gonza tacos y tequila

4 of 4 stars (excellent, casual dining).. (see explanation of ratings below)

very popular (make a reservation), fun spot in north raleigh.

great selection of tequila.

good food at agreatprice.

allow 40-50 minutes (no dessert).

about $10-$20 (no dessert).

about my ratings:

i divide restaurants into three categories.

1) fast food and "fast-casual" (no table service).

2) casual dining (table service, average entrée price: $10-$20).

3) fine dining (linen napkins, no plastic cups, no tv's in dining room, average entrée priced at more than $20).

fine dining can earn a max of five stars. casual dining can earn a max of four stars. fast food can earn a max of three stars.


-----12 mar, 2013-----

would love to see some specials, some creativity, some flair!. excellent, casual dining.

reservations highly recommended.

allow 45 minutes.

i like gonza and i like his restaurant. but, it's been more than a year now and the menu hasn't changed much. the "ghost menu" items are now in print, but --- other than that--- the menu is the basically same.

about $35 per person (we spent more on tequila than we did food), dessert and gratuity not included.

be sure to order a sangrita to chase your tequila (unless you're having one of the more expensive, fine, sipping tequilas).

thank you, lord, for gonza! first time here and it lived up to its rating. the best mexican i've had in years. fresh guacamole was small in portion but big on flavor. salsa was chunky and good. tortilla chips fresh and crisp - second basket appeared quickly and hot from the source. pitcher of house margaritas: nice mixology for a tasty drink. and the entrees? well, unlike most restaurants these days - especially those focused on mexican/tex-mex - gonza doesn't have page after page of offerings: the two facing inside pages of the menu are it. to me, a limited number of offerings is positive: with no distractions and no place for the kitchen to hide, all energy is focused on making a handful of dishes really well. and gonza did it really, really well friday night. fresh ingredients andgreatexecution led to three happy diners for their quesadilla, chile relleno, and enchiladas mole. how good is the grub in all truth? i'd go back for their light-as-air refried beans alone! bummed i'll have to drive from hickory to eat here again.

mexican food is very popular in the us but very few can serve the authentic dishes. gonza is the place where one can enjoy agreatmexican meal made using the best invredients. the ambiance is really cool and nice, the staff are friendly and the food is at its best. recommended.

annoyedpatron.greatfood, good customer service, decor horrible all spanish speaking celebrities not mexican???? never opened on holidays not even super bowl sunday, hey id like to eat there on that day???? owner rude, oblivious, and weak hung up on a woman lol

absolutely phenomenal. i love the chiles rancheros and they have wonderful cocktails. the pulled pork tacos are also amazing. the coconut flan is delicious. an all aroundgreatexperience withgreatfood. i will never again go to another mexican food place as they will never compare. if you're wondering whether or not you should go: go!!

loud but good food. the volume of noise in the restaurant is much louder than what i generally like, and the tables were set close together. i took my children there for supper, and it appeared to be a trendy place for younger folks.greatdecor, and the staff was friendly. the service was great. the food was pretty good and unique. while the menu was small, the food was tasty, and we were able to modify one of the dishes to accommodate my picky son.

fun atmosphere,greatfood & service. party of 3, saturday evening at 7pm. full, but got the last open table. recommend reservations for parties of 5 or more.

highly recommend.

service: christina was the best server we've had in the 3 years we've lived in raleigh. you can easily tell it's agreatteam. the owner, gonza, talked with us and was genuinely interested in our experience.

atmosphere: lively, upbeat. loud, but we could hear our conversation. entertainers are placed throughout for added fun.greatdecor! tables are close together, but that adds to the congenial atmosphere. lots of room outside.

drinks: we had 3 margaritas: house, spicy mojito and passion fruit. you could actually taste the tequila for a change! excellent and can't wait to return and try others.

food: tender steak for the fajitas and steak tacos; pork & pineapple tacos were a perfect combination with tomatillo sauce. some reviewers say the portions are small for the price, but they tortillas are small -- the amount of filling is plentiful. loved it!

this place exudes confidence and joy! not only was the food top notch but the entire atmosphere was amazing. this guy knows how to run a restaurant. being packed on a rainy tuesday night just proves it - people go out of their way to eat here, and it's clear why!greatplace with extremely happy customers & phenomenal waitstaff!

absolutely phenomenal!!!greatfood, knowledgeable staff. couldn't ask for more. expect to pay $15+ per person but food is well worth it.

this food is the best mexican/latin food i've had in nc... awesome hip atmosphere and diverse crowd (though leaning to the young twenties group on a friday night).greatprices ($10-14) for entrees with enough to fill you up. recommend carne tacos and plibi.

if you don't go here you are nuts!. there are very few restaurants that are truly unique and memorable. i've been to a few in nyc, one in hawaii, another in chicago. in raleigh, this is it! anytime we have visitors from out of town - we go here one night!

gonza is agreatguy and once you go to his restaurant and he welcomes you you want to give him your business for every meal - but once you taste the food - forget about it - you will not go anywhere else when you crave the tastiest recipes!

the waitstaff are committed and knowledgable and can recommend exactly the right dish for your tastebuds...and the chefs know what they're doing - melding flavors in perfect harmony - this is not your standard fare! the portions are just right as well.

did i mention the fresh chips and salsa...and the tequila?!?!

great food!!!. i lived in southern california for a long time and have craved a mexican restaurant of that style. this restaurant hasgreatfood and a wide selection of drinks. the menu is relatively small (which i prefer) and that insures each dish is perfect. the service was prompt and knowledgeable. food was served in a timely manner. and most of all the food was delicious. it is my new favorite place in raleigh and hope to eat there for years!!!