El Charro Restaurant

So glad we came to this place and not the other restaurant down the street. The food came out fast and you get a big portion. We had: Fish Mojorra 9/10 - fried perfectly, the sides were meh Barbacoa meal 8/10 - a little bland but it was so soft ! Chicharrones taco - 9/10 - soft and crispy at the same time, wish I had some toppings though Pastor taco - 10/10 so flavorful Sopapillas - not bad 7/10, nothing to note I had the drink in a bowl and that was super refreshing. It was the server’s first time making it and she made it well. If I ever come back in the area, I’d definitely fingers again. The food prices was 10/10 :)

Great food and drinks! Excellent service been coming for years and it only gets better.

Amazing Mexican food! I would eat here anytime!! It was quiet and empty but the service was still amazing!

First visit. Great food, great service, great coffee. The pork chop was the best I've had in a looking time. Opinions may vary but it reminded me of my grandmothers cooking. Not only was the coffee hot and fresh but the cups were the heavy, thick ceramic kind that I much prefer. Edited: Food is still great, coffe kept full. Try the enchiladas with eggs.

This restaurant was recommended by the manager of our RV park. It was wonderful! The service and the food were top notch. We will be staying in Johnson City for aprox 6 months so I'll have time to work my way thru the menu.

Quaint little small town Mexican restaurant in an older building. The chips are fresh and hot and sometimes tastes like they're fresh out of the fryer.... They're not the store-bought chips did you get it most Mexican places. The fajitas come sizzling as they should and the Margaritas taste a little bit syrupy. I've had better margaritas. Service is quick and you pay at the counter.

Incredible Tex Mex Adorable drive through. Quick food. I will be making it a priority to eat here every time. 15/10

Delicious food here. Super friendly staff. Love the crispy tacos (#18). Good menu variety. Amazing queso with chorizo. Tight parking.

Had the chili relleno. Excellent sauce. Great cheese. The refried beans were vegetarian and really excellent as was the rice. Chips and salsa were perfect as well. This was a great meal and a very nice price.

Great road trip stop! Location: Johnson city, Main Street Parking:Plenty as well as street parking Staff: everyone was nice and friendly, greeted us and allowed us to pick our seating spot. They came by fast and started serving our drinks. Wait time: none, for food @8 minutes Seating: indoor and outdoor, however we decided for indoor as it was a chilly morning. Place is very spacious open concept. Price: Low-Average Drink: Disappointed they did not have cafe de olla. We opt for a glass of water and a drip coffee. Food: I went for the red chilaquiles. They were not spicy but had a good flavorful taste. Definitely a good spot to stop on your way out or into Johnson city. Great breakfast spot with good size portions. After you are done eating you pay at counter.

Being in a small town, I was nervous trying this Mexican restaurant but I was pleasantly surprised. Breakfast was simple and delicious. I enjoyed the ranchera sauce on my eggs and the pork chop was perfectly seared/cooked. Service was great and waitstaff were all attentive. Nice place if you are in the area.

It's an ok restaurant with plenty seating. There was a weird smell (probably from the kitchen) all around and felt quite stuffy indoors. Food was alright. However, no decent vegetarian options on the menu which is surprising for a Mexican restaurant.

Family owned restaurant with great prices and authentic dishes. The barbacoa was super legit. If I lived in this town I would come here regularly. The family that owns or operates this place is super friendly. This is a business that I would be happy to support even if prices started to go up.

Quaint little small town Mexican restaurant in an older building. The chips are fresh and hot and sometimes tastes like they're fresh out of the fryer.... They're not the store-bought chips did you get it most Mexican places. The fajitas come sizzling as they should and the Margaritas taste a little bit syrupy. I've had better margaritas. Service is quick and you pay at the counter.

The worst margarita on planet Earth. Question if any substance is real? Taste like a lemon marmalade slushy. Wait that sounds actually good. However this is not a margarita. "Ms? I'll take another!?"

