I'm not always in the mood for Mexican... but when I am, this place never lets me down. My wife and I have been coming here close to ten years now. That should tell you something. Good people, they take care of you. Service is solid, food is even better. It's the kind of place you keep coming back to. read more

Been eating here for years. Really good food for great prices. The beans is way more flavorful than other places. Favorite thing is the cheese enchiladas but I haven't had anything I didn't wind up liking. It's very popular so be prepared to wait if you're going for dinner. I just check out other stores in the plaza while I'm waiting. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Jalapeño margarita on the rocks - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

When you dine with kids you know how important things like being seated and having quick service are. We were seated in the quaint well adorned dining area, quickly upon entering and a few minutes later we had our waiter getting our beverage request. The house chips were warm and crispy, the salsa was definitely "too spicy " for 2/3 of us at the table but I can say it was pretty good. Our waiter came back pretty quickly to get the food order moving as we buttoned up those chips. A little bit later the food came out. Little yelper was craving tacos. So we get her one of those, she gave it a thumbs up. The misses opted for the enchilada and taco with beans and rice. She said the enchilada was good but saved the taco for later. Beans and rice also received good reviews as it was well made. The two burritos were probably my mistake, the plate arrived with two burritos covered in cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. Along with a sopping wet plate. They were pretty well soaked by about halfway through burrito one, but that gave me space to try and soak up the liquid with a napkin. Probably shoulda asked for it to be "dry". I'm glad we stopped in after hearing all the hype, but now that we have, I can definitely skip it moving forward. read more

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Food is good with HUGE portions so come hungry. The margaritas are on point and i am a fan of the chicken enchiladas.

Even on a busy night there wasn't a long wait to get a table. The food was great and the portions were substantial.

Food and service are great. The tables could be a little cleaner. Otherwise, it's a great little spot.

I've been here a few times and it's consistently good. Super cute decor. They bring delicious warm thin tortillas chips along with a nice flavorful salsa that's served in a small carafe that you get to pour into your own bowl. So good! I ordered the chicken and steak with chorizo fajitas that were served sizzling with a whole dish full of rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole. Good stuff! So much food, so many leftovers! read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Sizzling fajitas! - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

We stopped in for dinner. We had the queso fundido which was really hot and very good. Would order that again. The tacos Al pastor were also delicious. The two quesadillas were not great, the meat had so much liquid it made the tortilla very soggy and gross. The steak one was not good either, it lacked flavor. We have ordered this before and usually is good but the plate had a puddle of liquid on it from the meat. The waitress was friendly and attentive. read more

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After coming to El Canelo for the past couple years regularly, what I can tell you is that it is a very reliable Mexican choice. Food is always good and atmosphere is very family friendly, but expect to wait 30ish minutes for a table. Wait staff is attentive and extremely nice. A typical large menu that consists mostly of several different variations of the same dish. Unlimited chips and salsa is always a plus. Margaritas and their special alcoholic beverages are good as well. Just a very well rounded and reliable Mexican restaurant. Anything with the chorizo is a winner. read more

We came here after scouring through many many mexican restaurants yelp pictures of quacamole to find what looked like the most delicious and fresh looking guac. I'm very sad to say we were deceived by the pics online. This was not remotely fresh. It was very paste-like. Very disappointing. The margs were very good. Meals were okay, looks like I didn't even take pics of them though and I remember throwing out the leftovers. I hate to do it but I have to do the 2 star because that gauc was just really really bad. Service was good. Ambiance is cute, very colorful and fun. Don't think I will be coming back sadly. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Guac - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Met up with my in laws here for dinner one evening. A little wait to get a table, but nothing too long. Ordered the burrito Gordo and it came on the biggest plate I've ever seen! It was also delish. This is frequent stop for us and I think the best Mexican restaurant in the south towns. read more

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my gfs favorite mexican restaurant it's actually so cute seeing her ask to go. the food is good, large portions, and good taste. i'm not from ny so it's not the best iveeee ever had but it's good quality food. the service is always kind and they aren't overbearing but they are attentive. read more

Everything is amazing from the delicious food to the beautifully done decor and the wonderful staff. Thank you

I love El Canelo and the food is good! Unortunately with the recent turn of event I have to lower my previous rating. The last time we got there we had to wait 20 minutes after we were sat to have our orders taken. And then another 20 minutes before the appetizer even came out. And another 20 minutes to get some of our dinner. It used to only take 30 to 40 minutes over all to dine there. So that change threw us for a loop. The increases in price would've been fine if they increased the price on everything by a dollar or two. But having a $2 increase on some dishes and then a $4 increase on a small appetizer?? Chorizo fries used to be $7 something and now they're $11 something and they give you LESS CHORIZO now. Like, I get you have to make up for inflation. But do it across the board so that no sudden price change looks so drastic. Service has been lacking too recently. And if you ask some of the staff where you can find the dishes that have a certain thing like chicken or chorizo or queso, they take a blank stare and tell you to find it in the menu... As if you aren't asking them to help you find those items in the menu. Its been really frustrating, and I hope this review helps inspite some changes. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Food we normally get at El Canelo - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I was not pleased at all. The service was not good, and the food had no flavor. I'm very displeased.

Never again will I step foot into a chipotle when this restaurant is around. Much cheaper and way better. Some of the best Mexican food I found in Buffalo. Reminds me of the Mexican food I had in LA. Really really reasonable and delicious. Food comes out super fast too. In and out for lunch in 30 minutes. Lunch specials are 10-13 bucks. I still can't finish my lunch when I go there. Large portions of love. A+++++ read more

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Giant margaritas, 32 oz to be exact, and some honey Mexican food were a great ending to a rainy Friday night. It was pretty busy but we were seated quickly. We were greeted with a heaping pile of hot, crispy fresh chips with the perfect amount of salt. The salsa here is not too thick but packs the perfect amount of heat. The giant margaritas helped cool us off. They offer several sizes of margaritas but we decided to get the jumbos because why not? The menu here is huge. Tons of options so I'd suggest extra time to go through it or take a look before you come. I ordered the Barbacoa tacos which are new to the menu. The plate came with 3 tacos and they were filled with meat. It also came with a side of beans and rice. This was a huge meal and was easily several meals for me. Part of the reason for this is also because as always I ate so many chips and salsa I had to take most of my meal home. It was delicious warmed up the next day for lunch. My significant other ordered the my special plate. It was a nice mix of shrimp, chicken and chorizo and came sizzling on a hot plate. The servers were very attentive and were happy to bring out more chips and salsa as needed. We had a nice time and are always happy to come back. read more

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Haven't been here in a while. Just as good as I remember. Food was great, service was excellent, Fajita burrito was huge! read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Fajita burrito - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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BUDDY, let me tell you a little something about this place called El Canelo. First off, the vibes, ELECTRIC, every single time I walk in there. Second off, the staff, so friendly, so attentive and willing to go the extra mile, allowing my fat a*s to eat like a king. Third off, EL BURRITO GORDO, AKA "EL GORDO". Enough said. It's a way of life. If you don't order it, you are wrong. The portion size is beautiful. The meats, savory AF, the rice, the flavor, everything about this just makes this place a MUST. You aren't gonna beat the portion size to dollar amount to taste ratio here. I dare you to try! 5/5. Thank you El Canelo. I love you, literally and metaphorically. read more

Ordered lime margaritas on the rocks. If you like a premix sweet and sour mix, this is for you. Not to my liking. Didn't drink it. Then my husband and I shared the Polo Mexican. Chicken was so tough, that even with a steak knife it was hard to cut. It was so thin and on the griddle too long. Couldn't even chew it. They said they'd make another one. Took forever, then we were given a thin overcooked chicken (again), without the toppings of cheese and mushrooms. Couldn't even chew have been an off night, even though replacement chicken was as bad as the first. Won't be back. read more

The food here is wonderful. This is a delightful family owned local restaurant that I would wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. The staff is friendly and the decor of the restaurant truly makes one feel welcomed. read more

Amazing authentic Mexican food. I go every week just about and never disappoints. Staff is always friendly and quick. read more

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Mexican cuisine in the Southtowns . The decor is fun and festive . The prices are very reasonable, especially for Lunch . The food is definitely tasty , although it's probably in 3rd place as my favorite Mexican cuisine in WNY. Service is ok , depends on how busy they are . I like to get the chicken and chorizo dish in a queso sauce . It's nice to assemble your own tacos , rice and beans included . My dad got one of those lunch combinations, he cleared his plate, so it must have been good . You get the typical chips and salsa for the table . The chips were crisp and perfectly salted . Maybe I was feeling wimpy on this day , but the salsa seemed extra spicy . That didn't keep me from coming back for more of it . A good stop to get affordable Mexican food if you are in the area. read more

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So delicious and one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Buffalo! Expect a wait if you dine here because they are always busy, but it is because their food is good. It's worth the wait. I've tried several dishes at this place and everything has always been good. Service is also very good and they are always friendly and accommodating. 5/5 highly recommended read more

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Don't be fooled by the small plaza storefront when you first see this place because what's inside is big, and by that I mean the taste! We had been here once before but because is far from our house and because we have so many very good Mexican places near us, we don't venture to the south towns often. Well today we did and we thought we'd hit up El Canelo for lunch. I went with the #3 lunch special which consisted of a crunchy beef taco, a beef burrito and Spanish rice. Everything was warm and delicious and the Spanish rice which can sometimes be dry, was moist. My wife went with fajitas and her only complaint was there was less chicken than in some other Mexican places, other than that they were delicious. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - #3 lunch special - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Will NEVER go back here again! This is the second time in two weeks they have forgotten to include items in my orders. Last week I had an order with two flans for dessert. They forgot the flans! Today I had an order that included 3 hard beef tacos. They were left out of the order. When we called to get a refund on our card, they made up some bs about needing the card. I work with credit cards and this is total bs. In my work we issue credits without the physical card needing to be present. They take no care in their takeout orders. My wife and I will never go back to this place again! UPDATE: The owner called me back and he refunded me the entire bill. He was very cordial and said he would be updating procedures to ensure orders are accurate. That was very nice of him and I will go back. The food that I received was great and filling. I will update the stars from 1 to 3 on this visit. read more

The host and waitress was fast and friendly. I really like their food here it was tasty. The food came out fast. Also it was clean and nice environment. It was definitely authentic Mexican read more

Oh boy oh boy, is this place good. I came here kind of on accident this past Saturday. "Kind of on accident?" I hear you saying. YES, KINDA. The original plan was to go to Poppyseed Restaurant next door, but since the wait was 20 minutes and there was no seating, my inlaws, husband, and I decided to try Mexican for lunch. El Canelo is decorated in a charming, albeit silly, way. The booths are painted with scenes of Mexican life and everything is gaudy. It's fun though! We were seated immediately and the waitress was over quickly. I ordered a margarita (which was delicious) and the fundido plate. It included chorizo and corn tortillas, both of which I absolutely love. The chorizo was really yummy, but filling. I had to have my husband finish it. My inlaws both loved their meals. The food was great across the board. I definitely recommend it here. read more

Been going here for years and its still just as delicious!! Can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal and I am a really picky guy!! Muy bueno! read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Burrito Gordo - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great lunch menu and several Margaritas to select from (frozen or on the rocks). I loved the salsa that came with the chips. Fast and friendly service. read more

Outstanding authentic Mexican food. The staff is super nice. This is my go to Mexican restaurant read more

This is literally me and my fiancés favorite restaurant, which is saying a lot. The food is filled with flavor especially with only typically being covered with cheese lettuce and red sauce for burritos. The service is fantastic as always and very quick to fill drinks/chips. Every time we go it's packed, however, it doesn't detour us from waiting if necessary and still being taken care of in a timely manner. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Number 22 - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Service has gotten worse again. Serenaded by the delicate tones of a vacuum cleaner in the middle of the dinner hour. Been waiting 26 minutes so far for dinner. You'd think that with a new viable alternative three miles away they'd make some kind of effort to stand out, but they're just surly and inattentive. I'm a slow typist... it's been 30 minutes and no sign of our dinner. read more

AHH.MAY.ZING. No place compares to El Canelo. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, they don't know real Mexican food. I would eat here every single day if I could. It's cheap, it's authentic, it's delicious. Every bite is full of flavor. The chicken chimichangas fundidas is my favorite dish. The chimichangas are stuffed with marinated chicken, smothered in homemade queso, sitting on top of a bed of guac, lettuce, sour cream and refried beans. And not those super dry, flavorless refried beans... I mean, perfect consistency, no chunks, flavor-filled perfection beans. On Mondays they have $3 margaritas which are served as smoothies or on the rocks - both are amazing. The décor makes you feel like you are in Mexico. Big beautiful paintings with bright colors on the walls, tables and booths. There is also free chips and salsa available as an appetizer. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine, so I've been to several Mexican restaurants in the area. No one has yet to beat El Canelo. Go - You will not be disappointed! read more

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The only Hamburg Mexican restaurant I go to! Love the taco salads, cheese dip, special de casa, and of course, the margaritas and fast service. read more

Every time I come here, there's a line! That's because they were just voted best Mexican food in Buffalo!! It's the truth. I have never eaten. Bad thing here. The margaritas are on point, and my fajitas are always sizzling and delicious. One of my favorite places in Buffalo. read more

The chips came out warm at 410pm so I was ready for a nice meal to follow- steak fajitas. Sadly a display of burnt razor thin pieces of "meat?" came out with just the warning that it was hot- not hot and inedible. Starved I ate a few pieces of the carnage and told the waiter it was burnt and tasted bad. He said nothing. The hostess asked me how my meal was too and did say sorry, but no retribution. Bye El Canelo - won't ever be back. $15.00 meal and I was still hungry- you are a poor excuse for a Mexican restaurant. read more

El Canelo Restaurant - Always great service and great food. - Mexican Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Always enjoy the food and service here! Great food for great price. Servers are friendly and efficient.

When it comes to Mexican food in Buffalo that can hold a handle to real Mexican and Tex Mex, there's only one option in the area. (And I've reviewed said restaurant in the past, if you're hankering for more authentic offerings.) Unfortunately El Canelo joined the ranks as an underwhelming Mexican restaurant in the area. To be honest, the only reason El Canelo even gets two stars is that their $3 margaritas on Mondays are generous in size and taste rather good. But as for the food? It's one star all the way. I left dissatisfied and hungry, because I had no interest in finishing my meal. I ordered the two chicken quesadilla option and was so shocked at how bad they were. The chicken looked and smelled like the canned chicken you can get on the cheap at the grocery store if you're in a rush to whip some chicken wing dip together before a last-minute tailgate. So no, the chicken is absolutely not cooked by them and has none of the yummy grilled flavor that should be present in properly prepared chicken. To top it off, the cheese was lacking and was just a bit of queso essentially. I also ordered a sole chicken taco and that was equally horrible. The taco was literally just more canned chicken, some lettuce, and a bunch of cold cheese. It was all unappetizing, and my dining companions agreed that it was absolutely canned shredded chicken. I don't think I'll have a reason to return to El Canelo. The margs and decent chips and salsa would make it a reasonable happy hour place IF the ambience and location was better -- especially if they had a patio. But I have no desire to return to a restaurant sandwiched in a strip mall that serves canned chicken. Pass. read more

I got the fajita taco salad and classic lime marg on the rocks. Delicious. Waited about 25 minutes for a table but understandable since it's a smaller restaurant. Can't wait to go back! read more