Best Mexican place in area. Available parking, nice atmosphere and staff. Great chips and salsa. Waiting time is reasonable, food and drinks taste good. I tried different dishes here and they never disappoint me.
(5)
Renato M.
Wow ! Great mexican taste. I love the fajitas. Next time am in the area I'll stop by again.
(5)
Kerensa K.
I absolutely love the speed they get your food out here, as well as the customer service. This is the place my boyfriend and I go on a Friday or Saturday after a long week at work. They know us there, which is always nice.
(5)
Jeremy M.
This is a good spot for a quick Mexican lunch. I've never had anything here that I thought "WOW, that was awesome!", but I've also never been disappointed. Sometimes the service is a bit slower than I prefer (mainly waiting on drink refills), but the servers are always friendly and I've had no major problems. The main thing that I like is you can come get a decent meal for under $10 at lunchtime and be in and out fairly quickly.
(3)
Chad Z.
I've been going here at the rate of nearly once a week. It has been outstanding every time. Last night, they had the mariachi band again and the fiddler performed an AMAZING solo that grabbed everyone's attention.
(5)
Adam P.
Pretty good. Fish tacos on the menu. I had huevos rancheros for brunch.
(3)
Ottis B.
Good food for the price..............same as the rest!
(3)
j c.
Probably one of the better Mexican places in Iowa City. Suddenly, these little Mexican places are popping up all over Iowa City. Most of them are indistinguishable. This is good food at a reasonable price. There are daily specials which are good deals. They have all the usual suspects: burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. I think their lunch specials are the best deals as most of them are dinner entree sized but lunch priced. You can't go wrong with any of the fajita dishes.
(4)
Derek S.
I love El Dorado. If you want a margarita, come here. If you want delicious Mexican food at reasonable prices, come here. If you want a bright open atmosphere, come here. Viva El Dorado.
(5)
Kate N.
El Dorado has some great American-Mexican food. The salsa is nice and spicy, the service is always great. The prices are great for what you get ($12 for enough Chile Colorado for two or three meals), and the food is delicious. The Chile Colorado is awesome and reminds me of the delicious Mexican i eat in Arizona and New Mexico, the tortillas taste homemade, and the atmosphere is very cheery.
(5)
Andrea T.
Was on my way from the Quad Cities to Des Moines and was craving Mexican food. I searched Yelp and came across this restaurant. Although Google maps on my phone took me a strange way to get there, I finally found it. I was seated quickly and they brought the chips and salsa which had a very slight kick to it. I cannot remember the name of the dish I had but do recall it was the only item in red on the specials menu. Something about cut up corn tortillas, chicken, cheese, etc. It was delicious! The only reason I did not give this place five stars is because they claimed to have fast service which I found to be slower than fast. I am sure I will stop by another time when coming through.
(4)
Joshua N.
No hard feelings, El Dorado. You're doing your best to satisfy local tastes. But even compared to other mediocre Iowa Mexican eateries, El Dorado stands out as particularly nasty. The food here is especially bland, flavored pretty much only by sour cream. My steak was one of toughest I've ever had. Almost painful to eat it. The guacamole was good, but came in only a tiny portion. The nachos resembled something a college kid might have microwaved at the gas station after midnight. The waiter wouldn't split our check. I'm sick to my stomach from this mediocre, overly creamy, tough, gringo nightmare. I would give anything to go back in time and undo this meal.
(1)
Rhyan H.
If I could leave 0 stars I would. Stopped in this afternoon for cheese dip and a few beers. Couldn't get any service. It was like they didn't want to help us. There were 2 tables in the restaurant.
(1)
Kent N.
Great food and great service. Our whole party was very satisfied with everything as well. You may want to enjoy their flan as your desert which is recommended.
(4)
Sidney T.
Not my favorite Mexican restaurant but when not bad either. Chips and salsa are average. Beef dishes all really taste the same. The only thing I really enjoy from here is their choripollo though it is a bit greasy. Service is adequate. Usually timely though i can't always say friendly. One thing that perturbed me was I bought a Groupon one time for this place and even though the Groupon said they could just take the info from the mobile app they insisted they needed a printed coupon. They had to call a manager somewhere else to get approval to take it from the mobile app. Frustrating.
(3)
Sarah G.
It's not the best Mexican I've ever had, but it will do. I've been here a couple of times. The chicken in the enchilada had a wonderful flavor. The verde sauce isn't hot enough, in my opinion, nor does it accompany many dishes. The red sauce is very standard across the menu. I'm sure I could substitute verde for red but I'm not sure I really want to. El Dorado compares to Chicago Mexican restaurants like El Valle or Tecalitlan on Chicago Ave. They are run by Mexicans, they serve up big plates of cheap Mexican-style food and it's good - not great. Here in Iowa they err on the side of not-too-spicy and that is really too bad. I love spicy salsa, pico de gallo, and verde sauce. They give me a reason to eat that guacamole. When people say they want good Mexican, they are probably not looking for the same thing. Are you looking for a big plate of food with a side of rice and beans? Then El Dorado is pretty good. But if you're looking for awesome wood-grilled carne asada, check out a taco stand. If you want the American version of the Mexican experience, try La Cava. If you want to try a fine establishment using Mexican ingredients and techniques in a modern culinary manner, well, you're due for a road trip. We just don't have that yet.
(3)
Mark G.
I went here after my girlfriend fell asleep....I was hungry, she was tired....Being not tired I needed to go eat...wanted mexican and decided to try El Dorado. Very bland food, I don't think they seasoned anything. Very friendly service but the food seemed like someone just whipped it up without adding flavor or a personal touch to it. I actually made tacos the day myself to prove I could do better. Nice people but the food is not worth trying again.
(2)
Jason L.
Awful. Just awful. This place is exactly the same as all of the other Mexican places in town. You needn't read reviews for La Cava, El Dorado, Casa Tequila, El Ranchero, El Cactus...the list goes on. They are all the same and have zero flavor. Plaza Jalisco was the best, but they sold out. Now you are better off going to Panchero's or Carlos O'Kelley's. Will someone please open a decent Mexican place in this town?!?!
(1)
Jeremy S.
Best chille Colorado I have ever had. A fantastic staff and chips were warm salsa was a little less spicy than I like but nothing a little hot sauce can't fix
(4)
Matt U.
We got together with friends last evening for another trip to El Dorado. Our first experience here was, unfortunately, a subpar lunch with a very mediocre burrito for me and a lack luster chimichanga for my wife - unexpectedly, we were pleasantly surprised by round two. Apparently they're under new management and it definitely shows. The ambiance was very nice for dinner. We met up with friends with a couple young children and were seated very quickly. There was plenty of room at the booths and very attentive wait staff. The gentleman that helped us last night made some great recommendations on fajitas and carne asada as well as let us know about all the specials ($2.50 margaritas on Fridays!). He was at our table just the right amount throughout the evening and made sure we had plenty of chips, salsa and water for the entirety of our stay! As for the food, we were pleasantly and delightfully surprised at the quality, timeliness, and amount of food! My wife had the "flat quesadilla" which was a solid variation on the classic offering! The meat was excellent, the cheese plentiful and it was cut into nice finger food size bites. I had the "Mar Y Tierra" fajitas and have to say, they were the best I've had in the area. The combination of land and sea animals dancing on my palate was fantastic and the guacamole delightful as well! The only problem with the meal was that there were not enough tortillas for the amount of food available and luckily, it's an easy fix. Our friends had classic fajitas and carne asada, both of which were well done and plentiful in amount. The lime margaritas that we all enjoyed were very good, with just the right amount of salt on the glass and large enough that one lasted the entire meal for me. The food was plentiful enough that we didn't have dessert, though I saw some different delicacies running around that we plan to try in the future. Overall, we were impressed with the second round at El Dorado. e'd written them off, but based on our experience last night, we were flat wrong. This was better traditional Mexican food than most of the places in the area - and we've been looking, but it still falls short of great.
(3)
Austin B.
This place is awesome! Love taking the wife here for pina coladas, gits er drunk every time!
(5)
Oona B.
second restaurant is in the sycamore mall, on lower muscatine street. real mexicans cook/serve, therefore there is a certain authenticity. unfortunately, like any americanized ethnic style, there will always be an outlier of authentication. nonetheless, since i work (hostess/cashier), i should put in a good word. . . .
