We came here on a weekend right as they opened, we were the first customer. But we didn't get our food until 40 minutes after. The customers who came in after us got their meal first. We would like to have flagged down our server but she was gone most of the time or preoccupied with other tables. We finally got our food but it didn't come out all at once plus we were missing the sauce that it should have come with. Presentation for the churro de canela was good and the streak and huevos was chewy. The guava margarita was ok. The bar was unable to make mocktails, which was surprising. I understand if it's a busy time but we were the first customers. The restroom is located outside the restaurant past the elevators. I don't know who manages the restrooms but it should have been more maintained. It was missing toilet seat covers in both stalls in the women's restroom. The menu was also minimal for breakfast. We'll probably try this place again for lunch or dinner service. The interior is aesthetically pleasing. The two hour dining is redundant when service takes a long time. read more

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It's cool, it's sexy and vibrant, and it's in Lathrop? Well, that threw me off... Located in an office building next to the freeway and tucked in next to two fast food joints. I was a bit skeptical, but the other reviews and photos had us interested. We made Sunday reservations on Open Table which I highly suggest doing. When we arrived at noon the place was packed, and people were in the hallway (remember it's in an office building) waiting for their tables. We only had to wait about 6-8 minutes before they had our booth ready for us. The staff here are excellent, super upbeat friendly and well/cleanly dressed. The decor is sexy and inviting with tables, booths and high tables too. Plus the bar where you can imbibe and or dine. It was clearly hopping on this Sunday afternoon. The only true negative, and I will state here that it may have just been on this particular day, it was EXTREMELY loud due to a very large party of about 20 plus that were pretty out of control loud the entire time we were there. We noticed that other tables were super annoyed and I way one family come in, and then left because they were visibly disturbed by the extreme noise level. We could not hear our servers at all and so we were pretty much guessing and pointing at our menus to get our orders in. The servers were very apologetic so I will assume this was not a normal situation. On to the food - we ordered the traditional plate which comes with eggs, potatoes and a meat of choice. I ordered the chilaquiles. The chilaquiles were exceptional! Probably some of the best I have ever had, and I am a chilaquiles "whore"..? Highly recommend them here. I think we will come back another time to see if the noise level is less than ear shattering. The atmosphere, food and service are worth it. read more

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Our first time at El Don for dinner and WOW... so good! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious, and the drinks were just as amazing They offer a breakfast menu from 10am-2pm, then reopen at 4pm with a different dinner menu, which we're already excited to come back and try! Big shoutout to our waitress, Heidi, for the fantastic service and great recommendations. She made the experience even better. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Came here during the week. Put our names on the waitlist and provided our phone number. They told us wait would be about 45 minutes. We waited in our car. We could see that the people that came after us ended up getting seated before us. So we went back in (our car was parked facing the entrance), the lady said she called us, but we never got a call. She seated us right after because there were a LOT of seats available. Pretty disappointed but whatever. The restaurant definitely had a vibe, but we were disappointed. Music was so loud we couldn't hear each other having a conversation sitting right across from each other. Its more like a lounge that serves food. Not a restaurant. Food was good. Prices were a bit high. But it was worth trying. Probably wont be coming back though. read more

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I have been wanting to go for some time. It was busy but we were able to sit at the bar. The bartenders were extremely busy but still very attentive. The drinks were well made and delicious. The food also was amazing. The tortillas are freshly made and to die for. Now I just need to go back for brunch! Highly recommend. read more

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Absolutely loved our experience at El Don Cocina & Cantina! The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the ambience was amazing. The decor and greenery throughout the restaurant are beautiful and really make the whole place feel special. Everything from start to finish was top notch. Definitely a five-star experience -- we'll be back! read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Shrimp Taco - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

