EL Rincon Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar - Carrollton Location

The food was fresh and tasty. I had the chimichanga. My only detraction is that it had neither sour cream nor guacamole on the side. Wife ordered brisket tacos. We loved their salsa. I had a top shelf margarita. All was good. Atmosphere feels open with high ceilings. Host was also our server, but he covered everything with aplomb.

I've never felt so defeated in my life. El Gigante gano. It has earned its name. The price is warranted, it is not overpriced, it's just enormous. This is probably why I got two equal sized forks in my napkin. I didn't even get the full deal as I asked for no cheese or sour cream, but still definitely tasty and worth it. I asked them if I could get my photo on the wall if I ate it in under 10 minutes. They said no. Not even a shirt? Ah well.

I used one of their online platforms to make a take-out order. The transaction was completed online but when I had arrived to pick up the food, one of the employees handed me the receipt along with a pen in their check presenter as if I was dining in. Not to mention that the host ignored me when I walked in. Well, to be fair, it seems like she doesn't understand the language. Clearly, the transaction was made online so they didn't have to issue my receipt, however, they did and it made me feel that I was supposed to leave a tip. Did they greet me at the door? No. Did they provide me with a full dine-in service? No. Not even utensils were provided. The food was great but I won’t be returning to this establishment. Do the job accordingly if you think you deserve a tip.

Our server Edgar was amazing! He made sure our meal came to us promptly and any other needs we had. He was friendly and helpful when I got to the restaurant a little after my party.

First time here due to a coupon I received in the mail. I wasn’t aware of the “weekly specials “ and the first thing the waiter recommended was a tequila bottle and asked if we wanted a sample or an alcoholic drink ( Wednesday special ) and of course I declined for both and my daughter that’s a minor ( 14 yrs old ) that doesn’t look it. Secondly , I received a hair in my salsa and told the waitress and offered to bring me more salsa but declined, other than that the food was okay, the horchata was a little watered down. The atmosphere and the music was great but more than likely I won’t be coming back to this location unless I’m having a girls night out for drinks.

Just recently went here for the second time, for my birthday dinner! It was just as good the second time as it was the first time! The food was absolutely amazing. Everything we had was phenomenal. Make sure you try the Elotes and the Horchata, they both were heavenly!! The atmosphere is lovely and our server Mariana was so so kind and helpful! She was able to recommend us the best dishes and was very attentive and nice. We’re already planning when we’ll be back, it’s just too good! Thank yall! 😄🌮

We started going for the Saturday reverse happy Hour and would bring from 12 to 36 folks for dinner. We used the Addison location primarily, but the Carrollton has the same issues: The food is the lowest grade. I don't really know of a Tex Mex place with worse food, both oversalted and at the same time bland. The service is just a total mess with servers forgetting to put in some of the orders, getting orders wrong. I can forgive ho long some orders took because we are always a large crowd. The restaurants always bungle the reservations. Sometimes the reservation is lost, sometimes placed on the wrong day, and most often the managers short the reservation. So we have a reservation for 20, and they only set up for 10 or 12. We end up either extremely cramped or having to separate the group to different parts of the restaurant. The latest attempt, we got a low level person when we tried to set the reservation, and they refused to set a reservation at all. Maybe that makes sense if they don't have the organization or desire to have a lot of people in the restaurants? We have permanently removed this restaurant from our rotation.

New update May 2025 Still enjoy dining here! Love the chips and salsa. I really recommend the brisket enchiladas. If you're not driving, try the margarita flight that features a trio of specialty flavors like hibiscus, tamarind, and pineapple-serrano. Note that there is parking scattered around the area, so don't dismay if you can't get a really close spot. Drive around and look under the freeway for a spot.. Have fun! Older update JULY 2024 We still love visiting El Rincon. This time we enjoyed a blackberry lime margarita, delicious poblano chicken enchiladas, and their fantastic flan. It's all still so good! As of December 2018 El Rincon remains insanely fabulous! Lovely, colorful, fresh food and welcoming service. Every time I am in town, this is a must-do. Great, light, airy restaurant with fresh foods, great drinks and stellar service. None of that standing around idly by the chips and salsa stand! These folks are into service and smiles and good food. I tried the frozen house margarita (yum!) along with chicken poblano enchiladas. Fantastic, simple preparation with good flavors. Healthier food in a renewed space. Very recommended.

