Gina's Mexican Cafe in Nanaimo

A cute little Mexican restaurant. I love Mexican food. Ive travelled to Mexico many times and this is not very authentic. I was really excited to see chili rellenos on the menu. This is not chilli relenos. This is a stuffed pepper with only cream cheese. Chilli relenos are roasted poblano peppers stuffed with meats and/or cheeses and coated in an egg batter and fried. This is literally a pepper with cream cheese. I scraped most of the cream cheese off because who wants a huge tablespoon of cream cheese in a bite. The rice is fine, corn bland. My son who LOVES fish did not like the fish taco. He picked all the fish off, I will reiterate he loves fish and is not a picky eater. My husband liked his dinner because he loves anything covered in cheese lol! Had I not been so hungry I would have said something but we were starving. It was mediocre at best. The vibe is cute. Prices reasonable. If it was more $$ I would have been a bit upset. We lived in the area for 5 years and always wanted to try it. Glad we did, but wont be back. Im really surprised its been open so long, I make much better Mexican food at home.

Fun and good food.

If you are looking for a nice Mexican style meal this is the place for you. I have been here a few times with friends Everyone always gets a great meal. That staff are very attentive. They are always popping by your table to make sure everything is good and you have what you need. Go in and enjoy a great time here!!!! Vegetarian options: They have Vegan options as well

Brilliant! Sangria. Ceviche. Churros. All perfectly prepared and presented. Quite a gem in a slightly run down part of town.

Best Mexican spot in Nanaimo for a vegan. Very accommodating, and they have good Mexican food overall too, friend liked the shrimp.

Been going to Ginas for years. They never disappoint! Cant go wrong. Its all delicious. Food

Good chimichanga

I loved it! I HIGHLY recommend it!!

Every time we return we find new things to enjoy , the quality of the food is very high. The view is very nice and gives great atmosphere vibe. Highly recommend Food

Dietary restrictions: Husband is celiac, they were excellent. Just let your server know in advance. They are very aware of which items are gluten-free, and those which can be modified on the menu. Food

Excellent Food, great service and amazing location. Vegetarian options and well priced too.

Great!

The restaurant has a cool little vibe. Service wasnt bad. Food was so bland and did not taste like authentic Mexican food. I had flautas, corn, refried beans and a grilled chicken soft taco. Beans were very old tasting, flautas were not good, and the grilled chicken tasted like rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. The chips and dip they give you for free just tasted like no name tortilla chips. Rating the whole experience 4/10. Would not go back again if Im ever visiting Nanaimo again.

On a scale from one restaurant Ginas gets a 3...Beans were dry and unflavored...My daughters meal was not worth the price we paid...Not authentic and not recommended

Food was really good, told waitress I liked it spicy and she made sure to bring out a whole bunch of hot sauces! Had the fish tacos made gluten free with corn tacos and house salad. Meal was amazing, and THAT SALAD DRESSING- OMG! Partner had the Chipotle dinner, he really enjoyed it! Service was really good, waitress really knew all the dishes when we had questions and was very friendly. Will be back again soon!

i loved this place the food was fantastic! i had the beef delgados they were epic!

Large portions and delicious food

The worst Mexican food I ve ever had, by a mile! The waitress didn t understand what was meant by a beef, street taco. All they had was ground beef with cheese or a steak fajita but no carne asada or barbacoa. The taco s were void of sustenance & flavour. The ground beef was a very odd shape & texture. It was like a dark brown/black sand. The beans and rice, flavourless. I m sure I remember this spot being popular and delicious, years ago. Not sure what happened?!

Vegetarian options: Enchilada with salsa verde Food

Ginas is a long-time favourite and never disappoints. The food is always fresh and delicious.

Delicious food and an excepcional service. Thank you for the experience.

Liberal love it

The best Mexican food in town! We ordered online and it came to us on time, still super hot and it came from quite far, we ordered the Navajo and the portions are large and super worth it with such a good price. The flavours were absolutely incredible and it s hands down the best Mexican food in the city. We also ordered the churros with salted caramel dip. The churros were crunchy and sweet with the perfect flavour and texture and the dip was super good too. We can t wait to order again! 10/10

Unfriendly staff & owners, wouldnt eat again

Excellent food, great service and we got a place with a breathtaking view!

