Is it a 3 or a 4 star? Food - 4; Ambiance - 3; and service - 5. Average comes to 4. Parking is adequate except on Cinco dr Mayo. It is a very bright venue with loud music. Service is fast (most likely hoping for fast turnover). Chips and salsa delivered upon arrival. Ordered a chicken fajita / taco salad. An abundance of peppers but could have used more lettuce to satisfy the salad portion. SO ordered a steak dish which was more than enough for 2 meals. So maybe, it's all in what you order. Is it someplace I'd go back? Sure, it'll get added to our list of places to return to. read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Chicken fajita taco salad - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

I decided to give Don Tequila a try after hearing mixed things about it. With that being said, it turned out to be a painfully average restaurant. With that known, I ordered the Tex Mex nachos for an appetizer and they were actually very good. To explain, the chips tasted fresh and homemade. Likewise, the cheese sauce was hot and had nice flavor. I really enjoyed the nachos and I hoped my entree would be just as good, but sadly that didn't happen. Knowing that, I ordered the shrimp and steak fajitas for my dinner and I was disappointed. To breakdown, the steak was terrible. It was cut extremely thin and was as tough as a tire. Similarly, the tortillas tasted store bought and had a weird taste to them. On the flip side, the shrimp, peppers, and onions were all enjoyable. They tasted fresh and were actually cooked properly. That said, the fajitas weren't terrible, but I wouldn't get them again. Conclusively, Don Tequila is a mediocre Mexican restaurant that is nothing to write home about. read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Shrimp and Steak Fajita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

We stopped into Don Tequila's for lunch on Cico de Mayo. The restaurant was packed and they had plenty of staff on duty. There was three in our party and we were seated promptly. The restaurant is very beautiful and there are vibrant colors throughout we enjoyed all the flowery photo op areas that are available. There was actually a very large heart near the main entrance where customers could take a photo; very cool. We weren't fans of the plastic silverware and they prevented purchase of their Margarita flights because it was a holiday; I get the flights but if we're spending $16+ for a lunch item or $23+ for a dinner item in restaurant we should get real silverware. Mom and me ordered the Fajita Express ($16) my stepdad ordered the lunch cheese steak quesadilla $14.50. we were a bit disappointed when the fajitas arrived; no searing skillet, what's up with that? Just the food on a plate. The quesadilla was a strange presentation as well. Folded over in half but not cut, zero crisp or crunch, and sauce on top. Never seen anyone have to eat a quesadilla with a fork and knife before. The food did taste good overall but the presentation was a fail. We ordered a few drinks as well. All drinks were served in plastic cups. The beer was reasonably priced and cold. The house margarita was delicious ($12) and the Mexican Muel was also tasty ($10). As for some of the other Margarita options they cost as much as some of the lunch and dinner items, a bit extreme. We couldn't believe they didn't have any margarita specials on Cinco de Mayo, another fail. The restrooms are a bit of a mess. The mens room toilet has a leak at the base and the caulk job is horrendous. One of the hand washing sinks is out of service with a grocery bag over the spout and valve. Overall we had an ok experience, nothing spectacular. If it weren't Cico de Mayo we would have just stopped by Teds Fish Fry. Next time I'm in the area and looking for lunch or dinner, we will most likely try somewhere else. read more

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My wife and I tried this place for the first time yesterday, and we really enjoyed it. We found the service to be excellent, the atmosphere very good although it is a bit noisy at times because of the big open area. Otherwise everything was excellent, food was hot and tasty. My wife was not even able to finish her taco salad. A definite place we will go back to! read more

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Tasty food with quick service. Always busy around dinner but we were seated right away. Can't go wrong with margaritas and tacos! read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Raspberry margarita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

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Yum everything here is so good! Great service! Casual ambiance. Lots of seating. Delicious food! I suggest the Chori pollo or birria tacos! read more

