El Fenix Mexican Restaurants

Actually, I love the food at El Fenix, and it’s my favorite Mexican food restaurant. The reason why I rated this location with only two stars is because the people who run it turn a blind eye toward customers who behave in a loud and disruptive manner. This past Friday, my meal was ruined by a group of rude people who were laughing and carrying on in a very loud manner. They were disturbing other customers. We were closest to them, so we got the worst of it. Finally, I had had enough, and so I went to complain. What happened? NOTHING! The manager stopped by, but did nothing about the problem. I may never go back to this El Fenix, or any other because of this. If I do, everything had better damned well be perfect that next time. I’m sick and tired of restaurant managers being total wussies about dealing with unruly customers, and it is something that I will not put up with again. At this location, you will have to just put up with the interruptions and rudeness because the manager is too scared to take action. It doesn’t matter that I’ve been going to El Fenix for almost the whole 16 years that I’ve lived in Dallas/​Fort Worth. All that matters to this guy is that the manager follows the path of least resistance, and his customers just have to put up with it.

All of the food here looks to be fast food quality, with restaurant prices. The rice was dry and tasted like instant rice I can buy in a box with a smiling man’s face on it. The beans tasted exactly the same as Taco Bueno’s. The taco itself looked like Taco Bell’s, down to the lettuce and the shell. Enchiladas were sub par and the tilapia looked like a slightly more burnt version of the yellow fisherman’s brand. I ordered the brisket nachos, which arrived with shredded cheese stuck to them. When I was a young child, I would come home from school and try to make myself nachos. I would use shredded cheese over tortilla chips on a plate, then microwave the whole plate. The result was a hardened cheese glue that made it impossible to separate the chips. Nothing like the gooey quesoeqsue cheese nachos I craved. These brisket nachos were like the ones I made when I was a kid. I learned quickly not to use melted shredded cheese on nachos, I can’t believe a restaurant chain did not learn the same lesson. I will say the brisket was good, as were the chicken fajitas. These meats are the only thing I tasted that were a step above fast food. El Fenix is obviously no Gloria’s. I’d actually rather go to Taco Bueno and get the same quality food for much less money before I go back to El Fenix.

We were sat immediately and the service was good, but no one at the table was impressed with the food. For fairly standardly-​priced Mexican food, you’re better off going somewhere else.

As the manager of a nearby business, I had this location El Fenix cater our lunch. I ordered off the online catering menu, no special request. All very straight forward. We picked up the order, it was ready on time. We got back to work and started opening the containers and the order seemed off. So not being sure we had ordered correctly, we double checked to see. For instance, we ordered the Flautas, it was listed as an order of 24… We were given 12… A few other things were off as well. So we called and were told the order was correct, but we could order additional food if we would like. So we did. We then printed off the menu and took it with us to pick up the additional food. When at the restaurant to pick up the second time, we showed the menu and were told «they didn’t go by that». (Bait and Switch… Anyone) We asked to speak to the manager, we were told, «there is no manager for you to talk to». Then the English speaking staff we were speaking to started speaking Spanish in clipped tones right there in front of us. Rude and not cool. The customer service at this location is astoundingly awful…

Best salsa & chips around in my opinion… the salads are decent. Cheese enchiladas are good. I love the charro beans. Service is ok, usually isn’t that crowded.

Stopped by for dinner, greatly disappointed. We got chips and salsa from the bus person right away but no one came by to take a drink order. Finally saw a manager, Hector, and ask if we could get drinks. He just said that he would send someone right over. He stopped and talked to the hostess for several minutes and when a server walked past us we finally got to order. Hector seemed more interested in the hostess than the customers. The fajitas arrived and the chicken had green spots on it. The server was no where to be found but the manager showed up again to take my dining partners fork off the table and pick at
my chicken. Then he announced that it was simply a guacamole stain on the meat, nothing wrong with it. What was wrong is the way that the management there treats their customers. I hate to think how they treat the staff.

The manager here is the rudest jerk. This is coming off of several interactions with him. One time my waiter took my order for a lunch special that ended at 2. I got my bill and realized that it was about $ 3 higher and then I realized that I was charged for the enchilada dinner and not the special. When I went to pay and told the manager he slammed the menu down and pointed to the part on the lunch menu that said until 2 and rolled his eyes and said «can you read?» Then he slammed my ticket down and pointed to the time on it that said 2:04.
Tonight I ordered a quart of beans, a quart of queso and chips to go. He was rude to the couple in front of me and kept coughing without covering his mouth. When he got to me there were no chips with my order. He slammed my receipt down and said chips didn’t come with it. I’m paying $ 14 for queso and you expect me to eat it with what!!! Fine. As he coughed all over the register and acted like I was the biggest burden he said he’d go get me some chips. I told him he was acting put out and to forget it and grabbed a $ 3.79 bag of pre bagged chips. The guy was acting like such a jerk but coughing everywhere and I didn’t want his sick hands on the chips.
He slammed my credit card back at me and then coughed some more without covering his mouth. When I asked for my receipt he slammed those down on the counter as well.
I’ve been going to El Fenix for over 20 years. I’ve never been charged for chips when I ordered a QUART of queso. And to be treated this way multiple times by the same manager… He needs to go.

