Shrimp ceviche and white sangria at Mario’s Bar and Grill on South Broad Street.
Mario’s has a liquor license and serves concoctions like these margaritas.
Tacos de lengua, i.e. tongue tacos, is on the menu at Mario’s Bar and Grill on South Broad Street.
Mario’s Bar and Grill in Trenton offers subtle Mexican and Guatemalan specialties that will please the palate and the wallet.
Mario’s Bar and Grill is located on South Broad Street just steps away from the Mercer County Administration building. The building formerly housed Sweeney’s Saloon.
We visited on a muggy Monday night and were greeted and seated by Julia. The first order of business was a traditional margaritas ($6) for the associate muncher and me. Sipping the drinks refreshed us while we perused the menu.
Open for just a year, Mario’s offers up Guatemalan, Mexican and American food. From burgers to ceviche to cheeseteaks to tacos, the menu offers something for everyone. A couple of vegetarian items are also available.
There are large TVs in the bar and at one end of the dining room, and the sound system plays Latin pop songs at very tolerable levels that let you hold a conversation at your table and still bop to the music.
While we were making up our minds on what to order, Julia came back with a complimentary sampler of two wings, two fried potato logs, some chips, a green salsa and a creamy dipping sauce. A nice gesture for our first visit and a welcome change from the ubiquitous basket of chips and bowl of salsa.
The wings were meaty, crispy and fresh out of the fryer. The coating was flavorful without being pungently hot at all. This was a foreshadowing of the level of seasoning for the rest of the meal.
It should be noted that an order of Mario’s Wings are $7.99 and come with your choice of BBQ, mild or hot sauce and the traditional celery and blue cheese. I would definitely want to try an order of the hot sometime.
We finished the starter platter, made our dinner choices and took the last sips of our Margaritas all at about the same time. White sangria ($6 by the glass) was our choice of beverage for dinner. The sangria was just as refreshing a drink, but with less alcohol than the Margaritas.
Anxious to try one of the ceviches, I ordered the Ceviche Camaron ($9.99) as a first course for us to share. Served in a lovely glass bowl with three whole large shrimp perched on the side, the ceviche was a very mellow mix of chopped tomatoes, onion, and shrimp that had marinated in the vegetable juices and some citrus. Two slices of avocado garnished the dish. The flavors were fresh, simple and clean. This dish would make a lovely light lunch or supper for one.
Associate Muncher chose the Camarones Empanizados ($10.99) for dinner. This was a platter of battered and fried shrimp, a generous mound of yellow rice (white rice is an option), a cup of black beans (red beans are also available), and handmade, soft corn tortillas. The shrimp were perfectly fried, the coating light and flavorful. Associate Muncher ate some singly and wrapped others up with some beans, rice and lettuce in the warm, hand made tortillas.
For my entree, I ordered the Tacos de Lengua ($7.99), a small dice of beef tongue mixed with chopped onions and cilantro served in soft tortillas. The meat was very tender, mildly seasoned so that the beef flavor came through. The mixture of sauteed onions and cilantro was also deftly handled. There was just enough to be aromatic but not overpowering, a balancing act that can be hard to achieve with such strong flavors. The order of three tacos was just the right size to be satisfying without leaving one uncomfortably stuffed.
There are also tacos filled with grilled steak, grilled chicken and two kinds of pork. On a subsequent visit, I tried the Tacos al Pastor, spicy marinated pork cubes, that were also very tasty. The flavors were more assertive than any other dish we sampled, but still soft enough for those who are not fond of really hot and spicy food. All the tacos come three to an order with that wonderful mixture of onions and cilantro.
Mario’s offers soups, paella, fajitas, and burritos along with some specialties like the camaron empanizados and a chimichanga. For the less adventurous eater there are burgers, cheesesteaks and wraps.
There are a few desserts, the usual soft drinks and even horchata (a rice based, spiced beverage). They offer half price drinks for happy hour from 4 to 6 weekdays.
Mario’s is a tidy little place with good food at reasonable prices.
Mario’s Bar and Grill is located at 668 S. Broad St., Trenton. Phone: (609) 393-6669. Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday–Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. Liquor license. Cash and major credit cards accepted.
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