Stopped in here early afternoon after our exercise class and hungry as a bear. Hubby ordered a beer as soon as he saw his meal of steak and eggs. I hadn't planned to eat that whole thing, the Lunch Carnitas, but it was so good, did anyway. My plate more attractive than hubby's, but the food was excellent. We saw flan on the dessert menu and couldn't pass that up-- and so glad we didn't! The BEST flan (smooth creamy custard goodness) and large enough helping that it worked for both of us, surrounded by a delicious hard sauce. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Busy but happy, friendly service, and music as background, not so loud we couldn't talk (but of course, we were very busy eating!).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Price reasonable for the food and we'll be back. read more

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Yuck. The steak tacos were terrible-no flavor at all. The chicken quesadilla was supposed to be just chicken and cheese, but it came with peppers and onions. We sent it back, and a minute later they returned the same quesadilla with the peppers picked off only the top half. On top of that, most of the food was cold. Honestly, it probably would've been warmer sitting in a cabinet. The server also wasn't very helpful. We asked several times for more chips and salsa and didn't get any until we asked a different server. You'd honestly be better off going to a fast-food restaurant. We spent way too much money for a really shitty meal. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Menus were filthy with salsa stuck between pages.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Asked for clean ones and thought we'd still give it a go. Chips and salsa are not the typical ones you get...overly fried and salsa has no flavor. One entree came out wrong so we asked for it to be fixed....peppers were just picked out of the quesadilla instead of being remade as requested. It was returned to the table cold. Carne asada tacos were very dry and no flavor. Was really hoping this place would be good, as it's an easy stop on way to or from Chicago. Unfortunately it's a pass for us. read more

I mean not bad? But again I'm from Texas, so it's unfair. We got takeout and with the parillada, we were already more than set with food. It was a great intro to all the different meats and flavors they had available. Some points were knocked off for cheese being put on beans meant for a non dairy order (we mentioned a dairy allergy that must have gotten missed twice) and sauce spills in the Togo packaging. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Enchiladas verdes - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

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I love Mexican food and this place has some tasty stuff. The service was sweet and the food was delicious. My friend ordered enchiladas and I got the taco salad. Both great. The chips and salsa. Right on the money. Rice and beans. Same. All good. They do have a lot for parking. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Taco Salad - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

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The flautas I had were not as crispy as I would have liked. Their rice and beans were so good. Normally I don't eat them at restaurants but I ate these! They were super crowded for lunch hour and I came from a convention so it was wild. There was a guy in the back of the restaurant that was saying he had no money (after he ate) and the cops were called. So it took us a little time to get things going. The place is super cute and has these great carving paintings everywhere including all the seating! Adorable read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Cute art all over - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

Stopped here on the way to Indianapolis based on the Yelp reviews. In a strip mall that is certainly nothing to look at, the food was delicious and worth going out of your way for. Service was good and inside looks like a standard Mexican restaurant. The Margarita was excellent. Perfect taste, not too sweet, not too sour. The food was excellent. Cheese dip and salsa were perfect start and whatever you end up with, Burrito, Enchiladas, tacos, all good. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Delicious Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

I had a couple of Michalottas and they were prepared perfectly. Served in a signature El Chaparral pottery cup, all you need is sand and palm trees and you'd think you were in Cancun! For food, I had the Pollo Azteca and it was delicious. They added a variety of grilled vegetables that other establishments didn't, like grilled Cauliflower and squash and it really added to the dish! My wife had the Shrimp & Chicken Jalisco and the cream sauce (queso) on the dish was spot on. All in all, a great place and we will be back! read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Pollo Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

Coming from the US hub of Mexican food, Arizona, we were pleasantly surprised by how good this place was. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food and service in a clean environment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Excelente! The food and service here is wonderful. They treat you like family. Drinks are great too, especially the margaritas! read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - empty tables - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

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The food at El Chaparral is delicious. I have been to El Chaparral more than five times in the past two months and their food is delicious. The frozen margaritas are amazing and the service is great. read more

The food is amazing and so are the drinks! Portions are large a s not overpriced. I wish they'd change their chips but that's a minor complaint. The service is always great! read more

Always great food & service! My husband always gets the tacos el chaparral. I've tried a few things, but their fajitas are perfection. My fav salsa ever. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp fajitas. Perfection. - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

