If you’re looking for a delicious, filling, Tex-Mex-style meal in the area, Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse has you covered. Located at 48 Gusabel Ave in Nashua, NH, it’s a very short under-20 minute drive from HBHS. What the restaurant does best in my opinion is their dishes involving their espinaca con queso dip; a thick, cheesy queso dip made with spiced cheeses and a few assorted vegetables (and tomato) thrown into the mix. The result is a dip that I firmly believe is one of the best things to dip into with hot, crispy tortilla chips, which are served in generous quantities. 

For the entree, I lean towards the “Shorty’s ‘Big Boy’ Steak,” under the aptly named “Monster Burrito” section of the menu. What you receive on your plate is a burrito sitting around a foot long, filled with thin cuts of steak strip, rice, beans, avocado, and a melty Monterey jack cheese sauce on top, sealing the presentation and the flavor. The ‘Big Boy’ Steak burrito lives up to its name, as you’ll never still be hungry after eating such a filling meal. 

But if you do still have room for more, the dessert menu has you covered. From sweetly savory “Peanut Butter Passion Pie” to fried ice cream, churros or flan, there are some Tex-Mex favorites waiting for you after dinner, with all desserts sitting at a humble $6.99. 

Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse is my go-to place for food when I’m around the area, and gets a solid 9/10 for food, with my only minute gripe being that more dishes could lean further into the spice factor. Service gets an 8/10, as the waitstaff is almost always friendly and willing to cater to every request, but the factor getting a 10/10 is the environment. With old, neon road signs, antique oil cans, miscellaneous antique items, and potted cacti lining every window, the place just feels like a good Midwest/Mexican restaurant. If you’ve never been there, (like most of my friends hadn’t been until yesterday,) give it a try. I promise it’ll be worth your while.