El Rey is a fabulous hole in the wall outside of Maplewood downtown, and is very much worth the drive over! The inside of the restaurant is colorful and clean but modest, with a few tvs hanging on the wall showing soccer games. The food is exceptional - it was clearly made fresh to order. Everything was hot and flavorful. The beans are vegetarian which I was thrilled about, and it opened up many vegetarian options on the menu as a result. Will be back! read more

First time visit via best lunch near me Yelp search. The place was empty as we arrived after 2pm. The dishes we tried were all fresh and tasty. It is not as authentic as Southern California, Arizona or Texas, but they served us delicious food with a smile. read more

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Marnie really like the guacamole (it mixed in some nice pico de gallo), and her cheese enchiladas verdes. My Al Pastor tacos were quite good, but a bit dry, so they could have used some more pineapple. I just added some of the salsa, which worked fine. The restaurant is BYOB, but they do have a corkscrew. :) read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Tacos de Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Best mexican food in Maplewood!!! I've been looking for a place for years and finally found my go-to place. They do a huge takeout business but I dined in. The service was great here. The man at the front (I wish I got his name) was awesome. He was so friendly and even comped our diet coke and jarritos. We started with chips and guac. The portion of guac was so generous and it was so creamy and flavorful with the seasonings, tomato, and onion. I got a chicken burrito and it was the best burrito that I can remember having. It was a big portion and the sauces on top really made the dish. That avocado crema was amazing. We finished with a tres leches that had such bright flavors and a perfect texture. Ambiance is super casual and restaurant was very well heated. A great cozy spot for some amazing Mexican food! read more

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I've eaten here whenever I come to visit. It has the best Mexican food since what I used to have in Phoenix. For anyone used to typical East Coast Mexican food, this food would be a real-eye-opener on what Mexican food can taste like. Plus, it's very reasonably priced. read more

I don't really know what "Authentic" Mexican food is but I know it's not L.A. or Texmex. But the food is very good. There's no acoustics in the place and it gets real noisy with only a few people in the place. Not real happy they don't have pinto or refried beans. read more

Good food, nice vibe! Came here on a Friday ~ 6 for dinner. Made a reservation for two, but definitely didn't need to. The spot is quite spacious and wasn't busy at all when we arrived. I ordered the enchiladas verdes and my friend ordered the taco salad. They were very accommodating, allowing my friend to add carnitas in her taco salad, which she seemed to enjoy! As for the enchiladas, apparently they are all made mild, BUT you can (and should, if you're like me) ask them to kick up the spice. The flavor and spice level was perfect. Only issue I'd say is that the chicken was a bit tough/dry. Definitely overcooked...but the flavor was there! Worth checking out if you're in the area and in the mood for a flavorful meal! If I go again, I'd prob opt for another protein choice, and maybe try out some of their tacos! Note: While they don't have a parking lot, there's tons of street parking and public parking lots around the area! read more

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I really went to get the Mexican Street Corn. It was wonderful. Enjoyed the food, had flan for dessert, definitely plan on returning.

Food was very good. More authentic style Mexican food. We had carnitas tacos and birria tacos. They definitely could've used more salt but were tasty nonetheless. The rice and beans were actually the one thing we did not like. They seemed like just canned beans with no flavor whatsoever. How can a Mexican restaurant not make good beans? And they need to put the salt shakers on the table since you'll probably need it. The service was a little slow as there were not many people working. I would go back and I would recommend trying. read more

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Stopped by to fulfill a burrito craving and it was tasty. Service was friendly and made suggestions of going with corn tortilla over flour when getting the birria tacos. The establishment was clean and well taken care of. Food wise, it's a solid choice. I wish the birria tacos were more crunchy, but that's probably a different style. These weren't crispy at all. My only suggestion to the staff is to put the cups and napkins not on the edge of the table; I had to be careful I didn't knock things over when entering and exiting. read more

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It's a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. First off, you MUST get the quinoa fritters. They are unique, and exceptional. Also, the mole is the best that I've ever had - and that says a lot, because I'm old. read more

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Consistently great food. The carne asada and carnitas are both excellent and keep me coming back

I ordered steak tacos with corn tortillas. This is the toughest steak, not burned, just the lowest quality tough beef. I think they should get containers with little holes in the top so the food does not deliver soggy. My tortillas were very soggy. read more

Great food and great service! We ordered the enchiladas and an extra order of tacos and enjoyed everything. I was so hungry, I forgot to take pictures before diving in. With that said, the presentation was excellent and "looked like the pictures" which is something I can always appreciate. The atmosphere was pretty standard for a Mexican food restaurant but was still very well done and inviting. The only critique would be that the black beans and rice were a little under seasoned but a little season salt and chili powder took them to the level I prefer. When in the area and wanting Mexican, this should be your go to spot. read more

Went here last night with my wife and two grandsons. We had a reservation, but it wasn't needed. Located on a main thoroughfare in Maplewood, but plenty of parking nearby. It's a BYOB. We shared an order of fresh guacamole and chips that was very good. For mains my grandsons both had steak burritos and thought they were very good. My wife had the chicken fajitas and loved it. I had they fish tacos ( 3 come to an order) and while they were very good, they were also quite small. One small piece of fried fish per taco. Overall , very good. Will return. read more

Everything is excellent. Great food, great service, very clean -- very good value for the money.

