This is as my wife and I favorite place when we were at school at UT 22 years ago and lived in the neighborhood. This place has "classed up". Not for the worst or for the better. Plenty of parking outside with modern signage. Now has outdoor seating. It has grown up into a standard mature but still solid Mexican place. Clean setting . The salsa bar is still here an excellent feature. Fresh ingredients and made salsa. Plenty on limes and cilantro. The service is great and responsive. Vibe is Mexican music playing in background and loud enough to dominate but not drown out table conversation. Full bar (pool table now gone). Plenty of TVs in bar area. Plenty of tables for seating through out this place with booths and tables. Can accommodate large parties with the central tables. Now to the food. Comes out warm and hot. I got the steak burrito and a couple of tacos carne asada and Al pastor. Chips came in advance. Chips were solid and fresh. Burrito not well wrapped and very hot with the butter grilled cooking of the tortilla. Basic with steak cut into small bite size pieces and rice and beans. Not evenly distributed and quickly fell apart when handling after a few bites. Tacos with single corn tortilla and respective meats and you dress yourself with onions and cilantro and limes from the salsa bar. Food better than OK. Final assessment, if you are in the neighborhood this is a solid place. Very reasonably priced. Family and large group friendly or just for a single or couple at the bar. Would not go out of my way for this place but in my case left my downtown hotel with a $12 uber to reminisce and happy to have done it. 4 stars because very solid. Not 5 stars because wouldn't travel and go out of my way to go here. read more

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I love their bowl option!! They also have a salsa bar which is a very cool experience.

We ordered the Moljete Mixto for two, had steak, chicken, shrimp, pork , cheese and lots more plus beans and rice with tortillas!! I was awesome, very flavorful and way enough for two people! The Salsa bar was an extra nice added touch! read more

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This restaurant is great. It's our go-to in the neighborhood. The staff is sweet and the salsa bar is fantastic -very fresh and well maintained. Señor is good for groups, which usually sit in the middle of the restaurant. The bar area is small but the Margaritas are great. My little gripe is that the little booths are creeky and shaky and they could use to fix those up. Great food and service! Ps. Don't be deterred if the lot is full of cars. Chances are, they can still find a table for you. read more

Definitely doesn't even deserve the 1 star. The food was good, however the service sucked. She did not ring up one persons food. Then she forgot a drink, brought everyone water and refused to bring them anything else's. The worse part of it all, she decided she deserved more of a tip than she received. When I went up there with my receipt to speak with the manager, he thought by giving me the cash, it was okay. No that didn't make it okay. She is still a thief. It's not OK. She still has her job and she's probably done this to other people as well and will continue to do it. read more

Incredible "top shelf" margarita! So full of flavor and the perfect amount of tequila. I got the chipotle burrito and it's the best burrito I've had at a Mexican restaurant in this area. The chicken is perfectly done and still juicy. Will definitely be back. Our bartender is Maria and is so attentive and gave great food/drink recommendations! read more

Senor Taco - Bar, chipotle burrito, top shelf margarita - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Our first dinner at Senor Taco last night, and we will definitely be back. On a Friday night, their parking lot was packed. We snagged an empty spot and expected a long wait. We were seated promptly and greeted by our waiter, Seth. He took great care of us the rest of the night and made sure our drinks were always refilled. We ended up sharing the chicken fajitas for two, which was a special for $26. We enjoyed it thoroughly and even had some leftovers to bring home. If you're in the mood for some authentic Mexican and don't need a fancy atmosphere, this is just the spot for you. We can't wait to come back and try some of the other entrees. And thanks again Seth, for making our first time here even more amazing. read more

Senor Taco - First night dinner in Tennessee!! - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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The food was good. Just spicy enough. Pico de Gallo was extra spicy. They had a salsa bar. Service was attentive even on a slower night due to a TN college football game. The place was a little noisy but laid back. read more

I'd give this place negative stars if I could! Avoid this place. They double charged us, then tried to say that we never paid our bill though we had the receipt and when shown the receipt the manager had the audacity to say we "created" the receipt while sitting at the table eating! I pulled up our bank account to show where it was not only paid, but was charged twice and the manager called us a liar then called the cops because we demanded a refund of the double charge and asked for contact info to someone higher. Avoid this place unless you're ok with being double charged for mediocre food and service and enjoy being called a liar and thief. read more

We ordered the tacos they so bland no spice just ground beef no cheese no onions or peppers

We love this place. It is close and convenient to home. Staff is always very attentive and helpful. The mariachi bowls are my favorite thing on any menu in town! read more

It's good Mexican, but there's better in Knoxville (see my La Esperanza and La Herradura reviews), but the Combo Fiesta is a great deal and the service is great so it's not a bad place to try if you're looking for Mexican, just be sure to know that it's entry-level compared to the greats read more

Food was great! Service is awful!!! The night time crew sucks! They probably need Nelson back at this location to fix it! I've been coming here for over 20 years! They have amazing food and I could understand waiting for anything if it was busy but there were only 2 other people when I got there. read more

I have been coming here for years! The salsa bar is amazing and the food is always on point. Always clean and service is always good too! The chicken baja rolls and cheese dip are so good. I love the shrimp tacos! Oh and the Guacamole is so good!!! read more

