Gonza Tacos Y Tequila

Great decor and atmosphere for inside seating and outside seating. It isn't loud, inside is on the dimmer side but still plenty of light for each table and really works for the style, it is fun. Outside in both areas is great and plenty of light obviously. Service is great and everything comes pretty quick. The food is terrific and if you have questions don't hesitate to ask, and the Mango Habanero margarita was excellent, not overly sweet and the house tequila shown though. Everything my wife and I have tried is excellent and would definitely recommend.

The food at this restaurant felt a bit pricey for the portion sizes. On a scale from 1 to 5, I'd rate it a two and a half. It was decent, but not quite what you'd expect from traditional Mexican cuisine. The appeal seemed to lie more in the ambiance and decor rather than the food itself, which leans towards a more Americanized version of Mexican fare. As for the drinks, my husband had a beer, and I opted for a tamarind margarita. They were both average; nothing particularly stood out about them. Overall, the restaurant didn't leave a lasting impression.

Where to start?! In the past I worked at Gonza for over 3 years at all locations! Although, I no longer work there, I still go out to eat at Gonza’s all the time. Gonza is my favorite restaurant in the whole world! It is super clean, the workers are awesome, the atmosphere is hands down the best in Raleigh, and the food is delicious! My personal favorite dishes are Chilaquiles Verdes, Enchiladas Con Mole, and the Mexican Flag. Seriously though, I have tired everything on the menu and can tell you honestly that everything is so good you can’t go wrong with anything! I recommend this place to everyone I know. If I have family in town we are 100% stopping by Gonza to have a great time!

4.5 ⭐️ - Have not been here in many years, nice to see it packed and thriving. Used to frequent often when I lived in Raleigh and they had first opened. Sat at the bar and had a nice Crank Arm IPA & the Mexican flag dinner entree. Service was fantastic, keep up the great work!

In my opinion one of the best restaurants in Raleigh. Elevated Mexican cuisine with creative daily specials. The chips and salsa are always fresh. Strong drinks/cocktails that are well balanced. One of the best chicken quesadillas I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Gotta give it to the staff for providing excellent service to go with. We go quite often as we live very close and it's always fantastic. Always ask about the chefs special.

My favorite place ever. The food is amazing, the service is always great and at the Lead Mine location we are always lucky enough to catch up with Gonza himself. We take anyone from out of town when they are visiting - and it’s always the best time. And, if you haven’t had the ceviche- do not hesitate. That’s my go to- always. My husband loves the Mexican Flag. Followed by the Platano and the Shrimp tacos. ❤️❤️

This is the coolest place! Indoor and outdoor seating. Food was great, fresh and not your average speedy mexican. Plus this location is in a great area, get one cream after next door. Plenty of space for your kids to run around outside.

Excellent service and delicious food. Great ambiance. Large selection. Food was delivered quite fast. Drinks were above par! Great murals on walls and dressed up mannequins to boot! Loved every aspect of this place.

Gonza on Lead Mine; ahh for the love of tacos, and the atmosphere to immerse yourself. This is our happy place. Whenever we go there we are reminded why it is so popular. The owner has figured it out. We and others are treated like family, and it is clear that is what Gonza does. He engages with customers amidst the craziness, constantly stopping by tables to check on his friends. The staff are always friendly and accommodating. The food? Never disappoints. I took my best friend there last night and again, we were thrilled. My recommendation; save room for desert and try the Flan. It will make you smile. Before you leave look over the photos and identify some of your favorite celebrities. Just fun...

Great drinks, cool little robot to bring out appetizers, great service, great food. Been there several times and never a disappointment.

I got the enchiladas con molle with refried beans substituted for chicken. It was pretty good. Not super mind blowing but good. The sauce was sweet and the enchiladas were big. Guac and salsa were not amazing. Not super flavorful. Nice workers and the inside is so fun if you dine in.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Raleigh!! The carne tacos are absolutely amazing, the steak is so tender and the melted cheese on the soft taco shell is just perfect. I always love getting the cilantro rice on the side which is buttery and flavorful with pieces of corn in it as well. They also usually have an excellent margarita special so I definitely recommend trying a new drink every time. Service is very fast and the restaurant itself is very colorful and hip! I highly recommend Gonza when you are in Raleigh and get the Carne Tacos!!

