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✔️Breakfast ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out
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Hours
| Saturday | 12–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Monday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 12169 Woodside Ave, Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: (619) 561-8106
Website: http://www.lapalapalakeside.com/
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La Palapa Mexican Restaurant & Cocktails
Serving authentic Mexican food & our famous margaritas to East County since 1983!
La Palapa Mexican Restaurant & Cocktails | Lakeside CA – Facebook
La Palapa Mexican Restaurant & Cocktails, Lakeside. 2757 likes · 152 talking about this · 13693 were here. A Lakeside tradition since 1983!
La Palapa Mexican Restaurant & Cocktails | Lakeside CA – Facebook
La Palapa Mexican Restaurant & Cocktails, Lakeside. 2747 likes · 50 talking about this · 13677 were here. A Lakeside tradition since 1983!
Reviews
Brandy Lewis
We have been going here for YEARS! We just got our order to go! They forgot my tacos we didn’t even call back bc they didn’t charge us. But the rice and beans were gross they tasted old the rice was hard! The enchiladas sauce was disgusting! Everything tasted reheated! We are officially done 🙁
… moreRaul Sandelin
Used to eat here in the early 90s when it first opened, then moved away. Tried it a few times recently. And the memories came flooding back. OG cantina vibe. Good food. Stiff drinks. What more can you ask for? Great service? The hostess Sherrie is a treasure. The wait staff is super friendly and efficient. Highly recommend!!!
… moreDylan Sandelin
Comforting, old-school Mexican restaurant with an AMAZING bar! Food is great, staff super friendly. Kinda dark inside but I love the retro feel. Amazing service with chips, salsa, and carrots. Great carrots too! Bar made me one of the best drinks I’ve had from an establishment. So great!
A staple of the East County!
… moreA staple of the East County!
Ken
Extremely disappointed and honestly shocked at the 4.6 star review
We ordered from here specifically because of the high Google reviews, but this was a terrible first impression from start to finish.
First, when picking up, the place itself felt old and musty, with carpet that smelled bad. The food matched the environment.
The food was poorly prepared and lacked flavor. The enchiladas were flooded with sauce, making the chimichanga that came with it soggy. The meat in the chimichanga was bland and unseasoned. The rice looked old and dull, not vibrant red like authentic Mexican rice and the beans had absolutely no taste. We were also served old radishes on the side. I didn’t even eat my plate.
When I called to request a refund, I offered to send pictures of the food but instead the employee took my card information and said her boss would process the refund. Minutes later, she called back with saying the owner wanted us to bring the food back to receive partial refund.
Mind you we ordered TWO PLATES for two people only from a busy business. Asking us to drive back with food that was bad after saying the boss would refund us is unreasonable. Now it felt like we were being questioned. No apology, no accountability, and no effort to make things right.
Poor food quality, poor customer service, and a VERY misleading rating. Save yourself the disappointment and go to a real authentic Mexican restaurant were they take pride in what they serve you.
… moreWe ordered from here specifically because of the high Google reviews, but this was a terrible first impression from start to finish.
First, when picking up, the place itself felt old and musty, with carpet that smelled bad. The food matched the environment.
The food was poorly prepared and lacked flavor. The enchiladas were flooded with sauce, making the chimichanga that came with it soggy. The meat in the chimichanga was bland and unseasoned. The rice looked old and dull, not vibrant red like authentic Mexican rice and the beans had absolutely no taste. We were also served old radishes on the side. I didn’t even eat my plate.
When I called to request a refund, I offered to send pictures of the food but instead the employee took my card information and said her boss would process the refund. Minutes later, she called back with saying the owner wanted us to bring the food back to receive partial refund.
Mind you we ordered TWO PLATES for two people only from a busy business. Asking us to drive back with food that was bad after saying the boss would refund us is unreasonable. Now it felt like we were being questioned. No apology, no accountability, and no effort to make things right.
Poor food quality, poor customer service, and a VERY misleading rating. Save yourself the disappointment and go to a real authentic Mexican restaurant were they take pride in what they serve you.
