I had dinner at El Sarape last night . It had been several months since my last visit. It was wonderful! You can eat on the patio or a get takeout if you don't feel comfortable eating in. They have survived and thrived so much construction and covid...they deserve a shout out! read more

A family staple. We've tried a bunch of Mexican restaurants on the South Shore and this is by far our favorite. The pollo naranja and pollo mole are our favorite dishes. The sunset margaritas are fantastic! Parking can be a challenge. Seating is not comfortable enough to encourage a long loungey meal. But the food is terrific! read more

We have eaten here three or four times and although I'll admit I'm not real familiar with Mexican restaurants, this place has been a great dining experience every time we've been there...The wait, when there is one has been short, the wait staff is very knowledgeable about their menu items and their food has been superb.The other night I had a stuffed Rib Eye steak and it was a surpisingly delicious meal... El Sarape is well worth a visit if you are in the area read more

Ole and Mole in Braintree El Sarape is probably the only bright spot of color in an otherwise dour Weymouth Landing in Braintree. There are a few taverns, a couple of luncheonettes and the night I was there, about 50 motorcycles parked in front of a local bar. El Sarape (the names describes the multihued, woven blankets of Mexico) is typical of many Mexican restaurants. There are pumpkin colored walls, handsome sarape- hangings, the obligatory ceramic tropical birds, and faux-Mexican patterns on the tabletops. The restaurant is quite welcoming and generates a pleasant warmth that makes dining here fun. But the big problem, and it's very easily corrected, is that the food, while good, suffers from a bland presentation with none of the colors and care that the restaurant and the diners deserve. And that's too bad. It should be addressed. Our meal started with the usual chips and salsa. The chips, probably homemade, lacked crispness and seemed a bit tired, but the salsa was fresh with a nice hint of cilantro and the right amount of heat. It was served in an attractive earthenware bowl. My partner ordered a Tecate beer, in my opinion Mexico's best , and was pleasantly surprised that it came in a frosted glass mug. My Cabernet was a perfectly fine house wine. Margarita lovers will find a varied range of the specialty drink, from the Grand Serape signature to the Black Gold and the familiar Mango Margarita. The Clasica Margarita is made with Sauza Tequila, my absolute favorite. I like that many of El Sarape's waiters and the owner are Mexican. Aside from being able to practice my abysmal Spanish, the Mexican staff add an authenticity. The first appetizer was a Guacamole Salad, two big scoops of mashed fresh avocados, again with the right degree of spice. Interestingly, I overheard a nearby diner say how hard he tried to avoid spicy food. Why come? I thought. But the restaurant does a good job of balancing the right amount of spice to the usually unadventurous American palate, so cautious diners have nothing to fear. We then ordered the Black Bean Soup which came, as it should, piping hot with a nice smoky flavor: a deep, dark soup that wasn't heavy as some can be. Here's where I really noticed the presentation problem. How difficult would it have been to add a few bright red pepper slices or a few slices of lemon or tomato to off set the monochrome of green guacamole on a lonely piece of green lettuce leaf? Couldn't the black bean soup have had a few parsley or cilantro sprigs? The Pescado Cilantro were several slices of very tender, very moist, light white fish sautéed in a garlic and coriander aka cilantro sauce. The rich green reduction was mild but quite fresh. But here again, the dining experience would have been greatly enhanced if the chef added some color (any color!), some zest and make the dish appealing. We do eat with our eyes too. The next entrée was Pollo en salsa de Mango, sliced chicken breast pretty much covered in a mango, ginger and orange juice sauce. Same problem. Chicken just sitting in a sauce, however delicious, is not especially appetizing. There were other choices that might have fared better. I tried looking at other orders as they passed by me, but I couldn't tell. The meals come with a refried bean side dish and a side of rice. For desert we had the Pastela, light coconut cheesecake which was terrific and worked well with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Sometime I'll try the Sarape Roll, a sugar shell stuffed with cheesecake over a bed of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. El Sarape deserves to be visited, but it needs to do everyone a favor by improving its presentations, a comment I've since heard from previous diners. Such an easy thing to make right. read more