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No 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 Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : 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.
Yazan H.
Best Mexican place in area. Available parking, nice atmosphere and staff. Great chips and salsa. Waiting time is reasonable, food and drinks taste good. I tried different dishes here and they never disappoint me.
(5)Renato M.
Wow ! Great mexican taste. I love the fajitas. Next time am in the area I'll stop by again.
(5)Kerensa K.
I absolutely love the speed they get your food out here, as well as the customer service. This is the place my boyfriend and I go on a Friday or Saturday after a long week at work. They know us there, which is always nice.
(5)Jeremy M.
This is a good spot for a quick Mexican lunch. I've never had anything here that I thought "WOW, that was awesome!", but I've also never been disappointed. Sometimes the service is a bit slower than I prefer (mainly waiting on drink refills), but the servers are always friendly and I've had no major problems. The main thing that I like is you can come get a decent meal for under $10 at lunchtime and be in and out fairly quickly.
(3)Chad Z.
I've been going here at the rate of nearly once a week. It has been outstanding every time. Last night, they had the mariachi band again and the fiddler performed an AMAZING solo that grabbed everyone's attention.
(5)Adam P.
Pretty good. Fish tacos on the menu. I had huevos rancheros for brunch.
(3)Ottis B.
Good food for the price..............same as the rest!
(3)j c.
Probably one of the better Mexican places in Iowa City. Suddenly, these little Mexican places are popping up all over Iowa City. Most of them are indistinguishable. This is good food at a reasonable price. There are daily specials which are good deals. They have all the usual suspects: burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. I think their lunch specials are the best deals as most of them are dinner entree sized but lunch priced. You can't go wrong with any of the fajita dishes.
(4)Derek S.
I love El Dorado. If you want a margarita, come here. If you want delicious Mexican food at reasonable prices, come here. If you want a bright open atmosphere, come here. Viva El Dorado.
(5)Kate N.
El Dorado has some great American-Mexican food. The salsa is nice and spicy, the service is always great. The prices are great for what you get ($12 for enough Chile Colorado for two or three meals), and the food is delicious. The Chile Colorado is awesome and reminds me of the delicious Mexican i eat in Arizona and New Mexico, the tortillas taste homemade, and the atmosphere is very cheery.
(5)Andrea T.
Was on my way from the Quad Cities to Des Moines and was craving Mexican food. I searched Yelp and came across this restaurant. Although Google maps on my phone took me a strange way to get there, I finally found it. I was seated quickly and they brought the chips and salsa which had a very slight kick to it. I cannot remember the name of the dish I had but do recall it was the only item in red on the specials menu. Something about cut up corn tortillas, chicken, cheese, etc. It was delicious! The only reason I did not give this place five stars is because they claimed to have fast service which I found to be slower than fast. I am sure I will stop by another time when coming through.
(4)Joshua N.
No hard feelings, El Dorado. You're doing your best to satisfy local tastes. But even compared to other mediocre Iowa Mexican eateries, El Dorado stands out as particularly nasty. The food here is especially bland, flavored pretty much only by sour cream. My steak was one of toughest I've ever had. Almost painful to eat it. The guacamole was good, but came in only a tiny portion. The nachos resembled something a college kid might have microwaved at the gas station after midnight. The waiter wouldn't split our check. I'm sick to my stomach from this mediocre, overly creamy, tough, gringo nightmare. I would give anything to go back in time and undo this meal.
(1)Rhyan H.
If I could leave 0 stars I would. Stopped in this afternoon for cheese dip and a few beers. Couldn't get any service. It was like they didn't want to help us. There were 2 tables in the restaurant.
(1)Kent N.
Great food and great service. Our whole party was very satisfied with everything as well. You may want to enjoy their flan as your desert which is recommended.
(4)Sidney T.
Not my favorite Mexican restaurant but when not bad either. Chips and salsa are average. Beef dishes all really taste the same. The only thing I really enjoy from here is their choripollo though it is a bit greasy. Service is adequate. Usually timely though i can't always say friendly. One thing that perturbed me was I bought a Groupon one time for this place and even though the Groupon said they could just take the info from the mobile app they insisted they needed a printed coupon. They had to call a manager somewhere else to get approval to take it from the mobile app. Frustrating.
