Gonza Tacos y Tequila

Thursday night dinner: Colorful decor in the restaurant with good music playing. Comfortable high booths. Food was good, a little spicy on certain items. Attentive service with the refills. Kid meals get the full galore with a dessert (ice cream). During the holidays - you don’t have to pay for parking on the street.

During the school year Gonza is usually mobbed; but, between semesters in the summer you can usually get in without a reservation. I definitely recommend making this a spot to stop. Gonza Tacos y Tequila has a fantastic tequila menu with some wonderful cocktails. The cocktail menu is limited, but they are all delicious and all the purees are made in house. Jackson our bartender was fantastic making sure we got a good selection of custom craft cocktails! I did get Margarita de la Casa strawberry plus a blended strawberry and passionfruit. They were both fantastic. Megan is also wonderful and very friendly. Making us feel at home. I got a smorgasbord of food including: Chips and Queso, Chips and Guac, Mexican flag, Tamales, coconut flan, churros, and talega. The tamales were amazing and the best item I've had at Gonza so far. The telaga was also amazing, the menu mentions cheese but to be clear it's cream cheese. The flavor is very approachable. If you happen to have an opportunity make sure you stop into Gonza as it's entirely with it.

First time here and the experience was great. The food was really tasty. I would like to say that one of the best dishes if not the best is El plátano. The server was awesome, great attitude. Wonderful atmosphere, and the decor is mind blowing.

Great little downtown spot. The food is consistently good and the service is attentive but not overly so. The house margarita is a good price for your basic margarita no frills and a straightforward menu. The Mexican Flag is my favorite dish, as you get a little bit of everything taste wise and the fajitas are great as well.

You can tell when people give a damn. The service was friendly and effective, the food was amongst the best Mexican style I have had. The beef short rib was melt in the mouth, the shrimp fajita was simply tasty. It was all fresh and served with a genuine smile. It is a pity this place isn't open earlier and on Sunday.

Pretty good food. Not the first time I go there and I always enjoy the pescado tacos. Waiter was really nice and enjoyed the music. Try their strawberry margarita it is very refreshing and tasty. ❤️

We went to Gonza's after going to an escape room with some friends. I ordered the Chille Relleno off of the review of another guide. It was fantastic. The atmosphere here was great, and parking was easy. However, my husband and one of the couple we were with ordered the fajitas. He grumbled after we left because they literally brought out 3 super small fajita shells with a bit of meat artistically placed over a long plate. It was all very pretty, but not nearly enough for an entre item... Especially at the prices we paid. Don't get me wrong. My dinner was great. His not so much. Other than that, the waitress was great and very attentive. We never saw the bottoms of our waters and the food came out quickly. The queso was awesome.

Unique place, don’t expect authenticity, good food (Picture is after I messed with the burrito and took a bite of the plantain). Got to taste Mexican flag, shrimp tacos, veggie burrito, platanos and coconut flan. All main dishes were tasty but would not recommend the coconut flan. Also the salsa for the appetizer is really good.

Delicious chips and salsa. Chips were hot and the salsa was super fresh. Quick seating and great service. Tacos were delicious as well.

I have been here three times. Overall, in my experience, I had above average food and below average service for a high priced meal. I ordered the Mexican flag which was fun, unique, and well made. But the price is to high to have to wait 45 minutes after eating to flag down a waiter for the check.

Wonderful little corner for Mexican food. The "sushi" they have as appetizer is really good, but would probably recommend using a fork and knife rather than taking it in one bite as you would with typical sushi!Otherwise would highly recommend any dishes on the menu, I particularly liked the Mexican flag.

Went to Gonza after work yesterday and nearly had the place to ourselves (I enjoyed that). Friendly wait staff. Guac was a bit pricey (old Yelp pics show it used to be only $5, now $9), and they did have to redo a meal because they forgot to omit onions but it was remedied quickly. I tried the passion fruit margarita and enjoyed it (also took a sip of my husband's Spicy Pepino margarita and it was pretty good too). I had the barbacoa quesadilla. It was a bit spicier than expected but I asked for sour cream to help cool it down (they charged extra for that). Overall, I would try them again but sadly the cost of eating out is up a lot (our bill is about $20-30 higher than what we're used to for the same amount/level of food) - so it might be a while for a place like this. Wish they'd open for lunch too btw - NCSU leaders are itching to have their lunch meetings there again since they're tasty & conveniently located.

