Original dishes made well. Stopped by for a take out meal. There are cool "El Serano" golf shirts in a lobby cabinet. I asked how much they cost. Young man said "no idea"; then went back to his phone. When he went in back to check on my order no shirt price info. was obtained. His phone, however probably needs charging. read more

The service is nowhere near good enough. There is little in the way experience in the front of the house. We had a party of 7, one of which was walking with a cane. The table we were given required going up steps into a very crowded area that was closed off. We had a reservation and walk ins were seated before we were. Our waitress wasn't good, inattentive, brought guacamole without chips, tried to get out of splitting a bill between two groups. The food was not hot, and obviously was sitting for a long time. The quality and quantity of my meal was decent. Would have liked it better if it arrived hot. This restaurant is on the decline. I've been going here since the 1990's. I gave it a 3, if 2.5 was an option, that would have been my choice. read more

We held a birthday party here in the upstairs space. From planning to actual execution, Jannese was phenomenal and made everything seamless. We chose empanadas and chips and salsa for the appetizers, a taco bar for dinner, and a chocolate ganache cake for dessert. All were delicious. The space was wonderful and our servers were prompt. Would definitely host an event here again! read more

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Ordered delivery pollo fundido and chips and salsa. Pollo Fundido is essentially just tortilla and cheese the piece of chicken in the tortilla is thinner than the tortilla itself and only in half of my burrito. Took a few bites just tortilla and cheese. No salsa for chips I paid for. Normally El Serrano is one of my favorites so this has been a very disappointing experience especially for the price point. Will not be ordering again for awhile. read more

El Serrano - Pollo Fundido with a tiny flimsy piece of chicken - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Wow. My husband and I I dined tonight . SO bad. We loved this place years ago and decided to go to have a private dinner before our Son gets married this coming week. The white wine was 'corked' which means undrinkable, second glass , said the opened a new bottle , still 'corked' . Never something to serve anyone. Chimichanga was awful. They asked if I wanted it remade. I did but it was just as bad. I'm so sad to check off this place from a never again but they deserve a 0 read more

My family and I have been going here for over 15 years. We recently revisited it so thought I would review. Overall, the vibe and ambiance is great and part of the appeal of this place. Really cool decor and definitely takes you to another place. I'd say the food is good not great. There are some gems on the menu but it's mostly standard fare. It's all well flavored but not spicy for example, their salsa. We love they give free chips and salsa. I'd recommend the avocado frito and the enchiladas. Ceviche, fish tacos, and yucca fries can be good sometimes a bit of a hit or miss. We had the gambas this time and they were pretty good but they gave only 4 pieces of tiny toasts that didn't taste that great so I wouldn't recommend. Service is mostly excellent; they have been really attentive the last couple of times. They can be busy but if you go at off times it's great. Also a great place for large parties. read more

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NOT GOOD :( -the restaurant was very 'tired.' -prices were VERY expensive for what you got. $187 for 3 ppl. -menu indicated that extra chips/salsa is $3.50 charge. Seriously? -waiter basically ignored us the whole time. -food was just 'ok.' Not worth it. Will not be back. read more

We came to El Serrano on a friend's recommendation, not knowing anything about the place beforehand. The building and décor are definitely impressive--very unique and elaborate. Unfortunately, the food and service didn't match the setting. I ordered the enchiladas, and they were a letdown. Overly cheesy, bland, and just lacking any real flavor. I couldn't finish them. It felt more like something you'd get at a fast-casual spot, not a place with this kind of ambiance. Our server didn't help the experience either. He took our order without much of a greeting, didn't check in during the meal, and didn't seem interested in being there. For a restaurant with this reputation, I expected a lot more from both the food and the staff. It's a beautiful space, but I wouldn't go back based on this experience. read more

If you are looking for a decent Mexican meal, try this out. The large wooden doors open you to a setting that looks Mexican and mysterious. You'll be sat around a table with high, almost gothic chairs. Or on a similar bench in an alcove. The chair I sat on made me feel like I was at an old church. You will be served with an order of fresh chips and salsa. After one round, it's $3.50. We started with shredded beef empanadas. They came with a cheese sauce. They were well seasoned, fried perfectly, and stuffed with goey cheese and beef. 5/5 Then we ordered a chicken quesadilla, ground beef enchiladas, and a kid's quesadillas. Chicken Quesadilla - cooked well, good tortilla, a little slacking on the protein. 3.5/5 Ground Beef Enchiladas - cooked well, sauce was a little mild, flavorful meat, but overall: 4.2/5 Kids quesadilla: ok. Fries were ok. Nothing special. 3/5 Overall - 4/5 stars read more

