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Don Guacamole's
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Latin American Mexican, Latin American [Edit]
1333 Robson StreetVancouver, BC V6E 1C6
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 569-2295
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
68 reviews for Don Guacamole's
Review Highlights
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"...to enjoy their tacos al pastor and tacos carne asada." In 4 reviews -
"We had the beef tongue, pulled pork, duck, and spicy beef." In 4 reviews -
"But the complimentary salsas and chips reduced the pain." In 10 reviews
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68 reviews in English
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Review from Tanya B.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2012
The restaurant is closed down, no sign indicates whether they are opening elsewhere.
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Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Today strolled by, so sad, it did look empty but when i saw a white paper taped on the glass door, I could sense it; yup, owner says temporarily closed, dated April 3...
Too bad, had wanted to try this place. -
Review from Roanna Z.
Updated - 10/2/2011 1 photo
Holy GUACAMOLE !
I literally walked across town for a meal here today and man, was it worth it! I ordered the Carne Asada tacos. You get 4 soft *corn* tacos which are doubled up, (so I halved each to double the fun) I was bowled over by the flavour. Thank god it was loud in there so no one could hear me moaning in culinary rapture! I also ordered the refritos on the side and this was enough of a meal to more than satisfy. I mean; light-up-& smoke-a-cigarette-after kind of satisfied (and I don't even smoke).
The big guy ordered the Mexican Chorizo burrito which is humongous and surrounded in a pool of Mole and full of distinct flavours.
Our server was an absolutely lovely and beautiful full blooded Mexican. She enjoyed speaking in her native tongue with the big guy and I enjoyed trying to follow along with my broken Spanish.
We'd walk across town for another meal at D.G. anytime, it was well worth it.
*Corn tacos are gluten free :)Listed in: Gluten Free/ Dairy free eats.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/1/2009
When the big guy is craving a Mexican meal I don't get in the way. Out for a dog walkie and a quick… Read more »
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Review from Shae B.
11/3/2011
Everyone at our table agreed the food was really bland. Some people didn't even bother to finish theirs since they didn't think it was worth eating. It's fine if you like really bland mexican food which some people do if they're not used to the stronger flavours of the more authentic stuff. It tasted like they didn't even hardly use salt.
The decor is nice and the service is fine. The place just kinda lacks that special something that would make me want to go back. -
Review from Rob L.
1/21/2012
First, the ambiance is decent, and they have a good salsa. But I ordered the Steak Nachos, with everything on the side so that the chips wouldn't be soggy, and there couldn't have been more than an 1-Oz of cheese on it, and a quarter of that was hard baked onto the dish. So much for my nacho craving.... Oh and no guacamole on the nachos at Don Guacamoles.
Onto the main course. The quesadilla. Pretty bland, and it only came with a green habanero sauce on the side. No guacamole, no sour creme, no salsa to add some flavour. Maybe I wouldn't have minded, but the nacho incident set a bad precedent for the rest of the meal and the waitress had not been very accommodating to substitutions or changes. The company was good, so the food just became quiet background music for my palate.
There doesn't seem to be another mexican restaurant close to where I live, so if I am really jonesing, maybe I will go, but I would definitely select another option. -
Review from Gina I.
8/9/2011
I really liked Don Guac's. I had low expectations since it's hard to find good mexican food in this city (apart from the taco trucks and taqueria's of course!)
I ordered a beef burrito with mole sauce, because I love mole. The burrito was the size of a small baby! The mole sauce was delicious.. Their green salsa that is made in house is to die for.. Just enough spice. I really liked that my burrito was not surrounded by beans or rice.. I'm not a big rice fan, just give me the goods!
I noticed their margarita menu was a little pricey though, not really into paying almost $10 for a margie. I would definitely eat here again. -
Review from Nathan R.
Vancouver, BC
10/14/2011
I don't understand the all the praise for this place. Both times i've been here I've been unimpressed.
