I wish I had pictures to show what my wife and I ordered for dinner and drinks. Meli, our waitress, was great. She was kind enough to change tables after we ordered our food. The sun was shining on my face. I don't know who came over to our table to recommend a tequila for our flight. Dame Mas was a very good choice. My wife is more of a tequila drinker than I am. I did hog up the Dame Mas to myself. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere for a relaxing dinner. I recommend ordering the bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab meat; it's the best. We loved the food and the drinks. I also recommend the Black Widow, a very good drink to end our dinner date. read more

We celebrated my grandma's 80th bday here. My uncle rented out the outdoors patio & small room adjacent to it from 1pm-4:30pm for an affordable price with deposit paid in advance to reserve. The owner, Santiago, allowed us to come a half hour beforehand to decorate & we came in, not knowing what to expect. Upon our arrival, the birthday cake was promptly whisked away to the kitchen, we found Santiago PERSONALLY on his hands & knees fixing the electrical cords for us, our servers introduced themselves & graciously helped us rearrange the set-up to accommodate the band we brought in. Then helped us rearrange the layout yet again once we realized the band needed to be next to the electrical outlets. I was embarrassed to even ask so I started doing it myself but they jumped right in without being asked. If I'm being honest, usually I'm not a fan of buffet meals, so I wasn't expecting much. But everything served was SO delicious! The fajitas were my favorite dish, not only flavorful but also nice & moist. Not only that, but they refilled the food for us as it ran out. They brought out to-go boxes for the leftovers, & best believe my family took home every last bite! The lime margarita tower was SO yummy but also hella dangerous because it was strong!! Other restaurants will give you watered down drinks but El Patron doesn't play. We were only planning on one but it was so good, we couldn't resist getting another. From start to finish, the servers (Leslie and Cecilia) were on POINT. Their service went above & beyond expectations-- continuously checking on us, refilling drinks/food, taking photos, etc. Not only that, but also, when my young autistic nephew unfortunately got sick, they were so incredibly compassionate about it & helped clean up the mess right away. I was absolutely blown away by the attention to detail & quality of care. As my grandma is getting older, we are especially cherishing these final years with her. We spent thousands overall (venue, music, photographer, special mass, etc) but every last cent was worth seeing her happy with all of her loved ones. After many months of planning, I was super nervous about something going wrong but I can honestly say that core memories were made. Thank you to Santiago, Leslie & Cecilia for your hospitality, good food & work ethic-- it truly meant so much for our family unit. read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Outdoors Patio area - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

The food was delicious, the service amazing, and the place is really nice. They make you feel welcomed. We went for my mom's birthday and they went out of their way to make her feel special. Fernando made sure we had everything we needed, he was amazing. Definitely have to go back! read more

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Good food good service. Happy hour Monday-Friday and they are open late. Wings are good and so are their tortas read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Buffalo wings 9/10 - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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The atmosphere was the best! Service- top notch. The decor great! Arline was absolutely fantastic. Food was incredible. We had the surf and turf, the shrimp was the best we've ever had. Their margaritas are amazing. The Pina Para La Niña is a great twist on a jalapeño margarita, one of the best l've ever had. Will definitely be back! read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Pina Para La Niña - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Authentic restaurant in both ambiance and menu. The Camarones Estilo Ensenada was delicious. The Margaritas were well made. Service was friendly and prompt. read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

I had a reservation at 5 PM. Was seated at 5:10pm and ordered food by 5:20pm...... We did not receive our food at our table until 6:40pm..... It was only two of us and we ordered a simple plate of enchiladas.... We got full on chips and salsa, that by the time we received our food, we just asked for take out since we were late to a concert at the Fox theater.... The waiter kept telling us it was five more minutes several times.... Service was ok as the waiter was polite but something was going on in the kitchen.... It should not have taken so long for us to get our food ... A manager should have addressed us... That never happened.... This experience was not good.... And there were many empty tables so it was not busy...... definitely cannot recommend.... Food was cold by the time we got it.... read more

This place has such a cool vibe! We don't go often but when we do it is always quite a few of us together and service has been really great every time. Friendly and attentive. Some of our favorite dishes include their tacos (duh!) which are nicely sized and full of meat. They have pretty decent queso fundido as well! We mostly go for the brunch and the chilaquiles on that menu are really good, I'm a sucker for chilaquiles anyway and these are pretty good. My husband loves the borracho fries which are loaded with carnitas, beans and salsa. Drinks are strong and there are quite a few fun selections on the menu too. El Patron has beer, wine, well drinks and gotta mention some delicious margaritas! A great one to try is the Riverside Orange Blossom Margarita, perfect blend of alcohol and sunshine. Brunch menu has an add-on of bottomless mimosas, bloody Marys, and margaritas. Meals will run you anywhere from $12 - $20 on up. Pretty typical for an ambiance Mexican restaurant. Parking is easy peasy in the lot. One personal side note, our family came here to have Sunday brunch right as the world was opening up after Covid and there was a real life Santa who sat in the entryway outside and we took one of our favorite family pictures surrounding him on his lap! It will go down in history!! See you soon El Patron! CHEERS!!! read more

we stopped in for lunch had a margarita flight and ordered off the lunch menu, the taquitos were burnt and the guacamole was rotten when I brought it to the servers attention she called someone who was the cook who was cleaning tables which we were confused then he comes up to me and states that what I was saying wasn't true and tired to lecture me avocados and took my plate and asked what else I wanted I told him the enchilada plate then the serve came back with the same thing without the guacamole well we asked to speak to the manager and the sever said she was on the phone then the cook/manager/bus boy/owner came and was very rude and angry and pulled my plate away and told me to leave. which was very odd. Rude and mean for no reason . I used to be a regular for happy hour . New Ownership is horrible read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Service- top notch. Arline was absolutely fantastic. Food was incredible. We had the surf and turf, the shrimp was the best we've ever had. Their margaritas are amazing. The Pina Para La Niña is a great twist on a jalapeño margarita, one of the best I've ever had. Chips and salsa were amazing, and could come for just the drinks and chips/salsa. Will definitely be back! read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Great margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

The girls and I had happy hour at this location. We arrived at about 5:30 and ordered a bunch of apps to kickstart the night. I was truly impressed with the fried pulpo. This was truly like two dishes in one because it also came with ceviche. The diablito fries were also a hit. Service was solid. He was available when we needed him, but not overly intrusive. I look forward to returning. This was our second time here at this location, and I have to say that I appreciate dishes that you can't find at every other Mexican restaurant. read more

