el Thrifty CLT

We hosted our "Baby Bash" (most commonly known as a baby shower) at El Thrifty. The event from pre-planning through completion was TOP NOTCH. Working with Bianca was extremely easy and she was a pleasure to work with (especially since I consider myself a highly detailed person). She answered all of my questions and offered solid recommendations from start to finish. The day of the event Bre was our main point of contact and she was just as helpful! She allowed us to come in early and set up our party before the restaurant even opened.. as well as offering a hand as we ran around like crazy people. The waitresses and bartender were also extremely pleasant to work with and did a great job keeping up with our guest. We have been into El Thrifty as guest several times and to be transparent, I was never really "blown away" by the service or food but the service and catering we received on Sunday was entirely different - in a good way. Guest left happy and raving about how good the food was so hopefully this will create some reoccurring business for the restaurant. I hope to find a reason to work with you all again in the future!!! Highly recommend El Thrifty to be considered for your next party or event.

El thrifty is definitely a fun experience! We had a large group reservation so we had the game area with the couches reserved for a few hours before the crowds moved in. Their service was outstanding with very knowledgeable and friendly waitresses. The food was above average but not anything special. I had the brisket taco and shrimp taco that was seasoned well and tasty. For dessert I had the cheesecake burrito which was disappointing. Honestly it tasted like a tortilla had been stuffed with dense cream cheese and not like the delicious cheesecakes I've had elsewhere. They have some fun games here like duckpin bowling, basketball, board games and even a claw machine. I blew several dollars on the claw machine but got a couple of cheap stuffed animals like knockoff beanie babies. Fun place to hang out and chill. But this would not be the place to go for great food.

This place is a really nice spot to hang out and to check out. It was my first time visiting and def not the last. Our server Tyler was a nice cool guy and of course a great server. Drinks were good food was good. I do recommend the corn 🌽 oh my god it was sooo delicious also the nachos!!! were amazing!!!! That chicken is well seasoned. The environment overall was very nice, love the little games, love the decor as well.

Found a new favorite spot on the north side of downtown Charlotte. Optimist Hall and El Thrifty Social! Great food, great service and they have games for adults and kids, like shuffleboard, pool, bowling, Adult Size Jenga, etc... Had an awesome Shrimp Quesadilla! Optimist Hall is great because there are a variety of places to eat and stores to check out. Great if you have picky kids because you can go to 5 different places in 100 feet.

We came on a Sunday. The place was really nice with holiday stuff. We chose the dip ans it wasnt good at all. It had no taste. Just melted cheese. I wouldnt recommend that. Their birria chicken tacos were great! The drinks were good! Try the holiday drinks!! The bartender was really nice!

It was a really lack luster experience. From the moment we walked in. There was no host or servers in sight, and we had to go find them. The chairs were so uncomfortable that halfway through our meal, we had to stand. The servers were all gathered by the bar on their phones and watching love and hip hop on the bar TV. Despite it being what appeared as a slow Thursday and being very empty inside, it took over 30 minutes to get our appetizer, then another 15 minutes to get our food. Which came out cold or some of it just not good. Like the torta or the al pastor tacos that were very overcooked. My side of charro beans were very cold. The salsa had no seasonings or acid to speak of. Our server Doc or Dot, halfway through our meal, got another table seated, one of the only other groups there, and we never saw him again. They then added a "tasting gratuity" of 20% to our bill, that we still aren't sure why or what that was as we had not ordered any type of tasting. Most of the games were out of order, and the furniture in the gaming area had visible staining and was in various stages of disarray.

The atmosphere here is really comfortable. There is a lot of good indoor and outdoor seating. I unfortunately didn't get to try the food. However, my drinks were good. A busboy took my drink when I wasn't paying attention, and the bartender was kind enough to make me another without any issues. Good customer service.

In Optimist hall. Took a bit to find it on first floor. Atmosphere was festive. Server friendly. Out of IPA so I got a pineapple guava margarita which was good. Ordered chips with 3 dips. Chips not warm. Shrimp quesadilla didn't come with any sauce so used the stuff from our appetizer. Tacos have corn tortillas which fall apart. Corn is a quarter cob, split, making serving size small.

My server Caroline was absolutely excellent!! She suggested I get the refried garbanzo beans but warned me they might give me gas. Overall great food and suggestion! appreciate the honesty Caroline!

