Big El’s Latin American Fusion

We walked out, terrible service.
Get a system, people! I was so looking forward to this place, however after a waitress who nodded when wesaid we wanted to order and then disappeared, we ordered at the bar. We waited, and waited, but after 45mins with no food, only to be served deep fried on the outside, frozen in the middle potato cakes, we had had enough and requested a refund.
It looked as if the front and back of house is staffed with very inexperienced people, and the ordering system was off-​till and extremely disorganised.
So disappointed.

Big Els Latin American Fusion
Northbridge, Perth
Sep 17, 2014
POSITIVE

Living in Melbourne and eaten at many mexican/​infusion places… and returning to Perth to find this… And it didn’t disappoint whatsoever.
The food was superb. I had the nachos, a little burnt which was the problem but the portion size was more than generous and the flavours and cheese were all there… highly enjoyable. It was totally worth what you pay for.
We found ourselves unable to eat our mains already because we were so full from the starters. The pulled and slow cooked beef burger was absolutely amazing. Oh my god it was absolutely mouth watering and ripped apart when you ate it.
The service was on point and the staff were very helpful.

Went there on a Friday night. The food is fantastic and we were so pleased with that part. However, While it was early in the eve the wait staff were attentive but when it started to get busy they were less attentive and only circulated half of the floor on the side with the kitchen door (not the side we were on). 30min+ wait for cocktails and another 30+min wait for the bill which they forgot. Cocktails weren’t that great either, unfortunately. We had to send one cocktail back as it didn’t match the description on the menu and was sickly. We had 5 cocktails and were really disappointed by all of them.
Summing up — go there for the amazing food, be prepared to wait and perhaps stick with mainstream drinks instead of the cocktails.

The first to arrive was the Mexican Hot Dog that Hubby was looking forward to try. For $ 14, Hubby was a bit disappointed especially since it wasn’t a gourmet hot dog at all. As for the taste, it was pretty easy to eat and wasn’t messy. The chipotle mayo was good although the hot dog wasn’t exactly ‘showered’ in it as mentioned in the menu. I wished they’d put more Jalapenos on it.
The Salvadorian Pupusa was okay. The aromatic coriander and beans helped a lot especially since there wasn’t much filling inside the corn tortilla which made the taste a bit weak.
The Argentine Style Grilled Rib-​Eye was tender, well-​seasoned with chimichurri and grilled with some charred parts on it. Not only tender, it was also juicy, meaty, and didn’t have a lot of fat. We were given three different dips and the tomato salsa was our favourite after the chipotle.
The Brazilian Style Coxinha was another dish that I was waiting for especially since I tried it previously from the Big El’s Nino food truck. It made a really good impression that I just had to order it. The skin was crumbly and crispy while the flavourful filling of chicken and cream cheese just melted in my mouth.
The last dish that arrived on our table was the Quesadilla that I ordered with pizza topping. I tried the quesadilla with chicken and pulled pork before and it tasted really delicious. The quesadilla with pizza topping has cut up sausages and meat inside it. The quesadilla skin was golden in colour and wasn’t greasy at all. This dish was really yummy although we had to sacrifice one piece since we couldn’t eat anymore by the end of it.
Service was really good and last night everyone was so friendly that made the dining experience more enjoyable. I imagine it would be really enjoyable to eat in a big group at Big El’s because you can order so much more dishes to share around from the menu.
When we were satisfied and went to pay for the meal, we were astonished to find that it was 50% off! This is because if you booked your table between certain dates through Dimmi, you’ll get 50% off the total price. Another fantastic reason to give Big El’s a try with family or friends.

Friends and I went to the restaurant last night (a Thursday evening) but were left rather disappointed. The place was empty which is never a good sign and by our experience we could see why. The food was ok, but nothing I would go back for. The wedges were burnt but they did not charge us for this after we told them we couldn’t eat them. The customer service was poor, there was more staff than customers yet we didn’t have our water bottles replaced and we were only asked if we wanted drinks at the beginning of the evening when we arrived. When we finished our food none of the plates were cleared, and we gave up on being asked if we wanted dessert. The staff just seem to want to sit around and do nothing. The wine list was poor with just two reds, two whites and a rose, but only one white and one red was available, neither were good. The cocktails on the menu were over priced. I would not return or recommend this place to anyone.

