Fajita Republic

This place is awesome, we are going back tonight! The drinks were perfect, service was on it, and the food OMG good. Had the cheese, salsa, and steak, shrimp fajita.

We recently had a week long vacation in Puerto Vallarta and had the misfortune to dine at this terrible establishment. A couple we met at our hotel ate there and told us it was good. Mistake 1, don’t trust the recommendation of people you just met at your resort, use Unilocal!!.So it’s the last night of our trip and we decide to give it a try. As soon as we get there the whole driveway and front of the establishment is paved with large loose stones. There are literally big rocks that are loose on the pavement. It’s a huge hazard and I’m sure many many people have gotten hurt. Clearly there is little concern for safety. When we got through the obstacle course that’s the front of the Resturant, we were ignored for over 5 minutes. We are a party of 8 (four adults and 4 kids) dressed nicely, obviously tourists, so basically we are prime customers. Yet we were treated like dirt. After we gave our name, the poor mannered man (who was the owner) basically yelled at us for stepping over the ‘limit line’ for parties waiting to be seated. Upon being seated we were then attacked by mosquitos. It felt like we were there to be eaten, instead of being there to eat.
The food came and it was decent. Edible but nothing special. It’s definitely catered to tourists. Basically the food is on par with food from TGIF or Chilis. Whatever, let’s get out of here…
Here is were things go from bad to downright scary. The bill comes and I give them my Amex. I am quickly told that they don’t take Amex. Huge red flag. I always use my Amex in Mexico so I don’t need to exchange money or worry about conversion. My Amex card had never been turned down in my many trips to Mexico. So basically I’m forced to pay cash. The bill was $ 1,650 pesos and there was no conversion to dollars which one would expect from a touristy resturant. So intake out my phone and Google it. The current peso to dollar exchange is $ 17.55 pesos to $ 1. I did the math using $ 17 pesos. So the bill is $ 98. I leave $ 115 (18% gratuity) and hand the money to the cashier on the way out. We are taking a group picture when the man comes out and tells us that it’s not enough to cover our bill. Confused I ask him what he means. He says they use $ 15:1 and that it’s not enough money. I tell him the exchange rate and that i left enough including a generous tip. Then the grumpy man who is the owner and who yelled at us at the start of the evening comes forward and basically states that ‘the owner makes the rules’. Kinda like a big ‘f**k you’. I told him ‘you are clearly the owner’ to which he replies ‘I am not the owner, I am f****** the owner she is my wife’. The profanity caught me by surprise. And I insulted him back by saying ‘so your wife makes the rules huh?’ and laughed. This basically set him off and he got even more heated. He tells me that I’m $ 5 short from covering the bill without gratuity, which makes no sense even with his made up conversion.
Long story short I basically threw another 2 $ 5 bills on the counter and he took the money and tried to throw it back at me and starts saying something about columbia or columbians? At this point I seriously felt threatened for my safety and left.
In summary I’d highly recommend you stay away from this place. There are tons of places with better food and management/​owners who don’t attack their customers. Seriously a nightmarish way to end our amazing vacation.

Our group of 7 visited this place Thursday evening 3÷17÷16, early in the evening.
5 of us had awful meals. We all had their so called «signature» meal: Fajita’s …
We all agreed the meal was awful ! For one thing they did not serve the fajita’s sizzling… NOT FRESH! The meals arrived wIth onions peppers soggy like they had been sitting in a warmer!
I had the fish, shrimp and chorizo fajita and it came WITHOUT THE CHROIZO!
When I told the waiter he said he would look into it right o’ way!
HE NEVER CAME BACK TO ME.
Service overall was poor. The waiter NEVER asked any of us how we liked our meal!!!
He, nor anyone else, EVER came back to offer us an after dinner drink, coffee or desert… NADA!
Our waiter appeared to be the Maitre D’, a short stocky middle aged latin man.
with ZERO — NO personality!
We visit PV often… and will NEVER visit this place again!

Totally unremarkable. As we walked in there was a notice in Spanish that they were not accepting credit cards… supposedly that CC processing machine was not working. I asked if they accepted US currency, they said «yes». Paid for meal in US dollars only to discover that they created their own exchange rate which was no where near prevailing market– «on me» I guess.
Meal was adequate, small portions. I ordered fajitas — skimped on rice and retried beans which cost them almost nothing. Thankfully there are some very good restaurants in this area–
Fajita Republic is not one of them.

Loved it. This is a must hit in Old Town. The food is very authentic PLUS it has a hip vibe to it. Usually it is either great food in a dump… or bad food in an «it» place… happily this was the best of both worlds. Plus — very good margaritas. It definitely caters to Americanos, but that works for me because I happen to be one… and we were still able to hit up some of the local places during our vacation.

