The food was really good! The kids portion was just right for me. The menu has a large variety of different kinds of food. The service was fantastic! It was Karen's second day and she really knew the menu. The manager came by to check on us a couple of times and he was really watching to make sure things were going well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was fun, loud, and friendly![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Tried this with my lovely wife. She was craving Mexican and we decided to try this new - to us - place. We found easy parking out front - probably because we werw in between lunch and dinner hours. We were seated directly and perused a large menu. Lots of options. I went with the Chori-Pollo special and my wife chose a big wet burrito with beef and chicken. The complimentary chips and salsa were pretty good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There's lots of TVs with a sports bar vibe. The pumping Mexican music was fun, if a little loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food came fairly quickly. We were very pleased with our meals. My dish had chorizo and chicken but it was the cheese sauce that really set things off well. The burrito was massive and good. I don't know if actually had any chicken. Oh well. Tasty nonetheless. Everything was pretty good overall. A 4.2 rounds down to a 4. read more

See all

We had reservations for 12 people on a Friday evening and only waited 10 minutes for our table. They provide complementary chips and salsa. They have an expansive menu of Mexican and American food, but no puffy tacos! I ordered the Chicken/steak fajitas. They came out sizzling, with about a 25-minute turnaround time from order to eating. The fajitas were very good, but I would have liked the chicken and steak cut smaller. [[HIGHLIGHT]]High/low and booth seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Uninspired atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Hostess stand/check-in is at the side entrance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean restrooms.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Good service. 3% credit card fee. 18% automatic gratuity for tables of 6 or more if you put it on one bill. Pricey. read more

See all

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun, lively, loud atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lots of TV's.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Open air doors letting in fresh air.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]..Karaoke started at 9pm Saturday night. Server, Isabella was very good! Would not recommend salad. Guacamole excellent! Enchilada and tostada very tasty! Enjoyed our visit. read more

See all

Excellent experience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly service and clean/spacious environment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Parking also very easy (free 2 hours parking right behind the building). Got 3 separate entrees and they were all 10/10. Kid loved the cheesy chicken & rice. Not too dry and not too salty. Nutritious for kids meal (hard to find). I got the combo wet burrito & enchiladas with half & half sauce. Both items were filled with protein! They don't up charge for shrimp and streak, so for $16 it's a great deal! Taste was excellent. And portion is big. Fried bean tasted amazing. And did I mention the free chips? Probably had a little too much. Anyways, would definitely recommend! read more

See all

We had a great time at Carina El Dorado celebrating my sister's birthday! Auburn hills sure has had a makeover! This was a great addition to the area. I was the first to arrive because I am very punctual. Almost to a fault lol. This place was slammed. They do not take reservations but you absolutely need to do call ahead seating. We were treated wonderfully by everyone there! I wish I could remember our waitresses name because she was patient and phenomenal. Every one of us has special requests for our food. That would make most people irritated but she didn't mind at all. The service was quick and she smiled the entire time. At the end they made a huge deal over my sister's birthday and everyone was clapping and cheering. The food was really good. I for a simple taco and it was delicious. I definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Cantina El Dorado - Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

Always on the lookout for New Mexican spots (new other kinds of spots, as well, to be honest), we were glad to discover this location recently. The menu was quite varied and extensive. I got the enchiladas Rojas, which contained 3 enchiladas filled with either beef or chicken, covered in red sauce and cheese dip, and served with rice and beans. A very complete meal. The co-diner got the Enchiladas Verdes, which were basically the same, but for the green sauce in place of the red. He enjoyed his meal, as I did mine. Service was quite professional and efficient. Prices were moderate, in line with similar establishments. When in search of a good, traditional Mexican meal U.S.-style, look no farther than Cantina El Dorado. read more

I love their food having the price is a little bit high but I mean I think the taste is very good. The service is awesome

