Head south (of the lake) for a taste of Mexico at Cisco's

It's almost easy to walk past Cisco's on Kennedy Street in Kingston – the large outdoor area seems to have already been abandoned for the cooler months. But once you're inside, it's a different story. The restaurant is buzzing, and there's a constant stream of people in and out all night – everyone from families, to groups of friends and couples.

The fit-out is simple – a bar down one side, kitchen at the back and bare wooden tables. Ponchos are draped around poles, a few sombreros hang from the walls, and there are trinkets from Mexico scattered around. In one corner is a mannequin dressed with a coloured poncho, fake moustache, sunglasses and sombrero. My slight fear of mannequins coupled with Murphy's Law means we're of course seated directly next to said mannequin.

It's hard to go past the con queso and warm corn chips ($14) to start, a dish that's delivered to our table extremely quickly. It's round corn chips served with a bowl of warm, oozy dip – a blend of four cheeses – with jalapenos which give the richness a nice kick. Between just two people, it's an ample serving, particularly for something so creamy, but we still do everything we can to scrape up every last drop of cheese. I've already completely forgotten about the mannequin.

The drinks list includes five Mexican beers, and four Australian, a simple wine list of Australian drops, sangria and a cocktail menu. And then there's the tequila list. Mexico's national drink well and truly takes up the majority of Cisco's drinks menu. All the categories are covered – blanco, reposado, añejo and mezcal – plus liqueur tequila and flavoured varieties. It's a weeknight, so not the time to get buried in the list, but one could have a very enjoyable evening with it.

Drinks take a bit longer to arrive than the entree, and we can see them sitting on the bar for a while, but they're delivered with a sincere apology from staff who are dashing around trying to keep the whole crowd happy. Despite being busy, service all night is personal and friendly.

The sangria is made using a special house mix, and is served with chunks of orange and a hefty dose of cinnamon, which works surprisingly well, when washing down spicy dishes.

Chicken chimichanga ($21) comes smeared with chipotle sauce and a drizzle of sour cream, plus Mexican-style rice and beans on the side. The dish also comes filled with beef or a vegetarian version, and there's a milder sauce option. I tend to like my chimichangas a tad on the crispy side, which this is not, but this doesn't detract from the filling. The pulled chicken is moist and delicious, particularly with the smokiness from the chipotle.

The platters are perfect for those who can't decide, and the Cisco's platter ($24) comes with a burrito, enchilada, and a spicy meatball served on a mound of rice in the middle. Serving sizes are generous – bring the stretchy pants.

It's pleasantly surprising that as the crowd increases, the noise doesn't, and despite the constant hum of excited children, laughter and sizzling dishes, we can comfortably chat across the table all night.

The dessert menu is simple with three items: Mexican ice-cream, Mexican chocolate mousse, and mango ice-cream. They're all out of the Mexican ice-cream tonight, but we're told it's made in house from chocolate and Kahlua. It goes without saying we will be coming back to taste this.

Cisco's first started out as Mexican restaurant Francisco's in Manuka, which had a cult following for owner Dave Nelson's ribs and wings. While Dave's spare ribs are still available, there's also a whole lot else to like on the rest of the menu. Cisco's is bright, friendly and full of people, and great for a casual evening out.