Cannot believe all the negative reviews here. You really need to think about what you are getting here. This is closer to tex mex than authentic Mexican food. You are in Oklahoma!I am a student, and have been a regular here for years. The service is always quick, and they make GREAT margaritas and Fajitas. It is reasonably priced as well. Since I have lived across the state, I always try local Mexican and tex mex joints. This place ranks #2 out of all of them. I never have problems with consistency.
(4)
LuiSa H.
I got the shrimp tacos...they were delicious! He got the chimichanga which he thought was delicious! The cheese was also delicious! Do not get the sweet tea...it tasted old . For the most part it looked clean and the staff were very nice and constantly waiting on us...they were excellent. As far as Mexican goes in or around still water this is the place to go!
(5)
Brendan F.
Went to El Vaq with a large group after church, so was more going for the time with friends and just relaxing. Well got there and they had a private area set up for us so that was nice. And then it all went down from there. No A/C in our area which made for unpleasant dining experience. We went almost 20 min from our initial order until we saw our server again for refills. I went to the beverage station myself to get my wife and I refills as well as a few others and employees just watched me get the refills instead of helping. I will never be returning to El Vaq.
(1)
Luis E.
The best Mexican food restaurant in Stillwater period, decent pricing and excellent service, highly recommend it
(5)
Michael C.
This WAS the only Mexican resteraunt that we would go to in Stillwater. Tonight changed all of that. We will NEVER be going back to El Vaquero again. Our waiter took about half an hour to take our order. He brought us a larger than ordered pitcher of margharitas and then explained to us that we really wanted the bigger one, which we got to pay for, not him. I ordered the special, Mulitas al pastor (pork burrito), and he brought me Mulitas with ground beef instead, again getting over charged. My wife ordered carne tapatias (small slices of beef covered in queso) which was charred and half inedible. Fortunately the cashier was willing to take off the overcharge on my special, but refused to do anything about the margharitas despite the fact that the waiter knowingly brought us something we did not order. Our waiter was just aweful. The best example was the table next to us got seated about 20 minutes after us and left about 10 minutes before us. Every time we got service from our waiter, it was because we flagged him down. The only reason we got our check, after asking, was because our friend got up from the table and chased him down. Even then, he got distracted for another 10 minutes or so before he brought us our ticket. This was the worst meal we've ever had at El Vaquero. As I said before, this WAS the only Mexican resteraunt we would go to in Stillwater. This was not a common meal for us here, but it has colored our opinion of the resteraunt so strongly, that we will NOT be going back to El Vaquero ever again.
(1)
Bret S.
Loved it. The service was very friendly but a little slow. Food was very good and an excellent value. I will be back
(4)
C. M.
I'm a big Mexican food junkie. I live about 20 minutes north of the border in California so I've lived off of authentic Mexican my whole life. When I moved to Oklahoma recently, I expected ground beef and cheddar cheese in the food here. El Vaq was a nice surprise! Sure, not fully authentic, but most of the dishes I've tried we're excellent. The fajitas are definitely my favorite. The service is usually great and they deliver the food pretty quickly, even when they are super busy. The prices are great as well. I normally take to-go orders and I love how they include chips and salsa, free of charge! My only complaint is that the salsa isn't hot at all, but that's okay. Overall this is a great restaurant that I love to visit frequently. One of my favorites in Stillwater.
(4)
Heather W.
The food was terrible. There's nothing else I can say. Well, I suppose I can say that's what I get for eating Mexican food in the mid-west.
(1)
Karyn P.
The food was OK, but the place is far too large for the amount of traffic it gets. As a result, the service is lacking terribly and by the time you actually get your food, it's already cold. I'd find abother place for mexican food.
(2)
Fredrick G.
