Definitely an upscale vibe with a very cool interior and exterior that are part of the ambience. You can go super fancy or more upscale chic and fit right in. The drinks were great and the Guyaba Margarita was incredible! The food was good too with the carnitas plate being the star of the show. The meat was well cooked and super flavorful and a little salty that paired well with the condiments. The enchiladas were good but I had anticipated the chorizo being more incorporated instead of a cheese enchilada but small pieces of chorizo on top. Overall, good experience and our waiter was very attentive. For the price of the experience, I was a little disappointed with some of the dishes but not enough that I wouldn't go back. read more

Javier's is always a popular place at Irvine Spectrum. Chips and salsa: Complimentary. Nothing special but I won't complain about free Guac: 8/10. Pretty good and great for your chips. Taquitos: 8/10. I liked it! You get some small ones. The sauce that it comes with is also really good. Queso: 5/10. Very oily. Comes with soft tortillas that are nice, but I really didn't like the queso Short rib: 9.5/10. So good. Very tender and full of flavor. The sauce is awesome, too Trio seafood enchiladas del mar: 7/10. I had high hopes since I heard it was great but I thought it was a bit bland. Also too much tasteless cheese on it. Steak and lobster tail: 9/10. Amazing. Steak is tender. Lobster is perfectly buttery and cooked. Flavor is fantastic. Everything was delicious except the rice, which was very mediocre, but that's probably because I prefer jasmine rice. Churros: 5/10. Not a huge churro fan and this didn't change my mind. Didn't care for it. Tres leches: 6/10. A little lacking in flavor. Overall, there are some very mediocre dishes and some excellent dishes, but I don't think the prices justify any of it. Weekends are insanely busy. Be ready with reservations. Weekday lunches are easier to walk in. It feels pretty casual since it's at Irvine Spectrum and I usually sit outside in the patio area. But it's overall a nice ambience. It's darker inside. As usual with Irvine Spectrum, parking is free but hard to find since it's so busy. read more

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This place is so cute inside. The bar area has a lot of plants and nice ambience. It's a huge restaurant and gets very busy. My friend wanted to come here because she loves the margaritas. We each enjoyed different varieties of drinks. While she got a Cadillac I ordered a piña margarita. They are a bit pricey at $20 each. We did also order some food to share which was delicious. We got the taco, enchilada and chili rellano plate. The chicken was so tender and everything tasted amazing. My friend LOVED the refried beans. The service was great and the staff were on top of everything. Our drinks and food came out quickly, Our waters were kept full, Any extra dishes or cups were taken away immediately, and our table was wiped down. I really liked the attention to detail. read more

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We came here to celebrate my birthday and it is a beautiful restaurant however the food wasn't the greatest for the price that they charge, very expensive so my husband and I were expecting great food. We had a carne asada salad since it says on the menu that any substitutions will be politely declined and I am diabetic due to a transplant. My husband had the trio enchilada (crab, lobster and shrimp) but it was nothing special. Service was outstanding, everyone here is very nice! The ambience and decorations are beautiful and very cozy. read more

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The most preferred restaurant in all of Irvine. Great atmosphere, attentive service, and an excellent menu. If you are looking for an upscale Mexican seafood restaurant, you can't go wrong with Javier's. There is usually a wait here, and for good reason. It has a Tulum-like vibe with great music, lighting, and overall design. The complimentary chips and salsa are fire. read more

Javier's - La Tablita - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I enjoyed my first visit here with a friend. We dined on a holiday Sunday and many tables were not available as they were designated for dinner (we arrived at 1:00 pm. Service was very fast and efficient. We ordered the guacamole and chips and it was okay A not fantastic and sort of a small portion. My shrimp enchiladas were presented very well and were quite tasty. I considered the place rather high considering I've ordered the same dish on over a dozen other Mexican restaurants. I'm not complaining and just stating a fact. Overall our meal was very good. My guest ordered cheese enchiladas and complained that they were so firm he had to cut them with a knife. The waitress said they the way they were precise cheese is naturally heavy and often hard to cut with a fork. I'd return here in the future. But I'm not overwhelmed. It's a beautiful restaurant and very popular. So my opinion is based on one meal there. read more

