I've always enjoyed eating at Descanso but last night was extra special. We went for a special celebration and had a party of 20. Caroline, the catering manager, set everything up as discussed and even had a personalized menu for my guests. Our waiter Manny was top notch. Personable and attentive throughout. The support staff was as well. My guests raved about their entrees and cocktails. It was a tremendously positive experience. read more

We LOVED our Mother's Day brunch at Descanso. We made reservations and were seated quickly. They had bottomless mimosas and a special Mother's Day menu. Food- 10/10. We ordered the bottomless mimosas, watermelon spicy marg, churro pancakes, and the shredded beef chilaquiles. All were amazing! The churro pancakes were soooooooo yummy. Crispy and fluffy. Service- 10000/10. Manny was amazinggg! He was working so hard serving so many tables at once and he did a great job. He was so kind, positive, and had great recommendations. He always made sure we had everything we needed. The gals at the front were also so kind and helpful. Everyone there was great! Environment- 10/10. It was a beautiful day so we sat out on the patio. They had table umbrellas which were super nice to block the sun. They also had a DJ's (I think there were 3 taking turns) that were all great! The inside is very clean and nicely decorated! Next time we wanna try sitting at the grill :) Extras- Lots of parking as it's in a shopping center. The prices for us were a little on the higher end, but the food and service are fantastic! Perfect place for celebrations and authentic food :) read more

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Absolutely Fantastic Brunch at Descanso We had such a wonderful Sunday brunch at Descanso that I had to leave a review right away. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was warm and welcoming, and the experience just kept getting better. Our server, Summer, was fantastic. Super attentive, friendly, and genuinely cared about making sure everything was perfect. She checked on us at just the right times and made great recommendations. You can tell the front-of-house team really has it together. Then there's Chef Tanya on the flat grill... she is a magician! Everything coming off that grill was cooked to absolute perfection. My Carnitas Machaca was packed with flavor, so tender, savory, and beautifully seasoned with just the right amount of spice and richness. My wife ordered the Pollo Maya and couldn't stop raving about it. Both dishes were fresh, generous, and clearly made with care and pride. Every bite was delicious, the portions were satisfying, and the overall execution was spot-on for a brunch service. It felt like a special treat rather than just another meal out. Huge shout-out to Chef Tanya, Summer, and the whole Descanso team for delivering such a fantastic experience. We'll definitely be back soon. Can't wait to try more items on the menu! If you're looking for great food and warm service, Descanso is the place. Highly recommend! Pro tip: Ask for Chef Tanya's grill. You won't regret it. She's the best! read more

Descanso - Carnitas Machaca - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

How did I not know about Descanso's taco game sooner? Came here on a Tuesday during lunch and got the mahi mahi taco and birria taco. Both were amazing! The mahi mahi taco was so innovative. I loved the slaw on top and the surprise of the peanuts. The birria taco is on another level. The short rib was melting in my mouth, and paired with the consume... chefs kiss. On Tuesdays they also have an amazing Taco Tuesday deal with 6 street tacos for $22. That's a steal! Definitely need to come back more hungry to try that out. read more

Descanso - Taco de Birria & El Dorado Taco - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We accidentally ended up back here for brunch and were pleasantly surprised by our "mistake." We usually like to try new spots and didn't realize we had been here a couple of years ago--but we enjoyed it just as much this time around. We tried a few different drinks and entrees, and everything was delicious. The service was still excellent, and the outdoor patio was comfortable and inviting. So glad we came back! read more

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Five stars. It was our first time here, this restaurant was recommended by a friend. Our family loves teppanyaki style dinners and this was authentic Mexican which is even cooler! You have to reserve a month in advance as there's only three plancha tables, additionally this is a two hour experience. We were celebrating my son's bday, and he loved it! They started with a salad or soup, I got the salad it was amazing! Everyone got different entrees, and everyone loved it, food was fresh! At the end they came out with a giant sparkler singing happy bday, they included ice cream with some sugar chips on it, looked amazing. We highly recommend for parties or just a night out, we thoroughly enjoyed this! read more

