El Jacalito Grill
535 Pine Knot Ave, Big Bear Lake, CA, 92315
El Jacalito Grill Menu
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Address :
535 Pine Knot Ave
Big Bear Lake, CA, 92315 - Phone (909) 866-3537
- Website https://www.jacalito.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street, 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 : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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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M K.
This is a great place to chill. We came on a Monday, not many people in the restaurant. Sat in the bar area, ordered off the happy hour menu 4-6. House margarita 18oz., $6.00, ceviche, nachos, fish tacos, everything was really good. Homemade salsa and chips. Everything was excellent. Hector was our waiter/bartender was very attentive. Best thing, it was in walking distance to our hotel, Robinhood resort.
(5)Randall S.
I've seen mixed reviews on this place, so my review is based on the only time we went - we had a party of 6 and it was Saturday night on a holiday weekend, so we knew we would have to wait - they said 45 min and ended up only waiting 25 min. The waiting area is quite small (and when its 20 degrees outside you don't really want to wait out in the cold - but I digress - I'm only giving 4-stars because they sat our party of 6 in the bar area next to the bathroom - while I was glad we were seated and it was very crowded, was not an ideal location - Once we got our food , it was quite good and our service was pretty good, all and all we had no complaints for a party of 6 on a Saturday night we were in and out within an hour - we will be back
(4)Allie H.
I'm giving one star because the patio was nice. Me and my boyfriend decided to take a nice trip to Big Bear and eat bomb food. This place had pretty great reviews so we gave it a try. Come to find out we both felt like something in our meals tasted very soapy as if they cooked their food in a soapy pot. We continued to eat thinking maybe it's just their "flavor" :/ I told him We just have to wait and see if we get sick. Yup! Sure enough we both got terribly sick. So, halfway through my burrito I take a bite and I felt something sharp in my mouth. I pull it out and find a piece of plastic from a bag that was cut from the corner. It was about half an inch wide. Yuck! Luckily The waiter was nice and offered another burrito but I was grossed out so I didn't accept it.....They took it off the bill.
(1)B J.
So, after my other review, I went back here to try the margaritas again. I used to love coming here after snowboarding. Unfortunately, the bartender wasn't making good margaritas. I forget his name, but previously he was making really good ones.... not sure what happened.... maybe he was was asked to "dumb down" the strengths?? In any case, this review is of an authentic, first-hand experience here, again... a separate visit... and I'm not too eager to go back to this place again.
(1)Robert G.
My wife and I went to eat here when my sons came to visit. We walked into an empty restaurant. We stood in the middle of the restaurant to be seated and nobody came to seat us. After I looked around a corner an employee saw me and said sit anywhere. We sat down and waited for over 10 minutes and nobody ever came to even bring us some menu's or even water. We watched the waiter talking to a man that walked in and still ignored us and he walked away to the back room. My sons looked at me and said is this a self serve buffet? We got tired of waiting and got up and left. It was when the waiter saw us at the door leaving that he decided to go get menu's. A bit to late. Will not return back to El Jacalito. We went across the street to the Peppercorn Restaurant where the service was excellent, the staff was friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. Save yourself the time and money and avoid this place and go to the Peppercorn Restaurant or any other restaurant in Big Bear. Lots of other places to eat at, don't settle for this one.
(1)Kim I.
First visit from a part timer of Big Bear. Food was excellent. Albondigas soup very flavorful and chile rellanos superb. Salsa good. However... I found the service to be lacking. Had to run down the wait staff to get the check. Will likely visit again to give them another try.
(3)Jeff S.
Went in on Friday night... Had to wait about 25 min for a table but it was well worth it! The shrimp diabla, chimichanga and margaritas were all great. The guac is a must as well: huge serving and excellent quality. Good attentive service too.
(4)Mase A.
Ok so I guess people have good experiences and bad ones. So I will say this my service was as if they were not prepared to serve. My food (fajitas, shrimp diabla) was way below average. The prices were not horrible considering portions. Would I go back? No! It could have been an off day for the staff. I hope so bc I'm seeing good reviews.
(2)Abby W.
I spent the weekend in Big Bear Lake and visited El Jacalito Grill with a group of friends. I love Mexican food and the food here was pretty good...or at least my food was. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, which was huge and I could barely eat half of it. It was stuffed with chunks of chicken, much better than the shredded chicken often served inside a quesadilla. Unfortunately, one of my friends disliked her ceviche and said that it tasted sour and the shrimp were rubbery. My boyfriend skipped the food after stuffing himself at breakfast and opted for just a house margarita. The chips and salsa were delicious and I enjoyed the make-your-own salsa bar. Combining the two red salsas provided a nice kick with a bit of chunkiness. The waiters were great about refilling our chips and even turning on the TV for us.
(4)Anne B.
My favorite place for Mexican food in So Cal! Good food. Good drinks and great location. What more could you want? Service? That's always been good too! winner!
(5)Jenifer L.
Carne Asada fries were bomb, made me very excited for my meal. When my cheese enchilada and beef taco got to my table, I instantly bit into the taco.... NO FLAVOR!! The beef was just there in my mouth.... but no flavor. I was so disappointed because I was starving after a day of hiking. I took three bites, then set it aside. The Enchilada however was amazing. Flavorful, melty, yummy, and perfect. Kind of make up for the flavorless taco... Kind of.
(2)Steven P.
Good Mexican food, good salsa bar, chips good. I had the chicken fajitas, pretty solid. Service ok, nothing over the top, but good. Outdoor seating in the fall is pretty nice. I would go back.
(3)Michael B.
Waaaaaaay overpriced and just bad. They tried to serve our appetizer and our entree at the same time. We refused the entree. Instead of making us fresh fajitas when the time came they served us the same warmed over (burnt) fajitas. For $18.00 you get barely enough meat for 4 fajitas, 3 tortillas (extra costs more), no cheese, no sour cream and no guacamole. Quesadilla was cold. We will never eat here or at their sister restaurant Hacienda Grill again.
(1)Jeremy H.
This place is REALLY good. Our waiter Ryan was on top of everything including all of his other tables. Really great service. I ordered the shrimp burrito and added the green sauce on that baby and "oh boy" was that burrito delicious, yes it was. My girl got a chicken enchilada and a beef taco. She cleaned her plate as well as myself. The salsa bar was a treat with different kinds of salsa. All of them had their own unique flavor but the one that we liked the best was the chunky salsa, very fresh. Hands down great service and killer food, so if your ever around this place stop by.
(5)Michael G.
First, let me say that I don't know how this place can get a favorable review. We have a cabin in Big Bear and thought we would give this place a try, despite hearing it's not great. We never even got to the food - After being seated, we waited for 10 minutes for menus and decided to leave. And the place was nearly empty. This was after being given an entire basket of completely broken bits of chips. No, I'm not joking here. So after being complete put off, we simply walked out. I refuse to give my money to an establishment that operates like this. Even in Big Bear where the food for the most part totally lacks. I'll keep going to Azteca for Mexican here. Pass.
(1)Micah P.
Although I filled up on sandwiches earlier in the day and only ordered a margarita, I thought this place was decent. This Mexican restaurant had your typical food with touristy prices. The house margarita was pretty good. It was strong but tasted like it was made using store bought mixers instead of freshly squeezed lime. I loved the salsa bar, particularly the chunky salsa. We sat inside but the restaurant appeared to have a nice patio area that was dog friendly. There were a couple of TVs in the dining room, which was a nice touch. Service was good.
(3)Gabriel O.
To be fair about my negative review, it's been a few years since I've been there. However, I do remember pretty nice inside and there was sort of a trendy crowd, so it really depends on whether or not you like that sort of thing. The cool thing is that it's right in the Village. I remember it being overpriced and that's one thing I can't stand. I don't mind paying plenty if it's worth it. Please forgive me for the low review but I'll update it if I ever go back.
(3)Chantal G.
Yummy food but portions are way too big! I am a local and this restauraunt is the best Mexican food in town :) Looove their chicken flautas and salads! good price and great service
(4)Lori P.
Ambiance is nice, salsa bar is ExCellEnt! Peach & Mango margaritas are killer. Prices a bit expensive for mexican food but hey its Big Bear. Got to visit!
(4)Ian W.
Expecting the same "Mexican" experience at other local restaurants we weren't expecting much when we wandered in for a drink before our reservations across the street at Peppercorn. The interior was clean and thankfully didn't involve a melange of eye-burning colors often associated with Mexican places. Note, while we didn't have any actual food, the drinks were good, appropriately strong and the salsa had some decent kick to it. Next time we're up I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a meal there.
(4)The-Pizza-Nazi S.
PN can't eat pizza for every meal (though he tries). My friends and I stopped here for lunch, before we departed back down to hot LA. I'm actually a pretty big "Mexican food" fan....and honestly frequent them more than just about anything else. So, while I don't know Mexican fare nearly like I do pizza and Italian....well, you get the idea. So, stopped here for lunch. REALLY impressed. Not going to go into detail, but it was great. They have a nice little salsa bar....great chips......HUGE burritos and HUGE quesadillas. Service was nice. Really like the decor both inside and out. It was too early, so we didn't have any margaritas....but I understand they are known for them. Prices were pretty reasonable too. Like I said, the portions were HUGE. This is one of my new "go to" places in Big Bear. Gotta reward the good!
(5)Mary K.
Very quick service! Great margarita, light chips, and lots of choices at the salsa bar! Just what the doctor ordered!
(5)Onjelle R.
Food was phenomenal. Really big portions! Takes up the whole plate. Kind of $$$ but the amount if food you get is worth it. Miguel took very good care of us!
(5)Travis C.
Dining room is a little crowded, one of the few kid friendly restaurants in Big Bear village. Hostess was fantastic, taking the place of a server. Once server arrived at table things went down hill. Our server wreaked of cigarettes, took a long time to tend to us, and screwed up every order of our five top. Outside of the horrible service the food was excellent, being a chef myself, I tip my hat to the chef/cooks. I had a carne asada torta that trumps any authentic torta I have had in Mexico.
(3)Miranda O.
My family and I felt like having Mexican food tonight & found this place. The food was not only gross, but it was cold & they got an order wrong twice! Someone in my group ordered enchiladas with chicken & cheese. They brought chicken enchiladas. After letting them know their mistake they agreed to bring another plate. Except this plate was only cheese. They offered to bring another plate but we had already been there an hour & didn't want to wait any longer for food. Despite the fact that the person who's order was wrong twice didn't get to eat his food, they still charged us for it. Also, the rice on every plate was freezing cold. They brought us more rice that was still cold. But at this point we were just hungry & wanted to eat. It tasted horrible. A man came & apologized for the inconveniences & told us "we'll take care of the bill." Apparently their idea of taking care of a bill is giving 10% off an already overpriced meal. Despite everything, the waitress was very kind, apologetic, & most importantly very attentive. Unfortunately, that's not enough to make us ever want to return.
(1)Valarie R.
Great drinks, good appetizers. That's the only thing positive I can say. My carnitas were very dry and I had to return them. I never return food, but I really couldn't eat my dish. The rest of the family enjoyed their food, somewhat. The service was very slow and the pieces were kind of high. I'll leave the village for food next time I'm in the bear...go here for drinks and maybe an app at best.
(2)Shayne E.
A bit if a diner style place but bloody great margaritas!! Service people were really friendly and attentive. The fajita's were full of flavor and a decent serving size. I shared them with my boyfriend and there was plenty for both of us. The place is pretty small but I would recommend it and go back again.
(4)Jenn C.
Came here around 9:30, when they were about to close. They seemed in a hurry to get us out. Well, if you want to shut everything down by 10, then I guess you should probably say you're closing at 9 or 9:30, and just not let anyone in after that. I ordered a taco salad because they were out of the Albondigas. It was soggy, and the ingredients were kind of just mashed together in there.
(2)Chris C.
El Jacalito is a family-friendly Mexican joint in the heart of Big Bear Village with quick service and decent food. While the chips weren't fresh and the salsas below average, the shredded beef taco was quite good as were the rice and beans. The cheese enchilada was ok but unremarkable. Their horchata tastes homemade but wasn't particularly appetizing (a bit heavy on the cinnamon).
(3)Sean O.
My wife loves tortilla soup. I've lost count of how many she has tried at different places. Some are good, a lot are not. This place has really, really good tortilla soup, believe it! The salsa from the salsa bar is really good also. That said, the rest of what we have had there is ok, but not that good. Service has always been very good, so there's that.
(3)Jeffery P.
Amazing dinners and quite a nice salsa bar with sliced veggies too. The light tortilla chips are dusted with a spicy chili powder mix. Never seen that before! Chili rellano done in a beer batter, crispy on outside spicy on inside. Carnitas and chili verde platters were each enough food for two. The killer was 18oz Cuervo margaritas for $6. Server very attentive and made meal a delight for four of us after a long drive.
(5)Todd P.
I have no idea what El Jacalito means in English and I don't care. If you're in Big Bear wanting Mexican food your choices are few so why not get the best. That would be El Jacalito Grill. When it comes to food and restaurants I always go for the same old favorites, well my same old's anyway. And in this case it's the Shreaded beef Taco and Cheese Enchilada Combo. It's surprising how easy it is to be let down on such an easy pleaser as the Taco/Enchilada combo however, it happens quite often. Not this time. EJG delivered just what the doctor ordered. Crunchy taco and cheesey enchilada, not to mention the chrispy tortilla chips and salsa. I stuffed my face with several bowls of chips and still had space in my bottomless pit for the combo. I love that! I can't get enough chips and salsa but I always fill up, leaving no room for my dish. Again, not at this place. It's a pleaser and I love it. I can't remember what anyone else ordered other than margaritas. Those were great too. I didn't have one but apparently they work pretty well. Everybody stumbled back to the car giggling and bouncing into poles, cars, other people, whatever lined the walk from door to car, it got abused. Not to worry, I was D.D. that night. High points of EJG... great salsa bar, great alcohol bar, great food and great service. The cost... I don't know. If you have to ask you shouldn't be on vacation in the first place. Just check it out, you're gonna love it and you're gonna love me for suggesting it. You're welcome!
(5)Lee L.
I took my family to a late lunch at El Jacalito in July 2014. We found the experience to be average. The restaurant is located in the Big Bear Village, across the street from the Big Bear Brewery and the Peppercorn restaurant. The restaurant has a nice decor and good ambiance. The service was average. The hostess was friendly. Our waiter was indifferent, he wasn't friendly, but wasn't rude or unprofessional either. The food quality and taste was average. Expect for the chips, they were not good. Everything else was just OK. Portion size was good. The margaritas were again, just average. The strawberry blended was good, but weak on tequila. The skinny margarita was good. The house margarita was just average. The cost was pricey, especially for the drinks. I didn't think you got the value for your money. Overall the experience was just average. I would probably eat here again, but only after trying the other local Mexican restaurants, and would not order any drinks.
(3)Vic M.
Came here on a Monday evening after an afternoon on the slopes and were greeted by the super friendly bartender, Miguel. The shrimp cocktail is to die for and the red flautas as well... He made a yummy shot called churro shot. Great atmosphere, TVS playing games and delicious food.
(5)Randy B.
Overall, I was disappointed because the food doesn't match as good as the place looks. With a rockin' bar inside, and great-looking patio outside, it has more positives than negatives but the food is way underwhelming. The Negatives: --------------------- 1. The chips were thin (which I like), but stale (which I don't). 2. The service is practically nonexistent. 3. Several people in my party were unhappy with the portion sizes of their orders. 4. No reservations accepted, even for a large party. The Positives: -------------------- 1. The aforementioned bar (with TV's to watch the games), and patio. yelp.com/biz_photos/UndC… 2. Salsa Bar (4 kinds of salsas, carrots, radishes). 3. Prices are reasonable. 4. I enjoyed the view of the pine trees from the window (I sat inside). 5. It's located in the village, so if you're strolling around...easy to pop into. 6. The Barbacoa (described as "Pot roast"), was very tender and in a tomato/picante type of sauce. So while it certainly wasn't dry, it was non-descript in flavor (could have used more spice, salt, heat, something!). yelp.com/biz_photos/UndC… 7. The free birthday flan was excellent...not eggy at all. yelp.com/biz_photos/UndC… 8. From what I understand, it's a family-owned success story. In summary, it's a 3-star -- okay food with nice patio. if I return on future visits to Big Bear Lake, I hope the service is better.
