Great food and service. Outside dining is much more comfortable then being inside where it's a little tight. Unfortunately it's byob.

I've been here twice and both times the lamb tacos have been on point. The carne asada tacos are really good also. The rice and beans could be better. The rice almost feels like an uncle bens type of rice, not authentic. But, the chips and salsa and the tacos are phenomenal! read more

El Meson - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

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Loved this Mexican place. Just happen to pull it up on Yelp since I was looking for a quick, inexpensive bite to eat. Pleasantly surprised read more

El Meson - Steak and chicken fajita - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

The best place to eat in NJ! Amazing hospitality and just as amazing food. Recommend 100%

We went yesterday and it was fantastic the chips and salsa were wonderful and the service could not be better both friendly and helpful, I had The Osso Bucco and it was the best I have ever eaten.The food is authentic Mexican and I highly recommend you should go for you will love it. read more

Really good food. Guacamole is fantastic, tortilla soup is great, and each entree comes with a lot of food. Atmosphere is also a lot of fun... it took awhile for us to get our food but they looked busy. We were one of the few tables inside, however they had a lot of tables outside. Overall... really solid place! read more

3.5 stars which is just ok in my book. I've been here years ago, and thought it was just ok so I didn't come back. I gave it another shot last night as a lot of my Yelp friends seem to like it here. I ordered the chicken quesadillas appetizer which was packed with a lot of meat, but the chicken had no seasoning and wasn't moist. It was also stuffed with vegetables that tasted like cheap frozen food ones. We found it very bland. For entrees we had the Enchiladas De Cola De Langosta and the Pasta Gabriel. The Enchiladas dish was ok/good. The Pasta Gabriel was just fair. It was suppose to come in a creamy pablono pepper sauce, but the sauce wasn't creamy at all. It had no pablono pepper flavor either. It sounded much better than it tasted! For dessert I the cheesecake chimichanga which was ok/good. I wouldn't come back here again as if I'm in this area I think Juanito's in Howell in much better. I also really like Reyna's in Tinton Falls which isn't far. The Mexican food here is just ok, and not worth a third visit. read more

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Food seriously lacked seasoning and any kind of char or grill marks. I ordered chicken fajitas, while a friend ordered steak and shrimp. Portion sizes were tiny, and my friend got charged 6 dollars extra for two shrimp on her meal. The menu states there is a 6 dollar upcharge for adding shrimp to fajitas, but they should clarify that this is only for two shrimp. The addition of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and carrots is definitely strange. The brown sauce on the bottom made us feel like we were eating stir fry rather than fajitas. The outdoor patio was nice, as was the fact that the restaurant was BYO, but I would never come back for the food. read more

El Meson - $6 dollar upcharge for two shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

El Meson is a Freehold staple. I am not from the area but visited this restaurant based on several word of mouth recommendations. We went with a party of four on a Friday night. Wait was about 20 minutes. Did not seem like they take reservations. BYO and there is a small liquor store across the street if you forgot your goodies. Service was friendly and fairly prompt. Our friend made a mistake when ordering her food and they replated it right away. We shared the guacomole app. Its not on the menu but it is always available. It is one of my favorite things at this spot. Fresh avocado and just the right amount of onion and lime. It was smooth and full of flavor. For my meal, I had the taco salad and quesadilla combo plate. I always like ordering combo plates at Mexican restaurant because you get a little taste of different foods. All combo plates come with rice and refried beans although I changed mine for black beans. I really liked the salad with the crisp tortilla shell filled with lettuce, mushrooms, guac, sour cream, beans, olives and your choice meat (I went with the steak). The quesadilla was very simple and I do not think I would order that again. It did have a nice flavor but there wasn't really anything to it. read more

El Meson - Taco salad with quesadilla platter - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Great food and service at reasonable price. You really can't beat that. Lovely outdoor patio when weather permits. Parking lot in rear.

Authentic Mexican food in Freehold - finally! I don't know why it took me so long to review these guys. PROS: Great food. Great prices. Fast service. What more can you ask for? CONS: Parking. Sometimes crowded (because it's so good!). Sometimes tight seating inside. Disclaimer: I love this place. I sometimes get to take people out for business dinners, and usually the first question I ask is "Do you like Mexican food?" If they say yes, off to El Meson! The location is awesome because it's in downtown Freehold, and there's always activity downtown - I usually try to get a window seat so we can see what's going on outside and people watch. The food is some of the best quality Mexican food I've ever had - they even have a little spot on the way out with vegetables and other kinds of things you can purchase fresh. The outdoor seating is great in nicer weather too. There are other good Mexican places in Freehold, but if I have a choice, we go to El Meson. read more

