This place looked promising when I first moved to Lafayette and admittedly the food tastes good but for whatever reason I get severe heart burn for 2-3 days every time I eat here no matter what I order, so I switched to Celia's. read more

Don't be fooled by the small entrance - this place is HUGE on flavor! Today we sat at the front walkway & had a delightfully fresh lunch. Chips are excellent as sell as the burritos & taco salad. Service is fast & friendly. This place is a favorite. read more

Should be a "one star" but the food was pretty good. So why the so-so rating? Service stinks. We went there during the Lafayette wine and art fest. Grabbed an outside table to rest and order drinks and food. Seems like the waiter didn't want us there from the moment we sat down. I ordered chip and salsa ($2.50?? really?) and a beer. My wife ordered a shrimp taco. Took 45 mins to get the 1 shrimp taco and when I inquired about the long wait, he insisted we never ordered it. then the waiter came back with the check--as if to imply. "pay your check and get out" I had to complain to the manager at this point. As a paying customer, it was udder bull shit to be treated that way. Seemed the same waiter was treating every customer that way--like he really disliked his job. I say he should be washing dishes. We won't be back. read more

Worst bad attitude service and overcharging for lame and unordered food. Sour waiter asked if we wanted chips, we said yes please, he brought 2 baskets with 2 guacamole and 2 salsa...turns out each single (and tiny) dish of salsa and guac is $3+. Would not remove from bill even though we didn't order it. Nothing else to say--AVOID this ridiculous "restaurant". read more

Again with the shitty service in Lafayette. What is it with this town? Maybe I don't have the Eu de Moolah that the nouveau riche wear like a cheap perfume around here, but that doesn't mean I like to get ignored by the waiter for long periods of time. That being said, the chips and salsa were AWESOME. They make the chips fresh and so when you get them they are hot hot hot. The salsa is really good too. The actual meal (I got nachos) was so-so. Came out and it wasn't hot. I am reaching a breaking point where I am just going to start sending shit back because paying $10 for a cold meal really sucks. I work hard, and all I want is a HOT FUCKING DINNER. Microwave that bitch if you have to, but do not bring me a cold meal or I will bitch slap your mama. Sigh. Probably will never go back here, because even though the chips and salsa were awesome, the shitty service and the cold nachos annoyed me. Review Update: So, obviously I can get emotional when I have a bad food experience :-) I have been back twice since, and have been pleasantly surprised both times. Maybe my first trip caught them at a bad time. The back patio was very nice, and the food was tasty. It came out hot this time, as well. I am upgrading them to 3 stars. This place is decent, but I still don't understand the cult following they have here in Lafayette. read more

The food here is great and on top of that the customer service is exceptional! I got seated quickly and served chips and 2 salsas plus their blue cheese/garlic dip (AMAZING), my drink came maybe 2 minutes or less after I ordered it and my waiter was super friendly but not over the top fake for tips, I don't know if anyone else appreciates what I mean, he just was genuine and relaxed. Very pleased with my experience! read more

El Jarro - Beef flautas and house margarita! - Mexican Near Me - Lafayette, California

I love the food, shrimp and mahi mahi are great. Chips fresh and hot and good salsa. I like the atmosphere and it is very clean. My only issue is the service, half the time I was asking for something he's walk away while I was midsentence. Not the friendliest but the food is still great. read more

Lafayette's hidden gem? Great spot to grab a sit-down Mexican meal. Enjoyed dinner here on Saturday night with a friend, we were seated immediately at a table out front to enjoy the beautiful weather. We started with chips and salsa/guac, I had a grilled cod fish and shrimp taco and my friend had a cheese quesadilla and a chicken taco. Everything was great! My biggest wish was that they had combo plates - I wanted to try more of an assortment, but I'll definitely return for more.. read more

This is a reall jem. The emloyees are great and the service is fast. Great local place with amazing food. My favorite Mexican place! Great Tacos read more

