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    El Charro Cafe

    3.6 (2.5k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

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    EL CHARRO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Charro Cafe

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    Quesadillas
    Chris S.

    This restaurant has been in business for many years. After eating there I know how they have been in business so long. The food is absolutely delicious. The service and friendly employees make it even better. Rice and beans are spiced perfectly. I loved the taco plate and we were all pleased with our food. We will be sure to come back when we are in the area. Great lunch.

    Dessert Trio
    Arley L.

    Great experience! The restaurant has a very antique, old school house vibe to it. The tables are a bit yam packed but overall the place is great. The service is top tear, the drinks are good and the food is amazing! The flavor on everything was amazing! We were defining not disappoint in any of the main food we got. The desert trio was good but not anything amazing. The dessert tamale was a bit weird and mushy, maybe undercooked in the center but we were a fan of that. But overall everything else was amazing!

    Kara M.

    When visiting Tucson my mom told me we had to visit this famous restaurant for its history and traditional menu options. We enjoyed the atmosphere and service food was very good and it was pretty cool to see the artwork and history on the walls and in the decor. My only negative call out is required paid parking lot.. no free parking.

    Prickly pear margarita
    Madelynn F.

    My go to here is the street taco platter and prickly pear margarita. Popped in here on a Friday evening (had a reservation and was seated immediately. FYI they do not take same day reservations). Got chips and salsa immediately upon sitting. Then then a margarita and the taco platter. I they were busy but our food and drinks came fast.

    Julie R.

    Wow, I'm super surprised by the overall low star ratings! Date night on a Saturday at 5:30 PM. We arrived a couple minutes late to our reservation and were seated immediately. I had a $50 gift card that I won in a giveaway with Tucson Convention Center. It was our first time here! Any place that has complimentary chips and salsa is automatically on my good side. The salsas included were a green salsa ("hot") and a classic red salsa ("medium"). Our server, Tony, was so kind, informative, patient, and helpful. He gave us great recommendations, answered all of our questions, and even gave me green salsa to go, as they don't sell it for some reason. I got the Monica platter (a combination plate) and my husband got a carne seca chimichanga. He asked for cheese inside the chimichanga but ultimately it had none, but we didn't want to wait for a remake because we were having a date without our kiddos and didn't want to prolong our gracious sitter. We got the bacon wrapped shrimp as an appetizer and the sopapillas, churros, y chocolate for dessert. The churros were seriously SO good! Fresh and crunchy, the best!

    Charro Street Taco Platter
    Dee Y.

    We came back on Friday after enjoying our meal in Wednesday. We were placed in the front by the windows with I think his name was Omar. Omar was NOT Martha! He was very slow and I had to ask 4 times for lemons. We were a table of 2 and received our food after a table of 4, who came after us were almost done. Umm what happened. Then we had to sit through the not so great mariachi! I think they must be someone's tios because it was not good. Do why the 4 stars!! Cuz the food is amazing! I took the 1 star away for my previous complaints. I ordered the pozole on recommendation from Omar. I had planned on tortilla soup but he was right! It was DELICIOUS!! My colleague ordered the original beef tacos and said it was very good. We finished the meal with a kids order of charros for each of us. Again... you looking for a good meal, this is the place!

    Seafood Enchiladas
    Natasha W.

    Excellent food and service! Came as an out-of-towner with a very large group including multiple people in wheelchairs. El Charro was so accommodating with our reservation. (Even though we had to add to it last minute during the dinner rush.) Our food was served quickly considering the size of our group and delicious. The atmosphere definitely made you feel like you had slipped away to a favorite Mexican restaurant on vacation. There's a reason this restaurant shows up on recommendation lists. Visit if you can!!

    Emily L.

    The food was so delicious, you can tell they really put a lot of love and care into their recipes. Mia was our server and she was wonderful. Wish we lived closer cause I'd be here all the time

    Shrimp Ceviche, shrimp lettuce wraps
    Melody M.

    I will start out with the good: our waitress Mia was fantastic. Friendly, helpful and ensured we had a great experience. The menu has a ton of authentic options and all the food is flavorful. Great selection of drinks too. The mariachi band that played at our table was a fun touch. The not so good: we waited 20 minutes for our reservation, watching other tables get sat before us (who either didn't have reservations or had a reservation at a later time than us). The hostesses were extremely unfriendly... if we hadn't been here before and knew the food was good, we likely wouldn't have waited to even sit. They definitely need some customer service training pronto. Other guests were also shocked at their words and tone.

