Santy's Taco Shop — Restaurant in Chama

Update: ordered a bunch of food yesterday (9/24/23) and they didn't give me the tortillas that come with the combos plate but they did give me the one I paid extra for as I was trying to have three tortillas between my brothers and all I was given was one. For orders more than two items I would definitely go inside vs the drive-thru and then check everything. They're nice enough people but they seem to forget items or don't get the order right if it's too complicated. I'm marking the service down because of that Original review: Grabbed the Santy's Rolled Tacos on like day #2 being open.

Chicken version which were really good but would have been excellent if the carne asada they put on top wasn't fridge cold. I'll order them again, but I'll remind them to heat up the carne asada, gets some char off the grill to make it super tasty 😋.

Stopped for a breakfast burrito a couple days later. It was really good but for my tastes, I need to add another egg and more bacon. They were very generous with the potatoes, but that meant that you didn't get enough egg as the potatoes dominated.

Unfortunately service wise I am annoyed. They keep giving me a chili relleno burrito instead of just a chile relleno. That's the second time it's happened. Most people would be thrilled because you're only paying $3.50 and you get a whole burrito but we want just a chile relleno -solamente!

We also ordered bean burritos which are pretty good, we'll give it a 7.5 out of 10. Probably solid 8+ if you eat it there cuz it's nice and hot but we have to take it back to Heron Lake and by then it's only lukewarm. I'm not a big fan of microwaving so we just eat it that way.

Fina's nearby is rated higher but I found their food barely edible.

I think Finas have people putting in fake reviews and the locals are pumping up there numbers in support of them because they support the community. I say this because some of our visitors and year-round staff where I am camp hosting this summer say -IF- they go there it's only for breakfast burritos. I agree with them cuz I had a non-breakfast meal there and it sucked.

So, Santy's isn't perfect service wise yet but... the food doesn't suck. They keep giving me more food than I'm ordering but I would just like them to get the...

I give one star because 0 stars is not an option! The first night we tried to go there, we got into town late. It was ten minutes to closing, the doors were already locked, and they just looked at us. Their sign said drive thru open, so we went to the drive thru. As soon as we pulled up to the drive thru, they shut all of the lights off. Thank God for family dollar's refrigerated and frozen meal section. The second night (with Chama's limited places open), we decided to give them another shot. We were the only customers there the entire time. The girl at the counter was rude. On her phone, the ENTIRE time we were ordering and when she put the food on the counter. The only time she put the phone down was to yell and argue with my husband when he told her we were still missing a meal. He gave her the receipt and tried to explain which one it was, but she kept talking over him. Finally, she grabbed the receipt and tossed it to the cook in the back while talking crap. Three out of the five of us are more than fluent in spanish and knew what she was saying. The cook came out from the back and apologized for her behavior and said my meal would be out shortly. That was their only saving grace. After all that ... the food wasn't even that good, with the exception of their pasole. At least that had so.e flavor to it. If we go back to the cabins again, sadly, dinners we will have to cook ourselves. Santy...

I am a Mexican food snob. I have had Mexican food all over the country and in Latin America. I cook. I know Mexican food, and I know the difference between good and bad versions of dishes.

That said, this is some of the best Mexican food I've ever eaten, if not the best. I was shocked. The place does not look like you're about to be treated to such incredible food. My expectations were low. But I was blown away. The members of the family started sharing what the others had ordered, and we were amazed that everything seemed to be the best version of that dish that we had ever eaten. The cheese enchiladas were so flavorful. The beef enchiladas were even better. (The meat seems to be cooked with slow roasted peppers.) The carnitas, the chimichangas... Unbelievable. Even their salsa was amazing (but very hot). I really hope that others discover this place. Now, don't expect ambiance at this place. It's small and humble, with hard Formica booths. Don't come for atmosphere. (Think foam take-out containers and plastic knives.) Come for the food, and then stay and enjoy Chama. I'm delighted that our small town has such an excellent new...