Mezcla — Restaurant in Columbus

We went for a date night. Hubs and I love a good dining experience and had high hopes! I gave 4 stars on food and service because there were hits and misses. We had a hiccup with reservations that set a bad tone for the rest when we were finally seated for our reservation we were told we had to hurry because they had another reservation (as if the next one was more important than ours). I don’t think they meant that but that’s how it landed and festered. Other than that the hostess(es) were super seeet and tried very hard. Our server was great! Attentive and engaged. Shockingly knowledgeable about the menu and the brand experience after only 2 days.

Food shone bright and dim. Guac and sweetness of fresh salsa was delightful. Housemaide tortillas could have used a dash of sea salt but that’s being picky. Caesar was good but different. There was a bitter note I didn’t expect and had to adjust my expectation of a Caesar and enjoy this salad. The scallops flavor profile was divine but my hubs was turned off being cold. We did ask the server if that was the intent or if it was a mistake to know if we’d order again or not. His cod was as expected. But not a standout (we felt the same way about the cod at Gucci so it must be hard to make a standout). When the carnitas arrived (late enough we inquired in case they forgot) they were absolutely delicious My paw paw marg was delightful tif on a margarita with an Ohio fruit. I love they took templates and riffed like the rum old fashioned (a diplomatico old fashioned is actually my go to drink) and my first rum Negroni was unexpectedly good. They have a beer cocktail (which are really hard to do I think) that fell flat but a few tweaks to give it a flavor punch to match the thoughtfulness of all the other flavors we experienced here would correct it. All in all- enjoyed it. Definitely go back but know to be selective on what we order. I applaud them for their creativity and taking bold risks for a...

What a great addition to the Columbus food scene and definitely the best Mexican food the city has to offer!

Everything was excellent but the salsa and guacamole and the fish tacos are must haves- literally the best dishes I’ve had in a long time.

There is an extensive alcohol list which was surprisingly well paired with the food- a collection of mezcals beer and very good wine pairings.

Can’t wait to come back!

UPDATE: I actually came back a week later (5/28/25) and was a bit deflated so am adjusting my review by removing 1 star. Here is why:

-service was not good. Many employees standing around talking to each other and doing nothing, meanwhile no one checked in on our table in a long time (this continued throughout the meal). their seating configuration needs adjusting. We are early, and were seated next to the only other table with people inside. Give us some space. The table was quite loud and made it difficult to enjoy my dining partner because I had difficulty hearing them. I tried more dishes and thought they weren’t good. The Caesar salad was not something to order. It has kale and arugula which I love but the dressing needs to be massaged into the greens some more. It really felt like eating raw leafy greens that were quite dry. The dressing had some cheese topping which was good but also some almond or nut chards or something crispy but it was too crispy- felt like I chipped my tooth eating. Not pleasant. the pork tacos were just okay. Wednesday night happy hour was decent. Liked the drink discount.

Overall the atmosphere is still lovely, I still stand behind the chips and salsa and guac, and the fish tacos. All the other dishes I’ve had I feel less positively about. I hope they adjust the service issues. Might have been a...

I was really impressed by Mezcla. I went in expecting a trendy Latin fusion spot, maybe some smoky cocktails and aesthetic plates, but what I got was something way more grounded, intentional, and delicious.

We started with the Guacamole y Salsa, which came with what I think were zanahorias/carrots, they were crunchy, tangy, and a good pairing with the guac that I wouldn’t have thought of. The guac itself tasted like home. I’m first-gen Mexican American and it brought me back to the family cookouts we would have.

The Chile Relleno was different from what I’m used to, but I still really enjoyed it. It had a smoky flavor that made it feel familiar in a new way.

The Aguachile Tatemado was also a surprise. It wasn’t the typical green salsa-style aguachile I’ve had before. The grapefruit was such a great pairing and it added brightness and contrast that made the whole dish pop.

We ended with the Carne Asada, which was incredibly flavorful and cooked just right. What took it over the top were the fresh tortillas de maíz , soft, warm, and perfect for wrapping up each bite.

Drinks were great. I had the Agricoco, a creamy, tropical blend with pineapple, tequila, cardamom, and coconut. The Foam & Fury was bold and balanced , a bourbon cocktail with a velvety finish. I would recommend them both.

We had two desserts but I can’t remember what they were, the portions were pretty large enough for 2-4 people probably. One was more of a chocolate dessert and the other one was a type of pudding.

The cocktails Kimmie recommend were so good. It felt like everyone there genuinely cared. The space was cozy and felt warm and special. Mezcla doesn’t just serve trendy food. It honors where it comes from and you can feel it in every...