(3)Sarah G.
It's not the best Mexican I've ever had, but it will do. I've been here a couple of times. The chicken in the enchilada had a wonderful flavor. The verde sauce isn't hot enough, in my opinion, nor does it accompany many dishes. The red sauce is very standard across the menu. I'm sure I could substitute verde for red but I'm not sure I really want to. El Dorado compares to Chicago Mexican restaurants like El Valle or Tecalitlan on Chicago Ave. They are run by Mexicans, they serve up big plates of cheap Mexican-style food and it's good - not great. Here in Iowa they err on the side of not-too-spicy and that is really too bad. I love spicy salsa, pico de gallo, and verde sauce. They give me a reason to eat that guacamole. When people say they want good Mexican, they are probably not looking for the same thing. Are you looking for a big plate of food with a side of rice and beans? Then El Dorado is pretty good. But if you're looking for awesome wood-grilled carne asada, check out a taco stand. If you want the American version of the Mexican experience, try La Cava. If you want to try a fine establishment using Mexican ingredients and techniques in a modern culinary manner, well, you're due for a road trip. We just don't have that yet.
(3)Mark G.
I went here after my girlfriend fell asleep....I was hungry, she was tired....Being not tired I needed to go eat...wanted mexican and decided to try El Dorado. Very bland food, I don't think they seasoned anything. Very friendly service but the food seemed like someone just whipped it up without adding flavor or a personal touch to it. I actually made tacos the day myself to prove I could do better. Nice people but the food is not worth trying again.
(2)Jason L.
Awful. Just awful. This place is exactly the same as all of the other Mexican places in town. You needn't read reviews for La Cava, El Dorado, Casa Tequila, El Ranchero, El Cactus...the list goes on. They are all the same and have zero flavor. Plaza Jalisco was the best, but they sold out. Now you are better off going to Panchero's or Carlos O'Kelley's. Will someone please open a decent Mexican place in this town?!?!
(1)Jeremy S.
Best chille Colorado I have ever had. A fantastic staff and chips were warm salsa was a little less spicy than I like but nothing a little hot sauce can't fix
(4)Matt U.
We got together with friends last evening for another trip to El Dorado. Our first experience here was, unfortunately, a subpar lunch with a very mediocre burrito for me and a lack luster chimichanga for my wife - unexpectedly, we were pleasantly surprised by round two. Apparently they're under new management and it definitely shows. The ambiance was very nice for dinner. We met up with friends with a couple young children and were seated very quickly. There was plenty of room at the booths and very attentive wait staff. The gentleman that helped us last night made some great recommendations on fajitas and carne asada as well as let us know about all the specials ($2.50 margaritas on Fridays!). He was at our table just the right amount throughout the evening and made sure we had plenty of chips, salsa and water for the entirety of our stay! As for the food, we were pleasantly and delightfully surprised at the quality, timeliness, and amount of food! My wife had the "flat quesadilla" which was a solid variation on the classic offering! The meat was excellent, the cheese plentiful and it was cut into nice finger food size bites. I had the "Mar Y Tierra" fajitas and have to say, they were the best I've had in the area. The combination of land and sea animals dancing on my palate was fantastic and the guacamole delightful as well! The only problem with the meal was that there were not enough tortillas for the amount of food available and luckily, it's an easy fix. Our friends had classic fajitas and carne asada, both of which were well done and plentiful in amount. The lime margaritas that we all enjoyed were very good, with just the right amount of salt on the glass and large enough that one lasted the entire meal for me. The food was plentiful enough that we didn't have dessert, though I saw some different delicacies running around that we plan to try in the future. Overall, we were impressed with the second round at El Dorado. e'd written them off, but based on our experience last night, we were flat wrong. This was better traditional Mexican food than most of the places in the area - and we've been looking, but it still falls short of great.
(3)Austin B.
This place is awesome! Love taking the wife here for pina coladas, gits er drunk every time!
(5)Oona B.
second restaurant is in the sycamore mall, on lower muscatine street. real mexicans cook/serve, therefore there is a certain authenticity. unfortunately, like any americanized ethnic style, there will always be an outlier of authentication. nonetheless, since i work (hostess/cashier), i should put in a good word. . . .
(4)