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On Saturday, Nov. 22, I reserved a banquet room at El Serrano, Lancaster for a surprise 80th birthday party. I can't say enough good things about the whole process. They were very accommodating and friendly to work with. Service was great for a group of 18, family style. The fajitas and salmon were tasty, although not very warm when put on the table. Probably due to the location of the banquet rooms which are across the courtyard from the kitchen. I highly recommend working with this restaurant! read more

This is this first time we visited here. The decor is cold feeling. The beaches on booth has a this cushion on it but it slides when you sit which then is just awkward. We order the nachos supreme which were good. This fish tacos which I thought were fishy tasting. Also the El Serrano combo. The taco was good and so were the rice and beans. The rest was not good at all. It was flavorless and covered in a sauce with no flavor. I would not come back here. read more

El Serrano - El Serrano combo - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Love El Serrano! Visited for happy hour last year (excellent) and vowed to return for dinner. Shared the ground beef nachos with friends - delicious (homemade chips, perfectly seasoned beef, the perfect amount of cheese and fresh salsa - yum!) I had the Peruvian camarones (shrimp with broccoli, cauliflower and snow peas in a delectable lemon cream sauce) - outstanding! Also loved the pineapple sangria. Thanks to the chef and our attentive and personable server, Matt, for a wonderful dinner! read more

We chose El Serrano to host a banquet for a very special day for our family. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish. Jannese, our banquet manager, was incredibly helpful and communicative during the initial phases of menu selection and pricing. They seemed to have a great deal of flexibility around food options and locations within the restaurant. The upstairs location was so cool. We had several out of town guests that were raving about the ambiance and decor. The food was great and presented and served well in the buffet format. We were very happy with our choice and thank El Serrano for making it a special event for us. read more

We celebrated my husband's birthday at this place. The appetizers were okay. I ordered Papa Huancaina which is originally served boiled sliced potatoes over a bed of lettuce drizzled with a spicy cheese sauce, topped with a hard boiled egg and kalamata style olives. Well this plate came with no spice and no olives; I requested the Peruvian hot sauce (they only had the green not the yellow) and black olives then and only then was this famous dish was elevated. If you order this request those two items and you'll taste the greatness of this dish, one of my favorites!!! The service was exceptional!!! Our waitress waited for us to finish one course and cleared dishes while bringing next course in. It all went in an orderly wave. El Serrano is in a beautiful Spaniard style building. But I really wish they had more Peruvian indigenous artwork! This location is clean, restrooms were clean. Has plenty of parking. read more

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- Chips and salsa - yucca with chimchurri and mayo - enchiladas con queso Patio and ambiance were terrific. read more

This is a really good peruvian restaurant, they have really good fajitas but I decided to try a peruvian dish. You can read the rest of the review by clicking the link: https://travelmystery.blogspot.com/2025/03/el-serrano.html read more

Huge place with a Pueblo aesthetic and well decorated. Food was average but nothing spectacular. I had the ceviche which was overly flavorful and very acidic. Only fish and seasoning no other flavors or textures. Service was reasonable but did not stand out. The menu was interesting... felt like the owner was almost annoyed with customers. Made clear that they cannot and will not accommodate menu modifications because it takes too long and so they will charge you. It's too pricey to give extra chips and salsa so it'll cost $3.50. Signs around that said expect a wait because we only hire good staff and that's hard to find. And menu had quotes about you need to work hard for any reward.. it was an odd almost passive aggressive approach. Not a bad meal, but in no rush to return. read more

Unfortunately, the food is not as good as it used to be. The menu is limited. The refried beans were terrible. The only thing consistent is the salsa is great! read more

The only thing good about this restaurant is the ambiance and service. The food is very mediocre at best, and honestly overpriced for what it is. I would not recommend El Serrano's read more

I haven't been to El Serrano in so long and was excited, it's a beautiful restaurant. We were sat upstairs, quaint and romantic, but a tad chilly. Our waiter was prompt and pleasant. I was looking forward to the coconut shrimp. The shrimp were good, but the dipping sauce was lacking flavor, and I honestly don't remember what it was supposed to be. I ordered fish tacos and I really need to remind myself that I do not like a corn tortilla, I just don't enjoy the consistency, so my fault but I normally love fish tacos, theirs because of the corn tortilla I didn't enjoy as much and ended up just eating the insides. So alittle disappointed. My drink a passion fruit margarita was superb! We also splurged and got the rum cake and that was very tasty. They do take reservations and are abiding by covid rule. read more

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The building is very impressive. The seating is nicely spaced. The corn chips were great and seemed home made. We got the nachos and were very impressed. This would have been a 5 but for a few glitches. We never got plates for our appetizer and my husband was not given a plate to build his fajita. He ended up making his fajita on the plate that had the cheese and lettuce on it since the server delivered and was off again. Also the tortillas was a bit dry and fell apart. We would come here again. Some of our glitches coukd just be because they were busy. read more

