Lenero Mexican Grill
2827 E Bell Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85032
Lenero Mexican Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2827 E Bell Rd
Phoenix, AZ, 85032 - Phone (602) 923-1179
- Website https://www.leneromexicangrill.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Sue H.
After my last review, Lenero's manager contacted me to see if I would like to come back for a complimentary experience in exchange for a revised review. I called ahead on three separate occasions in an attempt to redeem this offer, and she was never at this location. Other staff seemed unable to help, so on my third try I got them to admit Stacie had left, at which point I spoke to manager Ricardo. He agreed to honor the offer, and I told him I would be in after six that night with the same dining companion. We returned on another Wednesday night, and this time all the booths were full. Staff of two ladies greeted us promptly and cheerfully. We again sat at the bar, and (after checking the draft prices which are not listed on the menu), I ordered a Kiltlifter for $4 on happy hour. Not bad, for a premium high test draft. I did not care for the loud hip hop music, but I tuned it out and focused on the food. It did make it difficult to hear our server, who was right across the bar from us. If the bar had not been empty, maybe the music wouldn't have seemed so loud. Chips and warm salsa arrived right away. The chips were hot and fresh, not crumbs! And didn't appear to be bagged, or were at least very high quality fresh bagged chips. Immediate improvement from my last visit! The warm salsa has a pretty good kick to it. I like that! We asked if there was some milder salsa, and they offered pico de gallo, which was tasty and suited companion's mild tastes. We ordered the queso fundido appetizer on happy hour for $4. It was served with warm tortillas, and we tried both the flour and corn, which our server said were both made in-house. The flour tortilla was clearly homemade, a little thicker and smaller but delicious. The queso was served in a hot crock, and although the sausage was not present in much quantity, the gravy with the cheese was delicious. Server checked on us regularly, and after trying both types of tortilla, I ordered the carne asada tacos on flour ($8), one chicken and two steak. Companion was not familiar with Mexican food, and didn't want to try the highly recommended green chili chicken enchiladas (I plan to try them on my next visit). So I suggested a burrito of carne deshebrada (shredded brisket, rice, beans, cabbage). The burrito is huge. It is accompanied only by sliced romaine and a slice of tomato. Companion did not care for the burrito, which included grilled cabbage, not raw, and felt squeaky in the mouth. We got the guajillo sauce on the side, and I devoured this rich, smoky sauce with my tacos. The same grilled cabbage appeared in the carne asada tacos, which I had assumed would be topped with the cabbage in raw form. But I really enjoyed the tacos, especially the excellent and flavorful beef. Tacos were also accompanied by sliced romaine and a thin roma tomato slice. I requested a taste of the charro beans, as the meals did not come with side dishes. I didn't think I could eat a whole side of beans, but a little taste was perfect, and I am so glad I tried them. The charro beans are excellent. With bacon and a thick broth, I would order a large bowl as a soup entree! They are that good! Our waters were filled regularly, and server was attentive. When the time came to pay, I asked to see manager Ricardo. He was not there, and apparently had been gone for hours although told server he would return. Hmmmm. After explaining our situation, server was baffled. Call him, I said! He agreed over the phone to take 50% off our bill, which I felt was fair given most of our last meal was wasted. I decided not to hold it against him that he left without informing anyone of our conversation. Dessert was offered, but we had leftovers, so we didn't order any more food. All in all, I am pleased with the improvements. What a difference three months and new management makes! Keep up the good work! I will be back to try those enchiladas!
(4)Nick F.
Left a complaint for my last review with the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU and they shut down 1 week later.. LOL
(1)steve s.
What a hidden gem this is. Another couple joined us for dinner and we all extremely pleased. The tacos, enchiladas and fish were superb. We loved their chips and Salsa. Everything has a bit of a bite but yet not hot. Deci, our waitress was a delight. The place is squeaky clean and attractive. We all agreed it was a fine evening.
(5)Patricia B.
4 star food. 3 star service. Found this place on Yelp and went to try it a few days back. Small place, weird parking, nice decor. Our server was very friendly and at the beginning everything seemed OK. We got chips and salsa, she took our order, brought our appetizer and then our meals. It seemed the food was prepared fast. Then she went to get me a drink refill and never came back. We tried hard to get her attention but nothing. About the food: Not so crazy about the chips but the salsa was very tasty. Warm salsa felt funny at the beginning but we ended up liking it. Queso fundido was really good, came with 4 floor tortillas that were small and thin which translates to less carbs. I found their menu keto friendly and we liked the food, just the meat was not very tender.
(4)Daren C.
I love this building, hate the parking. I came in for a late lunch, in fact there was one other table and they left halfway through my meal. I hate a taco plate with carne and chicken. Both were good but I was hoping for more of a smoke flavor and less ...veggie flavor. They chop small and include veggies all diced into it. The tortillas were awesome. The "hot" as in temperature hot salsa was odd, but good. I actually liked it better once it cooled but I have a feeling it is a "used to response." I suggested they make a cold one as well at least for the summer. The Server was great, engaging, smiled, polite and I appreciated it.
(4)Julie S.
Starving for lunch and found this on Yelp. Very cute inside. Food is more on the gourmet end of Mexican with applewood smoked meats. LOVED our food! Very homemade... great plate presentation...so yummy! Chef came to our table before we ordered to explain why there were so many items unavailable. Didn't matter! I had a combo of chile relleno and steak enchilada. Chef made a lamb burrito for my partner. We both agreed - Best Mexican found we've had any where in a very long time!
(5)Tonya M.
When you walk through the door you're greeted with an amazing smell (reminded me of when my dad would cook meat in our smoker with apple wood chips when we were kids). Second was how great the restaurant looked, it was clean and inviting. The bartender smiled and waved at us like we were old friends and told us to have a seat anywhere...(time was 12:22) So far we're off to a great start. So what possibly could have went wrong to cause a 2 star review? Our service. The bartender brought us over some menus and explained that we could order brunch or lunch, brought us some chips and salsa, then went back to the bar, we didn't see any other server in the restaurant so for a while we thought she was just ignoring us. So we sat and sat and sat waiting for our actual server to come by. Keep in mind there were 3 other tables in the restaurant, one was just leaving so we'll call it two. Let's touch on the chips and salsa. I loved the chips, they were fantastic, however, the salsa was not a "dipping salsa" it had a wonderful flavor and would have been great on a taco salad (why don't you have taco salads?) or poured on the top of a burrito but it was horrible for dipping chips. There were NO chunks, it was the consistency of hot sauce. Finally our server greeted us with her presence, she walked up and didn't say "Hi, I'm so-and-so, I'll be taking care of you folks today" or "Welcome to Lenero, have you been here before" or even just "hello" instead she said "what can I get you to drink". I almost responded with an "hi, I'm fine thank you for asking" but I refrained. We ordered our drinks and I asked for an order of guacamole, it's 12:31 at this point (9 min after walking in the door). There we sat, bored with our chips and salsa, read every yelp review of Lenero, discussed our plans for rest of the day etc. Our server finally came by to ask if we were ready to order. Not by asking if we were ready or if we had any questions. She walked up and in her snotty tone said "what do you want". Seriously?? That's not how you talk to someone! I was so taken aback by her attitude I decided right then and there we will not be back. This food would have to be sent straight from the Heavens for it to tip the scales back in the favor of the restaurant. I ordered the chicken tacos and my bf ordered the enchiladas. As she was walking away he mentioned to her we're still waiting on our guac, it's been over 10 min at this point. She seemed surprised by our request to get the guacamole, almost like she just plain forgot I even ordered it. Finally our guacamole came. TWENTY-ONE minutes after ordering it. By this time the appeal of chips and guac was completely gone. She gave a million excuses about how there were steaks that needed to be cooked and the cook is extremely busy. The only other table in the place had already gotten their food and was about to leave. That left one table of folks. You're telling me the cook couldn't manage to toss some guacamole together because he was too busy making steaks for the one table in the restaurant? She told us it was on the house. That was nice but I would have rather of paid for it and have received it 16 min ago. Finally the bartender came over to apologize for the guacamole taking so long and explained that the cook is new and he went in order of the tickets arriving and needed to prepare the food for the OWNER'S FAMILY first. So I've been sitting here hungry because the owner needed to eat and that took priority? Our lunch came out pretty fast and my tacos were good, what the menu doesn't mention is they are street tacos, not normal sized ones. Which was fine by me but I could see where someone else wouldn't have been impressed with 4 really small tacos. The enchilada was also good but the menu should clarify it is a spicy dish. While we both love spice, again I can see how someone else would not have liked it. If my mom had ordered it she wouldn't have been able to eat it, the dish was that spicy. Bottom line is we do not have any intentions on coming back. While the food was good, it wasn't phenomenal. The salsa was not ideal for "chips and salsa" and the service was HORRIBLE. It's been a long time since I've had a server that snobby. She should be really lucky we left her 20% because she certainly did not deserve it (I'm having tipper's regret).
