I know one of the owners so I may be partial to this place but the food is fantastic! The margaritas rock my world! I always get this skirt steak plate that is to die for, its so juicy! The salsa is good & spicy 2 which is rare in an Caucasian owned restaurant. The nachos with spicy beef r so good!
(5)
Debbie K.
Found this place on yelp. Not from this area so it was new to us. Loved the traditional style Tex mex. I had the homemade tamales and they were good. Atmosphere is casual and servers friendly and helpful. I like my food a little spicier, but the hot sauce added what was missing. Chips are thin and fresh. We will be back even though it is a drive for us.
(4)
Katie C.
This place is fantastic! Their margaritas are very strong! They have two happy hours, one from 5-7 and the other from 9-11--the margaritas are $5! The food is also delicious. My favorite is the quesadilla with fajita beef, the portions are very generous as well!
(4)
Seth F.
Walked in at 9:05, bartender was too busy talking to the blonde at the end of the bar. He made eye contact with us twice and didn't bother to come over so after ten minutes we left. Just wanted a drink, never coming back.
(1)
Jay G.
Food was excellent. Seasoned well and authentic taste. I recommend the Brazos. Two thumbs up for the service and food.
(5)
Vic F.
If you need to get out of the house and get a drink, but don't want a trashy bar-scene, definitely check out Bandito's. The free chips and salsa can really fill you up. They have many large TV screens at the bar and medium sized TV screens at the booths for any gamedays. This is the perfect place to watch any upcoming college basketball or football games with the buddies. Happy Hour from 9-11PM. The Food: Chips with Queso (Cheese) and Salsa: I am serious in reviewing their chips, queso, and salsa. The chips are crisp, warm, and not too oily. Levels above most cantinas in this consideration. The salsa is mixed and chunky, with pieces of onion, jalapeno, and tomato. The best part is that it is endless. The queso was warm, lightly salted, with a strong natural cheesy flavor. It doesn't have the strong smelling "cheese" flavors that make this dish too filling or heavy. This makes a great and timeless appetizer to complement any drinks or Tex-Mex entrees. Note: Quesadillas and fajitas looked very good as well, but I did not try them. Margaritas: The Margaritas punch you in the face if you don't watch out. They are above average in strength and taste. The rim of the glass is salted as well. You have the option of a frozen margarita or just the regular margarita drink. Once again, these margaritas pack quite a punch. The Atmosphere: Always lively towards the evening or during college gameday. The place looks small from the outside, but this place has a DEEP interior that includes outside seating. Expect the light amber lighting that you usually see at Tex-Mex restaurants. The Verdict: Perfect place to meet for drinks (Happy Hour 9-11PM) and sports with your friends, families, coworkers, kids, etc. Servers are nice, but maybe tough to reach on a busy night. Chips and salsa are unlimited, but definitely go for the chips and warm queso. Margaritas are stronger than average; isn't life great?
(5)
Leon K.
Banditos is one of the best Tex Mex food I have ever had. I mean parking can be a little hard but it's worth the wait I had the steak fajitas and they were excellently cooked, tender, and nice presentation it was amazing. Have to come check it out
(5)
Roman V.
Enjoyed a lunch out back in the "beer garden". Was nice, decent service, and the food was good as expected. Didn't blow my mind, but was still a-ok!
(3)
Adam C.
Wasn't bad, but it wasn't "A-OK" so I had to give it two stars. Chips/Salsa: Basic chips obviously not made in-house. Salsa might have been homemade, but lacked spice and was very basic. I'd say it was average. I wouldn't never come back because of it, I'll put it that way. Lunch beef burrito: Rice was unique and very good. I had the barracho beans rather than the refried, and they were very good as well. The burrito came smothered in queso, which was great. The problem was the burrito itself. Huge tortilla wrapped in ground beef, cheese and apparently refried beans, at least that's what I was told. I couldn't taste anything but poorly flavored ground beef and a not-so-special tortilla. In defense of Banditos, I specifically asked what their top sellers and favorites were, and he mentioned about 5 things that did not include what I got. I might go back to try another dish, but I'm not going to suggest it if someone asks me where I want to go.
(2)
Jennifer B.
Great place. Love the atmosphere and the food was great. Salsa has a nice kick! Definitely a neighborhood gem. Parking can be a. It of a problem though.
(4)
Joe K.
Bandito's is quite good. It's a solid Tex-Mex restaurant that's 4.5 star caliber, and probably the business that my wife and I end up going the most to in our neighborhood. I can't quite justify giving it a full 5 stars for a couple of reasons, but it is quite good and inches on that 5th star. I may come back and give the star up! The food is great. It isn't quite in my "top 10" list of Tex-Mex places in DFW, but it's pretty close. Here's the highlights.: -The food is pretty darned solid, all around. I haven't had a meal here that I would classify as "bad," and many that I would classify as "awesome." -Both the queso and guac here are very good--you can't really go wrong with either. -Their free chips and salsa never disappoint either. I always eat way too darn much of it. -The first thing I got here when I came here for the first time are the fajitas. These are usually very good. (Once or twice, I've gotten a bad cut of meat, but that happens anywhere...) -Eventually, I branched out into some of the menu combinations. Their cheese enchilada / sour cream chicken enchilada / cheese taco combination is wonderful. -Don't overlook their quesadillas. They are AWESOME. (Like--some of the best I've ever had.) -Their margaritas also really hit the spot as well! -Their breakfast tacos are delicious, and they make them just how I like them with the right consistency and everything. (Mmmm. Bacon. But they have sausage also.) -There's a lot of TV screens that you can watch various sporting events on. I've seen everything from football to women's soccer to golf on at any given time. Here are the reasons that I reluctantly give it 4 out of 5 stars. Note that these things are relatively quite minor.: -If you're not there early, you'll end up waiting. It's a small restaurant (everywhere in the area is) and due to it's popularity, you may not get in. There's really no good place to wait indoors, so you'll be snaking out the front of the restaurant, and in the steamy summer, this is very unfortunate. -When you enter the restaurant (or if you sit right by the front door), you smell a chemical there that they must use to clean the tables. It's not too bad, but it's kind of annoying. -The service is sometimes lacking. Most of the time, it's okay, but sometimes they can be a bit slow. I think they can sometimes get mixed up on which table belongs to which server. -It can get a little loud in here. (That actually makes it better for folks with kiddos. They also provide Wikki Stix to children who are eating in the restaurant.) -I've mentioned their breakfast tacos in this review. Answer me this--how does a restaurant like this that has awesome breakfast tacos NOT open for breakfast? I don't get that... If I had a dime for every time that I wished I could get some breakfast tacos for breakfast at Bandito's and wasn't able to, I'd be rich. Overall, it's a great local Tex-Mex place, and one that my wife and I frequent often. If they have a line that's snaking out the door, don't forget about the Cisco Grill across the plaza--it's still quite good (and in some ways, I'd argue better), but it is more of a grill (and less of a Tex-Mex place) seems to attract a much older crowd.
(4)
Bruce M.
I'm glad we stumbled on this little joint. It has some of the best TexMex I've had. Nearly desperate for food and drink, we unknowingly dropped in just minutes before the kitchen closed at 11pm. In spite of that, the staff were seemed genuinely glad to have us. We had the place to ourselves apart from two couples near us. The staff was taking the small crowd as an opportunity to get some cleaning done, but still managed to give us more than adequate service. Our waitress was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. My only disappointment was that they do not have chimichangas on the menu. Our waitress apologized and suggested chicken flautas, but I was really in the mood for a big crunchy flour tortilla and ranchera sauce. If they bring on a good chimi, this rating goes to 5 stars easily. One of my companions noted that the appetizer queso tasted remarkable like mac'n'cheese. While this was a bit out of the ordinary, it was appreciated for its tastiness and novelty. The entrees were quite good. The Numero Uno and a cold draft Dos Equis hit my spot. The enchilada had tender flavorful meat, generous cheese, balanced spices, all of which played well against the extra cilantro in the guacamole. The spices were easily discernible from each other without being under-cooked. The tamale was also very enjoyable. The masa coating was strongly flavored without overpowering the meat and cheese. It was also missing that dreaded taste of too much lime that we're finding lately as restaurateurs cut costs. It's getting harder to find draft beer that hasn't been in a keg sitting in a hot truck for days on end, with the resultant pungent spoiled flavor reminiscent of last weekend's frat party, but this Dos Equis tasted like it had never been north of 40 degrees F. The cold glass goblet and lime slice brought this drink up to timely perfection. One of my companions is quite picky regarding beef. She has a very narrow definition of good beef, but the oven roasted brisket tacos delighted her. She had one left over that she brought home, which is now in the refrigerator under heavy guard against the rest of the household. My second companion is usually ambivalent about food, but he expressed an appreciation for the signature enchilada dinner with 2 enchiladas. His actions spoke more than his words. In spite of our encouragement to order smaller portions, he often has 1/2 or more of his entrees left over. However, for this he finished all but one small part of the second enchilada.
(4)
Rod S.
The biggest, juicy chicken breast I have ever had. This place is TEX/Mex to the MAX. Drop what you are doing and get there now. The Amigo Chicken is huge. More than I could eat. Love the rice with onions and pepper and the charo beans are the best. I will be back. This is one place where I can't wait to explore the menu. Amazing.
(5)
Katie T.
This is my favorite Mexican food place in Dallas. Their red river chicken tacos are the best (although I usually get the red river chicken salad to try to be a little healthier...). Their loaded queso is also awesome and it is one of the few places that does frozen skinny margaritas...and they're actually good! It's always a good and happy vibe here and it was me and my girlfriends go-to place for our girls dinners. My family lives in AZ and everytime they come to Dallas this is the restaurant they want to go to.
(5)
Darlene C.
I walked in at around 4:30 pm and it was a Saturday. It was fairly busy but I was able to grab one of the last couple of seats that were available. The bar-back immediately asked what I was drinking and if I wanted chips and salsa. I said no to the chips and salsa and had a glass of merlot. The bartender was very friendly too, he handed me a menu before my drink was served. I usually go here about once every other month. I do need to get better on my check ins! On this visit I had the Red River chicken crispy tacos again. This time I ordered them with no cheese. They normally put a lot of cheese on them so if you love cheese then you would love these tacos. I love the seasoning in these tacos so that is one of the reason that I order them. What I can not seem to figure out is that they are not able to stay together. You have to hurry and eat them and I am a slow eater so by the time I get to the third taco it is too soggy for me to eat it as a taco so it is more like a salad by that time. This is the second time that I this happened on the tacos in the last couple of months of me going. have tried looking at them to figure out why they can not stay together. My only conclusion is that there is some sauce on the plate which causes them to get soggy. I would like it if I could give this place 3.5 stars but I am not sure I would go with 4 stars so I gave it 3. Maybe when I go back I will try something else on the menu and will have better luck with it. Parking is not the easiest here on a busy day either but on this day it was not so bad. They were fast and the service was great. I guess I am just upset on my tacos and it being that it is not the first time that this happened with my tacos falling apart. Maybe if you are able to eat them super fast then this would not happen.
(3)
Rachel R.
I came here last night for a Happy Hour with some co-workers. Bandito's is located next to Half Shells in Snider Plaza. If you come during a peak business hour (lunch & dinner) parking can be a little difficult. However, last night, I was able to find a spot fairly close to the restaurant. We ordered chips & queso for an appetizer and enjoyed munching on them. The Queso was delicious and paired great with the chips. I ordered the Salmon salad because I am trying to eat a little healthier and really enjoyed it. The salmon was cooked perfectly, with a great crust to the fish and the dressing (a little vinegary) added great flavor to the salad. Our server was attentive (I drink a lot of water) and friendly without being fake. We stayed a little after we had paid, because there was not a wait and he did not rush us out. I would come back again, hands down, to try more menu items.
(4)
Stephanie L.
Great food and drinks! Love coming here with my friends. For alcoholic drinks, get the Ethyl margarita. (margarita + sangria) It's pretty strong but also tastes great, woohoo! I've tried the brisket tacos -- SO GOOD -- but a little greasy. A little heavier but if you want to treat yourself to something delicious, order this! Also comes with rice and beans for a well-rounded and hearty meal! If you want something healthier, I also really enjoyed the Park Cities Fajitas Salad. The salad is huge, there's lots of tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, and cheddar cheese also with your choice of meat and dressing. So it IS possible to eat somewhat healthy here, which allows you to treat yourself to a drink. :-) I also had their Los Nachos, which are delicious and really filling. You can choose between two sizes and different toppings. I really appreciate that they don't skimp on the cheese, too. YAY! Great to share or even just for yourself.
(4)
Diane B.
