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    Vaqueros Grill & Cantina

    4.1 (357 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 10:20 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Vaqueros Grill & Cantina Photos

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    VAQUEROS GRILL & CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Touristy
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Vaquero Steak Tacos
    Ari H.

    Listen, it's just not fair that I will need to drive 2hr 20m to enjoy these tacos again. Parenthetical comments, mine: Vaquero Steak Tacos: Tender beef steak, flame broiled, sliced (seasoned perfectly) and folded into 3 soft corn tortillas (lightly dipped in sauce, birria-style, and gently, beautifully sprinkled with purple flowers) with fresh (chunky delicious) salsa, (melted) mexican cheese, served with (pretty standard) rice and beans. These are comfort-food tacos. You have had a hard day or you're tired or you are mad at your cousin and then you take a bite and ... sigh ... it all melts away in the tenderness of the tortilla and the meat. Though I wanted these beautiful babies all to myself I shared one with my husband, purely out of love. How could I deny my beloved, despite being famously selfish when it comes to tacos? Everyone knows this of me, my obsession. Enlightened by this taco goodness, he joined me in my sadness regarding the distance between our home and these tacos. Lovely end to a vacation.

    Chicken Mole Plate
    Daniel R.

    I waited a year to come back to visit Sedona and Jerome and constantly thought of the Chicken Mole Enchiladas that we had the first time we visited in December 2023. Unfortunately we over-hyped the enchiladas and were disappointed that the flavor wasn't as good as we remembered. However, the food was still good overall. Horchata is flavorful and a must-get. Surprisingly the chicken tenders and the french fries were the MVPs of the meal. Perfect crispness and flavor! Looking forward to our next visit to Jerome and hopefully the Chicken Mole Enchiladas will be as good as before!

    Fajitas
    Cheyanne B.

    Vaqueros Grill & Cantina is a gem in the town of Jerome. The building itself is covered in beautiful Mexican artwork, the chairs and tables as well. I stopped by for a quick lunch with my toddler, and we were seated immediately. My waitress was extremely sweet and fast with our service. I ordered fajitas and they came out less than 15 minutes later! The fajitas were PHENOMENAL, literally the best I've ever had. I'm originally from Northern Texas, and I was pleasantly surprised to find sopapillas on the menu, which is a Mexican delicacy hard to find anywhere in the Valley. Eating here felt like being home again, and we will definitely be back! 100% worth the drive up the mountains!

    Chimichanga
    Emina O.

    Colorful Mexican food place, seems classic and authentic! Food and service was good and horchata was one of the best I've had ever. Overall no complaints. I am an avid pollo fundito fan and enjoy really rich flavors id give this one a 7/10!

    Tortilla soup
    Amanda A.

    Vibrantly decorated and fun atmosphere. The food was delicious and the service was prompt, friendly, and attentive. I order the tortilla soup and it was delicious! My husband said that the carne asada he had is the best he's had at a place like that. Definitely will be back when in the area.

    Fried Ice Cream
    Jason M.

    Came here on a Saturday in August for lunch. It wasn't busy, we were seated immediately. There's paid parking right out front. The dining area is clean with lots of stuff on the walls to gaze at until the food arrives, which wasn't long. I ordered the Native Enchiladas and I shared fried ice cream with my wife. Now I usually don't stuff myself but if the food is really good I'll make an exception. This was one of those times! AWESOME service! Our server was attentive and kept our drinks topped off. Check this place out for a great dining experience!

    Bar area
    Louis B.

    Once again after the pandemic, we came here. Vaqueros is a delightful place to eat. We came here on our first visit to Sedona and it was one of the highlights of our trip. Then the pandemic hit and we haven't been back until now. We're glad we did Vaqueros is part of a three-restaurant, family owned chain that also includes Calavera in Oakwood. It is a pleasure to see an entire family work so harmoniously together and provide truly outstanding service and food. Even their young son was proudly strutting between the counter and the kitchen bringing utensils. The decor is amazing, Mexican tiles, woodwork and stained glass decor. The ambiance is relaxing in a place like Jerome, which is a tourist heaven with non stop traffic. We entered the place near noon and were seated immediately. An hour later it was waiting list. The service was superb. Superb Fish Tacos served with rice and beans, the fish was light and tenderly cooked. Fabulous Then my husband had the California Quesadilla, also delightful. The frozen Margarita was well made with just the right amount of liquor. Overall five stars, superb lunch. Margarita well made

    Chicken tortilla soup
    Jackie B.

