One of my favorites in Edwardsville. Â Went again Friday night after by passing several restaurants with incredible wait times...even though a busy Friday night the wait was only about 10 minutes. Â The salsa and chips arrived quickly - I'm glad they seem to have cut out the "new" dip they were providing; that just didn't seem to match with the salsa and chips. Â I was looking for something low cal and low fat and the waiter suggested Gordo's Special. Â Blackened shrimp served on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes and rice. Â It is a spicy dish as several hot pepper strips were added throughout the dish - no problem though, as I just picked them out and laid them aside. Â The shrimp were perfect - firm and very tasteful; and not having the guacamole or sour cream that normally comes with their dishes, it was still very filling. Refills of drinks and chips are abundant and now I have a new dish if I want something low cal and also doesn't make you feel overly stuffed afterwards. My favorite Mexican restaurant and they delivered again!
Review Source:Let me point out first that I ordered my food as take out on super bowl sunday. There were no other people in there. None. I was only going here because it was closer than my usual mexican place (Los Tres Amigos. They're fantastic, by the way). I ordered Pollo Cancun which is what I order from the other place. The description and accompanying picture is exactly the same. I just asked for no mushrooms and while the description did not include green peppers, when I asked for those to be added, I was assured it came with it and that it "wasn't spicy." Not a good sign when the waiter at a Mexican restaurant tells you something isn't spicy when you haven't even asked. They got it out to me very quickly but because it was so dead, I heard them start and end cooking in the back so I was sure it wasn't microwaved. When I get it home, there is no cheese on it and 5 shrimp, which doesn't translate well into using 3 tortillas. I taste it to see if it needs cheese (even though it's meant to come with it) and it was very, very bland and only lukewarm. I don't live far away from this restaurant so it should still be warm. I try the chips and salsa. The chips are so clearly not made there but I don't mind that so much. What I mind is that, despite it being so dead in there, I've gotten old salsa. I know this because I doubt many people are going to get margaritas on super bowl sunday but my salsa tastes like tequila and lime with no trace of a tomato. It's also water thin, no sign that it had ever seen a vegetable. Why they aren't cleaning their blenders before making salsa, I've no clue. I had to load it up with my own cheese (which is annoying because I only had reduced fat colby jack) and even still it was blaaaand. There is no spice whatsoever and they've only given me a pitiful amount of guacamole. I used Los Tres Amigos' salsa that I had left over from the week previous. What makes this all really bad to me, a person who is willing to give restaurants second chances, is that there really were no other people there. These were the blunders of a staff working under evening rush conditions and that they made them without that sort of pressure, it shows me that this restaurant will never be better than this. Oh, and it was more expensive than Los Tres Amigos, so that's even worse.
Review Source:Mexican food with complimentary grime!
Go for the cheap margaritas, and then run away as fast as you can if you start to feel hungry. Â It is right next to a Chinese place and a pizza place. Â So seriously, run. Â Unless, of course, you prefer terrible Mexican food that will come back to haunt you. Â Or if you can't get enough of those burritos that come with the occasional hair or two.
My first visit to El Maguey will be my last. Â The waiter did not speak a bit of English, not even enough to get by as a waiter in a Mexican restaurant. Â He did not know what we meant when we asked for water, yes and no were foreign to him, plus we sat for 15 minutes without menus after arriving and joining our party.
I ordered a margarita (which I had been told were strong), and wondered if I had to also ask for tequila to be put in it as it was very weak. Â I also ordered the Pollo San Jose, which by the description on their menu was chicken breast covered in spinach and cheese with rice and beans. Â I received chicken breast covered in cheese on tortilla chips. Â No spinach to be seen. Â Since our waiter did not speak English, I saw no way to point out the error.
After we finished our meal and paid our bills, the owner came over and stared at us for 5 minutes straight. Â I guess this was our hint to leave and free up his tables. Â After all, the restaurant was less than 1/2 full, but I guess he was expecting a huge rush at 7:30pm on a Sunday night for some reason.
Overall, weak margaritas, mediocre food, bad service and I felt unwelcome. Â With at least 7 other Mexican restaurants within 15 miles of this one, I would suggest immediate improvements be made if they want to stay in business.
A Jehovah's Witness once asked me if I had a personal relationship with Jesus. Â "Yes I do," I replied, "he's an excellent waiter at El Maguey." Â Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, as our relationship is more business than personal, but where in the Bible does it say that you shouldn't lie?
Of course, El Maguey has all of the standard Mexican fare, but their fajita nachos - a dish that I rarely see at other Mexican restaurants - is so good that I get it almost every time. Â And there service is excellent too. Â When I go there for lunch with work colleagues, they're quick and they don't mind writing out or ringing up individual checks. Â This is very helpful in an era when few people use cash for daily transactions.
There are four Mexican restaurants in Edwardsville now (there were none when I was growing up), but El Maguey is my favorite. Â
And if you have a Jesus sighting there, don't be alarmed that the Rapture is near. Â Jesus is just a waiter at El Maguey's, albeit one with the supernatural ability to quickly serve a table of loud American gringos.
I'm not a big fan of Mexican, but if I am going to eat it, I don't mind eating it here. I would say they have mild Mexican flavors-nothing too overpowering and they offer similar restaurant staples to that of El Rancherito.
If you like margaritas, come on Monday or Tuesday when they offer them for just a buck each. They seem to be pretty busy on these and weekend nights so parking might be a bit of a problem.
Both times the food was good and the service was alright (given how busy they were).
Monday and Tuesday 99 cent Margaritas: The only reason to go here. Â Just make sure when you order, you get two because they tend to be a bit slow. Â The cheap drinks aren't really the best kept secret around there, so it's usually busy and the staff hasn't figured out how to multi-task.
Review Source:Went here with the family while I was visiting because they think this place rocks for mexican food. They obviously dont know what the hell their talking about. Disgusting. My tamale was served cold with some nasty ass beef mix on top. My burrito was ok because all it consisted of was ground beef in a rolled tortilla and top with their semi decent salsa. The best thing on the whole plate is the beans. So sad. My husband got the chimi and it wasnt even fried. I thought thats the whole point of a chimi??!!! Anyways, he said it was gross too! They do have cheap margaritas..I'm guessing you have to be drunk off your ass to enjoy this nastyness!! Blech
Review Source:If you like your Mexican food with mild flavors, this place is for you. Our table had Enchiladas Maguey (shrimp), Pollo Feliz (happy chicken) and the "Special Dinner" (two-plate combo), all fresh and hot, served with plenty of chips and salsa. Â If you're with a group, or on a first date, you won't feel claustrophobic in the large, well-lit, bi-level space. I've dined here three or four times, and have found the tables and booths equally comfortable. Â When the outside temperature is moderate, several small round tables and metal chairs are available on the covered sidewalk. The old suspended tile ceiling is stained, but who looks up, anyway?
Review Source:I'd actually give them 4.5 stars - almost perfect. Best Mexican style food currently being served in Edwardsville. Service is friendly and the food is usually there very quickly. I like their chips and the "salsa pecosa" (spicy, green salsa). Their warm queso dip for chips is some of the best I've had, as is their refried beans. Food is good, not fancy, but almost always hot and tasty. Very good value.
Note: Someone has conned them into thinking they can get "free" new tables and there are cards everywhere to solicit ad space on these new tables. Management: Don't do it! This would look extremely tacky and make it feel more like a bar. Aren't the tables already there sufficient and almost new? You will soon have more competition ( new restaurant opening by Dierberg's) Â and I'm betting they won't be using tacky tables!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
