Blue Agave Cantina — Restaurant in Columbiana

I really want this place to succeed. I write this review in hopes they try to correct. I just moved to town and there are not to many options here. However this place is in a great spot in a cute downtown. The opportunity is there. The passion is not.

#1 In this huge restaurant they seat everyone up against the wall in the booths as they all stand at the bar and stare at you. It feels like your on the wrong end of a firing squad.

#2 The Margarita. Now I know when I look around and see 4-5 latin descent men who are 30-50 years of age at least one of them has had or knows how to make a decent margarita. However the one they have served me 3 times now is an ANTI-FREEZE GREEN liquid the taste like someone melted down a green apple jolly rancher. When a Mexican restaurant doesn't even care how their margarita is served it shows there is no passion and that they don't care about the customer experience.

Food was exactly what you expect. We don't come to these places for the food. We come for the fun atmosphere, good drinks, and lets be honest free salsa. Blue Agave has 1 of 3.

I really hope you turn things around or else Im afraid this...

This is possibly the first, and only, 5-star review I've ever given a Mexican restaurant in AL. Granted, I've never lived in Mexico, but I have lived in Panama, Costa Rica, and Venezuela, and can easily tell when a Latin American cuisine restaurant is trying to cater to gringo palates. This, my friends, is not that restaurant. The salsa was spicy and fresh with freshly-chopped cilantro, onion, etc. The ceviche had loads of jalapeño, and I mean LOADS. DELICIOSA. La mejor.

The minute I walked in, I was met with a sweet hostess who greeted me in Spanish like I was a 16 yr old in a Costa Rican fabric shop. (The other customers assumed I worked in stores and would ask me for help in Spanish.) I felt so welcome and like one of the regulars.

The owner, or manager, I assume, was so courteous and attentive. It was clear he had regulars who came and treated them all equally as courteously. The sangria margarita was delicious and I really just can't say enough about the staff, the cleanliness, the amazingly fresh food, and how much I hate that they don't have a location closer to home!

Will definitely be back when I come to Columbiana...

All, anyone who has seen my posts knows that I am overly generous. This is the exception. On the outset I am happy to see Blue Agave move into lovely Columbiana, we had a guest list of @7 people attend a happy hour birthday party. Yes there were a few shots taken, 2 shots x 2 patrons in our group. The rest were on their on. When it came to check out, the 2 patrons were handed bills of $60 and $116 respectfully. Remember, happy hour prices are a fraction of regular prices. Our food took well over an hour to arrive and simple things such as street tacos could have been cooked on the literal street more rapidly. All of this to say: BE CAREFUL and never have more than ONE of anything. Elsewise, you will pick up the tabs for several non-existent tables.... Perhaps they will get their game together soon but sooner rather than later would be to their...