I first noticed this restaurant about a month ago when I was going to Denny's with a friend. I can't even remember what was there before but last week my boyfriend and i were driving down Quaker Lane and decided to give it a try since it was a Mexican restaurant. I mean who doesn't love Mexican food? When we first walked in we got a glance of some of the tables and we thought this restaurant was pretty small but when the Host started to walk us towards the back I thought WOW. The decor and design of the restaurant is beautiful. It feels like you're in a nice restaurant in Mexico. There's TV's everywhere and there is a huge bar in the middle of the restaurant. The menu is filled with so many choices I couldn't decide what to get. We ordered Pina Coladas and definitely got our money's worth. I actually ended up getting a strawberry and mango colada and my boyfriend got the pina. The downside was that they were $13 each which is ALOT but they were HUGE and we could definitely taste the alcohol. I ordered the Chicken and Beef Enchiladas and it was amazing with just the right amount of enchilada sauce and lots of cheese My boyfriend ordered the Steak and Cheese burrito which came with a side of Mexican rice and a corn tortilla shell filled with beans and cheese on top andI ended up liking his food better than mine! The waitress was very good with serving us. She didn't come every 2 minutes to ask if we needed anything, which is something I hate, but she gave us enough time to look over the menu and delivered the food to us in about 10-15 minutes. Near the entrance of the restaurant there are different specials almost every day of the week. I forgot what each day is but I'll definitely be coming down here with my roommates to grab a couple of drinks and food
(4)
Christopher W.
Just arrived here for a local regatta and needed a quick, healthy meal for the tired sailors w vegan options for me. Nice menu with options for all. Fast & courteous, and healthy too.
Second time in a week because this place is fabulous! They have the best chips and salsa, which is complimentary. The first visit I had carne asada nachos which were amazing, while my friend had a quesadilla and the guacamole. Delicious. We both had alcoholic drinks, me a horchata martini, and her a watermelon margarita. On this visit I am enjoying a massive watermelon margarita and the jicama salad. Delicious once again, and the service is outstanding! Thanks Manny!!
(5)
Summer B.
Came here after picking my mom up from the airport for a late lunch. The place was pretty empty as expected at 2:30ish but there is something a bit rundown about the outside of the building. The fake agave plant in front of where we parked was broken and there was a coiled hose out in an untidy fashion... This was about the time I tried to pull up Yelp on my phone but my internet kept timing out so I gave up. We got complimentary chips and salsa and our drink orders in. The chips were warm and slightly thick but weren't anything special. The salsa was VERY VERY MILD and watery. Overall just Ok. My mother ordered a Chicken Chimichanga and I ordered a Ground Beef Chimichanga. The order was brought out pretty quick. By this time I finally got the internet to load and I read a review talking about guac made at the table and so when they offered sour cream or guac I asked for it. It would have been nice if they told me they would be adding like $3 to the bill for it and it wasn't made at the table and wasn't very good. Reminded me a bit of my grams vinegar tomatoes and avocado. I thought it was a little weird that they serve the chimis already cut...and it was even more strange when the plate was super hot but the rice and chimis had cold spots. The water I had was decent and so were the refried beans. The rice was super bland bland bland though and like I said barely warmed all the way through. The chicken chimi was also bland and just wasn't very good. I nearly dropped my my fork when mom told the server it was good. She said she knew it wasn't his fault after he left and I could only shake my head. My ground beef chimi was WAY better and more flavorful. It tasted like an awesome taco (so not really all that chimi like but fairly tastey) even if the out side wasn't very crisp. For $13 a plate I was really disappointed in my experience and wanted to apologize to my mother who picked up the bill. A random episode of Kitchen Nightmares makes me think they might microwave parts of the meal or something. Totally not worth the price. PASS.
(2)
Kammy M.
I am a huge Mexican Food fan. My family however isn't so I usually only get to go out once a year on my birthday. This year we decided to try Agaves. I am so glad we decided to go to Agaves instead of On The Border. There were 5 of us dining on a Sunday aroundj 2pm. There was no wait and we were taken directly to our seats. Of course chips and salsa came immediately after. They were very good. Loved the salsa! I loved my chicken fajitas. Believe it or not I rarely order fajitas because it also seems like most places use it like a throw away item. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The veggies were tasty and loved the tortillas. My husband got the shrimp fajitas and that was great as well. The chicken burrito, chicken quesadilla and the spinach enchiladas that were ordered by other members of the family were good as well. Everyone was very happy and full as they left. If you are looking for good Mexican food and are tired of the chains I would highly suggest Agves.
(4)
M P.
Nice interior but sub-par mexican food. The cooking seems fine but nothing special for the price. One major problem is saltiness of the food. We tried three dishes, appetizer and two entrees, and all were so heavily salted it was hard to get past that and actually taste the food. We came back a second time, to give it a chance, asked for no added salt to our dishes and still were gulping down glasses of water. While the interior is nice and the menu has a good amount of choices, the extremely salty food and lackluster mexican cuisine mean there will be no third visit.
(2)
Brian O.
Great authentic Mexican cuisine, I love everything about agaves, everything is cooked just like at home, nothing frozen or canned. Beers are always ice cold and the house margarita is great
(4)
MaryEllen C.
Been here many times. Food is consistent. Service great. Only complaint is, prices have gone way up over the last year. Sorry to say, won't be back. Husband and I had 2 glasses wine , fajitas and burrito, 75.00 with tip. Little steep for Mexican. Obviously business is not good. On a recent Friday night at 7pm place wasn't half full. Too bad. Really liked this place.
(3)
Kavya V.
Have been here 3 times already in less than a month... Perfect Mexican food... Yummy and affordable..
(4)
Jon A.
After reading the reviews of all the Mexican restaurants in the area none of them really stood out; after being able to review some of their menus online this was the only one that had CARNITAS dinner (not tacos) listed, hence I picked it. Well was not disappointed. Giving it a low 4 rating, that's a low 4 NY rating where we know REAL authentic Mexican food. No TexMex! For starters they carry Victoria; NO REAL Mexican restaurant should be without assuming its available in your state. Next came the chips and salsa. The chips were ok, however, the salsa had a funny taste to it, almost ketchupy like and lacked chilantro. This was the only part of the meal I did not like. On the menu only black beans are listed which while I eat them are not my favorite. But no worries they also have the red ones, hence ordering my frioles with my carnita dinner was no problem. The carnitas were ok not dry at all could have used a little more seasoning. They came with 3 tortillas de maiz which is less then the usual 4 tortillas most Mexican restaurants provide. In general the portion size I felt was a little smaller then most other Mexican restaurants have served me when I order Carnitas dinner. They have various happy hour specials but I got there after 6pm so missed them. 1/2 prize assorted appetizers before 6pm would have been nice; have to make sure next time I get there before 6 :) Overall a pleasant dining experience with nice friendly service; certainly would eat here again.
(4)
Don A.
OK, I've been back a couple more times and they have definitely gotten better. I had a dish they called "molcajete" a few days ago and it was really good. A bit of steak, and bit of chicken, and a few shrimp, served in a hot molcajete with a peppery sauce. Mi esposa had carnitas which was also tasty. Our sever Monica was friendly and efficient. If they'd just stop pushing those noisy carts around during dinner...
(3)
Stephanie W.
My kids got the kid's meal hamburger and fries. The buns were super stale and my oldest refused to eat his. I got a mediocre veggie burrito. Waiter forgot to bring the salsa I asked for. I have been here before and it was much better. Portions were small. Big disappointment. Lovely decor. Hope it as just an off night.
(2)
Megan G.
If you are looking for tasty Mexican food with great margaritas, look no further. This place has a very diverse margarita list and excellent chips and salsa to munch on while you wait (briefly) for your entrees. I had the Jalapeño margarita, and it was exactly what you'd expect in a spicy margarita. It was so full it would have easily sloshed out of the huge glass it was served in, and one is enough to get a slight buzz on. We also had a side of guacamole to go with our chips, but they have an option for table side guac if you want more of a customized dip. (The side dish was perfect for two people, and had a great balance of flavors, so I don't see a reason to pay extra for table side.) I had the fish tacos, fried, and they were great. The avocado dressing that comes to put on top was so AMAZING, I smothered them in it. Rice and beans were awesome too. My companion had the chimichanga and devoured it. Overall an excellent spot to satisfy your Mexican food cravings.
(5)
Adjoa A.
Such a wonderful surprise. Food was hot, fresh and delicious. The staff was very friendly and personable so I will definitely be going back. It was pretty empty when I went which is a shame. I had the fajita trio, so good!
(5)
Scott C.
I guess haters gonna hate, but I enjoyed my experience here. The draft selection was decent and the mug was huge (34 oz.) and fairly priced. You got chips and salsa that were quickly restocked if you were like us and housed them in a matter of minutes. The food came out quickly, I got one of the burritos and I was very satisfied with the flavor as well as the size, although I felt unbelievably full after. On top of this, the server was personable and attentive. The place is also nicely decorated and deceivingly huge, when we went to sit down I felt like it went on forever. I would disagree with many of the 2 star reviews, all aspects of my visit were great and exceeded my expectations. I would have no problem coming back here again!
(4)
Kate W.
Good food, nice and friendly employees, love the chips and salsa as you sit down. Keep in mind there could be some slow going on busier weekend nights even in terms of just getting there (route 2 can become very congested especially around the holidays). A nice place to stop for lunch on a shopping day, though!
(4)
Jairo P.
We took our daughter to celebrate her B-day and the waiter forgot to place her food order. We had to wait almost 15 minutes after our food was served for my daughter's food to be served. There was no opology from the manager only from the waiter. The food portions are very small and $$$. I will not return to this unfriendly place with no Customer Service Skills.
(1)
K J.
This is a family-owned independent restaurant. The service was great- thanks, Manny! The margaritas were yummy, and the food was delicious. My husband had the Chori Pollo- spicy chicken with pineapple, and I had the enchilada platter. Both dishes tasted more authentic than the usual chain restaurants. The restaurant was quiet and has a fun Mexican-village atmosphere. A nice place for a date!
(4)
Molly O.
Delicious! Chips and salsa first thing. Big glasses of water which is a MUST. Our food was basic Mexican deliciousness. But what set this place apart was the live Mariachi Band! It was 3 guys that come to your table and play fun upbeat music. It made the meal an experience. Back to the food. I had chicken enchiladas. I got to customize the sauce which I liked. The food was presented in a decorative manor and with large portions. You'll leave with a smile on your face and a fully belly.
(4)
Jonathan C.
This is my second time here and the first time I came it was great but I didn't have a yelp account. Let me start by saying you get hot delicious corn tortillas served with the house salsa, very flavorful but not chunky, a little on the runny side. This time for the entree I had the Pescado Veracruz which is a decent piece of tilapia or white fish cooked with an arbohl sauce on a bed of cilantro white rice served with black beans and 2 slices of avocado. The sauce is very fragrant and it definitely has a kick. The fish really absorbed the flavors, it was a little on the drier side but it didn't lack moisture. It also came with a side of warm handmade flour tortillas and made to order! Soft, warm, chewy, delicious tortillas where the perfect compliment to this dish. The decor is very Mexican, Incan, Aztec, Mayan chic. They have a very well stocked bar as well, I didn't have a drink this time. Overall very pleased with the food, the ambiance and our waitress Stephanie was very knowledgeable and eager to help.
(4)
Rob D.
Awesome!!! Food is authentic and delicious. Great service and atmosphere. Our favorite Mexican restaurant.
(5)
Teresa H.
Had lunch here today, service was great! Food was good, nothing crazy but not bad. It's hard to mess up fajitas. ;) the salsa was good not great, cheese dip was good. Chips were warm and fresh. The waitress at the bar (sat at a high top in bar area) did an awesome job. Our food and drinks were prompt and she was there when we needed something. Will definitely return.
(4)
Josh G.
First time I went was horrible. Hair on plate, ordered a chicken and cheese quesadilla, it was a small tortilla with nothing but cheese. For 12$, asked for tacos with no onions, they cut up a whole onion on my tacos. Thanks for the generosity, but i didn't want them. Only reason I went back was because the manager gave me a gift certificate. Went back a second time, sucked equally the foood was awful and over priced for the quality. The dollar to quality ratio was incorrect, drive 1/2 mile down the road and go to Taco Bell, you'll at least get what you pay for.
(2)
Vima M.
This is our go-to restaurant when we are looking to fill our bellies and not break the bank. It is authentic enough to be considered Mexican, although it is slightly americanized. Their margaritas are delicious. Last time I had the cucumber basil one, which was amazing, even for me that hates cucumbers. The food is always delicious although don't be surprised if you miss an ingredient on your order, it happens sometimes. The molcajete is out of this world. ITs brought up in a lava stone bowl thing, and some tortillas on the side (the good kind of soft corn tortillas!). Also good to try: their mole, on top of enchiladas de la casa, and their tamale. Things to avoid: yucca fries... they are not fries, they are a hockey puck. All in all, great food, good ambiance, and great (non mexican) music.
(4)
Mel S.
I think all these people reviewing are ridiculous. This place is awesome. Me and my AUTHENTIC MEXICAN/PUERTO RICAN friend (lol, yes had to throw this in there) went and even she loved it. Our waiter spoke spanish, and made her feel right at home. I had enchiladas with rice and beans and a side dish of sour cream/tomatoes/guacamole and it was delish. I don't get all the complaints, everything I had was fresh and yummy. If you are on here looking at reviews to decide whether or not you should come eat here don't listen to all these goobers. Keep in mind that most people who leave reviews on the internet only do so when they want to complain. Most of the people who had a great meal will just talk amongst friends and word will spread through word of mouth. Definitely give it a try! :D
(5)
Holly L.
I've been here twice and just wasn't wowed. The first time I tried a chimichanga($12.50), eh it was ok not completely stuffed either. The rice and beans are run of the mill. My boyfriend had the Seafood Enchiladas( $11.99) stuffed with imitation crab meat and a couple shrimp, he wasn't impressed. The second time I came I was with a friend I tried the carne asada torta with yuca fries ($9.99). It was literally served with four and a half yuca fries! I slightly laughed when the waiter set down my plate. They were long yuca fries but still yuca isn't an expensive root. My torta was crunchy and the meat was good but it was lacking the bean part, there was a slight brown color on the top of the bun but tortas are supposed to have a layer of mashed beans. My friend got the Enchiladas Rancheras ($9.99) which was a sample platter of five enchiladas with assorted stuffing, that portions were not lacking on this dish. (I don't believe this dish comes with rice and beans) The wait staff is usually pretty attentive, always had a full water. The margaritas are really good and pretty cheap. I wouldn't come back for the food but I might stop back in for a cold drink.
(2)
Ashley L.
Meh it was okay. Honestly I am not a Mexican food fan. We came here at my husbands request because it was his birthday and he loves Mexican food. He also agreed it was just okay. The highlight was the guacamole they make fresh table side. I normally never eat guacamole but I tried it and it was actually pretty good. The decor of the restaurant is nice, that was my other favorite part. They have some good deals during the week (ie draft beer specials, margarita specials, etc) our service was okay, I was wondering if it would have killed our waitress to smile, at least once? She seemed pretty miserable, but still was attentive. The food meh, I had a belly ache all day the day after, I'm guessing the food may have had something to do with it. Would I go here again? If my husband requests, possibly, otherwise no.
(3)
Mark V.
Atmosphere is good. Guacamole wasn't bad, but it needed a little bit more tomatoes, jalepenos, and lime juice. The potato tacos were great! Their house salsa was ok. There special hot salsa was great. The house Margarita on the rocks was weak. I will give this place one more try before placing a final judgement. I would have given this place a three, but I ended up getting up to look for the waiter because he never came back after bringing our food.
(2)
Joe P.
Ok... disregard the negative reviews. My wife and I have this place in our weekly dinner rotation. Never had a bad meal, bad service, or a bad experience. Our initial thoughts about Agave' s were reinforced when we actually had a real -live Mexican visiting us. .. and we decided to take her there. She thought the place and food was great. Pepsi challenged passed.... period end! Go there!
(4)
Richard D.
Not sure about the less than positive reviews, but this place has been great! Been a few times and love it more every time. Love the tableside guacamole. So fresh and yummy. I highly recommend this place if you like mexican. Price is right and location is very convenient!
(5)
Tam H.
The best All-You-Can-Eat lunch buffet for $8.99!!! They had a variety of chicken, carnitas and ground beef you can make into hard tacos, soft tacos and tostada. They have enchiladas, quesadilla, mini chimichanga, mini burritos, soup, rice, beans and few other veggie stuff. The salsa bar had a good variety and everything was sooooo tasty. I'm from CA and we know our Mexican food. This is the real deal. You can definitely taste the "homemade" robust flavor in every dish. The lunch time was busy at all and there's plenty of seating. Love the bathroom decor. The entire restaurant was decked in it's culture and smelled so lovely when entering. Love the place so much, been here twice in one week! Will be back again when I come back into RI.
(5)
Nu I.
Pretty good Mexican at a very fair price. Deff Americanized though. I really enjoy the guacamole being made right at the table. It's a nice little touch, and its entertaining. I always ask for extra lime. :-) I'm a little bit of a guacamole enthusiast and this place gets an A+. The atmosphere is beautiful, always very clean. There never seems to be much of a crowd though which is very shocking to me because the restaurant is on the bigger side. I usually order enchiladas suzias, but they also have this smoked pork dish prepared and server in half a pineapple! Deff worth a try. My husband has a legume allergy and they are always able to accommodate him. No beans please :-) 4 stars because the food is good, but not to die for. Also, there always seems to be an abundance of staff walking around or just sitting around. I grew up in a restaurant, so I can be extra critical when it comes to that.. Go do some side work :-)
(4)
Jessika J.
This was a spur of the moment decision. I was alone and was greeted promptly. Almost immediately after being seated Hope greeted me and took my drink order and poured salsa and chips were provided. I had just enough time to post an Instagram shot and my food was ready. Being from Texas it's really hard to get and find great Mexican food up here. It didn't make me want to return with the family but the service was on point. Also going through a rough moment in my life and found it strange my waitress was named Hope! Coincidence? Maybe.
(4)
Robyn F.
This place was surprisingly fantastic. I went here with extremely low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by a lovely atmosphere, fresh food, and some salsa that was to die for. The only issues I had was that the staff didn't quite grasp that you should never sit a couple by an active toddler--or in a room with loud children when your restaurant fits tons of people. If the restaurant was full, and far smaller I'd be a bit more understanding. Other than that, great time.
(4)
Chanceny K.
Just had the chicken tacos for lunch and they were amazing! Of course it's take out so it's not as good as going in and eating it very and warm. I would not mind ordering this again. Told the sales team in Balise (current job) that we need to order this AGAIN SOON! Also do you guys have catering?
(4)
Stefan G.
Really great service, delicious food at fair prices. My wife and I went for lunch and couldn't have been more pleased. Can't ask for much more than that! I remember it getting pretty busy as night and on weekends, but everything I said above still applies, just with some expected wait due to the business. Highly recommended!
(5)
Samantha V.
Always a pleasure visting Agave! The food is always fresh, flavorful and authentic. I had my go to which was Carne Asada, tender, juicy and the might have the best refried beans I have ever tasted. I also endulged in there LARGE (yes 32 oz.) Margarita bowl. Let's just say one is enough. Overall, I was very happy and full!
