Visiting my brother in Columbus and on an off day from Sonic Temple, a big Mexican food dinner was needed. A huge menu, plenty of offerings. I usually get carnitas with rice and beans if it is offered. They did not disappoint at all! Tender and juicy bites of the pork carnitas. Solid rice and beans as sides. Ask went together so well. Our waiter, Jorge was amazing. Very attentive. My mocktail was awfully slow coming out from the bar. Jorge went back a few times, no prompting from me. It came out right as I was finishing my dinner. I don't drink anymore, so I love a good mocktail! Restaurant was full of people, my brother and I were lucky to get our table outside. The stuff comes around and sings 'Feliz Cumpleaños'. Not for me, a table nearby. A filling and delicious meal. Definitely a place to return when I go back down! read more

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Went to dinner with my sister and her kids and my baby. First thing to note is that our server was very attentive and kind! She made it easier to dine with toddlers. This salsa was pretty good, but needed salt. However, my toddler loved it so much he was scooping it up with his hands to eat it. The queso was delicious; we got a large. My sister and I split a dish with zucchini, squash, and a few other vegetables and chopped chicken covered in queso served on a better rice with guacamole and sour cream. I'm blanking on the name of the dish. It was a bit pricier than everything else like it on the menu and cost $20, but it fed both of us, so it was OK. We also got a side of refried beans that were good. The parking lot was pretty full when we got there, but we did find a spot quickly. read more

Had the lunch single chicken enchilada with a side of rice and beans. Perfect lunch portion size. My son had the lunch carnitas which he enjoyed. Friendly service. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Lunch potion chicken enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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The Buckeye margarita really just tasted like orange. It was huge though. The steak fajita quesadilla was pretty good. It's a typical Mexican place. Nothing special. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Buckeye margarita - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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The jumbo margaritas here are so big! A little on the sweater side but overall good flavor. You also cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Everything is always well made and delicious. This visit was no exception and our service was also fantastic as always. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

I definitely recommend coming during happy hour! The drinks are all super big (the image doesn't do the size justice). You can choose between a salt or sugar rim (even if you get a frozen one). The service here is very good. Our chips were constantly refilled, and all our orders, even with modifications, came out correctly. Our waiter was carefully to ask questions to get our order exactly right. The portions of food are on the smaller size, but we also got queso for our chips, so no one left hungry. The establishment itself is pretty nice. We got a corner all to ourselves. The bathroom was a bit messy, and one of the stalls didn't have any toilet paper, causing a bit of a wait. Everything came out pretty quickly, and we got waters without having to ask for them. Also we were able to get the check and pay quickly. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Frozen strawberry margarita - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

El vaquero is many Mexican restaurants around Columbus. Stopped in a for bite to eat and service was very quick and nice. Our food came out hot and delicious. Plenty of seating, happy hour ends at 8pm which is amazing. Things were clean and ready for the next person. read more

The food was okay. I was hoping for better favor but I didn't find it. The mole sauce was a big disappointment - too thin, too much cinnamon. My wife enjoyed her street tacos but again they were "okay" not great. She did however LOVE the margarita. read more

One of the best places around for real authentic mexican food! I seriously have never had anything better than this! Everything is prepared nicely and made fresh. Employees are super friendly and sweet as well. Very family friendly and reasonably priced. read more

This place sometimes gets a lot of critique, but when it's good, it's very good. The drinks are poured well

This review actually comes from my 7yo daughter. She and I ate here yesterday. She was very pleased with the chips, salsa, and her mini corn dogs. My fajitas were great. My daughter loved the music and the atmosphere. She also adored our waitress Selena and insisted we leave a 5 star review for this place. read more

We so enjoyed our dinner here tonight. We are both doing weight watchers and they were very nice about my shrimp fajitas switch up. Instead of rice and beans, I requested a cup of pico de gallo and a side of black beans. Yes! Done! No extra charge. The meal was so tasty. The restaurant was busy again and I noticed the restrooms had some upgrades and looked good. Hostess and all servers did a good job. Friendly, welcoming. Thank you for a way of used to be restaurant experience. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Upgrades to restroom - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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I really like this place. I've been working in Ohio and staying just down the road. It's our go to Mexican place when we are in town. The menu is huge and they will make adjustments to any dish. Chips and salsa are top notch. read more