I got the fish taco which was salmon on the smallest tortilla I have seen . 3 for $18 was a bit steep . The waitress never smiled. Two of us ordered mango margarita and I got spicy mango margarita . The drinks were overly sweet . I complained tot he waiter was about that and asked if I could get some lime juice to cut the sweetness . She brought the lime juice but never suggested changing the drink to something to something else . $100 for the three of us for week night dinner in a college area across NCSU I thought was a bit mu

Went here with a few of my friends on a Saturday night - be sure to make a reservation because it sure can get busy!! I am a vegetarian and there weren't many vegetarian options on the menu, so that was a bit of a downside, but I got the veggie fajitas and it sure was a lot of food, which was great! I wish they had come with rice and beans like many of the other menu items, but I understand why not for the amount of food it came with as is. The flavor was alright - nothing to write home about. Our waitress was really nice, however, and I know my friends enjoyed their food as well. Not a place I would necessarily return to but good for a one-time visit! I imagine if I ate meat I would have had a better experience.

Great ambiance, food, and service. The server did a great job answering our questions about the tequila options. We liked the salmon and pineapple tacos more so than the burrito.

I have wanted to try Gonza Tacos Y Tequila for the longest time! They have these beautiful star lights in the side room that add a great ambiance to the restaurant. Some friends and I stopped in this past weekend to enjoy dinner and I was pleasantly surprised by how good everything was! I wish I had taken pictures but my friend and I decided to split two apps as our dinner. First things first, the drinks! Our waitress was super sweet and recommended I try the watermelon margarita which was their special of the night so of course I had to. It was delightfully refreshing and had a nice watermelon flavor. I did find that none of the drinks were strong which was good to pair with our meal. My friend had a strawberry margarita which i tasted and the flavor was delicious! You can tell they use real strawberry purée which gave the marg an outstanding flavor. For our main course my friend and I split the Coconut Shrimp and I believe it was called the chorizo roll. We decided to share two small apps because neither one of us were that hungry but the coconut shrimp were delicious. They had a nice crunchy coating on the outside and was served with a sweet sauce that gave them a real kick. I however did not particularly enjoy the chorizo roll. I normally enjoy chorizo that is ground and cooked but they serve it in links which I did not enjoy. This of course is personal preference because the flavor was still good I just would not enjoy them. Overall would definitely recommend Gonza for a night out with friends or a date night.

I love Gonza. Hip place with a young, eager staff that provide service with a smile. I always get the Margarita de la Casa. It is delicious. I've tried all the tacos - love the pastor - and the chicken quesadilla. I cannot say enough good things and if you skip the salad as your side (you have a choice of rice, beans, soup, or salad), you are just wrong. It always has the tastiest dressing and features plump raisins, jicama, pepitas, & spring mix. TIP: GET THE QUESO!

Wow, what an all around awesome spot for tacos and margs! The whole experience was great starting with the chips and salsa (salsa was super flavorful), queso, and guacamole (the guacamole was a small portion for the $9 price, but excellent flavor). Husband had the fish tacos, which were salmon that day, and I had the Burrito El Guapo. Both were excellent-the salmon was sweet with a great mix of flavors in the other ingredients included. The burrito was also super flavorful and perfectly layered inside (love when each bite has a range of flavors). The passionfruit margarita was also AMAZING. Would recommend to anyway looking for an upscale, but still affordable Tex Mex experience.

Pretty mid food especially for the price. Small portions, lack of any real flavor. Nice ambiance. The service was not very enthusiastic but we did come in near the end of the night.

Drove by and decided to stop in. We were able to seated right away at the bar. Nothing particularly interesting in the menu but quick service and solid food and drinks. A good casual stop.

Good ambience and location but not at all vegetarian friendly. I just found one veggie entree on the menu and it was literally sautéed veggies (few) and a slice of mushroom I requested our server if they could make a veggie version of enchiladas but that would mean taking out the chicken and leaving behind tortilla and pico. would I pay $11for this again? Never.

food was delicious! portion sizes were large and reasonably priced. service was okay, but a little slow for the amount of people.

I normally really enjoy Gonza but today kind of flopped. My passion fruit margarita was so sweet. Chips and salsa weren't great. I got the Mexican flag enchiladas and they were very tasty. But our server was so low energy and forgot things

Great food, great service, great drinks. Everything I ordered came out fast, presentation was nice and food was delicious. My server was pleasant and gave me some popular recommendations.

