El Bolero

I really wasn’t all that thrilled. We went on a Saturday night around 7:30. We anticipated it to be busy and we didn’t have a reservation. They told us it would be 40 min wait. No big deal. We ended up eventually being seated about 1 hour and 40 – 50 min later… We would have left to go somewhere else but we were celebrating a birthday and this is where they really wanted to go. What irritated me the most is I wanted someone to at least acknowledge us. The hostess refused to make any sort of eye contact with us and played on her phone the whole time. A simple, «Thank you so much for your patience. We are doing our best» would have made a world of difference. A busser came by and offered us some water… very nice touch. I appreciated it.
After we got seated we ordered cocktails. They were delicious! I will give it that! The food I thought was okay… nothing to write home about. Our server was kind and attentive but management needs to have a conversation about her nails. Her nails were so long that she had to hold the plate an odd way to avoid her nails from going straight into our food. Not appropriate at ALL for a food and bev industry.
I think I might give it another go based on other reviews I read.
TIP: Make a reservation!!! But call to confirm. While we were waiting we saw several groups who came in with reservations but were not seated

Very disappointed!
Sat on the patio and waited over an hour for our food.
It was cold out and there were no heaters
When the food finally came it was cold and very sub par
Mahi Mahi tacos had no taste to them
Very disappointed

Great Food And Ambiance Very Reasonable Great Place To Chill And Eat Great Mexican Food!

Lots to like about this place from the bustling atmosphere to flavorful food to attentive and prompt service (and valet parking, if that’s your thing). On my first visit the lunch menu offered a selection of four tortas – pulled pork, turkey, ham & chorizo plus one other option I don’t remember. My turkey torta looked like a healthy inspiration for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, with thick slices of moist turkey breast on very soft, tasty bread. Great meal for $ 10. Their seasoned chips with a green chili sauce and roasted pepper salsa were a great set up and could almost have been a meal for me if I hadn’t been so enticed by the rest of the menu.
I was drawn back the second time by the back of the servers’ T-​shirts that advertised $ 15 lobster fajita Fridays. Wait, what?! It didn’t take long for me to come back. The meal was served as a platter with one small lobster tail prepared fajita style. Cool way to eat lobster at a fraction of the price. The dinner portion is $ 25.
Came back a third time thinking of the tortas offered on my first visit but this time ended up with a trio of tacos. I was leaning toward chicken or pulled pork but the waiter recommended the ribeye tacos and offered to make a combo of pulled pork and ribeye. For $ 14 (the higher price of the 3 taco options) he brought out two ribeye tacos and one pulled pork. They were good and I’m glad I tried them, but didn’t pack the flavors like previous orders. I probably would go for the pulled pork or chicken next time. It also felt like the server might have given us the combo for a slightly lower price since he offered to make the combo and we didn’t get 3 ribeye tacos, but I didn’t pursue the discount.
Still, all in all, this place is definitely on my shortlist of favorites in the area, and I will be back.

Not bad, but nothing special… It is outrageously overpriced and for that reason I probably won’t ever be back. In a city with almost as many Mexican restaurants as Starbucks, there is no reason to go back.
We had lunch there and each ordered the fish tacos, 1 drink each, and a shared side of elotes. Everything was fine, nothing memorable, but not bad. The problem is with the pricing. Lunch for two was $ 68+tip.
$ 17 for mahi mani fish tacos.
Drinks were ok but $ 14 for a «top shelf» made with Herradura Reposedo (the bartender had recommended it with Casamigos Anejo which would have been $ 18). The Magria (a swirl), was not one of the betters ones in Dallas.
If this place was in HP Village, Preston Center, or even West Village, I might forgive the prices… but it’s in an up and coming area with no justification for the prices other than someone spent too much money on the finish out.
Pass on this place. Nothing to see here.

Some of the better Tex-​Mex food I’ve had in Dallas. The margaritas were top notch too. Service is a real negative — took us 30+ minutes to get seated and we rarely saw our waiter after placing our initial order. Very loud inside too. A solid 4* but service must improve to reach 5* status.

After a few visits to this Modern Mex restaurant I can firmly place myself as a fan. A few things stand out. The waitstaff is great and helpful, the chips and sauce delivered to the table after arrival are excellent and encourage eating more than you probably should and the food very fresh and flavorful.
I’ve enjoyed the pork and shrimp tacos. Companions have enjoyed the fish (different daily) enchiladas have been well received and the drink list is very full.
This is a nice little addition to the Arts District.

