El Tipico has the best Mexican Rice I've tasted since leaving LA. That seems like a small touch, but spending years having every entree accompanied with the same limp rice and beans has been depressing. This was refreshing. I had the puffed tacos, like many recommended, and these were great. The puffing process makes them a little greasy, but deliciously so. It was hard to know how to eat them, but I wanted them in my mouth. The chicken in the taco had a nice subtle flavor. The beef tips were good also. The salsa I had was very fresh and bright tasting. When the waitress asked if I wanted something spicier, so brought me a salsa made from fresh, chopped jalapenos. I mixed it into the tomato salsa and it was terrific. I was with somebody who is gluten-free and the menu makes it very easy to adhere to the diet. Their corn tortillas, which are tasty, have no gluten. And the waitstaff is very helpful on this front. Other than waiting more than ten minutes to order when I came in, the service was excellent. The interior has an authentic feel, which is hard in Toledo. Most Mexican places in Toledo either have no flavor to their decorations or feel like a third graders impression of Mexico. We paid just over $20 each including tax and tip and had leftovers to take home. Keep in mind, there is no alcohol. I went back and forth on giving this 4 or 5 stars. Given the lack of truly great Mexican places in Toledo, I give it five and can't wait to go back. read more

El Tipico Restaurant - The spicy salsa is brilliant! - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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El Tipico occupies a unique space in Toledo's Mexican restaurant offerings. For one, it's the city's first and oldest Mexican restaurant and tucked cozily in the middle of the residential neighborhood along South Ave (and yes, the neighborhood is fine and you're safe there, free parking on the street or in the lot behind the building). El Tipico very rightly claims to be the most fresh and organic Mexican restaurant in Toledo, sourcing as much as they can from their own family garden when the seasons allow. Their passion for this shows in the simple touches that make these meals great, flavorful tomatoes, deep and rich lettuce, refreshing organic sour cream, and tasty meats not loaded with hormones and other garbage. Moreover, they serve up some of the prettiest and best looking dishes of Mexican cuisine I've had the pleasure of being served. In this way, El Tipico is genuine, but it's not deeply authentic. The food is more in the tradition of Midwestern Tex-Mex (though mole, street tacos, and other traditional dinners do make appearances in the menu). For my money though, the best items on the menu are the straightforward classics, table tacos, Mexican pizza, tostada. And the salsas - you cannot forget the salsas. Hands down, El Tipico has the best and freshest salsas in Toledo. It's like dipping a chip right into the garden. The regular salsa and the salsa verde are stand out hits, but I'd recommend trying just a touch of the habanero as well. To that end, order the guacamole, its crazy fresh and tasty. For an appetizer, the queso chorizo dip is a sure bet. El Tipico's Mexican pizza is the best I've had at any restaurant. The crust is flakey and crispy, piled with fresh and savory beans and ground beef (my preference), smothered with guacamole and cheese. It's goopy, salty, delicious, and filling! Seriously, a large pizza is enough to feed a family of four. No joke. I ate it for three days. I do think the menu here requires a bit of tip-toeing based on personal preference. I'm not a huge fan of the enchiladas or carne asada street style tacos, nor the beef tip burritos. The cheese tamale is totally unique. I make it a point to try something new each time and see what's what. I have found that their ground beef and bean items are always my favorite, especially if it's served flat. Simply put, El Tipico is a Toledo legend and sort of a well kept secret for a reason, they do it right with quality ingredients, great people and service, and a cozy old school vibe in a clean and comfy place. Easily my second favorite Mexican restaurant in town with some of my favorite items in town. read more

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Arrived in front door to be greeted by big line of people waiting to be seated. Lots of staff hovering around, yet none had the decency to come up to any of us and say something or even acknowledge any of us waiting for up to 15 mins at that point. Afew of us in line just left in disgust at the ignorance. read more

I was visiting family in Ohio and wanted to have Mexican for dinner since there aren't great options where I live. El Tipico came up again and again so i decided to give it a try. The meal I ordered was AMAZING. Fresh and delicious as well as organic. The staff were absolutely wonderful too. I cannot wait to eat there again. read more

Just renovated and reopened! Beautiful new interior with local artwork... and the food is excellent. Still in the family but under new management... Same great family recipes but with a new and refreshed emphasis on quality. Stop in for a look at the new interior and some authentic Mexican. BEST in Toledo read more