(2)Lizeth M.
Amazing Happy Hour deals!!! Great appetizers and drinks, this place is tucked away between a Whataburger and furniture store. Place is small, but very well decorated! They even had a guitar player on the second floor who played nice and calming songs during happy hour! Nice!! :) Not very much to say since we only came here to try out their happy hour, and all of the appetizers we ordered were great!! Especially the Queso Fundido, that was delicious!!! Yum and the nice long list of drinks!! The bartender that night mixed up some delicious cocktails too!! I definitely will come here again to try out the full menu soon!
(4)Bri S.
Everytime I visit Lenero, it is an exceptional experience. Service is always great and the ambience alone keeps me coming back. Now the food-- oh my gosh, so delicious! You can tell everything is thoughtfully prepared and fresh. The skirt steak and shredded lamb are my favorite entrees and a must try. The queso fundido app--melted cheese, chorizo, and fresh flour tortillas-- how could you not love it?! House specialty cocktails are incredible also. Try the A La Luna, made with fresh basil and cilantro vodka (all their cocktails contain no artificial additives, awesome) There is something for everyone to love here and it is a great addition to the neighborhood. I will continue returning to Lenero because I'm always guaranteed a fabulous dining experience and what more could you ask for? Keep it up, Lenero!
(5)Scott G.
Good eats, more authentic than most and certainly enjoy the warm salsa and chips Yummm check this spot out its great!
(5)Val S.
The decor is nice, but that's about all I liked about it. Maybe we just had the bad luck of getting a new waitress who didn't know how to take care of her customers, but service was slow and annoyingly absent most of the night. The food took forever to come out and was overpriced for the portion size and disgusting. I ordered the chicken enchiladas. They barely had any chicken in them and the salsa on top was so sour and tasted like Hernz sauce from a jar. My companion ordered the barbacoa and it just tasted like bland shredded beef with about a gallon of pepper dumped into it. It came with beans that were absolutely disgusting. We couldn't eat them at all and sent them back. The manager came over to ask us what was wrong with the food since we sent it back almost untouched. When I explained that the beans were so badly prepared, they were unpalatable she said I must not know authentic home style Mexican food. I informed her I'm Hispanic and definitely know what good beans and barbacoa taste like, she got a bad attitude with us and said, "well you can't please everyone". Just that attitude alone would have been enough to turn me off from ever going back, if the food hadn't already.
(1)Kevin M.
I've driven by this place a thousand time. Finally tonight flipped a U-Turn and drove in. From the rear parking lot I could see stacks of applewood that is used in their cooking. Good sign. Once inside I sat at the bar and had some really good street tacos. Hint: When the Lamb tacos are recommended go with it. I ordered 2 chicken and 1 lamb. Wished I would have switched that around. They have a small but decent selection of craft beers. The specialty drink menu looks good and I am looking forward to going back. I sat at the bar and had excellent sever from Stacy.
(4)Jesus T.
This place wuz very good!! The waiter Ricard wuz so awesome!! He wuz extremely nice, helpful & friendly. He made our 1st visit more than enjoyable! Highly recommend place. The food wuz tasty. He let me try multiple sauces b4 it wuz actually put on my plate because I'm not a fan of spicy foods.
(5)Michael S.
Wife and recently moved to the area and this was the first place we decided to try as aesthetically it jumped out and seemed fun. That much stayed true, the inside has a great vibe, not that large, and had a live musician playing in a little balcony overlooking the restaurant. Beyond that the experience was the exact 2-Star definition of 'Meh. I've had better'. It took us almost 30 minutes to get seated, and we were hardly even acknowledged by the wait staff. After being seated drinks took another 15 minutes, and food order was another 20 minutes, and 15+ minutes more before the appetizer came out. Speaking of which, the Queso Fundito was the one thing highly raved about here, yet, ours came out as a luke-warm solid mass of cheese--not the dip-able queso we anticipated. In all, from the time we arrived to the time we left took nearly 2 hours. The entrees were ok, I don't really have complaints there other than it may be a bit pricey for what it was (except my wife's burrito, it was huge and only like $8). However, it's likely nothing impressed me because of how irritated I was with how long everything was taking. Our server (maybe she was a manager?) was trying really hard and did apologize for the wait on everything. She did mention that there was a party of 20 in there which led to the delays. While I can empathize with this, it didn't seem as if this party put the restaurant over capacity of what a busy friday night might normally be, so they should have been staffed accordingly, not to mention we were sat well after they were so the food orders were plenty staggered.\ Maybe I'll try it again and see if it goes better, we'll see.
(2)A B.
We had a wonderful experience here. We hosted a private party here. The folks at Lenero Grill could not have been nicer. The food was excellent, the drinks were creative and delicious -- blueberry and strawberry muddled mimosas! Everyone from the staff to the owners were very accommodating. We were extremely happy with our service. The salsa is quite good. Try it for brunch! You won't be disappointed.
(5)D T.
The decor is nice enough, but service is slow,and the staff is semi-friendly. Food prices are high (even during happy hour), yet portions are small. Drink specials are laughable, and the happy hour margaritas are served in a thimble. Tried it once, and now I know better! You can do way better for $60 cooking at home...
(2)Rob E.
Back open for lunch?! Thank you! I will definitely be in to visit this gem and test it out again. I loved the burgers there, applewood smoked and with avocado! Can't wait to write a proper current review for this place I love the salsa here, blended and served hot! It's probably the best salsa ever!
(4)Carly S.
Hours are not open from 11 am. There is now a sign on the building that shows they are open beginning at 4 pm M-F.
(2)Anh ..
Tries but flavor wise does not succeed :(
(3)Heidi L.
Owner , manager , where are you? One waitress no bartender. She is excekkent but cant do it all. Restaurant is full 2 lg parties. How can the owner open another location when he cant properly staffthis one. Food is superb over the top. But you cant have one waitress for
(3)Anthony I.
