Coco Bongo

Coco Bongo Mexican Express Cantina sits on Hillsborough Street in downtown Raleigh. The room is painted in bold colors, hung with traditional decor and usually playing music, so it has the noise and warmth a cantina ought to have.

The food is Mexican cooking done without fuss, and it comes out fast, which is the point of the express in the name. The place has built a local following on that combination, and it reads as somewhere people drop into on a Tuesday as easily as on a Friday.

What to know

• Both dine-in and takeout have been offered since the place opened.
• Orders can also be placed online.
• The restaurant calls itself the best Mexican cantina in town.
• Staff aim to get food out quickly while keeping the quality up.