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Cantina Laredo
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Mediterranean Mexican, Mediterranean [Edit]
585 Grand BlvdSandestin, FL 32550
(850) 654-5649
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Cantina Laredo
Review Highlights
"They make fresh guacamole at your table -- a nice treat."
(in 3 reviews)
"By far the best Mexican in the Destin area."
(in 6 reviews)
"...I dined with tried their Carne Asada with the bacon wrapped..."
(in 2 reviews)
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Rod M.
Destin, FL
9/10/2011 5 Check-ins Here
By far the best Mexican in the Destin area. And that's not only because it's the only decent Mexican in the area: it would be great despite that.
Cantina Laredo bills itself as gourmet Mexican, which isn't strictly true since it's actually gourmet Tex-Mex. However, nearly everyone who works here is Mexican, and boy do they know their guacamole! How do I know this? Because they make it at your table, and my wife always asks them how they learned to make it. Most of them have a story about learning from their mother or grandmother when they were little. A lot of interesting discussions grow from this.
The management here is genuinely outstanding and runs a tight ship. This IS a good date place (and by the way, it has several extremely girly salads that female non-Mexican eaters seem not to be able to get enough of), and a good party place, and a good everything place. The outdoor seating is great and in a beautiful setting, the bar is always full and happy, and there's plenty of indoor seating away from the bar so that you can have a quiet evening if that's what you want.
That all said, if what you want is El Chico or Chuy's or On The Border, this is NOT it. And the area needs something like that (sidebar: the company that owns Cantina Laredo also owns El Chico). But alas, we'll have to make do for now.
Oh, lots of great desserts too!
Bottom line: great place. -
Review from Jeremy B.
New Orleans, LA
8/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great upscale mexican joint. Cantina Laredo serves authentic Mexican dishes in a sophisticated trendy atmosphere. The large queso was good and was served as a huge portion. House Margaritas were average. Entree was the CAMARON PObLANO ASADA, it was really good. The steak seemed a little cheap but not bad.
Fast service, maybe because we came in around 9ish.
Dante, our server was great. -
Review from Tim J.
8/11/2011 20 Check-ins Here
Cantina has grown on me since my move down here a few months ago. It is upscale Mexican, and I am more of a home style kinda guy when it comes to my Mexican, but this somehow works for me. They most definitely cross into south of Mexico cuisine, with a great chimichurri, but mostly just elevate classics including mole, and chile rellenos.
As good as a lot of the stuff is, there have been some misses that I have gotten, and they are quite expensive compared with the competition, but I feel the quality is proportionally higher, you are paying for ambiance. If you are going on a date, and really want Mexican, this is something that is a lot better idea than heading to any of the other choices in town.
I have tried quite a few things here, I fell like there a few big hits and a couple misses, including the rellenos which I feel have little flavor, but are semi authentic. Worth a try if you are in the area. -
Review from John A.
Destin, FL
1/19/2012
Cantina Laredo. Decent Mexican spot... worth a visit. Good atmosphere for a date night. Not terribly crowded, Mexican club music was not pumped in at a level that hindered conversation and the place had a nice mix of people - young and old... couples and friends.
Food was fine. Tasted like Mexican food in the United States tastes. It certainly wasn't Taco Bell, however I'd be stretching the truth saying the food was any better than the now defunct Chi-Chi's chain. That said Cantina Laredo does deserve credit for their food presentation.
Service - Staff was pleasant and presented themselves professionally. No face tattoos, stretched earlobes, inappropriate face piercings etc...
I sat at the bar so take that for what its worth. Bar wasn't terribly crowded and the bartender while attractive and nice took a while to take my drink order... give me my drink... offer me a menu... refill my drink. Once all that business was situated she was excellent. I mean that. The bartender was a very nice woman and her bar-back was awesome. He was all over the place.
Restrooms - CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. On the way out of a new joint I always make it a point to walk into the restrooms. Cantina Laredo's facilities were very clean and it was clear that the staff tended to them often. Sinks, counter tops, and floor were all clear. Plenty of soap and towels to dry your hands...
If you're a "towel on the door handle," person you are in luck. You won't have to put your clean hands on the dirty door handle. They do have paper towels AND the trash receptacle is accessible on the way out the door.
Stop in and check it out. But go for the atmosphere as that is what separates CL from other Mexican establishments. -
Review from Eric S.
Columbia, SC
11/24/2011 1 photo
Definitely have your waitstaff prepare the guacamole for you. The nachos are also recommended.
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Review from Josh U.
Metairie, LA
9/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
A very strangely decorated Mexican eatery. You won't find the typical import beer signs and Mexican hats hanging on the ceiling here. The design is very modern using lots of soft colored wood.
The guacamole appetizer (about $10) is pretty large and made fresh at the table by your waiter. It's a good choice to start with. Their soup is also good (their cup is the size of most bowls). For an entree I highly recommend the cheese and onion enchiladas which are great. Two salsas (one warm, one room temperature) are served with the chips. -
Review from Andrea W.
Houston, TX
6/28/2011
Worst food ever! My chicken enchiladas tasted like the chicken came straight from a tin can, tortillas from the grocery store and the sauce was just melted sour cream. There was no flavor or complexity to the dish. Others at the table had cold entrees and bland dishes and the queso tasted like Velveeta. It is a crime to advertise this place as a Mexican restaurant.
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Review from Shelly H.
Atlanta, GA
6/4/2011
The menu looked great, but when the food came, it was a huge disappointment. It was cold and bland. The chips and salsa was the best part of the meal.
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Review from steve p.
Centreville, VA
8/20/2011
I'm not sure if the cool atmosphere is fooling my taste, but food was great.
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Review from Ramona W.
