Your Guide to Mexican Cuisine in Lake Havasu City

At Locos Bar & Cocina, we love sharing our passion for Mexican food with our Lake Havasu City family.

Whether you’ve been coming to us since we opened in 2021 or you’re joining us for the first time, we know you might have questions about some of the delicious dishes on our menu.

We put together this guide to help you explore Mexican cuisine with confidence.

These are the questions we hear most often from curious guests — and we’re happy to answer every one of them.

What is Lengua?

Lengua is the Spanish word for beef tongue, and before you wrinkle your nose — hear us out.

When prepared the traditional Mexican way, lengua becomes one of the most tender, flavorful meats you’ll ever try.

It’s a true testament to the resourcefulness of Mexican cooking, where nothing goes to waste and everything gets transformed into something delicious.

The preparation is a labor of love.

The whole tongue gets simmered low and slow for several hours in a flavorful broth with onion, garlic, bay leaves, and cilantro.

This gentle cooking breaks down the muscle fibers until the meat becomes incredibly tender.

After cooking, the tough outer skin is peeled away, and the tender meat is chopped into small pieces.

Here’s the key step: those pieces get crisped up on a hot griddle until the edges turn golden and caramelized.

This creates an amazing contrast — crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside.

What does it taste like? Honestly, it tastes like really good beef. Rich, beefy, and surprisingly mild — not at all what most people expect from an organ meat.

The texture is what sets it apart. When done right, it’s buttery and almost velvety, like the most tender pot roast you’ve ever had.

You’ll find lengua most often in tacos de lengua, nestled into warm corn tortillas with diced onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salsa verde. The bright, tangy salsa cuts through the richness perfectly.

Try our Lengua Taco — topped with cilantro, onions, and Grandma’s Salsa.

What’s the Difference Between Carne Asada and Carnitas?

These are two of the most popular meats in Mexican cuisine, and while both are absolutely delicious, they couldn’t be more different. The simple answer: carne asada is grilled beef, carnitas is slow-cooked pork.

Carne Asada translates to “grilled meat,” and it’s all about quick, high-heat cooking. Thin cuts of beef — usually skirt steak or flank steak — get marinated in citrus juice, garlic, and spices, then hit a screaming-hot grill for just a few minutes per side. The result is smoky, charred, and slightly chewy with bright citrus notes. This style has deep roots in the ranching culture of northern Mexico, where cattle farming has been a way of life for centuries.

Carnitas means “little meats,” and this dish is the pride of Michoacán in central-western Mexico. Pork shoulder gets braised for several hours until it becomes fork-tender and almost falling apart. Then — and this is the key — the shredded meat gets crisped up in a hot pan until you get those beautiful golden, caramelized edges. The result is juicy, tender pork with incredible crispy bits throughout. Rich, savory, and absolutely satisfying.

Both are perfect for tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Carne asada brings the smoky char; carnitas bring the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness with crispy edges. You really can’t go wrong with either.

At Locos, we serve both in tacos and burritos. Can’t decide? Order one of each.

What is Arrachera?

Arrachera is the Mexican term for skirt steak, and if you’ve ever ordered sizzling fajitas at a Mexican restaurant, you’ve probably eaten arrachera. This cut has become incredibly popular because it delivers intense beefy flavor and tender texture when prepared correctly.

What makes arrachera special is how well it absorbs marinades. The loose muscle fibers soak up flavors like a sponge. Traditional Mexican preparations marinate arrachera for hours — sometimes overnight — in a mixture of citrus juices, beer, garlic, soy sauce, and spices like cumin and Mexican oregano. The citrus helps tenderize the meat while infusing it with bright, tangy flavor.

After marinating, the steak gets grilled quickly over high heat until it develops a beautiful char on the outside while staying juicy inside. The key is slicing it thin, against the grain — this is essential for maximum tenderness.

So how does arrachera relate to carne asada? Think of it this way: “carne asada” is a general term for any grilled beef, while “arrachera” specifically means marinated, grilled skirt steak. All arrachera is carne asada, but not all carne asada is arrachera.

Our Fajitas feature perfectly seasoned arrachera served sizzling with peppers and onions.

What is Mojo de Ajo?

Mojo de ajo (pronounced “mo-ho de ah-ho”) translates to “garlic sauce,” and it’s pure liquid gold for garlic lovers. This aromatic, silky sauce is a staple in Mexican coastal cuisine — especially along the Pacific coast and in Veracruz along the Gulf.

The beauty of mojo de ajo is its simplicity. At its core, you need just three things: olive oil (or butter), tons of fresh garlic, and fresh lime juice. The garlic gets gently simmered in the oil until it turns golden and fragrant — the slow cooking mellows the raw bite and brings out a sweet, nutty flavor. Then the lime juice gets added for brightness and tang.

The result is a glistening, garlicky sauce that’s savory, slightly tangy, and deeply aromatic without being harsh or overpowering. It’s the kind of sauce you want to soak up with warm tortillas.

