Northern Mexican ... great carnitas - make your own tacos with the corn tortillas, the meat is wonderful. Or fajitas. Sonoran chicken. It can be kinda great dive and place for a group to go for happy hour but it's legit Service s always super friendly Underrated read more

Consistent with my last review, it fell short. Service was prompt & ready, food was flat for Mexican. I did the Chile Colorado with beef & the amount of meat was marginal with bland sauce. I've definitely had better/more for the same price. read more

El Jinete - Chile Colorado with fixings & flour tortillas - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I swear, not enough people talk about this place. The food is so good & the staff is always so friendly. I hadn't been here in a while & upon returning I noticed they had several new menu items. They started us off with the house chips & salsa, which I have to admit is one of my favorites. I prefer a salsa with just a little body & no chunks & this delivers with a subtle heat. I had a strawberry daiquiri & it was delicious. It also didn't give me heartburn, which was nice. They've started adding little gummies since the last time I came & I thought that was a nice added touch. My husband had a frozen lime margarita with salt & enjoyed that as well, but my daiquiri convinced him that he wants to try that next time. I am a die-hard enchilada girl & very rarely stray from that choice, but when I saw the new burrito pancho ($16.99) on the menu, I knew I had to change it up. This humongous burrito was filled with grilled chicken, steak, guacamole, fries, rice, & beans & topped with melted cheese. This thing was pure heaven. If I could request anything it would just be more guacamole, but I love me some guac. When I die, bury me in the cheese that this burrito is smothered in My husband was feeling adventurous & ordered two items - the new papas locas ($13.99) & a (I believe beef) burrito ($5.99). The papas locas (fries topped with steak or chicken, pico de gallo, sour cream, cilantro, & guacamole) took me by surprise at how delicious & flavorful they were. I could eat bite after bite, but I was pretty involved with my burrito situation. I didn't try his burrito, but he voiced that he was very happy with it. I wish I could say we saved room for dessert but we shows absolutely zero self-control during this meal & there was no way we could force another bite. I truly hope to on another visit, but this was not the one. read more

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Great staff. Made our birthday celebration fun. Food portions are huge! Large selection of food and adult beverages. Love the inside decor. Worth a visit! read more

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I have been a patron at El Jinete for years. The servers know my family and we always enjoy dining there. This evening I was dining with my son. When the check came, I did not look closely until after my card had been charged. I noticed that the total seemed higher than expected. I found that I had been charged for a guacamole appetizer that I did not order. I brought this to the attention of the staff and rather than cancelling out transaction, they gave me some sort of 'food voucher' for next time. I was basically told that that was all they could do. Again, I love this place and the servers but the fact that more wasn't done to cancel the transaction and re-run my card seems a bit fraudulent. I am disappointed and sadly, my family will not be returning. read more

A friend and I went for lunch recently and were pleasantly surprised. It's definitely a typical Americanized Mexican restaurant but the food taste and price quality was very nice! The service was also fast and efficient. The ticket time to get our food from the time of ordering was just what you'd need for a quick lunch, so that was an added bonus. I can't remember the name of my dish but it was basically grilled chicken breast covered in chorizo and then topped with cheese sauce. I also had them add grilled pineapple on top and served with rice - it was very good! I'd go back again and maybe even order the same thing. read more

El Jinete - Grilled chicken breast with chorizo/Chori Pollo Lunch - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time. Every single plated item is seasoned to perfection. There's something simply magical about their rice. I always get a plate of rice to go. The fountain soda even tastes great here - I don't know if they use a non-traditional ratio or if the carbonation is higher, but it's amazing. We've never had bad service here. read more

Okay, our food tasted pretty authentic. I like the vibe cozy and friendly atmosphere. Fast service, Good for sports night as they have so many TV and lots of diff kinds of frozen margaritas. We were given chips and salsa for starters and the rest of the meal were tasty and good portions. We will be back. Happy tummy again! read more

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Love the Nachos Carbon. I get it all the time along with a pitcher of the frozen margarita

Sadly, as good as this place is, we won't be going there anymore. They have added a customer service fee if you pay by credit card. I'll miss the margaritas but it's not the only Mexican place in Cincinnati. It's the principle of being nickeled and dimed these days. I don't do business with places that do this. If you want more money, raise the prices instead. We'll miss Raul. read more

El Jinete - Highway robbery. Good luck EJ. You won't get any more of my money. - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I have a serious jinx on me that whatever I order, special order, straight off the menu, at the restaurant, delivery, or take-out, an item's missing or something's really wrong. Extra sauce? There's no sauce. I get a three course meal, I only get two courses delivered. That's in the last month. El Jinete got every.single.thing.right, substitutions and all, via DoorDash and delivered a MASSIVE portion of super flavorful chicken fajitas for $13.99 (I'm about to have my fourth meal,) including rice and refried beans, fresh chips and salsa. I asked for no peppers in the fajita veggies and that's what I got. (They're one of the few that allow for special instructions on DoorDash, which is nice especially if you have allergies.) My only complaint, which is a "good" one to have is they only gave me three of their yummy tortillas. No way that was enough for the massive portion. I also ordered an a la carte cheese enchilada for $3.25 and asked for a sour cream or cheese sauce and that's.what.I.got! And, with tons of sauce. This place is a new favorite. read more

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We used to go here frequently before our office moved, so we decided to make the jaunt for lunch this week. It was worth the drive! The food and service were a great as we remembered (try anything that strikes your fancy, it's all good). The decor is lovely, dark wood and cozy. And to top it off, our wonderful waiter brought us each a rose since it was Valentine's Day. It made all of our days!! read more

Went to dinner on June 05, 2024. Looked at menu online prior to going and prices are incorrect online. My entree was 4 dollars higher. There is a service charge that I was not aware of until it was on my bill and I had to pay extra for using a credit card. read more

I live in this area and had visited a few times years ago and was never very impressed. We decided to try takeout during coronavirus and they were redeemed. First, their prices are very reasonable and they are prompt. We had a lunch combo with taco / enchilada, lunch fajitas, and queso. Everything was very good Americanized Mexican. It is not authentic but it is a good! Salty and tasty. Not quite enough chips with the queso. Also, we got sour cream with the fajitas when we put a note for no sour cream. Probably would be better to call if you have special requests. They are doing a good job navigating the pandemic with good food. Recommend. read more

The food here was amazing! The chips and salsa were wonderful, the bean and cheese dip was fantastic, and my steak quesadia was great as well. The service was extremely fast as well. Definitely recommend. read more

Went for Cincy Taco Week. I ordered a carnitas taco, al pastor taco & carne asada taco. I also ordered a side of shredded cheese for $1 & an appetizer of guacamole. The server brought complimentary chips & salsa which was delicious. This was authentic Mexican food & was on point. The service was good & the atmosphere was inviting. I would definitely eat here again when in the area. read more

Cinco de Mayo pandemic style, customers huddling close to stay warm waiting for our orders in this 48 degree night. Time to reopen Gov. DeWine these people are more likely to catch the flu standing in this cold. God bless the workers. read more

El Jinete - Outdoors is no fun but the food is worth it. - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Placed a takeout order for a chimichanga combo. Th is the text from the menu online: Chimichanga Combo15.99 2 flour tortillas, deep-fried, filled with shredded beef or chicken, cheese sauce and beans. Topped with lettuce, guacamole, tomato and sour cream. Got home to open the package and find that it didn't have lettuce, guacamole, tomato, or sour cream. Food wasn't terrible but when expecting one thing and getting another it is a huge let down. read more

This place is a solid 3-4 stars for Cincinnati Mexican (which I struggle to find good spots). I've been here a couple of times and some visits have been better than others. The chorizo queso was very tasty. The quesadilla was fine and so was my beef soft taco. (Not the best I ever had, but very edible). Margarita was pretty decent. read more

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Big, very Mexican themed restaurant. They say it is also a steakhouse but the menu is a huge selection of Mexican dishes, both a la carte and as traditional meals. Huge portions. Great bar. Delicious food - tasty, not too spicy and good quality. Excellent service. Speaking a little Spanish is helpful. Cute outdoor dining area. Reasonable prices. Lots of free parking. read more

