By Jean Totti
Here is the cleaned-up and beautifully formatted version of the review for Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana & Bar, with all encoding errors removed, punctuation corrected, and links preserved.
Conveniently located on Cortez Rd. W., Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana & Bar is gearing up to celebrate their first anniversary in June 2023. This anniversary also marks ten years after the owners first opened another Mexican restaurant on Manatee Ave. in partnership with a restaurant group.
Avocado’s is the first single-ownership venture for the husband and wife team of Ramiro Ramirez and Glay Nimlin. Although the road to their first-anniversary milestone was a difficult one coming out of the pandemic era, the two seized the opportunity to take over the space formerly occupied by Lee Roy Selmon’s Restaurant and transform it into a new home for their treasured family recipes.
The Atmosphere
This new space offers a modern and casual atmosphere that is organized around a well-appointed bar area that showcases their Specialty Margarita Bar.
Tables of all sizes accommodate parties of diners from couples to large family groups in the interior and outdoor patio area. The outdoor patio area is very popular for families and groups to gather after school events. It serves as a true neighborhood spot for west Bradenton and the nearby IMG community.
The Specialty Margarita Bar
At the Specialty Margarita Bar, you can start with a Habanero Margarita served with Dulce Vida 100% organic agave tequila, Cointreau, and fresh-squeezed limes on the rocks; or if you like something a bit sweeter, I recommend the Presidente Margarita, which is served with Presidente Brandy, triple sec, orange juice, and fresh-squeezed limes.
There’s always the Skinny Senorita Margarita if you’re keeping track of your calories. It’s made with Patron Silver Tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh-squeezed limes, and orange juice. They also offer all of the popular Frozen Margarita flavors such as lime, strawberry, peach, and mango. If margaritas aren’t your thing, you can order from the full liquor bar, have a glass of wine, or choose from the selection of craft, domestic, and Mexican beers.
On the Menu
Their menu is organized into Starters, Combination Plates, Main Courses, Soups & Salads, and a section for your selection of custom Burritos, Tacos, Quesadillas, and Enchiladas. The combination plates can include two or three selections and range in price between $12 and $15. Chips and salsa are always on the house.
The Cha-Cha Chimichanga: This is probably the best dish I’ve tasted so far. It’s served with two fried flour tortillas with your choice of shredded chicken or ground beef (chicken was my selection) and then topped with cheese sauce, sour cream, guacamole, and shredded lettuce. It’s served with rice and beans.
Pollo Borracho: A grilled chicken breast topped with melted cheese, grilled onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Carne Asada: A New York Steak served with grilled onions, rice, beans, and tortillas.
Senor Hambre: I bit off more than I could chew with this one! It is a huge burrito, as the menu says, filled with steak, beef, or chicken and stuffed with rice, beans, onions, tomatoes, and topped with cheese, green sauce, and pico de gallo. Yes, all that.
Avocado’s also has my favorite beans around. Theirs are cooked tender and full of flavor. They’re served separately, which makes a huge difference because they retain their consistency and have good seasonings. What sets this restaurant apart from other Mexican restaurants is the personal care the owners and staff take in the preparation of their dishes with fresh ingredients and good quality meats.
Desserts & Lunch Specials
I try to never end a meal without dessert and that category is also loaded. They offer Fried Mexican Ice Cream, Sopapillas, and Flan, among others. Sweet Sopapillas are basically a puffy fried dough pillow that is drizzled with honey, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. You’ve got to try them if you haven’t.
Go online and check out the menu—I bet you’ll find at least a handful of dishes you will want to try right away. A great way to get your first taste of Avocado’s is to stop by for lunch and take advantage of their Special Lunch Menu. It’s available Monday through Friday until 3:00 PM, with prices ranging between $9.99 and $12.99.
Location & Contact:
Address: 6510 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, FL 34210
Phone: (941) 243-3496
Online Ordering: Place an online order here (Note: Placeholder link maintained per instructions)
Hours: Open 7 days a week. Sunday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM | Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
Happy Hour: Every day between 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
DINING GUIDE
