I try my best to eat at local spots and I was in the mood for Mexican food. I hadn't been to Forti's in a long time so we went for lunch on a Saturday. The place is big, several big rooms. I realize it's also a long standing establishment but for a minute I wondered if it was open. It was a bit drafty and dark when I first walked in, but if you walk to the big central room you'll be welcome by a nice fountain and lots of natural light. The service was great and while the place seems a bit run down, the treat is the food. You get big heaping plates with your main course of choice AND rice and beans. That's what I'm talking about. The food and service will make me a regular for sure. Prices aren't bad eithet. It's the kind of local spot I hope doesn't close down. read more

See all

Way way way over priced so so Mexican food. Worst service ever. Not attentive servers or staff. Literally you get better service at village inn. Yeah ambience is traditional good but why would you put up with such disappointing experience. read more

We had a nice large dinner party for several birthdays . I had the desebrada tacos they gave four instead of the standard three and packed with tons of meat! They were good. My friend had red enchiladas on the Mexican plate with 2 enchiladas, Chile relleno and a taco rice and beans. The music was lively and enjoyable and there was plenty of room for our large party! Love it here. The ambiance is so authentic. read more

See all

Great service, delicious food, and drinks. I recently visited this restaurant for the second time, and I can confidently say it's now my favorite Mexican place in El Paso! So far, I've only tried the combo fajitas, but they're so delicious that I keep coming back just for them. The fajitas are perfectly cooked, flavorful, and tender every bite. What really sets this place apart for me is the fact that they serve Chambord, which makes a Cadillac margarita extra good, with that extra shot. It's a small detail, but it really elevates the whole drink. Let's not forget about the chips and salsa...the salsa has a tasty kick to it. Be warned, though--it can sneak up on you, so be prepared! Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with this restaurant. Great service & food, awesome drinks, and a nice atmosphere. I can't wait to go back! read more

See all

So my wife and I were running around doing some errands and were a bit hungry so we decided on this place hoping it was still business. Good thing I didn't bet my wife or I would have lost. We get there and are a bit skeptical at first until we walk in and see it's open. We are promptly seated by the water fountain and that was a nice touch. I stayed by ordering a Bloody Maria, which if you've had a Bloody Mary then ask for a Bloody Maria which is the same thing except made with tequila instead of vodka, you'll thank me later. I ordered the carnitas and my wife ordered the Sabana de Invierno. We began with the obligatory chips and salsa and the salsa was so good. Then our meal came out and it was delicious. My carnita plate came with a chile de arbol salsa that had a nice kick to it plus some grilled onions, some cilantro and some guacamole. The beans were nice, hot and cheesy and my carnitas were devine. My wife's steak was very yummy as well and she thoroughly enjoyed it as well. We were so full we didn't have any room for dessert but now we know, they are open and highly recommend everyone hit it up, you won't be disappointed. read more

Really large and beautiful restaurant, great for parties or a casual dinner. Interior has a lot of paintings and is beautifully decorated. Food portions are large and taste amazing, and service was fast and friendly. Solid choice. read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Pastel de Tres Leches (Dinner) - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

my order wasn't correct, the food tastes like shit, the simple burger was crap, they charge extra just for chips, their paleta was shitty, they had warm beer & service was not good. If there was an option to give zero stars then i would. read more

Still very good after many years in business! Nice wait staff, freshly made and generous portions!! Yum!

December 7, 2924 Our staff made reservations at Forti's for lunch I got there a little late 15 min and they had already ordered a waitress came up to me and took my order (tortilla soup) after they came with everybody else order i waited another 10 min then asked about my order then at that time they told me there were no soup available and if I wanted to order something else and I told her everyone was already eating and by the time I get my order it would be too late the waitress insisted and she went to the kitchen and brought me tomato soup with tostadas in it I told her I didn't want it. The service there was terrible there some of my other co workers had also complained about the food read more

No wonder this place has 3 stars. Wish it had 0 so people can really understand how incompetent this restaurant really is. Raw food. Dumb staff. read more

