If you find yourself searching for no-nonsense Mexican food at painless prices, look no further than Conejito’s Place. Located at 539 W. Virginia St., the restaurant offers an alternative to the frequented La Perla and La Fuente restaurants without requiring a longer trek.

Conejito’s is known for its enchiladas and tostadas, but they also offer tacos, chicken mole and a Mexican Plate Lunch which comes with rice, beans, chopped beef and tortillas. Side dishes are available as well, and the beans with cheese and chips go nicely with any meal.

Conejito’s is perfect for a college student’s budget with entree prices ranging from $2.60 to $5. Side dishes cost even less and soft drinks are only $1. Chips and salsa are not complimentary, but you can order chips for a minimal price and a six-ounce cup of salsa will only put you out 75 cents. If you love the salsa, pints are available for $2.50.

The beef enchiladas are served covered in cheese with the option of rice, beans or both on the side. The rice wasn’t the most flavorful but it’s hard to complain when a plateful of food comes up to only $4.60. Bean tostadas will also delight you at $3.75. They’re served covered with refried beans, lettuce, tomato and a grated white cheese I’m told is similar to Chihuahua cheese.

All food at Conejito’s is served on paper plates, which perhaps reflects their cheap prices or maybe is just a little quirk. This lackluster presentation may offend gourmands accustomed to fine dining but it works for me. I readily sacrificed durable dishes for speedy service — my food appeared less than five minutes after I ordered it!

The main entrance to the restaurant leads directly into its bar, which tends to get rather smoky at times. They do have a separate dining room in the back, though, for those who prefer somewhat cleaner air.

Pastel-colored crepe paper bunny heads decorate the ceiling beams of the back room in an odd tribute to the restaurant’s namesake — conejito is Spanish for “little rabbit.” The decorations along with other festive wall hangings and dim lighting definitely create a unique dining atmosphere.

A mixed crowd populated the back room when I was there, but college students were notably lacking. It seems that Conejito’s Place is a relatively undiscovered gem with the potential for becoming a mainstay in frugal student dining.

If you’d like to check it out, simply ‘hop’ on a Route 14 bus and take it down Wisconsin Avenue to 6h Street. From there, Route 80 will take you to Virginia Street. Conejito’s Place is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.