The Spotted Donkey Cantina

Fajitas come out sizzling! That was cool. Shrimp fajitas were tasty. We had Guacamole for appetizer it was tasty. Wifeys chicken burrito was good.

To start off, we had the chips and queso which were wonderful and came with plenty of chips. For the main part of the dinner I had tacos and they were wonderful as well. I would definitely recommend this place. If you’re looking for a good Mexican place to eat. Although if you do have kids, I would suggest not taking them here because there were not a lot of kid friendly options.

I can't say much about the meal, because the pitcher of Traditional stole the show. That drank is dangerous! The mixologist did her thang for sure because the flavor was blowing my mine. Next time your strollin through Clearwater Beach area, stop and try that Strawberry Traditional!🍓🍹🥴

Emily was a fantastic server. We had great laughs. The salsa was good, if different. More creamy than chunky. Wife's nachos were more like tostadas, no complaint. My beer braised beef enchiladas were worth it. The deserts, despite not having the banana one, was very satisfying. Only complaint was that the guacamole was rather bland (wife's opinion, I don't touch the stuff). No other flavor than avocado.

This place was amazing! We sat at the bar and the bartender was so fun! We felt like friends right off the bat! She had great recommendations! And the shrimp ceviche was the best I have been had. And the margaritas!!! Yummm the el pedregal is the best! I’ll be getting it for lunch today again! 🤩

Blown away by how good the food was. We had nachos and chopped salad and both were incredible. The first bite I said this is the best Mexican food I’ve ever had and now looking at other reviews that is a common theme! Thanks Spotted Donkey!

We choose to sit outside and it was a great choice for when we visited. We ordered a couple of kids meals and the nachos. The kids gobbled their meals up. The nachos were also delicious and it was a large platter, definitely big enough to share. The best part of our visit was our server. The gentlemen he was awesome!

Our server, Angel, was delightful! I asked for a vegetarian recommendation and his suggestion of the veggies and black bean fajitas. Excellent! Service was great! Portions were huge. We highly recommend eating at this restaurant.

Food was great, service was even better. Renee was super attentive and friendly. We had the kicking nachos, was plenty enough to share for 2. The Cantina Shooters were like Russian roulette some were super spicy and some weren’t, order at your own risk… Round 2 dinner because we had to come back.

The birra tacos and enchiladas were the best we’ve ever had in America! This was the best Mexican food I’ve had yet. Shelly was an amazing waitress who never let our cups run dry! This was the best experience and our favorite meal in Clearwater.

Visiting from Colorado and stopped by after a day at the beautiful beach. The server, Barbara, was very sweet and had great suggestions. The Birria Tacos were the best I've had. So juicy and delicious, the vegetarian black beans were soft and flavorful. Great, chill atmosphere and comfortable for kids too.

So Far the absolute best food and drinks I've had in Clearwater. The price is reasonable and the food is amazing. Angel did a fabulous job in service and I couldn't be happier!

Food was amazing. I can not say enough great things about this place. Barbara was our waitress, I’ve been in FL for 6yrs she’s the best I’ve had here ever. She was very attentive, knowledgeable, and personable. 2 out of 3 of us had food allergies and she went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of. The restaurant was very accommodating and made sure all needs of our allergies were met.

Excellent. Presentation, flavor, and experience are well done. Making one of salad options vegetarian was no problem and they happily put some extra other stuff on it for me. Very good service.

We flew in from Texas today for a gymnastics competition in Orlando, but decided to drive to Clearwater to eat here at Spotted Donkey and be more than excited we did. Our food was amazing and our waiter Shelly was very polite and very helpful with our drink selection.

We came in for lunch on a Saturday. Service was great, food good and the atmosphere was nice. We enjoyed our lunch and will return.

