Pure Taqueria Brookhaven — Restaurant in Brookhaven

This place left such a strange and long-lasting impression on me that I have taken time to read through the reviews and decided to write my own. In particular, I was saddened by the reviewers who felt slighted, thinking the staff disliked their skin color. Maybe the staff didn't like our skin color either. We only went there a 2d time because the first time, so we thought, we caught the employees on a bad day and decided to give them a 2d chance. My husband and I, two older whites who have traveled all across fabulous Mexico numerous times, tried Pure Taqueria Brookhaven when it first opened, both visits on Sundays after church for brunch specials but, both times, although the fresh-cooked tamales were memorable, the service was creepy. There were hardly any other customers when we were there but on both visits we were given an extremely hard time, maybe because we are no longer young and we don't drink hard alcohol with meals. During both visits, the hostess grudgingly led us to a table we didn't like and insisted we sit there despite the echoing emptiness of the place which looks like a garage for fixing cars. Both times, as we read the menu and waited for our meals, female employees stood at a distance leaning around the bar, watching us, talking among themselves and laughing - were they laughing at us? Had we been seated in their line of vision so they could make snide remarks about us? I felt as if I had walked into an old Western saloon where one gun slinger doesn't like the look of the other gun slingers and picks a fight. My husband and I were treated wonderfully in Mexico City at the very bar that had been shot up years ago by Pancho Villa! In any case, my husband so disliked Pure that he has steadfastly refused to ever eat...

My son needed magazines for a school project and I drove all the way from Lithonia to Brookhaven to purchase cheap FB Marketplace magazines. Only for the seller to text me that he left. So since I work remotely and had my laptop with me, I decided to wait for this restaurant to open so my trip wouldn’t feel like it was all for nothing.

I had never been to this restaurant before but I wanted something good to eat and this looked like just the place.

I sat at the bar and asked the bartender to make me whatever he wanted. He made me a margarita with a little jalapeño and a tajin rim. It was good! But that spice definitely got me in the back of my throat.

I asked him for his recommendations and then chose the Salmon con Vegetables. It’s salmon, fingerling potatoes, onion, corn, spinach, mushroom, avocado, pico de gallo, and queso fresco. I asked him to switch the salmon for the red fish. Then I asked if it was going to be filling or should I get rice too? He said, “how about I bring you the meal as is, and if you want rice, I’ll bring you rice?” I said ok but asked for chips and queso.

And here is where I fell in love. He brought me a side of chopped jalapeño! I didn’t even ask. But, I guess, since I asked for the hottest hot sauce, he must have just known I like a kick. I was like, oh this guy is a winner for sure!

The chips and queso was so doggone good. I don’t know if it’s cause I was so hungry or what but, that didn’t taste like the chips and queso that I make or have had before. The food, hands down, was phenomenal! If I’m ever on that side again, I’ll go back. With tip,...

Well there should be a category for drinks so I can give that a 1. for 2nd time eating there I felt very dismissed like I got a big "EF U Negrita!" The lemon chicken soup was awesome but for some reason the bartender and even the manager messed up THREE different drinks. A vodka and tonic had a weird minty taste. The waitress finally admitted the previous drink made had mint in it... eeewwww. I thought they had a messed up fake tonic so tried something else. My gin and ginger ale was made with ginger beer instead of ginger ale. NOT THE SAME so I had to explain how to make rum drink that DOES use ginger beer. 3rd try - I figure how can someone mess up vodka and Sprite? They DID! It tasted like watered down flat Sprite, AND MORE water... with a splash of vodka. I saw her taking it back before it came to the table so no telling what cluster---- was done to it the 2nd time. I've never been so insulted and perplexed by the inability to make a simple vodka drink. The waitress was sweet and apologetic but I am disgusted with the bar skills there. I only drank it because I knew they'd charge for it since I asked for Ketel One...and I felt badly for the waitress. Years ago when we were there for 5 de Mayo the grilled chicken looked like it had giant zebra stripes so tasted burnt. They weren't remotely interested in redoing it so that I could maybe ENJOY eating it. "Pure" annoyance. Probably...