One should never underestimate the meaning of a good first impression. You can always tell a good Mexican restaurant by the quality of the complimentary chips and salsa.

Las Estrallas made a great first impression with the tastiness of its tortilla chips – my favorite in town because of their thickness, freshness, and wonderful “crunch factor.” The salsa was equally as good and was unique from other local Mexican eateries. The chips and salsa alone are reason enough to make a trip out to this wonderful restaurant.

Located near Peter’s Creek Parkway, this small establishment does not look like much on the outside, but on the inside a vivacious world of sombreros, a super-sized TV, soccer jerseys, margaritas, and giant piñatas eagerly awaits you! The atmosphere was festive and bright with multi-colored decor that transported me into my very own fiesta. This restaurant would be perfect for a fun, “getting to know you” date for college students because of its casual vibe and very reasonable pricing.

The menu consisted of much more variety than your typical Mexican restaurant as it boasted various seafood dishes with whole fish, shrimp, six different seafood soups and included many more variations. Most of the menu contained standard Mexican items: fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc. There are many combo meals to choose from as well. One distinguishing feature of Las Estrellas compared to other Mexican restaurants is that many of the dishes are centered on meats, such as steak kabobs, beef stew, chicken specialties, and pork chops. These dishes average around $8-$10 and were recommended by our waiter.

“The margaritas are excellent. I’d say they are in the top 20% of all of Winston-Salem,” one diner announced, and are a favorite among “of age” customers, but me and my friend, due to our age, were unable to partake in what seemed to be a delicious and colossal amount of the famous Mexican mixed drink. A 12 oz. glass is $3.75 and an enormous 46 oz. is $9.50. Beers are $2.25 and come in Mexican and American varieties. If you come to Las Estrellas with a group of people and want to have a “culinary fiesta” the $50 four-person meal seems the perfect option.


Our food was ready in only seven minutes, validating the fast and friendly service we experienced. I ordered a combo #29 which included a chile relleno, tamale, and chalupa, while my friend ordered two chicken burritos and commented that they were better than Mi Pueblo. The owner of Las Estrellas, who visits freely with customers and is very personable, claims that his chile rellenos are the best in town, and I would have to agree. Mine was cooked perfectly and tasted extremely fresh. My tamale came in a real corn shuck casing and appeared truly authentic. The chalupa was delightfully crunchy, however, I did prefer the other two items. My friend and I both ordered the flan for desert and found it to be the perfect ending to a lively meal.

I left Las Estrellas feeling not stuffed and uncomfortable as I usually do after gorging on cheap Mexican, but fully satisfied and happy. My friend and I easily spent under $20 for two meals with better quality than the price would depict. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting a casual place to enjoy margaritas and chips while watching a sports event, to have dinner with a huge group of friends, or for a better than average first date. The food is distinctly authentic, reasonably priced, and will cause you to want to return to Las Estrellas.