Been here twice and both times left full & happy! Food is authentic and full of flavor. I got quesabirria. The salsa & guacamole & chips are also very good. Highly reccomend the coconut margarita. Service was friendly and the ambiance was inviting and fun. read more

Red Mesa was our option for "late night bites" in Traverse City. I thank you for this. Tremendously. Super cozy Mexican vibes. We started with some specialty margaritas, the cherry being my favorite! So yummy! A must! We opted for some chips, salsa, queso to start. The portions are large & delicious. He got the quesabirria, it was awesome. We had to take the Dulche De Leche Cake home, and it was the perfect ending! read more

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Very interesting atmosphere, spent most of the meal trying to figure out where they source their puppets. We had the birria and elote tamale which were both pretty good, the armadillo eggs and chips and salsa were a hit. Would totally come again. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Elotes Tamale special - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Amazing server. Carlin was a delight. Food a little too spicy for some in our party. Serving size was large. My fajitas will provide me two more servings at home! Nice, bright murals. Deceptively large space read more

Seated promptly for a party of 5. Ordered chips and salsa appetizer (no longer complimentry), chorizo and cheese quesadilla with pico de gallo, burrito with refried beans & Mexican rice, pulled pork carnitas enchiladas plate includes three enchiladas rice and beans. Prompt helpful service. Chairs had puddles of liquid on them upon being ready to seat our party, alerted the wait staff and they promptly wiped down. Disappointed the chips and salsa are no longer complementary. Good quality food, nice portions. I mostly go here because the location is near the hotels along the highway. read more

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We stopped here with family on the first night of our vacation. Food was good, small portions for the price though. Also, some ingredients listed were missing from an item, but my Fiancé was fine with it and didn't want to wait for it to be re-cooked. Her margarita with the Saskatoon berries was the highlight of her night though. read more

Delicious, fresh, and real food. I was in town with family at a lake house for the holiday long weekend and a few of us ate lunch at Red Mesa. We had pleasant service and enjoyed the atmosphere. Everybody liked their entrées. read more

Red Mesa Grill - OMG! amazing habanero fried ice cream! - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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This place was a throwback for me as I haven't been here in probably 15 years. The wait staff were friendly and the food was yummy. The queso was on point and had the right about of spice. I enjoyed the pork flautas...mmm and that side of sauce was a nice compliment. I will say the drinks were a little chewy - I think some of the margaritas could have been drained better to make them more of a drink. While the garnish looked pretty, it made it hard to drink. Something to think about when ordering fancy margaritas. Overall good experience read more

Red Mesa Grill - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

I love Mexican food. I would consider myself somewhat of an expert in the Mexican food consuming field. This is the farthest I've ever got from Mexican food at a Mexican restaurant. The steak was like dog food. Little chewy chunks with no flavor and a funky smell. The shrimp was cold and tasteless. The service was slow and I only seen our server twice during our visit. As I'm sitting here letting my food digest I can feel it tearing me up from the inside. I wouldn't go here unless you wanna get over charged and leave depressed because you feel as if you just got robbed, paying $18 for dogfood warmed up is crazy. On a side note nice bathrooms clean and smelling good. P.s. where all my Mexican workers at??? Only white women and shiny head white man and two lonely amigos read more

Red Mesa Grill - The bald white man - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Service was great. The salsa tastes like it's from a jar and not fresh. The pork taco was delicious and I loved the Smokey refried beans. The steak fajitas were good. The fried ice cream is a must try . The ice cream is covered in Texas toast and then deep fried. It's covered with a habanero chocolate sauce. It's not spicy and the habanero flavor isn't strong. There is a bar. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Prices are reasonable. read more

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The shrimp ceviche was good. I would recommend it. First time I have ever been in a Mexican food restaurant that did not have complimentary salsa and chips. In Texas this would put a place out if business, but this was in Michigan so it is not to be expected to be the same. Beef Quesadillas were good and the beef Fajitas were ok, needed a little more seasoning and were very tough. Had to use knife to cut into small pieces. The restaurant was clean and service was prompt. The waitress keep our drinks refilled. All and all, my family and I would eat here again. read more

Worst food we have ever had ! No flavor remind me of canned dog food.the only good thing was they refunded half our money

The décor and vibe was cool, but food was a bit pricey. The staff was friendly, but a bit slow. Overall, I would recommend Red Mesa if you are looking for unique and authentic Latin flavors. I would avoid if you are looking for basic tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. read more

Ate at this place on the recommendation of a friend from the area and it was really good. Our waitress was attentive and helpful, food came out pretty quickly and we enjoyed the margarita specials. The jerk chicken sandwich was good! It was a marinated, grilled chicken great and very flavorful with just the right spice. My son really loved the Quesabirria as well! My only complaint was that the table was sticky. This is a thing that really bothers me at restaurants... like the tables aren't being cleaned properly. read more

Long wait, mostly meat options. Limited vegetarian menu but I think they are accommodating. Limited seafood options. The place is big with plenty of seating, it's American Mexican. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Caribbean Shrimp Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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No free chips and salsa anymore, entre was $18 , did not even come with rice or beans, no sides... for the prices they charge, nope, won't be back.. read more

