What is there not to like about this mouthwatering, Mexican restaurant: -knowledgeable waitresses -fresh salsa -located near shopping stores -set in an ethereal town -delicious food -average prices -clean standards -attractive decor -variety of food choices -cashier full of smiles read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

Great,fresh, and warm chips and salsa. Always get the shredded chicken taco with guacamole and always consistently great. Our go to spot for Mexican food. read more

Ordered three Carnitas tacos to go and they did not disappoint. Carnitas was cooked perfectly and the corn tortillas were soft. Their hot sauce was a must add and provided just the right amount of heat. Service was friendly and the interior space was clean and inviting. read more

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants! Food always comes out fast & service is spectacular! Love their salsa & queso! Never had a bad experience & it's a great value! read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

Ever since they started the new online orders and stopped taking call ins my food has been wrong 5 times in a row. Need to just start answering the phone again and stop being lazy. read more

We went here with my family during labor weekend and it was great! The space is large so if you have a big group, this place can definitely accommodate you. Our server was fantastic, always filling up our drinks and making sure we had plenty of chips and salsa. We had a variety of different food, but I had the Texas Monterrey plate which was awesome!! So very yummy and loaded with meat! We all really enjoyed our meals and I'm sure we will be back many times over! read more

The food,as always was excellent. The portions were generous. The service was great, and the waiter was very attentive and stayed ahead of the game. read more

Always incredible!!!! This is me my husbands favorite place to get Mexican! Unfortunately we live in Odenville so we don't get to come often! Definitely get the cheese dip, fajitas, and avocado slices are always big and fresh! read more

The food is delicious here, always fresh and hot, margaritas are top notch, frozen or on the rocks , service always fast and waitresses and waiter's are great, very attentive . I Highly recommended El Tapatio !! read more

Cool casual Mexi joint off Rainbow Dr in the esoteric Rainbow City, AL. Their chicken soup was Spectacular ; Wasn't your usual chicken tortilla - It Loaded w veggies and aroma- huge. Of course they gives u all the homemade salsa chips u can eat. Chili Poblanos & Camaron Ranchero are easy goto's off their varied menu. Staff v v friendly, totally dug the cool friendly vibe; u gets checked on multiple times by waitstaff and owner cruisin the pad; Karen'll make sure u happy w foods :) Bout 6 TVs in bar area case u wanna zone out :/ Walked thru a more formal dining area on way out, when need to appear 'respectable' ;) Ask for the homemade Hot sauce; u b v happy . read more

We we're there on Sunday and the food and service was good.The only deal was people kept coming to our table to get the dishes.This begins to appear as though we are being run off.We we're meeting our niece and her family there and wanted to talk for a while.This is Your Working Man's Review. read more

Monterrey Plate, Hawaiian Burrito, Taquitos, Chili Relleno, Flaming Cheese, Carnitas Tacos. The above dishes are very popular and my favorites. The servers are always on point, every single one of them do their absolute best and work super hard for their customers. They all are friendly with great attitudes and will go above and beyond to accommodate you and your family especially the little ones, with customizing the dish you order as much as you want. Food is always good too. My only complaint is that the prices on some menu items are way too high. But the service is top notch and never disappoints. read more

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The food was good but the service was not the greatest during my whole meal the waiter never came to check on me and see if I need anything the drink orchata was kind of nasty it tasted like the powder kind read more

Delicious Mexican food. Excellent service. We have been eating here for years. We love the experience everytime. The owners are a great family! I highly recommend stopping in. read more

I can't believe that I have not reviewed what it's probably my favorite Mexican restaurant. It's time to fix that. My wife introduced me to El Tapatio many years ago. It quickly became my favorite because they have good food, are reasonably priced, and have the best salsa. I say you can always tell a good Mexican restaurant from a great one simply by their salsa. El Tapatio's is not too spicy, which is perfect for me. I could make a meal out of their chips and salsa. They used to sell it by the "galon" (there was an old display where someone had misspelled the word 'gallon', and we've called it that ever since). I'm not sure if they still do that or not, but we've bought a few before. My favorite dish here is the Monterrey Plate, which is chicken and rice with plenty of white queso poured on top. This paired with all those chips and salsa makes for a great meal! If I decide against a Monterrey Plate, I usually get a combination with a taco (and the others vary). My wife likes to get the Flaming Cheese or the Fajitas. The servers are all friendly (some of them more than others) and they're always quick with the drink refills. Some of them have learned to go ahead and bring me extra chips and salsa. Recently, they've been doing a lot of work outside and inside the restaurant to update it and I think the updates look great. If you are looking for great Mexican in the Gadsden area, look no further. There's another El Tapatio just a few miles away, but this is the original and is always better. read more