To start, they have average parking but they are in front of a shopping complex so there's plenty of spaces if you don't mind walking. I come here quite often and the staff is always so friendly, they always greet me and I'm never waiting long if any- for a table! They have the coolest decorations and signs every where, nice accent pillars on the bar- it's beautiful. And I prefer a booth so I'm not in the middle of everyone, imo. Average prices for QUALITY food, I am never let down. I always walk out with a belly full and leftover... always! I will continue to support this place!! I got the fajita quesadilla smothered in queso, it was fantastic as always and the strawberry lemonade is amazing! read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Chicken Fajita Quesadilla smothered in queso - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

If I could give this location a zero I would but unfortunately that's not an option. Me and my family waited 20 minutes for someone to come to our table and they sat down chips. Another 10 minutes pass nothing not a hello, I'll be right with you. We try to be understanding because there is a birthday party right next to us but no I can't understand when I see five people behind the counter and helping another tables. Waste of time and energy. Don't be surprised if this happens to you! read more

voted most likely to get your order wrong an serve you cold food. the staff is rude and they are racist too bad I understand Spanish. Ive been a customer for years and the service and quality now sucks. I asked to speak to a manager about the 3 meals that I purchased. They were completely wrong and items were missing. I spoke to five different people at the front desk in person before I was told 1 meal would be replace. They lie to get you into the store and treat you like poop. After a $60.00 bill plus tip I will never return to this dump of a restaurant rather a food truck or authentic Mexican food. Also asked for corporates info and they laughed in my face. Not even sure how they are still in business. should have been 0 stars. read more

The company was good and the food came out fast, but those were about the only positive things I can say. House lime margarita tasted like battery acid and ground beef tacos were served with nothing in them but ground beef (no lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc). I had a stomachache afterwards. read more

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This is a pretty solid Tex/Mex place in Ohio. The food is not what I'd call particularly authentic but again, we're talking about Columbus Ohio. The service was very good, the portions large and the beer cold. Large menu with lots of choices. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - people sitting at tables - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Fast sit down service here....bright colorful location with vibrant Mexican music in the background. Very accommodating staff on a Saturday night..... Good sized portions and tasty dishes from this nice place. A friend recommended this restaurant for some authentic Mexican food.... Selena was an exceptional server with genuine care and happy smile.....(Even through the sill masks)!!! read more

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Once Again partner wanted to go have "American Mexican Food" as we call. So off to try El Vaquero again. This was our second time at this location and needless to say our last visit was not stellar so I was not looking forward to it. We were seated in a booth next to the worlds Loudest young couple and to top it off there was screaming children all around. it was not even a Tuesday night where kids eat for free or at a discount. So this poor review is probably more jaded then it should be. Standard chips and salsa. Nothing amazing. Salsa was a little on the canned tomato flavor side. Service as a whole was just ok and as expected. I ordered the 3 Carnitas tacos, with soft corn flour shells, cilantro, onion. They served the tacos with a total of one lime slice. Which in my humble opinion should come with a lime slice for each taco. The tacos were tasty but not something I'm going to be ever have a craving for. The Westside of the Columbus and Hilliard have so many real taco trucks or stands it's hard to complete. Partner ordered the beef chimichangas and they looked like they had been dropped in old oil due to the color. He also said they were ok and nothing we'd have to come back for. We topped off the meal with some dessert. Mexican churro's. These too were just ok and nothing special. Ending the meal with these didn't leave a lasting positive impression. read more

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This is one of our go-to spots in Hilliard, they deliver exactly what we crave when we want Mexican. The portions are HUGE, I always have leftovers. And everything is very flavorful. My husband loves the refried beans, an item that's usually just kind of "there" on the plate, but they make them stand out. Just more flavor than you'd expect. My mom had the shrimp tacos and said they were excellent! I like the taco salad, and I can be a little picky about those. I will say the prices are a bit higher than other similar places, but I don't blame them. Prices are rising everywhere. The only thing keeping me from that fifth star is the margarita game..a bit weak. But that won't keep me from heading back in next time I want some tasty Mexican food. read more

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Best Margaritas ever!!! Great customer service! The staff was super friendly. The food was amazing. It tasted so fresh!