The reviews on this place seemed contradictory, so I tried it. I enjoyed it! Inside was cool despite the main doors open. It was quite comfortable. The salsa was delicious. The queso was good. I've had better, but I was satisfied. I enjoyed my chicken fajitas. There were indeed flour tortillas despite the review saying there was not. Our waitress was attentive and handled everything as expected. My boyfriend is a vegetarian and they had a full vegetarian menu available. They share a bathroom hallway with Starbucks, so it's possible to walk over for a coffee once you're done with dinner. Overall, I would totally eat there again. They offered more Mexican style dishes than Marina Cantina, so if you're wanting a different Mexican place, give it a try.

Super delicious. You can tell it’s fresh and made to order. Would definitely come here again !!!

I have walked past this beautiful Cantina too many times to count. Was thirsty for a margarita this particular day and not the kind that is premade with cheap sour mix. This was a fantastic choice for high end margaritas. Matt was our server/bartender. Matt was knowledgeable with both the food and drink menu. I was delighted to learn almost all dishes are Gluten Free. I can not wait to return for lunch or dinner and try more from the menu.

I love the food! This place is amazing! They weren't lying when I asked the severs when I first walked in the door is this place better than the place called The Beachcomber here in Clearwater. I ate the waffle fries faster than you can imagine ahahaha! They got my money!

Everything was good here, food was soooo fresh! Service was great, and everyone was sooo friendly and polite! 10/10 100% recommend for a family dinner or just do eat out!

Mia is an amazing server who takes care of her customers and provides recommendations. We actually came from another place (toucan) as the refused to play a football game where we could here. The man outside (host) got us taken care of and then MIA (server) came over with her warm smile. We were so happy as we got to watch the game, and have great service and drinks. We did come back the next night, and got food, the food was good, the fajitas were like little nuggets so it was expensive for what you got but they were still good. Overall good service, good food, and ask for Mia ! She’s amazing and will take care of you.

We stopped in for a bite after a long day. The cantina shooters were amazing! Large hole, jalapeños, battered, and stuff with cheese, and a shooter glass with a tasty dip. Yum! The enchiladas were great. The churro beans were perfect. The guacamole was a little heavy on the onions, but otherwise very good. Kristen, our server, was helpful, prompt, attentive, and friendly! Will be going back.

Our server Shmiae was very attentive and friendly. Wondered in off the beaten trail in Clearwater and found ourselves in an authentic feeling Mexican restaurant. The drinks were a bit higher than most local establishments but the guacamole was stellar. It was the perfect blend of spice and complexity. The Queso Fundido tasted more like a base of white gravy (Think sausage gravy with no sausage) and the corn chips tasted like old oil. All and all probably would not come back but if you have to have Mexican food while in Clearwater it’s not the worst thing you could do.

We enjoyed our late lunch. Prices were good, the place was very clean and our server was very nice.

Haas Avocado Guacamole was fresh, but lacked punch. Kicking Nachos were really delicious, meal-worthy portion, and the pork carnitas meat was perfect! Mexican Shrimp Ceviche was spicy and extremely flavorful! Wish the guacamole was as zesty. Anyway, note the tostadas in the ceviche and nachos are a bit greasy. The nacho chips that came with the guacamole were better. We are outdoors and the table was sticky from the weather. Just an FYI. We enjoyed outside eating. Not sure how accessible as we watched a lot of families lifting strollers to enter. The Reef Donkey beer is a great choice for IPA lovers. Three appetizers, 4 drinks, and tip was $100. Bree our waitress was very cool and easy to work with. Like most restaurants these days, seemed staff was overly busy, so don't get cranky of it's slow. Enjoy the food and experience!

Huge mexican food freak. Salsa was ok. Shrimp tacos were good, nice chipotle sauce. Rice and beans were on point. Staying at the Hilton made this a slamdunk for a good dinner Nice work donkey!

