La Sirena Grill — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

To get this clear, this is not an authentic Mexican restaurant. This place is clearly Americanized. The food ingredients are fresh, organic, and do have a great flavor but leave one wanting for more if an authentic Mexican experience is expected. this is not what they serve and you will scarcely see any Latin American person sitting down to eat here if they don't work here. There is something noticeably missing in the taste of the food. This place does attract a lot of the neighborhood locals. The reviews look great, but if you are looking for a real Mexican restaurant you should not take the high ratings as confirmation of authenticity.

Comparatively, the foods do not have that certain Mexican flavor. The carne asada, for example, does not have the citrus and wood smoke flavors of authentic Mexican carne asada, like you'd get if you took a trip to Tijuana or Sonoratown. They tone down a bit on the spices. The salsas are wonderful. The pickled carrots, jalapenos, and onions are rather good. The tortillas are said to be handmade, however they also lack a certain taste, probably lard. The The foods here are meant to be more fresh, clean, coastal Americana. It was all enjoyable nonetheless and service was impeccable. There is a genuine warmth and affability to this place.

We've been looking all over Orange County for Mexican food as good as or better than what's available in Los Angeles County, New Mexico, or Texas, but no dice. We were a little crestfallen after a day at the beach, our hopes whizzed out like air out of a sad balloon. But we still enjoyed ourselves and made the best of it. Even though we'd comment after a few bites here and there that it's not quite...

Definitely a fan of the large South Laguna La Sirena as opposed to North Laguna's tiny location.

We've been coming here for years as they've gone through expansion and remodeling and the food is consistently great. 4 stars for that.

Service of the bartenders and cashiers is typically good but I have noticed that when the table bussers bring your food to the table sometimes they will bring the wrong order and I have yet to ever have anyone come back and ask how the food is. Maybe because this is not full service dining or maybe it's because they hire younger employees that don't care. Not sure.

Their margaritas are off the hook! Cadillac margaritas are a favorite. Beer selections are bountiful and they will offer a taste of you are unsure what to try. They have a large bar area that you can sit in the event that you were dining alone or with a small party. (pre-CVD)

As far as food goes - personal favorites include their burritos, enchiladas and tacos. I have yet to ever send a meal back or be disappointed. And for that reason, we will be back.

One thing I would change is that they allow any dogs (not just service dogs) to sit outside at the tables with their owners while the owners eat. This is a health hazard and on more than one occasions we have seen dogs yap and ferociously snap at each other as their owners selfishly scarf down their food instead of getting involved. I blame the animal owners primarily but management should reconsider this policy. I certainly would hate to see a child be bitten by someone's dog while the dog is trying to jack the...

This restaurant is the definition of greenwashing! They use "eco-consciousness" as a marketing ploy, when in reality:

) rampant single-use products (plastic cutlery, plastic salsa containers, disposable paper napkins, dishes served in cardboard boxes instead of plates).

) not vegetarian/vegan-friendly. No vegetarian protein options (tofu, seitan, etc.) or vegan cheese

Not only is this restaurant not eco-friendly, but they are less eco-friendly than your average Mexican eatery, which commonly offer better vegetarian/vegan options and reusable products like silverware and plates. Further, they are actively damaging environmental awareness by muddling customers' conception of what eco-friendliness looks like, through the lie that this restaurant is eco-friendly.

Shame on you, greedy piggy!

The only "eco-friendliness" I noticed is that they claim the dining room is build with reclaimed wood and that their food sourcing is sustainable. We're just supposed to take their word for this, despite the fact that they don't follow basic eco-friendly dining-principles like offering vegetarian options and avoiding single-use plastics/products.

Further, "sustainable-sourcing" is a myth in this context. For example, beef is terrible for the environment, regardless of how you source it. Cow farts contribute loads of methane (greenhouse gas) to the atmosphere, causing global warming, so vegetarian proteins are almost always more eco-friendly.

BTW the food here is just okay, probably 3/4 star territory. The 1 star is for the...