El Gallo Giro in South Meridian is the real deal. Get there NOW! Being from Southern California, I'll admit it can be hard to find great, authentic Mexican food in Idaho. This place absolutely delivers. The food was fresh, authentic, and full of flavor. The margaritas were excellent, especially the spicy one, the bar is fantastic, and the dessert was worth the trip all by itself. The street tacos were incredible. I had the lengua, cabeza, chorizo, and carnitas, and every one of them was outstanding. The cabeza, or cheek meat, was especially good, the chorizo had great flavor, and the carnitas were some of the best I've had in a long time. And the flan? Easily the best flan we've had in 15 years. No exaggeration. Be sure to ask for Hugo while you're there. His family has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years, and it shows in the food, the service, and the overall feel of the place. Stop what you're doing and go to El Gallo Giro for lunch or dinner. I'd recommend dinner so you don't have to go back to work and can enjoy an extra margarita. read more

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The location was right next door to the hotel that I was staying at so made a walk there. I sat in the bar area which had tables and booths. There is also a main seating area for larger groups. I ordered a two item combo (ground beef enchilada and hard shell taco with asada) which came with beans and rice. The server was also the bartender and was very nice and helpful. The food was good. Like most places the plate was super hot so be careful when it arrives to the table. read more

El Gallo Giro - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Food is great. Service is wonderful. Local owners are great guys. New venue is a cool sports bar. Casual and relaxing. Order special salsa if you want spicy. read more

The service was really bad, the ladle who help us make a "joke" "if you like if not there is the door" :/ I'm really sad I spend my money on this place read more

Very unpretentious and extremely hospitable. Fun vibe! The menu options were great, food was flavorful and the staff was genuinely friendly. This is a fantastic happy hour find but if you want the full menu, you won't be disappointed. read more

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A friend recommended we go try the restaurant, what a disappointment. The server was nice but the food was horrible. We had the three colored enchiladas and mole enchiladas. Just dry chicken in the chicken and mole enchiladas not great. Red enchilada sauce had no flavor. The server brought the machine to run our credit card and left the table, we processed the payment, left a 20% tip, took our receipt and left the building, only to be chased down and challenged about not making payment. We didn't designate their system of payment. The server typically handles the transaction from start to finish in other restaurants we've frequented. All-together a disappointing and frustrating dining experience. read more

super good mexican food! great staff that made us feel welcome! we got the shrimp ceviche that was super fresh. we got the carne asada as well that was very good and filling! read more

Excellent food, reasonable prices, and great service. My wife had the seafood chilaquilles, she said the dish was tasty and filling. I had the carnitas. To me, this dish is the make or break for Mexican restaurants. It can be dry and or flavorless. However, El Gallo Giro's carnitas were full flavored and just right. We had a side of guacamole to supplement our meals, also excellent. We finished with the flan, which my wife described as among the best that she's ever had. We'll be back. I want to work my way through the whole menu. Thanks Coach! read more

I really like this place for lunch, lots of menu options at different price points, important when bringing a group as it's hard to please everybody. Made reservations ahead of time, some of us arrived early and one of the servers came out and invited us in before the 11 AM to sit at a long table already arranged. We had one server and she did a great job on keeping the orders straight when delivered, offering refills on drinks and tortilla chips, handling a couple special requests on food prep. Had 13 adults, most of the dishes came out at once on a cart, followed by the others in close proximity of timing. Food was hot, side dishes of rice tasted delicious, not clumped together or tasting as held in a steam table out back for hours. I enjoyed the Pork Tamale and a Chili Relleno served with lots of red sauce for under $15 including ice tea. It's a fun decor, like being invited to a party with the painted chair backs, bright colors, so festive. Look forward to coming back. read more

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Great birria tacos but with tip we paid $68 for five tacos, rice and beans, and two iced teas. Place lacks value. Go to Rosa Tacos in Garden City and thank me later. read more