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Came here for Steven C's birthday and what an epic place for a celebration meal! I was expecting Benihani bland and boring and boy was I wrong. Everything had so much flavor I was amazed! Our party of 4 scored the corner seats at the Plancha table which allowed for easy conversation. Acoustics were pretty good. My wife and I shared some nachos while waiting for the show to start. The nachos packed so much flavor they defied logic. We devoured the whole plate. Next I had the fideo soup and my wife had the Caesar salad. Both great so you can't go wrong with either. Our chef Jesus had a great personality and put on an exciting performance while cooking. He explained everything he was doing and talked about the ingredients. I was impressed he was cooking full cuts of meat and slicing them at the end which kept everything tender. I went with the chile rellenos with al pastor. This masterpiece was covered in a blanket of cheese the chef fried on the grill. The portion sizes were massive and everyone at the table could only get through half their plate. I truly loved my meal and couldn't believe how flavorful it was. It tasted even better reheated! My wife had the pork loin entree and she loved hers too. The C's had steak and chicken and equally enjoyed their meals. Only negative was the end of the meal. Steven was brought out a birthday dessert with an impressive performance of fire and singing. I asked our waiter Max if I could order dessert and he told me no. Told me to leave and order at the bar. I was confused and asked if he was joking and he turned unfriendly telling me our time is up and to leave. We ate as fast as we could and as the restaurant served us so it was an odd ending. I'm wondering if we didn't box up our food if they would have told us to leave while eating? Maybe offer to pack up a dessert to go? Besides the ending it was a 5 star experience. I guess if you want dessert you're SOL. All the cocktails were great too. read more

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Benihana who? That is how I felt shortly after this night started! A few years ago we had the regular lunch during OC Restaurant week. I don't remember what I ordered but I was kind of disappointed and I wasn't in a hurry to return, despite knowing about their Plancha experience. However, I am glad we did return! You have to make reservations for their Plancha dining, because it will always fill up. Plancha dining is like Benihana's but with Mexican food that tastes a hundred times better! I made reservations for dinner for Steven's birthday along with a few friends. I tried last year but the slots were already filled up. There was another couple at our table, celebrating a birthday as well. We ordered the margarita flight and I ordered the carne asada dinner and he ordered the chile relleno dinner with chicken added for an upcharge. You also get a choice of fidel sopa (soup) or spicy caesar salad. Our chef, Jesus came by shortly after and started making amazing fried rice, bursting with flavor that reminded you of elotes. Jesus then started making all our food, to absolute perfection. No errors, and everything was so friggin delicious. He even offered Mexican candy (serrano peppers) which only Steven and our friend Chris accepted, and they noted that it was quite spicy. Jesus was entertaining throughout and made everything to perfection. Once all of our plates were made, he then heated up our tortillas, choice of blue corn or flour. The portions were so big that every single one of us had to take food home. All night we talked about how delicious it was! They even brought ice cream sundaes for the two birthday people with churro chips as spoons and a flaming sparkler. They sang Happy Birthday. There were a lot of those that night. Tip: This dinner is limited to two hours, and if you don't order dessert in advance when the dinner presentation is over, they won't allow you to due to the time limit and next parties coming in. Unfortunately that was not mentioned and our friends didn't get to order dessert unless they sat at a regular table after, which was weird. Overall, a completely amazing experience. I will definitely return for the Plancha dining. read more

