Palenque Kitchen by Mezcal, Costa Mesa

  4.4 – 429 reviews   • Mexican restaurant

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At Palenque Kitchen by Mezcal in Costa Mesa, we are a modern mexican restaurant serving bold flavors with a fresh twist. We offer elevated Mexican cuisine along with a full mezcal and tequila bar that makes every visit special. Guests join us for brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night dining in a fun and lively space. Our menu features tasty tacos, classic favorites, and new dishes made with care. We also bring music and entertainment to Costa Mesa, CA and nearby areas, so you can enjoy great food and good times all in one place.

✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery Palenque Kitchen by Mezcal, Costa Mesa 92627

Hours

Friday5 PM–12 AM
Saturday12 PM–12 AM
Sunday11 AM–9 PM
MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday5–10 PM
Thursday5–10 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 1749 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Phone: (949) 402-9951

Website: https://www.palenquekitchen.com/location/orange-county-copy/?utm_source=omg-gbp&utm_medium=webclick

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: palenquekitchen.comopentable.com

palenquekitchen.getbento.com

Photo Gallery

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Last Updates

Reviews

Ligia.
We came here to celebrate a friend’s birthday on a Saturday morning. They open at 11 and a few hours later, the place was still very empty (about 3-4 parties present out of the whole restaurant). I was surprised, since the ambiance is stylish and chic and the drinks are amazing!! Parking in front is a plus, also!

Food wise, unfortunately, my breakfast burrito was bland, and so were the rice and beans from my friend’s tacos. Another friend who is not into spicy food said her tacos were very spicy (so be careful when you order). My burrito came with green salsa on the side and it still was missing some flavor. Next time I come I will order my friend’s chilaquiles, which was very tasty and flavorful!!
Drinks are made in house and are perfect. Our waiter was really nice and the food didn’t take long to arrive. Great place to come for a date or a large celebration! Yes, they have brunch! The tres letches cake and the birthday dessert are worth it too.
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Vijay Mantha
I rarely write negative reviews, but this Valentine’s Day experience was unacceptable. We spent $300 and left feeling annoyed.

The Good: We sat at the bar, and our bartender was dope. He was the only highlight of the night, and the drinks were fantastic.

The Atmosphere: Despite the place being packed, there was zero vibe. It was eerily quiet, like a university library—a lot of people, but no noise.
The Food: For $90 a head, the “3-course meal” had fewer than 10 total options; it felt like an international flight menu. The kitchen completely forgot our order. After 45 minutes of watching others eat, we waited another 15 for a “lobster bisque” that was served cold and had almost zero lobster. I’m not exaggerating when I say a single basil leaf had more surface area than the lobster morsels in the dish. Even the bartender noticed and checked with the kitchen, only for the chef to claim it was “intended to be that way.” My steak arrived dry and overcooked, and there was only one choice for dessert—a basic cheesecake.

The Logistics: I stepped outside for some air and saw a line of people with reservations who still hadn’t been seated. I overheard several frustrated couples, including one pair who had been waiting for half an hour past their scheduled reservation time.

Final Verdict: Between the kitchen and the seating, the management was a complete mess. Save your money and go somewhere that actually values its customers. Spending $300 to leave feeling like an idiot is a joke
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Ashley Gallo
Christian was the best server I’ve ever had. He was attentive, always made sure our drinks were full, and took care of us even before we had to ask.
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Leticia M
I was there for New Year’s, everything was great,we had a prepaid dinner, until the bill arrived and the price was out of this world. pumpkin cream. Tri tip and salad .
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Omar Martinez
It was a great experience with delicious food. The service was top notch and the mezcal mix drinks very good.
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Reagan Poltrock
Our brunch experience was AMAZING!! You gotta get their tiered Patron margarita tower – it’s truly standout!

We were so impressed with the ambiance and service as well. Extremely attentive.

And the food lived up to the hype too. Steak chilaquiles and chicken enchiladas came out piping hot and full of flavor, and we ended our meal with the best tres leches cake my friend and I have ever had. We literally had to sit back and bask in the glory of that dish.

WE WILL 100% BE BACK!
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Phil P.
Enjoy a four course meal prepared by an incredible chef and pair it with some delicious mezcal. Trendy and beautiful restaurant. Spacious patio. Traditional and authentic Mexican food. Can’t go wrong!
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Lamiya Marks
0 stars, we had to wait in line even though we had a reservation and even people behind us who had a reservation before ours had to wait in line until they made it to the host stand. Very unorganized. The signature drink was disgusting and when my wife said something about it they looked at her as if she was crazy. The appetizer and soup were absolutely disgusting the soup was old. Having someone who was seated after you get served over and over again while you continue to wait is highly unprofessional. I asked the waiter after he was done serving another table if I can get the last two items to go, he said sarcasticly “nooo whyyy” I responded because the service is horrible he said okay and went and got the rest of our food but proceeded to have an attitude while asking us to pay “taxes” on a prepaid meal. Over all one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had I wouldn’t recommend this place to my worst enemy.
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smile smile
The food was good; however, for the price it was on the expensive side. The venue looks nice. The place had a DJ playing and it creates a good ambience. The 3 leches cake was a little different and tasty. The mandarin cake needed some kind of sauce it was too dry. The octopus was really good. The salmon was over cooked (on the burn side). The waitress was super nice and attentive. Bill for a party of 4 (3 main course, 2 entry, 4 alcoholic drinks, and 1 jamaica) w tip over $300 (mind you 2 people shared a meal) the guacamole side is way overpriced and it’s a super small portion.
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Lesley Munoz
I want to start by saying that the food was good — everything from the appetizers to the dessert was enjoyable. However, my rating is mostly based on the service, which was disappointing, especially given that our bill was around $900 with gratuity included.

Our server, Miguel, took quite a while to come by and take our order. Once we did order, it took an unusually long time for our drinks to arrive. What made this more frustrating was that we were the only party in the restaurant, aside from a couple sitting at the bar. I can only imagine how much longer it would have taken if there had been more guests.

Another point that stood out was the reservation process — I had to provide a credit card to reserve a table, which seemed unnecessary given that it was a Tuesday evening and the restaurant was nearly empty.

Throughout the evening, we had to call out several times to get our server’s attention, which really detracted from what should have been a pleasant dining experience.

Overall, while the food was enjoyable, the service did not match the price point or the expectations for a restaurant of this caliber. I truly hope management addresses this issue so that future guests can enjoy the full experience the restaurant aims to provide.

This experience was on 10/21/25 at 7:00pm
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