(3)Jules L.
Fun atmosphere, decent margaritas, and satisfying food. That's all you need in a Mexican restaurant. I'd recommend dining in the bar if you're looking to socialize with others. I had the Shrimp enchiladas with rice and black beans. Entrees are huge and full of cheesy goodness. Strawberry margarita had very little alcohol and mojito margarita was so-so. Cadillac margarita, I was told, was much better.
(4)Joan A.
We have been going to this restaurant since it opened in 2006 and it is the first restaurant we eat at when we vacation in Big Bear every August. I love the Mexican salad, but the chicken can be a bit greasy. Not sure if they have a grill or just put it on the fryer. My husband gets the bean/chicken burrito. Quite large, delicious and healthy. He usually can eat only half (and he can eat a lot). My daughter gets the bean/cheese burrito. Again, quite large. The service is always friendly and attentive. A must go-to when visiting Big Bear! My husband also loves the salsa bar.
(4)Dana F.
This place was okay. Our waitress was Ari. She's the only reason I'm giving this place three stars. The food was bland and just okay. We got Barbacoa which tasted like shredded beef, no spice. A torta which was nothing special. The margaritas were okay, but their Paloma literally made me vomit. Their salsa bar didn't offer anything spicy. And their green salsa was red? Probably won't come back here when we visit.
(3)Ellen F.
Hostess was so rude, we walked out. So many better choices in the Village, we didn't feel like being abused before eating just because we asked if our dogs could sit with us on the patio (they did last year, but this year you would have thought we asked to put nuclear waster under the table).
(1)Lorraine L.
Been wanting to try Jacalito's ... Finally did. Looking for a light lunch so tried the albondigas soup and hubby had a grilled fish soft taco. Both very good. Really loved the chips and salsa. Would go back just for that and a margarita. Will go here again and try some other items on the menu. Had a great window seat. Hostess and waiter good too.
(4)John A.
Had the pork verde and a cadilac marg. The food is high quality, house prepared everything. The salsa is insanely good. The margs are really good, strong, fishbowl size, top shelf, no crapola sweet n sour and for like $8! My new go to mexican joint when in Big Bear:-)
(5)Justin C.
Please don't go here. Here's my story. My wife and I are in town looking for Good Mexican food. We saw this restaurant when we were waking thru downtown. We came back late for dinner. Thank goodness we started with drinks. The drinks were so bad and the prices were so expensive that we got on yelp for a rescue. The drinks were poured straight from the gun and tasted terrible!! The bar tender was a walking zombie. We paid for our drinks and headed to Nuevo Vallarta down the road. Half the price and twice the quality of food.
(1)Brian F.
11-29-13. Wife and I went after the village tree lighting. Checked in with hostess. Was quoted a 15 min wait. 45 min later we got a seat. Was given chips and watery salsa. They pointed us to the salsa bar. To are disappointment no hot salsa to dip chips in. Asked waitress and she brought us some from the back. We ordered water- clean taste Flautas "shredded chicken"- where very good. The Mexican meatball soup. Don't remember the actual name.- was a bit bland. Added some hot salsa we got. And black pepper. Got the trio fajitas. There was plenty for two adults. Meats and veggies where done very well. Tasted great. I get it was a busy night but a bit more care for the customer would be nice.
(3)Boneyard Y.
Went there with 6 other people for a mid-week lunch. Food was all good and servers were friendly. Salsa bar was good but had limited salsa options (there was other stuff - radishes, etc.). Prices were reasonable, I'd go back.
(4)Augie And Jennifer R.
Great Mexican food. I wasn't expecting it to be this good, but I was pleasantly surprised. The food is great and a nice atmosphere to go with it. Service was a little slow, but it was a little busy.
(5)Don F.
They don't scrimp on the guacamole, very large portion. I enjoyed the steak in a jalapeño sauce, it said "very spicy" on the menu and for once it truly was. The bar area was very noisy with loud customers. Took away from great experience.
(3)Chris P.
My wife and I were craving a good Mexican dinner so we thought we would check out a new place. Mistake. While it looks nice from the outside, the food, service and overall experience was not. While it is Big Bear Lake, we are still in Southern California, so good Mexican shouldn't be too much to ask for. It started as expected with a complimentary bowl of chips. We were told to go to the salsa bar and help ourselves to any and all of the salsa options. There were two...a third was there but empty. All three were very similar. Not much of a salsa bar. We then ordered some guacamole. It was bland. Fresh avocado yes, but no flavor. We pushed onward and ordered dinner. My wife ordered chili rellano. It was not edible. She is certain is was cooked in a microwave. She had a taco with it, and it was ok, but also bland. I ordered steak fajitas playing it safe. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, but the meat was tough and again, no real flavor. I don't think I've ever had to doctor a meal so much to give it flavor. Service was not friendly or helpful. My wife was cold since we decided to sit on the patio. They had heaters, but when told the server we were thinking of moving inside, she said to go for it. I went inside to check it out, but it was colder inside then out. They had the AC cranking, and there was a foul smell. The kind of smell that comes from a dirty bar. We stayed outside. When the server came back, she asked if we were going inside and I explained it was colder inside, and expected she would offer to turn on when of the many outdoor heaters, she didn't. She went as far as saying it wasn't that cold... Service aside, and bad smells ignored, the food just wasn't good. I highly recommend you avoid this place.
(1)Terre G.
My son and I are splayed out on my bed. I've merely recovered from immediate diarrhea and he, from puking his little guts out. Now we are going to suffer together Dutch oven style mega gas. We both had tacos, rice and beans. I've never smelled such fuel. Heaven help us.
(1)Sara N.
The location is nicely located in the village. We sat on the patio and shared the mixed meat fajitas, it was enough food for my husband and I to share for lunch. The entrance was a little confusing, we entered off the patio where there was an entrance door but had to walk all the way to the front to where the hostess was. The entrance off the patio looked like it was the actual restaurant entrance.
(5)Ned C.
Wow, best meal I've had in Big Bear by far. The Barbecoa was absolutely amazing - scrumptious flavor and the Cadillac Margaritas are huge, tasty and strong!! My only tiny gripe is that the dog-friendly area is too small, but I was told that they are working on that. I will definitely be back soon!!! A++++
(5)Katie B.
Great customer service. Heated outdoor patio. We had the soup, carne asada, and enchiladas, which were all delicious. We also liked the seasoned chips and salsa bar. This place is casual and family-friendly. The servers were super nice. We will definitely be back.
(5)Karen H.
My boyfriend and I stumbled upon El Jacalito Grill during our weekend trip to Big Bear. It was dinner time on Saturday night and this place was packed. We were lucky to score the last high-top in the bar. The gratis tortilla chips were fresh and good. Just enough salt without being too salty and light. They had a help-yourself salsa bar, which was a nice touch. The only negative about the salsa bar was it is located in a main pathway, which was a hassle as the restaurant was crowded. I felt like I was going to crash into someone carrying little cups of salsa back to the table. It also created a bottle-neck in the aisle. We each had a Coronarita (bottles of Corona tipped into a margarita)..which is a delicious and refreshing drink. Try it! For our main meal, we shared a shredded beef burrito with red sauce and cheese on top. We decided to share after watching burritos go by on their way to other tables. They are huge, bigger than Chipolte! Sharing was a good idea, as we left the restaurant pleasantly full, yet not stuffed. The bill was around twenty, which we found to be a great bargain. Fast, friendly service and great food. We will be back!
(4)Nano K.
Great Mexican place. Don't know how authentic it is but everything was delicious. I was trying to avoid carbs and had a hard time finding something on the menu but the waiter was so nice and helpful and suggested substitutions to accommodate my diet. Would definitely come back again.
(5)Chris P.
Pros: - fast service -large portions mean you won't leave hungry -went with a party of 6 and everyone had good things to say about the food (entrees ordered: carne asada burrito, carne asada combo, shrimp combo, cheese enchilada, shrimp quesadilla and carnitas combo; combos around $13 but include rice, beans, guacamole, etc) -salsa bar had good flavors -34oz beers $8 Cons: -you will be overly full.
(4)Glen N.
The strawberry margarita was so traumatically bad that I am done with margaritas for life. It was like being bitten by a dog. Thick and sweet, it was like the days when I a sucked the jelly out of my sister's donuts with a straw. I got a barbacoa burrito covered half in red sauce, half in green sauce. The meat was tender, and the burrito was big, but I am puckering just thinking of the green sauce. It is unique in how citrusy it is. I am pretty sure I've had enough vitamin C to last me through summer. I love lime, but this is a warning. Cut it with sour cream and it is great. The chips are good, with a great salsa bar. The location is good, with indoor and patio option. The menu was decent. The prices aren't horrible. The servers were friendly, though my empty Diet Coke glass started to cobweb. As for the strawberry margarita, look outside Chad's Place for the stain of my flurps.
(3)Scarry Larry G.
I will admit I only review places when I'm pissed off, that being said, here we go. Long story short this place is a shit show. I was sat by a hostess.... 20 mins later no service , at a later discovery each waiter thought I was being helped by the other waiter. I proceed to the bar to order a drink. Margarita, check! Sit back at the table and go to the restroom. I come back only to find that my drink had been thrown away by the bus boy. Really??! Btw, still no waiter. Head back to the bar to get another margarita and tell him what had happened ( by the look in his eye I could tell he was a master bartender exiled from the highest end clubs of las vegas to serve the flat landers of big bear) waitress walks up to me at the bar to take my order at which point i asked her if we could do it the old fashioned way where i sit down at the table and she comes up and greets me then asks what I would like. People will just hire anyone these days. No one has integrity in the workplace because they will only work as hard as they are paid and when you offer shitty service in the service industry, your not going to make shit.
(1)Jen F.
I really enjoyed having dinner here. The food is quite authentic, the margaritas are strong but delicious. The prices aren't too bad and the ambiance is pretty chill. We were able to sit on the patio and people watch under a heater to keep us warm! I sure do love big bear!!
(5)Rex D.
Good value. Lots of menu choices for food and draft beer. Multiple tasty salsas at salsa bar. Fresh, crispy chips. Tequila flights are fun. We were happy with both a bean and cheese burrito and the carnitas plate. My family's favorite restaurant in Big Bear.
(5)Brittney N.
Ordered a shredded chicken taco with cheese only. It comes out with lettuce and tomatoes. I ask for cheese only and they bring it back for the second time with cheese only but this time the middle of the taco was cold. No one apologized for the service and the food runner had attitude. Very disappointing
(1)Vanessa D.
I'm surprised this place doesn't have higher reviews. My boyfriend and I are Mexican food snobs and we came here both nights during our recent ski trip because we were so pleased with our food. I must warn that they give A LOT of food with each entree. We had tons of left overs both nights. The chips and endless salsa bar are delish. The only shortcoming we experienced was having to wait 15 minutes for our check on the last night. This can probably be attributed to the fact that we were sitting in the bar area on a crowded saturday night.
(4)Brian M.
Food and drinks were super bland. Their house margaritas they taste watered down, their chicken nachos were very salty. Service was fine and the place seems very welcoming from outside. We won't be going back being that there are many new places in big bear there is no need to waste your time or money on plain stuff.
(2)Michelle H.
Standard Mexican fare. A bit pricey, but not crazy for a touristy area. The staff was kind of impatient with our indecisiveness and not having an order in mind as soon as we sat down. They have a salsa bar that consists of 3 salsas (the one they bring to the table, mild chunky) and two spicier (but not crazy hot) less chunky kinds. There were also some pickled carrots and some peppers. The best salsa was definitely the mild house one, even though I usually like things to have a kick. The chips were are also pretty good. I ordered the tamale and cheese enchilada. The enchilada was very good but the pork tamale was pretty dry. The gauc was good - not full of sour cream/ other filler.
(3)Carly D.
Great food, good prices, fast and friendly service ! Try the carne Assad soft taco combo. The Cadillac margaritas are stiff and big serving for the price:) Definitely coming back again.
(5)Ashley O.
This place was good. I got a la cart breaded fish tacos. Asked for flour tortillas but got corn. Lots of toppings so it's good if you like salsa and guacamole. Salsa bar was my favorite part. Also had a mango margarita which was loaded and decently peiced. Staff was less than attentive but o well. Overall a good mexican restaurant for big bear.
(3)Monica A.
Food was awesome! But, like the previous reviews, I found the service to be a little pushy. And the place we were seated at was right next to the door...whoch had a nasty habit of staying stuck open. So It got to be pretty ridiculous as my mother-in-lae had to continuously get up to close the door. But every dish we had was excellent, can't argue wuth quality.
(3)Desiree D.
The food was amazing and very tasty. We got great and friendly service. Ordered the shrimp cocktail to start and it was great. I got the flautas and taquitos and was not disappointed. As for drinks they also were satisfying. I went with a mango mojito which was very good and it came in a large glass. Would definitely recommend this place if you are in the mood for Mexican.
(5)Ben B.
Everything was great, amazing salsa, tortilla soup, and margaritas! And the service was great, bar staff was fun to talk with.
(5)Sarah S.
Food was great. Drinks were nice and strong. Wasn't the best Mexican food I have had but it was good enough... Worth a try if you are in the area
(4)Beverly T.
Clean with a good decor..wait staff was efficient but lacked personality... that's about all I can say good. Food was very plain and that included the meat, the beans, the enchilada sauce, the fire roasted chili relllno. So plain we were talking about stopping in our way home to get something with flavor. Very disappointed.
(2)Mirna F.
My first time at El Jacalito & my LAST!!! We sit at the bar to watch the USA soccer game . Food We order nachos & chile relleno, very tasty. Drinks we ordered beer & margaritas... Service - I have never been at a bar with such BAD service. After my first round I had to walk to the bar to get a 2nd round. If the margaritas were good I would not mind. Let's just say Kirkland Margarita mix is better than the 2 margaritas I got at The Jacalito. The beer glass, well let's say it was empty wà y too long. The server keep walking by without asking if we needed another beer. The table next to us had the same problem. I want to be clear, I'm a paying customer not a free loader, my server work his way to $0.01 tip. He seem too busy watching game, social king with his 3 friends at the bar & having lunch at the bar. All this time our glasses were empty. I normally tip 20%+, not this time
(1)Amy O.
Food is plain, service is terrible, waiters have no personality and they sat us by the bar, all we could smell was the bathroom! Won't come back!
(1)Christine M.
NEVER AGAIN! A MISERABLE EXPERIENCE... I visited this restaurant the Saturday after Thanksgiving in mid-afternoon. Yes, they were busy. Perhaps that is some sort of unique and overwhelming challenge for a ... restaurant? We waited to be seated -- no complaints about that. But AFTER being seated: 30 minutes by the clock for water and stale chips; another 20 minutes to place the order; 10 more minutes for drinks to be brought -- and I am positive that "margarita" didn't have so much as a drop of alcohol in it. Ditto my companion's "mojito." Get real! At margarita prices, this place is serving fruit slushes safe for your 2-year old! Another 20 minutes and the food finally came. Didn't look anything like the pictures on the menu. Can't tell you if it was any good -- it was room temp by this time and all I wanted in life was to leave and be done with this rip-off of a restaurant forever. My companion had to travel around the restaurant for more than 10 minutes to find someone to give us a check and liberate us. And we were not the only patrons wandering the place looking for our check, or the return of a credit card to complete payment. Carlos -- who refused to give his last name -- was the person in charge of this totally unsatisfactory dining experience. Carlos blamed Marcos who refused to appear and talk with us. Marcos has no last name either, and Carlos finally admitted that both names were fake. When the restaurant experience is so bad that the staff insists on subterfuge and anonymity, well, who can add anything to that? I always feel bad about being forced by the facts of an experience to give a bad review. (Check my Yelp review archive for proof of that!) No one goes out to eat hoping or willing to have a miserable experience. But sometimes, the experience is simply so bad that staying silent is to collaborate in the rip-off. My heartfelt advice: STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE. You are in BB Village and you have a big bunch of great choices within a few steps in any direction!