The food isn't the same anymore, how sad. I remember I used to go in the 90's. It was very delicious. And the place needs a makeover big time. My server was great. No questions about that. Maybe get different cooks or change the ingredients. I don't think I'll going back. read more

The food was and good portions. The inside of the restaurant was clean and there is lots of seating. Our waitress was nice. read more

See all

Visiting ELP again and have to go to Fortis. Pachuga California was delicious again! Watermelon margaritas were great, wife had two and the Chile rellenos. Live music added more to the already nice atmosphere. This is one of our favorites. Great selection of drinks and delicious food, this will always be a must have for EL Paso visits. read more

See all

We walked into the facility and it was completely dark in the foyer. No lights anywhere. We were with 2 elderly folks and had to guide them over an uneven floor. We were sat down and they brought chips and salsa. The chips were literally stale and the salsa was so bland you might as well dip the stale chip in tomato juice. We ordered 2 orders of fajitas for 2 and two tampiquena steaks. The fajitas had a foul sulfur odor and I won't even describe the flavor. It is obvious that the meat had been marinating for God knows how long. It was completely off and old. It's like they mixed old meat with a few new pieces. The smell would literally turn your stomach. The beans were so salty you couldn't eat them. We sent the fajitas back and declined to order anything else. My daughter wanted sopapillas and when they came one had mold inside. It was obviously made who knows when and was probably not sold and put in the fridge still warm and then reheated for us. See photos. You do not reheat sopapillas you throw them away. They turn into grease filled mush. Absolutely the worst birthday dinner ever. We hadn't been there for 20 years and my wife tried to talk me out of it. I guess I should listen better. I really don't know why they stay open. They had 3 tables at prime dinner hour in a huge restaurant. It's like they have just given up and don't care. The tables and restaurant in general were filthy with the smell of Fabuloso. It smelled like a Juarez bar on a Friday at 2 in the morning. Save your money and go to Chicos Tacos. You will certainly get a better meal. The service was good though and we really felt sorry for the servers that have to serve that slop. I do not think that even Chef Ramsey could turn this place around. read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Sopapilla with mold I believe and probably reheated 1 or 2 times. - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

See all

Was very disappointed with my visit to Forti's. The reason I had paid a visit was due to a retirement event. Not sure who owns the restaurant now, as you walk in you can see that the decor is in need of updating as well as tables and chairs needing to be replaced (I thought I was going to sink through my chair). The server was dressed as if she had just come back from the gym and didn't have a chance to change into proper work attire. I ordered the flauta plate which was a large portion. When the dish came out I didn't see the flautas because they were hidden under tons of shredded lettuce. The meal was lacking so much flavor that I hardly ate any of it. The other people at my table as we stated that the food had no flavor at all and left food on their plate. I couldn't believe that a restaurant that once thrived had come down to this. If it were not for the event I was attending the restaurant would have not had any paying customers during that whole time we were there. The reason for the one star is because the food was terrible, and the service was bad, for no one else being in the restaurant we had to keep flagging down the server for refills. My personal opinion is that I will never be going back. read more

Haven't been here in a while! Decided to make the drive...the service was excellent and everyone loved the food! Chicken with Chile con queso, carnitas tacos, Chile con queso steak, the combo plate and the cheese red enchiladas and guacamole and queso fundido for appetizers! The food was not as good as I personally remember it, but the atmosphere was pretty good, the parking was still tight and of course it was Saturday night, wedding party and karaoke at the bar, so the place was jumping! All in all, it was good...Enjoy! read more