i've been going here (along with la paloma in quincy) since i was a kid. and ever since i was a kid, i've pretty much gotten one thing: tostadas with no meat. SO good. they manage to keep the shell on the bottom cruncy while having loads of bubbling cheeses and beans on top. and their guacamole is one of my favorites. two things to watch out for: 1) if you're a vegetarian, don't eat the rice! there's chicken stock in it. 2) if you plan on going around dinner time, ESPECIALLY if it's a weekend, plan on waiting a bit. you can grab a drink at the bar but it's verrrrry small so don't count on having real room to sit. read more

Laughing hysterically at all the negative reviews. Like people going on Tuesdays, and frozen meat, and canned tomatoes, this and that. The rib eye is to die for on a bad day. The service is fast and the food is fresh and DELICIOUS. The bar tender Vitas (spelling?) is a great guy and does what he can to make his customers happy. I believe the wall that is completely COVERED in awards says it all. I've had nearly everything on the menu and everything is good. The chips and salsa are made daily and they make their own caramel which is to die for. Margaritas (the chain), and Acapulcos in Quincy couldn't compare to Sarape in their wildest dreams. If you don't want authentic delicious Mexican and don't believe that 'Sarape is, stick to taco bell or Margaritas. Try this place! Period. Dont take my word, Take Zagat, Best of Boston, and Phantom Gourmet's word. read more

I went to El Sarape last night and I have to say the food is excellent!! I usually get the enchiladas verde and the house margartia. Last night I ordered the classic margarita and it was delicious!! I also ordered the Pescado relleno and it was to die for! I loved it so much that I want it for take out tonight. Great place to meet for a drink or a night out with the girls for dinner and drinks. read more

If you like Mexican food, check this place out. I've been a bunch of times and it is always so good. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because sometimes the service is lacking. I don't know how much I care, since I keep going back for more of those magical carnitas and chiles relenos. However you spell it. Wicked good hole in the wall. read more

I cannot imagine a bad meal or service here; our first visit -food was excellent, service was great. Classic Mexican food appetizer to dessert. Bring your appetite you won't be disappointed. Parking is rough in dinner hour but the walk will do you good! read more

Extremely disappointed with the meal that was received last evening. Recently moved to Braintree and heard that the food was great however the meal that I received was terrible. It was cold, soggy and had absolutely no taste. We called in the order, when we got there, they did not have it and said they lost it....came to us with a long sheet of paper asking us if any of these names were ours....had already waited 45 minutes as stated on the phone before going to pick it up and then had to reorder when arrived and waited another 25 minutes. Was not worth the wait or time. Will not be returning. read more

It's our first time to dine here with my husband, my son, and friends and it sure did not disappoint. Their Pescado Relleno is very very delicious too. The atmosphere is great! We felt like we were back in Arizona and having this great authentic Mexican dishes there. I gave it three stars because first, although their margarita tastes really good and authentic but it has lots of ice on it. Maybe next time I'll ask the waiter to put just a little ice. Second, not all waiters are kid-friendly which it says here it is a kid-friendly restaurant. Of course a toddler will cry too and make some noise but it's not all the time. (can see the glaring stares and my son just cried like 5-10 minutes the entire time we were there). So I think some old waiters should be patient with that. (The young waitresses loved my son anyway and find him adorable). Overall, good and authentic food. Would recommend for dinner dates. read more

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We came to El Sarape looking for something non turkey after thanksgiving. It was fantastic. Having lived and traveled across the country in the past 10 years, this is the best Mexican I've found in Massachusetts. The food was traditional and delicious. I had tacos caseros and my wife had the sarape combination. The steak was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Is you are looking for Mexican on the south shore. I'd recommend el sarape! read more

