Food was so bad that we walked out! Cheese dip cold, chips cold, greasy,shrimp fajitas had 3 small pieces of cold plastic like shrimp. The sour cream smelled rotten. My refried beans were in a bowl that looked like soup and smelled foul. Waitress didn't care. So we left.
(1)
Julie W.
Good luck with the service. Ours hasn't been very good the past 2 times we have been. 4 people in our party, only 3 meals came out and we were almost finished by the time the 4th meal was brought out. Waiter was rude when we inquired about it. No one could find a manager.
(2)
Al D.
Have loved this place for almost 20 years, but last night found a new reason to love it. Acapulco Shrimp! Unbelievably fantastic! Service was great as always from Michael.
(5)
Dee B.
Very small portions. Do not reccommend the fish tacos, unless you want something really fishy. The tacos was almost the size of a mini chicken sandwich from KFC (you know, the ones recently being advertised on tv). The black beans was decently seasoned. Rice was very dry. The best part of the meal was the 32 oz. Colossal 'Rita for only $5. If you ever had a Lobsterita from Red Lobster, it's about that size. I reccommend on the rocks of course. Location has lots of seatings, very short wait, casual dining.
(3)
Angel G.
I LOVE this restaurant. Me and my mom go here a lot. The servers are very talkative and work with you to get you what you want. The manager always walks around after you get your food and asks if you need anything and if you like your meal. It's a friendly atmosphere, complete with Mexican-esque decorations. They keep everything clean and tidy, you often see the bus boys sweeping around your table. The food is AMAZING. Fajitas, enchiladas, taco salad.. it's all there. Very good. Another thing I love about them is that they have different salsas to choose from. Hot, spicy, mild, whatever. To me, it's the most top-notch Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurant in Nashville. The only thing I don't recommend is going on Cinco De Mayo, because you'll be waiting forever to get a table, and if you like it quiet, you're not getting any peace there. Overall - GREAT restaurant :)
(4)
Terry R.
One of the worst Mexican restaurants. The chips were stale and greasy. Our food not only tasted bad, but appeared worse. I had the chicken chimichanga and the tortilla was stale, and it appeared to be thawed from frozen. The rice was dry and hard. I even had to remind our server that we did order dessert (which I wish I didn't). We ordered the fried ice cream. Except it's not fried. I even asked the server about it, and she said "yea, it's not fried. It's just rolled in some kind of crumb, I don't know what, and then they put chocolate sauce on it". Yep. Agreed. Some kind of unknown crumb. It was terrible.
(1)
Jerry R.
My wife and I dropped in for a meal recently. The menu options were slim for vegetarians but our server worked with us and the cook to come up with a great veggie-fajitas meal. Excellent! If you are vegetarian please let them know and they are more than happy to accommodate you if you don't see what you want on the menu.
(4)
Ira P.
If you are seeking authentic Mexican food, this is not the place for you. This is the best TexMex I have had. Coming from the Dallas area, if feel that I am somewhat of an authority on this genre of food. Have yet to have a bad dish. Highly recommend the fajitas. The facilities are in disrepair and in need of a make over but this does not effect the food or the service.
(5)
Mellody H.
We have been coming here for over 10 years. The staff is like family. Our food is well worth the 45 minute drive. I love the atmosphere. We take our family and friends here because we know they will have excellent food and a great time! Thank you Dave and Ron and to all of the staff that has taken such good care of us!!
(5)
Ethan P.
Upon entering, please do NOT expect authentic Mexican food, instead, expect Tex-Mex at its finest. Other than the rather uncleanliness of the restaurant, the food it very good, along with the service. Would have gotten 5 stars if not for the nasty conditions.
(4)
Chip E.
I have never written a review before on yelp. My experience tonight at El Chico forced me to. It was hands down the worst restaurant I have ever been to. They didn't know what a top shelf margarita was. So I got a Corona that tasted old and odd. The cheese dip was incredibly bland. The salsa came out of a can. The menu was ridiculously confusing. My wife's steak quesadilla had grey, dried out beef in it so she sent it back. I had the Chimi combo that was horrible. I couldn't get more than two bites into any of it before I simply gave up. They didn't offer to comp anything but the manager told a fascinating story about how he cant have desert with a beer...thanks. I paid $28 for a meal we couldn't eat and old beer we couldn't finish. I am disgusted. Taco Bell has this place beat and I hate Taco Bell. Not a good start to the weekend.
(1)
Brian M.
Mexican tonight Birthday treat Apple or yelp won't let me check in Great place Typical Mexican cuisine Clean building, bathroom had odor but... Service was great
(3)
Melissa P.
