The entrance and interior of Xaliscos.

Xalisco’s advertises itself as a real Mexican eatery, and the staff of Que Pasa had to agree. Though this taqueria and grocery store might not look like much from the outside, we entered the small restaurant to an aroma of freshly made tortillas. The six tables (see pictures) featured bright, colorful tiles surrounded by bricks and both reviewers immediately noticed the neat, clean, arrangement. No alcoholic beverages are served and while the site has several tables, it is not a restaurant made for fine dining. Owner Carlos Guzmán dreamed about opening his own restaurant for years, and has spent the last several years in the restaurant business. When asked about his favorite part of owning his own restaurant, Guzman said, “I enjoy working with the menu. I can make new things, try new things, and coming up with new ways to present the food.” He also commented how many Ohio State students visit his restaurant, and insist on practicing Spanish with the staff. Many of the students come to Xaliscos on a regular basis, and he shared stories of students from all over the globe coming to try his food.

The menu at Xaliscos has grown hugely since the restaurant first opened over a year ago. When the restaurant opened, the menu featured less than ten items. Now, Xaliscos has daily specials, which are very economical at $6, but change every day. The day we visited, there were eight specials, in addition to a menu full of appetizers, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and desserts. Guzman often uses the specials to try out new dishes, and if they are well received, they win a place on the published menu.

Poppers, queso and bean nachos are popular appetizers.

Our meal began with freshly fried, homemade tortilla chips. They were crisp and warm, with a green salsa that had a bit of spice, but was not overwhelming. We then sampled three of the most popular appetizers—poppers ($3), queso ($1), and bean nachos ($2). The poppers consisted of deep friend jalapeño peppers and cream cheese. We tried these with trepidation, afraid that the jalapeños would be too hot to handle. Yet, we were pleasantly surprised, as the creamy appetizer with ranch sauce had only a hint of jalapeño. Guzman stated that the veins and seeds are taken out, giving this a milder taste. The fresh nachos were covered with cheese and beans, a savory combination. And the queso came with chorizo (a portion of Spanish sausage), that went perfectly with the tortillas. We washed down the appetizers with a strawberry and pineapple jarritos (flavored colas) from Mexico, and also enjoyed a sweet drink of horchata, made with condensed milk, regular milk, cinnamon and vanilla.

We began the main course with huarche, a handmade oval corn tortilla that is topped with beans, cheese, your choice of meat, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, and lettuce. The presentation of the plate was beautiful and very appetizing. The shredded beef lacked a bit of flavor, and seemed to be missing some spices. In addition, we tried enchiladas, which are hand rolled corn tortillas filled with your choice of meat. These came with grilled steak, and with a spicy red sauce that resulted in a delicious combination with a kick. The enchiladas came accompanied with beans and rice.

The tortilla preparation process.

The menu is full of interesting dishes that are not common in other Mexican restaurants. For example, Xaliscos has several types of meat that are hard to find. These options, available with nearly all of the foods, include carne asada (steak), chorizo (Mexican sausage), carnitas (pulled pork), barbacoa (slowly cooked beef), ham, adobada (marinated and grilled pork tips), tinga (shredded chicken in red sauce), and chicharron (pork rinds in stewed red hot sauce). In addition, Xaliscos offers meat-flavored soy beans and seasoned potatoes as options for the vegetarian crowd.

The large portion size, variety of options, and flavor of the food for such a reasonable price constitutes a great values that cannot be easily matched by other restaurants. The majority of the meals cost between $5-6, with a free soda for those with a Buck ID. They do a lot of takeout business during the day, but people also come in and eat during the evening. If you are looking for a small, locally owned, family run place where you will feel welcomed and want to enjoy good food at a good price, Xaliscos is the place to try!