(1)Ronnie B.
Cadillac Marg was way very tangy. Missing Tequila. Chili relleno was pretty bad. Hard taco sucked. Rice,beans ok. Salsa so so. The End
(2)James S.
Was there last January, and now this weekend. Staff seemed better equipped with getting slammed than last time. Indeed, El Jacalito does get busier and busier after 5pm, so get in there, if you're gettin'. And the only downside then becomes -- IT GETS LOUD. Biggest complaint remains the guacamole. Again, the avo's just aren't properly mashed, for starters. And, I suspect, that leads to a sort of hurried, mass -produced quality to the dish because really, the flavors never got a chance to congeal. May sound minor, but to me, it matters. Now, the two nice things were the sopa, which was the Albondigas. This translates in the bowl as a sort of minestrone with meatballs soup. And this was good, and yes, the flavors did seem like they hadn't just met. The other dish was the Barbacoa -- which is pot roast. Delicious meat with just the right amount of fat, accompanied by your choice of flour or corn tortillas. Easy, messy fun. Or don't even bother with the tortillas, if you're like I was this visit, wailing on the crispy corn tortilla chips. These are very good with a nice dash of cayenne or somesuch salt. Warning on the drinks: There's a 'skinny' margarita made with real lime juice and actual fire water. Well, maybe not actual fire water. But one in our party ordered it, and had to send it back as she didn't want to grow hair on her chest. Her words. Lastly, don't forget the make your own salsa station. Muy deliciosa.
(3)lorena l.
The 2 stars are for the decent margaritas.... the service leaves a lot to be desired. Ask the server for sauce from the back... it's much better than the other stuff they have available....
(2)Sean M.
Food was "ok" however pricey for what we got. The taco salads were not all that. Nice atmosphere, nice bar area and nice staff. The food we ordered however was missing something, no real flavor.
(2)Vanessa H.
This place get very full! You just need to make sure you and your party are all there if not they will not seat you. They have a little bar if you wish to just hang out and they also have a dining room for the family feeling. Margaritas are good we had the "house margaritas on the rocks and the mango blended one" Albondigas soup was good and the corn beef taquitos as well like this restaurant compare to the others around the Village (with the exception of the Peppercorn Grill which is good)
(3)Tink P.
Came for my bday n the food was BLAH! My boyfriend that can't cook for ish could have made better tacos. The tacos were cold, as if they had been sitting there for a while. Enchiladas were flavorless. So sad n disappointed.
(1)Timmy S.
Typical sort of Mexican place you'd find in a touristy area. I eventually ordered a combination plate with a cheese enchilada and pork tamale. I use the word "eventually" as the service is mountain-time slow. My margarita was weak. The food was okay but nothing memorable. The pork tamale was rather bland. They do have a nice patio for eating outside.
(3)Linda A.
The food was great.. Outside setting is nice.. Not to hot with the salsa bar but I don't like a buffet setting for my food... Waitress was really nice.. Will go back
(4)Ariane E.
Came here with my husband for dinner. When we arrived at the restaurant we were seated right away. The wait for our food was not that long. My husband ordered the cheese enchilada with a crispy chicken taco, I had the crispy Asada taco, chicken enchilada, and chile relleno. We were both very happy with our dishes it was very good. Service was also good. Waitress was friendly and attentive. We will be coming here again next time we are in town.
(5)Scott B.
Place is legit. Great service pretty good food and epic margs!!!! My favorite spot in the village so far, absolutely
(5)Kelsey W.
Bad food. Horrible service. Waited an hour for the drink I ordered with dinner. After politely reminding them four separate times during that hour, I gave up. To top it off I got food poisoning! I'm not one to write scathing reviews, but this was seriously the WORST place I have ever been too! Don't walk past this place, RUN, and never look back.
(1)April B.
Went here for lunch with my family. Good food and service. Great salsa bar. Seemed like there was a good variety of entrees. Nice bar area with a lot of TVs.
(4)MT G.
The atmosphere is busy, and the guacamole was positive. The one point I found uninviting was the price of a club soda was $3.00.
(3)Kate M.
Loved this place. My husband and I came here for dinner one night and had a great time. Their food is really good, but spicy, wow be careful! The burritos are massive. Everything was spectacular though. They have great margaritas, and they're huge! The service was great too, we sat outside - it was cold, we were the only ones out there, and our waiter turned on the heater, rolled it over to us so it was right next to my husband and I, and was very prompt with service, even though we were way out of the way for him. Had a great time and will definitely be coming back.
(5)Renee N.
This is the second time I have eaten here and the first time was better. We had a full afternoon of wine tasting and my friend was starting to get sick with a sore throat etc. We just wanted some hot soup so we decided to eat here where we could enjoy heated patio dining. Upon arrival, the place was bustling and were seated fairly quickly. We ordered the chicken tortilla soup and albondigas soup. In addition we enjoyed an order of guacamole and chips. They also have a salsa bar which has some tasty choices in salsa. The mild is good, the medium has a nice kick and the green is hot and tasty. The guacamole was very fresh and seasoned just right. It was the best part of the meal!!!The only problem were the chips were not warm or very fresh. The soups arrived and the albondigas soup came with a side of rice and corn tortillas. In addition I asked for a side of retried beans. Unfortunately, it took me telling our server three times to get my beans.....The soup itself was a bit bland. I am just very use to my Grandma's recipe for Albondigas which is amazing. It was served hot but I think it could have had more flavor. My other friends had the chicken tortilla soup which my friend sent back as she said it was not hot! So we waited for it to return hot and then she stated it was delicious. My friend also ordered a top shelf margarita it which she found to taste very mediocre. This place has typical Mexican food with a few standouts like the guacamole!
(3)Amber M.
Yipe. We were so excited to try another Big Bear eatery. We didnt want to eat too much and get too sleepy to drive home, so we stopped here for what we thought would be a quick bite and a couple beers.15 minutes before a server greeted us. Not cool. The beer got to our table fast enough one we were seated finally, that's always a plus. However, waiting 45 minutes for 2 appetizers was pushing it. The food was pretty good overall, the guacamole was deelish, I just wish I didn't have to chase a server down for chips. I had the carnitas quesadilla, which absolutely delicious and tender. My unicorn had the carnitas tamales, which were also very flavorful. This was the only plus side to our visit, sadly enough. I think they just forgot about us on the small patio, because the gents next to us had to get up and grab their server a couple times. It was a little discouraging to see patrons arrive after us and get served before us...especially since they ordered bbq! If you have 2 hours to kill, stop on by because the food is good. Otherwise, find another spot for your tapas!
(2)Blue B.
Average mexican food. They do have a salsa bar that is probably the saving grace of this restaurant. You'll find much better mexican food off the mountain. They do have a good location in the village.
(3)Brandon S.
The Staff at this place made us feel right at home..The dim lighting, and the ambiance is perfect for a date, hanging out, or family style meal. Be sure to try the Jalapeño Mango Margarita if your up for a spicy evening.
(5)Nate B.
Solid Mexican food in a Great location... The ambience and decor of the place is fantastic... The staff is professional and friendly... The chips and salsa are fantastic as well.
(3)M G.
Came here with my family for dinner. The highlights are that they have a salsa bar, where you can help yourself a variety of salsas. The second is that they had really really good margaritas (I got mine with an upgraded blanco tequila). The rest of the food was very nice, but nothing special really. My son got the garlic shrimp and although the shrimp seemed fresh and cooked well, the sauce was very one note and kind of sweet. I got the mix fajita grill. The chicken and shrimp were good, the steak was way over cooked. They were about 50% full and the server was very nice, but service was very slow and lacking. Several times I got up to get the server for something that should have been taken care of. Not sure I would run back here, as there are many great options on the same village street.
(2)Ty M.
Excellent service from Sara...as a restaurateur myself. Good food, good service makes a good place to return
(5)Kristie L.
This is one of our "go-to" places when we come to Big Bear. Food has always been spot on and during the week there is never a wait. Weekends are a different story.... But that can be said for all of big bear!! BTW the salsa here ROCKS!!! We have never had to send food back. We have never found unwelcome items in our food. It has always been clean. Great food, great price...... EAT HERE.......
(5)Erin H.
We stopped here for lunch while our cabin was getting ready. It was a nice little place for our group (we had about 10 people). We had beers all around and started off with some chips, salsa, and guac. Oh man, their salsa bar is great! While there's not a huge selection, the pico de gallo is fresh, there's the pickled carrots/ onions (which I LOVE), and chopped onions and cilantro for the taking! My coworker and I decided to share 2 tortas, so we got a carne asada one and a milaneza (fried steak), and ordered one with fries. The tortas were huge! I was only able to eat one half (I chose to start with the milaneza, very good!) and saved the other for later drunchies. All in all, nice little place. I never really been to Big Bear Village, so it's cool to know that there are some nifty restaurants around! P.S. they also have free wifi! Just ask for the password :]
(4)Tana L.
Service is average, not the friendliest employees. Food was good but they charge you if you don't use all your salsa, which is weird. Probably should take a course in good customer service.
(3)Tasha R.
I was a little weary of trying out this place because some of the reviews but we loved it way more than the Azteca Grill. We have now been to both twice and this is now our go to Mexican food spot in Big Bear. Great salsa bar, yummy fajitas with LOTS of chicken and Bell peppers. The outside eating area is great too for summer nights. :) Am docking it 1 star because the service is kind of slow.
(4)Laura D.
Five stars for the very expensive premium margaritas. They were amazing. Our chicken tortilla soup was a little over salted but margaritas trumped all. Serivce was lovely. I came back today just to wait till an appropriate hour to have another batch. The restaurnat is lovely. So far this is my favorite place in big bear, home of the hang over :)
(5)Jamie A.
Came in for taco Tuesday save yourself the trouble it was nasty and had horrible service. All employees seemed rude!
(1)Jon Mattson Real Estate K.
We were grateful to find a cozy, dog friendly patio with heaters on a chilly March night. But what kind of Mexican restaurant uses store bought tortillas?? Come on man! Great server, but mediocre food at best.
(3)Joseph M.
This place is amazing. Very authentic. Carne Asada is on point and family friendly environment. Thank You! I definitely recommend
(5)Monique B.
Very nice Mexican restaurant. Food, staff and ambiance was very good. However, I had Southwestern salad and the dressing was the store bought dressing and ruined a great salad, which was very disappointing. Everything else was great.
(3)Hank R.
We didn't expect the food to be so good in a resort town, but it was excellent. I'll come again soon. Friendly help, clean restaurant. Good view of the village and lake. They have a full bar too.
(5)Crystal H.
I have no reason not to give this place five stars. We were so happy we picked this spot. We came on St. Patties during their happy hour. $3 green beers, $3 shrimp and fish tacos, which came with a heaping helping of sour cream and guacamole! I'm from Los Angeles and that taco would be like $8 just because of how much guacamole you get on this one taco. We even had enough to put on our burrito. Oh and the barbacoa burrito was delicious! Make sure to get it wet with the green sauce!! Like I said, I'm from Los Angeles and this sauce was extremely memorable. I love spicy and sweet profiles and this sauce elevated that. The barbacoa had little to no fat, well seasoned, and tender. Am I making you drool yet?? Service was fast, friendly, and attentive. I should know because I am a server. Thanks guys! We'll be back when we're in town and recommend to friends.
(5)Carl P.
Im giving this 5 star review in total grace. It took 45 to get served and when my taquitos came they were over cooked. I'm not happy with this visit.
(5)Justin W.
If you are wondering why every other restaurant in the area has an hour+ wait, yet this one has open seating...it's because this place is the worst. It's safe to say this is, by far, the worst mexican food I've ever had in my life. Every single thing we ordered was sitting in a pile of grease. Best of all, they completely forgot one of our orders. No apology, no concern, no offers to fix it. Everyone that works there looks like they need a trip to Disneyland because they seriously hate their lives. Stay away from this place. One of the worst restaurants I've ever visited in the United States and probably the worst Mexican I've ever eaten.
(1)Adriana P.
My husband and I went to Hacienda Grill first and the service was horrible. We then heard that this restaurant was the same owner and decided to check it out. We drank in the bar and the service was impeccable. The bartenders were friendly and the drinks and chips and salsa were great! From now on we will only come here! Thank you!
(5)Marjorie M.
My son and I visited this restaurant yesterday, Thursday. We arrived at 2 pm so it was not crowded. I ordered the Southwest salad and added chicken with it. The chicken pieces were wonderful and the salad was very good ($14). I also ordered a margarita which was also wonderful ( $8.00). Our waiter, Hector, was very friendly and helpful. We were very pleased with the food and service
(4)Tiffany S.
The outdoor patio is great for enjoying the great outdoors . Food is the best Mexican food on the mountain , hands down ! Customer service is sub-par but not horrible . Definitely will go back !
(4)Mylene O.
Place was kinda busy for an early Saturday night. We sat by the bar and service was very prompt. BF ordered 32 oz draft beer. Not bad for $8! The mug came out and that baby is huge! I told him he can take a bath in it! I ordered a skinny margarita which was dwarfed by the massive beer mug BF ordered. We didn't get to try any of the appetizers but the place is an ok joint to chill on a lazy weekend night.
(3)JD O.
Wow...this place can not be serious.....my plate cost $20....and you are going to have the audacity to bring it out to me COLD!!! Beans were cold, rice was cold!! I know we are in Big Bear...but damn its cold outside...why does my food have to be cold also? Completely un-acceptable. Where is management to regulate this? I don't care that they have the AC on in the kitchen...food should never be served cold. After I informed the waitress about the food, she tried to apologize profusely, sputtering and stuttering...but then..the last 2 I'm sorries came out with sarcasm and attitude.... $75 worth of food, a sarcastic and rude waitress....what a waste of money. I will not be back here....First time in Big Bear....and they ruined our lunch....
(1)Frank B.
Come here every year on way home from camping trip. Cadillac Margie is tops. Love their food.
(5)Lisa G.
Great food but crappy service. It took forever to get our drinks and food plus the bartender was rude.
(3)Lorena V.
Absolutely LOVE this place. I had their tortilla soup. It was very very good and I'm picky. I also had their Cadillac margarita very good, strong, but not overly strong. The taquitos and cheese enchiladas my kids had were very good. My son loved the enchilada sauce. I've eaten at several of the other restaurants in this area this is definitely in my top 3. What I really lived was how they accommodated us with out 3 small dogs. They brought us water and set up the patio for us. Thank you!
(5)Christa D.
Friendly and prompt service. A serve-yourself salsa bar, which was great in concept but poorly executed. Food was average.
(3)Jennifer H.
Great Mexican and fabulous margaritas in Big Bear! Were dog friendly and let my doggie sit out on the patio and brought her water too
(4)Laszlo P.
Solid 3 stars for food, but it gets bumped up to 4 for having an Elf on the Shelf hidden across different areas of the restaurant. The happy hour is pretty cool, so be sure to drink some huge margaritas. There is also a salsa bar with several options and pickled carrots and onions. The restrooms are also ridiculously clean!
(4)Cat D.
Our favorite Mexican spot in Big Bear! Love the salsa bar! Always get the burritos and I always leave full and satisfied.
(4)Amy M.
Great food, great atmosphere and YUMMY Margaritas!!! Had reservations at Peppercorn Grille and cancelled then ended up here, great turn of events and would definitely come back!
(4)Daniel V.
Had the chilaquiles and it was really good. Also try the guacamole because it really good.
(4)Edward R.
Great place to eat Mexican food. Came here while spending the weekend in Big Bear. I had the carnitas plate. Sorry, no pic, I just dug right in since I was hungry but recommend it and the shrimp a la plancha.
(5)Vicky B.
This is a fantastic restaurant with great service, food and margaritas! I was a bit weary going here as I don't care for Mexican food so I thought I was quite boring and odd ordering a salad but I had the southwestern salad with grilled shrimp and it was delicious. The vegetables were really fresh and the sauce on the shrimp was amazing. They accommodated out group of 15 and we were served promptly and everyone's order was correct. One of the things I also enjoyed was the carrots and onions in vinegar from their salsa bar and everyone else enjoyed their meals especially the fajitas.
