Salsa’s

After living in San Diego for several years, I was really hesitant to even try Mexican food in Asheville. But Salsa’s is everything So-​Cal Mex is and so, so much more.
They offer fresh, unique twists on traditional dishes. Last time I was there I tried their burrito with pork and holy mackerel it was incredible. Huge (easily enough for two meals), fresh, unique, flavorful (I personally didn’t care for the plantains, but I know that’s a personal preference). I’ve also tried their nachos – great – and their margaritas are as good as any I’ve had. The service is always great and the atmosphere is fun (I’m a fan of that slightly claustrophobic feel). It is a little pricier than your average Mexican, but it’s worth it. A+

Really amazing flavors and quality. I had the chicken Pom Pom bowl and it came it a cute wooden bowl. The portion was generous and enough to pack home a second meal. The spice rub on the chicken was out of this world and came together so nicely with the sauce, rice, cheese, onions, and beans underneath it.
The salsa was to die for. Roasted chunks of tomatoes with peanuts and carrots.
I’d definitely come back again when we are in town.

As far as Mexican food goes, I’ve had no better. Period. Not even close. All the ingredients are fresh, cooked and spiced to perfection and it shows. I’ve been here several times when I visit Asheville and am never disappointed.
I get the pulled pork nachos and dear god, are they worth it. The pork is juicy and falls apart. I literally do not want my meal to end when I eat here. The other toppings compliment the dish so well, words do it no justice. They also carry stuffed peppers, burritos, tacos etc.
The prices are abit high, and the restaurant has odd hours and limited seating, but don’t let this dissuade you from coming. There are only a few places I’ll openly recommend with no reservations, and this is one of them. If you are in or around Asheville, you MUST try this place.

Bad service however they have the best salsa I have ever tried! We ate three kinds and they were all delicious. They get the tortilla chips right also. Bean dip is also very good.
Also ordered a jalapeño margarita which was quite good. Tasted the bloody mary which was trying too much to be something its not. Sometimes its best not to mess with the classics…
Main course I ordered the slow cooked pork chipotle something something. It came out as this single bowl dish. I’m not a huge fan of the whole throw a bunch of stuff in a bowl concept. I like separation. It was good but not great. Anyway I’m fairly sure I didn’t get what I actually ordered which brings me to the negative part.
Our waiter was everything you don’t want in a waiter. Passive aggressive, non communicative, slow and totally lacking in the concept of service. First thing he got wrong was our drink orders. He initially brought our party of three all waters and then asked if we wanted «something on top of our waters». You can’t just ask if we want anything else to drink? Have to come up with some pretentious clever spew. Anyway my wife and I gave our orders then before I could get the answer from the child we were with I looked up and the waiter was gone! Later he comes back with only one of the two drinks we ordered and leaves it on the table with no comment. Then later he comes back to take our food order so then I have to reorder the drinks…
This is getting long so lets get to the other screw ups:
–I order chipotle pork dish but receive the other pork dish with pineapple in it. (I really don’t like pineapple)
— Wife asks for extra napkins but he never brings any. Then later when he returns she tells him he forgot the napkins. He looks at her like SHE did something wrong then leaves without an apology! Incredible dbag!
Anyway next time I come by I will just be getting stuff to go so as not to deal with this bad service. Also the space is pretty small. Judging by the crowd the owner could certainly afford to get a bit more space especially so those waiting don’t have to crowd up by the entrance door like animals.
To owner: Overweight waiter with beard is giving your place a bad image! Get rid of this guy and hire some people who understand the concept of service.

Salsa’s is my favorite restaurant in Asheville. They have incredible food, great prices, quick service and a fun atmosphere. This was my first time back after several years and I was thrilled that the restaurant was as great as I remembered.
I ordered the Cubano Burrito which was delicious pulled pork and plantains in a burrito that had been grilled. The side salad was also really good. It was a simple but paired perfectly with the flavorful main dish. The portions are huge so I didn’t finish everything. The salas trio appetizers looked really delicious so next time I’d consider splitting that and a entrée with someone.
Salsa’s is located right in downtown so it is easy to walk around and spend time in the city before or after your meal.

