The Loco Lime

After moving to the ‘hood (and having driven past the place dozens of times), Hubs and I finally decided to give Loco Lime a try. We met some friends there for dinner before an event later that evening.
Protip: give yourself plenty of time. Though there weren’t many people there, the food seemed to take a long time to come out. Note: our server was *great*, super friendly, and came back to check on us many times, giving advice as to what was good, even unsolicitedly bringing out a dish of limes that he thought would go well with my order, and sincerely thanking us for coming in at the end of the meal, so I am definitely NOT faulting the service — just the kitchen seemed a little slow in comparison to other Mexican faves in the area.
It was all worth the wait, though. Chips were served hot, salsa was fresh, and everything we ordered was delicious. We had one vegetarian in our group who RAVED about his veggie-​changa (sweet plantains inside! so novel!), and had enough left over to box up for lunch the next day. Husband chowed down his barbacoa tacos before I even saw what they looked like (I guess they were good?), and another friend made a worthy dent in her massive order of ground beef enchiladas. My blackened shrimp tacos were some of the most fresh and flavorful that I’ve ever had — and the server was right, the limes were the perfect complement.
Now that Husband and I live much closer to Loco Lime than we used to, we’ll definitely be making this a regular haunt.

Well i walked in there after reading the reviews. Im thinking taco tuesday worst case scenario i have 2 drinks spend like $ 20 including tip.
I walled in with sweatpants, a painted on carolina t-​shirt and an almost invisible F-​off on my forehead since ive been working 14 hr days lately. Sat at the bar, never got a menu. Salsa was fresh however lacked taste and heat. Thats one of those thing a Mexican restaurant has to get right.
Everyone at the bar was ordering their veggie tacos so i joined them. I ordered 3, only one of them had a piece of a plantain. I guess they could have put less filling on it, but i might have sent it back. They were worth a dollar, thats it! I would have been just as satisfied at taco bell. They use corn tortillas which i am not a fan of. It might have been better if they were fresh, but they did not taste fresh.
The bartender had a large section so i cut her some slack. Their shots could have been smaller. I ordered the first which looked like a one ounce pour and i figured she was just busy and made a mistake. I probably should’ve told her to pour it back in the bottle, but i figured they had $ 1 tacos, so whatever. I just really wanted a drink. So i ordered another and the same crappy pour. I guess this is normal for them. Maybe she was using the rest of my pour to hook up one of her friends laters.
Got the tab. It was 26.00. They charge 2.25 for soda, i guess its not terrible but its been a while since I’ve paid for one at a sit down establishment. The (crappy pour) drinks were $ 9 a piece, if i would have known that, i would have definitely told her to pour that back in the bottle. This place is definitely cheap (as far as delivering value to their customers), maybe they should cut their labor cost and use it towards improving what they serve.
My recommendation: only go there if you have to. Order beer out the bottle or can. They might try to give you a 13oz draft or something. Never order liquor there. Make sure you get all of whats supposed to be on your plate. I almost forgot most of their clients were corporate america chumps. Mid 20’s out of college and barely have their first real job. I guess its fitting since all they have really known for the past 4 – 5 yrs is ramen noodles and whatever doesn’t have mold on it.
Thanks for reading.

The food was good but the service was h.o.r.r.i.b.l.e. Better luck next time hopefully. We will come back.

My latest meal at Loco Lime kicked off by checking in on Unilocal and getting 10% off our bill. Boom.
Pretty standard menu here. I do not have a go-​to order… think I get something different every single time. I do love the option of three different sauces (green tomatillo, red citrus chili, white queso) for the enchiladas. I recommend ordering all three together with the barbacoa (soft shredded beef). The menu also has a nice selection for vegetarians.
Specials you need to know about:
–Margarita Mondays: Half price, rocks or frozen. Like a little heat? The jalapeño margarita is fantastic.
–Taco Tuesdays: $ 1 tacos. Get there early. Full house every time.
–Kids eat free on Wednesdays. If you do not enjoy children, probably want to skip this night.
–Sundays: $ 1 tacos in the bar area only. Nice spot to watch games.
The parking lot here is kind of awkward. Sometimes it’s difficult to get in and out when it’s busy. Great patio. Very spacious and dog friendly.

