It was a Friday evening, it had been a long week, and we were in the mood for some outdoor dining. El Arroyo has one of the top rocking patios in the DFW area. We decided to head over to the ever popular El Arroyo. We were hoping to be able to find a parking spot in their packed parking lot. I say this kindly since El Arroyo is very popular and to plan accordingly. I'm an amputee and there are only two handicapped spaces. Arriving we were optimistic, and we were in luck. We didn't get a handicapped spot but one just as good on the end of a row allowing my lots of room to transfer to my mobility chair. We love El Arroyo's patio, and it was going full blast. The hostess tagged the perfect accessible table for us and had it cleaned and set! We settled in and were greeted with salsa and a basket of piping hot chips. There was an awesome vocalist singing America standards in the background. She was wonderful, I wish I had gotten her name. Ashley, our incredible server, greeted us and took our drink order. It was definitely margarita time. We love their margaritas! They're a must if you're dining at the restaurant. After looking at the menu, my wife and I decided to split an order of chicken fajitas for one. We've found out fajitas for one are perfect for the two of us. The order usually provides at least two fajitas for each of us. So that's what we ordered. This would be the first time we'd ordered fajitas at the restaurant. In a jiff, Ashley delivered our margaritas to the table. She apologized that the food may take a bit longer since it was Friday evening and the restaurant was slammed. We told her we were in no hurry and just wanted to relax. We sat back, munched on chips and salsa and enjoyed the live entertainment. After a reasonable wait, dinner was served! Our chicken fajita entree was delivered smoking and sizzling along with all the necessary sides. Oh my, the fajitas smelled so good. We knew by the smoky smell they were going to be incredible, and YES, they were. They were some of the best chicken fajitas we've ever had. The chicken had just the right amount of marinade on it, and it was grilled to perfection. The side, rice, refried beans, guac and pico, were perfectly prepared and seasoned. To the flour tortillas, they were some of the softest and most tender tortillas we've had. To top the evening's visit off, Ashley, even though she was super busy, took excellent care of us. Thank you, El Arroyo for a relaxing dining experience, superior customer service with a smile, and a pronominal order of chicken fajitas. We'll see you again soon. read more

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Good service from start to finish. Went on a Saturday night expecting to wait a long time for a table. We were very lucky and were seated immediately. Our waiter was great! Very polite and talkative. For was awesome. I ordered the chicken fajitas and they came out excellent. Food came out much quicker than I thought it would. Overall great experience. The place was clean and felt like a typical Mexican restaurant. Will definitely be back again in the near future read more

El Arroyo - Chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

Food Great for the price service was awesome. Ambiance was great, I sat outside for dinner read more

El Arroyo - Dos Especial Combo Plate - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

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A great family restaurant that serves amazing Mexican cuisine. Due to the cold weather wanted some good tortilla soup and they did not disappoint. Full of delicious chicken, tomato, rice, avocado, shredded cheese and tortilla strips--Yum! read more

El Arroyo - Chicken Tortilla Soup - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

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Came in Sunday at 6pm. Not too busy. Walked in asked to sit at the bar. Sat at the bar for 10-15 minutes. No one came by. Got up and asked the hostess if there was someone who could help me. Waited a few minutes, still no one. Finally asked the hostess to seat me at a table so I could get service. After that everything g was fine. Not a good start. read more

I haven't been here in over a year, went back last Saturday and realized I have forgotten how much fun eating out on this patio was, especially with the live music, eating while looking at cars driving by on Cooper street. The Tex-Mex food here is good, the drinks are strong, service is just okay have to really wave them down to refill your chips and salsa. read more

It's been a minute since we've visited El Arroyo in Arlington due to my change of address and well, life. We will not be skipping them on our list again! We wanted a patio because the weather was perfect for drinks on a patio. EL Arroyo has the BEST patio in town- hands down!! Unlike most, it's covered!! You can sit on the patio of its storming, cold, or 100' If you are a patio person, it doesn't matter if it's 35', they have you covered (literally) with a fireplace and heaters. If it's a summer day, plenty of overhead fans and breezy. I think the entire town had the same idea- super packed! I'm picky with my margs. Some places make them tart and some too sweet. These went down smoothly! If you are into expensive tequila, (unlike myself) they do offer a "Gold Margarita" handmade with Don Julio 1942 Anejo and Grand Marnier for $32.99. We're pretty basic and skipped the Golden for the Ditch Margarita/Classic recipe! I've been a fan of the Shrimp Diablo for years. It was removed from the menu once, but everyone continued to request it and it's back to stay. If you're dieting, the Shrimp Diablo is perfect- bacon wrapped, jalapeño stuffed jumbo shrimp grilled over a bed of rice. I skipped the rice. It's perfect for watching carbs. They also have a brunch menu with breakfast tacos, Migas, Huevos Ranchero, Tamale Omlette (curious about this one) and several other omelettes offered. Our waitresse was so busy and still gave us ample attention. So glad we returned. Not leaving this time!! YUM! read more

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Came here about a week ago and had a great time! Our server was the sweetest girl. She made the experience more enjoyable. The food was amazinggggg going down. Kinda disappointed there's an upcharge for steak instead of ground beef. The place was mostly empty besides us so we were well taken care of read more

The margarita was delish! Service was so so but the food was good. I made a reservation since it was a group get together and they had everything set up and ready for us. read more

My wife frequented El Arroyo growing up and was excited to introduce me to the Arlington staple. Even with the hype, I was a bit disappointed. The chips and salsa were good, about on par with other Mexican restaurants. Same with the enchiladas- good, but nothing crazy special. I would say the guac was the element that most missed the mark. Marketed as large, there were 5 scoops of bland guac on a large bed of lettuce. The staff was great though and attentive to our questions and requests. Cool environment with an awesome mural wall. read more

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I always have a great experience at this location. The outside patio is often times a very lively area to sit and enjoy the company of others while watching sporting events on their many TVs. The service is fantastic, the food top-tier, and their margaritas are hard to beat, especially on a Wednesday. read more

We actually love this place. The enchiladas are good. The beans and rice are standard, a little more flavor would be welcome. The chips and salsa are good, I dump salsa in the beans. It helps. Two complaints: $6.99 for a tiny cup of queso is appalling! Everything had gone up, but most places price queso more sensibly. Anyway, we survived. But they brought my daughter a weird tasting sprite. She sent it back and asked for water. They charged her for it. She didn't notice, I did. I asked for our server and she KNEW! She said yes we still had to pay for it! I told her we would not. So she said she had to find the manager. They finally refunded it. This is a form of theft. My daughter wanted to walk away and forget it. I will never do that. read more

My parents lived in this area for a very long time and I used to always see this restaurant. I'm not sure how long or if it's always been El Arroyo because I feel like it might've been something else when I was younger. I've been meaning to try this place for a very long time and I even told my mom years ago we've got to go there, but we just never did. We were always creatures of habit in going to the same places that we were used to and liked. So I needed to meet one of my friends before picking up my son from school and we decided upon this place because it was convenient to where we would be next. Thus, first time ever in so many years trying this restaurant and I have to say it was really good. I'm kind of a little bit disappointed that I didn't try it years ago but here we are now and I will be back. I ordered a sangria swirl Margarita. I'm not sure if this came in different size or not, but this was a large bowl type of glass and I had mine dipped with sugar instead of Taheen or salt. This was a good margarita. It wasn't too sweet, but it wasn't too alcohol tasting either. I also love nachos, but I love them to be the flat type of nachos. My friend ordered for me since I was running a bit late and she asked our server for the ground beef type, but instead we were given the fajita beef, which was fine because it tasted good. I probably would've gotten a combo of chicken and beef if I wasn't getting the ground beef, but it was OK. So the nachos came with probably 10 or 12 flat chips with refried beans, cheese and the fajita beef cut onto them. In the center was sour cream and guacamole. So again these were quite tasty. I think I could've used a little bit more salt somewhere but I couldn't really tell where. I felt like the beef was seasoned really well and maybe the salt came into either the chip or the refried bean. I liked the salsa it had a fire side type of taste, which was good. The chips were a thick crispy version with some seasoning on them. I felt like the chips were good as well. The guacamole really didn't have a taste so it was just OK. I still used it, but it really wasn't something that stood out in the meal. Overall, I found the service to be good and attentive . We dined in the inside because it was a little hot outside at 4:30 PM to be on the patio. I never knew how large this place was all these years. So all in all given that I just had a few things here, I will be back to try some additional food items from the menu. My son likes tacos so we will stop back here to try those and maybe a burrito along with the nachos. So I would say that this is a successful first try because I'm going to be back to try other things. Next time I will get some photos because I really didn't get the opportunities since I was so hungry when we got there. read more

I was invited to a going away party on Saturday night and there was about 15 of us attending. The server assigned to our table was taking drink orders as we sat down. My jalapeño margarita was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised to see lots of fresh sliced peppers floating around. My shredded chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce and fresh jalapeños were yummy. Food runners helped the server to accommodate all of our meals. read more

El Arroyo - Jalapeño margarita - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

Went there for my best friend, she wanted it for her birthday after the pool place we were going to go to ended up having a tournament going on. She wanted fajitas. She got hers with chicken and beef, I got a chimichanga with steak inside and the green sauce. Both hit the spot. Also, we got the case of Blanco and she got a margarita. I was being the designated driver so she could have as many margaritas as she wanted, so I stuck to tea. We had an amazing time and the service was excellent. Our server checked on us frequently and really helped us feel welcome and made sure that everything went perfectly. I of course, always love being there. The decor and the booths are very comfortable. And if you go outside in the bar area and sit on the porch, they even have heating lamps to make it comfy. Always a good time. read more

Considering how El Arroyo is a household name and everyone and their dog in Arlington knows about them, this is my first time actually going to eat there after living in Texas for nearly 20 years lol. I went on a Monday afternoon so it wasn't crazy busy and my friend and I got our food fairly quickly. Our waitress and other wait staff were very courteous. The food was good. Nothing amaaaazing imo but it was good. The margaritas, though? They were phenomenal. I liked them. I got a frozen flavored margarita and then a regular on the rocks one and my friend got a jalapeño margarita on the rocks that was really good, too. Restaurant was clean and the bathroom was clean so overall it was a great experience. read more

El Arroyo - Taco Plate Lunch, Queso, Chips and Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

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I ordered the tacos a carbon and if we had not been a hurry and with a group, the plate would've been sent back. Basically, I had a tortilla very loosely wrapping the small chicken pieces. Was I supposed to build my own taco? Everything just fell apart so I tore the tortilla in bites to grab some chicken. Not at all worth the $! read more

I'd normally would give El Arroyo 4.5 stars. Perhaps this was a one off but the enchiladas were soggy (we live 20 minutes away but usually when we get home they're fine) & we were missing the beans we ordered. The margaritas, were weak but okay. So, folks if you get a togo order, double check it. read more

Dear El Arroyo, I have MANY fond memories of having dinner and drinks at your establishment. Honestly, I miss the old Arroyo. The menu, back then, was elaborate and the food delectable. The drinks were amazing and reasonably priced. The ambiance was energizing and fun. Now, everything is subpar. Today, I had an overpriced house margarita and shrimp cocktail. The spoon provided is dirty, the menu selections minimal, and my server Alejandra is overworked. Honestly, she was the highlight of my whole experience. Alejandra, I am grateful. Sadly and highly disappointed, Me read more

El Arroyo - 3% surcharge. Really? - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

The service was fine once they figured out who our waitress was but they changed the cheese on the nachos to runny movie theatre nacho cheese. read more

Dirty. Poor service. Zero attention. Was one of several people to just walk out from lack of service and sitting in filth at the bar.

Went for lunch on Friday. The food was good and the server did a nice job. They do add 3% surcharge for using a credit card; so be aware.

Won't be going back for awhile. Went for drinks and quick lunch. Started with a house margarita and that was the first thing I did wrong. So aggressive and drowning in cheap sour mix. Couldn't even drink it. Then I saw that there was gross residue on my jeans from under the table which was weird because no one was sitting outside but us. Which means that from God only knows how long ago and ruined my jeans. Went to ask for the check because I couldn't stay any longer staff didn't seemed bothered that we were there 7 mins and leaving with full drinks. As we pay the manager walks out to the patio and turns in the heater. Kinda weird but ok. Foods never was that great but the service and drinks with the ambiance is why we come back. Not for us not for awhile read more

El Arroyo - Skid the bottom of the table when I sat down. - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

Ranch Waters perfect today and excellent service all around! Server Yasmin R was fantastic!

This place has never been my favorite, but a local favorite. In the past, I have frequented knowing they supported community non profits. I don't witness that so much anymore as I attend local events all the time. Since Covid, prices are crazy and the food servings are very small. I hope they are able to get back to where they were. I would love to see that. My bill yesterday, just over $40 for 2 margaritas and lunch. That's too much for one individual for sub par food. Service was superb so that's a plus. read more

Average Pros: our waitress was nice ! Easy to find location. Prices are affordable. House margarita (mango) on rocks was pretty good. Ok, so here's why there's a 3 star instead of 5. Pricing fees. "Hidden fees" On their menu (we scanned a QR code) there is no warning that there is 20% gratuity added. There is no warning that to pay by card, you will be charged. The gratuity doesn't bother me, because I tip. What bothers me is when I asked what is "non taxed" on my receipt ( $3.02 charge) the waitress didn't know. I asked her to find a manager on duty to ask, assuring her that of course I would pay, but I would like to know what I'm paying. This turned out to be a fee to use my card instead of cash. If you give them cash, then they would deducted the non taxed fee. On your receipt, it gives you the cash total and the card total. I asked her, to her knowledge was this fee on the fine print of the menu?? She did not know. I checked. NO. It's not. It should be. That's an issue. Alcohol tax was added as well. Food. I ordered the shrimp Diablo appetizer. 6/10 rating. Wouldn't order again because I doubt I will return. Waitress said that the queso wasn't good so we didn't order that. Salsa was decent. Tuesday special tacos were decent. The Rita swirl ($12.99) was decent. House margarita was better. Overall, I won't return to El Arroyo. I would, however, just go for drinks if I were in the area and didn't want food. Quick margarita to meet up with someone. But really, I doubt I go back lol read more

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I was driving around and ran up on this place by accident. I wasn't overly impressed with the food, but I only ordered appetizers. I ordered queso with meat, and Pico and I asked for flour tortillas. The queso was good for the most part. My friend ordered the sampler, and I wasn't overly impressed with anything on the sampler. We did order drinks, and they were huge, not a lot of liquor in the drink. I felt it was a bit overpriced for 2 appetizers, and 2 drinks was $70. read more

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wow this is the best location i've ever been too by far i went for my 21st and had a margarita 10/10! My lovely waiter Cassandra was the best ! she had a great attitude and very respectful i definitely will be coming back !! read more

El Arroyo - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Texas

Love the cops and salsa. The best was Cheese Enchiladas Con Carne. The margarita was just okay.

Ordered on Favor at 4:30 pm, two orders of fajitas. Waited and waited and waited for my order to be completed so the Favor driver to receive it and pick it up. At 6:45 pm, finally cancelled. El Arroyo would not answer the phone during that time period. Not real sure that the order was ever placed by the Favor App. Serious disconnect in customer service. I am a long time customer of El Arroyo as a dine in customer and this was a first using Favor to pick up at their restaurant. I have used Favor several times in the past and never had issues with them in the past. I will think again using Favor to order from El Arroyo in the future. read more

Wanted to take my 85 year-old dad somewhere different. He ordered enchiladas with double rice --he rarely eats the rice or beans. The rice at el arroyo had veggies and he loved it. He also commented on how thick and creamy The sour cream sauce was. He said he would definitely eat here again. What really stood out was our server Robyn. She knew the menu and was helpful and was helpful in making dietary adjustments. She was friendly responsive and we always had a full glass. What really shocked us was this was her first day! You certainly couldn't tell. Definitely an asset to the restaurant. read more

Ana was our waitress a very lovely woman she took our orders and answered our questions regarding our menu choices. Our food was perfect as well as the best sweet tea in Texas! This is the only restaurant I can actually enjoy the salsa and chips. My husband ordered the Barrito bowl and I had the steak nachos that were superb. My only regret I did not take a photo to post with this review. read more

If you're looking for good food, this is not the place. If you're looking for margaritas, chips and salsa, and a patio to gossip with friends or coworkers at, this is it. read more

Elizabeth was my server. Great experience. Knew I needed more hot sauce before I did. Just brought it! Enchilada plate was good & a house margarita was good. She let me know they are $2.99 on Wednesdays. read more

Hands down, the very best nachos and queso ever! The service is also very friendly and accommodating. read more

Had a really good time at El Arroyo today. Sat outside at the bar and had drinks and food. Had the street taco special and it was so good, ice cold beers and great service! It did get a little windy, so I asked the manger Vicky to close some of the overhead doors around the bar, which she promptly did with a smile on her face. Great experience as always!! read more

They have the best shrimp cocktail loaded with shrimp and avocado! They'll make it to whatever heat you want!! Their queso blanco is really great too read more

Stopped here for a quick lunch and was pleasantly impressed. Street tacos were on point and the enchiladas were delicious.

Great day at El Arroyo! The Shrimp Diablo was delicious and the service from Lindsay and Vicky was amazing! Highly recommend stopping in for a fun day!! read more

The food is so delicious especially the shrimp Diablo. Great Margarita specials throughout the week and weekend. Love the service especially Nikole heard we request for her each time we visit. She has always taken such great care of us. read more