We had the best girls' day on Saturday and decided to take a drive out to El Encanto in Cave Creek for lunch and I'm so glad we did! The food was delicious, the customer service was great, and the prices were very reasonable. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. But the best part was sitting by the window and enjoying the beautiful view! We got to watch all the ducks and turtles while we ate, which made the lunch feel so relaxing and enjoyable. It's definitely a family-oriented restaurant and a great place to enjoy a meal while taking in the scenery. We had such a great time and will most definitely be back! read more

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The ambiance is everything here. Food and drinks are good, but it's just a cool vibe. Service is very friendly. I got the Sunday special, the seafood enchilada and it was excellent. The sauce was everything. The scallops were the baby dime size and overcooked so a bit mushy but the sauce made up for it. My son had the burrito which was huge and excellent. read more

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I don't quite understand all the hype and glowing reviews unless I happened to visit on an off day. The setting is definitely the highlight--the view of the lake and ducks is beautiful, peaceful, and makes for a nice atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food was underwhelming. The carnitas were very fatty and didn't resemble authentic carnitas at all. The rice and beans were mediocre, and the guacamole tasted old and more like something store-bought than freshly made. The shredded cheese mixed into the guacamole also felt odd and took away from any sense of authenticity. The only thing I really enjoyed was the lime. It may be worth trying if you're curious about the buzz, but based on my experience, I wouldn't return. read more

El Encanto - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

This place is absolutely beautiful. Very nice court yard and a pond with ducks and turtles. It would be an awesome place during cool months for an outdoor meal. We sat directly next to the pond but inside. It was cool to look at the ducks and turtles during our meal. Our waitress was Emily. Very professional and attentive. Our cups were always full and she checked on us quite regularly. The food came out quickly and was very fresh. What I would like to note that all meals were brought together is a huge plus also the person who brought out the food knew exactly who ordered what and we didn't have to shuffle hot plates around. The food was great but I would say the serving portions were on a smaller scale. Non the less the food was full of flavor and fresh. read more

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Called in a takeout order for two red tamales and was told they would be ready in 10 minutes. I arrived at the takeout waiting area and called to let them know I was waiting for my order. I waited 15 mins and had to call again. The employee finally came out and asked what I ordered. She finally brought out my order and I paid for it. 25 mins had passed and the tamales were cold. I was surprised by the bad service and subsequent cold food as I have ordered food several times in the past from El Encanto with relatively prompt service and good food. I would avoid this place for takeout food. read more

We love all of the food here and have had a ton on multiple visits. Our favorite by far is the Ceviche. We also enjoy the Margaritas, Queso Fundido, and Enchiladas. The beauty of the property, views of the wildlife, nature, and pond is lovely while you enjoy your meal. The inside is beautiful too. Seating outside, and inside. Some inside seating have large window views of the pond and birds. We've seen fish, turtles, blue herons, and ducks so far. Also, love the live music we have experienced on Sundays. Parking lot on-site with ample spots. read more

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This restaurant screams 5 stars! I love the layout of this location. You can sit inside, outside around the pond, watch ducks and turtles swim around while sipping on margaritas and eating delicious food. Their staff is always friendly and fun. One of the girls came with our two pitcher of margaritas on a tray, walking and pouring our glasses at the same time! Very impressive! You can easily over eat on their chips and big variety of salsas. So good. We ordered two cheese crisp for the table to share. It's basically a quesadilla open faced. Crispy and cheesy! For dinner I ordered the pollo fundido, half portion, it was plenty! I love the white sauce. My hubby got the two enchiladas, red sauce. We both loved our meals. The kids menu needs to be updated, it states the kids quesadilla would be open faced but it was not. This was good for us. I would update the menu incase someone may think their kid won't eat an open faced quesadilla. If your child won't like the refried beans touching their quesadilla, I would ask for it on the side in a separate bowl. Make a reservation ahead of time, they are always busy and wait times can be long. read more

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I have had this place saved for a while and have been wanting to try it. I came recently for my first time during a friends grad party. Everything was wonderful. I was so surprised by how many turtles and fish we saw. We even had a little show and saw a herring eat a catfish the stag was very polite and attentive and the food was amazing. I can't wait to come back for something like date night. I would love to sit by the window and see the water and birds. read more

El Encanto - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

I don't very often do a five star review. But our dinner here the other night was excellent. My fish tacos were cooked perfectly, and the husband's green chili dish was perfect for him. The green chili sauce was mild, not too tangy in his opinion. It was nice to have three different salsas brought to the table with the chips. We did the bean appetizer dish that was good as well. Oh and the flan was great. Our server was attentive, friendly informative. It was nice to have actual ambience in a restaurant instead of being cafeteria style like most Mexican restaurants. read more