My favorite happy hour in Traverse City! Great drink and food choices. Give it a try you won't be disappointed read more

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First off, what Mexican restaurant doesn't offer FREE refills on chips?!?! Especially when you're spending $12 for queso, do better!! However, the decor and food is very good. Service is average, so don't expect to be blown away lol... read more

I was seated right away when I walked in. My server brought water right away and asked for app and drink orders. I ordered the armadillo eggs. This was not stuffed jalapeños like most places serve. Chicken and mashed potatoes deep fried and served with 3 different sauces.i was not impressed with the first bite but it just took a minute to appreciate the flavors. For an entree I had the taco combo. I chose carnitas, shredded beef and tinga chicken. The chicken and beef were great. The carnitas were something I could not palate. They were smothered in a fruit sauce. I love pineapples but tacos are not somewhere they belong. My server Clara recognized my concern and quickly asked what I wanted to replace it with and was back with it before I finished the taco I was working on. I should mention she did not get a manager, she just made it right. I love Mexican food but the food quality and customer service make this place stand out. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Armadillo eggs - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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The food was great, the service wonderful! It was later in the day and they split an entree for us on 2 plates! Just fantastic! read more

I wish I could give it a 10! I love Mexican food, but having visited many regions of Mexico for work over the years, I KNOW good Mexican food. And although Red Mesa does still have small American twists to their food, it is GLORIOUS! The carnitas, shredded chicken and shredded beef were all mouth watering. The beans and rice are also very flavorful. We had the 3 enchilada and 3 taco meals. The meats are so well seasoned. The portion size are great. The food is fresh and the prices are on point for the quality of food. We live in Gaylord and have been going to a local (better than average) Mexican restaurant, but this is our new go-to by far. We plan to try the Red Mesa in Boyne as well. The ambiance is on point and the service was good. Be sure to try Red Mesa; your money will be well spent! read more

Red Mesa Grill - 3 Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Just across the road from the beach, the location is good. We walked, but there's lots of parking available. I had high hopes! This is a casual restaurant with interesting decor. The menu and specials (including drinks) is outstanding - truly great drinks. The food was underwhelming. Everything was cold, and tasted like it had been prepared much earlier. It might have been good if it was hot. The hips and salsa were great. Service was good, not great. If I'm in the area I might try again, because there is lots of potential. read more

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Amazing service and food The waitress was on point and took care of our table of 5 The salsa and queso was amazing as well read more

First time visiting and let me tell you, it was one of the best Mexican restaurants my fiancé and I have ever been to and we love Mexican! The service was awesome, our waiter with the Afro was very attentive and friendly, super nice guy. The chips and salsa were super fresh and the ground beef burritos were delicious. Also had live music :) Check out my YouTube Channel: Extreme.Outdoorsmen read more

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Service super slow. Food was not appetizing at all. Very disappointed in this experience. Shrimp tacos. No bueno Chicken burrito no bueno read more

Everything tasted very good and the service was prompt and attentive! Would recommend to anyone visiting the area. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Quesabirria Tacos with chicken, red rice, and refried smoked pinto beans - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Worst Mexican I've ever had. Chips came and right after a bug crawled out from under them. We had a group of 4 and had the carnitas, chicken burrito, barbacoa Burrito, and Caribbean tacos. All of it was terrible. We didnt even bother to get a to go box and Mexican is one of my favorite left over foods. The food was dry and tasted burnt. I wouldn't go back read more

I will return. The food was memorable. I'm actually craving it as I write this. We went on a summer Sunday around 7pm. Had a 40min wait due to the fact that TC is mostly closed at dinnertime on Sundays. The patio was also full. We were sat inside. The ambiance is kinda dark to give a sense of privacy. The tables were clean and the server was great. It's the salsa that I am craving! If you enjoy chips and salsa, this is the place. I had Chicken Fajitas. Totally what you would expect, but the yummy version! My dining companion had Grouper Tacos. She said they were very good! Didn't have a cocktail, but they looked fun. Price was typical for dinner in a resort town. read more

Excellent food and quick, polite service. Atmosphere was colorful and authentic. We started with the free chips and great tasting salsa. Then the bar selection was fantastic. Draft Dos Equis Amber hit the spot. For dinner I had the shrimp Enchiladas and my wife had the Caribbean chicken quesadillas. Food came in about 10 minutes. Both were excellent and plenty to fill you up. For dessert we split the coconut cream pie. It was the best I've ever had. Will definitely go back to this gem of a restaurant. read more

The place has plenty of seating options and can accommodate large groups and even looks like private parties. We were greeted and seated quickly. It wasn't super busy for a Sunday night but appears to be very steady which we seen as promising. It took a min for our waitress to come to the table. Sounds like we got lost in the mix. She quickly made it up. As she was very prompt and offered us cheese dip on the house. I had their special jack shrimp. It was delicious. I would go back just for that alone. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Jack shrimp!! Awesome!! - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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I'd say this is a 1.5 star experience. The waiters are kind but the food is truly lacking. Came out cold (although fast) and had little to no flavor. Me and the group I was with were disappointed to say the least. I would not recommend. read more

