First time here was tonight and it was such a pleasure! A friend and I wanted to catch up over a beer as well as engage is some people watching and this was THE PERFECT place!! Our server (I think her name was Elizabeth) was super friendly and a bit scattered at times because it was so packed but her friendliness made it easy to look over. We shared some bean dip and chips which was excellent though I still think El Vaq takes the cake with the dips. We also had the salsa which was a bit bland (but still good). All in all a great experience. Very beautiful interior (see pics I posted) and a very charming place in general. Will definitely go back!!!
(4)
Nicholas T.
I live in this neighborhood and I have been here at least 20 times, but last night was the last. Let's start with the good. Great patio with pergolas and endless chips and salsa to keep you there and drinking. Now for the not so good: Service was just awful; After we were told there was a 45 minute wait for the patio (not a big deal) and no room at the bar we were then told we were not allowed to sit at an indoor table (only 2 of these tables had anybody sitting at them) to order drinks but to have a seat in the unlit closet with chairs behind the hostess. Are you kidding me!? Go to hell! The drinks....just awful. The one thing a Mexican restaurant should get right is a margarita. It's simple; Tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, ice. The mixologist served us something on the lines of glowing lime tang directly from a large vat in lovely plastic cups. I've had better at college parties. The food....The chicken in the tacos was bland and dry, and the beef tasted straight up like dog food. A far cry from any taco I've ever had in Mexico. I could barely swallow my one bite. My friend's chili rellenos looked like it was swimming in a pool or orange greasy dishwater and his one squishy bite was his last. Our group reached the consensus....Never again! EVER! This place has really gone down hill. Great location and patio, and they will probably survive fine based solely on those two things. Want better Mexican fair....Bakersfield is two blocks away serves only hand crafted margaritas and their tacos are amazing!
(1)
Matt G.
PLACE: It's a cool nook between Union and Haiku with a very large patio. EXPERIENCE: Went here for $.99 Taco Tues, and just wasn't impressed. Tacos [chicken or beef] were alright (wasn't expecting much in correlation with the cost). The service was solid; Corey was pretty attentive and took good care of us. OVERALL: I might go back for a happy hour, but it wouldn't be my first stop in the area.
(2)
Michael B.
Somewhat standard "Mexican" food, but enjoyable. However, their service tends to be pretty poor.
(2)
Kevin M.
Amazing food - from fish tacos, to quesadillas, to taco salads, to chips and salsa, everything ordered was delicious. Food arrived fresh, hot, and quick. No complaints whatsoever. Highly recommend!
(5)
Whitney D.
Basically just typical mexican food. The place wasn't crowded at all for a Friday night. Our server was nice, but brand new and messed our drink orders up and had to come back and ask a lot of questions. It's not necessarily a bad restaurant, just not at the level you'd expect do the short north.
(2)
Michael U.
So after going back here and looking at my past review it occurred to me that I was drunk last time. This time my friend got the Ceviche again and it was just a little colder than luke warm. The Queso Fundido was fine but served with not enough tortillas and they were so mashed together you couldn't get them apart. We then got the steak quesadilla which had hardly any cheese. Just okay. The patios still great but I'm certain any place would do well in that location. That being said at a 6pm on a Saturday they were dead. Grant it Comfest was going on but I thought that would make them more crowded.
(2)
Garrett M.
First time last night. Never again. Go to Kroger and buy a can of dog food it will be better quality food. And I could of saved 25 dollars by just picking up some margarita mix at the store rather than paying for a pitcher with no tequila added, paid for a pitcher of juice. Oh and was never checked on by the waitress except to take our order and give the bill. Do yourself a favor and stay away.
(1)
Jen G.
We were looking for somewhere fun to eat in Short North and should have picked somewhere else. The pozole soup was excellent and the salsa was okay but the food we ordered was sub par. I agree with the other reviewers who say that this is not authentic food. It is a shame. The soup was so good but it went down hill from there.
(2)
Kevin H.
Zero stars. Legit don't even bother trying it. Bad service, salsa/guacamole were horrible. Only positive was my bottled corona.. But even there my lime was dry.
(1)
Brent H.
'Gringoized' Mexican food, tasty margaritas, over-priced experience. As much as La Fogata tries to give you an authentic Mexican cantina experience, it needs to step up its game fast. If this place wants to charge customers Short North prices for gringoized food, the flavor and heat in the food needs to get better. For too long, La Fogata has depended so heavily its extensive margarita drink flavors and outdoor patio to give it the deserved label of Mexican mediocrity. Upon my finish Sunday at the Columbus Marathon, Mexican food had quite the appeal to refuel my body and to celebrate with friends. Since it was a Sunday afternoon, we walked in and sat ourselves at a 2-top right by the bar assuming we would have a server in a reasonable time. Ten minutes later, our waitress finally showed up with some salsa and chips and to take our drink orders, apologizing for the delay. I figured "hey maybe they cut a few early and she's the only one on the waitstaff floor". After tasting the lukewarm chips and runny salsa that was the end of the "fresh" batch and two-days old. The time couldn't come sooner to taste the Bloody Mary (virgin style). My friend ordered the bean dip and I went with the Huevos Rancheros - two items that shouldn't be too much of a hassle on the cocineros and decrease ticket-time. The pink prickly pear margarita my friend ordered was tasty with a decent presentation. However, my Bloody Mary (Virgin) looked and tasted as if it was from a GFS industrial mix poured right into the glass. No heat, minimal flavor beyond the tomato and black pepper, and a cocktail recipe that needs tips from Jon Taffer's mixologists at Bar Rescue. After I went through about every detail of the marathon race and my weekend, the food showed up. Honestly, I've been to cafes in Costa Rica that have brought out food quicker on 'Tico Time' faster than this place. So I was like, "OK maybe it was made-to-order, and I should try being Minnesota nice and less Gringo on service expectations." Alas, the huevos rancheros, rice, and beans lacked the flavor and spice that define Mexican cuisine. You know, the cumin powder, fresh garlic, jalapeño seasonings? Nope, not there this time folks. For 7.99, it filled my stomach enough to give this review two stars. To her credit, the waitress was very friendly and came back a few times to ask us if we wanted another round of drinks as well as chips and salsa. Also, she was able to adjust the price on my Virgin Mary drink from 6.99 to 5.99 since it was sans vodka and came in a size slightly bigger than a rocks glass. For those reasons, I tipped her 20 percent because I empathize as a former server that knows what it is like to be understaffed and dealt a bad hand in the form of bad food ticket times. La Fogata likes to hype itself up as an establishment with true Latino vibes and a great place to meet new friends. To be fair, I've come for a few of their salsa dancing lessons and Network Columbus, sponsored by Outlook Media when I worked as an Editorial Intern. Great for the social events on the top floor and the patio for drinking and running up the bar tab. After one two many Coronas or margaritas, food at La Fogata becomes more of a necessity as the taste buds don't care how much/how fast you shovel down all that Gringo comida. This past summer, my friends and I wanted to hit up a place to watch the World Cup match that had an awesome atmosphere. Knowing how much Mexicanos and Argentines love their fútbol, La Fogata it was. While I understand you don't need the jumbotron TVs you have at BW3, the 32 inch flatscreens are OK if you're at the bar, but very difficult to see for group tables in the back. Now I can understand why the Pint House was packed next door while La Fogata had lots of open tables for the World Cup Final. Getting our checks and watching the second half at the Pint House was a great decision. Salsa lessons and patio drinking? Count me in. Margaritas and happy-hour specials? I'm there if I can find parking in the Short North. Quality Mexican food...¿En serio hombre?
(2)
Mindy W.
This place has one of the most wonderful patios in Columbus. I love coming here during good weather. Their margaritas are good and they have really good food and drink specials (Taco Tuesday-$1.00 taco!). They definitely don't have my favorite Mexican food in the city, but it's well worth the trip during nice weather!
(3)
Arvid Y.
I've been here a few times. As others have mentioned, Fogata's large patio and prime location in central Short North makes it a desirable location to drink, dine and people watch. The food is just okay though. They have a Taco Tuesday deal with $1.99 hard shell tacos. The tacos are a bit simple as compared to places like Local Cantina, so I would go elsewhere for Taco Tuesdays. I had their pollo loco, which was a combination of grilled chicken, chorizo and cheese. This was actually very tasty and the portions were large too. The service can be slow, but friendly and courteous. The beer selection is pretty limited, but as long as they have Pacifico on draft, i'm happy. Anyways, La Fogata isn't the best Mexican restaurant in town, but it's one of the few decent options in the Short North area. The patio is definitely worth checking out!
(3)
Kedar K.
I never knew Mexican food could taste bad!! Till I visited this place !!! Chips were stale ..salsa just about ok . Guacamole was runny and stale. My fav mole sauce tasted like ketchup Even Mexican rice was flavorless !!
(1)
Maria P.
This was my first experience at La Fogata. I was attracted to the restaurant as we were looking for a place that had a great patio. Their patio is nice and spacious and can fit a lot of people which is awesome! We had had the chips and salsa. The chips were very bland and didn't seem to have any salt. The salsa barely had any flavor. I was not impressed. Normally, when my friends and I go out we devour the chips and salsa and get seconds. This time we did not even finish the first basket. Because we were not impressed with the chips and salsa, we decided to finish our drinks and go some place else for food. I was very excited to try one of the fruit Juleps listed on the menu. When I ordered the waiter told me it was unavailable as they grow their own mint. I think that is so cool they grow their own mint as you know you are getting fresh mint. However, if you aren't able to order it, then it should not be listed on the menu or list it as a seasonal drink. Instead I got a beer which was reasonably priced $4. Service was slow but the waiter that served us was very friendly.
(2)
Kevin F.
Never again! They weren't even busy and I sat there for 15 minutes without even being acknowledged. No water, no chips, no one stopping by to say they would be right with me. There are way too many restaurant options on the Short North than to waste your time on this dump!
(1)
Heather S.
So I've been here four times now and it is just "eh". The food is no different than any other "authentic Mexican" restaurant in town. It's good, I like it, but nothing special. The low rating is for the service. Good grief, every time we have been here the service has been terrible. We were there this past weekend for a pub crawl for St. Patrick's Day and as all of the Short North area was hopping with day drinkers enjoying the first nice Saturday in months, La Fogata refused to serve anyone on the patio. WTF? You knew you were getting a pub crawl stop, you knew it was St. Pats celebrations, you knew the weather was awesome- the tables and chairs were set up on the patio, but they had no service whatsoever. This is completely unacceptable! I tried to send them an email on their website, but of course it isn't working. Put aside my extreme frustration over the weekend (and hundreds of other people), it has a wonderful patio to enjoy some drinks and chips and salsa in the wonderful Short North- if you can get service.
(2)
Toni K.
My first experience at La Fogata was better than expected. The food is decent, and better than a certain restaurant that inexplicably wins Columbest each year. Portion sizes are typically large, and flavors are good (shout out to the chile relleno and chicken fajita). For patio drinking and people watching this place is on prime real estate. Wait times are short, the variety of margaritas is scholarly, and service is friendly, if not a little slow and forgetful (never received one water and one side order of guac). For being the first Mexican restaurant in the Short North (to my recollection), La Fogata has done a decent job holding the crown, although with the new wave of taco-shillers coming in (Condado, Nada) there's definitely some new competition in town.
(3)
Taylor M.
DO NOT GO HERE. I have been a loyal customer to this place for the past 3 years. Going many Tuesdays a month for their $1 tacos. I'm a vegetarian & I have NEVER been given crap about getting beans in my taco instead of the chicken or beef (might I add that beans are cheaper?!) until tonight. First off, our waiter was absolutely the worst waiter I have ever had in my life. His name was Angel. If you ever get him, be prepared to get screwed over. He was so rude & gave me crap about asking for beans instead of meat & said they would not do any substitutions. I have told him I have done this for the past 3 years for Taco Tuesdays but he wouldn't listen. I asked for the manager and her brought over this overweight, Hispanic lady who goes by "Mama" I guess. For one, she couldn't speak English and was practically yelling in my face that I couldn't get any substitutions for the meat without paying regular price....even though I told her I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM GETTING THE BEANS FOR THE SPECIAL FOR THE PAST 3 DAMN YEARS. Needless to say, I didn't order anything. But I wasn't the only one who had bad service. Angel would NEVER come to our table to see if we needed anything. We practically had to hunt him down for the rest of the table to order food. When he would come by, he would take 1 persons order then run away when we still had 5 other people left to order food! He was seriously an idiot. And the thing is, the restaurant was NOT even busy!!!! Also another person at our table ended up getting charged for someone else's order who had already left and PAID. Angel said he forgot to charge that person one thing on their bill so he made someone else pay it....it was HIS mistake he messed up the order! I was a regular customer here for a while but after tonight, I will NEVER GIVE THIS PLACE BUSINESS AGAIN. Also, the head manager was supposed to call me tonight but I'm not surprised that hasn't happened. DO NOT GO HERE.
(1)
Melanie M.
Back when I used to be in Columbus full time (okay only a year ago) we'd always get a group to go to La Fogata for "Margarita Mondays" (just $1.99). We'd invariably start with a table of three... and then gradually grow to a table of twelve. I recall one night after this happened, our waitress threw her hands in the air and shouted "*#*%& it, I quit!" She was kidding (I saw her there on subsequent visits). But seriously. Great patio. I like the margaritas. No, they might not be "the perfect margarita" but they have interesting flavors (blood orange, mango, pomegranate, desert pear, etc) that aren't overly sweet. Plus, they're a perfect size. It's not a tiny tumbler, and you're not drinking out of a fishbowl. Just right. As far as the food goes, for me it's very limited as a vegan. My guy and I had taken to getting the create your own plate option with two burritos. They did a good job of veganizing the dish - can't have the rice though (chicken stock). The food is good, filling, but really nothing super spectacular. I'm giving La Fogata the four stars based on the overall picture. It's a fun place, great service, yummy drinks, awesome patio... Cannot wait until I'm back in town on Monday (in two weeks!), you'll definitely see me down there!!
(4)
Jeffrey S.
When I lived in Victorian Village this was definitely a destination spot in the summer. I love the patio out front and it is even more enjoyable during gallery hop. The food is excellent and I always enjoy their Margaritas.
(4)
Robert T.
2-stars, one of which is becuase it has a really nice big patio; other than that it really is just a 1 star restaurant. The service here isn't really that great, and I didn't see a single mexican working, which leads us to believe that INS must have raided them the week before! Althoug our waitress was amusing her waitressing skills were quite lacking. She told us that they had ran out of rice (how can a Mexican restuarant run out of rice I ask, but then again I have been to a baker that ran out of eggs so I know longer question such things), and that she would give us double orders of beans or an order of quacomole salade with our entrees. It acutally turns out they were out of beans, and not rice. We constantly had to ask for more drinks, and a few times the wrong drinks were brought, and Todd's order was once again messed up, and when it was brough back correctly it was cold. The prices arent bad for a Short North eatery, but the service and value aren't really there. Again, the only real thing La Fogata has going is the fact that it has a large patio, but you have to ask yourself is it worth waiting an hour for just for the same stuff that you can get at Taco Bell.
(2)
Briden S.
Food is GREAT! Butttt the service could be better, I went there one night when it was not all that busy and after we receive our food I did not even see our waiter until we were all done an past wanting refills.
(4)
H H.
I used to love this place. Unfortunately the last two times have been ok and then horrible. I went for my birthday dinner and ordered the enchiladas. They are great. This time they were as good as usual, but my last enchilada contained a little present. I either bit into a piece of small wood or a small sharp bone that stabbed me in the gum. That was it for me. I was done. I mentioned something to the waiter who told me all the chicken was pulled by hand and it must have been a bone. He took 10% off my meal. Well you can keep your 80 cents. I will pass. The previous outing was ok. However I went to pay and my waiter told me my credit card had been declined. This was a concern because I had enough money. I thought maybe there were unauthorized charges or something. I promptly called my bank from my table. My bank looked at the activity on my account. They said the waiter never called the number in or tried to manually type it in. He swiped once and got an error. Luckily I had my emergency credit card on me, but come on man. I'll be avoiding this place unless I want chips and salsa or beer. It is hard to mess any of that up.
(2)
Red D.
Decent food, no complaints. Decent portions. Great tortilla chips. I give the salsa a C-. Has a great patio and a huge bar. Our bartender/server (the one with the Mitt Romney hair) was excellent. I frequent here regularly. The Margaritas are above average. One big complaint is that there's no curtain or blind on the western window so sitting at the bar around sunset is absolutely blinding and ruins the experience.
(3)
Shannon M.
We started here before stumbled down to Skullys. The patio is awesome and somewhat....SOMEWHAT...covers the sins of bland food and terrible service. We waited quite some time for our waiter to bring our drinks. The salsa is very bland. Fish tacos weren't bad but nothing to write yelp about. But the service..while very cute he was completely clueless.
(2)
Melanie B.
That'll do, pig. That'll do. That's pretty much how I feel about La Fogata. I've been here before, but it was in summer '08, so obviously I wasn't compelled to Hurry Back... but tonight, two friends and I ventured out into the snow (again! It's never gonna stop this year!) after class to get dinner, and driving through the Short North this was the one suggestion I made that was agreeable to all. So basically, nothing compelled us to go here 'cept hunger, mid-range prices, and not wanting to veer off High Street. I had the carnitas, and they were good. The meat was a bit salty, and the portion was huge - I was gonna take most of it home, but my waiter actually just cleared my place without asking if I wanted a box. Alas and alack. Guess I didn't need any more salt. My friends got the smothered burrito and the taco salad respectively. Everyone was fine with their meals, but no one was raving. My one friend who spent a lot of time in the West said her burrito wasn't spicy enough (though I feel like that's a west v. midwest Mexican population cultural difference). I had a beer, and one of my friends had a mojito. Nothing to rave about there, either. Am I boring you? I'm boring me too, good god - guess that's because this was an unremarkable dining experience (company was wonderful though). Service was attentive, except for the whole no box thing - we were there for a long time talking, and the waiter did a good job of navigating when to interject and whatnot. Still. Nonplussed is the word, I believe. Prolly be another two years before I decide to try this place again. Oh and not to go on hearsay (haha but I'm going to), the boy said he tried their maragarita recently and it too was a no-go.
(2)
Morgan D.
Honestly, I've only been for happy hour and meetings upstairs, but here's what I can tell you. They have yummy Cuervo margaritas and decent chips and salsa. The salsa isn't very spicy either, which is a big plus in my book. I really hate the interior. The thinly painted red walls and dark stained woods strike the wrong note with me. But the addition of the patio out front is a VAST improvement over what previous owners (Rojo) managed. The upstairs (I know! I couldn't believe they had an upstairs either!) is actually very big. There are hardwood floors, a mini bar, a plush black couch, and small round tables. The space is big enough to accommodate a group of sixty comfortably. That's about how many people we had at our meeting. I love the La Fogata staff. They were kind enough to serve fresh coffee, which was your average Joe. Here's the most interesting part of La Fogata - the women's bathroom. It's very large and very clean. But when you flush the toilet, it sounds like there's a fire truck in the stall. The sound lasts for a good minute or two. What's that all about?! Extra points for a no-touch paper towel dispenser. There's a private parking lot behind the building. It's large for the Short North. I'd say it holds about twenty cars.
