Pozole

People who have rated this restaurant highly are clueless. They haven't had good food. And this restaurant's managers should be ashamed. Here's my true story. I ate lunch with a friend on the patio last Sunday. A skinny waitress with tattoos served us. She said, with sauce on her face, how good the salad special was. She said it had chicken. She gave us menus. They had dried salsa stuck to them. To her credit, she brought us new menus. Her eyes rolled back into her head when she told us about the margaritas they served, and asked, "sugar or salt on the rim?" Foolishly, I ordered the salad special. I was not happy. It was a handful of bagged lettuce in a cracked taco shell. And it was DRENCHED in a soup of dressing that looked like runny mayo. And there was no chicken. My friend ordered enchiladas with rice and beans. The dish came out cold, on a cold plate. I ate half of it and she took it away. The margarita I ordered was horrible. There was barely any alcohol, and I could tell they used a cheap margarita mix -- and too much of it. Our waitress asked us with half-assed sincerity how the food was. We both said, "It's OK" at the same time, but we should have said more. And she should have known we wanted to. Instead of offering to cancel the bill, she shrugged and disappeared. We decided to split the bill. When she brought back the check for us to sign, she told us, "Oh, I forgot. The machine automatically charges an 18% gratuity when the bill gets split. Sorry!"

I live in the V. Highlands. I'm proud of the food in this area. Don't patronize this restaurant. If you want real Mexican, go to Buford Highway. If you want good Tex Mex in the area, go Mexico City at the corner of North Decatur and Clairmont, to El Matedor in Oakhurst, or to Carumba Caf? just up the street on North Highland.

A tip to the Pozol? management. Read the New York TImes' rules of thumb for wait staff and enforce those rules.

And fire our waitress. Don't lay her off. Fire her.

Pros: Near to my house

Cons: Service a disaster, food a disaster, all around a disaster

Posted 11/02/09

This is my NEW favorite taco joint. the tequilla list is out of control and they are great with the recommendations. Try the lobster tacos, they are tooooooo good. Oh and there's a deal on al la carte lobster tacos that's way worth it.

YUMMMMMM!

Oh, but if it's a group of two try and show up a little early cause it gets pretty packed around 7ish I've noticed.

Pros: everything

Cons: almost too may tequillas to choose from!

Posted 02/10/09

Pazole is our favorite restaurant in VaHi. It is definitely the best mexican in the neighborhood - always fresh and flavorful- and we love that they frequently run specials and change the menu. It seems like there is always something new and exciting to try. Their margaritas are awesome (jalepeno is my fave), and they have so many different tequilas. Early in the evening they are very family friendly - even providing coloring pages and crayons for the kids. Later, the atmosphere takes on a much more adult feel.The staff is super friendly and helpful, and the prices are reasonable. With or without our kids in tow, we love it!

Pros: Fantastic service, great food, good prices

Cons: there are a lot of tvs

Posted 01/08/09

The thing we like most about Pozole is the outstanding service! The hostess, bar staff, wait staff and management are consistently friendly, courteous, and attentive. The staff always has a positive demeanor, and treats patrons as guests. We are regular visitors, and while we enjoy the food and margaritas, the service is what really keeps us coming back.

The early evening crowd consists of families, transitioning to a younger social set later in the evening (drawn in by the variety of tequilas and friendly, casual atmosphere no doubt). The food is excellent, and reasonably priced. We usually start with the chips and flavorful variety of salsas. They often have specials for starters and main course that are also full of flavor. Our favorites from the regular menu are the tacos (beef or pork), pork quesadillas, and green mole enchiladas.

If you're a visitor to Virginia Highlands, include this restaurant/tequila bar on your rotation - I highly recommend it!

Pros: Service, service, service. And reasonably priced, flavorful food. And good margaritas!

Cons: None

Posted 01/01/09

So, while perusing around the Highlands last week my sweet B and I saw the cutest board outside listing phenomenally cheep drinks. We decided to take a closer look, and we were baffled to see that they were offering 5 of their margaritas for almost half of what they usually charge. As if that wasn't sweet enough, they also do half off their late night menus( starts at 11 p.m.). The late night menu consists of tacos and your usual dips of sorts (go for the queso and guac combo muy bueno). Because the drinks were so reasonably priced I got to try 3. I suggest the Pomegranate and the jalapeno. Jalapeno sounds weird but really it just blends perfectly with their mix. The B was jonesin on the perfect. The service was great and knowlegeble, offering a short education into the vast tequila list. All in all a great Thursday night! WIll be back next week!

