Ate here years ago and didn't like it, but since it's so close to my home I wanted to give it another try. The service is very friendly, although not always good. I ordered a ground beef chimichanga. I was given a torta. I said to the waitress "I don't think this is what I ordered." She said "torta?" I said I ordered a ground beef chimichanga. She looked at the ticket and laughed and said "yes you did!" So my fiance started eating her fajitas while my food was being prepared. The fajitas weren't BAD, but they weren't good either. Very bland, absolutely zero seasoning on them. It wasn't long before my food arrived. The rice and beans were actually really good. The "salad"...I swear, it's the bagged salad mix from Walmart. Lettuce, red cabbage and carrots. A tiny little cup of sour cream and another with guacamole. The chimichangas were nasty. I got three small ones, very thick breading, or whatever it was. It definitely wasn't a deep fried tortilla. Each one had a small amount of ground beef and a large amount of semi melted cheese inside. I was actually starting to feel nauseous eating them. And I 100% believe they were frozen. I've never seen chimichangas like these before. Of course you are given chips and salsa. The chips were approaching stale. One of the salsa's was delicious, the other was like watery ketchup. Overall, a few hits, a few average items, and some of the worst Mexican food I've ever eaten. read more

My Favorite Mexican foodin Janesville hands down!! The Service and Food is great not to mention a good sized menu

The food here was AMAZING! Definitely worth the short trek off of the interstate. Service was fast and our waitress was very kind. Would recommend!!! read more

El Jardin Restaurant - Taco platter - Seafood Near Me - Janesville, Wisconsin

We found this place off the beaten track thanks to a sign on the highway. We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked inside. They were perfectly happy to have us sit at the bar while we ordered takeout. The woman behind the bar was very friendly and confirmed that our choices were good: pollo en mole poblano (chicken with mole sauce) and lomo de puerco en salsa verde y nopales (pork loin in green sauce with cactus). The TV at the bar had on a show dubbed in Spanish, which was interesting to watch while we waited for our food. The food was entirely worth the wait! I've had pork with nopales elsewhere, but when I had it here I immediately understood what the other restaurants were trying to do. The pork was thin, but well seasoned and still juicy. The sauce was spicy and brought out fruitiness in the pickled nopales. The mole was also very good. The chicken was falling off the bone, and the rich flavors of chocolate and spices shone through. And the handmade tortillas were piping hot inside the neatly folded foil. I am telling everyone I know who drives between the Twin Cities and Chicago about this place. It's a gem, and I'm so glad we went! read more

Food and service were fantastic. We had a chicken burrito and the chicken chimichangas with rice and beans. Prices are great. Would definitely go back. read more

It is a nice and quiet restaurant with a very reasonably priced lunch menu. Beans are very tasty and not spicy and the rice is very good too! They have great fried ice cream. The staff is also very friendly and checks in with you at a reasonable pace. read more

The last two times have been bad. The 1st waitress kept talking the whole time we were there. She would sit down and talk and we had to finally get her attention. The 2nd waitress gave us our food and never came back. We had to tell a guy to refill our drinks and get us our check read more

Totally stumbled upon this place by accident when we got off of the tollway. It's a bit of a haul from the exit and was the first restaurant that we came to, so we stopped in. So glad we did! The service is outstanding and the food is delicious. Love the salsa and the chips are thin and crispy - just how I like them. read more

See all

A good friend told me about this place. She said everyone who she has recommended the restaurant to has loved it. My man adores Mexican and we stopped in at 4:30p on a Monday. First thing I noticed is the place is good sized with lots of booths. It's a little dark but not terrible. The decor a bit dated but we weren't there for the decor. We were there for the food. We were immediately taken to a booth and given menus. The menu is vast and I promise you there's something for everyone. My man ordered enchiladas with Rona which is his absolute favorite and he's hard to please. I ordered the beef flautas dinner. Before dinner came they gave us two separate types of salsas with chips that were warm and crunchy. Both sauces were delicious. Our order was taken by a very friendly server and food came piping hot to the table. My man raved about his food. He said the enchiladas were delicious and the beans very yummy. I received three flautas which were delicious and a double order of beans and they were delicious. We passed on dessert and we're happy to pay the bill which was very reasonable. I recommend this restaurant for you to try. The food is very good. The prices are very good and the service was very good. read more

The best thing this place has going for them is the horchata. The chicken is questionable, it was so salty and gray colored. I took 1 bite and that was it for me. Did not touch anything else. read more

This is the best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. From the pickled vegetables in the fajitas, to the outstanding tequilas, this is always my first choice. The service has also always been next level. read more

I have never been inside the restaurant, but during covid my family ordered takeout. I don't remember what I had, but I remember it being delicious. read more

Ordered socially responsible delivery Our food arrived at the door still hot, nothing was soggy (steak tostadas were so crispy and delicious!) and we ordered a large side of salsa and received a huge cup of it! Best $3 side order ever!! read more

El Jardin Restaurant - Chicken tacos - Seafood Near Me - Janesville, Wisconsin

fast service great food eat here at least 3 times a month always kind servers and prompt service good house margarita read more

