El Portal Mexican Grill - Lake Isabella

We have eaten here several times. The first few times the food was great and good service. Reasonable prices. Then we just ate here again for dinner not so great. Food was bland and dry, no flavor. I am not sure if their regular cook was gone that day or what, but this food was definitely not very good. Also the septic tank may have backed up, because there was a horrible smell coming from the bathroom. My grandsons became sick and could not eat their food. Waitress wanted to know if there was a problem with food. We explained that the horrible smell really killed our appetite. She did not seem to care and said there was nothing she could do. I am not sure if they are responsible for maintaining a pleasant atmosphere in restaurant as far as cleanliness and smell, but we were very disappointed with their attitude and will definitely never go back there. Also why pay for poor quality of food. She said it was right before they make a run for more food and food was old anyway. Nice of her to tell us that!!!!! Never again.

I was pleasantly surprised by the food, especially since much of the cuisine in this valley tends to be rather bland.

There are two El Portals (Entrance) at Lake Isabella. The photo shared and the review by Bill B refer to the El Portal in Mountain Mesa, which is about 8 miles from Lake Isabella. The El Portal located on Lake Isabella Blvd is situated in the shopping center with Vons and Rite Aid. This particular El Portal is a decent 3-star restaurant, and it's worth a visit. On the other hand, the smaller El Portal in Mountain Mesa is a standout 5-star establishment. It's a simple place with fantastic waitstaff and an incredible kitchen team. Everything there is excellent! Additionally, there's another Mexican restaurant called Los Palomos (Male Dove or Pigeon) in Lake Isabella. While the food is fairly good, the old building, low ceilings, and unpleasant odor upon entering really detract from the overall experience.

This is an excellent spot for satisfying your cravings for Mexican cuisine. The food is authentically local and delicious. The service is commendable as well. Currently, they only offer wine and margaritas, but I’m sure they’ll be acquiring a full liquor license soon. They have to, right?

Upon entering, we found no one was there to greet us, but since it was a small place, we quickly decided to seat ourselves. Just as we were about to sit down, a lovely young lady wearing pearls emerged from the back with chips and salsa. She must have seen us coming and was already prepared. Assuming it was customary to seat ourselves, I was pleasantly surprised by the prompt service. I asked for her recommendations, and she responded immediately to our questions, all while wearing a warm smile. Very helpful! I ordered the carne asada taco and tortilla soup, while Ali chose the fajitas, which included both chicken and carne asada. Our food arrived quickly and was served hot. I ended up burning my tongue on the soup since it was quite hot. The taco was excellent, and the carne asada was flavorful. The fajitas came out sizzling but initially only contained chicken. The waitress noted that the cook hadn’t prepared the beef yet but assured us she would ask him to make a side. Ali said it wasn't necessary and that just chicken was fine, to which she agreed and went back to the kitchen. Moments later, she returned with the beef; the cook had already prepared it, despite it being a Wednesday evening with only three other tables occupied. The place wasn't very busy, but there was a steady stream of people coming in. Overall, I really liked this restaurant and would recommend it. This was my first visit, but the flow of patrons certainly speaks volumes for El Portal Mexican. Great job!