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I was recently treated to a great birthday dinner here from my wife and along with a couple of our friends we got to experience the plancha experience. The place was very busy and reservations would definitely be needed for the plancha. We were quickly taken back to our table and grill as we awaited what was sure to be a unique dining experience. Each meal begins with a soup or salad choice along with an entree and will be accompanied by Mexican fried rice and tortillas of your choosing. Let me start by saying the portions here are enormous and far larger than any other teppenyaki style place I have visited. The plancha experience works like Behihana with a Mexican flair (Benijuanas as so aptly named by our server). Our chef was phenomenal and the food was absolutely delicious. I went with the chile relleno with chicken added while my wife went with the carne asada and both were bursting with flavor. I added the grilled serrano pepper (Mexican candy) on the side for myself as well and it was spicy and perfectly grilled. I cant stop raving about this experience and hope to come back again real soon to try it again. That fried rice will leave a very lasting impression. This was a great night out, filled with good food, good friends and good service that I wont soon forget. read more

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I went here a couple of days ago at lunch and had a wonderful experience. The ambiance is nice and chic, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the food was flavorful and good quality. The place was pretty busy too for a week day lunch which is how you know the food is good. It is a little on the pricey side but I appreciated the bartender being honest about the food size so I didn't order too much. I got one taco, chips and salsa, and a side salad. Things to note: the taco looks normal but is packed with meat and the food isn't normal Mexican style that you see in California but a more Smokey style. Definitely a Must try! read more

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They have Taco Tuesday which includes all day discounts on Margaritas and Beer. They have Wine Wednesday which includes discounted wine as well as no corkage fee. Monday to Friday they have Happy Hour from 3pm to 6pm with appetizer specials and drink specials including wine. The House Margarita is not nearly as good as the Cadillac Margarita. The latter is a $3 up charge, bringing the price to $12 during happy hour! As such next time I'll just stick to the happy hour $5 beer. I don't know when they started charging for chips and salsa, but that was a surprise. Note that they charge you for every single side of sauce that you all for. For example the Morita Aioli that goes with the rice (we found that extra is not really needed), the green salsa (which is my favorite), and the volcano salsa (that I don't care for). While the side of Mexican fried rice is reasonably priced, the side of elote (corn) is outrageously priced. I question if we really need that next time. My wife loved the chicken tacos more than the steak tacos. Next time we need to remember that ordering it as a quesadilla instead basically means that they put a delicious cheese disc on top of the taco. As usual I got the awesome Shrimp Alambre. read more

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Visited with our good friends. It was a late lunch / early dinner . The place was not particularly full or busy; however, that did not speed up our initial service. It took a little bit to get our waters and cocktail orders in. That said, after that our service stepped up to where it should've been. Flights of margarita were the orders of two of our friends with margaritas and wine rounding out for the rest of us. We opened with orders of chips, salsa, Chicharron, and guacamole for the table. Absolutely delicious and how we remember! This was always our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. No one had the exact same order, but all of our orders were exactly delicious! I really recommend this spot! My Alambre was absolutely delicious along with the side of elote. My wife also enjoyed her open face quesadilla. read more

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Great ambience, service, and the food is really good, too. If you're expecting traditional combo meals with refried beans and rice, look elsewhere. But if you want authentic Mexican flavors with a twist, this is it. I had the 2 taco platter. Battered tilapia and steak (only because they ran out of tilapia). I chose a side of pinto beans. Loved the blue corn tortillas. Everything was yummy. My Margarita was also good. I'll be back! read more

Descanso - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We have never been here before but heard great things about it. Well, let me tell you, they were right! We loved the taco plate selection. I went with the Birria tacos and my husband with the Felipe tacos. both delicious and there were more we wanted to try but the tacos are really beefy and we got full. We will have to come back again and bring more friends to enjoy the great food and service. I definitely recommend it. read more

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We had the best experience from the start at check in with Delilah and had the best drinks at the bar! The Paloma and espresso martini for the win. We went back to the plancha experience and were hosted by Des who has the best customer service. From taking orders to getting our drinks till the bill she was kind and sweet! Chef Jesus with the fire food serving plates that were gorgeous, you go chef! We can't wait to be back for lotería and more drinks. Thank you for the experience we can't wait to bring our friends and family. read more

