Red Iguana 2

Best chimichanga and margaritas I have ever had so far! We actually were on trip and was just looking for some food at around 9:45pm and they were generous enough to get us a table. Best customer service even though they were going to close in few minutes. People are very friendly and courteous. This was the best food I had in salt lake and I would recommend everyone to make this place a must visit if you are going for a trip to salt lake!

So the fact of the matter is, while Red Iguana 2 definitely doesn’t disappoint, I’m still not sure it’s worthy of a 5 rating. But it does come very close, and I don’t think this is one of those restaurants that has been overhyped. It really is quite delicious.
I’ve never had the opportunity to go to the main location seeing as every time I do, there is a line down the street. I had no idea, until recently, that this overflow site existed. Now on a strictly décor standpoint, there’s really nothing too unique other than that door is plastered with stickers (which I love). Inside is your standard, Mexican restaurant setup. But I’m pretty sure it’s not the «cinco de mayo» aisle aesthetic that has people lining up to try the food.
The food. My favorite Mexican dish of all time is chile verde, so I use this as a cornerstone to usually judge if the rest of the menu is worth a gander. Shame on me, because I have heard R. I’s mole’s are the true main event (and since I intend to be back, I will get around to trying them) Good news! Chile Verde gets the pass. Really good flavors, although could be spicier, definitely fresh. Maybe not as authentic as I would have hoped, but certainly a good start. Rice and beans are ironically probably my favorite part of the dish as a whole. Spot on.
Can’t give it the 5 star approval, simply because I’ve had better. But there is a lot of promise at this place, and now that I know it’s good, there seems to be a lot more for me to explore.

Went here for a business meeting. Compared to the original Red Iguana, this place is a major step up! Nice, new, clean and no crowds for lunch. We were seated quickly, had good service and the food was good (I’m not a huge fan of mexican food to start with so you would really have to knock it out of the park to win me over). I had chicken enchiladas with their mole sauce and they were good. Parking was a bit limited and tight. Also, very easy to miss this place if you haven’t been there before… turn your GPS on and listen to it. Next time anyone wants to go to RI, this is the location that I’m heading to.

I apologize to every other Mexican restaurant in Salt Lake City. I like you, but I love Red Iguana II. Can we still be friends?
Other then having to wait in line most of the time and not stocking Mescal, everything about RI 2 is fantastic. Our cocktails were refreshing, the Mole Negro outstanding, enchiladas Suiza were succulent, and service by Misty charming, cute and attentive.
This is classic Mexican food, with a menu representing a regional array of culinary treasures from this wonderful country. Politics aside, the immigration from our southern neighbor has brought opportunities for such good food and happy times. I am so glad the American Dream is still alive for millions of people. My stomach thanks you.

Tonight was great! Carnitas were tender, the enchiladas verde were perfect, and the service was spot on!!! Kudos!

I always rave about Red Iguana 1 but Red Iguana 2 is actually where I eat most often between the two.
I eat the the second location more frequently because of the following reasons:
1. There is a parking lot nearby, so I don’t feel obligated to use the «free» valet service
2. The wait time is almost always shorter than the first location
3. There is a large indoor waiting area, which is great for too cold and too hot weather that we are prone to in Salt Lake City
4. This location is more accommodating for large groups
The food has always been sensational and the biggest problem I have when eating here is deciding what to eat! Everything is so tasty! My top choices are: Tacos Don Ramon, Carnitas, and Ramon’s Famous Fish Tacos. In the winter I can’t resist the indulgent Steak a La Ranchera and the Sunrise Burritos.
The Tacos Don Ramon come with three tacos stuffed to capacity with steak and chorizo and the grills tortillas give it the perfect crunch. These are more exciting than the classic tacos also offered on the menu. The Carnitas come as a generous portion that usually serves as two additional meals. They are flavorful, succulent, and perfect for sharing with the table. Ramon’s Famous Fish Tacos come as three tacos stuffed with giant chunks of grilled fish. I love to order these when I’m looking for a lighter meal that won’t knock me out into a food coma immediately after eating; maybe a 30 minute nap instead of 2 hours. It’s rare for me to eat here without order the horchata; creamy, smooth, and perfection.
At my last visit I ordered a margarita with the Don Julio Anejo tequila per the recommendation of our waitress. OH MY GOD. This changed my mind about margaritas because I’m in love now. Get this or you will regret it!

Larger than the other location. Friendly staff. Food is flavorful and hot. Best Mexican food in town. We will be back!

Great take on enchiladas! I had the mango enchiladas and bf had the curry enchiladas. We both had margaritas. Big portions, definitely worth a visit.

I happened to find myself in Salt Lake City for Cinco de Mayo this year. Having visited multiple times this year, I’ve decided that SLC is one of the least Mexican cities in America. But, I decided that I should eat at a Mexican restaurant in celebration of this holiday. My girlfriend has been raving about Red Iguana and so we decided to check out Red Iguana 2. Walking in, it certainly was festive. There was a live mariachi band walking around and playing music for tables. We decided to go early around 5:00 pm and were able to snag a couple of bar seats. By the time we walked out, both the indoor and patio tables, and the bar were filled and an additional long queue out the door.
I was half expecting a Chili’s menu, but I was quite impressed by the array of authentic Mexican foods offered. If you were to try one thing here, sample the assortment of mole, decide on a favorite, and order one of their signature mole dishes. There were eight to choose from and they all had their own flair. My favorites were the poblano, coloradito, and the mango. I also appreciated the deep and bold flavor of the negro. However, given the Mexican holiday, I ordered the specials. I had the special quesadilla with orange blossoms and a spicy pineapple mojito. I was told initially that they were out of those, and ended up ordering a carne asada quesadilla, but I ended up snagging the last one and got to try both. The meat was insanely tender and well-​marinated. We also tried the enchiladas poblanas, which had that delicious mole that I was craving.
I can’t believe that a place like this exists in SLC. This was easily one of, if not, the best Mexican restaurants I’ve tried in the country. The food was amazing, the service was excellent, and they also made excellent drinks (I loved the piña colada). Be sure to make reservations, especially if you have a larger party.

Just as great as the other Red Iguana, but on a little side street by the railway tracks. They appear to be building a new restaurant on this site.
The owner is super nice and runs a tight ship. It shows in the service and quality of food. I was with a friend from New Mexico who thought she’d been transported back home!
Unlike the other restaurant on North Temple, this one has a place to wait indoors for those chilly days and an outdoor patio for those warmer days.

Unbelievable mexican restaurant in downtown SLC! Expect to wait, even on a Tuesday like I did, but it is worth every minute. A tiny place that has a great diner/​family restaurant atmosphere. From the free valet parking to the warm cider while you wait, you are treated right from the start.
The menu is hard to choose from, as there are too many good choices. I went with the San Francisco Quesadilla, which had just enough spice to light up your mouth, but not too much to mask the wonderful flavors of meat, cheese, and grilled totilla. On the side were black beans, a grilled pepper, and some pickled cabbage, all very complimentary to the main course.
The staff was fantastic, making sure several times that we were enjoying the meal as well as giving great suggestions. All were very friendly and knowledgable.
If your in SLC for business or venturing out of the valley to ski or headed to the National Parks, take one evening and visit Red Iguana 2. Buenos suerte!

Red Iguana is easily one of my favorite restaurants. My husband has celiac disease and is very sensitive to gluten – so much so that I can count on one hand the number of restaurants he feels comfortable eating at. Red Iguana is on that list. Not only that, but they actually have a very large selection of gluten free menu items, so we don’t have to order the same thing every time. Honestly, this place is good enough that it’s worth driving all the way up from Lehi on a weeknight and braving the average 20 – 30 minute wait (can’t begrudge them that though; the food is so good of course lots of people want to eat there!). Plus they always have hot cider available while you wait, which is a nice touch.
Srsly. Red Iguana is amazeballs. Give them your money.

