I rarely eat food after 9pm, but you make exceptions for places like this. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality (down the street at VA Tech!) and I came by here this past Tuesday night after a few other potential dinner spots fell through - the week after graduation is not the best for college town restaurant reliability. This was one of the few businesses with a kitchen still open, and had the distinction of being the only restaurant she'd actually been to when she was in college here over 20 years ago. Certainly a testament to the power of Mexican food and the young pups who will eat it any hour of the day and night. Unlike her last visit, El Rodeo apparently isn't as dark and divey as it used to be. A shame in my view, but it is what it is. The walls are painted a bright white, and if you didn't have the menus and margaritas roaming around, it could have hosted any genre of cuisine. There was an outdoor dining area that was pretty hopping but we opted for indoors and were immediately seated in a spacious booth with views of giant TVs showing a wild Cavs/Knicks playoff game. I wasn't obscenely hungry so I avoided eye contact with the burritos and instead went for a chicken/cheese quesadilla and a large glass of water. The quesadilla showed up within a few minutes and honestly really hit the spot. It was SUPER cheesy (in terms of flavor, not quantity, which I liked - I'm all about an ingredient equilibrium with my food), and I loved the crispness of the tortilla. The chicken was nicely shredded and seasoned, and it was generous portion to the point where I was only able to eat about half of it. The rest came back to the hotel with us to be consumed at a later time. The service was excellent. The turnaround time of the food was insanely quick, and the only noticeable delay was when our waiter understandably needed to attend to a wild 21st birthday celebration at a nearby table. Happy Birthday to her, and I hope the margaritas treated her well. College town restaurants kind of are what they are - it's not really the land of bougie gastropubs but rather affordable tasty shizzle that you might impulsively eat in the middle of the night. Solid recommend. read more

El Rodeo - Chicken/Cheese Quesadilla. - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

I got the Arroz Con Pollo, along with a Jumbo Pina Colada Margarita This dish isn't a traditional Mexican dish - it's actually more Caribbean - but due to the massive demand for it in the South, it's a staple of menus here but not really found anywhere else in the US - that's why I had to make sure to get it while I was here as I hadn't had it before and I know this place is known for it This food was absolutely fantastic The dish came with a TON of grilled chicken pieces on rice, along with a lot of vegetables, and a cheese-like dip Starting with the chicken, it was really good, and as I mentioned, there was a lot of it it was also soft and not quite juicy - but definitely not overcooked/dry either. it was really satisfying to bite into it wasn't super well seasoned - but there was enough that it was detectable the rice itself was pretty nice and well-flavored. it wasn't anything too special but it served as a solid base for the rest of the toppings the vegetables were pretty fantastic - and served as a great complement to the chicken. I was especially a big fan of the grilled onions and the peppers, as these were cooked really well. however, the tomatoes weren't great. charging extra for these was a little strange, but I didn't mind it what really brings the dish overall together and takes it to another level is the cheese dip that mixes throughout everything if this was too cheesy - it would ruin the entire dish by making it practically inedible if it didn't have a strong flavor, the entire dish would basically feel plain however, this was just perfect. It had a hint of cheese, but most surprisingly, it had a bunch of other flavors in there too that created a sauce that coated every part of the dish and significantly increased the flavor of everything it touched this resulted in the overall meal having a comforting, deep flavor profile that was really, really good The margarita was also decent - it was super sugary and you couldn't taste the alcohol that much, but it was enjoyable to drink For the price, this was a pretty great deal. When adding the vegetables onto the ACP, it came out to around 15 dollars, and this was a really nice portion size given that price. The jumbo margarita was also a really large drink for around 9 dollars read more

El Rodeo - Arroz Con Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

El Rodeo is one of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants in Blacksburg and is a favorite among Tech students. Located close to campus, it's walking distance from most of the university and is easily accessible by bus. They have cocktail deals every day of the week, and I especially like their jumbo margaritas. I always get the mango one, and it tastes just like a smoothie. I like their quesabirria tacos, which come with a side of compote. The balance of flavors is amazing with a nice touch of cilantro and there is not too much cheese. Their cheese sauce, which comes on a lot of their rice dishes, is also delicious and really elevates the flavor. It can get very busy in the restaurant and the seats are very close together, so it can get a little loud, but the service is always very quick. read more

