El Charro Cafe Ventana 6910 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85750

"I dream about the chips and salsa from Wl Charro. The main courses are incredible. Generous micheladas as well. Make sure to make a reservation!"

"We had high hopes for this place, but left disappointed. After a longer than quoted wait time for a table, we were shown to a table and placed our orders. The waitress was great. She kept our beverages and chips/salsa full all evening. It took longer than expected for the food to arrive. I ordered the tacos, which I didn't like. They took a part of a hamburger patty and put a tortilla around it, and deep-fried it. I can see why tacos aren't served this way anywhere else as it's not a good option for a taco, though the menu makes it sound like a great option. My parents ordered some type of burrito. The tortillas were doughy and tough to cut. The meat wasn't hot and could best be described as overcooked and dry. The cheese on top had hardened, and the beans were runny. Neither ate their meals and sent them back. My partner ordered the mole. He liked his meal and didn't have any complaints about it. The manager stopped by and was very nice in trying to attempt a resolution. An offer was made for a gift card to return and give them another opportunity. We declined and would not choose to dine here again, even for free."

"Maybe the best mole' I've ever had. My entree was a serving of two enchiladas with mole'. I recommend you share this entree because the mole' is so rich, you may not be able to eat both of them. I would've given this a five-star rating if the chicken itself was not overcooked. Take a look at the photos of the prepared at your table guacamole. It's delicious."

"My husband and I came to this location for the first time. This restaurant ran like a well oiled machine. Our server, Daniel, was great. We told him we were visiting and he gave us a sample of their carne seca. He recommended the seafood enchiladas and the Enchiladas del Rancho for which we ordered. We got the cowboy beans. Everything was great. One thing we would change is the crema that was on the enchiladas. We had to take some off. The staff was attentive and friendly. We will be going back before we head home to Illinois."

"I really, really want to give this place 5 stars. It’s an El Charro. It’s a local business. It’s in our neighborhood. I’ve frequented this store since the 2000’s. It’s great to have a Mexican restaurant with festive atmosphere and a comfortable patio with fabulous views. However, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a genuinely fantastic dining experience that would merit a five star review. In general, the servers (bar & table) are friendly and courteous, but often seem to be overworked running about. From time to time they have significant issues with resource management. Once I came here for lunch and found myself in a line of customers waiting for someone to come seat us — I had one hour for lunch, so after 15 minutes of waiting, I left. There have been other times when the hosts told us they couldn’t seat us, even though there were numerous tables ready; they explained they were understaffed in the kitchen and didn’t want tables full of customers not being served, so they opted for a long line out the door… of customers not being served. As for the food, I can’t say it’s anything amazing or special. One of the other reviewers here started with “Best Mexican food in town”. I don’t know which town she’s talking about. Tucson has many great Mexican restaurants that offer far tastier, far more succulent fare than this place. It’s Snowbird Mexican food. The last time I ate here I had the Quesabirria Mini Chimis that were greasy-soggy. The food is often bland (Pescado Tropical) and dry ((Combination #2), the sauces a bit too thick (Seafood Combination #4). There were maybe 3 or 4 small shrimp and no identifiable cod in the flat seafood enchilada, but lots of thick cream sauce. And yet this is an El Charro, a restaurant famous for its cuisine and for having given birth to the chimichanga. Of everything I’ve had on their menu, those Keto Fajita Lettuce Cups with chicken stand out as their best offering. It’s not that the food is bad… it’s just… boring. I wonder what Monica would think if she ate here today? The interior is inviting, open and airy. The place appears tidy and clean, music never too loud. For me, the best option is sitting on the patio at the bar, a truly great hang. Pleasant conversation with friends, nice bartenders, the majesty of the Catalinas as a backdrop, sipping a lager or margarita… that makes for a most excellent Happy Hour. The house margaritas aren’t very potent — rather watered down — so I recommend ordering an extra shot _on the side_. Finally, prices. Happy Hour prices are reasonable, applying to drinks and appetizers. Otherwise, value for money, everything is overpriced. I suppose they can get away with it because they’ve become quite the name. And they probably need the money with all the expansion their group has done. If you take advantage of their “Christmas In July” special (gift cards worth twice what you spend, sold July 24/25), then the prices seem more reasonable. They get your cash up front (floats them through till the snowbirds return), you get gift cards that make you feel like you’re getting a good deal… but the gift cards drain quickly because the prices are so high. And of course, you can’t put the tip on the gift card. Speaking of tipping, they have an extra line on the receipt suggesting you add a separate tip for the kitchen staff. Really? Now they’re trying to guilt me into supplementing their kitchen staff’s salary so they don’t have to pay them a living wage. Maybe they should also add a line for tipping the hostess at the door? Sigh. Just keep telling yourself “I paid half price!”. So do I go back? Of course… Happy Hour or special occasions on the patio with friends. But El Charro doesn’t merit 5 stars. Photos are of Quesabirria Mini Chimis, Combination #2, Chicken Fajita Lettuce Cups."