At 6PM, the place is sparsely packed. I was seated immediately and my Diet Coke was out within 5 minutes. There were two different servers working in a team, so if one was busy the other would come by and check on me and the other guests. This system really seems to work well at Mariachi, as no one ever went without a fresh drink, napkins or anything else they might like.

I ordered the Chili Rellenos and a traditional beef taco. While I waited, they brought out complimentary chips and salsa. The chips themselves were a little too thin and dry for my liking, lacking the salt and oil that I’ve come to love in traditional tortillas. The salsa was thin, unexceptional and would roll off the chips too easily when dipped. The whole chips and salsa experience was uninspiring, though it did give me a nice base layer while waiting for my entree.

At 22 minutes from the time of ordering, my entree finally came out. The taco looked like a standard hard shelled taco, but the taste was a bit off. I couldn’t pinpoint the issue at first, but I figured it out as time progressed. The meat wasn’t seasoned. It was plain hamburger, tucked into a shell and coated in a white shredded cheese. As I continued to analyze the taste profile, I realized that the cheese was also very plain. The traditional mexican spices that I had come to expect were absent in this dish, leaving the taco relatively flavorless. While I wouldn’t say that the taco was disgusting or even bad tasting, I would say that it was a very empty and flavorless take on something I eat almost every day and have really loved from other restaurants.

The Chili Rellenos didn’t favor much better. The chili itself was smaller than I expected, probably not much more than 3″ around and an inch tall. Unlike Rellenos I’ve had in the past where you have a cheese and meat stuffed pepper covered in red sauce and cheese, this was a highly segmented take on the dish. The pepper itself, not cooked enough to have any cohesion with it’s other ingredients, was firm and spicy. The cheese, melted to the point of being hard, encased the pepper. Without sauce between the cheese and pepper, the pepper adhered to the cheese and made the dish more difficult to eat. Inside, the same bland ground beef of the taco was uninspiring. Nothing about this relleno gelled together as it should. Again, not something I’d say was appauling, simply not as appetizing as I had hoped it would be. The rest of the dish was made of guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese combined into a makeshift salad.

As a whole, Los Mariachis is an unimpressive cliche of what a Mexican restaurant should be. The food is bland, the atmosphere is accommodating but as-expected and the service is good, but not great. I won’t write this place off entirely, but it’s not the kind of place I was so impressed by that I’ll make an effort to visit regularly, even though it’s a stone’s throw from where I spend 10+ hours/day.

The new facility has only been open a few days and already it is very busy. I went in during lunch time on Friday and there were people filling most every table, with others coming and going quickly.

Like it’s predecessor, #2 makes all of their shells fresh as you order them. They roll up the balls of dough, spread them and cook them in front of you behind a glass counter. You can really taste this freshness in the meal, and having hot shells makes everything else taste great.

The ingredients are fresh, as I’ve come to expect. They cut vegetables and prepare meets as needed, not pulled from the refrigerator in prepared bins. It tastes very much like home cooking in every bite. They also have all of my favorites from #1, including the Pastor. I recommend the Plate, as you simply won’t be able to get enough of this great tasting dish.

Guacamole is made fresh as well, and I can easily appreciate this painstaking and time consuming activity. It’s left chunky, with a bit of lime and spice to it but still leaving the avocado as the star. You could easily fill yourself up on guac and chips if you’re not careful. It’s that easy to get carried away with it.

The salsa bar, shown here only partially full as they were changing out vegetables for fresher ones, really adds another component to the value of Monterrey. The food is already value priced (around $10 or less to get full here), but you have open access to more vegetables and salsas as well. I often find myself going back just to the toppings bar to try everything, as there are over a dozen options here worth exploring.

I definitely can’t recommend Monterrey #2 enough, just as I couldn’t with Monterrey #1. If you want quality authentic Mexican Cuisine at a value price with high quality and fresh ingredients, you’d be hard pressed to find it anywhere else outside of our neighbors to the south.

DISCLOSURE: I designed the website, just like I did with the Taco Bus and the original Monterrey. As I have stated publicly before, I love their food and stand behind it as if it was my own restaurant. I wouldn’t have taken the design job if I didn’t!

When I showed up, the place was only moderately busy. The buzz of traditional Latin music filled the room, a bit too loud for comfort. I’ve noticed this trend in restaurants lately, trying to make up for low-rent layouts, mediocre food and unpleasant waitstaff by making the music overpowering. I didn’t have high hopes for this place based on this one point.

The waitress came and took my drink order. While she was gone, I noticed the fountain behind me. It was pretty loud for a fountain, loud enough to overtake the previously mentioned loud music. It was really pretty though.

When the drink arrived, she took my order right away. She was quick to recommend their carne asada, a favorite I’ve had many times before from many other places. I agreed to it and waited as she brought out chips and salsa. I noticed they also carried Chili Rellenos, one of my old time favorites as well. Given that I was pretty hungry, I ordered it as well.

The chips and salsa arrived and they were good. They were just salty enough to catch my attention, with a thin salsa that had a bit of heat but not enough to be overbearing. I noticed a bit of a fruity overtone in the salsa. It wasn’t powerful enough to be a mango-based salsa, but there was a definite sweetness.

