Nic at the bar was great. Food was wonderful - Order the quesadillas and Mexican bowls

AMAZING! Our waiter and the bartender took care of us amazingly, with even a couple other employees coming to check on us often. The food was great and perfect, no problems with it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was very fitting and cozy, better than most restaurants.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Still being in a good price range and not too expensive. Very nice people and place. 10/10! 5 Stars! read more

Disclaimer: this review is for the lunch buffet only. I went with my family to try the $18.49 all you can eat lunch buffet. This was my first time experiencing a buffet for hispanic food and for this price point in Orlando, this is an amazing value deal. The server regularly brought us out silverware, napkins, and refilled our water. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is decorated very fun and plays latin music which was lovely[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Not only was there an unlimited assortment of lunch foods, but an entire bar of fresh toppings for tacos (or rice bowls) and made to order desserts which were included for free! Not everything on the buffet line was the best but given the amount of options, price, and how good the great items are this is still worth a five star rating. I unfortunately did not take pictures of the food before I began devouring everything in sight to the point of near-collapse, but I will do a quick rundown of the buffet highlights: The best meats were the fajita steak, chicken, and shrimp made fresh in cast iron skillets, as well as the chicken lengua which was super flavorful and tender. The mexican rice, beans, fajitas, plantains, and street corn were also excellent. Fresh quesadillas, chips, and corn tortillas on standby with homemade queso and salsas. The flan and mini churros were the best I've ever had. Super rich, decadent Carmel flan. Mini churros hot and crisp on the outside, filled with a gooey soft milk chocolate center. They were delicious. Items that were disappointing: the tamales, mini chicken flautas, and beef chimichangas were just okay, lacking the seasoning and flavor that other dishes had. The beef barbacoa was not as tender or flavorful as the shredded chicken surprisingly. The mixed seafood was itself a mixed bag with some shrimps / scallops overcooked to much while others were perfectly cooked. The chicken mole and beef tri tip were room temperature despite sitting on hot plates. The tri tip also varied widely in doneness throughout the slices and not super tender. The rice pudding was pretty standard, and the tres leches cake was weird as they crumbled the cake into pieces before soaking it. read more

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We're pretty easy going when it comes to mistakes with orders. But it crossed the line when the restaurant server basically says, no, that's the way it is here. In this case it was asking for chicken and shrimp fajitas, a staple of countless Mexican restaurants. And even though this establishment offered shrimp with steak for $8 less, they added a $9 charge because there's no shrimp and chicken on the menu. Otherwise fine, just tell us BEFORE we order instead of when you bring the check. At that point it's either argue over $9 or pay it. Overall the food was average - the fajita chicken was dry and there's no complementary chips and salsa, another restaurant staple. To their credit the guacamole was very good but pricy at $14. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service was mediocre and the place was very loud for a weekday evening.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We'll definitely move on to greener pastures next time. read more

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Food was terrible ! Carnitas has pork taint . Not only that my taco was dripping this putrid fat ! I nearly threw up after one bite , but was on a date so kept it on the down low . ASADA- almost as bad . Dry no juice at all chunks is grizzle . Prime rib tacos ... are you JOKING ? Some cheap cut of beef not cut on the bias and stringy . Sangria ? Go ahead , drink five pitchers and you'll be fine to drive( other than puking ) no alcohol at all in the sangria . Only ok things were the guac and refried beans ... that's it . I am writing this review sitting on the toilet for the fourth time tonight read more

My parents and I tried El Patron tonight in our quest to find good Mexican food nearby. We haven't had much luck finding somewhere as good as Green Lemon in Tampa here in Orlando. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Staff was very friendly here and the ambiance was colorful and inviting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Sadly, the food was just average. Steak fajitas had great flavor but the steak was well done and a bit grizzly/fatty. Beans and rice were probably the best part. My dad got the chicken bowl and said there wasn't a whole lot of chicken in it. Overall, not our favorite but not the worst. We will keep looking for our go-to spot! read more

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We absolutely love coming to El Patron anytime we stay in Orlando (particularly Hyatt grand cypress). The food is fresh, delicious and fast. We love the smoked salsa and margaritas. Eddie, our server went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed and had a wonderful dining experience. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Pollo Loco - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Went for dinner here had a sampler platter and some chicken steak fajitas. Food was OK, but the service was a little slow. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a nice Mexican ambience[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and [[HIGHLIGHT]]a large screen TV, which was nice because the World Cup soccer game were going on so we got to watch it during dinner[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Parking is Free out front in the shopping center. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Steak and chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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A short wait but it was worth it In a busy Orlando area where everyone is a tourist. Great service and really great food. The only downside is if you want chips and salsa, it will cost you. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Such a great atmosphere. Comfortable seating and perfect for large parties.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the Al Pastor tacos. Just enough spice without being overpowering. The margarita was good. Our server asked us how our day was and I shared that it was my birthday. She brought me a dessert that was to die for! Cinnamon, whipped cream, pistachio Dubai chocolate. So so good! read more