I love this place-- huge burritos for like $5, can be dinner 2 nights in a row. And children eat free on Thursdays-- so nice for a single Mother like myself
(5)
Sam C.
My family goes to el Chico just about every Saturday. They always greet us with a smile and our servers know our orders better than we do. They're always adding new menu items. The salmon is great. So is the filet chimi. This month the strawberry nachos return! As far as tex-mex goes, the food is great. Every restaurant has an off day once in a while, but overall el Chico is one of our favorite places to eat.
(5)
Allie S.
Charged 8.99 for a taco salad.. Got a bag full of lettuce, and a half of a handful of meat, cheese, and tomato. Should've just gone to kroger. It's only $2.50 there. Lettuce was fresh though..
(2)
Randy C.
My wife and I have been coming to this place, off and on, for several years... It used to be really good and was one of our favorites simply because it is a bit different than most of the other Mexican food joints. Needless to say, I doubt we'll be back for a while. In short, the place is filthy... The fans are filthy, there was food crusted in the menu, food on the floor, bathroom's were disgusting, and the table was sticky. Luckily the service sucked too... We got there at 11:15 am, so they just opened. It's not like they just finished a big lunch rush or something - the place was dead. I'm giving them 2 stars because the food was still decent. Our server struggled with two tables but my guess is that the wait staff is ill-equipped to do their jobs efficiently because their GM is a slacker. So, I don't blame her. Everything trickles down from management. Everything. I have worked in restaurants and there is absolutely no excuse for the place being filthy. Last I checked, cleaning was actually free! Instead, the staff (hostess) would stand around and eat chips, or talk to the others that weren't working. Ummm... Why not clean some salsa off of a menu? Wipe down a table? Run the vacuum? Sweep a little bit? Dust something? Clean up the bathroom more than once a year? Fill up MY WATER!! Just a thought... The unfortunate thought that always comes to mind is that if the GM can't manage staff to clean the front of the house and bathrooms... I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like.
(2)
Bennie C.
I live in Nashville. Because of my job, I have to travel all over Nashville and eat lunch at many different places. I rarely make reviews, but I thought it would be a good idea to start with a good experience. I do intend to keep on reviewing Nashville local businesses. El Chico in Rivergate is one of those good places. I have been in there a few times and the food and service has always been good. Yesterday I was in a hurry (I usually will not tell the servers this and I did not here.) and I was in and out in less than 30 minutes with a great lunch (the server, Diana, actually recommended it) and great service. The kitchen manager delivery it to my table and also described the dish. It was a quick, enjoyable, and delectable experience.
(5)
Sandy T.
The prices are cheap for lunch $5.99 Do three stars equal "meh?" Yes...exactly. It was just something to fill my tummy up...just to quiet the rumbling...not really palate pleasing. I hadn't been here in about 10 years...food still just ok. Salsa and chips were just as good as anywhere else. I had the chalupa lunch which included 2 chalupas with rice and beans. I don't think the tortilla shell was fresh...tasted store bought and a bit stale. Rice was not good. I poured my whole bowl of salsa to make it tasty enough to swallow. The chicken tasted like Someone back in the kitchen accidentally dropped the cumin jar in the pan. The cumin was so strong and powdery on top that I couldn't stop sneezing! I don't think I'll ever go there again! :(
(3)
Jason R.
I wish yelp allowed for negative stars, cause this place is horrible. Their menu wouldn't even make it on a taco bell list of items. My stomach hurt the moment I saw their food, and now I'm suffering days after eating it. The waitresses and the hostess were incapable of speech or a smile. Save yourselves the issue of crapping your pants from eating at a mexican restaurant that has never heard of "chorizo"!!!!
(1)
Chris H.
Great local Mexican restaurant. Very fresh Mexican food and great for kids. We try come here as a family twice a month. If you are North of Nashville on your way to Rivergate or Hendersonville. Great family atmosphere. Not a place to party with your crew. Very fast service.
(4)
Brandi N.
The worst mexican place I have ever been to. Their food isn't remotely authentic. The cheese sauce was very sticky. The salsa was bland and the chips were very thin! The mix grill fajitas were made with meat that clearly came out of the freezer. The chimcanga looked like it had been microwaved.The service was lazy and everything just was terrible, 40 dollars!! Way to expensive for the quality of the food. DO NOT EAT HERE.
(1)
Larry S.
If I had never lived in California, I might think that El Chico was acceptable Mexican food. But probably not.
(2)
Bristol D.
Went in at 3pm on a Wednesday. It tastes like Texas again!!!! The service was awesome too!!! Everything was clean, and my pork tamales were super. ¡Que rÃco!
