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Located in Lake Forest, CA. We proudly serve the best authentic Mexican food and Margaritas in Orange County! La Cocina de Ricardo is dedicated to the family tradition of excellence that began with Grandma Juana in Mixtlán Jalisco, México. She was the main chef of her town and would prepare the food for small and large events, from parties to weddings, making every occasion memorable. This tradition of thoughtfully prepared recipes was passed to Mamacita Alicia, who brought all this knowledge to Southern California decades ago. We offer dine-in with a full bar, take-out, catering, and delivery through third-party services.
Festive Mexican eatery for jumbo platters, lunch combos & cocktails in a casual, colorful space.
Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Monday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 23532 El Toro Rd #11, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Phone: (949) 586-1477
Website: https://lacocinadericardo.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
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Related Web Results
La Cocina de Ricardo
The Best Authentic Mexican Food in Orange County. La Cocina de Ricardo. The Taste and Spirit of Mixtlán Jalisco, México in Beautiful Lake Forest, California …
La Cocina de Ricardo | Lake Forest CA – Facebook
La Cocina de Ricardo, Lake Forest. 479 likes · 3505 were here. Authentic Mexican Restaurant, Full Bar Service, and Excellent Margaritas! OPEN 7 DAYS •…
La Cocina De Ricardo – Lake Forest, CA on OpenTable
La Cocina de Ricardo is a family owned Mexican Restaurant. We have been in business for 12 years at this location. It all started with Grandma Juana in Mixtlan …
Reviews
SoCal Development
If you are looking for authentic Mexican food this is your place! They took quite away to prepare our order but for good reason. It came out so fresh, you can tell the tortilla is home made.
… moreS Sobhan
We have been to this restaurant numerous times over the last five years but probably at least six months since our last. The place was less than half full and we seated ourselves as indicated by the sign in the front. The ambiance is good as other times as I recall. One of the waiters came by promptly to see what we wanted to drink. She brought us some fresh chips and salsa which was good as always. However, I never recall the chips to be so flaky that they break when I tried to spoon salsa into it. They tasted good but the salsa was a little less spicy than I remember. I asked for an order of guacamole which took quite a bit of time to be served. However, it seemed to have been freshly made with a lot less salt and spicy as I was expecting in the past. I am okay with less salt but a little spice would have been nice either in the salsa or the guacamole. So, that was a bit disappointing.
We had to wait for a while to order the entrees as the waiter (switched from the waitress) did not show up what seemed to be a long time. The waiter did not take away the plates we used for the appetizers and I had to prompt them twice to do it. We ordered shrimp fajitas, a beef and a chicken enchilada and a combination plate of chicken enchilada and taco. The shrimp fajitas tasted fine but the waiter took a long pause before brining out the tortillas that went with it. The beef and chicken enchiladas were nice, warm and tasted well. However, the beef and chicken inside the enchiladas tasted way more dry than it should’ve been. The combination plate was nice and warm as well but the tortilla in it seemed to fall apart as picked it up.
We finished up ordering a flan that we shared. This turned out to be totally disappointing as it tasted way watered down. It was not what it should have tasted like.
Overall, my impression was that they must have changed the cook as the food was much inferior in quality as I remembered from my past trips. Starting from the appetizer to the entrees to the desert, all was a bit under par. The biggest disappointment, however, was the service; I don’t know what the issue was but the waiter was not doing the job. He made us unnecessarily wait at every step including when I was paying. I resorted to going to the front to pay!
I recall that I like this restaurant a lot but they really went down in food quality and service. Is that because there is new staff or owner; who knows. I may visit them again in four to six months again to check if things have improved. Stay tuned!
… moreWe had to wait for a while to order the entrees as the waiter (switched from the waitress) did not show up what seemed to be a long time. The waiter did not take away the plates we used for the appetizers and I had to prompt them twice to do it. We ordered shrimp fajitas, a beef and a chicken enchilada and a combination plate of chicken enchilada and taco. The shrimp fajitas tasted fine but the waiter took a long pause before brining out the tortillas that went with it. The beef and chicken enchiladas were nice, warm and tasted well. However, the beef and chicken inside the enchiladas tasted way more dry than it should’ve been. The combination plate was nice and warm as well but the tortilla in it seemed to fall apart as picked it up.
