Salsa's

An absolute gem! We came here for the first time, not quite sure what to expect. But everything turned out to be way beyond our expectations! The food was absolutely delicious, and the portions were massive — honestly, one dish could feed three people. We’re truly impressed and very happy with our experience. A special thank you to our server Carlos — he was incredibly attentive. He seemed a little nervous, but he did a wonderful job, and we wish him all the very best! This place is a true find. We’ll definitely be back.

Had lunch here today and it was delicious. The portions are definitely generous. We had the steak fajitas and the OG Burrito - the only thing we did not like were the shrimp in the burrito tasted odd, I couldn’t eat more than one. Everything else was spot on and service/atmosphere were perfect.

Phenomenal food!! My friend and I shared the Jerk Chicken El Salvador and we still had food to bring home because of the large portions. The smoked salsa was delicious and the staff was super. Some of the best food I have eaten in years! Will return again.

Their food is delicious and different from typical Mexican food. It's Latin American with a touch of culinary fusion. The steak Fajita, steak burrito and Chicken Chorizo Enchilada were all very tasty. Margharita special was only $5. We will be back again.

We got the El Salvadorian jerk chicken and it was so amazing and so flavorful, probably the best food I've had at a restaurant this year! The staff was so sweet and so on it! I'm only an hour and half away and will definitely be back soon!

Clean, friendly and delicious. The food was savory and the cocktails were perfectly made. Great mix of flavors !

Fresh food, beautifully presented, with flawless service. The portions are very generous. Highly recommend.

YUMMY! doesn't cover it. My sister and I were visiting Asheville from California and SC and stumbled on this fabulous, authentic cuisine. Everything was fresh and fabulous! If I'm ever in this city, I'm definitely coming here again! Carlos C, our server, was extremely welcoming and delightful. We highly recommend this long lasting establishment for a casual atmosphere with gourmet flare!!

The food last night was amazing, as well as the service. Regrettably, I didn't take a picture of my chilaquiles - they were beautiful!

Ibwas here with 2 other fairly big gents. We ordered the the nachos and the presidente bowl. We all ate well on those two things, the portions are quite large. The server was running her butt off, but kept up with the service. This is a small place, but it has a bit of an eclectic flair to it. Overall, it was quite enjoyable.

My friend had been here before and loved her food, so when I came to town, she wanted to take me. Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment and seemed like a rip off to me. The servers were very friendly, so that was good. The dining area was kind of small, but there was some outdoor seating too. Two of us ordered the Mexican Chilaquiles and one the Jerk Chicken. The Mexican Chilaquiles was supposed to come with chicken, chorizo and egg along with queso blanco, avocado, beans, rice and plantain for $28 (see menu pic). Not a bad price getting two different meats and egg. Well, when they came out they only had a small chorizo patty... Maybe about 3oz, no chicken or egg. We began eating without inquiring because we were really hungry and the waiter was already gone before we realized items were missing. The items from the dish that we did receive on our plate were tasty. When the waiter came back by, he seemed surprised there was no chicken or egg, so went to ask about it. Upon returning, he said he was told we were given the wrong menu and the chicken and egg only come with the dish at lunch time... This didn't make any sense to us; typically meals are larger at dinner than lunch AND we were still charged the $28 (for basically 3oz meat and some beans, rice and veggies) even though we were missing main items of the dish! I was also disappointed that the plantain portion was only about 1/6 of a whole plantain. On my friend's previous visit, she got half a plantain. She had the Jerk Chicken dish this time and said it was bland... Tasted like it didn't have any seasoning at all! She said if this meal was her first impression, she would not have come back. The bathroom was clean.

They are NOT OPEN SUNDAYS AS THEY SAID. So don't Uber over and get dropped off, because, like us, you'll be screwed. Not cool. Here is a shot of our amazing time at the Montford. Go there instead.

I've been here 3 times and each time has been nothing but suburb. The food is always amazing. The service was immaculate! The server was so attentive. The ambiance is so cute. The price of the food was worth every penny. As a Latin woman taste and seasoning is everything and this food surpassed all my tastebuds!

