El Tiempo Cantina

This Tex- Mex restaurant attached to the stadium has friendly, attentive service, and the staff is helpful with the menu. The space itself is clean and visually appealing, but the décor and overall design feel confusing—like a mix of modern corporate styling and random “Mexican” touches that don’t quite match. The menu reflects that same confusion: it looks polished but doesn’t feel authentic, with oddly few appetizers and no clear theme in its offerings. Drinks are okay for the price, nothing memorable. The complimentary chips with red salsa are actually the highlight—the salsa is fresh and full of flavor. The beef fajitas were soft but had an overpowering liquid smoke flavor that left a chemical aftertaste. The rice was fine, and the flour tortillas were clearly store-bought rather than handmade. The guacamole comes unmixed, and while the presentation is nice, the flavor is dominated by garlic, losing the fresh guacamole taste you expect. Parking can be tough on busy or event days, so plan to circle a bit. Overall, the restaurant feels more like a corporate interpretation of Mexican cuisine—visually nice but lacking soul, warmth, and genuine flavor.

We came here for the first time bc we were going to a game in the stadium and my husband had really good thoughts about the Houston location , this location did not dissapoint the service was fast and food was very fresh and delicious our server Anna Marie was very personable and provided us with recommendations We ordered the steak fajitas which were delicious 🤤 We will come back whenever We are in the area again ! Thank You Anna for making us feel at home.

Excellent food. Restaurant was very clean and the decor is great. Our server Michael was friendly and was very attentive. Flawless experience inside the restaurant. The only downside to this great establishment is the parking. It's located among the stadiums. My tip is to visit on a non event day and park for free in the lot near Texas Live! The pictured Wed Dom's Fajita Special is definitely an insider's treat and great value. This may rival another establishment's "Pork Chop Friday" for best special around. Plenty of delicious food. Highly recommend you give this place a try.

Anna, our server, was amazing. We missed El Tiempo/Ninfa's after moving from the Houston area. We found the new location in Arlington and made over an hour drive to the location. It didn't disappoint with the traditional great chile con carne and other options on enchiladas. The green sauce is a staple and we missed it. The steak tacos, tamales, etc. made a gloomy weather day bright to our dining experience. The tortillas were also so good. Enjoy it all!

In Houston, El Tiempo was one of my favorite tex mex restaurants so I was very excited when they opened one in DFW. The restaurant captures the vibe of many of the Houston locations and the food was on par. The margaritas were just as good and strong as I remember, and the queso was phenomenal too. The chips could’ve been salted a little more but were overall good. The fajitas were fantastic and reminded me why I love El Tiempo so much. Our server was in training and overall did a good job but it was a little slow.

Tried this place out for the first time. Forgot to take photos but I had the Brisket Enchilada and WOW! Delicious and I couldn’t finish my plate. Juliet was our server, she was great. Close to AT&T Stadium and Globe Life. Beautiful decor and good prices.

Great Tex-Mex food in a great location, the middle of it all! Great stop before games or events or after. Amazing staff always welcoming with big smiles. The food is great! Finally they have returned to DFW. The fajitas are a must when looking at the food, great nachos, and perfect kids plates for the little ones. Cold and delicious drinks to match any food item. Made fresh daily tortillas are everyone’s favorites. If you have little kids they will give them some tortilla dough to play with at the table(bring wipes it’s a little greasy when they are done)

This was my first visit and my husband's second. We got the medium fajitas to share and Rita's. Everything was delicious! The garlic butter on the steak is to die for! Anna Marie was our waitress and she was very helpful and attentive. Made sure we had everything we needed, even the little extras we asked for after she brought out the fajitas. We will definitely be back next time we are in Arlington!

Went there with the wife for Valentine's Day a week early. Our waitress, Carla, was excellent and the food was really good as well! Love warm salsa. Homemade tortillas and puffy chips with the queso which did not disappoint. She had the Las Vwgas Combo and I had the Ranger. I don't get beef enchiladas but the combo came with and tbh, I would definitely have them again. Soft taco was separated from the queso from the enchilada by a husk so the tortilla didn't get mushy. Only down comment is one probably out of their control. Parking curbside is reserved for Starbucks 15min parking...about 8 spots so have to park in TX Live lot n walk over but not horrible. Very surprised they did not have more business. Give the place a try. We were not disappointed! Photo was after we had already dug in!

4 3 2 1 3.8 (48) Reviews All Service Meal Price tortillas8 beef fajitas7 margaritas5 game5 +6 Sort by Most relevant Newest Highest Lowest Mrs C Local Guide·105 reviews·102 photos Dine in | Dinner | $30-50 This was our first time visiting this establishment on Nov 11th around 6:30 pm on Veterans day with my husband who is a Veteran. However the african american hostess greeted us cheerfully, but sat us in an area that was freezing. We asked ... More Kevin Jazak Local Guide·73 reviews·14 photos 4 months ago Dine in | Dinner | $20-30 Friendly staff, good food, and good margaritas. We went on the first day they were open and were immediately greeted and thanked for coming. The staff was attentive and friendly throughout the experience, but you could tell they were still ... More ETC frozen margarita Chicken and beef combo fajitas Bacon wrapped shrimp 2 Daniel Butterfield Local Guide·224 reviews·385 photos 2 months ago Dine in | Lunch | $20-30 Came here with my spouse for lunch before a Sunday afternoon Rangers game (they won with a walk off homer in the 9th!). We got a seat quickly. The decor is great, traditional Mexican. The service was good, although clear for some folks they ... More Photo 1 in review by Daniel Butterfield Photo 2 in review by Daniel Butterfield Photo 3 in review by Daniel Butterfield Photo 4 in review by Daniel Butterfield Kathryn Soeder Local Guide·14 reviews·12 photos a month ago Dine in | Lunch | $20-30 We went before the Dallas game and got the mesquite chicken. The chicken was very thin but it was a very generous portion and cooked to perfection. It came out like fajitas do, steaming hot. ... More Photo 1 in review by Kathryn Soeder Order online Check wait time Mrs C Local Guide·105 reviews·102 photos 4 days ago New Dine in | Dinner | $30-50 This was our first time visiting this establishment on Nov 11th around 6:30 pm on Veterans day with my husband who is a Veteran. However the african american hostess greeted us cheerfully, but sat us in an area that was freezing. We asked to be moved to outside which was warmer than inside. She moved us to outside and never assigned a waitress or waiter to assist us, we sat about 15-20 minutes until I attempted to get up and see why hadn't we been helped. This nice waitress Carla apologized and stated she thought we had been assigned a waitress, then another young lady came and took our order, both was extremely nice and apologetic, we asked for the manager but no one never came. Carla made our bad evening a good one she was so pleasant and attentive. We are not sure if we will patronize this establishment again.

My son and I tried this place for the first time. We walked in and there were only 2 people there at 1 table and it still took almost 5 minutes before someone sat us. We then got the menus and were so shocked by the prices. We ordered queso and it was fine (not great but fine). The food came out and the portions were small, especially for the price, and my son said the chicken tasted "weird." Mostly meaning that it tasted like it had soy sauce on it. The corn tortillas were super small and cold, and the flour tortillas were not fresh. The waiter was nice but a little socially awkward. There was a waitress there, we saw as we were leaving, that looked like she was very nice. The drinks (unsweet tea and a Coke were over $3.50 each. For my son and I, dinner was almost $90 with tip for queso, quesadilla, and quarterpound fajitas. UGH. I really wanted to like this place because it's at Choctaw Stadium, but I won't be back.

This is a challenging review for me to write because the food was good and the location was perfect for the concert we were attending at Globe Life this past Monday in Arlington, but the service was baffling/slow. The server was sweet but clueless. She had a hard time recalling what was ordered and we had to hunt her down several times to ask for status. When she brought our drinks she couldn't tell us which ones were which so we had to sample to figure whose drink belonged to whom because after we asked her to ask the bartender, she said he didn't know either. They forgot to bring us some items we ordered. And lastly she said we could do separate checks but after 2 times of not getting it right, we finally decided to walk to the front to have her enter items while we watched to make sure we were each being charged for the right items. They were busy, but not so busy for someone not to know basic wait person duties even if they were a new employee. We concluded that being a wait person was just not her strength, but she was doing her best.

queso was hard as a rock, enchiladas tasted like they had soy sauce in it and the rice looked like fried rice so I was very confused. Pretty slow moving and was empty when we got in. Would not recommend. However the guacamole salsa was delicious. We thought there were good things coming until the queso came out

Service was decent and prompt but the food lacked any flavor at all. Could have been eating paper with more flavor.

Oh my!! The ambiance is warm and welcoming. The food is fantastic!! Service could not have been better. We absolutely enjoyed our meal the interaction with the staff. Ivan is awesome and Oreo is so cute. Seriously give it a try!!

I never write reviews. Very happy to have El Tiempo in Tarrant County! Best fajitas and Margaritas any where.

We discovered El Tiempo in Houston and were delighted to learn they were coming to Arlington. We ate there last night and everything was fantastic. Their beef fajitas and margaritas are the best! We were seated quickly and our server was knowledgeable, friendly and fast. If I had one criticism it's that they need to dim the lights just a bit - it's REALLY bright in there!!

Having previously lived in Houston I had eaten at El Tiempo there for years. I was so excited for this place to be opening in Arlington because it had always been wonderful. First 2 times I came and brought friends and everything was great, as expected. HOWEVER, brought family from out of town recently and we were so disappointed! It was horrible. Queso was hard. Nachos were awful - there was liquid in the plate that smelled like soy sauce. The nacho chips were soggy, but very burnt. It actually was embarrassing for me because I had bragged so much on the food here. Pitiful fail. C'mon, El Tiempo. You can do better than this.

