Weak happy hour margarita, ended up buying a shot of Patron' to make it yummy. Also ordered their sampler platter for $10.95 ( apps are half off during happy hour) thank goodness because if I would have paid full price for this I would have been pissed. Nothing was good at all, and it bugs the crap out of me when Mexican restaurants add soooo much "filler" to their shredded beef and chicken...you know like tons of onion, celery, peppers, and very little actual meat. Our server was ok, but we were sitting next to the server station and all we heard were employees complaining about customers and talking shit about other employees. No bueno.
(1)
Candace R.
My friend thought he was bringing us to Macayo's, but it turned out to be Garcia's but we were just in the mood for Mexican food so we stayed. Our server was a little rough around the edges, but she got the job done so I can't really complain. I can't remember if it was HH, but I got a regular margarita which was very good. To eat, I believe I had a combination with a beef taco and a chicken enchilada, which was good. The queso and salsa that they brought out was good, but not mind blowing. Would I come back? Eh, not sure.
(3)
Jai S.
Well first off this happened a few months ago. I decided to get some mexican for lunch and Garcia's was in the mall where I work. We placed our order and the food came out a little late. So we asked to get it to go, the waiter literally said "are you f**king kidding me?" I was very surprised and told him "yes I'm f**cking serious". How are you going to use that language towards a customer. I was late getting back to work because they took their sweet time packing it up. It wasn't just the one server, the entire staff are a bunch of dicks. I'm never going there again.
(1)
Rachel M.
Hungry and footsore near the end of a marathon shopping trip for the 13 year old, we decided to pause here for a bit of rest and refreshment, despite the low yelp ratings. We had a decent experience here. Maybe they have made some improvements recently? I really enjoyed the little bit of complimentary bean dip that I was able to snatch between the giant scoops that my oldest son kept shoveling into his mouth. The salsa had a tasty kick to it, and the chips were extra large, thin, and crispy. The eldest ordered the poco chimis off of the appetizer menu. Much as he liked them, he was full with 2 chimis left. My husband (who received the leftovers) found the filling a bit dry, and the jalapeno cream cheese too bland to deserve the 'jalapeno' in its name. My green corn tamales were a tad sweet for my taste, reminiscent of El Torito sweet corn cake. No problem though, since the youngest gobbled up half! Ambiance was comfortable and service was polite and efficient. My only complaint is that they never refilled the chip bowl even though it ran empty before our orders came out. 3.5 stars
(4)
Miles R.
Bad service, walked out before i even ordered. Smelled like bad triple sec.
(1)
Jonathan S.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. Amazing how terrible the food is. If you want to loose weight check it out I am sure you won't eat much.
(1)
Dana B.
Cute but typical Mexican Restaurant decor. Service was friendly but slow in a relatively empty restaurant. Food was good but uninspired. I wouldn't seek it out, but wouldn't balk at going back.
(3)
Lindsey C.
A good place to go for a heavy handed margarita and some bland-gross burritos and super slow service. My husband and I came here for the living social pre-fix menu. We each ordered a margarita, both ways. I got the frozen one and it is so strong I felt tipsy after a few sips. We also ordered the poco chimis which weren't that bad. Then out come out main dishes. My husband had the combo with a burrito and an enchilada, and I had the grande burrito. We both noticed that the burros had too much skin and made the burrito dry. After doing some "food surgery" by peeling the top layer back and taking off the second layer, the burrito was better but not much of an improvement. We also ordered the fried ice cream which was probably the best part of the meal. Sad, isn't it? Needless to say, we won't be coming back here.
(2)
Eric M.
Overall decent food. Nothing to spectacular but not bad. Chips came with salsa and retried beans which was a nice addition. Our server was good.
(3)
C J.
Another bad experience at this Garcia's! As much as I enjoy their happy hour prices the service is always horrible. Anytime I needed our server she was MIA and when I did see her she was rushing past our table to help someone else....it was ridiculous! This is the third time I've been to this Garcia's and had a bad server... Its obvious management is not managing and good service is not a priority....one more thing the bus boy was eating while he was working, I thought that was weird. Don't go to GARCIA'S in Az Mills, you will regret it.
(1)
Vinette G.
My food was extremely spicy so I couldn't tell you if it was delicious or not. It was just extremely spicy! But that's my preference, of course. I understand some people love the spice. Before that, our server brought out chips, salsa and a bean dip. That was really good and unique since most restaurants usually just serve salsa. We ordered a round of margaritas too. Which were basically all tequila. WIN. This place is definitely your standard mall Mexican restaurant. Really great prices! Be sure to go during happy hour, even greater prices! It's a really good family restaurant too. So if you're at Arizona Mills and looking for a place you and you're family can sit and eat, away from the standard food court, try this place. The servers are nice and super helpful despite the fact that it seemed like they were a little under staffed the day I went. Good place! I'd try it again!
(4)
Laurie A.
Food was decent. Nothing special. Hostess was rude and not helpful. I told her that I was not happy with the answers. She turned her back and walked away shrugging her shoulders. Waitress forgot to bring the menus. Waitress took only part of the drink orders and left the table. I had to ask manager to take the balance of the drink orders.
(3)
Chrissi C.
Good service, went in for lunch. Mall restaurant. Food was okay
(3)
Ivan D.
Second time we've been here, and the experience was the same, the food was great, the only issue we had this time was the waitress, she disappeared for long periods of time, we actually had to go and ask to have to go boxes and check brought to us.
(4)
Chares M.
First time here wasn't that impressed. Ordered a Tamale plate with rice and beans. Tamales must of been mistaken for some other ingredient but it was killed with SALT!!! Could not stand another bite! Beans on the plate looked like it was sitting out for awhile. It was crusty and dry. Rice on the other hand was not that bad at all. Sorry to say but I will not go back. Maybe just for Margaritas or beer.
(1)
Heather F.
What a great experience for my family and I! Not only was the food delicious but the service was fantastic! Caitlynn made sure that our drinks were always topped off and we were never in need of anything. I could have probably hung around all day chowing down on the light and warm tortilla chips, homemade bean dip, and fresh salsa. The guacomole was not overly seasoned and made to order. The chunks of avocado made for a healthy and yummy dish - and at $3.99, it's a steal! White the shrimp fajitas were tasty, I would suggest giving the fajitas a healthy overhaul. A little too much oil and harshly chopped veggies don't do much for the presentation. Kids meals were a great serving size, coloring contest kept them entertained, and they didn't even bat an eye when I wheeled in my large stroller with a sleeping toddler. The game was playing at the bar and the bartender made sure to give us a nice, friendly greeting as soon as we came in the door. Will definitely be visiting Garcia's again!
(4)
R S.
Came here for my husband's birthday. I have an onion allergy so it's hard for me to Mexican food places without them messing up my order and having to wait for them to remake it. I've had that problem before here, but our waitress, Yaya, was awesome! She was friendly but not obnoxious and did a great job at refilling drinks, chips, salsa, and beans. She also made sure my food was correct and perfect! Very pleased with our experience and it was all because of her!
(5)
T F.
This is the location inside Arizona mills mall. My wife and I ordered a couple two item dishes and shared them. Nothing was good here. Chips and salsa are bland. Tacos, tamales, and enchiladas were all flavorless. Even the rice is weird and left an awful after taste. We didn't finish anything, didn't take our leftovers to go. Paid the unbelievably high bill and walked out never to return. Yuck.
(1)
Matt S.
Pretty decent food.. I had the steak and shrimp and the steak was cooked as I asked, so no complaints.
(3)
Antoinette G.
Good food, good service and a great margarita. First time here while visiting Az. We will be sure to come back again. Loved the bean dip they give you with your chips and salsa!!
(4)
Rachael H.
Yummy bean dip. I enjoyed the food and had a sweet server who was very attentive
(4)
Carlesha O.
This location is much better than the mesa location! The salsa is very fresh and the bean dip hasn't been watered down with water in a pathetic attempt to stretch it. The food was hot and fresh, unlike the mesa location. I ordered the red Chile Colorado and my husband ordered the ultimate nachos. Both dishes were plentiful and delicious! My parents both ordered burritos and enchiladas which they raved about. Customer service at this location is superior compared to the mesa location also. The waiter was polite and seemed generally happy. I will be back again and again. But never will I ever make the mistake of going to the mesa location just because it's closer to home.
(5)
Shelley M.
I visited with my husband and son. We all really liked the bean dip and the chips were good too. My son loved the fajitas. My chile Rellano was ok. Not the best one I have had in town but it was acceptable especially since the margaritas were only $3.99 for happy hour. Overall everything was pretty good. I am sure we will be back.
(4)
Jess G.
This is the best restaurant AZ mills mall has. The food is great and the staff is super friendly!
(5)
Yanet R.
It's OKAY. I don't go here regularly actually I only come here for lunch break at work. It's not too bad but not authentic. Their pollo fundido chimichanga is good rice and beans not so good. The service is not so great the food is better than the service. If I had a choice between here and else where is see what the other choice is first lol.
(2)
Marie M.
Took my peanut here for lunch after a visit to the aquarium. The Raspberry Jalapeno Margarita was very tasty. I enjoy the sweet with a hint of spice for my margaritas. The bartender was even nice enough to alter a traditional margarita with some jalapenos as well so that was a great touch of customer service. Our server was prompt and friendly. She was patient with the peanut so that's always a plus. The fresh salsa was very good and the chips hot. We only stopped in for an app and some ice cream for the kiddo. We didn't get a chance to really try something that they are known for. I got mini enchiladas that were good but not knock-your-socks-off or anything. I enjoy a habanero sauce with my Mexican food and was bummed to see that they didn't offer any kind of spicy sauce (other than salsa - relax). Bottom line - I'd definitely go again (I will even recommend it to anyone in the Chandler Mall area) but won't go out of my way to get there.
(3)
Julian G.
Good food not the best but not frozen like some of the other Mexican places I tried..Also I lost my phone to my surprise it was their thank u don't know his name but he is a male waiter during the day that found it its good to know trusted ppl are handling Your food and you...
(4)
Diane B.
From a gluten free perspective, they really could do better, especially since they are a mexican restaurant, it should be easier to have gluten free options. They do have a gluten free menu but there are only about 5 or 6 things on it. One was a machaca bowl and one a chicken bowl. I asked if there is rice in the bowl and the waitress said no, the rice contains wheat. So, I'm not sure what was in the bowl other than meat. The other things on the GF menu included veggie fajitas or shrimp fajitas minus the corn tortilla (the waitress told me the corn tortillas have wheat but they were on the GF menu). I ordered the ultimate nachos (which weren't even on the GF menu) and they were good. I excluded a couple of items that might have gluten. I did not get sick. The waitress did not speak very good english, so it was a risk eating anything there.
(2)
Mark T.
An overall lackluster experience. The chips, salsa and beans were good - however there were three of us studly men there for lunch and the chips didn't last long. The empty basket remained for a while, but eventually was refilled. I went with the spinach enchilada lunch special with rice & beans. It was average. The waitress was cute and that was a plus, but she was also slow. It took a little long to get the food, too long to refill the chips and too long for the check. I would definitely avoid a special trip to come here, but if I were at the Arizona Mills and wanted to eat somewhere that wasn't the food court and not the Rainforest Cafe, I guess it would be this place...
