My family and friends constantly rave about getting solid mexican food at El Loro - so finally on Saturday my mother and I went for dinner. She had been there several times and said that she had always enjoyed it enough. We called ahead and found out that the HH went all week, featuring half priced appetizers and $3.99 margaritas. So we show up and are seated in a back booth. We are given chips and salsa pretty quickly and told by the very friendly boy that our server would be right with us. Well in a few minutes a guy came over and asked if we were ready to order. I said that we'd like a couple margaritas and waters, but we needed time to look over the menu. Mom noticed that they had changed the menu and asked where the chicken mole was that she usually ordered. He just walked away! At first I figured that he hadn't heard her. When he came back, there were no waters. Ready? No,... still wondering about the mole. No mole. Hmm... okay? Then can we get waters while still waiting? He walked away, and never came back. 5 minutes later a woman came over and asked if we were ready. Apparently our server was sick of our questions... So I asked her if there was a way I could substitute mole sauce on an enchilada dish. She screamed at another server across the restaurant in Spanish, and he said he'd gladly switch out the sauce. So I ordered cheese and onion enchilada, mole sauce and rice/beans. The vegetarian enchilada dishes were $9.50. Mom got a trio of a chalupa, hard shell taco and enchilada. She asked the woman what kind of meat options she had, and she sharply said "All ground beef". Well our food came out **still no waters** and it was a mess. Mom had no chalupa, but a bean tostada. When she pointed this out to the server, she swore up and down it was a chalupa - WRONG! Also Mom pointed out that there was no meat, only bean spread. Mom pointed out that she'd claimed that they all had ground beef, and she said - yes all but that one. What?!? My enchiladas were covered in what quite honestly tasted like chocolate syrup goo. DISGUSTING. It was like no mole I've ever had before. I cut one in half and there were seriously just STRINGS of onions, not cooked/softened, not diced... just strung in there. I picked out a couple and the amount of cheese in the cheese enchilada was LAUGHABLE. The rice was dry and flavorless and the beans were lukewarm, likely out of a can. The food was disgusting. Finally we got our waters to wash down this nastiness. We couldn't get the server to give us a check, no checkback on the food - nothing. The only redeeming quality of this experience was the salsa boy, who said it was his first week. Hopefully he gets out of there quickly before he loses his personality and professionalism. This place was disgusting, the food quality was lacking and the service was reprehensible. To top it off - the server had charged all my food a la carte - adding up to $15!!!
(1)
Kyle T.
El Loro In Bloomington just amazing always a super fun time friendly atmosphere and fast service. Great Happy Hour Specials too!
(5)
Drew W.
Overall very good addition to Bloomington. Food portions are large. Usually one entree could be enough for two. Nice outdoor patio.
(4)
Kaylyn W.
My favorite location out of all El Loros is the one in Eagan I think. Regardless, all of them are pretty much the same. I usually leave El Loro with a stomach ache or I feel like a bloated whale. The one thing I think is good at El Loro are the margaritas. They're huge and they don't taste like straight tequila. For my food this time - the chips were overly cooked, almost too hard. The second batch was better. I really love the white sauce that comes with the salsa, I'd honestly just come for that, grab it and run! Haha, but seriously... I ordered the shrimp fajitas which came with a constant steam cloud that didn't go away for about 5 minutes. Shrimp was good, but the onions, peppers, etc. we're very saucy and oily. This came with a side of beans, lettuce, tomato, guac and sour cream. The beans were good (but salty), the lettuce seemed old - some wilted and I barely got any guac. The people I was with seemed to like their food, but personally, it's too oily and salty for me. Service was okay - our server seemed annoyed with us at first, but my mom mentioned this to another server who we've had before (and he's way more nice!), but he told our server about our complaint in Spanish... I know this because our friend can speak Spanish and told me what they were saying LOL! It was a little awkward since I could tell our server was trying to act more nice, almost forced, singling out my mom and asking her if her food was okay, etc. Overall, I think there are many places with more fresh Mexican food that doesn't make me feel like a bloated whale from the oil and salt. I'll probably end up back here since my family/friends seem to like it, but it's definitely not my first choice!
(2)
Angie O.
First off there are so many of these in the area! Food is alright. Servive is not very good. Outdoor seating is nice. I have seen mice running in a out from the patio! They have mariachi bands occasionally. Chips and salsa are good. Margaritas are good.
(2)
Mercedes M.
I'll never be back to this location ever again! The service just isn't good at all. I've been here twice since my last review and things just seem to get worse. One night we came in and there was no music, what kinda of restaurant doesn't have music? The wait staff is slow it took us at least 5 minutes before someone came to take our drink order. I had fish tacos, which I sent back because they assemble your tacos for you, so the lettuce and pico makes it cold. Plus I think they do it that way so you can't see the flakes of tilapia they put on them. I would have settled for Taco Bell, they never disappoint me.
(1)
K D.
Great food, pleasant atmosphere, fast service! I had the Burrito Grande with pork and it was very good. Very large portion so I had enough to take home for lunch.
(4)
Rick C.
My first visit, which is the showstopper for most restaurants, was absolutely excellent. I went at lunch, ordered a veg item from the menu, and the owner came to chat with me in Spanish. That went very far with me. The food was EXCELLENT, the service good and they had my favourite Mexican beer. My colleague from my office was so thrilled with the meal portion and flavour that he saved half his meal to eat for dinner. If you like AUTHENTIC, delicious Mexican food, NOT TexMex or rubbish imitations, this is a great place to visit.
(5)
Bill G.
