Based on 558 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 3.9 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ Delivery
Address:
4 Park St Suite 204, Essex Junction, VT 05452
Phone: (802) 662-4334
Hours
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
11:30 AM–9 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
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Reviews
RM R
Great little Mexican restaurant in Essex Junction. Large menu with a variety of traditional Mexican dishes as well as many taco option including beef tongue, barbacoa, carne asada, etc. The chimichanga was huge and was good flavor. The Tuesday night taco special has $4 tacos which is great if you like variety… The fried fish tacos (pescado tacos) were fantastic – perfectly crispy fish which went well with the slaw and other toppings. The chicken tacos are a little too sloppy with running juices all over (tortilla should have been doubled up), but the barbacoa tacos had great deep slow roasted beef flavor. Their draft beer selection is not huge. I enjoyed their Mexican lager and they also have Fiddlehead on tap, but the $8 price for a pint is a little high compared to all other restaurants in area. Overall a great Mexican restaurant for the Burlington area as not many options.
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Eric Howe
We have enjoyed this place many times over the years. But this visit was our last. Too many disappointments in the past few years, the food is not interesting, downright gross. We all felt horrible when we got home after eating there. Service was also slow, and the server forgot most of the extra things that we ordered, like a side of guacamole and lemonade for the kids. Appetizers came out with the food, all of that stuff that is not a big deal, but annoying all the same.
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Krystine Loring
Food is a step below mediocre. If you’re used to good Mexican food, don’t get your hopes up. Barely salted and hardly any seasoning is used besides half cooked onions and bell peppers. Edible if you must have a burrito or a taco.
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Deanne Marino
So nice to come back! Our daughter worked here while she was in college. Enjoyed fresh margaritas, good tacos, enchiladas and chimichangas. Yum!
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Bryan Donahue
I recently dined at El Gato Restaurant in Essex, Vermont, and I must say that I was disappointed with my experience. While the queso was decent, the taco tortillas were served cold like not warmed before filling, which was disappointing. The Pollo Mole had an odd, overly sweet taste and the chicken seemed haphazardly prepared. To make matters worse, the carnitas were dry and lacked any flavor. Overall, my visit to El Gato fell short of expectations, with lackluster dishes that failed to deliver on taste and authenticity.
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Jessica Harris
Drinks were great, but small. Queso is very thick. Everything was made fresh.
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Michael Collins
Had a wonderful meal at El Gato, the chips & salsa were fantastic along with our main course. Took Kathy out for dinner before the Al Stewart concert last night at El Gato Cantina. It was a fantastic meal, highly recommend it if you are on that side of the lake looking for a good meal out. Easy to find, it’ right off 5 corners in Essex Junction on Main Street. Kathy swore beer off for Lent but it turns out Margaritas aren’t beer, so they are allowed . Perfect timing too, Wednesday is $5 Margarita Night ! Kathy is always designated drinker , I’m designated driver
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Jennifer Petrie
The food here is excellent and normally I would give it five stars. I know people are understaffed and we were willing to be patient. They let us know up front. No problem. Our waitress was not really a waitress and she abandon the table. Many people walked by us and never said anything. We kept trying to get attention. We piled empty glasses at the end of the table. We tried everything. No one would look at us. Finally when we went up to ask for service she let us know she was not our waitress. We paid the bill and left without eating. I understand what happened but all someone had to do was acknowledge us and communicate and we would have stayed. The place was busy so I am sure they will survive without my business but was the worst disregard for customer service I have experienced in a long time.
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Varricc
To start, I work at a restaurant, so I don’t wanna be that guy, I know how it is and how hard of work it is. This all being said the reviews about the service and exorbitant wait times were accurate, I went in on a Sunday night, not busy when we got there tho it picked up as we waited a whole 45 minutes for our food. The food was pretty good tho definitely not worth the wait. Our server was nice however only visited the table a total of 3 times, once to take our drink and food order. Once to check on the food, then again for the check. I had to ask a host for a refill on drinks and they got part of my girlfriends order wrong(asked for no cilantro yet got some anyways). Overall it wasn’t amazing by any means of the word but it wasn’t horrible as the food was actually pretty good. But with on tap next door, this restaurant should really up its game.
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Julia Buffo
I’ve tried this place twice now and it’s been so disappointing each time. They overcharge in a way that is even surprising for restaurants in Chittenden county. I ordered the “taco platter” to go and it was supposed to come with refried beans. Its was $16.50, for the comically smallest amount of food I’ve ever seen. First picture with phone next to it for scale. My refried beans also never came and the tacos were cold! The second picture is a picture of their “side of guacamole” which when we bought the first time paid $3.99 for. It must be maybe 2 teaspoons at best? Just save yourself from feeling like a chump when this restaurant takes you for a ride with their partial tiny orders that are cold and overpriced.
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