Another great visit to Ocho Café! This time I tried their Ocho bowl with grilled shrimp. The bowl had a really decent amount of shrimp and veggies, super filling. The blackjack margarita was sweet and subtle, and a good size for the price. The fried ice cream was a bit of a miss for me. I wasn't a fan of the cornflake (?) crust, but the ice cream went really well with the tortilla, cinnamon, and caramel sauce. Everyone was friendly as always! read more

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Came with a group of 4 for an 8:15 reservation. We got there a bit early and were warmly greeted and they took us right in! We had such a good time and enjoyed the food to the point I forgot to take pictures! The decor is awesome, it's so colorful and eclectic. We had the table side guacamole which was made to our preferences. I had the Milanesa chicken taco special which was very good but the rice it came with was pretty dry and lacked flavor. Overall all I would definitely give Cafe Ocho another chance and come back! read more

I have eaten here many times. Was a little surprised that my shrimp enchiladas meal came out cold with unmelted cheese on top My partners steak meal was perfect and it's the first-time I have had a bad meal. We did order the flan which was very good read more

Ocho Cafe - Shrimp Enchiladas - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

I love all things Mexican and Mexican-American, and this spot hits the mark! The décor is super fun, and the service is honestly amazing. The staff work as a team and are always attentive, which makes for a great dining experience. One of the best things? The service is fast--perfect if you show up hungry because you won't be waiting long for your meal. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, and it was packed with flavorful chicken and melty cheesy goodness. I also had the chicken tacos, and I love that they use corn tortillas--exactly how tacos should be served, in my opinion. The sides were just the right portion, and everything was delicious. I might just become a regular here. So good! read more

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The bottom line: 4.8 stars reat service, food, and ambience. The hosts and waiters were kind and fast. The table chips were so pleasantly warm, the salsa super fresh, and the michelada was zingy and refreshing. The queso was creamy and rich and table side guacamole was well salted and limed, though a bit meager on portion. I had the hamburgesa mexicana which outstanding. One of the best burgers I've had in a long time--thank you ocho! The atmosphere was very lively and vibrant with an impressive mariachi band, which was a bit loud when next to us (the .2 deduction from me). All in all a great experience! read more

Ocho Cafe - Michelada - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

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Date night with my husband! The margaritas were delicious, I had a frozen strawberry one and it was perfect. I tried one of their bowls with shrimp (only downside was having to pick the tails off the shrimp, I hate to touch my food like that). Everything was so flavorful and the guac was just perfect! Can't wait to go back! Our waitress was attentive and made absolutely certain that there were no allergy issues before taking our order. read more

Ocho Cafe - Shrimp Bowl - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

Not authentic at all had bad service tortillas feel and taste store bought. Waitress did not check in on us once

Service was great and very attentive. The restaurant has a really fun vibe and the food was great (as were the two margaritas!)

My husband had the steak fajita burrito and it huge. He said it was good comfort food and delicious. I had the carnitas quesadillas. It was good but a little too greasy. The service was excellent. We will come again but I will try something different. read more

Ocho Cafe - Pork Carnitas Quesadilla - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

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This restaurant was amazing! By far the most authentic feeling I've gotten in the states. The interior is beautifully decorated with paintings, sculptures and different art representing the Spanish culture. The walls were brightly painted in yellow, purple, pink and more. The music was playing in the background and the wait staff were at our service since we entered. We were immediately greeted with chips and salsa which was delicious. We ordered guacamole for the table and it was made right in front of us in a cart that had all the ingredients chopped up. The chef cut the guacamole and then mixed it right in front of us and it was the best guacamole I've ever had. We each keepers different things, I got the shrimp tacos without bacon and it cane with a side of rice and refried beans. It was delicious. For dessert we got the tres leches which tasted very fresh and moist. It was on the sweeter side but absolutely Devine. The entire experience was amazing! read more

