Virgil's Cocktails and Cocina

This location now has brunch on Sundays. They haven't updated their Google or website yet, but it looks like a really tasty brunch menu. I came for tacos and one of my favorite desserts, tres leches. My first time at this location. First impression, great for vegans, vegetarians, and gluten free friends. I got the Carne Asada with rice side, an extra side of plantains, and Tres Leches Cake. Anything came out warm. The tacos were good. 3 per meal. The rice was yummy and had pieces of plantains mixed in. That was a really lovely surprise! The plantains with the vinegar sauce was really tasty! The bitter vinegar flavor complemented the sweetness of the fruit. Loved. Finally the cake was nice. The berries had a sour punch that was tasty with the thicker sweet cream on top of a obviously soaked in milk but still dense cake. Good food, intimate space, and good service.

Cute little place but that's about it EAT BEFORE YOU GO. July 30- Had the chips and queso and that was good. We both had the "chicken" paella. Two bite sizes pieces of chicken and some plantains and a very small serving of rice with onions $15 total ripoff. If you want good paella head to Bahama Breeze. It's excellent and you can't eat the whole thing. The server looked like she would rather be anywhere else than Virgil's. No redeeming qualities about this place other than it's cute but not that cute

The chips were so unique and delicious. A decent selection. The menu online does not reflect what they have in store. The music was a little loud so hard to ha e a conversation. The ambiance was nice.

The food was alright but we had to wait about 50 minutes for our paella. If you're going to have a wait that long, you should offer some chips and salsa on the house because that's super unprofessional. I liked the paella but it had like 3 small bites of chicken throughout the whole dish. The margaritas were good though.

Very nice staff. Cool atmosphere. Music was a at a good level to still have conversation. Food came out pretty quickly. Waitress was attentive and friendly. I liked that there was a raleigh cocktail. Lots of GF, Vegan and vegetarian options.

Unfortunately almost had a tragic accident. Multiple bones in chicken tinga tacos. One larger than a quarter. Feels like either negligence or as if it was left there on purpose. There’s already barely any meat, couldn’t take a second to see a huge completely different colored object in the taco?! Bar staff super kind, quick service. Very clean and gorgeous atmosphere. Watch what your bites here!

Everytime I visit this place they never disappoint! The food is tasty and the drinks are fantastic! On my last visit it was me and my fiancé 6th anniversary. We got there maybe an hour after they opened and it was quiet, which I loved. Our waitress was amazing, very helpful with drink selections and keeping our water glasses full. We order so much but the highlight was definitely the short rib tacos, elotes and margaritas! I'm not usually a margarita drinker but I could actually drink this one and enjoy it! Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

Went in with a group of 4 for an 8:30 pm reservation on a Tuesday evening. The restaurant is narrow with dim lighting but aesthetically pleasing. We were the only ones there and the environment was awkward to say the least. I understand the frustration of patrons coming in near closing time, but if that is a problem and the attitudes are going to reflect that, don't offer an 8:30 pm reservation slot in my opinion. However, we were aware that the restaurant would be closing soon so we had looked ahead and were prepared to order right away. Personally, I loved my meal. Ordered chili con queso for the table... delicious. One would think it isn't hard to get queso wrong but so many places do. I usually head to Torchy's if i'm craving queso but Virgil's puts up a worthy reconsideration. Maduros, my favorite food, were delicious. $6 for 6 plantains is a little steep though. The chicken quesadilla had great flavor and the margarita did what it needed to do. All together it came to $35. I agree with a lot of the other reviews that the service could be better but the food I ordered was delicious, so I'd be willing to go again.

Had a chance to check out this spot this past week. Had to make a reservation ahead of time. I got chips and guac for the table and that was probably my favorite dish. The chips were definitely my favorite with each chip being a fried tortilla. The guac was also great and fresh. The fried avocado tacos I got were not good. There was no flavor with the tacos and had to use a lot of hot sauce to get any flavor with these. The drinks were also nothing special and seemed rather lacking. I will say this was based on the physical menu. It seems like there is a menu online which had more options so not sure exactly how that worked. The vibes inside were great with good music as well. The staff was helpful and everything was very speedy. The prices were definitely on the higher end and may not be able to justify some of the dishes based on the cost. Overall, I think this place is okay. I really wish the tacos were more flavorful but would consider coming back to try some of their other dishes.

