Agua Linda Taqueria

I think they’ve gone downhill. I went last night and noticed what appears to be a change in the menu – now only a small number of different quesadilla options, which suggests that they are not made fresh, which is a big, big no-​no in my book. I went with a few tacos and a flauta. They tasted ok but later on I had a reaction tht is consistent with some sort of preservative, maybe MSG, maybe thiamine mononitrate, but something signaling that they are not using fresh ingredients. There are other options for good Mexican food in Athens.

Typical Mexican fare. What sets this place a part are the margaritas. Whether on the rocks or frozen their margaritas are worth the trip. Food is typical American Mexican food, they do have the more authentic Mexican tacos, soft shell, cilantro, onion and lime as well as good burritos. I did like it more when goat was an option for your protein in the burrito. Wish they would bring that option back.

Good food, excellent service good manageable portions. The choice of salsa is just amazing. Reasonably priced and a decent selection of beer!

First visit: great service; mixed the poblano and chorizo into a cheese dip for me — awesomeness!; great Ultimate Margarita! Try it! The plain dip is not authentico — they seem to be catering to a «white» crowd, which is really too bad. The more authentic = greater success, IMHO!
Oh, no! Cheese quesadilla just came … Told waitress son does not anything more than a very big cheese quesadilla — came to table as smaller than I would have expected.
I ordered Pollo en Rajasthan con Queso — tasty, just the right level of spice, but should have used a creamy cream-​like Queso vs just melted cheese.
Service level dropped as time progressed. Had to remove a star for the quesadilla and a star for drop in service — sorry Agua Linda!

Great Mexican food.
Food was well prepared, and good portioning.
Don’t forget to try their cheese dips.
I eat there often and it is always good, fresh and hot.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy at a Mexican restaurant. There was no wait so I was able to immediately sit down. The waitress comes over with chips and 3 different types of salsa. We also ordered the cheese dip and guacamole. Typically, I’m not a fan of guacamole, but this was actually good and the cheese dip was phenomenal. I’ve been here twice and the first time I ordered the torta tradicional and the second time, i ordered the Cubano which of course has more things in it. Both times I was not disappointed at all. I really appreciated that the menu had many different types of specialities as well. I got my food quickly and really enjoyed my time here. The food seemed authentic and I would visit again just to try out different items on their menu.

My opinion may be a bit skewed given this was the first «real» meal I’d had after a 3-​day backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail, but this was some of the best Mexican food I’ve had in awhile.
We arrived just after noon on a very hot Monday, so the initial rush of the A/​C was a welcomed sensation. We were seated right away and offered complimentary chip with 3 types of salsa. The standard salsa was the perfect degree of spicy while very refreshing. The salsa verde and (what I assume was) a black bean-​based salsa were also delicious in their individual ways. We requested a second serving of all three. Additionally we ordered a small cheese dip, which took awhile to get because of a mix-​up, but once received was perfect consistency and didn’t harden up super fast like some do.
My husband ordered a steak chimichanga and I got the steak fajita taco salad. His was so good that I didn’t even get a bite of it! Mine was also fantastic — lots of steak along side of grilled peppers and onions on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, and refried beans and topped with guacamole, cheese dip, and sour cream (removed on mine). Holy bowl of deliciousness!
Top the meal off with a cold beer from Terrapin and it was a perfect post-​hiking splurge meal!

This place is a nice little stop to grab some Mexican and relax.
The location is okay, nothing fancy, same with the patio. Casual all the way. I do like the lights they have hanging on the patio.
I ordered a Mexican taco, an enchilada, rice and beans with guacamole. The guacamole is delicious, a great blend of avocado and the fixings. When I got my main meal I was brought two enchiladas and no taco. I told them I would just eat it as is because I was starving. Not a huge deal but I wish I could have tried their taco too. The food was all good, and the overall experience was fine. The service is very nice and I would come back here again.

Have eaten here many years ago before moving away. Recently moved back to the area and couldn’t wait to try it again. My family of 3 were all disappointed. My meal was just barely warm. My wife and daughter’s meals were both cold. Not sure we will be back with so many options in the Athens area.

GREAT service, food, and prices!!!
SERVICE: Our server (Veronica) said «Gracias» to everything – it was genuine, warm, and said with a smile. She was awesome. She kept checking on us to make sure we and our food/​drinks were okay (and not in that «pesky mosquito» way some places train their staff). She was knowledgeable and made great recommendations. Furthermore, I ordered a classic mojito that I thought was light on the rum. The server and bartender remediated my drink immediately without the begrudging gestures. More on that later. They definitely made my first visit there a good one (especially as a visitor to the area).
FOOD: It isn’t just a taco/​burrito place! They have all the stuff you want plus more. For instance, I ordered the «Pollo Primavera.» The chicken was moist and flavorful. The vegetables (they use mushrooms and zucchini, that says enough) was well seasoned and cooked. The rice was like nothing I had before. I would go there just to get that. all of our food arrived at a palatable temperature. Going back to the drink, they remedied the situation by adding a long pour of rum. I was impressed. However, when it got back to the table, I still couldn’t taste it. But, let me say… I felt it soon thereafter. That is the sign of a good bartender. Also, ad you may have gleaned, they do have a full bar stocked with the elusive mint.
PRICE: For my HUGE plate of very filling chicken and vegetables and side of rice, I paid $ 11. Not bad for what I got including quality. My overall bill was $ 18 including my libation.
DÉCOR: Meh… They have a patio. The location is kinda questioning. The interior could use a more cohesive update. But, DO NOT let that deter you.
I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND *THIS* LOCATION!!!