My all time favorite Mexican resturant! HUGE portions, great taste! El Meson has a great vibe to it, you can sit outside so in the summer and even in the fall it's beautiful. You can also sit inside and they have really cute sombrero hanging lamps! As soon as you sit down you are given fresh warm tortillas chips and the most delicious salsa you could ever taste! But do not fill up on the chips before you have your meal! (I have made that mistake too many times lol) The burritos are excellent, I literally crave them. I have tried both the mild and medium sauces; I can't decide which one I enjoy more! The fajitas are also excellent! If your in the mood for Mexican cuisine, you can't go wrong with El Meson! But make sure you come hungry! read more

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A local freehold favorite! I have been coming to El Meson for about 8 years now and absolutely love the food here! The ambience is family friendly, and creates a very comfortable vibe for friends to come and laugh ( laugh loud without your classic older couple giving you the side eye). They can make almost every dish vegetarian if you ask but they have a fantastic vegetarian combination burrito! I ordered the classic chimichanga and it was gone in about 30 seconds. I always order it spicy, and it definitely was a kicker. If you can't tolerate a lot of spice, stick to the mild sauce! They also have amazing shrimp tacos, guac, and nachos! So be wise to come with an empty stomach and chow down (: read more

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Service friendly, price fair. Rice is good. Nice outdoor seating area. Steak a bit tough. Their pick de gallo is delicious too. Great flavor overall read more

El Meson - Take out...steak chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

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Order takeout from El Meson today. Girlfriend had the shrimp fajita and I had the steak fajita. Her shrimp was good but my steak was WAY overcooked and was tasteless. This was the first time I ever had to break out the salt to give my food a little flavoring and I threw half of it away. Additionally, for the $50 that I paid (it was a pick up, not a delivery), could not believe that they did not provide any chips and salsa. We've eaten in the restaurant and they always give you chips and salsa. Why should a pickup be different, especially if they are not discounting the price. Sorry El Meson but will be skipping going back here. read more

The food here is terrible! It is Tex mex but horrible. It is covered in cheese twice over (and I love cheese but this was bad. The high point was my boyfriends tough fajita meat and the onions and peppers. My enchilada was not an enchilada and not Worth eating. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. read more

Had lunch here the other day and was extremely pleased with the service. Located in downtown Freehold, this seemed to me to be a very authentic Mexican eatery. Everything I had tasted great and I wouldn't hesitate to come back. Note that this is a BYOB. There are two liquor stores within walking distance however - so buy some pre-made margaritas and bring them with you so as to complete the dining experience. The wait staff was extremely friendly and very accommodating. There is also plenty of outdoor seating available for this COVID environment we are living in at the time of this review. read more

My family goes here once a week and it's our favorite spot ever! The chips and salsa, nachos, chicken fajitas are the best to name just a few. The servers are down to earth and the fun atmosphere makes for an amazing time. Love this place and HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! read more

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I was visiting Monroe, NJ and decided to explore Freehold downtown district with my sister and cousins. We heard about El Meson as being a good Mexican restaurant on Spoonuniversity.com, so we decided to eat lunch here. The restaurant was pretty empty as we went on Christmas Eve, but the atmosphere was great and staff were very welcoming and friendly. Unfortunately, we wanted to like the restaurant but in the end we were just disappointed. We ordered the Chicken Quesadilla and Vegetarian Combo - Chili Relleno and Enchilada. My cousins liked the chicken quesadilla, and liked the way the chicken was cooked. I liked the Chili Relleno, but wasn't anything new for me, or amazing that I haven't tried before. We ordered, two sodas and 2 meals, and after tip, I paid $50.00. And in my opinion, as a college student, I found the restaurant to be a very expensive Mexican restaurant. I would rate the food as 2 out of 5, while I would rate the service 4 out of 5. Warning - If your planning to go with kids, especially with kids who don't eat much at restaurants, there is a $6.99 meal sharing fee. We were lucky, and our server waived the sharing fee. read more

El Meson - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

El Meson is located on a main road, so parking is a bit scarce on the street. We had to head off the main road to park behind another business. There is a large outside sitting area and a decent sized inside with about 15 tables or so. The customer service was incredible with our waiter being extremely polite and attentive to our needs. We brought our 1 year old daughter and the waiter paid attention to her and recommended things for her to eat and so forth. The meals are a bit expensive ranging from $15.99-$19.99. The meals come with beans and rice. The menu states there are no substitutes, but I think you can ask :). The hot sauce was perfect with the right amount of spice to keep burning my mouth and still keep the taste of the food. We will be returning here again! read more

El Meson - Chicken Enchiladas with spicy sauce - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

The food and service were outstanding! We had a group of seven people. Everyone enjoyed their meal. We ordered Steak Fajitas, Fajita Salad. Salmon, Chicken dish with mangoes, Shrimp Dish with mangoes. read more

A sweet local restaurant right in the heart of freehold with authentic food. It was a great dining experience when me and my friend went. The male server was extremely attentive and friendly. read more