The food was pretty good. They had a 3 person band (two guitars & soprano saxophone) going around and singing at each table. That was pretty unique. I got there before the others in my group. We talked for a long time and the waiter kept coming up before they were ready to order. To his defense, she wasn't really looking at the menu much, too busy talking, but he did come up about every minute after we had our drinks. The waiter was pretty good about leaving us alone after taking our orders. I think they got a little impatient that we didn't leave when we were done eating, but they weren't busy. We decided to leave before the band serenaded us for the third time. Price was reasonable. The margarita was strong.
(4)
Kuaj K.
Not vegetarian friendly, read another review by Sandeep below: I had dinner there with my family. The servers were friendly, but had a big language problem. When we explained the menu the server didn't write it down, so we repeated and requested her to repeat it to make sure we were on the same page. We are vegetarians so ordered veggie fajita. But when we started to eat it, found meat in it!!! I deeply detest when that happens. For several reasons, it sucks to be in that position. Secondly, you don't know if the server didn't hear it well or the cook didn't hear it well. One thing for sure, the server didn't check the order before putting it on the table. Huge disappointment! We politely sent the dish back, the sever did bit her tongue, hurriedly took it back and inadequately said sorry. The next fajita had lots of potatoes in it, but that's ok it want meat. Of course we were billed for the fajita. So we left $1 tip. Not sure if they will get the message. Someone should tell them about customer service and retention. Usually vegetarians like Mexican food. But It was our first and the last time there. Honestly, I hate giving only 1 star to any restaurant, but I can't help it tonight.
(1)
Surly M.
Ok so I feel another star is in order. Here's why: Had a great waiter and additional attentive staff that made sure we had what we needed. They had negro modelo on tap. They added some new things to the menu. Not even sure if they still have my parrillada but that's ok because that dish now has been replaced. So for $22, the el loro molcajete has grilled steak, chicken, pork, chorizo, shrimp skewer, with cactus, chiles, green onions, and a chile de arbol sauce served in a hot lava stone bowl (the bowl is the molcajete). Everything was tasty and cooked perfectly, even the shrimp this time! Comes with warm tortillas, beans, rice, gauc and sour cream. My husband and I shared this along with my must have queso fundido. We went home with the heaviest take home box I've ever had. My husband wants to transform the leftovers into a pasta dish or make quesadillas. That is if I don't just eat it cold out of the fridge before he gets a chance. So, I guess in the end what I'm trying to say is I will probably come more often now.
(4)
Jessica P.
A couple weeks ago we went into this location for an early lunch to avoid the rush, but our service was still extremely slow, and our server might as well have just told us that she didn't feel like doing her job that day. Half the time a very kind male server came over to ask us how everything was and to see if there was anything he could get for us. The food was very below average - chips tasted burnt and stale, my flour tortillas were stale, and the cheese dip is very plain (maybe that's just my preference, though). Not going back.
(1)
Rhonda G.
Is it the end of the world when I find an El loro that I loathe? There is a divider and no servers seem to want to be on the side that we chose for some privacy. Once we finally saw the guy to take our order, turned out he doubled as Harry Fucking Houdini. I ordered a small guac. It came With dinner, was more of a guac salad and didn't taste like the others we had. Tacos were salty, soggy, and scant of cheese. Worst bathrooms I've seen for dressing the place up otherwise. Salsa and chips were fine. The bar seems to be the center of this place, and was full. As I'm sitting here all I can think is 4, 3, 2, 1 never again. I think I solved this mystery, with the closing of El Toro, I wonder if the staff may have been hired here.
(1)
Brian H.
This is a great, albeit rather typical, Minnesota Mexican restaurant. The food is on point (actually better) with most Mexican food that you'll get in MN, but what sets this location aside is the staff; fun and engaging bartenders, a great GM who makes for a fun atmosphere and very good food make El Loro on Lyndale a go to spot for a quality and fun meal.
(5)
Jans V.
El Loro is a great place for authentic Mexican cuisine. They offer traditional dishes that include both lunch and dinner specials. Not ready for an entire meal? They offer a great à la carte menu to pick and choose your favorites. El Loro is a kid friendly location and offer modern meals such as chicken tenders with fries. The Happy Hour menu is one of the best. Draft beer is $1.99 /pint, small (lime) margaritas (blended or rocks) are only $3.99 and apps are 1/2 price. Overall El Loro is a great place that offers a variety of inexpensive food, outdoor patio seating and free chips and salsa. The 4 of 5 stars is due to slightly slower service.
(4)
Chris F.
Can't quite figure out the reasoning of such a low rating on this place. Therefore I'll give it 5 stars. The food- I've been here twice and experienced some pretty darn good. I've had chicken enchiladas on both visits and they were everything you'd expect. Juicy chicken, a great tasting red sauce, and a fresh corn tortilla. On my second visit I got a combo with a chicken taco. What confused me the most is that there is another Mexican restaurant in this area with rave reviews, when I went there I had a taco that tasted like a desert. Not the case at el loro, a fresh flour tortilla filled with juicy chicken, fresh lettuce and cheese. The beans and rice on the side was great. The second visit I was just slightly disappointed with the rice. The service- Not exceptional, but not bad at all. One way to improve.. Simplify your menu. Pages upon pages of options, overwhelmingly so.
(5)
Sandeep S.
Horrible people and horrible place . they served me veggie fajitas with beef in them . really disappointing for a vegetarian . pls don't go to this place .
(1)
Annie S.
Obviously most of the people reviewing this place haven't been to Lake Street for an authentic latin dive-tastic food experience. I think El Loro is a great blend of that atmosphere and food, but with neighborhood restaurant appeal. Perfectly imperfect festive wall paintings - check. Small, cozy seating area - check. Servers who are nervous about the language barrier with rude suburbanites - check. Hip and modern looking bar area with one TV - check. Burritos the size of a loaf of bread - check. Smothered in white cheese sauce - check check check. Believe the lame reviews if you like, but I'm a sucker for the Fiesta Burrito - take out if you must (it's filled with grilled beef, chicken, shrimp, and veggies). Oh and the Fajitas Nachos are pretty amazing too.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Food was pretty good. They have large dishes and I took home leftovers. Our server was really bad. Took our order and didn't come back until our food was ready. Didn't take our drink order under we for our food and our water was empty. The service was the worst I've had in a long time.