The steak arrived within 10 minutes, and it was very flavorful. I’ve found that flank steak, when cooked correctly, can really stand on it’s own. I had been so convinced from previous experiences that flank steak and skirt steak were tough that I had all but given up on them. Guadalajara definitely made the most of this cut, giving it a nice seer without being overly done. I’d say for a flank steak, this was better than average.

With the steak came rice, beans, a side of vegetables and chips. There was nothing exceptional about any of it, other than it was fulfilling. The beans were a little runnier than I like, but they made a fine finish to the steak.

The chili relleno was completely different than any that I had eaten before. Firstly, the pepper itself was surprisingly crunchy. It’s not simply that it had a crunchy exterior shell. The whole pepper was crunchy, as if it were fried all the way through the pepper skin. Inside, there was no meat, but rather a half-melted block of cheese. There was no cohesion in the meal, just a block of cheese in a fried pepper covered in sauce. As far as relleno goes, this was pretty weak.

Red Mesa, much like Algusto that I reviewed before, offers an a la carte approach to the menu. Chips and salsa are available, but they charge you for them. This is actually a nice option, as it keeps the other items prices down while giving you the option to have as much or as little as you’d like to eat.

The restaurant itself is clean and colorful, but not overpowering. The subdued dark red woods, shades of green and toned down traditional colors make for a comfortable place to dine. The dining room is divided into two pieces, one front area (where we sat) and a much larger dining room in the back. This restaurant looks to seat about 200 people, and it was busy for a brunch. Even with being busy, our drinks were topped off regularly, the waiter brought back chips as we asked for them and our meals were out within 25 minutes.

We started with the chips and salsa, which were pretty good. Usually I find when they mix the chip colors (golden and black), there’s a good mix between them. These chips only featured a few dark ones, which Kara immediately coveted as her own. There’s no difference in the taste, mind you, but it’s something I always notice.

The salsa was a thin and runny sauce, slightly spicy but no reason substance to it. The taste was good and fresh, but I found myself dripping it all over as it was hard to scoop without chunks to hold it together.

The entrees came out and everyone dug in. Kara ordered the Mesquite Chicken Quesadilla, a shell filled with grilled chicken, chihuahua and gouda cheese, poblano chile and onion with this absolutely delicious honey chipotle vinaigrette and black bean corn salsa. Of all the sauces I’ve had in all the tex-mex joints I’ve been in through my life, this was one of the better. It’s sweet, it’s a bit spicy and it works so well with the rest of the dish. When I go back, I’m going to order one of my own so I can eat it all and bath in it’s awesomeness.

For my entree, I got a combination plate of tamale, tostada and chicken enchilada served with refried beans. All in all, it was a good dish. The cream and cheese covered enchilada was piping hot all the way through and a good mix of flavors, using just enough meat and just enough shell to find a good balance in the red sauce. The tostada was piled high and had plenty of vegetables while still being substantial enough to stand on it’s own. The tamale was the short sell of the dish, being a bit too dry for it’s own good. I’ve said it before, but I’m really spoiled by the Taco Bus tamales and it’s hard to find anything that will compare. The beans were a little stiffer and starchier than I expected, but the taste was good. Presentation on this dish is top notch, especially at the $8 price point.

Dereck and Dustan both has the burritos, which they claim were good. The portions were a good size and they were eaten pretty quickly, so I’ll trust their judgement on the review.

When we finished our meal, we felt full and satisfied but not busting-at-the-seams as we do after some meals. Also, this meal stuck with me. I wasn’t hungry after 2 hours. In fact, it was almost 6 hours later before I found myself at my next restaurant, doing a review.

When I walked in, I was greeted by the manager who immediately sat us. The Latin music was playing around us, not too loud but enough to where I felt spirited being there. Service was very quick, bringing out our drinks within 3 minutes of being seated and continuing with refills every 10 minutes or so. Service continued to be prompt with the food and with checking on us regularly.

We decided to order several different dishes and just split them so we both had a bit of everything.

The first round was complimentary chips and salsa. It seems that things always taste better when they are free, right? The salsa was perfect. Not runny or watery. Not overly spicy, but with a good kick. This was excellent homemade salsa. The chips were warm and lightly salted. This was the perfect kick start to the food marathon we were about to face.

One plate we got was a combination of enchiladas, tamales, rice and beans. Everything about this was good. The enchiladas were moist and creamy all the way through, fusing beef and cheese in a sauce that was perfect. I could tell instantly that this was all made from scratch and not some store bought sauce, as it was different and better than any red sauce I’ve had in a Mexican dish in a while.

Rice and beans were acceptable, but not amazing. The beans themselves were a little cold when they came out and the rice a little starchy, but all around good compliments to the noteworthy main course.

A combination of fajitas were brought out as well, including shrimp, beef and chicken. The fajitas were excellent, well seasoned and succulent. The chicken wasn’t dry. The shrimp wasn’t rubbery. The steak was lightly salted and tasted like a premium cut. These were excellent fajitas, amongst the best I’ve ever had.

They were served with another helping of rice and beans (same as above), sour cream, guacamole and fresh pico. The guacamole was also really good. It wasn’t thick and chunky like I tend to prefer, but was excellent in taste without the overwhelming citrus taste I sometimes get in guacamole.