I would love to have been able to review the food here, but unfortunately, after sitting for close to 20 minutes without our server coming back to take our drink order, we finally got up and walked out. There were 8 other people in the restaurant sitting at 3 different tables, and 4 people sitting at the bar. There were 2 females and a male working front of the house. There is absolutely no reason why 3 people can't handle 14 people including my gf and I. I really wanted to try the food as the menu looked good, but all we got to try was the warm salsa and chips. When we walked out, we walked right past the female server and the male, who made eye contact and didn't say a word. It was almost like they wanted us to leave and didn't want to serve people.
(1)Johan E.
Love this place. Great drinks, food and atmosphere. North phoenix not known for cool restaurants but this is for sure one if them. Take a friend here and impress them with your culinary insights.
(5)Janet B.
We recently moved to the neigborhood and I was excited to check this place out based on the reviews. Unfortunately Lenero Mexican Grill didn't live up to the hype. First of all, the reviews here state that this place is good for kids. While I wouldn't exactly say it's an inappropriate place to bring kids, they're definitely not set up to accomodate them either. The hostess gave us a choice of two tables: one high-top and one regular. The regular table was sqeezed up so close to another party that there wasn't even room to sit on one side, so we chose the high-top and asked for a booster seat for my son. They don't have booster seats so the hostess offered a high chair. I accepted and she brought over a high chair so short that my son's head would be below the table. What the??? That wasn't going to work, so I asked if we could sit at the regular table. She said sure, then stood back and watched as we moved the table away from the other party to allow enough room for us to sit down. We pulled up the high chair to the new table and it was still about 6 inches too short! My son is 2 1/2, it's not like he's an infant. They need to have high chairs that fit thier tables or not bother. Next up, they don't have a kids menu so I asked the waitress if we could just order a bean and cheese burrito with a side of rice for our son. She said they could. After a while, my entree and my son's meal came out, but my husband's order was nowhere in sight. My son's bean burrito was fine, but his side of rice was in a little glass bowl and had a ton of cilantro in it. I knew he wouldn't eat it and my side of rice had almost no cilantro, so I traded with him. My son and I got started eating, thinking my husband's order would be out momentarily. Nope. I was done with my entree before my husband's meal arrived. And no big apology from the server, either. The food and margaritas were pretty good, but pretty pricy considering what we got. I MIGHT go back and give thier customer service another chance, but I definitely would not bring my son next time.
(2)Jill H.
Really dig the atmosphere here. This rad, industrial/contemporary/Spanish style makes for an aesthetically-pleasing interior. The outdoor seating area in the front is super adorable, but it's right on Bell so all of the traffic kind o' kills the vibe. =( The service was rather slow, but our beautiful server's personality and smile made up for it. =) And of course, the dude jammin' on the balcony inside was very entertaining. The food presentation was on point all around. The freshest ever, zesty guac. was memorable. I wasn't really into the warm salsa, but that's just a personal preference. I did enjoy how different it was from the norm though... had a rare sweetness to it which was a nice balance with the salty notes from the chips. And my enchiladas were deliiiiish. The staff was upbeat and friendly. The food was fresh and tasty. The chill ambiance was ideal. All in all, I really enjoyed my night here and will definitely be back for another Lenero experience.
(4)Mike K.
Hard to find but well worth it!!! The food is the bomb, great fresh flavors. The flank steak had so much flavor. Great job!!! Friendly staff knew there menu.
(5)Donna M.
Very impressed my first time there and have been back a few times and it's really quite good. Salsa is fresh and tastes homemade. Margaritas are good too. The Queso Fundido is fanTAStic! Consider me a new fan!
(4)Sherri K.
The best salsa I've ever had! Warm roasted vegetables. ..? Have to try it! We split the fajitas. Everything was fresh and delicious. We split the tres leches cake for desert. Mmmm! Looking forward to try their new restaurant.
(4)Kevin J.
High quality great quaint place with unique menu and very tasty. Excellent service to top it off.
(4)Sami C.
Between the amazing food and phenomenal service you can't go wrong. My friends each ordered an entree but I had dinner earlier in the night so just had chips and salsa. The portions were large and everything was priced reasonably. There was a musician present who played the guitar and sang and be really added to the evening. The restaurant is decorated very cute, as well, and you almost feel like you're in another country, which is a nice feeling! Definitely will be back!!
(5)Sara P.
Taco Tuesday?! Not at this joint. Our pathetic tacos had three baby slivers of chicken with a whole lot of cabbage. After calling over the server and showing her our sad tacos, her response was "what do you want me to do with it?!" Screw it, take it back and can my husband have another margarita....30 minutes later it arrives with no apology attached! Customer service is not a priority in this establishment!
(1)Adam P.
I came here for dinner with my family after using the map feature from yelp. The place is super cool and the ambiance is great. Upon entry we were met by friendly staff members and promptly seated and served drinks. The food was great!!!! I got the steak burrito and my wife ordered chicken al fuego. I couldn't be happier with the meal. There might have been a mix up in the kitchen which delayed it, but it was corrected with a second round of drinks on the house. There was live entertainment that sadly started towards the end of our meal. He was great and it really set the mood. We will go back here for sure and I hope this place gets support to stick around.
(4)Neetu P.
The staff is excellent here- especially Ricardo. Very attentive and very nice! Love the fact that they cook everything with olive oil- no lard! Had the fish and it was excellent- not over done and with great flavors. Came with my husband and I and will be back. Like that it's a family owned restaurant.
(5)Alisa J.
Server was attentive and very friendly. Food was great. We will go back foe sure. Would be great place to go with friends. Love the decor
(4)Natasha W.
If I could give 0 stars, I would. It's been awhile since I have been to Lenero because the last time it took awhile to get our food. I decided to try it again since a friend of mine always has good experiences there. I went there on a Thursday night. I'll let it be noted that we did notice they were understaffed right away. HOWEVER this place is small - there were less than ten tables. So understaffed or not, it's manageable. Twenty minutes pass. We finally get an order in and waters brought to our table. We ordered a couple of margaritas as well, although I was concerned after overhearing another table say their drink was syrup and soda water. Forty minutes pass with only one person coming back to our table to say "sorry the drinks are taking awhile, the bar is really busy." I laughed. The bar is busy? There are two people sitting at the bar. I actually took a picture it was so ridiculous. We have now been in this place an hour with nothing to show but water. The last straw was a party of ten who entered after us receiving their food. I went up to the waitresses and said it has been an hour, we don't even have our drinks, and there are several tables that entered after us that have their food and drink. Her response? Well that table had a reservation. Apparently having a reservations automatically puts you ahead of any other already seated and ordered tables at this place. We finally threw in the towel and walked out. Never again. Please don't waste your time here.
(1)H H.
Definitely should check it out. It's not a chain, typical Mexican food joint. It's unique. Great little week night place for happy hour queso and a margarita. Our steak was tough so I would not try the skirt steak again, but the veggie enchiladas were great. We had good service and they should be proud of their take on Mexican food. We will be back.
(4)Michael B.
Awesome food and great service. Salsa was great and so was the chicken enchiladas. The drinks were great. Will be coming back for sure.
(5)Kate L.
Fantastic food and a great vibe. Hubby and I came in around 2:30 on a Wednesday and had the place to ourselves. The staff was super friendly and sat us at the bar. We had the guacamole first and it was the freshest I think I've ever had. I didn't need the chips, I could eat it with a fork. We shared the Lenero chicken tacos and got one with the lamb. The chicken was fresh, moist and full of flavor. I didn't add any guacamole or salsa because the flavor spoke for itself. The lamb taco was equally amazing- although maybe a tad salty for me, but not enough to be distracting. The salsa was excellent. The chips were petty thick and dense for me- I like mine lighter, but that's just my preference. Overall, I can't wait to go back on a Friday/Saturday night to hear the live music. Give this one a shot and I think you'll become an immediate fan.