This is the best tex mex place in Dallas yet. .. Better than desperados. We went on a sunday and had frozen margaritas, sangria, bean and cheese tacos, steak salad, shrimp salad, shrimp fajitas, guacamole and brisket nachos. Everything was excellent and we were all impressed with the quality of the beef on the salad. They are owned by the same people who own katy trail ice house. .. which we also really enjoy. Even the salsa was unique and delicious. The refried beans have a smoky, meaty flavor to them. My husband loved that but my vegetarian sister did not. Unlike most places, they do not skimp on their guacamole! And we all loved how it was not ruined by the addition of things such as corn, onions, peppers, etc... that other restaurants use as fillers. This guac was just mashed up fresh avocados with some lime juice... excellent. Service was good. We asked for the manager so we could pay our compliments and Patrick was more than happy to take time to answer all our questions about the business and food. My mother appreciated the half size margaritas available. The drinks were not sugary in any way and tasted fresh. I've had similar margaritas in taos, nm and am happy to find some in Dallas! We live in Richardson but all agreed it's worth the drive to come back here!
(5)
Adam M.
I wasn't overly impressed with Bandito's. The menu was full of standard tex mex options attached to an usually high price tag. I ordered the brisket tacos and they were decent, nothing to complain about. However, the price for the plate was quite ridiculous for a stardard tex mex dish that was mediocre. The chips and salsa were good, as they better be considering how much you're about to spend. I'll give them props for having Peticolas on draft and some other good beers, but overall I don't see myself frequenting Bandito's, except maybe for said beers and some chips/salsa. There are a handful of other restaurants in Snider that serve unique food for half the price.
(3)
Linday C.
Personality sizzles Mexican Cowboy style here from the festive shot bar, pleasing good ole country music, boisterous conversations, delicious texmex smells, and fun for the whole family. The bar is fun to eat at solo. You can watch nice quality TV and meet friendly gringos having a good time. People are really friendly and happy here and can get rowdy fun. Food is grand as all the tex mex dishes please the melty gringo spot. Enchiladas, tacos, nachos, etc. I particularly enjoy the salads when eating healthy. I'll skip the cheese and use salsa as dressing. The red river chicken is quite different and tasty and salmon salad is large and quite good. Service has a memory. The fun blonde gent man handling the bar remembers what I like and serves me well with fun care.
(4)
Luke I.
Excellent food, great atmosphere, and good music. What more can you ask for? If your looking for a place to go hang out with some friends and watch some sports or just to get a bite to eat with family and relax this is the place to go to! The staff is friendly and the food is amazing. I would recommend the 12-gauge flautas or the trinity. Pretty much everything on their menu is hard to beat!
(5)
Amanda D.
Greasy, salty, horrible service. Been here three times now, each time getting a different dish and each time with the same result, swearing never to go back. If what you want is margaritas, beer and football, this maybe your place! If you are looking to eat a meal, go somewhere else. Tonight I had the greasiest brisket tacos I have ever had. A steady drip out of my first taco from first bite to last, I was determined to give it another chance. Not only greasy, it was terribly salty. The last time I visited I tried a fish entree, super bland, no salt or acid. We began with chips, salsa, guac, and queso for the table. The guac was a healthy size of pureed avocados and some onion. No salt (surprisingly), lime, cilantro, or jalapeño. The queso was strictly melted cheese, no spice or onion to be found. Profoundly boring. The service was horrendous! The waiter (Kyle) was so busy watching football and checking his phone, that we had to flag down other staff to request more chips after we had requested them with him and they never came. This also happened with additional tortillas. Drinks from the bar came quickly and my guests talked highly of the margaritas. Hands down this is the worst restaurant I've eaten at this year (this being September). Take your money to Rafas, Mias, Manny's, or somewhere, ANYWHERE with decent food.
(2)
Rusty M.
Very busy for Monday night which is telling. Service was fast, food was very hot and freshly prepared. The amount of food was impressive. Here's the irony, we ate for less money at this place than if we'd gone to Bubbas (ate there last week) or South Hampton Sandwich (are there Sunday). Great value.
(5)
Alex M.
We can't really review the ambiance or service of Bandito's, because early on a Friday night, the place had become overrun with at least 30 kids and terrible parents, having a massive, reservation-less birthday party. They moved their tables into a U-shape of their own choosing, horrifying the management and the poor table trapped in the middle of this chaos. The kitchen was overwhelmed, with the kids eating endless plates of beans, rice, and cheese. The restaurant could be nice, but as a tunnel shape with one brick wall and one glass patio wall, it was hopelessly loud. We downed our DELICIOUS ribeye tacos (made with Kuby's beef from next door) and fled. Right on over to Kuby's. The natives had become restless, waiting for tables. Just getting out the door was an ordeal, jamming our way among all the waiting girls from SMU and Park Cities families. Total fail. We should have just gone to El Fenix.
(3)
KatieAnne H.
I have never had a bad experience at Bandito's! Definitely among my very favorite Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas. Their queso in particular is the best in town!! My parents are big fans too - they always ask to eat here when they're in for a visit from out of town. It's an excellent spot for a date, group dinner, margs & queso at the bar, etc. I love the versatility that Bandito's provides!! Great atmosphere, delicious and fresh food, accommodating and attentive wait staff. Definitely recommend! I'm sure I'll be back soon.
(5)
Barry A.
Best Tex Mexican food in Dallas. Great Cheers type feel and if you are buy yourself, sit at the bar, enjoy a margarita and watch a good game. Plenty of conversation will follow.
(5)
Nathan W.
I had chips, queso, and beef fajitas. All was mediocre and lacked in stand out taste. Service was a little slow and took them a while to notice us. The atmosphere did seem good for group gatherings.
(2)
Stephen W.
I had not been here for several years. Previously it was called something else and had different management. Things have changed! The layout is still the same, but wow, the food got good! We started with an order of guacamole salad ($9.95). It was a huge portion that was well-seasoned and had big chunks of avocado. It was not the best I ever had but it was very good. We only ate half because the portion was so large. I got the brisket tacos and I was highly impressed. I love brisket and I love tacos, but too often the brisket is dry or stringy, or both. These tacos were moist, tender, and not at all stringy. They actually were excellent. Very flavorful and lots of juice dripping down my arm and onto the plate, just how it should be. The salsa had some nice kick and the chips were not greasy or heavy. They were expertly prepared. The service was attentive but not overbearing. Overall, I was impressed and I definitely will keep it in mind the next time I want Tex-Mex on Snider Plaza.
(4)
Frances G.
Despite the hiccup in our introduction to Banditos as the hostess cruised right passed us and on to the group of girls standing behind us, the service beyond that was overly friendly and attentive at Bandito's. Only imbibing on their margaritas my first few visits, I assumed their delicious and strong margaritas were a good indication of how tasty their food would be. The long narrow space could easily be an awkward set up, but they do a wonderful job of making it work. With a long bar on your left hand side and a booths taking up the right side with four and six tops populating the middle space, it's busy but creates an exciting, diner-like-vibe. Of course I ordered a frozen margarita with a delectable, heaping scoop of guacamole. But it was not as easy to choose my entree with the endless amount of options. Much to my wonderful surprise, they offered more than just your average tex mex and I landed on the grilled salmon salad. The salmon servings weren't slim and oh so fresh! And a healthy alternative to food saturated in melted cheese and sour cream. Although, that's not so bad either :)
(4)
Mary B.
Excellent food! Brisket tacos, chicken margarita, tortilla soup,guacamole - Service awesome. Loved the whole experience.
(5)
Clifton D.
It seems to me that a couple of the reviews below were based on experiences that I've yet to have at Bandito's. I've been there at least 10 times and have never had a bad experience. I have tried all the Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in the Park Cities, Uptown, and North Dallas areas, and nothing else comes close. You could make a case for Mico in HP Village for comparable food and people watching, but Bandito's kills them on the prices. The fajitas are incredible, and the cheese and onion enchiladas are second to none. BIG frosty mugs for draft beer, and great margaritas.
(5)
Lily M.
Bandito's is in a nice shopping center that's perfect for a chill date night. I came here the other night and didn't have good service. It took over 20 minutes before we received water. My mouth was so happy for the water once it arrived, because I was chowing down on the spicy chips and salsa at the table. I am not a spicy kind of girl, so we ordered queso, which turned out to be pretty good. For dinner, we decided to share two plates. The Red River Chicken soft tacos and Fajita Grande Enchiladas. The Red River Chicken soft tacos were really good. The tacos were filled with shredded chicken that had a lot of juiciness to it. The Fajita Grande Enchiladas with chicken and chili con carne was not as good. I think it is my fault that I ordered chili instead of cheese on the enchiladas, so I'll take the blame for that. The enchiladas lacked flavor that I was hoping to get. On the otherhand, the refried beans and rice were great. I would come back here again if I were in the area, but I wouldn't recommend it until they work on their slow service.
(3)
Spencer S.
This is one of our favorite fajitas and knock your socks off delicious margarita places in Dallas. They don't use the generic sweet and sour here which is hugely important to a yummy margarita.
(5)
Katherine M.
First time at Banditos, and we are certainly now fans! A little background...our favorite Tex Mex restaurant ever is not in Dallas. We lived in Shreveport, LA for a few years and grew to be obsessed with Superior Grill. Bandito's is the closest restaurant so far we've found to our Superior, so in turn, it becomes our new favorite in Dallas. Because of the long, narrow setup, when we walked in, it looked packed! Even though we were ready and more than willing to hang out at the bar sipping on margs, we were pleasantly surprised when we were seated immediately. It seemed to take a while for our waitress to find us, and then it took a good bit for us to get our drinks (which ended up being the wrong order but was quickly replaced with our correct orders). The margaritas are good. I LOVE that they have a Margarita Zero with no sugar; HUGE extra points in my book for this. My husband got the frozen house marg, which was also good. We agreed both were average strength on the alcohol scale but tasted delicious. The chips and salsa were awesome! Best salsa I've tried in Dallas. However, we ran out of salsa quickly and kept looking around for someone to get us some more. Then, we ordered the queso with beef and green chiles (delicious!), and when the queso was delivered, we had less than an half basket of chips left (obviously, we needed more). We were again hunting for someone to bring us more chips. I feel that maybe the odd restaurant layout contributed to the less than stellar service we received, but still...I'm used to be places that keep the chips and salsa flowin'! For our entree, we split the ribeye fajitas. YUM! Highly recommended. The steak was great even on its own. Learning from our chips and salsa experience, we immediately asked for more tortillas, and we were brought some quickly. Some places are stingy with their tortillas, but not here! The tortillas tasted fresh and delish. Service: Meh. Atmosphere: Lively! Margs: Pretty good. Food: Awesome! The true test...will we be back: Absolutely!!
(4)
Helen W.
Great food, good atmosphere - but I don't understand why they don't have more than one bartender on a Saturday night?
(3)
Denise H.
This was our second visit. The atmosphere reminds me of the college restaurants we used to go to in Austin but hey it's practically across the street from SMU. This restaurant honestly has some of the best flautas I have ever had. The generous chicken was juicy inside and the shell was crispy and light. The queso dipping sauce adds a nice touch but I prefer the guacamole and sour cream. The guacamole is creamy, with light chunks and the small appetizer is very generous and easily serves 2. I personally did not care for the brisket tacos. There are other restaurants (Mia's) that do these better. The beef enchiladas with chili con carne would have been excellent if they weren't so salty. We'll definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(3)
Morgan S.
I love Mexican food, and after living in New York for the past three years I really missed it. Their queso is perfect. I could have eaten that alone for my whole meal, no they don't have queso in New York- they will bring you a bowl of shredded cheese though! I also had their huevos rancheros and sangria which were really good. I can't wait to come back and try their beerita!
(5)
Victor Z.
Without a doubt the best Tex-Mex in Dallas. Everything at Bandito's is well made and tasty, and they consistently deliver every time we eat here. This has become one of our mainstays and sits on my Mount Rushmore of Dallas favorites. The house margaritas are strong and refreshing, chips are thin and crispy, salsa is fresh and spicy, and the heaping servings of guacamole are definitely worth it. I would crawl over broken glass for the Red River Tacos, with the savory marinaded chicken. Do yourself a favor and make this one of your frequent haunts.
(4)
Knox K.
This is a solid location. The 4-stars comes from an all round rating. First, we came on the early side with 4 kids in tow (no -- not mine! lol). So the place is definitely family and kid friendly. It's also a place where the patrons are friendly and talk to another. I like that. Additionally, there's a small patio where the kids could play. Second, the food was good. I'm heavily biased when it comes to Mexican food and really feel there's not that much worth eating in Dallas (or north of San Antonio for that matter). That said, our dishes were solid in quality. Third, decent tv's in the bar. Fourth, friendly staff and good service. If you're in the neighborhood, this place is worth a try!
(4)
Molly K.
Cheese yes please!!!! I LOVE THEIR CHEESE ENCHILADAS!!! Uh um sorry. I mean they are really really good. I've had the typical and it tastes like canned cheese just heated up. These were extremely creamy melt in your mouth delicious! I had the lunch special and ordered the number two which had a cheese enchilada and soft taco with rice and beans. I also ordered a guacamole salad first. That was fresh, creamy, and cool. Perfect with the starter chips. It was fast and very delicious. The waiter was so wonderful. He was very attentive and friendly. I love the fact that they are fast especially since parking can be troublesome at the lunch hour. So on the list of favorite lunch stops!
(5)
Craig M.
