El Charro Cafe Ventana — Restaurant in Four Corners States

I really, really want to give this place 5 stars. It’s an El Charro. It’s a local business. It’s in our neighborhood. I’ve frequented this store since the 2000’s. It’s great to have a Mexican restaurant with festive atmosphere and a comfortable patio with fabulous views. However, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a genuinely fantastic dining experience that would merit a five star review.

In general, the servers (bar & table) are friendly and courteous, but often seem to be overworked running about. From time to time they have significant issues with resource management. Once I came here for lunch and found myself in a line of customers waiting for someone to come seat us — I had one hour for lunch, so after 15 minutes of waiting, I left. There have been other times when the hosts told us they couldn’t seat us, even though there were numerous tables ready; they explained they were understaffed in the kitchen and didn’t want tables full of customers not being served, so they opted for a long line out the door… of customers not being served.

As for the food, I can’t say it’s anything amazing or special. One of the other reviewers here started with “Best Mexican food in town”. I don’t know which town she’s talking about. Tucson has many great Mexican restaurants that offer far tastier, far more succulent fare than this place. It’s Snowbird Mexican food. The last time I ate here I had the Quesabirria Mini Chimis that were greasy-soggy. The food is often bland (Pescado Tropical) and dry ((Combination #2), the sauces a bit too thick (Seafood Combination #4). There were maybe 3 or 4 small shrimp and no identifiable cod in the flat seafood enchilada, but lots of thick cream sauce. And yet this is an El Charro, a restaurant famous for its cuisine and for having given birth to the chimichanga. Of everything I’ve had on their menu, those Keto Fajita Lettuce Cups with chicken stand out as their best offering. It’s not that the food is bad… it’s just… boring. I wonder what Monica would think if she ate here today?

The interior is inviting, open and airy. The place appears tidy and clean, music never too loud. For me, the best option is sitting on the patio at the bar, a truly great hang. Pleasant conversation with friends, nice bartenders, the majesty of the Catalinas as a backdrop, sipping a lager or margarita… that makes for a most excellent Happy Hour. The house margaritas aren’t very potent — rather watered down — so I recommend ordering an extra shot on the side.

Finally, prices. Happy Hour prices are reasonable, applying to drinks and appetizers. Otherwise, value for money, everything is overpriced. I suppose they can get away with it because they’ve become quite the name. And they probably need the money with all the expansion their group has done. If you take advantage of their “Christmas In July” special (gift cards worth twice what you spend, sold July 24/25), then the prices seem more reasonable. They get your cash up front (floats them through till the snowbirds return), you get gift cards that make you feel like you’re getting a good deal… but the gift cards drain quickly because the prices are so high. And of course, you can’t put the tip on the gift card. Speaking of tipping, they have an extra line on the receipt suggesting you add a separate tip for the kitchen staff. Really? Now they’re trying to guilt me into supplementing their kitchen staff’s salary so they don’t have to pay them a living wage. Maybe they should also add a line for tipping the hostess at the door? Sigh. Just keep telling yourself “I paid half price!”.

So do I go back? Of course… Happy Hour or special occasions on the patio with friends. But El Charro doesn’t merit 5 stars.

Photos are of Quesabirria Mini Chimis, Combination #2, Chicken Fajita...

This El Charro use to be amazing. But lately the past year it has gone downhill. By down hill (limited on how much I write) I mean food, service and the first people you see as you come door. The food has gotten better of the year but the service snd the first people you meet coming in are horrible. For example over 4 times we have come in at 3-4:30. It has not been crowded. We asked could we dot on the patio. They said no each time. That there will be a 25-20 min wait for a seat I say there are open tables They say well we don’t have servers to serve you or it will take them longer. Then they suggest I call in advance snd make a reservation. I do that snd they say they don’t take same day reservations. I talk to the manager about my concerns. I try again at a later date to make NOT same day reservations. So I call. They said sorry we are booked. I asked what time they do have open. They said all booked. I pick another night. They said they were booked. Then finally they said they are booked all week. (Though I could go online and book a time and day) Needless to say after all those experiences we have been giving our business to many others. Which brings us to today. We decided we would go in early 3:30 ish. We asked to sit outside it was chilly but not crowded inside or out. We asked to have the heater lit. The lady that seated us walked away. We got a small bowl of chips and water. Never saw that girl again. Waited a long time. My husband went in to get someone. Finally found someone we ordered our drinks snd asked the heater be lit. She didn’t know how to light it but said she would find someone. She never did. Someone brought our drinks and we asked about the heater again. This time she found someone. We did tell her we wanted to drink some of our drink before ordering but waited a long time. Still no one to offer more chips or water or another drink or dinner. So this time I go in explain to one of a newer ladies in front (she was actually good snd professional unlike the two that have been working at the cash register) I went in and said we have been waiting so long we will order to go. She said let me get your server and she did. The server came out I ordered to go I ordered an extra couple of flour tortillas to be added. She said ok and then we waited. We have never waited this long got food. So we both went in again to see what was going on. She came out with our order I paid. No tip , no offer to comp the drinks nothing. Now the usual people that have been horrible is at the register, laughing while waitress uses the cash register. We get home snd only have two flour tortillas. No extra tortilla , small portions except for the chicken. No professionalism except for the new lady at cash register that helped me when I came in. Gosh this place used to have awesome service. A great happy hour Now it’s not even close. It’s truly sad. I truly wish they would get their act together Date of visit:...

My frequent experiences at El Charro have always been good up until last nights encounter with management at the Ventana location.

After being told there was a 45 minute wait, we watched people come and go through the foyer until we were the only ones left after an hour. After inquiring if we had been forgotten, the manager (Dustin) lectured me that I was told it would be “45-60 minutes” (I was not). A hostess later seated us at a table only for the same manager to reprimand her and then ask us to get up. He told us our table was reserved for another party (who had refused the table he then moved us to).

We promptly realized why the other party didn’t want the table we were given as the waitstaff went in and out repeatedly while holding open a door to the chilly 51 degree exterior.

Despite ordering as soon as we sat down, almost an hour later, our entrees had not been served. In frustration to repeatedly being flash-frozen repeatedly after being moved, I expressed my disappointment in our treatment to Dustin. He again lectured me about how many people had booked reservation up to 3 weeks in advance and that my table was not that bad stating the one in the corner away from the exterior door was actually worse.

At no time to he offer anything resembling an apology for the way we’re treated, so I told him I would like to close my tab and leave. He said our food was almost ready, but after two hours of waiting in the cold (both inside and outside of their restaurant), I simply wanted my family to have a better experience elsewhere.

I would encourage any El Charro fans to visit any of their other branches where you will hopefully be valued...