I was not excited about going to another Mexican restaurant when my wife found this place. Most of the Mexican food in this town is horrible. But I was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is beautiful and they have a full bar. The menu is small but a great collection of offerings. It's not traditional Mexican but more of a fusion with a lot of Spanish influence. The drinks were amazing. we tried the flan old fashion and Jamaica de vecino. We ordered the calamari as an appetizer it was realy tasty. The service was was great and the food came out quickly. For an entree we tried the bocadillo and Street corn both were excellent. The street corn stole the spotlight as a Mexican. I was impressed with their take on roasted street corn . We had the churros they were good too. The only negative I'd the seats were uncomfortable. They are going for a sleek clean modern astetic. And the place looks great . But if you want people to stay longer and drink more, you gotta get more comfortable chairs. read more

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We went when they first opened and I will admit I have not been back to try it again, but I hope they got the show together. The server had no clue and took forever to get anything. We did oder a couple of drinks and apps but we left without ordering food. With that said, the food was good, there is a large seating area. Prices are same for the area. Also, they do have seating at the counter / bar which is big. I am going to give them another try and see how it goes next time....stay tuned. read more

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We went to Mezcal for the first time tonight. The space was open, bright and beautiful! Our server was Gabi - she was the freaking best - you should ask for her when you visit! We ordered: - Chips + 3 salsa - Shrimp ceviche - Grilled Cesar salad - Carnitas Tacos with hominy hash - Kids Salmon (rating of 13/10 from 9 year old) - Kids burrito (this was a bit spicy) - Strawberry Margarita on the rocks We will absolutely be back and can't wait to try more things! read more

Mezcal Tequila Cocina - Street corn - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

from start to finish our entire experience was amazing! Gabi was awesome and so helpful. we loved that it's an open kitchen concept, and all four of our meals were outstanding. we will absolutely be back! read more

Mezcal Tequila Cocina - cauliflower tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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If you want regular Mexican food where everything melds together in a bland tasteless platter, then go to just about any other Mexican restaurant in CR. Mezcal is offering something different. Fresh made when the order is placed. The queso, is good. It's different. This is not made from a block of processed cheese and a can of salsa warmed in a microwave. The portions are nicely sized. Sure the menu seems limited but I would rather have a few well made entrees than pages of items with basically the same fillings and sauces but called different names. We were full but we couldn't pass up the churros for dessert. Wow! The staff are amazing. Friendly and knowledgeable. We will be back many times to enjoy a unique dish. read more

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We devoured the cheesecake so fast that I didn't get a photo! Also, we started with a Mezcal Old Fashioned that was delish! Didn't get a photo of that either! But the drinks and food were all top notch! Love that we have this place here in town and highly recommend to anyone visiting or living in the area! Drinks are superior to anything we've gotten anywhere in town and food was inventive and yummy! read more

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Went here on a Friday night a little before six. It wasn't too busy and we were seated in a booth right away. The kitchen is open, which was a cool feature. The waitress was very helpful with dishes and suggestions. My friend and I ordered the skinny marg. We also ordered bottomless chips and salsa for the table. When the skinny margs came I was kind of shocked. There were maybe 3 oz of liquid and it was $11. It was very fresh and delicious, but it was barely a drink. Price or size needs to be fixed with an $11 price tag. The chips and salsa were great. Chips were still hot and the salsa was roasted and delicious. Not too hot. I got the steak tacos with street corn, my friend got the shrimp bocadillo with street corn, and my other friend steak tacos with fried plantains. It was great to be asked how we wanted our steak cooked. It took over 40 minutes to get our food and the owner came over and apologized. He also brought over some items that were forgotten. During the time we didn't have food the waitress was checking the table and the kitchen seeing when the food was ready. The steak tacos were pretty good. The steak was marinated and definitely cravable. You got quite a bit of steak as well. The street corn was also ok and a little spicy. My friend said the shrimp was really good. The plantains were lacking flavor and didn't really taste like anything. I ended up ordering a beer since the margarita was gone quickly. $5 for a Modelo draft was a good price. I would like to go back at some point and try a few other options and a different margarita. I think the idea is to be a little upscale, but the prices for some items and Market Price for some (price not listed) might be too much for the area. Happy hour seems great, but is 2-5PM, so many won't be able to get there in time after work. I'd probably also change the tipping options to start at 20% instead of 22%. Overall, I think I need another try to get the full picture of this new place. read more

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My first time at Mezcal. Food was authentic but lacked flavor and textural variety. Service and ambiance were great! Tacos: On the drier side but likely due to corn tortillas. No option for flour tortilla substitution. The side of street corn however was topped with cotija cheese and extremely flavorful! Ensalada Mixta (salad): Very mid. Corn was still half frozen when the salad arrived at the table. Patas Bravas: Was very excited for these but pretty underwhelmed. Traditional patas bravas are small, diced, fried potatoes. This dish was a full plate of soft roasted whole potatoes. Churros: Loved these!! read more