The best chips ever!!! And then the compliments end, friendly staff… «If you pour hormel chili over everything gordo gueros will never notice» kind of decent TexMex, if that’s what you’re into…

Eh. I’ve had better but it works in a pinch if you want cheap Mexican. I had the brisket tacos today. I give it 2 stars because it’s sub-​par to everything around, has no flavor in anything I’ve tried, yet somehow it’s not horrible. Lol, I guess no flavor is better than bad flavor?!

Will not be coming back to this place again. I was disappointed. I ordered the street tacos and it smelled and taste like trash can tacos. As soon as the waiter put my food on the table it smelled like rotten fish! In addition, My husband enchiladas were cold. Gave them 2 stars only because the chips and salsa were good.

Friendly staff, good food, very reasonable. I love the chips and salsa. Light flakey chips and flavorful not too spicy salsa. Guacamole and queso are also excellent. I like to order the sour cream enchiladas. Huge chunks of chicken. Today I ordered the beef enchiladas and they were good too. Not a huge fan of the rice and beans but everything else I have had there is good.

Stopped here at the last minute! The service was amazing. Ordered El Fenix margarita and appetizer platter! Good food, drinks stiff yet enjoyable and service again top notch!

I had the Faitas Rancheras. Was very good. Wished the steak was more seasoned. Got a cheese on the side. The red sauced tasted more like a chile con queso than enchilda sauce. The house margarita was pretty good and big for the price. Chips and salsa were good as okay.

This is my favorite El Fenix location. It’s old school Tex-​Mex. I’ve been going to this location since I was a kid. My favorite things to eat here are the enchiladas– all kinds and the chimichanga. They have the best chips and salsa too. Oh! and awesome margaritas!!!

This was my first time eating at an El Fenix. This is an older location so when you walk in it smells like an old apartment which doesn’t start your experience off very well. Our waiter was very quick and friendly! The tamales, beans, and margaritas are awesome but the rice is really bad. It honestly tastes like plastic or something. I probably wouldn’t come back considering there are so many great Mexican restaurants in the area.

Went for lunch on a Saturday. Awesome chips and salsa. The rest of the food was standard mediocre Mexican. The rice on my plate had a weird, plastic-​y aftertaste. The restaurant was clean but a little dated — felt like the 1980s in there. There are many other Mexican restaurants that are worth trying before I’d return back here.

Went today for the first time based on a recommendation of a friend. The décor is nice and the service is wonderful. I ordered two grilled chicken soft tacos and double beans as I can’t eat rice. YUMMY is all I can say. The portion was plentiful and I walked away with leftovers for dinner. I enjoyed the chips and salsa.
I did not have a chance to order a margarita, but from my reading I’ll to go back and try one definitely. I did not realize they are known for their enchiladas so another item I’ll need to try.
I think it would be a fun place for dinner with a crowd. I’ll need to go back when I’m in town.

Good margaritas. The chips and queso are pretty darn good. The quesadilla are filling. The food tastes great, the price is reasonable. It is a kind of «go to» joint for lunch or dinner if you just want to take your better half out to when you just want to go somewhere and eat and talk about your day. The wait staff is attentive but not annoyingly so. Very comfortable.

One of my all time favorite places to eat!
The chips are absolutely amazing, so light and crisp. I really like their salsa and their queso.
My favorite thing to order is their cheese enchiladas. I love the chili con carne on top. So yummy.
I also like to order the street tacos. They have some great flavor and the tortillas are delicious.
Their tea is also to die for. I love a good glass of sweet tea and theirs is perfect!
This is our go to restaurant when we want good Tex-​Mex. Definitely would recommend to anyone visiting the Addison/​Dallas area.

I love El Fenix, however, this is the worst location. The service is so slow!
Not only that, but the chips they brought us (multiple times) were broken and looked to be the ones left at the bottom of the bag.
I’ve always had an issue with the service at this location: no drink refills, waiter takes forever to take orders, and the food was not as yummy as the other locations (for some reason). Drive further. The uptown and central location are way better.