Outrageously expensive. I mean they make Mi Cocina look like a bargain. And while the food is very good, it's not that great to justify these prices. Not when we have plenty of great Tex Mex all over. Houston it's told me oh it's so great you'll love it. It's even better than Ninfa's! Sorry my Houston go to is Irma's. Anyway I passed on the queso at a small for $11. Chips were disappointing, salsa average. Got a bbq brisket soft taco ($18!) and a cheese enchilada ($15!). Add a sweet tea and a tip and it was nearly $50! Nope. The brisket taco was not as good as what I get all over town for $5. The cheese enchilada was bland with watery chili gravy. Rice and beans were usual stuff. That's 4 meals at el Fenix. Or 3 at Los vaqueros. Glad I was alone. Good luck with your outrageously priced humble Tex Mex.

This has to be one of the worst restaurants, not just Mexican Food Restaurants, at which I have ever dined. First, there is no parking close by and no valet. You have to park at Globe Life Field and walk over. Clearly this restaurant is intended for game day experiences only. Second, the service was terrible. It took 10 minutes before anyone came to take an order and there were only 5 occupied tables at 5pm on a Saturday. At a Mexican food restaurant, one would expect to get chips and salsa. I will get to those in a minute. No such thing. We had to ask four times. And when it comes to asking for things, we asked for extra salsa and it never came. Third, the food. It was awful, worse than bad. The queso was inedible. Give me Velvetta and Rotel over whatever they served. I am not sure what the meat was in the chicken fajitas but it was not chicken. Could not eat. Two of the four plates were cold. The enchiladas had no flavor. The flour tortillas were strange. The only good meal was the salmon and capers, which is not a traditional Mexican food meal. Getting back to the chips, the ones that came with the queso were fried flour tortillas. It was like eating a pie crust. The corn tortillas were so thin that you could not dip them in salsa without them breaking. And to top it all off it was one of the most expensive Mexican food meals I have ever had. $225 for four people. What a big rip off.

El Tiempo was so good! Went on a game day for Sunday Funday and the food was amazing! I tried the shrimp fajitas and the frozen margarita which were both great! Sierra was our waitress and she was attentive and fun. The restaurant is huge so there was plenty of seating. Made a reservation that same day by phone and the staff was in point. Highly recommend!

Be still, my heart.. my El Tiempo has made it to the DFW area! I lived in Houston for 10 years and I've been missing El Tiempo ever since I moved to Arlington. Literally, nothing in this area compares. Great service, food, and staff! Absolutely the BEST margaritas, fajitas, and flour tortillas. I cannot emphasize how amazing the tortillas are. I hope more locations blossom here in Dallas.

Literally worst restaurant i've ever been to. Staff was horrible. Food was horrible. The queso was completely solid when we got it, guacamole tasted weird, olives had literal mold on them, and when we ordered drinks they only put vodka because they ran out of olive juice. Literally such weird service I felt so uncomfortable.

We came here before a Rangers game. We got there at around 12:30. I was already suspect of a restaurant so close to the stadium. Also I overheard other tables complaining about their food and service immediately, but it was my partners parents choice and we weren't that hungry so we just rolled with it. They got the carnitas nachos, they looked terrible. Ingredients looked like they were slapped onto the plate with no care for presentation. Everything was cold when it arrived, the chips were not crispy and were soggy. I convinced myself to eat one nacho and immediately knew something was off. What do you know, later that afternoon I had tummy troubles. I know it came from this place. Save your time, literally, the service is absurdly slow here and our server disappeared after bringing the food, we had to ask a table cleaner to get her to bring the check. And also save your money, not worth the price at all, wouldn't even eat it if it was free. And also save your digestive system! You don't want to be going through it in the middle of a rangers game . I guess I'm supposed to talk about the "ambiance" too... well all I heard was other people complaining about their food and looking unhappy. The workers were sweet but literally everything else was 0/10. I'd give negative stars if I could.

I wasn't going to write this review, but im still thinking about how awful my experience was here. Long story short, we came in, and it was understaffed. Our server was wonderful, but the wait for the food and the fact that the food was cold when it was brought out was not great. Everyone around me received their dinner 40 minutes before me, and my food came out cold. They forgot our sides with dinner, and the meat was so undercooked. We really wanted to like this place and we were so excited but it just was not good. Don't waste your money here.

The food is trash!!! I'm surprised they're still in business. $13.00 for a small queso dip? Don't waste you time, appetite and definitely not your money!

