Queso #1: Torchy’s Tacos
1855 Dallas Pkwy Suite 600, Plano, TX 75093
A favorite of Seniors with off-campus lunch, Torchy’s sits facing the North Dallas Tollway near the school. Though it can be crowded and loud, it is a great place to catch up with friends. It has a trendy and fun atmosphere, and the service is pretty nice. The food is popular for its quirky names and unique combinations.
Torchy’s queso comes with guacamole, diablo sauce and extra cheese on top for a unique blend of flavors. The chips are good quality with just the right amount of salt and are strong enough to support plenty of cheese. However, because of the busyness, it can be a struggle to refill the chips. If you do not like spicy food, get the queso without the diablo sauce. If you do enjoy walking on the wild side, make sure to have plenty of water. Overall, the queso is something else. It is very hard to compare to other quesos because of its innovative features, but it keeps you coming back for more.
SERVING SIZE- 2-3 people
Queso’s Overall Score: 7/10
CHEESINESS- 6/10
CHIP TO DIP RATIO- 5/10
CONSISTENCY- 6/10 (1 being too runny, 10 being too thick)
QUALITY- 10/10
Queso #2: Cristina’s Fine Mexican Restaurant
3432 E Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75010
Conveniently located near the school, Cristina’s is a Sunday afternoon staple. Frequented by churchgoers for a post-service meal, Cristina’s is notably good at keeping up with the lunch rush. Their tableside guacamole attracts hungry families from all over.
Their queso is definitely not as good as their tableside guac. The bowl is really only enough for three people, and three people can finish it pretty quickly. Though it is good enough for a quick snack run, the queso is so-so and the chips have a dry, cardboard taste. Overall, the queso is simply okay. It is not the best, but it’s fast and easy when that queso craving hits.
SERVING SIZE- 2-3 people
Queso’s Overall Score: 4/10
CHEESINESS- 6/10
CHIP TO DIP RATIO- 6/10
CONSISTENCY- 3/10 (1 being too runny, 10 being too thick)
QUALITY- 5/10
Queso #3: Twisted Tortilla
4275 Legacy Dr, Frisco, TX 75034
Twisted Tortilla is a Chipotle-esque burrito bar at the corner of Lebanon and Legacy. It has handcrafted cooking and over 100 hot sauces. They claim to use only the best ingredients and chop every vegetable by hand. The atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and comfortable with quite a few flat screens. It is the perfect place to enjoy your favorite sporting event while digging into some good queso.
The queso comes in a cup with chips on the side. Because it has more of a fast food vibe, it is in a paper cup that is not really filled all the way. The consistency is a little runny, but not runny enough to be bad. The chips are light, but strong enough to support plenty of queso. The store has blanco queso or regular queso, depending on request. It is a solid queso that is worth picking up on the way home to enjoy for a snack.
SERVING SIZE- 2-3 people
Queso’s Overall Score: 6/10
CHEESINESS- 9/10
CHIP TO DIP RATIO- 5/10
CONSISTENCY- 3/10 (1 being too runny, 10 being too thick)
QUALITY- 7/10
Queso #4: Chipotle Mexican Grill
6202 W Park Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
Chipotle is a classic student lunch stop. Specializing in burritos, Chipotle never had queso until September. Their guacamole is always good, and their lime chips have an interesting twist. The burritos usually have plenty of rice, beans and other fillers like cheese and sour cream. Even with the E. Coli scare in recent years, Chipotle has always been popular among teens and adults alike.
Despite the much-anticipated introduction, this was hands-down my least favorite queso. It was grainy and bitter. The flavor clashed with the lime chips, which left an aftertaste for hours. The service was also pretty bad. They filled the queso halfway and gave us the wrong size bag of chips. There were way too many chips for the tiny cup of “queso” provided. I would not recommend this queso.
SERVING SIZE- 1-2 people
Queso’s Overall Score: 3/10
CHEESINESS- 3/10
CHIP TO DIP RATIO- 3/10
CONSISTENCY- 1/10 (1 being too runny, 10 being too thick)
QUALITY- 3/10
Queso #5: Manny’s Tex Mex Grill
6705 Main St, Frisco, TX 75034
The best queso lies tucked away in a small building in downtown Frisco. Manny’s Tex Mex Grill is a family owned and operated restaurant that specializes in live music and bottomless enchiladas. Their deals maximize your money and satisfy your appetite.
The queso comes in two sizes: cup and bowl. When it is delivered to your table, it comes with crispy chips and personal salsas. The queso comes with meat, but it is best enjoyed with only the cheese and hand cut onions and peppers. The consistency is the perfect balance between too thick or too runny. The chips are light, but strong enough to support plenty of queso. The recipe is satisfyingly simple, yet it has flavors that pair nicely with the lightly-salted chips. If you’re looking for a queso that will never let you down, this is the queso for you.
SERVING SIZE- 3-5 people (or 2 if you’re really hungry!)
Queso’s Overall Score: 10/10
CHEESINESS- 9/10
CHIP TO DIP RATIO- 8/10
CONSISTENCY- 5/10 (1 being too runny, 10 being too thick)
QUALITY- 8/10
