Sierra's Mexican Restaurant

Sierra's Mexican Restaurant was a landmark, family-owned Mexican restaurant in the San Fernando Valley, having roots to the Great Depression. Its last day of operation was New year's Eve, 2012. Property values at the corner of Canoga Avenue and Vanowen Street grew too high, making the 100,000 square-foot property too valuable to remain a restaurant.

At its peak, the restaurant was 9,000 square feet with a evening waiting time of two and one half hours to the 300 seat dining room. It specialized in casual Mexican with home made Tacos and Burritos.

Sierra's Mexican Restaurant in "Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers"
When Jared Tillman and his son Connor finished meeting with Bruce Delgado of the Chatsworth Lancers, Jared wanted to see more of Chatsworth for himself and so head east to De Doto and then south back to Topanga. When they reached Vanowen, Jared was inspired to head west and when they reached Vanowen, he was pleased to see Sierra's was still in business.

The parking lot had been torn up and turned into a vegetable garden and big windows had been knocked into the east, south and west walls to increase daylight. A water trough and hitching posts had been added to the front. The Tillmans let their horses drink a bit then put feedbags on them and went in. They were greeted by the gray-haired proprietor and when Jared mentioned he had last been at Sierra's in 1997, just before The Change, the proprietor offered their first drink on the house. They had the choice of pork or chicken tacos and enchiladas which filled them up. Their bill came to two dollars each which Jared covered with a dozen sandwich metal quarters. Jared mentioned he over-tipped because the place made him feel Connor's age.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the proprietor, the two headed back to Topanga.