I am afraid that El Rayo has not aged well. We recently visited for lunch and were surprised to see that it was now counter service for ordering. The limited staff had caused many tables not to be bussed, which made the place seem even more dirty. The decor is aged and seemed dusty. The food was fair. The salsa and guac are now served in little take-out containers. It was just not like the old El Rayo. read more

I've been here twice- the first time I was not impressed, the second time, well I'm writing this review... The service was friendly and the restaurant was clean. I liked the vibe inside. My wife and I ordered rancheros bowls which came out in a timely fashion. However, I was a little surprised that they were served in what looked like cereal bowls. We paid $36 (pre-tip) for basically half a meal each. No chips or anything. After we finished we both were still hungry. The bowls themselves were fine, kind of boring and bland, but the hot sauce on the table was good. I definitely felt a little cheated for the price. If the food isn't going to be very tasty I at least want a decent amount of it. read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Ranchero bowls - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

The reviews here are out of this world! Couldn't have been any more wrong. Food here is easily the best Mexican food in Maine I've ever had. Very similar to Taqueria El Amigo back in Waltham, MA. Had the Burria Tostada, absolutely amazing. El Jimador Classic Marg was delicious... and the loaded Tots were so good! Will definitely come back read more

I was on a date with my hot girlfriend and was hoping to score, but the place was only counter service and our Nachos were a bore...Then she said she had a headache and she don't call me no more!! read more

Venturing through Maine on our way to Sebago Lake, we made a delicious stop at El Rayo in Scarborough, and it did not disappoint! We started with the Loaded Tot Nachos--crispy tots topped with crema, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and plenty of jalapeños . I just love a good cheese pull and a great take on classic nachos. 7/10 For tacos, we tried a trio: Sweet Potato Taco: Chipotle mayo, corn salsa, veggie slaw, and cotija cheese--sweet meets spicy. 7/10 BBQ Pulled Pork Taco: This was the standout of the night! The pork was perfectly tender and flavorful, topped with veggie slaw, cotija, and red onion escabeche. 9/10 Pescado Taco: Grilled achiote fish, avocado, chipotle mayo, and veggie slaw--a fresh and tasty option!7/10 We also dug into the Steak California Burrito --loaded with papas fritas, Monterey Jack, crema fresca, guac, and house pickled jalapeños. A full, flavorful burrito, perfect if you like it a little saucy! 8/10 We also tried the Surf & Turf Special (shrimp and steak) and they did not skimp out on the meat here 8/10. For dessert, we enjoyed: Coconut Muffin Cake: Packed with coconut flakes--so good! 8/10 Housemade Flan: Rich and creamy. 8/10 Key Lime Pie: Tangy, refreshing, and just what we needed to finish. 8/10 I also appreciated the pineapple salsa (unique and I wish more mexican spots made salsa like this? maybe a salsa flight??), and guacamole paired with the chips for the table--so flavorful! They have another location in Portland too, so definitely worth a visit wherever you are in Maine. Overall: A solid 8/10--definitely worth the stop if you're heading through the area! Ambiance: 6/10--with some outdoor seating at the Scarborough location. Affordability: 7/10--good prices ($4.95 per taco, $16 for burrito). Perfect for a taco fix on your way to Sebago Lake! read more

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Great gluten free options! Service is fast and friendly, and the vibe is great! Very familiar with celiac, taking proper precautions. read more

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Love the friend shrimp and avacado tacos. Also delicious street corn. Margaritas are great- can't go wrong with any of them. The bowls are a little bland with little flavor. Service always so friendly. They have trivia Monday nights- great atmosphere. read more

Eat in or take out! Unassuming from the parking lot, but quick and delish. Order at the counter with quick table service or order online and grab a to go to head to the beach. The portion sizes are generous in the dishes are fresh and authentic. read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Pescado bowl - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

We think that it was wonderful! It was exceptional and we will return for sure. Lynn and Bruce read more

My family lives in Maine and it's a tradition at this point to come and visit it. The food is always amazing and the menu is large. However every time I feel the overall experience gets worse and worse. The set up is very confusing and annoying we can't get drinks and food at the same time. The staff is friendly. The restaurant is cute with some outside seating. It is a little pricy but not crazy. Overall this by no means a perfect restaurant but I give it this high of a review solely beacuse of how absolutely delicious and consistent the food is! I would highly suggest checking this place out for authentic and delicious Mexican food! read more