What a cool spot. I’ve always considered mole to that one item buried in the menu that nobody really orders. Red Iguana has taken mole and made an entire restaurant out of it.
I’ll be honest, my ignorant gringo self though there was only one flavor of mole. I was smacked upside the head when they place that mole sampler in front of me! So many different flavors (I believe 9 total?) and so many types of mole, or as this gringo is now calling them, Mexican dipping sauces. It was all so overwhelming that I honestly don’t even remember which Mole I chose, but it must come down to preference because the 6 of us each chose a different winner.
I ordered a mole meal, because I’d be an idiot not to after those tastes. The best way I can describe it is like a Mexican Curry dish. Tender meat cooked in thick, saucy deliciousness. A very unique experience that I would recommend to anyone.

Everyone kept telling me how awesome Red Iguana is and how I have to try it. We tried to go to the original restaurant but there was a crowd out the door and I hear that is a regular occurrence. So we went to this location right around that corner. There wasn’t a wait and the food was amazing as were the margaritas. The staff was very attentive and friendly and the free valet parking was most welcome in the small lot. Definitely the best Mexican food i have had since moving up here from AZ. I had the red iguana combo plate which was a ton of food but gave me a great overview of their food. The taco and the chile relleano were the standouts. My wife had the Chile Verde burritos and they were excellent as well.

By far… hands down the best Mexican food in Utah! They have two locations in Salt Lake City. We usually go to the red iguana 2 because the line is out the door in the original location. I forgot how great the Chile verde burritos were. I made my husband take me back the next week. Oh, the margaritas are very yummy too. The portions are large and you’ll be stuffed!

With a ton of Mexican joints in the area, why come to Red Iguana 2? The dishes are for the most part all over $ 11 each and you will most likely have a long wait to be seated. But what you do get are large portions, good quality ingredients, exceptional service, clean surroundings, decent margaritas and lots of chips and spicy salsa. There is a reason why this restaurant is a SLC Icon.
My usual is the Tacos Don Ramon. You can’t go wrong with these steak tacos cooked with chorizo. But you pretty much can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Sample the many moles, which are complex and each one is unique. Enjoy the Camarones Sonora, which are tiger prawns bathed in a divine garlicky lemon sauce. (They also have a mushroom appetizer in the same sauce that is to die for.) Go for a Chile Colorado burrito, which tastes a little sweet with cinnamon and spices. I am also pleased to report that Chilaquiles are now a standard menu item.
If you have been here lately, you will notice that they are doing a HUGE addition and adding a second kitchen and dining room with a wrap around patio. Should be done in May 2016. Perhaps shorter wait times will be in our future.

With an incredibly high rating of Red Igunana on Unilocal,my husband and I were intrigued to check this restaurant out last night. But after reading the reviews for the original (
) and reading the common theme about the long wait, we decided to check out their 2^nd location (about less than 1 mile away). I do want to mention that we did pass the original restaurant on our way to this 2^nd location and there was rather a wait outside around 8 pm. But being that the original restaurant is a much smaller location, it makes sense why there is a longer wait. Anyways… on to the review already!
We parked at the overflow lot just a short walk from the restaurant and walked over. After we walked in, we were immediately greeted by Steve, the hostess. He told us the wait would be between 25 – 30 minutes. But our wait ended up being less than that.
After we were seated at a small table and looked over the menus, we ended up getting:
Red Iguana Dinner Salad, $ 6.99 prior to tax– This dinner salad is pretty big and perfect to share in case you are dining with another person. This salad is made with the healthy dark green leafys (yay to more fiber!), grilled nopolas (which I love), diced tomatoes, pipitas and cotija cheese. I opted for the house vinaigrette on the side. Definitely a hearty salad at a real affordable price, I was getting full after I ate it (my husband only had about ¼ of it). The dressing had a nice flavor.
Puntas De Filete A La Nortena, $ 16.99 prior to tax– Our server, Jesus, made the recommendation to order this. He said it is one of the best ones under the classics section of the menu. This comes with sirloin tips, bacon, onions and jalepeno slices on top of a generous mound of their almond mole. This dish is also served with refried beans cheese and flour tortillas. Not your traditional mole, this mole has a nice sweet and savory flavor (made with almonds, peanut butter and milk). It is a little spicy in case you are a non spicy eater like myself. The portion size of this entrée is quite a large amount with an opportunity to take home (which is what we did and leftovers the next day are excellent).
Tapatio Plate, $ 14.69 prior to tax– Not being able to make up my mind what to order, I opted for the combination meal. I chose the chicken enchilada (you can also get beef or cheese), chicken flauta (you can also get beef instead) and the entrée came with a chile relleno. The portion size was rather large and so I took leftovers home (which still tasted excellent). Being that I am a nonspicy eater, Jesus suggested that I order the enchilada with the sauce on the side because
he thought I may think it may be a little spicy (won’t lie, it was and so I am glad he suggested to have it on the side). I really enjoyed each of these different items. The enchilada and flauta were stuffed with a good amount of chicken. This entrée is also served with a large amount of guac and sour cream.
— — — — — — — -
(Total= $ 41.71 after tax, prior to tip)
Service was pretty good. As soon as we were seated at our table, another server brought 2 water glasses and complementary chips and salsa (a little on the spicy side) immediately. Throughout our dining experience, that seemed to be the norm (I also saw that water glasses and the chips and salsa was brought to the table right before a party was seated as well).
Our server, Jesus, was friendly and checked in on us periodically. Our water glasses was refilled throughout our meal.
As we left, Steve, the seating hostess, said goodbye to us and thanked us for coming (quite sincerely).
The ladies’ restroom was clean on this visit (2 stalls) and adequately stocked with the essentials.
One thing I do want to mention that is a negative (minor) is that seating is right next to each other (no booths) and so it just added to the overall noise in the restaurant (but you can still hold a conversation with your tablemates). It would have been nice to have a little bit more space between tables, but I understand that this place wants to pack in as many people as possible.
Overall, an excellent dinner that is worth eating at (if we were staying in Salt Lake City longer, we would probably want to check out the original restaurant).

