Sotol Tequila & Mezcal

I love this place! This is «THE» only authentic Mexican restaurant in the area! The food is very flavorful and the margaritas are to die for! I could eat here every week and never get sick of it. The salsa is served warm because that’s how they do it in their country. Enjoy learning and tasting something new folks! Wow! Awesomeness at its best. The owners are the best hosts, very welcoming and very attentive!

I wish I could give this place 10 stars! It seems like all the Unilocal reviews are either 1 star or 5 stars and I can only attribute that to folks not understanding why this place is so different than all the other so called «Mexican» style restaurants in town. IT’S THE AMAZINGLY SAVORY AUTHENTICITY that separates this place from the pretenders! Everything from the delicious served warm homemade salsa to the hard working owners who did the impossible renovating the old Salty Duck location is purely AUTHENTIC Mexican experience.
Want the best burritos in town? Get to Sotol. Hate margaritas out of a dirty juice mixer? Get a top shelf hand made masterpiece from Sotol. Looking for a great place to watch the game or a fight, check out the giant screens at Sotol! This place has everything and the best part is, it is authentic Mexican cuisine that you truly can’t get anywhere else in the area. I haven’t had anything this great since leaving New Mexico,
Items I highly recommend:
Pork Burrito Al Pastor w/​cheese!
Warm Salsa
Top Shelf Margaritas
Everything Else
Other things of note:
If you’re not a spicy person make sure you request the green dipping sauce instead of the red!
Happy Hour ends at 5 please oh please Sotol, extend extend extend Happy Hour, some of us don’t get off of work before 5!

I had the choriqueso torta and it was the most delicious thing ever!!! Loved it will be back next time we go to Florida it is a place to eat!

This is an abomination of all things Tex and Mex. But I guess they claim neither.
I was trying to think of a way to tastefully review such a bad restaurant and leave the emotion out of it… but I don’t think that’s possible, so here I go.
I honestly don’t even know where to begin… the bad service, the poor drinks or the awful food.
I feel like I’m pretty stingy when it comes to handing out a one star review, and I don’t enjoy lambasting restaurants. The food industry is so demanding and customers will always find something to gripe about, but I will gladly award one star to Sotol Tequila & Mezcal.
I went with some buddies when it first opened, and my friend ordered a quesadilla… maybe the easiest thing to make in a Tex-​Mex restaurant’s repertoire… but they managed to serve him one with very little cheese… and what’s worse was that the chicken was still raw. Cheese or not, that quesadilla better be safe for consumption.
Honestly, a place that has named itself on drinks, I would expect that they would excel in this arena… not so much. The times I have been I could not tell the difference between the top shelf margarita and the house margarita… and found my self asking «Is there even alcohol in this?»
This place will probably scrape by over the next few years, and make a living off of the Spring Break, Summer and Bar crowds… Its a pity, because they have such a great location.
You’ll find me pretty hard pressed to ever come back here. This restaurant wouldn’t last a few weeks in any major city or town.

It’s really a shame how nice the interior of this restaurant is, but how terrible the food is, and how lackluster the wait staff is. They were out of guacamole and a chicken dish. The tacos were super dry and tasteless. My husband got chile rellenos that were soaking in tomato sauce, soggy, and inedible. We were not offered a comp for not being able to eat the rellenos but told to order something new. The salsa is served hot and wasn’t terrible, but not something I would want ever again. The best thing is the margarita, but I wouldn’t go there just for that. I hope the owners can figure out a way to make the food better and find staff that actually have welcoming personalities. We would really love for this to be a place we can eat at since we live in walking distance.

Food wasnt good. I got the camerones al diabla. It was just some hot sauce and 12 embryo sized shrimp. The sauce was hot but overwhelmingly hot to where you couldnt taste the shrimp. It came with canned beans and rice. The margarita was just OJ and tequila. The place looked clean though.

To start off they do not serve Micheladas and didn’t see enchiladas on the menu. That’s like an Italian restaurant not serving pasta.
Their salsa was served hot, which that in itself isn’t a problem though first time for me. But the salsa alone was not very good. Seemed like they opened up a can of store bought salsa, added onions then tossed it in the microwave for a minute and off it goes. Mexican restaurants are largely measured in their salsa and tortillas IMO.
The chicken fajitas were average at best and the margarita did have a good amount of tequila so it was above average.
Service was good though not extraordinary.
2 stars because their chips were good and the corn tortillas were ok. Couldn’t tell if they’re made on premises or not so either they are or they’re the premium brand.
Also 2 stars because the area isn’t exactly a Mexican food hotbed so relatively speaking, they aren’t horrible. If this place was in south Texas then 2 stars would’ve been 2 stars too many.

