Mestizo Contemporary Mexican Cuisine

This place has been on our list for a while now. Finally got to go. This is a nice, family runned, authentic restaurant. The atmosphere was subdued. It wasn't crazy busy when we went, but I can imagine it gets quite busy based on the location right across from Davidson College. Our food was excellent. Menu had some surprises on it. Lamb and a lobster paella enchiladas which I decided on. The food comes out hot. It's made and cooked to order. Well proportioned and nice presentation. Don't be in a hurry. The food takes time to prepare and worth the wait. Service was timely and attentive. Will be going back to try that lamb. The fatitas are excellent. Well priced for the meal.

Super cute inside. We got two burritos and a mango margarita, which were great! The only thing is the service was a little slow. We ended up having to ask for our check. Very nice server though. Prices were very good too!

This was our first time and it was delicious! Atmosphere was quiet and cozy. And the Lobster Paella enchiladas were SOOO good & not overly fishy at all. Run don’t walk!

Stopped in for early dinner before a Davidson College show. We were looking for something different, and Alonso, our server, had some excellent recommendations, which we tried. I ordered the Lobster Paellaa Enchiladas and my partner the Chicken Fajitas, and everything was fresh, hot, flavourful, and very enjoyable. I also tried the p 🍹. The house drink is too mild for me with Alonso's input the second one was on target. Facility has both inside and outdoor seating. When in Davidson, stop in. You will be very happy. I really appreciate their veterans discount and will surely continue to support them.

Really great brunch place especially on these cold NC days. Service is fantastic and the ambiance is great. You get a lot of food with each portion so come hungry or ready to share!

I am from out of state and this was my second visit as I remembered how good it was. They have many menu options to choose from and they serve complimentary chips and salsa. All of our meals were excellent as was the service and atmosphere.

We enjoyed our dinner very much! Food was delicious, our server Jose was great, he guided me with recommendations for my food allergies …. Very cute place ! Highly recommend it!

A festive atmosphere, great chips and salsa, nice menu selections, clean bathroom and very good service. Tried the taco salad: terrible $21 for a small shell, almost no lettuce, a slice of tomato, little cheese and tough pieces of steak.

The first time I went I thought it was pretty mid and overpriced for what it was, but I've come around a bit on my second visit. It's been a couple of years since I tried it again this week. I will admit a hot tip is to go for lunch, the prices during lunch are very reasonable and much more palatable. Had the fajitas and both the chicken and beef were both very nice cuts of meat, not the shriveled small chunks you get at some Mexican restaurants. Enchiladas suizas was very creamy and tasty and the guacamole app was also quite good but maybe a bit overpriced. Will definitely not be 2 years before I return.

Also a tough review because my daughter had said this was her favorite restaurant. There were only 4 people eating at the time, but the service was quite slow, water took nearly 10 minutes, so we ordered as soon as he made his way to us. The Lobster Paella was questionable, as there was no discernible seafood taste or texture, just a chopped up mix, smothered in a tomato sauce. There was about 2 tablespoons of rice and a few shreds of vegetables. I couldn't even eat it , the taste was awful. My daughter gave me some of her medium steak that was so dry, tough and well done. My husband ordered a fajita, with no sizzle, barely hot and so skimpy. Actually, everything was such a small serving for their quite high prices. Also, my son's vegetables were fermented/bad, he told the waiter who said he would find out about it, never acknowledged it, just laid a huge bill on the table. Had to ask for more water, and was served the first 3 meals only to have to wait over 5 minutes for the rest to be served. Sadly, we will not be going back and would highly suggest another restaurant.

This is a hard review because husband really liked it but kiddo and I did not. Cute little restaurant right in the heart of Davidson. Husband really liked his food. Mine was not to my liking.

Really great brunch place especially on these cold NC days. Service is fantastic and the ambiance is great. You get a lot of food with each portion so come hungry or ready to share!