It had been a long time since we'd gone and so we gave them another shot this past weekend; looks like they've doubled in size in the meantime (a testament to what Vancouver diners will put up with).
Entrees came out at different times, which is always a bad sign. My mole poblano was incredibly flavourless, barely warm and stone cold by the time I was halfway through choking it down. I'm sure it sat for quite a while while the other entrees were made.
Both the others got a $21 (!) steak entree that was apparently quite tough and gristly. There was an $18 equivalent of the same dish, so I can only imagine what one grade down from that would be like.
Best of all, they left the front door propped open with a chair on a chilly night so the whole restaurant could smell like the cigarette smoke of the kids drinking on the patio out front.
I'll stick to El Caracol on Victoria. Cheap and generously portioned, with actual flavour! Isn't that what Mexican food is supposed to be?. -
Review from Doug G.
Updated - 4/12/2011 12 Check-ins Here
I'm sorry. . .
If anyone has gone to Don Guacamoles based on my earlier rave review and been disappointed I'm sorry.The last three times we have been there the service and food has grown progressively worse. I was hoping it would improve, but it has not. Tonight the service was painfully slow, when the food arrived one of the key ingredients (Nopales) had been "replaced" without warning with a lame toasted tortilla smothered in cheese (sorry not a suitable replacement), and the meat was not caramelized it was burnt. I didn't finish my meal, it was just not appealing. And they didn't seem to care why. Adios Don Guacs, it's been fun.Listed in: Eating Mexican in Vancouver, Wall of shame . . .
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/14/2010
About as good as it gets this side of the border!
I am NOT Mexican. Unless I am Mexican I doubt that… Read more »
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Review from Josh O.
Langley, BC
5/5/2011
Meh. This about sums it up. I wish there was 2.5 stars as this is what it deserves as it was pretty cheap and we got our food quickly. This being said I think 3 stars means I'll probably be back which is not the case.
Me and my gf both got different burritos which were ok. The chips and sauces were decent. The guacamole was tasty. The sangria was a horror story as it was filled with canned fruit cocktail rather than fresh fruit. My Budweiser tasted pretty much like Budweiser...a real shocker. Everything was just "ok" and wasn't particularly good. I hear the tacos were good and we should have just got a bunch of them. The service wasnt bad but everything else has mediocrity stamped all over it...probably won't be back. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 2/9/2011 4 photos
* Quick photo update *
I did a taco throwdown a while back between Don Guacamole and La Taqueria. Since Don Guacamole was the winner, I thought it would be nice to update with some photos from today's lunchtime visit.
Keep in mind the 4 star rating is a local rating for Vancouver. This would be a 3 star experience in taco hot zones!
They still bring you a nice selection of salsas with some chips to start. It includes red and green salsas, pico de gallo, and fresh lime wedges. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... and close-up of the stars: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... While all three are good, that red salsa on the left is the highlight of the three. It has a lovely smoky flavour combined with a good level of heat.
I got the arrachera tacos. The meat is cubed and nicely seared to get some caramelization, while still being tender inside. This is still my favourite variety of taco meat they have on offer. Photos: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Service is still friendly as ever. The servers are always so welcoming and friendly.
Now if you live in a taco hot zone (I'm looking at you - Amy C.!) , please don't make fun of us here in Vancouver for our limited selection of tacos - these are quite a reasonable attempt!Listed in: Mary had a little lamb, and I…, Vancouver Latin and Caribbean…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/14/2009
* Taco throwdown *
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Vancouver Taco Championship Fight.
In the… Read more »
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Review from Lisa Marie M.
Vancouver, BC
This is the second time we went here. The first time we had the 4 soft tacos - Carnitas ( Mexican pork ) and they were excellent so we decided to check it out again.
It was a Fri night around 9 so it was really busy and really loud. The hostess managed to squeeze us into a back table, that was way too close to the table behind ours, so I had no choice but to sit on the outside of the table.
