Came here Friday night for a dinner with my gf and her uncle. We've passed this place afew times when we where in the Mountain View area and finally got around to trying it out. First thing we order was 3 strawberry margaritas they where weak I drank one and a half cause my girl did not finish hers and both where sweet and couldn't taste no alcohol. The food was decent I had the tostada shell with asada the meat was flavorful my girl had the enchiladas and her uncle had the carne asada plate, we all enjoyed our meals there where no complaints. If I'm ever in the area and I'm craving Mexican food but I pass on the drinks.
(3)
Dee L.
Always been curious about their advertised happy hour 3-7 sign posted in front of their restaurant while cruising down El Camino. Finally made our entrance on a Monday afternoon with my coworker. Yes, the week barely started and we already needed to vent. Parking is located at the front and the back next to the hotel with a front and back entrance. The place is nicely decorated like a pinata, quite welcoming. Happy hour drinks are priced about $6 with 3 food items taquitos, nachos and chips and gauc. They charge $1.75 for chips and salsa. Margaritas were great starters and they were just the right cure. Chips were thin, served with two salsa- fresh and a spicy one. The highlight of it all was the chorizo potato taquitos. They were so delicious we ordered another one. Crispy on the outside and stuffed with chorizo and potatoes--awesome combination! Sides of lettuce and sour cream on platter. Whoever thought of that combination gave me a reason to come back! There is a taquria los charros located in downtown mountain view, but I like how this location is away from the horrendous parking madness and plenty of seating at the bar area.
(4)
Loon E.
My cousin is dating a Mexican and supposedly she loves this place, so off we went to check it out. Usually takes a lot to convince me to go somewhere, but this time I didn't really care. Naturally, I didn't order anything in her usual rotation of items and instead opted for the oh so authentic carnitas burrito in a spinach tortilla. First thing you notice when you enter is the atmosphere; seems a little festive even when the whole place is basically barren. The chairs are cute. Chips and salsa were satisfactory. Salsa more so than the chips, which weren't of very high quality. My burrito came out and the carnitas were solid with the flavor being strong, but it had a little too much rice and didn't really like the entire balance of the burrito. Service was fantastic throughout, but that was about the only real memorable thing about this meal. My cousin may need to check the authenticity of his girlfriend's birth certificate, because this meal raised a lot of questions for me as to her knowledge of Mexican food.
(3)
Taylor H.
Okay first of all, I walk in and there's already someone waiting for their food. No problem until the server rudely cuts off the customer talking to him to ask me if I'm from door dash.. Uh no sir Then it gets worse, I was told on the phone 30 MINUTES PRIOR that my food would be ready in 5/10 minutes. When I told him I was picking up he started looking around confused like where's my food? I'm still there waiting and he has , what I'm assuming to be, his daughter following him around the restaurant as he's working. Finally I get my food, WHERE ARE MY CHIPS? I also asked for extra salsa and he said he would charge me for it. Okay never mind, no extra salsa for me. What a disappointing visit.
(2)
Diana E.
The food here is not great, it doesn't even have flavor. Not the best Mexican restaurant.
(1)
Mercedes C.
Located in the heart of mountain view. Prime location. In my opinion it's not very authentic mexican food. Chips and salsa is okay...... Enchiladas are mediocre and the cocktail de Camerone is okay. Canned beans, runny sauce but one upside is that there are live mariachis at 7. If your looking for some excellent mexican tapas and margaritas go over down the street to vive sol.
(3)
Alex W.
lots of space but a regular burrito is about $8.50-9 and they dont give me chips everytime. rather go to una mas around the corner, free buffet of salsa to pick with the chips they give you
(2)
Klarissa L.
Has always been one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. They're chips are freshly made and delicious. When you sit down you get chips and two different types of salsa. I LOVE their salsa! If you like really spicy salsa, you can also ask for that - they keep it in the back! I no longer live in Mountain View, but growing up I came here all the time and would get the Wet Super Burrito with Chicken or Pork - HUGE portion that can easily feed two! My brother always loved the quesadilla with Chicken or Pork. Their salad bowls are phenomenal. Now that I live in New York and it's hard to get good authentic Mexican food AND my visits home are always so short - I always come here first thing in the morning to ensure I don't run out of time to get my fix - I always get the Shrimp Breakfast Burrito! My current favorite! Love this place!
(4)
Mr. B.
Ordered the "Arroz con Pollo," which is normally my favorite item at Mexican restaurants (if they have it). Los Charros' recipe isn't good at all. It's normally a rice/chicken mix, covered in melted cheese. At Los Charros, it was rice and chicken swimming in tomato sauce. I'm honestly not sure if there was cheese, or if it was also drowned out in the tomato sauce pool The Mariachi band is ridiculously loud, but kids love their rendition of "La Bamba." The Mariachi's are only there on the weekends. Finally, the parking lot wasn't big enough. Had to park on the street.
(3)
J O.
Amazing! Got chicken burrito, delicious. The best Mexican food I've had so far. Very courteous staff as well.
(5)
Simone R.
I can't speak for the service because I had this to go, but the food is absolute crap. I ordered chicken fajitas. Seriously, how do you mess that up? There was barely any chicken, not even enough for one fajita. And what was there was dry and uninspiring. It was lost in a pile of greasy vegetables, served with chewy tortillas. I can't believe I'm saying this...but I should have gone to Chevy's.
(1)
Nor-Cal A.
Its OK. Food is eh. Drinks are meh. Service is bland. This place is just mediocre. Not even a mariachi band could liven up this place. You are better off buying a six pack, getting takeout from a taqueria and going home to watch netflix
(3)
Jes B.
I didn't want to give so little stars and it really should be only one star. But our server was really nice. Their customer service was great and I thought that food arrived very timely. I tipped as if it was a great meal, Because the server was a great server, he deserves to be tipped. I was beyond disappointed in their food. The rice was the best part of the meal and I should've just gotten a plate of rice. I very rarely complain about the quality of food at a restaurant. But this was awful. I ordered chile relleno and the batter was cooked at such a strange temperature that it was different consistency throughout the piece of food and edges toward the tip of the pepper reminded me of rusted steel wool, from that color and texture. I had to cut off so much of the better parts and put it aside just to eat parts that resembled what I had ordered.. Again I really hate bagging on someone's food and I understand that sometimes others' tastes are different from mine, but I just didn't enjoy my meal. Again don't get me wrong, The service was excellent. I could see going there for drinks, but I don't know if I would order a meal there again.
(2)
Tina S.
Large bar and dining area imply this is popular, but the food is fairly average and the service slow and uninspiring. They have a limited beer menu. The place seems a bit tired and the general attitude of the staff seems to suggest that they don't really have their heart in it.
(3)
Cat H.
As a last minute idea we decided to go out to dinner with a few friends. There were six of us and we were quickly seated. At 5pm on a Saturday the place was about half full. The place is very festive looking and the carved, painted wooden chairs are awesome. We ordered a pitcher of strawberry margaritas and I was nicely surprised when we could taste the alcohol but not be either over or under whelmed by it. Nice smooth drinks. We each ordered different items and everyone was very happy with their food. The service was very good as well. We'll be going back again when we are in town.
(5)
Jared F.
Excellent burritos--best I've had. They use fresh ingredients to forge delicious combinations. You can always have your food made to order if you prefer and the turn around time is quick. They have a full bar and intoxicating peach margaritas and mango margaritas, made with fresh squeezed mangos. 5 stars for Los Charros
(5)
Scott F.
I tried 3 tacos: yelp.com/biz_photos/los-… 4/5: carnitas. Nice crunchy outer surface 3/5: al pastor. 2/5: chili Colorado: not quite as thick and complex as I like it.
(3)
Fi K.
This is my fourth and last time coming here. Last time I was here they poured a nasty grainy black shit looking sauce on the burrito. Their chicken tasted like fish. This time their sloppy burrito was too wet with gross bean juice. Their salsas sucked. Their beans were gritty.
(2)
Mamma B.
Inconsistent for sure! You close at 11pm n it's not the customers fault that your kitchen crew already started cleaning the kitchen at 945pm!!! So guess what? The food was burnt and we were starving. I know we are going to pay for it later. I am including a picture of the refried beans just to show you how blatant it was!!! It is sad because they have good service, good prices, n they are open late. If they had better cooks or ones that cared they could be a great eatery in Mt. View! Ahhhhhh I woke up puking n I'm so sickkkkkk! N I have to be at work. Not fun being sick at work. Not cool Los Charros! I should have just walked away when I saw the beans!!!
(2)
Kamille R.
Awesome posole and breakfast here! Must try the chilaquiles!! Service is great here too !
(5)
Santiago P.
I went for dinner with my sons and I will never come back to this place the food was terrible and the service the same !!!!!!!sucks
(1)
Shrina S.
I love Mexican food, and I judge a Mexican restaurant by their enchiladas. I ordered the cheese and onion enchilada dinner, which came with enchiladas, rice, beans, salad, sour cream, cheese, and guac. Lots of food! The meal was pretty good! I like this place because it's group-friendly, and they don't get annoyed if you're sitting there for a while with a group. Would I come back? It's been a while, but yes, I need to go back!
(4)
Kelly A.
The sangria was less then average. The staff was super nice and attentive. I found one vegetarian item on the menu...ordered the veg burrito wet green sauce. The sauce tasted like it was out of a can. Could of had some vegetables in the burrito.
(3)
Preety K.
Ordered a super carnitas burrito based off of the national rating putting this burrito on the top 20 list in America. Was pretty disappointed. The pork wasn't flavorful, and there was little to no sour scream or guacamole in the burrito, and way too many beans. Restaurant also is a little dirty.
(2)
Mr L.
Got here at 2:30 today for lunch. The place is huge, much bigger than I expected from the outside. No one was here so I got seated right away. They have wireless internet here so I'm getting some work done. There are only a few lunch specials, so if you expect to get a cheaper price for lunch than the dinner price you are out of luck. I paid $11.80 for an enchilada plate. Too pricey for lunch for me. It came with 3 enchiladas, guac, sour cream, salad, rice and beans. I asked for no salad and substitute more rice. I got no salad but no extra rice unfortunately. For the price, I'd rather eat elsewhere. The enchilada was a 2.5-3.0 star, but for the price it should be better.
(2)
Gregg S.
Had a last minute order for an office get together and needed lunch for 15-20 people. Los Charros got everything together and delivered a perfect meal. Everybody loved the food and we had a great event. I'd recommend Los Charros for take-out, catering, or dine-in.
(5)
Gary S.
Great local Mexican food. Fun bar - terrific staff - food is genuine - great portions
(4)
Antoinette G.
We were seated right away. The kitchen is open its pretty noisy back there. The Menudo was on target. Small bowl was filled to the rim. It was served with small dish of cilantro, oregano,onion, dried chile, lime, and a few slices of avocado. We also ordered Rajas a la Mexicana. Should have passed. They were pretty bland and only had a few raja slices. No one ever filled my water glass. The menu read that menudo was $7 but we were charged $8. But really the menudo was so good. We told the guy at the register and he took it right off the bill. Great. !
(3)
eduardo l.
What a disappointment! There were four of us. We had to wave down our waiter afyer 10 minutes of waiting to order drinks. Two of us got our drink in 10 minutes and the other two got them in 30 minutes with our food. By the way we ordered water, a coke, a michalada, and a draft beer. Our food came and the battered shrimp for one of the orders came burnt and the waiter tried to convince us that they weren't burnt and then huff ed and puffed when we asked for something different. Ruined the night. Didn't even get refills on our drinks after 1 hour of being there. Please beware!
(1)
Roger T.
Friendly service and good Mexican food. I had the Steak Enchaladas and Chile Reano, Beams Rice and Salad. It was after 10:00p and they still served up some better than average food. Not the very best... But it was above average.
(4)
Nadia S.
Great local Mexican grab and go kinda place! This is a great casual quick eats type of place! I echo what everyone else says about the amazing burritos and would highly recommend the carnitas or any of the burritos if you're unsure of what to order or my fav the enchiladas plate! Everyone who complains about the service is unaware of the fact that you order when you walk in and they bring you your order..they're not exactly serving you as servers do in sit down restaurants! As I said before it's very casual..enjoy!!
(5)
Suzette S.
Have eaten here many times and came in for dinner. Ordered the Enchiladas dinner plate. Enchiladas were delicious and moist. Beans and rice sides were good. Also ordered a guacamole appetizer. Guacamole was lumpy and bland. Did not seem to be made fresh from real avocados. Could not even eat. Was disappointed that they did not prepare fresh.
(3)
Rockey L.
Food was okay, had better authentic Mexican food. But one thing that stood out is the service sucked. Waited 5min for refills, waited another 5 for spoon and napkins. It was terrible. The service don't know how to wait or serve the customers. And when we were telling the cashier about the service he doesn't even care and walked away in the middle of us telling him.
(2)
Jeff J.
- Ambiance (3/5) It's what you'd expect out of a typical Mexican joint. Necessarily tacky colors. It didn't strike me as all that clean. - Service (3/5) For a sit down place, we didn't really get all that much service. They did bring out extra chips and s
(3)
Alison L.
I used to frequent the one in downtown MV a few years back, and this was the second time i had been to their "now not so new" location. Went on a Friday night. Ambiance was lively as can be. TVs on, live music (mariachi bands)- there were some birthday requests and other random ones. Food was just as good as I remember. I love their tacos. Lengua and carnitas... great stuff. Tons of chips and salsa... and ordered an Horchata there (I've yet to find a place that makes them in VA). Great food- highly recommend if you're in the area. Service isn't the best, but who goes to a mexican restaurant for service....it's all about the food, drink, and company!
(5)
Salvador A.
This place is not a great place to stop by and get food and drinks. Came here a while back just to check out how the food and drinks were and I was disappointed. I asked for many common strong drinks and the bartender didn't have no clue of what they were. I asked for a AMF which every bartender know how to make and is only 7 dollars, the dumb bartender poors vodka and juice, so nasty. Please don't try this place.
(1)
Anthony N.
I ordered through DoorDash, the food get delivered straight to me so I can only review the food quality. I ordered the Burrito Pipian. According to the description, it includes grilled chicken. What I got was boiled chicken. The chicken meat seems to be over boiled because it was tasteless and devoid of nutrient. This is the worst burrito I ever had. Even Chipotle is better than this.
(1)
Ivette A.
Horrible service. Went here with my in laws (party of 9) and right off the bat we were treated like we didn't matter *10 mins to be greeted and seated ( 5 or 6 tables where occupied out of about 20-25) * 10 mins for a waiter to get our drinks * 5 minutes later, a 2nd waiter can and asked us what types of drinks we ordered * when the drinks came, the "blended margarita. " had large chunks of ice and was not able to be consumed by a straw * the food came at different times. Out of 9 meals,The cheese quesadilla came last *my father in law asked for more tortillas about halfway through his meal. The extra tortillas came when he had finished his meal (20 mins later) The food was ok. Nothing to drool over although the Flan was really good. There was no music, no entertainment and other than another large party in the room there was about 3 other tables occupied. We will not be returning. $200 spent and we were treated like a chore? I don't think so. We are 4 separate families and all of us agree that this is not a place we will be giving our business to
(1)
John B.
I like their taqueria better but this place is cool. "Award winning" al pastor as proclaimed by the waiter. Delicioso.
(4)
Michelle M.
Good authentic Mexican food- the only thing that isn't that good is the guacamole, but everything else is good- I love the breaded fish Milanesa, everything is good, and they have fresh delicious homemade Mexican drinks. The staff are very friendly. Btw every Friday from 7-9pm they have an authentic Mexican Marachi band, which is good, and they come to every table and u can request music.
(5)
Sandrakabandra S.
Friday night live music was fantastic! Warm ambience, good food, hospitable service, hand painted tables and chairs- a great place for a celebration!
(4)
Laura I.
Love this place! Been going there since opening on Dana st. When my then boyfriend..now husband and I stumbled upon it during the beer festival. The handlebar mustache owner was awesome. Forget Lulus...Los Charros is it
(4)
Daniel A.
Good cheap food for the area. With fancy food carts everywhere its hard to find a burrito for 6 bucks. I ate in they were ridiculously quick. Ordered a burrito to go for the gf got it within 2 minutes. Free chips and salsa!
(5)
Joe H.
Local spot...plenty of bar traffic and few diners. Employees are not overly friendly. Parking is somewhat limited, but again - Los Charros is not busy most evenings. Maybe the trick is to try more of the Mexican dishes on their menu. Not a huge fan at this point.
(2)
Greg C.
These guys make pretty good food. We don't go there as often as we used to because the chairs are very uncomfortable and the food isn't as good as it used to be and the prices have gone up, but I doubt if there is any better Mexican food in this price range in the Mountain View area. The people are always pleasant and the food has never been bad.
(3)
Oksana A.
Being from TX, I have certain expectations for chips and salsa and Margaritas and this place hasn't come even close to anything satisfactory for these staples (yuck comes to mind). 2 stars are only because bartender had very cute mustache.
(2)
shelly b.
carne asada super burrito = yummers. it was a good size burrito filled with an equal amount of everything, not overly filled with the unimportant stuff. every bite was meat, rice, beans, veggies, etc. between that and the chips and salsa, i was stuffed. i would love to go back and try some other items on the menu, along with a margarita or 2. only downside was our service started off great and then dwindled. it took our server a while to give us our check, even though he knew we were done. then, we waited forever at the register to pay, even after several staff saw us waiting with check in hand. and..on a totally superficial note, the chairs are uncomfortable as all get out. they are painted and carved and really pretty to look at, but they were not the best for sitting.
(4)
Casey R.
Nice folks. Great food. *Very* reasonable prices. We need more restaurants like this in the Bay area!
(5)
george c.
I've been going here for years mostly out of convenience, but I'm slightly disappointed each time. The portions are generous and the prices are fair, but it's just not that good. I normally get the super burrito but honestly I've had so much better elsewhere. The chili relleno is just alright as well. The chips aren't that good and the two salsas, pico and some onion/garlic tasting salsa are pretty bland to be honest. Is the food bad? Absolutely not. But you can do so much better in Mountain View. The service is friendly but not attentive. The dining area is fairly large and the ambience is generic. The bar is nice but I don't think they should be charging $6 for a Modelo on tap. The house margaritas are about $6 as well, which would normally be fine, but they're small. I'll probably go back at some point, but I'm in no rush.
(3)
Artista P.
Happy hour 3 to 7 Monday thru Saturday. 3$ pints!!!! Killer margaritas, tequila and mojitos specials. Excellent food. Pablo the bartender is awesome. Fun place. Best deal i've found in the valley. Live mariachi band on Fridays and Saturdays. (::::
(5)
Jacqueline B.
I didn't like this place. First of all it's filthy (dirty tables & floors). Enchiladas quickly made & tasted horrible. Pico de gallo was old & mushy. However for me the service was nice. The food tasted cheap & not fresh. Yuk!
(2)
Mike N.
Love this place, food is delicious, service is always top notch and price is very fair what more is to be said
(5)
Barbara S.
My husband and I hadn't been as happy with the downtown MV "Taqueria Los Charros" recently, so we decided to try this other branch of (we think) the same "chain." This restaurant is very noisy, and we were seated (although there we lots of other tables farther away available) next to a huge, loud group of people. It took forever for our order to be served, and when it was, both of our dishes were only vaguely lukewarm. It took a long time to flag down our server; he didn't even apologize when we asked for warmer food. When the food came back, mine was hotter, but my husband's fajitas were still only lukewarm. The server never asked if things were better. The food was OK, but this is probably going to be our last time at this establishment.
(2)
Diane W.
After driving past for the longest time, we finally ventured in for a delicious and healthy breakfast. We tried a few items. The linguisa as a side for eggs and wonderful crispy potatoes was scrumptious. The watermelon drink was refreshing and unique. I loved everything here. So many breakfast places in the area and most are very boring and extremely over priced. At Los Charros, you will probably spend under $7.00 a dish. Very fresh and beautifully prepared. Highly recommend.
(5)
Erling A.
Shabby, run down mexican restaurant. Sports tv, mexican food, bright lighting and cheap furniture gives it a cafeteria feeling. The food was good though, and the servers very fast and attentive. Overall an ok place, but not somewhere i would go often.
(3)
J S.
We have been coming here off and on since they opened, but today is the last time we're ever going there. We arrived there for lunch at 12:20p and ordered fajitas (chicken for me, shrimp for my wife). Interesting side note: my wife noticed that they had a two taco combo plate (rice & beans) for $13 and they were selling a la carte tacos for $3 ea. She asked the server if the tacos from the combo plate were the same as the ones they sell a la carte, and he said yes. My wife pointed out the cost difference, and the server said "yeah, that's a bad value, i would just order them a la carte! (!!!)". wow, refreshingly honest, i guess? I also ordered a margarita and told the server I didn't want them to use any sweet-and-sour; I have a sugar sensitivity and need to avoid it in my diet. The server became huffy and went into a long lecture about how they don't make any changes to their margaritas and they only serve them one way. After explaining it was a /medical/ issue, he finally agreed to leave the agave nectar on the side (but he was insistent on adding their sweet-and-sour.. maybe it was pre-mixed and they don't use real limes?). I'm glad he left the agave nectar out because it was still a little on the sweet side for my taste. At 12:45, we wondered where our food was and why it was taking so long. I didn't see our server, so I walked up to the (open) kitchen, and asked the. They said it was being made right now and would be out in "2 or 3 minutes". 5 minutes later (12:50), our server walked by our table and did a double-take when he saw our food wasn't there yet. I watched him walk up to the kitchen and ask them what was taking so long. When he walked by our table 5 minutes later (12:55), I told him if the food didn't come in the next 1-2 minutes we were leaving (we had to get back in time to let the babysitter go). It came out at 1:00, just as I was getting up to give the server money for our drinks and leave. When we looked at our plates, we were disappointed. The refried beans looked like they had come out of a can, the guacamole was a thin line of homogenous green goop that looked like it came out of a bag (and was only reminiscent of avocados), and the chicken fajitas were bland and stringy 'remnants' of thigh meat that tasted like they had been boiled and then pan seared in vegetable oil. DISGUSTING. We sent back both our plates; the server tried to explain that they cooks were rushing because we said we were in a hurry and *that* is why they served us bland, gross food. uh huh, ok. We left hungry, and had to find a take-out place on the way home. lame. We're disappointed that this place has fallen so far from what it used to be. The service was always hit-or-miss here, but the food was what kept us coming back. Now that they are obviously trying to cut costs and substitute in substandard ingredients, I'm guessing they will hit rock bottom and either fix their ways or go out of business.
(1)
Scott H.
Solid Mexican food. I always get the shrimp fajita burrito and I have eaten many of them. I have gotten them for friends and they always get a thumb's up. For some reason I have had better food at the El Camino location than the downtown one.
(4)
Belen P.
This place used to be awesome, but when we went back for a family function, I was really disappointed with everything. My husband and I ordered micheladas, they were disgusting.We didn't come close to finishing them. When dinner came, the food was ok but frankly not worth it. Just making bean tacos at home would have been more satisfying. The place is poorly kept also; we won't be going back.
(1)
Kat B.
As others have said, good happy hour! The bartenders are great and very personable. They get 5 stars, as do their margies. The food is really just "meh" so that's what brings them down in my rating. Not bad - just not particularly flavorful or yummy. Their prices are excellent, especially for Mountain View where Mexican restaurants WAY over charge all the time.
(3)
V. S.
Carnitas quesadilla!! Love to come here when I'm a bit hungover and need a pick me up. The cocktails are amazing. Micheladas and palomas are great. It's hard to find pozole that's as good as my mom's but this one is almost there. Service is best at the bar. You must try the carnitas quesadillas. Amazing!!
(4)
Naresh R.
The place was just subpar. The music was extremely loud. I think the food was just okay, the enchilada sauce is sweet and the chips tasted like they were from a bag.
(2)
Maryann P.
Always get treated great whenever we come here. Al pastor tacos are delicious, as is the el fuerte margarita. House margarita is also good and can't beat the price during happy hour. Service is so fast and friendly!
(5)
Hang T.
Went here for an end of the year work gathering. I would say the service is great. They were very attentive, helpful, and patient for a group of 15. They were very quick with the refills. The food was average to me. Nothing spectacular, but it will satisfy your tummy. I really liked the salsa. I ordered a burrito and completely covered in in the stuff. There were more beans than I would have liked so next time I'll order it without.
(3)
Anthony N.
3 hungry people walked into "Los Charros Restaurant", and left with not only extremely disappointing tastes in their mouths and minds, but not much later, with stomach aches that would result in all night suffering. I won't go into detail about the unfortunate service, dirty looks (that I STILL cannot come to understand the reasoning for... is race really still an issue these days? In Mountain View? Cmon.) but know that if you come to "Los Charros" you may experience not only discriminating employees, but also, slow service, and less than appealing food (3 DIFFERENT menu items were ordered and consumed), and possible food poisoning.) The latter, of which is very unfortunate to even mention when it comes to reviewing a restaurant, but my party's experience with "Los Charros" does not even warrant a call to management to request free food... Three hungry people left "Los Charros" still hungry.... Hungry for better service, better food; A better restaurant. Look elsewhere for your Mexican cravings.
(1)
Julie W.
I've never been to a Mexican restaurant that ran out of guacamole...until tonight....Food was okay - nothing special. Was in Sunnyvale with a friend and were craving Mexican food, but Casa Lupe is closed on Sunday, so settled for this place. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here....
(2)
Chanel E.
AWFUL OVERALL!!! Food was not fresh at all, taste like frozen cafeteria food. The chips and guacamole was absolutely disgusting. The presentation was horrible the guacamole was watery and gooey. It taste synthetically made, it definitely wasn't real avocados. Every thing taste 3 days old and microwaved and or thawed from frozen. The rice was for certain a microwaved steamable type and the refried beans were for sure Roserita canned beans, which I think tasted and smells like dog food. The carnitas were cooked to crisp beyond the texture of meat. Food was brought out in stages and the kids food was served last and got their order wrong. Definitely not a place to get authentic Mexican food! Not even worth one star!! I want my money back and my star! Oh yeah did I mention I found this place based on its high ranking on the list for THE TOP 20 BEST BURRITOS IN AMERICA OF 2013?!! Pfffff.........
(1)
Muriel S.
I've reviewed this restaurant before but wanted to add about the dinner parties that I've had them cook for. Tons of food and my guests have never been disappointed! Chicken enchiladas, shredded pork carnitas, chili rellenos and their taquitos! Very reasonable for the amount of food for twenty people! Food has already been ready when they said it would be and it's tough driving home with the smell of mexican food wafting through the car!
(5)
Claudia F.
Love the high end Mexican decor and the fresh chips but that is about all. There is a cantina, looks good selection but closed at this time. Had ceviche tostada tasted like fish in water, taco de buche no taste but the salsa.
(1)
John P.
This is the second bigger restaurant to the original Los Charros on castro street, mtn view. Not as good, probably due to the larger venue. Food doesn't seem as carefully and passionately prepared as the one near Castro. Its family run and I've seen some of the staff who worked at the original work here. I prefer going to the one on Castro, its only a few minutes away by car if you're heading south. We ordered carnitas (deep fried pork) tacos. Service is good.
(2)
Veronica A.
Carnita super burrito is bomb! House margarita was nice and strong. Their rice is good, but I didn't care for their beans. Service could def use improvement. We had to hound them for silverware, drinks, to-go boxes and the tab. I'd stop by if I was in the area but wouldn't go out of my way to come back.
(3)
Coco F.
Almost as good as my Mama's cooking. This place is awesome. Best carnitas in town and their salsa, rocks! Service is fantastic, beers are ice cold. Go there, prepared to nap afterwards.
(5)
Khuyen H.
I've eaten here often enough, This place is even good enough that I have even held office lunches here when I used to work downtown. The restaurant is a few blocks down from Castro's downtown drag (not be confused with the taqueria of the same name on Dana). It's spacious and has a separate bar area with a huge flat screen and plenty of seating and a large main dining area. The open kitchen is viewable from just about any table. There's parking aplenty behind the building and though the restaurant is busy, it's never packed. The food is solid Mexican, authentic and priced fairly. The service is great, accommodating, friendly and honest. I was here two nights ago with five other friends and we had happy hour (4:00 to 7:00pm) in the bar while we waited for the rest of the party to arrive. I got there a few minutes after 7:00pm but the bartender was nice enough to give me the happy hour price. Another friend came 20 minutes past and he still gave her the happy hour price. How is that a bad thing??? BTW - the chips and salsa flow freely here in the bar area too. We then decided to grab a seat in the dining room where the guys quickly put a few tables together for us. Ordering was easy and the food showed up in a reasonable amount of time. We were never rushed as we had a leisurely dinner and even had to ask for the check. Again, the food is solid for the genre, so why not better than 3 stars? Well, because there's nothing that really differentiates this Mexican restaurant from a plethora of others like it in the area.
(3)
missy f.
The Pozole here is amazing! Never have a negative thing to say about the food. Chips and salsa are fantastic. Love the taqueria feel but a little more cozy. Never rushed and always leave happy!!!
(5)
Emily L.
Sat for an hour waiting for our food. No explanation was given and when we asked the waiter was not apologetic at all. Very disappointing service. At the very least extra chips or guacamole should have been offered. I can't believe how terrible the service was here. Will NOT be back. And I'm a local, I could be here all the time. Serious screw up on managements part.
(1)
Andrew G.
So far the only thing I really like at this restaurant is the Torta (carne asada). Don't get it with chicken. I love burritos, but just not here. The flavor just doesn't seem to sit right with me, and I really don't like how they fill their burritos with shredded cheese that isn't even melted. I like melted cheese in my burritos. But, I like the torta... in fact... I love their torta. so I will keep coming back haha. The service isn't great. They take awhile to take your order, take awhile to bring water. Maybe they are too busy? Who knows. Okay, so 2 stars. Because I like the torta. :)
(2)
Rica S.
Such a shame this place doesn't have a different name. It should not be associated with the awesomeness of the downtown taqueria (which rocks!)... Horrible service. They only had about 1/3 of their tables full and our party of 5 stood at the front desk for 15 min without even being greeted or asked to wait. There wasn't anyone who ever came by or anything! Totally weird service, if you can call it that. The food was ok. Took advantage of some of the dishes you can't get at the taqueria. I'll choose the taqueria any day over this place though. Not worth the wait. Oh, if you do want to wait, don't forget a jacket, its FREEZING in the building.
(2)
Maggie F.
The guys here are great! Food is pretty good, enough to get me out of Santa Cruz!
(4)
Sushi S.
Only uniqueness lacking from solid Amexican experience.
(4)
Danielle C.
So the food isn't exceptional, but it's not too shabby either. I'm a big fan of the super nachos and chicken salad when I'm being good. The boy's fav is the burrito pipian and the ceviche. The drinks though are what get us out there almost every week! Try the Boss or the Cadillac- not your watered down, sugar drinks you find at other Mexican restaurants!
(4)
Erica J.
Love this place! They have a great variety of Mexican Food. My kids are typically very picky about their food, but they will eat anything on this menu. Their seating area is pretty large, so it is rare that I have to wait long to be seated. The staff that I have come across have all been extremely welcoming and helpful. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(5)
Brent A.
