Maria's

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Maria’s

7630 Burlington Street, Ralson, NE

Where we went:

It was a dark, cold winter's night, and even thought it was only 12 days till Christmas, we wanted to warm up. So we decided on Mexican for dinner, but where? There are so many Mexican places on our list it's hard to choose. We settled on Maria’s, a great, family owned, Mexican restaurant and bar that we both really enjoy, but don’t get to very often. Maria’s is in central Ralson, a small city completely within the borders of Omaha. Ralston has a “gentlemen's agreement” with the Omaha so Omaha has not, as of yet, annexed them into the greater City.

What we Eat:

Both Eric and Kyle made it to the table with a few minutes to spare before the end of Happy Hour, so they started out with a special house drink, Eric chose the Maria’s Famous House Margarita while Kyle went with the Purple Sangrita. We also ordered Chips (the corn and flour mix we like so much) and Pico de Gallo to get us started. For our main dish Kyle went with his favorite, the Taco Plate, which comes with two tacos, while Eric chose the Mac’s Special, a Taco and Enchilada combo plate.

The Food:

The food at Maria’s is oh so good! Similar to Julio’s, Maria’s chips aren’t complementary and have to be ordered. Eric felt the Pico de Gallo was alright, but the fresh chopped jalapenos added a bit more heat then he was expecting, but the warm fresh chips were delicious.

Eric’s House Margarita was delicious and strong! He didn’t see any fruit flavoring options, but he also didn’t ask, so they might still be available. Either way, the basic margarita was still good. Kyle’s Purple Sangrita was delicious and flavorful and, like the margarita, was very strong.

The tacos at Maria’s are unique in Omaha. The taco shells are flour, and the meat and cheese is stuffed into the uncooked shell. Then the shell is pinched closed and fried, almost like an empanada. After frying, the shell is opened back up to add in the lettuce and tomatoes that complete the taco. This ensures that the meat is warm and cheese is nice and gooey and melted inside the shell, creating a nice contrast with the crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes

While Eric would have loved to have followed suit with Kyle and gotten his own Taco plate for multiple taco deliciousness, he decided to swap a taco for an enchilada to try and expand his experience with Maria’s menu, strictly for journalistic purposes. The enchilada was ground beef just like the taco. Eric liked it fine. But, maaaaaan he sure could have gone for another delicious taco.

Both Eric and Kyle’s means came with a side of spanish rice and refried beans. However, Eric doesn’t care for refried beans, or as he calls them “Gross Bean Cream” so he substituted his beans for more rice. While the “Bean Cream” tasted as good as Kyle expected, he really enjoys Maria’s rice. He can’t put his finger on it, but there is something about the rice that is just better than he gets at other Mexican restaurants. Sadly, the delicious tacos left little room in their tummies for dessert.

The Atmosphere:

With the holidays fast approaching, Maria’s was all decked out in their holiday finest, including a Taco Tree! This gave the restaurant an extra homey and festive atmosphere. Maria’s is a family owned restaurant, the matriarch of the family, Maria herself, was there this night working the hostess table.

Maria’s has two dining options: the main dining room and a glass enclosed patio. The dining room, where we dined tonight, is just off the bar, and has your standard tables and booths like all other restaurants, whereas the patio has more iron patio furniture type seating. The dining room is lined with unique wall hangings, including both at tapestry and abstract painting of a matador, bringing an air of the Spanish influence into the dining experience. However, the most prominent feature is a wall, covered in large, blown up pictures of Maria’s family and the restaurant's history, including a very large picture of what appears to be Maria’s first communion.

The Service:

The Service at Maria’s has always been excellent. Our waitress tonight was prompt, fast, and bubbly. She was very excited to let us know that it was still happy hour when we first sat down. This was especially appreciated because we didn’t realized they even had a happy hour. The food was hot and fresh while the drinks were cold and, well, strong.

In the End:

Maria’s is a unique, family oriented restaurant. The decorations gives the restaurant a small town, family feel that is quaint, casual and comfortable.

Maria’s isn't located on a major street, it is tucked away just south of Main Street Ralston, near light industry and train tracks. This is both a benefit, as it is a bit of a hidden gem, and a hindrance, as it's hard to get to. Even though Eric and Kyle have been there before, we always have to think twice about which road to turn on to get there.

Although Maria’s does have a small parking lot, it is not the easiest parking lot to get in and out of, unfortunately. We would recommend the street parking, which is free and abundant in Ralston. If it is a busy night, however, be prepared to walk a block or two. This may be a blessing in disguise, though, as it affords you the opportunity to check out the shops of downtown Ralson. Tonight we got a nice view of Ralston’s holiday decorations which helped put us in the Christmas spirit!