Fast as Speedy Gonzales is the motto at Mexico Viejo.

The Mexican restaurant opened in 2002 and is a family-owned and operated eatery located at 2131 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, behind Starbucks.

The extensive menu is prepared with fresh ingredients, and the service aims to be exceptionally fast, said manager Gonzalo Leon.

Upon arrival, customers are greeted with a basket of freshly fried corn tortilla chips and housemade salsa.

The dining room is divided into several more intimate eating spaces, with a horseshoe-shaped bar at the center of the restaurant. A large dining room at the back of the establishment doubles as a party room for large groups and allows for banquet-style serving. The banquet room can be reserved for catered parties with no additional room fee.

The bar is fully stocked and offers an assortment of bottled and imported beers, draft beer by the mug or pitcher, mixed drinks and glasses of wine. Margaritas and daiquiris are served in a 16-ounce glass, as a 44-ounce "Monster" drink or by the pitcher with 60 ounces to share.

House margaritas are half off 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

The menu has more than 100 selections, including vegetarian dishes, appetizers, salads, fajitas, entrees, house specialties and desserts.

"We make everything in house -- the salsa, queso, beans, desserts -- it is all prepared fresh daily," said manager Gonzalo Leon.

In addition to fresh salsa and white queso, they also offer bean dip, guacamole or queso fundido -- queso with chorizo and beef.

Lunch plates priced from $3.49 to $5.75 include tacos, enchiladas, tamales, tostadas, chalupas, flautas and chimichangas. There is also a tostaguac topped with beef, beans, lettuce, guacamole and tomatoes; and the Taquitos Mexicanos with a choice of seasoned ground beef, chicken, shredded pork or cheese wrapped in corn tortillas then fried and topped with a special sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream.

Lunch specialties are priced from $3.99 to $6.49 and include heuvos rancheros, taco salad, fajitas and combination platters with options such as chile rellenos, quasadillas or burritos.

Lunch is served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.

A signature dish that has established legacy by showing up on other Mexican restaurants in the area originated at Mexico Viejo. Steven's Special serves a plate of sliced, grilled chicken on a bed of rice that is ladled with queso blanco and served with flour tortillas. As one of the most popular dishes, it is also offered in a smaller portion on the children's menu.

In addition to Mexican offerings, the children's menu includes chicken nuggets, grilled cheese or a cheeseburger served with French fries, and a cheese pizza.

For dinner, 29 combination plates are offered for $6.50, or customers can create their own combination plate with a choice of three popular items for $7.99.

House specialties include Quesadilla Texana with a large flour tortilla stuffed with cheese, mushrooms, fajita beef and chicken then topped with cheese dip ($7.99); Burritos de Carne Asada with grilled beef tips rolled into a large flour tortilla and topped with cheese dip, lettuce, tomato and sour cream ($10.25); and Especial Dinner offering an array of one taco, one enchilada, one chile rellano, one tamale, one chalupa with rice and beans ($9.75).

Seafood dishes include camarones a la diabla, carne asada with shrimp, grilled shrimp chimichanga or ceviche.

The Burrito Mexicano stuffs a flour tortilla with pork simmered in tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. The burrito is topped with queso and is served with lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole ($5.25). There is also chile verde ($8.25) which offers tender chunks of pork simmered in a green sauce and served with rice, beans and tortillas.

The fajitas can be ordered with beef, chicken, shrimp or a combination of all three with chorizo sausage. Served for an individual ($9.25-$11.50) or for two ($16.99-$18.99), the meat is accompanied by sauteed onions, bell peppers and tomatoes; rice; beans; lettuce; pico de gallo; sour cream; guacamole; and a choice of flour or corn tortillas.

The menu also offers ceviche; pork chops; steak and shrimp; and chicken and rice.

Desserts include a traditional Mexican custard; a fried flour tortilla topped with honey, butter and cinnamon; or ice cream topped with coco, corn flakes and whipped cream.

Mexico Viejo opens daily at 11 a.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

More information is available by calling (479) 587-8181 or online at mexicoviejofayetteville.com.