The food here is alright, but certainly nothing special. I had better Mexican over at Los Charros right off Castro. It's also a little more expensive here, but nothing terrible. The margaritas are delectable, but they have nothing on the mango "smoothi-esque" margarita at Celia's. This place is open late, which is always a plus in the Bay. The portions are big, and the appetizers are okay. I think the best thing I had was the chile relleno, actually it was spot on, but the rest of my dinner was mediocre. The service wasn't too great, but they were closing, yet that is not a reason for sloppy service. I think maybe this place is better during dinner hours instead of late night.
(3)
Johnny A.
I go here on the way to work. in the AM. Open early and their ham breakfast burritos are awesome. In the evening the Carne Asada super burrito is off the hook. Their salsas are not all that spicy but they are super tasty. THe lengua and their shrimp are good too.
(5)
Suzzana F.
Just found out that Los Charros Restaurant on El Camino Real has happy hour (3-7pm) and will have mariachis at 5pm this Thursday for "Cinco de Mayo". I called and the manager said, "the margaritas are cheap and there's chips and salsa in the cantina area for everyone."
(4)
Joe R.
Have been here twice now. First time had the Camarones Empanizados Special. The plate came with about 8 large shrimp, which were butterflied to perfection so that they're thin and flat, with a light breading. Rice was average; refried beans had the perfect amount of cheese on them, so not too much. This plate was almost as good as the Camarones Empanizados from my favorite seafood restaurant in Mexico - Mariscos Playa Azul in Ensenada. Second time I ordered the Ceviche from the appetizer menu and got a Fish Taco to round out the meal. The portion of Ceviche was larger than expected for the price, and not so drenched in lemon juice that you couldn't taste the fish. Taste was above average, though not as great as my favorite ceviche from that Peruvian restuarant in Downey, which I can't remember the name of. The Fish Taco was delicious with everything done right. The fish was grilled and seasoned to perfection; large amount of lettuce, salsa verde and onions; and of course it came wrapped in two tortillas de maize because it would have exploded through a single layer.
(4)
Katharine A.
I came here for lunch with my friend and although the company was delightful, the food was less so. He tried a weird "wet" chicken burrito with a pumpkin seed sauce and I had a super carne asada burrito. Mine was the better pick and we ended up splitting the two burritos in half and sharing. The sauce on the wet burrito was also oddly added to the inside of the burrito and it added a really strange texture to the whole thing. I wouldn't order his burrito again, but mine was certainly OK but not great.
(2)
Rishi A.
Solid veggie burrito.
(4)
Archie R.
How's this for strategy? My travel schedule is getting crazy again. Whenever I travel, I CRAVE Mexican food but can never find anything decent. So...my plan is to eat Mexican food three times a day for the next week to put on a "Mexican food fat layer." Then, when I am on the road, I am hoping that when that fat layer is consumed by my body, there will be "Mexican essence" in it that will curb my cravings. I totally think it'll work. Glycerol.
(4)
Eme L.
Service is friendly and fast service, but the food just isn't as good as at their taqueria in downtown MV. That place is always packed and I've never had complaints about the food. In fact, we usually get take-out there a few times a month. Husband got the veggie burrito - nothing special. I had the carnitas plate (comes with beans, rice, salad). My plate had too many pieces of burnt meat. The edible pieces were way too salty. We'll stick with the taqueria. This place isn't worth the extra money.
(2)
Melody A.
One of my favorite Mexican food places! I have never had a bad service or food experience here. My favorites are the massive burritos (seriously, enough for two meals), and tacos. Their meat always tastes fresh and their salsas are awesome. They're also VERY reasonably priced.
(5)
Mam M.
If you are in search of a "real" Mexican restaurant, please don't go to Los Charros. Don't get me wrong, it's quite a nice restaurant, in fact, the best one in the Sunnyvale-Mountain View neighborhood in terms of ambiance BUT food? Nope, food is not their forte'. My husband and I walked in there in search of a warm, appealing breakfast. We weren't expecting the greatest, but when we walked in...oh, boy, were we impressed or what? It's a very, I mean, very nice Mexican restaurant compared to most in the area; definitely not a Cheesecake Factory, but for sure not your typical taqueria. Open kitchen, flow, lighting, decoration, furniture, even the first person who greeted us was very "authentically" Mexican. We loved it right away. But, oh, no, our disappointment came once we tried our food. The breakfast menu is pretty impressive; I ordered chilaquiles rojos as recommended by the owner. My hubby, buttermilk pancakes. Everything was decently edible, but authentically Mexican, not a bit! I think Taco Bell could come up with a better version of chilaquiles. What I got were simply tortilla chips dipped in some red flavorless salsa. The pancakes? OK but waaaaaay too big. They could easily serve only two of the same size and reduce the price. But instead, they serve 3, the size of a entree' plate! If you don't get constipated after finishing them, you are lucky! In general, service was friendly, cordial and attentive. But the food needs to improve a whole lot. If they're calling it "authentic"...Los Charros is definitely NOT!
(1)
Dan V.
I went to Los Charros with a group of 10. This is a place where you will eat, drink margaritas, talk loud, and sing with the mariachis! It's a blast if you like Mariachi music. There was a mariachi group of at least ten! It was great, 2 trumpets, like 5 violins, etc. They serenaded and played slow, fast, you name it. The food was very tasty. We all had various mexican dishes and everyone was happy. The young ladies promoting top shelf tequila added to the atmosphere? I got a free T-shirt! I'll be back!
(4)
Eating And Living Well U.
YUCK! I give it one star because of the free music and singing that was provided on this Friday evening I went. I ordered the house special since it's suppose to be their best dish because why else was it a special? And honestly it is WORSE than microwavable food. I ordered the cream of chicken and mushroom dish and it looked literally like throw up with cream sauce. It was tasteless and tasted like mush with flour tortillas. I tried putting the junk in the tortillas and it leaked all over my hands. So I had to spoon the thing and then eat my flour tortilla with my other hand. My friend got the flautas and it came with rice, beans and guacamole. He literally said the guacamole was not fresh and the rice tastes stale. This is literally ONE OF THE WORSE MEXICAN place I've ever been to. I was unable to finish my food and had to FORCE IT DOWN! I am not a happy customer and will never return.
(1)
Alban N.
Service is a bit slow, yes. Food is delicious. In my opinion, this is the best mexican food you can find in the Bay Area. I go here when I crave mexican (i live in San Diego most of the year). 4 for service 5 for food 4 for price 4 overall
(4)
Patricia V.
I go to Los Charros when I want to get a bowl of menudo and I don't want to drive to Redwood City to my favorite place for menudo. Menudo here is pretty good, not great but pretty good. Comes with the necessary condiments: onion, lemon, oregano & corn tortilla. No "pata" for me, thank you very much. (Pata: is a pig foot) If you want hominy in your menudo you will need to let them know that you want some hominy in your menudo. Every time I get menudo here it is never really hot. I prefer for my hot food to be hot and my cold food to be cold. Restaurant is big open and echoee when its not packed. Take a jacket cuz the restaurant has been very cold inside every time I've been there.
(3)
Chanel W.
I've been here a few times and I've never been disappointed. There happy hour is a pretty good bargain. The mojitos are a bit too syrupy for my taste, but I would definitely recommend the top shelf margarita. Blended. The carne asada is the best thing I've had here, followed by the shrimp ceviche. Chips and salsa are not too bad either. The service is always excellent. Worth a try if you like good Mexican food for good prices.
(4)
Nicole U.
Best carnitas burritos around!!! This is our go to Mexican restaurant in Mountain View and they have never failed us on the carnitas burrito! We really haven't tried other items on the menu except the chicken tortilla soup which we won't order again. The service is always friendly and attentive.
(5)
Katherine B.
This place is great! I'm giving it 5 starts, and I don't know why any reviewers would give it less than 4 stars. I've been a fan of the original Taqueria Los Charros, in downtown Mountain View, for many years, which is how I came to know about the full service restaurant, on El Camino near Grant. Keep in mind what kind of restaurant it is and what it is not and that may help you better appreciate Los Charros. First, Los Charros is not trying to be some kind of fancy-smancy gourmet Cal-Mex-Fusion restaurant. Go somewhere else if that is what you want. Also, this is not a greasy-spoon taqueria. I would describe the food at Restaurant Los Charros as basic and simple, yet tasty and authentically-inspired, Mexican food. The quality is good and consistent We eat here frequently, about 3-4 times a month. I usually get the salad, but with shredded chicken instead of grilled. They use good quality greens like romaine and the cilantro dressing is out of this world! I also like the fish tacos, but ask for the marinated fish in your tacos instead. Amazing! Not sure why they don't put that on the menu that way. It's true the burritos are basic, but since I'm not a big burrito person anyway, that's fine with me. My boyfriend usually gets ceviche, both fish and shrimp. And let me tell you, if you like ceviche, this is as good as it gets. Unlike most places, Los Charros chops up their fish and shrimp into fine pieces. It seems to marinate better this way and it produces a better texture and taste. We've had the ceviche many, many times, and it is always super fresh and consistently great! I had it on top of a salad recently and it was fantastic that way. The staff is always friendly and attentive. Last, but not least, Los Charros stocks many different kinds of Tequila and makes really good margaritas.
(5)
Charlie H.
Let me say the food is 5 star but the reason why I am giving 2 stars is because I have ordered food to be picked up multiple times and they ALWAYS get the order wrong. I have eaten her for a long time and it is very annoying when you have to open up every item to double check. Just listen and write it down correctly!
(2)
Hen A.
quick sunday lunch...downtown mountain view...parking mildly difficult...al pastor breakfast burrito....served all day....no beans por favor...chips and dos salsas...blended and fresh chunky...dip, scoop and crunch....menu and waitress service...awaiting foiled wrapped hunk....tasty combination of rice and seasoned pork...pork plenty and burrito fat...grilled tortilla!...not steamed...grilled!...rare find in northern california....spoon of salsa and splash of tapatio making better....decent breakfast burrito creation...
(4)
Game L.
Beer, Sangrias, nachos, Taquitos, Quesadilla and dont forget to taste the 'habanero' sauce (served upon request).... All the staff have a very good attitude... what can I say... it's great....
(4)
Melinda K.
We came here for Breakfast. Loved it. For $20 (total, 2 people) we had a huge breakfast of eggs and chorizo. The hash browns are fabulous. I had just come from a blood test at the local medical center (not a good idea on an empty stomach). Suffice to say the prompt service was exactly what my blood pressure needed! Can't wait to come here for dinner one day soon!
(4)
Tim L.
Salsa - Excellent 80% of the time, pretty good one time. Shrimp fajita burrito - I love their Shrimp fajita burrito. I don't deviate and get this every time. Spinach tortilla, rice and beans on the side so it stays like a fajita inside the burrito. Every bite in the burrito you get a juicy succulent piece of shrimp. Great!. i suggest coming here on friday nights when the mariachi band plays. They are really good and you will have a fantastic experience. Just get the shrimp fajita burrito and you will leave a happy camper.
(4)
Tracy G.
Mariachis? $20.oo pitchers of Margaritas? Count me in. The wait staff is always really nice and even when I screw up the order they will make it right gratis!! Its Mexican food...simple mexican food...but did I tell you they have Mariachis on Friday night?
(4)
Tina A.
OK Mexican food if you have a craving and are too lazy to go anywhere else in the area. My friend and I tried their chicken enchiladas, which were so-so. Almost tasted like something I'd make at home, not authentic in the slightest. The ambiance was unusual - large, quiet, and with bright lights.
(3)
Sarah Y.
Wish I had the same experience as other reviewers - I ordered cheese enchiladas and, while they were good, didn't live up to the great reviews. Would try the food here again to see if it's better, but I plan to do take out next time because there was a rather loud mariachi band playing right next to our heads throughout the entire meal.
(2)
Brian K.
This place rules... great service and food is fantastic.. my wife and i went there tonight.. she had the grilled fish and i had the chicken enchiladas.. both were fantastic.. we'll be back for sure..
(4)
Steve T.
Honestly, you should skip Los Charros Restaurant and just head to the taqueria. I ordered a super burrito at Los Charros Restaurant last night and was sorely disappointed. It was more expensive, smaller, and less tasty than the Taqueria Los Charros burrito. Sure, the Restaurant's decor is nicer and much more spacious than Taqueria, but if the food isn't up to snuff why pay more for what you can get for cheaper and better at the taqueria? Perhaps the food at the Restaurant was a fluke last night, but it's unfortunate that it happened on my first trip there. Perhaps I'll try it again on a later date, but for now... I'd avoid the place and drive over to the Taqueria.
(2)
A J.
Pretty good but the rice is not vegetarian which was a major let down. We ordered the cheese enchiladas and the chiles rellenos. Both were great. The service was excellent. They sat us quickly and also allowed us to move when we asked for a seat in a different location. The live Mariachi was awesome!! Too bad about the rice. The refried beans were also lardy which is the usual case. Margarita was very strong but excellent also!!!
(4)
Bill M.
My sons basketball team likes to meet here for weekend breakfast. The services is very friendly. They are able to accommodate the group of 20+ every time. The service keeps the group coming back. The food is good too. I'm sure we will be coming back.
(3)
Sean S.
Our local hangout. Ceviche is great. Pulled pork is great too as well as their marinated fish tacos (Special, not on the menu). Been going to this and the downtown location for years. good food, great service and good drinks and extremely consistent. Javier always takes great care of us.
(4)
J H.
Large, clean, colorful, well lit restaurant with very good Mexican food. Service is also great with the coffee guy coming by to fill my cup constantly. Love their enchiladas and wet burritos. Chips are great too. Just be careful because the portions are large. One funny quirk is that the two times I've been there so far, I've had to go up to the register to pay.
(4)
Angus M.
Excellent. They are not on the menu, but ask for the carne asada tacos. Very authentic and tasty. The EnchiladasMole Poblano is also very good with homemaede Mole sauce. Prices are reasonable, service is prompt and they serve Dos Equis Amber on tap in very cold glasses.
(4)
Anna H.
free chips and 2 kinds of salsa. The burittos are HUGE! Best carnitas in the world! Really good customer service.
(5)
Danvin R.
The cleaner brother of the taqueria down the street. Sure its cleaner, brighter and happier. But man, its true that 'hole in the walls' just tastes better. I don't recommend sacrificing cleanliness for more expensive and less tasty food. Thats right... everything here is atleast a dollar more than the taqueria down the street. However I must admit, the service is really good here. And man, its clean compared to the taqueria... no.. will not... give... in...
(3)
Dave B.
Breakfast Burritos are Great!!!! Lunch Burritos too. No sloppy, messy, gushy stuff. And the roasted salsa is fresh and awesome too
(5)
Ray H.
Ordered: $12 - Combination Plate: Flautas & Enchaladas both beef $8 - Margarita Review: Service was great! Definitely more than enough food for one person. Perfect for 2 people to feel satisfied and slightly on the full side. Everything but the beef tasted good! Booo! They over cooked the beef. :-( I like the thick chips as you are waiting for your food. All the ingredients tasted fresh and the salad was a nice touch. The margarita was really good. A little on the strong side which was great for me! My gf even liked it and she's not much of a drinker... yet.. muuhahaha.. ;-) j/k!! Just wished they gave a glass full instead of a wine glass full. This place is "a little better than good" for a mexican taqueria in the Bay Area.. but since I had the privilege to have mexican food in L.A. area in SoCal, I have yet to find a comparison up here. Come on NorCal where you at! If I wasn't comparing this place to mexican taquerias in L.A. and if the meat wasn't burnt, it would have gotten 3.5 to 4 stars.
(2)
Meredith S.
It's alright... I will always choose the taqueria over the restaurant... my reasons? Their sauces come from a can I can buy at the store The prices are much higher for a lesser quality of food Service isn't so great really the only thing good about the place is it's size and cleanliness. I will return occasionally, but only if taqueria is extremely crowded!
(2)
Tiang K.
If you like your space, this is a good place for you. There's plenty of room between tables and the place is bright (at least during the day). The starter chips and salsa were good. So was the chili verde; the pork was tender and the sauce had the right mixture of heat and tartness for me. The rice that came with the dish was soft and "fluffy" and went well with the creamy guacamole. I skipped the beans and tortilla so can't comment on those. The side salad came with an interesting dressing made with lime and cilantro.
(4)
l. a.
This is one of our local favorites. The quality of the food is consistently good. The portions are good sizes and the place is never crowded. Great place for good, affordable Mexican. Recommended.
(4)
Nancy N.
We've been here 3-4 times before. Liked the full bar; almost too many choices of tequila. Had family dinner last night here. The wait staff tries really hard. Pico de Gallo is good; but it takes a while to get a refill on the chips and salsa. The dinner portions are generous. My husband's carnitas place was good; my two shrimp taco plate was really good, except too salty for me. Our son has chicken enchiladas with red sauce; he cleaned the plate, so must have been ok. They have live music Sunday nights from 6-8pm right now. Would go back; probably for happy hour and some snacks.
(3)
Richy R.
I went here with my friend and I was surprised to such a large open restaurant in the bay area. It was really bright inside and for me it seems really welcoming. Just from the first few minutes I had high hopes for this place. Opening the menu I was a bit disappointed in the prices. What did it was that I enchilada combo plate was around $9 and the chile relleno combo plate was around $10. I wanted both an enchilada an a chile relleno and the "pick any 2 items" combo was $13! I just that it was a huge difference in prices just for two items. I worked it out by ordering he chile relleno and my friend ordered the enchilada and we switched. (also the enchilada combo plate comes with 3 enchiladas). The food was only alright. My chile relleno was not cooked all the way. The pepper was still hard and since it wasnt cooked all the way it was kinda spicy. I dont know what type of steroids their putting in peppers now but those chile rellenos were HUGE! The enchiladas also were alright...nothing special. Also the cokes that I order were a bit watered down. The beans were good but the rice and salsa were meh. I have to give it to the service though. They were on it. They came back throughout our meal to make sure everything was good and to check if we needed anything. It was not to the point where it was intrusive. When I imagine service, this is what I picture. As we were leaving, all the wait staff and the hostess said bye to us. It seemed genuine too. I would try this place again. My only real disappointment was that the chile relleno was not cooked all the way thru.
(3)
Daniel G.
I'll make it short and sweet. Great food, great service, and prices are reasonable. We stop by everytime we head to the bay area.
(5)
Carlos S.
One of the best Mexican food restaurants out there, been going to this place when it started out as a small hole in the wall off Dana in downtown Mt. View. Good customer service every time I go in and great food. Menu is fairly cheap but not on taste, what more could you ask for.
(5)
Dana D.
One of the absolute worst burritos I've ever had. Really should have just returned it. Also, considering this is a sit-down restaurant, I was expecting a little more than a tin foil wrapped burrito on an empty plate. The chips and salsa were also very weak. The service was quick and friendly, the food was just no good.
(1)
Niki S.
Good food. I enjoyed the taquitos and enchiladas. Mojitos at happy hour are good too. The happy hour menu has food and drink specials. But some of the prices for happy hour food is the same as the regular menu while some are cheaper on the happy hour menu.
(3)
Kim N.
Congratulations to the crew of Los Charros on their grand opening of their new restaurant. I drive by this every day on the way to work and today they finally opened for business. I remember this old building as the Ken's Diner way back when, providing breakfast any time you wanted. Sadly they closed all of their venues and this one in particular has been idle for many years. I also remember when Los Charros first took over the little diner on Dana St downtown and have been immensely popular since the beginning. Now they've graduated to the big time, moving out of the "Taqueria" only phase with a sit down establishment. When you walk in you realize how spacious it is, especially compared to the downtown location. It's easily 4X the size with the bar area to the left almost as large as the original location. A large dining area is adjacent to the bar and another sits straight ahead of the doorway. Currently the entry area has a small nook where they're selling Mexican art from paintings to postcards. As you walk to the back there's also a smaller kitchen bar which I decided to sit out so I could see all the cooking action. The paint, furniture, and everything is brand spanking new with the requisite Latin touches in design. As I sat down at the bar one of the owners who I hadn't seen in a year or so recognized me and gave me a hearty greeting. Slowly family after family and other patrons started filing in. As I looked at the menu I noticed that it's been quite expanded from the other locations with less focus on the taqueria items and more on entrees, especially with seafood. I tried to go for the combination (7 mares) seafood soup but since they just opened I was sad to hear they didn't have the time to get that going yet and it would take a long while to make. So I went for something simple instead, a camarones quesadilla. As I watched dish after dish get cranked out of the frantic kitchen, I then saw my tortilla and shrimp being grilled up. I saw a splash of seasonings, the melting of cheese and then the construction of the plate with fresh sour cream and guacamole. Man was this one tasty quesadilla. If it weren't for the fact that I'd spent all day in front of a computer for work I would have ordered another one. Being it was their first day, things were decently busy but not too crazy and they seemed to keep everyone happy. My iced tea got refilled several times and it was a blast to watch the grand opening in action. Again, congrats to them on the new venture and I'll definitely back to sample the rest of the menu when they're in full gear.
(5)
Cyndie C.
Service here is good and the food is too. The decor is very bright and airy with hand-carved chairs and pictures painted on the table tops. We've been here twice and it was not busy either time, though it was mid-day on a weekend both times so I can't speak for dinner time.
(4)
Jose G.
Really good! The best menudo on weekends, and the ceviche is great. (Ask for the secret home made Habanero sauce, it is hot as hell but delicious). The decoration is a little bit tacky, but the food is great. Muy bueno. El mejor menudo que he comido (los fines de semana). El ceviche es delicioso (preguntar por la salsa casera de habanero, es super enchilosa pero muy sabrosa). La decoracion esta medio chafa, pero en general la comida esta muy buena.
(4)
Mark G.
Charro's is bigger and brighter...though not necessarily better. Boasting a large dining area accented with Mexican art and high, angled ceilings, this restuarant is quite handsome; definitely a larger, more sophisticated version of the original on Castro street. However, for me, Mexican food always comes down to....the food. More expensive and a bit flashier than the original, Charro's "2" offers some seafood and specialty items a la " La Fiesta". The problem is, the fare is only slightly above average---for these prices, I was expecting more. My combo dinner was decent: $13.95 for enchiladas and a taco with rice and beans. The taco was similar to something I could find at a small taqueria, while the enchilada was unispiring. The ingredients tasted fresh, they just didn't stand out in any way. The service was ok---mildly attentive. The margarita for my wife cost $8.50! And it was small, not even normal size. That turned me off. Dinner for the two of us came to almost $40---for that much, I'd expect a tad more.
(3)
isaias J.
My coworker and I pass by this part of the el Camino on a regular basis. We are usually on our way to the Rose Market for Persian Kebabs or other tasty Persian dishes. It wasn't till about a couple months ago that we noticed a new Mexican restaurant. Being that we are both Mexican food aficionados, we vowed to visit it one day. That day finally came last week! We were both in the mood for some tasty Mexican food, but wanted a sit down place rather than our usual whole-in-the-wall (La Bamba). We looked at each other and both new it was time to try Los Charros. I quickly checked out the Yelp reviews ;-) And we were on a mission. We arrived in about 10 minutes, just before it started raining. We walked in and there were about 5 tables with people sitting down...always a good sign. An even better sign is when you spot a table of about 15 people! We sat down to order. My litmus test for sit down Mexican food is Chile Verde. However since I visit Mexican sit-down restaurants so in frequently I was tempted to try tamales or maybe a chile relleno, maybe even the pozole. In the end I decided to go with the systematic approach and chose the litmus test meal ;-) As we hung out waiting for the food we devoured our chips and salsa. The salsa was tasty and we had two to choose from: pico de gallo and another roasted tomatillo based salsa. The chips tasted fresh and didn't seem to be from a bag. The food quickly arrived on nicely presented plates. The chile verde was awesome, not quite enough grilled onions for my taste, but the green chile sauce was good and the pork deliciously tender. The rice was good but not the usual Mexican rice. The beans were sorry-ass, taste like they came from a can, but this was balanced by the fact that I got a bit of a green salad on my plate with some tasty green chile, pumpkin seed vinaigrette..yum! My coworker had the carne asada plate, his litmus test, and was very happy. I will definitely be back for happy hour. They have a nice little bar in the back of the restaurant. Also the Margaritas seemed reasonably priced, $7.50 for Don Julie and Grand Marnier! Also, as we sat around eating the restaurant almost completely filled up! For my next visits I'll be trying: Mole verde(made with pumpkin seeds), Pozole, chile relleno, and tamales...hopefully I don't get ambitious and try to tackle all the dishes at once. Surely my woman would not let me in the house that day ;-)
(4)
Alissa B.
Fun decor (those chairs are awesome). It was completely empty late on a Wednesday night, but I guess most places probably are. I just had the chips & salsa and the house silver margarita. The margaritas were pretty good. The chips were quite good but the salsa was nothing special. Prices were pretty close to what you'll see at other sitdown Mexican restaurants. I might come back here sometime to check out the entrees-- the people I came with seemed quite happy about them. Btw most of them were items that weren't listed on the menu, so if you know of something in particular that you want, don't be afraid to ask!
(3)
Reena S.
The restaurant version of the taqueria with a more extensive menu. If you're into beer, I recommend the cerveza chara. And the mole is amazing and authentic. Being vegetarian, I had a lot of options as well. They can do all the enchiladas with potatoes or fajita veggies. Friday nights there is an awesome mariachi band too and the decor is really fun. Great find for authentic Mexican fare.
(4)
T L.
Great chile verde!!! The staff is friendly. I used to go to the taquieria in downtown mountain view until they opened this LARGE restaurant.
(4)
Jeff L.
A "jack of all trades, master of none" Mexican restaurant. Good food, good for couples, good for a few beers, good service, good for groups, good for a quick bite, good for a leisurely dinner, good salsa, good meat plates... but excellent at none of the above. I'm glad this place is in my neighborhood- it's served me well in a number of situations. The al pastor burrito and chile verde plate a both solid choices. Combo either with a cold beer and good company and you're in for a quality meal.
(4)
S D.
Good standard Mexican fair. However, nothing real special either.
(3)
Meredith O.
Im a fan of their downtown Mountain View location as well as this one on the El Camino. The one item that my friend and I noticed that they have at this location is albondigas soup! Absolutely delicious and a perfect meal for a overcast day. The service was just OK. I most likely will go back to their taqueria location in the future just because it is more convenient.
(3)
Bev M.
We heard they had a good breakfast/brunch and we were very pleasantly surprised by the quality, variety and portions of their brunch menu when my family took me there for Mother's Day. My husband had the chorizos breakfast which was great, my son was adventurous and had the omelette with nopales cactus - delicious! My daughter had pancakes which were very fluffy, light and tasty. I had my usual when I see it - huevos rancheros, and it was delicious. I was impressed they had the old standard American offerings (and VERY well done I might add), as well as some not-often-seen ethnic menu items like the nopales cactus dishes.
(4)
Christine N.
IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT: Go to Dublin. Seriously. Ketchup like substance disguised as red chile sauce and even though I swear I saw an avocado in a supermarket there, the green, wet ooze on their so-called "Mexican" food was not guacamole. Dublin will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think I crave Mexican food too much to ever call that place a semi-permanent residence. Maybe I'll move to London instead. The Euro NY seems to know a thing or two about food. So I'm off the plane, in full zombie mode, hungry at odd hours, and wanted my first restaurant back to be Los Charros. Been wanting to try it for ages. Unfortunately, the restaurant isn't as fantastic as the Taqueria, but it was still above average. ATMOSPHERE: Ginormous and really spacious! Bright, clean, colorful (customized Los Charros table-tops and chairs) and rumor has it they have a mariachi band on Fridays. Service is a lot slower than the Taqueria. Our chips and salsa weren't replenished once! But they have a full bar and that's kinda cool. FOOD: I was craving fish tacos (thanks to Emeril) and Los Charros' really hit the spot. Fish was grilled, chopped, piled on (enough for like, 3 soft tacos), and fresh tasting. Sauce on the fish tacos was spicy though, so beware! I also ordered the cheese n' onions enchiladas in green sauce. The green sauce was really, really lime-y and I loved it! And I can't believe I'm "complaining" about this, but the enchiladas had TOO much cheese and they forgot the onions. The bf ordered the shrimp and garlic and it was half the size of what he'd get at the Taqueria and more expensive. Guacamole was, thank the Mexican food Gods, exactly what guacamole dreams are made of. Chunky and fresh! IN A MOUTHFUL: I'm sticking with my beloved Taqueria. I may come back for the mariachi band and the bar, but that's about it.
(3)
Tom M.
The downtown Mountain View location was one of my favorites for years so I looked forward to this one on El Camino as it is even closer to home. However, all 3 times that I have been there have been a disappointment in food quality and taste. Once it made me sick to the point of nearly hugging the porcelain throne. Sorry, but will not be back. A couple of much better Mexican places in town.
(1)
Sharon S.
I really like this place. and their food isn't that bad. I like the service too. The prices are pretty good as well.
(5)
Unicorn B.
The Saturday night mariachi band made me deaf - and not in a good way.
(3)
Liz G.
Yummy burritos. HUGE portions! (almost too big) Nice service, nice atmosphere. Would come here again and will definitely recommend. I actually really like the idea that its a taqueria vibe and sit down restaurant.
(4)
Michael M.
ok i have to admit the chicken tamale was pretty good me and my wife went here when our favorite was closed on sunday so we decided to give it try,the food wasn't bad the service was not the best and it wasn't busy at the time i went, the margarita could have tasted better for a mexican restaurant so if you looking for mexican food and want a good tamale give them a try!!!
(3)
Tom T.
I am so stuffed! I was craving a breakfast burrito and have driven past this restaurant several times so decided to stop by. The breakfast burritos are huge and are filled with eggs, hash browns, cheese, and meat of your choice. I ordered a sausage and the size of the burrito reminds me of the ones that I use to get off the catering trucks. It was a little light on the meat but the cheese was very high quality, overall the taste was good. I wonder if I can get several types of meat in the burrito at the same time, then the burrito would be the bomb. The ones on the catering truck which I grade all burritos against called a 5 speed burrito (filled w/ ham, sausage, bacon, cheese, eggs, hash browns) . Burritos came w/ some tasty chips n salsa at 10am in the morning. Chips were crispy and salsa was good. It came w/ one package of salsa, I asked for another and that still ended up being too little. So if you love salsa get 3-4 to get and you'll be cool. Really clean place inside w/ nice decor. A+ for being clean and bright environment, more meat in the burrito would have been nice but I am so stuffed that I forgive them but then again it was a $6 breakfast burrito!
(3)
Jenny B.
The food is generally good. We usually order the enchiladas. The service is always very good. Friendly and the food arrives quickly. The atmosphere is festive and fun. The only problem is, as much as we like the mariachi band, the acoustics of the restaurant make the band unbelievably loud. It's to the point where it doesn't matter or close or far they are from your table, you really can't have a conversation. We would come here more often if they fixed the decibel level of the band - not the band's fault. Just the physical acoustics of the restaurant itself.
(3)
Marlene B.
I took my mom and dad to Los Charros for breakfast yesterday. My dad and I ordered the Chorizo and potato breakfast plate and my mom had the ham and egg plate. The portions were huge with plenty of hot tortillas. I was pleased the chorizo was not overly spicy or greasy. Our choices were great but we could have used half portions.
(4)
Danny Q.
Ok I was always a fan of the Los Charros on Dana. Been going there for years. I always loved the tiny family atmosphere. But you always have to change to stay alive in this business. I tried the new location with family and girlfriend on Friday afternoon. Not too busy but most people are at work. I ordered the super burrito, others ordered the enchiladas con mole, or flautas. Everyone said there food was good. Service and food were fast. Have no complaints. But I think I will go back to the Dana location just for the small shop feel. Same food, both great!