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The food was incredible and the service was great too! We plan to make another trip soon. read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - The guacamole was a hit!! And the Chile Colorado was excellent too! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Very horrible FIRST time experience! NEVER GOING BACK!!! Everything was going well we got seated and our server Cecilia took our orders we got a margarita flight which the drinks were not all that great they tasted watered down! But we brushed it off and ordered food off the lunch menu I got the chile verde which was very tasteless but I still tried to enjoy it my friend got the taquitos when our server brought our food and my friend tasted the guacamole it tasted bad like it had gone bad so I tried it and it was in fact bad we told our server that her guacamole wasn't any good so she took the plate didn't say a word and then a guy comes up to us we didn't know if he was the cook, the manager or their bus boy because he was out on the floor cleaning tables asp we were confused he asked what was the problem so we tried to explain to him that the guacamole didn't taste good that it might have gone bad he then raised he's voice and said no avocados don't expire and tried to give us a whole lecture about avocados then we said well it didn't taste right he said okay so do you want something else my friend asked can I get the enchiladas he said ok and walked away what looked like very annoyed then the serve comes back a couple minutes later with damn taquitos but without guacamole and my friend proceeds to tell her I had told the guy I wanted enchiladas and she said well he didn't tell me that so at that point we asked to speak to the manager mind you at no time were we ever rude we were so polite about it all because we thought they were understanding, so then the same man that tried to lecture us about the damn avocados says he's the owner and asks in a very rude way what's going on now my friend said our server brought her taquitos when she had told him she wanted enchiladas instead he then start yelling and saying no you didn't say that to me you must of miscommunication with your server and snatched the plate from my friend and says you know what you guys need to leave and walks away and goes and tells the server to take out our food off the tab and to just pay our drinks and leave! Even two woman who were eating infront of us were just so shocked of how this so called owner treated us! No wonder that restaurant was so empty! Someone like him shouldn't be running a business if he doesn't have patience with people and gets offended when something isn't right, talking about everything is fresh because no it's not! Health code enforcement needs to reevaluate that place! read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Freshest ingredients!? That's a lie! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Stopped by El Patrón in downtown Riverside and had a solid experience. The hostess was welcoming and attentive--always a great way to start a meal. I ordered the Grande Wet Burrito with red sauce, and it definitely hit the spot. The portion was enormously generous (can share with 2-3 others), and the red sauce had a pleasant tang with a nice balance of spice and richness. The filling was flavorful and satisfying without being too heavy. It's classic comfort food done right. The ambiance was casual yet inviting, perfect for a laid-back lunch or dinner downtown with friends and/or co-workers. Overall, if you're in the area craving Mexican food, El Patrón is a reliable go-to that delivers a hearty, satisfying meal. read more

Service was the best part of our visit here. Ambiance is weird. Layout and decor is a little strange and cluttered. Most of the food was pretty awful. The menudo was good but the taco and burrito barely had an oz of meat in it. Flavor was way off, I've had better microwaved food. The prices were actually pretty up there for what you get. You are better off going to Miguel's Jr. Was utterly disappointed in this place. read more

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Service here was horrible. Food was definitely not appetizing. Took over 20 min to get a pitcher of beer, another 10 min to bring the cups for the beer, over 45 min for some simple shrimp and beef tacos. Never offered us water, just horrible service all around. When the food finally came out it was cold. Definitely don't recommend this place. read more

Let me tell you the service sucks here. The waitress had a stank face didn't know the menu or even give us any type of answers when we asked for flavours of drinks. She kept messing up our food order and over charged us. And when we told her she had attitude. The little man who was a manager I believe he gave us attitude because we complaint on too of that the beer glass was broken an my husband cut his lip. Very bad service won't be coming back read more

Not good at all, everything is Mexican besides the food. Don't recommend. The waiters were great just not the food. read more

Cool Spot Good Food And Great Service We Had A Wedding Event There It Turned Out Pretty Good Shootout To All The Employees There They Got Some Baddies Working There Too! read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Post - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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We decided to celebrate my son's graduation at his favorite restaurant, El Patron. The food? Delicious. The service? Fantastic. The bill? A certified heart attack. For eight people, the total was $211.92--reasonable, right? But then, plot twist! An automatic gratuity charge of $42.38. Okay, fine. Then a $10.50 fee just for using my debit card. Oh, and don't forget the suggested tip of $54.57. By the time I was done doing math (which felt like solving a physics equation), I realized that between gratuity, card fees, and the tip, I was staring at an extra $110--making the grand total over $310. At this rate, I should've just bought my son a cow and a grill instead. Inflation's hitting hard, but this? This was highway robbery served on a silver platter. Looks like my last meal at El Patron has officially been served! read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

$92 for a chorizo plate, menudo, and 3 drinks--not worth it. Waited over an hour, food came out cold. Menudo wasn't worth the $20 Place wasn't even full--can't imagine it on a busy day. Drinks were good, but that's about it. Poor management and they completely forgot about patio customers. Won't be back. read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

