Central Mesa — Restaurant in Tuscaloosa

Not too impressed, unfortunately. We came here to celebrate the end of the semester after reading all the good reviews and were rather disappointed.

The restaurant is snazzy and attractive, nice decorations, with a very modern and clean feel. We had no trouble getting a seat at around 7 PM on Sunday. The service was adequate -- awkward and very quiet, but not in an unfriendly way. Our food and drinks came out pretty quickly.

Their menu and specials seem to change really often. For example, the drink menu in some Yelp pictures indicated 5 dollar sangrias on Sunday. That was a price I was willing to pay; shortly after ordering it, I saw the drink menu at the corner of the table and saw that they were actually now 7 dollars. It's my fault for not double checking, so I'm not really mad -- this is just a warning to others to double check first. Another similar thing: the Mesa fries on one of the menus they GAVE us said they came with tinga chicken; the other said it didn't. It's not a big deal either way for us, but it is confusing.

At any rate -- my white sangria was alright. Pleasantly floral and the bit of added champagne made it pretty boozy. We did wind up ordering the Mesa fries as an appetizer (and they do currently come with tinga chicken). They were probably the best part of the meal. The queso was nice and gooey, the jalapeños weren't too spicy, the fries were mostly crispy, and the chicken was fairly plentiful. Unfortunately, the dish was on the too salty side, which wound up being a theme throughout the night. I can count on one hand the number of times dishes have been too salty for me, but unfortunately our meal added another finger to my count.

My boyfriend got the Nashville hot chicken tacos, and I had the chicken enchiladas. His hot chicken tacos were the better of the two dishes, but overall it was just okay. The poblano slaw was the best part of the dish, but again, the tacos were too salty. The fries he ordered came with a too-sweet, almost sriracha tasting dipping sauce; he asked for the chipotle ranch he'd seen advertised in Yelp pictures and was told they only had a cilantro buttermilk dip. We tried it, but neither of us are huge cilantro fans, so it wasn't surprising when we didn't like it very much.

My enchiladas were...really weak. The tortilla texture was really gummy and too soft. The chicken inside was also mushy and tasted of basically nothing except salt. I never tasted the jack cheese; when I didn't taste salt, I tasted the overpowering rosemary cream sauce. The rice was, honestly, terrible -- overwhelming lime flavor, and cooked to mush.

Perhaps we came on a really, really bad night, but we were not taken with this...

2018/1 Update - Well, I'm happy to report Central Mesa has figured it out since I last came here. Their dishes have improved A LOT, service is great and it's overall a wonderful place now. Granted, the place had recently opened the first time I visited, and I wasn't impressed. They've clearly have gone through growing pains and have figured out a nice menu with well cooked options. We had the Reuben sandwich, shrimp pasta and some other beef dish I can't recall, and everything was outstanding, plus competitively priced. After a so-so initial experience on my 1st visit, they definitely redeemed themselves in my second visit. I'll be coming to Central Mesa and bringing people here much more often from now on.

Mid-2017 Original review - We went to this restaurant on their 3rd night, so I'm cutting them some slack. The cheese dip and the guacamole we're excellent, but they need to serve more tortilla chips with them. The burger I had was extremely tasty, though I'd serve it with fries instead of chips. Beer and cocktail selection was good, though we ordered in advance because they took very long to get them to us (though they did tell us about it in advance). Oh, and please add the beer type to your beer list - reading the name doesn't tell the customer anything about what it is they're ordering.

While a bit slow, it was only their 3rd day, and it was quite smooth overall. Great job in general, tasty food - but I'd strongly suggest making portions a bit bigger for what they're charging. Their evolution will make or break this establishment: keep in mind, Epiphany was wonderful but closed due to being overpriced. Don't make the same...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/8/2025 I had an absolutely phenomenal experience at Central Mesa! I ordered what’s typically listed as the Mahi Bowl but swapped the mahi for pork belly — and it was divine. The presentation was beautiful, a colorful arrangement that felt like art in a bowl: crispy pork belly pieces perfectly seasoned and caramelized, served alongside vibrant slaw, black beans and corn, jalapeños, pico de gallo, and fresh avocado slices over a flavorful rice base. I opted out of the chipotle crema, and even without it, every bite was full of texture and flavor. The balance of crunch, spice, and freshness was spot-on.

My server was incredible — friendly, attentive, and genuinely creative. Since I don’t drink alcohol, I asked if she could make me a mocktail with pineapple, mint, and something sparkling. What she came up with was perfect — refreshing, balanced, and beautifully presented with crushed ice and a sprig of mint. It tasted tropical and sophisticated, the kind of drink that makes you feel like you’re treating yourself without compromise.

It’s rare to find a restaurant where both the food and service hit every note. Central Mesa impressed me on all levels — atmosphere, hospitality, and culinary quality. I’ll definitely be back to explore more of the menu (and probably get another pork belly bowl!).

Highly recommend this spot for anyone who appreciates creative Southern-Latin fusion with top-tier...