(4)
Joel H.
This is a quintessential Silicon Valley lunch spot. A small dining area, good quality Mexican food. The only downside is that you might have to drive around a bit until you find parking. The food is great. I like the burritos and shrimp tacos. One excellent dish they have here is the ceviche tostada. Yeah, I didn't know what the heck ceviche was either, but a friend of mine ordered it... and I fell in love. The wait staff is always nice, even during peak lunch times. See ya there!
(4)
Matt H.
Uhhhhh oh. Don;t forget to bring the taqueria with you when you start a new restaraunt. They forgot what made them so successful at their other resty: taste. I have yet to have anything food related here that was tasty. So much so that I've sworn this place off. They have good margaritas and sangria, but I still swore this place off. Prices are meh, nice big tables, decent service, but meh.. no more taco.
(2)
Lizzie B.
I was a little disappointed in this restaurant. The food choices were much more limited than those at the taqueria. Also, they charge twice as much for the same amount of food. The food is no better and no worse than the taqueria, so why not just eat at the taqueria? It's cheaper and faster there anyway...
(3)
Michelle D.
Really good food. Horchata is a++++ here too
(4)
Raul C.
Probably the worst food that I have ever had! The beans came from a can. The rice was cold and hard. Save your money. This place gives Mexican food a bad rep. I have been to the other place, the "hole in the wall", and it is little better. As a Mexican-American it embarrasses me that this place is still open.
(1)
Jenny S.
We usually go here for the pitchers of Margaritas (the house one is A-Ok). The food is not as delicious as he Los Charros location dowtown, but it's still worth it for the margaritas.
(3)
Lew L.
Huge portions -- gotta fill up all that space on a huge plate. I've been here twice. Chile Rellenos were gigantic the first time. Second time they were more normal size. Shrimp enchilada plate had 3 enchiladas, not 2 like I'm used to seeing at other restaurants. Great shrimp flavor. Had the 2 item combo plate of Chile Relleno and Chicken Enchilada the second visit. I was surprised when 2 enchiladas accompanied the relleno. Chicken was shredded and really moist -- in fact the chicken was wet with flavorful broth. Five stars for the enchiladas. Yeah, the prices are a bit higher than many Mexican restaurants but the portions are bigger and the quality is outstanding. Service has been prompt and attentive. Pedro, the manager, is personable as well as attentive. My group had a special bottle of wine to share (a mutual friend of ours help picked the grapes for the bottling). Pedro accommodated us and saw to it that we could enjoy the wine at the restaurant. Now that's FRIENDLY in friendly service.
(5)
Chris B.
The food is just fine for what I was expecting. In fact, the portions were pretty darn big. The arroz con pollo was 'immense' when they brought it out to me. But you know, I ate it all up. My main complaint is the service. I've been there 3 times now and each time it was something of an ordeal to get the check when we were all done. Yes, I could always get up from my seat and hunt down the waiter but it really was strange how it took a long, long time to catch anyone's attention after my food was delivered.
(4)
olga x.
I went there for a really late dinner one time, and it was totally empty so we walked in and got a table. Not that that place could fill up! They have a lot of TVs all over the place, so if you bring a male, be prepared to be ignored! Good thing the food is so good, you can just ignore the male, and the tvs, and focus on the important things: burritos. The service was cool, the decor is kinda funny, kinda tacky, but who cares? Though I got to say the chairs are rather large, wooden, and awkward. Pretty good menu selection when it comes to food or booze.
(4)
Dawn R.
I went with a friend to check this out on a Friday night for drinks and mexican food. This place is pretty casual but that is all we were looking for. We sat in the bar and the Mariachi's were playing which was festive but was a bit loud at times. The drinks are good and so was the food. I also must say the customer service was excellent. I would definitely go back, I am looking forward to trying more of their items on the menu.
(4)
Amit S.
Chips were average, salsa was lacking in flavor. I ordered the super burrito with chicken. All the ingredients were there, but again the flavor was missing. The food tasted fresh, but there was no USP. I see a few people recommending the ceviche and the carnitas. Will try that if I swing by again. Service was good, interior was clean and sort of interesting.
(3)
Kim C.
The taqueria does seem to taste better for certain dishes and its slightly cheaper than the restaurant, but I enjoy the cleanliness here. I still get my burritos, chile rellenos, etc, but minus the weird smells and sticky tables of the taqueria! Only negative of this place is sometimes the mariachi band is too loud. You end up screaming at each other to have an audible conversation.
(4)
Lexie L.
I went here for dinner the other night with my friend. We really enjoyed it, it was pretty empty and we got to sit next to the window. I really liked the chips they served, really thick and mmm. The salsa was alright, not the best, but I'm no salsa expert anyway. We both got burritos, and they were mmm delicious. I like that they offer different tortilla options than just flour too. I got a chicken burrito, and nomm I ate the whole thing. The only problem was there was TOO much chicken. chicken was falling all over the place and I got very tired of the flavor of chicken that I even took some of it out to enjoy the black bean and rice combo on the inside, mmm. The service was great, but as I said it was empty hehe. I'll definatly try it again!
(4)
Aubert D.
Stopped by during Happy Hour, around 4:30. Draft beer is $1off at $3. There is a small listing of Happy Hour appetizers. They gave me a complimentary taquito/quesadilla with guacamole dish which was good. Hard to beat Dos XX amber on tap. Service was slow and there wasn't someone behind the bar all the time. The salsa was watery and not spicy. the chips were bit overcooked. Nothing was great except the bill; only paid $8 for the appetizer and two beers including a $2 tip. The extensive tequila menu is intriguing. Worth another try if I could find something good to eat. Service wasn't up to par but attitude was not an issue..
(2)
Juliet R.
I love the carnitas super burrito here. This is probably some of the best mexican I've had here. The horchata is good too. Delicious! We probably go here about once every week or two. the prices are cheap and the servings are huge.
(5)
Marie A.
The food is pretty decent, both my bf and I ordered burritos. I got the grilled chicken and he got carne asada. Mine tasted better than his but the service was terrible. Our waitress took over 15 mins to ask us how food was and then I had to pratically wave my glass to get a refill. Then upon getting my take home box when they refilled my water the waitress never brought our check so we finally went up to the counter to get it. Our waitress was there and didn't even say hi or thank you. What a horrible waitress!!! I was going to give this place at least 3 stars as the food wasn't bad but after getting pissed off again about the service I'm knocking this down to 2 stars.
(2)
Jasmine L.
Been to their sister (brother? cousin?) restaurant, the Taqueria that's down off of Castro. I like this location better because it's more spacious, brighter, and more relaxed than the rushing of business people scarfing their meals down. Service was a little slow, but we had a party of 10, so I can imagine it being problematic as well. The staff were very accommodating, and I throughly, throughly enjoyed my Chile Verde.
(5)
Ed C.
Taqueria food at restaurant prices. The service was a little slow even though the restaurant wasn't very busy (maybe 8 tables total in the whole place) Although the unlimited chips and salsa are very good, I felt the food was more taqueria quality---I'd rather go to one of the hole in the wall joints and get the same type of food at a cheaper price. Bottom line...if you love the food at Los Charros Taqueria, forget the restaurant and stick to the Taqueria unless you're going for ambiance as this place is much bigger and nicer.
(2)
Fida C.
We have been here a few times. Nice service, clean place, and ok food. The pepitas burrito is pretty good, the tacos de lengua are also ok-good. The pozole was ok-good. Too much sour cream on the items sometimes. The nachos are meh. On weekends they have mariachi bands -- I know lots of people like this, but the volume can be a bit oppressive.
(3)
Art S.
Yes Archie R.! There is a Santa Claus! And Santa has come to the South Bay. Besides dropping "Elite" status in your lap yesterday he's brought you a NEW "Los Charros" to Mountain View!! YAY!! Emulating Fiesta Del Mar's strategy of having two restaurants in Mountain View, Los Charros is opening a new sister restaurant on El Camino! It's much larger and gives you an alternative from the hustle and bustle of downtown Mountain View! Viva Los Charros....
(5)
Kelly H.
The Chorizo Potato Taquito appetizer is TO DIE for. Generous portions on the enchiladas too. Love the guac and the friendly staff. This is my favorite place to go and take friends on Friday night when they have the live musicians there too. A bit loud, but SO much fun!
(4)
michael k.
I am always looking for a good burrito. Los charros sister restaurant had been one of my favs in mountain view for some time. There are a few items at this one I think are pretty good. Some of the other items were just ok, no real spark. Their pipian burrito and fajitas are quite tastee. They have a good sized childrens menu and the portions are generous. I dont think this is the best restaurant ever, but we go close to once a week and are usually pretty satistied. Our 2 yrold likes the bean and cheese burrito; and any place he'll eat at, we'll go to.
(4)
Mercedes R.
I crave the vegetarian taco plate - for $3-something you can get a vegetarian taco, rice and beans and be filled. It's the best cheap dinner, especially when you're a broke student like I am. The service is a bit slow, but it's worth it. The burritos are also pretty yummy, and they have good horchata.
(5)
Todd N.
The carnitas are incredible! I had the tortilla soup and a ceviche tostada this evening. Both were quite tasty. And reasonably priced. My michelada was overpriced at $6, though. I'll continue to go to the taqueria, but I do look forward to exploring the menu here.
(4)
Azzazaza S.
You get two types of salsa and a basket of chips as soon as you sit down. I like their appetizers list, besides the usual quesediallas, they also serve a couple of different ceviches. And they have menudo on Saturday & Sunday. Ok, tell me, what could warm you up more than a good bowl of menudo with pieces of tripe are swimming in a delicious tomato base sauce ready to be eaten? ha ha ha A couple of favorites: Fajitas, Shrimp plates This is not a stuck-up place, pretty casual and inviting for families and large groups. They also have a bar area with TVs for sports fans. Why not 5-stars? well the service is not consistent yet. I always give a new place a few tries before final judgement. 1st time the service was a disaster. Now, every time I go, things are just getting better.
(4)
Cassandra T.
Los Charros is all you need from a Mexican restaurant, nothing more, nothing less. We were greeted and seated right away and served fresh tortilla chips and both pico de gallo and spicy salsa. I rarely find a spot with delicious, fresh salsa in abundance - they definitely delivered. I had the vegetarian burrito in a tomato tortilla and a sangria. The burrito was on par with my expectations and did not disappoint; rice, beans, guac, sour cream, lettuce. Their portions are very generous and their prices fair. The boyfriend orered 3 carne asada tacos (at $2 a piece) and could barely finish 2 - they were huge as far as tacos go. I hadn't had a decent sangria since Rosarito until I ate here. A perfect blend of juice and red wine with bits of fresh fruit bobbing around in the drink. Not the wine and sprite that some places serve up. I could have don't without the girly fruit garnish, but then again I could have just ordered a corona. The wait staff was very friendly and made some helpful recommendations. My favorite part of the place was the mariachi band who, after eating their dinner, played some beautiful music in the bar area for all of the patrons to enjoy. I am looking forward to my next visit and I'd like to check out their original taqueria off of Castro.
(4)
Molly T.
I'm giving the new Los Charros four stars because I love the original taqueria so much. I got my usual: a regular bbq chicken burrito. I must say, the food is equally delicious at the new restaurant as at the taqueria, but it's so much more expensive! Like almost $2 more for the regular burrito! Plus, I really like the intimate, lively atmosphere of the original so I will probably keep going there. But I could definitely see myself bringing a bigger group to the new place because they have a whole extra room with a really nice bar!
(4)
Monica M.
overall its soo good!!! friday night if youdont like mariachi music dont go! sometimes is too laud .saturday is the best day to go on the weekend not so full and quiet ..food is fresh good quality great price i recomedf try the chicken salad is soooo yummy and the water melon juice, also the steak it really good!!the place is very clean .....love the salsa and chips ....love the hours friday and sat open until 11:30pm yess if you wanna have late night dinner....
(4)
Mike C.
The new location offers more space, a full bar, and mariachi bands on the weekends! This is hands down my favorite Mexican food of all time. The carnitas is spectacular and the service is great!
(5)
Ali C.
mediocre mexican food here.. i did enjoy the chips and salsa though! my carnitas burrito was less than average and the meat was not that good. the lady who waited on us was nice and tried to offer us suggestions. i also liked the horchata which is one of my favorite things to drink when dining at a mexican restaurant. the good thing about los charros is that they have a fully stocked bar!! with lots and lots of tequila!! yum! i would like to come back here but try something else. not the cheapest mexican food but it's also not a taqueria!
(3)
R M.
You MUST HAVE the pork adobado tacos with the terrific sauce. They make these in chicken too. Must order from the taqueria desk. Nothing like this except El Pedrillo in Napa. It's the food from the taqueria that kicks!
(5)
Emily G.
I am a big fan of Los Charros. I love the Original taqueria and its staff. I was so excited for the opening of their new location, but when I went there a couple nights ago for dinner, I was slightly disappointed. The new bigger restaurant loses some of the charm of the original. The menu seems a little haphazard and pricier. The food and service are still great, and the bigger facility would be a great place for a party, but in the future, I'm going to favor the orignal.
(4)
Jon W.
I've been eating at the taqueria for years, so like many other reviewers, I was pleased and surprised to see the restaurant opening. Went to check it out a couple of weeks ago with my girlfriend, and it was great! I thought the food was pretty much on par with the taqueria location, the new space is enormous, clean, and well lit, and we both very much enjoyed the live mariachi music emanating from the bar area. I'd definately reccomend this spot, especially to parties larger than 3 or 4, which simply couldn't be accomodated at the original location.
(5)
michael w.
People who love Mexican food know how to set the bar. Los Charros has the best burrito in Mountain View. They offer a large range of meats to stuff them with: I highly recommend the Pollo Asado - barbequed chicken. They offer 2 salsas with complimentary chips: these salsas are among the best you can find. Top it off with a 1:1 mix of carrot:orange juice and count yourself lucky that these artisans continue to work their magic in your neighborhood.
(5)
MIKE N.
me and my wife have been going here for years on many occasions and the food is always excellent and the service is prompt and what i like is they have an excellent full bar
(5)
Debbie A.
This is our go to place for Mexican food. The service is always excellent and the food is tasty with generous portions. I usually get the carnitas meal - it's soooo good. You should expect some fatty pieces of meat - that's what makes it so tasty. The meat is tender and juicy on the inside and crispy and crusty on the outside - just like it's supposed to be. It comes with the usual - beans, rice, lettuce and tomato mix and your choice of tortillas. My kids usually get the burritos. They are really filling. I highly recommend the place. Parking is easy and plentiful (around back). Downside - can get noisy due to the acoustics - large room, tile floor and all. Also, on Friday and Saturday nights they have live mariachi music. Nice, but a little uncomfortable for me - they stay at your table a little too long. You feel obligated to pay attention instead of chowing down on your delicious carnitas meal. I see a lot of people ordering the shrimp but can't bring myself to try anything else.
(4)
Adam A.
My wife and I have had breakfast here 4 times and all four times the food has been fantastic. This is the best Mexican breakfast we have had since moving from New Mexico
(5)
K H.
We just tried Los Charros new restaurant. The food is very good, we had the the Quesadilla del Mar and the seafood soup (forget the actual name) and both were delicious. They obviously went to a lot of effort in renovating the place with artwork and festive tables and chairs painted with Mexican scenes, . It is extremely clean and the staff is friendly. I would have given it 5 stars if the ambiance was better. The large open kitchen, which I know is a trend these days, is tiled with stark white tiles. That paired with the very bright lighting and the noise level (a result of all the hard surfaces and noise from the kitchen) makes for a somewhat institutional feel rather than a destination restaurant. They need to dim the lighting, maybe put a screen, hanging beads or some type of barrier to subdue the kitchen which dominates the view in parts of the dining room. Next time we go we would eat in the bar where it has a more relaxing feel, or ask to be seated up front near the windows. The room is so large it needs some type of dividers, maybe 5 foot high with plants to break it up a bit. If they were movable they could re-configure the room for large groups. Mexican rugs on the wall would absorb some of the sound. In any case I think minor changes could make a big difference in the ambiance, making it more of a destination for a night out..
(4)
Shanna M.
Hmm, I almost want to give Los Charros 2 stars because I was a bit disappointed based on previous reviews. I just felt like a lot of stuff "went wrong" or wasn't good. When we came in, we were greeted by a very friendly bartender, however our waiter was definitely ambivalent. We were put at a table that was tipsy, as were our chairs, and asked to move. The waiter let us, but we had to move the chips, waters, menus, etc, which I found to be tacky. Then we weren't offered a drink menu and had to ask. The margaritas were certainly overpriced and my bf said it was just 'ok' -- it also took quite awhile to arrive and did not come with the salt rim he asked for. The salsa came in tiny tea cups that didn't fit the size of a chip, which I found odd; however the salsa fresca was quite good and the other one had a weird tanginess to it. Our food was pretty good at least. We ended up switching dishes because I don't like mushrooms so I had the chicken fajitas and he had arroz con pollo. The thing I didn't like about our meals is that both came with tortillas which require another plate to "assemble" our meal and we weren't given that extra plate. Although I live closer to Los Charros than Celia's, I'll be making the drive to Celia's in the future.
(3)
Melanie R.
Drinks were awesome quality, but not really much of a deal compared to other place's happy hour prices. There was definitely more variety than a lot of mexican places though. I tried the peach margarita, which was good and a lot stronger than it tasted. I also tried the mojito which was absolute perfection. The cheese quesadilla was cheap in price and taste, and the cheva-something was like fish and lime salsa... did not like. The regular chips served with two different kinds of salsa was good though. The atmosphere was very party-ish and the servers/bartenders treated me very well.
(3)
Cynthia H.
Extremely noisy with natural echo from the tile floors and walls -- then add big groups, many on a Sunday night with loud children and parents who are confused that this is not a playground but a restaurant - makes for a very bad start. Then we waited (too long) for chips and salsa - my pet peeve here -- and they came with no water. Then again way too long for the waiter to even stop by. So service was also extremely mediocre. Would have been more tolerable if the food was even decent. Where does this guacamole come from? It is like a runny green soup with no flavor. There were no definable pieces of avocado. I'm so sorry but this is the cornerstone of any Mexican restaurant. Chips were pretty tasteless as well. My burrito was served cold and devoid of flavor and was the 'wet' style but really was just mushy. Husband had the special chimi and said, 'we don't need to come back here again." And we don't even like our food spicy at all - just some flavor. So sad, as it is close by in the neighborhood and we love Mexican food.
(1)
G A.
Since my first review, I have been back to Los Charros Restaurant and have had a good positive experience every time. Their food is delicious. My favorite is the fish & shrimp burrito and the fish & shrimp tacos...A MUST TRY! I also organized a dinner party for thirty people and I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. The prices were great and their service was excellent. After the event, I personally thanked the owner for all their efforts to accommodate our large party and for their outstanding service. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Jessica G.
First time here. I had green enchiladas with horchata both were not good I didnt finish either. The rice was good. Salsa that came with chips was not good. Server did not come to refill drinks or check on the table at any point after food was served. Wouldnt recommend or come here again.
(1)
Michael L.
I have been here many times in the past and recently visited after a 6 month break. I always order the same thing everytime and it is the business!!! Carnitas plate: 5 stars, crispy and moist carnitas with rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, tortillas, generous amount of chips and salsa. This is a perfect dish...would not change a thing to it. Don't believe me, go ahead and try it, you will not be disapointed
(5)
Chelsea M.
KILLER happy hour with amazing homemade gaucamole - the mojitos are strong and delicious. Service can be spotty (not the most rapid, but you want to relax and enjoy your time here). I look forward to returning for dinner!
(4)
J S.
This is not ANY KIND of Mexican food. I don't know what it is.... Weird. Not good or flavorful. Don't know how they've made it this long.
(1)
Cristel R.
I used to come here for their live mariachi (back when I lived closer to Mtn View). Be mindful though that mariachi nights are BUSY nights. They used to serve really good chicken tortilla soup, but last time I came here, they didn't have it anymore...BOO! Service was great, but I knew some of the servers here, so i'm a little bias. Food is OK, but everything is good when you're drinking pitchers of margaritas with friends while having the mariachi play a song you requested. :) I gotta say, I miss it here sometimes and I wish there was a restaurant like this in Bakersfield. I almost forgot...If you're lucky, sometimes they have free tequila samples!! Buy yourself a margarita with the featured tequila and you'll get it at a discounted price...and if you're a guy during these free tequila sample nights, even better...wanna know why?? these samples are usually served by girls who wear tight shirts/skirts with hheelllaa makeup
(4)
Alba L.
Horrible service. Ok food. Uncomfortable chairs and terrible lighting. You are better off at their Dana street location.
(2)
Megan M.
My fiance and I started coming here a year ago when we moved to Mt View, and absolutely love it. Excellent home-made salsas and delicious food. They also make their own orange and carrot juices - awesome. True, its not one of those places where your server is going to faun all over you. Chances are you will have to go up to the cash register and pay rather then get your check and change delivered. However, it has been our experience that the service is quick and competent and the food is fantastic.
(5)
Sarah S.
My food arrived burnt AND cold. Service excruciatingly slow even though the place was half empty. The check took 15 mins to arrive. A waste of time.
(1)
Stan L.
Carnitas plate during lunch is always a treat after a good workout - be prepared, it's one tasty greasy plate. During winter, bring a jacket to the restaurant.
(4)
Kevin W.
Got 3 super burritos. The carnitas was amazing, some of the best I've ever had - tasty with some crunchy charred pieces - my fav. The steak was also very good but I prefer the steak at my normal spot at home since these r smaller pieces of meat. The chicken was also good but like most chicken not out of this world. I liked the free salsa and chips but wish it came w more salsa. It's free so that just means it was really fresh tasting and good. Surprised at how good the burrito was, would def come back for that carnitas if I remember to.
(4)
Thor S.
I keep wanting to really like Los Charros but it really just don't deliver. Mediocre food, mediocre service, and incredibly loud.
(2)
Nancy K.
the food , price and the size is good . service Sucks . I ordered shrimp Fajitas and enchiladas they were ok .
(3)
Kathy L.
This place was CRACKIN' on Friday night when I went for a quick bite with the bf before a movie. Table behind us was throwing back shots of Tequila and there was a live mariachi band that moved around the restaurant. A little too loud for our low-key night, but I can see this place being a fantastic happy hour spot when you need to unwind after a long week. Bf got the mole enchiladas and I got the combination plate with enchilada and tamale. Both came with rice, beans, sour cream, and guacamole. Very filling, though I think I like the tamales from Chalateco down the street better. The complimentary chips and 2 kinds of salsa were also really good.
(3)
Serene S.
I accompanied my husband for dinner because he was craving for Mexican food. I ordered Churros but the chef only realise they ran out of it after the main course was served. The waiter introduced another dessert but I rejected it because I wasn't sure what was it. He went ahead and offer it, on the house. It turned out to be quite delish! I really appreciate the offer so we gave a higher tip. It was a pleasant visit!
(5)
Mike X.
Food is consistently good and the people are friendly. If someone had to replace the old Ken's I'm glad it was these guys.
(4)
Kelly M.
What you need to know: Fantastic Mariachi band on Friday nights. Happy Hour every day from 3-7pm. Margaritas are packed with a punch. Complimentary Taquitos (beef only) during Happy Hour. Unpretentious, social and cool bartenders work here. They serve the very hard to find and rare Absolut Pear Vodka. The Chile Colorado may be the best I've ever had . OK great, now you know what to expect when you come here. Now go!
(4)
Bob R.
This is a review by a vegetarian I try to not harshly review venues obviously not geared towards veggies. But the 2-stars here is mostly for incredibly slow service. We had a long wait to get our order taken and to be served. When finally served, there was a minor error in my dish; not large enough to keep me from eating it. Even though my veggie burrito was ridiculously watery, if service had been average I still would have rated it 3 stars because the chips were warm. But having to wait two bowls worth of chips for a two-top is sub-par.
Let me just say...TWO HAIRS!! We were super hungry on a Wednesday night and found this place by just driving by. I should have referenced Yelp before, but I must have been in a hunger delirium! We were seated pretty quickly. Our waitress did come pretty quickly to take our order and brought chips and salsa. First we found a hair in our salsa and then another in our chips! Disgusting!! I ordered the chicken tostada, which was alright. The chicken could have been seasoned better. Our waitress never came by to refill our drinks; we had to grab her attention in order to do so. She barely even walked by our table throughout our meal. After we finished, we sat with our empty plates for about 10 minutes without any help from the waitress. Instead she was at the bar talking to the bar tender and some guy. We finally called her over and asked for our check. She went to get our check, but before dropping it off at our table, again stopped at the bar to talk to the bar tender and the same guy AGAIN for another 5 minutes before bringing us our check. I will never go back to this place!
(1)
Melissa Y.
Mediocre mexican fare but their killer margarita list and friendly servers make up for it. 2 stars for the food 4 stars for service and beverages
(3)
Caroline C.
Worst Mexican food I've ever had. Ordered flautas, they brought taquitos. Food was bland and dry. Was with a large party (reserved weeks in advance) and food was horribly late, proper seating wasn't set up. But leaving all service aside. The food was just awful.
(2)
Phil m.
kinda pricey, We felt like we were bothering the waitress. My wife doesn't want to go back. Too bad, We are faithful customers that regularly spends a lot on a good meal, when the place deserves it. Oh well, on to the Mexican restaurant. Adios.
(2)
Daisy R.
I was very disappointed with the food and the service at Los Charros. Came here about a week ago on a Friday night with a party of 7 for my mothers birthday. Our server was all over the place and we had to ask him a number of times for our drinks. The food was mediocre and nothing ordinary. I think Chevys would have been a better choice in food. The only thing I enjoyed was the Mariachi and the company of my family.
(1)
Kristy H.
I usually don't like to eat at Mexi-gringo restaurants, but Los Charros has gotten their wet burritos perfected. I prefer the regular pollo on spinach and my boyfriend only gets the super carne asada burrito on flour. I haven't carefully dissected their flavors, but all I can say is that these burritos are perfection. Whenever I eat here, I always try to save half of my burrito because I know I'm going to burp it up later and crave some more. We always come here for Happy Hour because it's over at 7pm rather than 6:30pm like the other places in Mtn. View. Bring on the margaritas! Their happy hour appetizer selection leaves you desiring more, but the drink list is impressive.
(5)
Diane C.
As far as Mexican food goes, this is not that great. Food is not spicy and the salsa that comes with the chips almost tastes bottled. food 2 stars drinks 4 stars Cadillac Margaritas are great!
(3)
Amy O.
I started going to the original restaurant on Dana street in downtown Mountain View many years ago...and am so glad that they opened a larger location on El Camino. Every time we come here the service is outstanding and the food is fresh. Drink list is huge...and not to mention they carry almost every tequilla out there. We drive from Santa Clara (home of Korean restaurants) to get some good Mexican good on.
(5)
James W.
Ridiculously slow service. The restaurant had few customers at the time so I shouldn't have had to wait 10 mins for them to ask if I wanted a drink refill and another 5 mins for them to bring back the glass. The burrito was ok but was completely mild. No flavor at all. One of the other people at the table had arroz con pollo. It reeked of canned tomatoes and had little seasoning. After asking for the check and waiting 10 mins to pay, we left money and exit. The food would merit 2-3 stars, not great, but not bad. What pulls it to a 1 is the horrible service. Wouldn't go back.
(1)
Vincent K.
Not that I frequent this area a lot, but hey, for some Margaritas specials, this place certainly makes it pretty good. And free chips and salsa! Perfect spot for happy hour!
(4)
Victor G.
S-e-r-v-i-c-e I-s S-l-o-w !!
(2)
K. N.
A group of 4 of us went for dinner on June 24 at 7:30 pm. Our drink orders were taken in a timely manner and our chips/salsa arrived quickly but our food order was not....we were looking around for our waiter and it appeared that he was the only waiter in the food section besides a female busperson. After waving him down, we placed our order. The food was above average for all of us ...I had the grilled fish fillet and all was good except the black beans that were extremely salty. So I minus one star for below average service (plus he could have been more outgoing) and a minus one star for the salty black beans. Value was about right for the quality/quantity of food. Ambiance in the bar area is nice but the food section had hard wooden chairs and not much decor. There are better Mexican restaurants in the area so I'll only go back if I have too. It was not my idea to go there in the first place but was willing to try it.
(3)
Dave Z.
As good as you can get for Mexican food. We'll be back for sure.
(4)
Doug S.
There's a limit to my patience. At the end of the meal the waiter dropped off the check and never came back to take my credit card. After 10 minutes I walked up to the front and asked the host if I could pay. He looked at me, then at the credit card, and simply turned on his heel and walked away. He went to the counter area, talked to the cooks and then went on to clean some tables. After standing at the front for a few more minutes I went back to the table and left cash. It's not like they were busy, and I certainly wasn't rude or anything. I certainly won't ever go back there.
(1)
Kyle H.
Chile colorado burrito was delicious! I will be coming back for my mexican food cravings.
(4)
Arielle J.
My boyfriend and I love this place! The food and drinks are delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the food comes out almost immediately! Service is always friendly and there is a very fun and casual atmosphere here. Even the chips and salsa with pico de gallo is amazing! Seriously there is nothing not to like about this place. We have been here about 5 times now and have tried different dishes and every time we go the service is fast and the food is consistently good! Highly recommended!
(5)
Kal S.
Los Charros is quite unassuming and looks innocuous but the value of the food is great!!! They've got a decent selection of beers (all served cold), decent selection of vegetarian and meat entrees. The chips are fresh and the service is tolerable. Do not expect anything other than good food at a great price.
(4)
Liz L.
I agree with Danvin R. that the taqueria burritos just taste better for some reason. And I didn't know the prices here are more! If you dig the whole mariachi atmosphere, you'll probably like Los Charros. I'd rather go to the mellower place, but the food here is still really good and massive. Getting the burrito wet is yummy, but it'll cost ya an extra $1.25. (See pictures)
(4)
Kes D.
Have been looking for an affordable Mexican place in Mountain View with good old comfort food standbys besides tacos that also serves good margaritas. While not as cheap as back home, this place is reasonably priced for around here. Chips & salsa: not my motivator to go back, honestly. Neither was particularly spicy or awesome, though they seemed fairly fresh. :( I ordered: chicken enchilada combo plate, enchiladas with green sauce. Chicken was moist, green sauce was good (albeit not quite salty enough for me), rice & beans, sour cream, lettuce & tomatoes (romaine, not iceberg!) on the side with EXCELLENT guacamole. Boyfriend ordered: canasta de camaron. Came in one of those crispy deep-fried taco bowls, but holy heck was the salad inside delicious! We asked for extra jalapenos on the side later, and they gave us chopped fresh ones, yum! Margaritas: good, a little sweet but not too sweet. Not weak, but not too strong. Boyfriend ordered the "rosita" (I told him it sounded girly), which turned out to be a margarita with hibiscus water in it...actually good. They have a lot of seafood selections. Given my experience with the shrimp my boyfriend got, I'd recommend trying the seafood dishes. Decor: oh jeeze- all the chairs are painted with "los charros" on them and have paintings of Mexican scenes on the back-- but there are only like 5 scenes on the many, many chairs. This place is also very large and also very clean. I think living in California, Mexican food is almost as much of a comfort food as your own mother's cooking (for Caucasians anyway, and I suppose for Mexicans it would serve as both?) . Glad to have found a place where I can indulge this. Insider tip: If their excellent salsa isn't quite spicy enough for you, ask for the orange habanero salsa they have in a squeeze bottle.