Súper mal experiencia por un ceviche de pescado como botana y dos margaritas medianas me cobraron 60 dólares aparte se tardaron mucho en llevarme la comida fui la última en comer en el menú decía que las margaritas estaban a 10 y el ceviche a 13 No se que es lo que están haciendo pero asegúrense de preguntar dos veces por los precios antes de ordenar algo no vuelvo a este lugar A y aparte de que las meseras se tardaron mucho en llevar la comida me cobraron el 20% de propina en el ticket por cada persona que estábamos en la mesa éramos 7 no puedo imaginar a cuántas personas an echo esto antes la verdad no vale la pena pagar un precio tan alto por tan mal servicio ,, a y una de mis amigas le cobraron 3 canastas de tostadas y las tres salsas que nos llevaron antes de comer a si que si les gustan las tostadas con Salsa antes de comer vallan seguros de que las van a tener que pagar read more

Where to start..... Me and my family came on Father's Day a little bit after they opened there was as a few people in there already. It took forever for the waiter to even ask what we wanted to drink and the only options were sprite Dr pepper or tea because their soda and ice machines were down so they were opening cans of soda and pouring them into dirty cups and when I say dirty I mean dirty $9.00 for 4 flat sodas. it was a horrible experience for me an my husband the waiter was very rude didn't even tell us his name I asked to speak with the manager a few times and he assured he/she was on the way but never came and he never apologized I ended up asking for a styrofoam cup instead of a glass cup and that was dirty too never coming back here again paid over $100 for crap service I highly do not recommend coming here they don't care for their customers and that's probably the reason why it was pretty empty that day my son saw the roach on the floor behind us and nobody seemed to care about anything there I'm surprised this place is still open. What a great father's meal!!!! NOTTTTT!!!!! AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST I could've fed 4 families with the amount I paid by just making a homemade meal. I encourage people to support local businesses but this place noo!!!!! If I could give zero Stars I would read more

See all

My mother loves this place. I'm sure it's more sentimental more than anything. The food is just ok. They do bake their plates but the food is just okay. I choose the flauta plate this past Saturday and there was fat in the meat. There are just too many Mexican Restaurants for the meals to be mediocre. The chips and salsa were just ok too. Would I choose this place to come back to? Probably not, there are far better Mexican places to go to. Just place just doesn't do it for me. read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Yesterday we celebrated a birthday. It was 17 of us. Everyone ordered something different. Everyone was pleased with what they ordered. Chicken flautas, sirloin, arrachera, breaded fish was a hit. Service was excellent and they play nice music. Just before we left a couple showed up to play music for people to dance or just enjoy. The restaurant is very nice decorated too. A hidden treasure for sure read more

Even after reading a few reviews of Forti's I was surprised by a couple things. For one, how tucked away in an industrial/sketchy residential area it is, almost hidden from the road. Secondly, how big and extensive the interior space is. But the food? Well it delivered as well. I ordered a combo, number 2 I think. It had a taco, tamale, enchiladas, rice and beans. It was all pretty good. Not the most amazing Mexican food ever but pretty solid. The service was very good, the prices reasonable and the atmosphere is quite something. The older gentleman that saw me taking pictures and dragged me by the sleeve over to a mural so that I would not miss a shot of Pancho Villa was a very warm character addition to the whole experience. Forti's is probably one of El Paso's more interesting places to dine. read more

See all

This place is really hidden place but really good! They have really great drinks and food! Their service was amazing! I will definitely be coming here again! I really recommend this place! read more