Stopped in for a quick drink once I learned that happy Hour exists over here at Arizona Mills (none at Rainforest). A few folks were at the bar around 5pm, but tons of specials available including 1/2 price appetizers, which I never tried. I was planning on sampling, but then they gave me this giant dish of weird circular chips and a hot bean dip and fresh salsa also for free. The bean dip was actually quite good, not spicy and the salsa was bursting with green onions and had a nice regular salsa taste. Also had a giant beer (23 oz) for 1/2 price, which came out to only $2.71. Three TV's at the bar were kinda small, but did the trick. They probably should hire another server to work the bar tables because bartender had to cover it and that left the bar empty for long stretches.
(4)
Doug B.
Used to like this location. Green corn tamales are good. Service and food have gone down hill. I am going to skip this location, going forward.
(1)
Stephanie L.
Over the past year we have frequented this Garcia's location a handful of times and have not been disappointed in service or the food flavors. We are huge Mexican food fans and this place, while not uber authentic, puts together nice, flavorful plates and solid margaritas at a great value and in a unique and convenient locale. We recommend and will continue to patron.
(4)
Eric R.
WOW!! I love Mexican food well I just love good food period! and I must say I was totally impressed plus kids ate free that day I went!! the portions and Big the prices were low and the staff was friendly and polite. I will say that this is by far the best restaurant I have found that offered a complete package. Also, the restrooms were clean and smelling fresh a must where my family and I eat. Bar was "OFF THE MEAT RACK!" I LOVE THIS PLACE! every time we go to the mall, we will have lunch or dinner here. A+++
(5)
Samantha C.
It's hard to talk me into eating at Garcia's since they are like the Chili's of "Mexican" food. But, there aren't many options left at AZ Mills so it was what we decided to have for lunch. Somehow I could have eaten the chips and spicy bean dip and been happy with that. But I ordered the most American-Mexican dish you can order, Pollo Fundido. I wasn't in the mood to think or look through the menu and knew the cooks are probably used to making it for everyone so it would be a safe choice. It was, and the rice and beans on the side were better than average. The only thing I forgot was to say no slice of melted orange American cheese, yuck. But it was easy to push off, and the shredded chicken inside was hot and fresh so I couldn't complain. I really didn't like how small their plastic cups were, our waitress was slow and my iced tea was empty a few times. Also I asked her for more of that spicy bean dip and she never brought any even though she said she would. I saw several other waiters bringing out refills of it to other tables and I thought they might be coming to ours at one point but no. Could I have asked again? Yes. Did I care enough to? No. Was I full and ready to walk off my meal in the mall? Yeah, so I guess it wasn't that bad of a lunch.
(3)
Mr. E.
Say what you want about service- which I am usually very critical of.. but I like this location, the prices, and the food. A lot of it reminds me of the dirty parts of detroit, but with better quality food. The seafood fundido is my favorite dish, a little spicy and creamy. The complimentary bean dip and salsa with chips is nice too. Get a giant margarita during happy hour if you like tequila. I have never had bad service here, in fact that is what has made me come back a few times already. Not to mention, no one eats in the Arizona Mills mall because they think it is "ghetto" so it is not too busy. I prefer going here on a saturday afternoon or a monday evening myself. I will bring my friend after we hit up some of the local shops in the mall. The fried ice cream is good for dessert too. For being a chain, this place is one of my favorites, besides Serrano's.
(4)
Tanner E.
One of my favorite Mexican places. Great bean dip and awesome pollo fundido!
(5)
Mia H.
The food taste like the oil they cook it in. My cheese enchilada was burnt. The rice was very dry.
(2)
Jowita K.
I have never been so angry to pay my bill before my lovely experience at the Garcias's in Arizona Mills. I love mexican food, so it was no question that when my boyfriend and I were browsing through our selections at the Mall, we decided on Garcia's. Upon entrance, the staff was very unwelcoming and standard. We were seated and immediately asked our drink orders. Within minutes the chips and salsa... and bean dip were delivered-which was the best part of the meal. Our waitress took way too long to take our orders and when we finally received our food (I had chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and my boy had a chimi) we weren't impressed. Our meal lacked flavor. I know that Garcia's isn't AUTHENTIC mexican-super yummy, hole in the wall-mom and pop shop-sorta authentic, but STILL, I expected something better than the bland, flavorless garbage that was steaming in front of me. It was crap, and overpriced. The bean dip was the best part of my meal... even the salsa tasted like it came out of a pace bottle. crapalicious.
(1)
Nikki M.
First off, if you have room after your meal, try the chocolate chimis. They are SO good. I've been coming here for lunch with work friends for a couple years now. The service was iffy sometimes...but it ia getting better. I went the other day for lunch and the service was up to par with other restaurants.
(4)
Cher T.