Nothing to rave about at this place honestly. Originally went with a group of friends and my child to the Merchant which is upstairs before 8pm but they said they are 21+ only all day. But Virgil's said we could eat there so we did just to pass time while the rest of the friends went upstairs to eat & drink and use their Offline codes. But we ended up ordering the Chicken Tinga & Al Pastor tacos, the queso and the cilantro lime rice. Nothing had a memorable flavor to it. My child liked the chicken tinga though and he's a pretty harsh, miniature critic.

Came for a date night, interior is gorgeous however super dark. Food tasted good but don't bother getting the lamb, you'll spend a lot to get something the size of your pinky.

I get it... Tuesday after Labor Day and we are all exhausted. However, I am a tad disappointed on my first visit to this spot that I eagerly anticipated becoming a new favorite. Pastor Taco's pork was hammered and left no desire to even finish the second...the Caesar was not only over dressed but so salty I could not even eat it and quickly sent it back. Shrimp dish stuck with the theme...what I thought might be a smoky flavor was actually burned and over cooked as well. Maybe it's the cocktails that earned the higher reviews? I ultimately had to ask that the inedible salad be taken off my bill and had to wait longer than reasonable for my server to return with an adjusted check. Stick with Centro if downtown craving Mexican cuisine or he'll even Bar Taco in Midtown or one of the many amazing food trucks around town but NOT THIS...

Came here a few weekends ago with a couple of friends. I only came for drinks because I had a dinner date. The drinks were delicious and I had the corn appetizer which was delicious! I didn't personally have the entrees but my friends said they were mediocre compared to the appetizers and drinks.

I stopped in on a date with myself and it was just me. I thought it was dope. The restaurant is ducked off with a black sign so it's hard to see but the name is on the door. I sat at the bar. The decor is rustic modern. Dark vibes serving you a High Concept bar. The bar is directly connected to the kitchen so you can see the start making tortillas fresh by hand. You can see the chef kinda prepare your meal. The bartender was nice. Occasionally checking in but followed my presence. The meal started off with the chips and cheese & a special made cognac cocktail. The chips were boss being homemade. Perfect salt ratio. The queso was ok. Not heavy for my lactose intolerant stomach. But also not the best or most wowing dip. It was along the lines of jar queso with peppers except the jar has more flavor. When I eat out..I want to be wowed by something I can't cook myself and be wowed. Queso was very basic. The cocktail was really good to be made on demand. He knew his alcohol. That coming from a woman who drinks her cognac straight & dry. I ordered the carne asada tacos but man was I disappointed. Boring & tough spots. The chef comes out and warms up a big thick piece of beef with a bowl over it on a grill. I would have preferred them to add some flame to give that grill charred taste. Instead it was warmed not hot with some rub that tasted of smoked paprika maybe not sure. But it was not the flavor of carne asada at all. Taco trucks would put them to shame for cheaper. It came with a side which should have been beans but that's ok, the rice had plantain in it. I liked that. All in all it was okay but not a place I would call home.

How did I just now try this place out? It was delicious! We sat outside since it was a nice day. They'd just opened for the evening (weeknight) so it wasn't busy yet. My friend and I started with the chips and guacamole. The guac was a good indicator of things to come! I think our waitress was either being trained or training someone else that night, but she was attentive nonetheless. I ordered the al Pastor tacos which had red chile marinated pork, grilled pineapple, fresh cabbage and radish, avocado-tomatillo salsa. The first taco I tried seemed dry like it didn't have any sauce, but the others were tasty. You can get a mix of rice and beans as your side, so no worries if you're indecisive! I also got a side of fried plantains which didn't disappoint! Everything was flavorful and the presentation was colorful and pretty. I'll be visiting again.

Best Mexican in RTP. Best in Raleigh, Cary, and more. They serve nopales tacos -- Yummy!!!! Worth a special order. And their barbacoa is Devine. All is sooo sooo good! Only issue is... if you sit inside, it's like a night club... dark, and loud club music. Too bad they don't turn music down during dinner hours and let us have a chat. And turn music up starting at 10pm for those of us who love really good Mexican. Authentic food. Good like Mexico City and heart of Los Angeles... so good! Everyone should go at least once. It will change your perspective of what Mexican is in North Carolina to what it should be. Enjoy! Enjoy!!!

