Shoutout to Karen at El Nacho for making my sister-in-law's birthday so special From the moment we walked in, she went above and beyond to celebrate--bringing such great energy, making us feel so welcomed, and really turning a simple dinner into a full-on birthday experience. The extra touches did not go unnoticed, and it honestly made the night. Karen, you're amazing at what you do--thank you for making it so memorable. We'll definitely be back! read more

The restaurant itself is such a vibe. I love the vibrant colors of the restaurant. The food was really good and the presentation was great. Our server was very pleasant, but unfortunately didn't speak English at all so when my friend asked to pack up her food, they got rid of it instead. They gave back the charge receipt, but without the credit card and it took forever to get them back to the table. Overall, I liked it, but the end of our experience was not great. Quick update: my friend reached out to the manager because after throwing her away the offered to make her another but only sent her home with 2 ribs and the peppers without the chorizo that she didn't even touch our the veggies and plantains. We were stupid for not checking first for sure. She ate two of the three ribs so I don't even know where they got the second rib that they gave her. I'm assuming they remade them. The manager asked that she text instead because he didn't speak English and wanted to be able to use Google translate I'm bilingual so I understand the struggle, but not being able to speak to anyone including the manager in english is completely unacceptable, in my opinion. I really love this place and will always support local Businesses but after bringing in new patrons and having this experience I would not put my name on a recommendation for them again. read more

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Attended one of their Themed Weekend Brunch as a group and we had a blast..!! Great party vibes with live music and dance, and one the entertainers was simply amazing. She had a wonderful attitude and made all of us feel involved. Drinks and Food all tasted good and the service was quick. Bachelorette Night was the Theme, so you can imagine how the Drinks and Food was shaped read more

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From the moment i walked in it was like a party. The music and lighting it was a perfect setting for amazing food. Our server Franco was absolutely incredible. The food... 10/10 everything was bursting with flavor and hit all the right spots. It's one of those places you didn't know you needed to try but i promise it's worth it! I will 10000% be returning to try other things on their menu. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Tacos Al pastor - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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swallow. Even worst was the waiter CAMILO was sooo rude and when we complained but didnt send the food back, he was super rude and said we should have looked at the pictures better. Then proceeded to say they had a new chef. The manager was in shock and took care of the issue as soon as he saw how rude our waiter was to us. I will absolutely be posting this everywhere because in an economy where im paying good money (expensive) for my food and experience I expect good service and good food! If you cant do both, then get a food truck or nightclub. Camilo should be fired!!!! read more

Horrible experience! Food was burned. Every drink we asked for took 20 min. Food was missing and never got to us. For the amount of money we spent there are many other Good restaurants w good service and food!!!!! read more

Had lunch at El Nacho's Tequila Cantina on a weekday, and it was pretty disappointing. The place was dead, but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, they mixed up my dad and brother's orders - my dad is vegetarian and ended up biting into chicken enchiladas. Super disappointing, especially since it wasn't busy at all. The mango margaritas were way too sweet. Overall, it was pretty pricey for lunch, and I don't think I'll be returning. Advice to management: do better, have a lunch menu, there were no lunch special deals, and if there were, your staff did a terrible job communicating this. read more

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Great place !! Staff is super helpful, friendly, knowledgeable of menu and popular items to get. Here with a party of 4 we are luck to come today for the spectacular Mardi Gras show. Love the decor!! I feel we are in Mexico!! I will add more picture of food and drinks. The food was very fresh and tasty. Our drinks were Amazing!! Kudos to the mixologist. We plan to come back and join their themed events. We will bring more friends for the experience. Working them into our calendar. read more

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The food was good the service was horrible! It took so long for the food to come out. We were there for over 2.5 hours! Clearly the servers don't care about service when the gratuity is included in the bill. The place was empty on a Sunday afternoon. I see why! They are definitely not attentive to their guests. read more

I went with a friend to a mixology class called My Bestie & I Brunch Party held at El Nachos on a Saturday from 1 - 4pm. Tickets were $60 each. I had a great time and left thoroughly buzzed. Here are some of my thoughts... Food: the all you can eat menu was served buffet-style in their outdoor area in the back, there were chicken drumsticks, rice, beans, and coleslaw in one area and in another, made-to-order tacos and nachos; everything is as flavorful Drinks: The cocktails we prepared were created by host and mixologist Steve Mazzuca. They were all tasty. My favorite were the Paraíso Azul and Coco Italiano. Atmosphere: It was a lively brunch party vibe. Music: They played a mix of genres... Reggaeton, RnB, Afrobeats, Dancehall, 80s Rock Decor: Mexican, colorful, floral Great for: girls brunch, birthday brunch, brunch date with partner Service: Everyone I encountered was polite and attentive The only con I can think of is that it took place on pretty hot day and they opened the retractable roof so the sun was BEAMING on us. I suggest to bring a portable fan lol. I also suggest that you were comfortable shoes as you will be standing (although there are some placements that have seating) I recommend the class! read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Cocktail menu - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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Food was very good , good flavors no disappointment on the food what so ever. The ambiance is great, music was good just a little too loud! But they played a little bit of everything. Service was horrible.. the wait read more

