We visited Lita for our anniversary, and it was our first time dining here. We decided to be adventurous and try something new, and we're so glad we did! We stopped in for a midweek lunch and were immediately impressed by the beautiful, quaint atmosphere. The restaurant has a wonderful Caribbean Latin feel with thoughtful decor that makes the space warm and inviting. Our server, Javier, provided excellent service. He was attentive, friendly, and prompt throughout our visit, making sure we had everything we needed. We tried the Yum-Numb Shrimp, Coconut Curry Chicken Empanadas, the Steak frites, Plantanos and the Taste of Key lime dessert. Every dish was delicious, full of flavor, and beautifully prepared. The combination of great food, excellent service, and a charming atmosphere made our anniversary lunch a memorable experience. We'll definitely be coming back to Lita to explore more of the menu and try some of the other dishes. Highly recommend giving this place a visit! read more

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Been here a few times, for brunch and for dinner. Everything I have had here is delicious. Empanadas are flavorful and I like the breading - it's crunchy and not too doughy. Ceviche was fresh and delicious. Oxtail and jerk chicken were on point. Their serving sizes for appetizers are a bit small but the main mills are pretty big. All drinks I've had have been delicious. The restaurant is really pretty and definitely a place for a nice date or cool brunch with friends. Service has always been fast and I enjoy seeing the chefs making the food at the bar. I recommend a reservation on weekends but overall it isn't too difficult to get a table. read more

Absolutely amazing experience! The Caribbean flavors were authentic, bold, and packed with delicious seasoning in every bite. The food was perfectly prepared and truly on point from start to finish. The service was exceptional--friendly, attentive, and welcoming, making us feel right at home. The ambiance was vibrant and inviting, with an upbeat energy that created the perfect dining atmosphere. The drinks were strong, refreshing, and expertly crafted, complementing the meal perfectly. Between the incredible food, outstanding service, and great vibes, this was a memorable dining experience. We will definitely be coming back again very soon and highly recommend it to anyone looking for amazing Caribbean cuisine! read more

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When I'm in the area, I usually just go by here. One day my coworkers were wanting to go out for lunch, so we came here. I'm so glad we did. Service was excellent and the food is delicious. We had the chicken empanadas to start off and they were a perfect bite! I had the steak frittes and I had zero regrets. I love the ambiance here and our server was very friendly and attentive. I don't know what took me so long to come here but I definitely will be back soon!!! read more

LITA - Caribbean Beef Empanadas - Caribbean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Came here for my sister's birthday with reservations. Reservations highly recommended. The drinks were 10/10. Empanadas was pricey for how many/what you get: 7/10 Oxtails: 10/10 nice flavor Jerk Chicken10/10, not pictured but that was devoured Lobster corndog: my brother ordered because he could, yeah save your money lol Really enjoyed the food, price is higher but not surprising due to the location. However, I'm not sure if I'd be back because the service was not the best. The servers seemed disinterest in us compared to other tables. We had a mix up with the drinks, I asked the server to replace with the correct one. But he awkwardly smiled and said he couldn't. read more

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Solid 5/5. Place is absolutely amazing. There are not that many Caribbean/ Trinidad food restaurants in the Bay Area. You have to be on top of your game to stay in business especially in Walnut Creek where there is an abundance of cuisines. The prices here are kinda expensive for the oxtail and steak dishes and others it's not super expensive. There is metered parking and a garage real close by. The menu is wonderful and unique and lets you get out of your food comfort zone to try new things the full bar and open kitchen just adds to the ambiance. Location is on point , not too noisy either to you can hear everyone in your immediate table. Caribbean music and outside seating is another plus . Great place For work meeting or small celebration gatherings like birthdays or graduations. Easy to book a reservation via OpenTable app. read more

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Came here to meet up with my friends on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely recommend making reservations bc it's pretty busy. From drinks to food everything tastes pretty good! We ordered to share so we can get a taste of everything and I think my favorite has to be the guava kampachi! It may look skeptical for some, but trust! It's fresh and very flavorful! And out of the 2 tacos we tried, the pork belly is a must. Sometimes it could be a hit or miss when getting pork belly, but they cooked it perfectly. Overall, great experience with service and food. I'd come back again if I'm in the area :) read more

