Sonora Mexican Grill Portsmouth — Restaurant in Portsmouth

We've been coming here for a while and have typically recommended this location over the other local Mexican restaurants in the area, but this evening we stopped by for a quick after-work dinner and drinks and were quite disappointed in the service. Before our only issue had been choosing between cramped parking lot parking or risky on-street parking.

Upon arriving we were immediately greeted and seated which is on par with the service that we have received in the past. The restaurant appeared busy between 5-6 tables and an active carry-out window, but appeared to have been well staffed with 4-5 persons on the floor. Once we were seated the waitress asked if we were ready to place our drink order to which we asked if there was an alcoholic drink menu to which she replied that there was none. We were surprised by this as there is a bar at this location, but we have our "go to" drink of Vodka Collins with no ice that we ordered.

After about five minutes another waitress arrived at our table to take our food order (taco salad and fish tacos) and several minutes later another person brought tortilla chips and salsa. Our original waitress came to the table to ask how we wanted our drinks: "top shelf or bottom shelf" and what seemed to be at least ten minutes later a waitress (we can't remember which) returned with our drinks and without a single word was gone not to be seen for the rest of the meal. Unfortunately, they weren't what we ordered (the tumbler glass was 50% ice) so instead of risking being charged for drinking something that we knew that wasn't going to be to our liking we kept the paper on the straws and placed the drinks to the edge of the table.

We received our food promptly however the waitress seemed to have been in a hurry as the food was dropped off and she was gone without a word or removing the drinks. I've been told that that is the universal sign for removing something from a table, but that sign must have been misinterpreted as no one came to our table the rest of the evening save the gentleman that wanted to know if we wanted more tortilla chips. At the end of the evening yet another waitress came to the table with the check. Since she was the first person to ask how everything was we asked her to remove the drinks from the bill. She offered to remake them, but as we were finished with our meal, it wasn't really an option. She returned with the adjust receipt and stated that she had applied a 20% discount (we didn't ask for one) and was overly apologetic. So that was the service.

The wife's description of the taco salad is as follows: it was good. The portion size was just right not too much or too little. She opted for the shredded chicken which was seasoned and served warm. The refried beans with the cheeses melted over them were good and the bowl was neither soggy or stale.

For me the fish tacos were good pretty decent and as a nice touch were served with a stand to keep them upright. The pico de gallo, rice, and refried beans were served as sides which is good because there was no room on the taco for anything else. Only issue is that the shells could have been a little crispier since the juices from the filling cause the shell to fall apart. That pico de gallo though! They could sell it by the quart.

We'll probably take Sonora out of the rotation for a while. Maybe it was just a bad night for the staff or an overall change in this establishment. Either way, the food was decent, but the service...

Being from SoCal, I would brag that we have the best Mexican restaurants cause they are usually owned and operated by the Hispanic community. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought that a little tiny place in a rural tiny town would I have ever imagined to stumble upon a diamond in the rough. When I was driving to this place, not gonna lie, I was skeptical. The building is on the corner of a neighborhood, and parking around it is limited. The building stands out like a shining trophy among the "ancient" homes surrounding it. When you walk in, you're transported to the city. Inside are touches of the typical vibrant colors one would see in most Mexican restaurants in SoCal. The music added to the feel as it played Spanish music. I loved that part because I brought the theme perfectly together. I always found it weird going into a restaurant, and they played rap or country music, and it wasn't the theme of the restaurant. And on with the best part, the food. The waitress was so kind to help me make a decision between tacos or fajitas. And I am hands down, happy I chose the veggie fajitas. My husband chose a simple chicken burrito with cheese sauce. Now, like I said, we are from SoCal, so yes, we've had our fair share of Mexican food. But hands down this tiny Sonora restaurant blew our taste buds out of the water with its simplicity. They weren't adding alot to the meal. It was really simple, but the flavor was so delicious. I've had many fajitas in my day and honestly can say this place had the BEST fajitas I had ever tried. I loved that the hot plate wasn't covered in so much oil too. You know what I mean where it tastes greasy. The veggies were cooked to perfection. Slightly crispy, but cooked all the way through. The tortillas were soft. The black beans were seasoned but not overwhelming. The rice was perfection. It wasn't sticky or overly fluffy where the grains stuck together. Each grain of rice was separated and packed with its own flavor. The guacamole was amazing! And the salsa was so addicting. Usually I wouldn't care for salsa and chips, but it comes right before the appetizers, so we decided to get it and it did NOT disappoint. So if you are passing by this small little town in Portsmouth, OH. Hands down stop to eat here! This was definitely worth it. We also loved the friendliness of the staff, who ended up telling us that this is a family owned business and the owners are from Sonora, Mexico, which is where the restaurant gets its name. And because this is a small town, the workers seemed to know everyone that walked in their doors. I love knowing we can support amazing small businesses. So those that live in the area,...

Excellent food, I got mine to go so I can't comment on eating in, this was my first time. The food was amazing, only upon looking back on it now so I think it would have been better with a touch more spice but I was very happy. I really should have soecified something, I'm relatively brand new to the dishes and dining of hispanic\Mexican food, so when I said a touch more spice, that simply blinks down to my inability to choose or use hot sauces. To. E honest I'm still learning what queso is and other specifi. Included sauce names and what they taste like. A person's body chemistry changes on average about every 7 years, mine just now finally changed to inclid÷my taste buds, so when I say it could use more spice, you can translate that into the fact that the last time I had quisine basic to this was up north and i was sweating g between bites! I'm sure i just didn't, and still don't, know how to order what I like, butbive since returned to Somoras and was even more hairy with he meal, I only ordered one burrito, and despite my being only 5'-7", 150 pounds, I can put away a lot of food and still I was unable to finish it all in one setting. Thanks again Sonora, I'm a creature of habit so you'll be seeing me (and my friends most...