Prior to this, I have written about a number of restaurants serving Mexican food: Taco Lab, El Pino323 (coming soon!), and Gusto Taco (coming soon!) However, all of these were in Korea! How could I be in the United States and not review a Mexican restaurant? On March 24, I decided to visit Tequila’s in Old Saybrook, Connecticut with friends to rectify this situation.
The first table that Mr. Z, Mr. H, Mr. N, and I sat at was unusable. It was attached to the floor, but so wobbly and unstable that we requested to move. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating, but the experience raised questions. Why had no one on the staff marked this table as broken? Why was it continuing to be used?
After being seated at another table, Mr. Z and Mr. H both ordered blue margaritas. Mr. Z ordered a large, and Mr. H ordered a small, and the size difference was noticeable. Both commented on how the alcohol content was so strong that it overwhelmed the flavor of the margarita itself. Considering that the restaurant was named ‘Tequilas’, it was concerning that they were unable to craft a satisfactory beverage containing the distilled spirit.
Mr. N ordered the steak fajita and Mr. Z ordered chicken quesadillas. Mr. H and I both ordered enchiladas with spicy ranchero sauce, but Mr. H had his with chicken and steak, whereas I ordered mine with chorizo and a soft-shell steak taco. We waited a considerable amount of time for the food to arrive, but at least the chips and salsa were quite tasty.
Speaking frankly, the food ended up being disappointing. The portions were tremendous–what I would consider to be enough for 2.5 servings on each dish. The flavors were bland and unremarkable, with very little seasoning having been used. Our main objection was the sheer amount of salt being used. None of us were able to finish our food.
I am a big supporter of local businesses. One reason I started this blog was to highlight good work being done by small business owners. However, businesses will not grow without honest, constructive criticism; considering how competitive the restaurant market is, critique is essential. Tequila’s should consider cutting down on wait times, assessing their facilities, and serving better margaritas. In terms of the food, the portions need to use less salt, be much smaller, and be seasoned better. Until Tequila’s makes these changes, I suggest going to a local competitor instead.
Rating:
Tasteless | >> Bad << | Okay | Good | Tasty
Name: Tequila’s
Website http://tequilasauthenticmexican.com
Phone +1 (860) 391-8091
Credit Cards? Yes
Apple Pay [?]? No
Bathroom? Yes
Reservations? Yes
Take out? Yes
Delivery? No
Wifi? Yes
Outside seating? Yes
Wheelchair friendly? Yes
Alcohol? Yes
Dogs allowed? ???
Bike parking? Yes
Car parking? Yes
Date night? No
English-speaking staff? Yes
English menus? Yes
LGBTQ friendly [?]? Yes
Information updated on: April 18, 2018
Prices [?]: $ $ $ $
Hours:
Monday: 11:30 – 21:30
Tuesday: 11:30 – 21:30
Wednesday: 11:30 – 21:30
Thursday: 11:30 – 21:30
Friday: 11:30 – 22:30
Saturday: 11:30 – 22:30
Sunday: 11:30 – 21:30
Address (Korean) Not available
Address (English) 1333 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, 06475 U.S.A.