We live just a few minutes up the road from here but have never tried it until today. I cannot…read morebelieve we didn't try them sooner! The chips come out PIPING HOT and are fresh fried, as they should be, but seems to be rare for Mexican restaurants in the area these days... the salsa is incredibly good. It is a touch spicy with a little sweetness, but we loved the flavor. The first basket is free (also not always the norm around here) and a second basket is only $1.50 more - that's amazing! We also got a queso con chorizo to share and the small size was PLENTY. We both decided on taco platters and that was a great choice - we got to try a bunch of meats that way. The al pastor was amazing, as was the carne asada, carnitas, and shrimp taco. The tacos were topped with an amazing guacamole sauce. I got corn tortilla tacos and they were perfectly griddled and warm. My husband enjoyed his flour tortilla tacos. The rice and beans were fresh and hot and delicious too. Food came out quick and exactly as we ordered, even with some modifications! We didn't love the additional red sauce in the squirt bottle that you can add to your food, but the salsa verde in the squirt bottle was good. I ordered an extra salsa to add to my tacos instead. For drinks, there's agua frescas and an extensive soda selection in a case to choose from. My husband was happy to see Mexican Coke. Service was great! Overall, we had two taco platters, queso, two drinks, plus an extra chips and salsa for less than $40. You can't beat it. We will be back!!

A fellow Yelper got me curious about the mole sauce yesterday. So here I was, checked in to this…read morepresumably authentic Mexican restaurant, dying to try it out. Décor was the typical Mexican, with over-the-top paint colors. The dining area was spacious. The waitress greeted us with big smiles. We sat ourselves by the window. Immediately we were offered a complimentary serving of chips and salsa. The chips were well made and the salsa was tangy and very appetizing. I made my order almost in no time for the Mole Poblano; my wife ordered Pechuga en Crema con Champiñones. The food came out in about 10 minutes; both dishes came with 4-5 tortillas. Now, the long-awaited mole sauce -- thick, dark, and complex. I watched a YouTube video on how it's typically made, so I had a level of respect and appreciation for it. It tasted like the popular five-spice bean curd jerky Asian snack -- bold and strong. I liked it very much. My wife's cream chicken, while moist, was bland in comparison. If you're like me, you'd be a bit confused when the bill came. The amounts were different from what the menu showed. Basically, the figures on the bill were the inflated prices that included surcharges for paying with a credit card. If you pay cash, you pay the menu prices instead.

Time for an update and to counter all of the BS negative reviews some folks (probably only one or…read moretwo people using multiple accounts) decided to leave on this fine establishment's page. Anyone who knowingly goes into a smoking bar/restaurant and is bothered or offended by smoke should not have gone inside in the first place...Or immediately left. In my previous review, I took off one star for this, but upon reflection, it's not fair to knock the business simply for what they do, which is cater to a clientele that smokes. I hate cigarette smoke but keep coming back...hmm, wonder why??? It's like taking off a star because a restaurant serves pork (something you might not like, consume, or even want to smell!). WTH? We've been stopping here a lot lately for weekday lunch, especially taco Tuesday. Great deals on really amazing tasting food-the reason I keep coming back!!! Always a drink special and plenty of daily food specials. There was one time our server had a bitch-face and her attitude sucked, but pretty sure she's long-gone. And if ever there was any issue with service or the food, I know for a fact the owner or manager would correct the issue on the spot. So, if there's a problem, give the business a chance to make it right, don't be a d!ck, and your issue will likely go away. Leaving a bad review after the fact does nothing to solve the problem you had, so why bother? Over the years I've grown to love "The Madre" and you will too. If you can handle the the smoke...

Manager was a bitch. Heather seemed more preoccupied by her friends than welcoming new patrons…read more Better not do anything wrong she might yell at you. I will never ever go back there again such a clicky crowd.

What an awesome find!! The food is made fresh and tastes authentic. Staff were very friendly and…read morebooth is colorful and vibrant. I ended up getting a breakfast taco, huevos ranchero, and a steak taco. Everything was great.

We stopped by Mid St8 Taco inside the West Shore Farmers Market on the Sunday morning before…read moreChristmas, and wow -- the market was PACKED. Despite the chaos, Mid St8 was cranking out tacos in a really timely and efficient way, which we appreciated right away. We were also super lucky to snag a table nearby, because Mid St8 only has a handful of seats, and they fill up fast. We ordered two breakfast tacos -- egg, potato, and chorizo -- for $11.66, and they were absolutely worth it. First pleasant surprise: real eggs (you can taste the difference). We wouldn't have minded a little more chorizo, but overall the balance still worked. We also loved the double tortilla, and these tacos were STUFFED -- no skimping here. There were lots of onions and lots of lime crema already on the tacos, which we greatly appreciated. The crema was a clutch move and kept the double-tortilla noms from getting too dry. Good call, Mid St8 Taco. Flavor-wise, they really delivered. Super tasty, filling, and exactly what we wanted on a busy, chilly December morning. One of our favorite parts of the experience was the self-service condiment bar. Instead of being put on the spot to choose toppings, you get to customize your tacos with crema, pico de gallo, fire-roasted jalapeños, pickled onions, limes, pickled jalapeños, salsa picosa, and salsa verde. It was great being able to sample a few without committing to a giant scoop of anything we might not love. (Spoiler alert: the lime crema and pickled onions were our winners.) These breakfast tacos really hit the spot, and despite the crowds, the experience was smooth and satisfying. We will happily be back for more.

