Friday Foodie: Abuelo’s

I’ve been to enough restaurants now that I’m used to being disappointed. I get excited when managers reach out and invite me to their restaurants, only to feel let down by an uninspired menu and lackluster service. Maybe I’m becoming a picky eater, but I now feel I have to visit five new restaurants before I find one worth re-visiting. Why am I telling you all this? Because I checked out Abuelo’s last week and it SURPASSED my expectations. What? What? How did this happen?? Well, let me tell you…

Abuelo’s reached out to me and invited Husband and me to check out their special Valentine’s menu options. I knew Abuelo’s was a Tex-Mex chain restaurant with two locations in the Indianapolis area (Traders Point and Carmel), but that was about it. I didn’t really know what to expect, but then I was welcomed by Steve, the friendliest general manager I have ever met, and Austin, our very dedicated server. They walked us through the history of the restaurant and shared the recently updated menu, featuring fresh, house-made salsa, sauces, and tortillas.

We started our meal out right with fresh fried chips, three salsas, queso, and limited-edition strawberry platinum Corazon margaritas. For our entree, Husband and I tried the “Fajitas for Two” with our choice of meats (steak, chicken, or shrimp), tortillas (corn or flour), and two sides (we went with the Papas Con Chile, a creamy blend of whipped red potatoes, red and green peppers, four cheeses and sour cream, and Espinaca Casserole, a unique blend of spinach, sautéed with seasoned mushrooms, onions, garlic, peppers and cheeses). I love that you get to choose your own sides! It seems most Tex-Mex restaurants just pass out rice and beans with no option to switch things up. Husband and I kept chowing down on everything because it was SO good.

For dessert, we were able to try both their traditional Flan (from a recipe passed down through generations) and Sopapillas. Both options will be available during Abuelo’s Valentine’s special, which includes the Fajitas for Two and dessert for a special price from 2/8 to 2/14. Our entire meal from start to finish was delicious, complete with excellent service and a fun, colorful atmosphere. I left feeling so full and happy and already planning my next visit. No joke, I went to Abuelo’s last week because they invited me and I liked it so much that I’m going back tonight just for fun because I’ve been craving more chips and salsa. Check out their Valentine’s fajitas special or just check them out because you will LOVE IT!

Abuelo’s
5910 W. 86th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46278
317.876.0250

14480 Lowes Way
Carmel, IN 46033
317.815.8171

Sunday-Thursday: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday and Saturday: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

This post was created in partnership with Abuelo’s. All opinions are my own.