We're becoming desperate for a good Mexican place in Massachusetts and I'm afraid we may have to keep looking. El Sarape was ADEQUATE (ouch, I know) but not fantastic. I went for a late-ish dinner on Friday night with my husband. It was pretty busy and there was live music - lucky for us there was a table in the back away from all the hubbub so we could actually have a conversation. Our waiter was friendly enough, but had a tendency of looking to my husband for any rulings on food. (i.e., Ready to order? Any more drinks? whilst looking right at my husband, not me.) Well, he's old school, and I didn't take too much offense. I really wanted a strawberry margarita, and the waiter almost seemed to be trying to talk me out of it (not the best sales pitch). The good news is my margarita was awesome, as was my husband's. We were served complimentary chips & salsa, but beware - ask for more chips and this will cost you extra $$$. As for the food, it was just okay. For our appetizer we were excited to try a three cheese dip with sliced chorizo, but when it came out it was less of a dip and more a bowl of melted cheese. It was stringy and impossible to eat! Tasty, yes - as you would expect a bowl of melted cheese to be - but definitely weird. For our entrees we both ordered fajitas - me chicken, him steak. The chicken was good, steak was kind of tough. The meat is grilled in a garlic butter, and what's not to love about that. The portions are generous - however, they charge you an extra $3.75 if you want cheese, sour cream, and guac for your fajitas... isn't that usually standard? This, plus charging for extra chips, is just kinda tacky, and left a bad taste in my mouth. The verdict? We'll be back when we're hungry for Mexican and too lazy to travel far. But, I'll switch up my order because the food I tried was just so-so. read more

I love this place. The food, service, drinks and atmosphere all get a thumbs up. Saturday nights can get crowded, but the wait isn't too bad, and there is live music too! Sitting up at the bar can be tough. And on Cinco de mayo they try and throw a party. Hands down best margarita's ever - I like the cadillac. I also recommend the Pollo Monterey (or something like that) -- cheesy stuffed chicken, wrapped in *crispy* bacon, swimming in a fresh guacamole sauce = yummy! Also offer Free chips and homemade salsa. They do large parties as well. I think this place is definitely worth a try! read more

Came here for a couple drinks, they were decent, too much ice though, overall, an okay experience. Friendly staff read more

El Sarape - Mexican Near Me - Braintree, Massachusetts

I hate to write a review like this but while the service was great the food was probably the worst we have had in a long time . I have never seen Mexican food so bad . read more

I love Mexican food but this place is trash it's like they boiled a chicken with no favor and put it in my taco rice and beans where cold but the margaritas were good as hell read more

chips are stale, u lost me there. beans were black smashed, servers were nice, drinks par at best

Best food and drink on South Shore... great service...try the Sangeria.. dips are awesome...when I need picked up I hit this place and always feel much better read more

This place is great if you want to pay $60 for 2 meals. We ordered lunch from here for the office and told them specifically "from the lunch menu" which is cheaper and once we got there expecting to maybe pay $30, we were billed $60 and told that they don't serve lunch anymore. This place is not even that good and DEFINITELY not worth the money. read more

We have been going to El Sarape for about 20 years and had not gone for a few months. Many restaurants are using smaller servings and cutting corners in other ways. We did not find that in our latest visit. I ordered the Carne Asada, my wife orders Pescado Relleno and our daughter Enchilada de Pollo. Everything was as good as the last time we went. My wife's sangrias were as good as always. The guacamole, chips and salsa were as good as usual. My wife said the salsa was served in a smaller bowl, but you can always ask for more - no extra cost. We struck up a conversation with the folks and the next table and gave them some tips on what to order next time. Their cuisine es Veracruz so it is more Caribbean, more spicy, which I like. Even though we live farther away now, we hope to be able to visit more often. read more

Came early on Friday night. Parking was atrocious as there's construction going on everywhere and this place is at a busy intersection. Once we traversed the streets, we sat down promptly. Our server was polite and relatively attentive. We tried the guacamole as previously reviews raved about it. I thought it was good-no mind blowing revelation however. I actually think I've had much better homemade. We also shared the queso dip with chorizo. That was out of this world! I got the steak fajitas and they were good-not great. No sour cream, lettuce, nothing to add to your wrap other than rice and beans. I believe they sell if for an additional cost after I placed my order I discovered. All in all, it's ok. Not great-not bad, hence 3 stars. I definitely will not go out of my way to go back. read more

