The Winner of Readers' Choice for Best Mexican Restaurant in Healdsburg Is...

A flurry of activity just before voting closed for this week’s Readers Choice poll on Best Mexican Restaurant in Healdsburg put totals over the 100 mark. Disappointing, but enough for us to decide on a winner, according to your votes, your ratings and your reviews.

Although it came in second in the polling (see below) with 25%, is selected as the winner over its brother restaurant , which polled 30%.

How is that possible? Remember we’ve been reminding you it takes more than just clicking a radio button in a poll – we want you to rate the restaurant on its Patch Directory listing, and take the time to write a review as well.

Fans of Agave, which is owned and managed by apparently read the rules better than friends of El Farolito, owned and managed by . The former restaurant has two 5-star ratings and two reviews placed during the voting period this week; the latter has no ratings and no reviews.

"They make the best Margaritas in town. Food is regional mostly from Oaxaca and ever changing. I love to try each new offering," wrote user .

"That's great news," said an obviously enthused Octavio Diaz when I called with the news. "You made my day!"

Two other restaurants on the list of six also generated comment in the closing days – was singled out for its “Yucatan haute cuisine… beautiful flavor combinations, with the freshest (mostly local) ingredients, and just the right amount of heat” by , and himself called Patch to suggest a visit to his kitchen to see how important local producers and sustainable practices are to him.

The modest on the southbound way out of town at 125 Healdsburg Ave. (across from McDonald’s) also has its fans, and received several votes on our Facebook site (I logged the votes in the poll, but sorry, Facebook comments are not eligible). Taking the advice of friends to heart, my son Brian and I had lunch there yesterday, and found the burritos not just large but well-prepared, nutritionally well-balanced and fresh-tasting.

The other two Mexican restaurants in town – and , both of which we frequent as well – received several votes each, which tells us you really can’t go wrong with Mexican food in Healdsburg.