I really hate to do this because this was so good when it opened, but the meal tonight was very mediocre. The chicken tacos were made with tortillas that were not fresh and the chicken itself was dry, cubed and without much spice or taste. This is very different from when they opened. In addition, it took about an hour and a half to get the tacos because it was one server for the entire restaurant. That same server decided not to put any pico de gallo on the tacos because I asked not to have any extra onions and then when I realized there was not on my taco, I asked him to bring it, and he charged me for a side of the stuff that was supposed to come on the taco to begin with. When mentioned to the waiter he was very un apologetic and just said that he had to charge for it even though he was the one who cancelled it. Overall very unimpressed. I hope this is not representative of a drastic change in the quality of the food there and if it's just a blip, then perhaps I will change my rating again. read more

The food was excellent and very fresh. The service was top notch too. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Two of us had enchiladas - chicken & vegetarian - both were excellent, as was the spicy shrimp. The service on the other hand, not so good. read more

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Excellent authentic Mexican cuisine, served with an appreciation for detail. Friendly and attentive staff. Nice ambiance as well! If you want cervezas with your meal though, you'll have to bring them with you. Will definitely be back! read more

Excellent food. Went back for a second time and still delicious. Will go back. My son loves it and he's a picky toddler. Will recommend to others read more

First stop and visit to NJ. We found this place because we were looking for fajitas. We were delightfully surprised by the whole experience at El Rey. They have mastered a beautiful way to showcase mexican cuisine. We ended up getting tacos de carne asada and the tequila lime salmon as well as the quinoa croquettes. Everything was absolutely amazing!! I wish I had room for dessert as I am sure they are just as delicious! The ambience and environment was peaceful and quiet for a nice relaxing dinner. read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Quinoa Croquettes - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

This place is AMAZING!!!! I tried the pibil tacos, grilled octopus, el volcán, chips and guacamole, and the churros. They make their tortillas themselves and you can definitely tell because of how fresh everything tasted. The service was also so attentive and generous with their time. I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I saw they have many options for vegetarians. The place has beautiful walls and flowers on each table. The plants are well taken care of and so is this restaurant. Definitely an awesome spot in Maplewood that I will go out of my way to return to. 100000/10!!! read more

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We ordered later on a weeknight and just expected to not starve. We ordered steak quesadilla, chicken fajitas and a vegan quinoa dish. Everything looked appetizing and the good food have good flavor however, the meat was all over cooked and dry. I would definitely try them again but dine in only as the issue could be the time it takes for delivery. read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Chicken Fajitaas del Chingon steak Quesadillas de Bistec La Vegana - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

We've been back to this Maplewood gem 3 times in three weeks, and still our local favorite. We've tried quite a few different dishes and all were excellent! read more

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Ordered takeout after hearing good things about this place. Enchiladas verde was delicious and vibrant Enchiladas mole had a wonderful spicy kick Al pastor tacos were on par with some of the best in the area Overall, the whole family was very happy with the food and looking forward to trying it in-person next time. read more

A Great addition to our town for all to enjoy. We really like their enchiladas. I'm on a limited diet, but can easily find a protein and veg dish to enjoy. Our kids LOVE their burritos. read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Enchiladas Tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Really fresh and well prepared food with great service. Went during their first weeks on a hot summer night with no AC. They dragged out a good fan that cooled us just as the AC guy arrived. They really were accommodating and helpful. read more

This place is great with so many deep flavors. Best Mexican I've had in a long time! read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - El Volcan - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Note: BYOB (alcohol) Parking: lot about 25 yards away from the restaurant. Ambiance: small, simple, clean Service: very good (had 2 waiters checking on our party of 5 the entire time) Menu: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc...made with fresh ingredients and offered with an array of sauces One of the better small venue Mexican restaurants in north Jersey. read more

Really great food, especially love the mole! Local small business, love supporting them :)

New restaurant with interesting options, attentive service and offering a bright spot on the avenue. Keep up the great work! We'll be back again! read more

The food here is really delicious! We came for a family dinner and across the group had flautas, quinoa croquettes, enchiladas verde, a couple of quesadillas, the salmon and el volcan...everyone was very happy with their food. Friendly and attentive service. Looking forward to going back and trying more menu items read more

Came here on a Saturday night. No wait for a table around 6. Veggie tacos were delicious and the service was excellent. Will definitely come again. read more

Service was very very slow. It really wasn't busy. Food took awhile to get. When I finally got my food. Everything looked delicious. Took the first bite into my tacos cold. Took my first bite into my enchiladas cold. Told the waiter my tacos and my mole enchiladas were cold. He just said sorry and I'll bring you your check then walked away. Didn't offer any resolution. Even though my food was cold. The food was delicious. I might give them another chance. read more

Mexican restaurants in our area tend to be very generic, but the food here is noticeably better than similar restaurants we've tried. The shrimp in the chicken quesadilla was tender and tasty, not the rubberized thing most places serve. My wife's salmon was very good, served on a nice bed of veggies. The chicken enchilada verde was very tasty, and the addition of a little shedded cabbage lettuce turned it up and added a nice crunch. Good prices and sincere, attentive service. We will be back. read more

Rocking artisanal Mexican Had takeout- Octopus salad Corn quesadillas birria Bunch of different tacos, enchiladas rojas All superb. Usually hit up Benji's but now have a super local option we will be ordering from here again-- read more

Really great food, great taste with sense that it was cleanly made without a lot of extra fat, cheese or oil. Reasonably priced. BYOB. Yep in mind, it's a small space. read more

Incredible. Everything was a 10/10. I've been here 3 times this week. Super friendly staff, so happy this place came to maplewood! read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Carne Asada Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Had the Birria tacos and inhaled them! Can not wait to go back. I want to try everything on the menu. The restaurant is adorable too. read more

El Rey Mexican Restaurant - Birria Taco - Mexican Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey