Los Garcia’s
14 Oneawa St, Kailua, HI, 96734
Los Garcia’s Menu
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Aperitivos
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Especiales De Mexico
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Camarones Seafood & Fajitas
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Hamburgers
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Side Orders
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Posters
Healthy Meal suggestions for Los Garcia’s
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Aperitivos
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Especiales De Mexico
-
Camarones Seafood & Fajitas
-
Hamburgers
-
Side Orders
-
Posters
Visit below restaurant in Kailua for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
14 Oneawa St
Kailua, HI, 96734 - Phone (808) 261-0306
- Website https://www.losgarcias-kailua.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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V.K. P.
Me and my cousin loved it there. Cool AC , nice place to visit. 'Ono ceviche. I liked that it was really a relaxed atmosphere. Also the serving sizes were generous.
(5)Travelmeister T.
Stopped here for lunch yesterday after beaching at Lanikai. Parking sucks. Service was not the friendliest. However, food was very good. We split an order of nachos with shredded beef and a side of refried beans. Both were very tasty! The complimentary chips (good and crispy) and salsa (rather blah chipotle-based) were a good accompaniment for the refries. Didn't drink since I had to drive home... We'd eat here again and try something different.
(3)Kayla B.
There are a ton of Mexican options on the island and in Kailua, so save yourself and go to one of those! Decided to give it a try, it brings the only Mexican place in Kailua we haven't tried. Was not impressed and won't be coming back. Cheese dip: pretty sure it's from a tostitos can. Salsa: tomato paste with a few tomato chunks Guacamole: from a can. Gross. Chips: warm, pretty good Margarita: pre mix, barely drank half Beef taco: gross Quesadillas: pretty good Rice and beans: very good Service: attentive but the waitress was very unfriendly Wouldn't come back due to low quality good. Parking is non existent, find something on the street. It does have a nice shaded patio though!
(2)Xavi M.
My favourite place for Mexican food. Awesome service. Inviting interior with entertaining music. A Mexican delite!
(5)Chelsea B.
Not a mainland Mexican restaurant, but as close as it gets here on island. Definitely one of the best places I've been to as far as Mexican food goes. Only bad thing I have to say, we came here early and no other customers were here and yet somehow I still had to get up and ask for drink refills and chips because the cheese dip we ordered was cold at that point. Will definetly come back though.
(4)Fran C.
Oh-la! Buenas noches my friends!!!! It was pau hana Friday yesterday when I met up with a friend for some Mexican food. I've always wanted to try this place, but it was kinda out of my way, but since I picked up a new play car, I figure I'd do a little cruising last night. Made my way to Los Garcia's in Kailua, and I'm glad I did. Food was Excellent, but to top it off, service was Impeccable!!!! Very friendly staff, & very fast service! I was looking for something light that night, and lucky for me this place actually serves items of the lighter fair. I ended up getting a steak burrito, fresco style. The steak was chopped up mixed with some veggies. It did not have all the nasty slop I normally like - (sour cream, guacamole), as I was looking for something healthier anyways. My friend ended up getting some kind of crab enchiladas dish. Both meals came with spanish rice & refried beans............if your trying to keep it clean, I would recommend you pass up on the refried beans. With our meal, the restaurant also provided complimentary chips & salsa.......(all you can eat), and I gotta say..........." this stuff was like CRACK!" We ate like 3 servings of it. & I knew I already blew my diet! I must say it was real addicting, as the chips were on the thick side, as well as the salsa, which had chunks of tomato & onions. The salsa was soooooooo good!!!! Looks like this place has been in business for sometime now, and there was quite a few diners that night. There is NO parking at this restaurant, but there is lot of street parking. Also, I was told there is a pay parking lot behind Zippy's? But I ended up doing the street parking thing last night. I will be back again one day, nice to know where is a good Mexican restaurant in the windward side of the island.
(5)Bobby A.
I always pass this place but never tried it. Four stars thanks to our server. She was super friendly and even checked on making their queso spicy. Ordered the gordita with salsa verde and pork. ...excellent. asked to make their queso spicy and the sender asked the kitchen, returned and said they will put some salsa in it. Came out nice and spicy, loved it. Took a shot of tequila and drank a dos equis. Only complaint is that the beers are 6 each. Kailua pricing, lol.
(4)Beth T.
We got great service here. The taco salad was wonderful. I have a dietary constraint and our waitress was very careful about making sure I didn't have any issues with my food. My date had the fish tacos and thought they were wonderful. There was a large party who entered right before us. It did take a little bit of time to get our food. But the waitress was up front about it when we were seated. We enjoyed the air conditioning and a beer while she took care of the big party. It was pleasant, clean, nice people, easy to find parking in the middle of the afternoon and an easy place to find on the main drag.
(4)Mich C.
When the other Mexican restaurant is packed, come hear and enjoy delicious mango and strawberry margaritas!!! Food sometimes salty but overall tasty!
(3)Bethany V.
Snuck away for a late afternoon lunch and the food was delicious as always, only. 3 stars because we had to find our server when we left to pay and she wasn't all that attentive. But we had the chicken Flautas which usually we get cut in half and I share with my girlfriend. My boyfriend had the beef quesadilla which he was not impressed with and he said reminded him of microwave pizza but with tortillas. The chips were delicious and we really liked the salsa, a more thick salsa than watery. Will def go again.
(3)Rhonda H.
I really don't know why people seem to want to dis this place. It's one of the best Mexican restaurants on the island and definitely the best in Kailua. We've been to all of them in Kailua and even tried the lunch wagon people were raving about, and the food was awful compared to Los Garcia's (pork meat was half fat and half meat and the food was bland). Anyway - I'll keep updating reviews so people know where to go for great Mexican food and excellent service. Posting pics too. Aloha!
(5)Jessica M.
I had eaten here a few years back and remember not really being impressed with the place. But just a few months ago I had met a friend there for lunch....and couldn't believe how good the food was!!! I'm from California and miss Mexican food very much. There are a few places on the island but not many to cure that craving for authentic Mexican cuisine!!! Now my boyfriend and I eat here at least once a week! The carnitas are excellent! I get the combo plate with enchiladas, tamale and a beef burrito! So yummy and plenty to take home for lunch the next day. Great food, the service is good and the ambiance is very quaint on the patio looking onto kailua town!! If you've been to this place in the past and didn't like it...I would like to suggest giving it another try. I'm sure glad I did.
(5)Dave P.
This place is to Mexican food as chef boyarde is to Italian food. My wife and I came here for dinner. We started off with chips and salsa... Sort of. Chips were stale and the salsa was marinara sauce from a jar I think. I got enchiladas.......they were cardboard with catsup on it and my wife got .....disentary....I joke I joke but her food was in edible. Spend your money elsewhere.
(1)Andrew V.
After some bad experiences at Mexico Lindo we decided to try out Los Garcias and I'm glad we did. They have one of the best chicken chimichangas I've had and their refried beans are great too. Very friendly service and the food comes out quick and hot. Would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for authentic Mexican.
(5)Paul B.
My girlfriend and I came here on Cinco de mayo and had a poor experience. Our server never introduced herself and we had four different people kind of take care of us, but we largely felt ignored. It took 45 minutes to get our food and when it came out, it was disappointing as well. The portion sizes were small for the price and I would give the food a 3/5 for the taste. Once we were finished, what we assume was our server said she would get the check, but we're still not sure because someone else brought it. Overall, for the price we paid, everything should have been a lot better. We won't be returning.
(1)Mike M.
Usually no wait. The hard part is finding parking since they don't have a parking lot. Usually quick and friendly service. Food is so so. But the 60 oz margaritas make up for it.
(3)Randi J.
This place is absolutely terrible. We only went here because the wait at Mexico Lindo was 45 minutes. I ordered the enchiladas verdes thinking how hard can it be to mess up an enchilada. Apparently very easy.... My chicken enchilada was under cooked chicken with sour cream wrapped in a cold flour tortilla with green sauce poured on top. I had two bites and was done. My margarita was a terrible mix with no tequila at all. My friend ordered the New York steak medium rare. This thing came out mostly fat and looked like it was cooked under a heat lamp. Needless to say he's had the runs all day after that steak. This place is absolutely terrible and I will never step foot near it EVER again.
(1)Alvin K.
Stopping in for a mid afternoon Happy Hour. $2 off all drinks between 3-6 so having some margaritas and ceviche tacos. Yummy!
(4)Malia W.
We do prefer the food at Mexico Lindo, but it's a lot more expensive and the restaurant is always packed and really noisy. Los Garcia's is a nice, relaxed place. Their fajita is not quite as fresh and flavorful as Mexico Lindo, but it's also about $10 less. They have reasonably priced combos and are usually very accommodating to my picky-eater modifications. Parking is tricky. We park on the street between McDonalds and the gas station and walk over.
(3)Kimo C.
I gave them two stars because the server was extremely friendly, and I had a really good margarita. On the flip side, worst food ever! AND, parking was not clear. If anyone wants to try this place, the ambiance was quite comfortable and attractive. However, it's in the middle of a gas station and retail shops with no parking lot and no clear instruction from the main road on where to park - we almost got into an accident stopping to look. When we got inside, the hostess was rude to say "oh, you just park in the structure on the next block over" as if we were supposed to know that. I ordered a sizzling steak fajita. Another waitress brought it out, scraped it off the sizzling platter, and onto a plate with some type of Japanese-style rice and terrible beans. So ultimately I are cold meat with (not) Mexican rice and gross black beans. Terrible. At the end, they did not charge me for my meal. So they were fair about it. But I will never go back there again.
(2)Jess I.
Was craving Mexican food and decided to check this place out while in lanikai. Really wasn't impressed. Me and my friend split the combo with 4 choices ($18) and it was easily enough food for the two of us, but chili relleno was so bad I couldn't finish it, the burrito was tiny and mostly tortilla and the enchiladas were small and mediocre. It came with free chips and salsa but the salsa tasted like marinara sauce... Really strange. (Our waitress was very brisk and friendly though). The search for good Mexican food on O'ahu continues...
(2)Cristy B.
Fajitas aren't worth the price. Filled with veggies and bits of barely recognizable chicken. Very disappointed. Hubby liked his chimichanga. Queso was good and so is the jalapeño poppers. Doesn't compare to fajitas from Texas though.
(2)Yoseline S.
We went there for dinner and for a friend's going away. No one we spoke to had been there so we did not know what to expect. First impression was "its ok" for a spot in Kailua. The main room was way bigger than expected, unlike El Mariachi down the road where you were almost rubbing elbows with the guests in the other tables. We were a party of about 30 people or so and we were afraid the space was not going to be enough. We were all crammed into this little room off to he right. The decoration was horrible and overdone with the Mary and Jesus stuff. It was also nice that they had fans so we didn't overheat in that lonely corner. At first, only a few people had agreed on going. Within a few minutes, I guess more of the "maybe" guests started to arrive. Luckily they just kept adding more tables and I didn't see anyone being excluded or asked to sit away from the crowd. This issue really wasn't the restaurant's fault but I felt they handled it swiftly. Considering we were a big crowd, the two or three waitresses that assisted us were all really nice. Not top notch service but were pleasant and didn't seem aggravated with how many people were there. Sadly the food took WAY too long after it had been ordered. it would have made the situation better if everyone had enough chips and salsa to go around instead of one basket for every 8-10 people. Me and my husband felt bad about the lack of chips so we ordered a side of guacamole and chips for us. I was just happy to have something to eat. My husband was not impressed with the guacamole. He insisted it tasted like plain mashed avocado without any other flavors. Salsa was ok. What I loved was that they offered PITCHERS of margaritas!!! I believe it was about $22 but compared to $8 per single margaritas I think it was a good deal. I shared with my two friends and they both agreed they were alright. Maybe 4 out of 5 for the margaritas alone. My hubby and I both ordered the Carne Azada. He prefers his medium and I well done. Well I was highly disappointed when I got mine medium and my husband's was extremely rare. At that point we were so hungry we cut around our meat to find what we wanted to eat. The beans were ok but the rice IMO was fantastic! My neighbor on the other hand insisted the beans were the best and even ate his wife's leftover beans. No one seemed too impressed with the food. And for the prices I would expect better quality. Portions were decent but I could tell my food sat there and got cold before serving it to me. Also, the pico de gallo on top of my steak was really dried out and not very flavorful. How old was that? I make pico all the time and I seriously would not be surprised if the pico served to me was more than a week old. Like I said the service was ok. We did have to ask for refills and water and more chips. They did walk around and ask how everything was about once or twice. Considering there are several other Mexican restaurant options around, I would rather drive 30 minutes to get to an AWESOME restaurant than spend $90 for two (2 beers, 2 carne azadas, chips and guac, pitcher of margaritas, and an horchata) on an "ok" restaurant. Hope the review helps!!
(1)Michael C.
The food was decent but nothing extraordinary. The service was quick and presentation cute. If you're picky with your Mexican, you'll be disappointed. Overall though, it was an ok spot.
(3)Marhia A.
Food was okay. I have yet to find a good mexican restaurant on island, but Los Garcias is fine for an occasional munchie. I had a burrito and they loaded it with cheese and sour cream, which I loved! The steak was very tasty. I actually liked the beans and rice, but I'm also not very picky. Chips and salsa were also pretty yummy. Another downside besides the lack of food quality was the loudness. We couldn't hear each other talking, and we had to practically yell at our waitress (she was a sweet girl, so the staff definitely was great). I can't say I'd eat here again though.
(3)Deb P.
This is just an ok Mexican restaurant on a good day. Today was not a good day. They sat us right away and brought out chips and salsa fairly quickly, so far so good. But no water and no one to take our drink order. Nothing. Finally after 10 minutes, a waitress took our drink order. After 5 more minures, she came back with more chips, but still no water/no drinks The drinks eventually showed up. Then she took our dinner order. Food was ready in another15 minutes, not bad. Most of the food tasted ok. But one of the orders was wrong. Waitress didn't check on us for quite awhile. We had to call her over from across the room to tell her about the problem. She was polite and took the plate away to have it remade. It was 20 minutes later and still nothing. It was a VERY simple order. We called her over again so she went to check on it. Finally she brings out the correct order. She was nice, but no offer to do anything more. No offer to comp the one problem meal, no free dessert, nothing. She brought us the check and there was no discount. I understand mistakes happen sometimes. How you handle a mistake is very important and will leave the customer feeling good, if you do it right. If you do it wrong, the customer probably won't come back.
(2)Lynne N.
Not sure why we decided to come here. Food was not good and it's expensive. I decided to get nachos and a quesadilla. You can not mess that up. Nachos were $15! For hard cheese, a little shredded chicken. Quesadilla was soggy.
(1)Rob T.
Some of the blandest mexican food I have ever had in my life. Chips: Boring. Extra Spicy Salsa: barely spicy. Everything was just OK. It gets 2 stars because it was edible, but its definitely nothing to ever order again. Stick with Mexico Lindos for Kailua Mexican food.
(2)Andrew T.
I might have given them a few more stars... but I ordered the affordable happy hour margarita - just the regular one- and was pleasantly suprised by how large it was--- but when I got my bill was charged a LOT more money for a premium GIANT margarita. When I complained to the waitress she replied "oh the bartender just assumed you'd want the big one." To which I replied "well he should have asked." But what I was actually thinking was ... "hmm, guess I must look like a real drunk today, if he "just assumed I'd want the big one"..." LOL. To her credit she didn't give me a lot of grief about adjusting the bill but I still felt like this was probably a typical happy hour scheme for them. I KNOW how many people never actually read their bill and just pay whatever it says without even looking at it. Sorry... I am that guy who does the math in his head and expects it to be accurate.
