Hidden Gem! We frequent this restaurant. We can always count on consistent quality and great service. Not to mention the beer is always cold! Great place for groups, they're super accommodating. Easily one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. read more

How is this place rated so well? Average food and below average margaritas. It's like 85% of all Mexican/American restaurants. Don't bother. Ordered the loco burrito. Came out in less than three minutes?!?! Soooo, my chicken and steak are precooked and just slightly heated to be wrapped up in a tortilla and topped with sauce/cheese. This would be gourmet Mexican for a low budget retirement home in West Virginia. read more

The place is small and the tables reminded me of a Taco Bell or McDonalds. The chips were good but the salsa was not chunky (personal preference) and came out in a small to go cup. Ordered the Grilled Chicken Quesadillas. Chicken lacked flavor and rice was watery. My fiancé ordered the Chicken Fajitas with jalapeños, also lacking flavor. When the bill came they charged us $5 for the jalapeños which is ridiculous. The grocery store sells them for $0.28 each. All in all will not be returning read more

The menu on their website is apparently not accurate and the pricing is completely wrong, when I came to pick up the order and mentioned this they didn't offer any assistance or seem to care. The ingredients weren't even accurate either. Getting someone to help you is a serious struggle as well. read more

I've been coming here since it opened. I've lived all over the US and this has always been my favorite Mexican spot. I will say it's overpriced but it's always so good. The service is usually slow as well, the waiters are never in a hurry read more

The medium sized "Golden" margarita was a fishbowl of sweet syrup. Chicken enchiladas were flavorless surrounded by a bland tomato sauce. I don't post about my food experiences, but this deserves a public service warning. read more

I lived in Arizona for 25 years but the Salsa at El jinete is one of the best since left Arizona. The waiters are great the food is so good and the place makes you feel comfortable 4 stars I enjoy going there the ambiance is great read more

Overall poor experience for our first visit with overpriced food and hidden costs. Atmosphere reminds me of a fast food restaurant. Salsa is brought out in to-go containers and is a pureed liquid that definitely has a slight kick of heat to it. I ordered the chicken fajitas and they came with mushrooms (an odd addition for a Mexican dish, but was listed in the menu description). They came with a plate of rice (very plain), refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, pico, and guacamole. Cheese is an extra charge listed for $2 on the menu. I requested fresh jalapeños be added to the fajitas, but was never told the price for this was a whopping $5 for probably one entire jalapeño added to the dish. I also requested 3 additional flour tortillas which I was not told would be an additional $2 (but much more reasonable than the jalapeño upcharge). I thought overall the food was mediocre, the atmosphere was very cheap and lacking significantly, the wait staff not very enthusiastic, and the hidden extras prices outrageous. I will definitely not be back. There are plenty of other more authentic mexican restaurants to go to in the NKY area. read more

El Jinete - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

See all

food was just so so. rice tasted as though it came from an instant bag. queso was watery. service was lacking. I asked not to be seated next to the door. because I was alone sat me there anyway. ambiance was loud with terrible music. waiter couldnt return to fill my water but was there twice to receive my payment. don't bother. read more

It used to be a good place but now not good and there are hidden charges and I'm not aware of it. I only ordered Fajitas. I didn't order chips and salsa, the server bought it herself and charged me for chips and salsa and even for something else which I didn't order. read more

El Jinete - It used to be a good place but now not good and there are hidden charges and I'm not aware of it. I only ordered Fajitas. - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

See all

After seeing our friends' show at NKU, we wanted to have dinner together. These guys are always down for Mexican, so we came here. Hubby had been so pleased with his three meat fajitas served in a half a pineapple that he was very happy to return. Frankly, I couldn't even Denver what I'd gotten. So I guess I didn't care much either way. This time I decided to build my own combo - a hard shell ground beef taco, a cheese enchilada and a pork tamale. There were a couple issues that made me consider giving them a 3/5. First, When I poured salsa into my bowl, a huge frozen chunk splashed out - so, no. The salsa isn't fresh. Lol. Second, they goofed on my order, bringing out a chicken taco instead of beef. Third, when they brought out my beef taco, it was cold.... However, I've decided to go with a 4/5 because service was super fast and because the rest of my meal was delicious! I loved the enchilada and tamale. The tamale particularly had some great flavors going on! And their queso (although I assume it's not fresh either) was yummy. read more

See all

The food is good but the prices are unreasonable. Nearby similar restaurants are much less expensive and also less confining. Seating is too close here. read more

El Jinete in Taylor Mill is one of those rare hidden gems that you sometimes stumble upon, and are so glad you did. When I moved out here from the East Coast, one of my first priorities was finding some decent local restaurants to try. Having come from an area with a ton of great places to eat (including some amazing Mexican food) I was pleasantly surprised - El Jinete has some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. (Full disclosure, I only get a handful of things on the menu, since I know exactly what I like at this stage in the game, but have seen a number of dishes there and they all look awesome.) Beyond the food, the pricing is reasonable and the ambiance and décor exactly what you'd expect from a small restaurant in a strip mall. That being said, what really sets El Jinete above is its people. Everyone there is always pleasant and polite, and Lorena (manager/owner?) is superb - they are the real reason that I keep going back to El Jinete. If you're in the area, definitely give El Jinete a try - you won't be disappointed! read more