Visiting El Paso from LA the food and service was delicious! Home made salsa was spicy and fresh, handmaid flour tortillas, my server was sweet, shrimp cocktail was good and flautas everything was delicious!!! read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I loved coming to this place, but after yesterday, I am so embarrassed. It was a let down after I had hyped this place up so much. Thanks A lot! I can see to start with I am not alone when it comes to dismal service at this creepy place. We were a group of 12 on Friday Oct 20 2023, the waitress who knew little about her job, took over 30 minutes to get the order for drinks. Then for food orders it took her another 30 just to come back. She kept forgetting things we asked her to bring. Drink orders were incomplete, so were food orders then it would take her more than 15 mins to come back with the right things or correct things we ordered. Many times she just plainly forgot about the extra drinks we ordered. The place was not busy it was our party of 12 and a couple infront of us on another table and a family of 5 behind us at another section. It's not like the restaurant was packed and popular. The fore mentioned were the only customers that evening. This is not a very good restaurant with the staff they have. This little establishment has potential but it's no good with parties of 7+ the wait staff seems to struggle. If it's not their language barrier it's the lack of sufficient brain space to recall items ordered, and pick up drink plus food orders in a timely manner. They lack knowledge, interest, and enthusiasm in their job and it seems so does the establishment. But when it comes to tips, the staff, they are hip hopping, all the way to the table short of extending their hand and begging for one. The bill comes already prepared with a percentage so wether their service was like a Kirby Vaccuum cleaner or not your stuck paying them a good tip regardless. OH and they are good at it. It was imagine this 14.00 dollars tip per couple of the 12 people in my party. IMAGINE THAT!!! For the dismal service it leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. FORTIS has a lot to be desired, it lacks good help, and timely order pick ups. But they screw you for being there with the high underserving tips. BOTTOM line go elsewhere! this is not the restaurant for you, this is not the Mexican food your looking for, this is not the environment you want, MOVE ALONG! Their is an abundance of other better quality for the price restaurants close by. Thanks for the fun times. read more

FINDING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH AT LAST Taking a walk around the area, you would not expect to find more than a mom and pop shop. However, once you reach the sign for Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant, you see what looks like a palace on an estate. Walk closer and it becomes more real, like the first time you walked into Carlos & Mickeys and saw the rich culture unfold. Through wooden double doors, you enter and see dark tiles, wide open spaces sharing the sunlight, and fountains full of water. Look up and find anything from parrots to balconies to pieces of art. There is so much to take in and yet, you feel at home. All I know was that when I went there and saw everything, I felt like el jefe (the Boss). When I tried the food, I ate like a king. So please follow me and I will tell you more. The FOOD: PLATES WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD Chips & Salsa: A BOWL OF FIRE AND EARTH Housemade chips and salsa submerged with a sea of jalapenos. The chips are fresh, crispy, and clean-tasting without being too oily. I definitely appreciated that there were majority whole pieces that could deliver a surge of their rich salsa. The salsa had enough heat to stimulate appetite and were addicting to the last drop. Each scoop gave a generous helping of your daily recommended dose of jalapenos. Tampiquena Steak - Arrachera Style with Enchilada: TURNING YOUR TASTEBUDS ROYAL, NOTHING LESS FOR A KING After being blessed with heat and warmth, this plate was delivered piping hot. The aromas of grilled beefy steak, onions, and peppers were balanced out by the rich mole sauce covering the enchilada and the fresh, housemade tortillas. These aromas captured my senses, but the overall vivacious colors of the dish won my eyes and much more. The Arrachera Steak was a perfect medium rare, soft and chewy, and splashing with juices with each cut. The beefiness and fattiness of the steak complimented the texture and contrasted well with the earthy grilled vegetables. The fresh guacamole with tomatoes and jalapenos refreshed the tongue and was balanced by the bold cheese enchilada with rich mole sauce. Refried beans topped with cheese offered substance to the meal. The tortillas came hot to the point where I had trouble holding onto them! Each one was chewy and held everything together without ripping. You immediately are immersed in its corn aroma. This must be what heaven feels like. Overall, everything worked together and balanced each other out. The VERDICT: TRUST THE MEXICAN ELDERS (Check out their daily lunch specials! PIC INCLUDED) Trust the Mexican Elders and they will show you spectacular Mexican cuisine. From a little street in El Paso grew a hole in the wall for Mexican food and good times. Upon entering, your eyes are flooded with a rich history and culture, like a dream unfolded onto a Shakespearean set. The Tampiquena Steak - Arrachera Style with Enchilada is a perfect match of grilled, tender steak and vegetables with refreshing housemade guacamole and a rich, complex cheese enchilada. Each bite offered intense beefiness for meat lovers. The enchilada offered rich cheesiness with a bold, rich mole sauce. Housemade tortillas were piping hot with a fresh corn aroma. The housemade chips were whole and not broken, while the salsa did not skimp on the jalapenos and offered the perfect balance of heat and addiction. I will be back to relive the dream of culture, atmosphere, and good food; because even after today, I still do not believe that I had eaten in such a perfect place. read more

