El 123 Tex-Mex

I've been a fan of Chili's for a while. They've still got it, but there are some confusing…read moredecisions. We tried the mozzarella sticks for the first time and man. You've gotta try those. So flavorful and filling. Marinara complemented it well. I used to favor their steak, but this time I went for their bacon burger. It was phenomenal. Didn't expect Chili's to be an A-grade burger joint but man, it was so flavorful. Super messy, but good. Fries were well seasoned and cooked well. One of us would have gotten steak had corn still been on the menu. But they very recently removed it? How can you be Tex-Mex and not sell corn? Baffling decision. Service was fine. Quick. Answered our questions. Did not wait long for food. Ambiance has hardly changed in 15 years. They played some good, well-known, dated music. Great for a family restaurant. TVs up playing sports for those who care. Bathrooms could be better. Need to be modernized. Urinal flushes so slowly, water takes forever to go down. Soap and faucet was not automatic, but towel dispenser was (and perfectly responsive). In a Tex-Mex place, it can be expected that the bathrooms are frequented more, so I think further steps should be taken to keep it cleaner. The food itself, aside from the criminally-absent corn, is an easy 9/10. Bathrooms were a 4. Service an 8. Atmosphere a 9. A worthwhile visit. I plan to return. I hope the corn does too.

We repeatedly have great service and the food is always delicious. The restaurant is great for…read morefamilies, friends, or couples.

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Barberitos

4.1(48 reviews)

4.0 mi

Ty, Chris, and Kaleb were cherry, helpful, and all-around great to interact with. They were…read moreprofessional while offering their expertise in making super tasty burritos for us to indulge in. Everything was fresh tasting and handed to us with a smile. Top tier experience here today. Thank you guys!

My wife discovered his place and I decided to see what this place ahead while I was ordering. This…read moreplace does a custom of nearly everything. I ordered a specialty of a burrito and it came out really good actually. It even came with a side of salsa chips and you get to pick your own dip that you would like to choose with it. Staff here was very nice and actually went above and beyond for our order. Restrooms were in fair condition too. Great quality food, there wasn't a lot of people inside as well. There was ample amount of parking featured here too though if anything there's parking on the lot behind the building. Overall, I was pretty impressed with my visit here

Cheese grit gaspacho'eqe soup-- called cheese dip not a fan.

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Chicken Salad

Tex Mex Restaurant

4.6(18 reviews)

57.5 mi

Absolutely loved getting lunch there! The owners gave amazing service and It was a nice atmosphere…read more 9.5/10 would recommend!

Food great, service lacking. Menu offerings and food receive 4-5 stars. Definitely off the last…read moretime I ate there and felt overlooked after waiting some time for my order to be taken, which I finally placed at the bar, and then not being checked on until approaching the cashier.

Piccadillo with moros

Cuban sandwich

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Chicken sandwich

Mas Amor Cantina

3.7(77 reviews)

76.4 mi

Went here for a happy hour with some friends. Service is great and wait staff works very hard…read more One thing I'll say is that it's pricy. What you see in the picture is $21 once tax gets you, and that's without getting some of the cocktails. Definitely plan on breaking $100 if you get a few drinks here with your spouse. I had the Diablo tacos (grilled shrimp, jalapeño bacon, chipotle aioli, cabbage slaw) and the tacos are generously packed. Definitely a great spot in Hickory

We tried Mas Amor when they first opened up and were not impressed, so it has been sometime since…read morewe had been back. We dined with a party of 5 on Saturday evening and the food was quite good! It has a pleasant surprise! The restaurant itself is pleasant and decorated well. The food was all tasty - tacos, quesadilla, dips, taco salad and the Gorditas! We liked the thin chips much better than the thick ones that came with the guac and queso. The only negative, and it is potentially a big one, was the service. The host didn't welcome us and was not very friendly and didn't move with any sense of urgency. Our server was very friendly, but at times all of us had empty drinks and it took him a long time to come check on us. My dish said it came with sour cream and when it arrived there was none on it. I asked for some and it took 10 minutes for it to arrive. My food was warm when it arrived, but cold by the time the sour cream arrived. It still tasted excellent, but I would rather go to a mediocre tasting restaurant with killer service than a place that tastes great, but you are never checked on. The restaurant was busy, but not packed. There were empty tables. The manager brought our food and checked on us at the end and he was cleaning tables. He was very nice and I felt like he probably needed more help or to do some training. I work in the service industry and I know how tough it is. But you have to have energetic staff that know how to check on folks and communicate or else you will die on the vine. I think overall we will be back and hope it was just an off night with service. To those about to dine, I salute you! Good luck with the service!

