El Loco is one of my all-time favorites. I hadn't been here in a little while and I was visiting a loved one at AlbanyMed and on my way home. I stopped in. The food is still fantastic. My cranberry frozen margarita was awesome. The gentleman that sat me at my table and took my order and delivered the food, was supremely nice. The Shrimp fajitas were so tasty and had great spices in it. But what you don't know is that El Loco has a hidden gem. Her name is Maria. She's a bartender there and not only was she warm and inviting and had very nice things to say when we struck up a conversation, she wrapped up my meal and gave me extra chips and extra salsa. Her kindness went a long way for me as I had had such a long day before I got there. Thank you, El Loco for a great experience! read more

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Amazing service and incredible food! The place is super cute, great Tex-Mex food. Make sure to try the selection of salsas! read more

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On the day after Election Day, I was still recovering from my long day as a poll worker. The weather was unseasonably warm with a high of about 76. The skies darkened suddenly and the sun set early. It was all so surreal. I rarely drink in the early afternoon and I hadn't been to El Loco in years. Since nothing, absolutely nothing was normal on this day, it suddenly made sense to pop into the restaurant for a frozen Margarita. It was strong-- and remember I don't usually drink at this hour--but it sure hit the spot. I was in the company of my husband and a family friend. The guys went for seconds on their frozen drinks but I was fine with just one. I wanted a tamale. Just one. They let me order it a la carte. I was perfectly content. We sat at the bar because the table we originally picked was a bit sticky to the touch. The bar was very clean. I liked the bartender who was very friendly and helpful. He offered me Loco-- very spicy-- hot sauce to go with my food. How could I turn that down? Hmm. I could have handled even hotter. It was a strange but very pleasant summer day in autumn and El Loco helped to make it fun. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Frozen Margarita. Short with no salt. Yum. - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

I went here with a couple of friends for dinner and it was really busy even close to closing! We were seated really quickly though and the inside decor was really cool to see as well. We all got one of the combo dishes that took a little while to come out probably due to the crowd but they were delicious! I really enjoyed the chimichanga and empanada and the blue corn bread was also really soft and warmed up! They also have house made hot sauce which was really good, the loco is also not very spicy but rather flavorful. My friends also got the mango and passion fruit marg which they all enjoyed. Overall it was a cool place to grab a meal and would be back again. read more

Great margs and food! Service was also great. I called ahead to get us a table because they can be busy sometimes. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Queso Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Service was less than you would want to see on your first visit But the food was so good and the atmosphere was amazing I would definitely go back just not at a night that that young lady is at the front bar badmouthing the bar she works for A little disappointed that when I did call to tell the owner, he said he'd reach back out to me and I never heard back read more

All of it! It was freezing inside. Then the crazy menu. Disorganized. No pork carnitas or Al pastor meat. Some items on the menu weren't available. When the food arrived, 1st thing the beans smelling fermented. Gross. Salsa bar?? Where? A worker filled little plastic cups from a can!! No fresh salsa. Think again before going there. The most horrible Mexican food ever. read more

Stopped for lunch today. Our food was outstanding! Super fresh and well prepared. My shrimp fiesta salad had beautiful greens, ripe tomatoes, and perfect plump shrimp. Hubs had nachos Fantastico. Also very fresh and well made. Service was very good. I would happily return. read more

I really like the ambiance, and food but this restaurant is "a la carte" and OVERPRICED. The food is always really good but we can enjoy better. read more

I don't have any pictures sorry I went here the other day with my friend and I was just disappointed with the amount of food you get for the price and they have very specific menu items with no room for swap outs. For instance I wanted to get the 2 chimichangas with chicken but they only came with turkey and steak I believe. I guess I just think that's a little weird because chicken is so common and I don't actually know many people that would eat turkey or steak in their foods. They had chicken on the menu in other spots so I didn't think it would be too hard to swap out. Also it was just crazy expensive for a small portion. My biggest issue and the reason I won't go back is because there are tons of other Mexican spots that are less money for more and better food! It wasn't like the food was terrible. It was good actually but it was like 18$ for such little of it. I would recommend they give bigger portion sizes or drop their prices a bit to reflect what you're getting. The best thing about our experience was the sweet waitress we had Service is great. Food is okay. And price is ridiculous in my opinion. But feel free to give it a shot on your own ! read more