The two star summary next to the rating above where I'm writing this pretty much sums up my take on this place: "Meh. I've experienced better." I don't think the people who are complaining about the food or it's presumed blandness aren't aware it may be an interpretation of Mexican cuisine in lands closer to the midwest than the southern border, as a couple of the defenders from Stillwater have claimed. If anything, they're pointing out what is obvious. The further a cuisine is removed from it's source, the more likely it is to come out less authentic than the norm. To that end, I really did want to like this place. I stopped here on a whim and liked the place itself. It's very, very large and has an interesting atrium feature that's in the center of the dining area. Atmospherics only carry you so far though. I ordered something basic - cheese enchilada dinner. You can't screw these up, right? Well... Let's start with the positives. The rice & beans were decent. Finding flavorful refried beans in this region, as a whole is more or less a fool's errand, but these were decent enough. The rice complemented them well, and were perhaps the best part of the meal. The enchiladas were unique in that they actually used queso blanco instead of cheddar or a more common cheese. That's a nice enough touch, but anyone who knows enchiladas knows you have to balance out the filling with the topping, or rather, the sauce. The chips fit my criteria of being well greased but neither over or under cooked. And that's where the negative comes in - It's bland. It's a tomato base with trace hints of oregano and... that's it. It sticks out in that it doesn't compliment the entree, and diverts you to the fact that it has no appreciable taste! The price for the meal is justifiable and the service is relatively quick. Basically, if you're seeking great Mexican, this isn't your spot. If you're looking for something that's close to Mexican in this part of Oklahoma... here you are. Not sure if there are better options in Stillwater, but now I kind of want to see if that is the case.
(2)
Ramandeep S.
God bless this place. Order anything you like to, it's gonna taste the same. So no comments, if you like one, you like them all...
(2)
Nate N.
Don't know what's with the bad reviews. I've always had a great meal here, and the food comes out lightening fast!
(4)
Alex M.
I was excited to try Mexican food in Oklahoma; I assumed it'd be better than the Mexican I have had in Philadelphia, New York, Delaware, etc. Nope, not really. Well, at least not for El Vaquero. It wasn't bad. The flavors were just muted and unexciting. My dish had cooled considerably. It seemed like Mexican designed not to offend anyone. Heavy on cheese, light on seasoning and spice. They were impressively busy as it is the last weekend prior to classes beginning at Oklahoma State and we were still able to seat a very large party of about 10. If I had a large group and Mexican was necessary and I didn't have a lot of time to plan El Vaquero would be a safe choice.
(2)
scott r.
Pretty standard Mexican food. I wouldn't say it's worth any long drive to try but pretty good when it's next door to your hotel room. oh and I'm pretty sure my margarita was all mix .
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free 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.
Kyle Q.
Cannot believe all the negative reviews here. You really need to think about what you are getting here. This is closer to tex mex than authentic Mexican food. You are in Oklahoma!I am a student, and have been a regular here for years. The service is always quick, and they make GREAT margaritas and Fajitas. It is reasonably priced as well. Since I have lived across the state, I always try local Mexican and tex mex joints. This place ranks #2 out of all of them. I never have problems with consistency.
(4)LuiSa H.
I got the shrimp tacos...they were delicious! He got the chimichanga which he thought was delicious! The cheese was also delicious! Do not get the sweet tea...it tasted old . For the most part it looked clean and the staff were very nice and constantly waiting on us...they were excellent. As far as Mexican goes in or around still water this is the place to go!
(5)Brendan F.
Went to El Vaq with a large group after church, so was more going for the time with friends and just relaxing. Well got there and they had a private area set up for us so that was nice. And then it all went down from there. No A/C in our area which made for unpleasant dining experience. We went almost 20 min from our initial order until we saw our server again for refills. I went to the beverage station myself to get my wife and I refills as well as a few others and employees just watched me get the refills instead of helping. I will never be returning to El Vaq.
(1)Luis E.
The best Mexican food restaurant in Stillwater period, decent pricing and excellent service, highly recommend it
(5)Michael C.
This WAS the only Mexican resteraunt that we would go to in Stillwater. Tonight changed all of that. We will NEVER be going back to El Vaquero again. Our waiter took about half an hour to take our order. He brought us a larger than ordered pitcher of margharitas and then explained to us that we really wanted the bigger one, which we got to pay for, not him. I ordered the special, Mulitas al pastor (pork burrito), and he brought me Mulitas with ground beef instead, again getting over charged. My wife ordered carne tapatias (small slices of beef covered in queso) which was charred and half inedible. Fortunately the cashier was willing to take off the overcharge on my special, but refused to do anything about the margharitas despite the fact that the waiter knowingly brought us something we did not order. Our waiter was just aweful. The best example was the table next to us got seated about 20 minutes after us and left about 10 minutes before us. Every time we got service from our waiter, it was because we flagged him down. The only reason we got our check, after asking, was because our friend got up from the table and chased him down. Even then, he got distracted for another 10 minutes or so before he brought us our ticket. This was the worst meal we've ever had at El Vaquero. As I said before, this WAS the only Mexican resteraunt we would go to in Stillwater. This was not a common meal for us here, but it has colored our opinion of the resteraunt so strongly, that we will NOT be going back to El Vaquero ever again.
