Do you like paying 15-25 dollars for Ortega quality food? this is the place for you. the only time this food should be consumed is after copious amounts of alcohol. I could be lobotomized and cook better than this restaurant. the people giving this place good reviews clearly have no class or taste. embarrassing. read more

My wife is familiar with this location from her time spent living in Dayton. We were in town for the Memorial service for her mother at Wright State Univ. She wanted to take me out of our desire to make sure we go to local places as often as we can. The El Meson is a wonderfully unique, and interesting place. Is it possible for a restaurant to be cozy and "sprawling" at the same time? This place pulls that off with it's snug indoor seating section, and the multiple open air patios. We chose to eat indoors, it was nice out Saturday evening, but a bit muggy for 15 SEP. The décor is clearly built over years with personality and flair from all the team that has come and gone to make this a family restaurant and "destination". They get right the "stuff on the walls and shelves" effect that places like Bennigans and other corporate clones failed so miserably with. It was Angelique who took care of us, much more than a mere "server". She introduced us to the space, the Latin cuisine (this is no fancy taco bell) and sold the menu without that cool cynical padding the ticket approach we so often are victim to. We spent a happy to do so $100.00 with drinks and tip. You get what you pay for in all aspects of life. The menu seems to change which is interesting and makes me want to come back the next time we are in the area. My wife had a salmon tower, we shared a grilled calamari appetizer and I had Columbian fried rice. We both enjoyed our meals immensely, the flavors were different from our normal meals. The portions were enough for a hearty meal, full without being uncomfortable. This is a very good restaurant, to the casual visitor the overall area may be a bit "unpolished" but to me that makes it all the more of a gem in the rapidly homogenizing world of corporate places. read more

I came here for my boyfriends 28th birthday with his family and we couldn't have asked for a better time. We ordered a bunch of tapas for dinner and everything was so delicious. My favorite was the sweet rum shrimp. I highly recommend this place if you are looking to kick back with your family and friends, enjoy a drink or two (ha), and some good food! read more

El Meson - Sanatorium area - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

We ate from the El Meson food truck that came to my neighborhood and made food to order! Quality was great as always, service was good with only a 5 min or so wait for our food, the only reason I deduct a star is their prices seemed high to me. Especially for a 16oz margarita, with a price tag of $18 I wonder who could be crazy enough to pay that price! I have visited the restaurant a few times before and didn't notice high prices, so it was likely just the price for convenience. If they had their Mojitos it would have been harder to not order one personally! My husband and I shared arepas, empanadas (chicken and potato), chicken burrito bowl, tres amigos (chips with salsa, queso and guac). My brother had the Cuban and sister in law a chicken quesadilla. Everyone enjoyed their meal and was very satisfied with the portion, no leftovers like you have when eating in though. read more

This was my first time trying their brick-and-mortar location (I've visited the food truck), and I was quite pleased. The restaurant is HUGE and colorfully decorated. Since this was a #solodate, I chose to sit at the bar where Heather assisted me. She was kind and gave me some great recommendations. My heart (and stomach) was set on Sangria #sangriasaturdays and their Cuban sandwich. I started off with the Red Sangria and a bowl of Chicken Enchilada Soup. The Sangria was good. I could tell it was freshly made, although it was dispensed from a cocktail draft (not sure this is the correct terminology, but you get my point). I overheard one of the bartenders tell a patron that the cocktails were freshly made by the owner, which was a plus. The Chicken Enchilada Soup was pretty darn tasty. This soup had chicken (of course) corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and was packed with flavor. A slight spice to it, but not overpowering. For my entrèe I had the Cuban Sandwich and an order of French Fries (y'all I LOVE fries). Do note that their sandwich options are à la carte. Their Cuban sandwich is so tasty. There are 3 options to choose from; pork, chicken, and fish. All options come with a Cuban pressed roll, cheese, pickle, mayo, and mustard. I chose the pork Cuban and was not disappointed. One thing El Meson does well is season their food. The Cuban sandwich burst with flavor from all its ingredients. The bread was toasted just right, combining everything for the perfect bite. My accompanying fries were fried golden and seasoned well. I think it's cute that they bring the fries out in a mule cup. Lastly, I ended up with a Blackberry Mojito, which was VERY boozy. Dare I even say a bit too strong for me?!? lol. The mojito is dispensed from the same cocktail draft and has fresh blackberries muddled into it. Overall El Meson is pretty good, and I look forward to going back. I would say it's a bit on the pricer side for dinner, but they do offer lunch options throughout the week. I would suggest this as a great place to go on a date, with family, or a group of friends. The space is VERY accommodating. Also, larger parties seem to have reservations, because the place get busy...quick. Until next time, Cheers! read more

