Estrella Cocina

Start by saying the VIEW IS AMAZING. The ambience is very relaxing aswell. Music was being played outside and it had people dancing in there seats. Food was not as expected. I had high expections for a place with a spanish name but the dishes fell short on flavor. The service did not help the dishes. It was very slow service and we kept trying to flag down our waiter constantly it didnt make the food feel worth the wait. I recommend having only drinks and a good talk outside without food.

Most perfect view of downtown and the bridge, best service I’ve received from a restaurant in a while; whole crew was polite and sociable and kind. Really good music, complementary blankets while you dine, thank you Ari for making our experience enjoyable. 100% recommend.

Beautiful atmosphere and decor packed into this rooftop bar. Great amount of space and great service. The cocktails are excellent (hibiscus margarita is a standout) and the plates are all shareables which was nice.

Estrella has a lovely and casual rooftop dining area as well as a bar and indoor seating. They feature a wonderful view of downtown and the river. The restaurant is located above Vystar. We had really slow service throughout our meal. It took ages for our server to even greet us and even longer for our meals. The meals didn't come together, the arrived one by one making for an awkward meal.

The hubs and I had date night here and the new menu at Estrella did not disappoint. We absolutely loved the tapas style of dishes, which allowed us to taste a variety of options. We had the calamari, empanadas, Mexican Street corn, fried shrimp, chips and salsa and it was all amazing! However our favorite dish hands down was their take on oysters on a half shell. My hubs loves raw oysters and I typically do not but we both agreed this was our favorite of all the dishes we tried. There's lots to choose from so we're already planning the next time we can go and try the dishes we haven't tried yet 😀 The servers were very attentive and the outdoor seating is a whole vibe with fantastic views of the river and downtown.

I’ve been in Jacksonville almost 5 years and I have yet to find a Mexican restaurant that was great. That was delicious. Where the food tasted like it should. I have finally found it 👏🙌 we are here for a retirement reception and everything that they had ordered from the tacos to the enchiladas was delicious. I ate a little of everything that was displayed for us and I would have seconds but I’m stuffed. We will definitely come back.

Came here for my boyfriend’s birthday, we originally sat outside, which had an absolutely gorgeous view, but then it began to rain so we moved inside, which was equally as gorgeous! We shared a couple of small plates, both my boyfriend and I’s favorite was the Al pastor, the flavor on that was absolutely incredible!! The service was fast and friendly, our server was soo sweet and brought a tres leches cake for my man! We had a very good experience here and will definitely return!

My husband and I celebrated Micah's high school graduation party with her family and friends. Food was flavorful, staff were very attentive, and owners were very sweet and approachable. We loved all modern decor. The river and downtown view during sunset is espectacular, which you can enjoy from different sitting areas and very family atmosphere. Strongly recommended!

Cute date night idea BUT make sure you make reservations (smaller inside dining). Great customer service, food was very flavorful and fresh. Love the small portions so we can try a bunch of diff items. Love the views outside. If you are wanting to sit outside, they do have heaters and offer blankets. Love this spot and can't wait to come back !

New Year's Eve - Event. My husband and I went to this location for a New Year's Eve Event. I received an email that advised that we could get there early as there were only a certain amount of tables etc. The event officially started at 8 however we decided to show up early (per the email). We arrived around 7:45 and were told by security that they were not ready and weren't allowing people upstairs just yet. So we waited. Around 8:15 a worker came down saying that he was going to be scanning the tickets and he apologized for the delay. We made it upstairs and were able to get a table. The food was ok. The shrimp and the tacos were very tasty. Now the bar, that's another story. The bar was a disaster if you ask me. Drinks were not included and we were aware of that. We assumed that we would be able to get some drinks. However the bar had no cognac, no Remy, Hennessy nothing, 1 bourbon (that I wasn't familiar with); they didn't have a blender to make any type of drinks and the cranberry juice that was used for the vodka and cranberry just wasn't the greatest. The bar was a big disappointment. Again since it wasn't included in the price we figured they would have a great selection. They had 2 bartenders and you had to wait on line for over 20 minutes to get a small 10oz drink in a cheap clear plastic cup. Let's talk about the fake DJ they had there. The DJ was not a real DJ; just playing records (excuse me he didn't have any records he just used his computer); he couldn't blend the songs, no mixing of the songs; nothing, just let the song play until the end and then it cut off and the next song came on. The selection of the songs wasn't that good either. The worst part of the evening was there was no countdown. How do you have a New Year's Eve event without the countdown? Terribly disappointed in the event. Definitely won't be bringing 2026 in at that location. As far as the restaurant itself - you should really try it. It was pretty nice my issue is with the event.

