Ricardo Avila’s Mextopia

Not a good experience.
The food was not good… the cheese didn’t taste like cheese and the service was really, really slow.
I won’t be back.

I’ve waited a while to finish my review in order to be as pleasant as I can when giving my opinion. Sorry to say that I’m writing… Mediocre is generous. There was nice hot salsa. The tortilla soup was super chunky. To the point that I thought I was eating a chicken stew. Definitely would not order again. The maximo platter was ok, but everything was cold even though it had just been sitting under a heat lamp for just a couple of minutes while I waited, watching it sit there, until the server brought it. Toppings for the taco stuck to the outside of the soggy taco shell on the plate, too. Thankfully went with groupon. Unfortunately bought two.
I did go back a second time, but was no more satisfied on the second visit. The food was so unmemorable that I don’t even remember what I ate at this point. Would not recommend. Stick to the original location on Maple. WAY better.

I have no idea how this place is still open. There are so many great places for Mexican food that have better quality and lower prices. Perhaps it’s the Groupons (or similar) that have kept them going.
I have to mention that I have been here no less than twenty times. I live closeby and can walk there. Here’s the catch… it’s not terrible and can be a decent value with a Groupon (or similar deal)…but you have to be careful what you order. The puerco is so bad… just SO bad. The brisket taco a la carte is solid (but $ 4.50). The flour tortilla chip nachos are good with beans only (the meat ruins it)…somewhere around $ 12. The nacho platter is probably the best deal in the house. It is enough for two people and around $ 12.
Every time I have ventured away from these items, I have been disappointed and somewhat appalled at how much the disappointing experience has cost me. The price points are just way off and so much of the food is just not tasty. However, like I say, if you have a 50% off deal and stick to the very limited items that are good… it can be a place that you go from time to time because it’s convenient and you just want to go for a walk that has dinner at the end of it.
**One good point: They don’t give you any grief about using deals there.
**One warning: Do not let them box your food for you. It’s awkward when you have to ask them to give you another taco (or whatever) because the one on your plate is now not in your box.

Went here on a group date, one of our friends had a groupon.
The place looks like a neat little privately owned place…
The margarita was good.
The food… I have had better. The beans tasted like baked beans not mexi beans.
Nothing really stuck out as bam greatness.
I know we were in a group and we have not gathered in a couple of weeks, but the server was not that good. She was not very responsive to us and did not check on us after getting our food.
OH! and the prices were HIGH for what the food was… 10 bucks for just a spinach quesadilla!

We had been to Avila’s on Maple Ave so we assumed that this place would be good too since the brothers once worked together at the Maple Ave restaurant before the split a few years ago. I had long believed that it is hard to screw up tex-​mex, and this being Dallas I also believed that bad tex-​mex did not exist. I was wrong.
I am giving it 1 star for the food and an administrative problem that will be explained. I start by noting that the place is attractive inside, the ambiance is fine, and the restrooms are clean. Our service was efficient for the most part. Thus, the 1 star has nothing to do with those aspects.
The food: bland, bland, bland, and then to bland you can add absolutely 100% flavorless. Someone needs to tell the cook that there is this thing called salt. I hear that they also have discovered pepper and other spices recently.
The salsa: no complexity of flavor, in fact no flavor, only some heat.
The chips: some were shiny greasy. No salt, no flavor.
Guac: probably the worse restaurant guac I have ever had. I think it came from a box. It had no flavor at all, no onions, no jalapeño. We had to add salt and pepper to make it edible. A small scoop was $ 5. Not worth it.
I got the «pan fried fish tacos» that came at the recommendation of our server. I had assumed that the title referred to the fish being pan fried and the tacos would be served in fresh tortillas. Wrong. The tacos, which contained a miniscule amount of fish, were basically deep fried. Usually a person gets fish tacos because he: (1) likes fish, and (2) wants a more healthful dinner. So deep fried fish tacos make no sense. Unfortunately the waiter did not explain this twist. Plus, the tacos (3 small tacos for $ 13.95) were deep fried shut! How was I supposed to put anything inside? I had to break them open which created a greasy mess. Overall, they were by far the strangest and worst fish tacos I ever had. And the pico had no flavor. To top it off, our server brought «fresh» tortillas on the side which at the time I thought was strange but I said nothing. Was I supposed to wrap the deep fried tacos in tortillas? Then when the bill came he charged for the warm tortillas (actually, they looked like they came from a package, not fresh made), which I never asked for. I had him remove that charge.
The wife got mole con pollo. The chicken was absolutely flavorless. The mole was one dimensionally sweet with no undertone of heat. She did not like it at all. Her glass of merlot tasted cheap.
The best thing about the restaurant was Negro Modelo on tap ($ 5) and the sweet dressing for the cabbage salad. We did not enjoy any of the other food.
The wife and I agreed before getting the bill that the food was not good and deserved no more than 2 stars.
The administrative problem: I had a
coupon but when I tried to use it I was told that the restaurant «no longer accepts
coupons» even though there is no expiration date. That was rather unpleasant news and a surprise. I think the restaurant could have posted a notice on the door to inform people before they enter. That would have been the honest thing to do. I guess that business is not so great so he can’t afford to honor coupons. Well, if the food was half way decent I think business would be better. There is a lot of really good competition in Dallas for the tex-​mex diner, and this place simply does not measure up.
I honestly cannot recommend and we have no intention of returning. It was a complete, and I mean complete, waste of money.