I hate to say that the customer service is why I will not returning to Big El’s.
We arrived to the bustling restaurant late on a Friday night. It was busy so it didn’t look like it was shutting anytime soon. We were seated and waited 15 minutes for someone to come take our order. As the waiter arrived at our table she immediately told us that the kitchen was closing and we needed to order now. No hello. No how are you. Nothing. We quickly ordered our food and waited.
ALL of the food we ordered was either under cooked or over cooked. We ordered 5 items including dessert. 2 savory dishes were delivered then our dessert (with particularly melted ice cream) was delivered then drinks… I would say that this is not a suitable order to deliver food especially since we were still wait for 2 savory dishes. The last dish came out 10 min after we had finish the other 4. We also had to check on the last dish to even see if it was coming. It was delivered to us after they had stacked all the chairs and cleaned around us.
I am mainly disappointed because there was no forewarning that they were closing soon. We waited 15 minute to be told the kitchen was closing. To be specific they said the kitchen was closing not the restaurant. I honestly felt swept out of the restaurant with the dirt on the ground. ALL of the staff we encountered were rude and not welcoming at all. I am assuming that is because they wanted to close and if I were aware of them closing soon I would not have dined there at all. Even as we were paying our bill the cashier was rude. It is unfortunate to experience service like this. Personally, I think customers should be notify that the restaurant will be closing soon on arrival. This will help prevent the feeling of unwelcome customers and irritated staff.

The menu is quite expensive and the portion sizes are qite small but the service is very good and ambiounce is friendly and warm
The new salsa sundays seems to be a big hit.

Specialities in Mexican style food with fusions introduced from a range of countries; it makes for a really interesting tapas. Great food and great service, I loved it!
But the highlight is the drinks menu. Filled with some great cocktails with descriptions that will have you reading them all. And it’s not all talk, the cocktails themselves look and taste great too.
We ordered a bunch of dishes, all great. And they didn’t skimp on the salsas and sauces like other places. But everything had a touch of heat to it, if you can’t handle much spice to you food then you might want to reconsider.

Entering big els is like entering Mexico or at least that is the intention. From outside it looks like this dodgy establishment with a nude cartoon painted on its door and to the left when you enter.
However inside the ceiling is covered with red green and yellow crates. The seating area is split from the waiting area (with chairs and tables). The seating area is massive and split into two. Good for groups.
This Latin American fusion place sells tapas plates, mains and tacos.
Their menu selection includes feijoada which is a dish with beef stew Brazilian rice dried meat and black beans.
Their tacos are 2 for 17 dollars (extremely pricey) and you have to roll them up yourself. They come with guacamole, salad and two spicy sauces.
You have to pay additional for sauces (3 dollars each)
The tapas platters are definitely to share and even my main (feijoada) was just enough for me.
The feijoada tasted average and I lathered it in their spicy sauce to add some spice and flavor to it.
I tried their scallops and they are amazing and covered with this crunchy bread crumb layer.
They have an extensive cocktail list with some extreme shaking by the bartenders. One of their cocktails is called Justin Bieber. :) their cocktails are not cheap though.

Good food. Good drinks. Will be back.
We ordered a selection of the tapas side of the menu and a couple of the cocktails (hilarious and delicious!) and it was a great evening. Yes, it can be an expensive night — but it’s well worth it.
Our only sadness came from the lack of cushions of the booths. Now they would have helped us stay longer and probably had more food (even though we had already had their dessert chimichangas) but it was just getting too painful. The cushions would also help absorb some of the noise — even it the booths it was quite hard to hear the people on your table.
Loved the food & the drinks. Just get some cushions!

Wow! this place is so cool!
Here is the lowdown.
Reasonable prices, lots of options — beware they can get a little spicy at times.
Staff are friendly, we had a younger girl who was personable and answered all our questions and smiled a lot which was lovely.
We sat at a booth which was nice for a group of 4 – 6 people. You have a bit of privacy and you don’t get too bothered with the rambunctious conversations occurring around you. They have a varied and exciting cocktail menu that I will return and try one time.
We ordered the following meals which came in nice solid portions:
Patron Tequila Prawns — perfectly spiced with a nice quantity
Coastal Baja Fish Tacos — a bit messy and so– so
Masa Harina Sope — 4 juicy portions which were a bit messy but yummy
Salvadorian Pupasa — I did not like this one too much and it was too spicy for me
Siete Chile Coquilles St Jacques — this was a top favorite, scallops cooked perfectly and I really would like to eat this again and again!
Kelly’s rack — everyone’s favorite of the night. The ribs were cooked well and delicious, the sweet potato fries on the side were the right amount of crunchy and the chipotle sauce was spicy but addictive.
Overall I recommend this place for a group as you have a great variety on the menu, prices aren’t too high and you don’t get jipped with the portion sizes (cough la cholita cough).