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We made our third visit last night after previous visits that went well. Last night was completely opposite. We sat in the middle of the longest part of the bar. There was a couple at each opposite end of the bar so it wasn't crowded. The bartender placed glasses of water in front of us and walked away...no menu, no drink order. She went to the back side of the bar where another person was sweeping the floor. She emptied the glass washer and talked on her cellphone, loaded more glasses and cleaned behind the bar. She spent 10 - 15 minutes without asking if we wanted anything. I thought maybe they were closing at 8pm. We were almost ready to get up and leave when she finally brought menus and asked if we wanted to order drinks and seemed upset. We figured maybe she was arguing with someone on her phone. She made our drinks and went to the back side of the bar again where she spent most of her time. She came back, took our order then left again. She waited on people at each end of the bar but kept going behind the bar to go from one end to the other without checking back with us. Food was brought out by a server. Again, bartender never checked on us. I finished my dinner, wife wanted another napkin and a box for leftovers. I flagged the bartender down. Wife asked for a lighter glass to pour her drink in. Bartender rolled her eyes and walked away. I saw her preparing the glass which she brought to us, along with a box and napkins. She asked if we wanted our check and we told her yes. She brought the check and then thanked us before going to back of bar again. We packed the leftovers, signed the check with a 10% tip, finished drinks and left. Not sure if we will return. Food was good, but that service was bad. read more

Went recently and was incredibly grossed out. The restaurant smelled like disinfectant as soon as we walked in. Not many people inside. Went to use the bathroom and a sign on the woman's door instructed you not to throw USED toilet paper in the toilet. The trash can was overflowing with used toilet paper. My tacos had a long blonde curly hair in it. I'm a brunette with pin straight hair. My meal was refunded but I couldn't even stomach my drink after all this. We won't be going back. It's clear there are some health code issues. The bartender informed us they had "some plumbing issues". read more

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Came here for a little after work trip with two of my favorite people that I haven't seen in a while... Apparently there was a wait but we never noticed it and the staff was very polite about this so-called weight. All the food was hot and fresh large portions. I got the birria tacos the staff was really polite about making sure that everything I ordered was gluten free and just double-checked to make sure on everything as well. The queso dip was amazing. Everything was freshly made salsa queso chips. My friends that I went out with enjoyed the experience just as much Also, we really enjoyed our cocktails, especially that spicy. Margarita, it was a jalapenos and cucumber read more

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I like it here! I have been twice and the bar area is a joy to sit in. Large wrap around bar connecting with a large patio with over head doors, the seats are big and comfy too. The service at the bar is not the best, but I think it is acceptable. It gets pretty crowded and there are serval people helping you do things might get delayed or missed. The margaritas are great, although I think all places are a little crazy with their pricing. The skinny marg (no mixer) is $18, so I didn't even get one on my second visit. The Smokey marg is $15, and the standard is $12. These aren't high quality craft cocktails, it's a margarita served in an oversized, impractical glass, but I digress. I love a Mexican spot for the chips and salsa and margs, and I really love their salsa. It has a little more heat than most places and it adds some interest. My first visit I had the Birria chimichangas and they were AMAZING. They did make a mistake on the presentation, but gave me the correct toppings on the side, regardless those chimichangas were fantastic and I loved the queso and consume with the dish. My first visit, my date got the steak fajitas and they looked amazing, so that's what I got on my second visit. The portion is HUGE, and excellent for fajitas. I loved the toppings plate as well. I could barely eat 1/3 of the plate before packing it up. Makes for great leftovers. Super convenient, good and standard Americanized Mexican. I love this location as it is super close to home, I'll be back. read more

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My husband and I were out and about and he said he wanted Mexican food and the closest place was Don Tequila. I was hesitant because it's a chain restaurant but I'm so glad he picked it. I got the birria bowl and he got the California Burrito. That birria bowl was absolutely DELICIOUS. It's Birria over rice and beans with fresh pico, sweet corn, avocado, picked onion, sour cream. The combo of everything is so good I would eat this every day if I could. The California burrito he got with chicken it has rice lettuce, pico, sour cream, guacamole, corn and is deep fried. It's huge and was really good too. I also got the Paloma. It's tequila with lime juice, grapefruit soda, agave and a sugared rim. You can get salt or tajin as well. The food came out SO FAST. we ordered and it came out in 10 mins. The service is great. When we came in some woman was arguing with a waitress over a $5 tip and was making things extremely complicated for this poor girl. Lady keep you $5 and get your karen ass out of here. She complained she was never coming back here. Over $5! GOOD RIDDANCE PUTA! Hasta! our waitress was awesome. The decor is very on brand and I loved the pictures with the lights behind them. We got in around 6:45 and the place was packed the entire time. We ordered desert to go the Carrito Loco which has fried ice cream, churros and tres de Leche. They were out of tres de Leche and offered us any other desert off the menu so we went with Key Lime Pie. It was INSANE!!! We went home and watched a movie and ate dessert and it was so good. I have enough leftovers to last me 2 days. I was very impressed. read more

