First time here. Thought it would be dead on a Monday eve but was quite active!! Guess the 2 for 1 Margaritas work (Monday) One of my favorite items of the night was the salsa and chips. I'd come back just for that!! Chips were thick, meaty and crunchy. Guacamole- very disappointing. Not made fresh at the table. Tasted off. Was a bit bitter. Like some filler was in there - shrimp fajita - amazing large blackened shrimp. Nice portion size and 4 tortillas. Beautiful side of beans and rice. - tres leches- scrumptious. - coconut margarita was delicious and strong. Beautifully decorated place. Good service. Parking in rear. I'd def go back read more

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Dear Manager and Owner, I writing because I am extremely disappointed with the experience my family and I had at Cantina Valencia on Friday night. There were three adults and two children in our party. We were seated around 7:30 PM, looked over the menu, and placed our order. My son-in-law ordered a drink, which took an unusually long time to arrive. While we were waiting, we noticed approximately three other parties arrive, sit down, order, and receive their food while we were still sitting at our table waiting. At one point, we looked toward the bar and saw the manager and owner standing there with some of the waitresses. We waved to get someone's attention because we had been waiting so long. The waitress told us she would check on our order. More time passed, and it was now around 8:10 PM. My daughter, who had just given birth a week ago, finally had to get up and stop the waitress herself to ask where our food was. Once again, we were told that she would go check. Then we discovered something completely unacceptable: our order had never even been put in. We were furious and extremely disappointed. We had been sitting there for approximately 40 minutes with two children, believing our food was being prepared, only to find out that our order had never been submitted. What made the situation even worse was that the manager and owner were right there by the bar and never came over to speak with us, acknowledge the situation, or apologize. A simple apology and an explanation would have gone a long way. Instead, we were left sitting there feeling completely ignored. Unfortunately, this was not our first bad experience with the service at your restaurant. We had a similar situation on a previous visit where we repeatedly had to flag down our waitress. We decided to give Cantina Valencia another chance, but after this experience, I can honestly say that was a mistake. I believe the right thing for the manager and owner to have done was to come over personally, apologize, and take responsibility for what happened. Customer service is about more than just serving food--it is about acknowledging your customers when something goes wrong. This experience was unacceptable, especially for a family with two children and a new mother who had given birth only a week earlier. I will not be returning to Cantina Valencia. I hope you take this complaint seriously and address what happened with your staff so that other customers do not have to experience the same treatment. Shame on you for allowing a customer to sit there for that long without even realizing their order had never been placed--and for not having the courtesy to come over and apologize. Sincerely, Dongan Hills resident for 42 years... read more

Had lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday. Walked in a we were seated right away. Our waitress Samantha was awesome. I'm not a drinker, but had a a drink to celebrate. Maybe because I haven't had a drink in a while, but my Patron Margarita on the rocks was fire!!! So good I had two. The food was good. Me and my 10yr has the Pineapple rice and my hubby had a combo fajita. All really good. The manager stopped by to check on us, that's always a nice add. The spot is local and I'm looking forward to going back and sitting outside in the simmer. read more

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My recent visit to Cantina Valencia was deeply disappointing and fell far short of expectations. From the moment the food arrived, it was clear that the restaurant prioritizes presentation and pricing over actual flavor and value. I ordered the elote bowl, Birria tacos, tequila shrimp and the ceviche, hoping for a fresh, well-balanced dish, but instead received something that was overwhelmingly salty and noticeably overpriced for the portion size. Rather than highlighting the natural sweetness of the corn and complementary toppings, the heavy hand with salt completely dominated the dish and made it difficult to finish. Beyond the food itself, the overall value simply did not match the cost of dining there. For the prices charged, I expected a more thoughtful execution and better portioning. Instead, the meal felt rushed and underwhelming. The experience left me feeling like style was placed above substance, which is frustrating when you are paying premium prices. Service was acceptable but not memorable enough to offset the issues with the food. The atmosphere has potential, but unfortunately ambiance alone cannot make up for disappointing dishes and inflated prices. There are too many other places that deliver better quality and value. Overall, my visit to Cantina Valencia was not worth the money. Between the overpriced menu and the overly salty food, I would not return and would hesitate to recommend it to others looking for a satisfying meal. read more