Spectacular view on the outdoor patio. There is one large fire pit and just one heat lamp - so the outdoor patio is not ideal in cold weather unless you secure a good spot. We didn't realize there is a basket of blankets near the entrance (nice). Excellent service. Indoor tables are VERY close together - so be prepared for a not so private setting. I suspect I might have given 5 stars had I ordered differently. Still, I enjoyed it and would come back again. The menu does not fully describe the dishes - so be sure to ask! Nice selection of drinks. The small plates have generous portions. The Carne Al Pastor was exceptional - succulent and flavorful. Hands down the best dish of the night. Four different types of ceviche and it was hard to pass up one made with coconut milk - unique with generous portions of seafood. The Coctel de Cameron, although generous in shrimp, tastes distinctly like cocktail sauce and comes with a bowl of tortilla chips - so not what we were expecting and also redundant if you order ceviche. I would have passed on this one. I know my friend enjoyed her tacos de Baja. I did hear a server say they were out of guacamole - how odd for a Friday night at 6:30. All in all, based one three out of four dishes, this was a nice experience and I would like to try more of their dishes next time after I ask more questions or do my research.

I work for Top Workplaces and we held an event last night in Jacksonville. A couple weeks ago I made reservations for my team of 6 to have dinner after our event. Several of them flew in from out of state and we wanted to enjoy a nice dinner after a long, but successful day. The day before our reservation, I got a confirmation text, which was followed by another message canceling our reservations. The phone number doesn't work for this establishment either, I tried calling several times. It's very frustrating to have to find another place on such short notice. We were very disappointed and will not be dining there ever again. I don't recommend wasting your time with this place. We ended up going to Cowford, they were able to work us in and we had a wonderful time.

The food tasted amazing! The wait on the food took a little longer but the taste made up for it. Having access to the roof top makes the atmosphere top notch.

We visited this restaurant with great expectations but unfortunately, our experience did not live up to the hype. We were a group of friends who went to this restaurant on a Saturday night with the hope of enjoying some amazing food and taking in the breathtaking view of downtown Jacksonville and the St. John's River. The ambiance of the restaurant was great, and we were seated on the outside patio which offered stunning views of the city. However, our experience took a turn for the worse when we realized that the service was not up to par. We had to wait for about 20 minutes before we could even find out who our waiter was, and even then, it took another five minutes for him to come over and take our order. We ordered chips and salsa which was fresh and delicious , we then were told that they had run out of a key ingredient for our main small dish and that kitchen could not make the dish as described on the menu. This was very disappointing, especially on a Saturday night, just three hours into service. Despite these setbacks, we decided to continue with our meal and ordered additional small plate entrees/appetizers. However, when the food arrived, there was no setup on the table for us to enjoy it while it was still hot from the oven. Overall, our experience at this restaurant was a major letdown, and we left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied. Just expected much more for a first time wow experience. Good thing for the views and nice weather or this would have been a 1/5 star review. Hoping they improve their performance and management in providing the excellent service they advertise for the prices they charge. Oh also , not sure if it's a trend or they just ran out of pens but a sharpe to sign our checks seems tacky.

