Everything was great

+6

The food was delicious. The price is good!!!!

Our waitress was awesome and on time for everything. All the food was hot even the salsa and chips. The food was on point and delicious.

El Mariachi is Absolutely Fantastic! I Love the Food, People & Prices 👏😁

We are regulars at this restaurant, and it is our go-to, and depending on the waiter, they already know what we want to drink. Even though it can get noisy, the service is very good and friendly, and when problems occur, they are fixed quickly. If you drop by you’ll probably see us there!

I do not live in Ludlum but I do pass through a few times a year and we use to go to another place in town but after eating here we will no longer be going there. This place was so good! The salsa is amazing, the margaritas are delicious and the fajitas are very good. Service was friendly and prompt A-. Food taste and quality was A+

My server Angie was phenomenal. After a long drive, I decided to stop here in Lufkin right before they closed to get my energy back up. Although they were in the middle of cleaning she was kind, professional and quick!! Within 3 minutes of placing my order I had my food and margarita brought to my table at the same time. She kept my table unoccupied and made sure to remove plates I was done with. Overall my best dining experience in the entirety of my life. Ask for Angie when y’all come check out this restaurant!!

Some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. It's so good I keep wanting to go back for more. My husband loved the taco salad so much, he went back the next night and got another one to go. The chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce dinner was the best I've ever had. The chips and salsa were excellent. El Mariachi is now our favorite Mexican food restaurant. We can't wait to try more.

This was my first visit to El Mariachi Mexican Grill and I was Pleasantly surprised. I was expecting the average "run of the mill" Mexican food Restaurant, but found much more. We were promptly greeted at the door by a "smiling" young lady who asked us were we would like to sit, versus "sit here by the kitchen in a dark corner, where the music is blaring, etc., etc ". The waiter, a young man, was immediately there with water, chips and salsa and asked if we would like to order other beverages, which of course we did, which were margaritas.(which were good, not great, but good). After we had enjoyed our drinks for a while, he came back over and took our order, from a very large menu selection. Our food was delivered hot and complete. Food was tasty, flavorful and large portions. During the meal the waiter checked on us several times, but not too much. Price for the drinks were a little high, but the price for the food was very reasonable. The overall price for each person, but it was due to the drinks. I would recommend El Mariachi Mexican Grill.

I had the opportunity to eat here-for the first time, and I must say how impressive the customer service, waiters and waitresses were. I also had the opportunity to meet the owner, and he’s just as pleasant as his employees. The food was exceptionally delicious. I ordered the chicken and steak quesadillas? Wow, what a treat. They wasn’t holding back on the meat either. When I say it was good, I mean it was really good. Don’t sleep on this restaurant, you’ll find yourself going back over and over again. Highly recommended!

Great Food, the staff took the time to explain the dish and it was really good and tasty.

I've been in East Texas for bout 5 years and I'm telling you this is the best Mexican restaurant i have been to, the food was authentic and super delicious and our server Angie was very courteous and a absolute dream and the bill was just as friendly, my wife and I will be back for sure. Thank you El Mariachi !!!!

I just have to say that my husband and I have been twice and both times the service was excellent! The drinks are on point, the staff is knowledgeable and super helpful. The first time the food left a little to be desired, the cast-iron skillet that the steak brochette was on was so hot it kept cooking the food and the beans were a little salty but this time everything was so good. If you haven't been give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Loved the warm salsa, margarita and delicious burrito!

My husband and I ate here just after noon today, Saturday. The service was great. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. We received our food in a timely manner, and it was hot & delicious. My husband ordered the Texas burrito with beef fajita meat. He said the meat was really good, but that's all that the burrito consisted of. It was just meat wrapped in a tortilla. He did say that's exactly what the description on the menu said, so that was his fault. I ordered the Tortuga plate which is an avocado cut in half & each half was stuffed with chicken and cheese and then fried and topped with cheese sauce. It was absolutely delicious! We didn't try the margaritas but will definitely try them next time because they looked amazing. I highly recommend El Mariachi.

Excellent excellent and wonderful. Delicious food, great service and definitely try the "green sauce" whew!! I thought it was like other green sauce but turns out it's jalapeno puree and something else but very good! We have made it our thing to go eat there when we go to Lufkin.

Nice Clean Environment. Friendly Service..Didn't Disappoint Drinks Were On Point And Food Was Good Too.

Visited from washington state, this place makes me want to move down here. Very delicious food and great service.

My husband and I have visited here twice and have been so pleased. The service we received both times was absolutely top notch, which is something that is lacking at many restaurants in Lufkin. The house margaritas are very good and the food is excellent. Very large servings and the salsa tastes fresh. El Mariachi is a welcome addition to Lufkin's restaurant scene.

Nice place. Great food. PERFECT tacos. The Three Crispy Tacos plate is highly recommended. Friendly. Good service. Good parking. Easy access. Excellent bar service.

I love the food here. It is priced similar to other Mexican restaurants, maybe a little cheaper. The portions are larger than average. The chips and salsa are wonderful. It is a warm (temperature) salsa that pretty much anyone can enjoy. Great flavor. I love the cheese Enchiladas. My favorite here. My wife gets the chicken quesadillas. They are usually quite busy. Even when it's full, you get a table pretty quick, at least that's been my experience.

It's very tasty and just the right amount of food. My lunch cost under $20. Compared to fast food restaurants nearby, you get better food and service. I recommend this place for lunch.

Great food and service. Best salsa and chips in Lufkin.

Great food. Good vibe, decent prices.

Food is delicious, service was okay, they were very busy the day we went. Overall a great place to eat.

Great fajitas and generous portions, margaritas were great as well!

Wish I could add more Stars. First time here and it did not disappoint. Greeted immediately and sat down.. Waiter was so Friendly and informative. I was undecided and he helped me by describing the entrees so well I almost had a visual of what they would be. And when it came out he was spot on. Amazing is an understatement. Servings were more than enough. I am a hearty eater and couldn't finish my plate!!! I can't say enough how Amazing our waiter was. He made sure we were okay and well taken care of. Manager even came by to see how we were. I will definitely be back!!!

We’re from South Texas and extra particular with Mexican food but this place surprised us. The atmosphere is inviting, the food is authentic and the service is outstanding. I highly recommend!!!

Authentic Mexican food in Lufkin is unbelievable! I’m from San Antonio and I was impressed to be eating real Mexican food in a small town in East Texas. I love the vibe of the place, great customer service and amazing food.

This is my first time eating at El mariachi restaurant. I had the grilled chicken with vegetables. It was delicious. The employees were very friendly.

Five stars because I can't give six (or seven). I had the Carne Asada and a Mango Chamoy margarita. Restaurant was approximately 50% full on a Wednesday at 6pm. While I sat at a table, I noticed every seat at the bar was occupied but tables nearby were available. Service was excellent and fast given the number of customers, about 10 minutes from order to the warning about the plate being hot. Portions are large without being excessive. Pricing is good for the quality of food. Ask for Angie, she was prompt and attentive while juggling a fair number of tables. First photo: Margarita, chips and salsa. The margarita was a perfect blend of spicy and sweet, around 12 ounces. The salsa is fresh and obviously made in house. Second photo: Carne Asada with setup. Rice, charro beans, pico and guacamole.

The food was great!! Service was awesome. The wait time to be seated wasn't long maybe 1 minute. I didn't have to wait for my food for a long time. Restaurant was very clean.

Felix was my server/bartender. Had good conversation, food and adult beverages. The restaurant was very clean. The men's restroom was acceptable. I had no problems with anything. Thank you.

Great find on our road trip! I had the lunch size chicken enchiladas with queso. Very tasty and refried beans were also yummy. My husband had beef tacos and he was impressed. Well priced, especially the margaritas. Will go back next time we drive by! Service was great too.

Food was excellent. I was looking for Keto options & the server was helpful & very accommodating. My meal was fantastic.

Always a staple for us in Lufkin! I won't eat Mexican food any where else. Excellent service...Excellent food...always pleasant atmosphere!

Cassandra Gallaway

I’m a big fan. I’ve been a handful of times, always sit at the bar, and have always received great service. The food is always good, the beer is cold, and they have the best margaritas in town.