As we were leaving Bando's (as we affectionately call it) back in July, we told the management we would be writing a Yelp review after they were so helpful! They really took care of my group for my birthday party! Sorry it took so long to get around to it! A few weeks before my 30th birthday I knew I wanted to have my birthday dinner at my favorite TexMex restaurant in Dallas, the legendary Bandito's. I was planning to have it on a Saturday night at 8 PM, so naturally I was concerned if they would be able to accommodate me since that is the busiest time any restaurant can have, not to mention I had a large group (20-30 people). Two weeks before my bday I went to let the managers know of my plan and they said that while they couldn't take reservations (understandably so) they would do their best to make it work. I went back a few days before my bday to give them an exact time and amount of people I was bringing and to see if there was any update on accommodating us. Well, the manager totally hooked it up for us. Not only did he say he could make it work he said we could have a huge private section on the outdoor back patio, which deep down I was really hoping we could get! On my birthday night, I can say that the entire staff made it the most memorable birthday dinner I've ever had. They kept the queso and guacamole flowing all night and the service was incredible. Sometimes with big parties people can get lost in the shuffle and the service can suffer. Not the case at Bandito's! Our main server, Gabriel, was a great guy who learned the names of all 25 people in my party after one time around (no joke) - very impressive stuff Gabe! He and the rest of the staff that helped him throughout the night made sure everyone was taken care of at all times. It was really cool to watch actually. I really can't say enough about the job Gabe and his team did in making it a smooth and enjoyable night. The food and drinks were great as always. A lot of my friends that had never been said they thought it was great and would go back on their own. I was happy to expose the greatness of Bandito's! I mean, you've got the carne asada, frozen margaritas, Beeritas (best in town), baracho beans, quacamole, bandito's bullets, and of course the illustriously celebrated Amigo's Chicken! Everything is so good! Thank you to the Management for accommodating us in such a great way, and to Gabe and the rest of the team for treating us so well and making it an unforgettable night!! Craig + Jessica #bfl (banditosforlife)
(5)
Brittainy C.
I've been there several times in the past year and I've always had amazing service and amazing food.
(5)
Krysta W.
Ohhh Ditos. Ditos holds a special place in my heart, as it was our stomping grounds almost every weekend throughout the last two years of college. This review is based on one thing: their margaritas. I don't really ever eat here- I have had a couple things and they have all been alright, but I don't go to Banditos to eat. I go to Banditos to order their Zero Ethyl Margarita. You will find no other margarita quite like it in Dallas. Two Zeros later, and I am good to go for the night. The atmosphere is local and comfortable - I have been here both in heels and in slippers. In terms of bang for your buck, no other marg in Dallas compares. I am a margarita connoisseur- I dare you to challenge this statement.
(5)
Nikki B.
Hells to the yes... I've found my new fave Tex-Mex place in town! Thanks to Caroline H for the introduction to this gem, or I would have been a lost soul that continued to throw twenties at MiCo for Mambo Taxis. Not any more, MiCo. Not any more. Their frozen ritas beat the pants off of any place in Dallas. They're sneakily strong; I wouldn't recommend more than 3 or you'll be passed out and drooling all over the table. The food is kickin' as well. The portions are beyond gigantic and fairly priced; I'm a fan of both the quesadillas and the fajita tacos. And the service? 5 stars there, too. On my most recent visit, we got Davis. I'm asking for this cutie pie every time I come back. He checked on us frequently, brought Shadow some water without me having to ask and didn't put a limit on our margarita (hiccup) consumption. (I only had three. I promise.) PS - If you didn't catch that last part, their patio alley is dog friendly. And it has TVs and fans... wahooo!
(5)
Una B.
I wanted to like Banditos more than I actually did. It all started with the hostess. What a snot. The restaurant was only about half full, even though I feared the worst after driving around the parking lot a few times looking for a decent spot. It was just me and a girlfriend for dinner and the hostess walked us all the way to the back of the restaurant, passing 2 empty booths and other random tables. The table felt awkward, so we walked back to the booth and asked if we could sit there. She rolled her eyes and said "ugh! I guess.." Chill out home slice. Not a big deal. Waitress was nice and probably meant well, but she had really super long hair that sorta whipped around everywhere. Hopefully it didn't ever graze food, but who knows. I got the red river chicken enchiladas. Just seasoned, shredded chicken with a sour creamish sauce on it. Nothing extraordinary, but all in all it was good. The beans and rice were standard, but I enjoy having them on my plate. The other plates here, if beans and rice are not mentioned, you do not get them. There are a lot of combos over on the cantina classics that come out looking lonely without their bean and rice friends. Margarita was pleasant and rather large. I probably could have liked the place more if I had more margaritas, but driving home on dark, winter nights are hard for me.
(3)
Erika C.
Best food ever!! We try Mexican all the time and we keep coming back to Bandito's!! Love the staff and the queso, but the fajita chicken nachos are amazing!! Plus they have badass happy hour specials and awesome margaritas!!
(5)
Tricia O.
This place is a solid 4 stars. Pros: 1. Red river anything- tacos, enchiladas- a real crowd pleaser 2. Large margaritas 3. Good service 4. Cozy sized little place- but there's never really too bad of a wait because not that many people come! 5. $1 margaritas on the 4th of July! :) Cons: 1. Sometimes the crowd can be obnoxious, this isn't Bandito's fault. It's just close to SMU!
(4)
Bryn B.
Margs...."skinny" margs are awesome! Two and I'm good to go! I love the Texas atmosphere too. Texas country music playing in the background mix well with my salsa. I ordered the sour cream and chicken enchiladas...they were okay, but the queso was awesome! I should of just made my meal queso and margs. Anyways, I will definitely be back here soon!
(4)
Michelle M.
I had never heard of this place but was in the area and was led here by my yelp app. The margaritas are tasty and strong, and the beer is served in large frosty goblets. Even better is they have a late night happy hour during the week where margaritas drop to $5 and beers $3 at 9 pm. I had the pick three enchiladas: cheese with chili, red river chicken with sour cream sauce, and spinach with poblano sauce. All were amazing but I would get the chicken with the poblano sauce next time. The chili on the cheese enchiladas was excellent. My friend ordered the pollo poblano which was an enormous chicken breast. She said it was great but had to take half of it home. Chips and salsa also passed the test easily. Probably won't become a regular place, but I would gladly visit again!
(4)
Patrick K.
One of the places where 1/2 stars would come in handy, but for the sum total of all experienced, round-up goes to the restaurant! Went to Bandito's with the Mrs. and two spawn on a quiet post-Christmas Monday afternoon. We were promptly seated in a comfy booth, all the while noticing the warm interior and cool decor. Immediately greeted by Thomas, our more than likely HPHS student (I say that with the respect he deserves, the kid has manners, is efficient and is very friendly...parents: take notice) server to get our drink order. He quickly took our order, and on return, we decided to give the queso a whirl... In my opinion, the queso is the achilles heel of this place. Nothing more than melted #10 can cheese (or it's cousin, Velveeta) spruced up with some paprika-like powder. Of course, the kids loved it like it was their last taste of anything yellow on Earth, however, I was surprised how different, in not a good way, it was from the very crisp chips and very above average salsa. Hmmph. Moving on the entrees, I ordered the red river (or something cutesy) chicken tacos, the wife ordered the chicken margarita, and the boys ordered appetizer size versions of quesadillas and flautas (more expensive, but more food than the traditional kids meals). My tacos included shredded chicken, all too often dry, but these were just right, accompanied by a side of guac, sour cream (pass for me) and pico. Tacos had white cheese on top. Very ample portion size for the $9.99 price, in fact, I was too full to eat entire 3rd taco and just ate the guts. The Mrs. very much enjoyed the chicken margarita, which included a lovely grilled chicken breast, salad and a variety (not sure of details, sorry) of sauces/dressings. Also included a side of tortilla soup that got a warm thumbs up. Boys got down as much as they could of their app-fest, and of course the obligatory to go containers followed. Thomas, throughout, was consistent in his queries/status with us, as well as bus folks topping up ALL drinks before we went dry. All in all a solid spot, better value than our much closer Mico in LH. However, for 2011, maybe Bandito's resolution should be to re-tool their queso.
(4)
Sean J.
Great neighborhood bar and oh yea, they serve good Tex Mex.
(4)
Jack M.
Banditos rivals Mi Cocina as my favorite Tex-Mex in town. Whether you're craving Enchiladas, Ribeye Tacos, or fajitas, they all are great! The best part is you can wash it all down with the best margarita in town (In my opinion anyway). The chips are warm and the salsa is fresh. The beer on tap is served in giant frozen glasses. There is more Tex than Mex at Banditos but its my favorite place to go in town when I get a craving.
(5)
Marilyn M.
Our last stop of the day Saturday. After chow at Angry Dog in Deep Ellum, a beverage at Idle Rich Pub in Uptown, we head north to HP and Snider Plaza, to search out another "new place". We wanted to be sure and cover as much of Dallas as we could in one afternoon !! We browsed through Kuby's first, and landed at Bandito's. Great little place with inside seating and a patio with bench type tables. It's a small establishment with tables along the wall opposite the bar and a slightly larger area toward the back; blonde woods and soft colors. Nice atmosphere, not crowded for a Saturday afternoon, just a handful of patrons at the bar and two-three occupied tables. Great tv's over the bar to watch the Byron. Most relaxing ! We grabbed a couple of seats at the bar and Donovan comes to take our order. I inquired about the contents of their top shelf marg and he stated "any way you like it"; one on the rocks with salt, Don Julio and Grand Marnier, please. BF ordered a Shiner. OMG, the beer was served in a huge goblet that was so cold, ice was on the glass. My marg was in a TALL glass, and boy oh boy, did Donovan have a heavy hand; just the way I like it; Grand Marnier was highly visible in the bright gold color. For the size AND the strong pour, it was a bargain @ $8.95. Thought we better munch on something with all this alcohol ingestion in one afternoon, so we ordered the chicken flautas appetizer, served with guac and sour cream. Delish! Cooked just right, moist chicken and tasty chunky guac. The accompanying chips and salsa were outstanding; thin, crispy, slightly greasy, salted chips with the salsa filled with visible onions, cilantro, jalapenos. Just YUMMY ! Only mistake; I ordered a second marg. Bad decision, as finally the effects of the first one (and the previous beer, glass of Merlot and bloody mary) finally came home. One of the strongest margs I think I have had anywhere; even more than the margs at Tejano in Oak Cliff and I thought they were the bomb. Nonetheless, I couldn't drink much of the second one. What a terrible waste! I was so glad BF was driving; that would have been dangerous had I been the navigator. My day was definitely on the way to coming to an end; guess my tolerance for alcohol today was not at an all time high! Service was excellent, friendly; loved the atmosphere. Another one to add to the go-back-to list. Next time I can have two margs if not prefaced by the beverages at the previous stops !!!
(4)
Carly B.
A classic SMU favorite. I get the same thing every time, and it never gets old: -Skinny Ethyl (low-calorie frozen margarita with a sangria swirl) -Red River Chicken Salad (with the Chipotle Lemon dressing on the side) Wait staff and hostesses are amazing as well! It's a great, fun atmosphere with a local feel. Just simply good Tex Mex.
(5)
Brent S.
Big cold beers served in Snyder Plaza, thank you! The shrimp fajitas are amazing.
(4)
Yon S.
So far, I've only had their chicken tortilla soup, but the quality of chicken tortilla soup can be a good indicator of the chef's skills. I am planning on returning very soon, and shall update shortly.
(4)
Caroline H.
I live right down the street from Bandito's and it is usually the go-to place to get a drink for me and my friends during the week (or whenever the feeling strikes). I would consider it one of the better restaurants in Snider Plaza, definitely the only place if you are looking for Mexican food in the area, and is overall a good neighborhood eatery. The margaritas at Banditos are ridiculously good. Nothing can beat one of their frozens (with salt of course) after a long day of either school or work. However, use caution because they are notoriously strong-enough so that my friends and I all limit ourselves to 2-3 whenever we are there because you'll be feeling good after only 1. I stick with the standard, but you can also get an "ethyl" which has a little sangria on the top. They have good happy hour prices and the scooners of beer are definitely a favorite. The food is relatively good, not the best I've had but not bad. The portions are HUGE, definitely enough for two people to split-especially the quesadillas. It's also a little on the greasy side for me, but thats the appeal for some, so to each their own. The have incredible fresh-tasting salsa thats perfect with chips and a marg. The atmosphere is generally nice. They have an incredible waitstaff that are always friendly and don't slack on coming around to see if you're doing alright. They have flat screens around the restaurant that are usually playing sporting events or ESPN, so its a great place for the guys. However, during dinnertime things get really crowded and it's hard to get a table and even harder to hear the people you are with so I would recommend avoiding the Highland Park crowd.
(4)
a c.
This was our go-to place during school. Great chips and queso. Some of the better enchiladas in town. Draft beers come in a frosted chalice. Who doesn't love that combo!
(4)
Austin M.
Food was pretty good and the margaritas do as they are supposed to...getcha drunk. Tried an ethyl margarita from a yelp review and it was pretty clutch. Where did they learn their customer service from, the toilet store?
(3)
Christine R.