(4)
Robert P.
I can't give this place more than two stars based on poor service nearly every visit. My most recent visit, dinner with three friends, the server never once returned to the table until we were done eating. We had to find utensils ourselves and apparently refills of water were not happening for us or any of the three tables near us. Finally, our cheques were a mess.
(2)
Ellen F.
For me, the lure of a Mexican restaurant is determined by the salsa and the margarita's. Both of these requirements were achieved with big shiny stars. The salsa, well how do you describe? It's one of those things you have to compare yourself. I'm not a food critic, so I really can't add anything more than there's tomatoes, onions, herb and spices. But I promise you, it's really good!!! The servings compete with the El Vaquero's and Mi Mexico's out there. They are big! I got a salad, and it was the size of an entree plate. My friend got the tortilla soup, in a bowl. The bowl probably held 2-3 cups of soup. If you cook, then you know that's a lot of soup. He was determined to finish. Good for you! We also downed the chips, which were nothing tasty, just a ladle for the salsa. Our server was Megan. She was very friendly and did a great job taking the orders, and splitting the check. But either she was a little distracted or the communication between she and the cooks was jumbled. Not a big deal, just a few items were missing from the order. It was remedied within a few minutes. In the winter, Wednesday nights are a little slow, and picks up towards the end of the week. During the summer every night on the patio is a hit, especially Gallery hop nights!
(5)
Cmhmusicman C.
This place is pretty awful. The food is ok. Not good, not bad, and a decent amount for the price, however it is horribly mismanaged, if they even have a front end manager they have no idea what they are doing. There is no coordination amongst the wait staff. The wait staff actually actively IGNORE you if you are not pretty and trendy. Seriously. I have been blatantly ignored and been treated very rudely in front of friends...I can only assume because I am overweight and don't wear Hollister. I have had to beg for even a menu while another person at the table gets fawned over, this has been over years with different staff, I can only assu,e they are instructed to behave that way by management. Its not like I smell or look like a homeless person. Just a clean average fat guy. The patio is incredible though. I think that the location next to Union is saving them. If they didn't have a prime location with a patio they would have closed long long ago.
(1)
James G.
I find this place to be atrocious. Even though it is packed most of the time and has the advantage of outside seating, the food is worse than dog food. The prices - well, for the quality they should pay their diners to eat there. The service is repulsive, among the worst ever experienced. It's almost like the servers truly hate you. Forced to go there for various things over the years, but would never go without extreme coercion. Save me, please!
(1)
Katherine M.
LOVE! Best patio in the Short North. Standard tequila supply, and for those that like doctored-up margaritas, here you have the laundry list of flavor opportunity. Great Mexican food. Best chorizo queso I've found in Columbus - and served with hot soft tortillas too, not just chips. Parking is so easy now with the Hub garage right next door (cheap, easy, accessible, and safe)! Only downfall is the wait on nice days, because the patio is so popular. But inside it's never crowded. Pull up a stool at the bar to wait for the outside - it's worth it.
(4)
Sarah B.
Ok, so this place have a nice patio with good views of High Street. Also, I once had a pretty tasty soup here... I think it was a posole one, but I can't remember. Other than that, La Fogata is woefully mediocre and overpriced. My boyfriend and I came during their appetizer happy hour (so not worth it) and got the guacamole salad, among other things. If you want a small pile of guac that resembles that stuff you can buy in a bag at Giant Eagle, but if you want to pay restaurant prices for it, feel free to order that salad. Its only resemblance to a salad was the pile of lukewarm iceberg lettuce upon which it was served. I could make something more inspired with an avocado and some salt. I've been here twice (the first time was better....) and had a pitcher of margarita both times. The first time, it was good. The second time, it was nasty. I'm not much of a connoisseur of anything, so I can't pinpoint exactly what was "off..." but the second time it was syrupy and sweet, not sour like a margarita should be. Were there something amazing about this place, like the service, or the decor, I would be more forgiving, but the service on the night we were there was awful! We sat in the middle of the patio, and were visibly ignored by two separate servers (i think we were in the middle of both of their areas) until a busboy took pity on us and brought us chips. I seriously considered walking away since it took such a long time to get anything, even a napkin, put in front of us. In short, my quest for a nice Corona-patio-taco location is going to continue, because it's currently my own porch, with a store-bought Corona and a take-away taco from La Bamba.
(2)
Jimena M.
I'm from out of town. Met up with a former co-worker of mine and he recommended this place. There outdoor patio is quite lovely and it was a perfect day to be eating outside, sunny, not too hot, wonderful. I ordered a pineapple margarita, this is a first! It was quite strong and tasty! They brought out tortilla chips and salsa, the tortilla chips were from a bag and a little too hard. The salsa was very boring and watery. I asked for extra hot sauce and they brought out green and red habanero hot sauce, oh yea! that kicked things up a notch. I ordered their carnitas, the pork was tender, it came with rice, refried beans, tortillas and guacamole, it was a huge portion and it was pretty good. Overall I had a satisfying meal. Not the best carnitas I've had, but definitely tasty.
(3)
Debbie A.
Horrible. Absolutely horrible. Tortilla soup tasted like an entire shaker of salt had been poured into it, the burritos were disgustingly and disturbingly chewy and the chips were cold and stale. Our food took over 40 mins to arrive and we were charged gratuity on a bill for 3 dinners, which we unfortunately didn't realize until we got home in our haste to get out of there. They must stay in business based on location alone.
(1)
Brent P.
We met friends here, and any restaurant is a good restaurant to talk and enjoy some company. And that was the highlight of La Fogata. The food and atmosphere is terribly mediocre. It's as if everyone eating there has made a collective decision to settle since there aren't many Mexican options in the area. My wife's margarita was watered down and the service was suspect. On a positive note, you come out smelling like a deep fryer. So that's something, right? Their patio seems nice, but I wouldn't even suggest sitting there and eating their chips and salsa. Somehow they don't include salt on the tortilla chips, but succeed in making the rest of their dishes overly salty. Walk to a taco truck in the area or seek out an upgraded Mexican option. Like Taco Bell. La Fogata, you Fogata the flavor.
(2)
Mike K.
Food in the Short North mostly sucks and this is no exception. I got the Verde Burritos with chicken. I think the cook dumped a whole bottle of salt into the sauce. I thought I was imagining it but I gave it to my companions to try and they agreed that it was inedible. We had a pretty good server who took it off the bill without a fuss. We also had two pitchers of margaritas: regular on the rocks and frozen strawberry. Both were incredibly sweet and not very good but they got the job done. The chips and salsa were the highlight of this place. They also have shots of a homemade chili-infused tequila. It's spicy as hell and has the aftertaste of cocaine.
(1)
Jim R.
Food was pretty good but the service and margaritas prevented me from giving more stars.
(3)
Kristina B.
I love scrolling over the stars to reread the descriptions given for each. I feel that the one for 2 stars is exactly accurate when it comes to La Fogata -- I've experienced better. Our server was awesome. The outdoor seating area was enjoyable on the day that we went. Other aspects of this place are just...plain... Meh. My mojito was awful. The mint wasn't even muddled. So I basically drank 1/3 of what could best be described as a bunch of leaves floating atop a glass of foul Sprite. The margaritas were no better. Ugh. I switched to Corona soon after. The food -- meh. I had chilaquiles and they were covered in cheese. Cheese is a good thing, yes. Love it. Dairy is my bff. BUT!! This was just an insane amount of cheese. The excess of it didn't allow for a necessarily enjoyable dining experience because I was missing out on the wonderful flavors a properly made plate of chilaquiles provides. Oh well. This place is fine. I've had waaaay better, though.
(2)
Jason B.
food is ok. Salsa and chips are great. Service has been an issue the past few times I have been there to a point t I am not inclined to return.
(2)
Andrea W.
So I want to let you know I have been here a few times. The boy likes it and it's the closest Mexican restaurant around. This time was OK we sat on the patio and apparently Sundays they have $3 Bloody Marys and Mimosas! Love this! Ok, focus, anyways so the patio had a great atmosphere the service was good, the food was ok. Not bad, but not great. However, I'm pretty sure out of the 3 times I've been here this is the first time they got my order correct. They would always give me shredded chicken, now I don't know if they normally run out of shredded beef but just tell me because I like beef. Scratch that, I love beef, so La Fogata please don't leave me hanging. Anyways, sorry i'm a little ADD today. The overall experience this time was good but the past two times were not at all so 2 stars, sorry. If i go again i will update but for now this is how we will part La Fogata.
(2)
Kayre H.
To be honest, I've only eaten here once and I only had a soup, but it was decent. What I go there for all the time though is Salsa Nights! Friday nights upstairs they have Salsa, Merengue and Bachata til 2am. It's usually just music by a DJ, but recently there's been some live accompaniments, which is always nice. The upstairs is roomy, and the atmosphere is fun and laid back. Definitely not sketchy, like some other dancing venues I've been to in Columbus. Big dancefloor, enough tables and chairs around and a couch area for those who for some reason actually want to eat/drink/rest when there's awesome Salsaness to be had! ;-)
(4)
Amy S.
This is a great patio in the Short North, but the actual food is less than amazing. This is coming from a Quesadilla lover who doesn't think she should have to pay more for grilled chicken instead of suffering through the shredded chicken. Not that their shredded chicken is bad... I just don't think it belongs in a Quesadilla and that is unfortunately a frequent occurrence in Americanized versions.
(3)
Zola B.
The food at La Fogata deserves only 1 star, but the beer and tequila selection made me give it 2 stars. The food is slop. The service is also crappy at the tables, but decent at the bar. There is nothing authentic about their food. Gross.
(2)
Brett L.
The food here was pretty bland and just did not taste right. This had to be the worst mexican food I've had in the Columbus area. The only reason that the restaurant is not getting 1 star was it's service, location, and drink specials. The service was great, the drink specials were great, and the location would be great for a couple of drinks during happy hour on the patio. But I would go elsewhere for food.
(3)
Josias V.
I like la fogata, only been there twice, but I always get great service and a smile
(4)
Jo P.
This place is all right. Every time we've been (3 times) it's always been reaaaaally slow getting food. Also, my husband is part Mexican, and his family is all about making the food (homemade tortillas... mmmm...) and this is NOTHING whatsoever like true Mexican food. That doesn't make it bad though I guess...
(3)
Tom Q.
It was a beautiful early spring day here in Columbus. A smart business person would have checked the weather report, and having the knowledge of the beautiful weather, with the biggest dining patio in the Short North, it would be a banner start to the season. Not so with La Fogata. The wait was long for a patio table. The wait for food, after ordering, was over an hour. No "check ins" from our server during that time. Once the food arrived, two of the five in my party waited an additional half hour for their meals (and if it had not been for my bringing this issue to the attention of our inattentive waiter, I doubt if they would have ever had their food). The fact that this place has prospered is astounding to me. The food is one level above Taco Bell at best, and the service is atrocious.The nice thing about La Fogata is knowing that the meal will look the same on its "way out" the next day. I have dined here on many occasions, and have always forgiven mediocre dining experiences to the wonderment of the best patio in the Short North. No more. Get your act together, people.
(2)
Aaron S.
Nice place, great food!
(4)
doreen w.
The first time I tried this place was during the summer. All of the Short North patios were packed,even the off the beaten path Cafe Apropo. It was a laid back and warm summer Friday evening after work and we just wanted to sit outside and get a little loaded. I had been to this spot before when it had a different name and different owners on a Tuesday when they had $1 tacos, so I was psyched to try out the new menu. We were fortunate to get a table outside and immediately inquired about a happy hour. Our server answered with an abrupt no! Our disappointment melted when we were reassured by the $5 margaritas which came swiftly and were served up strong. We shared tostadas, fresh guacamole, and tacos and left feeling satisfied on this summer's eve. It was this warm memory that took me back recently with friends just days after the 'precipitation' that blanketed c-bus. We ordered almost exactly the same items and it just didn't do the trick. The drinks seemed a bit weak and the food felt mediocre. Perhaps the kitchen has some serious SAD or maybe my summer time fun was a case of mind over matter. I'm sure I'll be back when the weather warms since the patio is the best in the short north both lively and roomy.
(3)
Jerri J.
La Fogata has always been my go to as far as where to go for the best patio in the area, as well as everyone I know. The staff treats everyone like they are a friend or family and they can back it up with amazing and authentic mexican food and even the $2 margs are delicious. The owner makes it a point whenever he can to greet everyone, service is fast. I have been going there for years and the waitstaff has always always been fun and friendly, even during lunch! Quality and consistency is difficult in this industtry but as far as I can see, they have it!
(5)
Mitch H.
La Fogata is fine. I've had better, but considering the lack of good mexican places in Columbus, I continue to eat here. The Chile Verde is quite good, as are the Steak Tacos. However, I have not had anything else on the menu that garnered more than a 'meh.' The margaritas are also a little hit or miss. Like I said. It's fine.
(3)
Doug M.
First time here last weekend, highly doubt there will be a second visit. Food was mediocre, order screwed up multiple ways and the service was really bad. Atmosphere is good, nice looking restaurant, nice patio. To expand on our service; ordered from vegetarian menu, 3 item plate. End up with a chicken enchilada, after finally flagging down our elusive waiter he takes my whole plate. I say the other items are fine and I'd like to keep them but am ignored. Takes my glass for a refill which never comes. Have to flag a different waiter (where did ours go?) who brings refill. By the time original waiter comes back with my plate my entire table is done eating. In clearing table takes all napkins, disappears. Flag yet another waiter for napkins but he obviously forgets quickly, flag yet another waiter to finally get a napkin so I can eat. The 2 items that were correct on my dish were replaced and now taste worse than before. Meal mediocre, service terrible. I have to add that at no point during this meal did the restaurant have more than 3 other tables so they weren't busy...
(2)
Allison S.
The food is pretty bad--edible but not tasty. Very bland. Margaritas taste like 7-Up. Large patio is a plus. Seems to be good for groups.
(2)
Pete C.
The authentic Mexican food that's served at La Fogata is almost identical to that of El Vaquero, but the outdoor patio at this Short North restaurant easily blows El Vaquero out of the water. After taking over from Roja, the previous owner, La Fogata retooled the front driveway area in to a wood slatted patio that looks eerily similar to the one next door at Haiku. It's covered with Corona and Bud Light flags, of course, but next to Cazuela's I can't think of a better place to eat some fajitas on a sunny day. The menu here isn't any sort of attempt for La Fogata to reinvent the wheel, but you'll find plenty of combos that sound interesting regardless. The pick 3 platter is a great dish for the indecisive, and if I remember correctly it was only $8. Make sure to try a pitcher of one of their margaritas as well- they're cold as ice and stiff as a board. Parking is the only distraction from the pretty good time you'll have at La Fogata, but that's what you have to expect with just about any restaurant down there. You won't be disappointed with the food or the environment, so it's worth it to go anyways.
(4)
Diana N.
i ordered camarones a la diabla (shrimp in spicy sauce). it comes with tortillas, guacamole, rice, lettuce, and tomatoes not impressed. the shrimp was well cooked, but the flavor was forgettable...just a mildly spicy salsa-like sauce. the other people in my party ordered this garlic shrimp dish, taco salad, and enchiladas. they weren't impressed either. the server was very nice and funny though.
(2)
Steven H.
La Fogata Grill took over the former site of Rojo Tequileria and the menu is much improved. The patio is great for people-watching but be prepared to wait to be seated there on the weekends. Excellent quesadillas, tacos, chips + salsa and a varied tequila listing.
(3)
P W.
My friend had a beer league softball game on a sunny Sunday in Columbus. We started drinking early, and continued on throughout the eve. We ended up with a large group of eaters at La Fogata. Our party had around 10 to 15 people, the service was slow, but she did a great job at keeping everything straight. We observed a large group of dudes hanging out next door at what is called Union. They wandered next door to La Fogata. A woman among this group of dudes kept touching her breasts inappropriately. Especially in a family atmosphere like this. My friend walked inside to use the restroom. The group of drinkers, woman included, stood by the hostess station. The girl asked my friend if he was gay, he said no, she said he had a nice body and lifted his shirt and started rubbing his chest. He returned to the table smiling. I asked what just happened, he said, "I don't know, but she was kind of hot". I informed him that the girl was actually a guy with breast implants dressed as a woman. It was one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. The food was alright. Nice patio.
(3)
Anna H.
i ate lunch at 11am. i sat at the bar. i was given chips and a very fresh tomato flavor and very mild salsa. i had the pollo loco which is chicken breast with shredded chorizo (no spice but not greasy)and mexican cheese. it came with rice but no beans, very sad. i had to order beans as a side order.
(3)
Jamie S.
Its about time for downtown Columbus to have a very tasty and fun Mexican restaurant!! Great chips & salsa. Better than Vaquero. Food is just like most other Mexican joints in CBus. One of the best patio's on High St. Never had a bad time, bad service, or bad food.
(4)
Sarah G.
Against my better judgment I went here again today bec as use the lure of the patio and sunshine is too great and yes, it's still mediocre food with just as terrible service as it was last time I went a year ago. I would venture to say they have the consistently worst service in Columbus! Today I was greeted by the bartender 10 mins after sitting down by her throwing a menu at me in a huff and saying "just a sec" after I asked her for a drink. Now Iknow she was busy but I worked as a server/bartender for 12 years and she was doing side work before she even greeted us, that's a "no, no". We drank watered down house margaritas while waiting for a patio table. Once we got one we waited 25 minutes for a server to come to the table, other tables who came after us got drinks before we even had a server. I just kind of sighed bc I knew better than to come to this over rated place. I flagged down the closest server and we begged him to wait on us, luckily he did. The food was bleh-ish not great. Don't go here unless you just don't care about service, food quality or drink quality. PATIO IS THE ONLY GOOD THING.
(1)
Parker T.
Horrible!! Poor service and worse good! It is really bad when the waitress picks up an uneaten plate and instead of asking if anything was wrong with the food asks if a to go box is needed.
(1)
Marissa H.
Me feeling spontaneous one evening walking in short north with my boyfriend, we came across this place. I figured let's try here....besides it looked pretty nice. Service was bad and extremely slow for it being not very crowded on a Sunday evening, food was ok- pretty bland for a Mexican joint. The $22 pitcher of Margarita didn't even leave me with a buzz at the end of our meal. Last but not least, our waitress added on to what we originally tipped her ($5 because of the terrible service somehow posted as a $10 tip in my boyfriends bank). Would not recommend. Good news is I heard that they're not going to be open that much longer because another company is replacing that location!
(2)
Food C.
Awful service. So many workers but wasn't given any napkins or refills unless requested. Waitress was bitchy and rude to our dd for not ordering a drink. It was quiet which was nice but they seemed desperate for a buck and rude if you weren't buying seven course meals. So long of a wait in a fairly empty place!