Okay!!! Forget the bad reviews!! Just went for lunch! The wait staff was so kind and made sure we were taken care of the entire time!! Food was great and the atmosphere and view in this place is awesome!! A pond in the middle of the restaurant! Coolest place ever! I suggest the shrimp tacos! Perfect! read more

El Encanto - Our view - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

We had a great host as we entered and then our waiter was a great one who had a good vibe for us that evening. The chips and multiple dips were all good and we each did like our food we had. It was not totally filled up with people but we did come in fairly late and it was a Monday night too. The layout seems to be a place that is constantly filled with people because it so unique and cool and even has multiple different places that can each be a different feel compared to each other. It does seem like a great place to go hang with a group or probably even a date night. It was very good read more

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I had to try a few things to find my favorite food here. I wasn't a fan of the enchiladas. The Fundido was too much sauce but the shredded chicken was good. My favorite is the burro with shredded chicken rice and beans. Great atmosphere with the pond full of ducks and turtles in the middle. It's very busy holidays, weekends and evenings. read more

El Encanto - The entrance - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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First time visiting! We stopped by around 2 PM on a Saturday. The parking lot was packed, but we only waited about 20 minutes for a table (party of 5). We were seated on the patio, which overlooks a beautiful pond filled with ducks, turtles, koi, and even a few guppies. There's a small gated area right next to the water where the ducks like to hang out -- it was such a fun spot to sit and watch. They brought out chips with three types of salsa: avocado, regular, and hot -- all delicious! Entrées ranged from about $17 to $25, and portions were generous. The food tasted great across the board. Our total bill came to $105 for the five of us, which included four regular entrées, one kids' meal, one kids' milk, and a frozen margarita (the rest of us had water). Our 4-year-old, who usually gets restless in restaurants, stayed happily entertained the entire time watching the pond. Overall, great food, good prices, friendly service, and a relaxing atmosphere. We'd definitely come back! read more

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What a great find!! This visit was on a very busy Friday afternoon. We waited a little more than 20 min. We were seated near the pond. There are turtles and ducks swimming and resting on the rocks that surround pond. Very entertaining. We had the great pleasure of having Calvin as our server. We started with margaritas on the rocks. My go to is the chicken enchiladas pequeno mole. It comes with a side of rice and black beans. I am dairy sensitive and Calvin made sure my order was without cheese. The mole is so very flavorful and the chicken is so tender. I fully recommend this dish. The one enchilada with rice and beans is just enough. I saw when driving home there is a second location that is closer to the interstate. Will have to try that location sometime. But then I probably wouldn't have Calvin's as my server. Calvin is the best! read more

The low ratings delayed me trying this place. It's a GEM, found the staff on this record hot day helpful and delightful. Came for signature margherita and a light lunch ( it's pretty hot much greater than 100, LOL ). Place was pretty packed and we were offered a no wait outside. With all the misters and fans going it was pretty comfortable even though it was about 110 at the moment. Complimentary chips and three salsa rocked, among the best I've had with no crease for the chips and delightful three salsa choices. Almost thought of getting a second helping but resisted. The Fish tacos were decent, not knock it out, but test and with lots of garnish, four starts. read more

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Found El Encanto for Dinner. Started at the bar & ordered a pitcher of house margarita on the rocks. Basically 2 1/2 Drinks & the smallest pitcher of margaritas I have seen. Price Point Ridiculous. Got two shredded beef tacos & added a third with rice & beans. $6 dollars for a small taco to add. The food was solid, but not worth the price. Service was good. read more

El Encanto - Chips & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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So hoping for great food and just meh. Came on a Monday at 7 pm. We were told 20 minutes. Well they missed that mark 45 minutes later. We were served chips and salsa fairly quick. Chips good salsa average. Server was amazing as there were 7 of us and she took drink and dinner orders without writing it down. For myself I had a Modelo and beef fajitas. The flavor was good but meat tough. Very little meat and side plate not much. Some okay beans small guacamole. Wife had a la carte shreddedbeef taco which was average. Wish I could give server 5 stars for as well as atmosphere and appearance of restaurant. 1 star for hostess. 2 stars for fajitas. A lot better Mexican restaurants in the area. read more

El Encanto - A la carte taco - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE !!!!!!!!!!! Best spot EVER! The fundito is something you tell your kids about, I'll never forgot you el Encanto.