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The food is always fresh and delicious, the service is excellent and prompt. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance and atmosphere created by the friendly staff is unequaled[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Best mexican food in the area. Service is great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere is top notch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Nothing bad to say about this place, has definitely become a family favorite. read more

The food is fantastic and tasteful. This is a family owned restaurant and the service was great. Have met the owners over the years . [[HIGHLIGHT]]When we first went to this restaurant it was small but over the years they expanded the inside and decorated it beautifully![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Great food and service. The guacamole was fresh and the Margarita was out of this world! I only ate chips, guacamole, refried beans and soup. All of w read more

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My family ate here a couple of weeks ago. The food was really good, but a bit pricey. I ordered the Steak Fahittas. They were good but unfortunately had very little steak in it. I would have expected more meat in it for the price. The server was great and refilled our beverages without us having to ask him. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bathroom had no paper towels to dry your hands with, so dripping wet hands was pretty annoying.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall the experience was good. I just think it's a bit pricey for the portion sizes, and the very little meat that you get in the Fahittas. read more

Everything was so good! We had the chaparral nachos and enchiladas. It was delicious! The queso was good too. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

Had to write a review before we even left it was so good! My fiancé and I are from Los Angeles and the ONE thing we miss from there is quality Mexican food which we agree we haven't had since we moved here. However, that all changed after eating here! Service was impeccable and the ambiance is perfect between the decor and the music. I've already stated to my fiancé that even though we're a few hundred miles away from home I will pester her to go on another road trip this direction just to go here again! P.S. our server was Bryan, he was quite friendly and professional. read more

Very Good Food. Favorite Place For Tacos Yummy And Hot Thanks Guys Keep Up The Good Work read more

Really great food, as well as just a nice place to eat. Staff is very friendly, and you can tell that everyone takes pride in what they do. We ordered the shrimp chimichanga, which was huge, and carnitas. Both were fantastic. We highly recommend El Chaparral. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

Great staff, friendly and helpful. The food is fantastic... everything is. Nice little place in a small strip mall. Can't recommend enough. But, please get a liquor license so you can serve real margaritas. read more

This was a pick up order but OMG...delicious! I judge Mexican food by the beans and the horchata. If there is no horchata, it's not authentic. I look forward to going back soon to enjoy the service and authenticity of a sit down meal. read more

This is a good place to eat. The food is delicious and the service is good, but parking is atrocious. They said an app plaza with three or four other companies, and they all share a very small parking lot. I reiterate, the food is good. read more

The best place I would kill my pet rock to eat here kind and sweet place good food and

generally, I'm not all that into Mexican food because I don't like cilantro or lots of spice. But I was in the mood for a quesadilla. The quesadilla here isn't like the one I was expecting, usually, it's just sort of fried with some cheese and chicken inside of a tortilla. This one was quite good with a softer shell and lots of peppers and cheese and chicken inside. Everything tasted fresh and was quite good. They served me some chips and dip to begin with, which seem to be homemade, although they were extremely oily. I guess that's what you get when you make them at home?? The only thing I would've liked there's a little less of the melted white cheese all over the top of it. I've had this before, and some Mexican places, and I believe it's somewhat authentic, but it's a bit too cheesy and mushy for me. The lady who was my waitress was quite friendly and pleasant. All in all a decent meal and I would try it read more

I was in the area with my parents looking at furniture at Smithe and we were looking for a place to eat so I hopped on Yelp... thank you to all the reviewers that reviewed this restaurant. They were spot on!! The staff was friendly and the food was great and FULL of flavor!! Ask for the house hot sauce... little kick with good flavor! If you are looking for a great little place to eat when you are in the area, put this one on your list! read more

Still the best Mexican restaurant in Lake County. Food, service and ambiance has not changed. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Carne Asada dinner - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

