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It’s Friday night. You and your roommates are craving Mexican food, but you don’t know where to go. You know there are countless Mexican restaurants in the area, but you simply cannot decide on one. I tried three different Mexican restaurants, near and far, to see which restaurant’s food and authenticity stood out.

El Rodeo

El Rodeo is located on Euclid Avenue in Des Moines, right down the street from Grand View. The outside of this restaurant looks a little rundown, but remember, it is what’s on the inside that counts. There were sombreros, maracas, frogs, and red, green and white colors everywhere to represent Mexican heritage.

For drinks, my roommates and I ordered a water, a Coke, a piña colada and a strawberry margarita on the rocks. We made a unanimous decision that the piña colada was disgusting because of the strong, bitter alcohol and the lack of piña (pineapple). The strawberry margarita was worth trying if you are of age. When you first take a sip, you can really taste the sweetness of the strawberries and not so much of the alcohol. But after a few sips, the alcohol slowly kicks in.

The restaurant provides free chips and salsa; the salsa was very tasty with a little kick but mild enough so it won’t have you begging for water. We ordered queso, which we highly recommend to everyone. It’s the perfect creamy, cheesy consistency that pairs nicely with salty, warm tortilla chips.

For entrees, we ordered ground beef tacos with rice, a grilled chicken quesadilla with rice and a steak quesadilla with refried beans. I focused on the tacos, which I thought were slightly salty and greasy. The grease made the tacos soggy, and they were too salty for my liking.

Overall, we gave El Rodeo 3.5 out 5 stars because of its close proximity, low prices and food. We spent $7-16 per person. The $16 bill included an alcoholic beverage. However, El Rodeo offers discounted drinks during their happy hour.

Blu Toro Cantina & Grill

Blu Toro is located on Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines, which is approximately 15 minutes away from campus. A word of warning: This place is upscale. Therefore, dress accordingly. The restaurant has more of a modern design with a rustic feel and the perfect ambiance. You can either sit inside or outside. The inside had dim, intimate lighting, perfect for a date night. The walls were covered with cultural paintings and skulls while Mexican music played overhead. The outside seating was more of a casual, laid-back setting. 

For drinks, we ordered a lemonade, a strawberry margarita, a rum punch and a pineapple basil margarita. Take caution, these drinks are very strong. While they were more expensive than most places, you get your money’s worth. The strawberry margarita lacked the strawberry flavor, and the tequila was subtle. The rum punch was sweet and had a refreshing after taste. The pineapple basil margarita was just plain weird; it was a good concept, but the pineapple and basil just seemed to clash with one another. The lemonade was not worth getting; it tasted watered down and lacked sweetness.

Blu Toro does not offer free chips and salsa, but we ordered them for $4 and got three different types. There was a verde (green) salsa, a rojo (red) salsa and a hot and smokey salsa. The hot and smokey salsa was more smokey than hot, rojo was sweet but tangy, and verde was the perfect combination of the two. We also ordered queso, which contained a rich, bold cheese that was addicting.

For entrees, we got steak quesadillas, chicken quesadillas, three different types of tacos and a filet. The steak quesadillas were tender and marinated in a blend of mild seasoning while the chicken quesadillas were smokey and shredded. Definitely go with the steak.

The filet was “Toro” styled, meaning there was a variety of spices used to season the meat. This filet was simply mouth-watering and melted in your mouth. It was a premium-cut steak that was tender, buttery and dripping in juice.

The three tacos we tried were carne asada (steak), beef barbacoa (BBQ beef) and chile verde con pollo (green salsa with chicken). The steak taco was bland and tough to chew, the BBQ beef taco was deliciously juicy, tangy and complemented the salty shell, and the chicken taco was tender and sweet. The table’s favorite taco was the BBQ beef.

All things considered, we gave Blu Toro a 2.5 out of 5 stars because this place is definitely not budget-friendly, and the menu is very limited. We each spent at least $27 here. However, we gave the food 4 out of 5 stars.

Monterrey Mexican Restaurant

Monterrey has three locations in Clive, Altoona and West Des Moines. We went to the one in West Des Moines, which is approximately 20 minutes away from campus. On the outside, this restaurant looks small. However, when you walk in, it is quite the opposite. The design was very traditional; the walls were painted like an older Mexican building with traditional artwork hanging up and old Mexican music playing.

For drinks we ordered a water, a pineapple Jarritos and a strawberry margarita. The margarita was smooth and sweet. We received free salsa, but this salsa wasn’t as flavorful as the other places. It tasted like watery tomatoes topped with cilantro. Their queso was good, but once you’ve had Blu Toro queso, every other queso will be subpar.

For entrees, we ordered ground beef tacos, a beef quesadilla and chicken and rice. The tacos were simple but scrumptious. They were not as salty as El Rodeo’s but not as over-the-top as Blu Toro’s, which had too many flavors that affected the overall taste. The beef quesadilla was juicy and well-seasoned. The chicken and rice dish was heavenly. The dish consisted of grilled chicken on a bed of rice smothered in white cheese with flour tortillas served on the side. It was the perfect mix of cheese, grease and spice, every hungry college girl’s dream food. Besides the food, this place offered quick service and low prices.

Overall, we gave Monterrey 4 out of 5 stars because of their low prices, quick service and delicious food and drinks. We spent around $6-13 per person.