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I was excited when Don Tequila Mexican finally opened in the old Warehouse BBQ location on Wolf Road Pictured is a Blue Hawaiian Margarita & Virgin Frozen Raspberry Margarita Chorizo, Al Pastor & Carnitas Tacos Pick 3 W/ Ground Beef Soft Taco, Chicken Enchilada, Beef & Bean Toastada Elotes Dip Everything was really good my favorite was the Elotes Dip and I even got a second drink to go (non alcoholic) It's so exciting to have another great option for Mexican food in the area read more

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I was really excited to try this place because they have an explicit vegetarian and vegan menu with a couple different options that look good. We got takeout for four adults and two kids so a really big order that was placed on DoorDash. When my sister-in-law arrived to pick up the order, they clearly hadn't gotten the order and said they had to make it and so that was tough then it was done in 10 minutes, but it was a rush job obviously and the packaging was not secured well, so by the time we got to our destination so much had spilled in the bags. We asked for a discount since the food wasn't ready and they haven't gotten the order but they said no they said we could come back tomorrow for a gift card, but I don't really know how that makes sense and we don't live nearby so not a great option. I will say everyone liked their food. It wasn't amazing, but it was good. We got the vegan enchiladas which we liked but was a really small meal and the vegetarian taco salad which had a good variety of ingredients and a good size portion. The rice and beans were tasty. read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

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Wow!! What a spot. We were waiting for family after a flight in from CA so we decided to try this place out. Coming from CA, we have high expectations for some good Mexican food. The ambiance on the deck outside was great. The server was attentive and kind. And the food was delicious!! We had enough room left for dessert and splurged on the tres leches (which was phenomenal) and the chocolate cake which was also great. Highly, highly recommend this place! read more

Excellent food and a lovely and vibrant atmosphere. Servers and bartender were friendly. Will return read more

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Fun bar, we stopped by to watch sports after dinner & had a few drinks and chips, and everything was great. Good service, nice building. We were gobsmacked at the size of the drinks!! read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Margarita in a giant goblet!! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

Loved it! My colleague and I loved our dinner! Service was amazing and the food was simply delicious. We ordered the Birria enchiladas and I ordered the Shredded chicken tacos on corn tortillas. The salsa was very flavorful. Very happy with this meal! read more

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I made a takeaway order for 2 tacos and chips and salsa. I was disappointed to discover that the salsa was actually 2 cups of a sweet/spicy barbecue sauce. Tacos were pretty basic with with just meat, cheese, and lettuce. read more

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Tried this New Mexican restaurant for a birthday dinner and let's just say the birthday celebration they put on was pretty fun. Music started blaring and sparklers with clapping ensued. Not sure what they were saying but it made it fun. Service was something left to be desired. Food was authentic Mexican. The chips and salsa were served first, which the salsa was on the spicier side, we also ordered apps and the food came out no more than 10 mins later. Felt pointless to order apps. The drinks were okay, I got a margarita flight and the presentation was cool but drinks a little on the light side for the tequila in my opinion. If you have a larger party the gratuity is already included. They do have a website to place reservations on which was a nice feature. Nothing special, might go back might not. read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Margarita flight plus - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