I used to not be a big salad eater. The Park Cities Fajita Salad at Bandito's complete changed that. Dallas was our Day 3 stop on a road trip, and we had been traveling at a very grueling and taxing pace, and eating in a way that matched that. So when we got to Bandito's, fresh vegetables were about the only thing I could think about consuming. The salad I ordered contained: greens (mainly lettuce, but not the gross white iceburg kind), tomatoes, diced bell peppers, avacado, strips of tortilla chips, and fajita grilled chicken (I left the cheddar cheese off). Everything was very fresh and light and delicious. The salad also had salsa on that, but I can't remember if it came that way or if I added some. Either way: a good addition. I am still dreaming about that salad, six months later. From what my friend said, the rest of the food wasn't quite as special (or maybe she wasn't in the same dark place that I was, gastronomically speaking), but the chips were good enough that I wrapped them up, stuck them in my purse, and finished them later that night in our hotel room. The crowd was a little ridiculous; a bratty SMU student and her social-climbing mother were sitting behind us, networking with another family. Their idle chatter was the soundtrack to our entire dinner, but the decor was cute, and it was the authentic SMU experience we'd been expecting (hoping for?) based on what we'd heard from classmates/mothers who also attended.
(4)
Connie L.
I admit I was hesitant to eat here. My family and I were enjoying a bit of shopping in Snider Plaza when the subject turned to lunch. My sister wanted Mexican food, shocker, so we tried Banditos. I was a little concerned by the odor in the restaurant. It wasn't bad, just smelled heavily of cumin. I loves me some cumin but I hate when Mexican places use too much of it. That's usually a good sign that the food sucks and they're using cumin to create an illusion of Mexican food. Nonetheless, we had a seat and started with chips and salsa. Nothing to write home about here. Good, but not great. We ordered guac and that was yum. In the end, everyone ended up loving what they got. I had steak fajita tacos which were awesome. The meat was cooked perfectly. My husband had tamales and they were really good, as was the rice. My sister had the cheese enchiladas and they were really good. I'll be getting those next time. My sister's fiance had steak and a grilled stuffed pepper which was also really good. Service was o.k.-my drink was never refilled, but I didn't make a big deal about it. Our waiter was way overworked, so I don't blame him. He was working several tables, including one of 15. I don't know what everyone else was doing. All in all, I will be back. If I didn't work so darn far away, I'd be back today!
(4)
Brandon B.
This is a small restaurant next to Kuby's. The wait staff was pretty attentive and we watched a few college games on the nice TV's at the bar. Menu has a lot of variety of tex-mex. They have Kuby beef taco plate which my friend ordered and said it was darn good. I got the special scooner that Sara had mentioned (18 oz). It was served very cold which is hard to find for draft beers these days. Ordered the fajitas combo and they came out just right with good seasonings and fixin's. I was full and satisfied. It's a neighborhood family place with a few SMU kids mixed in. I enjoyed it and will return again.
(4)
Erin S.
Excellent tacos!! We stopped in there for lunch, classic Tex Mex, good service, and wonderful food. The atmosphere is small & cozy and there's plenty of parking at Snider Plaza.
(5)
Amy L.
Banditos is located next door to Half Shells, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas. On more than one occasion, I meant to try Banditos, but my feet kept walking in the direction of Half Shells. I'm glad I finally tried Banditos, though, because it has become a new go-to place for our fam. I order the Red River Tacos. It is way too much food for one person (at least this person), but I order it with intent of sharing it with one of my kids. My husband always orders the breakfast tacos (even at dinnertime) and unfortunately for him, my kids love them, too. They don't even want to touch my RR Tacos and end up devouring his breakfast tacos. We have now smartened up and started requesting two orders of the breakfast tacos, one for my husband and one for the kids to share. Yes, they have a kids' menu, but at $5.99, it's pricey and doesn't really offer anything that appeals to my kids.
(4)
H R.
Hot SMU Girls. Hot Tex Mex (the real stuff-not corporate cafeteria food). The BEST Texas music of any joint I've ever been to. I'm not sure what these other reviewers were smoking (LOL) -but I've always had a killer time there. I agree--great waitresses and bartenders-cool and no attitude. The place is so laid back and unpretentious , I guess if you're looking for a Chili's type place--this ain't it. If you've ever spent a rowdy night in Austin sucking down enchiladas and margaritas, you get it. The margs are about the strongest (too strong?? ) I've ever had. Maybe that explains the hordes of Sorority girls at their late night happy hour. I think they're just $5 bucks then. In a town with chain after chain, I personally like down to earth places like this that make their food fresh every day and still act like a small town hang out.
(4)
Jeff G.
Banditos is just all around fantastic. From the music (Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker) to the atmosphere (somewhat dim but vibrant) to the attitude (laid back but uncompromising), everything works together to set up the food. The salsa has the right amount of onions, which few salsas get right. Most deep red salsas have no onions, but this strikes the balance between a tart pico-based salsa and the classic red sauce. The margaritas aren't kidding around, and they do their job, with a good amount of twangy kick. That is all I ask from a margarita. I ordered the brisket tacos, and I would pick them over the long-vaunted Mi Cocina brisket tacos any day of the week (keep in mind, I really like Mi Cocina). Dripping with juice in a corn tortilla, the brisket taco blew my mind, and I'm more of a chicken guy. I left full, relaxed, and satisfied, which makes Bandito's a 5/5. No question about that rating.
(5)
Jennifer S.
All around good Tex Mex place! Cute place in Snider Plaza. Be aware that parking is extremely difficult though!
(4)
Ben W.
Bandito's is my favorite of the bubble mexican restaurants. If you are looking for the best mexican food in Dallas, I would probably head down to Jefferson Street to Mesa. However, for location, quality of food, solid margaritas and service, I believe that you would be hard pressed to do better than Bandito's. Their quality is consistent where I find that other competitors in the market tend to fail. The restaurant does an outstanding job accommodating groups of any size. The restaurant gets busy during peak hours, but they always seem to have ample staff on hand to service the families of Highland Park and SMU kids. I would contend you would be hard pressed to find a neighborhood restaurant that brings families and college kids so close together. I've probably been to Bandito's 20 times in my life and have never been disappointed. You may also enjoy a nice mix of country music if that is your thing.
(5)
Dan D.
The Margaritas rival the best in Dallas! Enjoy them with the jalapeno appetizer deep fried with chix and cheese! Delish! Sit at the bar and people watch or catch the sporting event on the large flat screen HDTV or grab a table inside or out. The waitstaff probably attend nearby SMU but are attentive and efficient. All of the food is fresh and served hot. Sometimes there may be a line even though the restaraunt is a little hard to find. I stumbled onto it a couple of Summers ago, I am hooked!
(4)
Amy B.
I guess if you have nothing nice to say, then you shouldn't say anything at all? Oh, but that is no fun! I wasn't going to even review Bandito's because I figured by the time I logged onto yelp, this restaurant would be out of business. You know when you try a place, and you just get that feeling that it isn't going to be around for long? Snider Plaza has 1. Kuby's, 2. Peggy Sue's (which isn't good, but people seem to eat there, I guess maybe for the fried pies?), 3. Zoe's kitchen, 4. Penne Pomodoro, 5, BUBBA's, 6. Even the new Chick-fil-A (shoutout), 7. Burger House, 8. Goff's, etc. There are definitely some other choices when it comes to dining around Snider Plaza. Food was not impressive- waitresses were all young & would rather sit with their friends who were also dining there. Service wasn't necessarily bad, you could just tell that they were definitely more interested in what their friends were doing & what their plans were post-work. No thank you. And HR- you aren't fooling anybody.
(1)
Jeffrey S.
Amazing restaurant. The brisket tacos will change your life, my favorite tacos in Dallas
(5)
Drew K.
I have frequently visited banditos in the past because I love their tasty and strong margaritas. Recently I went there with my father and brother for dinner. Our pretty waitress, Jenna was very helpful, I had a difficult time deciding what I wanted from the large menu. Jenna suggested the brisket tacos which were very good. I would highly recommend banditos to all of my friends and family.
(5)
Dan S.
Located in Snyder Plaza to the Northwest of the SMU campus. The space is nice, if a little odd - it is very narrow, and their "patio" is in a space akin to a long alley. The margaritas were tasty and strong, but expensive ($7.50 for regular, non-top-shelf). The food was on the expensive side for what it was, in my opinion. I ordered the tamale dinner and was a little put-off by how salty it tasted. The rice and beans were good, but was unable to balance the salted tamales. I suppose this could have been a one-time issue, but on the whole I was disappointed given the price tag of about $20-$25 per person (with only two ordering drinks).
(2)
Julie O.
After checking in to my hotel I needed a quick, no nonsense bite to eat. This place was the first I found. Boy, I wish I had read the Yelp reviews first! the people were generally nice-ish, however they seemed weirded out by the fact that I was eating alone. when I asked the waitress for a table, she did a double-take and said "just you? no one else?" yes, it's just me, do i look like I have an entourage? then the waiter asked if my order was to go, disbelieving that one person can sit and eat and read a book. Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but I don't think it's too weird for a single person to take themselves out to eat?! and why should it be rubbed in like that? The waiter was pretty icy and seemed irritated by my presence until, of course it was time to pay. The food was nothing special. The snotty looks I received from the other customers did not help at all. This isn't the ritz ok? you're not eating filet mignon there, so don't look at me like I've got three heads. I wish i had just gone to Bubbas!
(2)
Bonny R.
Finally a GREAT Tex-Mex (emphasis on the Tex) place in Snider Plaza!!!! I love the atmosphere, great service, and the food is excellent (I always get the build-your-own queso to start, cheese enchiladas with freshly chopped onions or fajitas - which comes with all of the extras, you don't even have to ask, which is SO nice that they don't skimp on you, and I finish things off with the sopapillas...amazing) and affordable. I go there about once a week and have never had a bad meal. One last thing, I recommend having a cabby's number on speed dial before you enter, the marg's are fiercely good, but they can sneak up on you making it hard to safely maneuver a car home if you have more than one...not that I'm speaking from experience, of course...
(5)
mike l.
I try to try every tex-mex establishment's cheese enchiladas and I used to have to drive to Matt's for my favorite, but Banditos I have discovered are just as good and right by my house. I order the Guadalupe regularly now (cheese taco, cheese enchilada and sour cream enchilada). Their house margaritas are great and made with real lime juice and not nasty mix. Overall great place, and the kuby's fajitas are great as well. It can get busy on the weekends!
(5)
gene s.
this is my new tex mex place..
(4)
Bruce F.
Great food if you like TV dinners! - Nickname unavailable - Today Worst Mexixan food and service in Dallas! I went once after they initially opened and then was talked into a second beating by a friend because it was close... BIG mistake! People that think that this is quality Tex-Mex food probably just got here from New Jersey. Mi Cocina's in HP Village or Desperado's on Greenville Avenue is FAR better!
(1)
Sameer M.
I've been here several time and had ok food. On Thursday, I felt that it had sunk to mediocre. Weak margaritas, gross queso, bland guacamole, led to a disheartening experience. The service was very good. Our waitress was prompt, courteous, and playful with the squid. I don't know if I'll be back, too many much better Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas.
(2)
Sara M.
Some of the best Tex-Mex in Dallas! I live down the street and discovered this little Snider Plaza gem soon after I moved in. Banditos is my "go-to" place for mexican food! This is the only place in Dallas that rivals Maudie's queso in Austin. I am surprised by some of these other reviews since this is where I take all my friends from out of state to eat some true "Tex Mex"- and everyone always loves it! Also, if you order a beer in their frosty scooners they come soooo cold that ice will begin to form over your beer....mmmm..... perfection.
(5)
Madeline D.
Of all of the Mexican restaurants that have been in regular rotation in this Snider Plaza location- Bandito's is by far the best. Their best items (in my opinion) are the queso, Amigo chicken, tamales and the sangria! The wait-staff is friendly, the music is great and the atmosphere is a lot of fun- it's definitely worth a try!
(4)
Elizabeth R.
My family and I live in the neighborhood and have been dining at Bandito's for over 2 1/2 years on a weekly basis. I used to love it! Lately, the food quality has gone way down. They used to have the BEST corn tortillas ever, which complemented their amazing fajitas! But lately, the beef fajita meat you can barely cut with a knife and they no longer have the amazing corn tortillas, I think they use Mission Corn Tortillas now. I give them 3 stars for the great margaritas and nachos, but I will stay clear of the fajitas and corn tortillas I used to love. Sad, because I liked them so much we used the restaurant to cater our Christmas Eve dinner last year! We will find a new caterer for this years Tex-Mex Fajita Christmas Eve dinner:( I have heard the same buzz in the neighborhood from others that the food quality has declined lately. I hope they turn it back around, but until then, I'll stick with the salad, nachos and margaritas!
(3)
Caroline J.
Good, not great. Monica's and Desperado's still our top two Dallas Mexican restaurants. Yummy shrimp fajita tacos and brisket tacos. Queso was so-so. Decent sangria. Screaming children. Waiter mentioned that he's worked at Banditos for 1.5 months, but has yet to try and of the food. Seemed suspect. All in all, a decent, but overly priced meal.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes 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.