Cantina Valencia - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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So not sure why the 3.7 reviews but after reading the few reviews I can why and things happen I guess. So where should I begin I guess just like the restaurant chips and salsa . I don't really care for chips just because they are always either stale, store bought , or not worth my stomach space but not these!!! I've never done Drugs before if I did that what those chips and salsa would be!!! The chips were fresh and had a baked roasted flavor the salsa was really hearty and flavorful and definitely worth the stomach space . The service was slow due to the large party and the place was pretty packed and was a good sign. The owner even Came up and offered us a round of free drinks on them which we gladly took them. Then we ordered all that food and the food was all flavorful and had great taste. The gumbo broth was amazing like wow but it was more of a soup and not gumbo but I loved it . A bit pricy for the portion though a school of rice 3 shrimp 4 pieces of sausages and broth 16$ for a soup way over priced . But glad I tried it . Burrito was good and guac on top hit the spot. The tacos salmon and shrimp was great. And the elote was pretty good . And the customer service was great which isn't easy to find all the time now . Looking forward to coming back . But hoping there would be bigger portions . After I try next time if they aren't bigger on other menu items I doubt I'll come back. read more

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Went with 4 other women on a Monday Margarita night. Two for one but you can't share. Everyone seemed to like their food! I got the chimichanga with the pork and pineapple and some extra cheese sauce. Soooooogooooood. Danielle was an excellent server and we didn't feel rushed. Great looking place and decor. Ambience is just what you'd want in a Tex Mex place. My only beef---I felt "nickel and dimed" by having to pay an extra 50 cents for an extra half filled dipping sauce. Puh-leeze. You want us to enjoy all the delicious food and sauces and come back, there's no reason to charge extra for a tablespoon of an aioli or a hot sauce. read more

Haven't been out in a while and have been wanting to try Valencia for a while. Got there at around 6 on a Friday when it wasn't too busy. Service was painfully slow. Waitress was not friendly, the shrimp Ceviche was horrible, it looked like they took the shrimp out of the bag raw and put it in the bowl without marinating. Chips were good and atmosphere was good. That's about all I can say positive. Will not be returning. read more

Cantina Valencia - Raw blue shrimp ceviche. - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Tex Mex restaurant, located in the spot that used to be Cypress Hall. Decor was nice. Place was getting crowded. Menu and prices are reasonable with a lot of deals. Service was slow. We opened with a white Sangria (it was ok) and an Espresso Martini (which was a mistake on my part. I just didn't want a margarita-They had no martini glasses and the drink was warm and not very good.) the chips on the table are homemade and they put a pico de gallo it was good. We then ordered street corn. But it came as a street corn salad and it was nothing like what I was expecting. I guess this is more "TEX than Mex" It was OK not one of my favorites. We also ordered Valencias Pastelitos. There was shredded chicken inside, which was a little tough not one of my favorites. Then I had chorizo and potato soft tacos. No dipping sauce and I did not taste the chorizo or the potato. My son got a Birria quesadilla and my husband got the skirt steak. Everything was OK. Not great; Would I go back? Maybe. I think they were having an off night..they got some kinks they need to work out. read more

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The food was excellent. The Bellinis kept coming. The waiter was phenomenal. He was attentive and very friendly. The ambiance was cool. A great place to have brunch! read more

This location has transformed so many times and I'm glad there's finally some stability and it seems like they might be here for awhile.the service was great she was super attentive and friendly. The decor was cute giving American Tex mex. The food was a bit salty but well seasoned, good portions and easy menu to look through. I think it's a good place to sit and nipple/share at the bar. read more