(3)
JeannieLaura G.
Great food, drinks, service and ambience...definitely my new go to establishment! Best Mexican food I've had since moving back to Minnesota from DC...can't wait to return...often...and to share my yummy find with family and friends!
(5)
Jennifer Z.
I really enjoyed the bar area at this restaurant. I love that they have the bar and regular sit down area sort of separate. They have TV's and everyone at the bar sits in a square so you can mingle and it is small enough to make it intimate. They have tamales which I was craving for some reason. It comes in a small portion so you should get a couple if you are wanting a big meal, or something else to go with it. Their food menu is extensive! They have so many options so you can never go wrong. They give you free chips and salsa too which is nice, and the salsa is SO good! I asked for more because it was very addicting. Katelyn is also a great bartender, she made a house margarita for me to try which was really good! Look for her if you're at the bar area! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is craving some Mexican food or drinks! They have plenty of parking right outside the restaurant.
(5)
kevin o.
Unbelievably bad service, haven't even tasted the food yet, I walked in and placed my to go order at 6:15 p.m. at 7:00 I asked a different person where my order was....no clue, re do my order, first one comes out entirely wrong.....2nd order was 1/2 correct, finally got my correct order at 7:45 and am so ticked off that I don't even want to try the food. Do not waste your time or money, better off at taco bell
(1)
Sheshu P.
Did not like the food, everything tasted bland, with no flavor. Only good thing was the salsa, which was seasoned well.
(1)
Marty P.
I am shocked at all the comments of bad service. We moved into an office down the street in Sept and this restaurant is on our regular lunch rotation. We have eaten lunch there no less than 10 times and never had one issue. Greeted at the door immediately seated right away, manager and owner regularly stop by our table, We love the salsa - it is very fresh tasting and the cheese dip is to die for. I have went there and gotten these to go before for a party since it is so much better than store bought. My fav and many of my friends fav is the chori Pollo this location is the only one I know that does a perfect lunch version. It isn't on anyones diet but it is so good! It is cheesy sausage spicy goodness to eat on tortillas or chips... If you want to be good the gigantic bowl of soup (so huge you will take half home) if has tons of chicken, avocado and fresh herbs. So much better for the winter dieter than a salad. Must get over here for happy hour some day. Love the bar but haven't gotten to sit at or the patio yet. I live near the Burnsville El Loro and the boyfriend lives near Theresas in Prior Lake. I have been to the Eagan El Loro (crowded/disorganized) this location is so much better! Really worth a try!
(5)
Andrea C.
Waiters are rude! Came here once and they were pretty rude. Thought maybe it was an off night. Here for the second time right now and everyone is rude again. Not coming back.
(1)
R E.
Food was not good. Server not very friendly, seemed unhappy to be there My bill was $20.14, so I put $4 tip. When my credit card bill came at the end of the month: they charged me $26.14: gave themselves a $6 tip!!! I did not dispute it, for a difference of $2
(1)
Ellie A.
Good food!! Been here 4 times and unfortunately, every time the service had been pretty bad. The servers are unhelpful and do not smile at all. They rush you to order but then are no where to be found when you need your check.
(2)
Neil K.
I've come here a few times for lunch with coworkers. This place is your basic suburban strip mall Mexican restaurant. I feel like a lot of the food comes from a can. The menu is huge but there isn't much variety, basically a lot of different combinations of the same entree. Service is fine, just what you'd expect. If you're in the neighborhood and feeling like Mexican, go for it.
(3)
Laurie L.
I really wanted to give this a 4 or 5 star but... Our first experience we forgave for learning curve, they had just opened. Food great, customer service pretty bad. He dropped my dinner and I was not notified I would have to wait a bit longer but meanwhile they brought out my husbands dinner...I sat and waited another 10 to 15 minutes and we finally flagged the owner and he looked into it. The waited acted as if nothing unusual had happened with no apology just the fact that he didn't like working in Bloomington. Went back 3 weeks later and still there were issues. We have always loved going to the Burnsville location which seems to be run seamlessly. The Bloomington location is plagued with disorganization and not very friendly staff. The food was great...but the service I'd give a C-, D+. The bar area after the happy hour was a total mess...no counters wiped and dirty glasses left on top. Meanwhile the barmaid had time to leisurely vist with other staff. I really hope they can work out these issues because Bloomington could really use a good Mexican retaurant. I hope the owner will see this and hopefully in 3 weeks I can give this review 5 stars...We will give it one more chance .
(2)
Rob H.
I've been to several El Loro locations and have always loved their food, prices, and service. The food and prices at the Bloomington El Loro are no exception. The hostess, bartender, and waitstaff here are much more attractive than the other El Loros. Exponentially better. That being said, I will agree with the other reviewers that said the service and organization is a little lacking. I've never had what I would call bad service here, though. If you sit at the bar you can definitely tell, whether it's busy or not, that the waitresses and bartenders like to bs. Whether I've been sitting in the bar or in the restaurant my order is always taken promptly and I don't sit with an empty glass for very long.
(4)
Rob A.
Lighten up, friends, this is a pretty good Mexican restaurant. It is certainly better than the chains, the service is excellent, they have a fairly authentic mole sauce, good chips and a decent salsa. The prices are pretty decent, too.
(4)
KG B.