(4)
Josh K.
My girlfriend and I eat here almost once a week -- we love it! The fajitas are great as is the service. Highly recommended.
(4)
Ivy M.
Food is not that great - granted, the best mexican food you can have is always home cooked but this place is just not that great.
(1)
dominique r.
I have been coming to the restuarant for 6 years now. I come for the cleanliness and the service. its just too bad that the service has gone down. the new waitress in the morning has made me resistant to dine here. i used to look forward to my weekend breakfast here. she is unprofessional and a bit dense. i asked for hot chocolate and she asked if i wanted ICE?!? it took so long to get the food order that the hostess finally just took the order. the new girl, she doesnt move very quickly, kinda wanders around and is slow to take food orders. her clothes are not well fitting and too small. the men and women wear a standard issue uniform or clothes that look tasteful. she needs to look clean neat and professional like the other male and female servers. . like i said, ive been coming here for 6 years and was very dissapointed in the experience because of the new servier that looks like she doesnt want to be there based on her slow perfomance, disheveled un clean appearance and TERRIBLE service. btw the food is so so but the service is what kept me hanging on.
(2)
Sabrina A.
I've eaten here a few times and it's ok. While I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, some how I've ended up here more than a few times. The restaurant is pretty big and has tons of seating. The decor is pretty simple, latin themed but seems clean. Their chairs are probably the silliest, with their logo on them and really big. I don't know, the decor is just sorta silly and I never dig it. The service is just ok but not bad. From nice servers, to bartenders who couldn't care less - the service varies. But in general the service is ok though. The hostess' always seem nice and attentive though, a good start when they seat you. I've had salads that were fresh, fajitas that were good and sizzling, icky carnitas plate and simple happy hour Margaritas. The food and drinks vary, but overall pretty good. The prices are fair and the happy hour prices are really good. Pretty good, overall just ok.
(3)
Samantha O.
Hands down, best diet coke ever. I really don't know why this place doesn't have better reviews. Not only do they have the best carne asada tacos, but unlike their other MV location i never feel rushed. I might be a little biased because I've only had their carne asada tacos (all 20+ times), but they're so delicious I can't stop myself!
(5)
Jennifer S.
They have pozole EVERY DAY... What more do I need to say?
(5)
Andrea A.
I went here for lunch on a weekeday. It wasn't crowded, but the service was kinda slow. Food was pretty bland. Maybe it's all better if you get pitchers of margaritas?
(2)
Joseph D.
This place definitely stands out as far as taquerias go, as they have some truly unique items list in their add on specials menu. For food, the Burrito Pipian particularly stood out to me here, which is basically a wet burrito using a mixture of chile verde sauce and crushed pumpkin seeds - needless to say, I'll be ordering that again. The first time I was here, the service was fairly slow, but it seemed to have improved overall. As far as decor goes, it was interesting having someone sell flowers, others giving tequila shot samples, and a mariachi band playing in the restaurant. Each chair was handmade too, with slight variations on their amateur paint jobs depicting scenes of Old Mexico. Its close proximity to Highway 85 and good food makes it worth checking out!
(4)
Kenny J.
I got a jumbo carnitas burrito for dinner. I love how they presented it wrapped in glamorous aluminum foil on a plate with nothing else beside it. This was seriously one enormous burrito. The carnitas was good, some parts juicy and some parts crispy. Mmmm... :P I was nearly defeated by it, but in the end I willed myself to victory. I don't know how that burrito fit in my stomach, but I'll take the win anyways. I am the master of my stomach, my stomach is not the master of me. The chips and salsa were eh. The salsa seemed fresh and homemade, but it just didn't taste that good. $8 for a burrito is a lot. I chalk it up to the premiums added for the mariachi band that blocked the way to the restroom and the fancy painted chairs. We weren't really looking for cheap though, it was convenient and on the way to where we were going. Plus, there was no wait!!
(4)
Sri V.
Great location right on el camino in mountain view just before the Castro intersection ( for people who know the area) ... So we went in on a Sunday during late lunch hours ( yes this is one of the places in MV that doesn't close post lunch hours). The first thing that hits you is the decor and it's rows and rows of wooden dining furniture and iam not kidding these are massive dining table and chairs made of solid hand carved un painted wood and the whole place smells woody , puts a ski lodge to shame and Going by the number of tables ( almost like being among the pews in a church) I bet at any given time it never gets that crowded EVER... Coming to food, the service is slow ( or probably was that day) there was one server running between 6 parties. But once the food arrives you forget everything , they start you off with homemade chips and salsa, the salsa is thick and chunky and tastes very fresh. For the entrees we tried the enchilada with mole sauce and the chile relleno and both excellent choices. All flavors really fresh and made with patience. I have never managed to devour a chile relleno entirely owing to the cheese becoming too stringy as it becomes cold but this one kept it's personality on until I finished it. Perfect portion size and really awesome authentic Mexican.The mole sauce was to die for. Awesome food , friendly staff, four stars until they do something about the furniture.
(3)
Eugene F.
We tried to go to a different Mexican restaurant down the street, but when we entered it was packed-full of people, so headed to Los Charros instead. From what I understand, this was a converted greasy spoon/late night diner but Los Charros took it over. It's a fairly extensive restaurant with a full bar area and fairly large dining room. There looked to be quite a few people in the restaurant when we arrived, so we were hopeful that the food would be decent. I ordered a mojado burrito, but rather than the normal red sauce got it with a pipian sauce. What's pipian? Well, it was my first time trying it, and it was described as a green mole-type sauce made with pumpkin seeds. Always up for trying something new, it sounded interesting and a good change to what I usually would get so worth a try. When the food arrived, it looked like an incredible hulk burrito since ithe burrito took up the whole plate, and was covered in the green pipian sauce. I was a little suspicious, but dude, it was GOOD. Wow, such a unique flavor. It was almost like the Mexican version of pesto and quite tasty. Overall service was, well, not-so-great. We had to flag down the waiter a few times to a. get menus b. get our orders in c. find out where our drinks were It seemed that they were short-staffed that evening with a larger party going on in the cantina, but I did see one couple get seated before us, eat dinner, and leave WAY before us. Just seemed a little odd. Last thing is that I have to say that their chairs are pretty impressive here. Each chair seems to be handmade with a large horseshoe as the "headrest" and "Restaurant Los Charros" painted on the horseshoe. It's not like these chair were only at select tables, but at ALL of them. They spent some serious money on those, I dare say! So-so first experience at Los Charros. While the food was ok, the service was a little off-putting.
(3)
Bryce W.
I had read some of the Yelp comments about Los Charros Restaurant before we arrived and was worried because of the comments about poor service. In reality, the service was fine--they had put together tables for our party of 14 and chips and salsas and drinks arrived with speed. Sadly, it would turn out that the service was the highlight of the meal. Good service was unable to redeem the meal of the top 5 disastrous restaurant meals of my entire life. When the food arrived, my chicken fajitas had 4-5 thin strips of chicken sauteed in onions and peppers. The onions and peppers were so over cooked as to be falling apart. One niece order a burrito and after two bites gave up--it as unclear the type of meat in the burrito. Another niece was served an enchilada that was so bad that the niece had to be taken from the restaurant and brought another meal later since she was still hungry--that happens when they are 10. Arroz con pollo actually sort of looked like it should look on the plate, but the taste had little resemblance to the dish. Everyone picked at their food. The mashed beans were spicy and surprisingly good, but did not make up for the disastrous quality of the meal. I could go on, but I hope the point is made about the atrocious food. At least no one had food poisoning the next day. The meal did not rise to the level of mediocre and made going to Taco Bell, which would have been far cheaper, look like gourmet Mexican food. It is hard to believe they stay in business. They must serve wonderful drinks.
(1)
Jason M.
Good food, bad guacamole. Service semi slow unless you flag them down. Great Shrimp Burrito and awesome salsa. You won't leave smelling like mexican food either!
(4)
Davis Z.
lean crispy carnitas best I've ever had. Full bar with great pours and an excellent selection of tequila. 5 stars all the way
(5)
Patty J.
I give this restaurant 0 stars but it made me have to pick one. Not only was the food inedible, the owner didn't care that we thought it lacked taste or authenticity. We offered to pay half the bill since we only took a few bites, but the owner said it was too bad that it wasn't to our liking. There was hardly any meat in the quesadilla or enchiladas and what was there was dry and tasteless. The guacamole looked and tasted as if it came out of a can or packet mix. Both of us were very disappointed, especially for the lack of interest from the owner and his unprofessionalism. However, the staff and servers were fantastic. We felt bad for them and it was not their fault that the food was so lousy and obviously not freshly made. We plan to spread the word to colleges and hospitals in the area, where we live and work.
(1)
E M.
Stopped in a sunday evening and was underwhelmed. Nothing was BAD, but nothing was really memorable either. Chile verde is better than the Chile Colorado, but Casa Lupe just down the street makes a phenomenal Chile verde, but aren't open on sundays...We probably won't make the trek out again, but I hear they have a good happy hour. Maybe I'd go back if it was walking distance, but not worth the drive for me.
(2)
Amadeo D.
Wet Super Burritos, that's all there is to it. Tangy green tomatillo sauce and gooey cheese smothering a big 'ole buritto, is the only way to go. Favorite meat, Pollo Asada. It's good and flavorful! Been going here for years, and it's always been great. Super cheap and super friendly. Enjoying a beer and some tacos at one of the shaded street side table in the mid afternoon in summer is one of my favorite settings. It;s just far enough off Castro street to escape the hustle and bustle, but close enough to still be a part of the action. As a side note they do american style breakfast in the morning along with mexican traditions. You could be having French Toast while your buddy has Huevos Rancheros at the same time. uh huh, that's right. The house salsa's are great. Upon seating, you are served 2 types, once diced Pico de Gallo style, and another roasted red style. The latter can very in consistency but they've never been bad. PROTIP: Don't wait around for your check like a chump, get up and pay at the register you are finished. Otherwise you 'll be sitting there for a long time.
(4)
BOB B.
Where to start... -Today was our fourth visit in two months. I am a big fan of the steak fajitas and the tasty margaritas. It is unfortunate that one employee can ruin an experience to never return. -We were greeted with dirty looks, no hello or a smile. -Before my ass could hit the seat, we were asked what we wanted to drink, (no problem, super fast service)? -The plates came in a timely manner, brought to us by our angry server who was a girl on Saturday the 3rd of August. She basically dropped our plates in front of us, before leaving for another 3 minutes to bring the tortillas. -When she came back and we asked for water, the look of disgust came over her. Mind you we made it through ALL of the chips n salsa, not ever bringing water in the first place. - (also never offering a 2nd round of chips, or drinks) -Keep in mind she didnt speak AT ALL, and we said please and thank you after every little thing she did, because it was uncomfortable that it seemed she couldnt speak. -She did not check on us once. She brought the drinks, then the food, and then she disappeared. -After we finished, we waited a little over ten minutes, and she wasnt anywhere in sight. -We soon realized that another waiter was starting a shift, who was super nice, came to our table, took our plates and brought us the check. -The table next to us got up and was walking around to find out how to pay for their meal, as the waitress (if you can call her that) turned into David Copperfield. -It took everything in me to not dine and ditch and walk out. -We left with leaving zero tip. I hope the owner reads this. -My experience led to me calling the person that turned me onto this place, which is leading to them and at least 8 others (who spend 200 every trip easily) to never go there again. Customer service is everything, which means you need to hire a competent staff. This trip was not even ratable, but will go with one star as you have to enter something.
(1)
J C.
Service here is good, with ample space inside. Ive tried this place twice, and both times just wasnt wowed by their food. its decent but not great. the grilled meats are a bit oily, and pricers are a bit higher although portions are big. this place is probably good for get togethers, happy hours, etc. But as for better quality mexican food, I would go somewhere else.
(2)
Rachel G.
Amazing chicken enchiladas..my favorite spot for Mexican!
(5)
Michelle W.
Okay, I like the little taqueria better. The food is basically the same. Ordered my typical wet burrito (two meals big) and it was just as tastey as the little taqueira, but the place lacks some of the authentic charm. This one feels touristy and cavernous like a big gym converted for a theme party. The prices are also slightly higher. I guess we have to pay for all that empty space in the bigger restaurant. I must say, though, that my daughter LOVED the chairs. She spent lots of time comparing one to another to find the differences. I would definately eat here again, espcially if I wanted a lingering dinner, instead of a quick bite, but the vibe in the taqueria is just a little more... something. CRAVING: Wet Burrito
(4)
Patricia A.
I know Happy hour does not directly mean you should become Happy its the deal of al the deals. $5 Cosmo and I thought the Shrimp cocktail. Not bad and not good. That's all I really say because I don't know what took so long and why the cocktail was served the way it was...aka I was not expecting it to be served in a tall glass soup like and I wasn't happy about the price of it. I will try again, but not during happy hour too many flies aka young people just getting drunk.
(3)
Linda S.
Excellent enchiladas! I will be coming back... good price for lots of food
(5)
Flor D.
I hate to say it...but I think I like the taqueria better. With it's quaint charm and "no frills" attitude, the taqueria does not try to impress...it just IS. Upon hearing that this great venue had expanded to a new(bigger) location...I had to go try it out. First off, this used to be the old Ken's restaurant that I KINDA loved. Back in the day....I thought the decor was campy...and it reminded me of a moose lounge. Now, they threw some Mexican decor on top of the old moose lounge decor..and the place feels a little confused. Chairs, although cute, suck. I really don't care for them. They are too big and hard to move. Food is so so...and makes me miss the basics of the ol' taco and chip lunch. The portions are massive...and had to love the guy sitting next to me who confused this place to Baja Fresh asking..."can I get it wet" WHO DID HE THINK HE WAS...DORK! Service was spectacular...but that's cause the joint was a little empty. I really want to support my Latin peeps, but this new change does not the venue much. I'll stick to the Castro location-thanks. ***note****they don't take AMEX-1 point.
(3)
Greg G.
I always pass by this place and finally I decided to check it out. The decor is sort of cheezy but that was fine. My friends and I were promptly seated and asked for our order. I usually travel with at least 1 or two vegetarians and it is great to find a place that accommodattes them. This place was pretty cool. Both my friends asked for variations of dishes on the menu (1 even asked for a variation after their dish was served ) . I am not a picky person, but I know others are. The waiter didn't flinch though, he took the changes and brought out (very quickly) all our dishes just as we asked for them. The Chirizo was excellent and so were the rice and beans. Prices were pretty fair too. I got a lot of tasty food for the price. I am definitely coming back here.
(4)
Steve S.
Came here for lunch and had the combo plate: taco, enchilada with rice and beans. Flavor was decent and satisfied the Mexican food craving. The soft tortillas of the taco were placed on top of the beans though which made it impossible to eat without making a mess. Prices are trending on the high side. My combo plate was $12 (it's $13.25 for dinner). The decor is nice. Kinda reminds me of a tourist trap restaurant in Tijuana. Kinda cheesy, but kinda comforting in its cheese. I'd recommend Casa Lupe No 2 or Tacos Jalapa as alternatives.
(3)
Chan T.
Hey wherever they have super chavelas i have to try them out...they werent as strong as talaquepaque but they were pretty good. the only thing was that there was ice in my drink! they should try freezing the big goblets. I ordered a beef taco salad which was good. Service was ok, I asked for a cup of water a couple of times but i never ened up getting it. Big place, i would come here again though
(4)
En J.
This review is for the food at Los Charros. I got the Arroz con Pollo, it was a swampy puddle of tomato broth with rice and chunks of chicken. The texture of food was gross, I was not willing to give Los Charros another chance but that would be unfair. So the next time I got basic Chicken Fajitas, again disappointed with the texture and flavor of the meat.
(1)
Steve B.
Super awesome happy hour that runs longer than most from 3-7pm. Margaritas are cheap and hand poured, so no premix garbage to assault your tastebuds. These are the best & cheapest margies I've found in the local area. The food is a little meh, but to be fair I'm a vegetarian so my range is narrow and I haven't tried a whole bunch. People keep pouring in, so it must be good and this seems to be a local favorite.
(4)
A C.
I absolutely love this place! I always get the green cheese and chicken enchiladas! Delicious! Great quality food for a decent price. The server is always nice!
(5)
Janet D.
Pretty good and the price is right. Had the chicken tamales which were good even the next day. Fajitas and chicken enchiladas were on point.
(3)
Michael M.
Nice looking place and I was expecting a good experience, however that is not what I got. I ordered one of their specials (Chicken Salad $9.25) which was OK at best. I also ordered a Corona Light ($4.50) which just did not taste right. I am not someone who sends food or drinks back as I am not that picky so I normally just power through it, however half way through the beer, I decided that it was not worth the trouble and told the waiter that there was something wrong with beer and the waiter asked me what I would like so I decided to get a regular Corona as I did not want to risk betting another bad Corona Light.. The bill comes, both beers are on the bill, I ask the waiter about it, the owner comes out and puts up a fight about me drinking half of the first beer! I explain that I know what Corona Light tastes like and that I am not trying to rip him off for half of a beer that I was afraid was going to make me sick. He says I should pay for half of the beer. I look at him like he might be crazy and ask him if he is serious. Sure enough the bill comes out and he charges me half price for the bad beer. Please do not waste your time or money at this place. Mike 50 year old male, professional business person
(1)
Gianna D.
They have good drinks here, good chips and salsa, and they do have a lot of seating here. When I came here quite some time ago, there were some girls at the front handing out samples of tequila too which was pretty cool. The food here is good, try the habanero salsa if you like things spicy. Honestly their taqueria a few streets down is much better and I much prefer their food and service there. And you also don't pay the the premium price for the nicer type of sit down restaurant atmosphere either.
(3)
Dan B.
Is it a sit-down restaurant that wants to be a taqueria? Or a taqueria that wants to be a sit-down restaurant? Like a restaurant, you sit at a table with a menu and a server takes your order. The interior is spacious, and there is even a full bar. The tables and chairs are wood, and all the chairs are beautifully carved and painted. Like a taqueria, decoration was done on the cheap: very basic, no frills, with adobe colored walls. The configuration and window placement looks more appropriate for a furniture store than a restaurant. The place is too brightly lit, reminding me of a cafeteria. The menu is a mixture: there are some taqueria items (e.g. wet burritos, quesadillas) and some more restaurant-like combinations and assorted "big hot plates of food" I was confused here on one visit and tried to order a couple of tacos, plus beans and rice. That combo is not offered on the menu, and waitress looked at me like I was stoned. To her credit, however, she was able to figure out the items a la carte, though it ended up being pricey for just a taco plate ($10) Other items I've tried: -- Chicken Enchilada Plate: OK; nothing special -- Posole: Good but pretty standard -- Wet chicken burrito: Decent but expensive ($10 + tax/tip) -- Tortilla soup: Delicious but expensive ($10 + tax/tip). This was a unique meal and the best thing I tried here, but unfortunately they have since removed it from the menu. Figures. My main my problem with Los Charros Restaurant is this: The food is pricier than your normal taqueria, but it isn't as good. Yes, I get to sit down, and yes I get a large and varied menu to order from, but sometimes I just want a burrito, and I want to pay $5.50 for it, not $7 plus tip. On the flip side, if I was in the mood for a sit-down Mexican meal, I could think of a few places I'd rather go with better food and a nicer atmosphere (La Fiesta in Mountain View is one.) Considering this is the sister restaurant to the infamous Los Charros Taqueria in downtown Mtn view, this place is a bit of a letdown for me. I can't give it more than 3 stars.
(3)
Dave T.
Great Mexican food served all through the day. Huge breakfasts and if you get there on a Friday you get a mariachi show!
(5)
Anita L.
WOW what can I say? The taqueria was one of our fav haunts when we lived in Mountain View and we couldn't resist stopping into their restaurant and cantina while visiting some friends in the Bay Area. It was almost closing time! We arrived at 10pm (they close at 10.30pm). I was amazed at the sheer size of the place. I looked around for familiar faces in the dining room area, but saw no one I recognized -- until that is -- someone at the bar area recognized us and waved hello. It was one of the owners of Los Charros. We informed him that we are now living in southern Calif and were still constantly thinking about the food here. The 3 of us seated ourselves at the bar so we could chat with the owner (I couldn't remember his name and was too embarrassed to ask, but we know the other one is named Carlos) while hubby got him to make him a margarita and we ordered some grub. I longed for some habanero salsa along with the regular salsa roja they served. The server was so generous and brought me an entire tub which if I had attempted to eat completely, would've caused me much agony today in the bathroom. Hubby got 2 carne asada tacos, I got my favorite camarones de mojo de ajo and lil guy got his usual plate of beans and rice with pollo asado. Everything arrived looking yummy as usual, but I was impressed with the presentation since the taqueria never stressed on that aspect. The tacos were HUGE!! I mean they were twice the size of the ones we remembered at the taqueria and my shrimps were absolutely divine. Lil guy's plate came without the beans (I gave him mine) but he finished the entire plate of chicken and rice. When the owner saw me savor the shrimps, he ended up getting me 4 extra shrimps on the house. What a star!!! In the end, we got 3 meals and 2 margaritas and the total before tip was $45. Slightly more than the taqueria but the food was just out of this world. We were so happy to be around familiar surroundings and an old server Adrian from the taqueria was there and said hi to us too (as he remembered us from the old place). LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!! We'll miss you when we leave again.
(5)
M C.
Its amazing what you'll put up with for convenience and a pitcher of margaritas within walking distance of home. We've gone to Los Charros off and on for a while. We've never expected much out of the food-- this is what passed as "mexican food" locally 40 years ago-- miminal spice, heavy on the beans and rice, pretty bland sauces. Everything just a little...soggy. Los Charros has some occasionally good carnitas, but it usually buried in bland slop. The tamales literally make me long for the frozen Costco variety we keep in the freezer. But, there are the margaritas. Good not great, but close to home. Too expensive for low end tequilla. We went there tonight for the last time. Our waitress--not our first bad experience with her-- went beyond rude into flat-out nasty. Literally chewed us out after I wandered around the restaurant to find my check after staring at my dirty plate for over 20 minutes. Management seemed unconcerned. Plenty of other mediocre plates of rice and beans in Mtn View. Avoid Los Charros.
(1)
Kathleen M.
All my parents could talk about after they ate here was the mariachi band. "I've seen mariachi bands before," I thought. "They're just being old, out of touch gringos." And then I ate at Los Charros. Wow. So there's a mariachi band. And they play at FULL VOLUME. When the horns kick in you will want to cover your ears to avoid the pain. Maybe you won't do it because you don't want to seem rude. Or maybe you'll be like me and pretend you're holding your head up with your hands and your hands just happen to be over your ears. Not only is it loud but the band visits table to table. You worry as you sit that they'll come by yours next. Just in case, we checked to see if a nearby table tipped them afterwards. Crap. They did. That means we'd have to tip them for something we don't even want. Avoid eye contact. Avoid eye contact... But thankfully they don't uninvited mariachi you. One of them came to our table and asked if we had any mariachi song requests. Oh yeah, we want them to play that uh... famous mariachi tune. Although we considered seeing if they could mariachi up "Hungry Eyes," we passed. In the mariachi band's defense they were good musicians and people do sing along. You know to those, uh... famous mariachi songs. So yeah, there was food, too. We came because my mom raved about the cheese enchiladas and my dad loved the chile rellenos. I don't usually get cheese enchiladas (I get enchiladas as God intended - with chicken, dammit) but these were exceptional. My husband liked his chicken enchiladas but I thought they were very bland. The enchilada plates come with rice (eh), beans (I had refried; my mom said the pinto beans were off but my husband's tasted fine to me), sour cream, some lettuce with a touch of dressing, and guacamole. The guacamole was weird and a little too smooth. It made me wonder if they mayonnaised it up. I don't think so though. The cheese enchiladas were really good though. They tasted a lot like my favorite frozen enchiladas, which believe it or not is high praise. Now that I think about it I really should just stay home and save money and eat the frozen stuff. I saw a review that referred to this restaurant as really pretty on the inside. It was just okay to me. There are a couple pretty Mexican restaurants in Mountain View - Vive Sol and La Fiesta - that blow this place out of the water. They also cost 50% more. The tables at Los Charros are all hand painted with images of people and the chairs all have the restaurant's name carved into them along with brightly colored figures of men and women. It looks like Los Charros really plans to stay in business because at this point those chairs have zero resale value.
(4)
Allan C.
Food might get 2.5 stars. Service gets about 1.5...maybe less. Went there last night for Father's Day. Sister-in-law is vegetarian, and ordered, not surprisingly, the vegetarian burrito. She not only got a verdi pork burrito, but when we told our "server" that we got the wrong one, he first poked through it to make sure it was pork (as if we could not tell from the...pork that came out of it), then shrugged his shoulders and took it back to the kitchen. Oh, and I had to go find him, after staring at his back for 5 minutes, to get him to even come over. We had to call him over for every drink refill too. He simply didn't care about us at all. He seemed annoyed. And we were one of only 4 tables there. Absolutely ridiculous. The food itself was a bit...weird. Relleno was too oily or the batter was strange - it was like a pancake and kind of mushy. Enchiladas had stale tortillas. But they weren't _horrible_. Mole sauce my father-in-law had was apparently pretty good. Wife had a vegetarian tostada shell salad. Not only did it have mushrooms - when was the last time I've had mexican food with mushrooms? I'm not sure I've ever had them - but the flavors were bland and the guacamole was something out of a grocery store. I would not bother to go there again.
(1)
Kirbologix J.
If you're looking to get drunk, have fun, fill up on bland beans, rice and tortillas with a group, come here. If you want good Mexican food, save your money and go across the street to Taqueria Margaritas. Positive: Fun atmosphere, good for kids, full bar, extensive tequila list, drinks are good, pico de gallo is great, salsa is great, servers and hosts were super friendly, tortillas were warm and lightly roasted - a nice touch. My toddler loved the decorations and the other kids running around Negative: I grew up in rural San Diego County, so I've come to realize that my taste in Mexican food differs wildly from the Bay Area (I'd say is more refined...but let's just say differs). I found the very food bland. My carne asada was over cooked. It was lacking in flavor and spice. I realize most people in the Bay Area order chicken quesadillas, enchiladas and burritos, not carne asada, and want a lot of beans and rice and not too spicy, so perhaps take my margarita laden review with a grain of salt. Probably Los Charros has just watered their food down to appease the masses.
(2)
Richard A.
This review is about breakfast. This place has the best BACON I've found in Mountain View. The morning crew does very nice eggs as well, and the hash browns are much better than most, especially when you use a bit of the salsa (chopped tomatoes, onions, and a touch of cilantro). The fresh, lively flavor of the salsa against the rich, deep flavors of the meat, eggs, and potatoes is super. The price is good, too. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that, as has often been mentioned, the service is very, very spotty. Sometimes they are excellent, and other times I've found myself driven to wander the back reaches of the place to find someone to help me.
(4)
Jen S.
I definitely echo what some of the reviewers were saying that it was a bit of a slow service, limited parking but a much spacious restaurant with great decor and delicious food. My husband and I came Friday evening for dinner and I'm not sure if this is a regular thing but there were Mariachis playing and singing for the larger tables. It was wonderful and livened up the atmosphere. it was a 15 minute wait but since we were only 2, the mgr. sat us in the bar area. Chips and salsa were on par and even though we waited quite a bit for our food to be brought out, our server was very attentive in refilling our chips, salsa, and drinks. He was incredibly nice and kept checking in with us to make sure we were okay and to give us updates of when our food would be out. My husband's chicken fajitas were delicious as was my combo plate with a chicken tamale and chicken flauta. The meat was tender and juicy. The beans didn't harden up after a minute like it does at other restaurants, namely El Burro. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and will be coming back again!
(4)
Tina L.
Im a fan and I will definitely consider coming back! The food is authentic and very fresh. I like the amostphere
(4)
Elle L.
I love the breakfast here! Although I have only eaten dinner here once, I have always been please with the food. I love the chorizo and egg and eventhough I wanted something that was not on the menu, they made it for me especially! Nice! Ok adding on, dinner is traditional and nothing is ever headed up, this is made fresh and you can tell. I love the pozole and although I am not a fan of menudo, I am sure it is homemade. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Beth K.
To keep it simple, I'm going to divide this review into 2 sections, the fabulous must-trys and the decent, but not particularly remarkable: -Yummy yummy in my tummy: ANY of the camarones (shrimp) plates (my favorite is the mojo de ajo), the tostada ceviche (as good as the one at the Mountain View Farmer's Market). -Solid/decent: The burritos and tacos. The meats are good and tasty (we've tried the chicken, carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas--we recommend the carnitas and al pastor!) and the portions are hearty, but I have had similar quality burritos like this all over the peninsula.
(4)
Peter v.
Taqueria Los Charros: SUPER SIZED! The space is bigger, the plates are bigger, and the prices are also. . . bigger, but only slightly. I had my first burrito at Los Charros during lunch on the front counter within the first week it was open. I think I was like 10 years old and the owner was there and chatted with my dad and uncle some through out our meal. Ever since, I have loved to think of this place as my little Mexican restaurant. Now that it has a big sister, I'm happy to report. . . she's a pretty cool girl too. Pros: -Very spacious, bright interior -Fresh delicious food -Even BIGGER plates of food -Less expensive than many restaurants of lower quality -Immaculately clean tables and floors -Spacious, clean and beautiful bathrooms -Open (spacious and clean) kitchen Cons: -Higher prices than Taqueria Los Charros -Slower service Service: I am used to the amazingly quick and friendly service at this restaurant's little sister. It was late lunch when I ate here and there were about 4 tables of people, so I was expecting a little faster service considering the huge kitchen and little demand. My server was very friendly and hard working, but seemed inexperienced *I expect that the service will improve with time, because we know the owners know how to do fast and friendly. Food Breakdown: I am a vegetarian and I like the "$4 veggie taco plate" at Charros 1. It's a whole plate filled with delicious food for about $4! What the hell better in the world could you expect for? Today at Restaurant Los Charros I ordered the "Cheese and onion enchiladas plate" and a small orange juice. Orange juice is the same fresh squeezed as from the original. The actual plate was larger and the food is baked on the plate which comes out hot (and accounts for some of the extra time it took to deliver) The food was just as good as usual, salsa seemed fresher actually. The enchiladas were very tasty, very cheesy. I wouldn't say they are anything special, but I also think that's not a bad thing with enchiladas. They weren't tangy or tart like at some places, and the sauce was very bland and tomato-y. Wouldn't mind a little kick in the sauce. They came with rice, beans, sour cream, guac, lettuce and tomato slice. My total was around $11 which is not unreasonable, considering there's enough food to make two meals of. Conclusion: I am pleased and will go back to both Taqueria Los Charros and Restaurant Los Charros for years to come. Bottom line though, there's a time to go to the Taqueria and a time to go to the Restaurant. When speed and price is important Taqueria is the place, when seeking more of a dining experience or a large group gathering Restaurant is perfect.
(4)
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Address :89 W El Camino Real
Mountain View, CA, 94040
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Dennis T.
Came here Friday night for a dinner with my gf and her uncle. We've passed this place afew times when we where in the Mountain View area and finally got around to trying it out. First thing we order was 3 strawberry margaritas they where weak I drank one and a half cause my girl did not finish hers and both where sweet and couldn't taste no alcohol. The food was decent I had the tostada shell with asada the meat was flavorful my girl had the enchiladas and her uncle had the carne asada plate, we all enjoyed our meals there where no complaints. If I'm ever in the area and I'm craving Mexican food but I pass on the drinks.
