Agave & Rye Lexington Square — Restaurant in Lexington

Stopped here to enjoy a dinner before an event at the Opera House in 9/2025.

The Good: The ambiance of the restaurant is different. It is decorated aesthetically and the place was spotlessly clean. The location is awesome if you're headed to the Opera House as you can almost fall off the front step of this place and into your seats at that venue. The Strange: When you think of tacos and the like you think of Mexican decor and a salsa music type atmosphere. The music blasting at high volume was heavy metal and modern pop. I couldn't tell by the decorations if I was in some modern art shop or a Latin America wanna be street booth. I wasn't sure what I was listening to, or looking at, so I shifted focus to the menu... The Okay: The menu isn't what you would expect from a typical Mexican sit down restaurant. It was basically tacos in a quadrillion (yes that's slightly exaggerated) different forms. The salsas were judged as "horrible" by the two native Oaxacans at the table. Since salsa is their thing I couldn't argue with their findings. I had four tacos de carne asada and they were "okay". The rest of the food ordered was "okay". Nothing to ohh and ahh over. The "Needs to be Worked On": The service here was lacking. We were seated immediately and it took forever and 14 minutes for the server to make her way to our table of six. We were delivered drinks once and were never offered refills. The "table ware" is aluminum pans and is as decorative as a dixie cup in a china cabinet. It was functional, but seemed as out of place as the heavy metal on the speakers. We had to chase our server down to put our order in, and for the check. She never checked once after dropping our order off to see if anything was needed, or if we liked what we ordered. Total service time was over 90 minutes. The check was 170.00 for 6 people that ate tacos, a hamburger and drank soft drinks, so don't file this into the "value eatery" genre. It is in a "downtown area" so we weren't expecting a dollar menu at the place, so it wasn't a shock when the bill came. Work on the service and maybe expanding the menu a little bit and this could easily be a 5...

Embark on a EPIC tantalizing journey through Agave & Rye, where every taco is a tantalizing tale and each bite unfolds a gastronomic saga of unparalleled delight. Picture this: a menu curated to astonish, featuring not only the extraordinary "Peppercorn Kangaroo" taco but also an indulgent Lobster taco—a true jewel in their culinary crown.

Dive into the "Peppercorn Kangaroo," an enchanting fusion of Mac N Cheese Beignets, Roasted Corn, Sweet & Spicy Bacon Crumble, Green Onion, Habanero Maple Syrup, all embraced within the warm hug of Queso Love Cushion, cocooned in Crispy Puffy Flour & Soft Flour Shells. Now, imagine the Lobster taco, a divine marriage of succulent Butter & Garlic Lobster, Shiitake Mushrooms, Mac N Cheese, Truffle Oil & Shavings, Shaved Green Onions harmonizing with an array of flavors that paint an unforgettable masterpiece on your palate.

Amidst this carnival of flavors, Agave & Rye also boasts an impressive selection of libations—a tantalizing assortment that beckons with the promise of a pitcher of margaritas, elevating your experience to new heights.

Conveniently nestled within a short stroll from the historic Rupp Arena, Agave & Rye invites you not just for its extraordinary fare but also for its practical proximity.

Remember, the "epic tacos" stand as culinary monoliths—a single one, coupled with an appetizer, should satiate the average appetite. But for the insatiably curious and daring, venture forth and savor two, indulging in a feast fit for a true connoisseur.

In the pantheon of Lexington's culinary marvels, Agave & Rye stands tall, effortlessly claiming its spot among my top 5 favorites. For aficionados of exquisite tacos and sublime margaritas, this destination is an unequivocal must—a haven where gastronomic...

I made the mistake of going here for my birthday. This place is a train wreck that crashed into an airplane on fire.

It was cold and windy outside, and it was freezing in half of the restaurant. Not pleasant to sit and enjoy.

Drinks: I watched them all read from the drink recipe menu. It was clear that no one really knew how to make the drinks Worse than that, were the drinks themselves. Too sweat, too much mixer, wrong glass choices. A 16 ounce glass got a Paloma is a bad choice. Too much mixer and the customer fills up on liquid and doesn't eat... also doesn't order more drinks.

Food: The ghost pepper salsa wasn't available. I made the mistake of trying the queso, and it was disgusting. Chips that were 20 min past Luke warm and watery, flavorless queso in a cardboard cup. I pushed them away. I tried two of the vegan and 1 fish taco. Dry, dry and dry. Poor flavor combinations and it's clear they don't have one grain of salt in their kitchen. Whoever designed the menu has no idea what should go together or how to run a kitchen economically. A few delicious items with less ingredients to order is always the best way to go. You wanna get crazy? Do a special. The salmon taco was breaded and fried? I'm guessing it was frozen.

She brought me the house "hot sauce," and all I could smell or taste was onion. Zero balance of ingredients.

Atmosphere: confusing... agave for tequila and rye for bourbon. On the walls of black mixed with purple, you find bees and then Biggy and Tupac? I was so confused by everything.

I guess I was exceptionally irritated because it was my birthday. You pick one place to go and it ends in a B...