The staff is always friendly and helpful, especially Leticia. I always ask to sit in her section because she's welcoming and efficient. There's rarely a wait to get a table, although the restaurant can get busy at times. The food is always fresh, hot, and delicious! It's also priced reasonably. Don't forget to order some flan for dessert! read more

My daughter and her boyfriend moved to new apartment nearby. We wanted to try new restaurant to eat at whenever my husband and I visit. We came across this restaurant. Behold!!! Their food was absolutely delicious! Chips and salsa dip were awesome ! My chicken was cooked just right and tasted fresh, yummy! Not dried-out, overcooked chicken. Cheese over rice was amazing! My family enjoyed theirs as well. Good service. Very clean. The atmosphere is great as well. We will definitely be back!! Give them a chance, you will not regret it if you like Mexican food. read more

Still my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. Never had a bad meal here. Service is always good, people are very nice, I know what I am getting. Excellent chips and salsa. I have been partial to the mixed fajitas lately, which is enough food for four meals. I eat a few tortillas, then take it home with some extra tortillas. Highly recommended. read more

The food was amazing for the price only 17 bucks for 2 people!! The ambiance was nice and the food was awesome this is a great cozy Mexican spot. We will definitely be coming more now!! read more

I love El Dorado and their staff! They are always kind, quick and courteous, and remember me when they see me. They remember that I like extra lemon in my tea and bring it when I get a refill. It's painted very traditionally with bright colors and banners over the bar, they even have some fresco-esqe paintings on the wall. The agua frescas are delicious and so are the margaritas, though I usually go at lunch and don't get them as often as I'd like. The food is always good and I've never had anything I didn't like! My favorite are the fajitas, the taco salad and the chicken enchiladas. If you get the taco salad, be sure to get the cheese dip as well, pour it on top, it's delicious! I'll even take the tortilla shell bowl and break it apart and dip it in the cheese dip when I'm through. Now that I've been writing about it, I'm getting hungry! See you soon! read more

Just mediocre food. I could make tastier things at home and that defeats the purpose. Soup was bland and sparse (I had to take scraps from my kids food to add to the soup to make it remotely filling) the fajitas were sad, and they charge extra for hot sauce and pico. read more

I've been coming here for over 10 years. They have the best salsa and cheese dip in town by far.

very authentic Mexican food and very fresh food I can tell they make it with love and they even play soccer matches on the television

Very accommodating, food was delicious and fast for takeout. I went at like 11:30am 10/10 read more

El Dorado Authentic - Huevos con Chorizo Lunch - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'd give it 4 stars. But it's a hit and miss type of place. The first two times I went it was some of the best mex food I'd had in awhile. But then the next 2 times after that it was like a totally different cook (Maybe it was). Every visit was at lunch so I'm not sure why the change. I'm 50/50 on if I'll go back. read more

I've been to El Dorado twice in the past few weeks & I would highly recommend it!! Both times, I was greeted with a friendly welcome and immediately seated. It was fairly busy, but the tables were clean--the whole restaurant appeared to be very clean and the atmosphere was relaxed & pleasant. My server was Leticia--the first time was by chance & on my second visit, I asked to be seated in her section. Leticia was so kind, patient, & helpful; she made me feel welcome & didn't rush me to place my orders. She checked back on me often enough, but not so much as to interrupt my meal. Additionally, she was very proactive--always bringing napkins or a drink refill before I had to ask her. I had the complimentary chips & salsa, chicken enchiladas, and beef tamales. Everything was excellent and you certainly can't beat their prices. I was amazed that I could get such delicious meals for such a reasonable price! If you haven't been to El Dorado, yet, and you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, you've got to try this place!! read more

I went to this place with my amazing family after the neighboring Nancy's pizza said they were "out of dough". The prices are spectacular, unbeatable even. The food came out amazingly quick and hot at the same time. The waiter was nice. The only downside I can say is the food wasn't anything unbeatable, but still pretty good. The place was also a little dirty and plain but if you can put that aside this is a great place to visit. At the end of the day great prices and decent authentic Mexican. read more

Love the sides from the grill (hidden near the bottom of the menu). The servers remember us now and know our usual. They bring us tea refills before we have to ask. Salsa and chips are always delicious. Love this place. The only drawback is sometimes you have to wait to pay. read more

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We went here for a 'Dunch' (or 'Linner if you prefer) when I came down to visit my mom. The place was very quiet when we got there with only one other table being served. We came here because it was a recommendation after last week's Cinquo celebration my mother had gone to. She had been very impressed. Well...it took a few minutes for someone to notice we were there to get seated. Initially the server was right there asking.if we wanted something to drink. We ordered a couple of beers to have while perusing the menu. The menu is pretty complete with a lot of different choices. I initially ordered the tacos carnitas (it's an addiction as I love roasted pork!) and mom got chicken fajitas. About 15 minutes after ordering the server came out to tell me that they didn't have carnitas today. Sigh. I chose the carne asada for a sub. We sat for like 40 minutes before finally our food came out. It wasn't hot so it must have been sitting for a while. Mom's fajitas were sizzling at least. The asada was over cooked with hardly any flavor. It was served with a very yummy spicy sauce at least to add some sort of flavor. The rice and beans were flavorless and cold. The fajitas on the other hand...they were divine. This place obviously expects people to get fajitas as they do them really well. The chicken had this truly juicy flavor and it's served on a bed of sauteed onions and peppers thick with fajita flavoring. The tortillas are corn, not flour which is an interesting choice but paired well. I definitely ordered the wrong dish here. Note to self, next time get the fajitas! The service was truly mediocre. We had to ask twice for things we had asked for which considering how empty the place was made me wonder what went on in the kitchen. All in all, this seems to be not a bad place to get a bite...as long as you get the fajitas! read more

