El Paso MX Cocina — Restaurant in Columbia

The food and frozen adult beverages were...mediocre, at best. There was nothing I'll be craving to get more of any time soon. The beef&chicken chimis were very dry, and had some type of seasoning on the beef that I wasn't crazy about. We ordered a bowl of the queso (white cheese) for our chips and it was watery, didn't have much taste...BUT they gave us some type of, dip? In a small condiments container, it was mayo based and a little sweet with a hint of spicy - I'd never had anything like it - it was DELISH! We were seated as soon as we walked in on a Friday night around 7:30ish. Our server was great - they had steady business with some bigger tables in the back by us and our server was keeping on top of his tables and super friendly. Now for the "complaints" with the "atmosphere" - I'm a "plus size" girl along with my partner and we were sat in a booth, it was not a comfortable fit... It was a tight squeeze for the both of us, and it made the experience less enjoyable (we also feel that our booth had less space than the others, being against the back wall) Lastly, there was a group of "seasoned adults" sitting catty corner to us, where I was facing them-the man facing me at the end of their table was just loud to begin with ( it was busy, everyone was loud...but his voice just carried more) they received their food about the same time we got our chips and salsa, and then out of the corner of my eye ... I see the man getting a little... Uhm,worked up... So obviously I'm going to watch ... I want to know what's going on! The man sitting across from him (with his back to me) and the loud guy then started picking at a plate of food, the two women with them then started getting a little worked up also...and that's when.... The guy with his back to me pulled a... 6-8 INCH HAIR from the whatever "soft food" on his plate, he and the other man then each grabbed an end of it to stretch it out over the table while the women did everything they could to draw everyone (but the waiters) attention to their table. It was a bit ridiculous and extremely immature, and definitely killed my appetite . I mean yes, I would have NOT been happy if I had hair in my food, and yes I would have made sure the waiter was aware...as I requested a new dish or a refund for that dish... But there's no need for a scene. The two men playing tug of war with the hair ended up dropping it... Probably in other food, but never did let the server know...continuing to shovel food in their mouths ... I know it didn't just ruin my appetite , others around us were also shaking their heads... So with all that being said, HAIR NETS ARE A MUST IN THE KITCHEN and anyone with long hair serving food MUST HAVE IT PULLED BACK AND USE HAIR SPRAY OR SOMETHING ... No loose hair flying around and learn to use a lint roller on your clothes and don't go playing with your hair at...

Update 2: Table service still needs some work. Long time to get drinks initially, asked for apps to come out first, but it served same time with our dinners. Had to go find a server twice to ask for service. Consistent issue across multiple visits. Food remains delivious! Still love the place but please work to improve the waiter service so I can go back to 5 stars.

Well seasoned and cooked food. Steak fries were delicious. Had the Fajitas El Paso, and it was excellent. Top notch good Mexican food. A soccer game was on the TV, and we had to chase down the wait a few times, but hey, overall, I will happily come back again!

(Update) Went back with a family of 10, and everyone loved the food. This became a new favorite Mexican restaurant for a few first-timers. Still need to work a bit on the waiter service being a bit more prompt and attentive. But the excellence of the meal makes up for that minor...

The best Mexican food I have had on years. There is a plethora of Mexican restaurants in the greater St Louis area. Many of them have strong advantages. This restaurant covered all the bases. The facility was clean and well lit. The service was friendly and prompt. The chips and salsa were excellent. The food arrived very quickly. The food was excellent: The beef and chicken in every dish was cooked perfectly. Flavorful, moist, and tender. The rice was moist and not overcooked (far too many restaurants tend to serve rock hard rice). The portions were generous. I did not try the quest, but if it anything like the cheese sauce that was poured over my burrito, it will not disappoint. The atmosphere can tend towards a bit on the loud side. That is the only criticism I...