(1)
Matthew S.
Let's be honest, there are really only 2 reasons to go here. The patio, and the Corona-Rita. The food is good, but there are way better places to get mexican food. I've never had great service here either. We usually only go here twice a year. Once because it's a stop on a charity pub crawl we do. The other is when the weather is so nice that you HAVE to have a marg on a patio.
(3)
Hannah B.
This place was awful. I got delivery and the order was all wrong, and everything we did end up getting looked and tasted atrocious. I could have made everything I ordered in the comfort of my own home at a much less expensive price and I'm positive it would have tasted much more flavorful than this did. I will be requesting refund as well as never giving them my service again until there are some major changes in the way they make their food.
(1)
Sean H.
Experience never even began. Got there at 9pm on a Friday, night but they weren't even half full. Servers running around like its the apocalypse. Yet...10 minutes sitting at the table and nobody said so much as hi. No less than 8 servers ran by. We left without a word, and the host said bye, unfazed that we were leaving after such a short stay. Will not be coming back without assurances from ownership that things have changed.
(1)
Paul Z.
Service was very very mediocre. Walked to the hostess stand where there were 6 employees having personal conversations rather than interested in seating my group in an empty restaurant. Servers have no regard for etiquette as they banged the "birthday drum" in my ear very loudly twice while walking to other tables. Unnecessary.
(1)
Anna K.
I'm not trying to sound mean, but this review will come off mean. I don't know why this restaurant claims a prime location in the heart of short north. Wow. Besides the money I wasted on dinner (thankfully I was in good company) I felt like I wasted money just driving there. Their hours listed on Yelp are wrong: weird. They don't have anything that is actually listed on their menu: weird. The chips are super stale, and if you get more than one basket they charge you: so weird. I wanted a salad with oil based dressing, they said they only have ranch. I asked for just oil and they said they only have ranch. My girlfriend asked about the sauce listed for her entree and he replied: we actually don't have that, just ranch. Her steak was cold, not like oh it's been sitting awhile but like- just defrosted cold. My chicken was the kind of chicken you look at and immediately know it's going to make you sick. I got 4-5oz of chicken and just romaine lettuce for $8. Moral: walk quickly past this place.
(1)
Jonathan L.
This place stinks. The food is lousy, the service is lousy but on a sunny day their patio is packed full. I guess they have a nice patio. One star. Oh yeah, first chips and salsa is free, another basket of chips will cost you, read the fine print on the menu.
(1)
Jenna B.
The best thing La Fagota has going for them is undoubtedly their location, and a great patio during the few months out of the year we can actually utilize it. The second best thing is their large variety of margarita flavors (I'm a sucker for blood orange!). Because I could eat Mexican food all day every day, their menu certainly satisfies. However, it's not the best Mexican food in town by any means. I've had many different salads, fajitas, etc. and they're all just good - nothing that I get overly-excited for nor linger over afterward (although the smell tends to linger for quite some time...). Personally, I think it's a little overpriced, but the location is worth it all. Like I always say, any meal that starts with free chips and salsa is sure to end with a smile! (that's actually the first time I've said that, but really.) Speaking of smiles, I also have to give them kudos for their service - for it is both fast AND friendly! During my last visit, I even had the pleasure of being serenaded on at least four separate occasions - apparently it was a big night for birthdays! Whether you are celebrating something special or just looking for a fun, decent meal, La Fagota is typically a safe bet!
(4)
Kristina I.
La Fogata is the place to go if you're looking for a great margarita (or Coronarita which is my personal favorite) & just overall good vibes. Its in the short north so its beautiful especially in the summertime on that patio ( which is packed all summer long so plan ahead ) cinco de mayo celebrations are so much fun here too. The Mexican food is not authentic by any means but depending on what you order it could be a hit or miss. They have salsa dancing on Friday nights upstairs which are great for date nights, they have a bar up there too. The staff are my favorite, they are just really cool funny people but if you're one of those high maintenance customers that expect a specific level of service & attention don't be surprised when you wont be getting that.
(5)
Emma L.
La Fogata has 2 things going for them. They are the only Mexican restaurant in the Short North and they have an amazing patio, a commodity for the area. Literally, that's it. When I first moved to the area I thought, oh it's in Short North, it must be good, right? Oh, I can walk there? Ok, great - let's go! And every single time it has been a let down. Once my queso dip tasted like perfume. Overall the food is on the meh side, leaning toward 'wish I had stayed home'. Especially for the price. Service is spotty to bad. Once I wanted a corona (they were out...what?) so I asked for a Bud Light (also sold out...what the what?!). It makes me sad that the location has so much potential. It makes me double sad that people will still come here based on the location and patio alone. I'd love to have a great Mexican restaurant within walking distance - I just won't be returning here.
(2)
Zack R.
Why did I go back? I guess I assumed that since they were still around a year after seeing some of the world's worst service that maybe they changed. Nope. A salty and sassy no-bullshit host. Bitchy bartenders. A server who tried to rip me off over $2. Food that tasted like it was microwaved after sitting in a fridge for two weeks. I'm really mad that I gave this place my money again, and that they'll probably stay open because of people like me. Shame on me for being so naive.
(1)
Anthony Y.
This place ruined my night. After waiting 30 minutes to be seated, which is fine, I'm sitting here after an hour and a half of no food. I'm sitting here writing this review prior to my food arriving. At this point I don't care if the food was prepared by God himself. The wait and customer service is ridiculous and management does not seem to care. I've decided that I've been more than patient and paying for these drinks and walking away. There is no excuse. Now I'm left with finding a place to eat and salvaging the night. We are here visiting from out of town and 2 hours was wrapped in this sorry excuse for a restraint.
(1)
Greg B.
Food was okay but the service was terrible. Margaritas were a bargain for the amount of alcohol you received, but were not very flavorful. Chips and salsa were mediocre at best.
(2)
Dani G.
Good margaritas. The host seems to always be pissed off about life though. Most of the servers there are pretty rude. Customer service isn't their forte.
(2)
Sarah H.
Nice place, good location but the food is just ok. I don't mean to be so damn picky but here is what needs improved: Standard salsa tastes of marinara sauce. Minimal mex flavoring.. Red Enchilada sauce tastes bland and spice-less. Mexican rice was bland too.. Overpriced for what we got. :( Overall, no options for vegetarians.
(2)
Stephanie K.
I came for the Friday Night Salsa dancing. From 8-10pm, they hold a beginners salsa dance group lesson for $10. Then after 10pm it's open floor dancing. I think it might be $7 at that point. The beginner class included basic steps for salsa, meringue, and bachata. Coming stag is no big deal as they have you rotate partners often anyway. My friends and I had a blast. The open dancing afterwards was particularly fun as really experienced latino men would periodically come whisk us away on the dance floor. Even the most experienced dancers were very patient with us newbs. Before the class I did have some of the food downstairs. It really wasn't anything special. I ordered the cheese quesadilla and a margarita. It was your typical generic mexican fare. The real attraction to this restaurant is definitely the dancing.
(4)
Michelle S.
I usually don't like Mexican food or mojitos but I think their food is definitely good and made me want more! I'm going tonight and can't wait. The other awesome part about this place is that they offer salsa lessons upstairs for $10 and then around 10pm everyone just dances. Everyone is friendly and dances with eachother. lol
(4)
Lola A.
Ok spot. Came in for salsa on friday night and that was fun! The first time I was here, the drinks were nothing to write home about but the second time, it was better! I like that I could customize my drink! bar is kinda limited though, no martinis, lol
(3)
Dean M.
Great food and great service! A great Mexican restaurant in the heart of the short north!
(5)
MeyMey L.
Watery Salsa and bland food. Service was slow. Only reason I gave a two star was because the Magaritas were pretty good. Wouldn't come back.
(2)
Stacy W.
I used to love this place. It's a great location and has a wonderful patio. Food is ok, but the margaritas are now so weak. Won't be wasting my money on Margs there anymore ..
(2)
Nicole W.
Very very slow service! Food was decent nothing special at all. Air conditioning so high we froze to death the whole time! Had to wait forever for out bill also! Watched our waiter texting in a booth behind us!
(1)
Thomas C.
Terrible hostess! Beautiful night. Small group of us (5). Refuses to seat us on the patio as "people are waiting". 9 tables available for the last 30 mins. 1st and last time here.
(1)
Joe G.
Definitely one of my go-to places in the short north! Parking can be a bit of challenge (but hey, it's in the short north) but valet parking is usually available and I often opt for the convenience of having my car right there. The food is good - but probably not winning any awards. The drinks are very good. I love their frozen margaritas. They also have an above average patio. Very nice and relaxing to enjoy in the summer months. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the chairs on the inside of the restaurant. Usually 1 of 4 are partially leaning or broken, could probably use an upgrade. Overall though, I really do like going to La Fogata! It will remain one of my favorite spots in the short north.
(3)
Amanda L.
I recently took my sister and aunt here on Sunday when they came into visit for the day. It was nice out and they have a good patio. Our waitress who called her self "Lucky" was anything but for us. When she first approached our table and took our drink orders she got to me and goes, "I thought you were a man." I was completely offended. I may have a shorter haircut, but lots of women have short hair. I found this utterly unprofessional and rude. Then I had to order my beer twice because she never brought it. We ordered our food and when it came she dropped it off and never again returned to the table. We had no hot sauce on our table and because she never returned we had to go find it ourselves. We ate our meal and waited a good 20 more min after that before she came back to the table. We asked for our checks and still she never brought them. When she finally brought them she set our checks down and goes, "These are right because I don't know who got what." We were not a difficult table. 6 beers, 1 coke, and 4 dinners.... not sure how that is so difficult. I will probably not return because she was so AWFUL. The food was just okay. The refried beans tasted like stale cardboard (if that's a thing). I hope for anyone who goes here for dinner I hope you are "lucky" enough to not get this wench as your server.
(1)
Ray C.
Here is the deal I have ordered repeatedly from this business using cafe courier and it is the same order every time and it is not a difficult order to remember super nachos no chorizo no shrimp(i am allergic to shrimp). It is always a crap shoot as to whether they will make my food correct or not. Last night I ordered once again and it got delivered with the shrimp on it and it was after the delivery service had closed so i was stuck with no dinner. I said no problem and just forgot about it. I decided to give it another go tonight and order it again but this time I had decided to call the restaurant directly after placing my order to ensure they made it correctly and they refused to even discuss it with me and to take it up with the delivery service. I only would need to take it up with the delivery service if i were wanting a refund or to be compensated but ALL I WAS ASKING was for them to please check the correctness of the order that I had just placed tonight before sending it off with the driver and the manager flatly refused to hear any of it and to talk to the delivery service.
(1)
Kayla G.
This place has a great happy hour, and one of the best patios in the short north. Their food is just alright. Their service is beyond horrible! I have never gone to this place and even had alright service! Their service is what will keep me from returning!
(1)
Jessica R.
Two words: patio and margs! These are my two favorite things about this place. The patio is great for those warm summer days while sipping on margs. And their margaritas are seriously awesome! They have 15 flavors to choose from - from raspberry to mango to desert pear. There is something for everyone. And they make em strong! Kudos! On the other hand - their food is meh. Lacks the Mexican spice I love. Their service is friendly but slow. Granted, it's usually jam packed in the joint, so I gotta keep that in mind. They work as fast as they can. But every server I've had was super nice. Go and check out their happy hour!
(4)
Paige M.
Fifteen flavors of margaritas! La Fogata: pack up and move to Cincinnati! Now that it's been said, I can move onto other details, like our server, Brenton. He was a blast to host us; it was like speaking with an old friend. He took our orders, asked our names, shook our hands; all in a relaxed and fun way. As we gawked at the variety of margarita flavors, Brenton recommended his favorite: the Cactus Pear. Ay carumba! The Cactus Pear was the best margarita I've tasted and I am sadly envious that I will not be able to find that flavor in Cincinnati. The drink arrived in generous portion, swirled white and purple in the cup. Beautiful and tasty! Also, the chips and salsa were on par: crisp warm tortillas and a salsa with a prominent roasted tomato taste that made it unique. I'll definitely be coming here to try the food the next time I am in town. That is, unless La Fogata appears overnight in Cincinnati. Then I'd be your most frequent customer. Margarita price: $6.00/glass or $20.00/ pitcher
(5)
Nick H.
A nice place if you enjoy Mexican Fair, Margarita's, and a nice Patio. But the main issue is the food is lacking. I live very close and I would eat tacos all the time if I could. But every time I come here, I leave a little disappointed because the food is bland and uninspired. That being said the service was fast and friendly. I will try it again sooner or later but my expectations are not to high.
(3)
Brian W.
I prefer La Fogata in better weather out on the patio on a summer's evening. A great location. Stuck indoors it's all a bit shaby and noisy (probably because of the concrete floors). The food is decent (for Ohio mexican). I'm more of a fan of their burritos, than their soft tacos which can be a bit of a mess to eat. I love the location and mexican in general, so I'll definitely be back in better weather.
(3)
Zain K.
I'm reviewing the club upstairs rather than the restaurant proper (well, I'll parenthetically review the latter here, having eaten there once: 2*, unmemorable, and overpriced, but with a nice festive ambiance and great patio. There you have it: my first ever review-within-a-review!). So I have a love-hate relationship with this place as far as salsa venues go. It's more hate than love, actually, yet I somehow continue coming back on Friday nights (leading to a love-hate relationship with myself...). My recurrence here is partly because salsa options in Cbus are few and far between, but also because I think I've become addicted to the circus-ness of this place. Truly, there are few places in this town (state? country?) where you can find this many sketchy characters assembled at one time and place. Seriously, this place is endowed with more than its fair share of creepers, poseurs, jokers and freaks. Beyond that, the music is *horrendous* by salsa standards (the DJ is a really nice guy, and a good musician in his own right, but not a dancer, so doesn't really get it), and the dance floor is filthy and sticky most nights. I'd hate to be here when the lights go on. Okay, I should admit that I'm a bit of snob when it comes to salsa venues, so this review needs to be taken with a grain of salt. It's just that I've been to many of the world's best salsa clubs, and I'm none too pleased that these days I'm spending my Friday nights at one of the world's worst. Then again, I do keep coming back, so what does that say about me? I don't think I want to know...
(3)
Amanda V.
The food is so mediocre in comparison to every Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. The chips and salsa tastes like it was bought in a store, and you have to pay $1.99 after the first basket, unlike other Mexican places. People say it's in a great location, but trying to find parking in the short north can be a nightmare. You always end up having to pay to park. The service we received was really not all that bad, aside from a hostess that was kind of rude and seemed totally air headed. Their margaritas are actually really good, and they have a great flavor selection. The biggest reason why I give 2 stars is because the food is not worth what you have to pay for it at all. I make better Mexican food in my kitchen and I'm a chubby white girl from the suburbs.
(2)
Karlie H.
La Fogata does have a great location and I enjoyed sitting on the patio watching people walk down High St., but everything else is lacking. The hostess was unfriendly and the food was barely average. They apparently have $1 tacos on Tuesday nights, but when we got our bills the soft tacos were $2 and only the hard tacos were $1. The waiter could have easily told us that while we were ordering, but did not. My Coronarita was good, but not any better than it would be at a better Mexican restaurant. I won't be back anytime soon
(2)
RJ W.
The worst Mexican food (and I shudder to call it Mexican food) I have ever had, anywhere, on any planet in any solar system in any universe. Add in completely inattentive service and I see why, on a Friday night, it was not full. It is just God awful. I would never, ever go there again. Period. End of sentence. Horrible, horrible, horrible
(1)
Parker E.
I ordered the enchiladas verdes, it was alright and the portions are generous. (like any good Mexican restaurant!) Only complaints I have are that the dish was not very flavorful and was somewhat bland. The rice was also a little dry. However, my server was very friendly and cheery, and the house frozen margaritas were delicious!
(3)
Katie P.
I went to La Fogata this winter for a Margarita Monday. The margaritas were great at an ever better price, but service was mediocre at best, even though there weren't many people there. Had to leave my table to order from the bar multiple times. The WORST part of this experience was when I ate my leftover enchiladas at home. After eating about 2/3, I found a yellow rubber glove finger tip INSIDE of my enchilada, mixed in with the chicken. I was absolutely disgusted. It was about once inch long, and I'm grateful to have found it before swallowing that much plastic. I reported the problem to their website, but never heard back. Will NEVER order food again, probably won't ever return. I don't recommend it, but if you do get food, cut it up thoroughly before consuming!
(1)
Rachel A.
Delicious food and great margaritas!!! And an inexpensive choice for downtown Columbia! Great wait staff and they even have their own valet, which is priceless here on the winter! PS... We loved the salsa!!!
(5)
Meghann T.
What am I supposed to do when my server (Jerri) f_cked me over? I don't know if it was by mistake or greed, but I split my bill last night with a friend. He paid $23 cash, and I paid 10.58 + 5.00 tip = 15.58. Then I check my bank account, and I was charged not once, but twice! Once for 15.58 and again for 38.58! Management doesn't care, they can't do anything, but I am never going back there, and don't EVER have Jerri be your server!
(1)
Holly K.
Okay, here is the REAL review of La Fogata or, as I now call it...La F-Ugata. When this place first opened, the service was great (as were the margaritas) and the food was okay. Now, a few years later, there are no words come to mind other than one: TRAGIC. Last year, some how it escaped me to review this place but I'll do it now considering the tyrant I'm about to pursue in this. Bear with me. Last year a group of friends and I went here after the Pride Parade around 2 - so not right after the rush. It was packed and the group I went with normally has a considerable amount of patience and empathy for the servers...especially on this weekend in particular. Needless to say, long story short, every...single...one of us thought about walking out without paying and that's not something I do as I have a lot of respect for the restaurant industry. The waitress we had at the time was attentive to all the surrounding tables...BUT ours...for over the whole duration we were there. It's one thing to be completely inattentive and equal "ignorance" of all your tables but to leave one out...when clearly we all had nothing to drink and no chips left...c'mon. And, besides that, we waited nearly 2.5 hours for our food! I'm no chef but there's no way in hell it'd take me THAT long to cook all that up. A lot of Mexican food uses the same ingredients so... WTF was my response to that. Yesterday 2 friends of mine vowed to give it another shot since we were having spring fever and were itching for a patio. Never in my life did I thought I'd get worse service than Hounddog's at 3am. I was wrong. My friends arrived ten minutes before I did and the hostess told us there were three tables ahead of us, yet seated at least 5 other parties before we even got around to getting a table. I'm sure she forgot to put us on the list. After 45 minutes, we finally got a table. We waited...and waited...and waited... and roughly another 15 minutes went by with no server at all whatsoever to take drinks or anything. The hostess then stops over, knowing how long we had already waited due to her inadequacy to seat people aka do-her-job well (esp. when you're slammed that's not the time to be lazy), telling us "someone will be over shortly". Another 15 minutes went by...again...with no server stopping at all. At this point, we decided we had enough and I personally, have had enough of La F-Ugata's overly poor services. How a business stays in business when you run it like that is beyond me. Right before we got up to leave, we saw a server carrying a table OFF the patio, which clearly needed another table since they still had people waiting. We gladly took off, leaving our table open and went down to the Short North Tavern where we immediately were served with a drink within 5 minutes of arrival and they were busy too (considering they only had one waitress/bartender for the whole place). Trying to eat at La Fogata is like watching Lindsay Lohan and her drug addiction: you think it'll get better when it just turns even more tragic the more you get your hopes up thinking it'll change. It's something that never comes full circle. Even if I got free food for a year to try to make up for this disgrace of a restaurant, I would not go back. So F-U La Fogata. I will not be returning to your restaurant ever again.
(1)
Cori E.
I have been here several times and have always have always had a good experience. The Enchiladas Rancheras is my absolute favorite and since I had it once I can't bring myself to order anything else... it's just too good! The only problem with the margaritas is that all of the flavors are so yummy it can be difficult to decide which one to order. I would highly recommend the desert pear or the blood orange. They have salsa dancing on Friday nights which is always a good time. They even offer lessons for beginners (for only a few extra bucks) before opening up the dance floor (upstairs) for everybody else. The only reason I am giving this place 4 stars is their Cinco de Mayo party. I give them props for having extra drink stand set up outside on the patio to accommodate a larger crowd but the stands didn't offer all of the marg flavors that I had made the trip there for. When I went inside to the bar to order something else I was given two pitchers of flavors that I didn't ask for and it was not even mixed in well.
(4)
Keith B.
Somehow I've never been on the patio. Either it was winter or it poured buckets right when we pulled up. Fucking mother nature. So - it's decent american-mexican food. I've had a couple dishes - they've been tasty, but I've had better elsewhere. Really - the service was lacking both times I've been here, from mainly being inattentive.
(3)
Caelen M.
I like the decor, and the patio is very nice. As for the food? I don't know. When I went in there, the kitchen was closed. It was extremely hard to find the 'check-in' stand, and it was at the door farthest from the entrance I used coming from the south (apparently only approach from the north!). So we walked in, got confused, and then a waiter told us that if we wanted drinks we could stand at the bar. We did. We waited. And waited. And waited. The bartender saw us standing there, and then actually walked out from behind the bar. When she came back, she ignored our attempts to get a drink. After about 10 minutes of this, we decided to take our money elsewhere.
(2)
Alexa A.
This place is extremely mediocre and overpriced. I'll reiterate what someone else said: the best thing about the place is the patio--which is what drew me in to this place. My advice, though, is to skip this one. We arrived for lunch on a Sunday and waited for way too long for someone to clear off one of the 4 free tables on the patio for us; we had long enough to get drinks at the bar, so we went for the $3 bloody mary special. They were awful; nearly undrinkable. I've honestly never had such a bad bloody mary before. Then we were seated. The menu looked like old-school dive-y Mexican food, which I often sort of love. I ordered chicken ranchero. The server brought us the wrong meals and no silverware. She came back with the right meals but no silverware. We borrowed from the table next to ours; I didn't bother trying to get the corn tortillas I had ordered. We did attempt to get margaritas to get the yucky bloody mary taste out of our mouths. Then I ate my food. It was pretty bad. About what I would expect from a down-and-out Mexican place in some decaying industrial area, but twice as expensive. The margaritas were fine, but came without salt and were $6 each, which I don't think was worth it. It was nice to sit out in the sun, but I would probably never order food here again.
(2)
Christina C.
The best thing about La Fogata is the patio. I went to sip margaritas on the patio and enjoy the sunshine, which is pretty much all I got. The food was mediocre, the menu didn't have many options and the salsa was 'meh'. The service was wonderful, though, and I love the decor. They also have salsa dancing nights on Fridays for $10, which includes lessons and cover for the night. But after seeing my bill at La Fogata and not having more good things to say: FOGATA-BOUT-IT FOGATA! :)
(3)
Jackie P.
One word: overrated. The food here was actually kind of....sweet tasting? How is that so?! This is mexican! As my Indian friend claimed, "This is mexican food for white people." And as stereotyping as that is, it's true. It's watered down and bland. So, La Fogata, just one question, Where's the heat?! The patio seems stellar, though. I cannot wait to come here during happy hour and sip on some marg's and sangria! Which were both pretty good. My vote goes to the sangria. It was kind of hard to see the menu, however. Red lights against a red menu...a tad harsh on the eyes. But the prices weren't too harsh on the wallet. It was actually very well priced for the area and in general. I can't say I'll be back for the food, but I def. will be back for drinks during the warmer months!
(2)
Tom S.
My office is right down the street from here so I go at least once a week during the middle of the afternoon so the service is quick and efficient. The fajita quesadilla is awesome-- everything else I've gotten is underwhelming. Even though I go same day, same time every week, I never have the same server-- which is weird. but every person that has waited on me has been great.
(4)
Zack F.
I'll be honest, my review is only for the tequila selection. I didn't have a chance to eat here but I did want to check out their tequila options. I was pleasantly surprised. They have a good selection of tequila that ranges in price and style. There should be a little of something for everyone. They also offer tequila tasting flights. Unfortunately, they didn't have an actual list of all their tequila. Unless you have them all memorized and can easily recognize the bottle from across the bar, you will be somewhat limited in your choice. The place itself was not particularly crowded and yet it still was very difficult to get service from the single bartender. It appears they may have need for a service bartender.
(4)
Jaclyn E.
There are 2 good things about this place. The queso & the location. Everything else is sub-par and/or just crappy. The service might be the worst in Columbus. We keep going back because I think that it can't get any worse....it does. I'm not sure how they hire their servers, but they need a new method. There used to be one good server there, but he quit. The food is not very good. The lunch portions are very bitch-like. The house margaritas taste like 100% sour mix. But the patio and queso are good.
(2)
Liz M.
Pluses: Great Patio, Good Service, Good Drinks. +3 Minuses: High Prices, meh Food. -2 Stopped by La Fogata walking down High St. before meeting Bryant M. & Keith M. at Mouton. Of course, we were attracted to La Fogata because of the awesome patio. We got seated right away, they weren't busy. Our server was sweet and attentive. She took our drink order & of course asked her recommendation and went with her second fav drink, the pom mojito. It was YUM. Surprisingly, La Fogata does a great mojito. But, beware, they have a $7 a pop price tag. We decided to just stick to drinks since they served chips and salsa upon being seated AND they were very blah. The chips desperately needed salt and the salsa was water and tasted canned. I wasn't gagging on them, but it was obvious they were delish since we barely touched the basket. They had two large groups seated on the patio & they seemed happy to accommodate them. The food looked very standard for Mexican food when I saw it come out of the kitchen. I'd probably go back to La Fogata during Happy Hour to take advantage of the specials to save myself from going broke. HH is M-F 3-6. Oh wait...I'll probably never be back, who the heck's available between 3 & 6 for happy hour weekdays?
(3)
Jessica K.
We visited during restaurant week, and I think we found one of the week's great deals, because for $15 we got full sized dips for appetizers, full sized burritos for entrees, and big desserts at the end. (I'd give price comparisons, but there are no prices on their online menu. Annoying. Note that, as I would never have gone based on their website.) Other restaurant week participants really scale down portion sizes to make the event profitable. I'm not sure if they missed the memo or if they will have such a kick-ass deal the next time around, but today it was definitely worth the money as all courses were tasty. My margarita was standard, nothing special, fairly weak. Our service was fine but even though we were one of three tables in the restaurant, our courses were rushed like they needed our table pronto. She did a fine job, though. Another small, somewhat ridiculous note is that while looking at the menu I did not find a vegetarian section along with the beef, chicken and seafood sections. This is minor, but vegetarian sections are beacons of light that I quite enjoy from Mexican (and Asian) restaurants. It's rare that there is more than one option, and it's super rare that I get a whole section, so they are appreciated. Some entrees are listed as being available in meat or veggie, so I'm sure they can accommodate, but I also find it somewhat uncool to charge me the same price for my peppers and onions as someone getting shrimp or steak. Yeah, it's only a weak margarita and some vegetarian oversight, but when there are literally 30+ Mexican restaurants within 5 miles (according to Yelp)... the little things matter.
(4)
Jamie S.
Excellent atmosphere with a great patio! Quick service, great margs and salsa, and the food is phenomenal! I got a chicken burrito pick two and the chicken was very succulent and freshly pulled off the bone.
(4)
Sonal G.
I have two words for why this place deserves 2 stars: imitation guacamole. Ugh. How does a mexican restaurant not use real avocados AND expect anyone with taste buds to not figure out their guacamole is FAKE! This was very disappointing. One thing good about this place was it's service. One of the girls with me ordered a raspberry margarita (it was white/clear with a raspberry on the bottom), I'm assuming the flavoring was totally fake i this as well. I wouldn't really go back here unless you're just looking for beer/drink specials. The food is not worth a try AT ALL. I suppose I should have read the reviews and seen the 3 stars for this place before walking in and having some expectations...
(2)
Tina G.
I agree with Christina C. (Elite) for the most part. The best feature of La Fogata Grill is the patio! Lots of action there! My significant other and I went yesterday after a stroll through The Arts Festival downtown. There was hardly anyone inside the place and we were seated immediately in the patio upon our arrival. For a gorgeous Sunday late afternoon there was plenty of busy-ness going on. Watching bar hoppers go back and forth from Union Station to La Fogata was entertaining all by itself! The scene appeared to be more like a happy hour in the middle of the week, provoking plenty of stimulating conversation about life. We have been to this establishment in the past and there is always a good crowd of people whenever we "hop" in the Short North. We once ordered a refreshing watermelon cocktail. We didn't order any alcoholic drinks this time just to begin the work week in proper fashion. Our ice teas with lemon seemed to have had an aftertaste of tequila and some kind of berry in it. It couldn't have been intentional...or could it? Bland but crunchy chips and salsa on an empty stomach were heavily consumed while waiting on our dishes to come out. I ordered a new dish vaguely recalling it as Pollo De La Crema. It has a creamy cheese sauce smothering grilled pieces of chicken with onions and mushrooms served with aluminum wrapped, warm, soft flour tortillas. Guacamole salad and spanish rice were on the side, as usual. It was pretty good. I couldn't finish the crema there was so much of it. Not a bad deal for $10.99. Our next visit I'm sure will include margaritas. That spirit seems to always have everyone in good ones at La Fogata Grill!
(3)
Alan R.
I always enjoy Mexican food, margaritas and great friends! A few things though this time sucked. We asked 3 times to get chips and salsa... A span of 20 minutes. During that time, 2 tables next to us got chips and salsa, one of them got 3 different baskets! Also the margarita pitcher we got was more sour mix than anything else combined! And it was 20 bones each! Our server was ok. A little ditsy but no big deal. The reason I am giving it 3 stars and not 2 was becuase of the amazing people watching...
(3)
Luke T.
The food here is very mediocre and the menu is rather tiny compared to most Mexican restaurants. It's one double-sided page. A small selection of starters, entrees, salads, desserts, etc. I think the idea is to have that "we only serve ten dishes, but they are all amazing" feel, but the food doesn't hold up. If you don't have a very sensitive palate you may not mind it much. There are very few vegetarian options, which is a big faux pas in general, and an even bigger one in the Short North. The last time I was here I had the huevos rancheros, which were yummy, but extremely soggy. While I enjoyed the meal, I did not enjoy the puddle sloshing around my plate. The real draw here is the specials. On Monday night they have $2 margaritas. They are served in tiny martini glasses, but they have 16 different flavors, most of which are delicious. They have very exotic flavors like desert pear and blood orange. Standards like strawberry, raspberry and blueberry are all also offered. Let's see...others...melon, watermelon, apple, pear, lime, banana. While they are on the small side, they are fairly strong. They have a dollar taco night, I think that might be Tuesday, but don't quote me on it. They have a salsa night where you can take dance lessons. The patio is another draw. It's nice and open and quite large. Can be hard to get a seat there in warmer weather. I think the service here is perfect. There are a handful of waitresses that have been there as long as I've been going and they used to recognize me. I haven't been in a while so I don't know that they still would. Anyway, one night two friends and I set out to try each of the margarita flavors, we failed but our server told us she would finish the flavors we didn't when her shift ended. Hah. We believe she may just have! Another waitress told me how an ex brought a new girlfriend there knowing that she worked there, but without saying anything to his new girlfriend. Long story short: there is credit card fraud and free dinner involved. I love that waitress. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I'm sure if you don't break her heart your credit card is safe.
(3)
Stacey L.
The day after Cinco de Mayo, a group of ten of us went to La Fogata to celebrate our friend's birthday. We started off with two pitchers of margaritas, and they were fairly strong. While we perused the menu and went through basket after basket of chips, an hour ticked by. Finally one of our party decided to go wandering through the restaurant to find our waiter to tell him we really, really needed to order (it'd been an hour! we were starving!). He apologized to her and said he assumed we just wanted drinks. ... Yeah. Even if you think we just wanted drinks, you probably should have asked us if we wanted to order anyway. The food was tasty, but one person's order didn't make it out with the rest of ours. He eventually got his food, but I assume it was semi-torturous watching all of us eat while he waited for his food to show up. At the end of our meal, one of the boys decided to buy shots for all the girls. While waiting, we managed to all pay, get our cards back, and still, no shots had arrived. We then tried to get them to credit back the card, and finally, just as we were about to run the card back, a server came wandering by with our drinks. Fifteen to twenty minutes had passed between ordering them and actually having them come out. Based on service and efficiency, LF would get one star. The food, chips, and margs were pretty tasty, though, the patio looked perfect for a warm day, and they let our group be loud and crazy without shooting us dirty looks or kicking us out, so I'll bump up the rating.
(3)
Brieanne S.
I came here for my brother's birthday on Sunday. Of course, for a Sunday night the place was pretty slow. When I walked into the restaurant I was pretty impressed with the environment. The inside was so trendy yet spicy. The entire decor was kind of red and black definitely a great ambiance. Overall we had good service. As soon as we walked in we got seated and the service was great all the way through the meal. We didn't have to wait too long to for our food and everything came out great. At one point I snuck back to where the servers where and asked if there was anything she could do to embarrass my brother on his birthday. She said there big sombrero got stolen but came over with a birthday shot. I appreciated that she did this for him. She even brought him an extra beer because the bartender made an extra one. So how could I write a bad review when this establishment gave us a free beer and shot. The food was okay, I don't think anyone could really mess up Mexican food. I order a fajita salad which I thought was a little small for the price. I am a typical American and expect all of my portions at restaurants to be huge. This way I don't have to cook for 2 more days. Overall, this was a good place to come for his birthday. We will be back.
(4)
Drew G.
Alright, I really wanted to like this place. After my visit last night I'm convinced, after 4 visits, that my first experience was the standard. I should have written my review then and spared myself 3 additional lousy meals. Here's the deal, I give it two stars for the Blood Orange Margarita and the atmosphere. The food, time and time again, has been...sad. Last night we ordered the beef nachos to start. You would think that this can't be hard to mess up...you're wrong. It came out and it consisted of gray beef with runny cheese sauce. It looked about as appetizing as a photograph of a tumor on WebMD. We had two bites and let it sit there. Our meals came and they were drowned in watery sauces and my date bit into some weird husk that was in his chicken. This has been my experience every time! Hey La Fogata owners...stop cooking! I have a feeling that this place is trying to coast on the fact they have a nice patio and decent drinks. Maybe they should just be a Mexican themed bar? Clear out the tables, get a Mariachi band and keep everyone plied with margaritas.
(2)
Rick M.
La Fogata is a cool restaurant to go to on a hot summer afternoon and you still want to sit on a patio. Their patio is covered with umbrellas and the shade is plentiful. The food here is really good. I especially LOVELOVELOVE the Choriqueso. Their margarita pitchers seal the deal - reasonably priced and you don't have to request "top shelf" just to get decent tequila. They use good stuff to begin with. The only thing that keeps La Fogata from being 4 star or higher is the service. Not that the service is bad, but its inconsistent. I and my friends go often, and we go knowing we may go and get excellent service, or we may end up with someone who shouldn't be a bussboy, let alone a server. If they were to improve the consistency of service here, they'd get the extra star from me.
(3)
Kelly P.
Service as described in other posts. Chips and salsa, water arrives as you sit down. Dustin was our waiter and he was great and attentive, but didn't hover. Food was okay, I ordered chicken with a chipotle sour cream sauce and it was not as described. Chef went a bit crazy with red pepper flakes which made it too hot to eat. Dustin comped my meal. Husband and daughters food was good. Chips cold and a bit stale, nothing special there.
This restaurant- it was terrible. The server was pretty terrible, the food was so salty ( tortilla soup) it was almost Inedible, the other dishes we ordered were not even hot when delivered and on top of it were blah. This place is just not worth it. It really could use a good cleaning, too. I would not recommend this place and I am usually easy to please with Mexican food.
(1)
Karla B.
My love affair is over!!! So I used to love La Fogata! I would pick it anytime someone would say its nice out where do you want to go. I thought the food was ok but then...., I got the text the ended my love affair. They were on the news for the dirty dish award based on health inspections. I did my own research and found more repeated violations then I want to think about. No more best patio ever for me :(
(1)
Robert H.
We stopped at La Fogata for a mid Comfest break. I think it was actually faster to walk here and order margaritas than it was to stand in the beer lines at the festival. They have a great patio with just enough shade. Given the market, i had higher hopes for both the margaritas and the fajitas, but both were just OK. The bathrooms and interior were rather dumpy, which surprised me. If I had a tequila craving in the Short North, I might stop here again, but I find it unlikely that this would be a destination of its own.
(3)
Zach B.
Had somewhat okay expectations for Restaurant Weeek but I guess being new here I was ignorant to how blah this place is. Drinks sucked. Food was bland. Way bland. Yeah how does this place maintain a sterling location on high street? One of the worst places for Mexican /Hispanic food. Soooooo disappointed. And then my friend threw up in the bathroom the next place we went.
(1)
Stephanie S.
There is much better Mexican food in Columbus for a much better price, BUT La Fogata has its place- the Short North. As far as food in the SN goes, the prices are reasonable and they have good sangria and margaritas. If you are spending some time in the Short North and are craving Mexican-ish food and sangria it is really the only game in a couple of blocks. I will likely go there again, but only because it was there. It isn't something to seek out. I prefer my Mexican fare on wheels.
(2)
Larry M.
Good drink selection, and the carnitas dish I had was excellent. Not too greasy, and the pork was extremely tasty. The patio seating is best part of this place, and there are constantly people outside enjoying pitchers of margaritas. Recommended.
(4)
Derek S.
Played a show here in the upstairs part. It has potential to have some good shows it just needs a few things. Mainly just a good sound system and a little bit more security (some hoodlum kids were taggin walls with spray paint) Very nice venue though.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Heather A.
