Review El Sabor - Melbourne

The place was buzzing on Saturday night when we came. Tacos are great and moorish. The tangy sauce drizzled over the grilled corn is an easy win for me. The sauces they have on most of the dishes are really good but there are some cuts of the beef that are tough or dry. Service is also very quick and efficient. Food - 7 Service - 9 Vibe - 7 Price - $$$

Super tasty, fair pricing. Nachos are really the bomb here and the grilled corn is lovely. Vegan Tacos could use a little work. Maybe more sauce? Unsure, they we're a little bit bland. A few beers available and lovely Mexican cola. Corona ofc here - could consider some local craft beer in cans to add to the collection. Really enjoyed it. Staff were really friendly and fast too.

Excepted something by seeing the reviews but completely disappointed with the food not even authentic Mexican food order corn 🌽 with is completely missed all the flavours and dipped with chipotle sauce instead very disappointing and also don’t want to mention about other food. One thing I definitely suggest is that don’t expect Mexican authenticity !

Really tasty wings and fajita platter. Kitchen was a bit slow to prepare food. Friendly polite service staff. Small venue, make sure to book ahead. Well priced.

Great food and service, highly recommended. Enchiladas serving size was a bit small though. Fish taco 🌮 was amazing!

The share plates for two, $40, are so filling! You don't need entrees. Chicken or beer, lots of fillings. Wish there was more guac but there is plenty of everything else. The margs are delicious, frozen ones top, spicy marg has some kick which is so good. Cute little place, would definitely recommend booking the booth downstairs for a vibe.

We sat upstairs in the restaurant. The service was lovely, we had a new staff member that was doing their best. The food was very fresh with lots of ingredients and colour. Most was midly spiced, but there were red and green sauces on the table to add flavour with a kick. It was fairly busy with most tables booked.

Excellent margaritas (seriously good)! Service was prompt and friendly and the team knew their stuff. The classic Mexican food was really well prepared, authentic and very, very tasty. For such a small place this place has everything you need. A great little place.

We ate here last night and had the worse possible service. I have intolerances and we specially ordered the nachos with no nothing except cheese (because that’s what I can tolerate) and they were bought out with everything on them. When we questioned our server she argued with us and said it was our mistake and didn’t ask for that. I also ordered their salad which didn’t specify any onion, which came out with onion. So I pretty much couldn’t eat either of my meals and spent $70 on food. Not a happy customer and won’t be returning.

3.5/5 but rounded up for Zomato. With an abundance of Mexican restaurants in Melbourne it’s hard for one to stand out. El Sabor is not the best Mexican I’ve been to but by no way the worst. Good quality food with tacos fairly priced.

Very poor! Much better Mexican out there<br/>

😱Lizzie’s first impression: was a good selection of dishes on their menu so was quite impressed <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I liked the enchaladas as it was really tasty and the green chilli was a good option. The tacos were delicious - I tried the fish ones and they were cooked fresh. The nachos were also really good and had a good ratio of guacamole and salsa. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: the place was quite small but a bit too quiet for my liking - but it was near closing time so fair enough. They kicked us out right on the dot... the ceviche wasn’t what I expected - the fish was more cooked than raw which is not what I’m used to. <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: very close to the city and easy to get to but would be great if it’s more lively.

Went here for a dinner as we were in the locale. A quiet night with only a few patrons. Restaurant relatively small with wife and I getting a both. Entree corn was delicious! Nachos seemed a bit dry with the red salsa NOT hitting the spot. We had most of their taco’s: both pork, beef, chicken and fish. Beef was my favorite. I wanted to like the place, however left feeling a bit ho hum. Will not be back. Average food, even though the claims sound amazing ie. all freshly made, made by them, etc

Great gluten free burrito on the go! The taste is delicious and I’m surprised the place isn’t busier. I found it a bit spicy for my palate but very enjoyable!

Nice neighbours, gave us a tomatillo can once for a pot plant. Can here them playing Nothing Compares 2 U by sinead O’Connor and mazzy star in the kitchen, so a little worried, please go here.

Came here for months before they decided to raise prices by $15 without increasing portion sizes. Ridiculous!<br/>Never been back - no value for money.

Wow. I don’t think I’ve actually ever been to a restaurant where EVERYTHING was bad. Most of the food was soggy which was less that ideal. <br/><br/>It’s like this place was created as a f you to white people who say they like Mexican food.