I think we're done with El Meson after so many years. Don't mind paying a little more for quality food and service, but the $6.00 'sharing' charge is ridiculous and not good business, especially when in our case, 4 people ordered individual meals and two ladies shared a fajita entree and got hit with the sharing charge. Adios, El Meson! ¡No muy bueno read more

Really, really like this spot. Not perfect, but very good. It's pretty authentic. Sometimes so authentic that it can be a little weird for nonadventurous eaters (ie: cactus as ingredients), but I love the classics. It's BYOB and I've never had a bad meal. read more

This was a great find and nice taste of Mexican cuisine. Not fancy but food was reasonably priced and nicely prepared. I had the pork loin with rice and refried beans. The pork nicely seasoned with garlic. I love garlic! The salsa was delicious with the warmed tortilla chips. The staff was friendly and attentive! We had a nice time! read more

El Meson is an area staple that I've dined at well before my Yelp days. A Mexican BYOB was in the cards for Sunday afternoon, however after reading up on some reviews I had some hesitations based on observations of slow service, overpriced food and more authentic options out there. Ultimately, I'm glad I dined there on Sunday. It was probably the first true al fresco day of the season and the covered patio provided the perfect mix of being outside and shade from the sun. My husband and I dined mid-afternoon and at least the patio didn't seem overly crowded; I'm unsure about the inside of the restaurant. The service was a little slow, but not unreasonable. It took a while to get someone's attention to place our order and then to request hot sauce and small plates to use for sharing once we received our food. They didn't charge for our extra chips and salsa so that evens everything out in my mind. While I've definitely had more authentic Mexican food before, there's no denying that the food was delicious and hit the spot. I went with the Taco Manzanillo from their specials menu. As described, it was there "gourmet spinach tortilla stuffed with orange chipotle, marinated and grilled chicken, vegetables, onion, peppers and sweet mango drizzled with a spicy avocado salsa." I really didn't think it was spicy and it honestly wasn't the most "Mexican tasting" dish I've ever had, but it had a really good blend of flavors so I didn't care. My husband had the Lomo de Puerco which I was able to sample a significant amount of. The dish was described as "Marinated tender pork loin sautéed with onion, tomato, fresh garlic finished with a hot dried pepper sauce." A few pieces of the pork I tried were a little tough and the hot pepper sauce didn't make the dish too spicy. I wasn't enamored, but he seemed to enjoy it. Both dishes came with rice, beans and Pico de Gallo. Based on food enjoy-ability and atmosphere I'm going to round this rating up to a 4. read more

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Went here a few years ago and swore of never return. Perhaps is was an off day? But, alas, I did returned this year to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Being 3 she, well, all of my family, needed a little ambiance, quick service and some good food. To my delight, what a turn around from the last experience! The staff tended to our every need! The food was excellent. The chips and salsa kept being devoured and replenished. Everyone's meal was delicious from the nachos, burritos and carnitas to the onion and cheese enchiladas. And for her birthday they brought out fried ice cream with a candle and sang happy birthday! We couldn't have been more pleased with the whole experience. They even let the birthday girl wear a sombrero. Returned again for my daughters birthday. It's now a tradition. My mom ordered a plate of shrimp that made my eyes pop out of my head. Big, fat, plump, juicy, succulent shrimp on a plate of vegetables and rice! (Jealous). The tres tacos were good, chicken was the best of the tres, but the pork and beef could have been a little more tender. Nice portions! Another memorable moment for my family and a good meal. Server very attentive! The service is always great! read more

Hands down the best Mexican restuarant in the Freehold area, so if you are looking for Mexican food, this is the place to go! I love the chips and salsa that comes complimentary with your meal. I always eat too many of them and they give you as many as you want. The food and atmosphere are fantastic! Very authentic sauces, you almost feel like you're in Mexico when you eat here. The reason for the four star ranking is that the dinner portions are not always as large as I wish they were, although I really like to eat alot. If you come here really hungry I suggest ordering some of their excellent appetizers so you make sure you leave full. Highly recommended. read more

Great service great people great environment. This is my second review and Its definitely deserving of a 5 star. I usually am tough on restaurants but this is the best Mexican I have ever had. Best salsa With fresh chips and beautifully made entrees. Part of my elite 11 . Best restaurants I've had makings sure to keep a diversity of genres. read more

Great food but terrible service. Chimmy, chips, salsa what more could I ask for?.....a margarita maybe but they are BYOB o well. The salsa Verde is unlike anything I have ever had before, it has a very sweet taste to it. Next time I will have them mix salsas to get a bit of heat action. The wait staff is how should I say?......a bunch of Tortugas! They chit chat on the side when things are needed and when they do come around they see no reason to rush. I went with my younger brother who has been many times. He tells me the prices have gone up a bit... chimmy was $12 last summer and is now $15, still worth the drive and the money. P.S It is also funny to listen to the gringas butcher the pronunciation of the menu items.......I am as white as they come but I get down to some serious reggaeton so my Spanish is on point! read more

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Nahhhhhh service A1 food A1 and its BYOB they don't get enough credit! I have absolutely no complaints I'm coming back for sure !