First time here was tonight and it was such a pleasure! A friend and I wanted to catch up over a beer as well as engage is some people watching and this was THE PERFECT place!! Our server (I think her name was Elizabeth) was super friendly and a bit scattered at times because it was so packed but her friendliness made it easy to look over. We shared some bean dip and chips which was excellent though I still think El Vaq takes the cake with the dips. We also had the salsa which was a bit bland (but still good). All in all a great experience. Very beautiful interior (see pics I posted) and a very charming place in general. Will definitely go back!!!
(4)Nicholas T.
I live in this neighborhood and I have been here at least 20 times, but last night was the last. Let's start with the good. Great patio with pergolas and endless chips and salsa to keep you there and drinking. Now for the not so good: Service was just awful; After we were told there was a 45 minute wait for the patio (not a big deal) and no room at the bar we were then told we were not allowed to sit at an indoor table (only 2 of these tables had anybody sitting at them) to order drinks but to have a seat in the unlit closet with chairs behind the hostess. Are you kidding me!? Go to hell! The drinks....just awful. The one thing a Mexican restaurant should get right is a margarita. It's simple; Tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, ice. The mixologist served us something on the lines of glowing lime tang directly from a large vat in lovely plastic cups. I've had better at college parties. The food....The chicken in the tacos was bland and dry, and the beef tasted straight up like dog food. A far cry from any taco I've ever had in Mexico. I could barely swallow my one bite. My friend's chili rellenos looked like it was swimming in a pool or orange greasy dishwater and his one squishy bite was his last. Our group reached the consensus....Never again! EVER! This place has really gone down hill. Great location and patio, and they will probably survive fine based solely on those two things. Want better Mexican fair....Bakersfield is two blocks away serves only hand crafted margaritas and their tacos are amazing!
(1)Matt G.
PLACE: It's a cool nook between Union and Haiku with a very large patio. EXPERIENCE: Went here for $.99 Taco Tues, and just wasn't impressed. Tacos [chicken or beef] were alright (wasn't expecting much in correlation with the cost). The service was solid; Corey was pretty attentive and took good care of us. OVERALL: I might go back for a happy hour, but it wouldn't be my first stop in the area.
(2)Michael B.
Somewhat standard "Mexican" food, but enjoyable. However, their service tends to be pretty poor.
(2)Kevin M.
Amazing food - from fish tacos, to quesadillas, to taco salads, to chips and salsa, everything ordered was delicious. Food arrived fresh, hot, and quick. No complaints whatsoever. Highly recommend!
(5)Whitney D.
Basically just typical mexican food. The place wasn't crowded at all for a Friday night. Our server was nice, but brand new and messed our drink orders up and had to come back and ask a lot of questions. It's not necessarily a bad restaurant, just not at the level you'd expect do the short north.
(2)Michael U.
So after going back here and looking at my past review it occurred to me that I was drunk last time. This time my friend got the Ceviche again and it was just a little colder than luke warm. The Queso Fundido was fine but served with not enough tortillas and they were so mashed together you couldn't get them apart. We then got the steak quesadilla which had hardly any cheese. Just okay. The patios still great but I'm certain any place would do well in that location. That being said at a 6pm on a Saturday they were dead. Grant it Comfest was going on but I thought that would make them more crowded.
(2)Garrett M.
First time last night. Never again. Go to Kroger and buy a can of dog food it will be better quality food. And I could of saved 25 dollars by just picking up some margarita mix at the store rather than paying for a pitcher with no tequila added, paid for a pitcher of juice. Oh and was never checked on by the waitress except to take our order and give the bill. Do yourself a favor and stay away.
(1)Jen G.
We were looking for somewhere fun to eat in Short North and should have picked somewhere else. The pozole soup was excellent and the salsa was okay but the food we ordered was sub par. I agree with the other reviewers who say that this is not authentic food. It is a shame. The soup was so good but it went down hill from there.
(2)Kevin H.
Zero stars. Legit don't even bother trying it. Bad service, salsa/guacamole were horrible. Only positive was my bottled corona.. But even there my lime was dry.
(1)Brent H.
'Gringoized' Mexican food, tasty margaritas, over-priced experience. As much as La Fogata tries to give you an authentic Mexican cantina experience, it needs to step up its game fast. If this place wants to charge customers Short North prices for gringoized food, the flavor and heat in the food needs to get better. For too long, La Fogata has depended so heavily its extensive margarita drink flavors and outdoor patio to give it the deserved label of Mexican mediocrity. Upon my finish Sunday at the Columbus Marathon, Mexican food had quite the appeal to refuel my body and to celebrate with friends. Since it was a Sunday afternoon, we walked in and sat ourselves at a 2-top right by the bar assuming we would have a server in a reasonable time. Ten minutes later, our waitress finally showed up with some salsa and chips and to take our drink orders, apologizing for the delay. I figured "hey maybe they cut a few early and she's the only one on the waitstaff floor". After tasting the lukewarm chips and runny salsa that was the end of the "fresh" batch and two-days old. The time couldn't come sooner to taste the Bloody Mary (virgin style). My friend ordered the bean dip and I went with the Huevos Rancheros - two items that shouldn't be too much of a hassle on the cocineros and decrease ticket-time. The pink prickly pear margarita my friend ordered was tasty with a decent presentation. However, my Bloody Mary (Virgin) looked and tasted as if it was from a GFS industrial mix poured right into the glass. No heat, minimal flavor beyond the tomato and black pepper, and a cocktail recipe that needs tips from Jon Taffer's mixologists at Bar Rescue. After I went through about every detail of the marathon race and my weekend, the food showed up. Honestly, I've been to cafes in Costa Rica that have brought out food quicker on 'Tico Time' faster than this place. So I was like, "OK maybe it was made-to-order, and I should try being Minnesota nice and less Gringo on service expectations." Alas, the huevos rancheros, rice, and beans lacked the flavor and spice that define Mexican cuisine. You know, the cumin powder, fresh garlic, jalapeño seasonings? Nope, not there this time folks. For 7.99, it filled my stomach enough to give this review two stars. To her credit, the waitress was very friendly and came back a few times to ask us if we wanted another round of drinks as well as chips and salsa. Also, she was able to adjust the price on my Virgin Mary drink from 6.99 to 5.99 since it was sans vodka and came in a size slightly bigger than a rocks glass. For those reasons, I tipped her 20 percent because I empathize as a former server that knows what it is like to be understaffed and dealt a bad hand in the form of bad food ticket times. La Fogata likes to hype itself up as an establishment with true Latino vibes and a great place to meet new friends. To be fair, I've come for a few of their salsa dancing lessons and Network Columbus, sponsored by Outlook Media when I worked as an Editorial Intern. Great for the social events on the top floor and the patio for drinking and running up the bar tab. After one two many Coronas or margaritas, food at La Fogata becomes more of a necessity as the taste buds don't care how much/how fast you shovel down all that Gringo comida. This past summer, my friends and I wanted to hit up a place to watch the World Cup match that had an awesome atmosphere. Knowing how much Mexicanos and Argentines love their fútbol, La Fogata it was. While I understand you don't need the jumbotron TVs you have at BW3, the 32 inch flatscreens are OK if you're at the bar, but very difficult to see for group tables in the back. Now I can understand why the Pint House was packed next door while La Fogata had lots of open tables for the World Cup Final. Getting our checks and watching the second half at the Pint House was a great decision. Salsa lessons and patio drinking? Count me in. Margaritas and happy-hour specials? I'm there if I can find parking in the Short North. Quality Mexican food...¿En serio hombre?
(2)Mindy W.
This place has one of the most wonderful patios in Columbus. I love coming here during good weather. Their margaritas are good and they have really good food and drink specials (Taco Tuesday-$1.00 taco!). They definitely don't have my favorite Mexican food in the city, but it's well worth the trip during nice weather!
(3)Arvid Y.
I've been here a few times. As others have mentioned, Fogata's large patio and prime location in central Short North makes it a desirable location to drink, dine and people watch. The food is just okay though. They have a Taco Tuesday deal with $1.99 hard shell tacos. The tacos are a bit simple as compared to places like Local Cantina, so I would go elsewhere for Taco Tuesdays. I had their pollo loco, which was a combination of grilled chicken, chorizo and cheese. This was actually very tasty and the portions were large too. The service can be slow, but friendly and courteous. The beer selection is pretty limited, but as long as they have Pacifico on draft, i'm happy. Anyways, La Fogata isn't the best Mexican restaurant in town, but it's one of the few decent options in the Short North area. The patio is definitely worth checking out!
(3)Kedar K.
I never knew Mexican food could taste bad!! Till I visited this place !!! Chips were stale ..salsa just about ok . Guacamole was runny and stale. My fav mole sauce tasted like ketchup Even Mexican rice was flavorless !!
(1)Maria P.
This was my first experience at La Fogata. I was attracted to the restaurant as we were looking for a place that had a great patio. Their patio is nice and spacious and can fit a lot of people which is awesome! We had had the chips and salsa. The chips were very bland and didn't seem to have any salt. The salsa barely had any flavor. I was not impressed. Normally, when my friends and I go out we devour the chips and salsa and get seconds. This time we did not even finish the first basket. Because we were not impressed with the chips and salsa, we decided to finish our drinks and go some place else for food. I was very excited to try one of the fruit Juleps listed on the menu. When I ordered the waiter told me it was unavailable as they grow their own mint. I think that is so cool they grow their own mint as you know you are getting fresh mint. However, if you aren't able to order it, then it should not be listed on the menu or list it as a seasonal drink. Instead I got a beer which was reasonably priced $4. Service was slow but the waiter that served us was very friendly.
(2)Kevin F.
Never again! They weren't even busy and I sat there for 15 minutes without even being acknowledged. No water, no chips, no one stopping by to say they would be right with me. There are way too many restaurant options on the Short North than to waste your time on this dump!
(1)Heather S.
So I've been here four times now and it is just "eh". The food is no different than any other "authentic Mexican" restaurant in town. It's good, I like it, but nothing special. The low rating is for the service. Good grief, every time we have been here the service has been terrible. We were there this past weekend for a pub crawl for St. Patrick's Day and as all of the Short North area was hopping with day drinkers enjoying the first nice Saturday in months, La Fogata refused to serve anyone on the patio. WTF? You knew you were getting a pub crawl stop, you knew it was St. Pats celebrations, you knew the weather was awesome- the tables and chairs were set up on the patio, but they had no service whatsoever. This is completely unacceptable! I tried to send them an email on their website, but of course it isn't working. Put aside my extreme frustration over the weekend (and hundreds of other people), it has a wonderful patio to enjoy some drinks and chips and salsa in the wonderful Short North- if you can get service.
(2)Toni K.
My first experience at La Fogata was better than expected. The food is decent, and better than a certain restaurant that inexplicably wins Columbest each year. Portion sizes are typically large, and flavors are good (shout out to the chile relleno and chicken fajita). For patio drinking and people watching this place is on prime real estate. Wait times are short, the variety of margaritas is scholarly, and service is friendly, if not a little slow and forgetful (never received one water and one side order of guac). For being the first Mexican restaurant in the Short North (to my recollection), La Fogata has done a decent job holding the crown, although with the new wave of taco-shillers coming in (Condado, Nada) there's definitely some new competition in town.
(3)Taylor M.
DO NOT GO HERE. I have been a loyal customer to this place for the past 3 years. Going many Tuesdays a month for their $1 tacos. I'm a vegetarian & I have NEVER been given crap about getting beans in my taco instead of the chicken or beef (might I add that beans are cheaper?!) until tonight. First off, our waiter was absolutely the worst waiter I have ever had in my life. His name was Angel. If you ever get him, be prepared to get screwed over. He was so rude & gave me crap about asking for beans instead of meat & said they would not do any substitutions. I have told him I have done this for the past 3 years for Taco Tuesdays but he wouldn't listen. I asked for the manager and her brought over this overweight, Hispanic lady who goes by "Mama" I guess. For one, she couldn't speak English and was practically yelling in my face that I couldn't get any substitutions for the meat without paying regular price....even though I told her I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM GETTING THE BEANS FOR THE SPECIAL FOR THE PAST 3 DAMN YEARS. Needless to say, I didn't order anything. But I wasn't the only one who had bad service. Angel would NEVER come to our table to see if we needed anything. We practically had to hunt him down for the rest of the table to order food. When he would come by, he would take 1 persons order then run away when we still had 5 other people left to order food! He was seriously an idiot. And the thing is, the restaurant was NOT even busy!!!! Also another person at our table ended up getting charged for someone else's order who had already left and PAID. Angel said he forgot to charge that person one thing on their bill so he made someone else pay it....it was HIS mistake he messed up the order! I was a regular customer here for a while but after tonight, I will NEVER GIVE THIS PLACE BUSINESS AGAIN. Also, the head manager was supposed to call me tonight but I'm not surprised that hasn't happened. DO NOT GO HERE.
(1)Melanie M.
Back when I used to be in Columbus full time (okay only a year ago) we'd always get a group to go to La Fogata for "Margarita Mondays" (just $1.99). We'd invariably start with a table of three... and then gradually grow to a table of twelve. I recall one night after this happened, our waitress threw her hands in the air and shouted "*#*%& it, I quit!" She was kidding (I saw her there on subsequent visits). But seriously. Great patio. I like the margaritas. No, they might not be "the perfect margarita" but they have interesting flavors (blood orange, mango, pomegranate, desert pear, etc) that aren't overly sweet. Plus, they're a perfect size. It's not a tiny tumbler, and you're not drinking out of a fishbowl. Just right. As far as the food goes, for me it's very limited as a vegan. My guy and I had taken to getting the create your own plate option with two burritos. They did a good job of veganizing the dish - can't have the rice though (chicken stock). The food is good, filling, but really nothing super spectacular. I'm giving La Fogata the four stars based on the overall picture. It's a fun place, great service, yummy drinks, awesome patio... Cannot wait until I'm back in town on Monday (in two weeks!), you'll definitely see me down there!!
(4)Jeffrey S.
When I lived in Victorian Village this was definitely a destination spot in the summer. I love the patio out front and it is even more enjoyable during gallery hop. The food is excellent and I always enjoy their Margaritas.
(4)Robert T.
2-stars, one of which is becuase it has a really nice big patio; other than that it really is just a 1 star restaurant. The service here isn't really that great, and I didn't see a single mexican working, which leads us to believe that INS must have raided them the week before! Althoug our waitress was amusing her waitressing skills were quite lacking. She told us that they had ran out of rice (how can a Mexican restuarant run out of rice I ask, but then again I have been to a baker that ran out of eggs so I know longer question such things), and that she would give us double orders of beans or an order of quacomole salade with our entrees. It acutally turns out they were out of beans, and not rice. We constantly had to ask for more drinks, and a few times the wrong drinks were brought, and Todd's order was once again messed up, and when it was brough back correctly it was cold. The prices arent bad for a Short North eatery, but the service and value aren't really there. Again, the only real thing La Fogata has going is the fact that it has a large patio, but you have to ask yourself is it worth waiting an hour for just for the same stuff that you can get at Taco Bell.
(2)Briden S.
Food is GREAT! Butttt the service could be better, I went there one night when it was not all that busy and after we receive our food I did not even see our waiter until we were all done an past wanting refills.
(4)H H.
I used to love this place. Unfortunately the last two times have been ok and then horrible. I went for my birthday dinner and ordered the enchiladas. They are great. This time they were as good as usual, but my last enchilada contained a little present. I either bit into a piece of small wood or a small sharp bone that stabbed me in the gum. That was it for me. I was done. I mentioned something to the waiter who told me all the chicken was pulled by hand and it must have been a bone. He took 10% off my meal. Well you can keep your 80 cents. I will pass. The previous outing was ok. However I went to pay and my waiter told me my credit card had been declined. This was a concern because I had enough money. I thought maybe there were unauthorized charges or something. I promptly called my bank from my table. My bank looked at the activity on my account. They said the waiter never called the number in or tried to manually type it in. He swiped once and got an error. Luckily I had my emergency credit card on me, but come on man. I'll be avoiding this place unless I want chips and salsa or beer. It is hard to mess any of that up.
(2)Red D.
Decent food, no complaints. Decent portions. Great tortilla chips. I give the salsa a C-. Has a great patio and a huge bar. Our bartender/server (the one with the Mitt Romney hair) was excellent. I frequent here regularly. The Margaritas are above average. One big complaint is that there's no curtain or blind on the western window so sitting at the bar around sunset is absolutely blinding and ruins the experience.
(3)Shannon M.
We started here before stumbled down to Skullys. The patio is awesome and somewhat....SOMEWHAT...covers the sins of bland food and terrible service. We waited quite some time for our waiter to bring our drinks. The salsa is very bland. Fish tacos weren't bad but nothing to write yelp about. But the service..while very cute he was completely clueless.
(2)Melanie B.
That'll do, pig. That'll do. That's pretty much how I feel about La Fogata. I've been here before, but it was in summer '08, so obviously I wasn't compelled to Hurry Back... but tonight, two friends and I ventured out into the snow (again! It's never gonna stop this year!) after class to get dinner, and driving through the Short North this was the one suggestion I made that was agreeable to all. So basically, nothing compelled us to go here 'cept hunger, mid-range prices, and not wanting to veer off High Street. I had the carnitas, and they were good. The meat was a bit salty, and the portion was huge - I was gonna take most of it home, but my waiter actually just cleared my place without asking if I wanted a box. Alas and alack. Guess I didn't need any more salt. My friends got the smothered burrito and the taco salad respectively. Everyone was fine with their meals, but no one was raving. My one friend who spent a lot of time in the West said her burrito wasn't spicy enough (though I feel like that's a west v. midwest Mexican population cultural difference). I had a beer, and one of my friends had a mojito. Nothing to rave about there, either. Am I boring you? I'm boring me too, good god - guess that's because this was an unremarkable dining experience (company was wonderful though). Service was attentive, except for the whole no box thing - we were there for a long time talking, and the waiter did a good job of navigating when to interject and whatnot. Still. Nonplussed is the word, I believe. Prolly be another two years before I decide to try this place again. Oh and not to go on hearsay (haha but I'm going to), the boy said he tried their maragarita recently and it too was a no-go.
(2)Morgan D.
Honestly, I've only been for happy hour and meetings upstairs, but here's what I can tell you. They have yummy Cuervo margaritas and decent chips and salsa. The salsa isn't very spicy either, which is a big plus in my book. I really hate the interior. The thinly painted red walls and dark stained woods strike the wrong note with me. But the addition of the patio out front is a VAST improvement over what previous owners (Rojo) managed. The upstairs (I know! I couldn't believe they had an upstairs either!) is actually very big. There are hardwood floors, a mini bar, a plush black couch, and small round tables. The space is big enough to accommodate a group of sixty comfortably. That's about how many people we had at our meeting. I love the La Fogata staff. They were kind enough to serve fresh coffee, which was your average Joe. Here's the most interesting part of La Fogata - the women's bathroom. It's very large and very clean. But when you flush the toilet, it sounds like there's a fire truck in the stall. The sound lasts for a good minute or two. What's that all about?! Extra points for a no-touch paper towel dispenser. There's a private parking lot behind the building. It's large for the Short North. I'd say it holds about twenty cars.
