The one on Duchesne Street in St. Charles is the best El Maguey I've been to, both in terms of food and service. The one on Nifong in Columbia is also very good.
I'm a Lily's fan-- the food's always fresh and tasty. Also, the family that runs the business is welcoming and friendly. (I say "family" because the adults have the kids helping out too.) By the way, they are setting up a patio area for outdoor dining.
CWEnder wrote:Best Mexican? Zoila from "FLIPPING OUT"! Here "infamous" portrait from Season 2 is being auctioned and currently stands at $8550.
I thought Zoila was from El Salvador.
i know its not in stl but tons of st louisans have dined there at 2 am, so I have to mention El Rancho in Columbia as the best Mexican Restaurant.
If you ever go, be sure to check out the chicken fajita nachos
If you ever go, be sure to check out the chicken fajita nachos
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I like many of the aforementioned places, but for me El Burrito Loco and Chimichangas get most of my business since they're just blocks from my home.
Realclear, I'll have to remember to check out El Rancho the next time I'm in Columbia. Speaking of roadtrips, whenever I'm in Springfield, Mo., a visit there is not complete without a stop at Mexican Villa.
Realclear, I'll have to remember to check out El Rancho the next time I'm in Columbia. Speaking of roadtrips, whenever I'm in Springfield, Mo., a visit there is not complete without a stop at Mexican Villa.
ThreeOneFour wrote:I like many of the aforementioned places, but for me El Burrito Loco and Chimichangas get most of my business since they're just blocks from my home.
Realclear, I'll have to remember to check out El Rancho the next time I'm in Columbia. Speaking of roadtrips, whenever I'm in Springfield, Mo., a visit there is not complete without a stop at Mexican Villa.
I lived right behind the Mexican Villa on National when I was in college. We ate there 2+ times a week, I actually still have a MV t-shirt. It still remains my favorite place in Springfield.
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^ I cannot stop in Springfield without visiting Mexican Villa.
And, since I prefer to visit the original location of any given restaurant, I almost always eat at the National Avenue location. In the meantime, I guess I've got to stop talking about Mexican Villa, or else I'll wind up calling in sick and taking an impulsive roadtrip.
And, since I prefer to visit the original location of any given restaurant, I almost always eat at the National Avenue location. In the meantime, I guess I've got to stop talking about Mexican Villa, or else I'll wind up calling in sick and taking an impulsive roadtrip.
Mmm...the Villa! Burrito enchilada style coated with shredded white American cheese! I eat 'em every time I go back there. I have the "secret recipe" too - PM me if interested!
I had La Vellasna a week or so ago based on this thread and it was the cat's pajamas. Cheap and just good.
El Maguey on Chippewa is the worst Mexican I've ever had. If I recall correctly their guacamole (a foundation of good Mexican, IMO) comes out of what looks like a slurpee machine and has the appearance of baby poo.
I had La Vellasna a week or so ago based on this thread and it was the cat's pajamas. Cheap and just good.
El Maguey on Chippewa is the worst Mexican I've ever had. If I recall correctly their guacamole (a foundation of good Mexican, IMO) comes out of what looks like a slurpee machine and has the appearance of baby poo.
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^ El Bronco Loco (I think) on Cherokee had salsa that was waaaaaay too hot for my American taste buds (like...uncomfortably hot, not "man, this is really good and really hot!" hot), and it was pure liquid. There was no scooping. Samew ith the guacamole. Have you ever seen guacamole as a soup??
The quesadilla was like nothing I've ever seen at an authentic Mexican place either...it looked like a quesadilla you would get at Taco Bell rather than one of the huge ones you would get at El Maguey or Garduno's.
But again, margarita was good and service was super friendly.
The quesadilla was like nothing I've ever seen at an authentic Mexican place either...it looked like a quesadilla you would get at Taco Bell rather than one of the huge ones you would get at El Maguey or Garduno's.
But again, margarita was good and service was super friendly.
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Three One Four, ever go to El Torero in Cape? Best Mexican in SEMO.
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Captain- I've been to El Torero in Cape Girardeau, and I absolutely agree. They do a great job.
If you're ever anywhere in southeast Missouri, you'll notice they've expanded big time. There may be others, but these are just the locations I'm aware of:
Cape Girardeau: Two locations- the original on William Street, and on Broadway near Capaha Park
Jackson
Farmington
Perryville
Sainte Genevieve
Sikeston
If you're ever anywhere in southeast Missouri, you'll notice they've expanded big time. There may be others, but these are just the locations I'm aware of:
Cape Girardeau: Two locations- the original on William Street, and on Broadway near Capaha Park
Jackson
Farmington
Perryville
Sainte Genevieve
Sikeston
JuiceInDogtown wrote:Shimmy wrote:I understand that and that's fine, but why restrict yourself to 62 square miles all the time?
Because, why go to the suburbs when there are still hundreds of restaurants I haven't tried in the city I live in?
The City is huge -- and diverse -- I don't need to support a chain restaurant, or fast food, when we have plenty of cheap and quick locations.
Cornerstone Cafe in Hyde Park provides a great example: the food is similarly priced and far better quality than fast food, while the service is expeditiously pleasing. Moreover, it's a great place for a conversation.
I don't consider the City Limits restricting but rather empowering as it provides far more dining options than any other multiplicity or county in this MSA. If I wanted cheap and quick Mexican I would go on Cherokee. And when I want a cheap and fast burger for lunch I don't go to the Hardee's in Baden but rather the aforementioned diner, or perhaps Gregg's or The Bistro on Broadway.
Again, you fail to realize that there is more than fast food in the suburbs. This is why I throw out Fairmont City. If someone would want some good, authentic, independent Mexican food why restrict yourself to just the city when you have the area's largest Mexican population outside the city? It's not like trying a place means that you can't ever go back to your favorite locations. But why not venture out and try it once or twice? Not everything has to be so political all the time.
City wise, Tortillaria (?) is really the only Mexican place I've eaten at, and I've eaten their numerous times. It may not be the most authentic, but it sure is tasty.
City wise, Tortillaria (?) is really the only Mexican place I've eaten at, and I've eaten their numerous times. It may not be the most authentic, but it sure is tasty.
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Shimmy wrote:Again, you fail to realize that there is more than fast food in the suburbs. This is why I throw out Fairmont City. If someone would want some good, authentic, independent Mexican food why restrict yourself to just the city when you have the area's largest Mexican population outside the city? It's not like trying a place means that you can't ever go back to your favorite locations. But why not venture out and try it once or twice? Not everything has to be so political all the time.
City wise, Tortillaria (?) is really the only Mexican place I've eaten at, and I've eaten their numerous times. It may not be the most authentic, but it sure is tasty.
Shimmy, when there are so many options in the city we live in, why would we need to drive to an Illinois suburb? I don't mind going over to University City for some Maguey, but I don't understand the logic behind driving to Illinois to eat Mexican food when we have an abundance of Mexican joints right here in the city. When I lived in Illinois, I would occasionally come in to St. Louis to eat because I wanted to get to know the city better (which paid off when I did move). Have you ever been to Cherokee Street??? I'm going for the food, not to see the Mexicans necessarily...so why would we come over just because it has the "largest Mexican population outside the city?"
And I'm assuming you meant "largest Mexican population outside the city" as in "the largest number of Mexicans in the area, excluding the city" not that there are more Mexicans in Fairmont City than there are in the city. According to city-data.com, Fairmont City is 55% Mexican, population 2,263, which is about 1,244 people. The city is only 2% Mexican, but with a pop. of 350,759, that's 7,015 people.
Any way, hit me up some time if you want to go over to Garduno's on Cherokee! (seriously)
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Cherokee Street has become a great little nexus for the Hispanic population in St. Louis city. But after going to Kansas City a few weeks ago and seeing Southwest Blvd (sort of like Cherokee on sterioids) you can definitely tell KC population has a much higher percentage of Mexican ancestry
and somewhat OT but I think with the explosion of Mexican immigrants in small agricultural towns you could probably find quite a few good authentic Mexican restaurants in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.
and somewhat OT but I think with the explosion of Mexican immigrants in small agricultural towns you could probably find quite a few good authentic Mexican restaurants in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.
I think that if you want to consider the Mexican population concentrations within the metropolitan area you must also look north. Overland, St Ann, and Ferguson (and some of those other funny municipalities) all have large Latino populations. On Woodson, Los Tarascos is one of the most authentic restaurants in town, larger than many of the spots on Cherokee. Sometimes venturing beyond the city limits is a good thing and should be considered as much a part of who we are as the city. Tear down the Berlin wall, end the static provincialism and eat Mexican in every zipcode!
OLE!
OLE!
saltearth wrote:I think that if you want to consider the Mexican population concentrations within the metropolitan area you must also look north. Overland, St Ann, and Ferguson (and some of those other funny municipalities) all have large Latino populations. On Woodson, Los Tarascos is one of the most authentic restaurants in town, larger than many of the spots on Cherokee. Sometimes venturing beyond the city limits is a good thing and should be considered as much a part of who we are as the city. Tear down the Berlin wall, end the static provincialism and eat Mexican in every zipcode!
OLE!
^That's what I'm saying. I just think it's ignorant/arrogant to restrict yourself to the city when it comes to dining, or the suburbs for that matter. I love going into the city and eating at it's establishments, but I could satisfy my hunger and my taste buds by staying over here. But I like to experience different things.
I love El Maguey for what it is...
I used to live on it when I went to college in Columbia (when there was only one there): Get a half order of cheese and bean nachos for $2.50 and use the free chips to scoop up the ridiculously excessive amount of cheese and beans served on the plate and you have a huge, cheap meal, which means you have more money for their ridiculously strong and cheap margaritas. Granted this was 12 years ago and they've upped teh price of the margaritas and stopped dumping so much cheese and beans on that order, but it's still great.