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4.5 rating * Food was excellent. Service was pretty good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Mariachi band on a Tuesday night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Unlimited tacos on taco Tuesday-$26. I'm from Texas where chips and salsa is always free so it hurts when I have to pay a few dollars for that so we got guacamole. The guacamole needed some jalapeños to be spicier but I love spicy. It was not at all spicy. The kids steak was very good although it was not kids prices $17. They have photographers that come to your table and give you a free photo of your time with them. read more

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The restaurant is located in a local shopping plaza and seemed to have a steady flow of foot traffic. Upon arrival, we were seated right away, which was a pleasant surprise for a Friday afternoon. The space itself was clean, nicely maintained, and featured cute, inviting décor that added to the overall atmosphere. As we were seated, the hostess let us know that our server, Brenda, was currently tied up but made sure to get us started with waters along with their complimentary chips and salsa. There were about six tables occupied at the time, including ours, so it wasn't overly busy. The food did not disappoint. Portion sizes were generous, and everything we ordered was flavorful and well-prepared. We started with a couple of alcoholic drinks, which were beautifully presented and just as delicious as they looked. Our meal included the chips and salsa appetizer, three entrées, and dessert to finish. The churros were fresh, perfectly crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Such an excellent way to end the meal! The only downside to our experience was the service, which is what led to a four-star rating. There were long gaps between check-ins from our server, making it difficult to order additional drinks with our meal. Our water glasses also went unrefilled until we were preparing to leave. While other staff members helped run food and bring out additional items, the overall attentiveness from our assigned server was lacking. That said, the quality of the food and overall atmosphere would definitely bring us back if we're in the area again, would just be hoping for a more attentive service experience next time. read more

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I fondly remembered this restaurant from frequent visits about 10 years ago, and I was happy to see that it was still in business. It is located very close to the Disney resorts and dozens of neighboring hotels, plus it's just 2 minutes from. I~4. There is free parking and a few outside tables as well as a large inside dining area and a fully stocked bar. I arrived with 2 others on a very late Tuesday afternoon. The restaurant was fairly empty; but started filling up as it got closer to 6;00. The menu has all the traditional Mexican foods: tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, steaks, and salads. They also had a taco buffet running from 4:00-10:00; which seemed quite popular. We were greeted by Kali, our server, immediately and we asked her about happy hour specials. We were kind of disappointed that there were no beers featured for happy hour and the skinny margarita was not included either. They also had no light Mexican beers. I decided to get a Pacifico and one friend ordered a Corona. They were $7 each. We also decided to share the chips and roasted salsa. ($4.00, not complimentary, but very good salsa and excellent chips!) I ordered a trio of mix and match tacos for $19. (Carne asada, carnitas, and el pastor). They were small tortillas but piled high with ingredients, especially the meat. The el pastor and carne asada ones were my favorites; but they were all yummy. My friends had the chimichanga and the enchiladas and everyone was impressed with their meals. The decor is cute and very colorful and the prices seemed reasonable. They also had a trio of mariachis that started serenading patrons just as we were getting ready to leave. Overall we enjoyed our stop in to El Patton and will definitely visit again the next time we are in the Orlando area. read more

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Pros: fast service, kind employees, cute decor and ambiance, and in a great location for a quick bite after being in Lake Buena Vista area. Really enjoyed the corn tortillas. A decent amount of food for the price. I had leftovers to take home. Free small image was included in meal. Yummy tequila. Cons: they marketed themselves as authentic Mexican food, however this absolutely was not. I know the area is a touristy area, and that's exactly the vibe this restaurant gave. For tourists! They even had people come around and take photos, which could be a fun experience for tourists. However for my party it was more of an annoyance. They then wanted to charge $20 for the pictures. Food was decent, but a bit underwhelming. Beans were not very flavorful, same with proteins. read more