(5)
Norm G.
Disappointed. Had the Carne Asadas [sp?], the trio dip and ordered a child's quesadilla. The Quesadilla was basically a grilled cheese substituting a flour tortilla for bread. The dip and main entree were vey bland and the meat was stringy and tough. This was our 2nd try. Will not return. Basic thoughts: very fatty, not very tasty, and not great starting ingedients. It's a sad thing when the free tortilla chips and salsa are the best item served. Giving 2 stars because the service was good, very polite and friendly.
(2)
Kurt W.
Mexican places come and go but this place is above your standard Mexican restaurants. They have normal menu items but they have very unique dishes. I had the pork cooked in an actual pineapple with mango. The wife had pork and onions wrapped in a banana leaf..... see not your standard Mexican place. They also make guacamole right at the table for you from avocado to finish. Give it a try, you will like it. Branch out and try something new. Tell people about this place, it needs to become more well known.
(5)
Steven And Nicole G.
Been here several times and we are kinda shocked about the low rating. We always get shredded chicken nachos and are never disappointed. Honestly, we have ordered the nachos about 15 times...delicious! I also have had the grilled fish tacos with spicy guacamole sauce about 6 times, so obviously I'm a fan of those as well. Flan and the seafood enchiladas also great. We go here regularly and will continue to do so. ALSO, we came on a weekend and there was no kidding 30 people waiting, it's that popular.
(4)
Donna D.
we enjoy coming to agaves as the food is good and the service is quick. last night I ordered a "large" house margarita...it was ok, rather watered down, of course filled with ice cubes. When we got the bill, it stated the margarita was a "46 oz" drink ($13)...NO WAY was this 46 oz...which would have been nearly 4 of my husband's beer bottle...I don't believe the margarita glass would even hold 46 oz of fluid...probably less than 2 of my husband's 12 oz beer bottle. We questioned the waiter, but he stated "yes, that's a large drink". Had it been listed on the bill as just a "large" margarita, I probably would not have questioned it...but this was not the case. This was disappointing to us and seemed rather deceptive.
(3)
Shilpa K.
Fantastic food, fantastic ambience! The staff was courteous and attentive. The guacamole made table side was delicious
(5)
Jackie M.
we came to this area to go to dennys and spotted agave as we were parking.....so glad we did! it is the most authentic mexcian restaurant we have been in, they have mexican beers that you can not get so easily here in the states, the food was amazing, we cleaned our plates! the services was a bit on the slow side, but it was busy! its just such a pity this place is so far from new york or we would stop by all the time!
(5)
Katie K.
Food is delicious, service couldn't have been better (ask for manny!), atmosphere is great. Will for sure be back! Thanks for a great dinner manny!
(5)
Erin M.
I went to Agaves recently with my boyfriend on a whim and we both were pleasantly surprised by a clean and well-decorated restaurant. We were happy they were still serving at 4pm on a Tuesday normally you would out of luck in trying to find somewhere to sit down and eat at that hour. Very briefly I was happy they had some traditional dishes which with the homemade tortillas and tasty salsa really made this mexican restaurant stand out from others in this area. Additionally the margaritas were well made and the prices of both and drinks were very reasonable. We actually recommended that a more frugal friend try this place out for a date.
(4)
Maddy G.
I liked the authenticity of the menu and the creative meals! There were classics for your less adventurous friends but also cool Mexican dishes I've never seen before. For example, my meal was served in a carved out pineapple! Great meal, I only subtracted a star for the atmosphere.
(4)
Dona T.
This was the worst restaurant and worst service I have ever had. First asked if the bean dip had any peppers in it. The waitress said no, well yup you guessed it peppers in the dip. Ordered Chimichunga, horrible and not deep fried no crunch soagy and very salty. My husband ordered a margharita, About three quarters through the waitress asked if he wanted another, he said no and she took his drink that was not finished. We will not be back.. If you are looking for a really good Mexican Restaurant and want to drive Alcopolco in Westwood MA is the BEST!!!
(1)
Kate M.
It's a great place. Salsa is best in state. Atmosphere is very comfortable and very traditional. I've been there many many many times and have celebrated my birthday here many times. They have really great food and it's a fun spot!
(5)
Matthew C.
Almost didn't go because of all the Yelp haters. Thank god I didn't listen. The food was GREAT. People were nice. Service was fast. I loved the guacamole, and had a burrito with a beer. My. wife had seafood enchiladas and my son had the taco and burrito kids meal, both were very happy. Everything was so fresh! We have a new Mexican place.
Our experience at Agave was memorable...but not in a good way. My husband and I recently succumbed to our hunger during a shopping trip and stopped by this restaurant, which looked quite nice by appearances. Plus, we figured that you can't really go wrong with Mexican. We were excited to dig into our complementary chips and salsa. The chips tasted fresh and toasted, but the salsa was bland and too watery. In one bite, I tasted something very funny, like rancid medicine, in the salsa, which probably was just a bad tomato. We ended up ordering the large Mexican dinner, which came with a tamale, enchilada, taco, burrito, and quesadilla. Wow. We were stoked. Well, 5-7 minutes later, the food comes out. That was fast, we thought, but we didn't think much of it. Everything we bit into, however, was lukewarm or slightly cold in the middle. Anything with chicken or pork was horrendously dry, and not a single item on this immense, shareable plate was edible when sober. Perhaps, it would all have tasted better if everything was piping hot and fresh off the grill, but nothing tasted freshly prepared at all. To our surprise and dismay, we were cosmically disappointed with Mexican food for the first time ever. Agave is in desperate need of some attention to detail and quality in the food in order to reel in regular customers.
(1)
Chris P.
Bland, bland, bland.. They make there own tortillas which I can respect but everything else is sub par. My buddies tamale was so dry and overcooked it was the corn husk was charred. My chimi was like a wet diaper. I really wanted to like it, I really did but couldn't overlook these things. $6.99 22oz margaritas were great as well as the flan! AMAZING. If they focused more on the family, traditional recipes like the flan, they would kill it.
(2)
Carlos C.
Seems know one had real Mexican food... Bad service, bad food, bad music... Overpriced for small plate size. Won't come back again
(1)
Emily D.
I have been to Agave's a few times now. It is a family owned operation and stands out on Bald Hill Road amongst the OG and TGI Friday etc. etc. The owners mom and dad are from Mexico and work on the culinary team. During the first time they were still in the throws of renovations which have been completed pretty well, they have given new life to what was formerly a major chain restaurant. I do not like the stained plywood on the wall. The serive is a little slow although everyone is friendly. The drink prices are good. Thye have huge house margaritas and some relly interesting mixed drinks. I appreciate that they offer mexican import beers like Sol. They offer salsa and chips upon seating. I love the chips but the salsa is lack luster. I have gotten the three dip sampler before and also no lost my socks... GET THE TABLE SIDE GUACAMOLE! It is fresh and delicious an you can choose houw you would like it (chunky, no jalepeno, extra lime and onion.) It is a huge serving and totally work the cost. Some of the entree dishes aren't all that so be sure to look at the ingrediants and be really concious of the tastes and textures that you like. The gorditas (like Venezuelan arepas) are to die for they have beautifully marinated chicken and come with lettuce and queso fresco. The plantain fries are perfect. All of the tortillas are made in house which is great. For dessert the Chirros are also amazing and a great way to end the night. I like the new menu and am eager to see how things go as they really hit their stride.
(4)
Dave L.
Went for dinner the other night, choice of our 14 year old for his birthday. I admit I was a little leery not having heard anything about the place. They have an interesting menu with a number of unusual dishes that at least sound fairly authentic. I'll be the first to admit I'm a total gringo, with almost no exposure to 'real' Mexican, but it wasn't the usual tacos, burritos and fajitas. They do have those, but other things too that are more exotic. They give you a heaping basket of tortilla chips and some bland salsa. Good selection of Mexican and other beers, interesting margarita options, and cocktails. I had a carnitas burrito, which was better than expected. It had a good amount of tender roasted pork, and the standard rice and beans. My wife had some combo thing with a quesadilla and a tamale, which were both fair. She liked my burrito much more than her food. Our other son got steak fajitas, which was a huge portion of very tasty and tender steak. They served this with homemade flour tortillas, hot from the over. You can see them make them right there in the restaurant. I had one of them with some of his fajitas, and it was delicious. Birthday boy got your standard tacos which he liked a lot. All in all, we were very happy with our meals, although my wife's was definitely the weakest of the bunch. Oh, I almost forgot the guacamole. We got the 'small' order, which was still huge compared to anywhere else I've ever ordered it. The guacamole was delicious - you could tell it was freshly made as it had some good chunks of avocado, some nice bits of cilantro and tomato. Really tasty! Prices are reasonable, our waitress was excellent, and they brought the kid a birthday dessert and a sombrero with the singing and drumming routine which embarrassed the hell out of him. I loved it. I'd like to give it 4 stars but the meal my wife got was a disappointment. If they could get the same quality across all items on the menu, it would be 4 stars easily. We'll definitely go back though.
(3)
Leslie N.
There are a lot of problems with Agaves: First, they are severely understaffed, and the servers they do have do not listen properly and constantly mess up orders. Second, the food is sub-par. The meat tasted like it came straight from a TV dinner (definitely frozen), and was overseasoned (probably to cover up the fact that it was tasteless to begin with). Third, they don't seem to care much about customer service. Despite numerous incorrect orders (one of which was never corrected and the diner was forced to eat something she didn't order!), nothing was comped. Instead, with a group of 9 ordering about $180 worth of food, they gave us $5 off the total... OK. After one visit, I doubt I'll ever return unless I'm dragged there. The one highlight was the tableside guacamole, which was very good. Otherwise, it's a big disappointment. And in a state where there are so many other choices for Mexican, patrons will (and should) take their money elsewhere.
(2)
Jose D.
Overall: Ok, but not impressed. Decided to try this restaurant as they are frequently mentioned on the radio. The interior is nicely decorated and has a good feel to it. I ordered a chimichanga and it was pretty good. This restaurant is a little pricier than the On the Border restaurant that is located down the street, but it the meals were still reasonably priced. The true reason why I will not return to this restaurant was the service. Being a Tuesday dinner, the restaurant was not overly crowded, so the food shouldn't have taken very long to cook, but I remember waiting what seemed like an exceptionally long time for the food. Previously working in the food industry, I understand when the food may take a little longer. What I don't understand, is how many times our waitress continued to walk by our table when we were clearly done eating and waiting for the "next step." Our dining experience was extended by nearly an extra half hour while we waited for our waitress to finally notice us and stop talking to other patrons. If this company culture, or just one employee I will never know as I do not expect to return to this restaurant when there are other options that are also less expensive in the area.
(3)
Constance G.
If Rosarita Refried Beans and Stop & Shop had an illegitimate child, it would be Agaves Mexican Grill. The decor is nice, but I can't dip the decor in salsa and eat it for dinner. Although I wish I had. I knoooooow this is Warwick, RI. I know. But I'm a California girl, and when you advertise a restaurant as Mexican, I will expect Mexican food. Instead we got cold chips, canned beans, bland flautas, and a pricey bill. And diarrhea. The waiter was nice. He looked like Magic Mike. I called him Magico Mike. Not to his face, though.
(2)
Betsy A.
The food was more than disappointing. Flavorless and the service also was poor. I would not recommend to anyonr
(1)
Jen H.
If you are looking for a fast generic Mexican meal where you can bring the kids, this is your place. I wasn't won over by anything exceptional on the menu but it filled my Mexican crazing for an affordable price. What makes this a 4 star and not a 3 star was the Jalapeno Margarita. There was a little kick that wasn't overwhelming but noticeable.
(4)
Gail B.
I think Agaves had a rough start and as a result has garnered some really bad reviews. We first went there back in the spring and were very disappointed. Indifferent service and ho-hum food. We tried it again recently and what a difference. I don't know if they've figured a few things out and got their act together, but they're currently celebrating their 1st anniversary. The food was much, much better. We had the dip sampler and it was good, especially the guac. I had the steak tacos and they were very tasty. Rice was fresh and beans were ok (I'm not a bean fan actually). On the side, I had the tomatillo sauce and that packed a wallop. If you're missing spice in your dish, def ask for some of that stuff! Hub had some combo plate that was good, not great. Food rated 3 stars. What sent it up a notch for me was the stellar lineup of tequila. They have a sampler of 4 half-shots for $9.99 (these are generous pours too!). You can't get the super-premium stuff, but there is plenty to choose from. Our margaritas were pretty good also, but I seriously disliked being served in plastic cups. Overall the meal was enjoyable and the server was on top of things. We'll go back.
(4)
Eric G.
This restaurant is truly a tale of two cities in that they do some things excellently while other things are absolutely terrible. What they do well: drinks and table-side guacamole. If you are looking to go for just these two things, you will keep coming back for more. Their drinks are reasonably priced and they have a full bar as you would expect. The table-side guacamole is an absolute must-have; prepared next to you and customized to your liking, it is a heaping portion of warm chips and guacamole that couldn't be fresher. The price might seem a little steep for it at first glance, but with the quality and the amount that you get, it is totally worth it. They serve salsa to everyone, too, which makes for a nice combo with the guacamole. I would love to go back again just to get chips and drinks, because the food is a totally different story. What they don't do well: food. Many of the main entrees aren't so bad that you'll ask for a refund or anything, but are just run-of-the-mill. There is nothing about a burrito at Agaves that stands out from a burrito elsewhere, which is a huge flaw for me when judging the quality of a restaurant. The chicken and pork were bland, the ground beef was a little mushy, and the dishes didn't really look all that appealing. It was one of those meals where, when you ask how everyone's food is, they respond "Yeah, it's alright I guess," which is such a huge disappointment after experiencing the greatness of the guacamole and margaritas. Haven't tried their desserts, but I can't imagine that anything in particular stands out from the crowd. Bottom line: If you are going for chips, salsa, guacamole, and a few drinks, this place is the best around! Anything more and you will be utterly dissatisfied.
(3)
Rebecca F.
Terrible service. Practically begging for chips. Not a Spanish-speaker on staff. Tableside guacamole was the only plus of the night. The regular guac - tasted like a can. The rest of the veggie dishes: unflavored. I know it's difficult to please picky eaters, and I am really only subpar at anything more extensive than microwave cooking, but I've watched a lot of food television and the number one suggestion: season the food. Or at least give me enough sriracha to drown my sorrows and numb my tastebuds. I would say the pitcher of margaritas was also an adventure, but unfortunately is it an ungodly amount of alcohol and I don't think anyone should drive after sitting anywhere near it. This is the TGIF's of Mexican food.
(1)
Roger K.
Yes, just like the reviews, there were good points and less than desirable aspects here. I also find it interesting that there are as many filtered reviews as there are unfiltered. As some others have pointed out, the interior is very inviting and attractive. We were promptly seated at about 7 pm on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 3/4 filled. The menu listed about 8 draft beers, but I saw more than that number of taps at the bar as we were being taken to our table. I asked our server if there were any additional beers besides what I saw in the menu and he simply read the menu beers back to me. (on our way out I stopped at the bar to look at the taps and saw at least two beers that our server did not mention) However, one of the drafts listed was Negra Modelo, a favorite of mine which I've only had in bottles. Our server asked what size we wanted, 12 or 34 oz. We responded "large" not registering that 34 oz. is more than a quart. Our beers were promptly brought to the table in huge mugs that surely held of 34 oz. And the cost? $6.50 each (12 oz. $3.25)!!!!! That's a fantastic price for that quality and size brew. That alone should probably add another half-star to this review. Chips and salsa were brought to the table. Nothing outstanding, but the chips were crisp; the salsa could have used more "heat." We started with an appetizer of "Lot's of Peppers!," sauteed jalapenos, banana peppers, and lightly breaded jalapenos, served with a chipotle ranch dipping sauce. ($4.29). The 'penos were nice and spicy and the entire dish was flavorful. The servers could use better coordination with the kitchen. Our entrees came out before we could finish the peppers. Fortunately, the table was large enough to handle it all. For my entree I had the Enchiladas Mole Poblano ($9.99). A must for me so I can compare with other establishments. The well known mole that has the chocolate mixed with the dried chile peppers was very good. The enchiladas suffered from dry chicken that benefited from the mole. The three tortillas also had a spongy consistency as if they were not fully cooked and I couldn't be certain if they were made with corn or wheat flour. The rice and re-fried beans were very average. My wife ordered the Chile Verde ($11.49). She chose pork instead of steak which was cooked in a tomatilla based salsa and served with rice and a choice of re-fried, black, or charro beans. She chose the charro which were served in a small cup-like container since it was a more soupy style preparation. It was more tasty than the re-fried beans that I had. Her pork pieces had a nice crispy surface on some of the edges and was tender and flavorful. The dish also came with flour (not corn) tortillas wrapped in foil. Overall, our server was attentive and pleasant. He checked with us several times to see that all was OK. We were too full to try any dessert - did I mention the 34 oz. beers? Some of my wife's meal came home with us. Our final bill was a reasonable $41.87 before tip. While we're not talking gourmet Mexican here, I'd be willing to try some other dishes and certainly have more good beer at that price.
(3)
Mike F.
Disappointing that the yucca fries have been discontinued without any reflection on the menu.
(3)
Charity C.
My mom and I went here for lunch last week. We love Mexican and were excited to try this place. I thought the food was overpriced and when it arrived that was confirmed. THe only thing that we enjoyed was the guacamole which was made right in front of us. I love tableside service but this women couldn't even be bothered to look at us or acknowledge my mother when she spoke to her. My mom ordered the shrimp fajitas and I ordered the seafood enchiladas. THe fajitas were okay no different than you would get at a bar and grill. THe enchiladas were very disappointing. It was obviously imitation crab meat and I think shrimp from a can. If the service had atleast been somewhat friendly it would of been an okay visit but they failed on food and service. Back to Taco Bell for me.
(2)
Joe G.
Outstanding. Here in town for work this week. I'll eat here at least 3 more times. Flautas were good. Tortilla soup was awesome. The carnitas perfect. Great staff and very clean. It's a shame I live 2 hours away or I would be here every week no doubt.
(5)
Rick C.
Let me start off by saying if you just want a few drinks, this place rocks. They have a nice bar area with plenty of TV's. Margaritas go as big as a 46 oz glass for around $13 bucks. They have pitchers too. A pitcher will set you back $17. 34 oz beers are a plus. They give you chips and salsa which aren't bad. My entree was sub-par. Don't even try the chicken tamale. Dry and tasteless. The beef taco and chicken quesadilla weren't bad and the dish came with rice and beans. Nice presentation though. There is not hot sauce at the table but if you ask for some, you'll get a small bowl of some really hot stuff. Very good. I've gone back a few times since I started to write this review and have upgraded it from 2-3 stars. Just avoid the tamales. Unfortunately I just can't find any great Mexican restaurants unless I drive up to Worcester Massachusetts. This will do in a pinch.
(3)
Kim U.
