This restaurant is a well-oiled machine. I've had parties there, been during peak and non-peak hours, gotten takeout. Every single time the food and service are exceptionally consistent. It's my go-to Tex-Mex spot and highly recommend it to others as well. read more

Lunch at El Vecion was ok, the chips were yummy, service excellent but our food just missed the mark. Where the food was beautiful...the chicken fajitas were just grilled chicken, meh & my street tacos were cold and meh too. The only spice & favor were in the salsa. read more

Cute little neighborhood spot. Good menu and the staff was attentive and nice. It's not like STAND OUT Mexican food, but it's reliable and everything tasted good. Salsa was yummy. Good queso. Seemed to be a lot of families dining, so good spot for a group! I had the taco salad, wished it had more meat. read more

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Neighborhood friendly spot with great staff. Drinks ( good Sangeria) and food are reasonably priced. This authentic Mexican-not Tex Mex. The marinated pork in a banana leaf was tasty. The spinach and poblano rice was an unexpected treat. The taco salad was flavorful. Artwork is cute and backs of booths have fun patterns read more

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Some of the best food in East Dallas. Incredible service, delicious food, amazing owner John loves to take care of his guests and serve our community with delicious nutritious food. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. Beautiful interior love the decor. You can't go wrong with any dish. I love coming here with friends, family & clients. read more

Holy bargain Batman! I went not knowing it was $6.99 enchilada night. Damn. We arrived at 5 and the place was packed already. Food was delicious and fresh. Staff was friendly and expedient. We had a great time. I heard there's a long line on weekends. Enchilada night is Wednesday Happy hour is 3-6 read more

El Vecino - Enchilada night on wednesdays - $6.99 ~ is this real? - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Everything is so good. Really nice staff too!!! They are very busy but accommodate you well in the bar area while waiting!

El Vecono is the absolute best Mexican food around white rock, nuff said. Go on Wednesday for enchilada night

Clean restaurant, Great food and awesome service. I could use that green salsa on everything. This place is worth a visit. I've gone back numerous times. They are consistent. read more

El Vecino - Chicken Enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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This was an amazing experience right from the beginning. I was greeted and seat within 1 minute although the place was almost at full capacity. The server was kind and very respectful. Tended to my needs and somehow knew exactly what I wanted. The server made great suggestions and made me feel welcomed. The food was mouth watering! I ordered the following and it was the perfect size. Crabmeat Enchiladas House Chips and Salsa Small Size Guacamole Center Around Margarita Enchiladas came with Beans, cheese and rice (you are able to substitute for other items as well) The crabmeat was perfectly cooked and it did not over power the traditional flavors. The restaurant does put their house sauce on the enchilada which I believe is the cherry on top. The guacamole was simple and was really a really good add on to the house chips and salsa. The Center Around Margarita was strong and I would suggest adding a fruity flavor like mango or strawberry if you don't like the tequila taste. This place in my book is a 5-star for the service and the delicious food. I would recommend this place for locals and definitely for visitors. If you find my post helpful please like and subscribe for more! Cheers! read more

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Had lunch here today, everything was unique and delicious, I had brisket nachos, my wife had chicken street tacos, friendly staff, great atmosphere, reasonable prices, was in mesquite visiting family and found location on Yelp, read reviews and decided to try this location, glad we did, I recommend it, wish it was in ft worth!!!!! GO TRY THIS PLACE read more

The food is ALWAYS high quality and delicious. The atmosphere is raucous and family friendly. The servers are very professional and take good care of you. The owner, John McBride is usually there to greet you. This is my favorite restaurant in Dallas. read more

Every time we've been able to get into El Vecino the food has been very decent. They lose a star for their wait list management but it is a great place. Hint: if the handicap spaces are full, it means at least a 30 minute wait. There are other restaurants around it in the immediate area. read more

Busy atmosphere for Saturday at 5PM. Salsas are wonderful and chips thin and light. I got the Nonny's Dinner and my wife got the Shrimp Quesadillas. The chicken on the Nonny was flavorless, dish was pretty, but the chicken needed some seasoning or marinade. My wife liked the Quesadillas. read more

El Vecino - Nonny's Dinner - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

some of the best local texmex in dallas! so glad we have a neighborhood joint that consistently impresses us.