If you can get Mama J to come here, it's good to go. I bring my Mom here now regularly when I come to visit, and she likes it. For small town Mexican food, this is solid. The service is also very friendly here, which is a plus. You can tell that they work hard even with a limited staff and manage to bring out hot food quickly. Admittedly, I have only ever had their enchiladas. They are delicious. Not too saucy or cheesy and with a good amount of filling. The beans and rice are also good and complement the entrees nicely. El Charro definitely gives you good portions at a great price. I recommend this place if you are ever in Johnson City and are craving some good no-frills Mexican food.

In 2019 I stopped here on my way out of Texas for the last time in a long time. Was disappointed when I was told they didn't serve margaritas. But then I was served the best crispy taco I have ever eaten. I think about it often.

Just recently moved to the area and tried the "3 Breakfast Tacos for $4.49" deal and I was quite impressed. I got 3 Potato, Egg and Cheese Tacos. The tortillas were the regular sized tortillas but they were packed with ingredients. Ill for sure go back soon. Next time I'll try to remember to snag a picture! Give it a try! It'll be worth it, I promise!

El Charro in Johnson City serves up breakfast tacos that are nothing short of amazing. Flavorful and generously portioned, they offer fantastic value for the price. While there were some minor aspects of the overall dining experience that could be improved upon, the quality and taste of the tacos stand out prominently. If you're in the area and craving a hearty breakfast, El Charro is a spot you shouldn't miss. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Server was able to accommodate our large group pretty well. Food was decent, nothing was over the top but still good. Also, no alcoholic beverages are served here.

Food was bland, not spicy at all. Service was horrible! We received a friendly greeting, but once we received our food, staff disappeared. My sister actually had to go find someone so we could pay our check! I should have kept going when we pulled up at 5pm on a Saturday and the place was empty.

Visited this place while passing through Johnson city for a meeting. Stopped here on my way home for breakfast and it was a good stop. It was your typical Mexican restaurant. No frills just good Mexican food that came out super fast even for a party of 5 adults. If ever in the area and looking for a good place, this will probably be a good bet. I eat a lot of Mexican food so the reason for the 3 stars are 1. Tortillas were ok. Didn't appear homemade but I could be wrong. 2. Food was ok. Nothing great tasting just ok. 3. Coffee was good but not very strong. Overall I would eat here again, just not the best I've had.

Very nice, authentic small town Mexican food. The food isn't going to win any Michelin stars, but it is nicely decorated with cute Mexican themed tables and booths, has a full bar, friendly competent service, and the food is really good with a large selection of entrees. Large portions and good price. It's by far the best Mexican restaurant in Johnson City.

Not a fancy restaurant, but the food was so good we went two nights in a row. There was beer and frozen margaritas available if you'd like an alcoholic beverage. I had La Favorita #23 both nights. The cheese enchilada was fantastic. Beans were good. Rice was good. I liked the mini burrito and chalupa as well. My husband had The Mexican Plate #22 one night and a hamburger the next and enjoyed both. We agree we will be back next time we are in the area!

Driving through Johnson City on our way home there were many choices. But Tex-Mex was calling and here we stopped. On a Tuesday night there were lots of families and soccer teams having a great meal. The waiter & waitress did the usual great job at family owned spot. We enjoyed the chips and the salsa can get HOT. We ordered a plate of nachos and it was HUMONGOUS. I had the Tuesday special (taco, cheese & meat enchilada, beans & rice). It was VERY good in a food area that is boring. The taco was exceptional and I think I would just get a taco dinner next time. Then entire family enjoyed this spot and we will visit again any time we travel through JC.

good service and great food. The building is well layed out and the food is made quickly.