(5)arick v.
Friendly service and amazing food! Valle Luna just got bumped down to our #2 favorite Mexican spot due in part of Leñero. This place is more authentic, tastes better and for the same cost. If you're looking for great tasting food with a nice subtle atmosphere come here!! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Amnon F.
Why five stars? Great food, outstanding service, plenty of parking in the back, and best off all, super reasonable prices. for the guy with the Salsa picture, take the picture with a full bowl, not after you finished it... Some of those over priced restaurants can take a lesson on how to treat customers.
(5)Tyler J.
This is a delicious place to eat. Found it at a business lunch and drove 25 miles to take my wife to try it. They do use chips from a bag, but the salsa is home made and amazing. Their fish is one of the best I have ever tried and the meat is to die for. Service friendly if not overly professional. I would recommend anyone try this place
(5)Maryann L.
The BEST Mexican nitch restaurant. Service is outstanding and the food to match! Outside of restaurant is inviting and love the open air windows on the nice evenings. Interior is done beautifully with great Spanish touch and the music playing is perfect for the atmosphere. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
(5)Chris P.
I travel quite a bit and appreciate an authentic, family-owned restaurant that focuses on the importance of a varied, well-cooked menu. This is honestly one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever experienced. Dezi was an excellent server/bartender and Ricky cooked a tremendous barbecue lamb.
(5)Crystal E.
Came here on Cinco De Mayo around 4:30 and service started out really slow because there was only one server on. We ordered some margaritas and appetizers and we were starting to doubt why this place had such good ratings. Once the bartender showed up around 4:50 service picked up and the food started coming out and we fully understood! Food was amazing! Got the queso fundido, chile relleno, and street taco with lamb barbacoa. All of it was amazing! We will definitely be back!
(5)Dan H.
Clean, friendly, and fast, this little mexican cantina is more Maestros than Macayos. Its not overbearing in the class, and the food is reasonably priced. Tasty, and fresh this is a nice change of pace from the standard mexican fare. With a short but varied menu, craft beers on tap and a wall of premium spirits, its a welcome addition to the north valley. Great place for a date
(4)Joey N.
We recently celebrated my Dad's 75th birthday at Lenero and we had the best experience ever. The staff went out of their way to make sure that we were taken care of (thank you Stacie) But the food made the night, every bite of everything we ordered (Lamb, Lentils, Kale salad, fajitas) was exceptional. This will for sure be a restaurant that we will go to very frequent.
(5)Mandy E.
I love the way they cook their meats, tender but crispy too! The salsa is more authentic and unique from many other chains' with a an applewood, smokey-like flare. The staff is super friendly, patient, and accommdating. I wish there were more places like this in north Phoenix.
(5)Dorie S.
I would easily have given this place 5 stars hands down, however the service was a bit too slow for our liking. We felt that the waitresses and the host somehow forgot about us couple times so we did not want to seem annoying as we tried waving them down numerous times, but overall the food was absolutely delicious! It was on a weeknight and they were not slammed. We also ordered some beers and they were not served very cold so we should have said something, but we did not want to seem unappreciative, but just letting you know that beers should be freezing cold always! (or at least serve the beer with ice cold glasses). We had the guac, swai fish (out of this world amazing), enchiladas, and the kale salad. No complaints about the food whatsoever! We will definitely be back!
(4)X X.
Our new favorite spot for Mexican food!!! A a refreshing change from the normal greasy and cheesy refried beans and rice entrees found most elsewhere. Chicken tacos were delicious!!!! Salsa is served warm. Really nice atmosphere and decor with live music some nights!! It's nice to have glass of wine! Very good prices and presentation! Somewhere I definitely recommend!!!
(5)Liliana S.
I always drive by this little restaurant and I've been wanting to stop by for a long time, so happy I finally did. Only had a few drinks and an appetizer. The atmosphere was very nice and private. They even had live music! Which I was not expecting given the size of the restaurant. The customer service was great! Our waitress was very helpful and accommodating. I know I will definitely go back in the future! For now they get three stars because I wasn't the biggest fan of their salsa. We shall see how they do next time.
(3)Brian R.
Good quality food at a reasonable price. Very nice service. Thanks Shayna! Some dishes are a little spicy. If you can handle some heat, get the shredded lamb! We'll be back.
(5)Tanya M.
No bueno! I had higher hopes for this place since it would be great to have a good Mexican restaurant nearby, but it was a waste of time and money. It's a cute place and some of the items on the menu sounds appetizing, but from the moment they brought the chips and salsa I knew it wasn't going to live up to expectations. As it has been said many times before, the chips are horrible. Yes, they are store bought, commercial chips and not good ones at that. The salsa was spicy and served heated, which is fine, but had a strong metallic, acidy taste. I ordered iced tea but it was over brewed and bitter so I sent it back for a Coke, which was either flat or RC. I couldn't tell and didn't want to complain again. I asked the server what she recommended and she said, "the palo de lena el fuego is the best" and described it as asada skirt stake rolled around veggies and grilled on an open flame and topped with chipotle sauce. Despite the fact it was pricey for lunch ($15.50), it sounded unique and delicious so I ordered it. Well I got over-marinated, salty veggies with a thin, rubbery piece of meat laying on top and cold cubed potatoes. Not only was it not as described and tasted nasty, hardly any effort was put into making this. Absolutely not worth the money. After a taste of a zucchini slice and potato I sent it back and got chicken tacos. Not much better as overall it was bland and the chicken pieces were fatty and had some gristle, but it was 1/2 the price and at this point I just wanted to get out of there. The food definitely does not live up to the prices or the description on the menu. It seemed like it was pre-made then just heated and put on a plate. I generously gave it 2 stars because I really liked the atmosphere but I didn't go there for the ambiance. I think if they worked on the making the food better and changed the menu a bit, including realistic prices for the meal and area, it would really be a good place. And for craps sake, get some decent chips already. You're a Mexican grill...act like it.
(2)jill c.
This place is very good. Very good guacamole.. Good service. Just a little in consistent with how long food comes out. But overall good
(4)Leilani Z.
I had been extremely excited about trying this place an I finally had a chance to go this last sat for brunch. The food was "ok" , as a Chef I had an idea of what the vision was but the execution was very sloppy. I also felt terrible for the one pregnant server who got slammed as soon as we arrived . I want to give this place another chance , maybe I'll go for dinner soon when they will have more staff in both the FOH as well as the kitchen. I know that no excuse for any restaurant but unlike most people that are not in this industry , I understand .
(3)Arthur Z.
Food, service and ambience was wonderful but two things prevent me from giving it 5 stars. I am a water drinker and even with three lemons the taste was horrible. Also bought $30 worth of "double take coupons for $15, but they don't let you use them on the same visit, something not explained even in the fine print. But all that aside, the steak and the sauces, chips and salsa and pico were great. All 6 of us were very happy with our meals.
(4)Jennifer C.
Not good. Enchilada meat, chicken and steak, were dry. Sauce sucked. The house margaritas, though fresh, were too tart. The guac was bland. How hard is it to taste the food for seasonings when you make it? Pretty hard to screw up guac but they did it. Sorry, wish I could say better this.
(1)Walter L.