What a place! I came here on a Sunday, which happens to be Mother's Day. There was valet parking, which I found very unique for a Mexican place in Linden. The place is much larger than I expected, and the stuff we're all friendly and dressed up for the occasion. I like sun, so I sat in the back where they have an open deck area. My biggest complaint was that the music was so loud, and I asked the very attentive waiter, and he was able to lower that. For this type of great customer service the place gets five star . As a Hungry vegetarian, I was very pleased with my food. I had the free nachos on the table and a vegetable quesadilla. I couldn't eat it all and was very tasty. The manager was wearing a very beautiful red dress checking on all the patrons. This place seems to be a club too. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Tostones con Camarones - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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I came here on Saturday for the Mommy & Me brunch and it was an amazing experience! From the moment we entered my son and I felt like we were in a party. The vibe was so nice. Everyone was having a good time, games were being played, there were tons of elves walking around dancing and engaging the crowd, and the decorations were very festive for the holiday. The MC did a great job of encouraging parents and children to participate in the games and ensuring that it was an interactive environment. They had face painting, balloon animals, as well as painting for parents and children. The only reason why one star was taken away from this review was because the food took forever to come out. It gave us time to interact while we were there and work up our appetite, so I'm not sure if this was intentional or not. The bill came up to $111 for me and my son, and the only extra thing that I got him was the lightbulb drink, which was $8. The drinks were really good and we enjoyed the food. Overall, I think it was a little bit expensive, but considering the experience as a whole , I think it was worth it and would return next year. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Face painting - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Upon walking in the decor was so cute & great for pictures! All of the drinks were incredibly delicious & the nachos were so savory. I would absolutely recommend the mixed berry margarita. The churrasco was a little overcooked/charred for my liking & the chimichurri sauce was more oil than anything but the burrito was scrumptious & the portions were very large. We will definitely be returning for the nachos & margaritas soon! read more

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I'm not sure how this place has a 3-star rating. The appetizers and drinks came out quickly, but the main course took a while. If you skip ordering apps, I can see the wait for foor feeling a bit frustrating. That said, the drinks were fantastic, and our tacos were delicious. The guacamole was a standout--so fresh and flavorful. The calamari was good for sharing among three people, though it might be a bit monotonous in taste if ordered as a main dish. The staff was incredibly kind to our 3-year-old son, which we really appreciated. The ambiance and decor are lovely, great for pictures and the space feels super spacious and inviting. read more

Service was decent. I went for the mommy and me brunch so it was pretty chaotic. Despite this drinks came out fast but food took some time. The adult chicken and waffles was a big portion and nice presentation. I enjoyed the fluffy waffles and the chicken was basically the same as my son's tenders and fries. The ultimate fajitas were also delicious my daughter enjoyed it and was so full she brought it home. My daughter said it tasted to perfection. Ambiance for the event was like a family event . Once it was coming to an end you could see that you can make reservations for birthdays or just come by for drinks The mommy and me brunch is cute but food is pricey and they expect everyone to get a meal and drink read more