The service sucked ! The waitress barely came around, we had to ask for the complimentary chips and salsa, as well as our water and our margaritas came after our food did.
The chips were stale, the soft taco shells had a unpleasent texture - they were not house made and they too were stale and crumbled when bit into. Pork was dry and not as flavorful. Like it had been sitting with lid off for hours.
The guacamole was made with under ripe avocados, it wasn't even blended together - just huge chunks with no flavor. I mashed it up and added lime which helped but for 8.95 I shouldn't have to finish preparing it. It came in a margarita glass and there wasn't a lot of it.
We also ordered chicken tostadas which were flavorless. I had a bite and gave the rest to my bf to bring home to eat.
We asked to have it packed up when we could track our waitress down and when she dropped it off, she neglected to bring the bill with it. So we had to once again wait, then ask her for it.
For the price, I expect a lot more in terms of service, food quality and flavor. Sad because after living in LA I really miss real good Mexican food. Looks like my hunt shall continue. -
Review from Edward L.
2/16/2011
When my friend invited me to a group dinner here, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I had enough bad experiences with Mexican places that I almost decided to stay home and watch YouTube instead.
Boy, was I glad I showed up.
My entire perception of Mexican food was changed that fateful night. Call me ignant, but before this I had always thought that "luxury Mexican" was an oxymoron. My knowledge of Mexican cooking was limited to Taco Bell, some frozen entrees at 7-11, and the occasional Tex-Mex restaurant.
So we went as a large group. One of the guys was a real Mexican, and so he pointed out what to eat, which is always helpful. Oh yeah, he also mentioned that Don's is the BEST Mexican joint he could find in town.
For starters, we had Pacifico beers. Our friend mentioned that this was made in his hometown (Mazatlan). Yay, more authenticity!
Then came the main dishes. This was the kicker. We ordered 4 different types of tacos, and shared them so everyone got to sample every type. We had the beef tongue, pulled pork, duck, and spicy beef. WOW. These were definitely no food-court entrees. The filings were served on soft round flour tortillas (2 layers thick and about 3/4 the diameter of a CD).
To eat these tacos (and our Mexican friend was very helpful here) the PROPER Mexican way, you fold them in half just like a hard-shelled taco, but then keep the thing LEVEL while you lean forward and turn your head sideways. So you're bringing your head to the taco, not the other way around. Damn.
These were hands down the most delicious tacos I have EVER had in my life. The portions weren't huge, but the flavours were simply amazing. This will probably also be the most expensive Mexican food around town (which is not saying much when compared to Taco Bell), but the experience, friendly staff, and authenticity are second to none. It's been a few months and I actually still remember what the food looked, smelled, and tasted like.
Highly recommended.Listed in: 2011 Ed's Picks
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Review from Danika L.
Vancouver, BC
6/22/2011
Came here with a friend after wandering around downtown. The chips and salsas were a nice touch, something to nibble on until food arrived. I ordered the beef tongue tacos from the appetizer menu for my dinner. They were okay. I think La Taqueria does a better job though. My friend is a vegetarian and had no problems finding something to eat.
Overall, a good meal, but I think I could find better elsewhere. -
Review from Norah L.
Vancouver, BC
12/3/2011
Decent Mexican food at decent prices (especially for Robson Street). I went with three friends for lunch after hearing a lot of praise heaped on this place. While we thought a lot of the hype was overinflated, the food and service weren't that bad. There isn't much for vegetarians. Off the top of my head I can recall just the grilled cactus which was wonderful and reason enough for me to return.
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Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
4/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went in with the intention of comparing La Taqueria's beef tongue tacos with Don Guacamole's. In the end, I found it difficult to compare because the two variations were going for something different.
La Taqueria offers a more delicate, moist beef tongue taco while Don Guacamole's offers a heartier, chewier version. Indeed, while 4 tacos at La Taqueria are a good meal, three would suffice at Don Guacamole's.
Overall, I found the service to be pretty spotty. The servers were friendly when they were present, but they were not often present.
