Removal of mercury from wastewater using activated carbons has been shown to be very promising if proper combination of properties is possessed by the adsorbent materials. The effects of surface area and functional groups of the activated carbons on mercury uptake have been examined in numerous studies. In this study, the generic misconception that higher surface area of an adsorbent leads to higher mercury adsorption has been criticized. Herein, it has been demonstrated that a combination of medium-to-high surface area with well-functionalized surface properties are collectively crucial in enhancing the mercury removal. Despite these findings, very limited research has been carried out on simultaneous optimization of surface and textural characteristics of activated carbons. Hence, further study is necessary for such optimization to save the high amount of energy required to obtain unnecessary very high surface area activated carbons.