El Patio Tacos & Tequila — Restaurant in Oranjestad (city)

I've been in Aruba for several months, staying at Divi Golf, and heard great things about this place. I recommended it to others, but one couple said their experience was terrible—so I decided to try it myself. My first visit was great—delicious food and good service. I’ve since returned three more times. The chips and red salsa are my favorite combo in Aruba (I always ask for extra red salsa).

Unfortunately, the service is inconsistent. Some visits were excellent, but others were frustrating—on multiple visits I have had to remind the waiter 15–20 minutes later that I was still waiting on another Coke Zero while sitting at the bar, even when it wasn’t busy. That’s why I’m giving it 3 stars: great food, but hit-or-miss service.

Updated Review – August 2025

A few months back, I left a 3-star review for El Patio Tacos & Tequila. My feedback at the time was simple the food was consistently great (especially the chips and red salsa, still my favorite combo in Aruba), but the service could be hit-or-miss. The restaurant responded professionally, acknowledged the issue, and said they would work on it.

Fast forward to my visit a few nights ago, and I can honestly say I saw a real improvement. For the first time, someone other than our waiter stopped by our table to check in and make sure everything was good. Our waiter was attentive, got my order correct without delay, and kept an eye on our needs throughout the evening.

The atmosphere was pleasant, we had a good breeze outside, and overall it was a much smoother experience than some of my earlier visits. I’ve never had an issue with the kitchen the food has always been a strong point but this time, the service matched it.

I’ll be back in October and I’m hopeful I can report two great service experiences in a row. If they keep up this level of attentiveness, El Patio could move from “great food, inconsistent service” to a...

El Patio in Aruba is stunningly decorated and gives off the perfect Mexican vibe. It instantly reminded me of being back in Tulum. Unfortunately, the food didn’t quite live up to the atmosphere. Portions are on the smaller side, for example, the dips for the complimentary chips come in tiny ramekins, and tacos are served two per order, costing about $8–10 per taco depending on the type. While the meat was flavorful, the tacos were pretty plain, which the waiter did prepare us for that ahead of time, just tortilla and protein, with no toppings, salsa, or crema offered on the side. For the price, they weren’t very filling, and we found ourselves having to each order a second round.

The drink menu looks great, but the cocktails we tried were overly sweet, even after asking for the more balanced options. The waiter offered to squeeze more lime in it to balance the sweetness, but I Insisted that it be remade without agave this time around. My father’s Bloody Mary, which was on the menu, caused some confusion - our waiter wasn’t sure if the bar could make it, and the bartenders seemed unsure as well. On a brighter note, the live mariachi band added a fun and festive touch to the experience.

Overall, El Patio is a truly beautiful spot with an incredible ambiance that transports you to Mexico. With a few improvements to portion sizes, flavor balance, and consistency in service, it could easily become one of the most memorable dining...

I spent one week in Aruba and this is the only place that really stood out to me. Worst (not just mediocre) food and horrible service from a male waiter. We received shrimp and barbacoa tacos with absolutely no toppings. No cilantro, no salsa, no lettuce, no tomatoes, nothing. Just a taco shell and unseasoned beef and shrimp. I am not a Mexican but I’ve been to México many times and tried Mexican food in other countries. This is the worst “Mexican” restaurant. Two medium size tacos with only two ingredients (if you count tortilla) for almost $20 is unheard of. Mexican food is very rich in flavor and ingredients. It’s juicy, flavorful and tasty, not dry, unseasoned and bland. This place, their cook and owners obviously don’t know what Mexican food is. I’ve been to 20+ different restaurants in Aruba (read my other reviews) this week and I will give them 5 stars but this place only gets 1 star for their design/ambiance. Food and service doesn’t deserve any stars. Our waiter was very cold and when we asked for a check, he accidentally disappeared for almost 10 minutes so we had to ask a different waiter to call him and bring us a check. He did but a wrong one! See the picture. This was a nail in a coffin on top of asking for a tip after this horrific experience. Do better if you want people to return to your place and...