Good Mexican food in Janesville. Wish they still had the homemade tortilla woman making fresh tortillas but food was still good. The fried ice cream was the only disappointment and the staff could be more friendly. read more

Moved here from LA with zero expectations of good Mexican food. Man was I wrong!!! This place is spot on and the service is amazing!!! Great food guys and keep it up. read more

Myself and coworkers come here quite often for lunch since it's so close. The lunch menu ranges from $5-$7 and the portions are well worth it. Can't beat the portion to price combo anywhere else close by. The nachos con carne, beef chimichangas, and taco salad are worth it. If you're really hungry, the nachos con carne will give you a fight. It's a big plate. read more

See all

Haven't eaten here in almost 20 years....Guess if it's been that long I should have taken it as no reason to eat there now...but hubby and I were deciding on what to eat and I've heard several people recently mention El Jardin and their good food. We went around 2:30 so it wasn't busy at all. A table with two ladies and another table of perhaps 6 people. Server was slow. Food was mediocre at best. WORST guacamole I have ever had. Horrible...no tomatoes, no onions...just a cheap mix I assume and the price was ridiculous. I could have bought a cheap assed container of it at the grocery store and it would have been better. Hubby got the chicken enchaladas....so bland it was basically tasteless. I got the beef chimichangas and it was just meat and some cheese. No beans or rice or anything inside, just bleh meat. Bland and disappointing. While the side portions of beans and rice are large...and the size of the chimichangas were also large it does not make up for IMVHO poor taste or should I say tasteless meals. Save your money and either stay home or go to Hacienda Real. What a waste of money and time. The ONLY reason they received a 2 star review vs a 1 star is the place was clean. read more

Almost possibly the worst Mexican style restaurant we've ever been to. The food and drinks looked okay, but looks can be deceiving. The margarita was nasty, and the chicken tasted like it had been cooked all day and then cooked some more. Although the price was cheaper for dinner here than it usually is at our favorite Mexican style restaurant, it was definitely not worth it. You get what you pay for at this place. read more

Drinks are sub par, spicy margaritas were terrible, tasted like someone mixed in a spicy V8 in with them. We had to send our drinks back and have another bartender see to them. Our appetizers were late. The main courses were sub par as well. We made a reservation and we arrived on time to find out it was given to another party and we had to wait for them to make a place for us. The place is grossly understaffed and it took a very long time for our food to be delivered. The ONLY reason it is a two star is because our server went to fix our drinks himself and he was visually upset about the condition of our drinks and tried his best to give us the best service he could being understaffed. To be fair it was busy this evening. read more

Honestly, I have very little good to say about El Jardin. The only positive aspect of the meal was that the tacos were so small that they didn't last too long. I had four, one of each, beef, pork, chicken, and sausage. The beef, pork, and chicken were incredibly unimaginative. They were so bland that not even their mother could fake interest in them. The sausage however, was pretty tasty. Nothing else was super exciting about it, but the meat itself was well flavored. It all tasted bland, and straight out of a middle school cafeteria, without the slightest bit of flavor. In fact, the only thing akin to foreign flavor is the salsa. I can only hope that it's intentionally designed to taste like unseasoned Ragu spaghetti sauce, because it certainly doesn't taste like anything I would want to willingly dip my chip in, much less consume. I also got a margarita. I'm not sure the folks had ever seen a lime, much lest used one. It was a terrible fake-flavored mix which was almost impossible to look at, let alone enjoy. On the bright side, the water was pretty good. read more

Excellent treat on a snowy Wednesday night. Started out with the Patron Margarita. Very smooth, not too sweet. Order Chili rellinos de queso. Breading was light, not greasy, peppers fresh and cheese melted at correct temperature. Guacamole side was a little small and lacked a little flavor but hard to expect more in Wisconsin in February. Muy Bueno!!!!! read more

El Jardin Restaurant - Patron Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Janesville, Wisconsin

See all

We have tried nearly all the Mexican restaurants in the area and this has to be my least recommended. The restaurant itself is large with the standard Mexican fair. The service was attentive and friendly. The drinks were relatively cheap, and going on Thursday night, its ladies night so margaritas are half off. As far as the food, it is basically tasteless Mexican food. Starting with the chips and salsa, the chips were warm and tasty, but sauces are bland and generic. We even asked for a spicy sauce which was a little creamy but still didn't cut it. We tried a chile relleno which was atrocious, basically a poblano pepper full of cheese with no taste. Even the Veg burrito lacked any appreciable taste or quality ingredients. The taco's and the accompanying rice and beans were ok. Overall, there are much better choices in the area so I would not recommend El Jardin to satisfy your Mexican craving, you are better off at Hacienda Real. read more

Good service, unique menu, and high quality, fairly authentic Mexican food. This place has proven to me to be the best Mexican restaurant in the area. It's not 100% authentic like you'd get south of the border, and it's not as good as some of the places in large cities like Milwaukee or Chicago. But it is very good, decently priced, and the margaritas are surprisingly good. read more