Make a reservation! Can get crowded but we got lucky with a bar top table. The portions were decently sized for 2 people- the carne salad was fresh and had tender pieces of steak. The crispy pork was so flavorful and had great texture and flavor. Both were good sizes for 2 people and we had leftovers. The house marg was a bit saltier than usual but I would ask for sugar or no rim next time

@estrellajax has a beautiful view of downtown Jax on their rooftop bar & dining It's perfect for a lunch getaway with friends. Beautiful space, gorgeous views, delicious food, friendly staff. It really doesn't get any better than this. This restaurant is a gem in a beautiful city. Food and the views were absolutely amazing. Food came fast and was super delicious. We tried the taco salad, chips with salsa & carnitas tacos. Everything is clearly made from scratch and with fresh ingredients. I highly recommend this place to anyone. You will not be disappointed. See you guys on the rooftop for lunch! Tag + share with your foodie friends & Save post for your next food adventure! You just need to experience the rooftop lunch views @estrellajax Estrella Cocina 100 W Bay St Ste 701, Jacksonville, FL 32202

This review specifically pertains to the New Years Eve Bash Estrella Cocina through and will perhaps be helpful for people who are interested in getting tickets for the event. We paid 110 per ticket after fees and taxes for the event, which came with a buffet and a "champagne" at midnight. The venue is stunning, you can definitely see the fireworks, though it is a slightly obscured by the building across from it. As it was New Years, it was slightly cold on the rooftop and there wasn't enough heaters available on the patio. There is a lot of seating available but they are not all next to heaters. The food was mediocre but they definitely served food throughout the event so you don't have to worry about food running out and having to arrive extra early. The "champagne" which is actually Prosecco, was disgusting. I took a sip and just left it on the table. Bars were available for you to purchase drinks and the lines weren't especially long. Overall, the NYE party was chill, the DJ played good music and it was generally enjoyable. Just don't expect too much from the food.

In all honesty I wasn't impressed with my meal, too salty, but my friends said theirs was great. I'm giving 4 stars since they ordered entrees and I ordered appetizers. I ordered the calamari and it had too much of a lime/salty taste and barely any calamari, I'm use to tasting calamari and not just fried batter. The other was a cheese dish that was also too salty for my taste so I settled for a spoonful and just enjoyed the conversation and ambiance. The view and company was good so it balanced out. As I said, my friends ordered from the entrees and loved it! Seriously, one entree could feed 3 people! Our waitress was awesome and took the time to explain every dish we contemplated, she knew her menu! Also the manager thought we had a problem and came right over to find a solution. At the end of the day I explained we were good, just a friend with too much drink and in a bad mood, he still offered to help us and invited us back. We went on a rainy Saturday so parking wasn't an issue and meters are free on weekends.

Went to Estrella Cocina on Friday night for drinks with friends, ordered 2 Flor de Cielo each $13, a Caprinha for $12 and an orange blossom beer for $8. After leaving a tip should have been $50 out the door, today checked our bank and the transaction that cleared was $105.82. Livid to say the least. We will be disputing this with our bank asap. Check your statements if you go there!!! Estrella Cocina how you would like to handle this?

We LOVE Estrella Cocina! The food is always delicious, beautifully plated and the menu has a creative array of options to make anyone in the group happy. The service begins with warmth and care at the host stand and continues with thoughtful, friendly and attentive staff to ensure our needs are met throughout the meal. The incredible rooftop view makes for a beautiful date night or special occasion spot. Highly recommend hanging out for the golden hour.

Loved this place. The rooftop area was so much fun to take pictures and relax by the fire. Would love have a full meal if they ever decide to change to a full course meal and not appetizers and cocktails. They offer you blankets if it's cold out. Reservations is recommended. Great for large parties

If you don't like seasoning or real Mexican food, come here. Blandest Mexican food I've ever had. Thick chips, guacamole with quarter pieces of avocado, bland salsas, hell everything is bland. That's my final answer. They have a full bar. Maybe the drinks are good but I wouldn't eat the food drunk.

This place is not just a restaurant and bar but an experience!!! Drinks are delicious and good looking food is super fresh, like no other and i am super impressed!! Amazing view is another reason I love this place. 10 star!

