On a night when there’s entertainment at the iconic icehouse that shares a beer-cap-strewn yard with La Tuna Grill, the wait for food can seem extreme. Chill. For its part, the beer is always cold, so if the music’s good or there’s a breeze out of the southeast, the wait will be worth it for the scene alone. (We recommend avoiding Southtown’s First Fridays, however; there is such a thing as too much atmosphere.) As it happens, much of the food is also good.

If one is ever going to partake of chili with beans, the white bean version here avoids the heresy of adding pintos to a bowl of red. Further tricked out with grilled chicken breast, bits of roasted poblanos, and Jack cheese, it’s pretty darn good. The same chili comes loaded on top of nachos with additional jalapeños and guacamole. Daintier appetites might consider the three grilled mini-burgers with different toppings that make up “La Tuna Trio,” or the blackened fish tacos served with the same nopalito salad that can accompany sandwiches in place of fries. The briny cactus paddles are great, for example, with the hearty roasted lamb sandwich gone gourmet with goat cheese.