First timer here. I wish I could do half stars but alas I cannot, if I could it would be a 3.5. I can say that the service was great, very friendly too! I loved the loteria chairs and the decor. My girls thought that was a fun decorative aspect. We chose our own seating and boy, my husband was halfway to the floor with that booth bench. It was broken I'm sure of it, so maybe if we decide to come again we'd choose chairs. Now the food, the regular salsa was good and she kept refilling it for us. My girls enjoyed the bean dip and chips. We were excited to try the carne asada tacos and to be honest we were a little let down. The meat didn't have that like authentic flavor you want with asada. Although I liked how it didn't have the grisly pieces that some asadas do, but Idk I was just wanting more. We may have to come back and try something else on the menu though. read more

El Gallo Giro - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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Order the birria and asada street taco family meals. When I received the food my consome was open in the bag all over everything. Not to mention the flavor of everything was underwhelming. None of it taste the way you expect authentic tacos and birria to taste. I also ordered a drink and didnt recieve it. Guacamole had i fishy taste which is super weird and off putting. For $111 dollars before delivery fees i am so disappointed, I never thought tacos could make me sad until tonight. I will give them 2 stars because the beans are great and tasted fresh. Also salsa taste fresh. read more

El Gallo Giro - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Clean restaurant, good service. Great drinks. We have tried the fajitas, which is great! street tacos, which are amazing! read more

El Gallo Giro - Michelada, and jalapeño margarita. She substituted her margarita from tequila to vodka. She loved it! - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

I am staying at a motel nearby, and stumbled into El Gallo Giro, actually thinking it was an Italian restaurant. I also enjoy Mexican food so I was ok with the choice. Staff were super friendly. I ordered the street tacos which were very tasty, and ordered the bartender's recommendation on some kind of margarita that also hit the spot. Next time I am town I will definitely return! read more

Two stars for friendly service. Food quality very low - carne asada dry and taste reheated from meat cooked one or 2 days prior. Possibly the worst carne asada ever. Rice was most definitely reheated 2-day old rice. We will never go back. Money is too valuable to be wasting on mediocre food. Furthermore, the food hits like a bomb. Went to a hardware store and had the runs very very badly 1 hour after eating dinner here. Didn't try the cocktails so I can't comment on that matter. read more

Their food is great and service even better. Been to this place a few times. Their food is authentic and has good flavor. The service is definitely friendly and welcoming. read more

Just had a chicken burrito. Was cold and flavorless. Extremely disappointed my $$ paid for this.

I'm still dreaming about this meal. As a native Californian, one of our favorite past times is bragging about our level of taco quality and consumption. This is a family owned place and the food really does reflect the higher level of talent this family brings to the Mexican quinine industry here in Boise. The birria tacos were amazing and the margaritas are HUGE. You get a lot of bang for your buck. A MUST TRY in Meridian. The service was attentive and efficient. 10/10. read more

Food was delicious. Owner was super kind. Clean and they had the football game playing. read more

Still exploring the greater Boise area for really good, home-style Mexican food... This review is for the El Gallo Giro located in Meridian. The facility looked promising enough with the requisite decor, music, and seating. We purposely went in the post-lunch hours in an effort to observe the food & service in a non-peak period. We were promptly seated and provided with our drinks, chips, salsa, and bean dip. The chips, salsa and dip were decent. Chips were fresh and crunchy - but not house-made from what I could tell. The red salsa had decent flavor and the bean dip was adequate. Our orders were taken right away and we were quickly served (not surprising given the time of day). I ordered one of their specialty plates - the carnitas - which is served with rice, beans, and tortillas (flour for me this visit). The beans were much like the dip, if not exactly the same - not a let down really, just not spectacular either. The rice was pretty good, although it had a slightly yellow tinge to it -- somewhat unusual looking - flavor was okay. Generally we see either a reddish Mexican rice or Mexican rice that is fairly clear of any color (outside of the other ingredients). Nothing wrong with the rice, just seemed different. I try carnitas at nearly every new Mexican restaurant we visit. I thought the meat here was nicely seasoned (not over-salted as many tend to do). I however do not like when the carnitas are so chopped up as to be of a uniform, minced state. Personally, I prefer when there are chunky bites that include the slightly crispy edges intact. In the case of El Gallo Giro's carnitas, it was minced a bit too much. Of course this is solely my opinion and preference. My dining companion order a two-item combo: cheese and onion enchilada, chicken hard shell taco, rice & beans. You read my observations on the beans and rice directly above. Neither of us will understand the reasoning behind using commercially-produced hard taco shells for sit-down restaurant tacos. The shell here was obviously taken straight out of a package and filled. Regardless of how good the filling might be, the use of such shells really brought down the level of the meal. As for the enchilada sauce, it definitely had more of a sweet edge to it -- and not sweet like you. might describe in a mole' sauce. This was literally a lightly sweetened tomato sauce (yes, I tasted it too). The meal was passable, but a little disappointing at the same time. The staff and facility were really nice here to be sure, but we will continue looking for better Mexican fare around Boise...it is a never-ending hunt. read more

