About Playa Mesa
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Disappointing Experience at Playa – Not Worth the Hype We were on the hunt for a solid Mexican restaurant for lunch in Costa Mesa, and Playa caught our eye with its decent amount of reviews on Yelp. So, we thought, why not give it a try? Unfortunately, we left wondering how it got those stars in the first place. First Impressions: Upon arriving, we were greeted by a valet service, which felt unnecessary given the size of the parking lot. It just seemed like an extra step when there was plenty of space to park on our own. But hey, that’s not a dealbreaker—what came next, however, was. The Food: We started with chips and salsa, which, I’ll admit, was the high point of the meal. The salsa was flavorful and fresh, giving us hope for the rest of the dishes. But sadly, that was the only highlight. Shrimp & Octopus Ceviche – This dish was a cold disappointment, literally. It tasted like it had been frozen, and when I brought this up to the staff, they casually confirmed it wasn't fresh and had been kept in the fridge. Yikes. The texture was icy, and we could feel it under our teeth. Serving ceviche like this is a huge red flag. Birria Tacos – These were just okay. Not bad, but certainly not memorable. The meat inside was fine, but the dish lacked that "wow" factor you'd expect from a place that promises authentic Mexican flavors. Grilled Shrimp – Once again, not fresh. It tasted like it had been reheated, lacking any real flavor or tenderness. It was a forgettable, uninspired dish. Carne Asada Tacos – Easily the worst item we ordered. The meat tasted funny, wasn’t fresh, and was served cold. It was borderline inedible. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if this dish had been sitting around for a while before it hit our table. Service: Our server, Alejandra, was friendly and attentive, and after witnessing our dissatisfaction with the ceviche and carne asada, she didn’t charge us for those items. I appreciated her gesture, but it didn’t make up for the poor quality of the food. The only item we paid for was the Birria Tacos, which, at that point, felt like a minor consolation. Overall: This place is seriously overrated. The fresh, vibrant flavors we were hoping for were nowhere to be found. Don't be fooled by the stars or glowing reviews. The food was not fresh, and frankly, some dishes were downright bad. If you’re looking for a great Mexican dining experience in Costa Mesa, keep looking—Playa is not it.
Don't judge a book by its cover. This place is beautiful, sophisticated, and clean. Food and service are on a different scale, however. We were here for happy hour. I had the sandia (watermelon) margarita, and it was so watered down. There was almost no hint of alcohol. Their chips and salsa were ok. The salsa tasted like one of those store bought, ready-made salsa. The fish taco tasted ok as well. Customer service was pretty bad. We had to request the "happy hour" menu during happy hour. My fish taco was served with no salsa, so I had to request one. There was one pathetic lime that was already squeezed the life out of it; there was no juice left. I had to request lime as well. Here comes the best part, we were rushed to finish. We paid the bill and left. We know when we're not wanted. We can take a hint. The place was pretty empty. The bar was not busy, and so many tables were available, but for some reason, our table for 3 was in the way. I still left an 18% tip regardless of their bad service. I didn't enjoy my experience at all. Luckily, I was with great company. I can't imagine coming back here anytime soon. I don't recommend this place either.
came here for lunch on a friday it wasn’t too crowded we were seated out on the covered patio and received chips and salsa right away. I ordered the mesa combo a chicken taco rice & beans with a half caesar salad. defiantly want to come back to try some more items.
Their foods are flawless. A little pricy, but the portion or quality of the foods are juat perfect. I got short rib enchiladas, and my two of friends got egg benedict, and fish tacos. All of them were served with either small carbs such as potato, or marinated rice. So the portion is enough. Enchilada was a good choice, and my frienss also enjoyed their foods. The food quality was good, too. They have juucy but savory meats and legit sauces on the foods. In the morning, they have brunch menu. We actually went by noon amd they were serving brunch menu&lunch menu at the same time. So even in lunch, you can get some brunch menus if you want. The mood or interior of the restaurant is bright and lovely, yet folkloric a little bit which was I loved. Also the waitress was really casual and friendly. She took cared about foods, and act reallu carefull. We were pretty touched by her behavior. But you must use their vallet service to go to restaurant, which is $5. Not bad, but annoying enough to deduct 1 star from service rate. The vallet parking guys were friendly and nice,, but still I do not want to pay $5 for parking just 5 ft in front of me... Recommended, if you live close there. Food qualitywise, potentially it can be one of the nicest mexican brunch retaurant in Costa Mesa!
Embraced in handmade corn tortillas and tastefully garnished in smooth ribbons of cream and Mexican cheeses, the Playa Mesa Enchiladas Suizas did not disappoint! It didn't hurt either, that I could fill up on freshly fried chips and lively fresh salsa while I waited, with baited breath. Si, Senior, quiero mas! 🔥🌮