(3)Dee L.
Always been curious about their advertised happy hour 3-7 sign posted in front of their restaurant while cruising down El Camino. Finally made our entrance on a Monday afternoon with my coworker. Yes, the week barely started and we already needed to vent. Parking is located at the front and the back next to the hotel with a front and back entrance. The place is nicely decorated like a pinata, quite welcoming. Happy hour drinks are priced about $6 with 3 food items taquitos, nachos and chips and gauc. They charge $1.75 for chips and salsa. Margaritas were great starters and they were just the right cure. Chips were thin, served with two salsa- fresh and a spicy one. The highlight of it all was the chorizo potato taquitos. They were so delicious we ordered another one. Crispy on the outside and stuffed with chorizo and potatoes--awesome combination! Sides of lettuce and sour cream on platter. Whoever thought of that combination gave me a reason to come back! There is a taquria los charros located in downtown mountain view, but I like how this location is away from the horrendous parking madness and plenty of seating at the bar area.
(4)Loon E.
My cousin is dating a Mexican and supposedly she loves this place, so off we went to check it out. Usually takes a lot to convince me to go somewhere, but this time I didn't really care. Naturally, I didn't order anything in her usual rotation of items and instead opted for the oh so authentic carnitas burrito in a spinach tortilla. First thing you notice when you enter is the atmosphere; seems a little festive even when the whole place is basically barren. The chairs are cute. Chips and salsa were satisfactory. Salsa more so than the chips, which weren't of very high quality. My burrito came out and the carnitas were solid with the flavor being strong, but it had a little too much rice and didn't really like the entire balance of the burrito. Service was fantastic throughout, but that was about the only real memorable thing about this meal. My cousin may need to check the authenticity of his girlfriend's birth certificate, because this meal raised a lot of questions for me as to her knowledge of Mexican food.
(3)Taylor H.
Okay first of all, I walk in and there's already someone waiting for their food. No problem until the server rudely cuts off the customer talking to him to ask me if I'm from door dash.. Uh no sir Then it gets worse, I was told on the phone 30 MINUTES PRIOR that my food would be ready in 5/10 minutes. When I told him I was picking up he started looking around confused like where's my food? I'm still there waiting and he has , what I'm assuming to be, his daughter following him around the restaurant as he's working. Finally I get my food, WHERE ARE MY CHIPS? I also asked for extra salsa and he said he would charge me for it. Okay never mind, no extra salsa for me. What a disappointing visit.
(2)Diana E.
The food here is not great, it doesn't even have flavor. Not the best Mexican restaurant.
(1)Mercedes C.
Located in the heart of mountain view. Prime location. In my opinion it's not very authentic mexican food. Chips and salsa is okay...... Enchiladas are mediocre and the cocktail de Camerone is okay. Canned beans, runny sauce but one upside is that there are live mariachis at 7. If your looking for some excellent mexican tapas and margaritas go over down the street to vive sol.
(3)Alex W.
lots of space but a regular burrito is about $8.50-9 and they dont give me chips everytime. rather go to una mas around the corner, free buffet of salsa to pick with the chips they give you
(2)Klarissa L.
Has always been one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. They're chips are freshly made and delicious. When you sit down you get chips and two different types of salsa. I LOVE their salsa! If you like really spicy salsa, you can also ask for that - they keep it in the back! I no longer live in Mountain View, but growing up I came here all the time and would get the Wet Super Burrito with Chicken or Pork - HUGE portion that can easily feed two! My brother always loved the quesadilla with Chicken or Pork. Their salad bowls are phenomenal. Now that I live in New York and it's hard to get good authentic Mexican food AND my visits home are always so short - I always come here first thing in the morning to ensure I don't run out of time to get my fix - I always get the Shrimp Breakfast Burrito! My current favorite! Love this place!
(4)Mr. B.
Ordered the "Arroz con Pollo," which is normally my favorite item at Mexican restaurants (if they have it). Los Charros' recipe isn't good at all. It's normally a rice/chicken mix, covered in melted cheese. At Los Charros, it was rice and chicken swimming in tomato sauce. I'm honestly not sure if there was cheese, or if it was also drowned out in the tomato sauce pool The Mariachi band is ridiculously loud, but kids love their rendition of "La Bamba." The Mariachi's are only there on the weekends. Finally, the parking lot wasn't big enough. Had to park on the street.
(3)J O.
Amazing! Got chicken burrito, delicious. The best Mexican food I've had so far. Very courteous staff as well.
(5)Simone R.
I can't speak for the service because I had this to go, but the food is absolute crap. I ordered chicken fajitas. Seriously, how do you mess that up? There was barely any chicken, not even enough for one fajita. And what was there was dry and uninspiring. It was lost in a pile of greasy vegetables, served with chewy tortillas. I can't believe I'm saying this...but I should have gone to Chevy's.
(1)Nor-Cal A.
Its OK. Food is eh. Drinks are meh. Service is bland. This place is just mediocre. Not even a mariachi band could liven up this place. You are better off buying a six pack, getting takeout from a taqueria and going home to watch netflix
(3)Jes B.
I didn't want to give so little stars and it really should be only one star. But our server was really nice. Their customer service was great and I thought that food arrived very timely. I tipped as if it was a great meal, Because the server was a great server, he deserves to be tipped. I was beyond disappointed in their food. The rice was the best part of the meal and I should've just gotten a plate of rice. I very rarely complain about the quality of food at a restaurant. But this was awful. I ordered chile relleno and the batter was cooked at such a strange temperature that it was different consistency throughout the piece of food and edges toward the tip of the pepper reminded me of rusted steel wool, from that color and texture. I had to cut off so much of the better parts and put it aside just to eat parts that resembled what I had ordered.. Again I really hate bagging on someone's food and I understand that sometimes others' tastes are different from mine, but I just didn't enjoy my meal. Again don't get me wrong, The service was excellent. I could see going there for drinks, but I don't know if I would order a meal there again.
(2)Tina S.
Large bar and dining area imply this is popular, but the food is fairly average and the service slow and uninspiring. They have a limited beer menu. The place seems a bit tired and the general attitude of the staff seems to suggest that they don't really have their heart in it.
(3)Cat H.
As a last minute idea we decided to go out to dinner with a few friends. There were six of us and we were quickly seated. At 5pm on a Saturday the place was about half full. The place is very festive looking and the carved, painted wooden chairs are awesome. We ordered a pitcher of strawberry margaritas and I was nicely surprised when we could taste the alcohol but not be either over or under whelmed by it. Nice smooth drinks. We each ordered different items and everyone was very happy with their food. The service was very good as well. We'll be going back again when we are in town.
(5)Jared F.
Excellent burritos--best I've had. They use fresh ingredients to forge delicious combinations. You can always have your food made to order if you prefer and the turn around time is quick. They have a full bar and intoxicating peach margaritas and mango margaritas, made with fresh squeezed mangos. 5 stars for Los Charros
(5)Scott F.
I tried 3 tacos: yelp.com/biz_photos/los-… 4/5: carnitas. Nice crunchy outer surface 3/5: al pastor. 2/5: chili Colorado: not quite as thick and complex as I like it.
(3)Fi K.
This is my fourth and last time coming here. Last time I was here they poured a nasty grainy black shit looking sauce on the burrito. Their chicken tasted like fish. This time their sloppy burrito was too wet with gross bean juice. Their salsas sucked. Their beans were gritty.
(2)Mamma B.
Inconsistent for sure! You close at 11pm n it's not the customers fault that your kitchen crew already started cleaning the kitchen at 945pm!!! So guess what? The food was burnt and we were starving. I know we are going to pay for it later. I am including a picture of the refried beans just to show you how blatant it was!!! It is sad because they have good service, good prices, n they are open late. If they had better cooks or ones that cared they could be a great eatery in Mt. View! Ahhhhhh I woke up puking n I'm so sickkkkkk! N I have to be at work. Not fun being sick at work. Not cool Los Charros! I should have just walked away when I saw the beans!!!
(2)Kamille R.
Awesome posole and breakfast here! Must try the chilaquiles!! Service is great here too !
(5)Santiago P.
I went for dinner with my sons and I will never come back to this place the food was terrible and the service the same !!!!!!!sucks
(1)Shrina S.
I love Mexican food, and I judge a Mexican restaurant by their enchiladas. I ordered the cheese and onion enchilada dinner, which came with enchiladas, rice, beans, salad, sour cream, cheese, and guac. Lots of food! The meal was pretty good! I like this place because it's group-friendly, and they don't get annoyed if you're sitting there for a while with a group. Would I come back? It's been a while, but yes, I need to go back!
(4)Kelly A.
The sangria was less then average. The staff was super nice and attentive. I found one vegetarian item on the menu...ordered the veg burrito wet green sauce. The sauce tasted like it was out of a can. Could of had some vegetables in the burrito.
(3)Preety K.
Ordered a super carnitas burrito based off of the national rating putting this burrito on the top 20 list in America. Was pretty disappointed. The pork wasn't flavorful, and there was little to no sour scream or guacamole in the burrito, and way too many beans. Restaurant also is a little dirty.
(2)Mr L.
Got here at 2:30 today for lunch. The place is huge, much bigger than I expected from the outside. No one was here so I got seated right away. They have wireless internet here so I'm getting some work done. There are only a few lunch specials, so if you expect to get a cheaper price for lunch than the dinner price you are out of luck. I paid $11.80 for an enchilada plate. Too pricey for lunch for me. It came with 3 enchiladas, guac, sour cream, salad, rice and beans. I asked for no salad and substitute more rice. I got no salad but no extra rice unfortunately. For the price, I'd rather eat elsewhere. The enchilada was a 2.5-3.0 star, but for the price it should be better.
(2)Gregg S.
Had a last minute order for an office get together and needed lunch for 15-20 people. Los Charros got everything together and delivered a perfect meal. Everybody loved the food and we had a great event. I'd recommend Los Charros for take-out, catering, or dine-in.
(5)Gary S.
Great local Mexican food. Fun bar - terrific staff - food is genuine - great portions
(4)Antoinette G.
We were seated right away. The kitchen is open its pretty noisy back there. The Menudo was on target. Small bowl was filled to the rim. It was served with small dish of cilantro, oregano,onion, dried chile, lime, and a few slices of avocado. We also ordered Rajas a la Mexicana. Should have passed. They were pretty bland and only had a few raja slices. No one ever filled my water glass. The menu read that menudo was $7 but we were charged $8. But really the menudo was so good. We told the guy at the register and he took it right off the bill. Great. !
(3)eduardo l.
What a disappointment! There were four of us. We had to wave down our waiter afyer 10 minutes of waiting to order drinks. Two of us got our drink in 10 minutes and the other two got them in 30 minutes with our food. By the way we ordered water, a coke, a michalada, and a draft beer. Our food came and the battered shrimp for one of the orders came burnt and the waiter tried to convince us that they weren't burnt and then huff ed and puffed when we asked for something different. Ruined the night. Didn't even get refills on our drinks after 1 hour of being there. Please beware!
(1)Roger T.
Friendly service and good Mexican food. I had the Steak Enchaladas and Chile Reano, Beams Rice and Salad. It was after 10:00p and they still served up some better than average food. Not the very best... But it was above average.
(4)Nadia S.
Great local Mexican grab and go kinda place! This is a great casual quick eats type of place! I echo what everyone else says about the amazing burritos and would highly recommend the carnitas or any of the burritos if you're unsure of what to order or my fav the enchiladas plate! Everyone who complains about the service is unaware of the fact that you order when you walk in and they bring you your order..they're not exactly serving you as servers do in sit down restaurants! As I said before it's very casual..enjoy!!
(5)Suzette S.
Have eaten here many times and came in for dinner. Ordered the Enchiladas dinner plate. Enchiladas were delicious and moist. Beans and rice sides were good. Also ordered a guacamole appetizer. Guacamole was lumpy and bland. Did not seem to be made fresh from real avocados. Could not even eat. Was disappointed that they did not prepare fresh.
(3)Rockey L.
Food was okay, had better authentic Mexican food. But one thing that stood out is the service sucked. Waited 5min for refills, waited another 5 for spoon and napkins. It was terrible. The service don't know how to wait or serve the customers. And when we were telling the cashier about the service he doesn't even care and walked away in the middle of us telling him.
(2)Jeff J.
- Ambiance (3/5) It's what you'd expect out of a typical Mexican joint. Necessarily tacky colors. It didn't strike me as all that clean. - Service (3/5) For a sit down place, we didn't really get all that much service. They did bring out extra chips and s
(3)Alison L.
I used to frequent the one in downtown MV a few years back, and this was the second time i had been to their "now not so new" location. Went on a Friday night. Ambiance was lively as can be. TVs on, live music (mariachi bands)- there were some birthday requests and other random ones. Food was just as good as I remember. I love their tacos. Lengua and carnitas... great stuff. Tons of chips and salsa... and ordered an Horchata there (I've yet to find a place that makes them in VA). Great food- highly recommend if you're in the area. Service isn't the best, but who goes to a mexican restaurant for service....it's all about the food, drink, and company!
(5)Salvador A.
This place is not a great place to stop by and get food and drinks. Came here a while back just to check out how the food and drinks were and I was disappointed. I asked for many common strong drinks and the bartender didn't have no clue of what they were. I asked for a AMF which every bartender know how to make and is only 7 dollars, the dumb bartender poors vodka and juice, so nasty. Please don't try this place.
(1)Anthony N.
I ordered through DoorDash, the food get delivered straight to me so I can only review the food quality. I ordered the Burrito Pipian. According to the description, it includes grilled chicken. What I got was boiled chicken. The chicken meat seems to be over boiled because it was tasteless and devoid of nutrient. This is the worst burrito I ever had. Even Chipotle is better than this.
(1)Ivette A.
Horrible service. Went here with my in laws (party of 9) and right off the bat we were treated like we didn't matter *10 mins to be greeted and seated ( 5 or 6 tables where occupied out of about 20-25) * 10 mins for a waiter to get our drinks * 5 minutes later, a 2nd waiter can and asked us what types of drinks we ordered * when the drinks came, the "blended margarita. " had large chunks of ice and was not able to be consumed by a straw * the food came at different times. Out of 9 meals,The cheese quesadilla came last *my father in law asked for more tortillas about halfway through his meal. The extra tortillas came when he had finished his meal (20 mins later) The food was ok. Nothing to drool over although the Flan was really good. There was no music, no entertainment and other than another large party in the room there was about 3 other tables occupied. We will not be returning. $200 spent and we were treated like a chore? I don't think so. We are 4 separate families and all of us agree that this is not a place we will be giving our business to
(1)John B.
I like their taqueria better but this place is cool. "Award winning" al pastor as proclaimed by the waiter. Delicioso.
(4)Michelle M.
Good authentic Mexican food- the only thing that isn't that good is the guacamole, but everything else is good- I love the breaded fish Milanesa, everything is good, and they have fresh delicious homemade Mexican drinks. The staff are very friendly. Btw every Friday from 7-9pm they have an authentic Mexican Marachi band, which is good, and they come to every table and u can request music.
(5)Sandrakabandra S.
Friday night live music was fantastic! Warm ambience, good food, hospitable service, hand painted tables and chairs- a great place for a celebration!
(4)Laura I.
Love this place! Been going there since opening on Dana st. When my then boyfriend..now husband and I stumbled upon it during the beer festival. The handlebar mustache owner was awesome. Forget Lulus...Los Charros is it
(4)Daniel A.
Good cheap food for the area. With fancy food carts everywhere its hard to find a burrito for 6 bucks. I ate in they were ridiculously quick. Ordered a burrito to go for the gf got it within 2 minutes. Free chips and salsa!
(5)Joe H.
Local spot...plenty of bar traffic and few diners. Employees are not overly friendly. Parking is somewhat limited, but again - Los Charros is not busy most evenings. Maybe the trick is to try more of the Mexican dishes on their menu. Not a huge fan at this point.
(2)Greg C.
These guys make pretty good food. We don't go there as often as we used to because the chairs are very uncomfortable and the food isn't as good as it used to be and the prices have gone up, but I doubt if there is any better Mexican food in this price range in the Mountain View area. The people are always pleasant and the food has never been bad.
(3)Oksana A.
Being from TX, I have certain expectations for chips and salsa and Margaritas and this place hasn't come even close to anything satisfactory for these staples (yuck comes to mind). 2 stars are only because bartender had very cute mustache.
(2)shelly b.
carne asada super burrito = yummers. it was a good size burrito filled with an equal amount of everything, not overly filled with the unimportant stuff. every bite was meat, rice, beans, veggies, etc. between that and the chips and salsa, i was stuffed. i would love to go back and try some other items on the menu, along with a margarita or 2. only downside was our service started off great and then dwindled. it took our server a while to give us our check, even though he knew we were done. then, we waited forever at the register to pay, even after several staff saw us waiting with check in hand. and..on a totally superficial note, the chairs are uncomfortable as all get out. they are painted and carved and really pretty to look at, but they were not the best for sitting.
(4)Casey R.
Nice folks. Great food. *Very* reasonable prices. We need more restaurants like this in the Bay area!
(5)george c.
I've been going here for years mostly out of convenience, but I'm slightly disappointed each time. The portions are generous and the prices are fair, but it's just not that good. I normally get the super burrito but honestly I've had so much better elsewhere. The chili relleno is just alright as well. The chips aren't that good and the two salsas, pico and some onion/garlic tasting salsa are pretty bland to be honest. Is the food bad? Absolutely not. But you can do so much better in Mountain View. The service is friendly but not attentive. The dining area is fairly large and the ambience is generic. The bar is nice but I don't think they should be charging $6 for a Modelo on tap. The house margaritas are about $6 as well, which would normally be fine, but they're small. I'll probably go back at some point, but I'm in no rush.
(3)Artista P.
Happy hour 3 to 7 Monday thru Saturday. 3$ pints!!!! Killer margaritas, tequila and mojitos specials. Excellent food. Pablo the bartender is awesome. Fun place. Best deal i've found in the valley. Live mariachi band on Fridays and Saturdays. (::::
(5)Jacqueline B.
I didn't like this place. First of all it's filthy (dirty tables & floors). Enchiladas quickly made & tasted horrible. Pico de gallo was old & mushy. However for me the service was nice. The food tasted cheap & not fresh. Yuk!
(2)Mike N.
Love this place, food is delicious, service is always top notch and price is very fair what more is to be said
(5)Barbara S.
My husband and I hadn't been as happy with the downtown MV "Taqueria Los Charros" recently, so we decided to try this other branch of (we think) the same "chain." This restaurant is very noisy, and we were seated (although there we lots of other tables farther away available) next to a huge, loud group of people. It took forever for our order to be served, and when it was, both of our dishes were only vaguely lukewarm. It took a long time to flag down our server; he didn't even apologize when we asked for warmer food. When the food came back, mine was hotter, but my husband's fajitas were still only lukewarm. The server never asked if things were better. The food was OK, but this is probably going to be our last time at this establishment.
(2)Diane W.
After driving past for the longest time, we finally ventured in for a delicious and healthy breakfast. We tried a few items. The linguisa as a side for eggs and wonderful crispy potatoes was scrumptious. The watermelon drink was refreshing and unique. I loved everything here. So many breakfast places in the area and most are very boring and extremely over priced. At Los Charros, you will probably spend under $7.00 a dish. Very fresh and beautifully prepared. Highly recommend.
(5)Erling A.
Shabby, run down mexican restaurant. Sports tv, mexican food, bright lighting and cheap furniture gives it a cafeteria feeling. The food was good though, and the servers very fast and attentive. Overall an ok place, but not somewhere i would go often.
(3)J S.
We have been coming here off and on since they opened, but today is the last time we're ever going there. We arrived there for lunch at 12:20p and ordered fajitas (chicken for me, shrimp for my wife). Interesting side note: my wife noticed that they had a two taco combo plate (rice & beans) for $13 and they were selling a la carte tacos for $3 ea. She asked the server if the tacos from the combo plate were the same as the ones they sell a la carte, and he said yes. My wife pointed out the cost difference, and the server said "yeah, that's a bad value, i would just order them a la carte! (!!!)". wow, refreshingly honest, i guess? I also ordered a margarita and told the server I didn't want them to use any sweet-and-sour; I have a sugar sensitivity and need to avoid it in my diet. The server became huffy and went into a long lecture about how they don't make any changes to their margaritas and they only serve them one way. After explaining it was a /medical/ issue, he finally agreed to leave the agave nectar on the side (but he was insistent on adding their sweet-and-sour.. maybe it was pre-mixed and they don't use real limes?). I'm glad he left the agave nectar out because it was still a little on the sweet side for my taste. At 12:45, we wondered where our food was and why it was taking so long. I didn't see our server, so I walked up to the (open) kitchen, and asked the. They said it was being made right now and would be out in "2 or 3 minutes". 5 minutes later (12:50), our server walked by our table and did a double-take when he saw our food wasn't there yet. I watched him walk up to the kitchen and ask them what was taking so long. When he walked by our table 5 minutes later (12:55), I told him if the food didn't come in the next 1-2 minutes we were leaving (we had to get back in time to let the babysitter go). It came out at 1:00, just as I was getting up to give the server money for our drinks and leave. When we looked at our plates, we were disappointed. The refried beans looked like they had come out of a can, the guacamole was a thin line of homogenous green goop that looked like it came out of a bag (and was only reminiscent of avocados), and the chicken fajitas were bland and stringy 'remnants' of thigh meat that tasted like they had been boiled and then pan seared in vegetable oil. DISGUSTING. We sent back both our plates; the server tried to explain that they cooks were rushing because we said we were in a hurry and *that* is why they served us bland, gross food. uh huh, ok. We left hungry, and had to find a take-out place on the way home. lame. We're disappointed that this place has fallen so far from what it used to be. The service was always hit-or-miss here, but the food was what kept us coming back. Now that they are obviously trying to cut costs and substitute in substandard ingredients, I'm guessing they will hit rock bottom and either fix their ways or go out of business.
(1)Scott H.
Solid Mexican food. I always get the shrimp fajita burrito and I have eaten many of them. I have gotten them for friends and they always get a thumb's up. For some reason I have had better food at the El Camino location than the downtown one.
(4)Belen P.
This place used to be awesome, but when we went back for a family function, I was really disappointed with everything. My husband and I ordered micheladas, they were disgusting.We didn't come close to finishing them. When dinner came, the food was ok but frankly not worth it. Just making bean tacos at home would have been more satisfying. The place is poorly kept also; we won't be going back.
(1)Kat B.
As others have said, good happy hour! The bartenders are great and very personable. They get 5 stars, as do their margies. The food is really just "meh" so that's what brings them down in my rating. Not bad - just not particularly flavorful or yummy. Their prices are excellent, especially for Mountain View where Mexican restaurants WAY over charge all the time.
(3)V. S.
Carnitas quesadilla!! Love to come here when I'm a bit hungover and need a pick me up. The cocktails are amazing. Micheladas and palomas are great. It's hard to find pozole that's as good as my mom's but this one is almost there. Service is best at the bar. You must try the carnitas quesadillas. Amazing!!
(4)Naresh R.
The place was just subpar. The music was extremely loud. I think the food was just okay, the enchilada sauce is sweet and the chips tasted like they were from a bag.
(2)Maryann P.
Always get treated great whenever we come here. Al pastor tacos are delicious, as is the el fuerte margarita. House margarita is also good and can't beat the price during happy hour. Service is so fast and friendly!
(5)Hang T.
Went here for an end of the year work gathering. I would say the service is great. They were very attentive, helpful, and patient for a group of 15. They were very quick with the refills. The food was average to me. Nothing spectacular, but it will satisfy your tummy. I really liked the salsa. I ordered a burrito and completely covered in in the stuff. There were more beans than I would have liked so next time I'll order it without.
(3)Anthony N.
3 hungry people walked into "Los Charros Restaurant", and left with not only extremely disappointing tastes in their mouths and minds, but not much later, with stomach aches that would result in all night suffering. I won't go into detail about the unfortunate service, dirty looks (that I STILL cannot come to understand the reasoning for... is race really still an issue these days? In Mountain View? Cmon.) but know that if you come to "Los Charros" you may experience not only discriminating employees, but also, slow service, and less than appealing food (3 DIFFERENT menu items were ordered and consumed), and possible food poisoning.) The latter, of which is very unfortunate to even mention when it comes to reviewing a restaurant, but my party's experience with "Los Charros" does not even warrant a call to management to request free food... Three hungry people left "Los Charros" still hungry.... Hungry for better service, better food; A better restaurant. Look elsewhere for your Mexican cravings.
(1)Julie W.
I've never been to a Mexican restaurant that ran out of guacamole...until tonight....Food was okay - nothing special. Was in Sunnyvale with a friend and were craving Mexican food, but Casa Lupe is closed on Sunday, so settled for this place. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here....
(2)Chanel E.
AWFUL OVERALL!!! Food was not fresh at all, taste like frozen cafeteria food. The chips and guacamole was absolutely disgusting. The presentation was horrible the guacamole was watery and gooey. It taste synthetically made, it definitely wasn't real avocados. Every thing taste 3 days old and microwaved and or thawed from frozen. The rice was for certain a microwaved steamable type and the refried beans were for sure Roserita canned beans, which I think tasted and smells like dog food. The carnitas were cooked to crisp beyond the texture of meat. Food was brought out in stages and the kids food was served last and got their order wrong. Definitely not a place to get authentic Mexican food! Not even worth one star!! I want my money back and my star! Oh yeah did I mention I found this place based on its high ranking on the list for THE TOP 20 BEST BURRITOS IN AMERICA OF 2013?!! Pfffff.........
(1)Muriel S.
I've reviewed this restaurant before but wanted to add about the dinner parties that I've had them cook for. Tons of food and my guests have never been disappointed! Chicken enchiladas, shredded pork carnitas, chili rellenos and their taquitos! Very reasonable for the amount of food for twenty people! Food has already been ready when they said it would be and it's tough driving home with the smell of mexican food wafting through the car!
(5)Claudia F.
Love the high end Mexican decor and the fresh chips but that is about all. There is a cantina, looks good selection but closed at this time. Had ceviche tostada tasted like fish in water, taco de buche no taste but the salsa.
(1)John P.
This is the second bigger restaurant to the original Los Charros on castro street, mtn view. Not as good, probably due to the larger venue. Food doesn't seem as carefully and passionately prepared as the one near Castro. Its family run and I've seen some of the staff who worked at the original work here. I prefer going to the one on Castro, its only a few minutes away by car if you're heading south. We ordered carnitas (deep fried pork) tacos. Service is good.
(2)Veronica A.
Carnita super burrito is bomb! House margarita was nice and strong. Their rice is good, but I didn't care for their beans. Service could def use improvement. We had to hound them for silverware, drinks, to-go boxes and the tab. I'd stop by if I was in the area but wouldn't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Coco F.
Almost as good as my Mama's cooking. This place is awesome. Best carnitas in town and their salsa, rocks! Service is fantastic, beers are ice cold. Go there, prepared to nap afterwards.
(5)Khuyen H.
I've eaten here often enough, This place is even good enough that I have even held office lunches here when I used to work downtown. The restaurant is a few blocks down from Castro's downtown drag (not be confused with the taqueria of the same name on Dana). It's spacious and has a separate bar area with a huge flat screen and plenty of seating and a large main dining area. The open kitchen is viewable from just about any table. There's parking aplenty behind the building and though the restaurant is busy, it's never packed. The food is solid Mexican, authentic and priced fairly. The service is great, accommodating, friendly and honest. I was here two nights ago with five other friends and we had happy hour (4:00 to 7:00pm) in the bar while we waited for the rest of the party to arrive. I got there a few minutes after 7:00pm but the bartender was nice enough to give me the happy hour price. Another friend came 20 minutes past and he still gave her the happy hour price. How is that a bad thing??? BTW - the chips and salsa flow freely here in the bar area too. We then decided to grab a seat in the dining room where the guys quickly put a few tables together for us. Ordering was easy and the food showed up in a reasonable amount of time. We were never rushed as we had a leisurely dinner and even had to ask for the check. Again, the food is solid for the genre, so why not better than 3 stars? Well, because there's nothing that really differentiates this Mexican restaurant from a plethora of others like it in the area.
(3)missy f.
The Pozole here is amazing! Never have a negative thing to say about the food. Chips and salsa are fantastic. Love the taqueria feel but a little more cozy. Never rushed and always leave happy!!!
(5)Emily L.
Sat for an hour waiting for our food. No explanation was given and when we asked the waiter was not apologetic at all. Very disappointing service. At the very least extra chips or guacamole should have been offered. I can't believe how terrible the service was here. Will NOT be back. And I'm a local, I could be here all the time. Serious screw up on managements part.
(1)Andrew G.
So far the only thing I really like at this restaurant is the Torta (carne asada). Don't get it with chicken. I love burritos, but just not here. The flavor just doesn't seem to sit right with me, and I really don't like how they fill their burritos with shredded cheese that isn't even melted. I like melted cheese in my burritos. But, I like the torta... in fact... I love their torta. so I will keep coming back haha. The service isn't great. They take awhile to take your order, take awhile to bring water. Maybe they are too busy? Who knows. Okay, so 2 stars. Because I like the torta. :)
(2)Rica S.
Such a shame this place doesn't have a different name. It should not be associated with the awesomeness of the downtown taqueria (which rocks!)... Horrible service. They only had about 1/3 of their tables full and our party of 5 stood at the front desk for 15 min without even being greeted or asked to wait. There wasn't anyone who ever came by or anything! Totally weird service, if you can call it that. The food was ok. Took advantage of some of the dishes you can't get at the taqueria. I'll choose the taqueria any day over this place though. Not worth the wait. Oh, if you do want to wait, don't forget a jacket, its FREEZING in the building.
(2)Maggie F.
The guys here are great! Food is pretty good, enough to get me out of Santa Cruz!
(4)Sushi S.
Only uniqueness lacking from solid Amexican experience.
(4)Danielle C.
So the food isn't exceptional, but it's not too shabby either. I'm a big fan of the super nachos and chicken salad when I'm being good. The boy's fav is the burrito pipian and the ceviche. The drinks though are what get us out there almost every week! Try the Boss or the Cadillac- not your watered down, sugar drinks you find at other Mexican restaurants!
(4)Erica J.
Love this place! They have a great variety of Mexican Food. My kids are typically very picky about their food, but they will eat anything on this menu. Their seating area is pretty large, so it is rare that I have to wait long to be seated. The staff that I have come across have all been extremely welcoming and helpful. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(5)Brent A.
The food here is alright, but certainly nothing special. I had better Mexican over at Los Charros right off Castro. It's also a little more expensive here, but nothing terrible. The margaritas are delectable, but they have nothing on the mango "smoothi-esque" margarita at Celia's. This place is open late, which is always a plus in the Bay. The portions are big, and the appetizers are okay. I think the best thing I had was the chile relleno, actually it was spot on, but the rest of my dinner was mediocre. The service wasn't too great, but they were closing, yet that is not a reason for sloppy service. I think maybe this place is better during dinner hours instead of late night.
(3)Johnny A.
I go here on the way to work. in the AM. Open early and their ham breakfast burritos are awesome. In the evening the Carne Asada super burrito is off the hook. Their salsas are not all that spicy but they are super tasty. THe lengua and their shrimp are good too.