Best Pollo Naranja I've ever had. The Chile's Rellanos are spectacular with green and red sauce. A must visit location even though it's in a strip mall. read more

Its always incredibly dissapointing when a business that you once enjoyed so greatly not only loses its luster, but comes pretty close to being terrible. The food and the service had always been fantastic in my opinion - but the last few visits have been dissapointing and the last visit sealed my opinion. After waiting awkwardly for several minutes in the reception area (2 waitresses and the manager walked by us several times without ackowledgement) we were seated. The restaurant was maybe 1/2 full and it was not busy night. We waited 5 minutes for the waitress to bring menus and another 5 to take our drink order at which time were were ready to order our food. After placing our food order.. our already seldom seen waitress, dissapeared. We waited 45 mins for our food (2 tables, seated 10 mins after us, recieved their food before us). The Manager could see us looking around for the waitress and brought us ours meals from the kitchen. The entrees were barely warm (they had absolutely been sitting out back) - and the rice and beans were scorching hot (as were the plates.. obviously microwaved). Everything needed salt (even the chips and salsa!) and you have to ask for it (which is difficult when your waitress is persona non grata). No one asked us how our food was. The 2 stars is because, in spite of needing salt and being luke warm, everything tasted good. After finishing our meals - we sat. And sat. Our waitress had tables in another room of the restaurant and ignored us. The manager and another waiter, seeing the frustration on our faces and noticing us trying to get our waitresses attention, literally tapped her on her shoulder and directed her our way. She came over all flustered and aplogizing (clearly, she knew she hadn't seen us in a while..) and asking how our meals were.. Really? I will not be back to El Sarape anytime soon, which definitely bums me out. Used to be a great place. read more

My wife and I went here (against a warning from my father) because we had a coupon from our Entertainment book. My wife is of Mexican descent and knows how to prepare REAL Mexican food, and we lived in Phoenix (where there is a lot of traditional Mexican food) before moving back to the Boston area, so maybe we are biased. However, biased or not, El Sarape is NOT good, nor is it REAL Mexican food. If you want good Mexican food on the South Shore, go to Acapulco's in Weymouth or Quincy. That said, here is my brief review of our experience: 1.) El Sarape is in a very congested area, so be prepared to deal with traffic and fight for parking. It's really not worth all of this effort. 2.) The service was excellent. Our waitress (Elba) was friendly and attentive, can't complain about that. The restaurant is clean and organized. 3.) Free chips & salsa, unfortunately, the salsa was not good. It tasted like a watered down attempt at salsa. 4.) My wife ordered burritos. These "burritos" were two small rolled things, smothered in what looked like cheese. This plate was served with rice and beans, both of which were average. 5.) I ordered the "puerco adobo", which was pork in a very tasty chipotle/orange/pepper sauce. This dish also came with the average rice and beans. I'll admit, my pork was decent, but very thin. 6.) El Sarape has been in business since 1988, so they must be doing something right...or, is it just that New Englanders don't really know what "real" Mexican food is? Summary: My wife and I paid for a meal that we could have made better and cheaper at home (and by "we", I mean my wife, because I can't cook, I just eat and clean up). El Sarape is overpriced and borders on "crappy"-"mediocre" food. Don't waste your time going here. read more

I READ THE REVIEWS BEFORE GOING HERE AND WAS DECIEVED! BEING OF HISPANIC DECENT This has got to be the worst Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. I was first disgusted by the rude service of our waiter. Then I thought the overpriced food would make up for the lack of customer service. But that was not the case. The Pollo a la Naranja literally tasted like overcooked grilled chicken doused in Orange juice. FAIR WARNING: I do not recommend this place. read more

I probably don't return here. We came on a Saturday afternoon - a few other tables were filled. The waiter didn't welcome us, service was slow and it felt as though we were in his way - he took our order while scrubbing a table. The food was sub par and pricey for what it is. Nearly $40 for two Coronas, queso and fajitas. I much prefer Cielo in Braintree and La Paloma in Quincy. read more