    The fish dish.
    Nancy S.

    We enjoyed the food, especially the dried beef tacos. Unusual and excellent. The service was just OK, somewhat inattentive. It wasn't that busy, because it was only 5:30 pm, so we were a bit disappointed in how long our waiter left us alone. The ambience was superb! Just which one would expect of a Mexican restaurant in Tucson. Some mariachi singers came around and that could've been fun, but they were the worst singers on earth. I mean, truly bad.

    Seated on waiting porch for about an hour. View of moon with planets on one of those nights everything was aligned.
    Bill R.

    Drove all the way from Wisconsin for some authentic Mexican food. Asked a couple of locals for their recommendation and they both blurted out El Charro. Said it would be busy but worth the wait. We waited over an hour to be seated in a beautiful area by the front door. We were secluded so we could watch people come and go. In addition to chips and salsa, we started with the table side Guacamole which was huge and prepared perfectly - tomato, onions, jalapeño, chunked avocado. Enjoyed the Guac, chips and salsa while we listened to a roaming two man mariachi band. Fun ! Wifey ordered a chicken quesadilla, no frills. It was large but the chicken was sparse and the cheese hard like it had been waiting in the kitchen to come to the table. We were not impressed. I went for adventure and ordered the Monica Plate. Asked our server if that would be a good sampler, answer yes. Well, it came to the table and I was not sure what I was looking at. Three components - corn masa tamale with a tart lemon sauce, dry shredded beef burrito with red sauce and finally a hard shell taco with an unrecognizable piece of beef the size of a shoe heel and as hard covered with a red sauce. A handful of lettuce was under the taco. Beans and rice came as a side. I can't recommend Monica's platter or any of the components. It was expensive and challenged my palate. I've come to the conclusion that I errored ordering or that I do not like authentic Mexican food. Recommend with caution as noted above. The restaurant is beautiful and they have a loyal clientele, but I should have know better.

    Chimichanga
    Dave H.

    El Charro clearly carries strong local nostalgia -- the crowd after the rodeo and UA game made that obvious. The chips and salsa were plentiful and very good, and the Chicken Cheese Crisp and shrimp ceviche appetizers were solid starts. Unfortunately, the entrees didn't live up to the reputation. It took about an hour to receive them, and some arrived hot while others were cooling off. I ordered the green chile beef chimichanga (their house specialty was already sold out by 6pm), and both the beef and red sauce lacked flavor. Others at the table had similar feedback on their dishes. The staff were attentive and working hard, but between the long wait and muted flavors, this ultimately felt like an average experience for us. With so many strong Southwest options in Tucson, it's hard to justify choosing this one beyond its historic appeal.

    Alan A.

    We were in Tucson visiting wife's family and we went to lunch here. She was last here as a 12 year with her mom. We were immediately welcomed and the owner was amazing. My wife was talking to him and he recommended some dishes right away. The food was amazing. No idea why low rating, we live in vegas and honestly the Mexican restaurants here are not good. This was authentic and flavors were amazing. The Tucson taco and cheese crisp were the best I've ever had. Our waitress was super friendly as well. We felt so welcome that we will be flying back to visit probably next week and we are coming back. We also really like the feel and ambiance of this place it just felt welcoming.

    Chimichanga Al Pastor (big portions!)

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    El Charro Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Charro Cafe

    Do they allow dogs on the patio?

    yes

    Do they take reservations for parties of 2?

    Yes

    Is this a dine in restaurant?

    Yes it is.

    Do you serve alcohol at the downtown location?

    Yes! All of our El Charro café locations serve delicious cocktails.

    Just wanted to thank you & commend you for the Plant Based options on your menus! We will return! I have a question - as a chile relleno fan - ever test out a PB relleno? Stuffed w/whatever combo of beans, rice, nopales, calabacitas, shrooms?

