Table Talk: Charrito's

Charrito's
1024 Washington St.
Hoboken, NJ
201–659–2800

It just so happens that two of my BFFs are identical twins, and every time we plan their birthday it’s always twice as pricey. Well, with the economy tanking this year, we were really focused on dining somewhere budget–friendly, and the Mexican eatery Charrito's fit the bill. Since they opened their first restaurant in Union City, NJ fifteen years ago, Charrito's has been the popular go-to spot for Mexican cuisine. It’s been so popular that it has since opened three other locations—the most recent in Jersey City. For the birthday festivities we decided on one of the Hoboken locations and even though it's not huge, they were as accommodating as possible considering we were a group of 20!

Everyone chose something different, like Bistec Tapiqueno (steak with rice, beans, guac, & salsa, $17), and the dish that put Charrito's on the map, Los Tacitos de Tia Veva (fried corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, Mexican sauce, cheese, and avocado, $7). The portions are plentiful, so you are able to share and try more than one plate. But the highlight of the Charrito's experience is their BYOB policy. You can bring your fave bottle of wine and skip the ridiculous restaurant markups. They'll even whip up a pitcher of sangria or margaritas for just $9 if you provide the alcohol. Now that's what I call a recession special!

www.loscharritos.com