we are from Texas and really enjoyed the wonderful fresh unique take a Mexican food six stars out of five!

My husband and I have visited El Sur several times, the food is always good and reasonably priced. Service has always been excellent and this evening we were served by Niza who was very pleasant and did an excellent job. Thank you for the consistently great food and service. read more

Have you ever had a meal that left you genuinely puzzled by the flavors on your plate? That was my recent experience at this restaurant. I ordered the chimichanga with red sauce and shredded beef. Unfortunately, it was mostly tortilla with very little filling. The beef itself tasted like plain stew meat--bland, in large chunks rather than properly shredded, and lacking any seasoning. What disappointed me most was the enchilada sauce. Instead of the rich, chili-forward flavor I expect, it tasted overwhelmingly like chicken bouillon. It was thin and watery, with almost no depth. My wife's barbacoa enchiladas had the same issue--the barbacoa also carried a strong bouillon-like taste. For a bill that exceeded $40, the quality of the food was a major letdown. On a positive note, the staff were very friendly and cheerful. However, the restaurant's acoustics are terrible--it feels like you're dining inside a noisy cave, making conversation difficult. While the service was pleasant, the food was disappointing enough that I'm unsure if we'll return. read more

3.5 I came in with some friends and were seated right away. The waitress was very good at selling what was on the menu. I got the fajitas with two meats and extra lettuce since im gluten free. They did come with rice and beans. A word of warning there is corn in the rice if you cannot eat corn. The food was good. Proces were good. Parking is tight with the lot in front and behind. read more

We arrived for a late lunch the Sunday afternoon and were directed to the new remodeled area. We found a nice table and seated ourselves while enjoying the beautiful decorative interior. We were made to feel welcome by our server who provided menus and took on our drink order. We got the Coctel de Cameron to split as the appetizer and am glad we did. I really liked the red juice it comes in. It was full of fresh crunchy cucumbers and plenty of shrimp. Even if the shrimp was otherwise tasteless it was refreshing and filling. Wifey ordered the enchiladas with red sauce and chicken. It looked good when it came out but she wasn't impressed with the flavor which she thought was mostly salt. Expressed her desire to get her enchiladas elsewhere. I got the grilled talapia which also turned out to be disappointing. The amount of fish was barely enough for a small child and much less than half of what is shown in other pictures of this dish shown on this site. We often get bags of frozen talapia at the groceries here and I would say the amount of the fish served was less than half of just one of those fillets where the menu promised two fillets of fish. Also, where pictures on this site show effectively two formed scoops of the rice I was only given one. The beans were strange and tasteless. But when I took one of the tiny maiz tortillas and put some of the beans, fish, lettuce and plenty of salsa together, I did get a couple of good bites from that. I know people like this place so you should continue to go here. We have other favorites. read more

El Sur Restaurant - Colorful and inviting main dining room. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This restaurant recently expanded and there is a new side that is larger. The service was beyond excellent. The restaurant was clean and tidy. The food was tasty and the prices were decent. The chile rellenos were good and the red chile tacos were enjoyed. read more

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We love this place! Great food and service! Gaudy always takes care of us. Anytime I'm craving Mexican food we're coming here!

We haven't been here in a while but well worth the wait. The renovations look great as they have added a bar and additional seating, the only downside is they eliminated the outdoor patio area. The server was extremely attentive and helpful with all of our questions. The inside decor looks like an updated Mexican gastropub. The taco salad was really good but the masa on the tamales was a bit mushy, however the meat inside was really good. I highly recommend going to check this place out. read more

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The atmosphere was very open and inviting although it can get packed it doesn't feel crowded. It was very lively but I was able to hear my table mate talk not drowning him out. The bathrooms were really well kept and spacious with nice water pressure and hand towels that weren't a pain to pull out. The server responded really well checking on us regularly but not suffocating. The food was so good but I couldn't stand the sight of it so I had to get rid of it as fast as I could. read more

El Sur Restaurant - There was menudo rojo here. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Customer service was excellent!! Huge bonus with delicious food. The beans were amazing! Chile Rellenos to die for. Prickly pear margarita suggestion was delicioso. We will be back! A+++ read more

El Sur Restaurant - Chile Rellenos and enchiladas in back. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

El Sur... de Oro Valley. Have driven by literally thousands of times and we should have kept driving. The food isn't bad. The quality is fine, but it's more Mexican food you can take your aunt Debbie to from Idaho. No spice at all. The red menudo had a tomato base instead of chile. We asked for a chiltepin and they didn't have any. No spice in the salsa and chorizo either. No spice. No life. read more

El Sur Restaurant - "Chiltepin" - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Best Mexican Food on the East Side. Great service great food. The menu is exciting and the food delicious.

Food was amazing, the desserts were incredible. The service was exceptional. Gaudy our waitress did an incredible job. Would certainly place this on my list to go back to next time I'm in Tucson. read more

Excellent food! Will definitely go back!! The service is great and the atmosphere amazing. This is one of our favorite places. Good portions and great service! read more

My friends absolutely race about this place and have been there once and it was good but not so good I'd drive from saddlebrooke to it

We took a friend here, since she hadn't been. It was definitely not the best experience today. We were a little disappointed. First, we ordered drinks (3 waters, 1 soda). When our server brought the drinks, she spilled almost a whole glass of water on our friend. Water on the table, floor, my friend's clothes. Yes, it was an accident but certainly not starting off well. We ordered a cheese crisp first. It wasn't a crisp at all, cheese wasn't even melted and with a non-crispy flour tortilla, a waste of money. I ordered a shredded beef chimichanga. I asked for melted cheese on top. I got a couple of sprinkles of cold cheese instead. My friend ordered a chicken quesadilla that had very little chicken on it. Some pieces had none. My husband had the chile relleno and my beans. His meal was excellent. One out of three, not a good sign either. Our server was very apologetic which we appreciated. It was just an accident but we had been telling the friend how good this place was. I know they could do better, but it may be awhile before we visit again. The service was good, in spite of the unwanted shower of ice cold water. The dining room is clean and inviting, although small. We did get a small discount. She removed the soda charge ($4) and gave us a 10% discount ($4). We used a credit card, so there was a 94-cent charge as well. Overall, not a great experience this time. read more

They've updated a few things. Some good, some bad. The good: new tables, chairs, and a fresh coat of paint. The bad: the new salsa distribution system isn't good and is likely wasteful. Allow customers to dispense what they want, not a pre-filled container. Also, the new decorations with the fake flowers will get super dusty, especially with the garage door open on 22nd. The REALLY bad: they changed the salsa recipe. The mild tastes like chunky ketchup. The hot is barely spicy. The old recipe was very distinctly different. It was very, very good. Will I be back? Of course, but please, please, please bring back the former salsa recipes. read more

I'll be honest, this was my in-law's favorite place to get down home Mexican cooking without going to all the trouble at home. It grew on us as small and homey as it was. But as we walked in the other day through a new entrance to the building, we discovered a whole new restaurant! They closed off their patio and turned it into a snazzy, very modern upscale looking restaurant and included a full bar. Their food is just as delicious and on the weekends you can get a huge bowl of warm tasty menudo with all the fixings. You must also try the pancaked that comes with a delicious syrup which makes me think homemade. The service was excellent and welcoming. Parking is tight up front buts there's extra in the back. A must try! read more

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Large long yellow building on 22nd street & Craycroft east of Walmart grocery & harbor freight shopping plaza . Parking in front & rear . Friendly greeting upon entry with holiday decor . Open seating at 11am but starting filling up near noon . Impressive large menu with breakfast , lunch , dinner and reasonable pricing . Note 4% " sur charge" with credit cards . Upon arrival asked woman with large take out tray her food suggests "red menudo very good . First impression very clean ! There was a table with large trays of take out party orders waiting. Met on suggestion of friend for first time there who loves red chili . We both had red chili one chimichanga & one burro both enchilada style , mine Christmas red/green , includes guacamole sour crème & pico with nice presentation. I enjoyed it . I usually ask for all refried beans no rice . Sometimes doesn't happen as today the server didn't write down order, taken quickly but came with rice . I understand they have opened another downtown . Sadly several pictures taken but lost somehow somewhere ? read more

El Sur Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The older server/waitress Maria is very rude went to pick up an order and was standing by the pickup and the lady kept saying give me a minute sir, when I didn't ask anything I would've waited until she was ready, she made it seem like I was an inconvenience to her. She seems to always have an attitude for pickup orders. read more

El Sur Restaurant - Bisteak Ranchero is good - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I had shredded beef el sur, it was excellent. If you like a little spice ask for more Chile. El Sur is very clean and orderly. Our server was very good, friendly and efficient. We look forward to going again. read more

When we arrived around 5, we were the only ones, and were surprised by that, given its presence online. Shortly after we arrived, a large party of like 12 came in. We ordered a cheese crisp to start while we contemplated the large menu. Cheese crisp was just ok, to be honest. Most in Tucson are more crispy. This one was sort of soft. He got the chiles rellenos with the culichi sauce and both were very good. I got the green tamales and they were slightly sweet with a nice corn flavor. Rice and beans were just ok. Carla was our server and was wonderful. My husband thought about inviting her to interview for his team at a hotel! We'd definitely return to this local legend. read more

Two friends and I meet for lunch every Friday. We ONLY eat at local restaurants in Tucson. El Sur has been a stop for us every few weeks as we only eat at local Tucson eateries. And IT NEVER DISAPPOINTS! This week, per usual, we were fortunate to get Maria Luiza s as our food liaison. And she was amazing. We ordered the Elotitos for the table: GRUB! The toritos plata with guacamole: AMAZING!! For entrees we ordered the Viejo plata(cheese enchilada, beef taco, red beef tamale with beans and rice), and the chicken flautas with beans and rice: DELICIOSO!!! All the food came out in a timely manner and was still hot. So satisfying. As if that wasn't enough...we ordered the fried ice cream! The Oreo crunchy coating was perfect! While we were mashing in the fried ice cream, about four different guests asked what it was and said it looked, "So Good!" All in all, a FABULOSA EXPERIENCIA!!! read more

7 years later still eating here and can always expect good food and great service. Thank you Litzi! You are a gem! We love the staff and looks like they updated the inside which looks great but don't change the food! Yay! Keep offering Tucson great food and atmosphere! read more

Our first stop after a long drive. Our waiter was on it. Very attentive & friendly. The restaurant was decorated nicely, very pretty interior. The food was delicious. We had the chili verde plate, quesabirria taco plate & mole plate. Everything was perfect. We will definitely be returning. read more

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Coming from California this restaurant is wonderful. Our server Michell, was very helpful and attentive. Great job!! And the food was delicious read more

Great service with Noe, good food, fun place. Glad we stopped here! They even had a vegan menu and delicious desserts.

The food is excellent and not expensive. The servers are friendly, prompt and they keep the chips and salsa coming! I've been coming to El Sur for years and I have never been disappointed. read more

Haven't been to El Sur over a year now. Pretty standard menu. The salsa was probably the best thing I had. The red top is the hot one. I think if you are in the area it would be a good choice, no need to drive across town. I guess the way to sum this up, uninspiring. Wait staff was good. read more

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Sat on the new side of the restaurant, very nice. The tacos and the service were great. Will go again! read more

The birria is so yummy!! I have been twice and have yet to be disappointed. A great spot to eat!

I really wanted to like this place because people I knew were hyping it up. I ordered the horchata and they said it was fresh made but I asked to exchange it because it tasted like sweet milk no cinnamon in it. I also ordered the burrito asada and they gave me meat wrapped in a tortilla with beans rice and quac on the side, if I needed to stuff and wrap the burrito myself I wouldnt have paid that amount and just made it at home. Rice tasted old, beans tasted off like it's made with chemicals and quac was just mushed avocados. read more

The service is friendly, but the place often feels understaffed, which makes for a hectic dining experience. The staff does their best under pressure and are generally kind and helpful, but patience and empathy are definitely required. Food was hit or miss. The Sonora Dog was disappointing--served on a freezer-burned bun with minimal toppings, even after requesting "todos." The beans were flavorful, but the rice came out cold. Most of the other dishes we tried were pretty average, and some were below expectations. That said, the Menudo seems to be a weekend favorite, and based on the buzz, it might be worth trying if you're a fan. Personally, it's not for me. With so many great food options in the city, I'd rank this one on the lower end. Not sure I'd return. read more

Super friendly and quick service. The food was delicious. They were very helpful with accommodating 3 children who were trying Mexican food for the first time and feeling uncertain. read more

I grew up with my grandmother's best friend telling me that the best sign for a good Mexican restaurant is their Chile Relleno: We're in town from Portland, OR so I had to try the Chile Relleno.. and so should you!! You can thank me later - truly spectacular from balance of filling, the batter and crunch and the freshness of the poblano. Awesome read more

Popped in to El Sur the other day for a quick lunch. Haven't been there in YEARS! It's grown quite a bit, but the service is still great, the food is still solid and the ambience is simple and clean. I had the grilled fish plate and really liked it, despite the fish being on the salty side. I've always loved the container of roasted jalapeños and onions they bring around. Salsa and chips were excellent and the Torito appetizer was yummy! My husband had the shrimp enchiladas with green sauce and loved it. The only negative for me is I'm not crazy about their refried beans, but I'm super picky about refried beans. I recommend giving it a try if you're in the area. read more

El Sur Restaurant - Grilled Fish Plate - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We went there for the first time after listening to my adult kids. We had to check this place out and OMG, the food we ordered was not only delicious they served you enough food. Everything we ate was very flavorful. The staff were very friendly and very helpful. We are for sure going there very soon. Our server Maria Luiza was an excellent waitress. Very friendly and happy. The building was added on to the old building and everything was very clean with nice decorations. read more

Great food amazing service!! Thank you Maria!! Wonderful new dining room add on, very NICE!! read more

El Sur Restaurant - New bar and dining room - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

One of our favorite restaurants to eat in Tucson! Delicious Mexican food, and great service! Can't go wrong with any choice on the menu! Our waitress, Gaudy was very attentive and helpful with suggestions on the daily specials. All staff are friendly and prices are reasonable! Newly updated decor gives it an authentic Mexican feel! read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant. Love their red sauce for enchiladas. My husband loves their mole enchiladas. Yummy and inexpensive house Margarita's. Fresh salsa (hot and mild) you can mix and use with the complimentary chips. Enjoy the tamales too. The appetizers are good and affordable. The cheese crisp isn't greasy. Desserts- no regrets. Their 3 leche cake is yummy. Sopapitas-yes please. Service is awesome. Fresh grilled onions and peppers offered. Go here and you won't stop going. read more

El Sur Restaurant - Sopapillas were delicious and served with honey or chocolate or how you prefer - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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