I love me some Gonza TYT, more like TNT because it's dynamite ! It was a treat to be back at one of my favorite places in Raleigh. The decor is fun and I love the art, the vibrant colors etc. There is a Frida Kahlo collage that is really well done. We parked on the street, it was the weekend and we could park on the street for free. I think it is fun sitting by the windows, especially when they are open. I like watching the hustle and bustle of life while I enjoy some guac and a beverage. We ordered the Mexican Flag and some taco options (Carnitas and Tinga). The portions are solid, you aren't leaving hungry. They have the whole safe dining situation down cold: order takeout, socially distanced tables, masks, sanitizer, etc. Thank you Gonza for a great night out.

This restaurant was in the same building as our hotel. We had house margaritas which we enjoyed. They were typical margaritas. We ordered the guacamole to go with their complimentary chips. The quacamole was fresh and very tasty. For entrees we had the chile relleno and the chicken taco plate. There were three tacos that included avocado slices with the chicken. Diners can chose a protein for the chile relleno. I had the veggie version and really enjoyed it. The server was pleasant and helped us make our selections. The restaurant was very attractively furnished with themed artifacts. I recommend this restaurant and would certainly return if I return to the area.

First time (what???) at Gonza was a success. I don't know how we hadn't been here yet but we had a blast. The margaritas were great, tried the original and the strawberry. At $7, you really can't go wrong with these and I would definitely stop in here for happy hour. I got the fajitas and my husband got the El Guapo burrito. All I can say is YUM. I would definitely have a hard time not getting the fajitas again when I go back but there are so many menu options that I also want to check out. As far as seating, there are a lot of table choices; we sat in the open window seating with a great view of the Bell Tower and it was nice to have the fresh air on a warm summer evening with a margarita in hand.

This place is phenomenal! Make it a must stop. The service is amazing, people are fantastic. Ambiance is a 10/10, stars on the ceiling make it feel like cinco de mayo. All amazing artwork to create a great feel. The food? 100/10. Go for the guacamole and enchiladas! I will return with friends!!

Ambiance 5/5 Food 3/5 Drinks 5/5 Service 5/5 The drinks are absolutely amazing here!! Pina and cilantro marg I cannot recommend enough. The salsa and queso were some of the best I've had at a restaurant in Raleigh. The only downside is limited vegetarian options (2). A few dishes can be modified but the price is not worth it. I believe the server said there were 5 possibilities for a vegetarian dish. The servers and bartenders were great and prompt. I loved the decor

Absolutely invigorating atmosphere. Very authentic experience. The shrimp fajitas were exquisite. The service was great as well. Definitely recommend!

Get the Mexican flag enchiladas! So tasty! The chips and salsa were also delicious and the staff was super friendly.

I came here in a group Saturday night and I was immediately struck by the fun atmosphere. There are dozens of really cool lanterns hanging about. The walls have some really cool posters on them. You'll see the famous Mexican lucha libre (wrestling) masks and you'll also see some pretty awesome Day of the Dead faces painted examples. I loved the assorted bobble heads by the front too. I didn't even care that they didn't relate to Mexico, they were just fun decorations. We were seated immediately even though it was a busy Saturday night. I am not complaining. Our server came and got our drink order fairly quick and they came out lightning quick. I was really impressed by the quality of the FREE chips and salsa that were served to the table. We had six people total and received two baskets with chips and salsa. We crushed them in no time, because they were so tasty and our server brought out more. I am not always impressed with free chips or bread due to the quality, but Gonza nailed it. Our server came back and took our table order. I ordered the chicken tacos and my wife ordered a quesadilla. Gonza really does some things well. Our food came out so quick it felt like they knew what we ordered before we had decided. I thought that was impressive. The presentation of the food at Gonza is also really high. My tacos came out perfectly laid out and they were tasty AF. My friends orders also looked really good. I didn't think three tacos would be enough, but they were more than enough to fill me up. My wife only ate half her quesadilla, but she said it was good. I was the lucky recipient of her left overs later Saturday night and they were just as good as in the restaurant. I would say this place does a lot right. The bill was reasonable, but I always think that forcing gratuity on a group is dumb. It isn't gratuity if it is mandatory. Our group of six all sat at the same booth. There was no extra work involved in setting us up, but because of our "large" group size gratuity was added automatically to the bill. With that said I was super happy with the meal and the service. This place is a must try Mexican restaurant for sure.