As an American in Australia I’m always on the lookout for great places to get Latin American food, and Big El’s is one of my favourite discoveries. I’ve been a few times and the service has always been consistent, without the insane wait times of some of the trendier Latino joints in the city.
The décor is awesome. The service is swift and professional, and the menu is definitely as promised, it’s fusion. It’s basically a give and take from all cultures of the Americas, so for die-​hard purists it’s probably not consistent or «authentic» enough to keep you happy, but for those looking for a yummy, latin inspired meal it’ll do the trick.
My only criticism is that I don’t think the portion sizes warrant the price tag. It’s all delicious, but I have to spend a small fortune to not leave hungry. The margarita pitchers are top notch though, which helps dull the hunger pain ;)
All in all its not necessarily the most amazing dining experience I’ve ever had, but has consistently been an enjoyable, delicious, fun night out.

OMG! I love this place! I was instantly transported back to Mexico! They have amazing décor with flags, paintings of Mexican ladies on the wall, crates suspended to the roof and wicked music! Nothing tacky or over the top. We ordered a jug of watermelon margarita because yolo and it’s made fresh, no slushy machine, it was delicious. We also enjoyed corn chips with mango salsa and chili con queso then we shared a serving of fish tacos which comes with all the necessary sides. I was in heaven! The layout is awesome as they have separate dining areas for large bookings and a central area for different sized tables and also wooden booths. I cannot wait to get back here!

Highly recommend this place!
The fish tacos and pulled pork tacos are great, make sure you save room for the chocolate chimichanga for dessert it’s delicious.

On arrival I was not too sure who to speak to regarding my booking which kind of left me standing looking awkward. Someone friendly came out from the bar and showed me my table and brought me over a drink straight afterwards which was great.
I felt like we were left a long time looking at the menu before someone took our order and I decided on the dumplings.
Now call me crazy but dumplings I assume to everyone are universally round? These were not round. What I ate tasted very oily, was as flat as a pancake and not very satisfying. The spices were tasty but all in all not what I would call a main meal.
I had a Virgin lime margarita which was very tasty and I highly recommend.
All in all this place was different but I think the «fusion» element should be dropped as it has some promising and interesting menu choices which I feel would shine if they were to be prepared in a traditional sense.

Friday night fun at Big El’s Latin American Fusion restaurant with a few work mates! The cocktails are pretty potent and have rather interesting names! I tried the Jack Sparrow (served in a coconut) and of course the Heisenberg, I can honestly say they were both delicious. After guzzling down my Jack Sparrow I scooped out the sweet, tender coconut flesh and devoured it with much gusto!
After reading Just A’s review I chose to try the Achiote Carnitas Banh Mi Thit and had a side of Jalapeño poppers, nice kick to the poppers! My friends were well pleased with their food choices and received excellent guidance from the friendly waitress. Some of the other dishes ordered were the Chorizo chiplets, the Blackened Cascabel Chicken wings and the Peruvian Lamb cutlets.
We glanced at the dessert options but as we were rather full, decided to give them a miss.

The 9^th new place I’m trying is Big Els Latin American Fusion. Stumbled in here today, with house guests in tow, to escape crowds, drums, cymbals, hot weather and the dragons parading around Northbridge for the Chinese New Year celebrations. What a welcome respite. The biggest bonus of the day was a City establishment that does lunch special prices on the weekend!
How a big ass Vietnamese banh mi roll, exploding with shredded pork, crisp cucumber & coriander is either Latin or American is beyond me. But for $ 12, with a side of delicious chips and great hot sauce, I’ll accept the fusion confusion.

