Palo Alto Sol
Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 328-8840
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
245 reviews
Mountain View, CA
"This is the only taqueria I mess with in the bay area. Being from Texas I think I'm a good judge on tacos and burritos and its authenticity.…" read more »
123 Reviews for Palo Alto Sol
Their soup was good , but it ails me to spend more than 15 on an entree just because the place is decorated cute.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
SCRUMPTIOUS: delicious, delectable, mouthwatering, tasty, delightful, gorgeous and lip smacking! Nice atmosphere, decor, service.
A bit of a wait during lunch time. Combos are good. I had a taco/relleno for only $10.95!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
A nice place that is situated on California Street, which perhaps may be an up and coming dining spot (I already see a future fro-yo place to open up soon!). The interior is nicely decorated and service was attentive.
It was full on a Wednesday night at prime dinner time and kept on getting busy. I ordered the Pollo Guajillo because I was sold on the description: "our very own family recipe. Our grandma's "special" is served over chicken. A light sour cream base, guajillo peppers & herbs give it a rich and sophisticated taste" ($13.95). The bf ordered a simple Pollo Quesadilla ($7.95).
The Pollo Guajillo came with chicken breast covered in an orange-colored sauce, surrounded with refried beans, rice and tortillas. The strips of chicken were dry, but the sauce was definitely YUM! Creamy and tangy at the same time. The rice and beans were average. I tried a bite of the bf's quesadilla and OMG. I made him trade dishes with me!
I know a quesadilla is a simple dish, but it was DAMN good! The chicken was moist, a bit bland but the coating of guacamole on top of the tortilla made up for it. The tortilla was just toasted enough and it had the right amount of cheese which was just gooey enough. And the sour cream!! When I took a bite of the quesadilla with the sour cream on top, it was TO DIE FOR!! I'm not a fan of sour cream, but when I tasted it, I couldn't stop! It's creamy, smooth and has a kick of flavor (a bit salty) but it's a great accompaniment to the bland pollo. I also ordered a margarita which was nice and strong. The tequilla was smooth and went down nicely. By the end of the night I was buzzin' like a bee.
I do have to say that their chips were a bit stale. WIth the chips comes 3 different salsas, but I didn't eat much since the chips tasted like cardboard.
By far the best and most varies enchiladas I have ever had. If you want great Mole sauce or green sauce or "to-die-for" red sauce this is the place to go. There is a small place in the Polanco district of Mexico city that is probably better, Izote Restaurant. (But the servers in PA are not nearly so pretentious as in the Distro Federal.)
I will always suggest Palo Alto Sol for Mexican food and especially Enchiladas when i have guests.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Palo Alto Sol has the best Mexican food in Palo Alto, hands down. This is no cheap taqueria, PAS serves well-put-together entrees that highlight the cuisine of several different regions of Mexico.
Personally, I don't eat a lot of red meat, but I always have the Serrano Chile Beef when I go to PAS, it's very yummy (but it's also spicy since they use real fresh serrano chiles - so beware!). The salsas are first rate as are the basics: the rice and beans. The mole is not my favorite since they cook the sweet version, with the Mexican chocolate in it, but it's still good for sweet mole.
The margaritas are very nice as well. The staff is very attentive and the owner is a doll, he works at the restaurant every night making sure everything is ok.
This restaurant is a great value, especially in Palo Alto. The only real downside is that it takes a while to get a table sometimes. I've gone to PAS on a Tuesday night, for instance, and have had to wait a good 20-30 minutes for a table.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Charming in comparison to other Mexican restaurants that I've been to. Their waiters wear ties- a first. Their tables are gorgeous with their antique finish, brass detailing, and anchor brandishing. I love a good table.
The food was SOOGOOOD! No complains at all. We all shared each others plate practically. Enchiladas, qusadillas, to tacos. Not a fan of their chips though. Whatever. Margaritas were awesome. Just the perfect lime flavor, not syrupy or overly done with the alcohol.
My only complaints are the prices are a tad high, the service felt a little slow, but we didn't wait long for the food. The menu is a little hard to read, especially with such dim lighting.