A lot of goods things about this place. Decor is decent. Chips were very good though i wasnt crazy about the warm salsa. Ok beer list on tap. The red skin potatoes were excellent and the flat steak i had folded over grilled veggies was also excellent. Rare meal where the sauce (a spicey tomato?) took away from the meal so i didnt use it. Service was friendly but a little hit and miss in terms of waiting.
(4)Bert B.
First time and will definitely be back. Food was excellent. Had the chicken enchiladas with the house margarita. Service was superb. Very friendly and attentive. The salsa is served warm and makes for a nice change. Give it a try !
(5)Kayleigh T.
We just moved in down the street from Lenero's and I'm so happy we have such a great place nearby! I love Mexican food and margaritas but I also try be a little health conscious seeing as my back ground is in nutrition:) So I was pleasantly surprised when I found out they make all of their drinks with fresh squeezed juices! You can't beat a margarita that is all fresh lime juice and agave nectar! It's really hard to find a place that does this at a reasonable price. The food is also amazing with a lot of flavor but doesn't give me the guilty overly full feeling I get from the usual Mexican places. The wood fire cooking gives the yummiest smell and flavor. Don't drive by with the windows down! Also Leah and Victor were so kind and welcoming knowing that my husband and I were new to the neighborhood. This will definitely be a regular spot for us!
(5)Isaac L.
Great atmosphere. They had live music on Friday. The food could have been better for the price. We ordered a burrito and it was just another burrito thrown on a plate. No sides were offered. I will definitely go back for drinks and to listen to some music. I wish I could have given you a 5 star.
(3)Donald S.
Flavor was delicious. Salsas are spicy. .. which i love. The two star rating is simply for value. 12 bucks for fajitas. It comes with the sizzling skillet of bell peppers onions and steak. Served with... tortillas. No lettuce or pico de gallo, no cheese, no guac, no sour cream. No rice or beans served with the burritos. (8 bucks). The burrito was the same as the fajitas but they put cabbage in with it. Compare the value to a place like fajitas off the i17.. you dont get much for the buck here. Would like to have seen more ingredients in the burrito but the add ons were ridiculous. A buck for cheese per person. Etc.. by the time you add in all the standard stuff you end up with about 12 bucks of food but get charged 18. But i will go back for happy hour some time.. half price appetizers... which is about what it should be priced at. I wanna give them more stars but the plates need some work and bulk. Chips in the basket were stale but the salsa was great.
(2)Wendy S.
The ONLY reason this place gets stars is for the atmosphere. The restaurant itself is really nice, but that's where the positive review ends. The manager frequently answers these Yelp reviews, which I commend, by saying bad customer service is not the norm. Somehow I doubt that very much. There were extremely long lags between ordering drinks, putting in our food order and finally getting our entrees. Yes, they were busy, but that is not an excuse for slow or poor service. The waitresses were less than enthusiatic. They seemed just BLAH. Now for the food. After waiting 45 minutes just for the appetizer, finally it came. It was some kind of play on surf (steak) and turf (shrimp). The steak had good flavor and was cooked nicely, but you could tell it was a cheaper cut. It was SO fatty! The shrimp was just OK. Nothing I'd write to mom about. After that we probably waited another 10 minutes for the main dish. That means it took AN HOUR for our food to arrive. But I digress... I ordered the chicken fajitas. The chicken was so dry and so fatty, it was barely edible. I think they used dark meat and that's why it was on the fatty side. The tiny tortillas make it impossible to really fit much inside of them. Why even bother? The dish does not come with any accompaniments, like sour cream or cheese, like other restaurants offer. No, here they charge you extra for an entree that is already $12. Why not just include the cheese and sour cream and charge $14? That way your customers feel like they're getting their money's worth, because most of the dish was peppers and onions. If the chicken were actually good, I'd want more. The guacamole I paid extra for was bland and looked like it had been made using a mortar and pestil. It was not well incorporated. Oh, and the chips and salsa! I forgot. The 'salsa' is very watery and had a rather weird after taste. And I didn't like that it was served hot, either. It was like they pulverized peppers and tomatoes together in a food processor and forgot to add seasoning. Extremely bland. Now, how anyone can say this is the best Mexican food they've ever had, must have left their taste buds at home, but I guess to each their own, right? I really had high hopes for Lanero, but after this experience, I won't be back. For what they charge and the quality and value you get for the money, you're better off going to Chipotle where paying extra for guacamole is worth it.
(2)Joshua M.
I imagine this could be a good place but the staff isn't getting it done. No greeting upon entering. Just a "sit anywhere." Sat down to find our table was sticky and had food crumbs on it. Our waiter had 2 tables of people including us and there were only 3 or 4 tables of people in the building. No excuse for everything taking way too long. After 10 minutes he had forgotten that we ordered water and had to be reminded. The warm salsa is not good. Food prices are good but the drink prices are way too high. $9 for an average margarita is not ok. I would like to think our food tasted and looked good when it came off the grill. However, by the time it reached our table it was not. The fajitas were barely above room temperature and chewy. Enchiladas were warm-ish and bland. I am not usually one to complain but this whole experience was bad for us. We paid our check and left without eating more than a few bites. There are many other good options in this area and I am not planning to return unless I hear about some major changes to this place.
(1)Robin C.
I was driving by when the outside attracted me to this place. I totally dig this place. There is a tiny stage that hangs over the restaurant with a great guitarist playing on this Friday night. The food was unique and tasty. I wasn't in a hurry and the pace of bar was relaxed so if your in a hurry do drive thru at Taco Bell. But If your looking for an evening place to take a date and you don't want break the bank this place is great!
(5)Glynnis B.
The prices here are really high for what you get & poor service. $9 for a 6 ounce margarita, my friend's was so salty we had to send it back. The bartender had difficulty promoting & describing the drinks off the margarita menu. Once we got seated at a table, the server stopped by to greet us so we ordered waters and a sprite, she said she was gonna go bus a table and come back for our drink order. Mind you no one was waiting at the door for a table. Next my friends wanted charro beans with their fish, the were out, so they settled for the black beans. A few minutes later the waitress came by to say the walk in fridge has a latch problem and was left open last night and the black beans are not tasting right, so she recommended the rice. After that we all look at each other and said " I wonder what else was bad in the cooler, I don't think she should have told us that". My friend got a steak burro for $9 and it was go small with nothing else, she only ate half & said it was only ok. I bet you can get a better burro at Chipolte. My other friends had swami in foil, customarily the waitress should open it for you but she didn't. My friends really enjoyed the fish. This place needs some work on service, quality and value for your money.
(2)Amber A.
I took my family here because I had only heard/read good things. We ordered the queso fundido and it came with fresh tortillas, definitely a delightful surprise. The guacamole was fresh, and the chili rellenos were incredible. We will be back.
(5)Peggy B.
Unique and flavorful food. The lamb was delicious and wonderfully seasoned. Our waitress Daniella was a delight, very attentive and provided excellent service. We will be back.
(5)Scott W.
Excellant food, authentic mexican food that is always great. awesome service from the staff, a must goto and try, have tried just about everything on the menu and everything is awesome!!!
(5)Ashleigh M.
Just tried this for the first time... Dinner on a Friday at 7:30. Full but no wait. Attentive service; we were greeted as we walked in. A good amount of food for the price. He had lamb, I had fajitas. Both were good w enough to take some home. Salsa was nice and spicy and the live music was good but a little loud, so if you don't like that type of thing avoid Fridays. Felt warm and intimate; a good place for a date. Really no complaints, we will be back.
(5)kim f.