    View All 6 Questions

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    Tumerico

    Tumerico

    4.8
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Last year for 2025, Tucson took six coveted spots on Yelp's 100 Best Places to Eat in 2025. This…read moreyear there is only one spot at #32 and it goes to Tumerico, a vegan place. You bet your ass I am going to check it out on this Taco Tuesday. Okay, the guy that greets you welcomes every customer with wide open arms. I mean, never ever have I ever met someone that awesome!!!! He walked us through the menu that seemed to have a hundred plus items. We were so overwhelmed. He told us his favorite and that is what my son ordered. The guy took the time to ask what we were in the mood for. And as we were leaving he shouted goodbye all across the room. When someone is that happy, it's infectious. Here is what we ordered: - Chocohata (authentic Oaxacan chocolate) - Mesquite Latte - Frida Khalo Tostadas - Chile Relleno - Taco Plate Warning: portions are huge!! Everything is so fresh and delicious. Vegan at its best. I could not tell that I was not eating meat. I can see how it made it to the top 100. The hours on the business page is incorrect but I am too lazy to make the correction so make sure you look it up on Google.

    TL;DR: If I were blindfolded, I would never have guessed this was vegetarian/vegan. Amazing…read moreexperience and will absolutely be coming back. For what it's worth, I don't necessarily agree with Yelp's rating that Turmeric is the #1 (!) spot to eat in America. That's a stretch. HAVING SAID THAT, Turmeric is doing everything right and is outstanding in every way. The service the minute you walk in is friendly, patient, and welcoming. The salsa bar is well-stocked and flavorful. Coffee for while you wait, which honestly isn't long even when it's busy. The turnover on tables is fast because the food comes out hot and fresh, you can't stop eating The cuban tacos!!! Wow - really couldn't have told you the difference between these and actual meat tacos. Juicier than most and definitely more flavorful than any other vegetarian option I've ever had. The Freida tacos were alright - a little blander than I had hoped and wasn't trying to be anything other than a veg taco. Personally, get the Cuban tacos. You won't regret it. Promise. Salud, Tumerico!

    Photos
    Dining area vibe
    Dining area vibe
    Chefs custom plate with two tacos, tamale and mole enchiladas
    Chefs custom plate with two tacos, tamale and mole enchiladas
    Entrance

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    Entrance
    La Yaquesita Mexican Cuisine

    La Yaquesita Mexican Cuisine

    4.6
    (109 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Delicious food with a very relaxed and inviting atmosphere. The service was excellent. Highly…read morerecommend the Jarritos Paloma, it's delicious! I stopped in for lunch and the food and drinks really hit the spot. I also love all the plants on the patio. It feels like eating at Abuelita's house.

    Overall, the service was good and the food tasted good, but the pricing didn't quite match the…read moreculinary experience for me. Honestly, I wish I could give Yaquesita a little more, maybe half a star more, because this place definitely has potential. Their flavors are good, but compared to similar restaurants the menu feels a bit overpriced. For a party of three we ended up paying around $100, which felt like a bit much for what we got. The restaurant itself is pretty small with only about 3-4 tables inside, but the patio is a decent size and has a cute vibe. It's actually a nice option on cooler days if you don't mind sitting outside. Some items were better than others. The wet-style burrito was delicious and definitely a highlight. The quesabirrias were good, however the birria felt more like fancier shredded beef. It was missing that rich, spicy, slightly acidic, earthy flavor that usually sets birria apart from barbacoa or traditional shredded beef dishes. The bowl was just okay and had lots of lettuce. It felt more like a salad with a bit of meat, rice, and beans. Honestly, Chipotle does bowls better, and that says a lot considering the price. The nachos were good, but I've had better. Seis Kitchen has amazing nachos to share. That said, it's definitely a place I'd come back to mainly out of convenience, not because one particular item on the menu won my heart. I really do hope they continue refining the menu because the flavors are there and this place could easily become a standout spot. Personally I just think at the total price of my ticket other restaurants should not even have room in my mind during my meal. If you're in the area and looking for a safe bet where everyone will probably find something they like, it's worth giving them a try.