We visited here during the holiday season where the decorations were a tropical winter decor. The feeling was lively and pretty packed. The service was solid overall & the food was elevated & delicious.

My lady and I decided to venture out to the Optimist Hall on a Saturday afternoon, and on our way in we noticed this Mexican Cantina sitting off to the side, with a couple of guys with ski goggles and ski suits on sitting outside. Our curiosity got the best of us, so we decided to try it out. First, our waiter explained to us that the restaurant had recently undergone a remodel to fit a ski lodge theme, which we found somewhat amusing, giving the fact that the temperature was supposed to get up to about mid 50s that day. For what it's worth, the restaurant was pleasantly decorated and appointed, modern with the appropriate ski themed memorabilia sprinkled about. Because it's been fairly chilly as of late, there wasn't much of a crowd yet and the restaurant was mostly empty. There was another group setting up for a 40th birthday party in the back of the restaurant where the games and pin bowling lanes are located. We decided initially to try out the pin bowling while having a couple of drinks and some appetizers. We ordered the chicken taquitos and the chips, guac and salsa. All three were excellent choices with the taquitos being the highlight. My lady was so impressed with their version of taquitos that she actually considered going back for takeout a couple of days later. Anyway, we quickly realized that the pin bowling machines weren't functioning properly, so we eventually relocated to the pool table. That was probably the worst part of the experience but our waiter, a young brother, that I unfortunately forgot his name, but was really engaging and personable. He made the whole pin bowling experience forgivable but I had to note it. Because the appetizers were so good, we decided to order entrées as well. We ordered the Birria tacos and Pollo Ajocomino. Again, both were spot on interpretations that stand up against any local Mexican restaurant in Charlotte. You can see from the pictures that the Birria tacos were legitimate so I don't have to say much else other than, yes, the broth was also on point. This was a beef beard birria, not goat, so keep that in mind. I prefer goat, but you rarely find that anywhere. The chicken dish is something that I can't vouch for because I frankly never heard of it until my lady ordered it. But being from Mexico City, she tends to stumble across dishes every now and then that remind her of home. That being said, she really found this dish to be quite enjoyable, given its simplicity. We also had a couple of drinks during the meal, both of which I remember us enjoying, but neither of which I can honestly confirm name or contents. Overall, I would highly recommend this spot if you are in the mood for good Mexican food and near the Optimist Hall area. Just stay away from the pin bowling lanes until they replace them with some new ones.

Fun atmosphere. Great bartenders. Solid cocktails. But that's about where it ends. We came to check out their tiki Christmas, and the place was decked out - it was fun to see. I enjoyed my "why grandma got run over" cocktail, but my husband requested three different draft beers (all listed on their menu) that were all out before ending on modelo. Then we ordered a snack for us and our kids - the queso fundito and the kids quesadilla. Our fundito looked borderline burnt and did not have any of the stringy, melty, oozy, gooey cheese you'd expect. It definitely had been cooked too long. And the small smattering of chorizo was a joke. It was disgusting and barely edible (in fact we didn't eat most of it and made a comment to our server who said, it's served like that). Our kids got the quesadilla, which was fine, but didn't come with a side. We also asked about that, but was told it didn't come with a side (but the menu said differently). There are so many gray spots in optimist hall, that I will probably pass on El Thrifty in the future. If I do come, it will just be for a cocktail and then venturing elsewhere for food.

Asked my wife to Pinky Promise with me tonight that we would never, NEVER, NEVER come back to this restaurant. This is the 3rd strike ... service is consistently slow (45 mins for a Pacifico tonight). Server did get my request for 2 limes. Only reason we came there was for the baked cheese. Found out it's no longer on the menu after they brought us liquid cheese. The Barria tacos are very good here - the only positive. Took forever for the drinks, food and check. This restaurant is consistently unmanaged. Don't waste your time here - there's plenty of better restaurants that hustle for your business upstairs.

My food was good , service was just okay. It was pretty slow without an update. You order and get a number. This is located at the optimist hall which I Iove. I did bowl which is $6 per person and I didn't mind. The corn ribs were my favorite. Don't leave without a mezcal margarita!

This place has really good food. The Enchiladas were out of this world. Came on a Saturday night and it was lit. If no tables are available, hit the bar. You can order food from there. Wasn't too impressed with the Margaritas but that's ok. Still very good and great ambiance.

