Pepe's – Harlingen
Star Rating: 3.0
A common phrase used by many restaurants in the RGV is the proverbial “We’re #1 – We’re the Best" - whether it be the Best Mexican food, Best Bar-B-Que, Best Brisket, Best Seafood, etc. etc. etc.
Besides, who in the RGV doesn’t know the difference between a well prepared and delicious Mexican meal and one that is disappointingly subpar?
So, who has the best Mexican Food in Harlingen?
Here’s the list of restaurants we have frequented, compared, and decided to write reviews for: La Playa, Platillo’s, Pepe’s, and Los Asados.
Well, if you go by TripAdvisor or Yelps listing of candidates across the region – it would seem the majority of Taqueria’s and Mexican Restaurants who either have a Facebook page or website, all claim that they are indeed, the best!
Of course, when you consider this regions history and take into account the demographics of its population - why would anyone be surprised to find that the RGV has more Taquerias and Mexican restaurants per square mile than the seven Boroughs of New York City combined.
With that said, it stands to reason that the RGV likes what it likes, and it definitely loves to eat Tacos and Mexican Food. Why not?
When done right - Mexican food is one of the most delicious cuisines available. It is the 3rd most popular menu type in the USA, representing 8 percent of the total national restaurant landscape. The foods and flavors from Mexico have influenced American cuisine for centuries. But in the last half of the 1900s, Mexican-inspired foods found their way to every corner of the United States, merging into the mainstream. Culinary staples like tortillas, salsa, chips, chili, burritos, and tacos help to formulate many Americans' notions of Mexican food. And, due in part to big business, immigration, and widespread likability, Mexican food and dishes have largely become basic essentials in the American household. So, when presented with so many Mexican restaurants offering the same type of menu options, and with so little of them offering recipes to set them apart from each other, how do you quantify and/or qualify claiming you’ve got the best Mexican food in all the Rio Grande Valley?
Let’s be real though…Frankly, throwing out an opinion like “the best Mexican food in the RGV” is a bold statement but a meaningless claim. If a restaurant doesn’t present tangible facts to back up their claimed reputation, they’ll glaze over it with self-admiration. This is an outdated method of advertising and one that doesn’t really have a place in today’s social media experience. People are coming to your page or website to gain information about your business. They want a real look at your menu, services, people, testimonials, and great pics/videos of what you serve. People base their actions on facts, and they’re not likely to call or bother to go in until they have the facts straight.
Therefore, content should be front and center – content is king. Give them what they want high up on the page. What do you do and what sets you apart from the other restaurants that serve Mexican food? Making claims is one thing, but living up to them, quite another. And, despite the fact that companies are playing in a game that cannot be won, too many business leaders keep playing as if they can. They continue to make claims that they are the "best" or that they are "number one." Such claims have become so commonplace that we rarely, if ever, stop to actually think about how ridiculous some of them are. Whenever I see a company claim that it is number one or the best, we always like to look at the fine print to see how they cherry-picked the metrics.
So, instead of taking the usual approach to our reviews, we did our best to order the same or equivalent dishes from each restaurant and rated them accordingly. Moreover, our “foodie” followers in the RGV know the difference between a well prepared and delicious Mexican meal and one that doesn’t merit praise.
Here’s what we ordered:
Appetizer: Nachos - corn tortilla chips topped with refried beans, yellow American cheese, garnished with lettuce and Pico de Gallo.
Appetizer: Guacamole – avocados, spices, garnished with lettuce and Pico de Gallo.
Entrée: Steak Fajitas – marinated steak, served sizzling on top of a bed of grilled onions and bell peppers.
Entrée: Carne Asada – grilled skirt steak, or sirloin steak, topped with grilled veggies.
Entrée: Beef Tacos – street tacos and/or crispy tacos
Entrée: Enchiladas – cheese and/or mole enchiladas
Dessert: Flan
Using our 2foodies restaurant guide, here’s how they stacked up against each other:
With La Playa being our go-to spot and favorite place to enjoy a “good” Mexican Meal:
Pepe’s: 3.0
In sum, our mission is to raise-the-bar at home; so, rest assured that a “Baseline” score of a three represents a proud accomplishment for any restaurant that merits a thumbs up – it's the starting point towards excellence!
So, what sets us apart from those who earn a living writing paid reviews for publications, or videographers who are hired by restaurants to create promotional videos, and the countless others who profit off the restaurant industry? Or the opposite extreme of popular choices known as “published crowd-sourced reviews” like Yelp, facebook, and google – where everyone can post an unsolicited opinion, without personal accountability or consequence.
Conversely, RGV 2foodies has a vested interest in the success of the restaurants we frequent, and paid restaurant critics et al., or voluntary social media food critics – do not.
We’re often asked whether we consider ourselves Food Critics, and the short and simple answer to that question is, NO.
We’re “Foodies” first and foremost. We love food. We advocate on behalf of those who labor every day to bring good food to the table. Our quest for that scrumptious dish, and delectable recipe, encouraged us to develop a restaurant guide with an unorthodox approach to a 5-Star Rating System that prefers to speak to the hearts and minds of people like you and I – foodies.
Yes, Customer Service is of utmost importance; Cleanliness should be a definite given; A Price Point/Value that’s fair and reasonable would be appreciated; And of course, the perfect Ambiance would complete that special night out on the town. But if the food is less than good, why bother going out in the first place?
That said, here’s an opportunity for everyone to share their opinions: Who do you believe has the best Mexican food in the valley? Who, consistently, serves the best quality meats, freshest ingredients, and tastiest recipes in the Rio Grande Valley? We started our quest in Harlingen but will be heading out to the rest of the valley based on your feedback. Our next destination – McAllen.
As ‘foodies’ go, we aspire for something more, something better than just a passing meal, and to that end, we believe our system will help guide you in the right direction… A meal you won’t soon forget.
Buen Provecho!