(5)Suzzana F.
Just found out that Los Charros Restaurant on El Camino Real has happy hour (3-7pm) and will have mariachis at 5pm this Thursday for "Cinco de Mayo". I called and the manager said, "the margaritas are cheap and there's chips and salsa in the cantina area for everyone."
(4)Joe R.
Have been here twice now. First time had the Camarones Empanizados Special. The plate came with about 8 large shrimp, which were butterflied to perfection so that they're thin and flat, with a light breading. Rice was average; refried beans had the perfect amount of cheese on them, so not too much. This plate was almost as good as the Camarones Empanizados from my favorite seafood restaurant in Mexico - Mariscos Playa Azul in Ensenada. Second time I ordered the Ceviche from the appetizer menu and got a Fish Taco to round out the meal. The portion of Ceviche was larger than expected for the price, and not so drenched in lemon juice that you couldn't taste the fish. Taste was above average, though not as great as my favorite ceviche from that Peruvian restuarant in Downey, which I can't remember the name of. The Fish Taco was delicious with everything done right. The fish was grilled and seasoned to perfection; large amount of lettuce, salsa verde and onions; and of course it came wrapped in two tortillas de maize because it would have exploded through a single layer.
(4)Katharine A.
I came here for lunch with my friend and although the company was delightful, the food was less so. He tried a weird "wet" chicken burrito with a pumpkin seed sauce and I had a super carne asada burrito. Mine was the better pick and we ended up splitting the two burritos in half and sharing. The sauce on the wet burrito was also oddly added to the inside of the burrito and it added a really strange texture to the whole thing. I wouldn't order his burrito again, but mine was certainly OK but not great.
(2)Rishi A.
Solid veggie burrito.
(4)Archie R.
How's this for strategy? My travel schedule is getting crazy again. Whenever I travel, I CRAVE Mexican food but can never find anything decent. So...my plan is to eat Mexican food three times a day for the next week to put on a "Mexican food fat layer." Then, when I am on the road, I am hoping that when that fat layer is consumed by my body, there will be "Mexican essence" in it that will curb my cravings. I totally think it'll work. Glycerol.
(4)Eme L.
Service is friendly and fast service, but the food just isn't as good as at their taqueria in downtown MV. That place is always packed and I've never had complaints about the food. In fact, we usually get take-out there a few times a month. Husband got the veggie burrito - nothing special. I had the carnitas plate (comes with beans, rice, salad). My plate had too many pieces of burnt meat. The edible pieces were way too salty. We'll stick with the taqueria. This place isn't worth the extra money.
(2)Melody A.
One of my favorite Mexican food places! I have never had a bad service or food experience here. My favorites are the massive burritos (seriously, enough for two meals), and tacos. Their meat always tastes fresh and their salsas are awesome. They're also VERY reasonably priced.
(5)Mam M.
If you are in search of a "real" Mexican restaurant, please don't go to Los Charros. Don't get me wrong, it's quite a nice restaurant, in fact, the best one in the Sunnyvale-Mountain View neighborhood in terms of ambiance BUT food? Nope, food is not their forte'. My husband and I walked in there in search of a warm, appealing breakfast. We weren't expecting the greatest, but when we walked in...oh, boy, were we impressed or what? It's a very, I mean, very nice Mexican restaurant compared to most in the area; definitely not a Cheesecake Factory, but for sure not your typical taqueria. Open kitchen, flow, lighting, decoration, furniture, even the first person who greeted us was very "authentically" Mexican. We loved it right away. But, oh, no, our disappointment came once we tried our food. The breakfast menu is pretty impressive; I ordered chilaquiles rojos as recommended by the owner. My hubby, buttermilk pancakes. Everything was decently edible, but authentically Mexican, not a bit! I think Taco Bell could come up with a better version of chilaquiles. What I got were simply tortilla chips dipped in some red flavorless salsa. The pancakes? OK but waaaaaay too big. They could easily serve only two of the same size and reduce the price. But instead, they serve 3, the size of a entree' plate! If you don't get constipated after finishing them, you are lucky! In general, service was friendly, cordial and attentive. But the food needs to improve a whole lot. If they're calling it "authentic"...Los Charros is definitely NOT!
(1)Dan V.
I went to Los Charros with a group of 10. This is a place where you will eat, drink margaritas, talk loud, and sing with the mariachis! It's a blast if you like Mariachi music. There was a mariachi group of at least ten! It was great, 2 trumpets, like 5 violins, etc. They serenaded and played slow, fast, you name it. The food was very tasty. We all had various mexican dishes and everyone was happy. The young ladies promoting top shelf tequila added to the atmosphere? I got a free T-shirt! I'll be back!
(4)Eating And Living Well U.
YUCK! I give it one star because of the free music and singing that was provided on this Friday evening I went. I ordered the house special since it's suppose to be their best dish because why else was it a special? And honestly it is WORSE than microwavable food. I ordered the cream of chicken and mushroom dish and it looked literally like throw up with cream sauce. It was tasteless and tasted like mush with flour tortillas. I tried putting the junk in the tortillas and it leaked all over my hands. So I had to spoon the thing and then eat my flour tortilla with my other hand. My friend got the flautas and it came with rice, beans and guacamole. He literally said the guacamole was not fresh and the rice tastes stale. This is literally ONE OF THE WORSE MEXICAN place I've ever been to. I was unable to finish my food and had to FORCE IT DOWN! I am not a happy customer and will never return.
(1)Alban N.
Service is a bit slow, yes. Food is delicious. In my opinion, this is the best mexican food you can find in the Bay Area. I go here when I crave mexican (i live in San Diego most of the year). 4 for service 5 for food 4 for price 4 overall
(4)Patricia V.
I go to Los Charros when I want to get a bowl of menudo and I don't want to drive to Redwood City to my favorite place for menudo. Menudo here is pretty good, not great but pretty good. Comes with the necessary condiments: onion, lemon, oregano & corn tortilla. No "pata" for me, thank you very much. (Pata: is a pig foot) If you want hominy in your menudo you will need to let them know that you want some hominy in your menudo. Every time I get menudo here it is never really hot. I prefer for my hot food to be hot and my cold food to be cold. Restaurant is big open and echoee when its not packed. Take a jacket cuz the restaurant has been very cold inside every time I've been there.
(3)Chanel W.
I've been here a few times and I've never been disappointed. There happy hour is a pretty good bargain. The mojitos are a bit too syrupy for my taste, but I would definitely recommend the top shelf margarita. Blended. The carne asada is the best thing I've had here, followed by the shrimp ceviche. Chips and salsa are not too bad either. The service is always excellent. Worth a try if you like good Mexican food for good prices.
(4)Nicole U.
Best carnitas burritos around!!! This is our go to Mexican restaurant in Mountain View and they have never failed us on the carnitas burrito! We really haven't tried other items on the menu except the chicken tortilla soup which we won't order again. The service is always friendly and attentive.
(5)Katherine B.
This place is great! I'm giving it 5 starts, and I don't know why any reviewers would give it less than 4 stars. I've been a fan of the original Taqueria Los Charros, in downtown Mountain View, for many years, which is how I came to know about the full service restaurant, on El Camino near Grant. Keep in mind what kind of restaurant it is and what it is not and that may help you better appreciate Los Charros. First, Los Charros is not trying to be some kind of fancy-smancy gourmet Cal-Mex-Fusion restaurant. Go somewhere else if that is what you want. Also, this is not a greasy-spoon taqueria. I would describe the food at Restaurant Los Charros as basic and simple, yet tasty and authentically-inspired, Mexican food. The quality is good and consistent We eat here frequently, about 3-4 times a month. I usually get the salad, but with shredded chicken instead of grilled. They use good quality greens like romaine and the cilantro dressing is out of this world! I also like the fish tacos, but ask for the marinated fish in your tacos instead. Amazing! Not sure why they don't put that on the menu that way. It's true the burritos are basic, but since I'm not a big burrito person anyway, that's fine with me. My boyfriend usually gets ceviche, both fish and shrimp. And let me tell you, if you like ceviche, this is as good as it gets. Unlike most places, Los Charros chops up their fish and shrimp into fine pieces. It seems to marinate better this way and it produces a better texture and taste. We've had the ceviche many, many times, and it is always super fresh and consistently great! I had it on top of a salad recently and it was fantastic that way. The staff is always friendly and attentive. Last, but not least, Los Charros stocks many different kinds of Tequila and makes really good margaritas.
(5)Charlie H.
Let me say the food is 5 star but the reason why I am giving 2 stars is because I have ordered food to be picked up multiple times and they ALWAYS get the order wrong. I have eaten her for a long time and it is very annoying when you have to open up every item to double check. Just listen and write it down correctly!
(2)Hen A.
quick sunday lunch...downtown mountain view...parking mildly difficult...al pastor breakfast burrito....served all day....no beans por favor...chips and dos salsas...blended and fresh chunky...dip, scoop and crunch....menu and waitress service...awaiting foiled wrapped hunk....tasty combination of rice and seasoned pork...pork plenty and burrito fat...grilled tortilla!...not steamed...grilled!...rare find in northern california....spoon of salsa and splash of tapatio making better....decent breakfast burrito creation...
(4)Game L.
Beer, Sangrias, nachos, Taquitos, Quesadilla and dont forget to taste the 'habanero' sauce (served upon request).... All the staff have a very good attitude... what can I say... it's great....
(4)Melinda K.
We came here for Breakfast. Loved it. For $20 (total, 2 people) we had a huge breakfast of eggs and chorizo. The hash browns are fabulous. I had just come from a blood test at the local medical center (not a good idea on an empty stomach). Suffice to say the prompt service was exactly what my blood pressure needed! Can't wait to come here for dinner one day soon!
(4)Tim L.
Salsa - Excellent 80% of the time, pretty good one time. Shrimp fajita burrito - I love their Shrimp fajita burrito. I don't deviate and get this every time. Spinach tortilla, rice and beans on the side so it stays like a fajita inside the burrito. Every bite in the burrito you get a juicy succulent piece of shrimp. Great!. i suggest coming here on friday nights when the mariachi band plays. They are really good and you will have a fantastic experience. Just get the shrimp fajita burrito and you will leave a happy camper.
(4)Tracy G.
Mariachis? $20.oo pitchers of Margaritas? Count me in. The wait staff is always really nice and even when I screw up the order they will make it right gratis!! Its Mexican food...simple mexican food...but did I tell you they have Mariachis on Friday night?
(4)Tina A.
OK Mexican food if you have a craving and are too lazy to go anywhere else in the area. My friend and I tried their chicken enchiladas, which were so-so. Almost tasted like something I'd make at home, not authentic in the slightest. The ambiance was unusual - large, quiet, and with bright lights.
(3)Sarah Y.
Wish I had the same experience as other reviewers - I ordered cheese enchiladas and, while they were good, didn't live up to the great reviews. Would try the food here again to see if it's better, but I plan to do take out next time because there was a rather loud mariachi band playing right next to our heads throughout the entire meal.
(2)Brian K.
This place rules... great service and food is fantastic.. my wife and i went there tonight.. she had the grilled fish and i had the chicken enchiladas.. both were fantastic.. we'll be back for sure..
(4)Steve T.
Honestly, you should skip Los Charros Restaurant and just head to the taqueria. I ordered a super burrito at Los Charros Restaurant last night and was sorely disappointed. It was more expensive, smaller, and less tasty than the Taqueria Los Charros burrito. Sure, the Restaurant's decor is nicer and much more spacious than Taqueria, but if the food isn't up to snuff why pay more for what you can get for cheaper and better at the taqueria? Perhaps the food at the Restaurant was a fluke last night, but it's unfortunate that it happened on my first trip there. Perhaps I'll try it again on a later date, but for now... I'd avoid the place and drive over to the Taqueria.
(2)A J.
Pretty good but the rice is not vegetarian which was a major let down. We ordered the cheese enchiladas and the chiles rellenos. Both were great. The service was excellent. They sat us quickly and also allowed us to move when we asked for a seat in a different location. The live Mariachi was awesome!! Too bad about the rice. The refried beans were also lardy which is the usual case. Margarita was very strong but excellent also!!!
(4)Bill M.
My sons basketball team likes to meet here for weekend breakfast. The services is very friendly. They are able to accommodate the group of 20+ every time. The service keeps the group coming back. The food is good too. I'm sure we will be coming back.
(3)Sean S.
Our local hangout. Ceviche is great. Pulled pork is great too as well as their marinated fish tacos (Special, not on the menu). Been going to this and the downtown location for years. good food, great service and good drinks and extremely consistent. Javier always takes great care of us.
(4)J H.
Large, clean, colorful, well lit restaurant with very good Mexican food. Service is also great with the coffee guy coming by to fill my cup constantly. Love their enchiladas and wet burritos. Chips are great too. Just be careful because the portions are large. One funny quirk is that the two times I've been there so far, I've had to go up to the register to pay.
(4)Angus M.
Excellent. They are not on the menu, but ask for the carne asada tacos. Very authentic and tasty. The EnchiladasMole Poblano is also very good with homemaede Mole sauce. Prices are reasonable, service is prompt and they serve Dos Equis Amber on tap in very cold glasses.
(4)Anna H.
free chips and 2 kinds of salsa. The burittos are HUGE! Best carnitas in the world! Really good customer service.
(5)Danvin R.
The cleaner brother of the taqueria down the street. Sure its cleaner, brighter and happier. But man, its true that 'hole in the walls' just tastes better. I don't recommend sacrificing cleanliness for more expensive and less tasty food. Thats right... everything here is atleast a dollar more than the taqueria down the street. However I must admit, the service is really good here. And man, its clean compared to the taqueria... no.. will not... give... in...
(3)Dave B.
Breakfast Burritos are Great!!!! Lunch Burritos too. No sloppy, messy, gushy stuff. And the roasted salsa is fresh and awesome too
(5)Ray H.
Ordered: $12 - Combination Plate: Flautas & Enchaladas both beef $8 - Margarita Review: Service was great! Definitely more than enough food for one person. Perfect for 2 people to feel satisfied and slightly on the full side. Everything but the beef tasted good! Booo! They over cooked the beef. :-( I like the thick chips as you are waiting for your food. All the ingredients tasted fresh and the salad was a nice touch. The margarita was really good. A little on the strong side which was great for me! My gf even liked it and she's not much of a drinker... yet.. muuhahaha.. ;-) j/k!! Just wished they gave a glass full instead of a wine glass full. This place is "a little better than good" for a mexican taqueria in the Bay Area.. but since I had the privilege to have mexican food in L.A. area in SoCal, I have yet to find a comparison up here. Come on NorCal where you at! If I wasn't comparing this place to mexican taquerias in L.A. and if the meat wasn't burnt, it would have gotten 3.5 to 4 stars.
(2)Meredith S.
It's alright... I will always choose the taqueria over the restaurant... my reasons? Their sauces come from a can I can buy at the store The prices are much higher for a lesser quality of food Service isn't so great really the only thing good about the place is it's size and cleanliness. I will return occasionally, but only if taqueria is extremely crowded!
(2)Tiang K.
If you like your space, this is a good place for you. There's plenty of room between tables and the place is bright (at least during the day). The starter chips and salsa were good. So was the chili verde; the pork was tender and the sauce had the right mixture of heat and tartness for me. The rice that came with the dish was soft and "fluffy" and went well with the creamy guacamole. I skipped the beans and tortilla so can't comment on those. The side salad came with an interesting dressing made with lime and cilantro.
(4)l. a.
This is one of our local favorites. The quality of the food is consistently good. The portions are good sizes and the place is never crowded. Great place for good, affordable Mexican. Recommended.
(4)Nancy N.
We've been here 3-4 times before. Liked the full bar; almost too many choices of tequila. Had family dinner last night here. The wait staff tries really hard. Pico de Gallo is good; but it takes a while to get a refill on the chips and salsa. The dinner portions are generous. My husband's carnitas place was good; my two shrimp taco plate was really good, except too salty for me. Our son has chicken enchiladas with red sauce; he cleaned the plate, so must have been ok. They have live music Sunday nights from 6-8pm right now. Would go back; probably for happy hour and some snacks.
(3)Richy R.
I went here with my friend and I was surprised to such a large open restaurant in the bay area. It was really bright inside and for me it seems really welcoming. Just from the first few minutes I had high hopes for this place. Opening the menu I was a bit disappointed in the prices. What did it was that I enchilada combo plate was around $9 and the chile relleno combo plate was around $10. I wanted both an enchilada an a chile relleno and the "pick any 2 items" combo was $13! I just that it was a huge difference in prices just for two items. I worked it out by ordering he chile relleno and my friend ordered the enchilada and we switched. (also the enchilada combo plate comes with 3 enchiladas). The food was only alright. My chile relleno was not cooked all the way. The pepper was still hard and since it wasnt cooked all the way it was kinda spicy. I dont know what type of steroids their putting in peppers now but those chile rellenos were HUGE! The enchiladas also were alright...nothing special. Also the cokes that I order were a bit watered down. The beans were good but the rice and salsa were meh. I have to give it to the service though. They were on it. They came back throughout our meal to make sure everything was good and to check if we needed anything. It was not to the point where it was intrusive. When I imagine service, this is what I picture. As we were leaving, all the wait staff and the hostess said bye to us. It seemed genuine too. I would try this place again. My only real disappointment was that the chile relleno was not cooked all the way thru.
(3)Daniel G.
I'll make it short and sweet. Great food, great service, and prices are reasonable. We stop by everytime we head to the bay area.
(5)Carlos S.
One of the best Mexican food restaurants out there, been going to this place when it started out as a small hole in the wall off Dana in downtown Mt. View. Good customer service every time I go in and great food. Menu is fairly cheap but not on taste, what more could you ask for.
(5)Dana D.
One of the absolute worst burritos I've ever had. Really should have just returned it. Also, considering this is a sit-down restaurant, I was expecting a little more than a tin foil wrapped burrito on an empty plate. The chips and salsa were also very weak. The service was quick and friendly, the food was just no good.
(1)Niki S.
Good food. I enjoyed the taquitos and enchiladas. Mojitos at happy hour are good too. The happy hour menu has food and drink specials. But some of the prices for happy hour food is the same as the regular menu while some are cheaper on the happy hour menu.
(3)Kim N.
Congratulations to the crew of Los Charros on their grand opening of their new restaurant. I drive by this every day on the way to work and today they finally opened for business. I remember this old building as the Ken's Diner way back when, providing breakfast any time you wanted. Sadly they closed all of their venues and this one in particular has been idle for many years. I also remember when Los Charros first took over the little diner on Dana St downtown and have been immensely popular since the beginning. Now they've graduated to the big time, moving out of the "Taqueria" only phase with a sit down establishment. When you walk in you realize how spacious it is, especially compared to the downtown location. It's easily 4X the size with the bar area to the left almost as large as the original location. A large dining area is adjacent to the bar and another sits straight ahead of the doorway. Currently the entry area has a small nook where they're selling Mexican art from paintings to postcards. As you walk to the back there's also a smaller kitchen bar which I decided to sit out so I could see all the cooking action. The paint, furniture, and everything is brand spanking new with the requisite Latin touches in design. As I sat down at the bar one of the owners who I hadn't seen in a year or so recognized me and gave me a hearty greeting. Slowly family after family and other patrons started filing in. As I looked at the menu I noticed that it's been quite expanded from the other locations with less focus on the taqueria items and more on entrees, especially with seafood. I tried to go for the combination (7 mares) seafood soup but since they just opened I was sad to hear they didn't have the time to get that going yet and it would take a long while to make. So I went for something simple instead, a camarones quesadilla. As I watched dish after dish get cranked out of the frantic kitchen, I then saw my tortilla and shrimp being grilled up. I saw a splash of seasonings, the melting of cheese and then the construction of the plate with fresh sour cream and guacamole. Man was this one tasty quesadilla. If it weren't for the fact that I'd spent all day in front of a computer for work I would have ordered another one. Being it was their first day, things were decently busy but not too crazy and they seemed to keep everyone happy. My iced tea got refilled several times and it was a blast to watch the grand opening in action. Again, congrats to them on the new venture and I'll definitely back to sample the rest of the menu when they're in full gear.
(5)Cyndie C.
Service here is good and the food is too. The decor is very bright and airy with hand-carved chairs and pictures painted on the table tops. We've been here twice and it was not busy either time, though it was mid-day on a weekend both times so I can't speak for dinner time.
(4)Jose G.
Really good! The best menudo on weekends, and the ceviche is great. (Ask for the secret home made Habanero sauce, it is hot as hell but delicious). The decoration is a little bit tacky, but the food is great. Muy bueno. El mejor menudo que he comido (los fines de semana). El ceviche es delicioso (preguntar por la salsa casera de habanero, es super enchilosa pero muy sabrosa). La decoracion esta medio chafa, pero en general la comida esta muy buena.
(4)Mark G.
Charro's is bigger and brighter...though not necessarily better. Boasting a large dining area accented with Mexican art and high, angled ceilings, this restuarant is quite handsome; definitely a larger, more sophisticated version of the original on Castro street. However, for me, Mexican food always comes down to....the food. More expensive and a bit flashier than the original, Charro's "2" offers some seafood and specialty items a la " La Fiesta". The problem is, the fare is only slightly above average---for these prices, I was expecting more. My combo dinner was decent: $13.95 for enchiladas and a taco with rice and beans. The taco was similar to something I could find at a small taqueria, while the enchilada was unispiring. The ingredients tasted fresh, they just didn't stand out in any way. The service was ok---mildly attentive. The margarita for my wife cost $8.50! And it was small, not even normal size. That turned me off. Dinner for the two of us came to almost $40---for that much, I'd expect a tad more.
(3)isaias J.
My coworker and I pass by this part of the el Camino on a regular basis. We are usually on our way to the Rose Market for Persian Kebabs or other tasty Persian dishes. It wasn't till about a couple months ago that we noticed a new Mexican restaurant. Being that we are both Mexican food aficionados, we vowed to visit it one day. That day finally came last week! We were both in the mood for some tasty Mexican food, but wanted a sit down place rather than our usual whole-in-the-wall (La Bamba). We looked at each other and both new it was time to try Los Charros. I quickly checked out the Yelp reviews ;-) And we were on a mission. We arrived in about 10 minutes, just before it started raining. We walked in and there were about 5 tables with people sitting down...always a good sign. An even better sign is when you spot a table of about 15 people! We sat down to order. My litmus test for sit down Mexican food is Chile Verde. However since I visit Mexican sit-down restaurants so in frequently I was tempted to try tamales or maybe a chile relleno, maybe even the pozole. In the end I decided to go with the systematic approach and chose the litmus test meal ;-) As we hung out waiting for the food we devoured our chips and salsa. The salsa was tasty and we had two to choose from: pico de gallo and another roasted tomatillo based salsa. The chips tasted fresh and didn't seem to be from a bag. The food quickly arrived on nicely presented plates. The chile verde was awesome, not quite enough grilled onions for my taste, but the green chile sauce was good and the pork deliciously tender. The rice was good but not the usual Mexican rice. The beans were sorry-ass, taste like they came from a can, but this was balanced by the fact that I got a bit of a green salad on my plate with some tasty green chile, pumpkin seed vinaigrette..yum! My coworker had the carne asada plate, his litmus test, and was very happy. I will definitely be back for happy hour. They have a nice little bar in the back of the restaurant. Also the Margaritas seemed reasonably priced, $7.50 for Don Julie and Grand Marnier! Also, as we sat around eating the restaurant almost completely filled up! For my next visits I'll be trying: Mole verde(made with pumpkin seeds), Pozole, chile relleno, and tamales...hopefully I don't get ambitious and try to tackle all the dishes at once. Surely my woman would not let me in the house that day ;-)
(4)Alissa B.
Fun decor (those chairs are awesome). It was completely empty late on a Wednesday night, but I guess most places probably are. I just had the chips & salsa and the house silver margarita. The margaritas were pretty good. The chips were quite good but the salsa was nothing special. Prices were pretty close to what you'll see at other sitdown Mexican restaurants. I might come back here sometime to check out the entrees-- the people I came with seemed quite happy about them. Btw most of them were items that weren't listed on the menu, so if you know of something in particular that you want, don't be afraid to ask!
(3)Reena S.
The restaurant version of the taqueria with a more extensive menu. If you're into beer, I recommend the cerveza chara. And the mole is amazing and authentic. Being vegetarian, I had a lot of options as well. They can do all the enchiladas with potatoes or fajita veggies. Friday nights there is an awesome mariachi band too and the decor is really fun. Great find for authentic Mexican fare.
(4)T L.
Great chile verde!!! The staff is friendly. I used to go to the taquieria in downtown mountain view until they opened this LARGE restaurant.
(4)Jeff L.
A "jack of all trades, master of none" Mexican restaurant. Good food, good for couples, good for a few beers, good service, good for groups, good for a quick bite, good for a leisurely dinner, good salsa, good meat plates... but excellent at none of the above. I'm glad this place is in my neighborhood- it's served me well in a number of situations. The al pastor burrito and chile verde plate a both solid choices. Combo either with a cold beer and good company and you're in for a quality meal.
(4)S D.
Good standard Mexican fair. However, nothing real special either.
(3)Meredith O.
Im a fan of their downtown Mountain View location as well as this one on the El Camino. The one item that my friend and I noticed that they have at this location is albondigas soup! Absolutely delicious and a perfect meal for a overcast day. The service was just OK. I most likely will go back to their taqueria location in the future just because it is more convenient.
(3)Bev M.
We heard they had a good breakfast/brunch and we were very pleasantly surprised by the quality, variety and portions of their brunch menu when my family took me there for Mother's Day. My husband had the chorizos breakfast which was great, my son was adventurous and had the omelette with nopales cactus - delicious! My daughter had pancakes which were very fluffy, light and tasty. I had my usual when I see it - huevos rancheros, and it was delicious. I was impressed they had the old standard American offerings (and VERY well done I might add), as well as some not-often-seen ethnic menu items like the nopales cactus dishes.
(4)Christine N.
IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT: Go to Dublin. Seriously. Ketchup like substance disguised as red chile sauce and even though I swear I saw an avocado in a supermarket there, the green, wet ooze on their so-called "Mexican" food was not guacamole. Dublin will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think I crave Mexican food too much to ever call that place a semi-permanent residence. Maybe I'll move to London instead. The Euro NY seems to know a thing or two about food. So I'm off the plane, in full zombie mode, hungry at odd hours, and wanted my first restaurant back to be Los Charros. Been wanting to try it for ages. Unfortunately, the restaurant isn't as fantastic as the Taqueria, but it was still above average. ATMOSPHERE: Ginormous and really spacious! Bright, clean, colorful (customized Los Charros table-tops and chairs) and rumor has it they have a mariachi band on Fridays. Service is a lot slower than the Taqueria. Our chips and salsa weren't replenished once! But they have a full bar and that's kinda cool. FOOD: I was craving fish tacos (thanks to Emeril) and Los Charros' really hit the spot. Fish was grilled, chopped, piled on (enough for like, 3 soft tacos), and fresh tasting. Sauce on the fish tacos was spicy though, so beware! I also ordered the cheese n' onions enchiladas in green sauce. The green sauce was really, really lime-y and I loved it! And I can't believe I'm "complaining" about this, but the enchiladas had TOO much cheese and they forgot the onions. The bf ordered the shrimp and garlic and it was half the size of what he'd get at the Taqueria and more expensive. Guacamole was, thank the Mexican food Gods, exactly what guacamole dreams are made of. Chunky and fresh! IN A MOUTHFUL: I'm sticking with my beloved Taqueria. I may come back for the mariachi band and the bar, but that's about it.
(3)Tom M.
The downtown Mountain View location was one of my favorites for years so I looked forward to this one on El Camino as it is even closer to home. However, all 3 times that I have been there have been a disappointment in food quality and taste. Once it made me sick to the point of nearly hugging the porcelain throne. Sorry, but will not be back. A couple of much better Mexican places in town.
(1)Sharon S.
I really like this place. and their food isn't that bad. I like the service too. The prices are pretty good as well.
(5)Unicorn B.
The Saturday night mariachi band made me deaf - and not in a good way.
(3)Liz G.
Yummy burritos. HUGE portions! (almost too big) Nice service, nice atmosphere. Would come here again and will definitely recommend. I actually really like the idea that its a taqueria vibe and sit down restaurant.
(4)Michael M.
ok i have to admit the chicken tamale was pretty good me and my wife went here when our favorite was closed on sunday so we decided to give it try,the food wasn't bad the service was not the best and it wasn't busy at the time i went, the margarita could have tasted better for a mexican restaurant so if you looking for mexican food and want a good tamale give them a try!!!
(3)Tom T.
I am so stuffed! I was craving a breakfast burrito and have driven past this restaurant several times so decided to stop by. The breakfast burritos are huge and are filled with eggs, hash browns, cheese, and meat of your choice. I ordered a sausage and the size of the burrito reminds me of the ones that I use to get off the catering trucks. It was a little light on the meat but the cheese was very high quality, overall the taste was good. I wonder if I can get several types of meat in the burrito at the same time, then the burrito would be the bomb. The ones on the catering truck which I grade all burritos against called a 5 speed burrito (filled w/ ham, sausage, bacon, cheese, eggs, hash browns) . Burritos came w/ some tasty chips n salsa at 10am in the morning. Chips were crispy and salsa was good. It came w/ one package of salsa, I asked for another and that still ended up being too little. So if you love salsa get 3-4 to get and you'll be cool. Really clean place inside w/ nice decor. A+ for being clean and bright environment, more meat in the burrito would have been nice but I am so stuffed that I forgive them but then again it was a $6 breakfast burrito!
(3)Jenny B.
The food is generally good. We usually order the enchiladas. The service is always very good. Friendly and the food arrives quickly. The atmosphere is festive and fun. The only problem is, as much as we like the mariachi band, the acoustics of the restaurant make the band unbelievably loud. It's to the point where it doesn't matter or close or far they are from your table, you really can't have a conversation. We would come here more often if they fixed the decibel level of the band - not the band's fault. Just the physical acoustics of the restaurant itself.
(3)Marlene B.
I took my mom and dad to Los Charros for breakfast yesterday. My dad and I ordered the Chorizo and potato breakfast plate and my mom had the ham and egg plate. The portions were huge with plenty of hot tortillas. I was pleased the chorizo was not overly spicy or greasy. Our choices were great but we could have used half portions.
(4)Danny Q.
Ok I was always a fan of the Los Charros on Dana. Been going there for years. I always loved the tiny family atmosphere. But you always have to change to stay alive in this business. I tried the new location with family and girlfriend on Friday afternoon. Not too busy but most people are at work. I ordered the super burrito, others ordered the enchiladas con mole, or flautas. Everyone said there food was good. Service and food were fast. Have no complaints. But I think I will go back to the Dana location just for the small shop feel. Same food, both great!
(4)Joel H.
This is a quintessential Silicon Valley lunch spot. A small dining area, good quality Mexican food. The only downside is that you might have to drive around a bit until you find parking. The food is great. I like the burritos and shrimp tacos. One excellent dish they have here is the ceviche tostada. Yeah, I didn't know what the heck ceviche was either, but a friend of mine ordered it... and I fell in love. The wait staff is always nice, even during peak lunch times. See ya there!
(4)Matt H.
Uhhhhh oh. Don;t forget to bring the taqueria with you when you start a new restaraunt. They forgot what made them so successful at their other resty: taste. I have yet to have anything food related here that was tasty. So much so that I've sworn this place off. They have good margaritas and sangria, but I still swore this place off. Prices are meh, nice big tables, decent service, but meh.. no more taco.
