On our way back from hiking Old Rag we serendipitously stumbled across this restaurant while we…read morewere looking to recover from the intensity that is Old Rag, and boy were we lucky! They are a lovely establishment with FRESH tortillas and pupusas that are quite wonderful. The grilled meats in my tacos were to die for (although I was really sad they ran out of lengua) - the al pastor in particular was SO GOOD. The horchata was also quite refreshing and creamy. Would come again 100%.

I absolutely hate dinging small local businesses, but this spot was a disappointment…read more Stopped in a few months ago for a late lunch - probably between 2-3 p.m. - & found the entire staff eating lunch. No problem there, & they were very friendly & interrupted their repast to put in our order of a few chicken tacos to go ($3 each). I asked for my tacos with "everything"; husband ordered his with "no onions". Took about 20+ minutes, so we wandered around the space which looked to be under renovation as they seemed to be putting in an adjoining bakery. They did have a bakery case, but none of the offerings were labeled or priced, & frankly did not look fresh, so we didn't bother with any of that. Took our tacos home & really were disappointed. Yes, the tortillas were fresh, but the amount of chicken (a bit overcooked) was stingy & my "everything" tacos consisted of chopped onions & cilantro. No cheese, no tomatoes, no sauce, no nothing else. Husband's "no onions" tacos had NOTHING. Not only "no onions", but no nothing. Just the overcooked chicken in dry tortillas. Sorry folks, but La Chiapeneca serves up 100% better tacos than this place.

The food here is delicious! I've been to the previous El Patrón that was a block away many times…read moreand I was so anxious to check out the new spot. This is the bigger and newer replacement. It's absolutely beautiful and it's very clear that there was a lot of detail that went into the new restaurant. It's called el gran patron and it's definitely "gran" (great). Upon arrival, you will likely be annoyed with the parking situation. It's a long row with more space further from the restaurant. It's busy and rightfully so. Once you enter the restaurant, you arrive to a pretty entrance. Depending on when you come, it could be very full and that's what happened to me and my family but we got sat way faster than expected. We asked for a server named, Camilo. He's really good and was the best at the previous location. His seating area is near the bar since he's also a bartender. The seating areas include outdoor seating, indoor seating of booths , and indoor seating of chairs. The ambiance is very chill and with the mariachis (Friday) and likely the weekend, it is very fun and lively! The prices are very reasonable and the portions are respectable. With food prices rising and restaurants taking advantage of it, it's currently a great deal (10/11/24). I ordered the fajitas Texanas which are fajitas consisting of steak, chicken, and shrimp. The fajitas include seasonings of onions, tomatoes, and sliced bell peppers. My meal is also served with rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and tortillas . The other meals ordered were the burrito de pony which is a Patron Special (filled with grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, bacon, Mexican white rice, and black beans. It's topped with chipotle sauce, guacamole, and pico de gallo) and the patron quesadilla (includes grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, onions, peppers, and tomatoes. It's served with lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole.) Our dessert was the churros which includes deep-fried pastry, apple coated cinnamon sugar and chocolate, and a serving of a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Alright, this part might sound weird but the bathrooms are very clean and look very clean. Some times, there is a correlation between cleanliness in areas that are not often used and the restaurant. We don't know how the kitchen area is and how clean it is but it's ALWAYS a good sign when the bathrooms are very clean and taken care of. I feel if they care that much about the bathrooms, then even the more important things will be cleaner and taken care (i.e. kitchen area). I will absolutely continue to come back, especially since this place is 3X better than the previous one regarding the size and ambiance.

The new location is very nice. Much larger. The food is the same, tasty. The staff were attentive…read more.

We always love coming here for a date night out, the atmosphere is bright and fun, the service is…read morefast, the food is always on point and hot! Our severs have always been so nice! Our favorite is always a good margarita to end the day! We would definitely recommend as always!

My family's Mexican - we understand some places say "Mexican food" but it's really a blend of other…read moreHispanic cultures ... this however was not that - it was pretty disappointing. We ordered cheese enchiladas, chile rellenos, asada tacos, a fajita plate with all the different meats including chorizo chicken and steak. Most of our group got rice and beans on the side which were pretty good. My issue lies with the cheese - instead of Monterey or shoot, even cheddar! They used some type of American cheese (like white Kraft slices) in ALL THEIR FOOD - that's right, ALL OF IT! American cheese on the beans, in the enchilada, in the chile relleno, and yes - EVEN THE ASADA TACOS!!! I was SO bummed. Other than the food that we'll never come back for again, the service was really good - our server was a young smiley gal - VERY sweet. She spoke both English and Spanish seamlessly transitioning when speaking with our party. The tables and chairs are covered in artistic decor that's very beautiful and decorative. The walls have murals of the Mexican flag and it's really pretty inside - great vibe all around. I got the impression this place was more of a bar hang out - though the drinks were 16$ a pop on special while the tacos were 1$ on a taco Tuesday - there were still A LOT of people sitting in at the bar. Looked like a good time. Someone in our group ordered a dragonfruit margarita and he said it was REALLY good! Well made. So I can see why people would come for the drinks. Unfortunately we will not be returning because the American cheese situation ruined the taste of 80% of the food.

