Delicious food and outstanding service! We tried this place because of a coupon and we will certainly be back! With an extensive menu of regional recipes, El Taco Grande offers many dishes you don't commonly see elsewhere. We tried the tamale dinner which was full of flavor and the Oaxaca Steak dinner that was tenderloin with ham, onions, pablanos, sweet peppers and cheese. Served with beans and rice rounded out the meal. Don't skip over this gem in Batavia! read more

El Taco Grande - Tamale dinner - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

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Stopped for a quick meal before attending the comedy vault and staff was super accommodating and service was speedy. Delicious tacos, carne asada, pastor, and Padilla. read more

We ordered the steak dinner one came out well done so we asked for another one because we asked for a medium rare. It tasted like it was microwaved. Just not the best that I've had. I will not go back again, but the service was really good and the people were really nice. read more

El Taco Grande - Carne Asada Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

Literally popped in on a whim because I needed dinner to take into the wine bar across the street (after I found out the wine bar didn't have a good menu). Super fast turnaround. Excellent chorizo tacos. Decent price. Friendly server. Even asked if I wanted napkins or cutlery for my takeout. read more

Too expensive, 5 for a taco my kid could make. There's a restaurant across the river that sells them for 3. Downtown aurora and west chicago have way better options. read more

One of the better Mexican restaurants in the area. The food is very good and the service is efficient and friendly.

It pains me to post this....i have been frequenting this place for over 15 years but it should be said. This once great spot has become grossly overpriced with incredibly small portions...like prison style portions....almost insulting. They brought a table of 4 chips and salsa...that looked like it was prepped for a gerbil. 9 chips in a bowl with a spoon full of salsa. Then, veggie fajitas which cost 25.00 when it was 4 dollars worth of food. I felt like I was being punked. I'm so very sad that I now realize I can never go back. It gets to a point where you're being robbed and you just can make excuses for it. Good luck guys....you will need it. So disappointed for a once great spot. read more

This is a spot I try to visit once or twice a year. Great Mexican food with a particular dish that I like to share, the Cazadores dinner. Margaritas are also nice, especially if you spring for the top shelf tequila. read more

Food and service was good. Burrito I got was massive and tasted great, but the menu is a bit expensive. I like the old school hole in the wall style of this place. No frills just good food. read more

I've been coming here for years. They always do an excellent job. The thing that has always impressed me is the size of the menu. There are the dishes you find in most Mexican restaurants but they have done additional, and interesting, choices here. The prices are reasonable and the staff is always friendly. My favorite dish is the seafood enchiladas. They also have a good assortment of mixed drinks. read more

Really good Mexican food! Very different from the norm, but in a good way. Don Julio Margaritas were also excellent! Highly recommend giving them a try! My only complaint was the complimentary serving of chips and salsa was very small, but you can get chips and salsa anywhere. If you're looking for excellent Mexican food, this is your place! read more

Best food in town! Been coming here since we were 12. Always consistent and delicious food.

Love the food and everyone there are so nice, I deeply love the interior personally I haven't seen anything like that. I will 100% will be coming back no matter what, it has such a calming atmosphere in there it reminds me of a restaurant I used to go to when I was younger with my family. I deeply appreciate the workers there they are always so nice and welcoming. read more

Ownership change but still one of the best Mexican restaurants around. We have been going here for years and were hesitant to go back after ownership change again. However, upon walking in and seeing the same cooks I knew it would be great. The food was fresh and very filling. The new decor when you walk in is a great touch. What has improved? Tequila selection and margaritas! So good! If you're up for a spicy jalapeño margarita I was very impressed with that one. Overall so happy to have a staple back and running in town with amazing service and food. read more

The food was very good; however we waited 1.5 hours for it. Every table around us waited over an hour. There's only so much chips and salsa you can eat. We are reasonable people so we still tipped the server over 20% - wasn't her fault. Their drinks are very expensive - $17 for one small margarita. They had over 20 people standing in the front of the restaurant, many Uber Eats drivers, waiting for food. Smoke was everywhere throughout the front room from the kitchen being so overwhelmed. It was also very hot inside. It would be a good place if it weren't for their kitchen being so behind. We might try again but not anytime soon. read more

El Taco Grande - Dining room - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

Always an amazing experience. The BEST margaritas in the area, I LOVE the coconut and watermelon, my boyfriend gets their jalapeño every time. Authentic cuisine, and great service! We are neighbors and get treated like family. read more

Went today for lunch and left full and happy! Our server was awesome, recommended the Campecino Burrito and it was probably one of the best I've ever had (also it's gigantic). Definitely will be back and I'm sad I haven't been here sooner! PS- The Strawberry Daquiris are tasty. read more

El Taco Grande - Campecino Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

This place used to be so good but the food the last few times (1 pre-covid and 1 during covid) we ordered was flavorless even with their sauces. I don't know how fajita chicken and veggies with a sauce literally has no taste. To spend $40+ dollars on food then have to doctor it up with your spices and sauce at home to make it palatable is not worth it. Please put the flavor back into your food and sauces!! And no me nor my husband had or have had COVID... read more

Came here on a Saturday evening. Thankfully it was still warm enough to sit outside because as soon as we walked in we were hit with an unpleasant sewer smell. The chips and salsa that they give you to start with are okay. The chips could use some more salt. For dinner we had enchiladas and quesadillas. The enchiladas were hot (temperature, not spicy) and so was the rice. They were okay, but we've had better. The chicken quesadillas were meh. We did t care for them too much. For this being a Mexican restaurant we had higher expectations. The quesadillas and the rice that came with it were a little warmer than room temperature. We agreed that the rice was better than the quesadillas. Our waiter was attentive and good. He refilled drinks when necessary (and asked if we wanted the refill) and checked back to see how the meal was. If you're looking for a Mexican dinner you may want to look elsewhere. read more

My family and I have been going to El Taco Grande for yearsssss- literally for as long as I can remember. But its been several since I have been there and it was like coming home. How I missed their fresh made tortilla chips and salsa. I could make a meal out of that alone! The staff is so friendly and great. There are so many options on the menu, I had trouble picking what I wanted. Though the burrito I ordered wasn't out-of-this-world amazing, the enchiladas my mom got were fantastic! I am excited to try something new when I return. read more

Great food and amazing margaritas! We especially enjoyed the fresh lime juice option in the margaritas. Friendly staff and decent prices.

Still a favorite with great food and friendly service. Good selection of margaritas, and an extensive menu. The friendly service also helps! read more

A beautiful restaurant with excellent food and service. Wish it was closer to home so we could come more often. Across the street from the Comedy Vault so perfect for pre-show dinner. read more

Ordered pickup. Called while driving on the way so couldn't look at menu; assumed prices would be normal. One order of steak fajitas, one carne asada burrito, one chips & salsa, extra container of salsa, one bottle of soda. $52. I want "wait, how much?" but was in a hurry and thought maybe I'd ordered wrong and there'd be a ton of food. Nope! Normal amount of fajitas. A normal-sized burrito with not a huge amount of steak. A couple 4-ounce salsas. One bottle of soda. FIFTY TWO DOLLARS. For two entrees for two people. I called twice to discuss. The second time, I left a detailed message and asked for a call back. The young man on the phone was very nice, listened to my concern that I'd been overcharged, added up the menu items verbally which appeared to indicate I'd been overcharged at least $12, and said he would look up my ticket (the receipt didn't have details) and have the manager call me back. Surprise! No call. Also, the web site did not work so I couldn't just look up the prices. That was over a week ago. I could have had a nice full sit-down dinner for two for that price at the nicest Mexican restaurant ever with actual service, tax and tip. This was ridiculous. I'd give one star except the fajitas were quite good. Will never go back. read more

The service was good and the staff was nice. The food is just not very good and the prices are way way too high for the quality of food. Several better option within a few miles. read more