This was by far the worst dining experience I have ever had to endure. My friend (lover) and I planned to meet two other friends for lunch. We had arrived a little early, when we were met by an employee at the restaurent. We told the employee that there would be four of us for lunch. He sat my friend and I at a table that was already prepared for a party of four, and immediately took away any remaining the napkins and silver wear. My friend and I informed the employee that two of our friends were going to be join us, but the employee just walked away wihout acknowledging us at all. Once our friends arrived the same employee came out and yelled at us for not informing him that there would be two more people. Once he was done yelling at us, we asked the him for some chips and he simply said "no!" All of the other tables around us were enjoying chips, why couldn't we!!!!!!!!
We decided to let it go, and order some drinks. I ordered a coke, which they brought out in a bottle with the cap STILL on, along with an 8 oz. glass with two, yes two, ice cubes in it. I asked if the server if he could remove the bottle cap, but apparently he didn't understand what I was saying, because the manager came out and asked if everything was alright. I simply told the manager that I wanted to enjoy my coca-cola but couldn't because I dont carry a bottle opener with me wherever I go. My friends ordered margharitas, which for some reason were rimmed with black ground pepper as opposed to the traditional salt rim...WHAT?!?!?! My friends returned the margharitas and ordered putrid beer, that had long since expired (yes, we checked the expiration date). We ordered food, which tasted bland. The refried beans were runny, the rice was el dante at best, and the enchaldada was saturated in a red ketchup-esque plasma. With the main course finally came some chips which were stale. My friend Tom took one bite of his fajita and puked all over the table. Luckily we were sitting outside, but needless to say it was embarassing. The manager came out again, and began to scream at my friend for vomitting. I told the manager that my friend had thrown-up because the food was horrible. The manager told me that I was wrong, and I told him that I just wanted to pay and leave. DO NOT GO HERE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
Delicious! The food and service here is great! The ambience is a little more intimate compared to its Mountainview counterpart, Vive Sol. Perhaps, Vive Sol for dinner with the girls and Palo Alto Sol for a dinner date ;) Margaritas are delish and they had a good selection of imported and domestic beers.
Will definitely come back :)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I love this quaint restaurant. Great food and margaritas. I just wish that I could keep my eyebrows as immaculate as the waiters! I get side tracked from the conversation by those eyebrows every time. Never seen anything like it.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Sister restaurant to Vive Sol, similar menu, smaller - yet still loud a peak times space.
Had dinner with another couple here Saturday evening -- waited 10 minutes for a table (correctly estimated by host) and were seated without menus -- after we flagged someone down (10 minutes later?) service for the evening was without a hitch. My only complaint is that the vegetarian options are few and that the ranch-style dressing is more of a vinegar based sauce at this location. The veggie burrito is yummy (I get it with a side salad, no rice, no beans), beers were cold and they were chill with our camping out and chatting at the table from 7:30-10. I LOVE THE GREEN SALSA HERE!
Three beers, a diet coke, veggie salad, veggie burrito, two chicken enchilada dishes -- about $83 w/tip... pricey for Mexican, but good for a group dinner.
Last Friday I ate Mexican for lunch at Milagro's in Redwood City. It was tasty, and I thought I'd had my fill of Mexican. But my friend I think must have had a hankering for cuisine from our neighbors down south, so we ended up at Palo Alto Sol and I had my second nice Mexican plate of the day for dinner.
I've been going to Palo Alto Sol for a few years now. I've always enjoyed their plates. I've never tried a burrito or a taco here - maybe I figured I can always get those at a taqueria, probably for less money. So if I make it to Palo Alto sol I usually indulge in a piece of fish smothered in a velvety sauce with a pile of piping hot tortillas, or I get my standby, the Milanesa - a pounded thin steak breaded and seasoned to perfection and pan fried with a glob of avocado stuff with the usual rice and bean sides. Damn, that's good.
My only complaint (an admittedly minor one) is that I don't think their chips are as good as some other places. Sorry, I have to say I love the chips at Chevy's, so light and crisp, and I'm sure someone hates me for saying this but I also like the chips at Chipotle better. Argh. But still, those are just free fillers and the real stars at Palo Alto Sol are the dishes, and they are what sets them apart from places like those even if the chips aren't as addictive.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The food and service kinda feels like Chevy's, but not.
I came here on Cinco De Mayo with a buddy and thought this place was just decent. Nothing to really brag about, but just quality Mexican food. The place is fairly small and the menu is hard to read. One thing I especially liked was they give you 3 different kinds of salsa with your chips (mild, red hot, and green hot).
