We went on a Friday night at 5 pm and the place was empty except for us and 2 other tables. Food 4/5: they have a large menu with many options. The chips and salsa came on a robot right away, which was a fun touch except our littlest kid was terrified. They have many kids options as well. We got kids quesadillas and kids burrito, quesadilla, fajita burrito, and enchiladas with margaritas. The drinks and food came quickly and were overall good. The burrito is huge and enough for multiple people to share. Overall the portion sizes were very large. I would have loved if the chips were warmed! Service 5/5: our waiter was very attentive and was flexible with us with our kids. Overall very accommodating. Ambiance 3/5: whenever I'm in a restaurant and it's empty, I always wonder why. Overall the booth we were at was cozy and there is plenty of space between tables. There is a claw machine at the entrance that our kids were obsessed with. We did leave with our clothed smelling like a Mexican restaurant (almost like a stinky ground beef smell). Overall this is a great option for people looking for a large menu and Mexican style food. The staff were friendly and the food was solid. I wish I could give a 3.5, but will round up instead. read more

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Food is absolutely delicious! The roasted guac was a highlight. Service is also wonderful. Nice atmosphere and clean interior! Would strongly recommend!! read more

El Gallo Mexican Cuisine - Rostered guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

I had high hopes for this place. Planned on having dinner there for the first time last night. Immediately upon entering it smelled like raw sewage. Not a hint of food smells cooking. The bartender let us know he was the only person working as bartender/server for the restaurant and that there was only one cook. Like he was apologizing in advance that our experience would probably not be great lol. There wasn't a single other customer there and this was around 5-6ish. The menue looked great but we couldn't get over the smell and how dirty everything was, so we left. read more

You can tell the place is understaffed. Took over 20 minutes for our table of 6 to place a drink order. The waitress apologized and explained she's training someone which is understandable. However, we saw her once the whole time. Basically, the drink you got would be the whole drink for your meal so don't finish it fast! Also, we had to find someone to get us a bill because that's how forgotten our table was. On top of it, the food wasn't great. Personally, my queso was curdling with all the grease on my burrito. I looked past it but 2 others at my table had burnt food. If I could do it over, I'd just go to chipotle down the road. read more

I wasn't sure what to think when another Mexican restaurant opened in Monona, though I was pleasantly surprised. The entrance had cute decor, some of which was clearly set up for Cinco de Mayo, and then you walk through the bar area to a waiting area for tables. I assume this is so patrons can wait at the bar if the restaurant is full, although that was not the case for us. We were seated right away and had chips, salsa, and water on the table just as quickly. Everyone was extremely friendly. After reviewing the menu a little bit we noticed a $5 house margarita deal so ordered those. They were really good and a great price. The complimentary chips and salsa were good as well. The chips seemed homemade but possibly earlier in the day as they weren't super fresh. We ordered the queso fundido based on another review and the shrimp tacos. They were both absolutely fantastic! The queso fundido was the best I've ever had and my husband said the shrimp tacos were the best he's ever had. There was so much meat in the tacos I'm glad we only got one order. Also they are served with spicy mayo, beware it is very spicy! We were too full for dessert but will definitely visit again to see if the rest of their menu is as good as the two items we ordered this time. The only idea for improvement would be to have some music playing and maybe more decor in the main dining room to add to the atmosphere a little bit. read more

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El Gallo has quickly become my husband and I's go to Mexican restaurant in the area. I would say I have been here a handful of times and its great every single time. Their service is very fast and friendly. The first thing is they have Pacifico ( and I believe so other Mexican beers) on tap which my husband loves. I am not a beer drinker but wanted to mention it because it seems to be a rarity. I have tried their margaritas and they were strong and tasty. Food is the real star, my go-to is enchiladas. I have tried a few variety's and each one is tasty, fresh and you get a healthy serving. We have also had some of their burritos (also large portions) and chicken/steak dishes. Also they have robots that bring food, and they are super cute! Tip: If you like spice ask for a side of one of their house made hot sauces. It is worth it! read more

El Gallo Mexican Cuisine - Enchiladas Amozoca: Three grilled chicken and spinach enchiladas topped with our roasted poblano sauce, garnished with queso fresco and sour - Mexican Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

