El Mexicano Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Saratoga Springs

We went here because it was close to our hotel and were in the mood for Mexican. Our expectations were greatly exceeded! I will preface this review by saying we loved it so much we went back the next day before leaving town. Both experiences were fantastic. The staff is super friendly, welcoming and generous. While we were deciding on drinks we were surprised with a snack of a simple, warm quesadilla that when dipped in the delicious and fresh house salsa, was so yummy. Plentiful chips are brought out with the salsa too. The drinks were on point - I had a frozen lime margarita with salt and my husband had El Barracho. The first day we weren't sure how hungry we were so we shared the chimichangas. The beef was cooked and seasoned wonderfully, the fried shells were crunchy, the rice was tender and the refried beans were a bit sweet. The guacamole was made just the way I like it with a large nod to perfectly ripe avocado. We also got flan which was the exact right firmness of custard - creamy yet not runny and caramelized with a luscious sauce. So good I got it our second trip as well! We were treated to a bonus sweet quesadilla stuffed with honey and banana that was also delicious. Our second trip was just as good! We almost couldn't decide what to get because we wanted to try everything. We ended up choosing the heuvos rancheros and the three amigos. Both dishes were delicious. The sauce on the heuvos rancheros was a bit different than described but regardless was super flavorful especially when mixed with a bit of rice and beans. The three amigos was a bit of everything with different sauces, meats and textures. The mole sauce was especially good and not too "chocolatey" like some places make it. We had a side of guacamole too because like the flan, we just needed to have more! We were again treated to some extras and the service was phenomenal. The staff goes out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and they keep their space very clean. We are so happy to have found this place and have already recommended it to several people. We will go out of our way to stop here whenever we are nearby. Thank you for a truly...

What happened to Service/Quality​/Quantity​?

We've been longtime loyal customers since the very beginning​- the folks who live here and support you year round​- ​​ and had the worst experience with our takeout order last night.

I'll start by explaining that we often order the same two entrees when dining in or doing take out and we appreciate the consistency and look forward to the typically delicious meals, served by friendly wait-staff (some of whom we've practically watched grow up over the years).

Last night, at pick up, when we asked if we could have a full order of salsa, the server informed us that it was ​full ​and anything additional was provided, it would be extra because "nothing is free!" The server wasn't familiar to us and my husband opted not to engage further and left.

​Unfortunately, the salsa was even less than the usual amount provided in a take-out order. My ceviche- the "Ceviche for Two" barely contained enough shrimp for one person. This was a noticeable difference from the last time I ordered a month ago.

​When dining in, El Mexicano is glad to bring complimentary flour tortillas with cheese​ to the table in addition to the chips and salsa. At the end of the meal, they bring dessert tortillas with bananas and whipped cream and graciously offer to bring a round of complimentary tequila shots. Yet they can't provide an extra tablespoon of salsa with a take out order, or bring an extra container while politely informing the customer that there will be a $X charge for this next time?

I hope a manager/owner reads this...

Reminds me of Mexican restaurants in California. Not sure how I missed this place for so long! Finally made it here yesterday, and it was awesome. The entire staff was great, very fast and attentive. Everything we tried was great, but be sure to bring a large appetite, the servings are definitely large.

I lived in Southern California for about 30 years before returning to upstate NY. Obviously southern California has a very high population of folks with Mexican heritage, or who are direct immigrants from Mexico. So of course we were able to enjoy some excellent Mexican restaurants. After returning to upstate NY, we have not been able to find a Mexican restaurant that is close to what we had become accustomed to in California. We had pretty much given up on trying until we found El Mexicano!

I can't speak to whether this would be considered authentic Mexican food, but it is very close to one of the family restaurants we would frequent in California. El Mexicano is also a family establishment and I think it shows in the quality of their food, and the pride with which they present it.

According to their website, the Vazquez family immigrated from Mexico, worked and saved until they could own their own business. How awesome is that?

Update October 2023: had a chance to visit again last night. These guys were on fire! They had a full house but a super short wait and our food arrived very quickly (under ten minutes). All of our orders were accurate...