This place is GREAT!!! 4 vegans were traveling to Toledo, OH for a show. Toledo in general is NOT very vegan friendly. When I did a google search of "vegan toledo" El Tipico was the first restaurant to come up. Our group consisted of 4 hungry "foodie" vegans. We've eaten vegan all over the U.S. we know good vegan grub when we see/eat it. They can make nearly every single item on their menu vegan. Each of us ordered a different dish and they were all incredible. To the previous posters stating the portion sizes are small, are you KIDDING?! I've included photos of our meals. The Taco Salad alone was larger than my friend Erin's head. The food was incredibly delicious, organic, local and family owned. Our server was so unbelievably nice. We came in close to their closing time but they still let us order. If you are vegan or veg, you MUST VISIT THIS PLACE. Trust me, you will be so happy you did. read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Vegan taco salad, literally larger than my friends head :) Absolutely delicious. - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Wow - this place just gets better and better every time! Never disappointed in the quality of food and service read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Mexi Pizza - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

El Tipico is a great family owned restaurant that has been in business since the late 60's. Everything is always fresh and delicious! Our favorites are the burritos (ground beef or beef tips) and tacos, especially the chicken. Love the house made salsas and the rice-they are the best we've had in a restaurant . They are currently carry out only due to COVID. We've placed several takeout orders and all was fresh and the right temperature. We are from Cincinnati but stop here every time we come back to Toledo. Even ordered chicken tacos to take home to Cincinnati and each component was individually packed so nothing got soggy. Service is always friendly and they were all wearing masks when we picked up our order. read more

I've missed their beef tip burritos and they didn't disappoint! They are the perfect combination of chunky pieces of beef and yummy gravy with just a hint of spiciness. My friend loved the chicken fajitas, lots of variety of vegetables. Our waitress Angie was awesome! She took great care of us and brought us countless baskets of chips and many jars of salsa! I love how they redecorated the restaurant, so festive and love the family history. We've missed this place, will definitely return much sooner next time. Bonus points for the carafes with their logo on them! read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Chimichanga dessert!! - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

If we talking Mexican... me better be talking El Tipico. Freshest and most delicious Mexican food I've EVER had. The owner, Dina, is the sweetest most thoughtful lady and I love getting to see her passionately serve customers whenever I get a chance to indulge in some Mexican. read more

This place has excellent authentic Mexican style food. My daughter and I, friends eat here when we go to the Toledo zoo! FYI, If you like limes with your Mexican food be prepared if they don't have any. The food is still excellent without limes! read more

The Puffed Tacos rock I will be coming back to this restaurant again soon! The owners were friendly and the waitstaff was helpful if you're having a difficult time coming to a conclusion on what to order off of their menu! Loved the music, decor, and ambiance! read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Awesome for groups! - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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I have eaten here before and left a review...seems to be missing...imagine that. It was an ok restaurant...but charging for extra chips and salsa...fifty cents for a wedge of lemon or lime...3.50 cents for some pop...smh...going to pass on this place. read more

Best Mexican food in the area! Everything is so fresh and tasty and the staff is very welcoming. I highly recommend it!

I'm a life long Toledoan. I've known about this place for as long as I can remember. I finally went there for the first time. My partner is vegan and I've heard good things about this place for vegans. They're all true. We didn't order any appetizers, making do with the complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa tasted like all the ingredients had been picked just minutes before. Very fresh, very delicious. I like heat, so I also ordered the jalapeño salsa and habanero salsa. These were spectacular. The jalapeño salsa tasting just as fresh as the regular salsa, but with a nice kick to it. The habanero salsa was something special. Very flavorful and delicious. And just as hot. This is only for people who like really spicy hot food. For the main course, I decided to try the puffed tacos. A soft taco shell is fried so the outside is slightly crispy and the inside is still soft and a little chewy. It's actually even better than it sounds. Since this was my first time, I allowed my eyes to be bigger than my stomach and ordered four different kinds of tacos. I ordered one each of chicken, ground beef, carne asada, and beef tips. All were delicious. The carne asada being the standouts in a field of spectacular choices. I left full and slightly saddened by the thought of how many puffed tacos I could have been eating all these years. I shall now have to endeavor to make up for this. While I know this review is long, I'll leave you with this summation. As my partner and I were driving home she said the food tasted like , "someone's grandma was in the back" cooking everyone's meal. read more

This place has awesome food, and we can eat totally organic and stay on our healthy eating program. They have fresh salsa and it all tastes totally homemade and authentic. We are so happy we finally found a great resturant that serves organic. There prices are very reasonable as well. I would recommend it to all my friends! People are all friendly and it's like a family environment! Come check it out! Yummy! read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Cool wall pictures! - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