This new place is just down the road from us so we thought we would give it a try especially since there are few sit-down Mexican places in Monona. Usually we don't go to a new restaurant until it has been open 90 days so they can work out the bugs but we did go within this window. We had heard that there were some service issues so we made sure to go on a weeknight. When we got there it was almost empty so no problem getting a booth - this place is really huge so not sure if they will ever use all of the space. We did get a kick out of the robot delivering chips and salsa - quite the unnecessary gimmick. but I am sure the kids will love it. The salsa was quite good and we powered through the small free serving and asked for more. Our server was a bit cold but things moved along just fine. My wife got the chicken enchiladas with a red sauce. They were quite good and came with some guacamole. I ordered the enchilada trio and asked to sub another ground beef for the chicken but the didn't allow it since it enchilada was matched with a different sauce. Some places call this the Mexican Flag. I did like it but found the pulled chicken to be a bit dry and tough. Overall a nice alternative but I do prefer a couple other Mexican places in town. read more

Great Mexican food and margaritas. I especially like the steak fajitas. I love the robot that delivers the chips and salsa.

This is one of my new favorite Mexican restaurants in the Dane County area! They just need to step up their game on the salsa and service. Salsa is rather runny. It needs more tomatoes or thickening of sauce. The service is hit or miss. We needed to go flag down our waiter to get more tortillas for our fajitas. He all but disappeared after he put the food on the table and only gave us 3 tortillas. Don't worry, we will be back. read more

This by far some of the best Mexican food I've had in a while;) Whatever you are doing, don't change, it's working. From the hostess, to the server and even the table buser, extremely friendly.Extremely busy for a reason;) read more

This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. It's bright, clean, and inviting. The food tastes great, and the portions are large (I always have enough left over for lunch the next day or two). I've brought a few different people here on different days, and everyone has enjoyed it. My husband loves that the food is not super greasy (a problem he consistently had at my other favorite Mexican place). I love that there is a nice vegetarian menu, and even a few vegan items to choose from! My son loves that there is a robot that delivers the chips and food. I took my mom once and she then brought her friends another day because she enjoyed it so much. My only issue is that sometimes (it seems to be Sunday nights) there is a live Mariachi band playing. The music is wonderful, but it is SO LOUD. To the point that you literally cannot have a conversation at your table, because you can't hear the person across from you. Last time we were there with them playing, a little girl was screaming and crying the whole time due to the volume, and my son was begging me for ear plugs. The waitstaff even waits for a break between songs to approach tables so people can hear. It's really unfortunate because it adds a special touch to the place. They just need a place further away from the diners to play, or to somehow do it a little quieter. read more

It is a Tuesday night, and there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot, probably because it was just past five o'clock in the evening. We were seated promptly. The seating area was spacious, very clean, and a few chicken decorations on the walls. They have both booths and tables. After we sat down, a Bellabot arrived with chips and salsa. The chips were nice and fresh. The salsa was okay, but was a thin liquid with a few bits of chunky tomato. We both ordered a medium house margarita. The margarita tasted good, but there definitely was very little alcohol in it. I ordered the Enchiladas Mexicanas with frijoles and rice. It also arrived with lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. The enchiladas were filled with shredded chicken and the sauce was thick with a nice smoky flavor and a small hint of heat. The enchiladas were packed full of chicken. The pico de gallo didn't taste that fresh, and was just okay. My husband ordered the Fajitas Tamaulipas, which consisted of steak, chicken and shrimp, grilled onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. He also received a side of rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. His plate was full, and he commented that they gave him more shrimp than he would usually get at any other restaurant. He was given three flour tortillas, but needed to ask for more. Later he asked if they had any hot sauce, and they gave him habanero sauce. He thought the sauce was fantastic. Note that they did charge for the sauce. He did state that he needed to start ordering something other than fajitas, as they taste the same, no matter where he eats Mexican food. It was a very bright, clean, spacious establishment with a bit of appeal in the seating area, but not too much decoration. The staff was nice. We were also served quickly. We will most likely go back and try some of their other dishes. read more

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Food and service were excellent. Will revisit. Chip robot was fun. Dining room was a bit crowded. read more

El Gallo Mexican Cuisine - Two special bowls of meat - Mexican Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

I've been wanting to visit El Gallo ever since they opened six month's ago, but only got around to it today. My order of Chimichanga San Carlos was incredible! The guacamole that accompanied the salad was fresh and delicious. My companions, both pescatarians, were equally enthusiastic with their choices. 24 oz frozen mugs of Mexican beer was the perfect beverage for our meal, as was the grilled ice cream desert (enough to share!). The dining area is spacious snd emaciate with a separate space for private parties. El Gallo is family owned and operated, but delivers top quality dining. read more

