Delicious and authentic Sonoran hot dogs and an incredible salsa bar. Affordable with a wide variety of entree options. Everyone will find something that they will enjoy. The staff was super helpful and guided us in making our 1st time selections. Large cafeteria style dining area (it can get loud and sound reverberates) as well as outdoor seating. Plenty of parking. Put this spot on your list if you are interested in experiencing a James Beard Award winning hot dog. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Salsa Bar - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I honestly hate this place. It's a tourist trap that's constantly hyped up by YouTubers, so people from out of state and even other countries come here thinking they're about to try an authentic Sonoran hot dog. If you've never had a real Sonoran hot dog, you might think it's amazing. But if you've had the real thing, this isn't it. Every time I've come here, the bread has been dry, stale, or just plain mediocre. A great Sonoran hot dog starts with fresh, soft bread, and they can't even get that right. If you're looking for a real Sonoran hot dog, go to El Nene--or BK if you have to. In my opinion, El Nene is the best of the three. We also ordered a burrito and specifically asked for shredded beef. The girl taking our order looked confused when we said it, but she repeated, "Okay, shredded beef," as she entered the order. I remember thinking to myself, "There's about a 37% chance she's getting this right." So we said it again: "Shredded beef." She replied, "Yes." At that point, my confidence dropped to about 22%. There was no way we were actually getting shredded beef. Sure enough, we got a carne asada burrito. All we could do was laugh. I took it back to the nice girl at the pickup counter and explained that we had ordered shredded beef. She apologized and told me they only make carne asada burritos. I just laughed again and said, "Okay, thank you very much." She was very nice, and I could tell she saw I was frustrated, but I was already expecting that answer. The burrito had more fat than I cared for, so we ended up throwing it away. So why did we come here in the first place? El Nene was closed, and I didn't feel like going to BK because I didn't want to eat with blasting music in my ears. So I figured, "Screw it, let's just go here." That turned out to be a mistake. Now, I'm not giving this place one star because I don't think that's justified. I'll give it three stars because the restaurant is clean, the salsa bar is always well kept, they provide complimentary grilled onions and chiles, and everyone working there has always been friendly. One last thing: if you're going to advertise bacon-wrapped chiles, don't half-do them like the ones we got. That's just ridiculous. And please...order the larger Coke bottles. What's with the tiny ones? It's like buying one of those sample cups they hand out at Costco on the weekends. It's oddly frustrating, especially when you're paying restaurant prices. This place used to be good, but now it's just disappointing. Everyone's taste buds are different, and you may end up loving it. I don't, and I can't recommend it when there are much better local options nearby. read more

We love this place! One of the best salsa bars I have seen. We ordered a bean burrito Junior and a Sammy dog. The Sammy is a two bacon wrapped Sonoran dogs in a bun. All the fixings are on top including tomatoes, scallions, green, salsa, mushrooms, cucumbers, and various sauces. They have a container full of seared whole green chilies peppers. The bean burrito comes with refried beans or whole beans. I chose the whole beans and added all the embellishments to it. Yum! We come back yearly! It's super casual and authentic. Shared parking lot. read more

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The upgraded beef hot dog for the Sonoran dog was amazing!!! And I love the toppings bar, especially the pickled onions. I also love the chicken sandwich. Must try! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Visiting Tucson and needed to land on a dinner spot. Ended up choosing El Güero Canelo after several recommendations. The FCQ for $4.99 was HUGE. Carne Asada and Apollo are the two protein options for tacos and quesadillas. Sonoran dogs are a given, we went with the nacho form. The space is large and clean. Rightfully, they have sinks outside the bathrooms cause you will be messy. Small sacrifice for amazing food. read more

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Stopped here on the way out of Tucson. I had been to El Guero Canelo a few times (not this location though) and have had tasty hot dogs from them before. I saw that they do an "all beef" dog called the Chucho dog. I knew I had to try it. I went with a Chucho Dog with no mayo. It was about $7.00 or so. The idea is good "A Costco All Beef Sonoran Dog" pretty much, but it fell a bit short. First of all, the dog was like lukewarm. It wasn't freshly griddled right then and there. Also, the toppings went spilling all over the place. The big dog just doesn't work. You need the smaller dogs so you can tuck them inside the bread completely. This was overhanging the bun. It was still decent, but I would much rather have a regular Sonoran Dog over the Chucho. Lady at the counter was friendly. Food was ready very fast. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Chucho Dog. Costco all beef bacon wrapped dog with all the Sonoran Dog toppings. It was ok. Smaller, regular Sonoran Dogs are better. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We heard about this place from friends who live in Tucson you have to have a Sonoran hot dog, and said it was really good, so we had to try it. The restaurant is your average looking fast food type of place where you order at the front and get your food. The dog comes with bacon and is covered with onions, peppers etc. (Think of a Pico) and is nestled in a split bun/boat which is as soft as a pillow. The condiment bar had roasted peppers and onions which was a nice discovery. We aren't talking about a beautiful setting inside or Michelin level food, but it was a decent hot dog which has quite a local following. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Sonoran Hot Dog - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Nice location. Very open and air conditioned. There are daily specials which include French fries and a drink. Great salsa bar and they have grilled green onion and peppers. read more

