Glassboro is now the proud home of the Mexican Mariachi Grill and Tequila Bar. Adjacent to student housing at 220 Rowan Boulevard, this restaurant offers traditional Latin American food with a fun, inviting atmosphere. Upon arrival, guests are seated and offered complimentary tortilla chips with both spicy and mild salsa. The menu ranges from smaller platters to more complex dishes that will fill up your plate. This includes fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, and a variety of enchiladas and tacos; the Grill’s Cancun fish tacos are their “most popular dish on social media,” according to the eatery’s menu.

“It was good,” Robin Barry, an advertising major, said. “It’s reasonably priced. My quesadilla was around $6, and it came with rice and beans.”

The Grill also features a tequila bar, stocked with over a dozen different varieties of the classic Mexican spirit, as well as an assortment of beer, wine, whiskey, vodka, and other liquors. According to management, the bar receives about two or three new bottles a week, for anyone interested in trying something new.

In addition to their array of alcohol, the menu offers Mexican Horchata and Jamaica (Hibiscus tea), as well as soda and water.

Decorated with lights and wooden furnishings, the establishment also features beautiful murals derived from Mexican art and history.

Originally founded by Ricardo Ramos Jr. and his wife, Viridiana, the couple opened their first location in Ewing, NJ back in 2010. Since then, they have brought Ricardo’s parents, Eugenia and Ricardo Sr. in for assistance, making it a true family business. The company has expanded, opening three more restaurants in the Garden State since its foundation, including the Glassboro location, which has been in business since May 2018.

It doesn’t take an extensive internet search, however, to find that the eatery has mixed reviews. Some online critics have scrutinized wait time, service, and the quality of food. In one response from their online account, the establishment explained these inadequacies:

“Being we’re new, we’re working through some growing pains, adjusting to the unknowns,” the account said. “Rest assured we’re adjusting fast and significantly increased the staffing. We’d love to make it up to you and have a chance to change your mind.”

While it may bother some, wait time seemed to be a nonissue for some patrons.

“It was quick,” added Barry, referring to the service.

Thomas Cervino said while enjoying lunch at the restaurant with his family. “The food came out so quickly, I didn’t know it was ours!”

In all, it’s left to the consumer to decide if this new spot on The Boulevard lives up to its bold slogan: “You can’t buy happiness, but you can go to the Mexican Mariachi Grill, and that’s pretty much the same thing!”

For comments/questions about this story, email features@thewhitonline.com or tweet @TheWhitOnline.