Rolled thru on our way to Ithaca. Stumbled on the place. Great local neighbor vibe and very friendly staff. Authentic Mexican deco. Loved the Frida Kahlo Wall of fame! Had the Grand Burrito which was packed solid with delicious Beef and the Blue Corn bread was a nice addition. read more

FREEZING inside!! Ruined the dining experience and restroom was like a meat locker. Mole sauce was not authentic. Front entrance could be fixed to add a vestibule to protect dining customers during bad weather. read more

Paid $16 for tacos that I could've made at home for so much cheaper and I guarantee it would have tasted better. As soon as I saw shredded cheese on top of the tacos I knew they weren't authentic. The only reason for two stars is for the chips and guac, which was just okay at best. Just overall a disappointing meal and I won't be coming back here anytime soon. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - a plate of food - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

I lived for 20 years in Austin, TX, so it's really hard to give any Mexican or Tex Mex place up here 5 stars. Heck, it's hard to give them to places in Austin, TX, but some deserve it. Well, El Loco, is definitely a Mexican place I will go back to. It's the best Mexican I have had in Albany, and from what I hear, I should stop looking and just stick with them. Not to mention, it is very nice that they are only few blocks from my house. Where should I start? Well, It's been almost 5 years here in Albany, and I finally made it to this place, just about a month ago. Don't ask me why. Ok, since you did anyways, I'll tell ya. I had the experience of trying two Mexican places the first year I was here, and well, let's just say I almost threw up, and never wanted to eat Mexican food again. To make matters worse, the people I was with were like, "Man, isn't this the best Mexican food you ever tasted?" W H A A A T? So, a year later after moving here, I was lucky enough to find a place in Center Square, and indulged in all the great places on Lark (bars mostly), except for El Loco, since it was just a couple blocks out of my zone, and honestly, I have not really been craving Mexican, especially after trying what Bombers calls a Burrito. NO! NO! Don't even say it! it is NOT a Burrito! Well, one Sunny Sunday afternoon, when i should have really been out in the park getting sun, or exploring the beautiful upstate NY scenery, I walked by El Loco, while walking the pugs, and noticed it kind of quiet and a quaint little bar in there. I thought, hmmmm. Dropped the pugs off, and wandered over. Tom. the bartender made me feel at home immediately (1 plus star). He also answered all my questions. He knew his tequila, not as good as me, but he knew it well, and I love the fact that they price each separately, BRAVO! Sipped on some beer, and some tequila shots, and then tried their margarita. BINGO! I was sold. I don't know if it was just Tom, but brilliant. It was as good as places in Austin, TX, if not better than some, and much better than any places around here. I then indulged in their queso. I loved their presentation, and their free salsa of different heats were perfect. See pics. I make my own queso, so trust me, I am not a big fan of restaurant queso, just because, but this was good. Seeing as I couldn't finish this without trying the food, I ordered the Chimichanga, my fave Tex Mex (southwestern. NOT Mexican), and the Chili Relleno, my fave inner Mexico dish (Puebla). I ordered to go, and Tom was even nice enough to ask when I would be leaving to ensure that the Chili Relleno was nice and hot still by the time I got home. They even threw in a blue corn bread muffin, which was out of this world. HEY AUSTIN TX, PAY ATTENTION, this muffin rocks, and you guys don't have it. Ok, back to earth. In Summary, foods great, the bar and service, and drinks are awesome, and you just can't go wrong. Can't wait to go back, and I hope Tom is there. Because service is just as important as the flavor! read more

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Visited 2x. Cute on the outside and inside. Waiters were friendly but not that attentive. Day 1. So much flavor and spices. The veggie chili was delicious! Packed with lots of flavor I enjoyed the kick and dipped my chips in them. Chips that were fresh and crunchy. The chorizo and rice burrito was also amazing. For desert I had the fried banana, it definitely it the spot. Day 2, same dishes, but different experience. Rice for the entree and the burrito was hard as rocks. The veggie chili tasted old. I was disappointed. The dessert was delicious though, had the fried cheesecake. So good! Since imma tourist I bought a hoodie. If you're in the area definitely check them out! But I think it's a hit or a miss depending on when you go. read more

It's a staple. Definitely try to sit outside in the summer. The food is really good and the staff is nice. Great location near the park for a post dinner stroll. read more

Visiting in town for a lacrosse event. Love Mexican food but not an expert on it. I'm surprised this place has only 3 stars. Service is prompt and helpful. Food was really good. A half portion of nachos was a ton of food and the quesadilla (which comes with melted cheese on top) was excellent. Side salad was fresh and rice was flavorable. Pricing is also very fair. And the hot sauce they have out for free is GREAT. You do pay $1 for all you can eat chips and another $3 for salsa--but that's not terrible. This is probably more a 4 star spot but I am giving it 5 to try and get its rating up. No way this is a 3 star place. read more

Great food and margaritas. Service is quick, and they have salsas covering the full spectrum of heat. This is always a contender for an impromptu weeknight meal. read more

There's something odd about this place... Walking in we were greeted by a nice hostess who instructed us to pick whichever spot we like, due to social distancing we chose a large table at the end of the room, when we were about to sit the manager rushed to us rudely claiming that this is only for "large parties" (while the place was practically empty). we sat and decided to just order an appetizer (The loaded nachos) and a couple of beers, when the manager found out that that's all we want he once again gave us a weird attitude giving us the sense that we bothered him with our business. The food itself was very mediocre and could use some real latin help in the kitchen (Calling yourself a Mexican place doesn't make you one). So I guess I should thank the only thing that made this experience pleasurable, the beers! So thank you Tecate beer company ;) read more

Went here for dinner after work for the reported good house tequila. And they weren't kidding. This place has got a great well tequila that's 100% blue agave. They also have at least 30 top shelf all 100% blue agave tequilas to sip or to custom build margaritas with. Specials tonight were a peach or a watermelon margarita. Regular menu margaritas include strawberry, ginger, sangria, and a few more. I built a regular margarita with Don Julio Reposada. Excellent fresh and perfectly mixed. We got here too late for the tapas happy hour but the nachos with beef was a huge starter. The menu has a full page of specials, and I usually like to try any house special tamales. These were great, with a subtle sweetness to them. Small almost a hole in the wall, but big inside with great tequilas and margaritas, good selection of beers, and good authentic Mexican dishes. Good tamales signal good authentic Mexican! read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - After work on a Wednesday! - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Office lunch at El Loco was a hit. Everyone ordered different entrees and combos, it all looked appetizing - my half order of the fantasticos nachos with beef made me very happy! The half order was easily enough for two people. Attentive service and good atmosphere. I'll go back. read more

We found this restaurant to have wonderful margaritas and above average food. When you go, make sure to try their dip sampler.

There were 2 wait staff members. The male wait staff is rude & abrupt. When we asked about the long time we were waiting for the food and when ours will come, he retorted that we're not the only customers here. That kind of attitude is unnecessary. A simple "the food is coming to you soon" would've sufficed. We noticed he was super friendly to the white patrons. Maybe he didn't feel like he had to be nice to the non-white patrons. Someone should tell him he's working at a Mexican restaurant. The female wait staff was great, however. She was pleasant and very thoughtful. We appreciated her very much. Food was decent. Food read more

This little Mexican spot is located in a nostalgic neighborhood near downtown. The facility provides a very pleasant atmosphere. You can expect tasty fare, good service and prices that are OK. The menu offers several Mexican-style favorites. On our visit, all four in our party chose combo plates. I had a taco plus burrito combo which was accompanied by beans, rice and a small cup of black bean soup. We were all in agreement that our choices suited us well. The portions were right-sized in terms of not tempting us to overeat but a little on the small side considering the prices. With drinks, tax and tip, our final bill tallied to $15.50 per person for lunch. This was on the edge for me considering the absolute amount of expenditure and the size of the portions. But generally, I would be inclined to recommend this spot if you enjoy Mexican fare. read more