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Exploding with holiday and Mexican decor-creating a festive atmosphere. It was a Monday night, but there are a few diners whyte staff was pleasant and accommodating. We had to ask them to turn the music down so we could have a conversation. When asked if there were specials, the waitress went to the manager to inquire, and you could have 3 tacos and a beer or margarita for $20. We did not opt for that. We chose to have the Beria quesadilla which was served with rice it was very flavorful although a bit too salty and I'm a salt lover. The chips and salsa and guacamole were not my favorite. But they have different regional guacamoles so check the different ones out. The shrimp soup was huge with lots of shrimp. Everyone seem pleased with their dinner. I would definitely go back although seems to be a bit on the expensive side portion seemed plentiful. There's a huge tequila list and a nice draft beer list. Staff was pleasant and accommodating. read more

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Recently stopped by Don Tequila Mexican Cantina with a colleague and so enjoyed the experience! When I arrived at the table, they had already brought over chips and salsa which were delicious. I love it when Mexican spots bring chips to munch on while you peruse the menu--such a nice touch. I started with a paloma cocktail which was a delight. It was not only well made with quality ingredients, it was also pretty, which everyone knows makes it taste just that much better. For my dinner, I got the fajita quesadilla with chorizo, which was also a delight. The chorizo had the perfect amount of flavor and spice and that it was packed with onions and peppers as well. The addition of guacamole salad, rice, and beans really rounded it off to make it a full blown meal. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and the prices were reasonable. Plus, they have margarita flights. What's not to love about that? Get to it! read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Paloma - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

The food was delicious the atmosphere was fun and inviting and the service was kind and quick. read more

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We enjoyed our visit. Hillary, our server, was attentive and friendly. The food was tasty; we had enchiladas and grilled shrimp tacos. The margaritas were good. We found out they make their own mix. We would come here again. read more

They forgot Me never got my food. They know what they need to do. All of a sudden when I ask the waitress if she forgot me. She said she was on the other side of and apologized. Canceled my order and paid my drink and a tip. Worst restaurant ever. read more

Nice surprise how good this new Albany Mexican restaurant was. Right out the gate the chips and vibrant salsa were amazing. Had the good steak, chorizo, shrimp mixed fajitas with corn tortillas that was only missing the normal sizzling presentation. Finished with perfect caramel stuffed churros. My opening Blue Hawaiian was the equivalent of 3 cocktails that made me very happy. Will definitely done here again. read more

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Don't waste your time or money at this place. I have had better food at Taco Bell. The service was mediocre at best. The waitress spilled sauce all over the floor splashing on a person in our group. It took forever for anyone at the restaurant to clean up the mess. The silverware was not clean. Very sticky to the touch. The restrooms were dirty and didn't have toilet paper Do yourself a favor and stay away. read more

Good mixed drinks, okay margaritas (getting the pitcher is definitely cheaper than ordering individual margaritas). For was good. Our waitress was really nice. Our only complaint is that the appetizers and the food came out at the same time, which took up so much room on the table. The place is clean and nice. Two things I recommend: 1. Coming in your birthday, you get a free shot of tequila. 2. The churros are fantastic! read more

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Service was good! Food was not. Chairs not terribly comfortable. Restrooms were dirty. read more

The beef in my Don Bowl was awful. Tasted like stewed beef and was tough & fatty. The bowl had ingredients in it not listed on menu. Peas, carrots & Lima beans. It was awful. Never going back. My husband had the taco salad w ground beef and that was awful too. The ground beef mix was a weird color snd texture. Almost creamy. We left and barely ate anything read more

I had been looking to try a New Mexican place because my favorite one had gone down hill. A had a couple friends rave about Don tequila and so I decided to give it a try. Let me tell you this place did not disappoint! From the speedy service to quick ticket times and delicious food it was absolutely a 10/10 experience. For started we had the guacamole and queso dip, I couldn't stop eating it was addicting! Dinner came shortly after our apps and I was so excited. I got the camarones con arroz, it was nothing short of perfection. It was incredibly flavorful and the portion was massive. There was a generous portion of shrimp and fresh veggies over a bed of rice topped with a queso finish! My friend had a vegetarian taco bowl and as you can see in the picture it was huge, neither of us could come close to finishing our food. Lastly my 5 year old who never finishes a meal, absolutely devoured his beef quesadilla and rice! He did all but lick the plate which was rather impressive! Overall this place is so great I can't wait to return with my fiance and show him this place as it will be my new fixation! read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Camarones con Arroz and Taco Salad - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

Service was great. My server was kind and fun- very patient with my elderly mom. Food awesome. Loved the atmosphere.