Such a delicious dinner here. The amount of food is actually absurd - you will bring home one meal or maybe two. But the flavor is great. Cocktails are excellent - I had the ginger mojito and it was perfect.

The food at salsa's was good, but the service was disappointing. We were seated by a hot window and despite our discomfort, our request to move was initially ignored. Flies inside and slow wait staff added to the poor experience. I ordered a pineapple margarita, but it tasted like a regular one. The waitress insisted it was correct and didn't address my concern. Another table seated in the same sunny spot also asked to be moved, highlighting the staff's lack of attentiveness. Overall, while the food was great, the poor service made the visit unpleasant. Improvements in customer treatment are needed.

First off, the food tastes excellent. Everyone was happy with that. That is where it'll end. 2. My daughter had plastic in her food & we still go charged for her meal. 3. They don't have water. It's bottle only. We had 3 kids in our party and no tap water. 4. They apply automatic gratuity and the server was more concerned about rolling her silverware and getting off work than taking care of our table. 5. My margarita was $18 by far the most expensive I've ever paid and margaritas are my go to when we eat out. It was sub par at best. Solution for this establishment is order to go and call it a day

This place is in incredible! I got the ropa vieja which had an amazing combination of many different flavors. The service was also wonderful, very pleasant. 10/10- so worth the visit !

This was a last minute find by my sister. The place its self is not that big, but service was good and the food was amazing!! From the drinks to apps to the lunch we had, everything was better than the previous. My favorite was their guac with chips and salsa and the margarite with the colored salt. I couldn't get enough of it. Highly recommended

They're Open!!! The food was incredible. I ordered the roast pork empanada and boy was it on point. The pork was juicy and flavorful. The side slaws gave the dish an additional pop! The rice, black beans and plantains rounded out this fantastic dish Everything was cooked to perfection. Thank you to the graciously, kind waitress, Maité

An Asheville classic for a reason. If you have never been, you'll be surprised by how small the restaurant is inside - but that is part of what makes it so special. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and have helpful recommendations. This restaurant has great quality food, but also huge portions. We both left with plenty of leftovers for the next day. My quesadilla came with plantains, guacamole, salsa, and beans. Everything on my plate was amazing. My drink was fresh and exactly what I was hoping for. Make a reservation (which is needed) and go!

Where to begin? Let's start with the positives. You get A LOT of food in your meal, the margaritas (ordered the jalapeño cucumber) were delicious and refreshing, our server was friendly, but that's really where it ends. We got the steak fajitas and they were super over cooked (like the meat was beyond well done) and not seasoned at all. They also didn't come out with any chimichurri that was mentioned in the description. As someone who grew up in a Spanish family, I had no idea you could make Spanish rice and beans that were more flavorless than plain white rice, but apparently you can. The plantains were underripe and overcooked. What makes it worse is fajitas in a Mexican restaurant costing $29!!! Like I said the portion size was large, but for how unseasoned they were I would've rather had less for less money. The giant platter also only came with 3 tortillas, so we asked for an extra side of tortillas because you need at least 8-10 for the size of the platter. They only brought out THREE MORE and charged $5 for them??? For small corn tortillas?? Yes, we did eat the meal because we hadn't eaten since breakfast (went to Salsas for dinner) and there was a wait at other restaurants but will absolutely never again frequent or recommend unless you're only going for one margarita and eating elsewhere.

I just think you need to update your website and yelp hours if you aren't going to stick to them, or at least clarify "last table sat at..." or "kitchen closes at..". Saturday night closing time is supposedly 9:30, arrived at 8:38 to the "yes we're open sign" only to wait 5 minutes at the hostess stand for someone to notice me and my party standing there, walk over and without acknowledging us flip the sign to closed. 50 minutes before closing time felt like more than enough time to be seated, but to each their own. Just wouldn't want out-of-towners banking on a late night dinner like we were.

This is one of the longest-running restaurants in Asheville for a reason. It's outstanding. Have never had a bad meal since 2007. Yes, it can get a little touristy, but it's absolutely worth braving the crowds.