Not sure what other reviewers have encountered but let me tell u this place was amazing. I am from California so I have high expectations for Mexican food. The salsa was great. The waitress was super friendly, I ordered a mojarra Frita and it’s probably the best mojarra Frita I have ever had. Overall the food was outstanding and so was the service.

I absolutely love this place. I’m from Los Angeles and I grew up in east LA where there is a large Mexican population and tons of authentic restaurants and taquerias. This place is as authentic as they come. I’ve read the other reviews from other diners and I hate to say it but they are laughable and clearly have never had REAL Mexican food. The guacamole is so good. The tacos are amazing. The salsa here is how salsas are serviced in chihuahua and Mexico City. They are served warm. This is also how a lot of east LA taquerias serve their salsa so it’s normal for me and I actually enjoy it better than chilled salsa. My husband loves the al pastor burritos. This place is as close to authentic as you will get around here and if anyone says anything different then they haven’t actually had authentic Mexican food.

This review would be kinder if the owner wasn’t arrogant and disrespectful. It’s a shame this man deals with the public.
Short version:
Eat anywhere else but here.
Long version:
There was an overwhelming smell of bleach. I’d been to the bars that were previously in this location. I figured they were still trying to clear out the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes. My husband looked at me repeating «Smell?» «Smell?» I wish I would’ve heeded his warning.
Our server suggested the «Top Shelf» Margarita saying it had an orange flavor people enjoyed. The price was steep, but we ordered a large to share. She brought it to the table and we were pleasantly surprised. It’s as big as your head. We expected a good Margarita at a joint with Tequila in the name and «authentic» on the door. It was overwhelming sweet, like no Margarita we’d had. Cheap mix, very little tequila and what seemed like orange sherbet. We expected orange liqueur flavor, not dessert.
The salsa tasted like canned, unseasoned tomato sauce with diced onion and possibly some adobo seasoning or just cayenne. Soupy, aluminum tasting salsa. Authentic it was not. Chips were crisp, but with a stale oil flavor with no seasoning, not even salt. We were hungry, but between us we ate about a third of the chips and a quarter of the salsa.
My husband got the asada taco. A dry, unseasoned, sad little soft taco. The texture was odd. It was described as grilled steak, yet it resembled ground beef. It came with sauce that was OK. Not good enough to make the taco palatable, though. He would’ve returned it, but after he tasted it and he gave me a bite, there was barely anything left.
I ordered a carnitas quesadilla. It came with canned refried beans and boring Mexican rice. There was a side of the «OK» sauce … the only flavor on the plate. When she brought the food I asked for sour cream. The quesadilla was two 8 inch tortillas with maybe ½ cup of cheese. It was ¹⁄₈ inch thick. It was nearly impossible to find the crumbs of carnitas. There wasn’t even a ¼ cup of meat. I ate one slice. I gave a slice to my husband. He took a bite and then smothered it in sauce to finish.
We were upstairs and our server was only waiting on us. We didn’t see her until another table was seated and she came to take their drink order. After she brought their drinks she finally came to check on us. I pointed to my empty water and reminded her that I was waiting on sour cream. She brought it, but by then, the remaining half of the quesadilla was cold. I pushed it aside and sat there taking in everything that happened. Still no water and barely any dinner.
I rarely complain about a meal and almost never send food back. I regretted not doing it this time. I asked for a box. She set the box in front of me and pushed the check folder at my husband saying «here!» We hadn’t complained at all. Yet. When she came back we told her we were extremely disappointed in the food and drink. She immediately offered to get the manager. We agreed that was best.
10 min later she returned with a man. He walked up to the table and stared at us until we spoke. No «Good evening. My name is …» No words at all. We told him we’re locals, we live a mile away, and we try to patronize local-​owned businesses. But, we were disappointed and explained why.
His face turned red and he began laughing at us. Upset, I got harsh. I told him I could get a better meal at Taco Bell. His defensive response was «We have great reviews. We can’t help it if you don’t like it. Our food is good.» I told him I’d make sure to share my review with everyone, online and in person.
He said «Well, you ate and you’re taking food to go.» I said I was taking my cold food home to heat and try to salvage. She’d taken away our chips and salsa nearly full. More than half of the Margarita was left. And my water was still empty. I pulled the sad quesadilla apart, revealing a few tiny crumbs of pork hardened into the little bit of cheese and asked if that was really an eleven dollar meal. He laughed. Again!
That was too much. I told him he should have respect for customers. Start by saying something like «I’m sorry that you felt you had a bad experience.» That’s not admitting fault, but it puts the customer at ease. I was not at ease. I said he was the rudest manager I’d ever encountered. He puffed up his chest and said «I’m not the manager. I’m the owner!» My response: «That just makes it worse.»
My husband handed them the check saying that we just wanted to pay and go. The owner said he wouldn’t take it and we should just go. That was the only intelligent thing he said.
Go across the street to Burrito del Sol, down the road to Tijuana Flats, or over the bridge to Rockin’ Tacos. You’ll be a million times happier with your food. And you’ll be treated with respect. That’s how to operate a business.