Ive been here a few times and really it's always something.For now, let's focus on their paint and sip. I attended El Nacho for my birthday on Monday night during their paint and sip. For starters, I made a reservation a month in advance and called the same day to confirm yet they still had no idea I had one when my guest and I arrived (party of 20). Eventually we were sat, then told paint and sip wont begin till 8 although they confirmed it started at 7 earlier that day. On their social media, they promote this paint and sip as a fun and loud vibe which I also asked about before booking. We arrive, the music was super low and making me sleepy if we're being honest. If thats the vibe, fine but don't advertise and confirm the complete opposite. Since it was my birthday I tried to make the best of it, I requested two songs throughout the night, which they said they would put but never did. The staff were so dismissive. Prior to going I saw on their social media them advertising discounted margaritas, shots and hookah but yet they charged us regular price. Eventually they fixed the price and their excuse was the staff is new (mind you, we had 3 people helping so i guess everyone was new?) any orders we made (food&/ordrinks) took FOREVER, (has happened every time I go) if it was busy id understand but it was nearly empty in there. None of the staff knew what was going on their response was always "let me ask the manger" but never came back with an answer, i ended up finding him myself. I thought it was interesting how when it was time to bring my cake out the music got loud and their cameras were out "preparing for another FALSE ADVERTISEMENT" And to end it all, I guess because this place was empty and obviously didn't want us there. They started with packing up all the chairs around us, and cleaning the tables we were STILL USING. Overall, thanks to my friends we made the best of it. My friends and I do not recommend it nor will be returning. BUT it is cutely decorated. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Quite the disappointment this Sunday! We went for a house/disco/hip hop music event but they were also having wrestling and another DJ on main floor playing predictable commercial music. The host did not know there was a music event on lower level and nothing was set up. No bartender, no tables, and no chairs. It took them a few minutes to get it together but eventually got the high tops and stools set up. Decor is nice (see pics / videos I included) While we were waiting we had a drink on the main floor and it was awful and overpriced. Tip already included for sugary drinks and a waitress that took forever and a day to check on us or give us our bill. The drinks were pure sugar and could not taste the alcohol at all. Once we got downstairs we ordered a basic margarita. One would think a Mexican restaurant can make a margarita. Suffice to say, I had to return it. It truly was that bad! Watery and salty. The waitress brought another margarita and it was a 5 out of 10 at best. At least it was not salty water like the first. You might want to stick your shots and beer. We did not try the food. It was overpriced. I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food anyway. My fiancé likes it more than I do but after the horrible service and drinks, we opted to not waste our time on ordering food. After all, we truly were there just for the house/r&b/hip hop music DJs and some drinks. read more

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Casual Mexican restaurant in Elizabeth New Jersey. Not much parking space in the lot, however lots of indoors and outdoor seating. Service took a bit longer than expected especially on Monday evening. Portion sizes are huge and perfect to share. Overall decent and satisfying food. The nachos, fries, and shrimp quesadillas were delicious. read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!! Waited almost 2 hours for our kids to get their food and only one of them received it. The other two order were never taken. The burger I had a few bites of after waiting so long was bland and the bacon wasn't fully cooked. The place was over booked for their Christmas event and understaffed. They wanted to charge us full price for food not received and food not eaten. They have security at the door asking for your receipt to make sure you paid, says alot about the establishment. Manager never apologized for the terrible service and instead argued with us. Will never set foot in here again. read more

This place was so good and such a chill vibe. They even had hookah (priced at $35). Their margaritas are strong and taste really good. The queso fundido has a kick to it and was great. So much flavor in that cheese. The enchiladas were so unique. The plate had a top layer of cheese that was delicious. I could've done without the churros honestly but it was a decent dessert. The server was nice and gave great recommendations for food. I'll definitely be back again. read more

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Had such an amazing day. This place is a hidden gem. The atmosphere is incredible the dancing & drink mixing is awesome. Can't wait to return with the gang of TWU, read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Big John & Patrice - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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I can honestly say I didn't have too much food but what I tried was good. The drinks and kids Christmas event was soo nice! The decor, the face painting, special cups, music, treats etc made it more of an experience. The Mr. Grinch was one of my favorite cocktails ever. Thanks to all who made this elf brunch today possible we enjoyed it! read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

I've had the chance to dine here before, but not outside. The patio & it's decorations are just as lively as the interior. Our waiter was very kind & he showed great service. I believe the manager or owner was around as they checked on me too to ensure I was enjoying my dining experience. The drinks were big, refreshing, & strong, but the good strong! However, I wasn't sold on the tacos. I came during taco Tuesday & as I felt before, the meats are a bit dry & I wasn't too crazy about the birria. They could've put some more meat on the nachos, but I wasn't complaining. I also ordered hookah for about $30 & it died rather quick & barely pulled. I was going to address it to the hookah person but our food finally came & we were too hungry to be concerned about a dying hookah lol. Nevertheless, I'd consider returning for a pregame for the drinks & the nachos. read more

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This place was simply delightful on a Sunday midday!! The service was Elite & the decor was so beautiful & inviting. I went there & felt like I had my own waitress!! She was the sweetest & made sure we were taken care of without being overwhelming. At this time, there was another event for children which did not interfere with our experience. She was very informative of the options that could be altered & the ones that were vegan friendly. The drinks were PERFECT, not too strong nor weak & had the perfect amount of "rocks" to not water down the drink. The food was fresh, with wonderful presentation and nicely seasoned. Delicious! I recommend this place to anyone who wants a nicely priced, lovely experience, with amazing food & drinks!! There was parking & valet available as well. I will be returning for dinner soon! Thank you guys!! read more