An amazingly authentic Mexican restaurant! Came here with some friends for dinner on a Monday night and we were not disappointed. The ambience is funky yet cosy. The service is prompt and attentive. And the food was amazing - great portions, delicious flavours and very affordable. I really enjoyed my grilled quesadillas with cheese, onion and mushrooms. Would highly recommend this place and would definitely return to try out some of the other menu items in the future.

I have been to El Sabor twice over the last twelve months and haven’t been disappointed at all! The food is always fresh and am keen to go back soon!

Came here for dinner when en route to a play in the neighbourhood. I booked via Zomato which was quick and easy to do after looking at well rated restaurants in the area. Looked forward to trying the tacos after hearing that the Tortillas are hand pressed on site- making this an authentic destination to try Mexican fare in Melbourne. Staff were friendly and greeted us immediately as we walked in. Helpful with explaining the menu to us as it was our first time dining here, and were able to make our tine there comfortable. <br/><br/>We decided to have a drink or two whilst sharing a ceviche and some grilled corn. Both of these dishes came quickly after we ordered them and were delicious. Loved how fresh the ceviche was- just would have loved the tortilla crisps to have been more in tact as they were hard to handle and scoop the ceviche with. We then got 3 tacos each (which were on special with a margarita for $24). I decided on trying the el pastor, carnitas (both Pork) and a pollo (chicken) taco. My partner tried a carnitas, pollo and Baja (battered fish) taco. These took a little longer to be served but were delicious and very flavoursome although smaller than I thought they would be (just slightly bigger than my palm, each). I had just been in America which set the bar high for Mexican food for me and this place came close. I’d definitely come back!

Was really looking forward to trying this place after the great reviews but was disappointed. The food was bland and servings were small. I had enfrijoladas and they were nice but nothing special. The black bean soup was rich and delicious though :)

Disappointing considering the 4.1 stars on zomato. Ordered the chicken enchiladas which were quite bland and dry. Wouldn't go back to try it again when there are other, similarly priced, Mexican options available.

I was after some good Mexican food, didn't matter if it was authentic Mexican or the Tex-Mex variety. As many have claimed this as "authentic" I found it anything but, it had Tex-Mex running through that menu. Downstairs was tight, we shared a table with another family. You also had stools at the bar and counters facing outwards.<br/><br/>We started off with some red sangaria which we found a bit sour to our liking. Our tacos rolled out, the corn tortillas smelt lovely and held up well while eating. The carnitas (pork belly) was pulled and had little resemblance of pork belly and was rather lean and dry. It paired with some guacamole which was rather smooth and creamy. The pescado (fish) was deep fried and crisp, I was trying to make out the fish but the batter was rather thick. I did enjoy it nonetheless with a bit of heat from the chipotle mayo.<br/><br/>We also got some sopes which were thick disks of corn tortilla topped with shredded chicken, beans, lettuce, cheese and cream. It wasn't bad but I am starting to see the liberal usage of shredded lettuce on a couple of dishes which in my personal opinion waters down the flavours.<br/><br/>We did enjoy the tostadas with beef, the crunchy shell was satisfying to bite into, paired with guacamole and again a lot salad. We had room for an extra dish or two but weren't overly excited by what was on offer and settled for dessert out.<br/><br/>None of the dishes came with lime nor did we see any hot sauce on our table (maybe I should have asked for it). This could have brought a bit of zip to our dishes. Overall food wasn't bad but the whole wave of Mexican food in Melbourne has made it difficult for El Sabor to stand out.

Really liked this place. Food was really nice and tasty. Ordered the fajitas, nachos and tacos. Tacos were my least favorite but still ok. I felt like the beef for the fajita should have come out sizzling but it was just warm. Overall a real nice night and will definitely give it another go

With such a depth of Mexican cuisine in Melbourne nowadays, it's hard to stand out. My experience at El Sabor was nice enough, but I can't say that I ate anything that would inspire me to return.<br/><br/>I tried the Elotes (corn), Gringa (quesadilla), tacos, nachos and chicken wings. My favourite was the chicken wings, which shouldn't be the case at a Mexican restaurant, as I don't remember eating any chicken wings in Mexico. The rest of the dishes were ok, but largely lacking in authentic flavours that I've had elsewhere, but better. The service was also very slow, with substantial efforts made to get the attention of staff, who to be fair were very pleasant. Not a bad spot at all if you're looking for safe Mexican food at a place with Mexican flags everywhere to remind you that you're at a Mexican restaurant.

The food was okay. But some of the bases tend to be a little soggy and the ground meat did not taste fresh. Only one server who was sometimes at the back or upstairs, so service was a little slower than we would like.

We've been here a few times and are consistently let down. Incredibly slow service, soggy food, bad beer selection and rubbish sangria. If you're in the area do yourself a favor and choose anywhere else.

Has a cute Mexican interior setting with 2 floors. <br/><br/>Staff was friendly and helpful.<br/><br/>I ordered vege chimichanga based on staff’s recommendation and was absolutely satisfied. It was delish - skin was perfectly deep fried crispy and the filling was so tasty. It came in a decent portion with guac and sour cream too so I didn’t quite feel the need of ordering more.<br/><br/>My friends ordered pescado, tinga de res and carnitas. Food was good overall but the serving was pretty small. <br/><br/>I found the flan just average though.

Stumbled upon this Mexican place in North Melbourne. Haven't had nachos in a while so I thought I'd get my nachos fix. I also tried green salsa for the first time with nachos and it was delicious! Loved everything about this meal from the crispy totopos (hate when they are soggy) to the pulled beef, the black beans, the cheese, the guacamole and the sour cream. Big portion too (I had to take some away) and reasonably priced. The service is also excellent. The lady who served me was very nice and helpful.

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here - it’s authentic Mexican food - not fast food as some may expect. <br/>The only disappointing thing is that they don’t have tamales anymore :( <br/>They do, however, have a vast range of impressive tequilas. <br/>Also, the service needs to be ramped up a bit with people with better communication skills and assertiveness - aside from this, it was very delicious 💖

I thought the Service was good and the restaurant had a nice vibe about it. I just thought the Food was a bit bland and we couldnt really tell the difference between each one.

We have been here a few times including two anniversary dinners. Last time there were no tamales, very disappointing, the rest of the food is great , if tamales were there they would have got a 5

In general we had a good time. We ordered some tacos, enchiladas and a quesadilla. The tacos and enchiladas were fabulous however, the quesadilla didn't have any flavour :'(. In overall, I recommend the place, friendly staff and good food.

loved the food! service was friendly and atmosphere was casual and cozy :) 10/10 ordered a bit too much though and couldn't finish it all and had to take some back home ahaha

Absolutely stunning and authentic mexican food so far.. the nachos super good.. alambres was beautiful. And the churros is the best!! Thanks

If I could give this place half a star I would. My friend and I got a dish called enfrijoladas they gave us a serving of rice which you would give to a toddler, it was the same as uncle bens Mexican rice (Package microwavable rice you buy from coles) inside the tortilla was only chicken which was cold, not seasoned and also packaged. Someone call Gordon Ramsay because this kitchen is a nightmare and needs a renovation.

Absolutely disgusting! The quality of food has dropped massively. Tiny piece of batter in the fish taco (couldn’t really call it fish as I’m not sure if their was any in the batter) bean soup in the bottom of the nacho bowl and to top it off a hair in our food. Will definitely not be returning and when staff were informed of this the staff member pretended to not understand what I was saying and said oh really! <br/>

Thursday night Margarita and three tacos for $15. Pretty good deal! The tacos were definitely nice, but not amazing. Tried the beef, pulled pork and vegan tacos. Small restaurant, I recommend booking if you’re coming with more than a couple of people.

This place is great. I had to give them a 5 - I booked dinner for a joint birthday celebration and they provided us with free fiery tequila shots!<br/><br/>There was a bit of confusion regarding the booking, but it worked out alright in the end. Small stuff.<br/><br/>But actually.. the food is excellent. I'm not expert on Mexican - I can't say if this is authentic. But it is really, really delicious. My vegetarian friends were really happy. Meat eater me was happy. I don't know how many more ways I can say it's delicious.

Fajitas are yum and the wines are nice! The decor is very homey downstairs and I've always found the staff to be friendly but they are under the pump sometimes when it gets busy. Worth a go in North Melbourne for a cheap mid week eat.

Chance encounter with this cute little spot.<br/>Relaxed atmosphere and seating. Knowledgeable and attentive staff!<br/>Food: had the Pescado (Fish) and Gringa (Meat) Tacos, Chorizo Quesadilla, Ensalada and a Flan to finish off. Tacos and Quesadillas were flavourful and reasonably priced :D Flan was a bit heavy, but I don't order flan frequently to have a baseline comparison. <br/>They also sell mexican sauces etc in their mini grocery region which look fun too :)

Great food and service. Authentic Mexican food. Can't wait to go back and try other plates. We had the fajitas for 2... plenty of food! Wish we could have had some dessert too... next time!

