Visiting Tucson area and decided upon this local place when searching for a dinner spot. Overall did not have the best experience here. It started with the wait. We were told at the time we put our name down, that it would be a 45 min wait. Fine, no problem. We walked around and then came back with 15 mins to spare. Now they are a popular spot so they were busy. However, no one contacted us about our table and we noticed a few people who came after us being seated before us. Again no communication from the hostesses until we approached and asked. Then were told it'd be a few mins and they'll disappear. Finally someone came out and asked if we wanted to be seated outside. We were going to take it but then she disappeared and a good 10 mins went by with no host coming to communicate anything. Finally a host came back and said "follow me" to a table that was just cleared off. We ordered and our waiter Caleb was attentive and kind. However the food was subpar. My chicken for the fajitas was salty, the guacamole salty and the Spanish rice basic. I didn't finish it. I was disappointed since I was quite hungry. The atmosphere was one of chatter and groups. You could tell the wait staff wasn't prepared fully for the rush. read more

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Disappointed. We had high expectations of this place, as it's known as the place where the chimichanga was created. However, this was definitely not the best chimichanga I've ever had. It was actually very dry and hard to eat. The queso was as expected and the tortilla soup was good, but overall a mediocre meal. The service was okay, but the booth was greasy when we got seated. This place has a lot of room for improvement. read more

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The food was phenomenal but we won't be back to this location. The reason is the owner or whoever was managing that day kept barking at his staff. One of the employees came to him and said he got a call for a 60 person party and the guy flipped out and said we don't want to do that call them back. It was not just that he basically yelled at him. Yelled at the hostess to great people. Just unprofessional and rude. I don't want to spend my money at a place regardless of how good the food is when the manager treats his staff poorly. Do better. read more

El Charro Café - Tucson, AZ "I used to love coming here, but this time the service was rushed and the carne seca was dry and flavorless. Prices went up too. Bummed out because this used to be a Tucson classic." read more

I can't tell you all how sincere this restaurant is. The service, food, ambience and vibe are such a valuable resource in the search for genuine authenticity in a local iconic restaurant like El Charro. I've been coming here with my family since the mid 90's and never disappointed. Worth the wait any day! My last trip was made even more special by the personal attention of the owner to help us retrieve a lost item. Amazing care and concern as we felt like we were part of the family of El Charro. Blessings and much success into the future for the staff and administration of this lovely "casa de comida" and many years to come I'm sure! Muchas Gracias Amigos y Amigas de El Charro! read more

Came here because it's the oldest Mex restaurant in Tucson. Had the mini-chimichanga appetizer, delicious. I had the chicken alpastor burrito, slightly sweet with pineapple but tasted fantastic. My spouse ordered the carne seca burrito (dry salted beef), too dry and too salty for her tastes even though it was what the restaurant is known for. Nice atmosphere, very homey. Service was excellent, waiter was very patient with us being our first time. read more

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Established in 1922, not only is this the oldest family-owned Mexican restaurant in Tucson but it's also the oldest in the nation. First off, let me just say the service here is outstanding. They really take great care of you the moment you sit down. I absolutely love the interior decor with the lace curtains and sombrero hats on the walls. We were seated in a room called the Mo Udall. Here is what we ordered: - Charro Street Tacos (assortment of 6) - Tamale Stuffed Chicken - Chile Relleno del Rey Every dish was an explosion of flavor. This is some of the best Mexican we have ever had. Huge shout out to our lovely waitress, Kim. With such an overwhelming menu, she gave us some samples of el chamo came seca (dried beef) which is used in a few of their dishes. We didn't have room for dessert and Kim said we have to come back. On a last note: OMG! Their fresh made salsa for their chips was so good that my son wanted to drink it. read more

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Nice overall but felt slightly overhyped. For 3 people walk-in on a Saturday night, we waited ~45 min to be seated. We actually noticed a lot of empty tables in their covered outdoor area, but maybe they didn't have enough staff that night? As we waited, we grabbed a drink at their bar, which was packed. It took us a while to get our order in since the bartender was busy prioritizing restaurant orders first. Waiters also kept pushing past the area, so there was no great place to stand without feeling like you were in the way. On the plus side, the margaritas were delicious... I had the prickly pear-rita which had a nice slight sweetness and my friends loved their natural and mango margaritas. Once we were seated, it felt much more comfortable. The food menu is large and extensive with options for everyone. We thought the mini quesabirria chimichangas were okay (they're like cheese eggrolls), and would probably skip next time. I ordered the taco platter, which were 6 different tacos that came with one creamy sauce and one birria sauce on the side. It was a fun dish to try, but it wasn't that memorable... I thought the tacos needed sauce and would've preferred if they came with salsas instead. On the other hand, my friends enjoyed their Monica's Plate and Chicken Mole. I have to give a shoutout to our waiter Steve, who was phenomenal. He was friendly, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable of the menu. My friend visiting from overseas was even so impressed by the service and said it was one of the nicest parts of our dinner! Thank you Steve! read more

