Tequila Rea

Ahhh, tequila. You and I certainly have a history. We’ve had good times and bad times together, but after the last time you hurt me, I’m going to have to think about our future together.
I used to love tequila, and so naturally Tequila Rea was one of my favourite places to go during a night on the town. However, after a particularly bad incident with tequila that put me in hospital, I’ve had to slowly ease my way back into it. Despite this little setback, Tequila Rea is still a bodacious little bar and a guaranteed good night. I’ve managed to have good times both when the bar was full, and when it was empty.
The people at Tequila Rea take the drink very seriously, and serve you up a special plate of brown sugar and orange slice (as substitutes for salt and lemon) so that you perform the ritual properly. They have an extensive range of different tequilas from different regions of Mexico, all varying in colour and aroma.
I want to love you again tequila, I do. I’ll just need time.

Tequila Tequila! I sat in a circle here playing «pass the ice» for a good half hour.
I think there reason I am such a fan is because I’ve only ever been when I’m completely sozzled already and a shot of Tequila is the last thing I need. You can get a scorpion appetiser here, I’ve yet to sample this because the idea makes my insides curl.
The venue is kind of orange and dark with a bar to the left as you walk in, I can’t remember hearing music… There is a great range of Tequila available and the Margaritas are phenomenal.
I don’t think those guys in the corner are actually Mexican but they appear Mexican in a stereotypical way, mean and dodgy and wearing sombrero’s (they actually were).
If you need to go to the bathroom, make sure you leave about 3 minutes to get there, it’s like the hallway stretches on forever. Or it could be that the tequila worm has hindered your ability to walk, I’m never sober here so I will never know.

Let me set the scene;
A girlfriend and I had FINALLY managed to dump the kids for the night and head out into the town. We weren’t after a crazily huge night, just a couple of drinks and lots of dancing.
It had been more than a couple of years since we had been here so decided to stop in for a quick shot of tequila and head off dancing. I have to say that the place isn’t what it was. There were a couple of men who looked like they were being held up by the bar stools they were sitting on and two staff who looked like they might have been entertaining themselves with a few shots to get them through a slow night.
We hesitantly walked up to the bar and said we want a shot of tequila. We hadn’t thought much further ahead than that so when we were asked what sort of tequila, we looked at each other and laughed.
The lady behind the bar said «Let me get you something you’ll like» and promptly grabbed a bottle off the shelf. She cut up some orange and waited to see what we thought. We thought it was fan-​bloody-​tastic! It turned out to be Agavero, we fell in love with it, asked for the name and then left the bar (we now tequila normally floors us!)
I agree with John, it does feel like a dive bar that hasn’t quite hit the bottom, but from my experience, the staff know their tequila and I wouldn’t go anywhere else for a shot before dancing up a storm.

A theme bar that just didn’t live up to it’s potential, for shame for shame. I don’t think it’s all the actual bar’s fault though, they just had a bad run of punters and now they have a reputation for being a dive full of pervy drunks. And they are! We’ve only ever bowled into this bar in a state of total shit-​facedness, had a shot of whatever tequila the surly staff offered us, and then staggered the heck out of there.
The men lurking up the back area are not to be toyed with, if you see a heap of messy guys that is a Tequila ‘no go’ Area. Don’t expect the staff to protect you if you do want to sit up there, because they seem to view the punters as a hindrance to their having a good time. But don’t get me wrong, fun can be had here and as expected the staff know their tequila. Just make sure you are properly loose before arriving, so you can run around and be a pissed creep like everybody else.

Why did the Mexican fellow throw his wife off a cliff? Tequila!
That’s the theme of this place. Tequila shots, tequila cocktails, tequila napkins. I’ve been a few times, and never been that impressed. The cocktails are expensive, though not too bad, and shine a new light on a typically feared liquor. It’s not incredibly welcoming as far as bars go. The bar staff have been straight faced and rude each time I’ve wandered in. Inside it’s clean and crisp, but dark and kind of dank at the same time. It feels like a dive bar that hasn’t quite hit the bottom yet.
There are musically themed nights every now and then where you can dance to Latin beats. I went to a reggaeton night here once and the DJ bailed on the genre after a while and started mixing Beyonce into the tunes. Could be fun if you’re wasted, but poor show for a Latin themed bar.
It’s a great place to go if you’re after a good tequila cocktail, but not for much else.