Very friendly staff, clean restaurant, a lot of traditional dishes, great fish tacos, great quesadillas,

The salsa bar is a great way to make sure everyone gets what they want and there is a ton of variety. The service is a little lackluster but nothing to complain about. And the food is always good and hot! read more

Food was good! Reasonable price!Chicken Fajita was very good Good Service I'll be going back for Sure. read more

Chicken Fajita Quesadilla. That is my go to item I crave! Well that of course and the cheese dip. Service is average. They have a variety of hot sauces at their famous Salsa Bar. I really like the Habanero. I will say it again Chicken Fajita Quesadilla. Maybe a little Chalula hot sauce too. It's delicious! read more

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Nice and spacious. The tacos asada was delicious, along with the salsa. My service was fast and excellent. I enjoyed my meal.

Covid: clean, plexiglass between booths, all staff in masks. Most customers wearing masks. Food: y'all! The corn tortillas here are homemade & unbelievable. I had to specifically ask for them but WOW. They were incredible. I had fajitas which were hot & perfectly cooked with grilled onions, peppers and tomatoes. Served with their delicious rice and beans, some of the best in town. The frozen margarita (small) was gigantic & quite boozy. Was happy I didn't drive there. But flavor-wise drinks were well balanced & tasty. I was sad to see no salsa bar but with the current pandemic, it makes sense. Try it when it's up and running again. The pickled veggies are my favorite. read more

This place has my favorite salsa in Knoxville. I like that they have lengua and al pastor options. Prices are reasonable, service is always good, food is good, chips are good. Solid place, corn tortillas. It's hard to write extensively when everything is good and there just are no problems. read more

This is a great go to for making everyone happy. They've got things for every pick person and they're all delicious. I love the veggie options, the bowl is really good. The salsa bar is fun and the margaritas are delicious. They also have outdoor seating, which is always a plus for me. It's definitely on the list for when my picky family comes to town read more

If I could rate this 0 stars, I would. As I was finishing my enchilada I took a bite of something and it was a piece of plastic that looked rusted (but is not because plastic can't rust). This was legitimately one of the grossest dining experiences of my life. I contacted DoorDash and was comped instantly. A completely unhygienic and disgusting experience. DO NOT GO HERE. read more

Senor Taco - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Better than Kingsport, TN. I finally got my spicy shrimp from a Mexican restaurant , salsa bar was fully opened and they were able to change out the shrimp for the same price. The food was great. read more

Senor Taco - Caldo de Camarones - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Doesn't look like much from the outside but omg!!! From the service to the food that had tons of flavor I'd give it 10 stars if I could! Our waiter was awesome, made sure that we were good the whole time and even brought out different salsas for us to try. Great Mexican food! read more

Senor Taco - They usually have a salsa bar but do to covid 19 it's currently closed but our waiter brought out different salsas to try. Yum! - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Molecajete is all you should order. Think all the different types of meat (chorizo, steak, chicken, shrimp), fajita veggies, and a to die for red sauce all mixed up in a sizzling molecajete (think lava rock mortar) topped with slices of cheese that oozes when the server brings it over. It's sort of like a scene but so worth it. Its so cheap at around $20 and it will feed at least 2. You also get two plates of rice, beans, and tortilla. Also think, cheap date night. The main draw for me is the price and the salsa bar. I love that they offer an array of authentic sauces that is self serve. read more

I don't get it. I really don't get it. People love this place. They rave about it and I just don't get it. All I can chalk it up to is that I don't like fish or seafood so their vast fish/seafood menu is lost on me. That being said, I have eaten here a million times because everyone looooooveeeees Senor Taco. (I hope you read that with a nasally, whiny voice.) And in those million visits, I have only had one meal that was just plan bad. I ordered a chile rellano. It was mushy and nasty and I've never ordered another. I'd like to think it was a fluke, but it's not an experience that I'm willing to repeat. From my experience, the food here is the same as most other mexican restaurants. I typically stick to their tacos, but have been known to stray to the enchiladas because the red sauce is pretty tasty. You do get a good amount of food for the prices. I almost always have a box of leftovers to take with me. The salsa bar gets high marks from me. I love variety and they certainly offer one. They also are not afraid to make hot salsa. The kind of hot that makes you sweat just a little and increase your water consumption by double. Service here can be hit or miss. I'm sorry if you are one of those people that just love this place. Maybe you can help me see what I'm missing. I certainly don't want to be left out! read more

Senor Taco - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Not what I was expecting... Cliff notes version: the chips fell short in taste, the waitress was a little passive aggressive (it was really confusing), and the prices didn't justify the means. I'm sure they have loyal fans as the surrounding eaters looked pleased, but I don't anticipate coming back here. Sorry, Señor! read more