I truly loved this place. The tapas menu was so much fun to share and great portions to Weber's you could try so many things for a great price. The ambiance was so much fun too!

This restaurant enticed us during restaurant week and we decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary here with the 3 courses for $35 menu. In making the reservation we noted that it was anniversary not expecting more than happy wishes. They brought us glasses of champagne upon our arrival, which would have been a nice touch if they hadn't charged us for them. If they had asked first and we agreed it would've been different but they placed them on the table with no words. Then, while looking at the menu, we realized that the restaurant week prices are not any cheaper than the regular prices. This fact piled on with the forced champagne gave us sketchy vibes. The food was excellent, however, and the environment was nice for a date night. Unfortunately, we will not be returning due to the sleazy business practices.

This isn't your traditional Mexican restaurant. At Virgil's, you'll find creative and modern takes on tacos, drinks, and other tapas. The restaurant / bar is dimly lit and has very interesting decorations. The music is definitely up-to-date, and you'll love it if you're a fan of the DJ duo "Two Friends." Overall, the food was a little pricey but I loved the vibes & music so I'm giving this place 4.5/5 stars. They have a very interesting cocktail list made with high quality ingredients, including that dry fruit that you might've seen trending recently. As for food, we ordered: Sopes - three masa (cornmeal?) boats with braised short rib, avocado, and some sort of chili sauce. For the price, this was a little disappointing and our least favorite part of the meal. Paella - so good that I scraped all of the crispy pieces off the bottom of the pan. The habanero aioli on top is SO refreshing! My one critique is that I wish that I had done a little less of the work and that it was plated in a bowl with all the crispy pieces already scraped off because it was a lot of work. Tacos - we ordered the cactus and the shrimp. I personally liked the shrimp more, but both exploded with flavor. Probably my second favorite part of the meal, tied with the drinks.

Such a fun place to go. Bring back the gnocchi! The food was good. The drinks are better.

Get ready for your new obsession. Spooky good libations are served up here. Yum. {(*.*)}

Decided to try this place out after it was recommended by a friend ! First let's start with location: it's right in the heart of Downtown so parking is not complicated at all. The venue itself is smaller than I expected but from the front but once you go in it's actually a long space. The service: our waitress was very polite and spoke about some of the new menu items. The food: for starters we had the queso and it was so good! Very creamy and a good amount. I had the carnitas (pork) dish and my boyfriend got the quesadilla. The pork was savory and it came with three tortillas. The quesadilla was also really good and came with sour cream, guac, and pico de Gallo on the side. Overall we were happy with our experience and will most likely be back soon!

The service was terrible. The margaritas are to be laughed at for being so tiny, not yummy and over priced. The salsa is gross and they charge you $7 for chips and salsa...I don't think the dumb a$$ owner realizes what a good Mexican restaurant is, and I hate to be the one to break it to him, but yours ain't it. It was an absolutely terrible dining experience. Overall, it gets a flat 0 but I HAVE to give it at least 1 star...

I've never been to Virgil's before but have heard good things so figured I'd give it a try. I ordered pork tacos, my GF ordered fried avocado tacos. Mine were excellent, as was the rice and beans. My GF's were good but each one tasted different (I had a bite of each one and can confirm this). I love the location and they have a lot of outdoor seating.

I enjoyed the ambiance here, the drinks and the chips & queso. Everything else was unfortunately a miss. The flautas tasted very burnt and both my & my boyfriend's tacos were SO SPICY, we both couldn't finish. My recommendation would be to ask your waiter if the tacos you're getting are spicy and let them know your level of heat tolerance. I think their menus were mislabeled.

Thanks to Offline Raleigh-Durham myself and the Hubster tried Virgil's tonight for dinner. Started with a couple drinks and Tostadas and queso. (Definitely get the chips and queso!)For the main, we shared their Arroz con Pollo Paella. A totally different take on arroz con pollo. Loaded with seasoned chicken, plantains and pickled onions it packs a pretty big kick! If you are adverse to spice, STAY AWAY from this dish. It's super spicy!! My husband gave up and it took me awhile to get through but it was good. They should probably update the menu to say that or make the spice level more balanced. Cool vibes and good drinks. I'll be back for more queso and the tacos next time.