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They are racist to black people , especially the women ! One of the female managers lied about not having another male manager after I just got off the phone with him to avoid giving me a refund on an item I never received ! The female waitresses DO NOT like black women ! They are overly racist towards black people and their service to us is subpar compared to everyone else ! If you're black I don't recommend you dine in ! read more

We enjoyed our first experience so much that we went back less than two weeks later. The ambiance is fun and festive. The servers are incredibly nice and helpful. Food is served fresh and fast. Margs are HUGE and taste great. Complimentary chips and salsa (hotter than most places - in a good way) were brought to us immediately upon sitting down. We decided to try the table side guacamole which was good as well. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we never felt rushed while there. Food prices are fair - you get a ton of food for the price. To me this is much more authentic than say On the Border or something along those lines and overall just a really nice time. We look forward to returning in the future. read more

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One of our favorite restaurants in the area. Friendly staff, great decor, and awesome food and drinks. We've never had a bad meal here. My favorite meal is the enchiladas con mole with a torero margarita. read more

The food (Mexican)is always excellent, consistent and flavorful. Service is friendly and efficient. Drinks are delicious. Fun place for lunch or dinner; and I love the Mexican decorations!! read more

Cold rice, tiny portions of Cole slaw and beans. Spoiled brown droopy mint in mojito. Owner insisted it was fresh but not according to the internet and past mojitos l've had at Briccos. Bottom line it's not wirth returning when an owner is defensive and doesn't take accountability. read more

Early bird dinner during the weekend. Cute patio but even better interior. We chose to enjoy the summer weather and stayed outside! Not recommended, busy plaza and very noisy. Food was very decent with cute presentation for salsa ( a little bit too spicy for my taste) and a good house salad with steak. Tasty dressing and just enough for me. The service is where I deducted the points. We felt rushed when there were barely any other customers and with more than enough staff. Was it really necessary to have each staff member come to our table and push for us to make a selection since this was my first time trying this restaurant ? Not sure if I want to go back. read more

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It's too noisy with the live band. Having them play right behind your table for over 25 mins is really not enjoyable. Food was good. read more

Food is spectacular! The atmosphere is joyous and fantastic! The staff all work together to provide a great experience! I especially love the birthday songs! read more

West Hartford location never disappoints, staff is friendly and menu has great options. Prices are reasonable

I was deciding between the tacos and this and it was such a good choice! It was the right amount of crisp and the flavors all mixed together well. I will definitely be back here again! read more

Ocho Cafe - Chicken chimichanga - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

Pretty decent Mexican food with HUGE portions, so if you're hungry, you won't be when you leave. The ambiance is tastefully Mexico-themed with lots of sombreros and an occasional mariachi band. It's vibrant and lively- fun spot for a larger group dinner. The food is good, not great. I like the complimentary chips and salsa when you're seated, and an order of the queso appetizer is a perfect addition. You can't go wrong with the fajitas or quesadillas, and you'll definitely have a decent meal, but you won't be blown away by the flavor. Which is sort of how I've felt no matter what I've ordered there. I did recently try the fajita burrito which was GIANT and quite tasty. But again, nothing to write home about, which is why I'd give 4/5 stars. read more

Ocho Cafe - Make Your Own Combo - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

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We had dinner plans and they fell apart at the last minute so my dad suggested we try this place. It was nearly 7 on a Saturday night so we called and they told us it would be about 40 minutes for a table, but when we got there in about 15 our table was ready. The place was packed and incredibly noisy. I don't know if it was dumb luck or what, but there must have been 5 birthdays that night and each time the whole staff came around and sang so loud to the point conversation had to stop. I know they can't control who celebrates their birthday on any given night, but it pulled away from the experience. When they sat us they asked if we wanted real menus, or would we just use our phones and a QR code. We chose digital, but I found it to be a difficult to read online menu and in the future I'd choose a physical one. Chips and salsa that came out with the "menus" was fair. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. I got a combination trio and was pleasantly surprised I could choose and of the enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas on the menus. Sometimes with this kind of thing they limit you to just a basic one and your choice is beef or chicken, so I enjoyed trying three different dishes, all of which were excellent. I'd been craving Mexican food and this hit the bill. Would definitely come back. read more

