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    El Güero Canelo Restaurant

    4.0 (889 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

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    EL GÜERO CANELO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - El Güero Canelo Restaurant

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    Front of restaurant
    HoyMay P.

    We love this place! One of the best salsa bars I have seen. We ordered a bean burrito Junior and a Sammy dog. The Sammy is a two bacon wrapped Sonoran dogs in a bun. All the fixings are on top including tomatoes, scallions, green, salsa, mushrooms, cucumbers, and various sauces. They have a container full of seared whole green chilies peppers. The bean burrito comes with refried beans or whole beans. I chose the whole beans and added all the embellishments to it. Yum! We come back yearly! It's super casual and authentic. Shared parking lot.

    Salsa Bar
    Annette R.

    Delicious and authentic Sonoran hot dogs and an incredible salsa bar. Affordable with a wide variety of entree options. Everyone will find something that they will enjoy. The staff was super helpful and guided us in making our 1st time selections. Large cafeteria style dining area (it can get loud and sound reverberates) as well as outdoor seating. Plenty of parking. Put this spot on your list if you are interested in experiencing a James Beard Award winning hot dog.

    Chucho Dog.  Costco all beef bacon wrapped dog with all the Sonoran Dog toppings.  It was ok.  Smaller, regular Sonoran Dogs are better.
    Tim S.

    Stopped here on the way out of Tucson. I had been to El Guero Canelo a few times (not this location though) and have had tasty hot dogs from them before. I saw that they do an "all beef" dog called the Chucho dog. I knew I had to try it. I went with a Chucho Dog with no mayo. It was about $7.00 or so. The idea is good "A Costco All Beef Sonoran Dog" pretty much, but it fell a bit short. First of all, the dog was like lukewarm. It wasn't freshly griddled right then and there. Also, the toppings went spilling all over the place. The big dog just doesn't work. You need the smaller dogs so you can tuck them inside the bread completely. This was overhanging the bun. It was still decent, but I would much rather have a regular Sonoran Dog over the Chucho. Lady at the counter was friendly. Food was ready very fast.

    Ashley C.

    Visiting Tucson and needed to land on a dinner spot. Ended up choosing El Güero Canelo after several recommendations. The FCQ for $4.99 was HUGE. Carne Asada and Apollo are the two protein options for tacos and quesadillas. Sonoran dogs are a given, we went with the nacho form. The space is large and clean. Rightfully, they have sinks outside the bathrooms cause you will be messy. Small sacrifice for amazing food.

    Sonoran Hot Dog
    Gary B.

    We heard about this place from friends who live in Tucson you have to have a Sonoran hot dog, and said it was really good, so we had to try it. The restaurant is your average looking fast food type of place where you order at the front and get your food. The dog comes with bacon and is covered with onions, peppers etc. (Think of a Pico) and is nestled in a split bun/boat which is as soft as a pillow. The condiment bar had roasted peppers and onions which was a nice discovery. We aren't talking about a beautiful setting inside or Michelin level food, but it was a decent hot dog which has quite a local following.

    Carne Fries
    Courtney T.

    Clean eating space and well stocked salsa bar. The Sonoran dog was very good and I was able to customize it which was great! The carne asada fries were the saddest fries I've even seen. The cheese was barely melted and the fries were not hot. The meat on top was great but I would suggest queso instead of shredded cheddar.

    Toritos
    Rey F.

    Guero Canelo has been my go-to spot for Mexican food since I moved to Tucson. It's always the first place I take family and friends straight from the airport when they visit. The winner of a James Beard award, the restaurant is spacious, with plenty of well-spaced seating, making it comfortable even when it's busy. I always order the carne asada burrito--it comes with cabbage and beans, and you can add cheese if you'd like. They offer three sizes: Junior, Medium, and Very Mucho. The Very Mucho is enormous--perfect for sharing or tackling solo if you're really hungry. Their Sonoran Hot Dogs are also a must-try being in Tucson. It's a bacon wrapped hotdog which is a local favorite. One of the great touches is that the owner often stops by to check in with both staff and customers, which creates a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. There's also a self-serve bar stocked with guacamole, salsa, lime, grilled onions, cucumbers, and more. If you're looking for delicious Mexican food in Tucson, Guero Canelo is a must-visit.