Takeout experience is atrocious. A full hour wait for this "soup" and an order of the Mexican Flag enchiladas. Seriously disappointed to have opened this $4 bowl of soggy tortilla strips. The bowl is like 2 inches in height and about 4 inches in diameter, tiniest thing. They don't offer a larger version so we ordered two. Offered my wife a bowl for her "soup" prior so they could be combined prior to opening, that would've been entirely unnecessary.

A North Raleigh staple and for good reason, as the food is always so darn good. The service is always top notch and you really never wait long for food or drink after you order. I had a classic house margarita and it was tasty but my favorite is their Paloma. The ambiance is a bit dark and cozy, so if you have trouble seeing menus in limited lighting, bring your glasses. Thankfully they have cool touch lights in the table that can be moved around to get the light just right. All in all a great place for meeting up with friends, having a date night or hanging with the family.

Pros: Service was great Ambience was great Cons: Food was pretty bad! We ordered armadillo eggs, chicken fajitas and a chicken quesadilla. We also consumed two helpings of chips and salsa because we were starving. The chips were standard but the salsa tasted closer to marinara sauce then usual salsa. Usually if the salsa isnt good its a bad sign! The armadillo eggs were interesting on paper but they were so salty it was hard to eat them. I would put them as borderline inedible (we were barely able to eat them), some people could probably eat them but some people probably can't. The chicken fajita came with chicken that was dry from what could have been thorough cooking but there was no burnt or char taste so I'm not sure what was going on. Chicken was cut oddly similar to pre cooked grilled chicken bought at the grocery store. Usually the gorcery store chicken is seasoned though, this was unseasoned so it was tasteless. The veggies that came with the fajita were seasoned but tasted like the generic taco seasoning you could buy at the grocery store. I have had more chicken fajitas then I care to admit but this was probably 3d on my list for worst fajitas. It's possible this restaurant is only for drinks and Ambience, we didn't get any drinks so I can't comment on that. I wouldn't go for the food though that is for sure.

For years I had thought I found the pickiest eater I have ever met within my own family, until now. So, her being a huge fan of Mexican food, I decided to bring her to Gonza's and her reaction reaffirmed my claim that Gonza is among the very best Mexican restaurants in NC. Gonza is still growing, rightfully so, and they will always have a page in my little acceptable dining book. Cheers!

Best menu item: The Mexican Flag. Delicious and colorful. And they have an utterly fantabulous tequila list! Tequila is gluten free FYI :)

4.5 Stars - Sat at the bar; excellent service, solid craft brew and very tasty entree. Complimentary chips and salsa were above average. Used to dine here when they first opened, nice to see them packed and going strong. Will keep them on my rotation when in Raleigh.

Came for dinner on a weeknight and both the service and food were kind of off, which was surprising considering their great reviews. I had a passionfruit margarita and tried a sip of the classic; both were meh. Fish tacos and burrito el guapo were both mid, too. You're better off going to Salt and Lime or La Santa Modern Mexican Food. 3.5 stars.

What I ordered: Lacko taco entree Coconut shrimp appetizer Passion fruit margarita The shrimp were on the smaller side, but very good in flavor/seasoning The braised short rib tacos were delicious! Very filling, and paired with a robust consummé dipping sauce The passion fruit margarita was perfect; definitely ordered a second round Visited Gonza for a birthday dinner celebration and the restaurant was able to accommodate a large group, that included children. They were kind and gave the bday boy a free dessert and celebratory song. The ambience is vibrant and uniquely styled. Luchadores masks galore, some peculiar mannequins at the entryway, and there was a decent wait to be seated on a Thursday evening at dinnertime. Worth the wait, for sure! 10/10 strongly recommend and will return again!

Gonza's is always a good option! My husband and I split the el guapo burrito with plantains and the chicken fajitas. Both were really good but not quite as good as the ones we tried at the location on Hillsborough street. The portions are pretty solid for what you are paying, but don't expect leftovers. My one complaint about this spot is how completely dark it was inside. It comes across a bit more dingy compared to the bright and airy one on Hillsborough street.