The BEST Mexican restaurant in NKY. The food is always delicious and fresh. The staff is so friendly and helpful. We eat there very often with our kids and big groups! Pricing is great and I always have some left over for lunch the next day. read more

Every time I come it seems to get better. I love the veggie fajitas, they were SO flavourful, there was so much, they felt really clean and healthy. I really enjoyed it. The chorizo quesadilla also just yum!!! I love the salsa and find it to be a little spicy - yum. The service is great, they take care of you, the restaurants feels like you're in a Mexican restaurant in America. I recommend. read more

I am sorry we had a horrible bill with over $50. $8 for a medium boll of caso! Service could've been way better, (Example) I asked for a diet coke and then the waiter comes back with a sweet tea. But food was delicious read more

First time eating at El Jinete, service was prompted and kind. Was severed chips and salsa along with drinks. With two adults and two kids the total was less than expected, coming under $35 at 12:30pm during lunch. Food was served with in 5~7 min of ordering. Food was hot fresh everyone's food tasted good and the two boys ate every bit of there food. Bottom line: affordable mexican food with big dollar taste. Picture attached: Burrito Bazron read more

El Jinete - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

Very very good! Authentic Mexican Restaurants are a dime a dozen and are of varying quality. This is a cozy, clean facility. The staff were very kind and welcoming and our food was VERY hot, flavorful, and didn't take any time to come out. It wasn't so fast that they had it sitting under a heat lamp, but they started working on it as soon as the ticket went back. I usually start out at a new Mexican place with Chicken and Rice to see how it is, then the next time I come, I branch out. This was the best chicken and rice I've had. It's not hard to get right, but you'd be surprised how many places do not. Either the chicken is too try or the rice is too sticky. This was neither. The chicken was juicy. Rice was perfect. Cheese was delicious. My husband ordered the Burritos El Barzon. He's more critical than I am about Mexican restaurants and before he even finished his entree, he said he wanted to come back. That's high praise from him. We will definitely return. If you're looking for a place to try and are on the fence about this place, you should definitely stop by. read more

I will not be back. I am shocked. I heard the owner asking a cancer patient why they needed separate chips from others at the table. She then proceeded to ask the cancer patient why he's out if he's so sick. Utterly astonished. I will not support a company that discriminates against sick people with cancer & disabilities. I guess they've never heard of the ADA American with Disabilities Act. read more

One of the best Mexican restaurants in northern Ky. This is my go to when I want a good meal and a strong margarita. The plates are enough to share and sometimes we still have leftovers to take home. The service is always great as well! I'll always recommend this spot to friends and family! read more

El Jinete - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

I came here tonight with my amigas! We had such a great time! Ate and hung out for hours. The staff is great. The waiter we had was very helpful! Muy gracias! And they let us stay all the way until they closed even though we arrived at 7p. The food is delicious!!! I had a wonderful time! Thank you!! read more

Slow service but we weren't in a hurry so it worked out Great food Large portions We'll definitely be back!! read more

El Jinete is hard to beat. Great service. Super nice. Clean and prompt. Order pretty much anything and I can pretty much bet you that you will like it. The portions are HUGE. We ordered the Appetizer Sampler and the Taco Al Pastor. Yes, ok so our eyes were bigger than our stomach. AGAIN. No worries, now we have dinner for tomorrow. Ohhhh don't forget to try the hot salsa with your chips. read more

See all

Today was my second and last time to dine here. The first time I had Chicken Fajitas and substituted grilled pineapple for guacamole. It was good enough that I decided to order the same today, but was told in broken English they do not allow substitutions. (But they did a month before. Hmmmm??) My food came out without the guacamole, pineapple, or further explanation, and did not look very appealing. Then I bit into a one inch bone. I asked to speak with the manager, who failed to apologize, instead calling it "human error". (So, if that had gotten caught in my throat or broken a tooth, it would just be an oopsie??) She provided no regret or customer service, which seems odd for a manager looking for business during Covid. She grabbed the food and said it could be re made, but if I wanted pineapple, I'd need to pay extra for it! She was cold and unkind, so I told her I would pass. Then two of their waiters talked about what happened in Spanish, which was obvious, tacky and unprofessional. I will take my business where I am appreciated as a customer. read more

El Jinete - Bone in fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

Typical Mexican food, nothing stand out. The internal decor is cute. They tried to charge me for hot sauce because they don't offer the bottle ones. I never had restaurant charge me the condiments for dining in. I was little surprised when they told me. read more

A fan of this little family-owned bistro; execution is always good and there is something for everyone on their extensive menu. I'm a fan...