The second you walk into this place it has an authentic feel to it. One of two locations within a few miles of each other, this one is the original. Plenty of booths and tables throughout the restaurant, they weren't exceptionally crowded the night we went. The staff were all friendly and for the most part attentive. We had a little period at the end we felt forgotten about, but not a big deal. I had the Guadalajara Especial for $9.69. You could probably feed an entire school with the size of this plate of food. Comes with (Beef or Chicken) Tamale with cheese, two taquitos, nachos with beef and chicken, rice and beans, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and sour cream. Seriously they should give you the meal for free or a t-shirt that announces you victoriously completed the Guadalajara Especial. The food was all really good and fresh. I've been here twice and liked my orders both times. The second time was for a to-go order. They package to-go orders really well and provide chips and salsa with the order. Highly recommend this place. I will be returning and trying more from their extensive menu. read more

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Upon entering El Tapatio you wait to be seated at the hostess station which is across from the cashier who you take your check to when you leave. While waiting for a table the cashier kept coughing. This was not only unappetizing but unhealthy. After being seated our waiter was quick with our food and drinks. However, we waited way to long for our check and eventually had to flag a member of the wait staff down. Upon paying for our meal the cashier was again coughing all over the place without covering his mouth. I wouldn't recommend El Tapatio. read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Stake El Tapatio. - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

Highly recommend, one of the best restaurants in the area if you ask me. Great prices, great people, great food. Been here multiple times and have never been given a reason to not give a perfect rating. read more

Great lunch!!! Too full to type!! If you order the soft tacos make sure to ask for the fajita meat!! Chicken or steak! Good meal and I love the soft serve ice cream afterwards! The renovation looks good guys keep up the good work! read more

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Standard Mexican food joint with plenty of room to improve. The food was good, everything else is pretty much 1 star at best. The biggest negative for me is the prices. I mean, this place is in Rainbow City in some strip mall... not Patton Creek in hoover or cool spot in downtown Birmingham. I don't think the quality, location, or atmosphere justifies them charging $2.29 for a kid's Sprite or $2.39 for rice then another $2.39 for refried beans. Also, their bottom shelf margaritas are $6 for a small. We're talking Iguana Grill / Jalapenos prices here for run-of-the-mill (at best) Mexican food. Me and my son ran in for a quick bite on a small road trip; however, I'll just pass it on by next time. read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Pretty Standard Mexican Food - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

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Best tortilla chips ever had so light and crisp.we both had the pineapple burito was awesome.

One of the best Mexican restaurants in rainbow city. Always friendly and respectful to you no matter who you are!

Great food! My favorite is the Monterrey Plate: grilled chicken and rice, topped with white cheese sauce. Fantastic!!

Just moved to the area and wanted to try the closest Mexican place to our house. Biggest mistake. Ordered for pickup for my husband, 2 toddlers, and myself. $50 later the only thing that was edible was the refried beans and shrimp taco. What you see in the photos is what we are throwing away. Absolutely inedible and I'm ashamed of wasting this much food. The Guacamole Mexicano would've been perfect had the kitchen listened to the fact that I didn't want any jalapeño and easy on the onion. The carnitas in the taco was greasy and cold, literally only took a bite of a piece of meat and almost threw up. The steak taco was very bland even though it was topped with lots of cilantro and onion. The chicken in the quesadilla tasted like it had been boiled, almost like canned chicken. The rice was barely soft and bland as well. The beef tostaguac was extremely spicy, probably jalapeños in the guacamole which again, I asked for no jalapeño. My daughter ate some of her soft beef taco, but after one bite my son wouldn't touch his. The cheese dip tasted like warm mayo. The chips were good but I have nothing to eat it with so just disappointed all around. Yes it would've been cheaper had we gotten actual meals instead of a bunch of al a carte items to try but still, I'm sure we would've been extremely disappointed either way. The to go lady I spoke with was super friendly and helpful while I asked questions on what comes with what since the menu doesn't explain all of the items we ordered. She repeated the order back when we were finished and even noted that I didn't want any jalapeños on my dishes. Very disappointed for what seems like a highly recommended place during dinner on a Friday night. We will be driving the extra 8 minutes to El Patron in Attalla from now on. I don't like leaving bad reviews on places but I don't even know how this restaurant is open, let alone has a second location. Also note in the fine print that they charge an extra 6% for take out orders. Yikes. read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Guacamole Mexicano(left), soft beef taco(top), carnitas taco(right) - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

