El Charro Cafe Ventana

Popular spot for lunch with a large outdoor dining area. Mia was attentive and provided great service. The east-facing outdoor deck offers great views of the mountains just to the north and is shaded in the afternoons. The only downside was that the food was a bit bland, especially for a town that prides itself on Mexican food. The chicken torta with pina and avocado was lacking flavor. The Carne Seca crisp was a better choice and had plenty of meat. The complementary salsas that came with the chips was good to add flavor to the torta.

This was a nice place to eat, the service was great as we had about 45 people for dinner. The menu choices were limited but the food we had was good and fresh. The portion sizes were very nice and we had a really good time. Would definitely come back to try the actual menu. The team here was friendly and attentive especially to such a large group. Well done

El Charro is one of my all time favorites. I hadn’t been for a while but we decided to pop in this past Wednesday evening. Weather was perfect so we sat at the bar on the patio and had beer and a little tequila. Since we were not super hungry, we ordered take out. I have my favorites from El Charro and haven’t strayed much from these. However, on this visit, we spied a couple next to us on eating an amazing looking cheese crisp and had to try it. We ordered the following: chicken elegante cheese crisp, chicken taquitos and a bean and cheese burrito enchilada style with red chile. Everything was perfect!! It was my first time having a cheese crisp from EC and I am so glad we tried it. The other two dishes are recurring items for us. Taquitos are crisp and the chicken is full of flavor; the burrito was perfect for my lunch the next day (I am a huge fan of their refritos) and the calabacitas will always be one of my favorites. New also for us is their salsa verde, loved it and brought a pint home. Extra kudos to the el charro restaurants for their to go packaging. Eco friendly, always packed appropriately in terms of temperature needs, etc. Fantastic service from the bar staff; I wish I had written down names. Apologies for the partial pictures, we opened the food and had to dig in 🌮🌯🫔❤️

This food was SO GOOD! I was here with a group and every person absolutely loved their dish. I had the plant based tamales and wow 🤤 they were so delicious and the sauces on top?! Just, yum. There were many vegan and vegetarian options, clearly labeled. My drink, the prickly pear mocktail, was equally delicious and so beautiful!

I’m visiting with family here in Tucson and a ‘must do’ item mentioned by them was a dinner at El Charro. I’m very glad I took them up on their advice. Our group of 4 had a terrific time earlier this evening over a fun dinner and conversation. From the pitcher of margaritas, appetizers, entrees and a shared dessert to wrap things up, everything was just perfect. Can’t honestly recall a Mexican meal as satisfying as tonight’s and the same goes for the ambience of the restaurant. Our waiter, Sebastian, was such a delight to interact with…..genuine, professional and with impeccable politeness! This is an evening that will certainly be remembered by us for a long time and we will certainly be back to El Charro on the next visit back, so don’t change a single thing. Scott Salmins St. Louis Park, MN.

El Charro had been one of favorite Mexican Restaurants until recently. I liked this restaurant until my visit there yesterday 3/7 for lunch. I always order the same chicken enchiladas as they are always very good. I only eat chicken and the flavors always good. However, yesterday something was way off. Still good flavors but the shredded chicken was VERY tough. obviously cooked too long. Cutting it horizontally was difficult to say the least. After 3 attempt's to chew this dried out/tough chicken (spitting it out) I brought this to the servers attention. After removing the plate, soon after, a manager, approach to inform me that "Based on my suppliers and our recipes, this is correct"???. "This is how we always serve this dish and it's correct". Wrong, as a customer who has ordered this dish many times at this restaurant, I informed him he was not correct. The flavors were fine but again, the meat was very tough. He simply refused to accept what I was saying. He was insulting & lacked listening skills. His arrogances & insistence that it was "correct" was enough for me to leave feeling that I will never return to El Charro again. Thank God there are many other fine Mexican restaurants to patronize. I was offered beef or pork, but declined due to health reasons, I do not eat either one. I was told that the next time I order the chicken will taste the same. Again, the taste was fine but the meat was too tough! Bottom line, the manager was not correct & simply refused/accept what I was saying. I know the difference between tender & tough chicken honestly. I also know the difference between good customer service & what I had to deal with.

