Came here a while back with a bunch of friends. Food was excellent and I really enjoyed the vibe of the place. The venue had a little hiccup with our reservation but otherwise a great place to eat, have a drink and hang out with friends.
If you'd like to read more of my reviews, please check out my Zomato page and visit @cynthiaeats_ on Instagram for more photos!
Staff: very friendly
Food: the beef taco was my favourite but the SALSA, omg, the salsa inside the beef taco was incredible!! I need to know how they made it đ
Pricey! But love the old school venue, food has always been amazing and the Margaritas are top notch! Cool place to go with a few pals for a fun, cheeky little feed and a few pre's! I'll be back next time I'm in Sydders X
Canât go wrong with $5 taco Tuesdays! Quite busy at dinner time but they have plenty of seats inside and out. Order at the front bar, but I believe they have a second bar at the back too! Very lively place. Staff were really nice and food came out quite quickly, excellent service. Food was absolutely delicious, I had hot dog and boy did it not disappoint, it was packed with all the goodies. The fish tacos, one word YUM. The aguachille was very balanced. Would definitely come back again.
nice atmosphere to spend some time with friends. food was good and portions were moderate alongside with the prices. A nice mexican bar for sure
Decided to give El loco burgers a try! It definitely did not disappoint! You honestly canât go wrong with chicken and classic burgers, probably the safest option. The fries were cooked very well and burgers were delicious! Definitely one of my the good spots on my list!
Loving the Mexican deco of this place! The chorizo quesadilla was OK. The shrimp taco was just so-so; while the carne asada taco was spot on. đ
I love the ambience. Itâs perfect for a late night drink with friends. Unfortunately the foods that we tried (baja fish tacos, pollo tacos, and salt and pepper calamari) were not that good. We bought apple cider and it was so refreshing
I went for lunch with a friend here once and it was a decent experience. Since itâs more of a bar your expectations shouldnât be huge, but it was enjoyable. They had good food which was what we essentially went for. We ordered, tacos - super loaded đ€€ some loco fries - tad too salty and chicken wings - hot as our sun and spiced perfectly with the green El yucateco sauce (table sauce). Service was politely and patiently given. Vibe was quiet since we went during lunch.
Fun Mexican atmosphere, highly authentic (I think?). The food also seems very accurate to Mexican cuisine which naturally, is pretty tasty. Main gripe is the prices seem a TAD much for certain meals. Also - nitpicking a bit here - but good luck trying to eat a taco without spilling the juice from the meat everywhere...make sure you have A LOT of serviettes before eating those!
Juhi- Culture And Cuisine
+3.5
El loco is ideally located in Surry Hills and is easily accessible. It serves some delicious food and offers an authentic experience.
Went with a few mates today and ordered a lot on the menu. While almost everything tasted delicious, we all agreed that the food was overpriced. The portions were small and very expensive.
Least favorite on the table were the nachos. As delicious as they looked, they lacked taste and authenticity.
The mocktail was also extremely pricey and did not meet standards. Personally, El loco in Surry Hills is a one time experience for me and wouldn't necessarily be revisited.
The Naked Food Addict
+3.5
Such a great mexican bar! Fantastic service, food and atmosphere! I love their asada (beef) taco's and their chorizo quesadilla's are delicious too. I'm also a big fan of their corn chips with guacamole & salsa and their churro's with caramel sauce are to die for... I literally eat the caramel sauce with a spoon because it is so warm and perfect! Would recommend for a Friday night because they have such a cool vibe. They also do delicious alcohol jugs too!
Ordered the nachos, chicken quesadilla, fish and beef tacos and churros for desert. Overall everything was great, especially the chicken quesadilla. However, the churros was a dissapointment as it do not taste like the normal churros and its very oily and dough-y.
Really enjoyed the tacos! They are quite big and well made. Fantastic atmosphere when there is not to many people in there. I would say go early if you want a chilled dinner. Its a nice fusion between bar and restaurant. Nachos were also amazing!
Way back when, in the mists of time, when El Loco opened up at the Excelsior, it was cause for a serious buzz. Merivale was making its mark, and could be counted on to do something interesting. It was before the current wave of Mexican places were open, so seemed like one of the few places serving up interesting tacos with soft tortillas. The drinks were good. They did an amazing hot dog with finely grated cheese. I think it might have opened originally as a pop-up, to see how well it would do, and then just settled into place. Well done, fellows. El Loco seems to have morphed from hot, new bar restaurant to dependable, neighbourhood bar grub.
