A list of 22 things. lists, lists, lists, list. Tony Green the author of the Ohio vs. SoCal list says on his blog: "I currently find myself and my family in the thriving metropolis of Columbus, OH... although I was born in Lincoln, NE, and grew up in Southern California."
Numero uno on Tony's list of 22 things different in Ohio from Southern California:
1) The Mexican food here SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS. Awful.
Wow! Where has Tony been eating in Columbus? There are some great Mexican restaurants in town now. There have been a number of great Mexican Restaurants that have come and go in the past eight or so years because of the fierce competition. I still grieve for La Costa on Worthington Woods Blvd. great food, location sucked... oops I mean location was not optimal, stuck between Crosswoods and Polaris, the building's been a couple of Italian Restaurants that went belly up before La Costa opened.
Let me first welcome Tony to Columbus and assure him there is a lot of good Mexican food in Central Ohio. I bet he'll find it in whatever part of town he's living and working in. The list below are my ten favorites, not necessarily the ten best Mexican Restauarants in Columbus...I had to name it ten best to get you to read it.... not the ten best Mexican Restaurants in Columbus? What is the best Mexican Restuarant? Not all on my list are authentic (Don Pablo's isn't an authentic Madre y Padre restaurante but most of the restaurants on my list are owned and operated by Hispanic Central Ohioans.
10. El Acapulco, Worthington area, Crosswoods, 7475 Vantage Dr, Columbus, 43235
9. Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen - Northside, 1777 E Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus, 43229
8. El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant, Polaris area, 8715 Sancus Blvd, Columbus 43240
7. Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen Northwest, 3740 W Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus 43235 (at Sawmill Rd)
6. El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant, Northwest Columbus 3230 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, 43202 elvaquerorestaurants.com
5. El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant, Northwest Columbus 2195 Riverside Dr Columbus, OH 43221
elvaquerorestaurants.com
4. Chile Verde Cafe, Northwest, Carriage Place Shopping Center, 4852 Sawmill Rd
Columbus, OH 43235
3. La Casita, Northwest Columbus, 1355 Bethel Rd, Columbus, OH 43235
2. Baja Fresh, 3 Northwest Columbus locations, I lumped them together, 771 Bethel Rd, Columbus, 43214, 6510 Sawmill Rd, Columbus, 43235,1557 W Lane Ave, Columbus, 43221
1. La Hacienda Real, Northland area, 4855 Sinclair Rd Columbus, OH 43229
The list above is in a particular order....#1 is my favorite. Very authentic. Wonderful people, wonderful food... The karaoke may be hazardous to your health.
Now I am not the Grump or Lisa the Restaurant Widow or any of the other Columbus Foodie bloggers /writeers but I know what I like in Mexican food. I have eaten Mexican food in Southern California. I've eaten Mexican food in Mexico at restauarant's aimed at the tourists and restaurants favored by the locals.
Other El Vaquero locations Is there one missing? Dublin Village Center? I used to eat lunch there every Wednesday for a couple of years.... word of caution, the Dublin Rd. (Shawnee Hills) location enter with caution during soccer season .. the soccer mom's, dad's and soccer young'uns love the place.
More Don Pablo's:
Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen Reynoldsburg area, 1200 Noe Bixby Rd, Columbus, 43213
Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen West of Campus at Lennox Center, 1803 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, 43212
There is Senor Antonios Mexicano Restaurant, Polaris area, 8617 Columbus Pike Lewis Center, OH 43035.
There is a second El Acapulco in the Polaris area, 2127 Polaris Pkwy, Columbus, 43240. Also one in Delaware.
There's Abuelo's at Easton, and a bit further west, On The Border Morse Rd. 4175 Morse Crossing Columbus, 43219.
There is El Escondido Mexican Restaurant, Campus area, 246 W. 5th Ave. Columbus, OH 43201 and just a bit northwest there's Estrada's, 240 King Ave. Columbus, OH.
I have never been to Las Margaritas but have heard it is great. Las Margaritas Restaurante & Cantina 1836 W. Henderson Road Upper Arlington, OH.
I want to go to La Michoacana Restaurant & Grocer on Morse Rd. in the Northland area and try their tamales.
I am not a big Casa Fiesta fan anymore... (the El Acapulco restaurants were Casa Fiesta at first.) There are still Casa Fiesta on the northside, at 901 E Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus, 43229 and the Casa Fiesta at 2261 Stringtown Rd, Grove City, 43123. There may be others.
There have to be Mexican restaurants in Reynosdsburg, Pickerington, Hilliard, Whitehall etc. I see them in shopping plazas all over town when I am working... I know I missed some, Talita's on High Street. ..At Festival Latino we ate at a stand with a hand made sign, that said 'Taco George.' I don't know if there is a restaurant somewhere but the tacos and tamales were wonderful, I have tried to locate it since...then there's always all the Chipoltes (don't tell anyone but I really don't like Chipolte... everyone eles does)...
and of course there is always Taco Bell after 11:00 P.M.
Nov. 11, 2007 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Joe
Cuco's on Henderson road is by far the best Mexican resturant in Ohio. There are many really good Mexican resturants in Columbus as many other ethnic resturants.
Dec. 9, 2007 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Angelo Mandato
Don Pablos is Corporate Mexican, I would recommend taking friends or family to a Don Pablos if they've never had Mexican food before.
I see Baja Fresh on the list, but not Chipotle or Qdoba. Though these are also corporate types, they are of the same caliber.
On the south west side, there are a couple Fiesta Mariachi (previously Casa Fiesta) locations in Grove City and Hilliard, they have excellent Mexican and great service. There are a number of Las Margaritas throughout Columbus as well. The location on Franz road in Dublin is excellent. I've also dined at the located in Canal Winchester, just as excellent. I recommend item 41 at either of these chains.
It's my list I obviously never tried Qdoba as of September 4, 2006, but I eat occasionally at the one at Polaris now and if I was doing a list in December 2007 it might make it.
I have never been fond of Chipotle although I ate there Friday. It was good. The last couple of times I ate there it was OK. The huge calorie count is what scares me, hold the sour cream, guacamole and cheese please. The black bean and rice plate at Baja Fresh can't be beat by anyone. It's the charro beans at Don Pablo's too that gets me.
I still have not been to any of the Las Margaritas. I have a client who lives in walking distance to the Las Margaritas on Frantz who will probably never ever move because of it. We have the Las Margaritas in Westerville on our list to visit soon.
Thanks Dee.... I wonder if Mango still works there. That is not his real name, but somehow when people have seen him they know who you are referring to, especially if they remember the SNL skit. I have not seen him in two years, he used to work at La Costa on Worthington Galena and Worthington Woods but I have heard from more than one person that they ran into him at Las Margaritas in Westerville. Good waiter.
I have. One day for lunch a couple of years ago. it was great. Not sure why I have never been back... It is a little far away for me. I wonder why we went over there that day?? I have a listing in Minerva Park, if I wanted to I could just turn right at 161 and go back to Fiesta Jalisco after an appointment in Minerva Park...
Thanks for the comment Kathy... I was just on my way back to blog about Mexican restaurants in Central Ohio. Kinda sorta.
I looked down the street today 161(coming north on Cleveland Ave) and Fiesta Jalisco is right there! First block, I go by that intersection a lot. For some reason I was thinking Fiesta Jalisco was a block further east.
Feb. 16, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Carol Johnson
At the corner of Hall and Galloway roads, there is a wonderful Mexican Restaurant called Tres Portilios. Great authentic food, large quantities, and a hoppin' place to be on a Friday nite. Highly recommend.
Mar. 17, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Steven Jackett
So, clearly, there ARE a lot of good mexican food restaurants in Columbus. I lived in Albuquerque, NM for 23 yrs., where the food is quite unique, but after trying "Mexican" food in California, Arizona, NM, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, etc., I do consider myself an expert & I do like many of the non-corporate chains like El Vaquero, Casa Fiesta, El Acapulco, Mi Mexico, etc.
I have just found a new one that is excellent of the same ilk. It is called Fiesta Time (owned by family & friends of the Casa Fiesta enterprise), which has replaced the forty year-old landmark, Talita's, in Clintonville.
Mar. 30, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Karen
My husband and I just moved here from Southern California and we havent been able to find a good place yet. I hope that this list will help us out! Thanks
Apr. 10, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by John
I have been living in the Columbus area for 19 years now and have not been able to find my favorite Mexican dish. I love Don Pablos and a couple of other places. I lived in Southern California for 13 years and learned to love burritos there. I have not been able to find any place in Columbus that makes a decent burrito. Browned ground beef wrapped in a tortilla just doesn't do it. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks for the comment John. I don't eat burritos but my "significant other" does... At El Acapulco (Worthington area just north of 270) he orders the Burrito California which is pork. It is one of two burritos on their menu that he likes... neither of us remember the name of the other, which has either chicken or shredded beef in it...