Randomly found this place and I am so glad I did! Me and my friend had originally planned to try and place in Manteca but when we arrived we had second thoughts so instead I looked on yelp to try and see the reviews but they had no yelp and this place came up in my search it looked cute enough and had decent reviews so we thought let's give it a try we were only 11 minutes away. Don't let the parking lot which is terrible or the outside deter you because inside this place is sooo cute! The vibe does not match the outside lol they really did something here! Lots of cute lighting and greenery and natural woods. The host was nice and the service was good as well nothing exceptional but not bad in any way. Now Down to the important stuff the food and drinks! The menu is on the smaller side but they have good options. We ordered the guacamole which we rated 5/5 go amount of salt and nice flavor it tasted really fresh. El don infusion and a black berry margarita for drinks 5/5 no notes both were very good We each ordered the 3 taco plate I got the steak 5/5, pollo al pastor 3/5 and the birria 4/5 My friend got the steak 5/5, the birria 4/5 and the carnitas 2.5/5 the chicken and carnitas were still good just nothing amazing they were both just ok. The steak was very tasty and tender which is a big deal a lot of times it can be over cooked and tough. The birria was good only complaint we had was we both had a lot of fat in our tacos we had to take out to eat them but the flavor was there had a nice spice without being overly spicy. The chips and salsa were also amazing we both loved the Smokey flavor of the salsa. Overall we had a great experience here and if I ever happen to be in the area again I would definitely come back. read more

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Service: If I rated on the service alone this place would receive a 1 star rating. You wait too long to be seated, even if you have a reservation. The waitstaff timing is terrible so you find yourself waiving to people to get someone to help you. Food: The mole is not a traditional recipe and lacks the smoothe velvety texture the chocolate brings to the dish. I actually didn't taste any chocolate at all in the mole. The dish was ok but didn't taste like mole. The bacon wrapped prawns were the star of the show. They were delicious. The shrimp on the shrimp tacos was very overcooked. It was almost shrimp Jerky. The birria tacos were good but a bit dry for my taste and the consume tasted a bit watered down. The flautas were good but as a suggestion, don't cut them in half just serve the 2 flautas whole, it just make sense. Black beans were bland. I had to add salsa and salt to give them some flavor and the rice was mediocre at best. The salsa and chips were DELICIOUS. Ambiance: Loud, crowded, not kid friendly, but the decor is nice and the mural on the wall when you first walk in was absolutely stunning. Based on the service and food quality alone, I would say their price point is inflated. I would be willing to try them again if the food and service improved. read more

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We came to El Don Cocina & Cantina for what we hoped would be an elevated Mexican dining experience, and while some things impressed, others missed the mark. I ordered the Arrachera, which had a nice flavor and was cooked to order, but the meat was a bit tough. My friends enjoyed their Enchiladas Suizas and the El Don Molcajete, but the Fajitas de la Casa were a letdown--overly charred to the point where the smokiness overpowered the dish. Specialty drinks like the El Don Infusion, El Corazon, and El Pistolero were definitely a highlight--balanced and flavorful. The biggest and most memorable aspect of the night, unfortunately, was the heat. For a restaurant with an upscale vibe, the sweltering temperature was not the vibe we were hoping for. Thin, see-through sun shades let in a lot of light, and the AC just didn't seem able to keep up. It was so warm we ended up rushing through the end of our meal. Service from Julian was friendly and attentive considering how busy he seemed--he did what he could, but clearly had a lot on his plate. Overall, it's a nice-looking restaurant with good drinks and some tasty dishes, but the hot ambience, high prices, and a couple of disappointing plates make me unsure if I'd return. read more

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I should give no stars just bad all the way around service isn't even good loud music can't even think read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - This food is disgusting don't waste your time go nextdoor to Taco Bell and the service is just as bad as the food!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

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A group of us came in for dinner before a team outing. We were warmly welcomed at the front door by the hostess. We were expecting a larger group so we were seated at a large booth that can comfortably fit 8 people. We were greeted by our server Julian who was on top of it all evening. He did such a great job. The drinks were ok. The portions of the food were huge that most of us took a to go box home. The only disappointment for the evening was the esquites. There was no cheese, no crema and there was so much lime juice in it. We ended our meal with the chocoflan and the tres leches cake. Both were great just wished the chocoflan was a little bigger. read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

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Date night that turned into a mini birthday celebration Amazing drinks, great food, and the sweetest surprise from the host Yaya at El Don Restaurant. Way more than we expected such a great night read more

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Came to El Don Cantina for breakfast with high expectations, especially since their dinner menu is usually impressive. Unfortunately, the breakfast experience didn't quite match up. The menu was very limited, and when we asked about ordering lunch or dinner items, we were told those aren't available until after 4 PM due to preparation. What was most surprising was the wait--despite the small breakfast menu, it took about 30-40 minutes for our food to come out. The standout was definitely the waffles and pancakes, which were delicious. But everything else, including the burrito and chilaquiles, was just okay--nothing memorable. Overall, I wouldn't recommend Eldon Cantina for breakfast, especially if you're looking for variety or faster service. I'd suggest checking out other spots in the area for a better morning experience. Will stick to this place for dinner only. read more

