Best inexpensive Mexican in Kansas City, MO

[feista]

We're going to be in town this weekend for the Elton concert at the new Sprint Center. We're planning on having dinner before the concert and are searching for a great, affordable place located near the Sprint Center. Any suggestions? No chains please! We understand there are many choices on SW Blvd. but we're open to other areas such as Westport or the Plaza. Thanks!

[Smavo]

Rudy's Tenampa Taqueria was great the last time I went but it was awhile ago. El Camino Real gets great praise from my friends. If you are going north at all I love Ixtapia in north kc for inexpensive Mexican.

[larabell]

Manny's is rubbish. No idea why it's so popular. I like Los Tules at 16th and Broadway. Ponak's has the best margaritas ever, though the food is just so-so.

[chileheadmike]

A friend at work claimed Manny's to be the best tacos in town. I had to tell him that they were not even good, much less the best in town.

I took him to the El Camino Real on 7th Street in KCK for lunch yesterday. There was no more talk of Manny's, only "Oh my God's" coming from his side of the table. We had loganiza, pollo, picadillo, al pastor, and carnitas. All of it delicious on their made in house, to order corn tortillas.

[jhojati]

I'm mad at you right now, because I could go for a plate of four tacos: pescado, barbacoa, pastor, and picadillo. Ok,make that six, because I want pollo and carnitas. But alas, I am going out of town today :( The good news, however, is that I'm going to Los Angeles, and there is no shortage of great Mexican food or tacos in that city. Plus, I am going to try the Korean taco place, Kogi BBQ, which sounds just too damn good not to have in the midwest.

[amyzan]

I've heard the lines for Kogi are just insane. So, I hope you get your tacos! Let us know, 'cause that place seems like a great phenom, hoping it comes here...

[KansasTravel]

You wouldn't do too bad at some of the places on the Kansas side of the State Line along Southwest Boulevard. But if you only care about the food, you will do better much closer to the Sprint Center, at Los Tules Mexican Restaurant on Broadway.

[jhojati]

I love Los Tules, but for an authentic taco with a fresh pressed tortilla, I have to hit up the shacks in Kansas. The worst thing is, I love the Chimichava at Los Tules so much(weird name, great item!) that I don't order anything else! Any personal recommendations?

[powillie]

My wife and I first ate at Ninfa's over twenty years ago. We love their food but the best thing is the tortillas, fresh from the griddle, that are brought to your table with squeeze bottles of margarine and salsa.

[jhojati]

I love fresh tortillas. Now I want them for breakfast! Anybody know their hours (not for breakfast :))?

[powillie]

According to Yahoo, they're open 8-4, Monday through Saturday. Be sure to get a dozen to go.

[bluesharp68]

MANNYS IS THE BEST PERIOD..

[kcboy]

How anyone can claim Manny's is good Mexican food, let alone "the best" is beyond me. Yes it has history, but it is also perhaps the least authentic of the Southwest Blvd. Mexican places. I think that my aunt put it the best by describing Manny's as "the type of place that was great back in the '70s before non-Latinos knew what real Mexican food was supposed to be." Steer clear. Instead go to any of the other Mexican places along Southwest Blvd. to the west of Manny's. You'll be amazed by any of them.

[WyCo]

The place is really popular though. Reminds me of those Mexican TV dinners they used to sell.

[gypsyvice]

agreed

[amyzan]

I haven't been to Manny's but what I want to know, bs68, is why you type in all caps? Every post of yours I've seen is in caps. I'm not picking on you, I just don't understand. Perhaps you're unaware typing in all caps is the equivalent of shouting at your audience?

I would also appreciate if you give us reasons why you recommend a place. It helps to see if the food you enjoy is the similar to what I like.

[zataar]

Manny's is not even close to the best cheap Mexican or any Mexican for that matter.

I feel maybe a troll alert is in order, forgive me if I'm wrong, but all caps about Manny's and all caps about LC's in quite a negative light is reason to suspect.

I have to agree with El Taconazo on Kansas Ave, and Laura's on Central. La Fonda at Southwest Blvd. and Summit is good, too. Use to go to El Pueblito, haven't been for awhile. Their breakfasts were very good.

[Aaron Deacon]

Great tacos al pastor at El Camino Real in KCK.

[heatherkay]

El Camino Real also has its own tortilla press (if it's the place I'm thinking about in downtown KCK) -- nothing like a taco in a fresh tortilla

[jhojati]

I agree 100% that El Camino Real is fantastic. The pastor is seriously awesome. And the fish in the fish tacos had some nice crunch and nice flavor, definitely something I'd order again. It was kind of funny going in to the restaurant and being the only two non-Hispanics, and everybody was watching Shark Week or something on the TV. Very comical. The hot sauce was good, although I would like some traditional salsa as well.

Has anybody eaten at Ninfa's? I was going to go there, but they were closed. I've been wanting to eat at Taconazo as well.

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Camino Real
6821 Grand Ave, Hammond, IN 46323

[chileheadmike]

Its been a very long time since I've eaten at Ninfa's. I used to work near there. Tortas are very good, I have not had a lot of their other items.

Taconazzo is one of my favorite places in KC. El Camino Real is really good as well.

Just down the street from Ninfa's is Paleteria Chiuahua. Really good churos and frozen treats. Good tacos as well.

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Camino Real
6821 Grand Ave, Hammond, IN 46323

[Milt]

Try Casa Paloma, 8220 Metcalf Avenue for very good Mexican. The original owners are in the process of selling and turning the business over to the new owners. The original family is retiring to Mexico. Right now the food should be as good as ever. It may change over time, but that will likely be gradual. www.casapaloma.com

[chileheadmike]

Taconazzo on Kansas Ave just East of 7th Street. You can't miss it, its yellow and purple. Best tacos in town and very cheap. Kind of a rough looking place but everyone's been friendly everytime I've been there.

Also Laura's on Central.

Closer to the Sprint Center is Taqueria Mexico just across the street from La Bodega.

[WyCo]

I don't know if it is the best, but Manny's on SW Blvd is always popular and it is inexpensive.

[heatherkay]

Well, the Mexican places in Westport or the Plaza aren't going to be great AND affordable, when compared with SW Blvd. My favorite on the Blvd is El Pueblito, just west of the first I-35 crossing as you drive from downtown.

[kctraci]

I second the recommendation for El Pueblito. http://www.milatino.com/elpueblito/in...
I had lunch there just last week and love the Huaraches w/side of Mole sauce. Also good is La Fonda, located right near there - best bean dip I've had with big chunks of pork in it. And also La Tropicana for ice cream afterwards - pinon (or pine nut) is excellent. There is also Los Tules downtown on Broadway - but that seems less authentic, more TexMex.

[amyzan]

If you're not set on Mexican, we just ate at Pizza Bella at 1810 Baltimore in Crossroads, very near Sprint Center. Fantastic! I suspect they will be mobbed before the concert, though. http://www.kansascitymenus.com/pizzab...

I'm not really familiar with the Mexican resties up there, sorry.