(5)
Richard P.
Just left El Chico in Goodletsville, TN. Excellent food and service. We had Diana as our server, she was wonderful. Very attentive and friendly. The fajItas were great. Love the fresh tortillas!! My wife had the taco salad and thought it was excellent. Good portion size. We will definitely return! According to my wife El Chico has the best chips & salsa in town.
(5)
Bridgett G.
I was there recently for dinner & had a great experience. The service was spot on, the chips & salsa were fresh, the guacamole made at the table was perfect, & the food came out quickly & was very good. Great value for what you get. I will return again soon.
(5)
Lucy F.
Not authentic at all, didn't even play Spanish music. The menu has a mediocre selection at best, with limited vegetarian options. Ended up eating mostly chips and salsa. The bathroom was filthy as well. This is what I get for trying new places.
(2)
Eli H.
This is a great place for people to hang out. Great food and great service!! Thanks for a great night!
(4)
Ken T.
Had lunch here today with my wife and I would have to say the place earned the two star rating. The cheese enchilada was dry. The rice taste free and beans seemed to come from a can. Is there a Mexican in the house? I think not. The chips and salsa were good and the server tried hard to please. We finished of lunch with a brownie something and it was average.
(2)
R R.
It might not be the best place ever for some, but as a local I just have a soft spot for this place! I don't know if it's the nostalgia of always coming here all my life, but I really enjoy eating here. The service is always great, there's never much of a wait even when it seems crowded. The food might not be out of this world, but it is delicious- especially for the price. The chips and salsa are some of my favorite around!
(5)
Joseph S.
I used to eat here years ago and it was pretty good, but my last 2 recent experiences have been pretty bad. The staff was very friendly, but the food was really greasy and poor quality. The soapapilla dessert was also very bad as it was just a big lump of hollow dough with a littel cinnamon on it. We wanted some authentic Mexian/TexMex, but this wasn't what we had in mind. Take care and cya in Rivergate.
(2)
Jim C.
Was in the area by accident and stopped in because it was convenient at the time; lucky me! The menu has the old standards you would expect to find at a Tex Mex restaurant but there many items I have not seen elsewhere. I had the avocado and spinach enchiladas and they are a new favorite. The service was premiere; Good job Lisa!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Angie H.
Food was so bad that we walked out! Cheese dip cold, chips cold, greasy,shrimp fajitas had 3 small pieces of cold plastic like shrimp. The sour cream smelled rotten. My refried beans were in a bowl that looked like soup and smelled foul. Waitress didn't care. So we left.
(1)Julie W.
Good luck with the service. Ours hasn't been very good the past 2 times we have been. 4 people in our party, only 3 meals came out and we were almost finished by the time the 4th meal was brought out. Waiter was rude when we inquired about it. No one could find a manager.
(2)Al D.
Have loved this place for almost 20 years, but last night found a new reason to love it. Acapulco Shrimp! Unbelievably fantastic! Service was great as always from Michael.
(5)Dee B.
Very small portions. Do not reccommend the fish tacos, unless you want something really fishy. The tacos was almost the size of a mini chicken sandwich from KFC (you know, the ones recently being advertised on tv). The black beans was decently seasoned. Rice was very dry. The best part of the meal was the 32 oz. Colossal 'Rita for only $5. If you ever had a Lobsterita from Red Lobster, it's about that size. I reccommend on the rocks of course. Location has lots of seatings, very short wait, casual dining.
(3)Angel G.
I LOVE this restaurant. Me and my mom go here a lot. The servers are very talkative and work with you to get you what you want. The manager always walks around after you get your food and asks if you need anything and if you like your meal. It's a friendly atmosphere, complete with Mexican-esque decorations. They keep everything clean and tidy, you often see the bus boys sweeping around your table. The food is AMAZING. Fajitas, enchiladas, taco salad.. it's all there. Very good. Another thing I love about them is that they have different salsas to choose from. Hot, spicy, mild, whatever. To me, it's the most top-notch Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurant in Nashville. The only thing I don't recommend is going on Cinco De Mayo, because you'll be waiting forever to get a table, and if you like it quiet, you're not getting any peace there. Overall - GREAT restaurant :)
(4)Terry R.
One of the worst Mexican restaurants. The chips were stale and greasy. Our food not only tasted bad, but appeared worse. I had the chicken chimichanga and the tortilla was stale, and it appeared to be thawed from frozen. The rice was dry and hard. I even had to remind our server that we did order dessert (which I wish I didn't). We ordered the fried ice cream. Except it's not fried. I even asked the server about it, and she said "yea, it's not fried. It's just rolled in some kind of crumb, I don't know what, and then they put chocolate sauce on it". Yep. Agreed. Some kind of unknown crumb. It was terrible.