    A big burrito with bacon.
    Daniel B.

    This place has huge portions, but I'm not gonna lie. The meat did not have very much flavor and had a lot of additional things that you can put on Pico de Gallo, different sauces which made that nice. But the flavor of the meat was still very bland I give this place a 3

    2 Sonoran Style Hot Dogs
    Rachel B.

    The service was speedy. The food was delicious. The bathrooms were clean. My only complaint: the self serve bar needed restocking and I was not there during the busiest time. The Sonoran Hot Dogs are delicious! If you've never tried them go for the gusto and get everything in them, then add mushroom and green sauce! Yum!!!! I will be back anytime I am in the area! A must visit!!!!

    Front of house
    Eric B.

    We grabbed lunch here while we were exploring Tucson. Excellent food and service. Food is made fresh and the have a salsa bar. The place is clean. I would recommend to my friends

    Front counter & Menu 11/2024
    Mike S.

    A Tucson institution! Swung by for a "quick" work lunch and learned it was El Guero Canelo Day - the anniversary of the restaurant's founding. Their original Sonoran Dog is $1.99 all day (normally $4.29). The line was moderately long and almost every table was taken. It took about 30 min from walking in to getting food... not too bad. The lone disappointment is how tiny the hotdogs are. The first 1-2 inches of bun on Each end is devoid of any dog, otherwise delicious.

    Some carne asada tacos.
    Joyce W.

    The 2018 James Beard Awards Committee announced their five "American Classics" picks, and one of the winners is... a hot dog. No joke! The winning hot dog is from El Guero Canelo here in Tucson, Arizona. What makes Sonoran Dogs so special? For starters, a squishy bolillo roll envelopes a bacon-wrapped hot dog. Pinto beans, a mixture of raw and grilled onions, and tomatoes are then piled on before the entire masterpiece is drizzled lovingly with mustard, mayonnaise, and jalapeño salsa. A roasted chile güero (a pale pepper) is served on the side. It's a masterpiece, and you would be doing yourself a disservice if you do not get yourself a Sonoran Dog while in Arizona. And while the Sonoran Dogs at El Guero Canelo are pretty darn amazing, their carne asada tacos leave much to be desired. I won't be waxing anymore poetry on their food, so TL;DR just stick with the Sonoran Dogs, okay? Daniel Contreras, owner of El Güero Canelo, has competed in Food Wars and won. His Sonoran hot dogs have been featured in The New York Times and Bon Appétit magazine as well as various shows, like the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food." Hats off to ya, Contreras!

    Michael W.

    "If there's a glizzy, I'll find it." - Simone Biles, the GOAT and most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast of all time So what you're saying is that top tiered athletes eat hot dogs, yet my doctor is telling me to stop eating processed tube-shaped meats? Nah. Imma be like Biles. I kid... partially. Having not been in the Tucson area in about 20 years, heavy research was done by J-WoW. The only place she had demanded to go to was El Guero Canelo, winner of a 2018 James Beard award in American Classics: the hot dog. Folks, get you a Sonoran Dog. Don't question this absolute Frankenstein of a wiener. Yes, it has hot dog wrapped in bacon with beans, tomatoes, and onions in raw and cooked form. Yeah there's mayo, mustard, and jalapeño sauce on top. And BIG YES that it's a masterpiece you need to consume. They serve a pepper on the side, which is a great treat. Skip the tacos here at El Guero Canelo. Their tacos are the only reason they didn't get five-stars. Come here and get yourself a taste of Tucson.

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    6 months ago

    You gotta come here for the salsa bar. The carne asada quesadilla is delicious - one of the best places I've found!

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    El Güero Canelo Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Güero Canelo Restaurant

    Are the hot dogs all beef? Pork? Or beef/pork combination?

    They have a "chuco dog" that is 100% beef

    View All 3 Questions

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