Second time here, and I'll come again. Walk in the front door, and take the elevator up. This is a rooftop venue. We were with a large group and had the entire rooftop for an event. The view of downtown and the river was stunning. We even saw a rainbow. There were plenty of tables, high and low tops, sofas....really comfortable for a large group. We served ourselves the specialty margaritas, and they had a little kick. Inside was the massive and delicious buffet, something for everyone, and a bar. Music played and we had a speaker. Definitely a fabulous place that we were able to walk to from the hotel.

Food didn't taste really good for the price we pay i would of expected better food. The restaurant didn't even have to go containers. they gave us to go cups to put our food in. The only thing that was good was our waiter she was awesome. besides that i would not go there to eat again.

Very nice roof top views, the food was good not great however the service is exceptional.

We ended up at Estrella on this night by happenstance. We were on our way to Bread & Board for a casual dinner before the performance of Queen at the Florida Theatre. Apparently B&B now closes during the week at 3 pm. Now what? So we decided for times sake to go next door to Estrella & take our chance without a reservation. You take the elevator up to the 7 th floor to the rooftop restaurant. We were greeted by a lovely young woman who asked if we had a reservation. We did not. She told us there were no indoor tables only outdoor. We settled on an outdoor table extremely hot evening. The outdoor area really has nothing to look at except for other buildings. The chairs are extremely uncomfortable as well. They have metal slots and are not comfortable, but we had no choice since we didn't have a reservation. We sat for a few minutes outdoors, the hostess came over and told us she found his table for us indoors. Yippee! We moved indoors and sat at a lovely banquette which was super comfortable. What a nice hostess. I'm sorry I didn't get her name. Our server Addie was very professional & explained a few dishes for us. We started with the sampler of salsa, guacamole and queso. The chips ( made in house) were delicious and I could not stop eating that warm queso. The guacamole was fair but still good. When it came time to order entrees Addie told as that the kitchen is small & the food does not come out all at the same time. We were ok with that. To us it meant dishes are staggered within 5/10 minutes as it has in all other restaurants we've had similar experiences. Three of our four entrees came out, ok We waited a bit (5/7 minutes) and then began eating. TWENTY FIVE minutes later my husbands entree was still not out. Addie apologized & we knew it wasn't her fault. More than 30 minutes later when we all had been finished my husband's entree arrived at the table. After seeing the dish which was a hot lava bowl filled with meat and a giant charred pepper among other things I could see why the dish would take long to prepare but 30 minutes after the rest of us had been served is just not acceptable. We loved to food here but not sure we will return because of the timing of the kitchen issues. If you don't mind waiting around watching your dining companion finish their food before yours arrives then I would definitely recommend Estrella.

This place is a VIBE! We went for a friend's birthday, just a simple dinner and drinks. Her husband made a reservation on the rooftop and the weather was amazing as well as the view. We ordered the house margarita, fish tacos and three dip appetizer which were all amazing. Our server was Johnny on the spot whenever we needed anything. I can't wait to go back now that the weather is hitting autumn.

Well if you are looking for a chill environment then this is the place! Drinks are excellent but food is bland and from a can at a jar! This is not a real Latin Restaurant.. it's just blah! Servers where nice at least! Idk the view was great but the kitchen needs help!

Wouldn't recommend :( the view was very nice and the plate look good but there's no seasoning to the food. The drinks are either really strong or taste like juice reasonable prices but not worth it. The service was pretty decent. The guac was the only good meal.

AMBIANCE: Estrella Cocina is a full on VIBE. It is very modern, clean, and breezy. From good views and good vibes, the patio is the way to go. SERVICE: My husband and I had great service during our visit. Everyone was very friendly - even from the start of the elevator. FOOD / DRINK: I ordered the Hibiscus Margarita and was not disappointed! I would recommend this drink to anyone. For food, we started with the Tres Favoritas, which we enjoyed being able to try the different sides they had to offer. All of the options were really tasty, but my favorite was the queso. For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Molcajete, which can feed at least 2 people and comes out piping hot. It was delicious!! It had chicken, potatoes, jalapeños, CHEESE, and pico whilst sitting in a tasty green salsa. It only came with 3 small corn tortillas that were good, but definitely not enough. I would recommend giving at least 4 tortillas given the size of the meal. Overall, experience was really good and we will definitely be coming back to try out some of the other dishes.

