This week our search for the best tacos in Chatt town brought us to Santi’s Mexican Grill and Sports Bar in Hamilton Place.
This is close to El Meson, which we featured recently. It’s like a big chain restaurant in terms of size, and menu, but it has been locally owned and operated since they opened in 2023.
There are plenty of parking spaces, an ample dining room, a full liquor bar and menu and lots of big screen TVs. Seriously there are several large screens at the bar and more around the entire perimeter of the eating area. This place has a lively atmosphere, especially on weekends during college and NFL season.
I’ve dined here plenty of times before since it is in the same strip mall where Ross and Marshall’s are located. After a day of shopping, I’d hit the bar here and get their flight of Margaritas while catching some games on the big TVs. Their flight contains four small frozen Margaritas. One is mango, one strawberry, one raspberry and one blue.
As soon as you’re seated, out come the chips and salsa. If I get caught up in a game, I typically order their nacho supreme with grilled chicken, steak and shrimp, melted nacho cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and pickled jalapenos. Trust me it takes all four quarters to even make a dent on this.
Other times I’d just get a cold beer to wash down some spicy jalapeno poppers. There are five poppers in an order, and did I mention they are deep fried, stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon? Well, they are and they’re delicious. Everything wrapped in bacon is delicious.
My friend highly recommends her favorite dish, Camarones a la cucaracha (shrimp a la cockroach…sounds icky…but supposedly tastes great). They cook the shrimp with the shells on in a spicy, buttery, garlic sauce sautéed with red onions, topped with red onions and served with cucumbers to tone down the heat. It probably does taste as great as she said, because keeping the shells on retains all that flavor, but I can’t get over the name.
You see, when I was five…NOPE…a food column is not the time for a horrific cockroach story that still has me traumatized to this day.
Let’s get back to Santi’s. Every Tuesday is taco Tuesday where street tacos are only $2 each. Protein choices include brisket, beef tongue, Mexican sausage, Al Pastor pork, steak, chicken, shrimp, carnitas, tripe, Tilapia, Birria style and Campechano (steak and sausage). Santi’s also offers taco de papa, potato tacos topped with queso fresco, avocado, lettuce and diced tomato.
I stumbled back into Santi’s a few days ago after seeing what I could buy that I didn’t need inside Five Below. I ordered their house guacamole, a shrimp taco and a beef tongue taco. All their street tacos are authentic, served with onions and cilantro and lime wedges. Oh, and deadly hot red sauce. It’s a fire hazard. You’ve been warned or challenged, your pick.
Their tacos shells are small and can barely hold the amount of protein they are stuffed with. The shrimp were grilled and delicious, and the beef tongue was piping hot, yet tender and juicy. These tacos did not disappoint. Neither did their guacamole.
The house guacamole was diced avocados, pico-de-gallo, cilantro and jalapenos mixed into one of their Santi’s Cantina bowls. I didn’t get a hint or lime or lemon, but I emptied that bowl relatively quickly.
Santi’s Mexican Grill and Sports Bar is a great place to hang with friends and enjoy a great meal. Occasionally they’ll feature live music on a small stage by the entrance.
And don’t forget to get your Instagram selfie at their selfie station with its bright green background, wooden swing, and pink neon sign that reads, “Feed me tacos, and tell me I’m pretty.”
Santi’s Mexican Grill is open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. with their lunch menu specials available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Santi’s Mexican Grill and Sports Bar
- 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd. Suite 225, Chattanooga, TN
- (423) 654-8070
- www.santismexicangrillandbar.com
- $$ - $$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com