Knife Fork N Chopsticks
+4
The first and only other time I was here, I loved their food although they got the hot dog part of our order wrong, we ordered one hot dog and one chilli dog, but they served us with two hot dogs somehow, although even the receipt read one of each. We ate it anyway, and they still tasted great.
This time, we tried again, and ordered one hot dog and one chilli dog, and a lemon lime bitters, and decided to skip the tacos. And this time, we got to try the chilli dog finally. The hot dogs all come with a side of fries too, so there's no need to order extra.
The hot dog was great, just as I remembered. Their cheese is very interesting, in a good way; it's sort of light and fluffy, like cheese angle hair or cheese fairy floss kind of texture. There is jalapeno in the hot dog, but it's not too much, just a few small slices, although I did accidentally bite into one by itself and my mouth was on fire for a little while. But if you eat it together with the rest of the hot dog, it's not too bad.
I didn't try the chilli dog, as I don't handle chilli very well and that tiny bit of jalapeno in my hot dog was more than enough for me. My friend ate every last bit of the chilli dog and finished before me, even though I started eating first, and absolutely loved the chilli dog, and said it was perfect and just so delicious.
The chips you get with the hot dogs are thin shoe string fries, and they're done perfectly, crispy and crunchy, but not hard or dry inside. I tried a little of the chilli sauce with one chip and it was so spicy, but if you love chilli, I think dipping it in the chilli sauce would make it taste just that bit better. The lemon lime bitters was made well too.
Service was very friendly, and quite fast and efficient. I paid about $35 for the two hot dogs and a drink, so relatively cheap. I think this would be a good place to come for a few drinks and some snacks, but I come just for the snacks, and it's not too filling but not light either.
TIP: you can ask them for no jalapeno in the hot dog if you really can't handle the spice.
Thought this place was very charming. Quick service and super delicious food. Tacos and nachos were so yummy and the churros just hit the spot. Margaritas were nice and strong. Would highly recommend
I have been waiting to come here for a long time. Â Now I am working in the area I decided to give it a good. The venue is quirky and has out door seating so it is Cobalt friendly,
 I ordered the salad and my partner ordered the burger. While both were tasty, though the salad in no way represented what I thought I was getting.Â
I will go all out next time. Slay me with tacos.
Nachos and tacos. Loaded with filling but the menu seems very limited which is surprising. Would I come back....yes, because you can also have a couple of drinks here but in terms of the Mexican food on offer....I don't think any chain can beat Guzman y Gomez
So good!!!!!!! Frozen margarita was incredible and the food holy hell like it was insane, best taco I ever did have and the chips were thing and crisp like from mcdonalds only hella better and then they chipotle mayo too 10/10
Good selection of authentic Mexican: tacos, burritos, nachos, mex dogs. Good selection of margarita, cocktails, and slushies. Colourful Mexican taqueria vibe.
El loco is an amazing Mexican restaurant with food full of flavour... and spice! After trying the hot sauce my mouth burned for 15 minutes afterward! El locos burgers are amazing and the supreme nachos are a must-have.
-mattews son
Randomness_of_existence
+4
It's been a while since I've revisited el loco, safe to say that it is still the same. Love the vibe of this place! The drinks, food, staff are all a good combinations of a good night.
We came here for a bday night out and what better place to have good Mexican and good alcohol in the same place?!?
We loved the nachos, but the soft shell tacos are a must for me! I loved the range of hot sauces available on the tables. The hotter the hot sauce, the better I say!
El Loco at the House. Throughout January (4-28), your favourite Surry Hills Mexican cantina is coming to the iconic Sydney Opera House. Officially the best view in this great barren land, we invite you to taste tacos and tipple tequila whilst admiring the harbour views, El Loco style.
I came here for a birthday dinner and it was definitely a good night for all. Thank god we made a booking for 30 earlier otherwise there would have been no way we'd have seats. The vibe and atmosphere of the whole restaurant was chill and relaxed and very enjoyable for a fun night out. The staff were very hospitable and catered for our needs.
