Gulfport’s Summer of Mexican cuisine heating up with new authentic spot. Here’s the scoop
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- El Chilango offers authentic Mexico City street food in South Mississippi
- Review highlights strong flavors, standout rice and beans, and meticulous detail.
- Pricing remains reasonable, with customizable options and broad menu variety.
It’s a South-of-the-Border summer in Gulfport thanks to a recent burst of restaurant openings offering Southwest and Mexican-style cuisine.
Joining Pedro’s Taco and Tequila Bar, and P.S. Taco Company, is the most authentic of the bunch: El Chilango. The name of the restaurant translates to “People from Mexico City” and is owned and operated by Osmar Perez and family.
They arrived in 2021 from Mexico with the long-term goal of bringing a real taste of food that genuinely represents their home.
El Chilango is nearing two months open on Cowan Road and the early response has been overwhelmingly positive. The restaurant has earned 49 five-star reviews on Google, out of 51 total. The other two were both four stars and one was due to the food not being Americanized to the reviewer’s taste.
But can El Chilango survive the notoriously critical review of the Sun Herald? Let’s see.
Vibe — 5 out of 5
The first thing that hits you is the care taken to make El Chilango’s space its own. It occupies the tight corner of The Exchange suite, but use of shrubbery, mulch and picnic tables, the restaurant carves out a can’t-miss space.
The interior walls are red-yellow stucco and adorned with traditional wicker-style baskets. The tables have woven placemats and little cacti and succulents in wheelbarrow baskets. It’s adorable.
The lunch hour has already outgrown the space. The six tables and five booths are full and bustling.
The kitchen is open behind the bar, where meals are placed when prepared. This provides for an intimate and quick-moving scene backdropped with the horn-heavy Mexican music.
El Chilango gets a full vibe score for making the most with its limited space.
Food — 5 out of 5
There’s something you have to know. The Mexican food you’re used to has gone through its own evolutionary path.
It first escaped its roots in the American Southwest and took on a more heat-and-spice base as it traveled into the South.
This ain’t that. It cuts through the noise and delivers original Mexican taste. The tortillas are made of corn, the tacos stuffed with authentic ingredients and some of the most basic items bring an experience that will likely be unique to you.
Let’s take the El Jeffe tacos, for example. My main course. Three tacos double-wrapped and filled with chicken, onions, potatoes and cacti.
The mildly sweet cacti blends well with earthy potato, giving you the same feeling that Remy has attempting to explain to his brother the things that can be created through combination of flavors in the 2007 Pixar Animation Studios blockbuster Ratatouille.
You can really elevate this by ordering a side of guacamole and pairing it all with my soda of choice, mandarin Jarritos.
El Chilango specializes in transporting street food from Mexico City to your plate. One of the ways you can enjoy this is with a fried taco. It can be ordered as a side and filled with chicken or ground beef. It’s simple, but adds depth to your meal.
Speaking of depth and simplicity, the most basic part of every Mexican dish is what drove home the perfect score: rice and beans.
I honestly never bother with it. It’s too filling for what it’s worth. It’s bland, in my opinion. I am sorry for offending all you pollo loco enjoyers.
But whatever El Chilango is doing is working. I cleaned up. It’s a testament to the attention spent on every detail and every seasoning.
Perfecto.
Value — 4.5 out of 5
Like many others, I found the service to be exceptional and attentive, as well as quick. There’s a clear emphasis on the customer experience from the moment you arrive.
The range the menu offers will be a bonus to any party. While El Chilango drives home its desire for true authenticity, visitors will be pleased to find a wide, yet simple menu that clearly breaks down each dish in a digestible manner and offers something for every taste.
The variety includes salads and bowls, a build-your-own combo, a seafood menu, burgers and the house specialties. They even serve breakfast and, yes, a selection of Tex-Mex dishes, too.
The El Jefe tacos were right at $15 and I consider this good value for the product. The taco-trio menu starts at $13 and tops at $16. This is where the majority of the menu sits, but it is also highly customizable with a la carte options.
Breakfast can be of particularly good value, with exotic items like Enchiladas Suizas for $10 or familiar foods like hot cakes or french toast for just $5 each.
I recommend it, but don’t just take my word for it. A great many locals have already added El Chilango to the rotation. If you enjoy it, just remember: Envíale un correo electrónico a mi jefe y dile que me dé un aumento (Email my boss and tell him to give me a raise).
Address: 1116 Cowan Rd Suite K, Gulfport
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
