The place is in a new building and has an artsy kind of feel to it which I feel like is great for Denton. They have some pretty good lunch specials and what seems to be a good menu. My server was doubling as the door guy but what surprised me was that there wasn't another soul in the restaurant at 12:15 on a Friday afternoon. They have a wide open space for seating which to me might potentially get loud if it was busy, but with just me in the place it was quiet. I didn't feel any bad vibes at all from the place. I just happened to drive over while I was waiting for my number to be called at the tax office down the street. Luckily the service was speedy and fast. Cheese enchilada with carne and a hard ground beef taco are my go-to at any restaurant. The enchilada was fine, but the taco really underwhelmed me. Felt like I could make a similar flavor with ground beef and a packet of taco seasoning at home. I will say the shell was well-done to be fair it had a nice and light crispiness to it. Price vs food quality I'd say a smidge on the high side. I did the pick 2 for $13 whereas I felt like it should have been in the $10 range. But new place and new building I can understand if the price point needed to be higher. The menu did have a lot of other meals that I might have been willing to try if not pressed for time. Last thing I wanted to do was miss my number being called a the tax office. So speed-wise also great at this place. I got a couple refills of tea and a to go cup from the waiter and it was much appreciated. It wasn't the service here, nor the location I think. It is the food that probably needs to improve some. I left a $20 which was more than enough for the plate and tea and for the waiter who wasn't at fault at this place. read more

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Love this place with such a variety of great Mexican and Tex-Mex food. It is all wonderful. Come and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed. read more

El Viejon Cocina y Cantina - Birria stew broth with shredded beef and ramen noodles Definitely Texas-American-Mexican. Love it, chef! - Mexican Near Me - Denton, Texas

This place is really really good. We had the street tacos. It came with some dang good beans and rice. We tried every type of street tacos they offered. Loved each and every one of them. We also had the margaritas sampler, yum yum yum. This is a hidden gem thst you need to check out. They even had live music on this Saturday night. Go get y ou some tacos read more

We decided to stop here cause we saw this place was kinda new, the place is very nice and clean, we ordered our drinks and food and they came out very fast and everything was so good, the food in the photo is the protein bowl and it's very filling, our waiter bland was awesome and really nice and cool. read more

El Viejon Cocina y Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Denton, Texas

I recently heard of this place and wanted to try it out. There was no wait when we came here, and we could pick wherever we wanted to sit. They have a nice decor with different sentences written in Spanish which makes it feel like they put some thought into what you see as you enter the restaurant. They gave us salsa and chips quickly. I would like the salsa more spicy but my wife liked it. They had a special on appetizers when we were here, 25% off. We got the queso with beef. It was pretty good, it had more zing to it than the salsa. They have a fairly extensive menu, if you like Mexican you will definitely find something that you like. I ended up getting the "pollo con mole". I haven't run across many restaurants around here that serve that dish so I was curious. The chicken breast was nice and thick and even size. The mole sauce was good, it had a bit more heat than I expected of mole. It was also served with veggies and rice and also charro beans. I made sure to save room for dessert and we got the churros with ice cream. It was a good size, enough to share for 2-3 people. Good tasting churros and the ice cream went well with it. Overall it was a really good experience, the service was good, the GM also checked on us to make sure we were happy. We'll definitely return and try some of the other dishes they have. read more

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Came here because I heard good things. Great decision. It's kinda in a weird location but don't let that deter you. Truly good mexican restaurants have authentic music. Check. Green salsa is fantastic but eat enough and your forehead will sweat. Lunch fajitas plentiful and tasty. There is not a better lunch bargain in Denton. $14.00. Beans and rice plain but you don't need them anyway. The El Viejon margarita worth every penny. Strong, refreshing, and a real treat for margarita lovers. Service was on point at the bar and made this lunch an awesome experience. I'll be back for sure. read more

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Had an amazing experience at this Mexican restaurant! The service was top-notch--staff was always attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The drinks were excellent, perfectly made and refreshing. we ordered (La Viejona) & (La Buchona) both of those drinks were good The food did take a little while, but that's because they prepare everything fresh, which we really appreciated. When our meals arrived, they were piping hot and full of flavor. The owner even came out to check on us, which was a really nice touch. She let us know that they have live music on Saturdays--definitely something to check out next time! The chips and salsa were great, though I personally would have preferred the salsa to be warm. Overall, this is a fantastic spot for authentic Mexican food, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend! read more

