I decided to go to an old family favorite of mine, Garcia’s, down in the heart of Carlsbad Village. I asked several of my friends to see if anyone had heard of this place and most hadn’t ever heard the name. Considering it’s a small restaurant tucked away in the middle of the block on State Street in the village, it came as no surprise. That’s the best part about this place, it’s not too mainstream, it’s got an old country feel to it. People (especially teenagers) are always looking for ways to be different and this is the way to do it.

Yes, it’s an old place, yes, it doesn’t have that ‘hipster’ feel where you can get artsy pictures for your social media left and right, but it has a nice and cozy feel to it. It’s as if you just walked back into your house after a long vacation and are welcomed with open arms from the waiter or waitress.

When I first walked in, I was a bit surprised because the place looked almost exactly the same as when I was a little kid. This was my one of my favorite restaurants, but my first time stepping foot inside for years. The owner took a few glances over and recognized us which just shows how small the customer community is. This is such a bummer to me because this place deserves one hundred times the amount of customers it gets.

The food is never EVER disappointing. It is made and served in a matter of ten to fifteen minutes depending on what you order. I decided to get the Steak Fajitas and it was hands down the best I’ve ever had. It was complimented by excellent service along with some chips and salsa for an appetizer.

Garcia’s is a family run business that truly captures the family feel to it with the walls decked out in mexican paintings and pictures of family members and loved ones. The decor in the main part of the restaurant is mexican themed lights, paint, and plenty of tables for two and fours. It has a true mexican-style home feel to it. Pretty recently they added a bar in the corner of the dining room which wasn’t there the last time I went.

I would definitely recommend the place for a family night out. You walk in there once and the staff makes you feel as if you’re the president of the United States. Your satisfaction is their main goal and they really show it.

Overall, my visit was excellent. Food was good, service was great and with the amount of food my family ordered, it was pretty cheap! So if you are looking for a nice, easy, and cheap dinner look no further because Garcia’s is the place to go.