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My girls and I made a reservation for mothers day weekend and was happy that we did! The restaurant is nicely decorated and is perfect for a girls outing or dinner date. Our server was extremely helpful and friendly. We ordered the - seasoned fries (so good & perfect for sharing!!! must get 10/10) - beef empanadas (also very delicious 10/10) - octopus salad (very acidic, barely any octopus :/ 5/10) - jerk salmon bowl (very delicious 9/10) - jerk chicken bowl (my friend ordered this and I tried a piece of chicken, very yummy as well and they give you a good amount of chicken) Overall, we had a wonderful time eating here! read more

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Finally checked this spot off my list! It's been on there for a while, but reservations are hard to snag. We ordered the Mangonada Margarita, black pepper shrimp, and pork belly bao. Presentation across the board was a solid 10/10 everything looked incredible coming out! Flavor-wise, the margarita definitely delivered and was the standout for me. The black pepper shrimp leaned a bit too salty for my taste, and the pork belly bao was unfortunately a little on the dry side. Overall, still glad I went! I'd come back to give the lobster corn dog a try next time. read more

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Pretty solid spot, besides the ceviche! Their entrees here are pretty good, but ceviche was meh. Their meats are very good and are all very juicy and well seasoned. Ceviche was lackluster, which was sad bc I was really looking forward to it! Service was okay--we had a large party so we weren't sure how much to order. We consulted the server and she kept insisting we order more and more even though we kept asking if it was too much. When the food came out we were flabbergasted by how much food it was. Thankfully the food was yummy, but we felt misled to over order. Ambiance was chic and vibey. Slightly on the louder side read more

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I really want to love this place because the menu is great, the Chef is so kind, and the drinks are fab, but the way that some of the servers treat customers is disconcerting. It was bad enough that our server was totally disinterested in working our table from the beginning, but she came over to let us know at the end of our visit that they had "another reservation" in a few minutes and they needed us to leave despite numerous empty tables. Normally I would not mind this because I get it, they need to turn the table over and probably try to stick to a time limit; but we also had a reservation, had someone in town who is considering moving to the area, service was unusually slow, and we sat for ~10 minutes chatting after finishing dessert (and spending over $400) before she came over. If they were slammed or understaffed I would be more understanding, but making customers feel like they're burdening you when the restaurant is still empty is poor customer service. I've also had this same server a handful of times and have had more negative experiences than positive with her. This used to be one of my favorite places downtown and I always take anyone who is visiting, but for the price and when competing with other restaurants in the area, I will stick to other places that provide better service. read more

Perfect spot for our girl's bday lunch! Lush tropical classy interior, yummy Caribbean grub, strong cocktails, friendly quick service in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek. We had a cute side table with a nice view of the resto and everything we ordered came out beautifully plated. Really loved the plates, colors, garnishes! A lot of F's fit the eats and drinks vibe- fresh, fun, flavorful, fiery. I'd recommend all of the savory things we ordered: - Sangria Lita - Ceviche trio with yucca chips -Salted cod fritters -Jerk chicken (has a light kick) with rice and peas and Platanos maduros -Side of oxtail We got the pineapple upside down cake for dessert and although nicely plated, it was a tad too sweet for us. Our server Trevor was a gem- he was super accommodating and promptly met our requested time limit. I'd definitely come back try the rest of the menu! read more

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Made reservations here for party of 3 to celebrate brother's birthday. Restaurant gets booked pretty fast so lock in while you still are ahead. Seated at a table by the window. The restaurant is small but has a very lively vibe to it. We had two different servers and as we explored the menu we were given great suggestions. Wish there were more options added for shareables. The house chips were good just very overpowering with the seasoning, tasted like Tajin seasoning. The shrimp was very nice and fresh and the empanadas were a must! The veggie empanadas werent really as great unless youre a veggie person. The shrimp curry pasta was delicious and would definitely order again! It took some time to wave our server down to get assistance. The place can get really loud and we had a party of 4 next to us that were extremely loud but hey thats what you expect in a lively well known place. For Dessert, highly recommend the fresh donut holes which is amazing! Second server brought in coconut ice-cream that was complimentary for my brothers birthday. Bathroom personally threw me off. There was what seems to be a sink mirror in the mens restroom but was taped off or tinted black. It almost as seemed like it was those two way mirrors where they can see you from the other side. If you are planning to go on a date or even a boys night out this is a great place to come to. If they had upstairs seating that wouldve been awesome. read more