The food and the drinks are the best You can meet the coolest people at this restaurant bar and leave with a giant burrito that is the best burrito I've ever had with all the fixings. Nice friendly neighborhood restaurant in the neighborhood . It's my favorite place to go after work. read more

I love the chips and salsa and the atmosphere! Great drinks too! But the chicken here in my fajitas was that weird rubbery texture. So next time I got shrimp tacos and my shrimp was not cooked they took that off my bill, but not making me want to go back. read more

El Vecino is one of our favorite restaurants in the area. Great place for a margarita or tasty meal. The chips, salsa, and guacamole are great. The quesadillas, tacos, and enchiladas are fantastic. The wait staff is friendly. Everything is portioned appropriately for the price. If you're not wanting to eat at the restaurant, their to-go service is efficient as well. Check them out! read more

I've driven by and finally decided to go and I'm glad I did! Our new favorite TexMex in Dallas. You can always tell a place by the chips and salsa, these were hot and crispy the salsas were tasty and just the right amount of flavor (not spicy). The food was delicious and generous. Our server Luis was very attentive. We will definitely be back read more

El Vecino - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This place is decent. Good atmosphere and solid Tex Mex. Margs are nice and strong. I ordered the fajitas and enjoyed the flavor. Was taken aback at the "sliced" chicken, however. The chicken wasn't fully grilled because it seems to be maybe frozen prepared chicken that they throw in? (See photo) Nice vibes , though. I stand by my surprise at the preparation, however. read more

El Vecino - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Basically the best meal I've had there. I always get the Ryan's plate and my margaritas. For some reason, it really hit the spot today. Great service as usual. Will return for brunch. read more

El Vecino - Live the Abuelito Margaritas. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Last night's Date Night with a Hottie led us to another East Dallas fave, El Vecino. Greeting us at the door was owner, John McBride, and his place was hoppin'!!! My better half and I bellied up to the bar as we waited just a few minutes for our table. I enjoyed a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned, and Sonia, a Pacifico. Immediately after being seated Edgar was quick to serve. We ordered chips and a massive guacamole as an appetizer. Then we shared sizzlin' steak fajitas. So good! I ordered another OF, while Sonia shifted to a Margarita on the Rocks that hit the spot. The Rita is El Vecino's offering during this summer's Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce Cocktail Passport program. So thankful for their participation. John and the EV family have been fantastic chamber members. Anyhow, John was running around, working the room, prepping tables and supporting staff. I love seeing business owners hustle, and he sure does that. If you find yourself in East Dallas, looking to grab a bite, head on over to El Vecino. #ElVecino #smallbiz #eastdallas #eastdallaschamber read more

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Great food and service. Had the chicken and steak fajitas and was not disappointed. Pretty cheap also! read more

El Vecino - Mixed fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Hard to stand out in the Tex-Mex business in Dallas. This one exceeds on all levels. Drink service in the waiting area (no one else does that). Terrific chips and salsa. Delicious food. Great service. And what a treat to watch a table being cleared. It's like watching a Nascar pit crew in action. Our first visit. Won't be our last, and we live 30 minutes away. read more

Great food great service will definitely visit again soon server's were really nice and the business owner took out the time to come and introduce his self although my friend she is a regular there read more

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Not sure how or why this place is so highly rated. The food is basic Tex-mex without flavor and covered in cheese and sauces. Our server must have had a bad day as his attention elsewhere. read more

We went during Happy Hour on "Taco Tuesday" and ordered a variety of menu items to try to get an overall idea of their food. We ordered the "appetizer size Two bite Tacos;" the Poco De Todo Platter; Nonny's Dinner; and the Fish Tacos. During Happy Hour the Beer is $1 off and the El Remolino (Swirl Margarita) is $6.50, which is a good price. The margaritas were not particularly good however, the flavor seemed, I don't know.... weak, watery? The two bite tacos appetizer size are 5 tiny tacos, they taste good and frankly were the best item on the table. But coming in at $8.95, not really worth it. The food was only just okay. The Mexican rice is bland and tomato-ey, the Borracho beans are also bland with an odd tinge of sweetness to them, very similar to the green "salsa" but the worst part of this dish was the wilted spinach which was extremely bitter. The Poco De Todo Platter includes quesadillas, nachos and taquitos and while the portions are decent the quesadillas were soggy and didn't seem to be cooked in a pan but maybe in a microwave? The texture was not good, and the flavor was not there either. The nachos and taquitos were on par with Taco Bueno's. The fish tacos were okay but also nothing to write home about. Overall, our bill was too much considering the lack of quality in the food, we were quite disappointed as this place is close to home. But we will not be returning, if you try it, I hope your luck is better. read more

El Vecino is the bomb. I love their chips and salsa. My favorite chips and salsa at any Mexican food restaurant. The service is always top notch. This place is not a secret anymore. So plan to wait if you're going during peak hours. We usually order a drink at the bar while we wait for our table. The margaritas are good and the beers are cold. We usually split combo fajitas and a taco plate for the 3 of us. It is all very very good. The queso is tasty and the guacamole is perfect. Did I mention the chips??? They are the best chips in Dallas. The flour and corn tortillas are small too... Like a street taco. It makes the fajitas fun to share. Really cool atmosphere in here and lots of colorful art. You will not leave hungry. read more

El Vecino - Wall Art - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

So my friend recommended El Vecino. She immediately turned it into her new spot after her first visit so I had to see what all the hype was about! My friend already had a table when I arrived so I didn't have to wait, but others didn't seem to have to wait long that arrived at the same time as me. The place was super cute. Lots of colors on the wall so it was a little vibe. The service was great! Karla was the best! She was super knowledgeable about the menu and was sure to check on us as the place was pretty busy. We went for lunch and I had the veggie fajitas! I can't remember the name of the rice it came with but it was green and great! I'm sure you could switch it out if it's not your thing as you could also switch the pinto beans with black beans if you choose which I love. I stuck with the pinto but tried my friends black beans and they were both great! The veggies weren't over cooked and they were seasoned well! I was impressed and will try a cocktail next time. Definitely a good one to visit for some good Mexican food! read more

El Vecino - Veggie Fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

One of the best and most consistent Tex-Mex choices in Dallas. Everything that I e had here is very good. The fresh chips and salsa are so tasty, I'm full before my food arrives. Then I have great leftovers lol read more

El Vecino - 2 brisket enchiladas with guajillo sauce, 1 chicken molé enchilada. Cilantro rice and refried black beans. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Best Mexican restaurant in East Dallas - the food is always on point, drinks are great and the bartenders are awesome every time. Starting with management down, this place is fantastic and a must visit if you are local in East Dallas. They carried us through covid with take-out when we just couldn't cook anymore and we continue to enjoy this spot as often as possible. read more

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I had a horrible experience here. I did not enjoy anything other than the decorations and the way the menu SOUNDED. Our waiter was not friendly or personable and just was not attentive. Asked if we needed refills once we were done with our horrible meal. The tables behind us got a much better waiter. The food was also not great. It tasted like they were catering their flavors (or lack there of) to the gentrified community and not anyone's Hispanic roots. My husband got the Mexican stir fry and it had no flavor and a sad, thin, small amount of steak. I'd expect some Mexican spice and flavor on a dish as basic as this or maybe some kind of flavorful sauce? Just a letdown. I got Charley's choice and was not a fan of any of the enchilada flavors. The chicken tasted pretty good but I didn't like their sweet mole. We had the ultimate queso which was delicious k but hard to mess up anyway. Chips and salsa were not good. Neither was spicy and the green was not flavorful either. The red had a smoky flavor which I'm not a fan of but it was a little bit better than the other, so smoke fans might like it. I had high expectations and was super let down. Will not return. There's a much better restaurant at Bruton and Buckner I will give my money to. read more

This was our first time here and the food and service were excellent! We will definitely be coming back. The flavors in Charley's Choice were a perfect elevated version of the classic shrimp, beef, and chicken enchiladas. And the El Cuenco salad bowl with the Tequila vinaigrette was the perfect combination of flavors. Not to mention the chips and salsas slapped! read more

El Vecino - Charley's Choice & El Cuenco salad bowl - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

My favorite Tex Mex spot! The chips are great & the green salsa is my favorite. I am so very boring and order the same thing every time, the Ensalata del Vecino with salmon with the jalapeño Parmesan dressing. The addition of the pistachio to the salad is good and the dressing has a little kick to it which is yum! My boyfriend has ordered multiple things and enjoyed all of them. We usually go every other week. read more

El Vecino - Ensalada del Vecino with salmon - Tex-Mex Near Me - Dallas, Texas

We happened to drive this place and decided to try it. What a treat! The food was great. The chips were warm and fresh. There were two types of salsa: one red, which was delicious and one green, which I think was tomatillo salsa. It was good as well. Neither were spicy. The atmosphere was kind of hole-in-the-wall-ish,which I like. The service was great. One thing I liked was that our waiter brought more salsa without us having to ask. Everyone was friendly. If you're in the area, stop in! read more

What a pleasant Tex-Mex place in the Lakewood neighborhood. We tried this family-friendly place with our friends on a Sunday early afternoon. The service was super good. Our waitress Lucy was so pleasant and kind. Their chips are served warm with their house-made salsa sauces. Their brunch cocktails have generous portion (Mimosa on the regular wine glasses, instead of champagne flutes, for example), which my friends loved. The steak fajita, their taco salad, chicken enchiladas and the chicken burrito grande were all great. Will return for sure. read more

Very good food, the chips were great but the salsas were just ok to me. Service was nice, very adequate. One thing I notice at a lot of restaurants is, the waiter does not put your left-overs in the container for you. That makes so much difference to me if they would! Ambience was perfect! Colorful in the restaurant & lively atmosphere! read more

Always good. The vibe, the service, the music (bad bunny), the chips and sauce which are crack, the drinks, the food. I really have nothing bad to say. I love everything about this place. Always feel like your going to your neighbors for food and drinks when you step in. I always order the chicken enchiladas with queso sauce, double rice no beans and it never fails. Made to savory perfection. I have also had the Ryan's Platter double rice and it is equally good. I highly recommend both. I would come everyday. Seriously. read more

Dont be discouraged by my middle of the road rating, but do continue reading if you have curiosities over this place. Came here for a to-go lunch and had a half order of nachos and lunch order numero uno (Choice of two enchiladas with rice and beans). My food came out super quick (3 minutes after ordering), which surprised the hell out of me, but this place has it probably down to a science when cranking out to go orders at this point. The red and green sauce were actually fresh. YOu could taste the salsa verde was made within the past few hours, cause the tomatillos were so pronounced. The red sauce was not too watery or tomatoey, like other places so I tip my hat to the wait staff on this one. The chips did not seem as fresh, cause they were lukewarm and didnt pop with much flavor. I would be interested in seeing how they taste when made fresh from the oven. I didnt think a half order of nachos would mean just four tortilla chips, but I guess thats my fault for not asking. The cheese was melted at a good temperature. The beef was there, but it wasnt very pronounce. They hook you up with the sour cream, guacamole and pickled jalapenos with this order. So if you are a solo eater, you can easily have guac and sour cream with your salsa and chips. I ended up going with the beef enchiladas with chile con carne and the cheese enchilada with chile con queso. The thing that stood out to me was the texture and structure. Both held up really well. Both had a great mouthfeel when chewing. Not sure if its the masa they use or if its just the right amount of filling, but it was the best part of the enchiladas. The flavors were exactly what you expect. Its hard to put into words, but if you ate it, you'd understand that nothing here has a distinct flavor or execution. The rice and beans were standard with no additional sprucing up. I will say I appreciate the rice was actually fluffy and not clumped together like a semi starch ball. everything I had was good enough to fill me up but not have my in a food coma until a few hours later. Obviously, anyone who lives around the neighborhood could easily ignore my review. This place does good enough that the local neighbors probably wont go elsewhere. Let me be clear when I say In no way was anything "bad". But this is standard textbook Tex-Mex that offers no touch of a chef or room for experimentation or excitement. This food was made for middle aged white people who want their food cheesy and left unseasoned (besides salt). Everyone will be happy with what they order, but you may have a hard time remembering how it tasted. Perhaps their biggest strength is also their biggest weakness. Nothing I have had amazes me, and nor it may ever. Beyond that, I did enjoy what I had for lunch and wouldnt be opposed to coming back under the right circumstances. But compared to the other places around Dallas, this place would not be on my list of recommendations. read more

My wife and I have been enjoying El Vecino regularly for several years and is always consistently great. From the friendly greeting at the door as we walk in, the prompt seating by the host, the fast service from the server as our order is taken and brought out, the food is great no matter the item on menu we choose. The server is always attentive without being intrusive. Of course this is a Tex Mex place so expect the usual crowds on Wednesdays and weekend nights. A great place for Tex Mex and has won awards each year. Enjoy. read more