The Best! I will be back again & again. Great food & hospitality.....ive found my favorite restaurant in Tennessee. This place just made me feel like home again after living here for the past 5 years & missing authentic Mexican food. read more

The place smells like it's on top of an open sewer . Even a fins 'n skins you could get used to it but this place stays with you .. food was decent but the smell just was overwhelming read more

Outstanding food. Excellent agua frescas. One of the creamiest horchatas ever. Basic street food served inside the local market. Plenty of meat options. You can see int he photos tha the servings are generous. The menus now have English as well as Spanish. Thank you. We will also come here for local foods we use at home. read more

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I was overcharged an extra meal and drink. I ordered a total of 3 drinks, 3 sopas, 3 large soups and was charged 4 times instead of 3. When I went to pay, was charged for just 1 large soup, sopa, drink. I told them that I was paying for all the meals on the ticket. They charged an extra 3 instead of two. After already paying for 1 meal/drink. I was charged again for the meal I already paid for. The language barrier didn't help along with the ticket that didn't have a break down of the prices which seems to differ from the one on the menu. read more

El Girasol has been in the same place for as many years as I can remember. It offers a local place where you can shop for authentic Mexican groceries and most importantly: home made tortillas! I'd recommend that El Girasol to be given a face lift so it may present itself like a modern establishment. It needs it inside and out. With a little effort and money, El Girasol may be inviting to many others and monies spent will be easily recovered. read more

Excellent food, great service. Extensive menu. Nice market to boot! Basic casual ambience - I go for the great food.

Great food, super low-rent venue, messy but clean. My carry-out order took quite a while for 3 tacos. read more

El Girasol - a grocery store aisle filled with goods - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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I can't believe I have never gotten here until today. A really good place to have some authentic street tacos. I look forward to going back and trying other dishes, but the three different tacos I had were delicious. I didn't have it, but I was happy to see they also had beer available, lots of simple Mexican places like this do not offer alcohol so that was a definite plus read more

El Girasol - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

If you want to practice your Spanish skills, I highly recommend coming here! The entire menu is in Spanish and the staff speaks limited English. The free chips were warm and crisp and the salsa was thick but not spicy. They have very limited options for veggie heads - refried beans, rice, chips, and guacamole. Surely if you speak fluent Spanish, you can order the meat dishes without meat but don't expect to see veggie options. I ordered the molcajete which had shrimp, chicken, pork and beef. This is a protein rice meal that came with refried beans, rice, warm tortilla and salad. The flavor was great but it I wasn't amazed. I've had a molcajete at another Mexican restaurant which was fabulous. This wasn't comparable. I also tried a mistake order - pork enchiladas came out as feta cheese enchiladas. The enchiladas were room temperature and quite bland even though it was topped with queso. I also tried the guacamole and it needed some work. Overall, I loved the authentic feel of this restaurant but I wasn't impressed with the food. FYI- this is a restaurant/grocery store and parking is in front of the restaurant. read more

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Oh my word everyone. You must come here and try the barbacoa! My taco was freshly prepared and came out piping hot with tender meat dripping in flavorful sauce. And handsome portions too! You bet I'll be back for the barbacoa taco. Heck yeah! Here's the down low on everything else: The chips underwhelm but the salsa is good. My horchata was so-so. It was too watery and needed more canela. I didn't love the carne asada taco. The meat was served in tiny tiny bits (something I've noticed at several Mexican food spots in Knoxville. It's like the carne asada universally comes in two sizes: small bits or super small bits). As a result, my taco tasted like carne crumbs instead of tender mouth-size meat slices. Ambiance is the real deal here. Service is friendly. The grocery section has authentic ingredients. And the colorful mural on the wall makes you feel right at home in hispanoamerica. read more

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I had a Burrito and it was not good, did not impress. The market is OK but I was really expecting better food.

I wish they would fix their beer taps, but the food here just keeps us coming back. So authentic, and so delicious. I put this place on my top 10 in Knoxville. Fantastic food at a very reasonable price. read more

This is no Salsarita's... it's so much better. Tucked inside a Mexican grocery store... there is a little restaurant that serves amazing and authentic Mexican food. Try the fresh frescas! Reasonably priced and friendly service. Definitely worth the trip. read more

El Girasol - chicken with cilantro, onion, and limes - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This place is a grocery store and a restaurant, located right behind Toddy's Liquor Store. This is one of my favorite places to get authentic Mexican food. They have Mexican cokes which are wonderful, ya know the ones w/ the real sugar?! It is extremely fresh and the spices are wonderful. They give you little bowls of fresh cilantro, limes and onions. You do not get chips and dip like the other non-authentic restaurants give you. They have a variety of hot sauces which can be pretty spicy. YUMMY! I love the verde salsa but man it has some heat that will sneak up on ya. Bare w/ the servers as Spanish is their first language and you will quickly notice, you are surrounded by Spanish speaking people. It doesn't get more authentic than this place. The service can be slow. Lunchtime this place gets packed! So go earlier to beat the crowds. Things I enjoy: **Tacos** Sopas Enchiladas Mole chicken Tortas (like a sandwich) So please go do yourself a favor and check this place out!! It rocks. Cheers & Enjoy! read more

Where can a girl from California and a girl from Texas find some real Mexican food in Knoxville?! El Girasol is so authentic that it is INSIDE a mercado! We knew we were at the right place as soon as we saw all the patrons giving us the "are you lost" look. Then we sat down, got menus, and started munching on chips and salsas. The last time we looked for Mexican food, we ended up some place where the waitress didn't know what agua fresca was! Today, El Girasol offered guayaba, jamaica, papaya, and horchata. The waitress was very friendly and patiently explained tampiqueño to me. The food was as good as the food back home. read more

El Girasol - Taco tampiqueno, taco de chicharron, taco de lengua, and caldo de res. - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Really good authentic Mexican food. You're not gonna find food like this at your typical Americanized Mexican restaurants. Get out of your comfort zone and try this because you won't regret it read more

Just moved to Knoxville from LA. Being Hispanic and growing up with real legit Mexican food I am a little snobby about Hispanic food. I have tried various places here in Knoxville. People have told me various places were authentic. Every time I tried I have to say I chuckled in my mind, because calling it Mexican was a joke. Just because you use a tortilla and coat stuff in cheese doesn't make it Mexican. Then a friend told me about El Girasol. I walked into the Carneceria and felt right at home. Basically it's a normal Mexican market. Walked into restaurant half, which is on the side of the market. And lo and behold Sopes!! So of course I ordered Sopes with Lengua. Needless to say the food was legit. Not the best I have had but in Knoxville so far it's been the best authentic food I have found. One thing I did not like was their horchata. It was too sweet and tasted more like vanilla milk. Ugh. So yeah steer clear of that. I will continue my search but so far this is the place to check out. It won't be your cheese coated tortilla with horrible so called salsa. It's not some fancy food chain, but it's legit Mexican food. read more

El Girasol - Lengua Sopes - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This is another unassuming places that the normal individual would pass by. That's a big mistake though the food is spot on for a true Mexican experience. After living in Mexico for 4 years it's always nice to find a place that takes you back there. This is one of those places. I ordered the pastor burrito and it came complete with rice and beans. The chips and salsa is not to be missed. Yes I know you don't get that in Mexico, but they have to be a little Tex-Mex. To go I ordered some tacos and they are as authentic as getting them in the streets of Mexico. To wrap this up they have a store there for those items that you can't find in the normal stores. This place is not to be missed!! read more

OMG!! The Sopés here are the bomb!!! Authentic mexican food! Great service huge portions. Check this place out

In places like Knoxville, legitimate Mexican food can be only found attached to a Mexican grocery store. And this is one of them. The portions are large with cheap prices. Try the pastor; it is so well flavored. read more

El Girasol saves the day! My boyfriend and I were experiencing the usual Cinco de Mayo rush to all the big Mexican joints in town. We couldn't get in anywhere in less than a two hour wait. So, I turned to Yelp and found this great spot (thanks, Yelpers)! We arrived about 7 pm, and while there was a nice little crowd, there was no wait! YES! Honestly, one of my favorite aspects of this place is the condiments we received. Bowls of lime wedges, minced onion, and chopped cilantro came to our table, along with two hot sauces. I am a hot sauce JUNKIE, so I was all about that. I would go back just for those great peppery blends. A delicious chimichanga underneath my hot sauce just seals the deal, though! What an excellent Mexican option. It really just made our night! read more