I'm surprised to see so many reviews with high amount of stars. This place is my least favorite Mexican restaurant I've ever had he multiple displeasure to eat at. I'd rather take nips of Josè Cuervo to Taco Bell. My first experience was sub par to say the least, but that was when they had first opened, so I figured I'd give them another shot. But the second time was equally dissatisfying. Went again more recently with a friend for drinks, which I will say is the one thing they do right. If you're a tequila fan then the bar is a treat. The only issue is if I'm going to be throwing back shots of tequila and giant margaritas I'm going to need food to keep me from blacking out. Unfortunately their food menu doesn't match their drink menu, so I'm officially DONE with this one.
(2)
Treven L.
Always a great experience! When we want Mexican or margaritas there isn't a discussion, we simply go to Agave. Friendly and attentive staff, a talented kitchen and remarkable drinks. Highly recommend the table side guacamole, wet burrito and any of their margaritas! Haven't found anything on the menu that wasn't great yet.
(5)
Claudia H.
Glad we stopped in today. Was a lil reluctant not to bc of the reviews. Nice and clean place. Server was very attentive.
(5)
Lyndsy C.
Let me add to the Yelping chorus here of DON'T GO!!!!!!!!! I think I've got this place and some of it's ilk figured out.. Step one; Hustle your new venture on into a fairly large space that recently housed another failed restaurant. Decorate garishly and lavishly. Step two; Hire mediocre/very young staff(Although there was an exceptional server/manager we met there) Step three; Fill your kitchen with Sysco food stuffs, then, gussy it up for your overflowing, overpriced menu. Step four; Slop said food stuffs onto piping hot platter sized plates, drown everything in cheap cheese, and keep that sour cream comin'! ,That makes em' happy. Sorry to sound so scathing here, I went because we were invited, and I figured I'd form my own opinion. I just noticed SO MANY similarities to other "Mexican" restaurants; Don Jose's, Cactus Grille, El Tapatio..I think this is a real racket. The food they purchase is so low price, they get ambitious with overhead, and upcharge the shit out of you. Oh, and the lighting was so low it was ridiculous.
(1)
Good E.
came here for dinner with friends. honestly nothing really stood out, they make the guac at your table which was fine. i got a chimichanga(or however you spell it). it was bit too salty. the rice was ok. the food is also a bit pricey for what you get. the ambience was nice. parking is ample
(3)
Malissa R.
Don't listen to the Yelp haters. This place is good! The prices are good, the portions are good, and the drinks are huge! I especially love their cheesy rice that comes with the arroz con pollo and the quesadilla appetizer. The guac I am usually picky about, and theirs is good. I like that they give you chips and salsa to snack on while you wait, also. They even have a mariachi band that plays as you eat. Definitely give it a try!
(4)
Robert M.
This was opening day. I was must admit I was a little on the nervous side, Mexican food in New England, not exactly what you would expect. Must put out there that I am from the great Republic of Texas. I must also apologize for exporting On The Boarder. Not exactly one of our finer establishment. So I just want to say, this place is great. The interior is warm and spacious. It is comfortable and casual. I will just go from start to finish. Chips and salsa were really good. The salsa appears to be made on site and is spicy but not hot. The ice tea was fantastic, brewed fresh. Sorry this is even an item, but too many places serve some powder lemon flavored stuff. We got a Dip Sampler. three different cheese dips and guacamole. It was very tasty. For the mains, the wife has Chicken Fajitas and I had the Mexican Tacos. Highly recommended (I had the steak with corn tortilla and the diablo sauce. This was a fantastic plate and I recommend it highly. The Chicken Fajitas were pretty good as well. In both cases the the portions were great. They served three different beans (black, refried and charro). Charro and refried beans were really good. The tortillas are made on site, fresh and warm. This was an all around great place. I can only hope that the quality stays up. It also looked like they have a great lunch menu. The service was also really good. This place is worth a stop by. I for one will be a repeat customer.
(3)
J. T.
This place is awful - you can get a better burrito at Chipolte and that's pretty sad! My Burrito was tasteless, and lacking substance. I wanted to like it - there aren't many good Mexican Restaurants in my area. It's like they could care less....!!! How can they not be aware of how bad the food is??? How is that even possible? Do they eat it? I felt like I should bring them a Burrito from California taco shop Providence to show them the correct way to prepare one.. oh and the "yuca fries" - if you enjoy cardboard cutouts thrown on the plate like an after thought, then agaves yuca fries are for you! Don't waste your time Don't waste your money Drive to Providence!
(1)
Eva B.
Decided to try it for the first time with my boyfriend, looked like it would be a great place, but was far from it. We got the guacamole, the waitress made it in front of us which was very cool, but she did not seem very into it. The guacamole was overall good, but it needed a little more acid in it for my taste. Next I got a dish off of the vegetarian menu, it sounded good on the menu, but once placed in front of me, was highly unappealing and even worse in flavor. The potato enchilada was very unauthentic, mashed potatoes in a flour tortilla with a cinnamony sauce that was disgusting. The rice was plain white rice without any flavor, the refried beans tasted like they were just taken out of a can and put into a weird tortilla shell. The stuffed poblano with cheese was disgusting, covered with a super sweet mole that left a terrible taste in my mouth. It was also very very spicy, and i love spicy food, it was an unpleasing spicy. My boyfriend did not enjoy his enchiladas either, he got a stomach ache later. They were the seafood enchiladas and they were stuffed in flour tortillas. Enchiladas should be in corn tortillas. These enchiladas looked pathetic! Guacamole was also on the side and it tasted terrible, nothing like the freshly made guacamole we had just eaten. The wagon wheels everywhere made it look like a rodeo. The bathroom smelled funky too. My favorite thing about the place was the salsa which was yummy. They do not label the items on the menu, I was highly disappointed when the waitress said that all of the soups were not vegetarian, when the descriptions said nothing about meat!
(2)
McKaila A.
Would not come here for anything but a margarita and the dip trio. They were pretty good when they first opened, but it seems like the quality of the food has gone downhill. It's just variable. Sometimes it's good, sometimes the chips are cold and stale or the beans taste like they've been in the pot for 8 hours. It's not like the staff is rude, but I hate having to ask for new chips/wrong drink/etc.
(2)
Carla B.
Went to Agaves for the first time due to the all you can eat buffet until 2pm. For the price $8.99 I don't think it was bad at all. I threw some of the rice they had out into my soup, that was pretty much chicken and broth, and it made it more enjoyable. The server didn't charge me anything for my three year old to eat with me, so as far as buffets are concerned I'd defiantly go back for seconds.
(3)
J W.
The hot tomatillo sauce is delicious and spicy - ask for it. Guacamole was tasty and monstrous. Good, hot crispy chips. Chicken/Steak fajitas were very good. Margaritas as delivered were a little weak, but that was easily fixed with an extra shot of tequila. Big menu. Big clean place. Nice to have a great Mexican option in the area.
(4)
Barry B.
I enjoyed going there when they first opened... Unfortunately in my opinion it is going downhill since then. I find that the food is just okay. For me it is definitely a, "Meh, I've experienced better."
(2)
Colleen M.
We visited the restaurant on Saturday for a late lunch/early dinner. The chips and salsa were fantastic, so was the guacamole. I got the seafood enchiladas and I was not impressed. My husband really liked his combination. If I was in the area and craving Mexican I would probably go back but On the Border is just fine, too.
(2)
Ken R.
Ok, my seafood enchilada was very good but the rice tasted like burnt cigarettes. Wife hated the quesadilla, was very oily , took them forever to come over and the service was nonexistent. Guacamole was tasty. I would come back and sit at the bar for a cold beer and salsa chips. Wouldn't come and sit at a table to eat again
(2)
Odessa C.
Tried to Kill Me and Didn't Seem to Care: So my husband and I both ordered margaritas. His was delicious and mine was good. About a 1/3 of the way through my margarita I went to take a sip through the salted rim and noticed something in the salt, at first I thought it was a shard of ice, but no, it was a shard of glass IN THE SALT. I pulled it out and called over a server, she grabbed our waiter who apologized and said the manager would be right over. I told him that they better check the salt tray they use for rimming the glasses in salt because my glass wasn't missing a chip so it was clearly in the salt tray. Our food came, no manager, but a woman came over (looked like a server and had just been delivering food) and asked if our food was ok. Because I didn't want to yell at another server (who wasn't at fault) I just said "fine". Then the bill came, my margarita was removed from the bill (NOTE: I had only drank a 1/3 of it when they took it and I didn't want to risk another one). We told the server that the manager hadn't come over. He went to get her and when she came (it was the woman who had stopped to ask about our food) she said 'oh, sorry about the glass. Here's a coupon for a free appetizer next time you come." My husband was appalled. He said "Do you realize how dangerous that is?" She said "Oh yeah. We will empty the salt tray. And i took it off the bill." My husband asked for the real manager and she left then came back and said "He's busy. He said to take off her meal." Dropped the check and stormed off. The food was fine. The drinks, if they aren't laced in shards of glass are good. The management is a DISASTER! Let's just hope they actually emptied the salt tray.....
(1)
Kendall H.
Yummy margaritas, very big beers, delicious gaucomole. Fajitas del mar and taquitos yummy too! I enjoyed the Carne Asada.
(4)
Beth R.
Great food, great service! Table side guac is to die for and so are the GIANT margaritas. Definitely a must go.
(5)
Kyle C.
Wanted to be fair and write an update for this place... Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I recently decided to give them another go. This time I sat in the cantina with my roommate, and enjoy a 32oz. Dos Equis for only about $6... not a bad deal. The food was "better" then last time. Service was pretty much mediocre. I'm pretty sure the bartenders didn't introduce themselves, or actually ever look at us... wait, was that the bartender? Or was it her? Now we are confused... Redemption: the (assumed) owner was there testing out new Margarita recipes and we got to be guinea pigs. In my book a free mini-marg at least makes a place a-ok.
(3)
David J.
I don't understand people who have come here to eat, everything from the waitstaff to the food was EXCELLENT. I live on the road and eat out a lot. This by far was the best Mexican food I have had in a long time. The guacamole made at the table was awesome, 3 advocados with red onions, tomatoes, cilantro, fresh lime juice and jalapeños was well worth the $7.50 as an appetizer. Highly recommend for great Mexican food, thank god I didn't listen to the bad reviews, did what other people did and went there anyway and where happy they did.
(5)
Danielle L.
Hands down, my favorite mexican!-american? place to eat! Awesome guacamole and the quesadillas are to die for! Fresh ingredients always!
(5)
Vinnie O.
The food is good, if you go to their lunch buffet.Chimichangas, burritos, tacos, and the quesadillas all very good. But for dinner, I don't think the food is anything worth mentioning. I know its the same, but for some but the dinners are just ok.
(3)
Ashley F.
I was nervous to come based on the very negative reviews here on Yelp, but the restaurant is really a great one! The service was friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive. The margarita was huge, as well as my husband's 22 oz. beer. The restaurant itself is gorgeous with a unique setup. I love Mexican food and was impressed with the food, I had the Enchiladas Verde, and it was very good. It was slightly luke-warm, which is why I only gave it 4 stars, but still delicious! The table-side guacamole is also such a nice touch, I loved it. We will definitely go back, and would also suggest you to go as well!
(4)
Kat W.
My boyfriend works nearby so this is the go to place for birthdays and going away celebrations. Love the large house margaritas, and you can't beat the drink prices. I've tried the food a few times and always happy. They did just change the menu when they renovated so the taquitos are no longer on there (soooo yummy) BUT we found out from the manager to tonight you can still order them- yay! The new (at lease i think they're new) haddock tacos were fresh and yummy. My only negative is that on a Friday the bar would get packed and its hard to navigate the bar to get drinks. With the renovation the bar is larger and better set up so that may not be an issue. It was a slow night tonight so hard to tell (mid week and snowing). I can't wait for his next work function!
(4)
Rebecca R.
My fiance and I tried Agaves when it first opened up. The experience was so awful I am able to sit here and write about it 7 or so months later. I had ordered one beef and one chicken soft shell taco and a margarita. Pretty simple. They delivered 2 chicken tacos instead... no big deal, things like that I can look past. What was on my plate, I COULD NOT look past. I don't even know if I would call that chicken. I took one bite just to say I tried it and it was as gross as it looked. Never in my life have I not been able to eat a meal. I was so embarrassed that I covered the plate with my napkin making it look like I had eaten it. My fiance, who I think will eat pretty much anything, especially if he ordered it, couldn't even eat his entire meal he was so disgusted. Our only hope was that the margaritas would be our saving grace. Well if you like water-margarita then they are right up your alley. Save yourself the aggrivation and head up the street to On the Border.
(1)
Cate B.
Below mediocre "mexican" food for a pretty penny. I love Mexican food, and being gluten free I'm often steered towards certain cuisines, i.e. authentic mexican, that are by nature gf. Went here with my boyfriend and was absolutely 100% disappointed. The interior and atmosphere were pretty nice, and our server was friendly and chipper, but the food was just absolutely horrible. When I go out to eat, I want a dinner that impresses me through food and experience, and is better than what I can cook at home. We ordered nachos to start and it was a decent sized plate (however, I've seen twice the portion size in bars) and they were just blah. I make better plates for lunch at home. Little to no cheese, tons of bland refried beans made a lot of chips soggy, and just a few tomatos and some lettuce. Some sort of onion or jalapeño would have been nice? We decided to order a few staple dishes since it was our first time there, so I had arroz con pollo and my boyfriend had flautas. The plates were rather small for the prices, $15 for arroz con pollo on a smaller plate than I'm used to. The chicken was just grilled, not that juicy or flavorful, over a not-so-special rice. It came with lettuce and a tomato, but that was pretty much it. I can get arroz con pollo in a generous serving with a delicious sauce, vegetables, over rice, refried beans, lettuce, and cole slaw for $14 at my more local El Tapatio Mexican Family Restaurant, which also has a location in Cranston. My boyfriend's flautas were two chicken and two beef. Again, bland under seasoned meat. Flautas are supposed to be "cigars", meat wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried until crispy. There was barely a millimeter of crispy fried flauta on the ends of his flautas, which were overall just soggy and not cooked. Not to mention they served it over what tasted like a gross store bought melted in the microwave cream cheese? First time I've ever had cream cheese on an "mexican" dish... Made the flautas taste like cheap crab rangoons to be honest. And again, just with rice and lettuce and still on a pricier side. And our margarita made with pineapple juice and a splash of rum? Nothing special. Just tasted like a well mixed yet weak on the alcohol regular margarita. Our nachos took about 20 minutes to come out, but our dishes took quite a while. Neither of us finished our food. Never going back. Will be going to my regular favorites or trying On the Border next time instead. I would have even preferred Taco Bell, because then the product would match the expectations. El Tapatio of North Kingstown, RI, OR Ixtapa of Leominster, MA, OR Anna's Taqueria of Boston OR BUST
(1)
Mary Ann B.
We loved everything about Agaves. The chips and salsa was warm and fresh. The table side guacamole was fun and flavorful. Out of 4 people I was the only one that had a doggy bag....they gobbled everything! Margarita was perfect. I was stuffed so had coffee instead of dessert and was pleasantly surprised to get a beautiful huge cup flavored with a touch of cinnamon. To top it off the service was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. We will be back.
(5)
A. F.
I was all prepared to give this place at least four stars. I was also prepared to talk about how delicious the enchiladas I ordered were, especially the shredded beef and chicken ones. I was prepared to talk about how yummy the guacamole they prepared at our table was. I was prepared to talk about how good, and huge, and fruity the margarita was. I would have mentioned how great the service was from our young waitress. And, I was really excited to talk about the mariachi band that came to our table serenading us with sweet music. Also, the atmosphere was very nice. My problem though, was the fact that not long after eating the food, my stomach started turning. I barely made it into my bathroom, and I will spare the rest of the details. I didn't think about it until afterwards, but my enchiladas were all lukewarm when they came out. The guacamole, along with the tomatoes and onions inside it was also lukewarm, which makes me think the ingredients were left sitting out, rather than being refrigerated. All I can say is that I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. I probably won't be back.
(2)
Joseph S.
2.5 stars.....food was decent, I actually enjoyed the flavor/spices in the fajita dish I shared. Service was slow and drinks went unfilled. Dinner on a Saturday night took about 45 minutes to come to the table. We go a tableside guacamole and were kinda suprised/puzzled when they cut open 2 avocado's and then only put 1 1/2 in out dish putting the other 1/2 on the side? Hosts seemed a bit unorganized, sat us (4 and a baby w/ highchair) at a tiny booth with very little room for people to get by - not terribly smart and totally against the fire code! Prices were a bit on the high side, not many dishes on the menu under $15. I'd probably give it another try but Im not rushing out the door to do so.
(2)
Lindsey T.
My husband and I decided to try Agaves on a Saturday night, hoping for a "Don Pablo's" experience. Unfortunately we were disappointed. On the positive side, we were seated immediately in a bright booth. Drinks were quick to arrive and we were given chips and salsa immediately. The waiter was attentive and cheerful. The food was the downside. I ordered a nacho plate. The chips were burnt, and most of them couldn't be eaten. The toppings were also a bit over cooked. There was an insufficient chip to topping ratio and everything was soggy. The menu stated that cheese would be heaping or generous, but ironically there was very little cheese at all. Definitely not worth the price. Good service can't make up for bad food in my book.
(2)
Michael G.
We were in a little early for dinner. There was a screaming kid in the section near the front when we walked in. If we were seated in that section we would have asked to be moved. We were seated way on the other side of the restraunt which was great. Our waitress was attentive, the food was good. We would go back again.
(4)
Natalia O.
Absolutely the best Mexican restaurant in RI! Great experience, authentic and delicious food! Great place to hang out!
(5)
Foodie F.
This place is bad. They can't even make your order correctly. You order a dish and it comes out completely different then the menu states. They forget things when you order take out. Forget to give you salad dressing. Give you the wrong lettuce. Maybe there is a language barrier, but ya know what...either overcome it or take your restaurant back to Mexico!! This place won't be around long!!
(1)
Sha'Ri R.
I have been twice food wasnt great not even good. I wont go back. According to some reviews it is hit or miss but I have found really good Mexican food and would rather drive past this place.
(1)
Dani G.
NO NO NO. The food tasted as though it had been frozen....for a long time before it was cooked. I will not be dining here again.
(1)
Anna C.
This restaurant gets a bad rap. We went there twice and the service both times was good. The food was good, the table side guac is very fresh and tasty. The servers were very attentive. I would definitely go back again.
(4)
Kristi L.
I had been looking forward to trying Agaves for quite some time and finally made it there last week. What a disappointment! First, we were seated in the far back of the restaurant at an uncomfortably small table for 4 full size adults. Additionally, this back room seemed geared towards people with children who were so loud and obnoxious they were banished to the back. Obviously, we were thrilled to be seated here... Then came the drink orders. I ordered the Agaves Margarita, which tasted eerily similar to Robitussin DM. I barely took a sip before I let it melt before my eyes. There went my $14 drink... Next came our food. Remember that ridiculously small table? Yeah, that didn't really work with 4 entrees, 4 glasses of water, and 4 assorted drinks. We legitimately had to utilize the table next to us, and believe me not much food was actually ordered. I figured by this point, my bad time would be redeemed with some quality Mexican food...and I was wrong. I ordered the Fajita Quesadilla, which was warm at best, and used what I honestly believe to be AMERICAN CHEESE...at a Mexican restaurant?! Yikes. So between my fiancee and myself, our bill came out to about $60 for a mediocre experience. We'll be going back to Mr. Taco's Que Pasa...
