- fabulous and creative and pretty drinks - I love the booth seating the booths are a little tight the booths are little ways from the action, but good for intimacy and talking - best music in Curtin house read more

Anything that requires you to walk up more than three flights of stairs (perhaps while slightly intoxicated) had better be good. Fortunately the kids at Mesa Verde know this and are well on their way to being a venue that rewards drinkers and diners for climbing six flights of stairs within Curtain House. My real reason for coming here was to sample the cocktails. With over 200 tequilas and some of Melbourne's best bartenders behind the bar, I was pretty confident that I'd get a killer cocktail (or three) that would bring my Friday to a close with the ceremony and respect that it deserved. And right I was. Josh (previously of Eau De Vie) first made me a "P.G" featuring Tequila silver, muddled sugar snap peas, green tea syrup and lemon. A genius combination - the starchiness from the peas working well with the flavour of green tea and the tequila lifting it all together to provide a refreshing start to the evening. Mesa Verde have hopes for an extensive salt collection and the P.G featured a green tea salt that worked with the cocktail rather than against it, as it the case I find with a lot of salt rimmed drinks. Later in the evening I tried an experimental drink that featured a smoked salt rim and garnish of acidulated and salted apple slices. Brilliant. And a perfect match to the pulled pork taco I was eating at the time. The cocktails are considered and balanced and I'm eager to try more. As for the food... well, time will tell if this can get to the same heights of the cocktails. I ordered a prawn cocktail that took forever to arrive and eventually I was told it had run out and "would I like the civeche instead?". Sure thing. A small portion with chunky fish and jicama and radish slices, the flavours could have been pushed to an extra level. It was pleasant enough but would I order it again in its current format? No. Next, a pulled pork taco. The tortilla was fresh and hot, the pork filling moist with terrific flavour, but a chunky garnish with some zing would work well here. Jalapenos, pineapple or even some of the sliced apple that I had at the time with the cocktail I was drinking would provide textural contrast and pull it together. If Mesa Verde can work cohesively across the floor, bar and kitchen and tighten up the flavours on the dining menu, I think it will kick some serious ass and I may just become its number one fan. read more

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Rating it a 5 because it's the home of the Best Spicy Margarita in Melbourne {in my books anyway} You're looking at the BEST spicy margarita found in Melbourne {at least as of date}. This was no easy feat as we've had multiple run ins with terrible margaritas. Luckily, we stumbled upon this restaurant called Mesa Verde which we were forced {alright, maybe not forced but it was here or go elsewhere} to eat at since the rooftop was closed for a cinema showing on the 6th floor. Once seated, I asked the waitress what their best drink was that no other place around Melbourne had. She recommended a few different margaritas, a few described as having a bit of spice to it. I ordered the El Scorcho Tommys Margarita. The bartender torches the jalapeño to give the drink a smoked flavor using it as garnish on the glass. Later, my partner decided to order the Ghostface Killah Margarita which was very similar to the other. For dinner we shared a pork taco, chorizo fundido (think queso but not quite as liquidly) and my personal favorite, pumpkin quesadilla. They seem to switch up the menu often; therefore, it's likely you won't get to order the same food or drinks twice.The bar is quite impressive as they have a ridiculously large selection of tequilas, you will struggle to choose! The servers are good at making suggestions if you can't decide with the numerous options available. After dinner, make your way up one more flight of stairs to the Rooftop Bar for a great view of the city or down to Toff in Town on Level 2 to watch a band, or Cookie on Level 1 for another drink. Or why not just walk between all the floors to enjoy a drink on all the great bars Curtain House has to offer. read more

