I recently found this place and it's DELICIOUS! This is by far the best Mexican restaurant in the mountains. I'm from the Bay and my expectations for Mexican food are high, even so, El Mescal surpassed. I get tacos, rice, and beans. It's nothing fancy. Simple foods and the quality is amazing. The rice and beans are some of the best I've ever had and the chicken is flavored well with good cuts. The service is also very decent and each time I go, the waitress is so nice and attentive. This place is a gem! read more

El Mezcal is a humble yet excellent Mexican restaurant that serves excellent Mexican food - clean, never greasy, tasty, with authentic taste, If you like Mexican, you'll love El Mexcal. I'm vegan and they gladly serve dishes without meat or dairy if you want. read more

El Mezcal - El Mezcal's cafe sign. - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

After a long day hiking in the Sierras, it was too late for us to get home and make dinner, so we decided to stop somewhere en route at the first place that appealed to us. It was just blind luck that we stopped at El Mezcal. From the outside it was pretty modest, but the colors and decor inside were festive and happy. So, as it turned out, was the service. We were hungry, and dug into the warm chips and salsa while we pondered the menu. The menu was so big it took a while to decide, but we landed on a fish burrito for my wife (she really wanted a chimichanga, but they'd already shut down the fryer for the night), and a two item combination - chicken tostada and chile relleno - for me. I just love tostadas. Ever since I was a kid, I thought they were some of the most fun things to eat, and I enjoy even the most plain ones with just beans, cheese, and salsa. This one, however, put all other tostadas to shame. It was huge. On top of the shell there were layers of beans, chicken (not poached like most places make it, but I dunno, fried?), sour cream, cheese, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes (I think - didn't take a picture). I wasn't sure I'd get the whole thing it my mouth, it was so tall, but the mound held together pretty well as I ate it, with only a few bits and bobs tumbling off onto my plate. My relleno wasn't just stuffed, but was OVERstuffed with cheese. I'm pretty proud of my own homemade chiles rellenos, but they're such a PITA to make that I rarely do. This one was almost as good as mine, and way WAY easier! My wife really enjoyed her fish burrito, and I enjoyed the couple of bites she gave me, too. It was so big, half of it is still sitting in our fridge, probably destined to be tomorrow's lunch. You never know what you're going to get when you hit up place on the road. Not too long ago we had the worst Mexican food we'd ever had, in a place that had mostly Hispanic staff, so we were unsure how El Mezcal would turn out. We're glad we took a chance, though, and we will definitely be back. read more

Zipped in here for a quick dinner and enjoyed it all muchly. The staff are very friendly and welcoming and made us comfortable straight away. Food came out quickly and was delicious. I would have preferred the enchiladas to be a little larger but that's just because I'm a greedy guts. Definitely recommend this cool, clean and friendly restaurant. read more

This place is great love conking here and enjoy the food all the time. Can't wait to come here again read more

El Mezcal - Chile breakfast relleno burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

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Wonderful and friendly staff, super helpful when I had questions. Very good food and large portions. Very quiet and relaxed atmosphere I enjoy eating here but the take out has always been quick and easy as well. read more

Great prices, great food and friendly staff. The best experience for just being hungry and stopping where my 15 year old grand daughter wanted because she was too hangry to wait until I got her home to Sonora. She had the asada wet burrito with green sauce. It was HUGE and delicious! I had an asada tostado. It too was delicious. The salsa is yummy! I live in Oregon, but I will definitely stop at El Mezcal when visiting my grands! read more

Very friendly staff, homemade food. Restroom were the cleanest I've been in, very nice change. Ordered chorizo with eggs plate. Authentic except for the flour tortillas. Also had a soup called Carne en su Juego, which is steak, whole beans with bacon in a tomatillo broth. Delicious!! Must try.. read more

El Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

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First time here and the staff is amazingly friendly. Place is much more spacious inside than it looks from the outside. They quickly served me chips and salsa and WOW!! Chips were warm and fresh and the salsa has AMAZING flavor. Ordered the Chile Verde!! Wow!! I love chili verde and order it at many places and make it myself too. You will NOT be disappointed. Large portion... came hot ... pork is so tender and flavor right on!! Great spot!! So happy I stopped here. read more

Great food great service wonderful people and food taste amazing. The burrito was delicious read more

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I really wanted to like this place. I read the reviews and I was excited to try it, we are always looking for good Mexican food. First off I have to say, the people working there were very nice... the 2 stars are for the service. The food... not so good. I asked if they taco shell was fried there like with a tortilla and she said yes. It clearly was a Taco Bell type of shell, pre-made. The chicken in the taco was cubes of chicken! I have never had a chicken taco with hard cubes of chicken. It's usually shredded and soft. Not what I would've ordered had I known. The tamale had little to no meat in it and a watery sauce on it. The rice and beans? Bland... little to no flavor. The rice did not taste like Mexican rice. I had to apologize to my hubby for suggesting we go there... we both felt like we threw our money away. read more

El Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Fast, courteous service. My husband loves Chile relleno and they have a Chile relleno burrito. It was amazing!!!

Drive by this place all the time and finally decided to try it. The place was pretty busy, but the service was very fast and friendly. The Al pastor tacos and burrito were so good! While there we saw a lot of people coming and getting food to go. We will definitely be back. read more

El Mezcal - Fish taco and Al pastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Delicious food. We had the Carne en su Jugo and we really enjoyed it and they provided fast and friendly service!

Very good food and excellent service. Walked in and was seated immediately, he was very happy and fun to talk to. Food was amazing. Had the chorizo and eggs, as well as the Al pastor plate. Would definitely go back again. read more

El Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

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Stopped by here after a weekend in Bear Valley celebrating the wedding of two friends. The groom recommended stopping here on our way home, so naturally, we decided to make the quick detour and see what El Mezcal was all about. I wasn't really in the mood for Mexican food when I set out to find a new place to eat that morning, but I figured trusting the groom's opinion was the least I could do, following a beautiful weekend and ceremony. He was absolutely right about El Mezcal, too, because the food was not only delicious, but also very reasonably priced! I opened up the menu and found myself unsure of what to get. Tacos? Probably. But a shrimp burrito sounded good, too. Wait, they have tostadas! It took a second to decide, but I ended up mixing and matching. Why not get a bit of everything? I opted for three tacos: shrimp, carne asada, and pastor, and a chicken tostada. They were all great! I'd like to say that I savored the dish enough to allow a perfect description of each bite. It was all excellent, but I'd be lying to you if I told you I took my time on this meal. I inhaled my lunch here, and it was absolutely worth it. With tax, the total came to $12 for everything. An incredible deal for how much food I got, but also the quality and variety I was given. If you find yourself driving through San Andreas after a long weekend in wine country or camping, make it a point to stop by El Mezcal and grab a taco. Or 4. Definitely grab 4. read more

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Probably in the top 3 worse Mexican food restaurants I've eaten in. Food is bland. The beef meat in the enchiladas or tacos is always dry and overcooked. Like it's been sitting under a warmer for many hours. First bite of chicken in the chicken enchilada had a bone in it. Don't know why this place gets high reviews,maybe all they know is Taco Bell. Service was good but that's it. read more

Great family run place. Service was super friendly. Food was good. The enchilada sauce was a little bland but the rest was excellent. Our food came out fast and hot. Everyone was work hard with smiles and the restaurant was clean. read more

The food and service have been great, and I am admittedly picky about Mexican food. I have had the Camarones Ala diabla and the Chile rellenos burrito, both of which are delicious! The interior of the restaurant is modest, except for some talented murals and artwork on the walls. I can see why this place has been around since the nineties! read more

Possibly the best Carnitas in the county! We often stop and grab some form of Carnitas to go. I've tried a couple of other things but always come back to the Carnitas. Always fast friendly service. Give me a shoot you won't be disappointed. read more

