I loved this food! It was fantastic! The staff is very friendly and I enjoy my experience there every time! The atmosphere is really cool too! read more

I always strive to provide fair, well-rounded, and professional feedback, today my experience at Hacienda El Patron Fredericksburg was very much a mix of positives and areas that need improvement. I'll start with the good: the restaurant itself is decorated beautifully, it's remarkably clean, and very comfortable, with an ideal location and plenty of parking. The kitchen team can cook! High praise; the food was delicious, very flavorful. The service however fell flat. Despite the restaurant being uncrowded (only a few tables seated) our total experience took over two hours, which is about double our usual dining time. We had long stretches of time when staff was unavailable to us, leaving us with empty drinks and chips. The front-of-house team was a so detached it made us feel less than welcome. I do want to share a couple of gentle notes for future guests, particularly regarding safety. For anyone managing severe dietary restrictions, communication here can be a bit of a hurdle. As a Celiac, I tried to clarify an ingredient question (unless you are fluent in Spanish), the language barrier made it difficult. Cell service was bad inside the building and there wasn't any information visable to us about public Wi-Fi if it was available, so it was impossible for me to use a translation app, I ultimately chose to skip the dish I wanted just to play it safe. Additionally, parents of small children should note that our entrees are served on exceptionally hot plates that stay scalding to the touch even ten minutes after arriving at the table, that might create a need to be extra cautious around little hands. While a language barrier is completely understandable at an authentic spot, a warm smile goes a long way in making guests feel comfortable and seems like it may be the easiest solution to the feeling of unwelcomeness. Sadly due to of the sluggish pace and the less-than-inviting atmosphere, I likely won't be back. I however would like to reiterate to prospective diners that the food and beautiful space genuinely have a lot of potential and given a positive change in hospitality efforts I would recommend this place. read more

Never got to eat here, was looking forward to Mexican food. When chips and salsa were served I went to have a chip when I dipped it I noticed that there were a couple broken chips in the salsa! That says to me that they are reserving the salsa if it is left on the table. Possibly dumping back in the source. I left without ordering food. Felt bad the server was a bit upset! read more

We went to Hacienda El Patrón this past Sunday to celebrate the birthday of one of my closest friends. Our party of 20 was seated with ease -- several tables pushed together right in the middle of the main floor. The place was lively, and with multiple large groups dining around us, it was clear this restaurant is a go-to spot for celebrations. From the moment I walked in, I was struck by how vibrant and fun the atmosphere was. You can tell someone put real thought into every decorative detail -- it all felt carefully chosen to create the perfect vibe. Our server was fantastic -- sweet, attentive, and handling multiple big parties like a pro. The drink menu was extensive, with tons of margaritas and cocktails to choose from. I landed on the Peach Clawrita, and let me tell you... it might be one of the best drinks I've ever had in my life! I ended up ordering a second because it was that good. I'm absolutely coming back just for drinks soon. As usual, my boyfriend and I started with cheese dip, chips, and salsa, and it did not disappoint. For our entrées, we both ordered fajitas, while my little one enjoyed a kids' chicken quesadilla -- everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. For dessert, I got my son the berry tacos, and they were gone within seconds (the kids loved them!). I also ordered churros to go, which reheated beautifully at home. They were filled with apples -- I'm not sure if that's standard, but it was a sweet surprise and absolutely delicious. If I had one small complaint, it would be the noise level. At times it was very loud, making it hard to talk to anyone more than a seat away. That said, the mariachi band was phenomenal and added such an authentic, festive touch that it completely elevated the experience. All in all, Hacienda El Patrón is the perfect spot to celebrate with great food, strong drinks, and lively energy. I'll definitely be back! read more

See all

My first time here was on Mother's Day 2025. It was REALLY bad here because they were unprepared! Very understaffed for a consistently cited day of the year that is the busiest and most profitable. Everybody was waiting a long time for their food and the wait was pretty long too for most people that had more than 3 in their party. My server was wonderful and completely overwhelmed as were all the servers. The reason I came was because the ambiance looks super chill. It is very vibrant with colors and art. It's an absolutely wonderful place to eat on the outside seating area on warm days. The food is delicious and I realized that their menu is the same as the el patron off of Courthouse Road. I came back months later at the end of summer and enjoyed the outdoor seating area again. It was a slow day and the service was pleasant. The only downside is it was during a shift change so the service that took over was mediocre. Seems my timing is off with this location. I've gotten way better service at the brother restaurant. I go there about monthly. I prefer the vibrant color vibes this place offers outdoors though but the service hasn't impressed me as much as I'd like. The food is great and the prices are reasonable. I'll give this spot one last chance because it has great potential! read more