"I wanna go to the flower place!!" was the reaction when i asked my cousin and friend where we should have lunch inbetween classes one Arizona afternoon. I couldn't think of what she meant when she said, flower... I instantly thought of Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe but I was quickly corrected when she said that she was referring to the rose in the Garcia's logo. Now, I have never been to one of the Garcia's Chain resturants, but the Original Garcia's off of 35th ave has been an institution in my family for decades. I was willing to try the AZ mills chain location since it was near by... and I would later regret it. We entered a very beautiful place, everything was very open and can be seen from the mall's walk ways. It was slightly unnerving to try to enjoy some messy taco while some lil 5 year old in a stoller stares at you. Ummm... no... Timmy... this is MY taco!! Back off! It was 2 in the afternoon and we were the ONLY customers there... and the mall was PACKED! That should have told me something, but we still sat at a tiled table anyway. The hostess/waitress brought us the SALTIEST bowl of chips ever! it came with salsa and a bean dip that was way too heavy on the onions in both cases. I could barely eat the salsa, but I couldn't hang with the beans at all. We ordered our food and it came out very quickly. My friend ordered green corn tamales and she liked them but I they were on the rubbery side and my cousing got the taco and tostada combo and thought it was okay, she didn't complain. And I got the minature sampler and was unimpressed. it was just food... nothing great or special or exceptionally awful... just average. What wasn't average was the bill.... nearly $50 for our meals?! Are you kidding?! And we didn't even have a hard drink on the table! I paid but wasn't happy about it... I thought it was going to be a lil less than that! To my yelpers: I know the Arizona Mills area is a cesspool of resturants, where chains reign surpreme... and unfortunatly, this place is amongst one of the worst. I say, save your money and skip out on this place because it's nothing significant and the saltyness of their food will only make your bloated as you're shopping afterward and that can't be cute!
(2)
Sheila L.
We had the lunch specials and our waitress was very friendly and so was the hostess. You can park around the West end of the mall where it says Garcia's and stroll right in. We had Spinach enchiladas and they were so tasty, and even delicious the next day for my leftovers. The salsa is very tasty and chunky and of course delicious chips. They brought refills on that quickly and gave us our own dips and extra salsa. My coworker had the Poblano sauce chicken enchiladas which looked like it had a lot of chicken in it and my other coworker had a burrito and I didnt hear any complaints about that. We were all gabbing and eating so we really didnt discuss the food extensively but I definitely thought the spinach enchys' were great.
(5)
Jennifer G.
This place has decent rustic Mexican food at an affordable price but the main attraction for me is the bean dip. I love it when a restaurant serves bean dip and unfortunately, not enough of them do! Although its not as good as Serranos bean dip, its still tasty and so are the chips and salsa that accompany it. The actual meals are a bit mediocre though... think McCayos where its not terrific but hits the spot when you want a nice greasy Mexican chain food meal.
(3)
Jonathan S.
I called over the phone to to set up a pick up order of Chips and Salsa and requested the price over the phone then repeated the amount to the lady on the phone for verification to assure I went down there with enough cash for the food and tip based on what she quoted me. I don't quite remember what I paid when I picked up the last order but the price she gave me was very close and the amount sounded correct. I went to the bar to pick up my order and the bartender made it very apparent I was an annoyance to him by his body language and the way he approached me rudely asking "Did you need help? I couldn't tell because you seem to be just watching TV?". I was shocked by his response because I was just trying to be patient while he finished what he was doing and was attempting to be courteous. I told him I was there for pick up and gave my name. When he picked the ticket off the food he told me I owed literally twice as much as what I was quoted. After I explained what I was quoted he told me "You must have gotten confused" which in my opinion is pretty hard to do when you are only calling in an order of chips and salsa. I explained that I double verified the price so I would know if I needed to stop at an ATM for extra cash before hand. At this point the bartenders attitude began to change even more for the worst as he attempted to scold me about being more clear when I call over the phone and next time I order just know what the price is no matter what the person says on the phone!!! I then asked to speak with the manager still being able to keep my cool. He then shook his head and laughed quietly as he walked to the back mocking me. The manager backed his employee not even listening or addressing what might have caused the confusion and simply reduced the price and walked away without wanting much interaction with me as it appeared him and the bartender where friends. However I know the GM was not in that day (I have seen him before when we ate there previously) and I'd like to the the situation would have been handled much more professionally if he were there. But after 10 years of personal management experience I can assure others this situation was handled horribly and the owner/GM really need to look at the quality of people they are employing.
(1)
arielle t.
I had eaten at this Garcia's a numerous amount of times with family, friends, co workers etc... I wont be going back to this location after my last experience. I visited this location a few weeks ago with some friends and my intermediate family which consists of myself, my fiance, and my 3 month old daughter. We went around 130 pm so the lunch rush was gone. After being told we couldnt be sat in a table, we were seated in a half table half booth. There were 6 of us and the booth had a curve to it. Between my daughter in her stroller and our guests son's booster seat, we were very uncomfortable needless to say. I personally asked our waitress for a chair to sit on the opposite side of everyone so that we were not so crammed, she got me a chair and I finished my lunch. About 20 minutes before I was getting ready to leave, a different waiter tapped me on the shoulder and said "um you are definitely in the way". I was beyond mortified that an employee would EVER treat a customer like that. My group alone spent $100.00 there for lunch. That is the worst customer service I have ever received. I wont just not be returning, I now wont be recommending.
(1)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :5000 S Arizona Mills Cir
Tempe, AZ, 85282
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Amber G.
Weak happy hour margarita, ended up buying a shot of Patron' to make it yummy. Also ordered their sampler platter for $10.95 ( apps are half off during happy hour) thank goodness because if I would have paid full price for this I would have been pissed. Nothing was good at all, and it bugs the crap out of me when Mexican restaurants add soooo much "filler" to their shredded beef and chicken...you know like tons of onion, celery, peppers, and very little actual meat. Our server was ok, but we were sitting next to the server station and all we heard were employees complaining about customers and talking shit about other employees. No bueno.
(1)Candace R.
My friend thought he was bringing us to Macayo's, but it turned out to be Garcia's but we were just in the mood for Mexican food so we stayed. Our server was a little rough around the edges, but she got the job done so I can't really complain. I can't remember if it was HH, but I got a regular margarita which was very good. To eat, I believe I had a combination with a beef taco and a chicken enchilada, which was good. The queso and salsa that they brought out was good, but not mind blowing. Would I come back? Eh, not sure.
