In June of 2025, Casa Cortes Mexican Grill expanded to a second location when they opened in the Stabon Plaza shopping center in Mohnton.
One of the first blogs I ever wrote was at this location, back when it was Maniaci’s Bistro. That restaurant achieved infamy on an episode of Restaurant: Impossible, closing a year later.
The restaurant space has changed many times since our first visit. After Maniaci’s, it was the second location for Sofrito. More recently, it was home to Briano’s Italiano. Casa Cortes opened in 2025, adding a second location to complement their space on 9th Street in Reading.
Based on our experience, it feels like Casa Cortes has the chance to stick around.
Guests entering are greeted at the takeout counter, which had a steady stream of customers during our visit. A swinging door separates the entryway from the dining room with its brightly colored walls and booths in shades of yellow, green and orange.
We had arrived shortly after 5 p.m. and were the only ones in the dining room. (Though we could see a table had recently cleared). Our server brought a basket of chips for us to enjoy while we looked over the menu and ordered drinks.
The chips were good, and we really enjoyed their salsa. It was thick and mild, and it tasted fresh.
Julie and I both ordered horchata, and those drinks arrived after a few minutes. Served in tall Pepsi glasses, the horchata was good with a nice creamy texture. It didn’t have as much cinnamon as some versions which made it easy to drink.
The menu is not as large as some places, but I was surprised to see two sections of breakfast specialties. After confirming that they were available all day, I decided to have breakfast for dinner, ordering the “everything-but-the-kitchen sink” burrito. It came filled with steak, bacon, egg, avocado, tater tots and cheese.
I love a good breakfast burrito, and this one did not disappoint. The burrito was fully stuffed, heavy on the meat with just enough egg and cheese. Everything was good, but it needed a little sauce to bind it together. The mild green sauce was the perfect addition.
Julie loved her birria quesadillas – tortillas filled with birria beef, Oaxaca cheese, onions and cilantro, served with a cup of consomme (broth) for dipping. It was a savory delight, hearty with braised beef. The consomme had plenty of onion and cilantro for added flavor.
Birria is always good, but this one was excellent.
Jakob ordered a burrito with chicken tinga. It also included rice, beans, lettuce and cheese. Normally, he would have ordered ground beef, but it’s not one of the protein options at Casa Cortes. Even so, he really liked his burrito. It was stuffed full (it was a regular entree, not a kids meal) with delicious pulled chicken. It came served with a handful of chips on the side, which was a little weird after having the basket of chips, but it was more than enough food for him anyway.
For Lukas, the fussy two–year-old, we ordered the chicken fingers and fries (not pictured). The chicken fingers were actually pretty solid, and the fries weren’t bad, but I look forward to the day when he starts to eat other things.
We brought home half of Jakob’s burrito and about half of Lukas’ meal as well. (Both had filled up on the chips and salsa).
Our total bill was about $65 for the four entrees and two horchatas. The entrees were priced in the $10-$15 range which is about average for the amount of food.
The food was great. The only thing that could have been improved was the service. Despite only one other table filling while we were there, our server visited infrequently and it seemed to take a while for our four drinks to arrive.
Still, we would go back. And we would gladly check out the original location in downtown, too, for another taste of Casa Cortes.
BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Fair
Ambiance: Good
Price: $$
Casa Cortes Mexican Restaurant
360 E. Wyomissing Avenue
Mohnton, PA 19540