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First off it was literally down the street from my house which is great since Lathrop doesn't have many choices of good restaurants. I saw someone on TikTok give a review and the food looked excellent so we gave go. I was mad at myself for not checking the hours as I thought I was gonna get the regular menu but instead I got the brunch menu on Sunday. I ended up ordering the breakfast molcajete, and it was very, very delicious. We cannot wait to go back for the dinner menu. I would like to say one compliment to Arianna, who was our excellent waitress, she was very knowledgeable of the menu and she gave her honest reviews of the food that she has tried. She said that the Horchata was one of the best and I have to agree. It was very good. I can't wait to come back and I hope that we get Arianna again as our waitress. Kudos to the chef he knows what he's doing.!!! read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Breakfast molcajete - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

This place was great. Let me tell you they have the absolute best steak fajitas I have ever had anywhere! The bartenders were both so nice! I sat at the bar this time around and I had exceptional service and it made the whole experience so much better! The tortillas are made in house, you can choose from corn of flower but they can also make you both if you would like. The place is decorated super cute and definitely Instagram worthy. It my new favorite place in the Lanthrop area! I will definitely be going back if I end up in CA again! read more

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10 across the board , yaya and her workers are the best, when i waved to the waiter he already knew what I wanted. The dj ALWAYS GOOD! S/O. TO THE MANAGERS AND THE LEADS. read more

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Recently brought my elderly mother in law to celebrate a late Mother's Day. The service was good as was the food... although 2 of 6 dishes were wrong and all the food was either room temperature or luke warm when all of us expected freshly prepared food. Then in the middle of our meal they played a birthday song for two of the tables at full blast (I enjoy EDM concerts but this was just stupid loud for a restaurant!!). The lyrics included the phrase "What the Fuck!!" Who was the moron who that song would be a good idea?!? To add insult to injury, the bill was wrong! read more

Came here for Mother's Day! We ordered the Chilaquiles and Divorced Eggs. Chilaquiles: 8/10 (needed more salsa for our liking) Divorced Eggs: 10/10 (yummy, spicy, and perfect) Service was amazing and the servers are great! Kiddos to them. One negative is the smell outside of the restaurant. It isn't their fault but the bathrooms right outside their restaurant smelled and you can smell it throughout the hallway. read more

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I love to go to this place for a celebration, the vibe is always fun and make the person that we are celebrating feel special. The food is good and the cocktails are pretty. The times I have been there, they have something new like a DJ with different music. Which is a great experience and the team is so friendly and helpful when there is menu question. read more

Place is a beautiful local spot. Loved that they decorated for the October season amazing ambience. Let me start by the alcoholic drink I got the cucumber margarita was refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness not too sweet either perfect balance. The food I chose was the Camarones cooked with lemon garlic butter and it was really good wish they grilled the shrimp though. It came with rice and black beans. My rice was a little hard here and there so not cooked very well and the beans were just ok to me in flavor. I prefer authentic Mexican rice and beans flavoring. The other food like enchiladas looked good but can't comment on flavor. The molcajete bowl was a nice presentation no pictures but my coworkers enjoyed it! While we were here celebrating a couple things a birthday and graduation and national boss day someone suggested a birthday shot. And let me say they turned the music up to 1000 and it was a party. I was shocked how loud it got and how they came to party with you and loved that experience for her they gave her a birthday shot that looked amazing and she said it tasted good. And they come singing or flashing lights and let's say it was fantastic. Would come Again! read more

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We went as a group of 6 for RnB brunch. Our server was "Yaya" and she was amazing!! Great energy and very attentive! Food was yummy and drinks were excellent. Will definitely be back! read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

We came for the R&B brunch with bottomless mimosas and really enjoyed it! Even though we had reservations, it took a little while to get seated, but once we were in, the vibe made up for it. The place is really nice inside and looked great with the Halloween décor. The food was delicious -- we ordered the chilaquiles and the mojecte, and both were generous portions, easily enough to share between four adults. We also tried the classic pancakes, which were very good! Our server, Yaya, was wonderful -- super friendly and attentive. She made sure we were taken care of the whole time. We'll definitely be coming back for another brunch! The only problem I would add is the music was a little too loud to be able to hear each other but once you start drinking you don't much attention to it. read more