Superb authentic Mexican food at its finest. Not a chain or Mexi-Cali...real Mexican food. Everything is great. Favorite is platillo de la Mexicana Hot tamales burritos kick ass chimichangas seafood If you're looking for GREAT Mexican food that's authentic you need to come here. Bring your Spanish with you!! BYOB :) read more

Great classic mexican all made fresh. Very casual atmosphere and BYOB. It is a staple place and always consistent in Freehold. We went Ana's in last night and kicked off with the chicken quesadilla... Loaded with fresh vegetables- very tasty. I had the #6, which is 3 enchiladas (chicken, steak, cheese) with their spicy sauce. Get ready because it's hot enough to make you sweat and have your nose run. Love it! read more

The food was ok. Service very good. Generally, they charge you $6 to share a plate and also charge extra for Chips after the first basket. Saying this I am happy to say they did neither. We shared the seafood soup and had 3 baskets of the warm chips. That being said the reason they got 4 stars are: 1. I wanted ice water. Why they had to bring bottled water and charge is beyond me. I don't do this to be cheap but that is what I drink. I hate it when they force you to pay for water. Cheezy. 2. Everything is over $20. I just wanted a few tacos and I feel they are way overpriced. I understand that they are under financial stresses. With limited seating and so forth but a bit pricey never the less. Wish them the best but won't return. read more

El Meson what can I say I Love this place. Excellent service food is always great indoor outdoor seating. I have been coming here for 22 years and Never once was I disappointed with Food or the SERVICE. read more

El Meson is a great Mexican restaurant located in a beautiful area in downtown Freehold. I went on a Thursday night and it was packed, but I was still seated within a couple of minutes. It is great when it is nice out because you can be seated in their outdoor section. Like many Mexican restaurants, you are given complimentary chips and salsa. The chips and salsa both taste fresh, and from what I am told they are made onsite (I can't say for sure however). I ordered the Hot Tamales, which is a corn husk stuffed with marinated chicken, sweet pepper salsa topped with your choice of mild, medium, or hot sauce and melted monterrey jack and cheddar cheese. The food was good, the corn husk had a great flavor of it (think a slightly spicier version of corn break) with a fresh filling. The service was courteous and quick. When we finished the meal the servers were quick to take our plates away and getting us our check. Overall, El Mason is a great restaurant in Freehold. The location is great and beautiful, the food and service, and it has a very comfortable atmosphere. read more

El Meson - Hot tamales: corn husk stuffed with marinated chicken with sweet pepper salsa, hot salsa, and cheese. - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Food was decent, perhaps it was delivery but food was a bit mushy and cold by the time it got to us. Seems overpriced for what you get. Salsa was awesome though! read more

Highly disappointed. We were coming here throughout the years and decided to stop in for dinner. I ordered the steak and pork fajitas which lacked flavor AND since when do fajitas have broccoli, carrots and zucchini? The menu clearly stated onions and peppers but somehow I got none? I was looking for sizzling hot fajitas and got a version I never saw or tasted which was bizarre. My husband ordered the taco trio which arrived at the table and looked totally unappetizing. 3 miserable sad looking tacos with a scoop of rice that was tasteless, refried beans that came from a can and a pile of sour cream that was bigger than the taco trio! Why so much sour cream? I'm summary this place has gone downhill and lost the authenticity of its food. Overpriced and to charge your clients $2.99 for a small bowl of chips doesn't seem in line with the competition. Suggestion, keep walking there are plenty of amazing restaurants in Freehold. read more

A very nice authentic Mexican restaurant located in the heart of downtown Freehold! I went around 7:30 PM and it was very packed, but we were seated within 5 minutes. There is an outdoor section which is really nice on summer nights. FOOD: We were served complimentary chips and salsa upon arrival. The chips were warm and crunchy (I think they are made onsite) and the salsa was very good. The chips and salsa were actually the highlight of my meal. I ordered a steak enchilada. It came standard with beef in a tortilla and cheese on top. There was a side of rice and sour cream. The food was good, but very pricey (it was $17.99). SERVICE: The wait staff was pleasant and checked up on once or twice during our meal. Service was fast for when we were finished and wanted the check. OVERALL: A nice place to eat, just a little on the pricey side! read more

El Meson - Steak enchilada! - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Im not sure why all the high ratings? Food is good but nothing special. A few overall comments. They shove so many tables into the main floor you can't move and the tables are so small i had to put dishes on my lap. Very uncomfortable atmosphere for a higher priced restaurant. This was my first and last time here. read more