Really liked it the first visit, food and service good. Second time, what happened!! In spite of opening in main room, we were put at a table that had not been cleaned (and not done well when asked to do so) by the bar. The food took a dramatic nose dive. Did not get what was ordered and even though one of us ordered the exact same item as last time!! Wonder if management changed. Server was good. Won't be back! read more

Very average, food was not hot and lacked flavor. I would've been better off going to Taco Bell.

We arrived at 6:30. My husband, my 2 year old son, and I. We placed our order and waited, and waited, and waited. Our waitress kept telling us that our food was almost ready. At 7:45, after watching tables receive their food that had arrived over a half an hour after us, my husband went to ask what was taking so long. In the meantime, another party that had only been there 15+ minutes received their food. We found out that our food had been sitting on the bar the entire time as a to go order. They still wanted us to pay to take it with even though it was their error and our food was not fresh. Very frustrated that we were told for over an hour that our food was almost ready when it had just been sitting there the entire time! We will not be back read more

The seafood was AWFUL... gave me lock jaw later in the evening. Do not waste your money!!

This is the very best Mexican restaurant in Minnesota. We did live in Southern California and over there they have good Mexican food. Do yourself a favor and go try El Charro. The food is incredibly delicious. The service is good and the food is authentic! A+... read more

Nice decor, nice waitress. However while eating my retried beans I bit down and almost broke my tooth on a rock. Yes a rock in my food. I was only comped the beans not even my meal that I did not finish because I didn't want to eat any more gross rocks. Never going back. Food was average. Chicken chimichanga was very runny. read more

El Charro - The rock I almost broke my tooth on - Mexican Near Me - Farmington, Minnesota

We lived in Farmington for 10 years, and this spot has seen several different restaurants come and go. Hopefully El Charro is here to stay. It has been great every time we have eaten there. During the COVID shutdown, we have ordered to go food here several times, and it does not disappoint! read more

I dined at El Charro on a Saturday at noon. It was not busy, only a few other groups were dining in the restaurant. When I entered the restaurant, natural light was flooding into the space and I could smell the seafood being prepared in the back. We had to wait a few minutes before we were greeted, but the service was fast and efficient once we were seated. They quickly brought water to our table, and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered 2 steak tacos with a side of rice and beans. We also got served with fresh (and free) chips and salsa. The chips and salsa were a nice addition to our meal, and I was overall happy with the tacos. They came with an abundance of meat, however the lettuce toppings seemed to be partly frozen. The rice and beans were also good, and the portions accurately represented the price (which was relatively low). I also enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant. It seemed like a fairly clean space, and the Mexican-style songs that played through the speakers were a nice touch. There were also authentic decorations in the restaurant that builded onto the experience. Overall, I would recommend this to someone who wants a casual meal with kids, but not for a fancy or romantic/private feeling meal. read more

I finally think this Mexican restaurant may actually last here. The location, size and decor are perfect for our little town. The food was pretty good, a bit over priced on some menu items but other than that, so far so good. I like that they serve breakfast too! I'll report further after next few visits. read more

Surprised at some of the low rating for this restaurant. Been here a few times and think its pretty good. My favorite dish so far is the Alambres. Decent food and meals so far have come out at a reasonable speed. Have had several dishes so far and no complaints on any. I would give this place a try. read more

Updated review: we've eaten here numerous times since it opened and it just gets better and better. The food is terrific, the wait staff remembers us, and the service is fast fast fast. Two thumbs up for El Charro! read more

I went twice the first week they were open on 5/1 and 5/2. The first night I had their steak and Shrimp entrée. On the menu it did not say anything about queso being put on the steak and shrimp when served. The waitress also did not bring the accompanying salad that was supposed to be with it and seemed confused when I asked for it. She did bring it after conferring with someone else. Not that it was horrible tasting with the queso on it -- just not on the explanation on the menu. The chips and homemade salsa were good both times. Our waitresses were very sweet and trying very hard to please but I don't think they were familiar yet with the menu. Also service was slow on 5/1 but they were packed and it was like the 3rd day they were open. So that can be expected. The next afternoon my hubby and myself went around 4 p.m. so they were not that busy yet. This time I had the Carnitas dinner which is basically pieces of seasoned pork that have been grilled. It was not in a sauce exactly so it was kind of dry but not horrible -- just not what I thought it would be. I also had to remind them of the Mexican salad that is supposed to come with it. My hubby had the chicken Chimi which was very good according to him. So we will try it again, probably this coming weekend and see how they do. Prices are reasonable, waiters bend over backwards to make it a great experience. The booths are set apart so you don't feel too crowded and the décor is very Mexican looking without looking tacky. There's also a small bar with televisions and Mexican music which is pleasant to hear for ambiance. read more