See all

The GOOD First ill start off by saying most of the reviews I've read seem to be based on nostalgia and not on actuality. Its size is very deceiving...u walk in at ground level then place opens up to a beautiful sunken courtyard like atmosphere. The courtyard is spacious with plently of light and spanish charm with a fountain in the center. The menu is very extensive with traditional items as well as seafood dishes. We ordered the combination plates that were fantastic...no skimping on the rice and beans. Red sauce is spicy and flavorful. The tacos al carbon were perfectly cooked and lots of flavor...rellenos were hot...wooh ..hot as in picoso. The rice was spot on and the refried beans were light and full of flavor...my partner disagreed on the beans but overall spot on! Tostadas were light and not greasy...the salsa creeps up on u but needed a pinch of salt. "Just saying" Overall the whole meal was great! I dont give out 5 stars too much but the meal was 5 star...the 4 stars are for as follows The BAD Service was a little slow for as little people as there was...we had to grab another waitress for more tostadas and napkins...no bueno. Deducted a star for the dusty tiles and chandaliers, light fixtures, beautiful rosaries with dust...beautiful place just needs tender loving care and some attention. Overall a great great meal...couldve been a five star...but lack of attention to the details brings it down a notch...just saying. read more

See all

We have always loved going to Forti's anytime we are in El Paso. We were sat immediately and given chips and salsa and got our drinks and order placed right awayOur chips were stale so my husband asked for a new basket. We sat there for over 30 minutes waiting for our waitress to come back with a basket of chips but she ignored us. Several tables sent food back. 3 people got up to ask for silverware. A table of 7 had been sitting for at least 15 minutes before someone went to ask for menus. Then waited another 10-15 to place their orders and finally get drinks. The wait staff didn't seem to have assigned sections which causes more issues. The table next to us has a water leak above it. We finally went up to the front and asked the manager to cancel our order. read more

If they would treat us this bad over a $500-600 tab, how will they treat you over a $30 tab. I took my company there for a Christmas Party. We made reservations a few weeks prior but when we arrived they were not prepared. It took over an hour to provide drinks, chips and salsa to 35 people. we were sat at 7 tables colocated right in front of their live music (not the semi-private space promised). This was the beginning of a horrible night for the people I wanted to reward for a great Year. The food finally began arriving at hour 2 (8pm) and service was concluded at 845pm, with 9 plates missing. most plates were cold, or the order was wrong (off a limited 3 item menu). Top it all off, the Manager on Duty provided a mere 10% discount and a threat to call the cops, instead of talking to the owner who negotiated the party with us. There was never an I am sorry from her or her staff for the inconvenience. Her response was that we should have left after waiting 2 hours if we were unhappy, and then sent back the cold plates when we received them, but because my employees ate what was served the price stood. I had been several times with my wife and for business, but after how rude the manager was never again. read more

Tried going there 3 times during my last trip to El Paso all 3 times they were closed for service. Update your hours please!!

On May 23, 2021, a large group of friends from out of town made reservations to eat here. Unfortunately they had to wait more than three hours for everyone to be served while other people that walked into the restaurant were served right away. They provided them with 1 non-English server for a party of 20+ people. Such horrible, disappointing service. I would definitely NOT recommend this place. Wish I could give ZERO stars. read more

The food is always delicious for both take out and sit down. I love it there! Would recommend the bacon wrapped shrimp!

Went to celebrate my brothers birthday and will never be back. They served my 11 and 6 year old nieces pineapple juice with ALCOHOL in it. When we were seated there was a dead cockroach by the table. That should've been when we left but stayed and ordered anyways to which it took over an hour to be served and was not busy at all. Food was not worth the price at all. The waiter was rude and actually argued with my grandmother about what she ordered and double charged us 0/10 would not recommend read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Did Not like when the bill came. They added at Credit Card fee..... :( Food good but they should tell you ahead of paying.

