Celia's Mexican Restaurant

About Celia's

Celia's Mexican Restaurant is a full-service Mexican restaurant at 3740 El Camino Real. It belongs to a small Bay Area group with eight restaurants. The others are in Antioch, Daly City, Menlo Park, San Bruno, San Rafael and two in San Mateo.

The group describes its cooking as natural, fresh home-style Mexican food. Its website spells out what that means in the kitchen:

• Salsa and guacamole are made fresh every day.
• Tortillas are prepared without lard.
• Chicken is skinless and trimmed. The steak and pork are lean cuts.
• Tamales are made by hand.
• Both refried and whole beans are on offer.
• Margaritas are mixed fresh daily rather than poured from a machine.

The restaurant lists its own parking lot as well as street spaces, so most diners can drive in without hunting for a spot.

What is on the menu

The Palo Alto dinner menu is long and traditional, built for people who like a big plate with rice and beans. It is split into many sections, including appetizers, salads and soups, traditional combinations, large and small combinations, meat and chicken dishes, seafood, burritos and desserts.

A few dishes show the range:

• Starters: nachos, chimichanguitas, tortilla soup, a tostada salad and Celia's Sampler.
• House specialties: the Expresso Burrito, a giant tortilla with rice, beans, cheese and your choice of meat; Celia's Super Special, with an enchilada, chile relleno, taco and burrito; and the Perfecto Special, which adds a steak and a flauta.
• Mains: carnitas adobadas, chile verde, arroz con pollo and camarones al mojo de ajo, shrimp in garlic sauce.
• Fajitas: including Fajitas Supremas with steak, chicken and shrimp.
• Desserts: churros and Celia's flan.

The combination plates let you mix enchiladas, tacos, tamales, chile rellenos, tostadas and burritos, usually with rice and beans. There is a separate lunch menu and a daily dinner special. Menus change, so check the website for the current version.

The menu also has a few sections that are easy to miss: Especiales Dobles, A La Carta, More Appetizers, New at Celia's and one called North of the Border. Ask your server what is new if you are a regular. The large and small combination plates come in two sizes. Their price depends on whether you want rice and beans with them, which makes it simple to order lighter at lunch or share at dinner.

Margaritas and drinks

Margaritas are a big part of the menu. Flavors include lime, mango, kiwi, banana, pineapple, raspberry, melon and strawberry. Most can be made without alcohol. The cocktail list also has Celia's Super Margarita and an agave nectar margarita. There is homemade sangria by the glass, half carafe or full carafe, plus a beer list. The Chiquito and Chiquita are alcohol-free margaritas in lime and strawberry.

Who it suits

Celia's is a dependable choice for a casual family dinner or a birthday with a group. The menu has a kids section called Little Amigos. The combination plates make it easy to feed a table with different tastes. Vegetarians have options: the menu lists vegetarian fajitas with mushrooms, onions, carrots and bell peppers, a vegetarian burrito and a vegetable omelette. Celia's also says its tortillas are made without lard. Whole or black beans can replace refried beans with many meals. It is not the spot for modern Mexican small plates. For a wider look at the options in town, see our guide to Mexican and Latin American food in Palo Alto.

Takeout, delivery and catering

Celia's takes online pickup orders for the Palo Alto restaurant through its own ordering site. Delivery runs through DoorDash. The Palo Alto location also has a catering menu on the website, which is useful for office lunches and parties. The group lists events on a separate page.

Tips for visiting

• The hours posted on the website are labeled spring and summer hours. Call ahead if you plan a late dinner in the colder months.
• Use the restaurant's lot if street spaces are taken.
• Ask for whole or black beans if you prefer them to refried.
• This part of El Camino Real is covered in our South Palo Alto guide. Nearby on the same road you will find So Gong Dong Tofu House and HolyShred.

Location and getting there

Celia's Mexican Restaurant is at 3740 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the Barron Park area of Palo Alto. Our Barron Park guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 1.0 miles away. That is roughly a 24 minute walk or a short bike ride.

Parking: street spaces or a small lot nearby; check posted limits.

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Ernie's Liquors, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• Starbucks 3885 El Camino Real, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Papa John's, quick-service spot, 0.1 mi
• Veterinary Emergency Group, service business, 0.1 mi
• VCA Palo Alto Animal Hospital, service business, 0.2 mi
• Boulware Park, 0.3 mi
• Robles Park, 0.6 mi
• Bol Park and its bike path, 0.6 mi

Other restaurants nearby: State of Mind Slice House (under 0.1 mi); HolyShred (0.1 mi); Tie Mu Zhen (0.3 mi); INDO Restaurant & Lounge (0.4 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.

Before you go

• Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
• Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
• If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Celia's Palo Alto location page; Celia's Palo Alto dinner menu; Celia's Mexican Restaurants home page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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