I visited for the first time yesterday, so I can't speak to its comparison prior to a management or menu change. All I can say is that the drinks were great (and I'm surprised I hadn't wandered in sooner while at Optimist Hall). I would not mind just sitting at the bar. The horchata and mule were excellent. We ordered Burria tacos, enchiladas, Rojo Verde, and taquitos. We loved it all. I honestly thought it was flavorful and fresh. I look forward to going back. The spot offers a lot of games, makes it easy to bring kids, and overall cool spot. The service was phenomenal. We visited off an offline deal and are so glad we did. We will certainly be regulars.

This spot is part of the many venues at Optimist Hall and is perfect for groups of varying sizes or a solo traveler like me just looking for a good meal, local craft beer, and bar seating with outlets right under the counter to keep my laptop running. Have only sampled a couple things from the menu, but I really -- REALLY -- enjoyed the off-the-cob elote. Well flavored and much less messy to eat than the typical on-the-cob version. The guac was ok, but the carnita street taco, with pickled onions, cilantro, was pretty pretty good. The cocktail menu was tempting-- not to mention all the mezcal and tequila options! -- but Charlotte has such great craft breweries that I usually go for whatever's local and on tap. This last visit I enjoyed some NoDa pours, but I also highly recommend just about anything from Old Meck or Wicked Weed. And if none of that suites you, there's sure to be a wine or two for you to try. The staff was super friendly and attentive, and the food was a great value. Plenty of parking on premises, and the first 90 minutes are free.

I've never left a taco spot hungry before but there's a first time for everything. Service was slow and menu was limited for the evening due to training which was a bummer because we came here specifically for the food. Despite that the actual delivery of food was hot and fast. Tacos were average but they did have some good prices, 3 for $15. Would be willing to give it a second chance due to the great location!

Checking out the new menu, we enjoyed the new options. Top/unique pics are the Piccadillo Empanadas, elote ribs, and pollo. Drinks we loved included the paloma & non-alcoholic margarita was great too! We went on a Sunday, so crowds were low and service was good.

Stopped in with some coworkers after work and had a great time! Hanging chairs outside with a covered patio and games inside for entertainment (shuffleboard, Jenga). Drinks are amazing, I had the pineapple guava margarita. Very refreshing! Food coming from the kitchen looked great. I ordered the steak tacos and was impressed. Word of caution, the sauce is spicy All the staff were friendly and welcoming, and the bartender kept us laughing! Wish I could have gotten a photo of the food and drinks we all had, but my phone died ‍ Definitely a new hangout spot for us!

El Thrifty is located in Optimus Hall which is a great hangout location in Charlotte. It's a restaurant, it's a bar, it's an entertainment place. I was a little disappointed upon entering because the hostess wasn't present and we waited awhile and had to wave a server down to get her. My party and another party were surprised by this. Once seated things were better. The atmosphere had good vibes. We sat inside and would have sat on their nice patio if it wasn't raining. It was a bit chilly out. They have an open concept kitchen so there's nothing to hide. Nice large bar area and there was a DJ blaring music in the game area. It was too loud for me and it was the weekend of the horse race so the crowd was excited about that as well. My son ordered nachos and his plate was huge. I ordered tacos and mine looked like a kiddie plate serving (peep the pics). The food was good, but I left hungry. Bummer. The entertainment area has a bowling alley and arcade games and it's family friendly. As I was leaving, I noticed that it was handicap accessible which is always a plus!

Drinks are terrific. Food is authentic. My favorites are the Chicken Taquitos, yuca rellano, birria tacos, suizas enchiladas, elote, and tres leches for dessert. The staff is really sweet and knowledgeable. The music and ambiance is very welcoming. Highly recommend for a friends night out or lunch gathering.

Came here for dinner on a Friday night. Service was good and food was above average. I got a spicy margarita and the carne asada burrito. Both were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Very cool vibe inside though with lots of seating and a nice bar area, and I like how it's separated from the hustle and bustle of Optimist hall. There is also a game area with bowling!

I went on a Friday night and it was a lot of fun! Tons of games to play with friends/family/strangers. There's board games and normal arcade games (basketball, shuffle board, foosball) some require payment to play. The drinks were strong and good! You can't go wrong with any drink! Food was mediocre, really nothing special. I wouldn't go here to just eat, it's definitely more enjoyable if you drink & play games. The waitresses were great and so nice!! Highly recommend going for a great time!

