Disappointed in the fajitas. They tasted fine but the presentation is very poor. The peppers are cut very large and you are given 2 large chicken breasts. It would be nice to have it all sliced thinly and cooked so it would be easier to put in a tortilla and eaten. read more

Hands down, the best margaritas I have ever had. I have had over 100 in different locations and they are the best. Half frozen and half melted with salt. Right here in Anderson Ohio! The food is not the greatest, but still pretty good. I recommend the chimichanga. But if you only have a little money, seriously. Get the Marg. Friendly service. Cool and tucked away location. read more

El Coyote - The bar - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Tried the half rack of ribs and wow very tinder fall off the bone! House salad is great as usual same with the mashed potatoes definitely a great meal. read more

One things for sure, reviews are merely opinions. Nothing more, nothing less. That said, there is a reason this place is one of the local's favorite places to eat. I'm a local, lived here for years. We still come back because the food is consistently delicious. I highly recommend the bone in ribeye! read more

We had a reservation for 4:45 for 4 people tonight. We got seated ordered a Coyote burger,2 taco salads and a blue cheese salad. Our food came at 6:00, burger cold taco salad was wilted from the hot taco meat. Wasn't good,won't be back. read more

I have loved el Coyote for a long time but the prices have gotten out of control and the quality and service has gone down. First of all, why are you serving Walmart/GFS round tortilla chips with your salsa? The salsa is great but i don't want ball park nacho chips with it. Second, the prices are absurd. I stopped by to join some friends at happy hour. I ordered 2 margaritas and 2 sides and my bill was $50!!! I understand food prices have gone up but not that much. So disappointed. read more

Service was impeccable...ordered burritos, salmon, steak,, & enchiladas & of course the greatest Margs of all time! Originally from NKY moved outta state for 8 years....came back to visit, and got to experience and have the same great pleasure many years later! P.S. The owner even came over to make sure everything was great!! Definitely recommend read more

I have been coming to this place for years. It is an all time favorite and always consistently good. I even have family from Atlanta that always wants to come here when they visit. My mother loves their steaks. One fact you may not know about this place is they have amazing steaks. Their filet mignon can rival any of the high end chop houses in town. If you want more of a southwest flavor, their burritos, fajitas and enchiladas are delicious. Also, don't miss out on their homemade salad dressings and fantastic sides like text max mac & cheese...yes, please! This trip I went with steak burrito, black beans and started with a green salad with the homemade ranch. As always it didn't disappoint one bit! read more

Excellent. I've been going there for years and years. I had my birthday dinner on Saturday. Jeanie was our server, she did an excellent job and the food was delicious. read more

I had been dying to go here for years based on all the rave reviews I had heard. Don't know if we hit it on an "off" night or if my friends just have horrible taste. Took my husband here for a birthday celebration and spent a ton of money for awful food. The steak was about on par what one would have gotten at Ponderosa in the 70's, actually that is probably being generous towards the bland piece of shoe leather that cost me more than $20. No one in our party finished their meal so it was pretty much a similar experience for all involved. And the place is so dark we had to use our phone flashlights to read the menu. I suspect that they keep the lighting dim to hid the fact the décor is old and dirty. Save your money, DO NOT go here! read more

I would not come back to El Coyote, nor recommend it. I truly respect the fact that it's a family owned restaurant. But the experience was just not good... Okay, the only part that was decent was our server. He was very nice and able to get along with our large party. My problems were with the food and the prices of food. Everything is above 11 dollars and for mediocre food. I ordered the veggie fajitas, hold the cheese, yet got cheese loaded on. Mistakes are made, I thourogly understand. They got it fixed ASAP and it was very tasty! But the black beans had meat in them... meat?! In black beans?? After tasting them I asked to make sure that it didn't, and he assured me no meat... Sigh... Alas, after my carnivorous friend tried them, it was true. It had some sort of meat product in there. So, no. I will not come back here. Food isn't worth it. Risking my veganism isn't worth it. And even my friends that eat a typical American diet were not fans. There is my story. read more

