Germany isn’t known for its Mexican food, or at least, that’s the word on the street. Schnitzel and bratwurst are great, but sometimes you just want tacos, a burrito or some messy nachos.

For those in need, the Alamo Tex Mex Restaurant and Sports Bar, about a quarter mile from the Pulaski Air Base gate in Kaiserslautern, is open for business.

I would never claim to be a connoisseur of Mexican cuisine, but I did live in San Antonio for three years. I have been to plenty of restaurants that serve Mexican or Tex-Mex food in the United States. I have also been to several of these restaurants in Germany. Based on my experiences with Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Germany, I was not expecting anything special. I was wrong.

The American-owned restaurant was opened on Nov. 7, by Shawn Davis and Melissa Jewell, Ramstein Officer Club employees who said they saw a need for good Tex-Mex in the area.

The Alamo is large, with plenty of seating. Televisions and projectors line the walls. As we stepped up to order, Jewell changed the TV station so cartoons would play for my kids. They needed a distraction so I could concentrate.

Customers order food at the counter, just like at Chipotle and Moe’s: pick a dish, pick a meat, pick your toppings. My wife got a beef burrito, I got the nachos, my two kids split a quesadilla, and our friend and her son split a taco bowl.

With a full bar available, we also ordered a few margaritas to wash everything down.

Everything we ordered was great. The meat was tender, and the vegetables were fresh. They even have three levels of salsa; mild, medium and hot. Moreover, they have sour cream, guacamole and a four-cheese queso dip — my three favorite toppings for nachos, and any other food.

The margaritas even tasted like margaritas should taste. They weren’t just margarita mix.

The food at The Alamo is not only good by German standards, it’s good by Texas standards.

Davis attended the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio, while Jewell attended the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts.

The restaurant is new, so there were some issues that might confuse customers.

Currently, there is no table service, so you have to order, pay, pick up food, then sit. They only take cash, as there are problems with the card machine. If you want a drink from the bar, you might have to go to the bar.

Davis and Jewell said they are working to get more staff, and plan on offering table service once they have the people to do so. They are also trying to sort out the credit card issue. Ideally, there will be a grab-and-go side and a table service side to the restaurant, they said.

For now, the food really is good and the staff friendly, making the Alamo Tex Mex Restaurant and Sports Bar a good place to go to satisfy your taco or burrito cravings.

ferguson.brian@stripes.com Twitter: @BrianFerg57

Location: Im Haderwald 10, 67661 Kaiserslautern (Einsiedlerhof) From Pulaski Air Base gate, drive straight and it’s on the left.

Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays — 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Wednesdays — closed; Saturdays, Sundays — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. breakfast, lunch and dinner. Available for party rental.

Prices: Very reasonable.

Information: Tel: 0631-75001800; Online: facebook.com/The-Alamo-Tex-Mex-Restaurant-Sports-Bar-107375317314933

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