Great location! Ordered the shrimp tacos ( comes with 3 ) & the flautas chicken was super tasty and crunchy! It comes with a side of queso & The red salsa here too is yummy ! Great margaritas and great service! Thank you for an excellent dinner tonight Outside seating available & inside seating

Came here on a business lunch and the food was FANTASTIC. Best Mexican food I've had in a while. They don't skimp out on the flavor, portions, or presentation. Everything was perfect. I'll definitely be back.

I loved this family owned Mexican restaurant in charming downtown Carrollton. The margarita and chips and salsa alone are worth returning for. I had the Charro soup as my entree and it was perfect for a chilly evening. The soup was perfectly seasoned with a hint of Serrano. Husband at the Birria which was rich and flavorful. Definitely want to return for the authentic tastes, good service and comfortable ambiance.

Solid mexican place in downtown. Happy hour all day Monday (which means $5 house margaritas, and $2 off appetizers) The chips are served warm and best eaten right away. Our table split some Guac and some queso. Portions on those were huge. Love that they serve sangrita. A frozen Margarita and sangria combo. YUM! I was so full, I just got some appetizer taquitos for an entree. They were good, but I've had better.

One of my favorite local Mexican restaurants the the lovely downtown Carrollton area (so cute) and I love the food and the service is always great. I try to pop in at least a couple of times a month.

The Special "De Otoño" espresso martini is Amazing. One of the best in town!! And I have personally tried at least 8 of the espresso Martinis served at other restaurants. (It's my favorite cocktail)

Overall spot was a 9/10 for me. I ordered (3) crunchy tacos, one shredded chicken, refried beans, a rice. My two beef tacos were delicious, the taco shell extra crunchy (just how I like it) but when I tried to bite into my shredded chicken taco it was a No for me. The meat either is not being cooked in a crockpot or they just rushed it out to service me. It was so tough I had to pull it out of my teeth that's really annoying because I wanted to try it. I did request to speak with the manager then my server came out and asked, Did I not wanna pay for my food. I politely replied, Of course I'm going to pay however can the one taco be removed from my bill? She then said, I could give you a discount. I excepted that option. Left my tip, and paid the tab.

Good food here. I really liked the tortilla soup. Service was great ambiance was nice. The service was also pretty quick too

This is a great Mexican restaurant located right in the heart of Downtown Carrollton! Tried out the guacamole for an appetizer, and it was great! It wasn't clunky and was super flavorful. As for my main dish, I tried out the blackened fish tacos. These tacos were on corn tortillas and consisted of fish, Mexican slaw, and avocado/chipotle aioli. They tasted amazing! The fish had good seasoning to it, and the aioli also added a good flavor kick to the tacos. The side items (rice and beans) were also great. Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant, as it had great food and ambiance!

It was my first time eating here but sad to say it was a horrible experience. While ordering food, my friend and I both did not like one of the sides so we asked the server if it can be substituted with a different side. Without hesitation, the server first looked at us with a big frown on her face, second in a rude tone said "to what? What do you want? It's going to be extra charge" then I asked what are the side options and server just continuously kept repeating the same thing without allowing us to either look at the menu (which by the way the server took away as soon as we ordered) or sharing the options to us. This went on for more than 5min in which I think could have been better resolved. I was honestly upset the whole time I was eating that I could not enjoy the food properly due to this servers attitude and service. Sadly, I will not be going back to this restaurant despite the fact that the food may be enjoyable next time with better service because I was not happy with the way I was treated today. The reason for even giving 2 star is only because the food was good and the vibe was cute and colorful.

