Tucson’s south side mesquite-grilled carne asada is worth the trip with hole-in-the-wall joints such as Tacos Apson. However, an unassuming challenger is tucked away east of Tucson Medical Center.
Follow the trail of intoxicating mesquite smoke to find The Quesadillas, 2418 N. Craycroft Rd., hidden north of the Circle K at Craycroft Road and Grant Road. It’s easy to dismiss it as just another Mexican fast food joint but don’t make that mistake.
Parking is tight (but there’s additional space in the back).
The menu is short with quesadillas, tacos, and tostadas. Not a burrito in sight.
Top quesadilla and taco choices
For variety, we ordered Carne Asada Quesadilla, Pollo Asado Quesadilla, Veggie Quesadilla, Al Pastor Taco, and Carne Asada Taco.
As it turns out, quesadillas come with a bean taco. It was lightly fried and nice to not have to use a fork.
Namesake quesadillas, however, were outstanding. The house-made tortillas were spotted a mahogany brown with no burned or flaccid sections.
Meats were also noteworthy. The carne asada and pollo asado had the distinct seared edges with mesquite flavor, but were still juicy and tender.
Vegetarians, you won’t lose out
The veggie quesadilla featured a fresh medley of zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and corn. We also found broccoli and peppers, which weren’t listed on the menu but we welcomed the addition. Since the tortillas are made with vegetable oil, it’s a legitimate vegetarian option that’s not undercooked.
Fresh salsa bar options
While the salsa bar is modest in size, the salsas available are all well-seasoned and clearly fresh.
The Quesadillas doesn’t have any gimmicks and just excels with grilled meats, house-made tortillas, and fresh salsas. It’s a place where both five-year-olds and jaded foodies will be in bliss.
March 2019 Updates
We’ve returned countless times. Here are a few things we’ve learned since then:
- The salsa bar now has a pineapple salsa that is fantastic with the al pastor.
- Salsas don’t include salt as an ingredient and they still somehow manage to be excellent.
- The rib eye taco features a wide, thin slice of rib eye that bursts with beefy, fatty flavor.
- The shrimp quesadilla comes with an addictive, spicy creamy sauce.
- The hot dog is essentially a Sonoran dog, except the bacon is crumbled on top instead of wrapped around the frank. And it has no beans.
The Quesadillas is located at 2418 N. Craycroft Rd. and can be reached at (520) 296-1345. For more information, visit queso520.com.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