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Clean eating space and well stocked salsa bar. The Sonoran dog was very good and I was able to customize it which was great! The carne asada fries were the saddest fries I've even seen. The cheese was barely melted and the fries were not hot. The meat on top was great but I would suggest queso instead of shredded cheddar. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Carne Fries - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This place has huge portions, but I'm not gonna lie. The meat did not have very much flavor and had a lot of additional things that you can put on Pico de Gallo, different sauces which made that nice. But the flavor of the meat was still very bland I give this place a 3 read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - A big burrito with bacon. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Guero Canelo has been my go-to spot for Mexican food since I moved to Tucson. It's always the first place I take family and friends straight from the airport when they visit. The winner of a James Beard award, the restaurant is spacious, with plenty of well-spaced seating, making it comfortable even when it's busy. I always order the carne asada burrito--it comes with cabbage and beans, and you can add cheese if you'd like. They offer three sizes: Junior, Medium, and Very Mucho. The Very Mucho is enormous--perfect for sharing or tackling solo if you're really hungry. Their Sonoran Hot Dogs are also a must-try being in Tucson. It's a bacon wrapped hotdog which is a local favorite. One of the great touches is that the owner often stops by to check in with both staff and customers, which creates a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. There's also a self-serve bar stocked with guacamole, salsa, lime, grilled onions, cucumbers, and more. If you're looking for delicious Mexican food in Tucson, Guero Canelo is a must-visit. read more

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The service was speedy. The food was delicious. The bathrooms were clean. My only complaint: the self serve bar needed restocking and I was not there during the busiest time. The Sonoran Hot Dogs are delicious! If you've never tried them go for the gusto and get everything in them, then add mushroom and green sauce! Yum!!!! I will be back anytime I am in the area! A must visit!!!! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - 2 Sonoran Style Hot Dogs - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We grabbed lunch here while we were exploring Tucson. Excellent food and service. Food is made fresh and the have a salsa bar. The place is clean. I would recommend to my friends read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Front of house - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This used to be my go-to place to bring friends and family when I was home in Tucson so they could experience the famous Sonoran Dogs. Sadly, not anymore as it feels like the quality and size of the dogs have gone downhill. I brought my nephews in for the famous sonoran dogs and we all enjoyed the salsa bar more than the sonoran dogs. The bacon wasn't very cooked through, the mayo questionable (the only person who had the mayo got sick) and hardly any spice or flavor. One person got the quesadilla and loaded up on veggies from the salsa bar. That's the way to go! read more

What was once a staple in my house has fallen off the map. We went here for dinner and everything was dry or stale or burnt. The tortilla chips were stale, the Sonoran hot dogs were dry, and the carne asada tasted burnt. Also, everything was bland. We had to salt literally every food item. We won't be back again :( read more

El Güero Canelo is a must when you're in Tucson! The food is always delicious, and I'll forever recommend this place to anyone visiting. It's our go to spot whenever my boyfriend and I don't know what to eat, we end up here, and it never disappoints. The service is super fast, and the inside is really spacious with plenty of seating. They've got a little salsa bar with toppings like cucumbers, which is a nice bonus. The menu has a bit of everything nachos, tacos, hot dogs, burritos and more. Whatever you get, it hits. And honestly, the mangoneada(mango with chamoy treat) is the best! Overall, this place is just great. Always good vibes and even better food. read more

Great place for a Sonora dog. Prices are reasonable. They have a good condiment/salsa bar. So this is friendly and they are bilingual. Casual and clean. read more