I took my kids here for dinner (party of 8) on a Wednesday at 6pm and it was pretty empty...until about 7 and then the place was packed! The aesthetics are gorgeous...love all the plants! Because we were a big party, we were seated in the corner booth up against the windows. There are no shades so whichever of us were facing the windows got direct sun in the face. They offered to seat us in a different area but there was not as much room so we opted to stay. I made a reservation for 6 and were seated promptly. Were ordered our drinks first and it took about 30mins to get those. Only one bartender so we were understanding. All the drinks were phenomenal...I highly recommend the Mexican candy shooters!! The food took another 30 mins and everything but the tacos were delicious! My son ordered the carnitas tacos and said they had ZERO flavor. I also ordered a fish taco and while the batter was really crispy and airy, surprisingly had no flavor as well. I forgot the name of our server but she was AMAZING!! She was constantly checking in on us and apologizing for the delays but we didnt mind because she was so attentive and kind. Overall we will definitely be back...can't wait to try everything! read more

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El Don is such a vibe! The décor is beautiful, the music is on point, and the whole ambiance makes it a really fun spot. It's especially great for birthdays -- they bring out the music and sparklers, which makes it feel like a full celebration. The drinks were sooo good, definitely worth coming for. My only complaint is the wait. Even with a reservation, it took a while to get seated, then we had to flag down our waitress to order, and the food took a while to come out. To be fair, she seemed really overwhelmed with too many tables to handle. That said, if you have the time to hang out and enjoy 2-3 drinks while you wait, I highly recommend it. The vibe and drinks make it worth it, and once the food does come, it's a good time all around. read more

I had extremely high hopes for this restaurant after seeing so many great videos and reviews online. My kids and I had been planning all week to come for dinner, and unfortunately, the experience fell far short of expectations. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty--just a couple of other tables besides ours. We ordered an appetizer, drinks, and our meals. I ordered a Mojito (specifying Bacardi) and the Arrachera plate. My kids ordered burritos and tacos. During the ordering process, our waitress mentioned that they were out of the jalapeño poppers and bacon-wrapped shrimp, which was already disappointing. When my Arrachera plate arrived, I noticed it was missing several items listed on the menu--no grilled jalapeños, grilled onions, guacamole, or lime. When I asked about it, the waitress said, "It doesn't come with that." I pointed out that the menu clearly listed those items as part of the plate, and only then did she respond that they were out of guacamole. The tortillas that came with my plate were a bit stale, and the portion didn't justify the $31 price tag. While drinking my Mojito, I noticed it tasted off--like dark rum. I had specifically requested Bacardi because I'm allergic to dark rum, so I assumed maybe it was just the mix. When I received my bill, I saw that I had been charged for an expensive rum I didn't order. When I questioned it, the waitress said they were out of Bacardi and substituted Appleton Estate without telling me. She even added, "When we're busy, we cut corners." That comment was concerning, especially since the restaurant was nearly empty--and I had already started breaking out in a rash. To their credit, they did comp the Mojito and an appetizer, which I appreciated. My kids enjoyed their meals, and the food itself was flavorful. However, as a business owner myself, I was disappointed by the lack of communication, transparency, and care--especially regarding allergens and menu accuracy. I truly wanted to love this place, but this experience left me frustrated and uneasy. I hope management takes this feedback seriously, because the restaurant has potential--it just needs better consistency, honesty, and attention to detail. I am a big foodie, but based on this experience we will not be returning. read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

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We booked a reservation on OpenTable that confirmed we'd be ordering from the regular menu. When we arrived, we were told only a $65 prix fixe menu was available, and the selection was extremely limited. This was never disclosed anywhere in the booking or confirmation. We were dining with a group that had dietary restrictions, so a super-limited menu simply didn't work for us. Had this been communicated ahead of time, we would have gone somewhere else. We tried calling earlier in the day to change the reservation time -- first, we were put on a long hold, then every call after went to voicemail or wasn't answered. If we had been able to reach someone, we could have changed plans instead of driving an hour hoping the confirmed reservation would be honored. We spoke with a manager onsite, but there was no acknowledgment of the miscommunication and no solution offered. Special menus are fine -- but not telling guests in advance when they've reserved for the regular menu is misleading. Overall, very poor communication and a frustrating experience. read more