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My best friend and I came here for Happy Hour and we were very excited to try Lita as we have wanted to come here for quite a while. We decided to order Tostones, Scallion Pancake, and the Pork Belly Bao off the happy hour menu. The tostones were not tostones... it was a purple potato and the flavor just wasn't that great. The scallion pancake had a strong vinegar flavor and came with 2 sauces (we think it was a soy sauce vinegar flavored and a jerk aioli). We love traditional scallion pancakes and were looking forward to this but we were just not wowed. The pork belly bao was the best item we got. Had great flavor, but there seemed to be jerk aioli under the bao bun which made it soggy and was a big downside. Aside from food we also ordered 2 drinks. The weekly bartender special and the white peach sangria. The bartender special was just a drink of your choice. They didnt have any special that week. The sangria was extremely coconutty, it reminded me of Malibu. Staff were nice but the server we had it felt like when we asked questions he was lowkey putting down the restaurant and what the items were. It was just off putting when we were asking for more details on what the food was on the menu. Overall the place is cute, but we would be hesitant to come back. And if we come back we would not reorder anything that we tried. read more

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Had a great experience here yesterday with my boyfriend after shopping in WC! Got in at the perfect time with no resy (5:30 pm) and got seated outside on their patio which is mostly covered! Service was phenomenal. Our waitress you can tell you really enjoyed her job and the people who dropped our food off were all kind and pleasant! Food was incredible!! I'd highly recommend the cod fritters, oxtail ofc and the blackened shrimp was a pleasant surprise! Next time I think I'd sub the peas and rice for white rice to soak in the flavors more (plus I'm not a huge fan of beans). Overall this place is such a gem and we had a lovely time! read more

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Every time I come here, it reminds me of an upscale club...but without the dance floor and DJ. Not sure if it's the interior decor or their super strong drinks. It was my 4th time dining here and I guess you can call me one of their regular customers. I ordered the braised oxtails and chicken empanadas this time around. The oxtails were super tender and the chicken empanadas were amazing. Big kudos to the waitress working tonight. She provided exceptional service given that she was the only one serving all the customers (at least that's what it looked like tonight). Surprisingly, it wasn't busy tonight vs other nights. I guess Tuesday nights are the best time to dine-in. read more

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I've never had Caribbean food, but man there was so much flavor! I would definitely come back and try more things. The ambiance was super nice and clean and the service was great! read more

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Went with my mom and sister on a Sunday, great service and ambiance. Wish I could mix and match the empanada choices, that was the only bummer. read more

LITA - Chips & Tropical Salsa - Caribbean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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My husband & I had 5:15 pm reservations. We were seated right away. I'm glad that we had reservations because the restaurant was full. Atmosphere is modern with beautiful lighting and large windows that let in lots of natural light. Lots of ferns. Tropical. Decor lent itself to the Islandesque menu. We ordered wine for my husband and the Isle de Tigre for me. Later I had Cucumber Crush. Both were refreshing and original. We had Jerk Chicken & Coconut Braised Pork Belly tacos for starters. They were delicious. The Jerk Chicken was a standout! I had the Jerk Fillet of Salmon, my hubs had Lita's Steak Dinner. While dinner was delicious, next time we will get 2 Chicken Jerk Tacos each and a couple of craft cocktails and sit at the bar. Pricing is reasonable. We had two starters, 2 entrees, 2 drinks each. Bill with tip was $200. read more

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My first time there. The server was charming and helpful. The menu is so amazing, selecting just a few things is difficult. Just means a return is eminent. The flavors are balance, unexpected, complex and delish. read more