Pros: seriously cheap, delish, and great service

Cons: tempted to drink too many

Posted 11/05/08

Just found this place while out walking in the Highlands. It may be my new favorite ATL taqueria. I tried the special Shrimp Tacos which were absolutely delicious and perfectly complimented by my awesome "Perfect" margarita which was on special too! (Thursday special I think) Can't wait to go back soon and try some more great food and drinks!!

Pros: Tacos, Margaritas, Service and Price!

Cons: nada

Posted 10/12/08

I recently dined at Pozole for about the fifth time, and thoroughly enjoyed it! I think that the atmosphere allows me to enjoy myself as well as my friends. Being a casual place, it is amazing that the service is so above average! You can tell that the servers are happy to be there, and pleased to serve. The bartenders are fantastic about expressing their knowledge on tequila. That helps out alot with the unexperienced tequila fan such as myself. The food is special too. I loved the Lobster tacos! It is, and always has been a wonderful all around experience for myself and my wife. I'll be back many times...OH, and I also love the "Movie and Margarita" night on Wednesdays!!

Posted 09/10/08

My friend and I went there a few times and thought the food was subpar but could never determine why until we got take out one night. We finally figured out why the tacos tasted funky....CORN TORTILLAS! It just makes the food taste yucky. Overall the other food on the menu is just ok, but if you do go just stick to chips and salsa with one of their margaritas. I do suggest the pomegranate. Just avoid the food if you can...not good. Service is just ok, but it can get super busy and is definitely NOT worth the wait! You have a better chance of getting tasty food and drinks as well as great service at Noche which is only a few blocks down....

Pros: Pomegranate margaritas & good location

Cons: Bad food & poor service all around....

Posted 07/09/08

While in town with my boyfriend for work we went to the quaint Highlands area after reading such raving reviews. The menu SOUNDED incredible. We were very impressed with the variety of options and the delicious ingredients in each dish. What we got was incredibly average. True, we're from LA and we are spoiled by the fact that we can't walk 10 paces without coming upon delicious and simple Mexican food. We don't fault it on their lack of authenticity, instead we surmise this must have been a bad chef night, or the chefs aren't properly trained since they won "Best of 2007 Atlanta: Audience Award." In short, the mojito was flavorless and sugary, the tuna cheviche was DRENCHED in olive oil?!!?! The fajitas didn't come sizzling, instead they came soaked in a soupy shrimp flavored goo. WTHeck? Even the churros were bland. Where was the simple ingredient of cinnammon on my churro? Seriously? It's really too bad. Looked so cute and our waiter was nice enough.

Pros: Pretty atmosphere, good service for what it's worth

Cons: Very bland, boring food. Not fresh. Flavorless mojito.

Posted 03/03/08

This place is awesome. The food is great, the service is super accomodating, and the prices can't be beat. My girl friends and I ordered a variety of drinks - the mojitos were about average (I like them better at places like Pura Vida), they were a little on the sweet side; the red sangria was good; but the margaritas were amazing! (Which is probably why they're famous for them!) We tried the jalapeno marg, which was intriguing but tasty, and their house margarita is a sure thing. We ordered chips and the 3 salsas as an appetizer, the pineapple salsa was delicious! As well as the queso dip. For dinner, most of us ordered a combination of the tacos, which are absolutely delicious as well. And so cheap! I loved the atmosphere of this place - very casual, very young, but very loud, so it's not exactly the best "romantic date" spot. But it's definitely great to dine there with a small group of friends, and definitely make reservations!! Parking is difficult, I recommend parking across the street in the pay lot.

Pros: Food, Prices, Drinks

Cons: Gets really packed, parking is difficult to find

Posted 12/16/07

The Service is great. The food is really good as well. It has a great flavor to it. They also have chips and salsa on the menu that comes with 3 types of salsa. My friend and I thought that the "pineapple" salsa was going to be gross, but ended up liking it the best and ordering seconds. The atmosphere is comfortable and fun. The drinks are made very well and you are never left with an empty glass! I definately recommend this restaurant!

Posted 11/18/07

I live in the local area of Pozole, and kept putting off visiting.....not really a tequila fan. But I decided to try it finally. WOW!! Had I been missing out! I entered the door and the lovely hostess was all smiles, very welcoming. She sat us promptly. Our waitress, Lauren, took great care of us. Even Todd, the manager, came by to see how we were.....that's always a plus! Anyway, we ordered the "perfect" margarita, tacos, and dessert. All which were splendid. (I even had two margaritas!!!) The beef tacos ruled our night! My experience with the staff and food definately said a lot about the restaurant as a whole. I like to see people who care about food and service! Thank you and I will be back a bunch!!!!

