Casa Azteca Uptown Charlotte

Casa Azteca is the Mexican restaurant on West Trade Street in Uptown, serving late into the night on Friday and Saturday. Free chips arrive with refills, and the cheese dip is the item people single out in review after review. Fresh guacamole gets prepared as its own small event at the table. Portions run large enough that Uptown prices stop feeling steep by the end of the meal. It is one of the few places in the center city serving a full Mexican menu past midnight.

What to know

• The salsa is the weak point on the menu, though the queso is not.
• Quesadillas come with rice and an avocado dip on the side.
• Staff including David are named for attentive service.
• The restaurant is a short walk from the arena.