom Biss

The restaurant was closed. The signage and internet said the restaurant opened at 9:00 am. We waited till 9:15 and went across the parking lot to Woody's Dinner m. There we had great service and a wonderful breakfast. Obviously, the restaurant is either no longer in business or they are very poorly managed.

I dont know how this place has almost 5 stars. I got married and we made a reservation 3 weeks before our wedding for a friday morning and in our wedding day they had only 1 server and i believe 2 people in the kitchen. The server she took like 30 mins to take our order, we waited like 40 minutes to get our food and after we asked for the check. The server took like another 30 minutes to bring out the check and family brought us champagne to celebrate and they wanted to charge $25 dls for each bottle just to let us open it there at the restaurant. Never going back. Never recommend this place

I had high hopes for this place, but my husband and I left very disappointed. I ordered the chilaquiles and specifically asked about the spice level since I can’t tolerate spicy food. The server assured me they were mild, but when my dish arrived, it was extremely spicy and consisted mostly of soggy chips drenched in green salsa. My husband wasn’t pleased with his meal either. While our server was kind and attentive, the older woman assisting did not come across as welcoming or polite. My husband and I immediately noticed that she was much kinder and more attentive to English-speaking guests, yet her attitude toward Hispanic customers came across as short and unwelcoming and the crazy thing is she is hispanic herself! Our first and last time there! I’m honestly surprised anyone has compared this restaurant to Javier’s — it’s not even close.

daisy jimenez

I had high hopes for this place, but my husband and I left very disappointed. I ordered the chilaquiles and specifically asked about the spice level since I can’t tolerate spicy food. The server assured me they were mild, but when my dish arrived, it was extremely spicy and consisted mostly of soggy chips drenched in green salsa. My husband wasn’t pleased with his meal either. While our server was kind and attentive, the older woman assisting did not come across as welcoming or polite. My husband and I immediately noticed that she was much kinder and more attentive to English-speaking guests, yet her attitude toward Hispanic customers came across as short and unwelcoming and the crazy thing is she is hispanic herself! Our first and last time there! I’m honestly surprised anyone has compared this restaurant to Javier’s — it’s not even close.

BaBa YaGa

I dont know how this place has almost 5 stars. I got married and we made a reservation 3 weeks before our wedding for a friday morning and in our wedding day they had only 1 server and i believe 2 people in the kitchen. The server she took like 30 mins to take our order, we waited like 40 minutes to get our food and after we asked for the check. The server took like another 30 minutes to bring out the check and family brought us champagne to celebrate and they wanted to charge $25 dls for each bottle just to let us open it there at the restaurant. Never going back. Never recommend this place