Isla Bonita — Restaurant in California

Ok, I want to preface this review with a few bits of info before I divulge my experience;

I don’t and have never written a review for anything on google, let alone a restaurant. I’m pretty easy going, don’t expect a whole lot, and I’ve never felt an urge based on any experience, good or bad, to make one before now.

I am not reviewing my experience with the food because I did not complete my dining experience here. This will be better explained in the review, but I wanted to make clear this was purely a review on the atmosphere and service.

Lastly, I want to say I am not someone who makes accusations of character or environment lightly. I’m not writing this review for vindication, I’m writing it in hopes that someone at a higher level of management sees this and makes the necessary adjustments, whether it be training, staff, etc. to make for a better experience for the next individual who chooses to dine here. I won’t be returning, and only stopped by out of chance and after having seen the many positive reviews this place has gotten. From what I see the food looks great, I just wish I felt more invited to enjoy it.

With that out of the way, I will now describe my first time experience coming into this establishment. First of all, I found this place as highly recommended on google, and it was right around the corner from where I was working (I was entering my lunch break at the time) So I drive over and enter the front door. There is a waiting section before the main entry, the restaurant is so small every table has full eye-view of the entry. There is a center table occupied by a family who see me come in and glance for a moment; I think nothing about it while I wait for the main server to address me, until I notice one of the adult family members has been staring at me for close to a full on minute (I know this isn’t an issue of the staff or restaurant, but it compounded the experience). I haven’t been greeted or addressed at this point and pretty much feel an unwelcomed vibe for the duration of 12 minutes until the server comes to me at some point and asks “do you have an order for pick-up?” I say no I’m dine in, and she give me a kind of look as if she’s slightly annoyed and surprised, then says “Ok I’ll have to wipe down a table”. At this point I was starting to wonder if I was desired as a customer in the first place, let alone how other patrons were making me feel. I then got a text saying I forgot something small on the job site I needed to grab real quick. I tried to politely get the servers attention to let them know I would be right back but needed to grab something. I was ignored both times at a distance, so I though maybe she just couldn’t hear me, so I approach and speak to get her attention in a range I know she hears and explain I’ll return. She never turns to address me or show she’s listening, then just says “got it”. It’s at this point I realize she was intentionally ignoring me, and I make my decision not to return at all. Now, as I said earlier, I do not make accusations lightly. The family staring for an uncomfortable amount of time at me was not the fault of the staff here: to be clear, the small interactions and feeling I was not going to be valued as a customer here were their main issue, but apparently I’m not the first reviewer here to get a certain inclination based on the seemingly unequal treatment patrons receive here, and there does appear to be some level of discrimination taking place here, whether it be based on racial identity or otherwise. And based on my short visit here that did not result in a delicious authentic Mexican food experience, I cannot recommend that anyone other than the local demographic should patron this restaurant. I just did NOT feel welcome.

For other local authentic spots I can recommend based on great experiences I did have, I suggest checking out PiCANTé or one of the many other greats in the area. There are way too many great dining areas for those looking for great Mexican to promote a place that seems to not want to cater...

I really tried their food again. Their food is horrible. Not worth their prices. The service also is horrible. No wonder no they don’t have customers in their restaurant no matter whatever time I tried to go in there. I really tried. Overpriced for what they’re selling to innocent people on the island that don’t know any better of what real Mexican cuisine is. And those of us that do know are ashamed. Everyone working there could care less that they had customers. I ordered beans and they still made me wait 10 minutes. They should have alreadhad their beans ready. They were very ready to charge me for everything she put in my bag. I needed more chips for their bean dip and honestly the tiny little bag was 1.99 of stale chips that no one even tested before selling them . I tried to pay for the 2nd bag and she said it was ok to take them and not pay for them. I don’t understand how they could sell such lousy tasteless food without an amiable staff to greet and appreciate the slop we went to buy to eat. No wonder they were happy that we ordered take out. That way we wouldn’t give them the truth of their food. It’s sad that they can sleep at night taking money from the innocent people of Bethel Island for their trash. I’m so ashamed of their unfriendly ungrateful attitude with no guilt looking at me straight in the face as if I had no idea what Mexican food is like. Waste of my time and a waste of their space downtown Bethel Island. I really tried to give them the benefit of the doubt but once again their supposed Mexican food was disgusting. No one ate dinner this evening that we were hoping to enjoy from them. Too bad...

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE THIS PLACE! Never disappointed! My husband and I have had a number of meals there from breakfast to dinner. The food is fresh and delicious. My favorite is their Shrimp Cocktail... better than any other place I've tried. We must say upon entering there is ALWAYS Prompt Friendly Service! The servers always greet you with a smile and a hello. .... *Noticing other comments I am surprised about a complaint of waiting 20 minutes to be served. They must have this place confused with another place... being in there it is a ONE ROOM Dining room and Very Small and there is No Way to miss anyone entering, leaving or sitting down. I think that comment was a plant as they then mentioned the competition down the street.... My husband and our family and friends love...