Same as Brian S., my most recent visit is really 2 stars, I'm giving 3 based on reminiscing of the good old days. We used to dine here quite a bit, the food was outstanding and there was always enough for leftovers for the next day. Last night I didn't even want to take home my leftover mashed potatoes or mushrooms (not good at all). Sad. The pork chop special on Tuesday is a decent deal, and mine was pretty good, but I'm not sure I'll make a special trip out there again. The whole place looks a little tired, too. I wish they'd turn it around, as I'd be sad if they closed. read more

I've been going to El Coyote since I was in high school (easily 20 years of patronage) and I've always had great experiences. The food is always good to great but customer service and general upkeep are their weakest qualities. I'm not sure what has happened recently or if my standards for customer service have increased, but this place doesn't seem worth the expense. We spent $80+ tonight for one kids meal, two adult entrees, and a queso appetizer. We were sat in a booth with a toddler in a booster seat. The hostess had suggested the booth because a table/high chair would be a much longer wait than originally advised. This would have been a completely acceptable situation except our table was so wobbly that my toddler could easily move it around and the booster slid easily on the seat. So my husband had to eat dinner with one hand on our kiddo at all times for fear she would fall! A busboy watched for a few minutes while my husband tried to reposition their shims to better balance our table then walked past without offering assistance. I should also mention that there were two empty tables, within eyeshot, that remained empty the majority of our meal. Our waitress barely said two words to us. With the exception to tell us where there would be an up charge (which was basically on everything). She made it seem like refilling the chips so that we could enjoy our queso was an absolute inconvenience. So at the end when she shared that it was a pleasure to serve us, I literally chuckled to myself. The food here is also good. The Mac and cheese is amazing! There always seems to be a little kick to every dish. And I really appreciate how they seem to put their own spin on a lot of dishes. With all that being said, if El Coyote is trying to focus more on adult entertaining and less on a family atmosphere, then they are certainly headed in that direction! However, I won't be comfortable bringing my family back here until we are a little older and can sit safely in any seating arrangement. read more

This is in response to Melissa D. On 3/7/19 SOOOO you're complaining because el coyote didn't give you free sides? And because the waiter did his job and followed the rules? Do you think he should risk his job because you just "wanted a little taste"?? Why didn't you just order the side and pay for it? Or do you think you're sooo charming that his livelihood doesn't matter, just that you leave satiated on food you never wanted to pay for? It's people like you that ruin things like public reviews with your warped sense of entitlement. I sat near your table tonight and overheard the entire thing. I just had an inkling that you'd come here to twist the narrative to make yourself look good. Grow up and stop expecting special treatment. And when things don't go your way, let it go and move along. read more

Been coming here for a long time and it was always delicious! Not sure what happened or if they changed owners but it's no longer worth the money. Food was terrible. Parmesan chicken is a joke and Mac & Cheese left me nauseous. read more

Recently went to El Coyote and dined outside on their patio which was quite nice. The service was a bit slow to be served, but our server did a great job keeping up with drinks and chips. They redid their menu since the last time I was there and the prices seemed to increase dramatically. Food was decent, nothing extraordinary. It's still a nice locally owned neighborhood restaurant in Anderson. read more

Fantastic food. Best steaks in Cincinnati... beats the Precinct hands down for flavor and value. BUT... My issue is and remains the service. Depending upon your server it can make or break your experience. Our waitress took eons to get us chips and salsa, refills and basic items. We had a party of eight for dinner and our waitress just stunk. By comparison the table next to us had the same number of people, but arrived about 20 minutes after us to a table already preset with chips and salsa. Their food arrived about 15 minutes before ours. They were done and out the door long before us. Apparently its luck of the draw. Also their policy on alcoholic beverages sucks. We ordered two half pitchers of margaritas at separate times during our meal and they overcharge majorly. I asked if we could just be charged for a full pitcher since it was close to $50 for two half pitchers of margaritas. When I asked to speak to a manager the actual owner came out. And quite frankly... was beyond rude. Told us we didn't have to come back if we didn't like their policies. If in doubt order a full pitcher and save $15. It is pricey too. Be prepared to spend at least $30 and up for a meal. More with alcohol. Our party of 8 was nearly $300 with tip. Shabby, dated decor too. Like your parents furniture from 1972 ugly. Want great food? It's here. But be prepared to deal with potentially crap service from the owner on down to the lowliest bus boy. You'll have to decide for yourselves if it's worth it. read more

I ate my weight in processed cheese last night. Or at least it seemed like it after my husband and I polished off an order of their queso dip. Yes, it's straight-up Velveeta with some jalapenos, but hey, it's hard to argue with the hot, creamy, and deliciously meltyness. The chips are not great--definitely seem like generic, out of the bag, but the salsa has a decent kick, if not the freshest I've ever had. I went for the quesadilla for my entree and it wasn't really what I was expecting. Definitely not enough textural contrast--no crisp to the tortilla, combined with rather mushy insides (refried beans, pulled, saucy chicken), it wasn't really to my taste. The guac on the side had a fair amount of browning to it. I got a side of their 'famous' tex-mex mac and cheese, which provided a perfect example of when Velveeta is not a good choice--overly large tube pasta in basically that same queso sauce is not real mac & cheese, very disappointing. The real reason we came here in the first place is that a friend told my husband they had the best steaks in the city. As an avowed Ruby's fan, I hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed when he ordered filet mignon ($27 for 8 oz) at a Tex-Mex place, but we were both very pleasantly surprised. The steak was very high quality beef, cooked perfectly, with that melt-in-your-mouth quality of a good filet. He deemed it just a notch below Ruby's, but better than Morton's, and at $10-15 cheaper than either of those plus 2 sides included, definitely a good deal. I sampled a couple of bites and would agree to the quality. I encouraged him to get their other famous side--the mashed potatoes, which he liked, but I found so saturated with butter, sour cream, etc. that they ran to soupy-ness instead of the whipped, fluffiness I like. His other side was coleslaw, which was quite good--nice crisp cabbage and balanced sweetness (the first order did go back after the unfortunate discovery of a hair on top, but was quickly replaced). I'm going with 3 stars overall for this place as an average between a 2 for my meal and a 4 for my husband's. My best advice would be to skip the so-so chips and salsa, order the filet mignon, and avoid the mac & cheese. While the ambiance will never be on par with one of the nicer steakhouses in town, it's a good place to get an excellent steak for a good value. read more

Used to be very good but has gone really down hill. Very disappointed because it used to be my favorite.

Like a few other Cincinnati "food institutions", this place might have gotten its reputation in some bygone era when people didn't really have a lot of different variety for comparison. The Tex-Mex at this place is, without question, incredibly average. I've witnessed the decline of this place over the years, and I can't really say that I ever understood what all the hype was about even in the heyday, which is now almost a faint memory. The biggest turnoff for us was the sheer arrogant snobbery on the part of the wait staff and management. The food is almost "ok". It was hit or miss most of the time, so we just stopped going. Maybe it sticks around because it's sort of a convenient hop from a lot of residential neighborhoods who will tolerate sub-par service and average food. But the entire neighborhood is aging rapidly and not replacing the residence base. Bad news for the future. read more

I can't stand coming into a bar with a bunch of drunk idiots when I am trying to sit down for a date night with my wife! You have to walk past the drunks to get to the restaurant section. I agree with ALL the other negative fajita reviews for El Coyote! It is NOTHING like a normal fajita. 1. Fajitas should NOT come covered in cheese! 2. Fajitas should NOT have whole chicken breast that you have to cut up yourself! 3. Fajitas should NOT have vegetables cut so thick they could be their own meal! 4. Fajitas should NOT be made with Sirloin! It's supposed to be flank steak FOR A REASON! The hostess threw the menus on the table and walked away without a word. NOTHING! When we told the server about the poor meal and asked her to take it away (we didn't like it), we didn't see her again for 15min! Even after repeated attempts to yell for her. Conclusion: Poor service and below average food. Not what I remember from years back, will not be back anytime soon. read more

Meh. This place was an institution when I was growing up in Anderson.. you couldn't find a seat at 8 PM on a weekday. Nowadays, it's about 50/50 on whether or not you'll have a mediocre meal or a meal slightly reminiscent of it's old glory days.. but at least you can walk in, aside from maybe 6 PM on a Saturday, and usually get seated whenever you'd like. Steak fajitas have been always been pretty good.. really a safe bet at this place will always be anything steak. My mom used to swear by the pork chops but they've only been so-so the last time couple of times we've visited. Their tex-mex mac & cheese, much like the restaurant, has gone downhill since the late 90s. And if you're wondering how a mac & cheese dish can consistently go downhill in quality over a period of 12+ years than, I dunno, call and ask their owner how they managed to do it. Service has always been good and the atmosphere is alright, it has a nice neighborhood feel to it but it's real dark in a lot of areas after the sun goes down. Overall.. if someone told me 'hey man let's go to El Coyote' I'd be like 'alright,' and have a decent meal in the process, and everyone would likely leave pretty satisfied, but it simply isn't the restaurant it used to be. It might be slightly unfair to judge a restaurant against it's former glory, but really, a modern El Coyote experience really is only about 3/5 stars. read more

The service was okay and our waitress was nice, however, we were served some of the worst food we've ever tried to eat. It would be a Christmas miracle to find something on the menu that isn't overwhelmingly drowned in barbecue sauce, sour cream, or ranch to hide the fact that they don't actually know how to cook or flavor the food at El Coyote. The price is very concerning, considering how they serve stale, store-bought chips and freshly microwave each side dish. Disrespectful to Mexicans and Texans alike. You're more likely to find better food at a Taco Bell or Kroger's frozen food isle. Ruined our grandmother's birthday. read more

I'm not sure which I enjoyed more - being sat next to the patio door which the wait staff kept slamming as they'd enter and exit, or the re-heated frozen chimichanga. Now, I'm not from Anderson, so maybe El Coyote is an acquired taste - but I'm not a fan. The service was slow, the table shook with the door slamming, and the food was mediocre at best. read more

El Coyote promotes itself as "The Original Tex-Mex" in Cincinnati, a claim I cannot say is true or false. What I can say though is that overall I really enjoyed my meal there. The first thing you notice is that its in sort of a weird location. It's already in a suburban location, but its situated in a neighborhood, not in a typical suburban strip mall. Its definitely different. As for the restaurant itself, the best thing I can say is that it is comfortable in its own skin. It doesn't try to be anything other than a laid back tex-mex joint with good food. The decor is dated, but it worked for the place. Lots of dark wood seating, and a smattering of tex-mex decorations (I really don't know how to describe them). There is also a bar area with a few flat screen TV's, but most of the restaurant is in a regular dining room. Not sure if there is outdoor dining. The clientele was pretty diverse. Its the kind of place where you'll see two guys in suits talking business, a family with kids, a young couple on a date, or some regular joes just drinking at the bar. Good mix I thought. The service was friendly and prompt. I'd say if you need to have every single need catered to perfectly, you won't be happy, but overall the service was good. The menu is extensive, with your typical tex-mex fare. Most people say its a good place for steaks, and they have "famous" fajitas- but what tex-mex joint doesn't? They have some great side items- garlic mashed potatoes and a "tex-mex and cheese" which is basically mac-n-cheese with some peppers. Our food was really tasty, some of the best tex-mex I've had. Portions were huge. Overall, I really liked it. The only gripe was I thought it was a tad expensive. I'll be going again soon! read more

This place sucks our waitress had zero personality and acted like she was about ready to go in the bathroom and off herself the Mac and cheese was all cold had to wait a long time to get drinks refilled. 10/10 will not be coming back here. read more

I grew up in Anderson and I will be honest...at one point all the employees of El Coyote knew my entire family by name. It's my mom's all time favorite restaurant and for good reason! If you are looking for good Tex Mex El Coyote is a winner. A bit off the beaten path, you will find El Coyote housed next to the Anderson Branch of the Cincinnati Public Library. El Coyote is an Anderson fixture and as such usually does require a bit of a wait for a table (unless you're mother and insist on getting there right as they open). I know people have said the Pork Chops are amazing. I am not a huge meat eater and have actually never had them, but my brother and uncle swear by them (you can also usually find pretty good coupons for them). My favorite is actually their mashed potatoes! I have no clue what is in them, but they are probably the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten. I'm also a big fan of their various enchiladas (the enchilada Houston is my favorite). Every meal starts with a warm basket of homemade tortilla chips and salsa. They were taken over by new management at one point, much to the detriment of their chips and salsa and various other entrees, but I have noticed everything is basically back to how it was during the glory day (only a slight price increase...but that's basically everywhere). Their meals are giant (though they reheat well...I almost always bring home a doggie bag). El Coyote used to allow smoking which made for a much less pleasurable dining experience. Luckily, that is no more, though the smell of cigarettes does still linger and they have a cigarette machine in their entry way. The staff are all very friendly, and most have been working there since I started going over 15 years ago! It's truly an extremely welcoming atmosphere full of kind folks! If you find yourself in Anderson El Coyote is an extremely place to have a nice sit down meal and enjoy some delicious Tex Mex goodness! It's not to be missed! read more

The service was great. But it's always telling when they never ask how everything is. They know the answer and don't want to hear it. The M-113 Salt Vampire creature from Star Trek would love El Coyote - it would never have to kill again to get all the salt it needs to survive. If you decide to try El Coyote, bring a double dose of your blood pressure medicine, it might be the only thing that saves you. Not only was there salt on the rim of the margarita glass as there should be, there was plenty of salt IN the margarita. The chips, no surprise here - layered in three kinds of salt (seemed like it anyway.) They were inedible. El Coyote is known for their steaks, and for good reason, it's an excellent cut and they know how to cook it. But it's not like it used to be - it was salty. Salty salty. I had to scrape it with my knife on both sides to get the beef tinted saltwater sauce off of it and it was still super salty. They must be brining them now. The "sauteed" mushrooms? Well, obviously salty, but they were not sauteed, they were canned mushrooms steamed in beef tinted saltwater. Gross. They tasted like the metal from the can they came out of. That was the worst 70 bucks I spent on dinner for two in my life. The lot wasn't nearly as full as it used to be a while ago, and I see why. Lot's of people, myself included, are never coming back. read more

First the Good: Our group of 17 women received very good service, especially considering the size of our party & individual checks. The rest: My chicken fajita salad ($12.99) was very small & consisted of iceburg lettuce, about 1 T. of chopped tomato, about 2 sliced olives, some onion & cheese, and 3 decent sized pieces of chicken. This was way over priced compared to what I get (lots of good tasting food) for my money at other Mexican restaurants! My friend sitting next to me ordered the rib eye steak dinner ($32.99) and was served a steak that was so tough the steak knife wasn't cutting through & also she had ordered it medium & it was done well. She told the waitress & she took it back to the kitchen. Within about 10 minutes she got another steak, this time too rare & very salty. She didn't want to complain again (embarrassing & time consuming), so she ate around the edges - which were done medium, and she took the steak home to rinse the salt off & cook it to medium. Her mashed potatoes were served in a small white cup and were not very good. Her salad was mostly iceburg lettuce with about 5 grape tomatoes, a few carrot slices, etc. Overall, her food was not plated with any eye appeal (no garnish on the white plates, white & brown food) - something I'd expect for the price. We won't be back. read more

I'm conflicted about el coyote. We go there frequently because there are several delicious items on the menu and the chips/salsa rock. However the place is dark and dated, needs a facelift. The music is also dated and doesn't set a good vibe. The bartender who usually is at bar only is nice or pays attention to the people he knows- if you aren't his friend, you get basically ignored. read more

We had Nathan as our server tonight. He was great and on top of everything. Had the stuffed pepper, pork chop, ribs and chicken breast everything was great. Still the same as years ago read more

The burgers are good the steak is good but the ribs are dry and there is too much bbq sauce. Good restaurant overall but there is work to do. 4 stars is a generous review I believe it is a 3.5. read more

I've been dining at El Coyote for over two decades and I've always ordered the exact same thing: steak fajitas, Tex-Mex macaroni, and mashed potatoes. Always a winner. Upon my most recent visit, the decor in the restaurant was just like I remembered: dark, stained-glass lamps, penguin-suited wait staff. The waitress brought the chips and salsa. What once was a wicker basket of tortilla chips with two cups of salsa was now a small plastic tray of chips and 1/4 cup of salsa. I ordered my usual, but noticed that my entree now only came with one side, plus I had to choose between guacamole and sour cream; it was once served with both. The meals arrived on small plates, with a cup of macaroni and a saucer of mashed potatoes. (Originally, the fajitas were served on huge skillets with the sides, which were equal to two cups each.) Also, there were only three small tortillas for the fajitas. I ended up having to order another shell. Aside from the portions being smaller than previous years, I am glad to report my food tasted as delicious as ever. The fajitas had huge chunks of steak, onions and peppers. The potatoes were creamy and the macaroni zesty. My margarita was right on par. And yes, despite the small servings, I still left completely stuffed. I am pleased the quality of food has remained the same over the years, but was disappointed about getting nickle-and-dimed for things that were once included in a dinner. A tip of my hat to our waitress, Sherri, who was super sweet and attentive. Glad to see the service is still personable too. Price per person: $25.00 read more

Awesome filet mignon that melts in your mouth! Margaritas that knock your socks off! On point chips and salsa! Other delicious items: pork chops, New York strip Pittsburgh style, mushrooms, mash potatoes, mac-n-cheese read more

Haven't been to El Coyote in about a year so we decided to give it a shot again. The Machaca dip and fresh salsa was good as before. That's where it ends. I ordered the 12 oz NY strip steak and she ordered the vegetable fajitas. The steak was tough had none of their wonderful seasoning on it, the fajitas were mediocre at best. When I told the waitress that the steak wasn't seasoned she offered to bring me some on the side. Now what good would that do? The place was not very busy but it still took quite a long time to get our food. Adios' El Coyote. Your time has come. read more

I love El Coyote and was introduced because my father-in-law loves this place. A lot of people will tell you not to even open the menu and order the filet. It's awesome and I can see why people say that, but I would also hate for someone to miss the other great dishes like fajitas and burritos. I think the real stars are the sides, which include Tex-Mex mac-and-cheese and legendary mashed potatoes. Don't forget a pitcher of sangria...that stuff is awesome and dangerous! The only thing I don't love is that the service is hit-or-miss. We've had great, but we've also had terrible. They take reservations, but only for large parties and be warned if you have chronically late friends or family: everyone in your party must be present before they will seat you. read more

Great local place for an excellent steak or pork chop or actually anything on the menu. The decor is the same as it was in the 70s, but a little "kitsch" is fun. We dine here every few months and have never been disappointed. Nice to have a steak in a casual atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and have a margarita while you wait on dinner. read more

Perennial favorite of locals desiring consistent service and variety. A good bet for a beverage and appetizer to your choice of one their famed Tex Mex or grilled steaks and chops. Seasoned bartender, Doug keeps a pulse on regulars' expectations. Service is prompt and portions are generous. New menu could be easier to read but doesn't diminish from the experience. They're known for their amazing homemade salad dressings and extensive selection of sides. Don't overlook this local establishment of 30 plus years read more

Overpriced. Food is barely edible. I would not recommend this place. Service is ok. Margaritas super pricey and not good.

Took 3 hours to have dinner. Don't go if you are in a hurry. The food was Luke warm and it was all too expensive. Probably won't be back. read more