Disappointed with the food at this location. A few weeks ago, we stopped in at the Burnsville location for the first time and really liked the place. This one is much closer to us and we gave it a try last night. Based on the other reviews, I was expecting the service and decor to be lacking and that proved to be the case. It's not that there are multiple servers, it's that there doesn't seem to be anyone in charge of a table. Also, there's a surly (and I'm not talking beer) vibe from most of the staff here. However, we were most disappointed in the differences in the food between the two locations. First, the ground beef mixture was very different from the Burnsville location. It was super finely ground and my guess was that it contained lots of soy. Anyway, the texture was off and everyone who had anything made with it sure noticed. My taco was a complete mess. It was half the size of the one that I had a few weeks ago at the other location and instead of a huge amount of cheese, it had a few shreds. Usually tacos served with a combination arrive on a small plate of their own, this one was on the main plate and the entire bottom half of the shell had turned to mush from the other items. My chili relleno was cold in the center and I'm betting it was frozen and then microwaved. Also, my wife had the Burritos Rancheros and she said that the flour tortillas hadn't been warmed at all and "were straight out of the bag." She had a specialty burrito at the other location and said there was no comparison between the two. So for us, next time we'll keep right on driving and go down to Burnsville to go to the other location or El Parian.
(1)
Elisa U.
Worst service ever. From the moment we walked in the door we didn't feel welcome. The worst part happened after I ordered. Instantly I changed my mind, went to find my server to change it & was told the order was in and couldn't be changed. The server was highly rude and not remotely accommodating. Being in the service industry for nearly 10 years, "no" is something you never tell your patrons. Looking for good Mexican food and hospitality? Just drive down Lyndale for quality..
(1)
Crystal K.
LOVE the lunch prices (which they offer on the weekends too) and the serving size is perfect. The food is pretty tasty with good flavor. Been there several times and the service has always been fine. Not always speedy, but they get the job done. Relax and enjoy the yummy margaritas and the cheese dip.
(4)
Amanda T.
My two friends and I went to El Loro for dinner on a Thursday night. The patio was pretty full, but the interior of the restaurant, with the exception of the bar, seemed to be pretty empty. The food was good, I had a combo platter and my friends each had the fajitas. No complaints on the food. The service was the worst I have had in a long time. Our server brought us our drinks and took our food order. We did not see her after that. No one checked on us. We had to bring our glasses inside from the patio to ask the hostess for a refill. You would think she would have asked our server to come out and check on us after that, but she continued to be absent, at least from our table. We were pretty self sufficient after that, as no one checked in, yet it appeared that they were fully staffed. Then it came time for us to leave, we had already asked the hostess to bring us our bill when we went inside for refills, 15 minutes or so later, there was no sign of it. We went inside and asked for our bill, a different server printed it for us and asked how the meal was. We commented that the food was good, but that the service was horrible and that we never saw our server after she took our order. The lady that provided us with our checks could not have cared less. That should have been their second opportunity to make it right. I would not recommend this location to others and will not return. Based on the service I would have expected that the manager check in with us and comp the meal.
(2)
Brian S.
Excellent mole poblano enchiladas.
(4)
Davin R.
Service could be improved, but the food more than makes up for it. Very tasty.
(4)
Jazz's Mom M.
Finally we don't have to drive across the river to get to our favorite Mexican restaurant! They were very busy - it's popular already - and our 15 minute wait was closer to 25, but that's okay. They had some new staff being trained and service was a little slower than usual, but not bad. The food is great! They have a nice patio facing west so you get the afternoon sun - it's a great place to relax and have a beer and a great Mexican meal!!
(5)
Michael R.
I saw the comments about the disorganization of this restaurant when it opened in July, but figured they would have solved these problems now that it's September. Sadly, the service was just as bad. I ordered a taco salad with a side of french dressing (which was listed on the menu). The salad was placed on the table without any dressing and the server was gone before I could say anything. Once I flagged her down, a chore in itself, I asked for the french dressing again. She was gone for about 15 minutes and came back with a dish of ranch dressing. Easy mistake--the words sound similar, especially to to someone for which English isn't her first language. I tried to clarify that I wanted french dressing, but didn't get very far. My dinner companion also tried and the server smiled and walked away and took my soda to be refilled. About 20 minutes later someone else came to our table with a plate of french fries and my half-full soda that had been topped off with water. When we said that we did't order the fries, someone else came to our table to ask what the mater was. I explained about the french dressing, and the soda refill. She didn't seem to understand about the dressing either, but offered to refill the drink properly. When the bill came, we were charged for the french fries and the soda. We entually got the fries removed, but there wasn't any discount for all the trouble. And we were given the general impression that there was nothing out of the ordinary about our meal service. Finally, although the menu says they offer french dressing, I still don't know if they do.
(1)
Bob J.
Service is still terrible. One person seats you, another comes to take a drink order. Wait twenty minutes and someone else finally looks embarrassed after passing you ten times and takes the order. The minute the order is in, three more people show up to take your order (no communication among the staff obviously). Then the food came in this order...fajitas platter without tortillas, shrimp cocktail appetizer ten minutes later. Had to flag someone down for the tortillas finally. Never received a check or a return visit. Went to the host to pay and tried to tell him of my dissatisfaction with the whole experience and still no check. He just looked down through all the checks, could not find one and I had to recite what I had. No apology, no kind words, nothing...just the check. It is too bad for them. The food is OK, but service is awful and I wasted over an hour here during a lunch break, though they had about five servers and four full tables the whole time I was there.
(1)
Mr. U.
Love this place. The food is Always good, the service is good, and they get you in and out without feeling like they are trying to turn the table.
(5)
Jody B.
Went to el loro in Bloomington tonight. Service was great and so was the food. We use to go to the one in Egan all the time which is a great place. I am just so glad that they opened one much closer in Bloomington.