(1)Jerry R.
My wife and I dropped in for a meal recently. The menu options were slim for vegetarians but our server worked with us and the cook to come up with a great veggie-fajitas meal. Excellent! If you are vegetarian please let them know and they are more than happy to accommodate you if you don't see what you want on the menu.
(4)Ira P.
If you are seeking authentic Mexican food, this is not the place for you. This is the best TexMex I have had. Coming from the Dallas area, if feel that I am somewhat of an authority on this genre of food. Have yet to have a bad dish. Highly recommend the fajitas. The facilities are in disrepair and in need of a make over but this does not effect the food or the service.
(5)Mellody H.
We have been coming here for over 10 years. The staff is like family. Our food is well worth the 45 minute drive. I love the atmosphere. We take our family and friends here because we know they will have excellent food and a great time! Thank you Dave and Ron and to all of the staff that has taken such good care of us!!
(5)Ethan P.
Upon entering, please do NOT expect authentic Mexican food, instead, expect Tex-Mex at its finest. Other than the rather uncleanliness of the restaurant, the food it very good, along with the service. Would have gotten 5 stars if not for the nasty conditions.
(4)Chip E.
I have never written a review before on yelp. My experience tonight at El Chico forced me to. It was hands down the worst restaurant I have ever been to. They didn't know what a top shelf margarita was. So I got a Corona that tasted old and odd. The cheese dip was incredibly bland. The salsa came out of a can. The menu was ridiculously confusing. My wife's steak quesadilla had grey, dried out beef in it so she sent it back. I had the Chimi combo that was horrible. I couldn't get more than two bites into any of it before I simply gave up. They didn't offer to comp anything but the manager told a fascinating story about how he cant have desert with a beer...thanks. I paid $28 for a meal we couldn't eat and old beer we couldn't finish. I am disgusted. Taco Bell has this place beat and I hate Taco Bell. Not a good start to the weekend.
(1)Brian M.
Mexican tonight Birthday treat Apple or yelp won't let me check in Great place Typical Mexican cuisine Clean building, bathroom had odor but... Service was great
(3)Melissa P.
I love this place-- huge burritos for like $5, can be dinner 2 nights in a row. And children eat free on Thursdays-- so nice for a single Mother like myself
(5)Sam C.
My family goes to el Chico just about every Saturday. They always greet us with a smile and our servers know our orders better than we do. They're always adding new menu items. The salmon is great. So is the filet chimi. This month the strawberry nachos return! As far as tex-mex goes, the food is great. Every restaurant has an off day once in a while, but overall el Chico is one of our favorite places to eat.
(5)Allie S.
Charged 8.99 for a taco salad.. Got a bag full of lettuce, and a half of a handful of meat, cheese, and tomato. Should've just gone to kroger. It's only $2.50 there. Lettuce was fresh though..
(2)Randy C.
My wife and I have been coming to this place, off and on, for several years... It used to be really good and was one of our favorites simply because it is a bit different than most of the other Mexican food joints. Needless to say, I doubt we'll be back for a while. In short, the place is filthy... The fans are filthy, there was food crusted in the menu, food on the floor, bathroom's were disgusting, and the table was sticky. Luckily the service sucked too... We got there at 11:15 am, so they just opened. It's not like they just finished a big lunch rush or something - the place was dead. I'm giving them 2 stars because the food was still decent. Our server struggled with two tables but my guess is that the wait staff is ill-equipped to do their jobs efficiently because their GM is a slacker. So, I don't blame her. Everything trickles down from management. Everything. I have worked in restaurants and there is absolutely no excuse for the place being filthy. Last I checked, cleaning was actually free! Instead, the staff (hostess) would stand around and eat chips, or talk to the others that weren't working. Ummm... Why not clean some salsa off of a menu? Wipe down a table? Run the vacuum? Sweep a little bit? Dust something? Clean up the bathroom more than once a year? Fill up MY WATER!! Just a thought... The unfortunate thought that always comes to mind is that if the GM can't manage staff to clean the front of the house and bathrooms... I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like.
(2)Bennie C.
