Best Mexican food in Montrose area BY FAR. Joselitos and Pepe's...neither come even close to El Charro. The food here is absolutely amazing. I always crave the salsa All of the staff here are very nice and have a genuine appreciation for your business. I would give 10 stars if I could!! read more

I think I just got asked to leave. Maybe because I wasn't white? Not sure. But the waiter told me that the food would take about an hour and there was people waiting and that he didn't think that I should wait but "it's up to you". I swear I think I just got asked to leave!!!!!!Never again!!!! read more

We love el charro!! We have eaten here for about 14 years!! And We are picky about Mexican food! Great beans.... Even a bean burrito is just so good! Try their burrito Grande... Wet. Or their Chile Verde... Dark. Easy on the $$... Full of regulars. Now we are gonna be one of those families that HAS to go when we are in town because we will miss it. read more

El Charro - EL Grande burrito - Mexican Near Me - Montrose, California

El Charro, the originator of Taco Tuesday, holds its claim to fame with $2 tacos and $4-6 burrito specials every Tuesday. My husband and I came here on World Taco Day and were impressed with how well the staff handled the crowd. The overall presentation, taste and pricing of the food was spot on. The salsa had the perfect amount of zest and spice, and the chips were hot (which is always a good indication that the food is quality). We split a massive smothered bean, cheese and rice burrito and left feeling satisfied. The total bill $6.60. The venue itself is unique. There are two large dining areas and a sectioned off bar. It feels like something out of an old western film. It's a bit musty and feels like a saloon, but nonetheless provides an authentic experience. read more

Very surprised at some of the negative reviews here. This place is an old style eclectic Mexican restaurant. The food is Texmex style. Food is always fresh and served with a smile. If you like tacos, enchiladas, chili verde, chili Colorado this is the spot. Prices are great and everyday of the week has specials. I recommend breakfast on Saturday. You can get huevo rancheros with beans/ rice for 6.00 bucks! They also offer michacha and eggs for 5.95. Nothing fancy here or fru fru Mexican food-feel good food with hearty portions. Home town feel and many locals frequent. You can order food at bar and overlook verdugo blvd while you sip a margarita. Favorite spot! read more

El Charro - Tacos are the best!! Fresh ingredients!! - Mexican Near Me - Montrose, California

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID - you have been warned. The food here has no relationship to Mexican food. Judging from the bar crowd here, most of the clientele doesn't know, so they get wasted on cheap liquor and stay happy eating pukey gobs of yellow cheese with Uncle Ben's rice with tomato sauce, canned pinto beans and salty canned salsa. It is good that this particular clientele stays with El Charro, so as not to take up space at real Mexican places. Their arteries or the CHP will catch up to them one day, soon. El Charro is proud of their huge burritos, but you know it would be better if the huge burrito wasn't cold in the middle. What's with that Sr. Charro? Why do you think they keep the place as dark as the inside of a cat? Since they started in 1955, it is hard to tell when they decided to stop making Mexican food, but it must have been very soon after opening. No self-respecting Charro would be caught dead in this place. It is an insult to Taco Bell to place El Charro and Taco Bell in the same sentence. What large dog coughed this up? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/1lqc2-tVzVBlfac2n--QFA?userid=jWXKzlsJfEpGNtS-z__jLQ#IjWL7uny_Ic3Y_MgcGdL1w Do people actually eat this stuff? Please note - I cannot take credit for the photo, but it is one supplied by a local consumer WITH 17 CHECK-INS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One reviewer who gave this place 5 stars also gave Del Taco 5 stars - shit on a shingle for them. read more

We love this restaurant. Love their ground beef hard tacos! Great Guac.. I really love their refried beans, my very favorite!!!

such an amazing local spot. Food was great for the price, they run daily specials that are all day long. I went on a Saturday and had a their amazing blended margaritas with a sampler platter that was on happy hour. The bill was very inexpensive and food was very good, service was awesome as well, the only thing I would recommend is some music to be played it was low-key very quiet. But beside that it is worth every dollar will be returning. Thank you read more

