Lucia Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Paradise

Lucia Mexican Grill is a beautiful spot with bold decor, candlelit ambiance, and a lively bar that gives you all the vibes of a modern cantina with a hint of Day of the Dead flair. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted by bright murals, moody lighting, and a bar that seems like the perfect place to camp out with a drink and some tacos.

I stopped in for a drink and a snack and kicked things off with the Chips and Salsa. While they brought out a colorful and generously portioned basket of chips (including a few blue corn ones for flair), the salsas were surprisingly mild and on the watery side—lacking the bold punch you’d expect. Not bad, but definitely not the highlight.

The drink menu is stacked, and I went with a draft beer which hit the spot and was nicely chilled. Their Happy Hour deal is solid—$5 beers and half-off house margaritas from 5–6pm. The ambiance during this time is super relaxed: sports playing on the TVs, candlelight glowing at the bar, and a friendly bartender who keeps the vibe flowing.

The full menu is impressive, ranging from street-style tacos (which they offer for just $5 on Tuesdays) to loaded molcajetes and fresh ceviches. I didn’t go all in on the entrees this round, but the taco lineup and “Lucia Sins” section promise a lot of reasons to come back hungry.

Atmosphere: 10/10 Chips & Salsa: 6/10 Drinks & Bar Scene: 9/10 Value (especially during HH): 8.5/10

All in all, Lucia is a great place to sip, snack, and soak in the vibes. Next time, I’ll dive deeper into the tacos and maybe that Ribeye Aguachile. This place is definitely...

Lucia at Virgin Hotels – Great Service, Cold Pork Belly

Had dinner at Lucia inside Virgin Hotels recently and I want to start by saying the service was genuinely great. Everyone was warm, attentive, and professional—no complaints there. The ambiance is sleek, and the staff carried the place with good energy.

But I have to mention the food, specifically the pork belly, because it just… wasn’t it. I ordered what was listed as “crispy pork belly,” expecting at least some texture and flavor. Instead, I got a piece that was not only missing any crisp—it was actually cold. Like, straight up chilled. Not lukewarm, not underwhelming—cold. At first I thought it was just the skin not being crispy, but after one bite it was clear the whole thing had never even come close to heat before hitting the plate.

I’m not trying to make a big deal out of it, mistakes happen in kitchens all the time, but I do think it’s fair to say I’d like my $14 back for that dish. I didn’t send it back, mostly because I didn’t want to disrupt the vibe of the night. But it’s a bummer to pay for something that wasn’t even close to what was described.

Still love the staff, and maybe I just caught the kitchen on an off night—but for a place with that kind of branding and price point, the food should match...

I wish that they had kept the same food and menu from the last mexican restaurant. First off service is good.

The food however is not so great. The el pastor tacos came with habenero slices on them which would have been nice to know before eating them. My wife ended up with blisters on her lips. After that was our of the way the el pastor was so salty i couldn't eat it and i like my salt. The other food was okay. I had the steak, but nothing to write home about. The molcajete was not traditional and had rice and beans in the bowl. The meat was marinated in a soy sauce, so very different.

Not the woirst food that i have had, but the prior mexican restaurant was so...