A few friends and I made a big order for some tacos and they came out faster than I thought they would have, which is always a plus! The nachos, fries and the tacos were all quite tasty but you'll definitely need a few of the tacos to fill that belly up. Overall, I had a pretty enjoyable experience here and would definitely come back when I'm craving some Mexican.
Finally have time to rewrite this review after the latest zomato update deleted my almost completed review,this is the short version
El loco,I love the tacky decor inside and tall tables and seats,plenty of room too.
The chicken burger was nice and the fish taco was better than expected. My fiancé s salad was this weird tower of cheese and fried bread strips! Impressive to look at,hard to eat! The salad is not a healthy alternative here and she didn't like it,if you see my photo you will understand why!
Food came out pretty quick and while I was impressive my fiancé says she wouldn't come back! I would though.......
Delicious! During a short time in Sydney, I had already been to El Loco every week! The prawn and fish tacos were a particular favourite. We had the opportunity to visit during March into Merivale and really enjoyed the vibe of the restaurant - a vibe that is around most Friday nights! Definitely recommend.
Swede took me here coz Queenies forgot his mains. Cute little taco join with tasty tacos! Swede had the beef and i had the prawns!! Once u ordered they gave u a numbered cactus paddle and you wait. Good fun for me :)
Came here on Friday night and had the grilled fish with radish and fennel salad as well as, some fries. The fish was cooked well and tasted delicious. The portion size was good too. I drank the passionfruit batida cocktail, which consisted of apple juice, lime juice and passionfruit. This drink was awesome and was a great way to finish the meal. The place had a good vibe with djs playing in the back. The food was delivered quickly and the staff were friendly and polite.
remember in Sydeny about 6 years ago EVERYONE was doing soft tacos? from pubs, to burger joints, to crappy food trucks and their pop up stores? this place was the only one doing the very well! great drink choices, great tacos, and that rare thing where the specials are all good enough that they could go on the menu permanently.
Yum! El loco you always deliver the goods! Ordered the 200g steak with mexican rice with salsa and a side of salad and it was spot on! Took a little while to come out but that just made it even tastier because I was hungry af and the steak was juicy af. Would definitely return ps love the piñatas hanging off the ceiling and cactus table numbers đ
This place was loads of fun. Super busy! Long lines and waits, but that didn't matter because the atmosphere and music were great.
Food was not bad, too! I had the hot dog which came with lots of cheese.
More food variety would be nice but otherwise sensational in every way! Great vibes and great music. Pacifico buckets are great, best during the week
@eatingupwiththehannashians
+3.5
Very cool, but always so packed. Love the food and drinks, great for a quick feed or Friday night dranks. The hot dog is really good, they make fab margaritas too!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS! GET OUT AND HAVE FUN! - El Loco Surry Hills
Mexican food, like its culture, is fun, vibrant, and relaxed. Situated in the middle of Surry Hills, El Loco is all of the above and more.
Get yourself to Central Station on one of Sydney's brilliant wheelchair accessible public transports then you are pretty much a short walk away from Surry Hills. If you are feeling lazy, there are a few buses that will drop you right around the corner from El Loco. Be sure to check out 131500 to plan your trip.
El Loco is part of the Excelsior Hotel. An old pub, with very reasonable wheelchair access.
There are a bunch of outdoor tables, perfect for a beautiful summerâs night. If you choose to sit outside next to the bushes and flowers, make sure you have lots of mozzie repellent. I learnt that the hard way.
If you want to go inside, there is a small side door on Foveaux street that has a tiny little step, I could get in there in a powerchair with no problem at all, it would be even easier for manual chair users.
The pub is all flat inside, very old school, charming and unassuming.
There's a basic accessible bathroom in the pub which is big enough for most wheelchairs, it even has a small rail on the wall, but frankly the railing design is not the best I've seen. However, if you are planning to go nuts in a pub with a group of mates, even a basic toilet could be God sent, especially once you break the seal.
If you are a para, problem solved. But if you are a quad, you'll have a slight issue with the toilet. The toilet has a sliding door, and on it there is this tiny little metal flap you need to be able to pinch and turn in order to lock the door. It's small enough to be a challenge even for able bodied that had a few too many. So if you need to use the toilet, you may need to get a mate to guard the door for you. Problem solved!
The food at El Loco is amazing, tasty, clean and very reasonably priced. You have all the basics like a great variety of tacos and tortias, as well as impressive looking salads topped with a mountain of crispy tortilla strips and fluffy as clouds, shaved cheese.
