Los Agaves Restaurant — Attraction in Santa Barbara

tldr: Waitress insinuates that we would get free dessert for our wedding, but charges us afterwards anyways...

I came here for to celebrate my wedding in Santa Barbara for lunch. I brought a group of 8 people to lunch and all of the food was quite good, some items people said were a bit dry (mainly the shrimp tacos), but overall well presented and great flavor! The prices are also pretty average, nothing over the top for the area.

The BIG issue I had was with the service during our celebration. They asked us what we were celebrating after serving our food and checking on us. We told them that my wife and I got married earlier and she congratulated us and was very excited I was in my suit and she was in her wedding dress. After congratulating us, she asked (looking at my wife and I), "Would you guys like some flan or churros to celebrate this wonderful occasion?" I was kinda shocked and thought it was super nice of her to offer that and so I asked my wife and she said "Oh maybe could we have the flan?" And the waitress said "Certainly! I can also add in the churros too or another dish" (hinting at one for each of us) and so I said, "Oh sure, I'll have the churros then in that case, thank you so much, we really appreciate that!"

Here I thought she was giving us some dessert on the house as a celebration but as soon as she was leaving she looked at me and quietly side "Ok, you can meet me at the register after you're done" and then quickly left the table. I barely even heard her say it and was really confused, wondering what she meant and if I even heard her right.

The churros and flan come out on one beautiful presentation of a plate, and my wife and I shared with the table in delight. It was amazing!

I told my friend at the table about what the waitress said and my friend told me she will go over to the register after and if they make her pay, she will but also to just see what they wanted.

Sure enough, they made her pay for both desserts afterwards which was really upsetting for such a huge day, especially because my wife and I had thought it would be on the house based on the way the waitress...

The short: average tasting trying to be fancier Mexican food. Great portions if you're hungry and seems to be the spot for margaritas when there's concerts down the street. Kudos to the service team during super busy times.

2nd time here, after the 1st time during our extended stay in SB during COVID lockdown. The memories were better than the experience today. The caveat, there was a concert down the street that made this place PACKED starting 5pm. So they were rushed and frantic.

The food was good but not special, (especially compared to la super ricas handmade tortillas down the street). I ordered the combo plate with Chile relleno and vegetarian enchilada with salsa Verde. And if I hadn't been starving after a long day of hiking, hot springs and dog beaching the food would've probably been even less impressive. Chille relleno tasted chewy and soggy at the same time. Enchilada was better but had way too much cheese but also good amount of veggies. Their rice and beans are yum.

My mom ordered the shrimp taco plate and thought the tortilla was ok and shrimp fresh but was unimpressed with the food overall. She loved the salsa bar which she said she hasn't been able to find anywhere since COVID.

Also ordered the guac appetizer which was basic. Good for people who like just mashed avocados and salt with a bit of tomato and onion on top. Being from a household that makes guac basically as a pico de gallo with mashed avocados this style is not my cup of tea.

Service was pretty good. The cashier was nice to help advise my order and even let me change it when I noticed the combo option but could also tell he was a little annoyed. Service was fast and when you can catch their attention on a busy night, very prompt. They did well handling such a huge crowd.

Overall, I would've given this place a 4 during COVID but oddly has knocked down a bit on food since then. Would come back if hungry and want big portions with lots of salsas... And it's Wednesday and la super rica is closed.

Hope los agaves picks up the...

Searching for oil-free pintos, phoned all the taquerias in Milpas. Was hoping to discover a local, no-frills, hole-in-the-wall, but none had the beans. I initially overlooked Los Agaves Restaurant, due to their polished, more upscale appearance, but now, having visited, I am smitten. Not only were they kind, accommodating my questions and requests for paper containers with ease, but the pinto beans are among the best I have ever enjoyed - "creamy" and rich, beans starting to melt into the "liquor," unadulterated so their flavor is allowed to shine. Enjoyed them with a cup of their warm engine-red chile sauce, and their array of salsas, all perfectly balanced and fresh. While I took my order to-go, the clean, cool, tiled interior and white plaster walls and bay windows, were a relaxing respite from the heat of the day. I will certainly be back for many future visits.

Passing through Santa Barbara today, where else could I stop to celebrate a hard won success than at Los Agaves? The staff are so warm, welcoming and attentive. They seem to enjoy and take pride in the food, the restaurant and the inviting community they provide. All the flavors and preparations fell made with love and care - flavors balanced, cooked to perfection.

Ordered a grilled halibut soft taco and added their tender whole pintos, tomatoes and lettuce.

Then a bubbling bowl of red chile molcajete soup drifted by, with a roasted whole chile and tender cactus leaf garnish. I ordered a bowl with vegetables instead of meat. It arrived at my table with a roll of their freshly made to order soft corn tortillas, a large fan of sliced avocado atop the rainbow of zucchini, carrots, and peppers, in the bright red broth. I could hardly wait for it to cool down it was so good. I took sips of the numerous varieties of salsas offered in the salsa bar to cool my mouth between bites.

The fish in the taco was delicately seasoned and grilled - juicy, fresh and tender. The fresh green chile avocado salsa was the...