El Metate

I absolutely love this place. They have so many delicious authentic Mexican cravings to choose from that not every Mexican restaurant offers.
The staff is friendly as well.
I definitely recommend.

Wow! Their Guacamole with fresh chips is only $ 2, it was tasty too. Thats what my 4 stars are mostly.
I also got one of the carne asada plates #8 on the special list and it was delicious. I also got #7 the chicken in mole enchiladas and it was okay.

Place is still yummy but prices have gone up and you’re limited to 2 salsas then it’s 50 cents for any additional

Food tasted excellent, but two of my co-​workers and I got serious food poisoning, and it was definitely from this place. It was the only place we all ate at together that weekend, and a fourth co-​worker who did not get the chorizo did not get sick. I eat Mexican all the time, and wish I could give a better review but will not be risking this place again.

I went to El Metate and as a 100% Mexican women this is a place of shame ! The fish had a nasty smell and the tortillas were cold. How could people rate this place a 5 star. I guess they really do not know what REAL MEXICAN FOOD IS…

Carne asada burrito. sloppy and meat had allot of chunks which couldn’t even be chewed. poor quality on the carne asada…

This is a great place to go if you’re looking for a quick, affordable, and authentic Mexican lunch. My coworkers and I come here pretty often. I’m a big fan of the carnitas tostada, but the menu is gigantic and you really can’t go wrong. Would be perfect if they served alcohol.

Wooowwww I had the menudo with hominy and I’m blown away delicious!!! If you get directions from maps it’s no good I suggest u look at the map look at where you are and take yourself there without navigation! It’s a cute small place, kind of hidden if your not paying attention! Literally soooo delicious yummy hands down definately my go to menudo place when I’m in Pasadena!!! GEM!!!

I think it’s family owned and operated because people that work here are so nice and pleasant. You instantly feel welcome when you walk in. Of course it’s not a deal breaker, but you feel good about dining here.
They have an extensive menu that can be overwhelming but the guy at the counter patiently helped us choose the best option for us. I had the whole fried fish with beans and wifey had their classic burrito. I also added extra taco to taste. Taco was bit oily but the other two dishes were great. I think we found our go-​to mexican food spot.

Such a great hidden gem nestled on a quiet street in Pasadena. Food was spectacular and I cannot wait to go back! The menu has a wide variety of choose from plus there are daily specials. Talk about decisions decisions!
Restaurant is a bit small so small groups are welcome, however big groups would be difficult to accommodate. There is a self serve salsa bar which offered four different kinds of salsa ranging from medium to super spicy. Each customer is requested to limit themselves to 2 salsas each. Sodas are self serve and bottomless. Drinks such as Jamaica and Horchata are not self serve or bottomless.
There is street parking available easily located outside the restaurant. There appears to be as structure parking available across the street.
Service was quite excellent. Order is taken at the cashier when you first come in. Order taker was very nice and helpful in helping us decide what to eat. He also doubled as our server in bringing out our food when it was ready.
Like I said before… I have nothing bad to report here and can’t wait to come back and try more yummy things!

This place is my favorite Mexican food in the area. Everything is fresh and tastes authentic. We especially like their flautas and taquitos. Their posole is also awesome when available. The people who work there are super nice and you can tell they take a lot of pride in what they do. Also, the portions are generous. You will leave feeling satisfied!

had 3 asada tacos, decent and good price. salsas were also good.

Carne A La Tampiquena was pretty darn good! Tried it a few months ago and loved it!

Great customer service, the food is really good. My son finished all the salsa and chips, and his plate. We even ordered beans and rice to go. Will be back.

I can’t say enough great things about this place! I live in the area and probably come here about once a week. Delicious, authentic food at great prices to satisfy all your cravings. Personal favorites are:
— Pastor tacos
— Asada Burrito
— Any molcajete
And don’t forget the horchata!

Yay! I’m a fan. woke up one morning and was desperately craving a real Mexican breakfast and being new to Pasadena, I had to Unilocal a good place. Saw some pictures of carne asada and eggs, served with rice and beans and knew I had to have this. I didn’t see it on the menu but told them what I wanted and they gladly obliged. The meat was cooked just right, and if my breakfast wasn’t perfect enough, it was served with tortillas, chips, guacamole, and salsa.
On my second visit here, I came in with a cold. I had decided to go here because I was in need of caldo de pollo (chicken and vegetable soup). It always makes me feel better. served with rice, cilantro, and diced onion, this soup is perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather or the weather is cold.
The restaurant itself is very clean and cute and is run by a very friendly man and woman, not sure if they’re married couple or not, but they’re super awesome, helpful, and polite. With the combination of food tasting like it’s homemade and the very kind treatment, I feel more like I’m visiting friends and family as opposed to just eating at another Mexican eatery.
Both times I’ve been, there hasn’t been enough business, please support these guys!

One of my biggest regrets as an undergrad is that I didn’t find this place sooner. In my opinion it’s the best restaurant in Pasadena by a wide margin. The food is delicious, the menu has amazing variety (especially when you factor in the daily specials), prices are easy on the wallet, and the portions are always generous (the sizes of their burritos put chipotle to shame, while tasting infinitely better). You also get free chips and salsa, and their homemade fruit juices/​horchata really hit the spot on a hot day.
The family that runs the restaurant couldn’t be any nicer, and I love how clean they keep the place. Whenever I introduce people to El Metate they’re literally always slightly upset that I didn’t force then to try it sooner. Perfect for dinner before a show at the ice house. I always make sure to eat there multiple times when I come back to Pasadena, it’s the city’s hidden gem.

Oh my gosh let me say I can’t wait to bring my parents here. They have a HUGE menu and it took us a while to decide what to eat but the cashier was very kind and patient. When we got the burritos we were excited to dig in, the light orange on is shrimp chipotle burrito which was AMAZING! I have never tried one like it (it was the winner of the night out of both) and the darker one is a chile reyeno con carne al pastor burrito it was also very delicious! And they are big! So price is also really good. I can’t wait to try more items!

Let me start off by saying I went in with low expectations. Being a native Southern Californian I’ve eaten a lot of Mexican food. I’ve even ventured south of the border and had the real deal.
This place has some of the best salsa and guacamole ever. The chipotle was the spiciest but had a really good flavor, rich. There was also a lighter curry colored salsa that was a little less spicey, still enough to give you a good kick and a light lingering burn.
I got a simple al pastor (grilled marinated pork) taco. It was served on two small corn tortillas and the meet was topped with diced onions and cilantro, the way a taco should be made. The meat was delicious. Al pastor is my favorite, I got high standards there.
Secondly I got the chicken taquitos. I would usually get the beef but I was going to the ICE HOUSE comedy house and heard the nachos were amazing. The taquitos came with sour cream, guac and lettuce, standard fair. But it was delicious!
It was a perfect dinner, which rarely happens!

Great service and great food!
The helpful cashier even insisted that we try the agua fresca to make sure we liked the flavor we chose.
The shrimp fajitas and enchiladas were delicious. The fresh hot chips and salsa were a plenty.
I will definitely be back!