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    El Sombrero

    3.7 (12 reviews)
    PriceyMexican
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    2 months ago

    Splendid! Excellent service! Highly recommended! Affordable restaurant! Very good drinks too!

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    4 years ago

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    La Cucaracha

    La Cucaracha

    4.4(5 reviews)
    0.6 km

    I have a well documented weakness for Mexican food but I am also known to be quite snobby about my…read moreMexican food. La Cucaracha is the reason why, I grew up in Leuven and frequented this restaurant regularly. As a result I compare all Mexican I eat with this joint and often I am disappointed. The food is really good, the menu has been unchanged for a long time but like they say: never change a winning team. By the way, if you do long for some variation, you can go for their daily special. I have tried most dishes on the menu, but I typically go for Antojitos Mixos which means mixed appetizer but I eat it as a main and I can guarantee, you won't regret it: it is a flour tortilla with 10+ dishes on it. You will be filled with Mexican goodness! The service is also on great: you can feel the warmth of the people serving you, they are helpful, friendly and polite. The only minor downside is that it is always packed so they are often super busy and it is sometimes difficult to grab their attention (also make sure you get a reservation!). After leaving Leuven, I still long for the great food and service. It is more than a nostalgic feeling, every time I go back the food manages to convince me that La Cucaracha is a great eat. Highly recommended.

    The chef is awesome, he took his time to get out of the kitchen and advise us on the day's…read morespecials. The green chipotle and the 'floutas' were delicious. The plate of antijitos (appetizers) is a great spread of about 12 different mexican dishes. Enjoyed it thoroughly!

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    La Cucaracha - Front door

    Front door

    La Cucaracha
    La Cucaracha - Green Chipotle Day Special

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    Green Chipotle Day Special

    New Mexico

    New Mexico

    3.3(6 reviews)
    0.6 km
    €€€

    The restaurant is located in a busy street, full of good restaurants, so you'd expect it to be a…read morelittle better. Much better, actually. It's a niche cuisine in Leuven (Mexican), so maybe they're relying on the fact that they're one of very few options for those who want Mexican? But that doesn't explain the level. Service: waiters are nice, like everybody is in Belgium, really, that's about it. You wait extremely long times for a basic dish like a fajita and an undercooked fish fillet. It wasn't peak time nor season (it was close to 9 pm on a late October Tuesday night.) Food: the sole fillet was barely put on the flame. It was supposed to be a fish parmigiana, but what you get is two pounds of cheese on top of a hard to find jelly that is the fish. Worst of all, the fajita was bland as old chewing gum. Not even salt or pepper, which could mask many shortcomings! It comes on a skillet, but they're faking it. A disaster. Atmosphere: the street is nice and the chairs are comfy. They have blankets if it gets chilly. They have radiators on top of each table, which is nice. Price: seventy euros for three main dishes, no drinks, salads or desserts is a bit higher than usual. It's a student town after all. All in all, unless you see a much better review later than this, I'd find another place nearby. I say this because they might have lost a chef that night. I didn't want to go back the following night to check.

    Mexican restaurants are difficult to come by in Belgium (and I have been searching for a while) but…read moreapparently, there are at least three in Leuven: New Mexico, La Cucaracha, and El Sombrero. Let's start with New Mexico. Externally attractive, it is located on a very touristy pedestrian street. The establishment is neat and clean. The staff although a bit young and inexperienced is well-intentioned. The food? Meh ! We had reservations for 19:30 but got there a little early hoping to net a seat outside -it was a beautiful spring day. After a brief discussion we discovered that they had a terrasse in the back one floor up. Nice! Away from the crowd and quiet ! A quick trip to the lavatory on the way up revealed a very well maintained and finished restroom. This is a pleasant surprise as most touristy places tend to be lacking here. The terrace was very pleasant and the waiter immediately gave us very nice ring-bound menus. #nicetouch He also asked us if we'd like anything to drink. Well... whenever I go out for an evening bite, the first thing I'll order is the restaurant's flagship apéritif if they have one; and it is a good sign if they do. One of my few exceptions to the rule is when dining Mexican. What else should one have other than a margarita? It came quickly, but at nearly room temperature; not frozen and no ice. They were also served in what looked like caipirinha glasses. #strange That being said they were tasty and I had 2.5 of them. ;-P We of course got the standard basket of nachos followed by an order of quesadillas to start. Hmmmm, it was very uninspired. The nachos were middle-of-the-road served with ...enchilada sauce? #unusual The quesadillas were bland and there seemed no attempt to make them pop. As main course I selected another favorite of mine: fajitas. Here it was uninspired at best. They cooked all the life out of the beef until it became tough and tasteless. The sides lacked sour cream, salsa, guacamole or even cheese. Hmmm, this is puzzling for me. New Mexico does a reasonable job checking most boxes and yet the actual food is a let down. If they could only improve the kitchen, this place would be a nice outing worth returning to. As it is: 6/10. It's saving grace is the relatively reasonable price point. If you are looking for an approximation of Mexican cuisine in the heart of Leuven for a somewhat reasonable budget, then this is the place.

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    New Mexico
    New Mexico
    New Mexico - Burrito

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    Burrito

    El Sombrero - mexican - Updated May 2026

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