I used to be a loyal El Charro fan. It was my go-to place for all my Mexican food needs. Sure, I dabbled with startups like Dona Rosa or El Ranchero, but nothing really hit the spot like El Charro consistently did. I retained a vague feeling of loyalty, feeling guilty whenever I would explore my options. This feeling remained true until I stumbled upon Jalisco, another Mexican restaurant located at 243 Neff Avenue in Harrisonburg.

The thing that attracts me to Jalisco more than my tried and true cowboy is the food, over all other things. I personally think that Jalisco offers food that is more flavorful, hotter, and in the largest servings on top of the largest plates of any restaurant I know. Additionally, Jalisco offers a huge selection on their menu, and that is a fact. The menu is so large that it is almost too difficult to read the entire thing before your hungry stomach forces you to choose a meal.

Even before the real food comes, the chips and salsa top those at El Charro. The red salsa tastes more hearty and full, with a deeper flavor than El Charro’s. Even better, Jalisco gives you some type of onion-chunk-filled-with-cucumber and who knows what else bowl of creamy goodness. That is the best way I can describe it, but trust me, it is absolutely delicious.

The meals speak for themselves. The servings are not shy, and the food always comes out steaming. Everything from the tamales to the post-dinner coffee leaves you satisfied and content with life.

To top it all off, Jalisco gives you mints in your checkbook after dinner. If that is not a game changer, I honestly do not know what is.

If you are ever tempted to take a leap of faith out of your boring, same old Mexican cuisine life, I would suggest that you never go back to El Charro. I actually have not returned to El Charro since I first went to Jalisco. And so, in my finest opinion, I implore you to give it a taste.