Love this spot. Favorite of ours for takeout which is quick and fresh but the ambience and drinks for sit-down are also great. Get the pineapple spears. read more

Margarita was good. Nachos were some of the worst I've ever had. The "steak" was slow cooked Chuck roast that had been sitting in a crock pot all day and there was absolutely no cheese. Very bland and not good. Wife's burrito wasn't good either. read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Bad nachos. No cheese. - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

Visited recently for lunch for the first time and loved it. First off I appreciate ordering at the counter, finding a table, designating it's yours with a number and then your food is delivered to your table. For drinks you walk up to the bar and order and pay separately. I had to get the yucca fries when I saw they came with chimichurri aioli and a unique bbq type sauce. The aioli was my fave and my husband loved the spicy bbq. I also got a couple of tacos and it was honestly too much food. I wasn't able to take my leftovers because of our plans for the rest of the day. My husband got a chicken burrito and it was to die for. I am not a burrito person but I would get that when I go back to El Rayo. We also got a couple of drinks that were super tasty. I got a passion fruit drink that was on point and my husband got a bee pollen drink that he wasn't crazy about. Just know the passion fruit one is the way to go. We'll definitely return and I recommend you try it out as well. read more

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Food was very good. Had a grilled chicken bowl. Service was extremely quick. Many thanks!

It was the weekend and we were looking for some kind of brunch and every place we stopped at was closed...until we saw that El Rayo was open, and we pulled right in. We ordered a shrimp and cheese quesadilla, a pulled pork burrito at the counter and a pomegranate Margarita at the bar. My quesadilla was surprisingly good, it was filled with shrimp and avocado and was absolutely enough for two meals. My husband was super happy with his burrito, it too was large and generous enough to be finished the next day. The Margarita was ok, not super flavorful, definitely could not sense any pomegranate, but it was ok enough, and we drank it anyway, although I would not get it again. On the way out, we noticed a pretty great "meal deal" of two apps and four mains for $50. Will definitely keep that in mind for takeout on a cold winter evening! read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Check this out! - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

I went here with friends. I like this location much better than the Free St restaurant . More parking and room inside make for a better experience. We shared the Tacitos. They were pretty decent. I do wish they were a little spicier but still pretty good. The brussel sprouts were amazing! Then I got a bbq pork quesadilla with pineapple salsa. That was my favorite! It had a perfect blend of spicy and sweet! Everything there is reasonably priced and the staff was pretty friendly. read more

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Nice meal, casual coastal atmosphere. Order at the counter and sit and relax. I had the soup and taquitos. Soup had a little spice but not overwhelming. The taquitos were quite large. Very fresh. read more

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No longer what it was. Very bland black beans (I got the rice and beans bowl), tacos were missing cheese (or if it was present it was such a stingy portion that I missed it), and the pineapple salsa was BROWN; clearly the pineapple had gone bad. read more

Mexican place with large seating area, small bar, and outside seating. The only place that has full service is the bar. If you want to sit inside at tables or outside you go up to the front order the food and then they bring the food to the table. Then you clear your table as well. Food is pretty good but I think it is overpriced for what you get and the portions are kinda small. Has some different options and tacos are interesting. read more

I don't understand the 3 star reviews. Place was clean, service was prompt. I'm from CA and this restaurant certainly has good food. We had the sweet potato bowl which excellent we also ordered the chorizo burrito also excellent. Place should be rated as a 4.5 overall with so many reviews. Take my word as a road warrior. read more

What a great experience we had today in the COVID changed landscape here is what we experienced. When you walk in, you place your order at the register and normally takeout area. You then go and grab a seat and it will be delivered by a back of house person. I had a brand and rice bowl with carnitas and my wife got the beans and rice with avocado and the food was fantastic, filling and fresh. Much better experience today than our last time as we shied away from coming back. Thanks for delivering a good experience in spite of the circumstances. read more

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Camping at Bayley's down the road so My wife & I decided to give this place a shot being we love Mexican food and Margaritas! The atmosphere is well done with a nice bar area although we couldn't sit at the bar because of the whole virus thing!.....so we sat at their outside patio which also very nice. We only got a special nacho appetizer & two house Margs.....both were very good! Fully intend on returning to more fully explore their food and Marg options. Being this is my 1st visit so far I give a solid 3 Stars but stay tuned for future updates. So give it a shot & Enjoy! read more