I've eaten a LOT of tacos and these are hands down the best street tacos I have ever had and it was…read morewell worth the trip up from Charlottesville. Have to drag my wife up here, and get her hooked on them. I tried the Al pastor, steak, chicken, carnitas and birria and we got chips and guacamole to share. Getting at least one birria, for the sauce, is a must.

Food was great, made fresh on the spot! Staff was very nice and the food was served fairly quickly…read more They were parked a farmers market. That gyro was just what I needed before standing in a crazy long line for my produce! Lol

Food was great, the lady who made it was super nice gave us a free drink. Highly recommend.read more

Happy to review not only the fantastic smashed burger, oh so tasty fries, incredible maple sauce…read morebut the perfectly fried cheese curds. I'm a gurl who normally says a big huge hell no to cheese of any sort. The curds deep fried absolutely YES, would need to be on my rotation. The assortment of beverages were terrific I chose cucumber, my friend she picked dragonfruit loved it!! Did I mention unlimited pours on drinks. Extra nice to see the lack of sodas (coke - Pepsi etc) If we lived close by Graze to Griddle We would be weekly customers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Julie Rose Sawyer

Great food. They suggested chorizo burger and graze burger combined as a double it was spot on!…read moreWife had chicken burger that was also very good. Cheese curds were good as well. Cozy clean place. Helpful Nice service. Root beer brought me back to my childhood.

One of those places I really enjoyed because of what was on the menu the flavor of the food and the…read moreservice as well as the interior decor. I came here for the chilaquiles and even though it's not the real sauce that is supposed to go with it it still is good and a good presentation. The sauce that they use is more like the type that you put on top of an enchilada cheesy but still flavorful. The steak that accompanied it I going to be tough as cardboard but it was actually pretty tender and has some really nice fatty marbling that I enjoyed. The two eggs are easy, well I don't think the cook knows but over easy is. I got over hard and over medium but that's okay, that's just being too picky. When you first come in, you're greeted with about a dozen tables that are a very intricate design, and you can tell they put a lot of money into this interior. The tables do not wobble! I went to wash my hands in the restroom and it was clean as a whistle, this must mean their kitchen is clean as well. Definitely a comforting feeling. Parking is kind of limited but you can always Park next door to the other businesses. The music is a nice Mexican accent with music that pertains according to your surroundings and menu placements. It works well and not very loud where you can't hear yourself eat.. There was one lady who was working by herself and I kind of felt sorry for her because she's doing all the running but it's not that busy enough for another person and her service was pretty much outstanding for me. Even though she misunderstood or misheard what I ordered and receive something completely different in front of me, without rolling an eye or any size she apologized profusely and took it to the back to bring me what I really ordered. That's service there and that did not ruin the moment because the attitude is the way you should have it any restaurant mistake or not. This review is pertaining to the visit on May 15th 2024 at 7:00 in the evening

This place is HELLA good! Service was prompt and courteous. Establishment is well kept. Prices…read moreare more than reasonable -- especially the lunch specials. I brought my mother and she couldn't say enough good about the experience (her lunch margarita might have had something to do with that). Both our plates tasted fan-fricking-tastic. She had carne fajitas, and I the carnitas. Very well seasoned and prepared. Mom ordered ice cream to boot and loved that as well. Nothing bad to say about El Agave. Would recommend if in the mood for a little taste of Mexicana. Muy delicioso!

Hispanic myself, have gone to multiple Mexican restaurants, I'm telling you this is the spot for…read moregood Mexican food!!! Staff were lovely and quick. Very clean restaurant. I got an Horchata and I'm telling you best horchata I've gotten, it's so good!! Food was beyond good, so much flavor and so well cooked, this is my new and forever spot to eat and have recommended to others!! Will be back soon!

Still a good bang for the buck. The food was spot-on for flavor, and everything came out hot and…read morefresh. The quesadilla had a nice golden crisp on the tortilla with plenty of melted cheese, and the burritos were loaded and topped with grilled onions, sour cream, and guacamole. The sides were simple but fresh--lettuce, tomato, and a scoop of guac--with a solid bowl of salsa on the table. Service was excellent. The wait staff stayed friendly, attentive, and always had a smile, which goes a long way. Portions were generous and the pricing felt fair for what you get. All in all, it's the kind of place that may not try to be fancy, but it consistently delivers good flavor, good service, and a satisfying meal without hurting the wallet. Definitely still worth a stop.