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First the positive: The Salsa Bar has a nice variety of hot and mild salsa's, along with green, red and habanero salsa's. The Pozole was ample and loaded with hominy and meat. The chips were plentiful. I ordered the Chili Relleno which was deep fried and loaded with cheese. The refried beans and rice were delicious. The waitress we had was attentive and sweet. The atmosphere is down to earth and unpretentious. For the price you get a lot. On the Negative: The Pozole needed a little more pizazz, it could have been spicier and a dollop of sour cream on top would have added a nice touch. Likewise the Chili Relleno needed more heat. I gave this review 4 stars as Senor Taco is a complete change of pace from either the local chain Mexican restaurants or the "beyond bland" taste of local Mexican restaurants (El Charro etc), at least you have the option of adding a spicy salsa to your dish. I might be wrong but I can't recall running across Pozole anywhere else in Knoxville. I'll be back, Knoxville lacks the serious Tex Mex restaurants of the Southwest, but this is better than most of the other local Mexican restaurants. read more

Really surprised with the food they served. Everything was so good. The service was alright. But will still come back for the tacos and sampler platter. The chips don't come with Salsa but you can self serve at the salsa bar The salsa bar has this really good green pasty sauce, must try!! One con was the fajita didn't look fresh. You know that sizzling fajita sound you expect when it comes to your table, yeah that didn't happen. read more

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I ordered delivery and it was quick and delicious. I had a beef taco, a order of the quesacos, and a order of cheese dip. It was great. read more

Senor Taco - Quesocos and a beef taco - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Horrible food service. Unfriendly staff and time management with food was unnecessary. I was ignore for 10-15 minutes waiting in a empty line. Twenty minutes total for nacho chips! I had no greetings and no farewells. Thumbs down. This restuarant always fail to its potential. read more

Love the food and the margaritas are the GREATEST! Taco fixing bar, and they have a delivery service offered Grubhub read more

Senor Taco - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Really disappointed... No chips and salsa .. No tomato's... It was already cold when picked up.. No ice in my drink... Didn't evén finish it, wasn't enjoyable ... Sorry... read more

Very rude waitress cussing me out in Spanish for a very simple problem. Thinking that I can not speak Spanish. Dirty everything Restrooms and food bar. Flys everywhere. Waitress very very rude and nasty in always. I come to this restaurant all the time and now this will be my last. I hate that on of my favorite place to go is gone down hill. Never in life will they get my money every again. It's so sad to me that one of my favorite places gone to shit. read more

I actually had a live cockroach crawl out of the lettuce in the middle of the plate. The trail of sour cream on its rear didn't help. I may never be okay again! Horror movie seriously! Ironically the allergist actually tested me for a bunch of things years ago and told me I was allergic to cockroaches. I always made a joke out of it because I figured it was totally useless information- I was like "oh good to know- otherwise I was totally going to go eat a cockroach!" I guess we (me and the cockroach) should just be glad I didn't bite into it! read more

Senor Taco is a Knoxville local favorite. You can never guess what kinds of people will be in there - businessmen, a table with 6 kids, a margarita girls night, etc. It's the perfect balance of intimate for your party and welcoming to everyone. Staff is always relaxed, helpful, and friendly. They also have a salsa bar which is not afraid to give you some heat(spice)! They've got all of the classics, but also some very authentic Mexican dishes I'm not adventurous to try. I love the Taco Salad. Been going here for years, never disappoints. Get a margarita and enjoy being there. read more

I'm so glad I finally gave in and ate here. It's so nearby my house, but I was skeptical. As it turns out, though, it's delicious! The salsa bar is so much fun. I love the Yucatán salsa, which I identified as a blend of sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, etc...I THINK lol. Spicy and super yummy! There were probably about 8 other salsa options, which means we were anything but bored as we waited on our food. Everything we ordered was easily on par with my orders at other similar establishments. I tried the arroz con pollo, the chimichanga, and the queso dip (all classics for us). It seems difficult to go wrong here. Super excited to have a new (for me) Mexican option so nearby! read more

Senor Taco is our go-to spot for delicious Mexican food. The staff are welcoming, personable, & excellent. Don't miss the salsa bar. And best thing is the food! The chunky guacamole appetizer is like none other I have had! We are vegan, so they go above & beyond to accommodate us. There are TV's for sport lovers & a great bar too. You will love the food & the people! Go, eat, enjoy! read more

Dec 7 was our 3rd visit since moving to Knoxville a year ago, & it gets better every time! We arrived at 5:15 & were seated immediately. Service was super fast. We were having such a good time celebrating a friend's birthday that we ended up ordering another round (#3) of drinks AFTER paying our bill. The food was delectable and plenty of it. We love the "salsa bar" as it allows us to pick and choose our sauces (we got plenty of each). The prices are reasonable, the restaurant very clean, and there is plenty of parking. As it was raining, we chose to eat inside this time, and it wasn't noisy at all, although we're told that on Friday/Saturday it can be crowded with a wait to be seated during the dinner hour. The Shrimp Cocktail is HUGE, and very uniquely served; it's more of like a ceviche in a large margarita style glass, enough for two. I had the "Monster Margarita", frozen, with salt, and it was perfect. So perfect, I had 3 of them babies. Our server (she is from Colombia) was VERY patient, friendly, and entertaining. From the outside it looks like a typical "fast food" type place, but it definitely isn't. We weren't rushed at all, and had a great time with our friends. We will be back again soon for sure. read more