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Ordered the Enchilada, Chile Relleno & Taco plate for $36. Which IMO, is very pricey for mediocre food. Had the Shredded Beef in my Crispy Taco and it was painfully dry meat, couldn't finish it. Just ate more of the shell. The rice and beans were good, chili Relleno not bad, but feel like the cheese could have been melted more. Enchilada had chicken in it and it was just ok. Food didn't have much flavor to it and everything needed salt. Service for food slow, but clearing plates and wiping down your table was very fast. Ambiance is nice and dark restaurant inside, but always get seated outside. It was very loud there too, hard to hear company. Plus had reservations at 6:30pm, but didn't get a table until 20 mins later, which doesn't make sense when you have reservations! Plus the calling out of names in a crowded area does not work well. read more

Javier's - Enchilada, Chile Relleno & Taco - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had a lovely lunch here- service was fast, food was delicious, and ambience was lively. Would consider this one of the more upscale Mexican restaurants; great if you're in the mood for surf and turf (though I'd have to say their seafood options are the star here), or could be a cute date spot! Love their complimentary chips and salsa- salsa has a good kick to it! Guac was really fresh but could've used some more lime. Overall all the options are yum but if I could only pick one type of dish here, it would definitely be an enchilada! read more

Javier's - Cabo Azul ; Arrachera ; Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my second time eating at a Javiers restaurant, but this is the first time having the experience at this location. And it always turns out to be a pleasant one. This is an establishment that is frequently visited and gets packed very quickly, but overall, it seems that they tend to keep their Staffing to match the. Peak hours of the day. We receded in one of their rooms that holds about 12 to 15 people. Their chips and salsa are really good. But overall, their food and their drinks are really great. If you're looking for more of a little bit of an upscale experience around Mexican cuisine, this would be a pretty good choice to go with. read more

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Enjoyed dinner here on a Friday evening. Lovely restaurant, nice ambiance, and our server was attentive. Have to give Javiers 3 stars because by the time the food got to us, it was cold. read more

Javier's - Trio de enchiladas del mar - shrimp, crab, and lobster enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I haven't been to Javier's in so long and I still love it! This was my first time at the Irvine Spectrum location though. We went on a Sat afternoon and while the spectrum was packed, there wasn't a long wait. The food was delish just as in remembered and the decor is IG worthy! Parking kinda sucks if you don't know exactly where you're going, we ended up doing Valet parking which was the easiest. read more

Javier's - The chips n salsa were great - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Went to try Javier's at the Irvine Spectrum. Fantastic service. Had the shrimp ceviche which was ok 3 gals shared the two person platter and we had left overs. Plenty of chips and tasty salsa Would give 5 stars but it is a fairly expensive place. read more

Javier's - Came Tampiquena with chicken and skirt steak another option could be carnitas. - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I recommend this place because it's a vibe it's sexy it's beautiful and upon walking in you hear the music smell the fragrant dishes you wanna be here and are looking forward to your dining experience. Once seated our server was right on it took our drink orders and dinner orders I don't remember his name but he was super nice and offered some drink and dinner suggestions. I ordered the pineapple margarita annnnnd loved it! The chili verde was fantastic! Carnitas dish came with rice,beans and guacamole the meat was really tasty. Four people 5 drinks, 3 dinners, I salad, 2 appetizers $270 Overall I recommend this place no complaints but at the same time there's was not a dish that I think I will be craving and think I need to go back. Food was ok good. The ambiance the drinks and the great for groups and celebrations yes I will think oh let's go to Javier's! read more

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Chicken fajitas were dry and lacked flavor. They were chicken tenders, for the price it should have been a chicken breast. Bell peppers were uncooked. Very disappointing. We also had reservations and still had to wait 30 minutes. Outside the restaurant smells like the sewer. Despite all that it was super crowded. Positive notes was, the wait staff were amazing and kept my water glass topped off. read more

Javier's - Chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here for lunch on a Saturday to celebrate a friend's birthday. As usual this place doesn't disappoint. From the great service to the great food and nice ambiance, I always consider Javier's for any occasion. The only thing I ordered differently was the steak picado, it came with rice, beans and vegetables....it was good. read more