We finished up ordering a flan that we shared. This turned out to be totally disappointing as it tasted way watered down. It was not what it should have tasted like.
Overall, my impression was that they must have changed the cook as the food was much inferior in quality as I remembered from my past trips. Starting from the appetizer to the entrees to the desert, all was a bit under par. The biggest disappointment, however, was the service; I don’t know what the issue was but the waiter was not doing the job. He made us unnecessarily wait at every step including when I was paying. I resorted to going to the front to pay!
I recall that I like this restaurant a lot but they really went down in food quality and service. Is that because there is new staff or owner; who knows. I may visit them again in four to six months again to check if things have improved. Stay tuned!
Danielle Davies
This place is the bomb. It’s been here 20+ years and I can always come here for that authentic soul lightening Mexican food! I love the chicken taco salad, it’s my go to. The crispy tacos are really good and so are the soft tacos. Basically I’ve never had a bad meal here. Everything is delicious.
… moreSophie Tsai
I was craving ceviche when I stumbled upon this spot, and we decided to give it a try. We ordered the California Burrito and the Mixed Ceviche. The interior was warm and inviting—stepping inside felt like being transported to a small, local eatery in Mexico.
The menu is impressively extensive, with a wide range of classic Mexican dishes. We were welcomed with complimentary chips and salsa, which was delicious. My husband really enjoyed his California Burrito. The ceviche, on the other hand, was decent, but not particularly memorable.
Prices were a bit on the higher side compared to similar places, but overall, it was a pleasant dining experience with a cozy atmosphere.
… moreThe menu is impressively extensive, with a wide range of classic Mexican dishes. We were welcomed with complimentary chips and salsa, which was delicious. My husband really enjoyed his California Burrito. The ceviche, on the other hand, was decent, but not particularly memorable.
Prices were a bit on the higher side compared to similar places, but overall, it was a pleasant dining experience with a cozy atmosphere.
Ezra Bermudez
One of the absolute best Mexican joints in South OC. Mario and his staff are wonderful people, and the food is top shelf.
… moreMishel Ellis
This place is the real deal!! Wandered in whilst doing laundry next-door. I always try shredded beef tacos, beans/rice to ‘judge’ my Mexican food. Perfection
Family atmosphere, attentive servers. Tons of soup options. This is our new go-to for sure.
… moreFamily atmosphere, attentive servers. Tons of soup options. This is our new go-to for sure.
Colin Nakano
Perfect everything Food, Service, Atmosphere!
I travel around all over the US to try and find the best Chicken Enchiladas. La Cocina de Ricardo has made my top 5 places. 1st glance at the Enchiladas and was thinking to my self that the red sauce looked more like pasta sauce, but I’m not here to judge by appearance. So I dug in and was supper impressed how the sauce had the perfect flavor. The chicken inside was nice and moist also had the right about of flavor ☆☆☆☆☆ I will definitely be coming back here next time I pass by! Thank Y’all for the great food
… moreI travel around all over the US to try and find the best Chicken Enchiladas. La Cocina de Ricardo has made my top 5 places. 1st glance at the Enchiladas and was thinking to my self that the red sauce looked more like pasta sauce, but I’m not here to judge by appearance. So I dug in and was supper impressed how the sauce had the perfect flavor. The chicken inside was nice and moist also had the right about of flavor ☆☆☆☆☆ I will definitely be coming back here next time I pass by! Thank Y’all for the great food
Johnny Ortiz
Food was good. Hard shell taco was crunchy, just what I expected. Generous portions overall. Authentic food for sure. Chill atmosphere. I’d go back
… moreW chen
Nice selection of lunch specials, large portions for us. Margaritas are discounted during the day! Friendly staff.
… moreTerri Kramer
I found this place, again, after not being there for many years. They used to be at Trabuco n Los Alisos in Mission Viejo, CA. Years ago. I asked the lady if she would be able to build me a heart shaped taco platter for Valentine’s day. I showed her a picture, brought her the platter n by 6:30 Valentine’s evening, they presented me with a platter of street tacos filled with delicious assorted meats. They used limes , and salsa to create flowers for the center of the heart. Excellent team work, too.
… more