(2)Lizzie B.
I was a little disappointed in this restaurant. The food choices were much more limited than those at the taqueria. Also, they charge twice as much for the same amount of food. The food is no better and no worse than the taqueria, so why not just eat at the taqueria? It's cheaper and faster there anyway...
(3)Michelle D.
Really good food. Horchata is a++++ here too
(4)Raul C.
Probably the worst food that I have ever had! The beans came from a can. The rice was cold and hard. Save your money. This place gives Mexican food a bad rep. I have been to the other place, the "hole in the wall", and it is little better. As a Mexican-American it embarrasses me that this place is still open.
(1)Jenny S.
We usually go here for the pitchers of Margaritas (the house one is A-Ok). The food is not as delicious as he Los Charros location dowtown, but it's still worth it for the margaritas.
(3)Lew L.
Huge portions -- gotta fill up all that space on a huge plate. I've been here twice. Chile Rellenos were gigantic the first time. Second time they were more normal size. Shrimp enchilada plate had 3 enchiladas, not 2 like I'm used to seeing at other restaurants. Great shrimp flavor. Had the 2 item combo plate of Chile Relleno and Chicken Enchilada the second visit. I was surprised when 2 enchiladas accompanied the relleno. Chicken was shredded and really moist -- in fact the chicken was wet with flavorful broth. Five stars for the enchiladas. Yeah, the prices are a bit higher than many Mexican restaurants but the portions are bigger and the quality is outstanding. Service has been prompt and attentive. Pedro, the manager, is personable as well as attentive. My group had a special bottle of wine to share (a mutual friend of ours help picked the grapes for the bottling). Pedro accommodated us and saw to it that we could enjoy the wine at the restaurant. Now that's FRIENDLY in friendly service.
(5)Chris B.
The food is just fine for what I was expecting. In fact, the portions were pretty darn big. The arroz con pollo was 'immense' when they brought it out to me. But you know, I ate it all up. My main complaint is the service. I've been there 3 times now and each time it was something of an ordeal to get the check when we were all done. Yes, I could always get up from my seat and hunt down the waiter but it really was strange how it took a long, long time to catch anyone's attention after my food was delivered.
(4)olga x.
I went there for a really late dinner one time, and it was totally empty so we walked in and got a table. Not that that place could fill up! They have a lot of TVs all over the place, so if you bring a male, be prepared to be ignored! Good thing the food is so good, you can just ignore the male, and the tvs, and focus on the important things: burritos. The service was cool, the decor is kinda funny, kinda tacky, but who cares? Though I got to say the chairs are rather large, wooden, and awkward. Pretty good menu selection when it comes to food or booze.
(4)Dawn R.
I went with a friend to check this out on a Friday night for drinks and mexican food. This place is pretty casual but that is all we were looking for. We sat in the bar and the Mariachi's were playing which was festive but was a bit loud at times. The drinks are good and so was the food. I also must say the customer service was excellent. I would definitely go back, I am looking forward to trying more of their items on the menu.
(4)Amit S.
Chips were average, salsa was lacking in flavor. I ordered the super burrito with chicken. All the ingredients were there, but again the flavor was missing. The food tasted fresh, but there was no USP. I see a few people recommending the ceviche and the carnitas. Will try that if I swing by again. Service was good, interior was clean and sort of interesting.
(3)Kim C.
The taqueria does seem to taste better for certain dishes and its slightly cheaper than the restaurant, but I enjoy the cleanliness here. I still get my burritos, chile rellenos, etc, but minus the weird smells and sticky tables of the taqueria! Only negative of this place is sometimes the mariachi band is too loud. You end up screaming at each other to have an audible conversation.
(4)Lexie L.
I went here for dinner the other night with my friend. We really enjoyed it, it was pretty empty and we got to sit next to the window. I really liked the chips they served, really thick and mmm. The salsa was alright, not the best, but I'm no salsa expert anyway. We both got burritos, and they were mmm delicious. I like that they offer different tortilla options than just flour too. I got a chicken burrito, and nomm I ate the whole thing. The only problem was there was TOO much chicken. chicken was falling all over the place and I got very tired of the flavor of chicken that I even took some of it out to enjoy the black bean and rice combo on the inside, mmm. The service was great, but as I said it was empty hehe. I'll definatly try it again!
(4)Aubert D.
Stopped by during Happy Hour, around 4:30. Draft beer is $1off at $3. There is a small listing of Happy Hour appetizers. They gave me a complimentary taquito/quesadilla with guacamole dish which was good. Hard to beat Dos XX amber on tap. Service was slow and there wasn't someone behind the bar all the time. The salsa was watery and not spicy. the chips were bit overcooked. Nothing was great except the bill; only paid $8 for the appetizer and two beers including a $2 tip. The extensive tequila menu is intriguing. Worth another try if I could find something good to eat. Service wasn't up to par but attitude was not an issue..
(2)Juliet R.
I love the carnitas super burrito here. This is probably some of the best mexican I've had here. The horchata is good too. Delicious! We probably go here about once every week or two. the prices are cheap and the servings are huge.
(5)Marie A.
The food is pretty decent, both my bf and I ordered burritos. I got the grilled chicken and he got carne asada. Mine tasted better than his but the service was terrible. Our waitress took over 15 mins to ask us how food was and then I had to pratically wave my glass to get a refill. Then upon getting my take home box when they refilled my water the waitress never brought our check so we finally went up to the counter to get it. Our waitress was there and didn't even say hi or thank you. What a horrible waitress!!! I was going to give this place at least 3 stars as the food wasn't bad but after getting pissed off again about the service I'm knocking this down to 2 stars.
(2)Jasmine L.
Been to their sister (brother? cousin?) restaurant, the Taqueria that's down off of Castro. I like this location better because it's more spacious, brighter, and more relaxed than the rushing of business people scarfing their meals down. Service was a little slow, but we had a party of 10, so I can imagine it being problematic as well. The staff were very accommodating, and I throughly, throughly enjoyed my Chile Verde.
(5)Ed C.
Taqueria food at restaurant prices. The service was a little slow even though the restaurant wasn't very busy (maybe 8 tables total in the whole place) Although the unlimited chips and salsa are very good, I felt the food was more taqueria quality---I'd rather go to one of the hole in the wall joints and get the same type of food at a cheaper price. Bottom line...if you love the food at Los Charros Taqueria, forget the restaurant and stick to the Taqueria unless you're going for ambiance as this place is much bigger and nicer.
(2)Fida C.
We have been here a few times. Nice service, clean place, and ok food. The pepitas burrito is pretty good, the tacos de lengua are also ok-good. The pozole was ok-good. Too much sour cream on the items sometimes. The nachos are meh. On weekends they have mariachi bands -- I know lots of people like this, but the volume can be a bit oppressive.
(3)Art S.
Yes Archie R.! There is a Santa Claus! And Santa has come to the South Bay. Besides dropping "Elite" status in your lap yesterday he's brought you a NEW "Los Charros" to Mountain View!! YAY!! Emulating Fiesta Del Mar's strategy of having two restaurants in Mountain View, Los Charros is opening a new sister restaurant on El Camino! It's much larger and gives you an alternative from the hustle and bustle of downtown Mountain View! Viva Los Charros....
(5)Kelly H.
The Chorizo Potato Taquito appetizer is TO DIE for. Generous portions on the enchiladas too. Love the guac and the friendly staff. This is my favorite place to go and take friends on Friday night when they have the live musicians there too. A bit loud, but SO much fun!
(4)michael k.
I am always looking for a good burrito. Los charros sister restaurant had been one of my favs in mountain view for some time. There are a few items at this one I think are pretty good. Some of the other items were just ok, no real spark. Their pipian burrito and fajitas are quite tastee. They have a good sized childrens menu and the portions are generous. I dont think this is the best restaurant ever, but we go close to once a week and are usually pretty satistied. Our 2 yrold likes the bean and cheese burrito; and any place he'll eat at, we'll go to.
(4)Mercedes R.
I crave the vegetarian taco plate - for $3-something you can get a vegetarian taco, rice and beans and be filled. It's the best cheap dinner, especially when you're a broke student like I am. The service is a bit slow, but it's worth it. The burritos are also pretty yummy, and they have good horchata.
(5)Todd N.
The carnitas are incredible! I had the tortilla soup and a ceviche tostada this evening. Both were quite tasty. And reasonably priced. My michelada was overpriced at $6, though. I'll continue to go to the taqueria, but I do look forward to exploring the menu here.
(4)Azzazaza S.
You get two types of salsa and a basket of chips as soon as you sit down. I like their appetizers list, besides the usual quesediallas, they also serve a couple of different ceviches. And they have menudo on Saturday & Sunday. Ok, tell me, what could warm you up more than a good bowl of menudo with pieces of tripe are swimming in a delicious tomato base sauce ready to be eaten? ha ha ha A couple of favorites: Fajitas, Shrimp plates This is not a stuck-up place, pretty casual and inviting for families and large groups. They also have a bar area with TVs for sports fans. Why not 5-stars? well the service is not consistent yet. I always give a new place a few tries before final judgement. 1st time the service was a disaster. Now, every time I go, things are just getting better.
(4)Cassandra T.
Los Charros is all you need from a Mexican restaurant, nothing more, nothing less. We were greeted and seated right away and served fresh tortilla chips and both pico de gallo and spicy salsa. I rarely find a spot with delicious, fresh salsa in abundance - they definitely delivered. I had the vegetarian burrito in a tomato tortilla and a sangria. The burrito was on par with my expectations and did not disappoint; rice, beans, guac, sour cream, lettuce. Their portions are very generous and their prices fair. The boyfriend orered 3 carne asada tacos (at $2 a piece) and could barely finish 2 - they were huge as far as tacos go. I hadn't had a decent sangria since Rosarito until I ate here. A perfect blend of juice and red wine with bits of fresh fruit bobbing around in the drink. Not the wine and sprite that some places serve up. I could have don't without the girly fruit garnish, but then again I could have just ordered a corona. The wait staff was very friendly and made some helpful recommendations. My favorite part of the place was the mariachi band who, after eating their dinner, played some beautiful music in the bar area for all of the patrons to enjoy. I am looking forward to my next visit and I'd like to check out their original taqueria off of Castro.
(4)Molly T.
I'm giving the new Los Charros four stars because I love the original taqueria so much. I got my usual: a regular bbq chicken burrito. I must say, the food is equally delicious at the new restaurant as at the taqueria, but it's so much more expensive! Like almost $2 more for the regular burrito! Plus, I really like the intimate, lively atmosphere of the original so I will probably keep going there. But I could definitely see myself bringing a bigger group to the new place because they have a whole extra room with a really nice bar!
(4)Monica M.
overall its soo good!!! friday night if youdont like mariachi music dont go! sometimes is too laud .saturday is the best day to go on the weekend not so full and quiet ..food is fresh good quality great price i recomedf try the chicken salad is soooo yummy and the water melon juice, also the steak it really good!!the place is very clean .....love the salsa and chips ....love the hours friday and sat open until 11:30pm yess if you wanna have late night dinner....
(4)Mike C.
The new location offers more space, a full bar, and mariachi bands on the weekends! This is hands down my favorite Mexican food of all time. The carnitas is spectacular and the service is great!
(5)Ali C.
mediocre mexican food here.. i did enjoy the chips and salsa though! my carnitas burrito was less than average and the meat was not that good. the lady who waited on us was nice and tried to offer us suggestions. i also liked the horchata which is one of my favorite things to drink when dining at a mexican restaurant. the good thing about los charros is that they have a fully stocked bar!! with lots and lots of tequila!! yum! i would like to come back here but try something else. not the cheapest mexican food but it's also not a taqueria!
(3)R M.
You MUST HAVE the pork adobado tacos with the terrific sauce. They make these in chicken too. Must order from the taqueria desk. Nothing like this except El Pedrillo in Napa. It's the food from the taqueria that kicks!
(5)Emily G.
I am a big fan of Los Charros. I love the Original taqueria and its staff. I was so excited for the opening of their new location, but when I went there a couple nights ago for dinner, I was slightly disappointed. The new bigger restaurant loses some of the charm of the original. The menu seems a little haphazard and pricier. The food and service are still great, and the bigger facility would be a great place for a party, but in the future, I'm going to favor the orignal.
(4)Jon W.
I've been eating at the taqueria for years, so like many other reviewers, I was pleased and surprised to see the restaurant opening. Went to check it out a couple of weeks ago with my girlfriend, and it was great! I thought the food was pretty much on par with the taqueria location, the new space is enormous, clean, and well lit, and we both very much enjoyed the live mariachi music emanating from the bar area. I'd definately reccomend this spot, especially to parties larger than 3 or 4, which simply couldn't be accomodated at the original location.
(5)michael w.
People who love Mexican food know how to set the bar. Los Charros has the best burrito in Mountain View. They offer a large range of meats to stuff them with: I highly recommend the Pollo Asado - barbequed chicken. They offer 2 salsas with complimentary chips: these salsas are among the best you can find. Top it off with a 1:1 mix of carrot:orange juice and count yourself lucky that these artisans continue to work their magic in your neighborhood.
(5)MIKE N.
me and my wife have been going here for years on many occasions and the food is always excellent and the service is prompt and what i like is they have an excellent full bar
(5)Debbie A.
This is our go to place for Mexican food. The service is always excellent and the food is tasty with generous portions. I usually get the carnitas meal - it's soooo good. You should expect some fatty pieces of meat - that's what makes it so tasty. The meat is tender and juicy on the inside and crispy and crusty on the outside - just like it's supposed to be. It comes with the usual - beans, rice, lettuce and tomato mix and your choice of tortillas. My kids usually get the burritos. They are really filling. I highly recommend the place. Parking is easy and plentiful (around back). Downside - can get noisy due to the acoustics - large room, tile floor and all. Also, on Friday and Saturday nights they have live mariachi music. Nice, but a little uncomfortable for me - they stay at your table a little too long. You feel obligated to pay attention instead of chowing down on your delicious carnitas meal. I see a lot of people ordering the shrimp but can't bring myself to try anything else.
(4)Adam A.
My wife and I have had breakfast here 4 times and all four times the food has been fantastic. This is the best Mexican breakfast we have had since moving from New Mexico
(5)K H.
We just tried Los Charros new restaurant. The food is very good, we had the the Quesadilla del Mar and the seafood soup (forget the actual name) and both were delicious. They obviously went to a lot of effort in renovating the place with artwork and festive tables and chairs painted with Mexican scenes, . It is extremely clean and the staff is friendly. I would have given it 5 stars if the ambiance was better. The large open kitchen, which I know is a trend these days, is tiled with stark white tiles. That paired with the very bright lighting and the noise level (a result of all the hard surfaces and noise from the kitchen) makes for a somewhat institutional feel rather than a destination restaurant. They need to dim the lighting, maybe put a screen, hanging beads or some type of barrier to subdue the kitchen which dominates the view in parts of the dining room. Next time we go we would eat in the bar where it has a more relaxing feel, or ask to be seated up front near the windows. The room is so large it needs some type of dividers, maybe 5 foot high with plants to break it up a bit. If they were movable they could re-configure the room for large groups. Mexican rugs on the wall would absorb some of the sound. In any case I think minor changes could make a big difference in the ambiance, making it more of a destination for a night out..
(4)Shanna M.
Hmm, I almost want to give Los Charros 2 stars because I was a bit disappointed based on previous reviews. I just felt like a lot of stuff "went wrong" or wasn't good. When we came in, we were greeted by a very friendly bartender, however our waiter was definitely ambivalent. We were put at a table that was tipsy, as were our chairs, and asked to move. The waiter let us, but we had to move the chips, waters, menus, etc, which I found to be tacky. Then we weren't offered a drink menu and had to ask. The margaritas were certainly overpriced and my bf said it was just 'ok' -- it also took quite awhile to arrive and did not come with the salt rim he asked for. The salsa came in tiny tea cups that didn't fit the size of a chip, which I found odd; however the salsa fresca was quite good and the other one had a weird tanginess to it. Our food was pretty good at least. We ended up switching dishes because I don't like mushrooms so I had the chicken fajitas and he had arroz con pollo. The thing I didn't like about our meals is that both came with tortillas which require another plate to "assemble" our meal and we weren't given that extra plate. Although I live closer to Los Charros than Celia's, I'll be making the drive to Celia's in the future.
(3)Melanie R.
Drinks were awesome quality, but not really much of a deal compared to other place's happy hour prices. There was definitely more variety than a lot of mexican places though. I tried the peach margarita, which was good and a lot stronger than it tasted. I also tried the mojito which was absolute perfection. The cheese quesadilla was cheap in price and taste, and the cheva-something was like fish and lime salsa... did not like. The regular chips served with two different kinds of salsa was good though. The atmosphere was very party-ish and the servers/bartenders treated me very well.
(3)Cynthia H.
Extremely noisy with natural echo from the tile floors and walls -- then add big groups, many on a Sunday night with loud children and parents who are confused that this is not a playground but a restaurant - makes for a very bad start. Then we waited (too long) for chips and salsa - my pet peeve here -- and they came with no water. Then again way too long for the waiter to even stop by. So service was also extremely mediocre. Would have been more tolerable if the food was even decent. Where does this guacamole come from? It is like a runny green soup with no flavor. There were no definable pieces of avocado. I'm so sorry but this is the cornerstone of any Mexican restaurant. Chips were pretty tasteless as well. My burrito was served cold and devoid of flavor and was the 'wet' style but really was just mushy. Husband had the special chimi and said, 'we don't need to come back here again." And we don't even like our food spicy at all - just some flavor. So sad, as it is close by in the neighborhood and we love Mexican food.
(1)G A.
Since my first review, I have been back to Los Charros Restaurant and have had a good positive experience every time. Their food is delicious. My favorite is the fish & shrimp burrito and the fish & shrimp tacos...A MUST TRY! I also organized a dinner party for thirty people and I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. The prices were great and their service was excellent. After the event, I personally thanked the owner for all their efforts to accommodate our large party and for their outstanding service. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Jessica G.
First time here. I had green enchiladas with horchata both were not good I didnt finish either. The rice was good. Salsa that came with chips was not good. Server did not come to refill drinks or check on the table at any point after food was served. Wouldnt recommend or come here again.
(1)Michael L.
I have been here many times in the past and recently visited after a 6 month break. I always order the same thing everytime and it is the business!!! Carnitas plate: 5 stars, crispy and moist carnitas with rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, tortillas, generous amount of chips and salsa. This is a perfect dish...would not change a thing to it. Don't believe me, go ahead and try it, you will not be disapointed
(5)Chelsea M.
KILLER happy hour with amazing homemade gaucamole - the mojitos are strong and delicious. Service can be spotty (not the most rapid, but you want to relax and enjoy your time here). I look forward to returning for dinner!
(4)J S.
This is not ANY KIND of Mexican food. I don't know what it is.... Weird. Not good or flavorful. Don't know how they've made it this long.
(1)Cristel R.
I used to come here for their live mariachi (back when I lived closer to Mtn View). Be mindful though that mariachi nights are BUSY nights. They used to serve really good chicken tortilla soup, but last time I came here, they didn't have it anymore...BOO! Service was great, but I knew some of the servers here, so i'm a little bias. Food is OK, but everything is good when you're drinking pitchers of margaritas with friends while having the mariachi play a song you requested. :) I gotta say, I miss it here sometimes and I wish there was a restaurant like this in Bakersfield. I almost forgot...If you're lucky, sometimes they have free tequila samples!! Buy yourself a margarita with the featured tequila and you'll get it at a discounted price...and if you're a guy during these free tequila sample nights, even better...wanna know why?? these samples are usually served by girls who wear tight shirts/skirts with hheelllaa makeup
(4)Alba L.
Horrible service. Ok food. Uncomfortable chairs and terrible lighting. You are better off at their Dana street location.
(2)Megan M.
My fiance and I started coming here a year ago when we moved to Mt View, and absolutely love it. Excellent home-made salsas and delicious food. They also make their own orange and carrot juices - awesome. True, its not one of those places where your server is going to faun all over you. Chances are you will have to go up to the cash register and pay rather then get your check and change delivered. However, it has been our experience that the service is quick and competent and the food is fantastic.
(5)Sarah S.
My food arrived burnt AND cold. Service excruciatingly slow even though the place was half empty. The check took 15 mins to arrive. A waste of time.
(1)Stan L.
Carnitas plate during lunch is always a treat after a good workout - be prepared, it's one tasty greasy plate. During winter, bring a jacket to the restaurant.
(4)Kevin W.
Got 3 super burritos. The carnitas was amazing, some of the best I've ever had - tasty with some crunchy charred pieces - my fav. The steak was also very good but I prefer the steak at my normal spot at home since these r smaller pieces of meat. The chicken was also good but like most chicken not out of this world. I liked the free salsa and chips but wish it came w more salsa. It's free so that just means it was really fresh tasting and good. Surprised at how good the burrito was, would def come back for that carnitas if I remember to.
(4)Thor S.
I keep wanting to really like Los Charros but it really just don't deliver. Mediocre food, mediocre service, and incredibly loud.
(2)Nancy K.
the food , price and the size is good . service Sucks . I ordered shrimp Fajitas and enchiladas they were ok .
(3)Kathy L.
This place was CRACKIN' on Friday night when I went for a quick bite with the bf before a movie. Table behind us was throwing back shots of Tequila and there was a live mariachi band that moved around the restaurant. A little too loud for our low-key night, but I can see this place being a fantastic happy hour spot when you need to unwind after a long week. Bf got the mole enchiladas and I got the combination plate with enchilada and tamale. Both came with rice, beans, sour cream, and guacamole. Very filling, though I think I like the tamales from Chalateco down the street better. The complimentary chips and 2 kinds of salsa were also really good.
(3)Serene S.
I accompanied my husband for dinner because he was craving for Mexican food. I ordered Churros but the chef only realise they ran out of it after the main course was served. The waiter introduced another dessert but I rejected it because I wasn't sure what was it. He went ahead and offer it, on the house. It turned out to be quite delish! I really appreciate the offer so we gave a higher tip. It was a pleasant visit!
(5)Mike X.
Food is consistently good and the people are friendly. If someone had to replace the old Ken's I'm glad it was these guys.
(4)Kelly M.
What you need to know: Fantastic Mariachi band on Friday nights. Happy Hour every day from 3-7pm. Margaritas are packed with a punch. Complimentary Taquitos (beef only) during Happy Hour. Unpretentious, social and cool bartenders work here. They serve the very hard to find and rare Absolut Pear Vodka. The Chile Colorado may be the best I've ever had . OK great, now you know what to expect when you come here. Now go!
(4)Bob R.
This is a review by a vegetarian I try to not harshly review venues obviously not geared towards veggies. But the 2-stars here is mostly for incredibly slow service. We had a long wait to get our order taken and to be served. When finally served, there was a minor error in my dish; not large enough to keep me from eating it. Even though my veggie burrito was ridiculously watery, if service had been average I still would have rated it 3 stars because the chips were warm. But having to wait two bowls worth of chips for a two-top is sub-par.
(2)Adam T.
God damn, this place knocked me on my ass! I always base what a restaurants quality is on the most popular dishes and I always try Tacos and Burritos first at Mexican places! I had 1 "Shredded Chicken" Taco (you have a choice between that and grilled), a Carnitas Taco, a Carne Asada Super Burrito (No guacamole), and a Horchata. It was 18$, which is a tad pricey but OMMFG! The Carnitas were unlike any Ive ever had, it was seasoned to absolute perfection, tender as toddlers behind, and the tips were CRISPY!!! For me personally? Thats screaming awesome! It was like It was like fricken tri tip! SO GOOOD! The shredded chicken was so juicy and flavorful, I had no limes but still perfect! And the cremé de la cremé the Burrito!! I slightly disappointed myself by accident, I immediatley wanted Carnitas in that burrito when I bit into it XD Carne asada was delicious and juicy but it did NOT measure up to the carnitas in flavor or texture! But no cold spots, refried beans were perfect, no gristle, and, got my order right. It was still delicious!!! Ill be back here with effing bells on! I wasnt disappointed by anything! Even the waiter was awesome and very personable! Didnt wait more than 10 minutes. The other Charro restaurant or taqueria on the other side of town SUCKS! Theyre cheaper but this place has WAYYYY better food by a LONG SHOT! And if you order a large Horchata, its like a Bathtub size lol And one of the best ive ever had!
(5)Jennifer D.
Let me just say...TWO HAIRS!! We were super hungry on a Wednesday night and found this place by just driving by. I should have referenced Yelp before, but I must have been in a hunger delirium! We were seated pretty quickly. Our waitress did come pretty quickly to take our order and brought chips and salsa. First we found a hair in our salsa and then another in our chips! Disgusting!! I ordered the chicken tostada, which was alright. The chicken could have been seasoned better. Our waitress never came by to refill our drinks; we had to grab her attention in order to do so. She barely even walked by our table throughout our meal. After we finished, we sat with our empty plates for about 10 minutes without any help from the waitress. Instead she was at the bar talking to the bar tender and some guy. We finally called her over and asked for our check. She went to get our check, but before dropping it off at our table, again stopped at the bar to talk to the bar tender and the same guy AGAIN for another 5 minutes before bringing us our check. I will never go back to this place!
(1)Melissa Y.
Mediocre mexican fare but their killer margarita list and friendly servers make up for it. 2 stars for the food 4 stars for service and beverages
(3)Caroline C.
Worst Mexican food I've ever had. Ordered flautas, they brought taquitos. Food was bland and dry. Was with a large party (reserved weeks in advance) and food was horribly late, proper seating wasn't set up. But leaving all service aside. The food was just awful.
(2)Phil m.
kinda pricey, We felt like we were bothering the waitress. My wife doesn't want to go back. Too bad, We are faithful customers that regularly spends a lot on a good meal, when the place deserves it. Oh well, on to the Mexican restaurant. Adios.
(2)Daisy R.
I was very disappointed with the food and the service at Los Charros. Came here about a week ago on a Friday night with a party of 7 for my mothers birthday. Our server was all over the place and we had to ask him a number of times for our drinks. The food was mediocre and nothing ordinary. I think Chevys would have been a better choice in food. The only thing I enjoyed was the Mariachi and the company of my family.
(1)Kristy H.
I usually don't like to eat at Mexi-gringo restaurants, but Los Charros has gotten their wet burritos perfected. I prefer the regular pollo on spinach and my boyfriend only gets the super carne asada burrito on flour. I haven't carefully dissected their flavors, but all I can say is that these burritos are perfection. Whenever I eat here, I always try to save half of my burrito because I know I'm going to burp it up later and crave some more. We always come here for Happy Hour because it's over at 7pm rather than 6:30pm like the other places in Mtn. View. Bring on the margaritas! Their happy hour appetizer selection leaves you desiring more, but the drink list is impressive.
(5)Diane C.
As far as Mexican food goes, this is not that great. Food is not spicy and the salsa that comes with the chips almost tastes bottled. food 2 stars drinks 4 stars Cadillac Margaritas are great!
(3)Amy O.
I started going to the original restaurant on Dana street in downtown Mountain View many years ago...and am so glad that they opened a larger location on El Camino. Every time we come here the service is outstanding and the food is fresh. Drink list is huge...and not to mention they carry almost every tequilla out there. We drive from Santa Clara (home of Korean restaurants) to get some good Mexican good on.
(5)James W.
Ridiculously slow service. The restaurant had few customers at the time so I shouldn't have had to wait 10 mins for them to ask if I wanted a drink refill and another 5 mins for them to bring back the glass. The burrito was ok but was completely mild. No flavor at all. One of the other people at the table had arroz con pollo. It reeked of canned tomatoes and had little seasoning. After asking for the check and waiting 10 mins to pay, we left money and exit. The food would merit 2-3 stars, not great, but not bad. What pulls it to a 1 is the horrible service. Wouldn't go back.
(1)Vincent K.
Not that I frequent this area a lot, but hey, for some Margaritas specials, this place certainly makes it pretty good. And free chips and salsa! Perfect spot for happy hour!
(4)Victor G.
S-e-r-v-i-c-e I-s S-l-o-w !!
(2)K. N.
A group of 4 of us went for dinner on June 24 at 7:30 pm. Our drink orders were taken in a timely manner and our chips/salsa arrived quickly but our food order was not....we were looking around for our waiter and it appeared that he was the only waiter in the food section besides a female busperson. After waving him down, we placed our order. The food was above average for all of us ...I had the grilled fish fillet and all was good except the black beans that were extremely salty. So I minus one star for below average service (plus he could have been more outgoing) and a minus one star for the salty black beans. Value was about right for the quality/quantity of food. Ambiance in the bar area is nice but the food section had hard wooden chairs and not much decor. There are better Mexican restaurants in the area so I'll only go back if I have too. It was not my idea to go there in the first place but was willing to try it.
(3)Dave Z.
As good as you can get for Mexican food. We'll be back for sure.
(4)Doug S.
There's a limit to my patience. At the end of the meal the waiter dropped off the check and never came back to take my credit card. After 10 minutes I walked up to the front and asked the host if I could pay. He looked at me, then at the credit card, and simply turned on his heel and walked away. He went to the counter area, talked to the cooks and then went on to clean some tables. After standing at the front for a few more minutes I went back to the table and left cash. It's not like they were busy, and I certainly wasn't rude or anything. I certainly won't ever go back there.
(1)Kyle H.
Chile colorado burrito was delicious! I will be coming back for my mexican food cravings.
(4)Arielle J.
My boyfriend and I love this place! The food and drinks are delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the food comes out almost immediately! Service is always friendly and there is a very fun and casual atmosphere here. Even the chips and salsa with pico de gallo is amazing! Seriously there is nothing not to like about this place. We have been here about 5 times now and have tried different dishes and every time we go the service is fast and the food is consistently good! Highly recommended!
(5)Kal S.
Los Charros is quite unassuming and looks innocuous but the value of the food is great!!! They've got a decent selection of beers (all served cold), decent selection of vegetarian and meat entrees. The chips are fresh and the service is tolerable. Do not expect anything other than good food at a great price.
(4)Liz L.
I agree with Danvin R. that the taqueria burritos just taste better for some reason. And I didn't know the prices here are more! If you dig the whole mariachi atmosphere, you'll probably like Los Charros. I'd rather go to the mellower place, but the food here is still really good and massive. Getting the burrito wet is yummy, but it'll cost ya an extra $1.25. (See pictures)
(4)Kes D.
Have been looking for an affordable Mexican place in Mountain View with good old comfort food standbys besides tacos that also serves good margaritas. While not as cheap as back home, this place is reasonably priced for around here. Chips & salsa: not my motivator to go back, honestly. Neither was particularly spicy or awesome, though they seemed fairly fresh. :( I ordered: chicken enchilada combo plate, enchiladas with green sauce. Chicken was moist, green sauce was good (albeit not quite salty enough for me), rice & beans, sour cream, lettuce & tomatoes (romaine, not iceberg!) on the side with EXCELLENT guacamole. Boyfriend ordered: canasta de camaron. Came in one of those crispy deep-fried taco bowls, but holy heck was the salad inside delicious! We asked for extra jalapenos on the side later, and they gave us chopped fresh ones, yum! Margaritas: good, a little sweet but not too sweet. Not weak, but not too strong. Boyfriend ordered the "rosita" (I told him it sounded girly), which turned out to be a margarita with hibiscus water in it...actually good. They have a lot of seafood selections. Given my experience with the shrimp my boyfriend got, I'd recommend trying the seafood dishes. Decor: oh jeeze- all the chairs are painted with "los charros" on them and have paintings of Mexican scenes on the back-- but there are only like 5 scenes on the many, many chairs. This place is also very large and also very clean. I think living in California, Mexican food is almost as much of a comfort food as your own mother's cooking (for Caucasians anyway, and I suppose for Mexicans it would serve as both?) . Glad to have found a place where I can indulge this. Insider tip: If their excellent salsa isn't quite spicy enough for you, ask for the orange habanero salsa they have in a squeeze bottle.