My interaction with the host was really confusing, but I made my way to the bar with the vague understanding that I could order there and then walk around the outdoor space. I started by ordering the silent disco drink - really lovely - interesting flavor - bartender was not interested in discussing the drink through when I was trying to decide between that and another He warmed up after a bit but looked like the saddest man in the world for a while. I don't want to hold it against him, he honestly seemed exhausted. So I actually felt bad for the guy. Usually at more craft cocktail places like this bartenders will light up and be excited to chat about what you might like - this guy just seemed so overworked and slammed. Back to the drink though - interesting, complex but not too much, really lovely. It made me excited to order more things. It was exactly the vibes I expected and that I came here looking for! And I later realized this was this only thing that would live up to expectations for me. I asked if there was a way to order just the cheese dip (on the menu it's only listed paired with salsa and guac - which is great, but not so much for a solo outing) - two employ heard my question - one person said no, one person said yes. Then they had a learning moment and I got cheese dip. It was described as roasted poblano cheese dip so I thought the flavor might be really interesting - not so much. It was cheese dip, so it was good, but not anything different like I thought it would be. I tried to order the soup on the menu and they let me know they didn't have it. This was disappointing since it was chilly and I had hoped it would warm me up. So I ordered the chicken tamale. The menu says chicken OR poblano and cheese. So I picked chicken and thought I'd be getting one. But it came out with 2 tamales. Wish I had been able to try 1 of each! The chicken tamale was fine. Really not bad at all, but I've heard people raving about this restaurant so I just thought it would be really good instead of standard. I actually reminded me of the frozen Trader Joe's tamales. This place gives the impression that it is curated well and seems more craft and bespoke - but I didn't find that to be the case with most of what I ordered. I think I would have enjoyed it more if 2 different people hadn't told me how super great this place is. You know what's great here? The view - definitely check out the view. I decided to finish things off with a house margarita and that was an unfortunate choice. Looking at the ingredients and the way this place presents their cocktails I thought it would taste kind of like a typical "skinny" margarita -which I love. It tasted like there was sour mix in it -which I dislike very much. I did not like it at all. I let it sit for a while and the ice melted and then it tasted a lot nicer. So I poured a bit of my water in it. I know that sounds fully bonkers - but it was just a bit. Then it was a bit better. If you're looking for a standard Mexican place this place will meet or exceed your expectations. If you're looking for something special and bespoke (how it was presented to me), you'll be disappointed. I will again note that the bartender seemed like he needed a lot of help just based on the volume of drinks coming to him. So even though that was not the best interaction, people can only handle so much at once. The other employees I interacted with were all very engaged and kind to me. But there were some I didnt interact with that seemed in poor spirits. I did hear one staff member snap at another customer "this table is reserved" which is a fine thing to say but the tone was bad. The way they do seating is confusing, specifically outside. So of course it's okay to tell a customer to not sit somewhere, but no reason to be loud and mean about it. That same employee had been normal to me earlier, so I do wonder if that customer was being a problem. But still, no need for the volume letting the entire area know. I must say, there was someone clearing tables who was just so lovely, really nice energy. There were also two servers who had really nice energy that stood out - Amy & Amber. I want to mention how lovely they were. I interacted with so many different people because I didn't have a designated server - and so different people ran food to me. Overall the vibes were good. But as far as the food: try it here or don't - it's not bad and it's not exciting.

Horrible service! Restaurant was empty and would not seat us because they had a reservation an hour and half later . we were not offered water or chips for waiting. Don't recommend this place AT ALL!

Service was great. Came for the Rooftop View, really enjoyed. Drinks were heavy handed :) Trio of Dips were all a bit too salty for my taste, but the Guacamole was the best of the 3.

Came here for my friend's birthday and it was amazing. The host, Yancey, was so sweet and accommodating and even brought my friend a birthday dessert at the end of the night. The food was so delicious and the drinks were strong. I got the Hibiscus margarita and I loved it. The ambience was super cute and cozy.