(5)
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Address :8405 Lyndale Ave S
Bloomington, MN, 55420
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Live, Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes 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.
Kelly B.
My family and friends constantly rave about getting solid mexican food at El Loro - so finally on Saturday my mother and I went for dinner. She had been there several times and said that she had always enjoyed it enough. We called ahead and found out that the HH went all week, featuring half priced appetizers and $3.99 margaritas. So we show up and are seated in a back booth. We are given chips and salsa pretty quickly and told by the very friendly boy that our server would be right with us. Well in a few minutes a guy came over and asked if we were ready to order. I said that we'd like a couple margaritas and waters, but we needed time to look over the menu. Mom noticed that they had changed the menu and asked where the chicken mole was that she usually ordered. He just walked away! At first I figured that he hadn't heard her. When he came back, there were no waters. Ready? No,... still wondering about the mole. No mole. Hmm... okay? Then can we get waters while still waiting? He walked away, and never came back. 5 minutes later a woman came over and asked if we were ready. Apparently our server was sick of our questions... So I asked her if there was a way I could substitute mole sauce on an enchilada dish. She screamed at another server across the restaurant in Spanish, and he said he'd gladly switch out the sauce. So I ordered cheese and onion enchilada, mole sauce and rice/beans. The vegetarian enchilada dishes were $9.50. Mom got a trio of a chalupa, hard shell taco and enchilada. She asked the woman what kind of meat options she had, and she sharply said "All ground beef". Well our food came out **still no waters** and it was a mess. Mom had no chalupa, but a bean tostada. When she pointed this out to the server, she swore up and down it was a chalupa - WRONG! Also Mom pointed out that there was no meat, only bean spread. Mom pointed out that she'd claimed that they all had ground beef, and she said - yes all but that one. What?!? My enchiladas were covered in what quite honestly tasted like chocolate syrup goo. DISGUSTING. It was like no mole I've ever had before. I cut one in half and there were seriously just STRINGS of onions, not cooked/softened, not diced... just strung in there. I picked out a couple and the amount of cheese in the cheese enchilada was LAUGHABLE. The rice was dry and flavorless and the beans were lukewarm, likely out of a can. The food was disgusting. Finally we got our waters to wash down this nastiness. We couldn't get the server to give us a check, no checkback on the food - nothing. The only redeeming quality of this experience was the salsa boy, who said it was his first week. Hopefully he gets out of there quickly before he loses his personality and professionalism. This place was disgusting, the food quality was lacking and the service was reprehensible. To top it off - the server had charged all my food a la carte - adding up to $15!!!
(1)Kyle T.
El Loro In Bloomington just amazing always a super fun time friendly atmosphere and fast service. Great Happy Hour Specials too!
(5)Drew W.
Overall very good addition to Bloomington. Food portions are large. Usually one entree could be enough for two. Nice outdoor patio.
(4)Kaylyn W.
My favorite location out of all El Loros is the one in Eagan I think. Regardless, all of them are pretty much the same. I usually leave El Loro with a stomach ache or I feel like a bloated whale. The one thing I think is good at El Loro are the margaritas. They're huge and they don't taste like straight tequila. For my food this time - the chips were overly cooked, almost too hard. The second batch was better. I really love the white sauce that comes with the salsa, I'd honestly just come for that, grab it and run! Haha, but seriously... I ordered the shrimp fajitas which came with a constant steam cloud that didn't go away for about 5 minutes. Shrimp was good, but the onions, peppers, etc. we're very saucy and oily. This came with a side of beans, lettuce, tomato, guac and sour cream. The beans were good (but salty), the lettuce seemed old - some wilted and I barely got any guac. The people I was with seemed to like their food, but personally, it's too oily and salty for me. Service was okay - our server seemed annoyed with us at first, but my mom mentioned this to another server who we've had before (and he's way more nice!), but he told our server about our complaint in Spanish... I know this because our friend can speak Spanish and told me what they were saying LOL! It was a little awkward since I could tell our server was trying to act more nice, almost forced, singling out my mom and asking her if her food was okay, etc. Overall, I think there are many places with more fresh Mexican food that doesn't make me feel like a bloated whale from the oil and salt. I'll probably end up back here since my family/friends seem to like it, but it's definitely not my first choice!
(2)Angie O.
First off there are so many of these in the area! Food is alright. Servive is not very good. Outdoor seating is nice. I have seen mice running in a out from the patio! They have mariachi bands occasionally. Chips and salsa are good. Margaritas are good.
(2)Mercedes M.
I'll never be back to this location ever again! The service just isn't good at all. I've been here twice since my last review and things just seem to get worse. One night we came in and there was no music, what kinda of restaurant doesn't have music? The wait staff is slow it took us at least 5 minutes before someone came to take our drink order. I had fish tacos, which I sent back because they assemble your tacos for you, so the lettuce and pico makes it cold. Plus I think they do it that way so you can't see the flakes of tilapia they put on them. I would have settled for Taco Bell, they never disappoint me.
(1)K D.
Great food, pleasant atmosphere, fast service! I had the Burrito Grande with pork and it was very good. Very large portion so I had enough to take home for lunch.
(4)Rick C.
My first visit, which is the showstopper for most restaurants, was absolutely excellent. I went at lunch, ordered a veg item from the menu, and the owner came to chat with me in Spanish. That went very far with me. The food was EXCELLENT, the service good and they had my favourite Mexican beer. My colleague from my office was so thrilled with the meal portion and flavour that he saved half his meal to eat for dinner. If you like AUTHENTIC, delicious Mexican food, NOT TexMex or rubbish imitations, this is a great place to visit.
(5)Bill G.