"We know you have many options when selecting your dining establishment here in Merrillville & we appreciate your business here!" This was how I felt from the moment I walked through the door, throughout each bite and through to the end of our meal. I could tell the gal that greeted us was friendly and grateful for us coming in on this fine Monday evening. The warm chips that were graciously placed on our table fresh cooked moments before placed in their basket were prepared with the love. My flautas were truly outstanding. Made me reminisce about my Mexican grandma & Grandpa. While explaining to my gringo hubby how much they would have loved him and how he would be 80 pounds heavier if my grandma was still around. "You think I'm a food pusher? You should have met my Grandma Pedraza." We enjoyed a few laughs while we devoured our well prepared dinners totally knowing we would be in a good old food coma shortly. The only, and I mean only, thing missing from this place is a full service bar but let's be honest, I'm always at a Mexican restaurant for the food and not the booze. That's why they invented bars. The entire facility was clean and well cared for. The menus were clean which is a tell tale sign of a restaurant owner who gives AF. The water glasses were kept full. The service was excellent. Come as you are, be yourself and enjoy a reasonably priced well prepared Mexican dish and chat with your family and friends while you enjoy yourself some good homemade Mexican food. read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Fresh chips made in-house! Hit the table warm!! - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

the first time I came here was with my family when we were in town...we are from the suburbs of Chicago and it's like an hour drive.. we all love this place from the decor to the hospitality of the people that works there and boy the foods was amazing. The 2nd time was when my child had a swim meet in Sherrilville (spelling) I had to stopped here and to take some foods home cos I can't find some good Mexican restaurant in des plaines.. I'm a San Diegan chick and I always compare Mexican foods in San Diego and the Chicago suburbs totally different. But this place i feel like I'm back in San Diego. read more

Went here for some quick Mexican food and it was alright. The chimichanga was quite good, however the steak tacos were extremely greasy. The rice also had a funky taste. The service was very good and quick, however the food fell a little short read more

My husband and I tried this restaurant for the first time last night and were pleasantly surprised. We had the fajitas combo and carnitas tacos. They both were very tasty and plentiful. Will have enough for a small lunch today. The restaurant was clean and tastefully decorated. The wait staff was attentive. The music was a bit louder than I would have liked Will definitely go back. read more

Food was good but the waiter was flirting with my underaged sister and we both got weirded out and left

Food is always amazing and is attentive! We always have a great experience. Congrats on 10 years!

Awesome tacos! Recommend the tacos chaparral dinner. They have great table salsa as well. Sometimes I'll go in just for some chips and salsa to go for a snack at the house. read more

This was delicious. The steak tacos were so very good and fresh. The soft corn shells were wonderful, so textured and hearty. The guacamole was very well prepared. There were chunks of tomatoes, onions and avocado that made it a fresh food party in my mouth. It also lasted several days in the fridge and didn't turn brown at all. Amazing. So much food on each of our plates, that we all had leftovers to take home. The horchata was fresh and delicious as well. The server was very quick and attentive, the atmosphere was old school Spain, kinda outdated, but the food made it all good. read more

Ambiance = Good Food = Good Service = Not Good They do not make you aware that there is a change in price on everything from what is listed on the menu if paying with credit card and the only signage is a half of a page of paper taped onto the cash register. When I was taken to my table and ordered, I asked to keep the menu. Not even 5 min afterwards the waiter came back to the table and took the menu. While eating my plate was still full and the receipt was brought to me. I was being rushed and brought it to my waiters attention that I'm not at a fast food restaurant and expressed that I had requested to keep the menu because I was deciding what to get after. Once given my bill I saw a different price for the 27oz margarita and a fee...I questioned while at the register paying and related patrons should be made aware of differences in price from the menu due to Cash or Credit payment and I was shown the paper on the register. I related No one can see that or looks at that when walking in and it should be made known upon entry, the young lady replied "everyone knows" I'm definitely not going back!!! read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - 27oz Margarita price difference from Menu 7.0 Charge Automatically added upfront - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

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I will starts this one off with GREAT customer service. We had a young lady and she was on it. She made us laugh and suggested things. I had a small quesadilla that is a special they do. It was perfect and plenty of food. We also had guacamole and cheese dip. Both where really good and the best part of the whole meal was the chips. They made them on site. The margarita wasn't bad either. I will be back read more

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant - Quesadilla chap - Mexican Near Me - Merrillville, Indiana

Located in a little strip mall on the end, but don't let location fool you. Once you walk in it's like you have walked into an authentic Mexican Restaurant in Mexico. They have a huge seating area and the servers are constantly checking on you to see if you need anything. Salsa and chips flowed like a river and the music was very pleasant Once our meals arrived and everything looked so good I ordered the Enchilada Combo and I was only able to eat 1 1/2 out of 5, the portion sizes were so big. The prices were fantastic and it is very family friendly. read more

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