While thursting for a hot Mexican plate. Yes, even after I, read most, recent majority bad reviews. So to be my own judge, I sat at the bar. Emina, the bar tender, gave many good food & drink suggestions. The place was clean; not crowded in any way. As my hunger persisted, I decided on a chicken chimichanga & margarita. Over all the food came out fresh & hot. It was seasoned enough to notice a bit of flavor. The proportion size was good! Over all, I gave a three start review bc it is Tex Méx. Nevertheless, stop in and give it a try! read more

We went to Escondido last night for my birthday. Our waiter, Richie was amazing. He gave us a great recommendation with the street corn dip for an appetizer. He knew it was my birthday and said the birthday dessert was on the house. I had the special pumpkin cheesecake chimichangas. I always have a good meal. For my entree, I had the chicken quesadilla with plantains. So delicious! read more

Escondido - Chicken Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

See all

To start off, the food, service and atmosphere is as nice as ever. I think it's important to report that the menu shown in the photos is really out of date as I confirmed today. The current menu is quite abbreviated and more like a lunch and snack offering. Our Quesadilla and Chimichanga entrees were wonderful as ever. read more

We stopped by around lunch time And they have happy hour Sat , Sunday 11:30-4. Margarita $4, Modelo $4 Sangria $7. Also a lot of happy hour food . We sat outside by the fountain, and we enjoyed every bite . Also they have kids menu. $9 . For my niece we got Chicken fingers with French fries and ice cream Our waitress was friendly and attentive . Thank you for making our Sat special read more

See all

This used to be a great place for Mexican food; however, it has gone downhill fast. We sat at the bar right after the restaurant opened and noticed it had not been cleaned from the night before. The chicken in the burrito and chimichanga was very dry, chunky (instead of completely shredded) and totally flavorless along with the side of undercooked rice. My recommendation would be to avoid this place at all costs; Taco Bell blows it away.... read more

I came here to review for what I thought was the first time, but obviously it wasn't. I see that is still a solid Mexican option almost a decade later. We were seated fairly quickly for an early Sunday dinner. They were able to accommodate a party of about 6 children and 5 adults very quickly. Josh was our friendly and thorough server. Great job, Josh. LOVED my prickly pear margarita... soooooo delicious! I ordered two and wanted a third but didn't want to seem like a lush lol. The green salsa is still hittin, and I took another pint to go! My enchiladas were delicious... and the rice and refried beans that comes with it is really tasty and plentiful. Can't wait to return! Maybe for Margarita Monday! read more

First time and it was a 5-star experience because of our Bartender; I believe her name was Mirian. She was awesome, made some amazing cocktails and the food was spectacular. Can't wait to go back! read more

Absolutely terrible! I wouldn't feed it to my dog! Terrible service as well! The ground beef in the enchiladas tasted like a sour sock! Beans terrible! Just all around horrible!! read more

Best meal and service we have had in years. Our Server Hailey is beyond professional and knowledgeable. Hailey came to our table numerous times to make certain everything was great. A true asset to this establishment. Please extend accolades plus on our behalf. Megan & Erin are 2 Managers that are totally involved and beyond helpful. Made certain our dinner was as it should be. "PERFECT." When your taste buds are asking for Mexican Cuisine, ESCONDID'S is a must go to. Tell the team we reviewed Jaimi Allan sent you read more

The staff was pretty nice but I got my meal and it consisted of soggy flavorless chicken, dry rice, and a cup of mysterious gray liquid/substance/goop. I tasted it and it had a coagulated consistency much to my chagrin. Reminiscent of jello that has not been done forming. And had no flavor. Upsetting and shocking. I sent the food back as I wasn't going to eat it and they seemed so confused and tried to convince me to take it in a box. Yeah like i'd want reheated gray substance. #nicetry read more

Outdoor service near the fountain s was a nice vibe. The complimentary chips taste like authentic corn chips. The sauces are both good. Mild with some sweetness and flavors. The green has hints of lime but mild. I am loving the music playing in the background, a seat near the fountains with the water sound is even better! The waitress Paola is very friendly and informative. The fuego shrimp...oh my, you get bread cause that Chili spice and fuego means fire....ok. these were very tasty with some fuego, just drink more delicious Margarita so you won't notice the flame. Well, that's what I did... the birria bao buns are still my favorite. The meat with pickled onions and avocado are very tasty. It comes with a red birria sauce to dip for fun.. cause you don't need it. I love this place.. it's a stop in anytime in nearby. The food is great and happy hour before six is a gem!! read more

See all

Came here for dinner with one of my gfs. Place is huge, hardly anyone there. Ambiance is warm and cozy. Wish it was a little brighter and a bit more dated too. Seems like everything there needs a pick me up. We got seated fast. Our waitress was nice not that talkative. She got our order quick and our dishes out quick too. My friend ordered a chicken quesadilla and I got a Baja bowl with chicken. Both were ok. I missed the taste of the pico de gallo in my baja bowl. I was waiting for the sour/salty yumminess to kick in, but got nothing. The flavor was just not doing it for me. My friend's quesadilla was standard. Neither dishes really stood out which was unfortunate. One big question I have is - why are the tacos 8 bucks a piece?! Tacos in Jersey City don't even cost that much! I've been to a good amount of Mexican/TexMex places. Sadly, this establishment is Definitely not on the top of my list. read more

Escondido - Baja Bowl with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

I have been coming here for years, but can tell they have lost some of their pizazz. Menu and portion sizes have been significantly condensed while prices rise. I hope they bring back the mole sauce & margarita sampler someday. Endless chips with two types of salsa, both great. Everything that comes out is fair, but a little sloppily put together presentation-wise. The short rib meat is mighty flavorful, so I do recommend the enchiladas. Most of the tacos are bland. The tables and floor typically need an extra wipe down every time, but service is always friendly. read more

Escondido - Short Rib Enchilada (very tasty meat), 2 Combo Meal (chicken chimichanga & hard shell beef taco), rice & beans, house margarita - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Stopped in after picking apples with the family. They were able to accommodate our party size and we were immediately seated. Our server was very polite abcs helpful but not when it came to the alcoholic beverages, as she is under 21. The street corn needed more of the mayo and cheese drizzled on but otherwise the corn itself tasted fresh and sweet. I ordered the fajita and was sadly disappointed as there was no real taste/seasoning on it the food. In fact, every adult at the table had the same comment. One of the kids ordered chicken fingers and they were so hard we sent them back and ordered the pizza like the others had. read more

See all

excellent service! this place has such a great vibe and the food is superb. Absolutely try the chorizo melt with a Dos XX draft

Came on a Tuesday evening for a relaxed dinner and beverages with demanding out of town customers - the service and food was excellent. Cella, our attentive waitress, was fantastic, a total pro - handled a challenging situation extremely well with a big smile and all went well. Great time, will return. read more

A great place for a weekend happy hour during Covid. I visited this place with my fiance two Saturday's ago, and it was very very hot outside. Escondido's outdoor dining was under a tent with fans all over. While it was still hot, I was so thankful that we were under shade. The tables were all 6 feet apart. They have Saturday happy hour pretty much the entire day, and it was so well worth it! $3 house margaritas and $6 house guac and chips? I'll take it! Both were incredibly delicious! Definitely recommend. read more

Love this place. Food is great. Service is great. They're fast and the atmosphere is chill

Pretty nice place, very easy going place even with COVID-19 restrictions, fast service, good food and not pricey. Drinks were pretty good too. Overall a nice Mexican food restaurant, not a lot of options on the menu but that could be because of Covid season. Will get back and try it again once all this passes read more

Escondido - Traditional Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

I feel bad giving two stars but I really did not like any of my food. My friend and I decided on Escondido as we were coming from a crafting workshop. When we arrived, we both said "wow, this place is huge!" There's upstairs seating too. We visited on a Sunday around 3:30PM. Upon walking in, it was very empty so we were seated immediately. When we were seated I noticed that the sign with the QR code had some splattered guacamole on it but I brushed it off since we were seated at a booth and we had a lot of room. Our lovely waitress introduced herself and took our drink orders. My friend and I ordered a sprite and a lime Jarrito. Chips and salsa was complementary so that was a plus. Our food came out within 10 minutes so the service was definitely quick. I ordered the veggie burrito which came with a side of rice and beans and I also ordered french fries. The burrito honestly did not look appetizing at all. Also, I never had carrots in a mexican burrito so that threw me off. I only took a couple of bites I just didn't like the burrito or the rice and beans on the side. The fries were good though. Would possibly give another try in the future. read more

would give it zero, three of us went service was great food lacked flavor and their tortilla used for the enchiladas had a rubbery texture . skip this place was empty at prime time Saturday night that should of told us to leave. read more

I was out shopping and stopped in for a quick bit. I had the Gringo taco. Service was great, sat at the bar as I was solo. Bartenders weee great read more

My boyfriends mom recommended this spot..we decided to swing by on a Sunday afternoon after shopping and the place was totally empty. It's a much bigger restaurant than we expected so we got seated quickly. It was happy hour so we ordered the street fries and tacos. It felt like the food took a while even though we were one of the few parties there. The food was just ok, nothing out of this world. I'd say if you're looking for something convenient and affordable, this might be a good once in a while place. Personally I'd rather go to an authentic Mexican restaurant with more options read more

Escondido - Taco - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

See all

First time here. Should have listened to the reviews. Sat at the bar which was pretty empty and remained empty until left (guess that was a sign). The bartender was so not personable, and acted like we were bothering her. Surprisingly pricey but underwhelming in flavor. Would not come back. read more

This place was chill. I wish the music was related to the restaurant theme and played a bit louder. They played a lot of pop music. Service was great though. Super friendly server and attentive. The empanadas were really good and the steak tacos as well. I wasn't a fan of the rice and beans. Not much flavor there. When the fried ice cream came out I expected the ice cream to be inside a shell from the batter being fried but it wasn't. It was more like crumbs of batter around it. But the ice cream and the cinnamon tortilla shell was good. I'd come back to try something else. read more

See all

We met family at this restaurant Saturday night. Beautiful Tequila bar. The 2 bartenders knew how to mix drinks and the presentation was nice . We had a reservation and we sat on time in an open area. Plenty of room to sit and relax. Our waitress was knowledgeable and took her time making sure our orders were right. One of the young girls behind the bar had told me to try the Street Taco . We ALL ordered drinks which took a reasonable amount of time to make and delivered. I had a few spicy margaritas. WOW The waitress took our order for apps and entree orders. We got the Macho Nachos! Delicious I ordered the Street Taco and Gringo Taco . Delicious The food was hot and tasty. read more

For drinks we tried the frozen strawberry, mango, and peach margaritas. We both liked the mango and strawberry but felt the peach did not have much flavor. For our appetizer we ordered the guacamole. The guacamole was great and the salsa verde was exceptional. However, we were disappointed with our cold stale chips. The second round of chips were hotter. For food we got chicken fajita and the Baja chicken bowl. Presentation for both meals were good and well portioned. The chicken fajita was very well seasoned and very delicious. The chicken bowl had a nice amount of chicken but very little avocado. Service was quick and friendly. read more

Escondido - Drinks: Peach and Strawberry Food: Chicken fajita and Baja Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Margarita Monday is an absolute must... all margaritas on the menu are 1/2 off. Had a prickly pear that was fantastic and then got the guava which honestly might have been even better than the prickly pear. Others at our table got the blackberry, which was loved as well. Chicken floutas were a great starter. Enchiladas (red) with spare rib were 100% something I would order again. The meat melted in your mouth. Fajitas smelled amazing and had so much on them. The burrito with shrimp had a sauce on top that made the meal. We loved every single thing that we got. The restaurant itself was pretty and huge inside. It was raining otherwise sitting outside by the fountain would have been nice. Everything came out quick and everyone was very friendly. Can't believe this has been within 15 minutes of us and we had no idea it existed. Will be back! read more