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The girls and I got together for a Bachelorette themed brunch event. When I arrived, they had valet parking. I walked into the establishment and found out it's a black-owned business and the owner was there. She was super nice! The server was super nice, but it was busy, so they were a bit slow. For this event, we had to buy tix and get a prefixed menu for $45. I got the guacamole and chips, and for my entrée I got the chicken and rice and it was delicious! They shaped everything erotic. They had a show for us and entertainment. It was an awesome time! read more

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This was definitely an aesthetic restaurant. The food and drinks weren't of quality but they were simply pretty. The food could've had more flavor to it. The best part about this place is the decor and they had a live singer that evening but the speakers were so long everyone was shouting to be heard. It's a cute date spot but I would not expect my hunger to be satisfied. The service was decent. read more

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it's ALWAYS a good time when I come here. Our server Juan is not only Beautiful but was great!!

I went to El Nacho's on a Sunday at 1pm. It was not very crowded so the service was great. Our waitress was helpful and quick with our drinks and taking our order. The food that we ordered was quite tasty - nachos with chicken and shrimp tacos. A bit before 2pm, the DJ arrived and started playing music. I don't mind music, but it was 2pm, not 10pm. The music was so loud we couldn't couldn't even speak to each other. We had ordered dessert, but waited and waited and waited and then we no longer had patience; the music was way too loud and it wasn't worth waiting for the dessert. What started out really nice, turned not good. I don't think I'll return to El Nacho's. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Stay far away. My hubby chose this spot for Father's Day based on profuse and glowing reviews on Google. I find reviews are always inflated on that platform, but I think there must be some manipulation beyond that happening here. It was THAT bad. Stay far away. With two kids and an empty restaurant, we: --were kept waiting forever at the host stand while virtual tumbleweeds rolled past. There was just no one there. --subjected to Justin Bieber and similar music at ridiculous levels that made conversation impossible. Not very authentic. Around 8:30, they changed to Latin music. --denied our drinks for a full 45 minutes from when we ordered them. No one was moving, particularly quickly. No one seemed busy. It just didn't seem important to them. There was no one for us to ask, either, because our waitress also disappeared. -- I note our waitress also did not speak very good English. In fact, she approached the table in Spanish. Fortunately, I speak Spanish, and we had a Spanish speaker with us as well, but I am not sure how communication would have been otherwise. -- when drinks finally came, you could not distinguish the margarita from the Mojito except for the glasses they were served in. The margarita was quite literally colorless and see-through. So was the Mojito. This was after a 45 minute wait. No one asked how they were. -- our appetizers (guacamole and nachos for our starving children) took more than an hour to hit the table after we ordered them. My kids were losing their minds with hunger, and, as hungry children go, were ruining the time for us. They were still better than the Justin Bieber music, though. Anyway, they devoured the nachos. But it's hard to tell if that was true enthusiasm or desperation. -- the guacamole was served without chips. We stared at each other for a while wondering how we were supposed to use to eat it when finally, after about 10 minutes, another server carried out chips. That's when we finally tasted it. Nasty, sour, and tasted only of lime. It also appeared very brown, but the lighting in this place is crazy so I thought maybe that was just me. I do think they were trying to cover for out of date, avocados. This is the first time in history we had guacamole at the end of a meal. My eldest daughter would eat any guacamole ever, and even she turned up her nose at this stuff. -- the nachos had a fluorescent orange sauce on them. I don't even think it was cheese whiz. I'm not sure what it was, actually, but it was nuclear colored. -- our meals came out another 45 minutes after the appetizers we didn't really eat, We were trying to play a game of "I Spy" to hold it together. Our drinks were empty, no refills were offered, no one checked on us, and the place still remained pretty empty overall. My youngest daughter asked if we could leave and go to Taco Bell instead (we do love Taco Bell for its pur -- despite taking 1000 years, the food was cold when it was served. I took a couple of bites, because I was starving, but then realized people at the table were still waiting for their food so I put my fork down to avoid being rude. After 10 minutes, my husband still hasn't been served, and I handed my plate over to my husband. (remember, we're here for Father's Day so he could have something to eat. Apparently, his Carnitas tacos were being custom made by a magician and needed two hours lead time. --I actually think On the Border is better, food wise. If this stuff had been hot and hadn't taken a thousand years, I'd maybe give it three stars. Probably 2.5 -- regardless, it was 9 pm on a school night at this point following our 6:30 arrival. The kids weren't eating. My husband had shared that the desserts were supposed to be "epic" but we couldn't bear the thought of ordering anything else. -- I now had to hunt down the check, as our waitress had disappeared. No drink refills, know how is everything, no is anything missing. The check, of course, included food we had ordered, but that had never arrived, and we had to ask for it to be removed. It also included a very generous gratuity for the worst service I have received in recent memory. in reflecting, I've learned a couple of lessons: (one) I always check yelp, but my hubby does not. I should have done so in this case. (Too.) we must all remember that there is a generation coming up behind us who do everything for photos and videos and care less about substance. It's hard to imagine the owners have that many friends they've been able to pay off for the positive reviews elsewhere, but I do think those who never had delicious Mexican food or wonderful margaritas, and who prioritize living their lives in public and seeming as happy-go-lucky as possible at all times have skewed these Reviews beyond any reasonable amount. I cannot emphasize enough that you should stay away from this place. It is one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in my entire life. read more

