Review El Loco At Excelsior - Sydney

On a weeknight, it was quiet, so was good for a conversation with friends. Vegan food choices were limited but tolerable. The polenta taco and the vegan hot dog - both not the least bit healthy. Indoor decor and outdoor seating was quite good.

Food was below average. The tacos can use a little lemon drizzle especially on the fish. All the food would benefit if it had more flavour like coriander and more herbs traditionally used in Mexico. All in all not bad but not worth coming back again. The prices were really decent and the portion sizes were good.

Sort of a chance finding really walking past. Cool vibe and atmosphere. Nachos were incredible and the frozen margaritas also amazing. I’m 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!

Great deco, nice food, but don’t waste your money on the frozen margaritas. They were so watered down I had to buy extra shots to put in to actually taste any tequila. Felt like I was drinking juice :( spent $90 for two jugs and I wish I hadn’t.

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.

Super overrated, the place is nice but food is not tasty at all, we ordered nachos, tacos, quesedillas, churros; none was good, nachos and churros were super dry, the sauces in tacos and quesedillas were bad, had high hopes going there but only good thing about the place was the service

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.<br/><br/>If you'd like to read more of my reviews, please check out my Zomato page and visit @cynthiaeats_ on Instagram for more photos!

Visually for team lunch earlier.They have a few options on their menu which caters to vegetarians and vegans.Tried their mushroom quesadilla and it was good.

Staff: very friendly <br/>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 😍

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

The food is decent, tacos are underdone and expensive for a Mexican theme restaurant the best thing we had as a group was a standard cheese burger this was very good. <br/><br/>Service was ok, not having table service is a questionable choice having to go order food and drinks meant that the food came out all randomly. <br/><br/>The staff seemed disinterested and just do the job rather then engaging and contributing to the ambience and feel of the restaurant.

Can’t 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 can’t 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. 👌

I love the ambience. It’s 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

The service:2/5<br/>The bartender is friendly and nice, but the waiter is somehow less patient. We are not really sophisticated with Mexican food, so it is reasonable to ask about we should order, and inquiry if the coming dishes are different than what we thought?  But the waiter is impatient. <br/><br/>The surrounding and decor: 4/5<br/>Quite nice sit outside, gentle breeze and soft sunshine weather!  Inside decoration reminds you of the Mexica town. <br/><br/>The food 1/5<br/>1/5 Chipotle Fries. Really disappointing! There is no Chipotle mayo! I asked about the sauce and the guy said that was what we have ordered. He didn't answer my question, did he?<br/><br/>3/5 El loco burger <br/>Okay, this is normal and standard, nothing standout. <br/><br/>1.5/5 Baja Fish Tacos<br/>The corn chip is soft and not crispy, although the sauce is okay<br/><br/>3.5/5 Nachos Supreme<br/>The might be the best one out of all dishes we ordered. But the meat on top is a little bit dry and the cheese is not enough to cover the corn chips. <br/><br/>Overall, it is a little bit disappointing when we have a really high expectation!

This was an epic disappointment. I arrived in Sydney for Mardi and this was the first meal we had. Being part of the Merivale group we’ve generally come to expect quality and while the interior and atmosphere was certainly phenomenal the food itself was lacking. We ordered two chicken quesadillas both of which were hard as a rock and nachos which were beyond tasteless.<br/>The tacos fared slightly better but only slightly. And possibly the worst offence of all, none of it was remotely photogenic enough to feature on my instagram! I can only imagine this came to be popular because of a lack of viable alternative Mexican options at the time of its opening

I went for lunch with a friend here once and it was a decent experience. Since it’s more of a bar your expectations shouldn’t be huge, but it was enjoyable. They had good food which was what we essentially went for. We ordered, tacos - super loaded 🤤 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!

Great food. Fresh, generous and a big menu to choose from. Only down point was my partner doesn’t like coriander and apparently everything has coriander in it and cannot be accommodated for. Can’t get noisy but overall a decent feed.

This place was so disappointing, the tacos where so small and got soggy to the point I couldn't eat them, <br/>the cheese fries where basic, the toppings where minimal and the cheese sauce ontop was so bland..<br/>I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone

Honestly because the reviews were so positive I thought it'd be better. I ordered the fish tacos as well as some other tacos. Overall the decor is really nice and the food was fresh, but just average. Not very Mexican either in my opinion. I'd much prefer Guzman e Gomez if I wanted Mexican flavours.