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Second time eating here, the first time was in 2021 and while it was a take out order the food was wonderful. This time around it was only average and not my favorite for Mexican food, I've had better at other places so I was disappointed this time around. One of my favorite beverages are margaritas but this time around it was very off tasting. Not sure why, maybe they changed the tequila that they used compared to what was used five years ago, or maybe they changed the other ingredients. Unfortunately I was not impressed enough to want to return here the next time I'm in Orlando, there are many better places to eat at here. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Margarita, just ok! - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We came because of the great reviews, but honestly, I don't get the hype. The food tasted more Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican. The enchiladas and burrito were both just average, and everything felt overpriced, probably because it's so close to Disney. The service was okay, nothing memorable. Unfortunately, I wouldn't come back. read more

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Amazing food and service. Not a bad bite at our table. Everything is scratch made, including the chips and salsa. El Patron Fajitas, chicken enchiladas, pichana, shrimp enchiladas, nachos, queso, etc., all delicious! read more

The food was delicious the drinks evens better and for our large party of 20 the food was served pretty fast. The guac was our fav and the tacos so much flavor. Alejandro was our serve and he was amazing read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Everything from the Service, Atmosphere and obviously the Cuisine! Everything fresh delicious and never gets old! I can eat here every day! read more

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My wife and I have decided that this is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants ithat we have tried. We've been to dozens of Mexican restaurants in Arizona, Texas, etc and we decided that this is one of our must go to when we're in town! On week days, they have an all you can eat buffet (including desserts) and everything was top notched. We tried the tri-tip, which is not my favorite cut, but here, it was so tender, you can cut it with a fork. Of course, they had plenty of my favorites (Pazole, Chicken Tamales, a great Chicken stew) and plenty more to sample at the buffet. Our server, Carolina was the nicest and helpful person and plied us with Flan and Churros. We really haven't flown down to Florida in a while, but after a refresher meal Patron's, we will be flying back soon! read more

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Food - 3 Service - 3 Atmosphere - 4 We had some issues with our order and managing through a dietary restriction. The service is friendly but they seemed a little too busy. I always have about hard time with paying for chips and salsa but that's they roll there. The enchiladas were ok - a little too spicy. The carne asada was really good. Guacamole is good but $14. Good margaritas. I'm not sure I will be coming back. read more

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We went to El Patron on our last night in Orlando. After suffering through many mediocre meals in Orlando (most places serve banquet quality food) we were very pleased with our dinner at El Patron. I believe that our server's name was Carolina. She was awesome. She knew everything about the menu and the ingredients. She helped us navigate some dietary needs and just made our whole experience enjoyable. The food was excellent. We started with empanadas, had a couple of drinks, and both opted for the enchilada dinner for our main plate. Everything was super authentic. Coming from LA we were surprised at how good everything was. Props to the chefs! We would definitely return if we ever found ourselves back in Orlando. read more

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The lunch buffet was 10/10. The food was fresh and the selection was fantastic. The buffet also included sauce filled churros. We also tried the tres leches cake and it was amazing. Valentina, Pedro the photographer, and Pedro the manager were wonderful. I love Mexican food and will be back. Def recommend. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

The food was great! I had a grilled chicken chimichanga with black beans and rice. My husband ordered the Al Pastor tacos with refried beans and Spanish rice. The food came out quickly and was hot. My margarita was good. I will definitely be back and would recommend the business. It was clean and tge ambiance was nice. read more

The best part of this meal was Alex, our server. Next level professional and very friendly and talkative. Michelle and I were looking for some lunch and this placed popped on her phone and I agreed from my Yelp search. They do a lunch buffett for $26 bucks which seemed very popular. We were not all that hungry and opted for the chicken/steak fajitas. You have the option of either corn or flour tortillas. They were good but not anything exceptional. The refried beans, cheese, lettuce and guacamole really added a nice touch to enhance the experience. read more

Great food, fast and [[HIGHLIGHT]]ambience was very much Mexican.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Recommend!. Came here after Yelp reviews and was not disappointed. read more

Food was great! Tacos are huge and loaded with meat. Delish! Also ordered the guacamole which was creamy and delicious. The all-you-can -eat buffet looked really good as well, but no one in our group was quite hungry enough to make it a go. Lots of options and tastes to try. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Guacamole presentation. - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Don't miss the lunch buffet, great price, great variety of food, and toppings bar has all the favorites. Buffet was clean, food all warm, and fajita was cooked fresh. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Enterance - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

The food here is good. We tried the Mexican bowl with chicken Burrito and kids meal - Cheese tortilla s or quesadillas of cheese only with a side of rice All great choices nice and tasty- good portions. The service could improve. Although we were a big table of like 15 who showed up out of nowhere on a Wednesday afternoon. So at least they weren't busy and had time to take care of us. However there was a mistake on one of the bills and I feel our server was not very attentive. You had to ask for things because she would never check on how we were... Ambiance was good- love the decor and it was nice and quiet also family friendly read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Burrito Grande - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