Great food, great service, and I love the decor. I am a rice fan and it was really good. Our friends ordered fajitas to share and it was a lot of food. It looked and smelled delicious; I'll order it next time! read more

Wow...this restaurant far exceeded my expectations. I was greeted immediately by the bartender who told me the specials & brought out chips & salsa. I had the "Chori Pollo (basically a giant plate of chicken & rice/cheese) & 2 HUGE Margaritas. Food was delicious, drinks were made to perfection...Wonderful Mexican restaurant that you will leave satisfied and won't break the bank one bit!! Delicious & Budget friendly restaurant!!! read more

El Rodeo - Chicken Chile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Came here for dinner to enjoy some margaritas and Mexican food. It was pretty busy considering my friends and I came on Taco Tuesday. The meal didn't stand out to me that much. If you're looking to satisfy your Mexican food craving, I'd suggest this place. There are two locations -- one by the roundabout on North Main St. and the other towards the movie theater on South Main St. Also, in terms of atmosphere... the seats are very close together and uncomfortable. We were seated at a booth and there was barely any space, if any, separating me and friend from the backing of our seats and the table. read more

El Rodeo - Fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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Nice Mexican decor, clean establishment. The staff is friendly and attentive. We ordered the Maria taco salad which came with shrimp, chicken and steak. It was really flavorful. My husband got the pollo tropical which was also very good. The portion size was plenty as we typically get full in chips and salsa. read more

Very average spot for Mexican food and giant margs. The food is good, not amazing, but it does the job. The margaritas are cheap and strong and a good bang for your buck. My favorite is the quesadilla Texana that comes with 3 meats. In my college days it was definitely cheaper but now it's around $15. They also have redone the inside so it's more modern but I miss the old decor. read more

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Everyone is always nice here! They have fast service & food is served hot! If you are looking for a quick tex mex in Blacksburg this is the place to be! read more

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Food was okay but not great. I got my food without veggies and it was very very very dry and had no taste. Place had nice decor and the service was just okay. I am just tired of being nickle and dime to death. They charged for every little thing that used to be included. I am pretty much done with eating at this place. read more

This has been a staple in Blacksburg for at least 20 years. I stopped in for dinner last night. It was newly redecorated in the past few weeks according to my friend. It looks nice! The food was just as I remember! The queso was a little thin but tasty! I had my old favorite chicken taco salad in a tortilla shell filled with traditional refried beans, cheese, tomato, lettuce and sour cream. It was good to see it was the same old El Rodeo! read more

El Rodeo - Queso - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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Came in twice to El Rodeo during my visit and I was more than happy with the experience. Delicious food that comes out minutes after ordering and yummy frozen beverages as well. Definitely a favorite of mine, and when I am back in town, I will be sure to hit El Rod's! read more

El Rodeo - chicken quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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i had an order to-go of ACP with chips and salsa with a side of cheese dip. both were the perfect amount of spicy and cheesy, the cashier was also very sweet i will definitely be returning read more

A must stop whenever I'm in town. Service here is fun, friendly, quick, and professional. Really enjoy the fajita nachos, the beef chimichangas, and the jumbo Texas margaritas on the rocks. El Rods is a VT staple and always worth the visit! read more

Pretty good. The restaurant was clean and service was good. The food is basic and nothing special but fine at best. The margs are not great. It's from a mix and not fresh lime juice. A tip to management- dim the lights in the evening. The super bright overhead lights made me want to hurry up and eat and leave, not linger and have another drink. read more

Went here on a rainy day. The restaurant was clean and spacious. We were seated immediately. The chips and salsa came almost immediately with the menus. The salsa was very fresh tasting and had good level of heat. The food came out in what seemed like 5 mins after ordering! Food was pretty solid, but nothing to write home about. The rice was a little on the dry side. Would still come back here! read more

Classic big box Mexican. Good drinks. Fine, but not great, food. Everything one might expect. Came in hungry, left full. That is win...

Great food at a great price! Complimentary chips and salsa were nice surprise. Service was quick and friendly. Would definitely go back.

El Rods has a great selection of Mexican food and margs! When you go here, you are bound to find something you like. The staff is really friendly and accommodating. Also the vegetarian menu is fabulous! I recommend #5 on that menu. read more

Just visiting, I'm in town on occasion and thought the place looks great from the outside so I stopped in for dinner. Pros: I ordered the chorizo dip for an appetizer and it was delicious. For my main course I had the veggie fajitas and unlike a lot of Mexican restaurants they had a nice variety of vegetables; often time I get mostly onions & peppers, basically fajitas with no meat, but they had a decent variety (if it had some spinach it would have really put it over the top but that's a personal thing). Cons: The fajitas were very oily, even though it was a good mix of vegetables every bit was saturated in oil (see pic). The BIG CON!: I ordered a top shelf margarita and OMG what a F....ing rip-off‼‼ I ordered the large and it was what I'd call a regular (not sure how small the small is) I even confirmed with the waiter if it was indeed a large and he confirm it was the large (see pic), however it's the smallest large I think I've ever received, packed full of ice too, and WEAK! I know Mexican restaurants put huge markup on the margaritas, everyone does, but with $15 I can make more than a gallon of pretty good margaritas, so I expect a decent 8 oz glass for that price‼ What a rip-off‼ A couple weeks ago when I was in town I ate at Agave Azul Mexican restaurants and the margaritas were pretty good and strong for literally half the price (food was just ok) so if your looking for margaritas I'd go there. Service: Was quick, helpful, and friendly. I give a half star on the margaritas (again what a F....ing rip-off‼) The 3 stars are just for the food, 4+ stars for service. I don't think I'll return, too many Mexican restaurants around to waste my money here. read more

Food is really good and the service is some of the fastest I've ever experienced. Love coming here with my friends, and all of the staff seem very friendly which makes for a pleasant environment. read more

I have been coming to this el rods for years now. Each time the food is okay, but the service is terrible. They are mean, inconsiderate, douchbags that work there. The manager called my friend fat and then proceeding to drop the f bomb at curse at us for appearantly moving our booth. He was such a dick and ruined my time there. read more

Good food, you got what you pay for, so I am happy with what I got. The margaritas was pretty strong and I like the taste. My friend got this mango margarita that only taste like juice, do not get it if you want actual drink! The waiter is not very friend the first time I visit, it is rude to some point. But the second time is fine. read more

El Rodeo - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

I ordered a taco salad takeout and it was good until I found a hair after only eating 3 bites. Super gross and disappointing because I couldn't finish my food. read more

Yuk. This place is so dirty even the cockroaches were wearing masks and gloves. The chicken for the fajitas was probably better 4 days ago when it was first prepared and I need to stop writing this to go get a hepatitis vaccine. read more

Amazing service great food will come back ! The birria tacos were delicious and the staff were very friendly.

Excellent food and quick delivery. Driver great especially since we were at a hotel and it was pouring rain like a monsoon

Some of the servers are polite and nice. However, one was very rude and impolite to my table. He would not respond to thank you and would walk away from me. Did not ask us for our food order yet told other servers that we wernt ordering so the table was "unoccupied". He would also not bring things when asked. Generally a very welcoming place with quick service. read more

Quick service, good food, big servings, cheap prices and a "hole in the wall atmosphere". What more could you ask for in a college town. Salsa was very good. Entire family was pleased at the end of the meal (plus even with a couple alcoholic drinks it was cheaper than breakfast at Cracker Barrel earlier that day). Don't be intimidatEd if there is a long line at the door. they hustle you in/out and it moves quickly. read more

Service was quick! The Server steered us in the right direction. The Margarita I ordered which was not the bottom priced one. The server had recommended it. It wasn't that good. The Server recommended the Carnitas. The Carnitas were absolutely amazing! Would totally go back for it. Might try a different Margarita next time. read more

Very good food and service. Stopped by after dropping kid off at VT. Food was brought out quick and tasted very good and authentic.

This is it. This is the place. You want some classic cheap Mexican food with jumbo margs? This. Is. The. Place.