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Nothing special about this place. The inside is dirty, you are often overcharged, and the food is just aiight. Much better places in town for Mexican food. Oh, and the restrooms are disgusting! read more

Waiters were friendly. I ordered beef soup and it was more like a vegetable soup with shredded beef in it. I was disappointed as this was not authentic as I remember. Not a bad experience at all but food wasn't as good as we expected read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Beef soup - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

It's been about 8 years since I last stepped foot in an El Tapatio restaurant, and I was eager to come here again because of an item my friend suggested, which will be detailed below. First, we were quickly seated and they served our drinks and complimentary tortilla chips. I've never seen this in a Mexican restaurant (or really, any restaurant) before, but the salsa for their tortilla chips was in a little container to where you could flip the lid open using your thumb and pour some into your own mini bowl. I like that concept. Plus, the tortilla chips weren't too thick like most I've had from other restaurants. I don't really care for tortilla chips that nearly break my teeth off, so these were definitely the enjoyable. For my entree, I ordered steak nachos with melted cheese, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions on it. A friend of mine who no longer lives in Alabama said they were amazing whenever he'd order it, and I became very eager to try it. It was DELICIOUS! It lived up to all of my friend's hype for it. The creaminess of the cheese in combination with the nachos and everything else mentioned above created an outstanding flavor. I was sure to give my waiter a compliment. I'll definitely be getting this again during my next visit. I had a coupon that mentioned a free serving of ice cream with it, so I got a cup of vanilla ice cream. It wasn't really like I remember it from years ago, but it was still very good. The taste and consistency of it almost reminds me of how Dairy Queen's vanilla ice cream is. In regards to the atmosphere and cleanliness of this restaurant, I love the architecture and decoration on the inside of this particular location (I've been to the one near the Gadsden Mall but this is the first time I've been to this exact location). The background music wasn't too loud, it was rather cold but not freezing, and everything was clean. I've usually eaten at other Mexican restaurants when I crave Mexican food, but I think I'm about to become a regular here! read more

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I have been going to this restaurant for many years and have seen it evolve in many ways. The restaurant itself is spread out over a massive area including seating around an ornate fountain, a side seating room which used to be (maybe still is, I'm not positive) a smoking section, a back room for parties, and a bar in the back for those who wish to have a more private experience. The main seating area is a very friendly favorite among locals, offering it's patrons a visual aesthetic remniscent of an old Mexican pueblo village, and I run into at least 2 people I know every time I eat at El Tap. While some people have been discouraged over the years by the fact that their table lighting, which, in an effort to add to the atmosphere has for many years consisted of lights hidden within hanging sombreros, seems to collect and remain dusty, and some of the pictures on the walls have been broken by disrespectful guests, this has all been since replaced and updated for a more modern and sanitary look. I ate here a week ago and the sombrero lights have been replaced with low hanging lights in an ornate translucent glass scone, and the damaged fixtures for decor have been renewed. For the food: I am a sucker for Chimichangas, especially shrimp stuffed. I have ordered this dish at this establishment many times over the years and it has always done me well. However, the last 2 times now that I have come here have yielded a very skimpy chimichanga, quite smaller than those I free up in here, and filled more so with tortilla than meat and vegetables. The sides that come with the plate: refried beans, rice, a "Mexican salad", and scoop of house guacamole, scoop of house pico de gallo, and scoop of sour cream, are very generous and filling, but I would gladly take less of each or sub the salad and beans altogether for another chimichanga. Otherwise, the prices a very reasonable, their happy hour extends throughout the evening, their drinks are strong and well priced, and the service there is pretty good. They almost always run coupons in the local groceries and newspapers as well, and the discounts received through them are very generous. I would reccomend El Tapatio to anyone looking for a nice, casual night out for some Mexican food. read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Shrimp Chimichanga dinner plate. - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