Jorge is our waiter again and we are sitting kind of outside on 4/21/26 for taco Tuesday. Chicken fajitas are a little bit better this time and I brought my own seasoning so that helped a lot. The surface is average in the food is mid level. I love the ambience here read more

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Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday! Beautiful view of the ocean from the patio! My favorite were the chips and salsa and their enchiladas always hit the spot! They also have valet. read more

Javier's - Trio De Enchiladas Del Mar - soooo goood!! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Came to this location twice and I would say the Newport location is still the best hands down. The good thing about this location is that I've been able to walk in and get seated immediately. Service is always top notch. The first time I was here, we ordered the ceviche but they were out of the white fish. I just came back yesterday and ordered the seafood trio enchilada and the crab enchilada was full of shells. I was not able to eat the item. Unfortunately, this was the one that I packed home since I couldn't finish my meal at the restaurant so I couldn't let the server know. I most likely will not be back at this location. read more

Over ten years ago, I thought this place was elite. The margaritas, the chips and salsa, the chopped house salad, flan for dessert. It was my reliable monthly "catch up with the girls" spot and never missed. So, we took a little trip down memory lane and wow, that was a mistake. The margaritas tasted watered down and like it was made with the cheapest liquor available. The chips were blah. The salsa was just okay. The guacamole was $20 for not even a full cup. I have had better guac at El Torito, and that comparison alone should say everything. I will give credit where it is due. The house salad was still good. But, the steak tacos were laughable. Nothing special at all. It was something I could have gotten literally anywhere else (i.e. Baja Fresh). The bill, however, was very memorable and not in a good way. Way too expensive for what showed up on the table. Between the tiny portions, the drop in food quality, and the overall vibe, you will probably leave hungry and annoyed. Sorry, but this place is officially off my list. Goodbye, Javier's. It's been real. read more

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Sadly, I feel the spark of Javier's has dimmed and not sure I'd return for awhile. Disappointed that rice and beans are no longer included with some entrees. They are a separate side order now. It's actually a steep price for the trio seafood enchilada plate (or any enchilada entree)...when it doesn't include a side of beans and rice. The chips and guac were fire and delicious though. Service - 2/5. Our waitress was not very kind. She was dismissive and impatient when we were ordering. After entrees came, she never checked in again until bill was placed on the table. This restaurant used to be our family's favorite, but this experience unfortunately changed that. We still enjoyed the food itself, but the service and high-priced entrees for few quantity is a deal-breaker to not return anytime soon. read more

Javier's is one of the best spots for great food, drinks, and atmosphere in lower Irvine! First of all, the service tonight was outstanding. Between the waiters, expediters, and bussers, this staff is lock-stepped on great guest service. We ordered the ground beef empanadas for the appetizer, with a wonderful combination of flavor and texture. To drink strawberry daiquiris - delightful! The main courses were Relleno de Picadillo and Pollo à la Chipotle. The relleno had a perfect savory sauce, and just the right balance of cheese and filling. The pollo was tender and tasty. Personally, I love a not too brightly lit establishment, that makes for great conversation with my friends. We had an excellent dinner and memorable time. We'll be back soon. Enjoy! read more

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Beautiful setting and nice location at Irvine Spectrum, near the theater side. Service is attentive, and the complimentary chips and salsa are a great way to start the meal. Price point is quite high. The skirt steak Arrachera is $60, and Cabo Azul is $50. Mango margarita is $19. For a lunch for four, it was over $240. Still recommend this place though for its festive atmosphere. A fun place to bring friends. read more

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People come here for the scene not for the food. The restaurant has a Newport Beach look and the service is good. But the food and cocktails are mediocre on the best day here. The menu prices are well beyond justification. For example: Salad with Salmon is $40. You get premix salad like you can buy at any grocery store, handful of cherry tomatoes, a sliced radish, over-salted grilled salmon that is nearly inedible, and a green dressing. This was a low priced menu item. Steak Taco al a cart (one/1/uno) is $12. It comes Taco Bell style with lettuce, tomato, cheese. Enchilada platter with 2 enchilada and beans and rice are ~$50 now. With lots more options in the $60-80 range. Total w tax/gratuity for: 2 Salads w/ Salmon, 1 house prosecco... $125.00. But I suppose that's the price to "feel seen" in OC read more