    Very charming little restaurant in Jerome. The server was very nice and attentive. I ordered the chicken tortilla soup and it was very flavorful but a little oily. My husband ordered the huevos rancheros and was disappointed. Having had huevos rancheros all over the southwest he has high standards, and was disappointed in the raw spices he tasted in the rancheros sauce. He did say the medium egg was cooked perfectly. Was a little pricy, but it's Jerome. Might stick with our Jerome favorites.

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    5 months ago

    When I lived in Jerome this was a go to spot for me. Service is great. Food is flavorful and reasonably priced. View is amazing.

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    11 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Food was very bland, didn't have much flavor. As well as the chips didn't have any flavor, the only thing good was the horchata.

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    10 months ago

    My favorite part of Jerome, THE BEST food in town. I've never had a bad dish here. Wonderful salsa and great chipotle queso.

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    Page 1 of 9

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    Adriana's Mexican Restaurant - Carnitas Plate

    Adriana's Mexican Restaurant

    4.7(361 reviews)
    4.9 mi
    $$

    I found another great Mexican restaurant in Cottonwood. As usual, I like to try a place more than…read moreonce before I write a review. First off, the owner is who served me both times and is very friendly. The first time I got the pork chile verde burrito, which was excellent. Today I got a chili relleno and enchilada combo plate. Again, excellent. They also have some of the best salsa I've had in a while. The inside is cozy, but they also have a covered outside area to sit when the weather is nice. Very comfortable. I'll definitely make this one of my regular spots.

    My husband and I had heard that this restaurant was like having dinner in the home of a Mexican…read morewoman. We were picturing something small and intimate run solo by Adriana. We found it to be a fairly large bustling restaurant with wait staff. Adriana does come and take your order. She successfully scared us of the mole which she said she doesn't like and didn't know the ingredients of (probably from a jar or mix). We ended up getting a Chimichanga and the Enchiladas, both with green sauce (lard free and vegetarian). Beans are lard free and vegetarian too. The chimichanga was fried really well. We got vegetables for the fillings. Everything was delicious and we would go back if in the area. I'd probably get the chimichanga with the green sauce on the side next time to keep it crunchy as I eat it. I wish it was a bit more clear what all the vegan options she has available are (when asked she said she can make whatever we want but it would be helpful to know what all the options are that they have for vegan sauces / fillings etc ) but we really liked what we got and were happy with our visit! The green chili sauce was delicious. I believe she also suggested vegan potato tacos. My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite!

    Photos
    Adriana's Mexican Restaurant - Outside Back Patio

    Outside Back Patio

    Adriana's Mexican Restaurant
    Adriana's Mexican Restaurant - Adrianna's special / chicken

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    Adrianna's special / chicken

    La Casita - Enchiladas Tradicionales

    La Casita

    4.2(371 reviews)
    19.6 mi
    $$

    This is a cozy, small eatery serving interesting and flavorful meals with friendly service. Outside…read moreof the colorful interior are sought-after patio tables. I had the Chicken Stir Fry. This innovative dish, for a Mexican place, was based with a yellow rice mixed with the tender chicken, mixed (basic) vegetables, and freshly-cooked green peppers, broccoli, onions and mushrooms. For style and taste, fresh tomatoes and avocado slices were on the edges of the plate. The sauce was mildly salty with a light soy and green chili taste - held together with thick gooey Monterrey cheese. I enjoyed this the richness of this dish. My eating partner had the Polle Mole (pun). This was chicken breast in a dark mole sauce, with the earthiness of chocolate and some sweetness to bring out the flavor. Unexpectedly good eating. Yay!

    Traveling on the I-17, saw La Casita on Yelp and 15 minutes later I passed a house that said La…read moreCasita and Open. There is public parking across the street. Walked in and what a pleasant surprise. Colorful interior with plenty of alcoves. Mexican music and a pleasant hello! Family owned restaurant and Jose was my server. In fact he was the server, bartender and cashier for everyone! Menu had many choices and I spotted Chicken Mole Enchiladas Rice & Beans! Big score and it was awesome! More than I could eat. What a great dining experience! I will definetly be back.