Very beautiful place! Excellent service and lunch was delicious!

Great little place with amazing food.

Great food and Mexican decor . Staff are friendly . Parking isnt great .

Lovely colours all around the grey Nanaimo area. Tasty food and I can see myself trying other dishes when I come back to Nanaimo

This was our first Mexican meal since leaving Arizona. The margaritas were okay. I had the chicken mole and it was good, but it was weird on to get refried beans. Others had fish tacos and they liked them as well.

I don t usually post reviews, but a Table of people came after us and got served their food. We ended up not even getting our orders after an hour of waiting. I would ve been okay with slow service, but the fact that the other table got served before us, finished their food, paid and left the restaurant, leads me to believe there is a more malicious(racism?) intent behind it.

Gina s is an absolute must stop for anyone who truly enjoys food. Great staff, cold drinks and fantastic eats have been (and continue) a staple in this Island gem. Portion size is ample enough for the heartiest of appetites. Keep being awesome Gina s

(Updated after the reply) They said it only took 15 mins to prepare. - That s not true!! We are waited our food one hour and we left without food eventually. The server said they are plating our food but when we went to the kitchen later, still food was not ready. The table behind us who ordered their food around same as us got their food but also paid and left. The restaurant was not busy at all at that time. When we left, the cashier said nothing to apologize but laughed at us. We were the only ethic people at the restaurant and we all agreed to feel discrimination. I cannot even believe that they don t admit their fault and lied to us again Food was not ready at all!!! We waiting over one hour. Why do we have to pay the bill even though we didn t get food? . .. . !!

Delicious little Mexican restaurant, very nice staff. Was stuffed when I left.

Food was lacking flavor I needed to ask for lines salt and hot sauce to add flavor :( corn seemed like it was canned ? Bummer I expected to much I think

Long wait and mediocre Mexican food. Was excited to see pozole on the soup of the day and was shocked that the hominy was not cooked and other than that sitting in the bottom of a bowl of water there was some spring mix and a ton of onions with a couple crumbles of corn chip on top. The hominy was literally uncooked. I had to send it back. I also mentioned I have a gluten and dairy allergy and my food came out with cheese melted over the top. After waiting almost an hour for food to come, this was super disappointing.

Cute and cozy with delicious food. Staff was super friendly, adding to an already great dining experience. Definitely going back.

This place is so fun and unique! Id definitely visit again! The food was amazing and the portions of food were very generous.

North of the 49th but with a feel like you are on the west coast of Mexico! We all enjoyed authentic tasting Mexican food and drinks, service was attentive and fast, but never felt rushed. If you cant fly south, head here for a tasty meal.

Love the food with a big portion ,the service and the place.

Tried Mexican food for the first time and loved it. Parking: Limited parking available Food : 5/5 |

Always delicious

This was the worst Mexican food I have ever eaten. The enchiladas were made with ground beef not shredded or pulled beef. The menu said encheladas were wrapped in a tortilla. There was a stale 4 inch diameter tortilla under the ground beef and what appeared to be tomato past with no spice or seasoning. The refried beans had a skin on them. The rice was almost crunchy. I had to pay 1 dollar for a tablespoon of sour cream which should have come with the enchilada. I had to wait 10 mins for my pint of beer which was a short pour and had way to much head on it. I was seated near a boarded up fire place and the waitresses kept the condiments and napkins on the mantle and kept reaching over my head from behind to get stuff for other tables. I will definitely never go there again, and will tell my friends and family the same. The only thing that made the over priced lousy food worth payin for was the lesson learnt. DO NOT GO THERE ITS NOT WORTH IT

Maybe it was an off night. The food took nearly an hour to come and was dry. Rice had crunchy bits in it like it wasnt cooked all the way. Idk, like I said maybe it was an off night so Ill give them the benefit of the doubt. Staff was very friendly and did a great job. Loved the atmosphere too. We couldnt finish our food, and I grew up eating mexican.

This place isnt a full on 1 star experience, but it isnt good at all. The food is definitely not authentic (whats up with the corn?? Everything is corn?) and isnt any kind of quality for what it is. I sincerely hope they dont actually use microwaves for anything but the more I see that word in these reviews I find it increasingly an inescapable reality. Its kind of like what a Canadian whos never been to Mexico imagines what mexicans eat, priced like a fine dining experience, and with basically 0 seasoning. I just cant see a reason to eat the food here at all. Service was ok tho, seems like a fun place to maybe get a drink with a friend or something.