Mestizo is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the Charlotte restaurant so it felt fitting to give them a long overdue review on Cinco de Mayo. They have a great location right in downtown Davidson, so their patio is a wonderful place to have dinner with friends on a nice evening. They serve delicious tacos on warm corn tortillas and their meats are deliciously seasoned. Don't sleep on their burritos either their cowboy burrito is the bomb! I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often but during the summer if I find myself with friends in the Lake Norman area I always recommend this spot for dinner.

Food is amazing! Fresh and prepared to order ! The lobster cauliflower soup was awesome! Cocktails are delicious! Everything was perfect ! Staff and we loved the music!

This place deserves a better yelp review score than it has. My wife and I had lunch there today. It is very much a place that elevates true Mexican dishes (not Tex-mex) to a higher level than most. I had the Molé enchiladas and she had the paella enchiladas. The mole was rich, complex and not too sweet or not too spicy. Perfectly balanced. It was the best I have had in quite a while. In fact, It rivaled some of the best I had when in Mexico. My wife's paella seafood enchiladas were delicious and she was very happy with the flavors and freshness of the seafood. She finished every bite which is unusual for her. That's a rare compliment. Half-price margaritas, which were very very tasty, also helped make it a great lunch. Service was spot on and attentive. A nice outdoor seating area, smooth margaritas,and reasonable prices for food and service in Davison, especially for dishes this tasty and authentic, is now on my go-to list. Highly recommended!

We stopped in on a busy Saturday night and sat outdoors under a heated umbrella. The steak and shrimp was a masterpiece! The steak was cooked to perfection, and the presentation was worthy of a 5 star rated restaurant. All five in our party had a similarly delicious dinner, and the service was outstanding even though the restaurant was full.

Really good food and great ambiance! The service was excellent! The margaritas were perfect! We will be back!

Came here on Valentine's and had a good dinner. Been here one time before and just remember loving the sangria so I thought why not! The sangria was just as good as I remember and the peach margarita was good but not strong at all. We ordered the guacamole as an appetizer and it was decent but had a bit too many tomatoes for my liking, you couldn't really taste the avocado. I order the lobster paella enchiladas which did surprise me that it was an enchilada but I enjoyed the flavor of the filling. My plate was hot but the food really was barely warm. I think if they warmed the tortillas up or baked them with the filling it would elevate the dish. He ordered the carne asada which was SO GOOD. I wish I had ordered it and will have to come back for it. The steak was cooked perfectly and flavored so well. Service was good, I think the owner was very attentive and kind. We had a new server who did alright but kind of rushed us out with the check, not upset or anything just something to note. Ambiance was good. I'd come back but wouldn't order the lobster paella enchilada again probably.

We had been meaning to try this place since we moved nearby. As soon as we walked in, I was surprised by the size of the dining area - there's about 10 cramped tables, but at least they have an outdoor seating space. When our server came to pour some water, she spilled a ton on the floor and edge of our table. I was wearing sandals and my feet got wet. She did not say a thing! The least she could've done was apologize, but she went back to the kitchen without acknowledging what had just happened. Staff could be better trained to say the least, especially if this is a place that brands itself as a fancier, upscale dining experience. My husband ordered the Lobster Paella Enchiladas, and I got the Carne Asada. I can't really complain about the food. He enjoyed his meal and my steak was delicious. The potato salad and black beans were an interesting choice, not my favorite pairing to be honest, and the salad could've been tastier, but the steak was great and, in my opinion, the star of the evening. Overall, you can definitely find more flavorful and filling dishes (and better service!) at other Mexican restaurants for less, but what Mestizo has going for them is the location and the unique menu items that you won't find anywhere else, such as the Lobster Paella Enchiladas.

Nice atmosphere, sat on the patio to have lunch on a sunny fall day. The food was tasty, nice size portions and service was great (Marco). They have a Sunday brunch and kids get free pancakes on Sundays! The table got arroz con pollo, chicken fajita's and the Mestizo burrito. All very yummy - we will be back.

Food was decent. My issue is with the cocktails. I ordered an mezcal old fashion. It was the smallest pour I have ever seen. I walked up to the bar with it and asked if the pour was correct. I was told it's small because it's "hard alcohol." Good to know. Three sips and it was gone.