Our server was cute albeit a little slow but the cuteness factor outweighed his slowness…
The food was good. They were able to make the fajitas a combo of chicken and shrimp for us and they gave us plenty to share between two people. We also split the queso with brisket, sour cream, and guacamole… but I think they forgot the brisket.
The chips and salsa were great. The drinks were just so-​so.

Mextopia us a refreshing twist on South American dining. The atmosphere is clean and clearly reflects a certain image they are aiming to achieve: simple and focused on the quality of the food.
Though our waiter was a little overzealous about explaining our dishes, it came from a place of quality service and wanting to ensure our happiness as customers. The pork, jalapeño, and cheese dish was tasty but could stand to be a tad spicier. However, my spice standard is hard to meet. Unless, I am sweating bullets it is not spicy enough for me. The food was savory and prepared perfectly. I just had to bogart a hot sauce dish or two from my fellow Unilocal dinner-​mates to douse my food in.
I will definitely return! The people are awesome, the atmosphere was inviting, and the drink menu looked intriguing :) Perk Alert: check out their bacon and beer special!

Sometimes a family break-​up affects more than just the family in question. Sometimes it hurts people who like really good Mexican food.
Ricardo Avila’s Mextopia is an offshoot of Dallas favorite Avila’s. For years, Avila’s on Maple was just about as good of Tex-​Mex as you could find in Dallas, and then Wham! the whole enterprise falls apart. About a year or so ago, there was some terrible rift in the Avila clan. Furniture was stolen, words were said to the press, and finally, Ricardo (the son) bailed and started his own place on lower Greenville. To put it succinctly, neither Ricardo’s new place or the now Ricardo-​less Avilas are as good as the original.
I had always had a reverence for Avila’s cheese enchiladas. While nothing innovative, just plain, standard cheese enchiladas, there was something magical in there. These were a perfect synergy of chile sauce, tortilla and cheese. The other dishes were just as good. Nachos, burritos, flautas, carne guisada, chile rellenos, you name it, none of it could be beat. Even the salsa was legendary and the chips as delicate as angels’ wings.
As the family drama played out, the original Avila’s closed several times unexpectedly for «renovations». By the time Ricardo’s finally opened up, we were craving our favorite dishes. As the sacred enchiladas arrived, it was like seeing a long lost friend. Unfortunately, this old friend had become tiresome and boring in the intervening time. Everything we had at Ricardo’s was seriously mediocre, at best. The magic was gone. Nothing we tried of our old favorites had the same zing to it. The cheese enchiladas were bland, the salsa and chips off, and even the sides were lacking in flavor.
Service was uneven, and the margaritas were icky– all sweet & sour. To be fair, Avila’s never had good margaritas, but we hoped that maybe Ricardo would improve upon them. Nope. We have since been back to the «new» Avila’s and it too seems somehow different and not as good as in days of yore. It appears that the voodoo magic that made Avila’s what it was can only be conjured by familius intactus.
So we write this as a plea to the Avila family– get back together! We know there are probably hard feelings. Perhaps a family therapist could help. We understand these things take time but sometimes we have to overlook our personal grudges for the good of the children, or in this case Tex-​Mex lovers.

