Moe's Southwest Grill in Louisville, Kentucky

Moe's Southwest Grill has five locations in the Louisville, Kentucky area. I have visited two of them: the one in the Jeffersontown neighborhood on Hurstbourne Lane, and the one in the Fern Creek neighborhood just off Bardstown Road. Moe's is one of several quick-service Mexican food chain restaurants that have become popular in recent years.

The immediate atmosphere at Moe's Southwest Grill is inviting. When a patron enters the restaurant, the employees respond to the door chime with a hearty, "Welcome to Moe's!" Both locations which I have visited have been clean and the employees have been friendly beyond their initial greeting.

Moe's menu is simple. Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas are the main dishes served. In most entrees, the diner has a choice of black of pinto beans, choice of meat (chicken, steak, or beef), and unlimited toppings such as tomatoes, olives, peppers, pico de gallo, and cilantro. All entrees come with tortilla chips. For the Lent season, Moe's has introduced fish tacos. I have tried fish tacos at other restaurants and liked them, but I have not tried those at Moe's. I am sure, however, that they are just as good as all of Moe's other food.

A variety of salsas and taco sauces are available for dipping your chips or pouring over your entrée. My favorite for chip dipping is the mild and tasty green tomatillo sauce. Moe's hot sauce is delicious poured over burritos or quesadillas.

My only complaint with Moe's Southwest Grill is a minor one. The area where items such as utensils, condiments, and napkins are kept is not very well organized. It is also right next to the drink dispenser and cash register, which can create a traffic jam of people when there are patrons trying to pay for their food, get condiments, or refill drinks all at the same time. This area really needs to be opened up and spread out to have more space. Napkins are in a tall dispenser that is not at all obvious at first glance, and lids for drinks are nonexistent unless you ask for one at the counter.