In the heart of downtown Tempe, Arizona is a colorful nightlife, including street vendors and neon lights in every direction. Without a keen eye, one might not even notice the nondescript storefront on Mill Avenue with a dull sign reading" "Restaurant Mexico." The tiny green door fades into the background of the brilliant signs and glass windows of antique shops and vintage record stores. It would be easy to miss, but I'm so glad I didn't.
When I entered the restaurant on the arm of my boyfriend Caleb, we were greeted by the hostess Maria, as well as the six other people sitting and dining in the restaurant. We asked the hostess to browse the menu before we committed to eating there.
"This is the best restaurant in the state of Arizona," one patron proclaimed.
"Cheapest food you'll find and the best quality available. You'd be stupid not to eat here," another said.
We knew right away that we had to figure out what made the restaurant so great, and we grabbed a corner booth. We continued to peruse the menu and we found all the usuals--chicken quesadillas ($5.25), beef burritos ($6.40), chimichangas ($7.75), and tacos of all kinds ($2.85.) The menu items weren't named, they simply stated what they were. The drink menu was kept short and sweet (well, salty.) Soda ($1), water (free) or a margarita ($5.) We quickly decided on a chicken quesadilla, a beef chimichanga and a margarita for me.
Maria, seemingly the only person on staff that evening, brought us a basket of chips that had just been pulled out of the oven and a bowl of not-too-runny-but-not-too-chunky salsa. She chitchatted with us from across the restaurant while she cleaned off the menus and began her closing work for the evening. At this point it was late and we were the only customers left in the restaurant so she asked us if we wanted her to turn the music up. We said yes and decided to (attempt to) salsa dance between the tables while we waited for our food.
The food came out steaming hot only a few minutes later and we could hardly wait to finish saying grace so we could dig in. My chicken quesadilla was about twice as big as the average human head and the soft outer tortilla was filled with tons of flavorful shredded chicken and gushy cheese. I couldn't even get through a third of it before asking for a box (maybe because I was filled up on salsa and margaritas.) Chimichangas can get soggy from the meat so I was worried Caleb wasn't going to be impressed, but it was quite the contrary. His beef chimichanga was perfectly crispy on the outside. We crunched into the tortilla to find it loaded with flavorful ground beef and toppings. The guacamole served with it had bits of avocado that weren't mashed entirely which was a pleasant surprise, as we both love avocados on their own.
The margarita was very no-frills but that's just how I like them. They didn't offer any specialty flavors or frozen options. Just a plain ole margarita, on the rocks with a salted rim. I was surprised by the sheer size of the thing, especially considering the $5 price tag. I'm not typically one to get tipsy off of just one drink but this was a strong one. The tequila they used (Jose Cuervo) didn't overpower the flavor of the margarita itself, but I could still easily taste the smooth, bold flavor of the Anejo.
Overall, this very no-nonsense and no-frills Mexican restaurant was exactly what Caleb and I were craving for our date night. The simplicity of the menu didn't bother either of us, though it could become an issue if you have allergies or other dietary restrictions. Most Mexican restaurants aren't known for their vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options and Restaurant Mexico was no exception. If you're looking for a plain, but absolutely delicious restaurant for a cheap date night or margarita Monday with friends, Restaurant Mexico is the perfect choice. Maria told us the restaurant is rarely busy enough for there to be a wait as the majority of patrons are regulars that she and the kitchen staff know well.
Restaurant Mexico is located at 423 S Mill Ave, Tempe AZ 85381 and is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
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