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Very good food....pricey for what you get, friendly staff, and if you go there during a busy period, be prepared to wait

EL meson is unlike every other Mexican restaurant in the area. They are more a Latin restaurant and feature dishes from all over! Every time I eat here I try something new and it's always solid! The decor is awesome and makes you feel like you left the country. From the large Spanish doors when you walk, to the awesome chairs you sit in, every little detail was thought of. They have an good size out door seating area for when it's warm and another outdoor area (it's surrounded by the building) that is so cool. Make sure to get there early on evening because it gets packed. (Because it's awesome!) Now for the grub. I ordered a Cuban sandwich. (Kinda went basic this round) and black bean soup. Service was 5 Star, food was 5 Star. It truly is authentic! The menu is large and mouthwatering. It's hard to pick when you order because there are so many delicious sounding options. One thing I also love about this place is the owner is the hardest working person in the restaurant. He's always flying around, helping, greeting, and just plain busting his ass. You can tell employees like there job and it trickles down to the overall customer experience! Love love love el meson! V read more

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Great food great service as usual. Not very busy this night they will cook most things you want if they don't have in menu. But they have large menu. read more

I've only been here once years ago, but keep talking about going back again because the food was so amazing. At first, I had no idea what to order, but then this guy came over (maybe the owner) and asked what kind of things I like. He made some suggestions and I went with it. When my soup came out, I was like, I'm not eating this! It has veggies and fruit in it and I have the pallet of a 5 year old. He said try it and if I don't like it, then I don't have to pay for it. I tried it and it was amazing! I ate the whole bowl. read more

Horrible. I got the fried fish talapia and my husband got the fish tacos and to say they were bland is an extreme understatement. So bad. No flavor at all...huge upset. My taro chips were good though! Nice staff. Ambiance stinks too...there was no Latin music playing at all...I thought this place was gonna be authentic because all the Daytonians have been raving about it. Wouldn't come back if someone paid me. read more

We had a wonderful experience when taking my mother there for her first time this past weekend and ordered many items to share. We ordered the empanadilla pladder (salmon was a favorite), manchego puffs, fish cuban sandwich, pork belly tacos and seafood paella for two. The food was outstanding and we all enjoyed our meals! The paella was beautifully presented in a dish that stayed hot for the length of our meal. The server could have shown a little more enthusiasm at such a unique restaurant, although we still enjoyed our time together. We sat outside in the inside patio on a beautiful night. We also enjoyed the Meson margarita, red sangria, dark n' stormy and sauvignon blanc wine. We look forward to returning very soon! read more

El Meson - Seafood Paella - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

I ate there good one time they actually brought food to my job. It is pricey but very delicious they always are packed out

Tapas! Checked this place out while in town visiting family. We were quoted a 20 minute wait and were directed to the bar to hang out. After about 35 minutes we asked the hostess about the status and she said people were lingering, so we decided to just eat at the bar. Then she said we could just move over to a 6-seat high top table in the bar area which left me wondering why we weren't just seated there to begin with...? But that was the only annoyance. We each had a mixed drink, I had a passionfruit margarita which was delicious and my boyfriend had a very strong mojito. The margaritas are super blended so no huge ice chunks, which I was really pleased with especially since I don't usually like frozen drinks. We decided to order a bunch of different tapas for the table so we got the charcuterie, cauliflower, shrimp tacones, empanadillas (beef and salmon) and the elote corn bites. Everything was good with lots of flavor - my favorites were the beef empanadillas and the corn bites. The shrimp tacones were messy and super hard to eat but interesting - I couldn't really tell what I was eating but it was tasty. The charcuterie was a little lacking; I was hoping for more variety. We also tried a couple shots of their specialty tequila, which was really smooth and delicious. One of the owners was our server and he was great; checking up on us and filling waters promptly, etc. They were super busy but service was great! At one point a server apologized and said they were doing the best they could, but I didn't have any complaints in that area. The interior of the restaurant is really fun; it's modeled to look like a Spanish side street, with strings of lights over an "alley". Apparently there's a really great outdoor seating area that sounds cool too! read more

Had anniversary dinner there a few weeks ago. Wanted to try something new so glad we did! We will now be frequenting here often. Service was beyond outstanding. Even was visited by the owner and her son. The outdoor patio is beautiful with all the greenery. Amazing food we loved every single thing...Beef Empanadas, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Sweet Rum Shrimp, Coconut Crusted Fish, and the Tres leches cake I can't stop thinking about! Grab a mojito too! read more