(1)Bret S.
Loved it. The service was very friendly but a little slow. Food was very good and an excellent value. I will be back
(4)C. M.
I'm a big Mexican food junkie. I live about 20 minutes north of the border in California so I've lived off of authentic Mexican my whole life. When I moved to Oklahoma recently, I expected ground beef and cheddar cheese in the food here. El Vaq was a nice surprise! Sure, not fully authentic, but most of the dishes I've tried we're excellent. The fajitas are definitely my favorite. The service is usually great and they deliver the food pretty quickly, even when they are super busy. The prices are great as well. I normally take to-go orders and I love how they include chips and salsa, free of charge! My only complaint is that the salsa isn't hot at all, but that's okay. Overall this is a great restaurant that I love to visit frequently. One of my favorites in Stillwater.
(4)Heather W.
The food was terrible. There's nothing else I can say. Well, I suppose I can say that's what I get for eating Mexican food in the mid-west.
(1)Karyn P.
The food was OK, but the place is far too large for the amount of traffic it gets. As a result, the service is lacking terribly and by the time you actually get your food, it's already cold. I'd find abother place for mexican food.
(2)Fredrick G.
The two star summary next to the rating above where I'm writing this pretty much sums up my take on this place: "Meh. I've experienced better." I don't think the people who are complaining about the food or it's presumed blandness aren't aware it may be an interpretation of Mexican cuisine in lands closer to the midwest than the southern border, as a couple of the defenders from Stillwater have claimed. If anything, they're pointing out what is obvious. The further a cuisine is removed from it's source, the more likely it is to come out less authentic than the norm. To that end, I really did want to like this place. I stopped here on a whim and liked the place itself. It's very, very large and has an interesting atrium feature that's in the center of the dining area. Atmospherics only carry you so far though. I ordered something basic - cheese enchilada dinner. You can't screw these up, right? Well... Let's start with the positives. The rice & beans were decent. Finding flavorful refried beans in this region, as a whole is more or less a fool's errand, but these were decent enough. The rice complemented them well, and were perhaps the best part of the meal. The enchiladas were unique in that they actually used queso blanco instead of cheddar or a more common cheese. That's a nice enough touch, but anyone who knows enchiladas knows you have to balance out the filling with the topping, or rather, the sauce. The chips fit my criteria of being well greased but neither over or under cooked. And that's where the negative comes in - It's bland. It's a tomato base with trace hints of oregano and... that's it. It sticks out in that it doesn't compliment the entree, and diverts you to the fact that it has no appreciable taste! The price for the meal is justifiable and the service is relatively quick. Basically, if you're seeking great Mexican, this isn't your spot. If you're looking for something that's close to Mexican in this part of Oklahoma... here you are. Not sure if there are better options in Stillwater, but now I kind of want to see if that is the case.
(2)Ramandeep S.
God bless this place. Order anything you like to, it's gonna taste the same. So no comments, if you like one, you like them all...
(2)Nate N.
Don't know what's with the bad reviews. I've always had a great meal here, and the food comes out lightening fast!
(4)Alex M.
I was excited to try Mexican food in Oklahoma; I assumed it'd be better than the Mexican I have had in Philadelphia, New York, Delaware, etc. Nope, not really. Well, at least not for El Vaquero. It wasn't bad. The flavors were just muted and unexciting. My dish had cooled considerably. It seemed like Mexican designed not to offend anyone. Heavy on cheese, light on seasoning and spice. They were impressively busy as it is the last weekend prior to classes beginning at Oklahoma State and we were still able to seat a very large party of about 10. If I had a large group and Mexican was necessary and I didn't have a lot of time to plan El Vaquero would be a safe choice.
(2)scott r.
Pretty standard Mexican food. I wouldn't say it's worth any long drive to try but pretty good when it's next door to your hotel room. oh and I'm pretty sure my margarita was all mix .
(3)