Vaquero Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Madison

So glad we stopped in on a whim for lunch. Didn't feel like a chain sandwich or fast food place, and needed to get food near their hotel. We took my boyfriend's Grandfather and Nana in town from TX here and was phenomenal. Going to be our new favorite Mexican digs place (bye, over-inflated/shrinkflationated Chipotle). The crew working was awesome, they place is sparkling clean. Plenty of toppings (all insanely fresh and good flavor), and they don't upcharge you for loading up toppings. I got a quesadilla with chx and peppers and corn and queso and cilantro and onions. No upcharge for me asking for three salsa sides and crema. My boyfriend got the Machete (was massive, lasted him for leftovers for dinner. Oh and they have about 20 hot sauce types by the silverware area, take your pick. Also lively music. Lastly, for four people's meals, and a side of rice and beans and chips and salsa and even a fountain drink, came to about $45 only! A...

I tried the huarache on my first visit. The masa base was ok, but not the best I have had it was a bit tough which made cutting through it kind of difficult. The toppings were the typical offerings (beans, rice, veggies, cilantro, onions, pico, green and red salsas, sour cream, guac, cheese). I was surprised there wasn't a larger variety of salsas but appreciated the selection of hot sauces. I decided to break out of my typical pastor or chorizo box and got the chicharron...I was thinking it would be crispy but instead it was bathing in a verde sauce...I went with it anyway but it wasn't my thing. The woman behind me got the pastor and that looked really good...I am anxious to go back and try my usual go-to protein selections. The machete looked really good and tortas are always a favorite. Everything was super fresh and the staff were all very friendly. I really enjoyed the Mexican music...it adds to the...

I recently gave Vaquero Mexican Grill a try after seeing a recommendation on Reddit and I must say, it’s quite a popular spot. When I arrived, I was third in line, but the queue quickly extended out the door. They could benefit from reconfiguring the seating area to the right by adding a partition to make room for the line.

Onto the food - I ordered a burrito and it was excellent. The ingredients tasted fresh, the chicken was well-cooked, and the rice was just right. The combination of toppings rounded out a satisfying meal. Though the soda fountain was out of order, they had a decent selection of canned and bottled beverages.

I highly recommend giving Vaquero Mexican Grill a shot. It’s similar to Chipotle, but with an authentic touch and a noticeably better taste. It’s...