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| - Simply put, this is one of my favorite Mexican joints in Phx, and I sometimes have difficulty choosing between this and Comedor Guadalajara.
Although I wouldn't necessarily consider myself an expert in Mexican cuisine, I have lived in the Valley for over 30 years, married into a Mexican family that makes and appreciates top notch food, and have sampled dozens of the Mexican restaurants in this state. We love this place. It's not much to look at, inside or out, and nothing there is fancy, but it is excellent.
I usually have a simple rule of thumb when judging Mex, and that is that you can gauge the quality by looking at two side categories: Chips and salsa, and the rice and beans. I know everyone will want to know if, say, the enchiladas, tacos, carne asada, etc., are good, but frankly, I've rarely eaten at a place that nails my first two categories, yet screws up all of their entrees, and vice versa. And given the nature of Mexican food, if those two categories are exceptional, you can usually find several other standout items on the varied menu, even if the excellence doesn't extend to absolutely everything (and I've never found a Mexican restaurant where that's the case). Needless to say, Tacos De Juarez is not only solid in each of these, but outstanding relative to similar Valley Mexican joints.
The chips are always fresh and hot, and the two salsas (red and green) are both spicy, flavorful, and with plenty of bite. In fact, their green tomatillo salsa is deceivingly simple, yet peerless, as in, I can't find any other place here with quite the same thing. The rice and beans are nearly flawless, and likewise, always hot and fresh. Naturally, it's not a surprise that most other items on the menu that I have tried range from good to fantastic, and nothing has disappointed. I can't say the same for the hyped and supposedly lauded places such as, oh, Los Dos Molinos, which I find to be terribly overrated.
If you're truly after Mexican food that is simple, unpretentious, yet genuine and delicious, look no further.
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