Safe mexican food places in Tucson, Ariz.

Southern Arizona has some of the best fast-food Mexican eateries and taco stands in the nation. In Tucson, Ariz. there are many options to choose from to please your palate, but some could leave you hurting the day after.

The following is a guide of the most popular Mexican food restaurants around the old pueblo. The major three fast-food burrito restaurants in Tucson are Nico's Burrito, Viva Burrito and Los Betos Mexican Food. Each restaurant has multiple locations and are open until at least 12 a.m.

Nico's Burrito has some of the biggest burritos around town. They are not skimpy on the ingredients and have workers who can get your order right most of the time. You can expect relatively decent service here. The salsa is what attracts a lot of people. It is a red salsa that is a bit spicy and not watery like Viva Burritos. There are more than 10 Nico's locations around Tucson, and the food seems rather consistent from each one.

Don't be surprised if you witness some of Tucson's scarier people around these locations, I've seen several fights while sitting in the drive-thru. I have only encountered one person who has has trouble digesting Nico's food. The problem is the carne asada; it is rather sketchy. It is very tasty and the most popular item, but often I find inedible steak chunks in the burritos that you have to spit out. These could leave your body questing your decision. That said, you have to taste it because it is pretty good.

Watch out for the Viva Burrito's at 2645 E. Speedway Blvd. and 8555 E. Broadway Blvd. Recently, the two restaurants have failed health inspections by the Pima County Health Department. This isn't entirely surprising. The restaurant has failed past inspections and has a reputation around the city as one of the riskier places to eat. The location pictured on my right is the St. Mary's location and is pretty good.

Many people are attracted to Viva because it is open all the time. This is a good thing except the staff seemingly likes to take their time so you could easily be waiting for 10-15 minutes to just get to the window. From there, except another 5 minutes for the food and consider yourself lucky if you receive a "thank you." The food isn't bad, but Viva recently changed salsas to a cheaper Mexican made packet style. No bueno.

Los Betos is like the cooler older brother of Viva Burritos. They have food that provides you with a late night hunger fix, but might makes your stomach rumble. I can remember several instances where people have developed food poisoning from eating their food. They have locations all around the city and most of them are drive-thru.

If you live next to the University of Arizona it might be worth your while to check out Los Alazanes Mexican Food. The restaurant is good a making burritos and has a good history of health inspections. It is close to campus and never too busy. The staff is good and the service is prompter than other competitors.

Whatever restaurant you choose to eat at remember that the food will differ on a case-by-case basis. Look at who is preparing the food if you can and how the staff works. If they look upbeat and happy then they should be doing a decent job with your burrito. At some places it is apparent the people do not want to be there and are just plain sloppy. Other times, the experience is good with fast, quality food that glides through your body like fine cuisine.

Click here to search the Pima County Health Department's inspections records