Mesa Verde - Best spicy margarita with torched jalapeño - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Mesa Verde will not be seeing me again. Climbing six flights of stairs is not fun when you're weighed down by a puffy jacket, large handbag and an immense appetite. The experience becomes less pleasurable when you are stopped by a sergeant who blocks your path and tells you that you need to be going in the other direction to the rooftop bar. Letting out a wheeze, you tell her that you are actually going to mesa Verde and she then lets you pass through. Enter a very dimly lit space with very small wooden square tables, uncomfortable seating with very loud music and a projector screen displaying a random medley of movie scenes. The atmosphere is not helped by very loud music and the noise radiating from the bar. The drinks menu though expansive is an eyesore with margaritas starting at 22 bucks. No thank you. The menu though quite interesting is overpriced with a single taco for 7-8 bucks and quesadillas (actually half a quesadilla as it only covers half the plate) for almost as much as 14 bucks. The chefs special is 45 per person but the menu does not tell you what it includes Between the two of us we got the mushroom taco, the lamb taco, the chicken taco and a potato and chorizo quesadilla. The tacos arrived first. The chicken taco was quite dry and tasteless. it comes with no sauce. The lamb taco sprayed this juice all over my shirt when i tried to eat it. The mushroom tacos were delicious. Really interesting tasting. The potato chorizo quesadilla was quite a wait and had this weird cumin flavour. Had to eat everything with their single selection of orange hot sauce. I did not enjoy eating in the dark. After a taco and struggling to manage in the dark, I started feeling sleepy. Eating is a sensory experience. Not being able to see your food is not helpful. Not being able to hear your dinner mate - also not helpful. Paying the bill and being asked by the waiter what we are doing next is very intrusive I'm. going home Sherlock. its freaking 10. 30pm. Why not ask about how the food was or whether we are interested in the dessert menu or some tea/coffee?! read more

Mesa Verde - Tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I've had a love affair with Mexican food since my first beef taco I had in a street fair in Sydney many many moons ago. I have the opportunity to have some of the best and worse Mexican in the world. So it's always a pleasure to come across a Mexican eatery that takes your tastebuds on a journey to the heart of Mexico. Curtin House in Swanson Street Melbourne is home to an assortment of dinning rooms and bars, hosting one of the best rooftop bars in Melbourne. It also has a very rich history and once housed the Australian Communist Party head quarters. So I got a little excited to hear that there was a new addition to the building. Mesa Verde is situated on Level 6, and depending on what time you go is accessed by a small elevator when that is out of action you take the stairs, and believe me by the time you make it you're in need of a drink. The fit out is relaxed and casual and the bar, at first glance, seems to hold a good variety of spirits to get any palate going. Lots of washed out coloured wood and a variety of the usual Mexican artefacts decorating the walls. The drink list had a great variety of cocktails with an interesting selection of margaritas. I was also pleased to read that they supported local independent brewers that they rotated weekly and was excited to hear what our waited had to offer. I must say I was both disappointed and confused when our waitress read out the beer list from Lion Nathan, who is neither local or independent. I opted for one of their imports, Pacifico Clara from Mexico. The menu was above good, it was amazing and whilst there was a Taco and Nacho section represented it certainly gives you the impression that a lot of research has gone into the menu development. The first dish we ordered was the Mexican beef carpaccio with zucchini flowers, salted ricotta, baby basil, black garlic aioli and saltines. Everything about this dish was amazing, the beef melted in your mouth and each component of the dish adding a fresh sensation that left you wanting more. Next to arrive was the grilled sweet corn with queso and mortima creama. Another winning dish and I found myself wanting to lick the plate clean. Two courses down and two to go and I was starting to think is this where it all goes pear shape. Asparagus and green beans arrived and thankfully I had no reason to fear with again a dish that was not only cooked to perfection but gently refreshed your palate. A visit to a Mexican restaurant wouldn't be complete with out a taco or two and when our platter of tacos was placed in the centre of our table I knew this was a great night out. Mesa Verde is certainly a standout establishment and has been elevated to one of the top restaurants in Melbourne. So if your looking for a Mexican eatery that serves more than salas and corn chips then make a booking at Mesa Verde. So read more

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Amazing food and the waitress helped us bringing food up to the rooftop cinema. Best vegetarian food I've ever had read more

Mesa Verde - Vegetarian - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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I'm from Los Angeles, so every time I have "Mexican" abroad it's under severe scrutiny by yours truly. However Mesa Verde is a HUGE exception. I do believe they recently got a new chef, bc I asked where he was from (bc it was unbelievable how good the tacos (I had with pork but apparently with prawns is really good too & the scallops dish were) and he's from the southern part of the US, where Mexican food is usually done right. Anyway I can't say how happy I was with the food here. It was truly a culinary experience. You can't go wrong with the regal gentlemen's club meets Brooklyn hipster ambience. Margaritas are great (and cheaper than upstairs). Def worth coming if you are seeking good Mexican food in Melbourne!! read more