On an extended visit to Jacksonville we are attempting to sample as many rooftop establishments as possible. At each we are hoping for broad cityscape, good drinks and excellent food. Entry on the ground floor was easy even though our arrival coincided with cubicle dwellers leaving for the day. I did see the hostess stand in the lobby but it was empty...probably no need on a weeknight. Reservations require using Resy and are only for inside tables. Being that it was a cool beautiful evening we opted to move outside which they'll happily accommodate. Something to note; there is no bar area or seating to wait if any of your party is running behind. The view from Estrella Cocina is one that shouldn't be missed. From our table we could look both north to downtown and southeast to Main Street Bridge and the river below. We were quickly introduced to our server, Ethan, who was fantastic. Kept an eye on us without being obtrusive. Also had some nice menu clarifications and recommendations based on our tastes. I enjoyed an Abuelo, which is their upscale Mexican version of an Old Fashioned. Absolutely delightful; made with locally produced barrel aged Shoreline Bourbon. Mi Vida proclaimed the Margarita De Pepino to be the best margarita she's ever had. While sipping drinks we enjoyed an appetizer of house made chips and trio of salsas. All were enjoyable, the third brought some welcomed heat to the party. One dinner choice was Pescado Veracruzano; crusted redfish topped with a butter poached lobster. OK, if that right there doesn't make you hungry I'm not sure what would. The masa crust was different and delicious, lobster was tender but what seemed most out of place were the Mediterranean style olives, capers, parsley, tomato, and garlic over Mexican rice. Out of place meaning unusual but very tasty. The other entree was Carnitas De Costillas; slow cooked baby back ribs with traditional carnitas. This is the part that didn't meet expectations. The ribs didn't have that fall off the bone tenderness we were expecting. And although visually an attractive plate it seemed a but under seasoned and bland. Not bad, just nothing to write home about. All things considered a really nice evening. We wouldn't hesitate to return.

Food was great but very disappointed that they did nothing for Valentine's Day. Not one ballon or decor. I was told that they were going to do something for that night but I must have received wrong info.

If you're looking for a lunch spot, this isn't it. Maybe you're looking for a place to hang for drinks and rooftop vibes this could be it. If you're looking to grab lunch don't set your hopes too high. I would overall give the food a subpar rating. There's not a large arrangement of meal options and my coworkers and all were disappointed. I wouldn't recommend the rice and beans as a side, the rice looked like unauthentic rice. I will give that the salad was delicious and the homemade dressing and cojita cheese.

Great rooftop views with perfect sunset ambiance. The drinks could be stronger. We shared multiple different plates at the table and everything I had was tasty

This is my second time coming here and this time was much better I will say. The place is beautiful to look at and the rooftop view is unbeatable honestly. I think this place is great when you want a great drink and some small eats to accompany it. I'll be back again after having that delicious hibiscus margarita!

My sister took me here and we had a great experience! The atmosphere was good. Love the rooftop. We sat inside cause it was chilly, but everything we ordered was delicious. I wish I could remember but it's all in Spanish. I know one was a seafood dish, a corn appetizer, and I had some beef something...sorry! Our waiter was great too! Drinks were on point most of all! Would definitely be back!

As far as rooftop dining goes the view was great! Having drinks with bae and overlooking downtown was epic. The lighting could have been a little better as I had to pull out my phone to see my food. As far as eating goes, we weren't big fans of the Estrella Cocina flavors (not that it was bad, it just wasn't for us). AKtheGod did his best to try to keep the vibes going...so the night wasn't a complete damper. Anywhere with him is a good time anyway.

It could be way better. I expected more from here. It's over priced for bland food. The drinks are ok, staff seems overwhelmed. Place is really pretty but it's just not ran as portrayed. I asked for the manager because the food took over an hour to come out when it wasn't busy and nothing came out together. Well, she was drunk and slurring. Great! Honestly could tell she wasn't the only employee drunk at work. Not to mention she was also the one making our drinks. Never really seen that at a restaurant. It was ok. For the prices though, it was shit.