This is a summary of several visits to Gonza in 2023 with work (lunch) and family (drinks/dinner). I have to start with the decor: Gonza is fairly legendary for bold, low-light, colorful decoration, including luchador masks (obvi), but also themed mannequins at the next table over that fool me sometimes. This location is no exception - gorgeous, and gets me excited for the food every time. Food: my favorite is the Steak Tacos with rice & beans. Pork Belly Tacos is another solid choice. The only problem is that I always want four tacos and they come in threes; the best solution is to go with at least two other people who also get tacos and trade/share. Service is great; never had an issue except if they were busy. When they get slammed, drinks can be slow.

Gonza is one of my favorite places to visit in Raleigh & I'd never been to the original location until today! Just like other locations it was dark inside but then well lit with star lanterns. The soup is one of my favorite things on the menu so of course I had to get it. It's a chicken tortilla soup base but is made unique with the addition of sweet potato. Pastor tacos are one of my favorites anywhere & they didn't disappoint. We also ordered queso which was delicious. Our server was patient & kind as we had people in our party who hadn't been there before and needed extra time. They accommodated adjustments to people's orders & they bring everything out on a cart so nothing spills :)

Everything was a expected, GREAT! We came here last year while I was in town and I've always wanted it again and I finally got it. It was every bit as good as I remembered it being. Can't wait for next year's visit now.

We had a last-minute opportunity for a quick date night so we racked our brains to figure out where to go. We decided on Gonza since my husband had never tried it. It didn't disappoint! We didn't have a reservation (highly recommended if you don't want to wait), but were able to get a seat with about a 30-minute wait. We waited by the bar. While the drinks looked delish, husband was in a work vehicle since he came straight from work so we needed to go alcohol-free. We chatted with an employee who was off the clock and so very pleasant. You could tell she loves to work there and recommended a few drinks for us to try in the future. (We will!) I was also able to watch the hostesses in action. They were efficient and kind to everyone coming in. They handed us all bobble heads while we wait. The only thing missing were the bobble heads would be awesome if they were pagers! But I digress. We were seated outside. It was quite hot and thankfully I wasn't wearing anything really nice or else I would have been even more miserable. The server was a happy fella, a lot of smiles and pep in his step. He was attentive and our non-alcoholic drinks never went dry. (Yes, I caught that. Pun intended.) It was nice to have a quick server. Our food was delivered promptly and hot. Ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. Gonza himself came by to check on us. That was nice touch. I even saw him at the host stand earlier. Even my husband who is , let's say- very selective- liked his dish! Winning! The food was great, service great, but the crowded outside seating with a wobbly table in the heat of summer not my favorite. I was born for A/C! Will I return? Yes. Will I sit outside when it's hot? No way.

Food was bland no taste at all. Rice was dry. Small portions for the price. I ask my waitress three times for more salsa and never got it. The drink was good. Nice ambiance.

We came here for a work lunch as a group of about eight. It took us a little while to be seated, but we're soon brought into a dimly lit restaurant, decorated with very ornate lights and glass. The food was wonderful. I got the tacos Al pastor and the salad. The salad was surprisingly refreshing with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds. My coworker got the "sushi" appetizer, and it looked incredible. He said it was great. This seems like the type of place would like to return to have a drink. I ever find myself back in Raleigh. I will come back.

Food = amazing Atmosphere = amazing Servers = amazing Beers next door = amazing!! Location = amazing We had four appetizers to try different things. Best way to get a bunch of different flavors. All of the food was amazing. We had the fish with green salsa sauce that was sooooo good. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of it. But it was UNREAL!!!

The company I work for recently reserved gonza for a food truck event. They were super responsive , customer service was great and the food did not disappoint they fed approximately 80 people and we got nothing but good reviews from employees. I tried the vegetarian taco and it did not disappoint. The food was fresh and authentic. I'd highly recommend these guys for your next event.

Always on point! They make you feel like you're Familia... I don't know why anyone would give this less than 5 stars

Hmmm, the verdict is still out on this spot. Tried it and imma give them the benefit of the doubt. We ordered super close to the time they closed and it was very busy! We had tacos and chips and salsa to go! The prices wasn't worth it based off what we got but I'm willing to try it one more time.

