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El Charro Café Downtown
Serving authentic Mexican flavors since 1922—Tucson's original taste of tradition.
4(5 reviews)
mexican
$$
Serving authentic Mexican flavors since 1922—Tucson's original taste of tradition.
El Charro Café Downtown is Tucson's historic gem, renowned as the first Mexican restaurant in the United States. Located at 311 N Court Ave, we offer a vibrant dining experience with classic dishes like carne seco, chimichangas, and handmade churros, all served in a colorful, lively ambiance. Our professional staff provides excellent service, whether you're enjoying a prickly pear margarita on the porch or hosting a private event. With a 4.4/5 rating from thousands of reviews, we blend rich heritage with flavorful cuisine for locals and visitors alike.
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Enjoy classic dishes like carne seco, chimichangas, and tacos in a historic setting with vibrant decor.
Host parties for up to 25 guests in decorated private rooms, with professional service and customizable menus.
Fresh guacamole prepared tableside for a fun, interactive dining experience.
Sip on handcrafted margaritas, including the famous prickly pear and Cadillac varieties.
Enjoy traditional mariachi performances that enhance the lively atmosphere and cultural vibe.
Dine al fresco on the porch with street views and open-air ambiance.
All around excellent. Great food, good service, colorful and lively ambiance! We had a private party for 25 in a basement room that was decorated with lights and flags.. Professional and friendly servers and good margaritas! We also stopped here at the end of the food tour for churros.
Food was amazing, loved the carne seco! Antonio S was an outstanding server, he really hustled to take care of everyone and he gave me lots of strong recommendations, from drinks to beans to enchiladas. Will be returning next time I'm in Tucson!
Oof, what a letdown! We stayed a week in Tucson and tried a dozen different establishments, and this was by far the worst. We reserved a table (at 7:45 PM!) and despite getting seated on time, it took 25 minutes to even get our menus. The prickly pear margarita is literally undrinkable, it's just pre-made syrup poured in a glass that saw a tequila bottle once. The Cadillac margarita is about on par with other places house margaritas. And then there's the food... The chimichanga is just okay, the carne seco is just really dry shredded beef, the salsa tastes like spaghetti sauce, and the rice had, I kid you not, frozen peas and carrots mixed in!! The mariachi were out of tune and the poor staff were over worked like crazy. This was tourist trap tex-mex for gringos, and a really, really poor one at that. Don't bother.
Service was beautiful. Guacamole made tableside was yummy! The original El Charro Beef Tacos made me dance in my seat they were so good. We had the Tacos Seca.. interesting, flavorful, like the old timey jerky in the container when were kids. By far our new favorite place. The decor was gorgeous and the Mariachi Men played my request of Marty Robbins tableside brought back memories was so great!
My husband and I recently visited El Charro, reputedly the first Mexican restaurant in the United States, and as avid fans of Mexican cuisine, we were excited to pay tribute to its history. We started with the beef chimichanga, which was a standout dish. It was incredibly flavorful and packed with beef, making it quite filling! We also ordered the queso Finito with shrimp. While it had a pleasing taste, we were overwhelmed by how greasy and stringy it was—definitely more cheese than we anticipated. We were hoping for something more akin to a traditional cheese dip, and if we had finished the whole thing, I suspect we would have regretted it. On the brighter side, the prickly pear margarita was fabulous! Its vibrant color and refreshing taste were highlights of our meal. The ambience of the restaurant added to the experience; we sat outside on a porch, enjoying the street view and open air. However, the inside had a charming vibe reminiscent of an old house, which we would have enjoyed as well. While we noticed more quaint seating options in the yellow building next door, they seemed reserved for larger groups. Overall, El Charro offered a delightful experience, with some delicious highlights and a lovely atmosphere.
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