La Fonda on Wilshire

We found parking on Wilshire blvd which was super convenient. We hadn;t been there for years and this is not the dingy old La Fonda. The group was talented and fun and visited our table for a happy birthday. I ate the lamb which was amazing and sampled chicken in a tasty mustard sauce.
My friends went up on stage at the end to dance a "mariachi loco."

Pros: great food, terrific music, family fun

Posted 10/26/09

La Fonda recently reopened and it is not owned by the same people as before. And it is not the same mariachi group, Los Camperos. My family and I recently returned and found the food to be awful. It's mostly a place for tourists or white people that don't know any better. My group and I asked for tortillas and they said they didn't have any. It's a mexican restaurant how could you not have tortillas! I waited 20 mins for water. However, the mariachis weren't bad but in l.a. there are far better places.

Pros: Mariachis

Cons: Food & Staff

Posted 05/10/09

This place is overrated. The food is overpriced and mundane. Ceviche was average , the soup was gross. The mariachi which plays there is entertaining but does not compensate for poor service and bad food. I had to request multiple times that my drink be refilled as did the rest of my party.

Pros: Mariachi

Cons: food, service

Posted 02/05/09

Honestly, if you want authentic Mexican food and great entertainment, La Fonda is the place to be! Was a little apprehensive taking my aunt there for her birthday celebration (because of the below low recommendation....btw "priced" not "prized") but from the moment we walked in the doors we were quite pleased by not only our hostess (prompt and courteous) but our service. When we sat down our waiter saw to us immediately, taking our drink orders (get the margaritas!) and then giving us time to settle in and then took our order. But wait, there's more! The entertainment...WOW! These guys, the Mariachi band, were to say the least, extraordinary. They were such characters, drawing the crowd in to sing along or to dance. Also, something to look forwad to is the folklorico dancing. THE COUPLE WAS GREAT!

I must admit that the PRICING is quite high but in all honesty you get what you pay for.....good food and great entertainment. KUDOS LA FONDA! This customer will be coming back for more!

Pros: everything!

Cons: parking...boooooo

Posted 01/23/09

After reading decent reviews about this place my family and I visited the restaurant in early October to celebrate my brother-in-laws birthday.

I made reservations for eight and when we arrived to the restaurant we were seated promptly, which was nice. The service was decent, but the food was horrible.

For one the menu is small and over prized. I don't mind the menu being small as long as the food is good, and if the food is good I don't mind it being over prized. The problem is that the food is definitely not worth the price. A few of the dishes we ordered were the Maria Elena's Mole($23), Enchiladas de Tomatillo ($17), Mignon al Huitlacoche($26), and Pollo en Salsa de Mostaza con Chipotle($20). Not one of the dishes was good!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR GOOD FOOD.

On the other hand... the one thing that we did enjoy was the Mariachi... So if you want to visit the restaurant DO NOT do it for the food... DO IT for the entertainment which is great.

Pros: Mariachi

Cons: Food

Posted 11/07/08

This is really a historic place, hadn't been there since they closed, went this past weekend and it was incredible. The place looks amazing with all the new updates made to it. They still have some of the great servers from before. They are also having on display some beautifull art paintings, in fact it is a working art gallery within La Fonda. The food has been revitalized with great dishes. The food is a totalk experience in itself. The Mariachi is familiar as well, they are the previous Mariachi that played when Los Camperos where out of town. They are sounding great and there many members from Los Camperos playing there now. The group name is Mariachi Monumental De America, i bought there CD and it has great hits as well. I truly recomend the newly remodeld LA FONDA ON WILSHIRE. fyi there open for lunch and Happy hour now!!!!!

Posted 08/19/08

I visited this establishment on a Wednesday and they claim to have the best Mariachis. I am not an expert but they seemed to perfom well. The margaritas were good (its hard to mess it up though). I had the Boracha shrimp dish was satisfactory but really wasn't worth it. I had the appetizers plate that was good, but hardly worth $30 for a few quesadillas, guacamole, taquitos (small), and ceviche (I have had better). Oh and there was this mystery dip that had cheese and was solid in the middle. To sum it up, you pay for the entertainment, and if you want entertainment, they got it!

Pros: Mariachis

Cons: Sub-par mexican food for $$$

Posted 07/09/08

A buddy of mine turned me on to La Fonda, when he went there on a date. He told me it was a great first date place so i went out for myself hoping I had the same luck as he did. The food was good, but it's weird when the mariachi came out the food got that much better. Come to think of it everything got much better. I don't really speak Spanish but I understand so it made the night fun. It's worth the drive, and the food was great. Get the Mole chicken (I think that's how you spell it?)...

