BySyd Britt

Where should you get tasty Mexican food in Richmond? The common answers to this question might be El Caporal, Plaza Azteca, Los Panchos, or even Original Mexican Restaurant. But what if I told you that the best restaurant to get real, authentic Mexican food, while also getting a different experience than all the other cookie-cutter Mexican spots, would be a place that most have never heard of. This place would be none other than Taqueria Y Antojitos El Chido, or just El Chido for short. 

Located right off Starling Drive, across the street from Regency Mall, the new dine-in location of El Chido might be the most original Mexican experience that you can get in the Richmond area. Before the opening of the dine-in location, El Chido’s most prominent location was the food truck parked in the BP gas station parking lot. The new dine-in location has recently opened, making it the fifth El Chido store in Richmond, and it may pose competition to the nearby Chipotle. 

Chips and guac.

Along with the authentic environment, El Chido delivers exceptional quality food with a wide variety of options on the menu. To put El Chido’s greatness into perspective, upon entrance, I was met with an employee from El Caporal sitting at the bar. Why would he not just get food from the place he works? Well, he must think that El Chido has either better food or offers a better experience, or maybe both. El Chido delivers both better than most other Mexican restaurants in the 804.

As I pulled into the parking lot of El Chido, the building was lit up by a myriad of colorful lights, giving it a welcoming feeling and making the restaurant stand out from all the others. There was a menu right outside the door, which is beneficial when there is a longer wait during busy lunch or dinner hours. 

Chorizo tacos.

During my visit to El Chido, I was accompanied by my father, Charlie Britt, who works in real estate and is a self-described food lover. We ordered several items that would give us an overall sense of how the restaurant compared to other Mexican spots. Altogether, we ordered house-made tortilla chips with queso and guacamole, two chorizo tacos, a steak sampler plate, a chicken tostada, and a barbacoa gordita. 

The chips, queso, and guacamole were a pleasing appetizer to begin our meal. The chips were lightly salted and had the perfect crisp to them. The queso was exceptional, too—its texture was a little thicker than typical queso, but it suited the chips perfectly; it resembled the thicker consistency of most Tostitos Queso. The queso came out to our table still warm, which made it that much more enjoyable. My father commented, “This has to be some of the best queso I’ve ever had.” The guacamole, on the other hand, was nothing to write home about. It still had that fresh, citrusy taste to it that is crucial to a tasty guacamole dish, but it was nothing too different from other homemade guacamole ($5.75). 

Steak sampler.

For my main dish, I ordered the chorizo tacos. It came with two finely cut chorizo corn tortilla tacos topped with diced onions, cilantro, and cabbage. On the side, I was given two limes, which, once squeezed onto the tacos, balanced out fantastically with the chorizo’s slight spice. The taco’s simplicity makes it such an easy eat, and at the price of $6.75, it is a customer favorite. 

Deli and condiments bar.

My father ordered the steak sampler plate, which came with two cuts of thin steak topped with sliced grilled onions and peppers, with rice, beans, and a small salad on the side. He had great things to say about this dish, as he loved each aspect of it. One critique of his, however, was that the steak was a little on the tougher side. At $11.50, this dish offers an acceptable amount of food for the price. Additionally, before eating the steak sampler plate, my father utilized the free deli bar that offers sauces, ranging from sweet to spicy, and condiments, such as cucumbers and pickled onions. The deli bar enhances the quality of the restaurant, as customers are able to customize their dishes as they please, adding various condiments or sauces. Overall, my dad enjoyed the steak sampler plate and said he “would totally order it again.”

Chicken tostada.

The final two dishes we had were the chicken tostada and barbacoa gordita. These two items are considered to be “side” dishes that you would complement your main meal with. My dad and I both enjoyed the tostada and gordita, but we had better things to say about the gordita, as the meat was far more flavorful. Both the tostada and gordita were priced at a fair $5.

Overall, El Chido goes above and beyond the typical Mexican restaurant and offers a genuine experience that will submerge you into the Mexican culture and atmosphere. Perfectly capturing the essence of El Chido, Google reviewer @SabaMemon wrote that this restaurant has “must-try authentic Mexican food” and described that “It’s a hidden gem.” The phenomenal service and quality of El Chido require more attention and recognition from the Richmond area than it currently receives. 

All photos by Syd Britt.