Probably one of my top 2 favorite Mexican restaurants.... The complementary refried beans & salsa at the beginning of each meal is just a little preview of the delicious food that is about to come ! Their tacos are on point as are margaritas Wonderful service too !! read more

El Gallo Giro is a fantastic place to enjoy lunch or dinner. The hospitality is great and you always feel welcomed and valued as a guest. Tableside guacamole is tasty and I have never had a bad meal. I've been going to El Gallo Giro for a number of years since they opened at Eagle and Fairview and will continue to enjoy this great restaurant. read more

seriously, don't bother. I don't understand what went wrong. the location is cool (very tiny, but the decor is really cute and the bar is well done). the food is next level bad. like the photos speak for themselves. I got chicken tacos, rice, and beans. like, how can you be a mexican food restaurant and mess it up? even taco bell can do better. the rice was so dry and gross. rice is my favorite thing ever and I didn't eat it. the beans are just pinto beans out of a can, they had no flavor at all and the cheese was horrible. the taco itself I mean come on. it tasted like it was out of a crock pot and the onions were just all over like I enjoy onions on my taco but this was insane. we came on a saturday evening too. this is their saturday night food. busiest time for dinner out all week. I hope they figure it out soon, because this won't last like this, that's for sure! read more

El Gallo Giro - like wtf - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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The food? FANTASTIC!! The people? AMAZING!! The best experience I've had in a very long time!

One of my favorite restaurants in Boise/meridian, absolutely amazing service and the burritos are filling and delicious! Also serves complimentary chips with an amazing salsa and bean dip read more

Great Food. Great Service. We work hard everyday so that when you eat here you know your home. read more

El Gallo Giro - Great Food. Great Service. Voted Idaho's Best Mexican Food, Taco, and Take out. - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Man I really wanted to love this place! Great location and service and a spot I hoped I could end up on the regular to satisfy that need for some home cooked Mexican cuisine. However after trying them twice I am not sure I'll go back, maybe to try one more dish I am curious about, we will see. The food is just ok. Nothing you can't find all across the valley. Carne asada was overcooked, flavors were great however. The girl got a Avocado enchilada which sounded good but I swear the chicken inside was canned. Lacking flavor and felt like a dish made at home with just basic cooking skills. The other dishes again were just meh. Drinks were good so there is that. Anyway, not a fan of canned meat or overcooked meat. read more

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We went for lunch today. The first time I had noticed they had a taco bar. I had 2 tiny tacos on my plate as well as a bit of rice. I ate 2 bites out of one taco and my lunch guest was talking with me while we were catching up. He had an alcoholic beverage and tacos while we chatted. He needed to get back to work and I had not finished even half of my plate of food. They refused to let me bring it home with me. I guess they would rather discard food than let it go. It does not say anywhere (I Asked) about not getting a to go box for food and the manager was quite rude. Will not recommend eating there and also will spread the word about the poor service we received at the Meridian location. read more

Extremely slow. Come here only if you want to wait hours before your food come. Felt restaurant was short staffed