Mediocre, expensive food. Service was good, though the owner spent way too long explaining the restaurant's history and traditions to us when many of us wanted to talk to each other instead of waiting for him to finish so we could order dinner and socialize. Flavors of some dishes were poorly balanced--a black bean side dish was much too vinegary--or largely absent, as in a sea scallops appetizer and a gambas al ajillo appetizer. Shrimp fajitas were served as a gluey mess of overcooked shrimp, grilled vegetables, and melted cheese that was to be shoveled onto tortillas, then topped with an uninteresting guacamole. (At least the sour cream tasted right.) One person in our party ordered a whole crisp-fried tilapia. To my amazement, the fish tasted like dried dirt, the stuff that gets into your mouth when you slide head-first into second base. A squid appetizer, with the squid sliced into strips instead of rings, might have worked except it was sauced with a disastrously sweet goo. There was sliced bread on the table for us when we sat down, but it was the kind of stuff that a chain grocery store tries to pass off as "authentic French bread," when all that distinguishes the crust from the crumb is its brownish hue and smooth surface. I had a taste of a caramel-filled crepe dessert that was topped with vanilla ice cream. It was good, but it was the only thing I tried that wasn't a remarkably inept version of something not all that difficult to prepare. I found myself wondering if my taste buds had become rewired to the wrong part of my brain upon entering El Meson, but the dessert tasted like I expected, and the fish still tasted like dirt. So I think the problem was culinary, rather than neurological in origin. I love food, and love to cook, and will never go back to a place that turns a dinner with friends into the middle section of that joke about loggers who don't like to cook: that's the one that ends "good, though" even though it wasn't. read more

El Meson - Crisp fried tilapia that tasted like dried dirt. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Always worth a visit here. Every trip to Dayton we eat here at least once. Great food and drinks. Prompt and courteous service. This restaurant breaks my rule of no Mexican food north of the 36th parallel. But then this is not just Mexican but more Spanish and Cuban also. It's more or less a fusion of Latin styles. Love it here and yes we will be back again soon. read more

We heard this is great place to eat. We were told rudely by hostess "we are to busy to serve you..." Then she snapped "asked my boss...". WOW!! Never mind, I will spend my money else where. They do not need them money from my family of 6 evidentially. read more

I've been coming here for decades. It is fantastic! I hadn't been in the last couple years (covid, and mover an hour away) and it was just as I remember. Great selection of creative dishes, expertly prepared with high quality and consistency. I wish I lived closer... read more

Had dinner here last Saturday evening and had a very nice time. I met up with an old friend Saturday afternoon and after hanging out near Cincinnati for a few hours, we decided it was time for dinner. His sister recommended El Meson, so we met them there at roughly 5:30pm. Del and I had a quick drink at the bar and struck up a conversation with the bartenders. We asked them what was good on the menu and were steered to the Elote Corn Bites and the Coconut Shrimp. Del's sister and her partner then arrived, so we took a table out on the patio, which was very pleasant! They had both been here before, so we let them choose the first few small plates for the table. We soon had the Chicken Tinga Nachos and the Elote Corn Bites in front of us. Both plates were very tasty and did not last long. Next, Del and I took a stab at ordering. He went with the Carne Asada Fries and I chose the Calamares. The Fries were good, but not great and the Calamares were super good. Next, we shared the Empanadilla Platter, which was also very good. Our server was friendly, the atmosphere was perfect and the weather couldn't have been better. The restaurant did not get too loud, even though the tables were almost completely filled up. We also took a quick walk through of the place and were amazed at the size and how many people they could accommodate. There looked to be a second patio area and multiple rooms for special occasions. The over-all experience was great, with the meal costing far less than I initially thought it would. As my wife loves this kind of restaurant, I will try to drag her down here at some point in the future. read more

Disappointing. Over-priced. I had heard great things about this place ranking it as one of the best joints in town. So, I went out on a limb and ordered the seafood platter. Maybe ordering seafood in the midwest is just a no-no I should have heeded. So, I picked my fork up and moved onto the sides.. Bleh beans, cold rice, off-tasting salad. Maybe side dishes aren't meant to wow. So, I picked up my straw and moved onto my alcoholic beverage. Weak...water downed... sangria. Weak...water downed.... me. read more

El Meson - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Always excellent! Service is always good food is so delicious and family owned restaurant we come here every special occasion we won't go anywhere else. Highly recommend this restaurant. The owners are in the restaurant every night! read more