(2)M. M.
Classic Mexican food, friendly service, and good prices! We would definitely go back to explore the menu and to get my Mexican food fix. I grew up in AZ and finding Mexican food on Oahu is a challenge...glad to have this place in the neighborhood. Loved the fresh guacamole! Thanks Los Garcias!
(5)chris v.
1.No parking,! 2. No one to seat or greet. 3.Salsa tastes like tomato sauce. 4. Carnitas tasted dry and old with no flavor. 5.Beef burrito was old, flat,small and sauce sucked. 6. Rice was old and dry and wasnt even spanish rice. 7. Childs plate, grilled cheese had monterey and cheddar cheese. 8.Service sucks. I lived in California for 25years, im mexican/american and moved to Hawaii to find all "Mexican Restraunts" to be dissapointing and expensive. People always ask me places to eat, i have to tell them taco bell is the way to go, cheap and u wont be disapointed. PLEASE, PLEASE IF THERES A SICH THING AS A MEXICAN RESTRAUNT ON THIS ISLAND INFORM US. IF U RATE THIS PLACE MORE TJAN 2 STARS YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE HECK U TALKING ABOUT. 1 STAR FOR GOOD FRIES AND WATER.
(1)Pab G.
*My personal opinion/experience* If you are Hispanic, Latino, Ladino, and you are used to eating that type of food. DO NOT GO HERE! If you are just someone who's in Hawaii for a visit and you are hungry, I would recommend you to eat at McDonald's instead. This place, by far is the worse I have ever encountered. I don't write a 1st timer reviews, I always go back to give it a second, third, forth, or fifth time. So, far this is the 6th time I have gone to that place, Yet nothing has changed. If you are really hungry expect to wait at least 30 minutes minimum for your food to arrived, but while you wait, you will probably be full with all the chips and salsa that they will give you. Not to mention, that most of their food in the menu doesn't have flavor. I have tried more than half the menu and so far, the menudo(soup) it's the only one that had a hint of flavor after I added all the veggies, but it won't always have the Garbanzo or Corn (they alternate with those two @_@) The menu it's pricey for a lousy and tasteless order. You are better off at McDonald's or even with the snacks from the Gas Station next to it. I love food for the taste and not much for the looks. If you are only looking to try tacos, you should go to SERG'S, So far it's the only decent place in Hawaii that I have found to be good with flavor and price. I am sure there's more places out there, but I will find them. I am NOT here to advertise any other restaurant, but to give you a heads up and not to have high expectations with the food they served and for you to waste your time. I know I did, yet I tried. ps. I give my honest reviews, whether is good or bad. I only rate food, not the Chef or the Staff. Everyone's opinions/reviews are different, but most of them lack of honesty.
(1)Ken A.
You would do well to ask Gordon Ramsey to help your establishment. God bless you for trying to run a family business. Don't think we will ever be back. Sorry. Good luck, hope somebody there reads this, and wakes up, before it's too late.
(2)Jami H.
Service was good and atmosphere wasn't bad - BUT the food was bland and just the worst Mexican food we've ever had.
(1)Candice M.
I can't say too much about Los Garcias since I have only had the menudo. BUT I will say that the menudo was FANTASTIC!!! The broth was incredibly savory, the onions and cilantro freshly chopped, and so much meat!!! I have been craving menudo for the longest time. After calling two other places that were a miss and having the pneumonia, Los garcias was the saving grace for the night!
(4)miki p.
Margaritas are ok. We had beef nachos, which were super salty, queso dipp, j poppers, potato skins, and the kids cheese quesadilla. The best thing was the quesadilla. Oh and the water. The guacamole and chips were good though
(2)Sarah H.
After reading reviews I was very hesitant to visit, but was pleased with decent Mexican food (which is as good as it gets in Oahu.) it was very hot due to lack of A/C. I had the strawberry margarita which was very good, and the chicken quesadilla which was okay. Pretty good for Hawaii.
(4)April I.
Typical mexi-American fare. We ordered the combo fajitas and I truthfully had trouble telling the difference between the chicken and the steak: Chopped finely and lacking flavor. We asked for hot sauce due to the blandness ( and no, it wasn't already provided in the table). Skimpy on the sides- like a tablespoon of guac, sour cream and sprinkle of lettuce The server was pleasant. Not much else to describe. Just blah.
(3)Nikki H.
This place is more of a 3.5 stars kinda joint. While I enjoyed the atmosphere and service, the food was just not what my standard of Mexican food should be. I had a combo plate with a taco and tamale. I did like the tamale, and it was HUGE, I should have just ordered that. The taco...I don't know what kind of corn tortilla they use there, but it wasn't anything I've ever seen, nor did it taste that great. My husband had a burrito and it came with french fires (??). He said it wasn't that good because it didn't have any cheese, salsa, tomatoes, sour cream...nothing. Just a dry tortilla with beans and meat. When we asked if it was something the cook forgot, the lady told us that those things were extra. Really? Cause I feel that for $14 you should get those things standard on a Mexican dish. The parking was a pain in the arse too. Maybe we'll come back for margaritas on the sidewalk...but not anytime soon.
(3)Melinda Q.
The service was excellent, very friendly staff. The food is neither good nor bad, but nothing to get too excited over (however you should know I am originally from Southern California and I grew up on excellent Mexican food). All-in-all, I would go back!
(3)Ashlyn K.
I enjoy their lunch menu....at $8.95 you get your entree, beans and rice, a drink and of course all the chips and salsa your heart desires. I'm a happy gal....
(4)Cobra K.
Terrible food. The people were nice but both my dish and my girlfriends were not edible. The salsa tastes like cheap out of the can salsa.
(1)Sarah B.
Los Garcias is our place of choice in Kailua for Mexican, definitely choose it over Mexico Lindo down the street (who is best for Margaritas). Los Garcias is never too busy and their food is great, especially if they have Lengua (cow's tongue) tacos as one of their specials. They also have delicious horchata (rice milk drink), which some of the other mexican restaurants around do not have. Definitely our go to restaurant for Mexican!
(4)Lu'isa T.
OMG! Seriously, you have the never to call this food authentic Mexican food! Believe it or not there are some of us who did live on the mainland and know what authentic Mexican food is and this place aint it honey! You dont just mash up an avocado throw a couple of tomatoes on top and call it guacamole! Seriously!
(1)Alexandra L.
Los Garcia's is a small family-owned business. The food is good and the margaritas are too! They also positively impact the community through their willingness to hire teens for their first jobs. Los Garcia's was my first job and being able to list my experience there helped me get a job to survive in college. Getting into the restaurant business can be a challenge for young people, and Los Garcia's gives many teens the opportunity to gain experience and build up their resume as new members of the workforce. While more and more Mexican restaurants are hitting their customers with charges for chips and salsa, Los Garcia's will give you limitless refills of their homemade chips and salsa. Their guacamole is delicious and full of the good stuff (avocado) rather than cheap fillers like a ton of tomatoes. If you like supporting the little guys and local business, eat at Los Garcia's.
(5)Samantha D.
Doesn't even deserve a star. Horrible service and worst of all WE HAD A LONG BLACK HAIR in our beans. Never again.
(1)Tracey N.
Never.again. Food was less than mediocre and there was a long nasty hair in my daughters food to which the replaced the dish yet still made us pay for it! In my opinion they should have at least offered that dish at no charge
(1)Deanna B.
I expected more for the food and service.
(1)Dustin N.
Horrible service, food and hot as hell! Never going back!!!
(1)Kori B.
Seriously, I love this place. Been here numerous times & have always gotten such AWESOME service from everyone. Food is always delicious & fast. Prices aren't bad at all & you get a big portion, I always end up taking home leftovers. They literally have the best chips and salsa that's UNLIMITED! I love Los Garcia's & will continue to come back.
(5)Cara G.