This was my first experience. With your restaurant I was not very happy I ordered taco salad but it was soupy gross then we asked to speak to manager and he acted like he could care less my friend talked to them and they reduced my bill I will never eat there again read more

I got my Mexican food education from Taco Bell and Chi Chi's. Seriously. Nachos, Chimichangas, Burritos, Chili Con Queso, Hard Shell Tacos with lot's of cheddar cheese were sold as Authentic Mexican cuisine and we bought into it. We were so innocent back then. But no, it's Tex-Mex baby and the good folks at El Vaquero know that there's still people around that think like this. They use it every day of the year to sell us "Comida Mexicana Autentica" with a wink and a smile. It's put "Mucho dinero en el banco", so I certainly can't blame them for their efforts. Now while they do sell a lot of Tex-Mex, they also have some authentic Mexican dishes too. One of my favorite authentic dishes is Camerones al la Diabla. It looks innocent enough. Just picture a sauté of grilled shrimp swimming in some Campbell's Tomato Soup with tortillas, rice, lettuce and sour cream on the side and you have the idea. Don't be fooled by the presentation my friend. That's not tomato soup by any stretch of the imagination. No, it's a wicked blend of hot chipotle sauce that will light you up from one end through the other. Trust me, they aren't called Devil Shrimps for nothing... It's one of my favorite masochistic culinary delights. 4 Stars. And Here's Some Additional Food For Thought: ** Camerones Rancheros is a similar but milder version. ** Their Happy Hour is from 2-4. $2.99 Margaritas and select appetizers are half price. ** If you want mild, their Chicken Fajita Quesadillas are really good. ** Check out their Queso Fundido and thank me later. read more

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Nice choice on the ever-changing/expanding retail and restaurant chain "strip" just off 70 on Rome-Hilliard (or is it Hilliard-Rome?!?). When in Columbus, and SOMEONE doesn't want to use "my" magical YELP powers of new restaurant discovery, this is a good, solid choice for a quick, GOOD meal before heading back to the "wild, wild west" aka Springfield. We skipped the craziness of downtown Columbus on a St. Patrick's Day Saturday night after the Columbus Auto Show (what an EVENT, compared to Dayton's puny Auto Show!!) but still wanted to get a quick (not fast food) bite to eat on our way back home, and from previous experience, we both knew that Vaquero's would be a great choice. We were seated quickly, had a bit of time to look at the MASSIVE menu and order our drinks and dinners. Service at all of the Vaquero locations I have visited has been good, with all the "perks" you expect at a well-run Mexican-American local chain. Plenty of fresh, crispy chips, almost before you sit down at your table; tasty, fresh salsa, and all the usual suspects on the menu. Fast, accurate, attentive service... No complaints!! For some reason, I've never been all that excited about my choices for entrées, but that's just indecisive ordering, and not really anything against the restaurant itself. My "special" chicken dish with Mexican sausage (chorizo) and pineapple was ok, not great, and Bob's Margarita chicken got the same "ok, not life-changing" review. But this is Ohio-Mex. "comfort food," not gourmet deluxe, and we both left happy and full. For what it's worth, this place was FULL of Mexicans on Saturday night, which is always a GREAT sign!! It was fun to see the waiters, bartenders, etc, all participating in the "wearing of the green," even though every last one of them was probably just about as Irish as I am...!! Fun spot, quick, convenient, and worth the detour!! read more

