Celebrate Nacho Day With These Top 5 Places In Amarillo
Each year, we take a day to celebrate one of our favorite quick foods - nachos! This quirky yet tasty holiday is celebrate each year on November 6th. You would think that nachos have been around forever, but the history of this crunchy and savory dish only dates back to the 1940's.
From the website Checkiday.com:
They trace their roots to the border of Mexico and Texas. One day in 1943, the wives of ten U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass, Texas, crossed the border into Piedras Negras, Mexico. When they stopped in to eat at Club Victoria, chef Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya threw together a snack to give them and called it "Nachos Especiales". In 1954 his recipe was published in St. Anne's Cookbook, by the Church of the Redeemer in Eagle Pass. There are many variations of nachos. "Ballpark nachos"—covered with jalapenos and melted cheese—were invented by Sal and Margarita Manriquez, and are now popular at sports stadiums. Sal Manriquez started selling them as "Margarita's State Fair Nachos" at the State Fair in Dallas in 1964, and in 1975 asked to sell them at Arlington Stadium, where the Texas Rangers then played. Manriquez was turned down and later found out that the stadium was selling a version of his nachos anyway.
Now that we know more about where they came from, who has the best nachos in the Texas panhandle? With help from Yelp.com, here are the top 5 places in the area to grab the best visitor rated nachos:
- 1
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
7408 SW 34th AvenueI like lots of things about this place. I wish I'd started coming here sooner after I got into town. First they're open late so it's a great place to go after a movie that lets out late. Second, they serve breakfast all day and have migas on the menu so if I want an afternoon breakfast I can come here. They're really good also. Third, they've got a $2 beer. Also, the nachos are great and the most recent thing I tried here was the grilled mahi tacos which were excellent. They're not chintzy with the cilantro either and I love cilantro so I appreciate that. The people that take your order have always been super nice. The prices are great. It's not a fancy place, it's just a comfortable place. - MaryLou D.
- 2
Sharky’s Burrito Company
1612 S Georgia StreetWOW! We found another gem! This place is along the same lines as Qdoba but 100000% better! When we walked in the line was really long but the staff got all the orders done so quickly that the wait wasn't but a few minutes! We shared the Bigger Chicken Nachos! The meat was spiced just right, the grilled veggies were tender and flavorful, chips were fresh, the pico was fresh and the cheese sauce had just enough kick! All the kids that were working were friendly and worked together well to make it perfect. We will be back next time we're in Amarillo! - Merna B.
- 3
The Lazy Gator
6103 Hillside RoadI got two words for you: NOLA NACHOS. Seriously, appetizer or a stand alone entree, I would HIGHLY recommend them. To be fair, I've not met many a nacho I didn't like, but these are easily in my top three. And trust me friend, I've eaten my fair share of em'!
But enough about the nachos, let's get down to the business.... we came on a busy Friday night, smack dab in the middle of the rush and to my surprise we waited for maybe 15 minutes before being seated. Our waitress was quick and attentive in getting our drinks and taking our order. Did I mention that beers are SUPER cheap?! Like $2.50 cheap. Our entrees came out really quickly. We got the fried gator, a cheeseburger, fried shrimp and the crawfish poboy. All were hot, delicious and had generous portions. We never had to ask for anything. Everyone in our party left happy and full! A+ service.
All this to say I would gladly recommend The Lazy Gator. With the combination of quick ticket times, attentive staff and yummy food, it is safe to say we will be back sooner than later. If you're looking for a place that serves seafood with a Cajun flair you will be pleased! - Kristen W.
- 4
El Bracero
3303 Bell StreetI got the nachos con carne, which had amazing cheese and a different presentation than most nachos you'll receive elsewhere. My boyfriend got the fajita trio, and out of the beef, chicken and shrimp, the chicken won out. - Lauren L.
- 5
Texas Firehouse Sports Bar and Grill
3333 S Coulter StreetI love this place they got awesome burgers and Phillies the paco philly is my favorite and the machete burger is big and awesome as well. Every Tuesday is buy one get one free pizza night. And they got a wide select of beers on tap. Slot and I mean a lot of tvs to watch for sports. And they are pretty reasonably priced. And while your up there try the franks nacho for real a half order is big a whole Order!!!! Oh man is freaking gigantic huge monolithic!!!! - Lloyd F.
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