Lolita | Back Bay

Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar opened just last month on Dartmouth Street and has fast become a city dwellers must visit. In the space formerly inhabited by Papa Razzi, a mysterious and seductive vibe with red lighting, Gothic accents and rose petal centerpieces define this sprawling underground tequila den. Weathered hardwood floors and reclaimed iron gates fill the space where deep set wall crevices give way to flickering candles.Serving over 200 Tequilas and inventive margaritas (by the glass or pitcher) along with inspired Mexican dishes, its opening fills a niche for upscale Mexican food in a bustling neighborhood location seemingly void of such fare. Friends and I settled in at the reclaimed wood bar, scoring a couple of seats at the corner located next to the tequila shrine emitting a warm golden glow. Lolita was packed on a Thursday evening at 6:30 and only seemed to get busier as the night went on. Between six of us we sampled a good portion of the margarita menu from the classic Lolita ($12) made with sauza ‘100 years’, patron citronge, fresh lime, cane syrup & a squeeze of grapefruit to the sugary and spicy Diablo ($13) with lunazul reposado, luxardo triplum, serranochile, blood orange, pineapple & strawberry. My choice was a Spicy Cucumber ($13) consisting of don julio blanco, habanero infused vodka, patron citronge, fresh cucumber & lime. This drink brought the heat with a refreshing finish. My pregnant friend enjoyed the Lime Coco Aqua Fresca ($8) with fresh lime, coconut, citrus fruits & mint. Also pictured are Tequila shots, of which I sipped two over the course of the evening. The menu is downright fascinating offering shots from $6 to $450 (limited edition Cuervo 250 Aniversario) broken down into categories to help determine the palate. I chose from the "Hot Peppery" section an el charro ($6) served with an orange slice dipped in red sugar. It was smooth sipping, perhaps a little too smooth. As the evening progressed we were witness to a woman whose hair caught on fire from one of the many ornate chandelier candlesticks. It was not the below candle display looking like it was removed straight out of a Gothic cathedral where said woman's ponytail met its demise, however, beware the open flames!We shared a plate of the Chile-rubbed short rib nachos ($15) - which is more like a short rib dip - an ancho sauce with garlic, mushrooms and jalapeno crema. It comes with only a few chips for presentation but of course you'll have the house chips at your disposal! Included with the chips is a trio of flavorful salsas - roasted red pepper, crema, and tomatillo. There are four different kinds of guacamole on the menu. We chose the Fresco ($9) with red onion, tomato, cilantro and serrano chile. Yum!

I loved the Crispy Masa Oysters ($11). Five lightly fried east coast oysters are dusted with red chile masa, chipotle crema and a diced salsa giving way to clean sweet flavors. 

Our bartenders were most attentive and the food came out super fast. Overall the dishes we tried showcased inventive Mexican plates and I'd happily return to sample more of the menu and eat another plate of those oysters.Be sure not to miss the bathrooms! Mesmerized as I made my way down a dark twisty tiled hallway, set a glow by yet more candle light, Penelope greeted me at the door. Inside deep red damask wallpaper alternates with shiny white subway tile and sleek black sinks are adorned with crystal encrusted soap dispensers. Saloon style doors on the individual stalls open to reveal painted porcelain toilet bowls. If photographing toilets are wrong (annoying overused cliché as it goes) then I don't want to be right.

Lolita as a whole warrants just as much praise. A fun and exciting Mexican Cocina in a desirable Back Bay location is sure to thrive.

A glowing tequila haven can't keep us away from our go-to dive, and true to form we gallivanted down Dartmouth Street, past the extravagantly lit up Boston Public Library over to Delux to close out the night with Jen's Margaritas.

Tequila makes a night interesting/fun/crazy that is for sure.

Lolita Tequila Bar

271 Dartmouth Street 

Boston, MA 02116