They've got several TV's in there and I would definitely recommend it as a fun, alternative place to catch a hockey game.Listed in: Tacos
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Review from Allison F.
4/29/2011
A friend and I came here for dinner last night as we love mexican food and I had purchased the Social Shopper coupon. There were a few other tables occupied when we arrived and we pleasantly had the option of choosing where to sit. There are several tv's mounted around the restaurant and so in it being a playoff game night, we were set.
Our server took quite a while to come to the table, but this gave us time to decide on what to eat and drink. We both ordered a mojito and I got the grilled steak burrito and my friend had the chicken tacos. Thankfully the plate of chips and salsas arrived shortly after, along with our drinks. I would highly recommend the mojitos as they're delicious. Nice and limey but have a subtle sweetness to them. Really good! The salsas provided were a nice combination. The green salsa was my favourite as it was full of cilantro and the last one was nice and smokey. The pico de gallo looked like it was a day old, but had a nice hint of lime.
Our entrees arrived shortly after ordering and looked quite delicious. My burrito took up my entire plate and there was enough green sauce to enjoy with every bite. My big disappointment was the beef. It wasn't flavoured at all and was in tiny pieces, similar to what you find as beef teriyaki in a bento box. Not what I was expecting. And there was no cheese. Just a bit of rice, a smattering of beans and meat, and iceberg lettuce. Got more of an 'ok' than an 'a-ok'. My friend's chicken tacos were nicely spiced, and the addition of guacamole amped it up. Corn tortillas are hit/miss and these got a 'miss' rating.
Overall, food was fine and service was sparse. This meal got a 'meh' and I'm glad I had the coupon. Prices are lower than what I had expected for some food items, and outrageous for others ($8.50 for guacamole?? $9 for a margarita??). Their patio looks like a fun place to enjoy on a nice day and you would definitely get some quality people watching in! -
Review from Natalia B.
Vancouver, BC
10/10/2011
I ate here today for the first time since their expansion. I am Mexican and what I like about the decor of this place is that it has a more modern feel to it compared to other Mexican restaurants. No ponchos or sombreros hanging on the walls!
I ordered the chilaquiles with red salsa with chicken. It was a pretty big dish with a side of beans with feta cheese cubes. It was well priced for the amount of food there was. The dish could have used a little more sour cream on top of the chilaquiles and maybe some cheese but overall it tasted pretty good and slightly spicy.
For drink I ordered "agua de jamaica" which is essentially iced and sweetened hibiscus tea and its tough to get that wrong.
Overall it was a good meal at a reasonable price.
They did have the music on too loud when I first got there but all i had to do was ask for them to turn it down to a level where you could have a conversation and they were happy to comply.
I would definitely recommend this place for a taste of Mexican food! -
Review from Mason P.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011
This place is HORRIBLE!!!! I ordered a meal and had to wait an extra 10 minutes after my friends had gotten their food I was shocked to have found that they had given me the wrong meal! When I confronted the server that there must be a mistake he insisted I was wrong even though another customer at the bar was eating it and it looked totally different. They completely screwed up my order and then lied to my face about it and whatever I got tasted horrible. On top of that the drink orders became none existent right after we got our meals, even though my friends wanted to order more drinks we didn't see our server again until everyone had finished and we were ready to go. I will never go back and I would strongly advised to stay away!
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Review from Jon S.
Vancouver, BC
8/26/2010
First of all, the food is great.
But three weeks after we last ate here, two charges showed up on my partner's credit card for Don Guacamole's, completely unrelated to our meal. My partner finally managed to track down a manager, trekked downtown and received the money back in cash, but no apology, no explanation, and certainly no incentive ever to return.
Keep on an eye on your credit card statements if you do decide to enjoy the food here. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
2/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been curious about this place for a while and finally tried it for lunch. We were almost immediately presented with a bowl of fresh torilla chips and three different dipping sauces/salsas, so it was an encouraging start.