Como Mexico No Hay Dos Girasol is a Mexican grocery store, "carneceria" and restaurant all mixed into one. The outcome-- a colorful display of one's culture. The piñatas, rosaries, candles, and the mixed array of Mexican sweet and hot cadies are patiently waiting for the home sick Mexican to purchase, and feel one inch closer to their native land. If the happiness of placing culturally rich items into the grocery basket is not enough, the restaurant is steps away. Aguas frescas, caldos, tamales, menudo and cocteles para la cruda. Now this is good eating, Mexican style. Refrain yourself from the concept of loud music, margaritas and the occasional chips & Salsa. Because you won't experience Spring Break here. What you will experience is authentic Mexican food. The type that mom makes at home. Now, upon entering, every set of eyes will be fixated on you. You will feel as if time itself stopped. How is this possible... well, as you make your way to a table, everyone around you will freeze, and only their eyes will function. I too felt piercing eyes. It was not until I began to order in Spanish that time became relative, and movement became necessary. You will encounter the very same people that have been working your neighbor's lawn or removing shingles at the apartment complex you currently live in. These are the people who were lured into this country as a result of supply and demand. And all they seek is to be in a place that is true to their culture. This place is Girasol. So if you're willing to forgo the margaritas and replace it with a modelo or tecate and be appreciative of these hard working men and women, then Girasol will give you a taste of my culture. -Chida read more

TLDR: The place seems very authentic. Good fresh accompaniments to the food and good hot sauces. This food was anything but good. It's possible other things on the menu are much better than what I had, but the sope, taco de lengua, and asada gordita, are not worth ordering. I will not be back anytime soon. I tried out El Girasol after reading the high recs it received here. The place is definitely popular with the Spanish-speaking folks. Until right when I left, I was the only white-guy in the restaurant which I definitely took as a good sign. The food is definitely cheap and authentic. The salsa wasn't anything special but when I mixed it with the hotter red sauce they brought out, it got better. The bowls of fresh cilantro, onions, and limes along with the red and green sauce was a good touch. I ordered a taco de lengua (tongue), chorizo sope, and an asada gordita. Everything was decidedly meh. The lengua was very tender but had little to no flavor, so left a lot to be desired. I put on onions, cilantro, lime, and green sauce to finish it off. I tried the sope next. This was the best of the three entrees, but still had very little flavor. The sope is a little boat made of masa (cornmeal dough) layered with refried beans, chorizo (my choice), a tomato slice, and lettuce. Its topped in this case with cotida cheese and some crema. I tried it sans cilantro, etc. first. There was, once again, meh flavor. The chorizo was lightly spicy but not particularly flavorful, and the cotida and crema, which I had expected would add some saltiness and flavor, did little to add taste. After I added the accoutrements, the meal got better. The asada gordita came out after the first two, so I had it last. This was absolutely terrible. Each bite of the beef was either overly chewy or crunchy (crunchy like bits of the brick they use to clean the grill). I immediately added the fresh ingredients and this made it edible. I was left feeling queasy after eating it. Overall, I'm really surprised at the previous reviews. The fresh condiments were the only thing that made the food palatable. It's possible I just chose poorly. There was a gentleman sitting at the table next to me that had a soup, caldo de res or menudo de res based on the menu, and that looked very good. I might go back eventually, but I've had better authentic mexican at Guadalajara market right down the road on Sutherland. I don't expect to be rushing back in. read more

This place is set up like a grocery store with an eating area to the side. Seat yourself type of place. The waitress was attentive. I did ask for a fork more than once and got nothing. The food was good. Nice authentic tacos served separate to add as much onion and cilantro as needed. The shell was filled with great seasoned meat. The Mexican rice was a no go! It tasted like butter ew!! Overall the food was good. They should have more waitresses to help out. read more

El Girasol - Tacos stuffed with meat! So much meat! This one is the barbacoa taco! Yum! - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

a little mexican market within a run down building. Don't let that fool you. There's definitely lots of little gems inside. Of course all the can goods are readily available at Kroger or Food City. It just feels a little bit more authentic when you get it here. Very small produce section. Very small meat counter. Not to mention, where is the pre marinated carne asada? large isle of candy and snacks from the mother land. Large isle of can goods and bottle goods. Cheese selection had a few varieties to choose from. Inside left corner seems to be a little hole in the wall (literally) restaurant. I will definately come back to drink a beer and eat some food before shopping for jesus candles. They accept AMEX here. yes! read more

It's authentic food in west knoxville. The Food is amazing. I've been to Houston several time and the food is just as good. There is no other Mexican place I would rather go. Quesadillas are hard to beat anywhere and cheaper than any other place around! Why go anywhere else?! read more

El Girasol - Grande Assad Quesadilla on the left and a Chica Quesadilla Al Pastor on the right. Amazing chips and salsa in the back. - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

