El Bracero La Porte

this place has the best Mexican food and the whole county of Laporte in my opinion. and the salsa you cannot get it anywhere better, it's very chunky and spicy just the way it should be. the prices are very reasonable and the staff and everyone there are so respectful and polite, you have any questions or problems that are on top of everything:-) they definitely aim to please period I highly recommend..

Stopped in for lunch at El Bracero in La Porte and ordered the steak fajitas. The service was outstanding—Miguel was attentive, friendly, and made the experience even better. The portions were generous, and the presentation of the food was appealing. The restaurant itself was clean, including the bathrooms, which is always a plus. While everything looked great, the flavor fell a bit short—unfortunately, the steak lacked seasoning, which took away from the overall dish. Still, the positives outweighed the negatives. With excellent service, big portions, and a welcoming atmosphere, I’d definitely recommend giving El Bracero a try—especially if you’re in the mood for a hearty Mexican lunch.

Food is always fast and delicious. Large portions for the prices. They are located across the street from the lake with a pretty view yet always have the window blinds closed when I come, only suggestion would be to possibly open the windows to allow more light and the nice lake view.

This is the third time they’ve messed up my wet burrito. Each time I’ve asked for the cheese sauce. The first time I got the red sauce, the second I got the red sauces, and the third time I got a dry burrito with no sauce at all. Why can you guys just not make a burrito correctly. I’m about done coming here 🤦🏼‍♀️

Great atmosphere, upscale casual, food and menu was some of best Mexican food I have ever had! Fantastic service, friendly, very fast service.. can't say enough good things.

I went into this La Porte location today and my experience there was pathetic if I'm being honest. I was on my lunch break and needed to get something quick so I called them as soon as I left work to place an order. First of all, I had to call like 5 times before they even answered. After they answered, I placed a pick up order which consisted of just rice, grilled veggies and chicken. easy right? Apparently not. When I placed the order over the phone, the guy said it'll be 10-15 mins which is fine. When I got there said 15 mins later to pick up the food, the other guy asked me what I ordered. Her then said, "we don't have that"...he walked to the kitchen and came back out repeating the same thing. 2 things: 1.) why did the first guy not say anything when I called to place the order? 2.) how hard is it to put together rice, chicken, and veggies? I am appalled. No apology or anything instead the guy gave me the menu and said pick something else. Needless to say I walked out. I don't have time to wait another 15 mins for food when I need to get back to work. I don't know if its a language barrier or what but this is ridiculous.

They were not extremely busy waited 45 minutes for 3 tacos. The server only came to the table twice in the beginning and in the end. I would have to say the service was horrible And the food was not good the beans were extremely watery! As I was leaving a young lady outside was extremely upset because they placed all of her food items in the bag upside down horrible. I almost forgot to mention they are overpriced. I will never go there again.

We visit El Bracero's 3 or 4 times a year, and we generally enjoy the food and service. Our last visit was disappointing. The service was lackluster. The server was rarely around, and he failed to ask my wife if she wanted a refill. The restaurant didn't seem too busy, yet we waited 45 minutes for our meal. We even waited for our bill.

Delicious! You get good portions - I had the steak fajita nachos and omg delicious and lots of leftovers. My friend's steak quesadillas looked delicious too. Jumbo margaritas were yummy. Service was great. We will be back!

I was in IN for apple picking with my husband's family. Apparently after they go apple picking they do a family lunch at this restaurant. When I heard it was Mexican I was immediately suspicious because this is LA PORTE, IN. I was wrong. I had a strawberry margarita (delicious). I also ordered the beef taco salad. Delicious (although they could have gone a lot lighter with the sour cream). I saw several others in our party get the carne asada. One of Tony's nephews ordered the kid's cheeseburger entree (came with fries). I also really liked the chips & salsa for the table (guacamole was added). I think prices were reasonable; my margarita was $4.99. If you find yourself in Portage, IN I think this is a good bet!