We were recommended to this place by the owners of the condo we were staying at in PV.
LOCATION:
The Unilocal map was incorrect by about 2 blocks, so luckily the friends we were with asked for directions prior to us utilizing the map. They’re on Basilio Badillo, between Olas Atlas & Pino Suárez. I submitted an incorrect map marker too.
ATMOSPHERE:
This is a very cool looking restaurant that would fit right in, in any major US city. Dim lighting, funky & cool beehive-​shaped sconce lighting abound with a mix of industrial décor, medium height table tops, a small bar, and huge, sea glass buoy-​looking lights smack dab in the center of the restaurant above a multi-​seater round. Gorgeous!
MENU:
Traditional Mexican with American influence. I’d usually take pics of the menu, but the paper was so big and the lighting dim, so it wouldn’t have worked. If I pass by again, I’ll try to snap a pic of the sidewalk menu.
FOOD:
The house «bread» were 2 cucumber spears and 2 radish sticks sprinkled with a reddish salt. Refreshing but forgettable.
Nachos — No, it’s not the expected mound of chips with the usual toppings. These were 12 individually topped chips, with thick layers of refried beans and gooey cheese, no meat, surrounding a pool of sour cream, a damn delicious homemade guacamole, and scoop of fresh pico. Great for 4 to share. Highly recommended!
Rib Bits — I need to start removing food prejudices from my noggin. I would have never ordered this due to my condition, but luckily, our friend who is an app lover, did. The 5 «riblets» were done in a sweet/​savory sauce and grilled perfectly over a fire, resulting in that delicious charred flavor over the fat. Huzzah!!! Not enough for 4 to share. Order double!
Guacamole & Chips — The most delicious guacamole I’ve ever tasted, lives here. Fresh, smooth, creamy. It’s served in a huge paddle-​like wood spoon over a romaine leaf. Oddly, the app comes with only 6 tortilla chips. Just ask for more, and they’ll bring out a huge paper cone of the goods. Another highly recommended dish!
Beer Battered Shrimp — 12 big pieces of succulent shrimp were perfectly deep fried in a super tasty and savory beer batter that really didn’t need any dipping sauces. But, it did come with ramakens of chili mayo, plain mayo, and cocktail sauce. The center of the plate featured half of a baked potato skin with a thick layer of cheese, possibly a mix of cheddar and havarti. Highly recommended.
El Presidente Fajitas — The fajita dishes are literally set on fire in the middle of the restaurant on a tray rest. The plate comes to your table mildly sizzling. This version featured tasty slices of chorizo sausages and tender steak, with lots of white onion slices. The tortilla shells were soft and nicely toasted with a few visually appealing and palate pleasing burn marks. Yup, highly recommended.
SERVICE:
Everyone was friendly and professional, from the female American hostess, male bartender, to the male wait and bus staff. They checked on is often and kept neighboring tables spic and span.
OVERALL:
Beautiful ambiance, great food & service, nice menu, fair pricing. Yes!

Really great dinner! I will start off with that. The food was truly wonderful, we started with the appetizer sampler which was typical of something at a Mexican chain restaurant in the states, I would recommend one of the tacos for an app. We (of course) had to do the fajitas for our main course. I had the steak and chorizo which was phenomenal! The presentation is so exciting, the server lights them on fire and pours tequila on them for a great ball off fire that then turns into a sizzle. My favorite part!
As for the service, it was a little harried. There was no real host stand or entry point which left us like a deer in headlights in the way of the servers who were running around in a semi-​organized chaos. There wasn’t much as far as steps of service among the servers, it was more of trying to flag someone down as they ran by.
Definitely a great place for lunch and people watching by the Windows. Beautiful space with a modern Mexican décor.
Also, this is an open air restaurant, so bring bug spray, I left with a few bites around my legs and ankles.

Great food especially the steak and pork fajitas! Pretty terrible service. Good luck!

.Average chips, bland salsa. inattentive service staff, indifferent management. Canned jalapeños, canned BBQ sauce, asked for fresh jalapeño.was told do not have any.

Absolutely amazing, and cheap! Margaritas were great, and the shrimp tacos with chipotle mayo were wonderful. The paper table cloth is smart because with everyone sharing so many appetizers things get messy. Friendly service and fun atmosphere.

On our first night out in Puerta Vallarta, a friend insisted on coming here after seeing how busy it was the night before. Somehow we were able to walk up and get a table for 6 immediately even though the place was packed with a line out front. Sometimes it helps to travel in groups.
The ambiance and décor of the restaurant was really nice. Not too dim and not too bright. Side note: we walked by the restaurant the next morning and since they’re only open for dinner, you couldn’t even tell that there was a business there. The windows were covered and the sidewalk tables hidden. It looked like an abandoned warehouse. The transformation was remarkable, almost like we attended a private pop-​up dinner the night before.
At any rate, the food, drinks and service were all top-​notch. The queso fundido appetizer was fantasticly gooey and the margaritas were stiff. I ordered the Fajitas Presidente (combo of everything) because the place is called: Fajitas Republic, and all three meats (shrimp, steak, and chicken) were moist, juicy and flavorful. They also give you a spread of toppings (guacamole, cheese, sour cream, etc.) in addition to the sizzling cast iron that makes for a lot of food.
One of the better meals I had in PV no doubt. I would highly recommend it while in town for dinner. Just be on the lookout during the day as this place is unassuming during the day.