Mojo de ajo is traditionally paired with seafood — the bright garlic and citrus flavors complement delicate fish and shellfish beautifully. Camarones al mojo de ajo (garlic shrimp) is the most iconic dish, featuring plump shrimp sautéed in the garlic butter sauce until pink and tender.

Try our Camarones al Mojo de Ajo — succulent shrimp sautéed in garlic and butter sauce, served with rice and your choice of tortillas.

What is Mole Sauce Made Of?

Mole (pronounced “moh-lay”) is one of Mexican cuisine’s most celebrated creations — a rich, deeply layered sauce that can contain anywhere from 15 to over 30 ingredients. Think of it as the ultimate flavor symphony where sweet, smoky, spicy, and earthy notes all come together in perfect harmony.

The key ingredients fall into a few categories. Dried chiles — usually a blend of ancho, mulato, and pasilla — provide earthy, layered heat. Nuts and seeds like almonds, peanuts, and sesame add richness and help thicken the sauce. Dried fruit like raisins contributes natural sweetness. Spices including cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and Mexican oregano create layers of warm, aromatic flavor. And yes, there’s often Mexican chocolate — but it shouldn’t dominate. The chocolate adds depth and subtle bitter-sweet richness, not a dessert-like sweetness.

Why does mole take so long to make? Because every single ingredient gets individual attention. Chiles are toasted. Nuts are toasted separately. Spices are dry-roasted. Everything gets ground and puréed in batches, often strained through a fine-mesh sieve for that impossibly smooth texture. Then the sauce simmers for up to an hour to let all those complex flavors meld together.

The result is a velvety sauce with a flavor that’s hard to pin down — a little smoky, a little sweet, a little spicy, a little nutty, and completely unforgettable.

Our Mole is made with tender chicken covered in our house-made mole poblano sauce, served with rice and your choice of tortillas.

What is a Chile Relleno?

Chile relleno literally means “stuffed pepper,” and it’s the ultimate Mexican comfort food. This classic dish features a large roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, coated in a spectacularly fluffy egg batter, and fried until golden and crispy.

The preparation is a multi-step process that creates amazing texture contrasts. First, the poblano pepper is charred over an open flame until the skin blisters. This makes the skin easy to peel and infuses the pepper with a wonderful smoky flavor. After peeling, the pepper is carefully slit open, stuffed with cheese, and secured.

Here’s where the magic happens: the stuffed pepper gets dipped in a batter made from separated eggs. The whites are whipped to stiff peaks like meringue, then gently folded with the yolks. When fried, this batter puffs up into a golden, cloud-like coating — crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside.

Cut into a properly made chile relleno and you should see that gorgeous cheese pull — molten cheese stretching between your fork and the tender, smoky pepper. It’s traditionally served swimming in a simple tomato-based red sauce (salsa roja) that adds brightness and acidity to balance the richness.

Our Chile Relleno Plate comes with two stuffed poblano peppers, topped with ranchera sauce and served with rice, beans, and tortillas.

What is Oaxaca Cheese?

Oaxaca cheese (pronounced “wah-HA-ka”) is the undisputed king of melting cheeses in Mexican cuisine. If you’ve ever seen those gorgeous cheese pulls on social media, there’s a good chance Oaxaca cheese was doing the heavy lifting.

This semi-soft, white cheese comes from the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. What makes it unique is how it’s made — using the Italian pasta filata method, the same stretching technique used for mozzarella. Fresh cheese curds are stretched into long ribbons, then wound into a tight ball that looks like a ball of yarn. This gives it a stringy, pull-apart texture similar to mozzarella or string cheese.

The flavor is mild, buttery, and slightly salty with subtle earthy undertones. Think of it as a cross between mozzarella and young Monterey Jack — milky and mellow with just enough character to complement other ingredients without overpowering them.

But melting is where Oaxaca truly shines. Unlike cotija (which is dry and crumbly) or queso fresco (which softens but doesn’t get gooey), Oaxaca becomes beautifully stretchy and creamy when heated. It’s the gold standard for quesadillas, the traditional stuffing for chiles rellenos, and perfect for anything where you want that ooey-gooey, melty cheese pull.

Our Queso Fundido features melted Oaxaca cheese with your choice of chorizo or vegetables, served with warm tortillas for dipping.

What is a Wet Burrito?

A wet burrito takes the classic burrito and completely transforms it into a knife-and-fork meal. Instead of being wrapped in foil and eaten by hand, a wet burrito arrives on a plate, completely smothered in enchilada-style sauce and topped with melted cheese.

The burrito itself is filled with the usual suspects — seasoned meat, beans, rice, and cheese. But then it gets “drowned” in a rich red or green sauce, covered with melted cheese, and served as a platter. The sauce softens the outer layer of the tortilla while keeping the interior intact, creating a pleasant contrast between the saucy exterior and the hearty filling inside.