Across from NCSU Bell Tower is one of the Gonza Tacos locations. It was quiet on this late Saturday afternoon and our service was quick. The complimentary salsa was GREAT along with a load of fresh chips. Two guests both having a three-some taco with a side. I loved the fresh catch--mahi-mahi tacos with black beans. My more particular lunch date had chicken tacos ordered her way and they arrived just as she asked with retried beans. The decor is very eclectic with a day of the dead feel with lots of fun colors. The view outside the wall of windows is NCSU Bell Tower and it's located at the Loft. The restrooms are almost outside the restaurant and each of the four are single locked stalls. Unfortunately I chose one without TP and pointed that out to one of the Employees. Full bar available and Pepsi products if that's important to you.

The atmosphere was cool. Food was decent though overpriced for lunch. Our waiter was extremely grumpy as was the woman bringing out the meals. A smile goes a long way. He seemed upset that we didn't want to order drinks. It's not like we didn't order two meals and an appetizer. The sad part is some people save to have an experience like this and when the waiter is unpleasant it is very disappointing. Torero's is still our go to. Great food and consistent service there. I'll forgo the decorations for that any day.

Great food and reasonably priced for the city. Servers were super nice. We both loved our meals and service was impeccably fast even for a Saturday night! Highly recommend if you're in the mood for Mexican!

Great atmosphere and service! Nachos are my favorite!!! My husband gets fajitas!!! Both Enough for two meals! Frequently visits

I always enjoy Gonza Tacos Y Tequila. I have been to all of the location and all of them have very consistent. They pay attention to detail and the food is amazing. I chose this particular location because it was convenient to where I was meeting that day. It's directly across from NC State and under a hotel which is great for people staying at the hotel and the students. The downside is the parking there isn't much but I've never asked if they had specific parking. My son and I ended up parking around the corner and we walked. When we first arrived the place was 45 mins from closing the lady at the front was very nice. She seated us immediately. Our server was really nice and because I was familiar with the menu I went ahead and ordered what I wanted. I got my son the quesadillas and this time I got the Chile releno but with pulled pork (I normally get the veggie one) Our food came out shortly afterwards. I thought pulled pork Chile releno was okay. I would definitely stick with the veggie. We ended up having to use the restroom and it was clean one cool thing about this location is that they have pins for map and you can put where you are from. Overall it's a good place, the food is consistent through each restaurant and I would definitely go back.

Been planning a visit here for a long time since it showed up in open table list of 10 best in Raleigh. Parking may not be the easiest but on a weekend there seems to be enormous changes street parking. The Chile Rellano is hands down the best I had in my life. That's not an easy thing to say or mean. The spice levels, flavors, presentation - everything is was top notch. One of my daughters had the Chicken Quesadilla and like it and the other had the chicken Tinga taco from th adult menu. She did not like it much. Her feedback is that the flavor of the tinga were not on point and also that there was Too much chicken for the size of the taco making it a difficult it (that took the star away From 5 star) At the end the server got a complementary ice cream for my 7 year old. That was a nice gesture. The service was in general very pleasant and efficient. I would love to go again and try a few more dishes

Still my favorite restaurant in Raleigh! Great ambience and great food. I wanted to update my review with some pictures from our most recent visit on May 5th!

Wow! Visiting Raleigh and staying walking distance to this cute spot. We came in to have a few appetizers and share a entree. We started with the classic and tamarindo margarita, guac and Mexican corn. Our service was fantastic, Luke our server was attentive and gave us great description of his favorites. He recommended the Mexican Flag, it was perfect 3 enchiladas, all delicious! If you are in town stop by and grab a delicious meal!

This may be one of the best Tex-Mex places I have seen in the US for a long long time. There are many things that make this place tremendously awesome. What do I love about Gonza. It did come highly recommended, so naturally, I had to try it. The Guacamole and salsa are so fresh, zesty and packed with flavor, you won't find many that are better. The interior, design and layout makes it look like an upscale and insanely expensive place, but it is not. Truly it is not. Attached to the Aloft Hotel with open windows for an indoor / outdoor experience, this restaurant kills it in so many ways. A few keys: 1. Fish / Mahi Tacos are worth the trip alone. You will have an explosion of flavor 2. Massive selection of tequila. Not surprised, given this is located on the NC State Campus. 3. The staff is authentic. They know their food and are there for recommendations. 4. The taco salad is huge. Even sharable. 5. They have at least 5 or more Mexican beer selections if that is your desire. 6. Chips are lightly fried and almost melt in your mouth. This is a must if you are in the Raleigh, NC area. A must.

