The Round Corner Cantina

Located in Lawrenceville, PA, the Round Corner Cantina is aptly named for its location at the corner of Butler and 38th street.  Visitors to the cantina can come hungry and thirsty, as this venue offers a wide selection of great mexican food and drinks. 

A few of us visited the Cantina this past Saturday, and were pleased with our visit.  It was to be the final destination of the night as we had already visited several other establishments that evening. 

Walking up to the Cantina, we encountered various locals enjoying their Saturday night by drinking along the street.  Most were in their 50s, and it was easy to tell they were having a good time.  As we walked by, they attempted to engage us in conversation, but it was getting late and we really wanted to get inside.  Had we more time, we definitely would have liked to speak with the locals and hear their stories.  This will have to wait until another time.

The entrance to the Cantina serves well with the name of its location - the main door sits right at the corner of the building, as shown in the picture above.  Upon walking up the three steps to get to the door, we entered into the main interior bar.  It is rectangular in shape, with the bar running the length of the back wall.  The other side has large windows looking out onto Butler street. 

The beer selection has everything you would expect from any bar, but the Cantina specializes in Mexican products.  Negro Modelo, Dos Equis, Tecate and Pacifico are just some of the various Mexican beers on the menu; Negro Modelo being one of my overall favorite beers.  The Corner offers buckets of these beers, five a piece in each bucket, which is a popular selection and frequently ordered by many of the patrons.   We, however, grabbed some Tecates and made our way towards the back of the bar. 

The bar wraps around a cramped corridor until it spills out into a smaller dining room area, an area for people looking to enjoy some dinner.  It offers a more personal, quiet feel for those not interested in hanging in the bar areas.  The food offered runs along the same Mexican and Spanish theme seen throughout the Cantina, and is above average.  Although we did not eat there on Saturday night, I have eaten there previously, and was pleased with the quality of the food.

Passing along the dining room, the corridor snakes past the restrooms and up the stairs to the exterior section of the establishment.  The entire outdoor section is surrounded by high wooden fences; a good idea since it is surrounded by busy roads.  In two of the corners sit small bars that offer everything the interior bar has plus frozen margaritas.  The margarita machines sit on top of the bar, three total on top of each bar, each offering a different flavor.

The outdoor area offers a place where patrons can stand and enjoy their drinks, or a seated area with tables that wrap along the fences.  The atmosphere is also a pleasant loudness, with patrons talking, laughing and having a good time.  We decided to grab a table, and ordered some more Tecates and chips and salsa.  Nothing needs to be said about the Tecates, as they are always great.  Similarly, the chips and the service need to be mentioned, for how good they were as well.  The server was checking on us consistently, and was very polite.  The chips were also very good, as they were deep fried and unlike chips encountered at other Mexican restaraunts.  And although I am not a big fan of deep fried anything, these chips were good.  Not to be forgotten, the salsa was nice and spicy, however its consistency could have been a bit thicker.

After filling up on drinks, chips and the atmosphere of the Cantina, we decided to call it a night.  We definitely had a good time, and would definitely visit the place again.  Next time we go, we would like to get there earlier, so we can order some food and make a night out of it.  Overall: I would recommend it.  Based on everything - including prices - I would give it 4.5 Irons out of a possible 6.

Side Note:  The age of most of the patrons was 25 - 45; mode being around 31.  While a younger crowd would enjoy themselves, it is more for the age range mentioned.

The Round Corner Cantina is available on Facebook and Twitter.