(1)
Dave D.
First let me say that I have worked in restaurants for the better part of my life, so my wife thinks I can be excessively rough in critiquing restaurants... However, when my wife, who would say nice things about almost anybody looks at me and says "that was awful" I knew it wasn't just me.... I should have been tipped off that a Saturday night without a wait to get in may have been due to something lacking inside, but we chalked it up to luck. The soda that my wife ordered was devoid of flavor... When I pointed it out to the waitress, I would have expected someone to offer to change the soda canister... Instead, as if it were already known to be a problem, there was nothing she offered other to order something else... Ok that happens, but... The salsa to start was obviously store bought. They may not advertise it as "fresh" but at least make an effort, eh? We grabbed an appetizer of Beef Taquitos supposedly stuffed with corn and beans. Out of six, I counted two kernels of corn, one bean and a lacking taste, not to mention a cheese sauce that was thin (and that is being kind). When the meals came (and they came awfully quick) they lacked so much flavor it was as if the kitchen made an effort to reduce the taste. My chicken burrito was nearly tasteless and the pico de gallo sauce tasted as if a jar of spaghetti sauce was opened and watered down. My wife, who doesn't have the tolerance for hot stuff that I do, ordered the Enchiladas Suizas. The carnitas tasted as if the Pork had been boiled for about 7 and half hours, with nary a spice in sight. I must say that the waitstaff did keep a stiff upper lip and were nothing but attentive. I feel bad when they know the truth and they have to be the front line of disappointed patrons, listening to complaints. It is the reason we did not make a scene there, but I have to say that if this is what the national chain wants and thinks the majority of people think will work here they are sorely mistaken! We will never go back...
(1)
Dana G.
Terrible experience. The food was less than average for Mexican cuisine. My dinner did not even come with a side. Is rice or beans really that expensive? I went with my sister and mother, my sister ordered a vegetarian dish that was essentially lettuce and a tomato slice and a tortilla. My mother liked her dinner just ok after she had to wait an extra ten minutes because the wrong order came to the table the first time. There are many better places around to go to than this one. Don't waste your time.
(1)
Erica L.
My boyfriend and I tried this place when it first opened and we were both underwhelmed. I was excited about a new mexican place but unfortunately this is not it. It could be because we went when they first opened but there were way too many employees there. They were all young people, flirting and socializing with each other, right around the customers. Our waitress was not very friendly, did not seem to enjoy herself very much. The food was also just so-so. I'd probably go back here just to see if it's changed since it's opening week. But if it hasnt, i wouldnt recommend this place.
(2)
Tony S.
I came to this restaurant and had a birthday dinner for my girlfriend and her family. We started off being seated and was glad it was not packed at all. Had a party of 7 and waitress asked for our drink orders. The problem is we had a very long wait to get our food it took about 45 mins to an hour. Waitress never came back to check on us. She never asked how our food was or anything. I am giving the food about 3 stars my steak burrito was ok the steak was very dry. So after we all finished our meal we waited about another half an hour to see our waitress. So I bought a cake for my girlfriend to have, and a couple of the employees came to sing and wish her a happy birthday. Stupid waitress forgot to bring plates and forks. We had find someone to ask for them. So she finally brought them after 10 mins, which was when she finally cleared our table. Mind you it was on a week day and there was only 2 tables around us so it wasn't busy. So when we were done after having the cake I had to get up and grab myself some leftover boxes at a near by station. Seriously I have are at many places and this was the worse service I have ever have. The waitresses name was MARIA on our receipt. I have ate there in the past with good service but do not have Maria as your waitress. We were there for over 3 hours because of the terrible service by her on a non busy day. I'm sure our experience would have been better if we had someone else but I don't think I would go back anymore after that terrible experience.
(2)
John M.
Terrible. Bad manager with zero customer service skills. If he treats everyone the way he treated me I have no idea how they are still in business. Lousy food and service. Will never go back. Much better places to go for Mexican food in RI. Don't waste your money.
(1)
Ronda F.
the service was good. everyone was polite and attentive. The food was just ok and not worth the price of the food. It was lunch time portions for dinne pricing. The salsa was from a jar. I had the Chilli Rellanos with Mole sauce which were pretty good. the beans were watered down and didn't have much flavor. My husband had a burrito and he said it was just ok. Since there aren't many mexican places to eat around here I will probably go back when I have a craving.
(2)
Andrew F.
Service is a bit slow at times ... I'll give the haters that. But, as far as food is concerned ... compared to most of the Mexican/Tex-Mex places you've got in Rhode Island, Agave's is MUCH better. Take it from someone who lived in Dallas, Texas. I know Mexican/Tex-Mex food. I know it very well. I'm not sure why there's so much hate ... probably some of the same people who rate Tito's Cantina (Newport, RI) a 5 star Mexican restaurant lol. EDIT: Those of you from the South/Southwest who happen to be in this area ... If you're looking for Tex-Mex/Mexican, you really won't find too much better than Agave's. There are a few hidden gems in Providence, but that's about it.
(4)
Cristina H.
My husband loves Mexican and we just moved to the area so we decided to give this a shot. We will never go back. Pros: Atmosphere - they have a pretty decent bar area and when we arrived they had a Mariachi band playing some live music. Cons: Chips & Salsa - I don't know how a Mexican restaurant can go wrong with this, but the salsa was terrible. The waitress greets you with this so you would expect the first experience you have with food at the restaurant to be a decent one... maybe a nice "this is what you can expect here," type of thing. We should have left right then and there. For a place that claims to be an authentic Mexican restaurant, the salsa was clearly not made in-house and was definitely some awful generic brand. Dinner - I order Chicken Fajitas and my husband ordered a combination plate with a tamale, enchilada, and a burrito. My Fajitas were OK - nothing to rave about and I could certainly make the same at home. My husband's food on the other hand... he hated everything. The tamale, the enchilada, the burrito - flavorless and something you would expect at On the Border or some other chain restaurant. The refried beans? Disgusting. He took one bite and didn't have another. Drinks - They do have a wide variety of tequilas you can choose from which was a plus. We decided to order a margarita pitcher. We might as well have ordered Lemonade. We barely tasted any tequila - awful and for what they charged us for the pitcher, crazy! I would not recommend going here. For what it cost you could certainly get better tasting food anywhere else.
(2)
Patrick F.
The atmosphere was elegantly cozy. I didn't get a chance to try the drink menu as I was on a tight budget. Amazing salsa, moderate prices, I recommend the chicken tamale. Great place for a casual / semi-formal occasion.
(4)
Kimberly M.
I have tried this place twice now to give it a chance. I went when they first opened and did not like the food. I decided to try again with a take out order last week. I ordered Steak Fajitas and I was given steak and chicken fajitas that were over cooked and extremely dry. The tortilla was delicious and is the only reason I gave one star. The nachos were very skimpy and cold. My boyfriend got an Enchiladas that he did not like. The inside was ice cold. He had yucca fries with his and they were half cooked and he maybe had 6 fries. Even though I have a groupon I bought for them, I will not go back.
(1)
Joe C.
Prices are low, but there is a reason. Food and drinks are so-so. Not much flavor to the food. Drinks were watered down and extra heavy glasses to make you think there is more. Won't be returning.
(2)
William J.
Recently my wife and I were looking for a new Mexican restaurant in the area and checked yelp. We read the reviews for Agaves and were not impressed since the reviews of the food seemed to be both good and bad but more concerning were the reviews about the service. While doing errands in the area we decided to try Agaves so that we could decide for ourselves. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice hostess who promptly seated us in the dining room. There were not that many other diners present. She gave us menus but no drink menus. She said our server would be right with us and left. The menu seemed interesting, but unfortunately we never had a chance to order since we waiting for more than 15 minutes and no one came to our table, or any of the other tables in the dining area for that matter. My wife and I decided to leave since if the service was so bad that no one could be bothered to at least take a drink order, we feared getting our food would be a nightmare. As we were leaving we saw the hostess again and she asked us if anyone had come to our table yet and we said no. She seemed upset about no one coming to our table but remained pleasant. A note to the restaurant, people have their own opinions one way or the other about the food you serve and many people will still try the place out and judge for themselves but when service is an issue, my wife and I like many others will just avoid your restaurant in the future.
(1)
Mathew J.
Large drinks, reasonable prices, mediocre food. The free chips and salsa (really good salsa) are a nice surprise and the extra tall drinks are more than welcomed. But the food is just OK at best and the place is usually under staffed. Even with those major short comings is still find myself back every few months.
(3)
Meaghan K.
Wow I've had mediocre Mexican food before but this is the worst. The food isnt the only thing that is terrible. I decided to try this out only because of one of those Groupons/LivingSocial things, sometimes those things are telling of why the restaurant needs this kind of promotional deal. My mom decided to come and be the guinea pig with me, it was a Saturday night so we decided to get there a little early so hopefully we wouldn't have to wait too long. We still waited over an hour. When seated there were tons of empty tables so we assumed the kitchen must be slow or overwhelmed. We ordered Margaritas which were weak and tasteless. We ordered guacamole which was okay. For dinner we both ordered enchiladas just two different types. They both were awful. The sauce was flavorless and the whole dish was cold. It was the first time I had a meal I didn't like so much that I didn't even really eat it. And I was hungry. The server was slow and not really friendly or responsive. All in all I won't be back and I'm surprised it's still open. So many better Mexican places why suffer.
(2)
Terry M.
I don't want to harp on everything that the others who reviewed this said, but they are, for the most part, right. The service is generally good - we had a very personable kid who did everything right (despite the circumstances). He is what gets the two stars. We've been twice. The first time, the salsa tasted very tomato-ey and with no spice whatsoever. The second time, it was spicier, but it still had no substance - sort of like bottled taco sauce with a little bit of herb thrown in. It really isn't that hard to make your own salsa and if you're a restaurant - you should make the effort!! Also - keep the TV's at the bar - I generally don't like the idea of TV's in the main dining area as that's not the real reason we go out?? The food came out with lightning speed (a little scary for me) but it didn't taste real bad and it was edible (duh - it's a restaurant!!). My wife's tamales were way over-breaded, but the inside was good (although the cheese sauce was 'goopy' and didn't really look like cheese sauce). My BIGGEST contention with this restaurant only really applies to beer drinkers. They have two sizes of draft beer (limited selection) and they are a 12 ounce and a 34 ounce. Where is the middle ground? A twelve ounce is too small for a big mexican meal and a 34 ounce is just plain revolting! I tried this both times and I was unable to finish the beer either time. This is very mainstream pseudo-mexican and would not really recommend it to anyone who has ever eaten Mexican cooking before. Sorry guys, but you need to step up the game if you expect to outlast the 99 restaurant that was there before you! I predict that this will close in the next year! (Where's Gordon Ramsey?)
(2)
Joyce L.
My daughter and I have had lunch here a couple of times and were very happy with our meals, and service. They were very accommodating.
(5)
Scott L.
My friend recommended that we try this place when I said that I had a hankering for Mexican food, and I've already made the rounds around Providence a few times (reviews forthcoming). As soon as he said it was on Route 2 I thought "Uh Oh" and as soon as he said it was where the 99 used to be, I thought "Oh $%&" but I'm open minded so I decided to try it. The service wasn't bad, we were seated promptly and we didn't wait very long for our food or drinks. The food however, was kinda shoddy. The chips and salsa they give you when you sit down was pretty good, but the actual dinner was not good, and we all agreed. As I was eating my beef burrito I was thoroughly unimpressed, and eventually realized that it tasted EXACTLY like something Chef Boyardi would've made. The beef and the sauce. Totally not good. The Chicken burrito wasn't much better. I think anyone who thinks that this is THE BEST MEXICAN RESTURANT ever, has only ever experienced Taco Bell, or Chipotle. Don't bother with this place, take the extra 10 minute trip to Providence (if you live in Warwick) and go to one of the many authentic Mexican restaurants around the city. I don't see this place lasting more than a year.
(2)
Sandra E.
I had the fish taco. Yep, just a piece of fish in a taco. Nothing else but a side of black beans and some salsa. I wondered if maybe the cook just forgot some ingredients. Very bland and very disappointed.
(1)
Holly S.
Finally a descent Mexican joint in New England! Ever since I moved to the New England area from El Paso, TX. I have never found any half way descent Mexican food, until now.
(5)
Louise E.
Well, I don't really know where to start. I really like Agaves, and it is certainly my top mexican restaurant in RI. I'm from GA where we have several restaurants like this in every town, and I was severely displeased when I moved to RI and couldn't find anything like this. So, I was overjoyed when Agaves opened. The food is priced right, the queso dip is very delicious, the chips and salsa are satisfying (I need to mention that the chips are just right- not too salty, not too thin, not too greasy), the chimis, soft tacos, and quesadillas are all superb. As someone else mentioned, a 34 oz beer is a steal! The portions are large and meals are served with mexican rice and refried beans. So, that said, Agaves certainly has its problems. The service tends to be noticeably slow and maybe 60% of the time servers don't know what they're talking about. I ordered a queso dip (appetizer) once and the guy brought me a teeny serving because he thought I meant a side of queso (I had only ordered drinks at this point). I had a server ask if I wanted stewed or grilled chicken in my quesadilla, I said grilled, and I was charged an extra $2 because grilled costs more even though it's not listed as such on the menu and the server failed to notify me of that (I didn't have to pay the extra $2 for those reasons). I've never had a server keep my water glass or chip basket filled. I do have to mention that on one trip, both the queso and my bf and my food came out cold. Even though the service is poor, I keep going back, and often. I just don't have another choice because the only other restaurant remotely similar is too far away, and Agaves is only down the road from me. I know what I'm getting into when I go, and honestly, the food is so good that I'll keep going back.
(3)
Dawn C.
The decor of this restaurant was beautiful, and the service was very good. Unfortunately, there was no food made fresh. The slime of the veggies used in my quesadilla made it inedible. It was a shame, because the atmosphere of Agave's made me really want to like it.
(1)
Kim S.
I was really disappointed in Agaves. I expected an amazing authentic Mexican meal, and I would've thought I was at On the Border, actually I would've preferred that I was at On the Border. I don't think I will be visiting this establishment again.
(2)
Kevin D.
I'm actually writing this after four different experiences at Agaves over the last few months. My day is complete when I can swing by and partake of a 46-ounce cranberry twist margarita (or two). I've never had the same server twice, but whoever it was at the time took good care of us. When I find a good thing, I tend to stick with it, so for me the tequila shrimp tacos with avacado hit the mark. Comes with black beans, cucumber salad and rice. Follow that up with churros with chocolate and/or strawberry dipping sauces, and I'm good to go. I can't back up other reviewers' claims of food tasting like it was frozen or came from a bulk container, because that hasn't been my experience. I've been there for both lunch and dinner - wait has never been an issue for either seating or getting my order on time. For what it's worth, this is one of my new favorite casual restaurants, and my friends that have dined with me have said they enjoyed their meals as well.
(4)
Chan S.
Horrible customer relations shown by Robert Leon,one of the owners! Went to use our Groupon on a double date. Asked the waitress if it was ok to use the coupons for one table since we were getting separate checks. Everything was agreed and ok'ed upon. The drinks and food were mediocre. The table-side guacamole was an embarrassment, totally bland. I can make a killer one at home. Anyhow, dinner service was fine until we got our checks. A man came to our table and told us we could not use both coupons, granted the Groupon does state "only one coupon per table," which was why we asked for the ground rules before dinner started. So I explained to this man that the waitress said everything was ok'ed. He proceeds to tell me that the waitress was wrong and that he'll have to talk to her about this. Then I ask him who he was and he states he is the owner, Robert Leon. I asked him if he could disregard the matter and honor the earlier agreement the waitress stated to us. He proceeds to pull out the coupon and asks me to read the fine print, uncouth SOB he is. I state to him I am more than capable of reading. I told him that his attitude will sour our dining experience if he insists on reneging on the agreement. I asked him if he was concerned with losing us as future customers and he said he was not concerned at all. He kept asking how we would like to pay for the remaining $30. I said to him, please, take my card and charge $30 to it if you need it that badly. I told him it was not the money that was the issue, it was how he was handling the situation. It took an extra 15 minutes before the bill was taken care of because he couldn't figure out how to charge the $30 and if he should combine bills or what not. At this point I was already fuming and I asked him why is it taking so long to do a simple transaction. Suffice to say, our waitress comes with the final receipt rather than he himself. I would have loved to have a final conversation with him, but this Robert Leon is classless. Not once did were we rude to him, not once did any of us raise our tone. He treated us as if we were a nuisance. If there is a problem between the staff, keep it amongst yourselves and do not involve the patrons, e.g. us! We were not looking to take advantage of the establishment. We went there fully intending to have a good night out and to tip well since we had a good deal. Well, Agaves, if this person is at the foundation of your restaurant, you are screwed. You are in a business to cater to the public and at that you failed miserably. Yeah, we still have the other Groupon you said we could use next time; no thanks! I'd rather lose that money than dine at your establishment.
(1)
Mike D.
why are most of the reviews filtered?
(5)
suzanne l.
We went on a Saturday night at 6:45. We got right in, that tells me something. The margaritas were okay. I got steak fajitas and they had absolutley no flavor. My husband got the shrimp tacos and it was a major disapointment. The service was excellent. Our server was really good and right on top of our drink orders.
(2)
Dr. H.
Not sure why all the negative reviews...but as southern californians new to RI(who KNOW good hispanic food)....FINALLY some good mexican food!!!! THANK YOU AGAVES!!!! We'll be back! YUM!
(4)
Ronnie G.
This place is huge, cheaply (and sparsely) decorated, and destined to bomb. We (five of us) ate on their first Friday night (the reason the waitress used to explain the delays). My guess was 60% capacity, but they were hopelessly overwhelmed in the kitchen/bar. Drinks were watery and took an age to arrive (but mercifully came before the dinner so we could sip and wait...) All around us, we could hear the customers complaining, and we waited 75 minutes for our dinner to arrive... cold for some of us. Our conclusion? Don't bother. Go across the road, be instantly served, and bring it home - it'll be quicker, better, warmer, cheaper; and unless you live in a mustard-colored warehouse with tiled floors, you'll eat in more pleasant surroundings!
(1)
Bruno T.
it was ok nothing to be crazy about.
(2)
Jason L.
Here's the thing..."fine" is the best word to describe Agaves. Except for the service, which was prompt and pleasant, the food, drinks, kitchen speed, setting were all just fine. I was very much looking forward to the mole enchiladas, but even they were just fine with slightly dry chicken and not much sauce. If you're in the mood for authentic Mexican food, you might want to try elsewhere. If you're looking for Americanized Tex-Mex at a fine price, this could be your place.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Deholmys R.
