El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant & Cantina — Restaurant in Cottage Grove

El Tapatio is an absolute treasure, and I’m throwing all 5 stars their way with zero hesitation! This place is a fiesta of flavors that hits you right in the soul, and I can’t get enough of it. Let’s start with the chicken tortilla soup—it’s a steaming bowl of pure heaven, brimming with rich, zesty broth that’s so flavorful it’s practically singing mariachi tunes in your mouth. The tender chicken, the subtle spice, the crunchy tortilla strips—it’s fantastic, a masterpiece that warms you up and leaves you craving more. Then there’s the Chipotle burrito, oh my goodness, it’s a hefty, glorious bundle of smoky, spicy goodness wrapped up tight, bursting with perfectly seasoned fillings that make every bite an adventure. And don’t get me started on the fajitas—sizzling, aromatic, and loaded with juicy meat and veggies that dance on your taste buds, served with all the fixings to make you feel like royalty. Even the chips and salsa deserve a standing ovation—crisp, golden chips paired with a salsa that’s fresh, tangy, and just the right amount of kick to keep you dipping like it’s your job. The vibe is lively, the staff are gems, ask for "Mario" he's got all the sweet hookups. and every dish feels like it’s made with love and a little bit of magic. El Tapatio isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a culinary hug I’ll keep running back to!

El Tapatio es un verdadero tesoro, ¡y le doy 5 estrellas sin dudarlo! Este lugar es una fiesta de sabores que te llega al alma, y no me canso de él. Empecemos con la sopa de tortilla con pollo—es un tazón humeante de puro cielo, lleno de un caldo rico y picante tan sabroso que prácticamente canta mariachi en tu boca. El pollo tierno, el toque de especias, las tiras de tortilla crujientes—es fantástica, una obra maestra que te calienta y te deja deseando más. Luego está el burrito de chipotle, ¡Dios mío!, es un paquete glorioso y sustancioso de delicia ahumada y picante, repleto de rellenos perfectamente sazonados que hacen de cada bocado una aventura. Y ni hablar de las fajitas—chispeantes, aromáticas y cargadas de carne jugosa y verduras que bailan en tus papilas gustativas, servidas con todos los acompañamientos para hacerte sentir como rey. Hasta las papas fritas y la salsa merecen una ovación de pie—papas crujientes y doradas con una salsa fresca, ácida y con el toque justo de picante para que sigas sumergiéndolas como si fuera tu trabajo. El ambiente es animado, el personal es un encanto, y cada platillo parece hecho con amor y un poco de magia. ¡El Tapatio no es solo un restaurante; es un abrazo culinario al que...

This place has a nice atmosphere and their food is good however my last 3 experiences have been negative. About 6 months ago we ordered dinner to pick up during one of our covid lock downs and once we got the food home realized we had been given the wrong order and had to go back to get it fixed. The next time was a similar circumstance, covid lockdown and ordered dinner to go. When my partner got there to pick it up after the correct amount of time the online order tool recommended, they told him it wasn't ready but while he was sitting there waiting he heard the staff talking in Spanish and they had evidently lost the order and never made it. For whatever reason they assumed my partner didn't speak Spanish. He had to wait almost another hour before it was ready. Last night I ordered a few things by phone after consulting the online menu from their own website. It should have totaled around $28 however when I picked it up they charged me over $38. When I mentioned the price discrepancy the waitress asked to see the website I used. I went right to it. It is very distinctly their website. She got the manager or owner and showed him. He complained about how he had reached out to his website person to update the menu serveral months ago but evidently had never verified it was changed. I agreed to pay the amount they wanted and they sent me with their newer menu (evidently one yr old now) however when I went to confirm their new ridiculous prices none of the items I ordered were even on the new menu. So basically they must have just charged whatever the heck they wanted. $17.99 for their nachos tapatio which online said were $11.99, a appetizer Mexican pizza online said $9.99 online however they wanted $12.99 and an order of their cheese dip which online was $7.99 but I was charged $12.99. My partner is Latino and we eat Mexican food often all over Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove. The before prices were more comparable to the surrounding area. Each incident alone is kind of annoying but tolerable but for the last 3 times it's been a pain and I don't foresee going back. They worst part is they haven't even once been apologetic. Just plain bad service...

Went here for a late lunch and it was fairly busy in there, which I took as a good sign. The servers looked a little behind, but very nice. We told them we didn't have a lot of time, as we had somewhere to be at a certain time and he said he would try to have them get our food out asap. We got it fairly quickly, though it wasn't enough time. However that was our own fault and definitely do not blame the restaurant for that.

The food itself was pretty good. I liked the chips and salsa. It also comes with bean dip which was ok. We ordered the queso dip and chips and the queso was alright. Not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst. Out of the beans, salsa, and queso the salsa was by far the best. I had the steak fajita burrito and I ate what I could before having to get the rest to go. It was a fairly good-sized burrito and I enjoyed it. It's on par with some other Mexican restaurants in the valley. The person I was with had the taco salad and it looked really good. I loved how crispy the shell was. If I end up going back here I will try that next time.

Atmosphere wise, it's like any other Mexican restaurant that I've been too.

Overall, decent enough to try and would go back to try...