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Mexican canteen & bar

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Reviews of El Loco

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  • DC_69   2 reviews
    If you are after a quick, but fun and delicious mexican fun, El Loco is your place..
    Best tacos in town!

    3 months ago - 30/01/2013

  • beanboy  Local Star   320 reviews
    Such a great venue, another one of Merivale's wins. Its a pretty old pub conversion and it still feels like one in the front section of the bar. But out the back where the El Loco dining experience is so much fun, the decor is Mexican themed with plenty of bench seating inside and out.
    All the Taco's are yummy, even the 'secret' one, the burgers are relatively small but ok if accompanied with a single taco. Oh and you must try their margaritas.

    6 months ago - 14/11/2012

  • brad.m  Local Star   54 reviews
    The best tacos in Sydney. End of story. Authentic Cali-mex style tacos with the occasional gourmet twist; there's no cheese, sour cream and lettuce-laten "tacos" here. Throw in trendy but somehow authentic decor, a lively crowd, and the absolutely genuine Tecate-in-a-can, and this is as close to Mexico as you'll get. I still cant believe this used to be the trashy pub it was! Go any night and its busy; but thats part of the experience.

    11 months ago - 28/05/2012

  • Sandracl   7 reviews
    Menu and atmosphere is absolutely spot on. What a total turn around for the venue. Only downside is that it's incredibly hard to get a seat and often results in a 30min wait although a drink in hand with some corn chips helps. Get the fish torta! So yum! A tad on the pricey side but a good night out with mates. Not a good date venue though.

    06/03/2012

  • Cee Zee  Local Star   309 reviews
    I had heard a lot about this place but waited a while before I went there to avoid the hype. I was pleasantly surprised to find a laid back mexican canteen at the back of the pub. The Jalapeo Margaritas went down a treat but be warned they have a bit of bite the closer you get to the bottom. The food is great. probably the closest to mexican street food i have had in Sydney. its also very cheap. $5 for a taco but I guess they catch you out on the drinks. I had the secret taco and was surprised to find that it was lamb's brain as I swear it tasted like tempura fish. Anyway if you want a fun inexpensive night out then El Loco is the place to head.

    08/02/2012

  • Paulos101  Local Star   94 reviews
    This place is pretty cool, a good place when you are in need of Mexican food. The decor is pretty out there which is awesome and this can still be a pretty good place for just a hangout for a few drinks

    23/11/2011

  • atan7  Local Star   325 reviews
    Fun, vibrant atmosphere and it is great to find yummy Mexican food without the cheesy music and ambience of other places. el loco is more like a casual hangout for friends looking for a nice cold drink, takeaway simplicity, but restaurant quality food. My favs included the beef taco, the chicken taco and the two sneaky bites I had of my friend's hotdog. The fish burger was a little salty for me- however others seemed to enjoy it. I'll be coming back!

    08/10/2011

  • WeenieM  Local Star   83 reviews
    This place is great for a fun night out. Gets very busy quickly so you have to get there early to get a table. I love the decor - its bright, fun, bubbly and colourful. However, I had heard people rave about the tacos and I thought they were a little disappointing to be honest. The beef taco was very tasty but there is just way too much filling in a tiny little soft shell so everything falls out very easily. Quite a messy meal. Great though if you are after a very cheap meal since they are only $5!

    07/10/2011

  • Joanne Lee Phin  Local Star   294 reviews
    I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest. I'd heard rave reviews about El Loco, but not being a fan of Mexican food in general, I was only half interested.

    As I approached, the first thing I noticed was that the once dingy Excelsior Hotel had been injected with new life and energy. At 7:30 on a Friday night, the music was already pumping and the place jam packed with people.

    The restaurant, situated at the back of the pub looked fun and relaxed. There were a couple of tables on the street (Bellevue) with crates for seating. Inside, there were long bench tables but with the number of people I had to squeeze through to get in, I couldn't really get a good look.

    On the menu were soft tacos (prawn/chicken/tofu/pork/beef), fish and pork tortas, grilled fish, minute steak, hot dogs, quesadilla and a secret taco. I was there to meet some friends who had already ordered one of everything on the menu. Before you balk, the tacos are about the size of your hand (okay, my hand) and are designed (I think) for you to smash down two or three (or four or five).

    They were all super tasty, and with a margarita in hand, they go down pretty well. The husband liked the fish torta (burger) and hot dog the best, but my favourites were the prawn and beef tacos. I can't testify to how authentic they are, but I don't really care when they taste that good.

    Hats off to chef Dan Hong. The place was buzzing and deservedly so. Would definitely try to come back for lunch one day.

    If I had to complain about anything, it would be the margarita that I had which had a tad too much tequila in it (I realise that's a plus for some) and the bouncers who locked the side doors in at 9. It seemed like a safety hazard to have such a large crowd in an enclosed area with only one small exit at the front door.

    18/06/2011 via TrueLocal for iPhone

  • Monday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Tuesday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Wednesday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Thursday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Friday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Saturday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM
  • Sunday:
    12:00 PM-11:30 PM

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