I first noticed this restaurant about a month ago when I was going to Denny's with a friend. I can't even remember what was there before but last week my boyfriend and i were driving down Quaker Lane and decided to give it a try since it was a Mexican restaurant. I mean who doesn't love Mexican food? When we first walked in we got a glance of some of the tables and we thought this restaurant was pretty small but when the Host started to walk us towards the back I thought WOW. The decor and design of the restaurant is beautiful. It feels like you're in a nice restaurant in Mexico. There's TV's everywhere and there is a huge bar in the middle of the restaurant. The menu is filled with so many choices I couldn't decide what to get. We ordered Pina Coladas and definitely got our money's worth. I actually ended up getting a strawberry and mango colada and my boyfriend got the pina. The downside was that they were $13 each which is ALOT but they were HUGE and we could definitely taste the alcohol. I ordered the Chicken and Beef Enchiladas and it was amazing with just the right amount of enchilada sauce and lots of cheese My boyfriend ordered the Steak and Cheese burrito which came with a side of Mexican rice and a corn tortilla shell filled with beans and cheese on top andI ended up liking his food better than mine! The waitress was very good with serving us. She didn't come every 2 minutes to ask if we needed anything, which is something I hate, but she gave us enough time to look over the menu and delivered the food to us in about 10-15 minutes. Near the entrance of the restaurant there are different specials almost every day of the week. I forgot what each day is but I'll definitely be coming down here with my roommates to grab a couple of drinks and food
(4)Christopher W.
Just arrived here for a local regatta and needed a quick, healthy meal for the tired sailors w vegan options for me. Nice menu with options for all. Fast & courteous, and healthy too.
(4)Leo T.
I went here for a birthday event and it was alright.... as we sit at our tables they give us chips and salsa as an appetizer ..awesome. .. then i seen they have hugee margaritas it starts off around 13 dollars and can go up to like 90 depending what type of tequila you prefered...the margarita was really lacking alcohol. .. all i tasted was the sour mix with no bite from the tequila...i questioned thinking it was probably a virgin margarita lol .... ..moving along i ordered this unique entrée and it was very very good the presentation was amazing i forgot the name of the dish but it was served on a lava rock and in the lava rock it had .. steak .. chicken ..shrimp ..jalapeño. .and cheese with red sauce in the middle....everyone was impressed by my dish ... but this place is boarder line of almost tasting like a chilis or applebees only because its franchised ..
(4)Chelsea P.
Second time in a week because this place is fabulous! They have the best chips and salsa, which is complimentary. The first visit I had carne asada nachos which were amazing, while my friend had a quesadilla and the guacamole. Delicious. We both had alcoholic drinks, me a horchata martini, and her a watermelon margarita. On this visit I am enjoying a massive watermelon margarita and the jicama salad. Delicious once again, and the service is outstanding! Thanks Manny!!
(5)Summer B.
Came here after picking my mom up from the airport for a late lunch. The place was pretty empty as expected at 2:30ish but there is something a bit rundown about the outside of the building. The fake agave plant in front of where we parked was broken and there was a coiled hose out in an untidy fashion... This was about the time I tried to pull up Yelp on my phone but my internet kept timing out so I gave up. We got complimentary chips and salsa and our drink orders in. The chips were warm and slightly thick but weren't anything special. The salsa was VERY VERY MILD and watery. Overall just Ok. My mother ordered a Chicken Chimichanga and I ordered a Ground Beef Chimichanga. The order was brought out pretty quick. By this time I finally got the internet to load and I read a review talking about guac made at the table and so when they offered sour cream or guac I asked for it. It would have been nice if they told me they would be adding like $3 to the bill for it and it wasn't made at the table and wasn't very good. Reminded me a bit of my grams vinegar tomatoes and avocado. I thought it was a little weird that they serve the chimis already cut...and it was even more strange when the plate was super hot but the rice and chimis had cold spots. The water I had was decent and so were the refried beans. The rice was super bland bland bland though and like I said barely warmed all the way through. The chicken chimi was also bland and just wasn't very good. I nearly dropped my my fork when mom told the server it was good. She said she knew it wasn't his fault after he left and I could only shake my head. My ground beef chimi was WAY better and more flavorful. It tasted like an awesome taco (so not really all that chimi like but fairly tastey) even if the out side wasn't very crisp. For $13 a plate I was really disappointed in my experience and wanted to apologize to my mother who picked up the bill. A random episode of Kitchen Nightmares makes me think they might microwave parts of the meal or something. Totally not worth the price. PASS.
(2)Kammy M.
I am a huge Mexican Food fan. My family however isn't so I usually only get to go out once a year on my birthday. This year we decided to try Agaves. I am so glad we decided to go to Agaves instead of On The Border. There were 5 of us dining on a Sunday aroundj 2pm. There was no wait and we were taken directly to our seats. Of course chips and salsa came immediately after. They were very good. Loved the salsa! I loved my chicken fajitas. Believe it or not I rarely order fajitas because it also seems like most places use it like a throw away item. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The veggies were tasty and loved the tortillas. My husband got the shrimp fajitas and that was great as well. The chicken burrito, chicken quesadilla and the spinach enchiladas that were ordered by other members of the family were good as well. Everyone was very happy and full as they left. If you are looking for good Mexican food and are tired of the chains I would highly suggest Agves.
(4)M P.
Nice interior but sub-par mexican food. The cooking seems fine but nothing special for the price. One major problem is saltiness of the food. We tried three dishes, appetizer and two entrees, and all were so heavily salted it was hard to get past that and actually taste the food. We came back a second time, to give it a chance, asked for no added salt to our dishes and still were gulping down glasses of water. While the interior is nice and the menu has a good amount of choices, the extremely salty food and lackluster mexican cuisine mean there will be no third visit.
(2)Brian O.
Great authentic Mexican cuisine, I love everything about agaves, everything is cooked just like at home, nothing frozen or canned. Beers are always ice cold and the house margarita is great
(4)MaryEllen C.
Been here many times. Food is consistent. Service great. Only complaint is, prices have gone way up over the last year. Sorry to say, won't be back. Husband and I had 2 glasses wine , fajitas and burrito, 75.00 with tip. Little steep for Mexican. Obviously business is not good. On a recent Friday night at 7pm place wasn't half full. Too bad. Really liked this place.
(3)Kavya V.
Have been here 3 times already in less than a month... Perfect Mexican food... Yummy and affordable..
(4)Jon A.
After reading the reviews of all the Mexican restaurants in the area none of them really stood out; after being able to review some of their menus online this was the only one that had CARNITAS dinner (not tacos) listed, hence I picked it. Well was not disappointed. Giving it a low 4 rating, that's a low 4 NY rating where we know REAL authentic Mexican food. No TexMex! For starters they carry Victoria; NO REAL Mexican restaurant should be without assuming its available in your state. Next came the chips and salsa. The chips were ok, however, the salsa had a funny taste to it, almost ketchupy like and lacked chilantro. This was the only part of the meal I did not like. On the menu only black beans are listed which while I eat them are not my favorite. But no worries they also have the red ones, hence ordering my frioles with my carnita dinner was no problem. The carnitas were ok not dry at all could have used a little more seasoning. They came with 3 tortillas de maiz which is less then the usual 4 tortillas most Mexican restaurants provide. In general the portion size I felt was a little smaller then most other Mexican restaurants have served me when I order Carnitas dinner. They have various happy hour specials but I got there after 6pm so missed them. 1/2 prize assorted appetizers before 6pm would have been nice; have to make sure next time I get there before 6 :) Overall a pleasant dining experience with nice friendly service; certainly would eat here again.
(4)Don A.
OK, I've been back a couple more times and they have definitely gotten better. I had a dish they called "molcajete" a few days ago and it was really good. A bit of steak, and bit of chicken, and a few shrimp, served in a hot molcajete with a peppery sauce. Mi esposa had carnitas which was also tasty. Our sever Monica was friendly and efficient. If they'd just stop pushing those noisy carts around during dinner...
(3)Stephanie W.
My kids got the kid's meal hamburger and fries. The buns were super stale and my oldest refused to eat his. I got a mediocre veggie burrito. Waiter forgot to bring the salsa I asked for. I have been here before and it was much better. Portions were small. Big disappointment. Lovely decor. Hope it as just an off night.
(2)Megan G.
If you are looking for tasty Mexican food with great margaritas, look no further. This place has a very diverse margarita list and excellent chips and salsa to munch on while you wait (briefly) for your entrees. I had the Jalapeño margarita, and it was exactly what you'd expect in a spicy margarita. It was so full it would have easily sloshed out of the huge glass it was served in, and one is enough to get a slight buzz on. We also had a side of guacamole to go with our chips, but they have an option for table side guac if you want more of a customized dip. (The side dish was perfect for two people, and had a great balance of flavors, so I don't see a reason to pay extra for table side.) I had the fish tacos, fried, and they were great. The avocado dressing that comes to put on top was so AMAZING, I smothered them in it. Rice and beans were awesome too. My companion had the chimichanga and devoured it. Overall an excellent spot to satisfy your Mexican food cravings.
(5)Adjoa A.
Such a wonderful surprise. Food was hot, fresh and delicious. The staff was very friendly and personable so I will definitely be going back. It was pretty empty when I went which is a shame. I had the fajita trio, so good!
(5)Scott C.
I guess haters gonna hate, but I enjoyed my experience here. The draft selection was decent and the mug was huge (34 oz.) and fairly priced. You got chips and salsa that were quickly restocked if you were like us and housed them in a matter of minutes. The food came out quickly, I got one of the burritos and I was very satisfied with the flavor as well as the size, although I felt unbelievably full after. On top of this, the server was personable and attentive. The place is also nicely decorated and deceivingly huge, when we went to sit down I felt like it went on forever. I would disagree with many of the 2 star reviews, all aspects of my visit were great and exceeded my expectations. I would have no problem coming back here again!
(4)Kate W.
Good food, nice and friendly employees, love the chips and salsa as you sit down. Keep in mind there could be some slow going on busier weekend nights even in terms of just getting there (route 2 can become very congested especially around the holidays). A nice place to stop for lunch on a shopping day, though!
(4)Jairo P.
We took our daughter to celebrate her B-day and the waiter forgot to place her food order. We had to wait almost 15 minutes after our food was served for my daughter's food to be served. There was no opology from the manager only from the waiter. The food portions are very small and $$$. I will not return to this unfriendly place with no Customer Service Skills.
(1)K J.
This is a family-owned independent restaurant. The service was great- thanks, Manny! The margaritas were yummy, and the food was delicious. My husband had the Chori Pollo- spicy chicken with pineapple, and I had the enchilada platter. Both dishes tasted more authentic than the usual chain restaurants. The restaurant was quiet and has a fun Mexican-village atmosphere. A nice place for a date!
(4)Molly O.
Delicious! Chips and salsa first thing. Big glasses of water which is a MUST. Our food was basic Mexican deliciousness. But what set this place apart was the live Mariachi Band! It was 3 guys that come to your table and play fun upbeat music. It made the meal an experience. Back to the food. I had chicken enchiladas. I got to customize the sauce which I liked. The food was presented in a decorative manor and with large portions. You'll leave with a smile on your face and a fully belly.
(4)Jonathan C.
This is my second time here and the first time I came it was great but I didn't have a yelp account. Let me start by saying you get hot delicious corn tortillas served with the house salsa, very flavorful but not chunky, a little on the runny side. This time for the entree I had the Pescado Veracruz which is a decent piece of tilapia or white fish cooked with an arbohl sauce on a bed of cilantro white rice served with black beans and 2 slices of avocado. The sauce is very fragrant and it definitely has a kick. The fish really absorbed the flavors, it was a little on the drier side but it didn't lack moisture. It also came with a side of warm handmade flour tortillas and made to order! Soft, warm, chewy, delicious tortillas where the perfect compliment to this dish. The decor is very Mexican, Incan, Aztec, Mayan chic. They have a very well stocked bar as well, I didn't have a drink this time. Overall very pleased with the food, the ambiance and our waitress Stephanie was very knowledgeable and eager to help.
(4)Rob D.
Awesome!!! Food is authentic and delicious. Great service and atmosphere. Our favorite Mexican restaurant.
(5)Teresa H.
Had lunch here today, service was great! Food was good, nothing crazy but not bad. It's hard to mess up fajitas. ;) the salsa was good not great, cheese dip was good. Chips were warm and fresh. The waitress at the bar (sat at a high top in bar area) did an awesome job. Our food and drinks were prompt and she was there when we needed something. Will definitely return.
(4)Josh G.
First time I went was horrible. Hair on plate, ordered a chicken and cheese quesadilla, it was a small tortilla with nothing but cheese. For 12$, asked for tacos with no onions, they cut up a whole onion on my tacos. Thanks for the generosity, but i didn't want them. Only reason I went back was because the manager gave me a gift certificate. Went back a second time, sucked equally the foood was awful and over priced for the quality. The dollar to quality ratio was incorrect, drive 1/2 mile down the road and go to Taco Bell, you'll at least get what you pay for.
(2)Vima M.
This is our go-to restaurant when we are looking to fill our bellies and not break the bank. It is authentic enough to be considered Mexican, although it is slightly americanized. Their margaritas are delicious. Last time I had the cucumber basil one, which was amazing, even for me that hates cucumbers. The food is always delicious although don't be surprised if you miss an ingredient on your order, it happens sometimes. The molcajete is out of this world. ITs brought up in a lava stone bowl thing, and some tortillas on the side (the good kind of soft corn tortillas!). Also good to try: their mole, on top of enchiladas de la casa, and their tamale. Things to avoid: yucca fries... they are not fries, they are a hockey puck. All in all, great food, good ambiance, and great (non mexican) music.
(4)Mel S.
I think all these people reviewing are ridiculous. This place is awesome. Me and my AUTHENTIC MEXICAN/PUERTO RICAN friend (lol, yes had to throw this in there) went and even she loved it. Our waiter spoke spanish, and made her feel right at home. I had enchiladas with rice and beans and a side dish of sour cream/tomatoes/guacamole and it was delish. I don't get all the complaints, everything I had was fresh and yummy. If you are on here looking at reviews to decide whether or not you should come eat here don't listen to all these goobers. Keep in mind that most people who leave reviews on the internet only do so when they want to complain. Most of the people who had a great meal will just talk amongst friends and word will spread through word of mouth. Definitely give it a try! :D
(5)Holly L.
I've been here twice and just wasn't wowed. The first time I tried a chimichanga($12.50), eh it was ok not completely stuffed either. The rice and beans are run of the mill. My boyfriend had the Seafood Enchiladas( $11.99) stuffed with imitation crab meat and a couple shrimp, he wasn't impressed. The second time I came I was with a friend I tried the carne asada torta with yuca fries ($9.99). It was literally served with four and a half yuca fries! I slightly laughed when the waiter set down my plate. They were long yuca fries but still yuca isn't an expensive root. My torta was crunchy and the meat was good but it was lacking the bean part, there was a slight brown color on the top of the bun but tortas are supposed to have a layer of mashed beans. My friend got the Enchiladas Rancheras ($9.99) which was a sample platter of five enchiladas with assorted stuffing, that portions were not lacking on this dish. (I don't believe this dish comes with rice and beans) The wait staff is usually pretty attentive, always had a full water. The margaritas are really good and pretty cheap. I wouldn't come back for the food but I might stop back in for a cold drink.
(2)Ashley L.
Meh it was okay. Honestly I am not a Mexican food fan. We came here at my husbands request because it was his birthday and he loves Mexican food. He also agreed it was just okay. The highlight was the guacamole they make fresh table side. I normally never eat guacamole but I tried it and it was actually pretty good. The decor of the restaurant is nice, that was my other favorite part. They have some good deals during the week (ie draft beer specials, margarita specials, etc) our service was okay, I was wondering if it would have killed our waitress to smile, at least once? She seemed pretty miserable, but still was attentive. The food meh, I had a belly ache all day the day after, I'm guessing the food may have had something to do with it. Would I go here again? If my husband requests, possibly, otherwise no.
(3)Mark V.
Atmosphere is good. Guacamole wasn't bad, but it needed a little bit more tomatoes, jalepenos, and lime juice. The potato tacos were great! Their house salsa was ok. There special hot salsa was great. The house Margarita on the rocks was weak. I will give this place one more try before placing a final judgement. I would have given this place a three, but I ended up getting up to look for the waiter because he never came back after bringing our food.
(2)Joe P.
Ok... disregard the negative reviews. My wife and I have this place in our weekly dinner rotation. Never had a bad meal, bad service, or a bad experience. Our initial thoughts about Agave' s were reinforced when we actually had a real -live Mexican visiting us. .. and we decided to take her there. She thought the place and food was great. Pepsi challenged passed.... period end! Go there!
(4)Richard D.
Not sure about the less than positive reviews, but this place has been great! Been a few times and love it more every time. Love the tableside guacamole. So fresh and yummy. I highly recommend this place if you like mexican. Price is right and location is very convenient!
(5)Tam H.
The best All-You-Can-Eat lunch buffet for $8.99!!! They had a variety of chicken, carnitas and ground beef you can make into hard tacos, soft tacos and tostada. They have enchiladas, quesadilla, mini chimichanga, mini burritos, soup, rice, beans and few other veggie stuff. The salsa bar had a good variety and everything was sooooo tasty. I'm from CA and we know our Mexican food. This is the real deal. You can definitely taste the "homemade" robust flavor in every dish. The lunch time was busy at all and there's plenty of seating. Love the bathroom decor. The entire restaurant was decked in it's culture and smelled so lovely when entering. Love the place so much, been here twice in one week! Will be back again when I come back into RI.
(5)Nu I.
Pretty good Mexican at a very fair price. Deff Americanized though. I really enjoy the guacamole being made right at the table. It's a nice little touch, and its entertaining. I always ask for extra lime. :-) I'm a little bit of a guacamole enthusiast and this place gets an A+. The atmosphere is beautiful, always very clean. There never seems to be much of a crowd though which is very shocking to me because the restaurant is on the bigger side. I usually order enchiladas suzias, but they also have this smoked pork dish prepared and server in half a pineapple! Deff worth a try. My husband has a legume allergy and they are always able to accommodate him. No beans please :-) 4 stars because the food is good, but not to die for. Also, there always seems to be an abundance of staff walking around or just sitting around. I grew up in a restaurant, so I can be extra critical when it comes to that.. Go do some side work :-)
(4)Jessika J.
This was a spur of the moment decision. I was alone and was greeted promptly. Almost immediately after being seated Hope greeted me and took my drink order and poured salsa and chips were provided. I had just enough time to post an Instagram shot and my food was ready. Being from Texas it's really hard to get and find great Mexican food up here. It didn't make me want to return with the family but the service was on point. Also going through a rough moment in my life and found it strange my waitress was named Hope! Coincidence? Maybe.
(4)Robyn F.
This place was surprisingly fantastic. I went here with extremely low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by a lovely atmosphere, fresh food, and some salsa that was to die for. The only issues I had was that the staff didn't quite grasp that you should never sit a couple by an active toddler--or in a room with loud children when your restaurant fits tons of people. If the restaurant was full, and far smaller I'd be a bit more understanding. Other than that, great time.
(4)Chanceny K.
Just had the chicken tacos for lunch and they were amazing! Of course it's take out so it's not as good as going in and eating it very and warm. I would not mind ordering this again. Told the sales team in Balise (current job) that we need to order this AGAIN SOON! Also do you guys have catering?
(4)Stefan G.
