La Popular is a one brand from Grupo Carolo, among Mexico’s most recognized and extensive restaurant groups. The original restaurant is a favorite in Mexico City; the first U.S. venue opened in Roseville, California, in 2022. Since then, two more have opened in California, one in Austin, Texas, and most recently at the Palms.
We’d heard that La Popular served “gourmet Mexican,” which has become something of a trend around here, with Toca Madera opening at Aria, Casa Playa at Encore, and new upscale beaneries debuting at Red Rock and Durango this fall. The menu looked okay, but with prices in the mid-teens to $20s, we were in no real hurry to pay $18 for a couple of tacos (and another $2 for rice and beans).
But when La Popular announced a weekday happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., figured we’d go see what we might find there. And why not? It’s at the Palms, a four-minute drive from the office. And we were, as usual, a bit peckish.
We’re glad we did.
The hostesses were so friendly, we thought we were in Mexico. The bartender immediately set us up with a fab plate of chips and salsa, which comes with any drink and went great with the strong $8 margarita HH special. We were in Mexican-food heaven in two minutes flat.
The chips were warm and crisp, the four salsas piquant and ranging from benign to blowtorch, and the margarita started tasting better with every bite and sip.
The salsa toreado is like nothing we’d ever experienced before: a mix of roasted serranos, soy sauce, sesame oil, and orange juice. It’s such a perfect combo of flavor and heat that they bottle this stuff and sell it for $8.
In due time, the waitress delivered the two carnitas tacos, a bargain behemoth at $9, and bowl of guacamole ($8), with more chips and salsa. Now it was a really happy hour!
And there was so much food, we needed a takeout box for half the guac, a taco, and even some chips.
The total bill before tax and tip was $25, about the least expensive dinner we’ve had here in some time. We also got a very good look at La Popular, the latest addition to the stellar culinary lineup at the Palms, and we suspect it will be our go-to Mexican happy hour again.