About Us

The Vallarta Grill was started in a little renovated house on Main St. in Penticton, British Columbia back in April of 2002. Since then it has gone on to be recognized as the South Okanagan’s Best Mexican Cuisine for 7 years running. Well-known for great food and a fun atmosphere, the patrons tell us that they feel like they have quite literally stepped across the border and been transported back to Mexico. This is exactly the atmosphere that we the owners, Israel & Leisa Suastegui, have been striving to achieve.

From our humble beginnings back in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico where we enticed our many repeat local and tourist customers with our Authentic Mexican Cuisine and “at home” ambiance, to our current locations in Penticton and Vancouver, our mission has always been the same: To serve authentic, delicious Mexican cuisine in a fun, lively and warm Mexican atmosphere.

With over 30 years in the restaurant industry, we have the experience and know-how to create a great dining experience for our clients. From the traditional Mexican birthday pranks and fun, to the salsa dancing and live entertainment, we do it right. Nothing fancy. No gimmicks or hype, just great food and fun at a reasonable price.

We don’t believe in the re-heat and serve mindset of many restaurants today. We don’t have a wall full of microwaves ready to “cook” your meal for you – And really, is that the kind of food you want to eat – Loaded with preservatives and unpronounceable chemicals?

All of our food is made from scratch, on-site, daily. No pre-packaged sauces and mixes, just fresh, wholesome homemade ingredients lovingly prepared daily for your enjoyment. This goes for our beverages as well. Our margaritas are made with real fruit and gold tequila, not packaged pre-mixes and low grade, cheap, silver tequila like the other guys. We want you to leave our establishment feeling healthy, happy, and full!

The Vallarta Grill is also laying to rest the old stereotypes about Mexican food. A lot of people are under the impression that Mexican food is high-fat, fried, and too spicy for most people to consume. This unfortunately stems from the North-Americanized versions of Mexican cuisine or the fast-food versions that have become mainstream as of late. The reality is that real, authentic Mexican cuisine is not fatty or fried and spiciness can be adjusted to taste.

So come on down to one of our locations today, and experience real, authentic Mexican cuisine, served by great people in a fun ambiance that would make you swear you were there!!

We’ll see you there! Israel & Leisa Suastegui - Owners