Was the old Edo's Garden - transformed into an open, bright & friendly Mexican restaurant. My 2 sisters & I arrived about 815pm on Monday night. We were welcomed warmly even though they would be closing at 9pm. Service was excellent. We did not feel rushed. Chips & salsa arrived along with water. Salsa was very tasty and not too much heat. My sister and I had the Quesadilla Classic with Shrimp as our protein and asked to add grilled onion. We both agreed it was superb! My other sister ordered Chicken Flautas. I knew when she took her first bite followed with Mmmmm she was very pleased! They each ordered Coctel de Cameron. One had to be without avocado due to allergy. They were huge with plenty of shrimp. They both took theirs home to finish. We were getting ready to leave when we saw an order of flan delivered to the only other table. We asked for an order to share - another BEST! They each took an order to go! Even though it was past 9pm, we never were pressed to leave. Wish I had taken pics to add to this review. We will definitely be adding to our top go-to Mexican restaurants! Solid 5 stars!!! read more

We spoke with the manager and she informed us this restaurant has only been open for 3 weeks and wow. This place is amazing! The staff is very friendly, the food is excellent and well portioned and the pricing...can't beat it. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for great tasting Mexican food! My family and I will definitely be back again. read more

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Service was very attentive and cordial! The food was outstandingly good! We had Tacos de Birria dish and a mole chicken dish. The special house hot salsa was very hot, flavory good! Will be back for sure. read more

Loved it here and the quality in the food you can really taste. Clean lots of space and great service. read more

El Gallo Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

I come here for the beans lol but I usually get a Chile Reno. This is my new go to Mexican restaurant reasonable and the food is really good. read more

I look forward to going back to this restaurant. There's a huge menu and the food was delicious. The service was just OK, probably because they were short staffed and busy. The smiling, gracious staff made up for the lack of ambiance. read more

Food felt microwaved ( plate was hot). My tortillas were cold. Not to mention our server was not the most polite. Had a sarcastic tone. For an "authentic" Mexican restaurant this did not meet standards. Atmosphere was off btw, workers looked like they didn't want to be there. read more

I had the pork carnitas and they had tons of meat on them. The enchiladas suizas were also gasolina.

Great service, nice menu with vegetarian choices, ample quantity, friendly, nicely decorated. Lunch was superior quiet and not rushed. They brought our birthday guest a delicious fried ice cream. They made the day special. read more

Chips and salsa immediately after being seated. Drinks followed while viewing the many selections for dinner. Excellent service in a very nice setting. Meal was prompt, within 10 minutes of ordering. We'll definitely be back soon. read more

Amazing. I love this place. I'll never eat at another Mexican place again. Ever! The service, atmosphere and quality of food were the best I've experienced. read more

Really good food and service. They have done a nice job renovating the dining area. Definitely would go again (soon).

First visit there & it won't be the last!!! Great food, great service, & great atmosphere! I highly recommend!

Gross. The last time i got tacos a few months back, they sat in a bath of oil, maybe grease, but looked like oil. Literally drowned in it, tortillas falling apart and inedible, ultimately. Fool me once shame on you. This time, steak tacos, the meat didn't taste or feel fresh. It had that mealy grainy outer texture from over-tenderizing and/or being old. The steak did not taste fresh or freshly prepared. It was like they scooped precooked, chopped steak out of a warmer onto tortillas, since it definitely didn't taste like it touched a griddle or grill in the last 12-24 hours. Flavor was flat and bland and texture was terrible, probably the most unappetizing part of the meal. Even the limes were hard and dry, hardly producing juice! They skimped on the onions and cilantro. Usually, I'll eat every lil piece of meat that falls out the taco, but not this time! Poor quality overall. The one small mild side of salsa was also disappointing and the only real flavor in the meal. Is it really that hard?! Any small taqueria in Chicago on their worst day could put this place to shame. I either have bad luck or good reviews are from folks born and raised in Shawano, who have no concept of good Mexican food. The robot singing La Bamba and delivering chips/salsa is corny af and makes me uncomfortable. Seems a bit caricature-ish, especially in Madison. I don't see them lasting more than a year or two, with the sheer size of the place and the poor quality. read more

Fantastic food and fantastic service! The ambiance was nice, restaurant and restrooms clean. As far as the food, the portions were large and the prices reasonable so we will definitely be returning! read more