Sit-down Mexican in Salinas?

[Prabhakar Ragde]

I'm seeing plenty of great posts on taco trucks and bakeries, but relatively few on indoor dining options in Salinas. In case the weather doesn't cooperate or the family wants to sit down and relax, where can we go? Many thanks. --PR

[Melanie Wong]

For sit-down WITH table service, our long-time favorite is La Fogata on Main Street, a couple blocks from the Steinbeck center. Don't miss the sope made with ground beef. Chips are just so-so here, however, the handmade tortillas are sublime. Here's my last post on it, and earlier ones are linked.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/89248

Many other recs for small taquerias where you order and pick up your food at the counter, and can take a seat, if that would work. One that I've not been to and am very interested in trying is El Grullense in Acosta Plaza, as its truck is one of the most popular around and has great carnitas.

Edited to add: Here's a link for our taco crawl to Azteca, El Guero, and Jalisco.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/421131

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La Fogata
232 Main St, Salinas, CA 93901

Taqueria El Grullense
976 Acosta Plaza, Salinas, CA 93905

[Prabhakar Ragde]

Order and pickup at the counter will work fine. I was wondering about El Grullense in particular, because of the rave taco truck reviews. --PR

[Melanie Wong]

I'm very interested in hearing more about El Grullense too. My other recent taqueria experience hasn't been that thrilling so I haven't gotten around to writing them up yet.

My brother continues to be a fan of the chile verde at Tico's Tacos. Talked with an insider there recently who says that this place uses lard in the old-fashioned way with a non-hydrogenated source, so enjoy the flavor without guilt.

Here's Ruth's post on her discovery of pupusas at the taqueria in the back of Fairway Market. She also spotted cochinita pibil there. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/409977#2647132

La Costa in North Salinas is set-up like a drive-in. You order at one window, pick up at the other, and can sit outside at a picnic table. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/319992

For other sit-down, table service places (and still inexpensive), here's my post on Mariscos El Kora, http://www.chow.com/topics/352019 , and a report for Gloria's, http://www.chowhound.com/topics/391073

P.S. I'll add that I've yet to find salsas at our sit-down restaurants that match the ones on trucks. So, generally it's better to get your tacos at the trucks. The one plus for tacos inside is that you can often get made-to-order tortillas.

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Fairway Market
323 Williams Rd, Salinas, CA 93905

Gloria's Mexican Restaurant
100 Williams Rd, Salinas, CA 93905

Tico's Tacos
901 S Main St, Salinas, CA 93901

El Kora
153 Griffin St, Salinas, CA 93901

La Costa Taqueria
1306 N Main St, Salinas, CA 93906

[mikus]

Went to Taqueria El Grullense for lunch today on the recommendation of this thread. BEST QUESADILLA EVER! I believe there other dishes will probably of very high quality. It was a super quesadilla with carne asada, and the works (avocado, tomato) and had some nice lightly seared onions on the side. The tortilla was nicely browned and the carne asada was very flavorful. The only problem was the mechanics of using the small plastic fork to manuever what was a very substantial super quesadilla into my gullet. ;-)

The flavors were all fresh...these people know what they're doing.

[Melanie Wong]

LInks to Tico's Tacos post, http://www.chowhound.com/topics/86043 , and Taqueria Mi Ranchito, http://www.chowhound.com/topics/428052 .

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Taqueria Mi Ranchito
45 S Sanborn Rd, Salinas, CA 93905