What Are Missouri’s Best Mexican Restaurants, Did AI Help?

So I decided I wanted to have some more fun with artificial intelligence so I asked ChatGPT what Missouri's best Mexican Restaurants are. It seems, unfortunately, when you ask ChatGPT what a state's best restaurants are, it's going to spit out a bunch of restaurants from the state's larger cities. In this case Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia and Springfield. Yet what happens when you ask it to the same question, but with more of a geographic preference?

Anyway, here's the original list spat out by ChatGPT, I've put it in a screenshot. Remember, ChatGPT, or any AI platform isn't going to be 100% percent recent, as it relies on the information fed to it. In this case, this list is from ChatGPT's last update in January of 2022. So that latest and greatest Mexican joint that opened in the last year won't be on this list. ChatGPT, also provides this disclaimer, "Remember that the popularity and quality of restaurants can vary, so it's always a good idea to check recent reviews and ask locals for recommendations when looking for the best Mexican cuisine in Missouri."

Now I don't know a lot about any of these places, or if ChatGPT got all the cities right. I will say this, if you're heading to KC or St. Louis, Springfield or even Columbia, I'd double-check and make sure the restaurant is still in business and is in the city ChatGPT says it is. Because, when I asked ChatGPT to focus a little bit closer on places in West Central Missouri, it sure brought up some places I liked, but in the wrong towns.

When it comes to ChatGPT picking places in West Central Missouri, it was more of an obvious miss.

First, El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant and El Espolon Mexican Restaurant are both in Sedalia, not Warrensburg. Both are really good Mexican restaurants, although the last time I went to El Espolon my tacos were a little on the greasy side, so yeah, I kind of haven't gone back since that experience a couple of months ago. El Tap has been excellent any time I've gone, never had a bad meal there.

Taqueria Habana was a great place in Warrensburg, however, it has closed. As has Mi Pueblito, and to the best of my knowledge Los Cabos in Clinton isn't there anymore either.

When I asked what your favorite Mexican restaurant was on Facebook, El Tapatio got most of the love. Followed by El Espolon. April suggested Jalisco's Mexican Restaurant in Windsor, and Dana suggested Si Senor in Eldon.

Debi mentioned the newest Mexican restaurant is Sedalia, El Rodeo, which we recently tried and liked. El Rodeo is owned by the same family that owns Cancun in Warrensburg, which is my go-to Mexican restaurant there.

The bottom line, when you're heading to a city or new place, artificial intelligence can be part of what you use to find a great restaurant. That said, what might be more reliable is asking a local where they like to eat. There's a lot less of a chance of getting steered wrong that way or getting your hopes up about a place, only to find it has closed.