Great staff! Great with kids!!! Made us feel welcome and we didn't even have to ask for extra plates? Kids waters. The food is OK what's the price goes into the ambience and the quality of experience I get it. Being great for families and kids is the most important thing to me and they are always so great with this. read more

Javier's - Cheese enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Had a good time at Javier's. Large restaurant with plenty of seating and dark nooks and crannies! SERVICE: We had a good server. He was attentive and had a good sense of humor. The only issue we had was that our bartender messed up our drink and our food took a long time to get out. FOOD: Food was great! The server talked me into upgrading to carne asada and it was yummy. The rest of our food was tasty and they desserts hit the spot. I was jokingly complaining about how restaurants don't have enough dairy free desserts, so I said just bring me a plate with a sad face....and they did! (I love when they play along). Not sure why the ratings aren't better here. The wait time on food and the drink error were our only issues. read more

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The chips are salsa are good here but I don't think I will be back. This restaurant is located at The Spectrum. I went on the weekend and there wasn't much of a wait to get seated. What really made me uncomfortable though were that their water glasses were dirty. And when I pointed it out to a waiter walking by, he stared at it and couldn't see anything wrong with it. This was concerning. Maybe it's the way they clean their cups but the cups were all super faded and had streaks and specks on them (see pic). Apparently that is normal for them? In addition, I found the food to be over priced. You can get much better food at the Spectrum for less money for sure. Also our waiter looked really mad all the time. Made us uncomfortable to ask for anything. read more

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I came here on Sunday. It was a little sad to see the didn't really have a brunch menu but the service and the location were pretty great. One thing to mentioned is parking is not too easy. We parked in the structure and had a pretty decent walk to get to the restaurant so be prepared for that. They also will not seat you if your whole party is not there.. and if you drink soda they give you bottles. There are no free refills. The food was very good. I ordered the chopped salad with chicken and it was so refreshing. The vibe overall was very fun! read more

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The service was very attentive and accommodating! Great place to bring family and close ones for a nice night out. Everything was cooked/made well, had no issues. I. read more

I'm honestly not sure how Javier's is sitting at a 3.3 right now. The Irvine Spectrum location has a great energy and I've always wanted to try it, especially knowing Kobe Bryant was a big fan of Javier's (even if it was not this exact spot). My wife and I came on a kid-free double date with friends, which basically never happens, and we ended up having an awesome night. The place is beautiful inside, our server was attentive without being overbearing, the food hit the spot, the drinks were on point, and dessert wrapped everything up perfectly. I will not overdo the breakdown but the chips and salsa are ridiculous. We ate way too much before ordering. The guacamole is great too. We started with the aguachile and, if you are into shrimp, it is a must. For the mains we had the steak fajitas, the trio de enchiladas del mar, and the mole poblano. If I had to rank them I would put the enchiladas first, the mole second, and the fajitas last. For dessert we tried the tres leches which none of us loved, the churros which were really good and made in-house, and the cornbread which was the surprise winner. The ice cream makes it even better. Drinks were strong. We started with spicy margaritas and then tried a spicy pepino margarita. Both are very refreshing and absolutely worth ordering. The price was not bad at all considering how much we ordered and how good the service was. I would definitely come back, though part of me wants to try the Newport location next since I have heard so much about it. Thanks to Javier's for giving four tired parents a stress free night out. read more

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The Tomahawk pork chop was cooked perfectly but the gravy was too salty to eat. Service is always great! read more

Javier's - Tomahawk pork chop - cooked perfectly!! Gravy - too salty to eat. - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Not our first time dining at this location. Generally good food and great cocktails, but we have to say we were really here for that Javier ambiance! Complimentary chips and salsa are always a plus. The salsa had the perfect level of spice and seasoning. We didn't have to wait for a table since we were having a late dinner and our server was kind and attentive. Note: The combo plates can be shareable with one other person if neither of you is too hungry. read more