Okay, it might not be the most authentic Mexican or even South American cuisine but I don’t think they’re claiming to be traditional or authentic.
What you will get at Big El’s is delicious food and pretty good value for money.
I have visited three times over the last couple of months and have walked away every time pretty satisfied. Now that they have extended their menu I need to go back again and again just so I can try everything.
Last night we started off with some crispy chicken Taquitos to share. They were… good. Next time I think I’ll opt for the pork or beef just to get some moisture in there. The guac that came with them was to die for. There was definitely something in there that isn’t good for you, I just couldn’t put my finger on it (maybe something dairy based?).
I then went onto the Achiote Carnitas Banh Mi Thit. A Vietnamese Banh Mi but made with Mexican pulled pork with all the usual suspects you’d find in a BM (cucumber, carrot, coriander) with a little chipotle mayonnaise. It was delicious albeit a little spicy for me (I’m a heat wuss) so I just added a little guac.
My friend ordered «Kelly’s Box». Don’t let the name fool you, this is not served in a box. It’s basically chilli cheese fries: beer battered fries, spicy pulled beef, salsa, cheese and chipotle mayonnaise. A great dish, probably best for sharing as it is quite rich.
Finally, we couldn’t walk out without trying their newly added dessert — chocolate bar chimichanga. Choose your chocolate bar (mars, snickers, bounty, cherry ripe, crunchie, kit kat, time out) and wait for heaven to arrive. We went with snickers and it was amazing. Served with a scoop of ice cream and a little caramel popcorn.
The service was… fine. Started off quite well but as the night went on it started to slow down. It took what seemed like an eternity to have our plates cleared and order dessert. Then dessert took longer than expected to arrive considering our main meals were at our table within about 5 – 10 minutes of ordering. We eventually waved someone down as we had a movie to get to and we were going to cancel dessert but then it arrived just in time.
All up, our meal came to a little over $ 60 including a margarita.

Come on down to Big El’s.
Me and a friend decided to catch up here to see what this place is all about last night. We were greeted with a friendly smile and shown to a table straight away. The menu’s are HUGE (an understatement) with plenty of great offerings especially in the drinks department read Cocktails. The Heisenberg coming as a zip lock bag full of light blue coloured ice — say no more.
The décor — in agreement with other reviewers, it does seem that the restaurant did previously have a different theme, but then again they manage to get their point across to a reasonable extent. In truth many eateries in South America aren’t exactly million dollar kit outs so they probably aren’t far off the mark here. Don’t confuse this for the place looking tacky or depressing, just don’t expect the typical new bar carbon copy kit outs popping up all over Perth lately.
Half Price Nachos on the Tuesday’s. Half Price Hotdogs on the Wednesdays. Anything from the lunch time menu and an imported beer for $ 15 dollars on the Sundays and closed on Mondays. Great cocktail selection back with a premium range of spirits (first place in Perth that I know stocks Patron XO Café Dark Cacao). Could be wrong on that but yet to see it anywhere else so far.
Anyway, the food? Pretty decent. We decided on sharing everything, most of which we ordered from the tapas menu. We ended up getting 2 * Mexican Hot Dogs (pretty decent with the chipotle on top), Fusion Pizza Quesadilla (interesting flavours), Peruvian Style Ceviche (refreshing with the fresh lime squeezed on top), Salvadorian Papusa (This one actually reminded me of food I ate whilst travelling) and Peruvian Lamb Cutlets (Awesome!).
For drinks we opted for the Heisenberg (a zip lock bag of blue flavoured ice (different and tasty) and a Donkey Kong (for those of you partial to banana flavoured drinks that actually taste like banana try this).
A decent time was had and a $ 100 bill at the end of the night made it about run of the mill pricing for tapas with a drink out in town. A decent place with a relaxing casual vibe. Might pop in on the Sunday for the $ 15 meal and imported beer deal.

I was pretty upset when I realised Sake bar is now gone, but was pleasantly surprised by Big Els which has taken its place.
The food was spicy but delicious. The vibe in the restaurant lacked a little bit but I would say they would change as the get more popular and the style of the restaurant still had a little bit of Sake bar theme with the paper doors but they have changed it up a lot.
The cocktails really made Big Els stand out for me. They were different to most other cocktail places in Perth. The Heisenberg was based on the TV show Breaking Bad and was served in a plastic bag and coloured blue which was to represent blue meth from the show. I would definitely go back for drinks and dinner again.