Everything was wonderful. Terrific prickly pear margarita, tamale stuffed mushrooms and great chili rellenos. Great service too!

We needed to try the original chimichanga and the carne seca and it was great! The chimichanga was nice and flaky, and the meat was so flavorful, I absolutely loved it. I wasn't expecting that much flavor and tomatoes. The rice and beans were good, as were the complimentary chips and salsa. Loved the fact that it was two salsas, a red and a green. Our table also had the carne seca platter and some enchiladas and everyone enjoyed their meal. We reserved ahead of time and got seated right on time. The waiter was very friendly and on top of things.

For whatever it's worth to anyone, I don't think I've ever really posted a review before about anything, but I wanted to give a thank you to El Charro (east side.) Went in earlier today for lunch and just had a really great experience that stood out to me and my out of town guest. Right when we walked in the place and staff felt warm and inviting. Everyone actually looked happy to be there, moving around busily, interacting with each other, checking in on people, keeping things running smooth but not rushing anybody. It just had a good vibe to it. I could tell there seems to be some changed from the last few years (self confessed snowbird). I believe the lady managing the ship that day was Miriam?? and she was doing a really great job. She checked in once or twice, but not hovering or anything like that -- just the right amount. You could kinda see her guiding things in the background and the team seemed more than willing to help. My guest even joked that I must have some clout there because the service was so on point, but really that's just how the whole crew was treating everyone. Food was great like always, but honestly the way the staff handled everything is what stood out this time. Hope this might be helpful to Someone :) Happy customer,

Two of us went for dinner while in the neighborhood and were able to get seated right away though they were full. Our timing was good. I had the fish tacos with beans and rice. The fish was a little cool but not cold. The flavor was good. I like the charro beans as well. One thing I like to do around the holidays is to get the frozen tamales which are great when warmed up. I wish the food served in the restaurant were a bit more consistent but do enjoy the taste.

Where to start.. while in Tucson near Sabino Canyon or Ventana Canyon, a few minutes away, delicious Mexican food. Pulled up on a Tuesday night for dinner and had a 15 minute wait for a table of 4. Started with a sangria, very refreshing. I am impressed by all the vegan options! See menu photo. Vegan enchiladas, vegan burrito, jack fruit tacos. I decided on enchilada, they were good. The complimentary chips and salsa gets a shout out. Red salsa was soo good! They were refilled. Waitress Service was okay, not terrible but also not great. Eat outside , lots of tables. Pretty view of mountains!

Their prices went up. The portions are small, and the food is very poor quality. The biggest concern is the management is terrible. They do not have good customer service skills and they get offended and rude if you're not satisfied. It is very disappointing after all of the years in business at this location it is no longer a good choice. Our friends and I will not be back.!

Food was great, again. Ordered the bean and cheese burro, which was superb. I love near Ventana Canyon, so the location is wonderful. Service was fantastic. Server was Julian, and you could tell he knew what he was doing! The ambience is a traditional Mexican restaurant, with portraits of famous Mexican stars that my sister was studying.

What has happened to El Charro? At one time it was among my favorite Tucson restaurants. Tonight we had out of town visitors and wanted to impress. We waited one hour for our meals, with no sign of our waiter. Two of four orders were wrong. The chicken in my always reliable enchiladas was dry and overcooked. The restaurant was loud and felt more like a sports bar than a nice place to eat (with football games on). I live nearby and won't be going back.

Was in town for a work conference and I just had to dine at El Charro as I remember it from back in the day when I went to UofA some 25 years ago. I'm used to going to the original location downtown off of Congress, but this was a nice atmosphere for a secondary location. We walked in around 7pm and they were busy so we just sat at the bar as there was no wait to dine there. We were treated by the bartender who took our drink order and we also put in an order for the table Guacamole as an appetizer. We order dinner after the drinks were dropped off. I tried the Birria Chimichanga which was outstanding and my friend ordered the Quesadillas. We both really enjoyed our meals.

