Phoenix’s Best Mexican Restaurants | Eater Phoenix
"Tucked into a row of machine shops on Buckeye Road, El Horseshoe has been a South Phoenix fixture since 1996. Run by the Avitia family, this no‑frills hut smells of masa and generations of home cooking. Hand‑torn tortillas get fried and blister into crispy chilaquiles, bathed in red or green salsa (or both, Christmas‑style) and finished with cotija and a fried egg. The chorizo steals the show, coarsely ground on the premises, gently spiced, and far more nuanced than its commercial counterparts in huevos con chorizo. Weekend mornings bring bowls of pozole and menudo, simmered to rich, homestyle depth. The machaca, Sonoran‑style dried beef, is shredded paper‑thin and served almost jerky‑dry (unlike the rehydrated versions found elsewhere), then paired with pan‑fried potatoes that soak up every bit of its savory intensity. With tortillas pressed fresh on-site, it’s a true Arizona‑Mexican feast. Simple, family‑run, and steadfastly authentic, El Horseshoe rewards anyone willing to navigate its off‑beat setting for a taste of Phoenix history." - McConnell Quinn
