The carne asada was great. Food has great flavor and the we got a pretty decent piece of meat. However, there was hardly any rice, beans or guacamole on the side. Besides, it was really cold. They forgot to bring us the tortillas as well. My hope is that it was just an off-day! I just ordered another carne asada plate to check... Same! read more

El Merendero - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We found this online; it didn't disappoint. The margaritas were wonderful; the rice was amazing. Homemade corn chips are delivered with salsa and pico de gallo. I've had better pico de gallo, but never better rice in all my 50 years. Clara was extremely helpful in helping us navigate food allergies, too! I highly recommen this restaurant. read more

Their carne asada platter is to die for!!! Although their waitresses aren't exactly friendly or attentive once you've gotten your food.

Great choice if you're looking for a local Mexican restaurant. We're in town visiting family and were looking for something authentic. I'd definitely come here again! read more

I will start with the Guacamole plain tasteless no flavor what so ever. Molida is a two out of five. Tostada I ordered had to be eaten with a fork due to the beans being too runny. Cheese is Queso Fresca. Again very bland tasteless food. Ordered Chicken Fajitas. No flavor chicken was rubbery. Very few pieces of chicken mostly a big plate of bell peppers few onions. To be honest the bell peppers were fresh. Salsa tasted like plain tomatoes. Again no flavor here at all. read more

The hidden jem of Tucson. Very authentic dishes, Sonoran style. Could be the best tostada de ceviche in town. Fresh! Caldo de mariscos has great flavor, old Sonoran recipe from the Sea of Cortez. They have a Unique Chile powder that comes in a table shaker. Great service, very welcoming. read more

El Merendero - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The friendliest service, like if your grandma was cooking & serving you. And the food was the best I had after 4 days in Tucson, it was great! read more

Real Mexican food. Very good at doing modifications and special requests. Four of us each got a different item, we all really liked them. Very friendly waitress. Will go back again. read more

Great service and very tasty food. My wife had the chilaquiles and I had the huevos and chicken enchilada with green sauce. Our server was so friendly and let our son borrow her coat to stay warm while we ate. read more

I would have to say not my favorite Mexican food place but yes on my top list. Food has good taste and prices are reasonable. Service here need better customer service but not the worst enchiladas are my fave here read more

Stopped in on a Sunday morning for breakfast. First thing you notice is great energy and atmosphere. People laughing, talking loud, having fun. Great family restaurant. Chips and salsa were fresh and tasty, just the right amount of heat! Had the huevos diforcidados, Two fried eggs, one in red sauce, one in green served with hash browns, small salad, and beans. It was delicious! Pairs well with Pacifico. read more

i did an online order it said my order was going to be ready in 45 min I actually took 1 hour to go pick up and my order wasnt ready, they had the tablet off and the lady didnt even know of my order. I had to repeat my order and they didnt even give me the beans and rice that i paid for , its not the first time very disappointed NEVER going again dont recommend read more

I grew up in AZ, but left long ago. I was hoping for some good Mexican food that remembered from my childhood, I was left totally disappointed. The ice tea had no ice in it, I had to ask for ice twice. I had the #6, a simple dish of 2 tacos and a cheese enchilada. Bland and lukewarm is the best way to describe it. The cheese in the enchilada wasn't even melted. The rice and beans was in a dire need of seasoning. The atmosphere was ruined by customers with screaming kids, though I know it was no fault of the restaurant. The high points were the server and the salsa. I will continue to search for the taste of my childhood while I'm still in Tucson. read more

Met my girls here for breakfast and it was delish! My server, Clara was fast and sweet. I had the #12 and a side of guacamole (which was $1 less than the dish itself -- wow!) but I will be coming back. read more

Disappointed; came in so excited, the place was full of people and the menu touted being a family place open since three 60's, just our kind of place. Service was lacking even after the crowd cleared out and the rice and beans were so dried out and nasty from being in a broiler or under a heat lamp I couldn't even bring myself to eat them. Wish this had been a better experience read more

El Merendero - Rice and refried beans - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is the best Mexican food i have ever encountered. The fajitas were one of the best meals i have ever had. Every bite made me physically dance. If you're near by you MUST stop here! read more

El Merendero - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The service is great. Their horcata is heaven, make sure to get it! Their chips and salsa are good. I came her for breakfast, got my son pancakes, and I got a burrito. (I forgot which one sorry guys). But it was amazing. They waitress never lets you suck on ice, she always refills your drink. Do not judge by the outside of the restaurant. Inside the restaurant is nice, and the food and service even better. Make sure you try it out! I highly recommend it! read more

El Merendero - Pancakes + the hashbrowns were the best!! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Worst place ever all the sauces taste like it was from a can ground beef tacos were watery if you are looking for authentic Mexican I don't recommend this place read more