Sometimes I just need to know how the other half lives.... Tonight I had the Enchiladas Vegetarianas! Omg. They were good. Spinach and roasted vegetables wrapped in a fresh corn tortilla and topped with red sauce. Ver very good. I would order them again! My favorite, though, we're the Enchiladas de mole - had them on a previous trip. Easily the best mole I have had. It was different having them "open faced", but I managed to make it work. LOL Of course I had my customary Mango Margaritas with the Tajin Rim.... Love those, and the bar tender / owner did an excellent job

My wife had the lobster enchiladas, I had the lamb shank. Truly phenomenal meal! This was really a nice treat to say the least. Food was outstanding, service with a smile, plus tasteful live entertainment (really talented instrumental acoustic guitarist).

Small portions, terrible quality, skimpy pours. As a group of 10 we had about everything on the menu and all of it was mid to low quality

Was not impressed with this place. First time and won't be back. Great atmosphere but the price for what you get is horrible. $10 guacamole came in a small side dish and was mostly pico hardly any avocado. $20 for shrimp and steak fajitas. Only enough meat to make 2 fajitas. I had big hopes for this place but it's not worth the $ for Mexican food. Chicken taco salad was good except black beans were more of a black purée no actual beans.

Great ambiance and service - very patient wait staff! We were there for several hours for drinks and then dinner. Our server was gracious and friendly and the margaritas were well made. We'll be back!

Visited this spot today in downtown Davidson and was suitably charmed. We were able to sit outside under the covered patio which was warm in spite of the somewhat chilly day. The place was bustling! They were out of the strawberry nectar, so they made me a strawberry margarita instead. Man, was it good! I mean, it was virgin (noon!) but it was still so delicious! I'll get the real deal after 5 another time! We ordered chips, salsa, and cheese dip. The salsa was cold and fresh, not too spicy. The cheese dip was hot and thin, which I loved since I hate clumpy thick cheese dip. The chips were kind of a bummer, as they are so thick they tend to be on the hard side. The Lobster Enchiladas were just ok. They came highly recommended to us by our server who says it is their most popular dish. So, someone likes it! For me, the tortillas were way too heavy and the dish was way too light on lobster. I ended up opening up the tortillas and just eating the insides. The filling was okay, but nothing too special. The rice was lackluster, but the julienned veggies on top of the rice were a fresh touch that I enjoyed. Still, I wouldn't get this dish again. The shrimp tacos though...bomb!! They were worth all of the missteps we endured! The shrimp was crispy and the slaw was slightly sweet. Perfect together! The beans and rice were ok, but the tacos were the star anyway. This is a great place, recommended to me by my Lake Norman Eats group on Facebook. They were right, well worth the visit!

We ordered when we sat down and it took 30 minutes for just our drinks to come out. Our food took another 20 minutes, which was disappointing because there was only one other table of people in the restaurant. The margaritas lacked flavor, and the food was below average (only 7 small shrimp came with the shrimp fajitas, the fajitas did not come out sizzling, and the beans mostly consisted of bean juice). The shrimp was well seasoned, however how to split 7 shrimp in 3 tortillas is a question even the most wise may struggle to answer. Definitely would not return!

Not your standard run of the mill Mexican restaurant. Mestizo steps it up a notch. More contemporary. The menu is different . Great outdoor seating. Inside is much smaller , during these times everyone was outside! Staff had on masks, sanitizer available. I guess due to to Covid they had decreased their wine and cocktail menu, not on the menu but I had to go through a couple of drinks before they had one I asked for. Understandable though . Maybe the wait staff should mention that though. I went with a white wine with slight effervescent..and my friend had the Sauvignon blanc. Chips and salsa was the only thing same as the usual Mexican places! Salsa was great. I ordered the chicken fajitas , with corn tortillas, and comes with black beans . I loved that it wasn't as oily as some Mexican places, but tons of veggies and tons of seasoning . Nice and light but filling. My friend got the Chile Relleno, poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and topped with either steak or chicken with a tomato Sofrito sauce , and cane with rice and black beans. Great looking dish, and tasted great too, cheesy and she picked chicken, which was plentiful. Shareable dish this one. Loved this idea as an entree. Might get it next time, but the lobster enchiladas looked great too! The dessert honestly was decided before we went! The Tres leche cake! It did not disappoint. Super moist and big enough to share as any dessert usually is. With caramel sauce. This was amazing. A must get here, whether your full or not, a few bites is all you need. One of the best tres leche I've ever had. Yum! Nice place in downtown Davidson. The owner came by and said hi too. Nice touch.