Last night a group of 8 of us dined at Lenero. The only reason why i am taking away 1 star is because I made a reservation for us to sit by the window and our table was not set up where we had discussed when I made the reservation. If I could only take away 1/2 a star I would but I can't give a perfect rating because of the mixup so 4 stars it is. After that everything was great. We started with drinks, mostly beers on tap. I am not a beer drinker but they have a hard cider on tap that was very good. For appetizers we ordered the guacomole and the queso fundido. Both were absolutely delicious. I could have made a meal just out of those two if the others would have let me hoard them. But as they were so good I was forced to share. Which was good because otherwise I would have missed out on the Swai fish entree. Oh wow, that was so good! Swai is a very mild white fish. They cook it wrapped in tinfoil so it steams and stays completely moist. A nice mix of veggies is cooked in the foil with the fish too. I ate every bite. For my sidedish I picked the charro beans. They were so good that I took them home for leftovers after stuffing myself with appetizers and the Swai. Our waitress then offered us complimentary slices of their chipotle chocolate cake. The first bite seemed a little ehhh. But then with the second bite the chipotle kicked in and it was a very nice finish to a lovely dinner. The cake was not overly sweet which was good and the kick of the chipotle was a nice warm surprise. For now Lenero is only open for dinner but they plan to open for lunches soon. We plan to be there when they do.
(4)Joseph G.
I went here after driving by on Bell Road since it is less than a mile down the road from my place of business. Since there isn't a Chipotle close enough to grab lunch, this mexican grill seemed like a great alternative. When I walked in I soon realized it was nothing like Chipotle, and was a sit down restaurant with chips and salsa and all that jazz. I was feeling fancy so I decided to stay even though I was the only one there at what was approximately lunch time (I think it was around 1PM). The chips, as most reviewers have echoed, left a lot to be desired - I was expecting fresh out of the oil goodness. The salsa was one of the best I've had, pretty spicy, and I know spicy! I really couldn't stop eating the salsa to be honest, luckily the waitress constantly refilled my small water glass. I ordered a steak torta - can't remember the exact name but it was a house specialty of some kind. It came with country red potatoes which were DIVINE and the steak was SO TASTY. I took my time eating because I didn't want to waste any of it but it was a ton of meat. Overall, great meal, really flavorful and authentic - just a little pricy. I think my plate was around 10 bucks or so, I just remember leaving 15.
(5)Leticia B.
Excelente from start to finish. I am very picky when it comes to Mexican food as both my grandmothers were great cooks. This place does not disappoint. From the friendly service, the addicting salsa and simple yet delicious tacos. I had 3 steak and 1 shrimp and they were wonderful. I love the cabbage in the tacos. You could taste the love in these dishes. Can't wait to return and try all the other plates.
(5)Record S.
Great service. Great food, The place smells wonderful. They smoke there meat and everything DELICIOUS Good bye la Parilla Suisa HELLO LENERO's! OH LA! Tonight is wine tasting and tomorrow (Friday's) is tequila tasting and live music. Happy hour daily 4-7pm making beers $2 and $2.50. Wow. We'll be back
(5)Heather J.
This is my second attempt. Still unsure how I feel. In my immediate neck of the woods it's definitely close to as good as it gets. Unfortunately that's not saying much. I've liked everything thus far but haven't loved anything. My companion loved the guacamole so much they took it home, and we all no that will be no bueno before the sun comes up. I will give it another shot as they are up and coming and update you all. The staff at Lenero informed me that they were opening another location soon....I was slightly perplexed as I thought you had to be doing well to start other locations, a myth maybe?
(3)Shawn O.
I'm there right now. This place has great food, fun staff and the owners are great! I come here several times a week! The lamb is great!
(5)Bob C.
Sunday, and I'm looking for an early Mexican food lunch. I turned to Yelp as I often do and soon was sitting at the bar chatting happily with 2 friendly employees. Lenero Mexican Grill on Bell in Union Hills get a solid 5 from me. The bartender-waitress was very helpful, and soon I had put in an order for a new one to me: a Plate of lamb cooked Barbados style. It quickly arrived over a thin layer of diced veggies that complimented the flavored, which was fantastic. Warm corn tortillas, a small bowl of amazing pinto beans, spiced perfectly, and a dab of lettuce and tomato. It was all delicious. Nice chat with my server continued and I started thinking about a possible small bowl of Lentil Soup to take home. I asked for a taster, which was happily provided. The soup flavor, ala Mexico, was terrific. One for tonight awaits, and one for our freezer. I left even happier than when I arrived. I will go back and without hesitation recommend you give Lenero a try when you want great, distinctive and even healthy Mexican Food. Check out their website for the menu and to understand their healthy approach to serving you delicious food. This is a family operation working very hard to succeed and serve their customers. I love that.
(5)Michael M.
Great menu, prepared in a high quality manner with wonderful folks (Stacy [Manager] & Marco [Chef]) provide a really excellent meal and atmosphere in an unexpected location. A really modern, clean decor with a great wine and beer selection makes this an unexpected delight, in an out of the way place, in north Phoenix on E. Bell Road. Highly recommend.
(5)Kody L.
Not your average Mexican food menu, but very good and a nice change from everywhere else. Get anything where there is grilled meat. I had the enchiladas and the Steak was amazing. My fiancée loved her meal. Inside is really nice and I hope they do well
(4)Vanessa D.
How did I leave Lenero Mexican Grill? Fat, happy and aggravated as hell. I know, it makes no sense. Stay with me and I'll try my best to explain. The place smells like the wonder that is smoked meat products. Said smoked meat was beyond delicious. Husband and I shared the full rack of ribs for $22. It was huge. Like it's Tuesday and we had this on Sunday and are still eating it huge. A half rack is fine for a couple. They dry rub it, grill it and smoke it. The salsa is fresh made every day and kept warm. Nice. Beware though. If you don't like it spicy, you're SOL. That stuff will make you sweat. May have been the batch but holy hell. I still loved it! The corn tortilla chips were not the best. Generic and I'm struggling to find more words here. Not like me! Margarita was nice and strong. I'd like to go back and have 8 more and make my husband drive me home. Why the frustration? The service is just so lacking. This is clearly a mom and pop operation and I love it for that. But, mom and pop need a new family member to serve tables. She was sweet. I'll give her that. But, she had no idea the difference in margaritas to tell me why one cost more. She came back and asked if I wanted salt. Like Milton at the end of Office Space I asked for my margarita with no salt. "No salt." That was one salty margarita. Our food sat on the counter for five minutes, our guacamole came once we were about finished, and paying our bill took almost as long as it did to eat our meal. We even had a coupon we bought online and she said she thought we had to print it out, even though you could clearly scan it from the phone. We asked her to check and never heard a peep back. I had given up. We'll be back. Well, we have to because I have $30 to spend there. But, I'll do myself a favor and sit at the bar. And drink 8 margaritas. With no salt.
(3)Alicia M.
Great service, warm chips and salsa. Okay draft beer (would like to see some of Mexicos Finest). Ordered Fajitas steak and chicken asked for zucchini instead of bell peppers with no problem. Would definitely come back!!
(5)Eddie P.
I had the steak and chicken enchiladas and they were delicious. Our waitress was very friendly, different Mexican good but very good. I will be back to try more of their delicious food. Also, the prices are very affordable.
(5)Jarrod G.
