Food: *****
Staff: ****
Ambiance: ***1/2
Experience: ****
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Address: 1700 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE 19809
Website: http://eltapatiode.com/restaurant/
Phone #: (302) 791-9566
I lived in Parsippany, NJ for about 3 years, and it was almost impossible for me to find good Mexican food. I was fortunate enough to find Cocina del Sol when I moved to Frenchtown, but as a proper foodie, one good restaurant per style of cuisine is not enough. My mother-in-law heard about my Mexican food craving, so she decided to surprise me with a trip to El Tapatio about a year ago. To put it in perspective, I think I have been there about 8-10 times this past year.
In an era when fine dining portions are what's trendy, El Tapatio is about simple food made to perfection and in large, family style amounts at a fantastic price. I guarantee that you will not leave this place hungry. When you walk in, you will immediately recognize the bright colors you would associate with a Cinco de Mayo party, along with some more authentic Mexican decor. To the right is a raised seating section with several booths, and the central focus point of the room is the bar. The family-friendly atmosphere is immediately apparent. The wait-staff will greet you soon after you seat yourself (unless it's busy...then they will seat you), but on a few occasions my family and I have had to wait to get menus and to give our beverage orders. It's no big deal to me, as I'm always in good company with plenty to talk about, but I could see it as being a bit irksome to others. The wait-staff are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and it is clear that they are proud of their heritage. If you're unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine beyond the taco, ask for a recommendation. They will gladly make a few suggestions for you!
Now, for my favorite part, let's talk about the food! Every meal starts off with warm tortilla chips and a small pitcher of homemade salsa. The salsa is fresh and slightly spicy, and it is probably one of the top 3 salsas I have every had in my life. It's smooth but not pureed, and the added crunch of some of the raw vegetables and the acidity of the citrus make for a great bite to share with the table.
Faye and her parents definitely have a favorite appetizer, and I have never seen a presentation like this one. The Shrimp Cocktail is everything that you could hope for! You get a 8 large, chilled shrimp and more cocktail sauce than you could ever need served in a large glass oyster shell with a side of saltine crackers and lime wedges. This app is just as fresh as the salsa, and the meaty shrimp manage to hold up quite well to the horseradish in the cocktail sauce. Having stolen quite a few of these shrimp from Faye, I highly recommend this one!
My go-to appetizer is the Flautas. This app comes with 2 Beef and 2 Chicken Flautas, small fried soft tacos, with a side of lettuce, tomato, and guacamole to top them with. I wasn't quite sure what I was about to get when I ordered it the first time. I was surprised that they were not greasy and that the meat was the true star. I highly recommend topping them with the sides to brighten up the app with a fresh crispiness. I would recommend sharing this one, even though it looks small. The main course that is on the way to the table is going to be more food than you probably feel comfortable eating (but you might eat it all anyway...it's that good!).
I order the same main course every time I go: the Combination Fajitas. It's the perfect, sizzling mix of Chicken, Beef, and Shrimp cooked with Tomato, Onion, and Bell Pepper. This one comes to the table smoking hot and packed with flavor and freshness (are you sensing a trend?). Served with a side of Lettuce, Tomato, Guacamole, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, and 3 Flour Tortillas, this is comfortably two meals on its own. As this is a create-your-own Fajita mix, you get to decide whether to focus on the proteins separately or mix them up as you please. I like to put all 3 proteins into each tortilla, making each bite a surprise. This is a non-spicy meal that will give you your vegetable servings for the day while filling you up. I also recommend adding the beans to the tortillas to bring everything together. I promise you will love this dish!
Faye and my mother-in-law tend to order the same thing every time as well: Alambre Shish-Kebabs. This meal is made up of 2 grilled skewers of thinly-sliced chicken breast and Shrimp, served with the usual side of Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Mexican Rice. The Chicken and Shrimp are slightly blackened, and the sides will brighten up the grilled flavor of the proteins. This entree is everything that you want out of a Mexican meal.
My father-in-law's meal is by far the most impressive, and it is the MUST ORDER dish on the menu if you want to get a taste of everything El Tapatio can do: Special Tapatio. This combo platter is made up of an Enchilada, a Burrito, a Tamale, a Chile Relleno, a Tostada, a Beef Taco, and a side of Mexican Rice and Refried Beans. Anything that you could want from a Mexican restaurant will come out on these 3 plates...that's right, I said 3 plates. Its the perfect mix of meaty, cheesy goodness. You could easily feed 2 people with this one, and my father-in-law is always sharing his with the family. You need to order this one if you think you have the stomach capacity to take it down!
I've never been disappointed with this restaurant, and I think it is safe to say that El Tapatio serves some of the best Mexican food that I have ever eaten. If you get the chance, you need to check it out. The food is as fresh as you could ever want (again, the constant theme), and the atmosphere is very family-friendly. If you're there on a Saturday, they even have a Mariachi Band (if that's your thing). Next time you're craving Mexican cuisine, give El Tapatio a try!