I was here as a vendor working an alcohol event. The entire vibe is amazing. The restaurant is family friendly on one side with like bowling and the other side is more adult lounge/restaurant. The patio is its on playground. The staff, food, & drinks are all worth it! Come here and spend your time and money! Oh its plenty of parking at Optimist Hall but now you have to pay for parking or you get hit with a $20 fine although it may not be any signage informing you that you have to pay! - You've been warned!

Really fun place in optimist hall! The music was great and they have lots of games. I ordered a frozen mango margarita and it was tasty! It was pretty sour though but also strong. I also tried the churros and they were so good! I wasn't expecting them to be so good! It came with a lot too! I will definitely be back to try other drinks and their food as well!

Let me start by saying I used to think el Thrifty was the best Mexican restaurant in Charlotte. Best drinks, vibes, chips/queso, steak quesadillas, etc. the whole thing was amazing. HOWEVER their management recently changed and absolutely destroyed this place. They changed the entire menu to the most ridiculous, overpriced terrible joke of Mexican food I've literally ever experienced. The first pic below is the free salsa they give out with these weird beans and NO CHIPS! They used to have the best chips and now they literally don't serve chips at all, but give you free salsa? Wtf do they expect you to dip in that? I wanted to leave the second I saw the menu but my friends insisted we stay for at least one taco. I got the shrimp one and it was actually such a joke. The waiter was aware of how confused and frustrated we were, and when she dropped the tacos off she literally said "you're really going to hate me now" because the taco was half the size of my hand. Not that I hated her at all she was very nice and we tipped her very well on our overpriced meal because it definitely was not her fault. She used to work under the old management and agreed that the new menu was trash. The new owner of this place should go back to the old one and beg for them to take el Thrifty back to the way it used to be before this place goes absolutely bankrupted. I also don't know who let them keep the name because that's a total scam for people to think they're going to el Thrifty when it's this trash.

I'm a local. Used to love coming here when Jake was in management. And Selina behind the Bar was always always always helpful and friendly. Got to the point where everyone knew I ordered hand rolled taquitos and shrimp habenero quesadillas. Just went back and told 5 people with me how awesome this place was gonna be. FLOORED. DUMPSTER FIRE from start to finish. Name another Mexican place that doesn't serve chips. Gave us some bananas that look like chips and burnt mozzarella that is supposed to be queso. Can't read half the new menu. Insanely overpriced and overrated. We closed out mid experience and drove across town to another Mexican restaurant where our margaritas weren't filled with sour mix and ice. I really hate this because I used to love this place. I honestly don't see me ever coming back. Even for free. Gross, AVOID! At all costs.

This was the worst restaurant experience I can ever remember. Gave us a menu and then informed us it was an old one and they don't have the items. Gave us a second menu and then informed us they only had 5 of the items. Took a long time to get served or even noticed. Unfriendly hostess. Food was awful when it finally came out. Portions were incredibly small. I give this place a month before it's out of business, any positive review is from quite a while ago. Avoid

First time eating at El Thrifty and I am a fan! I've been a few times to meet a friend but never ate anything or gotten a drink. So, I was super excited to try them out. I ordered the citrus shrimp taco and carne de vaca tacos. Loved both! Also ordered the hand rolled taquitos and really enjoyed those too! Paired with mountain candy from Sycamore you really can't go wrong! Enjoyed the food and vibes. You have to order everything from the bar so there isn't real wait service. Which has pros and cons. Loved the ease of ordering and sitting wherever, but then once I ate and got comfy I didn't feel like getting up to go to the bar to order another drink. Definitely will be back!

I would rather bathe with a toaster than eat off this new menu. My mouth wouldve been less dry if I ate an Amazon box that from when I ate the enchiladas. They dont have sals, they ran out of guac and didn't even have chips. I would've had a better experience if I got punched in the face by Betty White. I brought my friend from out of town to eat here and she literally cried. I cried for her. Caroline was a great server though, I hope she gets a raise.

My kiddo's friend rented the space last night for their b'nei mitzvah and we all had a fabulous time!! The food is delicious, staff are very friendly, games are so much fun! Patio has a chill vibe. Very fun spot. I 100% recommend going! Only thing to look out for is the parking is really hard to find and the laz lot, didn't realize there was a way to pay - arm was up it looked free- got a $20 ticket for our night of fun.

The service was fine. Our server, Caroline, was attentive and very nice. However we were informed that the restaurant had gone under new management and changes. The menu is completely different. All our favorites that we come for are gone. We were extremely disappointed. Bring back the wings, The churros, the quesadillas. Even the frozen margaritas were gone. Don't know if we'll be back again now. The tv sounds were on and no music playing like it usually is. We want our old el thrifty back!!!!

Yikes, really disappointed by the menu change that new management has created. The Taquitos, drinks, quesadillas everything about this place was my favorite. New menu items seem too new age and are far more expensive. We would specifically come here just for the Taquitos ): hope they make a comeback ):

El Thrifty is a fantastic addition to the vibrant food scene at Optimist Hall in Charlotte, NC. This unique spot offers a combination of Mexican-inspired food, craft cocktails, and games, making it a perfect destination for a night out with friends or a casual dinner with family. The menu at El Thrifty is diverse and flavorful, featuring everything from classic tacos and burritos to more unique dishes like roasted chicken with mole sauce and chicharrones. The ingredients are fresh and well-prepared, with just the right amount of spices and seasonings to bring out the flavors of the dishes. The cocktails at El Thrifty are also exceptional. The bar offers a range of creative and well-crafted drinks, from classic margaritas to unique concoctions like the Mezcal Mule and the Paloma Spritz. The drinks are served with a smile and are perfect for sipping while playing a game of shuffleboard or cornhole. The service at El Thrifty is friendly and efficient, with staff members always willing to make recommendations or answer questions about the menu or games. Overall, I would highly recommend El Thrifty to anyone looking for a fun and delicious night out in Charlotte. The food is outstanding, the drinks are fantastic, and the games add an extra layer of entertainment to the experience. Don't miss out on this great spot in Optimist Hall!

Food was solid, atmosphere is fun, our server Jocelyn was the best. Make sure to get early in the weekends cause it gets packed

I have been going to El Thrifty with my crew since it opened. The vibes, drinks, wings, nachos, quesadillas, churros, everything was great! Now with the new menu and changes I will not be returning back. The margaritas were subpar. Asked for a Green Tea shot, terrible. The new menu items are not appealing. It seems new management is trying to be like other restaurants with this change and it's not a good idea. Our server, Caroline, she was lovely and this does not reflect the service at all. However, this change will impact her and the staff because you will lose your regulars with your over priced menu.

When here for a lunch date. This place in optimist hall. There is parking. They have indoor and outdoor seating. They have a really nice covered patio that has TVs. Indoors they have a nice seating area. They also have a game section. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too busy we thought it was going to be because it was a beautiful day. We sat at the bar and ordered the chorizo nachos and a couple of drinks and they were good. The prices were good. The bartenders were very friendly and they got our orders quickly. This was a nice place for an afternoon out and we will be coming back.

Stopped by for dinner, waitress took our order, we sat and waited...and waited....and waited....and waited some more.....eventually we asked to take our food to go, since we had gotten full off of water after 30+ minutes of waiting and not being provided with any updates. Miraculously it took less than 2 minutes to get our food ready for takeout, when we arrived back at the hotel, the food was overtly greasy and they had forgotten to include certain of the sides. Will not be returning and would not advising going unless you are a sucker for waiting and greasy food.

Upon first walking into this mismanaged tex-mex cantina, I thought it was some kind of night club. The first impression that you get is with your nose with an overwhelming smell of what I can only describe as burnt cheese and cat pee. Then your ears will resent you because of the noise level. The music was so loud, I couldn't enjoy the conversation that I wanted to have with my friends. Additionally the staff seems so stressed out and overstimulated. I had to have a shouted conversation with the waitress just to order our appetizer. We ordered the cheese in a skillet and it came with bananas?? What? We ended up finishing that and leaving to go to the bar next door for a calmer vibe. Safe to say we will not be returning and I suggest that you dont either.

I would give this a 4.5! Went there with my fiancé and his brother tonight (thurs) and it was great. We were seated immediately, the waiter was great, very nice and attentive, and our food came out quickly. It's a great place to hang out with friends or have work events. Plenty of space and games. We got taquitos with queso to start. Tacos are by the each I got a fish taco and brisket. They're a little bigger than a street taco so pretty filling with the starter! Great first experience at this restaurant in Optimist hall!