We thought this place was okay. The margaritas were too sweet and would not recommend. Beer was available, too. I ordered a burrito that came stuffed with shrimp, chicken, and beef fajita meat, covered with queso. I requested no shrimp, and they left it out. Refried beans and rice accompanied it. It was good. My husband ordered a combo fajita plate--beef and sausage. He thought it was pretty good. We were just passing through, and found the service attentive and friendly.

Service was great! Food was just meh. Guacamole was disgusting. Margarita was just okay. I would not recommend this place. The two stars were mainly for the service, our waiter was awesome!

Great authentic Mexican food. Located right on Highway 290/281 in Johnson City, TX it makes for a easy pit stop. The service was great.

Awesome I had beef enchiladas with 2 eggs on top, rice and beans. Awesome Our waiter was excellent and attentive. I will be back.

This place is AMAZING! Best fajitas per my husband (whom always orders fajitas), and my shrimp quesadillas were delicious! Let's not even get me started on the frozen peach margarita, 'cause I would drive an hour and a half here just for those themselves! Service was fabulous & food came out super fast. 10/10 recommend!

Had the shrimp fajitas - the food is good and serving sizes are big. Service was efficient.

Excellent family owned Mexican restaurant. -Chicken fajitas, beef fajitas had incredible seasoning -Corn tortillas were fantastic I will be back!

El Charro is absolutely worth a try, and if you are like me regular return visits. My group of 5 gals has regular trips out to Johnson City a few times a year, and this restaurant is on our must eat list. The food is delicious, super inexpensive and everything you want in a Mexican taco shop. We have been twice now and both time they have had excellent service as well. We recommend the Quesadillas (shrimp is my favorite) fajitas, and the kids cheese burger is a great deal too. We honestly haven't had anything that isn't great. Highly recommended!

El Charro was on our way home from vacation, so we tried it . My food was good, but the waitress and owner were so friendly it didn't matter about the food ! I eat out so often, that the food sometimes become second to the service and friendliness . If you have a chance, stop by and see what I mean . Go get Full

Great breakfast tacos. Would highly recommend it. Place doesn't look like much from the outside but it really delivers. The Red salsa is very good

Looks like it's run down but let me tell you best mexican food! Great homemade salsa & corn tortillas, prices are very reasonable. Place is clean staff is very friendly, I will be returning soon!

Picked this restaurant based off of 4-star reviews. Will not return. Salsa had a weird taste with large chunks of onion, scant amount of chicken in my chicken enchiladas and they were Lukewarm, and short straws that didn't come to the top of my glass. My husband had the Steak ala Mexicana. He said it was good and why I am giving this a 3-star review instead of 2.

El Charro is good for what it is - a casual, family-run diner with fresh (not fancy) Mexican food and reasonable prices. Great place to take the kiddos - the food is accessible and we saw lots of families eating here during our visit. I had the chile rellenos with cheese. Relleno, which means stuffed in Spanish, wasn't exactly the right term, as this one had all of the cheese melted on top rather than stuffed inside. At only $7 for the lunch special, though, who am I to nitpick, and the portion was very generous. I also had a size of guacamole, fresh and fairly priced. Budget bonus - Charro's is BYOB. You can grab a 24 at the gas station next door, or bring in one of the bottles of wine you might have purchased on the wine trail.

Stopped by once coming from Fredericksburg and had the best breakfast tacos ever. Daughter also really enjoyed their street tacos and willing to drive the distance for these.

The specialty tacos on the menu are the best tacos I've had in central texas, hands down. They are authentic unbeatable tacos.

Friendly and attentive service. It was everything I wanted from a Mexican restaurant in small town hill country. From salsa and guacamole to enchiladas and tacos. So glad we stopped in and it will definitely be our stop coming home from Fredericksburg. I recommend that it be yours too.

We were visiting from out of town. Called for to go order. Yall were so fast! Salsa was awesome, dinner was great! We went beck for breakfast tacos in the morning! Thanks

Good food and great service. Friendly and community oriented. Food is great morning noon and night.

