Mexi Kings Grill: A new addition to Greensprings
And the reason we now call it “Dampuary”
(UPDATE: Mexi King’s is no longer in business.)
Mexican food wasn’t something I grew up with, and Ricky didn’t have it until high school. We might have had the occasional El Charrito TV dinner or canned tamale, but that’s far from authentic. Slowly, however, Mexican restaurants started popping up here and there and became a more frequent part of our dining experience.
It wasn’t until well into our adulthood that either of us had authentic Mexican food though, but once we did, it quickly became one of our favorite things to eat. Sure, we still eat a lot of Tex-Mex, but we also love a good, authentic taco with all the cilantro and onions.
In the last several years, Greensprings has become quite the international avenue in Birmingham. While there are several Asian offerings, today we’re focused on the Latin American options. There’s Mi Pueblo Supermarket, which has a wonderful hidden cafe, and numerous taco trucks from one end to the other. Los Valedores is a current favorite, but we need to just eat our way down the road one day before we make a judgment call. There’s also Acapulco Bar & Grill, La Perla Nayarita, Sabor Latino, La Tia Paisa and more.
So it’s no surprise that Greensprings is where we found the newly opened Mexi Kings Grill.
We first heard of it when local musician Taylor Hollingsworth posted on Instagram that he was playing there and that he was friends with one of the owners. Why not go eat some good food and hear some good music, we thought. So that’s exactly what we did.
Mexi Kings is in the former Shrimp Basket location, so it’s got a small-ish, bright, square indoor dining area and a patio that’s probably about the same size. There’s a bar at one end with a neon message from our friend Tequila that says “TRUST ME, YOU CAN DANCE.” It’s a pretty basic table and chairs setup that makes you feel a little like you're at a fast food place, but they’ve made quite an effort with posters and art to warm it up and make it seem friendly.
We got there fairly early and chose a table inside because it was cold as floogie outside on the patio where Taylor was playing even though there is plastic siding. Since we were by the window, we could hear him very well and not freeze. Once we got settled, we were promptly asked for drink orders.
Friends, Ricky and I contemplated our Dry January vow for a great while (read “a few seconds”) before we decided that the greater good was to bring you the true story of the entire restaurant, including the drinks. We wouldn’t want to let you down! So just for you, we ordered margaritas on the rocks and decided we’d just have “Dampuary” ©. Mexi Kings has a decent drink and beer menu with several tequila choices as well as Palomas, Mojitos, and Margaronas. (Personally, I can’t think of anything that would make me hurl faster than mixing beer and tequila, but if that’s your thing, you can get it here.)
The margaritas came pretty quickly along with a plate of chips and some salsa. The salsa was good, not exceptional, but definitely better than some I’ve had. But the margaritas were delicious. I don’t know if it was deprivation that made them taste so good or if they really are that good, but they did not have too much salt, they weren’t too sweet, and they went down way too easy.
We ordered the guacamole, which was fine, nothing fancy, but tasted good. Personally, I like my guac a little chunkier and thicker, and this was a little reminiscent of grocery store guacamole. Ricky says that he’s had better too, but that he’s not a guacamole connoisseur.
The Mexi Kings website says that they are a place “where the vibrant spices of Mexico dance harmoniously with the classic comforts of American dishes.” True to that statement, the menu does feature some typical fare (burritos, fajitas) alongside some authentic dishes as well as sandwiches, burgers, and wings. This is not the place to look for endless combos listed with letters of the alphabet. The menu is not extensive but it is interesting.
For our entrees, Ricky ordered the cameron al mojo de ajo (“shrimp tossed in a garlic sauce, with a hint of lime, served with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream”), and I chose the costilla de res asada (“beef rib served with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, corn or flour tortillas and a grilled jalapeno on the side”). We also chose two street tacos just because – one chicken and one steak.
Y’all…the food is good. Ricky’s plate contained a baker’s dozen large shrimp, perfectly cooked, and piping hot corn tortillas alongside the de rigueur (de rigor I should say!) rice and beans. He said the dish was very tasty and the amount of garlic was perfect. He doesn’t like to “put his food together”, so he just ate the shrimp with the tortillas on the side.
You should know, and I did, before you order the ribs, that it is traditional to cut the ribs across the bone instead of alongside it, which produces thin strips of grilled meat with occasional bones. If you like the flavor of grilled beef, you’ll like the ribs, because they are not overly seasoned so you get the full flavor of cow and fat and bone. It’s a dish that requires some effort to cut up or pull off the bone, but you won't be sorry.
The street tacos, however, were the highlight for Ricky. He characterized them as very flavorful with lots of filling and delicious tortillas. And he says that the accompanying green salsa was delicious but not overly spicy. I have to agree. The tacos were exceptional, maybe even better than our entrees.
We had two different servers during the course of the evening, and felt like we were well taken care of. Mexi Kings is just starting up, so there are probably a few kinks to work out (the vegetarian tacos are described as “three tacos served with a side of flour tortilla, lettuce, corn pico de gallo, mozzarella cheese and sour cream”), but all in all, it was a very pleasant experience. We’ll certainly be back to try some other things like the tortilla soup, urbano fries (fries, nacho cheese and meat), and the El Gato Burger (cheddar, mayo, mustard, pickles, onions, fried egg, and bacon).
Here’s how we rated Mexi Kings Grill on a scale of 1 to 5 tacos, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best:
Atmosphere: 🌮🌮 1/2
Food: 🌮🌮🌮🌮
Service: 🌮🌮🌮 (because we weren’t sure who our server actually was)
Bathrooms: N/A because we didn’t see the B
p.s. Did you know Ricky and I are both working artists too? Check out our work at Popskull Studios! You’ll find prints of our work as well as our music and cocktail zine — The Popskull Penumbra — which showcases one album paired with one cocktail each month and includes original art and usually a surprise. Get a subscription or buy previous issues!
p.p.s. Did you know Audrey leads workshops on creative writing and journaling? Send her an email to find out more and have her come speak to your group!
Love your descriptions. You write well! 😉