I went in for a nice Saturday night. Food is mediocre at best. Definitely not worth the price. Their flautas are disgusting. Chicken is dry and without seasoning. I went in with my mother hoping to have a nice experience just for everything to take forever when it wasn't even busy. Employees complaing that their checks are bouncing. Bartender is apparently the manager? And she's drunk! Over priced and not worth it. Best part is the view which doesn't really make up for it.

The food is delicious here. Cute and good cocktails too! I love their birria tacos and the tres favorite dip.

Decided to come for a quick lunch and this was a horrible experience. My group was the first people that showed up for lunch. There was nobody there but it still took them awhile to sit us. After being seated, we were greeted but the waitress was just "blah." She lacked energy and leadership. After ordering food, I noticed that our food came out one entree at a time and because it was taking so long, I told my group that they can go ahead and eat without me so their food wouldn't get cold. I finally got my chicken bowl about 10 minutes after the last person out of the group received their food. Also there nothing specially ordered for my chicken bowl. The waitress did apologize, but to me due to the long wait and with us being there first and putting in orders first (and later noticing other patrons were receiving their food before me), I feel as though my food should have been comped. After barely eating my food (chicken was dry and it was not appeasing) 3 different staff asked us if we wanted to split the bill...we were asked 3 separate times. So from the wait , to the service, to the food, I was very disappointed. The restaurant has a nice ambiance and is beautifully decorated. But other than that, that's about it.

We had an awesome time, my love wanted to get out the house so we chose Estrella Cocina. We heard they had a very beautiful rooftop Area. The service was great, because it was a chilly night, they have us blankets to cover up in. We got this nice appetizer, the cheese, guacamole, and salsa was great. She ordered fish, I Ordered the chicken. The food and drinks were awesome. We will be coming back to enjoy the rooftop when it gets warmer.

I went with a large party and that definitely impacted my score. I think if it were a couple it'd be a great place. Our food came out over a 40 minute timeline so some of us were done eating while others hadn't gotten food. The drinks and food were good, but the waitstaff didn't know what anything on the menu was or who ordered it. They literally couldn't even pronounce the names of the menu items. Nice view.

This place has been on my list for quite some time now. Regardless of reviews or recommendations from colleagues, I always try a new establishment open minded with no expectations. The outdoor patio view was amazing without a doubt, but 90% of the employees that night wore their emotions on their sleeve. It was apparent that the attitude and negativity from the host and bartenders showed they hated their job and didn't want to be there. If you do plan on going, only order your drinks from the bar so you can watch them make it. Avoid employee interactions, and enjoy the view

I went here for a late dinner, and it was mediocre at best. I had the tres favoritas, which was good. I then ordered the Carnes mixtas, and the waiter told me it would take a bit longer because it's cooked over an open flame... okay... I was okay with that, but it ended up being over an hour's wait, and my food had not come out. My whole group had their food and was done waiting for me to get mine. Then, when I asked how much longer, they didn't know, so I told them to just box it up for me at this point cause we were trying to leave!! Thankfully, the waiter took it off my check without me asking, which was nice, but still, I would have liked to have eaten at the restaurant cause now it won't be the same experience when I try it at home. The overall ambiance was chill; the music almost put me to sleep, LOL. *I might* try again.

Food and service was amazing as always. Jessica and Sparky made sure we were well taken care of. Very attentive! Molcajete was amazing, Baja tacos has amazing flavors and carnitas are always flavorful. Camarones Al diablo had the perfect kick/spice. Will be back

This is a hidden gem of a place for a date night or to meet friends. Will say, service is a bit slow...but they are very kind. The food is quite expensive for tex mex type stuff but it is all delicious that I've had. I personally go hear and order a drink and an app and enjoy the space and the atmosphere/view rather than to go eat a full menu dinner. Highly recommend if so, but I understand the poor reviews if you only went for an expensive hot dinner and efficient service.

