Upon arriving we had great service and the food was delicious. The appetizers and entrees were very fresh, bountiful, and cooked perfectly. Not only did we have Mexican food but also fresh fish and great salads. One of the better, consistent restaurants along the Shoreline at very reasonable prices. A local favorite! read more

They claim best in town but it was pretty much a joke. Serious identity crisis here. Mexican restaurant with more Cajun food on the menu then Mexican. Oh and the German food options too. Wife ordered chicken fajitas and there was maybe ¼ cup of oil on the plate with the fajitas. Maybe 1/2 of a chicken breast worth of meat and a ton of veggies. I got the grilled fish tacos. They would have been so much better with a white fish instead of the tuna on it. Well not sure if it was tuna but that's what it tasted like. Also would have probably been better with half as much fish. There was more fish in my two tacos then all the chicken in my wife's fajitas and the kids chicken quesadillas. read more

Been living here in Old Saybrook for past 2 yrs - prior to that I use to frequent while on the shoreline - To Ishtar I met with friends & received the best service by Jordan - Jordan was attentive to everyone's needs in the bar area . Food & beverages were amazing . Jordan suggested the cinnamon apple caramel margarita .... so delicious ! Left full & content with Jordan's service read more

Best Mexican place on the shoreline. Great atmosphere, food, and people surrounding it all. Love the restaurant and their live music!

I have been going here for years. Food was great but service was terrible. They did not seem to care we were not happy. Just wanted us to get out of restaurant. read more

This place is awesome. Food is fucking great, service is great, live music is great, scenery is great, all of it. My favorite thing to get are the street tacos oh my god and their rice is something else bro. All tastes very fresh and light. I always love it when I come here. Chips and salsa is on point too. read more

I have lived here for 11 years and regularly have been coming here! The service is great and the margaritas are the BEST! Our server Hannah is always so accommodating and so so sweet no matter how busy they are! The original nacho, the enchiladas and the fish tacos are AMAZING! You will not be disappointed read more

My wife and myself went for Cinco de Mayo and we had a great time. Great food, nice atmosphere. For being Cindo de Mayo the wait wasn't that bad, since the place was packed. They gave away a free Trip to Mexico. I will definitely be back! I would have given in 5 stars but the only thing that keeps me from doing so is the fact that the waitress wasn't as personable as I would prefer, and did not bring us water or ask if we needed anything. I also liked that this business gets how to use social media. I found them through their facebook page and through twitter. I even wrote a blog article about them at http://www.christopheradams.com/blog Looking forward to returning to Cuckoo's nest again and will probably go there next year for Cinco de Mayo! read more

Had lunch there while visiting family in Clinton. Our waitress, Erika provider us with excellent service. She was very friendly and knew the menu inside and out. Being from California, I told her we had the best Mexican restruants anywhere. She took that has a challenge and showed me how good the Cukoos nest really is. Thank you Erika. Walter Iacchini read more

To quote Yelp's two stars, "A-OK." The service was friendly and speedy, and the food came out super fast. The place was large and felt clean. It had a huge bar, too. The food, however, was very basic and none-too-spiced. The chicken burrito was average but hit the spot. The complimentary chips were very standard, but the salsa was almost like runny tomato sauce. They have a literal basket of hot sauces, but unfortunately one of the bottles had the top missing and was crusted over on top. Very unappetizing, unfortunately. Overall a very basic Mexican-style restaurant, but pleasant service and a fine atmosphere. read more

Good Mexican food and margueritas. I love the cozy ambience and 70's decor. Try the fish tacos and enchiladas with authentic mole. This is casual Mexican at its best. Don't overthink or wander far from the traditional offerings and you won't be dissapointed. read more

I have been to this restaurant several times to give it a fair shot, but here I am having to write this review to warn others. Every time I have come to this restaurant, I have been made uncomfortable by servers. As a young woman, you have to deal with cat calls and harassment on the streets, you don't expect to have to deal with it during lunch by the people who work there. Being only 17 the first time this occurred, I was horrified when one waiter slipped me his number with the words "call me if you want 11 inches" scribbled below. This was not the only time this occurred and it was not only by one server. I have dealt with several servers doing inappropriate gestures towards me and other woman I know. Food is also mediocre. Don't take your daughters here. read more

My husband,myself and daughter went there tonight and I was very pleased with our meal. I ordered the Chipotle short ribs special and my husband ordered the Mole enchiladas, my daughter the cheese quesadilla cuz she's a ten year old. I thoroughly enjoyed the pairing of the smoky and mildly spicy chipotle ribs with the polenta and perfectly seasoned vegetables. Very tasty and what an array of flavors. My husband had the mole enchiladas and he was very happy with them. I make them at home often and he usually complains about them when we eat them out. No complaints tonight. My daughter enjoyed her quesadilla. I ordered the flan for dessert and it was spot on. It did not taste light it was made from a packaged mix which is a huge plus. The drinks were good and the waitress was attentive and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place to fellow Mexicans and friends in general. read more