Sharing "The Rock" at this restaurant with my husband will forever be one of my favorite traditions!!!! The seating outdoors in the summer time is lovely as well. If you like horchata, don't even hesitate ordering it! You will be blown away. read more

El Gallo Giro - The Rock - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Tiny little tacos with nothing on them. Try somewhere else. I recommend Brazas or Barrigas. Owner here doesn't listen to customers and pushes back when they complain. Your little two ounce taco utensil is trash. It doesn't give 2 onces. 1-1.5 at most. No one wants little fruit roll up tacos. Stop being cheap. read more

Garbage little baby tacos with a tiny spoon of meat. barely any onions. Go elsewhere, this place is a total rip off.

I should have checked Yelp rather than Google reviews. I was not happy with our experience at El Gallo Giro. I was hoping to find some authentic street tacos and found this place locally. The pics look good, so we decided to give it a try. We were greeted when we walked in. Right when we sat down, our waitress asked if we wanted a side of guac with our chips and salsa that come with the table. We said sure, and she asked if we wanted it made at our table. We hadn't had a chance to look at the menu yet, so we agreed. She failed to tell us it would be a $10 charge, and we really didn't even want it. The kid who made it rolled up with a cart that had a huge "TIP" jar on it, but I didn't want to partake since I felt swindled from the start. The strawberry margarita I ordered was waaaay too sweet and probably didn't have any alcohol in it. It was $10. The price is not listed on the menu. Not trusting the establishment and having a huge bowl of guac to eat, I could only stomach a few street tacos. I ordered asada, fish and pollo. They were all lackluster, lacking in flavor and looked pitiful on the plate. The one hope for flavor/zest was dashed when I realized the limes on the plate had no juice. The menu prices are all different than what they charged us. They aren't huge differences, but it made me not trust them or want to come back. The three street tacos I ordered were supposed to be $5.95 total, but if you do the math off the receipt, they were $6.50 total. The menu also says the guac made at the table is supposed to be $9.95 (which is already ridiculous), but they charged me $10. And this was not including tax. My friend was satisfied with her taquitos, but she doesn't really eat out much. I think she was just trying to be nice. Like I said, I would not return. There are plenty other Mexican cuisine spots around here that I can give a try. read more

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We have eaten here several times. Hugo was excellent and atmosphere nice . Margarita great and Food was good but anything you want to add (salt/extra spice) they are more than happy to accommodate ! Just a nice homey atmosphere with decent food . Recently added new menus .. read more

Excellent service by Hugo!!! The barria tacos... Yummy! Margarita, Hugo knows Ambiance of a true TexMex restaurant! read more

El Gallo Giro - Blueberry Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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I thought the Chile verde was wonderful. I love Mexican food and it's hard to find good Mexican food In Idaho. So I'm very happy we found this restaurant. read more

El Gallo Giro - Chili Verde - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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Best Chile Verde!! So delish!! It came in a molcajete. I would wait to eat it when it comes out otherwise the pork pieces shred pretty easily and it will be all shredded. Even if it is, it's still delicious. read more

El Gallo Giro - Chile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Went to the one in z garden city for years.. not to bad This one was terrible.. I girl to serve the whole restaurant.. I ordered the fish tacos cold n mushy..beans n rice were cold.. no service! Wife had the chili releno cold n mushy..terrible! Go to the original or go somewhere else!! read more

Queso Birtia tacos are amazing!!!! We went for lunch and it wasn't too crowded. Great service.

This place is SO bomb! The interior of the restaurant is so cute & every staff member we encountered was so kind & attentive! My husband & I are always scared when we try a new Mexican food place out because I'm Mexican so I grew up eating the real stuff & also we're from California which is full of amazing Mexican restaurants, but this place did not disappoint! The beans & salsa with chips they give you when you get there are yummy (in the picture we had already dug in so don't worry you get more than that lol). I got the Barbacoa taco plate & the flavor was ON POINT! My husband got 4 tacos: asada, adobada, carnitas, & tinga! All of them were so flavorful & not dry at all! The prices are honestly amazing for the portions & we will definitely be coming back again & again! read more

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