I was very disappointed with the service and food at this Central Avenue location.
Here are some good and bad highlights of my Saturday night visit:
–I immediately noticed the nice décor and overall setup of the restaurant. The concept is simple yet cute and comfortable.
–We were greeted by a warm smiling hostess who suggested a drink which was excellent.
–Our server wasn’t well versed on the menu nor did she attempt to seek any help to answer questions. Instead she snapped her fingers followed with a couple «um’s» and a laugh.
–The queso that we added to pair with the salsa and chips was rather bland. It reminded me of something out of a jar in the supermarket.
–I ordered the Veggie Tacos which, according to the menu and online menu, it should come with sautéed Portobello mushrooms, roasted corn relish, sweet plantains, and grilled zucchini toped with queso fresco. Mouth watering right? However, I received two tacos with zucchini, two strips of mushrooms, and cheese on top. The server never came back to see how our food was, so luckily the manager passed by and I told her some things were missing. She proceeded to cross her arms then point at the tacos while asking «what is missing?» I was surprised by both her body language and tone. After telling her what was missing she said that what I received is what comes on the Veggie Tacos. I didn’t feel the need to persist, so I told her it was fine.
–The server came by about 10 minutes later to ask was everything fine. Before asking for the checks, I told her that I thought the service and food would be better and she responded «yeah» and smiled.
–I understand that sometimes people have a bad day, but the entire short lived experience was unacceptable.
–I will not be returning to this restaurant or recommending it for anyone who wants Mexican cuisine, but I wish them the best of luck with improvements!

taco tuesdays!!!
It’s the best. The staff is phenomenal. They keep the chips and salsa coming and your drinks full. Do get there early if you don’t want to wait a super long time for a table. if you go at 4, you’ll have the place to yourself every time.

The first thing that stands out in my mind is the staff. Whether they are waiting on you or just happening to be walking past, they smile at you and greet you, often asking if you need anything. That is impressive.
What is not impressive is the food. The complimentary salsa is lackluster, tasting like glorified tomato sauce. I ordered the cheese enchiladas, which came with retried beans and rice. It was as if they were not cooked long enough for the cheese to melt. As we all know, the hallmark of American Mexican food is that pool of melted cheese. The cheese in these enchiladas was solid and chewy. Refried beans and rice were decent. Husband got the fish tacos, and he deemed them «ok.»
Now, if the food was as charismatic as the staff, I would return again and again!

This review is based solely on their $ 1 Taco Tuesdays and $ 1 Taco Sundays.
A word of advice: if you’re getting $ 1 tacos on a Tuesday evening, show up early! This place fills up fast and if you’ve got a big group expect a wait of at least 25 minutes.
Despite the sometimes hectic atmosphere on Tuesdays, the servers are patient, friendly and always smiling. They do their best to stay on top of drinks and refilling the chips and salsa (which are free and never-​ending!).
Their veggie tacos are the best I’ve had in Charlotte! They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, roasted corn, sweet plantains, and grilled zucchini… such GREAT flavor! Usually when you order a vegetarian taco, you can’t expect more than just some random veggies slapped into a taco shell, but you can tell they actually gave thought to the flavor profile of this dish.
Thanks to the tasty food and the great deals, I am here twice a week. I love Loco Lime!

Loco Lime is one of those places that I tend to love infrequently as there are things that sing loud and clear… and some things I could do without. It’s a killer location with a lively patio and tons of seating — optimal for a Sunday lunch or any Tuesday (Taco Tuesday).
As it goes any given day of the week, I love guac. Guac, guac, guac all the time. Loco Lime’s fare is definitely a cut above with the table-​side preparation and tender care. Throw a candle in that bowl and I’d eat it like a freaking birthday cake. Good stuff.
Taco Tuesday — $ 1 tacos. Why would you need to know more?
The only thing that tends to lack a bit is the service — a bit uneducated as far as the menu goes, spotty at times, and a bit uninterested. No deal-​breaker, but can tend to be a bit more than lackluster.
Still love ya, Loco Lime. $ 1 tacos, guac, and my own bottle of Tapatio is all I need.

