The food, service and ambiance are superb. Ironically we were going to another taco place but it was closed today. My husband and I were delighted to experience such a clean, fresh restaurant. The prices are right as well. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Los Agaves On De Lavina St. -- A Rare Review from Someone Who Hates Writing Reviews I spent 25 years owning a business. I know what good service looks like, and I know what entitled looks like. I never write reviews -- I watched Yelp destroy good people over bad nights, and I swore I'd stay out of it. Tonight changed that. I sat at the bar. It took the bartender over five minutes to acknowledge I existed. Another five to ten to deliver a Coke. I ordered dinner and waited forty minutes -- which I might have forgiven, except getting his attention was nearly impossible the entire night. No eye contact. Body language that made clear I was an inconvenience, not a guest. Every interaction felt like I was interrupting something more important. When I finally got him to check on my order, he went to the computer and discovered he'd never placed it. I walked out. I noticed the people around me weren't faring much better. The slowness wasn't just my experience -- it was the room. Los Agaves appears to be a popular place, and maybe on another night with another bartender it earns that reputation. But entitlement has a way of spreading when nobody checks it. I hope management is paying attention -- because a beautiful restaurant dies one invisible guest at a time. read more

Very good enchiladas and tacos and the vibe and service are great. The large guacamole is a pretty small portion, so don't be surprised. There's a small free lot and street parking. One restroom per gender, so there may be a line during busy hours. read more

See all

My favorite Mexican resto in SB so far! I was craving carnitas but not many places have it around here for some reason. Saw that they have carnitas for quesadillas so came immediately and asked them to switch out the Al pastor tacos to carnitas! The best part about this place is their salsa bar where you can get as much cilantro, onions, pico de gallo, salsas that you can get your little fingers on. It was great!! The vibes were vibing with everyone in a good mood and very friendly staff. I rarely give five stars but this is a no nonsense place with an abundance of everything (they don't skimp on you). Loved it here, will come back when I visit SB. read more

Los Agaves - Tacos Del Mar - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Los Agaves on Milpas Street is the OG location, and honestly, it shows. It's a solid stop before a Santa Barbara Bowl concert if you want dinner and strong but refreshing cocktails (one of the only spots on this busy street with a full bar). Get there early for dinner service because the line gets long. There's a patio tucked in the back and friendly staff that keep things moving. Quick rundown: order at the counter, grab a number, then take a seat. Complimentary chips arrive fast, and the self-service salsa bar and fountain drinks keep things moving. Staff still checks on you and is happy to take your cocktail orders if you're running low. Efficient and appreciated. The Agaves enchiladas are forever my favorite. That smoky chipotle sauce with the seafood filling just works. Served with rice and a house salad (the mango dressing deserves a moment), so yes, it's a full situation. And the Agave margarita? Make it an XL with a Tajín rim. No reservations, but online ordering is available. Small parking lot in the back plus street parking nearby. Casual, consistent, and always hits. Los Agaves stays winning. read more

Los Agaves - Agaves Enchiladas and Enchiladas Suizas - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was fantastic, everything was super fresh, and the service was fast. The salsa bar was especially good. And, nice atmosphere was a bonus. read more

Great salsa and delicious food. The wait staff were friendly and on point. Cute joint and definitely worthy. Order at the counter and they bring you the food. There were a few open tables when we were here, but I hear the place can get busy. read more

We normally frequent another location but decided to stop by this one since we were in the area. Overall, we had a good experience! The service was great, and the inside felt clean and welcoming. We were seated toward the back of the main dining room, where it did feel a bit humid, and we noticed a few spots on the walls that could use some attention, along with a couple of flies. It wasn't a huge issue, but it did take away slightly from the overall comfort. The food was really good--I ordered the mole enchiladas and loved how generous they were with the extra mole sauce! The rice, however, was a bit chewy and didn't seem fully cooked. The margaritas were just okay and leaned more toward mix than liquor, so they tasted a bit on the weaker side in our opinion. The restaurant got busy very quickly, but the food still came out in a timely manner, which we appreciated. I think adding some fans in the back area would make a big difference in comfort, along with a bit more attention to cleanliness. Overall, it was a good experience, and with a few small improvements, this location could easily be just as great as others. read more