(5)Mike M.
I usually don't waste time with negative reviews but if I can inspire one person to give any other Mexican joint a chance then this is worth it. I'll be brief. WAITER was HORRENDOUS. My buddy ordered a fish taco battered and the waiter said he would check if the cooks can do that. Well, the waiter never came back and my buddy got the regular grilled chicken. We also never got water. The waiter walked by us several times. We had to get up to serve our own salsa. The manager knocked off the price of the fish tacos but the rest of us ate before him because we waited for 20 minutes before the waiter came back. The food itself was typical, the type of Mexican food you can get anywhere. That being said at least the girl who greeted us when we walked in was pleasant. STAY CLEAR! Find a better place.
(1)Rodney H.
This place is very good. Quick and friendly service. I ordered a tostado with shredded beef and it was packed. Had to take a little home with me. The salsa is very good, which is a staple of a good Mexican restaurant. My wife ordered the cheese enchiladas and got the shredded beef. She sent them back and the server took care of it immediately. Also brought her a bonus - a small margarita - to make up for the mistake. Great place.
(3)Bob A.
This was the second Mexican place we tried in Big Bear. We had to ask the server where the salsa was. It was a self-service deal. I went over and found the salsa which was basically a big bowl of tomato soup. Salsa is not supposed to be watery. The salsa had no taste. The chips were thick and tasted store-bought. I wonder how long the salsa had been sitting there as some of us became ill a couple of hours after we ate. There was also a sign that said they would charge you if you did not eat all of the salsa you took out of the bowl. It was happy hour and we ordered Margaritas. It was only served on the rocks and was basically watered down with cheap Tequila. I had a fish taco. Although it was fried it was good with a tasty sauce. The guacamole was thin and tasteless. When I make guacamole at home I add some comino, garlic powder, fresh lime juice, a dash of salt and a little Mexican sour cream. Pretty damn simple people. It was cheaper than Sonora, but under -whelming. Next time we go to California we will skip the Mexican food. It was nice eating outside at 5 PM.
(2)Verlin F.
We came up to Big Bear for a last minute getaway from the city, stayed in a local cabin for super cheap. I've never been to a Mexican restaurant that played slow R&B in the background!? wtf? Nothing to do with the food but I found it was pretty strange. Otherwise everything else about the restaurant was Mexican-restaurantish...really like the idea of having a self-serve salsa station so you don't have to troll your waitress the whole time. Decent beer selection, food was pretty legit. I got the bistec ranchero (I think that's what it's called). It was really good, came in a huge portion, only was able to finish a quarter. She got the red garlic shrimp (Mexican name forgotten...), which was also pretty good. We made bomb breakfast with their leftovers the next morning haha. Decent place to get Mexican food in Big Bear. Located in a good area so you can browse around while you wait for that food to digest before going back to the hotel/cabin. Good times.
(4)Justin N.
Really great food! Hard to get a table on the weekend. Their bathroom isn't the cleanest. We had a torta de Melanesa, the ranchero plate and the fried fish plate. They were all delicious!! Their my server was great, always acknowledged us when we needed him. The drinks were great.
(5)Kaitlin G.
Food was ok.Drinks were ok Service was poor...... Took 10munutes just to Get water. Entree came before ceviche, silver wear came after food and having to Ask. All staff just didn't seen nice or happy to be there
(2)Alyssa H.
Pretty great. Pictures don't do it justice. It tasted way better than it looked. Came here today, on a Saturday night, with a party of 4, and waited 15-20 minutes. Was given drinks right away and there is a salsa bar that you can go to. Even my margarita came out quick. Food was decent and we are pretty satisfied. Is it LA Mexican food good? Nah. But it was good for up here and reasonably priced.
(4)Hannah J.
This place it great! Amazing margaritas!!! I love the service. We had Hector as our server. I always feel welcome me here :)
(5)Miguel H.
Incredible experience. 1+ Giant Margaritas. And lots of variety. They have lots of different types of margaritas and the serve them in giant fish bowl glasses. I ordered the one with grandma and it was super good. The house margarita can sometimes have a little bit too much sweet and sour mix. So if you're not a fan of too much sweet and sour then you should definitely tell your bartender to keep a heavy hand with the tequila and a light hand with the sweet and sour mix. 1+ Bomb Nachos. Their nachos were super bomb. This huge portion is loaded with toppings. This is by no means a light appetizer. It is more like a full meal depending on how hungry you may be. +1 Giant Burritos. This burritos was so fat that it set off car alarms when It was set on its plate. The chicken and salsa verde that came with it was delicious. +1 Quick service. You will definitely get your food quick in case you are starving. +1 Not too pricey. Lots of bang for your buck. +1 The Salsa Bar is Legit. +1 Extra crunch carrots.
(5)Eric R.
Horrible customer service. We arrived shortly before happy hour was ending(6:00pm) and informed the hostess that we intended to order off the happy hour menu. The waiter showed up at our table after 6:00pm and told us that a happy hour order could not be entered into the computer and that the manager would be powerless to change it. What? We got up and left and had a nice meal elsewhere. Too bad since the reason we came in was because of the happy hour sign on the street. We were excited about trying their baja fish tacos.
(1)Rain Greg J.
Great food and nice atmosphere on the patio. A wonderful way to relax after a long motorcycle ride. Service was good, and the prices are nice. We like the salsa bar!
(4)John P.
Great Food, Margaritas, and Price! Had lunch at El Jacalito Grill in Big Bear on 10/24 and it was great! Nice outdoor seating area with shade, good for people watching. The chips were great (good seasoning on the chips) and we loves the different salsas at the salsa bar. I had the chicken tacos lunch special and my wife had the enchilada lunch special. Both were $8.99 or $9.99. Great price for the amount and quality of food! We also had the large house margaritas. $8.00 for a large margarita and it was very good! Overall we had great service, food, drinks, and will return.
(5)Sru M.
Lets talk good points. Loved the outdoor seating. And the open salsa bar! Now the rest.. The drinks LOOK like they are going to be amazing. My family ordered sangrias, mango margaritas, micheladas, house margaritas. DO NOT go near the mango margaritas with a 10 foot pole. Sangria- EH.. House and the micheladas were just about ok. Our waitress... did not know anything about their drinks. And the service was a one star :( The food? just ok. When there are so many options out in the world JUST OKAY doesn't cut it... Their fajitas were decent! But no guacamole or cheese toppings..... TEAR. I'd pass.
(2)Chris L.
Came here with my family. Nice interior and ambiance. The salsa bar is freaking delicious as were the chips. Unfortunately that's where things start to go downhill. My father had some fish plate that was pretty good, my mother tried the barbacoa which she didn't like, it looked greasy and was floating in sea of sauce and grease/oil. My sister had two crispy potato tacos which she said were good, I had a carne asada burrito which was bland but gigantic. After checking in and ordering our food I noticed that people were saying that they were getting such from the food, I thought it might have been a fluke, but boy was I WRONG. My sister got sick from her tacos, I got supremely sick from the burrito. My parents were the only ones to make it out unscathed. Overpriced and overhyped. Won't be going back ever again.
(2)Elle Aye D.
Came here for lunch. We had the carnitas and roast beef enchiladas with the green sauce. Nice and spicy! Also had a Cadillac Margarita which was nice and tasty refreshing! Our service was great too! We will be back.
(5)Ken C.
We have been coming to El Jacalitos for years and were concerned to see that they changed owners. To our surprise, the new owners are Miguel and Hector who have taken great care of us over the years! The food is the same outstanding Mexican food that they have always served and the Cadillac Margarita's are better than ever. Definitely a must for lunch or dinner any time you are in big bear!
(5)Todd G.
Bottom Line: Food is exquisite! Salsa is to die for! Albondigas Soup is out-of-this-world! Admittedly, the place was packed and service was slow but I'm still giving it 5-stars because the food was seriously above average! Living in the LA area, I've only found one other Restaurant in LA that I think rivals this place! Enjoy!
(5)Anne H.
We came here yesterday and waited along with 20 other people for this shit hole to open at 11am. At 5 after 11, they come out and tell everyone to go around to another door, instead of the door we were waiting in front of. You know, the one that said ENTRANCE. They must get off on making everyone wait at the wrong door. So, after we trudged around to the "other main door", we asked to be seated on their patio. They brought us out to an empty patio and we asked for the heat lamps to be turned on. The server left to do that and 5 minutes later some dude (who wasn't a manager, he tells us, but put in charge by a dude who was a manager) comes out and tells us that we have to move to the "other patio" since we have our dog. The other patio that has ZERO heaters. It was 25 degrees. So, the dude who wasn't a manager, but put in charge by the manager, wanted to move us and our six pound dog from an empty, heated patio to another cold ass patio because? This dude who wasn't a manager but put in charge by a manger couldn't have been more rude about it. We are seriously pissed by this treatment for ANY dog owner, but we happen to have a service dog. SO this dude who's not really a manager, but put in charge by some manager, tells us to PROVE IT. Super duper illegal dude and he could not have cared less. This is from the Dept of Justice: "Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability." Right before we left I showed him my dog's service card, but what he really should get is a call from our lawyer. Then looking at the other reviews I think he saved us from shitty service, a shitty meal and most likely food poisoning. SO thanks dude who was not a manager but some other manager said he could be in charge that day!
(1)Mal H.
Do NOT eat here!!! My friend and I both got food poisoning! I ordered the beef taquitos, she ordered the chicken taquitos and we shared them. My friend woke up at 3am vomiting and on the toilet, and about an hour later I was right there with her. And I NEVER throw up. I have a tough gut and can handle most anything, but not this place! What a way to end our vacation. I wouldn't even give it one star, but I had to because it wouldn't let me post without a rating....
(1)Candace B.
Stumbled upon this place when driving through the village and decided to try it out. The service was amazing, and the food was delicious! Great prices for the huge portions that are given. The salsa bar is a nice touch, as well as the homey feeling of the restaurant overall. The bar and the actual restaurant are separated, so you don't have to worry about people getting rowdy or belligerent while you're having dinner. The burritos are huge, and the Barbacoa Enchiladas are delicious. The only complaint I have is that the meat on the taco salad wasn't hot, which was a little weird. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a great authentic Mexican restaurant in Big Bear!
(4)D B.
Went here for the first time on 11-9 in the evening for drinks only. We were seated right away, took our order and delivered the drinks quickly. They did not have Dos XX setup on draft yet, nor in a bottle(despite 2 large neon signs in the window) so I went with my 2nd choice, which they had. It was very warm in there that night. The following night we decided to have dinner there. We were seated right away by the hostess, then given menus by a man. A few minutes later, a couple were seated across from us. Their drink orders were taken, delivered and had their food orders taken while we were ignored. The guy that gave us our menus asked 2 tables around us if they needed anything, made eye contact with us and walked away. The hostess did the same thing a few minutes later.....we had to say excuse me to get her to come over. So she apologizes, takes our drink order, the drinks show up and our food order is taken. Our food shows up about 10 min later. They actually had Dos XX on draft tonight. I had the Carne asada taco combo. The Carne asada had little flavor. The refried beans were good. My fiancé ordered a grilled chicken salad. The chicken was not grilled. We were over it. At least it wasn't hot tonight. I would not return to eat there.
(2)LeeAnn B.
My family and I absolutely love El Jacalito! We have a cabin in Big Bear so we are up there often. Even if just for a weekend, we always make a dinner or lunch trip to Jacalito without fail. I have gotten a variety of things here from tamales, to a taco salad to tortas. Everything off of their menu is delicious. Cooked perfectly with enough to take home for lunch the following day. I also am a huge fan of their margaritas, particularly the peach. My dad and boyfriend love the strawberry one. They aren't overwhelming with the tequila flavor, but there is a hint of it to counteract the sweetness of the mixers. My favorite thing however, is the chips and salsa. Their bottomless chips are seasons with some kind of orangeish looking powder and it is SO good. They don't smother the chips with it, just enough that it gives them that extra kick. They also have a serve yourself salsa bar which includes a chunky salsa, mild, and hot. My boyfriend likes to mix the chunky and hot salsa and believes that is the perfect combination. I like them all. The only reason I take star off is due to service. The staff is always super friendly, but always very slow too. Once it comes time for the bill they take forever to grab your payment and give it back. I kid you not, this is a every time occurrence and it annoying!
(4)Digna C.
Really enjoyed this place. My cousin and I were looking for something to do on a Monday night and everything closes super early in this town so luckily we ran into this place. The basketball game was on so we opted to sit at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender Miguel. Super friendly and gave us beginning snowboarders some snowboarding tips, it didn't hurt that he introduced us to some churro shots (yummy!!!! :P). I'm a huge foodie so I can be a little bouschie when it come to food but I was please you surprised. The shrimp cocktail was BOMB!!!! Good size, good for sharing. Fajitas were pretty decent and my cousin had the flautas which she loved. Portions are big so we saved the left overs for breakfast. All in all we will probably be back tomorrow.
(5)Peter J.
Great food. Friendly staff. Reminds me of Mexican food in old town San Diego. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Kelly S.
OK. If you desire bad Mexican food, and service, this is your place! After much hesitation, we finally gave it a shot after reading the reviews, which must be written by employees. We went today mid day, right in the midst of happy hour. There were about 10 people there. (First sign). We sat and were greeted by the waiter, who explained it is Happy Hour, but the Lunch specials were over. No biggie. He did forgot to mention to us it was Taco Tuesday. Anyway, we ordered the Guacamole, Baja Shrimp Tacos, Chicken Tamale, and Beef Taquitos. The Chips were stale, the Guacamole tasted 'rancid' like day old avacados, the Chicken Tamale with green Tomatillo sauce came out as the Pork Tamale with Red Sauce. The baja tacos were OK, and the Margarita was Marginal. I hope you will not go here and waste your money as there are so many other places to go! Maybe a drink or two in the bar is a good idea, but SKIP the food. It's horrible. So was the service.
(1)Kimberly H.
The Guacamole is amazing! I don't think it could be beat. What we had, tasted real authentic! The drinks are big and tasty! Dish sizes are big, so come with a good appetite. Family restaurant, which i love that! The servers are all nice! Cutest restaurant! We sat in the patio and loved it! Come here for sure!
(5)Julie C.
This time, the bartender was very friendly and welcoming. Even before offering a drink, he asked if I wanted a menu. Then he gave me chips quickly! Thank goodness because I was starving!! He got me my drink immediately and I ordered pretty quickly. They were very busy too!! My food came out quickly! All was good! Much better than last time!!!
(3)Anette F.
Rather disappointing experience. It took our waiter 10 minutes to bring us water. The salsa that is brought along with the chips was watery. Once our food was brought to us, I had to order something different since they added things I asked not to. Employees were chit chatting along the bar while many were waiting to be served. Really unprofessional to do. I would choose a different place to eat at. Not worth it.
(2)Jonathan A.
Great Mexican food! Love the chips and salsa and I've received nothing but good service here so far. I think the only thing I can imagine improving here would be the tortillas. They aren't bad, but nothing to write home about and that can really make the meal with Mexican food. This is however my favorite Mexican food on the mountain.
(4)J. P.
Good service and good food after a long day of skiing Snow Summit. Have been here on multiple occasions and it is tasty Mexican food if you know what to order. I recommend any of the tortas, all yummy but my favorite is chicken milanesa with a side of fries. Standard house margarita and free chips and homemade salsa bar. I'll be back next time in the mountains.
(4)Patty H.
This place is okay, not the best, but it'll definitely take care of a hungry customer. Their menu features one size...HUGE. I had the albondiga soup (traditional meatball soup) I'm used to eating my mom's soup so this had a lot to measure up to. To be fair I give it a 6/10 it was served with rice that most likely came from a box but it wasn't too bad. The tortillas sucked though, I won't be nice about those. They were cold and stale by the time they reached the table and resembled a tostada more than a tortilla :( My boyfriend had a carne asada burrito and asked for cheese and sour cream...it was a huge burrito with a ton of beans and rice, a generous amount of cheese, and a hefty glob of sour cream...I think there was meat in it I'm not sure there was so much of everything it kinda got lost between it all...I've had way better burritos at chipotle Their salsa was good though!
