This is our go-to restaurant in Jarrell!! The food is great, and we love that we can sub meat free options more than any other Mexican restaurant we've been to. We've gotten to know the owner and the staff over our visits and they're accommodating and so fun to talk to. The cantina side is great, so many tequila options and Brittany will teach you and expose you to so many new ones and is always making a new drink special. There is no place in a small town like Jarrell to get custom, creative, delicious, and beautiful cocktails other than El Pitayo!! The cantina side has a great atmosphere and the owner has donated to amazing causes and participates in the community events as much as possible. They also have fun events like tequila tastings, Valentine's painting events with custom menus and cocktails, etc. It truly is a gem of a little place and we love it. My friend door dashed the birria tacos to work in Georgetown regularly for solid month straight because she was hooked. Try it! It's the "hole in the wall", local, friendly place everyone always LOVES, but with a city flair added. read more

Good food and very good service from all. Online orders were just in time. Very convenient if you live in the neighborhood or coming from north read more

Stopped at this hidden gym while on a road trip to the beach. Very unassuming location, very clean, and very comfortable. The wait staff was phenomenal, and by staff I mean the one waitress who was taking care of the entire room and not missing a beat. We ordered the small shrimp quesadilla which had a great ranchero sauce, and the enchilada combo. The suiza sauce on my enchiladas was excellent, perfect salsa verde mixed in! If you are passing through and want to avoid the bustle of the big cities on 35, stop here instead. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Small Shrimp Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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Decent place . Service was lacking and drinks took awhile to get both time we ordered. It appeared it was only one bartender and one waitress on a Friday night . The happy hour margaritas were delicious, strong and you could tell they weren't a cheap pre made one. We got the loaded queso which was good . And a bunch of street tacos that weren't the best I've ever had but weren't the worst I've ever had . They have homemade flour tortillas which I ordered one to try (50cents) and it was kinda dry and boring , I added some queso to it and it made it better. The place was chill and i saw pictures of an outside patio but it was chilly outside so we decided to dine inside. I would def be back for the margaritas , and there were a couple other drinks that i would like to try read more

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I love owner's welcome spirit! The food was great when I came here for the first time but our second time wasn't the best. Food tasted a little old for whatever reason. The rice was super dry due to either cooking so long or it was old one. Keep the good quality and service! Cheers read more

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The food has consistently gone down hill over the past two years. Most recently everything tastes as though it is a reheated tv dinner. Very disappointing given the steady price increases. read more

This is probably the only restaurant in Jarrell that serves meals that can be customized to be vegan. In a small town like this one it's quite slim pickings. The owner told me that designed the menu so that vegans can eat here too. She said that tacos, chimichiangas, burritos, tortas, tostadas, and gorditas can be switched up to replace meat with nopales and potatoes including all sides. You can tell them to make it vegan and they know what that means. For breakfast, they serve an all vegan taco. Unfortunately, the rice isn't vegan since they use a chicken based seasoning. Only the black beans are vegan, do ask for no cheese. None of the desserts are vegan. I've been here three times already and have gotten the Texas burrito as well as the street taco plate. Each and every time has never disappointed me. The food has always been delicious and flavorful. I love the taste of the nopales with potatoes. The nopales have a bit of spicy kick to them and the potatoes are cooked throughout with spices. They don't have specialty vegan meat or cheese. It's more of a whole foods restaurant when it comes to veganism. The restaurant is huge with a primary dining area, the bar, and a secondary part. I've always eaten in the bar area as it doesn't contain that old dinghy smell that the other side has. All of the staff are very friendly and are bilingual in English/Spanish. There's plenty of parking out front and on the side. If you're into the alcohol, they have vegan drinks as well. I love coming here to eat; it's that hometown feel and vegan friendly too. read more

Our favorite taco Tuesday! Happy hour margaritas and crispy ground beef tacos. Hands down best in Jarrell. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Our favorite taco Tuesday! Happy hour margaritas and crispy ground beef tacos. Hands down best in Jarrell. - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

Service was very kind and fun. Margarita was top notch, 9/10. Food was highly forgettable. Chips are not house made, salsa tastes like bleach, flautas filled with chicken leather, kids' chicken tenders out of a bag. But the killer is the place is filthy overall. With gross floors & walls, and a very gross mens' room, I can't trust what's going on in the kitchen. Would go back for drinks if the fun waitress/bartender was there, but that would be the only reason. Since folks rate this place the "best in town", I think I'd drive to Austin or Temple before doing anything near here again. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Crispy taco, flautas. A+ - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

