Daiquiri Depot — Restaurant in Arlington

Disappointed and Unsatisfied – Not Worth the Hype

While driving across the country in late October 2024, I was craving some authentic Southern Texas cooking. After doing a quick search in the Arlington area, Daiquiri Depot popped up as a spot that had solid reviews and a wide variety of soul food options. Wanting to support a local business and get my fill of comforting sides and hearty entrees, I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, what I hoped would be a satisfying food stop turned into one of the most underwhelming experiences I’ve had on my road trip.

To start, I placed a rather large order. I ordered eight large sides three macaroni and cheese, two cabbage, one string bean, one collard greens, and one sweet potato. In addition to the sides, I also ordered four full meals, which included two oxtail plates and two catfish meals, all served with cornbread. I was fully expecting a feast bursting with flavor, especially considering the total came to $154.03. For that price, I assumed I’d be getting quality food, seasoned to perfection, and hot off the stove.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case at all.

First, the wait time was just unacceptable. I waited over an hour for this order to be completed. The confusing part was that the restaurant was virtually empty when I arrived. There were no long lines, no crowds, and no signs of a large catering order that would’ve delayed my food. The establishment itself was clean and quiet, which made the delay even more puzzling. With nobody ahead of me and a fairly straightforward order, I couldn’t wrap my head around why it took so long.

When I finally got my food and returned to my room, I was beyond disappointed. Not only was the food lukewarm at best, but the flavor was severely lacking across the board. The macaroni and cheese tasted like it came from a cafeteria tray dry, barely cheesy, and void of any richness or seasoning. The cabbage and greens were watery and bland, lacking that depth of flavor you expect from well-prepared soul food. The string beans tasted liked bland canned beans, and the sweet potatoes tasted like they had been sitting out for too long—soft but flavorless.

As for the entrees, I had high hopes for the oxtails, which are usually a centerpiece of any soul food spot worth its salt. Unfortunately, they were tough, underseasoned, and lacked the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that makes oxtails so special. The catfish was just as underwhelming dry, limp, and borderline flavorless. Even the cornbread, which should’ve been the saving grace of the meal, tasted like a box mix with little to no personality.

The only redeeming quality of the experience was that the staff were polite. The service wasn’t rude by any means, but it wasn’t particularly warm or memorable either. It was simply “okay” not enough to outweigh the poor food quality or the extended wait time.

In summary, I wouldn’t recommend Daiquiri Depot to anyone looking for quality Southern cooking in Arlington. At $154, this meal was not only overpriced but also mediocre at best. The food lacked seasoning, the texture was off, and the long wait time for an empty restaurant just didn’t make sense. It’s rare that I leave a review this harsh, but I genuinely felt let down by the experience.

2 out of 10 overall. If you’re passing through Texas looking for soul food, I’d strongly suggest trying...

To start I have been coming to this establishment for a little over 2yrs. In the last 2 visits I have experienced something totally different than what I had experienced before. They have moved the beef tips to the kitchen area which in returned we had to wait 45 minutes to get our plates. We get the same meals every visit. We would sometimes come 3 to 4times a week because I had grown to like the food and staff. Well there has been some changes and I really don’t care for the new way they have chosen to do things. We are now placing our order at the register and unable to watch them prepare our food choices ( very unpleasant feeling since this is a buffet soul food line.) Well on the previous visit they had forgotten to put the double side of cornbread and gravy which I had paid for (it’s my fault for not checking my plate before I left. ) So I thought maybe they just didn’t have the beef tips ready for the line ..(nope that wasn’t the case) they are doing portion control. We paid for a 1/2lb or beef tips and got 7 beef tips total on our plate and a spoon full of rice… needless to say this is unacceptable and very disappointing since I’m spending $20.00 plus dollars for each plate drinks and dessert. So fast forward ⏩ I mentioned to the cashier that I didn’t receive the cornbreads on my pervious order…. I’m guess he went and told the manager and she brought herself out to the front when it was time for us to get our food opens up the plates for me to confirm that I had all the food I paid for ( I didn’t ask for her to do this.) once everything was confirmed I reached for my bag and she refused to release the food to me with out offering extra this or that which I didn’t want and I kindly declined the offer explained that I drove from north fort worth and I just wanted my food. She said she was trying to make things right and I understood that but just wanted the food I paid for so I could go home. She still made it her business to hold on to my food while I am politely declining the offer for extra stuff… atp I’m getting pissed off because I already paid for my food waited 40 plus minutes for the food and you playing with me. You had the entire waiting period to come apologize “make things right.” Asking me to dine in when I live over a whole hour away is insane behavior. Not releasing my food when it has already been paid for is insanity! It took my husband walking up asking if everything was ok and getting the food before she would let me go home with my plates. That had to be the most uncomfortable 🥴 part of the whole visit. I’m seriously trying to remain respectful and you playing in my face. You think you made things better when in reality you just lost a very good paying customer. I have left tips every single visit with exception of this visit. I don’t appreciate how we were treated and I will never be going tf back...

🔥 Daiquiri Depot Review 🔥

First time checking this spot out and I gotta say—it was definitely an experience worth repeating!

As soon as you walk in, the vibe is vibing 🎶—good music playing, multiple sections, and a whole meat market in the back (yes, a meat market! That was unexpected but cool). They’ve got a ton of daiquiri options, and the setup is organized: one line for food, another for drinks.

🍤 Let’s talk food: We got a couple shrimp just to sample, and baybeee—they did not disappoint. Fresh, crispy, seasoned just right. My husband got the catfish, okra, and mac. The mac was a little bland for him, but I thought it was solid—especially paired with my yams 🧡. That sweet + savory combo hit every time.

The okra? Batter was seasoned, but the inside needed a lil help. Could’ve used some love inside the okra too. The catfish looked 🔥 though—I didn’t taste it but it definitely passed the eye test.

🍗 I had the smothered wings and whew… they were salty. I think the wings + batter + gravy all got seasoned separately, and it stacked up. Not inedible, but a little heavy for me when it was hot. Funny enough, the leftovers the next day hit better—less salty, more balanced.

🧃 Now if you want that throwback childhood sugar rush, the Kool-Aid is for you. It’s sweet as hell 😂 but delicious. The cornbread was cakey, just how I like it 💁🏾‍♀️—super sweet and soft. But if you’re looking for that savory Southern cornbread, this ain’t that lol.

Service-wise? No complaints. We went on a Saturday around 6pm—early dinner vibe. No line, food came out in a reasonable time even though some of it was cooked fresh. I’ve heard it gets packed later in the evening, so I’d probably avoid late-night if you’re not tryna wait.

✅ Overall: Good food. Good portions. Good vibes. I’d definitely go back—especially for the shrimp and to try more of the seafood. Might skip the wings...