★★★★☆

Ellie’s Cantina is a local Mexican restaurant located in the middle of Parker Square off of 1171.  Searching for the cantina while roaming the nearly empty streets of the square is a difficult task.   Although the inside of the restaurant is authentic and bright, when walking up to the door, one may not realize that the restaurant even exists because of the lack of signage.

Though finding it may be a bit of a nuisance, this quaint little restaurant is definitely not one to miss.  Bright, multicolored lights line the ceiling, and authentic Mexican pictures and pottery are placed around the open area.  Smells of freshly made tortillas and salsa overwhelm you as you walk through the doors and led to your seat.  The floor and tables, however, seem somewhat dated.  The tables are white with thin silver legs, and the floors seem to belong in a school cafeteria. But the brightness of the yellow walls and authenticity of the environment make up for these outdated aspects.

The food choice is overwhelming. Inside the menu are breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees as well as Tex-Mex and specialty items.  For those indecisive people, it may be difficult to make a decision, but too many options are never a bad thing when it comes to great food.  The prices aren’t bad either, ranging from five to about fifteen dollars.

The descriptions of the food on the menu seem to make the meal seem much larger than it actually is. A brief wave of disappointment may wash over you as the plate of enchiladas that are smaller than you expected is placed before you. But after taking a couple bites, you realize you wouldn’t be able to eat any more than what you ordered.

The friendly staff members prepare table- side guacamole with fresh avocados and tomatoes.  The chefs also put a unique twist on beans by providing a bean soup option instead of the usual refried version. All of the chicken is cooked in a chile garlic glaze, and tacos can be made either with flour or corn tortillas. These delicious options allow you to taste different varieties of authentic Mexican meals.   

The cheese, however, is a little too, well, cheesy. The first bite is always the best. But after the food cools off a little, the cheese begins to thicken and becomes hard to pull apart. Although it’s tasty, too much cheese makes eating somewhat of a struggle. It is possible, though, that when part of your meal is a cheese covered, cheese stuffed taco, you may find a little too much cheese for your liking.

Overall, Ellie’s Cantina is a great place to eat when you are looking for an authentic Mexican atmosphere and cuisine.  We rate it four out of five stars.

 For more information about this find, visit www.elliescantina.com.