My bartender Caleb was amazing! So personable and so fun! He is always a great person to come to when I'm here! My fajitas were great! A great spot to get a drink and some food! read more

Very overpriced for what they Serve portions are small I Complained and got something half price which was what it was worth They should redo there menu and their prices read more

First time here. Great variety on the menu. Love the decor. It's very spacious, unique, has a very artistic feel. Type of restaurant for any event or occasion. Any age would be pleased with the atmosphere and selection of food. I tried the chili con carne. It was delicious. Def will be back! Jay is a great waiter! He's awesome! read more

Cuckoo's Nest - Chili con carne - Mexican Near Me - Old Saybrook, Connecticut

If you like crappy Mexican food go here. The nachos have American cheese on them and it is globbed on thickly and tasted processed. The chicken and beef tacos had no flavor to the meat and had liquid dripping out of them. Just gross. read more

First time dining here, Loved the atmosphere of this place it was fun & casual with an old tavern feel. The food was good, (ordered coconut shrimp, tacos and a Cajun pasta dish) prices fair, mediocre service. Will definitely come back. read more

Went to Cuckoo's Nest this past weekend. Very disappointed. The food was awful and overpriced. I heard the staff bickering so apparently there are management issues as well. $18.00 for two empanadas and rice? Really? I ordered the shrimp enchiladas. I asked what type of sauces they had. Was told a "red sauce". The "red sauce" appeared to be a can of Rotelle dumped on the enchiladas and topped with cheese. It cost $18.99 for two small enchiladas with white, yes white rice, not even Spanish yellow rice. Appetizers were also small portions and nothing special. I left the restaurant hungry after dropping $70.00 (we had soda, no alcohol) for two people. The reason for the one star is there was no way to rate 0 stars. Save your money and stay away. read more

I have been a local, regular customer of the Nest since 1985. It always was a place that you could go and dine on full dinners, or grab some appetizers and drinks. They used to have jazz piano twice a week, but that doesn't seem to exist anymore. In the summer, they have entertainment on the patio - some good, some not so. We took our children from a few months old with us, and as they grew up they brought friends and felt totally comfortable. We started to take our grandchildren! Then, something happened. I believe that they may have consulted some "restaurant guru" who told them to get rid of their a la carte menu, ditch several appetizers, add higher priced meals, etc. It's now a different place and with none of the food items we have ordered for all these years. I wish them well, but they have lost their "local" feel and ambiance which had made them our 'go-to' place for years! They have lost our regular business, and I have heard from several others that they feel the same. It'll be a long winter, I hope they reconsider their approach but doubt they will. read more

The service is fine. That being said, the chips were stale and the food was blahhh. I wanted real Mexican! What prompted this review is both my husband and myself were in serious stomach distress last night and well into today. I felt like the place needed a good cleaning. Yuck! read more

It's good! the monetary salad is great. The owners always donate to local events and it makes me keep coming back!

We have been here 43 minutes waiting for our food and our waitress has not checked on us once. We would love to order another round of the drinks while we wait forever for our food read more

Not very good tasting Cold food that takes forever. After waiting over an hour for my food I found the manager and brought the issue to his attention. His reply, " the kitchen is slammed, what do you want from me". I said there's about 15-20 empty tables, you should be able to expedite your orders with a full house. He said "I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you". I said it's ok. You don't have to tell me anything. I'll be posting a yelp review. He laughed in my face and walked away. My food finally arrived. It was lukewarm and mediocre at best. I'll never be back. read more

Never had a bad meal here! Can't go wrong with the fajitas. Atmosphere is fun but family friendly. Also very clean and great drinks!

No offense stopped going here years ago . for some reason all my out of town friends beg to go to cuckoos nest. I haven't been in many years and reluctantly returned. my fears were realized. I can give two positive reviews on two specific things. the men's room was clean and the waitress outstanding!. other than that I cannot recommend .When I go to eat I want something I wouldn't normally make myself or cant prepare. I am sorry to say this is below taco bell standards. 18 dollars for my plate ? 3 tacos beans rice plus additional I believe 8 bucks for gumbo. I cant justify the price its outrageous. I sampled my wife`s chicken , needed water or a cocktail in order to get it down it was so dry. other guests the same . one was able to finish a steak special that had a nice presentation but was told it lacked flavor ...problem is people are willing to believe what they read or just enjoy getting gouged for bland "Mexican" food. the restaurant is really just become an extension of the bar with mediocre food at best. add to that an hour and a half wait time from arrival until main dish arrived . My bad never should have stepped back in the place after all these years .If your sober go somewhere else if you expect to drink a half dozen margaritas and wish to consume dried out flavorless food being shopped as Mexican or Creole while inebriated go for it ! and when you wake up the next morning and discover your wallet is light you can be proud you overspent on the food but hey, been there ,done that , bought the t shirt ! you can say you went to an award winning shoreline institution. read more