This is my favorite restaurant by far in downtown Carrollton! My husband and I frequent this establishment because of the consistently great food, beverages and the outstanding service! Best Chips and Salsa around! Check it out during Happy Hour for great drink specials and deals on appetizers- highly recommend their infused tequila margaritas They always carry a big selection of high quality tequilas, so it's a great place to try new varieties of Blanco, Reposado and Mezcal.

Great Mexican restaurant. I got their Rincon enchiladas because when in Rome, right? They were very good and went well with their great chips and spicy salsa. It was also happy hour so I got a house margarita on the rocks which was very tasty and I believe the happy hour special was a $5 hose margarita if I am remembering that right. It was great. Our server was a touch slow to get to us originally but to be fair, it was really busy and then she was awesome and very attentive the rest of the time. It was definitely crowded and hopping while we were there. it had a great feel. We will definitely be coming back. Fun place.

We eat here about every 3-4 weeks...it is that good! Their queso is perhaps the top in the metroplex. From taste to consistency, it cannot be beat. Paired with consistently crispy chips, it's a great appetizer. Their 'dos burritos' entree is amazing! So wonderful and filling. Meat inside is perfect and not dry. Sauced perfectly and with rice and beans. The bandera enchilada plate is a 100% winner. All 3 are equally enjoyable (unlike other places where one type overshadows the others). And their chile relleno is special- with carnitas stuffed. Another amazing dish. Service is about perfect and always friendly. Prices are reasonable and even a little lower than others. We've eaten at both locations. Both good but the Carrollton location has more charm. And their margarita is way above others. Not overly sweet. This place is wonderful. Enjoy it- we do often.

I never knew that Carrollton had a downtown area until I discovered this place. El Rincon Mexican Kitchen is definitely a great spot for brunch. The food was amazing and the staff was friendly and had no problem accommodating special food requests.

Service was prompt, and so very courteous. The food was hot and delicious! One of the best in the metroplex!

Excellent service by Ana, very attentive and sweet. Appetizers were good my favorite the elote. The ambiance was laid back and relaxing. Definitely recommend for happy hour.

First visit last year so way overdue for follow-up lunch. Especially with SHE who cashes my retirement check. We got great service and hot food. More than enough. I posted new photos. There were more people there but left before I took photos. Also photos of surrounding area square and list of events for 2024. Plenty of free public parking for some the larger gatherings. SHE reported that the women's restroom needs an upgrade.

Food and service are great. Ana is a great bartender and makes wonderful margaritas. Great location in downtown Carrollton. Nice clean restaurant.

I stopped here for a drink while waiting to pick up a food order nearby. I was pleasantly surprised to learn they carry almost all of my favorite tequilas. They also had a few others I'd been meaning to try. Will definitely return!

Chips and salsa good....got chicken fajitas for 2 .....charro bean and no rice instead of refried.....the beans were good and the chicken tender....got about 6-7 pickled jalapeños for extra charge.....I can eat a whole jar! Didn't order margaritas this time, but they look yummy. We just got unsweetened tea and Coke Zero. We like going here during the week for quick dinner. Never have to wait and everyone is always nice. Good service too. The bar always looks more crowded than dinning room (during the week)! Haha! We'll go back!

This place is great. Service was excellent. I keep forgetting to take pictures of the food we order, but if I did, you would all be pleased. My wife raved about their tortillas. Only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because their menu recommends the Mexi Fried Rice, and I ordered it, cause I like trying new things. It was awful. But the rest of the food was great. Chips and Salsa was spot on

Charged for a bottle of water that I had already brought in, was told after our waitress already brought my money back from my cash payments that they are "a changeless store". Lunch time chicken fajitas were probably half a chicken breast, enough for one taco (4-5 thin strips). Overall temp wasn't that hot and taste just wasn't great. Will not come back

