San Felipe Mexican Restaurant in Southport, North Carolina - Restaurant Review

In the small town just past Oak Island, NC is Southport, NC. This quant beach suburb is known as a tourist hotspot. From fine dining to fast food restaurants, Southport has it all. One aspect missing is authentic Mexican food. The closest would be Taco Bell. But to consider a fast food chain authentic would be disrespectful. The answer to the call for authenticity is San Felipe Mexican Restaurant in Southport, North Carolina.

First Impressions

At first glance, San Felipe Mexican Restaurant Southport, NC looks like any other strip mall restaurant. When you step inside, you are transformed into another world. The walls are decorated with scenes of Mexican landscapes which were hand painted. The décor was reminiscent of a Mexican villa circa 1800's. The interior was stylish. On the flip side, the lighting was dull. Inside was similar to dusk. There was ample seating. If you are in a large party, you were forced to sit in the middle of the dining area. This was the only place where there was enough seating for parties over six.

Wait Staff

There is one word to describe the wait staff at San Felipe Mexican Restaurant Southport, NC, unprofessional. The levels of service were as poor as I have ever seen. Our server decided he needed to text a friend during his shift. It just so happened when he was taking our order. From there the service went downhill. There was no attention put toward our needs.

Menu

The only thing which could overcome our poor service was our food. The food was authentic, home-made specialties to include skillet sizzling Fajitas, buttery quesadillas, chicken and seafood dishes, mixed dishes, and beef and pork creations. Depending on the species, chicken, beef, pork, or seafood, the prices fluctuate. The appetizers and sides are in the $1-$7 range. The main dishes vary from $5 to $10.

Pros

Homemade meals

Great atmosphere

Great seating

Large portions

Cons

Pricey

Lighting - extremely dark

Poor service

My Take and Thoughts

The food was great. I have never tasted authentic Mexican food, so I was impressed. One bite and you know all ingredients are home-made and not processed. The down side to the experience at San Felipe Mexican Restaurant was the service. To say it was poor would be an understatement. When a server is concerned more with their text message then paying guests, there is a problem.

Another concern was the language barrier. When the server came to the table with the meals, the barrier was up. We couldn't understand what he was saying, but didn't want to offend by asking to repeat. We simply took or meals and figured out which meal went to each person. Great food mixed with poor service equals a poor experience.

San Felipe Mexican Restaurant

4961 Long Beach Rd SE

Southport, NC 28461

(910)454-0950

Hours

Monday - Sunday: 11AM-10PM