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If you're looking for the real deal El Charro is where you want to go. Great food & service. Their salsa is wonderful. We shared the Monica Platter. It was delicious & was plenty of food for my wife & I on a hot afternoon. Thank you Marcus & staff! read more

Cinco de Mayo on Sunday in AZ, had to eat at EL Charro the oldest Mexican food restaurant. They claim to have created the chimichanga. The Sunday special was $5 Beer & Margs from 3-6pm. Our server Bianca was friendly, knowledgeable and patient with us. Started off with tableside guac. Delicious! We ordered the: Enchiladas del rancho, crispy fish tacos and X2 Charro Birria Verde - the food was flavorful and hearty portions. Save room for dessert. This place did not disappoint. They have street parking or a pay to park across the street. read more

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Food was good, margaritas were great and the queso fundido with chorizo and it was delicious. Our waiter was helpful and the atmosphere was beautiful. We were served quickly. read more

Such a cool authentic experience. We came with a group of 6 and everything from the service to the food was great. The restaurant is so unique being the oldest Mexican restaurant in the US. The table side guac and enchiladas were my favorite! read more

El Charro Cafe - Birria enchiladas - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We were promptly seated, served chips and red and green salsa very good. Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive. I had the carne seca enchiladas they were amazing the dry beef flavor was intensified. I love the decor the history they've been around since 1922 they are respected and spoken of highly in the community. When we went to leave our Tahoe wouldn't start the staff checked on us for the next two hours in the high heat, Thank You!! read more

great great meican food. also great prickly pear margaritas. get reservations or wait and take your chances but well worh it. Desert (flan) was delicious read more

El Charro Cafe - Flan. Delicious - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

El Charro is one of my favorite restaurants in Tucson. It's a great lunch spot, with reasonable prices on large plates of food! My favorite thing to order is their enchiladas, and my husband loves their carne seca. We also enjoy their green salsa that comes with the complimentary chips appetizer. Although the food is great, be warned that service can be slow at times. If you're in a hurry, be explicit with your server so they promptly bring you the check! read more

Super cute place! There's two entrances but you'll need to go outside to get to either area. It's like eating in someone's home, super cozy but a little cramped. The food was like 6/10 but the horchata was so good! I had the mini chimis and flautas. There was a mariachi playing around which was so cute. The server was very nice and didn't come around too often. read more

My girl and I recently went for a night out and some food. We got sat right away, and our server came up pretty quick. After putting in our drink orders, it was downhill. The drinks took about 10 minutes, the table side gauc took about 25 minutes to get to us, and another 10 for food after. Didn't seem took much of a busy night, lots of empty tables. Overall, our server seemed very rushed with us and not pleasant, but atmosphere was great otherwise! read more

I like this space a lot. Some of the area is a little crowded but up by the fireplace and the "John McCain plaque" is very enjoyable. The server seemed a little hurried but was quite friendly. To be fair, they were very busy so I get the hurried part. Food was excellent, as was the menu selection. I really enjoy the vibe and location and I look forward to going back. read more

El Charro Cafe - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Excellent food and service totally worth it. Big menu and good quality. We especially liked the combos and the breakfast burrito read more

El Charro Cafe - Hungry - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It's a charming, family run restaurant that locals swear by, and the food lived up to the hype. There was an hour wait, and they forgot about me at the bar. The kitchen had closed, but they seated me. Inside it wasn't even that crowded. They easily could have seated at least 5 of the other groups waiting with me. When I checked in, The hostess seemed confused and ready to pass over me, but this isn't a New York night club, honey. I even reminded her to take my phone number down. But she never sent me the appropriate text message from their system. Another group said it was an hour and half wait. I had a late lunch, so I was ok waiting for dinner. I chatted it up at the bar with other tourists. The outdoor area was mostly retired seniors. The house manager was nice and seated me after I complained an hour later. I had the mini Chimichangas appetizer, since they were invented here. Food wise- it was the best Enchiladas I have ever had, and the tortilla chips were also fantastic. A simple thing you eat all the time, but made really well. Then they gave me a free 3 leches cake, which was enough to feed a whole family table. The Prickly Pear Margarita was also good. read more

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I celebrated with my friend her birthday at El charro cafe. In downtown Tucson. Thea waitress was cordial and took the time t explained some of the dishes and even offered a free sample of the chicken I was considering ordering. The restaurant didn't seem to be extremely busy, however I had to ask for water refills, and she try to talk us into leaving a higher tip, which my friend didn't appreciate it. The food was excellent and the portions were more than enough. The ambiance was cozy and overall a good experience. read more

