Tequila Mariscos & Bar — Restaurant in Jacksonville

⭐☆☆☆☆ A Disappointing Experience, Handled Poorly

I usually try to give people the benefit of the doubt—everyone has off days, especially in the service industry. But my recent visit to this place left me genuinely disappointed, not just because of the mistakes, but because of how they were handled.

Our waitress seemed flustered from the start, which honestly, I understand. Restaurants can be hectic, and it looked like she had a lot on her plate. We placed our order carefully and clearly, but when the food came out, it was completely wrong.

When we politely let her know, instead of apologizing or checking in with the kitchen, she immediately got defensive and insisted we must have "said something different." It felt like she was more focused on not being blamed than on fixing the issue, which made the situation uncomfortable.

Things only got more confusing from there. She ended up delivering food to several wrong tables before circling back to ours, visibly frustrated and still not quite getting the order right. By the time we received what we originally asked for, it was cold and rushed, and we honestly didn’t feel like bringing it up again.

I know how tough this job can be, and I don’t expect perfection. But a little accountability and kindness go a long way. I hope it was just an off shift, and that things improve—for her, and for...

This was our 2nd visit. We brought our kids this time because we loved our first visit so much! The food is so good! One of our boys had 3 hard tacos with ground beef and a side of refried beans. The other had a 1 hard taco with ground beef, 1 beef enchilada, and sides of rice and refried beans. I had 3 grilled salmon tacos and sides of rice and black beans. My wife had 3 carnitas tacos with sides of black beans and rice.

We all ate every bite! I asked for a really hot sauce and they brought out a red one and a green one in the little metal cups. Both were good but that red one was downright delicious and perfectly hot. I want a 5 gallon bucket of it. All the ingredients in everything we had were fresh, bright, and hearty. The chips are warm when you get them. They do not cut corners here.

The bar looks like it's stocked with everything you can imagine. We don't really drink much, but they make some pretty drinks they post on their Facebook page. I can tell you the sweet tea was on point.

I love the murals on the walls, and the chairs are really cool. We like the whole vibe of the place, honestly. We'll be regulars, so I'll take some pictures next time.

If you haven't been, run over there. You...

I would like to say that the food was Outstanding!!!! The only problem I had was lighting. It was very bright in there. I got the Fajita Burrito. Let me tell you that when I say it was good I am not telling the truth. It was GREAT!!! The steak was a little different but, whatever they marinated it in was phenomenal! I believe it was Enchilada sauce but let me tell you this. The next day the other half of the burrito that I did not finish the night before because it was so big!!! The flavors combined and it was even better the next day! The only problem I had was the lightning. I know that sounds petty but it was just too bright. I would definitely go back again and again! I think people in Jacksonville NC need to give this restaurant a try and really think about the food and not the ambiance. They are new and these reviews are huge for them! If they fix the lighting and make it more Hispanic feeling inside I think they will flourish! Their service was A1 great and they were very fast and very...