Dim lighting, a DJ, and great vibes. When I first walked in I wasn't sure I was in the right place but as soon as the delicious scent from the open air kitchen hit me I knew I was right where I needed to be. This is my third time visit Virgil's, I came once pre-Covid and twice during this sham of winter season but I will say me evenings here were definitely a bright spot on my otherwise bleak calendar. To be fair, the most recent time I came was for an Offline event where I got to preview the restaurant pre-opening but don't get it twisted, they run a tight ship. You may not get a DJ when u come back but they have some pretty epic projects brewing. With the world in disarray and a virus running rampant it's important to make every day count and meal (yes the meals) they just be worthy! You laugh but it's true, and I love a good meal. We started off with chips and queso, as a lactose intolerant queso lover I was armed with my dairy pills and it was everything I hoped for, with a nice twist. Highly recommend. Entrees came next and I throughly enjoyed my shrimp tacos, the cocktails of which there were a great variety were fresh and well made. The kitchen and bar was serving up love, and consistency. Each time I came I've been met with great service, flavorful dishes and cocktails that are as delightful to the eye as the palette. Our server, Merium was wonderful, cannot recommend her enough. Knowledgeable, patient and friendly! She handled our party with more grace than our bustling table could ever have imagined. The tres leches she recommended was sweet, moist and delicious! Do not skip dessert!!! Also, with the weather cooling down the owners have invested in several, I emphasize several, heat lamps so don't be shy give this spot a try! For those of you who are more warm blooded they do offer indoor seating, bon appetite!

Virgil's recently created an outdoor parklet patio and it is AWESOME When you're in the mood for authentic Mexican food, look no further than this cool spot. They have great cocktail options, more than just tequila drinks, beer & wine. We tried the queso & tostadas as apps and both were yummy. Service was also top notch. It was a little chilly out and we got a heater for the table and they gave us blankets! So nice!! Go check them out y'all!

Amazing food. Amazing drinks. & great vibes outside! They are not pictured here but the bartender also makes great mojitos. Get the blackberry mojito & the toastadas! Must try in downtown Raleigh! Forgot to post my bestie's tiktok of our experience: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdcKs3vA/

Pretty good bar food and drinks. Virgil's is like a pregame date place. They offer small plates that are pretty good and appetizing.

It's not lookin good Virgil, who ever you are. Came here Friday 12/16/22 and it was kinda strange. Upon walking in I was like wow the atmosphere is kinda gloomy. It felt like I was in a basement with the grey colored wall that had a projection screen on it. The lighting situation is very dim and that can be sexy but this just missed the mark. I was informed that they have a back area that was possible to see if I had went to the restroom but I just wanted to get out of there. My server was a bit awkward and I am too sometimes so I totally get it but there was no warm personable first impression whatsoever. They have QR code's on the table but I didn't want to use that so we ordered in person cause I'm clearly old fashioned. My parter ordered an old fashion and I got the dulce carbon, drinks were great but the food. Man. I'll need a whole separate paragraph just for that. I'll start off by saying the food looked good on the menu and the presentation was decent but the flavor...boy oh boy was it lacking. The word I'll use to describe it is pretentious. Don't waste your time trying to impress anyone by bringing them here. I was so disappointed and sad leaving this place what a waste of money. The chips that accompanied guac and queso had sugar and salt... interesting flex not the worst but not the best idea. They were made in house so I'll give them that but the guac was absolutely horrendous, there was nothing in it!!!!! No salt no lime no onion, no cilantro, like nothing, it was lack luster. Had these measly ol' micro greens as a garnish that they used on basically everything else. Our shrimp tacos smelled a little fishy and we contemplated sending them back. Word to the wise a taco is supposed to have creme, salsa, something to blend the tortilla with the protein. This taco was sad as hell man. They put raw cabbage on it and raw jalapeño so the only flavor that was there was spicy tongue. Smh... it's not a problem that the garnishes were raw it didn't have anything to bind the flavors so I requested limes and that helped just a little but damn man. Don't make mexican food if you don't know what mexican food consists of.... Peppers, fresh herbs, mole, SEASONINGS ! Alright I thought I was just being a tough critic but the table behind me had like 10 Ppl at it and my partner over heard them say "the food has no flavor" so they requested salt. Now I know it wasn't just me. We ordered some fried bean pastry like thing three of them came to our table. HEY KITCHEN STAFF SALT IS NEEDED FOR ALMOST ANY AND EVERYTHING THAT EXITS THE FRYER!! safe to say that they weren't good.. sad face emoji. I was dying to leave here because I was just over it like completely over it. I asked myself well what did I learn? Next time I get tapas from anywhere in the future I'm going to order one plate and if it's underwhelming I'm just going to request the check and not waste my damn time or money. Ok so clearly I'm having strong feelings about Virgils. The best thing we ate and we both agreed was the queso... like wth. Maybe we just didn't order the right menu item cause sometimes places are known for their signature dish, we didn't ask what that was so maybe if an inquisitive person like myself has doubts right away then I should seek counsel. I knew something was up when I walked in and didn't smell anything and by anything I mean no smells from the kitchen were emanating into the dining area. Usually that's an indication that I look for. If the place smells good the food will be good. Guess I should've listened to my first instinct. Ok enough with dragging this establishment. I won't be back, 10 out of 10 won't recommend and I didn't even take pics... waste of my iPhone storage space. Oh we also ordered elote and that was ok but it was nothing to rave about. Y'all tried it though. Hate to sound so harsh but that shit was basura Spanish for trash.