Jason Van Camp
Disclosure: My wife’s family owned this restaurant for decades, but sold it to some friends a few years ago. I had never met any of the current owners before this visit.
Our primary objective in the San Diego area was for my wife to give me the tour of her hometown highlights: her high school, her house growing up and, of course, the restaurant (formerly) owned by her parents. We had a pretty tight schedule, so we weren’t able to stay long, but she wanted to make sure we stopped in to meet the staff that had worked there since her childhood, as well as sample the cocktails for which La Palapa has become famous.
Due to our “familial proximity” to the ownership, I am not going to blather on and on about how awesome our margaritas and side dishes were; there are other reviews here that do them enough justice. What I will say is that they were excellent, as good as reported, and the staff were warm, friendly and gracious. Perhaps my experience as the pseudo-son-in-law played into it, but I was also able to observe, with the disconnected gaze of a seasoned reviewer, that all the other customers in the restaurant were treated with the same level of care, quality and familiarity as we were; it seemed obvious that many of the patrons here were regulars, this being among their favorite local haunts. After having a margarita here, I understand why.
Lakeside may be a bit out of the way for the average San Diego tourist, but if anything is going to draw you away from the bustle of the metropolis, to a sleepy suburb, the cocktails and companionship here at La Palapa could do it. Great local place, filled with warm, wonderful people, some of whom have worked here since my wife was a child. *That* says more about this place than any review I could ever publish.
… moreOur primary objective in the San Diego area was for my wife to give me the tour of her hometown highlights: her high school, her house growing up and, of course, the restaurant (formerly) owned by her parents. We had a pretty tight schedule, so we weren’t able to stay long, but she wanted to make sure we stopped in to meet the staff that had worked there since her childhood, as well as sample the cocktails for which La Palapa has become famous.
Due to our “familial proximity” to the ownership, I am not going to blather on and on about how awesome our margaritas and side dishes were; there are other reviews here that do them enough justice. What I will say is that they were excellent, as good as reported, and the staff were warm, friendly and gracious. Perhaps my experience as the pseudo-son-in-law played into it, but I was also able to observe, with the disconnected gaze of a seasoned reviewer, that all the other customers in the restaurant were treated with the same level of care, quality and familiarity as we were; it seemed obvious that many of the patrons here were regulars, this being among their favorite local haunts. After having a margarita here, I understand why.
Lakeside may be a bit out of the way for the average San Diego tourist, but if anything is going to draw you away from the bustle of the metropolis, to a sleepy suburb, the cocktails and companionship here at La Palapa could do it. Great local place, filled with warm, wonderful people, some of whom have worked here since my wife was a child. *That* says more about this place than any review I could ever publish.
Judi Jenkins
It’s nice to eat somewhere a little nicer than a taco shop. Chips, salsa, and carrots on the table. The food tastes like my mother-in-law made it!! Delicious!! Large portions right around $22 with soft drink and tip. Full bar if you imbibe
… moreJ’oni Smith
Great service, very friendly. I have never had rice and bean soup topped with cabbage. Vegitarian and so delicious. Strawberry margarita delicious and the flour tortillas flautas were yummy.
… moreJoseph Yarrington
Worst Mexican food around. Perfect for the gringo taste buds. My wife ordered a skinny margarita and the bartender brought Sprite & tequila. The kitchen door was open and we watched them microwave our food. Do not waste your money here. Go get Mexican food where they take pride in their craft.
… moreNick Tran
The level of service as well as the love the staff put in the food is outstanding.
The dishes below speak for themselves. When i’m in Lakeview CA i’m headed to La Palapa!
… moreThe dishes below speak for themselves. When i’m in Lakeview CA i’m headed to La Palapa!
Dustin Lucas
Fast service and comfortable atmosphere. Total time from being seated to getting our check was under an hour. Everyone ordered something completely different, and it was all out to us promptly. This is the perfect place to grab a very tasty lunch!
… more