Stopped by El Jacalito Grill to watch a World Cup game and had a great experience overall. The servers were friendly and attentive, the drinks were good, and the atmosphere was perfect for catching the match. We took advantage of happy hour and ordered the margaritas, which were delicious and a great value. We also happened to visit on Quesabirria Wednesday, and the birria was excellent. My only complaint is the regular drink pricing once happy hour ends. While I understand they're located in the Village and prices tend to be higher in that area, $19 for a margarita felt a bit steep. Because of that, we ended up leaving when happy hour ended. Overall, I'd definitely come back for the service, food, happy hour specials, and game-day atmosphere--just be prepared for higher drink prices outside of happy hour. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Happy hour margarita - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

The place was really good. I came here during the afternoon hours on a Monday. It was sad to see there was only one server taking on multiple parties. I think someone called off or was running late. The server was helpful and thankful for having patience. The shreeded beef burrito (no beans), wet style with red enchilada sauce was amazing. The complimentary chips and salsas were top notch. I loved the two spicy green salsas. The chips were fresh and delicious to pair with the burrito. The margaritas were good and the atmosphere was relaxing. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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I really wanted to like this place. Our server was great and the atmosphere was fun, clean and great vibes. The food however was just bland. No real flavor to any of it. The salsa the rice or beans or the chicken just nothing really had any flavor to it. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Grilled chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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We were visiting Big Bear from Las Vegas. Coming from a Service Oriented City, I tend to have high expectations. They definitely exceeded my expectations. We were a party of 9, and they were on top of quickly seating us, accommodating our needs, and making sure we were satisfied. It's a Mexican restaurant and cantina, it's a cool Day Of The Dead theme as you enter. Throughout the restaurant they stay true to the theme. Nine picky eaters ordered different items off of the menu. None of us had a complaint. I ordered the Carnitas Burrito. It was fantastic. Filled with flavor and a very generous portion! It is a cantina so I was able to order a 32oz beer. That made me very happy. If you like Mexican Food. I highly recommend El Jacalito Grill. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Hostess Stand - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

The vibe here is good nice and Mexican style. I like that they had heat warmers outside which was great since it was so cold. I ordered albóndigas soup but it wasn't all that great. The taquitos I got for my daughter were good. read more

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I live in Orange County but my favorite Mexican food in Southern California is in Big Bear at El Jacalito! Their chips are great, and I love the added salsa bar. Their guacamole is delish!! My favorite menu items are the asada ranchers and the Santa Fe salad with shrimp-- both totally with the 2 hour drive!! And we've been making it for years. The service has always been good, but I'm finally writing this review because when we went last weekend or service was exceptional. Our waiter, Levi, was outstanding-- plenty knowledgeable, and the perfect balance of attentive. His manners were impeccable, so friendly and polite. I would definitely request his station in the future! read more

Went there with friends Tuesday and the service and food was great. We enjoyed sitting on the patio. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Daily specials - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Gratuity for a family of 6 was automatically included at 18%. Fine, but the service was not very good. It seemed as though she knew she would get an ample tip without trying. We didn't get straws, rarely checked on..had to wait a while for the check and a to-go box. The kids meals were great, but adult food was eh. Sitting outside was nice, but we probably wouldn't return for the other reasons. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Good Mexican spot with large menu and drink selection. Salsa bar is great. The albóndigas soup was very delicious. Service was a bit slow when they are busy. There is indoor and outdoor seating options with a bar as well. Loud environment. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Albóndigas soup - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Absolutely one of the best Mexican spots in Big Bear. Hubby had the carnitas wet burrito with green sauce and the carnitas were super tender. Not salty at all and the green sauce was not too spicy. I had the enchiladas suizas with chicken with rice and pinto beans. My goodness were those beans and rice delicious!!!! I'm a huge believer that if they mess up something as basic as beans and rice everything else will be blah but man did they pass with flying colors. Our server was very nice and attentive. I love that they speaks Spanish here. I also appreciated that they brought out my toddler's plate before ours and that's a huge win in my book!!!! Definitely check out this spot whether it's a date night or family night out. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Enchiladas suizas with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Good service, good food, good bar. Nice location. Village is delightful. Friendly staff.

