I have been going here for years. The place is awesome! Service is great. Get the classicos tacos!!

I feel the need to even out the reviews on yelp. Don Gallo is a very solid, laid back mexican restaurant. The chips and salsa are great, the chile relleno was *delicious* and the mezcal margarita is yummy. We had a large group tonight and our waiter Niko was friendly, efficient, and hospitable. It isn't easy having a table with a group of kids; he didn't ever let us think we were any trouble (even though we probably were by default.) Thank you very much for the fun evening and the courteous service. We live down the road and will be back! read more

Just came for drinks. Service was good. We sat at the bar and were given complementary chips and salsa. Very clean and appears new but has been here since 2008. read more

Once again I find myself visiting my family in the Knox. This go round we settled on Mexican for dinner. And who wouldn't, after all it's Tuesday! A mess of tacos sounded perfect. My daughter had always wanted to try this Don Gallo, not to be confused with Casa Don Gallo. Her family had visited the Casa restaurant earlier in the year, and was curious if this one was any better.....or worse. Happily for us, and I guess the Don, the worse didn't come into play. Our tacos were just fine. Actually my daughter said that her tacos were better than at the Casa. The hard shelled ones held together, while Casas fell apart. We had no issues with the food. The wait for the food was a tad tiresome. While waiting we watched the cars go around in the roundabout. It was reminiscent of the pinwheel going round and round on the computer waiting to boot up. The mind wanders when bored. Quick Tip: Make sure to save some chips so you can scoop up the fallings from your tacos. Oh, you can get soft tacos instead of hard. Get the soft. They stuff those suckers big time. read more

Don Gallo - A pleasant patio for our evening meal. - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

When me and my daughter arrived we were given chips. But no one came to our table again for another 20 minutes for our drink orders. After they took our order and ate we waited another 20 minutes for them to take the bill. We became impatient so decided to find a worker and give them the bill. No one was on the floor and we waited outside the kitchen doors for someone to finally come out after 10 minutes of standing there. The service was not good, and seems like they were really low staffed. All of this happened while it was 2-3 in the afternoon on a Friday. read more

Surprised at all the negative reviews for this place. My husband and I eat there regularly. Is the service always perfect? No. But it isn't anywhere. The food and margaritas (looking at you Perfect Margarita) are delicious. Staff are always nice and if they make a mistake they try and fix it. Everyone has off days so, if people aren't on their game once in a while, we let it slide, because 95% of the time they are awesome! read more

Their takeout service needs a lot of improvement. I can't tell you how many times I've paid for extra things, like cheese sauce, avocado slices, and they totally forget to include them. Of course they charge you for them though. Also the last time, there were not only a couple of extra add-on items missing, but the mac & cheese we ordered was not even half full. The worst time though, was when we ordered a kids taco with all the works and all they gave us was a tortilla with a few strips of dry grilled chicken in it. Pathetic. I was told we would be reimbursed for this and other things, of course we haven't been. read more

Before i start my rant... the food was phonemail! However. I discover the throne was already at a impasse by the previous king. Unfortunately the power could not withstand the gold bricks.. The toilet paper looked cheap.. double wrapping would be my the solution. Also the water on the ground may ruin the throne.. As well as the sink half thrust could barely wash poor thang. (The food would be the only thing i come back for) read more

I love the food here! I would recommend the ACP and add chorizo!! Service is great, atmosphere is great too!! Always support local restaurants!! Great Mexican joint!! read more

This place is honestly the worst. I've had multiple bad experiences, but the most recent was today. I placed an online order and arrived at the restaurant at the time designated time. The girl at the front said the order wouldn't be ready for 15 minutes, but that she could call me when it was ready. I went back, waited in my car, and after 20 minutes when she hadn't called, I called the restaurant. She put me on hold to go back to the kitchen and check, and when she returned, she said it would be another 10 minutes. Why is the order going to take 30 minutes longer than the time it was anticipated to be ready? Sounds like they just started on my order when I got there. Mediocre food and terrible service. read more

We are new to the area and this restaurant is the most convenient to our new home. We are big fans of Mexican food (who isn't?) and gave it a try on our first weekend. The food is excellent! In our two weeks in the area, we have already eaten here three times. All three times we have tried different menu items and none have disappointed us. We will be back! read more

The food menu was extremely pricey for the amounts received. We, also, had an extremely long wait time from ordering until the food came to the table. It came out by meal to the table. It was so bad, that I wanted to cancel my meal because everyone else had received their meal & were completely finished & my meal had not even arrived to the table. read more

Great service and a fun neighborhood spot! Plenty of TVs, giant margaritas, such tasty chips and salsa, average food. We mostly enjoyed this spot because they happily accommodated our large group close to closing (never recommended to do anywhere), but never made us feel rushed. In fact, they kept offering if we needed anything else. Thank you!!! read more

A good local Mexican restaurant. A good selection of Mexican beers. A great place for dinner when no one feels like cooking at home. Give them a shot. read more

Food is ok. Prices are very high. Service is absolutely terrible every time. This place wouldn't last if it was anywhere else

The food is good. Americanized Mexican food. The dinner service is slow. The staff is friendly and have great attitudes. Each time we have bothey seem short staffed. This is a great place to go if you want to take your time and enjoy a meal. Not recommended if you are in a rush. --We have ordered takeout several times with the same result--They consistently run behind on orders. During our last order, I placed a scheduled pickup for 6pm. I placed the order two hours ahead of pick up pickup time hoping they would have it ready as requested. As usual they did not meet the minimum expectations. Instead of owning up to running late, they claimed that I called and rescheduled for an hour later for a 7pm pick up. Not true. Poor time management and lack of taking responsibility has been our experience with this business. read more

Decent texmex and usually very consistent quality. Food could be a little hotter to my tastes.

I was pretty excited to try this new Don Gallo location on a recent trip home since it is so nice and new. We visited during mid-afternoon on a Saturday and had to wait several minutes even though they were not very busy, but that was not a big deal. We were seated on the patio and brought chips and salsa for the table. The chips and salsa was pretty standard but nothing special. Since we had a dinner planned in a few hours, we just ordered a few orders of tacos to share. I shared the Tacos Classicos - one beef, chicken and pork taco- served with charro beans. They came out, and I was instantly underwhelmed. The tacos literally just had meat and cheese with a small container of diced onions and cilantro and container of hot sauce on the side plus the beans. I was expected at least a little bit of toppings for $13. The chicken taco was dry and just really underwhelming. The pork was actually moist and flavorful. Since I do not like plain raw onions, I left these off. I like spicy food but found the hot sauce too spicy for the average diner. My nephew ate all of the beef taco, so I did not try it. The beans looked unappealing, so I did not try these. My niece did have an order of the cheese dip, which was tasty. Overall I found the prices too high for the quality and execution of the food here. The tacos were very plain, and I was happy we shared so I did not have to eat more of them. I think we will stick to another restaurant next time. read more

Don Gallo - Tacos classicos - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Jorge making one of his one of a kind premium margaritas. ¡Muy delicioso! An extensive tequila selection and food is on point! I have yet to find a Mexican restaurant that meets my New Mexican expectations! read more

Don Gallo - Jorge making one of his one of a kind premium margaritas. ¡Muy delicioso! - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Got seated outside waited 15 minutes nobody came to our table place was not busy waitress walked outside to another table to take their bill walked back in brought back their card and walked back in. I went to the front and no one was their working waited for someone just to tell them what happened and that we were leaving and he said nothing. 1 star because we got seated right away. We have been there many times last few the service has gotten worse. read more

I believe the other Yelpers are spot on with their rating of 3 starts. However, I would say if anything, this place could be a 3.5, so give it a try. My review is based on the steak tacos, which I try at nearly every Mexican restaurant I go to. The steak tacos here seemed to be a bit "Americanized". I prefer traditional authentic Mexican tacos and for me, these just were not it. Don't get me wrong, the steak was from a good cut of meat and the quality was very good. However, the tortillas were soft white flour, which to me is a red flag if you are looking for the real thing. The inside is smaller, but has a very nice bar area with lots of TVs. The manager is great and very attentive. If available, you can get just about anything you want to watch regarding sports. The place is new, so the finishings are nice and I would definitely go again. I would just try something other than the steak tacos. read more

The food is good, and the prices are reasonable. However, virtually every time we order online our order is not ready on time. Tonight we waited, at the restaurant, for almost 40 minutes beyond the promised time. Unacceptable. read more

Great food, great service and excellent margaritas! The staff is awesome, Horhe and Christina are exceptional servers and always take the time to make you feel welcome, love this place!! read more

It's a new mexraunt way out west Knoxville. Appreciate, because it's new, some things in the cooking and service are still being worked out. However, it doesn't equate to a bad dining experience. I've been been here a dozen times as I live 1/4 mile from the establishment, but this is my first check in and review. It's loud in here!!! The acoustics are pretty awful but it's quite lively all things considered. The food is growing on me as the cookware is starting to season. I'm a taco guy and, the pastor and pork belly soft tacos are as authentic as they are good. The salsa is rather mild, so it comes off as bland. Compared to other mexraunts, the bar drinks are rather expensive; I've found top shelf shots here for (name your brand) are 2x more expensive than Soccer Taco. Again, I am paying for 1/4 mile convenience :-) The staff are of the highest shelf variety. My wife and I are welcomed as family by the staff and that alone makes it worth it. If you're coming off Ft. Loudon after a day at the lake, you have to come in and dry off. It's a very enjoyable experience. read more

See all

Once again overcharged and not everything in the order. This happens almost every time and the online order system is terrible.

Honestly the only thing they need to work on is order accuracy. The waitress didn't write down our order and one of the burritos we ordered wasn't right. And they forgot my side of rice, nor were they apologetic about it. Took a while for our food to come too. But like any other restaurant in the south, they disappointed me in wrapping their burritos. They literally just folded the tortilla over itself. On the flip side tho, the food was really good and was a very good price. I'd go back but hopefully the service will be a bit better read more

Don Gallo - The lunch special (2 burritos with one chicken and one beef with cheese, cheese sauce, and rice) - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

5 stars for the food, 1 star for the service I'd probably say, in terms of Mexican food, you won't find much better in knox county. On the other hand, there's only one waitress worth her salt, and I'm pretty sure she's an owner. She's incredible, and she really cares about the place. The cashier won't take your order right over the phone, make sure you check your food before you pay up. No matter how many times you repeat it over the phone call. My favorite meal, and recommendation, is the Chiles Costenos plate. Its fantastic read more

I've eaten there several times and it's always been good. The food is fresh and tasty. It is also one of the few places you can get margaritas made from scratch and not that awful, sweet mix most Mexican restaurants tend to use. read more

Really good! Service was slow but food was good. The margaritas were a bit weak and lots of ice which made for a small amount of drink on a fish bowl cup. Ask for less ice! Wish we could have sit outside but was not available when we were there. read more

Very disappointing! Party of 5 on a Saturday night (Jan. 15, 2022) who checked website and called beforehand to check hours and was told they were open until 10pm. Arrived at 8pm sharp. Upon arriving, we were told that they were trying to close early. We were sat at a 4-top table and they pulled a chair up for our 5th person. We ordered appetizers, drinks, and dinner. At 8:45, the waitstaff started stacking chairs and sweeping beside us. When we asked for another round of Presidente Margaritas, the waitress said they were out of lime juice. Later, we asked for dessert and the manager who was sitting at the bar with his wallet in hand, said they were out of dessert! Unacceptable to be lied to by the manager who had a personal agenda to leave early. We did not take it out on our server. read more

See all

OMG this is minutes from my house and delicious. Had Shrimp Cocktail last time and it had flavor explosion The food the atmosphere everything is good at Don Gallo I love Mexican food I've had in Mexico and I've had it here and I think Don Gallo is the best so far read more

Great food. Good drinks. Good atmosphere. Each time I've gone it's crowded and there's a wait. If you can go early, try happy hour. It's one of only a couple food places serving the residential community it's surrounded by. They could use more help at the front desk to greet folks. The hostess was busy taking phone orders while lobby was packed waiting to be greeted. read more

Our weekly "go to" place! Ms Christina is the BEST! She always goes above and beyond to make our family feel welcome! Jorge is the nicest & best bartender around! He remembers everyone and makes you feel special. Lastly, Luis is always so friendly and outgoing! read more

First time trying this place out, wife, kids and I really enjoyed it. Food is delicious margaritas are handmade and very tasty! I would definitely recommend this place ! read more

See all

I agree with most of the other reviewers. Service is slow, But the food is delicious and fresh. Compared to most mexican restaurants, I would categorize DonGallo as upscale dining. The prices are about 40% higher than your average mexican restaurant in Knoxville but the freshness and quality of the food is worth the higher price. Expect to pay around $12-$20 per entre. They have a good selection of beverages and appetizers. This restaurant is 1 mile from our house so we go often, at least once per month. Bonus: they have a dog friendly outdoor dining area, which is unique and a great feature since we have a dog who will run with me to the restaurant for a quick chicken taco and free bowl of ice water and then a run back home. "Calorie Neutral Workout™ " is what I call it. Bert Hull read more

The wait staff was not friendly. Up walking up to the hostess to give our name, she raised her hand to stop us from talking then walked away before asking our names. The waitress did not make any attempt at conversation. They served us chips and salsa before our drinks, and took 52 minutes to make 6 tacos. It looked as if they were serving other guests before us. I had asked for today's special, that's on their chalkboard as you walk in, to which they did not have any of. On my way out I asked about their special and was told that they rarely have that menu item in despite the cute chalk drawing of a cow. The racks arrived without limes and salsa; I had to ask the bartender for limes. No one asked to refill our drinks, we had to ask a different waiter for another glass of water. Instead of giving us a new glass we watched our waitress use the old glass to scoop out ice instead of using clean glass or scoop; also my friend has herpes. We were watching our chefs come out of the kitchen to deliver food but we didn't see them use gloves, or wash their hands and then witnessed them stick their hands into food bins. This restaurant is clearly understaffed. Don't get me wrong we did see the staff work hard, but it seems chaotic and unorganized. The Al pastor tacos were good, but far from authentic Mexican food, and the chip salsa clearly came out of a jar of Tostitos. I was happy to see they had a dog friendly patio. Unfortunately I don't think I could ever come back again. read more

Great food but terrible service. Not friendly and disorganized. If they can get their service to be better we would come here more often. Chips and salsa were great! read more

We've eaten here twice since moving to Tennessee from Arizona. The first occasion was to try the tacos which were ok. The next time was for the fajitas and they were fantastic...this will be our go to fajita restaurant and we love sitting outside and pet friendly dining. read more

I'm not one to really leave bad reviews about restaurants but... Not sure what tequila they use but really has a bad taste is probably Sauza. But... My girlfriend got the taco platter with 3 different tacos chicken beef and pork and OMG. The shells were stale... but the meat was undescribable. Iy had to be like a week old. It was pretty nasty I know I live in Atlanta. We have great tacos down there. But this place... I definitely don't recommend it. read more

The food is delicious and great service. Will definitely be going again... Vey friendly and kind hostesses as well. read more