Phenomenal! Carne Seca is the best ever. Refritos frijoles on point. Salsa is great. Five stars!

Special Send off dinner for an old friend. When this place is full, expect to wait. Dining and paying. So since we were 8, there was. Automatic 20 pct tip. On the receipt, and the server advised us. Then there was an additional tip line(exact words) and a cook tip line (exact words). Some how, I think this is beyond the pale. On the other side, dinner was very good, and I might come back for the enchiladas, looked better than mine. We ll see....

Three people, three meals; only one was decent - and not by much. The Red Chile and Fresh Corn tamale plates were disappointing. Dry filling, no flavor and an overabundance of masa - especially on the ends of the tamales where there was no filling and big chunks of plain masa. The chimi was better but not by much. We should have just had the guac and some beans. Service was slow and inattentive. People seated and ordered after we did were served well before we were. Over attention for customers on the patio. Too much area to cover for too few servers. Had to hunt down the waitress to get our check. In my opinion - The El Charro universe has lost a few steps due to expansion of locations. Never would have had this experience years ago.

Lovely outdoor seating. Service started a bit slow, like maybe the server had just come on duty. I could have used a refill on my water but that didn't happen. However, the food made up for the so so service. My husband ordered a burger, warm red and bloody. Came out well done. He ate it anyway as it was tasty. What's nice is that the burger didn't come with a ton of bread. I had the margarita salad. This salad was totally delicious! Mangos, apples, avocados oh my! Just fantastic! It was big enough to take the rest home for dinner. Now, what was new to us is the $2.00 charge added to the bill for the cooks. In fact there's a line item on the check so noting the charge. We have never sent this before. Had we known, we would have sent back the burger to have it prepared as ordered.

We've been here a few times. Every time we go there it's dirty. This makes the whole experience subpar. I don't want to go back.

Don't get me wrong -- I really wish I could give El Charro Café a five-star review. Growing up, it was one of our favorite restaurants to visit. However, I feel like they've lost some of their spark and authenticity. Their service staff is always very friendly and attentive, and their Oro Valley and Ventana locations offer gorgeous mountain views. But the menu leaves you wanting more. If you're a certified foodie, the prices will definitely make you feel like you're paying for the ambiance rather than an authentic culinary experience. For example, their nachos are big, but they look and taste like something you'd get at Taco Bell. If what you're looking for is ambiance, beautiful views, and good drinks, this is your place. If you're after a true Mexican culinary experience, there are other spots in town that will deliver that for a comparable or even better price.

We have been living in Tucson for about 15 years. We have been fairly regular El Charro customers, mainly at the Ventana location but also downtown and at some of their newer ventures. Tonight was a truly terrible experience. My wife and I went for dinner. My order came, hers did not. We waited a while but no luck. Mine was getting cold, so I ate. Waitress had been nowhere to be seen since our initial order. Finally tracked down a bus boy who said he would look for our waitress. When she finally emerged she acted shocked that my wife's food had never come. She said they would cook it then. Too late. She took quite a while to have her dinner removed from our bill as she needed the manager. She just blamed the kitchen, and there was no sign of a manager. They finally subtracted the bill for my wife's food that never arrived and we paid and left (with no tip.) This waitress never once checked on us, and the manager never came to apologize. I have a shocking revelation to impart to the current management - there are other Mexican restaurants in Tucson. Wait staff need not to be just chosen because they are cute and perky. They need to actually do their jobs and check on customers. We may well try them again, but this could soon be the end of us going to El Charro.