El Meson is one of my favorite restaurants in the greater Dayton area. When you arrive you're transported away to warm tropical destination, sit in the main room, where in the summer is open and in the winter is closed, but well heated so you feel like you're in a tropical paradise. Your meal starts out with the serving of bread with cilantro dip, which opens your palate and is an El Meson tradition. Another tradition is their margaritas! They have the finest margarita on the rocks period! I've enjoyed these margaritas for years, a friend raves about their Sangria, but can't take myself away from their margaritas. They have a variety of tapas for you to enjoy, on my recent visit I did notice their menu is smaller, they used to have pages of tapas and main dish entrees, which I wondered how they kept all of the ingredients on hand. A few favorites: Arepas de Choclo Colombian grilled sweet corn cakes stuffed with white cheese; Patatas Alioli Potatoes in a Spanish garlic mayonnaise - like a garlic potato salad; a recent addition, which was amazing, Manchego Cheese Puffs A platter of our Manchego Cheese baked golden on mini toast. Plus they have variety of seafood, which I'm allergic, but friends enjoy shrimp & calamari. All of their entrees are good - Carne Asada is favorite, love the pesto, just the right size; generous Fajitas; Arroz con Pollo South American style Rice & Shredded Chicken seasoned with cilantro, peas, tomatoes, onions & topped with strips of grilled chicken breast - my friend Kathy's favorite gets this every time. Plus on the seafood front Chilean Salmon Stack, which looks like the leaning tower of Piza, fun & flavorful dish of grilled salmon, patatas alioli, black beans, rice, romaine & plantain chips all in one stack and Paella. El Meson is worth the drive to Dayton, so check out this Dayton family tradition! read more

El Mason is a fantastic restaurant. My wife and I come here regularly. The cocktails are awesome , sangria is amazing and the food is unique. The travel in February to partner restaurants in South America and Spain to bring back local recipes and their preparation is amazing. Try the El Solomeo filet on a super heated plate. Fun to cook your steak to your own taste. Service is generally great, the bar can be very busy and a bit slow read more

I am in town for business and was looking for some local cuisine with outdoor seating to enjoy the autumn weather. I brought my laptop to work, had great service, fabulous food and festive environment. I will be back for sure! read more

El Meson - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

One of my favorites! A fun place to dine and great food. I miss the tilapia but the barramundi suffices. Always enjoy coming to El Meson for a meal. read more

If my family doesn't make our annual Mother's Day Brunch Buffet reservation, it will be a very long year for them! I look forward to my special day @ El Meson every year. read more

This little gem is always amazing. Interesting and full of flavor. The margaritas are epic if you're into that. They have bar seating, inside seating as well as a nice amount of outside seating. The staff is amazing and it's owned by a fantastic local family. read more

This is one of my favorite spots for special occasions. The pricing isn't consistent. Some things are priced too high and others are a very good value. Overall, I am never disappointed with the temperature, flavor, or presentation of the food. I am a foodie and have eaten all over the world. This is not 'the best' in South American food that Iv had. However, for Dayton this place is tops! My recommendation: you MUST try the salmon or beef empanadillas on their tapas menu. They are to die for! The salmon comes with a mild sauce and the beef comes with a spicier sauce. So if you don't like spicy make sure you tell the waitress to switch your sauce to something less spicy. My only negative is, the last time I was there they brought our food courses out as they came out the kitchen. So the salad came in the middle of the meal. I got all my food while my husband sat and waited. It was just odd. I could tell they were bringing stuff out when the cook had finished it. And actually I don't mind that, as all items were the perfect temperature. I just know in higher-end restaurants the course for the entire table is suppose to come as one. But that's just me being picky- wasn't a big deal. read more

El Meson - Tropical Salad - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Hands down the best pace to eat locally. The food is freshly cooked, authentic, tasty but above all, the love that the (now) three generation of owners bestow on their guests is without parallel. If you look at the experience as a whole it is marvelous. If you have more than a few people you want to dine privately, they make personalized items not on the menu suited to your taste buds, wherever you are from, all at a pretty reasonable price. That's why they have thrived for almost 3 decades. read more

I first heard about this restaurant from an Fraze event. I met the owner and family and loved it. Myself daughter husband and my father visited today. The environment is amazing...Spanish theme. read more

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I frequent El Meson. Last night, I went with a good friend. I had the birria tacos. They were great before, but I'm not sure if they've change the preparation on the meat, but last night, they moved into the INCREDIBLE range. The beef was tender and delicious. My friend had the pumpkin soup, and the wait staff did a fantastic job explaining and "selling" the soup. It was great. My friend also had the whiskey-glazed pork. I've had the dish before myself. The meat is delicious, the sauce is fantastic, but what really stands out is the butternut squash puree. I know that sounds odd, but it mixes perfectly with the sauce, stands up well to the pork and the texture is amazing. All in all, a fantastic dish. We finished the meal with some always delicious churros. I've never walked out the door disappointed, but last night, it was extraordinarily good. read more

