El Rodeo

I like going to El Rodeo because of the fun atmosphere, the Dos Equis on draft and Don José is always friendly when we go. As far as the menu goes, I can only speak to the Carne Asada meal and the Carne Asada tacos both of which are excellent. It is also a good place to go with groups, since there is usually not a wait and they have lots of big tables.

For people saying it is not authentic, I do not understand, Don José is Mexican and makes a standard mexican fare. The tacos were served the traditional way. Just because it is full of college kids, doesn't make the food less authentic.

Maybe I'm spoiled by living in Chicago with a plethora of authentic Mexican restaurant choices? Even so, El Rodeo has fallen off the bull. When we walked in, there was a an underlying foul sewer/air freshener oder hanging out by the hostess/cashier counter which only intensified when heading to the restroom.  Back at the table, chips and salsa had arrived.  The chips were fresh, the salsa was bland. The menu was long with numerous options but after seeing what I'd seen so far, I wanted to order something with the smallest chance if being screwed up. We ordered waters and a pitcher of margaritas...the margaritas showed up but but the water was MIA. The margaritas were bad enough that I took a couple of sips and ordered a Diet Coke. Also, they're either serving the margaritas with lemons instead of limes...or those limes were in ridiculously bad shape. When it was time to order dinner, I ordered the steak burrito on our waitresses recommendation. The cheese sauce on the burrito was pretty good (there's your 2nd star) but that steakish meat was tough and sketchy. One of my friends ordered a ground beef tostada which showed up as a large mound of ground beef on a corn tostada. Evidently they were trying to deplete their stock of ground beef because this stuff was overused everywhere. Half way through the meal one of my friends ordered water for our table -AGAIN - and this time our waitress brought back one water for my friend only.  After my friends made it through as much ground beef as they could stomach, we left...getting one last whiff of sewage/air freshener on the way out...wishing we had just gone to Chipotle instead. I guess for the local college students, they do offer good beer specials...so there's a feather in your cap?

I know it's not truly authentic mexican food but thats harder to find than it sounds in the mid-west. Either way, I am a fan of El Rodeo!

  They have a great lunch fajita deal. $5.99 for a lunch (steak or chicken) fajita! El Rodeo has remained consistent on what their food taste like. Everything I have had there has been cooked correctly and evenly. The service is always great as well.
  I also really enjoy their tacosl. And yes, they do start you w/a complementary bowl of salsa and chips. They also have great margarita deals! ...& they are good!!

  All around, when I'm craving mexican food in Lafayette, IN. I go to El Rodeo :)