RIVERA’S MEXICAN FOOD, 12047 Blondo St.

The casual Mexican eatery Jesus and Tracey Rivera opened in 2004 still bursts with flavor and diners. On the menu: Mexican fare with creative and well-seasoned sauces, including dishes from Jesus’ native Puebla (home of the pomegranate-topped chiles en nogada) and seafood dishes (lobster, crab, shrimp enchiladas and mahi-mahi) more common on the Mexican coasts.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to at least 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Information: 932-1381 or click here. Prices: $10 to $15 per person.

Mom scoop: There's a small kids menu and lots of sharable items. It tends to be loud and lively enough for a crying kid to blend into the background noise. They don't do reservations, and there's often a wait at prime dinnertime and late-week lunch hours; try them them earlier in the week, or come early, if you hope to beat the crowd.

Nichole Aksamit reviews restaurants for the World-Herald. Read more from her here.