Casa Grande Restaurante Mexicano - Decent Pseudo-Mexican Food in Richmond

I love Mexican food that includes Americanized pseudo-Mexican food. Oh I much prefer the real deal, but that's very hard to come by so I'll settle for places like Casa Grande Restaurante Mexicano without too much grumbling. This is a four-restaurant chain local to Richmond, Virginia, although I'm sure the name is not unique to this chain.

They advertise 'Authentic', but I don't think anyone has been fooled by that for quite awhile now... For the closest thing to the real deal though, you'll have to hit La Milpa in Richmond.

Having said that, Casa Grande isn't bad. I do like the feel of it. It's brick with a huge red, white, and green awning and the motif is carried to the inside dining areas. They have both tables and booths, but I always prefer a booth. They just seem more intimate and comfy. There is a bar in the smoking half of the restaurant. You can sit there if you like. It isn't an extensive bar, but they do have the requisite Margaritas and imported beers (Dos Equis, Tecate, Pacifico, Negra Modelo, Carta Blanca, Sol, Corona). I can't speak to the flavor of those margaritas though, being a lightweight and all... sorry. I do know they sell a lot of them though.

Hey, at least they don't bring you Ranch Dressing with your pre-meal tortilla chips like the majority of idiots in Richmond do. That's a plus! Their salsa is salty, which is how I like it.