The Super Special Torta #2 at El Jarro is a transcendent sandwich, easily among my top ten sandwiches ever. Tender carnitas in a tangy sloppy-joe style sauce piled high on a buttery roll along with sliced avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce, and gobs of mayo. It's not cheap at $8, and there are probably over 100 grams of fat in that sucker, but it's well worth it. read more

ever seen a jackalope? that furry little guy seems a little confused - is he a jack rabbit? or an antelope? that's just like El Jarro. this place seems to be a little confused too. see it *looks* like a decent taqueria, but it seems to think it's another lafayette restaurant that can label food "fresh" and that means you don't have to worry about flavor. i had chicken tacos plus their chips and salsa. chips tasted hot and fresh, but i am not a happy person when a mexican restaurant wants to charge for chips and salsa. what's next, paying for the ice in my drink?! if you've ever eaten at picante in berkeley, this is a very watered down version of the food. it's trying to be fresh and flavorful, but it somehow only gets half-way there. sorry, but if you want berkeley food, looks like you still have to drive to berkeley, lafayette is trying to fake it. read more

Had lunch here today. I ate here once before and thought it was pretty good so I stopped by while I was in the area. I had the chile relleno plate and a fish taco. The chile relleno's were good. There was hardly any beans and rice though. You would think that there would be a little more of that since the chile's were on the small side. The fish taco was bitter. It wasn't the lettuce either because I took a piece of fish out and ate it by itself and it was bitter. The other things that bothered me were chips and salsa were $3. I mean really? I don't think I've ever been to a Mexican restaurant where chips and salsa weren't given. The other thing was the price of the food for the portion size and quality. Almost $19 with out a drink or chips and salsa. I can go to Los Pericos in San Leandro and get the same meal, with much larger portions, a bottomless pit of chips and salsa for $12. read more

I love this place, from the chips, salsa and guacamole to the entrees. The servers are really nice and the prices are reasonable. It is always packed, but you never wait that long. Food is always hot and fresh. I have not had one bad meal in there. Shrimp tacos were good, taco salad is tasty, the tortas are awesome and so on. read more

I like the food here, could be hotter. Sometimes I get it and it's not even warm. The worst thing about this place is that the service is awful. These people act like they don't care if you eat there or not. They are NOT FRIENDLY. I've been here a few times and would prefer a warmer welcome, and have people act like they enjoy having customers! read more

I eat here just about weekly...great mexican food! Recipes aren't tex-mex...features cuisine from southern mexico so the sauces and ingredient mix are a bit different than most of us are used to. No margueritas served and it's a small room, but the back patio makes a great place to meet friends and hang out. read more

This is one of my boyfriend and I's go to spots for Mexican food. We are both from the Central Valley and we have been less than impressed with most Mexican restaurants in the bay area. The carnitas burrito and sopes dishes are both great and somehow one Margarita here always manages to make us both feel warm and fuzzy. Small and unassuming, El Jarro is a great spot for Mexican food. read more

Best authentic and California Mexican restaurant in the area. I've been coming here for years. It has been owned by the same family for almost 20 years, and their recipes are delicious. I love the soup and quesadillas. The ingredients are fresh, and the salsa is home made. This is my get away from the hustle and bustle, especially during sunny summer days sitting outside and having a beer with my chips and guacamole. read more

One of my favorite Mexican spots. Very unassuming restaurant with warm, friendly, flexible service. Scratches the itch for me every time I head home from NYC where there is none. Margaritas on point. read more

This place is total crap. We arrived at 8:00 and were still waiting to eat at 9:00. Everyone else was done. Not to mention the bathroom situation. First,it wasn't even inside the place. You had to walk out. Also, you needed a key to get in. Attached to it was one foot of plastic coil which made no sense. To get inside, I put the kry into the slot and turned the key. Nothing. I needed help. To get back in, you couldn't just push the door. Nope. You had to put in the key. I ended up pounding on the door and got help. The table also had liquids on it. We took our business to Chipotle. Terrible eatery. read more

