looking for good Mexican food (Raleigh, Durham: restaurant, mall, assessment)

[NC Native & RDU Local]

Bandido's Mexican Cafe

There is one in Durham, one in Chapel Hill, one near RTP and another location or two around.
It is almost as good as a little hole in the wall in Asheboro NC that I used to go to where I'd be the only "gringo" in a restaurant full of Mexicans. I haven't found any better in the Triangle.

[findinghope]

did you already try La Cocina?
i thought it was good, but i am from NJ so i dont know what "real" mexican is supposed to taste like.

[saturnfan]

Las Margaritas on Six Forks in Raleigh has the best fajitas.

Great prices too. Was there for lunch today.

[twoisbetter]

Originally Posted by whiteboyslo

if this makes me sound like a snob, i apologize, but...

is there any place in the Triangle that makes GOOD Mexican food? i've tried a few places that have been recommended to me by co-workes (actually out in the Triad area, but whatever), and everything just sorely disappoints me. the best i've found so far is Chipotle, and that's just not right.

to put in context, i just moved here a few months ago from San Diego. in SoCal, you can walk into just about any hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint (there's one in every shopping plaza) and get great food. it's kinda like BBQ out here. sure, some places are better, but they're all great.

i'm especially looking for any recommendations from the CA transplants who know what i'm talking about, but any recommendation would be appreciated. someone out here has GOTTA know how to make some good carne asada, carnitas, machaca, chorizo, etc.

recommendations closr to Durham and Chapel Hill would be great, but i'm Jonesing for a proper burrito so bad, i'll make a bit of a drive.

Mike

I've posted about the same thing...been here 3 yrs, and haven't found great Mexican food yet. The only "fix" we get is at a place called Salsaritas at Crossroads in Cary...its right next to Starbucks. We love the chips, good salsa, and decent steak tacos. Kinda like La Salsa in OC, if you know that....order at the bar, and then sit down...not full service. But good. Otherwise, you don't get much of fresh anything at the Mex places around here. Not very authentic....but I haven't given up yet!

[scorp200]

You guys are making me starving.

Too lazy to drive for Mexican so I have to settle for a frozen Trader Joe's veggie burrito

[FVmommy]

I've only lived in NC and VA, so I'm sure I don't really know what you're talking about - but I really like Tacos Mexico (locations in Apex and Fuquay) a lot, and have read good reviews about it from other people as well. Their food seems fresher to me than most Mexican places I've eaten in either VA or NC (most of which seem to have identical menus and identical food, which I actually enjoy, but I don't have "the real thing" to compare it to).

[mandadonovan]

las margaritas is in downtown wake forest. very good prices, and imo very good food. also, great margaritas. i was there for lunch today and had a banana margarita and was very happy!

[hula]

I second La Fiesta. Bandidos, and Tacos Mexico, all very good! Also, in Chapel Hill I've recently been turned on to Los Potrillos. Excellent food & staff and the portions are huge!! Their original location is on Rosemary Street in what was La Residance's original location. They also have a new location on Franklin Street near Estes in El Rodeo's old location. If that's all confusing, just ask someone way out in the country for directions (well you turn right at the old barn that was torn down last year...). Seriously, Los Potrillos is the bomb!

[Dusty Rhodes]

I've spent years of my life working in C. and S. America, I speak the language fairly well and love the food. "La Fiesta Grill" is on hwy 54 going toward Graham, outside of Chapel Hill is quite good authentic Mexican food, and in Mebane, as previously stated, "La Cocina" exit 157 off of the interstate, if coming from Raleigh/Durham, turn right off of the Interstate, if coming from Greensboro, turn left, will be on the right about a half mile down, is also really good authentic Mexican food, either of these two would be a really good restaurant in Mexico (the flan at La Cocina is better) other than that, it would be a toss-up. Either of the two has a high ratio of Hispanic to gringos as customers. My biggest complaint with the two, neither of them serves Tamal! Bummer, would like to try to eat my weight in them one of these days, one could always hit the snack shacks around the Buckhorn Flea Market "La Pulga de Buckhorn Road", you can find good gorditas, tacos, tamal and a few other goodies. If you go to La Cocina, ask the waiter "qual es preferable esta noche, tu mono o tu perro? (which is better today, the monkey or the dog?) they will know who sent you there. I will sometimes ask them for Kangaroo (kangoro), seriously, their carnitas (usually pork chunks), cooked deliciously are available if you get the "burrito Mexicano" ignore the choices of fillings on the menu and ask for "Carnitas" instead, tis a real treat. They do a Chipotle shrimp or chicken, either is superb, as is the arroz con camarones. (rice and shrimp, nice cheese "queso" sauce) actually I've not had anything at either of these restaurants that I did not like.

[Jdatlas]

There is also a truck which parks in Carrboro across from Harris Teeter and Southern States on Friday nights and weekend nights which supposedly sells really good tacos etc. I keep meaning to go there but we've usually eaten when I see the truck.