(3)Joshua K.
Very nice service. The food takes a while, but when it came out fresh and hot, we knew why. Great food, good prices. We'll be back
(4)terrie h.
Was it the best Messican food? No. Was it the worst? No. It was not bad and yes it was tasty. They had a substantial salsa bar which was good. I judge a Messican restaurant on its guacamole, and I thought that was ok, definitely not as good as we get in LA.
(3)Joe P.
After reading the reviews we tried it out anyway. 10 min wait. We sat down. It took forever to get our drinks. We decided not to order food and just drink here (the drinks suck) and put a reservation in at the big bear lake brewery co. Which is good!
(2)Michelle K.
This was undoubtedly the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever attended. For starters the staff was incredibly rude and slow. They took forever to bring chips (no salsa- you get that yourself but they won't tell you that). The food was HORRENDOUS. The worst cheese enchilada I've ever tasted. My moms tostada was no better. They couldn't even put together some decent chicken nuggets or fries for my son. Id give this awful place 0 stars if I could. If you want good Mexican food don't go here.
(1)Lisa M.
We love this restaurant! It's one place we always look forward to visiting while in BB. Delicious margaritas, shredded beef tacos (hard shell) and yummy shrimp fajitas. I wish I got out servers name from last night, he was super cool. Can't wait til we return!
(5)Richelle S.
My service was horrible. I had to ask for refills and for the the server to clear my plate when finished. My dish was cold I asked them to heat it up. When they came back with my "warm" burrito it was not much warmer. The food good but I would def go on a Monday lunxj when they can actually service you.
(2)Michelle G.
Dinner here for my daughter and I was ok. I might eat here again but can't wait to get back to Huntington Beach. Just average.
(3)Jim T.
We are regulars in Big Bear, though we live "down the hill." Having eaten in a large percentage of the Big Bear area establishments, we have grown to really like El Jacalito. The location in the middle of the Village makes it easy to find. The menu has all of the typical Mexican offerings you would expect to find plus a few hidden delights. A self service salsa bar is available.The bar appears to be well stocked and a decent selection of beers are available. I have only had a regular margarita (gold tequila) on the rocks and a beer. Service has always been prompt and friendly, something that is often missing in Big Bear eateries. My favorite dishes include the chili verde, pork cooked in a green chili sauce. Unlike some places this has a nice tangy flavor. I am a fan of chili rellenos, my wife makes the best I have ever had, but El Jacalito comes in second. If you really like your food spicy, try the Camerones Diablos (shrimp in hot pepper sauce). It will awaken your palate. My wife seems to like to stick to the more traditional dishes like tostadas and tacos and has never had a negative to say about the food. I am told the same owners run the Hacienda Grill on Big Bear Blvd. out to the east near Snow Summit. We have not been to that location, but others have told me it is excellent too.
(4)Tim R.
Was is up in Big Bear Lake for a fishing trip with my dad. We went to this place for dinner. I had the Carne asada plate for $13.99. This is a typical plate with meat, beans, rice, sour cream, and some guacamole. The food was good but nothing special. There was a lot of food but I did finish my plate, grandma would be proud of my eating habits :). The salsa bar was ok but I wish they had a few more options. They had a few beer on tap but did not have any Mexican beer on tap, strange considering this is a Mexican food restaurant. That wold be a nice new addition. I was here on a Sunday night and got watch the Sunday night football game on their big screen TV, that was nice. Overall, not bad at all for a Mexican restaurant in Big Bear, might come here again.
(3)Donald S.
This and the Hacienda Grill serve excellent Mexican food. The atmosphere and service match the quality of the food. You can't go wrong here. These people know how to run a restaurant. Its a true gem in Big Bear. My wife ordered a taco, enchilada combo with the best Chile Relleno we have ever eaten. My carnitas plate was huge and very tasty.
(4)Landon B.
Average Mexican food. Nothing too special however atmosphere was very nice and the service was excellent.
(3)Jason S.
Food is tasty. Salsa bar is awesome. Service is horrible beyond belief. Not sure what the issue was; but both times I have been here the staff was incredibly rude and acted like they were doing ME a favor. For the money, id rather go to one of the many other restaurants in big bear next time.
(2)Stephanie F.
The best choice for Mexican food in Big Bear. Seafood fans - get the shrimp, not the talapia.
(3)Claudia P.
the food was just ok, it wasnt bad but definitely had better, all our food was giving to us at different times. My sister in law, her plate came after the rest of us were half ways done with our plates, good thing that came out of that was the waiter took the plate off the bill, without us even having to mention it. Fun for the experience of coming into Big Bear for trip, but most likely wont be back.
(3)Rob M.
Service was good. Food was fresh, but very bland. If your looking for some good, flavorful Mexican food, look elsewhere.
(3)X Y.
Average Mexican food. Free chips and salsa is a plus. The guacamole we ordered was BLAND. It had no flavor and we had to put a lot of salt I n it. It was also brown!!! It did not look appealing at all. You guys should be giving out fresh guacamole. We ordered the vegetarian burritos. They're huge so they're pretty filling. Overall, not the best or most flavorful Mexican food. But it'll do.
(3)Joe P.
Open for Christmas while taking a family trip to Big Bear. Very busy but super friendly staff. They gave us chips and salsa while waiting for our table.
(4)Sara F.
The food was good but the service was really lacking. We called ahead to find out if a group of 5 plus dog could dine on the patio. Sure, they said, come on over! When we arrive, we learn that the patio is not dog friendly. They have a very small, half-assed "dog patio" off to the side, but it's definitely not large enough for a group of 5. Plus it's just strange to me that they have to segregate their patios. In any case, we were hungry and decided to eat on the larger patio with our dog outside the railing, in the sun, and out of view. It would have been nice if they offered water for the dog, but we had to ask for that. Service was slow in general. Took forever to receive beverages and to order. The entrees came before the appetizers, the silverware and napkins arrived after the food came. It was just awkward. The mango margarita was not good at all, and was tiny compared to the regular margarita. The chili verde carnitas were really good but a little overly spicy. The ceviche was tasty and refreshing on a hot day. Overall, it's overpriced Mexican food, mediocre service, but they get away with it because they are in the Village and get steady foot traffic to keep the place busy.
(2)Rob S.
We kept going back and they kept improving on their service. Someone's paying attention. They've now opened a sister restaurant on BB Blvd., Hacienda's, and both are great. The food is always good, the updated Jacalito's and the very nice new Hacienda's have great decor. And best improvement, now the service has become much more friendly and attentive. Would recommend them!
(4)Chancethepug X.
Same ownership as Hacienda Grill, this is a good place for happy hour and $1 tacos. The shredded beef crunchy tacos are amazing!
(3)Devin W.
Let me start by saying...I love mexican food. It is hands down one of my favorite foods. And, I have been in a lot of mexican restaurants. In my experience, mexican restaurants are the best at getting people in and out. Generally speaking, they are known for their quick service. So, the first negative to this restaurant was the amount of time spent waiting. We were seated pretty quickly. Then, the waiting began. We waited to place our order, to receive our food, to get our bill. It took forever. The sad part is that I watched our waiter. He was not busy. He acted like he was, but it was akin to someone sitting behind their computer playing solitaire with a serious face...act like your working to make people think you are. That was our waiter. The salsa bar was a great idea. But...the taste fell short. I have definitely had better salsa. Salsa is an important detail in a mexican restaurant. I like to pour the salsa on my meal (if it is good). Not this time. The chips were okay. The second batch was hot which was a plus, but again, I have had better chips. These had a bit of an overcooked taste. There were very large portions of food. We had a chicken burrito (I can't remember the specific order) and the carnitas. The burrito had a good taste. The pork had a good taste, but the rest was a little bland. The rice and beans could have been better.
(2)Spence E.
This place is awesome, I was in town for a wedding and came in for a few "hairs of the dog". I started with a Bloody Mary, the bartender was astute enough to realize I was hungover and proceeded to bring out his secret hangover salsa, and recommended the tamales suizas, which were delicious. My fellow groomsman's dad was, surprisingly, winning a lot of fans with his friendly drunkenness. The staff was super friendly and made us a couple of free drinks for the road, since our hotel was just across the street. We went onto the wedding and had a great night in Big Bear. Needless to say we ended up at El Jacalito the next day to work on our hangovers again. Only con I can think of is that it is higher in the price scale for Mexican food.
(5)Carol W.
Updated 9/18/2013. Best Mexican restaurant in Big Bear! Raul, his brother, Miguel, and the entire staff will make your dining experience enjoyable. Best chili rellenos in town. Great margaritas. Great place for visitors since the restaurant is in the heart of the Village where you can explore the town after dining. Festive. Great for children. Sit outside if weather permits! Gus Gonzales, the owner, also owns the Hacienda on the blvd.
(4)Sabrina L.
I was skeptical at first...after having just driven from Los Angeles, home of good authentic Mexican food for Angelenos, I was worried we would be paying ridiculous prices for only so-so food. The place was PACKED but the wait to be seated was must shorter than the Peppercorn Grille across the street so we decided to eat here. I asked the waiter what he would recommend. He narrowed it down to the carnitas (cooked in a copper pot!) and another meat dish. But above all, he recommended the fajitas. I was glad to find that the mixed fajita plate was good sized portions and while not the best fajitas I've ever tasted, still delicious. I love that you get freshly steamed tortillas and that they bring out more if you ask (same with the tortillas chips....). The shrimp was plump and juicy, the beef was decent, and the chicken was fine although a smidge dry ( I think it was breast meat though so I think it was supposed to be like that). What bumped this place up for me was the fresh salsa bar and the fact that despite how crazy busy it was, we still received excellent service from our server. I'd come back again the next time we're in town.
(4)Gary G.
Came in on recommendation of hotel staff. Atmosphere and service were good. I had a carne asada burrito that was big and tasty. Cadillac Margarita was very good. Patio seating was very pleasant on a warm summer evening.
(4)Leigh J.
From the outside the place looks really cool and modern but the inside is depressing. The bar area lighting is sad and the staff is very unfriendly. We came there as a party of 6 for a bacherlorette and were told it was a 45 minute wait. That was fine since we imagined it was busy because the food is so good. No, we were very wrong. Pros 1. The outside looks nice and it's in the heart of Big Bear Village surrounded by cute shops Cons 1. Staff is pretty unfriendly - They kind of act like they are doing you a favor by serving you 2. Food sucks - All of us 6 girls got different entrees to eat, not even one of us liked the food. Now we're all from LA and know good Mexican fare so maybe we expect too much but seriously, the food was really not good. 3. Margaritas are way too sweet- We got a Peach margarita and a regular and both were beyond too sweet. Didn't taste like there was any alcohol in there and the ice was barely crushed even though we ordered a blended one. 3. Ambience sucks - Doesn't feel like a warm authentic mexican restaraunt. Don't even think there was any music on. All the heaters outside were broken and it took seriously 5 times for us to ask for a drink before the bartended finally agreed to acknowledge us. Overall - would never go here again.
(1)Meesh R.
The margarita was all mix and no tequila. The chips were semi-stale but the salsa was good. The Ceviche was way too salty and the services was nothing special. I went to meet up friends there and that's the only situation in which I see myself going again.
(2)C L.
We came here because we couldn't find the other Mexican Restaurant we were looking for. This was already on our list of places to try out anyway so it was not a bad choice to go to. I tried their Barbacoa Enchiladas and it was muy delicioso! They gave you 3 enchiladas and it was more than I could eat, along with rice, beans, sour cream and guacamole. My husband and I were sharing meals so it was good that he could eat more of my enchiladas than me trying to share as much as his meal. I shared my husband's taco and tamale. I thought the ends of the tamale were a little hard, but he thought it was fine. Maybe it was just my end. The taco was very tasty and fresh. It came out piping hot. I was a little surprised that they charged extra for an extra basket of tortilla chips. I'm used to having unlimited chips. (Read the fine print.) At least we could help ourselves to the salsa bar and choose the ones we wanted along with garnishes. We had a pleasant waiter. We ate out in the patio and enjoyed the pleasant weather.
(4)Ryan D.
Good Mexican Food.....Ready for the Qualifier....For Big Bear. The Skinny: Carnitas Tacos Al Pastor The Margaritas are great Insane Tequila list if you are so inclined. Little pricey for Mexican food but hey, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
(4)Julia B.
We ordered take out from here. I got the carne asada plate. THey gave me one bland piece of flank steak and a couple flour tortillas. I was on vacation so I had no fixings to accompany and make up for the lack of pica de gallo, guacomole, sour cream and lettuce that normally comes with the plate. I literally ate a salsa, steak soft taco. (thankfully I had picked up some from the salso bar) For 15 bucks, I was a very unsatisfied customer.
(1)Kelly W.
My b/f and I came here for dinner on a windy Wednesday night and there was not anyone else in there but us. I would have taken that as a bad sign normally but there was no one else around in this area period! They have a salsa bar which was O.K. The pico de gallo was the best of the selections. I got the carne asada and my b/f got the tilapia. He really liked his fish but my carne asada was just O.K. I got a coupon from their website to save 15% off the entire bill so that made it a little bit better. If you are O.K. with mediocre Mexican food then this place is for you. But if you are looking for something great then you better keep looking because you won't find it here!
(3)A M.
Loved this place. The food is amazing! It is a bit pricey, but liked the ambiance. The margaritas and chip and salsa were very good. Every dish we have had has been very good. I really enjoyed this place. Check it out your on next trip to Big Bear.
(5)Jessica B.
Delicious food and excellent speedy service We ordered a variety of food and everyone was satisfied with their dinner. Friendly and great restaurant.
(4)Kamilla S.
2 stars: okay food ..good service. The food was alright, nothing special. I wouldn't go there again. Stay away from the flan. It was terrible.
(2)Greg I.
After a long day of Riding at Big Bear, we stopped here to fuel up before our drive home to San Diego. Being from SD, I have had plenty of great Mexican food. I ordered the Chile Verde (stewed Pork in sauce), and man O man, was it tasty! The pork was cooked perfectly, so tender I could split the chunks with my fork. The sauce they had cooked the pork in was unreal. Super tasty, with the perfect amount of spice. It came with Rice and Beans, and everything was just super tasty. Even the chips and Salsa were BOMB! The chunky salsa had fresh clean flavors, and great spice. The more liquidy salsa was also really good. In the end, I probably shouldn't have eaten the whole plate, because I got serious bout of Food Coma afterward. I'm already craving a second go around. I definitely recommend it.
(5)Kristin B.
We were pretty disappointed in El Jacalito. We got there and sat down and were served some tortilla chips. They were so stale. The salsa was good... My dad ordered the nachos and they were so gross. It was almost like a cheese pizza...so completely drenched in thick, sticky, greasy cheese. It gave me a stomach ache just looking at it. The chips were stale in the nachos as well. My dad sent it back... I ordered the shrimp burrito. It was good...until later. I had the worst stomach cramps. I felt like it as hard to breath or walk. The staff was really nice. The food was just "meh."
(2)Melissa K.
Happy Birthday dinner for my love in big bear! ----- We arrived at El Jacalito Grill, and kinda waited around a long time to be acknowledged by anyone. Once we were, the hostess/waitress pointed out the salsa bar, which I thought was kinda odd... where the fuck are we, Rubio's? So...... yeah...... go get your own salsa. I ordered 1 peach Mojito, which was pretty bomb. It was served in a huge glass... needed a little stir, but it was great. It took the waitress a while to get our drinks... what was she doing back there? My boyfriend ordered 1 Cadillac Margarita (18oz) for 9.99. I ordered 1 Carne Asada Burrito 7.99 & added the upgrade of the red sauce & cheese on top for $1 extra. The burrito was pretty tasty (could have used a bit more sauce) and it was HUGE. Digging around inside, there was hardly any carne asada meat. Mostly beans & rice. Kind of a rip. My boyfriend ordered 1 CarneAsada Torta, which I had a bite of, and was DELICIOUS 8.99. The Fries on the side were an extra 2.00, which I thought was a lot since most places usually include fries with your sandwich. 41.98 for the both of us
(2)Michelle C.