(4)Robert P.
I can't give this place more than two stars based on poor service nearly every visit. My most recent visit, dinner with three friends, the server never once returned to the table until we were done eating. We had to find utensils ourselves and apparently refills of water were not happening for us or any of the three tables near us. Finally, our cheques were a mess.
(2)Ellen F.
For me, the lure of a Mexican restaurant is determined by the salsa and the margarita's. Both of these requirements were achieved with big shiny stars. The salsa, well how do you describe? It's one of those things you have to compare yourself. I'm not a food critic, so I really can't add anything more than there's tomatoes, onions, herb and spices. But I promise you, it's really good!!! The servings compete with the El Vaquero's and Mi Mexico's out there. They are big! I got a salad, and it was the size of an entree plate. My friend got the tortilla soup, in a bowl. The bowl probably held 2-3 cups of soup. If you cook, then you know that's a lot of soup. He was determined to finish. Good for you! We also downed the chips, which were nothing tasty, just a ladle for the salsa. Our server was Megan. She was very friendly and did a great job taking the orders, and splitting the check. But either she was a little distracted or the communication between she and the cooks was jumbled. Not a big deal, just a few items were missing from the order. It was remedied within a few minutes. In the winter, Wednesday nights are a little slow, and picks up towards the end of the week. During the summer every night on the patio is a hit, especially Gallery hop nights!
(5)Cmhmusicman C.
This place is pretty awful. The food is ok. Not good, not bad, and a decent amount for the price, however it is horribly mismanaged, if they even have a front end manager they have no idea what they are doing. There is no coordination amongst the wait staff. The wait staff actually actively IGNORE you if you are not pretty and trendy. Seriously. I have been blatantly ignored and been treated very rudely in front of friends...I can only assume because I am overweight and don't wear Hollister. I have had to beg for even a menu while another person at the table gets fawned over, this has been over years with different staff, I can only assu,e they are instructed to behave that way by management. Its not like I smell or look like a homeless person. Just a clean average fat guy. The patio is incredible though. I think that the location next to Union is saving them. If they didn't have a prime location with a patio they would have closed long long ago.
(1)James G.
I find this place to be atrocious. Even though it is packed most of the time and has the advantage of outside seating, the food is worse than dog food. The prices - well, for the quality they should pay their diners to eat there. The service is repulsive, among the worst ever experienced. It's almost like the servers truly hate you. Forced to go there for various things over the years, but would never go without extreme coercion. Save me, please!
(1)Katherine M.
LOVE! Best patio in the Short North. Standard tequila supply, and for those that like doctored-up margaritas, here you have the laundry list of flavor opportunity. Great Mexican food. Best chorizo queso I've found in Columbus - and served with hot soft tortillas too, not just chips. Parking is so easy now with the Hub garage right next door (cheap, easy, accessible, and safe)! Only downfall is the wait on nice days, because the patio is so popular. But inside it's never crowded. Pull up a stool at the bar to wait for the outside - it's worth it.
(4)Sarah B.
Ok, so this place have a nice patio with good views of High Street. Also, I once had a pretty tasty soup here... I think it was a posole one, but I can't remember. Other than that, La Fogata is woefully mediocre and overpriced. My boyfriend and I came during their appetizer happy hour (so not worth it) and got the guacamole salad, among other things. If you want a small pile of guac that resembles that stuff you can buy in a bag at Giant Eagle, but if you want to pay restaurant prices for it, feel free to order that salad. Its only resemblance to a salad was the pile of lukewarm iceberg lettuce upon which it was served. I could make something more inspired with an avocado and some salt. I've been here twice (the first time was better....) and had a pitcher of margarita both times. The first time, it was good. The second time, it was nasty. I'm not much of a connoisseur of anything, so I can't pinpoint exactly what was "off..." but the second time it was syrupy and sweet, not sour like a margarita should be. Were there something amazing about this place, like the service, or the decor, I would be more forgiving, but the service on the night we were there was awful! We sat in the middle of the patio, and were visibly ignored by two separate servers (i think we were in the middle of both of their areas) until a busboy took pity on us and brought us chips. I seriously considered walking away since it took such a long time to get anything, even a napkin, put in front of us. In short, my quest for a nice Corona-patio-taco location is going to continue, because it's currently my own porch, with a store-bought Corona and a take-away taco from La Bamba.
(2)Jimena M.
I'm from out of town. Met up with a former co-worker of mine and he recommended this place. There outdoor patio is quite lovely and it was a perfect day to be eating outside, sunny, not too hot, wonderful. I ordered a pineapple margarita, this is a first! It was quite strong and tasty! They brought out tortilla chips and salsa, the tortilla chips were from a bag and a little too hard. The salsa was very boring and watery. I asked for extra hot sauce and they brought out green and red habanero hot sauce, oh yea! that kicked things up a notch. I ordered their carnitas, the pork was tender, it came with rice, refried beans, tortillas and guacamole, it was a huge portion and it was pretty good. Overall I had a satisfying meal. Not the best carnitas I've had, but definitely tasty.
(3)Debbie A.
Horrible. Absolutely horrible. Tortilla soup tasted like an entire shaker of salt had been poured into it, the burritos were disgustingly and disturbingly chewy and the chips were cold and stale. Our food took over 40 mins to arrive and we were charged gratuity on a bill for 3 dinners, which we unfortunately didn't realize until we got home in our haste to get out of there. They must stay in business based on location alone.
(1)Brent P.
We met friends here, and any restaurant is a good restaurant to talk and enjoy some company. And that was the highlight of La Fogata. The food and atmosphere is terribly mediocre. It's as if everyone eating there has made a collective decision to settle since there aren't many Mexican options in the area. My wife's margarita was watered down and the service was suspect. On a positive note, you come out smelling like a deep fryer. So that's something, right? Their patio seems nice, but I wouldn't even suggest sitting there and eating their chips and salsa. Somehow they don't include salt on the tortilla chips, but succeed in making the rest of their dishes overly salty. Walk to a taco truck in the area or seek out an upgraded Mexican option. Like Taco Bell. La Fogata, you Fogata the flavor.
(2)Mike K.
Food in the Short North mostly sucks and this is no exception. I got the Verde Burritos with chicken. I think the cook dumped a whole bottle of salt into the sauce. I thought I was imagining it but I gave it to my companions to try and they agreed that it was inedible. We had a pretty good server who took it off the bill without a fuss. We also had two pitchers of margaritas: regular on the rocks and frozen strawberry. Both were incredibly sweet and not very good but they got the job done. The chips and salsa were the highlight of this place. They also have shots of a homemade chili-infused tequila. It's spicy as hell and has the aftertaste of cocaine.
(1)Jim R.
Food was pretty good but the service and margaritas prevented me from giving more stars.
(3)Kristina B.
I love scrolling over the stars to reread the descriptions given for each. I feel that the one for 2 stars is exactly accurate when it comes to La Fogata -- I've experienced better. Our server was awesome. The outdoor seating area was enjoyable on the day that we went. Other aspects of this place are just...plain... Meh. My mojito was awful. The mint wasn't even muddled. So I basically drank 1/3 of what could best be described as a bunch of leaves floating atop a glass of foul Sprite. The margaritas were no better. Ugh. I switched to Corona soon after. The food -- meh. I had chilaquiles and they were covered in cheese. Cheese is a good thing, yes. Love it. Dairy is my bff. BUT!! This was just an insane amount of cheese. The excess of it didn't allow for a necessarily enjoyable dining experience because I was missing out on the wonderful flavors a properly made plate of chilaquiles provides. Oh well. This place is fine. I've had waaaay better, though.
(2)Jason B.
food is ok. Salsa and chips are great. Service has been an issue the past few times I have been there to a point t I am not inclined to return.
(2)Andrea W.
So I want to let you know I have been here a few times. The boy likes it and it's the closest Mexican restaurant around. This time was OK we sat on the patio and apparently Sundays they have $3 Bloody Marys and Mimosas! Love this! Ok, focus, anyways so the patio had a great atmosphere the service was good, the food was ok. Not bad, but not great. However, I'm pretty sure out of the 3 times I've been here this is the first time they got my order correct. They would always give me shredded chicken, now I don't know if they normally run out of shredded beef but just tell me because I like beef. Scratch that, I love beef, so La Fogata please don't leave me hanging. Anyways, sorry i'm a little ADD today. The overall experience this time was good but the past two times were not at all so 2 stars, sorry. If i go again i will update but for now this is how we will part La Fogata.
(2)Kayre H.
To be honest, I've only eaten here once and I only had a soup, but it was decent. What I go there for all the time though is Salsa Nights! Friday nights upstairs they have Salsa, Merengue and Bachata til 2am. It's usually just music by a DJ, but recently there's been some live accompaniments, which is always nice. The upstairs is roomy, and the atmosphere is fun and laid back. Definitely not sketchy, like some other dancing venues I've been to in Columbus. Big dancefloor, enough tables and chairs around and a couch area for those who for some reason actually want to eat/drink/rest when there's awesome Salsaness to be had! ;-)
(4)Amy S.
This is a great patio in the Short North, but the actual food is less than amazing. This is coming from a Quesadilla lover who doesn't think she should have to pay more for grilled chicken instead of suffering through the shredded chicken. Not that their shredded chicken is bad... I just don't think it belongs in a Quesadilla and that is unfortunately a frequent occurrence in Americanized versions.
(3)Zola B.
The food at La Fogata deserves only 1 star, but the beer and tequila selection made me give it 2 stars. The food is slop. The service is also crappy at the tables, but decent at the bar. There is nothing authentic about their food. Gross.
(2)Brett L.
The food here was pretty bland and just did not taste right. This had to be the worst mexican food I've had in the Columbus area. The only reason that the restaurant is not getting 1 star was it's service, location, and drink specials. The service was great, the drink specials were great, and the location would be great for a couple of drinks during happy hour on the patio. But I would go elsewhere for food.
(3)Josias V.
I like la fogata, only been there twice, but I always get great service and a smile
(4)Jo P.
This place is all right. Every time we've been (3 times) it's always been reaaaaally slow getting food. Also, my husband is part Mexican, and his family is all about making the food (homemade tortillas... mmmm...) and this is NOTHING whatsoever like true Mexican food. That doesn't make it bad though I guess...
(3)Tom Q.
It was a beautiful early spring day here in Columbus. A smart business person would have checked the weather report, and having the knowledge of the beautiful weather, with the biggest dining patio in the Short North, it would be a banner start to the season. Not so with La Fogata. The wait was long for a patio table. The wait for food, after ordering, was over an hour. No "check ins" from our server during that time. Once the food arrived, two of the five in my party waited an additional half hour for their meals (and if it had not been for my bringing this issue to the attention of our inattentive waiter, I doubt if they would have ever had their food). The fact that this place has prospered is astounding to me. The food is one level above Taco Bell at best, and the service is atrocious.The nice thing about La Fogata is knowing that the meal will look the same on its "way out" the next day. I have dined here on many occasions, and have always forgiven mediocre dining experiences to the wonderment of the best patio in the Short North. No more. Get your act together, people.
(2)Aaron S.
Nice place, great food!
(4)doreen w.
The first time I tried this place was during the summer. All of the Short North patios were packed,even the off the beaten path Cafe Apropo. It was a laid back and warm summer Friday evening after work and we just wanted to sit outside and get a little loaded. I had been to this spot before when it had a different name and different owners on a Tuesday when they had $1 tacos, so I was psyched to try out the new menu. We were fortunate to get a table outside and immediately inquired about a happy hour. Our server answered with an abrupt no! Our disappointment melted when we were reassured by the $5 margaritas which came swiftly and were served up strong. We shared tostadas, fresh guacamole, and tacos and left feeling satisfied on this summer's eve. It was this warm memory that took me back recently with friends just days after the 'precipitation' that blanketed c-bus. We ordered almost exactly the same items and it just didn't do the trick. The drinks seemed a bit weak and the food felt mediocre. Perhaps the kitchen has some serious SAD or maybe my summer time fun was a case of mind over matter. I'm sure I'll be back when the weather warms since the patio is the best in the short north both lively and roomy.
(3)Jerri J.
La Fogata has always been my go to as far as where to go for the best patio in the area, as well as everyone I know. The staff treats everyone like they are a friend or family and they can back it up with amazing and authentic mexican food and even the $2 margs are delicious. The owner makes it a point whenever he can to greet everyone, service is fast. I have been going there for years and the waitstaff has always always been fun and friendly, even during lunch! Quality and consistency is difficult in this industtry but as far as I can see, they have it!
(5)Mitch H.
La Fogata is fine. I've had better, but considering the lack of good mexican places in Columbus, I continue to eat here. The Chile Verde is quite good, as are the Steak Tacos. However, I have not had anything else on the menu that garnered more than a 'meh.' The margaritas are also a little hit or miss. Like I said. It's fine.
(3)Doug M.
First time here last weekend, highly doubt there will be a second visit. Food was mediocre, order screwed up multiple ways and the service was really bad. Atmosphere is good, nice looking restaurant, nice patio. To expand on our service; ordered from vegetarian menu, 3 item plate. End up with a chicken enchilada, after finally flagging down our elusive waiter he takes my whole plate. I say the other items are fine and I'd like to keep them but am ignored. Takes my glass for a refill which never comes. Have to flag a different waiter (where did ours go?) who brings refill. By the time original waiter comes back with my plate my entire table is done eating. In clearing table takes all napkins, disappears. Flag yet another waiter for napkins but he obviously forgets quickly, flag yet another waiter to finally get a napkin so I can eat. The 2 items that were correct on my dish were replaced and now taste worse than before. Meal mediocre, service terrible. I have to add that at no point during this meal did the restaurant have more than 3 other tables so they weren't busy...
(2)Allison S.
The food is pretty bad--edible but not tasty. Very bland. Margaritas taste like 7-Up. Large patio is a plus. Seems to be good for groups.
(2)Pete C.
The authentic Mexican food that's served at La Fogata is almost identical to that of El Vaquero, but the outdoor patio at this Short North restaurant easily blows El Vaquero out of the water. After taking over from Roja, the previous owner, La Fogata retooled the front driveway area in to a wood slatted patio that looks eerily similar to the one next door at Haiku. It's covered with Corona and Bud Light flags, of course, but next to Cazuela's I can't think of a better place to eat some fajitas on a sunny day. The menu here isn't any sort of attempt for La Fogata to reinvent the wheel, but you'll find plenty of combos that sound interesting regardless. The pick 3 platter is a great dish for the indecisive, and if I remember correctly it was only $8. Make sure to try a pitcher of one of their margaritas as well- they're cold as ice and stiff as a board. Parking is the only distraction from the pretty good time you'll have at La Fogata, but that's what you have to expect with just about any restaurant down there. You won't be disappointed with the food or the environment, so it's worth it to go anyways.
(4)Diana N.
i ordered camarones a la diabla (shrimp in spicy sauce). it comes with tortillas, guacamole, rice, lettuce, and tomatoes not impressed. the shrimp was well cooked, but the flavor was forgettable...just a mildly spicy salsa-like sauce. the other people in my party ordered this garlic shrimp dish, taco salad, and enchiladas. they weren't impressed either. the server was very nice and funny though.
(2)Steven H.
La Fogata Grill took over the former site of Rojo Tequileria and the menu is much improved. The patio is great for people-watching but be prepared to wait to be seated there on the weekends. Excellent quesadillas, tacos, chips + salsa and a varied tequila listing.
(3)P W.
My friend had a beer league softball game on a sunny Sunday in Columbus. We started drinking early, and continued on throughout the eve. We ended up with a large group of eaters at La Fogata. Our party had around 10 to 15 people, the service was slow, but she did a great job at keeping everything straight. We observed a large group of dudes hanging out next door at what is called Union. They wandered next door to La Fogata. A woman among this group of dudes kept touching her breasts inappropriately. Especially in a family atmosphere like this. My friend walked inside to use the restroom. The group of drinkers, woman included, stood by the hostess station. The girl asked my friend if he was gay, he said no, she said he had a nice body and lifted his shirt and started rubbing his chest. He returned to the table smiling. I asked what just happened, he said, "I don't know, but she was kind of hot". I informed him that the girl was actually a guy with breast implants dressed as a woman. It was one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. The food was alright. Nice patio.
(3)Anna H.
i ate lunch at 11am. i sat at the bar. i was given chips and a very fresh tomato flavor and very mild salsa. i had the pollo loco which is chicken breast with shredded chorizo (no spice but not greasy)and mexican cheese. it came with rice but no beans, very sad. i had to order beans as a side order.
(3)Jamie S.
Its about time for downtown Columbus to have a very tasty and fun Mexican restaurant!! Great chips & salsa. Better than Vaquero. Food is just like most other Mexican joints in CBus. One of the best patio's on High St. Never had a bad time, bad service, or bad food.
(4)Sarah G.
Against my better judgment I went here again today bec as use the lure of the patio and sunshine is too great and yes, it's still mediocre food with just as terrible service as it was last time I went a year ago. I would venture to say they have the consistently worst service in Columbus! Today I was greeted by the bartender 10 mins after sitting down by her throwing a menu at me in a huff and saying "just a sec" after I asked her for a drink. Now Iknow she was busy but I worked as a server/bartender for 12 years and she was doing side work before she even greeted us, that's a "no, no". We drank watered down house margaritas while waiting for a patio table. Once we got one we waited 25 minutes for a server to come to the table, other tables who came after us got drinks before we even had a server. I just kind of sighed bc I knew better than to come to this over rated place. I flagged down the closest server and we begged him to wait on us, luckily he did. The food was bleh-ish not great. Don't go here unless you just don't care about service, food quality or drink quality. PATIO IS THE ONLY GOOD THING.
(1)Parker T.
Horrible!! Poor service and worse good! It is really bad when the waitress picks up an uneaten plate and instead of asking if anything was wrong with the food asks if a to go box is needed.
(1)Marissa H.
Me feeling spontaneous one evening walking in short north with my boyfriend, we came across this place. I figured let's try here....besides it looked pretty nice. Service was bad and extremely slow for it being not very crowded on a Sunday evening, food was ok- pretty bland for a Mexican joint. The $22 pitcher of Margarita didn't even leave me with a buzz at the end of our meal. Last but not least, our waitress added on to what we originally tipped her ($5 because of the terrible service somehow posted as a $10 tip in my boyfriends bank). Would not recommend. Good news is I heard that they're not going to be open that much longer because another company is replacing that location!
(2)Food C.
Awful service. So many workers but wasn't given any napkins or refills unless requested. Waitress was bitchy and rude to our dd for not ordering a drink. It was quiet which was nice but they seemed desperate for a buck and rude if you weren't buying seven course meals. So long of a wait in a fairly empty place!
(1)Matthew S.