My second favorite dish, the chili rellenos, was coated in a thicker red sauce than the enchilada and was a combination of superb tastes. The chili itself was soft and tender to the fork, requiring very little work to split in two. The inside, a cheese filled mass spilled forth with flavor and steam. This came with a chicken burrito, a satisfying mix of shredded chicken and cheese in a soft shell. The dish was rounded out by another tamale, rice and beans. The tamale was alright, though the cornmeal was a little tougher than I’m used to. A drudge through the red sauce made it just right.

My absolute favorite in the group was the grilled grouper, served with fresh salsa and olives. This fish, both firm and juicy, was probably the best grouper I’ve had in a long time. Usually when grouper is grilled, it comes apart or gets hard. This had the flavor of a smokey grill with the tenderness and moisture level of a steamed fish. It was amazing, and I’d drive all the way back to Clearwater just for this dish.

The total bill came to $50, thanks to a $25 off coupon from Restaurant.com. We ate our fill and had plenty left to bring home, which was promptly eaten the next morning for breakfast.

I went there recently to kill some time between two appointments. At first, I wasn’t sure if they were open. It was after 6PM and there were no cars in the parking lot. I approached the door to find one young lady working the bar and one cook in the back. It seemed dead to me, which is usually a bad sign, but it was worth a try.

Since I was the only customer, service was very fast. As I sat down, she asked me what kind of drink I wanted and I had my Diet Coke within a minute. I told her I’d never been there before and I wanted a recommendation, so she suggested the steak fajitas. Sounded good to me.

She put in my order and came back with a basket of complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were good, a bit thick and warm and fresh. The salsa was definitely better than I expected, both because it was thick and chunky and a bit spicy but also because you get a lot of it and it comes in a gravy boat, making it very easy to get whole chips in and lots of salsa out.

The fajitas were up in less than 10 minutes and they were HOT. Usually, fajitas sizzle for a minute or two after they are at your table. These continued to sizzle 8 full minutes after I got them. I was digging around the sizzling and popping dish with my fork through the whole process, pulling meat and vegetables out as I wanted them. It just amazed me how hot they really were.

The fajitas were flavorful as well, and you get a lot of them. Usually, a plate of steak fajitas get you a small amount of steak on a bed of peppers, onions and tomatoes. This was a big pile of steak, piled high with onions then piled high with peppers. There was actually too many peppers for my taste, but it’s easy enough to pick through them to get the onions and steak.

The steak itself is really juicy, not fatty and flavorful. The seasonings they use really bring out the texture and taste of the steak and gives the whole dish an earthy taste. I’d grown so used to eating “Commercialized fajitas” at places like Chilis that it was good to get something more authentic.

The side of beans, rice, pico and sour cream were as to be expected. Nothing exceptional here, but they made a good compliment to the dish.

One minor issue I have is that I only got four tortillas. I probably could have faired better with six, but it’s my own fault for not asking. I was so wrapped up in how good everything tasted that I just continued to push food into my mouth after a while, dismissing protocol.

Aside from the food being better than average, the price was also fair. My whole meal, including the fajitas, diet coke, chips and salsa was $15 before tip. I left full and happy, so this is a win in my book.

Everything about this place seems like it should be more than it is. It’s on a major road, but it’s not busy. The food is good and prices fair, but it’s not busy. There’s plenty of places to sit, it’s comfortable and there’s a whole back room for pool and lounging around, yet it’s not busy. Perhaps they are one of the Tampa’s best kept secrets, but I hope they become busy soon so I won’t lose them to attrition.

As I drove down Reynolds Road, I noticed a half dozen little Mexican eateries on that same road, some only a 1/4 mile apart from each other. Knowing this area has a heavily populated Spanish/Latin population, I also knew that to support so many little places required them all to be either good or cheap. Monterrey is both. The only real drawback I find to Monterrey is it’s hours. It’s only open 11AM to midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The building itself is unassuming. The tip of a triangle where two roads intersect gives it a lot of traffic and there’s plenty of parking. Both times I was there this weekend, there were lots of people in and out, showing me that it is busy when it’s open.

There are a lot of cool features about this place. When you walk in, you are overwhelmed by the salsa bar. Over 10 salsas are available ranging from mild in green and and red through Habanero laced concoctions that are likely to burn you up from the inside. Aside from the salsas, the bar also offers onions, cilantro, pico and other Mexican favorites to fill any dish you order.

The seating is all booth style, and it’s pretty comfortable. When I sat down in the booths, I sank down just enough to where it felt like I was in the seat instead of floating around on it. There is seating for probably 20-25 people in the colorful dining area.

Everything about this place screams traditional Mexican. All of the signs are in Spanish. The staff speaks broken English, as it’s obviously not something they use all the time. The atmosphere is very inviting and friendly as well.

The quality of food is due in a large part to how it’s prepared. One of their signature meat dishes is produced on a coal burning grill, seen below. The large wheel of meat is rotated and shaved off as needed. The fresh barbecued taste is what makes this meat one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten.