El Bracero has a great customer service and the food is exactly how it is represented in the photos. The ambiance is just perfect, you can go there with family or friends and expect an amazing time. The men and women who work here are all so nice and welcoming to their customers and the food is just cooked to perfection. The perfection of the food here is how restaurants should be and the whole restaurant presentable, the tables of 6 are great if you wanna bring 5 family members or friends, everybody can sit down and enjoy their food as a family. The Horchata is amazing and if you've never tried it I suggest you give it a try with your food at El Bracero. The prices are great for the sizing of food you get. I definitely suggest to give El Bracero a try, you'll love the food and you'll leave with a smile on your face. :)

Staff was rude when we brought a party of 8 even though it was one check. Wouldn't let us sit together and were all around unwelcoming to the point where we left and went elsewhere. This was the second time in a row we've had bad/unfriendly service at the restaurant. All summer last year we went there for the patio and took our dog. The same waitress that was unhappy with our group size this year kicked us out even though we asked the host and were told it was okay. Don't support these unfriendly people.

My vegetarian fajitas had a piece of chicken and a piece of steak in it. Fajita flavor was good, portion was nice. Not so cool to be pulling out pieces of meat.

I could eat their shredded chicken tacos every day! Good service and great food! Will always be a customer.

Right across from the beautiful lake, El Bracero looks small on the outside. On the inside, there are four separate dining areas and huge lobby in the middle. I was surprised with the size. When I visited here, there was a woman and her four family members who began to rapidly complain about how long it was taking for their food to come out. I paid close attention to how the restaurant responded. They remained professional despite the woman's increasing agitation. I'm glad the restaurant workers and management didn't appear to take it personal. I wish I had known more about the circumstances of their order and what happened, but I could only observe and pay attention to what I had seen. That said, everything else seems average. From the personal service my table received to the food. Another thing to note is that you pay at the counter, not with your server.

I have never giving this bad of a review but the food and the service was horrible! I seriously might try to puke it back up and barely ate anything Just hoping they will see this and do something about it

A good Mexican spot, right across from the lake. They have a patio for outdoor seating (but we are indoors because it was hot outside).

This place has really good food. The servers are very friendly. Service is very fast they give you chips and salsa when you sit down.

They charged for cilantro and the server speaks broken English. Way Too Dirty! I got something called Jalisco; it's really chewy. I tried this restaurant again because I lived in Chicago for 10 years and miss the good Mexican food. I ordered the LaPorte burrito because it's on the marquis. They charged me dinner prices and I had no beans or rice or lettuce/tomatoes/garnish. I was still hungry and got the cheesecake chimi. It's more like ricotta inside this dessert not cream cheese (Neufchâtel).

I took my family here while on a short weekend away. Due to COVID spacing, we had a huge space to ourselves. The staff were wonderful! They took time to talk with our kids. The food was excellent! My one son ordered the El Bracero Seafood, which was delicious! He devoured all the shrimp and had lots of fish left over. Another son ordered the nachos with chicken. Again, half an order was just too much and he claimed it was the best nachos he had ever eaten. My wife ordered the shrimp fajitas. They were huge shrimp and a generous helping of sides. Again, delicious. My oldest ordered the molcajete dish, which easily serves two but more like three. The portion was just enormous and delicious! The carne, chicken and shrimp in the bowl were so savory. What little room we had left, we ordered the fried ice cream and churros and ice cream. Again, just outstanding! We are considering coming down for Día de los Muertos in November.

Portions are big and fairly priced. Good service, but the restrooms weren't the greatest and the booths aren't very comfortable

Soooo good.... Normally I have a strict philosophy with yelp if u have 3 stars I don't go but my cousin said this place was good so we took a chance and ate here. Oh my goodness if I lived here.. This would be my favorite. Everything was gigantic and the flavor was bold. Perfect place for lunch or dinner.. They need more 5 stars bc they are worth it.