I had the vegetarian enchilada dish and was very happy with my meal. The rice and beans that came with were delicious, as were the enchiladas themselves. They don't skimp on the portions, either. Our server was also very good and kept our water glasses and chip basket full without us asking.
I still love the food at Las Margaritas more, but this is definitely a solid option right in my hood for a full-on Mexican meal. Also the prices are very reasonable, especially for the location.
...And for the easily-distracted among us, there are TVs showing sports to keep you entertained. -
Review from Austin S.
Vancouver, BC
11/17/2011
We went there on a cold rainy night with a friend of mine when the place wasn't that busy. The hostess asked if we had any reservation, we said no.. She put us on the first table in the middle of the restaurant next to the main door.. We didn't like it but we had no other choice.. The cold air came in every time someone opened the door..
She was smiley and friendly enough. We ordered 1 starter to share with our own main courses. The starter (I can't remember the name) was like a crispy taco with "boiled" chicken inside.. No taste whatsoever.. They threw tons of cabbage and spread mayo on top to hide how ugly it looked but it made it worse.. Our main course were Enchiladas and Chicken fajitas.. I had never seen or had fajitas like this in my life.. It was boiled chicken and green peppers wrapped in steamed soggy torilla (it gives me goose bums just thinking of it) plus melted cheese inside that we paid $2.50 extra for.
We are very very easy-going. We eat almost everything and never waste any food but we could not finish it. In fact we ate even less than half !!
Before the server took our almost full plates away, she asked if everything was OK? We said no, we didn't like it.. Instead of asking and finding out our problems and trying to fix it, she said sorry (with a smile) and took them away like she knew deep down that the food was disgusting..
The worst mexican food we've ever had.. -
Review from Davy N.
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was delicious. Service was very very slow.
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Review from Michelle B.
4/2/2009
Hey Don! You're out of Guacamole!
Things happen, I get it, sometimes you run out of the ingredients to make the "Guacamole for two - prepared table side" that I was looking forward to all day.
So, I ordered a glass of horchata (which was huge & delicious) and chicken mole enchiladas (which were more like luke warm chicken tacos with mole sauce on top) and was ready to move on with my life until I realized that you served a garnish of avocado with my meal. What? You have avocados? And you have pico de gallo, and there are a bunch of limes...so what in the what???
Still I moved on because the music was so darn loud that I couldn't wait to get out of there so I could carry on a conversation with myself and avoid the migraine that it may induce.
If I walk by and it's a bit quieter I would give it another shot. It has a lot of promise and they offer things like Sopes and Mulitas so it can't be all bad, plus they have pork roasting on a stick for their Al Pastor tacos and who can pass up meat on a stick?Listed in: Vancouver BC where the grass…
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Review from Pete S.
9/23/2011
semi-authentic mexican at slightly inflated prices. while this place doesn't top the pack, i left feeling satisfied and pleased with the service.
i ordered perhaps the worst margarita of my life and quickly sent it back for a beer. you can't mess up negro modelo. we ordered a dish that came to $41 for two people, which essentially consisted of a giant pile of various mexican meats on a big burner. the meat was delicious, and more than enough food for 2. the presentation left a lot to be desired. -
Review from Steve L.
Victoria, BC
7/12/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Had I written this review a year ago Don would have gotten 0.5 stars, if that was even possible, due to one of the worst customer experiences I've ever had at a restaurant.
But that was then, and this is now. I've been back to Don Guacamole's a number of times since that frightful time and the service has done a complete 180. Friendly, fast, and in no way rushing us off the patio as we enjoyed our cold beers on a hot, sunny day.
Authentic Mexican? I've been to Mexico and the fare at Don Guacamole's was just as good, if not better, then some of the places I ate at south of the border. Their burrito is massive, tasty, and at $10.50 is a great value for your money. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
4/2/2009 1 photo
Ole! I say! An authentic Mexican restaurant on Robson Street? No way! With big screen TVs broadcasting Fox World Sports (looked like soccer to me) and tune-age reminiscent of a tequila sunrise, I knew I was in for a treat.
