Red Mesa Mercado - The Edge District — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

The food is pretty good. A little greasy with mid-grade ingredients, but if you are craving the basic palette of accessible Mexican flavors, Mercado is a quick solution. That said, the staff is only occasionally competent. I’ve ended up at Mercado five, maybe six, times in the last few years. (Sometimes because it seemed like an easy solution. Sometimes because someone suggested it or a nearby table-service establishment was too busy or closed.) In any case, they seem to get the order wrong about half the time. Once I recall, my husband had very specifically asked them to hold the onions. His tacos were loaded with onions. We were eating onsite there so he went up to the counter and they did correct it. The cashier seemed inconvenienced and offered no apology, but the real problem then was that it took awhile because a big group had ordered just behind us. This last time, it was just me and I ordered the Chile Relleno Burrito to-go. I asked very clearly for Beans instead of the protein options listed. The cashier definitely heard me and, even if I doubted that she had, it was clearly printed on my receipt. (See photo.) Something was obviously lost in translation from POS to kitchen. I should have checked before I drove away. But it was printed on the receipt! So, I did not check. When I sat down to eat several miles away, I took a big bite (like you do because it is a burrito) and ended with a mouthful of meat. Which I spit out. I don’t know if it was chicken or pork, and I do not care. I do not eat either; haven’t for decades. Thus, $16.00 worth of food (after tax and tip) ended up in the garbage and I, on a night when I had been trying to eat heartily and conveniently, was left hungry for several hours until I was finished with the family commitment that brought me to St. Pete. Later I ended up with take-out Thai that I barely managed to get ordered just before closing as I was on my way home. I was so hungry that this otherwise unremarkable Thai joint will now get my return business just because they were gracious and took pity on me. In any case, I am certain that there was a similar issue when I was at Mercado with friends a few years back and one of them returned their food. So, I just won’t go anymore. The food is good enough to slide without complaint but what does it matter when what was supposed to be a fast and convenient meal turns into a long wait or, worse, cannot be eaten at all and both time & money have been completely wasted. So, no. Absolutely not. No...

I just had a wonderful meal at Red Mesa Mercado (1st Ave N location). I had the plantain bowl (with no additional protein added) and the hibiscus iced tea. Everything was quality, authentic, fresh and delicious. I have to start with the hibiscus tea, because it was so special: I typically don't eat (or drink) anything with added sugar, and I thought this would be unsweetened but it actually was very sweet, yet I could instantly tell that it was REAL, brewed hibiscus tea, and it seemed that the sugar was pure sugar. I called when I got home to ask if it is (like I said, I normally don't even consume any added sugars, so I wanted to see if this was cane sugar, corn syrup, homemade, bottled or what) and the person who answered the phone knew and told me that they brew their own hibiscus tea and that is just real cane sugar in it. It was really a wonderful treat--and just little, pure, high-quality details like that made me fall in love with Red Mesa Mercado and take my time to write this 5-star review, even though I've worked a full day and am tired, but I feel like when a restaurant is really good, it is important to leave positive feedback! Anyway, enough about the tea, on to the plantain bowl: wow! Everything was perfect, from the fried plantains to the beans to the fresh purple onion bits and avocado, to the mango and whatever else was in there--oh yeah: the rice! Fresh, authentic, as I said earlier but bears repeating, perfectly seasoned, and just great. Last but not least, I feel like the prices are reasonable, especially for the quality you are getting. Oh, wait, that actually wasn't the last thing, I also want to say that I liked the ambiance: very casual and comfy outside, and there was a Rays fan presence to the patrons since a game was just about to get started at the Trop, which is very close. I loved that Rays fan vibe infusing the place, since I'm a huge Rays fan myself, so I felt I was among my peeps there. They do have parking but I ended up parking on the street, which there amazingly were spaces (even with the Rays game about to start in just over an hour from when I arrived), and it's two-hour parking on the street (Baum) until 6:00 p.m., but then after 6:00 p.m. you can just park and not worry about the time. Back to the food: well worth figuring out the parking and braving the downtown rush-hour traffic for, so you KNOW it is good if I say that! I'm impressed! They had me at home-brewed...

Wouldn't take my order because I was not wearing a mask. Yet took my order when I gave it to the individual right next to me at the same exact window I had been standing at. Fix your business and stop virtue signaling. The entire establishment is literally outdoors - masks ARE NOT REQUIRED IN THIS STATE

Response from owner in another review for someone with a disability: However it is the County’s and our policy to continue wearing masks.

Denying service to non-mask wearers for medical reasons that they say they have literally violates the ADA - congrats on your future lawsuits and not understanding how mandates work

"Businesses are reminded that the ordinance does not affect their obligations under federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act."

Smells like lawsuits will be on the way soon fellas. Congrats on ignoring federal law and enforcing discrimination!

Another owner response: We are doing this for the safety of everyone to ensure a flawless execution for the best experience possible. Although our restaurant is outside you do get within a few feet to place your order.

"a few feet to place your order". I stood 10 feet away from the window ON PURPOSE because of this social distancing fallacy and my order was still NOT taken for no mask. So which rule does this restaurant actually follow? Turns out it's whatever they decide to make up on the spot to not serve you. I will gladly never order food from here again and I used to go here 3 times a week...