FYI the sizzling summer 5$ off certain menu items each Sunday most combinations Monday fajitas Tuesday tacos Wednesday enchiladas ends July 22,2024 Two for one 100$ gift cards Christmas in July now on sale on line through July 22, 2024 then in person July 24, 24 Great deal

El Charro Café is a Tucson icon and an absolute must if you're craving authentic Mexican food with history. I visited the Sunrise Drive location and was blown away by the flavor and quality. The carne seca was incredible--smoky, tender, and unlike anything I've had before. I also tried their famous chimichanga, and it lived up to the hype: perfectly crispy with flavorful fillings, topped with fresh guac and pico. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with beautiful Mexican decor that adds to the experience. The prickly pear margarita was refreshing and paired so well with the meal. The service was friendly and attentive, and I appreciated the range of vegan and gluten-free options. Whether you're a local or visiting Tucson, El Charro Café delivers delicious food and a sense of tradition that keeps you coming back. Read the full write up on Casa Saguaro's website!

I normally LOVE El Charro. Last night it was meh. It's probably my fault because I normally have a Birria burrito. Always excellent. Decided to say what the heck and try their burger with fries. I'd say my only hiccup is it wasn't very busy but it sort of took forever to get drinks get our food ordered and it took about 40 minutes until our food finally arrived It sort of went downhill from there when the food arrived and I looked at the burger and was asked is there anything else we needed and I said well how about some ketchup for the french fries fries and the burger? A few minutes later, the waiter came back to say I think we're out of ketchup, but I'll keep looking. He finally came back and said yep we've been out of ketchup since yesterday and I was a little puzzled by saying there's a bashes 500 feet from this restaurant Wouldn't your manager just go over and pick up a couple bottles of ketchup or stop somewhere and get ketchup? I get it. It's a Mexican restaurant who orders a burger and fries at a Mexican restaurant but at the same time if you're gonna sell a burger and french fries 90% of the people out there are almost always gonna want ketchup for their french fries The Caldo de queso was excellent I had never had it before and thought I usually have albondigas soup and figured let me try something different To sum it up have the soup skip the burger or bring your own ketchup

Great service and great food. Started with a cheese crisp with green chilies and split a beef burria burrito. Large portions and really good!

Every single time I eat at El Charro Cafe I leave SO happy. Tummy full, attentively served and feeling my time was well spent! This place is LEGEND for reasons earned! One day I'll get to meet Carlotta. She is the visionary restaurateur and culinary impresaria behind the city's most celebrated mexican establishment - a woman whose empire of taste and hospitality redefines the very art of festive dining ...... and maybe get her to take a break and hang with us for a little while. A girl can dream! I highly suggest you make reservations and bring your whole gang to El Charro Cafe, like me, you won't be disappointed.

I can't believe this place only has 3.5 stars. We were just there and I ordered the steak and chicken fajitas. My wife ordered the taquitos. Both were fantastic. The steak and chicken were cooked perfectly, we got the chicken tortilla soup so good. My wife said the taquitos were awesome as well. Great food, excellent service. What more do you want.

Taco sampler was a great way to taste a variety of meats and the calabacitas. Mole enchiladas were stuffed with white meat chicken with a rich mole sauce on top. Large portion of rice and beans complemented the enchiladas.

I ordered green corn tamales and they were a creamy mush spooned into a husk. no taste of corn what so ever.

After reading some of the recent reviews, I was having second thoughts about picking this place for meeting up with an old friend - but afterwards I wanted to drop onto yelp to say....we had no problems! This was my first time at El Charro and it was delicious. The birria roja chimichanga with rice and beans was just how I expected it to be, the service on a Monday evening was attentive and friendly. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

We were excited to try the original Mexican restaurant in Tucson. We did take out. It was 45 minutes delayed. The place was PACKED, there wasn't even a seat to wait at. The hostesses were not pleasant and/or welcoming. The quesofondido seemed like it had been sitting for well over an hour. It was more like a brick and less like the gooey cheesiness we were looking forward to having. The Reynosa chicken was my main meal - it was good, the white sauce hit the spot. Would I go back? Probably not.

We have been going to this location for years. First I'd like to say the food is VERY good. The service is beyond bad! The last 3 times we have waited and waited for service. We watch the servers on their phones, chatting together or more common not seen at all for 10-15 minutes at a time as they are in the kitchen. This last time we were seated and waited 12-15 minutes and NO one came to take a drink or food order. It was 8pm and there were only 6 other customers in the restaurant! We counted 8 staff members and 1 manager that simply walked around while the staff did NOTHING! We walked out and went to Piazza Gavi. Looking at the other reviews, we are not the only ones.