Service was the best service I ve had in a long time. Super awesome with recommendations and explanations of the menu items. Will definitely be back!

Nice place, good service, great food. You should try the chipotle dinner. The margaritas are definitely something you don t want to miss!

Food is great. The place is amazing. Makes me feel like I am in a Disney movie with how colourful it is.

Pretty good food. The sangrias were okay not much fruit inside the drinks.

Love this place! Pretty authentic Mexican cuisine. (Just spent 6 months in Mexico so I have a decent reference). Best part for us is that they have vegan and vegetarian options. Vegetarian options: They use vegan cheese options.

We were recommended Gina s by our B&B host and it didn t disappoint. Really welcoming , family friendly and delicious food.

Food was appropriately authentic. Service was poor, far too long to wait for our server, and for server to check in with us. Ordered a drink, thought it tasted weird, found out afterward wasnt the type of liquor in my mix drink I had requested because they were out of stock, so substituted without asking me. Restaurant is in an old converted house, so odd layout, and quite cramped. Sorry, not for me.

Went to Ginas for lunch with a friend. Ordered a chicken burrito and was disappointed with what I received. This is NOT authentic Mexican food. The serving was huge but the flavour just wasnt there. I also ordered a virgin margarita - also almost flavourless. Its unlikely that Ill return.

Great little spot for a quick bite.

Always a great experience at Ginas

The food was absolutely incredible! Came out quick too even though it was busy, I definitely recommend checking it out!

What a treat!

This place was fire, coming in from provincial track meet, delicious and filled us up.

Excellent service and food. A must go to if visiting Nanaimo

This place has a good view and you always kinda look at it when you drive by too. The service was wonderful and the atmosphere is amazing. Food was under whelming for Mexican flavors, it felt a little bland. It fits for the demographic of the region, but definitely not amazing Mexican food. Also decent Gluten free options, Definitely worth a visit maybe a couple of times to get a real taste their menu offers.

Dumbed down mexican food. I dont recommend the fajitas. They come pre made and are pretty boring. Its not very good value at all. Kinda dried out sides. Margaritas are from a mix. Food : 3/5

They have the best food ever. So much flavour. We had the Chipotle chicken meal and Quesadilla with a side of salsa, guacamole, salsa and chips. It was the best meal I have ever eaten. Hands down

Good food

Just popped in for some appys and drinks. Had Quesadilla and Shrimp Flautas... very good

Loved this little restaurant. Great food and service. I learned this place has been an institution for many years, and I can see why. Just great hospitality.

Shrimp ceviche was the saddest ceviche. Not sure why they would call it ceviche, it had olives, was super dry, and didn t taste like it even had limes. Margarita on ice was warm as it wasn t mixed at all..? Service was good though. Edit. Don t call it ceviche. Ice melted within 5min of getting the drink, and the bottom of the drink was warm. Aka drink wasn t chilled with the ice, instead, a few ice cubes were dropped in, that s not how cocktails are made.

So disappointed.....i mean i shouldve known when they said the margaritas were pre mixed.... this isnt mexican its Mexi-cant

Having tried several Mexican restaurants, this is THE best of all. The Adobe dish has been our favorite, and the enchilada.... simply incredible!! We will surely return

Great service, great atmosphere, but the food was really disappointing, particularly the chicken tacos, which were just thick slices of unseasoned chicken breast with unseasoned chopped veggies and melted cheese in a soggy corn tortilla. I m not an expert in Mexican cuisine but it was really surprising that a Mexican restaurant would think this passes as a chicken taco. Same experience for another guest at our table who ordered a chicken burrito, and a third guest who had a shrimp taco was similarly underwhelmed by the quality and flavour of the taco. Really disappointing as previous meals at this restaurant were very good.

We had Ginas food delivered. The chipotle dish with shrimp and fish was good but the Coriander shrimp was unbeatable. Seriously, this could be one of my favourite dishes in Nanaimo. I have ordered it before and they must have been running out of sauce so it was on the dry side. Tonight-saucy, tasty, creamy, and big, fresh shrimp in just the right proportions! Outstanding. If you ever have to close down Ginaplease, please warn me-I need this recipe on a cellular level! Dietary restrictions: The gluten free coriander shrimp is outstanding. I can actually eat something good from a restaurant. Thank you for creating this rice dish.