It's nice to see a few positive reviews. This place simply scares Foodies. They just don't know what to do when they walk in. Here are some recent comments from past Yelp visitors via secret microphone hidden at El Charro: "It's so dark! How am I going to take Food Porn pictures to post online?" "Did they just open a can of salsa?" "Are they using a blender to make Margaritas?" "Do they validate parking?" "They don't have Wi-Fi?" "Where exactly is Montrose? Can we get a cab to take us to Pink Taco?" In this town you have to have a favorite Mexican restaurant to be considered a local. That's how this place stays alive. It's got a very loyal following. As long as people can continue to order a combo plate by number, they will keep coming. I've seen brawls break out at the now defunct Mix over Montrose restaurant loyalty. Joselitos. Charro. El Sol. Pepes. La Cabañita. Take your pick you poser. This place has been here long before the geeks on Yelp decided to bash it. I mean, this is a lot better than Taco Bell. I can't get drunk at Taco Bell. Well, technically I can. They would probably ask me to take my flask full of Old Crow and leave. So yeah, better than Taco Bell, but not better than Del Taco in Barstow. Anyways, I'm here to help El Charro get some online respect. They just need to stick to my rules for success: 1. 25-watt maximum lighting allowed in the house lights. 2. Don't fuck with Taco Tuesday. No up-charge for soft tacos. 3. Margaritas made with high fructose corn syrup and tequila served from the gun. Anybody that asks for Patron is shown the door. 4. Free chips & salsa to any alcoholic in the bar upon request. Recommended. Just keep your refined palate at home. read more

Seriously, if the best review says "the food's not that bad, I've had worst" and that's the best compliment that can be offered, I'm sure you can come to your own conclusion. I too, have had worse but that's not really the standard that I judge my food by, I love food WAY to much for that. The point is, with two fantastic Mexican restaurants in the area: La Cabanita & Joselito's within walking distance, there is no reason to go there. read more

One of the BEST Mexican restaurants around. Employees are GREAT too! Love this place! Great old time décor. A wonderful bar that over looks Verdugo Blvd. Friendly staff. Quick service. The food is always tasty, fresh and hot. The bar mixes every imaginable kind of drink with a fun flair. They have table seats, and booths which is nice on a date. Taco Tuesdays cant be beat! I totally recommend this place!!! read more

Don't let looks deceive you! And as far as the old geezers hanging out at the bar in the middle of the day just walk right past them! Hell, they need something to pass the time right? The food is NOT THAT BAD...I've had worse! What's good is TACO TUESDAYS! They have the BEST tacos for $1.50...it's REAL shredded beef, opposed to being mixed with potatoes, etc. You also have your choice of Chicken. Also on the special Tuesday menu is a Bean and Cheese WET (or not) burrito for $2.95. The margaritas are average...so what if they are served in a lowball glass..are you really tasting the glass? I ordered mine blended and it came in a traditional tulip style glass. This place has been around for a couple of decades and is a local neighborhood dive. If you are looking for a shi-shi upscale mexican restaurant (AKA CHAIN), this is NOT the place for you. One drawback is that they do not serve you endless bowls of chips and salsa. There is a limit of 2 bowls of each. Not sure why, but it makes me less eager to fill up on this stuff and enkjoy my meal. read more

Gosh. I cannot believe the derogatory reviews for El Charro. I grew up coming to this place for my fix of Chimichangas (when I used to eat them). Now a days I stick with chicken tacos. The chicken is moist and there is a lot of it. Real shredded cheese and tons of guacamole. I grew up in Sunland so I'm used to salty patrons, so the guys and gals at the bar in the mid afternoon don't bother me at all. The wait staff is great. One gal has been there forever and the last time she serviced my table, we wound up hugging at the end. I was there that day with my mom and niece after a long day of sitting by my dad's side while he was in the hospital. We were all hungry and ready for a drink. Well, it only took one Cadillac margarita...those things are potent! I like their salsa and their rice and beans. Again, I grew up on this stuff, and I feel El Charro is an iconic restaurant in one of my favorite towns. Down-to-earth restaurant in a down-to-earth quaint little town. Warms the cockles of my heart. read more

Oh, poor, poor El Charro. First of all, the food isn't BAD, per se. The Chile Verde and Carne Asada burritos (with topping) are utterly competent and passable Tex Mex. The Taco Tuesdays are great for people who don't have social anxiety disorder who are willing to pack themselves into a crowded restaurant for about a buck off a taco. Not really my thing. There was a time when El Charro was great. There was a time when the chip refills didn't cost extra money, when the salsa wasn't tasteless and watery, and when the owners knew all of the regular patrons. This was about ten years ago. Once the place changed hands, it's never been the same. If it weren't for a regular batch of customers who have been dining at the place for eons, I'm sure it would have folded a long time ago. The food is still okay, the waiters are still friendly, and there's a lot of nostalgia here for me, but it's hard to justify the visit when El Sol, La Cabanita, and Joselitos are all so close. read more

Awesome place I loved it here Am must trying all around bomb from the waiter to the servers was great read more