So, so good! It's hard to find authentic Mexican and this place is a cute little gem! If you're lucky - you will get Fabian as your server! read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Homemade everything - this is the salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Love the vibe in this restaurant. The bartender was fantastic, fast and friendly. I tried the Coco Loco margarita and it was just okay for me. But my Tito's and tonic was spot on. I had 2 tacos and added a side of beans and rice. I had the ribeye and asambre as my 2 choices for tacos. They were both fantastic. I would definitely return here for the great food and service. read more

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Wow wow wow what outstanding food and service. The service is amazing. The servers go beyond and above. Alex has served us multiple times and is outstanding. Nani the manager is one of the best I have ever encountered!!! 10/10 stars for her and her staff. They are amazing people go check them out! read more

This restaurant is AMAZING! The service is phenomenal, the waiter/waitress knew what we needed before we knew what we wanted and they were so kind. The food was really good with the buffet worth every penny. Great food that satisfies the whole family. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is calming and transports you to Mexico.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely coming again! read more

Food was flavorful, service was attentive and margarita was reasonably priced and delish. read more

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We popped in after a long day of traveling. Our server was super cool and engaging while doing a great job at describing unknown items. The food was absolutely amazing. The mole was fantastic with a depth of flavor I haven't had before. The drinks were great too. We lived the atmosphere with the Latin sounds of various cultures. It made me feel at home with all my Latinos read more

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Visited on Christmas Day for dinner so it was understandably very busy. We made a reservation, which definitely helped. Our server was clearly overwhelmed and exhausted, and while service was good, it wasn't the best due to how busy it was. That said, the food and drinks were excellent and absolutely worth it. Our party of five ordered different dishes, and everyone left full and happy. Overall, a very enjoyable experience, especially considering the holiday rush. read more

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While running errands in Orlando, we decided to uncharacteristically stop for lunch. I admit the fact there were over 2k positive reviews caught our attention. Let's get this out of the way, since it has come up in other reviews. Yes it is pricey or pricier than some Mexican restaurants but let me ask you this: when was the last time you took a bite of anything and had your eyes roll back in you head? One bite of my rebozado shrimp taco and that is exactly what metaphorically happened to me. As for specifics, the guacamole appetizer might well have been the best guacamole I have ever had. Thick chunks of avocado studded the dish and joined with the other fresh ingredients in a harmonious blend of flavors. Our waiter, Luis, recommended the alambre asada tacos and he did not steer us wrong. By the way I had two tacos and that was more than enough. Speaking of Luis; he was the perfect waiter- there when we needed him with helpful suggestions, he also checked back on us several time and generally exuded an enthusiastic charm without being intrusive. It is a delicate balancing act he performed with aplomb. The addition of the mariachi band and the roving photographer made for a fun impromptu Sunday afternoon lunch. Solid 4.5 stars PS: the bathroom was spotless- spotless like Buc-ee's spotless or your mom is coming to dinner spotless. read more

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Place is very cozy and great atmosphere, food was great and good flavor with great portions , now the waitress was ok , she forgot my drink and she never check with us during the whole time , otherwise I could it remember her she miss my drink, also prices on food are little high , also waitress didn't had any suggestions or tell us was happy hour time , otherwise I could it order some margaritas , definitely staff needs improvement and prices are little less this place could be a mine read more

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Uriel was amazing with his attention to detail! Actually, it was also a warm greeting from the host to the bar tender too. Food looked and tasted home made and was even introduced to their special hot sauce which did not disappoint. read more

Amazing brunch buffet alongside a fantastic menu, don't sleep on El Patron Restaurante Mexicana! The brunch has plenty of options but you can also order from several egg selections made fresh from the kitchen along with a number of dessert options - all included in the price. Being from out of town, this will be a must stop whenever I am in the area. Highly recommend. read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - These are the made to order options included in the price of the brunch buffet. - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Wonderful buffet! Great Food! Great Service! The online cooks serving the tri tip beef and Uriel, our server, wanted us to enjoy ourselves and we did! Notable - Amazing Desserts included with the buffet- churros, arroz con leche, Tres Leches cake! Flan! Yummy! Yummy! My absolute favorite Mexican Buffet! We had a great Mexican meal that is way better than most any sit down Mexican restaurant. Selena music playing in the background while I write this review! Nice noise level in the place. What an enjoyable atmosphere! You will have fun! I can't wait until my next trip to the area! read more

El Patron Restaurante Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida