Kiosco Mexican Grill

Located at 3011 Spring Garden Street, Kiosco offers tacos, burritos, fajitas, and a wide variety of Mexican house specials. There is a full-service bar, and outdoor seating is available. Food and drink specials change daily.

Mexican dining in Greensboro is largely a series of trade-offs. Some establishments can make a mean taco (El Azteca), but lack ambience while others offer plenty of seating and variety (El Mariachi), but don’t always guarantee a good meal. Of all the local Mexican restaurants I’ve been to (six at last count), Kiosco comes the closest to offering the total package.

First, the food: the menu isn’t quite as stacked at El Mariachi’s, but it’s still plenty expansive in its own right. There are scores of specials for the lunch crowd, but those coming for dinner will still find plenty, from classic carnitas to sizzling steak fajitas and a few things you can’t find elsewhere. Ever want the contents of a burrito Texano tossed together, minus the burrito, and topped with cheese? They have that here, and they do it well: the A.C.P. Texano is well-seasoned and not too dry. Full-sized and half-sized options ensure the right fit for every appetite.

The food would be a draw in and of itself, but the service at Kiosco is spectacular. Servers are friendly, abundant, and lightning-quick. You won’t be sitting for more than a minute before someone takes your drink order, and that glass won’t remain empty for long unless you want it to be. Both the chips (complimentary with salsa, as they should be) and the check were delivered promptly and amicably.

Kiosco isn’t a large place, but the seating capacity is deceptive. Though the booths are few, the long table and the bar seat many. Outdoor seating in nicer weather further increases the capacity. Kiosco’s interior is as dark, calm and tastefully subdued as Mexico Restaurant’s is garishly colorful. A few TVs add appeal for sports fans.

One would expect to overpay for all these intangibles, but Kiosco manages to keep it reasonable. If you stick with the half-size on an entrée (adequate for a non-famished party of one), you can feed yourself for under $10. Nothing here is a steal, but the quality justifies the price.

Cheaper and gaudier/more fun Mexican restaurants exist, but Kiosco offers the best blend of food, service, and value. Until another establishment decides to step up its game, Kiosco gets my vote for Greensboro’s finest.

8.5/10