Pros: Everything!!!!! (My wife said Todd was cute!)

Cons: none

Posted 08/25/07

I am shocked that many people rate this place high. I thought this place is more of a bar than a restaurant. Meaning they make profit off of drinks not the crappy food they serve. I have been to REAL tapas and this is not even close.

Pros: in nice area

Cons: noisy, food

Posted 07/07/07

I've only been to Pozole a couple of times but that's enough to say I love this place. It's very small and cozy inside and the menu offers a lot of different options- small plates & taco plates which are very affordable and entrees which are a little more pricey. Love the salmon and blue corn fritters and my husband loved the brisket tacos. The tuna was nothing to write home about but I still ate every bit of it. Good mojitos and great service, we loved our server David. Will keep going back.

Pros: Service, food & drinks

Cons: is small so can feel crowded at times

Posted 04/13/07

Pozole really does have some of the best margaritas in town - even the house margs are hard to beat! Service was a little slow once we were seated and there weren't enough space heaters on the patio - but once we got the servers attention she was great! Very good food, good selection, and very affordable for what you get. The beef brisket tacos were really impressive. The place itself wasn't as nice as I expected, so not ideal for a romantic night out - but great for casual food or dinner out before hitting the bars.

The only downside was letting people smoke in the restaurant - it somewhat spoiled to meal - perhaps keep that until after 10:30pm or later.

Pros: Tasty tacos, inexpensive, fun

Cons: Indoor smoking and a little chilly

Posted 11/18/06

Great, inexpensive food and friendly staff combined with killer margaritas. Try the "perfect" - it really is.....

Posted 11/11/06

We have to admit, Jen Soong's, CitySearch, review was on target. But much to our surprise, Pozole, is more a Cantina, that other upscale Highland destinations. We didn't know if we were in Athen's, Clemson, but it was obvious, the hometown team had one. It was packed with twenty and early thirty Friday nighters, getting fired up for the clubs later. My good friend, and myself made our way to the bar, and ordered us a south of the border concoction. I started with a very tasty Mango Mojito, and she got a terrific Pomegrante Margarita, with shaved ice. My next drink was one of those terrific pom-marg's. Oh goodness! App's were a good gucamole and Chile con Queso. Small plates, and limited entree's are the fare here. My companion had the combo Green Mole Enchilades, withy the mole on the side, phobia of anything hotter than ketchup or mayo. I had the Mole Roasted Duck Tostada, where's the duck, and a tasty crabcake over Jicima Slaw. We can't wait until warm weather, when the covered patio is open, and have several rounds of thos pom-marg's and guac. And then on to someplace else in the Highlands for our entree's. Much fun! Rah-Rah!

Pros: Great Drinks! Small Plates! Terrific Server!, Lavish Tropical Drinks!

Cons: Parking In The Highlands, Always A Hassel!

Posted 10/05/06

I heard a lot about this place and I was excited to try it out; however it was an underwhelming experience. I recommend the queso dip and guacamole, but both of my taco choices (one tilapia and the other with potatoes, cheese, and peppers) were not apetizing. Also the dining atmosphere was unimpressive.

Posted 09/07/06

Being from the southwest I have high standards and I have to say I like this place. The margaritas aren't outstanding (don't like the watered down effect from the snow cone ice)...stay away from the mango one...but the non-flavored margaritas ON THE ROCKS are good. The tacos and calamari were great. My boyfriend (the culinary snob) and I thought the mussels were some of the best and most unique we've ever had. This place is always busy and bouncing at night with beautiful people. Don't go expecting a quiet dinner and be prepared to wait...but the servers are very nice and always try to be accommodating. Until a Rubios or La Salsa makes it across the country I'll be eating here!

Pros: food, fun, good for groups

Cons: small space, Highlands parking

Posted 08/31/06

Pozole has recently been getting rave reviews from other local Highlanders, but I don't know why. The food was way too spicy, so much so that my girlfriend couldn't eat it and I couldn't taste any flavor. Drinks were good, though overpriced. I'll not go back for dinner - maybe for a drink.

Pros: Cool atmosphere, nice porch

Cons: Food too spicy, drinks too expensive

Posted 08/27/06

My husband and I LOVED this place! The food was great, the drinks were good, and the service was excellent! The fish tacos were especially good, as well as the green mole enchiladas. We will definitely eat here again!

Pros: Great food, drinks, service

Cons: A little on the loud side

Posted 08/25/06

Pozole's food is delicious and creative. The prices are reasonable and you get big portions for what you pay. I can't wait to go back!