Excellent, excellent, excellent tortas (Mexican sandwiches). Can't recommend them enough. Excellent combination of nicely toasted sourdough roll with thin, pan-seared chicken, ham, avocado, Oaxacan cheese, tomatoes and onions... The more traditionally "taco-bell Mexican" cuisine of tacos and burritos isn't incredible, but still not bad. Friendly service, but not always attentive. Also, nice back patio seating area which is quieter on busy nights. read more

El Jarro is NOT to be confused with El Charro in Lafayette. Please. El Jarro is a tiny hole in the wall Mexican Food restaurant in Downtown Lafayette, nearer to the RoundUp Saloon. Authentic Mexican food. I have been eating Mexican food my whole life and this restaurant is wonderful. I'm particularly attached to the carnitas tacos this week. The chips are hot and freshly made. The service is great. I almost hate to recommend it as it is so tiny I might not get a seat when I go in for my weekly fix.....But here you are. It's great. read more

Based on a quick review, we decided to have lunch here today, Saturday afternoon. We got a nice little table outside, and the chips, salsa and guacamole were good. At the waiter's suggestion, we ordered the chicken enchiladas with chile verde sauce. SO DISAPPOINTED! There were three corn tortillas with less than a tablespoon of filling each. The rice was white rice with a spoonful of salsa on top of it, disgusting. The black refried beans were very good, which is the only reason for two stars. I had mentioned to the waiter that I really wanted to try the housemate chile rellenos, but he did not offer to make a special plate for me. I took one of the "enchiladas" home because I did not feel like eating another soggy enchilada, and sure enough, there were two half inch chunks of chicken inside. Ridiculous...did you guys run out of filling? read more

Solid, fresh Mexican food. Black beans, light rice with corn in it, and really good chips. I get the carne asada which is $13.00. Portions are just right. They are the only Mexican restaurant I've been to where when I say medium rare, the steak isn't well done when I get it. The space is nice -clean and simple- like a bistro. The one thing amiss, and it wasn't a big deal, was the server. I went in to order to go and he let me sit at a table to look at the menu. When it was time to order, he came to the table and told me to go order at the register. I said, "you seriously want me to get up, walk to the register, and give my order there?" his response was "Yes. It's more easier for me since it's to go". Yep, thats what he said. I obeyed his directions but the register is in between the kitchen -separated by a half-wall- and the restaurant wall and the pathway is not more than three feet wide. It's awkward to stand there when people are trying to get to the bathroom, or out of the kitchen. Both of which happened, a woman had to wait to go by while I was ordering from the very nice manager guy, and the dumbass server needed to get by me- twice, and while I'm not heavy, he's the opposite of skinny. And he couldn't wait so he actually pushed my purse out of his dumb, not skinny ass way. I was really irritated, but the food and space are both great. read more

I went to El Jarro today for lunch, and it was great. The hostess recommended the carnitas, so I had a carnitas burrito. It was great. Not too much rice, refried black beans (which were fantastic), huge chunks of very good house made carnitas, very fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, and Mexican crema. It's one of the better burritos I've had. Yes, the tortilla for my burrito, as reported by k.., wasn't cooked prior to serving. That's pretty standard with authentic places, and I'd much prefer that to a soggy warm tortilla that's been kept in a steamer all day. The one I had was warmed by the filling, and was a quality tortilla. I'll be going back. The menu is pretty darn good looking, the price is right, and I'd really like to try the tortas. Do yourself a favor and avoid the mediocre food at El Charro, or worse, Baja Fresh, and eat here instead. Update: I went here again, and it was great, again. The Torta Mexicana is up there as one of the most delicious sandwiches I've had in my entire life!!! read more

So, I've been to this place a number of times after it opened, and it really impressed me that it was the first place I've ever seen making a burrito with cold tortilla. Tortas The interior and such is pleasant enough, but I've found the food to be insipid, not terribly inspired. read more