Love this place. Get the Adobe.

Awesome food

We absolutely enjoyed the food and loved the colorful theme of the restaurant. The staff was wonderful!

My fav place for Latin food in d city.. the staff is great.. service is quick and food is delicious!! Their virgin strawberry mojito and fruit Sombrero are a must try

Great food, solid service, though the space is a bit too cramped for my liking. That being said, it s a staple in Nanaimo. Check it out!

Every time I visit my home town Nanaimo, I must go to Gina s. It is my favourite restaurant hands down. Always delivers. Chicken chipotle is my favourite entree. Definitely the best restaurant in the city. Food : 5/5

It would be a crime to give anything less than five stars. Feels like eating a delicious home cooked meal. I m so impressed, and I will absolutely be ordering delivery again. Thank you so much!

One of the worst meals I ve had in a long time. I ordered the chicken burrito and it is just chicken wrapped in a white flour tortilla with a can of tomato sauce poured on top, nothing else in the burrito. The sides were beans and what tasted like barely warmed can of corn annd the whole plate was over seasoned with pepper. Would not recommend.

This was my first time at a Mexican restaurant and I really enjoyed it. A small restaurant with a pleasant and cheerful atmosphere and delicious food) And the Strawberry Margarita is absolutely delicious, I m writing about Margarita and can already taste it) I ll come again and again)

Absolutely love this place hands down one of my favourite places to eat! I will forever come back here, the food is always delicious, hot & they have everything you can imagine.

Such a cool place and very good Mexican food! Kid-friendliness: They had a colouring contest for the kids when we were there. Food : 5/5 |

Dietary restrictions: You had one guest that suffers with celiac. And you all accommodated professionally. Your $8.00 margarita special whats a delight. Cheers from Prince George B.C. Food : 5/5 | Service

You can feel in a true Mexican restaurant for the atmosphere, but the food isn t that Mexican at all, its more like the typically American Tex-Mex food. I really recommend this place! From a Mexican couple Food : 4/5

A funky cornerstone of Nanaimos unique cuisine scene. Quality and zazz has slid south last few years. However still a must dine when passing through gateway to Van Isle.

such a beautiful atmosphere and absolutely lovely. the food was delicious, we got chicken soft tacos and a chicken wrap that we could not get enough of. cannot reccomend enough. overall, a great experience and will be visiting again!

Perched up a hill in Nanaimo gives a wonderful view. Staff are friendly...ish. The food is good, but I feel is lacking. The nachos are average, but the drinks were fabulous :). Hopefully it gets a spark and improves because it has such good potential.

Great little hidden gem. We went with a big group on fairly short notice, and they did a great job with the food and drinks. Everything was fantastic l.

We were a group of 16 so we had the side room all to ourselves. Loved the look of the place. They call themselves tacky but I loved it. The cheese enchiladas and the blended margaritas were delicious. The portions were generous and the service was fantastic. Recommended for sure

Gina s finally !!! Nice and quirky spot !! Pink does suit the lovely vibrant vibe inside Even the simplest of things like the chips and dip you get on your table is great !! We ordered a few enchiladas and adobo and a prawn item that we loved! Jarritos to compliment with the food was great too !! Great option in the downtown area :)

Great food, friendly and hardworking staff. Really adorable interior and beautiful views. Some of the best Mexican food in Nanaimo in my opinion! Value is reasonable as well! Parking: Parking lot is a bit small so come prepared, but there is parking along the side roads. Not too big of an issue.

I ve had too many margaritas in Palm Springs and I m in a Mexican restaurant explaining to someone how great Gina s is

The staff and service were excellent, but this is hands down the worst Mexican food (and meal in general) that I ve ever had. The chicken in the tacos seemed boiled and there was zero seasoning! The rice and corn seemed like they were from the frozen food aisle. The beans were overly salty and had a strange taste. To top it off, the prices are very high considering it s 2 tacos. The only remotely tasty part was their guacamole.

Coziest place in town. Feels warm in the winter and like a party on summer evenings. I know owner is a great employer and they make killer margaritas!