Los Agaves - Dirty wall & flies - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I really like how it feels like a super fancy restaurant but it has a casual vibe. You order at the counter and pay before you even start to eat. It makes it really relaxing since after you eat you can just leave. The skirt steak and salmon were cooked really well. The Caesar salad could have been more crispy but it was still good read more

See all

Four of us made a long walk (oops, meant to go to the De La Vina location) on a weekday for lunch... They had a board with specials plus their regular menu... a standout is their salsa, pico, and pepper bar. Drinks are via a self serve fountain - and they serve some really interesting margaritas - the blueberry sounded good. My wife ordered the enchiladas mole Coloradito. She absolutely LOVED them... I had the ceviche - it was a healthy portion on small bed of lettuce and guacamole on top of a tostada. It was spicy too! Look out for the Serranos (?) Our others had a carnitas dish and flautas. They both really enjoyed their dishes as well. Chips were refilled as needed, and we sat outside, which was nice. My wife and her brother consider themselves Mexican food aficionados, and they declared it some of the best they have had. read more

See all

This place hit the spot for authentic Mexican food. We arrived right as they opened and were greeted by the friendly staff. Once they opened we order at the register and for a number. We got a 3 item combo and taquitos for our kiddos. The taquitos were loaded with cheese , we ordered chicken taquitos and weren't expecting that. The enchilada also had a lot of cheese in it from our 3 time combo. Overall we enjoyed our meal and the chips and salsa were so good too. Love their salsa bar and friendly staff! Would come back for sure when in SB! read more

Los Agaves - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Absolutely best Mexican food I have tried in USA. Their Salsa options are amazing and food was absolutely delicious. Ambience is pretty cool and they have outdoor seating as well. Service is great. 100% recommend it when you are in the town. read more

Los Agaves - Garden Burrito - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Well 2nd time here. Maybe the last. - ordering the food was ok - nice little place on the corner - street parking - Combo plate - Pollo Asado - Homemade horchata was water Really you claim you have a bar but no coco mojito or tamarind margarita You guys need to step up to the plate. Maybe try it of I hear things have changed. For now good luck guys. read more

There's something special about Los Agaves. From the hordes of people eating there to the wait staff constantly bringing food from the kitchen to the dining area, Los Agaves is quite the experience. There's complimentary tortilla chips to go with the salsa bar and it's awesome. They have all sorts of salsas that are delicious. We had the Agaves Burrito, the California Burrito, and the Carne Asada plate. It was a feast, to say the least. We have plenty of leftovers. The Agaves Burrito had a special orange sauce that paired nicely with the seafood inside. The California was the star of the show for me. The meat plus cheese combo really hit the spot. Next time, I'd opt to just get the burrito selection. The Carne Asada plate was good, but it was just not as flavorful as the burritos. I would highly recommend Los Agaves to those coming to Santa Barbara. read more

Los Agaves - Carne Asada - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We came to visit Santa Barbara for Mother's Day and we found this place on google maps. The food was really amazing and delicious. The menu has a variety of Mexican food options. The Margaritas were really fantastic as well. the employees were all very friendly. 10/10 highly recommended. read more

Los Agaves - Enchiladas rojas combination & fresa margarita - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Absolutely incredible. As the guy behind me in line said there's a reason for the long line but don't let it deter you. I think we waited about 15-20 minutes max. You order at a counter but they deliver your food. I got the Tacos Del Mar and my husband got the enchilada suiza. Both were fantastic along with the sides of beans, rice and salad. The salsa bar had so many yummy options to go with the free chips or on your food. We arrived at 6 and by 7ish the line had diminished. Everyone's food around us looked incredible too. So many options. We will be back read more