My mom and I went for lunch here and it was a good meal of salsa and chips, Pacifico/tecate, and then steak tacos for both of us. Service was great - the gentleman serving us was extremity attentive. read more

El Jardin is my favorite Mexican food in Janesville. Coming from Southern CA, I know it's not really that authentic, but it is tasty. They accommodate my special orders and serve you quickly. The servers are friendly. The raspberry margarita is very good! I don't think I've had a raspberry margarita anywhere else, but I liked it. I really like the flautas (taquitos). Shredded beef is the way to go! Great flavor and filling. The chilaquiles are pretty spicy. I enjoy a little bit of a kick, but they were too spicy for me to eat plain. My husband's favorite is the tostadas. Recently they have been skimping a little on the lettuce, but they'll bring extra if you ask. Definitely worth a shot if you like Mexican food. Thursday night is "Ladies' Night" with half price margaritas. Friday they have a fish fry, which I have never tried as I don't eat fish, but they have it. And like I said, they are the best Mexican place in Janesville that I have tried so far. read more

Considering that fact that I don't care for food that burns a hold in my esophagus, one would think I would have enjoyed the milder side of Mexican food. However, I expect Mexi-food to be bursting with flavor and this was not. In my opinion It was quite bland. read more

We used to love this place. I ordered the nachos and I'm sure the "meat" was textured veg protein...gross!

Small portion size, pricy, didn't taste good. I ordered the shrimp enchiladas to go. Charged me $16! Not pleased.

Went here for lunch today while in Janesville on business. I ordered the #17 lunch combo and it was delicious. The service was very good and the food came out very quickly. read more

My wife and I had dinner here after playing golf and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The Margaritas were very good and the food was excellent. The service was exceptional and I wonder if the gentlemen that we interacted with were owners because it was obvious it was more than a job, they really seemed to care. Next we play 18 at Glen Erin we will definitely be coming back. read more

The absolute best place for Mexican food in the area, hands down. I've had the enchiladas and the burritos and I can't find another place that equals to the quality. Happy hour margaritas are cheap and you can taste the alcohol, unlike fiesta Cancun. Fast service too! read more

El Jardin needs to go back to el jardin and try picking some fresh ingredients for their "authentic" Mexican food. My husband is of Mexican descent - we have never in our lives had to salt Mexican food....until tonight. We had the steak fajitas - the steak and vegetables were steamed - there wasn't a single seared/caramelized item on the plate. The guacamole was a nuclear green color. The beans and rice were empty calories, zero flavor. The enchilada sauce came straight from a can. Even the salsa was flavorless - some cilantro and lime would go a long way. The mojito and margarita were made from a mix and incredibly thick with syrup. Go to Hacienda Real if you are in Janesville. Definitely won't be returning here. read more

Not authentic at all. I would give it a better rating than the other "mexican" restaurants I've been at in Janesville, but that isn't saying a whole lot. read more

Great food, mood, drinks, and overall experience. This is the best Mexican I've had in Janesville. Take advantage of the traditional dishes on the menu for the most authentic experience. Friday and Saturday nights have live music too! read more

They lied about a sacred dish. I had the Menudo on a Saturday. The weekend at most Mexican restaurants is the time for Menudo. And I've had a lot of menudo in many Mexican restaurants. THIS WAS FROM A CAN. I asked the waiter if it was freshly made or canned, and he assured me (several times as I became more suspicious) that it was fresh. The waiter flat out lied. The broth was thin and dark, and lacked flavor. The hominy was cut into little dices, much like the potatoes in canned Corned Beef Hash. It was actually hard to see the hominy, and I first thought none was in the bowl. And the meat, the stomach, was weirdly flat and lifeless, instead of springy and chewy. It seemed to have been cooked, and then cooked again. The whole thing was lifeless. And a mess. All in all it was a highly deceptive offering. So it makes me think that if El Jardin would cheat on the Menudo, what else are they cheating on? Menudo is treated by Mexicans as a sacred dish, to be consumed for all manner of ailments. Curiously, one of the ailments it is not used for is lying. It will not cure lying, no matter how many Hail Marys the lair may have chanted at mass. And yes, I have purchased and consumed canned Menudo. And how was it? See above review, that's how it was. read more

Service was great but they got my order wrong. Also, order tamales and they had no taste and were dry as could be. Cozumel is still better.

It's very rich good tasting food. Authentic? I'm not 100% on that. However, it is the best Mexican restaurant in Janesville by far. Very Clearly, culture and Janesville clash, which is probably why the restaurant has made some compromises on authenticity. Overall, nice place with a friendly staff and good food. read more

I pass this place every year on our family vacation. We stopped by here once and were hooked. Only complaint is I wish they were closer to home. Great service and prices. Super fast food prep!!! read more

Never have had a bad meal here! We stop whenever we are in Janesville! My husband has been known to make special trips to buy just their green sauce! Which is to die for! He lives for the cheese enchiladas, and I always order their fabulous chimichangas! read more