The manager is the Rudest individual I have ever met or seen before. He made my daughter and my two nieces cry due to his poor customer service.
My family has been in the restaurant industry for over 40 years… So I am familiar with customer service, he had Zero.
Will NEVER return!

4.5, really.
We ordered the pork empanada and a vegetarian dish (don’t remember the name, but had sweet potatoes and veggies in a wrap similar to burrito but without rice and beans inside). Best meal I’ve had in a long time.
–deliciously seasoned with nice amount of spice
–rice, beans, and guacamole were great
–huge portions
–service was pleasant
–food came out quickly
–prices seemed fair, esp. for meatless dishes
Not giving it a 5 because chips weren’t provided on many of the dishes we saw, including the ones we ordered. This was disappointing since most of the dishes are «plated» with rice, beans, and salsa/​guacamole, and I love to have chips with my salsa and guacamole.
Keep in mind the restaurant is relatively small and chips aren’t complimentary.
Overall great experience.

My husband and I were seated at a small table in the back corner and were literally blocked in by two other tables beside of us. Really don’t like being crowded when eating. We waited a really long time before our drink order was ever taken because our waitress couldn’t get to us. We opted to just order the chicken fajita nachos because we were not very hungry. Poorly executed… room temperature, stale chips, cheese mostly to one side and «light» on the chicken. Not at all worth the $ 12.95 we paid for them. Service was as
attentive as she could be, due to our location. We won’t be going back there.

Excellent chips & salsa. Had a pork tostada as a starter and it was very fresh and the pork was wonderful! We had a blackberry margarita & a piña colada and both were excellent. I highly recommend eating here. We were so full that we didn’t end up getting an entrée. We’ll come back again soon!

Every time I drive to Asheville or drive through it or have to drive… sort of close to it, I will make it a mission to stop here. The portions are very generous for the price. The guacamole is some of the freshest and tastiest I’ve ever had. I always want to try something different but I can’t not order the famous Asheville burrito every time. The aoli, steak and hand cut fries make one of the most flavorful combinations in a Mexican dish you can have. I’ve had a lot of burritos in my time and this is the best burrito I’ve ever have. Eat this thing before you die.

Pretty good, tasty pork… very cozy seating (small), staff helpful. The portions are big and we shared.

The wife and I had been here 1 time before, a few years ago and loved it enough to come back. Needless to say we were not disappointed. The vibe in this place is super cool. Right on a corner in the heart of Asheville, the place is small but divey feel to it. Expect a wait particularly if you are in Asheville during busy season. So what? If you don’t want to wait, go elsewhere for mediocre food or come at an off time.
For those who complain about the food being overpriced, did you order a quesadilla? Yes I think $ 16 for a quesadilla may be a bit much. Especially since it is really hard to find quesadillas at other places. :-) But why didn’t you order the Molcajete? Perhaps a PomPomPom. Where else can you get one of those? Perhaps it’s just your own fault.
What is a Molcajete? A giant lava bowl overflowing with incredible flavor. We got the chicken and shrimp. This was a ton of food. Veggies, insanely powerful broth, high quality meat and shrimp. Delicious tomatoes and other goodness. And it comes in a really cool lava bowl.
If that wasn’t good enough, we had the special Cubano plate. Wow is all I can say. Pulled pork, amazingly flavored black beans, cheese, veggies, roasted tomatoes and a little bit of avocado. Unbelievable. I highly highly recommend it if it’s available.