The first few times I visited this place (3-4 years ago) were alright. Ordering SIMPLE was the best bet and by sticking to burritos and tacos, I was never disappointed yet never impressed. However, it wouldn't matter if the food were worthy of five or SIX stars (if possible to award that many on Yelp.) The restaurant itself would reduce it to ONE star. The atmosphere is AWFUL. It's soooo hot and stuffy and the place smells very musty. Twenty minutes into my visit (at night time, mind you) I was sweating! The table had a greasy residue on it and the bottles of hot sauce were sticky and had crust around the edges. There were mosquitos in the restaurant and when we got back to the car, I realized that I had bites all over my legs! Service isn't impressive either; for the most part, our waiter was a grouchy young adult who responded to our requests with grunts and quick nods. Also, this place is pretty expensive... for Mexican food....
(1)Ashley H.
By far the worst expericence with Mexian food I've had... EVER. Not joking when I say Taco Bell OR EVEN THE tacos from Jack in the Box are better! Tasted worse than a frozen microwave meal. I ordered a chicken enchilada and I think I had about 2 shreds of bland chicken. My 2 year old daughter even said her cheese nachos were "YUCKY" and refused to eat. I'm not sure how this resturant has stayed in business, as previously mentioned by other users the margaritas must be STRONG to think that this food is worth eating!!!!!!!!! I must say, even though the food sucked the customer service was excellent.
(1)Brandi S.
The food here is just ok. Seems like the food quality goes down every time I go. The best thing about this restaurant is the salsa but the chips taste a bit off. Can't say if I would ever go back and it will definitely be on the bottom of my list when choosing a restaurant.
(2)Allyson H.
The taco salad came in a greasy soggy shell and the shrimp tocinos was over cooked, not cleaned very well and it was greasy with strips of bacon thrown on top with melted cheese. The food was terrible. Go to Serg's
(1)Jennifer L.
Spent the morning and afternoon kayaking at Kailua Beach. Then took a 8 minutes drive to Los Garcias, parked on street near Walgreens and got seated immediately. The restaurant is open air I dont remember if the air conditioner was on. We ordered a pitcher of margarita, shared fish ceviche appetizer, and a chicken chimichunga. Food was authentic and I was a happy camper!
(4)Bianca S.
Pretty good "Hispanic" food. Chips and salsa were very yummy. Did was well seasoned too.
(3)Amy P.
The only reason this place gets 1 star is for the margaritas. They were good and that's it. I ordered tacos and specifically asked it to be real Mexican style. Not the American style with flour tortilla, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, I wanted real tacos. I asked for carne asada tacos with cilantro, onion, and lime. My plate comes out-which happens to be the last plate- and I get 2 flour tortillas stuffed with meat in tomato sauce with black beans lettuce and tomato. Needless to say, I lost my appetite and didn't even eat the food because it was so unappetizing. Not going back. Oh yea and parking sucks!
(1)Shanti B.
This restaurant is my favorite mexican restaurant to go to here in Kailua. It's reasonably priced, food taste good, & if you go there on Monday's there's a guy that does free massages (which of course I just have to tip him...he does his job well) I could literally fall asleep in his chair!! Anyway, back to the food..I've been here multiples times but I don't usually stray too far from my norm entree although I do switch up my appetizer from time to time...Everything that I've had from here is delicious! They serve their quesadilla and taquito apps w/ sour cream, guacamole, & I think pico de gallo (i apologize if I'm incorrect there). I've tried both their Menudo & Tortilla soups both good BUT the tortilla soup had avocado chunks in it which I didn't care too much for (not an avocado fan). As for the entree, I just get the 2 combination with beef taco & a chicken enchilada. When I go there hungry, I tell you I leave very satisfied & absolutely full! Where the food is great, the service sometimes lacks. There were a few times where my girlfriend & I felt ignored or forgot about. We get left at a table, especially after they bring us our meal, & we don't ever see our server again. It was on those occasions where my water cup stayed empty almost the entire time we ate our dinner (that in my opinion drops your tip MAJORLY if your lucky I decide to even leave anything) But this last time we went there the service was amazing. I noticed more people working there so that's definately a plus. If not for such great service the other night, I would've given a 3 star... It may not look like much, even inside needs updating, but it's worth a visit to enjoy decent mexican food
(4)chett f.
Quite bad, actually. Here are the reasons; 1. No parking. Not really their fault, but it remains a problem that has negative impact on one's enjoyment of the restaurant. Some street parking nearby - so you'll have to drive around a bit. 2. Inside there is an overpowering antiseptic smell - like a high janitor's locker. This is something that I have noticed on both of my visits (over one year apart). 3. Margarita on the rocks cost me $12 and was among the worst I've ever had. I only drank about a fourth of it. Way too much sickly sweet bottled margarita mix, no fresh lime juice, minimal tequila. And so little ice that it never got cold. An embarrassment to margaritas everywhere. 4. Combo fajitas were bland, almost as if not actually grilled but microwaved instead. And they were served on a cold plate rather than on a sizzling skillet. They charged me $2 each for additional shrimp. That's two dollars extra per shrimp, mind you - and they were not large shrimp. 4. Service was ok. That's about the only acceptable part of the evening. Never going back to Los Garcias. I will stick to Mexico Lindo down the street for a better experience with this type of cuisine.
(1)Sheryl M.
The margaritas are good. The beer is cold. The dishes are quite good. The ceviche is the BEST. Sitting outside exposes you to a load of traffic noise so we always dined in but the décor leaves a lot to be desired. hahaha The service is good but I was disappointed in the last visit that it seems they had gotten away from the fresh chips and kitchen made salsa. The salsa was not even as good as Pace from a jar. It was disappointing because their salsa had been so good before. After a long day at the beach, I'd still stop in there but they really need to go back to their fresh salsa!
(3)Dmitry O.
Eat here for authentic Mexican food!
(4)Innah H.
I understand that many restaurants go for the "low lighting" setting to make the restaurant seem cozy and intimate but you know the lights are too dim when the TV hanging above your table is the only source of light you have and as you're leaving the waiter serving the table right next to you says, "I didn't even see you sitting at the other table!" I don't know about you, but I hate eating my food in the dark! FOOD: Presentation was alright though I couldn't really tell with the poor lighting. We ordered the Caramones y tocino (Shrimp and bacon) and a combination plate of shrimp and beef tacos. The tortillas were wrapped in foil to keep it hot. (Which I liked) and the complimentary chips and salsa dip was nice. I liked the salsa, good amount of heat and not to chunky nor watery. The shrimp itself tasted bland. Even with the cheese on top of it, it still lacked salt! The bacon wasn't crispy, I think it's because of the melted cheese. Anyway, the caramones y tocino came with black beans, lime rice, and garnishes. I liked the black beans because the cheese they put on top added extra flavor (unlike my shrimp dish. Sigh.) and with the chips they serve you it's great! The combination plate was sort of "build your own style" taco. So the meat, shrimp, black beans, lime rice, and garnishes were a huge plate and you scoop up whatever you wanted to go on your taco. Since I didn't want to show my family that I was displeased with the shrimp and bacon plate, I continued on eating my food but wanted to try some of their meat and vegetable mix on their taco platter. (Desperately hoping for some flavor...) The meat, again, had no flavor! This frustrated me a lot. How can you not season sliced meat that was going on to a taco? Honestly...mexican cooking 101! Seasoning! The only thing that had flavor was the salsa from the chips and dip! So I smothered my meal in it! (Take note, I DON'T like spicy food but the poor shrimp was begging for some kind of flavor!) SERVICE: Very laid back but my server wasn't bad. I'll just say he wasn't that attentive but he wasn't horrible either. We were seated in a corner booth and I had a view of the part of the kitchen where the servers get the chips. I saw ALL the servers reach into a basket full of chips with their BARE HANDS! I have pretty good vision so I absolutely know that they weren't using tongs nor gloves to grab the chips. It wasn't only one person who did this...it was all! I don't know if they washed their hands or not...but honestly, do you think they would wash their hands each time before grabbing chips from the basket and wash them again afterwards? I think not. The sanitation in this restaurant scares me! After noticing that all of the servers were not wearing gloves or using tongs...I had lost my appetite. OVERALL: No seasoning on dishes and sanitation problems has forced me to rate Los Garcia's 1 star.