.We were here tonight at 4:07 . Our original server had to go home for the day so Evelyn took over. We were not even half way through our meal and she is trying to push boxes on us. Fifteen minutes later she leaves her Point of Sale machine on our table to pay and tells is there is no rush, then proceeds to grab the plate i was still eating from. I clearly stated I was still eating...she was like "oh im sorry and puts my plate back. Lady I dont want that now..you just touched my food with out me indicating I was done. Evelyn is horrible. Pay attention to your customers. For the amount of money we spent..we didn't deserve crap service from her. The food was good and we would have got dessert or more drinks but after her..no thanks. read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - The name of the HORRIBLE server Evelyn - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

This is my 2nd time going to El Patron. Attended a conference at the the convention Ctr and stayed at the Mission Inn. We walked to El Patron, it is much cheaper and probably better than the Mex spot at the Mission Inn. We were a party of 5 and was sat right away. Everyone enjoyed their food. I ordered the Camarones Al Diablo nice n spicy! This is Def a spot to hit a 3rd time if I'm in the area read more

El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Camarones Al Diablo...nose running spicy; but delish - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Every time we have been here the food is always delicious. We've tried a variety of their items and have not been disappointed. The bar tables are in the way of guest coming and going, tables are small/wobbly. Service is generally attentive and good. read more

The food was AMAZINGGGG. The drinks were exquisite. 10/10 recommend. Service was top tier. Our service went above & beyond. Atmosphere was exquisite. read more

The food and then margarita flights were absolutely amazing The service was good as well. I would definitely recommend it to another friend family group of people that I do not. read more

If I could give this place no stars I would. Honestly horrible service and management. Made my original reservation at 5:30pm for my birthday on a Saturday, a full week in advanced because I know a weekend is busy. Called the day before to confirm my reservation and the guy over the phone asked if I could move the reservation, that I already had made at the time that worked for me to 6 pm, saying "it would really help us out if you could come a little later and it would make your service better" he then was apologizing because they overbooked themselves. So I agreed to move the reservation down to try to accommodate the restaurant. Showed up then to my reservation around 20 mins early and they basically told me I had to wait another 2 hours to be seated bc they overlapped and over booked. When I went inside the hostess were apologizing saying they understood and were very sorry that they did that. Meanwhile, there were other people inside frustrated that the same thing was happening to them and an older male, who was working there, basically told them "well honestly if you just go to another restaurant you won't wait as long" trying to get them out bc they overbooked. I was just frustrated so decided to go to another restaurant bc I was a party of 13 and we were hungry and had 2 diabetics in our group that needed to eat for their health. So I went inside and let them know they could cancel us so they would have the courtesy of knowing they didn't have to worry about us anymore. I asked to speak to a manager to see if there was anything they could do for me. Maybe just get me a reservation for a different day or even just a simple I'm sorry or voucher for just a drink or food or anything honestly. The male they proceeded to send my way made a face and said rudely "if there's anything we can give you?" And I said you know I just wanted to ask because the whole situation is unfair but he didn't care. Me and my party walked out upset and defeated. Never, ever going here again. Don't recommend. read more

Really bad food. The "asada" tacos were mostly inedible tendon. The absolute lowest quality beef I've ever had in a taco, like they trimmed a big steak and chopped up the trimmed cartilage and fat. The Carnitas tasted old and had obviously been put through a deep fryer. I politely let our waitress know we weren't satisfied. She offered no refund or exchange. Margaritas were average premix stuff. The building is beautiful, but that's about it. I paid the bill and left. Never coming back. read more