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Food is ALWAYS 10/10! Our servers ALWAYS have the upmost respect and care, and the margaritas are STRONG. Our server saw us watching the Super Bowl on one of there tvs, and kindly turned the tv volume up so we could hear it as well as watch it. (Without us having to ask or anything!) Care unlike any other restaurant I've been to. Prices aren't bad at all either. I recommend the avocado appetizer. read more

I am in New Rome Hilliard. I wanted Mexican so I went to El Vaquero. I sat up at the bar. The staff was super friendly! I ordered within minutes. Then another way staff did not know I already ordered and brought me another menu! That was so sweet. They brought me chips and salsa. It was so good while waiting on my two cheese enchiladas! My food was very good! It had great flavor. I recommend this place! Great food a a decent price. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - The bar - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Cheap and flavorful Mexican food. This is no high quality authentic, but it's exactly the comfort food you want. Just enough spice and flavor in each of their dishes at a price you love. The place is clean and servers are hardly overworked. My wife and I can get out of here under $40 with a generous tip satisfied with our dinner. Would recommend over most other Mexican places!! read more

This was my first visit to this particular El Vaquero and I can say it is, hands down, the best location in the Columbus area. The margarita was perfectly made, the food was well cooked and hot when it was brought to our table, our server was friendly and amazing! The patio looked awesome, but we sat inside which was clean and comfortable. The only thing I noticed was that one of the bathrooms was missing TP and soap, but not the end of the world! read more

It's your typical Mexican restaurant with a few flairs. The margaritas are quite good and reasonably priced pitchers for happy hour. Beer specials were pretty good as well. We started of with some guacamole and the traditional salsa. The salsa was a medium chunky with good flavor. The guacamole was a good portion and fresh. We only chose two different entrees between the three of us. I went with a grilled chicken with mushrooms and onions. It had a nice mix of cheese and tomatoes on the plate and served with flour tortillas. The other dish had a nice pork and cheese blend. Plenty of food for most. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone as they have a nice large patio out front for nice weather. There is also a large bar if you are by yourself and do not want to sit at a table. read more

I stopped into El Vaquero this past week for lunch and tried the Huevos con chorizo. They have a you a large portion and it was made perfectly. The chorizo has a nice bite to it and it's served with tortillas to make wraps. For a lunch portion this was a great deal, I would order this again. read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Huevos con Chorizo Almuerzos - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Went on Friday evening date night, food was delicious and made it right on time for happy hour. I ordered a meal that was not on the menu steak chimichanga with fajita onions and peppers and the assignment was well understood by the chef. Good was well seasoned and steak temperature was perfect. Great place for date or time with friends. Highly recommend flavored margarita pitcher . No time for pics. read more

The food is always well prepared and the service has never failed to be exceptional. On my recent visit, my family was taken care of by Celiada M. M.and she may have been the best waitress in Ohio. When I go back, I'm asking for her: she was conscientious and on the numbers the whole way while being pleasant the entire time. My hats off to her and the whoever hired her. PS: we're not related, I just thought she was top-shelf. read more

We ordered delivery at our favorite Thursday night spot! Everything was so delicious! The Trio Dip app is my favorite!!! read more

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant - Chimichanga Supreme and Diabla Chicken with Trio Dip Trio Chimichanga Supreme - Mexican Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Great food and service. Bean dip and mango margaritas are great. The barria tacos were also great.

Service wasn't very good. We waited at the table a long time before someone took our order. Our server was slow to respond to our requests. The place didn't look very clean. It wasn't really bad, just not great either. Food was so so. Again not bad but not great. read more

Been here 5 or 6 times now. very good food, good atmosphere, good service. I'm from New Mexico and Arizona so I'm naturally critical of Mexican restaurants, but this is a good one. read more

Amazing service every time we come here. And the food is always delicious! It's always fast too!

The waitress called me weird because I wanted a corn tortilla. And it really hurt my feelings and

After a horrible experience with a CARRYOUT order, finding a hair in my tostada! ~Thank you, Efrain for gift certificate. DINING experience is usually most satisfactory. Staff and service are great. Food is Good. Weekends can get busy and slows up service. read more