Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Chino Valley

Being relatively new to the area, I’m constantly on the hunt for excellent, authentic Mexican food. Word-of-mouth recommendations are my usual guide, and Casa Grande came highly recommended by several people, so we made the drive from Prescott Valley to try it out. It proved to be an example of the adage that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Frankly, you would never stumble upon it just driving around. While the exterior and initial impression of the place might seem unimpressive at first glance, any reservations we had quickly vanished when Emma greeted us with a genuinely friendly smile and seated us right away. Her warm welcome set the stage for what turned out to be a decent dining experience.

I am a fan of what many know as Chile Colorado, which is chunks of beef in a rich red chile sauce. I have yet to find a decent restaurant in the area that lives up to my expectations of what I am used to. Having been raised in the southwest and having worked in many regions of Mexico, I am admittedly spoiled to the point that I make my red sauce from dried chilies regularly. As a retired chef, I know what a good red sauce should be, whether the basic red, or the foundation for a Oaxacan mole.

I ordered the Chili Colorado burrito, anticipating a flavorful and meat-centric experience. Unfortunately, what arrived was a mixed bag. The burrito itself was relatively well-constructed, but alarmingly, it was only about half-filled with meat, and the rest was a huge amount of beans. The meat, thankfully, was tender and well-prepared, which was the sole redeeming quality of the burrito filling. Sadly, this was not a significant departure from my experience with the typical Chili Colorado burritos I’ve encountered in local restaurants. The excessive quantity of beans sadly had a detrimental effect on the overall flavor profile. Instead of the rich, robust taste of the red chile sauce I was looking forward to, the beans diluted the sauce, making it difficult to truly appreciate its quality. I don’t know why restaurateurs think this cost-cutting measure actually saves them money, when it actually costs them customers (who spend money). Those two or three tablespoons of beans can literally cost them hundreds of dollars in lost customers. A Chili Colorado burrito does not contain beans!!

The accompanying beans served on the side were equally underwhelming. They possessed a thin, watery consistency and lacked any actual substance or depth of flavor. However, there was a bright spot in the meal: the rice. Unlike the bland and often-overlooked rice that often serves as a mere filler on Mexican plates, this rice was exceptional. It was rich, flavorful, and clearly made with care and attention to detail, making it the highlight of the entire dish. It tasted as though cooked in stock versus just salted water, with a bit of tomato. Overall, the burrito was a disappointment, but the rice was fantastic.

My wife ordered the shrimp fajitas without green peppers, with corn tortillas. When the disk came, she received nicely cooked shrimp on a mountain of sauteed onions, with flour tortillas. She asked that the flour tortillas be swapped out for the corn tortillas she had specifically requested.

The presentation of the food at this establishment leaves much to be desired, suggesting a lack of attention to detail in the kitchen. While the taste may be acceptable, the visual appeal is clearly an afterthought. Adding a small garnish could significantly elevate the dining experience and show a sense of pride in the culinary creations. The addition of fresh elements like a small amount of shredded lettuce and a sprinkle of chopped tomato would communicate a simple message: “I care about the overall quality and presentation of the food I serve.” This simple effort could transform the meal from merely sustenance to a more enjoyable and memorable occasion for...

This is a decent neighborhood Mexican food restaurant, with very friendly service and good, fresh food. The prices are fair, and the facility seems clean and in good repair. I did not use the restroom, so I could not evaluate its cleanliness. I had a cheese enchilada and chile relleno combination and my companion had a chicken tamale and chicken taco combination. We had free chips and salsa to start, and the chips were just a little stale. The chicken tamale was a bit dry, but overall, the food was fairly good and quickly served, and included that great cheerful and friendly service. I should also mention that we went there on the spur of the moment following a community event a couple of blocks from the restaurant. Everything about the venue held up admirably to the sudden rush of customers, from the parking, to the cooks and servers, to the table bussers and dishwashers. Overall, an admirable example of a solid local business....

Sooo..the food here is beyond YUMMY!!!!! Fyi....on Tuesday they have tacos for half price!! So I get 3 ground beef tacos chips and salsa for under 10.00! The tacos are tortillas they cook into a shell not some stale shell they heat up to try make case better AND they stay crunchy to last bite. I always call my order in and pick up because I'm working. I have never had a messed up order or had to wait forever even though this place is hopping! Now reason I gave only 4 stars is....the salsa(if we can call it that) unfortunately it's not salsa it's WATER......chips are amazing though! I can't see how they would have everything else so good and allow that (almost) salsa to be served to customers...please fix it! It wasn't always like this..SOOOO... I can promise you if you haven't been there really the food is absolutely scrumptious!! Don't not go because of the salsa, you will keep going back once you go for 1st time...happy...