Really great service, delicious food at fair prices. My wife and I went for lunch and couldn't have been more pleased. Can't ask for much more than that! I remember it getting pretty busy as night and on weekends, but everything I said above still applies, just with some expected wait due to the business. Highly recommended!
(5)Samantha V.
Always a pleasure visting Agave! The food is always fresh, flavorful and authentic. I had my go to which was Carne Asada, tender, juicy and the might have the best refried beans I have ever tasted. I also endulged in there LARGE (yes 32 oz.) Margarita bowl. Let's just say one is enough. Overall, I was very happy and full!
(5)Norm G.
Disappointed. Had the Carne Asadas [sp?], the trio dip and ordered a child's quesadilla. The Quesadilla was basically a grilled cheese substituting a flour tortilla for bread. The dip and main entree were vey bland and the meat was stringy and tough. This was our 2nd try. Will not return. Basic thoughts: very fatty, not very tasty, and not great starting ingedients. It's a sad thing when the free tortilla chips and salsa are the best item served. Giving 2 stars because the service was good, very polite and friendly.
(2)Kurt W.
Mexican places come and go but this place is above your standard Mexican restaurants. They have normal menu items but they have very unique dishes. I had the pork cooked in an actual pineapple with mango. The wife had pork and onions wrapped in a banana leaf..... see not your standard Mexican place. They also make guacamole right at the table for you from avocado to finish. Give it a try, you will like it. Branch out and try something new. Tell people about this place, it needs to become more well known.
(5)Steven And Nicole G.
Been here several times and we are kinda shocked about the low rating. We always get shredded chicken nachos and are never disappointed. Honestly, we have ordered the nachos about 15 times...delicious! I also have had the grilled fish tacos with spicy guacamole sauce about 6 times, so obviously I'm a fan of those as well. Flan and the seafood enchiladas also great. We go here regularly and will continue to do so. ALSO, we came on a weekend and there was no kidding 30 people waiting, it's that popular.
(4)Donna D.
we enjoy coming to agaves as the food is good and the service is quick. last night I ordered a "large" house margarita...it was ok, rather watered down, of course filled with ice cubes. When we got the bill, it stated the margarita was a "46 oz" drink ($13)...NO WAY was this 46 oz...which would have been nearly 4 of my husband's beer bottle...I don't believe the margarita glass would even hold 46 oz of fluid...probably less than 2 of my husband's 12 oz beer bottle. We questioned the waiter, but he stated "yes, that's a large drink". Had it been listed on the bill as just a "large" margarita, I probably would not have questioned it...but this was not the case. This was disappointing to us and seemed rather deceptive.
(3)Shilpa K.
Fantastic food, fantastic ambience! The staff was courteous and attentive. The guacamole made table side was delicious
(5)Jackie M.
we came to this area to go to dennys and spotted agave as we were parking.....so glad we did! it is the most authentic mexcian restaurant we have been in, they have mexican beers that you can not get so easily here in the states, the food was amazing, we cleaned our plates! the services was a bit on the slow side, but it was busy! its just such a pity this place is so far from new york or we would stop by all the time!
(5)Katie K.
Food is delicious, service couldn't have been better (ask for manny!), atmosphere is great. Will for sure be back! Thanks for a great dinner manny!
(5)Erin M.
I went to Agaves recently with my boyfriend on a whim and we both were pleasantly surprised by a clean and well-decorated restaurant. We were happy they were still serving at 4pm on a Tuesday normally you would out of luck in trying to find somewhere to sit down and eat at that hour. Very briefly I was happy they had some traditional dishes which with the homemade tortillas and tasty salsa really made this mexican restaurant stand out from others in this area. Additionally the margaritas were well made and the prices of both and drinks were very reasonable. We actually recommended that a more frugal friend try this place out for a date.
(4)Maddy G.
I liked the authenticity of the menu and the creative meals! There were classics for your less adventurous friends but also cool Mexican dishes I've never seen before. For example, my meal was served in a carved out pineapple! Great meal, I only subtracted a star for the atmosphere.
(4)Dona T.
This was the worst restaurant and worst service I have ever had. First asked if the bean dip had any peppers in it. The waitress said no, well yup you guessed it peppers in the dip. Ordered Chimichunga, horrible and not deep fried no crunch soagy and very salty. My husband ordered a margharita, About three quarters through the waitress asked if he wanted another, he said no and she took his drink that was not finished. We will not be back.. If you are looking for a really good Mexican Restaurant and want to drive Alcopolco in Westwood MA is the BEST!!!
(1)Kate M.
It's a great place. Salsa is best in state. Atmosphere is very comfortable and very traditional. I've been there many many many times and have celebrated my birthday here many times. They have really great food and it's a fun spot!
(5)Matthew C.
Almost didn't go because of all the Yelp haters. Thank god I didn't listen. The food was GREAT. People were nice. Service was fast. I loved the guacamole, and had a burrito with a beer. My. wife had seafood enchiladas and my son had the taco and burrito kids meal, both were very happy. Everything was so fresh! We have a new Mexican place.
(5)Erica P.
I had the pineapple entrée and it was amazing. The servers were great :) I was happy there wasn't pounds of cheese on my plate like many Americanized Mexican chain restaurants usually do. Get the live guacamole :)
(5)Grace D.
Our experience at Agave was memorable...but not in a good way. My husband and I recently succumbed to our hunger during a shopping trip and stopped by this restaurant, which looked quite nice by appearances. Plus, we figured that you can't really go wrong with Mexican. We were excited to dig into our complementary chips and salsa. The chips tasted fresh and toasted, but the salsa was bland and too watery. In one bite, I tasted something very funny, like rancid medicine, in the salsa, which probably was just a bad tomato. We ended up ordering the large Mexican dinner, which came with a tamale, enchilada, taco, burrito, and quesadilla. Wow. We were stoked. Well, 5-7 minutes later, the food comes out. That was fast, we thought, but we didn't think much of it. Everything we bit into, however, was lukewarm or slightly cold in the middle. Anything with chicken or pork was horrendously dry, and not a single item on this immense, shareable plate was edible when sober. Perhaps, it would all have tasted better if everything was piping hot and fresh off the grill, but nothing tasted freshly prepared at all. To our surprise and dismay, we were cosmically disappointed with Mexican food for the first time ever. Agave is in desperate need of some attention to detail and quality in the food in order to reel in regular customers.
(1)Chris P.
Bland, bland, bland.. They make there own tortillas which I can respect but everything else is sub par. My buddies tamale was so dry and overcooked it was the corn husk was charred. My chimi was like a wet diaper. I really wanted to like it, I really did but couldn't overlook these things. $6.99 22oz margaritas were great as well as the flan! AMAZING. If they focused more on the family, traditional recipes like the flan, they would kill it.
(2)Carlos C.
Seems know one had real Mexican food... Bad service, bad food, bad music... Overpriced for small plate size. Won't come back again
(1)Emily D.
I have been to Agave's a few times now. It is a family owned operation and stands out on Bald Hill Road amongst the OG and TGI Friday etc. etc. The owners mom and dad are from Mexico and work on the culinary team. During the first time they were still in the throws of renovations which have been completed pretty well, they have given new life to what was formerly a major chain restaurant. I do not like the stained plywood on the wall. The serive is a little slow although everyone is friendly. The drink prices are good. Thye have huge house margaritas and some relly interesting mixed drinks. I appreciate that they offer mexican import beers like Sol. They offer salsa and chips upon seating. I love the chips but the salsa is lack luster. I have gotten the three dip sampler before and also no lost my socks... GET THE TABLE SIDE GUACAMOLE! It is fresh and delicious an you can choose houw you would like it (chunky, no jalepeno, extra lime and onion.) It is a huge serving and totally work the cost. Some of the entree dishes aren't all that so be sure to look at the ingrediants and be really concious of the tastes and textures that you like. The gorditas (like Venezuelan arepas) are to die for they have beautifully marinated chicken and come with lettuce and queso fresco. The plantain fries are perfect. All of the tortillas are made in house which is great. For dessert the Chirros are also amazing and a great way to end the night. I like the new menu and am eager to see how things go as they really hit their stride.
(4)Dave L.
Went for dinner the other night, choice of our 14 year old for his birthday. I admit I was a little leery not having heard anything about the place. They have an interesting menu with a number of unusual dishes that at least sound fairly authentic. I'll be the first to admit I'm a total gringo, with almost no exposure to 'real' Mexican, but it wasn't the usual tacos, burritos and fajitas. They do have those, but other things too that are more exotic. They give you a heaping basket of tortilla chips and some bland salsa. Good selection of Mexican and other beers, interesting margarita options, and cocktails. I had a carnitas burrito, which was better than expected. It had a good amount of tender roasted pork, and the standard rice and beans. My wife had some combo thing with a quesadilla and a tamale, which were both fair. She liked my burrito much more than her food. Our other son got steak fajitas, which was a huge portion of very tasty and tender steak. They served this with homemade flour tortillas, hot from the over. You can see them make them right there in the restaurant. I had one of them with some of his fajitas, and it was delicious. Birthday boy got your standard tacos which he liked a lot. All in all, we were very happy with our meals, although my wife's was definitely the weakest of the bunch. Oh, I almost forgot the guacamole. We got the 'small' order, which was still huge compared to anywhere else I've ever ordered it. The guacamole was delicious - you could tell it was freshly made as it had some good chunks of avocado, some nice bits of cilantro and tomato. Really tasty! Prices are reasonable, our waitress was excellent, and they brought the kid a birthday dessert and a sombrero with the singing and drumming routine which embarrassed the hell out of him. I loved it. I'd like to give it 4 stars but the meal my wife got was a disappointment. If they could get the same quality across all items on the menu, it would be 4 stars easily. We'll definitely go back though.
(3)Leslie N.
There are a lot of problems with Agaves: First, they are severely understaffed, and the servers they do have do not listen properly and constantly mess up orders. Second, the food is sub-par. The meat tasted like it came straight from a TV dinner (definitely frozen), and was overseasoned (probably to cover up the fact that it was tasteless to begin with). Third, they don't seem to care much about customer service. Despite numerous incorrect orders (one of which was never corrected and the diner was forced to eat something she didn't order!), nothing was comped. Instead, with a group of 9 ordering about $180 worth of food, they gave us $5 off the total... OK. After one visit, I doubt I'll ever return unless I'm dragged there. The one highlight was the tableside guacamole, which was very good. Otherwise, it's a big disappointment. And in a state where there are so many other choices for Mexican, patrons will (and should) take their money elsewhere.
(2)Jose D.
Overall: Ok, but not impressed. Decided to try this restaurant as they are frequently mentioned on the radio. The interior is nicely decorated and has a good feel to it. I ordered a chimichanga and it was pretty good. This restaurant is a little pricier than the On the Border restaurant that is located down the street, but it the meals were still reasonably priced. The true reason why I will not return to this restaurant was the service. Being a Tuesday dinner, the restaurant was not overly crowded, so the food shouldn't have taken very long to cook, but I remember waiting what seemed like an exceptionally long time for the food. Previously working in the food industry, I understand when the food may take a little longer. What I don't understand, is how many times our waitress continued to walk by our table when we were clearly done eating and waiting for the "next step." Our dining experience was extended by nearly an extra half hour while we waited for our waitress to finally notice us and stop talking to other patrons. If this company culture, or just one employee I will never know as I do not expect to return to this restaurant when there are other options that are also less expensive in the area.
(3)Constance G.
If Rosarita Refried Beans and Stop & Shop had an illegitimate child, it would be Agaves Mexican Grill. The decor is nice, but I can't dip the decor in salsa and eat it for dinner. Although I wish I had. I knoooooow this is Warwick, RI. I know. But I'm a California girl, and when you advertise a restaurant as Mexican, I will expect Mexican food. Instead we got cold chips, canned beans, bland flautas, and a pricey bill. And diarrhea. The waiter was nice. He looked like Magic Mike. I called him Magico Mike. Not to his face, though.
(2)Betsy A.
The food was more than disappointing. Flavorless and the service also was poor. I would not recommend to anyonr
(1)Jen H.
If you are looking for a fast generic Mexican meal where you can bring the kids, this is your place. I wasn't won over by anything exceptional on the menu but it filled my Mexican crazing for an affordable price. What makes this a 4 star and not a 3 star was the Jalapeno Margarita. There was a little kick that wasn't overwhelming but noticeable.
(4)Gail B.
I think Agaves had a rough start and as a result has garnered some really bad reviews. We first went there back in the spring and were very disappointed. Indifferent service and ho-hum food. We tried it again recently and what a difference. I don't know if they've figured a few things out and got their act together, but they're currently celebrating their 1st anniversary. The food was much, much better. We had the dip sampler and it was good, especially the guac. I had the steak tacos and they were very tasty. Rice was fresh and beans were ok (I'm not a bean fan actually). On the side, I had the tomatillo sauce and that packed a wallop. If you're missing spice in your dish, def ask for some of that stuff! Hub had some combo plate that was good, not great. Food rated 3 stars. What sent it up a notch for me was the stellar lineup of tequila. They have a sampler of 4 half-shots for $9.99 (these are generous pours too!). You can't get the super-premium stuff, but there is plenty to choose from. Our margaritas were pretty good also, but I seriously disliked being served in plastic cups. Overall the meal was enjoyable and the server was on top of things. We'll go back.
(4)Eric G.
This restaurant is truly a tale of two cities in that they do some things excellently while other things are absolutely terrible. What they do well: drinks and table-side guacamole. If you are looking to go for just these two things, you will keep coming back for more. Their drinks are reasonably priced and they have a full bar as you would expect. The table-side guacamole is an absolute must-have; prepared next to you and customized to your liking, it is a heaping portion of warm chips and guacamole that couldn't be fresher. The price might seem a little steep for it at first glance, but with the quality and the amount that you get, it is totally worth it. They serve salsa to everyone, too, which makes for a nice combo with the guacamole. I would love to go back again just to get chips and drinks, because the food is a totally different story. What they don't do well: food. Many of the main entrees aren't so bad that you'll ask for a refund or anything, but are just run-of-the-mill. There is nothing about a burrito at Agaves that stands out from a burrito elsewhere, which is a huge flaw for me when judging the quality of a restaurant. The chicken and pork were bland, the ground beef was a little mushy, and the dishes didn't really look all that appealing. It was one of those meals where, when you ask how everyone's food is, they respond "Yeah, it's alright I guess," which is such a huge disappointment after experiencing the greatness of the guacamole and margaritas. Haven't tried their desserts, but I can't imagine that anything in particular stands out from the crowd. Bottom line: If you are going for chips, salsa, guacamole, and a few drinks, this place is the best around! Anything more and you will be utterly dissatisfied.
(3)Rebecca F.
Terrible service. Practically begging for chips. Not a Spanish-speaker on staff. Tableside guacamole was the only plus of the night. The regular guac - tasted like a can. The rest of the veggie dishes: unflavored. I know it's difficult to please picky eaters, and I am really only subpar at anything more extensive than microwave cooking, but I've watched a lot of food television and the number one suggestion: season the food. Or at least give me enough sriracha to drown my sorrows and numb my tastebuds. I would say the pitcher of margaritas was also an adventure, but unfortunately is it an ungodly amount of alcohol and I don't think anyone should drive after sitting anywhere near it. This is the TGIF's of Mexican food.
(1)Roger K.
Yes, just like the reviews, there were good points and less than desirable aspects here. I also find it interesting that there are as many filtered reviews as there are unfiltered. As some others have pointed out, the interior is very inviting and attractive. We were promptly seated at about 7 pm on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 3/4 filled. The menu listed about 8 draft beers, but I saw more than that number of taps at the bar as we were being taken to our table. I asked our server if there were any additional beers besides what I saw in the menu and he simply read the menu beers back to me. (on our way out I stopped at the bar to look at the taps and saw at least two beers that our server did not mention) However, one of the drafts listed was Negra Modelo, a favorite of mine which I've only had in bottles. Our server asked what size we wanted, 12 or 34 oz. We responded "large" not registering that 34 oz. is more than a quart. Our beers were promptly brought to the table in huge mugs that surely held of 34 oz. And the cost? $6.50 each (12 oz. $3.25)!!!!! That's a fantastic price for that quality and size brew. That alone should probably add another half-star to this review. Chips and salsa were brought to the table. Nothing outstanding, but the chips were crisp; the salsa could have used more "heat." We started with an appetizer of "Lot's of Peppers!," sauteed jalapenos, banana peppers, and lightly breaded jalapenos, served with a chipotle ranch dipping sauce. ($4.29). The 'penos were nice and spicy and the entire dish was flavorful. The servers could use better coordination with the kitchen. Our entrees came out before we could finish the peppers. Fortunately, the table was large enough to handle it all. For my entree I had the Enchiladas Mole Poblano ($9.99). A must for me so I can compare with other establishments. The well known mole that has the chocolate mixed with the dried chile peppers was very good. The enchiladas suffered from dry chicken that benefited from the mole. The three tortillas also had a spongy consistency as if they were not fully cooked and I couldn't be certain if they were made with corn or wheat flour. The rice and re-fried beans were very average. My wife ordered the Chile Verde ($11.49). She chose pork instead of steak which was cooked in a tomatilla based salsa and served with rice and a choice of re-fried, black, or charro beans. She chose the charro which were served in a small cup-like container since it was a more soupy style preparation. It was more tasty than the re-fried beans that I had. Her pork pieces had a nice crispy surface on some of the edges and was tender and flavorful. The dish also came with flour (not corn) tortillas wrapped in foil. Overall, our server was attentive and pleasant. He checked with us several times to see that all was OK. We were too full to try any dessert - did I mention the 34 oz. beers? Some of my wife's meal came home with us. Our final bill was a reasonable $41.87 before tip. While we're not talking gourmet Mexican here, I'd be willing to try some other dishes and certainly have more good beer at that price.
(3)Mike F.
Disappointing that the yucca fries have been discontinued without any reflection on the menu.
(3)Charity C.
My mom and I went here for lunch last week. We love Mexican and were excited to try this place. I thought the food was overpriced and when it arrived that was confirmed. THe only thing that we enjoyed was the guacamole which was made right in front of us. I love tableside service but this women couldn't even be bothered to look at us or acknowledge my mother when she spoke to her. My mom ordered the shrimp fajitas and I ordered the seafood enchiladas. THe fajitas were okay no different than you would get at a bar and grill. THe enchiladas were very disappointing. It was obviously imitation crab meat and I think shrimp from a can. If the service had atleast been somewhat friendly it would of been an okay visit but they failed on food and service. Back to Taco Bell for me.
(2)Joe G.
Outstanding. Here in town for work this week. I'll eat here at least 3 more times. Flautas were good. Tortilla soup was awesome. The carnitas perfect. Great staff and very clean. It's a shame I live 2 hours away or I would be here every week no doubt.
(5)Rick C.
Let me start off by saying if you just want a few drinks, this place rocks. They have a nice bar area with plenty of TV's. Margaritas go as big as a 46 oz glass for around $13 bucks. They have pitchers too. A pitcher will set you back $17. 34 oz beers are a plus. They give you chips and salsa which aren't bad. My entree was sub-par. Don't even try the chicken tamale. Dry and tasteless. The beef taco and chicken quesadilla weren't bad and the dish came with rice and beans. Nice presentation though. There is not hot sauce at the table but if you ask for some, you'll get a small bowl of some really hot stuff. Very good. I've gone back a few times since I started to write this review and have upgraded it from 2-3 stars. Just avoid the tamales. Unfortunately I just can't find any great Mexican restaurants unless I drive up to Worcester Massachusetts. This will do in a pinch.
