Please reccomend a good, inexpensive Mexican restaurant to which we could take a group of teenagers, many of whom have never eaten authentic Mexican food. We will travel I-10 across LA to Dallas-Ft. Worth

A generic answer to your question is simple.

If you are in the older part of the city, and you see a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place, stop there. The place will be cheap and the worse the place looks, the better and more authentic the food will be.

Dallas also has a fair number of taco stands. I don't mean Taco Bell, I mean some wooden box on the side of the road with a guy selling tacos out of a window.

You'll find places like this on Ross Avenue east of US 75, on Jefferson Blvd south of the river, on Henderson, and some other places.

For some specific suggestions, give me some time and I'll point you to some of my favorite joints.

Ok, I lived in the DFW area for several years and there are tons of good mexican places to eat - but for a group of teen-agers I can think of no better place to take them than Pancho's Mexican Buffet.

Don't flame me, I'm serious. They have a huge variety, the price is cheap, and for teenagers - they can fill-up those hollow legs. And most importantly, the food is actually good! Try their sopapillas!!!

Not sure about authentic or even inexpensive, but try Uncle Julios.

I second Pancho's for a group of teenagers. Fast, cheap, and pretty good.

There are several in the area. I suppose you could probably do an internet search for locations.

I would recommend Uncle Julio's or Tia's. Do not go anywhere close to a Panchos (disgusting!)

There's many places in Dallas (my stomping ground), however I'd suggest as travelers you really enjoy a place in Fort Worth, near Sundance Square and my mind is going blank on the name of this restaurant. It's one of those local classics that's been there umpteen years; I don't think they take credit cards, cash only. I'll try to look it up ...

LIKE, DUH ! It's Joe T. Garcia's ! The mind gets mushy after a certain age ... For more information on this place, as well as other restaurant suggestions in metroplex, check out www.guidelive.com

Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant
2201 N. Commerce St.
Fort Worth, TX 76106

THIS is where you need to go! And I did verify they DON'T take credit cards, so make sure you have $$$ Don't worry, the price is right.

None are authentic Mexican food restaurants--they are Tex-Mex. There is a big difference.

Yes, technically Connie is correct. All of the restaurants that have been mentioned are "Tex-Mex". But as the cuisine is quite popular here among young & old, I don't think your teens will be dissappointed.

I think Sharon might have meant Tex-Mex...how many true Mexican restaurants are there, really?

My favorite is Uncle Julio's, but only the one at Lemmon and Cedar Srpings. We always hit Joe Ts when we are in Ft Worth too, but I didn't know there was one by Sundance Square. The one we went to was out a bit north of downtown.

By the way, Dallas is a good ways from I-10, Sharon. Do you mean I-20? I-10 across LA will take you into Houston, I-20 across LA goes into Dallas (and about the most boring drive you will encounter anywhere).

For Mexican, try ZuZu's on Hillcrest opposite Southeern Methodist University. I guarantee it is not TexMex.

La Valantio in Addison TX is the best authentic Mexican I have ever had. But go at lunch since you are looking to go inexpensively. It is a 5 star place and it has the best flan I have ever had.

Enjoy!

I live in ft. Worth and would recommend Ft. Worth over Dallas. Dallas is more cosmopolitan and could be ANY big city...Ft. Worth, on the other hand is more like the real west. Pancho's is great....variety and good prices. DEFINATELY TRY SOPAPILLAS wherever you go. Dipped in honey, yum! On The Border is a chain restaurant that is VERY good and prices good. Joe T. Garcia's near The Stockyards has been around for close to 100 years. It has a very beautiful and lush outdoor dining area that surrounds beautiful swimming pool and TX plants trees and flowers. The building leans and looks like it's ready to fall over....but it's not. Good luck and Bon Appetite!

Lara, La Valantio was great but I don't think it exists any more.

Stay away from Pancho's.

Try www.guidelive.com.

Blue goose is good, may not be authentic enough.

Chuy's would be easy to get to & is good typical tex-mex.

If you are looking for very authentic with more hispanic crowd I have tried & liked Mis Cazuelas

I followed M-kay's advice and ate at Joe T. Garcia's the last time I was in Ft. Worth. It is located just south of the stock yards. You won't see it--look for signs showing you where to turn (east).

Another thing no one has said about the restaurant is there is no menu.

Your choices are:

Beef or cheese fajitas
or
a dinner of nachoes, tacoes, enchiladas, beans and rice.

Very neat old building and good service.

Connie,
how was the food...ok, good, great?
We are planning to try it out on our next trip to Texas and would like your opinion.

M-Kay,
Several years ago I ate at a Mexican resturant in the Fort Worth/Arlington area. I don't can not remember the name. The parking lot was surrounder by a plaster type wall with busted bottles lining the top, the inside was cantina like, the salsa was served hot, and the food was great. Can you give me any idea of what the name of this place was?? I would love to go again...

thanks

I thought Joe T. Garcia's was very good. Others thought it was okay. It is definitely worth a try.

One of my favorites is La Calle Doce on 12th Street (of course since that is what the name means) in Oak Cliff. It serves good Tex-Mex as well as resort Mexican and was written up in the New York Times. Others include Benevides, Tejano's, Mattito's. I would not go to Pancho's.