Plaza Azteca strikes gold
Its comforts extend far beyond its food.
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As many of you can attest, the past few weeks have proven, well, a tad dispiriting.
The sun, for one, remains largely out of sight, as if taking notes from the Certified Lover Boy himself. The roads have become giant mounds of gray snow and soot that resemble raunchy, decaying carpets. And a certain self-obsessed Vladimir Putin apologist has ushered in a political era poised to inflict much more harm than good; one that conflates boldness with recklessness, and government efficiency with borderline sadism.
Yet in Missoula, the deep winter has nonetheless offered its fair share of pleasures, too: not just splendid skiing and an exciting slate of community events, but the impeccably timed arrival of the national chain restaurant Plaza Azteca, on an otherwise charmless stretch of Brooks Street.
While the restaurant’s cuisine is Mexican, its atmosphere is distinctly American. Situated in the old Jakers Bar & Grill, the expansive rows of booths and garishly-lit bar evoke a nearly anachronistic sense of good, unpretentious cheer. For me, stepping inside feels an awful lot like a time warp to the 1990’s.
And while there’s undoubtedly a ton of terrific food to be had in Missoula, a dwindling number of sit-down restaurants offer it at this accessible of a price point. As such, Plaza Azteca boasts a notably wide-ranging clientele: big families, couples on dates, hipsters and bros and teens and good old boys and merry old heads.
The food at Plaza Azteca is as comforting as its vibe. The guacamole, which you can order to be prepared table-side, is silky smooth and dazzlingly rich. The same can be said for the refried beans. The burritos—including the steak-filled Burrito Mex—easily usurp Chipotle for the title of Best in Missoula (come at me, haters) and the fajitas are remarkably flavorful. Over the course of three visits, the food got better each time.
Plus, if the first two months of 2025 have left you yearning for a margarita (or three) the size of your cranium, you’re in luck. And you’ve got options. I have become particularly fond of the Skinny (fresh citrus, less sugar) and the Pineapple varieties.
Delicious, relatively affordable and staffed with an attentive and upbeat crew, Plaza Azteca offers an unexpectedly profound sense of comfort in these weird and trying times. Being there feels, simply, like America is supposed to.