Mr. Leno

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By JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star

Mr. Leno is a fast-food Mexican restaurant, but not with the kind of food usually associated with these kinds of eateries.

Anyone who’s eaten at a corporate chain — such as a Taco Bell — knows what I’m talking about.

Taco Bell, for instance, won’t have foods with lengua (beef tongue), cabeza (brain), milanesa (breaded fried beef) or nachos made with marinated beef instead of hamburger.

View Slideshow

Owner Maria Diaz shows of the Chile Relleno plate and the Super Nachos at her resaurant Mr. Leno Mexican Food. (Eric Gregory)

Mr. Leno

7040 O St.

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Mexican fast food

Payment: Cash, major credit cards

Cost: Combination plates, $5.79 to $6.79

Hours: Open 24 hours daily

Phone: (402) 484-0408

Notes: Parking, drive-through, children’s menu, 24-hour breakfast, no alcohol, take-out

***

Food: 3 stars

Service: 2½ stars

Atmosphere: 2 stars

Vegetarian friendly: 2 stars

The Last Bite: Locally owned Mr. Leno is a step up from a fast- food chain. The restaurant features a variety of authentic, made-to-order Mexican dishes.

Rating system: Excellent 4 stars; Good 3 stars; Fair to uneven 2 stars; Poor 1 star



Join the conversation

Have you eaten at Mr. Leno?

Tell us what you think, and we'll feature selected comments in a new ongoing dining feature in Ground Zero.

Post your comment on this article, which you can find online at www.journalstar.com/living/gz, or contact Jeff Korbelik by e-mail (jkorbelik@journalstar.com) or telephone (473-7213).

Mr. Leno does, and if you’re a fan of authentic Mexican dishes, you should give the new fast-food place a try.

The menu (and quality) will remind diners of  foods found at D’Leon’s, El Comal and El Chaparro — three exceptional  restaurants that excel at authentic fast-food Mexican.

Mr. Leno, located one block east of 70th and O streets, is owned by Arizona transplant Maria Becerra, who runs the place with her three nephews — Jesus, Danny and Tony Salas.

Becerra also owns a Mr. Leno in Phoenix. She made Lincoln her home after visiting relatives here and falling in love with the city.

The restaurant is named for Becerra’s father, Magdeleno, who is known for his bushy white mustache. The eatery’s logo features a mustachioed jalapeno with a sombrero.

Mr. Leno is open 24 hours, with breakfast available all day. All dishes are made — not put together — after they’re ordered.

The menu features 23 combination plates, ranging in price from $5.79 to $6.79. The combos feature entrees — tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas, burritos, etc. — with rice and beans.

Diners also can order tacos, tortas (sandwiches), burritos and tostadas, priced from $2.19 to $4.19.

Mr. Leno is set up like a typical fast-food restaurant, with orders taken at a counter. Patrons retrieve most of their own drinks, plastic utensils, napkins and the homemade green and red hot sauces. Try both sauces — they are very different in flavor and heat.

 Photographer Eric Gregory and I stopped in Monday evening for dinner and ordered combination plates. Eric had two carne asada (chopped beef) tacos ($6.79) and I had a lengua burrito and beef taco.

The tacos were brimming with meat, lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes and onions. My burrito was stuffed with shredded (as opposed to cubed) tongue meat.

We enjoyed our meals and said we’d go back. We appreciated that our meals were prepared after we ordered. It takes longer than the assembly-line preparation of corporate chains, but it’s worth it.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.