Casa Vega Restaurant

Mexican

When to Go: If you're hungry, skip prime weekend times from 7pm to 10pm. You're virtually guaranteed an hour or longer wait.

The Extras: Casa Vega will accommodate special dietary and food preparation requests and substitutions.

A "very-happy happy hour" complete with "knock-your-socks-off margaritas" keeps Valleyites (and "celebs") coming to this "dark", "moody" "'50s throwback" in Sherman Oaks serving "solid" "gringo Mex" grub; yes, there's often a "ridiculous wait" to get in, but it's one of the few locals open till 1 AM, so "have another margarita and get over it."

This Valley favorite, beloved by loyal neighborhood regulars, a few celebrities and folks looking for a bargain, has been around for more than 50 years and founder Rafael Ray Vega's family still operates the joint. His daughter Christy is equally comfortable in the kitchen making chiles rellenos as she is brightly welcoming diners. The dining room is one of the darkest places around --- so dark...

There's nothing better than a mondo margarita and some spicy, cheesy Mexican goodness for a sunny Cali day. Then again, there's nothing more satisfying than Mexican munchies at 1am after getting tanked on tequila. 40 years in the biz have given Casa Vega plenty of time to perfect their craft, bringing Mex enthusiasts and inebriated jerks alike some killer lobster enchiladas and giant portions....

Every neighborhood needs a friendly dive that's open until 2am, and Casa Vega has been the local favorite for nearly half a century. A faux-weathered adobe exterior conceals red Naugahyde booths lurking among fake potted plants and 1960s amateur oil paintings of dark-eyed Mexican children and cape-waving bullfighters. (The decor achieves critical mass at Christmas, when everything drips with...

Casa Vega was started in 1958 by Rafael "Ray" Vega in Sherman Oaks, California. The Vega Family recipes and margaritas have been a huge hit with the locals of Los Angeles since day one. Casa Vega has always been a family owned and operated restaurant. Ray is still working hard everyday at Casa Vega along with his daughter Christina and Cousin Rick. Casa Vega is very proud of its employees. Many...