NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Raleigh, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Durham, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Cary, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill
    • Triangle Top Three’s- Bars
  • News
    • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2019 Edition
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
    • Memorable Meals for 2019
    • Memorable Meals for 2018
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
You are here: Home / Restaurant & Bar Reviews / Raleigh / First Take: Gonza Tacos y Tequila Heads to the Hills

February 3, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Gonza Tacos y Tequila Heads to the Hills

Sign for Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Sign for Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When you talk about Mexican and Latin American fare, Gonza Tacos y Tequila has been a long-time favorite up in N. Raleigh. But its location was just too far away to make it worthwhile to me for a visit. Flash-forward to this past week and this rapidly expanding Mexican chain has finally moved downtown in a brand spanking new location at the Aloft Hotel. So it was time to FINALLY see what Gonza Tacos y Tequila is all about…

Cool interior at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cool interior at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Located on a busy corner of Hillsborough Street, parking is quite limited for a visit but be aware that Gonza has a retail/hotel private lot behind the building off of Maiden Lane. Once you find parking, you’ll be dazzled by what lies behind the doors of Gonza. An innocuous and discrete frontage opens into a kaleidoscope of colors and decor.

Dining room at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The rustic interior is amped up with an Andy Warhol-like Dia de los Muertos portraiture, modern wine bar area and a turquoise blue mural behind the bar. Bright star-shaped lights twinkle above and the front face of Gonza opens up to the sidewalk outside. Very well-designed space with a lot of color and charm.

Chips and queso at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Chips and queso at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I grab a seat at the bar and peruse the lunch menu which is pretty tight. I order up some queso ($5) and carnitas tacos ($11). Chips and salsa are also brought out for lunch and it’s a solid rendition. Looking around the Gonza dining room, the place is already quite busy in their 2nd week of being opened so I’m guessing they must have a pretty good reputation!

Carnitas tacos at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Carnitas tacos at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My tacos come out next, served on a long platter with leaf underneath and a side of rice. The tacos come with a single corn tortilla and are nicely stuffed but a bit small. Sprinkle of onion and cilantro on top with a side of green tomatilla sauce. The tacos are tasty with some fattiness underneath which I’d expect for carnitas. Pretty basic and par for the course, the rice is made with a bit of cilantro (I think) and corn for some extra flavor and color.

Place mat at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Place mat at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Service at the bar was excellent but hey, I was sitting with their marketing manager so no shock there and I was unexpectedly comp’ed for my lunch. In the end, I like what they’re doing here but need to come back for a re-visit and see if they’re willing to push the food and spice envelope a bit more. And for lunch it was a bit pricey for what you get but the lease here has got to be some money, eh?

Colorful bar at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Colorful bar at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My concern is that when you get a great-looking place like they new Gonza Tacos, the food and flavors get sanitized a bit to appeal to a broader, upscale audience. And Latin American food needs to have a punch of earthiness, spice and flavors in my opinion. So right now Gonza is getting four stars for me leaning on their decor and service more than their food. We’ll see how visit #2 plays out!

 

Gonza Tacos y Tequila @Aloft Hotel

2100 Hillsborough Street

Raleigh, NC 27607

919.268.8965

 

Location on Google maps

Save

Save

Last Updated on October 9, 2016

Related

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Date Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

KoKyu Southpoint, Durham: A Fun Eatery for Casual Asian-Fusion Fare Loaded with Flavor

Photos: The New Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille in Raleigh!

Layered Croissanterie: A Flaky Take on Delectable Pastries for Downtown Raleigh

Don’t Miss

  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
  • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • Photos: The New Bongiorno & Son Italian Market in Raleigh
  • LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd
  • Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Cary – An Exceptional Example of Classic NYC Pizza for NC
  • Photos: Sam Jones BBQ Arrives in Raleigh

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework