Where to: Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar at the Burlington Mall.
Why: For queso, tacos, big margaritas, and good cheer in a tropical-tinged room with more rattan than Blanche Devereaux’s lanai. On an ordinary Tuesday night, it’s packed to the gills. Where’s my flaming volcano drink?
The backstory: Founder Rocco Mangel started the brand in South Florida in 2007, expanding to restaurants across Florida and New York. But Massachusetts has always been special to him. Growing up, he spent summers visiting family here.
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“My mother’s family is from Watertown, back to her father, who was an Italian immigrant. He worked at the Waltham Watch Factory. Some of my favorite memories are spending the summer working with my family at the Gulf Station, on Kilmarnock Street, when it was called Fenway Service Center. He had parking for a lot of the ball games, and I worked in the gas station every summer. I learned that every customer matters.”
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Mangel’s life took a detour in young adulthood: After too much partying growing up on Long Island, he found himself in Florida, living out of his car.
“I’d fallen asleep in front of a restaurant on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. I walked in because I needed $19 to get a hotel room, and I asked if they’d hire me as a waiter. I didn’t fit the part, so I asked if I could wash the [owner’s] car. I needed the money. He said sure. When I came back in, to my surprise, he gave me a busser uniform and said I could start at the bottom,” he recalls.
Ten years later, Mangel bought the restaurant, and Rocco’s was born. It attracted national attention — TV host Kelly Ripa paid a visit and raved on “Live! with Regis and Kelly” — and he began to expand.
But it wasn’t all fun and queso. In 2015, Mangel was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In partnership with tequila brands, Mangel raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through the restaurant.
This is his first Massachusetts outpost, though he hopes to expand. Mangel sussed out more upscale locations downtown and in Chestnut Hill, he says, but this backdrop — a simple suburban mall — felt right.
“I wanted the restaurant to be approachable. You don’t need to wear a jacket. You don’t need to know what fork to use. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to come in. You can come in for a birthday, come from a game, or be at the mall waiting for your husband or wife,” he says.
What to eat: I spent college breaks folding cashmere blends down the hall at Filene’s and scrounging for chicken skewer samples in the food court. This is an upgrade.
To begin, there’s runny, zingy queso topped with cotija and served with chili-dusted chips ($15); my one quibble is that the bowl is wee, and we’re left with excess chips. More queso, please: It’s delicious! Interestingly, nachos are cheaper than the small queso serving ($12). There’s also tableside guacamole ($16.50); add pomegranate seeds or pork belly, if you’re in the mood. Our server is amazingly patient as we, three longtime friends in dire need of a catch-up, try to navigate the menu whilst gabbing.
She steers us toward the tacos, divided by “house” and “street.” The house tacos are served on either flour or homemade corn tortillas with cilantro, queso fresco, pickled red onion, and pico de gallo — mix and match your favorite duo, add rice and beans, and call it a platter for $15. The fillings are familiar: chorizo, adobo chicken, adobo shrimp.
Street tacos, three to an order, flaunt fusion: Mangel recommends the smash burger version: Picture an old-school, drive-in burger with American cheese and lettuce ($20). My friends love it, too. Hot honey is another favorite: crispy chicken drizzled with hot honey and avocado ranch sauce ($19). Authentic? Nah. Satisfying? Very. Going carb-free? Ask for lettuce cups instead.
I try the slow-roasted pork enchiladas, two to an order ($22), with a smoky guajillo sauce. I’d prefer a saucier enchilada, so I ask for hot sauce. Our unflappable server is back in a flash with Rocco’s piquant, deep red elixir that’s just spicy enough. I also ask for a side of peanut salsa macha, usually reserved for Rocco’s shrimp tacos. I’m glad I did: It’s a nutty, smoky affair with a whiff of vinegar, and it brightens up my refried beans and yellow rice.
Desserts are named after Mangel’s kids: Luna’s lime pie; Charley’s churros. Our server recommends the churros, but we can’t resist a Mexican chocolate brownie sundae ($9), with heaps of vanilla ice cream and swirled caramel. The brownie tastes fresh. The whipped cream is plentiful. And spiced candied peanuts are dutifully placed in a separate dish for my friend with a peanut allergy.
What to drink: Margaritas aplenty, in glasses or pitchers: Black Diamond is the house special, made with black cherry puree and black sea salt. There’s also a thoughtful roster of tropical mocktails for non-drinkers, and the bar is absolutely packed. And why not? Cocktails start at a mere $12, and they sure are big.
The takeaway: The Burlington Mall has hosted chain Mexican restaurants before: Besito; Rosa Mexicano. What’s the right formula? I’m not sure. But with cheerful service, a playful menu, reasonable prices — not quite as cheap as Border Café across the street, but close — and an atmosphere that caters to everyone from families to colleagues in need of a drink to my rowdy group of high school chums, this one has potential.
Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar, 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, 781-671-8226,