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Our waitress was so so nice, accommodating, sweet & fun!!! We loved her and her service was great. The restaurant was very pretty and nicely decorated. The menu had a wide range of tacos, burritos, bowls, entrees, drinks & more. For dinner I ordered the steak chimichanga and I'll be honest I wasn't a huge fan, whatever sauce & cheese combination that was on the burrito wasn't good. But, I really did love my drink- I had a frozen strawberry margarita with tajin on the rim. I would definitely come back because the service was phenomenal & because my drink was good. I'll just try something else on the menu. read more

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I went with family after a long day. This was the second time that we went to Cantina. It was a Saturday night and we were expecting a crowd. We were a party of six and were seated promptly. The service was very attentive. Although it was busy they managed to attend to our needs. I was impressed with the manager who was seen continually circling the table asking if everyone was ok and apologized for the delay in food service also lending a hand to the staff when needed. Being a manager myself at one time I also believe that management should always lend a hand. Understandably it took a while for the food to come out but the waitress refilled our water, chips and salsa. Once the food arrived it was worth it. The food was tasty and plentiful, well worth the wait. Although the wait times are long the food was great. I'm sure we will be returning. read more

Looking foward to the EMPANADA EXPERIENCE Worldwide Cultural & Culinary Adventure brunch coming up 5/31/26 . The culinary mastery is impressive along with the engaging and UPLIFTING atmosphere. read more

Great food! Love this place and they decorated cute. The Mexican food is so good here. I love the street corn salad. There nachos are so so good and huge. Their free chips and salsa r good too. I love their food you need to go. read more

Cantina Valencia - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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The food was excellent and the service was on point. The atmosphere was coY, beautiful pictures. The food and drinks were excellent. Will definitely come back. 5 stars by read more

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This was my first time at Cantina Valencia and I don't expect it to be my last. Tha ambiance was great as was the food and service. Our waiter Emanuele was very attentive and came by frequently to ask if we needed anything. The food was presented nicely and was delicious and plentiful. They have a small private room in the back to host about 6-8 people with no additional charge. I hope to use it one day to celebrate a birthday or other occasion. Needless to say I will be going back. Also a plus is that they have plenty of parking in the back and there's street parking as well. read more

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It really pains me to write this, because I was hoping this place would turn things around. My wife and I have given it two tries, and both experiences were extremely disappointing. First visit: We stopped in about a month ago before a movie. We had an hour and a half to spare, and let our server know right away that we wanted a quick meal. We even gave our full order upfront (drinks included) and asked for food to be brought out as soon as it was ready. There were only three tables in the entire restaurant, so we didn't think this would be a problem. An hour later, we still had no food, and even our second round of drinks never came. The manager did apologize, but at that point we asked for the check, packed our food to go, and ate it at the theater. The food itself was good, so we chalked it up to an off night and decided to give them another chance. Second visit: Unfortunately, it was even worse. We ordered a glass of wine and a cocktail from their menu--it took over 35 minutes just to receive them. The servers looked overwhelmed and unsure of what they were doing. We then ordered tacos and a fajita platter. Once again, it took about an hour for our food to come out. When it finally arrived, my wife's tacos were cold. At that point, we just wanted to leave. She even asked for the check while heading to the bathroom, but 20 minutes later, it still hadn't arrived. What makes this even more frustrating is that the restaurant was not busy--no more than three tables were occupied both times we visited. It should not take 25 minutes to make a vodka soda and pour a glass of Cabernet. For the prices they charge, the level of service is absolutely unacceptable. Either they need more staff or they need staff who know what they're doing, because right now, the service is not just slow--it's downright discourteous to customers. read more

Food is amazing. Always delicious. Margaritas are the best, All kinds. Bar tenders and servers are always accommodating. Fun place and great ambiance. read more

Decent happy hour at the bar. Drinks are priced well and tasty, food was okay. Would like to come back to try something from the full menu!