When in Rome... er... Jarrell, eat the Tex Mex. This was about as authentic as I would imagine texmex can be. Good service, delicious salsa, and every person at the table enjoyed their dish. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Birria enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

We love visiting El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen. The food, drinks and service is always on point. We've ordered serval different cocktails and they have all been excellent. We especially enjoy their happy hour menu, I get the al pastor street tacos & my husband thoroughly enjoys their fajitas. It's decorative inside with a cozy feel in the bar section. 10/10 recommend. read more

Wow how times have changed. When we first moved here this restaurant was really good it felt welcoming. Now not at all it feels a little creepy. You have to wait a while to get someone to help you up front. The food has taken a big hit as well. I got the chimichanga and let's just say not so good. The tortilla was extremely chewy the queso was super watery and the sides well I was able to finish my rice and beans in 2 fork fulls. I'm sad to say this might not be the place to go anymore. read more

First impressions, it was clean and quiet. The servers took a little to get us drinks but the rest was good. Wound up having a good convo in the bar area. Food could have used a little more seasoning. Was a bit bland. The black beans were good. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Grande Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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The place we'd planned to meet our friends was closed, and this was the first place we came to after. It was nice enough, but even though they didn't seem busy, service was incredibly slow. In most Mexican places, slow service doesn't matter if you have chips, salsa, and a margarita, but we didn't get chips until I asked. The margarita was not bad, but not too good. We both ordered burritos. Since they came with nothing else, I was hoping for one of those big, luscious overstuffed things that mama never made. But no. When our food FINALLY arrived, both were just smallish burritos that were so bland we both piled on salt and salsa. We're not likely to end up hungry in Jarrel again. And if we do, we'll drive on a bit further. read more

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Food was horrible. Chimichanga was soggy and the cheese enchiladas was basically a rolled up Cold tortilla topped with queso, the kind you get from a tostitos jar. To top it off there was no one at the front for us to pay, had to walk around the restaurant calling for them. Avoid this place and take your money elsewhere. read more

A fantastic vegetarian breakfast or any time taco Called Ginny Rabbit I got a migas taco too Both OH SO GOOD!!! A keeper We will be back! Great service. read more

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The food was ok nothing to brag about and I brag on food when it's good. I'm going to try there competition. In the same area Jarrell Texas. I had the shrimp enchiladas read more

Geographically, this restaurant is about the same distance from me as several other Mexican restaurants in Killeen and Harker Heights but this restaurant is now the one I know I would prefer to go to! Not only do they offer more variety of options, proteins in particular, but everything we tried was absolutely delicious and super fresh. My group tried the pastor dinner plate, charro beans (best I've tried from a restaurant), corn tortillas, chicken enchiladas with a tangy verde sour cream sauce, barbacoa (YUM) tostada, fajitas, and quesabirria. All members of our group loved what they got. It's a small place, with a giant craft cocktail bar menu (we didn't get any), friendly service, with great food. I'd definitely go back and have already shared and told several people about Pitayo. read more

I am giving a 3.5 and rounding up to a four. Why? I really, really liked the food. First let's start with the not so good .... The service. We walked in and there was a man eating and NO servers anywhere. My husband noticed a sign that say additional seating in the bar area. We walked over to the bar and there were two people working behind the bar and about 6 people at the bar. No one acknowledged us. We sat down for and waited for awhile. Just before I was about to get up and leave someone came to the table with chips and salsa. The good .... The food. The salsa was really good and although the chips didn't look great they were very tasty. We ordered the elote en Vaso with the hot sauce on the side (I am a wimp). I really liked it. My husband wanted more seasoning. I think he would have liked it better with the hot sauce already in it. We also ordered the shrimp and beef fajitas for two. It was wonderful. I loved the shrimp. Cooked perfectly with a nice pop when I bit into them. The steak was a bit chewy for me, but my husband loved it. We asked for no green peppers which they were able to accommodate. Facebook posts lead me here and I am so glad they did. Yum read more

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As authentic of a Mexican food place you can get in Jarrel and near Georgetown. We got street tacos $2 per during happy hour and they were great. Ask for the spicy jalapeno creme salsa - yes they have it! To he sopapillas were not like how some restaurants fry flour tortillas as a shortcut, they were actually doughy. The ranchero plate was also very well flavored and hefty. read more