Generous serves of nachos at reasonable prices. The beef was seasoned perfectly and I loved the cheesiness of the nachos (and how they added guac at NO CHARGE). The burritos were pretty good too.

Very bad place, very small dishes and very expensive. The service is also not the best. I really don't recommend you to go there. This place is like a joke.

Gosh. I don;t want to be mean, but the service here was so painfullt slow. We sat upstairs and ordered a couple of beers first off and then waited 40 minutes for them. We saw the waitress coming past so many times clearing plates from empty tables before she even would come to take our order, even though we tried to tell her several times we were ready to order.<br/>The food was tasty, but probably not great value for money. I wont be back.

Such a great restaurant! Authentic Mexican food in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere. Great beer selection, really good vegetarian options and amazing service. All the staff were lovely. Will definitely be back!

Horrible nachos... lousy flavours .. had the chimichanga beef and chicken ... both very unappetising .. the chicken was unrecognisable in texture and flavour .. the Enchiladas were way overpriced and lacking in spice and volume.<br/>Basically all the same type of food presented in different arrangements..<br/>Service extremely slow... waited half hour before order was taken...<br/><br/>If want Mexican food .. make it at home.

Amazing authentic mexican food, the service was awesome. The waiters where really knowledgeable and you could they cared and where passionate about their food. Next time im driving so i can get stuck into the beers and tequila!

Like It!<br/>Not fine dining, but that's fine and well worth the $$$, as the food is GREAT!<br/>Sat upstairs, the mood and vibe was good. Plenty of table rotation and good atmosphere.<br/>The food was very flavorsome, authentic and very fresh.<br/>We sampled a lot off the menu and could not fault anything.<br/>Staff were very obliging, knew their menu very well and were more than happy to accommodate dietary requests.<br/>Its about the food here and a good fun night out and this place delivers.<br/>Will return....soon.<br/><br/>Second visit<br/>Dinner and I must say, as good as the first. Plenty off the menu sampled again and everything was terrific. The service started off a bit slow, but that's OK, given the relaxed vibe of the place. Could El Sabor be in danger of becoming one of our favourites?

An instant favourite.<br/><br/>Great ambience, a bit more of a casual bar vibe downstairs, and a larger room with more seating upstairs - both great spaces. <br/><br/>Great, authentic food - good mix of Mexican street food, and more traditional home-cooked style meals. All with house made tortiallas, mole & salsas - sooo good.<br/><br/>Good selection of Mexican beers, tequilas and mezcal - the waiter actually recommended a cheaper mezcal than the one I ordered, which he rated more highly. This kind of honesty (not upselling) was very refreshing. The mezcal was verrryy good. Also my girlfriend had "the best margarita of her life" - they know their drinks.<br/><br/>Highlight is the staff. All very friendly, fast and super helpful - and despite it being extremely busy, we never felt neglected or rushed. <br/><br/>Loved it, highly recommend!

Came here yesterday for dinner , bookings were easily made via zomato. Cute small restaurant with an upstairs dining area and friendly staff. <br/><br/>We ordered the mole and red chicken enchiladas, elote/corn, fajitas and a chicken quesadilla. <br/><br/>I enjoyed the corn on the cob, their tortillas are soft and delicious and the accompanied sauces added extra flavour to our dishes. Everything else was ok.

I've been here twice now, once with my friend Laura Bartholomeusz and other with my partner. This place is definitely great value for money. I always get the beef, pork belly and fish tacos, they are delicious. I also recommend the Margarita's, they were too tasty.. I had at least 4 the first time I went!

Found this little Mexican gem whilst looking for a place to eat before heading to the comic's lounge. The venue is quite small and cute, with a beautiful little upstairs area accompanied by a bar.<br/>Our waiter was super helpful with suggestions too!<br/>I tried a Smokey Coconut cocktail, a Mexican take on a piña colada made with a smokey tequila-like drink.<br/>The marinated beef taco was beautiful and the perfect size, and the mushroom quesadilla was subtle and delicious... definitely going back for a pre-show meal and drink in the near future :)

First time visit to El Sabor. All in all the food was good, the deep fried enchilada stood out the most as delicious, but the rest of the food was good, not amazing. Two people a bill of $75 I thought was on the pricy side for standard Mexican food. Thinking I could spend the same amount and eat somewhere like Hellenic Republic Bruwnswick or Thai Thonglor 55.. I think is be choosing the other places in future. Decor was authentic and staff were nice, would recommend a visit.

