I really hate writing this review because I remember Agave & Rye when it first opened in Covington…read moreand I was genuinely impressed. Was it authentic Mexican food? No. But that wasn't really the point. It was creative, fun, and, most importantly, the food was GOOD.
I still remember those original chips thin, crispy, fresh and almost addictive. The pico was vibrant and fresh, the flavors were balanced, and the birria was easily my favorite thing on the menu. Not every taco or dish was amazing, but I never left feeling like I'd had a bad meal.
Over the years, I've probably stopped back in once a year or so, and unfortunately, each visit seemed to come with another noticeable decline in quality. Still, I kept trying it again because I remembered what Agave & Rye used to be.
Then came today.
We started with the crab cake bites. I'm sure there was crab somewhere in them, but the amount of cheese completely overwhelmed everything else. Then there were the chips. If you remember Agave & Rye's original chips, you'll understand my disappointment. These tasted mass-produced in the worst possible way and were nothing like what originally made them memorable.
We also tried the steak egg rolls. They weren't technically inedible, but that's about the nicest thing I can say. The steak tasted frozen, the filling was mushy, and the entire thing tasted and felt like it had been prepared long before it ever reached our table.
For my entrée, I ordered the Filthy Fajita, and this was where I was genuinely confused.
Conceptually, I understand what they were trying to do. But the execution was dismal. The steak didn't taste or look as though it had ever touched a grill. It was pale, chewy and completely flavorless almost as if it had been boiled. Then it was piled into a mixture of onions, queso and Mexican rice that all became one big mush of textures and flavors.
Had the steak actually been grilled with some char and seasoning, and had the individual ingredients maintained some texture and identity, I could probably have given the dish a 6/10. What I was served was honestly closer to a 2/10.
Even the pico and salsa were disappointing. The pico was unevenly chopped with large pieces of onion overpowering everything else, and neither had the bright, fresh flavor I remembered. The salsa tasted more like puréed tomatoes than a finished salsa.
My husband ordered three tacos, including the Bee's Knees and, I believe, the Alderman. His reaction was similar. The chicken was dry and tasteless, and his overall impression was that everything tasted frozen rather than freshly prepared.
And that's ultimately the issue. Agave & Rye built its reputation on food that was unconventional, over the top and FUN but there was quality behind the gimmick. Somewhere along the way, that seems to have been lost.
I still appreciate the atmosphere and their bar selection, but when it comes to the food, this was beyond disappointing. After giving it several chances over the years, sadly, this will likely be our last visit.
I genuinely wish that weren't the case, because the Agave & Rye I remember from those early Covington days was something special.