Great service Great Food & Ambiance! I will definitely return. I love the patio area as well. I had a chopped salad it was a big fresh salad and very filling read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Mango Margaritas Frozen! Absolutely delicious - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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Good food & drinks!! Victoria was an amazing waitress. Food was fresh, sauces were amazing! Great vibes

10/10 I came here with my girls for taco Tuesday and we had a bawl we sat in the back patio the food was great the drink was great and the service was top tier!! Teana was our server and she was awesome I will be back !!! read more

I wish I would've looked at this yelp review before I went into this place. Another nightclub wannabe restaurant. Drinks are way overpriced. My father ordered like a huge margarita and it was like $47. The tacos were fine the flavors OK and the waitress was really nice but we waited over 35 minutes for tacos. It's ridiculous. If you want good service really good mexican flavors and expedient service with the food and it won't break the bank go to La Cabaña on Elizabeth Avenue. I wish I would've gone there instead. read more

I came here with a few friends for a pre birthday celebration . My only " complaint " about this place would be that the servers were a little slow to take the orders . Don't come here if you want an " intimate " dinner lol. Most people were celebrating their birthday like myself and the experience is definitely on the louder side . We had a blast all in all . The drinks portions were larger than I thought but delicious nonetheless . I had the garlic shrimp and shared the tostones appetizer . The tostones could've used a little salt . Other than that I was very impressed with everything . If you want a slightly over the top Mexican birthday celebration, come to this place ! read more

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The experience and the vibes were a 5/5. Live DJ and the drinks were DELICIOUSSSS. I got the Passion fruit and it was so sweet and tasty. Be careful tho because there are seeds , I didn't like those but the drink was worth dodging al the seeds lol. The Fajita Chicken tasted better than the Taco chicken. We enjoyed the coconut shrimp! If I go here again I would go for the drinks. They are beautiful and tasty... a bit pricey tho. read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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Way overpriced for such poor food and service . Table cramped . Disorganized. Do not recommend

I HIGHLY recommend HAPPY HOUR!!!! Apps are half off and the margs, mojitos, and sangrias are like $6. The mojitos are not good...at least the day I went. The margaritas thooooo are amazing! I get coconut or passion fruit with a salt rim, obviously! They also offer hookah and have a gorgeous patio. Food is not the best but the vibes are there! Check them out! read more

El Nacho's Tequila Cantina - Camarón con tostando and flautas - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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Beautiful restaurant with a nice staff and yummy food and drink options! Went on a Tuesday to celebrate a coworkers birthday and we all had fun. Our waiter was very nice and knowledgeable. He told us about taco Tuesday which makes some of the tacos $2 and some $3, also all the margaritas were $5 for Happy Hour which is from 3PM -8PM. We started our meal with the loaded nachos which were great. They had chicken, cheese, quac, and a house made sauce on it. I ordered 3 tacos to test them out, my favorites was the pork, it was nice and juicy. The other 2 were good as well. The margaritas were good, but different. Seems like they have 1 main margarita flavor and just add whatever flavor syrup in it for you. It works if there is enough syrup. The reason for one less star is because this place has weird red lighting and the service was lacking toward the end of our meal. read more

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Very nice ambiance and decor it's tasteful. Giving it a 4 star because of the host. After I was put on a waiting list for a table. I was waiting over a two hours by the bar. Place was not crowded. I ordered picadera and few drinks which was delicious. The host never got back to us. Lucky that we grab a seat by the bar and the bartender apologized. Great service (bartender) great music of the 80's. 2nd time around things were better. Sat at a table of 6. Different music but not the same as my 1st music. Went downstairs after dinner and they played old Columbian salsa. It's ok but all salsa night. Bottle service it's too steep! One way out which I was concern Incase something happens ‍ read more