(3)Jai S.
Well first off this happened a few months ago. I decided to get some mexican for lunch and Garcia's was in the mall where I work. We placed our order and the food came out a little late. So we asked to get it to go, the waiter literally said "are you f**king kidding me?" I was very surprised and told him "yes I'm f**cking serious". How are you going to use that language towards a customer. I was late getting back to work because they took their sweet time packing it up. It wasn't just the one server, the entire staff are a bunch of dicks. I'm never going there again.
(1)Rachel M.
Hungry and footsore near the end of a marathon shopping trip for the 13 year old, we decided to pause here for a bit of rest and refreshment, despite the low yelp ratings. We had a decent experience here. Maybe they have made some improvements recently? I really enjoyed the little bit of complimentary bean dip that I was able to snatch between the giant scoops that my oldest son kept shoveling into his mouth. The salsa had a tasty kick to it, and the chips were extra large, thin, and crispy. The eldest ordered the poco chimis off of the appetizer menu. Much as he liked them, he was full with 2 chimis left. My husband (who received the leftovers) found the filling a bit dry, and the jalapeno cream cheese too bland to deserve the 'jalapeno' in its name. My green corn tamales were a tad sweet for my taste, reminiscent of El Torito sweet corn cake. No problem though, since the youngest gobbled up half! Ambiance was comfortable and service was polite and efficient. My only complaint is that they never refilled the chip bowl even though it ran empty before our orders came out. 3.5 stars
(4)Miles R.
Bad service, walked out before i even ordered. Smelled like bad triple sec.
(1)Jonathan S.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. Amazing how terrible the food is. If you want to loose weight check it out I am sure you won't eat much.
(1)Dana B.
Cute but typical Mexican Restaurant decor. Service was friendly but slow in a relatively empty restaurant. Food was good but uninspired. I wouldn't seek it out, but wouldn't balk at going back.
(3)Lindsey C.
A good place to go for a heavy handed margarita and some bland-gross burritos and super slow service. My husband and I came here for the living social pre-fix menu. We each ordered a margarita, both ways. I got the frozen one and it is so strong I felt tipsy after a few sips. We also ordered the poco chimis which weren't that bad. Then out come out main dishes. My husband had the combo with a burrito and an enchilada, and I had the grande burrito. We both noticed that the burros had too much skin and made the burrito dry. After doing some "food surgery" by peeling the top layer back and taking off the second layer, the burrito was better but not much of an improvement. We also ordered the fried ice cream which was probably the best part of the meal. Sad, isn't it? Needless to say, we won't be coming back here.
(2)Eric M.
Overall decent food. Nothing to spectacular but not bad. Chips came with salsa and retried beans which was a nice addition. Our server was good.
(3)C J.
Another bad experience at this Garcia's! As much as I enjoy their happy hour prices the service is always horrible. Anytime I needed our server she was MIA and when I did see her she was rushing past our table to help someone else....it was ridiculous! This is the third time I've been to this Garcia's and had a bad server... Its obvious management is not managing and good service is not a priority....one more thing the bus boy was eating while he was working, I thought that was weird. Don't go to GARCIA'S in Az Mills, you will regret it.
(1)Vinette G.
My food was extremely spicy so I couldn't tell you if it was delicious or not. It was just extremely spicy! But that's my preference, of course. I understand some people love the spice. Before that, our server brought out chips, salsa and a bean dip. That was really good and unique since most restaurants usually just serve salsa. We ordered a round of margaritas too. Which were basically all tequila. WIN. This place is definitely your standard mall Mexican restaurant. Really great prices! Be sure to go during happy hour, even greater prices! It's a really good family restaurant too. So if you're at Arizona Mills and looking for a place you and you're family can sit and eat, away from the standard food court, try this place. The servers are nice and super helpful despite the fact that it seemed like they were a little under staffed the day I went. Good place! I'd try it again!
(4)Laurie A.
Food was decent. Nothing special. Hostess was rude and not helpful. I told her that I was not happy with the answers. She turned her back and walked away shrugging her shoulders. Waitress forgot to bring the menus. Waitress took only part of the drink orders and left the table. I had to ask manager to take the balance of the drink orders.
(3)Chrissi C.
Good service, went in for lunch. Mall restaurant. Food was okay
(3)Ivan D.
Second time we've been here, and the experience was the same, the food was great, the only issue we had this time was the waitress, she disappeared for long periods of time, we actually had to go and ask to have to go boxes and check brought to us.
(4)Chares M.
First time here wasn't that impressed. Ordered a Tamale plate with rice and beans. Tamales must of been mistaken for some other ingredient but it was killed with SALT!!! Could not stand another bite! Beans on the plate looked like it was sitting out for awhile. It was crusty and dry. Rice on the other hand was not that bad at all. Sorry to say but I will not go back. Maybe just for Margaritas or beer.
(1)Heather F.
What a great experience for my family and I! Not only was the food delicious but the service was fantastic! Caitlynn made sure that our drinks were always topped off and we were never in need of anything. I could have probably hung around all day chowing down on the light and warm tortilla chips, homemade bean dip, and fresh salsa. The guacomole was not overly seasoned and made to order. The chunks of avocado made for a healthy and yummy dish - and at $3.99, it's a steal! White the shrimp fajitas were tasty, I would suggest giving the fajitas a healthy overhaul. A little too much oil and harshly chopped veggies don't do much for the presentation. Kids meals were a great serving size, coloring contest kept them entertained, and they didn't even bat an eye when I wheeled in my large stroller with a sleeping toddler. The game was playing at the bar and the bartender made sure to give us a nice, friendly greeting as soon as we came in the door. Will definitely be visiting Garcia's again!
