This is an amazing authentic Mexican restaurant. The food is amazing and inexpensive. The service…read morewas fast and kind. Restaurant is small, but there is some seating.

Every time I visit from California, I stop for juevos ala Mexicana and jamaica. The best anywhere…read more Wish I could have some right now!

I spent most of my birthday this year on a plane. We did eat a late dinner at Huck Finn in Oak…read moreLawn, Illinois, but my parents wanted to celebrate my (and Marlene's) belated birthday(s) with, well, Tom and Marlene, so my parents asked me to pick a spot. I love finding good places that Tom and Marlene haven't been. At first, I thought this was the Mexican restaurant on the south side of McKinley Street, but that one is long gone. I believe it was was called Cancun--or was it Acapulco? In any case, we drove separately because Tom and Marlene had some of their typical do-gooding to do, and I was a little surprised at how late they were. Well, they had gone to a takeout version of Puerto Vallarta (the same business?) located near where that other old closed Mexican restaurant was, but on the north side of McKinley. In any case, Puerto Vallarta--the real one tucked way behind a secret strip mall with this weird fire lane between the first line of parking spots and the storefront curb itself--is a great place. The menu is pretty vast for a sit-down Mexican restaurant in South Bend, and it's not just different versions and combinations of the same items, although you can seemingly get anything as part of a combination plate. The service is excellent and attentive. It was very busy when we came, and we were seated right when a lot of other people were seated, so our food did take a long time, but it wasn't ridiculously long, and our server continually stopped by to let us know what was happening and to refill water and complimentary chips. There are two or three dining rooms total, and we were seated in the one to the right as you walk in the door. I'm glad we weren't seated in the main (?) central room, because that's where they had a speaker on one of the tables playing music very loudly. I thought this would annoy me, but when you're in one of the other rooms, the music is at a reasonable volume. I guess their method is cheaper than actually installing a sound system throughout the restaurant, but I don't know who actually sits in that main room, because it was empty when we entered and had only two parties dining when we left. There was basketball on the TV when we were here, but the volume was turned off, and they have what looks like an antenna service without an actual antenna, so the broadcast was constantly dropping out for long periods during the entirety of our dinner. I wasn't interested in watching, so I didn't care, but if you're coming here to watch a game, you will be torturing yourself. Our dining room was festive and fun. It was also reassuring to see so many Latino families eating here and to hear them speaking Mexican-accented Spanish. I grew up in Southern California and have lived in the Golden State most of my life; I never judge a Mexican restaurant by who's eating inside it at home, but in the Midwest? Yup, Mexican restaurants get the same treatment as Chinese restaurants everywhere: The more Chinese people you see eating at the restaurant, the better the restaurant. It's also nice to see how many more Latinos there are in Michiana than when I lived there.

Great service despite a rather busy restaurant on Sunday midafternoon. Food was authentic Mexican…read morewith plenty of meat. Chicken chimichanga was great and almost big enough meal to split. Carne asada burrito also good with plenty of steak and lime. Fresh salsa to start mild but good, fresh flavor. Ambiance fine with many families. Key was excellent price point for overall quality food, service and experience.

I had a wonderful lunch at El Tecate. I had the chorizo omelette. My gosh it was truly delicious…read more The rice, beans, fresh tortillas and everything were just great. The portions were huge. The service was exceptional. It's a really nice place but I would emphasize that this is a local neighborhood restaurant so if you're expecting a chain restaurant you'll be disappointed. Personally I really liked the music and vibe here.

A cop told us about this place and it was incredible. We had shrimp cocktail, and guacamole for…read morestarters. I added a little salt to the guac. Husband had the fajitas mix which had the BEST seasoning! Restaurant had plenty of parking across the street. Inside virtually floor to ceiling windows and plenty of room to move around. Lemonade was tart. I am used to a sweeter version. Will come back for sure next time we are in town.

Phenomenal tacos. Maybe the best in South Bend (better than Taqueria Chicago on Western, which is a…read morehigh bar) - good enough to compete with some of the best taco places in Chicago, which I wasn't expecting when I moved to SB. The Western Ave location is great as well, but this one has a better selection of hot sauces.

They have everything you need, they add a % fee to your total if you do not pay with cash. So bring…read morecask of pay the debit transaction fee %'s

Great place! The burrito was on point, service was fast enough. Prices fair and atmosphere Mexica…read moreas you can get. Definitely will go back.