Went here for my birthday this past April and really enjoyed the food. I loved the size of the portions (not to overwhelming) and the service was very friendly. I went for lunch, so drinking was not on the mind, but the margarita selection was tempting! I am a big fan of the salsa here, just enough kick to be pleasant. I am happy there is somewhere kind of nearby that serves decently yummy authentic Mexican other then a terrible chain that does a half assed job. And umm yeah that caramel sauce they have, ADDICTING. It was so so so good. I am a fan of this place and will be back eventually! read more

Went here with a friend. First of all it smelled like fecal matter when I sat down to my seat. I got so thrown off I had to leave my seat and wiped off the entire table with my own hand sanitizer (because there was no waitress around). I wanted to leave right there but got talked into staying. So everything here is "authentic" but far from it. The best Mexican food you get is in LA. This place made a roach coach in deep East LA at midnight look more appetizing. So let's look at the menu, Tacos about 9.00 ok sounds good. Waitress comes over and tells us about the special, she says would you like to get the Shrimp Tacos? It's our special tonight and very delicious. Sure, sounds good. Should be only 1-3 dollars more... So sure. ( I figured it's very hard to mess up shrimp and have had recently gotten bad chicken at a Chinese food place so shrimp seemed good) So besides the smell that "I" seem to only smell at the table. Yes, please order me a strawberry margarita. I need a good drink now. I get it, of course it's watered-down great!WINNING! So we got the tacos, they actually were really, really good. 3 tacos and some rice and beans. Little bland (needs spice and salt) but had lots if butter and lime (pretty good, but isn't this is a "Mexican food Restaurant" not the "clam shack" where did all the spicy food go?). So I ask for some hot sauce to make my buttered apathetic shrimp taco a little hotter. Ok, better. So it all ends well... Except. We get the check and my tacos are ummmmm. $20.00!!!!! For 3 little tacos? You have to be kidding me! What are they covered in gold? Then my drink $8.00, 2nd drink $8.00 plus $1.50 for my "hot sauce" (you would think that would be free). My dinner partner the same. WHAT! I should have gone to a steakhouse. We almost passed out when we got the check. (Almost 40.00 per person) It's funny places like this wonder why business is bad then they hike up their prices while less customers come in the door. When the whole time they have some dimwit washing all the floors with the same mop they clean the restrooms with thus, making the entire restaurant smell like your in a Mexican bar in Tijuana. I guess if they wanted it to be that "authentic" they are doing a perfect job. If you want GREAT Mexican food just go to La Paloma in Quincy. I wish I walked out and went there. Such a waste of 80.00. Pathetic! read more

We had my birthday party here at the end of September and it was a blast! We went on Saturday night (reservations highly recommended) and the placing was banging with people and music. Great ambiance and vibe. Excellent top shelf margaritas to get ya in the groove. Being a Texan, I was a little nervous about what to expect. After I shoveled my plate of beef fajitas down in about 10 min, I felt like I was in Dallas again. YUMMY! The only disappointment I had, no queso. They have a queso flamdido or whatever it is...but it ain't like the real thing that you dip your chips in and then wish you could have liposuction schedule for the next day. read more

El Serape is our favorite authentic "go to" Mexican restaurant on the South Shore. We've been coming here since 1989 and have never been disappointed! The El Presidante is my favorite margarita....and that's ask I'm going to say about that. read more

We have been going to this awesome place for the last 16 years or so. It is are go to place for food and drinks. It is the best Mexican food you'll find in the boston area. The catalack read more