We have been coming here for years and the food is consistently delicious. The service is always great. Big shout out to Ivy, she was really an excellent server. I had the tilapia tacos and they had such great flavor, they were just so delicious. The plantains were also cooked with just the right amount of grill marks and wonderfully delicious. Even the margaritas are reasonably priced so you can have two. Keep up the good work Gonza. You have a clean, happy, beautifully fun decorated restaurant, with spacious seating indoors and great outdoor seating. We called our table the sweetheart table as a big red heart hung on top of us.

Just had a reason to go back and once again a great place. Had dessert this time. Best Churros I've ever had and the coconut flan was heaven in every spoonful. Still a top notch place IMHO.

Best spot in the triangle by a wide margin. Food and service are always on point and the atmosphere is great.

Love this place! Miguel and Christina give great service at the bar. We return often!

Amazing enchiladas and the mole was so good. Service was great. Super cool location close to campus.

First of all let me say the food was good not great but good. However I for one dislike being rushed so you can turn tables! I come from a family in the business successful in NY, Tampa, Orlando and Atlanta. The font of the house needs work. It's an overall experience that can't be forgotten.

I have never been dissatisfied by my experience here. But then again, I've never been spectacularly wowed either. This past time I ordered their soup, which was a perfect option if you're wanting something light but also something that will satisfy that Mexican food craving. Their guac is fresh and tasty, as well as their queso. I will say that the waiters and waitresses I have interacted with are not the most engaged, which is not very shwae. But overall, it's a great place to go if your wanting some Mexican with a more authentic tang to it.

Wow what an interesting locally owned restaurant. Came here due to a local's recommendation and it was a hit. The server made the recommendation and we went with it. No I cannot pronounce it so I sure can't spell it but it beef short ribs, guacamole cheese, cilantro and just lots of goodness. They were great. The salsa was delicious and so was the queso dip. Great local place with exceptional service and interesting interior decoration bordering on eccentric.

Amigos this is the deal .... if you're ever in Raleigh area make a stop here. It's to die for ! Yummy food and lots of fun decor make for a really great experience! We had street corn, beef tacos & steak & Shrimp fajitas. All of it was delicious ! The Halloween decorations were out of this world! Two thumbs way up!

It pains me to write this since I'm such a huge massive fan of their sister restaurant, dos taquitos, but I think I'll just have to stick to my old faithful. Each time I've come to gonza I've always left slightly disappointed, especially for how much the bill comes out to. Food is fine but the portions for the price are insane, just minuscule. The service has always felt like a factory, never rude but not warm and definitely a feel of getting people in and out, compared to dos taquitos where we can dine and keep drinking draft beers after without feeling rushed. Totally appreciate the location but will stick to dos taquitos!

Best place for Mexican in Raleigh. Their drinks are spectacular and the stuffed plantain is delicious!

Super cute spot, loved the decor and vibe. We started off with an order of guacamole along with the complimentary salsa. For entrees my husband ordered the short rib tacos with rice and I ordered the enchiladas con mole with rice & beans. The mole sauce is a little bit sweeter but I still liked the dish a lot, my husband also liked his. I washed it all down with an IPA from Crank Arm (I also recommend their margaritas). This Gonza location has great food and service. This was our first experience dining out since COVID (we've only been doing takeout) and we felt safe sitting outside. The tables were distanced and everyone was wearing a mask when not at their table.

Fun. Festive spot with tons of art and character to the dining room. Staff were friendly and in abundance. Speed of service was excellent and food was fresh, hot and flavorful. Servers were friendly and seem to work well together.