Atlanta, GA
5/26/2011
Great upscale Mexican. The guacamole prepared table side could use a little work - they do not request if you like mild, medium, or hot. It was kind of dry and needed more heat (& flavor actually with more red onions). The queso on the other hand is a must to order!
I tried their shrimp enchiladas with the poblano sour cream sauce. It was very good but a little rich. It needed another flavor to try to balance the richness. Others I dined with tried their Carne Asada with the bacon wrapped shrimp which was amazing. The steak was quite tender & had a delicious marinade. And of course you can never mess up bacon-wrapped shrimp!
The drinks are really the star of the show. The classic margarita is great! I tried their blackberry smash which included fresh blackberries and mint. It was not overly sweet and packed a powerful punch.
For Destin I would rate this as 4-star. For a bigger city with more options I would have to lower the ranking. If you're looking for a nice Mexican dinner it is a must hit when you're in Destin! -
Review from Rachel F.
Casa Grande, AZ
Loved the tableside fresh guacamole, fast service the margaritas were amazing the mango one was the best. Don't really enjoy getting carne asada at many other places but this was prepared and served great, grilled jalapeños were very good every thing about this establishment was awesome I will definitely try to come back to this place on my vacation
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Review from Matt M.
Manhattan, NY
5/19/2011
We have eaten here about 4 times over the past couple years and have yet to have a bad experience. While the food is a little pricier than a lot of Mexican restaurants (especially the drinks it seems) - the quality and service do set this restaurant apart.
Generally, I order the enchiladas of some sort. I've tried the plain beef and cheese enchiladas, the espinaca enchiladas (which I would have expected to contain chicken but do not) and the shrimp enchiladas. All have been quite good. This restaurant has a tex-mex type taste to it (it is from Texas) and is not what I'd call an "authentic" restaurant in the sense of the typical Mexico City type diner.
Overall, I've always enjoyed the food and service at this restaurant. While it is a little pricey, beer is half the price of margaritas, and dishes such as enchiladas run 10.99-16.99 a plate. -
Review from Jessica R.
Cumming, GA
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Happy Cinco De Mayo to me! $5.00 Margaritas! All of the specialty ritas were between $8.00 and 13.00. I had one with blackberry and pomegranate, and the house rita. My friend had the mango. Both were good. Guacamole made at the table was fab, Tortilla soup was very good. I will be back!
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Review from Nicole S.
Sugar Land, TX
3/17/2011
Being from Southeast Texas I have plenty of chioces for Mexican food. Not so much here in Destin. Since there is a Cantina Laredo in Houston we gave it a shot. Not so impressed. Overpriced and not the best but apparently one of the best Destin has to offer.. I will refrain from Mexican Food while out here.
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Review from James S.
Niceville, FL
1/21/2011 5 Check-ins Here
There's aren't too many mexican restaurants in the area so Cantina sits on top of a scant few. They make fresh guacamole at your table -- a nice treat.
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Review from Gaetanino P.
New Orleans, LA
6/14/2011
Watery Margaritas. Slow bar service. Microwaved TV dinner style Mexican. Tough tortilla, dry chicken. Menu said cheese relleno on combo plate and we gor beef and raisin. The service was good and the Mexican apple pie was incredible. Overpriced and unsatisfying. Everyone I visit this area I am impressed with the number of new dining options, but still hard to find quality food here.
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Review from Kim M.
Novi, MI
7/11/2011
The description says not good for kids...NOT SO! We had a 3 and 7 Yr old with us and the wait staff was very attentive ---- made us a burrito for one that was off the menu, and even put a sparkler on her chocolate cake (it was not a birthday dinner!). Great food, service was a bit slow, but our waiter also took the "skinny margaritas" off of our bill when we said we didn't care for them. All in all highly recommended for a dinner while vacationing in Destin FL. Try the guacamole, Mole Chicken Enchiladas and Fajitas...all very good!
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Review from Josh T.
Buford, GA
8/31/2009
We have eaten here twice in sucessive years. We find that this is some of the best Mexican food we've had. It's not your typical Mexican experience. The dishes are unique. They serve two different kind of salsa(both good). This has become one of the spots added to the list of must eats when we go to Destin. If it's not too hot I highly recxend sitting at the outside eating area.
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Review from Tamara T.
Miramar Beach, FL
4/19/2010
This is an upscale Mexican eatery in Grand Boulevard shopping center. It's a beautiful restaurant, and the staff is very attentive. We started with their special margarita of the day, which was way too tart, and seemed very weak alcohol-wise. The chips and salsa hit the table right after sitting down. We liked the choice of two different salsas, one hot and one cold. Both were very good. We ordered the fresh guacamole, which was prepared table-side, and was absolutely delish. My main course was the spinach enchilada, and that's where they really dropped the ball. I was expecting freshly sauteed spinach with mushrooms, oozing with jack cheese. The reality was what tasted like canned spinach, with a token mushroom or two, no cheese inside, and covered with a bland white sauce that didn't resemble cheese in taste or appearance. We probably won't go back, unless we're really craving that fresh guac!
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Review from Michael S.
Kansas City, MO
9/22/2010
This place is way overpriced for what you get. I'm from Kansas City, and we have MUCH better Mexican food for half the price. We also were unfortunate to get a rogue waiter one night. The manager did comp the meal and had other complaints about the waiter that night. The decor is beautiful for a Mexican restaurant. The shopping district is lovely at night. I ate here 3 times while staying in Destin for a work project. I kept hoping it would get better. I tried something different each time. It was all pretty boring, but I have to say the steak fajitas were pretty good.
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Review from Jeff D.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2008
The Sunday Brunch Menu was quite a deal. Our selections included excellent traditional breakfast dishes with a refined Mexican twist. Cantina went above and beyond with fresh fruit in a cinnamon crisp and complimentary bloody maria or mimosa.
