As students come back from summer and settle into Athens, they’ll find Frida’s Modern Mexican open for the year.
Located down the road from Union Street Diner at 120 W. Union St., Frida’s Modern Mexican is now open for students and community members to dine in or order online for pickup.
Frida’s is open every day of the week, starting at 11 a.m. They close at 10 p.m. on weekdays, 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 9 p.m. on Sundays, providing overall consistent coverage throughout the day.
The restaurant replaces Ciro’s Italian Kitchen and Bar, which closed in 2024, leaving the building vacant until June.
Frida’s offers classic Mexican cuisine, ranging from burritos, fajitas, tacos and enchiladas. The menu offers a decent selection of vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options as well.
For drinks, restaurant-goers will find classic Pepsi products, Mexican “Jarritos” fruit sodas and handcrafted Mexican cocktails.
A typical entree goes for around $13-18, putting it around the same price point as most other sit-down restaurants near campus.
Bobbi Cross, a sophomore studying English, feels the price point was valid for the food offered when put in comparison with the other Mexican restaurants around.
“After tip, it was 20 bucks for me for tacos and a fountain drink, so pretty standard,” Cross said. “I feel like Mexican food is usually on a little bit more of a pricier scale.”
The plate was crafted well, with enough food to take home for leftovers. The meal was filling and delicious, and felt well thought-out. A heavy portion of chips accompanied by salsa was also offered alongside the meal.
The service was efficient and quick. A hostess was fast to guide people towards their seats as soon as they entered, and the waiters immediately asked for drinks, food orders and when to bring out the check.
“The food was delicious and the wait staff was nice too,” Cross said. “So it was great, no complaints.
Frida’s has also attracted Athens locals. The restaurant was mostly post-college adults, making the atmosphere feel calm and well-mannered.
Tom and Karen, a couple from Columbus, were out eating dinner with Rod and Linda, a local couple from Athens celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
They were eating a dish out of the shell of a hollowed-out half of a pineapple, and were impressed by the creativity of the dish.
“For a Mexican restaurant, this is just real different,” said Tom.
“Nice presentation,” Linda said, regarding the restaurant. She and her husband had been there before. “I saw it in a photograph, and I sent [Tom and Karen] a text.”
Members of the Athens subreddit shared their opinions about the restaurant in a post.
“OUTSTANDING,” writes one user.
“Real dishes that feel crafted rather than slapped together. Great service and had a nice time on a Sunday afternoon on the patio,” writes another.
The Google Reviews are equally as positive. Frida’s currently boasts a 4.5-star review as of August 31st.
“We were really impressed. The renovation looks great, our server was friendly and the food was delicious,” writes one user in a five-star review.
Frida’s has competition; however, as Athens is home to a multitude of other Mexican restaurants. Casa Neuva, El Tenampa and Gran Rachero have remained classics of Athens for years.
Cross believes Frida’s triumphs over the competition.
“I feel like Casa Nueva just has never stuck out to me, and El Tenampa is good,” Cross said. “But I think what I got at Frida’s was a little bit pushed over the edge.”
Frida’s sticks to a more classic Mexican dish feel with some fun twists, while Casa Neuva allows people to create their own version of standard dishes, such as tacos or burritos.
Frida’s boasts a few different social media accounts as well. They can be found on Facebook as Frida’s Modern Mexican, Instagram as fridasmodernmx and TikTok as fridasmodernmexican.
They have an event calendar on their website detailing future dates of note. Currently, they mention fun holidays such as National Quesadilla Day and National Chimichanga Day, falling on Sept. 25 and 26, respectively.
“I feel like a lot of people stick to just a few things on Court Street,” Cross said. “So [Frida’s] is definitely something I would recommend, especially if they want to try something new.”