Great atmosphere.. Salsa was amazing and margarita too, staff is friendly and we will be back ..
(3)Lala R.
Excellent food. Very clean tasting. Nice decor. Very clean restaurant. Friendly staff. Go during the week! Lunch time. Not overly crowded. The Barbacoa enchiladas were delicious.
(5)Earl S.
Not actually bad, but very boring. Mexican-ish food, nothing is authentic. Service was good, and they seem to have empty tables when other restaurants have a waiting list.
(2)Jenny M.
Terrible. The chilaquiles consist of stale store-bought tortilla chips with scrambled eggs and canned enchilada sauce. Awful food.
(1)Brian G.
There are blessings like amazing SoCal weather and then there are blessings in disguise like El Jacalito Grill in Big Bear. I don't know what it is about cold mountain air, but it brings out the hungry beast in me and I'm constantly on the hunt for something hearty and delicious that will keep the hunger pangs at bay. If you can score a seat without having to wait, you're already in for a good ride. My favorite dish is their barbacoa burrito served Christmas style - smothered in half green, half red sauce. The barbacoa is fork tender and the burrito portion is generous. 2/3 of the way through my burrito, I'm already sweating thinking about finishing the last 1/3 of my dish. Add a Negro Modelo to your meal and you'll think you've found the Yellow Brick Road. I've stolen bites of other dishes like the enchiladas, which also taste good, but my compass always seems to point me back to the burritos. It's not a quiet dining experience, but if you can drown out all the noise, you may just have yourself a semi-religious experience noshing on the chips and salsa and the burritos. In Big Bear, for the price and quality, El Jacalito is a tough one to beat.
(4)Alissa L.
Whenever I'm in Big Bear I have to stop by El Jacalito. I just love their cheese enchiladas. They are so cheesy, the sauce is really tasty, and the warm chips are good for dipping in the sauce. The place is usually pretty crowded but I have never had to wait for a table. I don't drink so I don't know what the bar is like either. The prices are pretty decent too. There are quite a few restaurants in Big Bear that I feel over-charge for their dishes but this place is pretty fair. The only complaint I have for this place is that there is one girl who works there that always seems to have an attitude. I don't remember her name but I do remember her face and I try to avoid asking her for anything.
(4)Tim P.
It is easy to make a "house margarita". Nothing to it. Ice, tequila, lime, shake, no salt, no blend. But if you use a packaged mix, you fail. They failed. I could hardly taste the crappy tequila. When I order a house margarita I EXPECT to be able to taste the crappy tequila. I believe this is the first time in my long life that I didn't finish my margarita. The chips and salsa were serviceable. Average albondigas is an easy soup. Great albondigas is strangely difficult. You rarely get great in a restaurant as it takes love. I expected average. What arrived was a little greasy, that's expected, it is meatball soup. It looked average. The veggies were not overcooked, that showed promise! IT WAS TASTELESS. How do you do that? The other folks at my table said that their food was also bland. I figure bland is the order of the day. If you do decide to go to Peppermill and then find out that the wait is too long, do your self a service and wait. We didn't. I figure El Jacalito Grill gets a lot of FIRST time business this way.
(1)Laurene E.
This was not one of our best meals in Big Bear. It was ok, the dishes were not spicy enough. We had the shrimp tacos which were ok too much lettuce, sour cream & guacamole to pick up. The albondigus soup was the best thing we ordered. The ranchero steak was just so so. Not sure we would return.
(3)Gabby F.
This place is the best Mexican food in Big Bear. The portions are huge. The food is well cooked. The service is quick and friendly. You won't be disappointed. The reason it got four stars is because my cheese enchiladas were not completely melted on the inside. The flavor made up for this little mistake. Two more minutes in the oven and they would have been perfect. Also, the Mexican rice is amazing. Definitely will be back.
(4)George P.
I was up at Big Bear on a short business trip / meeting. Those that live and work there took us here for lunch and we were not disappointed! Still in the throes of remodeling; the place looked good and clean. Our waiter was friendly and willing to engage in conversation and correct pronunciation of a dish when requested. It was kind of funny actually... Our food arrived and WOW my Shredded Chicken Burrito (Wet with Green spicy sauce) was HUGE! Much bigger than I had expected, but it was very tasty! I enjoyed it and ate it all, no way to carry a doggy bag home... Anyway, party of six well fed and happy with our meeting and our lunch here at El Jacalito Grill! If you are in Big Bear and craving Mexican fare, this is a place to try! Sláinte!
(4)Dave B.
Surprisingly good for Big Bear. We had tacos and fajitas, both were excellent. The home made salsa was worth coming back for.
(4)remy D.
First it was busy I get that we were seated in about 25 minutes, the restaurant was almost full. We ordered the kids food first, their lunch came pretty fast. We placed our order and honestly it took at least 45 minutes to get a burrito and enchilada. I had a server and manager to check on telling us "it is coming right now" while nothing. I finally asked and I was told that "they were sorry...etc" Nevertheless after explaining to the manager lady , that a commercial gesture should be done she replied" If I do it for you I have to do it for everybody" What kind of management is this ? That is why you are a manager to make the right decision to make sure that guests leave happy whatever had happened........ The bill came with a $3.50 discount on a $34.00 bill seriously..... The food is average plus Mexican food. The service and the way it was handled is ridiculous the management should be trained on the 101 "how to not leave guests unattended while food is no where to be seen"..... Not recommended, the table next to us was also still waiting on half an order while the other half was already delivered....... Maybe it was a bad day to try..........
(2)Lisa S.
This was a GREAT choice for us!! My fiancé and I decided to stop in here for supper after driving up and spending the afternoon tooling around the village. We were very pleasantly satisfied with this place! We each had a Cadillac Margarita-YUM! The salsa bar and chips were very good. We each had Shrimp Enchiladas-WOW! The guac was spot on, as were the beans and rice. We had great service and really enjoyed our meal! We WILL be back the next time we visit!!
(5)Christina J.
I gave this two stars because the food was pretty good and the patio was nice. We asked questions about drinks and menu items and our server had no idea and didn't care to find out for us. We had to be very persistent with our questions (since I have a dietary restriction) at which point our server reluctantly got someone from the kitchen to come out. He was very helpful. However, after that, the poor service continued. We waited for our server to return, but we were mostly ignored while a group of employees sat and talked at the bar. Finally, we got our check and to-go boxes. My husband asked for a few extra tortillas to take with the leftovers. We were told by our server that she didn't think we could have them because the kitchen closed "exactly at 10:00". It was shortly after 10 at the time. My husband said they didn't have to be warm, but asked if we could please have them anyway. She reluctantly went back and checked. She returned empty handed reminding us that the kitchen closed exactly at 10. (Visions of tortillas being sealed in a time lock safe crossed my mind but I remained silent.) Overall it was some of the worst service I've had. The servers also interrupted their conversation at the bar just long enough to turn off the patio heaters while people were still finishing their meals. If you don't want people finishing their meals around 10, then don't seat them at 9:15. Food was not bad, but I wouldn't want to go through that again.
(2)Krissy C.
HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE and FOOD POISONING! As a regular Big Bear visitor, I like to support the local businesses. I am shocked at my experience here. The server mistakenly got our order wrong (when we ordered the lunch special) and charged us for the dinner price. When it was pointed out to her, she AND the manager steadfastly would not simply change the price - and even UPCHARGED. Finally, she had the audacity to BLAME US for "not knowing". Entirely disgusted, I couldn't even muster the effort to follow up with the manager personally. As an F&B manager for 10 years, I personally could not even begin to understand the complete lack of customer service for a measely $6 guest recovery. To top it off, I got INCREDIBLY SICK about 15 minutes after eating there.
(1)Heather S.
They put some kind of a seasoning salt on the chips which I've never heard of, and I've eaten in a lot of Mexican restaurants, but it was good, so, no foul. Salsa bar - love it I came with a group of 10 people and a baby with no reservation on a Friday night, it was fairly busy and we still got in with no more than a 5 minute wait. I had a combo with 1 shredded beef taco, 1 cheese enchilada, beans & rice. The beans/rice were okay, but were greatly improved after a trip to the salsa bar. The taco was delish and the enchilada was passable. The plate came with a scoop of guac and a scoop of sour cream. The scoop of guac surprised me, you usually have to pay for that. This was the one of the only places in Big Bear I found that accepted Credit Cards.
(3)Nichole M.
My husband and I ordered the fish tacos and they were inedible. I told my waitress and she said she never eats fish so she could not comment. They did not discount or even ask us if we wanted something else. I paid full price for food I could not eat. We will not be returning
(2)Fouad M.
On a busy Saturday night, the wait time was not bad. We were seated outside. Service was good in general but we had to wait for long time to get our check.There is a bar inside and there are several alcoholic beverages on the menu. We ordered Bistek Ranchero (Spicy) and shrimp enchiladas and both were delicious. We will certainly go there again.
(5)Jeffrey C.
My rating system: 5 Stars = This is a place that I crave. It calls to me in my sleep. 4 Stars = Solid to great food, drink or service. Always worth going. 3 Stars = Worth a shot just not my thing. Would be willing to retry. 2 Stars = Never going to write a 2 Star review. 1 Star = You sucked so bad people need to know. This should be rare. HORRIBLE SERVICE... if you call it service. My wife and I sat down and we did get chips and salsa but preceded to wait 15 minutes for our server to even say "Hi". I tried to wave down 3 other people just standing around and made eye contact with one of them and they quickly left the room. I asked two other staff members if they were our server and they said no that it was a girl and none of them went and let her know we were waiting. She went to two other tables that sat down after us and got their drink orders, brought out the drinks and then took their food orders. After 30 minutes we left. Life is too short to get zero service at a crappy Mexican food joint. I assume it is crappy because of the other reviews of the food but my wife really wanted to just stay on Pine Knott so it was the only option for that style of food.
(1)Beverly M.
Normally I dont bother to comment on anything under par. When its great people should know about it!!! El Jacalito is one of my all time favorites of Big Bear Lake! Staff is very friendly and exceptional food!! Everything I have tried has been delicious!!
(5)John W.
Ok, this place is above average in food and drink. A very good vibe. Maybe a little pricey because its Main Street Big Bear. Definitely try it. Great service, sit at the bar with Hector.
(4)Sumgirl W.
I have been eating here for well like 15 years ...back when I was a young single partying snowboarder who lived in Big Bear ,my roomies and I hit up this place every weekend for hangover food. Now I still come here with friends or my kids when in town. It's really great Mexican food for Big Bear. Not cheapie prices but good, fresh tasting meals and salsa. This weekend was the same great service, nice patio, cold beers and nice reunion with dear local friends. I tend to order lighter like ceviche or shrimp and it's always good.
(4)Melodie C.
Husband and I ate there June 21, 2014 for the first time and it took fifteen minutes to get our food and then the shredded beef burritos were barely warm , beans were barely warm and the rice was cold. Could have been sitting on the counter waiting to be served because our waiter had come back to our table just a minute before we got our food, to ask if we were ready to order and we already had ordered from him15 minutes before and thought did he even put our order in. Food was good though, chips and salsa were good too. Green sauce lacked flavor though on the burritos . BUT what got us upset is that we ordered a pitcher of Fat Tire (domestic beer made in Fort Collins, Colorado USA) that was $12.00 on the menu, when we got our bill we were charged $18.00 for a pitcher of imported beer! We talked to our waiter Seth W about it and he went to ask the manager . The manager told him that is how Fat Tire beer was put in the computer as an imported beer. So basically they are ripping people off. As we left we saw the manager and I told him Fat Tire is a domestic beer and that we should have been charged $12.00 for it and not $18.00 for imported beer because it is not. He said that is how his boss told him to enter it into the computer and he didn't do anything about it for us. Was rude and just didn't seem to care at all about what we were telling him So we were overcharged $6.00 and we wonder how many others were too and for how long has it been like that! If we hadn't looked at our receipt, we would not have seen the overcharge. That's ridiculous that they don't know a domestic beer from an imported beer . Wonder who's idea that was to put it in the computer that way and overcharge people and who is pocketing the money! I contacted them on their website about this. I'm hoping that the boss who told the manager to put it in the computer under imported beer, will read it and correct it in the computer and stop overcharging people. I will see what they do and if they contact me back about it . The manager was not trying to make it right. He should have and could have googled "Fat Tire" and seen it's made in Fort Collins, Colorado USA. Our daughter has been there, so we knew Fat Tire is a domestic beer made in the USA for sure. But our talking to the manager about this meant nothing to him. So much for customer service and satisfaction! They just let customers order it knowing it's a domestic beer , seeing it for $12.00 on the menu, knowing it's a domestic beer and then charge them $18.00 for imported beer and say nothing about it to them ! We could have ordered and drank a imported beer if we wanted it and then paid $18.00 for a pitcher, but instead we ordered what we wanted Fat Tire domestic beer for $12.00 a pitcher but had to pay $6.00 more because they believe they were right in it being a imported beer! We won't be going back.
(2)Maureen W.
Decent salsa. Strong margaritas! What more can I say? We stopped in after a little shopping trip and had a snack in the bar. Service was a bit slow but it was friendly none the less and we weren't in a hurry.
(3)Russell B.
After a long day of mountain biking, we were all in need of some sizable sustainance to refuel. My bro-in-law had been here a few times before, so I figured why not. Being Big Bear, this place, like seemingly every other place up here, is a little slow in service. So, I'll just state that up front and discount it a bit. We received a basket of chips along with some of their basic salsa, which the chips have a bit of seasoning on them and the salsa is relatively fresh and pretty tasty. I was warned that their burritos are big, but I figured I'd still be up for it considering my state. Carnitas being my old standby, I settled on that. Once it finally did arrive, I was not disappointed in its stated size. Definitely not the largest I've ever seen, but pretty dang big. Fortunately it was wrapped fairly well and easy enough to eat with the bottom resting on the plate mostly. The burrito was pretty spectacular with plenty of shredded carnitas that had little crispy bits and lots of juicy meat. The beans and rice were kept at a minimum to maximize enjoyment of the carnitas, which with a bit of tapatio or their roasted/spicy salsa was the perfect accompaniment. We also had some of their guacamole which was nice and fresh with some chunks of avocado still left along with some small diced tomatoes and was seasoned well. In all, this place was pretty good and sure the prices (we came in at about $15/person) are more than a fast food mexican place, but the quality of the food and their nice cozy patio (to spend your inevitable wait) definitely justify it.
(4)Ryan K.
Good Mexican joint - fast and friendly service and the margarita's hit the spot.
(4)Dd'z K.
Had their carnitas lunch special and it was delicious! They gave generous portions and they had a salsa bar to go along with free tortilla chips. I'd come here again, but I'm not sure I'd visit Big Bear Lake again so maybe the first and last time... Glad I came here though.
(4)Alex C.
My family has a cabin in big bear, and whenever we go skiing or snowboarding, we always eat here. The food is pretty good -- I wouldn't say great, but not bad either. The chili verde was a bit of a disappointment, but the house specialty of a fried steak (I forgot what it's called) as well as the cerviche are very good. Portions are large, and the salsa bar is awesome. Good margaritas and a nice choice of draft beers as well. Its a good place to come after a long day of being outdoors -- whether in the snow, or enjoying the lake.
(3)Alejandro Z.
Food was great! Nice family restaurant
(4)Aaron J.
Ate there last night 1st time. Excellent food, margaritas and price. Love salsa bar mmmm Service fair to good.
(3)Laura S.
Got take out...when I got back to my room I realized they had forgotten some of my order. :-/
(2)terra d.
+ salsa bar +flautas! - super crowded
(3)Brandin S.
I am a lover of Mexican food - a connoisseur if u will :) do I was excited to eat here after seeing all the reviews. I'd say my experience was a moderate fail. The fish tacos were so fishy that I actually think maybe there was something wrong w/ them. I told the guy who came by to check on us (several ppl take care of u which is nice) and he acted like I told him everything was great. It was weird.... The chik enchilada suizas were pretty good - but the standard beans & rice (& no black bean option offered) were too salty but otherwise bland for me. The margaritas were just ok. (and I'm a lover of a good margarita!) Chips were standard - not super warm and ultra crispy like a really good Mex restaurant. Salsa was decent - you get it yourself from a salsa bar, which for me is a little gross.... and one of the salsas at the bar was completely empty, making me wonder "who would dig to the bottom of a germ infested salsa bowl to get the last scrapings?" yuk! Won't be back - too many other great places to eat in Big Bear :)
(2)Paula D.
