El Norte Grill

We were excited to eat here as we pulled up and saw the building it looked like it had such great promise. When we walked in the atmosphere was definitely how you would expect an authentic Mexican restaurant to be. We ordered our appetizer and drinks, sweet tea and white queso. The queso was good and the chips and salsa were free on the table. The salsa was good but had ZERO spice. We then got our entrees of a Tex mex plate (the tamale was not great, the chicken enchilada was lacking flavor, and the beef enchilada was not much different than the tamale), the chicken stuffed poblano pepper (that I had to send back because the chicken was so dry it tasted like they boiled it before the diced it and then covered it in sauce, which also lacked any flavor) and lastly a chicken fajita kids meal (the chicken was good but they didn’t bring out ANY of the fixings to make the tacos). I ended up sending back (after having to flag down the hostess bc our waitress didn’t come back to check on us) the stuffed chicken plate and got a cup of chicken tortilla soup… the most bland soup I’ve ever had. We will not be coming back here for lack of flavor in any of their dishes it seems like. The menu left MUCH to be desired and so did the service.

Update: That isn’t even my name, sounds like you have other customer issues lol. Probably should give people enough chips for the $12 queso. Original: They are going cheap by watering down salsa and giving 1/4 bag of chips unless you order $50 or more, not even enough chips to eat the $12 queso and salsa I ordered. Called about it and the restaurant said they would “get back to me” and hung up on me. So disappointing from what they were.

Love their flautas as always. 10 yeas later and the food and Drinks still taste good!!!

My husband and I dined in for dinner tonight. We received excellent and exceptional service from Taylor. My husband had the Taco Salad and I had the sour cream chicken enchiladas. We enjoyed our food. My husband really liked the Queso. I had Flan for dessert and it was delicious.. Price was a bargain. We will definitely return again in the future. Thanks for a great dinner El Norte.

If you like no seasoning, pepper or even salt this is the place for you. As a former server if my table ate one taco out of their entire meal, I wouldn’t laugh when they told me they didn’t like the meal let alone make them pay for the entire two meals that were basically untouched. Would not recommend or come back. First time having quesabirria tacos that came with fajita beef with no onions, cilantro, or consume with zero flavor just grease. Super disappointing. Chips were good though. Slowest service ever.

Excellent!! Outside looks like my grandmas little garden with many roses and shrubs. It gave me nostalgia. When I entered it looked homey. They gave us chips and an incredibly good salsa, not too spicy and a generous amount that lasted the whole dinner. We had cheese, green salsa and sour cream enchiladas and they were great. The Chile con carne on the cheese enchiladas tasted like it should. The enchiladas I had were delicious

This place is so amazing!!!!! from the staff to the food! I normally order from Uber eats and that’s the best part - everything is always packed perfectly never messy nothing messed up and the order always comes the exact way I ordered it. The manager Jordan is super friendly and the guy who packs the to go orders makes sure it is perfect. If you haven’t yet get your butt up and go to El Norte you will be pleasantly surprised. Don’t forget to try the frozen house margarita too 🕺🏼

This place has been in the heart of Plano forever . I have been going there for 18 years or so. The place is cute. The service is good. The food is good. Last time I had chicken fajitas and enjoyed it. Guacamole is so-so. I have had it better , but over all it’s a cute lunch place .

Our favorite Tex Mex joint in town. The queso is phenomenal - get the "El Head Honcho", you will not be sorry. Oddly enough, I think our favorite item is the oversized crispy tacos, though I don't think we've had a bad thing here. Always appreciate the Daily Specials, too; Sunday Sopapillas are a staple for us. Service is pretty consistently good, and prices are very reasonable. The new daily Happy Hour is great - a margarita for $4.95 is always appreciated! Yes, the restaurant is older and the decor can be somewhat reflective of that, but honestly, I think it just adds to the charm.