I'm not sure if they were under staffed but it was half full and we still had to wait forever for everything. I ordered a beer at the beginning and didn't get it until half way through my meal. All the employees seemed confused about how busy it was. Food was subpar. The dip was ok. We sat in the middle of the restaurant and still wasn't served. Be warned, even when it's slow they won't help or don't want to help.

I was attended by the most amazing and pretty hearted waitress, Jaky . The best server I ever met , quick and spot on . Attended us in timely manner and kept checking up on us. Without asking it was already done .helped us a lot since it was our first time .Jaky was knowledgeable and had many suggestion or recommendations .Would definitely come back

The flow and service of this restaurant could use MOUNTAINS of improvement. Walking you through our experience on a Saturday night. When we first walked in, there was no hostess to greet us for a solid 7-10 minutes. When she finally came to greet us, she didn't really greet us or ask how many in the party or apologize for the wait to be greeted. Of note, there was only one hostess on a Saturday evening, a night where there was a popular country singer holding a concert at AT&T AND a Rangers game. She presumed we only had 4 in our party so she brought us to a table. When we were seated, the server greeted us probably within 5 minutes. He was nice and friendly. His name was Khai (unsure of spelling.) We ordered a carafe of classic "spicy" margaritas which was $62.99--absolutely not worth it. The most underwhelming marg I have ever had. It was not spicy in the slightest; they literally threw some fresh jalapeño slices in the carafe and called it "spicy." The margarita tasted like cheap Jose Quervo margarita mix and maybe a splash of tequila. Not worth the extensively long wait time for it. Typically if you are getting a pitcher or carafe of margs, it's the better price than ordering a single margarita. Not the case. The carafe was $62.99 for BARELY 4 margs, while an individual marg was $11-12. We were mind boggled by this! The server staff also really struggled to keep water glasses full. We had to ask for it. We also ordered the large queso and again, the most boring, underwhelming, queso I've experienced in a restaurant in a long time. It was cold when they brought it to us. They also only brought one small basket of chips for 4 adults. FYI they do not have complimentary chips and salsa, or at least we did not get offered or served any. When we quickly ran out of chips with the lackluster queso, they never brought us more even though we asked for them. 0/10 would never recommend this queso. Given that the margarita was boring and not worth the future heartburn, I attempted to order a tequila soda with lime, to which I went up to the bar itself and asked the bartender what tequilas they had because the server was unsure. The bartender said she would speak with our server and tell him how to put in the order with a specific tequila. I'm not sure if the info fell on deaf ears or what but when I said what I wanted and that the bartender said she would tell you which tequila to enter the order with, he looked unsure and went to ask the bartender for a second time. When the drink arrived (again after a long wait), the server said "here is your tequila and water." No lime to be found. The server disappeared for quite some time so I went up to the bar and asked for some lime slices. They informed me that they were out of limes. For a place that apparently "specializes" in margs, that blew my mind. There was also no communication to me that they were out. I then asked the bartender for some lime juice. They provided it. When our food arrived, the food runner put our food on a table next to our that had other servers drinks and items on it. Like there was literally another server that was sitting at the table doing her checkout, having some food and drink. I was SHOCKED. This is so unprofessional probably some sort of health code violation. Putting a customer's entire tray of food on a dirty table that the servers used as their checkout station I'm guessing. My flabbers were gasted. The food all looked and smelled good. 3/4 of my party ordered fajitas. It took at least 15 additional minutes from the time of the entree arrival for them to bring any tortillas (after we had to ask the server for them.) I will say that the fajita meat (we got beef and pork) was very good. The only redeeming factor of this restaurant. I truly mean the only one. With my fajitas, I ordered double rice, no beans. It arrived with single rice serving and beans. The poblano rice was delicious too. The sautéed onions that come with the fajitas are delish, I will say. When it came time to bring the bill, the server asked us to initial which item goes where, even though at the beginning of this restaurant "experience," we had told him that it would be divided by couple. The server seemed stressed at the thought of having to divide up the check now, so he asked us to put initials for which item went on each ticket. For the sake of time, I just knew that wasn't going to go well. I elected to say that we can just leave the bill whole bc everyone in my party was very ready to leave this experience. Not worth the outrageous prices at all. Could get much much better service and drinks elsewhere. Save your money.

Outrageous prices for mediocre food. A "pitcher" of margaritas starts at a whopping $62. We figured a pitcher will render us several glasses so we went ahead and ordered. Instead of a pitcher, they bring you a carafe w/no explanation.... total bait and switch. We also ordered nachos... the smaller portion has a "(6)" next to it and for a whopping nearly $18 we figured it would be enough for 6 ppl to share, but NO, it's was LITERALLY 6 tortilla chips on the plate! Called the manager over to complain and all he says is sorry you didn't understand our menu. Add to that, slow service, they are so understaffed they can't adequately take care of customers. $104 ticket for 3 ppl... we couldn't believe it and will never go back. Save yourself the aggravation and keep walking past this place.