(4)R S.
Came here for my husband's birthday. I have an onion allergy so it's hard for me to Mexican food places without them messing up my order and having to wait for them to remake it. I've had that problem before here, but our waitress, Yaya, was awesome! She was friendly but not obnoxious and did a great job at refilling drinks, chips, salsa, and beans. She also made sure my food was correct and perfect! Very pleased with our experience and it was all because of her!
(5)T F.
This is the location inside Arizona mills mall. My wife and I ordered a couple two item dishes and shared them. Nothing was good here. Chips and salsa are bland. Tacos, tamales, and enchiladas were all flavorless. Even the rice is weird and left an awful after taste. We didn't finish anything, didn't take our leftovers to go. Paid the unbelievably high bill and walked out never to return. Yuck.
(1)Matt S.
Pretty decent food.. I had the steak and shrimp and the steak was cooked as I asked, so no complaints.
(3)Antoinette G.
Good food, good service and a great margarita. First time here while visiting Az. We will be sure to come back again. Loved the bean dip they give you with your chips and salsa!!
(4)Rachael H.
Yummy bean dip. I enjoyed the food and had a sweet server who was very attentive
(4)Carlesha O.
This location is much better than the mesa location! The salsa is very fresh and the bean dip hasn't been watered down with water in a pathetic attempt to stretch it. The food was hot and fresh, unlike the mesa location. I ordered the red Chile Colorado and my husband ordered the ultimate nachos. Both dishes were plentiful and delicious! My parents both ordered burritos and enchiladas which they raved about. Customer service at this location is superior compared to the mesa location also. The waiter was polite and seemed generally happy. I will be back again and again. But never will I ever make the mistake of going to the mesa location just because it's closer to home.
(5)Shelley M.
I visited with my husband and son. We all really liked the bean dip and the chips were good too. My son loved the fajitas. My chile Rellano was ok. Not the best one I have had in town but it was acceptable especially since the margaritas were only $3.99 for happy hour. Overall everything was pretty good. I am sure we will be back.
(4)Jess G.
This is the best restaurant AZ mills mall has. The food is great and the staff is super friendly!
(5)Yanet R.
It's OKAY. I don't go here regularly actually I only come here for lunch break at work. It's not too bad but not authentic. Their pollo fundido chimichanga is good rice and beans not so good. The service is not so great the food is better than the service. If I had a choice between here and else where is see what the other choice is first lol.
(2)Marie M.
Took my peanut here for lunch after a visit to the aquarium. The Raspberry Jalapeno Margarita was very tasty. I enjoy the sweet with a hint of spice for my margaritas. The bartender was even nice enough to alter a traditional margarita with some jalapenos as well so that was a great touch of customer service. Our server was prompt and friendly. She was patient with the peanut so that's always a plus. The fresh salsa was very good and the chips hot. We only stopped in for an app and some ice cream for the kiddo. We didn't get a chance to really try something that they are known for. I got mini enchiladas that were good but not knock-your-socks-off or anything. I enjoy a habanero sauce with my Mexican food and was bummed to see that they didn't offer any kind of spicy sauce (other than salsa - relax). Bottom line - I'd definitely go again (I will even recommend it to anyone in the Chandler Mall area) but won't go out of my way to get there.
(3)Julian G.
Good food not the best but not frozen like some of the other Mexican places I tried..Also I lost my phone to my surprise it was their thank u don't know his name but he is a male waiter during the day that found it its good to know trusted ppl are handling Your food and you...
(4)Diane B.
From a gluten free perspective, they really could do better, especially since they are a mexican restaurant, it should be easier to have gluten free options. They do have a gluten free menu but there are only about 5 or 6 things on it. One was a machaca bowl and one a chicken bowl. I asked if there is rice in the bowl and the waitress said no, the rice contains wheat. So, I'm not sure what was in the bowl other than meat. The other things on the GF menu included veggie fajitas or shrimp fajitas minus the corn tortilla (the waitress told me the corn tortillas have wheat but they were on the GF menu). I ordered the ultimate nachos (which weren't even on the GF menu) and they were good. I excluded a couple of items that might have gluten. I did not get sick. The waitress did not speak very good english, so it was a risk eating anything there.
(2)Mark T.
An overall lackluster experience. The chips, salsa and beans were good - however there were three of us studly men there for lunch and the chips didn't last long. The empty basket remained for a while, but eventually was refilled. I went with the spinach enchilada lunch special with rice & beans. It was average. The waitress was cute and that was a plus, but she was also slow. It took a little long to get the food, too long to refill the chips and too long for the check. I would definitely avoid a special trip to come here, but if I were at the Arizona Mills and wanted to eat somewhere that wasn't the food court and not the Rainforest Cafe, I guess it would be this place...
(1)Michael W.
Great food and mostly authentic!
(4)Joel S.