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My family and I were excited to try it out, but the food was so underwhelming that we won't return. We ordered several courses (and kept hoping something would pleasantly surprise us). We tried chips and guac (my daughter liked this, but the rest of us were underwhelmed), chips and queso (grainy and floury flavor), chili verde soup (oily and cool temp and got thrown away at home), fried calamari (mostly breading and very greasy so it carried a mostly floury flavor), cauliflower ceviche (my mom liked this), fried chicken taco (mostly flour-flavored and after about 3 bites it was wrapped up to take home and eventually just thrown away), spanish rice and black beans for sides (thrown away at home). We also ordered seafood paella de pollo. Two people ordered this and both plates came out with the mussels still cold like maybe they had just barely thawed and the shrimp partly cooked; we packed it up and took it home where we finished cooking it. We didn't ask the waitress to heat it up for us because the service was really, really slow and we all pretty much were disappointed enough with the apps and experience that we were ready to go before our entrees even came out (though we'd held out hope that they would be good). After packing up our entrees, my mom wanted to try the dessert and the rest of us looked at her like she was out of her mind. One person ate their seafood dish at home after warming it up and cooking the shrimp a little longer and the other threw theirs away. Everyone was a little worried about food poisoning based on the temp of the food, but we ended up being fine. Everything pretty much tasted like flour. Or one particular smokey spice. There are a couple Mexican restaurants we really like close to our house. We decided this one wasn't worth a return trip (at all). In fact, we all felt like it was the most disappointing meal we'd had in a very long time (maybe ever). I don't normally leave reviews that are so long and we're not picky eaters (at all), but hoping this saves a few families from disappointment and a dent in the wallet. Also hoping the restaurant finds its groove and their client base and does well for themselves. It just wasn't for us. read more

Staff were nice and pleasant but not super attentive. Carne asada tacos very disappointing. Lots of grizzle had to spit out many pieces into napkin because you couldn't chew it. Paying for chips and salsa isn't cool. . I'll just go back to Via's Patio. - favorite is new one on Edgewood by Blair's ferry. read more

My wife and I attended the soft opening of Mezcal Tequila Cocina last night, and it did not disappoint! Chef Joseph Avila Burillo has provided Cedar Rapids with a new and unique cuisine, inspired by the Latin food traditions he grew up with. The appetizers, soups, salads, and entrées provide plenty of different choices and flavors, including spicy dishes made with authentic ingredients, and milder items fresh and cooked to perfection. Mezcal, which is tequilas very tasty relative, has finally been introduced in our area in a way that it can be explored and appreciated, and Chef Joe's cocktail recipes are once again the star here, just like they are at Chophouse. Mezcal and tequila drinks, and straight up sipping servings as well, provide a variety of amazing tasting experiences. Great beers and tasty margaritas on tap (yes that's right) ensure you will never go thirsty at this restaurant. My wife had the Mezcal Mojito, with mint and lime, and the freshness of ingredients made for a refreshing and delicious drink. She really loved it. The sipping shot of Dos Hombres Mezcal passed the flavor and strength test with her as well. For food, we ordered chips and queso and fried calamari appetizers, and I really loved the flavor the calamari and its breading had, and the queso had great flavor as well, and was uniquely textured with gouda cheese infused within. My main course was the giant pork chop, deep fried and seasoned. Wow! It was really enormous! I loved the texture and the quality of the meat. My dish came with sides, Chili Verde and a spicy hominy blend. Oh man, the Chile Verde may be some of the best chili I've ever had... I really loved the green herbs and spices, which lent a lighter, fresher flavor to already amazing chili. The hominy blend was great... great flavor and fresh exciting spices. My wife ordered the Shrimp Bocadillo, which had beautiful red peppers on the toated bread, fresh herbs, and 4 really big, tasty shrimp on top. Great combination! Her side of Spanish rice was flavor packed, not watered down like many Spanish rice dishes I've seen, but crackling with black pepper and cooked just right. I loved it (yes I tried my wifes food!) The ambience at the Mezcal Tequila Cocina is really cool... like a family gathering next to an open kitchen... you can see the cooks prepare your food right in front of you. It's really amazing to watch a master like Joeseph Avila Burillo at work... I glanced over at one point as he was showing another cook how to properly flambe... fire was leaping high out of the pan, but it was completely under the control of an artist. Our overall impression of this restaurant was highly favorable, and I honestly can't wait to try every dish. I am fascinated by the flavor differences in foods from different cultures, and this is an exciting, passionate menu that draws upon a rich Latin history, brought to life by the hands of one of our favorite chefs. "Buen Provecho"! read more

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Dry taco. and Luik warm steak. Too expensive for amount of food. The waiter was good.

Great pork tacos. Outstanding queso. Service was excellent. Lots of laughter and fun in the restaurant. One of the owners visited the table. read more

Just left the restaurant. Here is what was bad, I mean bad. 1) My mini street tacos set under the headlamp for over 10 minutes. 2) my mini tacos where cold, rice-cold, black beans- cold and a little crunchy. 3) black long hair in friends shrimp tacos. 4) shrimp tacos cool, and way over cooked. 5) Plantains had so much salt, she couldn't stand it. 6) Sons fried chicken tacos where also cool. 7) Service was so slow, the younger girl kept in the coffee and tea area playing on her phone, while the bartender was tacking orders, and serving and making drinks. So from this draw your own conclusion. Will not ever go back, Eva's in Marion is better, and Service is better, and real Mexican food read more

amazing food..... amazing service.... amazing amount of food for the price!!! you have to at least try it out!!! you won't be disappointed!! read more

Quick service and wonderful food great drinks. Bottomless chips and queso. Take a picture with the cardboard cut out of the Rock.

Very minimal menu and the margaritas taste like sweet and sour more than it tastes like a margarita. More servers than needed and servers eating at the bar while serving. read more