Was passing by while visiting Madison for business. This place was fantastic! I had the…read moreEnchiladas de Pescado and they were amazing! The dishes were not your everyday Mexican restaurant eats. Homemade dishes with fresh sauces. Super good!

We're from Tucson and are picky about Mexican food. La Mestiza is a fabulous find! The owners take…read moregreat pride in their homemade, authentic mole and tomatillo sauces, which are all heavenly. It was hard to choose just one after being presented with a sampler. The mole verde is complex and exquisite. The chips are freshly-made on site and the best we've had in a long time. The enchiladas are made to perfection with white shredded chicken, corn tortillas, sour cream and cheese with a side of rice and fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Antonio, the owner, is friendly, helpful and humble. The restaurant is small but clean, colorful and quiet. Our bill was only $30 for two. A bargain for an authentic Mexican dining experience!

My wife and I were in the mood for some Mexican food and settled on Palenque for dinner. We were…read moreseated immediately in a nice booth. The salsa and chips were delivered before we could get settled. We both ordered Fajitas, one chicken and one steak. The caramelized onions were delicious with the steak. For dessert I ordered the Flan. WOW! Amazing! I make my own Flan, which, I've been told is pretty darn good. Palenque's was better. So creamy and perfect caramel sauce. Worth coming just for that. If you're in the McFarland area, this restaurant won't disappoint.

This seems like a hidden gem tucked away in an unassuming strip mall. Enter Palenque, with its…read moresuper bright chairs and tables, friendly staff, and yummy food. Not to mention great drinks. The menu is pretty large, and this is some delicious Tex-Mex/Mexican food. I ordered the fajitas and had extra to take home for the next day as leftovers. The margaritas are pretty big and the price is quite reasonable. They also have non-alcoholic Corona and non-alcoholic margaritas, so there are options for everyone. We had a group of 8 meet here recently for book club and we all had a range of great drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The chips and salsa are on point. I would come here way more often if they had an a la carte street tacos option with the cilantro and onion. There's an asada tacos meal (with the rice/beans and all that) which I am hoping to try sometime soon. A great little local spot that I definitely recommend!

Food 3/5 Service 3.5/5…read moreAmbiance 3/5 To me, El Imperio was a pretty promising place - the pictures I saw in advance were quite alluring, and the smell of good Mexican food is always a pleasant one. I left slightly disappointed, but it's quite possible my standards are just through the roof. I ordered the Molcajete Fajitas with beef. I usually expect something like a skirt or hanger steak, so I was a bit disappointed when they came out with ground beef - admittedly, it's not a bad choice given the form factor of the serving vessel, but it definitely was a bit on the tougher side texturewise. The ratio of meat to veggies also wasn't great either - I do remember lots of veggies in each of my tacos, which maybe is a sign that I need more veggies in general. The seasoning was also a bit on the weaker side - not to say it wasn't bad, but it doesn't give the same bold flair I'm used to in Mexican food. The accompaniments to the fajitas were okay, with nothing being super standout. I will say, the tortillas were quite delicious - nice and fluffy, and they were kept warm with the hot molcajete. Overall, I think there's still room for improvement - I like the creative gimmick of a hot molcajete, but it's going to take more than a hot bowl to deliver on true Mexican tastes.

They made me flautas even though they weren't on the menu! What amazing service!!! The chicken…read moretacos were great too!

Outstanding authentic Mexican food served up fast by incredibly friendly and helpful staff. Lots of…read moredelicious options on the menu, but I always end up ordering one of their HUGE burritos, which stand out as one of the best bang-for-your-buck meals in town. Delicious protein options, no up charges for fillings like fajita veggies and guacamole, and a wide variety of courtesy hot sauces available for you to add some extra heat at your table make Vaquero one of Madison's best fast-casual Mexican restaurants. Efficient counter ordering experience for dine in or to go ordering, and a clean, comfortable dining room with plenty of seating. You won't leave Vaquero hungry, but you might leave with a leftover box.

Delicious food - this is what every Chipotle or Qdoba wishes they could be. I hate mentioning those…read morenames because it might give you the wrong idea about this place - they serve up burritos and quesadillas and the like made to order, but everything tastes outstanding. The horchata was particularly delicious. It's on the sweet side which I really like, and the flavors come through perfectly. It's counter service and you can get your food very quickly. Was happy to have found this place!

Nice cute place with friendly staff. Food is worth the cost, with hefty portions and extremely…read moretasty food. I haven't had a lot of Mexican cuisine so I don't know how it compares, but I thought it was amazing and strongly recommend!

Saw the raving reviews and am so glad I stopped by while in the area. These were some of the best…read moretacos I've ever had. The meat quality and flavor for both the pastor and asada were incredible. They put a lot of meat! Warm and not dry tortillas too. They gave me 4 sauces without even asking for my 3 tacos. Both looked homemade and the verde salsa that I usually use at all taco spots was way more flavorful. Will come back for sure. Another standout was the pastor meat was saucy and seemed like there was a hint of sweetness maybe from pineapple? If so, 10/10 because pineapple is always a perfect pairing with pastor tacos but a lot of places don't use it. If you like tacos come here!!! They also have bakery as well.

I've been patronizing this fine establishment for many years. I have yet to be disappointed. There…read moreis always a feeling of family here. The food is fantastic and the value is definitely there. The staff is always friendly and personable. They do a great job of making you feel welcome and appreciated. The standard setting is warm tortilla chips and salsa. I usually order the burrito Colorado or the fajitas. The fajitas el rio is the absolute best low key item on the menu. You could definitely make two meals of it, or maybe even share it. Modelo Negro in bottles is always a good pairing. Pro tip and IYKYK: order chiles toreados, boom! And if you have room, which I doubt, get the desserts. All of them are fantastic. I love bringing my family here for an always great experience.

One of our favorites! Take out, delivery or dine in. Staff is an absolute blast, Erica is a hoot!…read moreHuge menu but they know our usuals . Traditional vibe with an edge.

Delicious Quesadilla and good service. The atmosphere is fun too. Reasonable prices. The servers…read morewere very nice. Our family enjoyed it including my grandson.

Always wanted to stop in and check out the place. Didn't care for the decor, door handles were…read moreguns. We went in anyways, love the copper ceiling but didn't love the bones & open kitchen area. Waitstaff was attentive & friendly. We shared the Bangin shrimp, the shrimp was cooked properly and the they were crispy but the lettuce it was served on was a sad presentation. A few tortillas would have elevated the dish.

This place is amazing!! Everything I have ordered from here has been delicious. Pictured below is…read morethe beef birria, which is especially good. The staff is kind and friendly. The food comes quick and is always hot. The place is very clean and a fun little spot! Highly recommend!!

Food was great and service was really fast. I had the carnitas quesadilla and my husband had the…read moresteak tacos. Everything was delicious, but not very spicy, including the salsa. Loved the refried beans. Unfortunately they were out of flan, so we didn't get to try that. We'll be back to try the beef tongue!