Favorite Mexican restaurant
My favorite Mexican restaurant in Grand Rapids - possibly my favorite restaurant of any kind in Grand Rapids - is Caramba just off the corner of Leonard and Fuller. Jose is the owner, and he’s a great guy, but the food … oh the food!
My wife is from Texas, and Paula and I lived there together for several years, so we know good Mexican food (and the Texas variant Tex-Mex). We missed it so much when we moved to Grand Rapids. Thank goodness Caramba went up so close to us.
I particularly like the Chimichangas and Flautas, but everything is great. We’ve taken many, many guests, and everybody has liked their meals. The rice and beans are a cut above anything else I’ve had in the area - most other places seem to treat those important elements as afterthoughts, but Caramba gives them the respect they deserve.
Vegetarians can get cheese and vegetable dishes (I’m not sure strict vegans can find anything that would work, though).
The ambiance is simple and open - family oriented, not fancy. That works for us, because we bring our two-year-old, and he runs around like crazy. You order at the counter, and they bring the food to your table. They don’t have a liquor license, but they serve those tasty Mexican sodapops, including a non-alcoholic Sangria that Paula likes a lot.
Take-out’s a great option and now they even offer delivery! That’s all too rare in GR. According to Jose, they also do a fair amount of catering.
One last thing - get a dozen Tamales to go and freeze some when you get home. They heat up great and are an excellent quick snack.
Caramba - my favorite!