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Birria tacos

Cancun Family Mexican Restaurant

3.9(10 reviews)

24.4 mi

Depending on who is in the kitchen, the food is inconsistent. I am sorry to say. when the food is…read moregood it is AWESOME. Service is superb and Ambiance Terrific

The food is excellent! My friends and I visit this restaurant regularly for lunch…read more The service is really great as well. If you haven't tried it you need to. The prices are good and plenty of tables.

Steak Fajitas

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Fusion at Ridgefields

4.3(60 reviews)

26.9 mi

The food here is creative and delicious. Quality service and quick. Atmosphere is classy but…read morerelaxed.

I pulled up to Fusion at Ridgefields by myself like a grown adult (very rare), mainly because my…read moregirlfriend Olivia was bartending and I figured I should at least pretend to be a supportive boyfriend. First off, this place is way nicer than I deserve to be in. Low lights, super clean, and everybody looks like they have their life together. Meanwhile I'm just there for moral support and food. Olivia was behind the bar absolutely carrying the establishment, making drinks like a professional and not judging me for sitting there alone. She was super attentive, super attractive, the drinks were perfect, and you can tell the staff actually cares about what they're doing. Shout out the host Meisha she is tough also! I ordered food expecting "good for Kingsport," and got "actually really, really good." Everything came out fast, looked fancy, and tasted even better than it looked. No complaints at all. The vibe is perfect whether you're on a date, with friends, or just sitting there solo like me pretending you're important. Super relaxed but still upscale. 10/10 would recommend. Go sit at the bar and tip Olivia so I can have a nice birthday present.

Inside of restaurant

Beef tenderloin bruschetta

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Cucumber martini

Moe's Southwest Grill

2.5(17 reviews)

7.6 mi

Let me first start by saying I was a Moe's fan many years ago then I moved away and didn't have a…read morelocation near me. Now I'm in a new state with a Moe's so I was looking forward to eating at a once favorite place. Not this time. The attached picture is their version of a chicken bowl. And this was after asking for a little more rice!! I was afraid to ask for more chicken because I didn't want to have an extra meat charge added to the already expensive total. When did they raise their prices so high? For one veggie burrito, one chicken bowl, a small container of queso, and one small drink, I paid over $23.00. The burrito was black bean, rice and cheese only. You can see that the food temperature wasn't hot enough to melt the cheese. I was going to ask for lettuce until I saw that the lettuce had way too many brown pieces in it. There was no ice in the drink machine. I got ice from the tea machine. When I asked how to scan the app QR code, the female employee at the register told me I needed to scan my receipt to earn points. She accepted my money and then said she had to go to the bathroom so she called another employee to the register. I'm assuming it was an emergency. No receipt was given and the employee had already completed the transaction. So no rewards or points for this visit. Really doesn't matter that much because I'm not thinking I will be trying it again in the near future. I mentioned twice in front of their employees that this wasn't enough food in the bowl. Not a single one offered to add anything to it. When did they stop saying welcome to Moe's? That doesn't affect my review I just thought it is sad how the customer service had declined. The restaurant was clean but that's the only positive thing I can say about this experience.

My food was prepared wrong. Not just one thing but all of it. Talked to owner he said he would call…read moreback. Nick manager called and was so rude. This was almost a 50 dollar order. Tacos were smashed, wrong meat and I paid for guacamole and queso and did not get it. I used door dash. Bags were ot sealed either. I never call about orders. Nick said call door dash and hung up on me. That's what I get for trying to get a resolution. Should have went to Chipotle.

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$Black Cat Burrito - Steak taco salad. Image doesn't do it justice. Largest salad we've seen on this trip at a fraction of the $$

Black Cat Burrito

3.9(197 reviews)

37.7 mi

I used to live in Boone and this was one of my favorite spots and every time me and my family go up…read morethere we try to go to it. The atmosphere is great and the servings are pretty large. Sometimes they put a little less meat than you would like but the portion of the food makes up for it entirely unless you just absolutely love tons of meat. The service is also good it's mostly college kids that work there and they're fun to talk to.

Update: Yep, still my favorite spot in Boone. Chicken wing burrito always delivers. My wife loved…read moreher steak tacos and my kids enjoyed their nachos and quesadilla. Something for everyone! Plus, they have PBR, which is the key to my heart.

Chalkboard wall

Veggie and tofu quesadilla

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Menu - prices are higher

Blackwood

3.9(13 reviews)

62.0 mi

Great local spot for BBQ just off the interstate! Pulled off…read moreI-81 at the Wythville exit in a trip to northern Virginia and decided to try this local bbq restaurant. The brisket had a good mixture of lean and fatty meat, and a perfect smoke that really didn't need any sauce, but the bourbon sauce added a savory heat that was excellent. The real surprise was the bourbon beans! This blend of black and pinto beans with peppers, onions and bacon is sitting in a brilliant sauce with an amazing sweet heat and is thin enough to imbue the flavor without being a thick brown-sugar soup... a definite must have! The staff were very friendly as well. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was price and setting. Based on the interior which appears to still be under some construction, I'm assuming they have only recently moved into the space... which is fine, however, for table service I would expect something more that styrofoam to-go containers and plastic utensils. And, although the quality of the food is quite good and portions are nice, $21 for one bbq meat and two sides is a bit on the high side. So, if you are moving through the area and are looking for good bbq, (and don't mind paying a bit more and being served in styrofoam) it's definitely worth stopping by.