We used to go to this place a lot, but the food started to be inconsistent and way over salted. We were in the area on a Thursday night and tried it again. This place used to be packed every night it was open, but when we were there, not very many people and it was pretty empty Decent food and they seem to have the salt under control, but watch the prices.. we had the fried avocado app and it was 3 tiny pieces of avocado for $11. The 3 pieces in total maybe made up 1/3 of an avocado. To be blunt, they were so small it was almost hard to get a taste. Bummer as a few years ago this place was incredible - clearly something changed. read more

Mediocre TexMex left four Californians disappointed trying to find authentic Mexican food for cinco de mayo. Worth clarifying my family and I are from southern CA growing up an hour away from the border, and are in full awareness that authenticity diminishes the further away from the area ya go, and also you need to take the opinions of Pennsylvanians that've never left the state nor visited Mexico with a pound of salt. I digress .. Us four went here for cinco de mayo on the suggestion of numerous coworkers, despite the forewarning we are heavily biased and have high expectations. The restaurant did a limited Cinco de Mayo menu, Understandable given the holiday -- three of us coming from the service industry, we get it. Cool. Sucks it limited the options we could choose from, as their menu is what interested us, however.. the mass-production & prep of items to handle the busy day dampened our experience. From the tortilla chips being fried a day or two prior and sitting uncovered to get stale, the salsa served with it had zero heat or flavor, the rice came out cold, the beans cooked with butter fell flat, the green avocado/jalapeno cremosa was watery .. the teenager disliked the ground beef, I found the marinated chicken chunks and sautéed bell peppers and onion on a Mission flour tortilla bland, the shredded beef put three of us off.. all four of us couldn't find anything that was executed decently to bother coming back to try the menu. Left unimpressed and disappointed. Recognizing the limited menu for the holiday , the execution of the food was poor, food was not warm, salsas were bland , and the four different proteins we tried were not tasty. No plans to come back. Service was from .. Savanah ? She was friendly and attentive, even with a large party behind us she was able to ensure we were well taken care of, grabbing extra items we needed or filling our glasses. Only redeeming quality of the place. read more

Not what I remembered at all. I haven't been here in about 10 years, at least. We visited earlier this month and thought it was an overall lackluster experience. We both ordered the taco salad and started with the empanadas. The stuffing of the empanadas was very dry. I asked for the chili on the side. The beef was lacking flavor, not enough pico, and the smallest dollop of sour cream. The margarita mix was a tad too sweet for me and tasted like the alcohol was missing. read more

El Serrano - Taco Salad - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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WOW! I have been hearing for so long how great this place is. I decided to make a reservation, which I'm glad I did, because they were incredibly busy. My gf and I decided to have a girls night here and she's already planning on us coming back! The building itself is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. The courtyard looked beautiful and inviting even at night. There's plenty of parking as well. Upon arrival, we were told it would be just a few minutes, which was no big deal. The hosts were very nice and sat us within a few minutes. Our server did take quite a bit of time to come over and was MIA at times, but again, he seemed busy. He gave us a few suggestions, which is always nice when you've never been somewhere before. I started with a margarita and it was fantastic !!! Definitely didn't skimp on the alcohol nor was it packed with ice. We started with the yuccas and WOW! They had so much flavor. We scarfed them down in minutes. Next, I ordered the mojito with the sugar cane straw. SO awesome. Definitely very different. I got the el bandido, which was massive! The portions are a great size for the price. I thought the rice and beans were cooked well and had great flavor. The spicy sauce was good as well. They do start you off with chips and two different types of salsa. All very good! Overall, I highly recommend, especially when it comes to making a reservation. The food and drinks were excellent. Service wasn't bad but it wasn't perfect. I seriously cannot wait to come back! read more

El Serrano - Mojito - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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We've been coming here for decades. The food has always been great! Nice staff and very good ambiance. Highly recommended for date nights read more

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El Serrano is a Peruvian restaurant with many special entrees. The green Serrano picante sauce is mind blowing and pretty spicy , but worth it. They have fajitas and many other dishes. The detail in this restaurant is so artful and unique. Each chair is hand carved, doors are hand carved, and they have rooms for private parties. They also have some special Peruvian liquors and drinks. Try it, you'll like it! read more

El Serrano - Sign as you walk in- I love where their heart is! - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Menu has not changed in 25 years...only the price, which is high for Mexican. Had the chicken fajita, which was mostly onions with only one small strip of green pepper. I doubt that there was 1/2 cup of chicken. Very disappointing. Service was excellent. Margarita was very small for $11. Noise was load. read more

Food is mid for a nice looking place. Tortilla and chicken were brought out cold. Place has potential just needs better food. read more

El Serrano - Pollo Fundido - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Food was very good. Service also excellent. Noise level (despite requesting "quiet table"), was quite loud. Sadly, that will limit our future visits. I was told that private rooms on upper floor would be available if needed and they definitely were not. read more