Came here as a recommendation from a friend. The restaurant isn't large...I think there was seating for my 40ish people by my count...the tables and chairs were definitely close to each other. As another reviewer mentioned there no tap water option so we got a bottle of water that was $5.50. While a lot of people around were enjoying margaritas we opted for mocktail options. I got the mango one and it was super tasty and tropical with mango, pineapple, and coconut flavor. The crushed ice and coconut did get stuck and clogged the straw multiple times. We shared chip and salsa (ranchera)...it was 1 flavor for $7 or 3 for $15. The ranchers had a nice kick to it but also had these soggy pieces of tortilla. The portion on my meal was huge ended up with leftovers for dinner. When I order the empanada it was not what I was expecting. I loved the flavor but do feel like one side had all the shrimp and the other side had none. Oddly I happen to notice that 3 tables that came in after we got seated got their food wayyy before us....some even paid before we even got our meal....service definitely was not speedy or maybe they were gauging when we finished our chips and salsa before bringing our food.

Second time visit- this one over 10 years from the first- but I'm now calling it a one and done tourist trap. Overpriced Mexican- $18 for steak nachos. $20 chicken quesadilla. Underwhelming. Not worth.$. Food was even served slightly cold. Sure you can get salsa for $7- not even sure if it came with chips. Staff was there. That was about it- not overly welcoming or attentive. All male staff were more interested I. Scamming in ladies walking by then waiting on their customers- no offense fellas! No offers of water despite ordering alcohol, then I realized you had to pay for water- only had it by the liter. Would not recommend or return.

I've been coming to Salsa's since 2006! One of my fav restaurants in downtown Asheville. Even though it's loud and very tight quarters, the food always kept me coming back. They recently changed their menu so I ordered something new to me, the "Carne Azada quesadilla." The quesadilla seemed like an afterthought as it was balanced atop a giant selection of delicious accoutrement like black beans and rice and veggies. But the quesadilla was filled with huge pieces of broccoli that had incredibly woody stems. Even if the stems has been soft, a piece of broccoli couldn't fit in your mouth. I don't know why they wouldn't chop it up before they put it in the quesadilla! But as it was, the broccoli stems were so thick and so woody that it was impossible to bite through them. It really ruined the quesadilla as it was basically inedible. I also am very resentful that they charge for water. Both stars earned in previous visits.

We came here about 5 years ago now, after we had our engagement shoot.. so our 4 year anniversary we decided to come back. Salsa's really does not miss nor disappoint! We dropped in for appetizers bc we did not have reservations and this place is always packed. The music is great and the people are too. The ceviche and tostadas were AMAZING! See you guys next time!!

Food was just ok. I've been here previously and the paella was amazing. This time I got the fish tacos they were meh. I was told the fish would be mahi mahi - it was overcooked tilapia. Also I didn't get to choose the salsas or the way my fish would be cooked (fried,blackened or grilled) as described on the menu. Service was mediocre at best I ordered a nonalcoholic hibiscus ginger tea which I never received. Oh well maybe we will visit again during our next Asheville stay but probably not.

Salsa's was recommended by a few friends when visiting Asheville. Unfortunately, it fell a bit short for us.. Ambiance (4/5): They had a cute outdoor patio but it was extremely windy so we decided to sit inside. The establishment was quite small and for a party of four we felt cramped. However, the ambiance matched the cuisine that was served. It was almost though you were eating inside a tiki hut. Service (4/5): Our server was attentive and checked up on us a few times. He was patient and did not rush us out. Additionally, the food came out in a timely manner. Food. (3/5): I ordered the Blackened Salmon which came with rice, avocado, beans, and roasted veggies. Sadly, the salmon was not blackened, the seasoning was there but it would have been nice to have that charcoal taste. My partner ordered the Limo Saltado (one of his favorite dishes!) and he said it was just average. We both agreed that they could have played more with seasoning and flavor. Cocktails were good but the wine tasted cheap and old. However portion size was huge and enough to feed two people. ** UNETHICAL PRACTICE: what turned us off the most was that they charged $5.50 for a bottle of WATER (4 servings). When the server asked if we wanted to start of with water, as patrons we said 'yes'. Standard practice at any establishment is to ask guests if they want still or sparkling water. This was not mentioned, so we assumed they would bring out regular water. Additionally, there was no mention on the menu that water would be an extra charge nor was it mentioned by the server. We were hit by the surprise when our bill came out and saw that $5.50 was added for the water they brought us. This is a bad business practice and quite honestly it makes the business look greedy and untrustworthy. We asked our server why they charged us for this and the excuse was that they do not have tap water in house? I believe patrons should know ahead of time if tap water is not available ** Overall, we thought Salsa's was just average. Would we recommend to friends and family visiting Asheville? Probably not! In

One of a kind restaurant! It's a mix of various Caribbean cuisines from across the globe. If you're picky, this may not be the place for you. Each dish includes various fresh salsas, vegetables, and toppings. A few of my favorites are their stuffed jalapeños which are stuffed with salmon, cream cheese, and veggies then fried. Their molcajete with mojo pork is a flavor bomb. Served in a piping hot clay bowl with veggies, pork, salsas, rice and beans served with fresh tortillas. Another favorite are their house or special margaritas!!

Ooo mmmmmm Geeeeeee.. the portions are huge and looks like mess on your plate but the FLAVORS together are INSANE!! I was a little worried at first but once i took a bite, i could not stop!! Tiny place but it's so worth it. We sat at the bar bc it was so packed and got to see them cook. Even met the owner from sitting at the bar.

The bold flavors and creativity make this place shine in a town with so many options! There are not many restaurants in Asheville that have been in business as long as Salsa's and once you have eaten here once you will understand why. Big bold Caribbean flavors truly stand out here! Do your self a favor and order the house margaritas!!

I could not even tell you what I had all I can say is that I had some of the best food in my entire life Friendly staff and amazing food

Incredible food, incredible service, fun atmosphere! If we were in Asheville the next night, we would have come here again! There were so many delicious looking options on the menu. We ordered the nachos as an appetizer, and they were huge! After that, we knew we had to split an entree. We ordered off of the specials menu. Our waiter was extremely friendly and welcoming. He gave us great recommendations as well. Even after that, we left stuffed and with leftovers! I can't wait to come back to Asheville to come back to Salsa's!

Food was incredible! Service was ok, but not bad. Best burrito in the city in my opinion!

Service was okay food was not great especially for the price. But even if it was 1/2 the price I won't return. There are too many good restaurants in the area to go here. We had the plantain and yucca appetizer with guacamole. It might have had a tablespoon of guacamole, the plants were cold, yucca was good. This was the best part of the meal. I had a trio fajita (chicken, lamb,beef) the beef was charcoaled and extremely dry. Chicken and lamb were okay as were the sides. Some at table ordered tacos and the said they were no better than local Mexican restaurant. A couple ordered a curried shrimp dish and they rated it a 2. My advice find another place to eat. This place was great a long time ago but not so much anymore.

Everything was AMAZING. Definitely looking forward to going back. Owner and staff were very hospitable and food was delicious and plentiful

Cazuelas special of the day had a lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, octopus in a coconut cream sauce with rice, an entire avocado and pickled veggies for only....$34! Lord in Atlanta this would be $64. And it was fantastic! Hubby had the tuna which was also very good. We had chips with 2 salsas and guacamole. The chips have a light spinach and herb sauce which is knock out. Last night in Asheville was perfect

Listen my friends. When you find a restaurant that is packed with all the seats crammed together, it's full for a reason. I wish the restaurant was bigger or they opened another location because this place is that good. Smart people will order this for takeaway if they're in a rush and want to call in their order in advance. The flavor is literally popping off the dish. Everything tastes like fresh ingredients. Their rice dishes are my go to but all options are good. Their seafood dishes are very strong.

I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone. The steak fajitas plus the rice and beans were the most bland food I've ever eaten anywhere. I don't even think there was salt and pepper on the dish let alone any other seasoning. The margaritas were fresh and yummy, but very overpriced. The service was good but that doesn't make up for any other aspect of the experience. My boyfriend and I had 1 margarita each and shared 1 order of the fajitas and our total was $70 which is INSANE. Overall, the meal was a ridiculous waste of money and I realllllly wish we had gone elsewhere for dinner.

Although we never stepped inside the restaurant, I imagine it's as lovely inside as out. We had a delicious meal and wonderful service at the outside bar window starting with a trio of salsas - ranchero, guacamole, and pineapple with fresh chips covered in mojo sauce (so amazing). For pre-dinner cocktails, I had a caipirinha, as my friend had never tasted cachaca, and she had the mango mezcal margarita. We had a bit of a bumpy start as the bartender told us the margarita had a surprise in it. Turned out to be the mezcal worm, yikes! Since we're both plant based, no one was eating the good luck bug. For our meal, we decided to share the vegan fajitas. The platter came topped with an Impossible burger patty sliced up which was a bit strange especially since the menu listed vegan chorizo which was not present and seemed more authentic. There was also seared tofu with grilled onions, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini. It came served with a plate of tasty black beans, seasoned rice, guacamole, and pico. The entree was more than enough food for both of us after the filling appetizer. I loved the food and drink at Salsa's. I'd definitely recommend for a fun, date night or girls' night for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans.

While they opened 15 minutes late I cannot hold that against them. Once opened we were seated promptly in a nice window seat. Our server, Meagan, was excellent throughout the meal. Our drinks came quickly, Patron Margharitas and we started with some chips and the Smoked Salsa. I've seen complaints that the chips aren't free, but the array of salsa's you can choose from more than make up for this. Also, you do pay for your bottled water. We noted it was the same water as used by Modesto (an excellent Italian restaurant). Our mistake was each ordering an entree. These plates are huge! My wife had a chicken enchilada that she said was prepared perfectly. I had the Trifecta Fajita plate. The meat was tender, juicy and hot. We could have shared either plate and been full! This place is not large, reservations may be helpful. Once the initial line was seated there was a wait at the door for additional guests that seemed to go fairly fast. Complex flavors in all the dishes and an excellent trained staff make this a great stop for food.

First off, the portions are huuuuge. I honestly could only finish like a third of it. We ordered pork empanada, Caribbean jerk tuna, and salsa and everything was pretty good. My favorite salsa was the fire roast tomato one, spicy and tasty. The jerk tuna, I do feel that the tuna was a bit over cooked but it comes with rice, beans, sweet potatoes which were really good.

This is by far the best restaurant I've ever eaten at. Guacamole and chips are on point. Margaritas are wonderful, highly recommend the mango spicy version. I have an allergy to garlic and they have never hesitated to make accommodations. My office is in Asheville but I live in Ohio. I have recommended Salsas to in town residents and it's now one they highly recommend to visitors. You all are amazing!!

Phenomenal food, great drinks and wonderful service! I had the Columbia Paisa which was Steak, pork, house made chorizo, popusa (soft puffy tortilla with cheese in middle, like a grilled cheese) with egg on top, with rice, beans and avocado, yucca and a seasoned cabbage.

We had a beautiful outdoor experience at Salsas. The house margarita was very refreshing and very beautifully presented. They had wonderful specials and so many different options with different beautiful flavors. We ordered a grilled octopus tostada for an appetizer. Flavors were very bright and they served a lot of filling along with it! Easily shared among the four of us. My entree dish was a lamb shank coconut curry with rice beans and fresh guacamole and vegetables. It came out to us sizzling , hotter than a fajita platter. There was so many layers and textures to this dish. The crunch of the fresh vegetables, the tender lamb, the creaminess of the beans and coconut rice. Definitely ranks as one of my top dishes of all time. The servers were very kind and explained the menu to us thoroughly and our service was very quick.

Really nice dinner. We shared the Cuban paella. It was really good and plenty for two people. Came with some fried plantains that were very tasty. Wouldn't hesitate to go again if we were in town for a few more days.

Amazing food in the heart of Downtown Asheville. My lamb molcajete dish was so rich and full of flavor. The lamb was tender and not gamey. The price is very fair when you consider the huge amount of food served. Everything from the margaritas to the appetizers to the entrees are absolutely delicious. It is worth the long wait and the service is always friendly.