Staff: ****
Ambiance: ***1/2
Experience: ****
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Address: 1700 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE 19809
Website: http://eltapatiode.com/restaurant/
Phone #: (302) 791-9566
I lived in Parsippany, NJ for about 3 years, and it was almost impossible for me to find good Mexican food. I was fortunate enough to find Cocina del Sol when I moved to Frenchtown, but as a proper foodie, one good restaurant per style of cuisine is not enough. My mother-in-law heard about my Mexican food craving, so she decided to surprise me with a trip to El Tapatio about a year ago. To put it in perspective, I think I have been there about 8-10 times this past year.
In an era when fine dining portions are what's trendy, El Tapatio is about simple food made to perfection and in large, family style amounts at a fantastic price. I guarantee that you will not leave this place hungry. When you walk in, you will immediately recognize the bright colors you would associate with a Cinco de Mayo party, along with some more authentic Mexican decor. To the right is a raised seating section with several booths, and the central focus point of the room is the bar. The family-friendly atmosphere is immediately apparent. The wait-staff will greet you soon after you seat yourself (unless it's busy...then they will seat you), but on a few occasions my family and I have had to wait to get menus and to give our beverage orders. It's no big deal to me, as I'm always in good company with plenty to talk about, but I could see it as being a bit irksome to others. The wait-staff are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and it is clear that they are proud of their heritage. If you're unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine beyond the taco, ask for a recommendation. They will gladly make a few suggestions for you!
Now, for my favorite part, let's talk about the food! Every meal starts off with warm tortilla chips and a small pitcher of homemade salsa. The salsa is fresh and slightly spicy, and it is probably one of the top 3 salsas I have every had in my life. It's smooth but not pureed, and the added crunch of some of the raw vegetables and the acidity of the citrus make for a great bite to share with the table.
Faye and her parents definitely have a favorite appetizer, and I have never seen a presentation like this one. The Shrimp Cocktail is everything that you could hope for! You get a 8 large, chilled shrimp and more cocktail sauce than you could ever need served in a large glass oyster shell with a side of saltine crackers and lime wedges. This app is just as fresh as the salsa, and the meaty shrimp manage to hold up quite well to the horseradish in the cocktail sauce. Having stolen quite a few of these shrimp from Faye, I highly recommend this one!
My go-to appetizer is the Flautas. This app comes with 2 Beef and 2 Chicken Flautas, small fried soft tacos, with a side of lettuce, tomato, and guacamole to top them with. I wasn't quite sure what I was about to get when I ordered it the first time. I was surprised that they were not greasy and that the meat was the true star. I highly recommend topping them with the sides to brighten up the app with a fresh crispiness. I would recommend sharing this one, even though it looks small. The main course that is on the way to the table is going to be more food than you probably feel comfortable eating (but you might eat it all anyway...it's that good!).
I order the same main course every time I go: the Combination Fajitas. It's the perfect, sizzling mix of Chicken, Beef, and Shrimp cooked with Tomato, Onion, and Bell Pepper. This one comes to the table smoking hot and packed with flavor and freshness (are you sensing a trend?). Served with a side of Lettuce, Tomato, Guacamole, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, and 3 Flour Tortillas, this is comfortably two meals on its own. As this is a create-your-own Fajita mix, you get to decide whether to focus on the proteins separately or mix them up as you please. I like to put all 3 proteins into each tortilla, making each bite a surprise. This is a non-spicy meal that will give you your vegetable servings for the day while filling you up. I also recommend adding the beans to the tortillas to bring everything together. I promise you will love this dish!
Faye and my mother-in-law tend to order the same thing every time as well: Alambre Shish-Kebabs. This meal is made up of 2 grilled skewers of thinly-sliced chicken breast and Shrimp, served with the usual side of Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Mexican Rice. The Chicken and Shrimp are slightly blackened, and the sides will brighten up the grilled flavor of the proteins. This entree is everything that you want out of a Mexican meal.
My father-in-law's meal is by far the most impressive, and it is the MUST ORDER dish on the menu if you want to get a taste of everything El Tapatio can do: Special Tapatio. This combo platter is made up of an Enchilada, a Burrito, a Tamale, a Chile Relleno, a Tostada, a Beef Taco, and a side of Mexican Rice and Refried Beans. Anything that you could want from a Mexican restaurant will come out on these 3 plates...that's right, I said 3 plates. Its the perfect mix of meaty, cheesy goodness. You could easily feed 2 people with this one, and my father-in-law is always sharing his with the family. You need to order this one if you think you have the stomach capacity to take it down!
I've never been disappointed with this restaurant, and I think it is safe to say that El Tapatio serves some of the best Mexican food that I have ever eaten. If you get the chance, you need to check it out. The food is as fresh as you could ever want (again, the constant theme), and the atmosphere is very family-friendly. If you're there on a Saturday, they even have a Mariachi Band (if that's your thing). Next time you're craving Mexican cuisine, give El Tapatio a try!