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A quaint and unassuming Mexican restaurant in downtown Jarrell, Texas. The menu is extensive and the food is better than good. It can get quite busy with the local ranchers coming in for lunch and dinner but service is fast. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They have daily specials that are reasonably priced. The locals love this place and I can see why! Pop in if you're close by. They are right off the highway. Curb your appetite with some great Mexican food. You'll love it! read more

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We were visiting family in the area and they recommended this restaurant to us! This place was super busy!! We ordered online and it was an hour wait. It's worth the wait! As we arrived to our curbside time, we were excited for them to have our order correctly. My chorizo and egg tasted authentic! I am a breakfast taco lover and loved this place! We only had to wait a few minutes upon arrival to get our food. I can't wait to come back and try other items on the menu! I was very pleased with my meal and tasted very fresh! read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Home style fries - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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Small town restaurant in a small town mere steps off I-35. The staff is always pleasant, and service is pretty fast, depending on the crowd, as space is limited. This is actually a review after visiting a few times without leaving a review. We had a naked burrito bowl, quesabirria, and house margaritas on tjis trip. The burrito bowl was excellent. The quesabirria was good but lacking just a bit. I ecpected a bit more flavor. I'd get it again, but only after trying other items that I haven't tried yet. If you're ever passing thru and want a break from the fast food and truck stop fare, stop on thru. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Naked burrito bowl - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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Great location when traveling on interstate 35. They have recently added on to the building. I ordered just a single beef fajita taco. The meat has a different kind of seasoning, not your usual grilled fajita taste. I got a side order of a small bowl of Queso and I couldn't believe how small the bowl is for $6. My husband ordered a $16 plate Bistec Ranchero. It had the same kind of beef with the strange seasoning. We were not offered water and I didn't receive chips with my $6 bowl of Queso. In my opinion it was pricey for the quantity and quality. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Small $6 bowl of Queso - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

Super impressed by the breakfast tacos here!! Full sized, cooked to order & reasonably priced! I stopped in after dropping my dog off at the vet. The reviews were good, and I just can't pass up a good taco op! I ordered a migas taco, Holy guacamole & a Vaquero Taco. I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite! All were fantastic, flavorful & well prepared! I'm looking forward to trying out the lunch/dinner options! Give them a try! Good service & tasty tacos. A winner! read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Steak & egg, migas & bacon avocado breakfast tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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They have Great food at a great price! This is our go-to Mexican restaurant to eat at.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Round Rock/Georgetown/Jarrell area! We come every week for the happy hour. Friendly service, tasty tacos, and the tequileño margaritas are awesome! read more

Very good food. Great service, food looked good and was very tasty. I really enjoyed their nopales. I had them on top of my nachos. read more

I would give it five stars but a lot of the servers are not great. The food is definitely five star. It just depends on the server if you get a good one or not that understands how to communicate with you! Really good food I go there all the time,suggest you do as well! read more

The food at El Pitayo is wonderful! We have been here several times and love how authentic it is! The flavor was spot on and the handmade tortillas were fantastic! Loved it!!! read more

Best compliment we can give--it tastes like home (Chicago)!!! It's small but mighty. The booths are exceptionally roomy. The decor is neighborhood fiesta decor. Lacy cutouts, posters of tourist places in Mexico,paper flowers. The flavors hit you coming in the door. We couldn't wait for our plates. Mouths were watering. For dinner we had street tacos el pastor and bistec ranchero. The meats were succulent and juicy. Fresh fresh grilled vegetables. For drinks my husband had strawberry margarita and prickly pear margarita. Oh my the prickly pear is sooo smooth, not bitter just island love refreshing. Since moving to Temple, authentic Mexican dishes have been hard if not impossible. El Pitayo, is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Fresh hand made tortillas , well seasoned meat, fresh lettuce, earthy cilantro,creamy guacamole. A plate of sizzling spicy fajitas was just served at the table next to us. So sorry you cannot smell them,cuz you'd be here already. We are taking an extra order of street tacos home with their extra spicy salsa. We came at about 3:30 pm, no crowds. But with food this good, I'm sure they will be here soon. Right on the Bartlett exit on I 35 S. Don't drive too fast you'll miss it. We will be back and soon!!! read more

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Great (Authentic) Mexican food, no "Tex-Max" can't sit here seats taken! Lol Great food, awesome atmosphere, no complaints. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Cheese quesadilla, charro beans, Barbacoa - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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Me and my parents decided to go to this restaurant because it wasn't that far from us and we wanted a quick meal. The food was good but the food was kind of bland Took a bit too long but overall great read more