A Tucson institution! Swung by for a "quick" work lunch and learned it was El Guero Canelo Day - the anniversary of the restaurant's founding. Their original Sonoran Dog is $1.99 all day (normally $4.29). The line was moderately long and almost every table was taken. It took about 30 min from walking in to getting food... not too bad. The lone disappointment is how tiny the hotdogs are. The first 1-2 inches of bun on Each end is devoid of any dog, otherwise delicious. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Front counter & Menu 11/2024 - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I had dinner here recently with a group of friends. It's a large barn with counter service and a help-yourself salsa and veggie bar. I ordered a Sonoran Dog Estilo Sonora ($2.99), a Taco Macho with chicken ($5.15), and a Caribbean Smoothie ($5.43). I enjoyed every bit of it. There were seven of us and I think everyone was happy. Prices are reasonable. read more

The 2018 James Beard Awards Committee announced their five "American Classics" picks, and one of the winners is... a hot dog. No joke! The winning hot dog is from El Guero Canelo here in Tucson, Arizona. What makes Sonoran Dogs so special? For starters, a squishy bolillo roll envelopes a bacon-wrapped hot dog. Pinto beans, a mixture of raw and grilled onions, and tomatoes are then piled on before the entire masterpiece is drizzled lovingly with mustard, mayonnaise, and jalapeño salsa. A roasted chile güero (a pale pepper) is served on the side. It's a masterpiece, and you would be doing yourself a disservice if you do not get yourself a Sonoran Dog while in Arizona. And while the Sonoran Dogs at El Guero Canelo are pretty darn amazing, their carne asada tacos leave much to be desired. I won't be waxing anymore poetry on their food, so TL;DR just stick with the Sonoran Dogs, okay? Daniel Contreras, owner of El Güero Canelo, has competed in Food Wars and won. His Sonoran hot dogs have been featured in The New York Times and Bon Appétit magazine as well as various shows, like the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food." Hats off to ya, Contreras! read more

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"If there's a glizzy, I'll find it." - Simone Biles, the GOAT and most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast of all time So what you're saying is that top tiered athletes eat hot dogs, yet my doctor is telling me to stop eating processed tube-shaped meats? Nah. Imma be like Biles. I kid... partially. Having not been in the Tucson area in about 20 years, heavy research was done by J-WoW. The only place she had demanded to go to was El Guero Canelo, winner of a 2018 James Beard award in American Classics: the hot dog. Folks, get you a Sonoran Dog. Don't question this absolute Frankenstein of a wiener. Yes, it has hot dog wrapped in bacon with beans, tomatoes, and onions in raw and cooked form. Yeah there's mayo, mustard, and jalapeño sauce on top. And BIG YES that it's a masterpiece you need to consume. They serve a pepper on the side, which is a great treat. Skip the tacos here at El Guero Canelo. Their tacos are the only reason they didn't get five-stars. Come here and get yourself a taste of Tucson. read more

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El Güero is a Tucson staple and for good reason... at least for certain items on their menu. My main recommendations are always the cheese quesadilla, Sonoran hot dogs, and their carne asada. The restaurant itself has a salsa bar with pico, mild salsa, hot salsa, cucumbers, and a creamy avocado sauce. However, I tried the nachos for the first time and was not a fan. The quesadilla was absolutely massive and the Sonoran hot dogs were as iconic as always. Overall, a space with a decent patio and a very, very casual atmosphere. Service is always quick and it's a great place to take folks visiting from out of town. read more

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This place is great and their salsa bar is TOP TIER! Loved the Sonoran dog and the French fries were so amazing I was surprised how good they were. So simple but so good. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Estilo Sonora & Asada Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

So this place has a lot of history in Tucson and they've done well in the market. It's easy to understand why. The food is very tasty and reasonably priced for the most part. I got the Chucos dog and two Lorenza tacos. The Lorenza was more like a tostada as far as I could tell. There was a cheese layer, a bean layer, and then the carne asada. Everything was excellent. I didn't see why they didn't allow for refills of sodas after charging $4+ per soda. Yes it was a 32 oz soda, but it was mostly ice. The service was fast and adequate. The space is large and pretty clean. read more

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Large fresh burritos and mexican food The staff is very helpful and friendly Most people say the Sonoran hot dogs are the best n Tucson, however I am just a mustard guy, hope people understand recommended!!!!!! read more

The prices are too high. $50 for 2 people to eat 3 carne asada tacos, quesadilla and an horchata drink. $8.99 to guacamole to the tacos and they served pre-packaged bland chips. It didn't deliver on the food experience from previous visits. It's time to try another place in Tucson. I will never go back! read more

You gotta come here for the salsa bar. The carne asada quesadilla is delicious - one of the best places I've found!

