A tortilla makes a handy mouse pad, an acceptable patch for stiff denim jeans, and, if you draw a face on it, an ideal companion on fishing trips. But there are many other uses for it, as today's Groupon proves: for $10, you get $20 worth of Mexican fare and drinks at Chevys Fresh Mex. Choose from the following locations: Columbia, Ellisville, O'Fallon, O'Fallon (IL), Olivette, St. Charles, St. Louis Mills Mall, and Tesson Ferry.

Chevys serves up Mexican fare in Texas-size portions, with salsa and tortillas made from scratch daily. Begin by ordering a bowl of guacamole to witness a server capture, skin, and gut a live avocado right at your table before hand-mashing it into fresh guacamole. From there, let your taste buds tango across tender tamales wrapped by hand each morning, or play mad scientist and suture together an electrified monster plate from enchiladas, tacos, grilled chili rellenos, tamales, and mini chimichangas ($8.99 for any two, $10.99 for any three, $11.99 for any four). Seafarers, meanwhile, will want to try the grilled fish tacos—a mélange of grilled fish, chipotle aioli, lettuce, and pico de gallo, warmly embraced by the floury flaps of El Machino tortillas and topped with a sprinkling of crumbled cotija cheese ($10.49). To keep the hot peppers and piquant salsas from singing the sinuses, douse your mouth-flames periodically with drinks such as the Kraken fruit punch, black spiced rum coupled with spicy mango and orange juice ($8.75), or the Blue Agave margarita, a mixture of El Mayor Reposado tequila and blue Curacao ($6.75 regular–$11.50).

More up-front than a turkey-talking cowcatcher, Chevys lists nutrition info and recipe details for each dish online. The restaurant's casual and colorful décor makes it easy for diners to kick back, eat up, and forget about their various troubles and accidentally summoned demonspawn.

Reviews

Nine Lilaguiders give the Olivette location of Chevys Fresh Mex a four star-average, and 14 Yelpers give it a three-star average. Five Yelpers give the Hazelwood location a modest two star-average, while three Google Mappers give it a three star-average. Although some reviews express mixed opinions about the service at the Hazelwood location, reviewers for both locations enjoy the food.

• My family loves going here. The chips and salsa are amazing. There is never a long wait to be seated. – Camillesmom, Lilaguide, Olivette location
• Chevy's is a satisfying Tex-Mex style restaurant, with options for non-meat eaters. – Ellen M., Yelp, 3/2/09, Olivette location