If your name is Guacamole, I betcha you've got some delicious-o chips and guac on the menu. And yes they did! Too bad they were out of guacamole :-( . But the complimentary salsas and chips reduced the pain.
The tortilla soup was the perfect amount of spice, and topped with feta, helping to mellow it out; funny, it also came with a slice of avocado (isn't that the main ingredient in guacamole?)
Nevertheless, I was easily distracted from that by the tacos (served as singles or in fours) which came with a choice of meats - I was swayed by a slow roasted pork, a little plain, but still tasty.
I most certainly plan on going back soon but hope I can persuade some Mexican friends to join me - maybe they can tell me if the rotisserie (is this the right way of phrasing the metal bar o' pork?) is authentic. -
Review from Reena M.
8/11/2009
4 stars for my food (a burrito)!
The food tasted really delicious and my chicken burrito in verde salsa was quite filling. The chips and salsa in the beginning served at the table were delicious. They serve them with 3 salsas, all of which have a good amount of spice and not catered towards "gringo tongues" which is what some restaurants do. Oh and the horchata was great! It was just creamy enough and cinnamony enough to be perfect!
The restaurant is kind of small so not a good place for a party bigger than 4. Which is unfortunate since I always associate Mexican restaurants with large group gatherings. :(
Some of the dishes weren't very large or filling at all. I can't remember the item that my friend got, but it was 2 small tortillas with meat on it. It was a pretty meager dinner that I thought she ordered from Appies, until she told me that was a main. hmm...
Secondly, I'm way too used to mexican food being served with rice and beans. And I like it that way. Why is everything a la carte these days? Rice and beans are cheap!
Thirdly, their dessert choices are measly too. They've got flan and fresas con crema. My friend asks the server, "What's fresas con crema?"
Server: "Strawberries with whipping cream"
Friend: "Just strawberries and cream???"
Server: "yes"
What?! $9.50 for strawberries and cream? What kind of mexican dessert is that?? And almost $10 for it!? WTF? Are they special strawberries?
So, all in all, while my own experience with this restaurant was pretty good (yummy, filling burrito--couldn't finish the last quarter of it, great chips and salsa--chips from Que Pasa Foods btw, and delicious horchata), It loses a star for being ridiculous with dessert, and having no rice and beans with the mains.
If you want to go to an upscale Mexican restaurant in Vancouver, Zocalo's does it better because their menu is clearer, esp for those who don't speak any spanish. DG's needs to update their menu to be a little more clear as to what we're really ordering (i.e. portion sizes, and strawberries and cream--really??).
I would probably come back here though because it was pretty good. I didn't know they had tortilla soup though! And yes, the wait was really long... but we were 6-8 people so.. obviously we were going to have to wait. -
Review from Andrew F.
Vancouver, BC
7/2/2010 1 photo
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's not fair to pay such ridiculous prices for substandard Mexican food. Don Guacamoles was pretty "meh". While they seem more authentic than Las Margaritas you're still comparing stereotypical Vancouver restaurants to each other. In other words take that flight down south for the real deal.
I went yesterday, and although I know not to base true service on busy holidays the service was okay. We had to put our name in and were waiting at the stand for over 5 minutes. The only reason we eventually got out name in was because I actually pulled someone over. And on top of that we found out they had crossed our name off the list because they thought for some unknown reason that we already had a seat. WTF?
Anyway, the food is most important. The free chips and salsa at the beginning was disappointing. Don needs to take a lesson from Las Margaritas: make your own damn tortilla chips! There was too much dip for too little chips, but that was okay as I found the salsas to be a little flavorless.
I had so much hope for my mango agua fresca but it turned out to taste like, well, mango nectar. Not worth your time.
