My favorite Mexican place by far! They never disappoint with their amazing dishes and always on point margaritas. The atmosphere is a little bit cramped if it's busy....but that just means they need to expand because it's a hidden away gem that keeps getting more popular. I take any friends that come into the area and want a good Mexican dish. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Tried to go to this place tonight but failed. Let me explain: we walked in around 7 and the restaurant was pretty full (good sign!). There was a group ahead of us, but no one acknowledged my husband and I for a good 10 minutes while we stood there waiting. It wasn't until my husband motioned to a waitress who then came over and asked how many we were and then walked away without giving us a wait time. Meanwhile there were a handful of two tops clean and ready to go! We ended up walking out a few minutes later. It's too bad because I suspect the food is good, but no way I can put up with that kind of treatment for a whole dinner. read more

Mezcal is an excellent Mexican restaurant with super friendly staff. I've eaten here many, many times and have not been disappointed. The service is excellent- they are very attentive and super friendly. The chips and salsa are always a treat, you never know what kind of salsa they will have that day. The entrees are filling and very well done. I often get the Tostadas de Tinga or Shrimp Enchiladas. I crave both dishes fairly often. They also make a mean margarita- my favorite is the classic, with fresh squeezed lime juice. As a former Californian, I've had my share of excellent Mexican, and while nothing on the east coast (save taco trucks) manage the balance of price and food, Mezcal is as close as it gets. And you don't have to stand by a roadway to enjoy it. read more

Hands down the area's best traditional margaritas. Limey, sweetly sour, yummy. You really only need one! Tasty homemade chips and salsa, addtional vegetarian options available (I just asked and they accommodated), and friendly, welcoming staff. It can get a little crowded and if overwhelmed, service can be a little slow. Don't even bother trying to get in on Cinco de Mayo unless you don't mind waiting in line. read more

Hands down the best house margarita in New Haven! Seriously! Other places user fresh lime juice, as they do here, but I enjoy Mezcal's the most. The atmosphere is more low key, parking tends to be a bit easier to find, and the staff is always friendly. Food here is consistently delicious. Chips and green salsa come promptly. This is my go-to Mexican restaurant in new Haven. If you come here with a large group and it's someone's birthday you might get free shots from the tequila rifle! :P read more

Mezcal - Tortas with breaded chicken. Amazing! - Mexican Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Good food lively atmosphere. But overpriced and slow service. So 3 instead of 4 stars.

I was excited to try this restaurant based on all the great reviews. Maybe we went on a bad night, but other than the nice atmosphere, neither I nor my husband found anything to like. What can I say? Maybe I have higher standards being from California, there are uncountable tasty and cheap taquerias and Mexican restaurants with a full selection of food. The only thing I can think is that a lot of undergrads have inflated the ratings, mixing up good Mexican food with a good party atmosphere. Yes they have decent margarita's, but I didn't find them particularly amazing or cheap. The service was incredibly slow- at 8:30pm on a weeknight it took almost 45 minutes to get chips and salsa! And the chips weren't even very fresh. Salsa was about average. But the most disappointing was the food. I had the chile rellano- greasy, watery sauce, that was almost bland. Beans and rice also unexceptional. My husband had the bistec and my friend has the chicken with mole sauce. Again, below average. I haven't tried other Mexican restaurants in New Haven, so maybe this is the best in the city, but another restaurant in Hamden (up Whitney) blows the pants off Mezcal any day of the week. read more

The servers are all fantastic (although, it can get very busy here, even at weird times, so it can sometimes be a bit slow, just be aware), and there is no better Mexican food or drinks that comes even close. The food is authentic, the drinks are strong, and their salsa is different every time you go, but reliably amazing. I'm so thankful this place is in my neighborhood. read more

Wednesday afternoon.. January 1. Started the evening at Mezcal with the table side guac with tortilla chips. The guac was satisfactory and somewhat spicy. Would order again. For the entree, i decided on the Bistec campirano which includes a little more guac (bonus guac) and the steak was tender and beautifully cooked. My lovely date for the evening ordered the pollo fajitas. It looked quite appetizing and included considerable portions. I would likely recommend Mezcal to a friend, but be prepared to ask for a few to-go boxes! read more

We've eaten here a few times, and have not been disappointed. By far the best thing I've had here was the carnitas - very satisfying. We've only been during the off-hours when it's slow, and the service was great - very polite. The molé is also quite good. Parking is a little weird - there's generally some along the residential roads nearby. read more

Terrible terrible service. Put our name in was told 20 minute wait. Waited in line and 3 parties behind us were seated before us. A party came in with a reservation and also waited over an hour to be seated. Left after waiting over an hour and did not receive an apology from the hostess when we voiced our complaint. I've had the food before and it's pretty good but definitely not worth a 1+ hour wait and a rude, disrespectful hostess who's doubling as waitress. read more

