MexiCali Bar y Taqueria is a refreshing addition to Mermaid Beach’s food and bar offering since mid 2014. Make your way up the narrow staircase, laid with colourful patterned tiles and hugged by white washed walls, and arrive to a gorgeously appointed bar with all the rustic influences of Mexico. The small deck overlooking the Gold Coast Highway is usually overflowing with patrons enjoying chilled sangria or ice-cold ale, as they make their way through their fill of Baha fish tacos, jalepeno poppers or chilli salt squid with chipotle mayo – all menu favourites. As you make your way to the bar, you can peer through the rear windows and spot the back rooftop patio off the kitchen, lined with planter boxes overflowing with mint and a variety of chillies, supplying the chefs and bar staff of MexiCali their staple ingredients.