(Dined 04/11/14 F @ 1:00pm): Expect wonderful Mexican food and killer margaritas, but I forgot to check their tequila selection!
It was the end of another punishing work week, a colleague and I needed to distance ourselves from the office so we could blow off some steam, so a fellow colleague recommended Azul Tequila which was a short drive away. The Yelp reviews looked very good (although the restaurant's website didn't seem to work), so we said eff-it, let's go! Tucked away among other shops and eateries in a section surrounded by several office buildings and complexes, we finally found the place. The outside was very unassuming. But once you opened the doors, I expected the Beach Boys' "Kokomo" to be played while Tom Cruise mixed "cocktails" at the bar. No such luck, but maybe I'll suggest that next time...because I planned on another visit. Here was how the lunch escape from work went (my food order only):
Fresh Tortilla Chips, Salsa, and Warm Bean Dip (comp.) - Fresh...fresh...fresh! The warm bean dip was the hero of this complimentary offering, and I seriously could've lived on this stuff and boxed the rest of my food. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=nN6KwD4O-Fgsvf8eHfDCug&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
Chili Mango Margarita ($6.75 ea.) - I've found my new favorite margarita! It tasted nearly like the street vendor food of a whole fresh mango sprinkled with chili powder. This was mangorific! Carefree simple fun times of my childhood flooded in with each sip. I ordered another so the reminiscing continued. But could've used more tequila. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=2yXbWfXv8fO2qDHygGUYzg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
Shrimp Burrito ($10.75) - No-meat Friday so I swam with the fishes - or the shrimps to be more exact. This monster was crammed with plenty of cut-up jumbo shrimp and your usual burrito stuffers. The fact that every bite/slice had some shrimp in it made this a absolute winner. The sides of Mexican rice and refried beans where nothing special but plentiful. I filled-up on the chips and salsa, so I had some leftovers for dinner. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=fGGtHCsz9qbwAiiI82n22A&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
Service - We were happily greeted by a young gentleman who immediately led us to a table. Reynaldo, our friendly server was the bomb! He got us waters and menus as soon as he sat us, and he was ready to take our orders...but we weren't. Once we ordered, our drinks and food came rather quickly during this busy lunch time. He checked on us regularly, our empty dishes were cleared away, and our water glasses filled. Only nick was that we had to ask for our check, but seriously, I didn't want to return to work.
Parking (free) - There were plenty of free parking spaces in the outdoor offices/shopping center located at the corner of Magic Mountain Parkway and Tourney Road. No need to look elsewhere.
Atmosphere, décor, ambience - It felt like we'd walked into a beach shack in Cabo San Lucas or Cancun with faux palms and some wood motif; all that was missing was sand on the floor - this was my kind of place! There appeared to be plenty of bench tables once you entered and proceeded towards the back. There was a separate bar area, several promotional posters hung on the walls, and festive beach decorations abound. There was both electric and natural lighting but generally seemed muted. There were several TVs but didn't notice any background music.
Attire - Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops if I weren't at work.
Overall, Azul Tequila was a hit with me, and I'm ready to line up for more with some amigos in-tow. The menu was varied, but didn't overwhelm, and seemed like a good place to catch some after-work drinks and maybe a game. However, I'm not sure if they had happy hour or not; it appeared that they would. I found exceptionally good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total paid experience was around $26.00 before tip). The food portions and friendly service should win you over. And enough couldn't be said about the chili mango margarita! And they accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX! 4.5 STARS read more