An increasing number of Mexican joints are now popping up left and right in Melbourne, but none are more traditional and authentic than El Sabor. Overall it tops it as the best authentic Mexican cuisine we’ve sampled to date, and we attribute that to it’s superbly executed corn tortilla base.

The word “authentic" springs to mind when we’re visiting El Sabor.<br/><br/>It’s a cosy venue in North Melbourne with two levels to enjoy some of their authentic Mexican recipes. We went early in the evening but could imagine that this place would be quite busy around 7PM. <br/><br/>Our favourites of the night were the nachos (omg the chips were so good) the chicken drumsticks/wings and the street corn, super tasty.<br/><br/>You can definitely taste the reason why they supply tortillas to venues all over Australia. If we’re in North Melbourne, we’d definitely come back again. (Staff are really helpful, paid parking around the area)<br/><br/>Join us for more food adventures at @melbfoodbaby on Instagram!<br/>

This was a monumental disappointment! The food lacked the vibrancy and spiciness and flavour that you associate with Mexican food. We were seated right near the kitchen and even then we still went met with any of the fragrances you would expect.

Most amazing mexican! So many different flavours.... just a taste explosion... <br/><br/>first time trying mole with a Spanish guy by my side; his opinion said it all about authenticity!<br/><br/>I will definitely return to this establishment A++++<br/><br/>Such friendly staff- makes the dining experience all that much better!<br/><br/>QB👸🏼

El Sabor by El Cielo is an authentic Mexican restaurant owned and operated by the El Cielo brand. El Sabor translates to ‘flavour” or “taste” in Spanish, which accurately represents the main attraction at this restaurant: everything is full of flavour. They have been around for a while but have recently revamped their concept, aiming to offer the most authentic Mexican experience in Melbourne.

Found this place last minute because other restaurants were either full or closed on Good Friday. Staffs were really friendly, the bartender gave us a warm welcome and told us a little bit about the place. Because of this i said yes to the margarita which he said was made fresh and nothing was frozen. The drinks were indeed really refreshing. For the food my favourite was the mushroom quesadilla, full of flavours!! And their nachos were delicious too, get the extra spicy potato because it gave a little extra kick to the dish. Highly Recommended!!

El Sabor by El Cielo, located on Victoria St, North Melbourne, specializes in authentic and traditional Mexican style comfort food in an upscale setting. The fact that the restaurant has Executive Chef Dhi (a two time winner of Restaurant & Catering award for Best Corporate Caterer (Victoria) 2012 & 2013) at its helm speaks a lot in terms of the quality of food served here.

Great food if you want the real deal! They don't cut corners, the ingredients are fresh and authentic. Nice place with very friendly staff. Best Mexican I've had here in Melbourne.

Just tried the new breakfast menu huevos Rancho - best I've ever had! I'll be back to try the rest of the menu. The staff are also super friendly and told me all about the food in Mexico and when it's traditionally eaten. Was a really enjoyable meal

My favourite mexican restaurant in melbourne! I feel like I'm in mexico every time I come here! Great service, delicious food and wonderful atmosphere. <br/>Gracias! I'll be back!

El Cielo (“the heaven”) has combined with North Melbourne’s El Sabor (“the taste”) bringing Mexican street food and home style flavours to the table. Executive chef Israel Meza (ex-Honkytonks, ACT) was born in Mexico city, and has previously served as head chef of the Mexican Embassy in Canberra. Also in the kitchen is head chef Luz Meza, who has worked with chefs like Enrique Olivera, Daniel Ovadia, and Edgar Nunez.

The best authentic Mexican food I've tried in Melbourne. Great service and good selection of food and beer! I'm looking forward to going back and trying the lunch menu

A delicious meal with lovely, attentive staff.<br/><br/>I think they encapsulated traditional Mexican food perfectly, not a superficial or overpowering use of the common Mexican ingredients like some other places in Melbourne do. It's clear the restaurant and its menu is carefully and thoughtfully considered.<br/><br/>Thanks! I'll be back

They let us sample a range of their menu, including the Pescado tacos, a baji battered fish, served with chipotle mayo, red cabbage and lime, and the carnitas, a taco with Michoacan styled slow cooked pork belly.<br/><br/>A must try is the Elotes, grilled corn smeared with chipotle mayo and cotija cheese and the enchiladas.<br/><br/>To finish off, we had both the churros and corn cake for dessert. Strongly recommend both!<br/><br/>El Sabor is on the western end of Victoria Street in North Melbourne. Their chef has come from a previous role at the Mexican Embassy so is well versed in bringing authentic Mexican falvours to their meals.<br/><br/>An absolute must try.