If you're looking for amazing food in a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, this is the place. This is where the locals go. Great food, good prices, good service! Not a fine dining place, but it's very casual and homie. Highly recommend this place. read more

First, I want to say that I will return to El Merendero! The service was fast and friendly and that goes a long way. But I think I ordered wrong. I ordered the Mexican combination plate, I know I know rookie move! It came with an enchilada, chicken tostada and a taco. I wanted to try a little bit of everything! But what I really wanted was the enchilada and that was delicious! Yummy red sauce, just the way I like it. And the beans were the bomb.com. I'm pretty sure I'll be dreaming about the beans for a while. But that's where all the fun stopped. The rice was not good. As a matter of fact the lady behind us said it tasted like taco Bell rice and I think she was right. The chicken on the tostada had no flavor and was kind of dry. The taco was just ok. But my husband ordered the caldo de queso and thats was also really really good! Lots of cheese, a few mild green chiles, soft potatoes and just really good flavor. He also ordered the carne con chile which was decent. So, I'll probably update this to 4 stars on my next review now that I know what to order! read more

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Saturday mid-afternoon: Not a lot of people. Staff great. Lots of Spanish language laughter in the kitchen (nice). I had #10) a taco, tostada, enchilada combo. Delicious. Place is clean; easy to find. I recommend it. read more

When the plate was laid out before me the first words I uttered were, "Now that's what chile rellenos are supposed to look like." And they were good. Could have used more cheese, but good nonetheless. Beans and rice were good. Chips and salsa were good too. It's all good. Except for the fresh flour tortilla they gave me. That was GREAT. Especially when tearing it up and sopping up the sauces. read more

Extremely great service! Everyone was super friendly. The food is very good and large portions. Took half home and just finished it for lunch today! Vei reasonable pricing too!! Don't miss it! read more

My friend and I tried a few simple things to get a sampling of the restaurant. I wasn't expecting much since I don't eat seafood so I figured their other options would be quite plain. I was quickly proven wrong. First the staff was very friendly. Dining room was spotless and ready for the lunch crowd. Third the menu had a huge variety for me the "non sea food guy". I had the daily special of red chili beef and added a carne asada taco on the side. Red chili was outstanding. Simple flavor that slowly heats up. It never got overwhelming (I really like hot food though) but it did have a bite to if you paused between items. Carne asada was incredibly flavorful. The single taco was way bigger than I expected, might be a good idea to get just tacos on day. Definitely going to try the skirt steak next time. I'm always looking for places to take my less adventurous coworkers, and this has the "safe" factor they would appreciate. Take that for what you like but most won't go to taco truck in a dirt lot with me. So this is great food and a nice looking restaurant too. Friend had the fish taco and ceviche. Both were bigger portions than he expected and said they were good and worth coming back for..... I didn't try so I can't elaborate. I liked the added feature of dozens of bottles of hot sauce on the tables. Made for some fun spicing it up here and there. Like I said I like it spicy. read more

El Merendero - Extra hot sauce for those that want something spicier. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Horrible service, food was cold, meat was medium rare when I asked for well done, wrong tortillas, even the plate was cold, beer was hot, waitresses were inattentive and seem to get lost and disappeared for a while read more

They took extremely long to serve our food. Unfortunately we didn't get the nice waitress. The enchiladas were good, carne con chile was not good. The pancakes were burnt and the chimichanga was drenched in grease that coagulated on the plate as it cooled. None of the drinks are natural (expected at least one in an authentic Mexican restaurant). I would not recommend this place, nor return. read more

Very good! We had the red chili chimichanga, ceviche tostada, carne asada tacos, and cheese enchiladas. Everything was delicious! read more

El Merendero - Ceviche Tostada - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I think this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Tucson. That's saying a lot because dad always wants Mexican so we have tried many. The service is always fast and friendly. I have very much enjoyed anything I've ever ordered here. If you order enchiladas get the house sauce. read more

This place was frickin' amazing! Some of the best, if not THE BEST mexican food I've ever had, and I've had a lot of mexican food. First off, the service was very polite and helpful, recommending some excellent dishes. I had the tortilla soup, which had everything under the sun: tortilla strips, avocado chunks, sour cream, cheese globs, other good stuff that I don't even know about. My brother got the cheese soup, which was really good also. I also had a shrimp quesadilla, which was really delicious, due to the spices they put on the shrimp, nice blend of pepper and other unknown spices. But the cous de gras, was the chiles, stuffed with shrimp, wrapped in bacon, and sitting in a soy sauce-esque liquid. UNBELIEVABLE! I have no idea what it was called, but it's an appetizer, just ask the server. I would go far out of my way to make a trip back to El Merendero, I suggest you do the same. read more