Let's be honest, there are really only 2 reasons to go here. The patio, and the Corona-Rita. The food is good, but there are way better places to get mexican food. I've never had great service here either. We usually only go here twice a year. Once because it's a stop on a charity pub crawl we do. The other is when the weather is so nice that you HAVE to have a marg on a patio.
(3)Hannah B.
This place was awful. I got delivery and the order was all wrong, and everything we did end up getting looked and tasted atrocious. I could have made everything I ordered in the comfort of my own home at a much less expensive price and I'm positive it would have tasted much more flavorful than this did. I will be requesting refund as well as never giving them my service again until there are some major changes in the way they make their food.
(1)Sean H.
Experience never even began. Got there at 9pm on a Friday, night but they weren't even half full. Servers running around like its the apocalypse. Yet...10 minutes sitting at the table and nobody said so much as hi. No less than 8 servers ran by. We left without a word, and the host said bye, unfazed that we were leaving after such a short stay. Will not be coming back without assurances from ownership that things have changed.
(1)Paul Z.
Service was very very mediocre. Walked to the hostess stand where there were 6 employees having personal conversations rather than interested in seating my group in an empty restaurant. Servers have no regard for etiquette as they banged the "birthday drum" in my ear very loudly twice while walking to other tables. Unnecessary.
(1)Anna K.
I'm not trying to sound mean, but this review will come off mean. I don't know why this restaurant claims a prime location in the heart of short north. Wow. Besides the money I wasted on dinner (thankfully I was in good company) I felt like I wasted money just driving there. Their hours listed on Yelp are wrong: weird. They don't have anything that is actually listed on their menu: weird. The chips are super stale, and if you get more than one basket they charge you: so weird. I wanted a salad with oil based dressing, they said they only have ranch. I asked for just oil and they said they only have ranch. My girlfriend asked about the sauce listed for her entree and he replied: we actually don't have that, just ranch. Her steak was cold, not like oh it's been sitting awhile but like- just defrosted cold. My chicken was the kind of chicken you look at and immediately know it's going to make you sick. I got 4-5oz of chicken and just romaine lettuce for $8. Moral: walk quickly past this place.
(1)Jonathan L.
This place stinks. The food is lousy, the service is lousy but on a sunny day their patio is packed full. I guess they have a nice patio. One star. Oh yeah, first chips and salsa is free, another basket of chips will cost you, read the fine print on the menu.
(1)Jenna B.
The best thing La Fagota has going for them is undoubtedly their location, and a great patio during the few months out of the year we can actually utilize it. The second best thing is their large variety of margarita flavors (I'm a sucker for blood orange!). Because I could eat Mexican food all day every day, their menu certainly satisfies. However, it's not the best Mexican food in town by any means. I've had many different salads, fajitas, etc. and they're all just good - nothing that I get overly-excited for nor linger over afterward (although the smell tends to linger for quite some time...). Personally, I think it's a little overpriced, but the location is worth it all. Like I always say, any meal that starts with free chips and salsa is sure to end with a smile! (that's actually the first time I've said that, but really.) Speaking of smiles, I also have to give them kudos for their service - for it is both fast AND friendly! During my last visit, I even had the pleasure of being serenaded on at least four separate occasions - apparently it was a big night for birthdays! Whether you are celebrating something special or just looking for a fun, decent meal, La Fagota is typically a safe bet!
(4)Kristina I.
La Fogata is the place to go if you're looking for a great margarita (or Coronarita which is my personal favorite) & just overall good vibes. Its in the short north so its beautiful especially in the summertime on that patio ( which is packed all summer long so plan ahead ) cinco de mayo celebrations are so much fun here too. The Mexican food is not authentic by any means but depending on what you order it could be a hit or miss. They have salsa dancing on Friday nights upstairs which are great for date nights, they have a bar up there too. The staff are my favorite, they are just really cool funny people but if you're one of those high maintenance customers that expect a specific level of service & attention don't be surprised when you wont be getting that.
(5)Emma L.
La Fogata has 2 things going for them. They are the only Mexican restaurant in the Short North and they have an amazing patio, a commodity for the area. Literally, that's it. When I first moved to the area I thought, oh it's in Short North, it must be good, right? Oh, I can walk there? Ok, great - let's go! And every single time it has been a let down. Once my queso dip tasted like perfume. Overall the food is on the meh side, leaning toward 'wish I had stayed home'. Especially for the price. Service is spotty to bad. Once I wanted a corona (they were out...what?) so I asked for a Bud Light (also sold out...what the what?!). It makes me sad that the location has so much potential. It makes me double sad that people will still come here based on the location and patio alone. I'd love to have a great Mexican restaurant within walking distance - I just won't be returning here.
(2)Zack R.
Why did I go back? I guess I assumed that since they were still around a year after seeing some of the world's worst service that maybe they changed. Nope. A salty and sassy no-bullshit host. Bitchy bartenders. A server who tried to rip me off over $2. Food that tasted like it was microwaved after sitting in a fridge for two weeks. I'm really mad that I gave this place my money again, and that they'll probably stay open because of people like me. Shame on me for being so naive.
(1)Anthony Y.
This place ruined my night. After waiting 30 minutes to be seated, which is fine, I'm sitting here after an hour and a half of no food. I'm sitting here writing this review prior to my food arriving. At this point I don't care if the food was prepared by God himself. The wait and customer service is ridiculous and management does not seem to care. I've decided that I've been more than patient and paying for these drinks and walking away. There is no excuse. Now I'm left with finding a place to eat and salvaging the night. We are here visiting from out of town and 2 hours was wrapped in this sorry excuse for a restraint.
(1)Greg B.
Food was okay but the service was terrible. Margaritas were a bargain for the amount of alcohol you received, but were not very flavorful. Chips and salsa were mediocre at best.
(2)Dani G.
Good margaritas. The host seems to always be pissed off about life though. Most of the servers there are pretty rude. Customer service isn't their forte.
(2)Sarah H.
Nice place, good location but the food is just ok. I don't mean to be so damn picky but here is what needs improved: Standard salsa tastes of marinara sauce. Minimal mex flavoring.. Red Enchilada sauce tastes bland and spice-less. Mexican rice was bland too.. Overpriced for what we got. :( Overall, no options for vegetarians.
(2)Stephanie K.
I came for the Friday Night Salsa dancing. From 8-10pm, they hold a beginners salsa dance group lesson for $10. Then after 10pm it's open floor dancing. I think it might be $7 at that point. The beginner class included basic steps for salsa, meringue, and bachata. Coming stag is no big deal as they have you rotate partners often anyway. My friends and I had a blast. The open dancing afterwards was particularly fun as really experienced latino men would periodically come whisk us away on the dance floor. Even the most experienced dancers were very patient with us newbs. Before the class I did have some of the food downstairs. It really wasn't anything special. I ordered the cheese quesadilla and a margarita. It was your typical generic mexican fare. The real attraction to this restaurant is definitely the dancing.
(4)Michelle S.
I usually don't like Mexican food or mojitos but I think their food is definitely good and made me want more! I'm going tonight and can't wait. The other awesome part about this place is that they offer salsa lessons upstairs for $10 and then around 10pm everyone just dances. Everyone is friendly and dances with eachother. lol
(4)Lola A.
Ok spot. Came in for salsa on friday night and that was fun! The first time I was here, the drinks were nothing to write home about but the second time, it was better! I like that I could customize my drink! bar is kinda limited though, no martinis, lol
(3)Dean M.
Great food and great service! A great Mexican restaurant in the heart of the short north!
(5)MeyMey L.
Watery Salsa and bland food. Service was slow. Only reason I gave a two star was because the Magaritas were pretty good. Wouldn't come back.
(2)Stacy W.
I used to love this place. It's a great location and has a wonderful patio. Food is ok, but the margaritas are now so weak. Won't be wasting my money on Margs there anymore ..
(2)Nicole W.
Very very slow service! Food was decent nothing special at all. Air conditioning so high we froze to death the whole time! Had to wait forever for out bill also! Watched our waiter texting in a booth behind us!
(1)Thomas C.
Terrible hostess! Beautiful night. Small group of us (5). Refuses to seat us on the patio as "people are waiting". 9 tables available for the last 30 mins. 1st and last time here.
(1)Joe G.
Definitely one of my go-to places in the short north! Parking can be a bit of challenge (but hey, it's in the short north) but valet parking is usually available and I often opt for the convenience of having my car right there. The food is good - but probably not winning any awards. The drinks are very good. I love their frozen margaritas. They also have an above average patio. Very nice and relaxing to enjoy in the summer months. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the chairs on the inside of the restaurant. Usually 1 of 4 are partially leaning or broken, could probably use an upgrade. Overall though, I really do like going to La Fogata! It will remain one of my favorite spots in the short north.
(3)Amanda L.
I recently took my sister and aunt here on Sunday when they came into visit for the day. It was nice out and they have a good patio. Our waitress who called her self "Lucky" was anything but for us. When she first approached our table and took our drink orders she got to me and goes, "I thought you were a man." I was completely offended. I may have a shorter haircut, but lots of women have short hair. I found this utterly unprofessional and rude. Then I had to order my beer twice because she never brought it. We ordered our food and when it came she dropped it off and never again returned to the table. We had no hot sauce on our table and because she never returned we had to go find it ourselves. We ate our meal and waited a good 20 more min after that before she came back to the table. We asked for our checks and still she never brought them. When she finally brought them she set our checks down and goes, "These are right because I don't know who got what." We were not a difficult table. 6 beers, 1 coke, and 4 dinners.... not sure how that is so difficult. I will probably not return because she was so AWFUL. The food was just okay. The refried beans tasted like stale cardboard (if that's a thing). I hope for anyone who goes here for dinner I hope you are "lucky" enough to not get this wench as your server.
(1)Ray C.
Here is the deal I have ordered repeatedly from this business using cafe courier and it is the same order every time and it is not a difficult order to remember super nachos no chorizo no shrimp(i am allergic to shrimp). It is always a crap shoot as to whether they will make my food correct or not. Last night I ordered once again and it got delivered with the shrimp on it and it was after the delivery service had closed so i was stuck with no dinner. I said no problem and just forgot about it. I decided to give it another go tonight and order it again but this time I had decided to call the restaurant directly after placing my order to ensure they made it correctly and they refused to even discuss it with me and to take it up with the delivery service. I only would need to take it up with the delivery service if i were wanting a refund or to be compensated but ALL I WAS ASKING was for them to please check the correctness of the order that I had just placed tonight before sending it off with the driver and the manager flatly refused to hear any of it and to talk to the delivery service.
(1)Kayla G.
This place has a great happy hour, and one of the best patios in the short north. Their food is just alright. Their service is beyond horrible! I have never gone to this place and even had alright service! Their service is what will keep me from returning!
(1)Jessica R.
Two words: patio and margs! These are my two favorite things about this place. The patio is great for those warm summer days while sipping on margs. And their margaritas are seriously awesome! They have 15 flavors to choose from - from raspberry to mango to desert pear. There is something for everyone. And they make em strong! Kudos! On the other hand - their food is meh. Lacks the Mexican spice I love. Their service is friendly but slow. Granted, it's usually jam packed in the joint, so I gotta keep that in mind. They work as fast as they can. But every server I've had was super nice. Go and check out their happy hour!
(4)Paige M.
Fifteen flavors of margaritas! La Fogata: pack up and move to Cincinnati! Now that it's been said, I can move onto other details, like our server, Brenton. He was a blast to host us; it was like speaking with an old friend. He took our orders, asked our names, shook our hands; all in a relaxed and fun way. As we gawked at the variety of margarita flavors, Brenton recommended his favorite: the Cactus Pear. Ay carumba! The Cactus Pear was the best margarita I've tasted and I am sadly envious that I will not be able to find that flavor in Cincinnati. The drink arrived in generous portion, swirled white and purple in the cup. Beautiful and tasty! Also, the chips and salsa were on par: crisp warm tortillas and a salsa with a prominent roasted tomato taste that made it unique. I'll definitely be coming here to try the food the next time I am in town. That is, unless La Fogata appears overnight in Cincinnati. Then I'd be your most frequent customer. Margarita price: $6.00/glass or $20.00/ pitcher
(5)Nick H.
A nice place if you enjoy Mexican Fair, Margarita's, and a nice Patio. But the main issue is the food is lacking. I live very close and I would eat tacos all the time if I could. But every time I come here, I leave a little disappointed because the food is bland and uninspired. That being said the service was fast and friendly. I will try it again sooner or later but my expectations are not to high.
(3)Brian W.
I prefer La Fogata in better weather out on the patio on a summer's evening. A great location. Stuck indoors it's all a bit shaby and noisy (probably because of the concrete floors). The food is decent (for Ohio mexican). I'm more of a fan of their burritos, than their soft tacos which can be a bit of a mess to eat. I love the location and mexican in general, so I'll definitely be back in better weather.
(3)Zain K.
I'm reviewing the club upstairs rather than the restaurant proper (well, I'll parenthetically review the latter here, having eaten there once: 2*, unmemorable, and overpriced, but with a nice festive ambiance and great patio. There you have it: my first ever review-within-a-review!). So I have a love-hate relationship with this place as far as salsa venues go. It's more hate than love, actually, yet I somehow continue coming back on Friday nights (leading to a love-hate relationship with myself...). My recurrence here is partly because salsa options in Cbus are few and far between, but also because I think I've become addicted to the circus-ness of this place. Truly, there are few places in this town (state? country?) where you can find this many sketchy characters assembled at one time and place. Seriously, this place is endowed with more than its fair share of creepers, poseurs, jokers and freaks. Beyond that, the music is *horrendous* by salsa standards (the DJ is a really nice guy, and a good musician in his own right, but not a dancer, so doesn't really get it), and the dance floor is filthy and sticky most nights. I'd hate to be here when the lights go on. Okay, I should admit that I'm a bit of snob when it comes to salsa venues, so this review needs to be taken with a grain of salt. It's just that I've been to many of the world's best salsa clubs, and I'm none too pleased that these days I'm spending my Friday nights at one of the world's worst. Then again, I do keep coming back, so what does that say about me? I don't think I want to know...
(3)Amanda V.
The food is so mediocre in comparison to every Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. The chips and salsa tastes like it was bought in a store, and you have to pay $1.99 after the first basket, unlike other Mexican places. People say it's in a great location, but trying to find parking in the short north can be a nightmare. You always end up having to pay to park. The service we received was really not all that bad, aside from a hostess that was kind of rude and seemed totally air headed. Their margaritas are actually really good, and they have a great flavor selection. The biggest reason why I give 2 stars is because the food is not worth what you have to pay for it at all. I make better Mexican food in my kitchen and I'm a chubby white girl from the suburbs.
(2)Karlie H.
La Fogata does have a great location and I enjoyed sitting on the patio watching people walk down High St., but everything else is lacking. The hostess was unfriendly and the food was barely average. They apparently have $1 tacos on Tuesday nights, but when we got our bills the soft tacos were $2 and only the hard tacos were $1. The waiter could have easily told us that while we were ordering, but did not. My Coronarita was good, but not any better than it would be at a better Mexican restaurant. I won't be back anytime soon
(2)RJ W.
The worst Mexican food (and I shudder to call it Mexican food) I have ever had, anywhere, on any planet in any solar system in any universe. Add in completely inattentive service and I see why, on a Friday night, it was not full. It is just God awful. I would never, ever go there again. Period. End of sentence. Horrible, horrible, horrible
(1)Parker E.
I ordered the enchiladas verdes, it was alright and the portions are generous. (like any good Mexican restaurant!) Only complaints I have are that the dish was not very flavorful and was somewhat bland. The rice was also a little dry. However, my server was very friendly and cheery, and the house frozen margaritas were delicious!
(3)Katie P.
I went to La Fogata this winter for a Margarita Monday. The margaritas were great at an ever better price, but service was mediocre at best, even though there weren't many people there. Had to leave my table to order from the bar multiple times. The WORST part of this experience was when I ate my leftover enchiladas at home. After eating about 2/3, I found a yellow rubber glove finger tip INSIDE of my enchilada, mixed in with the chicken. I was absolutely disgusted. It was about once inch long, and I'm grateful to have found it before swallowing that much plastic. I reported the problem to their website, but never heard back. Will NEVER order food again, probably won't ever return. I don't recommend it, but if you do get food, cut it up thoroughly before consuming!
(1)Rachel A.
Delicious food and great margaritas!!! And an inexpensive choice for downtown Columbia! Great wait staff and they even have their own valet, which is priceless here on the winter! PS... We loved the salsa!!!
(5)Meghann T.
What am I supposed to do when my server (Jerri) f_cked me over? I don't know if it was by mistake or greed, but I split my bill last night with a friend. He paid $23 cash, and I paid 10.58 + 5.00 tip = 15.58. Then I check my bank account, and I was charged not once, but twice! Once for 15.58 and again for 38.58! Management doesn't care, they can't do anything, but I am never going back there, and don't EVER have Jerri be your server!
(1)Holly K.
Okay, here is the REAL review of La Fogata or, as I now call it...La F-Ugata. When this place first opened, the service was great (as were the margaritas) and the food was okay. Now, a few years later, there are no words come to mind other than one: TRAGIC. Last year, some how it escaped me to review this place but I'll do it now considering the tyrant I'm about to pursue in this. Bear with me. Last year a group of friends and I went here after the Pride Parade around 2 - so not right after the rush. It was packed and the group I went with normally has a considerable amount of patience and empathy for the servers...especially on this weekend in particular. Needless to say, long story short, every...single...one of us thought about walking out without paying and that's not something I do as I have a lot of respect for the restaurant industry. The waitress we had at the time was attentive to all the surrounding tables...BUT ours...for over the whole duration we were there. It's one thing to be completely inattentive and equal "ignorance" of all your tables but to leave one out...when clearly we all had nothing to drink and no chips left...c'mon. And, besides that, we waited nearly 2.5 hours for our food! I'm no chef but there's no way in hell it'd take me THAT long to cook all that up. A lot of Mexican food uses the same ingredients so... WTF was my response to that. Yesterday 2 friends of mine vowed to give it another shot since we were having spring fever and were itching for a patio. Never in my life did I thought I'd get worse service than Hounddog's at 3am. I was wrong. My friends arrived ten minutes before I did and the hostess told us there were three tables ahead of us, yet seated at least 5 other parties before we even got around to getting a table. I'm sure she forgot to put us on the list. After 45 minutes, we finally got a table. We waited...and waited...and waited... and roughly another 15 minutes went by with no server at all whatsoever to take drinks or anything. The hostess then stops over, knowing how long we had already waited due to her inadequacy to seat people aka do-her-job well (esp. when you're slammed that's not the time to be lazy), telling us "someone will be over shortly". Another 15 minutes went by...again...with no server stopping at all. At this point, we decided we had enough and I personally, have had enough of La F-Ugata's overly poor services. How a business stays in business when you run it like that is beyond me. Right before we got up to leave, we saw a server carrying a table OFF the patio, which clearly needed another table since they still had people waiting. We gladly took off, leaving our table open and went down to the Short North Tavern where we immediately were served with a drink within 5 minutes of arrival and they were busy too (considering they only had one waitress/bartender for the whole place). Trying to eat at La Fogata is like watching Lindsay Lohan and her drug addiction: you think it'll get better when it just turns even more tragic the more you get your hopes up thinking it'll change. It's something that never comes full circle. Even if I got free food for a year to try to make up for this disgrace of a restaurant, I would not go back. So F-U La Fogata. I will not be returning to your restaurant ever again.