(1)Mary R.
First impression - not a good sign if you are the only people dining at the peak of dinner time. I ordered chile relleno and the batter was flat and greasy and no chile flavor :(. My husband ordered the enchilada and it was - meh. This place was worthy of 2 stars, except after our meal, our waiter said something like: he couldn't believe that people ordered the crap that he has to serve daily. If know your food is crap, at least try to charm me :)...
(1)Niki T.
One star because I'm not starving and the second because its cheap. Food wasn't the greatest, infact it looked better in my photo. Service was a little below average. The best part was our skinny Mexican server. She has to be about 30. Understood she was busy so we didn't give her a hard time. When we asked for the bill to be separate she spoke in another language thinking we didn't understand and said, "oh my God!!" .( May I add there was only four of us.) Very disrespectful. We waited for her to bring the bill back and she stared at us and told us to meet her at the front. And as we left she said, "you guys not coming back" . Em probably not. There isn't parking so we walked over from zippys. My friends and I barely come to Kailua and we were looking for a good food place, this place wasn't quite up to par. The waitress had a rude attitude. I forgot to add that if you sit by the door, beware the flies. They arent scared of humans and will stay on your drinks. (picture)
(2)Jacob W.
As a huge lover of Mexican food, this place disappoints. If you are craving Mexican i'd suggest elsewhere.
(2)Lois C.
Very generic and mediocre Mexican good. Slow service.
(2)Tom C.
Lo Siento! Yet another mediocre Mexican food establishment. I was at first surprised how authentic the place looked for a hole in the wall Mexican eating place. I have been to Mexico several times and if you were to transport it to Mexico, it would nicely blend right in! So on that note, I was hopefully expecting a good meal since I love trying hole in the wall places because they may lack ambience but make up for it with the food...NOT!!! In this case, the food was another big disappointment! Add Los Garcia's to my "There is no great Mexican food restaurant in Hawaii" list. The best part of the meal was the regular iced tea. It had a hint of some kind of fruit or floral ingredient and was refreshingly tasty! Good start! Now I'm even more hopeful! Then out comes the salsa and chips...homemade chips...check...good! Salsa taste test...SCREEEECH!!!!! Thick tomato paste with a few chopped onions thrown in! BLEAAAACK! OK...here we go... My friend ordered a combination plate of beef, chicken and pork. It came plated with shredded old yellowing iceberg lettuce with a small scoop of guacamole and sour cream. Even though the meats were separated, they all tasted the same, bland, except for the supposed pork which tasted a bit like turkey...so we dubbed it mystery meat. I ordered the Genaro tacos which are flour tortillas filled with a mixture of beef steak, black beans, onions and tomatoes, and special salsa, plated with refried beans, rice and yellowing iceberg lettuce with a small scoop of guacamole. I first opened up the tacos and fished around in the filling...definitely NO chunks of beef...cut up so fine it blended in with all the other ingredients...taste test of first bite...OK... Slight barbeque flavor... Now the Spanish rice...clumpy moist, tomato-y taste. Next, refried beans...CANNED refried beans...at least they could have jazzed it up somehow! Come on! A little imagination can't be too hard! If the food was decent, I wouldn't mind paying thirty plus dollars for lunch, but when you're served what we got...I can truly say that I will not be coming back any time soon, or EVER, for that matter! Service was OK. Waitress was pleasant enough...no expression...only 3 other tables occupied, so no wait. Food was out in about 15 minutes. Guess I'll be continually having to eat at Taco Del Mar type places till a good (I'm not even expecting GREAT) place comes to town! Adios, gente!
(2)Nic D.
The Chile Verde is SO good!!! Love the food here. We always sit outside for dinner and it has always been a positive experience.
(5)Anna K.
I think living in Cali and experiencing "Real" Mexican fare leaves me constantly disappointed whenever I attempt to eat at a Mexican Restaurant here. I cannot find a place here that makes even the slightest decent tamale! Believe me I've looked and Nada! No Mas! :((((((((( This Restaurant has been opened in Kailua for years now. I got coerced into coming here believing we were on our way to a nice day of shopping :) I rarely say no to shopping so yay i was excited! My excitement slowly dwindled when I learned we were grabbing lunch here first. I usually throw little fits when people try to get me to do things I dont want to do but they kept saying it's gonna be fast then you can shop.They sounded like a Dentist who was about to do a root canal on me and promised a prize from the kiddie drawer when he was done. Well you can shove that happy face sticker right up your A$$! The food here was bad as in it sucked hardcore.Notice I did not post any pics,that's because it looked pretty good. I didnt want you people to be mind tricked into believing it tasted anything remotely close to what it looked like.The place is run down & looks like they are throwing a spoof siesta in somebody's backyard next to a highway, I have eaten outdoors in Tijuana on the side of the road and it was nicer for god sakes. Salsa sucked,Carne Asada grrrr sucked, Tamale (barfing), the food in general just effen sucked! Next time I'll stop by foodland and grab a can of refried beans and a bag of tostito's and sit at the bus stop,It's the same appeal as eating at this place. Del Taco would put this place to shame and that's fricken sad. I've eaten at Mexico Lindo and the food there isn't great either. I guess all the people who dont know what good mexican food taste's like keep these places open. I gotta drive all the way to Scholfield to My mexican brother from another mother's house just to get good Mexican food! Damn and he always manages to burn the carne asada but it taste a million times better than anything these Mexican food establishments here are serving up. And the food is always fresh, god bless his wife lol. He always tells me he would love for me to marry a mexican, I will sincerely consider if the guy can cook or comes with a mom that does hahaha i kid i kid. I looooove Mexican food and I hope that we can get a good Mexican restaurant on the island soon till then I will just keep going back to Casa Duenaz. Dying for a decent tamale :(
(1)David K.
Pretty mediocre mexican food. Expensive for mexican food and the beers are $6 a pop! The place isn't real clean or cute. Service slow and waitress was difficult to get a hold of. Salsa was runny and chips weren't refilled.
(2)Stefan K.
This is not Mexican food. I am Mexican, and I KNOW real Mexican food cooked with love. This place lacks fresh ingredients, and authentic recipes. I was disappointed with the taste of my food because the beans were not fresh, my enchilada sauce came form a can and the rice was not tasty either. Its also expensive to eat here! oh yea and the waitress forgot a drink I ordered..I left this feeling like I should start my own Mexican restaurant.
(1)Shannon O.
I felt like Mexican tonight. We actually planned to go to Mexico Lndo but the wait was 45min-1 hour. We decided to go here. We've been here a looooong time ago. Parking sucks(none available) and the restaurant hasn't been redone in ages. We got sat at a table that shouldn't even have been where it was, right in the walkway. I would normally have a beer but at $5 domestic and $6 import I had to rethink. We ended up getting the pitcher(60oz) or blended strawberry margarita. No complaints, it packed a good punch. The first thing to come was the house chips and salsa. Chips were good, not as thin and crispy as other places but still good. The salsa also was fine. I ordered a combination with a tamale, cheese enchilada, and beef enchilada. My wife got a combo with cheese enchilada and a chile verde enchilada. I was pleased to see the plate had some lettuce and tomato on it. It's one of the things I miss from Banditos. I asked for a hot sauce and the waitress brought Tapatio and another one made from Habenero. She said the habenero one was really good and we should use it but I told her Tpatio was one of my faves. She still said to try it. I'm really, really, really glad I tried just a dab of it. It was was super hot. I can't handle really hot things but just as hot as most. I don't know why she would have recommended it when probably only 1% of people can handle the heat. O ther then that my plate was fine, not great, but fine. My wife thought her chile verde would have some sign of verde in it. She asked the waitress and she said that it should have some chiles in it. We didn't end up seeing any in it but did ask for a verde sauce and got it. Without the verde sauce I don't know how you would tell the difference between the chile verde enchilada and a pork enchilada, oh well. My wife also thought the rice was too wet and mushy. It was soft but I don't really mind either way. Makes me wish we made the extended journey to Kaneohe or waited for Lindo but sometimes this is what it takes to remind you why you have favorites. Keep in mind this is my opinion and you are free to make your own. Happy eats-- elswhere.