Using a well-meaning relative's gift certificate, I gave this place another shot. Seeing the filthy and ripped awning sign as you walk in, you don't really get the feeling you're walking into the cleanest of restaurants. And the interior is in desperate need of updating. The "booths" are actually those cheap plastic curved style bench and table sets you see in sub shops from the 80s. And the wood paneling and false ceiling looks like my grandparents' old basement. Anyway, enough about the decor. The chips and salsa arrived and the room-temperature flavorless chips tasted like they were made a few weeks ago and the watery salsa was like tomato juice with a couple of pieces of cut up onions on the bottom of the bowl. I started to remember why we don't come here. The margaritas were ok, but I've certainly had better in the area. I tried ordering something different than the last time I ate here and got the "Enchiladas poblanas", chicken with mole sauce. My wife got the "Pollo a la naranja", chicken with an orange chipotle sauce. The first bite of mine was ok, the mole a little too sweet, but the second bite had that "unclean" flavor that comes from sickly chicken and quickly put me off my meal. I can't really describe the flavor, but it tasted all wrong. So I tried making a meal out of the rice and beans but they were pretty bland. The rice seemed like it came from a package of Goya (complete with re-hydrated peas) and the beans were nothing to write home about. My wife's dish looked like a thick slice of chicken loaf to me, but she said it was chicken breast hammered down thinly. I tried some of it but couldn't really taste any of the citrus or chipotle. In an effort to save the meal, I asked for some hot sauce and the waitress brought out a large bottle of tabasco. I asked if she had anything hotter and she came back with that same small dish of red sauce I mentioned in my previous review that tasted like smokey bbq sauce. What kind of Mexican place doesn't have hot sauce, or at least a bottle of habanero sauce laying around...? Anyway, our waitress was really nice and seeing our half eaten dishes asked if we wanted something else or if we wanted to take them home but we said no and just handed over the gift certificate. Still baffled by some of the raving reviews for this place. read more

They need to hire a host instead of making me feel like an idiot walking in the door waiting to get seated. 3 times I went here, 3 times I left without being seated after waiting 5-10 minutes with no real communication. I had to look for someone to talk to but they walk around and neglect you. The other 2 times I ate here food was average at best. It's pretty sad when I rather go to chilis cause of convenience, when I live nearby to this place. read more

Excellent food, basing my opinion off of their sauces and their margaritas. They are always kind about us bringing my one year old, and you can check their website for gluten free options. Poor parking options, fought fora street spot!! read more

as i've said before, i don't pretend to judge the "authenticity" of any cuisine but i will say el sarape provides a very different flavor and feel for mexican than our other local options of la paloma and acapulco's. and i like it. variety is the spice of life. you'll start with the house made chips and salsa, so i will too. they're good. the chips are always fresh. the salsa is flavorful, but lacking serious heat and on the thin side. the enchiladas poblanos - 3 corn tortillas stuffed with chicken and topped with sweet, rich mole sauce - were pretty good, but the chicken needed more seasoning. the chicken fajitas are also pretty good, with crisp, fresh veggies, but again the chicken could use more seasoning. my favorite so far has been the pork tacos caseros because, as we all know, nothing makes tender, juicy pork taste better than mixing in bacon. the sides with every dish i've had there so far are a flavorful spanish rice and creamy refried black beans which have a little smokiness to them (bacon fat?). whatever. they're good. almost every entree on the menu is between about $10 and $20. their sangria is excellent, but is probably an acquired taste. it's rich - almost thick. i would guess they blend some of the fruits in with the wine and juice to give it a little more body than the typical wine, fruit juice, and some fruit in a glass. for whatever reason, i've only ever been there in a friday night and there's been live music every time. the guy is pretty good too. gotta go with the nitpicky 3.5. read more