I wanted to check out a random new tex mex spot so I used yelp and found this spot. The environment was that of any typical texmex place. Kinda like a smaller on the border. Service was good. While the waiter seemed new, he was still attentive. I ordered the camarones de juan plate and also the fish taco plate. Also ordered a michelada. The michelada good. The camarrones de juan were super good, would def order again. The fish tacos were a miss, the tortilla crumbled as i tried to fold it. The tacos lacked flavor, def needed some type of salsa or juicer slaw. The reason for the 2 rating is because when we were leaving, we quickly had to use the restroom and we both also threw up while in there. They seem to have a drain/sewage problem and smelled sooo bad that it almost made us throw up. Other than that seems like an ok place, just dont go to the restroom here.

A fancy restaurant this is not, but the food, particularly the queso, is good. Friends and I split the queso (nom nom - could eat this all day every day) and I ordered the chicken enchiladas as my entree, which were fine. I do think given the number of fantastic Tex-mex spots in the area, there are better places. That said this was still pretty darn good. Ambiance was nothing to write home about, but as I mentioned the food is good.

Ate here for a birthday celebration. First time back in about 6 years. Enjoyed the large portions and the food!

We knew coming here the Tex-Mex wasn't going to be the best, but the food tasted so salty and the texture of the chicken was so tough that I would be surprised if the meats were cooked that morning. It tasted like they reheated the meat in the microwave, throw on a pound of salt, and lightly heated the "tortillas" ( if you can call them tortillas ). I am just hoping we don't get sick. The waitress was nice, if a bit inexperienced.

Tonite was my first ever questionable experience here. I have sought out Tex Mex here for 25 years. Ive noticed a little inconsistency in my last few visits. Last visit was great but I didn't get my usual tex mex order. Tonight I was feeling cheese enchiladas and brisket tamale! So after a movie, I headed to El Norte. Without going into too much detail(this visit doesn't deserve it) I will just say they've hit bottom. Long story short I always know when the food has a tectonic shift,it usually involves new ownership. So after considerable back and forth on two menu items, I had ordered that weren't right in any galaxy in the known Tex Mex universe I bluntly ask, has this business changed hands? The reply was guarded with a twisting hedging body language so, I know. Nothing wrong with a new owner. That is unless they start monkeying with a decades-old success formula. This happens occasionally and sadly for me. Everyone loves to find a dependable go-to for a great favorite meal. The same thing happened recently at one of my favorite Thai places. The problem here came in the form of some questions about the offerings and confusion over what was served me. I then asked for a manager and the Gas Lighting continued. I was perplexed and still am! They just made it way too hard and I dont like to be BSed, especially for no reason. Just spit it out. 20 years ago you couldnt get a seat in this place. The food was exceptional and won national acclaim. Right before my eyes I see all that hard earned good will melting away. Southern Living, D magazine and others raved about this place. Unfortunately, Im not investing my "treasure" on their learning curve so Ill be moving on from this establishment. Its been a good run but, Rest in Peace El Norte. Dont Go!

Great service and nice atmosphere. I got the chicken quesadilla special. I could only eat half the quesadilla because it tasted like it was lathered in a lot butter. It was just too much. The chips were good. I don't know that I would go back. The meals that my friends had looked mediocre. No one was impressed.

El Norte is a neighborhood restaurant that shows its age through it's decor. I believe it is family-owned. A grand burrito, quesadillas, and marcelinos tacos were ordered. Service was good. Food was basic and did not have a fresh and well- seasoned taste. Food did not meet the return visit category...adios!

Two stars for the service. Came here for lunch and had the stuffed chicken. It was like jerky. The cooks just reheat everything in a microwave. This place has fallen down since all the fabulous reviews and I won't be returning. Prices are high for mediocre food. There are better options for Mexican in this area.

Great food with quick and attentive service. They have different daily specials for both margaritas and entres. It's always really tasty and a cute spot. It's a family favorite.

Had great expectations for this place. A friend had suggested we go here several times based on the queso and the chili relleno. So after months and months of waiting, I finely get my chance. My mother orders soft beef tacos with corn tortillas. I order the chili relleno. What we got was the soft beef tacos on flour tortillas and the "stuffed chicken." Tacos were ok, and yes disappointed over the wrong tortillas but just decided to let it go. Then I get a dish that I couldn't figure out. It was like a reverse chili relleno. Chicken wrapped around a poblano pepper. I was certain the waitress heard me correctly. I didn't realize this was the wrong dish until we paid. So bottom line, don't care for the stuffed chicken and never got to try the chili relleno. The Mexican squash side dish was nothing more than a very few slices of yellow squash swimming in white queso...couldn't eat it. Very disappointed. Perhaps the waitress was new? After the stuffed chicken, not sure I want to go back to try and get the dish I actually ordered.

Best chips and salsa in DFW. Plates are gigantic and are priced at the same price of a kids meal at a fancy restaurant in frisco. Everything is made from scratch and is delicious. You have to come.

Loved this place! Great service, chimichanga and the happy hour margs are with a lot of flavor options that aren't super sweet.

The chicken flautas are to die for! I've been here twice with a friend and have loved the food and margaritas!

El Norte is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Plano. Chips and salsa are great. Jumbo margaritas are a must. The food has never disappointed us. We go here often.

Service was adequate and very efficient. I'd say when we got our food it was not hot. Shame because it tasted good. We will probably try it a few times before I can actually tell you it's good. However I must say they probably should redo the parking lot. Little rough. Ambiance was cute.

Been coming to this place since I was in high school. Their chips and queso never let's me down. It's so tasty. Our waiter was very attentive. I got the tilapia and it wasn't the best(it needed more seasoning), but there was a lot left over! Definitely could have split it with someone. My friend got the chicken Monterrey and she absolutely loved it. My mom got the Cabo style tacos with shrimp and was happy with her meal. It's a great hole in the wall restaurant with cute, random decor that I think they picked up at garage sales. The place has great vibes and I always feel at home there since I grew up in Plano.

Highly Recommend! Quick service, super friendly and attentive staff.. and the food is amazing. I've been here about 5x now and order different dishes each time. Never disappointed! The environment is fun and has great energy!

Had the combo chicken and beef fajitas. Flavor was ok. It tasted like caramelized onions not much of the chargrilled taste. It was served on a metal plate not a cast iron like I'm use to. I did like the chips and salsa which was crisp and not stale and the salsa had an ancho chile? taste. It was a bit smoky and sweet and not spicy.

The food is fire. And I'm picky. Much better than most chain Mexican restaurants. The service is good and nice. The place teeters on being run down vs having charm. Food is my most important quality. So I'm gonging back

Stumbled on this place driving by as it's lit up with lights so we decided to check it out. They have a special every day (check it out online) which includes both food and drinks. Walking in, the place smelled delicious of food. The enchilada special and and Cuervo top shelf margs were the deals on Wednesday. My dad got the enchiladas Verde and I got the roasted chicken poblano. The tomatillo sauce is a bit salty but overall the food was good. The roasted chicken poblano had a unique taste with the apricots insides and is definitely worth a try. They also have regular and special sides (an up charge) as options. I tried the creamy corn (special side) which was delicious. My only note to the restaurant is letting ppl know there are bacon bits. Not everyone's dietary restrictions would allow for this and it could be frustrating. My only angst, and it's definitely a personal one is that they do not have spicier salsa than the one they provide initially. I love salsa and the spicier the better but they only have the mild salsa. Not a big downfall, but would be nice to add some selections to salsas. For a local spot with fast service, good tasting food, budget friendly, and great deals, definitely give this place a try. Also, it seems like margaritas are their specialty so I would definitely check that out if it's up your alley!

Food isn't very good. Place has a weird smell and the tables had some strange liquid on it. Service was okay. The person who seats the tables was cold and kinda rude though.

I was very excited too try this place after stopping in and smelling how great the place smelled. We ordered the stuffed chicken, a chicken chimichanga, and an order of the white queso. Not sure why they packed a bunch of lettuce with my chimichanga but I was able to keep it aside. The flavors were a little lacking from some of the other places I have tried but still good. They give you a large bag of chips plus plenty of sauce to go with it so that's always a plus.

Firstly. PLEASE STOP CALLING THIS MEXICAN FOOD! okay thank you bye. But seriously. Everything tastes like it comes from a package. Heated then served. The tortillas; both flower and corn microwave heated. Even the lettuce looks from a package. THE "queso" not even cheese. I think it's Velveeta. This is sad I AM NOT A PICKY EATER. My first sign should have been in the name "Norte" the second sign was no Latinos or Mexican ppl walking in to dine. PORQUE NO ME AVISARON!! Here's your sign. On the other hand we were greeted and seated right away. Our FOOD ALSO CAME RIGHT AWAY ‍

The chips and salsa are bomb. Probably the best I've had since being in TX for 10 years. I only had chip and salsa and a couple of beers because I'd eaten earlier but my wife ordered food and I stole a couple of bites and it was delicious. She got the Tuesday taco special. Grilled marinated beef tacos with rice and beans. Little sides of cilantro, chopped onions and a hot sauce. We sat on the patio and it was comfortable and clean. The whole place has that clean yet lived in look that an English pub has. That's the best way I can describe it. We plan on going back or getting takeout for sure.

Flavorless. This restaurant does not belong in Texas. Staff was nice, but that's only good thing I can say.

Pretty good i can't complain Mexican food, Mexican food a lot of times. This one was pretty good. I just ordered tacos, so nothing special.

We have been eating at this restaurant since Mark opened it over approximately 35 years ago. April 30, 2024 All of our favorite tastes and top quality ingredients were in our meals and margaritas. May 29, 2024 We ordered the same dishes and were very disappointed in the quality. June 2, 2024 (with our Brunch Group of 10 people who have eaten here frequently) our dishes no longer contained top quality ingredients: the chips now taste like flour, not corn; the seasonings are now bland, and the food was very runny. We know food is expensive, but we eat here for the quality that has always been present until now. Please return to the top quality ingredients and flavors that had stood the test of time. Linda M.

Wonderful fast service every time. Love the food and decor. Their churros are amazing.