Food was really good. Full of flavor and colorful of spices and ingredients. Burrito bowl was packed with food. Smothered burrito was huge and packed. Nachos were incredible because it was all mixed up. Dining area was plentiful and offered tables for small and large groups. Indoor dining was a little dark, and outdoor dining was nice but when it got dark, it did become challenging to see food, table or others. Staff did provide a small table light. Staff was great but service was on the much slower slide. The good news is that we were in no hurry but it was a bit agitating as other tables were served much quicker.

Very surprised by the dining experience in a good way. We went for a late lunch/early dinner with a group of 6 adults, 2 children. We were seated promptly. The food was very good, especially the salmon tostada. We got a pitcher of margaritas and had them add some jalapeño to make it spicy. Next time we would pass on the white sangria. We celebrated two birthdays and they brought out delicious churros with chocolate and caramel sauce to celebrate. Overall good experience and would return

Spotted Donkey was a nice spot to enjoy a meal! The fajitas were alright and the guacamole was okay, but nothing stood out as exceptional. The outdoor atmosphere was very pleasant, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the weather. Service was attentive and friendly, which made the overall experience enjoyable. A good choice for a casual meal with a nice vibe.

“Carnitas? More like Car-NOT-as” If you’re looking for nachos topped with delicious, tender carnitas—keep driving. What I got was pork chunks braised in verde sauce. That’s not carnitas, folks. That’s chile verde playing dress-up and hoping no one notices. Spoiler: I noticed. And I wept. The “house-made” chips from flour tortillas might have had potential, had they not been drowned in the verde lagoon. What should’ve been crispy and golden turned into a soggy, limp mess that resembled something between a tortilla and regret. Feeling brave (and still clinging to hope), I tried the Cantina Burrito with barbacoa. It was… a pot roast burrito. No, seriously. A huge amount of unseasoned, sad meat shoved in a tortilla. I think I tasted cumin once, maybe in a dream. The carnitas-that-weren’t were at least tender, but the barbacoa was dry, flavorless, and clearly cooked by someone who once read about seasoning in a book they never finished. And just to put a cherry on this culinary disappointment sundae, the manager was too busy schmoozing with his buddy at the outdoor podium to even pretend to care. Customer interaction? Never heard of her. Final verdict: If you’re craving a Mexican meal, try literally anywhere else—or just stay home and microwave something. You’ll be better off.

The El Pedrago special margarita was good, the Dulce Calor habanero infused margarita was undrinkable. They clearly put too much habanero when all you need is a touch. The guacamole was fresh but didn’t have much flavor at all, I was looking to taste lime, cilantro, garlic, and a bit of jalapeño but I didn’t pick up any of those flavors. We ordered the steak fajita and it Arrived on a sizzling platter along with 3 tortillas (more were available for a fee), sour cream and pick de Gallo. The fajitas were sweet, as they cook it in a teriyaki glaze. I didn’t like the sweetness. So if you don’t want a sweet dish ask them to cook it without the teriyaki.

We were excited to have some Mexican food and sit outside on it warm weather evening. We’re able to sit right away, but sat there for about 20 minutes before having to fly down the host and see if we could get a server. Our server was friendly and apologetic, but not very knowledgeable. Any questions we had about the menu she was unable to answer, for one of them, she did go check with the bartender and came back. But really did not remember the answer. Food was just OK. We got chips, salsa, queso, and guacamole. All of it was Lacking flavor. It was just BLAH. I ordered the soup which really seemed like it was hot salsa with some chicken thrown in and that’s it. And that’s exactly how it tasted. My husband ordered the birria tacos - One taco had barely anything in it, and the other taco had doubled the meat and was so overstuffed. You couldn’t pick it up and eat it without it falling apart. He ended up having to eat it with a fork and knife. Overall disappointed with both service and food. Atmosphere is lovely however.