El Serrano has been our family's regular stop ever since they first opened in a renovated Burger King building in West York. They've never let us down! read more

El Serrano is my favorite restaurant in Lancaster! It consistently has great service, great food, and I love eating in the courtyard in the spring/summer! My favorite dish is the Shrimp A La Veracruzana, which they took off the menu a few years ago, but they still make it for me every time! So my favorite spot to go for a good margarita! read more

A friend working in the area recently recommended El Serrano. I try though I should give it a go during this visit to the area. I was not disappointed in the least. Great staff, great service and great food. Very impressed. read more

El Serrano - Camarones Con Salsa Blanca - Latin American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

To start, I must say that the food here is absolutely delicious and high quality. The chips and salsa are a perfect start, and the Lomo Saltado was AMAZING!- I highly recommend it. Our service was somewhat less than ideal and notably inattentive, and the tables were very crowded together. Still, we had a good experience here and the food was absolutely wonderful. I would absolutely return. read more

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One of the few restaurants that survived the pandemic with excellent service and food quality in tact. I know that when I go here I will get my money's worth every single time. I love that they take pride in the ambiance, service, and food equally across the board. I took a CA native here for lunch on Cinco de Mayo, and they were amazed to visit such a gem here in little ol' Lancaster. I wish the proprietor and their staff many more years of success. El Serrano is unmatched when it comes to Mexican and South American cuisine. read more

The architecture of El Serrano is very charming! The food is also okay, In my opinion it's a bit pricey for what you get. I grew up in Texas with authentic Mexican food so I've certainly had better, but I am sure this is A+ for what you can get in Lancaster. I will say the staff are all very kind and were very attentive to our party. The one thing I will note before tipping is to remember that gratuity may already be included in your check (it was for us). It's worth a visit, they have a lot of interesting items on their menu. I will say the flan and "fried" ice cream were a hit for us in addition to the fajitas and el Serrano combo. We had a good time as a group of 12. read more

I was extremely shocked to see this place only received 3-1/2 stars. I love El Serrano and take all my out of town visitors here who love it as well. I took my Mexican niece and nephew there who lives in Texas and have a choice of authentic Mexican food. They loved it. I also, took a friend from Spain and a Chinese friend there. They both loved it as well. I really don't understand the 3-1/2 stars. I have never received a bad meal there. read more

Unique dining experience just outside downtown Lancaster. El Serrano's Peruvian menu doesn't disappoint, and the atmosphere is old-school Spanish with high ceilings, white stucco walls, giant wooden chairs, and intimate booth alcoves. There's a lot of standard Spanish fare on the menu -- fajitas, chimichangas, tacos with beans and rice, etc. -- but if these are your typical orders, I encourage you to try something different here. I highly recommend the lomo saltado -- your choice of beef or chicken sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and yucca fries in a delicious sauce and served with white rice. Add a starter of crispy Yucca fries, but I don't recommend sharing -- it's an appetizer, but it still doesn't come with very many fries, and the garlic/olive oil/cilantro sauce it's served in is amazing. Wash it all down with a house margarita or sangria and you'll leave happy. They're currently revamping their menu, and I can't wait to see what kind of dishes they add! read more

Complete menu with many delicious choices. Portions are healthy and food quality is excellent. Margaritas are the best!

I made a reservation at El Serrano for Valentines Day and overall we had a good time but I wish we went somewhere else. Ambiance: so of course the day after Valentine's Day is busy which we understood. The building itself is beautiful as far as the architecture and decor. But it did feel pretty crowded as far as how the tables were set up next to each other. There wasn't a lot of walking room in between the tables for servers or guests. Food & Drinks: my fiancée ordered a strawberry mojito and I ordered the Serrano margarita. Her mojito tasted like straight soda with red food coloring so we sent it back and ordered another margarita. The margarita was good, overall it tasted like juice and like something that they have a premix already made and just poured it in the glass. I ordered the Polla a la Parilla and my fiancée ordered beef fajitas. When my food came out I wasn't really excited for it because there wasn't much to it; chicken, rice, and veggies. The chicken was pretty well seasoned, the rice was a bit undercooked but I didn't mind, but the vegetables were basically thawed out veggies with no seasoning. You could tell by just looking at it. My fiancée ordered her fajitas medium rare and they came out medium well. She said they were still tender so it was ok. The accoutrements they have for the fajitas was a bit sad, barely enough for 2 tortilla full. I'm pretty sure the cheese was kraft cheese in a bag. Service: our server Anthony was cool, nothing above average, especially for a busy night like 2/15. Overall I probably wouldn't go back to El Serrano to eat, maybe to just take some pictures in the courtyard because it would be beautiful in the summer. read more

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