Food is pretty good. Service is terrible. We sat without anything to drink for most of the meal. Plenty of workers walk by, but none would stop to see what we needed. I don't see us coming back. read more

First of all, I want to say that I live in Florida surrounded by Mexican restaurants (many authentic). I adore Mexican food. Anyways, I was staying with family in Taylor Mill when a cousin invited me out for dinner at the last second. I don't know the area and so I asked my Brother where to go. He said there was a Mexican place in the Remke plaza that was decent. Mexican in Kentucky? In a plaza? I had low hopes for this place. Then, I started searching on Yelp and seeing the good reviews. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. After looking at pictures and reading reviews, I decided to order something I would have never tried: El Barzon. This burrito sounds ridiculous. It has shrimp, chicken, steak, chorizo and pineapple all slathered in an incredible queso. It was one of the best dang burritos I have ever had. Maybe even the best. I am craving one right now as I sit in Florida typing this. There was so much flavor packed into that burrito. I was also nervous about the shrimp. However, it was fresh and clean shrimp. Delicious. All of the flavors worked surprisingly well together. The shrimp, chicken and steak are on the inside of the burrito. The pineapples are grilled and place on top and the chorizo is on top at one end. I would definitely recommend El Jinete. I can't wait to get back to Kentucky and have another El Barzon. They are definitely on my list of "must haves" when I am in town again. read more

El Jinete - Barzon burrito. Steak, chicken, shrimp, chorizo and pineapple. Crazy good. - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

The good: Great food, good service, friendly staff. The bad: Tiny tables, no margaritas Recommendation: Burrito el Barzon-chicken, shrimp, and steak in a burrito. read more

El Jinete - Burrito el barzon - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

Called the day before Christmas eve and made a reservation for eleven, they took my name and said no problem. My party arrived ten minutes before our reservation time and the only thing they had available was a booth that would hold 5 or 6. They said another group that did not have a reservation came in before us so they gave them the tables that were reserved for my group. Not much open that evening so we did not have any other options. We squeezed in and by the time we got our food (One hour later) they did add another table which made it a little better Food was ok, but they charged extra for little things that should have been included read more

This place has great food. I was a bit critical when I first came here, as there were four of us stuck in a tiny booth and when they took out drink orders, I was disappointed that I could not have a margarita on Saturday night. Since then, I have went to three other Mexican restaurants and have not found one with comparable food! The shrimp chimichanga is great! This place really has it going on with food, but no liquor license - so no margaritas. Check out anywhere for good coupons to this place. I have seen them in JB Dollar Saver, Val u Pak coupons, Reach Magazine, etc. The coupons make this place even better! read more

Great food but I think there's a Woman who is the manager and she's ruuuuude! Not good with customer service at all! This was my go to Mexican place before experience with her. I'll still go time to time but not my first choice w the poor customer service. read more

Hate to say, but my go-to Mexican restaurant has jumped the shark. Portion size has never been great here but holy crap! Prices went up because of COVID-19 and the serving size has gotten smaller. Very disappointing. read more

I did not expect to love this place, yet here I am. I crave the food here. Portion size is great for the price. Their salsa and queso are so good you'll eat entirely too much before your food hits the table, which is crazy because the food comes out so fast! Do yourself a favor and visit for some good food. read more

Really, what is such a good Mexican restaurant doing here? Been there several times, most recent this week, group of 6. We were given booth in front, great for conversation. Drinks are cheap and big (see photos) Food is same way. I had pork salsa verde, the green sauce was very good and was not too spicy (despite what menu said). For appetizers we shared an out of this world cheese and bean dip and very good guacamole. Wife had a chicken cheese and mushroom quesadilla. She loved it. Beer on tap includes Modelo. Good margaritas on the rocks. read more

El Jinete - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

See all

This USED to be a great place to eat. Went in tonight to catch dinner due to all the traffic. Got a beef burrito with shredded beef. Nowhere on the door or menu does it say if you don't spend $12, you will be charged for Chips and salsa. So went with a friend and so I said we would put or bills together. The lady working the register was extremely rude. She basically said too late, you have separate bills. They charged $1.75 for Chips and $1.25 for salsa. Nowhere on the door or menu does it mention the upcharge for Chips and salsa. The same lady basically told me to not come back if I didn't like it. Said it was due to Covid. I'm ok with paying what is fair. At least let your customers know in advance what the charges will be. You put down extra charges on menu for specialty orders or extras. I will not go back. Food was fair and the $3 chips and salsa wasn't that good to begin with. You got me for $3 and my friend for $3. I will not be going back. I'll drive the extra miles to go to El Cerro Grande in Independence. read more

First time passing thru Kentucky, friendly staff great food, reminded me of moms food in kitchen and delighted that they carried Yuengling beer. I have no complaints because no restaurant are 100% so I look forward to return when I visit family again. Thanks/Gracias read more

Great food served nice and got the rice water is the best I've ever had. We came in from Chicago think we couldn't find a good Mexican restaurant but we were wrong. read more

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Northern Kentucky. Great service and super good flavors!

We've dined here so many times. They're always reliable and good. Weve tried their various beek/steak offerings - Carne Asada, a la Mexicana or Fundido, and they never disappoint. My wife also likes their Chicken and Rice soup, and we've tried various tacos and burritos in the past and have consistently been good. The staff are friendly and helpful. We've never had a bad experience. read more

El Jinete - Mexican Near Me - Taylor Mill, Kentucky

See all