My friend ordered the Chicken Tortilla soup which looked REALLY good and I had a chicken enchilada and a chicken quesadilla, which was just okay. The menu was a little pricier than what I was used to for this grade of food (the combo was $11.95 I think). Perhaps I have been spoiled with Mexican food from SF's mission district, but truly nothing here really stood out for me.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
Easily the best "upscale" (i.e. no burritos or tacos... we're talking sit down) Mexican restaurant you'll ever eat at. Their enchiladas are to die for!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
The service was not what I was expecting, esp. reading all the Yelp reviews. The food was good though so are the margaritas.
Downright some of the best mexican food I have tasted in the bay area. I love the small, family style theme to the restaurant, that is displayed in the handwritten menus. I love that they serve you chips with three different types of salsa, each with their own distinctive tastes. I had the pollo negro for my main dish which was tasty and just the right size. The margarita was good, not over powering or too sweet. Service was standard, as I really couldn't find something to complain about or rave either. The prices were definitely reasonable, ranging anywhere from $8-16.00 for food. I can't wait to return here!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Some of the best mexican food in the area. Classic dishes are done right in this chill sit-down restaurant. Service is usually excellent. Prices are reasonable. Certainly has its quirks, ie dim lighting, illegible menu but it you sort of chalk it up to Sol's unique "character". Enchiladas al sol and chile relleno have been best bets so far.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Definitely not a taqueria, but a place to sit down, order a hearty meal and enjoy a margarita.
Luckily, the lovely lady that recommended PA Sol to us also had entree recs. And, even though I've never met her, I think I love her. We tried the Camarones Diabla: prawns in a spicy tomato-garlic-wine sauce ($16 I think). The flavor was amazing and the prawns were tender. The other recommendation was the Serrano: strips of steak (or chicken) sauteed with serrano chiles, mushrooms and tomatoes all mixed up with sour cream ($15?). It's comforting yet flavorful and just plain wonderful.
Both plates were served with rice and beans and tortillas. Between the house margaritas (around $7), the small cozy restaurant and the comforting food, we were able to enjoy a wonderful meal after a long day. That's really all I can ask for from a restaurant.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (4)
One glance at the menu was all it took. No way in hell I was going to be able to decipher the cursive chicken scratch that graced the pages. WTF is this? Giving up, we simply asked the waiter what the best dish on the menu was. He responded without hesitation - Al Sol enchiladas. Sold.
Excellent recommendation. The chips and accompanying salsas were also good. So was the weather. And the atmosphere. And the vibe. Dammit I need to move to the west coast.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
Had the carne asade burrito, bit pricer than other burrito joints and you don't get anything more spectacular. I like Taqueria La Bamba and Los Charros better.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Excellent Mexican seafood restaurant on California Avenue with great carne asata and Mole Poblano.
16 entres and 3 appetizers but unique and delicious.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
This place serves expensive ass burritos and enchiladas. I've never in my life seen a $10 burrito.
I got the Al Sol plate (I think that's what it's called), and it came with 2 enchiladas, one in this great cheesy sauce, and another in this thing that resembled crusty, sun-baked diarrhea.
And you told me not to judge a book by its cover. It's just so hard. It looks like crap. Literally.
And it tasted like chocolate! It was actually very good, a textured sweetness, but not overpowering.
The converse is always possible, some beer does taste like piss.
The wonders of life.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
So, I love the food here and go all the time. Something very odd happened the last time though. I called and made a reservation b/c my parents were in town and I wanted to make sure we didn't have to wait. I spoke to a man who took my name, number in party, phone number, etc. and said, see you at 8:00. When we arrived we were told that the restaurant doesn't take reservations. I even double checked the number that I dialed in my cell to make sure I hadn't called the wrong place. Weird...
BUT, now I know; they most definitely do not take reservations or at least do not hold them :)
This is a great restaurant, as is the sister restaurant, Viva Sol located in Mountain view. My wife prefers Palo Alto Sol (which is more buzzing), while I like Viva Sol (more laid back).
Can't go wrong with either - good food, good service, and excellent price considering the locations.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
This was my first time going to Palo Alto Sol. I have been looking for a great Mexican food in the Palo Alto area for a long time now I have a place I can call home. The food is very good : ) I love the Chips and the salsas that was a great start to having a nice dinner. I'll be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I find myself stopping into PA sol about once every couple weeks. I can't get enough of this place. It makes a serious run for the best mexican restaurant in Palo Alto. Their delicious, moderately priced food is complimented by a well-stocked tequila bar. Dim lighting gives a comfortable, intimate atmosphere, and complimentary chips and salsa start the meal off right. The dark lighting makes the hand written menu kind of hard to read, but if you're looking for a good mix of flavors try the al sol combo with a del sol margarita.
