Tried this place after shopping the outlet mall. Carnitas were very good. Decent salsa. Good not great Mexican, but it will do in a pinch.

We continue to drive I-64 at twice a year between St Louis and Kill Devil Hills, NC. We normally make it to Simpsonville or Shelbyville in time for lunch at one of the El-Nopals. This was our third stop at Simpsonville. This is one of those ubiquitous cookie-cutter family Mexican places that we tend to find in about every town in the US. It is not spectacular, but it is also just fine. We have eaten at dozens of places like this. I continue to order eggs in Mexican restaurants, and again was not disappointed by my Huevos Rancheros. I liked the salsa they were cooked with very much. The lunch serving is three eggs with beans and rice, half of which made it to KDH and made a good dinner a couple of nights later. La Gringa, Ms T, ordered her usual ground beef taco(s). This time she ordered just one and they almost forgot to put ground beef in it Again, if you are looking for a typical family Mexican place while driving in the area, I think El Nopal is worth a try. Depending on how we are feeling, we will stop again or visit their sister place in Shelbyville. read more

Same bland food as usual. We live in a small town so options are limited. Didn't feel like cooking and eat here maybe once every six months. They are at least consistent...with bland, boring food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Now, they have cold beer mugs and extra sugary mixed drinks if that is your choice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Ordered carnitas fajita's for two for me and my spouse. It was unseasoned pot roast for $40, that included 4oz cheese dip in our order. I honestly can say I was hoping it had improved but regrettably it had not. Can't wait until a decent Latin American restaurant is local so this Taco Bell with alcohol isn't the only option. The Culver's next door would have been cheaper and more flavorful. read more

Usually I have great food there at the Simpsonville ky location, but not this time. Everything was horrible. The regular cook must have taken a day off. [[HIGHLIGHT]]At least the glass of water was refreshing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This place sucks. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Drinks were mid and overpriced with very little alcohol.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Waitress is the worst I've ever had. DO NOT RECOMMEND. read more

El Nopal is a popular Mexican eatery that has grown to so many locations in the Louisville area and it's surrounding areas over the last few decades. This particular location is in simpsonville just out in front of the bluegrass outlet shoppe mall. Location is rather spacious and we stopped in for lunch one day and was sat right away. Service here was very good and quick. I'm a big fan of el nopal food. The complimentary chips and salsa is my favorite in the city. I always go with the enchallodas supremas and at This location did the same. Very good and tasty meal. Other favorites among my family is the steak rancheros and the burrito deluxe. The younger kids get the chicken nuggets off the kids menu and always enjoy them as well. Overall el Nopal has become a big part of the areas Mexican food scene and a major player and I don't see that changing anytime soon. This location is like the others rest and did not disappoint. read more

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Food was OK but service was horrible tonight. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Didn't even get a one refill on my drink[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Not many people there just a lot of workers standing around talking. I won't be back at this location read more

The service was very bad. When i asked a question about something on the menu, the server was surly and rude. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ordered our drinks. Only 3 out of the 4 people at the table got their drinks.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We finally had to get up and go track down the server to get the drink. Then he was argumentative and said we only had ordered 3 drinks instead of 4. Kitchen staff brought out our food but the server never came back to see if we needed anything. The food was ok. We have had mediocre experiences in the past here. But I think this time has done me in. I'll choose to spend my money somewhere else. read more

Driving home from Louisville at mealtime, we stopped to see if El Nopal had outdoor seating available since I'm not yet ready to eat inside during this pandemic, even with proper social distancing! They have a big tent in the parking lot on one side of the building, with quite a few socially distanced tables under, and on both sides of the tent. Only one other table was occupied, so we chose a table in the shade. It was a beautiful evening to eat outside. The weather called for a margarita, and there was a peach margarita with my name on it, ha, ha!! Hubby ordered his usual unsweetened iced tea. (It IS nice to be married to a happy designated driver!) The chips and salsa were served with 2 bottles of salsa and bowls, one hot and one mild. Hubby ordered the Burrito Gigante, and the name is appropriate. It was the biggest burrito either of us had ever seen; made with a 12" tortilla! I ordered the Camerones Empanizados, which is served with vegetables and rice. Both entrees were delicious, and we took home enough for lunch the following day. The host and the server wore masks, as we did when we weren't eating. I never went inside, and Hubby wore his mask when he did. Even though we never saw the people at the other table wearing masks while talking and not eating, with the outdoor seating and socially distanced tables, we were comfortable with our decision to eat here during the pandemic. read more

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This El Nopal has the best staff. Our server was so attentive and anticipated all of our needs. The restaurant is clean. The food was great and came fast. Everyone was super friendly. read more

El Nopal - Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Simpsonville, Kentucky

I'm a restaurant owner and rarely review other establishments but when I'm floored like this, it's a must! These folks are doing it right!Amazing quality, service, and atmosphere, top notch food, portions massive, beautiful textured artwork on the walls, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the frozen Horchata mug was the icing on top![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] WELL DONE EL NOPAL! read more

Food is consistently good. Quick service. We normally order to go and everything is always packed well. Typical restaurant atmosphere.

