Situated in the fairly new shopping plaza, The Edge in El Segundo is La Sirena Grill & Cantina offering Mexican cuisine. What sets this establishment apart from many other Mexican eateries is its use of local, organic, and fresh ingredients. All menu items are made from scratch for your order. Food sitting under a heat lamp all day does not occur here.

When walking into the dining area, one notices the dark color scheme along with the wooden tables and chairs, which give off an aura of an authentic Tex-Mex restaurant. Immediately upon being seated at one of the grand tables, one is presented with the ever present tortilla chips and slightly spicy salsa verde. The chips are warm, fresh and crispy; the salsa is a perfect accompaniment.

The lunch menu consists of salads, tacos, fajitas, burritos, and enchiladas. The meals come with choices of chicken, beef, grilled vegetables, and on certain menu items carnitas, carne asada, and blackened tuna or salmon. Printed on each section of the menu are the words organic and grass fed. Entrée items are accompanied by organic rice and beans. Clearly, La Sirena is keen on emphasizing what sets them apart from the rest of the pack.

Also noted is La Sirena’s drink menu with its extensive list of tequilas and beers. Weekly events, such as happy hour, tequila tastings, community appreciation night, pitcher night, and weekend brunch are advertised. This establishment is clearly all about taking it easy and enjoying life.

Bussers take drink orders and quickly return with the requested beverage. The server, undistinguishable from the bussers, appeared several minutes afterwards and quickly mentioned that there are mole enchiladas available and vanishes as quickly as he appeared. Upon one final review of the menu, the server’s suggestion of mole enchiladas appeared to be satisfying to any palette and the meal was ordered.

The entrée arrives shortly after ordering and is presented by a busser who does not warn about the plate’s hot temperature nor does he ask if anything else is needed. The enchiladas, drenched in the sweet black mole sauce consisting of peppers and spices, taste fresh. The tortillas encasing the meat are warm and fall apart easily. The chicken is moist and savory. The accompaniments of rice and beans are equally as impressive as their main course counterpart. Dryness and blandness are nowhere to be found on the plate.

The server makes one visit to the table to ensure that the meal has met expectations. Not only are expectations met, but slightly exceeded. The bussers make several more trips to the table, refilling drinks as needed and clearing the plate away once the meal is through. The server drops off the check and returns to settle it promptly.

Despite the food being fresh and delicious, the dining experience was slow at times, the server was not quite personable. Menu knowledge on the server’s part was questionable as well. The bussers appeared to be more attentive and courteous, greeting the patrons as they entered and exited.

La Sirena is best suited for lunches in which one is not in a hurry. The happy hour, daily from 4:00 – 6:30 is worth checking out as well as daily tequila tasting from 5:30 – 6:30, Monday’s community appreciation night from 5pm to close with live entertainment with friends or coworkers, as well as weekend brunch from 11- 3 with the family.

La Sirena Grill & Cantina is located at 700 S Sepulveda Blvd El Segundo, CA 90245. It shares parking with fellow restaurants and shops which tend to get full at lunch hours and weekends. Please allow ample time prior to arrival.

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Bianca is a Florida State University graduate with a strong passion for writing and a love of food. She hopes to be a successful food critic one day.

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