Restaurante El Corazon 190 State Street, Portland, ME 04101

"Wow we ordered to go and I have not enjoyed a burrito this much in a long time! Super quick order prep time and the food was delicious. My partner got the enchiladas and she loved them! Going to have to dine in soon!"

"This is the best Mexican in Portland! Loved everything we had here. I had the Camaron A-La-Diabla (Deviled shrimp) which was very spicy and not for the faint of heart. I love spicy!"

"Great food, lovely service, cute place! One note- guac was tasty but smooth for those it matters too! Also ordered one el pastor and one pollo asado but no pineapple so wasn't sure which was which even with tasting them but they were still delicious!!! Not too expensive either. 1 marg, split guac, 2 tacos was about $25/person"

"Intimate Mexican restaurant is a quaint residential neighborhood in downtown Portland. Friendly staff with communal tables. The food was pretty good. We'll definitely be back. Compared to most Mexican restaurants, the food took a while, but they also had a significant number of takeaway orders. The beans and rice were excellent! The food was fresh and not processed. Thank you for a great night out."

"We were craving Mexican on a Friday and decided to finally try out El Corazon after a friend recommended it. I am so glad we did! It honestly exceeded our expectations and we cannot wait to go back soon. Pro-trip: COME HUNGRY! As soon as you walk inside El Corazon, you can tell it's an authentic Mexican spot, which is so refreshing to find here in Maine. The menu is not your typical Mexican-American menu -- they really go all out by not only having your Mexican staples (tacos, burritos, etc) but also some very unique dishes that I wasn't expecting to find in Portland. I was also impressed with their cocktail menu. It was very nice to see most cocktails priced between $8-$11; you don't often see any anymore in a city's downtown area. 5 stars for keeping it affordable, El Corazon! After stuffing our faces with the free chips & salsa, we were ready to order. I went for the Birria de Chivito and it was delicious. This dish from Jalisco, Mexico consisted of young tender goat slow cooked for 7 hours (!!!) in a mild red Chile sauce with Mexican spices. Everything about this dish was perfect. It was so full of flavor and aromas that transcended what my palate was expecting. It came with a side of rice, beans, and tortillas aka way too much food, so I had leftovers which made for a nice dinner the next day. I also tried the pork pozole, which was a steal for under $6. So filling! The tortillas were phenomenal and they give you so many of them. The queso fundido was also a hit — it was one of the best ones I’ve ever had. My partner had the Sundevil Carne Asada plate and he said he liked it, but I found the meat to be a bit bland and chewy. I am glad I ordered the goat and not the steak, honestly. All in all, great food in a very casual setting which we actually enjoyed. Service was definitely all over the place, but you can tell they are severely understaffed at the moment, so kindness is key. Our waiter was also the bartender for the night, and in total there were only two people serving the whole restaurant."