Red mesa was one of the best restaurant I have been to a such a long time!! Our server, Addie Leiby was such a kind and lovely young lady! She even recommended me many options, I landed my choice on the chicken fajita twister! It was delicious! The place was so beautiful, and filled with amazing people! I would 100% recommend it to everyone! read more

I got a chicken burrito, and man they gave me a lot of food. Most entrees come with a side of rice and beans, both of which are pretty large portions. If you have someone to split a meal with, I would probably do that unless you want a lot of leftovers. My waitress was also very nice! read more

This is a perfectly serviceable Mexican restaurant -- or really kind of a Tex-Mex-ish/pan-Latin restaurant that we went to largely for two reasons. One, it was across the street from our hotel. Two, it was Friday night, we were meeting somebody for dinner with hungry children but had no reservations, and when I called them on the phone they were very friendly and suggested we could probably walk in and get a table without waiting. This was true! The food was perfectly serviceable. Chips, queso, shrimp fajitas, quesadillas for the kids (along with wikistix to play with!), a large range of margarita-ish options I didn't try. The service was a little strange but ultimately patient and friendly. I am not saying it's going to make any of the top-foodie lists of Traverse City (an increasingly foodie town), but it might be just what you need in similar circumstances. 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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Beware of getting the bowl. Mostly beans and rice. Fajitas were on point. Sat in the bar. Server was making drinks. Waiting tables and running to the kitchen. Not her fault she was spread too thin. read more

Hopping place. Busy and locals recommend this joint. Food was good and came out pretty fast considering how busy it was. Huge portions. Delicious. They charge for salsa & chips. Never seen that before. Did not tell us ahead of time of this. 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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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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Horrible. My food was too salty to eat. They replaced it with a flavorless flauta. My sister had a roasted chicken salad bowl and was unable to finish because of the saltiness read more

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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The only thing we had here that was good was the Queso Fundido. This is a European interpretation of Latin food. Specifically England, where bland flavor profiles are the norm. Horrible. read more

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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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

We actually tried to go next door for steamed shrimp but they were closed. Looked up and saw what looked to be a good Mexican restaurant, THINK AGAIN!!! Let's start at the beginning, appetizers, the chips and salsa, they charge you, WHAT? That salsa was so plain and just no taste!! We also ordered the "Armadillo Eggs, come on how do you screw this up? Dried out chicken, obviously deep fried too long in a hard as can be crust with barely any green sauce, no don't get this!! Hey, maybe we try the drinks, a "red, white and blue" margarita, IT CAME OUT green!! When I asked about red white and blue, "yeah they really don't know how to make that". A normal margarita for my wife comes and it is all margarita mix with not alcohol at all... oh yeah nothing on the rim for either one!! Let's look past that and onto the entrees, Yeah nothing, don't get your hopes up!!! My wife order the Bean and Cheese burrito, may I say... no taste at all and cold hard cheese, yep I did!! NASTY!! I ordered the RMG fajita, still had the no taste salsa, dried out chicken and admittedly not bad shrimp, but wait for it ... the skirt steak, WTF, it was two small balls that was supposed to be steak, when I tried to cut into them, they we so dried out or overly cooked for the last few days they literally turned to a sandy type substance. Nothing looked like steak at all or even ground beef!!! There is absolutely no way I could recommend this place at all!!! We actually ended up asking some locals about this place, everyone of them apologized and said please don't go there it is terrible. But hey judge it for yourself, if you dare!! read more

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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A+++ The food was delicious and our server Charlie was awesome! I had the Blood Orange cocktail and my husband tried the Bobo Wabo. Both tasty!! The chips and salsa and Queso Fundido were devoured in minutes. My husband and son each ordered two tacos with rice and beans. No complaints whatsoever. My daughter had the kids quesadilla. Both kids had the Jarritos sodas which they love. And my mahi mahi entree was unique and flavorful beyond my imagination. If we lived in the area, we would dine here frequently. read more

I have to agree with previous review from Dave - went there today - waitress was nice but OMG - food if you can call it that ... just no taste - we honestly thought that they just served us someone else's leftovers - maybe we got unlucky and it was a different cook then usually Went there 3 years ago - food was great so who knows . read more

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

do not come here. first order they MESSED up then had to wait 20 minutes for THIS? it was nasty. we had 2 waitresses take our order and somehow still messed up ??? read more

Red Mesa Grill - Arroz Con Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

The service was terrible I understood we had a newer waiter but he still didn't know nearly anything on the menu and didn't understand the correct pronunciation of "Jarritos". The food wasn't the best and i ordered nachos plus chicken. The chicken was unseasoned and bland as the nacho chips were extra soggy to where they didn't even have a crunch or breaking sound upon putting pressure or biting onto it. The restaurant itself was a nice looking place and wasn't dirty in any ways. 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

Good service at the bar. Chips and queso were above average. The meal exceeded expectations!

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

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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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

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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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

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

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

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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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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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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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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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

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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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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