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    Las Islitas Grill

    3.3 (63 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Empanadas de Camarones
    Sara H.

    Hidden gem next to the Laurel Inn, we're so glad we checked it out! Not sure what some of the older reviews were about, but we had excellent service - they were quick, kind, and anticipatory of our needs (to go boxes and check timing). The food exceeded expectations from the delicate broth and tender crab and fish in the 7 Mares soup to the deliciously garlicky camarones platillo and refreshing aquachile. Even the chips and salsa were yummy with assorted hot sauces at the table for more kick. We didn't stay for karaoke, but right around 7pm, the restaurant got a little pep in its step setting up for a musical Saturday night. We'll definitely come back next time we're in the area!

    Fish Tacos
    Robert S.

    This restaurant opened a while back and my wife and I drove by many time saying we gotta try that place. Each time we would almost stop we'd notice there was hardly any cars in the parking lot for me a tell tail sign no one is eager to be there so we would pass. Salinas has no shortage on taquerias in town this one is a seafood special restaurant. Prices were a bit high but you pay for what you get. In this case NO! I ordered simple Tacos de Pescado and they were as good as mine from home @ 4$ each ok price and I did like them ok. My wife went with the Carne Asada and Shrimp meal at 18$ she got a small piece of meat and grilled shrimp (5) the meat was shoe leather very tough for the price we left wanting. The service was not attentive we were asked for drinks and then food it's all the interaction we got. We were literally 2 of 6 people in the whole restaurant tables were dirty. Bill was $43.00 and sometimes experience is worth not making future mistakes. I will hard pass on future stops here. The potential is high but judging by what I seen not to much caring going on here.

    Order of shrimp tacos.
    Monika M.

    The seafood is extremely fresh! The portions are generous and the seasoning is superb. I ordered one fish taco and one shrimp taco and it was a full meal. I appreciated that they didn't serve the tacos with double tortillas. The green chile salsa was super bright and spicy- so delicious! My daughter ordered the seafood pasta. It came with a creamy sauce and four baked mussels, accompanied by cheese toast. She now prefers it over her former-favorite- Red Lobster. My partner ordered the full order of shrimp tacos. They were served accompanied by the green chile salsa, a a creamy one, and lime wedges. All of our dishes were finger-licking good! And Xenon, the proprietor, is so welcoming and friendly. It was our pleasure to enjoy such a wonderful meal. We will definitely be back and recommend Las Islitas Grill to friends and family.

    Molcajete
    Nidia S.

    My husband and I came here while visiting the area. He ordered cooked shrimp tostada which he was super happy about, it had a great amount of shrimp. We also had the molcajete to share. Now let me say...i am very picky with mexican food, I loved it, it had generous portions of grilled chicken, carne asada, grilled chorizo, grilled queso and onions sautéed in sauce, akso comes with rice, beans and torillas. We couldn't even finish it! The customer service was great!!!! We had two different waiters and they were both very hospitable, attentive and friendly! We recommend this place highly to anyone!

    Menu
    Fe L.

    I was craving ceviche and was recommended this location. The menu on Yelp is over a year old and hasn't been updated. I ordered my ceviche and my husband wanted the steak special but come to find out they don't have it. When I went to pick up the food I took the initiative to snap pictures of the current menu for everyone to see. Overall the food is good and the service is great. I will be ordering here again in the future.

    Aguachile verde
    Mike L.

    Best experience ever! we came Sunday night, music was loud (tienen karaoke) but it didn't bother me at all and if that bothers you then you come to the wrong place, people came here to enjoy the music, drinks, and the bomb food that they offer, our waitress was so attentive and very kind. The food was amazing, we ordered a variety of food, every plate was worthy, we are definitely coming back soon, this location is better than the one in Watsonville.

    Entrees
    Michelle L.

    I came here with my husband actually intending to go to the Black Bear Diner, but then discovering it had closed down and Las Islitas Grill was in its place. Rather than double back in the direction of Monterey to go to Black Bear's other location, we decided to give this place a try. Upon entering, it is EXTREMELY loud, they have karaoke at a volume where it is almost impossible to have a conversation to have a conversation at the table. After we were seated, I opened the menu, and saw it...fried mozzarella sticks as an appetizer at what I thought was a Mexican restaurant. I let it go. I always gauge how good a Mexican restaurant is by how good their enchiladas are, so I flipped through, finding their salads, fajitas, steak and lobster, even, but no enchiladas. It took a full ten minutes before anyone acknowledged us to come take our order or bring us any water. Oh, by the way, my husband found chips tucked away in his menu, from the previous diner I guess, maybe a warning about our meal to come, "fill up now guys! It's not pretty!" I end up ordering half a dozen oysters and steak and chicken fajitas. Before the food comes, a small plastic container of salsa is served with four store bought tostadas that are chip your tooth hard. If you like nth degree crunch, then this is it. The oysters come, so now you guys, I know oysters come from the ocean, so they're salty, but I also know they're not supposed to taste I'm drinking from a vat of turkey brine. They were so salty it was like they had been open then salted ten times over. Next please. My fajitas came next. They were served on a cold plate, in red sauce that was more of an oil slick than a sauce. It was accompanied by what looked more like a rice pilaf than the more familiar Spanish rice and refried beans that had a color to them that I had never seen before. The fajitas were again store bought, and while they were hot, they were not fresh. The steak and chicken had no flavor except for being over salted. The hot sauces on the table were crusted over from having the bottle tops taken away. Moral of the story: if you're looking for authentic Mexican food, do not go here. If you're looking for good food, do not go here. If you're looking for food of any kind, do not go here.

