It used to be hard to find a restaurant in Buffalo with authentic Mexican food. No more, as there is a new restaurant in North Tonawanda that serves great, traditional Mexican cuisine: El Punto Mexican Cantina.

El Punto is located on Webster Street in North Tonawanda, right across from the Riviera Theater. Webster is one of the main streets in the city, with plenty of places to shop, dine, or see a show. El Punto opened in February 2024. However, owner Greg Diehl started working on the restaurant in mid-2022. It sounds like a lot of construction had to be done, and that the pandemic made things difficult. Chef Jonathon Diati, who has worked in several Buffalo eateries, created the menu.

The Menu

El Punto’s menu is a mix of traditional Mexican dishes and Tex-Mex. Appetizers/snacks (Botanes) include: gorditas, taquitos, empanadas, chicken wings, and chips with a variety of sauces. Two salads are offered: El Punto Caesar and El Punto Chopped Salad. There are two soups as well: Pozole Rojo (cream soup made with corn flour), and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque. The heart of the menu is Mexican and Tex-Mex fare. The items available are: tacos (Taco Trio – 3 for $18), Quesadillas, Burritos, two types of enchiladas, and Fajitas. Side dishes are: Elote Relish (corn relish), Well Fried Beans, Papas Fritas (fried potatoes), and Mexican Rice. There is also a drink menu with Margaritas, Craft Cocktails, and Wine.

Our Meal

All meals come with complimentary chips and salsa. We wanted to try the queso and ordered that. It came out with more chips. Other chip options include Guacamole and queso with chorizo sausage (Queso Fundito). There are combination options with either the Chip Flight or Nachos Supremos. The chips are made in house and arrive warm and fresh. They are covered with a spicy Mexican seasoning. The salsa is mild and liquidy, but contains a fair amount of tomatoes. The queso is also very liquidy, much more than I am used to. But that makes it easy to use it as a dip. The queso itself has good flavor. The queso also contains roasted red peppers and onions. Of the two dips, it is my favorite.

I had the taco trio for my entree. There are 8 choices of tacos. I picked Pork Carnitas, Carne Asada (grilled steak), and Crispy Cauliflower. Other options include Pollo (chicken) Pescado, (fish), and Tempura Tofu.

As these are Mexican style tacos, the tortillas are smaller than is typical in the US. I was expecting that. What I was not expecting was how full these tacos are. Each one is packed with ingredients. All tasted very fresh and have toppings that complement the meats well. E.g. cheese, pickled vegetables, or elote. The cauliflower one was the most spicy, but my favorite was the Carne Asada. The skirt steak is marinated and grilled to great effect.

My companions ordered a dish they have had before and loved, the Burrito Frito (fried burrito). There is one other burrito on the menu, the California Burrito. The Burrito Frito is deep fried, so the tortilla is very crispy. And it is big. El Punto does not skimp on the fillings. The burrito is stuffed with chicken, beans, and poblano peppers. Topped with chopped tomatoes, creme, and the queso sauce, it is fantastic!

Ambience

El Punto has a bright, cheerful vibe. The layout and decor remind me of Mexico. Most striking is a green Volkswagen minivan in the center of the room! There is a table inside, so customers can eat in the van. Another nice touch is the “windows” on the wall. While simulating the look of a real window, they are actually monitors playing street scenes. They are connected, so objects can be seen moving from one window to another. It’s a nice touch.

And the service is excellent. Our waitress was gregarious and cheerful. She regularly refilled our drinks without having to ask and was very accommodating to our many requests. Overall, the experience was delightful.