Hacienda Vieja (Grimes, IA) Review

Rating: 4 out of 5.

4.0* (out of 5)

Food: 5*

Atmosphere: 3* (loud)

Value: 4*

Service: 4*

We stopped here because my wife read that they had the best margaritas in the area…and I’d have to agree after having one.  The flavor was great…the sweetness was not overpowering and it didn’t leave that ‘fuzzy / SweetTart’ taste in your mouth.

My wife ordered a Michelada and it was also very good – spicy yet ‘light’ (see picture).  The last strong point was the queso and salsa – both tasted great, although I prefer a less-watery mix of salsa.

As to the food, I was less impressed.  The chips (although complimentary…) tasted powdery / floury to me (see picture).  Not sure if this had to do with being undercooked or something else.

I ordered the ceviche appetizer with shrimp and fish.  Although the quality and quantity were good, I thought it tasted bland (I like a distinct taste of lime and cilantro, but struggled to taste anything for seasoning).  My wife ordered a taco with shredded beef (see picture) and while the flavor was ok, the beef was dry and tough…took a lot to chew it up.

UPDATE:
We have stopped here before after hearing they had the best margaritas in the area and have never been disappointed.  Last night was no different – we stopped after dinner to have 1 margarita (which turned into 2 and both were delicious).

Ozzie was our bartender and was fantastic, first recommending the Shaker Margarita with salt rim, then making the Laurie Special (my wife’s favorite) – a Mango Margarita with Jalapenos and a salt rim.  You won’t find it on the menu (because my wife named it), but if you like a good spicy / sweet combination, you will love this!

Update 2 (new location):
This is one of our favorites for Jalapeno Margaritas and Mezcal Palomas (ask Jorge at the bar, it isn’t on the menu)…which we had again on this visit.  This time we had dinner – the chips tasted better and I would recommend the Enchiladas Bander.  The only negative…the boxy industrial atmosphere made it very loud inside and hard to carry on a conversation with someone beside you.

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