THE TOP TEN SIT DOWN MEXICAN FOOD RESTURANTS OF THE WORLD-

After I graduated college, I went to Europe for three months with my friends to experience a different lifestyle. Boy it sure was different for me. While I loved Europe, I found that I could never live there.

Why? It wasn’t the people or the culture that turned me off, I liked all of that for the most part. It was the lack of viable Mexican Food options.

I am in love with Mexican Food. It’s a staple of my diet, I eat it once a day, if not for every meal.

Every country and town we visited in Europe, I tried to find Mexican food. Alas, I did not succeed… well sort of. I had ‘Mexican’ food in 5 countries and every place screwed it up. I found nachos in Edinburgh Scotland that had cottage cheese instead of sour cream and what I think might have been fried pita bread instead of tortilla chips. You would think they might get a recipe off the internet and try to stick with that shit.

The first thing I did when I got off the plane was eat shitty Mexican food at LAX. But man, that was the best food I ate all summer. It was like Jesus touched my tongue with magical fairy dust.

I decided right then and there that I would always stay near Mexican food.

Luckily, I live in LA, where they have actual Mexicans to make Mexican food, crazy idea yes no? But my Mexican food heart still really lies in Phoenix… where the Sonoran style Mexican food is the best in my opinion.

To help others find the right Mexican Food restaurant, I offer this …

THE TOP TEN SIT DOWN MEXICAN FOOD RESTURANTS OF THE WORLD-

10-El Coyote- http://www.elcoyotecafe.com/index_lo.html?detectflash=false
One of the only good sit down mex restaurants in the LA area. Food is pretty average but they make a mean margarita (from what I remember of this place, every time I’m here I get pretty bombed). This is a great place to go for a ‘get drunk with your friends’ type of moment, not a ‘man, I just want some great Mexican food’ moment. This one makes the list based solely on the fact that I don’t have too many places in LA I can trust. Freaking LA… you would think they have better Mexican food here!

9-Ernie’s- http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&q=ernie's&near=Burbank,+CA&fb=1&view=text&latlng=34150710,-118366068,11219035339401494147
This place is the only other trust worthy place in my hood. It’s in North Hollywood, so not too close, yet not too far. The food is close to what you get in Phoenix, a little less quality than some of it Arizona brothers but still tasty. All in all, it’s a pretty average place however, with nothing that makes it stand out in my mind. But again, it’s on this list because I felt like I needed to put at least two places on here that my LA connects can visit.

8-Matador- http://matador2go.com/
In the heart of downtown Phoenix, this place brings back memories to when I was a Phoenix Suns ballboy. We used to go to this place on Sunday day games and enjoy the tasty combo platters. Boy, those were the days…

7-Via Delosantos- http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&q=via+delosantos&near=Phoenix,+AZ&fb=1&view=text&latlng=33568839,-112073887,16140363205965500284
Right by my parents house, this one is climbing up the list. I had it when I was last in Phoenix and had a super tasty Pollo Fundido.

6-Ajo Al’s- http://www.ajoals.com/page/page/2979529.htm
Speaking of Pollo Fundido, this one is the best, but it’s not like any other fundido. A fundido is usually a chimichunga covered in cream cheese and sour cream, Ajo Al’s is a plate like fajitas with extra toppings. Not exactly right but dang is it good.

5-Los Dos Molinos- http://phoenix.about.com/od/restreview/gr/LosDosMolinos.htm
The best place of margaritas on the Earth, hands down. They reportedly use an entire bottle of top shelf tequila in every pitcher of margs. How is that legal? I’m not sure. How’s the food? Can’t remember but I always love going to this place.

4-Susie’s- http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&q=susie's&near=Tempe,+AZ&fb=1&view=text&latlng=33422100,-111886688,3254220021741279181
The token hole I the wall place that no one knows about. Man, this place rocks. They have these little carne asada tacos like the ones you get on the streets of Mexico, minus the cat meat. Man, thinking about this place makes my mouth go all Pavalovian…

3-Garcia’s- http://www.garciasmexican.com/history.htm
The place most near and dear to my heart, this was the first real Mexican food I had when we moved to Arizona. It set my on my life long love affair. This place has kind of gotten more commercial throughout the years but its still good and brings a tear to my eye with the thoughts on my single mother taking her two kids to the desert to start a new life.

2-Carlos O’Brien’s- http://www.azeats.com/CarlosOBriens/default.htm
This place is just plain good. Close to my parents house and has a little Irish touch to make it feel like my own. Their food is amazing and the salsa is melt in your mouth.

1-Valle Luna- http://www.valleluna.com/
The Number one far and away. This is the place I crave the most when I want Mexican food. Brings back great memories of high school and college. I remember sitting there with my brother killing like 15 things of chips waiting for Coyle to meet us. This place has the best cheese crisp (an open faced quesadilla) on the planet. I want to go there right now…. Please God send this franchise to LA, it’s killing me not having it around.

Honorable Mentions and Chains that I can stand…
Acapulco- People hate this place. I don’t mind it. I especially like the buffet.
Macayo’s
Manuel’s
El Bravo
Don Cuco’s
Aunt Chilada’s
Antonio’s-

Man, I wish that these places were in Europe, I’d move there. Well, maybe not.

COMING SOON- FAST FOOD MEXICAN RESTURANTS