Pretty decent. I got two super carne asada tacos ... not "to die for" but pretty good! The tacos came with two tortillas each, so technically I got four tacos -- which means I took two to-go read more

El Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Stopped by El Mezcal late Saturday afternoon while returning to my Jackson home from Sonora. Ordered a combo plate with 2 fish tacos and a side order of flour tortillas to go. The food was outstanding with the fish tacos being amongst the best I've ever had. All ingrediants were fresh including the avocado slices on the salad. There was so much food that there was enough left-over for lunch on Sunday.....all for less than $15! Service was excellent and friendly. Kuos to El Mezcal!! I'll be back. read more

Very quick and friendly service, reasonable menu selections, easy parking, noise level tolerable. Clean rest rooms. Not much for decor although there's a little shrine, almost like a mini-chapel in a nook that looks like it once might have housed a pay phone. The food is not super gourmet quality but for the price it's a bargain. I was ready with 5 stars for the overall experience, but a couple hours after the meal I was hella thirsty, which always means the cook relied heavily on salt as a flavor enhancer. Here's a look at some quesadillas and enchiladas. Careful driving to and fro, these towns along 49 are crawling with bored local constables. read more

El Mezcal - The meals arrive promptly. - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Carne asada full of gristle Staff are great! Food is not good. Not recommended to get the carne asada. My friends had better luck with chicken & pork. read more

There are only a few places in this area where you can go to get authentic Mexican street tacos. El Mezcal is THE place in this area for them. Carnitas is my all-time favorite here. The pork is cooked to perfection, tender, moist, flavorful. The portions are more than fair and the price point is exactly where it should be. I can't recommend them highly enough. That said, make sure you ask for the SHREDDED version, not the PASTOR version. Two VERY different experiences. I have tried a couple of other things on their menu ( I ALWAYS try the chile relleno at any Mexican restaurant if it is available) and wasn't nearly as impressed with anything else as I am with the street tacos. I will say that the one time I tried the chile relleno, it was not a memorable experience. The truth is, I recall very little about that meal other than I found the relleno was much too soggy, the sauce too watery and lacked any real depth of flavor, so I avoided El Mezcal for a long time afterward because of that. I am REALLY glad I gave them another chance. I confess I haven't been brave enough to try the relleno again. I wish I could give you a rundown of the other items on the menu, but once I tasted the carnitas, there was no turning back for me. I have days where I CRAVE these tacos and will drive nearly any distance to get to them. I have tried the chicken (pollo) tacos but not the beef (carne asada), so I am not sure what you can expect with them. The chicken tacos were good, but not 'craving' good. In another review for a restaurant in another town, I mention street tacos and tell you how good they are. El Mezcal stomps all over them and knocks them out of the running with theirs. Seriously. AWESOME. *** - Ask for the house salsa. The 'good stuff'. It's not overly hot, but it is delicious and adds that last flavor component. The salsa they provide for each table with the chips is your garden-variety fare... nothing special about it. The house salsa is a step above and elevates all the other flavors of your meal. If you're after 'ambience', you will probably not be impressed with El Mezcal. It is a bit run-down inside, rather badly in need of an update. This is a strike against them, because more particular guests will be turned off. It's well past time for an interior overhaul. BOTTOM LINE: El Mezcal is an unassuming little place on the main drag in San Andreas California. They don't stand out in any particular way from the outside and you could easily drive past without realizing they are there. The interior needs attention from a truly gifted interior designer. These things aside, you should find it and try it, especially for the items I have recommended, because the recipe they use to cook their pork tastes EXACTLY like my Grandma used to make and it is FABULOUS. read more