Ocho Cafe - Make Your Own Combination Dinner with Enchiladas Sonoma, Taco al Pastor, and Mango Club Quesadilla - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

Upon arrival, a patron stopped to tell the person at the front desk the food was some of the best food they have ever eaten...and I can understand why after dining here. The ambiance, the workers, and the food was 10/10! The house salsa and chips were great to start off. Chips were freshly made and the salsa was fresh and not too spicy. Drinks- We ordered the No Name and a Raspberry Margarita (both frozen). Both were great. The margaritas had a kick! Main- We ordered the Quesarito tacos with consumme and the Alambre. Very good. Their yellow rice is amazing. Sides ordered were black beans and seasoned fries. Muy bueno! The server was friendly and attentive throughout. I will most definitely return. Highly recommended. Pro tip: Don't expect a quiet restaurant! This place is vibrant!--it is what i call enjoyably noisy lol. read more

We were shopping in the area on Presidents Day holiday and decided to try this cute place on the main road. So glad we did! Great choice of authentic Mexican along with a few unique twists. We were seated immediately and the server was quick to bring salsa and chips. Their Horchata was great and we started our meal with Ceviche which was prepared perfectly. The salsa with the chips served when we arrived, was definitely made in house. I got Tempura fish tacos which were delicious. The batter was exceptionally crisp and flavorful. I do wish I'd noticed they were served on flour tortillas, because I would have requested corn. Not a fan of any taco on flour. My husband got the Korean spare rib tacos and the meat was well marinated and flavorful. The Charro beans are as good as any we had in Arizona and the rice and citrus slaw rounded out the meal nicely. read more

Ocho Cafe - Lovely decor - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

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Ocho Cafe is a great vibe. Such a wonderful atmosphere! Staff is friendly, welcoming. Menu isn't huge but what they do have is very fresh and tasty! I went in on a Wednesday and they had margarita specials! During the week they have specials ! We were celebrating actually a birthday. Plus, they had a Mariachi band . They were amazing! Prices are great, decor is nice . Love it! I'll continue to come back! read more

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Ocho Cafe is a solid Mexican taco spot. I really enjoyed the fish tacos, chips and salsa, and the fresh guacamole! Lunch prices are pretty good and not busy. read more

Ocho Cafe - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

The kitchen serves up the originals as well as those with a twist. Service runs like a machine. The chips and salsa are so good and drinks are strong. Not much more that I haven't said before. And a recent night out showed it's strengths. Quite simply the best Mexican around (that isn't a small hole in the wall kind of place). This has enough to satisfy the purists with a little more fusion (a wide range of tacos) to let those adventurous eaters relish in the flavors. Big thumbs up. read more

Ocho Cafe - Chips - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

A beautiful place hidden in a suburban strip mall! Great Mexican food with lovely service.

Been here a few times. Food is authentic and delicious! Table side guacamole is fantastic! Highly recommended! Service is attentive without being overbearing. This is definitely a family restaurant, with music and a fun atmosphere. read more

