Ruins — Restaurant in Dallas

I’ve always thought of San Diego has a Agave town being that it’s close to the border. I mean heck I’ve seen Agave based bars all the way in Toronto. I wasn’t surprised to see Ruins remind me of many places back home. While I wasn’t initially drawn to it by name or the building itself it was the inside décor and warmth that connected me to come in. The candles, the music, the food and brands I’m accustomed to.

Dark, yet inviting. Lively without being clubby. Small group friendly and I could tell the locals dig it. As I saw flocks of woo girls slipping around and falling and heading to other joints I saw like minded people filing inside here which gave me confidence in my decision. Décor was somewhere between respectfully creative while sticking to some traditions.

We got seats at the bar and menus. No need to explain the concept just hand me menus and let me choose. I know the difference between tequilas, mezcals, sotol, bacanora, etc. It’s the other ingredients that I was hoping to catch my eye.

Strangelove was interesting with Cynar countering any sweetness and the chica morada from South America, apricot brandy and mezcal. The Son of Pichu had gooseberry & El Silencio. Aguardiente a Central American term really made me think that the staff/lead/manager or whoever conceptualized this menu has actually travelled. It’s annoying when you see Spanish places serving tapas all wrong and drinks they learned from youtube videos and not actually visiting and seeing how that region actually drinks. I didn’t get that feeling here at all. Hoja Santa for garnish. I thought I also smelled the faint smell of Palo Santo burning.

The bartenders were a mixed bag. One was overly talkative, yet confident in actions. Another was quiet and meek, appeared busy, but actually wasn’t. The manager on duty was great helping from bussing to backing to pressing the flesh. I wanted to eat, but had my mind set on some latenight food and we had other places on the itinerary.

I didn’t get to check out the bathrooms or the rest of the place, but sitting on the near end of the bar was great for people watching. Some conversations I hear were how ready someone was for their first Ambassador gig, like it’s a magical path. How a patron just got back from some made up place in Mexico and had the best tequila in the world and can’t find it here, but was surprised they did. Also he only had $100’s for his shot, yes he took his amazing $12 pour like a shot…

Prices were good, they had house blends, well drinks and frozen. Beer selection was a little lacking and surprisingly not a lot of drinks garnished/finished with salt.

I will gladly come back because I think there was so much to explore on the menu and see what this place is really about, not on a Saturday night...

2 years ago, prior to covid, I Loved this place! Just went back for first time since lockdown, food was awful! Felt bad for the waitress as she was such a sweetheart trying to accommodate the constant mess ups in the kitchen. First, out flautas we're served ice cold.. sopa de fideo had little flavor and almost no fideo noodles, Rib eye enchiladas were burnt tasting, and my chicken thigh dish tasted like pure tomato paste with a dash of chili powder. Kitchen clearly had a bad day... waitress sent the manager out, she tried to tell me that sopa de fideo isn't a soup with lots of noodles.. that it's a brothy soup. I looked at my brother and wife, whom we are from Puerto Rico and Mexico, just kinda laughed silently to each other as this lady just tried to tell us that sopa de fideo isn't suppose to have a lot of fideo noodles.. lol, manager must thought we were stupid or just trying to score a free meal. For that, I will never eat here again and the manager should google search pictures or recipes next time. As i said, my first meal at Ruin's 2 years ago was 5-star, this experience was 1-star in terms of food and management. Our waitress was the only reason we didn't just walk out after the manager came...

I wasn't sure what to expect from the advertised "Oaxacan-style with a spin" restaurant but oh man, this place is great. Food is incredible unique and tastes great, and on top of that fairly priced. We had a Shrimporizo taco (the highlight, tad spicy, crisp tortilla, amazing flavor), the Ay Guey torta (it was huge, packed with ham, milanesa, cheese, guacamole, and other stuff, delicious too), nopales taco (wife had this one, not a fan of nopales, so didn't try) and closed with a Carlota de Limon (some sort of cookie and lime ice cream, yummy). The rest of the menu is exotic and very creative. Now the drinks, mainly made out of mezcal and tequilas, wow, they both were great. We had a coconut margarita and Azteca 666. Their drink menu is outstanding, you feel you want to try all of them, only caveat, drinks are pricey. Place is original and decorated accordingly to its exoticness. Service was great too, girl seemed to always be in a rush but took care of us, recommended stuff, talkative and attentive. You like to try different and exotic things? Then...