The other facet that makes the food great is that the shells are made from scratch, to order, as needed. Here you can see one of the cooks churning out new shells for my order of tacos and burritos.

They cook fresh on the flat top skillet as needed. No deep frying. No heavy oils. Everything about this process is fresh and flavorful.

The first thing I tried was an open shelled version of the meat wheel with avocados, fried onions and slow cooked pepper. It was, by far and without a doubt, one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The meat is soft, hot, slightly salty and has a texture and taste that is unbeatable. I literally found myself tearing up with happiness as I ate this. It was so good by itself, and even better with the salsa bar additions.

Secondly, they brought out a pork and cheese taco combination with more sauteed onions. The pork actually had more of a philly-steak look and feel than anything, but it was very good. You can really taste the time and effort that goes into everything they make, as the shells can barely contain the flavor busting forth.

Once again, it was great by itself but even better with the salsa bar. I decided to try a new salsa than I did before. The one was decidedly hotter.

For the last part of my first trip to Monterrey, I decided to go with a time tested favorite and get a beef burrito. This melt-in-your-mouth classic was everything a burrito should be. It wasn’t overpowering in your hands, but it was piping hot inside and was the last straw in filling me up. Also served with pepper and onions, the burrito was excellent. I was now to the point that I couldn’t eat anymore. I was literally too stuffed, happy and overwhelmed to do anything but waddle out of there.

The next day, I needed to know if it was a fluke. I was headed back to Plant City for the Strawberry Classic Car Show, so I stopped in again for dinner. What a repeat performance!

This time, I went with the same meat I had in the first dish the day before, but this time in plate form. They chipped a generous portion of meat off into a corner and added rice, cheese and beans to the plate. It was served with the same fresh taco shells I had the day before. What can I say about absolutely perfect Mexican food? These guys hit a home run consistently.

I liked this enough that I’m gonna make another trip out there Friday night and I’m going to get a bunch of food to go. It’s worth it to have this in my fridge, though I doubt it will make it more than a day before I consume all I bring home.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m currently designing Taqueria Monterrey’s Website. I have a professional relationship that came from an introduction by Rene at the Taco Bus. That said, I would love this food even if I wasn’t currently doing their website. It was exceptional, and it’s a pleasure for me to be able to create something nice for them after they created two days worth of amazing food for me.

The place is decorated in a very traditional and clean layout, speckled with dozens of articles and accolades from local food critics talking of the quality of the food. This is consistent with everything I had heard of this place, and everything we experienced. The environment can be described as comfortable, relaxed and inviting.

The food was excellent. I spoke to the owner, who confirmed why the quality was so high. Everything they cook is made with health in mind. Their ingredients are fresh and natural and they cook only with olive oil, never lard or other oils that can pack pounds on your waistline and lead to health complications.

We started with the chips and salsa, which were excellent. You can tell the salsa was made fresh today, as the tomatoes were crisp, flavorful and were not pureed or broken down at all. The onions and other ingredients came through in every bite. This was a thick, flavorful and natural salsa.

We had guacamole as well, which was so rich and creamy without the overwhelming citrus taste that you get from guac that has been around a while. This was obviously fresh and very fulfilling. I honestly could have just made a meal of the guacamole, as it was rich and decadent.

We decided to try the Sangria, which was highly recommended. It was sweet, almost too sweet, but a very smooth drink with fresh fruit garnish. The more I drank of it, the more I felt like I was back in Mexico drinking sangria on the beach. Like everything else, the freshness and quality really stood out. I’d say this is some of the better Sangria I’ve had, almost as good as what I had at a cigar bar a few months ago.

Our entrees came and they were plentiful. Kara has the chimichanga smothered in a pile of red sauce, sour cream and guacamole. Served with refried beans and rice, the slow cooked filling tasted so clean and natural. I’m so used to eating flavorful mexican food that is filled with carbs and fat that trying something lean that still had the flavor was a pleasant surprise.

I had both an entree and a side dish, as I hadn’t eaten that day and was exceptionally hungry. The entree was mushroom crepes, a delicate take on stuffed crepe dishes I had eaten in many french restaurants but with a decidedly Mexican flare. The green sauce covering it was tart and met with sharp contrast to the mushrooms inside, a sweet and buttery combination that popped with every bite. This was such an unusual taste that I find it difficult to describe, but it was sensational. The rice and beans were decent. I’d say there were on par with what I’m used to from the Taco Bus or Cinco De Mayo. Definitely a good fill for the crepes.

I also had the pork quesadilla on the side. This was filled with shredded, slow cooked pork and was very good. I was actually quite full before I even started the quesadilla, but opted to finish it anyway. Usually when I eat too much, I feel bloated afterwords. This wasn’t the case with Algusto. The food quality and lack of fat and grease gave me the feeling of full without the misery, and for that I’m thankful.

One part of the legend I was hoping that wasn’t true was that everything is a la carte. You get one refill with your soda, then they charge you. You pay for chips. You pay for salsa. You pay for every side, every option. This by-the-piece mentality can actually go both ways. It can present a bargain if you want something small and specific, or it can turn into a nickle-and-dime situation if you go for a complete meal.

