Taqueria Jalisco

Taqueria Jalisco has a varied menu. Many are fans of the beef tongue filling, but the birria taco—only available on the weekends—is a perfectly rendered rendition: beef slow-cooked with adobo spices, then chopped fine and topped with cilantro and onion. The tamales at Jalisco are really good. They’re made in-house, with a healthy portion of masa surrounding moist chicken with salsa verde or tender pork with a spicier salsa roja. The tacos are simple meat, onion, and cilantro combos on corn tortillas, but the three tableside salsas (which all vary on the heat index) transform them into worthy tamale sidekicks. The Torta Mexicana with carnitas is a huge grilled sandwich with an ideal ratio of tender pork to bread. And on those winter nights when breathing results in a brain freeze, the huge bowls of soup - especially the pozole - are more effective than the LED fireplace you bought at Kmart’s closing sale.

The family-owned space could generously be described as compact. The restaurant is decorated with a romanticized painting of a farmer and his horse. The waiters and service are good.