El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Raleigh

I had a difficult time writing this review. I just moved to the neighborhood and was craving a burrito. I picked a hispanic restaurant at random and set out to get dinner. When I arrived, I thought it would be the typical mexican establishment. I was greeted by smiling faces and the smell of chicken fajitas. I was handed my burrito and left the establishment to eat it in the car. Upon opening my box, i had realized the burrito was poorly rolled. Disappointed, I picked it up and took the first bite. What happened next is hard to explain. A tingling feeling raced up my toes, legs, and groin area. A wave of warmth radiated from my heart to my pelvis. My legs began to quiver and I let out a groan. Then, without any warning, my entire body began to convulse. I had multiple o's back to back in their parking lot. Drenched in sweat, I took another bite, for the same experience to take over my body yet again. How could a burrito taste this good? Was it the chicken? The pico? The secret chipotle sauce? In my years of traveling, I have never had a burrito that compared. Was it crafted not by the smiling faces who greeted me in the lobby, but by aliens? Or did god himself craft this burrito in the cosmos and hand it to the cashier to give to me? Stunned, astonished, and slightly in love, I sit in my car and write this review. I will not be able to go home. I could not bear to be that far from this establishment. Besides, what will my wife think when she sees me? I must have another. I cannot live...

Food was good, the alcohol was better, the service was bad, and I mean BAD!!!!! I think the only English they understand is check and tip… We asked if they had table side guacamole they said yes, which showed up 1/2 way through our dinner, plus it wasn’t table side, it was from a can… The Margarita showed up when our fajitas showed up, and the only reason why it showed up when it did, is because I reminded them several times on each item… We never got refills…. Bad service = bad tip, even though I stilled tipped 15%, I should have left them .01, that would have gotten there attention then leaving no tip at all…. Learn the language and your restaurant might be busier… I will not be back… There is two other Mexican restaurants within 2 blocks of this place, it’s just a matter of time before they put a going out of business sign up if they don’t get there...

We dined here the other day, where I decided on fajitas like I do at most Mexican restaurants. The portion of food was extremely fair for the price and the flavor was overall pretty good! The chicken and steak were cooked well but could have had a bit more seasoning cooked in to really make it sing.

The service was fast, and efficient, and they came around enough to make sure we didn't need anything but not so much that it was obnoxious. Good marks there.

The atmosphere could use some work. the building needs a bit of work and a ceiling fan not far from where we were sitting was making a pretty awful noise on a very musical cadence which made it hard for my wife to concentrate and have a nice discussion.

All in all, solid 3.5-4 out of 5, with I think the atmosphere and building needing the most work to bring that...