My main was a massive burrito with roja sauce. I chose the arrachera meat, which was pretty flavorful, but that's where the compliments end. It was mostly lettuce in there. Hardly any rice whatsoever. It just tasted off: like a foreigner's attempt to create the same dish with the correct ingredients but completely missing the mark.
I don't know if I'll go back. They had a meat platter served on a special chafing holder that looked very tasty, but my burrito looked very appetizing before I bit into that one! -
Review from Erin P.
Vancouver, BC
6/16/2011
My first Mexican food experience in Vancouver. I've been afraid to try it for the four years I've lived here.
I have a high standard, I lived in San Diego for 32 years. I was craving a bean and cheese burrito. That's it. With really good refried beans. Needless to say, I'm still searching. This was ok. I didn't hate it. But maybe I just need to try the tacos. I might have ordered the wrong thing. The burrito was HUGE and the green sauce was pretty tasty. Just wasn't what I was craving. -
Review from Keira-Anne M.
Vancouver, BC
1/16/2011
A girlfriend and I went to Don Guacamole's last night for dinner because she'd been wanting to try it for a while and I'm a huge fan of Mexican food. I haven't got much to say because my experience wasn't much great. I've had far better Mexican food in many other places. In fact, I'd rather go to Taco Time than Don Guacamole's.
The service was fine but nothing spectacular and for what the overall experience was, it was hugely overpriced. We each had one (single shot) margarita, one entree each and a shared appetizer and our bill was close to $80 with tax and tip. Absolutely not worth it but I'm sure Mexican food could get worse. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2009 3 photos
I read a review of this one that had said the name reminded them of a character from an Adam Sandler movie.. Sooo true! Every time I see this place I can't help but laugh. It made me want to go.
I was incredibly disappointed. The service was so bad. The hostess or waitresses could see us and wouldn't seat us for the longest time. There were several empty spots so we seated ourselves.
We thought, ok. Maybe it's a seat yourself kind of a place. We waited for 15 minutes and the only service we got were the chips and dips from the George, the barman, behind the counter.
We waited another 10 minutes. Still nothing. I got up and asked for a menu. We gave this look to any server that says 'hey! hello!!' It didn't work until a gentleman came by and took our order.
They forgot my drink and my friends order. My food was cold and the trio of tacos I was served was cold and too be honest a little plain. My friend asked them if they had forgotten her order and they did admit to that.
The most wonderful part of the whole experience, was George. He came up to us and apologized over and over. He said this has been a problem in their restaurant. He was quite upset with the customer service in his place of work and was more than happy to share it. I give him kudos for just being so understanding. He offered us free margaritas. I enjoyed those! MMMmmmm. It was a double, too.
Anyway, I can't tell you how much it meant to us to hear we weren't alone in our thinking.
I will say the music here is so loud! With sports playing on the screen it makes it the perfect mexcian bar lounge .Listed in: The West End
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Review from Brett C.
Toronto, ON
8/14/2009
My never-ending quest for passable Mexican food in Vancouver led to me to Don Guacamole's. It's a rather cramped space, with a large number of two person tables (which means longer waits for parties of three or more).
Because I have been looking for decent Mexican for so long the service (which was fine) is not a concern for me. No, it's all about the food. And it actually was decent. Nothing mind-blowing, but it was good, especially compared to the other Mexican restaurants I have tried (although they still don't have great chips and salsa).
Unfortunately the prices here are ridiculous. I have never seen a plate of meat with mole sauce, rice, and tortillas cost $18, CAN or US dollars.
So while the food is good (for Vancouver), the price is so high that I can't give this place any more than three stars. -
Review from Gersham M.
Vancouver, BC
6/3/2009
Great authentic mexican place on Robson.
Been here a couple times and I do really like it. I'm a traditional taco sort of guy and judge these places by that. The tacos are perhaps a half point behind Salsa and Agave on Pacific but are indeed quite good. The horchata is excellent.
Loses a star for service that can be a bit sporadic, had to wait at the door without acknowledgement for quite some time once. -
Review from Mimi H.
