Javier’s Cantina and Grill

El gerente tiene un pene pequeno.

Went here for the first time with a group of six. Overall we all very much enjoyed Javier’s, and my wife and I will certainly add this place to our restaurant rotation.
Starting with the food: This is upscale Mexican food, or dare I say «gourmet» Mexican. Every member of our party enjoyed their food. The chips and salsa were good; I especially liked the salsa, nice flavor, some heat, could have been more spicy for my taste, but I did enjoy. We skipped appetizers. I had the Poblano Enchiladas, and found the mole very nice and subtle. Portion size was very adequate (I was full by end of dinner), and beans and rice were quite good. One member of our party had the garlic shrimp and raved about them. Another member had steak tacos, made with very high quality steak. I also liked that the menu had a lot of choices beyond typical «burritos, tamales, and tacos». I am not clear what other reviewers’ definition of «authentic» would be, but to me this was pretty authentic Mexican food, with of course a little twist here and there.
Next the location: This is a very nice, very upscale atmosphere. It was a bit on the dark side, even while it was still light outside, but the eyes got used to that. I like how the dining area is broken up into several rooms, giving a more intimate feel (and that dark mood lighting didn’t hurt in that regard!) We were seated where we could look out at the patio dining area, which was very beautiful. I would definitely request to sit in the patio next time. For those not familiar with the Irvine Spectrum, note that Javier’s is located in a very large shopping/​dining/​entertainment complex called the Irvine Spectrum. So, you will most likely be parking in a large parking structure, and walking 5 – 10 minutes to get to the restaurant. But the walk is nice, just allow enough time to park and walk if you have a reservation. Or there is always the valet parking at the Spectrum.
Service: Was very good, what I would expect of any upscale restaurant. We had a reservation for our party, and were seated immediately upon presenting ourselves to the host. Our waiter was very attentive, professional, and friendly. Help staff were always right on top of refilling water, clearing done items, etc.
Price: I saved this for last, as it is probably what would put most people off for Mexican food. Yes, Javier’s is pricey, but well in line with any other restaurant in it’s class. Their version of standard Mexican combo plates, e.g. my Poblano enchiladas, will run about $ 20. Seafood and steak dishes are in the $ 35 – 50 range. Beers were about $ 7, and margaritas /​cocktails about $ 15. Overall, about the same kind of price you’d pay to go to a PF Changs or good Italian restaurant. But for some reason, we all have it in our head that Mexican food should be cheap. I guess one could question if Javier’s should be trying to compete with steakhouses, but my solution is to just not order that if you don’t like.
Overall, really good place, and will definitely go back. Won’t be a regular place, but certainly for when we want to treat ourselves to a special night.