Food is always good, but just hope the Owner doesn't handle your reservation. My wife and I have been going to this location about twice a month since September, but last night was our last visit. We'll be headed to a different location from now on. We arrived exactly on time for our reservation and we checked in at the stand and were given a trinket and told that our table would be ready in 5-10 minutes. All good so far. In the front were two large heaters and it was very warm, so my wife said that she'll stand outside while I wait for our name to be called. Then some guy came out and began "asking" groups about their parties. He just ran up and said "4 top?" I corrected him and then he said "no reservation", once again, I corrected him then he just says "yeah, but the rest of your party isn't here" and ran off. I was confused as we both checked in with the hostess, so I went up to the stand to make sure they realized that both of us were there, my wife was just outside. That's when things went sideways. The following interaction lasted less than 60 seconds.... I get there to confirm that my party is all here and he just cuts me off and says "the rest of your party isn't here", I start to explain that my wife is just outside and he cuts me off sarcastically looking for her and says "I don't see her". At this point, I just want to make sure they don't give up our table so I say again. "no, she's here. it's just hot in the front of the restaurant she stepped outside" He wasn't having any of it and begins yelling at me in Spanish (which I speak). So we go back and forth in Spanish and he keeps telling me that we can't be seated until my party arrives. I try to explain again that she IS here but just not standing next to me. He continues yelling at me and then denies that he ever said that he's refusing to seat me. (which he said in Spanish, so nobody could hear him) I look to the hostess who checked us in and saw my wife when we checked in. And she looks at me and says with a dead serious face "look, we have 5 other parties who have all arrived" After a minute of this, I text my wife so she can prove that she exists, she walks in 5 seconds later and the owner suddenly changes his demeanor and seats us. No apology for yelling at me, embarrassing me in front of everybody, or insinuating that I was a liar. Nothing at all. We sit and enjoy our meal, he walks past us a few times and doesn't even look in our direction. I'm happy to drive the extra 7 minutes to go to another location.

My favorite restaurant! I usually go to the location on Hillsborough st but this was my first time at this location and it's even better!! I started with the queso and Mexican street corn and they're both amazing. I usually get the chicken quesadilla but I decided to switch it up and get the chicken tinga nachos and they were so amazing! Our waiter was so kind and attentive! Would highly suggest coming here!!

Fantastic cuisine in a fun setting....Gonza never disappoints!! Best mole outside of California and the margaritas are top notch!

I went to Gonza tonight and had Noah as my server. He was so friendly, helpful and made our dinner a wonderful experience. Even though the restaurant was so busy, he never made us feel like it and was very attentive. You are very lucky to have such an amazing employee working for your company.

After a couple of years of driving by this restaurant weekly on my trip to Whole Foods, I finally decided to meet an Instagram friend for tacos and margaritas at Gonza's. Let me tell you this, I shouldn't have waited. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the tacos were super unique. The pricing was on par with what you received and the staff were super friendly. * What was lacking for me was in the margaritas. They were pretty average and I was really hoping for a little more. However, it won't deter me from coming back and trying another cocktail, because they had plenty to choose from. I highly suggest coming during the week to this location, as it was pretty packed already for a weeknight.

I have been to the Gonza location off Hillsborough St. across from NC State in the past but have never ventured out to try their N Raleigh location until last weekend. I typically go for shrimp tacos whenever I dine at a Mexican restaurant but based on my experiences here, I am always still hungry after scarfing down the 3 tacos per order. I wish the entrees came with a side of rice or something. For that reason I decided to try something new this time! We ordered takeout, although they are offering dine-in/patio service now. We ordered the 32 oz Marg mix, an app of guac/queso/salsa and they gave us SO many chips - which I am most definitely not complaining about. You can never have too many chips in my opinion. My boyfriend and I also decided to order the same thing which was the Mexican Flag dish. I saw many reviews and photos of this menu item which is sort of the reason I chose it and I was not let down! Overall, I like Gonza but they're not my favorite for the price point. I'd definitely order the entree again though and would be interested in trying more of their menu items.

The Mexican flag is a terrific meal and they have a great bar and astounding decor. Nice neighborhood spot

Gonza is Amazing! From customer service to their amazing food, it never disappoints! They have a great atmosphere which is also family friendly so it makes it an all around great place! It does get packed out at their N. Raleigh location so be prepared to park a ways out and walk in.

We found this place when we moved my MIL into her new apartment close by. We had a really delicious meal and the drinks were yummy too. Definitely recommend getting there early!

Excellent food. Can't say enough about the tamales! They were fabulous. I went on a Thursday and it was packed. Our server was attentive. I felt bad as she was working a lot of tables. They staff works hard and takes care of you! I highly recommend if you haven't been.

Really enjoyed eating here! Service & food were very good. Loved the decor! Very convenient location.

Consistently good. The drinks, the service, the food. The decor is quite interesting.

Nice party atmosphere, great decor, kind of crowded and loud. The food looked great and tasted pretty good. Mostly corn tortilla tacos. But not super awesome.

Food is killer here (in the good way) and the service is great. Margaritas are too notch. Interior is well decorated and provides a great atmosphere. Absolutely love Gonzas.