This is a super cute spot with wonderful service and yummy food! We tried the ceviche trio with yuca and chile lime chips, jerk chicken family platter with rice and plantains, and the chocolate passionfruit cake. We also got the sangria, milk punch, and rye tai. Everything was really good and worth trying. Ceviche was super fresh and the variety of flavors was appreciated. Their guava kampachi was our favorite! Jerk chicken was tender but I wish there was more seasoning. The sides sizes are a little small compared to the entree quantity. The chocolate passionfruit cake was by far one of the best desserts I've had. If you're a fan of super dense chocolatey desserts, you'll love this. The sesame caramel adds a nice crunch and passionfruit cuts through the chocolate perfectly. read more

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Check Please Bay Area put Lita on my radar and with the exception of the curry goat, went with some of the crowd pleasers mentioned on the episode. Coconut curry chicken empanadas, salt cod fritters, and guava kampachi ceviche (adding the yucca chips) to start, followed by the tender braised oxtail and curry goat with mofongo. The empanadas and salt cod fritters were both very rich so I could've made a meal out of the apps while the guava kampachi ceviche was light and refreshing and my favorite dish of the night. It would've been nice if a portion of yucca chips for the ceviche was included with the order instead of an additional purchase. The goat was spicier than I expected so I did not eat much of that which meant more tender oxtail for me. Good sized portion that gave me leftovers for the next day. read more

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This spot has such a nice ambiance; such a cute spot for date nights and chill time with the girlies. The booze here is pretty strong. My fav cocktail is their Isle de Tigre; so pretty and does the job surprisingly the food didnt meet my expectations much. Their nachos were on the sour side along with the guac. Their empanadas were pretty good though. Service was great as they even gave us a complimentary Anniversary ice cream . Will def come back to try their other dishes! read more

I really wanted to love this place. While it was not quite love, I did enjoy it. The servers were kind, helpful, and friendly. They offered thoughtful descriptions of the menu items, and one even took the time to help us figure out how to use Boomerang. The food itself was mediocre. I opted for a cup of tea since I was feeling under the weather, while my three girlfriends each ordered cocktails, which they seemed to enjoy. Overall, it was nice to try. read more

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The husband and I went out on a last minute date night. We made a reservation a couple hours in advance. We were seated in time upon arrival. Our server was attentive and gave a few suggestions. We ordered: Coconut curry empanadas Beef (something?) empanadas Salt fish fritters Chips and guac with pineapple Garden fizz-non alcoholic drink I ordered the goat curry My husband ordered the blackened shrimp Sooo we ended up switching meals.. the goat was ok it didn't have a bunch of flavor to me, it tasted like refried beans. The husband enjoyed it. He ordered a few more festivals with it (the side of festivals come with some type of aioli on top--beware).. also the curry had stray shards of bone in it--beware The shrimp was ok, a little sweet for my liking I enjoyed the coconut curry empanadas Salt fish fritters were ok, a lot of filler not so much fish; I still enjoyed them My garden fizz was yummy had a ton of ice so short lived Chips and guac we could have done without. I think it was the chips with all the seasoning on it I loooove peas and rice and they were ok Lastly everything we ordered came with micro greens on top.. even the side of festivals had a little pile of micro greens on the side. The restaurant itself is really cute.. the food is displayed beautifully. read more

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Good food Good ambiance Good decor Good service This is a really good spot for happy hour, lunches and dinners read more

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Lita offers fantastic food in a bright and modern interior for a good price. The food and drinks are both flavorful and pack a punch. I enjoy the twists on classic foods like guacamole, to which they add pineapple. Food was served hot and quickly, and we appreciated the server's recommendations. read more

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Spontaneous dinner at Lita tonight and we had an incredible experience! Our server was lovely, the food was FULL of flavor and so beautifully presented. We started with the trio of ceviche, the barramundi, the shrimp curry pasta, and ended with the key lime flavors dessert. Nothing is overly spicy but if you want more heat definitely get the pepper sauce. So good! We are now in love with the Caribbean cuisine and look forward to going back soon. read more

LITA - Key Lime Flavors with meringue, key lime custard and coconut gelato dusted with cracker crumbs. A must try!! - Caribbean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I've been wanting to try this Caribbean- Thai infused restaurant. It did not disappoint. The coconut chicken curry empanadas were my favorite. Don't sleep on them. The doubles was good and oxtail. The Mac and cheese pie wasn't my favorite but I didn't order it and my friend loved it. I don't like jerk seasoning and she loved it because of that. That's just more of a preference cuz now she wants to start making Mac and cheese this way. The place was big and servers were nice. I want to come back. read more

