Totopos

The old tables aren’t the only thing that will make you wish it was still a Chili’s. The terrible service and overpriced bad food help out a lot.
For starters, we had to wait 15 minutes past our reservation time to be seated, and we got there 15 minutes early. It was packed, but after eating there I have to assume it was everyone’s first time. Ignorance is bliss.
After being seated, we were greeted by our young waitress who seemed about as confused and awkward as if I had randomly grabbed her in the grocery store and asked her to watch my 2 year old son for 10 minutes before running off.
We started with their Tres Ceviches, with ceviche being something that we enjoy. We have eaten real ceviche in Peru. Imagine my surprise when instead bowls of seafood cured in lime juice, three small bowls of watery mess were placed in front of us. Apparently the cook was under the impression that you make ceviche by pouring some tequila into salsa and then putting a frozen, fishy-​tasting shrimp in it. We asked her to take it away.
One cool thing was the Wikki Stix toys for my son to play with. These are strings that have been dipped in wax so that they are pose-​able. While handing the terrible ceviche back to the waitress, one of them fell into my glass of water. The waitress chuckled and informed me that I had a Wikki Stix in my water. I presumed that she was going to bring me another when she came back. Not only did she not, she never even offered a refill for anyone at the table for the entire meal.
My wife ordered Enchiladas Verdes, and I ordered some «Pipian» pork dish. The waitress informed me that she would bring me a sample of the pipian sauce because «most people don’t like it». It turns out «most people» are correct. It tasted like bland artifical smoke flavor. After informing her of my distaste for the «sauce», she asked if I wanted to change my order. It was a tough decision, but I decided I probably should change it… I asked for her recommendation, and I got a look that said «I was completely unprepared for this question». I decided to just get Enchiladas Verdes too. My son got the kids Chicken Quesedila.
The food arrived, and looked pretty good on the plate. Looks can be deceiving.
The enchiladas were stacked on each other which made it difficult to eat. Flavors were forgettable generic Mexican, but under salted. The entire plate had the same mushy texture that was occasionally broken up by a bit of chicken bone or gristle. My son’s quesedillas were probably the best thing on the table, and thats because they were just chicken and cheese in a tortilla. His dish came with beans and rice. The rice was so overcooked that it was mushy, and both it and the beans had the same blade «dish water» flavor that another reviewer has mentioned.
My $ 60 could have bought many good meals in the area. Oh well.
It’s an easy «never again» for us. You have been warned!

Typical Authentic Mexican food!
Very nice ambience, great food and good service. Definitely recommend if you are in the mood for a margarita… Carnitas Pipian Enchilada was amazing… The guacamole dip was good too. The Mexican pork chops was just alright. The rice was a bit dry tho.
But still the enchiladas was really really good.
And yummy flan

Such a different Mexican Food Restrauant. Very friendly staff, we had very quick service. The chips and queso were very good. Chips were fresh and warm.
Our server recommend some of his favorites and they were excellent. I had the chicken enchiladas and they were made with blue corn tortillas. Wow. Excellent. Great sauce on top.
We also had the guacamole sampler. With 3 different favors. Regular, bacon and the third was a hot one with jalapeños. Also excellent.
Service was quick, drinks were tasty and everyone had a great time at dinner.
Will be looking forward to our next visit.

Really enjoy dinner here. The food is good, and a bit unique. The drinks are as spicy as you like them.
However, as good as dinner is, their Sunday brunch was disappointing. If I could give a restaurant four stars for one meal, and two for another, this would be the time.

The definition of hit-​or-​miss service.
I have eaten here three times now. The first visit was absolutely fantastic. We arrived at dinnertime but didn’t need to wait before we were seated. Our lovely server immediately came over and explained the restaurant’s concept before walking us through both the dinner and drink menus. When I ordered the pipian rojo, he made sure to bring over a sample of the sauce just to make sure I liked it (he noted that it tends to be hit-​or-​miss, and he just wanted to be sure). He even brought over extra salsa in the beginning of the meal, since he knew we were hungry.
The next two times we were served by another waiter who could barely be bothered to bring out our food; he was too busy chatting with his colleagues and staring straight past my head (even when I flailed my arms right in his line of sight, he did not come over). My water was empty for over half of the meal. I never even had the chance to order drinks, because he never checked in.
I don’t like to use Unilocal to complain about restaurants or feed any threads of negativity. I don’t always love being a part of this «review culture». But given that there are some truly outstanding restaurants in the area that go above and beyond to provide exceptional food and service, I am profoundly disappointed in experiences like this one.

