El Porton Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Duluth

My family has been a loyal customer since 2012 when we lived in Suwanee. We have eaten here 40+ times and picked up another 20+ times over the years...at one point several of the servers even knew us. We moved to Buford in 2015 and have gone much less due to the distance, but would still place a to-go order once every 4 months. I pass nearby on the way home and would pick it up. The only reason we still pickup there is because my fiancee loves their Shrimp Ceviche, otherwise we would go to La Parrilla since their food is on par with El Porton with several items being better...La Parrilla does not have Ceviche though. My fiancee calls on 6/27/17 to place an order and their phone system states they only do online orders now, no call-ins. So she places it online at 6:53pm and I arrive at 7:12pm to pickup. I wait for 7 minutes before being acknowledged being told she will be with me soon...another 3 minutes before she helps me. I tell her I am picking up an online order and she asks for the receipt. I tell her I do not have it since I did not place the order. She tells me she has to have it because they have had "problems" before. So I go back to my car, call my fiancee to have her forward me the email. Come back in and show her the receipt and she starts to ringing up the items like there is no order placed. So I ask is the food being made already and she tells me she has to ring it up first so I can pay and then they will make it. By this time it is 7:28 and I was not about to wait another 10-15 minutes when the order should of already been ready. So I tell her to cancel and I leave. My fiancee calls to complain and they said their online ordering system is not working at all. What is the point of blocking phone calls for a system that doesn't work? This is the 6th time since moving to Buford we have had to wait 8+ minutes to even be acknowledged by one of their servers (tons running around) while waiting to pickup. So at this point we are done. Go to La Parrilla...food is great, Margarita's are a million times better, and much better...

As a die-hard fan of the OG El Porton in Roswell - first at that classic spot south of Mansell on Hwy 9 (old Kroger center), now killing it in the old Applebee’s building at 11190 Alpharetta Hywy - I’ve got high standards for this chain.

Why bring up Roswell for a Duluth review? Because that original location is still the undisputed king of Atlanta-area American-Mexican restaurants. It sets the bar sky-high for that perfect Americanized Mex vibe - even as El Porton has expanded all around Tennessee and now into Arkansas.

The Duluth Station spot off Old Peachtree isn’t quite as good as the original: meats can be cooked slightly drier at times, and bar service isn’t as sharp. But it’s still very good compared to the competition! Standouts include the legendary El Portón dip (creamy, savory, cheesy perfection), rich mole sauce that’s spot-on, the delicious chicken soup, and the sizzling Chori-Pollo packed with flavor.

Generous portions of fajitas, crispy chimichangas, and endless chips with killer salsa hit all the right Tex-Mex notes. Not chasing “authentic” Buford Highway spice (that’s its own world), but for crowd-pleasing, beer-friendly Mexican-American grub, it delivers. Service overall is friendly, prices are right, and margaritas flow cold.

Roswell remains #1, but Duluth’s a strong runner-up. Raise a frosty Dos Equis Amber to this growing empire -...

This was our go to local Tex Mex place after moving here a few years ag6. I believe they have been experiencing staff shortages since Covid, like many businesses, so difficult to knock them for that. But the last several times we've gone, the wait has been excessive and I think the server was stressed and not overly friendly. I had to run to the bar for water because my wife was choking on her chip, probably about 20 minutes after we arrived and hadn't been served even water nor had our order taken.

The biggest issue is the cost and quality of the drinks. Over time, the margarita recipe has changed. The frozen margaritas seem alcohol free and too sweet. At one point, we started ordering a shot of tequila to mix in it, but that was too expensive. So we decided last visit to switch to a pitcher of Sangria and clearly said "no rocks" when asked by the server. We received 2 glasses filled to the brim with ice, and a pitcher of ice with a little sangria inside for $28. A poor value since it only produced 2 ice filled drinks for each of us.

We both ordered new dishes and liked them, so the food remains at a 4 star level for standard Tex Mex fare.

We'll probably go back someday since we like supporting local businesses, and we like the people who work here. But I doubt I'll order anything other than water or maybe a beer...