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| - I tried this place for the first time today and I can definitely recommend the Happy Hour menu!
When restaurants overcharge for traditional Mexican food, I generally order several appetizers anyway to create a small plate experience, providing a plentiful variety of food at a relatively low cost.
Mercadito has an extensive menu, and from what I've tried so far, I'm sure I'll be back at some point to try some full entrees.. But if I only go for the appetizers next time, I wouldn't be surprised. We of course ordered the chips and salsa sampler, a trio of mostly good salsas and house made corn chips. They were on the thick side and a little greasy but they got the job done. The guacamole was a little simple, but they brought the flavor out nicely.
We ordered the nachos, which at $7 isn't a bad deal, but that was the happy hour price. The portion was a little small and light on toppings for anything more than that. I appreciate the approach mercadito takes with their nachos. I'm a bit of a nacho enthusiast, so I'm always open to something different. These offer nothing particularly special, just black beans, cheese, crema, tomatoes and diced avocado. You can order meat, but in keeping with the simple theme, I chose to leave it off. I enjoyed the pairing of traditional ingredients, which offered a somewhat refreshing take on the bar food favorite.
My wife loved the elote, roasted corn cob dusted with chile and cotija cheese. Again, much pricier than the man who sells it from a cart on the street, but just as delicious.
Probably the biggest deal at happy hour was the cold draft beer. I got a pint of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA for $4. Haven't found a price like that anywhere.
Mercadito offers flavorful Mexican food, great drinks, and a modern atmosphere. If I'm ever at Red Rock with friends, I'd definitely suggest this place for a few drinks and a bite to eat.
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