I always search for empanadas when I travel so I was delighted to see they had. I ordered the seared organic tofu and butternut squash empanadas. It came with rice, beans, guacamole, sauteed veggies and chips. When I ordered they asked if I wanted a burrito or an empanada which confused me because I ordered an empanada; I guess there’s a burrito version as well? Well, after I got my order, I understood why they asked. Their empanada is basically a deep fried burrito; I was extremely disappointed. An empanada is not a smaller version of a burrito nor a bigger version of a dumpling; it’s the same idea of a wrap with filling but the huge difference is the holding layer. The deep fried burrito wasn’t bad though. The choice of starch mixed with tofu and guacamole worked out well, but I wanted a snack. This was a whole entrée!

Would you believe that it took me 6 years to visit this place?
I’ve known about Salsa’s for a long time. It’s a hopping spot. Expect a long wait during the weekend, and a brief one at the very least during any dinner service.
I was meeting a friend for lunch and she suggested Salsa’s as a first time experience for me. We arrived at noon and the restaurant was just beginning to fill up .
We began with an order of three salsas, and a great conversation. Our choices were:
The peach poppy seed, perfect for summer.
The avacado, righteous fresh guacamole
The fire roasted tomato, freaking delicious, but served with our entrees. should have tried something else to maximize my flavor adventure!
Asking for recommendations, our server advised us to go with any of the pork dishes. My friend ordered the Cubano pork plate, and I decided on the pork empanada.
Get excited.
The portions are ULTRA generous. Seriously, it’s a lot of food. You may look at the menu and think, man… these prices are a bit high, which they are… sure. But it’s a LOT of food.
Expecting typical fried hand sized empanadas, I was surprised to receive something more fried burrito in nature. Our server was right. The pork WAS delicious. I mean wow. Smokey, tender, incredibly flavorful. What a wild ride of flavors.
This may sound crazy, but my favorite thing on the plate was the rice. A spiced rice pilaf sort of side. Heavens to Betsy. I’m already planning on ordering multiple sides of rice the next time I get sick. The flavor and texture made it my instant omni-​comfort food.
After 15 minutes or so of noshing, I felt like I hadn’t made a dent in my magnum sized empanada, and asked for boxes and our check. I must mention that service here was extremely pleasant. Our server, Molly, was an all-​star. Salsa’s is straight up lucky to have such a pleasant person attending to the needs of tables. She presented fantastic intuition, leaving my friend and I to converse but being ever present when we were in need of something. A+
Salsa’s has been on my radar but a challenge to visit for many years. I’m happy that I finally got a chance to dine here, but the same deterring factors will most likely not make this a frequent stop for me.
It’s out of my budget for lunch, and it’s typically too busy for my liking at night. Parking is also an issue, as it’s on the very end of Patton by the Vance obelisk. Currently your best bet would be to park in the structure shared by the Diana Wortham theater and walk up the block and half to the restaurant. If you find street parking you owe the Parking Gods a sacrificial goat.
I’ll bide my time dining at the other spots around downtown, and eagerly await the day when some gracious soul offers to take me out wherever I wish to go… Salsa’s will be high on my list.

This is not the place for me.
I had walked by it a few times, wanted to try it. I should probably lower my expectations.
Pineapple chutney? Seriously, too much fusion.
It was overpriced. I gave it 2 stars because the service was good. Our waiter did tricks.
Nope, not going back.

