• James Buck
• Casa Real Mexican Restaurant

Casa Real Mexican Restaurant — Casa Real is ready to party, and Vermonters are there for it. Almost from the day the 150-seat restaurant opened, the lines to eat have been as impressive as the mammoth margaritas, hefty burritos and mountains of guacamole made tableside. Servers bustle nonstop between tables, the bar is always hopping, and any celebration is an excuse for a spirited maraca parade.

The humming spot, best known as the former location of Junior's Italian, boasts a multipage menu of mostly Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex classics, from crunchy chimichangas to crisp birria tacos to Hawaiian fajitas served in a pineapple.

Co-owner Eduardo Fuentes, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, acknowledged that Casa Real caters to northern New England palates. "If we open with authentic Mexican, most people don't like it — too spicy," Fuentes said. "Our customers are you guys."

According to Daysies voters, the restaurant has nailed it. The reception to Casa Real has been so positive that Fuentes said the team sped up plans to open a second, larger restaurant in Williston called Casa Grande. They are going big — literally.

Other Finalists

• Electra's Restaurant
• The Kitchen Table
• Penzo Pizza Co.
• Santiago's Cuban Cuisine