Excellent food in a fun atmosphere (its inside an old house). The free salsa and chips they bring to your table are home made and to die for. The only issue is that the place is so popular that it can be hard to get a seat. Great date spot. Parking: Very limited free parking spots for the restaurant itself. Prepare to park in the pay parking lot just a half block down the street.

Unfortunately our usual mexican restaurant, Jalapenos Mexican on Wakesiah was closed so we decided to try Gina s.. really disappointing service Food was also very underwhelming for mexican. I would not come back nor recommend this restaurant to anyone..

Always the best! Best Mexican food and Margaritas in the Island The staff are very friendly and accommodating.

Worst Mexican restaurant in all Canada. Seriously. Im from Mexico and I never going back to this place, Rice under cook, chicken has less flavor, and the waiting time to be served is almost 40 min. Owner, you need to adequate your restaurant because the kitchen capacity is obviously not enough for all the people, and of course you have so many tables that is difficult to walk. BUT, The worst thing is that corn side to every dish, we Mexicans do not eat like this, I never saw this is my life, maíz ni que fuera puerco. And I really think that corn comes for a can.

Always welcoming to our big group! Ordering is always easy with super friendly employees. This Mexican food tastes amazing. Tried the special chocolate churro dessert...I will be dreaming of it until we are able to return Thank you for one of the best restaurants in Nanaimo Vegetarian options: I am a vegetarian & eat fish & always have a hard time choosing what to order

Best Mexican food around by far. Also very reasonable prices. Fun location and great atmosphere

Ginas never fails for great food and service. They also have enough gluten free meals to make one feel like youre actually choosing a dinner instead of taking the only thing on the menu that you can eat. Expect a noisy experience but this is part of the charm. This restaurant is filled with happy diners.

We love Ginas! We visit every time we are in Nanaimo! Kid-friendliness: Coloring pages, chips and salsa. Friendly staff Food : 5/5 |

Vegetarian options: Two or three vegetarian options. Food

Decent food but rude and unenthusiastic service. More than half the tables empty but the waitresses appeared to be too busy and uptight. Also, not truly vegetarian or vegan options in the menu. If you are strictly lacto-vegetarians, stay away from their salads. The dressing has eggs in it. If this was mentioned in their menu, we would have never ordered it. When we realized after eating and pointed out to the waitress, she aggressively argued with us about the true definition of vegetarianism and that it was our fault for not knowing!!! Your menu is not clear enough and you are arguing with and insulting your customers? Definitely not coming back here!

It was a light airy place. The food was good the service was good. The margaritas were great.

Fantastic place with great food! Service is top notch, which is much appreciated at a time where I ve found many restaurants lacking. Gina s is doing a wonderful job and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great time with fantastic food!! I ll be back! Food

Excellent place with very friendly staff

Wow this place is totally recommended I had the abode dish, which was chicken, rice, mini quesadilla bites and corn. At first the portion didnt look like it was fill my hunger I was wrong it was so tasty and filling I love it , definitely a come back and try out this amazing menu. And truly Authentic Mexican food at its finest, well at least I think the flavors that come with it were Top big menu Atmosphere was chill and the service was great I truly appreciate that, that and the food will always bring me back for seconds the dessert was on point, really good and something Ive never had before so that was a great experience. Really cant say enough bout this restaurant. Go and check it put all the emojis on this 1 lol Parking: Tight

Good food

Went to have dinner at Ginas and we liked it. Mexican food is always a comfort food for us. Location has a chill-vibe as it looks like a house and coverted into a restaurant. Its located very near the maffeo sutton park. And it is bus accessible...

Its in the top 5 of great places in Nanaimo to eat, drink and relax, I dont go as much as Id like too...always a Fantabulous experience!!!

Really good mexican food and great salzas. The Service was attentive and friendly. But the best thing is the wonderful ambiance and the magnificent view, because the restaurant is on a small hill and has many windows.

Big portion sizes and the food was pretty good too! The staff was quite friendly. I liked how homey and cozy the place was.

The menu isn t big yet it doesn t have to be. They make great food and hot sauce is not bad. I love their margaritas. Jimmy Buffett would be proud.

pretty disappointing Mexican food. The service was good and the vibe of the place was amazing. The burrito was just chicken and cheese and the beans and rice were stale. The Margaritas were good, but overall, this place is not worth the price. I ve had a lot of Mexican food across North America and this place falls short.