A girl gets hungry after a day of shopping so I came in for lunch and was very very happy with my visit here. Sarah was exceptional. She was attentive, she was friendly and just all around one of the best servers I've ever had. Very cute restaurant with a nice big outdoor patio towards the back and then a smaller front one and then interior seating has high top tables with TVs in one room and then comfy large booths in another room. I enjoyed a skinny margarita, my fave, and she brought out warm tortilla chips that weren't too flaky at all. They were sturdy so they could be dipped in all the sauces that you can choose from at their salsa bar! Then I had the combination enchilada and chicken taco on the lunch menu special and everything was extremely flavorful and unctuous! I truly recommend this place and the prices are pretty decent as well! Thanks again! read more

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Great food, good service, chips & salsa was great! Price wasn't too bad for the food, drinks were alil higher than usual but overall I enjoyed it. Nice little cozy spot, right in the village. I got the enchiladas! They were sooo good! Highly recommend! read more

El Jacalito Grill - Chili relleno - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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We went on Labor Day weekend and the molcajete was pretty good! A little overpriced for what it was but it's a tourist area... so it's expected. We had decent service. Our server himself was very polite and helpful but the hostess wasn't when we first got there. The atmosphere is nice outside during September and it was pretty busy. It's a fun place with their own salsa bar, and every salsa we tried was actually pretty amazing and authentic! read more

El Jacalito Grill - Molcajete with asada, pollo asado, shrimp, chorizo, jalepenos. - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Great food and salsa bar. Our waitress was nice and loved her recommendations. Carnitas are delicious. We sat outside beautiful weather too

Food was delicious and prices were fair, but the service ruined the experience. Our server, Sarah St. Clair, was monotone, curt, and clearly not interested in being friendly -- not just with us but with other tables too. When we complained, the person we spoke with first claimed to be the manager, then backtracked saying the manager had a "family emergency." It felt more like she was covering for her coworker than taking the concern seriously. To top it off, Sarah St. Clair waved at us with a smug grin as we left -- incredibly unprofessional. Great food, but unless the service is addressed, it's hard to recommend. If you like the Las Vegas restaurant called Dicks where they treat you as such, then Sarah St. Clair is your gal. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Just ate here wouldn't really recommend over priced and if you take a party of 7 or more people be ready for an extra +50 dollars on ur tab just for a party of 7 or more . food Plates didn't even come with enough food plates look half empty when they came wouldn't recommend to take family or friends. read more

Unfortunately, this visit was a bit disappointing. I ordered the nachos and the chips were mostly crumbs, which made them hard to enjoy. The cheese also could have been melted much more--everything felt a little unfinished. The only real redeeming part of the nachos was the guacamole, which was fresh and tasty. I also ordered a blended Mango Cadillac Margarita, but it wasn't blended well at all and had large chunks of ice, which took away from the drink. On a more positive note, my husband did enjoy his burrito, and my son said the fajitas were very flavorful. So while some dishes were good, my experience personally fell short, especially for the price. read more

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Food was great and lots of flavor. Service was fast and friendly. Ambiance was clean and authentic Mexican. read more

El Jacalito Grill - Paloma - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

I called to ask about their gluten free options, whoever answered said they would find out and put me on hold. They ended up hanging up on me, so I figured it was a mistake. I called back and the same person answered and seemed bothered that I called back and hanged up on me again!!! Very unprofessional! Ended up at Rosa's down the street, much better service, very accommodating to my daughter's gluten intolerance. read more

Delicious Pozole, shrimp tacos, birria tacos and the salsa bar has all flavors and spice you need to pair with amazing food! Highly recommend! read more

1st time and won't be the last. great food and the service was good and friendly. Sat outside and it perfect. Family loved it.

Great service and loved the salsa bar. Our food was good and the margaritas even better. Solid Mexican restaurant to visit if you're in Big Bear. It's super close to all the shops and has a nice patio area as well. read more

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I want to start with service. 5Stars! Levi was our server and was amazing. We had a party of 7 and he helped us get seated quickly. He was friendly, knowledgeable and very personable. Didn't rush us, he let us actually dine and converse but also he kept checking on us. He gave great food recommendations, and we all loved our food! Overall we loved the vibe, the food & drinks...but Levi made it a great experience. read more

Got here on a Friday night hungry... mistake number one. Drove into town thinking there would be availability for a table of 10! Yeah, no. Luckily as we walked back we saw this nice little gem. Right away they accommodated my party of 10 (mostly kids to too it off). Clearly the service was great right off the bat! Our orders were taken right away and served impressively quick. The servers were attentive and accommodating. They had great attitudes and made us feel welcomed. The food... boy was I surprised. Quite authentic. I had the albóndiga soup due to the cold weather. Tasted home made! Right amount of vegetables and albóndigas. My kids had the quesabirria tacos and they were not disappointed. The portions are decently good. They have a salsa bar and each one of their salsas were delicious. My favorite was the "hot". Certainly homemade salsas. I was impressed with the refried beans! They do not taste like canned beans. I was very happy about that. I did not expect the over all great taste of their food. They also played great music that's loud enough to enjoy, but also you're able to have a conversation! read more