Same great food as the original but a smaller wait time? Sign me up! Sure, there’s still a wait most of the time but it’s not bad. This location is newer so it’s obviously a little more updated and clean. The atmosphere is different but I’m okay with it. I don’t go to RI for the atmosphere. I go for the mole!
Mole, mole, mole. I love that you can get a quick little sampler to try them all before you decide. They’re totally okay with mixing and matching too. Sometimes I really want the enchiladas suizas but I’d rather have the amarillo mole because SPICE! No problem. They’ll swap it for me. I recently tried one of their breakfast dishes called huevos motulenos and it was divine. It was basically just succulent carnitas smothered in the amarillo mole then topped with cheese, poached eggs and crispy bacon. Seriously. It comes with a side of rice and beans too.
The service is pretty great. I wish I remembered my server’s name from last time because he was top notch. He gave great suggestions and he was always on top of the chips/​salsa and drink refills.
I know you’ve got your persistent Red Iguana devotees who swear it’s the best Mexican in town. And then you’ve got the naysayers who think it’s overrated and definitely not the best. But I think the non-​believers are thinking of a different kind of Mexican food. Just like any other cuisine, it varies region to region. I’ll admit that I’m not always in the mood for Red Iguana. But will I eat it if it’s suggested or offered? Yes, absolutely.

This place just gets better and better. Maybe i’m a little prejudiced because I’ve been eating at the Iguana (1 & 2) for well over 20 years, but I’ve never had a bad meal, service or experience at either location. I’ve tried just about everything on the menu and all of it (yes all of it) is awesome. I like some dishes more than others, & I have my go to’s for sure, but I’m always pleasantly surprise when I order something off the daily specials that one of the servers recommends and they deliver!
Thanks for being the best Mexican restaurant in the state (and possibly the west coast)!

We stopped here on our way to Yellow Stone for lunch, and this place was recommended by a local friend. We had to gave up Red Iguana as there was a looooong line, and decided to come to Red Iguana 2. It was crowed as well when we were here, so I guessed it must be good.
Service and ambience were great. Our waitress was so patient and nice to us, and sent us a sampler for us to sample the different types of moles… Most of use ended up with things we like, but there were some interesting orders as well lol. Generally the food was pretty good :) We also tried their margaritas — the Jalapeño one was the best.

Restaurante simpático mexicano… bom para uma boa conversa, Boa cerveja e serviço simpático…hoje o cantor estava a motivar o ambiente… vou voltar.
Aconselho mole negro, muy rivo!