Pretty tasty food and excellent service! I had a carnitas tostada, the hub had Chili Verde, The son had Flautas and the daughter fajitas. Here is the score: Tostada- delicioso! good ingredients and tasty cheeses B+ Chili Verde- outstanding! A Flautas- looked a little burnt but tasty B Fajitas- tons of bell peppers, very little meat B- Frijoles..a Little dry. Might want to add some lard and water. C The salsa bar was nice but not as fresh as I am used to and not as spicy either. Of course this is the perspective of a spoiled San Diegan coming north for Mexican food.
(4)Anthony C.
Came here for Oktoberfest and decided to spend Sunday night. We wanted to find a good restaurant for our last night in Big Bear. We saw that this place had pretty good reviews and thought we'd give it a shot. Food was pretty good, service was fine, one major problem with the place; they nickle and dime you for EVERYTHING. They have a self serve salsa bar with a sign that says, " only take what you can eat, you will be charged if there's leftovers".They also have a set amount of chips a group can have before they start charging you. REALLY!?!?! Prices are pretty fair for the food other than that. I had a Cadillac Margarita, it was okay, nothing amazing.
(3)Mark C.
I needed to kill some time in the village this past weekend while my out of town guests were snowboarding at Bear Mountain. It was a cold Saturday afternoon, and the snow was coming down heavy. I decided to hang out at the bar area at El Jacalito and watch some college basketball. I reassert my rave about the albondigas soup here! What a tasty treat on a dark winter's day! A generous portion served with fresh flour tortillas, and a side of minced onions and cilantro. Oh, and amber Dos Equis on tap. I really do like this place.
(4)Richard M.
Came up for a quick get away and we were feeling some Mexican food. Stopped by El Jacalito Grill and really enjoyed the outdoor patio. The Spanish music and water fountain in the background added to the charm of the outdoor patio. My wife had the Barbacoa plate an she said it lacked flavor but was enjoyable overall. I had the carne asada burrito with mild red sauce and a Corona, the pair worked well together. My wife's mango margarita was tasty but a bit lite on the alcohol for the cost. Overall the food was good and the environment welcoming. I would come back if I was in town.
(4)Omar M.
A great after-skiing/boarding restaurant in the village in Big Bear Lake. They do mention a happy hour but apparently it's only for fall/spring months (though their staff seemed confused by all this). The braised beef is great!
(4)M S.
I recently dropped in for dinner here on a getaway weekend in Big Bear. There was plenty of seating available on the patio so we say outside to enjoy the sunset. Service was pretty fast and helpful. The chips and salsa were delish and plentiful. I had a couple standard margaritas and the new Barbacoa dish. Way good food and lots of it. I had so much meat I had to ask for some more tortillas and got charged extra for it. Really the only thing that's keeping this place from 5 stars is the high prices and the quality of the meat wasn't so great. I would definitely go here again to enjoy some tasty mexican food on the patio. There was a drunk ass gringo who kept shouting 'andale' as if he were Speedy Gonzales or something but otherwise a cool crowd.
(4)stacey k.
Came here with a party of 8 for a friends birthday. We waited about 30 min (they told us 45) to be seated and while we were waiting we bought two pitchers of margaritas. Got to our table and our waitress was completely awful and rude. I ordered a skinny margarita and for dinner I ordered a crispy chicken taco plain (meat and cheese) with rice and beans. How do you mess that up a simple taco order twice? And also mess up my drink order? She told me she couldn't hear me as she took my order. If that's the case ask me if you need clarification. She rolled her eyes at us numerous times and seemed like she had better things to do. Unfortunately, tip was included in our check because she didn't deserve anything. (I'm in the service industry and tip well when deserved) Food was mediocre but will never come back due the awful service. Another thing that turned me off, we were sitting at a table near the front and right there on the bench near the front door a lady changed her child's diaper! I was appalled and disgusted. I'm sympathetic to mothers but that crossed the line. You don't do that in a restaurant, take your kid to the bathroom or the car. Anyways, like I said will never return here when I'm in big bear.
(1)Kristin S.
After reading all the reviews on Yelp, my boyfriend and I decided to try it out. During our 3-day, 2-night stay in Big Bear, we did not have the best experiences at chain restaurants so we decided to try and independent, smaller place. Upon arrival, the first thing we noticed was the self-serve salsa bar with a sign that read, "Please help yourself to as much as you need; if you don't eat it, you will be charged." Our first impression: Wow. When we began to look at the menu, I noticed very small print on the bottom that said a table of 2 gets one free basket of chips, all subsequent baskets are $1. WOW. I've never been to a Mexican restaurant that limited the amount of chips you can have! Growing up in Southern California, I guess the unlimited chips and salsa are one of the primary reasons for choosing a Mexican restaurant over any others. My boyfriend and I opted to share the enchilada platter, which came with three enchiladas, rice, and beans. I made sure to ask the waiter if there was a charge for sharing. Luckily, he said no or we were going to leave and find another place to eat. My boyfriend and his brother also ordered side salads, which were laughable. They were made up of the shredded lettuce/taco combination used in tacos. It tasted the same, but the texture was just weird. On a positive note, I don't think they charged us for the "salads". All in all, the food was good. The meat in the enchiladas was very tender. But, like I said, growing up in Southern California has exposed me to very good, authentic Mexican food and this place just didn't compare. If you're looking for inexpensive Mexican food and a place to have some margaritas, this is probably it.
(3)Danica N.
The food was delicious and the margaritas were poured with a heavy hand. What more can you ask for? I went with a large party and they were very accommodating to us and the food came out quickly! Delicious, great big portions and great variety of Mexican food. It was a good ambiance and everyone left full!
(4)M M.
I really wanted to go across the way to Peppercorn. I kept hinting to my husband but he and my son were already in the door of El Jacalito Grill. We grabbed a table in front of the big screen TV and watched a playoff BBall game while inhaling delicious goods. Unlike most Santa Monica restaurants, this $14.99 shrimp taco salad had SHRIMP in it. Every bite had fresh avocado and shrimp to delight the taste buds. The next morning while walking the dogs our cabin "neighbors" said they went to Peppercorn the previous evening and it was.... blah.
(4)Manoj N.
We had lunch here with my entire family as they were walkable from where we stayed in BB. We had 3 vegetarians in our group and they all were happy with their non-meat choices. Portions were large ...Chips and salsa were served non-stop..Friendly staff. We had once visited this place about 5 years back and we had loved it..I would recommend it if you have never been here.
(4)Dorothy G.
While strolling the streets looking for a late breakfast, my boyfriend and I stopped in here. They were doing some sort of renovation, so it was hard to figure how to get in at first. But, once we got in, I liked the private booths. The one thing I can claim to have really enjoyed is the complimentary chips and salsa bar. The chunky salsa was rather good and the chips were crunchy, but not "cut-your-mouth". We ordered Chilaquiles to share. I have had this dish in a variety of locations, and this was not notable. The eggs were more like "egg-nuggets" sprinkled across overly-sauced chips. I prefer them cooked with the chips, or a whole fried egg. The beans were nothing to comment on, but the rice was good. The plate was certainly big enough for 2 people, but it was twice the price of my favorite location for Chilaquiles. I would not mind trying their other dishes another trip, but I think I have experienced their fare enough this time around.
(3)Brian D.
The food was outstanding, and so were the margarita's........ Yeehaa. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Butters K.
If I could give negative stars I would! Soooooooo NOT worth the wait. From our waitress disappearing for a full 25 minutes to wanting to charge me for a fourth tortilla for my fajita. The food was ok. It's the same as what you would get at Chili's. Would I wait 45 mins for a table at Chili's? Of course not. Never again. Btw, every booth in our area had some type of issue...food or drinks. There didn't seem to be any management present.
(1)Susan M.
Yum! This was a quiet, cozy respite on a cold, rainy night in Big Bear. Great service, good food. Would definitely go back. The shrimp ceviche with avocado was good!
(4)Scott G.
Had lunch over Labor Day. Service was OK, margarita's were Ok and food was average at best, but what do you expect when you're so far away from the really good Mexican food down in the valley.
(2)Roger A.
I went there during the week. Very slow so there is no excuse for the service I received. Maybe Diego needs to brush up on his waiting skills. They bring you chips but no salsa!! What's with that?? How do you offer chips with no salsa? We had to get up and get salsa from a salsa bar. We told Diego to give another minute to order. That turned into 10 minutes and we had to go look for him so he could take our order. He then messed up one of our plates by bringing beef instead of chicken. Instead of offering a discount or drink for the mistake he charged us full price!!! The food was below mediocore. My wife ordered a torta and that was actually pretty good. Everything else was overpriced and not too tasty. I will not return to this place again and I can't recommend this place based on the service.
(2)B P.
On the first night of visiting Big Bear Lake for vacation we started searching for some good grub. Our lodging highly recommended El Jacalito so we decided to give it a shot. We ordered take-out and when we called in they said the food would be ready in 10 minutes tops. My hubby came home with an armful of food, their plates are so big. The food was amazing! Some of the best Mexican food we've had in a long time. At the end of our vacation we decided to go back and eat at the restaurant. Service is super fast, we sat outdoor and it was lovely. Again, the food was fantastic. I highly recommend this to those looking for some great Mexican food:-)
(5)Todd M.
We were going to the peppercorn grill but there was an hour wait at 5:30 on a Thursday (ski week). Yikes! So we walked across the parking lot to el jacalito grill. We give it an "a" for it's happy ambiance and great service. Also the margaritas are huge and good. But unfortunately the food was pretty bland. :(. We got the el picante special- but it was very runny and not very picante. The fish tacos were pretty flavorless. They did have a great kids menu and the kids loved their beef taco (good shredded beef!) and chicken nuggets complete with fries and carrots. I'd go again for the ambiance but def not for the food. :(
(3)Toshi J.
This place was good. It's one of those quaint little family places where your kids can be themselves. Food was high quality Mexican and Margos were super tasty. A fun little joint.
(4)Marisha F.
this was good. peppercorn grill was an hour wait so we came here. we waited about 15 minutes.
(3)Carlos Z.
great time here great drinks good service !
(4)Judy S.
We have eaten here twice and both times the food was excellent, the ground beef taco was the best. Diego is very attentive and sees to your every request. It's a definate do again, we will come back here! There aren't to many restaurants in Big Bear that you want to come back to, this is one of them.
(5)Alisa A.
We're locals and eat at El Jacalito every week. The food is delicious and the service is excellent!!
(5)DeeDee M.
I love El Jacalito and everytime we are in Big Bear and need a Mexican food fix, this is the place we go!
(4)Charlotte N.
Delicious Mexican food. Short wait time even though it was crowded. Chorizo quesadilla was great as well as the chicken enchilada. Family friendly restaurant. Also has a help yourself salsa bar.
(4)Maryella P.
This place caught my attention while driving through the streets when we got to Big Bear. After an afternoon of playing in the snow, we were ready for some good eating. We wanted to eat somewhere in the village and the only other place that looked like it would be kid-friendly was Paoli's. Having had Maggio's the night before, we didn't go there. We walked a bit down the street and found El Jacalito. We got seated right away and I immediately ordered a side of rice and beans for my two year old, which came 4 minutes later. That was a plus. I ordered the shredded beef tostada; it was packed with beans, lettuce, shredded beef and cheese, very tasty. My husband had the carne asada torta which looked freakin awesome. The food was good, the servie was good, the prices were good. Definitely a place to go for your Mexican food cravings. P.S. They have a bar, also, that looked like it was the place to be on a late Sunday afternoon.
(4)Geoff W.
Not bad food just not great! There are free chips and salsa so that is good.
(3)Michael M.
best mexican restuarant in Big Bear. They have a great salsa bar and I usually order the burrito or tacos, they are both great. Margaritas are good too.
(5)Vicky G.
We love the chips and salsa and tacos and beans and rice and service. Yep, that about sums it up!
(4)Bill P.
I got wind of this place on a tip from the locals that they have the best mexican food in Big Bear. So my buddy Billy was craving carne asada fries and i said I dont think so, not here. well we walk in and sit at the bar because that is where I like to eat. the bartender laughed when he asked for fries. i ordered a carnitas burrito and it was excellent, I did not think I could finish it but I figured I will need all the strengh for snowboarding tomorrow. So I plowed on. My buddy got the carne asada burrito and was very pleased. we both quenched our thirst with the cadillac margeritas and it was delicious, we only had one they were huge. The service was very friendly and fast. I will come back here for sure when I am creving some good mexican food.
(4)Matthew H.
The hostess was kinda clueless, which is why I will not call her rude. The service was seriously lackluster. The food was dreadfully average. But the kicker was being up for four hours starting around midnight with our two year old throwing-up up her fries and nuggets. Papa is just waiting for his turn on the toilet, cuz his tummy feels no bueno.
(1)Gary D.
We were seated after a 20 minute wait. We were given chips and salsa as we sat down. 15 minutes later the waitress showed up to take our drink and food order. By the time the food got there we had another basket of chips which had filled us up. I had the Carne Asada which was ok. I did not really even eat the beans or rice because I was full from the chips. We were there for a total of an hour and a half. Definatly not going back.
(2)Will T.
Stopped by for a late lunch from a friendly recommendation. The decor and layout of the restaurant is very welcoming. There is also a good size outdoor patio so it's definitely smoker friendly. My friend ordered the shrimp cocktail (served in a huge margarita glass)and shrimp cerviche/tostada. Both orders were above average in size. The shrimps were big and fresh. The cerviche was made with fresh ingredients and well seasoned but not too salty. I on the other hand was not too hungry so just ordered one carne asada taco and two tacos de al pastor. The carne asada (marinated strip steak) was tender and quite tasty. The al pastor was a little disappointing. It didn't have much flavor and tasted like regular unseasoned roast pork shoulder. They do have complimentary fresh tortilla chips and a good salsa bar with three types of salsa (two reds, one green all not too spicy). And we both had their mango margaritas. One virgin and one regular, both were good. I definitely tasted the tequila in the cocktail and the mango flavor was just sweet enough. The food was good, the service was good but the prices were a little on the high side. But definitely a real cool spot to pull up and hang out.
(3)Travis S.
This is a good Mexican joint right in the village. I've been here twice now and enjoyed it both times. Big portions, good service, and big beers :) if you're staying close by this is a great place to walk over to and have a meal after being on the mountain.
(4)Mark Z.
My wife and I went for a late dinner the only thing that was good were the chips and salsa. The margarita she had was terrible and they got rid of the XX beer on tap, sad. Love what they did to the place, though it's a beautiful place now, nice patio, just don't expect much from the food sad. Will go back just for the atmosphere and chips.
(2)Maria G.
I didn't come here this past weekend, but I do like the place and did eat here the past two times I went to Big Bear. When I come here, I always get the enchiladas plate. As an appetizer, I highly suggest the guacamole; it's so good. Furthermore, I also like how they have a salsa bar to go with your meal or the chips. My boyfriend wanted me to add that they serve Modelo Negro and that made him very happy the last time we came. I actually missed not coming here this weekend, but my boyfriend and I did say we wanted to try something different so this meant no Jacalito.
(4)Chisato S.
Since the wait for Grizzly Manor was too long, we decided to settle for Mexican breakfast in Village. I was very pleased with the quality and quantity of food we got. I ordered a chilaquiles that came in homemade red sauce topped with fluffy eggs, rice and beans. My husband ordered a chile verde omelet, that also came with a huge portion of meat in omelet, rice and beans. Even though the restaurant was empty, we had to wait for a long time to get our food. But, it sure was worthy to get the fresh cooked rice. We had been disappointed with other Mexican restaurants in Big Bear in the past, so we have been avoiding Mexican food when we are up there. Now I cannot wait to go there for lunch or dinner.