I go here often and really enjoy the tacos ground beef tacos and enchiladas. The service is usually good and the staff is very nice. People need to understand that businesses are really struggling to find help these day, so yeah, it might take a little longer to cook your food. read more

While it could be cleaner inside and updated, it is your typical mom and pop Mexican Restaurant. Complimentary chips and salsa, a wide variety of ways to order chicken, beef, and fish with cheese, veggies, rice, beans, and tortillas. Quick service. Nothing spectacular, but predictable--served hot, plenty of food and smiling wait staff. The outside dining tables are pretty no-frills with a view of the parking lot. read more

El Dorado Authentic - Outside seating - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Granted we went here on Cinco de Mayo but the entire experience was awful! We were told our wait was 40 minutes. It ended up being over an hour. The people that were sat after us were greeted and served before us. We didn't have drinks (we only ordered waters) or complimentary chips/salsa for 15-20 minutes. My fajita platter came out and then 10 minutes later the rest of the food was delivered, including my tortillas and accompaniments. My daughter enjoyed her food. My fajita platter was VERY greasy and gave me a stomach ache after. My son's food was average-special dinner (nothing special really). Unfortunately, we will never go back! read more

Service was great and the food was excellent. We ordered a chicken enchilada plate and a carnitas burrito and 2 margaritas. Everything was delicious, including the rice and bean sides. Will definitely come again read more

El Dorado is my favorite Mexican restaurant! They serve freshly made tortillas and salsa, and if you're not careful, you could fill up on that. Luckily the food comes out quickly. Be careful though because the meals come out so hot (temperature) that you could burn your mouth. I have never had a a bad meal in over 30 years of eating here. The service is always cheerful and polite. Another great thing about this place is that the prices are always reasonable. El Dorado is my family's go to for comfort food especially when the budget is tight! We love El Dorado!! read more

Most of the time the food is okay, but this time the food was HORRIBLE. The food was visually appealing, but tasted bland as my tacos had little to no flavor. Along with the food, the service was not great either. Long waiting time for poor food quality. Regarding the ambiance, it was pretty chill as it had an aesthetic inside the restaurant. read more

I dont know why it's showing as 4 stars in my original review. It's a solid two for me tho based on the first experience. read more

El Dorado Authentic - My "quesadilla" - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We have enjoyed this place in the past. Relatives dine here weekly and when in town we join them. This time my food was warm, less hot than I would prefer. I'd give it a C on tastiness. Chips and salsa an A. Service very good but what killed it was the high volume and extremely annoying (at least to me) music. I asked for it to be turned down and that didn't seem to happen. read more

If you like spaghettios, get the cheese enchiladas. Service was so slow we had to get up and ask for our check. Bad food, bad service.

Our first time, Sunday, Mother's Day, they were *not* busy. Horrible service, at least by our server. The other server I saw appeared to have some hustle. I got there well before my wife and I ordered a beer and a water. Well after my wife got there they were brought out, still no chips. I watched three other tables get seated after us and they all got their drinks and chips, by the other server. Our chips finally arrived. We ordered then, while we had a chance. My wife got the shrimp burrito and I got the Supreme(?) Fajitas. After what I'll say was an appropriate amount of time my fajitas were brought out - but nothing else. I mean nothing. No plate, no tortillas, no sides, not my wife's dish - nada. So I'm watching the food in this red-hot skillet continue to cook. I watched the cheese literally burn into a black, crusty mass on the edges of the skillet. A minimum of 10 minutes go by, the skillet has completely stopped sizzling, and finally my wife's burrito and my sides arrive. Most of the meat on the skillet was terribly overcooked by this point. I picked through it and tried to get pieces on top that weren't so close to the skillet. Virtually all the peppers and onions were soft, almost mushy. I would up making two burritos but ultimately left about 3/4 of the dish. I sampled one of the shrimp from my wife's burrito - it was well beyond rubbery, it was literally tough to chew. So, it wasn't just my food being overcooked by a hot skillet. The refried beans were ok. The salsa is pretty tasty, very finely blended, not chunky at all. That's not necessarily bad but there was very little tomato taste. The room itself is depressingly drab. The painted wall where we sat was seriously scarred and beaten up from where the table had been banged against it. The urinal in the men's room was in full view of the hallway when the door was opened. And speaking of the men's room, I noticed an employee leave the toilet stall, walk out the door, and I could immediately hear the swinging door to the kitchen right across the hall open. Maybe there was better soap in the kitchen. We will NOT be going back. I considered giving it 2 stars because the beer was cold and the salsa was acceptably tasty with a nice heat, but the rest of the experience was just too bad. read more

Chili relleno was not coated in egg. Ground beef in chili relleno and taco lacked spice.

