Esmeralda Grill: Authentic Mexican Cuisine Perfected

STOP. Look no further for the best authentic Mexican food in Cary, Raleigh area. This place is a hidden gym in a little strip mall. The family and I went for dinner. The queso to start is delicious. Great flavor with house made tortilla chips. My wife and teenage son took advantage of $1.50 Happy Hour Tacos on Monday. They were smaller than dinner size, but come on. The flavors were ridiculously good. Pulled pork, barbacoa, Chachete...they were awesome. My 11 yr old had the largest plate of mouth watering chicken nachos we have ever seen. I had the Molcajete (pork, Shrimp, beef and cactus) and a wickedly good green spicy sauce. The food and crowd are authentic. The staff were wonderful, polite and very attentive. DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE.

Authentically delicious! My new favorite spot for quesabirria tacos! Large portions! Free chips are wonderful. Staff works well together and are super friendly!

My partner and I have had meals here in the past but lately we’ve been coming just for nacho dates, because their nachos are amazing and the portion size is huge - making it way cheaper than making it on our own! Highly recommend!

Great spot for some authentic Mexican food with variety! The corn tortillas are made well here and they also have pretty large portions. I’m a bit partial to their taco platter and recommend the Al Pastor as my favorite! The guacamole is also delish! Service is pretty standard and the atmosphere is casual. It’s located in a plaza so good amount of parking and other shops to check out.

Stopped on to meet with some colleagues to catch up on a few things. This is some place they come too often and said they thought I would enjoy it. They were not wrong. Salsa was delicious. Queso chips got the sizzling fajita with chicken and shrimp. One of my favorites that I've gotten at many other places and this was delicious. Everybody enjoyed their food. Everybody that worked there when they went by asked if we needed something or if we were good. Great service. Good food

Went here the other night and everything was on point. Started off with 2 appetizers, one was the Molcajete, which you get a beautiful array of different meats including: shrimp, chicken, steak, pork and then cactus. I was warned that the sauce was really spicy (I can’t usually handle really spicy foods) the verse sauce was delicious and on the more mild side. Also got an order of Huaraches, which are a little hard to eat because they are stacked with food, they were amazing. Then for my main entree I got the Tortas milanesa. Which first off, is very big. The French fries were decent, but the torta was out of this world. A+. I did also get the chimichanga to go with beef. I honestly think I waited too long to try it, it was alright. I feel like it would have been a lot better fresh. Overall the food was incredible! Highly recommend it

The fish tacos here are honestly some of the best I’ve ever had. I went on Taco Tuesday and first ordered a chicken taco and a fish taco. They were so good that I ended up ordering the same combo again. Unfortunately, the Taco Tuesday deal didn’t apply to the fish tacos, which was disappointing since I had called ahead and was told it covered all tacos. Later, I realized the staff’s English wasn’t very strong, which likely caused the miscommunication. That said, the fish tacos were three times the size of the chicken tacos and packed with flavor, so I really enjoyed them.

If you're on the hunt for an authentic Mexican dining experience, look no further than Esmeralda Grill! I stumbled upon this gem on a crisp fall afternoon, and it was an absolute treat. From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by how spacious, clean, and inviting the restaurant felt. The atmosphere was warm and the smell of delicious food filled the air, making me instantly hungry. The staff at Esmeralda Grill were friendly, attentive, and more than happy to help me navigate the menu. But the real highlight was the food. I opted for the beef cheek taco, and it did not disappoint! The portion was generous, and the meat was incredibly tender, succulent, and perfectly seasoned. The taco was topped with a vibrant mix of fresh cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime, which paired perfectly with the red and green salsas that added just the right amount of kick. Everything about my meal felt authentic, fresh, and full of flavor; truly a taste of Mexico in every bite. I highly recommend Esmeralda Grill to anyone craving a truly satisfying Mexican meal. Whether you're a local or just passing through, this place is definitely worth a visit!