Award Winning Mexican Restaurant
Locations in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Oxnard and Westlake Village
Los Agaves is easily one of the most treasured restaurants on the Central Coast. Located on N. Milpas and De La Vina streets in Santa Barbara and with additional locations in Goleta, Westlake Village, and Oxnard, the restaurant is beloved by locals as well as visitors from all over the world.
Los Agaves has been family owned and operated since 2008 when Carlos Luna and his family opened the first location on Milpas in Santa Barbara. The restaurant quickly became one of the most popular spots in town with its unique, fresh menu that has new items introduced daily. Customers came back in droves for Los Agaves’ signature dishes like Molcajetes, Chiles Norteños, Enchiladas Guadalajara, and Fajitas del Mar as well as the (always homemade) salsas and tortillas.
Restaurant Popularity
The restaurant’s surge in popularity over the last 10 years has made it a regular winner of awards, including grabbing the #16 spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2016. This list is determined by which restaurants around the country consistently receive top reviews from customers on Yelp. Los Agaves is so popular and well reviewed on Yelp that it’s not surprising when out of towners come into the restaurant already knowing what they want to order based on user-uploaded photos on the app. Los Agaves has also won several Best of Santa Barbara awards from the Santa Barbara Independent, including Best Mexican Restaurant/Salsa in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012
Public Recognition
The restaurant is recognized by travelers as one of the best spots in the city, earning a #4 spot on a list of 429 restaurants in Santa Barbara on TripAdvisor. Over 1,000 customers have left rave reviews about not only the food, but also the customer service and atmosphere. The Chicago Tribune also recommended Los Agaves as a must-do while you’re visiting Santa Barbara, and the Los Angeles Times wrote a rave review in their Daily Dish about their visit to the restaurant back in 2012.
Dining at Los Agaves is a comfortable, family-like atmosphere. Because of the restaurant’s heavy following in town, you’ll likely see a line out the door at peak times, but the staff works hard to ensure that the line moves quickly without sacrificing service or making the customers feel rushed.
Restaurant Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Los Agaves may be comfortable and relaxed, but the preparation of the menu is anything but. The food at Los Agaves is authentic and beautifully plated, and will undoubtedly make an impression, whether it’s your first or 15th time to dine there.
The menu at Los Agaves is fresh and has ever-changing daily specials, but it still aims at perfecting their permanent menu items like the Ceviche Tostada, Enchiladas Guadalajara, Mole Enchiladas, Burrito Mojado, and the Fajitas del Mar. But without a doubt, one of the most popular items at Los Agaves is the unlimited salsa bar, where customers can choose from a mild pico de gallo or a tomatillo to a fiery habanero.
All locations are open for lunch and dinner daily, Monday through Friday from 11:00 am – 9:00 p.m. and is open at the Milpas location on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.