This is a great place for taking the family out for dinner or just a nice date night. The margaritas are really good along with the excellent service. We got seated right away and were served waters, chips and 3 different kinds of salsa. All were very tasty and a couple of them had a spicy kick to them. I really liked my carne asada as the meat was really tender and the beans were pretty good. I thought it was odd because they gave me hardly any rice. I was surprised. Overall, not a bad experience and I would definitely go back again someday. read more

El Encanto - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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Great authentic Mexican restaurant with festive decor located in cave creek. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating under twinkly lighted trees and in the center of it all is a huge pond full of ducks, turtles & koi fish!!! A really beautiful place to bring the family or a special luved one!!! The food was spectacular from the 3 different salsas that you get served with fresh chips as soon as you get seated at the table. If you can request for a table overlooking the pond it would be the best view!!! I think the pitcher of red sangria is a great choice to accompany your entrees - very fruity & sweet! Definitely order the chicken mole it is so good with flavors of Smokey chilies, and dark chocolate and finishes with a nutty sweetness!! Another standout was the battered fish tacos. Mouthwatering pieces of fish nestled in cabbage and onions and cilantro with an avocado salsa!! Finished the meal with cornflake crusted fried cinnamon ice cream!! Your tummy will thank you!! read more

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Walked through a nice open patio area and continued inside and sat at the bar. Bartender was quick, attentive and friendly ( just wish he wouldn't lean over the bar and talk directly over the food) A man was playing beautiful music on his guitar which can be heard throughout the entire restaurant. Chips and salsa were delicious and chicken fajita was really good served hot with lots of cooked veggies. The house salad was really good and the house Italian dressing was even better! Will definitely be back (will post photos next visit) read more

Service was really good and chips and salsa (comes with 3 salsas) was pretty good too, margaritas were a bit odd but ok. My fajita steak was tough and was difficult to chew. The pond outside is the main attraction. And I think people will go here no matter what the food quality is. It's mid. read more

El Encanto - Fajita steak was pretty tough. - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

Found this while looking for a Mexican restaurant in Cave Creek. Not great reviews, but the food looked good and it was a sit down spot with service. (I prefer my Mexican food to come plated with a margarita on the side, rather than in a paper or aluminum foil wrapper from the counter at which I had to pay before seating myself.) The margaritas were tasty. Note their humor on the margarita menu ... Cadillac vs. Nasty ... made me laugh. Overall, a nice spot and interesting layout. Very dark inside but the patio had lots of space and sat above a little pond with ducks. It's almost like a tropical jungle with all of the foliage and water directly above and below the patio. Birds were singing and at one point I had dried bird poop drop onto my menu (perhaps from the wind rustling through the branches of a tree above me). I liked the food, although the Queso Guillermo was bland; just lots of cheese with no thought for other flavors. The Enchiladas de Pollo con Mole were delicious. Mole has to taste just right and this was spot-on. The Carne Asada burrito was good as well. I ordered a green onion quesadilla that came with no green onions. The server said they must have forgotten them and offered to bring me a side of green onions. Obviously not the same but the server had been stellar until then so I said okay as long as they weren't cold (she said they would be room temp). Honestly, she should have offered to remake the quesadilla and normally I would deduct a star for this type of service but because I enjoyed everything else, I'll give them another shot. read more

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El Encanto is like a little paradise tucked away in the desert! We came here on a sunny afternoon, and the shady patio seating was absolutely perfect--plenty of spots to sit back, relax, and enjoy the breeze. One of the coolest parts of the atmosphere was the pond. What a fun surprise! It's right there by the patio, full of colorful fish and turtles just cruising around. It really added to the relaxing, tropical vibe of the place. The staff was friendly and attentive. I asked for an umbrella because our table was getting a bit too much sun, and they brought one over pretty quickly, which made the rest of the meal super comfortable. I had the Plato Burro with carne asada and half red, half green sauce--super flavorful and just the right amount of heat. Great food, chill vibes, and a unique setting. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Everything about El Encanto is outstanding. The food was all delicious. We got the tamales, shrimp tacos, taco dinner, pollo fundido and vegetarian enchiladas among other things. All were delicious and we were happy with the vegetarian options. The salsa and chips were amazing and we also really enjoyed the dessert. The fried ice cream and flan were the best I've had. The ambiance is amazing- the duck pond is beautiful and the kids absolutely loved it. It's fenced in so there was no stress about safety. But the best part is the staff is so kind and accommodating. We had a large party and they were very gracious and kind- they remembered our takeout order and got everyone's food exactly right. We had a great time! read more

El Encanto - Duck pond - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

Visually great. Great ambiance. But the food wasn't to die for. My meal had a taco, an enchilada, and a tamale and they weren't great. None of them. Stale and felt spiceless. Our server forgot about us for a while. I love the pond with koi and turtles read more

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Great find in Cave Creek! Friends turned us onto it after loving it themselves and we are happy to agree with them! Sat outside on a Wed. evening, PACKED! Albeit we're 'in season' here in AZ so prob. more crowded than usual, but service and food did not suffer because of it. Hubby had chile verde with beef rather than pork--loved it. Both our friend and I had the pollo fundito and it was excellent. LOTS of crema and that's a bonus! Had half to take home for tomorrow! Environment can be loud w/the large crowds, screaming kids chasing the ducks and turtles in the pond, but overall a beautiful, seemingly authentic Mexican feel. Can't wait to return! read more