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WHY WE WENT HERE: - mother's birthday dinner THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on the corner of Bonanza St and Locust St - street parking or parking garages available and walk over THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - modern, industrial, and seaside vibes - lounge vibes as well, music is poppin but loud - restrooms are for 1 person occupancy; one of the rare instances where the toilets were black, just a fun fact THE MENU: - starters - signature starters - empanadas - shareables - tacos - ceviches - dinner plates - family style specials - supplements - dessert WHAT WE ORDERED: - coconut curry chicken empanadas - Caribbean beef empanadas - callaloo empanadas - tostones - jerk mushroom quesadilla - pork belly bao - Caribbean street corn - Lita's steak dinner - braised oxtail - black pepper shrimp - curry shrimp pasta - curry goat - Snake River Farms 12 oz tomahawk pork chop - pineapple upside down cake - chocolate passion cake - flavors of key lime - charred pineapple THE TASTE: - everything was great! least favorites were the jerk mushroom quesadilla and Lita's steak dinner CUSTOMER SERVICE: - I believe Matthew was our server and he was excellent! read more

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Ambiance - 5/5 Food - 4/5 Service - 4/5 Overall great meal. Oxtail - the sauce with the rice and peas + the plantain were a delicious combo. Cod fritters - loved these and would order again. Macaroni pie - Similar to Mac n cheese, but was okay. Paired nicely with everything else though. Jerk Chicken - tasty and juicy. But nothing memorable. Donut Holes - best donut hole I've ever had. Delicious. Will order again. Pineapple upside down cake - YUM. Very sweet but so flavorful. Loved the marriage of coconut rum ice cream with the moist cake 10/10. The colorful decor and vibrant lights bring a tropical ambiance to the restaurant which I think adds to the dining experience. read more

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A great find! We were here for a friend's birthday and everything was top notch. As soon as we entered the restaurant we knew we picked the perfect spot. The food, the vibe, the ambiance and service everything was just perfect. Will definitely be back again. Food was healthy as well. read more

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I see this is where people go out in Walnut Creek if they want to dress up a bit or have something to celebrate. I felt a bit undressed in just normal everyday clothing on out here on a Saturday evening. When we called to let the staff know we'd be a few mins late when trying to navigate the difficult parking situation downtown, we were reminded that the reservation comes with a 90 min limit as they have another table after us. Okay, no problem - we eat quickly. On the food itself, everything was generally good with the jerk chicken being my favorite. Drink was okay but well within expectations. I'll put this on the list to try again - maybe on a week night when it's not so packed. read more

