The new Mexican restaurant in Sedalia, El Rodeo, has opened. We took a radio station field trip on Friday to check it out. Here's what we think.

El Rodeo opened recently in the building that was previously the old Hardee's on South Limit Avenue. You would never know the restaurant was originally a fast-food joint. Additionally, the look of the interior is somewhat similar to Cancun in Warrensburg. I assume that's by design since the same family owns both restaurants.

Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
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Since I love Cancun, it's my go-to Mexican joint in Warrensburg, I had high expectations for the food. Although I'll be honest my palate is rather pedestrian regarding Mexican food. I love the simple. Tacos and rice. Or something like a plate of beef nachos. Plus, yeah, I love the chips and salsa.

When it comes to chips and salsa, I love the individual bowls you can pour the salsa in. The chips were warm and crunchy and the salsa tasted great.  Even though I ordered the beef nachos, I still ended up munching on the chips and salsa.

Beef Nachos (Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media)
Beef Nachos (Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media)
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I thought the beef nachos were delicious. They were generous with the meat and the cheese, and the chips were still crispy when the plate was delivered to me. For a Friday lunch meal when my tummy was growling with hunger, it was just what the doctor ordered.

Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
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Mike ordered the Fajita Burrito with chicken, Lori went with the Burrito El Rodeo with ground beef, Randy had the Pollo con Queso with rice and refried beans, and Kaylea had the ground beef chimichangas with no beans.

Randy Kirby, Townsquare Media
Randy Kirby, Townsquare Media
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Everyone at our table came away satisfied with what they ordered and left the restaurant with full tummies, some with leftovers!  As far as El Rodeo's food is concerned it got high marks from the staff at Townsquare Sedalia!

The staff of El Rodeo gets extremely high marks as well. They did an excellent job making the dishes and getting them out quickly. One of the things that makes some Sedalia restaurants go-to places for lunch is their ability to get lunches out quickly to patrons so they can fit a sit-down meal in their lunch break. From the service we experienced, I don't think that will be a problem.

There did seem to be a little bit of confusion and a bit of a bottleneck when it came to paying the bill. We wanted separate checks, and I think a couple of other parties did too, which sort of gummed up the works for paying the bill.

Two things though, El Rodeo's staff never lost their cool or their smiles through the whole thing. Two, I'd chalk any issues regarding separate checks or paying the bill to just having opened. I wouldn't expect that to be an issue the next time we experience El Rodeo.

Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
Randy Kirby/Townsquare Media
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Bottom line, if you're a Mexican food fan, El Rodeo is a place you have to experience. It might even become your favorite Mexican food joint in Sedalia!

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