Restaurant is identical in operation to Michigan City, food is always out fast, tastes delicious, and is hot.I've probably dined in or carried out here 50+ times in the last few years. With this said however, the customer service has always been terrible. Only after numerous attempts will you get them to pick up the phone for carry out. While dining in there is very little attentiveness with it being near impossible to get a refill. Their Jalisco Special has long been my go to Mexican, but after calling for carry out over 10 times the other day I eventually gave up. Placed my order at the establishment and enjoyed my last Elbracero Jalisco at home as intended. I won't be back.

I have been here a few times including takeout, I feel I have neglected my duty to give my 5 stars earlier. The food is AMAZING! Everything from tacos, enchiladas, burritos and salsa have the best flavors. I could buy gallons of their salsa! So fresh and amazing. Last night we had a large group of adults and kids (the F&B person in me feels bad about not calling ahead but it was last minute decision after leaving the hotel down the street). The 14 of us received prompt service. One of the kid's order was not entered and when asked, it was prepared and brought out in minutes! The only negative is the margaritas could be better.

Stopped here on our way to North Dakota and loved it so much we stopped on our way back through! Two of us ordered the taco salad again . Another in our party got the chicken quesadilla which was delicious and huge! Tacos are excellent! Staff friendly. Prices good!!!

This was the best taco I have ever had! My husband loved the taco salad. The food is great!

I've been here many times food is great. But the last time I was there the service was horrible. They werent even busy. I will go back but it will be a while

Great food! Staff is hit or miss depending on if they are busy or not. It's a great family restaurant or for birthday or big family dinner. Highly recommend!

This is my first time here and had no expectations. It was probably the best Mexican food I've ever had. I got steak soft flour tacos and my mom got a cheesy chicken and rice vegetable dish. I think my meal was called Arandas Steak and my Mom's meal was Amigos something. My tacos were amazing, with ample steak, great cheese sauce, and fresh rice, tomato, lettuce and sour cream. I ate some of my mom's food and it was just as good, if not better than mine. Aside from the main courses, we obviously also got chips and salsa after we were seated. They were good and a little spicy, but not as good as the main courses. I tried the raspberry margarita and it was one of the best I've ever had, although not very strong tasting with regards to alcohol content.

The person taking the order didn't understand my simple request in Spanish or in English to label each of the to go items. He was rude when I didn't want him touching my card because "it's the same thing". I didn't trust their sanitation practices when I walked in and the first thing I saw was a waiter walking around with no mask and a mask sitting next to their tip jar. Save your money and your time - the food was also nasty. We ordered steak tacos and they were rubbery.

Just started a new job here in La Porte and wanted to find my go to Mexican spot unfortunately I won't be able to try this location as they do not answer their phone for pick up orders. I called around TEN times and no answer. I will definitely take my business elsewhere to an establishment that knows how to answer phones and take my money.

if you would like to place a to go order 1 hour before close don't even bother! They are known for picking up the phone and hanging it up. you have to physically go there within the hour of close and wait to get your food. way over priced. they are mad they have to work within the last hour so they just slop your food all together in a metal container. i asked for my steak to be well done and the first cut I made was peer blood. I could literally hear the cow still mooing as I made that first cut. my 3 person order cost $70 and everything was disgustin. next time I'll get my Mexican food from a taco truck before I give these jokes another chances. also please don't let your kids out money into their machines inside and out as they will just be disappointed because not 1 machine works. this place is a poor excuse for authentic Mexican food. the large woman behind the counter only responsible for collecting the cash yet she would probably kill over right in front of you if she ever had to even pretend she was happy working at her family business when it's very obvious she eats all day everyday for free. don't waste your money here unless you want to shit your pants the entire next day because they suuuuck!

