Desperately Need an Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Greenville (Wade Hampton, Berea: food, horse)

[thurx]

Originally Posted by drfranklin

I'm the OP - my family and I have been in Greenville for about a year now, here's my assessment (so far) of Greenville area mexican restaurants:

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Compadres (Main Street, downtown Greenville, adjacent to the ball field) - great ambiance (both inside and out), excellent food but the most expensive of the mexican restaurants in town, no free refills on soda (what?!), smoke free 7/10

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Wow, by waiting this long I've gotten to see some great reviews and now have several places to try that I haven't yet!

I take one exception to drfranklin's review on Compadres on Main St., however. I find their food and service exceptional. Only place around that I know of where you can get authentic cactus dishes! I FIND THE PRICES VERY REASONABLE, PROBABLY SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE FOR MEXICAN RESTAURANTS ACROSS GREENVILLE, AND DEFINITELY ONE OF THE CHEAPER RESTAURANTS WHEN COMPARED TO JUST WEST-END SPOTS. I can't comment on drink refills, but if they charge extra, that is regretable. I say, just order beer!

Another place I haven't heard mentioned is Las Lomas on Haywood. They are relatively new, have the most fantastic decoration - all hand painted, and often have karaoke on Fridays. No, not mexican karaoke, just pop and country! Now as to food, just average. But worth visiting for the exciting atmosphere if you're tired of looking at DRAB while you eat. This is more like Disneyworld de Mexico.

[ruvidu]

My two cents worth. Here in Simpsonville we go to two places. El Tajanos behind Tire Kingdom and El Fogata near the Post Office. In Greenville we go to On The Border. OTB makes their own chips and has a chunky salsa that is to die for. It is the closest thing to the food we get down in Texas when we visit there. I have been to Anitias 3 times and I just don't see the facination with that place.

[thurx]

Thanks ruvida! Home-made chips is the thing I've been missing since moving here 20 months ago from California. All the chips here I've encountered so far taste like cardboard. They all seem to come from the same place. I'm on my way to On the Border to gobble the chips and try the food.

[benny the gimp]

Does anyone have a good salsa recipe? I really love the kind of salsa you get from most of the resturants local. I have tried making it but never comes out right. I too am a regular of Tequilas in Simpsonville. My wife and I always get it to go because of the smoke, and the bad karoke on fridays. I love their monster burritos, where else you gonna get a burrito the size of a 1lb. football with any kind of meat you want for like $7.00. I never understood the hype of Anitas either.

[ruvidu]

Originally Posted by benny the gimp

Does anyone have a good salsa recipe? I really love the kind of salsa you get from most of the resturants local. I have tried making it but never comes out right. I too am a regular of Tequilas in Simpsonville. My wife and I always get it to go because of the smoke, and the bad karoke on fridays. I love their monster burritos, where else you gonna get a burrito the size of a 1lb. football with any kind of meat you want for like $7.00. I never understood the hype of Anitas either.

The smoke in there is the reason I do not go there. It is as bad as a Waffle House.

[charlie swords]

Originally Posted by ruvidu

My two cents worth. Here in Simpsonville we go to two places. El Tajanos behind Tire Kingdom and El Fogata near the Post Office. In Greenville we go to On The Border. OTB makes their own chips and has a chunky salsa that is to die for. It is the closest thing to the food we get down in Texas when we visit there. I have been to Anitias 3 times and I just don't see the facination with that place.

El Tajano is terrible, never tried La Fogata. When we lived in Simpsonville and wanted Mexican we drove to Guadalajara in Mauldin.

[striketeamvic]

I think Compadres is really good.

Also check out Cantinflas on Main street - the menu is a little different but still definitely good Mexican food.

[straker]

I'll go ahead and settle this for y'all. I prefer Nazarios on Saluda Dam. Everything is fresh and home made and the salsa is excellent. If you want Mexican soul food, ie Menudo and such, go to La Superior on Wade Hampton. Rosa Linda's is good also. Got to the flea market on White Horse road Sat or Sunday. Rosa Linda brings a bunch of tacos,tortas, ect. Meat is barbacoa, lingua, pollo, carnitas, and others. You can drive through Berea and find a half dozen places you've never heard of. All of which will be better than Monterrey and Guadalajara or any other chain joint.

[garnet2k1]

El Matador - Taylors - 8/10
Anita's - Simpsonville - 7/10
Mr. Salsa's - Greenville - 7/10
El Mexicano - Duncan - 7/10
El Jimador - Clemson - 7/10
On the Border - Pelham Rd - 7/10
El Molcajete - Duncan - 6/10
La Salsa - Woodruff Rd - 6/10
Don Pablos - Greenville (Haywood) - 5/10
Monterrey's - Greer (Parkway) - 5/10
El Rancho Grande - Pelham Rd - 5/10
Monterrey's - Greenville (Mall) - 4/10
Monterrey's - Greenridge - 4/10
Senor Garcias - Greer (101) - 4/10
El Jalisco - Simpsonville - 3/10
Corona's - Pelham Rd - 3/10

[PhotogGal]

Originally Posted by ruvidu

My two cents worth. Here in Simpsonville we go to two places. El Tajanos behind Tire Kingdom and El Fogata near the Post Office. In Greenville we go to On The Border. OTB makes their own chips and has a chunky salsa that is to die for. It is the closest thing to the food we get down in Texas when we visit there. I have been to Anitias 3 times and I just don't see the facination with that place.

I concur with your last sentence about Anitas. I've been there but certainly wouldn't make a special trip to Simpsonville to go again.