I was expecting a lot from El Charro. I waited patiently for this new restaurant to open. I anticipated and was excited of the notion of having a good Mexican Restaurant in town for weeks only to be disappointed. The renovation they did looks amazing, I was hoping the food would be as well. We went there for lunch and I ordered the steak fajita mexicana and my wife had the regular tacos. When the food came out the waitress told us to be careful since the plate was hot. The plate was indeed hot but not our food, It was slightly warm. At that point I already knew the food was not made fresh. I didn't even send it back to make it hotter since the food wasn't good, the meat had no flavor. We also ordered the tamales to sample, the masa was hard and stale tasting. I normally take pictures of what I eat but it was not worth the time. We didn't even finish a quarter of the meal and requested for the check, the waitress asked if we wanted a box to bring the food home. We respond no and she already knew at that point the food was not to our liking. Such wasted calories trying to consume the food. Will not be going back. read more

We went to El Charro for lunch today on the recommendation of our neighbor-friends. What a wonderful treat it was. Be sure to go hungry. El Charro is owned-operated by a local family and really does Mexican food right! Our server, Carlos/Charlie, was terrific and had great recommendations for us. We had the Molcajete Guadalajara which was plenty for 2-3 people to share (and take home extras) and there are two other variants of the Guadalajara for us to try in the near future. The bar has a decent variety of tap/bottle beers, wine and, of course, margaritas. Plus, they have a pleasant-looking patio for summer use (alas, too cold and windy today to be eating outside). This place is definitely worth trying out if you like authentic, family-style Mexican fare. We'll definitely be going back soon! read more

This is a nice family owned business, and you can tell the employees enjoy working together. Unfortunately there is a reasonable language barrier, and the last two times my girlfriend and I have eaten here, our orders have been messed up. I don't like to cause any issues when I go to restaurants, but it's a little frustrating when it happens more than once. However, other than those minor hiccups, the environment is fun, the food is pretty good, and the prices (especially their daily deals) aren't bad. read more

We loved this place until we noticed that the waitress stole money from us and our family when we paid in cash. She's been our server multiple times and has been there since the beginning. I can't believe she would do that, we love their food, but we will never be returning unless we know she is gone. read more

Was good food for the cost, wish the steak was of better quality but that's my only complaint about the place.

Good taco's and friendly staff. I have eaten there several times and never had anything but a positive word to say about El Charro. I know they just added their out side patio but never have sat out the there. The few times The weather was nice enough it was really crowded so we just sat inside. read more

The best local authentic Mexican place I have found in MN! After being spoiled in NYC and Miami with killer Mexican, I had to navigate my ways through the burbs of the Twin Cities to find reasonably priced authentic Mexican! El Charro has it all! Their guacamole is fresh and made to order. The queso is flavorful and my favorite is the El Charro burrito with carnitas and a side of rice and beans. The pork is fall apart tender and perfectly marinated. My husband usually gets the steak fajitas which are just as delicious. Portions are generous so you can always err on the side of taking some home. Taco Tuesday's are a great deal too, but I opt for the upgrade of be street tacos with all the fixings! The staff is attentive and always ready to replace empty chip baskets and refill the large - and I mean LARGE draft beers! They have mega margaritas too - if you're a fan! A must eat at place when your south of the cities. Farmington is where it's at for Mexican! read more

So amazing! Great food, awesome staff! The patio is so nice and the atmosphere is relaxing. Great place for family and friends. Love it and I'll come back a ton! read more

First off when we walked into El Charro we were pleased that they had taken the time to set the atmosphere right with the decor appropriate for the theme of the restaurant along with plenty of booths and an inviting bar if that is what you are there for. Our waiter Enrique was top notch, he was great with the kids and was very attentive and friendly with us as well. He clearly was popular with the guests as we overheard pleasant conversations around us. The food was very tasty with good size portions and came quick and hot. We even had to take some home we were so full. The chips and salsa was excellent too. Prices seemed fair for the quality and size and overall an excellent experience. It is good to see El Charro starting things right and I highly recommend anyone in the area to give it a go, you won't be disappointed. We will be returning for sure! read more

Went here for my birthday dinner. Had a great time with great reasonably priced food. I'll be going back often.