No, it wasn't a horrific experience. It also wasn't exactly anything to write home about. Any health score below a 95 starts to scare me. Once we were seated we noted the place really wasn't all that clean and wasn't all that inviting. The decor was lacking, the floors needed something - carpet, tile, anything. It looks and feels like the "upfit" budget was pretty low. Service was actually slow and the food, well, I guess, it's the area's standard for what passes as "Mexican" fare. Having spent time in places where I can get and have had the real deal, it's far from "authentic" as the name would suggest. The fact is, I've had better food and better experiences at other El Dorado restaurants, as well as several other competitors. This particular location is just not for me. read more

I've dined here often and it's sad to say they are going down. Service is beyond insufficient. I arrived during week after 1pm and stood for almost 3 minutes before staff came to greet me. Once at my table it was doing Wobble Dance.....smh...finally when my waitress arrived I saw that hideous cart used to bus tables.Quickly my mind thought of germs and what is the inspection code rating. Food was HORRIBLE no flavor rice was flat overcooked just dismal. Carnitas were so dry,tuff and full of fat. Honestly I rarely go hard in review but this was close to worst in dining experience I can recall. La Rancharita closed and they too hard that sad, unhyginic cart take heed get on it before ur gone. read more

This place is AMAZING. Me and my wife go to this restaurant once every two weeks or so and always leave satisfied. Their portions are very generous and the food is the best I've found here in Raleigh. All of their dishes are a good value and are quite delicious. 10/10. read more

Usually great service, good margaritas and other drinks! We walk here from the house nearby. Definitely a family favorite.

Authentic like Mexican with Value pricing... My fav is the Steak Carne Asada with cilantro/onions. Ambiance: No frills spot. But food makes up for that! Booth sitting. read more

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Ordered for delivery through TakeoutCentral.com. This restaurant is definitely on our list now. Pros: * Food was excellent (absolutely the best quesadillas I can recall ever having!). * Delivery was fast, which means the restaurant prep was fast, too. * The value was good, though not great. Cons: * The containers weren't labeled by content or 'for' person's name, but the latter might not get passed on to the restaurant. Good stuff! read more

Love this El Dorado!! It's our go to Mexican place! Service can be a bit better but overall we love it cause the food is so good! read more

El Dorado Authentic - Strawberry margarita!! Yummmmmm - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Not the best service. The pork is a little crusty. The waiting staff took a while to figure out peoples drink orders or sides to the meal. Not great food. read more

El Dorado Authentic - Carnitas with rice, refried beans with cheese, guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes. - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This was a great spot for a nice dinner. The waitress and crew were extremely friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and the serving sizes were great. Not too big and not too small. Great food at an incredibly great price! read more

Called in order for pick up! Love the ambience in the restaurant! Foot was great will definitely be returning

This place hits home I've been going here my whole life and probably been here over 100 times. It is consistent with the food they put out and hasn't changed ever since I've been going there. the lunch fajitas is a great deal and the bueno burrito is delicious. Anything under their dinner combinations will fill you up for a great price. This is the place to get Mexican food in north raleigh read more

This is one of my favorite Mexican places in Raleigh, I'll drive past other Mexican places in the way to this one. One downside, though, is with trying to pay so I can leave; there's often no one at the register and I have to wait for someone to fetch a cashier. read more

El Dorado Authentic - Menu. Try the Stake! - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I checked this place out on a Sunday afternoon. The place was empty which was weird because there's always a wait. They offer free chips and Salsa- salsa was just right! Ordered a Chicken Soup and Quesadilla. Food was ok. read more

El Dorado Authentic - Chicken salad- no veggies :( Avocados were a plus - Mexican Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I was tired and craving a nice, sit down lunch in the middle of a hectic travel day. The restaurant across the parking lot was closed to my dismay, so I drove through the shopping center and parked in between El Dorado and the diner-style restaurant next door. Mexican would work. The gentleman who served me was so kind and attentive. Looking back, I feel badly, as I was dining alone, and very engrossed in catching up with work and personal emails in between bites of my chicken taco salad. Every time he appeared to refill my water or inquire about my meal, he had a charming smile and twinkle in his eye. I should have given him more attention than i was my electronic device. The pulled chicken was tender and flavorful - so much so that the salad itself did not need any additional dressing. Service was indeed fast, efficient, and all together my meal cost less than $6. Unheard of these days. I would like to return on my next visit to Raleigh. read more

Yuck, yuck and double yuck! A large group of us went. Service was slow and terrible. Cheese dip was water in the consistency and flavor. Food was just like slapped on the plate and everything tasted the same. No care or through was put into the flavor at all. Will not be going back as there are many Mexican restaurants and most of the others serve fresh food and care about how it tastes and looks. read more