Double the Deals on Tuesdays at Puesto
![Huge chicken flautas that are half off at Puesto during "Happy Hour.''](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/chicken-flautas-735x1024.jpg)
Take a close look at all the food in these photos from my meal at Puesto in Santa Clara.
We’re talking a creamy horchata, a tall glass of hefeweizen, tortilla chips with spicy salsa, three sizeable chicken flautas, and six bountiful tacos.
That spread — enough to completely stuff myself and my husband, plus have enough leftovers for one lunch the next day — was $98 before tip.
But I got it all for $58.38.
How?
I did so by dining on a Tuesday when the restaurant’s “Taco Tuesday,” 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., means every taco is half off, and by timing my outing to coincide with the restaurant’s regular Monday through Friday “Happy Hour,” 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., when the Puesto Perfect Margarita is $10, its Puesto draft beers are $6, wines by the glass are $9, and the “Snacks & Shares” part of the menu is half off.
So, if you have a Tuesday off, work from home or have similar flexibility in your schedule, get to the restaurant before 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, and you, too, can take advantage of a double deal.
In this day and age, when we’re all so price conscious, it’s definitely work seeking out.
![A striking mural in the expansive dining room.](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/mural.jpg)
![The dramatic bar area.](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/bar.jpg)
With its Vegas-like vibe, this color-saturated, 9,000-square-foot restaurant may not evoke the authenticity of your favorite neighborhood taqueria. But since the Santa Clara one opened six years ago, the food has gotten a bit more focused and the flavors deeper.
My horchata ($8) was the only item I ordered that wasn’t part of the “Happy Hour” or “Taco Tuesday” discounted menu. But I can never resist its sweet creaminess with spicy food, so I was more than willing to pay full price for it.
![Horchata, with chips and salsa in the back.](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/horchata.jpg)
Chips and molcajete salsa, however, were half-off at $2 at “Happy Hour.” The chips were thin and crisp, and the salsa carried a definite kick, along with a nice smokiness and subtle sweetness from roasted tomatoes.
One could make a meal alone from the chicken flautas ($21.50 regularly; but $10.50 on the “Happy Hour” menu). Three large, burrito-sized tortillas are wrapped around a generous amount of shredded chicken, then fried to a crisp. They get stacked up on the plate and smothered in guacamole, crema, and queso fresco. Alongside are crocks of spicy, garlicky salsa macha and tangy tomatillo-arbol salsa.
There are 11 tacos to choose from, priced regularly from $9 to $17. And they are deceptively filling. The menu recommends three per person. But honestly, many people would be full after two. I know I was.
![Two Baja fish tacos, plus a carnitas taco.](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Fish-and-carnitas-tacos.jpg)
The Baja fish one is probably my favorite with the fish dredged in a batter made with Puesto beer, then fried to a golden crispiness, and snuggled inside a blue corn tortilla with cabbage, guac, crema and morita salsa.
![Short rib quesabrria taco plus two chicken al pastor tacos.](https://www.foodgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Birria-and-chicken-al-pastor-tacos.jpg)
The chicken al pastor comes enfolded in a frico-like shell of cheese that’s been melted until it becomes crisp and foldable. The pineapple-habanero pico de gallo adds a nice burst of tangy tropical brightness.
The carnitas get cloaked in the same crispy layer of cheese, making the tender, juicy pulled pork even richer tasting. With the short rib quesabirria, there’s no side of broth to dunk it in. Even so, it’s plenty meaty and so beefy tasting.
There’s no dessert on the discounted menus. But honestly, my horchata easily filled the need for that last sweet taste.