Best Mexican Food in Plano
When in DFW, eat Mexican food. At least, that’s what you’re told to do. And when in one of Dallas’ most well known smaller townships, Plano, with all the plethora of choices available as far as the southern border cuisine, where does one eat? Given there is so much Mexican fare available, it’s really hard to make the right choice. Fret not, I’ve scouted out the best place in town, and when I say best, I do mean the tastiest.
El Norte Mexican Grill has been around since April of 1993. We won’t discuss which grade of elementary school I was in at the time – because, no one wants to be reminded how long ago 1993 was. But in this case, those long 27 years is a testament to the grand success of such a great restaurant and business.
The Owner
Mark Ludwig and his wife have owned and operated the Mexican restaurant since then and have made great memories in the process. Originally, the structure was built as a Taco Bueno, but its future, while still to be in the Mexican motif and cusine, would have far greater things ahead of it.
Mark was just 13 when he first began working the restaurant industry and he earned his living through his college days and beyond, supporting his family through his chosen career.
Though he dabbled in some other fields of work, he primarily remained in management for larger restaurant corporations.
During a time in American life when it was much more common for young adults to own their own businesses, he tried his hand at it himself. At only 19 he and a fellow student at his college opened up their own restaurant and that was when he first gained a thirst for running his own place. Years later, he would be the proud proprietor of El Norte.
Eat & Drink
The food at El Norte is really what we’re here to talk about, so let’s get down to it. The food, is simply delicious. There’s nothing on the menu that is not worth mentioning, but in order to save time, let’s go over the most notable and honorable mentions. First off, you can’t leave the restaurant until you’ve tried one of the following:
Their quesadillas, their spinach enchiladas, their pork shank…
…their Monterrey Jack chicken, and their anything with refried beans. Their nachos too. Oh, wait. I didn’t try their nachos. Shoot. Well, I guess I’ll just have to head back to Plano to try them…I hear they’re delicious!
What I can’t sum up in words, I can show you on video. Take a look at all the delicious food I tried on your behalf, so that you know what to expect when you head to El Norte Mexican Grill!
And if it’s not my word you want to take for it, then how about this? Since we already know they’re doing pretty good considering they’ve been in business for as long as they have, then we know they’re going to have some popular dishes. The most popular in fact, are their fajitas. While their most popular drink is their top shelf margarita.
Not surprising that it would be a margarita, since they have a whole menu dedicated just to the famous cocktail. With around a dozen different types, I tried a few myself. While not a fan of the Mexican beverage, I found myself sipping away that afternoon, highly enjoying it for the first time ever. That means they’re good. Real good.
It was worthy of two photos…
And as far as their specialty dish, that would be my favorite – the Pork Montana. A bone-in pork shank, meat so tender it falls off the bone. For those of you who follow my videos regularly, you will know that I am a weakling when it comes to anything spicy – therefore I try to avoid it at all costs. In this case, I made a grand exception. Though it was very spicy for me, I bared through it because the flavor was so incredible, and the meat so heavenly. With almost an Asian flavor, the sweet and sour sauce they used was part BBQ, part Mexican, part angelic.
You might want to wash that down with their Presidential Swirl – the restaurant’s specialty drink.
Why They’re So Special
“Our competitive edge in the market is the fact that we are a one-of-a-kind, independent, neighborhood restaurant. We refer to ourselves as ‘the unchained alterantive’, or as Esquire Magazine put it one time, ‘El Norte Rocks’,” says Mark, humbly bragging about his unique establishment.
He also informs me that all menu items are prepared fresh daily, from scratch, using premium ingredients. Which is why their queso is so particularly delicious. Instead of using the cheap, velveta-type cheese most places might drop into the pot, Mark’s kitchen uses only the best. Special ordering an obscenely expensive vat of Land O Lakes ingredients that they use in the cheese dip – it’s the best queso you haven’t ried.
And most proudly he offers up that in the 60 years he’s been in the restaurant business, he’s never been associated with a restaurant that is fortunate to have so many regualar customers. Because they do such limited advertising their business mainly stems from word of mouth.
The Décor
One thing that really stands out about El Norte, aside from the amazing food, is the impeccable design and décor. This was what caught my attention prior to even dining here. The ambiance is the next best thing to the flavors. And in fact, you might even argue that the color schemes and design bring out the flavors of the food just that much more. Almost like being transported to the 1980s, there is something so truly cool about the neon signs, lights and mish mash of tchotchkes around the restaurant. Giving the guest a comfortable, laid back feeling, it’s colorful, bright and very welcoming.
Mark explains that over the years, he and his wife added to the décor. The idea, he says, was to make it look like a poor family on the border of Texas with limited means decorated the restaurant themselves. And while they may not have been from the border, he admits that they were in fact poor, however. With the intention of making the vibe busy, casual and relaxing, it is indeed anything but pretentious or stuffy.
Business & the Pandemic
Typically, the busiest times for El Norte are the evenings, especially weekends like Friday and Saturday nights. During the pandemic they have had a decrease in business of about 16%, though they count their blessings that customers still flock to El Norte to get their grub. They are also pleased that that number isn’t as low as some of their competors, who are reportedly seeing a drop between 40-60% of their clientel. They believe this to be a result of their loyal customer base, wanting to see El Norte perservere during this rough period of time. And while they may not track their customer counts that closely, he estimates they receive roughly 1,400 per week, 6,000 per month and 72,000 per year.
Though they don’t often hold events, they do offer fundraisers for schools, bands and churches, and offer a special during holidays.
With all this valuable information and the site of that delicious Mexican food, why wouldn’t you want to go to El Norte? It really is the best place to visit for all your Mexican hankerings while in the ‘Big D’. And because they offer plentiful portions at affordable prices so that everyone can have a great lunch or dinner out – there’s no reason at all not to check them out while in Plano. Just make sure that when you do stop in, you let them know that Lisa sent you!
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