Undercover Diner Visits Hueso Loco

My husband and I both had the day off, so we decided to head downtown for a leisurely lunch. We landed at Hueso Loco, a spot he had never visited before, and arrived around 1:30 or 2 p.m. — late enough that the restaurant was quiet.

We grabbed a table on the patio overlooking the Bluffwalk, where we could enjoy the beautiful day, good food and, most importantly, some uninterrupted conversation.

Our waitress was attentive throughout our meal and clearly knew the menu well. She was happy to make recommendations, including when I was trying to decide which tortilla would work best with my tacos.

We started with the Monday special $2 mini queso. The chips were extremely thin, crispy, and tasted homemade — different from the standard Mexican restaurant tortilla chip.

We also ordered the empanadas, which came four to an order. We chose two chicken and two beef, and both varieties were delicious. The crispy empanadas were generously covered in queso, making them a messy but very satisfying start to the meal.

For drinks, my husband ordered a Dos Equis, while I went with a margarita that was on special for $7. The margarita was refreshing, flavorful and well-made. Considering some of the restaurant's other drinks can reach $15 to $18, the $7 special felt like a particularly good deal.

For my entree, I ordered two Baja-style tacos: one mahi-mahi and one beer-battered shrimp.

I was given the choice between corn and flour tortillas, and our waitress recommended corn, saying it would be the tastier option. I was initially worried the corn tortilla might fall apart, but I decided to take her advice.

She was right about the flavor.

The tacos were packed with bold, colorful flavors, and I loved every bite. The only problem was that the corn tortilla did, in fact, completely fall apart. That certainly wasn't the waitress' fault — she had warned me it was the tastier choice — but if I were ordering them again, I would choose flour. Alternatively, doubling up the corn tortillas might help keep everything together.

Either way, I wasn't leaving anything behind. By the end, I was eating the taco with a fork, but I ate every bite.

My husband ordered the carne asada, a hand-cut ribeye served with rice, beans, nopal, green onion, a Texas Twinkie, queso fresco, avocado, and tortillas.

The presentation alone made an impression. The plate was beautifully arranged, including a block of queso fresco, and the meal looked just as much like a feast as it sounded on the menu.

The Texas Twinkie was something neither of us had encountered before. It's a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper filled with cream cheese and finished with barbecue sauce. My husband was a big fan of the entire dish and said he would return for it.

Hueso Loco's decor is hard to miss. The restaurant has clearly put thought into its design, with eye-catching decorations and a look that makes the space feel like more than just somewhere to grab a meal.

It has the kind of atmosphere that feels especially suited for drinks, a night out or stopping in while barhopping downtown.

With the restaurant quiet, we were able to sit outside, take in the Bluffwalk and enjoy a slow meal without feeling rushed. The food was delicious, the service was attentive and knowledgeable, and the patio gave us exactly what we were looking for on our day off: a chance to sit back, eat well and enjoy some good conversation.