Michelle N.
I know one of the owners so I may be partial to this place but the food is fantastic! The margaritas rock my world! I always get this skirt steak plate that is to die for, its so juicy! The salsa is good & spicy 2 which is rare in an Caucasian owned restaurant. The nachos with spicy beef r so good!
(5)Debbie K.
Found this place on yelp. Not from this area so it was new to us. Loved the traditional style Tex mex. I had the homemade tamales and they were good. Atmosphere is casual and servers friendly and helpful. I like my food a little spicier, but the hot sauce added what was missing. Chips are thin and fresh. We will be back even though it is a drive for us.
(4)Katie C.
This place is fantastic! Their margaritas are very strong! They have two happy hours, one from 5-7 and the other from 9-11--the margaritas are $5! The food is also delicious. My favorite is the quesadilla with fajita beef, the portions are very generous as well!
(4)Seth F.
Walked in at 9:05, bartender was too busy talking to the blonde at the end of the bar. He made eye contact with us twice and didn't bother to come over so after ten minutes we left. Just wanted a drink, never coming back.
(1)Jay G.
Food was excellent. Seasoned well and authentic taste. I recommend the Brazos. Two thumbs up for the service and food.
(5)Vic F.
If you need to get out of the house and get a drink, but don't want a trashy bar-scene, definitely check out Bandito's. The free chips and salsa can really fill you up. They have many large TV screens at the bar and medium sized TV screens at the booths for any gamedays. This is the perfect place to watch any upcoming college basketball or football games with the buddies. Happy Hour from 9-11PM. The Food: Chips with Queso (Cheese) and Salsa: I am serious in reviewing their chips, queso, and salsa. The chips are crisp, warm, and not too oily. Levels above most cantinas in this consideration. The salsa is mixed and chunky, with pieces of onion, jalapeno, and tomato. The best part is that it is endless. The queso was warm, lightly salted, with a strong natural cheesy flavor. It doesn't have the strong smelling "cheese" flavors that make this dish too filling or heavy. This makes a great and timeless appetizer to complement any drinks or Tex-Mex entrees. Note: Quesadillas and fajitas looked very good as well, but I did not try them. Margaritas: The Margaritas punch you in the face if you don't watch out. They are above average in strength and taste. The rim of the glass is salted as well. You have the option of a frozen margarita or just the regular margarita drink. Once again, these margaritas pack quite a punch. The Atmosphere: Always lively towards the evening or during college gameday. The place looks small from the outside, but this place has a DEEP interior that includes outside seating. Expect the light amber lighting that you usually see at Tex-Mex restaurants. The Verdict: Perfect place to meet for drinks (Happy Hour 9-11PM) and sports with your friends, families, coworkers, kids, etc. Servers are nice, but maybe tough to reach on a busy night. Chips and salsa are unlimited, but definitely go for the chips and warm queso. Margaritas are stronger than average; isn't life great?
(5)Leon K.
Banditos is one of the best Tex Mex food I have ever had. I mean parking can be a little hard but it's worth the wait I had the steak fajitas and they were excellently cooked, tender, and nice presentation it was amazing. Have to come check it out
(5)Roman V.
Enjoyed a lunch out back in the "beer garden". Was nice, decent service, and the food was good as expected. Didn't blow my mind, but was still a-ok!
(3)Adam C.
Wasn't bad, but it wasn't "A-OK" so I had to give it two stars. Chips/Salsa: Basic chips obviously not made in-house. Salsa might have been homemade, but lacked spice and was very basic. I'd say it was average. I wouldn't never come back because of it, I'll put it that way. Lunch beef burrito: Rice was unique and very good. I had the barracho beans rather than the refried, and they were very good as well. The burrito came smothered in queso, which was great. The problem was the burrito itself. Huge tortilla wrapped in ground beef, cheese and apparently refried beans, at least that's what I was told. I couldn't taste anything but poorly flavored ground beef and a not-so-special tortilla. In defense of Banditos, I specifically asked what their top sellers and favorites were, and he mentioned about 5 things that did not include what I got. I might go back to try another dish, but I'm not going to suggest it if someone asks me where I want to go.
(2)Jennifer B.
Great place. Love the atmosphere and the food was great. Salsa has a nice kick! Definitely a neighborhood gem. Parking can be a. It of a problem though.
(4)Joe K.
Bandito's is quite good. It's a solid Tex-Mex restaurant that's 4.5 star caliber, and probably the business that my wife and I end up going the most to in our neighborhood. I can't quite justify giving it a full 5 stars for a couple of reasons, but it is quite good and inches on that 5th star. I may come back and give the star up! The food is great. It isn't quite in my "top 10" list of Tex-Mex places in DFW, but it's pretty close. Here's the highlights.: -The food is pretty darned solid, all around. I haven't had a meal here that I would classify as "bad," and many that I would classify as "awesome." -Both the queso and guac here are very good--you can't really go wrong with either. -Their free chips and salsa never disappoint either. I always eat way too darn much of it. -The first thing I got here when I came here for the first time are the fajitas. These are usually very good. (Once or twice, I've gotten a bad cut of meat, but that happens anywhere...) -Eventually, I branched out into some of the menu combinations. Their cheese enchilada / sour cream chicken enchilada / cheese taco combination is wonderful. -Don't overlook their quesadillas. They are AWESOME. (Like--some of the best I've ever had.) -Their margaritas also really hit the spot as well! -Their breakfast tacos are delicious, and they make them just how I like them with the right consistency and everything. (Mmmm. Bacon. But they have sausage also.) -There's a lot of TV screens that you can watch various sporting events on. I've seen everything from football to women's soccer to golf on at any given time. Here are the reasons that I reluctantly give it 4 out of 5 stars. Note that these things are relatively quite minor.: -If you're not there early, you'll end up waiting. It's a small restaurant (everywhere in the area is) and due to it's popularity, you may not get in. There's really no good place to wait indoors, so you'll be snaking out the front of the restaurant, and in the steamy summer, this is very unfortunate. -When you enter the restaurant (or if you sit right by the front door), you smell a chemical there that they must use to clean the tables. It's not too bad, but it's kind of annoying. -The service is sometimes lacking. Most of the time, it's okay, but sometimes they can be a bit slow. I think they can sometimes get mixed up on which table belongs to which server. -It can get a little loud in here. (That actually makes it better for folks with kiddos. They also provide Wikki Stix to children who are eating in the restaurant.) -I've mentioned their breakfast tacos in this review. Answer me this--how does a restaurant like this that has awesome breakfast tacos NOT open for breakfast? I don't get that... If I had a dime for every time that I wished I could get some breakfast tacos for breakfast at Bandito's and wasn't able to, I'd be rich. Overall, it's a great local Tex-Mex place, and one that my wife and I frequent often. If they have a line that's snaking out the door, don't forget about the Cisco Grill across the plaza--it's still quite good (and in some ways, I'd argue better), but it is more of a grill (and less of a Tex-Mex place) seems to attract a much older crowd.
(4)Bruce M.
I'm glad we stumbled on this little joint. It has some of the best TexMex I've had. Nearly desperate for food and drink, we unknowingly dropped in just minutes before the kitchen closed at 11pm. In spite of that, the staff were seemed genuinely glad to have us. We had the place to ourselves apart from two couples near us. The staff was taking the small crowd as an opportunity to get some cleaning done, but still managed to give us more than adequate service. Our waitress was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. My only disappointment was that they do not have chimichangas on the menu. Our waitress apologized and suggested chicken flautas, but I was really in the mood for a big crunchy flour tortilla and ranchera sauce. If they bring on a good chimi, this rating goes to 5 stars easily. One of my companions noted that the appetizer queso tasted remarkable like mac'n'cheese. While this was a bit out of the ordinary, it was appreciated for its tastiness and novelty. The entrees were quite good. The Numero Uno and a cold draft Dos Equis hit my spot. The enchilada had tender flavorful meat, generous cheese, balanced spices, all of which played well against the extra cilantro in the guacamole. The spices were easily discernible from each other without being under-cooked. The tamale was also very enjoyable. The masa coating was strongly flavored without overpowering the meat and cheese. It was also missing that dreaded taste of too much lime that we're finding lately as restaurateurs cut costs. It's getting harder to find draft beer that hasn't been in a keg sitting in a hot truck for days on end, with the resultant pungent spoiled flavor reminiscent of last weekend's frat party, but this Dos Equis tasted like it had never been north of 40 degrees F. The cold glass goblet and lime slice brought this drink up to timely perfection. One of my companions is quite picky regarding beef. She has a very narrow definition of good beef, but the oven roasted brisket tacos delighted her. She had one left over that she brought home, which is now in the refrigerator under heavy guard against the rest of the household. My second companion is usually ambivalent about food, but he expressed an appreciation for the signature enchilada dinner with 2 enchiladas. His actions spoke more than his words. In spite of our encouragement to order smaller portions, he often has 1/2 or more of his entrees left over. However, for this he finished all but one small part of the second enchilada.
(4)Rod S.
The biggest, juicy chicken breast I have ever had. This place is TEX/Mex to the MAX. Drop what you are doing and get there now. The Amigo Chicken is huge. More than I could eat. Love the rice with onions and pepper and the charo beans are the best. I will be back. This is one place where I can't wait to explore the menu. Amazing.
(5)Katie T.
This is my favorite Mexican food place in Dallas. Their red river chicken tacos are the best (although I usually get the red river chicken salad to try to be a little healthier...). Their loaded queso is also awesome and it is one of the few places that does frozen skinny margaritas...and they're actually good! It's always a good and happy vibe here and it was me and my girlfriends go-to place for our girls dinners. My family lives in AZ and everytime they come to Dallas this is the restaurant they want to go to.
(5)Darlene C.
I walked in at around 4:30 pm and it was a Saturday. It was fairly busy but I was able to grab one of the last couple of seats that were available. The bar-back immediately asked what I was drinking and if I wanted chips and salsa. I said no to the chips and salsa and had a glass of merlot. The bartender was very friendly too, he handed me a menu before my drink was served. I usually go here about once every other month. I do need to get better on my check ins! On this visit I had the Red River chicken crispy tacos again. This time I ordered them with no cheese. They normally put a lot of cheese on them so if you love cheese then you would love these tacos. I love the seasoning in these tacos so that is one of the reason that I order them. What I can not seem to figure out is that they are not able to stay together. You have to hurry and eat them and I am a slow eater so by the time I get to the third taco it is too soggy for me to eat it as a taco so it is more like a salad by that time. This is the second time that I this happened on the tacos in the last couple of months of me going. have tried looking at them to figure out why they can not stay together. My only conclusion is that there is some sauce on the plate which causes them to get soggy. I would like it if I could give this place 3.5 stars but I am not sure I would go with 4 stars so I gave it 3. Maybe when I go back I will try something else on the menu and will have better luck with it. Parking is not the easiest here on a busy day either but on this day it was not so bad. They were fast and the service was great. I guess I am just upset on my tacos and it being that it is not the first time that this happened with my tacos falling apart. Maybe if you are able to eat them super fast then this would not happen.
(3)Rachel R.
I came here last night for a Happy Hour with some co-workers. Bandito's is located next to Half Shells in Snider Plaza. If you come during a peak business hour (lunch & dinner) parking can be a little difficult. However, last night, I was able to find a spot fairly close to the restaurant. We ordered chips & queso for an appetizer and enjoyed munching on them. The Queso was delicious and paired great with the chips. I ordered the Salmon salad because I am trying to eat a little healthier and really enjoyed it. The salmon was cooked perfectly, with a great crust to the fish and the dressing (a little vinegary) added great flavor to the salad. Our server was attentive (I drink a lot of water) and friendly without being fake. We stayed a little after we had paid, because there was not a wait and he did not rush us out. I would come back again, hands down, to try more menu items.
(4)Stephanie L.
Great food and drinks! Love coming here with my friends. For alcoholic drinks, get the Ethyl margarita. (margarita + sangria) It's pretty strong but also tastes great, woohoo! I've tried the brisket tacos -- SO GOOD -- but a little greasy. A little heavier but if you want to treat yourself to something delicious, order this! Also comes with rice and beans for a well-rounded and hearty meal! If you want something healthier, I also really enjoyed the Park Cities Fajitas Salad. The salad is huge, there's lots of tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, and cheddar cheese also with your choice of meat and dressing. So it IS possible to eat somewhat healthy here, which allows you to treat yourself to a drink. :-) I also had their Los Nachos, which are delicious and really filling. You can choose between two sizes and different toppings. I really appreciate that they don't skimp on the cheese, too. YAY! Great to share or even just for yourself.
(4)Diane B.
This is the best tex mex place in Dallas yet. .. Better than desperados. We went on a sunday and had frozen margaritas, sangria, bean and cheese tacos, steak salad, shrimp salad, shrimp fajitas, guacamole and brisket nachos. Everything was excellent and we were all impressed with the quality of the beef on the salad. They are owned by the same people who own katy trail ice house. .. which we also really enjoy. Even the salsa was unique and delicious. The refried beans have a smoky, meaty flavor to them. My husband loved that but my vegetarian sister did not. Unlike most places, they do not skimp on their guacamole! And we all loved how it was not ruined by the addition of things such as corn, onions, peppers, etc... that other restaurants use as fillers. This guac was just mashed up fresh avocados with some lime juice... excellent. Service was good. We asked for the manager so we could pay our compliments and Patrick was more than happy to take time to answer all our questions about the business and food. My mother appreciated the half size margaritas available. The drinks were not sugary in any way and tasted fresh. I've had similar margaritas in taos, nm and am happy to find some in Dallas! We live in Richardson but all agreed it's worth the drive to come back here!
(5)Adam M.
I wasn't overly impressed with Bandito's. The menu was full of standard tex mex options attached to an usually high price tag. I ordered the brisket tacos and they were decent, nothing to complain about. However, the price for the plate was quite ridiculous for a stardard tex mex dish that was mediocre. The chips and salsa were good, as they better be considering how much you're about to spend. I'll give them props for having Peticolas on draft and some other good beers, but overall I don't see myself frequenting Bandito's, except maybe for said beers and some chips/salsa. There are a handful of other restaurants in Snider that serve unique food for half the price.
(3)Linday C.
Personality sizzles Mexican Cowboy style here from the festive shot bar, pleasing good ole country music, boisterous conversations, delicious texmex smells, and fun for the whole family. The bar is fun to eat at solo. You can watch nice quality TV and meet friendly gringos having a good time. People are really friendly and happy here and can get rowdy fun. Food is grand as all the tex mex dishes please the melty gringo spot. Enchiladas, tacos, nachos, etc. I particularly enjoy the salads when eating healthy. I'll skip the cheese and use salsa as dressing. The red river chicken is quite different and tasty and salmon salad is large and quite good. Service has a memory. The fun blonde gent man handling the bar remembers what I like and serves me well with fun care.
(4)Luke I.
Excellent food, great atmosphere, and good music. What more can you ask for? If your looking for a place to go hang out with some friends and watch some sports or just to get a bite to eat with family and relax this is the place to go to! The staff is friendly and the food is amazing. I would recommend the 12-gauge flautas or the trinity. Pretty much everything on their menu is hard to beat!
(5)Amanda D.
Greasy, salty, horrible service. Been here three times now, each time getting a different dish and each time with the same result, swearing never to go back. If what you want is margaritas, beer and football, this maybe your place! If you are looking to eat a meal, go somewhere else. Tonight I had the greasiest brisket tacos I have ever had. A steady drip out of my first taco from first bite to last, I was determined to give it another chance. Not only greasy, it was terribly salty. The last time I visited I tried a fish entree, super bland, no salt or acid. We began with chips, salsa, guac, and queso for the table. The guac was a healthy size of pureed avocados and some onion. No salt (surprisingly), lime, cilantro, or jalapeño. The queso was strictly melted cheese, no spice or onion to be found. Profoundly boring. The service was horrendous! The waiter (Kyle) was so busy watching football and checking his phone, that we had to flag down other staff to request more chips after we had requested them with him and they never came. This also happened with additional tortillas. Drinks from the bar came quickly and my guests talked highly of the margaritas. Hands down this is the worst restaurant I've eaten at this year (this being September). Take your money to Rafas, Mias, Manny's, or somewhere, ANYWHERE with decent food.
(2)Rusty M.
Very busy for Monday night which is telling. Service was fast, food was very hot and freshly prepared. The amount of food was impressive. Here's the irony, we ate for less money at this place than if we'd gone to Bubbas (ate there last week) or South Hampton Sandwich (are there Sunday). Great value.
(5)Alex M.
We can't really review the ambiance or service of Bandito's, because early on a Friday night, the place had become overrun with at least 30 kids and terrible parents, having a massive, reservation-less birthday party. They moved their tables into a U-shape of their own choosing, horrifying the management and the poor table trapped in the middle of this chaos. The kitchen was overwhelmed, with the kids eating endless plates of beans, rice, and cheese. The restaurant could be nice, but as a tunnel shape with one brick wall and one glass patio wall, it was hopelessly loud. We downed our DELICIOUS ribeye tacos (made with Kuby's beef from next door) and fled. Right on over to Kuby's. The natives had become restless, waiting for tables. Just getting out the door was an ordeal, jamming our way among all the waiting girls from SMU and Park Cities families. Total fail. We should have just gone to El Fenix.
(3)KatieAnne H.
I have never had a bad experience at Bandito's! Definitely among my very favorite Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas. Their queso in particular is the best in town!! My parents are big fans too - they always ask to eat here when they're in for a visit from out of town. It's an excellent spot for a date, group dinner, margs & queso at the bar, etc. I love the versatility that Bandito's provides!! Great atmosphere, delicious and fresh food, accommodating and attentive wait staff. Definitely recommend! I'm sure I'll be back soon.
(5)Barry A.
Best Tex Mexican food in Dallas. Great Cheers type feel and if you are buy yourself, sit at the bar, enjoy a margarita and watch a good game. Plenty of conversation will follow.
(5)Nathan W.
I had chips, queso, and beef fajitas. All was mediocre and lacked in stand out taste. Service was a little slow and took them a while to notice us. The atmosphere did seem good for group gatherings.
(2)Stephen W.
I had not been here for several years. Previously it was called something else and had different management. Things have changed! The layout is still the same, but wow, the food got good! We started with an order of guacamole salad ($9.95). It was a huge portion that was well-seasoned and had big chunks of avocado. It was not the best I ever had but it was very good. We only ate half because the portion was so large. I got the brisket tacos and I was highly impressed. I love brisket and I love tacos, but too often the brisket is dry or stringy, or both. These tacos were moist, tender, and not at all stringy. They actually were excellent. Very flavorful and lots of juice dripping down my arm and onto the plate, just how it should be. The salsa had some nice kick and the chips were not greasy or heavy. They were expertly prepared. The service was attentive but not overbearing. Overall, I was impressed and I definitely will keep it in mind the next time I want Tex-Mex on Snider Plaza.
(4)Frances G.
Despite the hiccup in our introduction to Banditos as the hostess cruised right passed us and on to the group of girls standing behind us, the service beyond that was overly friendly and attentive at Bandito's. Only imbibing on their margaritas my first few visits, I assumed their delicious and strong margaritas were a good indication of how tasty their food would be. The long narrow space could easily be an awkward set up, but they do a wonderful job of making it work. With a long bar on your left hand side and a booths taking up the right side with four and six tops populating the middle space, it's busy but creates an exciting, diner-like-vibe. Of course I ordered a frozen margarita with a delectable, heaping scoop of guacamole. But it was not as easy to choose my entree with the endless amount of options. Much to my wonderful surprise, they offered more than just your average tex mex and I landed on the grilled salmon salad. The salmon servings weren't slim and oh so fresh! And a healthy alternative to food saturated in melted cheese and sour cream. Although, that's not so bad either :)
(4)Mary B.
Excellent food! Brisket tacos, chicken margarita, tortilla soup,guacamole - Service awesome. Loved the whole experience.
(5)Clifton D.
It seems to me that a couple of the reviews below were based on experiences that I've yet to have at Bandito's. I've been there at least 10 times and have never had a bad experience. I have tried all the Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in the Park Cities, Uptown, and North Dallas areas, and nothing else comes close. You could make a case for Mico in HP Village for comparable food and people watching, but Bandito's kills them on the prices. The fajitas are incredible, and the cheese and onion enchiladas are second to none. BIG frosty mugs for draft beer, and great margaritas.
(5)Lily M.
Bandito's is in a nice shopping center that's perfect for a chill date night. I came here the other night and didn't have good service. It took over 20 minutes before we received water. My mouth was so happy for the water once it arrived, because I was chowing down on the spicy chips and salsa at the table. I am not a spicy kind of girl, so we ordered queso, which turned out to be pretty good. For dinner, we decided to share two plates. The Red River Chicken soft tacos and Fajita Grande Enchiladas. The Red River Chicken soft tacos were really good. The tacos were filled with shredded chicken that had a lot of juiciness to it. The Fajita Grande Enchiladas with chicken and chili con carne was not as good. I think it is my fault that I ordered chili instead of cheese on the enchiladas, so I'll take the blame for that. The enchiladas lacked flavor that I was hoping to get. On the otherhand, the refried beans and rice were great. I would come back here again if I were in the area, but I wouldn't recommend it until they work on their slow service.
(3)Spencer S.
This is one of our favorite fajitas and knock your socks off delicious margarita places in Dallas. They don't use the generic sweet and sour here which is hugely important to a yummy margarita.
(5)Katherine M.
First time at Banditos, and we are certainly now fans! A little background...our favorite Tex Mex restaurant ever is not in Dallas. We lived in Shreveport, LA for a few years and grew to be obsessed with Superior Grill. Bandito's is the closest restaurant so far we've found to our Superior, so in turn, it becomes our new favorite in Dallas. Because of the long, narrow setup, when we walked in, it looked packed! Even though we were ready and more than willing to hang out at the bar sipping on margs, we were pleasantly surprised when we were seated immediately. It seemed to take a while for our waitress to find us, and then it took a good bit for us to get our drinks (which ended up being the wrong order but was quickly replaced with our correct orders). The margaritas are good. I LOVE that they have a Margarita Zero with no sugar; HUGE extra points in my book for this. My husband got the frozen house marg, which was also good. We agreed both were average strength on the alcohol scale but tasted delicious. The chips and salsa were awesome! Best salsa I've tried in Dallas. However, we ran out of salsa quickly and kept looking around for someone to get us some more. Then, we ordered the queso with beef and green chiles (delicious!), and when the queso was delivered, we had less than an half basket of chips left (obviously, we needed more). We were again hunting for someone to bring us more chips. I feel that maybe the odd restaurant layout contributed to the less than stellar service we received, but still...I'm used to be places that keep the chips and salsa flowin'! For our entree, we split the ribeye fajitas. YUM! Highly recommended. The steak was great even on its own. Learning from our chips and salsa experience, we immediately asked for more tortillas, and we were brought some quickly. Some places are stingy with their tortillas, but not here! The tortillas tasted fresh and delish. Service: Meh. Atmosphere: Lively! Margs: Pretty good. Food: Awesome! The true test...will we be back: Absolutely!!
(4)Helen W.
Great food, good atmosphere - but I don't understand why they don't have more than one bartender on a Saturday night?
(3)Denise H.
This was our second visit. The atmosphere reminds me of the college restaurants we used to go to in Austin but hey it's practically across the street from SMU. This restaurant honestly has some of the best flautas I have ever had. The generous chicken was juicy inside and the shell was crispy and light. The queso dipping sauce adds a nice touch but I prefer the guacamole and sour cream. The guacamole is creamy, with light chunks and the small appetizer is very generous and easily serves 2. I personally did not care for the brisket tacos. There are other restaurants (Mia's) that do these better. The beef enchiladas with chili con carne would have been excellent if they weren't so salty. We'll definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(3)Morgan S.
I love Mexican food, and after living in New York for the past three years I really missed it. Their queso is perfect. I could have eaten that alone for my whole meal, no they don't have queso in New York- they will bring you a bowl of shredded cheese though! I also had their huevos rancheros and sangria which were really good. I can't wait to come back and try their beerita!
(5)Victor Z.
Without a doubt the best Tex-Mex in Dallas. Everything at Bandito's is well made and tasty, and they consistently deliver every time we eat here. This has become one of our mainstays and sits on my Mount Rushmore of Dallas favorites. The house margaritas are strong and refreshing, chips are thin and crispy, salsa is fresh and spicy, and the heaping servings of guacamole are definitely worth it. I would crawl over broken glass for the Red River Tacos, with the savory marinaded chicken. Do yourself a favor and make this one of your frequent haunts.
(4)Knox K.
This is a solid location. The 4-stars comes from an all round rating. First, we came on the early side with 4 kids in tow (no -- not mine! lol). So the place is definitely family and kid friendly. It's also a place where the patrons are friendly and talk to another. I like that. Additionally, there's a small patio where the kids could play. Second, the food was good. I'm heavily biased when it comes to Mexican food and really feel there's not that much worth eating in Dallas (or north of San Antonio for that matter). That said, our dishes were solid in quality. Third, decent tv's in the bar. Fourth, friendly staff and good service. If you're in the neighborhood, this place is worth a try!
(4)Molly K.
Cheese yes please!!!! I LOVE THEIR CHEESE ENCHILADAS!!! Uh um sorry. I mean they are really really good. I've had the typical and it tastes like canned cheese just heated up. These were extremely creamy melt in your mouth delicious! I had the lunch special and ordered the number two which had a cheese enchilada and soft taco with rice and beans. I also ordered a guacamole salad first. That was fresh, creamy, and cool. Perfect with the starter chips. It was fast and very delicious. The waiter was so wonderful. He was very attentive and friendly. I love the fact that they are fast especially since parking can be troublesome at the lunch hour. So on the list of favorite lunch stops!
(5)Craig M.