In the world of heavy-duty Sonoran food, this is definitely a five. Easily the best bowl of menudo I've had--the ingredients were of excellent quality and the broth had a thick, rich hominy flavor. A lot of time (and cartilage) went into that soup. We tried the tortilla soup and casuela, too. Both were excellent, the tortilla soup balancing a liberal amount of avocado and sour cream with a slightly tangy broth. The red chile lunch special was perfectly cooked--a rarity--and the beef's juices paired well with the mellow, creamy sauce. Tortillas were of excellent quality, salsas and chips were bountiful, and the horchata was better than most places. The take away: a fabulous experience. Our waitress couldn't have been nicer. El Merendero warrants a return trip very soon. read more

I dig it. Went for lunch one day during work. The service was great. Though we did wait a couple minutes for the check. But everything else was good. I ordered the Carne Asada and Shrimp tacos. Both were very good and had good flavor. The chips and salsa were also very tasty. The friend had a combo of enchiladas. I tried a little of each. The best part, is that even though they were all covered in sauce and cheese, when you cut into each, you could tell what it was without trying. I hate when I go to a restaurant and can't tell what type of enchilada I am eating. There was tons of meat in the chicken and beef ones and the cheese one was good as well. All in all, a good solid Mexican food joint. I will definitely be back. read more

El Merendero got it's start as an A&W Restaurant in 1965, but today, it's one of the best Mexican restaurants on South 12th Avenue. I had dinner here with the family and two of my son's friends tonight. If you happen to be in the area, El Merendero is definitely worth a visit. I had the Chile Rellenos, and they were some of the best I've ever had! Very spicy & delicious, and for $7.99- hard to beat. They come with rice and beans, and a small side of chopped lettuce. As an appetizer, we shared an order of guacamole for the table. It came with chips and a small side of pico de gallo for $4.99. Sort of pricey for a small side of guacamole, but none of us were disappointed, as the chips and salsa were free. The other members of our party either had rolled tacos, hard shell tacos, or soft shell tacos. You can't go wrong with any of these choices. This place is clean, casual, friendly, and overall reasonably priced. They also have numerous seafood options on the menu, including Mexican fish and shrimp cocktails, even oysters- though none of us was feeling quite so adventurous as to try one of the seafood cocktails or dishes. As I said, if you're in the area- this place is definitely worth trying... Be aware that for parties of 6 or more, they do add on the tip. Our check, with tax and (added on) gratuity came to $85 for a party of 6. We each had a beverage ($2.25 for horchata and $1.99 for soft drinks), and no one had dessert. Overall, the food is very good, but in my opinion- prices are a tad high for the location. This was a totally enjoyable casual dining experience- one worth putting on your Tucson Mexican food to try list. read more

We eat here at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. Excellent service, incredible salsa, generous portions! I can't recommend it enough! If you go, you're going to want to order a soup, caldo de queso, or tortilla soup! YUM! read more

Entree's were very good, servers were friendly, and it was clean. 4 stars because the rice & beans could be a lot better.

Food was pretty good, but too many flies. Brought a coworker and nearly had to walk out

My favorite tastes like home cooked Mexican food restaurant in Tucson. Friendly, attentive service, fresh ingredients, good prices, and a wide variety of well made options to please all moods. My personal favorite is the skirt steak with beans. Their soups are also outstanding. And the best part, all taste like they just came from my grandma's kitchen. There are restaurants in Tucson that may have a better dish or two, a more upscale ambiance, or better drinks. But this is the place to go if you want the best overall food/price/service combo for home style Mexican food in town. read more

I work down the street from here, get lunch 1-2 times a month and it's always a treat. We also will drive down from the SE side to eat dinner once in a while. They have the best ceviche anywhere! We usually get it for an appetizer. I had three enchiladas (cheese, chicken, and shredded beef) and my daughter, the chile relleno plate. Both were fantastic. All I can say, is that their food is sooooo good. It's like having a Mexican mom cook for you in her own house. If you're tired of the dumbed down American "Mexican" food restaurants, then make the trip down to El Merendero. read more

Solid traditional Mexican fare on the South Side - not to miss. It's the real deal - just check out the patrons from the neighborhood, and take one bite. We went to breakfast with our good friend Brian who works nearby - we actually drove across town, and it was well worth it. Thinking about making your way over there? Quit thinking and do it! read more

Had a Tucson layover and me and my crew decided to go out for dinner the shuttle driver at our hotel recommended this place! And im so glad he did! I ordered the shrimp enchiladas... And when i say it was goooodddd! I went back to my hotel and a few hours later i kept thinking i wish i had more of those enchiladas! I HIGHLY recommend coming here! Ill Defnietly be back! read more

The chimichanga was dry and no sauce. It was not good. The rice and beans are good. Overpriced for bad chimis