We went with a larger group to take advantage of their taco Tuesdays ($ 1 tacos). My advice is to get there early as it was pretty busy (they also offer this Sundays in the bar area only).
The server was very friendly — I can’t recall her name (Bonnie maybe?) but she had a pixie cut, darker hair, and a tongue ring (weird that I noticed but I am not sure how else to describe her)…anyway she did a fantastic job with the whole group and ensured that everyone had full drinks and happy bellies.
I tried the Asada (Grilled Steak), Barbacoa (Soft Shredded Beef), and Carnitas (Roasted Pull Pork). I enjoyed them all but the Barbacoa which was dry. The Carnitas was my favorite. I have to say that all of the choices were very flavorful– but a nice squeeze of lime made it even better. Three was a good size for me, but keep in mind they are a bit smaller– but hey they are a buck order another! I also enjoyed a side of Guacamole which was really tasty.
I wish they also offered flour tortillas in addition to corn but all and all it was a great meal and I couldn’t have asked for a better price. I will return!

On a quest for a good margarita Loco Lime was recommended as the go to place. I hate Central Ave it’s so confusing but Loco Lime wasn’t hard to find — I wasn’t feeling the parking lot a little small and gravel. seriously lol if you have on heels be careful bc hells/​wedges and gravel is a no go !
It was a nice day and they have patio seating but we decided to eat inside at a tall table near the bar. Our waiter brought the chips and salsa appetizer out and we put in our drink order. They had a ton of specials going on so I just ordered what the waiter recommended for my margarita and started on the chips and salsa. Apparently they put cayenne pepper on the chips (yikes). I was not a fan of this but my sister loved it. I guess it depends on your tolerance for spicy food but they chips were a bit too spicy for me. I ended up ordering the shrimp quesadilla which was pretty tasty. Overall I like this place I would like to go back and try the tacos on Taco Tuesdays not sure what the special or deal is but I’m assuming they are pretty cheap.

Pulled up to the scene, checked in, got 10% off my whole bill! BOOYAAAAAAHHH!!! Thanks Unilocal!When I got the outstanding notification, I ordered the Jalapeño Margarita. Not too bad, I think I’ve had better. For my meal I had the Camarones ala Diablo. I was informed (warned) by our waitress that it’s the hottest item on their menu. She was not lying. This dish could qualify for Cooking Channel’s «Heat Seekers»! Our waitress also said my eyes would tear up and I would break out into a sweat. All of that didn’t happen. Although, my nose did run. It was HOTT! I enjoyed Loco, good food, chips and salsa and a lot on the menu. I just wish it wasn’t so dark inside. Nice place for some South of the boarder cuisine.

After my latest trip here, i have to say we did not experience the poor service like some of the reviews i read before going. Alex took good care of our table, so no complaints there. They do have a vegetarian section and a few dishes can unofficially be turned vegan minus some cheese and sour cream.
So i ordered the fajitas and while the menu doesn’t list cheese, they do like to garnish the beans with cheese and there was even a side of cheese as fajita toppings. Even if it doesn’t list cheese, and you don’t want any, make sure to ask for no cheese. The other huge bummer was having a piece of chicken find it’s way in the vegetarian fajita skillet.
The table side guac was pretty tasty. Also, they do charge if you want jalapenos mixed in or a side of pickled onion.

PLANTAINS …
At the heart of this review are plantains. They put plantains in their chimichangas.
Now I’ll pretend that you are still reading. You shouldn’t be, because if you re-​read the previous line about the plantains you’d realize you should just move on to the part where you eat them in the chimichanga. But you’re still reading so…
GUCACAMOLE MADE FRESH AT YOUR TABLE. with LOTS of LIME. I could make, and have made a whole meal out of of the guac and chips. So fresh. It’s… it’s so fresh. I’ve only had fresher in Costa Rica. It’s really fresh.
I want to go back to these plantains for a moment. They are seriously delicious, and afterwards you can hang out with your friends and be all «Ohh no big deal, I just had a chimichanga with plantains, I guess I’m just special and you’re not even really all that great, I don’t know why I even talk to you.‘
But anyway, they add a nice fried/​sweet taste into the spices of the chimichangas. This is on top of the crispy shell that is covered in one of 3 sauces that you get to choose or mix. We really love the white queso sauce, but they are all good in their own right.
And the people are great, always get that kind of service that’s like ‘sup, what can i get ya bro’, as if you hung out with these guys in college.
Outdoor seating is a plus, especially when there is live music. Seen a few good bands there.
ps… Plantains.

