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    El Arroyo

    3.2 (562 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex, Bars
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    El Arroyo Photos

    Business Info

    EL ARROYO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - El Arroyo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken Tortilla Soup
    Qiana D.

    A great family restaurant that serves amazing Mexican cuisine. Due to the cold weather wanted some good tortilla soup and they did not disappoint. Full of delicious chicken, tomato, rice, avocado, shredded cheese and tortilla strips--Yum!

    Dos Especial Combo Plate
    Michelle M.

    Food Great for the price service was awesome. Ambiance was great, I sat outside for dinner

    Awesome Patio!
    Sheila L.

    It's been a minute since we've visited El Arroyo in Arlington due to my change of address and well, life. We will not be skipping them on our list again! We wanted a patio because the weather was perfect for drinks on a patio. EL Arroyo has the BEST patio in town- hands down!! Unlike most, it's covered!! You can sit on the patio of its storming, cold, or 100' If you are a patio person, it doesn't matter if it's 35', they have you covered (literally) with a fireplace and heaters. If it's a summer day, plenty of overhead fans and breezy. I think the entire town had the same idea- super packed! I'm picky with my margs. Some places make them tart and some too sweet. These went down smoothly! If you are into expensive tequila, (unlike myself) they do offer a "Gold Margarita" handmade with Don Julio 1942 Anejo and Grand Marnier for $32.99. We're pretty basic and skipped the Golden for the Ditch Margarita/Classic recipe! I've been a fan of the Shrimp Diablo for years. It was removed from the menu once, but everyone continued to request it and it's back to stay. If you're dieting, the Shrimp Diablo is perfect- bacon wrapped, jalapeño stuffed jumbo shrimp grilled over a bed of rice. I skipped the rice. It's perfect for watching carbs. They also have a brunch menu with breakfast tacos, Migas, Huevos Ranchero, Tamale Omlette (curious about this one) and several other omelettes offered. Our waitresse was so busy and still gave us ample attention. So glad we returned. Not leaving this time!! YUM!

    Sour cream chicken enchiladas
    Andrew G.

    My wife frequented El Arroyo growing up and was excited to introduce me to the Arlington staple. Even with the hype, I was a bit disappointed. The chips and salsa were good, about on par with other Mexican restaurants. Same with the enchiladas- good, but nothing crazy special. I would say the guac was the element that most missed the mark. Marketed as large, there were 5 scoops of bland guac on a large bed of lettuce. The staff was great though and attentive to our questions and requests. Cool environment with an awesome mural wall.

    Jalapeño margarita
    Kelli T.

    I was invited to a going away party on Saturday night and there was about 15 of us attending. The server assigned to our table was taking drink orders as we sat down. My jalapeño margarita was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised to see lots of fresh sliced peppers floating around. My shredded chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce and fresh jalapeños were yummy. Food runners helped the server to accommodate all of our meals.

    Taco Plate Lunch, Queso, Chips and Salsa
    Vivian L.

    Considering how El Arroyo is a household name and everyone and their dog in Arlington knows about them, this is my first time actually going to eat there after living in Texas for nearly 20 years lol. I went on a Monday afternoon so it wasn't crazy busy and my friend and I got our food fairly quickly. Our waitress and other wait staff were very courteous. The food was good. Nothing amaaaazing imo but it was good. The margaritas, though? They were phenomenal. I liked them. I got a frozen flavored margarita and then a regular on the rocks one and my friend got a jalapeño margarita on the rocks that was really good, too. Restaurant was clean and the bathroom was clean so overall it was a great experience.

    3% surcharge. Really?

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food was amazing!!! Service was alright but I bet on a game day you want to get there early. Will be back for the food.

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    2 years ago

    I love their hot sauce and their Mexican food! Tequila drinks for happy hour! Love their outdoor dining!

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    4 years ago

    Great margaritas, good happy hour prices. Parking can be tricky. Love the queso blanco here!!

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Very nice atmosphere! Great service and probably the best salsa I've tasted in a long time! Definitely would come back!

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    Page 2 of 15

    Ask the Community - El Arroyo

    Papaya Mexican Grill

    Papaya Mexican Grill

    4.2
    (383 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    This has always been our go to place when we want Tex-Mex without going to a chain restaurant. The…read moreservice is always great from being acknowledged when entering to making sure you get everything you want. Our niece can to visit for a day and she agreed to join us to eat even though she says where she lives there is tons of Mexican restaurants. She was so impressed with the food, saying it the best Tex-Mex she's had. The place is fairly small with a separate bar area so the atmosphere is very easy to relax and talk while eating plus visit. Check this lace out, guaranteed you won't be disappointed!

    This Mexican hole in the wall appears tiny from the outside. The parking lot in this mini-mall was…read moresmall, but I didn't have any trouble finding a spot. The restaurant reveals itself to be larger once you're inside. It's a cozy dining experience and I liked the cluttered decor of Mexican tchotchkes and liquor bottles. The owners were very kind to reserve tables for our large group and arrange for us all to pay separately. I tried the cheese enchiladas and they were very filling - they came with Spanish rice and refried beans on the side. I was tempted by the taco salad... some fellow diners ordered it and they were serving size was enormous! Most dishes here seemed well suited to having enough leftovers for the next day.

    Photos
    Little, but good and service were great.
    Little, but good and service were great.
    Taco Tuesday champiqueso save the tacos vote for us best taco on Arlington Texas
    Taco Tuesday champiqueso save the tacos vote for us best taco on Arlington Texas
    Taco Tuesday champiqueso best taco Arlington come vote for us

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    Taco Tuesday champiqueso best taco Arlington come vote for us

    El Arroyo - mexican - Updated June 2026

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