I've been to the Border Grill in Santa Monica several times so I was stoked that there was one in the hotel we were staying (Mandalay Bay).
We wanted to find a particular restaurant that is by the Mandalay Beach but couldn't find it. We saw the Border Grill straight ahead so we went there instead.
We got seated right away and our waitress was very bubbly and attentive. They bring you chips and three different salsas while you wait for your meal. They are all different and good. We ate all the salsa so our waitress brought us another tray. I ordered the thing that I always order: The Border Classics (plantain empanadas, corn tamales and paunches)...I get this because it's a bit of everything.
Plantain Empanadas: outside of the empanada is made of plantain, not flour dough. They are filled with black beans and topped with cojita cheese. So savory and delicious, yet so healthy!!
Corn Tamales: creamy sweet corn crapped in banana (?) leaves. Sweet/dessert-like. Reminds me of that sweet corn dessert that they have at El Torito. My favorite Mexican dessert!!
Panuchos: chicken on a thick homemade, fried tortilla. Good, but not my fav.
My bf got the carne asada quesadilla: grilled steak, carmelized onions, arbol salsa, cojita, manchego and panela cheese. This is a quesadilla on steroids...very scrumptious. If you're in the mood for a quessadilla, this will HIT THE SPOT.
The other things I've tried at the Santa Monica location are the ceviche and the jalapeƱo cucumber margarita. I love both of them and highly recommend them to first timers!