This quaint Mexican restaurant is absolutely fantastic. Everything is made in house, and it's delicious. The homemade hot sauce has depth and spice. The staff is friendly and accommodating with smiles and a conversation. Mt 1st time, but now I will be a regular when in this area!! Thank you for the experience.

The owner is from Mexico City, and the inside of the restaurant is filled with photos and facts about the history and culture of Mexico. The food Is fresh and authentic. Our service was fast and friendly. We will come back.

Atmosphere mixed with the best omelette I've ever had, gives this joint a 5-star for me. Chilango and a Mexican coke was the perfect lunch for a lazy Sunday morning in Davidson.

Quint place. Great service. The food is very flavorful. Authentic food. Price is average. Yes strongly recommend. We had crab pimento dip. Tacos' bean and rice. Ambiance is very comfortable clean adult environment. Would say kid friendly but note they do have a bar. Cheers

Service and food were great. Chips and salsa were served promptly (no fee). I got the chicken tacos I loved them. Not greasy at all! He chicken quesadilla was delicious as well. Would love to return

This is a nice looking Main Street Restaurant with a nice lunch and dinner menu. Great location and ambiance. Excellent service. Ordered guacamole for an appetizer and it looked really nice but the taste was rather bland. Had the steak tacos. They looked great though small but they too were kind of bland. It came with tiny sides of rice and beans. The beans were absolutely delicious and won the best of shoe prize for the lunch which was unexpected. The chips were excellent and seemed fresh, store made and fresh.

Such a great evening at Mestizo Had the Salmon Al Cafe as suggested by my server and it was done to perfection The sauce was excellent and enhanced the salmon. A lime martini was on special when i visited and was fresh tasting and not too sweet The service food and ambiance (we sat outside) we're spot on. All in all a great experience. We will be back!!!

My friends and I enjoyed eating dinner together at this terrific little restaurant located in Davidson. Everyones meal was delicious! Mestizo is a unique Mexican restaurant. I loved the patio area. We will be back! Teresa Harold Birkdale

I am mainly giving this restaurant four stars due to the customer service. The waitress and owners were SUPER friendly. I would rate the food about a 3 just because it's okay. I went in for lunch on a Thursday with some coworkers. We ordered the veggie fajitas, cheese dip, and quesadilla. My friend enjoyed the veggie fajitas and everything else was fine just not my favorite. Very smart to have this restaurant in Davidson near a college campus. They do not have many options near there.

Visited for the second time and had an ok experience. This was very different than my original visit. The first time I had the pork shank and it was really good. Also the service was exceptional. Unfortunately this trip was different. I raved about Mestizo to my wife so I brought her to try it out. Like I said this trip was much different. Tonight I had the Lobster Paella Enchiladas and they were very good. My wife had the shrimp fajitas and they were pretty bland (no seasoning on the shrimp). That was overlooked but our waiter was horrible. I think that we saw him about three times during the meal (greeting, serving food and providing the check). It was interesting because another person (who I think was the owner) refilled our drinks multiple times and inquired about our meal. It floored me that our waiter was that inattentive (it wasn't that busy). His name is Alonzo so if he is your waiter, move to someone else's section. I enjoyed the food and atmosphere but will make sure that next time I am not in his section.

Don't go! The margarita was not good I asked the server if they made their own mix and obviously they don't. We ordered a taco salad and it was artisan lettuce with a slice of tomato, no meat, no beans and out of house dressing. The fajitas were sub par as well!