(2)Char D.
The first mistake of the evening was deciding to go somewhere "different" for my birthday. After living in L.A. for 8 yrs, I know what REAL mexican food tastes like (considering I lived with a roommate from Mexico and cooked the best food on earth), but damn, this place is NOT even close. This is probably the worse Mexican food I've ever tried in my life! I'd rather go to El Torito or Chevy's instead of this place, and that my friend is saaaaaaaad. Second mistake of the evening was eating the chips and salsa. Chips were cold, salsa was bleh. I make better at home. Third mistake was ordering the chile verde. I love chile verde, but something seriously went wrong with this one. It was really bland, the meat was so-so, and the rice and beans were just okay. It tasted like they just took a 2 day leftover plate from the fridge and warmed it up in the microwave. I'm surprised my tummy didn't start acting up afterwards. Never going back! As a side note: Service was really slow and there were hardly any people! The server wasn't very attentive either. Busy talking story with others instead of doing his job!
(1)Erin G.
Pretty sure I got food poisoning from this place. And not entirely sure our bill was right....The manager looked like he was on drugs. And the atmosphere was so trashy....
(1)JASON L.
Sadly, this place just doesn't get it. It is common knowledge good Mexican food in Kailua is a hot market. I ordered ceviche, delicious. Also had a carne asada burrito; expecting it to be filled with all the flavors known to Mexico. Na. It was bland and almost made me cry. Tacky note: On each table is a advertisement for their "Movie Night" where you can get a free 10 minute massage from a local community college student. Creepy, weird, off-putting, inappropriate to say a few things that came to mind. Los Garcia's is lost. They need to start over and define themselves as a Mexican Restaurant. Focus in the market for your food. Read a book or do a Google search on better ways to run a bar/ restaurant. For real.
(1)Andrew M.
Wow such horrible reviews. Let me break it down. This place is great.. Awesome service, parking right around the corner between Zippys and Los Garcias. Might have to think a little bit to find the lot. Right by Mc Donalds. Everything Ive ever ordered there is really good. Like any place you have to go there a few times to find out what you like. Sure there will be some bad days but honestly you cannot screw up beans and rice. I had those enchiladas filled with fake crab and I was upset as well......knowing the place down the street does it right. You know what though, those are some of the tastiest fake crab enchiladas I ever had. This is no fine dinning experience people. You get what you get. This is cool little spot that serves up some good old Mexican grinds. Right there in the heart of Kailua. The Tiguana atmosphere is awesome. Check this place out. My wife and I love it.
(5)Crystal G.
We out for lunch w/ friends from school during our lunch break. I had the chimichanga platter. (the plate I always judge a Mexican place on). It was very good! They had plenty of lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole to go w/ it. The re-fried beans were actually homemade and delicious. The rice had good flavor as well. The chips and salsa...the salsa actually had a good spicy flavor and was chunky not runny and flavorless. The only thing is that we had 4 people in our group and not enough for all of us. I don't understand why people are giving such low ratings. The food is good and service was as well. Coming from the Mainland and knowing what good Mexican food is I was really happy to find this place. I will be back!
(4)Daniel D.
Really good Mexican food place thus far on the island.
(3)Arthur G.
Underrated. Equates to good hole in the wall Mexican you'd expect in San Antone. Yes, salsa was an unfamiliar ketchup consistency, but tasted great. Steak was cooked well and nicely seasoned. Possibly the best margarita I've had in Hawaii. They also make a great tortilla soup.
(4)Stephanie S.
I am from California and have missed my Mexican food since I left. This place is the best Mexican food I have had on the island. The place looks a little tired n could use a face lift, but my mango margarita was BOMB and so was my chicken mexican pizza. I will be coming back!
(4)Brittney W.
I love eating at Los Garcia's! In my opinion, it's just as good, if not better, than eating at El Mariachi(in Kaneohe)!! Usually I go later in the day with my husband, and we sit outside- I just adore the decorations- but the carwash across the street can be a bit loud if it's really busy. Most of the time, I order the beef fajitas, which are amazing!! On occasion I do order the chicken quesadillas(an appetizer), also very good. But whatever you do, don't get the black beans!!! LOL The service is usually good. I think it really depends on who the server is. If you can get lucky enough to get the man, who I believe is the owner, then you're guaranteed an excellent experience!! He is so nice and so chill- especially with military members!! Good luck!!
(4)Amanda T.
I have a mixed opinion of this place but I have to say that every time I have been, the food has tasted great. Service...is another story. Sometimes it's awesome, they take our drink order quickly, food comes out fast, and it's enjoyable. But sometimes they're short staffed and have 1 or 2 waitresses for the whole place...that equals EXTREMELY slow service. My most recent experience: We were seated quickly (or rather, chose our own seat). From the time we sat down at our table to the time someone took our drink order = 10 minutes. Then it took another 10 minutes just for them to bring our drinks out. My water was empty within a few minutes and was never refilled during the next 30 minutes we spent there. Food came out...but it wasn't ours. The waitress brought it to the wrong table. So...15 minutes later our food came. It was so-so this time. Good but not amazing by any means. We finished eating, sat there with empty plates for 10 minutes before anyone brought us our check. Needless to say, I'll be trying other Mexican food restaurants before I go back to this one.
(2)Carne A.
Save your money and go to Taco Bell because they are more authentic. Seriously.
(1)Victoria A.
(I agree with Sharon N.) I'm a born & raised island girl... & I've only tasted true authentic Mexican food during my visit to Mexico. & Los Garcia's does a pretty darn good job providing Mexican cusine for Oahu. It may be low standards to those who have had the opportunity to taste Mexican food along the West Coast of the states, but I absolutely love this place. I live on the opposite side of the island... & I think that it's worth the drive. :)
(4)Glenn R.
My wife and I love the food here. Really delicious all the way around. Servicio excelente! Don't be swayed by the low ratings. Try for yourself.
(5)Tad N.
Great magaritas. Get the fiesta...its a carafe of margarita..cheaper than buying 2 and you get more. Like most Mexican restaurants they provide chips and salsa. Their chips are usually warm and their salsa is good. Place is kinda run down but food is good.
(4)Tiffany Y.
One of my favorite Mex restaurants on Oahu! Service is awesome. Chips and salsa rock and the ceviche is really good!
(5)Brooke M.
Just plain horrible. I found a string of reviews on this place and just wanted to bring down the star average to a more deserving low.
(1)Yaz C.
Disappointing considering the ambience. Shabby Mexican places are supposed to have good food. But this one- Mediocre at best. Strike one was the salsa. It was tomato water. No really, cooked tomatoes and complete liquid. But the chips were warm and fresh, and ordering pico de gallo compensated somewhat. I ordered black bean and grilled beef tacos with soft corn tortillas. The tortillas were incredibly oily. Asked for salsa verde. They had none. But enough of that. The good is, Christmas lights, always a plus, and margaritas. And while the lights glowed romantical and the margaritas helped to drown out the white noise of the busy drag and loud car wash across the street, the margaritas had too much margarita mix. Or sweet and sour. Either way, its edible, sure, but next time I'm in Kailua-town and want Mexican food, which is rare, I will go to one of the other 6 places there.
(2)E N.
