“In Short
This intimate, pleasantly dim dining room (think muted beige and terra cotta) contains no Mexican flags, no wrought iron railings and no pinatas. Chatting professionals, young couples, and area families enjoy a menu that straddles the line between familiar and adventuresome, such as potato quesadillas with asadero cheese and roasted chicken with achiote. Try a bowl of menudo, a spicy tripe soup, or escabeche, a Spanish dish of marinated fish served cold as an appetizer.”

“It was an evening that would once have been difficult to imagine: Saturday night at Pueblo Solis, without reservations, and we walked right in, with only a party or two ahead of us at the host’s station. We were seated within a minute or two and didn’t have to wait crammed in the bar or narrow entry passage or hanging out the front door. We also actually had a little elbow room during our meal.”

“If you are looking for good authentic Mexican food, and a casual, yet intimate atmosphere, then you need to try Pueblo Solis on Hampton. This is not a large commercialized restaurant; Pueblo Solis may only hold 35-40 people, so I wouldn’t recommend a large group. The wait is worth it, but if you don’t like waiting, try going before dinner or after the rush. At Pueblo Solis, you aren’t greeted with a basket of store-bought chips and some watered down salsa. Instead, the chips are home-made and you have three different salsa’s to choose from. The margaritas are excellent at Pueblo Solis, as is everything on the menu. After dinner, the owner will usually come out to make sure you enjoyed your meal. Something you don’t see very often these days. Don’t forget to try the Mango Cheesecake or the sopapilla as both are great desserts! Pueblo Solis is by far the best Mexican restaurant in St. Louis.”

Beyond burritos but still warm and casual, Pueblo Solis remains a reliable spot for those wanting more than just another Mexican meal, one that has nothing to do with shredded iceberg lettuce. Multi-generational families and groups inspect the restaurant’s wall decorations and wait patiently for out-of-the-ordinary eats. Nothing here is flaming-hot, except one of the three salsas, but pepper-heads probably won’t miss the heat. Menudo-eaters can get a fix any night, and the guacamole’s terrific, but those are about the only typical dishes on the interesting menu. Tucked into soft, smooth masa, homemade tamales have warm, deep flavors. Potato quesadillas will make you moan, and fish is treated with an attitude straight out of Veracruz.”