Okay, so at one point in time I would have been happy to say Garcia's was a good place to eat. Not anymore. It is probably the worst place, ever. Let me tell you of my experience and their horrible service at this place... We were at Arizona Mills and were starving. We passed up Rainforest Café as the wait was long and Garcia's was no waiting. Now I know why.. We were seated almost immediately. Now keep in mind I have eaten at Garcia's in the past (years ago) and was pleased. The first thing I notice is our waiter looks like a McDonalds reject- his grammar is horrid and he mumbles almost constantly. There is nothing pleasant about this guy. I order a beer and fish tacos. After over 20 minutes, my beer shows up, and is sloshed all over the table. Okay- no big deal. I wait, and wait, and wait... Finally, my fish tacos show up- or, wait- what is this? He gives me the plate of food and leaves. I sit, staring in amazement wondering why my fish tacos look so funny. I look at my plate, wave to get his attention and when he finally has time for me he comes over. I tell him "Hey, I don't know what this is, but I ordered fish tacos!" His reply? Get ready- I've never, ever in my life heard this one. My waiter, the guy who is supposed to make my eating experience here WONDERFUL says "The guy who got your tacos isn't complaining", of course I chuckle thinking he is joking when indeed I realize he is NOT. He points across the room to the guy who received my tacos and seemed to have no issue with it. I tell him I do not want the mess in front of me, but the fish tacos. I am surprised he didn't go get the half eaten ones from the other guy. I get my fish tacos, they were disgusting. Poor quality, poor taste, poor everything. I get the ticket, to see not only was I charged for the Steak and enchilada sauce (or whatever it was) but for the TWO plates of fish tacos! WOW! All I got from this restaurant, was a very bitter taste in my mouth!
(1)Brad W.
Stopped in for a quick drink once I learned that happy Hour exists over here at Arizona Mills (none at Rainforest). A few folks were at the bar around 5pm, but tons of specials available including 1/2 price appetizers, which I never tried. I was planning on sampling, but then they gave me this giant dish of weird circular chips and a hot bean dip and fresh salsa also for free. The bean dip was actually quite good, not spicy and the salsa was bursting with green onions and had a nice regular salsa taste. Also had a giant beer (23 oz) for 1/2 price, which came out to only $2.71. Three TV's at the bar were kinda small, but did the trick. They probably should hire another server to work the bar tables because bartender had to cover it and that left the bar empty for long stretches.
(4)Doug B.
Used to like this location. Green corn tamales are good. Service and food have gone down hill. I am going to skip this location, going forward.
(1)Stephanie L.
Over the past year we have frequented this Garcia's location a handful of times and have not been disappointed in service or the food flavors. We are huge Mexican food fans and this place, while not uber authentic, puts together nice, flavorful plates and solid margaritas at a great value and in a unique and convenient locale. We recommend and will continue to patron.
(4)Eric R.
WOW!! I love Mexican food well I just love good food period! and I must say I was totally impressed plus kids ate free that day I went!! the portions and Big the prices were low and the staff was friendly and polite. I will say that this is by far the best restaurant I have found that offered a complete package. Also, the restrooms were clean and smelling fresh a must where my family and I eat. Bar was "OFF THE MEAT RACK!" I LOVE THIS PLACE! every time we go to the mall, we will have lunch or dinner here. A+++
(5)Samantha C.
It's hard to talk me into eating at Garcia's since they are like the Chili's of "Mexican" food. But, there aren't many options left at AZ Mills so it was what we decided to have for lunch. Somehow I could have eaten the chips and spicy bean dip and been happy with that. But I ordered the most American-Mexican dish you can order, Pollo Fundido. I wasn't in the mood to think or look through the menu and knew the cooks are probably used to making it for everyone so it would be a safe choice. It was, and the rice and beans on the side were better than average. The only thing I forgot was to say no slice of melted orange American cheese, yuck. But it was easy to push off, and the shredded chicken inside was hot and fresh so I couldn't complain. I really didn't like how small their plastic cups were, our waitress was slow and my iced tea was empty a few times. Also I asked her for more of that spicy bean dip and she never brought any even though she said she would. I saw several other waiters bringing out refills of it to other tables and I thought they might be coming to ours at one point but no. Could I have asked again? Yes. Did I care enough to? No. Was I full and ready to walk off my meal in the mall? Yeah, so I guess it wasn't that bad of a lunch.
(3)Mr. E.
Say what you want about service- which I am usually very critical of.. but I like this location, the prices, and the food. A lot of it reminds me of the dirty parts of detroit, but with better quality food. The seafood fundido is my favorite dish, a little spicy and creamy. The complimentary bean dip and salsa with chips is nice too. Get a giant margarita during happy hour if you like tequila. I have never had bad service here, in fact that is what has made me come back a few times already. Not to mention, no one eats in the Arizona Mills mall because they think it is "ghetto" so it is not too busy. I prefer going here on a saturday afternoon or a monday evening myself. I will bring my friend after we hit up some of the local shops in the mall. The fried ice cream is good for dessert too. For being a chain, this place is one of my favorites, besides Serrano's.
(4)Tanner E.
One of my favorite Mexican places. Great bean dip and awesome pollo fundido!
(5)Mia H.
The food taste like the oil they cook it in. My cheese enchilada was burnt. The rice was very dry.
(2)Jowita K.
I have never been so angry to pay my bill before my lovely experience at the Garcias's in Arizona Mills. I love mexican food, so it was no question that when my boyfriend and I were browsing through our selections at the Mall, we decided on Garcia's. Upon entrance, the staff was very unwelcoming and standard. We were seated and immediately asked our drink orders. Within minutes the chips and salsa... and bean dip were delivered-which was the best part of the meal. Our waitress took way too long to take our orders and when we finally received our food (I had chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and my boy had a chimi) we weren't impressed. Our meal lacked flavor. I know that Garcia's isn't AUTHENTIC mexican-super yummy, hole in the wall-mom and pop shop-sorta authentic, but STILL, I expected something better than the bland, flavorless garbage that was steaming in front of me. It was crap, and overpriced. The bean dip was the best part of my meal... even the salsa tasted like it came out of a pace bottle. crapalicious.
(1)Nikki M.