Perfect service, friendly, knowledgeable staff, and incredible food! The atmosphere is pleasant, open, and airy. I highly recommend this restaurant. When I asked the staff for an obscure food item that wasn't on their menu they quickly brought it to me. The portions were large and the food was hot and delicious. read more

This is one of the few restaurants that surround the Outlet Shops of the Bluegrass. Although we don't have a El Nopal in Lexington, I think there are several in Louisville area. The menu pricing was a bit more than the average Mexican restaurants in Lexington and the lunch menu isn't available on the weekends, but that's to be expected in a prime area. My mom ordered rice and a cheese quesadilla. The cheese that they use is mozzarella, or some sort of soft white cheese, she wasn't a fan at all. I ordered the fish tacos. The menu indicated that it came with beans, but mine were served with rice. There was quite a bit of a language barrier and she misunderstood or thought that I wanted rice too. My fish tacos were great though. I'd definitely eat here again after a long day of shopping at the outlet mall, especially considering that the only other options nearby are the next door Culvers and the food court restaurants. read more

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I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at how good El Nopal was. After shopping at the outlet mall, my wife wanted to celebrate National Margarita day .. so we were stopped in for lunch. I was not expecting much when I tasted their salsa. The first one was a little more than tomato sauce... 2nd was hotter, with jalapenos. By mixing the two was able to make a pretty good salsa ... I ordered a couple fo Tacos and rice, my wife had the taco Salad.... And it was good.. the Tacos were very good and my wife said the same about here Taco salad. As I wrote, a big surprise. I really enjoyed the food.. and yes her margarita was good.. :) We will be back the next time we are shopping at the outlet mall. read more

absolutely terrible service my food came out wrong and when sent back still couldn't get it right [[HIGHLIGHT]]i asked for dr pepper and got diet coke i sent it back and he still didn't get it right[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. When I asked my bill explain on what I was being charged they would not explain it me my serve kept saying over and over "i just have to charge you". Never again will i return to this el nopal. Save your money and go else where to eat. read more

Our family only eats here when we are shopping at the Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass. That said, I will never understand the negative reviews here. The service is always top notch and lightning fast. We have never waited more than 10 minutes for our food to come out of the kitchen and it's always piping hot and delicious. I also don't understand the negative reviews regarding price. Their prices are comparable to every other Mexican restaurant in Kentucky. Three of us ate here again yesterday and the food was incredible. I had the Ranchero steak cooked to Medium with generous sides of beans and guacamole salad and my companions had pollo con arroz and we were all happy. We were especially hungry and thrilled when the food arrived around 7 minutes after they took our order. read more

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A little bit of everything. The service at this location is pretty good. The staff seems prompt and polite. The spacing is large and adequately lit. The menu can be a bit overwhelming if you don't already know what you are in the mood for. One of my favorite things to get at any Mexican restaurant is huevos con chorizo (eggs and sausage). This place does it just right so I don't have any complaints there. The free chips and salsa is pretty to munch on while you wait. read more

El Nopal - Free chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Simpsonville, Kentucky

We stopped here for a date night while indoor dining was closed. The patio set up was improvised with outdoor heating. It was cold but the food and service were warm. We were so grateful for the experience and the food. I loved the choice of hot and mild salsa. I had the crab chimichangas and my partner had the chorizo chicken. The meals were generous portions (we enjoy leftovers so that's great). The crab was a unique and pleasant option. I asked for no beans (my typical order that is often overlooked) and the kitchen delivered perfectly. Can not recommend this restaurant and location enough. read more

El Nopal - Crab chimichangas with rice. Chorizo chicken with cheese sauce, rice, and beans. - Mexican Near Me - Simpsonville, Kentucky

Ordered food from them couple of times. Friendly and quick service. Food isn't that bad. Not authentic as I'd like it to be but doable until tonight. I ordered sopapilla. It was supposed to come with honey and powered sugar but it was covered with whipping cream and chocolate syrup! WTH?!?! Why ruin an authentic Mexican desert like that?!? I'm beyond shocked and appalled. It was disappointing enough to say "I ain't coming back!" read more

If I liked the restaurant very much, the food was rich, the attention was good, clean very clean, the only thing I did not like is that I asked for rancher eggs and the egg is raw, but hey it is very tasty, if I recommend it. read more

El Nopal - Mexican Near Me - Simpsonville, Kentucky

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Fajitas are enough for 2. Great food. Great service. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

This is a great place with huge portions! Very tasty food & great service also. Sara is a wonderful waitress. We will definitely come back! read more