After a long first day in Asheville, Salsa's is what me and my colleague needed for dinner. It reminded both of us of home. The service was awesome and while the space is tight it is cozy.

Very flavorful and just kept getting more and more! Will definitely be back! Empanadas were fabulous with the salsa verde ! So yummy!

After sitting for a while, our server approached our table and said "do you have any questions about our menu?".... not a strong start. As someone with many food allergies, I always take the time to look over the menu to make sure everything is good. I ordered the gypsy paella which was described as "saffron risotto, mushoroom, artichoke heart, plantain, black bean, avocado". There was no mushrooms on the plate, but there was also many ingredients on the plate that was not listed. The plate did have carrots and celery all over it which I am very allergic to. There was also plantains on the plate when I asked specifically for them to be removed. I had to get another servers help with my meal because our server disappeared. When the server came over to put our appetizer in a box (since the appetizer came out 5 minutes before our entrees) he asked my friend if he could use the knife she was using to eat to scoop the food into the box... gross. Especially since I could see clean utensils behind him. Yes my food was fixed and tasted good but the server was very shocking to say the least.

Stopped in Asheville for a nice outside lunch on our way home from the mountains. A lot of places were slammed or didn't have outdoor availability, but we luckily stumbled upon this Mexican and Caribbean hybrid gem. Their outside area wasn't huge but had a few tables (we grabbed on in the sun) and some counter seating. This area was kind of in an alley, so you did have people and vendors walking through a lot to get to whatever establishments at the other end. You also had few of the street so got to enjoy some people watching. We started off by ordering some chips and salsa. Little disappointed this wasn't included, as most of us are used to with Mexican restaurants but will say these were higher end. They had like 7 fresh salsas you could choose from. We decided to get 3 for $15. Still feel that's a bit much as it was like ordering an entrée bot salsa, however they were all tasty and serving plentiful. We got the Ranchera (roasted garlic, sesame, tortilla tomato), Guacamole (cilantro, cumin), and Tomatillo (pumpkin seeds). I liked the Ranchera the best as it was nice and garlicy. I ordered the Fresh Salmon Quesadilla off the lunch menu (roasted vegetables, queso, crema, curry sauce) which was served with salsa, rice, and beans. It was a very colorful plate, which only made me want to dive in more. It tasted great, loved the flavor combinations, seafood cooked nicely, a big portion. The cheese wasn't what I was thinking when I saw queso, seemed more liked shredded Mexican cheese. A bit heavy handed in the sour cream, felt it overwhelmed a bit. My husband got the Slow Roasted Pork Quesadilla (queso, rajas, tomatoes, sour cream, mole). Holy mole (literally), my dish was good, but this was delicious. The roasted pork was the absolute star but also all the sauces were very yummy. Glad it was also huge portion so I could feel ok stealing more thana bite or two. Little pricy for lunch, but it's Asheville. Server was nice, feel they were a bit understaffed maybe as our waitress was kind of doing everything. I would go back to Salsa's if back in the area.

We love to eat in the alley. They have fresh squeezed margaritas and the food is always amazing!

Small place and a bit underwhelming, but the food was amazing. The presidente margarita was excellent. When I am back in Asheville I will definitely visit this place again.

This place used to be good but the food has gone downhill. It is not authentic at all it's also overpriced. I actually didn't like anything that we ordered we had a good waitress though.

This place still rocks. It had been years since I'd eaten there but man, the flavors are just amazing. I got the pork burrito and the traditional burrito with flank steak (to go to eat later) and both were phenomenal.

My wife and I are avid Spanish/Caribbean food lovers so we take every change we get to eat at an authentic restaurant. We came in for dinner as a group of six and had a wait of about 25 minutes. We were served by Maité who was so charismatic and happy. Their menu is very extensive and is mostly Mexican. My wife and I ordered the Cuban Paella and the Seafood Paella, however none of these were authentic Paellas, but rather a modified version with rice and beans, pico de gallo and guacamole. They were delicious nonetheless! We also tried the ceviche and other appetizers and everything was honestly delicious. Definitely a casual environment and a rather small place so it is expected to have a wait regardless of party size, but the wait will be totally worth it.