La Papa Loca - Restaurante de tequila — Restaurant in Kaunas

🌟 Reviewed by @paragauskaite – find me on Instagram for more gastronomic adventures.

📍 Spot: Lapapaloca, Kaunas 💰 Damage: Overpriced disappointment (~€14-€16 per dish)

🔥 First Impression: The only highlight of Lapapaloca? The interior. Beautiful walls, chic furniture, and a visually stunning setup. But it seems the budget was exhausted on decor alone, as the experience nosedived from the moment we sat down.

👅 Taste Test:

Flavors: As someone with extensive experience dining at top Mexican restaurants across Europe and beyond, from authentic spots in Mexico to modern adaptations in London and Paris, I can confidently say this was far from a proper Mexican experience. We ordered a small "test round" of four dishes – trout crudo (€16), beef tartare (€14), shrimp tostada, and tacos. Bland, uninspired, and utterly lifeless. The trout crudo was missing any vibrance, the beef tartare lacked seasoning and depth, and the shrimp tostada was pale and tasteless with a plastic-like coriander garnish. Every bite felt like an afterthought, the only noticeable flavor being an overpowering jalapeño kick. Even the cocktails, classics like Paloma and Michelada, felt completely off.

Presentation: Plates and cutlery? Immaculate. Aesthetically perfect, Instagram-worthy even. But if pretty plates were enough, I could stay home scrolling Pinterest instead of dining out. Taste is supposed to matter, right?

💁 Service Check:

Attitude: The waiter could give a masterclass in detachment – a complete poker face, zero engagement, no curiosity about our experience. When I inquired about the menu being "adapted to Lithuanian taste," the response was vague at best: "It’s just adapted." No clarification, no enthusiasm.

Speed: Timely, but soulless service.

Knowledge: Lacking. The staff seemed disconnected from the cuisine they were serving.

✨ The Experience:

Highlights: The interior design and tableware. Truly beautiful, but ambiance alone does not a restaurant make.

Letdowns: Everything else – lifeless dishes, absent service, and no sense of genuine Mexican culinary artistry. As a passionate fan of Mexican cuisine, from authentic to European adaptations, this was an insult to the genre.

🏁 Final Verdict: Lapapaloca is hands down the worst Mexican dining experience I’ve had, not just in Lithuania but across my global restaurant adventures. Overpriced, flavorless, and utterly uninspired. If you're after good Mexican food, look elsewhere. This spot feels like it stopped at good design and forgot the essence of gastronomy...

From the moment I stepped into La Papa Loca on Laisvės alėja, I knew I was in for something special. The décor strikes the perfect balance between vibrant Mexican flair and elegant, relaxed sophistication—rich colors, playful details, warm lighting—all of which set a lively but comfortable tone.

The menu is a celebration of both authenticity and creativity. The kitchen brings together traditional Mexican flavors—salsas, ceviches, tacos—with Nordic sensibilities and excellent use of local, seasonal ingredients. You can taste that commitment in every bite. For example, the ceviche with “tigre’s milk,” avocado cream and pickled onions was bright, fresh, and beautifully balanced; and dishes like octopus in “Aji rojo” sauce reveal a bold culinary vision.

Cocktails and drinks here are not just afterthoughts—they are a highlight. The tequila and mezcal selection is impressive, and the craft cocktails are thoughtfully composed. Their margaritas in particular are memorable—sweet, tangy, and satisfying.

Service rounds out the experience nicely. Staff are attentive without being overbearing, friendly and well-informed. Even with busy service, the timing between courses felt comfortable, the presentation of each dish showed care, and the place maintains a welcoming atmosphere.

If there’s any downside, it’s that the experience is not cheap. Some of the portions are modest given the prices, and if you’re there primarily for cocktails, the cost can add up. Also, vegans may find fewer options.

All in all, La Papa Loca is a standout. Whether for a special dinner, drinks with friends, or a lively evening out, it offers a refined, flavour-packed experience that feels both festive and thoughtful. Highly recommended.

If you like, I can also send you a shorter review or something with more detail on prices /...

The overall experience was disappointing. The reservation process was strange and confusing. The waiter was arrogant, which left a bad impression from the start. The starters I ordered, despite having made a reservation, arrived late and were served in separate batches, which was not acceptable. Additionally, the portion sizes were inadequate, leaving a lot of empty space on the table and not enough food for all the guests.

The menu stated that tacos and tostadas would come with three pieces, but when they arrived, the fish and prawn tacos only had two pieces each. For the main course, we decided to share a few plates since the starters were underwhelming. Unfortunately, this was not much better, as the steak was chewy and unsatisfactory.

The experience reached its low point when it was time to pay. The waiter brought the bill and left the card machine on the table without any explanation, then walked away. After some time, he returned and asked if we had paid. While we eventually figured out how to use the machine, this kind of self-service approach might be fine for a fast-food restaurant, but it’s not appropriate in a proper dining establishment.

It’s a shame because the place itself is beautiful, but the service was so poor that it overshadowed everything else. As you can see, the meal wasn’t even the worst part of...