Upon approaching C.O. Jones Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, I was very impressed with the open doors and the inviting feeling the restaurant had. Once I entered, however, I was a little unimpressed with the setup of the so called “restaurant.” In my opinion, it should be called “Tequila Bar with A Little Bit of Food.”
Still wanting to try it out because Mexican food is our calling, Kelley and I sat down in a booth near the bar and looked at the Happy Hour specials. $4 house margaritas and a free burrito bar caught my eye and we ordered up to see if the margaritas were as good as they looked. In the meantime, we went over to the burrito bar and took some samples. It was probably the worst burrito I’ve ever tasted. Sour cream with a too-much-mayonnaise taste and a slightly warm bean and rice combo wasn’t something I had in mind when I bit into it. But hey, it was free so I can’t give too many complaints on that.
We waited a little too long for our margaritas (which were absolutely delicious by the way), and ordered an appetizer and a main course for us both to share. The first thing we ordered was the Ryan’s Nachos ($6.95) which, as the menu states, is “C.O. Jones chips with black beans, jalapeños, olives and Monterey Jack cheese topped with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.” They forgot to add “everything came from a can and we didn’t make any of it from scratch,” so after one or two bites I got aggravated and moved onto the main course we ordered.
The Sweet Potato Quesadilla ($7.95) is “caramelized sweet potatoes and onions, grilled zucchini, spinach and Monterey Jack cheese.” To tell you the truth, it was pretty great compared to everything else that we had that night. Aside from the undercooked sweet potatoes and mass load of spinach, it tasted almost ordinary. It does not make up for the service though, which is what I’m about to get to.
Ordering our first round of margaritas wasn’t too bad, but for our second and third rounds I can say something different. After waiting for as long as ten minutes for a drink, we decided to get the check and get out of there for our own little mojito party. It wasn’t just the bartender who was making me frown; the waitress seemed like a person who hated her job. In addition to her being rude, she openly admitted that she did not know the contents of the guacamole and did not even bother to look them up for us.
I have actually been to C.O. Jones twice (in the same week no less). The first time I went my sister was in town, and I had heard this place had good happy hour specials every day. The first thing I noticed was that they crammed in about 15 tables into a room that should hold about 7. I ordered a house margarita which was actually one of the best ones I have ever had. It tasted homemade and not like the pre-made juice you buy to mix with tequila. Also, if you are to sit on the left wall, I would advise you wear sunglasses because the sun hits your eyes at such an angle that you’re blinded for the next couple of hours.
I’m guessing C.O. Jones is just known for their tequila/margaritas/happy hour because the food was, in simple terms, crappy. They offer a free burrito bar during happy hour which is basically beans, rice, a tortilla, and toppings. This I can understand because it is free. Both times I went, I ordered from the menu; the first time I ordered an asparagus burrito (because asparagus is my favorite food, don’t ask), which wasn’t bad. My sister ordered a chicken burrito and was up sick until 4:00 a.m. When I visited again with Kaitlyn, like she said, we ordered Ryan’s Nachos and the sweet potato quesadilla. Everything was very ordinary; nothing that I would ever go back for again. But, as I said earlier, they are known for their tequila. I’m also guessing the waitresses hate their jobs there because everyone in the restaurant was ordering $3 margaritas and mooching off of the free burrito bar, which equals less than a $5 tip.
Maybe Kaitlyn will not be coming back with me, but I can see myself frequenting C.O. Jones for some cheap drinks and free food!
In the end, we give this place a measly 2.5 stars. Instead of trekking to State Street for this little “restaurant” catastrophe, go somewhere else that won’t waste your time or your money.
Requests? Comments? Arguments? Email Kaitlyn and Kelley at [email protected].
