Excellent quality authentic Mexican food made to order, fast and friendly customer service, good portion sizes and lots of great menu items to choose from. In addition to the basics such as tacos and burritos, the chicken fajitas were fantastic and my wife enjoyed the tilapia fish tacos. Open until 10:30, which is considered late in this small town. read more

They served our camping group of 21 for dinner & it was awesome. The yummy cocktails came quickly and the special guava margarita was very good. They easily did separate checks (mostly couples) . The guacamole, chips & salsa were tasty. The entrees were all good! Seafood enchiladas, carne asada, carnitas & shrimp tacos were favorites. We had a wonderful experience and would come back next time we're in the area. read more

I was there for the tulip festival this weekend and it was on a Sunday May 3rd at about 12pm so not many food places were open, so this sweet lady recommended this place to us and we were excited to finally just eat. Right off the bat, it wasn't very welcoming no one was even at the host stand and the manager was just talking to someone at the bar and didn't acknowledge us right away. It was also veryyy empty in there. anyway,, we order from the lunch specials because it's lunch time and MIND U WE ARENT FROM PELLA OR HAVE BEEN TO THIS RESTAURANT so we didn't realize these specials weren't available so when we get our food it's just extremely underwhelming we thought we were getting beans and rice w our quesadilla but nope just a SINGULAR quesadilla with nothing else, also it wasn't even a quesadilla it's a taco as u can see from the picture. I explained to them we wanted beans and rice like the menu item states and he just told me to read the menu. U want me to read the little fine print under the HUGE letter written "LUNCH SPECIALS"?? That was just plain rude. I tried one bite (u can see the bite I took in the picture) and i didn't like it and i already was pretty put off bc it wasn't what i had thought i ordered. So I politely asked them to just take it off the check bc i am not going to eat it. I also just didn't wanna spend any of my money here atp bc of the way we were treated. This grown man started to argue w me telling me i have to pay for it bc of the tiny little bite that i took! I wasn't going to be bullied like this so I stood my ground and he wanted to know why I wasn't going to eat it and I said well it's not rly what I ordered and it doesn't taste good. IT WAS LITERALLY THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF CHEESE AND WAYYYY TO MUCH CHICKEN that had no flavor and extremely chewy. his response to me not liking it was "oh easy for u to say" and well he's right it was easy for me to say. I have never left a bad review somewhere in my life but I really felt the need to write this all out bc it was so rude and upsetting. And the queso was $10... (u can also see in the photo it's not a large amount of queso) I'm sure there are better workers than the two I experienced but either way this is who they have working there so I highly suggest skipping this place. Our server also couldn't answer anything on his own he has to ask his manager like every single thing? Weird. Oh they did give me the refund but I had to push for it which is RIDICULOUS. Learn how to treat ur customers and train ur employees better! read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - What is supposed to be a quesadilla? And an overpriced queso. - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

The service was outstanding. Every employee that passed our table greeted us and asked us if we needed anything. My quesadilla was really flavorful. My daughter had carne asada tacos and she loved them. My mom said the enchiladas were okay. The hubby enjoyed his fajitas but he said they could have used a bit more flavor. I wish they would have had horchata or Jamaica. The salsa was bland but the "spicy" one the brought had more flavor. We loved the Mexican decor and loved the music. Overall we would come back if we were passing through. read more

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Pretty good. Had a combo plate and liked everything I had. Guac had chunks in it which I like. The chicken had great flavor and the tamale was very thick. I will be back to try other dishes. read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - a plate of food - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

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I normally eat at El Charro and always order steaks. NEVER had a problem until today. I know my meats and i ordered a steak mexicana. Its a tbone steak but it was pork. I understand that tbone can come in variety of meats but i was expecting beef but it was pork. I asked our waiter then eventually the manager and they argued with me that it was beef. NO it was not. If they would have admitted they ran out i would have been fine with that but dont sit there and try to lie and say its beef when its clearly pork. So disappointing. read more

Food is delicious! Amazing service, everyone is so friendly. I would definitely come here again:)

El Charro not only has delicious food but also a wonderful staff and inviting atmosphere! The chips and salsa were great (the salsa had a slight kick compared to other Mexican restaurants in Iowa, which we really enjoyed). We ordered the Pork Chop Meal and the Happy Burritos, and both meals were filling and delicious. We would especially recommend the Pork Chop Meal--tender, juicy, and absolutely phenomenal. If you're looking for good Mexican food, friendly servers, and quick service, definitely give El Charro a try! read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - Pork Chop Meal - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

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Service was good, cute place inside. Chips and salsa were good. Fajita's could have been better. No tomato, and smaller serving for $16.99. Kid's macaroni is below subpar. Ordered scoop of ice cream for kids, it was super frozen, hard for them to eat. Bathrooms need updating and soap dispenser and paper towels were way up high, kids cannot reach them. read more

Fabulous dish! We are from Arizona and felt like we were home. Had the Pina Fajita- was made inside A pineapple with all the fixings of an authentic. Highly recommend. read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - Pineapple Fajita - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

The food was fast and fresh! The service was top notch!! The decor was warm and inviting!

It's not often that we find a place that deserves five stars but this one definitely does, in light of the great experience we had. We had a table for eight, which they couldn't reserve because there were only three staff on hand. We were a bit worried about how the service would be knowing that, but we were delighted with what they managed to do. The waitress took eight orders including drinks without writing them down, remembered them perfectly, and served everyone/s drinks quickly and correctly. The waiter brought out seven of the orders at one time and in great time, again, each order correct, and the eighth order was delivered only a minute later. Everyone agreed that their food was great. One of my markers for a good Mexican restaurant is that they carry the Jarritos Tamarind soda, which this one did. We were impressed. Thanks, El Charro! read more

On the way through Pella we stopped at El Charro for dinner. I had seen it before and we were hungry for Mexican. Our experience had its plusses and minuses. If I were back in Pella and wanting Mexican, I would try the other Mexican place, Casa Grande first just to compare. The salsa was OK. It was a canned tomato type, with a good amount of cilantro and a little heat. The good part was that it did not have cumin and was not overloaded with huge chunks of raw onion. The chips were standard thin tasteless restaurant style. They have a "build-your-own" combo page on the menu. Ms T ordered a chicken burrito and a ground beef tostada. The waiter misunderstood the tostada and it showed up with beans even after he had repeated the order back to her. They cheerfully provided the proper item. The meat was typical in that it was unseasoned. This was pretty unremarkable, but after all you can't expect a lot from a ground beef tostada. The chicken burrito was like stewed chicken with peppers and onions. Even after she removed the onions, that is all she could taste. There was plenty of OK guacamole and lettuce. I ordered heuvos con chorizo and a side of chiles torreados. Both were good. The chorizo was plentiful and with good flavor. It was not the greasy stuff that you find in most Mexican groceries. The chiles were jalapenos, but were not hot at all although they had good jalapeno flavor. Chopped up, they were really good on the heuvos. I was surprised and pleased to find chiles torreados on the menu. This is in their favor. The frijoles were better than average, perhaps not as creamy with lard as the best. The rice was also typical, seasoned with some onion and garlic and including a splash of veg-all. Both were acceptable. This meal illustrates the need to order the right things. I was quite happy with mine, but would not have liked what Ms T had. I did not see any taco menu. I did not even see carne asada although it may have been there. So it is pretty standard family Mexican fare. Based on this one visit it is better than Mi Mexico in West Des Moines, maybe not quite as good as El Nopal in Palmyra. I would certainly go back for the huevos. read more

Make that s 3+ A well done and well managed run of the mill small town mexi-gringo. I like it, and the staff is first rate! read more

The food is good. It's not great but it's good. We're from Texas and there's nothing like Tex Mex. I would eat here again.

By far my favorite Mexican restaurant!! I've been eating here for 3 years and I feel like a regular at this point!! The Burrito Loco is a must have!! A 10" burrito dripped with queso on top and all the fix ins!! The customer service is unbelievably amazing!!! This is a must go place when coming to pella!!! read more

The food was delicious and the service was great! Will come here again the next time I'm in Pella. read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - Carnitas plate - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

I ordered carnitas. They didn't taste right so I spoke to the manager and sent them back. He argued with me and told me that they were good and I don't know what they are supposed to taste like. He said they were made fresh on Saturday and I was eating there on a Wednesday. He kept says they were 3 days old, but they were actually 5 days old. He poked me in my arm several times. I didn't appreciate him touching me let alone insulting me repeatedly. I will never eat here again. read more

Yes, good people. I am in Iowa. Because the candidates are talking about what is good for Main Street instead of Wall Street, so I decided to go to where the People are. Main Street, Iowa, and see what they are eating, talking about. I went to El Charro, and they are all talking about soccer. That's right, soccer, and delicious meals at affordable prices. People can't afford to eat out as much, but El Charro offers delicious food at prices the families on Main Street can deal with. Also, El Charro is a place where the workers go. Be they work on farms, meat packing, or making the hooks that hook the meat. The workers are there. I did not see a lot of McCain signs on Main Street, so I guess McCain is not eating a lot at El Charro. I guess that's a sign of what things would be if he became President. Viva El Charro! read more

We had dinner after work and it was pretty close to Casa Grande. I think you can't go wrong with either El Charro in Pella or Case Grande in Knoxville. I had the grilled fajitas with seafood (crab, scallop, fish, and shrimp). The grilled fish was a generous size as well as shrimp. The scallops were very tiny and the crab meat was imitation. But, the presentation was wonderful and it was crackling/popping when they brought out the iron skillet dish. I also had the pineapple sangria which was pretty good. The price was a little higher but they were very generous so can't complain there. read more

Our family loves eating here. Family friendly. Great food and friendly service. We've had many times where the waiter made it a point to entertain our youngest (1 year old) by being silly with him. read more

Typical place family battle Mexican restaurants, nothing really stands out. They have a good sized menu and should get the job done for these parts of Iowa. Overall they have decent enough food, but nothing to rave about. read more

This is not true Mexican food at all. We do not recommend eating here if you love Mexican food!!

Such a great authentic Mexican restaurant. Chicken is cooked perfect. Not overly spiced food. Great mix of flavors. Wonderful service. Friendly staff. Will return!!! read more

This a good place for dinner or lunch quick service and good favor will go back when iam in Pella read more

El Charro Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Pella, Iowa

As a full blown Mexican, this place did not impress me. Honestly, Taco Bell is more Mexican than this place. Seems like when people cross the border forget what mexican is and try to sell mediocre food to impress the white folk. read more

Not great, not bad either. I got the Texas fajitas (chicken, shrimp and steak combo) but was disappointed with how small the chicken and steak pieces were. I guess it's easier to cook it up quickly when the pieces are that small. My tortillas were over cooked/hard on some sides. It was, however, fast, decent flavor, service was good and it was well priced. read more

OK, it's a little better now and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. I still recommend tequila shots and coming from CA would not categorize this as truly authentic. read more

Truly authentic Mexican dishes. Don't hesitate to stop in and enjoy some of what you've been craving. You won't be disappointed. Great food. Great price. read more

I went with a girl here today. First they ignored us. They were rude when we asked for a menu. The bartender would not take our order. When a waitress finally did with a disapproving look, she took forever to put the order in. Needless to say we took it to go, and left as soon as possible. The food was pretty good though, so one star. read more

By far my favorite "sit-down" restaurant in Pella. Their chips and salsa are delicious and amazing. The prices are fair and the service is great! I am not a great judge of how good Mexican food is from place to place, but I give this place 5/5 for sure! read more

It is about what you would expect. Inexpensive quick Mexican food. Good salsa and cheese dip. The large pork burrito is the best thing on the menu. read more

Great food, excellent service! Food is always served fast, and tastes great. Chips and salsa are good too.

El Charro is amazing. They are friendly people, they work hard, and get the food out to you so fast. 10/10 recommend going here if you want a fast and easy lunch. One time, I walked into the restaurant at 11:55 and we had our food, drinks, and chips and salsa before 12. Although there was just two of us, if you come in with an idea of what you want, they will be on it faster than bees on honey. They're funny and hardworking people that I applaud every time I enter the facility. I love this place. read more

So it seems this place has mixed reviews. It is a small Mexican place that you could find in any small town USA, but the staff is super friendly, food is pretty good, salsa is yummy... Yeah, if you're in Iowa and craving Mexican this is the place to go:) prices are low and service is good:) read more

Friendly service and fast. Regular like margaritas were tart but not too much so. Chips are fresh and salsa is more on the runny side which I love. Vulcan steak was excellent. Happy burritos were also good. We would definitely return. read more

Ordered take out from el charro. Ordered the enchiladas rancheros and queso. The enchiladas they brought out had cheese in the middle and just a little pork on top and not in the enchilada. Very disappointing food and the server was rude before I tipped right before the food came out. Not a good experience read more

We specifically noted to the staff we had a shellfish allergy. We spent that night in the ER with a severe allergic reaction. Good food, avoid if you have a sea food allergy. read more

Not bad but nothing special. Large portions: The chile relleno I ordered was huge! Price not bad but overall, it did not impress.

Good Mexican food in a clean and comfortable setting. Friendly service too. The enchiladas supreme is very good.