This was cool spot to visit. We were greeted and seated as soon as we walked, which was a shock since it was pretty crowded. Our server was awesome we realized that she was busy with a large party but she took the time to acknowledge us and was extremely patient. The food was good my wife ordered the Chef special for the day which was perfectly cooked salmon on a spinach tortilla topped with mango salsa. I ordered the carnitas tacos which had great flavor. Overall definitely a awesome experience will definitely stop by again when in the area.

While I am not a fan of "Americanized" Mexican food due to the excessive use of beans and corn, I do have a soft spot for more authentic Mexican fare. I found this place through Trip Advisor which had listed Gonza as one of the top 15 places to go and eat in the Raleigh area. Needless to say, my expectations were pretty high. The first thing we noticed when we walked into this bustling establishment was that it was quite dim. Most of the lighting was provided by colorful lanterns hanging all around the restaurant. There was also plenty of outdoor seating. Despite it being rush hour, we were promptly seated and quickly served. For an appetizer, I got the ahi tuna ceviche. It was very fresh, and marinated with lime, papaya, and watermelon. The main course consisted of a taco dish, specifically the Callo de Hacha. A flour tortilla topped with scallops and pork belly, it was, without exaggeration, the best taco I have ever had. Additionally, the taco was topped with pico de gallo and a heavenly chipotle sauce. The servings were also large and I left feeling satisfied. This restaurant lives up to the hype and then some, come here if you want truly delicious Mexican cusine.

This is a perfectly A-OK Mexican food establishment. The dishes vary from tasty to meh, but nothing is incredible and nothing is out of the ordinary. The enchiladas are the best dish I've had so far. The space is great though. If you're entertaining a large group, there's space. The decor is cool, especially the star lights hanging from the ceiling. There's plenty of street parking nearby and some at the Aloft if you'll be driving. It's a safe choice in a pinch.

This place is super nice. I was just waiting on friends and was fortunate enough to sit at the bar where I met Lia, Allison, and Brittany. These ladies were great and truly engaging. Once they found out I wasn't from the area they recommended things to do and just took time to talk with me about this area. I really appreciated that. This place is super cute and the margaritas are the bomb! I tried the spicy one and the rosemary one. The flavor combinations were spot on and delicious. If you're in the area I highly recommend you come see these ladies. Great food and great service.

The shrimp tacos were very spicy at certain bites but overall delicious. The salad was my favorite part of the dish. If I could've put the salad on the tacos it would've been a match made in heaven.

I've been to Gonza many a time over the years, most recently with a few girlfriends on a Thursday night. The place was packed even at 6:30, and we had about a 15-20 min wait for 4 of us. We were able to grab a drink at the bar while we waited - there's not much standing room while you wait for your drink, but the servers were very friendly and patient. The skinny margarita was perfect! Not too sweet because they left out the simple syrup. Once we sat down the waiter brought us lots of chips and salsa. We also ordered some guacamole which was nothing short of addicting. The chips are nice and crispy and don't stick together like some homemade chips. I decided to get the shrimp tacos with a side of rice. My friend who comes here quite frequently says that their tortilla soup is awesome, so I'm thinking I should've gotten that instead of the rice. The flavor was good but it was just a little cold. The tacos were very good and had a nice portion of shrimp on the inside - they could use a little something extra, maybe avocado slices or something else to make them perfect. Overall, this is consistently a good experience and great for a family outing, date night or girls night!

Met here with Bruce K last year & then came again this year. Spunky joint with delicious tacos & yummy chips! Oh & I can't forget the amazing side salad. First trip: carne asada tacos & second trip: shrimp tacos. And they're both so good. Fresh tasting ingredients, along with the shrimp. And the chips & salsa. Both times we had to get two bowls! The salsa is good, too. They're kind of pricey, but I'm not complaining. Parking is not good at all.