We started with a appetizer called "Queso Fundido" a rich blend of several cheeses , garlic and green chiles served with corn chips. We split a huge bowl of the best chicken tortilla chip soup that would bring tears to my madre. Soo much chicken and so delicious. A slow roasted, and I mean slooow Shredded beef burrito , wrapped in a huge flour tortilla and smothered in a perfectly spicy guajillo sauce topped with Chihuahua cheese and served with refried smoked beans and just a very small portion of Spanish rice . The flavors coupled with such a large portion of the shredded beef was very generous. Too much food, excellent service by Marnie. The atmosphere put you right back in Mehico. Yes , we will be back again, again and again. You guessed it , we were able to park the RV way in the back of adjacent parking lot!! Note to self: We did not like the gluten free corn chips made on site. read more

Red Mesa Grill - Art work - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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First time visit. I got the make your own combo with two tacos, one shredded beef and one pork carnitas taco. I got black beans instead of the regular and they were perfect. The taco meats were very juicy and tender and the juice got all over my hands and down my arms. The white cheese on my tacos was cotija, which is like the Mexican feta, it has a salty bite and is perfect on the black beans. I was very happy with my order. My friend got Street corn tamales and enjoyed them. They were good, the cream sauce was tasty and i would get those next time. Portions were huge. Another friend got chicken fajitas and enjoyed those too. read more

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First off my husband ordered the chicken enchiladas and he ate one not even all the way and got food poisoning. I got the fish tacos and they were so dry and gross I could not finish them. The beans tasted like cigarettes. The chips were stale and tasted funny. The service was good. read more

LOVED this place that happened to be down the road from our hotel and RIGHT across from Lake Michigan! Nice atmosphere with good music, very cute and colorful. our waitress was nice and very timely and efficient. food was really good, from the chips and salsa to my meal of the "chicken and chorizo stuffed poblano pepper" which came with white rice and black beans. it tasted fresh, still warm out of the oven, with the right seasoning to be spicy but not overbearing. strongly recommended. read more

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Crazy giant marionette decor. Margaritas were $ but delicious! Food was ok, my husband wasn't a fan of his but my pork tacos were good but spicy. The smoked refried beans were very good and my husband enjoyed the black beans. I thought it was a little pricey for what it was. I would go back for drink and the beans only. read more

Used to be my all-time favorite restaurant. The chips and salsa have changed and the menu is much more limited than it used to be. Then, 2 of us ended up being sick that night. I suspect it was from the food. read more

Wait staff was not knowledgeable on the menu...she was alone with 10 tables and overwhelmed. Food was adequate.

Red Mesa is a casual dining experience with a fun and friendly atmosphere. The place seems popular with the locals - but also seemed to be a prime stop for tourists as well. Indoor/outdoor seating was accessible to handicapped individuals, and dogs were welcomed in the outdoor seating area. There was ample parking in the back, and we had a short wait for a table. Our server was excellent. She was very obviously a veteran waitress, and I appreciated her efficiency. She got our order right away, and even helped speed up the seating process. We were seated outside and our party of seven had everything we ordered within about 25 minutes. The food was not bad. The restaurant was on par with Chi-Chi's or Don Pablo's; big chain stores that have a sort of set menu and clientele. The generic menu produced generic food, though. Again, not bad, but there were no taste revelations here, just a general Tex-mex experience, which they did well enough. If you're in Traverse City or the Grand Traverse area of Michigan, Red Mesa is worth a try. Don't expect anything too glorious, but when it comes to Tex-mex food, you could do worse. read more

Kayla was AMAZING and we would come back based on her service alone Now to the food... The highlight of "Texican" food restaurants is always the chips and salsa, but unfortunately that was not the case here. The chips were cold, unsalted, and a little stale, and the salsa was extremely watery to the point of not even having a tomato taste. My husband ordered the Carnitas Burrito and I ordered the shrimp fajitas. The carnitas tasted like unseasoned pork- the meat was very tender but other than that there wasn't much flavor. The shrimp fajitas on the other hand were well seasoned and very good taste and value, all things considered! I ordered the strawberry mezcal margarita and I wish I hadn't. One sip and it was enough for me; would not recommend a mezcal drink from here, but that might have been my mistake in not reading the room. This is a clear tequila place and they have a LOT of options for tequila lovers. Thankfully, Kayla took it off of our check as I didn't drink it. The menu was very odd and included several white washed menu items from different cuisines- they offered red snapper, ground beef tacos, soup, and enchiladas. Also something called "Latino chopped salad"??? That much variety is rarely a good sign. TLDR; overall, if what you're looking for is a big burrito, cheesy enchiladas, or a tequila flight, this is a great spot for you. If you're used to street tacos or authentic Mexican food, I would not recommend it. Also, once again, the service was great, so if you come here be sure to tip your server well!! read more

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