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The atmosphere could be better, the table was sticky, the seats were littered with dropped food, the ceiling is torn. The server could have been more attentive and friendly. But the food was fantastic. had to get rid of the disgusting plastic cups, though.. If I lived in the area, I would just get it to go. read more

I went through a wormhole in the fabric of time, and found myself in El Loco. After at least ten years, it is virtually unchanged- and that's a good thing! Everything was EXACTLY as I remembered it, and if my stomach hadn't started overreacting to spicy foods back then, I would have been a much more frequent customer. The nachos, guacamole, and enchiladas were 4 star, as was the service, drinks and atmosphere. My companion, who had never been before, very much appreciated this meal. We'll be back...!" read more

We did pick up Mexican pizza and nachos. It is undercooked and nachos were dry! So not coming back Fast service tho(no surprise ) read more

Very friendly vibe, great service, and lots of sidewalk seating. Fajitas as delicious, HUGE portion; very good fresh guacamole.

I used to live in the area and frequented this place approx 20 years ago. I had to come back into town for business and decided to give it a visit to see if it's the same as I remember. The interior looked the same as I remember - it is small and doesn't seat a lot of people. We ordered the guacamole app. The guac was good and fresh. It is served in a mini corn tortilla bowl. Great for presentation but if you're someone who wants to eat every last bit, this may not work out based on the shape of the bowl and what it is made of. It comes with a big basket of tortilla chips. I had the ancho chicken and spinach enchilada special. I didn't love the flavor of the chicken pieces in it and they were dry. The spinach filling definitely helped with the flavor - it almost made me think of a creamed spinach. It came with a side of black beans and rice - I actually liked the flavor of the rice and it wasn't too dry. You also get to choose a side with it. I went with the carne chili and I swear it was just as good as 20 years ago but my GI tract that is 20 yrs older was crushed by something in it - TMI for Yelp but just sayin' in case someone else out there is like me! LOL!! By the time we left I could feel the pressure and pain of the gas it created. It was the type of gas that just builds up and causes pain and bloat. I was done eating by 1 and I was still in agony when I went to bed at 10pm. Hey - the perk was my intake was down that day as I felt full for the remainder of the day!. My friend had the 2 burrito special and they were a good size and she ordered lettuce, tomato and sour cream, which came on top of them, so she didn't love that. They have a salsa bar with house made salsa and the medium and hot had some really nice flavor. * they had a coupon on their website for the month of November - buy 1 entree, get 1 free. You have to spend over $35 (pre-coupon) for it to apply. read more

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I've been here on several occasions, mostly to meet with friends, and each time, I've had a similar experience. The food is okay. Definitely not the best Mexican/Tex-Mex I've ever had or even in the area. There's an herb in the rice that reminded me of the taste of Italian pilaf or a Lipton Side, the "chorizo" is basically store-bought Polish kielbasa, and the mole sauce was thin, watery, and lacking in flavor. Once, I asked the waiter if a certain dish had dairy in it and ordered it when I was told it does not. Lo and behold, I found a gooey string of white cheese in my dish, which may have found its way in there unintentionally judging on the fact that it was just one string. I would imagine it being difficult when preparing multiple dishes at the same time since there is cheese in basically every item on the menu. Another time, we realized they messed up our orders after already cutting into the food and taking a bite or two to discover what was or wasn't inside the burritos, but they didn't let us take home the dishes we already dug into. We hate wasting food. I've had awesome waiters but there is one woman in particular who was very rude. Overall, it's a decent place just for happy hour drinks and tapas. I enjoyed the pork tamales and margaritas. It's in a good location, too, if you plan to bar hop around Lark Street. But I, myself, would not choose to come back here primarily for dinner. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Chorizo/kielbasa lol, pork tamale, chips & salsa, and a margarita. I believe he got a spinach and mushroom something or other. - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

We have been coming here for 20 years. Always high quality food and service, love the menu. At times crowded but they always get us in and we enjoy the meal. Now coming here with our kids Ty Emil read more

