Jason Bennett
Google
We went to Vida Agave in Galveston pumped for some classic Tex-Mex. You know—fajitas that sizzle like they owe you money, queso so good it makes you question your life before cheese, and tacos that were born and raised in Texas, not cobbled together from a list of trending Pinterest ingredients.
Instead… we got a taco identity crisis.
Let’s talk about what we actually ordered: bang bang shrimp tacos, Thai chicken tacos, and fried salmon tacos. Yep. That’s what we picked. Not because we were feeling adventurous—but because that was the menu. The entire experience felt like we’d stumbled into the lovechild of Chili’s and a fusion food truck with commitment issues.
The bang bang shrimp tacos tasted like something that escaped from an appetizer sampler at a chain restaurant and got lost on its way to the bar menu. The Thai chicken tacos had a decent flavor, but I came for jalapeños and carne asada, not lemongrass confusion. And the fried salmon tacos? Let’s just say they were crispy, hot, and gave strong “should’ve been on a bagel” energy.
Now look—everything was served hot, timely, and exactly as advertised. So props to the kitchen and staff for nailing the execution. It just… wasn’t what we came for. We walked in expecting Tex-Mex. We left feeling like we accidentally ordered off a menu curated by a JetBlue in-flight chef.
Vida Agave isn’t bad, it’s just not honest about what it is. This is not Tex-Mex—it’s “Tex-guess-what-we-found-in-the-fridge” with tortillas. If you’re craving authentic flavors, deep tradition, or just a really solid enchilada? Keep moving. If you’re in the mood for a taco filled with salmon, sweet chili sauce, and existential questions—well, this might be your jam.
As for the 4.7-star rating? Either we missed the secret menu, or people are rating with their hearts and not their taste buds. It’s fine. Just not phenomenal. Not Tex-Mex. Not what we hoped.
Three stars for hot food, good service, and bold—but bewildering—choices.
We came for fajitas and queso. We left with shrimp, salmon, and sadness.