I live in Nashville. Because of my job, I have to travel all over Nashville and eat lunch at many different places. I rarely make reviews, but I thought it would be a good idea to start with a good experience. I do intend to keep on reviewing Nashville local businesses. El Chico in Rivergate is one of those good places. I have been in there a few times and the food and service has always been good. Yesterday I was in a hurry (I usually will not tell the servers this and I did not here.) and I was in and out in less than 30 minutes with a great lunch (the server, Diana, actually recommended it) and great service. The kitchen manager delivery it to my table and also described the dish. It was a quick, enjoyable, and delectable experience.
(5)Sandy T.
The prices are cheap for lunch $5.99 Do three stars equal "meh?" Yes...exactly. It was just something to fill my tummy up...just to quiet the rumbling...not really palate pleasing. I hadn't been here in about 10 years...food still just ok. Salsa and chips were just as good as anywhere else. I had the chalupa lunch which included 2 chalupas with rice and beans. I don't think the tortilla shell was fresh...tasted store bought and a bit stale. Rice was not good. I poured my whole bowl of salsa to make it tasty enough to swallow. The chicken tasted like Someone back in the kitchen accidentally dropped the cumin jar in the pan. The cumin was so strong and powdery on top that I couldn't stop sneezing! I don't think I'll ever go there again! :(
(3)Jason R.
I wish yelp allowed for negative stars, cause this place is horrible. Their menu wouldn't even make it on a taco bell list of items. My stomach hurt the moment I saw their food, and now I'm suffering days after eating it. The waitresses and the hostess were incapable of speech or a smile. Save yourselves the issue of crapping your pants from eating at a mexican restaurant that has never heard of "chorizo"!!!!
(1)Chris H.
Great local Mexican restaurant. Very fresh Mexican food and great for kids. We try come here as a family twice a month. If you are North of Nashville on your way to Rivergate or Hendersonville. Great family atmosphere. Not a place to party with your crew. Very fast service.
(4)Brandi N.
The worst mexican place I have ever been to. Their food isn't remotely authentic. The cheese sauce was very sticky. The salsa was bland and the chips were very thin! The mix grill fajitas were made with meat that clearly came out of the freezer. The chimcanga looked like it had been microwaved.The service was lazy and everything just was terrible, 40 dollars!! Way to expensive for the quality of the food. DO NOT EAT HERE.
(1)Larry S.
If I had never lived in California, I might think that El Chico was acceptable Mexican food. But probably not.
(2)Bristol D.
Went in at 3pm on a Wednesday. It tastes like Texas again!!!! The service was awesome too!!! Everything was clean, and my pork tamales were super. ¡Que rÃco!
(5)Richard P.
Just left El Chico in Goodletsville, TN. Excellent food and service. We had Diana as our server, she was wonderful. Very attentive and friendly. The fajItas were great. Love the fresh tortillas!! My wife had the taco salad and thought it was excellent. Good portion size. We will definitely return! According to my wife El Chico has the best chips & salsa in town.
(5)Bridgett G.
I was there recently for dinner & had a great experience. The service was spot on, the chips & salsa were fresh, the guacamole made at the table was perfect, & the food came out quickly & was very good. Great value for what you get. I will return again soon.
(5)Lucy F.
Not authentic at all, didn't even play Spanish music. The menu has a mediocre selection at best, with limited vegetarian options. Ended up eating mostly chips and salsa. The bathroom was filthy as well. This is what I get for trying new places.
(2)Eli H.
This is a great place for people to hang out. Great food and great service!! Thanks for a great night!
(4)Ken T.
Had lunch here today with my wife and I would have to say the place earned the two star rating. The cheese enchilada was dry. The rice taste free and beans seemed to come from a can. Is there a Mexican in the house? I think not. The chips and salsa were good and the server tried hard to please. We finished of lunch with a brownie something and it was average.
(2)R R.
It might not be the best place ever for some, but as a local I just have a soft spot for this place! I don't know if it's the nostalgia of always coming here all my life, but I really enjoy eating here. The service is always great, there's never much of a wait even when it seems crowded. The food might not be out of this world, but it is delicious- especially for the price. The chips and salsa are some of my favorite around!
(5)Joseph S.
I used to eat here years ago and it was pretty good, but my last 2 recent experiences have been pretty bad. The staff was very friendly, but the food was really greasy and poor quality. The soapapilla dessert was also very bad as it was just a big lump of hollow dough with a littel cinnamon on it. We wanted some authentic Mexian/TexMex, but this wasn't what we had in mind. Take care and cya in Rivergate.
(2)Jim C.
Was in the area by accident and stopped in because it was convenient at the time; lucky me! The menu has the old standards you would expect to find at a Tex Mex restaurant but there many items I have not seen elsewhere. I had the avocado and spinach enchiladas and they are a new favorite. The service was premiere; Good job Lisa!
(4)