I'm not a huge fan of places that have "their way" of doing things... and the minute you come in with a change (or request), they freak out and they REPEATEDLY come back with a million questions. Let's get DEEEEEP into this one.... THE LOCATION Easily found on Parker. Close to Custer but probably one block north-west of the Parker/ Custer intersection. PARKING Adequate self-parking. No need to pay or valet!! HOURS The hours SUCK. Most of the time, they close at 9pm. Weekends, they close at 10pm. I guess that's a little better but it would be nice if places went back to pre-COVID late hours. Maybe 10pm during the weekdays and 11pm on weekends? I'm not sure what their hours were (prior to COVID) but it is what it is. THE STAFF Friendly but I feel like we had a new guy. Maybe? Maybe not. He seemed very socially awkward. I'm usually cool with wait staff and never talk down to them. (And I promise I didn't on this particular night)... but my patience were tried with his constant whispering and CONSTANT need to keep coming back to the table for every detail. But I get it... he's probably new(?) ... or at least I hope he was. I still tipped... WELL, I might add. Despite the experience and despite screwing up my order test. Again... This guy was socially awkward... like really socially awkward. It was almost like this type of job was not for him but he's trying it out anyway. THE PLACE Kind of a fun/ tropical/ South American/ Cuban/ Florida/ Elvis vibe. You just have to see pictures to see what I mean. It's like the place SEEMED LIKE it was there since the 80's and they just kept building and building upon the decor. FOOD SELECTIONS Adequate. There's something on the menu for everyone. THE FOOD Ok here's where things went left.... Again, I'm laid back. But when it comes to my chimichangas, I'm verrry particular. I asked for a chimichanga with JUST ground beef on the inside. I stressed "just ground beef and nothing else... no cheese, no beans... just ground beef". Extra crispy. A side of queso and a side of chili. This waiter came back at least three times to confirm my order and to ask about a sauce that they serve with every chimichanga. I repeatedly (but nicely) said I didn't want the sauce. Then his manager comes over to confirm the order and AGAIN tell me about a sauce THAT I DIDN'T WANT. "No thank you. I don't want the sauce on top of my chimichanga." "No thank you. I don't want the sauce on the sauce." "I appreciate you letting me know about your sauce but I really don't want the sauce." My wife orders shrimp tacos and added: avocado, cilantro and onions on the side. THAT became a whole ordeal because it doesn't come the meal and it took THREE visits to the table to say there would be an up-charge. (We are still being nice but kindly saying "We don't care about the up-charge".) The food comes out... neither of us enjoyed our side beans. They messed up my order by putting refried beans inside my chimichanga (I neither complained nor did I send it back). The food was just ok. My wife had black beans that she spit into her napkin. I never saw her do that and I joked about what would have happened if this were a first date. The chip, queso & salsa were good! I think my wife enjoyed her margarita. OVERALL The food was edible. The service was horrible but I'm trying to chalk that up to beginner's jitters. We likely won't be back as regulars. We'll try again down the road. This is probably my meanest review for a place that didn't deserve it and I apologize. In todays post-covid world, it seems like everything is process-oriented. Everything is written out for folks to follow.... A-B-C... and as soon as adversity or change is introduced, people seem to panic. Especially millennials. It seems like if stuff isn't regimented or detailed, there's unnecessary chaos. And I don't get it. Maybe 15-20 years ago, it wasn't like that. People went with the flow, they thought outside the box, they improvised, adapted, and overcame. Not today. My frustration with this review is that a simple dining experience didn't have to be as complicated as they made it out to be. And of course, someone is going to read this and say, "Well YOU guys changed up your orders with special instructions." YES! WE DID! We didn't ask for duck wings or wagyu beef. And I feel we were pretty reasonable in our requests. In any event, it's probably better to go places that aren't so hell-bent on being regimented. "Well maybe the guy was new and he kept coming around because he was trying to get your order right. Maybe you guys are being too hard on him." MEH. Like I said- the assumption was that he was new. We still tipped him and we never once made him feel bad (directly or indirectly). I'm just pointing out that it was a bit excessive to come to us to ask or go over every detail... more than once. Anyways... that's the review. Not the best review but they all can't be winners.

First time here with family, came on at Friday just before the Happy Hour rush. It's one of the few none chain Mexican restaurants in the area. They have a small parking lot, not sure if they have any overflow-space. Host was friendly and we were seated way at the back in a booth. Ambiance is casual and restaurant was mostly clean when we visited Our server Trent was friendly and responsive. He knew the menu and helped us pick the favorites. These were the recommendations: Drinks: --------- $7.50 - Senorita Mango 12oz Frozen - Wife loved it Food: -------- $14.50 - Pork Montana - I thought the sauce was a little too sweet. Large portion for the price. $13.00 - Beef Quesadilla - kids loved it. Large portion Overall, good neighborhood place to eat with family.

I love the crispy beef tacos! The rice and refried beans were delicious. Everything was hot and fresh.

I've been here about four times and I've always enjoyed the food but I've got to say that the food experience left me disappointed today. I ordered a plate of fajita nachos. I was surprised by how they looked when the server brought them out (not appetizing). Biting into the chips seemed kinda soggy or rubbery (like they had been reheated), and the cheese seemed to echo those sentiments. The fajita meat was nothing more than little slivers of chopped meat and was somewhat sparse. There were very few "chunks" of fajita meat - just mainly tiny little pieces sprinkled about. It's too bad because I really liked this place. Won't be going back anytime soon.

Great food. The service was awesome. I usually door dash but was so glad I came in to try it.

Has always loved this place!! I highly recommend the fajitas. The queso is also unmatched to anywhere else.

