Tex-Mex around North DFW

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Posted: 6/22/2017 8:16:45 PM EDT

Any recommendations as to a good Tex-Mex restaurant aorund Plano, Allen, McKinney, Richardson, Rowlet, Garland area?

I realize this is kind of a broad area. Planning on meeting some friends for dinner next weekend and trying to find a place in the middle for us.

Bonus points if they have salsa hot enough to remove paint.

Edited to add hole in the wall places are good as well.

Posted: 6/22/2017 8:23:44 PM EDT

[#1]

Blue Goose in Plano is pretty damn good. No idea on the salsa requirement though.

Posted: 6/22/2017 8:28:12 PM EDT

[#2]

Pappasito's has a place in Richardson. Some of the best fajitas around.

Posted: 6/22/2017 9:11:18 PM EDT

[#3]

We like Nicos in Carrollton on Josey and Frankford (hole in the wall). It's down the road from us so we frequent it. The salsa is not hot though

Posted: 6/22/2017 9:12:01 PM EDT

[#4]

Just west of tollway at Trinity Mills...red salsa won't take the paint off, but good level of hot combined with good flavor. Also serve a green with much more flavor, lot less hot.

Mena's Tex Mex Grill
2810 E Trinity Mills Rd
Ste 197
Carrollton, TX 75006

Posted: 6/22/2017 9:30:33 PM EDT

[#5]

Keep them coming please. My wife and will most likely try them all soon. I can make do without the hot salsa ( have habeneros in the garden), its just something my family enjoys.

We are going to meet a friend and his wife for dinner next weekend. In my area the pickins are slim.

Posted: 6/22/2017 10:16:40 PM EDT

[#6]

My favorite place is a dump. Great food and they have a Salsa for tacos that is very hot.
Don't go there with a couple.

For a nicer place go to
Urban Rio. Also consider Anamia's in West Plano

Both of those places are nice

Posted: 6/22/2017 10:51:33 PM EDT

[#7]

Wife and I both love Luna De Noche in Plano on Preston - it's basically our go-to tex-mex.

Everything we have had has been excellent and we've been going back for 6-7 years now. She loves the tortilla soup and margaritas, and I usually go with the burrito platter with the shredded beef (it's fantastic). Fajitas are excellent and they do a tableside guacamole that I understand is pretty impressive. The chips and salsa are like crack - not too hot, but great flavor and the chips usually come out hot. We've literally never had a bad meal there and we try to stop in at least every week or two.

Great food, reasonable prices, and the same folks are there year after year which is nice to see.

Posted: 6/22/2017 10:54:55 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
Blue Goose in Plano is pretty damn good. No idea on the salsa requirement though.

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I like Blue Goose, although salsa isn't a face melter (my gut can't handle much of that these days anyway)

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:23:05 AM EDT

[#9]

Chuy's (two locations in Plano)......can't beat their happy hour.
When I used to work in Richardson we would eat once a week at Dos Charros (Plano Rd @ Beltline)

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:26:05 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Chuy's (two locations in Plano)......can't beat their happy hour.

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Too much onion in most of their dishes for me, but their queso is pretty good, so is happy hour

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:28:39 AM EDT

[#11]

+1 on Anamia's, Luna De Noche. Both are outstanding. If you check out Anamia's their queso is must try.

Blue Goose is okay, but their hot sauce is seriously anemic. More spaghetti sauce than hot sauce.

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:28:50 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

Too much onion in most of their dishes for me, but their queso is pretty good, so is happy hour

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If I have a choice for my last meal it would be the Elvis Fried Chicken.

Posted: 6/23/2017 11:00:44 AM EDT

[#13]

Chuys

Posted: 6/24/2017 12:17:54 AM EDT

[#14]

Urban taco at mockingbird station in Dallas. Get the chicken tinga bowl with the 3 salsa chips. We do corn, pablano papito pesto, avocado and lime.

Posted: 6/24/2017 2:37:25 AM EDT

[#15]

If you don't mind driving just a little bit further south, Cantina Laredo in Addison is excellent (or least was when I was a regular there).

Posted: 6/24/2017 2:59:31 AM EDT

[#16]

Mariano's Mexican Hacienda in Dallas close to the intersection of Abrams and Skillman is what you seek. They serve two salsas, ones sweet and the other is fire roasted. Don't order the regular Queso, ask for the Sundance Queso (very spicy and insanly good), amazing wood fired steak fajitas and frozen margaritas that are so perfect you'll wonder how they can get much better. Seriously this place is AWESOME!!!!!

Posted: 6/24/2017 7:00:01 AM EDT

[#17]

Chitos is a family / non chain txmx located on 75 in front of Main Event in Plano. Highly recommended and they should be able to meet your salsa needs.

http://www.chitosmexicanrestaurant.com/

Posted: 6/24/2017 7:13:45 PM EDT

[#18]

Thank you everybody for the suggestions. It is time for me to decide which one to try first.

I will throw out that El Pueblito in Plano is good. Arroyo's in Sherman is also very good I eat here frequently and also order for work on occasion from here.

Posted: 6/24/2017 7:59:39 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
Blue Goose in Plano is pretty damn good. No idea on the salsa requirement though.

View Quote

The one in McKinney is good. Just use cash when you pay. People had their cards skimmed on different occasions. Think it happened to CCSO there too.

Posted: 6/24/2017 8:23:48 PM EDT

[#20]

San Miguel in Mckinney hwy 380 east of 75. Authentic food family owned. Good. Closed on Sunday

Posted: 6/25/2017 12:52:05 AM EDT

[#21]

The best dump in Plano is Tino's Too on the east side. I always get the chalupas.

Posted: 6/26/2017 10:57:24 AM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you don't mind driving just a little bit further south, Cantina Laredo in Addison is excellent (or least was when I was a regular there).

View Quote

There's a Cantina Laredo at 121/Legacy in Plano. And I agree with Skibane. It's good too.

Posted: 6/26/2017 1:28:29 PM EDT

[#23]

If you don't mind going a little further east...Freddies on 78 in Wylie/Sachse is awesome.....

Posted: 6/27/2017 3:02:48 AM EDT

[#24]

Cristina's is pretty good for a chain restaurant. They have several locations scattered throughout the Metroplex.

Posted: 6/29/2017 1:47:48 PM EDT

[#25]

Mesa's Mexican Grill. Three locations, Prosper, Allen and McKinney. Good people, great food.

http://mesasgrill.com

Posted: 6/30/2017 8:16:59 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cristina's is pretty good for a chain restaurant. They have several locations scattered throughout the Metroplex.

View Quote

Yes and they have very hot salsa but you have to ask for it.

Another great place is La Hacienda (Frisco) and they have the *best* salsa flavor-wise, hands down.

Posted: 6/30/2017 10:11:29 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Chitos is a family / non chain txmx located on 75 in front of Main Event in Plano. Highly recommended and they should be able to meet your salsa needs.

http://www.chitosmexicanrestaurant.com/

View Quote

If you care about giving money to scumbags, don't eat there. That's all I'm going to say. And I'm not going to explain. Take it or leave it.

Posted: 6/30/2017 10:13:06 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thank you everybody for the suggestions. It is time for me to decide which one to try first.

I will throw out that El Pueblito in Plano is good. Arroyo's in Sherman is also very good I eat here frequently and also order for work on occasion from here.

View Quote

Excellent but I left it out as I figured you wanted something nicer. Food is awesome. Tino's Too is superb.

Posted: 6/30/2017 11:30:07 PM EDT

[#29]

Taco Bodega in Garland will probably meet your salsa requirements.

Posted: 7/1/2017 11:05:50 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cristina's is pretty good for a chain restaurant. They have several locations scattered throughout the Metroplex.

View Quote

I like Christina's. The Hwy 1171-Shiloh Rd location is the best one. It might even be their first.

A couple of brothers that used to cook for Christina's left and started their own place in Justin.

Posted: 7/1/2017 11:55:49 AM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:

If you care about giving money to scumbags, don't eat there. That's all I'm going to say. And I'm not going to explain. Take it or leave it.

View Quote

Well, that answers that.

Posted: 7/2/2017 9:33:03 AM EDT

[#32]

We ended up eating at Alejandro's in Rowlett. Had the combo fajitas which were good.

Their "normal" salsa was mild. I got the waiter to bring something hotter so he brought out some habanero salsa. (Pretty much pureed habanero)

This salsa had a little more heat than their normal salsa but was still not hot.

Thank you everyone for their recommendations. I have visited some of the chain locations mentioned and was not impressed. I will give them another chance.

Posted: 7/2/2017 9:37:34 AM EDT

[#33]

Mi Dia in Plano is amazing. By far my favorite.

Posted: 7/6/2017 7:32:14 PM EDT

[#34]

I always take visitors from out of town to Pappasitos, and there were a few mentions of Anamia's here too... also very good.

Posted: 7/12/2017 9:32:40 PM EDT

[#35]

If you are in northern Collin/southern Grayson check out La Cima in Van Alstyne at FM3356 and FM121 four miles west of US75. The cheese enchiladas with fajita meat on top are excellent.

Posted: 7/18/2017 10:58:02 PM EDT

[#36]

I've had good luck at Uncle Julio's

Posted: 7/18/2017 11:01:11 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:

I like Christina's. The Hwy 1171-Shiloh Rd location is the best one. It might even be their first.

A couple of brothers that used to cook for Christina's left and started their own place in Justin.

View Quote

It's called Margarita's and it's decent. It's a tiny place though.

Posted: 7/20/2017 8:59:35 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
Just west of tollway at Trinity Mills...red salsa won't take the paint off, but good level of hot combined with good flavor. Also serve a green with much more flavor, lot less hot.

Mena's Tex Mex Grill
2810 E Trinity Mills Rd
Ste 197
Carrollton, TX 75006

View Quote

I second this. Very good food