I can't say enough good things about this place!! I live 2min from El Rincon and let's just say me and my wife feel like we at least pay the light bill with how much we eat/drink here! All the staff is so nice and friendly! Steven and Dulce are the best managers ever! Robert, Anna, and Dante are the best bartenders! Food wise I recommend the Mexican Fried Rice! Its the BEST! The chips and salsa are to die for. Also, if you love big portions/food challenges then try the El Gigante! The drinks are top notch! The house margaritas are my go to. Super reasonable in price and you get a bang for you buck! If you love Tequila, this is the spot! They have local brands to top shelf. I've brought so many friends here and they all wished they lived as close!

I'm still upset with my boyfriend because I purposely didn't eat all of my chile relleno JUST so I could have some for lunch the next day and then this man forgot to tell the server we needed a box while I went to the restroom and just like that, my half eaten yummy chile relleno was thrown away. 1 star for my boyfriend that night. 4 shinning stars for El Rincon! We sat on the patio because we brought the puppy and had a couple of HH margaritas while we pondered our choices. Of course we got the queso cargado (with brisket) for an app, and then added the chile relleno and the Pescado a la Veracruz. The fish was delicious; hearty and salty from the olives. The tomato sauce on top was very flavorful and the entire dish ate really light. My beloved chile relleno was also great. A huge poblano pepper stuffed with pork, raisins for sweetness and Monterey cheese, but not breaded and deep fried. Instead it was surrounded by a delicious ranchera sauce and also ate fairly light compared to a lot of other versions. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the area.

Atmosphere is perfect. Service is always great. The food: *Queso Cargado (sp?) 10/10 *chix fajitas w/flour tort 10/10 I couldn't recommend this place enough

I finally tried this place after seeing it for years. We came on a Friday afternoon and were seated immediately once arriving. We came for the happy hour and it did not disappoint. I had the house margarita on the rocks and it was really good. The ambiance is mid noise level. They offer different promotions during the week and even Saturday, where kids can eat free. Check out the website!

Delicious good, attentive service. We had the shrimp appetizer (yum), and several types of tacos. We will definitely be back when in the Dallas area!

I spent my Cinco De Mayo here and it was AMAZING. It was packed but the service was great! I sat close the bar. I ordered the chicken locos nachos and they were so good!! Chips were good, margs were good except that flavoring they use is very thick. I recommend getting the regular lime. The vibe was great, the music had some diversity. This little hidden spot will see me again!

Overall 3/5 Stars Drinks were good and affordable. The food itself was alright for Tex-Mex. I probably wouldn't come back again because I am not a huge Tex-Mex food fan. But I loved the environment of the place and thought it had a cute vibe for Downtown Carrollton. If you are looking for a fun local spot, this could be a cute one for a date night.

We were in town for a basketball tournament and brought a party of 23 to El Rincon. We called in advance and they had a table ready for us. The waiters were great and very responsive. The food came out quickly after ordering and the margaritas were delicious. We'll definitely come back in the future.

6-10-2022 - We usually start with a cup of queso, I love the queso and chips are so fresh. Ordered the blackened fish tacos (3) with a slightly spicy chipotle aioli, entree is served with black beans and rice. The tacos were stuffed with the fish, Mexican slaw, and had avocado slices on top, they were great with a fresh taste. I substituted a side salad for the rice. (Other substitute options were double beans or french fries) My son ordered the Torta El Chavo but later we were told they are out of bread. The Mexi fried rice was the next choice. beef fajita, chicken fajita, shrimp, scrambled egg and chorizo. (could do without the shrimp next time). It had an over easy egg on top with spicy serrano sauce. This was an unusual entree item we weren't expecting to see on the menu menu, it was good but a small portion. It is so hot these days, but the patio still had several patrons. We opted to dine indoors at 8pm we were seated right away. The inside was extremely loud. The voices carry all around the room. So if you are looking for a quiet intimate plan to go when they are not busy. Service was great waters refilled promptly. Great place on the downtown Carrollton square.

