What a pleasant surprise. I finally decided to check El Charro out. To be honest I was a little skeptical based on how it looked from the outside. Can't judge a book by its cover. I wouldn't exactly sit down and eat, but to-go, absolutely. I grabbed three tacos (Chicken, carne asada, chorizo). They are served on corn tortillas with cilantro and cooked onions. The cooked onions were a bit different for me as I'm used to the raw diced onions. Oommggg...these tacos were packed with flavor and gave me a sense of an authentic Mexican taco. I can't believe I waited so long to for this place a shot. This will definitely be on my frequently visited spots. On top of all that, the gentleman at the counter was super friendly. That's always a plus. read more

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The restaurant has a very local, family-owned feel, located in a strip mall with Giant, Marshalls, Chuck-E-Cheese, LA Fitness, and a bunch of smaller retail spaces. We were a party of three on a Monday, and there was only one other party of three seated. The rest of the restaurant, a large open space with tables and chairs, as well as booths, was empty. There's a bar to the right side, kitchen in the far back. It's clearly set up for shows, performances, screenings, and/or dancing with a raised stage toward the entrance and a projector screen. The service was very good. The server was friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating, and attentive. There was a small language barrier but we overcame it by rephrasing, repeating, and gesturing. My companions ordered the quesabirria tacos, which they both devoured and raved about. The tacos did look visually stimulating, were served hot, and were a large portion for the price. I ordered the huevos rancheros without beef, and it was tasty but not astounding. The side of beans tasted like a shot of vodka was added in it and tasted terrible. I also ordered tamarindo but they were out of stock. They also didn't have tamal de elote, which was disappointing but not surprising since it's winter. I then opted for the lemonade, which was freshly made and does not come come with free refills. Soft drinks are can sodas, not from a fountain drink machine. read more

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Not the best first experience here. Ive never seen them throw away our chips and salsa after they deliver the main entrees. When we asked about this, she replied "sorry" and walked off. She never brought anymore. Meat was a little dry and a bit salty for our taste. Rice was good and guac was fresh. Honestly, prob would not return. read more

It's just some restaurants that I'll spend my last $14.38 at. And El Charro is definitely one of them. I forgot to even take a picture because I ate my food that quickly. I don't even know if I was chewing LOL. Service is always amazing. You're greeted by all the employees with smiles when you enter. The interior is clean and welcoming with a bar area, multiple TVs and plenty booths. I ordered the shrimp burrito for takeout($14) every time(3 times) I've been here. It's just sooooooo good. The rice is cooked perfectly and is packed with flavor. The burrito is average sized but packed with meat and toppings. The burrito comes with two sides, you can choose from rice, beans or salad. El charro is definitely generous with their portion size. The portion size + price = unbeatable! As most of you know I like to focus on mom and pop shops. I can't believe I've lived in Laurel this long and it took me so long to try this place. But better late than never! I'll be a regular customer at El Charro. Enjoy! With love, The Picky Pescatarian read more

I was just wondering how wonderful the food was at this venue since I moved back from Texas. I'm so glad to report that it is AMAZING! Authentic tastes, textures, and friendliness! I was so impressed but the variety and quality of the food. We have had a lot of exposure to good quality Mexican cuisine and we have friends who have shared their homemade dishes with us. It was refreshing to have these menu options like sopes, elote, tacos, breakfast dishes, etc. The venue also has many drink options like horchata, juices, etc. and there's a full bakery with racks of pastries. Desserts as well like flan, strawberry with cream, etc... my yummy soft tortilla that came with the soup was so delicious and indulgent that it already tasted like I was eating dessert ! I look forward to eating more of these favorite foods! But now, I am going to enjoy my full belly and very happy taste buds :) read more

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*Disclaimer: I grew up in SoCal so I know Mexican food* Weird vibes from the jump. Loud music being played off the YouTube tv app. The service was good. They had a single woman running around serving all the tables, kinda felt bad for her. Cutting right to it: food was bad. I got the chicarrón with yuca which the server recommended, and it was awful. I'm not a picky eater, I was physically repulsed eating the pork. Tasted like the meat was spoiled or had been sitting out for days. My buddy got chicken tacos and it tasted rotten. Honestly wouldn't recommend this place, just a not a great experience overall. read more