Here’s a fun fact: despite being a Mexican-American dish, the wet burrito wasn’t invented in Texas, California, or Arizona. It was actually created in 1966 at the Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The story goes that a cook decided to top an oversized burrito with enchilada sauce, and customers loved it so much that it became a regional specialty.

When you order a wet burrito, expect a generous, satisfying meal. It’s typically served with rice and beans on the side, plus sour cream, guacamole, and fresh cilantro.

Our Burritos can be ordered “Wet & Cheezy” — smothered in chile verde sauce for an extra $5.

What Makes a Baja-Style Fish Taco?

Baja-style fish tacos represent the coastal cuisine of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. They’re light, fresh, and all about the perfect combination of textures and flavors. The defining characteristic is beer-battered, deep-fried white fish served in corn tortillas with specific toppings that create a beautiful balance.

An authentic Baja fish taco starts with white fish cut into strips, dipped in a light beer batter, and fried until golden and crispy. The beer creates a lighter, crispier coating that shatters when you bite into it.

What truly sets Baja-style apart is the specific combination of toppings: shredded cabbage (not lettuce) for crunch, a creamy white sauce made with mayonnaise and Mexican crema, and lime wedges that are absolutely essential for squeezing over the top. The corn tortilla is non-negotiable in traditional preparations.

When you bite into a proper Baja fish taco, you should experience a textural symphony: the crispy crunch of the batter giving way to flaky, moist fish, contrasted with the cool cabbage and soft tortilla. The flavors should be bright and balanced — savory fish, tangy lime, creamy sauce, and just a hint of heat.

Try our Fish Tempura Taco — crispy beer-battered fish topped with cabbage, tomatoes, and Loco’s Baja Sauce. Or go for our Locos Baja Battered Shrimp Taco featuring Loco’s Baja White Sauce, cilantro, cabbage, and Grandma’s Salsa.

What’s the Difference Between Flautas and Taquitos?

This is one of the most common questions we get, and honestly, many restaurants use these terms interchangeably. But traditional Mexican cuisine does distinguish between the two.

Flautas (meaning “flutes” in Spanish) are the larger of the two. They’re made with flour tortillas rolled around a filling — usually shredded chicken or beef — then deep-fried until crispy. Their name comes from their long, thin shape that resembles a musical flute. Flautas are generally served as a main dish, with 2-3 pieces making a substantial meal.

Taquitos (literally “little tacos”) are smaller, snack-sized rolls made with corn tortillas. They’re crunchier and more brittle than flautas, perfect for eating in just a few bites. Taquitos are most commonly served as appetizers, with 4-6 pieces per serving.

The tortilla choice creates different textures when fried. Flour tortillas (flautas) produce a slightly softer, flakier exterior. Corn tortillas (taquitos) create a crunchier, more brittle shell.

Both are typically topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream or crema, crumbled cheese, and salsa. If you want something heartier, go for flautas. If you want a lighter appetizer or snack, taquitos are your pick.

Our Chicken Flautas — three crispy rolled flautas served with guacamole and sour cream.

What is Carne Adobada?

Carne adobada is pork that has been marinated and slow-cooked in a rich, complex sauce called adobo. The name literally means “marinated meat,” and that marinating process is what creates the dish’s incredible depth of flavor.

The adobo sauce is the heart and soul of this dish. It’s made from dried red chiles (typically ancho, guajillo, or pasilla), vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, and sometimes warm spices like cinnamon or cloves. The chiles are rehydrated and blended into a thick, fragrant paste that both tenderizes the meat and infuses it with layers of flavor.

The pork — usually shoulder or loin — gets coated in this marinade and left to sit for several hours or overnight. Then it’s slow-cooked until fork-tender, the meat absorbing all those complex flavors from the sauce. The result is incredibly tender pork in a thick, brick-red sauce that’s spicy, tangy from the vinegar, and deeply satisfying.

What makes the adobo marinade unique is the balance of acid, heat, and aromatics. The vinegar tenderizes while adding tang. The chiles provide earthy heat without overwhelming. The spices add warmth and depth. Together, they create something that’s bold but beautifully balanced.

Carne adobada is versatile — perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or served as a main dish with rice and beans. It’s also fantastic for breakfast with eggs.

Our Tacos Adobado’s feature three marinated pork tacos topped with cilantro and onions.

Visit Us at Locos Bar & Cocina

We hope this guide helps you explore Mexican cuisine with confidence. At Locos, we’re proud to share our family recipes — passed down through generations — with our Lake Havasu City community.

Whether you’re craving tender lengua tacos, sizzling fajitas, or our famous Molcajete (which one guest called “a masterpiece”), we can’t wait to welcome you to our table.

Two Locations in Lake Havasu City:

Locos Bar & Cocina – Swanson (Restaurant Row) 150 Swanson Ave, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404 Open Daily 11AM–9PM | (928) 732-0522

Locos Bar & Cocina – Northside (London Bridge) 3620 London Bridge Rd, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404 Tues–Sun 11AM–9PM | (928) 466-9960

Where being a little crazy is OK!

— Jesse & Lisa Marquez