Most dinners don't start with a full leg muscle workout. 4 minutes and 6 flights of stairs make even the most fit person feel a little tight in the legs. Mesa Verde has accommodated for this by providing toilets for those who can walk freely, those on crutches and those in wheelchairs. The later (and those feeling less fit) can access the restaurant/bar using the less adventurous lift. The toilets by the way are kind of cool - all light and white marble with a great view make you feel like a little bit like a trendy kid in NY. But it (the restaurant and bar - not necessarily the toilets) is definitely worth the walk. Drinks are a amazing. The jalapeño margarita and another drink with sage leaves and pineapple where amazing. Litres and litres of different tequilas and a good list of beers. Food was also great. Best unconventional Mexican in Melbourne. Tacos - especially the raw tuna were awesome. Warm light almost fluffy tortillas, with juicy spicy citrusy accompaniments. The Mushroom, and the pulled pork tacos were also stand outs. Everything else tried was also great. My friends said the cheeseburgers were a surprisingly good stand out but I didn't try them. I'll be back soon. read more

Mmmmmmmm Tequila my friend we meet again! Mesa Verde occupies the old office space of Right Angle Studios (who write the excellent Thousand Guides). Having such a prime location right below Rooftop Cinema/Bar and above Cookie and Toff you can expect a venue to match the high quality of the rest of the building. I'm a massive tequila fan and woah they have a great range on offer here. I have started trying new mescals instead of tequila lately and Mesa Verde's staff know their stuff and are always up for recommending a different tipple. The cocktails are tasty and decently presented and the beer choices are pretty decent though a little over priced for the beer on offer. Still the venue is nice for small groups and the low lighting gives it a nice ambience for relaxed nights. I'll keep going back! read more

Great non TexMex Mexican. Service was friendly and discrete. Mushroom tacos - amazing. Pulled pork tacos - amazing. Prawn tacos, not quite amazing, but still pretty damn good!! The foods was great. But catch the lift up!! read more

They use agave syrup in their cocktails, eek! And they put it in an espresso martini! I don't mind people getting creative, but if you're putting super sugary products in a drink that's normally sugar free, I think it's poor form not to mention it.. Otherwise cute bar, good menu, tasty food (just had a couple of tacos. Pulled pork was great) read more

The mexican joint just before the rooftop of the curtain house. Its really nice in here, very well laid out and a good selection of tequila (everyone has time for tequila). The food here is really nice, nothing id rave about, but decent enough to bring a big group for pre drinks and food. The decor here is nice and very mexican, the staff are always friendly. Its a good stop point as you make your way to the rooftop and on the way back down for a quick shot to keep that buzz going. read more

Vegetarian options kind of lacking, and don't present good value for money. The quality is good, but not great. Service was a mixed bag; a little overbearing at some points, while food ordered all at once showed up in drips and drabs. read more

We were trying to get into the rooftop bar but they were packed so we came down here instead. We're glad we did, as we were able to enjoy a light snack and a beverage before heading out for our Old Melbourne gaol tour. We ordered the guacamole to share, and we each ordered a taco. I ordered sweet potato and kale, and my wife ordered the fish taco. Everything was excellently prepared and tasted great. I really liked their beer and tequila pairing - they give suggestions on the menu. The servers were super nice and friendly, and I thought it was neat that there was a live DJ right by our table. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area! Just take note that it's up on the sixth floor of the listed address. read more

I'm not sure who thought it would be a good idea to serve a margarita in a martini glass, but for $22 I found their avocado margarita to be very underwhelming. I also found the service to be pretty slow. There are plenty of better places in the CBD that offer more my personality. read more

Went there after the Mexican festival on the weekend. Cool location, next time might try and catch a movie at the cinema upstairs. The service was friendly but not too much so. Our food came out reasonably fast. And was very tasty. We had a selection from the menu of about six dishes. Going without yard apes next time so we can sample the Mescal and Tequilla. Can't wait. read more

How hard is it to get tacos right? Absolutely avoid the pork taco, a gristly mess. Swordfish however was a pleasant smoky surprise. Side note: don't order the "fries/chips" unless you want a basket of uncooked potato with some chipotle mayo, we sent them back and they returned raw still, Zucchini taco an mushroom were also very nice. But for the price you want consistency across the menu. read more

Maybe a tad too pricey for a student but the place looks amazing! Only a couple of vego options avaliable but we stkll ended up with a great meal. The quality of food is beautiful. read more

I've never had better tacos in my life. The beef cheek tacos were an experience and the chicken ones also excellent. Beautiful and unique décor with the place lit by several dozen little oil lanterns. It was absolutely the highlight of our trip to Melbourne, even with the choice between six flights of stairs or a tiny rickety elevator. read more