I used to live on it when I went to college in Columbia (when there was only one there): Get a half order of cheese and bean nachos for $2.50 and use the free chips to scoop up the ridiculously excessive amount of cheese and beans served on the plate and you have a huge, cheap meal, which means you have more money for their ridiculously strong and cheap margaritas. Granted this was 12 years ago and they've upped teh price of the margaritas and stopped dumping so much cheese and beans on that order, but it's still great.
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I remember liking the El Maguey on the Loop, but the one in Chesterfield not as much (but it's still okay).
On another note, we decided on Garduno's, but then I threw a wrench in and said let's try something new. So we went to El Burrito Loco, and I was quite unimpressed. The service was pretty crumby, and I got an $8 lunch special with some kind of ground beef soup (I think that's what they called it), it was pretty good, different, and spicy. The other 2 items was a chicken quesadilla and a chicken burrito...they were pretty much the exact same thing, but the tortilla was wrapped differently (one like a quesadilla, one like a burrito
). I was pretty surprised they didn't have a fajita quesadilla. You can only get the quesadilla with meat and cheese, no peppers, onions, etc.
In the end, I was glad we tried a new place but unimpressed with E B L.
On another note, we decided on Garduno's, but then I threw a wrench in and said let's try something new. So we went to El Burrito Loco, and I was quite unimpressed. The service was pretty crumby, and I got an $8 lunch special with some kind of ground beef soup (I think that's what they called it), it was pretty good, different, and spicy. The other 2 items was a chicken quesadilla and a chicken burrito...they were pretty much the exact same thing, but the tortilla was wrapped differently (one like a quesadilla, one like a burrito
). I was pretty surprised they didn't have a fajita quesadilla. You can only get the quesadilla with meat and cheese, no peppers, onions, etc. In the end, I was glad we tried a new place but unimpressed with E B L.
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Shimmy wrote:
^That's what I'm saying. I just think it's ignorant/arrogant to restrict yourself to the city when it comes to dining, or the suburbs for that matter. I love going into the city and eating at it's establishments, but I could satisfy my hunger and my taste buds by staying over here. But I like to experience different things.
I don't want my sales tax supporting the municipalities that are starving the city, if at all possible. If you give me two equally good choices, I'm going to support the city every time. I'd rather support the organism than the parasite.
Something that weirds me out, coming from NC and GA, is the small %age of Latin population here. Chicago has tons of Latin folks. I don't understand why we don't.
^"Chicago has tons of Latin folks. I don't understand why we don't."
True, St Louis is behind many other cities in attracting residents from Latin America. But that is changing fast. From a Washington University undergraduate study on Latinos in St Louis: "The Latino population in St. Louis increased by 37% from the 1990 to the 2000 census, and, judging from the increase in commercial establishments catering to a Latino clientele, this change continues."
Oh, and for the record, I always enjoy the food and service at Lilly's on South Kingshighway.
True, St Louis is behind many other cities in attracting residents from Latin America. But that is changing fast. From a Washington University undergraduate study on Latinos in St Louis: "The Latino population in St. Louis increased by 37% from the 1990 to the 2000 census, and, judging from the increase in commercial establishments catering to a Latino clientele, this change continues."
Oh, and for the record, I always enjoy the food and service at Lilly's on South Kingshighway.
throatybeard wrote:Shimmy wrote:
^That's what I'm saying. I just think it's ignorant/arrogant to restrict yourself to the city when it comes to dining, or the suburbs for that matter. I love going into the city and eating at it's establishments, but I could satisfy my hunger and my taste buds by staying over here. But I like to experience different things.
I don't want my sales tax supporting the municipalities that are starving the city, if at all possible. If you give me two equally good choices, I'm going to support the city every time. I'd rather support the organism than the parasite.
I understand people wanting to support the city and I can't really explain my stance any better than I already have, so I am going to leave it at that.
However, when I eat at a Mexican establishment here in Collinsville I see many Hispanics come in who just got off of work on the farms. So I'm a bit confused, who here is the parasite? The hard working farmer or the entrepreneur? How dare he open a business that isn't in city limits!
I just gotta let some things go. Obviously some people like to cling to the us v.s. them mentality.
I will obviously go to a restaurant for the food, but i also will go for the neighborhood, ambience, etc. I usually avoid west county restaurants because I don't want to eat in a strip mall, i'd rather walk around a more aesthetically pleasing neighborhood, which i believe is part of the experience. one exception to this is Mi Ranchito, which couldn't be in a less attractive location and building, but at least their space is very clean, and the food is excellent.
Garduno's last night was excellent. Steak Chimi makes me smile and so do the margaritas!
The food is soooo fresh!
The food is soooo fresh!
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I heard a rumor that El Burrito Loco at Bates and Grand closed. Can anyone confirm.