    Photos
    La Casita - Mango Margarita hitting hard!!

    Mango Margarita hitting hard!!

    La Casita - #3 Combo, beef taco, chicken enchilada with mole sauce and hamburger burrito

    #3 Combo, beef taco, chicken enchilada with mole sauce and hamburger burrito

    La Casita

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    Javelina Cantina

    Javelina Cantina

    4.0(2.2k reviews)
    21.4 mi
    $$

    Queso dip!!!! Oh yeah, their carne asada plate is also super delicious. I love everything that…read moreaccompanies it, too. Their chips and salsa are okay, super Americanized style salsa but tasty enough. Randomly their Caesar salad isn't too bad either! I wasn't craving any Mexican dishes one day and went with the salad and was pleasantly surprised. I do NOT recommend birria tacos; highly disappointing and lacked flavor and the authentic textures of quesabirria tacos. Boring. Good vibes inside. Lots of colors, fun upbeat music, and most importantly happy and helpful service every single time. We've even see actual Javalinas out the window while dining once. There's a couple outdoor tables too for when the weather is nice and suns not hitting. Parking can get crowded during tourist season because it's in a shopping center w multiple businesses, but any spot to park is not too far to walk. Note there is a one way exit.

    We had been to Javelina Cantina about 3 years ago, and coming back reminded me why it's still so…read morepopular. I would definitely recommend making reservations because it can be quite a wait otherwise, especially during peak times. That said, they seem well equipped to handle both small and large parties, which is nice if you're traveling with a group. They really do Tex-Mex right here. At a lot of places you can tell when things are canned or pre-made, but that was not the case here. Everything tasted fresh, from the guacamole to the sauces, and the flavors were bold without being overwhelming. I especially liked the fajitas, and the portions are generous, so you definitely get your money's worth. I'm not a big drinker, but the margaritas and other drinks seemed very popular and I saw a lot of people enjoying them. The overall vibe is lively and fun, with a great energy that fits Sedona well. If you can sit on the patio, the red rock views are an added bonus and really elevate the experience. The wait staff was incredibly attentive. They even kept us updated on when our food would be coming out, which I appreciated. They really went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and that everything came out promptly. I also liked the little details, like the javelina imagery throughout the restaurant, which gives it some personality and ties into the local feel. They bring out complimentary chips and salsa, and they're constantly refilling them, which is always a plus. A couple small things to note that others mention as well: it can get pretty loud when it's busy, and parking in the area can be a bit tight, so plan accordingly. Overall, it's a great place with a fun atmosphere, solid food, and consistently good service. I know the next time we are back in Sedona, we will definitely be coming here again.

    Photos
    Javelina Cantina - Food view

    Food view

    Javelina Cantina - Taco Tuesday!  shredded beef tacos

    Taco Tuesday! shredded beef tacos

    Javelina Cantina - Chicken Fajitas

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    Chicken Fajitas

    Tamaliza - Pork tamale

    Tamaliza

    4.5(1.4k reviews)
    20.5 mi
    $$

    Wow. Incredible find. Supremo Tamale was off the charts delicious…read more Personable, fast service. Authentic A+. Don't hesitate to stop in.

    Ok so I was so excited to go here. There is something really comforting about a tamale done right!…read moreThe glowing reviews and pictures seemed promising. The restaurant itself has a lot of character, it full of textures and colors, had a cute little fountain outside. It just feels homey and welcoming. The menu...is hella pricey for a tamale. I mean even with inflation these days I could get a tamale at most spots where I live for like half the price. I just told myself it's Sedona just except it lol so I went wild and got their extra special tamale with lots of topping to make it a more complete meal. I chose the chicken mole for my filling. I also got their dairy free horchata. First thing the horchata was delicious! Creamy, great texture, not to sweet, seasoned just right. Extra points for being dairy free as milk is not my bodies friend. The tamale however was a major let down. I was so close to just sending it back, but was on a time crunch and starving. The masa was so salty. The mole sauce was barely existent and had no complexity or flavor really. I didn't taste the chocolate or the Chile . Just blah. The toppings and horchata helped make it possible to consume despite the saltiness. So overpriced salty tamale gets 2 stars, ambiance 5, and horchata 5, which is why this place gets a three stars overall. I wanted to love this spot so bad, and maybe it was a bad day, or the wrong thing to get...but their name is literally tamaliza. Their tamale should have rocked my world.