Their tacos are terrible. I got sad little chewy pieces of fat. If they can’t get a basic taco right I wouldn’t try anything else.

Incredible. The food is amazing and some of the most authentic mexican food I’ve had in awhile. The taco’s are their money maker, with an amazing spicy sauce that comes with it. But their tamales are also exceptional. Their salsa is interesting in the fact that it is served hot and they are constantly tweaking the recipe giving me a different experience each time, and as I have been here on multiple occasions, I would say the salsa is getting better with each visit. The entire staff is very friendly and provide great service. The manager, Guirremo, seems to go above and beyond to ensure the best experience. At night the bar get fun as it fills with spanish music that gets the entire place singing and having fun. They also serve a fantastic rumchata.
Highly recommended. One of the best restaurants in okaloosa county.

Despite having a really friendly, attentive bartender/​server, I feel obligated to leave this review.
Short version: worst burrito I’ve ever had – I’m certain they won’t be open very long.
Full version: I stopped in for lunch one day, expecting (and hoping for) a dive bar with some deals on drinks and good tacos; what I found was a sleek bar with a menu boasting some appetizing dishes. The place looks good! In all my years visiting this location as previous bars (Paper Moon, Salty Duck), I would have never thought that downstairs men’s room could look (and smell!) so nice. That was a pleasant surprise. The waiter was also a really nice guy. So, before I’ve ordered, I’m thinking this place is going to rock. My server brings me some chips and salsa. The salsa was unusual… it was pretty much tomato bisque. I liked it, though. Instead of the tacos I planned on ordering, I got a burrito al pastor since the menu was considerably more expansive (and expensive) than I was expecting. Very soon after ordering, a large burrito was delivered to me at the bar. Because of the size and heat, utensils had to be used. With some difficulty, I cut a piece to eat. The pork was chewy, so I’m working my jaw when, suddenly, I bite on something rock hard. I assumed it was an undesirable piece of pork that hadn’t been removed. I removed that bite from my mouth and tried again. Sure enough, chewy pork, then something rock hard, again. I investigate further and discover that it’s the rice! It’s not just a few pieces, either… I’d say 1 out of 10 grains of rice were still tiny rocks, making it impossible to get a single edible bite. I tried to pick out some pork pieces but rice is hard to dodge and the pork had zero flavor. I ate some chips and left. $ 19 for two Yuengling’s (draft) and the worst burrito I’ve ever come across. So disappointed. I really, really regret telling people about this place before I visited – I was excited for them to open. Hopefully they won’t be open very long. I’ve eaten at some awful Mexican joints but Sotol is by far the worst.

Ahhhh. Bright crisp. Mejor!
The name says it all people get with the program. Sotol tequila and mezcal. Enough said. The food; delectable. Best tequila selection I’ve seen around. Man knows his stuff. I hope this family operated establishment flourishes. Keep getting the anejo bottle by bottle. Anyone with a palate will swing through for a drop or two. My favorite new addition to fountain square!

I honestly don’t understand how these guys could have anything less than 4 stars. The food is always impeccable, the service quick and friendly, and very reasonably priced. I’ve eaten here 3 times in the past weeks just because I cant get enough.
The salsa is different, but I personally like it. I think its just hit or miss for some people because a warm salsa is unusual. They also serve Horchata, which is crazy good. The tacos are all fantastic and served on corn tortillas, and I highly recommend the tamales.
The service is super nice. The man who I believe is the manager always smiles and tries to improve service. Its a new business, so there might me a hiccup here and there, but I’m a huge supporter.

Came in for the tacos and they are the second best authentic tacos in Fort Walton. I would highly recommend the tacos for sure. The waitress was very tentative and nice. Also, quick service!!!