The food there is good, but it could be better. (I'm not a big fan of Mexican food, either, so that…read morecontributes a lot to the 2 Stars.) I normally get fajitas, which are good, but now I get carnitas, which are also good. I used to love El Rodeo, but I would rather go to Plaza Az Teca now because it is just so much better! The service is OK, but sometimes you sit down, and you wait 5 minutes until a server comes. What really DOES deserve 5 Stars in El Rodeo is the style of the place. I love how Mexican it looks in there. The servers are also very nice, BTW. I also really like the tables in there, they are cool. They also have a kids menu, which is good. Overall, 2 stars.

Updated review after many (9, wow!) years. Prices up, food quality down. The ground beef has been…read moreso underwhelming lately, that we're not coming here much anymore when we can get a better meal elsewhere. I do love that this restaurant is BYOB, so that's a plus when budget dining. We also enjoy the staff here, really nice and hard working people. Realistically 3/5 stars, but y'all know I'm generous. 4 it is! :)

We love the Mexican food at El Sol. Their seafood dip is our favorite. We also like the quesadilla…read morechicken nachos, taco and entrees. Their drink menu is also very good. Love the ambience and the servers are always very nice. One of our most favorite Mexican restaurant in town. We had our first date in Harrisburg at El Sol so this will always be special to us.

My first visit to El Sol lined up with 3rd in the Burg, so I wisely made a reservation for 5:30…read more Turns out we arrived early and were seated immediately (maybe my "I'm starving" comment helped). Inside, the vibe is warm and festive: colorful artwork, low-top tables, a lively bar stocked with tequilas, and gorgeous Moravian star lights glowing overhead. The menu is extensive -- everything from tacos and burritos to rice bowls, full entrées, and massive multi-person feasts served in lava rock molcajetes. Most dishes land around $20, or you can snag tacos individually for $5.50. We started with the Mexican Seafood Dip and wow... game changer. Shrimp, bay scallops, crab, and mushrooms all swimming in a red tomatillo sauce, baked under a gooey blanket of cheese, and served with chips. Unlike so many "seafood" dips that are 90% cheese, El Sol delivers with generous amounts of actual seafood. It was piping hot, hearty, and plentiful -- enough that we happily took leftovers home. For mains, I went with a Birria Taco (plus a trusty Diet Coke). Juicy, cheesy, crispy perfection -- I could've polished off three more but restrained myself. Adventure Buddy chose Camarones A La Diabla -- jumbo Gulf shrimp and mushrooms in a three-chile sauce. Bright red, spicy but not overpowering, and loaded with shrimp that were actually jumbo. He was a happy camper. Our total came to $62 with tip, which felt fair for the quality and portions. Service was attentive and friendly, and the noise level low enough for both conversation and even a quick phone call. Parking is the usual downtown Harrisburg scene -- no on-site lot, but free street parking after 5 and garages nearby make it easy enough. Bottom line: great food, colorful atmosphere, and a menu that's begging us to come back. Next time, I'm eyeing one of those lava rock molcajetes.

My youngest daughter and I just had lunch here. We sat on the patio. The weather , service , food…read moreand drinks were perfect! I am not much of a drinker nor much of a fan of tequila. However I love cocktails with peach in them. Our margaritas were refreshing and delicious . I had the biggest fish tacos with homemade tortillas. Delicious. Daughter had the fiesta salad. Our tummies are very happy . Would like to show some light on our server. She was a sweetheart and attentive . " great energy." Said my daughter . I cannot remember her name but she was one of the better servers I have had in a very long time. Lunch Happy Hour might be a thing for my daughter and I .

Surprisingly great guacamole and elotes. The Birria tacos were lacking a little flavor and the…read moreconsommé did not help because it was a little bland as well. Actually had to sprinkle a little salt inside the tacos. Not bad, just not what I hoped after the wonderfully spicy elotes and chips and guac. Service was great, seated immediately on the deck 3:30 PM on Saturday. Food arrived quickly and the portions were huge! Definitely a good value. And the great views from the deck, awesome!

Weeknight random dinner. Came here and I thought this place was good…read more Pretty authentic Mexican food. Very colorful and nice decor. Prices were good for the amount of food you get. The little appetizer was like a sampler. It had little beef like taco roll ups. Which were eh nothing out of this world tbh. Might be my least fav thing on the sampler.. It also had a few pieces of quesadillas and a little pile of nachos. It was good. We shared it. It was two of us. Then we also got the burrito which was delish. The chorizo inside the burrito was a little on the spicy side for my liking. But besides that, it was all great. The service was good too. The lady who helped us was very nice and attentive. Good drinks and drink menu!

First off, I don't particularly like that I have to wait and wait and beg for a straw, a plate or…read morean extra napkin. We've been to this particular El Rodeo on a number of occasions. However, on our last visit the food tasted "off"....way off! In fact, everything we ordered tasted nothing like anything we've had in the past. Very disappointed!!!

Stunning gem in the Broad Street Market. We got the tacos Al pastor--which were delicious. The meat…read morewas very flavorful with little bits of pineapple and a sprig of lemon with onions. The staff at El Compadre were there early in the morning cooking the meat on a giant rotating skewer and shaving off slices. They also were making everything fresh right in front of us -- including frying their homemade corn tortillas which had an excellent texture. Very pleasantly surprised how tasty it was! Would HIGHLY recommend and will be back!!

Very high quality, tasty tacos including traditional al Pastor, lengua, crispy al Birria beef tacos…read morewith a large cup of savory beef broth for dipping. I also recommend their chicken enchiladas