When you get a chance to eat at the oldest authentic Mexican restaurant in the world, you say yes! Crispy warm chips and great salsa to start, followed by quick delivery of our meals of dried beef, peppers, beans and rice, and a margarita salad. Easy parking, long line to wait to get in. Rustic authentic serving rooms. Just like the old west. Gotta give it a try if you get a chance. read more

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The restaurant is adorable and the concept that it's the oldest running Mexican restaurant is a huge draw and that's where it ended. We chose to be seated indoors it was very loud but cooler. The decor is charming. We were seated and someone quickly sat a bowl of chips, like what you can buy at the store, on the table. The salsa was good. We were there for about 15-20 min before we were greeted by a waitress bringing water. She was pleasant. The menus physically looked dirty and a few felt dirty. After ordering; a walk to the bathroom revealed a sign listing 5$ specials, we were never told about them nor given a menu with them on it. When the food came we were very disappointed. The chimichanga was ok, not great. The grilled chicken Todos salad was not good, the ingredients were a weird combination and none of them tasted fresh. Someone said it just seems like maybe the food wasn't stored properly...and that nailed it. The tacos received an equally subpar review. We left a lot of our food on the table uneaten because of taste not because we were full. The salad was especially bad and we all agreed the chicken had a weird taste to it. The one winner of the night was the burger and fries, but who would guess that at the oldest Mexican Restaurant in the states? read more

A busy restaurant with a nice atmosphere. The service was very slow. It took forever for them to take our orders, bring anything, or check in. The server was nice but everything much longer than it should've. The quesabirria mini chimis were fine. They were a bit too doughy and the consomme wasn't as flavorful as I would've liked. It's pretty pricey for what it is as well. The table side guac was ok. They don't put in any salt for you and it definitely needs some. The guac is pretty standard otherwise. Fresh but nothing that isn't easily made at home. The charro style beef tacos were certainly unique. I hated it. It's a weird hamburger taco where the patty isn't that good. Overall a disappointment for how recommended this place came with slow service and subpar food while charging high prices. read more

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In town visiting and had to return to my all-time favorite, El Charro Café a true staple from my UofA days in the '90s. Being back felt like coming home. It was Valentine's Day, and Marcus and his team absolutely went above and beyond from the red tablecloths and pink napkins to the festive, themed food and drink specials. Every detail made the night feel thoughtful and celebratory. The ambiance was so familiar and comforting, the food was delicious as always, and David (I believe that was his name!) was an outstanding, attentive server. Holidays can be tough, and I often walk into Valentine's Day dinners with low expectations, but El Charro and Marcus completely knocked it out of the park. Thank you for making my Valentine's so special and for continuing to be the best family-owned restaurant I know. read more

We were visiting from out of town and this place was highly recommended. Of course we had to try them for their famous chimichangas and didn't disappoint. Food was delicious, portions are big enough for 2 meals and margaritas are amazing! Make sure to put this spot on your must try list when in Tucson. read more

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My spouse and I wondered by on the weekend before Christmas as it wasn't packed but still fairly busy. Normally when I go here there is a wait but not this time around. Been wanting to try this place since I heard about it from the locals. It's be red n around 101 years so it's gotta be good. The kind waitress sat us down and we were served fresh tortilla chips and very tasty and tangy salsa. I don't think I've had salsa this delicious at a Mexican place in a long time. Usually the salsa is watered down or too tomatoey. This had the right consistency and balance. I only wish that could have given us more. There were a lot of good options on the menu and I felt the prices were in line for the location and quantity I was seeing. We decided to share the Carne Seca platter. It's one of the things the restaurant is known for. The ambiance was spot on for a place of this age. I loved the sombreros and the Christmas decorations. You can tell this is a business that is run by people that care. The food arrived shortly and were were given the option of fresh made corn or flour tortillas. We were also given refills of the tortillas. The staff was super friendly and checked up on us several times during our lunch. The carne seca was delicious and melted in my mouth and packed with flavor. Is been a few days and I'm still thinking about it. I'd definitely recommend this place and plan to go back to try something else in the future. read more

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The wait was long get there early . Parking is across the street , bout 8.50 for parking . Food was really great tasting worth the wait