Food is always great and fresh! I always get a side order of chorizo beans, they are my absolute favorite. Also, the tacos seem pricey but you get a lot! 2-3 tacos with no sides will fill you up. Always fresh chips and salsa served at the table. Guacamole is amazing too. I had my gender reveal party here with a taco bar and it was perfect. The new owner is a great guy and knows what he's doing. The staff is really easy going and friendly too. read more

I've eaten here several times over the years and recently this weekend. I always remember getting a consistenly good meal. The same was true yesterday. What I don't remember is the portions being so... well GRANDE! I've learned that usually when I order tacos at any Mexican restaurant, that three are too many. So now I just get two. That's what I ordered for lunch yesterday, but I guess I should have noticed the name of the place. My two tacos were HUGE! After finishing the first, I was pretty much done with my meal, but it was so good I dove into the second and finished that one too. The service was good, attentive and friendly. The place is casually nice and of course the food was delicious. One tip: if you don't normally eat spicy food, then you're going to find the salsa they give you to be spicy. read more

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The food is very good and authentic but it is overpriced We have eaten here several times and have had good food but there are better places with less expensive food 17 to 22 dollars for a combo plate is way too much For this reason i cannot recommend this place read more

This restaurant has a great location, but my initial instinct upon walking in was disgust. The place smells like an old man crop dusting the place for hours. When we were seated I was placed at a table with a pair of glasses on the table and a really really old lime that had been positioned in the bridge of the glasses and had been there for a long time, which made me assume they don't clean the tables after service. The prices are absolutely insane for mediocre food and drinks. read more

We have lived in Batavia for 24+ years, in all that time, this is our goto for excellent Authentic Mexican Food! Everything we've had over the years has been consistent and perfect! Last Tuesday was May 5th, so of course we were ecstatic to find (during this lockdown) we could not only get our Mexi~Fix, but we could also get a large bottle of Margaritas! It was so very good! The only disappointment was, after all these years, they changed their rice recipe, don't understand why, because it was perfect! Now, however, it has an extremely smoke taste that doesn't palette naturally. It has a chemical taste and really covered our pallets in a bad way. So we won't be getting the rice again, unless they change it back. read more

This place is a gem!! The owner came over and brought a sample of some wonderful chicharone dish. he and his father made. After that I just asked him to bring me what he thought was best. So amazing! Go here! read more

El Taco Grande - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

Nacho grande, enchilada suizas, margarita, oh my! Great food, rustic, and small bathrooms. New owners added WiFi which was great for the kids. Margarita are always loaded with extra tequila. Food is always hot, fresh, and quick. Don't be fooled by the kitchen entrance, this place is great. read more

El Taco Grande - Chicken Enchilada Suizas - Mexican Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

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We have been wanting to try this place for awhile and it was a beautiful night so we decided to give it a shot. Luckily they had a table available on their patio so we got right in. I was wanting something that I didn't see on their menu, Chiropollo, but the waiter was more than happy to ask the chef if they would be able to make it and it was DELICIOUS! Our server Mark was very friendly and attentive and the chips, salsa and guacamole was all really fresh and tasty. I can't wait to go back! read more

We sat outside, had to ask if we could have our table cleaned off. The wait staff was very nice but very slow. Had to ask for napkins long after we got chips and salsa. Did not get utensils until after food was delivered. The food is sub-par. Very VERY bland. Ordered chicken quesadilla, but got 3 flour tortillas folded in half with chicken and cheese. Not, a quesadilla. Those are chicken tacos in a flour tortilla. And the grease dripping out of the bottom, is not good. Rice, very very plain. If this restaurant does not step it up, Verita across the street, will put them out of business. read more