Lenero Mexican Grill is one of my favorite restaurants. The Palo de Lena Al Fuego is an amazing grilled steak with a combo of grilled veggies and roasted red potatoes, always seasoned and smoked to perfection. The Barbacao is another dish I always go for as the lamb, smokey charro beans, and tortillas are a great trio. Add their warm salsa and its a solid taco. The chips yes are not that great but really when was the last time you said, "you know who's chips I'm really in the mood for...let's go to ____." Give me a break; I swear some yelpers look for anything to complain about. Most authentic Mexican in the area hands down.
(5)Angie G.
Applewood smoke hits your nose upon entering... Your mouth starts to water. The atmosphere is nice - rustic cowboy. The staff was semi-friendly. Their complimentary salsa is kept heated in a crockpot. It had a nice flavor but surprising when the warm temperature hits your mouth. We were told to pick a place to sit. We did just that and that's when our wait began. Service was slow. I saw only one server on the floor while I was there. The place was not very crowded, but it still took a good while to complete the meal and receive the the check. We were there for around two hours from start to finish. Our meal was okay, not the best - not the worst. The enticing smell upon entering could not be found on our plates. I ordered the street chicken tacos. They came with a very small amount of smoked, diced chicken and a large amount of fried, greasy cabbage. The specks of chicken were mixed together with the chopped, fried cabbage and placed on top of four corn tortillas. I wasn't a fan. I had anticipated fresh, raw vegetables with a good amount of applewood smoked chicken. It seemed to me the reason for mixing these ingredients was to hide the fact that there was only a very small amount of meat. It was too greasy for my liking and lacked the main ingredient. My husband's food, the Palo de Lena al Fuego, was again, just okay. He stated that it could be much tastier. This restaurant has the look of a great, casual hangout, but poor service and sad entrees prevent this from happening. Sad to say, it will not be placed on our return list.
(2)Rob Ann E.
Wonderful little restaruant, Great service, Delicious food, and Awesome drinks. Decided to stop in on our way to a soccer game for appetizers and had a great experience. Would highly recommend the Queso Fundido and the Tierra y Mar.
(5)Jenn N.
This is the real deal! The smell of the smoked applewood is amazing and the food is wonderful. LOVE the smoked meat and the cozy setting. Very romantic.
(5)Brian L.
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(1)Dann S.
I got take out from here one night for me and my wife. The food was awesome so I just wanted to give these new guys some love on Yelp. We got the cheese appetizer, if you're like my wife and loves anything cheese you'll go nuts over this. I also wanted to add that the decor is nice. I know this means things to many people...personally I would eat out of a dumpster if the food was awesome, but that's me.
(5)Joe S.
Really nice place, menu is great! Definitely worth visiting. Some dishes were good but not terrific, maybe it was just an off day? I'd say between 3 and 4 stars. Place has the potential to be solid 4 or even move into 5 territory.
(4)Angel L.
My boyfriend and I had went in for dinner and was not pleased at all. Instead of going to our usual spots for Mexican food like Blanco, LA Fonda Del Sol and Z'tejas, we decided to try somewhere new. I hoped that this little joint would be awesome but within 10 minutes of arriving, I lost hope. We sat, got our menus, ordered our drinks and received our drinks. 10...15 minutes later, no one had come to our table to take our order. I got up to ask who our server was. We got an apology and our new server was really nice but it did not make up for how bad the food was. I ordered the Chile relleno and it was pretty much a soggy bell pepper with cheese that was drenched with the same salsa they served with the chips. It just looked like a sad dinner. Not worth the money... Boyfriend ordered the enchiladas - no bueno. But the drinks were good! They took care of the first round of drinks to make up for forgetting us but nothing makes me want to go back. But we tried!
(2)Donnie R.
Reading these reviews is confusing for me, either this place is reading their reviews and fixing the issues or people have no idea what Mexican food should taste like. I have traveled to 17 states in Mexico and rarely have I had food this fresh and well seasoned. Margaritas, Queso fundido and Palo de leña al fuego were all delicious. I will be back next week when I return from Mexico.
(5)Kathy J.
The Satisfied Frog that used to be in this location was one of my favorite stops for good comfort food and I was sad to see this Mexican restaurant replace them. Maybe that's why it took me so long to stop in. They have done a nice job with the decor including the patio...a little bit sleek, a little bit rustic. The smell of smoke hit my nose as soon as I got out of the car...YUM! The place was fairly empty and the staff was friendly and responsive while they dealt with a broken cooler issue. I'm not that familiar with North Mexican food so I started out by ordering the guacamole and my husband ordered the steak enchiladas with green sauce. Along with the guac we were served a basket of tortilla chips and some warm salsa. As others have mentioned the salsa is quite spicy but oh so good and the guacamole was very fresh and some of the best we've had. I then decided to order the bean burrito which came out shortly after my husband's enchiladas. The tortilla tasted freshly made and the filling was great and had a smokey flavor. After pigging out on the guacamole, I could only finish half the burritto but I couldn't stop eating a wonderfully, fresh pico de gallo with romaine lettuce that was served beside the burrito. My husband raved about the enchiladas, especially the green sauce, and cleaned his entire plate. When we got the bill, we noticed we had only been charged $3 (happy hour price) for the guacamole and our total bill was under $30 before tip that included a beer each. They will never replace the Satisfied Frog but I don't think I want them to try. I will definitely be going back.
(4)Jesse F.
oh the chips are supposedly store bought?? let me change me review to a 1....NOT. Best mexican food I have had in my life, swear. Been their 2 times (both in the past month) 1st time had the lamb , next the white fish. No reasons to describe the taste, I wont do it justice. It was just that good. went with friends both times, not a single one was left completely in awe. Really quality margaritas too..and for cheap! cant argue with the prices. Really cool atmosphere, felt very comfortable. Owner came and said "hi" our first time there and it wasnt in a corny Applebees type way. If you wanna complain about chips (which only ruin your appetite anyway) and the "slow" service please by all means, dont come back...more tequila and fish me and my friends!!!
(5)Mark F.
Love this place. We have been there numerous times. Just keeps getting better & better. We went there 2 days after they opened and found the food spectacular, but the service was so bad it was comical. They have sorted that. The food is still great and now the service is good. Highly recommend.
(5)Brooke T.
I don't know how anyone gives this place less than 5 stars, the food is the best we have had at a restaurant in a long time, it's authentic, homemade, and yes it is a mom and pop shop...which makes this place even more inviting, the owner came around to speak to every table. Would absolutely come back here, and only here for Mexican food again.
(5)Barbara H.
Today was to be lunch at Lenero's after church. I never ate there but the rest of the family had and they had very good things to say about the food and the service. When we walked in, we were not greeted but the sign said to seat ourselves, so we did. We waited for menus/water/chips. We waited. And we waited. Finally we got chips and salsa (both very good) and we hunted down our own menus. We ran out of chips and salsa and waited. And waited some more. My bro-in-law went to hunt down a waitress. He found one and got very little response, so he very nicely offered to help bring water to the table. She said she would be there soon. She was not. As we waited more, a couple was seated, got menus and did their order. Before us. Why did we wait so long? Such a great question. I think it was cognitive dissonance-the last time everyone was there it was so different, so the thought was maybe we were just hitting the timing wrong. Until the other couple got service before us. We finally realized we were being stupid for staying and got up to leave. As we walked out someone said "thanks for coming in"--did they realize we never ate? Maybe this was a fluke. Maybe this has never happened before (except reading some of the other reviews, I think this is more the norm). Businesses need to understand that customer service is important, maybe even more important than presentation and taste. I give Lenero's a ZERO for customer service, the one star is for the chips and salsa. Will I be back? Nope, unless there is some compelling proof that things have changed. Are you listening Lenero's?