Descanso - Arroz Con Leche Cheesecake - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Came here last night for a birthday celebration and we did the plancha dining. It was a good experience with chef Tanya . She was entertaining and explaining to us the ingredients of each menu items as she cooks. Very informative indeed. Food was delicious as well and wonderfully prepared. The place itself was inviting and we felt welcome when we arrived . Everyone was nice . We will be back. read more

Descanso - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Food 5 stars Service 3 stars The food was absolutely delicious. I ordered a taco combo with a Maya Taco (marinated chicken) and a birria taco. The portions are large and tasty. Our server must've had too many tables because he barely checked on us. Refills were hard to get. I will definitely go back. Hopefully service is better next time. read more

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Spacious restaurant with a nice bar area and plenty of seating. We came for a birthday lunch and started with the chips and salsa $4 (chips were refilled and salsa was really delicious but very spicy...there was not a non-spicy option). We ordered the quesadilla birria to share and it was very delicious with a yummy broth dip. For entrees, we got the Crispy Carnita Skillet which was so tender and flavorful. It came with blue corn tortillas and beans. So good!! We also got the Salmon Avocado Tostada. I didn't realize it would not be warm and tasted more like a salad (gave the vibes of salmon salad mixed from a can/pouch), so it didn't quite hit the spot. The avocado was perfect and the dish was beautifully presented...but the taste was just so so. The best part of the meal was the surprise birthday treat! They turned up the music super loud and came marching out with this awesome dessert with a sparkler candle on top while they sang happy birthday! Totally unexpected and so fun! The complimentary dessert was so yummy too! It was vanilla ice cream atop cinnamon churro flavored chips with chocolate sauce! Wow! So good!! read more

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The patio was the perfect place to enjoy some delicious food! Our server, Manny, was terrific and recommended some of their specialty dinners. The flavors were great and we shared. read more

Descanso never disappoints, it always feels like we're on vacation! We've been coming here since they opened, pretty much a couple times a month. Love the new menu! And the staff, they always remember us and our drinks and recommend new items. Our favorite is the bartender Ray! And Jose and Christian are amazing as well! The plancha chefs take such pride in their food, especially Angel, we love bringing guests here for that fun experience! Salud! read more

Our experience was amazing! All staff were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was nice. We sat at the plancha and the cook was wonderful. Our server was cheerful and friendly. I liked the fact that the cook would let us know about all of the ingredients being used and asked if we had any allergies. The food was excellent. Overall great experience. read more

Went for a lunch with my coworkers, and everything was amazing! Such a well decorated and fun space indoors, and if you're looking for some elevated Mexican fare, Descanso will certainly hit the spot. We shared chips and salsa/guac - I personally thought the guacamole was very good, and we had the Ceviche Campechano, lots of excellent flavors and textures. We then had our entrees, which all came out fairly quick - I had the taco plate combo, and i chose the Don Chingon and Felipe for my two tacos. Both were excellent, filling, and the ride and beans it came with were actually spectacular! Highly recommend. Great service and atmosphere, and will definitely be dining here again. read more

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Most taquerias treat chips and salsa like free filler before the "real food." Rookie move. Descanso doesn't do that -- their salsa tells you right away someone here respects fundamentals. The star isn't tomato. It's morita chile--a smoked, ripened red jalapeño. Not as forceful as chipotle, not as sweet as guajillo. Morita sits in this elegant middle lane... blackberry-dark, subtly smoky, warm heat that shows up as the sauce clings, builds, then warms you from the inside. When the salsa hits like this, you already know the kitchen's dialed in. *I forgot to snap a pic of the food, waitress kindly sent me one from instagram. read more