(4)Josh K.
My girlfriend and I eat here almost once a week -- we love it! The fajitas are great as is the service. Highly recommended.
(4)Ivy M.
Food is not that great - granted, the best mexican food you can have is always home cooked but this place is just not that great.
(1)dominique r.
I have been coming to the restuarant for 6 years now. I come for the cleanliness and the service. its just too bad that the service has gone down. the new waitress in the morning has made me resistant to dine here. i used to look forward to my weekend breakfast here. she is unprofessional and a bit dense. i asked for hot chocolate and she asked if i wanted ICE?!? it took so long to get the food order that the hostess finally just took the order. the new girl, she doesnt move very quickly, kinda wanders around and is slow to take food orders. her clothes are not well fitting and too small. the men and women wear a standard issue uniform or clothes that look tasteful. she needs to look clean neat and professional like the other male and female servers. . like i said, ive been coming here for 6 years and was very dissapointed in the experience because of the new servier that looks like she doesnt want to be there based on her slow perfomance, disheveled un clean appearance and TERRIBLE service. btw the food is so so but the service is what kept me hanging on.
(2)Sabrina A.
I've eaten here a few times and it's ok. While I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, some how I've ended up here more than a few times. The restaurant is pretty big and has tons of seating. The decor is pretty simple, latin themed but seems clean. Their chairs are probably the silliest, with their logo on them and really big. I don't know, the decor is just sorta silly and I never dig it. The service is just ok but not bad. From nice servers, to bartenders who couldn't care less - the service varies. But in general the service is ok though. The hostess' always seem nice and attentive though, a good start when they seat you. I've had salads that were fresh, fajitas that were good and sizzling, icky carnitas plate and simple happy hour Margaritas. The food and drinks vary, but overall pretty good. The prices are fair and the happy hour prices are really good. Pretty good, overall just ok.
(3)Samantha O.
Hands down, best diet coke ever. I really don't know why this place doesn't have better reviews. Not only do they have the best carne asada tacos, but unlike their other MV location i never feel rushed. I might be a little biased because I've only had their carne asada tacos (all 20+ times), but they're so delicious I can't stop myself!
(5)Jennifer S.
They have pozole EVERY DAY... What more do I need to say?
(5)Andrea A.
I went here for lunch on a weekeday. It wasn't crowded, but the service was kinda slow. Food was pretty bland. Maybe it's all better if you get pitchers of margaritas?
(2)Joseph D.
This place definitely stands out as far as taquerias go, as they have some truly unique items list in their add on specials menu. For food, the Burrito Pipian particularly stood out to me here, which is basically a wet burrito using a mixture of chile verde sauce and crushed pumpkin seeds - needless to say, I'll be ordering that again. The first time I was here, the service was fairly slow, but it seemed to have improved overall. As far as decor goes, it was interesting having someone sell flowers, others giving tequila shot samples, and a mariachi band playing in the restaurant. Each chair was handmade too, with slight variations on their amateur paint jobs depicting scenes of Old Mexico. Its close proximity to Highway 85 and good food makes it worth checking out!
(4)Kenny J.
I got a jumbo carnitas burrito for dinner. I love how they presented it wrapped in glamorous aluminum foil on a plate with nothing else beside it. This was seriously one enormous burrito. The carnitas was good, some parts juicy and some parts crispy. Mmmm... :P I was nearly defeated by it, but in the end I willed myself to victory. I don't know how that burrito fit in my stomach, but I'll take the win anyways. I am the master of my stomach, my stomach is not the master of me. The chips and salsa were eh. The salsa seemed fresh and homemade, but it just didn't taste that good. $8 for a burrito is a lot. I chalk it up to the premiums added for the mariachi band that blocked the way to the restroom and the fancy painted chairs. We weren't really looking for cheap though, it was convenient and on the way to where we were going. Plus, there was no wait!!
(4)Sri V.
Great location right on el camino in mountain view just before the Castro intersection ( for people who know the area) ... So we went in on a Sunday during late lunch hours ( yes this is one of the places in MV that doesn't close post lunch hours). The first thing that hits you is the decor and it's rows and rows of wooden dining furniture and iam not kidding these are massive dining table and chairs made of solid hand carved un painted wood and the whole place smells woody , puts a ski lodge to shame and Going by the number of tables ( almost like being among the pews in a church) I bet at any given time it never gets that crowded EVER... Coming to food, the service is slow ( or probably was that day) there was one server running between 6 parties. But once the food arrives you forget everything , they start you off with homemade chips and salsa, the salsa is thick and chunky and tastes very fresh. For the entrees we tried the enchilada with mole sauce and the chile relleno and both excellent choices. All flavors really fresh and made with patience. I have never managed to devour a chile relleno entirely owing to the cheese becoming too stringy as it becomes cold but this one kept it's personality on until I finished it. Perfect portion size and really awesome authentic Mexican.The mole sauce was to die for. Awesome food , friendly staff, four stars until they do something about the furniture.
(3)Eugene F.
We tried to go to a different Mexican restaurant down the street, but when we entered it was packed-full of people, so headed to Los Charros instead. From what I understand, this was a converted greasy spoon/late night diner but Los Charros took it over. It's a fairly extensive restaurant with a full bar area and fairly large dining room. There looked to be quite a few people in the restaurant when we arrived, so we were hopeful that the food would be decent. I ordered a mojado burrito, but rather than the normal red sauce got it with a pipian sauce. What's pipian? Well, it was my first time trying it, and it was described as a green mole-type sauce made with pumpkin seeds. Always up for trying something new, it sounded interesting and a good change to what I usually would get so worth a try. When the food arrived, it looked like an incredible hulk burrito since ithe burrito took up the whole plate, and was covered in the green pipian sauce. I was a little suspicious, but dude, it was GOOD. Wow, such a unique flavor. It was almost like the Mexican version of pesto and quite tasty. Overall service was, well, not-so-great. We had to flag down the waiter a few times to a. get menus b. get our orders in c. find out where our drinks were It seemed that they were short-staffed that evening with a larger party going on in the cantina, but I did see one couple get seated before us, eat dinner, and leave WAY before us. Just seemed a little odd. Last thing is that I have to say that their chairs are pretty impressive here. Each chair seems to be handmade with a large horseshoe as the "headrest" and "Restaurant Los Charros" painted on the horseshoe. It's not like these chair were only at select tables, but at ALL of them. They spent some serious money on those, I dare say! So-so first experience at Los Charros. While the food was ok, the service was a little off-putting.
(3)Bryce W.
I had read some of the Yelp comments about Los Charros Restaurant before we arrived and was worried because of the comments about poor service. In reality, the service was fine--they had put together tables for our party of 14 and chips and salsas and drinks arrived with speed. Sadly, it would turn out that the service was the highlight of the meal. Good service was unable to redeem the meal of the top 5 disastrous restaurant meals of my entire life. When the food arrived, my chicken fajitas had 4-5 thin strips of chicken sauteed in onions and peppers. The onions and peppers were so over cooked as to be falling apart. One niece order a burrito and after two bites gave up--it as unclear the type of meat in the burrito. Another niece was served an enchilada that was so bad that the niece had to be taken from the restaurant and brought another meal later since she was still hungry--that happens when they are 10. Arroz con pollo actually sort of looked like it should look on the plate, but the taste had little resemblance to the dish. Everyone picked at their food. The mashed beans were spicy and surprisingly good, but did not make up for the disastrous quality of the meal. I could go on, but I hope the point is made about the atrocious food. At least no one had food poisoning the next day. The meal did not rise to the level of mediocre and made going to Taco Bell, which would have been far cheaper, look like gourmet Mexican food. It is hard to believe they stay in business. They must serve wonderful drinks.
(1)Jason M.
Good food, bad guacamole. Service semi slow unless you flag them down. Great Shrimp Burrito and awesome salsa. You won't leave smelling like mexican food either!
(4)Davis Z.
lean crispy carnitas best I've ever had. Full bar with great pours and an excellent selection of tequila. 5 stars all the way
(5)Patty J.
I give this restaurant 0 stars but it made me have to pick one. Not only was the food inedible, the owner didn't care that we thought it lacked taste or authenticity. We offered to pay half the bill since we only took a few bites, but the owner said it was too bad that it wasn't to our liking. There was hardly any meat in the quesadilla or enchiladas and what was there was dry and tasteless. The guacamole looked and tasted as if it came out of a can or packet mix. Both of us were very disappointed, especially for the lack of interest from the owner and his unprofessionalism. However, the staff and servers were fantastic. We felt bad for them and it was not their fault that the food was so lousy and obviously not freshly made. We plan to spread the word to colleges and hospitals in the area, where we live and work.
(1)E M.
Stopped in a sunday evening and was underwhelmed. Nothing was BAD, but nothing was really memorable either. Chile verde is better than the Chile Colorado, but Casa Lupe just down the street makes a phenomenal Chile verde, but aren't open on sundays...We probably won't make the trek out again, but I hear they have a good happy hour. Maybe I'd go back if it was walking distance, but not worth the drive for me.
(2)Amadeo D.
Wet Super Burritos, that's all there is to it. Tangy green tomatillo sauce and gooey cheese smothering a big 'ole buritto, is the only way to go. Favorite meat, Pollo Asada. It's good and flavorful! Been going here for years, and it's always been great. Super cheap and super friendly. Enjoying a beer and some tacos at one of the shaded street side table in the mid afternoon in summer is one of my favorite settings. It;s just far enough off Castro street to escape the hustle and bustle, but close enough to still be a part of the action. As a side note they do american style breakfast in the morning along with mexican traditions. You could be having French Toast while your buddy has Huevos Rancheros at the same time. uh huh, that's right. The house salsa's are great. Upon seating, you are served 2 types, once diced Pico de Gallo style, and another roasted red style. The latter can very in consistency but they've never been bad. PROTIP: Don't wait around for your check like a chump, get up and pay at the register you are finished. Otherwise you 'll be sitting there for a long time.
(4)BOB B.
Where to start... -Today was our fourth visit in two months. I am a big fan of the steak fajitas and the tasty margaritas. It is unfortunate that one employee can ruin an experience to never return. -We were greeted with dirty looks, no hello or a smile. -Before my ass could hit the seat, we were asked what we wanted to drink, (no problem, super fast service)? -The plates came in a timely manner, brought to us by our angry server who was a girl on Saturday the 3rd of August. She basically dropped our plates in front of us, before leaving for another 3 minutes to bring the tortillas. -When she came back and we asked for water, the look of disgust came over her. Mind you we made it through ALL of the chips n salsa, not ever bringing water in the first place. - (also never offering a 2nd round of chips, or drinks) -Keep in mind she didnt speak AT ALL, and we said please and thank you after every little thing she did, because it was uncomfortable that it seemed she couldnt speak. -She did not check on us once. She brought the drinks, then the food, and then she disappeared. -After we finished, we waited a little over ten minutes, and she wasnt anywhere in sight. -We soon realized that another waiter was starting a shift, who was super nice, came to our table, took our plates and brought us the check. -The table next to us got up and was walking around to find out how to pay for their meal, as the waitress (if you can call her that) turned into David Copperfield. -It took everything in me to not dine and ditch and walk out. -We left with leaving zero tip. I hope the owner reads this. -My experience led to me calling the person that turned me onto this place, which is leading to them and at least 8 others (who spend 200 every trip easily) to never go there again. Customer service is everything, which means you need to hire a competent staff. This trip was not even ratable, but will go with one star as you have to enter something.
(1)J C.
Service here is good, with ample space inside. Ive tried this place twice, and both times just wasnt wowed by their food. its decent but not great. the grilled meats are a bit oily, and pricers are a bit higher although portions are big. this place is probably good for get togethers, happy hours, etc. But as for better quality mexican food, I would go somewhere else.
(2)Rachel G.
Amazing chicken enchiladas..my favorite spot for Mexican!
(5)Michelle W.
Okay, I like the little taqueria better. The food is basically the same. Ordered my typical wet burrito (two meals big) and it was just as tastey as the little taqueira, but the place lacks some of the authentic charm. This one feels touristy and cavernous like a big gym converted for a theme party. The prices are also slightly higher. I guess we have to pay for all that empty space in the bigger restaurant. I must say, though, that my daughter LOVED the chairs. She spent lots of time comparing one to another to find the differences. I would definately eat here again, espcially if I wanted a lingering dinner, instead of a quick bite, but the vibe in the taqueria is just a little more... something. CRAVING: Wet Burrito
(4)Patricia A.
I know Happy hour does not directly mean you should become Happy its the deal of al the deals. $5 Cosmo and I thought the Shrimp cocktail. Not bad and not good. That's all I really say because I don't know what took so long and why the cocktail was served the way it was...aka I was not expecting it to be served in a tall glass soup like and I wasn't happy about the price of it. I will try again, but not during happy hour too many flies aka young people just getting drunk.
(3)Linda S.
Excellent enchiladas! I will be coming back... good price for lots of food
(5)Flor D.
I hate to say it...but I think I like the taqueria better. With it's quaint charm and "no frills" attitude, the taqueria does not try to impress...it just IS. Upon hearing that this great venue had expanded to a new(bigger) location...I had to go try it out. First off, this used to be the old Ken's restaurant that I KINDA loved. Back in the day....I thought the decor was campy...and it reminded me of a moose lounge. Now, they threw some Mexican decor on top of the old moose lounge decor..and the place feels a little confused. Chairs, although cute, suck. I really don't care for them. They are too big and hard to move. Food is so so...and makes me miss the basics of the ol' taco and chip lunch. The portions are massive...and had to love the guy sitting next to me who confused this place to Baja Fresh asking..."can I get it wet" WHO DID HE THINK HE WAS...DORK! Service was spectacular...but that's cause the joint was a little empty. I really want to support my Latin peeps, but this new change does not the venue much. I'll stick to the Castro location-thanks. ***note****they don't take AMEX-1 point.
(3)Greg G.
I always pass by this place and finally I decided to check it out. The decor is sort of cheezy but that was fine. My friends and I were promptly seated and asked for our order. I usually travel with at least 1 or two vegetarians and it is great to find a place that accommodattes them. This place was pretty cool. Both my friends asked for variations of dishes on the menu (1 even asked for a variation after their dish was served ) . I am not a picky person, but I know others are. The waiter didn't flinch though, he took the changes and brought out (very quickly) all our dishes just as we asked for them. The Chirizo was excellent and so were the rice and beans. Prices were pretty fair too. I got a lot of tasty food for the price. I am definitely coming back here.
(4)Steve S.
Came here for lunch and had the combo plate: taco, enchilada with rice and beans. Flavor was decent and satisfied the Mexican food craving. The soft tortillas of the taco were placed on top of the beans though which made it impossible to eat without making a mess. Prices are trending on the high side. My combo plate was $12 (it's $13.25 for dinner). The decor is nice. Kinda reminds me of a tourist trap restaurant in Tijuana. Kinda cheesy, but kinda comforting in its cheese. I'd recommend Casa Lupe No 2 or Tacos Jalapa as alternatives.
(3)Chan T.
Hey wherever they have super chavelas i have to try them out...they werent as strong as talaquepaque but they were pretty good. the only thing was that there was ice in my drink! they should try freezing the big goblets. I ordered a beef taco salad which was good. Service was ok, I asked for a cup of water a couple of times but i never ened up getting it. Big place, i would come here again though
(4)En J.
This review is for the food at Los Charros. I got the Arroz con Pollo, it was a swampy puddle of tomato broth with rice and chunks of chicken. The texture of food was gross, I was not willing to give Los Charros another chance but that would be unfair. So the next time I got basic Chicken Fajitas, again disappointed with the texture and flavor of the meat.
(1)Steve B.
Super awesome happy hour that runs longer than most from 3-7pm. Margaritas are cheap and hand poured, so no premix garbage to assault your tastebuds. These are the best & cheapest margies I've found in the local area. The food is a little meh, but to be fair I'm a vegetarian so my range is narrow and I haven't tried a whole bunch. People keep pouring in, so it must be good and this seems to be a local favorite.
(4)A C.
I absolutely love this place! I always get the green cheese and chicken enchiladas! Delicious! Great quality food for a decent price. The server is always nice!
(5)Janet D.
Pretty good and the price is right. Had the chicken tamales which were good even the next day. Fajitas and chicken enchiladas were on point.
(3)Michael M.
Nice looking place and I was expecting a good experience, however that is not what I got. I ordered one of their specials (Chicken Salad $9.25) which was OK at best. I also ordered a Corona Light ($4.50) which just did not taste right. I am not someone who sends food or drinks back as I am not that picky so I normally just power through it, however half way through the beer, I decided that it was not worth the trouble and told the waiter that there was something wrong with beer and the waiter asked me what I would like so I decided to get a regular Corona as I did not want to risk betting another bad Corona Light.. The bill comes, both beers are on the bill, I ask the waiter about it, the owner comes out and puts up a fight about me drinking half of the first beer! I explain that I know what Corona Light tastes like and that I am not trying to rip him off for half of a beer that I was afraid was going to make me sick. He says I should pay for half of the beer. I look at him like he might be crazy and ask him if he is serious. Sure enough the bill comes out and he charges me half price for the bad beer. Please do not waste your time or money at this place. Mike 50 year old male, professional business person
(1)Gianna D.
They have good drinks here, good chips and salsa, and they do have a lot of seating here. When I came here quite some time ago, there were some girls at the front handing out samples of tequila too which was pretty cool. The food here is good, try the habanero salsa if you like things spicy. Honestly their taqueria a few streets down is much better and I much prefer their food and service there. And you also don't pay the the premium price for the nicer type of sit down restaurant atmosphere either.
(3)Dan B.
Is it a sit-down restaurant that wants to be a taqueria? Or a taqueria that wants to be a sit-down restaurant? Like a restaurant, you sit at a table with a menu and a server takes your order. The interior is spacious, and there is even a full bar. The tables and chairs are wood, and all the chairs are beautifully carved and painted. Like a taqueria, decoration was done on the cheap: very basic, no frills, with adobe colored walls. The configuration and window placement looks more appropriate for a furniture store than a restaurant. The place is too brightly lit, reminding me of a cafeteria. The menu is a mixture: there are some taqueria items (e.g. wet burritos, quesadillas) and some more restaurant-like combinations and assorted "big hot plates of food" I was confused here on one visit and tried to order a couple of tacos, plus beans and rice. That combo is not offered on the menu, and waitress looked at me like I was stoned. To her credit, however, she was able to figure out the items a la carte, though it ended up being pricey for just a taco plate ($10) Other items I've tried: -- Chicken Enchilada Plate: OK; nothing special -- Posole: Good but pretty standard -- Wet chicken burrito: Decent but expensive ($10 + tax/tip) -- Tortilla soup: Delicious but expensive ($10 + tax/tip). This was a unique meal and the best thing I tried here, but unfortunately they have since removed it from the menu. Figures. My main my problem with Los Charros Restaurant is this: The food is pricier than your normal taqueria, but it isn't as good. Yes, I get to sit down, and yes I get a large and varied menu to order from, but sometimes I just want a burrito, and I want to pay $5.50 for it, not $7 plus tip. On the flip side, if I was in the mood for a sit-down Mexican meal, I could think of a few places I'd rather go with better food and a nicer atmosphere (La Fiesta in Mountain View is one.) Considering this is the sister restaurant to the infamous Los Charros Taqueria in downtown Mtn view, this place is a bit of a letdown for me. I can't give it more than 3 stars.
(3)Dave T.
Great Mexican food served all through the day. Huge breakfasts and if you get there on a Friday you get a mariachi show!
(5)Anita L.
WOW what can I say? The taqueria was one of our fav haunts when we lived in Mountain View and we couldn't resist stopping into their restaurant and cantina while visiting some friends in the Bay Area. It was almost closing time! We arrived at 10pm (they close at 10.30pm). I was amazed at the sheer size of the place. I looked around for familiar faces in the dining room area, but saw no one I recognized -- until that is -- someone at the bar area recognized us and waved hello. It was one of the owners of Los Charros. We informed him that we are now living in southern Calif and were still constantly thinking about the food here. The 3 of us seated ourselves at the bar so we could chat with the owner (I couldn't remember his name and was too embarrassed to ask, but we know the other one is named Carlos) while hubby got him to make him a margarita and we ordered some grub. I longed for some habanero salsa along with the regular salsa roja they served. The server was so generous and brought me an entire tub which if I had attempted to eat completely, would've caused me much agony today in the bathroom. Hubby got 2 carne asada tacos, I got my favorite camarones de mojo de ajo and lil guy got his usual plate of beans and rice with pollo asado. Everything arrived looking yummy as usual, but I was impressed with the presentation since the taqueria never stressed on that aspect. The tacos were HUGE!! I mean they were twice the size of the ones we remembered at the taqueria and my shrimps were absolutely divine. Lil guy's plate came without the beans (I gave him mine) but he finished the entire plate of chicken and rice. When the owner saw me savor the shrimps, he ended up getting me 4 extra shrimps on the house. What a star!!! In the end, we got 3 meals and 2 margaritas and the total before tip was $45. Slightly more than the taqueria but the food was just out of this world. We were so happy to be around familiar surroundings and an old server Adrian from the taqueria was there and said hi to us too (as he remembered us from the old place). LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!! We'll miss you when we leave again.
(5)M C.
Its amazing what you'll put up with for convenience and a pitcher of margaritas within walking distance of home. We've gone to Los Charros off and on for a while. We've never expected much out of the food-- this is what passed as "mexican food" locally 40 years ago-- miminal spice, heavy on the beans and rice, pretty bland sauces. Everything just a little...soggy. Los Charros has some occasionally good carnitas, but it usually buried in bland slop. The tamales literally make me long for the frozen Costco variety we keep in the freezer. But, there are the margaritas. Good not great, but close to home. Too expensive for low end tequilla. We went there tonight for the last time. Our waitress--not our first bad experience with her-- went beyond rude into flat-out nasty. Literally chewed us out after I wandered around the restaurant to find my check after staring at my dirty plate for over 20 minutes. Management seemed unconcerned. Plenty of other mediocre plates of rice and beans in Mtn View. Avoid Los Charros.
(1)Kathleen M.
All my parents could talk about after they ate here was the mariachi band. "I've seen mariachi bands before," I thought. "They're just being old, out of touch gringos." And then I ate at Los Charros. Wow. So there's a mariachi band. And they play at FULL VOLUME. When the horns kick in you will want to cover your ears to avoid the pain. Maybe you won't do it because you don't want to seem rude. Or maybe you'll be like me and pretend you're holding your head up with your hands and your hands just happen to be over your ears. Not only is it loud but the band visits table to table. You worry as you sit that they'll come by yours next. Just in case, we checked to see if a nearby table tipped them afterwards. Crap. They did. That means we'd have to tip them for something we don't even want. Avoid eye contact. Avoid eye contact... But thankfully they don't uninvited mariachi you. One of them came to our table and asked if we had any mariachi song requests. Oh yeah, we want them to play that uh... famous mariachi tune. Although we considered seeing if they could mariachi up "Hungry Eyes," we passed. In the mariachi band's defense they were good musicians and people do sing along. You know to those, uh... famous mariachi songs. So yeah, there was food, too. We came because my mom raved about the cheese enchiladas and my dad loved the chile rellenos. I don't usually get cheese enchiladas (I get enchiladas as God intended - with chicken, dammit) but these were exceptional. My husband liked his chicken enchiladas but I thought they were very bland. The enchilada plates come with rice (eh), beans (I had refried; my mom said the pinto beans were off but my husband's tasted fine to me), sour cream, some lettuce with a touch of dressing, and guacamole. The guacamole was weird and a little too smooth. It made me wonder if they mayonnaised it up. I don't think so though. The cheese enchiladas were really good though. They tasted a lot like my favorite frozen enchiladas, which believe it or not is high praise. Now that I think about it I really should just stay home and save money and eat the frozen stuff. I saw a review that referred to this restaurant as really pretty on the inside. It was just okay to me. There are a couple pretty Mexican restaurants in Mountain View - Vive Sol and La Fiesta - that blow this place out of the water. They also cost 50% more. The tables at Los Charros are all hand painted with images of people and the chairs all have the restaurant's name carved into them along with brightly colored figures of men and women. It looks like Los Charros really plans to stay in business because at this point those chairs have zero resale value.
(4)Allan C.
Food might get 2.5 stars. Service gets about 1.5...maybe less. Went there last night for Father's Day. Sister-in-law is vegetarian, and ordered, not surprisingly, the vegetarian burrito. She not only got a verdi pork burrito, but when we told our "server" that we got the wrong one, he first poked through it to make sure it was pork (as if we could not tell from the...pork that came out of it), then shrugged his shoulders and took it back to the kitchen. Oh, and I had to go find him, after staring at his back for 5 minutes, to get him to even come over. We had to call him over for every drink refill too. He simply didn't care about us at all. He seemed annoyed. And we were one of only 4 tables there. Absolutely ridiculous. The food itself was a bit...weird. Relleno was too oily or the batter was strange - it was like a pancake and kind of mushy. Enchiladas had stale tortillas. But they weren't _horrible_. Mole sauce my father-in-law had was apparently pretty good. Wife had a vegetarian tostada shell salad. Not only did it have mushrooms - when was the last time I've had mexican food with mushrooms? I'm not sure I've ever had them - but the flavors were bland and the guacamole was something out of a grocery store. I would not bother to go there again.
(1)Kirbologix J.
If you're looking to get drunk, have fun, fill up on bland beans, rice and tortillas with a group, come here. If you want good Mexican food, save your money and go across the street to Taqueria Margaritas. Positive: Fun atmosphere, good for kids, full bar, extensive tequila list, drinks are good, pico de gallo is great, salsa is great, servers and hosts were super friendly, tortillas were warm and lightly roasted - a nice touch. My toddler loved the decorations and the other kids running around Negative: I grew up in rural San Diego County, so I've come to realize that my taste in Mexican food differs wildly from the Bay Area (I'd say is more refined...but let's just say differs). I found the very food bland. My carne asada was over cooked. It was lacking in flavor and spice. I realize most people in the Bay Area order chicken quesadillas, enchiladas and burritos, not carne asada, and want a lot of beans and rice and not too spicy, so perhaps take my margarita laden review with a grain of salt. Probably Los Charros has just watered their food down to appease the masses.
(2)Richard A.
This review is about breakfast. This place has the best BACON I've found in Mountain View. The morning crew does very nice eggs as well, and the hash browns are much better than most, especially when you use a bit of the salsa (chopped tomatoes, onions, and a touch of cilantro). The fresh, lively flavor of the salsa against the rich, deep flavors of the meat, eggs, and potatoes is super. The price is good, too. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that, as has often been mentioned, the service is very, very spotty. Sometimes they are excellent, and other times I've found myself driven to wander the back reaches of the place to find someone to help me.
(4)Jen S.
I definitely echo what some of the reviewers were saying that it was a bit of a slow service, limited parking but a much spacious restaurant with great decor and delicious food. My husband and I came Friday evening for dinner and I'm not sure if this is a regular thing but there were Mariachis playing and singing for the larger tables. It was wonderful and livened up the atmosphere. it was a 15 minute wait but since we were only 2, the mgr. sat us in the bar area. Chips and salsa were on par and even though we waited quite a bit for our food to be brought out, our server was very attentive in refilling our chips, salsa, and drinks. He was incredibly nice and kept checking in with us to make sure we were okay and to give us updates of when our food would be out. My husband's chicken fajitas were delicious as was my combo plate with a chicken tamale and chicken flauta. The meat was tender and juicy. The beans didn't harden up after a minute like it does at other restaurants, namely El Burro. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and will be coming back again!
(4)Tina L.
Im a fan and I will definitely consider coming back! The food is authentic and very fresh. I like the amostphere
(4)Elle L.
I love the breakfast here! Although I have only eaten dinner here once, I have always been please with the food. I love the chorizo and egg and eventhough I wanted something that was not on the menu, they made it for me especially! Nice! Ok adding on, dinner is traditional and nothing is ever headed up, this is made fresh and you can tell. I love the pozole and although I am not a fan of menudo, I am sure it is homemade. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Beth K.
To keep it simple, I'm going to divide this review into 2 sections, the fabulous must-trys and the decent, but not particularly remarkable: -Yummy yummy in my tummy: ANY of the camarones (shrimp) plates (my favorite is the mojo de ajo), the tostada ceviche (as good as the one at the Mountain View Farmer's Market). -Solid/decent: The burritos and tacos. The meats are good and tasty (we've tried the chicken, carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas--we recommend the carnitas and al pastor!) and the portions are hearty, but I have had similar quality burritos like this all over the peninsula.
(4)Peter v.
Taqueria Los Charros: SUPER SIZED! The space is bigger, the plates are bigger, and the prices are also. . . bigger, but only slightly. I had my first burrito at Los Charros during lunch on the front counter within the first week it was open. I think I was like 10 years old and the owner was there and chatted with my dad and uncle some through out our meal. Ever since, I have loved to think of this place as my little Mexican restaurant. Now that it has a big sister, I'm happy to report. . . she's a pretty cool girl too. Pros: -Very spacious, bright interior -Fresh delicious food -Even BIGGER plates of food -Less expensive than many restaurants of lower quality -Immaculately clean tables and floors -Spacious, clean and beautiful bathrooms -Open (spacious and clean) kitchen Cons: -Higher prices than Taqueria Los Charros -Slower service Service: I am used to the amazingly quick and friendly service at this restaurant's little sister. It was late lunch when I ate here and there were about 4 tables of people, so I was expecting a little faster service considering the huge kitchen and little demand. My server was very friendly and hard working, but seemed inexperienced *I expect that the service will improve with time, because we know the owners know how to do fast and friendly. Food Breakdown: I am a vegetarian and I like the "$4 veggie taco plate" at Charros 1. It's a whole plate filled with delicious food for about $4! What the hell better in the world could you expect for? Today at Restaurant Los Charros I ordered the "Cheese and onion enchiladas plate" and a small orange juice. Orange juice is the same fresh squeezed as from the original. The actual plate was larger and the food is baked on the plate which comes out hot (and accounts for some of the extra time it took to deliver) The food was just as good as usual, salsa seemed fresher actually. The enchiladas were very tasty, very cheesy. I wouldn't say they are anything special, but I also think that's not a bad thing with enchiladas. They weren't tangy or tart like at some places, and the sauce was very bland and tomato-y. Wouldn't mind a little kick in the sauce. They came with rice, beans, sour cream, guac, lettuce and tomato slice. My total was around $11 which is not unreasonable, considering there's enough food to make two meals of. Conclusion: I am pleased and will go back to both Taqueria Los Charros and Restaurant Los Charros for years to come. Bottom line though, there's a time to go to the Taqueria and a time to go to the Restaurant. When speed and price is important Taqueria is the place, when seeking more of a dining experience or a large group gathering Restaurant is perfect.
(4)