We decided to give the one more chance after we saw the billboard Voted #1 Mexican Restaurant .$11 for one small taco with dry fish no fresh vegetables ,dry tasteless rice .Fake voting !! Never again. read more

So sorry we came here, quite a mistake. Burrito very bad Chicken over cooked and flavorless, gave a weird flavor to entire meal Not nice Becky read more

Great Sunday brunch so many different things to try you won't be disappointed. Omelettes made to order, tacos, fajitas, it just goes on and on. read more

Always gross! I know I am going against the grain here, but this place is a disappointment to say the least. It's in an old building which is interesting, but gives the feeling of grease and dirt and insufficient cleaning. I could certainly get past that for some Mexican food. This really isn't too good. Never hot, after multiple visits for proof, The food is usually a pile of congealed cheese, cold and inedible. Nice big portions though! I gave it one star for the nice cold beer! read more

i order a chicken fajita and i got a plate of cold carrots and cold cheese. inedible. food tasted like it was sitting out for a hour. cold and dry. this was what my table looked like when i sat down. not even clean. wtf????!!!! someone please help !! read more

Cuckoo's Nest - Mexican Near Me - Old Saybrook, Connecticut

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Was really hoping to see an improvement since our last visit years ago, unfortunately it was a bust. Slow and unfriendly service - food was on par with frozen quesadillas. Low quality ingredients. Atmosphere hasn't changed in 29 plus years. On the plus side, restroom was clean and beers were cold. read more

My family and I had a great time at the cuckoos nest tonight. the music on the patio was fantastic and the food was perfect. Our very attentive waitress, Natalie got us everything we needed and more!!! We had a great time!!! This place is great for all! read more

Paige was an amazing hostess tonight! The live band was excellent and the food was even better!

This year Cinco de Mayo had to be celebrated at home but Cuckoos Nest did not disappoint..Not the same atmosphere , but food was delicious and Sangria was yummy as always! We sure will be back for take out and when this all over for. read more

So let's talk Eye Appeal, Aroma and Flavor. Yes to Appealing food. So-so Aroma. Poor flavor. The food was Not fresh. Cold tortilla chips. Tasted a wierd oil after taste flavor. Chicken chimichaungas were deep fried in mass production ahead of time, then microwaved I am guessing by taste. The beans were Bland. In a blind taste test, they could have been rubberbands for all I know. read more

Not being from the area and just passing through, we were directed here by a couple of locals. And our verdict is... This was a mixed bag. Pros: Cool ambiance and environment, fresh salsa was amazing. Some of the actual food was solid. Service was solid and friendly. Cons: Current Theme was all over the place (Oktoberfest at a Mexican restaurant?), chicken in my taco was very dry (used the fresh salsa to moisten and that worked out well), chips were served cold (warm them a bit please). Keep the ambiance, and the salsa but work on the actual food to improve the overall rating. read more

The menu says Cajun Prime Rib...not at all. It's not a PR, nor is it a Rib Eye. It's sirloin...just chewy old sirloin. Not good. read more

This was honestly the worse "Mexican" food I've ever had. I wouldn't recommend anyone to go to this place. My boyfriend and I happen to be driving around, and decided to stop when we saw how different it was. As soon as we went in, we weren't greeted, I was more, ok follow me. When we sat down, we were told the waitress would be right with us. They immediately brought over water, and some chips with salsa. Waitress asked us what we wanted to drink, I ordered a strawberry Jarrito(best thing I had). She came back 2 minutes later asking what we wanted to eat. Never have I ever felt so rushed being at a sit down restaurant, and we were one of three tables that were there at the moment, by the way both other tables were done and leaving. Whatever, we order food, and sit there talking, waitress comes back saying "food will be out soon guys". I started to think to myself, I ordered no more than 5 minutes ago. Again I think whatever, I'm hungry bring the food. Food comes out, my order was wrong, I let them know, they change it, no big deal. Rice and beans, were in one word horrendous, you could tell they were sitting in a fridge ready to be reheated in a microwave. I come from a Spanish home, I know what next day rice tastes like, hard and bland. As for the tacos, they felt nothing like authentic Mexican tacos. Meat was tasteless, my first set of tacos the lettuce was brown, nothing was fresh, and then to top it off, it was mozzarella cheese on top! I was so mad at that point. Did I mention my waitress passed us on to another waiter because she was going home. Which ok, you can go home, but it wouldn't have been hard for you to finish waiting our table(we were the only ones there). The other waiter, came by 5 minutes after I had gotten my new set of tacos and said "are you still working on the tacos or want me to get you a box?" I was like "bring me a box". All in all, food was gross, felt like I threw my money away, and was being rushed throughout the whole time. If you want actual Mexican food I would recommend to find somewhere else no matter how far it is from this place, the further you get from them the better. I'm never come back here again. First and last time! read more

Save your money and time, go somewhere else. This place stunk. We have frequented many establishments and this one takes the cake for blah. Service, quality, value all lacking. Maybe we choose a bad night, cheers to all who are trying to make it better. read more