Our complete meal, with $6 tip, came to almost $50. This is a bit more than I usually spend on good tasting Mexican, but when you bite into it you’ll understand that the cost covers quality ingredients that are good for you too.

The lunch crowd, even at 1:15 this afternoon, crowded this place when we got there. The smell of Latin food filled the air before I even entered the building, thanks to people eating in the outside pavilion. When I arrived, I sat down and waited for my lunch companion who would show up a few minutes later. Within a few minutes, the waitress brought me a drink and complimentary chips and salsa. Not only was she prompt but was very cordial and made some recommendations on food I might try. The atmosphere and the staff were all very warm and friendly, so I felt very comfortable. Beautiful hand painted artwork filled the walls in both the main dining area and the bar area, making this a colorful dining experience.

After John arrived, we placed our order. He ordered the Steak Fajitas and I asked for the Carne Asada meal (today’s special at $10). We consumed almost all of the chips and salsa while waiting, which were very good. The chips, much like the chips I had at Cinco De Mayo just a few days ago, were thick and crispy. They needed a bit of salt, but otherwise were perfect. The salsa was more a puree than the traditional salsa I expect from this kind of place. It was tasty and they provide you plenty, but I would have preferred chunks of onion and pepper over a thin salsa.

The food came quickly and was magnificent. I was impressed with the portion, especially for the cost. For the $10, I received a 12ish oz. rib eye steak, rice, beans, tortillas, lettuce, guacamole and sour cream. Under the steak was some kind of rolled soft-shell Mexican treat, perhaps an cheese enchilada, that came with the special.

The steak was mouthwatering. I generally don’t expect a lot from a $10 steak, but this thin cut portion was large, succulent and tender. A light glaze added both taste and texture, and this was great both on it’s own and wrapped it tortilla. The rice and beans were good, as they are at many places. The beans were a little watery, but when mixed with the rice made a great side dish. The guacamole is made fresh, as it was a bright green and didn’t have any brown spots or an overt lime taste that you see with guacamole that sits around. Everything about the meal was fresh and flavorful.

I was impressed with the size of the tortillas as well. They were large, burrito size, and helped make quick work of all of the ingredients. The cheese enchilada was also incredibly tasty and tender, as it has been sitting in the same glaze as the steak. It was a nice little treat to finish off a memorable meal.

John shared my sentiment throughout the meal that it was delicious. I left full and happy, and still feel full even 5 hours later as I write this. This is food that sticks with you, and now I have a reason to go to Davis Island more often.

I went in for the lunch, as they run daily specials. Today, I tried the Enchilada Lunch (for $5!) and a traditional/Mexican taco. The waitress is sweet and personable, and chats with me between customers and cleaning. She was very quick with both my drink and the complimentary chips and salsa.

The chips were thicker than standard tortilla chips, and more oily. They were flavorful without being salty, which was a big plus. The salsa was a variety I hadn’t had in a long time. It was very fresh, watery and pungent with tomatoes and citrus. The acids from the salsa play tricks on your taste buds, giving you a bit of sweet, a bit of bitter and a bit of spicy. It’s a good salsa and I finished the entire bowl before half my chips were done.

The main course was out very quickly. The taco, as I had chosen the traditional/Mexican taco over the “Americanized version” was similar to the Taco Bus tacos. The sauteed pork was a bit spicy and dripping with flavor. The included green sauce wasn’t even necessary, as the taco stood on it’s own being both succulent and robust. At only $2, this is a value that I’d be hard to compare to anywhere else I’ve eaten. The pork inside the taco was on par with the Taco Bus’s Cochinita Pibil, which is now my absolute favorite filling meat.

The enchiladas were served on a large platter with everything you’d expect; rice, beans and a pile of lettuce and sour cream to fill out the course. The beans were as to be expected, hot and flavorful with chunks of queso melted into the top. I used the chips to make quick work of my pile of beans.

The rice was of a higher caliber than a lot of the Mexican rice I’ve had as it was made with cheese and kept very moist. The cheese helped stick the rice together but it didn’t overpower the dish. It was the string in the woven fabric of already delicious rice.

The enchiladas were plentiful and tender. The problem with enchiladas in a lot of restaurants is their reliance on the red sauce to give the dish it’s flavor. It’s more often than not disconcerting or at least annoying that they’d take great ingredients and drown them. Cinco does it just right. The sauce is minimal and a compliment, not a hostile takeover. The cheese is also used sparingly, as to not overpower the dish.

The real star of the enchiladas dish is the shredded chicken insides that spill out as you fork your way through them. Tender, delicious, piping hot and easy to eat, the chicken is something you can see a lot of time goes into. It’s a slight bit spicy, but the stringy texture and the other ingredients keep any mouth seering at bay.

Aside from the food, the atmosphere is incredibly comfortable. Outside seating is available with a simple but attractive table setting. A large stainless counter at the bar is sterile but inviting. Decorations fill the walls, reminding you that this is equal part bar and restaurant. The upstairs, while looking like it’s still got a bit of work to go, has a very inviting feel to it as well and the amenities you’d expect including a pool table, private seating, a second bar and plenty of space.

True to it’s name, Cinco De Mayo is planning a huge party on the fifth of May. Mariachi bands will play, women will dance and the booze will flow. I’ll be there to cover it and so should you.