Went for Valentine's dinner last night. The place was empty, with 3 tables in the whole restaurant including us. The hostess sat us almost immediately but then we sat there for 30 minutes unattended. Not a single person asked us for our drink order or anything. About 5 employees were walking around us setting up other tables and talking to the other guests (who were sat directly beside us). Not to mention all of the servers were on their phones or leaning over the bar chatting. This place used to be awesome, don't know what happened..

I wish I could give a zero . Do not go here! I had some friends come out is town and everyone's meal was absolutely terrible . We had to walk out.

They changed their menu & it isn't good! They don't have tortilla chips anymore & the taquitos were very plain. We were recommended to get the carne asada enchiladas, but tasted more like cardboard. We had to ask for salsa to dip it in since it was so dry. Despite the food not being good at all, Caroline was a great server & the spicy margarita was good. Vibes are cute, but this just ain't it.

I like this place! Came here with a couple of friends. Would have 5 stars if there were more socially distant tables and barriers, comfortable high seats, and more variety menu. Dont get me wrong, the food was good what we had, but everything started to sound the same at times. I can see this being a great place to hang post pandemic. I will return!

Came in and sat at the bar before leaving Optimist Hall, probably should've came here first. The man I was with really wanted to watch basketball... so here they have TVs unlike the rest of optimist hall haha. Anyway, the service was cool, the el matador that I got was strong and hot - very nice after kick. Beware of the "spicy" salsa, not sure if it was a reaper pepper but DANG it was hot... good but hot, just take it easy. I will come back to try the food here and participate in their other features like bowling!

Tragically, this is not the same el Thrifty it used to be - the one that we frequented and loved. Firstly, the health score posted when we went last night was an 85 (B). I have been to hole in wall places, rural fast food places, etc. and have never seen that low of a score. Absolutely unreal. The drinks were still fine (although there were a few fruit flys in one of my margaritas). The tacos were incredibly small and hardly filled, disintegrated when i picked them up the first time, and lacked any flavor. Also, they took out all the seating in the games area and added more "cheap" arcade games - like stuff you would find at a family fun park with bright lights and sounds. My guess is new management came in and just want it to be a nightlife spot to drive into the ground, which is so sad because it used to be a great dinner and drinks spot with nightlife. Bring back the old el Thrifty!!

The food was so good. I think the menu changes from time to time but we went last night and ordered Tilapia, steak, chicken. We were blown away to say the least. Packed with amazon flavors, highly recommended going before they change the menu to get a taste of these dishes. The manager (Brea) made our experience very special. It was so refreshing to still see phenomenal customer service being provided. With the server industry changing in the past few years I normally do not expect much from servers and managers. But this place has the most amazing servers and managers. Kudos Brea and James. We will definitely be back.

The location itself is pretty dope. They have mini bowling and shuffle board tables, but the vibe during football Sunday was dead. They don't have the football package so only local games can be played. The food was subpar. We had the Mexican street corn which was served cold, and birria tacos. The consume doe the tacos was basically grease with no flavor, but the tacos had enough onion to keep your breath hot for the rest of the night. To drink I had the blackberry margarita which was good but super sweet. I added water and that didn't help. Overall pricing was good, and Optimus hall is a vibe.

Not the same El thrifty as it was a couple months ago. My girlfriend and I LOVED this place, it was our choice for several date nights. Please note, the below is not a reflection of our server, as she was amazing and we tipped accordingly. But the TL;DR version of the below is: New management got this one ALL the way wrong and might kill this place. First thing I noticed when I walked in was that the menu changed and food options were significantly reduced and increased in price. Cocktails did not taste the same as in times prior - ex: the Thrifty margarita used to have a great balance between tequila and mix; now tasted like watery mix and tequila. They were "out of" Birria tacos and did not offer minor modifications on tacos, as they now come "as is". The tacos are now much smaller, and while they are corn tortillas, didn't hold up for more than 3 seconds (I ended up timing it) before breaking apart on my plate (which was no longer a real plate but just a black rectangular slab). The trio dip -- we used to get this as an appetizer every time we came-- has changed significantly. Chips are thicker but saltier, salsa is thinner and less flavorful, and the queso looked like a cheese pizza and was super thick as if it were not fresh. Might I add the portions are smaller right now. Lastly, it seems like they want to be high-end but still a family friendly and nightlife spot - in the entertainment area, they brought in several more options for arcade games like you would find at a Dave and Busters, and reduced the amount of seating. Really don't think we will be coming back to El Thrifty anymore. Again, this not a reflection on our service as that was really good. It's just that management obviously wants for change the identity of the restaurant itself and got it so wrong.

