Hacienda Las Glorias, Cedar Rapids

An uncommon faithfulness to traditional Mexican flavors surely helped Hacienda Las Glorias nab the top spot as the best Mexican restaurant on the KCRG A-List in 2014. Here, you'll find all of the expected tacos and quesadillas, but they're joined by enchiladas blanketed in housemade mole sauce and shrimp sautéed in garlic butter.

These dishes, of course, must share the spotlight with mojitos and margaritas blended with top-shelf tequilas. Other authentic touches include decorative vases, stained-glass window accents, and masked swordsmen swinging from the iron chandeliers overhead. Completing the experience is a painted mural that gives the impression that one is dining next to a window overlooking a cobblestone courtyard.