Cozymel's: Margaritas, Mexican Fare, and a Fun Atmosphere
Written: May 17 '05 (Updated Oct 28 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Atmosphere; Large size; The Specialty drinks
Cons: Higher than average prices; Few locations
The Bottom Line: Cozymel's presents a fun, entertaining place to eat some good Mexican food and enjoy a drink.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Cozymel's Coastal Mexican Grill |
Are you feeling a little Mexican tonight? If the need for some south of the border food has you in its grips and you don’t feel like dining at Taco Bell, then Cozymel’s Mexican Grill is a nice choice of dining venues. This Mexican restaurant was founded by Philip Romano- the same man responsible for creating Macaroni Grill and Fuddrucker’s- in 1995 and while its locations are scarce, it continues to expand.
Menu Selection:
Cozymel’s is a Mexican restaurant with a fun atmosphere and some good- tasting eats. Here is a sampling of what you can get when you visit:
Appetizers- Start off your meal with one of the many appetizers, like quesadillas, chili con queso, nachos, chicken flautas, and others.
Soups and Salads- These can be ordered either as a warm- up to a regular meal or as a dinner all by themselves. Choose among choices like chicken soup, soup of the day, house salad, Caesar salad, fajita salad, Tijuana salad, spinach salad, etc.
Main Dishes- The main food items include a wide assortment of chimichangas, burritos, tacos, tamales, fajitas, and other traditional Mexican fare, along with other choices like sirloin steak, grilled pork, chicken dishes, chicken tenders, salmon, jumbo shrimp, etc.
Desserts- Cheesecakes, ice cream, and cakes can be purchased at Cozymel’s to round- out your meal.
Along with these menu options, there is also a kid’s menu with about five selections and a full service bar. One of Cozymel’s specialties is its selection of margaritas, which come in an assortment of flavors like mango, strawberry, peach, raspberry, and other flavors.
Atmosphere:
Cozymel’s has a fun atmosphere with fruit baskets, sand, shells, and various decorations on the walls- all with a Mexican/Spanish theme. The interior is very large, often with room for a few hundred guests. The restaurant is separated into multiple rooms; some with tables and some with booths. There is usually at least one fireplace in each restaurant to add to the ambiance. An outdoor patio can be found at most locations for those who enjoy the fresh air. Salsa music plays in the background while you eat. And because the interior is so big and so segmented, each dining experience is often unique from all others.
Pricing:
Dining at Cozymel’s can get costly. The dinner items are all priced in the $9 to $25 range. This means there are no inexpensive meals at Cozymel’s. The very least expensive item on the menu is a platter that includes your choice of two items (chimichanga, tacos, burittos, etc.) with rice and beans. Everything else is going to cost you in the teens to low twenties. Add a few specialty margaritas to the mix and you can easily spend $20 to $35 per person, making this restaurant a little more expensive than others of its type.
Customer Service:
This is one of Cozymel’s highlights. The wait staff is very helpful and prompt. They bring your food quickly and make periodic checks to see if you need anything else. They always start you off with a bowl of corn nachos and dipping sauce, free of charge, to whet your appetite. Even when the restaurant is very busy, they always seem to find the time to cater to individual customer needs.
Final Thoughts:
Cozymel’s Mexican Grill is a nice Mexican restaurant that I like to visit every now and then when the need for Mexican food holds me in its strong grip and won’t let go. This restaurant often attracts a young, trendy crowd and it can get very busy on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
This Mexican restaurant is known for many things, but the main quality that stands out in my memory is the atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong- the food is tasty and it satisfies my cravings. But it’s the atmosphere that makes Cozymel’s different from other Mexican restaurants. There are plenty of places to find Mexican food in most cities, but only a few of them offer the large, vibrant atmosphere you find at Cozymel’s. Not only is the interior decorated with a Mexican theme, there is also Mexican music playing in the background and sometimes live musicians to keep guests entertained.
Another nice thing about Cozymel’s is its large size. Some Mexican chain restaurants are known for getting overcrowded and for making customers wait around for a table. Cozymel’s does get crowded, but it is so large inside that there is almost always a place to sit. I can recall only one time when I had to wait for a table, and it was on Valentine’s Day. I can excuse Cozymel’s on that one occasion, since every other restaurant is equally crowded on that specific day. Other than that, there has always been a table with my name on it when I have visited this restaurant.
As far as the food goes, I have found most of it to be tasty, but not anything that is going to win any awards or special recognition. Mexican restaurants often use the same formula when it comes to food, and Cozymel’s is no exception. You have the usual tacos, burritos, chimichangas, and fajitas. And with most of the Mexican dishes, you also get Spanish rice and black beans or refried beans as part of your meal. This is the standard food- serving formula at most Mexican establishments. Cozymel’s is guilty of following everybody else’s lead in this respect, but I still feel the food is good. It tastes a little bit fresher than what you get at many other Mexican restaurants. Be careful, however, where you place your hands- the plates are usually even hotter than the food.
Food and drink at Cozymel’s are a little more expensive than other Mexican restaurants. Generally, I don’t let this influence my decision to dine because I feel the added atmosphere is worth a few extra dollars. Most of the meals are at least in the reasonable price range. The only really expensive menu items are those like the steak and seafood selections. The others, while higher priced than the competition, are still priced at an affordable level for most people.
Many people are hooked on Cozymel’s specialty margaritas, and I must admit that I have been known to purchase a mango margarita from time to time instead of my usual glass of brew. They taste delicious, and the only bad thing I can say about them is that they will empty your wallet quickly if you’re not careful. One way to stretch your dollars a little bit is to visit Cozymel’s during happy hour. At the location nearest me, the happy hour is appropriately named, for it runs for eight hours (4pm to midnight), five days per week (Monday through Friday), and the prices of many drinks are cut in half. That means that a specialty margarita can be purchased for only $2 or $3 and a glass of draft import beer can be purchased for just $1.75 or $2.25 (depending on the size). This helps to lessen the financial impact of indulging on your favorite beverage. Remember, however, that these prices are not standard- every Cozymel’s location has its own price structure which may be (probably will be) higher than the prices charged at the Cozymel’s location near me.
Overall, Cozymel’s is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants for casual, sit- down dining. I like the fact that this restaurant sells foods other than Mexican because this means there are dining options available to suit picky eaters who don’t ordinarily like this type of food. I like the majority of the foods served here, even though the price is a little higher. But most of all, I enjoy the lively, festive atmosphere. It’s what sets Cozymel’s apart from the majority of its competition.
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Recommended:
Yes
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