The things that this place does well it does very well. Outside, a small tent was set up with meat cooking. You could smell it as soon as you got out of the car, and the pungent smell of beef and pork filled the air.

The dining area is large enough to hold probably 30-40 people between both rooms, and the place seemed clean enough. The service was both humble and sweet, as you’d expect it to be.

On the table, two kinds of habanero sauce that I had never seen before reminded me that I was in an authentic place.

When I ordered my dinner, I noticed that they had glass bottle Coke. I hadn’t had a real Coke in a real glass bottle in a while, so I ordered one. It was exactly as it should be. That’s one of the real treats of eating in a place like this.

I decided to order both the Tamale and the Chili Relleno. I had eaten both a number of times and knew what I liked and didn’t like, so this place had an uphill battle if they wanted to compete. The Tamale came out very quickly, as they were waiting in a chaffing dish. The serving was small, a lot smaller than I’m used to at the Taco Bus and other place I’ve found in Tampa. The cornmeal was a bit dry, but the meat inside was very flavorful. I made the mistake of putting too much of the habanero sauce on it and it unintentionally drowned out the flavor. The more of it I ate, the dryer it became it was evident that this wasn’t the freshest tamale I had eaten this week.

The main course was very different than I expected. Firstly, the relleno was not sauce or smothered in cheese, as I am used to. It was fried to a crisp with rough edges. As I bit into it, a chunk of unmelted queso rolled out of the pepper. The flavor was there, but the texture was tough and unexpected. The middle of the relleno was light and creamy, but the outer edges being so tough made it difficult to eat.

I can pinpoint the exact reason the consistency was so tough. I saw the waitress go several times back and forth to a microwave oven. She did this for the rellenos, the shells and several other customer’s plates. I’m assuming that everything is made in batches in the morning and then is re-heated as needed. Seems unorthodox, but it did get the food out quickly if nothing else.

The rice and beans were standards and were as expected. The small lettuce and salsa side served with it was watery, but when mixed with the beans and rice made for a more acceptable meal.

What did impress me about this meal is the quantity of tortillas they give you. Normally, you get between 4 and 6 tortillas in a restaurant. They brought me a whole stack, probably 12-15 piping hot shells. They were good shells too, not too dry and not oily. If nothing else, their shells saved the rest of the meal.

I was at the restaurant after 7PM, so I think a lot of my experience came from the lack of freshness. I’m going to be going back at some point at lunch time to see if food quality improves. The good service, glass bottle coke and tortilla count convinced me this is worth another shot.

Let’s start with the positives, and there are a few.

Firstly, they have awesome hours, especially for the drunkards that most likely keep this place in business. Open Tue-Sat 12pm-3am so this place could fill you up on either side of a hangover.

Secondly, they have off-street parking. It’s a rarity in Ybor, especially so near everything. Probably 12-15 parking spots out of the way with no cost to park.

Thirdly, the outside terrace is nice. You could really enjoy a nice relaxing evening here, assuming you can deal with the obnoxious people outside.

Lastly, they do have a nice hot sauce collection at each table. You have your standard green, a medium hot and another bottle to spice up whatever you order.

Now, onto the general review.

The first day I decided to go was late at night. Since this place is known as a late-night landing spot, I figured hitting it at 10PM would be an ideal time. I walk into it and am immediately hit with this smell that I can only identify as stale cooking oil. Imagine an uncleaned fryer. That’s exactly what the whole place smells like.

I also noticed that there were only a few people in there, even for being late, so I assume it’ll be pretty quick. I also noticed how incredibly dirty everything was. Almost every table had debris from previous customers. It looked like the place hadn’t been bussed in hours. I look behind the counter to see only two people working, so I assume they’re just really busy.

I walk to the front and the clerk looks furious. I ask, “What’s good here? I’m new…” She cuts me off with, “Alaskan Tacos. Beef, Chicken, Pork or Fish?” I say, “Fish, 2 please, and a raspberry tea.” She takes my order, scowling and diverting her eyes the entire time. She rang me up, gave me a receipt marked 10:05 and walked out the back door.

Then the waiting began. 10:41, I proceed to walk to the counter. The cook was in the back, talking on a cell phone. I did not see the counter girl. I yell to the cook, “Hey, how’s my order coming along?” She looked at me confused, and then went back to the cell phone. I waited another couple of minutes before yelling back again. This time, she quickly said, “I have to go.” to the person on the phone and then came forward. “Here’s my receipt. How’s my order doing?”

She scanned over the receipt. “5 more minutes.”

I went back to my table and waited. Sure enough, 5 more minutes and it was done. What was the wait? They were too busy fucking around to serve the customer! While I was waiting, several other people had congregated in and placed orders too. I didn’t see any of them eating, so I assume they were all on the same schedule.

I unwrap my food and it’s sub-par in every possible way. Knowing that they fry the tacos, I expected a crunchy taco crust with hot insides and a creamy consistency. What I got was an oily taco that left a slimy trail all over your hands when you touch it. This isn’t oily in the sense that french fries are sometimes oily. This is oily in the sense that “an Exxon Tanker capsized on my tray” oily. I wrapped my taco in napkins to remove as much oil as I could. They were drenched and the tacos still felt really greasy. I proceeded to eat the tacos anyway.