I have family in Raleigh, but live in New Mexico, so when it was suggested that we go to this place I was a little weary because I really do judge Mexican food by a number of things as I'm so familiar with it and usually find it lacking on the East Coast. But I was truly impressed. While I would say that this place does seem to have more cuban leanings than Mexican, it was still delicious and I didn't care what it was classified as. The ambiance of this place is simply amazing. There are stars all on the ceiling, and if you go to the bathroom, it's SPOTLESS. I mean, squeaky clean, in the University area, which is a feat in itself. The skulls remind me of New Mexico, but they're cool. On the way back from the bathroom you will see a world map, and people have visited this place from all over the world. You should go look at the bathroom to marvel at how clean it is and visit the map to wish you'd been all those places. Before you start your meal, they ask you if you want the guacamole. GET IT!! They make it perfectly and it's fresh. If you don't like things to be spicy in terms of salsa, don't be afraid of it, the salsa is chunky and mild (if you are used to spicy you will think it's mild, and if you are not good with very spicy dishes you will think it's handleable... They did a good job measuring the audience of North Carolina... But the guacamole is WOW). We ordered three dishes. I ordered the special, the fish tacos, which were simply fanstastico. Like, whoa whoa. And I have mexican tacos on a regular basis. They had three layers on them. the bottom of the taco had a heat to it, but it wasn't hot... more flavorful, a smoky and slightly hot base. the fish was cooked perfectly, and the top had cabbage, which I really liked, and the usual taco toppings... However these tacos were clearly taken up a notch to another level. I do like spicy so I added the tomatio dressing they provided on top and it was heavenly to me and my son devoured one of the three they gave me. My son got the quesadilla, and once again I was impressed, definitely not the standard run of the mill, but also not deviating to the point where it wasn't mexican. They are generous with their plantains! If you upgrade you have to pay $1.00 more but it's so worth it, they give you two whole plantains and they are cooked to perfection (more cuban than mexican). My family member got the Nachos Gabachos, which I have attached a picture of. It was impressive upon first sight, but it's the only thing we got that I feel I cannot truly rave about. The flavor was there, and it was good, but it was huge and since they had mixed everything together the nachos got soggy in short order, and by the same token the texture was the same throughout the entire dish, and every bite was just that... the same.... It needed more texture. It needed some differentiation so you could continue to appreciate it. However we did enjoy our experience, and the dish did get eaten... But I just wouldn't recommend it. I would however, recommend the restaurant And this place is definitely hip. Worth going to for sure :)

Atmosphere is fantastic and the food is very good! I got the quesadilla and side salad (and even took a side salad to go for lunch the following day). Drinks were tasty and salsa

Met a friend here for dinner and had a great time. Terrific service. There is street parking and the lot behind the hotel supposedly offers parking for the restaurants as well. It's a nice restaurant and the seating was comfortable. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the banging-on-the-pot thing that they do for birthday celebrations, and with 3 of them in 90 minutes, I was done with it. Exactly the sort of salsa that I like. Nice and thick and not drippy. Easily scoopable and low probability of wearing it. And it had a nice little kick to it. Yum! We also got a side of the guac and it was also pretty good. For mains, I dug right into the scallop tacos. Absolutely excellent. A couple of nice big pieces on this platter of three. I had the side of rice but my friend's salad looked like the better option with walnuts on top of it. What? Good selection of beers with tins and bottles of local and Mexican imports. It was a little odd trying to stuff the lime wedge into the mouth of the can of Tecate, but I got it done. Great restaurant. Totally would return.

Fun taco restaurant near NC state! Of course they have more options than tacos, but how could I turn down tacos and tequila when it's in the name? The restaurant is right on the corner across from the bell tower and is moderate in size. I was given a bobble head as I wait, but it took a while so my party of 2 found a spot at the bar. The menu is succinct and has something for everyone in my opinion. I ordered taco pescado, mahi mahi was the catch of the day, and a passion fruit margarita. The tacos were good but pricey ($5/taco). The atmosphere is light and fun, and when you gaze up it's charming. Overall good experience, but nothing extraordinary.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila The raleigh location is really nice, great atmosphere, and good service Comes with your typical chips and salsa. The guacamole here is fresh and great. Ordered from "Taco-Terapia" with terapia meaning therapy, or therapeutic tacos hahaha! - Carnitas, with corn tortilla / slow roasted pork / cilantro / onion / tomatillo salsa - Pastor, corn tortilla / shredded pork / pineapple / onion / cilantro / tomatillo salsa Sides: tortilla soup was great. So was the cilantro lime rice. Glad it was made perfectly. Impression: the carnitas are a little dry, not juicy as I would've liked and the salsa was barely existent. The pastor, on the other hand, was the best taco out of the two. The pork was juicier, a little salty but the pineapple dices corrected it while the tomatillo was still nonexistent to the palate Bottom line: I've had tacos from here from the two locations and Durham and it's pretty on point! I wouldn't recommend the carnitas, but would recommend the pastor if you're craving tacos, and ALSO their burrito el guapo because it looked amazing and tastes "amazing" according to my friend haha FYI: you can't mix and match tacos so choose wisely!