Really good food and service. Ambience is also very nice. If you are looking for a tasty Mexican food which also served well presented, I recommend this place.

My hubby and I came here for a Monday night dinner with high expectations. Expectations that (spoiler alert) transformed into disappointment.
We ordered the queso dip for an appetizer and the pineapple habanero margarita per the suggestion of our waiter. The queso dip was quite tasty but unfortunately, the delectable delights came to a halt shortly thereafter.
We each ordered a taco plate: I, the carnitas and hubby the shrimp. Each was served with 3 (tiny) tacos, rice and beans. The tacos came out as soon as we finished the queso dip. Even before the drink, which in retrospect, I think is a poor reflection on the barkeep.
The «carnitas» were dry and underseasoned and needed some additional flavoring to even come close to the taste of genuine carnitas. The blue corn masa used to make tortilla needed a good salting to make it remotely palatable. They too, were dry.
The shrimp tacos were much better. I couldn’t tell if it was because the carnitas were so bad or that the saucy mess of cheese, chocked full of shrimp was really superior. The seemingly homemade flour tortilla was definitely better than the corn.
Finally, after we had each consumed the first taco and a half, the margarita came out. What?! (Can you say a day late… but I digress). It had a tasty pineapple flavor that was in fierce competition with the habanero sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love the spicy-​sweet combination but the scale was tipped a bit too far towards the spicy,” into overwhelming land. I still managed to down the whole thing because I needed to wash down (shall I say it again?) those dry carnitas!
The taco dishes were served with the blandest charro beans ever which tasted of fake smoke and dish water and the yellow rice which was also bland and shared the same flavor.
In the end, our bill was over $ 50!!! For 1 alcoholic beverage, 1 non alcoholic beverage, cheese dip, 6 mini tacos and poorly done beans and rice (which we all know are just freebies to fill your plate).
I can honestly say that we won’t be back here to dine. If someone brings up Totopos, we’ll be sure steer them in another direction altogether (like city bbq across the street). Unless they’re our arch nemeses in which case we’ll encourage them to waste their $ 50! (Mwwwaaahhhhhahaahah) okay… I kid.
Honestly we were truly disappointed especially after all the rave reviews. Ah well…

Our first time here. The fact that they still have the mosaic tile booth table tops that were there when Chilis was there made us smile. Our family ate at Chilis a lot.
We started with their standard margarita on the rocks. It had TOO MUCH tequila in it !! I didn’t like it. The tequila pour was way off.
We had the standard fair chips and salsa. No better, no worse than any other Mexican restaurant around.
For dinner we shared the «platter» for 2. It had grilled chicken, steak, shrimp and pork. Grilled veggies. Rice and beans on the side. Some guacamole. I really wasn’t impressed. The taste was ordinary. Just OK. Kinda bland. The tortillas appeared to have been microwaved.
For the price, it wasn’t that good. We will not be back.

This place was highly recommended and lived up to the great reviews. The inside is cool and different than the run of the mill Mexican spots. The staff let you know that you won’t get the normal burritos and tacos from a tex mex place. I had pork on a bed of rice with fried plantains and a great sauce made with pumpkins and almonds. The menu had some really good looking entrees that all seemed interesting. The food was fresh and seasoned perfectly, with different flavors than you’d find at regular mexican places. The only criticism is that their drinks come in narrow glasses, so you pay for a good drink but there’s not much of it. Will definitely be back to try some more entrees.

Totopos, as explained by our server, means corn chips. It’s as appropriate a name for a restaurant as it is for my firstborn, I think.
I was excited to visit here based off of the Unilocal reviews and pictures I saw because it reminds me of my favorite taco shop in Florida that I miss so dearly. I was not disappointed. Their deal is Mexican street food and they have a wide selection of tequila (up to 80 different kinds if memory serves). Their cocktails are hand crafted and they freshly squeeze all their juices. Fairly certain this location was once a Chili’s or something because the setup of the building is identical, but they’ve made the interior so delightful and quirky (which is my favorite).
Warning: the Mexican wrestler sitting on the bench by the front door is not real. I haven’t ruined anything for you because I promise you’ll still be startled when you walk in AND when you leave… or maybe that was just me.
Our experience from start to finish was wonderfully pleasant — our server was knowledgeable and incredibly friendly, and the speed of service was perfect. We ordered nachos and had them on our table within 4 minutes. They were fresh and full of some really interesting, delicious flavors. I’m not a huge fan of sweet with my dinner and there was some kind of sauce in the nachos that was a touch on the sweet size but the creamy queso and guac balanced it out beautifully. My Paloma was also delicious, but every cocktail on the menu looked equally so.
I can’t wait to recruit some more Raleighinians to go back with me!