Walked up & were seated right away. We waited a solid 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us, after walking by us 10/15 times. Then once the server came over he brought us complimentary salsa & chips because "he saw us sitting here for so long". Then he took our drink order. We waited another solid 10 minutes for drinks. Drinks that were 3/4 full. When he came with the drink order we put in our food order because this was taking forever & they were at about 1/2 capacity, not busy at all etc. All in all the food was good (salads) they took at least 45 minutes to get to us. This place needs to get their act together. What is it? I dont know, but it needs to be fixed. What we did notice was the waiters/servers are very casual, meaning they have no sense of urgency... as in NONE. The whole operation was sluggish & annoying. In the end we sat down at 5:50pm & finished up at 7:35pm, again we had chips & salsa, 2 salads & 2 drinks during the time. We just made it to the beach to catch the sunset.

We were looking forward to a nice Cinco de Mayo while on vacation. The Spotted Donkey sounded like a fun place. When we showed up, the host informed us that they only had 1 outdoor table available at the time, but it was by the DJ’s speakers. We were appreciative of this info, and chose to wait for another table. We were seated within a couple of minutes from first getting there. As we were taken to our table, we passed a half dozen other open tables. Once seated, we were told that our server would be right with us. After a lengthy wait, a waitress stopped to ask if we had been helped yet, to which we had not. She had to go ask the manager who had our table. After a brief moment longer, she returned to tell us that she would be helping us. We ordered our drinks and some chips and salsa. Again, some time later, she returned with the drinks. We questioned the chips and salsa, which she said she would get right out to us. With the wait it took for the first drink, I went ahead and asked for another. The chips and salsa came out, and we placed our food order. This was the last that we saw our waitress until I told someone else to tell her to get us our bill. The food came out rather quickly, but to find a long hair in my burrito. I sent it back as the wife and kids ate their dinner. My replacement burrito came out and it was pretty good.

It's Mexican food, prepared like Asian or Indian, too many spices, terrible quality.$35 for pure ice sangria

The food is good, not great. The fajitas were ok, the shrimp was the tastiest, and the beef was a bit tough. The margaritas were excellent, probably the only redeeming factor. This place is not cheap, and the staff can care less about how annoyingly loud and obnoxious they are, it doesn’t matter that you’re about to spend you’re hard earned money on mediocre food, but they have to make sure you can’t even have a dinner conversation with someone sitting across from you because they are clearly more important than the patrons they’re supposed to be serving. Don’t waste your time or your money here.

Beef and Chicken were spiced and slow cooked traditional style Mexican. Good margarita's. First Mexican restaurant I've been to where the wanted to charge for chips & salsa. Food was pricey for what you got. They were clearly understaffed. Took over an hour to get our food. We were one step from leaving before our food came. Little apology and nothing gratis in return.

Unfortunately zeros are not an option for the review. The place looks nice and clean! The food was not good and extremely overpriced. You spend $15.00 for queso then pay $7.00 per bowl for chips to go with it?? The wait staff had very limited knowledge of the English language. All three in my party left 75%+ percent of the main dishes untouched. We all experienced gastrointestinal distress immediately after leaving this establishment. Gross!

I’m not a content writer, influencer, or editorial manager of a snobbish magazine, so I will give you my honest review here. It is up to you to go there or not. We surely won't go there ever again and won’t recommend our friends or family members to go there either. If I could leave no stars on this review, I would do it! The Salmon I ate had a super spicy sauce on top (it looked like cranberry sauce mixed with Habanero—it was nasty). I couldn’t enjoy the taste of the tostada and the rest of the ingredients. And it looks like they love to pour it on every dish they prepare because other dishes had the same unpleasant sauce. The guy who served us asked if we wanted complimentary chips and salsa, and we never got anything. The drinks were good, but overpriced. Yes the dishes and pretty and food has good presentation, you will see it in the photos that people post in other reviews but don’t let that fool you. We left with a big bill and a burning taste in our mouth which was not appreciated. We left a small tip (that's what you deserve)but honestly I felt like leaving nothing at all because you don’t recommend a trashy dish to someone who comes with their little baby to your restaurant. Don’t waste your precious time and hard earned money in this place. Go to Taco Bus instead it will save your time and money.