I'm Mexican and I think the food here is great. The service is very good too and these folks are very friendly. It's pretty authentic in every way. I had dry meat in the enchilada's once, but the carne asada and al pastor tacos are always good and so are their burrito's. Quality ingredients! I think the food is five stars! So my only gripe is the parking aspect can be tough. On warm days if you don't get a spot in front, sometimes you have to park farther away and walk a bit and I'm a fat guy who sweats. But that's my only gripe with this place. So my way to fix this problem is I go there for dinner, and problem solved. Definitely worth a try! read more

My first time here today. My husband and I live in Burson came to San Andreas to hit the DMV and grab some lunch. He had four carne asada tacos. I had chili relleno and crispy carnitas taco. All very fresh and delicious. Staff is really friendly. read more

El Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Great food, fast and my whole meal including drink was under ten dollars!!!! I will be back here... I ordered a cheese quesadilla a la carte along with flour chips and guacamole with a Coke. The restaurant looks very clean as well which is a big plus in my book!! read more

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If I could give this place a zero star rating I would. It's an absolute mess, uncleanliness place and the food wasn't fresh. The worst Mexican food I have ever ate at. I had carne asada tacos with beans and rice. I ended up getting food poisoning from my food. I have heard great things about this place years ago, but ever since COVID happened it has gone downhill. I recommend not going to this place!!! read more

So inexpensive! We got super nachos, nacho fries and a super buttito for under $25! Food was good, not great, but nothing to complain about. Staff was accommodating and air conditioning was cold. read more

El Mezcal - Vegetarian nachos and nacho fries - Mexican Near Me - San Andreas, California

Place has really gone downhill since COVID. Just not the same anymore. Food quality is a 1 star and always seems burnt or old. Didn't used to be this way. The only reason I gave it a second star is because they're always really nice and friendly. Now I have to drive 20 minutes to Wallace to get good Mexican food. read more

For this area, this is my favorite Mexican food around. The staff is friendly and I haven't had a problem with any food I've ordered. I grew up in Southern California and am part Mexican, so I'm pretty picky when it comes to Mexican food. It's a pleasure to visit this place. read more

A great little Mexican Restaurant with really amazing Food. I had driven by this spot many times and never stopped. The last 2 times I have eaten here the food was was great and will be back. Highly recommend the Asada burrito. read more

We stopped here for lunch because it's halfway between where we live in Sacramento I ordered the carnitas tacos and they were amazing . everybody else ordered something different and it was very very good my son order the horchata and I was refreshingly fresh. The ladies who served us were very friendly and super nice. We will make this our stop going forward. read more

We were here on vacation and stopped here for takeout and I'm so glad we did. Food was delicious! Will definitely eat here again next time we are in the area. read more

Usually love this place. Got al pastor burritos there and was not pleased, only took a couple bites and left the rest at the table, waste of $20 read more

Very tasty, fast friendly service. All the plates on our table were empty!! I got a carnitas salad. Really good next time I'll ask for more lettuce. It was more like a burrito bowl. Either way, it was tasty. I definitely go back read more

We've been passing by this restaurant for a couple months. Obviously it's been closed due to everything that's been going on. Looking at the picture of the wet burrito has been tempting. So, it's open now and we stopped. My husband said the wet burrito was the best burrito he's had yet. Perfectly prepared and awesome. I had the soft tacos, yum! Then I took a tamale meal to go and that was super yummy! Everyone working there were so nice and friendly and accommodating. We will definitely be back! read more

My boyfriend and I shared a shrimp quesadilla, carnitas burrito and carne asada tostada. The burrito was great, the carnitas had great flavor. I could have eaten another carne asada tostada. I'm not a huge fan of shrimp quesadillas but this one wasn't half bad. I'd probably order a carne asada quesadilla next time. Great service, inside was clean and welcoming. Next time we are in town we will be back! read more

Shrimp quesadilla and carnitas salad were very good with excellent flavor! Chile rellano was good, but not excellent. Ceviche tostada not good, and I typically love ceviche. I took one bite, tasted fish that was going bad, and had to spit it out. We would return for the quesadilla and salad if we are in the area again. read more