I ate at this a few times over the years but it was nothing to write home about. Since they reopened I decided to give them another try and I am glad I did. I had the puffed tacos and I have to say they compared with the best puffy tacos In Texas. Definitely worth eating here just for that. My wife had the enchiladas and she said they were the best she has had in Toledo. That's not saying much but it says something. The negatives are that the rice is not very good and the salsa had no flavor. I will definitely come here again just for the tacos. Nice to see Toledo having some good Mexican food other that San Marcos because we all know the city is overrun with a lot of Taco Bell quality restaurants. read more

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First time we came here. Literally everything from the environment down to the food was out if this world. Our server Melissa was great and super helpful and friendly. The portions were gigantic and delicious. I will gladly come back here and this could easily turn into our new favorite place and become regulars. Keep it up and keep doing everything that you guys have. The food is on par with some of the best Mexican places I have ever eaten and it truly is a hidden gem. This place needs to be on Food Network that's how good it is. If you haven't come here I highly highly recommend that you do. read more

Food is mediocre and everything is an upcharge. The only thing I can say is that they're accommodating for many dietary needs. Unfortunately staff is rude, service slow, and no one seems to care. It took 45 minutes to get our food and the table next to us never even got their's despite ordering before us. If you have a question staff will just say; "I don't know, it should be on the menu somewhere." I cannot recommend this place one bit. read more

Great friendly service and tasty food! I've ordered food for pickup and dined in-house and have only good things to say about food Toledo landmark! read more

Always great food and service! So happy to be ordering out again!! Taking all the appropriate precautions post covid! I'll be back! read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Keeping it safe!! - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Our search for an organic restaurant led us here to El Tipico. It's a little off the beaten path, but what a great find. Really nice atmosphere. The staff and the food were both excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed the veggie fajitas, rice and beans. All of which were organic. The salsa and the guacamole were super fresh, some of the best I've had. We got to spend a few minutes talking with the owner. She really is on a mission to serve the freshest and healthiest mexican food possible. We're already looking forward to our next visit. read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Veggie fajitas = delicious - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Oh my gosh y'all. I don't think I can overstate how exciting it was to find a restaurant that is SO good around various dietary needs. Everything on the menu is labeled regarding if it can be gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, no onion upon request, etc. They checked to see if my GF food was preference or for a medical reason, and when I told them I was celiac, they emptied the fryer and put in fresh oil so I could have a GF chimichanga. Yes. You read that correctly; a GF chimichanga. I also got the three amigos enchilada platter to go which I had the next day and was delicious. Their stuff is "Midwest Mexican" in that their mild salsa is basically a sassy tomato purée and their guacamole was mashed avocados with tomato. but everything tasted good, and clearly fresh. Will go with the spicy salsa next time. Both partners had meat and gluten containing combos, and were also delighted, plus all the servers were super friendly! And most importantly, I didn't get sick. We will for sure make this drive again. read more

What a great experience. I cannot eat any grain, yeah, that means no corn too. It's a killer--but our waitress had a wonderful on menu solution and then I asked for a dinner salad--it was all pretty and yummy! Husband got super chicken burrito with verde sauce and the child got super nachos and as a constantly starving Teen He was full and had some leftovers--mixed his rice in--full happy teen says a lot. We got here at 5 by 6 it was full just about to capacity--great food and service. Yum yum! read more

I have had a great experience every time I've been here. The chips and salsa before the meal are unlike any other and very tasty. The entrees are filling and quite delicious. The waitress was helpful with suggestions. The manager also stopped by the table to make sure everything was good. I will definitely be back! read more

Who are these people who love this place? I went on a Thursday at 6:30, stayed for about an hour and saw NO OTHER CUSTOMERS. The only reason to give this place two stars is that the service is friendly and, for some reason, they offer WiFi. I genuinely feel bad for them watching their business slowly die. But, there are reasons for that. First off - NO ALCOHOL. Probably the only Mexican restaurant with tables in the universe without it. Secondly, I don't know where this rumor of good salsa came from, but the salsa here is some mixture of tomatoes and salt. No cilantro, no jalapeños. What they call a "hotter" salsa is just a bowl of chopped jalapeños with salt. But, hey, you can at least mix them together. I ordered migas, which came out with the eggs overdone mixed with limp tortilla chips. It wasn't mixed together, which was different, but at least they could've put used some chorizo with some flavor. Disappointing. read more

