Little Onion Mexican Restaurant

4.3 (99)

$30 and under

Mexican

14429 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Great for outdoor dining

During this time, Lorenzo traveled extensively throughout Mexico and became quite passionate about Mexican culture and food. It was then that he realized his dream to share his passion by becoming a restaurateur of fresh, authentic, Mexican cuisine, providing great service at a great price to the world. Saving up every last penny that he could, Lorenzo was eventually able to purchase the tiny, 1,200-square-foot space that would become the first Little Onion in Hawthorne, California in 1963. After a few successful years, he took his family to Orange County where he opened the second Little Onion in October of 1972 here in Santa Ana. He has successfully grown the Little Onion for over 40 years.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican
Hours of operation
Mon 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Website
http://www.littleonion.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
14429 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604
Neighborhood
Irvine
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Fresh Guacamole$8.00
Hass Avocados / Tomato / Onions / Cilantro
Ceviche$13.00
Spicy Citrus Marinated Fish & Shrimp ? Serrano Chile / Red Onion / Tomato / Avocado / Cilantro
Handmade Sopes$13.00
Carnitas / Shredded Lettuce / Cotija / Pico de Gallo / Chile de Arbol Salsa / Crema
Crispy Flautas$10.00
Beef or Chicken / Guacamole / Crema
Classic Quesadilla$11.00
Choice of Chicken / Asada / Carnitas / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Pico de Gallo / Sour Cream / Guacamole
Casa Nachos$14.00
Choice of Asada / Ground Beef / Shredded Chicken / Carnitas / Fresh Tortilla Chips / Refried Beans / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Pico de Gallo / Guacamole / Crema
Queso Fundido$10.00
Oaxaca & Jack Cheese / Chorizo / Poblano Chiles

Sopa y Ensalada

Albondigas$8.00
Fresh Mexican meatball soup made with fresh vegetables and cilantro
Verde Pollo Pozole$8.00
Heirloom Hominy / chicken / Radish / Green Cabbage / Avocado / Onion / Micro Cilantro / Lime
Mexican Fiesta Salad$14.00
Grilled Chicken / Romaine / Tomato / Queso Fresco / Crunchy Tortilla Strips / Creamy Cilantro Macadamia Dressing
Tostada Salad$14.00
Choice of Grilled Chicken / Skirt Steak / Shrimp / Mixed Greens / Beans / Pico de Gallo / Cotija Cheese / Avocado / Balsamic Cumin Vinaigrette
Lil O Salad$15.00
Grilled Chicken / Mixed Greens / Romaine / Bacon / Tomato / Roasted Corn / Red Onion / Radish / Oaxacan Cheese / Avocado / Guajillo Vinaigrette

Combinacion

Served with Spanish Rice & Refried Beans. El Mediano (Two Item) $14, El Grande (Three Item) $16

Classic Taco
Choice of Ground Beef / Shredded Beef / Shredded Chicken
Crispy or Soft Corn Tortillas
Shredded Lettuce / Cheddar & Jack Blend
Enchilada
Choice of Cheese / Ground Beef / Shredded Beef / Shredded Chicken / Asada / Carnitas / Shrimp
Taquito or Flauta
Choice of Shredded Beef / Shredded Chicken
Chile Relleno
Anaheim Chile / Jack Cheese / Espanola Sauce
Tamale
Beef / Rojo Sauce or Pork Carnitas / Verde Sauce

Tacos

Organic Yellow Corn Tortillas; Served with Spanish Rice & Choice of Beans

Tacos #1

Two for $14 Three for $16

Classica
Choice of Ground Beef / Shredded Beef / Shredded Chicken
Chicken
Crispy or Soft Shell / Shredded Lettuce
Cheddar & Jack Blend

