Blue Agave opened late last year in the former home of the Bayou, bringing yet another Mexican option to downtown. I’ll probably return for happy hour when the drinks aren’t overpriced and to get more of the delicious guacamole.
Similar to the Bayou, Blue Agave turns into a dance club after dinner, featuring Latin music.
The menu has the expected chicken dishes, burritos, fajitas, chimichangas and tacos. The entrees here are big and filling.
- From the seafood section, I ordered the tilapia agave ($14.5). The unbreaded tilapia is fresh and flaky, and it gets most of its flavor from the green chile sauce on top. The shrimp were plump and plentiful and were similarly flavored. The veggies were tender but unevenly seasoned.
- I loved the steak in the Chile Colorado ($14). It was tender, plentiful and spicy from the Colorado sauce. I would want the same steak inside a fajita or burrito–it’s that good. The dish comes with tortillas (corn or flour) and your choice of Mexican rice plus refried beans or seasoned fries plus soup. I got the latter set, though the fries had almost no seasoning, and I was given rice instead of soup.
- Specialties include the agave wrap ($9.50 with chicken) and the Mexican cemita burger ($10.50 with Oaxaca cheese).
Happy hour includes BOGO margaritas and half-priced appetizers.
- The tableside guacamole ($8) has two full avocadoes in it and is served in a molcajete (mortar). You get your choice of De La Agave, Rostizado (with roasted poblano peppers), Pina (with pineapple) and Chunky Avocado Mango Salsa, which is what I picked. It’s fun to watch it being prepared. The guacamole is creamy and super fresh, and I could discern the tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and mangoes. It’s so good that I even ate it straight up without chips. Unfortunately for me, four staff members were standing around doing nothing, until I finally asked about my forgotten guacamole, which was made after the entrees arrived.
- The bar features margaritas and tropical drinks. I came at a time in which it was dead and I was the only person ordering a drink, yet it took 12 min. for my cucumber margarita ($8.50). I did enjoy the cucumber flavor and the large size of the drink. Like most of the other margaritas on the menu, it used a house-made margarita mix. Still, I thought the drinks were a bit pricey, ranging from $7.25-$11. That’s why I’ll hold out for happy hour pricing.
Blue Agave is open for lunch and dinner every day.
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See more photos in our Blue Agave Flickr album.