Went there on my birthday with a small group of people. We had reservations at 8:00PM for our group. The waitress was amazing. All our food was delicious. Appetizers were delicious! Our molcajetes were delicious! Drinks were on point. They stayed open till we finished with everything and even sang happy birthday with smooth tequila shot. Gracias El Don staff read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Molcajete House special drinks - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

My family made a reservation a week in advance for my birthday dinner on a Saturday night. The drinks were great. Strong, chilled alcohol. I was given birthday shots as well as a big firework while loud music played. We ordered lots of spicy mango margaritas. For appetizers we ordered fundito dip which was delicious and big enough to share with a big party. We ordered Gorditas which were our FAVORITE. But only 3 came on a plate for a group of 6. For dinner we ordered quesabirria, potato flautas, enchiladas. The quesabirria came with very little consomé. The quesabirria was pretty dry. The beans were black beans which we were not a fan. The best dish of the night was the potato flautas & Gorditas. The restaurant was extremely packed and pretty small for as many people & parties that were squished in the place. There was a long line of people outside and in the hallway. It was almost uncomfortable trying to walk past everyone to use the restroom. I wish they would limit the amount of people they seat to make the place feel less crowded. Overall a good experience. I don't recommend large parties or eating here on a weekend during busy hours. Also do not park in the Denny's parking lot or your car will be towed! The surrounding businesses are not happy with the amount of traffic coming from El Don! Very little parking so make sure you carpool or Uber! read more

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Delicious, beautiful but pricey. Definitely a date spot, first date, anniversary, especially for the month of February. The decor alone is beautiful but for February, they did extra on the decor that brings so much fun. This was a different Mexican restaurant before and the new tenants have made this location amazing. More traffic than I have seen in most places so weekends and evenings must be way even more. I parked in the handicap spot in front of the entrance. They have a hostess stand before entering. There was a place to sit for customers that would sit at the tables but I was solo and opted for the bar. The employees are very sweet and helpful. The place is a bit crowded. I think if they turn the tall tables that separate the seating tables from the bar should just be a standing area instead of more seating in my opinion. All the bartenders asked how I was enjoying my time there which is great since I came alone. I got some inspiration to jot down and loved the steak (skirt) tacos and martini special. The tacos were served on a blue corn tortilla which tasted like any other regular tortilla, it was just blue which is so different to me, I definitely came in to try. I been wanting to try an espresso martini and they had a different twist on it for Valentine's. More sweet the bartender says instead of more coffee ish. The tacos are a bit pricey and it's a $1 extra per steak taco. Delicious though and I have no clue why but even more delicious at home, since I had leftovers. They also are made fat so the price was worth it. The martini was a reasonable price and quite tasty. Noise level isn't loud nor quiet. There is a tv at the bar playing sports but music is in the air with the chatter of the guest. I saw a few friends in twos come enjoy a meal, a few families and few couples. Groups of friends here I wouldn't recommend. Overall I would recommend this place and hopefully would visit again with someone next time read more

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Heidi our server was so amazing. She's fast friendly and efficient. We will definitely be coming back. Love~ Tae and Walter read more

Not your average Mexican restaurant. This is one of a kind. Newly opened with long lines outside so it's best to make reservations. Difficult to find parking with huge sign posted in the front- Do not park at Dennys. We had reserved a table for five but one person got added last minute so had to wait 30 mins to get our table. Beautiful valentine's decor. Food and drinks takes awhile to come but we were not in rush. Service was top notch, food and atmosphere was great. Their music gets little louder when they are coming to sing happy birthday with sparkler candle which was a highlight as we were there for a birthday celebration. Servers were attentive and chill. They give a very moist tres leche cake for birthday which was so good- best I have ever tasted. I would recommend that they hire more staff to accommodate the rush since wait times for food is longer than average. I definitely will be back with family. read more

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Brother took me here for my birthday and it was a very stunning restaurant. A really nice and attentive waitress named Arianna I believe made the experience great. Had a mole enchilada dinner that was delicious. read more

El Don Cocina & Cantina - Mole enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Lathrop, California

Food was hella mid... Super expensive for just ok food. Rice was microwaved and dry, beans were good, carnitas was meh at best. The drinks looked good, ambiance was nice, staff was super polite but I was expecting more. read more