This review is for the South Main location; however, if the two locations are owned by the same people, I wouldn't recommend either. I ordered what I thought were tamales tonight. I didn't realize that they define tamale as a tube of corn meal. Almost 90% of my food was dough, and it wasn't cheap either. Feel free to eat here if you want to pay $15 to be served gross "food". read more

El Rodeo - "tamales" I ordered. Notice the distinct lack of meat. - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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So everyone abuses Mexican restaurants for serving slop and what not as their food, but I look past the uneducated comments and truly enjoy the El Rod's experience every time I go. My friend actually owns the joint and I can't commend him enough on the food, the drinks, the drunkenness and the late night trips to the bathroom that come with the package. Some friends and I usually would go on Wednesdays during the school year to get the Miami Vice - a true man's drink: Pina Colada mixed with Strawberry Daiquiri to make a creamy pink concoction only worthy of the world's toughest men. Its like 6.75 but comes in a glass thats a bit larger than what my first goldfish lived in. I suggest drinking two and just seeing what happens. Don't slurp too quickly b/c you'll get ridiculous brain freeze of course, which is never fun. The next time you go, fire up a Jumbo Texas Margarita, which is the Jumbo Margarita with an extra shot of Tequila just poured right on top. As Dave Chappelle once said, "It'll get you drunk!!!" As for food, if you manage to not fill yourself up on the amazing chips and salsa, try ordering the #4 combo. The Chili con queso is to die for. Viva Mexico! read more

This is the last time I'll order from the El Rods on North Main Street. I ordered arroz con pollo and a side of chips with WHITE salsa. The cashier then gave me my order with queso instead and told me they don't have white salsa, but when I asked for a refund then he said he didn't know how but could offer me a discount. I then get home and open my arroz con pollo and it's practically empty. I called back immediately and had to drive back for a return. I then went to the one on South Main and got everything I wanted correctly. read more

El Rodeo - What they gave me on North Main for my to go order - Mexican Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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Don't go out of your way... Just a run of the mill cheap Mexican restaurant. Service is decent, chips are slightly sub-par, salsa the same, food was all right, and can't vouch for the drinks. The inside is pretty average also. No complaints, just no praises. read more

You've probably been to several Mexican food joints like El Rodeo before: Cheap and unauthentic combo plates, chips & salsa, fake/painted stone/brick on the walls, Dos Equis on tap...... Getting the picture? The portions are enormous, but taste like dry cardboard, and sit in your stomach like wet cardboard. The "margaritas" are also enormous, but they're more like weak neon-green Slurpees than cocktails. The service is always great, though. And the location is convenient for the on-campus crowd. Nothing terrible, but nothing remarkable either. read more

SO MUCH FUN! I love the employees here - they treat everyone as if they're family. Always lots of joking, and NOISE! Their homemade salsa is PHENOMENAL and the best part is that it comes with a basket of chips for free! Their food is also pretty good and decently priced. My friends go here once a week. Their margaritas are pretty much the BEST in town. They have every flavor you can imagine and you can pretty much get it in any size. A true staple of Blacksburg, VA. We college kids LOVE this place. It's also a good place to bring family earlier in the day. I just wouldn't recommend taking them Thursday - Saturday night because the place is packed with students getting their maragrita fix before they hit the bars. read more

I love El Rods but you should know that they cater primarily to the college-aged drinking crowd. If you're looking for good, cheap Mexican food and huge margaritas this is the place for you! If you're concerned about quality, I would recommend you trying somewhere else. If you're coming here on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night during the school year after 7 or 8pm, expect a long wait for a table. They turn tables over relatively quickly but it's not uncommon to find the line out the door. The smaller your group, the better chance you have at getting seated quickly. Their margaritas are iconic to Virginia Tech students! They are huge and I would definitely beware if you drink too much more than 1.5 jumbos. The waiters are very friendly but the service can be spotty. The environment is fantastic before going downtown for a night of bar-hopping and drinking. I've missed this place since graduation and will definitely be making a stop back here next time I'm in town! One more note- if you tell them it's your birthday, you get a free shot lit on fire! read more

Awesome Mexican food! Great meals and their margaritas are the bomb!