Even though the bathroom door needs improving, overall the access is awesome given the old pub they have to work with. Food is great, atmosphere even better
3/5 for the place 5/5 for their efforts!
Really enjoyed the quick feast we had here - great little tacos, the corn looked fantastic and the flavours were punchy (as expected). Absolutely coming back!
I really rate El Loco! The vibe is casual and relaxed and the staff are also chilled but very friendly and attentive too. I love how they do a lettuce leaf alternative of the tortilla for their tacos. The corn cobs are super tasty and so are the tacos. Such a great place for a drink and a Mexican feed.
El Loco is a cool little joint set inside a pub that does pretty good tacos and churros. The hotdog is delicious too. Good selection of margaritas, the classic and jalapeño being my favourites. Can get super busy so best to book a table if possible.
Pleased I found this little gem. Wonderful atmosphere and staff were super tentative epically due to my partners allergies. Now the cocktails were fantastic and I highly recommend getting a serve of there chicken wings. Looking forward to heading back to El Loco soon
Great menu with big flavours, fair prices, and fun vibe. Very "dude food", so right up my alley. I've even had a crack at recreating the El Loco hot dog at home. Surprisingly easy (with the recipe in front of you) and oh so good.
Tried the pork crackling salad , like the way they present this dishes - looks like a volcano, complex textures that u can taste crackling, cheese, salad in ur mouth.
Great place to come for a few chilled drinks and a bite to eat. The setup is nice with an outdoor and indoor area, with neatly decorated walls and tables. The food is also decent value, very tasty, but the Pork Torta is just Pork stuffed in a hamburger bun. I would still eat it again though. The Churros were also a nice way to finish, but good luck trying to walk home after that.
Great place to catch up with friends midweek as its only 5 min walk from Central station. Super tasty, cheap and cheerful, highly recommend đ
Had a ball! Loved the place. 6-8pm a lot of drinks are for $6 including house spirits and tequila. It was a friends birthday and we went overboard. The decor is lively and the music is peppy too.
The staff was really helpful. The food was amazing too. The beef burger and churros were to die for. The corn chips were fresh and crunchy. Will definitely visit again.
This is one of my most frequently visited places for after work drinks. Its fun its contemporary it serves frozen margaritas what's not to like?
Good location and fun atmosphere. Go there with a couple of friends and order tacos and beers and your night is complete. I highly recommend all the tacos and the nachos.
When you find yourself in a place with colourful streamers hanging from the ceiling and murals featuring images of cacti, Frida Kahlo and skulls with moustaches wearing sombreros, you know youâre in for a good time.
Great food, great location!
The cheesy hotdog was amazing, as well as the chorizo quesadilla and fish tacos.
The bar also have Mexican beers and cocktails as well.
Music and atmosphere were upbeat too.
Located off the main street of Foveaux in Surry Hills, this place was where we first tried El Loco. We rocked up after work.. excited to relax, grab a seat and enjoy some good food and drinks. To our dismay, the whole place was completely packed... and we manage to get some standing room outside the place... just trying to balance our food and drinks and making the most of it. I love the concept.. it's clever, it works and the food was pretty good. They have a nice range of tacos and a decent sized alcohol menu with cocktails, Mexican beers and wine. It's a great place to catch up, the ambiance is great, the noise can be a bit loud and the parking around here is horrible. Recommendations.. get here early, catch public transport and don't stress too much about the cosy environment.
El Loco at the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills could almost be considered an establishment in itself. The Mexican food, tacos in particular, are a popular Sydney classic. The head chef of El Loco is Dan Hong and the Asian influence shows in the food such as the tofu based taco, I also only just realised this visit that the taco shells can actually be substituted for lettuce cups for a healthier option
El Loco at the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills could almost be considered an establishment in itself. The Mexican food, tacos in particular, are a popular Sydney classic. The head chef of El Loco is Dan Hong and the Asian influence shows in the food such as the tofu based taco, I also only just realised this visit that the taco shells can actually be substituted for lettuce cups for a healthier option.
Possibly the best Mexican food in Sydney, definitely one of the most fun restaurants in Surry Hills. Delicious food, great drinks and fun atmosphere and design. Nothing especially fancy, but that's part of the charm. You don't get heaps of food for the price tag, but it's still well worth it. Great eats and drinks place for groups.
{ _anne_with_an_e // review }
I came here during an odd hour, so it wasn't very busy, and received quick and friendly service. We tried the El loco hotdog, spit pork taco, fish taco and the secret taco. They were all tasty and I loved the texture of the finely grated cheese on top. The fish taco was my favourite, being moist, flaky and delicious.
I liked the decor and design, which gave it a casual quirky street vibe, and ties in with the food offerings. It makes for a nice hangout place for a group.
Must have // fish taco
Pros // tasty food, good for groups
Cons // gets busy
Food: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
All in all, not a bad place for casual food and drinks with friends. When busy, El Loco may not be the best place to go given the ambience or the service, which grinds to a halt.
However, when it isn't so busy, you can experience the range of guilt-inducing Tex-Mex food and the fun selection of alcoholic cocktails.
Although the food and drinks may not be authentic and a handful of things are original creations or takes on establishes food items or drinks, the prices are decent and the value is good, both sure to keep customers coming back for more.
What a fun night. Pretty intense atmosphere - busy and loud (a crowd enjoying themselves and a DJ) but fun. Fantastic decor/set-up with colourful communal tables and stools in the large space.Â
Simple menu and fresh food, very satisfying. Prawn and beef tacos were fine, but the fish taco was finger-lickin good and very moreish. Corn chips (tasted home-made?? Very good!) with salsa and guacamole were yum! Definitely plan to keep coming back to try more of the menu.
EDIT: Have returned several times and had the chicken salad, so good! Fantastic flavours and textures, the fennel radish salad is fresh and crunchy and juicy and the perfect base for the BBQ chicken, corn chip strips and the extra chilli I drizzled on top. The smokey chilli sauce (brown) is THE BEST! Yum!Â
Have also had the fish with rice - yummy and filling - and the pork bun (can't remember the name - also yum and very satisfying!). But my pick is the salad with chicken or pork - soooo good!!!
Cool place, great atmosphere, perfect location for a cheap fun time with friends. Food was good, my husband thinks they are the best tacos he has ever eaten. Would be great if there were more vegan options.
El Loco is a great place to have some casual drinks and snacks with friends. Set within a pub, the atmosphere is really chill. I had been craving a beetroot margarita from their old menu but it's gone! Oh no! Â Instead I tried the pink cuco which is a house creation with tequila, grapefruit, lime juice, coriander and ginger syrup ($14) and the classic margarita (also $14). My first sip was full of alcohol and crushed ice! Both certainly make an impression!
Cheap tacos, cheap drinks! Nice place up the hill in Surry hills, cool place to meet friends and have a cheap meal and some drinks before a night out. Awesome staff and great music.
Gluten Free Tacos!. SEE YOU LATER TORTILLA & HELLO LETTUCE LEAF! A mini victory for the gluten free Mexican fiends of Sydney. Living gluten free is a game of substitution and often ends in disappointment. At El Loco, a substitute exists! And it's comes in the form of a healthy green boat to hold your juicy taco fillings afloat. So if you're in the mood for Mexicano - enjoy it gluten free at El Loco.
Sort of a chance finding really walking past. Cool vibe and atmosphere. Nachos were incredible and the frozen margaritas also amazing. Iâm not sure if it was the manager or not but the waitress was absolutely lovely and made the experience all that much better. Highly recommend
The lady that was working last night as the manager (forgot her name) was so excellent. She was so friendly and accommodating, and made the whole group/set menu experience very relaxed and easy. Great food and all my friends were happy. Will visit again! Thank you
Excellent selection of Mexican classics. Great flavour and variety in the tacos, quesadillas were super cheesy, nachos really hit the spot, and accompanying sauces complemented the dishes nicely. Very good drinks menu as well. Great vibe!
I come back to this place every time I get. Good Mexican food in a relaxed setting, a good beer selection, and good cocktails. A good selection of tacos is usually my go to whom accompanied by a Mexican beer. Must try
Heard about this place many times from friends. Tonight came with a bunch of friends because we heard the food was amazing and drinks were unique. We ordered 3 choice taco, chicken wings and dan hong hot dogs. All were great, though i must say... the chicken wings are unexpectedly amazing! Everything was great to be honest! So yes deffinitely a must try if you have yet to try this place.
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