We always get our food to go. This is a tiny restaurant that offers great meals to go. The food comes quickly and is really delicious. 1 burrito equals two meals to me. . The service is fine. Try this place to go. You may enjoy it. read more

Returned to have it again and it was even better than I remember. Drinks were great. Our appetizer was amazing. And entrees were on point, The staff was helpful. The location is near State street. read more

See all

Ok, so I guess I don't get out much, but last week we invited some out-of-town friends to go to Los Agaves for dinner with us. It was packed! We were actually lucky to find one open table. We stood in line to put our order in at the cash register (that's how it is done here). I ordered a quesadilla and my son ordered a burrito and a beer. Our bill came to about $65. That seems high to me, but like I said, I don't get out much. Also, there was a line at the back of the restaurant for the ladies restroom, which is one person at a time. The parking lot was so crowded that we parked across the street in the small shopping center. The food was good, but not spectacular. read more

Visiting Santa Barbara and this restaurant came up in searches for best Mexican food. Didn't disappoint! The staff was super friendly and helpful. The restaurant was cute inside and had a good amount of seating. You order at the counter then a waiter will bring you your meal. I ordered the chicken mole enchiladas plate. The mole was fantastic! Came with rice and beans. Chicken was very flavorful. My husband got a BCR plate and he loved it. Chips were sooo good and the salad bar was yummy. Prices were very reasonable. read more

Los Agaves - BCR plate - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

We LOVE this place. We've been 3x now & every time we've had a great experience. Our favorite has been their earth & sea molcajete. So flavorful! I've also enjoyed their mole enchiladas and chiles norteños. It's become a favorite stop each time we're in SB read more

Los Agaves - Chiles Nortenos - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Where do I begin? My friend wanted to come here but I was reluctant after my last visit, but felt obligated because he picked me up dropping off a rental car. Nice, well-styled restaurant with comfortable seating. We both ordered a 2-item combo: Crunchy Chicken Taco, Enchilada with Pinto Beans and Rice. The Starter Guacamole was very good, but could have had a little more spice and flavor for my liking. Fresh and delicious nevertheless. Chips good. Crunchy Chicken Taco is ok(not as good as Los Arroyos's). The following item confirmed my theory that the kitchen is more of a fast, volume production line, not thoughtfully prepared. The food came out right after we sat. My Cheese Enchilada was horrible. The cheese was not that great and NOT MELTED. I asked the very friendly and kind person who brought us our food to have it reheated, and she brought me a new one, not much better. The Brown Pinto Beans were excellent, and I enjoyed the Mini Tostada Bowl--good salsas and always a Mexican Coke over Ice with Lime. The same combo at The Rose Cafe on the mesa does a much better job for the same 2 items, considerably less, with full table service. I did try the Birria Tacos last time, and they were awesome. I will probably return to give their uncommon items a try, but fear will have wasted more money on a less-than-mediocre attempt at a Fine Mexican Food approach. For a $65 lunch, there should be full table service and higher-quality food.The Starter and sides should never outshine the Mains. read more

See all

So it's been 10 years now and this place is so addictive, our credit cards and our bellies are the only the only ones complaining! We eat here about once to twice a week on average as does our family and friends. Some friends come to stay out of town and make Los Agaves a specific must do on their Santa Barbara tour. Obviously the Agaves Enchiladas and the Queso Fundido are must haves. The food is on point as always, the service is wonderful and the staff are always so warm and friendly. Great margarita bar & great ambiance, especially if you want to eat out and have a delicious meal but don't want to have to dress up. Even the take out is excellent (which we get at least once-twice a week). Our favorites include Pescado Veracruzano, Camarones Guajillos, Camarones Culichi, Camarones Diablo (if you can take it, the heat is intense, even for my more seasoned pepper loving friends), All of their Molcajetes, Agaves Enchiladas, Chile Rellenos, Alambres, crispy beef & chicken tacos, carnitas... just the whole menu. See you soon! read more

