Very rarely does one find a Mexican restaurant of this high-end class. Maybe in large cities like Miami, New York, or Chicago. But who would ever imagine that here in Christiansburg, Virginia, I was able to discover this gem of a Mexican restaurant. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And this El Gran Rodeo Mexican Restaurant located in Christianberg, Virginia is the perfect example. This Mexican Restaurant is in a class of its own. With an exclusive contemporary decor that gives an air of elegance and distinction, and an outstanding Mexican gourmet cuisine, one can say this restaurant is above the rest in classy ambiance and in perfected, high-end Mexican cuisine. From the time you arrive at this restaurant, and admire the beautiful contemporary architectural design of its building, which embedded in its design is the greatness of the majestic Mexican pyramids; and view the magnificent outdoor patio dining area surrounded by a fence of solid stones and containing elegant outdoor furniture appropriate for dinning; one can become aware of the uniqueness of this restaurant. As one enters the restaurant through its majestic entrance one uncovers a clean and elegant contemporary interior design made exclusively with quality materials, creating an amazing atmosphere of distinction, that will contribute to the excellent dining experience there. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review for a better sense of the restaurant's decor. We were greeted very graciously by the Host at the Host's station and led to our table which was actually a comfortable and elegant booth with granite table. Our server was soon to join us after the assistant server had brought us a basket of warm Tortilla Chips with a Red Salsa and a White one as well. We both ordered Iced water with a slice of lime to drink and a Steak Super Burrito. The Chips and Salsa, both the red and the white tasted delicious. And the Burrito tasted amazing. The pieces of steak inside was quality meat marinated with ingredients from a gourmet recipe and cooked to perfection by a knowledgeable and experienced Chef. Our server came by at the appropriate times to see how we were doing and refilled our water. We already had plans to go somewhere else for dessert but next time we will definitely try the dessert here for they looked nice in the photos of the desserts menu. I highly recommend this very unique Mexican Restaurant for an extraordinary dining experience like no other you've ever had. read more

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Always great service and food! They're quick with the chips and salsa and drinks. I usually get a classic margarita in the rocks with a tajin rim for a little spice and it never disappoints. I've had the Arroz con Camerones and it was perfectly cooked and the shrimp was juicy still, not dried out like some places. Bar seating has TV's too so if you wanna grab a few margaritas or beers and watch some sports, it's perfect for that too! read more

Every time I go, it's a little worse than the time before. The food is just bland. The beans are watery, the rice is absolutely flavorless. The meat all tastes old. The only thing I enjoyed last time was the salsa. The service is always just mediocre at best. I might get lucky enough for a single refill. We only go here because it's convenient but you know what, Taco Bell is just across the street and I can actually taste a flavor or two there. Seriously never going to this place again. There's too many Mexican places around to deal with this level of meh. read more

José greeted me right away, literally right as I sat down; the two customers within earshot away were also kind; staff on point. Very large seating area so each table/booth not right on top of each other. Meal was outstanding fresh with just the right amount of seasoning. read more

El Gran Rodeo - Texano Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

We love it. We enjoy the atmosphere. Service is great! Plenty to eat. I especially like the shrimp dishes. Everything is delicious!

Went here with a group of about 20 people on a Friday night. The place was busy but we got seated pretty quickly. The service was ok. I asked for a Dr Pepper and when I got it, the taste was absolutely flat. I had to ask our server 2 or 3 times to get a different drink after I explained it. He said "yes, it is out@, which would have been nice to know when he dropped the drink off. Once the food showed up, some people were done while others hadn't gotten their dinner yet. My favorite foods are Mexican and pizza, and I have to say this food was average at best. I had burritos deluxe and the filling was lacking of any flavor. All I could taste was the sauce on top. When I cut into them, they just fell apart. You could tell the chips had been sitting out for a while, they were not fresh or half way warm. The white sauce they bring was fantastic though. All in all, not a great experience, but I would give it another shot based on other reviews. Maybe we just got them on a bad night? read more

El Gran Rodeo - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

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I came on Clemson game day after the game and it was real busy. Had to wait 20 minutes or so before being seated which is completely fine. My food was just okay. I went with a carne asada with shrimp as well. The portions were really large but I've had better, notably at El Bronco. Not a bad experience, but I probably won't be back read more

El Gran Rodeo - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

Food was good and served quickly. The staff was very friendly and and greeted with smiles.

Looking for a Tex Mex place after a long drive from PA and found this one right near our hotel. We had chips and salsa to start which they brought us a tasty red and a just a good white. I had fish tacos which come with two tacos and a side salad . I substituted rice for the salad . The wife had chicken fajitas which was a big serving with fajita breads . Our server was great and the restaurant was nice as well and not very crowed when we got there . Prices weren't that bad as the total was 36 bucks . It also haas a separate bar and tv's for sports. Didn't see alot of decor on the walls but was a nice place to eat. Would come back next time we travel though Christiansburg VA read more

El Gran Rodeo - Dining area - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

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First off, best chips and salsa/white sauce ever! Just had to get that out of the way. Now, I really don't see how anyone could give this place less than full marks. It's a really outstanding Mexican restaurant and I've loved everything I've gotten there. Good service, great atmosphere, seating, and parking, and good enough value. An all-star restaurant for this area. Maybe if you're used to super fancy places elsewhere it could be a letdown, but that seems like picking serious nits to me!! They are also able to easily accommodate large parties, and are super clean and modern. Top notch. read more

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Extremely busy, but we only had to wait 10-15 minutes. Chips and both salsas were great. Our server, Brooke, was excellent!!! She went above and beyond and was friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. From the time we ordered to when we received the food was super fast. Food was delicious. Would highly recommend and we will definitely be back when are back in the area next month! read more

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Saw the reviews on Yelp and gave it a try. Wonderful restaurant, food was good and they had Modelo on draft. Brooke was a great waitress!!!!

Lupita was our very attentive server. The margaritas were so good. We were seated in a comfortable booth and our food arrived quickly which was plentiful and yummy. read more

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The acp is AMAZING here!! It's one of the best acps I have ever had. They are always very very fast too! It's never too loud in here.

I ordered food for pickup. It was ready before my expected pick up time. It was still hot by time I got back to my hotel. The flavors were great and the portion sizes were huge! read more

El Gran Rodeo - Birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

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Attentive and prompt serving staff. The food was well prepared, good portions, and was delicious.

Met up with family for dinner here. The service was top notch, even with the whole place being packed. Chips and salsa and some type of cilantro lime dip were all delicious and kept us busy while waited for our food. Recommend the Queso Fundido as an appetizer to go with the chips. Best birria tacos I've had to date. Packed with flavor and extremely filling. Washed down with a couple Pacificos and lime. Love this place. read more

El Gran Rodeo - Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

Some of the best Mexican food in the area. Coming from the west coast, I've had a really hard time finding decent Mexican food in VA. This restaurant has very good fajitas. The food always looks fresh. We get it to go most of the time and it's always ready super fast and it's piping hot! Can't wait to take advantage of their patio this spring. read more

So the severs were very rude and we got dirty silverware and when we said something the girl said we'll I can go wash it. Will never eat there again food taste burnt. They only got 1 cause I had to rate it wanted to give 0. read more

Service is quick, food very good. It's one of my favorite Mexican places. They have a great white salsa with chips better than other places.

Amazing service, the staff is very friendly and courteous. The food is really good as well. I will be back.

Excellent, fresh food. No thoughts of anything being warmed over again. 2nd best Mexican restaurant in US behind Javelina Cantina in Sedona, Arizona. Loved the white salsa! Service was great. Took a while to get the bill taken care of. read more

Lately, Ive been ordering take out from this location but stopped by this restaurant to dine in about 8pm on a Saturday night. Their menu is very extensive and there are many different price points available. Their decor is nice, with dark modern booths and tables. They also have a large bar area with tvs In the middle of the restaurant. This area can get very loud. I ordered steak fajitas for my dinner and they were DELICIOUS and cooked to perfection! The portion size was enough to save half for lunch the next day. My dinner partner had carnitas and commented on how delicious they were. The service that night was VERY underwhelming! I had a question about the rice that came with my plate and the waiter didn't know the answer and wouldn't ask anyone else. It was not a language barrier because I asked in both English and Spanish. Our waiter wouldn't make eye contact and would walk by, ask if we needed something without a stopping or looking towards our table. The staff was all fraternizing at the back part of the dining room with a team members family that came in to eat. At some point, the waitress taking care of the take next to ours started taking care of our table and got a to go box for me and brought us our check. I do enjoy their food a lot but will stick to take out from now on. read more

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We were visiting my daughter at Radford University and decided to stay in Christiansburg instead of Radford to give us more options for shopping and dining. We checked into the Hampton Inn and wanted to grab a bite for lunch and the desk attendant recommended El Gran Rodeo, which she said is a local restaurant. The decor is really nice. We requested a booth and the hostess accommodated our request. We were quickly greeted with chips, salsa and a mayonnaise/sour cream dip. Shortly after, our server came over to get our drink order. The hotel desk attendant recommended the margarita, so we each got one with water. The margarita was okay...too sweet for my taste. It reminded me of sour mix and I like a more lime tartness. That didn't stop me from drinking the whole thing. The menu was pretty extensive with lots of options. My husband ordered Yucatán shrimp, my daughter got cheese quesadilla (she's a vegetarian) and I ordered the chicken fajitas. The portion size is huge. The fajitas were not sizzling and I don't think it was made to order. I envision the chicken and vegetables cooked en mass and left warming and used as people order. It wasn't bad, but it didn't have much flavor. The refried beans were liquid...I tried to eat them with my fork but they just ran through the tines. My daughter ate every last bite of her meal and enjoyed it. My husband was the winner with the shrimp dish. He let me have a bite and it was good. I'm sure we will eat here again next time we are in town. It was good, just not the best. read more

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We came in on a busy Saturday night with a party of 6 and we were at immediately! The chips and salsa options were amazing! I could have sat there all night just eating that. All of the food was fresh and my young child ate it up, so you know it was good! read more

My boyfriend ordered us pickup from El Gran Rodeo, I got the chicken soup and he got the birria tacos. Chicken soup was great, very nice flavor, I asked for extra avocado and they gave me a whole one. He LOVED his birria tacos, said he would give them a 100/10 for their very authentic flavor, and only wished it came with more than 3. Staff seemed friendly. read more

EXCELLENT!!! The staff here is exceptional and high quality! Very professional and everything is very clean. By far the best Mexican restaurant in the Christiansburg/Blacksburg area. The food had great flavor. 10/10 for me. read more

Had outdoor lunch here with the wife on a Friday afternoon. The patio atmosphere was very comfortable and the service was great. The lunch order of taquitos was tasty. The wife got the chimichanga and said it was delicious. read more

El Gran Rodeo - Dos Taquitos - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

Good food, good people very friendly price very clean always fast for the past 10 years never have a problem

The food was so delicious. The service was quick and good. The restaurant is very large so you won't be waiting very long.

Great dinner. Birrio tacos very good. Great Margarita and Jalepeno poppers great. Fernando a great friendly waiter.Birria Tacos

Great fresh food best rice eaten in any mex restaurant also have hot salsa ask for it this is amazing salsa reminds me of falafel sandwich sauce of my Brooklyn vendors !! Also they had white sauce served with chips. It tasted like hot dog cucumber relish in sour cream ..sweet good after extra hot salsa to cool it down Restaurant layout is booths lots of booths for dates or business meeting ! Loved everything in small town found by just driving in looking for spice food Do try I will !! read more

El Gran Rodeo - Great margarita plus lunch special less than 12 bucks - Mexican Near Me - Christiansburg, Virginia

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Moved here a month ago. This is my third or fourth stop for Mexican. I wouldn't even consider going back to any of the others. This one is probably 5 stars for the NRV but it's a 4 by my standards. I had fajitas and I'll be back. read more

Wonderful staff and service every time we come here amazing food definitely recommend

Always great food and service.. my favorites are the fajitas and the pollo Yucatan.. so delicious.. been at least 100 times and will return! read more

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Highest quality Mexican restaurant in the NRV! Can always count on this place to be quick and DELICIOUS! The servers are SO attentive and are excellent at always keeping your drinks refilled. Speaking of drinks, the alcoholic drinks here are superb. 100% the best margaritas. I will forever have a soft spot for this place as my go to cheat meal! read more

Really decent food. I had the street tacos, chips and white sauce. White sauce was excellent! Service was good until I paid. I tipped the waitress 25%. Then it seemed like she forgot about me. Spent about 35 minutes in the restaurant. read more

Nice restaurant with a good variety menu. Got the Pollo La Casa and it was very tasty. Service was great too.

So far, this is the best Mexican restaurant in the area. It's my goto Mexican restaurant when I am in town.

Service is always good. Food comes out Quickly and Hot. They never seem to disappoint .