Thank you Doug! Doug gives great recommendations on food, and can not only multi task but he is the definition of "everywhere at the same time". Never fear when Doug is near; this man can serve food, bartend, and still be near you at all times. He makes the best drinks, and always gets your order right. I'm leaving this review because I am not the only person who is overly impressed with Doug. He is extremely genuine, professional, fast without losing quality, and can hold a conversation without being "interruptive" (if that makes sense). he's great because he can give you privacy but also is always around if you need to order or more chips etc. (which he usually asks before you can ask LOL) The food at Escondido TACO & Tequila Bar is phenomenal and their happy hour cannot be beat! Thank you to the entire staff including Management, servers, and of course the back that cooks our food and brings the big smile to our face during a horrible time. PS. ESCONDIDOO is 100% sanitary and up to COVID-19 Standards. They offer takeout and I believe they work with either GrubHub or door dash. Give them a call they might even deliver on their own their number is 732-577-0200 Chicken Street Tacos read more

See all

Excellent food and drink waitress Sophie sweet and very nice we coming for six flag and find this place I love it we are from Bronx NYC but I will be back with my friends read more

Definitely a nice Mexican restaurant for adults and kids alike. They had many food options, ambiance was great. They were busy so we had to wait for our food but nothing that bad. The taco that I ordered definitely made up for the wait time. read more

I have really grown to love this place! I had come a few times a few years back and was never really blown away but now I find myself craving Escondido's all the time! I'm obsessed with their steak street tacos. They are soooo flavorful! All the different flavors combine really well together. They are filled with meat and toppings and also come with a heaping of rice and beans so both times I've ordered I've always had leftovers. I need to try more off their menu, it is probably my new favorite place to eat Mexican food! read more

Escondido - Steak Street Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

See all

Food and service were great. My margarita was perfect - not too strong. Empanadas were so good, do wish the portion was a little bigger but since it was only two of us, it was fine. I got a rice bowl with chicken, which was really good. I liked the inside ambiance as well. read more

Escondido - Empanadas - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

Great Mexican food. My beef burrito was filled with beef and covered in cheese. Plus side dish of rice. Lost star because ambiance is to casual. Not a fan of concrete floors in restaurants. Service was great. read more

Escondido - Bar área - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

See all

Happy hour is great! Tasty food, drinks and great service. Only thing missing is karoake or trivia.

we really loved this spot! our waitress was incredible and so unbelievably kind & funny. the food was great, and as for the ambiance, it was really nicely decorated. a great balance between modern & that classic mexican restaurant feel! read more

FREEHOLD: a Mexican restaurant with a great tequila selection, Escondido Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Bar has a scenic outdoor area where we enjoyed Happy Hour with Brie. Ask to sit on the "breezeway" for a more secluded area for your dog. Check their menu for daily specials! read more

The few times I've gone the food was just okay. It's a little dirty, kinda like a pub you just duck into you after work for a drink or two. The margaritas were the best part! Very delicious. read more

I've had many birthdays, celebrations, and overall great times at Escondido! It's a reliable local Mexican restaurant where you can't really go wrong. Food - The food is pretty good. If you're craving Mexican food, this place will hit the spot. There's plenty of vegetarian options as well. Drinks - The drink menu is extensive, and there's a full bar inside. Atmosphere - I LOVE the vibe and atmosphere. It's laid back and fun, and I always have a great time when I come here. Covid - They did a great job with the outdoor seating area. The tables are spread out under tents with string lights, and there is plenty of space. The staff was wearing masks and we felt very safe. read more

Escondido - Entrance - Mexican Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

See all

Tasty food and good service will be going back soon. Highly recommended for quality Mexican food.