A Generous Night Out at Casa Real in Colchester

A basket of corn chips and salsa gets the table started at Casa Real, a lively Colchester restaurant where the food arrives in the generous, satisfying portions many people hope for when they sit down for Mexican dinner. The menu is broad, the room is colorful, and a meal can move easily from a quick plate of tacos to a full evening of fajitas, margaritas and dessert.

This is straightforward, familiar Mexican restaurant food with plenty of choices rather than a narrowly focused menu. Burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, chimichangas, carnitas, chile rellenos, taquitos and birria tacos all have a place here, making it easy for a table of mixed appetites to find its direction.

The mood has enough color and energy for a birthday dinner or a casual celebration, but it does not require an occasion. A relaxed lunch, an easy date night, or dinner with a few hungry relatives all fit the setting.

Casa Real's dining room has high ceilings, plentiful seating and playful artwork that gives the space a festive personality without making it uncomfortable. It is a clean, well-decorated room with the open feel that helps a larger group spread out rather than squeeze into a corner.

There are booths for a more tucked-in meal, an indoor dining area, bar seating and an outdoor patio or terrace. On a hot day, the air-conditioned interior is particularly welcome; on a milder evening, the outdoor option changes the pace of dinner.

The energy can change noticeably over the day. A lightly occupied room can turn much livelier during the dinner period, especially after 5 p.m., when the parking lot and dining room tend to get busier.

The chips and salsa are more than a table-filler here. The corn chips have drawn particular praise, and they give everyone something to snack on while the larger menu decisions are still being made.

Guacamole prepared tableside adds a small bit of ceremony to the opening of a meal. It is a simple pleasure to see it come together in front of you, and it suits the restaurant's unfussy, sociable style.

That fresh-preparation touch also makes a good opening for a group meal. While one person considers birria tacos and another weighs a burrito, there is already something on the table to share.

Fajitas are a natural choice when the table wants a little sizzle and plenty to pass around. Chicken fajitas and the Hawaiian fajita have both stood out as satisfying orders, while bacon-wrapped shrimp skewers with fajita vegetables offer a richer variation.

The Casa Real steak is another substantial entrée for diners who want to make dinner center on beef rather than tacos. For a different steak-forward route, the Burrito Casa Real can be ordered with steak and filled out with substantial additions; extra sour cream is an available customization.

A fajita quesadilla brings together two dependable Mexican restaurant favorites in one plate. It has been noted for fresh, bold flavor, with rice on the side that deserves more than an afterthought.

Portions run large enough that sharing is practical and leftovers are not unusual. That changes the way the menu can be approached: a couple can split a few favorites, or a group can order generously without every person needing an appetizer, entrée and dessert of their own.

Birria tacos and carnitas are among the menu's especially satisfying choices, and both work well for diners who would rather keep the meal centered on classic, handheld flavors. Taquitos and chimichangas add more crispy, hearty options for anyone in the mood for comfort-food territory.

The chicken-and-beef quesadillas provide an easy middle ground for a table with different cravings. Tacquitos Mexicano and BBQ wings bring a few more casual, shareable possibilities into the mix.

Vegetarian dishes are clearly labeled, and the selection is broad enough that meatless diners are not limited to a side dish strategy. The Casa Real bowl with vegetables is one entrée option with a fuller plate in mind.

Gluten-free choices are available, although that part of the menu is more limited than the restaurant's wider range of dishes.

The margarita selection offers a more playful route than simply choosing one drink and sticking with it. A four-flavor margarita flight lets diners choose four flavors, which is useful for anyone who enjoys sampling rather than committing to a single style.

Strawberry margarita pitchers suit a table that plans to linger, while the soft-serve margarita is a fun detour from the usual rocks-or-frozen decision. The drinks fit naturally alongside the colorful room and big plates without needing to become the whole point of the evening.

For a special occasion, a celebratory margarita can give the guest of honor a modest spotlight. It is the sort of restaurant where that gesture looks perfectly at home, even if the occasion is simply getting everyone together.

A dinner built around fajitas, burritos or carnitas does not always leave much room at the end, but Casa Real has several reasons to consider one more plate. Churros, tres leches cake, fried ice cream and a dessert combination give the finish a properly sweet turn.

Fried ice cream is especially suited to a table that wants to share a final treat after a big meal. Dessert is not required here—few people will leave hungry without it—but it extends a casual dinner into a more complete night out.

With plentiful seating, booths, bar stools and larger dining areas, Casa Real can handle more than the standard two-person dinner. It works comfortably for family meals, casual get-togethers and larger parties that need a menu broad enough to avoid lengthy negotiations.

Parking is free in an open lot with plenty of spaces, though peak dinner hours can make it busier. Earlier in the day, the restaurant may have a quieter rhythm; later, the room takes on more of a crowd-night feel.

For diners who want classic Mexican dishes, a colorful table setting and a meal substantial enough to take home for tomorrow, Casa Real offers plenty to explore before the check arrives.