As we were leaving Bando's (as we affectionately call it) back in July, we told the management we would be writing a Yelp review after they were so helpful! They really took care of my group for my birthday party! Sorry it took so long to get around to it! A few weeks before my 30th birthday I knew I wanted to have my birthday dinner at my favorite TexMex restaurant in Dallas, the legendary Bandito's. I was planning to have it on a Saturday night at 8 PM, so naturally I was concerned if they would be able to accommodate me since that is the busiest time any restaurant can have, not to mention I had a large group (20-30 people). Two weeks before my bday I went to let the managers know of my plan and they said that while they couldn't take reservations (understandably so) they would do their best to make it work. I went back a few days before my bday to give them an exact time and amount of people I was bringing and to see if there was any update on accommodating us. Well, the manager totally hooked it up for us. Not only did he say he could make it work he said we could have a huge private section on the outdoor back patio, which deep down I was really hoping we could get! On my birthday night, I can say that the entire staff made it the most memorable birthday dinner I've ever had. They kept the queso and guacamole flowing all night and the service was incredible. Sometimes with big parties people can get lost in the shuffle and the service can suffer. Not the case at Bandito's! Our main server, Gabriel, was a great guy who learned the names of all 25 people in my party after one time around (no joke) - very impressive stuff Gabe! He and the rest of the staff that helped him throughout the night made sure everyone was taken care of at all times. It was really cool to watch actually. I really can't say enough about the job Gabe and his team did in making it a smooth and enjoyable night. The food and drinks were great as always. A lot of my friends that had never been said they thought it was great and would go back on their own. I was happy to expose the greatness of Bandito's! I mean, you've got the carne asada, frozen margaritas, Beeritas (best in town), baracho beans, quacamole, bandito's bullets, and of course the illustriously celebrated Amigo's Chicken! Everything is so good! Thank you to the Management for accommodating us in such a great way, and to Gabe and the rest of the team for treating us so well and making it an unforgettable night!! Craig + Jessica #bfl (banditosforlife)
(5)Brittainy C.
I've been there several times in the past year and I've always had amazing service and amazing food.
(5)Krysta W.
Ohhh Ditos. Ditos holds a special place in my heart, as it was our stomping grounds almost every weekend throughout the last two years of college. This review is based on one thing: their margaritas. I don't really ever eat here- I have had a couple things and they have all been alright, but I don't go to Banditos to eat. I go to Banditos to order their Zero Ethyl Margarita. You will find no other margarita quite like it in Dallas. Two Zeros later, and I am good to go for the night. The atmosphere is local and comfortable - I have been here both in heels and in slippers. In terms of bang for your buck, no other marg in Dallas compares. I am a margarita connoisseur- I dare you to challenge this statement.
(5)Nikki B.
Hells to the yes... I've found my new fave Tex-Mex place in town! Thanks to Caroline H for the introduction to this gem, or I would have been a lost soul that continued to throw twenties at MiCo for Mambo Taxis. Not any more, MiCo. Not any more. Their frozen ritas beat the pants off of any place in Dallas. They're sneakily strong; I wouldn't recommend more than 3 or you'll be passed out and drooling all over the table. The food is kickin' as well. The portions are beyond gigantic and fairly priced; I'm a fan of both the quesadillas and the fajita tacos. And the service? 5 stars there, too. On my most recent visit, we got Davis. I'm asking for this cutie pie every time I come back. He checked on us frequently, brought Shadow some water without me having to ask and didn't put a limit on our margarita (hiccup) consumption. (I only had three. I promise.) PS - If you didn't catch that last part, their patio alley is dog friendly. And it has TVs and fans... wahooo!
(5)Una B.
I wanted to like Banditos more than I actually did. It all started with the hostess. What a snot. The restaurant was only about half full, even though I feared the worst after driving around the parking lot a few times looking for a decent spot. It was just me and a girlfriend for dinner and the hostess walked us all the way to the back of the restaurant, passing 2 empty booths and other random tables. The table felt awkward, so we walked back to the booth and asked if we could sit there. She rolled her eyes and said "ugh! I guess.." Chill out home slice. Not a big deal. Waitress was nice and probably meant well, but she had really super long hair that sorta whipped around everywhere. Hopefully it didn't ever graze food, but who knows. I got the red river chicken enchiladas. Just seasoned, shredded chicken with a sour creamish sauce on it. Nothing extraordinary, but all in all it was good. The beans and rice were standard, but I enjoy having them on my plate. The other plates here, if beans and rice are not mentioned, you do not get them. There are a lot of combos over on the cantina classics that come out looking lonely without their bean and rice friends. Margarita was pleasant and rather large. I probably could have liked the place more if I had more margaritas, but driving home on dark, winter nights are hard for me.
(3)Erika C.
Best food ever!! We try Mexican all the time and we keep coming back to Bandito's!! Love the staff and the queso, but the fajita chicken nachos are amazing!! Plus they have badass happy hour specials and awesome margaritas!!
(5)Tricia O.
This place is a solid 4 stars. Pros: 1. Red river anything- tacos, enchiladas- a real crowd pleaser 2. Large margaritas 3. Good service 4. Cozy sized little place- but there's never really too bad of a wait because not that many people come! 5. $1 margaritas on the 4th of July! :) Cons: 1. Sometimes the crowd can be obnoxious, this isn't Bandito's fault. It's just close to SMU!
(4)Bryn B.
Margs...."skinny" margs are awesome! Two and I'm good to go! I love the Texas atmosphere too. Texas country music playing in the background mix well with my salsa. I ordered the sour cream and chicken enchiladas...they were okay, but the queso was awesome! I should of just made my meal queso and margs. Anyways, I will definitely be back here soon!
(4)Michelle M.
I had never heard of this place but was in the area and was led here by my yelp app. The margaritas are tasty and strong, and the beer is served in large frosty goblets. Even better is they have a late night happy hour during the week where margaritas drop to $5 and beers $3 at 9 pm. I had the pick three enchiladas: cheese with chili, red river chicken with sour cream sauce, and spinach with poblano sauce. All were amazing but I would get the chicken with the poblano sauce next time. The chili on the cheese enchiladas was excellent. My friend ordered the pollo poblano which was an enormous chicken breast. She said it was great but had to take half of it home. Chips and salsa also passed the test easily. Probably won't become a regular place, but I would gladly visit again!
(4)Patrick K.
One of the places where 1/2 stars would come in handy, but for the sum total of all experienced, round-up goes to the restaurant! Went to Bandito's with the Mrs. and two spawn on a quiet post-Christmas Monday afternoon. We were promptly seated in a comfy booth, all the while noticing the warm interior and cool decor. Immediately greeted by Thomas, our more than likely HPHS student (I say that with the respect he deserves, the kid has manners, is efficient and is very friendly...parents: take notice) server to get our drink order. He quickly took our order, and on return, we decided to give the queso a whirl... In my opinion, the queso is the achilles heel of this place. Nothing more than melted #10 can cheese (or it's cousin, Velveeta) spruced up with some paprika-like powder. Of course, the kids loved it like it was their last taste of anything yellow on Earth, however, I was surprised how different, in not a good way, it was from the very crisp chips and very above average salsa. Hmmph. Moving on the entrees, I ordered the red river (or something cutesy) chicken tacos, the wife ordered the chicken margarita, and the boys ordered appetizer size versions of quesadillas and flautas (more expensive, but more food than the traditional kids meals). My tacos included shredded chicken, all too often dry, but these were just right, accompanied by a side of guac, sour cream (pass for me) and pico. Tacos had white cheese on top. Very ample portion size for the $9.99 price, in fact, I was too full to eat entire 3rd taco and just ate the guts. The Mrs. very much enjoyed the chicken margarita, which included a lovely grilled chicken breast, salad and a variety (not sure of details, sorry) of sauces/dressings. Also included a side of tortilla soup that got a warm thumbs up. Boys got down as much as they could of their app-fest, and of course the obligatory to go containers followed. Thomas, throughout, was consistent in his queries/status with us, as well as bus folks topping up ALL drinks before we went dry. All in all a solid spot, better value than our much closer Mico in LH. However, for 2011, maybe Bandito's resolution should be to re-tool their queso.
(4)Sean J.
Great neighborhood bar and oh yea, they serve good Tex Mex.
(4)Jack M.
Banditos rivals Mi Cocina as my favorite Tex-Mex in town. Whether you're craving Enchiladas, Ribeye Tacos, or fajitas, they all are great! The best part is you can wash it all down with the best margarita in town (In my opinion anyway). The chips are warm and the salsa is fresh. The beer on tap is served in giant frozen glasses. There is more Tex than Mex at Banditos but its my favorite place to go in town when I get a craving.
(5)Marilyn M.
Our last stop of the day Saturday. After chow at Angry Dog in Deep Ellum, a beverage at Idle Rich Pub in Uptown, we head north to HP and Snider Plaza, to search out another "new place". We wanted to be sure and cover as much of Dallas as we could in one afternoon !! We browsed through Kuby's first, and landed at Bandito's. Great little place with inside seating and a patio with bench type tables. It's a small establishment with tables along the wall opposite the bar and a slightly larger area toward the back; blonde woods and soft colors. Nice atmosphere, not crowded for a Saturday afternoon, just a handful of patrons at the bar and two-three occupied tables. Great tv's over the bar to watch the Byron. Most relaxing ! We grabbed a couple of seats at the bar and Donovan comes to take our order. I inquired about the contents of their top shelf marg and he stated "any way you like it"; one on the rocks with salt, Don Julio and Grand Marnier, please. BF ordered a Shiner. OMG, the beer was served in a huge goblet that was so cold, ice was on the glass. My marg was in a TALL glass, and boy oh boy, did Donovan have a heavy hand; just the way I like it; Grand Marnier was highly visible in the bright gold color. For the size AND the strong pour, it was a bargain @ $8.95. Thought we better munch on something with all this alcohol ingestion in one afternoon, so we ordered the chicken flautas appetizer, served with guac and sour cream. Delish! Cooked just right, moist chicken and tasty chunky guac. The accompanying chips and salsa were outstanding; thin, crispy, slightly greasy, salted chips with the salsa filled with visible onions, cilantro, jalapenos. Just YUMMY ! Only mistake; I ordered a second marg. Bad decision, as finally the effects of the first one (and the previous beer, glass of Merlot and bloody mary) finally came home. One of the strongest margs I think I have had anywhere; even more than the margs at Tejano in Oak Cliff and I thought they were the bomb. Nonetheless, I couldn't drink much of the second one. What a terrible waste! I was so glad BF was driving; that would have been dangerous had I been the navigator. My day was definitely on the way to coming to an end; guess my tolerance for alcohol today was not at an all time high! Service was excellent, friendly; loved the atmosphere. Another one to add to the go-back-to list. Next time I can have two margs if not prefaced by the beverages at the previous stops !!!
(4)Carly B.
A classic SMU favorite. I get the same thing every time, and it never gets old: -Skinny Ethyl (low-calorie frozen margarita with a sangria swirl) -Red River Chicken Salad (with the Chipotle Lemon dressing on the side) Wait staff and hostesses are amazing as well! It's a great, fun atmosphere with a local feel. Just simply good Tex Mex.
(5)Brent S.
Big cold beers served in Snyder Plaza, thank you! The shrimp fajitas are amazing.
(4)Yon S.
So far, I've only had their chicken tortilla soup, but the quality of chicken tortilla soup can be a good indicator of the chef's skills. I am planning on returning very soon, and shall update shortly.
(4)Caroline H.
I live right down the street from Bandito's and it is usually the go-to place to get a drink for me and my friends during the week (or whenever the feeling strikes). I would consider it one of the better restaurants in Snider Plaza, definitely the only place if you are looking for Mexican food in the area, and is overall a good neighborhood eatery. The margaritas at Banditos are ridiculously good. Nothing can beat one of their frozens (with salt of course) after a long day of either school or work. However, use caution because they are notoriously strong-enough so that my friends and I all limit ourselves to 2-3 whenever we are there because you'll be feeling good after only 1. I stick with the standard, but you can also get an "ethyl" which has a little sangria on the top. They have good happy hour prices and the scooners of beer are definitely a favorite. The food is relatively good, not the best I've had but not bad. The portions are HUGE, definitely enough for two people to split-especially the quesadillas. It's also a little on the greasy side for me, but thats the appeal for some, so to each their own. The have incredible fresh-tasting salsa thats perfect with chips and a marg. The atmosphere is generally nice. They have an incredible waitstaff that are always friendly and don't slack on coming around to see if you're doing alright. They have flat screens around the restaurant that are usually playing sporting events or ESPN, so its a great place for the guys. However, during dinnertime things get really crowded and it's hard to get a table and even harder to hear the people you are with so I would recommend avoiding the Highland Park crowd.
(4)a c.
This was our go-to place during school. Great chips and queso. Some of the better enchiladas in town. Draft beers come in a frosted chalice. Who doesn't love that combo!
(4)Austin M.
Food was pretty good and the margaritas do as they are supposed to...getcha drunk. Tried an ethyl margarita from a yelp review and it was pretty clutch. Where did they learn their customer service from, the toilet store?
(3)Christine R.