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Great location, friendly staff, easy parking , excellent food. Love the Monday night burrito special. I ate in one time and did take out the next. The food and service each time was excellent. I loved the Yucatán so much the first time I ordered it again for take out . The combination of flavor and the seasoning on the fish were perfect. We ordered chops a and guacamole for take out and were delighted my the large portion of chips and loved the guacamole. We got at pollo burrito for take out which was made just as ordered and tasted amazing. The Campinon mushroom burrito was Alain delicious and I will definitely go back for another. The food came out very quickly, the service was great and the price is great weather it is the Monday night special or just any time. I will be back to try something new next tome read more

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Food is good. Decor and space is very good. I would stop for a quick lunch and if I lived in that area, would consider this establishment more for take out. I used to work in the area and recall that they had regular wait staff pre-Covid, which I always appreciate in a restaurant. I do understand that times have changed and staffing can be challenging. So this set up works for them and business seems to be good. Really nothing to draw me back but I can see it does well for the set up. read more

We got takeout from El Rayo for six of us for dinner. One of our burritos was strangely cold in the middle. But otherwise good cost value, good menu options. Margarita mix was also quite tasty. read more

I've been here handful and have found that the BBQ Pork Burrito is my favorite! I love that they load it up with pineapples and veggie slaw. I think for a unquie combo, that is a delicious mix. The chicken taquitos were crunchy and had some flavor inside with the chicken also good. The pineapple was really juicy and tasted subtle with the flavor on top. For the salsa I think pretty ehhh, not horrible but not great just okay. I love that they did include sour cream and diced tomatoes though for one of the dishes. I got this as to go, so I didn't dine in. Inside is pretty decent with plenty of booths/tables to sit at. The women at the counter checking me out asked if I needed anything extra for the sides/untensils or if I'd like the chips included. It was ready for pick up and bagged up to go when I got there too. read more

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Delicious and unique! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this was a great spot with lots of interesting items and a sizable drink menu. I will probably pass on the yuca bites next time but everything else, rice, chips and cheese dip, asada and birria were all excellent. It was a great relief to to finally find good rice and cheese dip, two items I hadn't found meeting my expectations anywhere else in Maine. Will definitely be back again read more

Just... don't. Seriously. The staff are all lovely people, hands down great service, friendly people, quick service. Just to get that out of the way. The location is great, easy to find, and if you're desperate and want something which is more or less food, you could probably do worse. Not sure HOW, but maybe if you tried to lick concrete slabs? The food was painfully bad though. Even the tortilla chips given to me with my burrito? Bad. As in more than half of them were over cooked and tasted burnt. Which brings me to the burrito, and I use the term only because it was black beans, pork, rice and some sauces in a rolled flour tortilla. Any resemblance between this and Mexican food is purely coincidence. Very, very heavy on the oregano this tasted more like a sort of almost Italian wrap of some kind. I tasted no cumin, no garlic, heavy on the green pepper. Yes. Green pepper. Not chili peppers, not jalapeño. Strips of green pepper. The pork was OK, maybe? But bland and honestly nothing like Mexican flavors at all. The rice in the burrito I was served was also wildly under cooked, to the point where I had to spit out a few pieces because they were crunching. I've been to other locations of theirs and they're more or less the same. Just sub par Mexican / South American food. If you want a good burrito take a little drive and go to Quiero Cafe in Portland. read more

I love a good salad, and make them often. If I'm going to eat a salad from a restaurant, it's got to be spectacular, and the Fiesta Salad from El Rayo is so good that I call it the World's Best Salad. Other things there are 4-star good, sometimes 5-star good, but that salad...oh my god, I dream about it! I love sitting outside here in good weather with the World's Best Salad and a Ginger Smack Refresco. YUM! read more

Great service. Easy place to find! Rice is a little under cook but the other foods are good! Drink however it is not as great as I thought it should be! Overall good experience! read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Pina colada - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

Excellent, once again! Started with fundito (mushroom and chorizo) with street corn! So meal worthy. Server was attentive and fun. Manager on duty was also very engaged with customers. Everything was so good. This is why I keep coming back read more

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Delicious food. Great hot sauce, burritos, and guacamole. Friendly staff. Plenty of parking.