Good Mexican food is MIA in Toledo. Let me start off by saying that I am from Phoenix, AZ where Mexican food - both good and bad - is plentiful. I came to Toledo (for the summer only) with an impression that Mexican food here would suck, because, well it's Toledo and the population of Mexican immigrants is way smaller here. So when my bf took me here, I was shocked at how un-authentic the food was. I judge all Mexican joints by their salsa (good salsa = good joint and good food to come). But their salsa was like tomato juice and onion. It sucked. The main dish used ground beef and nothing says un-authentic like ground beef!! Where is the seasoned shredded beef that has been marinating for 24 hours at?! I felt bad because my bf grew up in Toledo and ate here all the time, so he had a deep felt love for this place and I couldn't wait to get back to Phoenix and eat REAL Mexican food. The staff are always nice and they serve Red Cream Soda which is simply orgasmic. But, those two things alone don't make this place good or worth going back to. Just remember citizens of Toledo - if a restaurant that calls itself "authentic Mexican cuisine" serves mediocre salsa or uses ground beef, chances are you are being duped. Its just too bad that Toledo will never experience good Mexican... read more

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Toledo. They use a lot of fresh and organic ingredients and the food is amazing. In addition, they accommodate vegans and vegetarians. Most food choices can be made vegan including vegan cheese. This is a must restaurant to go to in toledo. I come here constantly. read more

Best Mexican food in the area by far! Tamales are spot on and the chicken enchiladas will blow your mind! Love it!

I went to El Tipico the other night with a group of friends. After reading some reviews, I was looking forward to delicious authentic Mexican food. What a disappointment. Pros: - The restaurant is very tidy and looks great. - The staff are very friendly and attentive. - The corn and flour tortillas are clearly homemade. - Shrimp for fajitas was cooked perfectly. - The look on my friend's face when she asked for a margarita and the waitress told her they don't serve alcohol. She looked like someone threw a glass of cold water in her face! Cons: - The items on the menu are numbered, but they are in no order whatsoever. I assume they were in order on an old version of the menu, then the items were rearranged for a new menu, but they didn't want to re-learn what numbers go to what meals. Makes it confusing to read. - The waitress didn't seem knowledgeable of the menu. When each of us ordered an item by name, she had to ask what number it was on the menu. - One of my friends had to order 4 times, because the waitress came back to the table after the first, second AND third items she ordered to tell her they were out. - The salsa brought to the table was homemade, but it was just a watery, tomato-y mess. - As is the case with most Mexican restaurants in Toledo, the rice and beans had no flavor. Just bland, and I'd wager a large amount of money that the beans were just from a can. If they weren't, then they should use canned beans anyway, because I couldn't tell the difference. - My serving of fajitas was underwhelming. The amount seemed skimpy for the $16 price, and there was not much in the way of flavor. It tasted like a pile of meat, peppers and onions with hardly any spices added. Where is the array of Mexican spices? Plus, the steak in the fajitas was cooked to death. - No liquor license AND no hot sauce?! Is this a Mexican restaurant or Mars? Is it possible I just ordered the wrong dish on the wrong day? I suppose, but I sure won't be going back to find out. read more

This was absolutely the most horrid dining experience we have ever had. The waitress botched 4 out of 7 of our orders. Apparently she did not understand that Vegan meals do not have cheese in them. We also found hairs in 3 of the dishes that were correct. We chose this restaurant primarily because their menu indicates many of the dishes can be served Vegan. As noted in the Vegetarian Platos section,"Choice of Refried Beans, Frijoles or Black Beans. We would be happy to make it Vegan if you prefer." However, we found this was not the case. In the end we paid $93 for enough food to feed 3 out of 7 people in our party. I hope the waitress enjoyed her $0.04 tip as much as we enjoyed our dining experience. read more

The cinnamon chocolate sundae was a huge hit! All the portions are large beware. Everyone must try this place. read more

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This was a nice change for me. First time going to this restaurant. The appetizers were pretty good, I had guacamole which was light and did not have a strong taste to it. I was not used to that but it was pretty good. Everybody's plate was presented well. All the food was very fresh, you can tell the difference in taste between this restaurant and other Mexican restaurants in the area. No alcohol is served here but it didn't matter to me if I don't drink anyway. The servers are really nice. The restaurant was pretty empty although it was Taco Tuesday but it was still early when we went. I'm sure I'll be back soon. I also did my own review on my personal blog. Good family restaurant with Organic dishes, I enjoyed it! read more

Cozy, residential, local, and genuine. These are the best adjectives to describe this cute neighborhood restaurant. It has been a Toledo institution for 47 years, and I can see why. The atmosphere is welcoming and charming, the decor is simple yet classy. The business does surprisingly well for itself considering its inconspicuous location - among the older Toledo homes, across the street from a gas station at an unfamiliar intersection. The menu boasts a gluten-free, vegan-friendly selection. While I eat mostly anything and everything, I was interested to see how authentic the food would taste. I came here for Taco Tuesday with a couple of friends, so I ordered the shredded chicken tacos in crispy corn shells, with assorted veggies and sides of refried beans and rice. I was impressed with the complementary chips and salsa and most of the meal; however, the chicken flavor was slightly off. I'm not sure if it should have been cooked more thoroughly or the seasoning should have been adjusted, but something just didn't click. My friend chose the ground beef option and she enjoyed it, but I can't speak for it personally. I had the flan for dessert and it was absolutely scrumptious, probably one of the best flans I've had. Overall, I enjoyed the food and service, but I can only give it 3 stars for now, mostly due to my unfortunate experience with the chicken. Hopefully a follow-up visit will improve my rating. Finally, I highly recommend this to anyone with dietary restrictions. read more

I enjoyed the decor and warm vibes on the inside of the restaurant. It was nice & quiet. Not packed and loud like most restaurants. I ordered steak and chicken tacos. They were OK. They were good and well made tacos. Just not how I personally like them. The steak and onion was cubed in big pieces. Rather than sliced thinly how I like. Im a taco fanatic and that wasn't what I was looking for. But I will say all of my food was fresh and hot. I loved how my food was packed up and ready to go! It wasn't thrown in to foil and wax paper how most places do. The young lady who took my order was also very kind! I cant wait to go back and try the rest of the menu! read more

This place gets a 3 star because it is above average Mexican food and is organic. Pluses+ The salsa is made in house and they have 3 kinds. The chips are organic. Above average tacos and other options. Minus: Service is always lack luster. The servers act like they don't care and don't want to be there and obviously don't want to be waiting on customers. The kitchen is too slow. My self and 3 others waited a good 25 minutes for our food and another 10 for the check when we were done. So if you don't mind poor service and waiting for your food this is an above average Mexican place. Perhaps if the owner/management hired better employees it could definitely be a stellar restaurant. read more

Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Thursday are the Primary Football Days & Nights. As Result, my Craving for El Tipico accelerates to an uncontrollable rate. The Chicken Enchiladas are Divine smothered in a Rich Golden, flavorful Enchilada Gravy filled with tender, moist Chicken. I increase the Temperature with a spoon full of Jalapeño salsa dropped on Top. Mmm. Then, the Hardshell Beef tacos leave me speechless by the Time I stuff them with Habenero SalsA... Trust me, Football is a lot Better with Delicious, Daily Freshly made Organic Food of any Sort and Being that it is Mexican is all the Better. It engages a person to dip, smear, spoon & mix so that the Eater interacts with every entrée in an intimate fashion. Throw in the Scrumptious Chips, Pico & an Ohio State Victory & you have a Wonderful Football Day. I Thank God That Our Latino Community is Producing Excellent Authentic Mexican Food. We have Numerous Good Mexican Restaurants in Toledo (I've tried practically all of them). However, El Tipico is Número UNO in the 419! #SmashToledo read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Take out Chicken Enchiladas with Rice & Refried Beans. - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Amazing experience! The owner is super friendly and helpful and even shared with us some of her personal favorites for sauces with the tamales. The tamales were amazing! Just like everything else was as well. Very friendly atmosphere and a great experience! Great if you have dietary issues and good for vegans as well! Can't say enough about this place and the food!! read more

Hands down, this is the absolute best Mexican food I have ever had at a restaurant. It is carefully prepared and everything is made in house. I had the seafood plate with mango sauce and it was fabulous. read more

El Tipico Restaurant - Seafood plate - Mexican Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

10 stars!! It was my family and I first time to this restaurant. I had heard wonderful things about this place before I went, so we were all excited to try this place. We were not disappointed either!! Juanita was our server and did a great job! She was quick to bring us whatever we needed and was super friendly. We ordered many different dishes so that we could try a little of each others. Beef tip enchilada with gravy, Carne asada quesadilla, Puffed tacos, Mexican pizza, rice and beans, pork and refried bean tamales, and caramel apple chimi. Everything was amazing! BEST Mexican food in Toledo and surrounding area. Made from scratch using grass fed meat. They put so much heart and soul into their restaurant and their food. I have been to many restaurants but this was a totally different experience. The owner came out and thanked us for coming, and sat with us for quite awhile. She gave us the history of the restaurant (El Tipico is the oldest Mexican restaurant in Toledo) and by the end of the evening, we all felt like close friends and family. We need more restaurants like this in this area. Please make it a point to stop by and try their wonderful food. Check hrs and days open before you go, as their hrs have changed. MY FAMILY AND I LOVE THIS PLACE! read more