First off, if you have room after your meal, try the chocolate chimis. They are SO good. I've been coming here for lunch with work friends for a couple years now. The service was iffy sometimes...but it ia getting better. I went the other day for lunch and the service was up to par with other restaurants.
(4)Cher T.
"I wanna go to the flower place!!" was the reaction when i asked my cousin and friend where we should have lunch inbetween classes one Arizona afternoon. I couldn't think of what she meant when she said, flower... I instantly thought of Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe but I was quickly corrected when she said that she was referring to the rose in the Garcia's logo. Now, I have never been to one of the Garcia's Chain resturants, but the Original Garcia's off of 35th ave has been an institution in my family for decades. I was willing to try the AZ mills chain location since it was near by... and I would later regret it. We entered a very beautiful place, everything was very open and can be seen from the mall's walk ways. It was slightly unnerving to try to enjoy some messy taco while some lil 5 year old in a stoller stares at you. Ummm... no... Timmy... this is MY taco!! Back off! It was 2 in the afternoon and we were the ONLY customers there... and the mall was PACKED! That should have told me something, but we still sat at a tiled table anyway. The hostess/waitress brought us the SALTIEST bowl of chips ever! it came with salsa and a bean dip that was way too heavy on the onions in both cases. I could barely eat the salsa, but I couldn't hang with the beans at all. We ordered our food and it came out very quickly. My friend ordered green corn tamales and she liked them but I they were on the rubbery side and my cousing got the taco and tostada combo and thought it was okay, she didn't complain. And I got the minature sampler and was unimpressed. it was just food... nothing great or special or exceptionally awful... just average. What wasn't average was the bill.... nearly $50 for our meals?! Are you kidding?! And we didn't even have a hard drink on the table! I paid but wasn't happy about it... I thought it was going to be a lil less than that! To my yelpers: I know the Arizona Mills area is a cesspool of resturants, where chains reign surpreme... and unfortunatly, this place is amongst one of the worst. I say, save your money and skip out on this place because it's nothing significant and the saltyness of their food will only make your bloated as you're shopping afterward and that can't be cute!
(2)Sheila L.
We had the lunch specials and our waitress was very friendly and so was the hostess. You can park around the West end of the mall where it says Garcia's and stroll right in. We had Spinach enchiladas and they were so tasty, and even delicious the next day for my leftovers. The salsa is very tasty and chunky and of course delicious chips. They brought refills on that quickly and gave us our own dips and extra salsa. My coworker had the Poblano sauce chicken enchiladas which looked like it had a lot of chicken in it and my other coworker had a burrito and I didnt hear any complaints about that. We were all gabbing and eating so we really didnt discuss the food extensively but I definitely thought the spinach enchys' were great.
(5)Jennifer G.
This place has decent rustic Mexican food at an affordable price but the main attraction for me is the bean dip. I love it when a restaurant serves bean dip and unfortunately, not enough of them do! Although its not as good as Serranos bean dip, its still tasty and so are the chips and salsa that accompany it. The actual meals are a bit mediocre though... think McCayos where its not terrific but hits the spot when you want a nice greasy Mexican chain food meal.
(3)Jonathan S.
I called over the phone to to set up a pick up order of Chips and Salsa and requested the price over the phone then repeated the amount to the lady on the phone for verification to assure I went down there with enough cash for the food and tip based on what she quoted me. I don't quite remember what I paid when I picked up the last order but the price she gave me was very close and the amount sounded correct. I went to the bar to pick up my order and the bartender made it very apparent I was an annoyance to him by his body language and the way he approached me rudely asking "Did you need help? I couldn't tell because you seem to be just watching TV?". I was shocked by his response because I was just trying to be patient while he finished what he was doing and was attempting to be courteous. I told him I was there for pick up and gave my name. When he picked the ticket off the food he told me I owed literally twice as much as what I was quoted. After I explained what I was quoted he told me "You must have gotten confused" which in my opinion is pretty hard to do when you are only calling in an order of chips and salsa. I explained that I double verified the price so I would know if I needed to stop at an ATM for extra cash before hand. At this point the bartenders attitude began to change even more for the worst as he attempted to scold me about being more clear when I call over the phone and next time I order just know what the price is no matter what the person says on the phone!!! I then asked to speak with the manager still being able to keep my cool. He then shook his head and laughed quietly as he walked to the back mocking me. The manager backed his employee not even listening or addressing what might have caused the confusion and simply reduced the price and walked away without wanting much interaction with me as it appeared him and the bartender where friends. However I know the GM was not in that day (I have seen him before when we ate there previously) and I'd like to the the situation would have been handled much more professionally if he were there. But after 10 years of personal management experience I can assure others this situation was handled horribly and the owner/GM really need to look at the quality of people they are employing.
(1)arielle t.
I had eaten at this Garcia's a numerous amount of times with family, friends, co workers etc... I wont be going back to this location after my last experience. I visited this location a few weeks ago with some friends and my intermediate family which consists of myself, my fiance, and my 3 month old daughter. We went around 130 pm so the lunch rush was gone. After being told we couldnt be sat in a table, we were seated in a half table half booth. There were 6 of us and the booth had a curve to it. Between my daughter in her stroller and our guests son's booster seat, we were very uncomfortable needless to say. I personally asked our waitress for a chair to sit on the opposite side of everyone so that we were not so crammed, she got me a chair and I finished my lunch. About 20 minutes before I was getting ready to leave, a different waiter tapped me on the shoulder and said "um you are definitely in the way". I was beyond mortified that an employee would EVER treat a customer like that. My group alone spent $100.00 there for lunch. That is the worst customer service I have ever received. I wont just not be returning, I now wont be recommending.
(1)