Hmmmm… not sure why I do this to myself… I new what I walking into because the sign says it all… «mexican inspired»
The chips were light and crunchy
Salsa, tasted bottled and not fresh
The rice was overcooked and dry
The black beans, bland ass… except for the huge hunk of garlic I bit into… WOW
The blacken shrimp taco… what a HUGE let down… tiny ass shrimp… barely any on the tortilla… the shrimp were a complete embarrassment
The blackened tilapia… can you say smelly… I mean really bad fish smell. if blackened correctly, you will not smell anything but the spices. but that is if they were cooked and prepared correctly…
The whole meal was a let down… well the chips were good. And the service was good… the taco’s… shaking my head in disbelief… such easy dishes… blah!

QUESO!
Oh yes, the queso. Loco gets extra points for having it as an option as your burrito, chimichanga, enchilada, etc. topping. Other inferior, but still yummy topping sauces include: green tomatillo and citrus chili red sauce.
Next to the queso, what truly sets Loco Lime above the rest for a vegetarian is their selection of options. Instead of rice and beans, their veggie options are filled with sweet plantains, black beans, rice, mixed Mexican cheese, roasted corn relish, Portobello mushrooms, and grilled zucchini. So refreshing to have something different. Those plantains, ahhhh so good.
Also really love the citrus cilantro slaw that is usually served as a side (along with pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream). It’s light and crunchy and a nice change from shredded iceberg lettuce.
I almost always get the veggie-​changa with queso! I highly recommend it!
Nice selection of tequilas and margaritas here, Mondays are half off margaritas. I like the house margarita and the beer-​rita. jalapeño margarita is pretty interesting too, but not exactly my cup of tea.
Service here is usually very good, but I’ve definitely had a couple occasions when my waiter was kinda awful.

For my 500^th review it had to be good and friends helped me find a great Mexican place that fit the bill. The chips are hot and the salsa is fresh. Corn tortillas are the norm! Chicken tacos are meaty. The bulls eye for me was the ground beef tacos — lots of flavor! Simple, no-​frills, good food.
Plus we had the drink of the day, a cucumber margarita. I’ve never tasted anything like it and can’t wait to come back. And to top it all off, the price is right! Just one more reason to drive through Central Ave more often.

Closed

What’s not to love about a crazy lime? I’ve been here twice and must say that this place has just been elevated to my most favorite Mexican spot for something casual, quick and divine. I think the fact that my last visit was a Tuesday night and it was so jam packed you would have thought it was Friday or Saturday… then again it was $ 1.00 Taco Night. Which brings me to the next reason I like this place, the daily meal/​drink specials. I think it’s a pretty static daily special so memorize it and visit it on whatever day suits you best!
I had the grilled chicken taco salad and everything was fresh and the portion was more than enough! Service was quick and polite.
Sidenote: We all know most Mexican restaurants provide chips before your meal but most also provide a very watered down salsa to use. Not this place. They have the absolute best salsa in my opinion.

Driving on Central, hungry, and wanting to try something new. Spotted Loco Lime and decided Mexican food would hit the spot! Colorful, yet warm tones make the atmosphere.
We were seated promptly. However, it took a few minutes too long to be greeted at our table. Salsa and chips were good! The food came out fast, but our server was not too attentive. We ordered a veggie burrito ($ 9) and a combo patter ($ 7.50) of a shredded chicken enchilada with green sauce and a cheese chile rellano. The chicken did not come shredded, but in pieces. The chile rellano was high in batter, but too soft on the inside. I wouldn’t recommend getting it. The portions were large and we left full.
They share a bathroom and one of the stalls was out of toilet paper. Not fun. Good thing the patrons are friendly and more than willing to help a girl out. Once I told the server about the issue in hopes to spare another woman in distress, but she quickly said something about knowing this already, but waiting on a key or something. Not too concerned. Not sure what that was about, but if you can’t find a way to fix the problem, at least get a paper to put on the stall as a warning.
This is a mixed review. The food was fair, but not crave-​worthy. However, the chips and salsa made the meal. The staff were average on the friendly scale, but didn’t make the experience worthwhile.