El Chilango — Restaurant in Gulfport

When it comes to Mexican food, there are two basic types -- Authentic Mexican and Americanized Mexican. Diners in the US have had our palates trained toward a more spicy version of what has been generalized as "Mexican".  Authentic Mexican is not what is served in a vast majority of US restaurants labeled as Mexican cuisine.  There is a distinct difference between the two and it all comes down to the preference of each diner.

Before I get to the food rating, I'd like to point out that the service at El Chilango is exceptional. The entire staff is courteous and attentive. Even the manager/owner comes by to make sure your dining experience is an enjoyable one. The restaurant is at the end of a non-descript strip shopping center, but that shouldn't be a deterant. The downside of the location is parking -- the lot was never designed for today's big SUV's and trucks. In other words, tight.

What initially drew me to El Chilango (a colloquial term for anyone from Mexico City) was the number of five star ratings. And, since it was Cinco de Mayo, I wanted Mexican. After being served the obligatory chips and salsa, I ordered the Enchiladas Verdes.  And with the first bite, I knew I was dining on Authentic Mexican cuisine where the food is pure and not overly celebrated with spices and peppery heat.  But that's when I lost interest. My palate is accustomed to Americanized Mexican so I found the enchiladas to be very mild -- almost bland. I'm not criticizing El Chilango. Their food is very good if you want "authentic".  But I like spice and heat and their food just doesn't have it, even after I ordered a side of jalapenos.

My recommendation is to give El Chilango a try if you truly want authentic but don't expect to be served...

my mother and i went there for a late lunch after seeing it featured in Living magazine . good notes first ! i could actually taste the hints of hibiscus in the refreshing sweet tea , and the chips and guacamole were delicious . i got the surf and turf 1/2 grilled pinapple with steak, chicken , and shrimp fajita -piping hot and sizzling ! a beautiful display . however , the steak and chicken were so tough and unpleasantly chewy that the only way to try to eat it was with the delicious grilled pineapple . gave up on the meat and just ate the pineapple . my mom got a trilogy of a stuffed poblano pepper , chicken taco ( which she said was good , and a tamale , which was according to her -so-so . her stuffed pepper was not warmed through so the cheese inside wasn’t even melted . how do you do that ? ok ! so being huge flan lovers - my grandmother use to make it regularly — we both ordered the flan . the minute it arrived i could tell it was way off . pretty with a dollop of whip cream and a strawberry flower on the side , the flan was a spongy wet mass ! yep ! you guessed it . i am talking once was frozen . frankly , it was gross . and my stomach which yearned for some delicious provocative dishes was very...

We have been trying to get to El Chilango since we'd heard they'd opened. First time, we decided to stay closer to home and then I saw reviews and photos of their food and I was so sad that we had made the wrong choice. The very next weekend we planned to go and didn't do our due diligence and realized they were closed on Sundays. More sadness. Many delicious looking reviews later and great sadness, we finally had a chance to get out to see them last night. No more sadness. El Chilango is without a doubt, the BEST Mexican food on the coast. We had the sampler, the birria tacos, birria ramen, huacharez, the burrito and desserts. Everything was beautifully seasoned and delicious. Even our picky eater was thrilled with everything she tried. The service was impeccable. Our server was so sweet and attentive.

We are so in love with this place and will be...