Delgado's Cafe in Johnson City, New York: Review

Delgado's Café, located in Johnson City, New York had long been one of Binghamton's only Mexican style restaurants with the exception of the old Chi-Chis (a chain restaurant). Now however, Binghamton has several Mexican style restaurants, but Delgado's continues to be the best, and offers the most authentic and tasty Mexican cuisine in town. It is run and co-owned by Chef Gary Wilson who trained in Culinary Arts School in Las Vegas about 30 years ago.

There are two entrances to Delgado's. The front entrance which looks out onto the main street houses the bar, which is typically crowded on any night of the week or weekend. There are a few round tables and some high stools where patrons can have a bite to eat or just a drink with some nachos. During Happy Hour, from 4-6 pm, there are drink and food specials available. In the back by the rear parking lot is the other entrance which opens up to the main dining room. Each side of the room houses a row of booths with tables in the center. The décor of Delgado's is decidedly Mexican with sombreros on the walls, red blinds, dim lighting and even a large full armored knight at the rear of the dining room.

Service at Delgado's is typically very good and they are pretty quick to bring over glasses of water, homemade tortilla chips, salsa and the most delicious chili sauce to dip your chips in. The tortilla chips are excellent and perfectly fried to a crisp without being greasy. Should you eat the whole basket, the wait staff willingly bring you more, most often without you even asking. The salsa has the right amount of spice to it and a bit of a kick, and very juicy-a little too much liquid from the tomatoes in my opinion as I prefer my salsa very chunky.

Starting with drinks, there is the standard soda selections, both regular and raspberry iced tea (they will often bring a pitcher if you ask for a few refills or if more than one person at the table orders it). It is pretty good but a little on the sweet almost fake tasting side. There is a huge selection of margaritas which Delgado's is famous for, with a variety of flavors including strawberry, tangerine and kiwi. The glasses are rimmed with salt and served ice cold and delicious. While you won't find some beer here as you may in another restaurant, Delgados' patrons are often seen drinking Coronas and they also offer a Mexican beer called Dos Equis, which is on the darker side.

When you are handed your menu, you will quickly realize you have a huge selection to choose from. Delgado's is unique in that they have something for every taste and for every size appetite. For those who only want a smaller portion, special snacks are available including tacos, beef tortillas and enchiladas. The special snacks are big in itself, but do not come with the Spanish rice, refried beans or soup/salad. For those with larger appetites, plenty of full sized meals are offered, including the above mentioned items. I highly recommend the soup, which is Albondiga. It consists of a tomato chili base with small, tender meatballs- a delicious Mexican delicacy.

Delgado's is famous for its chicken wings and offers a variety of sauces from mild to very spicy and hot. Numerous appetizers are available including finger foods such as pepper poppers, mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, chicken fingers, Mexican pizza and mexi skins (a Mexican take on potato skins with ground beef or chicken, tomatoes, cheese, black olives, jalapenos, green onions and sour cream) for $8.95.

If you like fajitas, Delgados is sure to please. With a variety of types of meat to choose from including shrimp, chicken and beef with reasonable prices from $11.50 to $14.25 (for the fajita dinner including beef, chicken or a combination of the two with all the trimmings, soup or salad, Spanish rice and refried beans), diners will enjoy making their own fajitas with piping hot tortillas and vegetables.

There are a variety of enchiladas and tacos to choose from to satiate any person's appetite or culinary wish. Beef, chicken or cheese are the main component of these items, with your choice of combinations of any of these. A beef soft flour taco is a huge stuffed soft tortilla overflowing with beef and all the trimmings and includes soup/salad, rice and refried beans for $12.50. Or have your taco and enchilada too with either the Beef taco or beef enchilada combination or the Chicken enchilada or chicken taco combo. If you decide you want to eat only enchiladas, or tacos, you can do so by ordering the Two beef or chicken enchilada or taco items for $11-12.50. Quesedillas are of course also on the menu and you can select an option of either cheese, chicken or steak.

Special combination dinners include items such as two chile rellenos for $12.95, two tamales ($12.50), or a taco and relleno for $12.50. Mexican dinners include the seafood burrito for $14.95 (a flour tortilla stuffed with seafood and served with your choice of enchi or ranch style sauce), the chicken or pork chimichanga for $12.95 (a deep fried tortilla filled with your choice of meat and served with sour cream and guacamole on the side). Or you can try a sample of Mexican food by ordering the Mexican dinner for $14.95 which includes an enchilada, chile relleno, choice of taco or tamale, refried beans, rice and soup/salad.

For those prefereing more of an American cusine. Steak ($15.95), pepper chicken ($13.95) and filet of sole ($12.95) are also available.

The serving sizes at Delgado's are hefty and it is highly unlikely that you will leave there hungry or disappointed. I highly recommend the beef soft flour taco, filled with deliciously seasoned meat, the cheese enchiladas which have the same chili sauce as you are given with your tortilla chips, the chili relleno (absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked cheese stuffed pepper) and my personal favorite, the chicken chimichanga. The hard shell tacos are also very good and are made with homemade taco shells. I have tried the tamales and while they were ok, I was not keen on tamales in and of itself.

Another aspect of Delgado's that sets it apart from others and makes patrons realize that they aim to please is the list of explanations at the back of the menu. This list explains what food items on the menu are, which is very thoughtful of the owners as not all diners may be well versed in Mexican cuisine. It is another indication of the owners wanting to share their favorite cuisine and educate people about Mexican food. It is obvious that there are many regulars at Delgado's and the atmosphere is typically lively, particularly from the bar side of the restaurant. Waitresses often know patrons by name, and if not by name, by drink or favorite order. We have gone there so often that even after not going for several months, the waitress remembered the drinks we like to order before we even said a word. Even the waitresses and cooks are long term employees, which indicates how much the owners at Delgado's care. This also helps to keep the food as consistent and tasty as it always is. There has never been an occasion where my husband and I have said we would not go back, unlike many restaurants in the Binghamton area.

If you happen to have room try some of the fried ice cream, creamy flan or empanada for dessert. The empanada is a fried tortilla filled with what seems to be cherry pie filling and topped with whipped cream. Very good!

If you enjoy Mexican, or want to give Mexican a food a try, I highly recommend Delgado's Café. The service is good, waitresses friendly and quick to serve, food good and consistent upon repeated visits and the prices are reasonable.