El Charro - Wet burrito amazing - Mexican Near Me - Montrose, California

I don't have the slightest clue as to how on earth this place gets 3, 4, or 5 star reviews. 1. I walk in and all I see are white people. Not one patron looks like they speak a second language. If I go to an ethnic restaurant and I don't see any relevant minorities, its a sign the place isn't great or anywhere near authentic. 2. Dark and dim. 3. Service is just meh. 4. The Food...I had mentioned Taco Bell while I was eating. It would have been a MUCH better experience and my boyfriends wallet would be much heavier. I ordered the Beef burrito with cheese and onions, it was not the best. I ate most of it because I was starving and cranky. If you want a burrito go to TACO AZTECA and save your money. My boyfriend offered me some of his Chile Colorado and my response? "NO thank you, it looks like dog food" All in all, an awful place to eat. read more

I love this place for their wet bean and cheese burrito, which you can get for only 2.95 on Tuesdays. Its the yummiest bean and cheese burrito I've ever had. I am a very loyal fan. One thing I don't like is the price of their regular sodas etc. The service is GREAT, they're so friendly. Not a fancy joint, but a local comfortable one! read more

I will not give these guys any of my business. This place is for people that think Taco Bell is Mexican food. Tacos and burritos. I actually went inside the place to give them a shot but after looking around and looking at the menu, I saved myself grief. When you go inside, it really is dark and depressing. You DON'T see actual Mexicans. You do see white old farts. I scanned the menu and they have the typical burritos, tacos and enchiladas. I am amazed that they are still in business because there are a handful of Mexican restaurants walking distance and I would say this is the worst Montrose has to offer. For the record, technically they do not deserve any stars. read more

This review is solely based upon my experience here for Taco Tuesday: I was very pleasantly surprised by my experience here in comparison to that of most Yelp reviews. My mom and I came here for Taco Tuesday. When I think about the other Taco Tuesday deals in the area, this place has the best deal in town and in my opinion, have the best tacos around! I got one chicken and two shredded beef tacos, although they do do ground beef as well. The chicken taco was not dry at all, which is a problem that I have had at most places. They put just the right amount of lettuce, cheese and tomato to where the cheese doesn't nauseate me like it has at some places. Of course, I have to put salsa on it too. I was very disappointed in the chips and salsa here. The chips are average, don't really hold much salt on them. They reminded me looks wise of store bought tortilla chips, but once you taste them its obvious that they are homemade. The salsa just wasn't special at all, no chunks of tomato, barely any onion, too much cilantro, and it was runny, not chunky. The salsa sufficed though and I made do just fine. The shredded beef tacos were my favorite. Very juicy and was just really, really good. Another plus, they're only $1.25 a taco. That's a bargain compared to places like Pepe's where it's like $1.75 a taco plus you have to order a drink. No bueno! Another plus, in my opinion of course, they have great iced tea. Something I didn't like though, was the service. We saw our waiter to order and saw our waiter when he brought us our food. We asked him a few times for a glass of ice, which he never brought to us, I also had to track him down for more salsa. I know that service has been a point of a lot of Yelpers brought up regarding this place. I wasn't happy with it, but the tacos were so good it was sort of hard to complain. I'm curious to see how I like this place on a normal day though.... read more

Meant to go to La Cabanita but accidentally arrived here. Good mistake! The two women working at the front were super sweet and helped me order a large plate to fill my extremely empty belly. And the women knew I was ravenous so they provided chips and salsa, yum! Really looking forward to eating all of my plate. #18 FYI read more

I do not know whammy people were negative stuff about this place But I love the food and the service is pretty good. I have not felt any negative things from them. I think this place is awesome..... read more

Oh why didn't I come to YELP first? If only I had looked here , my family and I could have avoided this pit. We waited, waited, waited, and told we were next to be seated, then told 2 large parties ahead of us, we were called liars, and then told they just can't seat large parties of 6. That was a waste of an evening. I guess the good part is that we didn't have to suffer through the food! read more

Still serving the best Chilie Verde next to homemade. Bar serves great pours. Daily lunch specials too. Staff always give their all. Like the Television CHEERS but only located in Montrose. read more

The margaritas are strong! We got a Melgarita (bartenders name is Mel) and 2 of them had us in a good place. We ordered the taco plate, and bottom line...there are better Mexican places in Montrose to get Mexican food. The chicken had no flavor, I was dipping it in the beans just to get it down. BUT, the staff was super friendly and hanging out with the old locals at the bar was entertainment in and of itself. I would definitely go back just for the drinks and company. read more