If you don’t want to read the whole thing, here’s a summary:
–Terrible, disgusting, flavorless food.
–Rude, unskilled staff hired from Craigslist (I saw the ads when I was searching for a menu).
–Don’t waste your time or money on people screwing up your order & then blaming you for asking for things to be corrected.
I had been waiting for this place to open up for months since they put up their «Coming Soon!» sign. They finally opened and my friends & I decided to give it a try. I am absolutely obsessed with tacos & was excited to try a new «authentic» Mexican restaurant.
The first bad sign was the salsa. It was hot and tasted like watered down tomato paste with sautéed onions. It was more like a really bad, flavorless soup.
Then I was told by the waitress that the house margaritas were buy one, get one free. I decided to go with the frozen house margarita. The waitress brought out the other drinks and brought me a margarita on the rocks. She admitted to her mistake & brought me out what seemed like the same drink with crushed ice poured in it. I was unable to drink the whole thing because most of it was ice. I decided not to complain again & would just get the free one on the rocks.
Meanwhile, the table orders what’s supposed to be their «queso.» It’s listed on the menu as «white American cheese.» It tasted like they melted down white Velveeta & didn’t even bother to add anything to it. We also ordered the guacamole. It was fresh, but had zero salt or pepper. Zero flavor, like everything else we had tried so far. We even asked for hot sauce to add some flavor to the food & they brought out something in a condiment dish that looked like chili grease & tasted like nothing.
Then the food came out. None of it looked appetizing & she got my husband’s order wrong. At that time, I decided to ask for my next margarita because the waitress hadn’t been back by the table since she brought the drinks. (Someone from the kitchen delivered the apps.) I said, «I’d like to go ahead & get my second of the buy one, get one free margaritas, please.» She snapped back, «They aren’t buy one, get one free.» Before I could even ask her what she was talking about, she walked off. I asked the girl form the kitchen who brought out the corrected food order what she meant when she said they weren’t on special & she said it’s between 5pm-​8pm. I ordered the margaritas at 7:45. She told me she would get my second one.
So out comes the manager & she says, «Is there a problem with the margarita?» I told her I was told that all house margaritas were BOGO & that now I’m being told differently. She told me it was because the frozen house margaritas weren’t BOGO. I, along with everyone at the table, explained to her that the waitress said ALL house margaritas were BOGO & never once told me the frozen ones weren’t included. I also said i didn’t want another frozen one because they don’t even blend they ice. She looked at me & said, «Well you drank half of this one, so you’re going to pay for it.»
I told her I planned on paying for it & wasn’t going to complain. I just wanted the second one. She rolled her eyes at me and brought another one out.
At that point, I wasn’t about to drink a margarita that had probably been spit in by someone who wants to blame the customer for the employee’s mistake.
NONE of the food was seasoned. The fajitas barely had any meat & they give you 2 – 3 taco shells. The quesadilla was by far the most disappointing with its dry steak & old, clumpy, excessive amounts of mozzarella. My burrito had unseasoned chicken & rice. It didn’t even have the beans that the menu said would be on it. The food was the most absolutely disgusting I have ever had at a restaurant & it’s sad that they call themselves «authentic.» But that’s the kind of food you get when you hire your cooks off Craigslist. Same goes for the service.
This place isn’t going to do well with managers like that, especially across the street from a growing business with the best burritos in town.

It seems like the «Coming soon» sign for this place has been up for nearly a year, although realistically it was probably only a few months. I had pretty high expectations, but the place ended up being nothing like what I expected.
First off, this place is not a taco bar no matter what they claim. It’s a Mexican restaurant. Tacos take up a very, very small part of the menu. The rest is traditional Mexican fare with a few things you don’t find at most Mexican restaurants. Among these items is the torta, a delicious Mexican sandwich. As soon as I saw they had a chorizo-​queso torta, I knew exactly what I was getting.
The torta was fantastic. Not the best I’ve ever had, but up there. I would get it again.
Service was good. The upstairs had much more room than I thought it would, although the place was relatively empty.
I’m taking away a star only because I hated the salsa. I don’t mind when things are different. In fact, I actively seek out things that deviate from the norm in terms of food. That’s how you find the hidden gems. But this salsa was just bad. It had the consistency of water and tasted like vegetable soup. You could tell that the primary ingredient was carrots. Definitely not what you’d find at most places, and not in a good way. I’d upgrade to five stars (maybe 4.5 if it was an option) if they would fix the salsa.

Great authentic mexican food! Salsa is different. .I personally prefer the chucky style but very good and flavorful food. I had tamale and carne asada taco. AMAZING

Finally authentic Mexican food on the Gulf Coast! Delicious! Great service, full bar, complete menu. Carne Asada tacos some of the best I’ve had.