What to say about this place? Service is atrocious. Every time I have called the phone either just rings and no one picks up or the girl on the line sounds like taking an order is an inconvenience to her existence. When picking up there was a young girl at the counter who couldn't be bothered to say hi or even ask if I needed help so I finally had to say "hey I'm picking up my order". Another winab named Samari(I think) didn't even bother putting in my order that I'd called in and when the hostess asked her about it they both started laughing that she hadn't. Oh and while I sat there the phone kept ringing while there was someone counter and they didn't bother picking it up. Leaving without food because this place doesn't understand that they're in the service industry. Shame on the owner for not even reviewing or responding to any issues customers have posted here.

Where do I start. El Bracero has become a regular part of our routine. It's where we go for family birthdays or to celebrate - it's also where we go when we're craving good Mexican food. The service - we've gotten to know the waiters pretty well and they're all very nice and friendly. They're always prompt and often, we purposely hold off on ordering so we can enjoy our chips and queso (otherwise the food comes out super fast and we've barely finished our first chip basket ). The atmosphere - it really depends on what time and day you go. Sometimes you'll be one of two people in the restaurant and other times it's a very busy and popular place. We typically go on a weeknight and it's averagely busy. The food - WE LOVE IT. The cheese dip (or queso) is our absolute favorite. Can't get it anywhere else. Normally when we're out with our friends, we order a bowl of it for chips. A lot of the food comes smothered in it and that's how we like it. The Jalisco Special and La Gaviota are some of our favorites and our friends favorites. They never disappoint. The serving sizes are huge and it makes great leftovers. The drinks - the margaritas are a must. Just the plain, lime on-the-rocks is the way to go. They're strong but they're so tasteful. Jumbos are on special Wednesday nights so Wednesday nights became a regular visit for us for a while there. It'll always be a favorite for us and our friends.

This is one of our favorite restaurants, service is always awesome. The food is always proportioned rather "great". The cheese sauce is amazing, chicken, beef, pork, whatever you like, its all flavorful. We come here almost every week, if not every other week, and always bring out of town guests here. The best restaurant in LaPorte hands down. Life wouldn't be the same without this place.

By far the worst "mexican" food I've had. We ordered the "make your own" chunky guac. Literally had to mash the avocado and cut up the veggies to eat it. Ordered a quesadilla (greasy and wasn't cut). Also, I tried to order a vegetarian chimichanga. They wouldn't even make it! I would give negative star's, but I was limited.

I'm just not sure where to start. We made a reservation for 25ish people at 5:30 on a Friday night. When we arrived, we saw our name and reservation. BUT no tables were set for us, no one knew where they were going to even seat us. When we were escorted to our table, we noticed the slippery floor - yup, grease. Ewe. Once we were finally seated, we were served chips and salsa immediately. No water, no napkins. We asked several times for napkins: finally someone in our group stood up to find napkins and found an employee rolling silverware into napkins for our party. Remember, we had a reservation!! After we got our napkins, we were given a handful of menus. Not enough for everyone, three of us shared one menu. We ordered our drinks, but were not served water until much later in our dinner experience, after requesting it several times. I could go on and on about how awful this whole night was, but it's just not even worth my time. The food was mediocre. Chips had absolutely NO salt on them. Chile Verde was over-salted.

One of the worst organized places I've been to. Took 15 minutes for someone to come by my table and ask me for my drink order, ordered 3 asada tacos 45 minutes later still no food. Paid for my drink and left.

We had a large group, 12, and did not provide any notice so that could contribute to the poor rating in some aspects. 21oz top shelf margarita: tasted like orange juice and tequila, 2 out of 10 for margaritas. Food took a really long time, waited approximately 45 minutes from order to food on table. Everyone was nice and seemed to be trying. Just wasn't that good when it comes to timeliness of food and quality/substance of taste for drinks and food.

Terrible service. Rude employees. Waited 45 mins because the server said dine in had priority. Here visiting from Indianapolis and I'll avoid this place. Spent $50 for them to forget my d*** tortillas for fajitas.

