Los Tapatios - Megan's Take

Since Dan already provided a great deal of information on Tapatios, I will give my basic take on the place based on the many times I have eaten there. For me, the important parts of a restaurant experience are ambiance, service, presentation, and of course, taste. Let's face it, you are not going to return to a place if you don't like the food. That being said, you aren't going to be in a rush to go back to a place or give out a recommendation if the other parts of the equation are lacking. Of course, each restaurant should be judged in its own context. There is no point in comparing fast food to fine dining. As such, I will keep those things in mind with all of my reviews.

Tapatios, on the whole, rates fairly well on my list, mostly for consistency. Having eaten at both locations dozens of times, the overall experience has been the same. No frills, quick seating and ordering, and a short wait for food. It is a laid back space with some traditional music playing in the background. The booths and tables are fairly generic and not that comfortable, but they serve their purpose. The wait staff is friendly, but not overly attentive as they are usually short staffed. This only comes into play when you are ready to pay your bill, as there is rarely anyone manning the register, so sometimes it can be a wait. If you are not in a rush, this is not a problem. Either location is not normally too busy, so it is a great choice for a quick meal.

As far as food, you can't go wrong with chips and salsa - though the salsa is the only somewhat inconsistent thing at Tapatios - sometimes it is a bit spicy for my tastes (I am not a big fan of spicy foods, so keep that in mind). On the whole, I usually get the same thing each time I go - the Taquitos Mexicanos, which contain beef or chicken wrapped in a tortilla and fried. The taquitos are placed on the outside with lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and a tomato slice in the middle as well as rice and beans served on a separate plate (or a choice of one or the other if it is the lunch portion). For dinner you get 2 of each and for lunch you get one of each. For me, this is the perfect combination of Mexican food - you get the different kinds of meat, a bit of crunch with the fried shell, and you can pick and choose what sides to use and it is less messy than fajitas as you can use a knife and fork. I have tried other dishes at Tapatios, such as the taco salad and the enchiladas, which are both okay, but I always find myself coming back to the taquitos. They are always good and I have successfully recommended them to friends.

Tapatios is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Binghamton area. I have no preference for either location, as they are somewhat interchangeable. It has been our go-to place most weekends when we are faced with the task of choosing dinner options and I have never had a bad experience.

Grade: B+