La Fogata Mexican Restaurant & Catering
| Address: | 5142 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, USA |
| Phone: | +1 818-501-9065 |
| Site: | vivalafogata.com |
| Rating: | 4.1 |
| Working: | 8AM–9:30PM 8AM–9:30PM 8AM–9:30PM 8AM–9:30PM 8AM–10PM 8AM–10PM 8AM–9:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 11
MI
Michelle Venable
I really wanted to like this place. From the outside it looks like it would be an amazing family style sit down and order restaurant but unfortunately it is a counter service restaurant, which to me screams fast food restaurant. Im used to Mexican restaurants having the all you can eat chips and salsa while waiting for your food and this place charges 50 cents a basket. They only have to go salsa containers so you have to break your tortilla chips before dipping your chips in your salsa. The dish i ordered (camarones a la diabla) was the worst Ive tasted from Sacramento to San Diego. It tasted more fishy than salmon. The dish usually comes with rice, beans and a small salad but here you only get your choice of two. I tasted my friends plate and the rice and enchilada were also disappointing. Im just being honest
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Natalie Kusonruksa
My Mexican coworkers sometimes get food from here so I figured this place to be authentic but walking in, I realized this isnt quite the case. La Fogata looks like a full service sit down restaurant from the outside. Once inside, we realized you order at the counter and get a number. The menu looks like theres a lot of option but they dont have too many selections. My boyfriend ended up with a burrito and I had the combo plate with enchilada and a tamale. The burrito was just average at best. My enchilada was okay. The only thing I really enjoyed was the tamale. I liked their salsa bar because of the variety. They give you fresh chips and I really liked 2 of their salsa selections. The service is okay. Our food took a while to come out and they pretty much leave you alone. You get everything up at the counter.
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Aspen A.
UPDATE Thank you for answering. Shows business cares 5 stars. Keep it up! Tried it for the first time this week. Food was great. A couple of suggestions. Since your cooks/servers are in plain sight , you may want to tell them that grabbing lettuce, tomatoes etc. with gloved hand and then taking raw chicken with same gloves is a big no no for cross contamination. Then you watch them using same gloved hands for everything else. What ever happened to tongues and utensils? The other issue is cashiers using gloves to take money and then touching clean plates with same dirty gloves to serve food, noticed table cleaner doing same thing w/o changing gloves. Your staff needs to learn and use better food/dish handling practices. Great food and will be back this week for another visit when Im in the area.
MI
Michelle Clara
Horrible business etiquette. My boys and I decided to stop by while on a walk we were standing there for what felt like forever while every staff member looked right at us but not one person greeted us or tried to seat us even someone who seemed to be the manager gabbed his coffee and newspaper from a table in front of where I was at then turned his back and left?!? And I dont think there was a language barrier I speak Spanish. it was our First time there I will never go back. I even asked if they didnt want to sell food since they were being so rude and not one person replied. There were two men and a woman. I can see now why this place always looks lonely so not welcoming at all. Another customer even shook his head as he watched all this.
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A Private User
I frequently go to the Fogata because their food is so good, but if you ask their employee, Maria, for anything like substituting tomatoes for rice and beans or a "to go" cup for coffee to drink there--its always a major problem. Ive been told that its against company policy to do these things. You would think that customer service should be a priority for them if they want people to go back. I was planning a big lunch at a Mexican restaurant for about 20 people. I didnt even think twice about having it there. It would be embarassing to have other people treated the way Im treated there. Most restaurants "bend over backwards" to keep their customers happy, so they go back--not there. Again--great food, horrible service.
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Steven Ravetti
Quickly: I will go back. Good food. Decent guacamole Long winded: This place is what I call "Carls Jr Style", you stand in line to order, they give you your drinks and a number, you find a seat and a server brings it out when it is ready. Little salsa bar like Baja Fresh. The Fajita at the table next to me smelled amazing. Kind of small seating area, larger groups will have trouble at busy times Pros: Great Torta, decent quesadilla. Their guacamole had chunks of avocado, not some runny stuff in a squirt bottle. Fast service. Can call ahead Cons: Their basic nachos for $5 were to basic for the price. Small 10oz or so pre-mixed margarita for $3.75. Very cheap and thin napkins in the dispenser
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Simon Levy
I will never eat here again! Never! I will never give this franchise my money. The staff is rude and the franchise is greedy. I asked for a simplified burrito with no cilantro, no salsa, and no onions. Instead, I wanted a little rice and some lettuce. They wanted to charge me separately for the rice AND the lettuce as SIDE ITEMS! "Really? I said. "Its a dollop of rice and a few strands of lettuce and you want to charge me extra for a burrito already priced at $8.00?" They refused to accommodate my modest request, so I refuse to ever give them my money. This world has become too greedy. Businesses need to take better care of their customers. Whatever happened to courtesy and flexibility?
SH
Sheryl Hain
This place has delicious home cooked mexican food. The service is not an issue because you order at the counter and they call a number when its ready. I love their green and red sauce on the bean and cheese burritto and the carni asada plate is delicious. My friend is only eats fish and vegis and she loves the fish tacos. I drive from Ventura to go to this place so Im not sure how they got a one star from someone. I will admit I have never had their soup though. Food is fresh and they have a good salsa bar too. Kind of a mom and pop place.
CO
Coolcars 458
Horrible over all. I wont return. Horrible salty food that made me throw up just by looking at the dish food I ordered. Then a stupid customer woman was walking by our table with a plate full of drinks and sliped off and we all got wet by jamaica drink all over our shoes she did not say sorry and just kept walking to her table. A waitress clean the floor and took all of our plates and drinks without asking that didnt even finish eating and did not apologyze nor gave us a discount for the big inconvenience.
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Tabitha Irene
Ive avoided this place for years because of the line. And when I finally went I wanted to dislike it. $6 for one baja fish taco! I was dismayed at the price, but still ordered it. When the taco came it was the largest piece of fish Ive ever seen in a taco. Just cooked, crispy, fresh, tasty. I also took their vegetarian taco, but after the fish taco is couldnt compete. Ill come back at odds times, 11:30 or 1:45 to beat the crowds, but I will return. Glad I finally made it.
LA
Laura Woopiedu
Este lugar es una ofensa al Pueblo Mexicano.su menu incluye platillos altamente GMO y modificados en su preparation. Pedi Unas enchiladas Verdes y la mocosa me trajo , enchiladas Rojas.cuando le hice ver el error ,Ella continua a insistir eran Verdes Como tenia tanta illusion de Unas enchiladas despues de vivir en Europa tanto tiempo me resigne y al cortar el primer bocado ,el pollo era en pedazos y no desebrado,como debe ser. Atencion gringos no se dejen ! UN asco!