The food was pretty good. They had a 3 person band (two guitars & soprano saxophone) going around and singing at each table. That was pretty unique. I got there before the others in my group. We talked for a long time and the waiter kept coming up before they were ready to order. To his defense, she wasn't really looking at the menu much, too busy talking, but he did come up about every minute after we had our drinks. The waiter was pretty good about leaving us alone after taking our orders. I think they got a little impatient that we didn't leave when we were done eating, but they weren't busy. We decided to leave before the band serenaded us for the third time. Price was reasonable. The margarita was strong.
(4)Kuaj K.
Not vegetarian friendly, read another review by Sandeep below: I had dinner there with my family. The servers were friendly, but had a big language problem. When we explained the menu the server didn't write it down, so we repeated and requested her to repeat it to make sure we were on the same page. We are vegetarians so ordered veggie fajita. But when we started to eat it, found meat in it!!! I deeply detest when that happens. For several reasons, it sucks to be in that position. Secondly, you don't know if the server didn't hear it well or the cook didn't hear it well. One thing for sure, the server didn't check the order before putting it on the table. Huge disappointment! We politely sent the dish back, the sever did bit her tongue, hurriedly took it back and inadequately said sorry. The next fajita had lots of potatoes in it, but that's ok it want meat. Of course we were billed for the fajita. So we left $1 tip. Not sure if they will get the message. Someone should tell them about customer service and retention. Usually vegetarians like Mexican food. But It was our first and the last time there. Honestly, I hate giving only 1 star to any restaurant, but I can't help it tonight.
(1)Surly M.
Ok so I feel another star is in order. Here's why: Had a great waiter and additional attentive staff that made sure we had what we needed. They had negro modelo on tap. They added some new things to the menu. Not even sure if they still have my parrillada but that's ok because that dish now has been replaced. So for $22, the el loro molcajete has grilled steak, chicken, pork, chorizo, shrimp skewer, with cactus, chiles, green onions, and a chile de arbol sauce served in a hot lava stone bowl (the bowl is the molcajete). Everything was tasty and cooked perfectly, even the shrimp this time! Comes with warm tortillas, beans, rice, gauc and sour cream. My husband and I shared this along with my must have queso fundido. We went home with the heaviest take home box I've ever had. My husband wants to transform the leftovers into a pasta dish or make quesadillas. That is if I don't just eat it cold out of the fridge before he gets a chance. So, I guess in the end what I'm trying to say is I will probably come more often now.
(4)Jessica P.
A couple weeks ago we went into this location for an early lunch to avoid the rush, but our service was still extremely slow, and our server might as well have just told us that she didn't feel like doing her job that day. Half the time a very kind male server came over to ask us how everything was and to see if there was anything he could get for us. The food was very below average - chips tasted burnt and stale, my flour tortillas were stale, and the cheese dip is very plain (maybe that's just my preference, though). Not going back.
(1)Rhonda G.
Is it the end of the world when I find an El loro that I loathe? There is a divider and no servers seem to want to be on the side that we chose for some privacy. Once we finally saw the guy to take our order, turned out he doubled as Harry Fucking Houdini. I ordered a small guac. It came With dinner, was more of a guac salad and didn't taste like the others we had. Tacos were salty, soggy, and scant of cheese. Worst bathrooms I've seen for dressing the place up otherwise. Salsa and chips were fine. The bar seems to be the center of this place, and was full. As I'm sitting here all I can think is 4, 3, 2, 1 never again. I think I solved this mystery, with the closing of El Toro, I wonder if the staff may have been hired here.
(1)Brian H.
This is a great, albeit rather typical, Minnesota Mexican restaurant. The food is on point (actually better) with most Mexican food that you'll get in MN, but what sets this location aside is the staff; fun and engaging bartenders, a great GM who makes for a fun atmosphere and very good food make El Loro on Lyndale a go to spot for a quality and fun meal.
(5)Jans V.
El Loro is a great place for authentic Mexican cuisine. They offer traditional dishes that include both lunch and dinner specials. Not ready for an entire meal? They offer a great à la carte menu to pick and choose your favorites. El Loro is a kid friendly location and offer modern meals such as chicken tenders with fries. The Happy Hour menu is one of the best. Draft beer is $1.99 /pint, small (lime) margaritas (blended or rocks) are only $3.99 and apps are 1/2 price. Overall El Loro is a great place that offers a variety of inexpensive food, outdoor patio seating and free chips and salsa. The 4 of 5 stars is due to slightly slower service.
(4)Chris F.
Can't quite figure out the reasoning of such a low rating on this place. Therefore I'll give it 5 stars. The food- I've been here twice and experienced some pretty darn good. I've had chicken enchiladas on both visits and they were everything you'd expect. Juicy chicken, a great tasting red sauce, and a fresh corn tortilla. On my second visit I got a combo with a chicken taco. What confused me the most is that there is another Mexican restaurant in this area with rave reviews, when I went there I had a taco that tasted like a desert. Not the case at el loro, a fresh flour tortilla filled with juicy chicken, fresh lettuce and cheese. The beans and rice on the side was great. The second visit I was just slightly disappointed with the rice. The service- Not exceptional, but not bad at all. One way to improve.. Simplify your menu. Pages upon pages of options, overwhelmingly so.
(5)Sandeep S.
Horrible people and horrible place . they served me veggie fajitas with beef in them . really disappointing for a vegetarian . pls don't go to this place .
(1)Annie S.
Obviously most of the people reviewing this place haven't been to Lake Street for an authentic latin dive-tastic food experience. I think El Loro is a great blend of that atmosphere and food, but with neighborhood restaurant appeal. Perfectly imperfect festive wall paintings - check. Small, cozy seating area - check. Servers who are nervous about the language barrier with rude suburbanites - check. Hip and modern looking bar area with one TV - check. Burritos the size of a loaf of bread - check. Smothered in white cheese sauce - check check check. Believe the lame reviews if you like, but I'm a sucker for the Fiesta Burrito - take out if you must (it's filled with grilled beef, chicken, shrimp, and veggies). Oh and the Fajitas Nachos are pretty amazing too.