As soon as we start driving up to Albany from NJ the first thing I do is check their hours so we can go . We have gone there for years. Huge fans of their margaritas , especially their gourmet ones. This past time when visiting the food had changed and was even better then previous times. The homemade salsa ( especially the El Loco) is so good. We love the fajitas, I got the shrimp and the my husband got the chicken . Grateful that they are still there and always love out waiter . read more

If I could give this place no stars I would. I used to love this place. This was my place to go for mexican. My husband and I went a few weeks ago on a late Friday, July, 8th afternoon. Ate outside. Great service. The meal was delicious. My husband had a chicken dish. I had beef. Paid, left and went home. Within a few hours I started to feel sick to my stomach. I told my husband I was going to lay down for awhile. The nausea became more and more as the evening went on. Then severe stomach pain. I was is so much agony I had my husband on stand by incase I had to go to the hospital. This lasted most of the night. Finally I vomited. Felt somewhat better. But for the next several days I couldn't eat anything without becoming sick. I called the restaurant that weekend to alert them to check their food. I spoke to an employee(girl). She told me she would let the owner know I called and would have him call me on Monday when he returned. I have not heard from anyone from the restaurant at all. This all has made me nauseous just thinking of eating anything mexican. Especially at this place. I just wanted to make sure they checked their food and prep areas so this does not happen to anyone else read more

Great food, house margarita is delicious! It is a small restaurant so go early to avoid the wait.

The only reason this is getting two stars is because it was edible. The food was cooked. Horribly. And bland, and odd. If you're looking for something authentic, this is not it. But even rating it overall and taking authenticity out of it, it still sucked. The queso dip was...gritty and puffy. The red salsa wasn't bad, had a decent kick to it. The chips were fresh. I ordered tacos and a chorizo quesadilla. No where on the menu said the tacos were hard shell. Okay whatever, I'll eat it. The chorizo was sweet. Since when is chorizo sweet? The cheese used is like a mix of white and yellow cheddar...not Mexican or even Tex-Mex. My wife ordered the Mega Burrito...vividly explained as a "soggy, unseasoned mound of slop". Do they even know what salt is? For the price of the food especially, the quality of ingredients tasted extremely low. read more

I think the afternoon waiter needs training in CS. He clearly stratified his service based on whom he felt was attractive. It's 2022 so don't judge a book by it's cover. You're there to represent the restaurant. I would expect more maturity from someone clearly in their 40's. read more

The food here was OFF THE CHARTS! My best friend and I came for dinner and drinks on a Saturday night. El Loco exceeded expectations! The dip spread was something dreams are made of. Service was great and everyone was so stinkin' friendly and kind. The coffee drinks we got after our meal were unbelievable. I will definitely be back! read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - El Dip - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

Drinks were terrible. Strawberry margarita and Sangria were not good. However, the food was cooked well. Shrimp were not over cooked which often happen at restaurants. The server was a little stressed as he was the only person working for awhile. I may give this place another try but I will not be getting any drinks. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Awful GOURMET MARGARITA & Awful Sangria - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

It was nice to get back to El Loco! They were doing a brisk business early on a Thursday evening. Pretty full inside and although it was pretty hot still we chose to eat outside. I didn't realize they now have sidewalk seating. Better airflow than the back patio but noisier. We had a table with an umbrella but at that time of day, on the western facing side it was not at all shady. Not complaining, just be prepared if you want to sit out. Servers are still wearing masks but almost no customers were. The menu is still very similar but we noticed there are no Chile rellenos, apparently only for specials now. The prices have gone up a bit and margaritas a bit smaller but everything is still really good. 3 of us ordered ancho chipotle chicken chimichanga, ancho chipotle chicken & spinach enchiladas, and burrata espinaca con championes. Very tasty and filling. These are served with rice and beans (with cheese) and choice of one other side. We thought we remembered it used to be 2 sides but really no matter because we were stuffed. I always liked the blue corn bread and although it's still good I found it drier than I recalled. Servers were very friendly and helpful. Overall a great return, hope to go back again soon. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Frozen margarita - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

The food was great. Out server was wonderful. The margaritas are good too. Very nice local business. read more

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Strawberry margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York