Great place!!! Patio was beautiful outside and carne asada tacos are tasty. Cold beers WITH cold mugs!! Definitely will be back!

This was a place I tried through Door Dash. What a disappointment the food was pretty bad. Chimichanga was soggy, chicken was minimal, Luke warm and flavor was bland. My wife ordered the Gringo Enchiladas and they were also bad. Flour tortillas, little flavor, chicken was like from a can. Hard to believe you can mess up simple Mexican dishes. I have no plans to revisit this establishment

This is our go to place. We have been coming here for years. Everyone in our house has a favorite on the menu. The salsa is delicious and so is the food.

Avoid the Carne Asada, The meat was fatty, grizzly, unchewable for humans. My dogs, however, did manage to get through it. The rice and black beans were Ok, nothing distinguishing. It was a takeout order. The service was fast and friendly.

I've eaten here probably over 100 times over the past 15 years. I've been twice since the original owners sold the restaurant, and sadly, yesterday was my last visit. The service was great, but the quality of the food has diminished. I had chicken taco salad, and my wife had chicken enchiladas. We both commented that the chicken looked and tasted like it was left over and reheated. We each ate about half of our food and left. After so many years of being a GREAT restaurant, it was kind of sad. We'll be searching for our new go-to Tex-Mex place.

NOTICE: Check your credit card statements after you eat here. I got double charged and went to discuss with the manager. He said , we didn't charge you twice and check with your bank. I presented a bank statement show him the double charge. You have been warned! A few over charges a week or month effects the bottom line.

Amazing Mexican food and it's a authentic Mexican experience the food is to die for I would rate it higher if I could 11/10

Do you ever see. Mexican restaurant & think to "what's different?" Oh man please dont underestimate El Norte! Not all Mexican food tastes the same & this spot is proof! Let me start by saying enchilada platter, beans, rice & bag of fresh hot chips & salsa is a must! You can choose 6, 8 or 10 & mix match! Cheese, beef or the very best sour cream enchiladas. The salsa! If only I could make it myself!!! Perfect amount of garlic, perfect bite! Enjoy one of Planos very best, you will not be disappointed.

This restaurant is one of my go-to favorites. Not only is the food amazing but the owner (new) really cares and responded to feedback. I've been coming here for years and recently posted a review shortly after the new ownership took place and he responded and took action. The next time we visited and since the feedback has been actioned. I love El Norte and our local community does too. I always see a familiar face when I go. It's a great restaurant, great atmosphere, and great people kind of place!

So my house is right next to this restaurant & went tonight with my daughters & parents The steak quesadillas were prolly the best I've ever had & the hostess did the most amazing job too

First time visit tonight. Chicken cooked so hard could not eat it. My fork would not even penetrate. My wife's steak was also so hard she couldn't chew it. Highlight was chips and salsa. Ice tea good also. Again first time and last time visit. I love good Mexican food and this was terrible. Paid bill and left.

Ingredients aren't quality; restaurant is dirty, the salsa is mostly tap water, and their cooked food is very inconsistent.

What a gem of a find! The food is incredible and the service was fabulous (thank you Justin and Adrian). We love the stuffed jalapeños. They are huge! The combo plates are huge and provide a lot of options. Chips and salsa are so good you might find yourself eating so many chips you will have to ask for a to go box for your entree! Worth every penny and the 30 minute drive.

This review is a little dated. By about a decade. And I've only eaten here once due to the distance where I live. However, ever since I've tried to replicate one of their signature dishes: Pork Montana To have a dish still have this much of an impact on me after 10+ years truly says something about the place. A slow roasted pork shank, with a honey-chipotle glaze. When brought here it was insistent we all get this dish. Even called ahead to make sure there was enough for the 6 of us. And I'm so glad we did. We dubbed this "Meat candy" it was so good. Please, for the love of Mike and all that is Holy, try this. If I'm unable to have this dish again without having to travel on an epic quest back to El Norte, at least let you have this in my stead.