I went here for the 1st time and took my whole family it was wonderful that gets 5 stars. But however went here a month ago when it was a recall everywhere because of the parasite in vegetables and hardly Noone was here the manager said there were short staffed it makes sense because the waitress and waiters were acting strange they didn't want to wait on us and I had to call someone out loud to take our order it was embarrassing because that depended on if we come here continuous and I made up my mind that's a NO the waiter gave our food we was Trying to order waters or other refills but couldn't get Noone to order it from every body seem like they was on strike I remember repeatedly telling my family it's something going on definitely because how strange everyone was acting we finally got the waiter that handed our food after a long while and told him to give us our check and we remember putting a 00000 on the TIP PART !!!! I usually tip if they deserve it but it was a definite NO he halfway took our order and then never came back at all the EMBEZELLED OFF MY CARD 10.00 SO IT WOULDN'T LOOK SO OBVIOUS I spoke to the Manager she down played it like it was no big deal said I will talk to him and sometimes it looks like a tip so they will ask if it is but a 0 doesn't look like a 1 unless it was TWEEKED TO LOOK LIKE IT!! I am disappointed upset and tired of the down play at these restaurants I want to go to the news because it was uncalled for but I couldn't feel better about this by speaking to someone else although the Manager sounds pleasant I don't care it was downplayed and people need to treat things aside it was their situation!! read more

Went here for dinner on a Friday night, and my friend and I enjoyed our drinks and our dinner. The deep fried ice cream was good but extremely large! The service was pretty good. It can be a little tricky to find parking, but I guess there is a garage behind the building. read more

Under-whelming. With all the great reviews and hype on local social media, we had positive expectations. Tried to get a table on a Friday night and didn't want to wait 45-minutes (a positive endorsement) so we came back on a Thursday evening and got right in. The environment is a lively Mexican-themed sports bar. New, clean and colorful. Our server was kind and responsive. We had several complaints and she was patient and helpful each time. I ordered beans, no rice and my order came with rice, no beans. When it was returned, the relleno was cold. The menu came with many choices. We are from Southern California and know our Mexican food. A restaurant with a good chili relleno is bound to be authentic. Sad to say that this relleno was hardly warm and flavorless. Possibly premade and sitting around to be warmed up. Our tacos were OK but nothing special. We tried a chicken enchilada with green sauce. Again, just alright. The flavors were lacking. The temperature of the food wasn't warm enough. Sauces seemed thin and bland. The chips were equivalent of average store bought. I imagine if you want to drink, this is the place to come. If you like great Mexican food, skip it. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Triple combo: chicken enchilada, cheese relleno and carnitas street taco. - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

Went on Wednesday for a family birthday and it was busy. The spicy margarita was very tasty and we had a great server. The birra question quesadillas were very delicious, would come back them! The chimichanga with grilled chicken was also pretty good. My only complaint, is I don't love their chips and salsa but the entrees are good enough to come back. read more

Stopped in for lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]El Cantina was super clean, kind of loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lots of tvs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat in a window booth and we noticed that it looks like the window was really a garage door that will open up when the weather gets nicer and give the atmosphere of sitting outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I wish the day would've been nicer so that we could experience that. The chips were just OK. They kind of reminded me of grocery store corn chips that were heated under a heat lamp. The salsa was OK too, a bit watery. But I'm kind of a salsa snob. I ordered the fajita quesadilla. I had a chicken choice between grilled and shredded. My dining partner ordered a taco salad. Food came really fast, It was hot and delicious. The quesadilla was crispy and came with lots of accoutrements. Guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream. The taco salad looked beautiful. It came on a puffy crispy base, With a huge side of Mexican rice. Both of us took about half of our food home as leftovers. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bathrooms were huge, spacious, and really clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This may be kind of quirky, but I love the straws. They were bright neon and really big. I hate the small skinny straws that some restaurants serve. These straws were the best! On the downside, there was no lunch menu. So going there for a fast lunch requires you to order just side tacos, or a big dinner. Dinners are 15 to 20 per person, so it doesn't really cater to a lunch crowd. We'd probably stop back again if we were in the area. read more