Ordered tacos de carne asada..... (not street tacos) came out completely covered in foil, before I could unwrap the waitress gave a drive by obligatory "does everything look ok?" While walking away. Got the foil off only to see about 2 cups of cilantro chopped up onto 3 tacos. No exaggeration. The menu description has no mention of cilantro. I tried to clear enough to possibly eat it. (Nope it still tastes like soap to me) I pointed out to the waitress that it doesn't say that it comes with cilantro on the menu, she immediately wanted to argue, but said what can I bring you? So I ordered enchiladas rancheros, with beef. Ok, so basic Mexican/Tex mex dish. Raised in Texas and I know Mexican food.... this is not it. Server basically threw my plate in front of me, it looked like a pile of slop. I feel sorry for the people who live in that area and have never experienced good Mexican food. My daughter's taquitos were dry and definitely not worth eating. Horrible food, rude server. Do not recommend. The pile of cilantro in pic is half of what was on 1 of the tacos. Not to mention the tomatillo sauce wasn't given with the order either. When they brought my replacement plate they didn't even give me hot rice. read more

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We eat here at least once a week, sometimes more. Great food, great atmosphere, & great service. Try the shrimp nachos, Loco dip, or flaming cheese. read more

Lifelong favorite Mexican place in my hometown. Chicken nachos with veggies & cheese dip with jalapenos are my go-tos.

I love this restaurant, I had a group here for my birthday and it did not disappoint! Though it could've been a little nicer (clean wise) because after we finished our dinner we saw a cockroach crawling along the wall. This is the only time I have seen anything unsanitary. I love the cheese dip and cheese quesadillas! Would 100% recommend! read more

Love this place. I'm not saying it's the most authentic Mexican food you'll ever eat or that what you'll put in your mouth here will change your life. But I for one love the food. For me it's the best of the Mexican food that's been adjusted to fit palates in the Deep South. I've tried just about everything on the menu but keep going back to the Speedy Gonzalez. Portions are pretty massive, drinks are strong and cheap, there's a pretty great happy hour. The restaurant is big, too. There's a main room, a side room, and a bar in the back where pretty much no one will see you unless they make a trip to the bathroom. That's a favorite hangout for my crew. read more

If I could give this place a zero, I would. Everything was great until half way through my meal I went to get the last bit of my sour cream, which was under some lettuce. When I pulled my fork up there was an extremely long hair on it. Got a bus boys attention and showed it to him and so he went to get our waiter. I showed the waiter what was on my fork and he said "no one in the kitchen has long hair, but ok" as if he were implying I was dishonest with my finding. He did offer to make another one, but after insulting me first I declined and told him not to worry about it! I am not ok with how this situation was handled. A simple "I'm sorry, let us do xyz" would be a more appropriate response then to insult a customer. I will not be stepping foot in this establishment again! read more

I've eaten many times here as a kid. But I went to eat tonight and it possibly was the worst I've had. We went for my cousins birthday and we had all gotten our food except one person was still waiting for his food when the waiter left. He had to wait an extra ten-fifteen minutes to receive his food. Also another person didn't get all the food that he ordered. We barely got checked up on and the food wasn't grand. But I would still recommend this place because overall this place feels really authentic and the food is pretty good. read more

What is there to be said about this place that hasn't been said already, it's a quiet enough place, cheap Mexican food, good atmosphere, and complementary ice cream with your food. Whether you're going on a date, family reunion, or just need some quick lunch, definitely consider giving this place a try. read more

El Tapatio Mexican - Quick and easy beef and cheese nachos make for an excellent quick and tasty lunch! - Mexican Near Me - Rainbow City, Alabama

We stopped here for lunch. Selection was phenomenal! Food came out very quickly which is super great for lunchtime. Food was fantastic! Everyone at the table was very happy with their lunch. Great value for the money! Will definitely be back! read more

The salsa is awesome! The chips are super thin and crispy. I had the Monterrey plate and loved it. The restaurant is super clean and our server was great. read more

Not the fanciest of restaurants, but you can guarantee to leave satisfied. The chips and salsa is the best in town along with reasonable prices read more

I have been a happy customer for as long as I can remember. The best chips and salsa around!! This family owned restaurant will never disappoint you! Great staff and atmosphere, perfect spot to eat and enjoy great margaritas!! read more