Authentic Mexican Food In Cleveland Eastside (Euclid, McDonald: house, restaurants, Korean)

[Pgserge27]

The best is a place called villa y zapata, there is one on west 25th and one on Madison around west 80th. Awesome food. We have tons of hispanics on the west side and there are some smaller restaurants with very authentic food, no taco hell

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by AndyF667

I reallylike Mexican food.
So for what its worth, IMO:
Don Tequila, not so great.
The best on the east side is Mi Pueblo on Euclid near CIA. Also, last night I ate at Los Habeneros in Shaker (Van Aken Plaza) and it was very good. Luchitas--best mole in town--was on Shaker Sq., but they shut down (apparently a bit of a problem with landlord, Coral). Lopez on Lee Rd. in CL Heights is very good, but really expensive. La Fiesta on Wilson Mills in Rich Hts is solid.
Nueva in N.Olmstead is good, but not worth a 35 minute drive. Momocha on Fulton has top notch guac and margaritas. I would drive 35 minutes for their food.

Thanks for all the info! I thought of opening one in the Shaker/UH area/Coventry/CH as they all have a pretty diverse crowd and could draw from the hospitals and colleges for a lunch rush. I'll have to look up these places to see what they are all about. I am also not discounting the West Side, but it would be too far of a drive to operate since we'll be living on the East side. I wonder what's gone in whre Luchitas used to be. Is Coral still the LL there?

Originally Posted by firefightermom

Hey, I realized I didn't say if I thought a new restaurant would draw a crowd...I think it would.

I used to drive from wherever I lived to get to my fave Neuvo Acapulco...and I was always on the east side, once as far as Willoughby. I still drove all the way out there....and it was packed every single time I went, which is way to many times to count!

I would go for it...

Fantastic. We just might. Glad to see there is a draw for such a place. I would have assumed so, but needed current Clevelanders to give me the scoop and expert foodie opinion of the area.

[exit18b]

Just opened about 1 month ago! Las Haberneros (Sp sorry)! It is in the same shopping area as the Pearl of the Orient (love that place). It is next to the Fresh Market. The Margarittas are big! I went for lunch yesterday and they had $2.00 bottle (good) mexican beer. Good service, good food and we must support local (non franchise) businesses. We have been 3 times. So yes there is good mexican food on the eastside!

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by LewLew

IThey were constantly packed with people wanting good, inexpensive food, good margaritas, chips n salsa, and a laid back atmosphere.

Authentic Mexican does not involve chips and salsa - that is really an American invention. Really, anything with a wheat flour based shell is not authentic, like burritos, etc.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

Authentic Mexican does not involve chips and salsa - that is really an American invention. Really, anything with a wheat flour based shell is not authentic, like burritos, etc.

Agreed, except that you have to provide what the non-authentic people are drawn to. Froo Froo margaritas are not authentic either, but people flock in droves for them. When I said authentic, I meant the meals, not the fluff. Tacos that have corn shells and pulled beef, not the ground stuff that is Americanized (that is TexMex) Etc. I'm sure you know what I mean.

[Clevelander17]

I forgot about Mi Pueblo near University Circle. They tend to draw a lot from CWRU and the hospitals. But something a little further out, maybe in Shaker Heights or Cleveland Heights, could hit a bit of that crowd and other areas, too. I don't see a lot of suburbanites driving in specifically to go to Mi Pueblo.

[jmlicb]

LA FIESTA in Richmond Heights right next to the mall is the best Mexican Food I ever ate.

[CuriousMind]

I would have to say "Mi pueblo" on Euclid (University Circle area)

[Mexican Restaurants]

Hello, I am Mexican and I love Mexican food, it is true that many restaurants here in Cleveland adapt their food so Americans will like them, but I have found some pretty good ones around Cleveland. You can find more on www.mexicanrestaurantfinder.com a lot of them have coupon offers on that site too. Have you ever been to Don Tequila? or Mariachi Cocos?

[BillLuc1982]

Los Habaneros in Shaker Heights' Van Aken plaza recently opened. Food is excellent and reasonably priced. And corn is the main staple for Mexican food -- anything with wheat flour would not be authentic Mexican.