See all

Would have been 5 stars if the hostess paid attention. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We said we'd prefer to sit outside, as the DJ and karaoke for Cinco de Mayo was not our groove. Instead of the 5 minutes quoted we waited 30, then we're walked to a table inside next to the speaker, ummm, NO. You couldn't hear yourself think.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] So we get seated outside, get lovely crunchy tortilla chips and salsa. Then our drinks were excellent. The server was very attentive, I didn't get his name. My chimichanga with grilled chicken was delicious. I'd only ask for cremation, as i thought that be perfect. The teaspoon of guacamole was meh. read more

Always a great experience. The staff is always so friendly. We sat at the bar tonight and Richard took such good care of us. On top of the great food Richard made us his special margarita with pineapple and raspberry. It is my new favorite margarita. Ask for the Richard special next time you come in. So good.! read more

The Baja tacos at this place are delicious. I get the shrimp tacos and the fish tacos, and although I don't think that is traditional, Mexican food, more Americanized. It's still really good. read more

Very nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere, bright and colorful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent tap, leaning to Mexican and craft beer. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very clean, I thought the place was brand new but was told it's been going for three years.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the enchiladas Rojas which was very good. Service was just right. All around an excellent lunch stop. read more

See all

Cantina El Dorado is easily one of my favorite spots in Auburn Hills! This was my third visit, and it never disappoints. I usually stop by on the weekends, and the atmosphere is always fun and inviting. The interior has a really cool décor that adds to the experience. The margaritas here are absolutely delicious--some of the best I've had! I ordered the California Burrito with rice and beans, and it was packed with flavor and perfectly cooked. My buddy got a BLT and said it was decent, but I'd definitely recommend going for the Mexican dishes--they are amazing! On top of the great food and drinks, the service was excellent. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. If you're looking for a great place to enjoy delicious margaritas, tasty food, and great service, Cantina El Dorado is the place to go. Highly recommend! read more

See all

This place a jumpin hot spot and I see why. My experience was good. There's a wait so call ahead and get on the guest list then check in when you get there. They give you the old fashion buzzer to let you now when your table is ready. I much prefer it when restaurants have the text system implemented. When we decided to go back in after waiting in the car, they said they had call my name several times. Please implement texting. Anyhow, they were able to get us seated right way though so I was happy abut that. I ordered the fajita platter and man, was I happy. Those were the best fajita I've ever had. The flavor was so good, the portion size was just right. I would definitely come back just for that. The chips were good, the salsa was okay. They have a ton of options that I'd like to come back try but man, I would love to have the fajitas again. I highly recommend those. The restaurant has plenty of seating including a nice bar with TVs. I can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Best mojitos! Fresh mint and plenty of it, great lime flavor-so refreshing! Food is good and the serving size generous. Wait staff friendly and efficient. We will be visiting again read more

This review is based on my first time eating here with a group of 11 for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was busy on a Thursday night which is great to see for this Cantina on their one year anniversary.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server did a nice job with our group making sure to get the various drink orders in while we all enjoyed the fresh house prepared salsa and corn chips. I ordered the house margarita on the rocks which was tasty and refreshing. My wife ordered the taco dinner which included three delicious tacos. I ordered a combination plate that included: a hard shell taco, enchilada and a wet burrito. I chose different proteins in each: shredded chicken,ground beef and carnitas. All of them were very good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The only negative was that with the high ceilings it gets a bit loud and not conducive to converse with others at your table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely a place I look forward to return in the near future. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Interior sign - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

The food quality has declined since my last visit. I ordered my usual enchilada and fish taco combo and it arrived at the table under seasoned and lukewarm. My $20 dollar Don Julio margarita was watered down. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service and overall ambience was not impressive as it had been during prior visits.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will not be returning. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Fish and steak tacos with a jumbo Don Julio margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

Packed on Wednesday night. Downtown Auburn has serious parking issues. There's no where to park! Enchilada and taco combo was ok. $15. Beef was seasoned well. I'll likely pass on the enchilada. The red sauce seemed pasty and not fresh. Chips and salsa are average. Service was good. Basic ambiance - like a diner. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