Terrible. We walked in last night and stood around for 10 minutes being ignored by the waitress. She saw us but ignored us despite obviously standing at the entrance looking for a table. She immediately helped everyone else to get a seat, even those who arrived AFTER us. Hope she gets fired. Will never return to this dump.

El loco is ideally located in Surry Hills and is easily accessible. It serves some delicious food and offers an authentic experience.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Least favorite on the table were the nachos. As delicious as they looked, they lacked taste and authenticity.<br/><br/>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.

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.

Fantastic Mexican restaurant/bar. Taco's, chicken wing's and nacho's recommended. Great for nights out with groups of friends. Cheap happy hour drinks also.

Another hidden bar that is highly recommended. Great atmosphere and cocktail range. Definitely a place to get the night started in the right way.

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.

Disappointing. Way too expensive for small portions and cheap ingredients. Go for drinks, not food. Guacamole was out of a Costco jar. SUPREME nachos don't even include meat or avocado (that's $8 extra)... for $17 you just get a plate of corn chips with sour cream and squeezy cheese. Was much better 3 years ago, changed for the worst.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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 some friends who swear by this place, but my experience wasn't as pleasant. I found the food overpriced with tiny portions, and the vibe uncomfortable

|Best Taco in Sydney? Definitely not! | ★★1/2<br/><br/>Ordered: Baja Fish, Asada Beef, Pollo Chicken, Camaron Prawn, Secret Taco and corn cob <br/>•must try: fish taco and secret taco<br/>•The tortilla is cold and not grilled<br/>•other taco flavours looks like a wet mess<br/>Tip: add lots of hot sauce <br/><br/>評價：★★1/2<br/>推薦🐟+神秘taco<br/>外面皮沒有烤✖️<br/>其他味很多水😂<br/>Tip：建議加辣醬

I have been waiting to come here for a long time.  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,<br/><br/> 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. <br/><br/>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

Went for a quick bite. The nachos were good. They came with a side of salsa and guacamole. <br/><br/>The setting was pub-style. I expected a sit down environment for some reason. Might go back to try out the tacos.

Disappointing.<br/><br/>I ordered the fish taco and chicken burger from El Loco a few nights ago. The chicken patty was overfried and tasted dry and hard whereas the. fish taco was a soggy mess, which suggested that the fish could be drenched with oil. Service was slow and reluctant too.

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.

Guys! What have you done to your churros? They used to be the best in Sydney - four fat fluffy delicious churros, but the last few times I've been they are thin and mediocre (yes you get six, but I wouldn't want one, let alone six)! <br/><br/>Still a great place for some great quesadillas, tacos and drinks; however with the recent price hike and the ruined churros, I've lost some enthusiasm for this venue.<br/><br/>

EL FREAKING LOCO!<br/><br/>I want to like this place, I really do. My friends keep raving about it, and posting up pictures. The food always looks so good on instagram and facebook, so I always find myself coming back. Sydney is definitely deprived of good traditional Mexican food, and this is why El Loco gets away with charging so much for their food. <br/><br/>The tacos, nachos, and hotdogs are such a let down every time. The only thing i like here is the corn. The drinks are pretty good, but how do mess up a cold beer out of a bottle... <br/><br/>compared to MadMex, El loco is amazing, but they're charging a lot more.

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.<br/>-mattews son

After much hype a group of us finally made it to El Loco. Decor-wise everything looks amazing and the ambience is great. However, it must be noted that vegetarian options are EXTREMELY limited. <br/><br/>Food was okay tasting, definitely nothing special given the hype and price paid. Would not come here again.

HUNGRY SUMMARY - Informal dining setting - good place if you wanna have a drink along with your food, but more Tex-mex rather than genuine Mexican cuisine. <br/><br/>FOOD - I ordered a cuban torta, tasty  but much more like a burger. The real tortas (which I've had in Mexico) are more like toasted sandwiches and use grilled sandwich buns rather than burger buns. Having said that, it tasted pretty good overall -the meat was well cooked and the sauce was on point. The torta was also too small for my liking (especially for its price - see below).<br/><br/>PRICE - $13, absolutely haram pricing for an ingenuine torta. Should've been way lower. <br/><br/>SERVICE - typical pub service and pub setting. Close to Central station, so good location too.