Starting this off by saying... wow. To begin, we called ahead and had a reservation. Upon arrival, they did not have a table for us and we had to wait 10 minutes. Not bad but when reserving you expect to be seated right away. The service was bad, and the waitress could barely understand anyone, as well as their orders. Mestizo is a slightly more expensive option in Davidson and I was ready to be wowed by their food... their food was mediocre at best. They try too hard to be like every other Davidson restaurant, by throwing their spin on common meals. It just does not work for this place. The portions are also pretty stingy ESPECIALLY for the price. $20 for a soup sized bowl of pasta? The only thing they really have going for them is their margaritas. They are pretty tasty, but I am not sure if they even put any alcohol in it. Overall, for me and my girlfriend, the cost was $105 for an entrée for each of us, some queso, and a marg pitcher. Her and I both left unsatisfied, hungry, and regretting our decision to come.

Fantastic service with some of the most friendly staff I have ever meet. Mestizos serves excellent and authentic Mexican cuisine, a rare find in the area. Definitely a must visit.

My second time here and the food is delicious and the volume is huge! The salmon is perfectly cooked and the size of it blew me away. Also, the outdoor of downtown Davidson is a plus.

Good with noted exceptions. The tortilla chips were crunchy and mealy but entirely tasteless. We didn't eat them. I'd rather have had the box they came in. The food was better. I had the lobster enchiladas and they were very good. All the entrees were good and very nicely presented. The servings were petite, but if the chips had been better we may not have left hungry. The smoky house margarita tasted like liquid smoke but most of the margaritas were undrinkable. With better chips and drinks, which make the first impression, my rating would improve, The patio is very lovely.

Let me start by saying I am so sad to write this review. We were on a rare occasion of a date night with a babysitter and wanted to finally get to dine here. Though the place was at about 40% occupancy, we waiting quite a bit to be seated which is fine. We ordered enchiladas mole (it did describe them as open faced) which came out as 2 flour tortillas with a few bits of chicken and the flavor of a little sauce, no side for $19. Literally this was a taco with no flavor and no side, not hot. The other two people ordered a veggie enchilada - a few shreds of carrot, 10 kernels of corn, no mushrooms, no cheese. No eat a person eating no protein can have this for a meal - unacceptable. Lastly there was the "sizzling" chicken fajitas - this was a slice of microwaved grilled chicken sliced up with a tablespoon of beans and tablespoon of rice on the side. I truly cannot believe this restaurant is still open in Davidson. I'm sorry to say this. I briefly mentioned to the waitress that I knew it wasn't her fault but we were very disappointed. She said she would relay and bring someone for me to share my thoughts with but she never returned and sent someone else to bring our check.

I took my family, six adults, to Mestizo for a going away dinner for my daughter and son-in-law. The service was good. However, everyone agreed that the food was mediocre at best, the portion sizes were too small, and the food was way over priced. I ordered fajitas for $20. The meat was bland and there was barely enough beef for three small fajitas. Although there was enough onions leftover to make several fajitas.

Very disappointed. Our waiter seemed like he couldn't care less. I asked if the veggie quesadilla had carrots and he said "yes" so I said "okay I cannot eat those, I'll do a cheese quesadilla instead and add spinach." After waiting over 45 minute we get our salads which had rotten lettuce so couldn't eat those. Then my quesadilla came which was full of carrots. When I brought this to his attention he said "yeah I didn't know how to add spinach so I did the button for carrots instead" and walked off. No mention of fixing it or anything. All the tables surrounding us were complaining as well about the horrible service. He would just disappear in the back and not come out.

TLDR; super accommodating, great service, good food, good margaritas We have come here on two different occasions - small group of four for a birthday and a party of 22 for a graduation. Each time we were really cared for and the food was wonderful. It's an upscale Mexican restaurant with authentically amazing food. The change the menu, but anything with pork is always good. The margaritas are also amazing.