CARNITAS. Carnitas. El Jarro has simply perfected Carnitas, Moist, flavorful and just the right amount of crunch. Did I mention the Carnitas? read more

I've been coming to El Jarro for years and I can honestly say that it is a good Mexican restaurant. First off their chips salsa and guacamole are delicious, and I am a sucker for their tortas. La mexicana and mazatlan are my favorite. Burritos and sopes are also really good! Love El Jarro! read more

I have been here dozens of time since their opening and have never been disappointed in their food. The prawn caeser is my favorite salad in town, the tortilla soup is my go-to when I have a cold and their tortas and soft tacos are delicious. My only criticism (besides the paying for chips and salsa) is the surly waiter who works evenings. The day crew is great but we have stopped going to dinner because of the attitude of one waiter- the big guy who grunts at you, never offers refills and never says hello, thank you or goodbye. read more

Very dry and the food do not taste like mexican at all.... 2 stars for ambiance and plating. We ordered burrito and tacos read more

El Jarro - Mexican Near Me - Lafayette, California

The tortas are sooooo good! El Mexicano with the Chorizo and Queso and lightly breaded, pounded thin beef was delish. I'd drive 30 minutes over the bridge for this baby again! read more

I like El Jarro, it's not the best, but it's not the worst, either. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and the tortilla chips had just been made and were awesome. The guacamole was good. My flautas were decent, but not spectacular. I did really like their rice and beans. My sister had a margarita which was in a regular glass and not blended with crushed ice like you usually see, not sure why. I will definitely go back, it's a comfortable place to go, and the prices seem reasonable. read more

Their Mexicana is, by far, the most awesome sandwich I've ever had. My only complaint? Charging for chips and salsa. That should be complimentary in every Mexican restaurant. read more

Mediocre fajitas. Think I got served last night's leftovers as I was only person there initially and never heard grill sizzling until the next table placed their order. Did not come out on sizzling hot iron skillet but served lukewarm on a plate. This is my third time here and I swear their fajitas came out on a hot plate before...otherwise, I wouldn't have had a good impression and I wouldn't have returned. Bummer because I like to support local small businesses, maybe I'll try something else next time. read more

This is a neat little restaurant that serves taqueria grub and some entrees. The food is pretty standard CA Mexican, but some of the dishes claim to be Oaxacan and I look forward to trying those next time. My mom and I had a Mahi salad and a torta (sandwich) that was about $9-10. The food was fresh and tasty, and the service was very friendly. read more

First of all, the tortilla chips are freshly made and sooo yummy. My favorite dishes are the taco salads and the carnitas, steak, and chicken tacos. A lot of mexican restaurants I've seen have the meats already cooked, sitting in a bin, waiting to get put into food. That grosses me out. I like my meat fresh and hot. El Jarro cooks the meat when you order it. That really bumps them up a few notches in my book. Actually, it is the ONLY mexican restaurant that I don't get sick from. They keep everything fresh. I am not a fan of their enchilada sauce, it's not my favorite, too tomatoey and thick. The chili verde is very good. Take out is fast, ust check your order before you leave, I've gotten home a few times and realized they forgot something. Go eat there, it's great! read more

OK. This place came highly recommended. The food was fine. We were there early in the week, not a busy night. Ambiance was ok. Didn't see what was special read more

Good chips and salsa. The food was kinda bland and dull. A little pricey for the quality. I will not be going back.

Very good Mexican food. Unique dishes with fresh ingredients. Their flan is very good. Small restaurant on Mt. Diablo.

Good mexican, which is hard to find in Lafayette as the others cater to the suburban culture. Only things I would recommend for them is to add agua frecas and some more things for kids. read more

It's been nearly two years since I've been to El Jarro but I recall it being one of the restaurants that I won't be a repeat customer at. Quality of food is similar to any cheap hole-in-the wall burrito shop but you pay1.5x-2x more $. No thank you. The interior isn't all that great to justify charging higher prices. read more