Ive been going to Ginas since 2004. Ive never once had a bad experience. Food and drinks are amazing. Highly recomend anyone to check them out. Its a busy little place but worth it.

Ordered takeout. The food was filling but low on flavor.

Most authentic Mexican experience on the island that Ive had, from the vibrant colors to the food options. Also one of the best margaritas around. Definitely worth it, especially at the affordable price point.

Felt like an authentic Mexican cafe. Good food but a bit pricey. Nice cozy vintage ambience.

Numerous miscommunications. Added an item to our bill we didnt order, almost refused to take it off. Just very poor all-round.

Everything was nasty. Did not have a good dinner. Carrots were not peeled. Chicken Taco soup. The shrimp rolls yuck. Olives in the shrimp. Everything yuck

Update: Ginas is still as lovely as it was three years ago (and in-between as well). Today, I learned that the strawberry margarita is my most favourite drink in the world. This restaurant is a colourful and delicious getaway in the middle of an otherwise grey and dreary town. There is a fair selection of beers, both Mexican and local, and a nice variety of original and fusion Mexican dishes. There are also plates such as the Navajo that combine multiple food items and are sure to leave even the hungriest person satisfied. What else? The dessert is good and the atmosphere is cheerful and friendly. Nuf said!

Gross packaged food ... NOT authentic.

Yummy food, nice traditional flavours, kind service. Really cool atmosphere. I was really happy with the dairy free options

AMAZING AND DELICIOUS FOOD! My new favourite restaurant in all of Nanaimo! The flavours are devine and each dish has multiple samples fantastic foods. Large portions. Lovely family friendly environment. And has Vegan alternatives. Would give 10 stars if I could.

Good food. Small portions for the price. Service kinda sucks. The waiters are very rushed, dont take the time to fully talk to you if you need something.

Looked like a fun place but the sides (rice, and beans) were very disappointed and wish you got a bit more of the main dish service wasn t the best either

I went for Mexican on the waterfront...not good. They didnt have strawberry margaritas and a lot of their stuff was too spicy for me. I went to Ginas and it was awesome!! Better atmosphere, food, and drinks. I had 2 strawberry margaritas. Recommended dishes

Overpriced, underwhelming mexican. Nothing tasted fresh or authentic. Will not be back.

Authentic Mexican in the heart of Nanaimo, great experience.

The pitcher of margaritas will get you lit. Food is not that great. I had the Navajo and everything sort of tasted the same. My partner got the prawn tacos and they were tiny little shrimps and barely were any in the taco.

Great food with a nice view if you get lucky! Parking: Not a lot space for parking, so got to get lucky or park down the street. Food : 5/5 |

Delicious food. A tacky but friendly place, as advertised Food

Best Mexican in town

Such a nice and classic place , Authentic mexican food, just loved it Highly reccommended for mexican food Customer service was super good Had great experience Thanks for your service hope to visit again

Delicious food! Good vegan options.

Gina s does not even hold a candle to Baby Salsa s. I ve ordered from Gina s 3 times now because I thought maybe the cook was having a bad day; ordered beef taco salad and beef quesadilla all 3 times. Taco time, Taco Bell quality and pretty disappointing taste as I love Mexican

Great Mexican food! Great service!

This is simple done so exceptionally well. That ain t no easy undertaking. Hands Down the best Mexican Experience I have had to date. Much gratitude for what you are creating here.

I absolutely love this place, the atmosphere, the food, and of which you get a great portion. It has the best house-made salsa, and you get to have it free with chips

Oh man. What a cozy little place for some EXCEPTIONALLY good food. Would rate this place 6/5 if I could. The family that owns and works at this place is so polite and nice, and man, can they ever cook. Cant say it enough. Off the charts delicious.

A charming family favourite. ...Skip the ceviché

They dont use actual lime juice in their margaritas, just cordial, and the food has so seasoning. Zero. I asked for a quesadilla and the server said it be jalapeno and cheese. Thats literally all it was! I added chicken and it was a plan grilled chicken breast... Absolutely no seasoning. Fun cute place, service was great. But Ive never had food so bland served straight faced.