Cathy C

First visit. We've been searched for a great Mexican restaurant and today we found it. My husband is the pickiest and I was looking for good tacos. I had the combo with a taco, beans, rice, cheese enchilada & a tamale. The fixings for the taco was exceptional. Lots of cheese & guacamole. The shell stayed crispy the whole meal & didn't fall apart. Delish. Hubby got the Mucho dinner and loved the enchiladas. We ordered the frio sauce and nice spice. Chips & salsa so good. Service by Teresa was good even though so busy.

+1

JBGD

El Mariachi Mexican Grill & Bar at 4609 S Medford Dr, Lufkin, TX 75901 Great place to eat, nice staff and everything was great we had Beef Rib Fajitas served with rice & charro beans, guacamole & pico de gallo with corn tortillas and 3 Enchiladas 2 with beef and 1 cheese served with rice, beans & a cheese puff. We had chips and a side order of guacamole. Prices were good and very little wait time to receive our food. We can't wait to go back and try out more items!

Anthony Primeaux

We went here today for the first time... dayum Wish we went before, food was great ,service exceptional. Drinks were Top Shelf. We will be back 5/23 We went back. Really enjoyed everything. Quickly becoming our #1 go to place .. The" Guadalajara mix Fajitas", were to die for. Tender. Flavorful. Rainbow Rita were great....

+4

Matt McBurnett

Great food and service. Glad to have another option in Lufkin. The only drawback is the food was too good to eat off of the world’s flimsiest plastic ware. Back again a couple of years later and this margarita with a beer and tequila shot in it makes the visit worthwhile by itself, and they have real silverware now.

Christopher Blake Gilliam

I sat at the bar as usual and had the top shelf Don Julio Blanco margarita, a shot of Don Julio, and was comped a Don Julio Ranch Water, all of which were Don Julio great - lol. I ordered the shrimp enchiladas and enchilada dinner to go and had all of those drinks while waiting which made the wait nonexistent. The bartender is awesome and I always enjoy the food quality and atmosphere. Always fun at the bar.

Paul Nolan

After eating here twice I can say this is one of the best, if not, THE best Mexican food restaurants in Lufkin, TX. The salsa is good and that's always a great indicator. They serve it warm which I like. You can also request a spicy green sauce and they have it. I had the combo platter and the waitress, who was very friendly, allowed me to swap out a couple of the enchiladas and get one cheese and one chicken and have them covered with enchiladas verdes sauce. It's hard to find good enchiladas verdes and these were great. The combo platter was huge and I love the way they prepped the taco because they kept the lettuce and tomatoes separate, allowing you to add them to the taco right before you eat. My wife ordered the nachos especiales and they are pictured in one of the photos. The beef was tender and seasoned just right. My wife states, "the nachos were full of flavor and the beef was tender, not chewy." The staff seemed friendly and the place was clean, but felt a little stuffy. We will certainly visit here again...likely many more times.

Andrew Weeks

Give it a shot. It’s pretty good. The salsa is served warm (which is my favorite) the Micheladas are pretty dang good. Not like homemade, not the best I ever had, but pretty dang good. MUCH better than some I have had! Atmosphere is good. They have a nice bar area OR bring the family.

Jennifer Key

Took my family here on a Friday afternoon just before peak dinner time. We got seated in about 10 minutes. Our waitress, Angel8ba, was terrific! In fact, of I owned a restaurant, I would try to steal her to work. She had 10 tables plus the bar that she was serving and yet our service was better than most. Now, the food... the salsa was AMAZING! I actually bought a 16 ounce container to take home. My oldest son ordered a loaded burrito (I honestly forgot the actual name). He ordered it with ground beef, and he said the beef was seasoned really well and had a good flavor. They didn't skimp on the meat. My middle one ordered beef fajita street tacos with the absolute best corn tortillas! The youngest and my husband were boring - ate chips and cheese. However, the bowls of cheese were a good size. I ordered chicken enchiladas Verde. Be warned. The Verde sauce is very heavy on the green chiles. I was surprised with the chopped chicken breast instead of shredded chicken. I prefer shredded chicken. I did talk to the manager about that, and he said, as a new restaurant, they are really looking for customer response on the menu. If you want shredded chicken in the future, mention it so they add it to the menu! The icing on the cake... the margaritas! Oh, I would go back for chips,salsa, and the margaritas! I got the rainbow of margaritas with different flavors, and they were delicious! Give it a try!