The food is so good y'all. Just do it! The tequila menu is fantastic and the owners are the nicest people ever. Do yourself a favor and stop by.

What a cool place in Old Downtown Carrollton. El Rincon looks like it's been here forever but we were told that they have been in existence for only four years. The old building has lots of charm on the outside and it has a clean look inside. What I really like about this place is that everything seems to be made here. The chips, salsa, corn tortillas. Legit! You can't beat their Taco specials on Tuesday either. You can get 3 tacos (same) with rice and beans for only $10. Wow. I would be here again and again if I lived close by. Those warm, soft texture tortillas were on point. Everyone enjoyed their plates.

The best happy hour in north Dallas! It's a hidden gem and always right on time. I love the drink specials and they also have $2 off appetizers. There's always a nice vibe and the staff is always on point. Andrea was my bartender. Thanks! Check out more of my reviews/vlogs of all things lifestyle at linktree.com/missmo2323

Had a lovely evening at El Rincon last week and got to spend time in Carrollton downtown. After a crazy busy week at work husband convinced me to dine out instead of taking food to go. The lovely summer evening and the outdoor patio helped make it easy - I didn't need much convincing! Service was great. Loved the salsa with the chips - we asked them a spicier one and they got us this delicious Serrano salsa. Yummy! Got the combination plate and queso to share. The chalupa disintegrated a bit. But overall food was decent. We will be back to try more stuff and enjoy the patio. Outdoor seating is also dog friendly which is a huge plus :)

This restaurant is in a cute little town like seeing. It used to be downtown so now this area is called old downtown. We got here right before the dinner rush around 4:30. We were greeted and seated right away. There's a full bar in the back of course because they haves variety of tequila, but I won't be reviewing that as I'm pregnant and cannot drink. Very sad and plan to go back so I can try the many tequila flights they have. For the appetizer we got the botanas platter. It sounds like a lot of food but since it's an appetizer, the items were smaller portions. I would definitely recommend it. Good for 2-4 people. I really liked the beef fajita nacho. Its beef and cheese on top of 4 chips. You also get 4 chicken flautas, which you can tell was freshly fried and very crispy. Last there is chicken quesadillas. It was good not out great but if you dip it in the salsa, pretty good. Speaking of the salsa, when you are seated, they bring chips and each person gets their own little thing of salsa. We both really liked the salsa. Definitely tasted home made and not like some places where it seems like out of a jar. Don't throw it away because its a great dip for your entree and apps. My fiancé got the el gigante- a 2.5 pound burrito! It was giant! Let's say the waitress was right that he would need a takeout box. Lol. We made a bet on it and he ended up paying for dinner. Because it was so huge, having some hot sauce and salsa would help him eat it so it wasn't too dry since there was A LOT of rice in it. All the sourcream was on one side only, not the side he started with. The grilled steak in it was alright, not enough meat for the giant burrito. Also the steak was not cut well so there were lots of bite with no meat and some bites with lots of meat... I got the shrimp tacos And the carnitas tacos. I usually don't order shrimp tacos since they are less flavorful compared to other types but they were marked as favorites. It didn't hit the spot for Me. I put my salsa on it and they helped a lot. They only had one type of hot sauce when I asked it for it and it alright. The salsa that came with the carnitas was really good too. I think the carnitas could use more flavor as well. Overall, really good salsas, food was alright, very nice waitress and atmosphere.

Such a nice place to go! Food is delicious, drinks are great! The staff is so nice and make sure you are checked on I. A timely manner! Went on a Friday afternoon. Really really nice place!

We came here before the craziness of the pandemic and we were not very impressed with the service, when we came with the whole family... this time we sat at the bar and tried it again, great service and food was delicious. Faith at the bar is very attentive and friendly. Great atmosphere and staff this time! ;) The music choice was 70's and 80's pop, which was awesome. We will return for sure!