The one drink i had was good , but the food its just a joke ,,, smallest tacos I've seen in my 32 yrs of life , if u wanna drink its fine but make sure u eat somewhere else

Went here for drinks before heading to dinner. Had the king Eddie and my s/o had the el thrifty frozen margarita. Both were okay (3 out of 5) and drinks for the price. Honestly, the outdoor seating area as well as the indoor gaming area and the service is what this place is all about. I wouldn't hesitate to return given the atmosphere and service being as great as it was. PSA go down the stairs from the main level patio to get here! We had a hard time finding it until we asked someone inside the food ball.

I love this place. It's very spacious and i love the ambience. One side has the bar with high top seatings. There's also couch seating. The other room has games and then of course outside it great too. The food is awesome and the drinks are amazing. Trust me when i say: order the queso! I love a good thick & rich queso. It's so good. When getting drinks ask for my girl Selina. She's always on point. Sometimes i have her surprise me with a cocktail just to try something new. The mango habanero shrimp quesadilla is my favorite. It comes with an aioli for dipping which is delicious. It does have a kick to it I've also tried some tacos, the nachos, guacamole, and steak fajita quesadilla. I haven't had anything i didn't enjoy. Definitely stop by if you want good eats, great drinks and fun.

Had fun at el Thrifty. While waiting for our drinks we played golf outside. Inside they had several games you could play. Air hockey, duck pin bowling lanes, basketball shooter, and shuffleboard. They had jumbo Jenga and other games as well. Food was very good. I had the tacos. Chicken Tinga and one with a braised beef. Both were excellent. The outdoor and game area had a fun vibe. The restaurant was nice as well. Check it out.

I've been here once before and had a pretty good experience. The waiter was attentive, the food was solid, and the drinks were strong. This time was a really different story. We came back because they told us they were changing the menu and we were excited to try the new items. We were here to celebrate a birthday. Upon entering, the hostess asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside for our party of 5. We said outside, only to be told that there was probably not a table big enough and also a limited menu for outside seating. Because of that, we opted for indoor seating. She told us they didn't have a table big enough for our party inside either, but said they would pull some together. She then left and came back, only to tell us it was going to be a 30 minute wait. After 45 minutes, we checked in with the hostess because we hadn't heard anything. We asked about the status of our table. Only then were we sat at a 4 top table . They squeezed an extra chair in. 25 minutes after being seated, our waitress greeted us and apologized for the delay. She was really nice but clearly overwhelmed. I hope this is just growing pains from the new menu, but this experience was just overall really bad. Especially because we came to celebrate a birthday. We contemplated leaving multiple times throughout the whole ordeal to go somewhere else. I hope it improves! This spot has a ton of potential and I love the concept. Edited to add that after receiving our food, I was just as underwhelmed as the other reviewers. I got the enchiladas. Drier than cardboard but I would've eaten anything after waiting a collective 2 hours and change. By the time we finished eating and flagged down someone to give us our checks, it had been 3 hours. The drinks are still fine though- so there's that.

I work next door and this place has been our regular go-to for Happy Hour. I am sitting here with 7 other people and we all agree the new menu is lousy :-( We LOVED the old menu - especially the trio dip, the wings, and there are no salad offerings any longer. And only ONE red wine choice? Very disappointed :-(

Finally had the chance to stop into the optimist hall area and try this place I've heard so much about . I of course had to snag some tacos and overall they was good, my favorite was the "Al Pastor" -Marinated Pork, Pineapple, Cilantro, Onion, SO freaking good! My other choice was the "Chicken Tinga" -Adobo Chiles, Cilantro, Onion, Queso Fresco, overall this had great flavor but the chicken was a bit dry . This place has a great vibe and provides a huge indoor and outdoor patio area with plenty of space, they even have a game room with tvs which includes: duck pin bowling, arcade basketball, card games & shuffleboard . The location is great and provides a great atmosphere to enjoy a night out, I won't let one taco stop me from coming back! Def recommend this place.

Love the food love the staff. It's just 2 manager that just ruin the entire mode. This past Saturday was my 3rd time having an encounter with him and it's never pleasant.