This restaurant is definitely on my top ten best dining experience. The portion size were enormous, but the flavors… OMG yummy — every single bite.
This is a relatively small restaurant so you can plan to have to wait as I think people are onto this spot. The staff is very friendly and its so cute.
The food experience starts with the chips and salsa, down the exotic margarita options and ends with an enormous dinner options. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I have been trying to stop by for some time but just never got around to it and boy was that a mistake.
I first want to say that this place is fairly small so seating is limited and wouldn’t recommend a large group. They do however have takeout which is a plus.
I was first greeted with a warm smile, welcome, and menus to browse why we waited for a table. We were in the door about 5 min to close on a weeknight and was still warmly greeted and welcomed. As some of you know there are some restaurants that would tell you they are closing and can no longer seat anyone… blah…blah.blah. NOT this place!!!
Giving 5 star service to our waiter I believe his name was Rigel. He was a delight and very entertaining. Each time he visited our table his first words would be «want to see a trick». He never disappointed!!! He was also very attentive to making sure we had everything we needed including bottomless refills of water. Well done sir!!!
It took me a while to select an item to order because there were so many options. My first visit I selected the Slow Roasted Pork Empanada as suggested by Rigel. Great recommendation sir! This heavenly dish made my taste buds wanting more! The portion was large, fresh, and full of flavor. This included «SLOW» roasted pork, pineapple chutney to give it that sweet flavor (this really made it great for me and gave it that Caribbean flavor I was looking for), queso, fresh tomato and greens, and sweet potato. YES sweet potato… kind of odd I know but this gave it an extra kick/​flavor that you normally wouldn’t see but it was very good I highly recommend. The Crispy stuffed tortilla was perfect melts in your mouth… yep that is your mouth watering as you read this… YOUR WELCOME!!!
I will say the price is a bit expensive and if you want chips and salsa that is an extra $ 5+ pending on how many sauces you want. I think if the prices were about ¹⁄₃ cheaper I would eat here regularly. I believe their lunch menu may be cheaper but still not cheap. This is my only complaint which is why I give it 4 stars ****

Got the pork Pom Pom Pom and loved it!
The menu was so overwhelming that I didn’t know what to order but ended up getting the Pom with no rice and extra veggies. Slow braised pork was soooo flavorful and tender. So flavorful w the pineapple chutney, curry sauce I could not taste at all, kale and veggies added a nice crunch. It was huge and can definitely be shared.
You can adjust anything bc everything is made to order! Super nice about it too:)
Friend got quesadilla which he enjoyed and other got the «ultimate» stone lava bowl one. This dish has a broth and super flavorful too. If you like broth, go for this! If you dont like me, get the Pom!
Also split the chips w guacamole and it was so good. Chips are drizzled w a «mojo» sauce which is apparently cilantro garlic and olive oil. Amazing!
Unique food! Was hesitant but glad I tried it before leaving Asheville!

Great salsa fresh homemade and tasty
Try the pineapple salsa!
My daughter loves the chicken tum-​yum-​tum
But it can be spicy.
I went simple and had the fish tacos .they are huge and way tasty
The restaurant is small and cozy but no chain restaurant food is here!
It can be a little cold depending on the weather and where you sit in relation to the door but bundle up or take off your coat and enjoy !!

There is no doubt that Salsa’s marches to the beat of their own drum. Though many of the menu items may seem outwardly familiar for Mexican fare (ie burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, empanadas, tacos, etc.), there is a distinctive and creative Caribbean-​like flair that makes their cuisine truly unique.
We sampled three of their salsas… well, one was guacamole (though they categorize it as one of their salsas). The two salsas were the «Fire-​roasted Tomato, Chipotle, and Peanut» and the «Ranchera». I was pleasantly surprised by their very generous portion sizes. Munching on their tasty chips with the massive mounds of salsa and guacamole goodness was almost a meal unto itself. Oh, and that guacamole? Quite possibly the best I’ve ever had (and believe me, I’ve eaten a lot of mashed avocados!).
I ordered a «Classic Burrito» with chicken and added melted cheese and chili sauce. There was nothing «classic» about it, though I am hardly complaining. Topped with the aforementioned melted cheese and chili sauce, I was also surprised by the unconventional addition of (what I will describe as) a cucumber salad garnish and tostones hanging out for good measure. Inside my burrito, I found delicious grilled chicken, yellow rice, pinto beans, spinach, sour cream, and queso. Again, massive portion size.
My wife ordered a chicken empanada. Though I would, again, be reluctant to call this an empanada, at least in the conventional sense, I am not complaining (nor was my wife). It was excellent. The chicken had a distinct curry taste to it, unlike the burrito, which was unexpected but welcome. Massive. Tasty. Unique.
We may have succeeded in eating half of what was on our plates. The spirit was willing… if only I had two stomachs.