If u want to pay $6 for s watery soggy taco u can't pick up then come to el loco. Was on the table all of 5seconds and it fell apart. I stopped coming here about 3 years ago coz of the crap tacos. Came back hoping they had improved. Not so. Also anyone who has been to Mexico or the u.s knows you use 2 tortillas every time. Suprised this place is still going tbh

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. <br/><br/>We came here for a bday night out and what better place to have good Mexican and good alcohol in the same place?!? <br/><br/>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!

A nice place to drink, good selection of beer and good atmosphere. But as far as Mexican food goes I don't think it was very good. The tacos didn't have flavour and the guacamole tasted like it was diluted like the ones you buy in a shop. But I would defiantly go again to drink.

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. <br/>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 <br/><br/>El loco,I love the tacky decor inside and tall tables and seats,plenty of room too. <br/><br/>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! <br/><br/>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.

Came here in March. Absolutely awful. I ordered the prawn tacos and the pork tacos and they gave me food poisoning. I was vomited 3 times to the point of dry heaving. Couldn't sleep the whole night. I contacted the restaurant to complain about it before writing a review and they had the audacity to insist that my food poisoning could not have possibly been caused by their food - despite the fact that I had practically nothing else to eat that day and only started having dinner at 8pm. They said "It typically takes a minimum of 6 hours for a food poisoning bacteria to incubate and your symptoms are not consistent with this, as you began feeling ill quite a lot sooner". However, the US National Library of Medicine states that "Symptoms from the most common types of food poisoning will often start within 2 - 6 hours of eating the food. That time may be longer or shorter, depending on the cause of the food poisoning." So much for their medical knowledge. They offered me a free meal - as if I'd ever want to eat there again. The food was very poor value for money - the portions were incredibly small, but that probably did me a favour so I didn't die from their food. The pork tasted like it had been reheated several times and the prawns were chewy and inedible. Save yourselves the pain and eat somewhere else.

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.

Ive eaten here before and recommended it to friends as  a place for drinks after work. Probably won't go back - long lines at the bar for drinks. Stood there for 10-15 minutes without the line moving at all. <br/>El loco - you need more than two people behind the bar on a busy Thursday. Just saying.<br/>Disappointed and gave up, went elsewhere

Sadly, despite the congenial atmosphere and easy location, this venue had the most arrogant and obnoxious staff encountered in Sydney in a very long time. <br/>We - being middle aged women coming from a theater show at the Capitol - were clearly not the target demographic of trendy young things the bartender was hoping for and refused to serve us. He ignored us for at least 15 min and then decided we had arrived too late and therefore must be drunk. We even showed him our tickets from the musical that had just finished but this seemed to bore him as he chatted with the pretty blonde 20 yo who was clearly off her face! Never again. Much better and more courteous places to spend your cash

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 😂

This place was loads of fun. Super busy! Long lines and waits, but that didn't matter because the atmosphere and music were great. <br/><br/>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

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!

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS! GET OUT AND HAVE FUN! - El Loco Surry Hills<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>El Loco is part of the Excelsior Hotel. An old pub, with very reasonable wheelchair access.<br/><br/>There are a bunch of outdoor tables, perfect for a beautiful summer’s 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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>The pub is all flat inside, very old school, charming and unassuming.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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<br/>3/5 for the place 5/5 for their efforts!

I had the mushroom Quesadilla which was cheesy and tasted very much like a well made mushroom calzone, it would have been nicer if the dough was little more crispy but the flavors worked very well together.<br/>couple of points:<br/>Hard to eat with hand, my hands got pretty oily.<br/>Option of cracked pepper would have made it even nicer.

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!

Not enough seats, long queues, very very loud, average margaritas, and oh yeah they will charge you surcharges but not let you know about it. Just a warning that these guys will tell you that they don't have a minimum eftpos but when you look at your bank account, you'll notice they charge more than what you bought. And don't bother calling or emailing them up because they don't see anything wrong with it and are incredibly patronising.<br/><br/>And the tacos aren't that cheap at $6 each. They're small and I needed 4 to be satisfied. 5-6 to be full. <br/>

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.

Probably like everyone else, I was first attracted to El loco for it's cheap taco. Once the novelty wore out, the place was really dull.  When it was busy on Friday/Saturday nights, it took shouting to hear each other's conversation; when it was not busy in the daytime, It looked like a dump. I haven't been back since.

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.

El Loco will always be a fab spot for a couple of after work drinks and some yummy Mexican food amongst friends. The price strikes me as a bit high for Mexican, $6 a taco, $10 a hot dog - but that won't stop me from coming back. The hot dog will always have my heart and definitely opt for the churros with chocolate and caramel sauce if you can fit in that little bit extra at the end.