I stopped in here on a whim as I was walking to another establishment. I am so glad I did!! The…read morefood was amazing! The staff is awesome! I had the Mucho Grande Burito and a Mudello Especial. Average price. I wasn't sure what to expect, the portion was huge. I needed to stop eating and take it to go, but it was so good I ate it all. I almost needed an Uber to drive me down the block back to the hotel I was so stuffed. Worth it! The carved booths and chairs added character to the atmosphere of Latin music. Highly recommend to stop in.

Another fantastic evening at Cinco! Our server Thelma and her trainee were great. Food and…read moredrinks were wonderful, will go again soon.

Manny the bartender/server was really great! Very friendly, made good suggestions and made me feel…read morewelcome! I came in close to closing and he did not make me feel rushed at all! He made me a really good skinny margarita with Tajín rim, he even suggested good tequilas to try! The chips and guacamole were amazing! I was a little disappointed that they don't have a queso appetizer. I tried the beef sope which was pretty good. I got the Michoacán fajitas and even though he did tell me that they use some of their Thai sauce in them, I did not like it. It was very sweet and had a weird flavor. I much prefer traditional fajita seasoning, so keep that in mind when you are ordering. It is a very large portion for the price so expect leftovers! The beef was definitely overcooked and dry. Even though these items weren't marked as gluten free I assumed they were because I got corn tortillas but I did end up having a reaction so I should have clarified better before ordering. He let me try all the salsas - mild was no spice and honestly not much flavor, medium was very spicy and hot was basically inedible for me. I did not try the Thai food, but might if I am ever back in the area. As for ambiance there isn't much to be honest. The bar was sad. All the liquor just sitting on metal wire racks with no actual bar or shelves. The restaurant furniture all looks old and needs to be updated.

One of our favorite places for authentic Mexican food. Nice atmosphere with Mexican music and…read moredecor. Service was fabulous. We enjoyed the enchiladas supreme and carne asada. Yum! Love their salsa.

Food was good. Everyone in my party was happy with their food. Prices were good. My mother felt her…read moretaco salad was half the price it is back home. The environment looked family friendly. Not real loud but the noise you'd expect with many families. Service was prompt and they answered questions for us about the menu.

We stopped in looking for pupusas. The good....the pupusas…read moreand curtido are ok. Not great but edible. The curtido had a little too much oregano and the pupusas were a little dense. My daughter had steak fajitas, and I had the fish veracruz style. The bad.... My daughters steak was tough, dry , and flavorless My fish tasted muddy. It was not good. Portions were huge. Service was friendly...if you want to have a drink through your meal...order 2 because you arent getting a refill. The search for pupusas continues now that El Girasol is out of business.....

My husband and I absolutely love this place! We usually go for the papusas-Chicharron. AMAZING!!!!…read moreAnd we also sometimes get the barbacoa tacos. It's just a great place to get authentic food that won't break the bank!

Mal servicio al cliente. Nos ignora y dan mala cara. No nos atiende nadi. Las mesas estaban llenas…read morede platos y las mesera no más paradas ablando.

So so so good! I forgot pics but don't ignore this place. Yum to the fucking num. I had the steak…read moretacos. Full of meat, the tortilla didn't choke me from being dry like most taco places. This one knew what they were doing! Good job

This place is really cute! I love the location next to the ballpark. The service was friendly and…read morequick. I ordered the tacos de alambre. They had a nice, smoky bacon flavor, and I could taste the bell peppers, which still had a nice bite to them. With a squeeze of lime and a little salt they were perfect.

As a Southern California native, I've been spoiled my whole life with incredible Mexican food so…read morewhen I moved to the Midwest, I'll admit I set the bar pretty high. Let me just say... this place clears that bar with room to spare! Honestly, it might be the best Mexican food I've had outside of California. The salsa alone deserves its own review. Fresh, bold, just the right amount of kick it's the kind of salsa you keep dipping into even after you're "done eating." The carne asada? Perfectly seasoned, juicy, and full of flavor that takes me right back home. The chile relleno is everything it should be: cheesy, smoky, and comforting, while the enchiladas are packed with flavor and smothered in the kind of sauce that makes you want to lick the plate clean. On top of the food, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff makes you feel like family. This isn't just good "for the Midwest" it's genuinely amazing Mexican food, period. If you're craving the real deal, this is the spot.