(1)Cori E.
I have been here several times and have always have always had a good experience. The Enchiladas Rancheras is my absolute favorite and since I had it once I can't bring myself to order anything else... it's just too good! The only problem with the margaritas is that all of the flavors are so yummy it can be difficult to decide which one to order. I would highly recommend the desert pear or the blood orange. They have salsa dancing on Friday nights which is always a good time. They even offer lessons for beginners (for only a few extra bucks) before opening up the dance floor (upstairs) for everybody else. The only reason I am giving this place 4 stars is their Cinco de Mayo party. I give them props for having extra drink stand set up outside on the patio to accommodate a larger crowd but the stands didn't offer all of the marg flavors that I had made the trip there for. When I went inside to the bar to order something else I was given two pitchers of flavors that I didn't ask for and it was not even mixed in well.
(4)Keith B.
Somehow I've never been on the patio. Either it was winter or it poured buckets right when we pulled up. Fucking mother nature. So - it's decent american-mexican food. I've had a couple dishes - they've been tasty, but I've had better elsewhere. Really - the service was lacking both times I've been here, from mainly being inattentive.
(3)Caelen M.
I like the decor, and the patio is very nice. As for the food? I don't know. When I went in there, the kitchen was closed. It was extremely hard to find the 'check-in' stand, and it was at the door farthest from the entrance I used coming from the south (apparently only approach from the north!). So we walked in, got confused, and then a waiter told us that if we wanted drinks we could stand at the bar. We did. We waited. And waited. And waited. The bartender saw us standing there, and then actually walked out from behind the bar. When she came back, she ignored our attempts to get a drink. After about 10 minutes of this, we decided to take our money elsewhere.
(2)Alexa A.
This place is extremely mediocre and overpriced. I'll reiterate what someone else said: the best thing about the place is the patio--which is what drew me in to this place. My advice, though, is to skip this one. We arrived for lunch on a Sunday and waited for way too long for someone to clear off one of the 4 free tables on the patio for us; we had long enough to get drinks at the bar, so we went for the $3 bloody mary special. They were awful; nearly undrinkable. I've honestly never had such a bad bloody mary before. Then we were seated. The menu looked like old-school dive-y Mexican food, which I often sort of love. I ordered chicken ranchero. The server brought us the wrong meals and no silverware. She came back with the right meals but no silverware. We borrowed from the table next to ours; I didn't bother trying to get the corn tortillas I had ordered. We did attempt to get margaritas to get the yucky bloody mary taste out of our mouths. Then I ate my food. It was pretty bad. About what I would expect from a down-and-out Mexican place in some decaying industrial area, but twice as expensive. The margaritas were fine, but came without salt and were $6 each, which I don't think was worth it. It was nice to sit out in the sun, but I would probably never order food here again.
(2)Christina C.
The best thing about La Fogata is the patio. I went to sip margaritas on the patio and enjoy the sunshine, which is pretty much all I got. The food was mediocre, the menu didn't have many options and the salsa was 'meh'. The service was wonderful, though, and I love the decor. They also have salsa dancing nights on Fridays for $10, which includes lessons and cover for the night. But after seeing my bill at La Fogata and not having more good things to say: FOGATA-BOUT-IT FOGATA! :)
(3)Jackie P.
One word: overrated. The food here was actually kind of....sweet tasting? How is that so?! This is mexican! As my Indian friend claimed, "This is mexican food for white people." And as stereotyping as that is, it's true. It's watered down and bland. So, La Fogata, just one question, Where's the heat?! The patio seems stellar, though. I cannot wait to come here during happy hour and sip on some marg's and sangria! Which were both pretty good. My vote goes to the sangria. It was kind of hard to see the menu, however. Red lights against a red menu...a tad harsh on the eyes. But the prices weren't too harsh on the wallet. It was actually very well priced for the area and in general. I can't say I'll be back for the food, but I def. will be back for drinks during the warmer months!
(2)Tom S.
My office is right down the street from here so I go at least once a week during the middle of the afternoon so the service is quick and efficient. The fajita quesadilla is awesome-- everything else I've gotten is underwhelming. Even though I go same day, same time every week, I never have the same server-- which is weird. but every person that has waited on me has been great.
(4)Zack F.
I'll be honest, my review is only for the tequila selection. I didn't have a chance to eat here but I did want to check out their tequila options. I was pleasantly surprised. They have a good selection of tequila that ranges in price and style. There should be a little of something for everyone. They also offer tequila tasting flights. Unfortunately, they didn't have an actual list of all their tequila. Unless you have them all memorized and can easily recognize the bottle from across the bar, you will be somewhat limited in your choice. The place itself was not particularly crowded and yet it still was very difficult to get service from the single bartender. It appears they may have need for a service bartender.
(4)Jaclyn E.
There are 2 good things about this place. The queso & the location. Everything else is sub-par and/or just crappy. The service might be the worst in Columbus. We keep going back because I think that it can't get any worse....it does. I'm not sure how they hire their servers, but they need a new method. There used to be one good server there, but he quit. The food is not very good. The lunch portions are very bitch-like. The house margaritas taste like 100% sour mix. But the patio and queso are good.
(2)Liz M.
Pluses: Great Patio, Good Service, Good Drinks. +3 Minuses: High Prices, meh Food. -2 Stopped by La Fogata walking down High St. before meeting Bryant M. & Keith M. at Mouton. Of course, we were attracted to La Fogata because of the awesome patio. We got seated right away, they weren't busy. Our server was sweet and attentive. She took our drink order & of course asked her recommendation and went with her second fav drink, the pom mojito. It was YUM. Surprisingly, La Fogata does a great mojito. But, beware, they have a $7 a pop price tag. We decided to just stick to drinks since they served chips and salsa upon being seated AND they were very blah. The chips desperately needed salt and the salsa was water and tasted canned. I wasn't gagging on them, but it was obvious they were delish since we barely touched the basket. They had two large groups seated on the patio & they seemed happy to accommodate them. The food looked very standard for Mexican food when I saw it come out of the kitchen. I'd probably go back to La Fogata during Happy Hour to take advantage of the specials to save myself from going broke. HH is M-F 3-6. Oh wait...I'll probably never be back, who the heck's available between 3 & 6 for happy hour weekdays?
(3)Jessica K.
We visited during restaurant week, and I think we found one of the week's great deals, because for $15 we got full sized dips for appetizers, full sized burritos for entrees, and big desserts at the end. (I'd give price comparisons, but there are no prices on their online menu. Annoying. Note that, as I would never have gone based on their website.) Other restaurant week participants really scale down portion sizes to make the event profitable. I'm not sure if they missed the memo or if they will have such a kick-ass deal the next time around, but today it was definitely worth the money as all courses were tasty. My margarita was standard, nothing special, fairly weak. Our service was fine but even though we were one of three tables in the restaurant, our courses were rushed like they needed our table pronto. She did a fine job, though. Another small, somewhat ridiculous note is that while looking at the menu I did not find a vegetarian section along with the beef, chicken and seafood sections. This is minor, but vegetarian sections are beacons of light that I quite enjoy from Mexican (and Asian) restaurants. It's rare that there is more than one option, and it's super rare that I get a whole section, so they are appreciated. Some entrees are listed as being available in meat or veggie, so I'm sure they can accommodate, but I also find it somewhat uncool to charge me the same price for my peppers and onions as someone getting shrimp or steak. Yeah, it's only a weak margarita and some vegetarian oversight, but when there are literally 30+ Mexican restaurants within 5 miles (according to Yelp)... the little things matter.
(4)Jamie S.
Excellent atmosphere with a great patio! Quick service, great margs and salsa, and the food is phenomenal! I got a chicken burrito pick two and the chicken was very succulent and freshly pulled off the bone.
(4)Sonal G.
I have two words for why this place deserves 2 stars: imitation guacamole. Ugh. How does a mexican restaurant not use real avocados AND expect anyone with taste buds to not figure out their guacamole is FAKE! This was very disappointing. One thing good about this place was it's service. One of the girls with me ordered a raspberry margarita (it was white/clear with a raspberry on the bottom), I'm assuming the flavoring was totally fake i this as well. I wouldn't really go back here unless you're just looking for beer/drink specials. The food is not worth a try AT ALL. I suppose I should have read the reviews and seen the 3 stars for this place before walking in and having some expectations...
(2)Tina G.
I agree with Christina C. (Elite) for the most part. The best feature of La Fogata Grill is the patio! Lots of action there! My significant other and I went yesterday after a stroll through The Arts Festival downtown. There was hardly anyone inside the place and we were seated immediately in the patio upon our arrival. For a gorgeous Sunday late afternoon there was plenty of busy-ness going on. Watching bar hoppers go back and forth from Union Station to La Fogata was entertaining all by itself! The scene appeared to be more like a happy hour in the middle of the week, provoking plenty of stimulating conversation about life. We have been to this establishment in the past and there is always a good crowd of people whenever we "hop" in the Short North. We once ordered a refreshing watermelon cocktail. We didn't order any alcoholic drinks this time just to begin the work week in proper fashion. Our ice teas with lemon seemed to have had an aftertaste of tequila and some kind of berry in it. It couldn't have been intentional...or could it? Bland but crunchy chips and salsa on an empty stomach were heavily consumed while waiting on our dishes to come out. I ordered a new dish vaguely recalling it as Pollo De La Crema. It has a creamy cheese sauce smothering grilled pieces of chicken with onions and mushrooms served with aluminum wrapped, warm, soft flour tortillas. Guacamole salad and spanish rice were on the side, as usual. It was pretty good. I couldn't finish the crema there was so much of it. Not a bad deal for $10.99. Our next visit I'm sure will include margaritas. That spirit seems to always have everyone in good ones at La Fogata Grill!
(3)Alan R.
I always enjoy Mexican food, margaritas and great friends! A few things though this time sucked. We asked 3 times to get chips and salsa... A span of 20 minutes. During that time, 2 tables next to us got chips and salsa, one of them got 3 different baskets! Also the margarita pitcher we got was more sour mix than anything else combined! And it was 20 bones each! Our server was ok. A little ditsy but no big deal. The reason I am giving it 3 stars and not 2 was becuase of the amazing people watching...
(3)Luke T.
The food here is very mediocre and the menu is rather tiny compared to most Mexican restaurants. It's one double-sided page. A small selection of starters, entrees, salads, desserts, etc. I think the idea is to have that "we only serve ten dishes, but they are all amazing" feel, but the food doesn't hold up. If you don't have a very sensitive palate you may not mind it much. There are very few vegetarian options, which is a big faux pas in general, and an even bigger one in the Short North. The last time I was here I had the huevos rancheros, which were yummy, but extremely soggy. While I enjoyed the meal, I did not enjoy the puddle sloshing around my plate. The real draw here is the specials. On Monday night they have $2 margaritas. They are served in tiny martini glasses, but they have 16 different flavors, most of which are delicious. They have very exotic flavors like desert pear and blood orange. Standards like strawberry, raspberry and blueberry are all also offered. Let's see...others...melon, watermelon, apple, pear, lime, banana. While they are on the small side, they are fairly strong. They have a dollar taco night, I think that might be Tuesday, but don't quote me on it. They have a salsa night where you can take dance lessons. The patio is another draw. It's nice and open and quite large. Can be hard to get a seat there in warmer weather. I think the service here is perfect. There are a handful of waitresses that have been there as long as I've been going and they used to recognize me. I haven't been in a while so I don't know that they still would. Anyway, one night two friends and I set out to try each of the margarita flavors, we failed but our server told us she would finish the flavors we didn't when her shift ended. Hah. We believe she may just have! Another waitress told me how an ex brought a new girlfriend there knowing that she worked there, but without saying anything to his new girlfriend. Long story short: there is credit card fraud and free dinner involved. I love that waitress. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I'm sure if you don't break her heart your credit card is safe.
(3)Stacey L.
The day after Cinco de Mayo, a group of ten of us went to La Fogata to celebrate our friend's birthday. We started off with two pitchers of margaritas, and they were fairly strong. While we perused the menu and went through basket after basket of chips, an hour ticked by. Finally one of our party decided to go wandering through the restaurant to find our waiter to tell him we really, really needed to order (it'd been an hour! we were starving!). He apologized to her and said he assumed we just wanted drinks. ... Yeah. Even if you think we just wanted drinks, you probably should have asked us if we wanted to order anyway. The food was tasty, but one person's order didn't make it out with the rest of ours. He eventually got his food, but I assume it was semi-torturous watching all of us eat while he waited for his food to show up. At the end of our meal, one of the boys decided to buy shots for all the girls. While waiting, we managed to all pay, get our cards back, and still, no shots had arrived. We then tried to get them to credit back the card, and finally, just as we were about to run the card back, a server came wandering by with our drinks. Fifteen to twenty minutes had passed between ordering them and actually having them come out. Based on service and efficiency, LF would get one star. The food, chips, and margs were pretty tasty, though, the patio looked perfect for a warm day, and they let our group be loud and crazy without shooting us dirty looks or kicking us out, so I'll bump up the rating.
(3)Brieanne S.
I came here for my brother's birthday on Sunday. Of course, for a Sunday night the place was pretty slow. When I walked into the restaurant I was pretty impressed with the environment. The inside was so trendy yet spicy. The entire decor was kind of red and black definitely a great ambiance. Overall we had good service. As soon as we walked in we got seated and the service was great all the way through the meal. We didn't have to wait too long to for our food and everything came out great. At one point I snuck back to where the servers where and asked if there was anything she could do to embarrass my brother on his birthday. She said there big sombrero got stolen but came over with a birthday shot. I appreciated that she did this for him. She even brought him an extra beer because the bartender made an extra one. So how could I write a bad review when this establishment gave us a free beer and shot. The food was okay, I don't think anyone could really mess up Mexican food. I order a fajita salad which I thought was a little small for the price. I am a typical American and expect all of my portions at restaurants to be huge. This way I don't have to cook for 2 more days. Overall, this was a good place to come for his birthday. We will be back.
(4)Drew G.
Alright, I really wanted to like this place. After my visit last night I'm convinced, after 4 visits, that my first experience was the standard. I should have written my review then and spared myself 3 additional lousy meals. Here's the deal, I give it two stars for the Blood Orange Margarita and the atmosphere. The food, time and time again, has been...sad. Last night we ordered the beef nachos to start. You would think that this can't be hard to mess up...you're wrong. It came out and it consisted of gray beef with runny cheese sauce. It looked about as appetizing as a photograph of a tumor on WebMD. We had two bites and let it sit there. Our meals came and they were drowned in watery sauces and my date bit into some weird husk that was in his chicken. This has been my experience every time! Hey La Fogata owners...stop cooking! I have a feeling that this place is trying to coast on the fact they have a nice patio and decent drinks. Maybe they should just be a Mexican themed bar? Clear out the tables, get a Mariachi band and keep everyone plied with margaritas.
(2)Rick M.
La Fogata is a cool restaurant to go to on a hot summer afternoon and you still want to sit on a patio. Their patio is covered with umbrellas and the shade is plentiful. The food here is really good. I especially LOVELOVELOVE the Choriqueso. Their margarita pitchers seal the deal - reasonably priced and you don't have to request "top shelf" just to get decent tequila. They use good stuff to begin with. The only thing that keeps La Fogata from being 4 star or higher is the service. Not that the service is bad, but its inconsistent. I and my friends go often, and we go knowing we may go and get excellent service, or we may end up with someone who shouldn't be a bussboy, let alone a server. If they were to improve the consistency of service here, they'd get the extra star from me.
(3)Kelly P.
Service as described in other posts. Chips and salsa, water arrives as you sit down. Dustin was our waiter and he was great and attentive, but didn't hover. Food was okay, I ordered chicken with a chipotle sour cream sauce and it was not as described. Chef went a bit crazy with red pepper flakes which made it too hot to eat. Dustin comped my meal. Husband and daughters food was good. Chips cold and a bit stale, nothing special there.
(3)MacLaren R.
Food isn't anything exciting. The service was so bad starting with the rude hostess. Didn't see our waitress for ten minutes after we were seated so I asked another server to get her so we could at least get water. Our waitress took forever to do anything, watched her mess up another tables check while we were there as well. Brought out the wrong food to my fiancé, and to top it all off there was lipstick on his water glass. Didn't want to send anything back because we weren't sure if we would ever get a replacement. I definitely won't be coming back.
(1)David L.
This restaurant- it was terrible. The server was pretty terrible, the food was so salty ( tortilla soup) it was almost Inedible, the other dishes we ordered were not even hot when delivered and on top of it were blah. This place is just not worth it. It really could use a good cleaning, too. I would not recommend this place and I am usually easy to please with Mexican food.
(1)Karla B.
My love affair is over!!! So I used to love La Fogata! I would pick it anytime someone would say its nice out where do you want to go. I thought the food was ok but then...., I got the text the ended my love affair. They were on the news for the dirty dish award based on health inspections. I did my own research and found more repeated violations then I want to think about. No more best patio ever for me :(
(1)Robert H.
We stopped at La Fogata for a mid Comfest break. I think it was actually faster to walk here and order margaritas than it was to stand in the beer lines at the festival. They have a great patio with just enough shade. Given the market, i had higher hopes for both the margaritas and the fajitas, but both were just OK. The bathrooms and interior were rather dumpy, which surprised me. If I had a tequila craving in the Short North, I might stop here again, but I find it unlikely that this would be a destination of its own.
(3)Zach B.
Had somewhat okay expectations for Restaurant Weeek but I guess being new here I was ignorant to how blah this place is. Drinks sucked. Food was bland. Way bland. Yeah how does this place maintain a sterling location on high street? One of the worst places for Mexican /Hispanic food. Soooooo disappointed. And then my friend threw up in the bathroom the next place we went.
(1)Stephanie S.
There is much better Mexican food in Columbus for a much better price, BUT La Fogata has its place- the Short North. As far as food in the SN goes, the prices are reasonable and they have good sangria and margaritas. If you are spending some time in the Short North and are craving Mexican-ish food and sangria it is really the only game in a couple of blocks. I will likely go there again, but only because it was there. It isn't something to seek out. I prefer my Mexican fare on wheels.
(2)Larry M.
Good drink selection, and the carnitas dish I had was excellent. Not too greasy, and the pork was extremely tasty. The patio seating is best part of this place, and there are constantly people outside enjoying pitchers of margaritas. Recommended.
(4)Derek S.
Played a show here in the upstairs part. It has potential to have some good shows it just needs a few things. Mainly just a good sound system and a little bit more security (some hoodlum kids were taggin walls with spray paint) Very nice venue though.
(3)