Tacos #2

Two for $15 Three for $17

Carne Asada
Pickled Red Onion / Chile de Arbol Salsa / Cilantro
Carnitas
Pico de Gallo / Cilantro
Shrimp & Chorizo
Avocado Tomatillo Salsa / Yukon Potato / Chipotle Aioli
Line Caught Fish
Grilled or Fried / Mango Salsa / Chipotle Aioli
Wild Mushrooms & Rajas
Avocado Tomatillo Salsa / Roasted Corn / Cotija Cheese

Seleccion Mexicano

Your Choice of Warm Flour or Yellow Corn Tortillas

Crispy Carnitas Plato$18.00
Pickled Red Onions / Spanish Rice / Refried Beans
Carne Asada Plato$20.00
Flap Meat Steak / Mexican Corn / Spanish Rice / Refried Beans
Mexican Pizza$15.00
Choice of Ground Beef / Shredded Chicken / Shredded Beef Asada / Carnitas / Crisp Flour Tortilla / Refried Beans / Ranchero Sauce / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Pico de Gallo Crema
Pollo Mole Poblano$17.00
Grilled Chicken / Sesame Seeds / Queso Fresco / Avocado / Crema / Spanish Rice
Sizzling Fajitas$20.00
Choice of two: Chicken / Asada / Shrimp / Grilled Onions & Peppers / Spanish Rice / Refried Beans
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo$20.00
Jumbo Marinated Shrimp / Fresh Garlic / Olive Oil / White Wine / Onion / Bell Pepper / Spanish Rice
Camarones a la Diabla$20.00
Jumbo Marinated Shrimp / Spicy Diabla Sauce / Tomato / Onion / Cilantro / Mexican Squash / Spanish Rice
Fresh Pescado$22.00
Chef Bruno's Catch of the Day / Black Beans / Spanish Rice / Sauteed Vegetables

Enchiladas

Served with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans

Enchiladas Suizas$15.00
Corn Tortillas / Shredded Chicken / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Verde Sauce / Avocado / Crema
Enchiladas Rancheras$15.00
Corn Tortillas / Shredded Beef / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Rojo Sauce / Crema
Tres Queso Enchiladas$13.00
Corn Tortillas / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Cotija Cheese / Verde Sauce / Cilantro
Enchiladas del Mar$17.00
Corn Tortillas / Fresh Lobster & Shrimp / Tomato Chipotle / Cream Sauce / Cotija Cheese / Cilantro
Open Face Poblano Mole Enchiladas$15.00
Corn Tortillas / Shredded Chicken / Onion / Queso Fresco / Crema / Cilantro / Black Beans

Burritos

Lil O Burrito$12.00
Choice of Ground Beef / Shredded Beef / Shredded Chicken / Spanish Rice / Beans / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Pico de Gallo Topped with Choice of Rojo or Verde Sauce
Carne Asada Burrito$14.00
Spanish Rice / Beans / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Pico de Gallo Topped with Choice of Rojo or Verde Sauce
Taco Burrito$11.00
Shredded Beef / Spanish Rice / Beans / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Shredded Lettuce / Pico de Gallo / Topped with Choice of Rojo or Verde Sauce
Carnitas Burrito$14.00
Carnitas / Spanish Rice / Beans / Cheddar & Jack Blend / Shredded Lettuce / Pico de Gallo / Topped with Choice of Rojo or Verde Sauce

Dessert

Flan$7.00
Our signature house-made flan with a cheesecake-like texture
Tres Leche Cake$7.00
Three milk cake topped with fresh homemade whipped cream
Margarita Lime Pie$7.00
Delicious fresh lime infused pie on a graham cracker crust, topped with a housemade fresh whipped cream
Dark Chocolate Lava Brownie$7.00
Warm dark chocolate lava brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, our homemade spiced glazed pecans and drizzled with caramel and chocolate
Churro Sundae$6.00
A scoop of vanilla ice cream, sliced cinnamon churro sticks drizzled with chocolate and caramel and topped with whipped cream

Beverages

Coffee$3.00
Hot Tea$3.00
Iced Tea$3.00
Lemonade$3.00
Milk$3.00
Coke$3.00
Diet Coke$3.00
Sprite$3.00
Dr Pepper$3.00
Horchata$3.00
Jamaica$3.00

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Little Onion Mexican Restaurant.

4.3

(99)

4.3Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

99 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County4 reviews
1.0
Dined on November 15, 2020
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
I had a reservation, even received a same day confirmation, got to the restaurant only to find out it was permanently closed—out of business!!!!!! Not cool on the part of Open Table!!!!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County1 review
4.0
Dined on November 7, 2020
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Service was slow but otherwise great!
Is this helpful?
HK
HilK Gold
Orange County23 reviews
3.0
Dined on November 7, 2020
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
This was our first visit to this restaurant. The food was good, the margarita was good. However, it was incredibly expensive for this type of food. We may try to return at happy hour.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego3 reviews
4.0
Dined on November 7, 2020
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Overall good experience. Cute little place with above average food. Food was good, but not amazing.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County1 review
5.0
Dined on October 31, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Service was amazing!
Is this helpful?
SR
SylviaRJ
Central Coast1 review
5.0
Dined on October 18, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We chose this restaurant off the app and could not have been happier! We were attending an event nearby and overall, food, service and ambience were all awesome! Will definitely return!!! Delicious, great Mexican food!
Is this helpful?
SB
SusanB Gold
Orange County11 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 17, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious healthy food. Great nachos, albondigas soup, margaritas... my favorite spot in Irvine. Pleasant outdoor seating, not noisy, kind staff!
Is this helpful?
M
Meetup
Orange County14 reviews
3.0
Dined on October 17, 2020
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
A bit pricey.
Is this helpful?
GB
GBFOODIE Gold
Orange County25 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 17, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This place is awesome great food good drinks and great atmosphere!! Well done
Is this helpful?
SS
SarahS
Minneapolis11 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 17, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fun atmosphere, quick service, tasty food.
Is this helpful?

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican
Hours of operation
Mon 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Website
http://www.littleonion.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
14429 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604
Neighborhood
Irvine
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Little Onion Mexican Restaurant

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Starters

Fresh Guacamole$8.00

Ceviche$13.00

Handmade Sopes$13.00

Crispy Flautas$10.00

Classic Quesadilla$11.00

Casa Nachos$14.00

Queso Fundido$10.00

Sopa y Ensalada

Albondigas$8.00

Verde Pollo Pozole$8.00

Mexican Fiesta Salad$14.00

Tostada Salad$14.00

Lil O Salad$15.00

Combinacion

Classic Taco

Crispy or Soft Corn Tortillas

Enchilada

Taquito or Flauta

Chile Relleno

Tamale

Tacos

Tacos #1

Classica

Chicken

Cheddar & Jack Blend

Tacos #2

Carne Asada

Carnitas

Shrimp & Chorizo

Line Caught Fish

Wild Mushrooms & Rajas

Seleccion Mexicano

Crispy Carnitas Plato$18.00

Carne Asada Plato$20.00

Mexican Pizza$15.00

Pollo Mole Poblano$17.00

Sizzling Fajitas$20.00

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo$20.00

Camarones a la Diabla$20.00

Fresh Pescado$22.00

Enchiladas

Enchiladas Suizas$15.00

Enchiladas Rancheras$15.00

Tres Queso Enchiladas$13.00

Enchiladas del Mar$17.00

Open Face Poblano Mole Enchiladas$15.00

Burritos

Lil O Burrito$12.00

Carne Asada Burrito$14.00

Taco Burrito$11.00

Carnitas Burrito$14.00

Dessert

Flan$7.00

Tres Leche Cake$7.00

Margarita Lime Pie$7.00

Dark Chocolate Lava Brownie$7.00

Churro Sundae$6.00

Beverages

Coffee$3.00

Hot Tea$3.00

Iced Tea$3.00

Lemonade$3.00

Milk$3.00

Coke$3.00

Diet Coke$3.00

Sprite$3.00

Dr Pepper$3.00

Horchata$3.00

Jamaica$3.00

Additional information

Not available on OpenTable