Really enjoyed the beef tacos! Excellent food and husband really like the salsa. We will be back for sure

Normally my wife and I like El Charro. Pre-pandemic we usually had great food and service. Now, it's the opposite. I get there can be challenges due to the coronavirus. But the 2 times we've ordered take-out, the order was wrong when we got it. This last (taco) Tuesday, part of the order was soft shells and we got all hard - I checked when I got in the car. The reason I didn't check in the restaurant, or go back in to resolve, is that no one (staff and other customers) except for me was wearing a mask. When I got the order home, the tacos fell apart. I get that can happen..., but the tacos were strictly meat, cheese, lettuce to begin with; and the chicken seasoning was pretty bad. Admittedly, the first time we ordered take-out I had a fajita and that was good (Ordering a fajita is a good idea because the tortillas are not filled, but instead contained in their own wrapper so they don't get soggy). But my wife's chimi was not made to her specification and was missing the Chile verde sauce. On a positive note, the order is always ready when I pick it up, but I think I'll stick with the fajitas in the future. read more

Not sure what to say about this restaurant, I have been here twice in a 3 week span, between the service and the food I wish them well, but we will never return. The first time we went was a Sunday and waited for about 30 minutes for a table, then waited for over an hour to get our food, the manager even had to close the restaurant early because the kitchen could not keep with the orders. The second time was a weekday for lunch and service was a better, it was also maybe a third full. Now lets talk about food, this "Mexican" restaurant is catered for the Gringo clientele, I was in the mood for a Chile Relleno" and i as what cheese they use, surprisingly they use white american cheese SERIOUSLY, they also use this for every melted cheese in the menu. The Tacos are made with flour tortillas, no Mexican ever will eat a taco made with flour tortillas, that is an open face burrito. The salsa looks and taste like the stuff you get in a jar at the supermarket. Aside from the cheese issue the food has good taste but is very inconsistent in quality. read more

Fantastic place to visit, the food is excellent, the waiters and waitresses are spot on helping you. I am from Southern California and I retired and moved to Minnesota so we could be close to my wife's family. We tried out several mexican restaurants and we both agree that El Charro is the very best. While living in Southern California we were close to Mexico and we love traditional Mexican food. I was disappointed when we first moved here to Minnesota in 2011 with our choices of Mexican food restaurants. But when El Charro opened up for business we were very excited to try them out. We were not disappointed, we were very happy to have eaten here. We are now regular customers and we see a lot of regular customers that come to El Charro. The recipes are a family secret that has been handed down from generation to generation! It is family owned and they take care of you! Try it and you will love this place. read more

Very good food for Minnesota. We have tried all the Mexican food joints in the South Metro and this is the best. We are from Arizona and California. This place will fulfill your Mexican food desires at a reasonable price and great service. Beer selection is also impressive and at decent prices. Can't beat a taco plate for $5 bucks all while drinking Ballast Point Sculpin. Yeah! read more

My shredded beef chimichanga was very good, service was TERRIBLE, asked the waiter three times for napkins, did not give us menus when we sat down, got my kids order all messed up as in sooo bad I cant even explain and had a 5 dollar off coupon if spent over 30 and they would not honor it, ( spent 65 ) said some crap that we got discount on margaritas so he cant give the 5 off, that is PRETTY bad. read more

Delicious, truly authentic, and wait staff is top notch! We head down to El Charro every two months! Wish we lived closer!

They had purposely charged 2 of our cards for more!! We came in for the daily special, and were charged full price!! After they refused to fix it, we stated we would not be returning. Lesson learned!! Not to mention We had about 3 different people waiting on us. read more

I have eaten here 4 times since they opened. My family and I love their food. It's fresh and authentic mexican. Yummy !!! My new favorite Mexican restaurant. read more

This is a very good mexican restaraunt! The staff is friendly and the food is reasonably priced! The food is fantastic; there is an explosion of flavor in evey bite! If you crave the mexican your mouth will thank you! read more

They had some growing pains when they first opened, but they worked out the kinks and now I love going to El Charro. The service is friendly and the food usually comes out pretty quickly. It's a nice addition to Farmington's restaurant scene. read more

Great service! Wonderful chips,salsa, and guacamole. Good drink prices. The best chimichangas we've had in awhile

Greatest place around! Their chimichangas are to die for and the feel is SO much better that Hardee's, BK, and Baldy's combined. Check it out! You won't regret it! read more

I've been a lover of Mexican cuisine since I was fifteen years old, ever since my mother took me to a quaint Mexican restaurant that had just opened, ten miles from my hometown in Northern Minnesota. We were hooked, and the place became "our spot." There's a rare occasion I don't enjoy food, and I'm easy to please and passively-aggressive Minnesotan so I have to be nice and give at least 3 stars or the guilt would plague me. El Charro is different though. If I could give it 10 stars I would. I've been twice, and it's incredible. I ordered the Street Tacos with Chicken, a great price, and some of the best quality chicken I've had in tacos. Delicious! Of course, we also got the Queso Dip. Again, amazing flavor, and just the right consistency. Some restaurants make it too runny. Besides the great food, the service is wonderful. They are always kind, gracious, and very quick! The second time we went it was Taco Tuesday. Great deals on tacos and margaritas! $5.00 for three tacos, and $5.00 for a rather large margarita. And they come in lots of flavors. I would say this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Minnesota, and I've been all over the state trying them, from Duluth, Forest Lake, Bemidji, the Twin Cities, and even into Western Wisconsin a bit. A must try! read more