Food was delicious yet again.! I had the same awesome waitress and sat by the windows in the cool window seats with a million trees to look at. I typically go for a salad to start my meals. I was told about the soup here and ordered it. It was delicious and makes for a great leftover breakfast. Yum read more

El Cid - Albondigas soup. - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

The food is so overpriced for this little town, the food was ok but not for the prices they are asking for. We had a terrific waitress and the service was good. I wonder if they have a Happy Hour because the Margarita's start at $11 read more

On Hwy 41 on the way to Yosemite, excellent Mexican food. The burrito had fish with amazing flavor, FRESH crunchy vegetables, and a nice crisp on the outside of the tortilla. The staff take great care of you as well. Highly recommend. read more

El Cid - Marisco Burrito with grilled fish - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

Idk why this place is so lowly rated because we had a freaking delicious meal today. Swung by on our way out of Yosemite and wow! It was Mexican comfort food to a tee. The chicken taco small combo platter was a perfect lunch portion and so very good! The salsa and guac were good too and the chips have this great seasoning on them. The veggie burrito could have used some larger variety of veggies but that is my only complaint. Service was quick and great! The view out the window overlooking the valley there is really nice too, definitely ask to sit by the windows! read more

El Cid Mexican Food, Oakhurst: 2025 Jul 19 (4.16 of 5) Our guest had to rush off soon after lunch, so instead of eating there, we ordered to-go. Nina took our phone orders. She's very efficient and even though the noise level in the background was high, we didn't need to keep repeating our orders. When we got there, the eatery was filled with lunch patrons. Evelyn checked our orders. She was friendly and very pleasant. (5 of 5) The food: Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo: This was my order. There were several side items so to be fair, I'm breaking down my review. The main dish consists of slow-grilled prawns, rice and beans. When we think Mexican food, we feel that if the rice and beans are good, the rest will follow. I must say the rice and beans were perfectly seasoned and cooked. (5 of 5) The shrimps, however, lacked seasoning and were cold and dry. (2.25 of 5) The garlic butter did not support the shrimps. It lacked taste and was utterly bland. (1 of 5) Red dipping sauce was yummy. (5 of 5) The soup side dish has meat balls, carrots, potato, celery and tomato. It was magnificent. The flavors pop. I love this. (5 of 5) Even with the 'oh dear' and 'oh wow', this dish gets an overall score of 3.65) Burrito: I didn't try this but was told it was an overall score of 4. Tacos: I didn't try this dish but was told it was an overall score of 4. This is one eatery we keep returning to. Parking is easy, but the eatery is always filled, so getting food to-go here is the way to go. It's easy and convenient. Mexican food needs tons of preparation, so we're definitely pleased to have a decent eatery we're proud to support. read more

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If you a visiting Oakhurst, CA El CID is a place to eat. The service and food were excellent. We shared the chicken quesadillas and a bowl of guacamole and walked away full. read more

Our last day in Yosemite and we decided to visit the Sequoia forest area. We stopped by this place on our way to Fresno to catch our plane. It is so cute and really well decorated on the inside and outside. We had a picture perfect view out the back. Our waitress was on top of it. We are salsa hounds, and she had no problem giving us all the salsa we can ask for. By the way, it was delicious :-). The chips had some sort of flavoring on them and they were so addictive!!! I ordered the soup and taco salad. I will be honest with you, I've never had meatball soup at a Mexican restaurant, but this was to die for. I could've just had a humongous bowl of it and been happy with life. You can tell it was fresh made and fresh cut vegetables. Absolutely outstanding flavor and delicious. The taco salad was good but the soup.... Omgggg yummy!!! read more

The salsa is more like pico but I don't think they charge for it at least. The shredded beef tacos were okay . Not much seasoning on the shredded beef . Tasted boiled . The shells were crispy. I had the meatball soup , I didn't care for it. The service wasn't bad . They are better than the other Mexican we tried but I expected more from California's Mexican restaurants honestly. Ambiance was fine. read more

El Cid is a must-visit if you're anywhere near Sierra National Park. The food comes out surprisingly fast, which is perfect when you're hungry after a day of hiking or exploring. The service is consistently friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is genuinely relaxing. One of the best parts is the large windows and porch area, which let in tons of natural light and offer beautiful views of the mountains. Whether you sit inside or out, the space feels warm, open, and connected to the landscape. Great service. Great food. Gorgeous views. Highly recommend. read more

El Cid - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

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My husband and I were visiting Yosemite for a first time, we decided to eat here since there is not much to choose from . The place looks nice, our server was nice, (don't remember her name). It was busy because it was dinner time, but I felt that our food took more time than usual, it was cold already, and we were offered tortillas that never came. Food was not worth the price ($35 for 6 cold shrimp, rice and beans). Not coming back read more

Up here in Yosemite Park and came out hungry. Saw this spot on the way. So after checking in at our hotel came here to eat. Wasn't expecting much by location, but I was impressed. First of all Jamaica and Menudo on the menu! Had Albondigas and Shrimp ceviche BOMB!!!! The presentation othe ceviche got me. Mindy our waitress was awesome good personality and very helpful. Very clean with a full bar!!!!! Great spot read more

Just like HOME! I love it here no matter what, actually my burrito was better at Mariscos! I ordered a patron Margarita and received a pitcher of Maragarita that's why I took a star off! love the atmosphere and love the business and I highly recommend I like the chili Colorado burrito and again wasn't better than Mariscos the prices have gone up like every where else! The waitress could have been better but still a great lunch! I love the Mexican coffee n chips n salsa n to use the bathroom before going in to Yosemite! Must stop! read more

El Cid - Chili Colorado burrito Margarita Pitcher - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

food is good as a family we have been eating here for years never disapionting never a long wait even when they are busy everybody is super nice read more

Our friend mentioned it was her godparents' favorite place in the area so we had to try. They are quick to seat groups that come in and we were seated immediately. They were generous with the complimentary chips and salsa and we were downing them quickly. I ordered an enchi-burrito and it is easily one of the best plates of mexican food I had ever had. Having eaten mexican food in socal and all over the world at the best places and this was such a pleasant surprise. Food is fresh, they pack the meat on the plates and consistently check in on us as well as refill out waters. Do not skip this place when you're in the area! read more

Fast service, super friendly and attentive staff, meal delivered fast and food was hot! After a long day at Yosemite we were glad to have a decent meal. We split a combo plate with one extra à la carte taco. It was plenty! read more

Very clean spacious service was great The waiter was very attentive making sure that our glasses were never empty. The food was very good. The abondagas soup very flavorful and rice light and delicious. I highly recommend if you're driving through Oakhurst this is the stop you should make and they have a lovely view. read more

El Cid - Abondagas soup 8 out 10 - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

Went there with family. Noticed parking lot full all the time we were visiting for a week. Decided to try. Mexican cuisine is a stretch. Food was bland. Unlike Mexican food that we've had at other places. Chips were good. Salsa ok. Service was nice. Restaurant clean. We will not be going back read more

Great food and great staff! I love having an authentic Mexican restaurant in my area I love the menu!

I wouldn't recommend this place. Over hyped just because it is on the way to Yosemite, doesn't mean it is good. I mean, look at the pictures that previous patrons have posted. Get real! This food really does look disgusting. I wouldn't feed my dog the kids quesadilla and those beans, are you kidding me? In another picture, the rice?????? gross and I have never been able to prepare Mexican rice properly (except to use rice-a-roni Mexican flavor {not the Spanish BTW}) that is not Mexican rice, yuck!!!!! Get real people, this is Mexican fast food gone bad. read more

Nice location on the way to the park. Food here was tasty, but appears to be geared more towards a neutral palate to accommodate tourists. Staff was friendly and very attentive. Prices were appeared to be average and overall a good value. read more

Take out for two. Complete dinners on 6/19/2026. One pathetic star; the food was disgusting. The "cheese stick" in the chili relleno did not melt! It appeared as though someone literally threw the food into the container. So disappointed because we are local and have been going there since it opened decades ago. You need to do way better El Cid. You lost us. read more

Food tostada was soggy. Listed as a crisp tortilla. Would not recommend. Service was great as far as our server.

So this place is a childhood favorite of mine and it was fun getting to take my kids for lunch after spending the morning at sugar pine railroad. Service was great and we got seated at a table overlooking their amazing view. The chips are prefect, not too thin not too thick. The salsa is more of a pico feel but was yummy. We got : Lunch special one item $12 with beans and rice , my oldest got a wet burrito I got the two item special $14 , ground beef enchilada and a Chile relleno ( which wasn't bad, I liked the relleno sauce more than the enchilada sauce), gave the little my beans and rice which he loved! My middle got the kids bean burrito with beans and rice $11.95 read more

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The staff and atmosphere is always welcoming and the food is amazing. My mother loves to come here for special celebrations for many years. read more

El Cid - We always take my mom here for special occasions! It's her favorite! - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

I read all the bad reviews AFTER we were parked and had our name on the wait list for Friday dinner. It was too late to back out and I figured I'd have a miserable time and re-write the same review saying "I should have listened to Yelpers!" BUT... I'm glad I didn't read the reviews because we had a great dinner! The place was packed and we were attended to immediately. Waters were quickly refilled, we were offered an extra salsa without asking, and a different server took the initiative to take our order to get things going while our assigned server was unavailable. Ok, so service is good, but the food is really bland, right? Wrong again. The albondigas soup was amazing. My steak fajitas were good. My wife loved her shrimp burrito and my daughter loved her chicken tacos so much, she order another one a la carte. My son ate almost his entire burger -- a feat for my undereater. El Cid's is neither the best, the cheapest, nor the most innovative Mexican restaurant, but the staff were great, the food is way better than anything inside the park, and we really enjoyed our dinner!!! read more

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We were so disappointed. This has been one of our favorite restaurants. Hoping yesterday's experience doesn't become the new normal. I ordered huevos rancheros, eggs over medium. The order took nearly half an hour and when it finally arrived the whites of the eggs were still clear. The yokes just warm. The flour tortillas were old, cold and hard. If we go back, and that's a big if, I'll order the lunch special. Those orders coming to other tables came out quicker and looked much better. read more

Don't believe it when they say Shrimp Ceviche Tostada. It was horrible! It was some type of smelly fish that I actually had to throw the food out! I was bummed because I thought this would be a nice place to stop. read more

We had dinner here one night while visiting Yosemite Park. Staff was really nice and helpful. The food was very good and I hoped it would be. They paid attention to our drinks and chips/salsa. No issues here at all. And the prices are very fair. read more

We are visiting the area and wanted you to know try El CID based on the number of good reviews. We had a party of 12 and thought it looked like they had enough room for us. Luckily that was the case. We were seated quickly. The service was excellent. Staff was attentive and friendly. The food was good. The carne asada was nice and tender, good portion size. Carnitas burrito was very big, and chicken fajitas were great. Prices are reasonable. I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try read more

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Amazing food, great and friendly service! We stopped by here after hiking in Yosemite and it was a great choice! The burritos were delicious and the portions were huge! If we're around here again we will definitely come back read more

Been eating here since 1998! Best margaritas! Try their Albondigas soup ! Excellent service! read more

El Cid - Mexican Near Me - Oakhurst, California

The service is amazing, so friendly and attentive. The food is hit or miss... Sometimes it is flavorful, or times it is not seasoned. I like crunchy food, and many times the taco or tostada is soggy in the bottom. My husband and family love to go, but I personally struggle with what to order... Just me. read more

Back home El Cid said would be a three star Mexican restaurant. But when you're in the Yosemite area and there are very very few restaurant choices, some thing with fair pricing and decent food deserves four stars. My husband got the steak fajitas and I got the Kearny Asada burrito. I would say the burrito was "OK" at best but I tried his fajitas and they seemed pretty fresh. But for me, the star, the show was actually the chips. They were salted just right one major wish though is that they had real salsa the salsa that they gave us was more of a pico de gallo than actual salsa. That said, there's a chance we could end up here one more time on the trip because there are so few choices in the area and a few of them are even close for the season already, and it was only October 1 when we ate here. read more

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I've loved this place since I was a kid. The green sauce on anything is . The margaritas are classic and delicious. All of the servers make you feel at home. Recently I tried the steak Milanese and oh my! Perfectly cooked carne asada with crispy thin breading. I'm obsessed. If you're going for the first time get it, if you've been going forever like me, get it. Just try it. Wash it down with a margarita. You won't regret it. read more

A perfect place to stop after a hike in Yosemite. Located in the town of Oakhurst just 30 minutes south of the gate to the park. Every time we stop here, I get the grilled shrimp salad , i just love it. I ordered a side of chilli rellanó and this one was just ok not much flavor. Complimentary chips and salsa are always good. Service is great. They are always friendly and attentive. Nice seatings next to large windows overlooking the hills and the mountains. Ample parking. After we're done with dinner, we like to walk next door to get some ice cream at Reimers. read more

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We have been here a few times when we are in the area, and we've always had a great experience inside. The white stuff is always just top-notch. We always have somebody really friendly, and really helpful, attentive, and just generally happy. Your drinks will be full, your water glass always topped off. And I feel like they check on us at just the right times... usually when your mouth is stuffed full and you're happily munching away . The food is good, not great; thus the four stars. The portions are generous for sure, and we always have leftovers to go. The salsa is very good, and I always suggest taking some of that home with you, as it is wonderful on everything else! My go to is a flautas plate. They do a really nice job with these, the tortillas are perfectly fried so you get the crisp and the chewy with whatever filling you choose. I definitely recommend their daiquiris! The mango daiquiri was quite tasty and perfectly seasoned with the right rum that left me happily not driving after!! read more

What happened to El Cid? My sister and I have frequented this local landmark for many years. We went there today and noticed they had newer menus and that the prices had skyrocketed! We thought we would try something new: the fajitas They arrived, not on that sizzling skillet that always accompanies Fajitas, but on a large dish with all the sides on the same dish. We then began our search for the meat: about 2 teaspoonfuls of steak, 1 teaspoon of chicken and literally 2 shriveled , (what we think were the shrimp)! Total: $28.00 We're so disgusted!!!! At the very least El Cid should give a local discount to those of us that keep them in business after the tourists have gone. read more

Food was okay. I have had better. It was lacking in seasoning, and the beans were just bland. The service was terrible. They came to check on us only once, and the server's friend or girlfriend was there and causing problems for other clients. It was just a bad look for the restaurant and made for a very unpleasant dinner, which should have been at least enjoyable. I would not recommend this place if you want to have good food and a good dining experience. read more

I'll be honest, staff is nice... but food. Subpar. I wouldn't come back here. Food just isn't good. Again staff was awesome. read more

Meh, just Mexican food American-ized Portions are substantial. Didn't hate it but wasn't jumping for joy either. The server was great but again just ok food read more

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