Vancouver, BC
6/30/2009
Stupid name. Serious food.
I have to say, I found very little wrong with my experience at this good intentioned, yet retardedly named restaurant. The first glimmer of good things were seen when we approached...a healthy crowd and lots of Spanish speakers. Is it PC to acknowledge the latter element? Am I an overly sensitive American? I don't know, but in my history, ethnic restaurants that are frequented the native people are usually a notch above.
We waited about 15 minutes and then we were seated at a table that had really nice chair to table height ratio. If you're 5'6" at least. Anyway, for me it made for comfy dining. The service was speedy and we quickly had drinks (solid margaritas, delish horchata) and chips (free, as they should be) on our table. The salsas were tasty and the presentation was nice. The chips were kind of stale, however. We ordered the guacamole and found it to be almost perfect. I like a guac that's really limey and has minimal tomatoes and onions. I ordered the enchiladas, which I always do at new Mexican joints and found them better than average. Only complaint is that the chicken was a bit dry and the bean to rice ratio was off. Mexican joint 101 -- beans and rice in equal measure so you can have a little of each in each bite. Duh.
We were close enough to the kitchen to see a number of items come out that will be on the list for the next visit. The nachos looked ridiculous and there was also an individual meat extravaganza bbq thingy that looked like fun.
All in all, it satisfied this Texan and I'm happy to have it in the hood. -
Review from Paul D.
Vancouver, BC
7/14/2009
Not sure what the hype is all about. While there's nothing particularly wrong with this place, it's not the Mex saviour that it's been made out to be.
I guess I am spoiled by the very high level of service which is common in Vancouver, but the service was average. The food is good but not mind blowingly so. We let the server pick their favourites for us to try so it should have been the good stuff.
Maybe it was a case of elevated expectations . . . I will probably give it a second try as I lurrve Mexican food. -
Review from Carol S.
Whistler, BC
9/22/2011
Worst Mexican food I ever ate !! Disgusting !!!
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Review from Pork Fried Rice C.
4/26/2009
Another Yelp recommendation that I found really helpful !! I love this place and really think it is easily one of Vancouver's best places for Mexican. The service was great and the selections were huge. We ordered the tacos and chicken burrito. If it wasn't for eating at two other Yelp recommended places before Don Guacamole's I would have tried more....lol. I did manage to put away a few Pacifico's before we left though. We sat on the patio and got to enjoy the fantastic weather.
The food was tasty and portions were great. Made me think of the yummy Mexican food in LA and was happy to have found a place.
Thank you Don Guacamole for coming to Vancouver !!! -
Review from tee a.
6/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Prior to going to Mexico, I always thought Las Margaritas was authentic. Thank goodness for Don Guacamoles!
My favorite thing to order there are the tacos. I looove the beef steak and my boyfriend swears by the beef tongue. The nachos there are ridiculously large. Make sure you get the smaller size.
You also get chips and different types of dips to try (complimentary).
I heart! -
Review from Steven S.
9/21/2009
After spending so much time in Mexico, this little gem was a welcome addition to the hood. The food is authentic...any place that has tongue tacos wins my vote. yes service is spotty...it is more like real mexican street food, which is the best. The food is fresh the staff is fun. Yes you may have to wait, but how many of you wait over an hour to get into a over priced crappy nightclub on granville st. It is worth the wait. If your idea of Mexican food is, chain places and tex-mex you may not appreciate it. If you are looking for real Mexican street food in a pleasant setting, give it a try. Via La Tongue Tacos!!!!!!
To the owners of Don's please bring us fish tacos i beg you!!!!Listed in: Best Places to Celebrate…
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Review from Camille R.
Vancouver, BC
5/7/2011
Went here with 6 girlfriends and will not go back. I know it's hard to serve big groups but forgotten food with no apology, 45 minutes for drinks, and a waitress that you can see complaining about you when trying to do something about the problems mentioned above all equated to a bad experience. I won't be going back.
