La Cocina Cali-Mex

First of all this restaurant is great, every bite of your meal is an explosion of flavors in your mouth.

This is not your average Mexican restaurant, whatever you have experienced before leave it out the door and pick it back up on the way out. When you first come in you are greeted by a friendly smile from the chef, you do have to order your food and pay before you sit down.

The chips are cooked in a different style compared to other restaurants, just because they're a little crunchier than other places, it doesn't mean they're stale. Your food is served, and as soon as I took the first bite it brought me that sense of home-cooked meals that my mom used to prepare when I was young. You'll have to make sure to order the hot sauce that when poured on your meal, it just complements all the other flavors.

I wish I would have taken the pictures before we started eating, but it looked so delicious that I could not wait. So please excuse those.

Truly hidden gem, "hole in the wall", restaurant on the Southside. It truly brings California style cooking to the Midwest.

Give it a try and you will not be disappointed, and if you don't like your meal, come back and there are plenty of different options.

We got the rice bowl with "carnitas" (pork) and the gorditas with rice and beans, cooked to perfection, than you can fill with your choice of meat. The cheese melts in your mouth!

Give it a try!

I regret not trying this place sooner. I concur with many of the other reviews that give La Cocina Cali-Mex high marks. The place is small, therefore seating is kind of limited. It's very clean. The staff is friendly. And the food is authentic So Cal/Mexican. I can say that since my daughter has lived in San Clemente for 10 yrs and I have had the Cali-Mex food there many many times. I do like the other Mexican restaurants on the South side which are more geared toward the full sit-down dine in experience. La Cocina Cali-Mex is a great spot for small plates or a quick bite. Needless to say, this is a new neighborhood favorite.

Very fresh and very tasty.
The menu is a little overwhelming when you first walk in, but it boils down to: what kind of shell and what kind of meat. We tried all the meats on various dishes. All good choices - well seasoned and good texture. The rice was fluffy and fresh and the beans were not just from a can. Chips were thick and crunchy, the salsa was fresh with a medium heat. The host was very friendly and helped us with the menu.
Will definitely return.

This has become one of my favorite spots quickly. The owner is a sweetheart and has offered me complimentary chips and salsa any time I have to wait. Best fresh salsa I have ever tasted (and this is coming from a California native who grew up in taquerias) !

Had the asada fries and nachos so far, their asada steak is flavorful and well charred and portion size is amazing for the price. Definitely come check out this hidden gem!

Huge variety menu, very clean and friendly staff!! The best pork torta I've ever tasted...the bread is very fresh! Also, hands-down the best refried beans & guac EVER!! Do yourself a favor and try this place, you won't regret it!

Went there for lunch and the pork tacos and chicken burrito was delicious.
Legit Mexican restaurant with plenty to chose from.

Delicious food and real nice people working there! Soft meat love the beans!

The steak tacos are incredible. This place has quickly become my go to for quick takeout lunch because it’s so authentic and delicious and fresh. They make their salsa and chips fresh every day and you can tell. Highly recommend!

Great quality food! A nice hole in the wall place on Fluer

One of the best parts of our visit to Iowa. The food was darn good and the service for a little storefront felt like I was at Tokie’s home. Amazing beans and salsa!! Great price too.

Went in today for a pork burrito. The ingredients were freshly prepared. The carnitas was actually real ,not that frozen meat that you get at other places. The ladies were very nice.

I've been ordering food from this restaurant through DoorDash and I have not had a disappointing order yet. My favorite thing to order are the tacos. The tortillas don't fall apart when you pick them up and the meat isn't dry at all. Definitely the best tacos I have had in Des Moines so far.

Ordered the special, chicken quesadilla with fries and a small chicken nacho. The dilla, was possibly the best I've had in years ( I have 2 young kids who order that or strips and I always try their food, since one of them usually eats half of my order.) The nachos....... perfection, straight perfection. The same chicken has great seasoning and amounts in both. I will be adding this to my randon lunch stop during the day. The place was very clean and extremely attentive staff.

The pork tacos are the best I've had around here. Seasoned perfectly, juicy, and full of flavor. Definitely recommend! Its food truck authentic tacos but always there!

One of my favorite spots. We’ve been checking out all the new restaurants since we moved to the Southside. We LOVE La Cocina Cali-Mex. Reminds me of home and it’s amazing. Love the tacos, asada fries, and red sauce. The Torta is BOMB! Definitely recommend. This is the real deal, not covered in queso like other spots. 11/10 😂

The food is so dope. It does not matter what you order on the menu. Its made fresh and ready to go. The ladies that work there are the nicest people and the have excellent service. You must give this Mexican food a try.

Fresh, vibrant made-to-order food. Super friendly staff. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend the Cali burger which is a cheeseburger with 3 strips of bacon, salsa and guacamole, all for $5.

One of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to outside of Phoenix. This is the second time I was here. Each time I tried different items. Have not found anything I didn't like.
The staff here is also very friendly and helpful. Will be back next time I am in the area.

Best Mexican food in Des Moines. Great homemade salsa. Excellent and flavorful steak tacos. The daily specials have also been tasty.

Great food and incredible service. The owner was very nice and accommodating! She even gave us some fideo to go which was incredibly nice of her. Will be back!