LOS GUAPOS LATIN FOOD — Restaurant in Lawrence

When I called in to confirm some things on my doordash order, thickly accented individuals in a clearly busy restaurant answered. Given the difficulty I have with accents, and clearly already under-demand employees, I had certain expectations about the interaction being rushed or irritable, but the employees answering the phone were attentive, considerate, and friendly. More than that, they were competent and communicative, which is rarely encountered even at the best of times. Really a pleasant interaction.

The meal bag was well-packed, and contained a good assortment of additions, from basic chips & salsa (the chips were average, but the salsa was great), napkins and utensils, to additional mix-ins to allow purchasers to customize the intensity of their order to their own tastes.

As for the food, the experience was also very positive (with one exception):

The Ramen Birria's noodles felt a bit more bland and starchy (ie, more similar to instant than gourmet) than I expected, and the meat was about 3/4ths what I expected (especially given the far more reasonable amount of chicken that was in the other soup, which was probably around 3x the meat in this soup).

Between the shortage of meat and blandness of noodles, the soup really wanted for more vegetables to be added in for flavor, than just the onion, cilantro, and lime provided as accents.

The meat, however, was flavorful and tender and appetizing, and really helped distract from the less engaging elements of the soup.Ultimately, the dish is fine, though it hurts by comparison to the other (better) dishes that came in my order.

It's very much a reasonable purchase on its own for those who want a tasty Ramen Birria and don't mind the details too much. Those less keen on getting a steaky soup specifically may instead want to try the better balanced Caldo de Pollo, or see what other dishes the birria meat is offered in (of which I saw several).

The Caldo de Pollo is a gem. The broth might could use with a bit more depth- oilyness overshadows chicken flavor, and vegetable accents are mild- but it's at the point where that's entirely down to personal preference. Peppery, chicken-rich, with a good balance of just-right-tenderness flavorful vegetables, the light yet rich flavor made for a delightful comfort food that readily stimulated the appetite. Easily the most recommendable chicken soup I've had in a good while.

The Raspberry Chimi offers very light cream cheese and raspberry flavors, inside a similarly low-sweetness, low-crisp coating. If you like lighter flavored things, it's sure to be a delight as-is, but I found it vastly improved by adding a sprinkle of sugar on it, to bring out more of the flavor. A touch of honey might work even better. More than that, a bit more of a crisped texture would have been nice. That said, these were quite enjoyable, and disappeared quickly.

The one disappointment was the Chile Rellano, which presumably had breading, cheese, and pablano in it, but all you can taste is oil. While not inedible, it was a dull, flavorless experience that in no way resembled any Chile Rellano I've ever eaten before (and as someone who grew up in Texas, worked in Mexican restaurants, loves Mexican food, and loves Chile Rellanos the most of such, that's been quite a few). Single-handedly the worst Chile Rellano I've ever encountered. Absolutely avoid at all costs. Go get one from Cielito Lindo or pretty much literally anywhere else, instead.

Also, the tortilllas the came with the rellano were terrible. Ostensibly they were flour tortillas, but they tasted like the cheapest, most preserved store-bought corn tortillas ever. That is to say, dry, stale, mealy, stiff-chewy, bad-tasting, and just all-around unpleasant to eat or swallow.

You can definitely feel the care and consideration into the business, and it's much appreciated. Thanks for the great service and meal, Los Guapos!

For everyone else, go try this place as soon as you can! (But maybe be careful with what you order, until they [hopefully] get their kinks...

I should have known as soon as we walked in. Our server/hostess was too busy gossiping to seat us. We were 3 adults, a six year old, a 5 year old, and a two year old. the server was really on the ball and brought us a highchair before we even asked.There was another server, and four booths were taken up by other customers. She seated us, and shortly after, we received chips and salsa. the salsa was good, but the chip baskets were only half full. She left and didn't come back into the dining room for 10 minutes. When she came back in, she brought a tray and table to set the water glasses on. There were 6 large glasses with ice but no water, and 3 small glasses with ice water and lids for the kids. Again, she left before adding water or passing out the glasses. The three extra glasses were for a table 4 booths away. She was gone almost 20 minutes this time. We still haven't had our drink or food order taken. When she came back she brought a water carafe. She would fill a glass, then set it on the table instead of filling them all and handing them out. She did the same with the 3 extra glasses for the other table. She would fill one and then walk it 4 booths down and then come back and do it again. The last glass was only half full. At this point, the only thing she has said to us was "how many" three minutes after we walked in. Again, she left the dining room and didn't come back into the dining room for about 8 minutes. When she did, she was seating another booth. The other server was the same way. He was never in the dining room, or we would have flagged him down. By this time, the kids were hungry and thirsty, and so were we adults. So after a total of 45 minutes, we got up to leave. The server was seating another table, but she did stop me and asked if we were leaving. I told her, "Yes, we have been here for 45 minutes and just got our water." There was a group of girls sitting right behind us, and they had come in way before us. As we were getting in our vehicles to leave, I looked through the windows out front, and the girls behind us were just then getting their order taken. Never going back. I am sorry but not everyone can...

You know how you feel when you go to a restaurant with high expectations and then get there and 😔? Ok, let's chat. Bff and I meet here and the decor is so fun and colorful! I feel like I want to pick up some macarenas and shimmy with fun and sass! We're shown to a table and it's apparent right away there's one server for the entire floor with at least 8 four tops and more people coming in. YAY! food must be delicious! Our salsa and chips arrive speedily. The salsa is divine! If you're a hotenheimer like me request the fire stuff right away and yes! It's fuego! Smoky with a significant burn from intake to down the throat. NICE. Not a fan of the chips-on the stale and replicated. We order margaritas (it's our goal in life to compare) and they're MEH-watery and not alot of taste. Sort of like my childhood easy bake oven products. After waiting for 10 minutes we flag a young boy (who was on spring break from school) to get someone to take our order. He arrives back with a handheld computer and has no idea what he's doing nor how to do it. Bff and I feel horrible that he's struggling! It's so hard for him! He leaves to get his mom (our server) and we place our order. 2 bean tostadas and a bean burrito. My love for refried beans is legendary. Please do something that excites my taste glands and these dishes do nothing. Its like a can of La Preferida beans. We also have the guacamole which is tangy and loaded with sliced tomatoes. The mexican rice is dry and light which signals its been out too long. The bathroom is clean and a word to the owner: that short of a towel makes everyone pull at least 4 to 5 more which defeats the purpose. Also be aware to check your bill. I was charged 1.00 more...