Kissi Restaurant — Restaurant in McAllen

One of the benefits of not having a car available is that it forces you to walk around your neighborhood when you need something. Tacos Kissi is one of those gems that you would never visit unless someone recommended it to you. It's easy to miss as you drive along busy 10th Street, which has the highest concentration of small businesses in McAllen.

The building stands out because it has that new paint look. The interior has that newish look without being pretentious. As an English-only speaker, I was put offish by the greeeter's continued use of Spanish even after it was apparent that I was not bilingual. He was obviously disappointed when I ordered only two side dishes and a soda. He quickly served the almost-mandatory "chips" which came with five versions of salsa, from bland to spicy, and a large glass of soda with a lot of ice, perfect for someone who was over-heating from walking in 100 degree weather.

However, it took almost 30 minutes for my order to be served. I almost walked out, sensing that I was being discriminated because of the size of my order. Only an incoming phone call kept me from walking out.

The beef taco was excellent. The quality of the beef was high, and it was flavorful enough that it didn't need much else. I did add the grilled onions. For someone who doesn't eat that much, that one taco was just enough for lunch.

I am not a burrito fan, but I did want to taste their shrimp dishes, and so ordering a burrito was one way to sample the quality of their seafood.

I would rank their burrito as the best I have tasted. It contained whole shrimp, not pieces. It wasn't smothered in refried beans; instead, it was more of a shrimp with rice dish, along with vegetables. For me, it was what I think a burrito should be, i.e., from an Asian perspective.

The menu also lists oysters, something you don't usually find in a city that is not on a beach. I plan to return to sample their other seafood items because I'm guessing that this could be one of those places that should advertise themselves as a seafood restaurant.

As I paid the bill, I asked for a to-go cup so I could take my soda with me. I was pleasantly surprised when my server brought me a fresh 32-oz (I think) cup of soda with lots of ice. I would have given this place only three stars, but that little gesture was enough to earn back the fourth star they lost from the service provided.

I'm going to return to eat a full entree of their seafood selection, along with raw oysters, and I have a feeling that their dishes won't disappoint.

PS: Although service was not acceptable, I gave a 25% tip. At a time when everyone is struggling to work through the problems brought about by the pandemic, I think it's important to express our appreciation for service workers who, for time immemorial, have never been fully compensated. I believe that "a rising tide...

I tried Kissi Tacos located on South 10th Street. Once seated we were given our menus and our drink order was taken. While we waited for our drinks an attendant brought us a plate with different salsas in plastic ramekins. There was a fire roasted salsa, a tomato based salsa, a green salsa, Pico de Gallo, and one of refried beans with chorizo. All were very tasty and not too spicy. Our sodas arrived and we ordered Choriqueso, (chorizo and melted cheese) as an appetizer. This appetizer is served on a hot iron skillet and comes with flour tortillas. You basically tear a piece of tortilla and use it to scoop up the cheese. I like to wrap the cheese stretch around the tortilla. Usually I get refried beans with this appetizer, but the salsa plate had beans so I used them instead. I can't believe we finished it all, OK who am I kidding, it never stood a chance. Turns out we ordered the same entree, The Shrimp Tacos!! The plate comes with four tacos with two tacos wrapped in foil, so you get two foil wraps. I assume this keeps them warm. The plate is served with grilled onions, charro beans, and a scoop of loaded baked potato. Honestly, everything I tasted was really good, The shrimp was fresh as can be and in a light salsa, so, so good! The loaded potato made me feel all warm inside, it was so good. I almost started dancing that's how good these tacos are. The shrimp is cooked perfectly, and you can taste the freshness. The beans tho dark in appearance were tasty. Kissi Taco is definitely one of the...

Hidden gem! I had been craving huevo rancheros for some time so I Googled places near me. My wife and I were close by and found two really close to each other. We parked and I said, "left or right door" to my wife. She chose the left door, even tho she was not going to be eating. Walking in, I immediately liked the ambiance. I already knew what I wanted so we ordered and it didn't disappoint. The waitress comes by with some samples of their Oatmeal in small cups (🫨And it's so good) and chips and salsa. 3 different salsas and a refried beans cup accompany this finger food starter for many. Lechera and their way of preparing the oatmeal was similar to mine and RIGHT AWAY my wife said "I'm taking some home!" Tasted it and was really impressed that mine was along the same line as this one. Great flavor (I didn't need to add ANY salt to anything) and presentation. (And I know, I need to start posting pics😔). Decided that I wanted some orange juice and called the waitress over. My wife asked how the OJ was and if it was sweet. To my surprise, she said that it all depends on the oranges 😲 and a HUGE light bulb went off in my head but I stayed quiet. Since my beautiful wife was facing the bar, she tells me..."she's squeezing it fresh" and 🤯😲🫨 I was floored! That sealed the deal with me... we'll be back!! Great place to try for yourself. Great service, great tasting food, and nice atmosphere. Thanks to everyone there for a really pleasurable...