Hold on to your shorts, this review will be a rollercoaster ride!! It started as a 2 star, and is now a 5 stars. This was my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area, so i was excited to find myself there at lunchtime. I had never been there for lunch yet, and boy was I disappointed! The salsa which is usually so good I could drink it was watery & meh. In the middle of my plate sitting next to my chimichange was what looked like a piece of a wool blanket cooked in with the food. The beans were almost COMPLETELY liquid which really suprised me, and I needed a steak knife to cut the overcooked chimichanga. Inside the chimichanga was primarily peppers and a few little tiny pieces of steak and no mushrooms to be found. The coleslaw which I have to admit is never that great was 1/3 full, dry warm and stringy. It looked like hair that had been dragged through mayo. It was such a turn off. I dont generally like to complain so i was going to try to eat around the mess, but i just couldnt. The manager came over and i explained how truly disappointed i was. He offered to comp the meal, remake it, or allow me to choose something else from the menu, but i didnt even know what to do because i never expected any of this. My 1st instinct was to refuse all, let him comp it & never go back. I was pretty skeeved out by what I was served and frankly didn't want anything that would come from the same kitchen. Plus I was a little full from tanking up on chips before my meal. However, i went against my inclination to bolt & never look back because this is the best Mexican restaurant around and I knew if I walked, I wouldn't go back. So I let them try to redeem themselves. The manager again offered to remake the meal himself, which I assumed meant oversee the kitchen makes it properly, but when he brought out the new plate, he insisted he made it himself. The two dishes were like night and day. Everything tasted perfect and fresh, it all looked amazing and the chimichanga was crispy, cooked to perfection & stuffed with plenty of meat, cheese and of course peppers and onions. Still no mushrooms, but it was delicious. The plate was hot and the sour cream was cold. The beans were perfect. It was completely up to their normal standards. Even the cole slaw was decent! Side note: I am really glad I allowed them to remake the meal for me. Normally I wouldn't, not only because of the negative feeling you have when you have a bad experience, ( it can be very hard to get over) but for fear of retaliation from the kitchen, and you all know what I mean. I expressed this concern to the manager and he assured me that they were professional and above that type of behavior. He had offered to make it himself even before I brought this concern up, and I can say he was good enough at his job to set my mind at ease, regardless of normal kitchen atmosphere. I would still recommend this place. And if you find yourself in a situation where something isn't right, let them fix it. It it's still not up to your standards, so be it, and never go back. Give them the opportunity to make it up to you, if they are worth it, they will. This place did and that earned them 5 stars. read more

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3.5 stars. We got the chicken fajita burrito and the chicken chimchanga. Flavor-wise, we were very impressed. Both meals were very tasty. What was strange though, is that both came with lots of ingredients on the side, that we wished were on the inside, including rice, lettuce, Pico, sour cream, and guac...they may have well just called it a make your own burrito. Also, the burrito had very large chunks of onion, which I just ended up pulling out because they were too big and too many to be edible in my opiniom. Another con was the price. Both were at least 1.5x more expensive than your average burrito. The fajita burrito at least was really large, so it seemed worth the money, but the chimichanga was like a third of the size of the burrito for some reason, and the same exact price. The food did come with delicious chips though, which slightly made up for the price. read more

Ocho Cafe - Top: fajita burrito; Bottom: chimichanga (queso topping came in separate container) - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

My first time! When I walked in I was amazed by all of the beautiful decorations. I felt like I walked into the movie Coco. I loved all of the little ornaments, figurines, and decor for Dia de Los Muertos. And the fiestaware went perfectly! Chips and salsa were very good. I loved my enchiladas. They were so tasty! My mom had the ocho bowl and it looked so good I need to try it next time. I will definitely return here every time I visit West hartford! read more

Ocho Cafe - Vanilla Fried Ice Cream - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

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The moment we stepped in the doors, the atmosphere welcomed us to sit down and enjoy. Staff hussled around us, setting up large group seating with a sense of urgency rarely seen. The appetizer of chopped salad hit the mark, crispy, cool, refreshing and the dressing smoky creating perfect bites. Chile Relleno was very generous with crunchy bits peeking out from the sause. Well seasoned and very satisfying. It was the ideal spot to catch up with a friend over delicious food. No one rushed us so we even stayed for dessert, churros and ice cream and fried ice cream, both decadent but a perfect finale. Will definitely come again. read more

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I will never go here again for to-go food. Why? Because they just put your bagged order on a side table next to the entrance/exit door. When I walked in, right on time, some guy was going through my bag. He wasn't an employee (not as if that matters). They should have the to-go orders BEHIND a counter somewhere so that people passing by can't go through your bag. Absolutely unsanitary and unacceptable. read more