With the new social distancing ordering measures in place, this spot feels more like a classy fast casual option than anything. Rice and beans was just white rice with beans, nothing particularly flavorful but tasted alright as a side. Taco tuesday was a good deal, with stacked tacos and good flavors. The California burrito was filled with french fries and lots of meat. read more

El Rayo Taqueria - rice and beans and taco - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

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Terrible, bland Season something, anything! I had the pollo burrito and tasted like some boiled chicken with a handful of white rice and black beans. It was a leg too, because I had to spit out a big chunk of cartilage. There was some avocado in there as well, unsalted of course. Sauce on the table was....something, I don't know. Nothing good. They are trying too hard on the complimentary salsa too. It should be thin, in a bowl. They call it restaurant style for a reason. This is brown and sweet, in a plastic cup similar to what prisoners receive their butter in. Mexican food is not difficult. Pork burrito with queso and green sauce is delicious. Not on the menu. Chori pollo? Nada. No heat, no seasoning, no cheese. Bland and tasteless. Won't be back. read more

Started out great when they opened but died a slow death through covid. Tastes like school cafeteria food. Usually gets orders wrong if you make any tiny modification. High prices and prompts for a tip when they don't do table service. Be ready to clean your own table before and after you eat read more

First off, what kind of Mexican restaurant doesn't provide the table with free chips and salsa? El Rayo does not unless you cough up the dough. This is a travesty in my book (also makes the restaurant seem not customer friendly and money hungry). However the food I've had the opportunity to taste in my visits here have been good. I usually go for the quesadilla (ground beef, steak, or chicken), and these are great. (They do charge you extra if you want sour cream, what gives?) I like to order the taco's as well. Their margaritas and specialty cocktails are pretty good, expect to pay what you would in Portland downtown. This isn't a place that I necessarily seek out for dining, it's usually a whim drive by thing when we're hungry we decide to stop in. The food, drinks, and service are what you would expect at any Mexican place, nothing to write home about. Honestly, my favorite thing about El Rayo is probably the colorful decor and atmosphere. read more

El Rayo Taqueria - Anti venom - Mexican Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

Yo the enchilada of the month is the dopeness. So good you gonna wanna slap yo momma

Stopped in before work. Pleasantly surprised in friendly service, fast af, and ... amazing taste. Inset this into my collections. Yum. Pulled pork BBQ taco. read more

My husband enjoys their burritos so he requested dinner here. I had never been but listening to him rave I was excited to go. Of course during times of COVID things are different. You have to wear a mask and they have outside dining. No big deal been to several places since they opened back up and have a good time. On the drive there my husband called to make sure there was available seating and asked if a reservation was needed. We were told no and that they had plenty of out door seating if we so chose and plenty indoor as well. I am GF so I was reviewing the menu on the way in. They have plenty of GF options. They are clearly marked on the menu and the staff seemed pretty knowledgeable. I ordered a fish taco and a shrimp taco. They were both ok sized I just wish that there was more flavor. My Shrimp taco I feel may have lost a few shrimp along the way there were only 2 in my corn tortilla. We ordered nachos as an appetizer. I was not impressed. My husband enjoyed them. The chips were thin which I do appreciate but because of how the toppings were the chips were soggy there was no crunch unless you ate a topless chip or an edge chip. My husband got a California Burrito which he also thoroughly enjoyed. The drinks we ordered were not impressive. My husband ordered a mojito and it was very bitter and lacked lime. I ordered their drink special and it clearly looked like he had not made many, the bartender kept looking at the specials sign to see what was in it.. it tasted mostly like pineapple juice and was not pretty to look at. For the price point of the beverages they should have been spot on. I am totally willing to give this place another try.. everyone has an off night, I had high hopes and was sadly disappointed. read more

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Lovely decor, colorful and bright. Made a great first impression. The menu was taped to a counter and in Spanish so hard to understand. We both ordered the americano burrito and a side of tots. We decided to share one. It tasted ok but not really memorable. Had a lot of rice in it. We both felt it was overpriced. We wouldn't order this again. The waitress couldn't answer any of our questions about what was on the menu hence our order for the americano burrito. She definitely had an attitude and kept saying she had only been there a few weeks. I would have thought she might have reviewed the menu the day she was hired. But she seemed to think responding "I'm new here" was the appropriate answer to every question. We won't be back. We would not recommend this lunch. 1drink, 2 burritos, and a small side of tots. $44 read more