In Cave Creek is this romantic restaurant that has been a favorite of mine for YEARS! My boyfriend and I placed a reservation for 7:30pm on a Saturday. We arrived very early only to discover he placed the reservation at the 2nd location. No big deal - it happens often according to the staff. Luckily, we arrived with enough time that with a 45 minute wait, we still will be sat around 7:30pm. RESERVATIONS STRONGLY URGED ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAYS - double check the location too. We sat outside and waited. There's not much in terms of seating for those waiting, so plan accordingly. If you get there early, visit Frontier Town across the street to kill time. Once we were sat, we were greeted quickly and received chips at 3 salsas: mild, green, and, spicy. We were ready to order. While waiting, we took in the place and overlooked the pond. The ducks were plenty and quite entertaining! Dinner arrived shortly, maybe 15 minutes after ordering. I ordered my usual: Pollo Enchiladas con Mole and my guy ordered chicken fajitas. As always, delicious!!! His chicken was perfectly grilled and not dry. My mole is absolutely out of this world! Absolutely no room for dessert. For 2 dinners, and a soda, we spent $48 plus tip - so very much in line for dinner these days. 100% will be back!!! read more

El Encanto - Frontier Town across the street. Little shops (closed by 6pm), and, a venue for weddings and celebrations. - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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Really cool atmosphere, but the food isn't great. My chicken was dry and the flavors were pretty bland. Definitely not authentic Mexican food. We won't visit again, but I can see why people like to come for the pond/ducks. read more

Hold strong to my first review, the food is top notch! Flavorful, perfectly spicy and delicious! The service is impeccable, quick, friendly and attentive every visit! The ambiance is great, one of a kind with covered outdoor and indoor seating you can get a bit of romance or a fun setting! If your haven't gone you have to give them a shot! Don't skip out on the margaritas! read more

El Encanto - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

Jennifer was a wonderful server very attentive and fast. Great lunch and save room for the fried ice cream with strawberries. read more

El Encanto - Table and view - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

Dined at the bar July 9th and Dylan was our server/bartender. A 100% positive experience. Food was excellant service off the charts. We will return. As a former restaurant owner it's hard to find good employees. Hang on to Dylan! read more

Old time favorite but prices have sky rocketed since the last time I ate here. With that said probably won't be back for a long time. We shared the green chile beef quesadilla. They put a lot of chunks of meat so the cheese was non existent, it was still good. I ordered the Plato mexicano, it's a combo with cheese enchilada, beef taco, red beef tamale, and a side of refried beans. It was delicious but wouldn't come back to pay $20.99. My BF order the tacos de pescado frito which is 2 battered deep fried fish tacos, comes with rice and beans for $18.99. He said it was good but certainly not worth almost $20. Again, won't be back anytime soon, it's just not worth the price. read more

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Today was a good day to dine at El Encanto, it's Labor Day Monday, so less crowded. My friend and I both got the shrimp tacos. They were very good, the shrimp were diced so they're easier to eat and had more than enough lettuce, carrot and tomato to feel like a small salad too. Service was prompt and follow up good. It's fun to watch the ducks, koi and turtles in the pond. read more

El Encanto - Pond from patio seating - Mexican Near Me - Cave Creek, Arizona

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Amazing layout with outdoor area that includes an outdoor kitchen (private party space (?) , outdoor seating, bar and pool with ducks, a goose, and a bunch of turtles. Misting fans are blowing out over the outdoor seating area. We started with chips & 3 salsas. Mild and spicy salsas were traditional, but then they had a green avocado-tomatillo. It was tasty without any heat. The food was good, authentic mexican. read more

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I absolutely love it here! It's a very popular spot so the wait time was a bit long, but it was also dinner time on a Friday night.. food was very good and they were very quick and attentive! read more

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Great relaxing ambience, sit outside if you can. If you are lucky, there may be live Spanish guitar. Flavorful carne asada, solid chips and salsa, and yummy Pollo Fundido. read more

Wonderful outdoor atmosphere even on a hot day! Food was top notch and the staff friendly & attentive.

This was probably the worst Mexican food I have ever had in AZ. I don't understand the hype at all. We went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and the food tasted like It was sitting under heats lamps for hours. Everything was unseasoned. read more

The atmosphere was 5 star. The food was bland and overpriced. I got chicken fajitas and they were very bland including all the vegetables and you only get a tiny bit of guacamole and pico....no cheese. Margaritas were small. There are way better Mexican restaurants out there but I get the draw here for its history and atmosphere. Service was friendly and good. read more