El Jacalito Grill - Quesabirria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Greater & seated immediately. Sat on the patio, perfect day to enjoy the weather. Our server was friendly & attentive. Ordered happy hour margarita & IPA. Loved the salsa bar. All salsas were good. Had the carne asada fries & birria tacos. Both delicious! We'd definitely come back! read more

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Food was good - back staff was good. Service wasn't the greatest. Waitress forced us to pay the tab as a whole and said we couldn't split the bill for a party of 8. read more

The Small Bear burrito is an excellent breakfast burrito. Big Bear Burrito wasn't bad if you don't like chorizo

My friend and I came here for our bachelorette party dinner. The chips that come out are absolutely delicious! The seasoning they use tastes great with the salsa. Overall, we all really enjoyed the dishes we got: burrito bowl, pozole, and two different types of enchiladas. Personally, the red sauce for the three enchilada combo has a heat that grows. I didn't fully enjoy my meal because of it but overall it was good and the rice is delicious. Our sever was so kind and he was great for our party. He offered quick service and made sure our drinks came out way before our meals. The place itself is on the smaller side so it was a little tight. Luckily for us, the other people who were out for dinner match our vibes on a Friday night! read more

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Cannot say enough great things about this place! We visited this past weekend, after being treated HORRIBLY at the neighboring restaurant. I am actually glad that happened because we were then able to experience the wonderful service, delicious food, great drinks, and the very welcoming atmosphere El Jacalito Grill has to offer. Thank you to everyone on the staff for being so accommodating for our infant, and for turning our day around! Cant wait to come back next time we are in Big Bear Lake. read more

Service was quick and food was delicious! Enjoyed the salsa bar and the various levels of spiciness to them. The plates are well priced for the amount of food you get. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Went in for some drinks at the bar , but was greeted by so called bartender eating and talking with her mouth full of food . I wanted a mojito and said she didn't have mint , mind you almost all the drinks had mint , but she didn't like offer an option for us . She was just plain rude & we just left & went to Tropicali!! read more

First time here, wow. What's an amazing Jem in big bear . We dined at 8 pm. We were not rushed at all. Drinks filled non stop , chips and salsa were always topped off. Now the good stuff. The food. They have amazing food. All 7 of us had the same conclusion. Awesome!!!! We will be back for sure. The prices were great too. Cheers to Rolando our waiter and his crew. They were on point. The vibe was great . Music but not too loud. Just had a warm feel about it. You won't regret it. Thank You Very Much read more

This is our second time coming in great food great service. Everything is so fresh. We're definitely coming back. Alexandra was our waitress. She was really tentative to us and great service. read more

My wife and I went there for lunch and had a great time! The food and service were both excellent. I had the steak fajitas and my wife had the taco plate. We really enjoyed both. Also, Mary was very good as well. The next time we're in town we'll definitely stop by for a meal. A great place to go for very good Mexican food. read more

We stopped in for lunch. We had taco salads. Hubs had carne asada and I had carnitas. Both were delicious. Lots of meat and very flavorful. It was quiet when we came in on Friday. Saturday night for dinner. Service was great the decor is really nice. We will definitely be back again. read more

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Ordered the veggie burrito bowl -ordered no pico de gallo arrived with guacamole, roasted peppers and onions (which I did not want or added) but no cheese or sour cream, when I requested cheese and sour cream the charged me an additional $4. Won't EVER eat here again, you're better off going to Taco Bell down the street. The busboy server was excellent, everyone else seemed inconvenienced that we were there. read more

Excellent service and the food was amazing I highly recommend the birria quesadilla tacos. Probably the best Mexican food I've had in California. read more

It was closing time when we got there and young lady said it's closing time and we can take out if we want to. We have us the menu and spoke so nice to us and already I knew this is the spot. We ordered the Thursday special and shrimp cocktail (I love Mexican Shrimp cocktails) and we waited and got out to go and it was super satisfying dinner I had in a long time. Service was excellent and food was amazing. I love this place read more

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Cruising thru The Village at Big Bear Lake, we decided to try El Jacalito Grill. The patio dining area looked inviting. Parking was easy and the waiter was attentive. The Salsa Bar was a pleasant surprise with something for all tastebuds. The chile relleno combo plate was massive and the food delicious. The albondigas meatball soup was Wow.... with a flavor that was distinct and unique, yet subtle. Ahhh. Go for great food, atmosphere and service. A highlight of our trip. read more