Began ordering from here when they first opened. Still go here everytime im in the mood for tacos. Everyone is so nice. Service is quick. They are always jam packed but manage to have one or two tables open. Love their food. Highly recommend the fish tacos and my friend loves their spicy marg. read more

Ocho Cafe has the look and the vibe of an authentic Mexican restaurant with decor leans heavily into the vibe. We arrived on a surprisingly busy Wednesday and were seated quickly with no wait. The wait staff and servers were extremely nice and attentive. They made sure our kids order was in first and came out quickly. Suffice to say that the food falls a little short of the mark here. I ordered the trio of a taco, quesadilla and an enchilada while my wife went for the tacos el pastor. My Korean taco was good but I'd hardly call it Korean. It lacked a lot of flavors that you'd find in Korean food. The enchilada was pretty basic and my mango quesadilla was as my son pointed out, a taco trying to be a quesadilla. It was ok but not what I was expecting. My wife's tacos were fatty and the shells were bland and soft. The sides we had were black beans and rice with the mango cabbage. Rice and beans lacked salt and the mango cabbage sounds good on paper and I was excited to try but severely let down. Our food was not hot at all which was disappointing as well. Overall, Ocho cafe has nice decor and gives you that Mexico feel however the food doesn't live up to the hype. There are better choices for good Mexican food around. I'd say stop in for a margarita but avoid the tacos. read more

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This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant in West Hartford and surrounding areas! The food is amazing and I've tried most of the menu. The service is outstanding; they are fast and friendly. What is most appreciated is the fair cost. I'm so glad to have this place nearby, because I've missed having a classic Mexican restaurant to go to ever since I moved. read more

My new favorite Mexican restaurant! From the outdoor seating to the interior decor I instantly knew Yelp brought me in the right direction. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. Their house margaritas are absolutely amazing and the chips and salsa in the cute carafe was a great way to start our meal! I got the beef chimichangas and they were delicious- covered with their melted queso too- so good! My husband got their fajitas and I was blown away with their marinated steak. I cannot wait to come back and try more varieties of their margaritas, happy hour, fried ice cream, and other entrees! We will totally be back! read more

Ocho Cafe - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

Great staff, amazing interior, awesome fovery fun experience! Went here with my class for a field trip. Would recommend. read more

Ocho Cafe - Bars Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

Went here for Valentine's Day and was very impressed! The main reason I picked this place was because they had numerous reservations while most places didn't, but I was not disappointed! We had a reservation for 7pm and were quickly seated. Upon entering I noticed how nice the decor was, it was very cool looking inside! Our waitress came over right away and checked on us often, she was very attentive and helpful when asking any questions. We were immediately given complimentary chips and salsa after sitting down. Usually they have a salsa bar, but unfortunately because of COVID it was not open. The salsa we were served however, was very delicious! If you like tequila, they have tons of options. Something like 40+ different types. I ordered a couple margaritas which were very tasty and decently strong. I ordered the steak fajitas for my entree and they were great. There was a good portion of tender steak that had a great flavor. My guest ordered tacos (not sure what kind), which he liked, but was not super impressed with (the only reason for me giving 4 stars instead of 5). While we were there it died down a bit - I noticed many people hanging out for a few hours, it was very nice that no one was rushed out of the restaurant. We were not brought our check until we asked, they let us hang out and have drinks after finishing our meal. To me, this place looked similar to any other Mexican restaurant I've been to in the area, but I went here based on the recommendation that it was authentic. My guest was born in Mexico and was very impressed at the authenticity of this restaurant compared to others in the area. Overall the experience was very good and I will definitely come back! They have nightly specials as well during the week such as $10 taco Tuesday dinner, or half priced margarita pitchers on Monday's that I'll definitely be back to try! read more

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