My husband and I had dinner here on a Saturday night. First, there was a ridiculous line outside but that was for The Merchant (upstairs), but neither hostess was being proactive about checking in people for Virgil's. It was just unnecessarily chaotic on the street and the restaurant was half empty. Anyway, as soon as we sit down, the server informs us that the bartenders are a bit behind and she asked for our patience when ordering drinks. (Fine.) We ordered a few small plates to share and the pork tacos. Food was great, but it took FOREVER for us to get one drink. We were basically done with our meal by the time our drinks arrived. Quickly, we ordered two beers (knowing how long it might take) and we didn't get those until we we're literally signing the check. It was just very clearly a mismanaged place. I would not recommend.

I visited Virgil's because it was recommended by a friend. She raved about how good the food was and so my husband son and I went and I am so happy that we did. I don't recommend this place for children. It's has like an adult vibe which was great for my husband and I but not so good for my kid. They don't have a kids menu either or kids drinks such as milk! Our server was nice! She was comfortable with the menu and recommended some good eats for us. Because they don't have a kids menu we ordered my son a side of fries and some chicken! Which was great! My husband and I ordered fish tacos and the Mexican burger! It was good. We ended up paying like $45 for all of us. The bathroom was extremely impressive! It was very clean and it smelled amazing! I was so surprised. The decor in the place was great too. If the restaurant gets too full they are able seat next door because it's the same owner! Overall good restaurant! I would go back with adults!

Came for restaurant week to try this place out. Must say the food was pretty tasty. Party of 4- ordered chips & guac, pozole, Asada Torta and carnitas tacos. We all agreed food had a little spicy kick. Kids didn't like the pozole although visually looked yummy. I enjoyed their margarita especial. Chips and Guacamole were Waitress said games upstairs were free Sunday but when we got there the bartender said no it's after 6?!? The website said all day free games - false advertisement? Anyway- food has been a lot tastier than most Mexican restaurant in the area. Ordered lunch thru yelps convenient take out feature. The pick up time was accurate. Ordered a torta which is one of my favorite Mexican go to item. Toasted bread, carne asada, guacamole, beans and Oaxaca cheese!!! I enjoyed every bite. It comes with jalapeños which I took off but still had a spicy kick. They put lots of meat on the torta. Very filling and delicious.