Stopped here after shopping a bit at the outlet mall. I'm glad I didn't read these harsh reviews! My waitress was very sweet, and we received our food promptly, especially for a Saturday night. My date and I split the chicken chimichangas, and they were some of the best I've ever had. Which is saying a lot, because I get chimichangas at every Mexican restaurant I go to. Great food. Good service. Can't ask for much more. read more

I'm giving this spot 2 stars for the friendly staff... But... NO PAL, turn around. I really wanted to like this spot considering I've experienced some great Mexican food in my day. Tortillas are not fresh, maybe fresh out of the bag, and beans are definitely out of a can. Fajitas are not authentic. Guacamole was watery. Sadly a $100 meal falling short of its worth. On a lighter note, the salsa was good and chips were extra crunchy... So beware my friends. I know this spot is conveniently located after a long day of shopping. Skip it and check out Culvers across the way. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

We decided to come here because someone told us it was good. As soon as we got there everything was fine, our server wasn't so nice with us. The food is good so I feel like it makes up for everything else. Now the girl that works the cash register isn't so friendly either, she was chewing gum the whole time and didn't even ask if we enjoyed our stay. The food is good. The service is bad read more

We were on our way back home from visiting friends in KY and wanted more than fast food, so thought this was worth trying. I'm rather glad I didn't read the Yelp reviews, because our experience was quite good. The service was great. The host was cordial, we were seated promptly, and our server was quick and efficient. The chips were pretty standard chips, but I liked the salsa a LOT, especially the hot. The mild was tasty, also, but I preferred the hot. I had a pretty standard combo plate, and it arrived piping hot, and was tasty. My wife had chicken fajitas and it was a quite large serving, again, served hot and very tasty. Nothing pushes this into 5 star range, and, to be sure, the food is a bit Americanized, but it was a quick, tasty, satisfying meal--a welcome respite from long hours on the road. If we're back through the area, we'll certainly return. read more

Was a good day until a waitress spilled a a beer into my lap. It happens but no manager or other staff attempted to come over and apologize or help me out with at least a towel. Typical indifference and poor business. I do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Unimpressive from outside followed up by Unimpressive experience inside. Wondered if waiter was rude or trying to be humorous. With the 3 encounters during our mediocre meal, decided he was just witless. As last act he appeared maybe 5 mins after my requesting the check, and handed check to my wife ignoring me. Again food was quite unspectacular, no water was presented, stale chips and generally a regrettable outing. read more

Absolute favorite Mexican food I have ever had. The portions are absolutely huge, so be hungry before you go. Every other Mexican restaurant I typically tend to get the same thing as always (fajita nachos), but when you go to El Nopal you can't help but want to try everything on their menu! I highly recommend their burritos, and my mom & aunt can't get away from their soft shell chicken tacos! read more

Very friendly staff, super quick service, good food AND the restrooms were so clean!!

Food was yummy, service was friendly and fast and the price point was great! Three entrees and a pitcher of beer for right around $40. Can't beat that these days!! We liked the salsa options and felt the food we had was authentic. We will be back for sure when we are in the area! read more

Having just flown into town, my husband and I wanted a quick bite to eat. We weren't sure what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised. Our server was very friendly and personable, the restaurant has a fun atmosphere, and the food was very flavorful. The salsa is spicy and the chips are very crunchy. Since I love spicy food, I ordered the Camerones a la Diabla (spicy shrimp). I loved it! My husband's chicken enchiladas mole was excellent and even the sides of black beans and rice were very flavorful. We are so glad we stopped here for dinner! read more

Fast service and good salsa. Have the option of spicy and regular salsa. The food wasn't great though. I ordered a spinach and mushroom quesadilla and it was watery when it came out to me. Refried beans very runny. My parents enjoyed the chicken fajita though. Margarita was acceptable. Friendly servers. Open and large restaurant. Lots of options. read more

Excellent service I order tacos my favorite. Delicious. Price is vey reasonable and plates are big in portion. Specials every day! Definitely a stop next time visiting. read more

Went there when they first open nobody sat us down then we waited 2 hours until some came over asked if someone was serving us. They definitely need to hire more employees and teach them the right way to treat people. read more

Same old same old. Really stopped because it is the only sit down by the outlet mall. Frozen margarita was so "chemical" tasting that my lunch date sent it back. The rocks one is made fresh and was actually pretty good. It was clean and wait staff was attentive - that's what the second star is for. read more

Very bland and and boring. This is a typical "Mexican food" restaurant. Ground Beef had no flavor and the chile relleno was soggy and weak. Chips and salsa are the same ones you can get at any other Mexican chain restaurant. Skip this place altogether. read more

Always clean, friendly service, tasty dishes and wonderful value. A great place to visit after an outing at the outlet mall.

The hamburger was rotten and I had to spit it out. Scared I might get sick. Methinks not! read more