El Juarez Mexican - McKinney

El Juárez easily earns 5 stars for it's incredible value and tastiness. Set in downtown McKinney, it's in a fun, walkable area with lots of shops, bakeries and other restaurants. You'd be hard-pressed to find a value quite like El Juárez at any restaurant in 2023. The prices here are like something out of a time warp. I ordered the daily special (It was Wednesday, so an enchilada dinner) and it was $6.50!!! Okay, so you may ask yourself- if it's $6.50, it must be mediocre- but it's really anything but. I found my meal to be something I'd easily expect to pay nearly double for. First, the plate and food were very hot- gotta love when the food is absolutely piping hot! I had the enchilada dinner which consists of rice, beans and two enchiladas. First- the beans were incredible! They were not too greasy or salty. The full flavor of the beans really came through. The rice is great too- fluffy and has a mellow, yet slightly garlicky quality to it. The enchiladas were in a delicious chili sauce that wasn't too heavy. Now the cheese was somewhat oily, but I really enjoyed it! Sometimes a good processed cheese is the ultimate guilty pleasure :-P The service is nice and attentive. I had a really pleasant waitress who was very polite and was always around when I needed her. As for the atmosphere itself- think hole in the wall. It reminds me of so many Tex-Mex restaurants I used to frequent as a kid. Nothing fancy, and even a subtle aroma of old-building hangs in the air, but I'm perfectly fine with it. What El Juárez lacks in atmosphere, it makes up with authenticity. It feels like an undisturbed, hidden gem and I hope it stays like this. It's nice to strip away the pretentiousness of so many other places and just have some real good food.

Food was decent, not bad not great. service was very good. The problem is that they will over charge your card vs what is on the menu. For example, 3 chicken tacos on menu $8.50, they will charge $8.84. #3 is $8.95 on menu, they charge $9.31, 3 burritos $7.95 they charge you $8.27, Pollito plate $4.95 they charge $5.15 etc. The number on receipt goes to an invalid number. When you find right number, they just say manager isn't here and hang up.

Took forever to get our food. When the food came out it was cold. They didn't give us all our food. Just a bad experience overall.

The food was average. The prices were not the same as what was listed online. I paid $36.00 for two dishes and the portions were not very generous. Additionally, my styrofoam container was damaged and melted.

My experience at this restaurant has been consistently excellent each time I've visited. The atmosphere is cozy and has a charming hole-in-the-wall feel to it. The staff have always been friendly and welcoming. The food is authentic and incredibly tasty, especially the Carne Guisada which is a personal favorite. The hand-made tortillas are a definite highlight. Despite being an older establishment located in downtown, it's definitely worth the visit. Just be aware of the ongoing construction on Louisiana St. and check their hours before heading over, as they are closed on Mondays.