Secrets of the City

No Mexican restaurant in MN will ever stand up to the experience of Casa Bonita in Denver. They cliff divers in the restaurant!

I like to take the family in Eagan to El Loro when they are thinking Don Pablo’s. There are many locations, 2 in Eagan and also in Savage, Coon Rapids, Roseville, maybe more?

El Burrito Mercado is great for lunch. Boca Chica is over rated IMHO.

For fast and good I like Pineda.

They HAVE cliff divers in the restaurant, d’oh.

El Mariachi on Nicollet isn’t bad. Or the Mercado Central on Lake and Bloomington.

I have been to Casa Bonita, and it still haunts my dreams.

Doesn’t anyone like Morelos? It’s not mindblowing but I’ve had some great food there. It’s kinda diagonally across the street from Little T’s and in my opinion blows their bland BS out of the water. I can draw on tablecloths and eat crappy mexican food at my own apartment I don’t need to go somewhere and pay to do it.

My parents have a photo of me from 1975taken @ Casa Bonita in Denver from …I’m told that I was horrified by the entire experience…waterfalls, divers, fire, men in gorilla costumes.

Then there are always frozen burritos… which I am eating right now.

Salsa al la salsa is usually one of my first picks. Chiapas on central used to be pretty good but I haven’t been there in a while. I don’t like Boca Chica.

Strange but true – my favorite Mexican restaurant in these Twin Cities is … Las Margaritas in Hastings.

You know, my favortie burrito actually comes from May Day.

Casa Bonita. Oh my. Nelson Garcia (former WCCO reporter) forced that horrid restaurant on me and my wife when we were in Denver last. It’s like Chuck ‘e Cheese powered by weak salsa.

For food, I give it a 1.
For circuses, I give it an 8. The diving is impressive.

Suburban Mexican: I like Vallartas in Brooklyn Park, and El Azteca in Plymouth.

You have to note that I said “the experience of Casa Bonita” not the food.

ever seen the South Park episode where Cartman kidnaps his friend so he may go to Casa Bonita?

Los Tejanos on the east side of St. Paul or El Burrito Mercado!

anyone know where to get good sopapillas? i was telling my husband about them last night… he’d never tried them. now i’m on a mission.

If you want to talk about great Mexican food, Denver is the place to go. I lived there for a few years – gawd, how I miss eating 80% of my meals in burrito form… But since we’re talking about great Mexican food in the Twin Cities (I’m crying now), I’m going to have to go with Morelos. If you know exactly what you want and how you want it, they’ll make you whatever you like.

Casa Bonita = Casa CaCa —> It’s really the difference between ‘cheese’ and ‘cheese food product’, people.

Morelos is the only place in the TCs where I’ve had decent pollo en mole. Should be a staple @ any authentic Oaxacan style eatery, but you can’t seem to find it here. As far as finding the genuine article in the midwest, La Frontera in Chicago & Cempazuchi in Milwaukee are more to my liking

Wow..not to beat a “dead horse” but I was a bit surprised you didn’t link to the startling expose on the CORPSE INDUSTRY in the NY Times.

Who else thinks the Science Museum Exhibit could actually be Political Dissidents?

I understand they are sponsors but the Strib ran this story…

Pineda on Lake Street has the greatest burritos. I suggest the chicken in green sauce for your filling. So, so good.

Burritos are easy, anyone know where to get a good fish taco in this town? None of these fancy ones, but a cheap one with fried fish and good sauce, like I could get in San Diego?

Gunther von Hagens, the creator of BODYWORLD is extremely creepy…reminds me of a cross between Josef Mengele and the Nazi antagonist from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

People, it’s Taco Morales, not Morelos.

And the best Mexican at 26th and Nicollet is Pancho Villa, not Taco Morales and certainly not Lil T.

Person, it’s Tacos Morelos, not Morales.

Damn, you’re right.

Well, Pancho Villa is still better.

My husband dreams about the fish tacos in San Diego. So far he hasn’t found any that measure up (just tried them last weekend at Salsa a la Salsa), although the fish tacos at Sea Salt in Minnehaha Park are supposed to be damn good. We need to get there.

Pepito’s has been a family tradition, so I’m a big fan, but I pretty much am not a Mexican food person. I eat tortillas and drink chocolate milk.

I wasn’t big on the fish tacos at Sea Salt. The fried fish was good itself…but then they drizzled this salso all over it so that the crispy stuff got all mushy. And I don’t like raw onions and cilantro, and that’s all that was in them other than the fish/mushifying salsa. Might be right up your alley, how do I know.

Hi, this is off topic, but what bars would you recommend in Uptown?

You all seem, I said seem, pretty trendy, so I thought you’d know some good ones to celebrate a birthday.

THANKS FOLKS!

g rote: I miss Cempazuchi. I used to live in a condo right across the street from it. So so so good.

I just had tamales at La Loma at Midtown Exchange tonight: they were fantastic.

If you can’t go Uptown and find a decent bar, you are lost and nothing we tell you is going to help.

Though if you are asking that question you are probably going to end up somewhere like Chino Latino, so I’ll save you that embarassment and tell you don’t go.

Upscale – The Independent
Normal – Williams
Dive – Lyle’s

By the way, don’t expect any other responses, because all of the hipsters live in NE Minneapolis now.

Then again, I live in Charlotte now, so I’m not really one to talk…?

Why am I still reading this site?

Fish tacos? I haven’t tried them there, but Los Cabos in West St. Paul has a TON of fish items on the menu. They seem to specialize in it. Everything I’ve had there has been great, so I’d call the fish tacos a safe bet. They’re nice folks, too.

oh man, casa bonita!

awful food, but the divers!

although I guess that’s exactly the same thing everyone says about it.

Tacos Morelos is also sometimes referred to as Morelos Mex-Grill. Anyhoo MunsingW, you’ve definitely piqued my interest with this Pancho Villa thing but next time RTFM!! LOL ROFLMAO!!1!

But really, the best thing about Casa Bonita is the green beans with everything.

Mantenna,

Sorry, I don’t understand your internet acronyms.

This one, however, I was able to figure out.

Thanks for the link!

What a strange turn of events! I “demolished” your mom’s “Hot Fish Shop” just last night! *rimshot!*

You might say I “improperly handled” her “asbestos”. *whoa-ho! get outta town!*

Anyone ever had a birthday at pancho villa?

Yes, I’ve had a birthd — no wait, I haven’t — I’ve been there for a get together for a friend’s birthday before. Why do you ask?

btw . . . ‘Penelope Blink’ . . . what a great name!

Thanks, spaceman!

I am trying to find a good, cheap, lively place for my birthday. Was it fun? Any suggestions on other places?

Best Mexican food in Twin Cities? Check out the last line of the chorus in Bowling For Soup’s song Ohio (Come Back to Texas). Although Casa Bonita in Denver is pretty darn good.