See all

This ain't no taco shop. The menu is insanely interesting. Service was very friendly. I tried the "Sea and Earth" (shrimp and steak) molcajete and it may have been the most delicious food, Mexican or otherwise, I have ever tried. However, next time I'm going full seafood on this dish. It comes with very nice corn tortillas. It is a massive dish so two people could probably share it, which would also better justify the high price. The horchata is very good and is homemade. You can always tell by that chalky aftertaste. And yes, the salsas are delicious and interesting, too. Very good Mexican food! read more

Great service, but the food just didn't hit the mark. As someone visiting from the Bay Area, I was expecting a lot more flavor, but everything we ordered was bland and under-seasoned. The staff was super nice and attentive, which I appreciated, but the kitchen needs to step it up. My husband said he wouldn't come back unless the meal was on the house. We'll be skipping this one in the future read more

See all

Great food but we went specifically for the amazing soft shell crab, one of their signature and most popular dishes. They were out and had no idea when or if if they would have it again. Got the mole and it was very spicy. read more

Los Agaves has delicious Mexican food with fresh flavors and generous portions. The micheladas are great. It can get a bit crowded and noisy at times, but overall it's a solid spot worth visiting. Didn't get a 5 star because i was done with half my food before my michelada got to me and thats because I had to remind them . Also, I asked for a high chair for my daughter and it was burning hot my daughter started crying . They should have told me they grabbed it from outside . read more

See all

Amazing food! Such a great serving size, definitely shareable Great service kept checking if we needed more chips read more

Los Agaves - Nachos Chicken - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Delicious Mexican spot in Santa Barbara. Stopped by here for lunch on a Friday, and found street parking. You order at the counter and pay before being seated. They do have alcohol like beers and margaritas. I got jamaica and my boyfriend got the horchata - both drinks were pre-prepared and had no ice but were cold since they were refrigerated. I had a vegetarian salad while my boyfriend ordered the quesadilla with steak; my dad ordered the camarones a la Diablo while my mom ordered nachos with carnitas. Everything was high quality and so tasty - we left very full. I would especially recommend sharing the nachos with 2-3 people, because it's quite large. There is a self-service salsa bar. Two single occupant restrooms available. Credit card accepted. It's a casual vibe with friendly service and delicious food - this is a great spot to check out if you're in Santa Barbara. read more

See all

Great service and big portions! Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 5/5** Although Los Agaves feels more fast casual because you order at the counter then seat yourself, the staff was super friendly and attentive. Definitely some of the friendliest staff ever + our food came out pretty quickly and we were able to easily flag someone down when we needed anything. **Price & portion, 5/5** Prices might feel a little steep at first, but feels totally worth it once you see the portion sizes. Even their complimentary chips come in a huge basket and you can self-serve at the unlimited salsa bar. **Taste, 4.5/5** We got the seafood enchiladas and it was great -- packed full of tender, flakey fish and bouncy whole shrimp. The entire dish was also a flavor bomb with layers of savory, sweet, and smokey notes. I was also impressed at how the enchiladas maintained their structural integrity even though they were doused in the smokey red sauce (which wasn't too spicy at all!). If I had to nitpick, my only complaints are that the smokey sauce might've been a little bit overwhelming and I think the dried cranberries in the house salad were cherry flavored which I didn't really enjoy. **Other notes** Lots of parking in this plaza. Restaurant can also get a little busy but the staff are super efficient at clearing tables, so you'll probably get seated within a few minutes. read more

Los Agaves - Seafood Enchiladas - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Stopped by for dinner on a Saturday and had a great meal at Los Agaves! You order at the counter and seat yourself. Service was friendly and quite quick for how busy they were. The ambiance was a bit romantic with the dimmed lighting. The complimentary chips were fresh and the salsa selection was the standout. I ordered the sea and earth mocaljetes which came with fresh tortillas. The dish came out piping hot and filled to the brim, the meats were all tender and the salsa was flavorful. I wasn't a big fan of the chorizo and I wish it came with another tortilla or two. I took home leftovers which were almost better the next day! Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Los Agaves. I'll be back to try more of the menu! read more

