Update: Johnny Sanchez is now closed

Since the Horseshoe Casino opened, I’ve been wanting to try Johnny Sanchez which is a collaboration between celebrity chefs Aaron Sanchez and Johnny Besh. I have a group of  friends who love Mexican food as much as I do. When we were deciding on our next Mexican adventure, I suggested heading over to Johnny Sanchez. It was a Friday evening, and while the casino was buzzing with people, the restaurant was surprisingly empty. I usually take an empty restaurant on a Friday or Saturday evening as a bad sign, but we were all craving  Mexican food and fortunately decided to stay.

Johnny Sanchez

When we were seated, we were given complimentary Chips and Salsa. The chips were great, and the salsa had a nice spice which made us very excited for the rest of the food we ordered.

Chips and Salsa

As a group, we decided to start with an order of the Guacamole. This version of guacamole came with serrano peppers inside which added a nice spice, but definitely was not too overpowering. I’ve tried guacamole at a few different restaurants around Baltimore, this was probably the best one I’ve had so far. The chef was more thoughtful than mashing up a few avocados, sprinkling on salt & pepper, and calling it a day.

Guacamole

Two of my friends decided to share an order of the Fajitas, They opted for the combo platter and got Chicken and Steak. The fajitas came with your typical sides which included: herbed rice, grilled onions and peppers, roasted tomatoes, flour tortillas, sour cream, pico de gallo, monetary jack cheese, limes, and cilantro. My friends really loved this dish.

Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Another friend ordered the Quesadilla, inside was chicken, mushrooms, and rajas. The quesadilla was then coated with cheese and topped with salsa verde. This was definitely not your traditional quesadilla. In fact, it was significantly better. The exterior cheese crisped up nicely and really made this an interesting dish which was different than a typical quesadilla.

Quesadilla

For my meal I went with two tacos. At Johnny Sanchez, you order each taco individually which is something I prefer doing because then you have an option for a wider variety.

Two Tacos

I ordered two tacos, two or three would make for a decent meal size (depending on how many chips you ate.) The first taco was the Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa. The taco came with tomato-guajillo chile sauce, roasted garlic, onion, and cilantro. The beef inside the taco was very tender and the sauces were delicious.

Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa Taco

The other taco I ordered was the Carne Asada which was grilled & marinated skirt steak, pickled jalapeño, and guacamole. I was thrilled to have more of that delicious guacamole in my taco and I also enjoyed this one very much.

Carne Asada Taco

If you’re looking for inventive Mexican food, Johnny Sanchez is sure to have something that delights your senses.