This is the first time I've been to this place and I wasn't impressed. We had it for lunch two days ago and it's the typical Tex-Mex food. I ordered the Torta with chorizo. My husband had the Chili Relleno and a Beef Taco. The salsa and chips that was brought to the table before we ordered was pretty good. The service was really slow, even though it wasn't very busy. It took over 30 minutes for the the food to come out and the waitress didn't check back on us for a long time. The Torta was huge! I ate less than half of it. The bread was really chewy and I ended up just eating some of the inside of the sandwich with a fork. I did not eat the fries. My husband, who had been several times in the past with coworkers and had not been in awhile, said "That wasn't very good. I remember it being so much better on past visits." read more

El Jinete - Chorizo Torta - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Had dinner there May 25. Service was excellent but it was downhill from there. Salsa was out of a jar, meat in enchiladas was stringy and tough, rice was not fully cooked. In general a horrible experience and won't return. read more

Ordered carryout on 5/5/22 and I don't care if it's Cinco de Mayo or not. My order was supposed to be ready when we arrived and yet we still waited 40 minutes for our order! Ridiculous! Customers that dined in entered, were seated, ordered, ate, and left before carryout was ready! Don't recommend! read more

We love this place, The staff is always so friendly & engaging with the customers, As for the food, WOW, some of the best Mexican food in the area, I usually get the Chicken with Rice, Broccoli, & Mushrooms with extra Soft Tortillas, They bring so much on the plate, They definitely make sure you leave with a full stomach, As you leave they always say We'll see you tomorrow! There have a been a few occasions where we did come back the next day! read more

This is a go to for us for great Mexican food! Have not been disappointed and the Azteca soup is a favorite for my fiancé. Diverse menu with plenty to choose! read more

My friend and I met there for lunch today because it was convenient for both of us and I've usually had good food. First of all, the staff was excellent from the greeter who was so helpful as well as our server and other wait staff. They always serve a basket of fresh, warm and delicious chips and two kinds of salsa. Important for me since I really dislike heat. Their menu is full of choIces and I may have just made a bad choice. I ordered the steak quesadilla with rIce and beans. I usually stay with chicken since I've not had luck with steak. The steak pieces were tough and not very plentiful. The rice and beans were great so I didn't go hungry I ate a bit of the quesadilla but left most. I will return because overall I think they are a good value and a great atmosphere. I'll just avoid steak in the future. read more

We were waiting to pick up our granddaughter and wanted to try something different and quick. When we walked in, everything was so clean and "authentic" and we were greeted and seated immediately...the food was fresh, presented well, and service was exactly the way a restaurant should respond to customers. Kept drinks filled and we were filled and needed take-home boxes because of the plentiful size of the meal. Highly recommend if you like authentic Mexican food! You won't be disappointed.... read more

Bad customer service alert: Yesterday I ordered food for my family to go. My 22 month old daughter and I arrive at the restaurant to pick up our order and everything went well. When we got home, I got my daughter out of the car and picked up the food. The bottom of the bag broke and food went all over the parking lot. The food was not packed right and had leaked all over the bottom, leaving it wet and soggy. I called the restaurant immediately in tears and told them what happened. They said they would put a new one in for me. I threw the food away in the dumpster (most of what I could pick up from the pavement) and went to pick up my new order. When my little daughter and I arrived, we were met by the manager who scrutinized us on arrival. He asked if I had brought back evidence of what happened. He accused me of lying to get more food. I started crying again ( I'm 6 months pregnant and was starving) and told him I didn't have any of the food, I didn't know I had to bring in evidence. I showed him that the food had splashed on my jeans and my daughter's dress. He eventually said fine and walked away. We had to wait an extra 15 minutes for the new order and when it came out they were missing part of the order. I was so hungry and upset (and so was my toddler), that we left without waiting for them to correct the order. Worst customer service EVER. read more

El Jinete - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I came here with my frisbee team since another mexican restaurant raised its prices. I think this may be our new weekly spot! Great drink prices and great service plus huge portions are a win! They have a lot of twists on the usual mexican restaurant fare. I had the tropicana fajitas and they came out in a pineapple with pineapple rings, shrimp, steak, and chicken. A lot of great flavor and a really reasonable price considering it was one of the dishes with shrimp on it. It did have too much salt for my liking, but that was mostly on the asadero cheese they used, so I pushed it aside. The salsa here is killer! I like it spicy and they deliver. Usually I have to add cholula to the mix but this usually has enough bite for me. The chips are always fresh too, even when we get there less than an hour before closing. I am disappointed they ran out of Dos Equis draft when we got there, but knowing now that we'll be regulars, maybe they'll save us an extra keg? read more