    Aguachiles con cayo
    Ana A.

    Amazing new restaurant here in town. The food is amazing definitely recommend the fish tacos and the aguachiles. They also have karaoke on Fridays & Sunday's and live music on Saturdays definitely the place to be on the weekends. And they also have breakfast in the morning. I'm attaching some of my favorite plates :)

    7 mares!

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    Photo of Ana A.
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    7 years ago

    Service is terrible. They didn't give us our full order. They took a long to give us our food.

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    7 years ago

    Really enjoyed the food. The menu is extensive & has fair price$ only the rice water needed more sweetness good service also

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    7 years ago

    This a great authentic Mexican restaurant.. Great food.. Great live music.. Great service..

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    6 years ago

    Very slow, hardly attending you, you needing to call them over and constantly reminding them about you're order, DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Worst place in town to eat the waiter was not even attending us right and she got our order wrong!!!!!

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    7 years ago

    First time there, service was good but food was terrible veggies were old and swrimp was not fresh. Very dissapointed. Do not recommed it.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

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    El Zacatecano

    El Zacatecano

    4.4
    (448 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Don't let the grilled windows and doors throw you off--this place is a genuine diamond in the rough…read moretucked away on a bustling Salinas street. Once you step inside, the vibe shifts instantly into a perfectly clean, well-organized Mexican eatery that feels both authentic and welcoming. The service is incredibly friendly and the prices are more than fair. It's the kind of hidden gem that makes you feel like you've been let in on a local secret. The food is quite frankly phenomenal. We're talking enchiladas cooked to perfection, delicious tortillas, quesadillas boasting that glorious, milky-stretchy cheese we all dream about, and bold salsas that bring just enough zing to make you reach for your napkin (and maybe a glass of water). Even the staples like refried beans and rice were flawless, leaving us with absolutely nothing to fault. If you're looking for a meal with enough soul and spice to make you sweat, this is a must-visit!

    8.75/10 Been coming…read morehere since I was a kid! This spot never disappoints and still has to be one of the best Mexican restaurants in Salinas. Chilaquiles 9/10 Made perfectly, spicy, and full of flavor. The beans are always great soft with cheese and super comforting. Only bummer was the eggs ordered 3 sunny side up but no runny yolk. Still amazing overall. Chicken Enchiladas 8.5/10 Really good, would definitely order again. The sauce and chicken were on point, tons of flavor. Just wish it had a little more texture everything was a bit soft, maybe some veggies or a little crisp on the tortilla. Still super nostalgic and tasty. Service was quick and friendly like always. The vibe hasn't changed since I was a kid super nostalgic, and I love that.

    Photos
    Inside peek
    Inside peek
    Zacatecano plate
    Zacatecano plate
    Signage

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    Signage
    Culturas Hidalgo & Oaxaca Restaurant

    Culturas Hidalgo & Oaxaca Restaurant

    4.6
    (450 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    If you know me, you know I LOVE Mexican food. I read an article about this restaurant with rave…read morereviews and decided this is where I wanted to go on Mother's Day. Drove two hours from the Bay Area to get there and it was totally with the trip. My son got the mole negro and I got the chile verde. Everything on both plates was authentic, delicious, and AMAZING. My son tried my chile verde and said it was the best he's ever tasted and I agreed. They were super busy because it was Mother's Day, but we were seated after a short wait and our waitress was super efficient and friendly. Several times during our meal someone checked to see if we needed anything. Not going to lie, we were a bit intimidated when we pulled up as there were no other non-Hispanic people in the large crowd outside waiting to be seated. I told my son that meant the food was definitely going to be good, but I was worried about how we would be received considering the political climate these days, but it wasn't an issue. Everyone was super friendly. Will definitely be going back to try other items on their menu.

    Culturas in Salinas was my first time trying Oaxacan cuisine, and it was a great experience…read moreoverall. The place was packed, which is always a good sign, yet the service was still excellent, very friendly, welcoming, and attentive. I ordered the tlacoyos with chicken Milanesa, and they were absolutely delicious. The chicken Milanesa was perfectly cooked, the queso fresco added great flavor, and the chile sauce had a nice kick without being overwhelming. I also tried the tamale Oaxaqueño, which was very flavorful with shredded chicken, a rich black chile sauce, and soft masa. It was much spicier than I expected, and unfortunately too spicy for me to finish, but you can tell it was made with authentic flavors. The tostadita Oaxaqueña was another tasty treat, fully loaded, fresh, and delicious. Every bite was packed with flavor. I also had the atole, which was warm, comforting, and the perfect drink to balance the meal. Overall, Culturas gave me a memorable first introduction to Oaxacan food. If you enjoy bold, authentic flavors and don't mind some heat, it's definitely worth trying.

    Photos
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    Quesadillas - Chicken & Carne Asada
    Quesadillas - Chicken & Carne Asada
    Tlayuda Oaxaquena Mixta

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    Tlayuda Oaxaquena Mixta

    Las Islitas Grill - mexican - Updated July 2026

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