Javier's - Chile Relleno, Enchilada, Taco Combo Plate - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for lunch during work for a colleague's birthday. The service was so bad that I can't believe I am at a real restaurant. The server barely speaks English and has no idea what it means to be in the service industry. Not one smile, and was impatient, left us without warning when we were asking about the drink menu, and did not return until we grabbed someone else. The scallop I ordered was spoiled, and the server kept questioning me until I told him to try it himself. Would not recommend even if this is a run-down restaurant, especially at this price point. read more

I love sitting at the bar at Javier's. I just dip in here while shopping to cool off, have a cocktail I love their tamarind margarita and pineapple margarita. The black mamba was good too! read more

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I have been to this location multiple times. Every time is solid. But I'm specifically reviewing my experience on Mother's Day. My mimosas were exquisite. Some mimosas taste off or the ratio just isn't what it should be. These were perfection. I always get my mimosas with pineapple juice instead of orange juice. And these does not disappoint. I ordered the Mar y Tierra and it was divine. The steak was cooked perfectly and the lobster texture was everything it should be. The filet was one of those fillets that you keep thinking about days afterwards. This was fantastic because I had recently had a horrible filet at RH in Newport and it really bummed me out. Sometimes Javier's can turn into a scene but you just have to know when to go and when not to go if that's not your thing. Mother's Day was perfection. Thank you, Javier's, for contributing to a very warm memory for me. read more

Delicious food as always with a very fun and lively ambiance. Love the large variety of food Options from light to heavy--all of which taste amazing. Their drinks pack a punch too. Definitely a go to for a "nice" meal! read more

Javier's - Guacamole Ceviche de Pulpo - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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世界上很多美好的事物，並非觸手可及，經過了時間的醞釀和打磨，等待的結果，會顯得更加珍貴，也更令人珍惜～別忘了，人生因堅持而非凡，歲月因努力而閃光～ 跟也是我們版上認識的吃貨美女們來Irvine spectrum 的Javier , 這家墨西哥餐廳到處都有分店，我知道遠到Vegas 也有一家，墨西哥餐廳很多裝潢都很華麗， 這家也非常吸睛，我上去看，yelp 的review 不佳， 不過好友們都來過，她們兩個點的菜都非常好吃， 這倒讓我有點驚訝， 從一坐下來點的飲料，就非常喜歡了， 蝦子ceviche 做的夠酸夠清爽。主菜的豬肉，海鮮pasta, 牛肉，每道我們都很喜歡，真的沒有一道可以抱怨， 所以跟會點菜的人來真的差很大，我覺得，三個女生聊的開心，也吃的很爽 ，唯一就是最近太熱了，在 Irvine spectrum 光從停車場走到餐廳，都快曬乾的感覺，走路時，才發現spectrum 也開太多好餐廳了吧，連上次我介紹過在Tustin 的名店Manaao 也在籌備了，真好，以後跟朋友來這逛街時，想吃什麼都有啦！ read more

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Had Fathers day late lunch at Irvine spectrum Best Mexican food I've had / this location is well managed and operated, from hostess to servers and associates, totally enjoyable experience read more

Girls night with friends visiting from out of town. The server, Edwin was pretty great! Strong command of the menu (food and Drink) and great recommendations! The place was very bust on Friday night and still we were seated pretty quickly. Food and drinks were very good. Ambiance was a little loud but it worked for us. Being in the Spectrum is a bonus. I would have given this 5 stars if the price point was a little more reasonable. read more

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Amazing service, great music, delicious food! The enchiladas suizas are sooo good!! I have gluten allergy and they made sure the dish was made separate from the flour tortillas so there was no cross-contamination. Carlos was so funny!! (see attached photo) read more

Javier's - Carlos - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Stopped by for a drink and the ambiance here is obviously a winner!!! Both of the margs we got were fabulous & the bartenders were really nice and checked on us consistently. Complimentary chips & salsa is always a pleasant surprise, and the salsa was a bit spicy-- we loved it! I've had their food at other locations and can only imagine it's just as good. Would come back to all locations :) read more

Javier's - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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