The rooftop ambiance was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening. Perfect for romantic dinners or casual gatherings with friends. You can enjoy the beauty of the city from above. Unfortunately, the enchanting views were not enough to compensate for the underwhelming food. The menu offered a variety of dishes, but the execution was bland and greasy. The Mahi-mani tacos were greasy, dry and had WAY TOO much batter with little flakes of fish! Also, the server left much to be desired. I won't share his full name but the first letter is R. He appeared inattentive, uninterested and had VERY LITTLE knowledge of the menu. Could not answer the simplest of questions. The server assistant Christopher was awesome and super friendly. So despite the fantastic view, the overall experience at Estrella Cocina Jax fell short of expectations. I would recommend this place solely for its rooftop setting, perhaps for drinks with friends or a relaxing evening of conversation. The bar tender did a great job on the drinks. Such a beautiful location, just wish I could move another Resturant in this spot.

First impression, the host was rude af. Bad first impression. Second, we had a reservation that does not seem to matter, as we were made to feel like we were idiots who just walked off the street. "Stand there & wait!" As they pointed to a spot about two feet from where we were initially standing. Third, once we were seated...we were shown to a table with the host not speaking to us, apparently he was giving us the silent treatment? He seems super petty at this point, so we decided his pants were too tight, or he just got bad news, or he had car trouble on the way to work....so we decided to let it go. Except, watching him interact with his co-workers let us know that his rude and petty behavior was probably his standard go-to. Fourth, it took forever for us to get any sort of service at our table. Apparently, the bartender was our server??? Which does not bode well for speedy service, since they are busy with people actually bellied up to the bar. At some point...we got water, ordered drinks and appetizers. They were pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. The chips are amazing. Then we ordered food. The way things are brought out was terrible. One person in our party got their food a good 25-30, maybe 40 minutes before the last person in our party got their food. The last person in our party only got one item that they ordered. Where did the mole enchiladas go???? Never to be seen. Nobody in our party was amazed with their food. Nobody ate all of their food.... It was a sub-par experience Estrella Cocina. Disappointed all around. Probably should only give you 1 star.

Went here with a group of friends on a Friday evening. We picked the place because of the rooftop bar, which was admittedly nice. The owner/manager welcomed us in. The rooftop is quite nice with white tables and a good view of the city. We all ordered a round of drinks and a few small plates to share. The drinks were fine, but some of the plates not so much. The guacamole was fresh and made to order, but wasn't anything new or different. The salsas were also fine, but soupy rather than chunky. the birria (brisket) was probably the best thing we ordered, it had nice rich dark flavors. But the cactus salad was a total letdown. Barely any cactus at all and nearly all romaine lettuce and what seemed to be canned mandarin oranges. We had to ask about it and send it back. Our server was kind enough to take it off the bill but said it was meant to be that way. Overall ok

Estrella cocina is known for its stunning view of downtown Jacksonville and craft cocktails that you can indulge in while watching the sunset from 7 stories high. On the 7th floor of the vystar building lies a trendy rooftop restaurant / bar filled with tacos, ceviches, salsas, and churros. They have an open bar as well along with specialty cocktails such as margaritas, caipirinhas, and mai tais if you're feeling frisky. Last night, i figured the best way to evaluate a Mexican spot is by tasting their trio of guacamole, salsa, and queso. We started out with the sampler and the house fried chips were the best "dippers" we could've asked for. They were thick, home-style, and light. The trio of dips warmed me up for some drinks so i tried one of their craft cocktaisfall called the Playa Roja which is an aperoal basil drink with honey and vodka. This cocktail was absolutely delicious and I just had to get another round. After I had a few drinks in me, it was time for the main course. I had elected to go for the birria tacos along with the brisket tacos. The entrees came out at a reasonable time and i got 2 of each taco. The birria tacos were just stuffed to the brim with juicy shredded meat, almost so much so that dipping it in the consommé was quite a challenge (in a good way)! Then, the brisket tacos were filled with tender, extremely buttery meat, and i found that the shells were very authentic and durable. I definitely overestimated my appetite, or just filled up on chips and guac) so i had some tacos to go which tasted just as great the next day. All in all, the atmosphere was delightful, the food was tasty, and the cocktails were out of the park. This is definitely a hot spot for a girls night!

Hands down the best brunch, view, staff AND mimosas/bloody mary's in town! 100/10 recommend