(3)Kim U.
I'm surprised to see so many reviews with high amount of stars. This place is my least favorite Mexican restaurant I've ever had he multiple displeasure to eat at. I'd rather take nips of Josè Cuervo to Taco Bell. My first experience was sub par to say the least, but that was when they had first opened, so I figured I'd give them another shot. But the second time was equally dissatisfying. Went again more recently with a friend for drinks, which I will say is the one thing they do right. If you're a tequila fan then the bar is a treat. The only issue is if I'm going to be throwing back shots of tequila and giant margaritas I'm going to need food to keep me from blacking out. Unfortunately their food menu doesn't match their drink menu, so I'm officially DONE with this one.
(2)Treven L.
Always a great experience! When we want Mexican or margaritas there isn't a discussion, we simply go to Agave. Friendly and attentive staff, a talented kitchen and remarkable drinks. Highly recommend the table side guacamole, wet burrito and any of their margaritas! Haven't found anything on the menu that wasn't great yet.
(5)Claudia H.
Glad we stopped in today. Was a lil reluctant not to bc of the reviews. Nice and clean place. Server was very attentive.
(5)Lyndsy C.
Let me add to the Yelping chorus here of DON'T GO!!!!!!!!! I think I've got this place and some of it's ilk figured out.. Step one; Hustle your new venture on into a fairly large space that recently housed another failed restaurant. Decorate garishly and lavishly. Step two; Hire mediocre/very young staff(Although there was an exceptional server/manager we met there) Step three; Fill your kitchen with Sysco food stuffs, then, gussy it up for your overflowing, overpriced menu. Step four; Slop said food stuffs onto piping hot platter sized plates, drown everything in cheap cheese, and keep that sour cream comin'! ,That makes em' happy. Sorry to sound so scathing here, I went because we were invited, and I figured I'd form my own opinion. I just noticed SO MANY similarities to other "Mexican" restaurants; Don Jose's, Cactus Grille, El Tapatio..I think this is a real racket. The food they purchase is so low price, they get ambitious with overhead, and upcharge the shit out of you. Oh, and the lighting was so low it was ridiculous.
(1)Good E.
came here for dinner with friends. honestly nothing really stood out, they make the guac at your table which was fine. i got a chimichanga(or however you spell it). it was bit too salty. the rice was ok. the food is also a bit pricey for what you get. the ambience was nice. parking is ample
(3)Malissa R.
Don't listen to the Yelp haters. This place is good! The prices are good, the portions are good, and the drinks are huge! I especially love their cheesy rice that comes with the arroz con pollo and the quesadilla appetizer. The guac I am usually picky about, and theirs is good. I like that they give you chips and salsa to snack on while you wait, also. They even have a mariachi band that plays as you eat. Definitely give it a try!
(4)Robert M.
This was opening day. I was must admit I was a little on the nervous side, Mexican food in New England, not exactly what you would expect. Must put out there that I am from the great Republic of Texas. I must also apologize for exporting On The Boarder. Not exactly one of our finer establishment. So I just want to say, this place is great. The interior is warm and spacious. It is comfortable and casual. I will just go from start to finish. Chips and salsa were really good. The salsa appears to be made on site and is spicy but not hot. The ice tea was fantastic, brewed fresh. Sorry this is even an item, but too many places serve some powder lemon flavored stuff. We got a Dip Sampler. three different cheese dips and guacamole. It was very tasty. For the mains, the wife has Chicken Fajitas and I had the Mexican Tacos. Highly recommended (I had the steak with corn tortilla and the diablo sauce. This was a fantastic plate and I recommend it highly. The Chicken Fajitas were pretty good as well. In both cases the the portions were great. They served three different beans (black, refried and charro). Charro and refried beans were really good. The tortillas are made on site, fresh and warm. This was an all around great place. I can only hope that the quality stays up. It also looked like they have a great lunch menu. The service was also really good. This place is worth a stop by. I for one will be a repeat customer.
(3)J. T.
This place is awful - you can get a better burrito at Chipolte and that's pretty sad! My Burrito was tasteless, and lacking substance. I wanted to like it - there aren't many good Mexican Restaurants in my area. It's like they could care less....!!! How can they not be aware of how bad the food is??? How is that even possible? Do they eat it? I felt like I should bring them a Burrito from California taco shop Providence to show them the correct way to prepare one.. oh and the "yuca fries" - if you enjoy cardboard cutouts thrown on the plate like an after thought, then agaves yuca fries are for you! Don't waste your time Don't waste your money Drive to Providence!
(1)Eva B.
Decided to try it for the first time with my boyfriend, looked like it would be a great place, but was far from it. We got the guacamole, the waitress made it in front of us which was very cool, but she did not seem very into it. The guacamole was overall good, but it needed a little more acid in it for my taste. Next I got a dish off of the vegetarian menu, it sounded good on the menu, but once placed in front of me, was highly unappealing and even worse in flavor. The potato enchilada was very unauthentic, mashed potatoes in a flour tortilla with a cinnamony sauce that was disgusting. The rice was plain white rice without any flavor, the refried beans tasted like they were just taken out of a can and put into a weird tortilla shell. The stuffed poblano with cheese was disgusting, covered with a super sweet mole that left a terrible taste in my mouth. It was also very very spicy, and i love spicy food, it was an unpleasing spicy. My boyfriend did not enjoy his enchiladas either, he got a stomach ache later. They were the seafood enchiladas and they were stuffed in flour tortillas. Enchiladas should be in corn tortillas. These enchiladas looked pathetic! Guacamole was also on the side and it tasted terrible, nothing like the freshly made guacamole we had just eaten. The wagon wheels everywhere made it look like a rodeo. The bathroom smelled funky too. My favorite thing about the place was the salsa which was yummy. They do not label the items on the menu, I was highly disappointed when the waitress said that all of the soups were not vegetarian, when the descriptions said nothing about meat!
(2)McKaila A.
Would not come here for anything but a margarita and the dip trio. They were pretty good when they first opened, but it seems like the quality of the food has gone downhill. It's just variable. Sometimes it's good, sometimes the chips are cold and stale or the beans taste like they've been in the pot for 8 hours. It's not like the staff is rude, but I hate having to ask for new chips/wrong drink/etc.
(2)Carla B.
Went to Agaves for the first time due to the all you can eat buffet until 2pm. For the price $8.99 I don't think it was bad at all. I threw some of the rice they had out into my soup, that was pretty much chicken and broth, and it made it more enjoyable. The server didn't charge me anything for my three year old to eat with me, so as far as buffets are concerned I'd defiantly go back for seconds.
(3)J W.
The hot tomatillo sauce is delicious and spicy - ask for it. Guacamole was tasty and monstrous. Good, hot crispy chips. Chicken/Steak fajitas were very good. Margaritas as delivered were a little weak, but that was easily fixed with an extra shot of tequila. Big menu. Big clean place. Nice to have a great Mexican option in the area.
(4)Barry B.
I enjoyed going there when they first opened... Unfortunately in my opinion it is going downhill since then. I find that the food is just okay. For me it is definitely a, "Meh, I've experienced better."
(2)Colleen M.
We visited the restaurant on Saturday for a late lunch/early dinner. The chips and salsa were fantastic, so was the guacamole. I got the seafood enchiladas and I was not impressed. My husband really liked his combination. If I was in the area and craving Mexican I would probably go back but On the Border is just fine, too.
(2)Ken R.
Ok, my seafood enchilada was very good but the rice tasted like burnt cigarettes. Wife hated the quesadilla, was very oily , took them forever to come over and the service was nonexistent. Guacamole was tasty. I would come back and sit at the bar for a cold beer and salsa chips. Wouldn't come and sit at a table to eat again
(2)Odessa C.
Tried to Kill Me and Didn't Seem to Care: So my husband and I both ordered margaritas. His was delicious and mine was good. About a 1/3 of the way through my margarita I went to take a sip through the salted rim and noticed something in the salt, at first I thought it was a shard of ice, but no, it was a shard of glass IN THE SALT. I pulled it out and called over a server, she grabbed our waiter who apologized and said the manager would be right over. I told him that they better check the salt tray they use for rimming the glasses in salt because my glass wasn't missing a chip so it was clearly in the salt tray. Our food came, no manager, but a woman came over (looked like a server and had just been delivering food) and asked if our food was ok. Because I didn't want to yell at another server (who wasn't at fault) I just said "fine". Then the bill came, my margarita was removed from the bill (NOTE: I had only drank a 1/3 of it when they took it and I didn't want to risk another one). We told the server that the manager hadn't come over. He went to get her and when she came (it was the woman who had stopped to ask about our food) she said 'oh, sorry about the glass. Here's a coupon for a free appetizer next time you come." My husband was appalled. He said "Do you realize how dangerous that is?" She said "Oh yeah. We will empty the salt tray. And i took it off the bill." My husband asked for the real manager and she left then came back and said "He's busy. He said to take off her meal." Dropped the check and stormed off. The food was fine. The drinks, if they aren't laced in shards of glass are good. The management is a DISASTER! Let's just hope they actually emptied the salt tray.....
(1)Kendall H.
Yummy margaritas, very big beers, delicious gaucomole. Fajitas del mar and taquitos yummy too! I enjoyed the Carne Asada.
(4)Beth R.
Great food, great service! Table side guac is to die for and so are the GIANT margaritas. Definitely a must go.
(5)Kyle C.
Wanted to be fair and write an update for this place... Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I recently decided to give them another go. This time I sat in the cantina with my roommate, and enjoy a 32oz. Dos Equis for only about $6... not a bad deal. The food was "better" then last time. Service was pretty much mediocre. I'm pretty sure the bartenders didn't introduce themselves, or actually ever look at us... wait, was that the bartender? Or was it her? Now we are confused... Redemption: the (assumed) owner was there testing out new Margarita recipes and we got to be guinea pigs. In my book a free mini-marg at least makes a place a-ok.
(3)David J.
I don't understand people who have come here to eat, everything from the waitstaff to the food was EXCELLENT. I live on the road and eat out a lot. This by far was the best Mexican food I have had in a long time. The guacamole made at the table was awesome, 3 advocados with red onions, tomatoes, cilantro, fresh lime juice and jalapeños was well worth the $7.50 as an appetizer. Highly recommend for great Mexican food, thank god I didn't listen to the bad reviews, did what other people did and went there anyway and where happy they did.
(5)Danielle L.
Hands down, my favorite mexican!-american? place to eat! Awesome guacamole and the quesadillas are to die for! Fresh ingredients always!
(5)Vinnie O.
The food is good, if you go to their lunch buffet.Chimichangas, burritos, tacos, and the quesadillas all very good. But for dinner, I don't think the food is anything worth mentioning. I know its the same, but for some but the dinners are just ok.
(3)Ashley F.
I was nervous to come based on the very negative reviews here on Yelp, but the restaurant is really a great one! The service was friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive. The margarita was huge, as well as my husband's 22 oz. beer. The restaurant itself is gorgeous with a unique setup. I love Mexican food and was impressed with the food, I had the Enchiladas Verde, and it was very good. It was slightly luke-warm, which is why I only gave it 4 stars, but still delicious! The table-side guacamole is also such a nice touch, I loved it. We will definitely go back, and would also suggest you to go as well!
(4)Kat W.
My boyfriend works nearby so this is the go to place for birthdays and going away celebrations. Love the large house margaritas, and you can't beat the drink prices. I've tried the food a few times and always happy. They did just change the menu when they renovated so the taquitos are no longer on there (soooo yummy) BUT we found out from the manager to tonight you can still order them- yay! The new (at lease i think they're new) haddock tacos were fresh and yummy. My only negative is that on a Friday the bar would get packed and its hard to navigate the bar to get drinks. With the renovation the bar is larger and better set up so that may not be an issue. It was a slow night tonight so hard to tell (mid week and snowing). I can't wait for his next work function!
(4)Rebecca R.
My fiance and I tried Agaves when it first opened up. The experience was so awful I am able to sit here and write about it 7 or so months later. I had ordered one beef and one chicken soft shell taco and a margarita. Pretty simple. They delivered 2 chicken tacos instead... no big deal, things like that I can look past. What was on my plate, I COULD NOT look past. I don't even know if I would call that chicken. I took one bite just to say I tried it and it was as gross as it looked. Never in my life have I not been able to eat a meal. I was so embarrassed that I covered the plate with my napkin making it look like I had eaten it. My fiance, who I think will eat pretty much anything, especially if he ordered it, couldn't even eat his entire meal he was so disgusted. Our only hope was that the margaritas would be our saving grace. Well if you like water-margarita then they are right up your alley. Save yourself the aggrivation and head up the street to On the Border.
(1)Cate B.
Below mediocre "mexican" food for a pretty penny. I love Mexican food, and being gluten free I'm often steered towards certain cuisines, i.e. authentic mexican, that are by nature gf. Went here with my boyfriend and was absolutely 100% disappointed. The interior and atmosphere were pretty nice, and our server was friendly and chipper, but the food was just absolutely horrible. When I go out to eat, I want a dinner that impresses me through food and experience, and is better than what I can cook at home. We ordered nachos to start and it was a decent sized plate (however, I've seen twice the portion size in bars) and they were just blah. I make better plates for lunch at home. Little to no cheese, tons of bland refried beans made a lot of chips soggy, and just a few tomatos and some lettuce. Some sort of onion or jalapeño would have been nice? We decided to order a few staple dishes since it was our first time there, so I had arroz con pollo and my boyfriend had flautas. The plates were rather small for the prices, $15 for arroz con pollo on a smaller plate than I'm used to. The chicken was just grilled, not that juicy or flavorful, over a not-so-special rice. It came with lettuce and a tomato, but that was pretty much it. I can get arroz con pollo in a generous serving with a delicious sauce, vegetables, over rice, refried beans, lettuce, and cole slaw for $14 at my more local El Tapatio Mexican Family Restaurant, which also has a location in Cranston. My boyfriend's flautas were two chicken and two beef. Again, bland under seasoned meat. Flautas are supposed to be "cigars", meat wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried until crispy. There was barely a millimeter of crispy fried flauta on the ends of his flautas, which were overall just soggy and not cooked. Not to mention they served it over what tasted like a gross store bought melted in the microwave cream cheese? First time I've ever had cream cheese on an "mexican" dish... Made the flautas taste like cheap crab rangoons to be honest. And again, just with rice and lettuce and still on a pricier side. And our margarita made with pineapple juice and a splash of rum? Nothing special. Just tasted like a well mixed yet weak on the alcohol regular margarita. Our nachos took about 20 minutes to come out, but our dishes took quite a while. Neither of us finished our food. Never going back. Will be going to my regular favorites or trying On the Border next time instead. I would have even preferred Taco Bell, because then the product would match the expectations. El Tapatio of North Kingstown, RI, OR Ixtapa of Leominster, MA, OR Anna's Taqueria of Boston OR BUST
(1)Mary Ann B.
We loved everything about Agaves. The chips and salsa was warm and fresh. The table side guacamole was fun and flavorful. Out of 4 people I was the only one that had a doggy bag....they gobbled everything! Margarita was perfect. I was stuffed so had coffee instead of dessert and was pleasantly surprised to get a beautiful huge cup flavored with a touch of cinnamon. To top it off the service was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. We will be back.
(5)A. F.
I was all prepared to give this place at least four stars. I was also prepared to talk about how delicious the enchiladas I ordered were, especially the shredded beef and chicken ones. I was prepared to talk about how yummy the guacamole they prepared at our table was. I was prepared to talk about how good, and huge, and fruity the margarita was. I would have mentioned how great the service was from our young waitress. And, I was really excited to talk about the mariachi band that came to our table serenading us with sweet music. Also, the atmosphere was very nice. My problem though, was the fact that not long after eating the food, my stomach started turning. I barely made it into my bathroom, and I will spare the rest of the details. I didn't think about it until afterwards, but my enchiladas were all lukewarm when they came out. The guacamole, along with the tomatoes and onions inside it was also lukewarm, which makes me think the ingredients were left sitting out, rather than being refrigerated. All I can say is that I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. I probably won't be back.
(2)Joseph S.
2.5 stars.....food was decent, I actually enjoyed the flavor/spices in the fajita dish I shared. Service was slow and drinks went unfilled. Dinner on a Saturday night took about 45 minutes to come to the table. We go a tableside guacamole and were kinda suprised/puzzled when they cut open 2 avocado's and then only put 1 1/2 in out dish putting the other 1/2 on the side? Hosts seemed a bit unorganized, sat us (4 and a baby w/ highchair) at a tiny booth with very little room for people to get by - not terribly smart and totally against the fire code! Prices were a bit on the high side, not many dishes on the menu under $15. I'd probably give it another try but Im not rushing out the door to do so.
(2)Lindsey T.
My husband and I decided to try Agaves on a Saturday night, hoping for a "Don Pablo's" experience. Unfortunately we were disappointed. On the positive side, we were seated immediately in a bright booth. Drinks were quick to arrive and we were given chips and salsa immediately. The waiter was attentive and cheerful. The food was the downside. I ordered a nacho plate. The chips were burnt, and most of them couldn't be eaten. The toppings were also a bit over cooked. There was an insufficient chip to topping ratio and everything was soggy. The menu stated that cheese would be heaping or generous, but ironically there was very little cheese at all. Definitely not worth the price. Good service can't make up for bad food in my book.
(2)Michael G.
We were in a little early for dinner. There was a screaming kid in the section near the front when we walked in. If we were seated in that section we would have asked to be moved. We were seated way on the other side of the restraunt which was great. Our waitress was attentive, the food was good. We would go back again.
(4)Natalia O.
Absolutely the best Mexican restaurant in RI! Great experience, authentic and delicious food! Great place to hang out!
(5)Foodie F.
This place is bad. They can't even make your order correctly. You order a dish and it comes out completely different then the menu states. They forget things when you order take out. Forget to give you salad dressing. Give you the wrong lettuce. Maybe there is a language barrier, but ya know what...either overcome it or take your restaurant back to Mexico!! This place won't be around long!!
(1)Sha'Ri R.
I have been twice food wasnt great not even good. I wont go back. According to some reviews it is hit or miss but I have found really good Mexican food and would rather drive past this place.
(1)Dani G.
NO NO NO. The food tasted as though it had been frozen....for a long time before it was cooked. I will not be dining here again.
(1)Anna C.
This restaurant gets a bad rap. We went there twice and the service both times was good. The food was good, the table side guac is very fresh and tasty. The servers were very attentive. I would definitely go back again.
(4)Kristi L.