+4

Tricia Quiroz

Omg We went there yesterday and I can honestly say it was by far the best food ever.. The margaritas was awesome as well.. we will be back.. oh our waitress was the best.

Kelly Jenkins

I’ve eaten here twice and been impressed both times. The drinks are awesome (all except the Long Island…sooo much coconut!) and the food is good. Pretty fast service even when they’re busy.

+1

We usually have great service here. However, this particular visit was not that great. The food was great, but the service was very slow. I had ordered a dessert from who I am assuming is the manager, then 20 minutes later I asked our waitress about my dessert. After another 15 minutes we decided to just get our ticket and leave, only to find 2 desserts charged....which I had not received. We brought that to the managers attention and he removed them and comped the dessert that was brought to the table as we were discussing the ticket. So, I can't really complain about the restaurant as a whole, I assume that they were short staffed, which resulted in the slow service.

Great food, authentic Mexican food especially in the town. Best advice is try to go on days when packed because food becomes a little lack luster because of the amount of food they have to push so fast otherwise still great food with great taste!

First time to try the food here. I hadn't spoken to anyone. Went in the place is very nice with a relaxed atmosphere. I ordered beef fajita nachos and man was it good. I cleaned my plate. The salsa was served hot and was really good as were the nacho chips. My waitress was very friendly and courteous. A very nice place to eat, sit, and relax. I will be back.

The food is great. The price is appropriate. They need a better mixed drink menu. They list rum. But no names of drinks. If you ask for a rum drink that is fruity and sweet, they only know pina colada. Service is good if you sit in the bar area. Anywhere else, and it takes a while to get anything. But really good food.

Food is pretty good for the area. Good go to restaurant for little better than average tex mex. El Mariachi is a needed addition to Lufkin's Mexican restaurant selection. Will go again when we are looking for a laid back, decent food and Rita. Service was alright.

1st time here! First off, I was IN the minute I tasted the warm salsa!! OMG! That stuff is delicious! I could have just had that and chips and I would have been a happy camper!! But I ordered the Quesadilla plate and it was a lot of GOOD food! Quesadillas were tasty and a good amount! The guacamole was very good! And the beans and rice completed the meal! All in all, delicious!! My brother got the Mucho Plate and we thought it was 2 separate plates! Never saw so much food for 1 person! Could definitely feed 2! Will definitely come back if we're in this area!!👏👏👏 (By the way, only 4 stars on the food because I thought the rice and beans were way underseasoned Needed A LOT more spices! And the cheese cup tasted like plain velveeta) Prices were definitely reasonable considering all the food you received!

Good food ,warm salsa, medium to low pricing, friendly waiters,would recommend

Great staff! Great service! Food was not as good as I would have e expected but will try again!

Recently visited this restaurant from out of town, expected to be just "settling" on a local place that I didn't think would be good and was VERY pleasantly surprised. The waitress was speedy and attentive, the restaurant itself felt clean and cozy, and while we had to wait a little bit longer for our food to be made after we ordered, it was worth it because the flavors of pretty much every ingredient of our food was distinguishable from everything else (you know how a lot of tex mex places you get a pile of food and it sort of becomes "Mexican mush"? Didn't happen here), and everything tasted fresh and higher quality that expected. Fair price point for what we got, nothing "blew our minds" about the food, but it felt refreshing to actually have a good experience at a restaurant for the first time in a while, which for some reason feels like it's happening less and less since the Covid shutdown made everyone forget how to cook apparently lol. 8/10 would definitely visit again

Fast service, great atmosphere, and good food.

Friendly upbeat atmosphere good food great price service was good

Had Carne Asada. It was very good. Liked the smoke flavor in the Charo beans. Wait Staff was attentive. Overall a good experience even during a slow period.

Monika Daza

We are from North Houston stopped for lunch. Food was good, service excellent. Prices great compared to where we live at! Will come back again

Bubbletoes Savant

Prices were awesome, in fact a relief in these expensive times. The giant margaritas was priced competively and had an ok amt of liquor. The chips were not great, they shd get crispy heb chips. 😊, they were not crunchy. The combo of enchilada, tamale was ok, the refried beans need a reboot. It seemed they were from a can.