Service was sloww but we went for cinco. They were not busy when we got there but were by the time we left. Papusas were great. Salsa, watery and bland. Chips ok. We got the chorizo tacos those were good. Also ordered nachos just chicken cheese and pico. Came w sour cream, guac, jalepenos, and beans as well smh. The waitress spoke no english so that was a loss. Margaritas were full of sour mix and the titos and sprite was just like a sprite. I will not be back. read more

Ownership changed but the food is still great! The karaoke that started before 9pm was obnoxious & way too loud for the 9 ppl and 4 staff that were here. read more

El Charro Mexican - Happy Hour buckets are great but the karaoke that starts before 9pm was obnoxious & too loud. - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

My first time here with some family. Authentic DELICIOUS food. Service was great and good vibe. I would definitely come back! read more

El Charro Mexican - Steak Fajita - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

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Ive only ordered through DoorDash and the food is amazing! I cant imagine how good it would be if I actually went to the restaurant. Their Carne Asada is very tasty. read more

Would not recommend, the portions were small for what you pay for Ceviche was $12 for what tasted like a can of vegetables with two shrimp thrown in nachos lacked feeling was mostly chips and burnt cheese it tasted like it was made in a microwave this meal was over $32 read more

El Charro Mexican - Nachos beef side of beans Ceviche de Mariscos pico - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

The food and drinks were flavorful and fresh! We had the house sampler, trio fajita, chicken fajita, horchata and ensalada (fresh fruit juice) everything was amazing! read more

Comida pésima.... Servicio.. lo peor lo hacen esperar mucho las meseras para atenderlo read more

very good food, kind service. the lights on the outside are very attracting once you go inside the tables throw you off a bit, looks outdated, kinda throws you off. the wall decor is cute and aesthetic. other than that i'd continue ordering to go. definitely somewhere fun to go to if out late looking for a midnight drink. they close really late. read more

El Charro Mexican - Corona Margarita & Crown Royal w Ginger Soda - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

DON'T order a burrito or chimichanga because they are TINY! $15 for 5 bites of food is absurd. When asked about it they said that's how it is. Not going back read more

This place has poor customer service! Waited for food over an hour! Over an hour! The staff was more worried about ppl who came in that they where familiar with & treated them so much different then a "regular" guest! Other tables got chips & salsa & my table didn't! The serve went out on a smoke break 30 mins into my table getting anything but the drinks in front of the restaurant & I watched her jst come in & picked right back up serving goin table to table without washing her hands! Poor excuse of service of hygiene! Server didn't even care or seem to be empathetic of our wait time! We asked on many occasions how much longer & all she gave was it's coming it's coming. Other tables left & complained about the same issues! Just Awful service read more

*Tip # 1 when dining at Latin Restaurents (Salvi-Mexican) you can prejudge the food based on the complimentary chips and salsa* *Tip #2 if "gringos" are eating there than the food is good. I came here with my mom for lunch on a Sunday as a change from taking her to "Tampico Grill". We were greeted by a friendly staff. The ambience had Ranchera music at a high decibal level without having to raise my voice for a conversation. Mostly men were sitting by them selves drinking but then couples and some "gringo" families stated to arrive. I was lucky this was NOT a "chupadero" where the girls wear skimpy outfits that make Hooters looks like nuns. The chips were decent but not fresh and the salsa was watered down. I was like "uh oh" I ordered the "Camarones Puerto Vallerta" and a "Salvavida" Honduran beer to wash it down. To my surprise the server stated that tortillas are extra for my plate. My mom ordered the Chicken/Steak fajita combo with handmade tortillas. **note to self do not order handmade tortillas for your fajitas, go with the flour. The handmade will crumble" The handmade tortillas went well with my dish. The fajitas came out sizzlling and my mom enjoyed as well them. We ordered Flan for dessert which was not sweet and tasted like it was manufactured. I would recommend this place for a business lunch or a few drinks. read more

El Charro Mexican - puerto vallaerta - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

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Staff was pleasant and welcoming. The place was clean but tired looking. Food was good.