The downside to this place is that the service can be hit or miss. I've read a lot of reviews panning the restaurant for how slow they were. I've waited almost a half hour for our drinks to arrive on one or two occasions, but had my food on the table within ten minutes on several others. But more often than not, the ever-friendly service is pretty speedy. If you've only gone once, and had a bad time, give it another shot. It can be like night and day.
The place is fairly small, so large parties might have difficulty being seated. There are also about 4 or 5 outside tables, perfect for warm weather.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
The food here is ok, but not exactly memorable. I found the seating to be a little uncomfortable, and the menu a little hard to read. For the quality of food, I think the prices are a little high. There are plenty of other restaurants around the area.
I came here on a Saturday night around 8:30 pm, and this place was really packed. As soon as I walked in, the host informed my party that the wait is going to be 15 minutes. It actually only took 5-10 minutes to get seated.
As soon as my party got seated, the waiter served us a basket of chips with 3 different salsas! I thought the chips were good. For dinner, I decided to order the Chicken Burrito. I was expecting a burrito filled with chicken, rice, beans, and peppers. I was surprised that the burrito was only filled with chicken. The burritto was still really delicious. I ordered the burrito with a red sauce on top.
The chicken was really tender, and it tasted great with the red sauce.
Since there was red sauce and melted cheese on top of the burrito, it kind of tasted like an enchilada to me. =)
This restaurant is definitely a romantic place. There are candles lit everywhere and the lights are really dim. The menu is written in cursive. Since the restaurant lighting is not that bright, I had some difficulty reading the menu...lol.
This is definitely the place to go for great Mexican food! The service here is great and the food is delicious. However, it is definitely a pricey Mexican place.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Place is always packed.... I had the Nachos and a beer and it was really good. Service is very good. They take your plates away and fill your glass with water promptly. Good ambiance.
Cute lil' place, something you would overlook if you were not paying attention. You know how I had a good time here? When I tried to leave and open the door, I couldn't open it. Why? B/C you need to use the door handle. No it wasn't a simple push/pull door, it had a door knob. WTF...buzzed people don't think of these things, I digress, what I was saying was....
I loved the decor and ambiance, it was so cozy. The wait staff was excellent, thank you Jose the Mexican and Jose the Cuban. Thank you for keeping the $7.99 margaritas coming. and thank you for your wonderful sense of humor! The margaritas were potent lil' effers!
The dish of quesadilla and enchilada was absolutely wonderful. I notice that when I really, really, really, really enjoy the food, I sometimes forget to chew my food. That was the situation and I was bloated like a mo'fo later. So please, for your own good, chew your food!
I'm sad that they ran out of flan and I'm sad that they don't have happy hour (b/c I would so go soley for the potent margaritas)! Enjoy and bottoms up ya'll!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Some of the best Mexican food I've had. My favorite dish is the Nuevas with cheese. 3 salsa to dip with your chips too! Great place to eat.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
The mole burrito is really great. I love their mole sauce. Another stand by for me is their sopa azteca (tortilla chicken soup). Huge bowl of tasty soup! The service is never great but not horrible either. But if you order one of the dishes I listed you'll enjoy the food :)
There are very few things that I miss about Palo Alto. Shockingly few. But, "PA Sol," as my friends and I lovingly termed it, or simply, "Sol" for the pithier, is without a doubt, one of them.
In fact, despite the fact that I haven't lived in Palo Alto for 9 months, I still crave their blended margaritas and amazing dinner plates (the sonora chicken is particularly delightful) on a weekly basis.
I have yet to find a Mexican joint I like so much.
And, I live in SF. In the Mission.
Admittedly, Palo Alto Sol isn't trying to be a quick and dirty taqueria. But what it is trying to be-- authentic yet creative cuisine with a friendly waitstaff and dare-I-say, romantic, den-like ambiance, with damn good margaritas-- it does extremely well.
Great Mexican place. Awesome interior. Both Jose's that served us were great. We both had enchiladas, i got a taco and Hli got an enchilada. no complaints. you gotta try it. we were disappointed that they ran out of flan. HOW CAN YOU RUN OUT OF FLAN?! must have been reaaaaally good.
