Garduno’s Mexican Food

Dos Amigos was my go to, Saturday morning hangover fix when I moved back to Whittier back about a zillion years ago. Bomb menudo tarted up with a handful of dried oregano and some raw onion and washed down with a Bohemia or two (followed by a brief siesta) and I was good for another night on the town.
Sad to say my return visits haven’t been as memorable. Heck, maybe fatherhood lowers one’s appreciation of Cal-​Mex-​Tex cuisine. .. nah, that can’t be it. Like many of the joints I remember fondly the prices have increased and at the same time the portions have gotten smaller and the quality seems to have diminished. Sad. Now I don’t mind paying twice what I did for a taco when Reagan was in the White House but paying twice as much for a tortilla full of more salad than meat is just wrong
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Burritos are smaller too, and cost twice as much. .. upside is the quality is still there: good beans, enough meat, and a quality tortilla. Same with the rolled tacos (taquitos): plenty of beef and real guacamole. Chilaquiles are killer and the enchiladas are another safe bet. Free chips and a choice of salsa’s are at a do it yourself counter in mid-​store and they have the usual assortment of liquid refreshment both domestic as well as stuff like Mexican Cokes and a range of exotic fruit and rice drinks.
Service is variable. You give your order to a nice lady who writes it down and sends it into the kitchen where the cook whacks out your grub at a pace that is as consistent as middle eastern politics. While you wait there are TV sets in the corners tuned to whatever kommie kickball game is being broadcast on Telemundo or Unavision usually complete with a few fans cheering on the home team. .. so to speak.
Not bad but no longer a destination. .. you can get higher quality grub out of a local truck if you shop around a bit.

I wanted to like this place, I really did! After reading the reviews on Unilocal I thought I would give it a try.
They have such a big selection, the menu is HUGE! The chips were cold and tasted old. The place was empty when we walked in, that should have been my first sign.
My husband had a Milanesa torta and «shrimp ceviche tostada». He said the torta was Ok. The tostada on the other hand was not your typical shrimp ceviche. It was basically a shrimp cocktail on a tostada and lacked flavor.
My daughter ordered a Sope, it was greasy and soggy. The carne asada was dry and looked like it was old.
I ordered a combination place with hard taco and enchilada. The enchilada was covered in cheese and the hard taco was soggy and you could taste the grease when you bit into it.
I can’t say I’ll be back!

We have been eating here for about 10 years. I highly recommend the shredded beef crispy tacos or the shredded beef, bean, and cheese burrito. The place isn’t fancy and the bathrooms are gross, but I come back for the great food.

Worst Mexican food I have ever had in my life! Also, so expensive for what u get. The chips are old and cold since they are out in the open for everyone to take. I ordered a wet carne asada burrito & ask for a no spicy sauce so they gave me green sauce and it was on fired. The meat tasted old with no flavor. They change mu burrito and gave me a new one with red sauce. The red sauce was so greasy & tasted like spaghetti sauce. Overall was the worst Mexican food u can have. the rewiews are wrong.

What can I say? The stars say it all.
For me, this is as good as it gets, other then straight-​up home cooked Mexican food. They carry the basic menu and then some. What blew me away was the Chiliquellas, both red and green. The red for me is just how my grandma made them. That dish took me way back.
My GF and I usually come here on Sunday mornings, she will normally get a huge Asada burrito, which she never finishes. I, on the other hand, tend stick to the breakfast menu on the right side of the wall. Sunday mornings are pretty busy, but I think that more people come in and just do the take out.
Both menus are these really cool murals. The main one is behind the cashier. It’s really quite overwhelming when you see it. After you place your order, spin around, grab a tray of tortilla chips, a little bowel of hot salsa and chill.
It’s not just the dish, but the whole setting. The smell of the place, the style of it, the paintings on the wall, the booths, everything took me back to me spending weekends at my grandparents house in East LA.
It is very clear that I love the Mom and Pop places, Garduno’s is the essence of that.

I love, love, love their crispy shell shredded beef tacos!!! I have for 20 years! They’re soo good that I call them my «comfort food,» so whenever I have the blues or I’m not feeling right, I come here. Chips and salsa are self-​served. Their chunky salsa is the best and has just the right amount of «kick» to it.
They have a wide array of menu items, including non-​mexican food (i.e. burgers, chili chesse fries, etc.), but the tacos are my favorite.
It is a small café style setting and connected to a carniceria. Everyone that works there is really nice. It is a family business and I always feel welcomed there.