Mid-​August, AC is out, they have some big fans, all aimed away from the crowded front room. Three servers standing in front of the fans at all times. Don’t try the mango margarita con chile. My wife says I have to say the food was good.

Good, reasonably priced food, and fast service. I find myself coming here a lot. It’s not completely amazing, but it’s good. The tortas are really tasty, along with the chalupas they’re my favorite things on the menu.

Wow! Great food. I think it’s better than guapos. Had the carne asada which was delicious. The salsas were great. So was the unsweet tea. Wish the plates were hot though. Nice outdoor seating. Boyfriend thinks this place has the best enchiladas in town.

This place really deserves 3.5 stars. The positives are that the service was prompt and considerate. I ordered a chimichanga, and they were kind enough to allow me to substitute a chile relleno for the meat in it. That kind of care is always appreciated.
As for the food, it was cooked well. The real issue is that it just isn’t spectacular. This place uses hard shell tacos as opposed to a soft one. It’s cheese dip and not queso. The salsas were not seasoned enough. The rice and beans were not bad, but not good. All in all, I think this is an OK American representation of Mexican food with muted flavors, heat, and salt.

I feel almost ashamed about how much I love Agua Linda. Its not the best Mexican food you are ever going to eat, but its consistent and you can add queso to anything so I’m a fan.
The last few times I’ve been to Agua Linda, my group of friends has been ravenous. The second the warm tortilla chips and salsa hit the table everyone literally started smashing the chips into their mouths. For $ 3, its silly not to order queso or guacamole (or preferably both). The queso of course disappears faster than the salsa but there are free chip and salsa refills. Domestic pitchers are only $ 7– another no brainer when it comes to ordering. I typically order two chicken enchiladas with queso and a side of rice and beans for $ 8. The $ 9.50 supreme burrito is HUGE. Literally the biggest burrito I’ve ever seen. So impressive.
There are cheaper places in Athens for Mexican food. I like Agua Linda’s Mexican flag booths, «outside seating» which is really just a few parking spaces with tables in them, and atmosphere in general. The servers aren’t the absolute friendliest, but they are quick and helpful when it comes to dividing up the checks. Parking can be a little tricky but there are typically plenty of spots on Prince if you can’t find one in their parking lot.

watered down margaritas and a million flies in the patio? no way. The food is decent but not enough to make up for the rest…

I love the free chips and salsa served at most Mexican restaurants. Give me 3 salsas and I am one happy guy. The 1^st is a traditional red salsa similar to those at other restaurants. The 2^nd is a smoky (but not spicy) darker red salsa that is I liked a lot. The 3^rd is a tangy green tomatillo salsa with a little more bite. They are dispensed from a metal cart that reminds me of the carts used to serve Dim Sum in Chinese restaurants. The «Mexican» tacos (a.k.a street-​style or traditional) are quite cheap and delicious as well!

Agua Linda, muy bueno. I really wanted to rate it higher, maybe 3 ½ stars, but alas… I have always found the service to be great, which goes a long way with me and makes up for a lot. The menu is huge (even borderline overwhelming) so you should find your favorite or be able to venture out a bit. I always look for a truly authentic dish when I go out for Mexican but always feel like everything has been «Americanized» Maybe it’s just me… Having said that, most of it seems to be about average for what you could get anywhere, the exception being the Mexican style tacos. The tacos al pastor seem to be the people’s choice, but I found others I like better. Unless I’m mistaken, the re-​fried beans are the real deal, not canned, which tells me someone in the kitchen cares :).

This place has friendly staff and good food. I’d love to see a few more vegetarian options, and the place could use some bigger tables, but all in all I’m a fan.
The roasted poblano cheese dip is a must-​try. It is so delicious. The trio of salsas they serve with chips are also really great. The brown one especially is amazing. The sweet tea is good too. I really enjoyed my enchilada and chalupa, and I love that they offer red or green sauces with everything. I asked for red this time as the server recommended it especially, but I’ll try the green one next time.

I actually reviewed the restaurant located off of Atlanta Hwy last time. BUT I did go here yesterday, and sadly I didn’t enjoy this place as much as I wanted to.
The food was alright — very typical. I think what really made me dislike the place was the service. Not only did they make us the wrong order but the waitress seemed to be off. We received no apology for giving us the wrong order (they made the wrong thing), there wasn’t even any compensation for it. I guess that’s asking too much? And we didn’t want to send it back (ever seen the movie Waiting starring Ryan Reynolds? exactly…).
Margaritas were subpar. Overall was NOT impressed and probably will hit up The Taco Stand or something else that tastes just as generic.