Always on the quest to find a good Tex-Mex/Mexican restaurant. Cantina El Dorado is not authentic Mexican but a welcomed restaurant that downtown Auburn Hills desperately needs. Since you are downtown, parking is not great and we had to park across the street at the park. Inside is colorful with high ceilings. 3 ways to enter the building but the hostess stand is the west entrance off the street. No signage if you are walking in from the other entrances - so some people were confused on where to go to get a table. We came in from the north entrance and were one of those confused people. The staff then start waving us down to the hostess stand. Our waiter was attentive and friendly. Menu wise, lots of options! We started with the queso dip and it was delicious. Chips and salsa were complimentary. We were told they have a hotter salsa we could try. Little did I know this was a 2 oz plastic cup that came with our meals and were charged $1.00 for it. I thought they were going to bring a salsa cup with the chips to try? This hot salsa did have a good kick. Went with the taco combo dinners which includes whatever type of taco of your choice along with rice/beans. Food came out fresh and hot. My husband got the chorizo tacos and I went with the shrimp tacos. Good portion size and the flavors were all great! Snuck in a 4% "discount" if you pay with cash...kind of gross,. Food and environment is welcoming but the little sneaky charges are a bit annoying. read more

See all

I have been eating to try this place! I LOVE tacos. My taco was excellent! My margarita was strong and delicious. The place was packed on Wednesday night for dinner but tge service was excellent. Rico was our server and he was attentive and helpful. I am always surprised to see American food on Mexican menus but its definitely a common Michigan thing (I am from California) My friend ordered the queso with chorizo app and shared with me, it was amazing! But the surprise was the fried ice cream dessert. I am not a sweets fan but it was DELICIOUS. Will definitely be back. read more

See all

I forgot this place was even opening until a friend reminded me, and after a long day of working at home, I had to get out. I decided to wander in and see what this place was about. I was happy to see that the place was packed on a Friday night. there was a slight wait for a table, but the host informed me that I could sit at the bar immediately since there was open seats. The bartender was really super friendly and checked in on me regularly and often. Being that I'd scoured the menu beforehand, I know what I'd already sort of wanted. I went with the Quesabirria quesadilla and was super excited when the food came out. It's three tacos with rice and unfortunately no beans, but does come with an aus jus sauce. Holy hell was it good. I couldn't get enough of it! I don't know what kind of soft taco shells it came in, but between the sauce and the brisket, the food was fantastic. Granted, the food here's decently priced for what you get, but I think some of the bigger dinners run about $30. Mine was $15 which wasn't bad considering the amount of food I got. Decor here is great with plenty of seating, and the staff's super nice without being uppity, which makes for a nicer dining experience. My only thing was I walked in through the main entrance but had I wanted a table in the dining area, I would've had to have gone to the other door. Not sure why that is, but okay. Overall I'll be back as I really enjoyed the environment and overall experience, and the food was excellent. (not all Mexican food in the area's created equal, let me tell you.) read more

Cantina El Dorado - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

Food was served quickly and has good quality ingredients. Bright open area to eat and you don't feel jammed in. Sports bar vibe with many TV's. Service was very good with various people asking if everything was okay. A+ for service!! read more

See all

Great New Mexican Restaurant in Auburn Hills. Interior is modern with plenty of TVs for the sports fan. Service is outstanding! Ana was the best!!! The food and drink amazing. The only issue I have is looking at the other food coming out of the kitchen I don't know what to try next. I will return for sure! read more

Cantina El Dorado - Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

We don't get over to Auburn Hills often, even though it's not a drive. The downtown area looks nice but I wouldn't call it a "hot spot" yet. The building that it's in is very nice and the space looks great. A friend's recommendation brought us here and we even braved it on Cinco De Mayo. Wait was an hour for two, but we ended up sitting at the bar I half the time. I believe they allow call ahead, so definitely take advantage! I wouldn't call it authentic in the truest sense, but it's solid American Mexican food! No Cojita or corn tortillas noticed on the menu. Service was attentive! We had a couple Marg's, chips were good & warm / salsa was mild(but they have sides of hot), Baja fish tacos & the Cantina burrito. Entrees come with rice & beans, burritos don't on the side but they are HUGE! We will be back! read more