Food was outstanding! Generous portions and highly flavored. The salsa had an amazing flavor and it definitely is some of the best we've had. Having unlimited chips and salsa is always a requirement and it was met here at El Barcera. The LaPorte Burrito still has my husband raving about it days later. He claims it to be the best burrito he has ever had and he was born and raised in Texas so he's no stranger to burritos!!!! We had a pitcher of the frozen margarita. It was OK as far as the taste but the value was unmatched. The only disappointment was that when we went back the next day, the 4th of July, they were closed for the holiday

I've eaten here probably around 40 times. I obviously like it. The food is usually hot and delicious. The reason for 4 stars is because the language barrier. If you want something specifically changed from the normal way they serve it they rarely get a request correct. I recommend the Jalisco special and the El Ranchero Burrito. Plenty of white cheese. :)

Food came out cold and we waited 20 min before even being served our drinks, server was bad with communicating as he spoke a little English so order was a little difficult

One of my favorite restaurants when I go out to LaPorte. Great, authentic Mexican food at a great price! The staff is friendly, and fast. Highly recommend!

The worst excuse for mexican food I've ever tried. I tried this place twice, second time my girlfriend from Texas and I ordered the food was a disaster neither of us ate but a bite and they still charged us all though not the full price but 8 buck to not eat was outrageous.

This is my favorite place to eat in La Porte. It's located within a few feet of the hotel I stay at when I am in town. The employees are always nice and the food is pretty good. It's your run of the mill Mexican restaurant. Nothing fancy and everything does taste the same as your typical Mexican joint. I look forward to eating here when I am in town because I know that my day is over and I can relax with a cold beer and a nice hot dinner.

What a find, the food was delicious. See my photos. Margaritas were mixed well. We will be back for sure, great customer service.

Wife insisted we go to El Bracero tonight. I've been there before and it was OK. Tonight they were on point, some the best Mexican food I have ever had. The chilis relliano (sp?) was so good and huge and reasonable, like five bucks and change. Awesome dinner!

Excellent food and very reasonable prices. The menu is HUGE! Lots to choose from. Authentically prepared Mexican food. I had the chicken tacos and they were muy bueno.

After a long travel day our family was looking for a good meal ... and boy did we find it! The chili verde is truly amazing. Very helpful and courteous staff. Couldn't have asked for a better meal. Gracias!!!

No. Just don't. I'd give this place zero stars if I could. They serve old food and try to say it was made fresh. They served me some of the most spoiled nasty chicken I've ever seen then became offenses and wanted me to pay for a plate I wouldn't touch. When you bring bad food to their attention it's a million excuses. Go to El Cajete in Michigan City for quality Mexican food!

Staying overnight at the nearby Holiday Inn. This place was recommended. The recommendation turned out to be a good one, I had the taquitos and wife had the tacos con Carne Asada. Chips were real local cooked, salsa fresh but not exciting. Food fresh-cooked and hot. Beer good, margarita tasted of a pre-mix. I enjoyed the break after long day of driving. I would eat here again if back at same hotel.

Jalisco special that's all I need to say. And the service is great sometimes the food even comes out too fast can't even finish your drink great job El Bracero

The food was really delicious!! The margaritas are from a bottle of mix... skip it! Get a beer instead!

Great food and even better prices. I had the Jalisco special which was shrimp, chicken and steak over rice with cheese sauce and veggies. My husband had the la porte enchilada just as good. Service was a little off but food and prices made up for it. My bill was 40 with a 20% tip. Will return for any meal or take out.

No tortillas included in my fajita meal. I get I need to make it myself, fine, but with what. Serving size isnt enough to make much of anything with anyway. I ordered delivery on my lunch break. No lunch now and wont be ordering from them again.

The food was not good. It,did,nit have much flavor. The drinks were a premade mix for the margaritas. service was okay to say the least. Do not recommend.