Los Agaves - Sea & Earth Molcajetes - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Wow. This place has it all. It's order first then sit. The food comes out incredibly fast. The food is plated well and looks absolutely delicious as it's served. The food is then amazing. The team is outstanding and the most attentive. They were grabbing tables from outside so people did not have to stand around. Tables are bussed faster than you realize the people are leaving. Isael is a superstar! Someone who cares and works as hard as they do should be the standard of what employers look for. read more

I had their sea and earth mocajetes and it was one of my fav dinners in recent memory. Ambiance was good too and place was packed for a weekday. read more

Los agaves is one of my favorite restaurants and I feel like this Santa Barbara location specifically is amazing! It is a must stop for me every time I'm in Santa Barbara. I've tried a variety of things on the menu over the years and everything has been really good. My absolute favorite dish is the Agaves enchiladas though. This is a shrimp and fish enchilada with a creamy Chipotle sauce on top--so delicious and honestly the best enchiladas I've ever had!! It also comes with a side salad and Mexican rice which are both amazing as well. If you have room for dessert, I highly recommend getting either the flan or the churros. The ambiance of the store is actually really nice and looks more upscale than the price point is. Service here is really friendly and the employees usually check up you often. I believe there is a parking lot in the back, but we've always been able to get street parking easily in the front. read more

Los Agaves - Agaves Enchiladas - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

They are usually excellent. But no one is perfect. It took them over an hour to make my Camaron Guajillo. I ended up eating my sons leftover burrito. I still recommend them just tonight they F'd up 1 time and thats it. They refunded me and still gave me the dish. read more

Los Agaves is one of the best spots if you're craving solid Mexican food. When we came on a Thursday evening, the line was out the door, but it moved quickly and we got seated before we knew it. Order at the counter, grab a number, and they'll bring the food right to your table. Free chips (with refills) + a salsa bar with like more than 6 different options is a win. This means you can mix and match your salsa to your liking :) Portions are huge and everything we had was delicious, but the real standout were the churros. Crispy, bite-sized, drizzled with condensed milk, and filled with chocolate heaven. Don't skip it. Staff keeps things moving, the place stays clean, and even with the crowd it never felt chaotic. There's a small parking lot in the back that was full and street parking was a bit tough in this busy neighborhood but well worth it. read more

See all

Seem to eat here every time we are in Santa Barbara. Lots of dishes to choose from and your order seems to be prepared fairly quickly. Nice salsa bar but since they brought the basket of chips after we received our meals it was a bit strange. The shrimp pastor had very fresh properly cooked shrimp plus a side of rice and salad. The salad dressing was very unusual and not in a good way, very sweet with a strange flavor. The California burrito was huge and flavorful. It was a beautiful evening and we were lucky enough to snag an outdoor table near a heat lamp. This is a busy place with couples, large family groups and singles all having an enjoyable meal. read more

This restaurant has been on my list for a while and we finally checked it out. I highly recommend the enchilladas and cochinita pibil. You definitely cant go wrong with their unlimited salsa bar. Our favorite was the green option. It had just the right amount of good spicy level. There was plenty of indoor and out door seating to choose from and the staff was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance of the restaurant was very lively and upscale with plenty of customers inside. Parking can be found in the small lot and in the street. Will definitely make it back out here the next time I'm out in Santa Barbara. read more

Came here due to the outstanding ratings on yelp I saw. Could not be more impressed. Really good Mexican spot in the heart of SB. Had the fish tacos, cooked very well and felt very light to say the least (batter wise). Will be back! read more

Los Agaves - Tacos Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Los Agaves has made it on our favorites "list" when in Santa Barbara! We stumbled here while looking for a family friendly place to have dinner. It was busy, but gave me time to look over their menu while waiting to order at the counter. The Margarita Flight is by the far the prettiest one I have ever ordered. The staff was informative and there were plenty of tables for us to sit at. Can't wait to come back! read more

See all