The "vibe" of this place is cool, and I'm sure you could take some great photos for Instagram in front of the artificial greenery wall with the pink neon sign. However, the quality of the service, the food, and the drinks were absolutely abysmal. During our visit yesterday, we began with an order of margaritas (one house and one with seasonal mango), the Chips & Salsa, and the tostadas. We later ordered the Al Pastor and the Shrimp Tacos for our entrees. Our margaritas were extremely weak, and mostly just tasted of sour mix. I don't like my margaritas super strong, but these were far from well-balanced. At $13 for a margarita, I would have expected something at least halfway decent. All of the food we ordered was bland and under-seasoned. Not to mention the Chips & Salsa comes with two shallow dishes of salsa which hold about a tablespoon of salsa each. The Al Pastor tacos were flavorless -- the cuts of pork were thick, stringy and mostly fat. Al Pastor should be thin strips, and the meat should be marinated. These were disgusting and I ended up just removing the pork and eating the tortillas. The Shrimp tacos were supposed to come with "pickled white onion" on top, but instead had some thin pieces of plain white onion. The Shrimp tacos were of similar quality to the Al Pastor, flavorless and lacking any hint of authentic Mexican flavor. My last gripe was the service. Our waitress knew absolutely nothing about the beer selection. Toward the end of our meal, I ordered a Mosaic IPA and I was given a lager, but I was too upset by the meal I had just eaten to be bothered to complain. Our waitress seemed to know absolutely nothing about any of the Little City Beers that they had available, which was disappointing. Overall, I would say that Virgil's is about the furthest from "authentic Mexican" that you'll be able to find in the Triangle, despite how they advertise themselves. The food was bland, the margaritas were expensive and terrible, and the service was sub-par. If you are looking for Mexican food in Downtown Raleigh, there are several options within walking distance of Virgil's that would be much better.

Tiny spot, big personality. I think the venue is the perfect setting for a small group to have fun or even have a date. The menu isn't crazy big pretty simple and clear so it's easy to pick. They also cook the food right in front of you and that's has always been one if my favorite things, this place is obviously a great weekend thing to go do. The food. I got the guac appi which was okay nothing to crazy but al pastor and poc was phenomenal. I absolutely loves the quantity and quality of the tacos, also have a great tequila selection at the bar which is by far the best thing ever. I highly recommend this place and after you're nice and full you can head up stairs to another bar/arcade, don't play your self this is the place to go.

I stumbled upon this place on a Sunday afternoon. I was planning on going to another spot but the cold and wind led me to this detour. I'm glad this happened because I found quite a gem. This place has a very warm and cozy feel. Try menu consisted of some great Mexican favorites, and an extensive wine/beer/mezcal/cocktail list. They also had a few fun options like horchata and hibiscus tea. I ordered the chilaquiles with shrimp and it was cooked very well! Visually very pleasing and not too soggy or too crunchy. A good combination of both. I think there may have been a hair too much sala verse but I worked with it. The bartender was very friendly and accommodating. I would check this place out again on a warmer day as they have outside seating which would be nice on a leisurely Friday evening.

Omg this is really good food! They serve up a great spin on authentic Mexican food and drinks with lots of flavor from a creative a la carte menu. There is no "Combo #1 with rice and beans" here. There is also no Margaritaville frozen drink machine in the back. The drinks are crafted with quality tequila and the tacos are served on griddled corn tortillas so you know its the real deal. Abuela would definitely approve. I ordered the poblano tacos which are stuffed with poblano peppers, potato, and queso fresco, then drizzled with crema. The tacos have great flavor thanks to the poblanos being grilled until they're nice and tender, and the addition of the potato makes it hearty and filling. My dining companion had the pescado frito tacos that come with fried cod, serrano chile crema, fresh cabbage, pico de gallo, and cilantro and he loved them. The tacos are served with a lime so be sure to squeeze that on top to add that tangy bite of acid. They're street-taco size so I would recommend ordering two. Also, the chips are freshly made and served hot. There's indoor and outdoor seating and space for parties of 1 to parties of 6 so go by yourself or grab some friends and try it out. You will be glad you did!

I don't normally write reviews but this warranted it. We arrived at 7, and were seated outside. Our waitress came and took our orders, and our drinks came out, we then ordered some apps and entrees. Shortly after that we got our chips and queso The queso was pretty tasteless, but we figured the apps and entrees would be better. After watching everyone around us get their food and waiting an hour and 15 minutes for one (1) entree (fried shrimp) which was completely soaked in grease and tasteless we were pretty sure this experience was going to be bad, but we were not prepared for just how bad it was going to be... We then received shrimp tacos, fried avocado tacos, and carne asada tacos. The shrimp tacos had ZERO and I mean ZERO seasoning. It's like someone boiled raw shrimp in water and threw them on a tortilla. The steak was ok at best, but very rubbery. The avocado tacos were so bland that they were inedible, and the rice and beans that came with the tacos were also undercooked and unseasoned. I literally do not think I have ever had food this bad in my life, and the service only made it worse. It's obvious that the staff were stressed, and couldn't keep up with the patrons. I'll chalk that up to mismanagement of the establishment, not the waitresses/waiters themselves. All in all, I'd say this was probably in my top 5 worst meals of all time. Won't be back.

