Best Mexican food I've had in years! Fresh, hot, quick service, generous portions. Really amazing. Didn't know what I'd been missing. Bonus: it was a 1 minute walk from our vacation rental, so no driving = margaritas for everyone! I had the quesadilla rancheras with shredded beef. Top notch! Lots of meat. My husband had the tacos el pastor which were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The drinks were fantastic, too. The service was good and fast, but not especially personable. That's alright, I'm there to eat, not make friends. The ambiance is not the greatest. The place is kind of gloomy, with tile floors, black ceiling, and inadequate lighting. Mexican music but OBX themed murals on the walls. Strange combo. Lots of booths, but we were a party of 5, so we needed at separate table. We were thrilled to see the restaurant open at this time of year (January). Many restaurants on the OBX close down during winter. Oh yeah, and the prices were great! Very reasonable, considering everything has gotten so expensive. Can't recommend this place highly enough! Will be back next time we're in the area. read more

Service was good, the food was good, but very plain. The restaurant is very nice inside and large, it's just missing that zing, also only serves salsa once with chips and charges for extra, there was 4 in my party and one small container, disappointed with that. read more

La Fogata - Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

Excellent!! The tortillas have a slight sweet taste...food served hot..service very friendly and attentive. Of course it could always use more shrimp and chicken but that's just me. Plenty for lunch tomorrow...turning it onto a salad!! I'll definitely be back read more

La Fogata - Now that's about some hot salsa so good - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

Wonderful, friendly service is a strong part of the high marks here. The atmosphere is welcoming and festive. There's nothing particularly innovative on the vegetarian menu, but at least it's there, with multiple combo options, and that is greatly appreciated! My Spanish rice and tostada were good. The cheese enchilada gets a lower score; the sauce needs a bit of work, as it was insipid, without piquancy or depth. But high marks on the adequate sauce volume provided; there's nothing worse than a dry, under-sauced and over-cheesed enchilada, and this was definitely not that. The complimentary chips and salsa were also greatly appreciated; too many Mexican places have started charging for this, and I find that reprehensible. The salsa had a nice spicy punch, a bit more than typical in this type of restaurant, and was great on the tostada. read more

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Great Mexican food in the heart of Nags Head! We love eating inside and getting to go orders. It's fresh and fast!

Food and service were excellent. I feel like the low star rating is old, from past issues. read more

La Fogata - Fajita Salad - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

My family and I usually come here whenever we visit the area and typically have a great experience. This time really disappointed me and made me not want to come back. We decided to do take out. When we got back to where we were staying, I noticed one of the items was not what we ordered. When we called the restaurant about it, we were told that it was indeed what we ordered, and it was pretty obvious the gentleman on the phone was lying and just did not want to correct the mistake. Simply messing up the order was not the issue. It happens. My problem was this guy's attitude and refusal to take any accountability. The rest of what we received food wise underwhelmed. La Fogata can keep our money this time, but I have a feeling they will not get it again. There are too many other good places to eat in the Outer Banks to worry with this kind of treatment. read more

excellent acp and flank steak! fairly empty when we went and the service was fast and polite. guac was good but chips were stale, the tap water was not filtered ! would come again! read more

Unfortunately yelp makes you give at least 1star. I would have given none if the option was available. Food was bad, Taco Bell has more authentic Mexican food. AND I don't like TB read more

Peeps, I had the pleasure of dining here for a week vacay! Let me start off by saying the Customer Service is Phenomenal, they make sure you are taken care of even if you are carry-out! The food is Ahhhmazing I got The Fajita Salad and you did not need any dressing. It was enough for two meals. Now, Hear me out, I do not like green peppers, but every other color and spice I love! They cooked the green peppers, onions, and beef to perfection! I ordered the 3 tacos for my husband and he said they were the best he has ever had. The food has a real authentic Mexican taste. Did I also mention my order came with Chips and Salsa, and the salsa had just the right amount of heat. I am definitely coming back. read more

La Fogata - Fajita Salad - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

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PEPPERS PEPPERS PEPPERS, practically everything has bell peppers. Something I am allergic to. Most of it cannot be picked out. Food to me was fairly bland but the salsa was alright. chips were good. Overall 2 out of 5. When I asked if the peppers could be removed they said no and I had to go down the menu to multiple times asking if they could remove them from this or that dish. Till they finally said yes. Let me tell you it was mediocre. read more

The chips were seemingly hot and "fresh" but they tasted hard and stale. My jaw was tired from chewing. I got one chicken hard taco. The shell tasted burnt and stale. My husbands taco shell was the same, and the chili relleno was fried and covered in this terrible brown gravy-esque sauce, and was so soggy my husband couldn't stomach it. He rarely complains and will eat just about anything. Cheese dip was good. The women's bathroom was not. It was Pretty gross in there... Humid and smelly and just weird with these makeshift plastic stalls. I would not go back. read more

Server Alex was a blessing helping to accommodate my nephew who is autistic. Worked with us explaining what was in item and allowing a item switch. Makes a special memory. read more

I've grown up going to La Fogata's and let me tell you they never disappoint. I love the staff so much they feel like family now and always ask how things are going in life and sometimes even know my order before I say it. The food is fantastic, I normally get the ACP or just a chicken quesadilla, and that's definitely basic but it's just so banging that I'm scared to switch up. It's normally a very comfortable environment (unless there's a huge party or something) and I look forward to seeing so many people I know and the awesome staff. So get to know your server because they're the sweetest people. read more

La Fogata - a plate of chicken and cheese casserole - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

"Reasonably priced (for the area) Mexican in Nags Head" We came here on a Saturday night for dinner anticipating it'd be easier to get a table here than at most of the seafood restaurants we had been hitting up, and sure enough, yes-- we got seated immediately. It's a big space, and it was not full when we were there, though it was busy. Lots of parking outside, too, so this is an "easy" dinner option in the area. We were immediately given pretty good chips and salsa-- the salsa was mild-medium and flavorful. We ordered a cheese dip to complement at the table, and I ordered the yolandas enchiladas, but asked them to substitute with a green (verde) sauce. They happily/ easily accommodated. Service: Our server checked on us multiple times and was quite friendly. We easily got refills on our drinks, and despite that they were busy, everything happened quickly (service, refills, food arrival, check arrival). Food: Good. I will say that I wasn't overly impressed with the cheese dip-- it was a very small portion for $4, and tasted a bit like velveeta. But I did really like my enchiladas. The green/ verde sauce was HOT, which was great. And all of us were impressed with the LARGE chunks of hot chicken (rather than shredded bits people get at most Mexican restaurants that look like they come from a can) that came inside the enchiladas and other dishes. The rice & beans were good too. Price: Some reviewers have complained it's expensive, but Nags Head is a tourist town, so everything is. This was only a little bit more expensive than what I have at home in my non-tourist-town, so I'd say it was a fair price. Synopsis: Nothing to write home about, but if you want a break from overcrowded yet delicious seafood restaurants with 2 or more hour waits, this is a great option for an "easy" yet good dinner. read more

Food came out fast, which was great. The cheese sauce was a little too spicy on the chimichangas plate and was poured over the entire plate. We sent it back and asked that the sauce be on the side and it was delicious. read more

Our party of 11 stopped by for some Mexican food. The inside of the restaurant was dingy and several of the lights were flickering. We persevered and took a seat anyway. Our waitress came out and informed us that we could only split the check two ways. She then preceded to take our drink order but became visibly frustrated when our party began asking questions about margarita options. After informing us the options are on the menu she told us she would come back when we made up our mind. Additionally the menu states that the first order of chips and salsa is on the house but additional baskets are $3 each. We did not order any food but chose to leave. read more

We went here on 6/6/2022 as part of our north carolina vacation. After going to outback, where there was a hour wait, we decided on here. Now normally, i do not eat mexican food, so was a little edgy on being here. there were lots of people at the door here as well. But we were a party of 3, and was seated quickly. We were greeted at the host stand quick, and our server also attended to us quickly. Server was very nice and attentive. We were first served with Chips and Salsa, which the salsa had quite a kick!!! For drinks, we ordered 3 waters, and an orange soda. they were out of fanta, but supplied me with a bottle of mexican orange soda. still tasted the same! For entrees, which we took a bit to order-- I ordered the La Forgata Fagita with shrimp, my dad ordered the Fagita with steak, shrimp, and chicken, and my mom ordered an enchadala. all was well, and enjoyable. Food was so good that i took it home, and we finished it at another time. pretty good food, as well as the rice that came with it! Price of food was okay. would come here again should i ever visit. read more

La Fogata - LA Fagita with shrimp. - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

The food was great- but the service here was incredible from Ms Cynthia - she is a sweet soul and we will be back because of her... and the fajitas read more

I'd like to say that the food was the highlight of my experience which it was awesome, but the service and overall friendliness of everyone working there was the best!!!! I'd highly recommend this place to anyone! read more

Best tacos el Pastor I've ever had! Great service, appeased the kids with an animated movie on TV during dinner. Lime margarita was great, chips were fresh, carnitas were good. read more

The food was mushy and not very flavorful. It was quite a disappointment and not worth the costs. The salsa tasted more like tomato juice.