Mmmmm..I was set on red snapper and I got something else. I know it wasn't snapper..that's for sure. Just beware..menu bait. Traditional Mexican music..chill place otherwise. Staff is hospitable. Always a plus. read more

Before the pandemic this place was awesome. Afterwards was a different story, I understand getting back on your feet; but this is false advertisement. First of all we ordered a beef and a chicken burrito what we got was another story. The beef burrito had a couple slices sliced beef instead of a healthy portion of shredded beef with diced potatoes added in for filler. The chicken had small diced cubed chicken breast and potatoes added for filler...on the menu it says nothing about a meat and potato burrito. It states strictly meat. For 10$ I believe you should have honored what your menu states. We spent over 20$ for flour tortillas and beans and rice. The seasoning is tride and true no complaints about the taste just lack of ingredients. Very misleading. Very disappointed and formally loyal customer. read more

El Charro Mexican - Burrito with no meat.... - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

Meh not one of my favorites, wife liked it, she enjoyed the soup, I will give another try but different item

This place has been here for quite some time and has never disappointed. Its low key and the staff is a little reserved to outsiders but the food is fresh and authentic! It would have gotten another star if the staff was a bit more inviting. read more

El Charro was a cool welcome from an unreal HOT September evening. We came to Laurel for the first "haunt" (haunted house) of the season, but friends wanted to grab some drinks beforehand to really turn up. El Charro had a wide open floor with a bar to the right of the entrance. The bartender was on top of all the orders, including food and drinks. I hadn't eaten all day so I got myself a chicken quesadilla platter and was NOT disappointed! Came with a salad, four toquitos, and a good amount of sour cream and guacamole. My girl got a beef and cheese papusa that was amazing. We ended up coming back after the haunt and they had karaoke going and the place was LITTY CITY! Good times! read more

El Charro Mexican - Chicken Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

Ive gotten take out from here twice now and they have not disappointed! The first time, I ordered sopa de vegetales with a side of frijol and tortillas a mano. The food was hot and flavorful. I'm pescatarian, but sometimes get cravings for sopa de pollo, and the sopa de vegetales made me not miss the chicken! My second order was for pupusas con frijol y queso, which i thoroughly enjoyed as well. A good amount of filling came out of them when frying, but the crisp pieces were still tasty! Will have to sit inside one of these days to check out the vibe. read more

I am always looking for a good Tex-Mex restaurant because I was raised in Texas. Unfortunately, El Charro isn't it. When we arrive at 7:30pm on a Monday night, we were the only customers - not a good sign. We should have turned around and gone over to Tampico Grill, another hole in the wall Mexican place in Laurel. This was our first time at El Charro and it was definitely our last. We first sat at a booth that had seats that need recovering and the table was unstable. We moved to another booth and the server brought us chips and salsa that tasted like it came directly out of a bottle. We ordered Yucca con Chicharron as an appetizer. When it was delivered, we were given plastic utensils and had to ask for plates to share it. Most of the pork appetizer was overfried. The enchiladas, rice and beans in the combination meal were all lacking flavor. The fajitas were precooked and put on top of raw onions and peppers on a hot iron plate. The only positives I can mention were my Mexican bottled Coca-Cola and the restaurant's use of the Clover app for payment of the bill. read more

I love their Pupussa and fried rock fish. Their drinks are cheap and karaoke is a blast.

For a meal of decent Mexican food, I favor this place from time to time. The interior is spacious, the seating is comfortable, the staff is pleasant, and they offer plenty of options to choose from. I prefer the basic menu options such as the burritos, flautas, chimichangas, and some of the other Mexican specialities Disclaimer: The staff are all very nice but their English is limited so don't expect that you can have a detailed conversation with them in English. I personally prefer it this way as the best Mexican/Latin-American restaurants are of this nature. read more

This place was a great surprise when it comes to food. It looks so suspicious from the front. We so badly wanted good Mexican food & this place delivered the best enchiladas & seafood burrito! The drinks were a little off though. My margarita came from a prepaid pitcher & tasted watery. The server also had a really hard time understanding some things, so if I didn't speak Spanish I'm sure it would have been a difficult time. read more

El Charro Mexican - Oh yes.... Queso, arroz, camarones y tres gringos felicidades! - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

Disappointed! Really wanted some local, quality food, ordered, and then when I showed up there was no one in the restaurant! There was someone in the back, whom I called to twice (I saw my order sitting on the counter), but not a soul in sight. Waited for 20 minutes before I ended up going to Mango's Grill down the street and was happier for better service. read more

The atmosphere was nice. Very good servers , all the servers have uniformes and as a Latina woman with their curves they look beautiful. We order the Plato típico ( pupusas are not what we were expecting, tamal de Elote was on point , Yuca con Chicharrón was good . Order the mix fajita and it was ok . They give you a choice of hand made tortillas or flour tortilla. Would like the tacos tortillas but is a personal choice. One thing I did not like is that some guys were drinking had like 2 baldes and our server sitting with them for a while, she still was ok with our services or what not. She is nice and the other lady's look nice also. read more

