Sonora Cantina

Great service, beautiful environment the food was so good. Seasoned perfect. The fajitas for 2 was really for 3-4 ppl. Great people definitely recommended!!!!

Carlos was amazing.... He over fed us tho lol.... Didn't give us a heads up on the portions.... The other Lady that helped and pointed us to the best spots was so nice.... Thank you both actually thanks to everyone there I think everyone came by and checked on us... Picture is after we ate leftovers

I usually go here for Taco Tuesdays and it's always a popular destination for Tuesdays so it's always a bit busy that day. The food is always very delicious. My wife and I went Tuesday Night 3/19/24 with a friend and our server Ernesto was absolutely the best! He made sure we were taken care of well the entire time & even when I dropped my drink he brought me another one immediately as he saw I pretty much lost the entire drink he was excellent. We've been here a lot & all the staff is always friendly but he's by far the best we've had.
Ernesto deserves a raise!

Firstly...Service was terrific. Our waitress Amy was dynamic working at a speedy, polite and professional pace when the restaurant became busy after our entry. Secondly... the food was delicious, hot and well prepared.
Finally...this was our first visit to this place in Big Bear. We were pleasantly surprised.
Parking/entry in rear. Indoor and out dining. Giant Bloody Mary drinks.

The mole’ was amazing. The family recipe was to die for. The fajitas are so good as well. My friend and I both had skinny margaritas and those were delicious. Highly recommend this place. A wonderful Mexican atmosphere. Had to wait 30 minutes but it was a Saturday night so we didn’t mind and once we got seated, we were extremely happy with everything that we ordered and the service and the drinks..

You can tell a lot about a restaurant when you go in as a table of one, or if you arrive less than an hour before closing. On this occasion, I was visiting Big Bear Lake and was looking for a place to dine - just myself; it was shortly after 8pm and many restaurants were closed or would at 9pm. I chose Sonora Cantina.

I drove right by at first, missing the driveway. But after turning around and into the parking lot, there was ample parking. You enter this restaurant from the parking lot, There was a gentleman in the bar (one of the first things you encounter) who was friendly and quickly took me to a booth.

The booths here are colorful artistry and everything felt very clean. The menu was lengthy and located at the table on a stand. The server very quickly offered a drink and returned quickly with it and some chips and salsa. The chips were perfectly cooked and salted, and the salsa was medium in spice, which really hit the spot.

I settled on a Chimichanga Combo made with shredded beef (you choose the meat). When it arrived, it was large and appealing. Guacamole and sour cream were included and were sufficient for the size of the meal. Everything was served piping hot.

The chimi was absolutely delicious, with tender and flavorful meat. There was no excess grease and the tortilla was lightly fried - not too soft or too crunchy. The beans were also very flavorful with a lot of cheese on top. The rice also had a pleasant flavor, and again - everything was nice and hot out of the kitchen.

I got full and had to give up well before I had eaten all of the feast placed before me. Throughout the meal, the server appropriately checked in on me and made sure all was well.

As a table of one and within an hour of closing, I could have had a bad experience. Not the case here: I was treated as a friend, never felt rushed or like I wasn't worth their time. Indeed, I had a wonderful meal and great service. I will be looking forward to stopping by again next time I am in town!

Great simple HH and got a sculpin for $4 which is a winner for me. The plus was the food indeed. Hardshell taco and chimi had a clean fry and meat filling was great!

Cute decor. Good food, drinks were huge and good. I had a Paloma, the hubby ordered the house margarita. Margarita turned out sweet but the Paloma was just right.

8/9/2023
Visited again last 8/7/2023
Our server was awesome. Good food like always. Always a great time here! See you next year!

This has been my favorite restaurant in Big Bear since I moved here 3 years ago. There's rarely a mistake made, and they always correct it. The owners are great people. The long-term servers remember their regulars.
If this can happen for residents, then any visitors will be very pleased.

If you like nachos and pot roast beef, get the small to share with 2. You'll be in heaven. Their guacamole is great, too. And fresh salsa and chips. Oh my, I'm hungry now.
And don't forget their HUGE margaritas!!

Best Tamales I've had in a long time! Beans and rice were perfect and the Horchata was delicious!!

We found this hidden gem a few years ago while visiting Big Bear. The first time we came we were staying across the street from the restaurant it was snowing this particular day but it was within walking distance from our cabin.

My first impression was that it was popular because people were waiting which is always a good sign that the food must be good.

The food was very good big portions too. The prices have gone up since but it's still very affordable. We always ordered the fajitas mix which has shrimp, beef, and chicken along with grilled onions and bell peppers. Don't forget to order a michelada they are probably the best ones I've tasted.

I saw the appetizer sampler today while we were eating and it was big enough for 3 people. I think I'll order that next time. So we can mix things up. The margaritas are really good too.

The staff is very friendly and they always asked if we need anything. I can't wait to come back. Today we just happened to be driving back from Vegas. I paid 52 dollars for our meal and still had leftovers.

When my hubby & I walked in the vibes were sorta off, but then we were seated by a college kid in a natty light tshirt, and suddenly the vibes we back on. He walked me & my boo thang (🥵) to the outdoor dining area, and the atmosphere was FIRE. The music was gas, the chairs were mad comfy, and the decor was on point. Service was great, waiter came to us right away and always kept an eye on us. My other half got the burrito combo with carne asada and he said it was straight up BUSSIN bussin (like fr though). I got a chicken enchilada & a hard shell beef taco (which I always get at every mexican restaurant) and it was kinda mid ngl. But the experience was worth it & the chips and salsa were scrumptious ☝🏼

I am still waiting on my arnold palmer refill though... hopefully it comes soon 🤞🏼

UPDATE: The arnold palmer came. Really good. I think they actually put pink lemonade in it which I didn't ask for but honestly, it was fantastic. Just bumped the review up a star! ⭐

What a great find! We were looking for open patio seating on a Tuesday summer night. Sonora Cantina had a fabulous patio and happy hour deals all Tuesday evening. The service was great and only outmatched by their serving sizes and margaritas! We had shrimp fajitas (outatanding!) and the happy hour taco sampler. All around a great pick.

We came here on Father's Day 2019, we found the portions size more than large enough and the drinks to be heavy handed both things we couldn't complain about. The food was excellent great flavors and my wife and I think it's the best Mexican food within 100 miles. We will make the drive just for the food it's so good. Can't wait to go again.

Fast take out service, Excellent prices, and Great Tasting Quality Food!

Truly one of the most wonderful meals my friend and I have ever had. The Chile relleno in red sauce was delicious and the nopales were cooked perfectly. Our server was so kind and attentive, and the environment and decor of the restaurant was pleasant and lovely. Will most definitely be returning!!!

Everything was amazing! Loved the food margaritas beers and especially the customer service!!! They were so kind considering I cam with a party of 9! 4 adults and 5 kids(under 10)!! We left soo full and happy!!

Very authentic Mexican food. My Carne Azada was cooked to perfection, and it was delicious. Our margaritas were loaded, lol. It's a pretty big size. The service was fast and friendly. They were pretty busy, but we still got our food fast and great quality. Can't wait to come back.

Delicious food and super friendly staff. Definitely recommend tamales!

I'm giving this spot a 5 star review because their Micheladas and Margaritas are pretty good, and the food is really tasty as well, got the camarones a la diabla and that sauce is spicy as it should be. the green swiss enchiladas are also really good. definitely coming here anytime I'm back here in Big Bear.