+2

Julie

Food tasted great! So glad it wasn’t overly salty like most other Mexican restaurants in town. I ordered the quesadilla beef fajitas with bean/rice and my husband ordered the cheese enchilada meal. My only complaints would be that the chips were a lil stale and it took a while for a waiter to come take our order. I also thought the quesadillas would be bigger they almost seemed like children’s size but nonetheless they tasted amazing. Will be going back!

Staff needs to learn how to pay more attention to their customers. Standing around chatting with other staff and forgetting about our drink order and to put our food in. I had to ask for menus 3 times before he remembered to stop talking and get us menus. Food was good, and the service needs work. Everyone kept gathering in a corner booth to hang out instead of tending to their tables. GREAT Customer service goes along way, and that is very hard to find nowadays.

This is an attractive, clean and neat place. The wait staff is cordial and efficient. The food is attractively presented and fresh. The prices are quite reasonable. Unfortunately, that's the end of the good things I can say about the restaurant. The food is dry and tasteless. We were a party of ten and that was the consensus of the group.

The chips and salsa were great. The food was ordinary just like any other Tex-mex restaurant. The customer service was not very good and the waitress was not very attentive. I found a thick black hair approx. 1” long on the inside of the glass drink I was given. Didn’t say anything because I’m not sure were it came from. Definitely not mine tho. We went on a Sunday evening and was slow.

The food is good and reasonable. The service is not. We waited several minutes just to get seated. Finally got a booth and eventually ordered. We asked for, but never got, salsa. Overall, we were disappointed and will not go back.

Our food was fine but not great. The queso was not very good. The kids cheeseburger was great!

Not the best but definitely not the worst. Salsa and enchilada gravy was good. Queso tasted like Ricos out of a can. Will try somewhere else next time. Sangarita was good but strong.

The new birria tacos had no flavor… they are a new item so I give grace for that. The sauce that came with them was also flavorless and the plate did not come with a lime. The chips and salsa were good and the service was good.

Went to this Mexican spot and honestly? It was fine. Not bad, not amazing—just middle of the road. The salsa had more personality than the server, and while the enchiladas weren’t terrible, they weren’t exactly worth writing home about either. Portions were decent, prices were fair, but nothing wowed me. It’s the kind of place you’d eat at if you’re already there, but I wouldn’t drive across town craving it. If you’re looking for authentic flavor that slaps you in the face with spice and soul, keep looking. If you just want a quick plate of tacos and a margarita that tastes like lime Kool-Aid with tequila, this’ll do. Rating: 3/5 – solid “meh.”

First time ordering...not someplace I would visit again. Ordered tampiquena dinner with chicken fajitas..lol we got a chunck of chicken, raw carrots in the rice, missing items from my to go order, and food was just so so, the beans had an almost metalic taste. The gentleman that answered the phone was polite and handled the call well, I just wish the kitchen had done the same. Most of my dinner went into the trash...disappointed

It was really tasty. My daughter loved it. The drinks were good too. Service was a lil slow tho, just a lil. *Went back and it really just depends on your waiter. Sometimes the service is great sometimes its not.

+2

E Jones

Overall a 3 today due to service. The lady came to the table and would leave quickly not giving us time to let her know our needs. We could've ordered at least 5 to 7 minutes earlier than we did. I didn't tip as well as I normally do because of this. I will say I did notice she was tensing bar as well. I would be inclined to overlook it because of this but we were seated right by the bar. Her service to them was what I would've expected for us - there were only two parties at the bar. From what I could see the other table she tended across the way received the same service we did (an assumption so could be wrong).

Jasmine Davis

Went out with a group of coworkers and the service wasn't as good this time. It was a weeknight, so it wasn't super busy. My shrimp tacos came with corn tortillas instead of flour as advertised. And the steak on the steak fajita tacos was dried out. Hoping for a better experience if I give this place another try.

Food took two hours to get to our table then 3 out of the 7 orders were made incorrectly. I do not recommend going here. Spend your money else where.

I’m sorry to say, but the food, and service was below average. The charro beans and salsa were amazing. Otherwise, your best going to Taco Bell, any other Mexican restaurant. My wife thought the food was better than I did, to be fair.