The food was absolutely amazing... Must check this place out.! The waitress Samantha was very attentive, and very accommodating, excellent customer service. Food was very fresh and hot. My family and I also got to pick our table as we parked our truck in front of a window because we kept it running for our dog and wanted to make sure everything was OK. I will be returning next year.! The price was good for us as we have 6 all together. If you like Mexican food you must stop here very clean and air is fresh. read more

My girl squad visits Nags Head twice a year and we make sure that we make our La Fogata stop every time. Even with a large group and a packed dining room, the food is always quick to be served and, of course, delicious. This time I orders tacos a la carte and rice. They were perfect. We always have had good service and, as usual, great friendly service. Can't wait to be back in November for our next visit. read more

By a normal Gaussian distribution, three star Mexican places range from just OK to worth having regularly. When we went to La Fogata for lunch, we had no idea what to expect, except cookie cutter Mexican food based upon a review of the menu on line. So we knew going in that it was not a home cooking place or a taqueria. It had the predictable menu that is not bad depending on how they execute it. But we figured unless it was really poorly executed, we would be able to find something we would like. Ms T likes ground beef assuming it is seasoned. I like eggs and chorizo, Huevos rancheros, carne asada, carnitas, chilaquiles. We saw all of these things on the menu. La Gringa ordered the ubiquitous Speedy Gonzales with ground beef; a combo with one red enchilada and one hard taco. Now we completely understand this is not profound authentic home cooking, but this is what she likes and that is fine. She rated this to be a good, representative version, three stars. The beef was not seasoned much, but enough. The red sauce is of the light red-orange style with some red chile and is probably thickened with flour roux. It was fairly salty so off-set the ground beef but really has no chile flavor. My taste confirmed her findings. My huevos con chorizo were really good. The chorizo was of good quality, was not greasy and was browned well. I asked for corn tortillas and was provided with six soft white ones. I also ordered chiles torreados and they were perfect, even to the point of having a little lime juice drizzled on top. I will be back to try huevos rancheros and the carnitas next time we are in town. I would much rather have these huevos than any boring American breakfast on the beach. I just wish they opened earlier. You will not reach for the salt shaker here. Most of the things we had were plenty salty including the salsa and the beans. Both meals were lunch bargains at $5.50 each and large portions. The huevos platter easily made three lunch size meals for me. I think I have found my place for my usual late Sunday morning Mexican breakfast on the Outer Banks. La Fogata in Nag's Head is solidly in the middle of the bell-curve for three stars. I'm not going to be eating burritos or fajitas here. I don't get them anywhere. I know that I can't get lengua or barbacoa tacos. I can't get home-made guisado de puerco or posole but I do appreciate that the salsa was not pure raw onion and that they don't load everything with cumin. read more

La Fogata - Huevos con Chorizo - Enough for three lunches. - Mexican Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

Came in late(ish) at night as a tourist, not knowing what to expect. This was a solid choice. Salsa was meh. My Burrito Jalisco was very good, as was the wife's chicken fajita platter. read more

me and my friend were hungry so we came here. and when i tell you the food was perfect. it was outstanding. the service was absolutely outstanding. we got food within ten minutes. and it was perfect. the ambiance of the place too, was very nice! the pictures on the wall are very neat! I recommend this place to anyone who wants mexican food. read more

Bland food, okay drinks.Not as good as it was 10 years ago. Desperately needs a good scrub or Reno. Disappointed. :(

Saw a few negative reviews, honestly had a good experience. Got there at 5 when they opened, no wait (in and out in 45 min actually!!). Friendly staff, plenty of food and fair prices. The tamales are awesome read more

Awful, simply awful service. Sar for over an hour and never got food. Drunk order was hodge podge at best. Would never go back and urge all to avoid this horrible restaurant. Tables around us that came later go their orders filled hut drinks came to table after food. Keep on driving. Do not go to the crappy restaurant. read more

Delicious Carne Asada tacos. Really enjoyed them. Would recommend to friends and family

The worst Mexican food ever, it was white Mexican , like unseasoned hamburger meat . Also the the red sauce was gross , not sure what was in it but it was disgusting. read more

Excellent food and service. We had a great experience. I had a combination #10. We came on a Tuesday evening around 6:30. The service was fast and friendly. read more

Ridiculously slow service! Food was just okay. The women's bathroom was filthy!

The restaurant said authentic this was definitely not that I got a cheese quesadilla and rice and beans, the beans tasted like nothing and so did the quesadilla the rice was dry and cold. The only good thing about la fogata was the waiter he was very kind and gave great service. We came here on vacation and I'll be glad to get back home to eat real Mexican food. read more

Horrible service. They have a sign in the front that says pick 2: quality, price, service, and they couldn't even provide any. 2 employees walked up to the host stand and did not greet us. Legit said nothing as our party stood there waiting to be seated. We eventually left. read more

Overall the food was not good at all soggy with little to no taste and the staff was overworked and running behind we waited 30 minutes for drinks I would not recommend this place during covid read more

The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, service was great and they were very good about COVID procedures.

The food was not bad wait staff was a bit slow it took awhile for the simple things .

Awesome service and amazing food! Was on vacation and by far the best Mexican food I've had! Thank you for an amazing experience!