Descanso - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

As part of OC Restaurant week, we dined here with friends. The place was happening!!!! Loud is an understatement. We pretty much had to yell just to talk to eachother. Besides that, food was great, ambiance a cool vibe for sure, and service was solid. Restaurant weeks are my favorite time to explore new restaurants or a great reminder to return to others. That's what initially brought us here a couple years ago and a good reason to return. read more

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We took our party of 6 to Descanso Plancha Grill for a different kind of dinner experience. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, responsive and helpful. The food was great, I recommend Pozole for your soup option, it does not disappoint. For my main course I got the Salmon, our chef was fantastic and the salmon came off the grill hot, crispy on the edges and tender on the inside. My wife got the Carne Asada which I tried and it was a beautiful work of art. I actually recommend the Carne Asada over the Salmon but both are great options. For drinks I opted for a Dos Equis Amber, my wife got Mi Corazon- a wonderful cocktail for those looking for something not too sweet. At the Plancha Grill you'll be seated (up to 8 people) in front of a flat top grill under cozy lighting. Your own chef will prepare your meal in front of you and ensure it makes it to the plate grilled to perfection. Overall a great experience for a date night, birthday or celebration. read more

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Met up with some friends for lunch yesterday. The food is overpriced and meh. The service was great! Let's talk about the food. We spent $120 plus $20 tip for three, 2 taco plates with one side each, chips and guac and 3 diet cokes. The only thing that was outstanding was the guac. The food was mediocre. We could have spent had that for delicious tacos at Los Cholos! Don't recommend. read more

Back again in less than a month. Still excellent and their participation in some app makes it an amazing deal. Their birthday celebration desert is always a huge hit with the family. read more

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Loved it!!! It's a really nice Mexican restaurant but also very casual! Service is so friendly and gives great recommendations. This was our first time so I got a taco plate and my fiancé got the lobster enchiladas which he LOVED! My tacos plate was delicious loved their asada meat. I wish it had more salsa tho but we got salsa as an app with chips. I will come back to bring my fmaily! read more

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Great food and service for a birthday celebration. Everything was so delicious with each dish and cocktail beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. Here's what we tried from their lunch menu: Ceviche Tropical Quesadilla de Birria Salmon Tostadas Crispy Carnitas Skillet Mexican Brownie Look forward to trying out their happy hour and brunch menu. read more

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I was clearly already a fan of Descanso before but I recently hosted a corporate team event with 24 people here and had such a wonderful planning experience. Shoutout to the event manager, Caroline! Not only was she professional and easy to work with, she was even onsite at the time of the event to ensure everything went smoothly. Our group had the pleasure of being served by Miguel, Jalaena, Cesar, Juan and Tanya. The team was very welcoming and enthusiastic. Our group had such a great time! We did plancha dining and had a custom menu which included each person's choice of a soup or salad, choice of protein (we narrowed it down to 4 options), and 1 preselected dessert. Highly recommend hosting your corporate meal here! read more

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Everything was amazing, drinks are great here! We stopped by on a slow afternoon and it was the manager Daisy's birthday and was kind enough to stop by to let us have some of her birthday cake. Ramon the bartender was handling the front, and it looked like a genuinely great community with the regulars all participating in wishing the wonderful manager a Happy Birthday. Love seeing restaurants care about their people like this, food was delicious and they also have a great happy hour! read more

Descanso - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ordered takeout so cannot comment on ambience or service. This review is solely for the food. I got the el toro ($21) and mayan ($19) tacos. Was not a fan. The taco fell apart quick and the meat wasn't cooked well, tasting a bit nasty. The rice was tastier than the tacos. read more

Descanso - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We usually come after church on Sundays. Have always had a great experience. Unfortunately, the last two Sunsays we have walked in and out. There has always been music on the patio, which is nice. The last two Sundays there has been a dj outside but also blasting inside. Felt as if I was at a karaoke bar. We left as it was too loud. Would have put this on their website instead of here. Didn't seem to be an option. Food and service is great. Noise is not. read more

if you get a chance to come here for brunch, lunch, dinner, whatever, you HAVE TO COME HERE!! i've had some of the best food i've ever had at this restaurant, especially the carnitas machaca & the carne asada. the plancha table is such a fun experience for the family, & chef tanya is incredible. she was incredibly attentive & talked us through every step as she cooked our meals. food was delicious, staff was spectacular, & chef tanya blew us away! read more

