El Traviezo Mexican Food — Restaurant in Norwich

Restaurant changed from La Stella Italian to El Traviezo in May 2025.

A-MAZING drinks, food, ambience and staff!! We used to travel to Westerly RI (Amigos, also yummy) but this is much closer to home. Went for date night first last week then brought the kids this week.

The DRINKS: Both times the margaritas were so good and well-balanced. My fave is the “Perfect Margarita” and it did not disappoint x 2 (and I’m a snob when it comes to margaritas). My lady had the cherry and house margaritas both yummy too (yes I tried them both).

The FOOD: OMG. Not kidding. Taco Tuesday is the day to go for those addicting Birria tacos with consommé dip! My 12-yo who loves Mexican food said this was better than Rio Salado’s carnitas which used to be his favorite. My lady had the empanadas and that fried shell made the meal even more tasty. Another go-to entree. I also sampled my boy’s mole burrito with chicken. That chicken was so tender and still juicy…the mole sauce was perfectly balanced between sweet with a mild spiciness on the back end. Good enough for my boy to gobble it all up.

The AMBIENCE: colorful, cheery, vibrant, energetic. If you’re still on a bad mood after a margarita and a live Mariachi band on Wednesdays, then you might need more than Mexican vibes to help you.

The STAFF: you can tell the lik/LOVE where they are. I specifically want to shout out to STEFFI who has been there with us every time we come in. She knows our names, our story, and what we like to eat/drink. Her personality is infectious and the rest of the staff follow her lead to provide customer service that defines a small town restaurant where locals are family.

If that’s TLDR and you just scrolled down to the last line of this review: GO TO EL TRAVIEZO and thank me later.; you will not regret it.

See you...

This is a new favorite spot for my wife and I. We had a favorite Mexican restaurant back in DC when we lived there and since we moved back to CT in 2020, we have had yet to fill the void. This place is authentic and I can't stop eating the burritos here lol. Traditional margarita is quality. No slacking here. Keep up the good work!!

Edit May 2025: Tried the new location craving the perfect fish burrito I used to get at the old location and was kinda underwhelmed. Something changed with the recipe and also the classic sauces they used to serve with every dish were nowhere to be found. The chips were a bit overdone and they abandoned their delicious salsa for a sort of ok green sauce. I asked if they still had the salsa and the staff were... confused. They only offered pico de gallo. Super strange for a Mexican restaurant to not have salsa for the chips. I love what this place used to be and hope they return to the classic food experience I know and love. Wishing them the best and I'll check back in a few months. The space itself is very well done. I just think too much has changed from what kept me coming...

What a great addition to Norwich. This place is one awesome casual Mexican restaurant that delivers with delicious food & drinks. I started off with a coconut margarita with a salted rim. Quite refreshing & balanced in the boozy department. They also provided a basket of fresh chips & what I would assume was an avocado salsa? Chips were freshly made, the salsa, mildly spicy. A great compliment to the cocktail.

Since today as of this review is Tuesday the server informed us about it being taco Tuesday and recommended the Quesabirria so thats exactly what I got. It was packed full of flavor. Tender beef, fresh limes, Consommé, and hot sauce. All the ingredients came together to make a rich taste that made every bite worth it.

Even though the fullness was overwhelming me I had to indulge in some fried ice cream. The warm crisp outside with a creamy cold center surrounded by drizzles of different sauces. It was a perfect way to finish my dinner. Overall this is a great addition to Norwich. It nails it on presentation, service and delicious food. Will...