My family of 5 had a miserable experience here. We were greeted rudely, by a staff person who was more interested in fajita republics 1 year ahead reservations policy, than welcoming a guest from out of town.
This wasn’t just about great food, it was about a considering the package of having a great experience. It includes all the facets of a dining experience together. Some restaurants like fajita republic, couldn’t care less about their guests or are more interested in booking appointments 1 year ahead. There staff is rude and they are more interested in satisfying a ridiculous policy of 1 year ahead reservations, then «taking care» of potential guests. But you, at fajitas republic, wouldn’t know the meaning of taking care of guests, we’re all a number, Do yourself a favor and skip this place. Plenty of other places remember what makes a great experience. Unfortunately, this place has forgotten.

We end up coming here by an accident.
Ordered the Neptune Fajitas some beer battered shrimp and coconut shrimp, pork ribs and few drinks. Excellent food and service! Thank you for the wonderful dinner.

Bland is how I would describe the food and alcohol drinks. We were very dissapointed. Chips tasted like they were from a bag, salsa had no flavor. Service was terrible. Don’t be fooled into thinking you will be getting real Mexican food here.

First, I’ll admit that this isn’t the type of restaurant I typically eat at. From the outside it appears like an overpriced Chipotle, a glitzy On the Border. It must’ve been 90 degrees with 100% humidity, I was dying and couldn’t bear the thought of sitting deep inside a stuffy little local establishment, so like a weak tourist I opted for the tourist trap, the glitz and glamour, the air-​condition!
C’mon, it’s called Fajita Republic?! I knew what I was getting into, but like watching a bad Keanu Reeves movie, I went forward and took my lumps. One meal I’ll never get back.
The salsa is very simple, far too much garlic and the chips remind you of any you’ll find at a Tex Mex restaurant in Dallas or Houston. Strangely, everything here reminds you of this…
I started with the fried cheese. Essentially a ton of cheese cooked at really high temperatures in a cast iron skillet and served with tortillas. Simple enough, right? I’ve eaten it 100 times in Laredo during my youth. The cheese came out solid, no longer bubbling hot like molten lava. The result of sitting in the back waiting to be served. Compound this with the garlic slices within it. Mind you, I love garlic, it just doesn’t work with fried cheese. The tortillas, which are flour, are average at best. Not what you expect, unless you’re at Fajita Republic.
I Ordered fish fajitas, sounds safe, right? Wrong. The fish is «white fish», the waiter unsure what it is as well. It’s cooked okay but still has a strange rubbery texture. Can’t say I’ve seen this before. Same flour tortillas, but where we really fall flat is the yuca strips that overwhelm the veggies. Rather than onions and peppers, which there are a few, I primarily have a plate of sizzling, crunchy, yuca. Never seen this in fajitas, and pray never to again. It doesn’t work. There’s no flavor in yuca. Mind you the few onions and peppers were good, but I had to search and savor the lonely bites that would enjoy these. I should mention that you also get your standard, welcome to Dallas, to On the Border, tray of small dishes with cheddar, sour cream, guacamole, pico, and very dry refried beans and rice. Am I in Dallas? Houston? Is this a layover at DFW? Have I simply died and gone to chain Tex Mex hell? I must’ve…
I did also have a margarita which was forgettable and ordered a water, but got a glass of ice. To their credit, lol, they did ask me if I’d like a refill of the water after the meal!
Again, I own this for going to a restaurant that I knew would not live up to true Mexican food, but this place has no place in Mexico. Please take your chain back across the border and set up in a gigantic mall, maybe a strip mall next to a TGI Friday’s, or where you really belong, at the airport!

Fajita Republic is more like an American style restaurant, but it definitely doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve been in Puerto Vallarta for a few days and you’ve visited all the cliché places, then check this place out. It’s definitely a more trendy, less local feeling place… but the food and drinks are solid and the waitstaff are super friendly and accomadating.
Cool atmosphere and interior. Tasty and tender meat. Yummy drinks. What else could you ask for?

Steak Fajitas here are hard to beat and a must order. I eat them at least 2x on my week in pv each year.

Our first visit here and won’t be the last. Baked cheese appetizer and guacamole are outstanding! So much food a doggie bag was in order.

Good food and great vibe in the restaurant. Service was spectacular. Make sure you taste their onion salsa. Super hot, but really good. Beef fajitas is where it was at. Also the shrimp tacos pastor was very good, but didn’t care of the pineapple in them. Overall very good and would go back again.

Great food but understaffed.
The food here is amazing and ambiance is awesome as well.
We had Mayan cheese sticks and guacomole is excellent. For dinner we had the Cadillac fajitas at $ 494 pesos is great.
Drinks are strong and great as well