Another pathetic "Mexican" restaurant in Kailua. I don't think the infamous street dogs of Mexico would eat the food served at Los Garcia's or Mexico Lindo. Its official the only decent Mexican cuisine in Kailua is at my house. For breakfast over the weekend I made a Tortita de Nopales con Chorizo... in a crepe pan you cook a thin "tortilla" made out of egg + a little milk. When it has set... you spoon your filling in the center... on this occassion diced Nopales (cactus) sauteed with Chorizo... a spoon of French Feta (the closest thing in Hawaii to an authentic Queso Fresco)... fold the edges over... top with a drizzle of Salsa Verde. I am thinking I could make a killing in this Mex-deprived town.
(2)Ben S.
Went there on a Saturday with a group of 8 to celebrate a friend's birthday. Place was fairly quiet for a Saturday lunch. Service was o.k., not terribly fast considering how quiet the place was, but not terrible either. I had a quesadilla and a couple of tacos asada which were fine. Prices were a tad high but not unreasonable. All in all I'd say it wasn't spectacular but it was decent. Parking is around back in a municipal lot - keep an eye on the meter because it's enforced 24 hours a day and you probably won't get in/out of Los Garcia's super fast.
(3)Thomas P.
Okay I have been here 3 times now and I like the food. I don't love it I just like it and here is why. The salsa is not chunky but more of a sauce, my wife likes it so that's 3 stars there. The Burritos and enchiladas are okay and the sauce for them is okay too but once again not great still 3 stars. The cheese dip tastes like it was out of a can from Costco and is super watery, once again if you like watery sauces then this place is for you, I however like chunky or thick sauces so 2 stars for me. If I wanted to spend 5 bucks on cheese I would go to Costco and buy the 10 pounds can for 6 bucks and have it in front of my TV with a box of KFC but that's a different story. If I wanted chunky salsa I would have to pay 5 dollars for it? Nope back to 2 stars again. Now As I said it was my 3rd time there, I went back because the Mexican food was okay and I didn't feel like driving to Kaneohe for El Mariachis. The service is what would give it -5 stars in my opinion. Each time I was there I had a different server, but they all did work there every time I went. The first time was the Mexican looking lady who made the place feel more authentic. She did not smile the entire time and had a very condescending attitude. They sat us and she came by and asked for our drinks and we got them in a timely manner. Then about 1 minute later she asked if we were ready to order and we said please give us a minute. In about 15 minutes she came back, after we all had our menus down and were starring blankly at each other for 10 minutes. The food came out kinda fast and we waited again for our check. The second time was a guy who had the same kinda smug attitude. The most recent time was a local lady who smiled and was REAL nice when she took our drink order. She then does ask if we want any cheese dip? And without thinking i instinctively said Yeah! Then the dip came out fast along with our drinks. She was extremely nice. Then she came back, about 1 minute after receiving the cheese dip and drinks and asked if we were ready to order. We said the phrase "Please give us a minute" Which to Los Garcia's means come back in 20 minutes and ask. We sat there for no lie almost 20 minutes, while we could see our waitress talking story to the cooks, the hostess, the busboy and all the other employees. I have never walked out of a restaurant but I checked my wallet for cash because I was going to leave 8$ for the drinks and dip and leave but I only had 3 singles and a bunch of 20's. At the 20 minute mark I was ready to stand up to get change to leave this place for the last time. We already established that we were no longer hungry and didn't want to eat now. My wife talked me out of it and said just wait for her. When she came back she said something I have never heard before from a waitstaff "I am sorry I forgot about you." We got a nacho platter to share because we didn't really want to eat there but we felt like we should try. The platter came out fast and then soon after so did our box for the nachos and the check. When she handed us the check she went, "Oh I didn't add on the dip, well you waited a while so Ill just leave it off." That saved her from getting a 0$ tip and got her a 10% tip. Most times if they are backed up or slow they would say I am sorry, we will give you a complementary appetizer, desert or entree. She did because she forgot to add it on the check much like she forgot we were there. Like I said she was nice, but her only job was to get us our food. Had she of said, I am sorry I got caught up yadayadayada we will pay for an entree or appetizer, we would have bought 2 entrees and ate there. Instead we ate some nachos and left went home semi hungry but just dumbfounded by yet another horrible customer service. I hope management sees this and takes care of that issue, because I will not go there and I will tell all friends to drive the 10 minutes to Kanohe to El Mariachis, where if they are busy they give you complementary stuff, and acknowledge they are backed up.. Oh yeah and the wait staff there doesn't forget about you!
(1)Sharon N.
Okay, so a lot of the negative reviews are from people that have access to really great authentic Mexican food. However, this is the best Mexican place I have been to on the island and is definitely a good place to eat if you're feeling like burritos. The service is always good here and the prices aren't too bad since the portions are pretty big for one person. The chips are good, but I've never been a fan of the watery, unscoopable "salsa." The chile relleno is my favorite thing to get and my boyfriend always like to get the featured burrito that they have stuffed with the shredded beef. The horchata (spiced milk drink) is very good here as well but kinda expensive and calorie-rich.
(4)Jose C.
Run down restaurant with overpriced food. Mexican food is inherently less expensive to make. No reason I could see or taste for the relatively high prices.
(2)L N.
We have gone here a couple times now. The service is always poor and the food is decent and the margaritas are the only thing I would say is great. It makes it hard going back when you know youre going to get not so great service.
(2)David G.
I have eaten here a few times, but it had been a long time so I didn't feel like I should review them because it was so long ago. So, with that being said, I decided to give it another try for Cinco De Mayo. I ordered (To Go) a Carnitas Plate with corn tortillas. The total bill was $13.75 & I gave a $2 dollar tip. Along with my order it came with a bag of chips and large side of salsa. When I got home I opened my dinner and was surprised at how small the portion was. In fact it was a joke, especially that it cost me close to $16 dollars. I was lucky that I wasn't that hungry or else I would have been screwed. The Carnitas was decent and the beans were good, but a little watery. The rice that it came with was beyond embarrassment; it was just awful. With this plate they included a huge side of Salsa that was tomato sauce with no heat or flavor. How in the hell can people actually say their salsa is good?
(1)Matt M.
I decided to write another review of Los Garcia's because of all the negative reviews I have been reading about this place. It is by far the best Mexican on Oahu. The people who have been giving it a 1 star because they had better Mexican in San Diego are out of line because you cannot compare San Diego Mexican to Hawaii Mexican. Besides, the food at Los Garcias is very good as well as their service.
(5)Matt M.
I've been here twice and it was consistent in good ways. The service is efficient and prompt. The complementary chips are fresh, well made and come with a nice kitchen-made salsa. The dishes I've had from the menu were between good and great, with my fav being the cerviche, which is outstanding. The margaritas are good and well scaled for the price (look forward to taking advantage of their margarita pitcher deal one day). The decor is not an asset, and it's too bad they dont have an outdoor area that doesn't front a busy road, but once you've got their tasty food and a margarita in front of you, you won't really mind at all.
(4)Jamie C.
This place is a poor excuse for "Mexican" food and the margaritas tasted like dish water. All around a very disappointing food experience. The only reason I've given them another star is that the outdoor seating is quite nice and the service was speedy.
(2)Terri T.
This place was my dad's choice as he lives in Kailua and we were celebrating his belated BD dinner. I read the Yelp reviews prior and did not have the heart to tell him about the poor reviews. The reviews were pretty right on, food OK, nothing special. Tasted better. Many reviews mentioned poor service but we had excellent service from our waiter (local guy) and the food came out pretty fast. I probably wouldn't come here again, unless it is Dad's choice again.
(2)Joj o.
After seeing the 2 star rating, I was apprehensive about going here, but it turned out pretty good. The chips were served warm and the salsa was wicked good. Food was served very quickly with good portions for the price. Everyone was happy with what they got. The only real minuses were that they didn't offer to refill my drink, and that they were kind of slow to come back after we were finished. Overall, good food for a good price. I would go here again if I was in Kailua.
(4)Alisha B.