El Jinete - Tropicana fajitas served in a pineapple half - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Really disappointed in the food tonight. The Chile Poblano was obviously mass produced off site. It was perfectly round and completely tasteless. The egg coating was too uniform and overwhelmed a completely bland pepper. Not a seed (literally and culinary) of authentic Mexican flavor was present. The manager swears it was made in house. I am not sure what is worse, the fact that the dish didn't remotely resemble the dish I ordered, or the manager who defended it. The waitstaff was spot on during dinner on Cinco de Mayo, the food might as well have been Taco Bell. read more

No surprises here, El Jinete is a basic, local Mexican restaurant. It's offerings are the same as you would get in any of hundreds of similar ones around the country. There is colorful Tex-Mex decor. The food menu is extensive and inexpensive. They have domestic and Mexican beer, and a variety of margaritas made with sour mix that cost more than the entrees. I've been here about six times, and five of those times the service was quick and efficient, once it was bizarrely terrible. So, the odds are pretty good. If you are feeling Mexican and happen to be in the area, go for it. read more

Typically the service and food is good here. The last two visits may put this restaurant on the back burner of our rotation. Service and food quality has definitely changed. Margaritas are still good read more

Food was delivered with chips BUT NO SALSA! When i called the restaurant, they were less than cooperative. BE SURE you ask for salsa if you order delivery!! read more

I went here tonight with a large group. The servers were very friendly and mostly available for ordering extra things. I got the Baja Pollo, which came with rice, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream for a seasoned and creamy stir fry of a large piece of chicken breast, shrimp, spinach and other veggies. It was very good! I still have enough for 1-2 meals! I liked their variety of sizes of draft beers and their homemade chips. I had to add a fair amount of hot sauce to my salsa though. read more

El Jinete - Baja Pollo - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Not from the Cincinnati area, so mainly came to El Jinete due to its proximity to the hospital. Going into the restaurant, it seems to be a run-of-the-mill Mexican spot. I ordered the Burrito Al Brazon, and was not disappointed! The food was delicious, and worth the trip alone. They had a magician tonight, and I guess they have him every Thursday. He was a little strange and made weird comments to the table behind us. All around, it is not the most revolutionary restaurant, and they aren't reinventing the wheel. However, the food and service was phenomenal and I will be coming back on the next trip to Cincinnati! read more

El Jinete - Burrito Al Brazon - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Everything on the menu we had was good, good salsa and thick corn chips with a full bar. Queso Blanco is great and anything with chicken is fantastic. I usually end up getting the Enchiladas Verde and am never disappointed. read more

El Jinete - Steakhouses Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Frozen margaritas were good. Shrimp quesadilla was very salty. First time here and was surprised it wasn't more busy on a Friday evening. Server was very attentive. read more

I ordered carryout inside the restaurant. I heard from my neighbor that they had good food and great service, so my boyfriend and I wanted to try it. As I waited for my order I spoke to the hostess who was so nice and helpful. Many people came in to pick up their order, pick up door dash orders, or come in to eat inside or outside. They were all helped with kindness, were seated quickly (I had the waiting room to myself the whole time which was around 15-20 minutes), and the frozen margaritas I saw ordered at the bar looked delicious. I got my carryout order and we had big portions of our ordered food with chips and salsa. It was so delicious we ate it all! I had chicken enchiladas and my boyfriend had the Quesadilla Tropicana. We will definitely be going back to eat in the restaurant or get more carry out. read more

Awesome food and service! Love the outdoor patio! Have been coming here for over 10 years and never had a bad experience.

My wife and I had a quick dinner here this past Monday. The restaurant was not busy and we were promptly seated. Our server was quick to take drink orders and we couldn't pass up a Monday Margarita for $2.99. After a quick look at the menu I ordered the 'Cuatro Esquinas' and my wife ordered a two item combo. The food arrived in a reasonable time. It was hot and well plated. Overall, the taste of the food was good, though, my wife's taco came with a scant amount of cheese and the taco meat was tasteless. Store-bought taco seasoning packets would have been a complement to the meal. Our server was very good with a great personality and was attentive to our needs. We ate here since the location was in proximity to an appointment nearby. As we are Northern Ky residents this eating spot would not be a destination for us but we would eat there again. read more