Granada is well known for the Alhambra, free tapas, and flamenco… but Mexican food in Granada, not so much. El Delirio Cocina Mexicana serves Mexican classics with a Spanish flare.
Mexican food in Granada
If you are in Granada and craving Mexican, El Delirio is the place to go. I probably wouldn’t travel more than 10 minutes to dine here in the states, but in Granada the Mexican pickings are slim. El Delirio is decorated simply. The walls are mostly white with red accents and a few interesting pieces of art. My favorite are the Playmobil characters dressed in Mexican attire (I couldn’t get a picture because a lady’s very high bun was in the way). The waiters wear denim button downs and jeans with the restaurant logo on their backs, and the clientele are dressed anywhere from casual to date night. There was no one else speaking English in the restaurant, and everyone seemed to be a local or a regular… a great sign for any foodie!
Dinner at El Delirio
Our party of three arrived around 10 pm and of course, being prime dining time in Spain, all the tables were taken or reserved. We spoke with whom we thought was the host and he said it would be about a 10 minute wait. We made our way over to the crowded bar and high top table area and ordered sangrias and beers while we waited. In traditional Granada style, each drink was served with free tapas. Thank God, I was starving!
The tapas were Mexican style chicken and cheddar croquette served piping hot with soggy, lukewarm fries on the side (They would have been better off throwing some tortilla chips on the plate and calling it nachos).
We watched people who came in after us begin to sit-down and realized something must be wrong. The server we spoke with upon arrival somehow neglected to mention we needed to talk to yet another server to have our name added to a waiting list. So of course, we ended up waiting for another half hour before being seated. Typical España. I suppose those soggy fries weren’t enough to get rid of us.
When we finally were seated it took a while for a server to come over to us, but when she finally did, we were prepared to order. We decided on Los Machos Nachos, quesadillas, burritos, and three tacos, one with salmon, one with mixed vegetables, and one al pastor, with a jarra (pitcher) of Tequila Sangria to share. Tequila and sangria in one glass, how could we resist?
How Was The Food at El Delirio?
All the food arrived at once, nachos included, and if our empty plates were any indication, we enjoyed it very much. I have to say the salmon taco was not what I expected, it was smoked salmon, and the taco al pastor was far superior to the mixed vegetable taco.
The Macho nachos were nothing spectacular, the guacamole was fresh and abundant, but the chips were not warm and the cheese was hard when they arrived to the table (none of that ooey-gooey-messy-pull-them-apart goodness I love so much). Additionally, being from the USA, I am accustomed to very spicy Mexican food. El Delirio was not spicy in the least bit! The salsa was mild, and even the hot peppers on the nachos didn’t have enough of a kick to them.
All in all, I enjoyed my meal at El Delirio. Despite the poor service in the beginning, the waiters were friendly, the prices were very reasonable, the restaurant was clean, and the location was excellent. I have not had Mexican food in a few months so this meal satisfied my craving. I would dine here again but I would 100% reserve a table in advance or be prepared to wait! Craving more traditional Spanish food? How about La Bodega de Vinny? Do you have any other suggestions on where to eat in Granada?
El Delirio Cocina Mexicana Calle Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, 21