My wife broke her arm in 3 places 2 weeks ago. Today is her birthday. I told her, let me take you out, ANYPLACE YOU WANT TO GO.
she picked Totopas.
Why, because here, you are treated like family.
Respect, enthusiam, gracious, classy.

We really enjoyed our dinner here this weekend. We were greeted and seated promptly and service continued to be wonderful our entire night. Really can’t talk enough about how great service was — we didn’t have to ask for anything all night.
The salsa was really flavorful and fresh. We ordered ordered the traditional guacamole as well but it fell flat. Not a ton of flavor and just kind of blah.
My husband got the Verdes Enchiladas and my gosh they were good and a very large size portion. I got the carne asada tacos and they were very good as well. The steak was cooked perfectly and wonderfully tender.
I also tried the blackberry sangria and let me tell you — I wanted a tub of that drink. It was so, so, so good.
Overall a wonderfully delicious date night that didn’t break the bank. We will definitely need to be back.

The hubs and I love this place when we are craving Mexican food. We have been many times and have brought along friends and family to enjoy, too… So now it’s also one of my mom’s favorite places! Since its opening, we have also watched as some of the original menu items have transformed and been improved upon. I can’t keep away from the chicken enchiladas. The sauce is just so tangy and delicious. The hubs loves the chicken quesadillas because they have lots of flavor and you can taste what must be high quality chicken.
The ambiance is fun and colorful, and most servers have always been amazing. I did find one was a tad too pushy on up-​selling for my taste, as I know what I want when I go there. They also have a good selection of cocktails and some local beers, such as Fortnight Brewing Company. I’m sure we’ll be back again soon!

For a tex-​mex restaurant, very very good.
For an upscale Mexican restaurant, not bad.
Their tequila selection is darn good with about 50 or so offerings.
My wife and I liked our $ 12 margaritas.
Our meals were really good, but I wasn’t blown away.
The service was great.
I’d be tempted to give 3.5 stars, but for Cary this is a very nice addition to the restaurant scene.

I took my girlfriends here as we were craving some Mexican Food. Having tried and loved this place twice before brought them here.
I love their décor and their street food style menu as opposed to Americanized Mexican food. This time as well I was served by John who is informative and explains the menu and tequilas really well and patiently. He explained us how we can order complementing food items and replace rice and beans which comes with entrees for soups which we wanted to split.
We started our meal with complementary salsa and chips and ordered a guacamole which was fresh though missed some salt and lime for our taste. Salas was delicious though. For the meal we ordered a chicken tortilla soup, chicken tinga tacos and chicken enchilada with a side of black bean soup. The chicken in both dishes was tender and delicious and so divine. We were bowled over with the chicken tortilla soup, it was nothing that we have had before. Our server suggested sweet plantains and we thought it’ll be a little too much for us but as soon as we tasted it finished the whole thing. It was even better than I have had in Caribbean.
We ended our meal with Limoncello Crème Brûlée which looked as good as it tasted,
I am already looking forward to going back and getting more of that soup and enchiladas.

After trying Viva DF tequila & taco bar for lunch yesterday, we thought we’d try Totopos (one of their other restaurants) for dinner tonight. Still the same Mexican street food flare at both restaurants with an extensive selection of Margaritas and Tequilas.
We started with the Guacamole trio, which were all excellent. The mango in the bacon-​mango one was a well balanced addition.
For the entrees we had the Mahi-​Mahi Tacos. The fish was lightly blackened and grilled; juicy to perfection, with a mango salsa (delicious!).
We also had the Chicken Tinga Nachos. The only complaint I had about the nachos was the crema dulce, which was sweetened, and a bit odd for my palate. I will order the Nachos with out it next time. The chicken tinga is by far the best I have ever had. I highly recommend trying it any of the many dishes that include this marvel.

