Located in the heart of Bethlehem, Tortilla Flat offers a wide range of Mexican favorites. We’d vote for the fajitas ($13).  The combo meals are a great deal but sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re eating or taste any difference between the dishes.  The changos ($4) – fried bananas with a caramel filling – are a must for dessert. The service is fast and helpful.  And the hand-painted murals and the doggy cantina make both two- and four-legged patrons feel welcome. (Open M-F 11a-10p; Sa 9a-10p; Su 9a-8p.)

For those who want to skip the mall’s chain restaurants, the Sunset Grille provides great food, attentive service, and affordable prices. Housed in an old inn, this restaurant and its friendly wait staff make you feel like a guest in a Texas home. While you won't see obnoxious cactuses or sombreros, the Sunset Grille keeps the theme with brick-red, rich blue, and teal-patterned curtains and tablecloths.  Muted TV’s in the corners of the dining room make the atmosphere more casual without creating a lot of distraction.  The “Southwest” options (fajitas, quesadillas, and the like) are traditional favorites, but you certainly don't need to have a taste for Mexican food to fall in love with this menu—the char-grilled steaks, homemade crab cakes, and tender ribs are just a few of the great alternatives. Sunset Grille may have tried to branch out a bit too far, however, with items such as the Chinese chicken salad, so avoid these oddballs and you won't be disappointed. The bar area, while small, allows you to sit with friends and enjoy the best of both worlds- great drinks and delicious food. (Open M-Sa 11a-2a; kitchen closes at midnight.) 

Who would have guessed that the best Mexican restaurant in Allentown is a cramped grocer? It’s true, and we’re not kidding about “cramped”: La Placita squeezes in just three snug tables at the end of a narrow passage lined with hanging produce. (A sign, for the 8th Hole (“Par 4”), taunts the claustrophobic.) Prepare for sensory overload: Mexican music bounces off the flag-green walls, while tamales, sausages and baskets of avocado all compete for scarce counter space. The food makes it all OK. Trust us. The enchiladas verdes de pollo ($6.75) are divino, and we’ve never tasted anything quite like the cecina con nopales (cactus with Mexican dried beef, $7.50). The $2 tacos—try the spicy pork—are blessedly affordable. La Placita put the hole in the wall, and we’re damn grateful. (Open M-Sa 9a-5p.) 

Nobody does “full” like La Mexicana Grill. This festive restaurant—with mango orange walls and year-round Christmas lights—serves up a ton…and it’s all great.  The fajitas (veggie, chicken, beef or shrimp) bring words like “mountainous” to mind; entrees like the chicken mole ($13) are similarly huge and tasty.  And did we mention that all dinners come with two sides—like fried plantains, refried beans or sweet potatoes? We’d say save room for the main course, but that would mean missing out on the city’s best salsa (an on-the-house treat, along with chips) and homemade guacamole.  So just be prepared to roll your way out—it’s the kind of place that the “after dinner walk” was made for. (Open daily  11a-9p.)

The new Tex-Mex restaurant Johnny Mañana’s adds a welcome splash of color to the reviving downtown, The place is easy to miss, set back in the glass-and-steel PPL Plaza, but once you’re inside, you’ll find yourself thinking you’re not in Allentown anymore. With its sky-high ceilings, deep mustard-yellow walls, rich, floor-to-ceiling red curtains and brightly outfitted tables, Mañana’s is, well, the anti-Allentown. And the food is tasty, in a Tex-Mex sort of way. Try the la fiesta fajitas ($18)—an “especial de casa mañana”—and the guacamole appetizer ($7), perfectly seasoned. J The restaurant boasts two bars, one with a temple to flat-screen television, and daily drink specials like $3 margaritas on Mondays, $3 mojitos on Tuesdays, and $3 cosmos on Wednesdays.

The quintessential surfer food must have gotten lost on the way to the Jersey Shore, because it has nestled itself at Cali Burrito, here in the Valley.  Offering multiple variations of San Franciso-style burritos and tacos, Cali Burrito is that rare fast food place that uses fresh ingredients and vegetarian options.  The prices are student-, appropriate, though the waves—they’re still two hours away. (Open M-Sa 11a-9p; Su 11a-3p.)

Cactus Blue is one hot tamale.  Voted best Mexican food in the Lehigh Valley in 2005 and 2006, this hole-in-the-wall more than earned the accolades.  The service is outstanding, the food is delicious and fresh, and the colorful décor and atmosphere round out the experience.  Complement a flavorful dish—we’d suggest the enchiladas or chimichangas with beef so tender you won’t even need a knife—with a refreshing Mexican mango soda.  And end your meal with a bang thanks to Cactus Blue’s banana cream-filled churros.  When you go (and you must!), don’t forget to arrive early or make a reservation because the cantina fills up quick. (Open M-Th 11a-9p; F-Sa 11a-10p.)

If this is your first time, you probably just passed Amigo Mio. Turn the car around, and drive more slowly this time! Yes, it’s in a plain fow house, and no, there isn’t a parking lot. But trust us: it’s worth it. The Mexican here is tasty and there’s nothing remotely Tex about it. You’ll be seated in Amigo’s single, living-room sized dining area, and suprised to find a full bar and warm yellow walls. All entrees are reasonably priced at $3 to $4 but surprisingly small so don’t be afraid to order two.  If your satisfied stomach is brave enough to take on desert, try the flan. This is no ordinary flan – it comes in flavors like double chocolate and pumpkin. So fire up your GPS and remember to bring cash. (Open W-F 5p-9p.)