When I talk Mexican food with people, everyone has a different view of what that dining experience should be. Some want a wall of tequilas at the bar and mariachis on the patio, and others want a little flag to raise at the table, signaling more cheap eats. Then, there are people like me looking for that little locally-owned restaurant serving the standard fare you'd expect but also regional specialties that celebrate the owner's heritage. El Pitayo in Jarrell is my favorite locally-owned authentic Mexican restaurant serving Tex-Mex and interior dishes. If you can get there before the local dinner crowd, I recommend the pineapple mimosa and the street taco Pick-4 deal for Happy Hour. My favorites are the papas con rajas y queso and the nopales tacos. Anytime I see rajas on the menu, I order it. The poblano pepper strips on this taco come with sweet grilled onions, and I must have at least one of these each time I visit. The grilled cactus taco comes with cool crumbles of queso fresco and chopped cilantro--a most authentic street taco. Cactus features strongly on the menu at El Pitayo, so why not have a dinner based on its namesake. I suggest a frozen prickly pear margarita with salt and the enchiladas El Bajio. The plate has three potato and cactus enchiladas topped with a duo of salsas: red guajillo chile on one half and tart green tomatillo on the other. Rice and beans are the standard sides but when asked if you want charro or refried beans, pick the charros. I've never had charro beans this good. Typically, they're too fatty or too bland. El Pitayo uses whole strips of fried bacon in their charros and the right amount of fried onion and peppers. It is a savory, velvety side that offsets the sweetness of the margarita. From the stark white walls and Vírgin mural outside to the colorful pápel Picado and great music inside, El Pitayo transports you to Mexico with its cuisine and friendly service. What started as a food truck is now a brick-and-mortar serving the local community and those who drive over for a little something different. read more

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Delicious! Their homemade tortillas are so good! Service is quick. Their homemade salsa is perfect w just enough heat and very tasty. I ordered the Al pastor. It was amazing and probably the best I have had. They do something to the meat to add so much flavor. Love this place! read more

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I've been getting posts on my feed on Instagram about their delicious food so I thought I'd drop in and see if the food was as good as it looks in the pictures. A small, quaint restaurant with a lot of charm that's right smack in the middle of town with easy freeway access. We were promptly greeted at sat. Chips and salsa were delicious. I asked to see if they had a spicier salsa as I do with all Mexican restaurants , and they did! The green tomatillo and green (Doña style) sauce were legit. I ordered a menudo and quesabirria taco with consumé. Wife ordered steak chimichanga plate. Both were decent but lacking salt. The restaurant was pretty empty for a Saturday night but I noticed a lot of people picking up to go orders. Service was just ok. Our server could've been a little friendlier but definitely did the job in getting our requests. Worthy note: wifey did say their horchata was excellent!! It's hard to please my wife when it comes to horchata. Will come back when I'm in town. read more

May seem like a far drive from Manor, but it was truly worth it. I would have never known about El Pitayo but they started following me on IG and after seeing the menu we planned out trip...Super friendly service and we started with the basics...Chips, Salsa and Queso...salsa was fresh tasting...Queso was good and with a couple scoops of salsa it was perfect...Chips and water both stayed full. Wife went with Beef enchiladas, double rice with red sauce...they were fat and flavorful...meat by itself was good and with the sauce made for a great bit of food...I went with chicken enchiladas , beans and rice. chicken was tender and has flavor...green sauce was great...beans were excellent and we both enjoyed the rice...They have a great looking breakfast menu as well which gives us the excuse to come back again...was a great visit! read more

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The staff was friendly. The chips were fantastic! Salsa was good. Food was good Now the most important, the Margaritas, tasted like limeade. Not sure it even contained tequila. Very disappointed. read more

The cutest lil stop in Jarrell for authentic Mexican food. Hubby is picky and only likes chicken, tortilla and cheese and it was flavorful! The Cali burrito was hands down the best hurry I've ever had. I could only finish half! Prices are very inexpensive. We will definitely be back again :) read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - California Burrito and 2 chicken fajita tacos with only cheese - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas

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A hidden gem in the tiny town of Jarrell Tx. If you're in town or near by, check this place out. Authentic Mexican. Amazing Street tacos , their Homemade tortillas really top it off. read more

El Pitayo Mexican Kitchen - Chicken street tacos and a margarita to go - Mexican Near Me - Jarrell, Texas