7125 Fountain View Drive
Liberty Township, OH 45069
513-755-2901
website
A concept that hails from Dallas, Texas, Cantina Laredo has since expanded to a few key cities all over the country, typically finding its way into upscale shopping centers, airports and commercial centers. An open concept busy with decorative earthen pots, hanging lights and a massive bar that serves up refreshing drinks of all kinds. The menu is ‘Modern Mexican,’ a version of Tex-Mex that is cleaned up a bit and served with higher-notch ingredients. The locations often end up being large-size very busy establishments, but they don’t make for a bad place for a happy hour.
The menu has a lot of the classic Tex Mex fare, much of it specifically using ingredients a bit on the higher end. While the prices are elevated from your average corner Tex Mex shop, you’re still left with a great meal. Some of the things I liked:
- Chips and salsa: Crispy thin tortillas served with two choices of salsa. One is a bit chunkier but more savory, the other is a thinner, spicier note.
- Chicken fajita tacos: Soft tacos topped with a creamy poblano drizzle as well as a dicing of avocado, carrots, cilantro and queso fresco. They’re light enough to eat three without leaving you bloated. But that sauce, especially the poblano on top, adds a very exciting heat you don’t notice at first.
- Pulled Beef Tamale: This tamale is a monster; beef on a thick tortilla and topped with an awesome chili con carne and cheddar cheese. One of my favorite things on the menu.
- Chicken Enchiladas: Topped with sour cream sauce and poblano drizzle, this enchilada is thick and delicious.
- Casa Rita: The in-house margarita, which is made with fresh lime juice and served on the rocks in a funnel-shaped tumbler. Good for a hot day, especially with some spicy food.
The restaurants all have a really nice spacious interior, each one is designed to be pretty big. Crowded too, each location I visited was packed full of people at meal time, and happy hour tends to be a great time for bigger groups. In spite of the spirits, I would definitely call it a family friendly bar. The price points are a bit higher but the food is a notch up in terms of quality, and the food still comes pretty fast.
Altogether, there is a lot of excitement to this spot, but it’s a pretty good place to go to grab some happy hour drinks or some grub. Worth a try.
Recommendations
- The menu is a bit higher-end, but the quality is there. I highly recommend trying the drinks for the happy hour.
- The tacos are a great thing to try if you are looking for something lighter.
- Food here comes pretty fast in spite of the large size, so don’t worry about the crowds.
Another Food Critic 