When in Tucson, one must try a Sonoran hot dog. With so many places serving them, I decided to go with this spot because of the positive reviews. I love hot dogs. So much so that I would probably eat them every day if I could. I usually prefer them naked with just ketchup or topped with chili. Not a fan when they load it up with stuff. So I went in thinking that I wouldn't like a Sonoran hot dog. ESTILO SONORA - $4 Upon first bite, it was a 10/10 for me. The soft bun held everything together. The beans, grilled onions, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeño sauce harmoniously went well together. IT JUST WORKED!! There is a condiment bar with extra sauces and toppings as well. Service was quick. Price was cheap. Spacious cafeteria seating space. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This was a little out of the way but well worth the drive! It's super clean, it's big there was plenty of parking and no waiting ( we came here instead of a popular spot with a 2 hour wait on a Friday night). The macho taco was so good, the carne asada was tasty and flavorful, the roasted chile with cheese was perfectly peeled seeded and salted, if you know ... you know. Come here for tacos and Sonoran dogs made with love. read more

When traveling, I like to try local foods, so I headed to El Guero Canelo for the famous Sonoran hot dog. I thought it was OK, but I am used to Chicago-style hot dogs. While it wasn't my cup of tea, I felt it was cooked well, and service was fast. The flan was amazing. My friend had a chicken torta sandwich which looked great, and he really liked it. Great value for the money, and I'll be back to try something else. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Sonora hot dog with jalapeño sauce & beans on the side, salsa bar, flan $9.60 - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

When in Tucson....ya gotta try a Sonora Dog. Today's lunch stop- El Guero Canelo for the famous Sonora Dog. Got there right at opening (11am). Atmosphere: Clean dinning area. Nice patio of you love sitting outside. Clean restrooms for customers. The food: ordered Estillo Sonora Dog and large Horchata. That bacon wrapped beauty with everything on it. Yummeh! Worth stopping here if in the area. Huge salsa bar as well. Would come back here again. 4/5 stars read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Had to try the famous Sonoran hot dog. However, I was a bit disappointed. I think the quality of the hot dogs at Costco tasted better, and the meat to bun ratio was super off. I mostly just tasted bread and mayo, which was okay. When back in Tucson, I want to try a street vendor Sonoran dog! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Sonoran hot dog - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I was traveling to Tucson and wanted to try authentic tacos and the hot dogs. I went on taco Tuesday and you can't beat 2 dollar tacos. The best part was the free topping bar. Everything tasted great! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

A large, famous restaurant known for their Sonoran dogs. The service was decent but everything moves pretty quick. I tried the churros, horchata, and Sonoran dogs. The horchata was a bit too sweet and had too much cinnamon for me, so it was ok. The Sonoran dogs were good but I don't think they were particularly outstanding. The churros were the same where they were good but not outstanding. I've had better dough where it has more chew while still being crispy. Overall pretty decent, but I don't think it's a must go. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Happy anniversary, 30 YEARS. We LOVE THIS PLACE! We originally found this place at least 8 years ago. It change during C-19, but it's back. It was good, fun and fresh. I WOULD RECOMMEND read more

Came for their famous hot dog and it was good but not mind blowing or James Beard level. Carne asada was very chewy. But it was cheap. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Sonora hotdog - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Perhaps the best Sonoran Dog! The restaurant was clean! Service was great, and the food was excellent! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Sonoran Dog - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Stopped in for a Sonoran dog to go. Place was busy as it's a popular destination. Lots of different options. They are know for their Sonoran dogs, which are great. Lots of seating and great for groups. read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Entrance - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food, service and staff is awesome!!! Very affordable! Anything you order is fantastic!! The Sonoran Dogs and Carne Asada is the best!!! Perfectly seasoned and tender!!! read more

El Güero Canelo Restaurant - Carne Caramelo - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Famous Sonoran style hotdog made this iconic original south tucson restaurant beginnings now we three locations in tucson internationally famous. On oracle road just NE of grant road this large newer modern site was busy Friday at noon . The free " relish bar" is loaded with tasty grilled Mexican onions , peppers , salsas , sauces & more . We had Sammy" Sonoran style hotdogs ,cane asada quesadilla , and carne asada bollito. All well prepared , visually appealing , & most importantly tasty . They have drive thru service available . Closed on Mondays . A good example of local food & restaurants that define Tucson as a city of gastronomy. read more

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