Best place for Mexican food! They have amazing margaritas and the food is to die for!!!! I would rate them higher if I could... great service and ambiance. A must try in El Paso! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in El Paso just lost my business . I came to pick up a take-out order, and the manager was working behind the counter with his face mask around his neck. 3 other employees had no mask at all. Also, they hadn't looked at my online order. I had to wait an extra 20 minutes to get my food. I will not return. read more

I came to El Paso to help my son with his new job wanted to have authentic Mexican food fortes was recommended by a number of people at the indigo hotel went there had a wonderful time could not have asked for a better experience We were greeted with a smile Abraham the waiter could not do enough for us made suggestions on a platter so I got a taste of a variety of authentic Mexican food The owner came over to make sure everything was great would recommend this to anybody and will certainly be back when I'm visiting my son read more

I ordered at this place through Uber eats....enchiladas were ok...but the fries...it looked like a child packed them after taking a bite out of each one. Horrible and very disappointing. Take pride in your work. read more

Forti's Mexican Elder Restaurant - Horrible, just horrible. These are the supposedly "steak fries" - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I had my birthday party here and the customer service was bad food took for ever are plate was missing beans what kind of Mexican restaurant has no beans right food needs flavor just won't be back again read more

I had this restaurant bookmarked for quite some time as I kept hearing wonderful things about the food, decor and most importantly the margaritas! The fiance and I headed over to Forti's with another couple and their in-law's on a Friday night. Given that we were heading over after 7pm on a Friday night in El Paso, we were expecting the place to be packed! As we crept through the seemingly creepy neighborhood, I was pleasantly surprised to pull up into a parking lot that was barely full! ...Well that should been our 1st clue that something was amiss with this place. We walked into a half empty restaurant and were immediately seated (yay!). Soon after being seated, we were told by the waitress that the place was in the midst of renewing their liquor license and that while they couldn't serve us anything, we could run to the store and purchase our own... Exqueeze me? After looking at one another across the table, we all decided that it would be best to leave... we had really come for the yummy, fresh margaritas so what was the point, right?! After leaving the restaurant, we were chased down in the parking lot by a different waiter. He came out apologizing about the "new" waitress who misspoke. He assured us that they did indeed have alcohol (FULL) and that we should come back in... Sign #2 that we should have listened to. After getting back in, we were just about to order drinks when the waiter told us that they were out of most fresh fruit and that they could only make "regular" margaritas (strike #3). We attempted to order a Dos Equis and they didn't have any (strike #4) and a glass of Pinot Noir, which they didn't have (strike #5). When the waiter came back with other items and not our wine, we had to ask him about which is when he told us they didn't have any (strike #6). After coming back again, he informed us that they "found some pineapple" and that they could make those margaritas if we wanted one.... Noticing a theme here? Long story short, after attempting to make our drinks (with canned fruit I believe), we decided that we no longer had any desire to stay and we promptly left and headed over to Carlos & Mickey's. The plus was that the owner comped our 1st round of drinks but after taking two sips, they were so gross we decided that free isn't always good anyway. I won't be spending much more time in ELP and when I do, I certainly won't head back to the barrio to bring my own bottle of anything. #FAIL read more

El Paso seems to have good places to eat stashed in unexpected out of the way places. This is no exception. Tucked behind a fence behind a parking area in a residential/industrial area, this has become my favorite place for cake and coffee after work. Mmmm their coffee.... I've tried about 5 of their dinner items and have never been disappointed. Everything is good but try the carnitas. The flavor and texture is very satisfying. Their salsa has a nice hot kick and is full of "stuff", just how I like it. This is a classy joint. Would be perfect for a business dinner or to impress that special someone. They have enough room to handle large family gatherings and I saw remnants of a wedding held here once. Its suprisingly huge inside with a fountain to boot. They also have a patio area. Its a beautiful place with lots of windows and natural lighting. read more

See all