It is easy to remember "Burrito California" though because I feel the need to sing a song to the tune "Welcome to the Hotel California" about the Burrito California, when he orders it.
I sing it quietly and probably off key....
He orders a burrito with pork at La Hacienda Real on Sinclair Road as well.
Thanks ....Are they changing them over? I thought when Baja Sol took Don Pablos over they said they would not be... Oh well. We don't go to Don Pablo any more since the Don Pablos on E. Dublin Granville closed.... I will have to map out to the N. Hamilton Rd location... to see if it is closer than the one on Sawmill Rd. I would do the Don Pablo / Baja Sol location at Lennox Center if I was in the area... and it was not during a movie time....
They better keep the Don Pablo charra beans on the menu... the best beans!!!!
Jul. 22, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Kristi Dupree
We have been up here for 2 years from Texas. Everyone talks about the good mexican food. Yes it is, but where is the Tex Mex? Everywhere we eat they use white cheese. Where are the good cheddar cheese enchiladas? Where is the cheddar cheese period. Haven't found it yet.
I don't know if the comment is here or on my other blog but someone
left a comment that all of our food in Central Ohio is Tex Mex. I personally have always thought most of the food I have tried is Americanized Mexican Food... and the food I don't like is Tex Mex.
The few places that I have eaten at who call all or some of their food Tex Mex were my least favorite. I did not know cheddar c heese was the difference. Thanks for the comment Kristi.
Sep. 12, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Greg H.
Las Margaritas - Over Americanized, bland and far from being Mexican food.
My theory is this: A couple locals, raised on Wendy's, complain that, "The food is too spicy!", so the Columbus-based "Mexican" restaurants go to the extreme to satisfy the ultra-sensitive palate of the unrefined.
My search for authentic Mexican food in Columbus continues, but most likely in vain.
Nov. 28, 2008 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Greg B
An awesome place to try in Upper Arlington is Cuco's. I don't know the exact address, but it is on Henderson rd., west of Reed Rd. Try the lunch menu. Great food, for under $7.
Mar. 5, 2009 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by LA CHICA
I am from Los Angeles and now reside in Columbus, OH...there are a few great places for authentic mexican food here...you just have to turn over a few rocks and not run away from something just because it's not as nice on the outside...REMEMBER PEOPLE don't judge a book by its cover...El Portal on E.Main St. in Reynoldsburg is fantastic, I don't care for Don Pablos, Baja Fresh, or Abuelos...yuck, but believe it or not there's even toco stands here that are GREAT...and the majority of the stores that are also cafe's or cantinas have really good authentic food that is fresh and prepared right there. I definantly wouldn't say Ohio mexican food sucks, you just have to look a bit harder because its not on every street corner like SoCal.
Apr. 5, 2009 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Aurora Velazuez
I am going to be moving to the columbus area from san diego,ca so PLEASE if anyone from so.cal has any places they find close enough to so.cal please tell me. and plese no texmex YUK!!!!
Aug. 2, 2009 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Erin
El Vaquero on Hillard Rome Rd is by far the best ElVaquero! Especially during lunch. Quick and friendly service, food in under 10 minutes, and my husband and I spend less that $20.
Deleting Amanda's (203.153.222.14) comment. Thanks for liking the reviews. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for the comment but Escondido is in CA? This blog is about Columbus OH.
I am not blogging for links but thanks for asking.
Oct. 5, 2009 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Kay
Many years ago we used to frequent a place called Cancun that was on Maple Canyon Dr just off 161. It was our favorite Mexican food. They were bought out by someone else, and the food was okay but not the quality of the Cancun. We moved away from the area sometime after that, but now we're back. Does anyone know if the owners/cooks from the old Cancun restaurant re-opened another restaurant in the Columbus area that might still be open? If not, we are looking for suggestions of other great Mexican in the area.
Nov. 21, 2009 - RE: Columbus Best Mexican Restaurants
Posted by Tammy
Do you know what happened to La Hacienda Real? They closed about two weeks ago. This also was our favorite Mexican food restaurant. They had items on their menu that you can't find anywhere else.
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