Margarita Factory Keizer — Restaurant in Keizer

There is no question that Margarita Factory seeks to redefine what a Mexican restaurant can be in the Pacific Northwest. From the moment one steps through the door, the visual presentation is striking — the décor is contemporary and thoughtfully executed, the staff impeccably groomed, and the atmosphere exudes a sense of curated festivity. It’s clear the establishment aims to distinguish itself from the typical neighborhood taquería.

However, while the aesthetic ambition is evident, the overall experience fell short of what I anticipated. Our seating, positioned toward the far right side of the dining room, proved challenging. The music volume in this area bordered on intrusive — so loud, in fact, that conversation became a test of endurance rather than enjoyment. At times, it felt less like a restaurant and more like a nightclub masquerading as one.

Culinarily, the menu relies too heavily on the predictable rice-and-beans pairing that overshadows the true diversity of Mexican cuisine. Both sides were disappointing: the beans lacked flavor and authenticity. When a chef elects to include such staples, they must be executed flawlessly — silky, flavorful frijoles refritos that taste of homemade frijoles de la olla and arroz rojo infused with the perfect balance of tomato, garlic, and broth. Unfortunately, neither element achieved that standard. The beans lacked depth and tasted reminiscent of canned fare, while the portion size of the beans bordered on excess and waste. The rice, though visually appealing, was unrefined in flavor — overly salted and heavy with oil.

From the Chef Lupe’s Specials, I chose the “Al Pastor Trompo.” The adobo marinade was commendable — complex, smoky, and beautifully balanced. Yet the meat itself betrayed the potential of the dish: it was chewy, under-rendered, and denied the caramelized tenderness that defines true trompo al pastor. It was a dish that whispered promise but fell short in execution.

There is undeniable potential here. Margarita Factory possesses the ambiance, energy, and clientele to become a leading force in modern Mexican dining in the Pacific Northwest — but only if it allows the cuisine to take center stage, not just the cocktails. Until the culinary vision aligns with the visual one, this remains a destination for margaritas and nightlife rather than a serious exploration of Mexico’s...

We were looking for a good Happy Hour place and this restaurant seemed a good choice. Newly opened and had menu for happy hour. The menu was a good selection organized in 3 price zones. We ordered the Baja Fish Taco's and the Chicken Nacho's. Decent pricing for the happy hour. For the drinks, it was limited to lime margaritas, beer, and wine. No other cocktails were happy hour priced. The food/drinks on the regular menu were expensive. Most were in the $22-$27 range for food. The food we had was very tasty and appropriately priced for happy hour. The only regret was the chunky guacamole. Plus: It was a really healthy portion in a bowl. Minus: It lacked any flavor. No sour creme, garlic, onion, tomato, any of the usual ingredients. And judging from our bill, it was definitely not inexpensive. Avoid this. Onto the margaritas (frozen and on the rocks). They were very average. I was rather shocked given the name of the restaurant. Since they were called Lime Margaritas, you would think that sweet would have been the lesser focus. Meh. Wouldn't order them again either. However there were some fancy pretty drinks that went by us, full of color. Our primary concern was the service. I will say that our server was not the norm for what we saw in the others. I don't know his name but it sounded like Placebo. He never introduced himself. And when he spoke, it was very low, soft, and with a heavy accent. Probably he was new since the place opened only 16 days earlier, and they have job openings posed on the front window. I thought the name was fitting. He looked like and was assigned to perform a certain task. Like all of the waitstaff. Yet, he provided very poor service. Other servers came by to refill the salsa, drinks, order delivery. Not Placebo. He never even came to check on our table. Either he missed the training or the training didn't seat with him. He really was very different from the others in the waitstaff. They did their jobs with friendly and effective service. It's sad. Probably no-one else would have this experience to write about. Many glowing reviews. Sadly mine is not. I wished I had gotten the real waiter instead of the Placebo. The rating on service above is because of the others who did...

Just two of us. The restaurant was fairly busy, but we were seated right away. The server came over immediately and was very nice. We queso, a soft drink and a margarita, which were delivered promptly. I then ordered the crispy fish tacos and my husband selected the shrimp enchiladas. When the food arrived, it looked very good, and it did taste good. However, my husband opened up one of the enchiladas, and there was the equivalent of maybe two prawns inside. The waiter had said they use the large shrimp and chop them, which is great, but 2 whole shrimp in a good sized enchilada was not his idea of a good amount of filling. My fish tacos, on the other hand, were amazing! They were made with cod, and the pieces of fish were HUGE. You get 4 tacos, rice and beans. I could only eat 2 of the tacos and just a taste of the rice and beans, which were also tastey. We also ordered the flan. The custard itself was good, but it was drowning in caramel sauce , which made it sickly sweet. I would recommend...