Pros: Free show with food.

Cons: To much Mariachi music during the break.

Posted 06/05/08

I dined here for the first time a couple of days ago for a business meeting and ordered a oaxacan quesadilla and the mole chicken. I enjoyed both very much, especially the quesadilla. The restaurant is not super beautiful, but we were told that the owner(s) have great plans for expanding and beautifying the restaurant and I am looking forward to seeing the finished product. What really made the dinner fantastic was the live mariachi band and traditional dancers. Every member of this band has a beautiful voice and a great talent for the instruments they play. My entire group was mesmorized by the music and dancing. The crowd participated as well as one of my colleagues! This is a great place for families, celebrating birthdays, special occasions...everything really. I will be back! I am not of latin decent so, trust me when I say anyone would enjoy this venue!!!!

Pros: Live Entertainment and great food!

Cons: Hmmm..could have more choices on their menu

Posted 04/10/08

The food is here is very good and the portions are as well. We were a big group of about 10 and we had a great time with the Mariachi show as well. Very nice place to go for a big party or a a nice evening for 2.

Posted 03/12/08

La Fonda de Los Camperos is the best place for Mariachis
food and service.
My husband took me 22 years ago , since them , I went to different places to listen
Mariachis , and this is the best believe me THE BEST.
THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THE BEST OF THE BES IN LA.
Sara Montano

Posted 10/04/07

LA FONDA IS ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS TO GO FOR MARIACHI, THE FOOD ISN'T SO GREAT BUT THE MARIACHI IS ONE THE BEST! THE STAFF IS NICE, YOU SHOULD DEFINETLY MAKE RESERVATIONS AND IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SHOW UP MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD TABLE... WHEN YOU WALK IN YOU JUST FEEL SO WELCOME. aNOTHER THING IS THAT IF YOU ARE PLANNING A DINNER WHER IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN JUST 5 OR SIX MAKE SURE MAKE RESERVATION AT LEAST A COUPLE MONTH IN ADVANCE... THEY CAN FILL UP QUICKLY.

Pros: MARIACHI, GREAT SERVICE

Posted 01/09/07

This is great for a special date, specially if you enjoy Mariachi. Margarita's and other drinks are well served and you don't have to wait to long. The food might not be the best but it's a great place to be for a few drinks. This place has been my favorite spot since I was a teenager.

Posted 10/17/06

My fathers love of Mariachi music and Margarita's has found my family here on many a birthday or special occassion. Weekend reservations are a must especially for larger parties. The intimate setting is enjoyable, but may be a little too overwhelming for the ears as my young sons so happily reminded me in the middle of a set! Highly recommended.

Pros: Music, Ambiance, Friendliness

Cons: Can get loud

Posted 11/12/05

An excellent restaurant but not because of the food but because of the Mariachi! The restaurant is not very big (2 small floors) which makes the show even more intimate. If you want to miss the crowd and get a table quick - catch the later shows.

Pros: Excellent Mariachi, Real Drinks, Great Atmosphere

Posted 09/06/04

As many of you may ask if La Fonda is better than Cielito Lindo in El Monte. Well the answer is yes. Not only did they have better tasty food, but they had a more spacious place. The people there are very friendly. Is lovely and if you want too make it a romantic dinner for your girlfriend. This is the place you can even request a song and the mariachi will eventually get to it.

Pros: Good Parking, Friendly Service, Cultural Decorated

Posted 05/20/04

I was very surprised by the great food and entertainment that was offered at La Fonda. By the exterior look of the building, I was pleasantly surprised when we entered the building to find the live marachi playing. This is a must stop for tourist and locals.

Cons: Parking

Posted 07/19/03

The service was excellent, the food was pretty good despite the simple menu, the mariachi was brilliant, and we had a lot of fun.

Pros: mariachi, service, ambiance

Cons: brass too loud

Posted 06/14/02

By far the best restaurant to go to for a full evening of food and outstanding Mariachi music. The place usually packs them in so Make a reservation ahead of time. Your visit here is an entire trip to Mexico with authentic food, music and decor. Music is loud and rightly so. For those seeking an intimate dinner with quiet discussion, this is probably not the place for you. A full meal could run to about $35 per person on average, which includes dinner, drink, and perhaps some dessert. Parking is limited and the neighborhood isn't all that great. But that shouldn't stop you from experiencing one of LA's best Mexican restaurants.

Pros: Music, Food, Ambiance

Cons: Limited Parking

Posted 05/20/02