I used to not be a big salad eater. The Park Cities Fajita Salad at Bandito's complete changed that. Dallas was our Day 3 stop on a road trip, and we had been traveling at a very grueling and taxing pace, and eating in a way that matched that. So when we got to Bandito's, fresh vegetables were about the only thing I could think about consuming. The salad I ordered contained: greens (mainly lettuce, but not the gross white iceburg kind), tomatoes, diced bell peppers, avacado, strips of tortilla chips, and fajita grilled chicken (I left the cheddar cheese off). Everything was very fresh and light and delicious. The salad also had salsa on that, but I can't remember if it came that way or if I added some. Either way: a good addition. I am still dreaming about that salad, six months later. From what my friend said, the rest of the food wasn't quite as special (or maybe she wasn't in the same dark place that I was, gastronomically speaking), but the chips were good enough that I wrapped them up, stuck them in my purse, and finished them later that night in our hotel room. The crowd was a little ridiculous; a bratty SMU student and her social-climbing mother were sitting behind us, networking with another family. Their idle chatter was the soundtrack to our entire dinner, but the decor was cute, and it was the authentic SMU experience we'd been expecting (hoping for?) based on what we'd heard from classmates/mothers who also attended.
(4)Connie L.
I admit I was hesitant to eat here. My family and I were enjoying a bit of shopping in Snider Plaza when the subject turned to lunch. My sister wanted Mexican food, shocker, so we tried Banditos. I was a little concerned by the odor in the restaurant. It wasn't bad, just smelled heavily of cumin. I loves me some cumin but I hate when Mexican places use too much of it. That's usually a good sign that the food sucks and they're using cumin to create an illusion of Mexican food. Nonetheless, we had a seat and started with chips and salsa. Nothing to write home about here. Good, but not great. We ordered guac and that was yum. In the end, everyone ended up loving what they got. I had steak fajita tacos which were awesome. The meat was cooked perfectly. My husband had tamales and they were really good, as was the rice. My sister had the cheese enchiladas and they were really good. I'll be getting those next time. My sister's fiance had steak and a grilled stuffed pepper which was also really good. Service was o.k.-my drink was never refilled, but I didn't make a big deal about it. Our waiter was way overworked, so I don't blame him. He was working several tables, including one of 15. I don't know what everyone else was doing. All in all, I will be back. If I didn't work so darn far away, I'd be back today!
(4)Brandon B.
This is a small restaurant next to Kuby's. The wait staff was pretty attentive and we watched a few college games on the nice TV's at the bar. Menu has a lot of variety of tex-mex. They have Kuby beef taco plate which my friend ordered and said it was darn good. I got the special scooner that Sara had mentioned (18 oz). It was served very cold which is hard to find for draft beers these days. Ordered the fajitas combo and they came out just right with good seasonings and fixin's. I was full and satisfied. It's a neighborhood family place with a few SMU kids mixed in. I enjoyed it and will return again.
(4)Erin S.
Excellent tacos!! We stopped in there for lunch, classic Tex Mex, good service, and wonderful food. The atmosphere is small & cozy and there's plenty of parking at Snider Plaza.
(5)Amy L.
Banditos is located next door to Half Shells, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas. On more than one occasion, I meant to try Banditos, but my feet kept walking in the direction of Half Shells. I'm glad I finally tried Banditos, though, because it has become a new go-to place for our fam. I order the Red River Tacos. It is way too much food for one person (at least this person), but I order it with intent of sharing it with one of my kids. My husband always orders the breakfast tacos (even at dinnertime) and unfortunately for him, my kids love them, too. They don't even want to touch my RR Tacos and end up devouring his breakfast tacos. We have now smartened up and started requesting two orders of the breakfast tacos, one for my husband and one for the kids to share. Yes, they have a kids' menu, but at $5.99, it's pricey and doesn't really offer anything that appeals to my kids.
(4)H R.
Hot SMU Girls. Hot Tex Mex (the real stuff-not corporate cafeteria food). The BEST Texas music of any joint I've ever been to. I'm not sure what these other reviewers were smoking (LOL) -but I've always had a killer time there. I agree--great waitresses and bartenders-cool and no attitude. The place is so laid back and unpretentious , I guess if you're looking for a Chili's type place--this ain't it. If you've ever spent a rowdy night in Austin sucking down enchiladas and margaritas, you get it. The margs are about the strongest (too strong?? ) I've ever had. Maybe that explains the hordes of Sorority girls at their late night happy hour. I think they're just $5 bucks then. In a town with chain after chain, I personally like down to earth places like this that make their food fresh every day and still act like a small town hang out.
(4)Jeff G.
Banditos is just all around fantastic. From the music (Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker) to the atmosphere (somewhat dim but vibrant) to the attitude (laid back but uncompromising), everything works together to set up the food. The salsa has the right amount of onions, which few salsas get right. Most deep red salsas have no onions, but this strikes the balance between a tart pico-based salsa and the classic red sauce. The margaritas aren't kidding around, and they do their job, with a good amount of twangy kick. That is all I ask from a margarita. I ordered the brisket tacos, and I would pick them over the long-vaunted Mi Cocina brisket tacos any day of the week (keep in mind, I really like Mi Cocina). Dripping with juice in a corn tortilla, the brisket taco blew my mind, and I'm more of a chicken guy. I left full, relaxed, and satisfied, which makes Bandito's a 5/5. No question about that rating.
(5)Jennifer S.
All around good Tex Mex place! Cute place in Snider Plaza. Be aware that parking is extremely difficult though!
(4)Ben W.
Bandito's is my favorite of the bubble mexican restaurants. If you are looking for the best mexican food in Dallas, I would probably head down to Jefferson Street to Mesa. However, for location, quality of food, solid margaritas and service, I believe that you would be hard pressed to do better than Bandito's. Their quality is consistent where I find that other competitors in the market tend to fail. The restaurant does an outstanding job accommodating groups of any size. The restaurant gets busy during peak hours, but they always seem to have ample staff on hand to service the families of Highland Park and SMU kids. I would contend you would be hard pressed to find a neighborhood restaurant that brings families and college kids so close together. I've probably been to Bandito's 20 times in my life and have never been disappointed. You may also enjoy a nice mix of country music if that is your thing.
(5)Dan D.
The Margaritas rival the best in Dallas! Enjoy them with the jalapeno appetizer deep fried with chix and cheese! Delish! Sit at the bar and people watch or catch the sporting event on the large flat screen HDTV or grab a table inside or out. The waitstaff probably attend nearby SMU but are attentive and efficient. All of the food is fresh and served hot. Sometimes there may be a line even though the restaraunt is a little hard to find. I stumbled onto it a couple of Summers ago, I am hooked!
(4)Amy B.
I guess if you have nothing nice to say, then you shouldn't say anything at all? Oh, but that is no fun! I wasn't going to even review Bandito's because I figured by the time I logged onto yelp, this restaurant would be out of business. You know when you try a place, and you just get that feeling that it isn't going to be around for long? Snider Plaza has 1. Kuby's, 2. Peggy Sue's (which isn't good, but people seem to eat there, I guess maybe for the fried pies?), 3. Zoe's kitchen, 4. Penne Pomodoro, 5, BUBBA's, 6. Even the new Chick-fil-A (shoutout), 7. Burger House, 8. Goff's, etc. There are definitely some other choices when it comes to dining around Snider Plaza. Food was not impressive- waitresses were all young & would rather sit with their friends who were also dining there. Service wasn't necessarily bad, you could just tell that they were definitely more interested in what their friends were doing & what their plans were post-work. No thank you. And HR- you aren't fooling anybody.
(1)Jeffrey S.
Amazing restaurant. The brisket tacos will change your life, my favorite tacos in Dallas
(5)Drew K.
I have frequently visited banditos in the past because I love their tasty and strong margaritas. Recently I went there with my father and brother for dinner. Our pretty waitress, Jenna was very helpful, I had a difficult time deciding what I wanted from the large menu. Jenna suggested the brisket tacos which were very good. I would highly recommend banditos to all of my friends and family.
(5)Dan S.
Located in Snyder Plaza to the Northwest of the SMU campus. The space is nice, if a little odd - it is very narrow, and their "patio" is in a space akin to a long alley. The margaritas were tasty and strong, but expensive ($7.50 for regular, non-top-shelf). The food was on the expensive side for what it was, in my opinion. I ordered the tamale dinner and was a little put-off by how salty it tasted. The rice and beans were good, but was unable to balance the salted tamales. I suppose this could have been a one-time issue, but on the whole I was disappointed given the price tag of about $20-$25 per person (with only two ordering drinks).
(2)Julie O.
After checking in to my hotel I needed a quick, no nonsense bite to eat. This place was the first I found. Boy, I wish I had read the Yelp reviews first! the people were generally nice-ish, however they seemed weirded out by the fact that I was eating alone. when I asked the waitress for a table, she did a double-take and said "just you? no one else?" yes, it's just me, do i look like I have an entourage? then the waiter asked if my order was to go, disbelieving that one person can sit and eat and read a book. Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but I don't think it's too weird for a single person to take themselves out to eat?! and why should it be rubbed in like that? The waiter was pretty icy and seemed irritated by my presence until, of course it was time to pay. The food was nothing special. The snotty looks I received from the other customers did not help at all. This isn't the ritz ok? you're not eating filet mignon there, so don't look at me like I've got three heads. I wish i had just gone to Bubbas!
(2)Bonny R.
Finally a GREAT Tex-Mex (emphasis on the Tex) place in Snider Plaza!!!! I love the atmosphere, great service, and the food is excellent (I always get the build-your-own queso to start, cheese enchiladas with freshly chopped onions or fajitas - which comes with all of the extras, you don't even have to ask, which is SO nice that they don't skimp on you, and I finish things off with the sopapillas...amazing) and affordable. I go there about once a week and have never had a bad meal. One last thing, I recommend having a cabby's number on speed dial before you enter, the marg's are fiercely good, but they can sneak up on you making it hard to safely maneuver a car home if you have more than one...not that I'm speaking from experience, of course...
(5)mike l.
I try to try every tex-mex establishment's cheese enchiladas and I used to have to drive to Matt's for my favorite, but Banditos I have discovered are just as good and right by my house. I order the Guadalupe regularly now (cheese taco, cheese enchilada and sour cream enchilada). Their house margaritas are great and made with real lime juice and not nasty mix. Overall great place, and the kuby's fajitas are great as well. It can get busy on the weekends!
(5)gene s.
this is my new tex mex place..
(4)Bruce F.
Great food if you like TV dinners! - Nickname unavailable - Today Worst Mexixan food and service in Dallas! I went once after they initially opened and then was talked into a second beating by a friend because it was close... BIG mistake! People that think that this is quality Tex-Mex food probably just got here from New Jersey. Mi Cocina's in HP Village or Desperado's on Greenville Avenue is FAR better!
(1)Sameer M.
I've been here several time and had ok food. On Thursday, I felt that it had sunk to mediocre. Weak margaritas, gross queso, bland guacamole, led to a disheartening experience. The service was very good. Our waitress was prompt, courteous, and playful with the squid. I don't know if I'll be back, too many much better Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas.
(2)Sara M.
Some of the best Tex-Mex in Dallas! I live down the street and discovered this little Snider Plaza gem soon after I moved in. Banditos is my "go-to" place for mexican food! This is the only place in Dallas that rivals Maudie's queso in Austin. I am surprised by some of these other reviews since this is where I take all my friends from out of state to eat some true "Tex Mex"- and everyone always loves it! Also, if you order a beer in their frosty scooners they come soooo cold that ice will begin to form over your beer....mmmm..... perfection.
(5)Madeline D.
Of all of the Mexican restaurants that have been in regular rotation in this Snider Plaza location- Bandito's is by far the best. Their best items (in my opinion) are the queso, Amigo chicken, tamales and the sangria! The wait-staff is friendly, the music is great and the atmosphere is a lot of fun- it's definitely worth a try!
(4)Elizabeth R.
My family and I live in the neighborhood and have been dining at Bandito's for over 2 1/2 years on a weekly basis. I used to love it! Lately, the food quality has gone way down. They used to have the BEST corn tortillas ever, which complemented their amazing fajitas! But lately, the beef fajita meat you can barely cut with a knife and they no longer have the amazing corn tortillas, I think they use Mission Corn Tortillas now. I give them 3 stars for the great margaritas and nachos, but I will stay clear of the fajitas and corn tortillas I used to love. Sad, because I liked them so much we used the restaurant to cater our Christmas Eve dinner last year! We will find a new caterer for this years Tex-Mex Fajita Christmas Eve dinner:( I have heard the same buzz in the neighborhood from others that the food quality has declined lately. I hope they turn it back around, but until then, I'll stick with the salad, nachos and margaritas!
(3)Caroline J.
Good, not great. Monica's and Desperado's still our top two Dallas Mexican restaurants. Yummy shrimp fajita tacos and brisket tacos. Queso was so-so. Decent sangria. Screaming children. Waiter mentioned that he's worked at Banditos for 1.5 months, but has yet to try and of the food. Seemed suspect. All in all, a decent, but overly priced meal.
(3)Ryan C.
mid-grade
(3)