Food was excellent. Got everything as ordered even with special requests our server Johanna was amazing very attentive. The atmosphere and ambience was great and very clean. Our food came out in an exceptionally fast. Timing and drinks were strong. Tasty and superb. Highly recommend and will come back again. Great value. read more

Don Tequila Mexican Cantina - Taco salad with House margarita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albany, New York

Was apprehensive if we needed another Mexican spot in this market and guess what the answer is - absolutely!! A gem, the food was fresh, tasty and affordable. The service and atmosphere were fun and inviting. We would return here in a heartbeat. The drinks were excellent, food was great and the dessert was tasty too! A comfortable and fun spot that you definitely need to add to your rotation! read more

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Me and husband tried Don Tequila today for the first time. Wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Atmosphere was lovely services even better. Our waitress Natasha was amazing very friendly and attentive. We went with the spicy cucumber margarita picture (so good and not to spicy) I had the chimichanga very good and husband got the burrito bandera (it was HUGE) and hubby said it was very good. 7 out of 10. Best part was the complementary chips and salsa. Salsa was so good we asked for extra to take home. We will definitely be back. read more

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This place was great! The staff were super accommodating and moved people quickly even though they were packed. We waited about 30 mins but we expected it, we didn't have a reservation so no complaints there. The margaritas were delicious and huge. I just got house with added flavors and it was very good. They did a nice job decorating, so much better than the BBQ place before. The chips came out quickly, the salsa was a little spicy for my taste, but my husband loved it. My husband had the enchiladas trio and he loved it, I tried it was good. I got the birrria chimichangas and they were okay, there is definitely better birria in the Albany region, as it was a little dry. However don't write off this place on this, everything else on the dish was delicious. I will definitely come again and get a different dish. They're also new, so I won't hold that against them. It was definitely a fun restaurant to be in. read more

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Ok atmosphere but... Terrible food. Elote appetizer was absolutely disgusting and tasted like canned corn. Birria quesadilla was ok but rice was bland and guacamole was definitely not homemade read more

Always a great heal, big portions and great service. Love their frozen drinks too! And nice atmosphere. read more

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Chips & salsa immediately brought to the table upon seating along w ice water. I got the steak fajitas and my gf got the chimichangas which she said were delicious. They did a nice job with the restaurant since it was the BBQ Warehouse. Not as loud as it was. Nice logo on the chairs & booths. I'll be back. read more

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I ordered the steak dinner for my girlfriend. I ordered the mini chimichangas and a shredded chicken chalupa. I also ordered a side of rice and beans. The steak was a terrible cut of meat super thin and tasted like garbage and was spiced terribly. The chalupa came with a mealy tortilla with shredded lettuce guac pico de gallo that was so heavily laced with cilantro it ruined any other flavor. And sour cream but no shredded chicken. My chalupas tasted like they were Price chopper brand out of a box from the freezer section of the grocery store. Rice and beans was decent nothing to write home about nothing to complain about. Everything and I mean everything the sauce for the chips and the pico de gallo that I ordered on the side were way too heavy with cilantro and since this is supposed to be a high-end restaurant whoever makes the pico de gallo and the taco sauces should know this but apparently they don't. I don't know if all the Google reviews were from paid people or people that have no taste buds. I have literally had better meals at Moe's and chipotle. If I was rating 1 to 5:00, with five being the best it would have to be a one. I've eaten at El loco and liked it very much. I've eaten at Margarita City and it's a decent place in my book but not the best. El charro was my favorite but I haven't been there in years but I've always had a good meal there. La fiesta is not bad again kind of generic but decent always. Don tequila couldn't hold the jockstrap of any of the aforementioned restaurants. The fact that people are giving a good reviews is just mind-boggling that there's that many people in the Capital district that have no taste buds whatsoever. read more

The toilets in both bathrooms had exploded and when I told the hostess, she said we know and that you could go across the street and use the other bathroom and it was not closed off and they did nothing about it. then we never got our food or drinks and they kicked us out at closing time and they made us pay for the food. We never got never coming back if I could give it zero stars I would. read more