El Charro never misses because the food is always amazing, but I like this northeast location better because I think the service is better. This time I had the combo #1 that includes a chicken enchilada and beef taco. I also had the mangopeño drink that has muddled mango, jalapeño, tamarindo, agave, and tajin rim. So delicious!

Delicious food, servers well trained, nice atmosphere. Very authentic Mexican food. Best Mexican food in Tucson.

Tortilla soup very yummy. I order tortilla soup in all the restaurants that have it on the menu because it is one of my favorite soups. Theirs has a lot of flavor and just the right amount of spices . They serve it with avocado in the soup and tortilla chips on a separate plate. It also comes with fresh tortillas on the side. Also ordered their mini assorted chimis. Nothing special. The tamales my husband ordered were very yummy. The service was fast and our server, Isabella was all smiles.

Hopping Saturday night which gives me a lot of understanding for the noise and long wait for a table (about an hour). This is not excuse for the food however... a plate of tacos taking over 50 minutes is unheard of. Then the taco shells were a greasy mush. The meat was grey and more resembled a beef patty than typical taco meat. Very unimpressed. These were the name sake "El Charro" tacos highlighted on the menu. Bartenders were pleasant and on top of things but food was not worth it.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS- FOOD POISONING dined here with my family, and although we enjoyed the service, the food tasted good (I had the three enchilada sampler), and the atmosphere was lovely with live music- I later that night had the worst food poisoning of my life which lasted several days. Really such a shame, hadn't been here in years and will never be returning.

Service was great overall, the place was beautiful too. The food was subpar at best. We ordered the taquitos and the chicken in it tasted like unseasoned canned chicken that had been cooked so it was beyond dry even drowned in sauce. Queso fundito with chorizo was basically melted shredded cheese with what we're sure is ground beef and not even actual chorizo. Pretty disappointed.

Chose this restaurant to have a birthday dinner. Been here couple of times in the past and typically it's good. This visit did not meet expectations. Reservation was done and confirmed but when we got there, the table was not ready. We were greeted quite bluntly. Our server had a trainee. With a trainee, we expected the server to be the best out there- however it was the complete opposite. When we were placing our order for appetizers, I had mentioned let's know place our main meals yet. Server literally took our apps order then proceeded to ask if we want to place our orders for entrees. I was kind of stunned, like did you not just hear me when I mentioned we want our apps first? Attentiveness was definitely out the window. We were never asked for refills of our drinks. Some items for our orders were missing. Server came once to check on us, when the food arrived but never again. We had other 'servers' or 'bussers' asked how we are doing or if we need any boxes. Food overall was the best part of this experience. But the service was the major disappointment. We clearly chose this restaurant for everything but unfortunately we may come back here again for groups.

The food and service are great here. Thw food is hot and ready within minutes of ordering. I've been here a few times and there were two employees that really stuck out to me. Leslie and Dillan were wonderful. Great service extremely kind and on top of everything. Would recommend this place. "A" in my gradebook. (Also portions are big so there are enough for next day left overs!)

We've been going to this El Charro for years. The food is consistent Tex mex. Some items better than others. Portions very large. Service always warm and friendly. One odd thing the last 2 times we ordered drinks first time out of mint second time out of tonic. Kind of hard to count on a bar or happy hour without these basics, especially since they share a parking lot with a grocery store.

This wonderful Mexican restaurant up on Sunrise Ave. in Tucson is a family favorite for special occasions, especially our large Christmas Eve dinners, held mid-afternoon. The servers bend over backwards to make our celebration a happy one.  We especially love the seafood enchiladas! We always get their yummy cheese crisps, and the complimentary chips and hot sauce are quite good.  The restaurant has a warm, homey feel, and makes me happy to have been born and raised in Arizona, and blessed to have always had great restaurants like this to enjoy. We SO appreciate these great people! Thank you!