I enjoyed our experience here. <br/>The service was good. Informative and friendly without being pushy. The Mexican lager was surprisingly nice. <br/>The Sopes and the special Cactus salad were the winners of the night. Delicious!! <br/>The vegan tacos were very nice. The potato meat replacement is very yummy. I'd like a liiittle more chilli to come with the vegan tacos. I would've added some chilli sauce but the ones on the table are a bit too hot for me to handle. <br/>The vegan tacos are nice and full with filling and lettuce. The bill will be a bit expensive if you eat until you're full but remember- this isn't a fast food Mexican place. It's a proper restaurant and it isn't cheap. <br/><br/>To the owner: I recommend that you never reply to negative reviews or comments. It will make you look desperate grovelling to unhappy people. Some people will dislike your restaurant and that's fine. Some people will complain to try to scam you into giving them a refund or free next meal. Forget about it. Your restaurant will be good enough to succeed without them. Don't waste your time. <br/>

I understand this to be a fairly new place so I will forgive a few of the teething issues. We had chicken fajita, some pork belly tacos and a couple of other plates. Definitely room for improvement. The owner is clearly trying hard and listens to feedback so I'm fairly sure they will continue to improve. For my part the fajita had way too much capsicum (the portion was huge) and the enchilada was quite dry.

We had a really enjoyable meal at El Sabor - the chicken enchilada was my favourite dish (that mole!) and we will be going back sometime soon to try the mole degustation. The staff were friendly and attentive but they were very busy. Our margaritas were spot-on (and reasonably priced).

If i could rate this at zero i would!<br/>Man i hate Mexican restaurants!<br/>Fish tacos were $18.00 for 3 little pissy pieces of crap! I'm pretty angry about this. Frozen like supermarket fish not even hot and size of my little finger. Hardly any coleslaw!!!! Wheres the damn slaw?? And a weird hot sauce mixed in. I couldnt eat them it was so wrong!<br/>My partner had the chicken enchilada which was tiny as hell and filled with dry chicken like it was from a can and was $24! Then $30 for a cocktail that tasted like crap and the waitress failed to tell me there was coriander in it after i told her i was alergic to it and didnt want any on my meal! Plus it was chunky and had horrible little bits in it. $80 later and had to get cheeseburgers a few hours later...<br/>I hate restaurants that use cheap nasty ingredients and are tight on servings and then rip you off. Disgraceful.. it really is. 👎👎👎 SqueezyD<br/>Cheeseburgers for sure over this!!!

Delicious, and clean Mexican - really enjoyed it. Serving felt a tiny bit small but would dine here again a heartbeat! The sangria was very good too.

Great authentic Mexican food & brilliant service! <br/>The 'antojitos mexicanos' share plate is delicious if you're not sure what to choose. <br/>Definitely worth a try if you are in the area :)

Good food, friendly staff and great cocktails. I especially recommend their paloma. Conveniently right near the tram and a car park across the road. Recently had a make-over and is looking good.

The homemade corn chips took us back to our recent month long trip in Mexico! Chunky with a creamy Guac and green salsa the perfect kick start to the meal. Followed it up with the elotes with mayo and grated cheese which was pretty good, could have done with a touch more mayo maybe. Fish tacos were super tasty and the pastor tacos (pork) were a touch on the dry side. Fantastic enfrijoladas covered in a super yummy black (bean?) sauce and a side of rice. Finished off nicely with a deliciously warm corn cake and a complimentary shot of a creamy tequila cocktail. Service was very personable. Happy to come back again and sample more drinks and dishes!

Mexican Restaurant taken over by new owners only 4 weeks ago. Although a very tasty Margarita at $15 a pop the presentation needs to be worked on. It was obvious the lemons we freshly squeezed and amount of tequila spot on. The Nachos were sensational with home made corns chips which were thick, crisp and fresh; some of the best I have had. The seasoned corn on cob was different and a must. I then had a 1 beef and 1 chicken quesadillas which were very tasty, crispy and filled with cheese and cream. I chose to add guacomole which made them even better. An extra waiter downstairs would have been very beneficial. My only complaint is the take away customers crowding the middle of the restaurant and around the bar area. All staff very pleasant. I will definately go back

The worst Tacos and Nachos I have ever had. Their beef is actually predominantly onion, yet they were still extremely stingey with it. The tacos, basically came with a smear of the onion, with random cheese sprinkled on top. Will never be going back here.