Nightmare. My family has been a regular here for decades. the food and service is good. But this last experience with take out was not good. In fact, it was a nightmare. And when I have a bad experience, I rarely blame the Restaurant because I figure maybe they were short a chef that night or there was some other problem, or maybe the person I was working with was just having a bad day - but as you read, my experience was totally unacceptable, and when I tried to call to explain my situation to the corporate office the next day, the manager I spoke to at the downtown location understood immediately the problem and said "I totally understand, none of that should've happened and I will make sure that somebody from corporate calls you." No one ever called. So we called in an order which was three meals and pretty simple but that experience was painful should've been the clue. when I got there, the order was totally wrong as they had only 2 of the 3 dinners we ordered and when I explained what the order was, and what was missing in the bag, the front person and a manager were appropriately apologetic, but then I had to wait quite a while while they had to make the other meal that they had somehow forgotten. I paid and went home only to discover that they had forgot to include the red sauce for the chimichanga. Without a sauce, the chimichanga is primarily just the meat and the fried tortilla so it's rather dry. So I drove back to the restaurant and waited in and spoke to the Front Desk person who apologized profusely and then the manager came over and understood and and I told them repeatedly the words "red sauce for the chimichanga" and then after a weight that should've really only been a couple of moments to put red sauce in a container , when I got home the second time we opened everything up and it turned out, they gave us the spicy green sauce, not the red sauce. So I drove back now a third visit and waited in the long line at the front desk and explained to them very politely "I am certain I said the words "red sauce" and the order was for red sauce, but you gave me the spicy green sauce" and the lady was apologetic, but this time the manager who was at the front desk talking to other people clearly did not want to acknowledge my presence and ignored me even though now I there three times in one evening . So I waited and waited and finally was given a container but this time I thought I will check to be sure as I'm not coming back a fourth time and so cracked it open to see red, closed it, and went home only to discover that they had not given me the enchilada/chimichanga red sauce. Instead, they gave me salsa. Seriously? No red sauce. So now I let a few weeks go by and still no call from management. Sad. I hope that they read this and somebody will actually take a few moments to reach out. read more

We love El Charro! So fun to be in this historic location. The margaritas, chips and salsa are excellent! Love the chimichangas and tacos. We try to go to El Charro every time we're in Tucson! Make a reservation or you will most likely have to wait. read more

Always love this place. I usually get the tamale trio - always phenomenal. But was feeling some tacos today. Loved how they have a grass fed option so I got grass fed beef on corn and loved it! Probably cleaned the plate in 5 minutes. read more

El Charro Cafe - Grass Fed Charro Steak Asada on corn - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The best meal I experienced in Tucson. I'm from Chicago and there are many fantastic Mexican restaurants there. My mother lives in Mexico and I've eaten great meals when visiting her. However, the food here at El Charro was the most unique and delicious Mexican cuisine I've ever had. It was a busy and stressful day for the front of the house staff and we waited awhile for a table. It was worth the wait - the hostess and waitress were fantastic. The cozy house atmosphere was also so charming. read more

Always good food and tequila. Try the bacon wrapped shrimp with habanero salsa off the appetizer menu, the mole is legit and on point and never ever pass up the Si Charro tequila. Get it near not salt or lime and enjoy. read more

I am a sucker for history, especially city history, so a 100 year old restaurant is going to get me in the door. El charro did not disappoint. As you walk in...look up. In a cage above the restaurant is the drying carne seca, We're talking amazing love and tradition read more

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Came here at random on a turn around trips Service was good Food was good It didn't seem really authentic but it was still good food Larger servings Average prices Kind staff Nice atmosphere read more

We so enjoyed our leisurely meal at El Charro! Steven was engaging and charming and treated us with great respect and kindness. He is a positive aspect of the restaurant. He was very helpful and El Charro is lucky to have him. read more

El Charro Cafe - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The Service is so BAD! I sat at my table with my family watching and listening to waiters arguing over who would serve us! Then one comes over and is rude to my 7year old and didn't even care to ask for our drink order. After visiting the local museum and seeing the video advertising the restaurant, my daughter was so excited to visit because of the story behind the chimichanga and the ambiance! Food was delicious but service needs major work! read more

We didn't know too much about this place, other than its long rich history in the area. The inside of the restaurant reflects that, with a more traditional and rustic ambiance. Service was nice and friendly here. I ordered the Monica's plate, which was a combo plate and included a tamale, enchilada, and taco. My favorite of the 3 was definitely the tamale. Half of it was covered in this rich and creamy sauce which paired well with the tamale that also contained some corn and peppers in it. It was delicious but needed a tad more of that sauce! The enchilada came with the carne seca, which was loaded with tons of flavor, albeit too salty and dry for my liking. The beef taco contained a beef patty that wasn't memorable although the taco shell itself was nice and crunchy. For the price and longstanding history of the place, I guess i had higher expectations for the food. read more

El Charro Cafe - Monica's platter - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We came here due to the recommendation of hotel concierge. Service is friendly and helpful. We tasted the carne seca before ordering, which is a wise move. The meal was delicious. read more

El Charro Cafe - Cheese enchilada & carne seca taco. The meat is very rich with a powerful flavor. - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

One of my favorite spots in Tucson. I love you, El Charro. Food is great, drinks are great, patio is beautiful, live music... the best vibe! read more

El Charro Cafe - Quesabirria Enchiladas - Tacos Near Me - Tucson, Arizona