Sticking To Tacos At Mexican Restaurants Could Be A Big Mistake. Here's Why

At any Mexican restaurant, many people simply order ground beef or chicken tacos. Whether they are the Americanized version with hard shells and shredded cheddar cheese or the more traditional variety on soft tortillas with freshly-chopped cilantro, tacos are comforting and familiar. But just because you love tacos, that doesn't mean they're always the best choice. You may be missing out on far more unique and delicious Mexican cuisine. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make at a Mexican restaurant is sticking with familiar dishes liker tacos. Mexican cuisine is vast, and tacos are just one of the dishes that make up the array of foods found in Mexico and at Mexican restaurants in the United States. Not only can you order tacos at any Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant, but you can easily make tacos at home. However, other dishes inspired by various regions of Mexico might not be as common and are certainly not as easy to whip up yourself, so try to step outside your comfort zone a bit.

We aren't here to convince you to totally skip the tacos, but there are so many other Mexican dishes to try. A go-to dish you might want to try is chicken tinga, a spicy and smoky stew that might even come on tacos at certain spots. Depending on the restaurant, ceviche in a tomato-based sauce might be on the menu, which isn't as easy to make at home and gives you flavors of the coast. You might also want to try pozole, a soup made of hominy and protein like chicken that goes back to the Aztecs. Dishes that include mole sauce take a while to build flavor, so those are always solid choices if you see them on the menu.

Hungry? You can find some of these dishes at the best Mexican restaurants in the country, and likely at your neighborhood spot too. At Oyamel, which has locations in Washington D.C. and New York City, you can order a slew of ceviches to satisfy the seafood craving. At El Mitote in New York City, you can indulge in saucy chilaquiles. And over in Los Angeles, you can place an order for pork shank pozole verde at Cacao Mexicatessen to try something different.