I can only say I deeply regret not finding out until last year that they have a restaurant in that little Mexican grocery store. This is Mexican food that will blow your mind - Very fairly priced, as well, with things you won't find in most Mexican restaurants, and their beer specials are amazing EVERY DAY. read more

El Girasol - Little clue on authentic quality and price: how many gringos can you find in here? - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

One of the best pork quesadillas I've ever had! The lengua taco was really good too! The staff were very polite and helpful. I'll definitely be back! read more

I am a Texas transplant that just moved here from South Carolina. SC was woefully devoid of any "real" Mexican food spots. Imagine my surprise and delight when I went to El Girasol and saw caldo de res and menudo on the menu. I've had both and let me tell you... SO good. It immediately transported me back to my grandma's house. Definitely try it out. read more

I intended to give this place 2.5 stars. I am on the endless hunt for awesome, authentic tacos in Knoxville. I have seen this place before and decided to try. As other reviewers state, it is located as part of a hispanic grocery. The service was ok. I ordered a few different types of tacos (asada, carnitas, pastor) and a shrimp quesadilla. The asada taco was a little dry, the pastor was a little over salty, and the carnitas was good (tender and had good flavor). The shrimp quesadilla was awful. I have included a photo. I realize that maybe ordering turf would have been better, except the poor, nearly cheeseless quesadilla was just unacceptable. I have never seen anything so poorly constructed before. Do not order the quesadilla if you expect anything satisfying to come of it. read more

El Girasol - Inside the shrimp quesadilla. :( - Grocery Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

A hole in the wall in the middle of a market, this taqueria is lovely. To eat at, I mean. Authentic & scrumptious.

Amazing food and service. Best Mexican food I've ever eaten. Angie is so sweet and helpful, the one place I can really practice my Spanish with no judgement. A great place to take kids, as well. read more

Every time I come here, I think "Maybe today is the day the food will taste good." But that day never comes. The ground beef is low-quality, the sauces are watery, and everything is bland. The service is pretty good, though, and the lunch specials are pretty cheap. read more

This is good Mexican food. Had the tacos and they were filling. You can go grocery shopping while you wait (sometimes a long while) for the food to come out. You should practice your Spanish here. read more

A hole in the wall that you will love. The tacos are fantastic (beef, chicken, pastor and barbacoa) and just $1.99 each! Our son eats here twice a week. We will definitely return when we visit Knoxville. read more

A nice little joint that is half Mexican market and half Mexican Diner. For how cozy the place is, the menu is pretty big. Plenty of items that come in a tortilla that are as good as ever (Quesadillas, traditional tacos, burritos, enchiladas). They have some good Mexican dishes that are not as often explored by the American populace too so this is a good place to try new things! The Mexican shrimp cocktail is a good choice for those looking for something fresh and crisp for a meal that won't weigh you down. The breakfast dishes are amazing and served all day (who doesn't like Mexican style eggs?). The prices will blow you away as this will be the cheapest place you've eaten in a long time. After your meal you can skip over to the market before paying to get a few items for your everyday meals (Mexican hot chocolate for the win). The only thing to worry about is having cash on hand to tip the servers as they don't do tips on card. Enjoy! read more

Very disappointed, chips overcooked. Salsa bitter. Pork burrito too salty and meat was dry. Food basically had no flavor. I can make Mexican food better than this myself...sad... didn't even finish my meal... read more

I'm new to Knoxville, and I have been trying to adjust to the fact that there isn't an authentic Mexican place to be had. Oh, wait. There is. And I just found it. El Girasol is the real deal. If your idea of a taco is a hard shell filled with ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and colby-jack, you may be disappointed unless you are an adventurous eater. If, however, you are Mexican, or if you have been to non-touristy Mexico and loved the food, I bet you'll like it! I will be back for more soaps and tacos!! read more

This place is awesome. It was a little strange going in at first because you are walking into a grocery store. But if you go left, there is the restaurant area and you kinda seat yourself. Also, when I went, they did give us chips and salsa. We got three types, where they all tasted very homemade and so, very, delicious. The price is pretty cheap, as well. You can get a burrito or sope for $4.99. Hands down the BEST mexican place in Knoxville. Frealz. read more

Great place for authentic Mexican food! Love the horchata and tortas here. Also bought some Nestle Abuelita chocolate that will probably last me the next decade. My wife stacks up on Mexican candy here as well :) read more