(4)Stephanie M.
Food was pretty good. They have large dishes and I took home leftovers. Our server was really bad. Took our order and didn't come back until our food was ready. Didn't take our drink order under we for our food and our water was empty. The service was the worst I've had in a long time.
(3)JeannieLaura G.
Great food, drinks, service and ambience...definitely my new go to establishment! Best Mexican food I've had since moving back to Minnesota from DC...can't wait to return...often...and to share my yummy find with family and friends!
(5)Jennifer Z.
I really enjoyed the bar area at this restaurant. I love that they have the bar and regular sit down area sort of separate. They have TV's and everyone at the bar sits in a square so you can mingle and it is small enough to make it intimate. They have tamales which I was craving for some reason. It comes in a small portion so you should get a couple if you are wanting a big meal, or something else to go with it. Their food menu is extensive! They have so many options so you can never go wrong. They give you free chips and salsa too which is nice, and the salsa is SO good! I asked for more because it was very addicting. Katelyn is also a great bartender, she made a house margarita for me to try which was really good! Look for her if you're at the bar area! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is craving some Mexican food or drinks! They have plenty of parking right outside the restaurant.
(5)kevin o.
Unbelievably bad service, haven't even tasted the food yet, I walked in and placed my to go order at 6:15 p.m. at 7:00 I asked a different person where my order was....no clue, re do my order, first one comes out entirely wrong.....2nd order was 1/2 correct, finally got my correct order at 7:45 and am so ticked off that I don't even want to try the food. Do not waste your time or money, better off at taco bell
(1)Sheshu P.
Did not like the food, everything tasted bland, with no flavor. Only good thing was the salsa, which was seasoned well.
(1)Marty P.
I am shocked at all the comments of bad service. We moved into an office down the street in Sept and this restaurant is on our regular lunch rotation. We have eaten lunch there no less than 10 times and never had one issue. Greeted at the door immediately seated right away, manager and owner regularly stop by our table, We love the salsa - it is very fresh tasting and the cheese dip is to die for. I have went there and gotten these to go before for a party since it is so much better than store bought. My fav and many of my friends fav is the chori Pollo this location is the only one I know that does a perfect lunch version. It isn't on anyones diet but it is so good! It is cheesy sausage spicy goodness to eat on tortillas or chips... If you want to be good the gigantic bowl of soup (so huge you will take half home) if has tons of chicken, avocado and fresh herbs. So much better for the winter dieter than a salad. Must get over here for happy hour some day. Love the bar but haven't gotten to sit at or the patio yet. I live near the Burnsville El Loro and the boyfriend lives near Theresas in Prior Lake. I have been to the Eagan El Loro (crowded/disorganized) this location is so much better! Really worth a try!
(5)Andrea C.
Waiters are rude! Came here once and they were pretty rude. Thought maybe it was an off night. Here for the second time right now and everyone is rude again. Not coming back.
(1)R E.
Food was not good. Server not very friendly, seemed unhappy to be there My bill was $20.14, so I put $4 tip. When my credit card bill came at the end of the month: they charged me $26.14: gave themselves a $6 tip!!! I did not dispute it, for a difference of $2
(1)Ellie A.
Good food!! Been here 4 times and unfortunately, every time the service had been pretty bad. The servers are unhelpful and do not smile at all. They rush you to order but then are no where to be found when you need your check.
(2)Neil K.
I've come here a few times for lunch with coworkers. This place is your basic suburban strip mall Mexican restaurant. I feel like a lot of the food comes from a can. The menu is huge but there isn't much variety, basically a lot of different combinations of the same entree. Service is fine, just what you'd expect. If you're in the neighborhood and feeling like Mexican, go for it.
(3)Laurie L.
I really wanted to give this a 4 or 5 star but... Our first experience we forgave for learning curve, they had just opened. Food great, customer service pretty bad. He dropped my dinner and I was not notified I would have to wait a bit longer but meanwhile they brought out my husbands dinner...I sat and waited another 10 to 15 minutes and we finally flagged the owner and he looked into it. The waited acted as if nothing unusual had happened with no apology just the fact that he didn't like working in Bloomington. Went back 3 weeks later and still there were issues. We have always loved going to the Burnsville location which seems to be run seamlessly. The Bloomington location is plagued with disorganization and not very friendly staff. The food was great...but the service I'd give a C-, D+. The bar area after the happy hour was a total mess...no counters wiped and dirty glasses left on top. Meanwhile the barmaid had time to leisurely vist with other staff. I really hope they can work out these issues because Bloomington could really use a good Mexican retaurant. I hope the owner will see this and hopefully in 3 weeks I can give this review 5 stars...We will give it one more chance .
(2)Rob H.
I've been to several El Loro locations and have always loved their food, prices, and service. The food and prices at the Bloomington El Loro are no exception. The hostess, bartender, and waitstaff here are much more attractive than the other El Loros. Exponentially better. That being said, I will agree with the other reviewers that said the service and organization is a little lacking. I've never had what I would call bad service here, though. If you sit at the bar you can definitely tell, whether it's busy or not, that the waitresses and bartenders like to bs. Whether I've been sitting in the bar or in the restaurant my order is always taken promptly and I don't sit with an empty glass for very long.
(4)Rob A.
Lighten up, friends, this is a pretty good Mexican restaurant. It is certainly better than the chains, the service is excellent, they have a fairly authentic mole sauce, good chips and a decent salsa. The prices are pretty decent, too.
(4)KG B.
