Azteca Grill — Restaurant in Durham

Friday Night Restaurant review.

Azteca Grill - Durham, NC

I've seen Azteca Grill a lot over the years growing up in Durham.

So I decided to stop by.

I was excited because my impression was that this was an authentic Mexican restaurant.

I got that idea because even though the signage was bilingual across the restaurant, most of it was in Spanish first and then English.

Also there was a sign that said please be patient, the food is freshly prepared.

My experience with the restaurant was so so at best.

I got a chicken Dorrado Taco. Which is my first time getting that. It was kind of like the Taco version of an egg roll.

After the waiter dropped off my food, he didn't come back for a long time and didn't ask me what I thought about it.

Eventually though, the manager stopped by to ask me what I thought.

I told him that I thought that the chicken in the taco was a little too tough,

He said okay. I'll talk to them about that and never came back.

About 10 minutes later the waiter finally came back to check on my food. I said well I told the manager that I thought the chicken was a little too tough. I don't know if he plans to do anything about that or not. He said okay and then never came back.

So what I saw was a lack of trying to appease the customer.

For reference. This is completely different than my experience that I had at the Vin Rouge French restaurant also in Durham, North Carolina. When I just remarked that the steak tartar I got was not what I expected, (not that it was bad. I just thought steak tar tar was something different), the server was trying to make it right, then he brought the manager, and. he was trying to make it right and then some other guy that worked there came and talked to me as well. They really cared about customer service.

This place. Not so much.

Also. Although the place was clean, several of the seats are a little ripped up.

My dining experience overall was okay though. So I'll give him a four...

Azteca Grill is sooo good. I ordered the Enchiladas Verde (It's my comfort food dish after decades living in Texas). They were totally delicious. Often when I order this dish here in North Carolina, the chicken is chewy and the salsa verde isn't quite right. The chicken in my enchiladas tonight was perfectly tender, and the salsa was exactly as it should be - tangy tomatillo with just the right amount of heat. I had a nice conversation with one of the guys that works there. He told me that the restaurant is totally family-run. His aunt was cooking that night, but his dad, mom, and grandfather also prepare food. I could tell he was really proud of Azteca. They're doing an amazing job, start to finish, including their 99.5...

If you would like a much more authentic Mexican food experience in Durham, go to Azteca Grill. The staff were some of the most friendly I have experienced at any restaurant. They made my daughter and I feel very welcome and comfortable. I tried the Sopes and Gorditas for the first time. Both were excellent! My daughter had a burrito which she very much enjoyed. Their sauces ranged from Mild all the way to Hell. I did not dare try the Hell :-) The Mexican music was not too loud and did not impede our conversations. The food was priced very reasonably – less expensive than many, other Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants in the area. THE Aztec Grill Is a 23 minute drive from my house, but it will be my go to Mexican restaurant...