This place was only okay for me. I first discovered this place from groupon. I did some research and learned that this restaurant was on diners, drive-​ins and dives. I thought it had to be good right? I snagged the deal immediately. We came this weekend and found that it didnt meet our expectations.
The tortilla chips and salsa were good. The salsa had a nice kick to it. Their guacamole was pretty plain with just avocado and salt. I’m used to a little more flavor and chunkiness with some tomatoes or onions in it. It was fresh though. For a small scoop, they charged $ 5.
For drinks I wanted a horchata. They didnt have any. Luckily our waitress was really great and concocted a drink up for me made with orange juice, pineapple juice, cherries, sprite, and something else. It was delicious!
As an entrée we had the shrimp fajitas. I should have gotten steak since we were in cow country but I’m not a big meat fan and wasnt sure how tender the meat would be. I went with what was safe and the shrimp was good, but not fresh shrimp. I think it was made from frozen shrimp. The fixins of rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, and salsa came with the meal but tasted only okay.
I had asked our waitress what Guy Fieri had ordered when he came here and was told he got a plate with brisket, tamale, and something else I cant remember. But our waitress said the dish wasnt available because they didnt have any tamales. So much for that idea. Oh well.

Pretty much one of my favorite places to go get a Sangria on a whim. The owner Ricardo is always so great and he’s created quite a little gem here in the neighborhood. I used to drive to the Maple location but was pleasantly excited when Ricardo came to Greenville. $ 2 Tuesdays are awesome with delicious brisket tacos for $ 2!!! Pair it with a $ 2 Tecate or a yummy Sangria and you’re in heaven.
The Pizole is also some of the best I’ve ever had!!! Love this place!

I love the service, relaxing atmosphere and food here. The fish tacos and chicken and beef fajitas were pretty good. The veggies were super fresh and the meats were tender. I love the spices to the grilled fish.
The spicy salsa was definitely a plus.

Negro Modelo on tap.
Pan-​fried tacos (brisket, chicken) are A-​1.
Had a nice chunk of snapper perched on top of roasted potatoes, drizzled with a sauce similar to what you might get with a relleno. Mytee tastee.
Good chips. Wired salsa.
Bueno. Will return.

I really like Mextopia. I enjoy the food, the drinks, and the service is great. And it’s 2 seconds from my house… that helps.
The queso with guacamole and brisket is really good. It’s hard not to order a cup of it every time we’re here. Some people have mentioned that the salsa is too spicy, but I think you need to put your big girl panties on and suck it up. This is Texas. You’re eating at a Tex-​Mex restaurant. Your salsa should be spicy. The brisket tacos are also yummy. They’re much lighter than what most restaurants are serving. Like Leigh said, the tacos aren’t swimming in oil, so you don’t feel so guilty after downing a plate of them. The steak fajitas were delicious. The meat was yummy, and I probably could have eaten an entire plate of the peppers and onions. I don’t like when the vegetables served with fajitas are neglected and barely cooked, and that isn’t the case here.
The margaritas are good and pretty strong. They also have happy hour from 3 – 7 pm Monday through Friday and all day on Sunday.
Lastly, the service here is great. Ricardo is always walking around, checking on you, delivering food and drinks, etc. All of the servers have been very nice and attentive.
It’s nice to have another good restaurant option on this end of Greenville, and I’ll definitely be a regular here.

Don’t you hate the anticipation of something potentially interesting, really good or just outright unique in a new-​to-​try restaurant? Well, that was our expectation with Mextopia. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver.
This last weekend was a fantastic opportunity to get outside; late January, temps in the 70’s, you know the drill! We had heard good word of mouth recommendation from one friend, and of course, in my quest for validation, reviewed Unilocal!for the ‘real deal.’ My initial concerns were the inconsistency of the reviews… that is the most telling ‘stat’ about Unilocal; if reviews are wildly inconsistent, don’t be surprised at what you get. Not rocket science, but it has proved itself out over and over again with me.
Well, we took the plunge… two kids in tow, jetted over for an early Saturday dinner (pre 6:00, which in some places is a late lunch)…when we arrived, patio full (good sign, but bummer for us), most of inside available, so we snagged a four top. Right away, the experience started awkwardly… not sure if our waiter was new and in turn inexperienced or just down right apathetic… slow to respond to our very infrequent requests (took 3 requests to get a side of tortillas out), drinks came out haphazardly (always a buzz kill), and silver ware non-​existent until asked.
I’m convinced that several new folks had started their first day within the previous 30 minutes, as I noticed lots of confused deliveries (not knowing table arrangements resulting in «that’s not ours»)…that’s part of the game, but sheesh, acknowledge it and try to recover a little better.
No kids menu options (that’s ok, my kids will eat apps), but pan-​fried fish-​tacos a tragically over priced $ 13.95…yikes…very little fish to justify the investment. I got the tri-​color enchiladas, which, for $ 10.95, were appropriately adequate, and that’s it. Nothing unique or interesting… same ‘Tex Mex’ of old. Overall, very expensive for a solidly middle-​tier casual Tex-​Mex joint: $ 88 for four meals, and two drinks. Oh, the kicker? Those tortillas I had to request 3 times? Those are individually charged…$.25 each x 8… yes, $ 2 for tortillas. A decidedly Taco Diner move to make you slap your forehead.
Not sure why I’m surprised; Dallas has so many run of the mill AND unique Mexican inspired restaurants, of which many a concept goes awry. I’m still trying to figure out what makes this place different.
The one thing our server was quite agile in getting for us? Our check… enough said.
Sorry MexTopia, didn’t happen this time around.