Whoa guys. Unexpectedly good food. We were driving from Colorado Bend State Park (in the middle of nowhere NW of Austin) to my aunt's house in Wimberley (which is also the middle of nowhere, but SW of Austin), so about the best we were hoping for was McDonald's. However, having already road tripped quite a bit this week, we were feeling tired of the double cheeseburgers. So we researched a little and were feeling pretty hopeless until I read the reviews for this place. THEY'RE NOT LYING, THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS. Cheap, nearly all entrees less than $10, and out of this world corn tortillas. Kiddos shared the five mini tacos (real Mexican style with onion and cilantro), husband had beef fajitas and I had... shoot I forgot the name, it was the second thing on the menu. But everything was amazing. I can't fathom a reason to be in Johnson City again, but if I am, you better believe I'm going to eat here again.

Great waitstaff fast service good food fair price I love it there. Been there a year ago and it just as great as last time.

Love el charros mini tacos! They have great burritos and my husbands favorite the enchiladas. Whenever we are having a Mexican food craving we always hit el charro.

Great place to stop for fast Mexican food that is fresh! It's a sit down restaurant, they have great service, and are family owned. The menu has plenty of options. I opted for a cheese enchilada with rice and beans on the side. *side note*--The enchilada sauce is not vegetarian so just remember to ask for a swap on that if you are a vegetarian. Food was hot fresh and came out fast. Enchilada was tasty and very filling. I love the salsa and chips that are complimentary. The beans tasted authentic that came with the entree. Great value for the amount of food and quality. I saw they have a breakfast menu that comes highly recommended by other Yelpers and the staff. $3.99 breakfast burritos for breakfast!? Yes please!! I definitely will try this place again when I drive down the 281 south!

We just left there and I have to say "authentic" cheese enchiladas with queso on top!!!! Amazing!!!! Great service hot food!!!

Good basic Tex-mex with friendly service. Three enchiladas with rice and beans for $7.99. No alcohol--keeps the price down But if you've been on the Fredericksburg wine road, you don't need more anyway.

Inside building ceiling appears to be falling. Food very unappetizing, fajita meat on nachos tasted like meat reheated from previous day. Refried beans most likely from can.

Loved the salsa and chips, to start. Bought some to bring home! I had the taco plate, which was very good. Ordered queso and guacamole and both of those were wonderful. Staff was courteous and friendly. Will be back.

Worst tacos I've ever had. Was driving thru Johnson city on my way home and decided to stop for tacos this place had good reviews and stars but the tacos were disgusting, the meat had a weird taste and was very bland. Took 3 bites and trashed the rest. So mad I spent $15 at this place.

Very much the worst Mexican food I have ever had. We got carry out. I am not sure how they made a chicken quesadilla taste bad when all it was was chicken and cheese, but they did. I can make a better enchilada in my microwave than what they served. Not one thing was good enough to eat. I threw seventy percent away. Next morning, was sick to my stomach. Never again.

A pleasant surprise in a small rural texas town. The chips and salsa was delicious and fresh tasting. The taco had that home made taste that we hope for. The tortillas seemed just made and the pork was seasoned well and plentiful. A goo place to stop.

A very good Mexican restaurant (not Tex-Mex). The atmosphere is very casual, service was good but not spectacular, and the food was quick to arrive and tasty. I loved the salsa and chips, but my preference is for finely purred salsa. If you prefer chunky salsa, this is not it. Everything was well prepared. I had the Mexican plate with a taco, burrito, and enchilada. Everything on the plate was reasonably sized and it was a good amount of food for dinner. Rice and beans were just okay, but the main dish was very good. I don't know if I'd drive all the way to Johnson City for just a meal here, but if I'm in the neighborhood I will definitely stop in again.

Great meal. Lovely staff and cold soda. Will be back as I drive back and forth from home to FBurg!

Chile relleno a little greasy bit very tasty. Carne asada burrito was really good. Minus star for cleanliness.