The quality of the food has just gone way down hill over the last two years. I shared fajitas with my husband and there was more than enough to take home but unfortunately it was just low quality meat and flavorless. Use to be one of our favorite spots. Disappointed

Met a friend for dinner and drinks - great happy hour on both drinks and appetizers. I ordered the Brisket Nachos - yum and the margarita was really good too.

Hear me out - I really like El Rincon. My husband and I had been going to the Addison location every other week for about three years as our casual date of the week. I think maybe I just need to stick to the Addison location. We arrived at 7:08 PM on a Friday night and were seated quickly. We were served the standard chips and salsa and settled in. As time crept on, I made eye contact with four employees, two of whom were waitresses. No one stopped to take our order, say our waitress was coming, etc. It was not busy inside - there were exactly 12 patrons, I counted - but we couldn't get an order in. I was ready to drop a $5 on the table to cover our chips and leave, but my husband really wanted Tex-Mex so we stayed. At 7:24 PM, a table that arrived after us received their appetizers. I approached the host stand and asked if we could at least get some waters. To their credit, the two women at the host stand seemed embarrassed (but not enough to acknowledge the mistake). We were able to put in our food and drink order pretty quickly from that point. Our waitress had no other tables in our section - I firmly believe that we were seated in a dead section. Half of me wants to know how long we would have been waiting if I hadn't alerted the hostesses. The drinks were fine, other than the waitress spilling the tequila float from the Mangonada on the table without comment, and the food was good for the price. It was just an average experience undermined by the lack of service.

Cut to the chase...the tortillas are delish. I had both corn and flour with my beef fajitas. I would not have guessed that I would writie a review about tortillas but this is it! The corn tortillas were thicker than I've ever had before, soft and sturdy. The flour tortillas were big and went well with the queso dip. It's worth the charge for extra tortillas to-go.

This is right across from my apartment and the food is gooooood. Get the fajitas or the quesadillas! They aren't shy to put liquor in their margs, which are both strong and delicioussss.

Some of the best drink specials during happy hour that you can find all around the Metroplex. The only problem is that their bar can get a little behind on getting drinks out.

Great spot for margaritas and good Mexican food. Since moving to Carrollton, we've been here a few times-always in the bar-and the service, drinks and food keep us coming back. The house margaritas are strong and not too sweet, and the food is fresh. We love things spicy and one of our waitresses brought us some habanero salsa the guys in the kitchen make for themselves-it is HOT, but perfect for us when we mix it with their regular salsa. This place is very close to home and I know we will continue to frequent it. I recommend.

Writing the reevIew while enjoying our Saturday late lunch. It's a new place but I am happy we gave it a chance! Their tortilla chips were warm and came with salsa in separate dipping dishes( perfect if you are a double dipper!) In mains we had Blacken Tilapia Poblano and Blackened Fish Tacos. Both were piping hot and the sauce for my dish was very good including the colorful medley of grilled veggies on top. Wish they get more stars!

The queso is phenomenal. My new go-to restaurant! Gets a bit busy during happy hour but really great salsa and chips and food. Fajitas were a little bit dry and so was the chicken in the enchilada. Not sure why

Tasty food options and really prompt service. Margaritas on reverse happy hour are worth every drop. The parking and access could be interesting on busier weekend hours, but it fits price wise and the look for the downtown area.

I have been here a couple times now and it usually becomes everyone's go-to happy hour spot! There are very few places I know of around the Carrollton-Irving junction that has a Saturday evening happy hour, and this place has great deals with $5 flavored and regular margaritas and sangria. The chips and salsa are amazing and free! On Tuesdays taco plates are $10. My husband has had the enchiladas and I've tried the stuffed poblano pepper, which is very tiny but stuffed with lots of pork so it's worth it! Parking can be tricky as this restaurant is located in downtown Carrollton, but keep circling if you come around dinner time and you'll probably catch someone leaving!