Wow! We were in Raleigh to see a show at the Lincoln Theatre, and this place was basically connected to the Aloft we were staying in. It was a rainy Friday night, so proximity was important to us. We were able to sit at the bar at around 6:30 on a friday night, but every seat was full when we left around 8ish. We started with some guacamole, and I had a house margarita with Jimador tequila. The guacamole was really good and fresh, and the chips were warm and not overly salty. My SO was pleased with the variety of "special" Mexican beers. For dinner, he had the Tinga Taco plate with black beans, and I had the Callo De Hacha Taco plate with a side of chicken tortilla soup. He LOVED the tinga tacos, and I was amazed by my scallop tacos. The scallops were prepared perfectly, and the pork belly was exactly the right texture as well. Those are two proteins that are very easy to screw up, so the chefs here clearly know what they are doing. I also ordered a skinny margarita to go with my entree and it was amazing! The chicken tortilla soup was pretty good, but I should have gotten the plantains instead. The prices here are very fair and the food is gourmet yet authentic tacos and Mexican food. The drinks flow, the servers are friendly, and the atmosphere is lively and loud. I would come back in a heartbeat! I'm very jealous that we don't have one of these in Columbia. If you haven't been, GO!

Oh my goodness, I'm glad I have friends in Raleigh. I visit Raleigh a good amount and this time around I was in town to see my alma mater, Virginia Tech, play NC State in a big ACC matchup. My old college buddy, Neal, and I took off work and drove down. We met up with another VT alum, our friend Junior, and he recommended Gonza for dinner before the game. Great choice, easily. We had 6:15p reservations to avoid any wait. We were seated promptly and service began immediately. Since Neal and I didn't have to worry about driving we ordered margaritas. Neal got a classic margarita and I opted for a strawberry-flavored one. They were so good and tasted like a slurpee. I had 3 and enjoyed all of them. Our server was a sweetheart and good with menu descriptions, making recommendations and upselling. She was on top of things and I was happy with her customer service. Finally, Gonza's tacos are amazing! When you include the word 'tacos' in your restaurant's name they better be good. They were top shelf. Gonza's taco dishes include 3 tacos, and since there were three of us we ordered three different dishes and shared one taco each. We had the Taco del Chef (today's included chorizo), Lacko (chile braised short ribs) and Callo de Hacha (scallops and pork belly). All of them are delicious and worth every penny. So if you find yourself in Raleigh and are craving tacos, give Gonza a shot. Their service is good, they make a mean margarita and their tacos are outstanding. JV

Best Mexican food I have ever had! The queso is amazing! The salsa is made to perfection! And I have never had a meal I didn't absolutely love! The manager Allison is fabulous and runs a great business. Also love the bar tender, Juliana, who makes a killer margarita. This is a must have when visiting Raleigh. Make sure to make reservations though if you go because business is booming!

Fabulous meal from start to finish, including wonderful service from Hayley. She was so joyful and attentive. Chile relleno was amazing, as was the enchiladas con mole. And the decor was artistic, interesting and beautiful. Such a wonderful place!!

Super cute spot, loved the decor and vibe. Started off with an order of the Orale Guacamole along with the complimentary salsa. For entrees, Boyfriend ordered the El Platano and I ordered the Pastor Tacos with rice (this order comes with 3 small tacos and your choice of side). The tacos tasted great, I loved the pineapple and tomatillo salsa. Boyfriend enjoyed his dish, he loves plantains. He was able to substitute the steak for chicken. I washed all of this down with a house Strawberry Margarita which was muy delicioso. Great food and excellent service at an affordable price. I will be returning to Gonza very soon.