Cantina Valencia, let's start with the name. Love it. It's almost like a Mexican fusion spot. The menu is worthy of great choices. When I arrived the host was so pleasant she even came over to check on me. The service., decor, and food is worthy of a visit. Staten Island has a charm and Cantina Valencia adds to that. read more

6:45 reservation and at 8:30 food still has not arrived. Would not recommend on Cinco de Mayo.

Went to see Santa clause last night with the kids and had a great time and dinner, cotton candy and cookie for the kids was a treat and a great Christmas movie was playing read more

Went for Bingo night and It was a lot of fun. The ambiance was perfect for the theme of the restaurant. The food, drinks, and service were great! The manager was also very good and checked on us multiple times. read more

Where do I begin, came to Catina Valencia for happy hour with my BFF as soon as we entered the restaurant I loved the aesthetic of the restaurant and the welcoming feeling it gave, as soon as we walked in we were greeted by the bartender who was super welcoming! We of course sat at the bar thinking we were going to have drinks and food off the Happy hour menu, yup we skipped as soon as we saw the Margarita Tree! 10/10, 4 mini patron bottles two on the rocks two frozen definitely worth it! We soon ordered our appetizer and meals. We started off with the buffalo chicken dip it was different from what I was expecting but nonetheless 8/10. My BFF ordered the Birria tacos she loved it 10/10, and I had the Carne asada tacos 9/10, I didn't get to finish as I filled myself up with the chicken dip and forgot my two tacos at the bar! Shortly after it was time for dessert and ordered the margarita flights 10/10. Surely I've seen there's a lot more options on the menu and came across their instagram, so I will definitely be back! read more

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If you are looking for great food, beautiful atmosphere and a fun night Cantina Valencia is your place. We had an Amazing time at Bingo and so much fun dancing afterwards! Their guacamole and shrimp tacos hands down are the best on the island. If you haven't been there yet you must give it a try. So much fun and great place to celebrate a birthday. Along with the many events that they have weekly! read more

Not authentic, not well seasoned , food came out cold. Bathroom had no toilet paper . Service was good and attentive. The establishment was well decorated . 1 and done . read more

blonde pixie cut bartender stole my purse and needs to be fired. the entire establishment and other workers should be embarrassed and held accountable. bartender was drunk and high working the bar and stole my purse and the contents after it was turned in to them. i accidentally left my purse in the bathroom and a kind customer turned it into the bar and the workers denied having it. the customer who tunred it in even came with me to the bar to say she returned it after the dj made an announcement. i asked kindly and politely multiple times for them to just double check since it was clearly turned into them. the blonde bartender proceeded to scream at me and berate me in front of multiple people and her coworkers that i was accusing her of stealing. disgusting behavior from the bar to allow their worker to act that way when she clearly had my purse. only once someone mentioned calling the cops did she give my purse back with nothing in it but my wallet. she stole all of my other contents including my house keys!!!!!! then she pretended they fell out and found them behind the bar when i asked for my keys!!!!!!!!!! and she left a disgusting drug baggie in my purse!!!!!!!!! absolutely do not give this place your money they are horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

This is one of those places that I surprisingly enjoyed. I held out until all the kinks were worked out. Went there twice in the span of two weeks. Each time was better. The service was a bit slow but they were very crowded so I will give them that. The Gumbo was fantastic and the Chorizo tocos were so good. It's a great happy hour spot if you want small plates. Definitely looking forward to going again read more

My husband and I stopped in there last night for the first time for my 60th birthday. When we walked in, we waited more than 5 minutes to be seated. And we were seated only because the bartender yelled across the bar that we can sit anywhere, so we did. They had only 2 servers working. The one that finally came to our table after about 10 minutes just told us she would go get some chips and salsa. Came with the chips and salsa and some water. We were sitting more than 20 minutes after that to see if she would come back to at least take our drink order. We finally got up and told her we were walking out. I do not blame her, she seemed overworked with too many tables. Never again will my husband and step foot into that place. read more