First impression: you enter through an ugly entrance area that did not look nice and smelled worse. Dining area looked pretty cool. Chairs were awesome. Friendly enough waiter took our order. Chips and salsa. First basket free anymore than that you were charged 2.50. Seemed pretty steep. I ordered the Quesadilla dinner. Shredded chicken. Took one bite and thought yuck! Opened it up and the chicken was smothered In Something red. My husband said it tasted like cumin aka "old man spice". Not expecting that at all. Waiter asked if everything was ok and I said I didn't like the food but I would take it home. Maybe my kids would like it. Asked for cheese quesadillas. He charged me for 2 ala cart. They were ok. Rice was puffy and seasonless. Beans were blah. Soda was over $2 per glass. My husband goes here with work friends and likes it. Me-I'm not coming back. read more

This place has a nice menu selection of both margaritas/tequilas and food. Any of their shrimp tacos offering are my favorite. I have no trouble finding gluten-free options. My only complaint is this: in the three visits I've been there, everything I've ordered is extremely salty, down to the salsa given at the beginning of the meal. NO need to salt the fresh chips, and I pass on the margarita salt-rimmed glass, which isn't my norm at other Mexican restaurants. I can barely tolerate the pork or chorizo here because of it. I recommend skipping the cheese and adding cilantro and onion to help as well. I think that's why I usually stick with the shrimp, which I've found to be the least salty. Especially if adding alcohol to the meal, I recommend balancing with several glasses of water to avoid dehydration the morning after. If the food was less salty, this restaurant would get a higher rating from me, and I would visit far more frequently. read more

Outstanding Mexican food! I always order the quesadilla dinner which never disappoints!

I am only in town for a week and do not live here so I found the highest rated mexican restaurant in Batavia and figured you can't go that wrong with a local Mexican place... boy was I proven wrong! For the main course, we ordered beef fajitas and they are dropped off without a word from the server on if we need anything else. The fajitas come out with just beans and rice and no side plate of pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, etc. that is standard at every other Mexican restaurant I have ever ordered fajitas at. I asked the server (who it later turns out is the owner) if the fajitas come with sour cream and he says "No, it's in the menu what it comes with." he then proceeds to shove a menu in my face and walk away. From my perspective, the server could have rectified the situation at that point by offering to bring the standard sides to the table. Instead the server just threw the menu at my face and walks away. At that point I am so disappointed in the entire dining experience that I go to the front of the restaurant and talk to the "Manager" and explain the poor service I just received. During the conversation with the manager the hot head waiter comes over and interrupts our conversation and tells me "That's the way it is." and that they've "been open for 25 years." At that point I tell the manager that I don't want the food and the server interrupts again and says that he is writing up my meal ticket. I ask the manager if the server is the owner, and he confirms. At that point I told the server/owner that I didn't want to pay for the terrible meal and lousy experience and the hot head says he will call the police. At that point I go get my wife to leave the restaurant and the owner is calling the police. On the way out I pay the bill and just plan to dispute the charge with my credit card company later to deescalate the situation. After leaving the restaurant, the Batavia police show up and I chat with them for a bit. They let me know I could get a refund for the uneaten fajitas but I just decide to leave. The Batavia police officers were very friendly and genuinely shocked that the owner even called the police as well as the behavior of the owner over the entire situation. I have never EVER had an experience quite like what I had at El Taco Grande. The only reason why I even wanted sour cream was to make the beef edible. From the only bite of steak I tried, it was super salty, chewy and just not a good meal. Bottom Line: Food and service was terrible and to top it off the hot headed server/owner called the police! read more

Wonderful and amazingly not busy on a Sunday evening. I highly recommend the quesadilla. Unlike any I've had before and delicious. Good price for food but the margaritas will get you to pay the price. read more

The absolute worst. Can I give it Zero Stars? Mexican food is my favorite food and I am definitely a connoisseur of all things related to Mexican food. This place was immediately terrible, dirty environment, terrible service, over priced food and disgusting food. I expected better due to some of the reviews, but unfortunately this place was beyond a big let down with horrible customer service and service recovery. THIS RESTAURANT DOES NOT HAVE QUESO!! I am positive that summarizes all of the issues in one statement! Go to any other restaurant besides this one, save your money, time and experience!! read more