El Jefe Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar — Restaurant in Maryland

Our family had a house on the Chester River for many years so I can't believe we never tried this place before this evening but thank goodness a coupon deal on Landmarks enticed us to finally check it out. We arrived a little after 6 and sat at the bar so that we could take advantage of their happy hour pricing. The bar was pretty full but we found a couple of bar stools near the end (albeit one stool was occupied by a man's flip flopped feet which he clearly had no intention of moving so that we could have easier access to the other 2 stools but we managed to squeeze in) and the bartender came over right away to take our drink order. Thankfully when we got our drinks we ordered some Queson Fundido and the chips & salsa because it took quite a bit for her to stop back by to see if we were ready to order. A bar back delivered our apps fairly quickly and eventually we were able to place our dinner order which was again, delivered by the same young man within about 10 minutes. The Queso Fundido had a meager sprinkling of chorizo, not even enough that you could taste to appreciate it but the cheese was really rich and tasty and complimented the salsa. The chicken flautas were delicious and much larger than the ones we get at another Mexican restaurant and the Mango Habanero dipping sauce packed the perfect punch of heat. The shrimp tacos were also very good although I would have preferred the shrimp to be blackened or at least have some sort of seasoning but I added some black beans, rice and a little of the Mango Habanero Sauce and they were much more flavorful then as served. The overall vibe of the place is really welcoming and not too loud, even on Football Sunday, the only drawback was that the bartender was not very attentive but that probably had more to do with the fact that she was the only one servicing the bar as well as making drinks for the restaurant. Everyone at our end of the bar had a hard time getting drink refills or really any attention whatsoever unless we could get her attention. The one time she did come to our end she had her back to us watching the game and couldn't hear hubby asking for another beer. We would definitely come back but next time we'll probably get a table in the restaurant and pay the couple extra dollars over the happy hour prices in exchange for...

Almost every Tuesday we visit for dinner and it's the best Mexican food in town. It's not anything over the top, just a simple tradition menu and for a very fair price. Usually it's easy to get a table with no wait and the staff is very friendly and kind. They are quick to get your orders in and the food comes out even faster. The food is always well seasoned and tasteful though sometimes the steak or chicken comes out very well done. I usually don't recommend them and suggest the pork, shrimp and fish. They have always been cooked right, especially the pork, it's a favorite of mine. The birria tacos are very good also and highly recommended when they are available. Anyone looking for a drink with a punch the house margaritas will do it. They don't hold back so they can be a bit rough to drink but if you're looking for a good kick for cheap that's the best thing to get outside of a straight shot of tequila 😅. If you go in on certain days they are on sale for only $3.50 each, that's a fantastic deal. Outside of typical dine in and bar aspects they hold all kinds of fun events for adults and kids from live music nights to costume parties to Easter egg painting. There's always something going on for everyone at El Jefe making it one of my favorite places to...

Our meal was poor. Our service even poorer. . Meal #1 Ordered shrimp fajitas with black beans and no sour cream or cheese. Never got the beans. Sour cream came so it had to go back (lactose intolerant). Meal served without a plate. Request brought a saucer. Second request for a plate brought a dirty one. Fajitas assembled on plate covered with a napkin. Meal#2 Ordered 2 chicken tacos hard shell with extra cheese and extra lettuce. 2 soft shell came. Waitress said this was the standard shell and I didn't say Hard. She never asked either. Mutual mistake but instead of taking and replacing. (She argued! Poor staff training!) I demanded hard shells. 2 tacos in hard shell came, no extra cheese or lettuce this time. Waitress delivered them from behind my shoulder. Attitude. The waitress never returned to the table again to see if all was well, to see if we wanted drink refill, to see if we wanted desert or to see if we were ready for the bill. She plopped the bill down and walked away. the manager had to be flagged to take the payment. The food: Tacos good but lacked the extra cheese and lettuce I ordered. the fajitas were skimpy. Nice amount of shrimp, very little grilled veggies. Think twice...