Mextopia should be on your list of future eatin options or return visits.
Food is amazing, service is amazing and atmosphere is uh. Amazing!

The fajitas and pan tacos were reasonably priced and were good quality. The queso tasted like it was from a can, much like what you’d get at a concession stand. Definately not worth $ 5. The salsa was good but ultra-​spicy. I was disappointed when I checked my bank statement to find that I was overcharged by $ 2. I wrote down how much the bill and tip were at the same time that I paid, yet I found this.
Overall, not impressed. There are Mexican or Tex-​Mex places on every corner in this town who have better prices, freshly made food and who won’t doctor your bill after you leave.

I like Mextopia. On a Friday afternoon, hungry to try something new, we stopped by Mextopia for dinner.
We sat outside, drank beer and ordered the queso with brisket, guacamole and sour cream. The brisket was really really good, but I wish it was spicier and the queso it came in was disappointing. Like, out of a can sort of disappointing. That brisket shouldn’t be allowed to swim in such inferior cheese! Still, we managed to force the whole bowl down ;).
For dinner, we split one order of the brisket tacos but soon regretted it– they’re too good to share! Because they weren’t swimming in oil, they felt lighter and not the usual gut bomb brisket tacos so many other Tex-​Mex spots in town serve. Our waiter was really nice and attentive without being annoying, quickly bringing more beers and ensuring we were having a good time.
We weren’t ready to leave when dinner was through so we found a spot at the bar and ordered one more beer. Everyone we encountered was super friendly and seemed to actually enjoy their jobs. I have to say, at the beginning of the meal when we got the queso I was starting to worry about Mextopia. By the end of the meal, after being treated really well and enjoying everything else so much, I can say we’ll surely be back!

A regular of this place, it seems to be getting better each time.(and more crowded)
After a couple of group outings that were less than stellar in the service department, we have had nothing but perfection of late with Ricardo and Michelle taking a much more active role looking after customers.
Accompanied by one of the most refreshing margaritas in Dallas (at a very fair price), my latest favorite chalkboard special is the stuffed avocado. Delicious, fresh avocado stuffed with your choice of shrimp, brisket, etc. If you want a safe bet off the regular menu, the guisado de puerco and pan-​fried tacos (for a bigger appetite) were big winners (again) for us.
If you are into REALLY good food with the added bonus of supporting a local business owned by very cool, hard-​working people, Mextopia is a must.

I’m here to update my review. Which doesn’t mean an increase in stars, just more insight since I have been a few times since they opened.
Food is still ok, yesterday I had brisket tacos, and while Mia’s is still the champ (suck it DallasTacoBracket!) these were pretty tasty. Would definitely order them again. A little sauce would have been nice, but very flavorful.
Service has gotten better, but that could be because the few times I have been back have been random times and I was pretty much the only person there. I have not been at night but hopefully they are getting more business than what I see when I’m there.
They do have WiFi, which is nice — grab a table, order a beer and some queso and knock out some work while catching updates on ESPN or whatever the bar TV happens to be on that day.
The owner is usually there and is super nice if you happen to engage him in any conversation. Overall, a nice change from the Greenville Ave skank magnet bars, I’ll take it.

Cool location, but the food was sub-​par. It was definitely better than what you’d get at your regular run-​of-​the mill tex mex (see: ingredients were better than On the Border), but I found the overall place to be a bit pricey for what you’re actually getting.
We ordered the Mexican Enchiladas, which are tortillas that have been dipped in chile ancho sauce, then filled with cheese and covered with more sauce and cheese. The pico de gallo that came as a side dish was unarguably fresh and well-​made, as were the sauteed potatoes and vegetables that came as side dishes. I found myself liking the sides more than I did the main entrée, though.
While they claim to have «happy hour every day,» their happy hour prices are actually about what you would expect to pay on a regular day in your standard bar. The $ 7 sangria special came in fancy glasses, but other than the container, there was little else fancy about them. They were decent, but I would have liked to see some more fruit in them and less cheap liquor taste.
One thing I will say for this place that I really liked, however: the atmosphere and the friendliness with which the owner greets every single customer that walks through the door. That always speaks volumes to me about the pride someone takes in their establishment and I have to give him major props for that.