Blackwood is the bomb. What was his name? Sebastian?…read more He's out front with the offset. Respectable pulled pork. Great Mac. Great potato salad. I was full but still wanted more.

Brisket tacos

Brisket with bourbon beans and potato salad.

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Chicken plate

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Michael S.

0

2

1

8 months ago

I normally don't write reviews cause most are mediocre. This place is a definite cut above the rest very pleased. If not the best in the area it's definitely in the running. read more

El 123 Tex-Mex - tex-mex - Updated September 2026

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This place has really been hit and miss for me. The last time I went there I ordered taco salad…read morewith beef and was brought a big pile of shredded chicken. My friend wanted me to say something about it because he heard me order the beef, but I don't like sending food back, anywhere, anytime. It did ruin what I was there for, but I will go again. I will however make sure from the start that my order is understood instead of paying for something I didn't want

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We use to go here 2-3 a month, last night I got a togo order. Ordered off the website. Come to find…read moreout it was an old menu. Expected to pay $30, and ended up paying $48. Everything has doubled in price. They are much finer restaurants, Mexican restaurants than this we will not be going there again. They don't tell you it's doubled in price in fact he just handed me a new menu where I thought I would be paying seven dollars for tacos turned out to be $15. We have supported this restaurant for quite some time. If you want a good Mexican food go to the restaurant of exit19. If you're gonna have pay this kind of money that's a much better price at the other place.

Always one of my stops when I come home to Abingdon. The staff are incredible and the food is…read moreexcellent.

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As we wend our way to Florida, we spend the night in Bristol for one main reason. This restaurant!…read more (The Hilton Garden Inn hits all the marks too, but as I have nothing to add I'm not updating that review.) My husband ordered five enchiladas each with a different stuffing. While delicious, unless you haven't eaten since last Thursday, who can consume so many enchiladas?! I shouldn't talk. The house special quesadilla -- always excellent -- is a lot of food. Ever resourceful, I took half back, put the chicken and peppers on a bagel and ate it for breakfast! (Note to self AND my husband: next time let's split one and maybe forego the steak and chicken. Chorizo and shrimp?!) Moving on, the salsa bar is great with smooth, chunky, mild and spicy salsas. That's not counting the warm bean spread brought to the table with their thin and crisp chips. Our margaritas -- $6 each -- are not only good but pretty, topped with berries and a flower. Here it is, Monday night -- not a typical going-out day of the week -- and the place is busy with locals. Pretty good testimony to what's become one of my favorite Mexican restaurants.

Ate here 2 weeks ago. Sat at the bar like we always do, ordered some drinks and our meals…read more I decided to try the fried scallops and fried shrimp with baked potato. When my meal arrived I tried a scallop and it was awful. Cut another one in half and tried it...still terrible. Ate a few of the fried shrimp which were lukewarm warm at best and decided...wow, this meal sucks. The potato was fair. A server came and asked if I was done and I said yes...it wasn't very good at all and he could certainly see that I didn't even eat a 1/4 of my food. When my partner was done with his meal, which he enjoyed, the female bartender took his plate away and I said his meal was good, mine was awful. Both of the workers that I spoke with about my meal couldn't care less. I suppose it was my fault for not asking for a manager, but as someone who has worked in restaurants, one of the employees should have done something...anything to show they cared and tried to make things right. Left a $7 tip on a $70 bill (which was generous, considering my bad meal) This place has been hit or miss and this night was a huge MISS. Definitely won't ever come back to this location. We will drive the extra 20 minutes and go to the Abingdon location. Never had a bad meal there and the service has always been top notch.

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Came here as I was craving some Mexican food, let me tell you, this place was busy on a Sunday…read more There were lots of families in their Sunday best enjoying a meal together. Staff and service are very friendly and will always greet with, "Hola!" - I'm a little out of practice with my Spanish, but I do enjoy a warm greeting in español. Because I was dining alone, my dish came out very quickly. Chips and salsa to start and then I had a chicken Chimichanga served with rice and beans. Food was tasty and the serving generous portion. I wish I had room to try a dessert - well maybe next time. The setting had a great Mexican vibe from the decor, the music, and of course, Fútbol on the monitors (yay!); it's was pre-season for Men's and of course, the Women's World Cup - how could they not have it on? Overall, my dining experience went well. This is obviously a great place for groups to gather and enjoy a meal together combined with a menu with many options, prepared and served by a friendly staff! Good times!

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