Villa Cantina — Restaurant in Arroyo Grande

My wife and I stopped for lunch to check out the new Mexican food place in the village of Arroyo Grande. The decor I think was going more Spanish feel but missed the mark entirely. It reminds me more of a sports bar in downtown SLO. The service wasn't great. Quite a few tables that sat down after us got their food fast and we didn't order anything crazy. My wife's food ended up being wrong. Our glasses sat empty quite a bit, even though servers and the manager walked by a lot. I'm not sure if the one lady walking around the floor was the owner or manager but she definitely shouldn't wear flip flops to work. I could hear her flopping all around the dining room but she ignored us and most of the tables. The only time she stopped at our table was to grab my plate when I was finished but she left everything else on the table, including my credit card/bill and our empty glasses. She was too busy to help the restaurant because she was more focused on visiting the tables with people she knew. Now on to the food... I had cheese Enchiladas, shredded beef taco, and rice and beans. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. There's so much better Mexican food here on the Central Coast that you can get for the price or cheaper. My wife thought the same about her food. We decided to take our leftovers home away. They gave us these recycled paper boxes, which I thought was cool, but no. Even though our food wasn't hot, the containers warped by the time we got home. When I went to pull out the food, the bottom was covered in paper fibers from the box. I wasn't about to eat bleached recycled paper for mediocre food. Sad but in the trash it went. I love the idea of these boxes but I don't think Mexican food is the right choice. Anyway. I felt pretty underwhelmed from my experience, ignored, and...

First time here. Weeks ago I overheard a conversation where people were praising the food so I wanted to try it for myself. Good decision! Went in alone at 7pm on New Year's Eve and it wasn't crowded. Had a drink at the bar while waiting for a small table to open up. Staff was superb from the moment I walked in and throughout the evening. I wanted something that wasn't on the menu and thought it I would have to go elsewhere. My waitress said they would be happy to make my request, no problem. Delicious chicken fajitas! Be aware they do charge for every little thing. (extra tortillas, sour cream, etc.) But not too much. Bartender doubled as a waitress, without losing a step, as it got busier. My waitress, Grace, could not have been better. Attentive but not overly so. Genuine, friendly, knowledgeable, on top of things. I noticed a lovely blond woman helping out and discovered she is one of the owners. I spoke with her and she said all the owners were born and raised locally. Rare, these days. I praised her exceptional choices in selecting staff. The atmosphere is casual, comfortable, friendly. I never felt rushed or ignored. (unlike several other local restaurants where they treat a solo diner like a nuisance). In fact, I almost felt pampered. Women's restroom was wheelchair accessible, clean, and (bonus!) had a little shelf to put your things as well as a couple hooks to hang a jacket or purse. So thoughtful. Parking might be a problem at busy times. Street parking, public lot across the street, and some spaces behind...

We've now been here for a year and have been to most places in the area. For Mexican food this is still our go to. The portions are wonderful and the food is phenomenal and the wait staff is amazing. They started offering breakfast and it's absolutely delicious! They are so accommodating and take such good care of you while you are here. Sometimes on Friday I'll have a drink with my dinner and they make the most fantastic raspberry lemon drop I've ever had so highly highly recommend that. Also the nachos are huge and usually my daughter's and I split them and we've never left hungry. Loaded with toppings and tons of chips. Their aioli sauce is spectacular on everything! Love this place! Come check out their breakfast! You won't be sad! We ordered the avocado toast the breakfast burrito and my other daughter with egg sensitivities got their villa burrito. None of us left hungry! New in town and came here to find a good Mexican place. Loved the whole experience. The waitress was so sweet and patient and the food was phenomenal. Absolutely...