My wife and I went to Palo Alto Sol with our 7 week old daughter for the first time. We were meeting friends there, and they had not yet arrived. They said we could not have a table until our full party arrived. We were standing in the middle of the restaurant with a stroller with nowhere to go. After threatening to leave and go somewhere else, they finally let us sit, and the rest of our party was there within 2 minutes. I can understand if it was packed, but it was still early, and 3/4 of the place was empty.
Once we got past sitting down, the meal was great. As we had been told and read on yelp, it really is one of the best Mexican places around. The selection was great, but it did take a while to read the hand written menu. I had the fajitas, and I have to say that they were some of the best I have ever had.
Margaritas were great, and my friends couldn't stop looking at the selection of Tequilas. I'm no expert in that field, so I took their word their word on it.
I would give this place 5 stars if not for the way we were treated when first arriving.
My favorite restaurant in Palo Alto. I eat here almost once a week. The guajillo sauce is incredible. I've looked for recipes everywhere so that I can make it myself, but I can't find one. The service is a bit slow, but not slow enough to keep me from coming back next week!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Come here for the enchiladas, serious. My favorite are the chicken mole enchiladas with some extra sour cream. Their sour cream is really sour though, FYI.
It's not the biggest place so keep your party down to 4 people.
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (1)
Cool (5)
I have walked by this place many times, but never stopped in. When I came in tonight I was greeted by friendly service and a very large menu. There was a few things which looked decent, but the chorizo burrito caught my eye. While waiting for my food I was looking around and this place has a nice mood. Sort of dim, each table has a little bit of privacy and there seemed to be a whole back room able to be reserved by large groups.
When the food came, I was sort of disappointed. First off the chips and salsa, had sort of stale chips :( The rice and beans were on the runny side. The burrito was decent though.
Overall not horrible, but not great.
I think I could have gotten a better meal somewhere else!
I went right at opening for lunch time and before the busy lunch crowds arrived. They weren't ready! No utensils, menus, water, chips and salsa. The food wasn't memorable. I can't even remember what I ordered! All I do know is, it took forever to get my check to leave. I had to wave down 3 different waiters. I was left with the impression that my patronage wasn't valued!
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Food was pretty good. Its nice to see some people doing some innovative and unusual things with mexican food, a cuisine that is normally pretty stuck in its old ways. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, luckily for mexican food its old ways are pretty damn delicious. I appreciated the chef trying some new things and putting some stuff on the menu that i haven't seen anywhere else.
On the downside the handwritten menu, though a good idea, was at times hard to read. The food, while delicious, was also just too expensive and i didn't feel it was worth the money.
I really want to give this place 4 stars, but i feel like in order to do that it has to be a place that i see myself going back to pretty frequently. Unfortunately i just don't see that happening with their prices being so high. Maybe in a few years when im making a little bit more money it won't be such a big deal.
I found this place in the early evening on a Saturday after spending four hours in a car repair shop freezing my butt off.
I had an hour to kill before picking up my kid in the East Bay. I was a couple of doors down at the Accent Art Supply place on an unsuccessful search for transparent white Rembrandt oil paint.
Anyway, none of the other restaurants on the block appealed to me at the time so I went into Sol. It was pretty cold that night and I was looking for something warm to eat.
I was torn between the mole poblano and the sopa Azteca. I decided on the soup. Good choice...huge bowl of tortilla soup with loads of avocado, tomato, tortilla strips, and chicken. Warmed me right up and the soup was almost as good as my own version.
I took home 2/3 of the meal and the soup only tasted better as the flavors had time to meld.
I would normally shy away from Mexican "restaurants" as I find the food is much better at a tacqueria. However, I'd definitely return to some of their other dishes.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Dig Mexican?
Stop f***ing around with average Mexican food and… -
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
Hola and Adios to Mexican…
The best and worst of Mexican food all around the… -
My Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
My favorite places to…
Well, besides my house and Jalisco, I've found a… -
Mid-Priced…
These places are all nicer than a Chevy's, have… -
Best of Palo Alto
These are places I find myself recommending over…
Hot and New
- DishDash
322 reviews
Sunnyvale, CA
- Pampas
143 reviews
Palo Alto, CA
- Ocean Blue Sushi Club