The food at Las Margaritas is great. The menu offers a blend of American staples, like burgers and chicken wings, with a host of mild Mexican dishes such as burritos, enchiladas and tacos. There are plenty of combo options, so you can mix and match chalupas with chile relleno and tamales with tostadas.
If a Mexican restaurant is judged on it’s chips and salsa, Las Margaritas gets a passing grade with fresh-from-the-oven chips that will keep you busy (and curb your hunger) while waiting for your meal. With a small waitstaff that speaks little English, there is a bit of a wait involved after ordering. However, the food is worth it. A plain cheese quesadilla ($3) is grilled to perfection with lots of rich cheese inside. The jumbo vegetarian quesadilla ($9.50) is appropriately named. It is one of the few quesadillas you will ever have to use a knife and fork to eat. Loaded to the max with perfectly grilled mushrooms, onions and peppers, the quesadilla is finished with a light cheese sauce that perfectly complements the filling. Served with Mexican rice, a small salad, sour cream and guacamole this meal definitely requires a doggie bag. The enchiladas supreme ($9.50) combines four enchiladas of various fillings: spinach and cheese, bean, cheese and onion and cheese, all topped with pico de gallo and fresh lettuce. One word for this dish, delectable.
The atmosphere, of course is colorful (there must be a law that requires casual Mexican restaurants to be in Technicolor). But the décor here at Las Margaritas is a little funky, even for a Mexican joint. Lights are strung from the walls and murals dress-up the scenery from every angle. The windows are covered with decorative bamboo shades thereby veiling the chaos of Roosevelt Boulevard on the other side of the glass. There’s even a faux adobe house complete with terra cotta shingles. Inside Las Margaritas, it’s not rush hour, it’s party time and here nurses, accountants and teachers join in to raise their tequilas to toast the end of another workday and the promise of tomorrow’s lunch from tonight’s dinner.