Server was not friendly at all. I ordered a coconut margarita and it tasted like a lime. I told her I didn’t want it I ordered a coconut one and she just took it and never offered to have it remade or anything. Quesadillas were good but Rice and beans came out cold. We were about finished eating when the server brought us our check… she didn’t even ask if we wanted anything else or desert. Paid and we’re leaving when she asked if we wanted to go boxes. Wouldn’t recommend and won’t go back 🤷🏻‍♀️

Been eating here since it opened and it's usually a pleasant experience. But on this visit the EXTREMELY drunk and even louder lady and her loud group. Totally ruined our dining experience. I honestly can't believe that management allowed the disorderly conduct go on like it did but we will definitely have to find a different Mexican restaurant to make our regular spot.

Just picked my order and wasn't satisfied AT ALL!! I ordered the Tortuga plate and all I got was a bunch of cheese, no rice or beans only 2 small deep fried avocados. Wasn't pleased!!!

Phillip Johnson

To me the food is really good. The salsa varies on taste depending on the day it seems. The fajitas though are amazing. Used to come here often until a visit I had around a month ago. That visit I was seated to a table and 20 minutes went by and no server came over. Weird because it was after lunch and there were maybe 5 other tables that had guests there. I gave my menu back and left. I decided to give them another chance tonight… I was seated and got my food fast this time but I maybe saw my waitress one time. Again not very busy it was around 8:15PM. Got up to get my own refill and what seems to be the head waitress took my cup with major attitude. Don’t know what happened to this place over the last few months. I’ll have to give that new place across the street a try!

Holly Newton

The food was very greasy. Guacamole was amazing, the salsa with chips was served hot and didn't have much flavor.

+1

The fajitas for 2 had no flavor at all. The only thing that was good was the shrimp. The rice tasted like white rice no flavor at all. The refried beans were too dry.

Not impressed at all with the food or the service. The rice was bland and the tea was more like water. Not a place I would recommend.

Watch your credit card charge closely. An additional $2 was added to what we tipped in the restaurant. We normally love this restaurant, but after our last visit with terrible service (no one came to our table for over 10 minutes and our server never brought us anything herself - other table runners brought our food and refills) and dishonest closing out of checks, we will not be returning.

New to the area but very disappointed, I was by myself only getting a fajita salad couple came in after me they got their food 15 minutes before I did made me want to walk out Sergio was my waiter this was a very disappointing first time visit I’ll find another one when I come back into the area salad was good except my meat was cold

The worst Mexican food I have had in a long time. I decided to try chicken fajitas. They came out not sizzling, the onions were not done, the refried beans and rice were cold, the tortillas were barely warm. Won't go back for a while. We eat there often. Very dissatisfied this time.

First and LAST TIME eating at this restaurant. I arrived, was seated and then waited for 25 minutes before being asked if I would like something to drink... Who is running this place?? How do you seat someone but then forget about their existence in your establishment?? DO BETTER!!

I visited this place today — only my second time here. When I first sat down, before I’d even looked at the menu, I asked for some green sauce and the waitress brought it. Later I asked for another, and that’s when I was told it’s $1 per bowl. I declined and told her I wouldn’t have ordered the first one had I known there was a charge. I assumed they’d use a little common sense and not charge me for something I was never told cost extra — but they did. I spoke with a woman in a blue shirt at the counter (who appeared to be a manager) and told her that this $1 bowl of green sauce earned them a one-star review because of the hidden fee. She refused to give me her name, though she had no problem giving me someone else’s when I asked for a manager’s contact. To be honest, the food isn’t great anyway. I won’t be back — all over a dollar and the principle behind it. They must have really needed that dollar, because they chose this review instead of simply not taking it from me.

Desi Lupo

Food is alright nothing special I’ve had better I’ve had worse. My server she was lovely. The place feels dirty and guess what according to food inspections it is. Nothing fits like you can tell they bought used stuff and just threw it in there and it doesn’t fit. We need to stop with the fabuloso it doesn’t clean it masks it doesn’t disinfect and it smells horrible.

kristen johnsen

Horrible customer service. Placed an online order for a lunch salad as part of a group order while at work. Someone else went to pick it up I received NOTHING that I actually ordered and was charged way more for the item I received (that I can’t even eat). When I attempted to call them to rectify the situation they just kept repeating that I could come by and pick up the right order despite me being at work and unable to do so. Ended up not even being able to eat the item received because it was cold and unflavorful. Will not be back.