We've been to the downtown El Charro and loved it. This visit was more mediocre. My husband had the carne seca chimichanga. I had carne seca enchiladas. I really liked mine. My husband didn't like his at all. We each had prickly pear marguetitas ( YUM!) and they bring you never ending tortilla chips and salsa. All of that was great. Service was very good. We did not wait long for anything. We did go a little on the early side about 11:15am.

Food is so good we come back weekly and it's been a decade. Drinks are always on point and happy hour makes them go down that much easier! Service is beyond fast even when they're slammed, kitchen and servers are in a groove for sure. Depending on the time or where you sit depends on how loud it gets. The patio is always a nice option when it's not 110 degrees.

I am fortunate to own a condo in Tucson that is just a short walk from the El Charro Cafe on East Sunrise. It's my favorite restaurant in Tucson. Food, service, and cocktails are all first rate. I don't know if I love El Charro because its so close to my condo...or if I love my condo because its so close to El Charro! If you go, try the stuffed mushroom appetizer. It's delicious and almost a meal by itself.

Excellent Sangria and El Paton chicken enchiladas! So delicious. Amazing bartenders and waitstaff.

Great food + great service. They do not allow reservations so the wait can be lengthy if you don't come early

Went to El Charro tonight for our 45th wedding anniversary. The food was great but the service was horrible. After we ordered we only saw our waiter 1 time when we asked for a box for our leftover appetizer. The expeditor that brought us our food was great. My wife finally got up to get water and take home boxes . We won't come back!!!!

Very bad experience and we ended up leaving. We were told we were "next" only to see multiple people be seated before us. Hour wait and no idea when we would be seated. They do NOT accommodate walk ins at all.

This was the first time we've eaten at an El Charro.... Greeted at the door by a young lady, she took us to our table right away. Place was very decorative and has a very nice feeling. Cozy & clean. Food was great! We had 4 different dishes and we all took some home because we couldn't stop eating those amazing chips. I don't even know how to describe them but melt in your mouth. Our server, Sebastian, was fabulous and kept us laughing every time he came to the table. He did a wonderful job & kept up on all our questions & needs. We will be back for sure! If you are ever on this side of town, you MUST try this place!

Hard to fit it all in...Great service, best refries anywhere. Food is fabulous and many choices. We've been branching out from favorites. Their Elegante margarita is a must. Cadillac if you like a bit sweeter. We buy their Christmas in July BOGO cards every year! Reservations day before only. Has a busy buzz but not too loud.

In Tucson for a couple of days, so midweek, about 3 pm, went to this restaurant. One thing that makes or breaks a Mexican restaurant is the beans and rice. Simple food, but, the flavor and taste of both were very good. The taco shell was very good, light, but a very nice crunch and didn't fall apart. I sat at the bar and the service was very good.

Best margaritas! Wonderful atmosphere. Great food too! We will be back the next time we are in town.

Decided to make another visit to the El Charro Ventana location. Surprise that service and atmosphere were exactly the same as before Different server SHELBY made sure everything was right. Even though they were short staffed at opening time they all pitched in and served all the patrons with speed and accuracy Even the weekend Manager pitched in and provided excellent performance GREAT CREW!

Applies to Sunrise Location Only: The food was terrible and the service wasn't much better. If you go on Friday, make sure and book reserved seating or you will have a long wait - around one and a half hours. We had a lot of high expectations for El Charro on Sunrise and Kolb because we've had prior good experience at the downtown location on Court. We waited the hour and a half, since we didn't have reservations, but ended up with a lot of disappointments. My beef fajitas were inedible and consisted of mostly gristle and fat. After trying a few bites, I couldn't even eat one of them. It looked they took the parts of the beef that no one eats and put some seasoning on it and served on a plate. The tortilla and cheese on the cheese crisp was cold and hardened. The other family guests with me were not impressed with what they ordered either. However, the top-shelf margarita was good, so that's why I'm giving a star at all. Would not go back for food. Maybe a drink.

I took friends from Canada to this El Charro location to impress them but we weren't impressed. The food was just average. I've had a better experience at the Oro Valley location.