Picante Mexican Cuisine — Restaurant in Valparaiso

Not sure if anyone is aware of this Gem off the beaten path but I wasn’t until tonight

IMO everyone who loves Mexican food has to try it.

Talk about having great food and service.

Picante Mexican cuisine is absolutely fantastic.

I’ve had EL Saltos, Chunky Taco, Santo’s Tacos, Tacayos, EL Amigos etc….  Those of you who want AUTHENTIC Mexican food “HERE YOU GO” you need to try this place out it doesn’t get any more authentic than here.

Only one of two places has Molcajete in Valpo that I know of and if you have not tried it you’re missing out. I normally always get a taco dinner from every Mexican place I go to not because I don’t like anything else but because it’s quick and easy. I was in Minnesota and a guy turned me on to Molcajete and I loved it, so I ask for it every place I go to and no one offered it normally. El Saltos does but it wasn’t good. Let me me tell you for the prices here you’d think it’s either just ok or average food but not true here. I got 8 tacos worth of food and it was amazing, great flavor, had the sauce at the bottom like it’s suppose to, it came in a lava bowl and this blows the other Mexican places here in valpo out of the water!

My Wife had a burrito that was pretty big, she said it was so good.

Little one had chicken fingers & fry’s (lol) & Chips and salsa.

The price of our whole meal was 50 bucks. Hands down can’t beat these prices, the quality of the food and service was beyond good. (We were the only ones there eating but people were picking up orders.

This place should be slammed with people and I have a feeling they will be soon once they find out they are here.

This place has only been open for 6 months and needs our support.  They have door dash which the menu is different than eating in but you can order off either menu. (Weird I know) I think because it’s right by the valpo college they mostly have been getting college students so it makes sense looking at it that way.

Please support them I want this family business to stay open for a long time.

Before we left we dropped 4 bucks in the claw game my daughter was upset she didn’t win. We were walking out and a waitress came out of the restaurant and handed her a stuffed animal. Made her night. She didn’t have to do that but it made an impression we won’t forget. We found our go to Mexican restaurant I can’t say enough good things about this place. All around I give it 5 ⭐️’s. Parking might be an issue giving its location but if you’re craving it it’s worth it. Check them out. Let me know...

My wife and I ate here for the first time. It's just off campus near Valparaiso University.

The interior is spartan but functional. The wait staff was polite and attentive. They create the meals in the same room where you are seated. The menu is somewhat simplistic and doesn't have as many choices as we normally see at other Mexican restaurants.

After being seated, the chips and salsa came quickly. We noticed the menu items didn't offer seasoned ground beef as a meat choice. Your choice is chicken, steak, or shrimp. So, for tacos and enchiladas etc. you can't have them with seasoned ground beef. Also, they offer a green sauce over the enchiladas but they don't have red sauce. Strange.

I ordered the fajitas platter with chicken for the protein. It comes with rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, and four small tortillas. My wife ordered the taco dinner with chicken as the protein. It came with rice, beans, lettuce, and three small tortillas.

The food was prepared quickly. The portions where plentiful. The food tasted great. My fajita mixture was prepared with fresh ingredients and contained a lot of chicken. It was set on our table in a sizzling cast iron skillet. My wife's tacos were also very good although hard to eat because of the small sized tortillas.

Things to consider: Offer larger tortillas rather than the small 4 inch variety. This is especially useful to wrap a fajita. Offer seasoned ground beef as a protein. Offer a red sauce for the enchiladas.

Overall, we will be back. The food was well prepared and tasted great. The staff was friendly and the menu pricing is good. Give them a shot and support a small...

I stumbled upon this hidden gem accidentally. It looked super cute so o course added it to my Try list. We hate crowds so went on a Monday afternoon 230ish. Only occupant was one worker. A young man who was very welcoming. I ordered the carne asada with flour tortillas. Dude ordered Jalisco bowl. The salsa was hella bland. A baby could've drank it. But knowing local palettes think a chili bean is too spicy, I am resigned to receiving limp salsa by now. The food didn't take long and came out sizzlin n lookin sexxxy. The shrimp from the bowl was perfectly cooked! That's very impressive and a rarity in my experience. Often they are curled up tight as a fist and rubbery enough to bounce. My steak oh ho! Well cooked, seasoned. The blistered jalapeno on top may have been the best part. Next time I'd order like half a dozen. The beans were good, texture n taste. The rice was good. However, the bowl did have the stupid Chinese vegetables that are apparently a requirement for any restaurant rice now. WHYYYYY They seasoned the rice well enough those ugly lil bits weren't discernable in the taste so thankful for that at least. This place was spanking clean. The menus were slick and the joint is surprisingly tech savvy with an app as well as a rewards program! Very impressive. Def recommend this restaurant. The food was the best Mexican fare we've had...