I've been coming to this restaurant, since I was in my mothers stomach 44 years ago! My mother was a waitress there well before I was born as well. It's really sad to see that the food is just not the same. They've completely changed the rice, the chili Verde is nothing like what it used to be, they don't put that cute olives on top of your enchilada or on top of the guacamole anymore. I'm not sure if they're cutting corners on pricing due to Covid, but they should've stuck with the original recipes on the original food that kept them open and popular for so very long! The taco was good, and the salsa was decent, just not the same El Charro I grew up on for so many years! read more

Been eating here since 1971. They were my Crescenta Sports Association Sponsor in '74. Set a record of 23 tacos back then for an eight-year-old. Changed owners but still some of the best tacos for a low price. read more

Food and service are still great at this establishment. Taco Tuesdays are good. Daily specials. read more

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I can say they do at least one thing well. Chorizo and eggs with a side of green from their chile verde. This is an old-school dive of a place. Old customers, old staff, old furnishings, old building. Solid, but nothing elevates to the "best one of those I've ever had." But for the price, the value level is above average. read more

AWESOME SHREDDED BEEF TACOS. The place is dark and not busy at times, but the food is great and the servers are extremely nice. Lots of locals. I parked in an area that looked like parking spot, but was not and the bartender warned me so I didn't get a ticket. The only problem is when you try and check in while you are there, Yelp says that you are too far from the location. read more

El Charro - Mexican Near Me - Montrose, California

Everything was delicious the drinks were just right (strong)the food authentic and the salsa OMG that's how u know it's good !

The worst Mexican food ever. I've eaten better Mexican food in TIJUANA in the poor ,dirty filthy zones than here. Ordered a Carne asada plate and I did ask the steak to be "well done" but not burnt and rubbery. We also ordered a plate of of chicken fajitas and the chicken was old,chewy like you're eating raw carrots. Appetizer portions are too small and pricey. 1st and last time going here. Never ever again. read more

This place has its goods and bads, as all restaurants do... Fair pricing, full bar, and good food. However, They needs some operations help. They still use a little Credit card terminal which takes forever to cash out. Plus you have to walk to the front to do it. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. The wait is long and they just Jott your name down on a list that tends to get lost all the time. Then some lady yells your name to follower to the back. There is just so many ways to do that better. If they "got with the times" they would make more money and make their guests happier. POS and maybe a iPad wait list would make a world of diff. But food and service is solid. read more

I found El Charro on Yelp when I did a search for crispy tacos because my customer requested them. Boy did they deliver. The crispy crunchy beef and chicken tacos were delicious. My customer loved them. I was particularly pleased that they were able to accommodate my last minute catering order. read more

The best Mexican in Montrose. They have the best beans and their enchilada suiza is amazing. It's definitely dated and old school.

We went on a Thursday night at 740pm. It was pretty empty. Ordered 2 drinks from the bar. They weren't bad. The cheese enchilada and 2 taquitos combo plate was not great. I had 4 bites. They drowned the one enchilada in red sauce. The rice was ok. The taquitos were blah. It took a while to get refills and longer the check. Will not be going back. read more

What a disappointment how can you mess up a simple Burrito. Burrito was dry, beans were dry like when you heat something in a microwave and it heats it up but dries it out Worst Mexican food ever, stay away I know I will. Even if the food was free I would not go ever again. read more

We went here on a whim when the other Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood was closed. My expectations were basically "how bad can it be?" Turns out, it was fantastic, and much better than I would have ever guessed. The food was absolutely wonderful, and I've been day dreaming about going back since then. They have margaritas in small, medium, and large options, which makes me think I need to go back using a drive service next time such as Lyft so I can try the larger sizes. The service was a bit slow, but they were absolutely packed and the waiter was super friendly so I don't hold it against them. It was a nice, relaxing Sunday afternoon. read more

Wow haven't been here since high school days and looks like nothing has changed and that's not a good thing!! The decor is like from the 70's and the food was Horrible!!! Went for lunch this past Thursday completely empty inside witch should have been my 1st red flag.Then my girlfriend orders beef fajitas for $17 dollars looked like prison food!! Please don't go here save yourself!! read more

Best enchiladas suizas I have ever eaten. Great restaurant that has been a staple in La Crescenta for a long time!

Just had dinner at El Charro again. Had my chix fajita quesadilla which I love, (everything w fajitas here is awesome), my wife had her usual chicken tortilla soup and shredded beef taco and since it was Saturday we had to take advantage of the Chi Chi all day happy hour. Usually we enjoy their margaritas w dinner but changed it up this time. Love this place, been coming here for almost 20 years...it hasn't changed and that's what we love about it, friendliest service around. read more

El Charro - Mexican Near Me - Montrose, California