(4)Josh G.
The best wine in town. The best carnitas on Earth. That's right...the planet.
(5)Janelle S.
Went to this mexican place which is in The Village, across the street from our hotel. We went on a Tuesday night and it was pretty crowed but no waiting time. There's a restaurant and a bar area. We sat in the bar area at a table only bc they were that busy. I ordered the margarita and my bf ordered a beer. Both good tasting, price, and size. The service was prompt and the chips & salsa were good. I order the tamale & chile relleno combo. My bf ordered one of their chicken specialties. The service was prompt and the food came out hot. The portions are good sized since both of us went home with doggy bags. My food was delicious and my bf said the chicken specialty tasted just like pan fried chicken, although good. Good mexican food for up in the mountains and would return.
(4)Jesse R.
Only ok. Food is a 3.5, but throw in the poor service and it's a 2. Also, showed them the yelp coupon and they wouldn't accept it because it needs to be printed. They insist on killing trees.
(2)Christopher S.
The food was good, atmosphere was great, salsa bar was a plus, definitely great food for big bear!
(3)Khalid N.
Beef, chips, salsa, beans and rice were all just ok. The shrimp and potato enchilada was good. I was really disappointed on the yelp announcement they have for happy hour. I came in at 5:30 and they said 'oh...that's only certain days of the week.'. I pulled up yelp to show that it was one of those days and they said 'oh...well that's only during non-holiday weeks.'. Since when did Jan 6th become a holiday??? False advertising man...not Kool.
(2)JENNIFER A.
The service was HORRIBLE. The food was okay but the waiter didn't take our order for over 20 minutes and it took 45 minutes for the food to come to our table-no apologies, no explanations. As regulars in Big Bear ,we will not be back! Huge disappointment.
(1)Kelly H.
The first time I went here I wasn't really impressed. My boyfriend and I sat inside, got margaritas, and a shrimp burrito. The service was kind of slow and the shrimp burrito tasted like nothing. BUT... I went here again yesterday because we were craving margaritas. This time we got cadillac margaritas and chicken/steak/shrimp fajitas. The fajitas were great. They were really flavorful and BIG! I would come again. But I wouldn't get a burrito.
(4)candace m.
cute little mexican restaurant in big bear. they have such yummy food, the margaritas are so good and those chips & salsa...mmmmm mmmmm goood!
(4)Ken P.
Had the two taco lunch special. It was a good price for a tasty meal. The service was good and the atmosphere was adequate for conversation.
(3)Jason A.
Two stars seems a little harsh for this place, but Yelp describes that as "Meh. I've experienced better," and that pretty much nails it. This place wouldn't last long down the mountain -- there's just not a lot of flavor happening -- but it has a prime location and decent ambience. I love a good salsa bar, especially one with pickled carrots and jalapenos, but the salsa was average at best (too salty, not enough tang or kick). A two taco combo is $10, which seems okay, but I got shredded beef and give them a B-minus. The kids' chicken taquitos were even more flavorless. Wife got a veggie burrito that was, again, fine but unremarkable. I might go back, but not until I sample some of the other Mexican joints in town (there appear to be many). I remember having a more satisfying experience at a place called El Montana, nearer Bear Mountain, but that must've been about 7 years ago.
(2)Doug A.
Great Mexican restaurant on the main street...Pine Knot. Great patio. The service was good. Food average. Drinks weak. Go for the relaxing patio on the main drag. The salsa was just ok.
(4)AJ C.
Stopped in on a whim while strolling the Village. Group wanted big margaritas, we ordered the large mango margaritas... Great flavor, thick and tasted like fresh fruit with a tequila kick! I also orders the ceviche shrimp tostado... It was nice portion, but lacked the citrus-lemony taste I'd expect from ceviche dish. Overall good service, nice ambience.
(3)Derek R.
Not sure what happened, but we waited forever for our food then finally left.
(1)Scott A.
I was on a restaurant tour with my 12 yr old last weekend to learn about the local BB establishments... . El Jacalito was a nice dinner. Kid had the carnitas, I had the barbacoa which isn't a usual menu item. Will return to try other selections.
(4)Remo H.
We went on a Wednesday night so it wasn't very busy. The food was great as well as the service. $11 pitchers are a good deal. I had a chili verde quesadilla, which is not on the menu, but they will make it for you.
(4)Aaron F.
I received a very nice email from Nancy the owner. She's offered her apology and a $20 gift card. I'll likely check them out again next time I'm in town.
(3)Lizz K.
mediocre mexican food.
(3)J W.
"Busy Sat. night. First time here. Nice decor. In the heart of Big Bear tourism village. Thought we were in for a treat, something unique in the Mexican food arena and was really disappointed at the average menu, slow service, pedestrian Margueritas. (for example it took 15 minutes for someone to take our order, and 30 minutes (asking 3 different people) to get two glasses of water.
(2)Jerry A.
OK it's update time. Just wanted to see if El J was just having a bad night the last time we were there.Pleasant surprise! The food was great, the service was better and the overall mood of the place was so much better. For Big Bear- it's good Mexican food. (They even made me my old fave Carnitas soft tacos from the good old days). Yummy spiced carrots at the salsa bar- good to see that you haven't lost your touch Gus. And what's with being in Miami when I show up?
(4)E. M.
Ate at this restaurant not expecting 'real' Mexican food (we live in San Diego). We were pleasantly surprised by one of the best Mexican restaurants we have ever eaten at. The Margaritas were OK, service a little slow, but worth waiting for. HIGHLY recommend eating here if you are in Big Bear Lake.
(5)s r.
For Big Bear, this is 5 star Mexican food, but for SoCal, as a whole, it just earns 4. El Jacalito is the only place to get great Mexi in Big Bear. It's located under the Bowling Barn, and if you've spent the day carving up the slopes, this is yummy, satisfying fare. I've been eating here for a number of years, as I'm a Mexican food freak. I was raised in Texas, and it was a staple of my diet growing up. Yes, it's true that I am a gringa, but I was raised on Mexi...not burritos...not fajitas...not Taco Bell...real Mexican food. It's my favorite cuisine of all time, especially after an exhilarating day shredding! Let's face it...you snowboard all day...either in the freezing cold or maybe in the blazing sun in a tank top...you're famished...and tired...and you might have to drive 3 hours down the mountain, which will be in the height of rush hour traffic once you get down to the freeway...remember...lifts close at 4 pm. So, which would you rather do?...race down the mountain and sit in rush hour traffic ?...or spend an hour and change refueling that magnificent bod that just enabled you to endure a stellar day on the mountain? Yep, that's what I thought....that rush hour traffic can wait while you stuff your face full of some of their comida delicioso. Portions at El Jacalito are fairly generous, especially for the price. I'm partial to the carne asada dinner, but also like the beef enchiladas. If you are staying locally, rather than driving down the mountain after dinner, their margaritas are pretty good, as well. Please don't drink them and then drive down that dark, sometimes slick, winding mountain road. Some of us dream of living long enough to snowboard into our golden years. : ) I've eaten dinner there and picked it up to go: both were excellent. Sometimes I order it to go, just so I can soak in the hot tub at the hotel WHILE I'm eating. Hey, don't knock it until you try it. El Jacalito is mountain casual, so it's fine to go in your gear, but I like to change in the parking lot at the mountain, or at least strip down to my long underwear and throw some shorts over them. While this may not be attractive, much less fashionable, it's appropriate attire for El Jacalito. Try getting away with THAT down in LA! Good for groups and kids. It's a place the whole family can enjoy~
(4)Noelle S.
We went here for dinner and had great service. The ambiance was nice, the music was great, but the food was just so-so. I'm used to eating spicy Mexican food and got the combination plate with a tamale and cheese enchilada. They just had NO flavor or taste. There was nothing really wrong with them, but I eventually stopped eating because I wasn't getting any satisfaction from the food. My husband said the barbacoa was tasty though, so maybe stick to that if you decide to eat there ;)
(3)Michael C.
A little pricey for what is is, and service was just so-so....
(3)Norm W.
We're flatlanders and go to Big Bear 5 or 6 times a year. This is one of the restaurants we always frequent. The spicy carrots and onions are fantastic at the salsa bar. Mixing the salsas is great fun too. Their chips are crispy and delicious. We've ordered from the menu, a variety of items, for five or six years and have never been disappointed. For simplicity, just get the chili verde burrito. Phantasmagorical! Oh, yeah, don't forget the medium margarita. Delicious!!!
(5)J. P.
Great dinner. Wife's favorite. Two Cadillac margaritas, shrimp soft tacos, chips and salsa. Great service. In the patio on a Sunday evening with great food and drink. We will be back.
(5)M J.
Excellent! We were there 2 nights ago. They sat us right away. They showed us the salsa bar. My husband and I love good salsa. It was excellent. We loved getting as much as we wanted when we wanted. We both got chicken fajitas. They came sizzling. Perfect. Beans and rice were good.
(5)Audrey G.
Highly recommend. The food here out does any of the Mexican restaurants I've been to in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. To start we had the shrimp cocktail....different but awesome. I had a Cadillac margarita. Fabulous. My husband had the steak and chicken fajitas, I had the pork tamale, and my very picky girls had the chicken tacos. All fabulous.
(5)Becca S.
This is definitely the tastiest Mexican food in Big Bear. I am a huge fan of their tortas and the "wet" burritos which are absolutely giant and smothered in delicious green/red sauce. When I'm in Big Bear I always make it to El Jacalito at least once if not twice.
(5)Kim P.
Went here for the first time Friday night after researching on Yelp. Busy, noisy and crying kids so we sat in the bar which was only minimally quieter. We both had the Carnitas taco salads which were delicious. Love the salsa bar with crispy carrots! Margaritas were so-so. Next time will order them with better tequila. We will be back.
(4)Josue G.
Cozy restaurant with good food. They have an awesome salsa bar so you can get whatever level spiciness you can handle. Their shrimp cocktails are LOADED with shrimps and their carne asada plates are delicious! Unfortunately, their shrimp plates on come with about 5 to 6 shrimp. Besides that, everything else was great! The drinks, the cleanliness, food, and service. Definitely will go back next time I'm in town.
(4)Paul S.
Best Mexican food in Big Bear (period)! I almost hate to give it such a rave review, because the wait to eat there may get worse. However, I can't let this gem go without giving it the accolades that it deserves. I recommend the Chili Verde Burrito. The sauce is authentic and flavorful. The "cervesas" are cold and refreshing. They have a restaurant area for families and a bar area for adults. Pay it a visit, you will not be disappointed!!
(5)Jojo D.
Not great but decent Mexican food 3 stars in san Diego oc or la but 4 stars in big bear. In saying that we have a vacation home here and usually come here each time because it is consistent quality. A lot of restaurants in big bear just aren't very good
(3)Greg G.
The food was great. It seems to be owned by a family and the service is fantastic. Good Margaritas.
(4)Dolcesmom M.
Well im not from big bear and after a day of playing in the snow i was in the mood for mexican food. I didnt have high hopes for a good mexican dish in the mountains but i was so wrong. El jacalito has the very best chile relleno burrito i have ever tasted. This massive burrito with a margarita was fabuloso. The taste of the beans, the rice and chile relleno all top notch. And the burrito was so big it should have its own zip code. I was only able to finish half but it made for some great leftovers. And ever since ive been trying to find a burrito with the flavor profile to equal this one but alas this is still the best. So i will continue to make the trek up the mountain to experience burrito nirvana. If you're a local im sure u know about this place and if you're visiting the area, seriously give it a try. Forget about a review about a sticky menu, not a big deal, folks, especially at a place that serves margaritas. the food is awesome and the service was a ok. If u arrive anywhere with a smile and a pleasant attitude you'd be surprised by the level of service u will recieve. Im just saying...
(5)Bony K.
Update 1/08: Unfortunately the food wasn't as good after less than a yr later. Perhaps chefs changed? --------------------------------------------------Â--------------------- Never would've thought that Big Bear would have great Mexican food combined with punctual service! This place is located in the row of shops, restaurants called "The Village", The margarita on the rocks had plenty of tequila (there is a tiny bar), the beef flautos were some of the best I've had, self-serve salsa bar was fresh (possible extra charge if you waste it), entrees were huge portion size w/o skimping out on quality as well. Our waitress was prompt in making sure our drinks weren't empty & the bus boy even scanned around to make sure we had enough tortilla chips. Considering how packed this place, I was quite impress with the timeliness of their service.
(3)Nancy W.
Food was pretty good and service was good once we got seated. But the hostess (Megan) was very rude an the wait was too long. I'm glad we overlooked her and stayed but was very tempted to leave. Totally uncalled for attitude.
(3)JN B.
Just as described by other reviewers. After the shredded beef nachos that my wife ordered arrived, a guest who was waiting for a table nearby asked which dish it was; the couple in a booth across from us ordered the same after eying it on our table; rightfully so because it looked awesome and was delish! The salsas at the salsa bar are great! Another restaurant to add to our list!
(5)David H.
Great mexican food at fair prices.
(4)darlene m.
Great tacos....I really enjoyed dining here.
(4)Heidi Z.
Great restaurant! We couldnt finish our plates, so for the money, it was REALLY worth it! The drinks were great too!
(5)Helen C.
Meh, this place was exactly what I expected it to be, which is to say a restaurant that serves serviceable, gringo-fied Mexican fare that one would expect in this area. I had to come here after eating at Pong's to get that horrific meal off my palate, so I had a margarita and a wedge of the quesadilla (definitely something I would not ordinarily order but I figured when in Rome & also figured it would be fairly safe considering the clientele). It was all decent but nothing spectacular. The boyfriend had a carne burrito & while he was not blown away he noted that it was decent, all things considered. I think we've given up on eating anything really yummy in Big Bear. That said, we both agreed we'd give El Jacalito another try when we come back.
(3)Kristi C.
Giving this place 5 stars for their salsa - they have a salsa bar with 3 choices and the chunky mild was just the way I like it - lots of onion, rough chopped cilantro with a good zip to it - salty enough, slightly sweet. We got fajitas and everything was just so good. Wish it were closer - we were just up for the weekend!
(5)Heidi E.
Great food, a little pricey but usually worth it - especially with the limit of good places in Big Bear.
(4)A F.
comfortable place to eat with kids, but the food was too greasy. Will not go here again. Probably good place to watch a game and have drinks. Really didnt like the food. All 5 of us didn't like the food, too greasy.
(2)Steve D.
I was pleasantly surprised by El Jacalito. I am a big, Chips n Salsa, guy and this place did not disappoint. They even have a little bar of fresh made salsa so you can enjoy all you want. I ordered the chicken quesadilla for dinner and it was HUGE! I couldn't even eat half of it (since I had already filled up on their great chips and salsa.) I am not one of those people that rates a place based on portion size. This was a quality meal packed with meat and cheese, peppers and onions and, of course, that salsa. Topped off this meal with an 18oz Margarita which was really strong. This place does not skimp. Great place and right across the street from my crap hole hotel, "The Wishing Well".
(4)K M.
A couple weekends ago I headed up to Big Bear for a weekend of scrapbooking with some other ladies. Once we unpacked our stuff at the B&B we headed back into town for lunch, well, actually we headed in for margaritas and the food was really secondary. The margaritas were superb, most of us ordered the cadillac, and those who ordered a smaller drink or no alcohol took one look at our drinks and immediately said to the waitress, "I NEED one of those." Nobody was dissatisfied with the drinks. For lunch I ordered a quesedilla with shrimp, and wow, it was really not that good. The shrimp was boring and really not good, like it was probably some farmed shrimp imported from southeast Asia precooked and frozen. The lady next to me ordered a big shrimp cocktail and seemed to like it but to me it smelled like strongly like dishwater and kind of ruined my appetite. The salsas were really good, in fact I kind of filled up on chips and salsa. I would say don't expect much of the food here, go for the drinks and get a little something if you're hungry. We were in on a Friday afternoon probably a little later than a normal lunch but before happy hour would probably start, and it was pretty quiet there and we got attentive service, but we did have to plead with the waitress to do separate checks, something I've never understood why servers make such a fuss about.
(3)