Review: Grace, grease and greatness at Garcia’s Mexican Food

• Chilaquiles rancheras with eggs, cheese, beans and carne guisada from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Chilaquiles rancheras with eggs, cheese, beans and carne guisada from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• An array of tacos on handmade flour tortillas from Garcia’s Mexican Food. From left: smoked pork loin, potato and egg, chorizo and potato, machacado a la mexicana, bean and cheese and puerco con chile verde.

  An array of tacos on handmade flour tortillas from Garcia’s Mexican Food. From left: smoked pork loin, potato and egg, chorizo and potato, machacado a la mexicana, bean and cheese and puerco con chile verde.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• A No. 5 Mexican Dinner with cheese enchiladas, rice and beans, left, and a trio of brisket tacos with pico de gallo from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  A No. 5 Mexican Dinner with cheese enchiladas, rice and beans, left, and a trio of brisket tacos with pico de gallo from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Pork chop plate with rice, beans and handmade flour tortillas from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Pork chop plate with rice, beans and handmade flour tortillas from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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• Brisket sandwich with smoked sausage and french fries from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Brisket sandwich with smoked sausage and french fries from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Brisket nachos with cheese and guacamole with habanero and jalapeño salsas from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Brisket nachos with cheese and guacamole with habanero and jalapeño salsas from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Customers occupy the diner counter at the back of the dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Customers occupy the diner counter at the back of the dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• The dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  The dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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• No. 5 Mexican Dinner with cheese enchiladas, rice and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  No. 5 Mexican Dinner with cheese enchiladas, rice and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Chips and chile con queso from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Chips and chile con queso from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Wednesday special of fideo with meat and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Wednesday special of fideo with meat and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• The lunchtime line outside Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  The lunchtime line outside Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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• Tampiqueña plate with club steak ranchera, a cheese enchilada, rice, beans, a crispy beef taco and a guacamole salad from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Tampiqueña plate with club steak ranchera, a cheese enchilada, rice, beans, a crispy beef taco and a guacamole salad from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• A trio of brisket tacos on handmade flour tortillas with pico de gallo from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  A trio of brisket tacos on handmade flour tortillas with pico de gallo from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Country sausage a la mexicana taco with beans and a pork chop taco, both on handmade flour tortillas, from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Country sausage a la mexicana taco with beans and a pork chop taco, both on handmade flour tortillas, from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Chicken enchiladas verdes with tomatillo sauce, rice, beans and guacamole from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Chicken enchiladas verdes with tomatillo sauce, rice, beans and guacamole from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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• A cheeseburger made with brisket and ground chuck from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  A cheeseburger made with brisket and ground chuck from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Beef enchiladas with rice and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Beef enchiladas with rice and beans from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• Smoked pork loin taco with guacamole and pico de gallo on a handmade flour tortilla from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Smoked pork loin taco with guacamole and pico de gallo on a handmade flour tortilla from Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

• The diner counter at the back of the dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  The diner counter at the back of the dining room at Garcia’s Mexican Food.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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• Garcia’s is still a family enterprise, and the crew on any given day might include Andrew Garcia, in red, his son Joseph, center, his daughter Olivia, far right, and his brother John, far left.

  Garcia’s is still a family enterprise, and the crew on any given day might include Andrew Garcia, in red, his son Joseph, center, his daughter Olivia, far right, and his brother John, far left.

  Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff

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MySA Food Videos

Garcia’s Mexican Food

★★ ½

842 Fredericksburg Road, 210-735-4525, Facebook: Garcia’s Mexican Food

Quick bite: Family-owned Tex-Mex diner in business since 1962

Hit: Brisket, cheese enchiladas, breakfast tacos

Miss: T-bone steak, tamales

Hours: 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed first Monday of each month

Price range: Appetizers, $1.75-$12.95; entrees, $5.25-$17.95; tacos, $1.79-$3.69; breakfast, $2.95-$9.95.

Alcohol: None

★★★★ Superior. Can compete nationally.

★★★ Excellent. One of the best restaurants in the city.

★★ Very good. A standout restaurant of its kind.

★ Good. A restaurant that we recommend.

(no stars) We cannot recommend this restaurant at this time.

Express-News dining critics pay for all meals.