El Charro Mexican - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

The food is very tasty & their mangoniada drink is soo good !! The customer service is very attentive!! The restaurant is very spacious. Definitely recommend! read more

El Charro Mexican - Mango, chamoy & Tajín. The straw has tamarin. - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland

This is the worst Mexican food we've ever had. The food was salty and greasy, the service was terrible and the restaurant appeared dirty. We won't be back. read more

I don't know about "Mexican" food but they had some great popusas. Their "Mexican" food is not that great. I guess because I am Mexican its just not what I would expect coming from my mothers kitchen. This place should be labeled Salvadorean food and not Mexican. Everyone was very nice, the bartender was so sweet. She made food recommendations my husband obliged and I ordered Mexican food instead. I ended up eating his popusas. Overall, I recommend if you are in the mood for some delicious popusas (best I've had so far). Ill go back for them, to die for!! read more

Mannnn...ok food, great appeal but...rolled in for lunch around 2pm and the place was dead, that was fine, but also makes you think "why is no one in here?" $$ priced. What made the place so dead was that there was no music. And with no music and no one there, you could hear a pin drop...awkward. Anyway, if you're in the area you can check the out but it's one of MANY Mexican restaurants in Laurel. read more

Well the menu looks great. I ordered the shrimp, scallop and red snapper meal with rice and beans for $16.97. What I go was tasty fish worth $10. I asked to substitute the scallops for more shrimp. I got 3 shrimp and a small fillet of red snapper that seemed to be fries first with onions and green peppers. The rice was undercooked and the beans were refried and bland. That could have been a great meal. They are being cheap. The service was good but the place was also empty. It's very nice inside. I could tell only one waitress spoke English. Overall, it's overpriced for the quality of food. I'm not sure I will be back. But the menu has so many options I may come back. Seems to be the only authentic Mexican spot in town. Eh! read more

It is 2022 why do we still have employees that don't speak English. First and foremost the employee can't great us properly. The salsa was watery not homemade and disgusting. The tortillas were also not homemade. The portion for 2 people 30 dollars fajitas was ridiculous. Now let's talk about how there was more peppers then meat , it wasnt grilled nor fresh it was cooked in tomato sauce witch was made from the same salsa. A half of piece of steak and chicken and 2 shrimp for 30 Bucks was a complete rip off. We have to do better. Seriously if I was able to I would shut this place down i would it is an utter mess read more

Don't pay Mind to any negative reviews trust me i have been going here since They first opened this is a family Owned el salvadorian restaurant not mexican Yes They have mexican dishes but keep in mind they are mainly el salvadorian I love this place the family is amazing and awesome the wait staff and bartenders as well. They have Spanish karaoke on the weekends at night If you go to any of the other Spanish places in laurel they are dives el charros is very clean and more classy compared to say el paraiso or azteca you can note just how the wait staff is dressed in charros they have uniforms where the other two mentioned they dress like prostitutes And hang all over the men sitting at tables and getting drunk El charros is total opposite class class and more class . The food is good I've had just about everything on the menu I highly recommend the fajitas (I love the shrimp ) And they make a mean margarita Love their strawberry daiquiris as well You want an authentic Spanish restaurant this is the place to go read more

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Food was very dry and had no taste. Very dim lighting inside. That's all i have to complain about because i only went once

We were looking for a healthy and cheap meal for two and we just happened to be in the area and spotted this place on the corner of the shopping center. The menu is a bit overwhelming with lots of options! I saw a pick of the Picadero sampler for $26.95 and thought that was definitely the plate for us. For people working on eating healthy, this was a good plate to choose. The portion served is big enough for two people with chicken, beef and shrimp with veggies and yucca. Not a bad deal. We just had to avoid the chips and salsa to manage our carbs. The service was fantastic and the food was tasty and healthy. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Ordered 3 pupusas revueltas with marañon (cashew juice), the time to get my food was good, not too long. My drink was served/prepared first. The juice is great, not sweet or bland. The pupusas are good too. I feel I got more cheese than chicharrones and wasn't a fan of their curtido and salsa. The salsa didn't taste homemade and was too thick for my taste, had a strong kick to it too. Atmosphere is great, big bar with variety of liquor options, TV available, and great seating for big or small families or those alone. Staff is uniformed. read more

El Charro Mexican - Pupusas revueltas con curtido y salsa - Mexican Near Me - Laurel, Maryland