Pros: Amazing food, good service, food served fast

Cons: Very loud

Posted 08/08/06

Pozole is definitely a favorite of ours. Its hard to beat a jalapeno margarita and a couple of beef brisket tacos. Finally, delicious tacos made with real corn tortillas!. I for one love the favor that they add to the already delicious Pozole tacos. Flour "tortillas" are rolled out for the gringos used to eating at Taco Bell.

Pros: Food, Drinks, Service, Authentic Corn Tortillas!!

Cons: None come to mind

Posted 07/26/06

I was very disappointed in my dining experience. While the beef taco, the pork taco and the flautas were excellent, I do not recommend the corn and mushroom quesadilla. My pomegranate marguarita, at $9.00, was weak and watered-down. But worst of all, the restaurant was noisy and it was swelteringly hot. There was no air conditioning--only fans and open windows--and it was 92 degrees outside. Parking is limited and expensive at $7.00.

Pros: Some of the food items are very good.

Cons: Dining room was hot and noisy, Parking.

Posted 07/14/06

I live very close to the restaurant and go quite often. Recognition the moment you walk through the door, they love their regulars. Lobster tacos are amazing. Many different salsas, great guacamole. Serve food late night. Great addition to the Highlands.

Posted 06/29/06

The margaritas with the sno-cone ice are delicious! I really enjoyed all the different salsas and guacamole. Also ordered the tuna crudo but I would not recommend it. The lime sections overpower all the flavors and make it much too tart. A friend had the corn and mushroom quesidillia and did not like it. Other than that everything was great and it's such a fun casual atmosphere.

Pros: margaritas, mojitos, guacamole

Posted 06/18/06

Pozole is THE BEST place in the city for tequila, margaritas, tapas, entrees, tacos, and desserts BY FAR!! Every other nuevo-latino restaurant is pale in comparison (even the over-priced ones). They have incredible specials and exceptional service. Oh yeah, and late nite is a blast too ;).

Pros: Lobster tacos, The entire staff, and Everything else

Cons: Not enough room..., in my stomach

Posted 05/11/06

This is the perfect type of restaurant for this spot in the Highlands. The margaritas are excellent and the atmosphere is very fun. We snacked on a couple appetizers, both of which were good - nothing outstanding, but the drinks, location, and friendly service make this place well worth trying for either a quick bite on a casual weeknight or before heading out for the night.

Pros: Margaritas, Good decor, Good value

Cons: Parking

Posted 05/08/06

Pozole is a great combination of delicious, authentic dishes, a great ambience, a friendly wait-staff, yummy drinks and decent prices! You can spend a lot or spend a little, depending on what your mood is. I highly recommend the Carzuella de Shellfish and the Pomegranite Margarita. A great place for happy hour, pre-gaming Dark Horse and Blind Willies, or simply enjoying some good eats. I am definitely going back!!

Pros: cozy porch, attentive staff, great food/drinks

Cons: difficult parking

Posted 04/28/06

I had a great experience last week. This spot is definitely the best looking it has ever been. The ambience is wonderful and the margaritas are great. Another plus is that they offer a late night menu other than diner food. The service was quick and friendly. The duck tostada and the chicken entree were amazing. The pomegranate and jalapeno margaritas were my personal favorite.

Pros: Margaritas, Patio, Inexpensive

Posted 04/06/06

The atmosphere is here great. Definitely try one of the margaritas (NOT the jalapeno though!) The managment and wait staff are very accomodating and helpful.
The menu isn't huge but the specialty tacos are fabulous- the beef brisket taco is excellent. Overall this is a great place, especially if you have nice weather- sit on the porch.

Pros: employees, drinks, atmposhere

Cons: small menu, small porch

Posted 04/06/06

A crisp, smoke free, yet unpretentious atmosphere, with an open porch, and windows in the bar. For cocktails, they have a fantastic Margarita selection - the house "Pozole", consists of Cuervo, Grand Marnier, freshly homemade sour mix, a splash of orange juice, and more exotic fare with top shelf tequila and liqueurs. The menu is separated into tiny things (about $2 each), a bunch of "small plates" ($4 to $5 each), and several more substantial meals. The dishes are a variety of Mexican-inspired selections from a Pork Taco, to tuna crudo; a cold appetizer of sliced raw tuna, fresh orange and grapefruit slices, avocado, with a sprinkle of course sea salt on top; to a more elaborate dish of shredded duck in a brown Mole sauce, black beans, cheese, and crispy homemade corn chips. Kid friendly before 7:30. Bill for 2 adults plus 3 year old was about $40.

Pros: food, atmosphere, service

Posted 03/12/06