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Location 8/10 Across from the courthouse so easy to get to and there was plenty of parking, it's just there isn't much else on McKinney Rd. Vibe 6/10 They really decorated inside and it's very open. It's just there are no booths or dividers so it's just 1 big room. I get it takes a lot of money to do stuff like that and this is a new place not owned by a big company so it's all good. Service 9/10 We were checked on just the right amount and everything was refilled. Staff were helpful and friendly. Menu 8/10 Almost nothing really unique but there is something for anyone's tastes. Food 8/10 The chicken was cooked with just the char and all the sauces and beans were homemade. Salsa could have a bit more flavor (like garlic or onion) Price 9/10 Absolutely fair for the type of food and good sized portions. Cleanliness 10/10 No dirty tables or trash on the floor. Bar was tidy and organized. Bathroom was very clean. Walked in to a friendly greeting and seated right away. They have some original drinks and the Mexican classics along with a full bar and happy hour. I had a horchata which wasn't crazy sweet it had a strong cinnamon flavor (not the fake kind) and came with refills!! The menu has something for everyone and the prices are really fair. The queso blanco had a texture I wasn't into and needed a bit more flavor, but the salsa was homemade and just the right heat. The portions are good sized! You can tell they make their own sauces and beans. The churro cheesecake was not a thick and creamy the texture was a little like a tres leches, but it worked well with the sauces on top and didn't last long. I liked everything we had but want to reserve my 5 when I visit again and try more of the menu. read more

We had the fajitas and they did not disappoint. The frozen margarita was good and strong. I loved it! I don't think I could pick a favorite part of the meal. The service was great, everyone was very friendly. Go support a locally owned business! read more

El Viejon Cocina y Cantina - Fajitas and margarita - Mexican Near Me - Denton, Texas

I wanted to support a new local business, but unfortunately, my experience here was frustrating and disappointing. We waited over 45 minutes for simple tacos, which felt excessive given there were less than four tables occupied on a Saturday afternoon. One of our orders was originally a burrito, but it took the staff 30 minutes to realize they didn't have the larger tortillas needed to make it. How it took that long to even start preparing our food is beyond me. Denton has plenty of great taco spots, and this place just doesn't measure up. Save your money and, more importantly, your time. If this is the level of service happening in the kitchen, I don't see this place sticking around for long. We just decided to leave and spare our time. Went half a mile down the street and was served delicious food inside 15 minutes. read more

We absolutely love this place!! The Mexican food is the best I've had in Denton! Service is exceptional.

I've been wanting to check this place out because I've heard good things. But I was truly disappointed. $22 for a mediocre burrito (it was just ok) the carne asada was different. I guess I wasn't a big fan of the flavor. And an horchata. $22 I think that's ridiculous. I ordered a side of beans and rice and they came out cold. Ive never had rice and beans come out cold. They didn't charge me for them. Which was nice cause I took one bite and didn't want them anymore. I'm not sure if I will be back. So many other great taco and burrito places that don't charge that much. The small Horchata is $5. read more

Ive been here 3x, first with friends and last two by myself. The food and service are both excellent. They are fairly new to the neighborhood and starting to get busier by the week. It is hard to find in a town with dozens of Mexican restaurants where nothing is disappointing! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EL VIEJON COCINA & CANTINA!! read more

The setting was perfect. The food was 10/10 love the music playing.. I ordered a michelada and it was sooooo good! Seendy our server was great, so welcoming and smiled the entire time. 10/10 service. Can't wait to come back. read more

El Viejon Cocina y Cantina - Chicken flautas beans and rice - Mexican Near Me - Denton, Texas

Food is excellent, has variety of hot sauces. servers are attentive , very informative with answering any questions of various dishes.

I second whoever said this was the best Mexican food in DFW. I had carne asada fries and my boyfriend had the campechano torta and both were extremely good. I just moved here from San Diego and have been looking for Mexican food that compares to the kind i'm used to and I finally found it here. The ambiance is chill and the service was fast and really nice servers. These people know what they're doing and I highly recommend! read more

It was really delicious! I had a Paloma from and it was super delicious and flavorful, I would have liked to have seen in it in a cantarito cup but that's to each their own . The food was great I had tacos and my boyfriend had a protein bowl. The salsas were great as well. I would like to see this place packed one day maybe live music would be fun ! Super amazing and you could see that the ambiance is perfect and spacious for big events. Definitely going again ! read more