Palenque Kitchen - Riverside

4.4

395 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 26, 2024

7:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

Good for business meals
Good for groups
Great for creative cocktails

Right in the midst of downtown Riverside, California, is Palenque Kitchen. It is said to have the best Mexican in downtown Riverside. The funky atmosphere features colored lighting, lounge areas and some Mexican art. The private dining area is also ideal to book your celebration or event. The hip and fun staff will help you choose from all the amazing dishes on offer.

Palenque Kitchen serves up authentic regional Mexican cuisine but with a modern twist. Start with one of handcrafted margaritas we offer or a beer if liquor is not your preference. Our Ceviche baja style is the perfect starter to share with the group. Fish tacos, carnitas and carne asada and El Patron our signature dish, are just feature some of the many amazing entree options. Top off your meal with our Palenque Cake or some authentic churros.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Latin / Spanish, Mexican / Southwestern
Hours of operation
Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(951) 888-2240
Website
http://www.palenquekitchen.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Rolando Rubalcava
Private party facilities
From 15-350 guests capacity, private dining rooms available, two patios and separate atmospheres, custom menus and banquet menus, on site banquet coordinator, we can cater to most requests, Palenque Kitchen amazing decor transport you to Mexico and makes your experience unforgettable delight

Location
3737 Main Street, Suite 101, Riverside, CA 92501
Neighborhood
Riverside
Cross street
University Ave
Parking details
Park on the building's structure on Market St. between University Ave. and Mission Inn Ave.
Entertainment
Live music, hispanic art, special events.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Papas Bravas$14.70
crispy potatoes chile Morita cotija cheese scallions crema
- add Carnitas$4.00
Queso Fundido$17.00
Mexican cheese blend, shiitake mushrooms, flour tortillas, choice of homemade chorizo or rajas poblanas
Shrimp Ceviche$21.00
Mexican shrimp, cucumbers, red onion, tomato serrano pepper, avocado, lime, soy
Shrimp Aguachile$24.15
Lime cured mexican white shrimp, spicy citrus broth farmers market tomato, cucumber, avocado
Guacamole$17.85
avocado, spicy pepitas, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, corn tortilla chips
Esquite$14.00
Yellow corn, butter, cotija cheese chile morita ai-oli
Chicken Taquitos$16.75
Chicken Tinga, pico de gallo, queso fresco, crema, tomatillo sauce, black bean puree, cotija cheese
Nachos$21.00
Melted cheese, pico de gallo crema pickled onions, jalapeños, chipotle ai-oli, queso fresco
Chips & Salsa$5.00

SOUPS

red chile chicken broth, hominy, shredded cabbage, radish, red onions, served with tostadas

Pozole Verde$13.65
red chile chicken broth, hominy, shredded cabbage, radish, red onions, served with tostadas

SALADS

Caesar Salad$19.95
Romaine hearts, croutons, parmesan lemon, caesar dressing
House Salad$17.85
Spring mix, cherry tomatoes, pepitas, cotija cheese cucumber, house chili balsamic vinaigrette

House Specialties/Main Entrees

Chicken Milanesa$25.00
ABF breaded chicken breast, lemon aioli, arugula, shallot, fried capers
Asada Steak$35.00
Grilled 8oz flat iron steak, cebollitas, market vegetables, black beans, chile toreado, warm tortillas
- Rare$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
- Well$0.00
Tampiquena Steak$47.00
3oz choice black Angus steak, chicken taquito avocado, esquite, refried beans, corn tortillas
- Rare$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
- Well$0.00
Carnitas$29.00
Confit natural pork, jalapeños, house pickles, mexican rice beans, fresh tomatillo sauce, warm tortillas
Camarones a la Diabla$34.00
Sautéed mexican shrimp, habanero butter, house rice, market vegetables
El Jefe Plate$58.00
Grilled pork chop, bacon wrapped shrimp, house rice, papas bravas, sour cream, scallions
Torta Cubana$22.05
Locally sourced toasted telera roll, ham, refried beans, carnitas, pollo milanesa, queso blanco, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado
Enchiladas$24.00
Two enchiladas, mexican cheese blend, chile verde, queso fresco, cream, mexican rice, refried beans
- Add Chicken$7.00
- Add Birria$7.00
- Add Shrimp$10.00
Fajitas$23.00
Sautéed poblano mixed peppers, onions, mexican rice, beans warm tortillas, guacamole
- Chicken$4.00
- Steak$6.00
- Veggie$2.00
- Shrimp$7.00
- Chicken$0.00
- Shrimp$0.00
- Steak$0.00
- Veggie$0.00

Tacos

Asada Steak Tacos$24.15
Steak asada, pico de galllo, avocado sauce, cilantro
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Tacos$24.15
Bacon, white shrimp, rice, house made thousand island spread, topped with arugula shaved onion salad
Baja Fish Tacos$22.05
local fish/ beer-battered, slaw chipotle aioli, black beans
Campechano Tacos$24.15
Flour tortillas, frijoles, steak, chorizo habanero sauce, red onion
Carnitas Tacos$22.05
Confit natural pork, jalapeños, house pickles, fresh tomatillo sauce
Prime Steak Taco$26.25
Angus steak, caramelized onions, bacon, cheese, pico de gallo
Quesa Birria Tacos$24.15
2 corn tortilla quesadilla/ loaded with slow-braised beef birria, served with consome

Dinner Sides

Black Beans$7.35
Market Vegetables$7.35
Mexican Rice$7.35
Palenque Rice$7.35
Refried Beans$7.35
Sour Cream$3.15
$ Side Pico De Gallo$3.15
$ Side Guacamole$7.35
$ Side Habanero$3.15
$ Side Morita$3.15
$ Side Salsa Crudo$3.15
Side Avocado Sauce$3.15
Side Fries$6.30
Sliced Avocado$7.35
Side Flour Tortillas$4.20
Side Corn Tortillas$4.20
Side Rice&Beans$6.30
Chile Toreado$3.15

Dinner Desserts

Brownie$15.00
Warm delicious dark chocolate brownie, mezcal cajeta, toasted nuts
Churros Con Chocolate$14.00
Golden brown dough, cinnamon sugar, chocolate dipping sauce
Palenque Cake$15.00
Toasted pound cake, piloncillo glaze, almond fresh cream, orange segments

What 395 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Inland Empire
Innovative
Inland Empire
Healthy
Inland Empire
Lively
Inland Empire
Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Palenque Kitchen - Riverside offers a "fun and trendy" ambiance with a diverse and inclusive staff. Guests rave about the "deelish" food, "amazing" drinks, and "top notch" service. Perfect for family gatherings, the atmosphere allows for conversation without overpowering music. Ideal for brunch and special occasions.

395 Reviews

A
Angella
Orange County
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was delicious. Drinks were great and the service was super fast and friendly.
Is this helpful?
F
Fred
Los Angeles
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
They couldn’t find our reservation! Only bad thing
Is this helpful?
K
Kathleen
Orange County
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Very good food, right by the Mission Inn and walking distance to the Fox Theater.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Was looking for a place to have dinner before an event. Found this place and we had a great time. Plenty of space at the time we went so we sat at the bar. Bartender was super attentive and friendly. Drinks came out kick and they were delicious. We had all appetizers but everything had flavor. The octopus was our favorite. Would come again.
Is this helpful?
L
Linda
Hawaii
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Friendly, fast, flavorful, fun. I had a good time with my family. The pulpo and shrimp were excellent.
Is this helpful?
C
Cup
San Diego
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
My Pasole soup was served cold--not even luke warm. When I returned it and asked that I get a HOT bowl, the waiter gave attitude and was extremely rude and professional. So much so, that we had to ask for another waiter.
Is this helpful?
A
A
Los Angeles
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 22, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love the ambiance! The decor is beautiful and the restaurant is extremely clean. Staff are multicultural and different genders and ages! This was beautiful to see to be honest. So they are inclusive restaurant. The host, waiters/waitresses were all very professional and personable. Waiter was patient and explained the drinks and food items as it was our first time. The music was very loud which made it hard to speak to each other at first but then it was nice because we could only hear our table with music being so loud. The brunch was really good. We did not wait long after ordering. The food came out hot, fresh and presentable. The steak on the chilaquiles was different and some pieces hard to chew but the flavor was still great. The aqua gets as are refreshing but just packed with ice, ask for light ice. We will be coming back for sure. I highly recommend coming here for brunch if you’re in the area, we surely will be.
Is this helpful?
A
ADAM
Chicago
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 19, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
At Palenque Kitchen Riverside, while the service is friendly and welcoming, the food doesn’t quite live up to expectations. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas, which were hot but not sizzling in the way fajitas should be, leaving the dish feeling a bit underwhelming. I also tried the Pulpo and Brussels sprouts dish, where the octopus came out mushy, a texture that detracted from the overall experience. The Brussels sprouts were fine, but the lack of proper texture in the octopus was disappointing. Overall, the meal was adequate, but it lacked the excitement or passion that could have made it stand out. It’s a decent spot for a casual meal, but don’t expect a culinary experience that will leave a lasting impression.
Is this helpful?
M
Melanie
Los Angeles
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Sally was a B-word! Sally is not worried about getting fired! Sally thinks she can add extra charges for no reason! Sally was rude and has no experience with customer service although she is well over age. She doesn’t deserve a job or kindness!
Is this helpful?
A
Alexus
Los Angeles
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 11, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
I enjoyed my time at this restaurant. The servers were pretty standard, but kind the food was OK. It wasn’t the quality that we expected however, the nachos were amazing 10 out of 10
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Palenque Kitchen - Riverside does offer delivery in partnership with Postmates. Palenque Kitchen - Riverside also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (951) 888-2240.

Palenque Kitchen - Riverside is rated 4.4 stars by 395 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 26, 2024

7:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Palenque Kitchen - Riverside

3737 Main Street, Suite 101, Riverside, CA 92501

Additional information

Cross street
University Ave
Neighborhood
Riverside
Hours of operation
Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Latin / Spanish, Mexican / Southwestern
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Park on the building's structure on Market St. between University Ave. and Mission Inn Ave.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Rolando Rubalcava
Entertainment
Live music, hispanic art, special events.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.palenquekitchen.com/
Phone number
(951) 888-2240
Private party facilities
From 15-350 guests capacity, private dining rooms available, two patios and separate atmospheres, custom menus and banquet menus, on site banquet coordinator, we can cater to most requests, Palenque Kitchen amazing decor transport you to Mexico and makes your experience unforgettable delight

Palenque Kitchen - Riverside

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Appetizers

Papas Bravas$14.70

Queso Fundido$17.00

Shrimp Ceviche$21.00

Shrimp Aguachile$24.15

Guacamole$17.85

Esquite$14.00

Chicken Taquitos$16.75

Nachos$21.00

Chips & Salsa$5.00

SOUPS

Pozole Verde$13.65

SALADS

Caesar Salad$19.95

House Salad$17.85

House Specialties/Main Entrees

Chicken Milanesa$25.00

Asada Steak$35.00

Tampiquena Steak$47.00

Carnitas$29.00

Camarones a la Diabla$34.00

El Jefe Plate$58.00

Torta Cubana$22.05

Enchiladas$24.00

Fajitas$23.00

Tacos

Asada Steak Tacos$24.15

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Tacos$24.15

Baja Fish Tacos$22.05

Campechano Tacos$24.15

Carnitas Tacos$22.05

Prime Steak Taco$26.25

Quesa Birria Tacos$24.15

Dinner Sides

Black Beans$7.35

Market Vegetables$7.35

Mexican Rice$7.35

Palenque Rice$7.35

Refried Beans$7.35

Sour Cream$3.15

$ Side Pico De Gallo$3.15

$ Side Guacamole$7.35

$ Side Habanero$3.15

$ Side Morita$3.15

$ Side Salsa Crudo$3.15

Side Avocado Sauce$3.15

Side Fries$6.30

Sliced Avocado$7.35

Side Flour Tortillas$4.20

Side Corn Tortillas$4.20

Side Rice&Beans$6.30

Chile Toreado$3.15

Dinner Desserts

Brownie$15.00

Churros Con Chocolate$14.00

Palenque Cake$15.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Palenque Kitchen - Riverside offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Palenque Kitchen - Riverside restaurant rated?

Is Palenque Kitchen - Riverside currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information