HUGE Portions!!! Cute little Mexican restaurant! it has a 2nd floor to special and private events Located downtown Riverside in the historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot and it has its own parking lot. Chips and Salsa were yummy the salsa was so fresh tasting it was hard not to have more than one chip. good flavor on their dishes. I have the build your own combo ( i picked the 3 piece combo) and regretfully for me it was a lot of food. portions are on the bigger side of things so i recommend sharing a plate but if you are of a bigger appetite then you'll be happy with any meal that you pick. I had 1 enchilada ( Carnitas ) 1 tostada (shredded beef) and 1 Sope ( beef ). the Sope was the most disappointing simply because i think it was undercooked. it was tough to cut through and it was though to chew. there burritos is what shocked me! i think they were about 4 inches wide and about 8-10 inches long with about 3 inches in depth. MASSIVE! ( please see pictures) they have good tasting cocktails but nothing too impressive. over all our service was nice and accommodating to out needs. my only suggestion would be to not seat anyone next to the back option for restrooms as i find it a bit awkward and the other thing is to improve on dusting and cleaning. i did find spider webs over my left should on the sliding door. read more

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Have been back once after Covid for dinner with friends. It was during the week. The food was ok but I haven't been back because it was juts too loud. They have loud music and tvs going at the same time. It's not a place where you'd want to go and relax and have conversations. read more

This is my second review of El Patron under its current ownership. I went back today because some friends wanted to go there for a weekday lunch. Some things were about the same and some were worse. Several employees and the manager (on his phone) are still sitting around in the bar area not doing much of anything while the music blasts so loud that everyone in the place has to speak loudly which exacerbates the problem of not being able to hear conversations. This time, I ordered the chile relleno burrito while my friends ordered Sombrero salads. The burrito was bland and mostly rice inside. The chile still had its hard stem attached. One of my friends kept finding small bits of something black in her salad which she initially thought was some sort of spring mix lettuce. She quickly discovered that there was a small black cocktail napkin hidden under the tortilla shell and she had been cutting into that. When she showed it to our server, Alma, she just laughed and said, "Oh no, don't eat that part". My friend mentioned that customers should be warned that there are inedible things on the plate, but Alma just laughed again and walked away. Another annoying problem was that we were seated in the dining room next to the patio where the sliding door was left open. We were bothered by several flies while trying to eat (yuck!) As of this writing, their liquor license is still suspended so no beer or margaritas. El Patron doesn't seem to care much about anything anymore, so I guess it won't bother them that we won't be back again. read more

Came for the $20 bottomless mimosas, stayed for the food! Do yourself a favor and order the pancakes they were so delicious and I mean for $14.99 you can not beat that. The vibe was chill and the service was good. My friends and I were seated right away and there was even someone having a baby shower. Our server was Ebbie I believe and she was cool and accommodating she kept the drinks flowing! The only thing I don't like nor understand about this place is that they charge you almost $11 more for paying with a card versus paying with cash and that's ridiculous - I've never been to an establishment that gives you two DIFFERENT totals and they should consider changing that - MY OPINION otherwise I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME all the staff my friends and I encountered were pleasant read more

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We stumbled upon El Patrón after abandoning our original dinner plans due to slow service. Located downtown in the historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot built in 1904, the setting was charming, and the food was decent, but the music was turned up to a level that made it difficult to carry on a conversation. We ordered the Chile Colorado, a stew made with pieces of beef simmered in a bold, flavorful red chile sauce made from dried ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and chiles de arbol. (I should have known, but didn't, that the dish wasn't named after my home state of Colorado. In Spanish Colorado translates to "colored red," so Chile Colorado is red chile.) El Patrons' was a pleasant surprise. Complex and savory, and the beef was fall-apart tender. Served with beans, Mexican rice and warm homemade tortillas on the side. We also tried the Carnitas. The pork shoulder was slow-cooked until it was tender and easily shredded, then crisped up on the flat top grill. The dish was served with guacamole and salsa, plus refried beans, rice and more of those fabulous tortillas on the side. A squeeze of lime juice added brightness to each bite. Overall, our meal at El Patrón was satisfying, if not particularly memorable. While our server seemed a bit green, struggling to describe some menu items, her friendly demeanor made up for it. It's worth noting that the restaurant is under new ownership as of May 2024, so they're still working out some kinks. we would definitely come back if we find ourselves in Riverside again. read more