I had been looking forward to trying Agaves for quite some time and finally made it there last week. What a disappointment! First, we were seated in the far back of the restaurant at an uncomfortably small table for 4 full size adults. Additionally, this back room seemed geared towards people with children who were so loud and obnoxious they were banished to the back. Obviously, we were thrilled to be seated here... Then came the drink orders. I ordered the Agaves Margarita, which tasted eerily similar to Robitussin DM. I barely took a sip before I let it melt before my eyes. There went my $14 drink... Next came our food. Remember that ridiculously small table? Yeah, that didn't really work with 4 entrees, 4 glasses of water, and 4 assorted drinks. We legitimately had to utilize the table next to us, and believe me not much food was actually ordered. I figured by this point, my bad time would be redeemed with some quality Mexican food...and I was wrong. I ordered the Fajita Quesadilla, which was warm at best, and used what I honestly believe to be AMERICAN CHEESE...at a Mexican restaurant?! Yikes. So between my fiancee and myself, our bill came out to about $60 for a mediocre experience. We'll be going back to Mr. Taco's Que Pasa...
(1)Dave D.
First let me say that I have worked in restaurants for the better part of my life, so my wife thinks I can be excessively rough in critiquing restaurants... However, when my wife, who would say nice things about almost anybody looks at me and says "that was awful" I knew it wasn't just me.... I should have been tipped off that a Saturday night without a wait to get in may have been due to something lacking inside, but we chalked it up to luck. The soda that my wife ordered was devoid of flavor... When I pointed it out to the waitress, I would have expected someone to offer to change the soda canister... Instead, as if it were already known to be a problem, there was nothing she offered other to order something else... Ok that happens, but... The salsa to start was obviously store bought. They may not advertise it as "fresh" but at least make an effort, eh? We grabbed an appetizer of Beef Taquitos supposedly stuffed with corn and beans. Out of six, I counted two kernels of corn, one bean and a lacking taste, not to mention a cheese sauce that was thin (and that is being kind). When the meals came (and they came awfully quick) they lacked so much flavor it was as if the kitchen made an effort to reduce the taste. My chicken burrito was nearly tasteless and the pico de gallo sauce tasted as if a jar of spaghetti sauce was opened and watered down. My wife, who doesn't have the tolerance for hot stuff that I do, ordered the Enchiladas Suizas. The carnitas tasted as if the Pork had been boiled for about 7 and half hours, with nary a spice in sight. I must say that the waitstaff did keep a stiff upper lip and were nothing but attentive. I feel bad when they know the truth and they have to be the front line of disappointed patrons, listening to complaints. It is the reason we did not make a scene there, but I have to say that if this is what the national chain wants and thinks the majority of people think will work here they are sorely mistaken! We will never go back...
(1)Dana G.
Terrible experience. The food was less than average for Mexican cuisine. My dinner did not even come with a side. Is rice or beans really that expensive? I went with my sister and mother, my sister ordered a vegetarian dish that was essentially lettuce and a tomato slice and a tortilla. My mother liked her dinner just ok after she had to wait an extra ten minutes because the wrong order came to the table the first time. There are many better places around to go to than this one. Don't waste your time.
(1)Erica L.
My boyfriend and I tried this place when it first opened and we were both underwhelmed. I was excited about a new mexican place but unfortunately this is not it. It could be because we went when they first opened but there were way too many employees there. They were all young people, flirting and socializing with each other, right around the customers. Our waitress was not very friendly, did not seem to enjoy herself very much. The food was also just so-so. I'd probably go back here just to see if it's changed since it's opening week. But if it hasnt, i wouldnt recommend this place.
(2)Tony S.
I came to this restaurant and had a birthday dinner for my girlfriend and her family. We started off being seated and was glad it was not packed at all. Had a party of 7 and waitress asked for our drink orders. The problem is we had a very long wait to get our food it took about 45 mins to an hour. Waitress never came back to check on us. She never asked how our food was or anything. I am giving the food about 3 stars my steak burrito was ok the steak was very dry. So after we all finished our meal we waited about another half an hour to see our waitress. So I bought a cake for my girlfriend to have, and a couple of the employees came to sing and wish her a happy birthday. Stupid waitress forgot to bring plates and forks. We had find someone to ask for them. So she finally brought them after 10 mins, which was when she finally cleared our table. Mind you it was on a week day and there was only 2 tables around us so it wasn't busy. So when we were done after having the cake I had to get up and grab myself some leftover boxes at a near by station. Seriously I have are at many places and this was the worse service I have ever have. The waitresses name was MARIA on our receipt. I have ate there in the past with good service but do not have Maria as your waitress. We were there for over 3 hours because of the terrible service by her on a non busy day. I'm sure our experience would have been better if we had someone else but I don't think I would go back anymore after that terrible experience.
(2)John M.
Terrible. Bad manager with zero customer service skills. If he treats everyone the way he treated me I have no idea how they are still in business. Lousy food and service. Will never go back. Much better places to go for Mexican food in RI. Don't waste your money.
(1)Ronda F.
the service was good. everyone was polite and attentive. The food was just ok and not worth the price of the food. It was lunch time portions for dinne pricing. The salsa was from a jar. I had the Chilli Rellanos with Mole sauce which were pretty good. the beans were watered down and didn't have much flavor. My husband had a burrito and he said it was just ok. Since there aren't many mexican places to eat around here I will probably go back when I have a craving.
(2)Andrew F.
Service is a bit slow at times ... I'll give the haters that. But, as far as food is concerned ... compared to most of the Mexican/Tex-Mex places you've got in Rhode Island, Agave's is MUCH better. Take it from someone who lived in Dallas, Texas. I know Mexican/Tex-Mex food. I know it very well. I'm not sure why there's so much hate ... probably some of the same people who rate Tito's Cantina (Newport, RI) a 5 star Mexican restaurant lol. EDIT: Those of you from the South/Southwest who happen to be in this area ... If you're looking for Tex-Mex/Mexican, you really won't find too much better than Agave's. There are a few hidden gems in Providence, but that's about it.
(4)Cristina H.
My husband loves Mexican and we just moved to the area so we decided to give this a shot. We will never go back. Pros: Atmosphere - they have a pretty decent bar area and when we arrived they had a Mariachi band playing some live music. Cons: Chips & Salsa - I don't know how a Mexican restaurant can go wrong with this, but the salsa was terrible. The waitress greets you with this so you would expect the first experience you have with food at the restaurant to be a decent one... maybe a nice "this is what you can expect here," type of thing. We should have left right then and there. For a place that claims to be an authentic Mexican restaurant, the salsa was clearly not made in-house and was definitely some awful generic brand. Dinner - I order Chicken Fajitas and my husband ordered a combination plate with a tamale, enchilada, and a burrito. My Fajitas were OK - nothing to rave about and I could certainly make the same at home. My husband's food on the other hand... he hated everything. The tamale, the enchilada, the burrito - flavorless and something you would expect at On the Border or some other chain restaurant. The refried beans? Disgusting. He took one bite and didn't have another. Drinks - They do have a wide variety of tequilas you can choose from which was a plus. We decided to order a margarita pitcher. We might as well have ordered Lemonade. We barely tasted any tequila - awful and for what they charged us for the pitcher, crazy! I would not recommend going here. For what it cost you could certainly get better tasting food anywhere else.
(2)Patrick F.
The atmosphere was elegantly cozy. I didn't get a chance to try the drink menu as I was on a tight budget. Amazing salsa, moderate prices, I recommend the chicken tamale. Great place for a casual / semi-formal occasion.
(4)Kimberly M.
I have tried this place twice now to give it a chance. I went when they first opened and did not like the food. I decided to try again with a take out order last week. I ordered Steak Fajitas and I was given steak and chicken fajitas that were over cooked and extremely dry. The tortilla was delicious and is the only reason I gave one star. The nachos were very skimpy and cold. My boyfriend got an Enchiladas that he did not like. The inside was ice cold. He had yucca fries with his and they were half cooked and he maybe had 6 fries. Even though I have a groupon I bought for them, I will not go back.
(1)Joe C.
Prices are low, but there is a reason. Food and drinks are so-so. Not much flavor to the food. Drinks were watered down and extra heavy glasses to make you think there is more. Won't be returning.
(2)William J.
Recently my wife and I were looking for a new Mexican restaurant in the area and checked yelp. We read the reviews for Agaves and were not impressed since the reviews of the food seemed to be both good and bad but more concerning were the reviews about the service. While doing errands in the area we decided to try Agaves so that we could decide for ourselves. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice hostess who promptly seated us in the dining room. There were not that many other diners present. She gave us menus but no drink menus. She said our server would be right with us and left. The menu seemed interesting, but unfortunately we never had a chance to order since we waiting for more than 15 minutes and no one came to our table, or any of the other tables in the dining area for that matter. My wife and I decided to leave since if the service was so bad that no one could be bothered to at least take a drink order, we feared getting our food would be a nightmare. As we were leaving we saw the hostess again and she asked us if anyone had come to our table yet and we said no. She seemed upset about no one coming to our table but remained pleasant. A note to the restaurant, people have their own opinions one way or the other about the food you serve and many people will still try the place out and judge for themselves but when service is an issue, my wife and I like many others will just avoid your restaurant in the future.
(1)Mathew J.
Large drinks, reasonable prices, mediocre food. The free chips and salsa (really good salsa) are a nice surprise and the extra tall drinks are more than welcomed. But the food is just OK at best and the place is usually under staffed. Even with those major short comings is still find myself back every few months.
(3)Meaghan K.
Wow I've had mediocre Mexican food before but this is the worst. The food isnt the only thing that is terrible. I decided to try this out only because of one of those Groupons/LivingSocial things, sometimes those things are telling of why the restaurant needs this kind of promotional deal. My mom decided to come and be the guinea pig with me, it was a Saturday night so we decided to get there a little early so hopefully we wouldn't have to wait too long. We still waited over an hour. When seated there were tons of empty tables so we assumed the kitchen must be slow or overwhelmed. We ordered Margaritas which were weak and tasteless. We ordered guacamole which was okay. For dinner we both ordered enchiladas just two different types. They both were awful. The sauce was flavorless and the whole dish was cold. It was the first time I had a meal I didn't like so much that I didn't even really eat it. And I was hungry. The server was slow and not really friendly or responsive. All in all I won't be back and I'm surprised it's still open. So many better Mexican places why suffer.
(2)Terry M.
I don't want to harp on everything that the others who reviewed this said, but they are, for the most part, right. The service is generally good - we had a very personable kid who did everything right (despite the circumstances). He is what gets the two stars. We've been twice. The first time, the salsa tasted very tomato-ey and with no spice whatsoever. The second time, it was spicier, but it still had no substance - sort of like bottled taco sauce with a little bit of herb thrown in. It really isn't that hard to make your own salsa and if you're a restaurant - you should make the effort!! Also - keep the TV's at the bar - I generally don't like the idea of TV's in the main dining area as that's not the real reason we go out?? The food came out with lightning speed (a little scary for me) but it didn't taste real bad and it was edible (duh - it's a restaurant!!). My wife's tamales were way over-breaded, but the inside was good (although the cheese sauce was 'goopy' and didn't really look like cheese sauce). My BIGGEST contention with this restaurant only really applies to beer drinkers. They have two sizes of draft beer (limited selection) and they are a 12 ounce and a 34 ounce. Where is the middle ground? A twelve ounce is too small for a big mexican meal and a 34 ounce is just plain revolting! I tried this both times and I was unable to finish the beer either time. This is very mainstream pseudo-mexican and would not really recommend it to anyone who has ever eaten Mexican cooking before. Sorry guys, but you need to step up the game if you expect to outlast the 99 restaurant that was there before you! I predict that this will close in the next year! (Where's Gordon Ramsey?)
(2)Joyce L.
My daughter and I have had lunch here a couple of times and were very happy with our meals, and service. They were very accommodating.
(5)Scott L.
My friend recommended that we try this place when I said that I had a hankering for Mexican food, and I've already made the rounds around Providence a few times (reviews forthcoming). As soon as he said it was on Route 2 I thought "Uh Oh" and as soon as he said it was where the 99 used to be, I thought "Oh $%&" but I'm open minded so I decided to try it. The service wasn't bad, we were seated promptly and we didn't wait very long for our food or drinks. The food however, was kinda shoddy. The chips and salsa they give you when you sit down was pretty good, but the actual dinner was not good, and we all agreed. As I was eating my beef burrito I was thoroughly unimpressed, and eventually realized that it tasted EXACTLY like something Chef Boyardi would've made. The beef and the sauce. Totally not good. The Chicken burrito wasn't much better. I think anyone who thinks that this is THE BEST MEXICAN RESTURANT ever, has only ever experienced Taco Bell, or Chipotle. Don't bother with this place, take the extra 10 minute trip to Providence (if you live in Warwick) and go to one of the many authentic Mexican restaurants around the city. I don't see this place lasting more than a year.
(2)Sandra E.
I had the fish taco. Yep, just a piece of fish in a taco. Nothing else but a side of black beans and some salsa. I wondered if maybe the cook just forgot some ingredients. Very bland and very disappointed.
(1)Holly S.
Finally a descent Mexican joint in New England! Ever since I moved to the New England area from El Paso, TX. I have never found any half way descent Mexican food, until now.
(5)Louise E.
Well, I don't really know where to start. I really like Agaves, and it is certainly my top mexican restaurant in RI. I'm from GA where we have several restaurants like this in every town, and I was severely displeased when I moved to RI and couldn't find anything like this. So, I was overjoyed when Agaves opened. The food is priced right, the queso dip is very delicious, the chips and salsa are satisfying (I need to mention that the chips are just right- not too salty, not too thin, not too greasy), the chimis, soft tacos, and quesadillas are all superb. As someone else mentioned, a 34 oz beer is a steal! The portions are large and meals are served with mexican rice and refried beans. So, that said, Agaves certainly has its problems. The service tends to be noticeably slow and maybe 60% of the time servers don't know what they're talking about. I ordered a queso dip (appetizer) once and the guy brought me a teeny serving because he thought I meant a side of queso (I had only ordered drinks at this point). I had a server ask if I wanted stewed or grilled chicken in my quesadilla, I said grilled, and I was charged an extra $2 because grilled costs more even though it's not listed as such on the menu and the server failed to notify me of that (I didn't have to pay the extra $2 for those reasons). I've never had a server keep my water glass or chip basket filled. I do have to mention that on one trip, both the queso and my bf and my food came out cold. Even though the service is poor, I keep going back, and often. I just don't have another choice because the only other restaurant remotely similar is too far away, and Agaves is only down the road from me. I know what I'm getting into when I go, and honestly, the food is so good that I'll keep going back.
(3)Dawn C.
The decor of this restaurant was beautiful, and the service was very good. Unfortunately, there was no food made fresh. The slime of the veggies used in my quesadilla made it inedible. It was a shame, because the atmosphere of Agave's made me really want to like it.
(1)Kim S.
I was really disappointed in Agaves. I expected an amazing authentic Mexican meal, and I would've thought I was at On the Border, actually I would've preferred that I was at On the Border. I don't think I will be visiting this establishment again.
(2)Kevin D.
I'm actually writing this after four different experiences at Agaves over the last few months. My day is complete when I can swing by and partake of a 46-ounce cranberry twist margarita (or two). I've never had the same server twice, but whoever it was at the time took good care of us. When I find a good thing, I tend to stick with it, so for me the tequila shrimp tacos with avacado hit the mark. Comes with black beans, cucumber salad and rice. Follow that up with churros with chocolate and/or strawberry dipping sauces, and I'm good to go. I can't back up other reviewers' claims of food tasting like it was frozen or came from a bulk container, because that hasn't been my experience. I've been there for both lunch and dinner - wait has never been an issue for either seating or getting my order on time. For what it's worth, this is one of my new favorite casual restaurants, and my friends that have dined with me have said they enjoyed their meals as well.
(4)Chan S.
Horrible customer relations shown by Robert Leon,one of the owners! Went to use our Groupon on a double date. Asked the waitress if it was ok to use the coupons for one table since we were getting separate checks. Everything was agreed and ok'ed upon. The drinks and food were mediocre. The table-side guacamole was an embarrassment, totally bland. I can make a killer one at home. Anyhow, dinner service was fine until we got our checks. A man came to our table and told us we could not use both coupons, granted the Groupon does state "only one coupon per table," which was why we asked for the ground rules before dinner started. So I explained to this man that the waitress said everything was ok'ed. He proceeds to tell me that the waitress was wrong and that he'll have to talk to her about this. Then I ask him who he was and he states he is the owner, Robert Leon. I asked him if he could disregard the matter and honor the earlier agreement the waitress stated to us. He proceeds to pull out the coupon and asks me to read the fine print, uncouth SOB he is. I state to him I am more than capable of reading. I told him that his attitude will sour our dining experience if he insists on reneging on the agreement. I asked him if he was concerned with losing us as future customers and he said he was not concerned at all. He kept asking how we would like to pay for the remaining $30. I said to him, please, take my card and charge $30 to it if you need it that badly. I told him it was not the money that was the issue, it was how he was handling the situation. It took an extra 15 minutes before the bill was taken care of because he couldn't figure out how to charge the $30 and if he should combine bills or what not. At this point I was already fuming and I asked him why is it taking so long to do a simple transaction. Suffice to say, our waitress comes with the final receipt rather than he himself. I would have loved to have a final conversation with him, but this Robert Leon is classless. Not once did were we rude to him, not once did any of us raise our tone. He treated us as if we were a nuisance. If there is a problem between the staff, keep it amongst yourselves and do not involve the patrons, e.g. us! We were not looking to take advantage of the establishment. We went there fully intending to have a good night out and to tip well since we had a good deal. Well, Agaves, if this person is at the foundation of your restaurant, you are screwed. You are in a business to cater to the public and at that you failed miserably. Yeah, we still have the other Groupon you said we could use next time; no thanks! I'd rather lose that money than dine at your establishment.
(1)Mike D.
why are most of the reviews filtered?
(5)suzanne l.
We went on a Saturday night at 6:45. We got right in, that tells me something. The margaritas were okay. I got steak fajitas and they had absolutley no flavor. My husband got the shrimp tacos and it was a major disapointment. The service was excellent. Our server was really good and right on top of our drink orders.
(2)Dr. H.
Not sure why all the negative reviews...but as southern californians new to RI(who KNOW good hispanic food)....FINALLY some good mexican food!!!! THANK YOU AGAVES!!!! We'll be back! YUM!
(4)Ronnie G.
This place is huge, cheaply (and sparsely) decorated, and destined to bomb. We (five of us) ate on their first Friday night (the reason the waitress used to explain the delays). My guess was 60% capacity, but they were hopelessly overwhelmed in the kitchen/bar. Drinks were watery and took an age to arrive (but mercifully came before the dinner so we could sip and wait...) All around us, we could hear the customers complaining, and we waited 75 minutes for our dinner to arrive... cold for some of us. Our conclusion? Don't bother. Go across the road, be instantly served, and bring it home - it'll be quicker, better, warmer, cheaper; and unless you live in a mustard-colored warehouse with tiled floors, you'll eat in more pleasant surroundings!
(1)Bruno T.
it was ok nothing to be crazy about.
(2)Jason L.
Here's the thing..."fine" is the best word to describe Agaves. Except for the service, which was prompt and pleasant, the food, drinks, kitchen speed, setting were all just fine. I was very much looking forward to the mole enchiladas, but even they were just fine with slightly dry chicken and not much sauce. If you're in the mood for authentic Mexican food, you might want to try elsewhere. If you're looking for Americanized Tex-Mex at a fine price, this could be your place.
(2)