Courtesy of Mr Tequila
The fajitas at Mr Tequila
Mr. Tequila on Freret Street is a Mexican restaurant that has tasty food and cocktails to satisfy your craving.s Brothers Johnny, Leonel, and Raul Gonzalez hope to add a bit of Mexican flavor to a street that already has plenty of dining options.
Originally from Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, Johnny Gonzalez began working in the restaurant industry in Mississippi when he was 16. Eleven years ago, he and his brothers, Leonel and Raul, moved to New Orleans and began working at Carreta’s Grill in Metairie.
“We spent eight years working at Carreta’s Grill,” Johnny Gonzalez said. “We gained experience, learned about the restaurant industry, and learned about tequila.”
After their time at Carreta’s Grill, the brothers decided to open their own restaurant. In April 2020, they set out looking for the perfect location.
“When we first found this spot, we weren’t sure because of spacing issues in the kitchen,” Gonzalez said, “But we brought in our uncle who helped with the logistics and gave us some ideas about how we could make it work. That’s when we got excited.”
Mr. Tequila opened in July 2020 in the middle of the pandemic.
“We decided that Covid wasn’t going to stop us — a lot of people thought that we were crazy,” Gonzalez said. “Some people said that we weren’t going to make it a year, but here we are!”
The restaurant serves up what the brothers call authentic Mexican food with a Tex-Mex twist. The brothers are completely hands-on and worked in the kitchen before they were able to hire a full-staff.
“Raul and I started in the kitchen; now we’re able to be out on the floor greeting customers and welcoming people in,” he said. “We’re proud of what we’re building because all of the food here is made fresh from family recipes.”
The Enchiladas Supreme
Some popular menu favorites include Traditional Fajitas ($11.50), a savory blend of grilled bell peppers, onions, and a choice of rice, refried beans, sour cream, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and tortillas; Freret Burrito ($14.25), a steak or grilled chicken burrito filled with rice, beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole with a side of fries; and Nacho Fries ($10.95), topped with steak, cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream.
On my visit, I had the Black and Gold Burrito ($12.25), which the menu describes as a burrito filled with ground beef or shredded chicken, rice, beans, topped with chile con carne and white cheese dip. I got mine with shredded chicken and chile con carne on the side. It was a great size for the price; the chili con carne and cheese dip were the perfect touch.
In addition to the extensive food menu, Mr. Tequila lives up to its name with a cocktail menu that includes an array of Margaritas. Some selections are the Top Shelf Margarita made with Cazadores Reposado ans Patron Citrónage; Swirl Margarita made with Cazadores Reposado and your choice of strawberry, mango, passionfruit or sangria; Pomegranate Margarita made with Patron Silver and Pama Liqueur; and Skinny Margarita made with Cazadores Reposado and organic ingredients. The restaurant also offers El Cantarito — Jalisco, Mexico’s most famous cocktail that combines a variety of freshly squeezed citrus juices with Tequila Cazadores Reposado.
Mr. Tequila is open Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Mr. Tequila Bar & Grill
5018 Freret St.
504-766-9660
brothers@mrtequila.net
Reporter Marielle Songy can be reached at mlsongy@gmail.com.