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The food here is really good. However, for brunch their pozole portions are a smaller size for the same price as dinner . The waiter was nice and explained the size difference to us, we still felt deceived by the portion for the same price. read more

We come to happy hour at least once a month for the last 2 years. Sometimes it's a bit too loud and other times it's dead quiet. But we enjoy the ambiance and their margaritas have always hit. It does seem like they change things pretty frequently but all in all not a bad place to get a quick bite and drinks. read more

Love the taste of their food. A bit pricey but good. Staff and service is always good. I would have given them a five, but this restaurant's music is TOO LOUD!!! Can't hear those talking to me across our table. I like to enjoy dinner out with my friends where we can visit. It's a shame, we will pick a different place to eat due to this problem. read more

OH GOSH! WHERE DO I START!!! I booked this place for a holiday dinner party. I chose El Patron after looking at the variety of plates they had on their menu (BOY was I wrong!) I called and asked if they can accommodate a party of 20 and have our own room after being told yes, I agreed to make a reservation for 7pm, I was also told we would have our own restroom. THAT was a lie! They required a $300 reservation, which was only to hold the spot, complete understandable! I complied. They asked if I would want buffet style or a la carte. (I don't even know at this point which one would have been better!) My boss shows up to open the tabs about 40 min early. The very UNPROFESSIONAL and RUDE manager tells him we are not allowed the room until 7!!! When all he was trying to do was put a card down. Place was empty but that could have been because of a Thursday but didn't really pick up the entire night! (that should've told me something) Private room was upstairs, and restroom was downstairs which was not as promised! Seating arrangement was totally WRONG for a gathering. Some of my guests had their back to each other which was totally uncomfortable and awkward!! For 20 guests, we only had 1 waiter which that ABSOLUTELY did not workout at ALL! Keep reading so you can see why! Drinks were taken first, a guest of mine asked if they had a certain spirit she said yes, then came back minutes later to say they don't! Waiter went ahead with getting all our orders I even asked where exactly would be best for her to start so it was easier for her when plates came out, she then took orders, after about 10 minutes she returns to tell me they are OUT of a certain plate in which multiple people had ordered!! We then picked the alternative; they were cuts which were all cooked per guests requests and sides chosen per guests wants as well! All our plates were mixed up because they were brought out by other waiters when one of my guests politely explained that was not her plate because she chose all of one side. This new waiter rudely tells the guest "We don't do just one side!" only to find out minutes later her plate came out and was given to someone else! PRECISELY why I asked our waiter how exactly she wanted to take orders in the beginning, SO this wouldn't happen! Food had no flavor! But that's a hit and miss trying a new spot. Then some of our guests were ordering beer buckets. After ordering another bucket she then comes back minutes later to say they are out of that beer! It was a total fiasco! Wrapping up the night I asked for tab she then comes to tell me the reservation was only for 2 hours and I would have to be charged for the additional hours! I was NEVER told this and on top of all the mishaps they still wanted to throw this charge after going back and forth with the poor waiter because the manager was NOT there! And there was no other supervisor of any on site! BTW additional hours were 150 per hour! Safe to say, this is place IS NOT prepared for corporate events and probably not for general public either-that being that food runs out and drinks as well! Will not be returning or recommending! read more

Delicious food and always excellent service! Friendly welcoming environment. Best soy tacos ever; thank you, El Patron chefs. Today, we were there for lunch and when our server, Jo, came to our table to take our order, I asked her if the cooks had any soy prepared today, and she had already asked when she saw me arrive - they did. She has only been our server 2-3x in the past. We aren't there that often, we always enjoy it, but not really regulars and she remembered my favorite meal there. Thank you Jo, for being so thoughtful. read more

Delicious tacos al pastor. Big 3 tacos plate Good price and big portion. Tortilla soup delicious. Fast service and great customer service. Nice ambiance. Clean place. read more

Our server Fernando was the best I have had in a long time. He was attentive quick efficient and knew the best drink and food combination. The is also delicious. read more

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