UPDATE: Well, after getting feedback I gave it another go. FAIL again :( I really wanted to like this place based on my location and love of Mexican food. So, I'll be specific this time. (I'm leaving my former review below but taking out a previous comment that the menu said No substitutions, because this time it was not on the menu - the rest is all still quite accurate, unfortunately). Let's start with this vegetarian issue- this place stinks. Here's why - they have basically one item, chiles rellenos, that is truly vegetarian. It has no meat and is it not necessary to modify it when ordering. In theory then, it is also priced accordingly. Which brings us to the next issue - other than the chiles rellenos, in order to get a vegetarian dish, you have to order a meat based entrée and substitute beans or cheese for the meat. This means you can order enchiladas and choose cheese instead of chicken or beef or tostadas and leave off the chicken or beef, etc. The problem is that meat is expensive - a lot more expensive than beans, and they don't adjust the price, so they are making a huge profit charging meaty price for a veggie entrée. We ordered the tostadas, and this is literally what they consisted of: a tostada shell, black refried beans, cheese, and lettuce. Nothing more on the tostadas at all - no onions, tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, salsa - forget about guacamole (they did give us 2 small ice cream scoops of a bland guacamole for $6.95 as an appetizer though to go with the old and unsalted chips). Boring and worse than you'd make at home. There were two crappy tostadas and it came with a side of more refried black beans and some rice that had peas and carrots in it that looked suspiciously dehydrated. It tasted bland and under-seasoned - and there was no salt on the table to correct it! The plate was over $12 , which might be fine if it had meat- but that was outrageous for what we got- there was not even tomatoes on it! We also ordered the chiles rellenos - and our reaction was literally "Whaaaaat?" when it came out. The chiles were buried beneath a bizarre red sauce (which we chose b/c it is usually the veg. option- we took a guess because of course there was no useful indication of that anywhere on the menu). I can't explain how weird this sauce was- it was basically spaghetti sauce with some added Mexican spices - totally bizarre in texture. It had mushrooms in it, and was thick like a ragu, not an enchilada sauce that usually comes on chiles rellenos. There was also a TON of it on the plate. We scraped it off to reveal beneath a breaded and fried chile stuffed with American cheese. OK - I know there are two interpretations of chiles rellenos - sometimes you get Cotigo cheese inside (white delicious salty cheese- often substituted in the US with ricotta or cream cheese) and sometimes you get melted cheddar-blends. Occasionally you get American cheese. While I am a fan of the more traditional cotigo model- I can deal with the American versions actually- I've gotten some fine chiles rellenos elsewhere with cheddar inside them- assuming it isn't topped with spaghetti sauce. The combination didn't even feel like Mexican food- it felt just weird. We ate like four bites between us and were basically totally disgusted by it. It was also $15 - a totally crazy price for what this was. Finally, a last complaint is that drink prices aren't listed on the menu. The purpose of the menu is to tell me what is available and at what price. Our bill for guacamole appaetizer, an entree of bean tostadas, an entre of chiles rellenos, and three beers was $45 before tip. Acceptable if the food hadn't been gross, but also significantly higher than Aculpolcos would have been for the same items. On a positive note, the service this time was fine - the waitress was nice and friendly. SO, all in all, this trip was worse than before- and it is because this time we stayed to try the food instead of leaving like good intuition had lead us to do before. This place may be great for carnivores (although the old chips, bland salsa and guac make me wonder...) but for vegetarians it is a rip off and a confirmed disappointment. Original review: What a disappointment! Usually Mexican restaurants are a safe bet for vegetarians- you can always find something that is black bean based or cheese based. El Sarape had the most un-friendly menu for vegetarians I've ever encountered. The server was uninterested in our questions and seemed bothered that we were even asking about the issue. We ended up leaving without ordering - which is way out of our normal make the best of it attitude. There was just literally no option here. What freaking year is this? I've been veg for 20 years and this is the worst veggie option at any mexican restaurant I've encountered (including those in mexico!). read more

Went tonight, walked in to the "wait to be seated" area as multiple waitresses and staff walked by me, not even looking up. Basic hospitality dictates you say hello, or at least acknowledge a potential customer. Don't waste your time, I didn't and went to spend my hard earned money elsewhere. I'm sure they don't care. read more

I was not impressed with this place. It is a whole in the wall so I was expecting really great food but not so much. La Paloma is so much better and much more afforable. But I would have to say that the Sangria there is the best I have ever had. I will be going back for some more but not to eat! read more

I'm only giving this place 2 stars because the sangria was good. The food is so poor quality, when you've had real Mexican food, you can tell the difference and this place isn't good at all. The rice and beans had no flavor at all. The beef soft tacos were super soggy and heavy. Probably won't be coming back here. Totally not impressed. read more