Been going to this restaurant ever since it started on Dort HWY. Love the food. I have tried many things off their menu from The taco salad, nachos fajita, quesadilla rellano (mushroom) and a few more I have been happy every-time. The white cheese.... To die for. Anytime I am in the area I look for an excuse to go here.
(5)
Joel B.
This place is the best. Best best best. I think it's pretty authentic, but I've never been to Mexico so I can't say for sure. If you don't think this is the best place ever, you are a terrible person, and probably deserve a hangnail. Or a paper cut. After you get the paper cut you should be required to reach in a bucket of pickled jalapeños so you feel the burn.
(5)
Carl B.
Verde burrito and their version of the California burrito were deliciously delightful. LOL. Nothing bad to say here unless you don't like flavor!
(4)
Sarah B.
One of the more authentic Mexican eateries in the local area. Good chips and salsa, not too oily or dry. The quesadillas are quite good as well, not dripping with oil or soggy like some places. Both the rice and beans are yummy and well-seasoned and tasted very fresh, not like out of a can or box. They have a pretty good beer selection. Service was okay.
(4)
Rebecca J.
Great Horchatas! Our service was excellent and the food was fresh and hot. We are really pleased with the food and will be back.
(4)
Tamara Y.
Decidedly ok. It's probably VERY good by Flint standards, but far short of Mi Pueblo. I do give them credit for at least having carnitas on the menu. Not thrilled with the tamales being filled with hamburger. The chips were ok. It's really hard to screw up a corn chip, IMHO. The salsa was meh, & needed something other than tomatoes in it. Gee, I dunno .... like onion, or cilantro, or peppers. I had chicken enchiladas and they were decent. The hubby had carnitas and they were ok too. The service was solid and attentive. If I needed Mexican food in Flint, I wouldn't be averse to this place.
(3)
Dave B.
First time here, great experience! Lunch specials are reasonably priced, chips and salsa were great, burrito with the beans had a lot of flavor. Fast, friendly service: my food arrived within 5-10 minutes after ordering.
(5)
Ken L.
El Potrero is ok, that pretty much sums it up. Starting with the chips and salsa, the salsa is not chunky and more spicy than most local restaurants (which I prefer). The chips are average, nothing to write home about. Typically my favorite Mexican dishes are Chile Rellanos, Cheese and onion Enchiladas, Tamales, and good Guacamole. Ratings are as follows: Rellanos - 3/10 Enchiladas - 5/10 Tamales - 7/10 Guacamole - 3/10 In other words, I like the tamales. Everything else is just ok, but being downtown Flint for a while gets you used to eating just "ok" food for lunch. I took a photo of the fajitas, but beware - although they smell and look great - the meat runs pretty dry. Especially the pork and chicken. I will be back, because I do like the tamales, they have Coke products, and my son likes tacos (from anywhere). And they will likely succeed because in downtown Flint mediocre is the norm.
(2)
John P.
The best authentic Mexican food in the area. They even have a delicious soup, rarely found in Mexican restaurants. The chips and salsa are great and the fajitas very good. Another plus: The only restaurant in downtown Flint with its own parking.
(5)
Robert C.
3-star Messican foods. Not terribly authentic, not terribly terrible. Decent, reasonably priced. The chips and salsa are arguably the best things here, funnily. Hard tacos are made with pre-made shells. Nachos are good. Burritos, decent. The staff seems to be very much hit-or-miss; all seem to have good intentions, but with varying degrees of execution. The place has a sort of grittiness that I enjoy; it reminds me of janky little taco shops in SoCal. The food is not quite to the same standard, however, but that is to be expected. Better than Taco Bell. Slightly better than Don Pablo's since its re-opening. Nowhere near Sagebrush Cantina.
(3)
Anthony Y.
A nice surprise. Came to Flint from Detroit area. We randomly stopped in. We ordered from the lunch menu. Food came out quickly, exact, and hot. Service was good. Guacamole is fantastic. I would eat here again. Good meal for the money.
(5)
Tony S.
First time visiting this place. It was a Saturday night, and they weren't very busy, which was a plus -- Sagebrush and Nuevo Vallarta were packed. We sat down and had the complimentary tortillas and salsa; which were quite good, though the salsa wasn't as chunky as I would prefer. It had an adequate level of spice, and a bit of onion and pepper. The chips were enjoyably warm and fresh tasting. We ordered the burritos, chimichangas, tamales, flautas and churros. They were all pretty tasty and authentic, but especially the tamales -- they were not filled with ground beef, as another reviewer listed, but shredded pork. My companion is from Texas with Mexican relatives, and she knows good tamales. The churros were sub-$4 and were good, served with ice cream, chocolate and whipped cream. All-in-all, two people, drinks and dessert and we received a bill under $30 -- quite reasonable. The atmosphere was enjoyable, not overly loud. The wait staff was pleasant, and the food was served remarkably quickly. We will be returning.
(5)
Christopher W.
I have been a fan of this restaurant's location on Hill Road but eating here was a much less pleasant experience. The service was sadly lacking from speed to friendliness. The staff seemed more interested in chatting with friends. Also, I was charged extra for stuff here as opposed to the other location. I will continue to patronize the location on Hill Road but probably will not be back to the location in Downtown Flint.
(2)
Paul J.
Love this place. It's in a great location, right downtown, easy to get to for lunch or dinner after work. The food is good, but the prices are what is really great. A 5 star rating is admittedly on a curve; it wouldn't measure up to a great Mexican restaurant somewhere like LA, but for Flint it's great.
(5)
Jorge H.
I was pretty excited about a new Mexican restaurant opening up in downtown Flint. Unfortunately I found the service slow and not many meat options for tacos. The chips and salsa were also not very impressive. They even messed up my friend's order. I'm usually pretty tough on Mexican restaurants but even being light, this place is not very impressive.
(2)
Brent P.
Went with chicken fajitas again. Chicken wasn't as exciting as some places (still comes out skillet style though, so we're good), but the topping freshness made up for it. Huge portion, really fair pricing, and fairly attentive service (although we had the place basically to ourselves). I dig it.
(4)
Char N.
I've been to El Potrero about 5-7 times now. I've had a variety of meals and all have been good. Nothing exceptional, but not bad either. All but 1 time the service has been good. The one time it wasn't, it was slow in there but the waitress was not very attentative and very slow. Plenty of chips and salsa and decent potion size. It's obvious that I keep going back so it's one that I will continue to patronize.
(4)
Ivy B.
My friend and I went for lunch on a Sunday. When we arrived, we noticed how freezing the restaurant was, but it wasn't a big deal. After the waiter finally came to take our order, he didn't seem to understand us, asking multiple times what we wanted after we told him. When we said we wanted vegetable fajitas, he repeated the order a couple times so I was positive he heard us right. However, when the food came out, we had vegetable nachos. Since we were on a time crunch, we decided not to send our food back. But I don't even think we could since the waiter barely acknowledged us the entire time! So, the nachos. They consisted of sauteed vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, peppers, onions and mushrooms) on tortilla chips with a strange, runny cheese sauce. I scraped off all of the cheese (though it was almost impossible since it was like a dressing) and tried to enjoy my food, but it just plain wasn't good. When we tried to get our bill, the waiter went off and did other things (walking by us a couple times) before finally dropping it off five minutes later. We were ignored, received the wrong food, and didn't enjoy the meal at all. Sorry, El Potrero. I really wanted to like you since you are one of my friend's favorite restaurants!
(1)
Tom N.
Ate lunch here during back to the Bricks. I thought the place was quite good. The salsa was mild and boring but service was good, food was good and prices were inexpensive. I plan to go back and try it again someday.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Rae E.
Been going to this restaurant ever since it started on Dort HWY. Love the food. I have tried many things off their menu from The taco salad, nachos fajita, quesadilla rellano (mushroom) and a few more I have been happy every-time. The white cheese.... To die for. Anytime I am in the area I look for an excuse to go here.
(5)Joel B.
This place is the best. Best best best. I think it's pretty authentic, but I've never been to Mexico so I can't say for sure. If you don't think this is the best place ever, you are a terrible person, and probably deserve a hangnail. Or a paper cut. After you get the paper cut you should be required to reach in a bucket of pickled jalapeños so you feel the burn.
(5)Carl B.
Verde burrito and their version of the California burrito were deliciously delightful. LOL. Nothing bad to say here unless you don't like flavor!
(4)Sarah B.
One of the more authentic Mexican eateries in the local area. Good chips and salsa, not too oily or dry. The quesadillas are quite good as well, not dripping with oil or soggy like some places. Both the rice and beans are yummy and well-seasoned and tasted very fresh, not like out of a can or box. They have a pretty good beer selection. Service was okay.
(4)Rebecca J.
Great Horchatas! Our service was excellent and the food was fresh and hot. We are really pleased with the food and will be back.
(4)Tamara Y.
Decidedly ok. It's probably VERY good by Flint standards, but far short of Mi Pueblo. I do give them credit for at least having carnitas on the menu. Not thrilled with the tamales being filled with hamburger. The chips were ok. It's really hard to screw up a corn chip, IMHO. The salsa was meh, & needed something other than tomatoes in it. Gee, I dunno .... like onion, or cilantro, or peppers. I had chicken enchiladas and they were decent. The hubby had carnitas and they were ok too. The service was solid and attentive. If I needed Mexican food in Flint, I wouldn't be averse to this place.
(3)Dave B.
First time here, great experience! Lunch specials are reasonably priced, chips and salsa were great, burrito with the beans had a lot of flavor. Fast, friendly service: my food arrived within 5-10 minutes after ordering.
(5)Ken L.
El Potrero is ok, that pretty much sums it up. Starting with the chips and salsa, the salsa is not chunky and more spicy than most local restaurants (which I prefer). The chips are average, nothing to write home about. Typically my favorite Mexican dishes are Chile Rellanos, Cheese and onion Enchiladas, Tamales, and good Guacamole. Ratings are as follows: Rellanos - 3/10 Enchiladas - 5/10 Tamales - 7/10 Guacamole - 3/10 In other words, I like the tamales. Everything else is just ok, but being downtown Flint for a while gets you used to eating just "ok" food for lunch. I took a photo of the fajitas, but beware - although they smell and look great - the meat runs pretty dry. Especially the pork and chicken. I will be back, because I do like the tamales, they have Coke products, and my son likes tacos (from anywhere). And they will likely succeed because in downtown Flint mediocre is the norm.
(2)John P.
The best authentic Mexican food in the area. They even have a delicious soup, rarely found in Mexican restaurants. The chips and salsa are great and the fajitas very good. Another plus: The only restaurant in downtown Flint with its own parking.
(5)Robert C.
3-star Messican foods. Not terribly authentic, not terribly terrible. Decent, reasonably priced. The chips and salsa are arguably the best things here, funnily. Hard tacos are made with pre-made shells. Nachos are good. Burritos, decent. The staff seems to be very much hit-or-miss; all seem to have good intentions, but with varying degrees of execution. The place has a sort of grittiness that I enjoy; it reminds me of janky little taco shops in SoCal. The food is not quite to the same standard, however, but that is to be expected. Better than Taco Bell. Slightly better than Don Pablo's since its re-opening. Nowhere near Sagebrush Cantina.
(3)Anthony Y.
A nice surprise. Came to Flint from Detroit area. We randomly stopped in. We ordered from the lunch menu. Food came out quickly, exact, and hot. Service was good. Guacamole is fantastic. I would eat here again. Good meal for the money.
(5)Tony S.
First time visiting this place. It was a Saturday night, and they weren't very busy, which was a plus -- Sagebrush and Nuevo Vallarta were packed. We sat down and had the complimentary tortillas and salsa; which were quite good, though the salsa wasn't as chunky as I would prefer. It had an adequate level of spice, and a bit of onion and pepper. The chips were enjoyably warm and fresh tasting. We ordered the burritos, chimichangas, tamales, flautas and churros. They were all pretty tasty and authentic, but especially the tamales -- they were not filled with ground beef, as another reviewer listed, but shredded pork. My companion is from Texas with Mexican relatives, and she knows good tamales. The churros were sub-$4 and were good, served with ice cream, chocolate and whipped cream. All-in-all, two people, drinks and dessert and we received a bill under $30 -- quite reasonable. The atmosphere was enjoyable, not overly loud. The wait staff was pleasant, and the food was served remarkably quickly. We will be returning.
(5)Christopher W.
I have been a fan of this restaurant's location on Hill Road but eating here was a much less pleasant experience. The service was sadly lacking from speed to friendliness. The staff seemed more interested in chatting with friends. Also, I was charged extra for stuff here as opposed to the other location. I will continue to patronize the location on Hill Road but probably will not be back to the location in Downtown Flint.
(2)Paul J.
Love this place. It's in a great location, right downtown, easy to get to for lunch or dinner after work. The food is good, but the prices are what is really great. A 5 star rating is admittedly on a curve; it wouldn't measure up to a great Mexican restaurant somewhere like LA, but for Flint it's great.
(5)Jorge H.
I was pretty excited about a new Mexican restaurant opening up in downtown Flint. Unfortunately I found the service slow and not many meat options for tacos. The chips and salsa were also not very impressive. They even messed up my friend's order. I'm usually pretty tough on Mexican restaurants but even being light, this place is not very impressive.
(2)Brent P.
Went with chicken fajitas again. Chicken wasn't as exciting as some places (still comes out skillet style though, so we're good), but the topping freshness made up for it. Huge portion, really fair pricing, and fairly attentive service (although we had the place basically to ourselves). I dig it.
(4)Char N.
I've been to El Potrero about 5-7 times now. I've had a variety of meals and all have been good. Nothing exceptional, but not bad either. All but 1 time the service has been good. The one time it wasn't, it was slow in there but the waitress was not very attentative and very slow. Plenty of chips and salsa and decent potion size. It's obvious that I keep going back so it's one that I will continue to patronize.
(4)Ivy B.
My friend and I went for lunch on a Sunday. When we arrived, we noticed how freezing the restaurant was, but it wasn't a big deal. After the waiter finally came to take our order, he didn't seem to understand us, asking multiple times what we wanted after we told him. When we said we wanted vegetable fajitas, he repeated the order a couple times so I was positive he heard us right. However, when the food came out, we had vegetable nachos. Since we were on a time crunch, we decided not to send our food back. But I don't even think we could since the waiter barely acknowledged us the entire time! So, the nachos. They consisted of sauteed vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, peppers, onions and mushrooms) on tortilla chips with a strange, runny cheese sauce. I scraped off all of the cheese (though it was almost impossible since it was like a dressing) and tried to enjoy my food, but it just plain wasn't good. When we tried to get our bill, the waiter went off and did other things (walking by us a couple times) before finally dropping it off five minutes later. We were ignored, received the wrong food, and didn't enjoy the meal at all. Sorry, El Potrero. I really wanted to like you since you are one of my friend's favorite restaurants!
(1)Tom N.
Ate lunch here during back to the Bricks. I thought the place was quite good. The salsa was mild and boring but service was good, food was good and prices were inexpensive. I plan to go back and try it again someday.
(4)