Best Mexican cuisine: Mazatlan

For modern or traditional fare, Mazatlan remains a Mankato favorite

Local Mexican cuisine powerhouse El Mazatlan has won the title of best in town again this year.

The restaurant, which was established in 2003, has been thriving with the help of authentic delicious food and drinks, great customer service and affordable prices.

Located at 1525 Tullamore St., Mazatlan is best known for their “Authentic Mexican Cuisine” and allows dining in and carry out all day with hours ranging from 11-10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11-9:00 p.m. Sundays.

Inside a customer will ind bright colors and dozens of murals, whether it’s on a chair, booth or wall paintings are all around. The overall ambiance of the hometown eatery is spectacular.

Sit down and open the menu packed full of every Mexican dish a person could dream of. Need a drink after a long day at work or school? Mazatlan offers several different margarita flavors, imported, draft, domestic and nonalcoholic beer, wine, mixed drinks and nonalcoholic beverages.

Start off the meal with an appetizer. Choose from over 26 starter options, from queso fries to a fiesta sampler no choice will disappoint.

After drinks have been ordered a fun and energetic waiter will bring out chips and salsa for the customers to eat while they wait to order. Another awesome thing about this amazing restaurant is the chips and salsa are free and waiters will bring as many baskets as the customers would like throughout the meal.

There are also an abundance of meat/fish choices for the main dishes. Steak, seafood, chicken, pork and beef are all great options to choose from.

New customers who are quite sure what to order can look under the “favorites” section of the menu and find Mazatlan’s famous taco salad, chiles poblanos, the grande special, soft or fried chimichangas and taquitos Mexicanos.

Choose from 19 steak options. On the menu Mazatlan also reassures customers that they only serve “Certified Angus Beef” and reiterate that it is always “tender, juicy and flavorful.”

Go a little further down the menu and a customer can find 18 different seafood options ranging from shrimp cocktail to seafood alambre, which includes grilled scallops, shrimp and tilapia.

There are 12 chicken options to choose from and four pork options. If a customer is looking for some sizzle they can order from the fajita section that offers 11 different hot and spicy options.

More traditional menu options can be found on page five with burritos, enchiladas and combination plates.

Each dinner plate ordered may include Mazatlan’s famous beans, rice, guacamole or an array of vegetables and choices of sauce. If a customer wants extra of anything they can order off of the “A La Carte” section for small but various prices.

Other menu options include “Specials” which include detailed dinner items that may change from time to time.

The lunch menu offers similar dishes as the large dinner menu but about half as much food for half the price. The lunch menu is available Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To top off the meal customers should check out the sweet treats that include flan, chimi cheesecake, Sopapilla and ice cream, fried ice cream and the most interesting of them all, a fried banana burrito.

Mazatlan also offers an array of specials throughout the week. If customers need to relax with a cool beverage they can get all draft beers for 1.75 to 3.99 Mondays 4-10 p.m. Tuesdays are mojito and bloody mary day for 2.99 and Thursdays is the ever-popular margarita night with 14 oz. drinks for 2.99.

The family friendly restaurant also gives customers the option of being a member of the “Eclub”. When a person is a member of this club they will receive special offers on food and drinks, the latest updates on the restaurant and news on special events that may be happening.

Mazatlan will not disappoint, head over to the fun, festive and food filled place for more information and a good time!

Photo: (Trevor Cokley/The Reporter)