Ordered on menulog. I expect a little less quality for delivered food but this was so poor. Enchilada was a massive container filled with rice and two tiny taco tortillas with dry chicken and no other filling. Came with the smallest pot of guacamole ever seen. Taco kit was rubbish. Bit of shredded cabbage and some dry tasteless shredded beef. Chicken wings has no sauce or flavour. Just dry cooked wings. Paid over 70 bucks for this. Garbage.

Have wanted to try authentic Mexican food for a long time and we were delighted with this place. Soft corn tortillas with fresh sides and salads along with amazingly cooked proteins. I wouldn't recommend the pork taco as the sides had a bit of a funky taste but some people are into that. Enchiladas, Mexican rice, tequila, tacos, wings and quesadillas were all amazing and I would definitely recommend this place

Dined here on a Friday night and it was pretty packed. Downstairs was quite small, not too sure about the space upstairs. There was a lot to choose from on the menu, there were 6 of us and we had tacos (pulled beef & slow cooked pork), chorizo quesadillas, chicken fajitas, the calamari, bbq chicken wings and enchilada. We waited around 40 mins for our food and by then we were pretty hungry. Overall I really enjoyed everything we had, the pulled beef and pork was really soft, the quesadilla didn't really have much chorizo flavour but was still nice and the fajitas was very filling. Would come back another time.

Whilst the Mexican food trend is 'so yesterday', to me, a good Mexican restaurant will never go out of fashion. El Sabor, a Mexican Cantina located in North Melbourne, is one such restaurant. Reservations at El Sabor are possible, but definitely not necessary - for a Thursday night the restaurant was practically empty. This, of course, was a concern at first - I mean, if this place was any good, where were all the people?? But luckily the food didn't disappoint.

Went here for the 6 course meal ! Well as cheesy as it sounds ! I was a bit disappointed about the quantity of food offered ! But the food was delicious ! Over weekends the place is quite packed and since it's a bit cramped, it tends to get a bit noisy ! If you crave for Mexican in North Melbourne, look no further

Over priced and no flavour I had the chicken fajita and the nachos with a little effort you could cook better at home. <br/>Staff where very nice and the Service was excellent food a big let down

Awesome food, ordered the beef nachos & beef burrito, delicious & very tasty. The servings are very generous & the staff were great, awesome food, awesome place, def recommend 👍🏽

Food was fantastic and was presented neatly. Portions were sizeable. This place deserves a better rating if not for the ill mannered and arrogant staff. I almost felt one scoff when we asked about what the dish consisted of. Had half a mind of jumping ship, but the appetizers came just in time.

I was looking for that "Hook Line and Sinker" experience.<br/>Awesome Melbourne's Winter evening .... <br/><br/>Easy to park the car, looks like a great evening, Mexican degustation dishes to come.<br/><br/>It didn't start well with the Sangria.<br/><br/>Grilled Corn Cob as an opener, followed by Calamari ....Chicken Wings .... looking good so far, then it just hovered, stalled, palate not going anywhere.<br/><br/>Very small dishes/serving to share.<br/><br/>3 bottles of FANTASTIC hot sauces on the table.<br/><br/>House Red, Hunter Valley Shiraz has been opened too long.<br/><br/>Pleasant service and nice ambiance.<br/><br/>Can't say it's our favourite at this stage.

Nice midweek meal, decent value but nothing fancy! We enjoyed the calamari (fresh n tender), wings and corn (great balance of flavours). However the albondigas and churros are nothing special. The sangria was a lot sweeter than what I'm used to. Overall, this was a pleasant meal but nothing more.

While the burritos and nachos were quite delicious, I think the delivery time was a bit too long, 1 hr and 15 mins. On top of that, they forgot a few items from our order but happily delivered it 10 mins later. Despite this I would return to eat in.

Fantastic. I have just had my fourth meal at El Sabor in two weeks. The food is inexpensive and delicious. The staff are really friendly. I can't recommend it highly enough!

