A new location means double the deliciousness. Discover what Mexico Clasico has to offer now that it has two Rockford locations.
Food enthusiasts who appreciate authentic Mexican cuisine now have double the reason to dine out.
Mexico Clasico, located at 3929 Broadway, just west of Five Points, now has a second restaurant, Mexico Clasico Grill, at 6876 Spring Creek Road. Jose Chavez and Eraclio Macias co-own the first restaurant and Chavez owns Mexico Clasico Grill independently. He came to the Rockford area from Madison in 2008 with about 12 years of experience in restaurant management.
“I can do it all, including the cooking,” he says. “I always dreamed of working for myself. When a friend told me about the Broadway location, I took a look and it was perfect.”
The original Mexico Clasico opened in December of 2012, in a vacant site that had already been used as a Mexican restaurant. Its spacious dining room and plentiful parking make it appealing and accessible.
But it’s Mexico Clasico’s food that brings people back time and again.
“Most patrons order pretty much the same thing,” Chavez says. “They want steak tacos, fajitas, enchiladas and chimichangas. Those are the most popular items. But we have some excellent signature and exclusive dishes we’d love to have them try.”
One is the Enchiladas Acapulco.
“We fill three enchiladas with cheeses and avocado, then we sauté shrimp, scallops, poblano pepper slices, mushrooms and spinach to blend in a delicate white wine creamy sauce,” Chavez says. “It’s delicious and not something you find in other area Mexican restaurants.”
Another entree Chavez loves serving is Pollo Borracho, literally drunken chicken. He smothers grilled chicken with asparagus, onions, tomato and avocado slices and finishes the dish with a touch of tequila to create a distinct flavor.
“It’s served with a side of black beans, rice and hand-made tortillas,” Chavez says. “I highly recommend it. It’s flavorful and healthy, too.”
Another treat diners are eating up is the fresh guacamole, made the traditional way – tableside with mortar and pestle – so patrons can watch and enjoy. Chavez says it’s a wonderful way to start off dinner.
Mexico Clasico makes full use of fresh vegetables in nearly every dish, including tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and a wide variety of dinner options such as chiles rellenos. Both restaurants use canola and olive oils for cooking and offer vegetarian options plus freshly made tortillas.
“At the Broadway restaurant, we cook all of the entrees with gas like most restaurants do,” Chavez says. “At Mexico Clasico Grill, we cook over wood, which gives the food an additional layer of authentic flavor.”
Wood grilling especially enhances the taste of traditional dishes like carne asada, he says.
The new location is a family owned and operated business. Chavez’s wife is there daily when their children are in school, and, from time to time on weekends, the children come and take part in the family operation.
Mexico Clasico Restaurant (Broadway) is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Chavez encourages large groups to call ahead for reservations at (815) 977-3299. For full menu information, visit mexicoclasicorockford.com.
Mexico Clasico Grill (Spring Creek) is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call (779) 210-4292 for more information.
“Since Mexico Clasico Grill is a smaller place, it’s more difficult to accommodate large groups, and we are not taking reservations for now,” Chavez says.
For full menu information, visit mexicoclasicogrill.com.