Great place to catch up with friends midweek as its only 5 min walk from Central station. Super tasty, cheap and cheerful, highly recommend 👍

For $20 at lunch you'd expect not to have to grab a snack on the way back to the office. I could barely see the burger it was that small. I'm unsure why this place gets busy as a result.

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. <br/>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 you’re in for a good time.

Great food, great location! <br/>The cheesy hotdog was amazing, as well as the chorizo quesadilla and fish tacos. <br/>The bar also have Mexican beers and cocktails as well. <br/>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 }<br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>Must have // fish taco<br/>Pros // tasty food, good for groups<br/>Cons // gets busy<br/><br/>Food: 3.5/5<br/>Ambience: 4/5<br/>Service: 4/5

I've been to El Loco a couple of times, and while the food is tasty I always come away feeling like I haven't had a full meal. In terms of value for money there are much better options around. There is a good variety of tacos, but they aren't big and you need to eat at least three of them ($18). Yesterday I had a Cuban torta, which is kind of a hamburger without a hamburger pattie. It has spit roasted pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese and American mustard on a hamburger bun. The pork, cooked on a doner kebab spit, is good quality and tasty, the ham just a slice of pre cut from the fridge. In burger terms it tastes good but is pretty insubstantial. You can buy a side, like chipotle fries - which are standard French fries with some chipotle dipping sauce. So torta and chips costs $19 - not great value.

El Loco is cheap and cheerful. This place doesn't have the best atmosphere, but it offers a good feed which makes up for it. Service is pretty quick and efficient, but it ends there. It's a place to go to for a quick mexican food.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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! <br/>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!  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.

Mexican???. Worst taco ever. Definitely not authentic Mexican. Salsa badly made in a food processor and not fresh. Wine totally over priced. Very disappointed. Would not recommend.

Mexican food is all the rage right now and El Loco is the perfect place to get a cheap taco fix. Serves are snack-sized so the idea is to get a few – this is my favourite way to eat because you get to try more than one dish.

In collaboration with March into Merivale Festival, Coogee Pavilion dressed itself up, ready to host a large bustling market of delicious food stalls, family activities, live music and entertainment.  Upon entering, I was already hit with smell of aromatic food left, right and centre. I didn’t even know where to start! The festival operates under a token system, exchange for your prepaid ticket or you can pay cash on the spot. After taking in a smart decision to browse the stalls outside as well as inside, I can definitely say I was very impressed by the variety of food options on offer. Calamari Taco + Pork Al Pastor, Taco, Cabbage and Coriander - El Loco  First up were these hand held bundles of joy from El Loco. The pork definitely packed some punch and was really enjoyable against the crisp cabbage. The calamari looked too good to deny but it had a bit too much ginger for my liking. Steamed Scallop and Prawn Shumai - Mr Wong I was pretty excited to try out the Mr Wong stall because I’ve been eyeing them for a while now. I’m a big fan of Shumai at Yum Cha so had to order it. This particular one was still hot, firm and moist, retaining in all the goodness. No faults, just wish they offered some sriracha on the side. Ceviche - Sushi E  Steering away from the standard avocado roll and sashimi, we wanted to try something new - ceviche. The texture was very similar to sashimi but it was much thinner and a slightly ci

Walking passed the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills everyday and smelling the mouthwatering aroma of tacos finally had me stepping into El Loco. A Mexican-inspired pub filled with green cactus and luscious greenery, multi-coloured seating, Day of the Dead skulls, and of course, TACOS! Don’t expect a full-on fancy restaurant experience. You’re bound to have a great time with $5 tacos, margarita slushies and an endless amount of Corona.

We headed to El Loco at 7.30pm on a Monday night and it was packed. They don’t take bookings and after wandering around, rudely staring at what other people were eating, we managed to find some seats sharing a table with another couple. You have to order at the bar and they give you a massive homemade cactus table number. “One of everything… except the tofu,” said Jo. We decided to pace ourselves by starting with two tacos each and a half-price margarita (half price before 8pm, normally $13.50). The margaritas are served in BioCups, which are plastic- looking disposable cups made from plants, so they are biodegradable. Yay for the environment. Being a Merivale establishment, they know how to make great cocktails. Espolon Blanco tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and organic sugar syrup shaken over ice with a Murray River pink salt rim. The only downfall with the disposable cups is that you don’t have a lovely chilled glass to hold your cocktail. Or maybe I’m bei