EveLovelle was invited to dine as guest at  El Sabor Mexican feast at El Sabor, a hidden gem situated at North Melbourne along Victoria Street. There aren't too many Mexican restaurants in this area, so if you live around this region, this place should be under your must visit list. Dhi, the current director of El Sabor had prepared a storm for us tonight. Most of the main dishes served at El Sabor are gluten free, and this place is pretty much heaven for those on a gluten free diet. Tortillas used are corn tortillas, and fried batters are also made with corn flour. Even if you are not on a gluten free diet, everything was made out great and taste was not compromised with all these gluten free substitutes. Sangria El Sabor To start Jan got a jug of Sangria that can pretty much fill up two glasses. It had a distinct red wine taste with a little bit of brandy. The cut out apples on the glass made the drink sweeter and Jan said it tasted pretty damn amazing. Alitas These drumlets and wings used up 12 different kinds of spices grilled to perfection, from paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne and many more. Our first instinct was how it reminded us of good old aromatic satays. We especially loved how the skin absorbed all of the spices making it a hundred times better than normal wings. Calamares Fritos The calamari frites was one of the best I have ever eaten. The cornstarch batter and various spices made it unique. It was served with calamari capers and salsa brava on top.  Calamari and guacamole, two of my favourite things!  Hence dipping the fritos with guacamole and lemon aioli was absolutely phenomenal. Sopes Dhi let us try the more exotic Mexican dishes that we wouldn't usually order when coming to a Mexican restaurant. I was so used to ordering tacos, burritos, quesadillas, ensaladas, and we would usually circle around these variation. Tonight was something else, and we got to try a more traditional Mexican dishes we have never tried before. Sopes is like bruschetta

A taco is a taco right? Wrong. And as it turns out, those crispy yellow things I’ve been calling tacos all this time are actually an American invention. El Sabor Restaurant in North Melbourne focuses on quality modern Mexican food. Don’t worry, you will still get your guacamole fix but with elegant flavour combinations and plenty of style. Executive Chef Dhi explained that they wanted to bring affordable Mexican food to the area with some creative flair whilst keeping the classics and doing them well. The other big thing I have to mention is that almost everything on the menu is gluten free. This is coeliac heaven. The churros (which I will get to) are not gluten free and they have their very own deep fryer, no cross contamination.

The fingers of pastry were briefly fried for a crisp exterior and a gooey centre, but their full potential was not unleashed until it was dipped into the chocolate sauce. Consisting of a mix of Mexican chocolate, dark chocolate, and a slick of cream, the sauce tasted of nothing but sugar for a second or two, before the soft explosion of cocoa hit. It was a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, its creamy richness heated by the coating of powdered cinnamon on the churros.

Unfortunately one of the worst dining experience myself and my husband have ever had.<br/>No one greeted us in the restaurant and we stood around very uncomfortably for too long.<br/>They got our order wrong twice and the food was extremely poor.

Shocking!!. Poor service was waiting over 30 mins for a waiter to take our food order even after staring at the owner who just stared back at me blankly. He greeted most other customers except our table which I thought was quite rude. Food was a major let down, for the price you pay you would expect larger portions and better quality.

Lovely service and yummy food! I'd recommend this place to others. The dishes all came out fresh and hot which I really liked and the owner kept refilling everyone's glasses of water.

Great Mexican!. We bought a groupon deal and were really impressed! They were very accommodating for my vegetarian diet and everything was delicious! (apart from the sangria) Love the little corn kernel salad. Recommend :)

Went using a groupon voucher - food was yummy, but not amazing, but for the price it was fair. Service a bit slow to start, but good once the dishes started coming out. A pleasant restaurant and we weren't rushed.

Went here last night with a groupon deal and it was great. Perfect level of spice, comforting tasty food, lots of food, and delicious Churros! Thanks guys.

There are only good things you can say about El Sabor. From the lovely and attentive staff to the delicious fresh dishes, this is the perfect restaurant for any occasion. I have to commend the staff and owner Eddie as they have created a very warm and friendly environment. I can see this fast becoming one of our favourite restaurants in Melbourne. Definitely the best Mexican I've had in a while.

Delicioso!. The dishes are fresh and all have excellent flavour. Staff are attentive and friendly. Good atmosphere and yummy sangria!

Me Gusta!. I love this place! food is terrific tge best mexican I have had in a long time and great price! very nice restaurant to eat in as well!

This was hands down the best mexican food I've had. The food was tasty, nice decore, great selection of drinks and the best service

Had a great time. Good good good service, great drinks, good spot, eat the nachos, really good

Great food. Great service. Everything you want in a restaurant. will be back.

Melbourne's best nachos. As I work close by, El Sabor is a favourite local haunt to head for lunch. Not only are the staff exceptionally attentive and friendly but the authentic Mexcian cuisine is simply to die for. The vegetarian nachoes are the best I have ever sampled in Melbourne and are an absolute bargain at just $9.00 (as part of the lunchtime special).