See all

Very nice restaurant. The service was impeccable and our food and drinks were amazing. First we started with, of course margaritas and they were perfectly poured. Then we had the cheese queso that I loved n brought the rest home. We both ordered the steak chimichangas that was so filling I brought half home. I'd definitely go back again. Please go try them out, I'm betting you'll love them. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Steak chimichanga with rice and beans. - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

Delicious food and large portions! As a new parent running on caffeine and hope, I wasn't expecting to fall in love again so soon--but then I met The Asada Burrito. This absolute unit of a meal was roughly the same size as our newborn (no exaggeration--I briefly considered swaddling it). From the first bite, I knew I was in trouble. Juicy, tender carne asada wrapped in a warm tortilla that could double as a weighted blanket--this burrito didn't just fill me up, it gave me the will to keep going through the 2 a.m. feedings. It's seasoned perfectly, with just enough kick to remind me I'm alive, and not just a diaper-changing zombie. Bonus: unlike our baby, the burrito didn't cry when I held it. Would I order it again? Absolutely. Would I name our next child "Carne"? ...Too soon to say. 10/10. Would risk one-handed diaper duty again for another bite. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Asada Burrito - size compare - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

First time coming went on a Friday afternoon and this place was packed. The chips and salsa were about delicious perfectly salted (very salty) for me! The salsa was very good to not too much cilantro which I don't like so it was perfect for me. I ordered the quesadilla with light onion was cooked to perfection. It was absolutely delicious and plentiful I even had some for lunch the next day and still was amazing. Will have to come back you can tell this place has regulars. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all

I finally found the very best Mexican restaurant in the area. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The servers are friendly and helped my date find the perfect dinner for him based on a description of a favorite meal he had in a restaurant actually in Mexico. The food is amazing!!! The pork verde is my favorite and I have never had a verde sauce as good as that one before. It's an absolute stand out. The pork is so tender it melts in your mouth. The margaritas are delicious too. Get yours with a Tajin rim and you'll thank me later. read more

Food was so tasty we had "pineapple Paridise" For two. So much food, loaded with shrimp, sausages and grilled chicken. Loaded with veggies and pineapple. We will come here for a great meal soon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Loved the open windows ![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Unable to get my picture to post...sorry read more

My second day in Auburn Hills for a work trip, I took the recommendation of a coworker to try this place. The staff that greeted me was very friendly. Since I was alone, the bar was the perfect spot. There are four large TV's over the bar, any sports you wanted to watch was on. My bartenders name was Juan. He along with the other bartender, who's name I didn't get, were great. Juan was ready to answer any questions I had about the menu but after seeing what someone else ordered I went with the Quesabirria Quesadillas. It was amazing and messy so get extra napkins. The vibe and food of this place were great. Looking forward to my next work trip to go back. read more

Cantina El Dorado - Quesabirria Quesadillas 10/22/24 - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

Good menu selections of Mexican and American entrees. Food was good and the selection of craft beer was above average for a restaurant of this type. There is a charge for using a credit card to pay, which is unusual, because the majority of the restaurants of this type don't. read more

Awesome Mexican pizza! Server was awesome. Nice atmosphere!will definitely be back. Prices are reasonable And they are close to where I'm at read more

Cantina El Dorado - Awesome Was really good today! Mexican pizza Enough for lunch tomorrow - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

This place was amazing. The service is attentive. The skinny margarita w baby corona wasn't too sweet or too tart. The chips came to the table warm, perfect salt and salsa is to die for. Yum will go back read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean and open space for an evening dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Large menu has many options. The barria tacos were a hit. The tortilla soup is great and I love the chili renello is one of my favorites. Service is very consistent and always good! read more

This is an amazing place to eat. It's a hidden gem. Downtown Auburn Hills is really nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is very friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service is outstanding. The food is so delicious and I love the way it looks on the inside. It's amazing. I like the fact that they are very attentive and encouraging and also offer recommendations of what to eat. Definitely will go back again. read more

Cantina El Dorado - These enchiladas were delicious - Mexican Near Me - Auburn Hills, Michigan

See all