Amazing dining experience! This is by far the best Mexican food I’ve ever had in my life.
My husband and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night. We made a reservation, but I was surprised at how uncrowded it was when we got there. The décor is really authentic. The restaurant is designed to look like different parts of Mexico City, which is cool.
We started off with the homemade guac. Chips and salsa are free and bottomless — always a big plus. The guac tasted really fresh and delicious. I ordered the Totopos margarita. It tasted very orangey, rather than a traditional lime margarita. It was sooo good! I had to get a second.
For my meal, I had the quesadillas. It was one of the cheapest entrees on the menu, but the portion was HUGE. The presentation was amazing. It came with sides of rice and beans. I, unfortunately, couldn’t finish the entire serving because there was so much food, but it tasted excellent.
To top it off, our server, John, was absolutely fantastic. He was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Everything was great, but he definitely played a role in making our experience so awesome!
I cannot wait to come back here. Totopos is a must visit spot for anyone in the Triangle looking for authentic, reasonably priced Mexican food and an above average dining experience. (So basically, everyone!)

Stopped in for dinner at the restaurant named after an Aztec word meaning «tortilla that is noisy to chew.» We had some of those noisy tortillas and enjoyed a delicious meal at Totopos.
I ordered the Pollo a Las Brasas (grilled chicken tacos) and substituted the flour tortillas for organic soft blue corn tortillas. They were stuffed with charbroiled chicken, cheese, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Loved the organic soft blue corn tortillas and I would definitely order these again. Same for the guacamole. Delicious.
The carne asada included grilled skirt steak, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Amazing. Both trios were presented neatly in taco holders. Sides included black beans and rice.
Service was excellent. Our male server was informative and efficient. He kept our water glasses full and made great recommendations.
Cozy ambiance with festive lighting and creative artwork makes for a fun, romantic date night at Totopos. Remember to say hello to the masked fellow as you enter the restaurant. He’s shy and probably won’t answer you but he will appreciate your friendliness. He doesn’t mind posing for photographs and seems to enjoy a gentle bit of attention. Overall, a solid 4+ stars for Totopos. Muy bien!

I honestly wasn’t expecting much from Totopos… As we were seated at our booth, I got flashbacks to high school days– coming to Chili’s with friends (which is what this spot used to be)… sitting at the same exact booth with the same exact table. So the vibe was kinda strange at the beginning but all that changed once my taste buds were awakened.
My family and I LOVED everything. The chilaquiles… holy hell. Now full disclosure I’ve never actually had chilaquiles before so I have nothing to compare these to, but wow, amazing dish. Also– the chicken tinga nachos are NOT to be missed. OMG. SO good. Even my mom– who is the hardest critic to please– was impressed by the food. I also like that this place is family friendly.
Definitely embarrass someone in your group who has a birthday– because the whole freakin gang comes out to sing– mexican style! You shoulda seen my dad’s face when they came out for him hahaha

I will give this place a 5 stars. First of the waitress her name js Kelly. She is super nice (and cute and sexy too) and very attentive. The services is 5 stars. I didn’t even once have to ask for a drink refill or more salsa and chips.
The manager Miguel (I think that was his name) is super nice and super friendly. He came and greet us at the table and spent time to explain to us about the food and the restaurants background He even showed us around the restaurant and took his time to explain the details about the decorations in the restaurant.
The food was good. First of all I am not a big fan of Mexican food. But this place blow my mind. Everything we ordered it was excellent.
The homemade chip was fresh and crunch and the salsa was good. Usually at other restaurants I had to put hot sauce To make it taste better. But the salsa here I didn’t add anything to it at all. It was delicious
We had «taquitos» as an appetizer. At first I was a little bit sat back bc of the color lol. But when I tried it it was very tasty and yummy. The wrap is crunchy and the sauce was delicious. Once again I didn’t have to add any hot sauce etc in the food at all
Then we had «chilaquiles». Here we go again lol it was super yummy. The sauce the texture the chicken they were all mixed it up w the right amount of ingredients
Your guys need to try it out. U won’t be regret i guaranteed. We will go back again very soon and order something different and will keep all the Unilocalers posted.
This is the longest reviews I have ever done lol.