    Photos
    Tamaliza
    Tamaliza - Chicken mole tamale

    Chicken mole tamale

    Tamaliza - One of the best bites in Sedona!

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    One of the best bites in Sedona!

    Elote Cafe - The world famous Elote corn and the tequila flight of course~

    Elote Cafe

    4.5(3.4k reviews)
    21.8 mi
    $$$

    Very surprised. I am not a fan of sauce, but the sauces here are very good. I ordered the duck…read morecarnitas with the pasila sauce on the side and it was delicious. My friends tried the halibut, the brisket enchiladas, and the carne asada and all the sauces were very good. The chips and salsa was also very tasty. Strong drinks. I liked the sauce so much that I bought the chef's cookbooks that were on sale at the front desk. I love experimenting with recipes and excited to try to make my own sauces. Parking lot was full so we parked next door. We also made a reservation. Please come and create your own adventure.

    Our first visit to Sedona was magical except for two less than impressive things: the roundabouts…read morethat was worst than going to the dentist and our take out food from Elote Cafe that was only good to vortex it down the drain. (Please look at my photo of the sad leftovers). We had written down all of the suggestions of things to do in Sedona and Elote Cafe was at the top of our list of things to do. Apparently getting a reservation at this place is super difficult to get, so we decided to order takeout. Elote dip, pork cheeks, green tamale, carne asada, pork belly tacos and corn cake for dessert. The elote dip was enjoyable especially when eaten with chips, the green tamale was better off used as a trampoline at a kids party (it was spongy, flavorless and possibly good to scrub your dishes), the carne asada was dead like the cow it came from and flavorless, the pork belly tacos were barely edible because of the overwhelming sour taste of lemon, and last but least was the corn cake, it was dry and about as exciting as a retirement home party. We wasted our money thinking that a place with a waiting list to get on would be an experience just like everything else we experienced in Sedona but instead Elote Cafe is a bad tourist trap that has as much charm and taste as Del Taco. Save your money and look elsewhere for some great Mexican inspired food even if it means you need to travel to Tucson.

    Photos
    Elote Cafe - Beautiful Bar

    Beautiful Bar

    Elote Cafe - Lamb Abodo... flavorful!!

    Lamb Abodo... flavorful!!

    Elote Cafe - House-made habanero hot sauce

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    House-made habanero hot sauce

    The Clinkscale - Side Caesar Salad

    The Clinkscale

    4.9(768 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Unsatisfied. Chefs and cooks did fine. Bartender did fine. Front of house manager failed to…read moremaintain an "elegant atmosphere" as described on the web page. He strutted around like a proud Guinea cock but did nothing to control an elegant atmosphere. Booths were cramped and music was too loud. Patrons had to yell to be heard. Food and drinks were good. Prices were good. Dean Towle.

    Coming back to The Clinkscale for a second time--after such an unforgettable honeymoon experience…read moreback in November--just confirmed what we already knew: this place is truly something special. Traveling back to Arizona, we knew we had to return, and once again, it exceeded every expectation. The filet mignon is simply out of this world--served sizzling in a cast iron skillet with clarified butter, it's incredibly flavorful, perfectly cooked, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. It's the kind of dish you think about long after the meal is over. What really sets this place apart, though, is the people. The staff consistently go above and beyond, creating an experience that feels both elevated and welcoming. And Michael, the manager, is exceptional--so accommodating, attentive, and genuinely invested in making every guest feel taken care of. It's rare to find a restaurant that delivers this level of quality and consistency twice, let alone make you want to keep coming back. Without a doubt, one of the greatest dining experiences in the USA. We'll absolutely be back again.

    Photos
    The Clinkscale - Memories of the heart room

    Memories of the heart room

    The Clinkscale - Breakfast tacos YUM

    Breakfast tacos YUM

    The Clinkscale - Black Walnut Manhattan

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    Black Walnut Manhattan

    Vaqueros Grill & Cantina - mexican - Updated May 2026

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