Wow! I loved everything about this place! The ambiance is on point--the atmosphere is dark and somewhat fluorescent and the music is pulsing and it's just a fun place! Started with fantastic cocktails (Paloma, margaritas, whiskey sour) and then enjoyed delicious pico de gallo and chips, spicy chicken paella and literal melt-in-your-mouth carnitas! I had to try the brownie and house made ice cream, too! Everything was wonderful and the service was top notch, as were the sanitation/safety protocols. Definitely making this a date night staple!

Really wanted to like this place based on the super cool vibe from the pictures. I was hankering for some really good mexican cuisine and GOSH am I disappointed. We did get takeout so maybe it's better in person (I'm really hoping it is) but getting a bunch of water-flavored, instapot cooked slab of pork surrounded with black beans just didn't work well especially as a $15+ entree. The pork was full of moisture, but had no taste, came in 3 slabs so I had to pull the pork myself for it to be digestible in the tacos I was provided. No other toppings except for black beans, not even greens for the taco. The one redeeming item was the guacamole and chips, it earned that star! Hugely disappointed and I'm hoping it was an off night..I really wanted to like this place. Maybe come here for the cocktails I couldn't try??

There's several street parking spaces and decks so parking isn't too hard to find. They see lm to get busy for lunch so if you go during peak lunch hours expect a little bit of a line to order and to have to wait a little bit for your food. Everything is made to order so you can customize the tacos if there's items you don't like. I enjoyed the unique ingredients they made the tacos flavorful and not heavy. I got an Al Pastor and pescado taco. Both had a little spice to them but I love spicy foods. They have a great variety of hot sauces if you want to add extra spice. My favorite was the pescado taco. The side of plantains was much larger than I expected so very easy to share with someone.

The drink was pretty good! Definietly different. Tasted like a spinoff of a pina colada but instead of rum, tequila! I gave the place 3 stars only because I wouldnt come back. We ordered the cod fish taco that was fried - wish they out that description on the menu. There was a cream sauce but you couldnt taste much of it. Wish there was more sauce to it so it didn't taste so bland. We ordered the steak taco which was better - had more flavor. And lastly, we order the chile queso with chips which was probably our number 1 out of the other items ordered.

Food and Cocktails were great! It's a small restaurant so you can definitely see that translated through the carefully crafted food. My boyfriend and I both ordered the tacos al pastor and we had a mojito and whiskey sour. Everything tasted great, but the ambiance of the restaurant wasn't ideal for an intimate dinner date. It was dark and loud. Usually the darkness wouldn't bother me, but it made it so I couldn't take pictures of the beautiful cocktails and food in front of me.

I was a bit confused on where Virgil's was located, tip: look for Level Up Kitchen and Barcadium. When you walk up to the entrance to Level Up there are three doors: go straight to go up to the barcadium, go left for Linus and Pepper's or go right for Virgil's. All cocktails are crafted using agave and tequila so I chose the Lolita, a tasty grapefruit cocktail. Started off with an order of Corn Cakes, these had great flavor. I loved the salsa roja for dipping. Unfortunately it took FOREVER to get these, I think it was about 20 minutes. For our meals my dining companion ordered a Carnitas taco with a side of black beans and I ordered a Butternut Squash and Carne Asada taco. I thought that the tacos were good, not the best that I have had. I wish the kale was chopped a bit more in the butternut squash taco. The carnitas taco was definitely the best one out of the three, in my opinion. Service was fantastic with Casey. Just a note, menu items are a la carte.

Great service. Solid Mexican fusion food. Recommend the tacos, guac, and the tetelas! Also, all drinks are the menu are updated and delish!

I'm so happy Virgil's is opening back up. They are my go-to taco joint, even for ordering to go. Staff are friendly and the decor has a fun vibe.

Amazing!!! Downtown Raleigh has elevated the game! Virgil's is a must go if you love craft cocktails, top shelf bartenders, and delicious, fresh food! We sat at the bar downstairs. Outstanding service. Totally the speakeasy experience with the bartenders making off the menu custom drinks to your preference! Go for a drink, dinner, or apps! This place has it all.

Wow! So mad I haven't discovered this place sooner! Everything was absolutely amazing. Presentation and taste was a 5/5. Hardest part was filling up and not being able to try mode items.

Used to be a good place to go for a bite to eat and drink.  Had a cool vibe and felt authentic.   Had been going here for years.  Most recently went this past Friday for a friend's bday with a party of 6. Almost feels like new owners have it now.  The music is now too loud and you can no longer mix and match tacos.  My table complained about the volume of the music, got them to lower it some, that lasted 5 minutes and then it got cranked back up.  Everyone in the place seems to be wearing a muscle shirt.  It feels like Glenwood South has poured into downtown Raleigh and taken over this establishment. Food was ok.  Finished that, waited to go upstairs for a bday drink.  Ordered a highlife because I was there out of respect for my friend at that point.  My friends ordered those chemistry drinks that pour out of a glass vial.  My highlife sat at the bar for 20-25 minutes opened so did the specialty drinks.  The server came by and asked if we were ready for a 2nd round.  We had not yet gotten our first.  It still took the server at least 5 minutes to get us our drinks. Water jugs that are given to the tables have rusty tops. My friend asked if the water tasted weird, maybe from the rusty tops. Place feels overpriced for what it is now  with poor service and too loud of music (that was good just way too loud).  I will not be returning.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Chic, trendy spot to grab a bite. Seating is limited, so not great if you are with a big group. More intimate, but I've sat at the bar both times I've gone and enjoyed it. FOOD: Unique tacos. Standout: butternut squash and kale taco. My wife went crazy over that one! Excellent queso. It is too bad that the chips and salsa come with a price tag, but the other options are fairly priced in my opinion. We paid for chips and guac to share, and it was worth replacing one taco. Chips were fresh, thick, and perfectly salted. Guacamole was obviously from scratch and fresh as well. PEOPLE: Bartenders and line cooks are friendly and talkative. Fun to watch the cooks prepare the food from the bar. Eclectic crowd, but pretty young. DRINKS: Drinks are craft cocktails with fresh ingredients. Loved the Paloma!! OVERALL: Nice little spot "off the well-beaten path" of Fayetteville and Wilmington streets. Good service and fair prices. Intimate and good for dates.

I LOVE their Tacos It's awesome place to go if you are a Taco fan! And they have great veg tacos too!!

I came here with my girlfriend on a Friday night. We showed up around 10 and we were immediately seated at the bar. The waiter was really nice and offered us recommendations and continually checked up on us to see if we needed anything. We had a few drink and great conversation. And before we knew it the whole place was roaring with excitement. In a flash it seemed this places turned from a low key spot to the hottest spot in town! But the service didn't sway at all, we continued to get checked up on and soon ordered our tacos! Amazing tacos! I unfortunately enjoyed them so much I didn't even think to take a picture haha. Instead I took a picture of the guac! Still a pretty good photo if I do say so myself. If your looking for a nice place to eat, and nothing to fancy, with great lighting (low lit ambiance vibes) with excellent service. This is the spot for you! Doesn't hurt if you love delicious tacos either.

Reservation at 7:45 7:55pm - Ordered food and drinks (drinks arrived quickly) 8:30pm - ask server if our chili con queso is coming out anytime soon. Table that arrived 20mins after us got theirs already. Assured it was coming soon. 8:45pm - ask server again; chili con queso finally arrives with burn chips 9:00pm - first plate of food finally arrives (ordered barbacoa and shrimp tacos); shrimp tacos no where to be found. Another table sat after us got their tacos within 10 mins or so. 9:05pm - ask where the tacos are. Get told again they are almost ready by the manager, who was quite annoyed with me for inquiring about my meal. Tell server that I am paying and leaving. Quite possibly one of the worst dining experiences I've had in Raleigh. Their kitchen is understaffed and not running properly. I'd avoid Virgil's and go somewhere else

We stopped in for drinks. They were okay but nothing I had to have a again. The bartenders were nice and helpful.

Great food but the drinks were okay. If I'm ever craving some real tacos (not Taco Bell), I'm coming here.

Awesome atmosphere and even better food! Beautiful dishes and absolutely delicious deserts! Highly recommend the Tres Leches after your main course. It'll be the best Tres Leches you've ever had!