Contrary to some of these reviews, this is the best out of all the Mexican restaurants in Kailua. Our friend, my boyfriend, I went there for lunch today instead of eating the booth offered fare of the Kailua Town Party. We started off with the free chips and salsa (the salsa had great pieces of fresh onion and tomatoes) and ordered some guacamole to go along with it. The guacamole was fresh, with large chunks of fresh avocado and a good citrus flavor. My boyfriend and I each had a 2 item combo for $9.95 a piece. Mine was a chile rellano and chicken enchilada with black beans and rice, his the same except a beef burrito instead of enchilada. The batter of the rellano was crispy even under their red enchilada sauce, which itself is a little spicy with a great depth of flavor. Top it off with a Hurradura margarita on the rocks for $8.00, it was perfect. Our friend got the chicken chimichanga for $12.95. That was a large deep fried burrito topped with red enchilada sauce, sour cream, guacamole and two whole black olives. The chimichangas come with rice and beans on the side as well. By the way, the chimichanga and burrito were only filled with chicken and shredded beef, respectively. The only other Mexican restaurant we'll go to is Mexico Lindo, I'll get to that one when we feel it is safe to go again.
(4)Megan C.
I'll keep this short & sweet. My burrito was almost flat, there was so little meat and whatnot inside it, my margaritas were weak given how much we were paying for them, and our bill was outrageous for the quality. My advice: Go to Mexico Lindo instead, get better food, stronger margaritas, and a smaller bill.
(2)Brian H.
I am still on my quest to find a replacement for my beloved Compadres, whose salsa was muy excellente. We walked up the outer edge of Makapuu to the lighthouse on President's Day and decided to head into Kailua for lunch. I knew there were some mexi restaurants in Kailua town but had never eaten there, despite living on Oahu for over 30 years. We saw the Los Garcia's sign and decided to give it a try. Straight up, I loved the salsa. I like my salsa like that, even thought it could have been a little chunkier, with more tomato and onion, however, that 'saucy' sort of salsa is how I prefer mine and this was quite good. The Mexican Pizza I ordered was ok. Nothing great, although I thought their beans and rice were good and complemented the dish well. It looked like the greenery on the plate was cabbage instead of lettuce though. It had a very whitish, washed out look to it, but tasted ok. Weird. My gf had the Chile Relleno as she orders that whenever we try a new mexi place and she felt it was just so-so. So, I guess that salsa can't be the only reason for choosing a new mexi hangout, even though I liked this one the best so far. I still have yet to review Mexico and a couple others in town.
(2)Kailua N.
Just had dinner this evening with family; burritos, torta jalisco, & quesadilla michoacana Everyone enjoyed. Found the food quality excellent--- step up from mexico lindo. Service also good. Decor could use a facelift, but it was fine for casual dining.
(4)Z Z.
I am ALWAYS up for Mexican food...unless of course it's bad Mexican food (Yeah I'm talkin' to you Diegos "Authentic" Mexican Tacos!). Well Los Garcias is the best Mexican I have ever had...BBBBRRRGGG....HAHAHAHAHA....Oh hell no! This place blows. First of all the service was bad...That is strike one. Secondly their salsa tastes like cheap supermarket salsa with a hint of noxious chemicals. Thirdly, I didn't see hard shell tacos on the menu..WTF! What Mexican joint doesn't have hard shell tacos! They even have hard shell tacos in freak'n Germany! I don't know what's goin' on here, but I think this is Communist Mexican food...and Los Garcias is the spawn of the devil. Anyways, I ordered the Chalupa. It was Blah. The rice and beans were also Blah Blah Blah. I give this place a D +. Sorry Los Commie Bastard. Put freakin hard shell tacos on the menu. Bye.
(2)Christopher B.
I agree with the general consensus: the food is average at best, prices are high for what you get, and the patio is way to close to Oneawa St.
(2)Ella B.
I hail from the Bay Area, Ca, moreover, the South Bay Area, so i know my mexican food. The food was eh. it wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic, it was adequate for a dinner of mexican food. Our server was sortof chatty in the annoying way. Like he thought he was really witty and it seemed that he despised the tourists or something, which is ironic considering that they probably make up over 80% of the restaurant's business! the salsa was nasty like ketchup mixed with pico de gallo. maybe some of the other yelpers haven't had real (good) salsa but this would NOT be it. The chips, on the other hand, were pretty good still warm from the fryer. An extra star for the outdoor seating, too bad that the view is a gas station across the street. I think our bill was in the neighborhood of $30 - $35 including two beers and a tip... sort of pricey for mexican if you ask me, but then again, i guess you are, since you are reading this!!
(2)wesley t.
I dined at Los Garcia's about two years ago and remembered that the food was pretty good. So, when my wife and I headed towards Kailua we decided on Mexican food and I remembered Los Garcia's. Let me tell you that this was no where near the food I remembered. First, the salsa tasted like it was canned tomato sauce and canned stewed tomato mixed together. I had to ask for bottled hot sauce to add flavor. A bottle of Pace salsa would have been much better. Every good Mexican restaurant needs to start with good salsa. To be fair my chicken taquitos were decent. But, my wife's enchilada lunch was very bland. The sauce would have been better if it came from a can. Lastly, and this is the clincher, we witnessed the waitress returning a basket of leftover chips back into the warming tray to be reused again.
(1)Deborah M.
They have nerve to call this Mexican food. My husband is Mexican, we ate homemade for years plus many meals in East LA and the Mission in SF, as well as multiple visits throughout Mexico. This place is bad; unfortunately ate there once, we shudder every time we go by it. The minute you taste the chips and salsa, you know you're in trouble!
(1)Arwin K.
This is the WORSE excuse for Mexican food I have ever tasted! The salsa tastes like they opened a can of tomato sauce and put cilantro and onions..yuck! I have had better salsa from a jar! Also, way over priced. Will NEVER, EVER go back to this place..EVER.
(1)Scott R. D.
I had lunch here twice. Thought it sucked both times. On the other hand I have friends that work nearby and swear it's good. But then, they don't know the difference between demi-glace and beef stock.
(1)Brenda S.
I used to live in Hawaii, and this was my favorite mexican restaurant on the island. We always had the same waitress, Ileana, who would see me and ask if I wanted my usual...Pescado Fresca. The only thing I'd switch up was I'd have either a corona or a margarita. After moving to the bay area, I have found only one mexican restaurant that comes close. Regardless of whether people want "authentic" mexican food (which I have, my auntie is full Mexican), or they just want what they like, I feel that is place is one that I love. It will be the first place I go to eat when I go back next week.
(5)Stan S.
Los Garcias is not what it used to be. I recently ate there because an out of town guest wanted to check it out. It is street parking or parking in a sketchy back lot behind the gas station with odd folks creeping around in it. Food was just ok. The entire restaurant looks run down and falling apart...I didn't even want to look in the kitchen to see what it might look like. Service was sub par at best.
(1)H O.
Overall, not a bad experience. I had the combination plate with rice and beans. All of the meats were tasty and the portions were average size and price. Not the best Mexican on the island, but it's a decent option, especially if you're on the Windward side. Good friendly service, convenient location in Kailua. One complaint-just like many other Yelpers, I do think that their salsa needs serious improvement. It's a bit watery and doesn't taste very fresh. Three stars!
(3)Dmitri S.
this is the best mexican food in hawaii, and one of the best in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the ceviche is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! go go go go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Jayme M.
this place was terrible, got a chesse quesadilla and it looked like you could not only make it at home but it looked and tasted like it came out of the microwave. then the crab enchilada that tasted bland as hell and was made with fake crab meat. and all this was came out to $22 which was a goddamn ripoff. dont give this place the time of day, i wouldn't be surpised if gordon ramsey showed up at this place
(1)spiff e.
Good and seemingly authentic mexican food. Got the tacos de carnitas and they were pretty good. Ordered a horchata too and that thing was huge. And with just the right sweetness. But the best was the chips and salsa, which was only made better with the extra guacamole we ordered. Best restaurant guacamole I remember having in a long time. Definitely left satisfied.
(3)