I love that they have specials for everyday of the week. It's aesthetically pleasing love the decor inside even the furniture is really nice. On Tuesday they do $2 tacos they have chicken, fish(tilapia) and steak. I've been twice now first time service was good 2nd time we had longer wait time for everything we ordered and it wasn't packed. I love the chicken and shrimp queso dip. read more

Hacienda El Patron - Chicken & shrimp queso dip chicken & steak tacos - Mexican Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

This spot had been on my list to try for a while, and overall it was a good experience. The food was tasty, with the exception of the chori dip--it was runny, lacked flavor, and unfortunately came out cold. On the other hand, my chicken chimichanga was hot, fresh, and absolutely delicious. The rice and beans were also very enjoyable. My friend ordered the Enchilada, Burrito & Quesadilla lunch special and she really liked her meal too. The biggest disappointment was with the drinks. The frozen margaritas weren't available, which is a letdown at a Mexican restaurant. I settled for a pineapple margarita on the rocks, but it wasn't great. My friend went with the sangria and enjoyed hers. The décor was unique, but the service left a bit to be desired--I had to flag down our waiter a couple of times just to get assistance. I would come back again, but I'll be hoping for a hot chori dip and those frozen margaritas ready to go next time! Forgot to take pics! read more

Extremely slow service, server was Yoni. We were asked if we needed extra time to order and we stated "yes, just a couple minutes." 15 minutes later he finally returned to the area, after we had someone look for him. My mother in law ordered the Fajitas Texanas, when we received it, there was almost no meat (it is supposed to come with Shrimp, Steak and chicken). It has raw shrimp, the meat would only make 1 taco and the guacamole was brown. When we mentioned it to the server Yoni, he just stared at us then went and got more steak. We decided to leave, Yoni was no where to be found for 15 minutes or longer. We asked a server to locate him so we could check out. We understand servers have other tables but check in on the ones you have and address issues. If the cooks do not make a plate properly then talk to the manager, no one wants raw. The last things is the grime on the window ledge we were sitting at is just yuck. read more

See all

Stopped here to check out their food because everyone knows I love Mexican! The food was good, but I asked for my food to be fried hard and it was just a tad bit not as hard as I wanted it. It did taste good, but I had to add some salsa to it to give it a little more flavor, but I would definitely try it again. The waiter was friendly . It took a little bit for us to get some service even though it seemed they were short staffed so I was understanding. The drinks were great! I ended up being too full to get dessert so I will have to try that next time. read more

See all

I took my mother, sister and nephew out for lunch. This restaurant is located in Central Park, between Lowe's and Olive Garden on a corner lot (formerly Joe's Crab Shack). The restaurant is SO colorful on the exterior as well as the interior. They offer interior as well as exterior seatings. The hand craft artwork throughout the restaurant including the restrooms are gorgeous. We ordered 8 items: 1) Supreme Nachos 2) Chili Verde 3) Mexican taco salad 4) Patron especial 5) Beef taco 6) Fried ice cream 7) Churros 8) Chori dip. The supreme nachos were mediocre which were just topped with beef, chicken (very dried); beans, cheese sauce, a dap of sour cream, shredded lettuce and one slice of tomato but there no cheese sauce as it stated in their menu. The chorizo queso dip was okay just a little salty. The chili verde served with rice, refried beans and three hot foil wrapped tortillas were tasty. The taco salad arrived to the table in a fried tortilla shell with your selected protein, lettuce, refried beans, sour cream, cheese and one slice of tomato. It was tasty. The patron special arrived on a hot platter of chili relleno, tamale and chicken quesadilla (very dried). There was a red sauce on the bottom. There were only two out of three items on the plate was delicious. I don't know what's going on with their shredded chicken but it's very dry. The two desserts were very delicious, both served with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup. The churros were stuffed with apple fillings and had a light, fluffy outer crust. Our server Fernando was full of energy, friendly, and attentive. The restaurant is clean and full of decorations from their country. Check them out. read more