Ambiance is great, and there is a really cool greenhouse room. Customer service is interesting... they use a card system, which is great in theory, until someone who isn't your server steps in, even though your card is still down. I asked the waiter if there was anything very spicy (as I love hot spice, and that was part of the reason we chose this restaurant), but he said the clientele doesn't like spice, so they don't do that. WUT? I asked the waiter for his meal suggestion, and he recommended the three beef medallions. While the toppings on them were okay (the goat cheese one had great flavor!), the meat cuts themselves were over cooked, had no salt or pepper, and came with rice that was undercooked. If done right, it would absolutely blow someone away, but it just didn't get done with the passion it needed. My boyfriend had the Jamaican jerk pork, which was AWESOME. It was so good in fact, that I borrowed some sauce to supplement on mine. Also, our appetizer, the chip and dip trio, came out after our meals. All in all, I felt it was fine, but not life changing. For an $80+ bill pre-tip, I hoped to feel a different way. read more

It pains me to have to give this place such a poor review, as it was once one of the premier restaurants in the area. I thought something was strange we went there on a Friday night and the parking lot was empty - not a good sign. The menu has shrunk, the prices have gone up ($22 for quesadilla's) and the decor hasn't changed in a decade. Went with a group of four and our meals all came out at different times and the food was average at best. The only good thing was the service, which was top notch. This is an old restaurant on its last legs. read more

Haven't tasted many different Chicken Tortilla Soups, but I'm surprised how something (many would assume) so simple can be created so original. The dish was served with all the ingredients in a bowl and the broth was served separately in a pot. It was nice to construct your own ingredient-to-broth ratio. The broth tasted delicious as well, very flavorful with chili peppers. Tasted like sriracha! Great environment, enjoyed the margaritas as well! read more

El Meson - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Good for the drinks wasn't really impressed with the food. Would have preferred chips and salsa than the bread. Romaine lettuce would have been nice for the tropical salad. But overall good service. The empanadillas are a bit different not the flaky thicker pastry you would get with an empanada not sure if there is a difference read more

Love this place!!! Awesome and friendly service by the ownership, management and employees. The decor is amazing! I've been here a half dozen times and always be sure to get some appetizers! All the empanadas are amazing and I love the ones with the spicy sauce, I believe the beef ones. The salmon amazing. The garlic shrimp amazing!! Those I would not miss or the arepas de choclo. By the time the entree comes, I alwas have enough leftovers for a second meal. Most entrees come with soup or salad. The tortilla chicken soup is a meal (and process) upon itself - just wait til you get eyes on it. The steak medallions were great and carne asada. The arroz ya ya (Colombian stir fried rice) and Jamaican pork burrito I've had -- both were satisfying. The black beans here though are not tasty surprisingly. Everything is perfectly cooked and timed here. read more

I was very excited to try El Meson after hearing such great reviews but I was very disappointed. Pros: Love the mini empanadas with the spicy sauce! Atmosphere was great and the overall vibe of the restaurant was very unique. Cons: They had a new dish called "Puerto Rican pollo guisado" and it was absolutely awful. The only good things were the plantains and yucca. Thats it. The rice tasted bland and the chicken stew was not appetizing at all. Super disappointed about the experience especially for such steep menu prices. read more

El Meson - Paella Plate - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

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What makes this place stand out is it's very creative menu featuring flavors from throughout South America. Unfortunately, the prices are tad on the higher end considering the portion sizes. I highly recommend the grilled calamari; it's cooked very well- not chewy at all and very meaty. The bartender was great company too - props to her. read more

First dinner at El Meson. Wonderful experience. Upon arrival I met one of the owner's, Bill, who was professional and outgoing. For all three courses ordered, the food was very good and the service was exceptional on a busy Saturday evening. A team approach is taken by the staff in ensuring the guests receive timely and responsive service. Our primary server was Kevin and several team members assisted throughout the evening. One of the assistants named Deven was particularly responsive and always smiled when serving our food or responding to our requests. I look forward to returning to El Meson. read more

I come to Dayton frequently for business. You won't find a big selection of Spanish restaurants here. El Meson is a nice find in this remote area. They have a nice ambiance and the decor is right out of Spain. They have outside seating which is nice during the summer months. I've had their Dragonberry Mojito which was delicious. Most of the dishes I've had have been flavorful with the exception of the Salmon stack which was very bland. Overall I would recommend this place. read more