Everytime is great

Service was rushed and rude. Food was fine. Server was condescending and pushy to my friend.

Consistently a great experience :)

This place is excellent. Great setting, staff, and food.

I was really looking forward to trying out this restaurant. Mexican food is my favourite! The reviews were good and it came recommended by friends. They must have been having a bad night as the food and drinks were awful. The margaritas tasted watered down and were served in a wine glass. I had shrimp enchiladas which were just ok but the beans were not cooked enough and the rice was tasteless. The staff and service was good but Im so sorry to say that our party of six was beyond disappointed with our experience. None of us will be going back. We go to concerts at the Port Theatre at least once a month as a group and were hoping this night be a favourite pre-concert dining place but sadly, we will not be dining here.

Will return

Good food, nice service and a cool, eclectic vibe.

Always amazing. Great service.

The worst Mexican food I ve ever had - don t be fooled by the aesthetic and 4 star rating Beans, rice, corn, enchiladas and stuffed chili peppers were all so dry and bland. Alot of reviews say the same thing about the quality especially for the price! The enchiladas had little to no sauce on them they were instead covered in dry beans? When we asked for extra salsa or sauce to fix it, because there was nothing, they said we don t do that anymore . Corn tasted like it came out of a can. Stuffed chili peppers were a cube of cream cheese inside a soggy pepper. Oh and when getting our bills, one of the staff knocked over a pitcher of water on my friend and instead of saying sorry they said well, at least its only water

The food was really amazing the only thing is I wish there were more options. The service was immaculate she was super nice and recommended options. But the best of all was the atmosphere it s in a nice scenic location and they have designed the place very well. All and all this place was amazing and I recommend visiting it.

Parking: 3 parking spots for the whole restaurant Food

Always our go to whole in Nanaimo for a tasty and reasonably priced meal. Vegetarian options: The burrito I ordered had spinach, tofu for protein. Parking: I would guess 8-10 spots very near the stairs to the entrance.

Great food and best service. Good job. Will be back soon. Food

Beautiful, i liked it! The coconut margarita was very, very good!

Great Mexican food and the price is reasonable. Excellent margaritas

DELICIOUS vegan options and lots of them!! A favourite for my husband and I! Adorable little restaurant!

Always delicious food and amazing service! I never get a picture of the food because I m too busy digging in.

Always amazing food and even better service when we come here. Best Mexican food, North of the 49th and a must go to when ever I am in Nanaimo! Food

2nd time Ive been there. First time was over 30 years ago! Place still looks the same and food was still amazing!!

Excited to have a nice meal I began to ask the waiter who seated us to bring Guacamole and chips please. He said yes and This order was forgotten. Instead I got a very small bowl of chips and pico. The lovely waitress came and after ordering some Coronas we asked some questions about a vegetarian fajitas. We had called ahead and asked if we could have the fajitas made vegetarian. We were told we could order that and it would be no problem. The waitress came back and said the fajitas would have peppers and spinach. I was a little disappointed that there would be no onions or mushrooms etc. The fajitas came already rolled and ready, not steaming and ready to be made. No mention was made of the cheese and I did not expect it and did not pull the fajita apart to check. When I took a bite. The spinach was raw and the peppers maybe 4 slivers at the most were mixed with so much unexpected cheese. I asked her please bring me 2 fajitas with no cheese. The fajitas arrived again not hot,instead barely warm. They had little or no flavors. And again the spinach was not even cooked and the peppers were barely cooked. I have had fajitas in many places and even at Gina s in the past. This was a very disappointing experience.

Went back to Gina s again and the experience was amazing! Food was good and our waitress Farin was great, she was super helpful with our dietary restrictions. Coming back soon.

This place is fantastic! Quicky, unique, and fabulous. I first ate here in 2018 when visiting Nanaimo and put it on my priority list when i returned in 2023. Staff are awesome, food is delicious, and the decore is funky. They had great gluten free options for a celiac like me. Perched a top a cliff right in downtown Nanaimo, this is a MUST TRY! Highly Recommended. Dietary restrictions: Gluten Free options were available. Was able to eat here as a celiac Parking: Downtown Nainaimo is so lovely, park anywhere close by and walk over Kid-friendliness: Id bring my kid here