Absolutely magnificent. This was my first meal after moving to New Haven, and it blew me away; I hope this doesn't cause me heartache as I work through other restaurants in town. The atmosphere is exactly right, with just enough hints of a distinctive national identity without being kitschy. The service was prompt and attentive without being overbearing, perfect for the relaxed feel of the place. The traditional margarita was excellent, and the salsa verde served with the very fresh tortilla chips was spicy and delicious. But the entrees! I had the pollo en pipian, chicken prepared in a pumpkin-seed sauce, while my co-diner enjoyed an enchilada in a mole sauce. The mole was mind-blowing, complex and layered. The pipian was the finest I've ever had, rich and elusive with notes of sesame and clove and a deep, gentle heat that provided a great complement for the perfectly-cooked chicken. I can't praise this meal enough. As a note: I often find it difficult to locate Mexican restaurants on the spectrum of Mexican cuisine before going. I'd say this place certainly veers more towards haute Mexican than the street food which is more popular among Americans; while it does offer burritos, tacos, chimicangas and the like, ordering such would be a real waste of an opportunity, as the treasure lies on the first few pages of the menu in dishes that are probably less familiar to an Anglo audience. read more

Tasty food and good atmosphere, unfortunately let down by high prices and slow service. The food was served promptly but it took 25minutes to get the check! read more

Eat here all the time. Great staff, Ricardo, Hugo, Erica and Vianay, great food and great drinks. Ceviche de Camarones is the best appetizer. We've eaten almost everything on the menu and all great. We drink Juana Gallos here, a Margarita with Mezcal, rather than the traditional Margarita because Hugo makes the best! Made a special of Chile Verde a couple of weeks ago. Not traditional for where Ricardo is from, but Hugo did me a favor! Great dish. Lots to try and all is great. See you there! read more

I came here with my wife and after not eating here since August 2013 we were both extremely disappointed. I remember this place being so much better. Tonight, the service was poor, the margaritas were blah and the good was below average. We will probably look elsewhere the next time we're in the mood for Mexican food. Two stars is generous. read more

I always get the insanely good carnitas plate, and I'm always happy. It does get loud on weekend nights, but other than that, it's a real standout in a neighborhood with lots of good dining options. read more

Fantastic food and excellent service. it is to be noted that they failed a health inspection a few years ago.

Food was good. Chicken tacos were a win. Boyfriend had shredded beef and he really liked it. Guac was very good! I didn't get to try a marg bc I forgot my ID, but I'll be back to try one soon. read more

Food is absolutely excellent, but the service is not great. Every server I've had has been very nice, they just take foreeeever to actually serve you. It's kind of ridiculous, but the food definitely makes up for it. Place gets super busy and really loud and crowded around 6 o'clock, so I'd definitely recommend coming here for an early dinner. read more

Amazing Food!! This place has great authentic Mexican food, amazing margaritas and great service. I would highly recommend Mezcal to everyone in the area!! read more

Love this place. It is walking distance from my house so i really enjoy coming here for an appetizer and a cocktail. There is outdoor seating which is great, the only reason im giving it four stars is because i think their main dishes are overpriced. You can't get a decent entree for under $16.00. I think its definitely worth the money, but for a quick bite to eat the bill can get pretty high. Chips are great. Staff is great. Drinks are always good. All in all a really awesome place. read more

Best Mexican restaurant in new haven by far. The food is authentic and their menu is extensive. Service could improve a little but I don't mind it much. read more

YAY , finally a good Mexican restaurant! I am from South Florida and this place was excellent..I got the pulled pork nachos as recommended by friends and on yelp! Very tender pork, flavorful and huge portions!! Split this between 2 or 3 people. My Hubby ordered a chicken burrito that was bland but we just stuffed it with some of the nacho toppings and it was great! haha! yum! read more

Authentic menu. Solid! We got the bone in half chicken in a pumpkin seed sauce with rice and beans and tortillas to make tiny tacos. SOO good. Also got the sautéed fish with jasmine rice and plantains. SO SO good. The tiny details like the addition of these sweet smokey peppers on top of the fish added a unique touch that elevated the flavor of the fish. The salsa was killer hot. WOW. The sangria was too sweet for me but packed a punch. Well DEF be back. Soon. read more

Pretty decent Mexican food. Very authentic. Very popular with the locals. Very crowded. Decent prices too. Local bands. Very loud. I recommend this place. read more

Quality food for good prices. The menu is varied. The location is convenient and mostly easily accessible. The staff is friendly and nice. Seating is a little tight. Good for large groups and families with children. Would recommend. read more

Dining here was terrible! The waiters/waitresses were not attentive. I asked three different waitresses for more chips and salsa and none of them managed to bring more to the table. The drinks were about the only thing that were decent. I was so disappointed once the food came out. This place is a joke. What Mexican restaurant uses yellow shredded cheese? The refried beans were watery and the rice was too sticky and completely FLAVORLESS. Honestly what a let down. In an attempt to find some redeeming quality to this place, my girlfriend and I decided to order a slice of the tres leches cake. We took one bite and left the rest. I can't even compare the bland taste of their tres leches to a cheap store-bought cake. I have no idea why anyone would rate this place above a 1 star. People who've rated this place highly must not have tastebuds. I will definitely never come back. read more

The food was delicious. The service was excellent. The margaritas were awesome! I have celiacs disease and they accommodated my every need. They made me a gluten free enchiladas verdes with corn tortillas that they cooked separately from all of the other food. The waiter was very polite and understanding. Highly recommended. read more

Went here on a date on Friday and it was excellent. HUGE portions, amazing food with just the right amount of spice. The margaritas were awesome and I can't compliment the ceviche enough. Definitely a must-visit restaurant in New Haven. read more

Great Mexican food, great service, great atmosphere. New owners have taken over this space, and it is world's better than the previous incarnation. read more

We keep coming back to Mezcal. We live in the Mezcal neighborhood and are thrilled to watch this little, family owned place thrive. The food is truly traditional Mexican, not just the standard tex-mex offerings so common in Mexican restaurants. The service is friendly, warm and welcoming. We particularly like the seafood specialties and, of course, the premium margaritas. It really is the "whole package" that keeps us coming back...ambiance, service, terrific food at a reasonable prices in a simple, comfortable neighborhood setting. read more

Best Mexican in New Haven! Shrimp enchiladas are delicious.

There are so many places to choose from when it comes to seeking out Mexican food in New Haven...but Mezcal seems to be one out of only a few that I keep coming back to to get my mexican fix- Their margaritas are delicious, their fajitas are out of this world, and every table comes complete with complimentary chips and salsa (red and green). The staff is very attentive and checks on you throughout your visit, ensuring a full margarita at all times. They have a small outdoor patio (on the side walk outside the restaurant) which isn't as bad as it seems- its not a busy corner, so sit back under one of the blue umbrellas, sip on your house margarita and chomp down on some hot delicious authentic mexican food! Thats what Ill be doing... read more

I really like Mezcal. Although it's in an odd location and not as "trendy" as some of the downtown spots, the food is by far the best and most authentic Mexican food you can get in this area. They make their own chips. The nachos, carnitas, and enchiladas mole are all excellent. They have a wide variety of options and I've never been with anyone who's been disappointed with their meal. For authentic Mexican and decent margaritas, this is definitely my first choice. read more

Comfortable, warm atmosphere. The margaritas are very tasty, but be careful- very strong! Ordered the chicken chimichanga....oh my heavens, absolutely delicious. You will not be disappointed! They serve free chips with salsa verde- but be warned, it's very spicy! However, our waitress willingly gave us free guacamole & pico de Gallo. read more

Excellent food and friendly service. The portions are super generous. We ordered the steak quesadilla and steak chimichanga. I am incredibly impressed with the amount of steak stuffed in both these items, and the quality of the meat. Well seasoned (maybe a little salty, but still good), and a nice cut. The quesadilla could use a little more cheese. Overall, a very nice dinner experience. read more

We had Margaritas which were delicious and only $5 each! The garlic roasted fish, salad and guacamole were excellent. The fish tacos were ok but the fish didn't taste as fresh as in the other dishes. read more

Ordered the enchilada lunch special. It came with rice & beans and steak. The enchiladas were superb, although i didnt care for the onion salad that came on top. Aside from the onions, the beans were a bit soupy, but overall the meal was well seasoned and fantastic. Will be back! read more

I love the super authentic dishes on this menu. If you're looking to try something with more depth and intrigue than Chipotle (though I love me some Chipotle) try Mezcal. Some of these dishes are not for the faint of heart. I ordered Chicken Mole and it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but really different and enjoyable if you're looking to try new things. Mole sauce was smoky, earthy and savory, not sweet, and chicken was juicy, fall-off-the-bone cooked to perfection. Camarones a la Diabla will actually burn your face off- so eat those refried beans and order some guac. Place is packed on a Saturday because the atmosphere is fun and laid back. I always come here when I want to get my fill of tasty Mexican. read more

If you're after Mexican food then this is the place! The food on the whole is pretty good. They have a good number of choices and it's cooked well. The margaritas are pretty decent too. Whenever I've been here it's been with groups of 10 or more people and whilst they are very accommodating and the service is quick, it can feel a bit like you're packed in like sardines. Having said that though, they do create a fun atmosphere for you, especially if they are aware that you're on a night out for a special celebration. They bring around this glass gun filled with tequila which they pour directly into your mouth. read more