Another Good Mexican Restaurant Opens In Clearwater

Author Geno

October 7th, 2023 11:04 PM

Why is it all the best Mexican restaurants are on the Pinellas side of Tampa Bay? I got spoiled by having great Mexican food everywhere while living in California for 6 years. Finding a spot with a great burrito, legit salsa, and perfectly prepared rice and beans in Florida can be tough.

Hillsborough does have one spot I love – Miguel’s on Kennedy in Tampa is pretty amazing. I love their Alambres Miguel fajitas with sautéed chorizo, jack cheese, onions, red & green bell peppers with grilled beef & chicken. But otherwise, all of my go to spots are on the Pinellas side of Tampa Bay: Que Pasa in St. Pete, Señor Taco in Pinellas Park, or Huarache Azteca and Don Pancho Villa both in Clearwater.

Now there’s another Pinellas spot on my approved list.  Grand Hacienda just opened up on Ulmerton Road in Feather Sound. It made my top 5 list after only one visit. To my surprise though, it’s not a one off.  There are already Grand Hacienda restaurants in St. Pete Beach, downtown St. Pete, at the Tyrone Square Mall and in Tampa on Sheldon Road. Let me show you around.

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  Welcome to "Grand Hacienda." Not particularly fancy - but I don't usually like fancy. I'm cheap! Seeing that they served pancakes kind of lowered my expectations.

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  Their location isn't the best. They're next to a liquor store... and...

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  ... and a gas station. But hey sometimes it's those hole in the wall spots that have the good stuff. So let's give it a shot.
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  The decor inside is nice and colorful... here's the bar you see as you enter.

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  The dining area is colorful and clean. And the AC was cranked up... a pet peeve of mine is that it seems many Mexican restaurants barely have the AC on. And when I eat spicy foods, I want plenty of water and AC!

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  The chips were warm when they arrived. Good start. Positive sign that they're made fresh to order.
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  The salsa was fresh too. Definitely not from a jar. I hate watery jar salsa. Lots of flavor and not too hot, but it had a kick. You only get one basket of chips and salsa, but I'm A-OK with that. There were plenty of chips. If they served endless baskets, they'd probably have to go cheap on the product they use.

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  Several restaurants have come and gone in this neighborhood. But now that there are some giant new luxury apartment buildings going up in the area this place will have a chance. About half the tables were full when I popped in for lunch.

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  Lots of good lunch specials... I went with the brisket flautas. But that taco salad sounds good too, especially with some grilled chicken or steak.
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  Burgers were on the lunch menu. I am curious, but I can't order a burger at a Mexican restaurant.

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  Anyone seen my lost shaker of salt? Wasted away again in ...

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  Waiting for my food to arrive, I snapped a few photos around the dining area to give you an idea of the interior.
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  Lots of color throughout the room.

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  And here it is... the brisket flautas. They were GREAT. I'm not an avocado guy, but if you are a fan, it looked super fresh. The rice and beans were good, but that green sauce... it was EXCELLENT.

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  The Cubana sounds good.
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  The house specialties. Prices are a bit on the steep side, but Feather Sound probably isn't the best part of town to look for a bargain.

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  The Mangonada sounds fun. I love ginger and a chilli-lemon powder? I'm intrigued.

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  I love fajitas. $23 for a chicken/steak combo seems kind of high, but I'll give them a try eventually. I'll pass on the pineapple fajitas though.
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  I might go with the Brisket Tacos next time.

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  Service was kind of spotty. Never got a refill, but the waitress was nice. The fact that she hardly spoke any English was a big plus. It probably will annoy some 'Murica types, but as soon as I heard her struggle with the language, I knew I found a good spot.

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  I was surprised when I saw the menu that this is a chain restaurant. I'm usually not a chain restaurant guy.
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  Being the cheapskate I am, I love that they have that Taco Tuesday deal.

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  Cheers. I'm not a Mojito guy but sometime I'll definitely be back to try the "Perfect Margarita."

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  Just my luck. They have the 2 for 1 drink specials while I'm at work.
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  You are cleared for departure.

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  Cheap! The lunch specials are pretty affordable.

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  Their brunch options look appetizing but just seemed weird to see this so prominently at the entrance. If I'm in the mood for Mexican, it's jarring to see pancakes and eggs benedict. Gotta admit the crepes do look good though.

If you wanna give Grand Hacienda a try, pop 2325 Ulmerton Rd, Clearwater, FL 33762 into your GPS. They’re about 3 minutes off the Ulmerton Road Exit if you’re taking the exit off 275. They’re across from the Starbucks near the Shell Station. Their phone number is (727) 623-9140.

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Author Geno

Category:

• Geno
• Food
• Trending In Tampa Bay

Tags:

#GenoAteTampa... a collection of Geno's favorite places to eat in Tampa Bay!,mexican food,restaurants