Comments on: NON-gourmet Mexican cuisine in Maryland/DC?

Question: NON-gourmet Mexican cuisine in Maryland/DC?

sarahsynonymous — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:50:12 -0800

Please help me find some crappy, cheap Mexican food in the Maryland/DC area.

Throughout my whole life, I have been a lover of Mexican food, but only a very specific kind of Mexican food. After speaking to people and learning more about cuisine, I have learned that to most, the style of Mexican I like is horribly inauthentic and altogether awful. Despite all this, it's what I like, so I want to keep eating it. Unfortunately, I just relocated from Richmond, VA (where I could find crappy Mexican everywhere) to Germantown, MD, and I am having a hell of a time finding suitable restaurants.

I guess the best way to narrow down what I'm looking for is to list some standard characteristics. The tacos usually use ground beef, rather than shredded or cubed. The pinto beans are basically pulverized. The queso dipping sauce is pretty watery, and the salsa used is red and seems tomato-based. The enchilada sauce generally seems to have a hint of cinnamon in it. The menu is usually quite extensive, with at least 20 combos for both lunch and dinner. AND, the kicker: The majority of the time, the first combo available on the lunch menu is called a "Speedy Gonzalez."

After a lot of internet searching, I thought I had hit the jackpot with Torino's in Bethesda, but upon my arrival I saw that it is now an Asian bistro. Oops.

Could someone please help me in my quest? I just want my Mexican comfort food, it doesn't need to be fancy (in fact, I'm pretty much expecting a dive). I'm willing to drive up to 30 minutes, maybe a little further if necessary. Thanks so much!

By: killdevil

killdevil — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:00:22 -0800

Anita's? They have a bunch of locations in suburban VA just outside of D.C. The food is tasty, quite cheap, plentiful "comfort" fare similar, if not entirely identical, to what you describe.

By: sa3z

sa3z — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:05:38 -0800

Tippy's Tacos -- Same comment as killdevil, basically. All locations in NoVA, and not exactly like you describe, but close enough. The Merrifield location is probably a 40-minute drive.

By: saffry

saffry — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:13:06 -0800

I don't live there anymore, and don't remember the name, but about two years ago I went to a place near the intersection of Middlebrook and Frederick road. Can't find it on Yahoo, but I think it was in the same plaza as Yaraku Japanese.

I thought it sucked, so good luck!

By: mojohand

mojohand — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:34:01 -0800

Sorry, don't know Germantown, but my recollection of Toucan Taco in Laurel is that it fully met your crap-Mexican requirements and is probably lot more convenient to you (< 10 minutes from us 95) than anywhere in virginia. br>
(Toucan Taco; 315 Gorman Ave; Laurel, MD 20707; (301) 498-9833)

(Ah, back in the day there used to be a Tippy's in College Park; great crap-Mexican. Good times, good times...)

By: jbickers

jbickers — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:31:12 -0800

Wait a minute, this is crappy Mexican food? You've described the place where we eat twice a week - and we love it! And I would never, ever have thought to consider it crappy!

In Kentucky, BTW, these kinds of places always begin with El - El Nopal, El Caporal, etc.

By: WaterSprite

WaterSprite — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:34:42 -0800

You are so describing Taco Bell. Surely there are some in the area? I don't eat fast food as a general rule, but Taco Bell - delicious!

By: timetoevolve

timetoevolve — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:42:00 -0800

Don Pablo's sounds up your alley. It's slightly more upscale (read: expensive) than someplace like Anita's, but it's totally crap and a chain to boot.

My friends love it, and the margaritas are head-sized.

According to their website, they have locations in Columbia, Laurel, Owings Mills, and Baltimore, plus a bunch of restaurants in NoVa.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:43:11 -0800

Oh, man. It's great to find another lover of crappy Tex-Mex. Whenever I get a craving for mushy beans and ground "beef" drowned in mysterious red sauce, I hit Taco Maker in Security Square Mall. You'll love it.

By: chickletworks

chickletworks — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 17:40:44 -0800

I nth your love of bad Mexican and second Don Pablos.