    Photos
    A glimpse of the decor
    A glimpse of the decor
    Sonora Hot Dogs and fries
    Sonora Hot Dogs and fries
    2 Piece Quesabirrias IG: ea_yelpelite

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    2 Piece Quesabirrias IG: ea_yelpelite
    Amelias Mexican Kitchen

    Amelias Mexican Kitchen

    4.4
    (713 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    $$

    Pretty good. Pretty good. Of the four of us who gathered to dine here last Friday, (late summer of…read more2026), three in our party raved about their meals, and had nothing but high-praise for the experience. We three, actually loved everything about AMELIAS. Us three (*let's just call them "the cool ones"), were wowed by the taste of our food and noted that the plate presentations were kinda cool-- and a little "more-fancy" than what is typically placed down upon the table at your typical Mexican food restaurants. AMELIAS adds a bit of "pizazz" and "decorum" to their menu items--like edible flowers that float in your margarita, or wavy lines of crema that dance on the seas of flavorful sauces that accompany the tamales, 'chiladas, and relleno plates served here. Three-forths of us also noted how attentive and friendly those who served us were. And... we (the cool ones) also all noticed how the warm, cheerful, and welcoming ambiance and decor of the place added to the enjoyment of our meal. (*Play Debbie-downer walk-up music) One in our group...(dramatic pause)... was notably quiet and reserved when it was her turn to rave about her dish. This person, smiled and shared that she thought her food was, "pretty good." But, now that I think about it...her praise was kinda limited, and she, indeed, was a bit reticent. I would find out later, as we lay in bed that night, that one in our group had not enjoyed her meal as much the other three had. Apparently, the cheese and chicken enchiladas dish that was ordered was not to this person's liking, and she added that she thought the service was "just okay". Not wanting to bring-down the mood of the evening, this person played along and didn't criticize. Now, I am not trained in psychology, but if feels like...(how do I put this delicately?)... okay. (*the writer thinks for a bit). Sometimes... when one in our party does not get to pick the restaurant that we are going to try, it seems to me... that...(dramatic pause as I try to find just the right words to say this).. I seems to me... that...This person is just, "not going to enjoy" the place that was picked, no matter how good it is. There! I said it. And while I'm on the subject... your mom is just like this too. And now you know the rest of my story. Let's summarize: AMELIAS is a very good restaurant and you will enjoy the heck out of your meal. Unless, of course, you insist on being the one who picks where your group goes out to eat-- and you don't get your way. Then, you will find it to be, "pretty good", but complain about it later in bed. (I know this is supposed to be a restaurant review, and not a mini-soap opera. But I hope you enjoyed our little dive into the phycology of relationships.) Until next time, this is the guy who will be sleeping on the couch for a night or two if my beloved happens to read this. (lol--she will find humor in this...and, of course, disagree with my "junior-phycologist" interpretation of why she thought Amelias was just okay. )

    Wow, wow, wow!! We were craving Mexican while traveling and stopped by on a Saturday night. You…read moreknow it's gonna be good when folks are waiting outside to be seated. The food was creative while maintaining that fabulous fresh, handmade Mexican flavor profile. Absolutely delicious! Pricing landed somewhere in the $$ amount per person including beverage and appetizer. Very fair for the level of hand-crafting going into every dish. We didn't have a reservation (highly recommend getting one for busy times) and were happy to sit where they could fit us. Our server Louie was EXCELLENT. He walked us through the entire menu in 3 minutes and we felt confident ordering. He also suggested an amazing appetizer featuring chilies stuffed with cheese and shrimp and wrapped in bacon . I ordered the Fajitas Mixtas for my main as I wanted to try several meats. Hubby ordered the shrimp enchiladas with both green and red sauce. Both were beautiful and delicious. I also tried the mocktail that had prickly pear puree. It was delicious and refreshing. The menu had options available for folks seeking Gluten Free, too. Amelia's was decked out with modern, slightly edgy decor that was welcoming and exciting. Seating for wheelchair users could easily be accommodated by dining table chair removal. The Oracle Street location isn't huge, but the staff does a fantastic job getting folks in and you won't feel cramped. I could definitely see the place needing to expand due to popularity someday soon. Go and you won't regret it. This has made the list for returning to the next time we're in town!

    Photos
    An action shot of some of the friendly and attentive service that is the standard here.  (*you can't tell from the pic, but they are good)
    An action shot of some of the friendly and attentive service that is the standard here. (*you can't tell from the pic, but they are good)
    2 QUESABIRRIAS W/RICE & BEANS, CALDO (Juice meat)
    2 QUESABIRRIAS W/RICE & BEANS, CALDO (Juice meat)
    Beef Tamales con Juevos with black beans

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    Beef Tamales con Juevos with black beans

    El Charro Cafe - tacos - Updated August 2026

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