Disappointed with the food at this location. A few weeks ago, we stopped in at the Burnsville location for the first time and really liked the place. This one is much closer to us and we gave it a try last night. Based on the other reviews, I was expecting the service and decor to be lacking and that proved to be the case. It's not that there are multiple servers, it's that there doesn't seem to be anyone in charge of a table. Also, there's a surly (and I'm not talking beer) vibe from most of the staff here. However, we were most disappointed in the differences in the food between the two locations. First, the ground beef mixture was very different from the Burnsville location. It was super finely ground and my guess was that it contained lots of soy. Anyway, the texture was off and everyone who had anything made with it sure noticed. My taco was a complete mess. It was half the size of the one that I had a few weeks ago at the other location and instead of a huge amount of cheese, it had a few shreds. Usually tacos served with a combination arrive on a small plate of their own, this one was on the main plate and the entire bottom half of the shell had turned to mush from the other items. My chili relleno was cold in the center and I'm betting it was frozen and then microwaved. Also, my wife had the Burritos Rancheros and she said that the flour tortillas hadn't been warmed at all and "were straight out of the bag." She had a specialty burrito at the other location and said there was no comparison between the two. So for us, next time we'll keep right on driving and go down to Burnsville to go to the other location or El Parian.
(1)Elisa U.
Worst service ever. From the moment we walked in the door we didn't feel welcome. The worst part happened after I ordered. Instantly I changed my mind, went to find my server to change it & was told the order was in and couldn't be changed. The server was highly rude and not remotely accommodating. Being in the service industry for nearly 10 years, "no" is something you never tell your patrons. Looking for good Mexican food and hospitality? Just drive down Lyndale for quality..
(1)Crystal K.
LOVE the lunch prices (which they offer on the weekends too) and the serving size is perfect. The food is pretty tasty with good flavor. Been there several times and the service has always been fine. Not always speedy, but they get the job done. Relax and enjoy the yummy margaritas and the cheese dip.
(4)Amanda T.
My two friends and I went to El Loro for dinner on a Thursday night. The patio was pretty full, but the interior of the restaurant, with the exception of the bar, seemed to be pretty empty. The food was good, I had a combo platter and my friends each had the fajitas. No complaints on the food. The service was the worst I have had in a long time. Our server brought us our drinks and took our food order. We did not see her after that. No one checked on us. We had to bring our glasses inside from the patio to ask the hostess for a refill. You would think she would have asked our server to come out and check on us after that, but she continued to be absent, at least from our table. We were pretty self sufficient after that, as no one checked in, yet it appeared that they were fully staffed. Then it came time for us to leave, we had already asked the hostess to bring us our bill when we went inside for refills, 15 minutes or so later, there was no sign of it. We went inside and asked for our bill, a different server printed it for us and asked how the meal was. We commented that the food was good, but that the service was horrible and that we never saw our server after she took our order. The lady that provided us with our checks could not have cared less. That should have been their second opportunity to make it right. I would not recommend this location to others and will not return. Based on the service I would have expected that the manager check in with us and comp the meal.
(2)Brian S.
Excellent mole poblano enchiladas.
(4)Davin R.
Service could be improved, but the food more than makes up for it. Very tasty.
(4)Jazz's Mom M.
Finally we don't have to drive across the river to get to our favorite Mexican restaurant! They were very busy - it's popular already - and our 15 minute wait was closer to 25, but that's okay. They had some new staff being trained and service was a little slower than usual, but not bad. The food is great! They have a nice patio facing west so you get the afternoon sun - it's a great place to relax and have a beer and a great Mexican meal!!
(5)Michael R.
I saw the comments about the disorganization of this restaurant when it opened in July, but figured they would have solved these problems now that it's September. Sadly, the service was just as bad. I ordered a taco salad with a side of french dressing (which was listed on the menu). The salad was placed on the table without any dressing and the server was gone before I could say anything. Once I flagged her down, a chore in itself, I asked for the french dressing again. She was gone for about 15 minutes and came back with a dish of ranch dressing. Easy mistake--the words sound similar, especially to to someone for which English isn't her first language. I tried to clarify that I wanted french dressing, but didn't get very far. My dinner companion also tried and the server smiled and walked away and took my soda to be refilled. About 20 minutes later someone else came to our table with a plate of french fries and my half-full soda that had been topped off with water. When we said that we did't order the fries, someone else came to our table to ask what the mater was. I explained about the french dressing, and the soda refill. She didn't seem to understand about the dressing either, but offered to refill the drink properly. When the bill came, we were charged for the french fries and the soda. We entually got the fries removed, but there wasn't any discount for all the trouble. And we were given the general impression that there was nothing out of the ordinary about our meal service. Finally, although the menu says they offer french dressing, I still don't know if they do.
(1)Bob J.
Service is still terrible. One person seats you, another comes to take a drink order. Wait twenty minutes and someone else finally looks embarrassed after passing you ten times and takes the order. The minute the order is in, three more people show up to take your order (no communication among the staff obviously). Then the food came in this order...fajitas platter without tortillas, shrimp cocktail appetizer ten minutes later. Had to flag someone down for the tortillas finally. Never received a check or a return visit. Went to the host to pay and tried to tell him of my dissatisfaction with the whole experience and still no check. He just looked down through all the checks, could not find one and I had to recite what I had. No apology, no kind words, nothing...just the check. It is too bad for them. The food is OK, but service is awful and I wasted over an hour here during a lunch break, though they had about five servers and four full tables the whole time I was there.
(1)Mr. U.
Love this place. The food is Always good, the service is good, and they get you in and out without feeling like they are trying to turn the table.
(5)Jody B.
Went to el loro in Bloomington tonight. Service was great and so was the food. We use to go to the one in Egan all the time which is a great place. I am just so glad that they opened one much closer in Bloomington.
(5)