The taste was both bland and surprising. The fish had no robust fish flavor. There was nothing even in the way of seasoning to differ it from tofu. The surprising part was the complete lack of any taste of flavor in the taco itself. I’ve eaten fish tacos many places, and they are one of my favorite foods, and these were disgraceful takes on a dish I normally love. No kick, no salt, no real taste. Just like chewing cardboard wrapped in a greasy newspaper. I end up dousing my second taco in both green and red hot sauce. Now I’ve got a chewy, greasy, hot cardboard and newspaper concoction. I got it all down and proceeded to drink my tea.

The tea was something otherworldly. How do you mess up raspberry tea coming out of a fountain machine? It’s the same stuff they serve at Taco Bell, but this was bitter and watered down. I drank less than a quarter of my large drink and threw it away.

When I went to get up to leave I noticed a cockroach crawling across my table! The whole place is dimly lit and there’s dozens of food crumbs on every table, so it’s easy to see how they’d have a roach problem. I darted out of my seat and proceeded to do a quick check of other tables. No more roaches on tables, but there was one by the front door. Disgusted, I left.

About an hour later, I started feeling a horrible rumble in my stomach. I spent the next 3 hours purging the tacos though the standard digestive method . I felt lousy the rest of the night and into the next day.

At this point, I really should have just written a bad review and called it a day. Then my ethics came into play and I decided that I’d give it a week and try again.

Yesterday was that second try. I came in earlier, around 6:30. I figured the early dinner crowd and waitstaff would be better.

I came in to find a few people already eating, so it was already a better sign that this would be a better day. I walk to the counter and the good mood immediately sunk. Different people working both the counter and cook, but the same attitude. The girl at the counter was on her cell phone, talking away to someone about something mundane. I stood at the counter, patiently waiting while she said over her phone, “Give me a few minutes.”

I started the timer. 4 minutes, 15 seconds before she addressed me. I decided to mix it up a bit this time. “Give me a two fish Alaskan tacos and a chicken tamale, and a raspberry iced tea.” She rang me up. Now is the time to note that even if this food was good, it’s no bargain. My meal cost me over $15. If I had been at some place like the Taco Bus or Jalapeno De Ybor or any of the other great taco stands in town, I could have gotten this much food for way, way less and it would have been nothing short of delicious.

She gave me my number and I did a bit of scouting around to see where the most strategic place to eat would be. Tables were less messy this time, but there were still scraps of food and straw wrapper debris almost everywhere. I found a booth on the other side of the room from where I originally sat, did a quick inspection for roaches (found none) and sat down.

The wait this time was much less, only about 20 minutes. I could live with that. Then the food came and it was an encore I was really hoping wouldn’t happen.

The fish tacos were much the same as it was before. Bland, oily, uninspired. I’ve taken this to be the standard and it’s simply not what I’d want in a fish taco. The tamale was probably the biggest disappointment of all. The corn was dry all the way through. No moist cake-like texture that I’ve come to love from my true south-of-the-border eateries. Though I ordered the chicken tamale, I think what was inside of this was pork. If it was pork, then the pork was not only bland, but there wasn’t much of it. I’d say more than 80% of the tamale was dry corn meal covered in a thin, indistinguishable red sauce. After eating half of it, I gave up. The raspberry tea was better this time. No complaints there.

I did notice another repeat of last week’s review, this time with a twist. I got up and walked to my car and as soon as I sat down, I felt really sick to my stomach. Maybe it was the oily smog in the restaurant. Maybe it was the poor quality food. I don’t recall ever feeling sick any other place I’ve reviewed and to have it happen twice in a row seemed strange. I drove the 3 miles or so home, only to feel the urge to vomit overtake me. I took one step out of my vehicle and threw up everything I had just eaten. For those brave enough to see the aftermath, there’s a photo here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3337/3332365023_03258cdbbc_b.jpg

I spent the rest of last night on my couch in cold sweats, throwing up every 20 minutes or so until it was all out of my system.

In conclusion, I wouldn’t wish Mema’s Alaskan Tacos on anyone. The food was awful. The service was horrible. The restaurant conditions were dismal and dirty and my driveway is yet another victim of this experience. Thankfully, I only wasted $25 and a half gallon of bile on this experience.

My latest delve into south of the border classics come from the controversial El Taconazo (913 E Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33604(813) 232-5889), as it’s better known, “The Taco Bus”. For regulars, as I found out today conversing in line, this place is the mecca of authentic, cheap, large portioned Latin favorites. For detractors I’ve read online, it’s supposedly “dirty, with rude staff and inconsistent taste.”

Knowing I had a challenge ahead of me, I set out to the corner of Hillsborough and Nebraska to try it for myself. When you pull into the parking lot, you are greeted by a building and then the bus itself, where the food is prepared and served out of a side window. On the surface, this concept sounds like a recipe for health-code disaster, but my experience there was clean, pleasant and, ultimately, delicious.

