3 Tequilas Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills

This was my fourth visit to this restaurant, and my previous three experiences were excellent, characterized by good service and tasty, fresh food. However, during my latest visit, I encountered several issues that deviated from my prior experiences.

On arrival, the restaurant had a low occupancy rate, with only about seven or eight cars in the parking lot. This made understaffing or a busy rush an unlikely explanation for what followed. I was seated promptly, and chips and salsa were served immediately, which led me to expect a similarly pleasant experience as before. However, the food arrived very quickly—faster than I anticipated—before I had finished enjoying the chips and salsa. Unfortunately, the food was lukewarm, a stark contrast to the typical expectation of Mexican dishes being served hot.

The chimichanga specifically lacked its usual accompaniments, missing the Mexican crema salad and having only a few squiggles of cheese sauce. Although it appeared to be fried, the texture was tough and rubbery, indicating that it might have been pre-fried and merely warmed up. The meat inside was unseasoned and reminiscent of a dried-out pot roast. My attempt to wash it down with iced tea was disappointing as well; the tea was warm and bitter, suggesting a possible lack of maintenance on the tea dispenser.

Attempting to get the attention of the waitstaff proved to be a challenge, as they were often congregated behind the bar, engrossed in their cell phones. Even when I waved to the manager in a red shirt, I received no acknowledgment. Ultimately, I approached the hostess stand and found my waitress engaged in eating and chatting with another employee. When I explained the issue with my meal, she took the plate without response and returned after several minutes with my check for $3.50 for the tea, placing it on the table and leaving immediately.

As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry, I strive to be understanding of the challenges that servers face and typically consider myself a grateful customer and generous tipper. However, the decline in quality and service during this visit was unexpected, especially given my positive past experiences. It’s concerning to witness such a shift, particularly as the summer season...

Came in on a weekend, Saturday night, it wasn't to busy at all..1st time eating in and really enjoyed it..the restaurant was nicely decorated, clean and server's friendly..our server was patient as I asked a dozen questions.. thank you.. and the food was good. We started with some appetizers, chips with cheese dip..really tasty..and tableside guacamole, the young lady doing that was Georgia.. she did it exactly the way I requested which was nice as some just mix it without asking if you wanted it with some items in it or spicy and so forth, because of having issues with my stomach I was able to omit things in it, it was my favorite of the evening..thanks Georgia " friendly and outgoing personality, answered all my questions with ease. Didn't rush it as well, btw " the server doing that works on tips so don't forget to tip her or whoever is doing that for that's where they make their money,, tipping your server is separate..My granddaughter had the cheese quesadilla with fries..she loved it, I had the spinach burritos which came with beans and rice..really tasty.. I did have to request a couple forgotten items ordered, ( sourcream and cheese to go on the burritos) but not an issue...there's others who you can ask if your server is busy.. we weren't rushed out though it was close to closing which I appreciated as I don't get to go out often and was enjoying catching up with my granddaughter..it was all affordable and I'd definitely recommend checking them out especially if with a family and you don't want to break the bank..I hope to return soon..thank you for the good meal and the welcoming atmosphere..if visiting seafood restaurants are everywhere, but if you want to change it up as I would if vacationing it's the best Mexican I've had on the beach..so a great...

I’d like to start by saying that when the food is prepared correctly, it’s some of the best I’ve had anywhere. Unfortunately, there’s more to the experience than just the food.

This was my third visit to 3 Tequilas. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, a charming gentleman. My wife and her friend, both bilingual, enjoyed a great conversation with him (which will be important later).

After our second visit, my wife decided not to return due to a noticeable lack of attention and execution from the staff. I believe the responsibility lies largely with the blue-shirted managers, who seemed disengaged and did little to promote attentive service.

Tonight, I was home alone and decided to give it another try. Sadly, nothing has improved since our last visit a year ago. The staff, particularly the bartender, was inattentive, and my order—both drink and food—was incorrect. Despite being busy prepping for closing (an hour later), the bartender never once directly addressed me. Meanwhile, the blue-shirted managers were busy entertaining the rest of the staff just three feet away from where I was sitting at the bar.

There was, however, a bright spot. The young man running food was exceptionally attentive, checking on me twice, even though he wasn’t my server.

Will I return? While some might say all Mexican food is the same, I strongly disagree. As much as I enjoy the food when it’s done right, I can’t justify supporting subpar service and a disappointing experience.

Oh, and one last thing: Don’t assume your patrons don’t understand Spanish. While, I am not fluent, I have spent enough time at my wife's Puerto Rican's home to know when employees are talking about things they shouldn't in front...