Garcia's

Restaurant Info:

344 Elmira Road

Ithaca, NY 14850-5104

(607) 277-3600

We went to Garcia's with our friend, Jon, who was visiting from Chicago on a Sunday, right at noon when they first open. Already, there were 3 parties seated before us. Mexican food (especially in upstate NY) can be a hit or miss, in our opinion. Some restaurants serve food that could easily be mistaken for Taco Bell styled-fast food with really simple dishes like tortilla chips in a bowl sprinkled with shredded cheddar. Yuck. Luckily there is Garcia's in Ithaca that offers authentic Mexican food at a very affordable price. It's too bad that a lot of Cornellians don't venture down Rt. 13 to discover this Ithacan gem. For sure, true Ithaca locals know that this is the a place where you can get great service, great food and atmosphere at a very affordable price. 

Located right next to Arby's on Rt 13, this Garcia's location is one of several in central NY (there's six in total). Ithaca's Garcia's occupies a space that used to be a Pizza Hut, so the restaurant's architecture isn't anything special or appealing, but the quality and the amount of food they serve will compensate for sure.

The menu is great, offering varieties of burritos, chalupas (not your Taco Bell ones!), enchiladas, chimchangas, chile relleno, taquitos and much more. What's great is that Garcia's offers many combination dishes that allow you to try several of these items. 

Every visit of course starts out with the complimentary chips and salsa. You get both a "hot" and "mild"salsa. Both are freshly prepared, as our the tortilla chips.

On this particular lunch visit, we were especially hungry, and we decided to get an appetizer: the Mexicana. It came with cheese quesadillas (stuffed with shredded queso blanco), chicken taquitos, and mini beef tacos along with salsa, fresh guacamole, and sour cream.

We were also in the mood for a cool drink on this day, so we ordered a pitcher of frozen strawberry margaritas (the pitcher was good for filling cups like the one below about 6-8 times).

Next came our actual lunches. We each opted for one of the lunch combos (there are about 15 available combos, and each has 3-5 items on it). These come on absolutely HUGE plates, and they are always filled. Among the items we each got were enchiladas, chalupas, chili rellenos, and Mexican rice and beans. Below, you can see a few examples of how large the plates were:

 

Here's our review:

TASTE

Siddharth:

RATING: 8/10

I love the food at Garcia's. I've never been let down by their taste. They make very basic Mexican food that is only minimally Americanized (although I'm sure those native to SoCal/Southwest US/Texas might argue that it's not minimal). Honestly, in my 8 years in NY (half in Ithaca, half in the Albany area), I've never had better Mexican food. The dishes are well-flavored, but not spicy. Everything is always fresh. Their enchiladas are among my favorite, and I really enjoy their fresh hot salsa (although it is not hot). The chili relleno that they offer is prepared in a really nice breading and served with a wonderful, tart and tangy tomato-based sauce, and it is really enjoyable. The Margaritas are made with fresh fruit and are surprisingly good, if not a little scant on Tequila. The food is not prefect though. In some cases, a little extra spice would add to the flavor (adding hot sauce is not good enough!) - I find the beans and rice to be relatively bland. Also, I tried Tricia's tamale on this past visit, and it was not one of the better ones I had. Growing up in Ohio, I fell in love with freshly made tamales from local Mexican places (believe me NYers, Ohio has you beat in Mexican cuisine!). The outside should be really soft with that subtle taste of corn. Garcia's tamale was too thick, not that soft, and not as good as other items that they serve. Overall, taste is great at Garcia's but for those that have a lot of experience with Mexican food, you'll certainly find a few weaknesses.

Tricia:

RATING: 9/10

Garcia's is definitely one of the restaurants that I go to frequently. The food there is authentic and simple, no gimmicks. I had the tamal, a beef burrito and a chalupa, all of which were differently spiced and equally filling. There is nothing spicy unless you request it or add your own hot sauce. In addition to this full plate of food, I ordered a side of chile relleno which I absolutely love and order every single time. The pepper is so tender and the breading holds the pepper so well, and you just see Mexican cheese oozing out of the pepper. I apologize for not taking a photo of this monstrous pepper for you to feast your eyes on. Even their chips are nicely fried in house with accompanying mild and hot salsa! Quite surprising yet delicious.

Menu Selection

Siddharth:

RATING: 8/10

All Mexican places can fall into the trap of being repetitive in their offerings. Meat, lettuce, cheese, sauce, and some carbohydrate based shell, right? Garcia's does well to get past this. While they offer all of the items that a typical Mexican place might (tacos [soft or hard], burrito, chimichanga, etc.), they also offer chili relleno, tamales, fish tacos, and some other less found dishes. For dinner, they also have stews, steaks, and other more authentic dishes. As far as the drinks went, they had a decent range of tequilas to make the Margaritas (Cuervo to 1800 and Sauza), but not a huge selection. You can go to frequent Garcia's for 4 years (as I have!) and not get bored. I consider this a major plus for a Mexican place in Ithaca.

Tricia:

RATING: 9/10

The menu is not at all complicated but there are several variations of dishes you can order (i.e. burrito, enchilada or taco? beef, chicken or seafood?) Because of the choices, it can be quite overwhelming but that's why Garcia's combination plates are great, you can have a whole plate of everything. You will never find yourself saying "there's nothing I want," guaranteed.

AMBIANCE

Siddharth:

RATING: 7.5/10

It's an old Pizza Hut with some Mexican posters and cheap decor on the wall. It get's crowded relatively easily. And yet, we've never had an uncomfortable meal here. Beyond the waitstaff, the hostess and bus service are extremely friendly and attentive, and this actually adds to the ambiance - which is, a nice, clean local places with smiling faces. It's not fancy dining, but it's comfortable and it's the type of place you can go for lunch or dinner without any qualms.

Tricia:

RATING: 8.5/10

The restaurant itself is a bit rundown inside and outside because it was a Pizza Hut. However, there are 2 flat screen TVs playing either a soccer match or a soap opera from Telemundo. But if you're not into what's playing, you can enjoy the upbeat Mexican traditional music. The restaurant can use a little updating with interior decoration and seating.

SERVICE

Siddharth:

RATING: 9.5/10

The service is always great. As I mentioned, the hosts and bus service are polite and helpful. The waitstaff is equally good here. They are quick and efficient and never rude. I've never had a bad experience here. Possibly the friendliest restaurant in Ithaca.

Tricia:

RATING: 9/10

Great service! Our waitresses are always nice, brings our food pretty quickly and you can request unlimited salsa and chips!

VALUE

Siddharth:

RATING: 9/10

Garcia's recently increased their prices, which I suppose is understandable in this day of $4+ for a gallon of gas. Still, the combo plates are only $10 (they used to be $8), and you get a ton of food. The lunch specials, which are not small, range from $5.95 to $8.95. Dinner is equally well-priced here, with the most you'll pay being $15, and this would feed an army realistically (for those of you interested in a lot of food, try El Combo - It's too big, but so good, and I never leave anything on the plate!). More reasonably sized entrees start at $10.95. The only reason I didn't give Garcia's a 10/10 for value is because I thought that the Maragarita did not have enough tequila to justify being $16 a pitcher (the size was good, but it could have used about 2 more shots).

Tricia:

RATING: 10/10

Bang for your buck for sure! The combination plates are $10 and their specialty plates are about $15-$17. Siddharth never leaves anything on his plate and he usually orders the largest combo plate there is, but even he can never fully finish his plate at Garcia's. You will not leave hungry or unsatisfied!

Garcia's ranks as one of our favorite and most reliable eating destinations in Ithaca. You can't miss this place if you're in the area!