MexiCali Bar Y Taqueria - Nobby Beach — Restaurant in Gold Coast City

Went with a group of 20 for the $135 New Years Eve event.. Honestly what a rip-off experience. The drinks package was advertised to run from 8-12 and include unlimited food and drinks with a good selection of cocktails, multiple beers, bubbles etc. We arrived at 7:30 and they did not allow anyone to enter until past 8:20, without any explanation or apologies. When we finally were allowed to enter and we questioned the late start, we were rudely told "Yeah well there's not much we can do about it now is there?". We also witnessed the door staff allowing people to walk up to the front of the line without a ticket and pay cash to get in when they were supposedly completely sold out and at capacity.

When we got inside, they brought a small plate of guacamole and chips around to share. After that, the food supplied for over 200 people was incredibly stingy and limited. Throughout the night I had one chicken wing and one piece of squid. Apparently there were some tacos but we never saw these.

There was no designated smoking area on the property and when people attempted to go out the front to smoke they were told by door staff that if they left, they could not come back in despite having wristbands and stamps. After our group complained to the manager they did eventually change this and allow people to leave to smoke on the street. Miserably poor planning for an event of this size.

The event was advertised as including a range of different drinks. On the night this was surprisingly not the case. When people asked for Tecate beer, the bar staff said they are only serving the tap beers and bottled coronas and that you would have to pay extra, even though it was advertised in the deal. This was the same for sparkling wine and some of the girls had to pull up the original advertisement to convince them to serve a glass.

After the drinks package ended at 12, they didn't extend it to make up for the very late start. What's even worse is that it became obvious they were significantly overcharging for drinks at this point. One person ordered a margarita and a soda water and was charged $32. This happened to several people in our group. The whole night felt like a falsely advertised money-hungry ripoff event.

The venue was way over capacity and was packed like a Japanese train at rush hour. It's a tiny restaurant and should have been half the amount of people maximum. If there was a fire or an emergency situation I guarantee that you could not have safely got everybody down the narrow staircase to get out of there. At first we thought they might have just bitten off more than they could chew, but after a while it was obvious that the event was just a cash grab.

The food might be alright on a regular night but we will never go back to this place after this experience. I wouldn't give another dollar to this greedy...

Guys what the ..... is going on with your service? Attended here on a public holiday with two other people at 930pm.. walked in, nice man asks “here for food or drinks?” We said “just drinks thanks, is that okay?” He says YES gives us drinks menu only.. comes back takes drinks order.. drinks are made and bought over.. one by one mind you, who brings orders to tables like that? Strange! Anyway, worst cocktail I think iv ever had so I’m drinking it and then boom some girl who we’ve never even spoke to comes over.. bandanna thing or some kinda cloth thing in her hair, no hello no NOTHING and says “you can’t drink alcohol without food today because it’s Good Friday, so here are the food menus and if you want I can just order you the cheapest thing on their which is..” firstly I’m already bloody drinking alcohol here without food 🤷‍♀️ now you’re trying to force me and tell me to buy food? LOL. What a pathetic way to approach a customer, and considering so much profit is made just from alcohol I’m glad someone was wise enough to tell her to just give us some free guacamole and chips, because I was about to walk out and leave. Thanks for replacing my cocktail though, unfortunately the second one was just as bad. Not sure what’s going on with this place hope I don’t have to change my 4 to a one...

If you’re lucky enough to get Sophia as your server, you’re in for an exceptional experience. From the moment we were seated, she made us feel welcomed, cared for, and completely at ease. Her timing was flawless — always there when we needed something, never overbearing. She somehow managed to anticipate our needs before we even voiced them.

What really sets Sophia apart is her combination of professionalism and warmth. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, offered thoughtful recommendations, and handled every request with grace and a genuine smile. Even during the busiest moments, she remained calm, attentive, and composed — a true sign of someone who not only knows what they’re doing, but clearly takes pride in doing it well.

Sophia didn’t just serve us a meal — she elevated the entire dining experience. It’s rare to encounter someone so naturally skilled in hospitality. If management is reading this: she’s a gem. Recognize her, promote her, do whatever you need to keep her. We’ll definitely be back — and we’ll be asking for...