Personally, I like Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks, which is closer to my neck of the woods these days. La Cabana in Venice is good, too, although I haven't been there in a while. Mexico City on Hillhurst in Los Feliz is good if you want to hang with the hipster set. My favorite non-old school Mexican is Border Grill in Santa Monica, which is more a fine dining joint with a Mexican jumping-off point. There's also a stand on Sunset that does great, and cheap, ceviche, and Yuca, a tiny stand in the parking lot of a liquor store that does amazing cochinita pibil burritos, although I always regret that one the next day. Lucy's IS good. Nice atmosphere, good art on the walls, plus pretty good food. Jerry Brown wasn't wrong about everything.
Funny you should mention the El Adobe in Capistrano--I just ate there a couple of months ago, stopping for a late lunch on the way to San Diego. It's okay. Great antique mall across the street, though.