Kiki's Restaurant and Bar

Kiki’s is an ideal place to take out-of-town guests who want to taste Mexican food in El Paso. While the exterior or interior may not look great, the food will blow your taste buds away. The portions are generous and the prices are fair.

Growing up in El Paso and fed mostly homemade Mexican food, I've learned to judge most Mexican restaurants on their refried beans and Spanish rice. Kiki's has yet to disappoint me when it comes to these two staples. You'd be surprised how many local restaurants overlook and overcook these side dishes.

The entrées at Kiki's are what you'd find at most any other Mexican joints, but you can also try items you won't find in more mainstream restaurants. These dishes include the black beans, the crab tacos, or the crab enchiladas.

I like to start a visit to Kiki's with a small bowl of guacamole and enjoy it with the complimentary chips and salsa, but the chips and salsa are good on their own. The salsa is thick, tangy and has a nice lingering kick.

Kiki's has lunch and dinner specials that cost $4.25 and $6.10, respectively. The menu items can cost as little as $2.25 for a bean and cheese burrito or as high as $9.95 for the Steak Tampiquena combo plate. There are some American dishes, but are you seriously going to order a cheeseburger ($4.65) at a Mexican restaurant?

I recommend trying Kiki's signature dish: the machaca ($8.70) (pronounced ma-cha-ka). You have a choice of brisket, chicken or crab grilled with tomatoes, onions, green chiles, and a little bit of scrambled egg. The egg might throw you off, but trust me it's good. If you want to kick it up ask the server to cover with green sauce and cheese.

If you're craving something more traditional try the burritos. I've always enjoyed the brisket burrito ($3.95). The burritos are very big and the meats, no matter what kind you get, are good. You can also ask for the burrito to be covered in the wonderful green sauce and cheese.