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My birthday is coming up, and I was given two Peruvian restaurants to choose from. One in Oakland and one in Walnut Creek. I was game to try either one and told the hostess to surprise me. And surprise me, she did when she announced that we were going to Lita, a Caribbean restaurant. I always game to try new flavors and I trust my friends to point me in the right direction. While I may not always enjoy everything they suggest, I'm still willing to give things a taste. We have been to the Caribbean before but only on cruise ships. That method of travel doesn't always give you the opportunity to really explore local flavors. You're more likely to discover Americanized versions. After looking over the menu, I found two things that I definitely wanted. The Oxtail Bowl and the Caribbean Street Corn. I would leave everything else in the hands of my wife and our hostesses. Oh my. this is definitely a restaurant that you need to have at least four people to fully enjoy the menu. Two people can't possibly get enough flavors and achieve maximum satisfaction. Tyler was our server and answered all of our questions. He was attentive and efficient and made sure that we were happy throughout the meal. I asked for a glass of ice and we asked for extra utensils for serving. I was only drinking water and 1/2 way through the meal, even though I had some ice left, he asked if I'd like more. For some reason, that rarely happens anymore as servers are kept busy trying to handle larger and larger sections. Curry Chicken Empanadas - 5 - Curry is not the same world over. Japanese Curry does not taste like Chinese Curry, which is different from Singaporean Curry which can be distinguished from Indian Curries. This Curry was mild, the chicken was tender and the crust was tasty. Caribbean Beef Empanadas - 3 - The crust was similar but the Tamarind made the Beef salty to my taste. Tamarind Ahi Tuna with Yuca and Chili Lime Chips - 4 - This was a Caribbean version of Ahi Poke. I think I prefer soy sauce to tamarind. The Ahi itself was very good. The ratio of Chips to Ahi was definitely Chip heavy. Octopus Salad - 5 - Ever since my wife saw a documentary about Octopus, she will no longer eat them. Me? I won't order them but if someone else does, I'll still indulge. The two pieces that I ate were perfectly prepared. Salt Cod Fritters - 5 - Yum. Perfectly crispy, full of flavor with a nice Jerk Aioli. I could eat these all day long. Caribbean Street Corn - 5 - I'm still not sure that I love the Spiced Coconut Crumb but it's a personal texture thing. I love coconut so it really shouldn't be an issue. The corn was sweet and the Allspice-Thyme Butter and Jerk Aioli used to "glue" the Coconut Crumb were really good. A nice variation to Mexican Elote. Trinidadian Doubles - 5 - The name doesn't really describe the dish but the flavors are absolutely spot on and delicious. Fried flatbread as a base with chickpeas, cucumber chutney, tamarind sauce, green seasoning and Mr. Streete's Peppa Sauce. Curry Shrimp Pasta - 5 - Linguine with Shrimp, Curry Sauce, Grape Tomatoes, and Spiced Bread Crumbs with some wine to bind it all together. Oxtail Caribbean Bowl - 5 - Some of the most luscious Oxtails that I've ever been served in a restaurant. I'll never understand why Oxtails cost as much per pound as they do. Every cow has one so it seems like there should be plenty of supply. Are there 100's of 1000's of secretive Oxtail eaters out there driving up the price? Regardless, rinsed, trimmed of some (but not all) fat, slow-cooked in a crockpot or stove top, the bones, meat, and collagen combine for a wonderful warming and filling dish. The only negative that I have about Lita's Oxtails is that because they're served in a bowl, the cold Slaw sits amongst the hot food. Not a huge deal. Definitely worth a return with friends to try more flavors! read more

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Lita in Walnut Creek delivers one of the best dining experiences in the area. The atmosphere is upscale yet comfortable, the food is creative and beautifully presented, and every dish feels thoughtfully prepared with high-quality ingredients. What really stood out to us was the consistency of the service. The staff was welcoming, knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely made the experience feel special from start to finish. It's the kind of place where you can enjoy a great meal, great conversation, and actually feel taken care of. Restaurants can have good food, but places like Lita create an experience. Definitely one of the standout spots in Walnut Creek and well worth visiting again. read more

Friday night equals happening night at Lita's. Without any reservation, our party of 2 dined at the bar. My margarita is appetizing as it is. Popsicle and orchid? That's presentation. I recommend the empanadas and the steak dinner. If you want something spicy, the ceviche gave that extra kick. Our bartender / server took good care of us. We will be back with reservations for sure. read more

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Stopped in for dinner on a Tuesday afternoon. Got busy around 6pm but if you come at 5:30 like me you'll beat the crowd. The staff here are so helpful and the food is delicious. Very unique flavors, it's definitely not food you eat everyday. That's what makes the curry shrimp pasta so delicious and one of a kind. The way the shrimp were so tender and seasoned, made it my favorite! I'll pass on the mushroom quesadilla next time. Not my kinda flavor profile. Definitely getting the island steamers again, second favorite. And you have to try desert! So pretty and great for a photo op. Try Lita if you're looking for good vibes good people and good food! read more

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This place is on the corner across from Broderick, which was where we were supposed to eat, BUT the Caribbean music caught my ear. We were greeted right away and the service was great. The drinks were super tasty but I didn't taste much alcohol and the ice was filled 2/3 so it didn't give you a lot. Aside from that, our server Gigi (I think that's her name) was AMAZING! Thanks for being so helpful and personable. The food was spectacular and very tasty. read more

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Service, ambience and the food! Omg 5 star for real! Try everything! They know whats up! Highly recommended!

Food was very good had the opportunity to have the oxtails and taste the branzino, which both were very good and tasty. The waitress was very nice and attentive and the restaurant is quaint and trendy. read more