Also, when trying to explain to people what I'm looking for when I want bad Mexican, I've found that they usually get what I mean more quickly if I say "tex-mex." Real Mexican food is about moles and adobos and a lot of other things that just can't hold a candle to that bright orange "queso sauce." Mmmm.

By: atayah

atayah — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 19:10:31 -0800

these might be a little gourmet for you, but: Guapo's or Cactus Cantina? Both have locations on Wisconsin Avenue in NW DC. As a DC resident I'm a huge fan of Guapo's, as it's good but not that good--definite comfort food as far as I'm concerned, but YMMV.

By: The White Hat

The White Hat — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:52:50 -0800

Pollo Rico in Arlington.

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:44:08 -0800

La Fiesta in Crofton, MD. It is what happens when the only Indian family in thirty miles realizes that nobody is quite ready for vindiloo and naan and opens a mexican joint instead.

By: amarynth

amarynth — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:50:49 -0800

There's also a Guapo's at the Rio in Gaithersburg.

By: jesirose

jesirose — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:10:58 -0800

Also, when trying to explain to people what I'm looking for when I want bad Mexican, I've found that they usually get what I mean more quickly if I say "tex-mex." Real Mexican food is about moles and adobos and a lot of other things that just can't hold a candle to that bright orange "queso sauce." Mmmm.

As an unwilling Texan, I think that only applies to Tex-Mex outside of Texas. Here, there are many degrees between Taco Bell - TexMex - Gourmet Mexican.

I love them all.

OP: Sounds like you want a Taco place. Taco Bell, Taco Diner, Taco Bueno, Taco Delight, Taco Cabana...

By: ShawnStruck

ShawnStruck — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:35:50 -0800

jesirose:

Unfortunately, Taco Benuo is a Texclusive.

By: kdar

kdar — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 10:39:33 -0800

Dude, pollo rico is peruvian rotisserie chicken...

By: naoko

naoko — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 14:56:49 -0800

Seconding Guapo's (I had no idea that was a chain! I always go to one in Virginia. Delicious!) and thirding Don Pablo's, especially for those margaritas mentioned above.

By: MadamM

MadamM — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 16:10:33 -0800

Move to Texas and you'll drown in it. The idea of having to search out crappy Mexican food is frightening to me. Good luck in your search.

By: ersatzkat

ersatzkat — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:00:44 -0800

I know the place saffry's talking about, and it's still crap and it's still there. Starts with a "T". Austin Grill (Bethesda has a location) is very TexMex, so it might fill the bill. We have a place here in Frederick called El Paso that would also work (exit Route 85 north, it'll be about a half mile or so on your right, in the plaza behind a Burger King).

By: saffry

saffry — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:05:20 -0800

My husband says it was El Tejano, which fits jbickers rule for crappy mexican.

By: inigo2

inigo2 — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:14:30 -0800

Holy crap...Tippy's is on the internet!? A bit far for you, but it fits the other criteria..

By: sarahsynonymous

sarahsynonymous — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:45:55 -0800

Thanks so much for all of the input, and please feel free to add more if you have it! I think some of these places are a bit too far, but a lot of them have definite potential. I know what I'm doing this weekend! :)

A few personal responses:
- saffry and ersatzkat, I actually tried El Tejano last weekend, but it wasn't quiiite right. However, the El Paso in Frederick is setting my senses a-tingling - "in the plaza behind a Burger King" sounds like crappy perfection. I'll have to see!
- jbickers, don't get me wrong, there's nothing I love more than that kind of Mexican food! I've just been rudely awakened as to its actual place on the culinary ladder. ;)
- WaterSprite, Taco Bell works in a pinch, but it definitely ain't the real (well, "real") deal, unfortunately.

By: ersatzkat

ersatzkat — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 15:24:42 -0800

I'm so glad you came up with the name - it was starting to bug me. There's another place in Frederick called Casa Rico which, while not as dive-y as El Paso, has a build-your-own-death-plate buffet on Wednesday nights!

By: sarahsynonymous

sarahsynonymous — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:49:13 -0800

Dingdingding, ersatzkat - I went up to El Paso for lunch today, and it's EXACTLY what I was looking for. Again, thanks so much for the recommendation!