Made a reservation a month ago for a very important meeting. We get there and they did not have our reservation for 15 and then made us wait. Then they threw us on the sidewalk in the cold and all they can say is sorry, we forgot. Completely unprofessional and promise we will never be back. read more

I will start by saying the entire experience was great. Everybody that worked at the location was pleasant and appeared to enjoy working there. The only ding against my experience was the cost. Food was delicious though and I would come again for a special event it the opportunity arose. It was loud as you expect in a hibachi style place with flames flying and people celebrating something. Overall an enjoyable experience. read more

Descanso - Menu March 2026 - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Tried the Gordito Bites with Pork belly and red cabbage, wow, it's really good! The servers are friendly and helpful. read more

Descanso - Pork belly with red cabbage - Mexican Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We ate a plancha table. Our chef was wonderful She was engaging & the food she prepared was delicious. The service was another story. Initial drinks and appetizer delivery took almost 45 minutes. The cooking took a usual amount of time for a full table of 9. Once we were all served, the server began to rush us. Take-out containers (not asked for) & the bill were delivered while we were still eating. We were then asked to vacate the table or move to the bar as they had another reservation waiting. If they are only giving a 2 hour window per table reservation, then they need to move quicker on drinks, apps & entres to allow for adequate time to enjoy the almost $400 dinner. The food was great. The hurried & disappointing service for a restaurant of this quality needs improvement. read more

I was told this restaurant was really good, so I went in with high expectations. Unfortunately, I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be. I got the lobster enchiladas and the sauce was delicious, but there was way too much cheese, so much so that it overpowered the lobster. Everyone else loved their food though. We got happy hour drinks, the cucumber sol margarita and the watermelon margarita and they were both nice and strong. The waiters were nice also. I didn't go inside, because we sat on the patio, but the patio was nice and clean. Not sure if the enchiladas are worth $40 but I would return for the drinks. read more

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Alright everyone, what is the real deal here? I did not see anything but overprices Mexican Food. Frankly, I know I am a harsh critic of Mexican food because I grew up all around it and always open to different tastes and regional food. Our waitress and chef both mentioned that the food was their take on food from the state of Michoacan Mexico. OK, then.... Our group ate a the "plancha" table, which is where you watch the chef prepare your food, similar to teppan Japanese restaurants. Nothing special, you watch them prepare eggs, steak, melt cheese and grill veggies and heat tortillas. WOW! Really, not worth the premium, at least not in my book. No show, no anything special. The food in my opinion lacked what I consider true Mexican Flavor. The food was served at different intervals, in short, I was the first one served but by the time the last person at our table got served I was done and I have to add my food was not even very hot because by the time the chef finished layers everything on the huevos rancheros, everything was cold and the over easy eggs were cold and frankly the edges were over fried and burnt. Really, which chef fails and making over easy eggs? I frankly doubt our chef was really a certified chef and if they were, I would question the school they went to. The carnitas which is a staple in Michoacan were not all that, I have had better at taco stands, to me they were dry and had too much of a citrusy taste, which takes away from the meat or flavor of what carnitas should be. In talking to others in my group which ordered tacos, chilaquiles, carnitas machaca and even appetizers of choriqueso and guacamole, they were not impressed either. Over prices for what you get. I doubt their regular seats who work from a different menu is any better, but I am not willing to find out. Maybe the ingredients are fresh, but again once we tallied the bill the average price per person with one main dish 2 flights of margaritas and two appetizers for a group of 8 averaged almost $75 per person. WHAT! I wish them well, but I am not going back. read more