Don Guacamole’s

I heard good things about this place so I thought I’d check it out.
The place and the atmosphere in there seems reasonably nice.
Food is definitely not what I was expecting. Everything that we ordered was different from what you would typically get. The best part about the food was the complementary salsa. We ordered tacos and they were … so so.
Service was also lacking. It looked like the waitress had no idea what she was serving, let alone give you a recommendations on the food. They ended up charging me twice on my credit card and that took some time and disappointing calls to get that resolved; but this can happen so it is fine.
It’s an okay place to visit and have snacks, but if you’re hungry and are expecting some delicious goodies I would consider some place else.

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.

Delicious! That is what I have to say…
I was a dreading going to this place after all the bad reviews, but my friends and I were in the mood for Mexican on a Saturday night before 7pm.
The service was good, the food was good.
It was three of us, and we got a table right away.
We were served chips and three types of salsa right off the bat. Green and red salsa and pico de gallo.
The tortilla chips were fresh and the salsas were the right accompaniment. We had three refills of chips along with salsa, so we did not go hungry while we waited for our food.
Our starter was the guacamole, and it was divine. Not spicy, which for me it’s a bonus, as I cannot do spicy. It came in two halves of an avocado.
For our main course, we all ordered a burrito (my friend and I shared the vegetarian), and they were massive! Full of good veggies and drizzled with salsa and cheese.
Our male friend had a chicken burrito and he said it was really good. He could not finish it, as it was so big.
The three of us also shared the pulled pork meat platter that came with warm tortillas and black refried beans.
The pork was soooo good. It had a hint of cinnamon, or some spice that is similar, it was succulent and great with the tortillas. It reminded me of the flavor of pork when you have tamales.
The table was cleared frequently when we were done with our food, and our server was attentive and friendly.
I will definitely go back for the pork meal and I will recommend to my friends.

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 décor is nice and the service is fine. The place just kinda lacks that special something that would make me want to go back.

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 :)

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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. Adiós Don Guacs, it’s been fun.

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 ¾ 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.

* 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:
and close-​up of the stars:
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:


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!

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.

Don Guacamole’s has improved A LOT over the last year.
If you swore never to return after visiting last year and being snubbed by a server, consider giving them a second chance. The service we’ve received in the last few months has been super-​friendly, attentive and fast.
The food here has always been reliably delicious and more authentic than most other Mexican places in Vancouver. I don’t find it terribly expensive, definitely a better value than Los Margeritas, and I find the ambiance much less fake and pretentious.
Overall, well done Don Guacamole!

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!

I’ve been back to Don Guacamole’s twice already. Today I paid them a visit with my two young sons. They love horchata, so it was easy getting them on board.
What I’ve noticed after three visits is that the tacos are awesome every time. The service has been good and I’ve enjoyed the atmosphere too.
I’ll be in TJ again on Tuesday and will definitely be stopping in at Tacos El Gordo on Constitucion to enjoy their tacos al pastor and tacos carne asada. When I return, I’ll visit Don Guacamole’s again to compare the tacos more closely. I visited several taco joints in LA and Vancouver (since I was in Tijuana last) and I found all but one disappointing. I think DG’s is in the same league as the tacos down in TJ, but a back-​to-​back comparison is in order.

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.

Walked in to a packed house of Mexican international students let out after school. Loud, clubby music. Big open kitchen/​bar area where the chefs serve up sizzling tortas and other authentic Mexican goodies.
Started off with a complimentary (I think) trio of salsa and jalapeño, habanero dips and chips. There was a $ 1.50 extra charge on my bill that I’m not sure was it was for. It’s well worth the $ 1.50, but I don’t appreciate non-​gratuitous items being placed on my table without being told of it.
However, I fell head over heels in love with the Al Pastor torta — a slow roasted pulled pork sandwich. The meat was delicious, the bread was just a touch crispy from frying but still soft and warm on the inside, and the melted layer of cheese with a crispy edge put the whole thing over the top. Plenty of fresh cilantro and onions inside as well.
Also tried the Mexican sausage quesadilla — mixed feelings about it. I couldn’t quite place the taste. the texture reminded me of corned beef though.
I don’t have much experience with Mexican, but this place seems like the real deal. Right now, it’s definitely my preferred place for Mexican in downtown.

Olé! 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.