See all

food was good. Our waiter was a nice guy, but kept forgetting to bring stuff that we asked for repeately. Only thing was that music was too loud and kept feeling like the music was playing right in our ears. Not the best time, but I did enjoy the burrito although it was smothered with cheese. read more

Came here after looking for a lunch spot after Christmas shopping. I want to mention, inside it is beautifully decorated. It is completely different from when this used to be a seafood restaurant. The hostess and waiter were great. Food was hot and fresh. Salsa was delicious. The margaritas they have are huge! I was not able to finish mine sadly but really enjoyed it. read more

Great experience and environment all around looked nice and neat the food was good and good customer service and friendly I would recommend this to anyone who is enjoys Mexican food. read more

Hacienda El Patron - Mexican Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Ambiance is great. I would have preferred the money spent on the cooks and food which needs improvement. It was my first time dining in this restaurant. I would NOT recommend this Restaurant. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. The service was painfully slow--our waiter disappeared for what felt like ages. When the food finally came, it was a total disappointment. We ordered fajitas, expecting a sizzling plate of steak and chicken. Instead, we got a mountain of soggy onions and peppers with a few sad, diced bits of meat hidden underneath like they were trying to stretch leftovers. No strips, no flavor, no effort. Oh--and guess what they forgot? The tortillas. You know, the thing that makes fajitas... fajitas. They didn't bring them out until we were basically done picking through the pile of vegetables. Drinks were just as bad. The piña colada was a watered-down mess, and the horchata tasted like someone waved a cinnamon stick over a glass of milk and called it a day. Save yourself the time and money. This was our first visit--and definitely the last. read more

I came here on a Friday night and no one was sitting at the bar. I sat down and there was no organization of who was the bartender. A person said someone will wait on you in a moment. A person came over took my order and never returned. My food came out by another person. The service was absolutely horrible. No one refilled or even asked me if I needed a refill on my beverage. No one asked me how the food was or even if I needed anything. Several people came behind the bar to either make drinks for their table or wash glasses. No one acknowledged me for any reason. Finally my waiter appeared and asked me if I needed a refill this was after sitting for over 30 minutes without any one saying a word. I promptly cashed out and left. I highly doubt I will return to this location. read more

Hacienda El Patron - No bartender assigned to the bar. No one here to assist customers at the bar. - Mexican Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

We had a very enjoyable lunch on a Sunday here. We were seated quickly and our waiter (fluent in English and Spanish) was very attentive. The Texas Fajitas were very good. My husband loved the seafood paella Mexicana (with chorizo). The kids liked the cheese quesadilla. The drinks- Jamaica (hibiscus tea), horchata, and Mexican Coke were authentic. Authentic music, fun decor, friendly staff, clean restrooms. We will be back! read more

See all

First try.. may try again but Taco Bell beef burrito supreme would have been better. I had the fish tacos and they literally came out as fish on top of a tortilla. That's it. With a side typical refried beans and rice.. fish was too salty. I may try again after seeing a huge bowl of steaming meat come out to another customer. Add the fact of drunk young men hammering the drink menu. Not a good first experience. read more

This was my first and last visit here. The booth seats move but are attached on the other side so you do nothing but bounce around from the other side moving around. It is LOUD. I had a migraine from the volume of people talking. Food was okay but not good enough for me to travel here. No thanks for me I'll go elsewhere. read more

Terrible. Waiter couldn't understand a simple drink order and I speak Spanish. Our nachos do not come with cheese, we had to order it extra and the fajita meat on the nachos was burnt and chewy. Watered down bar drinks as well. read more

food is SO GOOD! nice waiter, fluent in english AND spanish, hot food, not a long wait, and over all so good in general. DEFINITELY WORTH IT! COMING BACK! read more

Immediately when I walked in, all of these bright decorations caught my eye. There were cool lights, fake leaves around the booths, they had hanging chandeliers and even the walls were painted. It was a great sensory experience for my baby brother. Food wise, it was also amazing. The ingredients all seemed to be fresh and just as I ordered it. The salsa was okay, but the guacamole, tacos, rice, steak and beans were what I had ordered and were all amazing and fresh and delicious. The service was very nice and quick. The servers were very friendly and very helpful to us. The food was very quick to come as well as the drinks. I know it just opened, but anyone in Fredericksburg who has not been there, you are missing out on the best food in town. read more

Fantastic experience!! Great food and quick attentive service!!! Great atmosphere, music was festive but not too loud