When I emerged from the car, I noticed that even at 2:00PM, the place was still packed. Under the bus and rickety metal shade stood more than a dozen people, happily talking amongst each other while they waited to order. The line took about 10 minutes, in which time I engaged a few people in conversation about their experience with the bus. “It’s the best, man. Good food, and a lot of it.” one regular said. “Best little taco stand in Tampa, and I’ve been to a lot.” another doted. If the regulars liked it, it was worth a try.

When I get to the window, I’m greated by a smiling face, who I tell that I’ve never been here before and ask for a recommendation. “It’s all good. What kind of meat you want?” I pondered for a minute, realizing that it was probably in both my interest and the best interest of the blog to try a bit of everything. “Go ahead and give me 3 lunch specials. One burrito. One Taco. One Carne Asada. Mix them up, different meats in each.” I figured I’d try a bit of each and put the rest in the refrigerator, as if it was good I’d eat it tomorrow and if it was bad, my dogs would finish it off. She smiled and said, “3 Specials? You got it. That’ll be $21. $21? Really? Seems awfully cheap for 3 full meals. I guess that explains the repeat customers!

There wasn’t much of a wait, even with the long crowd. I stood aside and spoke to another patron, “The guy who owns this goes to Mexico all the time. He’s always looking for ways to make it better.” That was re-assuring. No sooner did I get into talking about MyTampaLife, the food come up. Two heaping bags full of what smelled delicious. I took it and came home.

When I got here, I was incredibly surprised. Presentation, for being takeout containers, was very nice. Food looked and smelled delicious. I decided to sample a bit of each.

The Burrito was massive. The kind of burrito I used to get from Chipotle, and still often do get from Moe’s. When I wrapped my mouth around it and bit in, I was filled instantly with a collage of tastes I loved. The first thing that stands out is how fresh everything is. Fresh cut red onions. The light smokey taste of pork. Fresh lettuce. Fresh Tomatoes. Everything about it felt fresh and crisp, as if it was just picked that morning. You don’t get much better than that. After 3 big bites, I had to stop myself because I knew I had so much more to try.

The tacos, a twin pack served with beans and rice, were the same consistent freshness as the burrito. My only issue with the tacos were the shells, which were a bit dry for a traditional taco shell. I threw some green salso over the taco and it overrode any issue I had with the shells. After eating one of the tacos, I put it aside because I was already starting to get full. The meals are that filling.

The Carne Asade, a staple in any good mexican joint, left nothing to be desired. The steak was cooked well, without a lot of grease or undesirable gristle that I’ve seen in other shredded steak. The shells provided were the same texture as the taco shells, but again were easily cured by loading up on vegetables and salsa. I ate one shell worth and packed this up for the fridge. At this point, I have enough food here for 4 to 5 meals, not my intended 3.

All around, I was very impressed. Two people could eat here well for around $15. I’ll happily dispell any rumors I hear about this place being unsanitary or having poor portion size. I left fat and sassy, and I bet you will too.

Nestled a few blocks off the main drag in Ybor, this little mexican walk-up-window with patio is the perfect mix of good food, nice atmosphere, friendly staff and convenience. There is plenty of parking both on street and off, which is especially noteworthy for Ybor. Furthermore, they are open early (7AM-2PM) and serve south of the border breakfast and lunch specialties.

The staff was exceptionally friendly. Not only were they very pleasant, but they were the kind of friendly that you only get from people who love their work. It was a very nice change from the customer service I tend to get from most places.

The ordering process was very simple. Walk up, ring bell, order from a menu on the wall and then go sit in the patio area. They bring the food out fairly quickly (under 10 minutes) and it’s cafeteria style, so you set your own table with plastic forks and foam cups. It’s the kind of environment that says, “come as you are”, complete with latin music in the background, lots of plant cover and slatted fence for plenty of light and air to complete your dining experience.

The servings are generous and the price is more than reasonable. For less than $25, we were filled to the gills and she took a pitcher of fresh Sangria down. The food is the kind of fair I expect when I order from an authentic place. I ordered the John’s Hotter than Hell Burrito; a combination of slow cooked pork, onion, fresh tomatoes, chopped jalapenos, hot salsa and habaneros. From the first bite to the last, the burrito lives up to it’s name. Hot, in that “I’m spicy and you want me inside you.” kind of way. I wasn’t one to fight that kind of temptation.

I also had today’s special, which is a double serving of Chile Rellenos. Imagine Roasted Chile Poblano stuffed with cheese and deep fried in a meringue; served with a side of rice, beans and two warm corn tortillas. It’s a full meal on it’s own, and I know when I was half way through that I was stuffed by had to finish it. It was so good I didn’t want to stop.

While I made an untamed pig of myself, Kara ate the Taco Salad. She remarked that it was good, and very filling. As Taco salads go, it looked to be a delightful combination and the satisfied smirk on her face confirmed this.

Then again, it could have been the pitcher of Sangria she inhaled.

Just as we were ready to explode from our food-gasm, our gracious host brought us a plate of fresh-made donuts. Imaging biting into a sugar filled cloud. Then imagine the second you begin to chew, you suddenly don’t feel full anymore because all you want is to inhale that wonderful piece of fried dough. It’s better than any donut I’ve yet had. Even if you don’t like mexican food, the donuts alone are worth the trip.

For now, we’re off to Gasparilla…