(1)Dig L.
This is our new favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is super fresh and very tasty and the homemade salsa is amazing. The prices are way too cheap for the quality of food that you get, but hopefully they won't figure that out! Possibly even better than the food was the service--the entire team constantly traveled the room to make sure everyone's needs were being taken care of.
(5)robert g.
Really good vibe. Food is excellent. Come and you will say to yourself, wow this is a really nice experience.
(5)Kimmy D.
Fast friendly service. Ordered an angus burger. Perfection. The place smells wonderful. Tonight is wine tasting and tomorrow (Friday's) is tequila tasting and live music. Happy hour daily 4-7pm making beers $2 and $2.50. Wow. We'll be back
(5)Michael O.
I came for the lamb taco, stayed for the great service, and will return for the steak taco! Great place!
(5)Lynn S.
Queso Fundido was excellent. Fajitas were enough for two. Enchiladas were a big portion. Everything tasty!!! Only complaint was the iced tea was a little different than what I am used to. Would prefer just basic iced tea.
(4)Keith B.
I would have given it 2 stars but the meal was salvageable. Guacamole was bland, as were the chips. I got the #1 burrito. No kick at all. It was ok if you doctor it up with the salsa verde that comes with the chips and some doctored guac. We got there early, about 6pm, and they had already run out of iced tea. Really??? Ok, I think I'm changing it back to 2 stars. That's all they deserve. I did like the "flours" in front though. Later!!!
(2)Sandy B.
Went last nite! The fish in foil was the best. So much flavor and cooked perfect! Will be back to try other dishes. Also great idea that they offer half size portions!
(5)Carol F.
Lenero Grill is awesome! Their food is not your typical Mexican food as we know it.It is better! The food is from Northern region of Mexico.be sure to try the grilled shrimp appettizer with grilled veggies....it is amazing! As are the grilled steak and chicken tacos. The atmosphere is casual but added touches,such as fresh cut flowers,and white table cloths,amazing and friendly owners and staff,give this place a touch of class. There is also live music that is a real mix of cultures and appeal. Love this place;it is our new hangout! Carol
(5)Kelly H.
We really wanted to love it here. We loved the Satisfied Frog and were sad to see it go. When we heard this was a local guy, we especially wanted to love it. The cheese appetizer, the salsa (yum!) and the hamburgers are all pretty good. The rest, not so much. We invited some friends to join us for lunch and burgers and ribs. The ribs were stuck to the bone, chewy and just not very flavorful. Another friend had lamb and said it was OK. The beef/veggie wrap was not bad. The staff is very young, but they're enthusiastic and want to please. I don't mind the misspelling on the menu - it makes it more "home-grown" somehow. The owner came out both times we visited to talk to us about the dishes. We just didn't have the heart to tell him they really weren't great.
(2)Lizabeth T.
Amazing new place. Awesome food, not your typical sonoran fare we mostly get here in phoenix. Have been back 3 more times and am still impressed. I love the salsa served hot, and the house Margarita doesn't skimp on the alcohol. Food is always superb and bartenders are very friendly.
(5)Adam S.
Amazing food, amazing service the owner bought us a round and came over and had a drink with us. Come check this place out!
(5)Andy H.
We went to Lenero's for lunch. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our waitress and the manager were glad to answer any questions (except the secret spice in the salsa) we had. The warm salsa was very good. A new slant on chips and salsa. Being the first time we had visited there, we played is safe and had chicken enchiladas and steak burrito. They were both very fresh and flavorful. Excellent. There is nothing fried there. Everything is grilled over apple or peach wood. The cocktails were very good as well. We highly recommend this if you are looking for good Mexican food that is a bit different. We will be going back regularly!
(5)Dorine J.
Unfortunately, I have to change my 5 star rating of this restaurant to a 1 star. We have been frequenting Lenero's for over a year. Our first visit was amazing. The salsa was to die for. My torta was fresh and juicy, loaded with bacon and mushrooms and dripping in the amazing sauce, the red potatoes cooked perfectly and were tasty. The first change I noticed was the salsa. While still ok, the poor quality chips are no longer tolerable as the salsa has lost it's flavor and replaced by heat. It went from being a green roasted salsa to a less than stellar red salsa. Served warm helps, but no longer a favorite and really just liquid nothing. Over the last year the quality of the preparation has gone consistently downhill. We began having hit or miss poor quality food prep. Dry meat and tasteless potatoes became the norm and were mixed in with burnt buns and dry potatoes. I kept trying to make allowances, but after our last visit I can say we won't be back. I order a torta as usual, my daughter ordered their street tacos. My meat was dry and overcooked, the mushrooms and bacon non-existent. I honestly wasn't sure I got what I had ordered. My potatoes had charred bits mixed in from what was obviously an uncleaned grill. My daughter's steak tacos were burnt and inedible. I think she ate one. I was mortified. I have bragged about this restaurant and recommended it on numerous occasions. My boyfriend's salad was decent and at least his meat wasn't charred beyond recognition. As a frequent customer, I began to tire of their only side being red potatoes. I suppose it is okay for the first time diner, but I would have liked a variety of some sort. I am truly disappointed in this establishment. I don't look for it to remain open much longer if the poor quality food continues. I know I'm not going back anytime soon, if ever.
(1)Mary G.
I so wanted to l ike this place, a lot of money and time went into transforming the former Satisfied Frog. First of all, $6.25 for a small glass of mediocre wine is way to expensive for this neighborhood, when I get get a significantly better and larger glass or wine at just about every ohter local establishment. I know they are trying to be authentic Sonoran food, but the packaged tortilla chips served with the salsa is hard to overlook. Not a great first impression, but I hope they make it--very nice staff. I think they just need to get their prices a bit more in line with what the neighborhood offers.
(2)Ashlee Y.
I really wanted to like this restaurant, but left extremely underwhelmed. Menu was all mispelled.... flower tortillas?? Lousy service, my food came to the table cold well after my husband was finished with his meal. Chips are store bought (frys brand) and then transfered into a box to look homemade..... Just overall very tacky, horrible service.... Can't comment on the food because we left when mine finally got to the table cold!
(1)James N.
Had a terrible meal. Restaurant was understaffed and server was more interested in interacting with wife/girlfriend and child than waiting on customers. In fact, not sure they even wanted to be open for business. We tried ordering their signature margarita with spices, only to be told the spices hadn't been prepped. ITS their signature drink! It was probably 20 minutes before we got any drinks. I use yelp a lot for picking restaurants, and tend to focus on food quality since anyone can occasionally get bad service. Food was pretty good, except for several problems. First, one entree for a person in our party was cold by the time it was served. The flour tortillas are only 4 inches in diameter making it difficult to eat fajitas. My fajitas weren't served with any accompaniment like cheese our sour cream or anything. To top things off the server never checked on us to see if we wanted more drinks or if our dishes were ok. Apparently too busy checking his watch to see when he was getting off. Now you might think, oh he might have been overworked because I said they were understaffed. We were the only party in the restaurant at 7 pm and he was the only bar tender/ server there. Given that I am in the Southwest, I know there must be many better Mexican places to choose from, particularly ones that care about their customers all the time.
(1)Eli M.
if you're craving Mexican food, then you've struck gold!! Lenero is the place to go! always a great time and by far the best authentic Mexican food I've ever had! i give it a 10 out of 10, not to mention the very friendly staff!
(5)