What a gem! As visitors, we were pleasantly surprised to find this quaint little town downtown family-owned Mexican restaurant in a small southern college town and were drawn in by the orgasmic aroma wafting from the restaurant's door as a customer exited onto the main restaurant street in Davidson, NC. To call it Mexican food seems too vague and vanilla and, unfortunately for many Americans, conjures up images of typical "Tex-Mex" nachos, tacos, and burritos. There's such diversity within the different regional cuisines of Mexico and the disparate directions each has taken as it crossed the border and mingled with American palates. The unique plates at Mestizos seem to blur borders and push boundaries with new and provocative spins on coastal favorites and upscale remakes of delicious Mexico City classics with contemporary flair and fresh ingredients. We were lucky enough to walk in and get a table (but the indoor seating area is limited, so I would suggest reservations if you go on a busy night). There is some outdoor seating which would've been nice if the weather were a bit warmer. Inside, the atmosphere is intimate and cozy, with warm vibrant wall colors and modern hanging thread lights. Service was friendly and my water glass never got below half full. Bar service kept the drinks coming and cleared empties quietly and efficiently. Because of the lovely aroma that drew us in, My taste buds set the bar high for a flavorful dinner and thankfully Mestizos did not disappoint. Our table ordered several appetizers and entrees and enjoyed every one. It was a cold night, so we started with a warm, creamy cup of queso and some crunchy, house made tortilla chips. One of the shrimp dishes we enjoyed was Camarones Al Chipotle. The shrimp were huge, the sauce delicious and smoky, and the vegetables were well seasoned. Another was Camarones Con calla de hacha (shrimp and scallops). Both were served over saffron rice. The Carne Asada with smoky, creamy ancho Chile scalloped potatoes and black beans with a side of chimichuri sauce was par excellence. Wine list was dominated by wines from Spain, Chile, and Argentina--pairing exceptionally well with the menu offerings. Overall, our experience couldn't have been better. I can't wait to return to Davidson next year and look forward to revisiting Mestizo for an encore! **just a note, I read some of the other reviews and noticed some comments that this restaurant is overpriced. Maybe they were college students on a budget? We live in the DMV area and found the prices to be most affordable. We felt our meal was a great value for what we actually received--huge shrimp, scallops, and premium ingredients! Of course one could eat for less expense, but I don't think it would be easy to find this quality of ingredients and creative combinations.

We went on a busy Friday night. Made a reservation. After awkwardly standing in the middle of the restaurant as they cleaned our table, we were sat and forgotten about. Calamari tasted like oil. Of our 2 orders, one was completely wrong. Just all around bad service.

Always a good experience. Just wish the portions were larger to compliment the pricing.

Mestizo is perfect every time. The chile relleno is among the dishes that are more Mexican than American, and the margaritas are wonderful, not fussy and contrived. The spacious and tented patio and fans make safe outdoor dining a breeze (pun intended). The service is friendly and efficient, and prices are easy on the wallet.

Deliciouso! Had the huevos a La Mexicana and my guest had the tacos (beef, chicken, &pork).

First and last time here. Terrible service and food was cold. Way overpriced. They don't know what they are doing

Well actually didn't have anything. We walked into an empty restaurant, was seated, then totally ignored while two groups of 6 who were seated after us were enjoying drinks and munching chips. ... doing the huff walk. Very disappointing. We had lunch here last weekend and while service was we were at least fed

Awesome food, drinks are good try the house specialy smokey drink. The lobster enchiladas are super tasty as well as the mole Salomon!

My husband and I had a wonderful meal at this great local restaurant! The atmosphere is just dreamy. It took us back to Mexico City near the Zocalo. I adore the murals of Templo Mayor and the origins of Mexico City. I just loved the decor! The food was delicious, as were the fresh margaritas! Please order the mango and/or the guava margaritas. Incredibly fresh with the finest ingredients. Honestly, the best I've ever had. We started with the Calamar, which is fresh calamari with two yummy sauces. It was a great appetizer. For dinner, my husband had the Chamorro, which is a huge chunk of pork that has been braised for hours on the bone. Mmmm.... Outstanding! Super tender! Just delicious! I had the Carne y Camarones, which is a tender filet steak topped with two shrimp stuffed with cilantro and Mexican cheeses and wrapped in prosciutto. I just can't even begin! It was awesome. Check out the pics and just go! You will love Mestizo!