We had been wanting to try this place for months, and it lived up to and surpassed our high expectations! We showed up on a Friday night at 8:30 pm, which normally isn’t the smartest idea in Dallas, assuming you don’t want to wait for 30+ minutes for a table. The hostess informed us that we had 3 tables before us, but that we were more then welcome to grab a drink at the bar, which we did! The place was crowded but not in a «packed» way, and it was easy to walk in between tables and around the bar. We immediately got drinks — the bartenders were very attentive, and before we had even gotten to take a second sip of our Negro Modelo and house margarita (respectively) we were being taken to our table.
Our waiter was awesome, very attentive and gave great suggestions! Everything came out at an appropriate time, and my god the food!
They have queso fundido, and 3 types of guacamole — we chose the guac «al pastor» because Trip loves pork. It. Was. Delicious. Clearly fresh and zingy — we loved it! Next time we will try the bacon guac, duh!
Trip got «Conchinita Pibil» which was pork on a bed of rice and beans — he loved it. After struggling to choose something (the menu isn’t too long but everyyyyything sounded good) I got the shrimp tacos. The shrimp was fluffy, light and tasty with the pico, onion and avocado! Mine came with green rice. All was tasty! We were full at this point, but for some reason I really wanted to try their churros… so we did. Hands down the best decision of the night. Oh! I forgot to mention another cool tidbit — the second marg I got was ~fancy~ …it had blackberry, jalapeño and tequila… and it was goooooood!
This place is simply great. Great food and drink, great service, great atmosphere!!! Splurge a little and go with a small or large group of friends or on a date night with bae. Loved it and will be back!!!

Favorite Mexican Restaurant! Always get the best customer service when coming here, the food is great and drinks even better! :) I usually always order the Chicken Mole Enchiladas, I can confidently say it tastes just like Mole from Mexico. Although I have tried almost about everything, the mole enchiladas and tacos al pastor are my fave! And as for drinks… Paloma Fresca and Mi Hermano have to be the best cocktails there. Been coming here since it opened and will keep coming… Love this place!

The guacomole is fresh and delicous!

Very fresh and high quality .
I had the brisket enchiladas and I am a bit of a snob when it comes to enchiladas and they were world class! Bravo
The chips were the best ever … Seriously! Verde salsa was tangy and I wanted to lick the empty bowl it came I when I was finished
I will come back when in Dallas! Go eat and enjoy!

My Dallas foodie has claimed this spot as her favorite tex-​mex in all the land. Might be that it’s a beautifully decorated restaurant with a fun menu. Might be the delicious cocktails… Might be cause it’s a great instagram worthy opportunity. Staff and service are top notch. Highly recommend the guacamole, could of eaten that as my entrée.

Came here on a Sunday around 2pm, so the crowd had died down.
Sat on the patio because it was a sunny day, and it was perfectly comfortable.
Frozen margarita was really yummy, as was the 3 taco plate. Boyfriends food and our ceviche appetizer was equally as good.
Love this place, definitely want to come back.

The freshness in the preparations here are what makes them a favorite in my book. Not just their food but their mixers for their cocktails as well. The sangria tanks and the juicer for the mixes. Also their chips and salsa are really great as well. The décor is modern and representative of the area it’s in and make you escape the warehouse/​corporate plaza corner that it’s in so that’s impressive in itself. But let’s talk about the food. Their guacamole is freshly prepared. Couldn’t use a little more acidity (lime/​lemon) and more S&P but that’s an easy fix at the table. Their ceviche is super fresh and fragrant. Not missing on the acidity department in that aspect. I’ve done their enchiladas multiple ways and their mole sauce is subtle as the verde sauce is mild. The freshness of the ingredients are what get me. It’s not a place to go if you want to feel like crap after from eating sh*t on a place cuz you’re not gonna get that hear. Simple ingredients that are fresh and that’s the flavor you’re going to get. Yep, that’s what it tastes like when it’s NOT PROCESSED.
This place is going to be a much frequented spot. Friendly staff as well and a decent happy hour.

This place is literally a two-​minute walk from where I work so I think the chance of me eating here consistently is pretty darn good!
I have only had lunch here, but both times the experience was very pleasing. It is a fun venue with plenty of seating, even for a party of 8. The music is thumping, but is not overbearing and is actually quite catchy. Their chips and salsa are good; they come with this special kind of seasoning that adds an extra kick to them.
I have had their Fish of the Day tacos on flour tortillas. 3 tacos came out on flour and they had a great blend of salsa and toppings to where you can easily handle them in one hand. Therefore you don’t look like a snarling wolf when you dig into them. They were delicious and not too stuffing.
On Fridays, they have a Lobster Fajita special! While I love lobster and although these were really good… I still probably won’t get them again seeing as I am just too much of a fan of the plain old fajitas. They are quite good though.
The margaritas were awesome though. Strong and full of flavor.
The service is very attentive and the staff is great. Definitely a great new Mexican join for people that like this type of food. Then again… who wouldn’t?
~I came, I saw, I ate~

El Bolero, which refers to Mexico’s street side shoe shiners, aims to transport diners on a multi regional journey, not only through its unforgettable cuisine, but also with its unique décor! The food is something you absolutely cannot miss, and something I will surely be back for. The moment I arrived I was kindly greeted by the friendly staff while warm, crispy chips were presented to me along with two deliciously appetizing salsas. Both salsas were divine, one was a green tomatillo sauce with a noticeably creamy texture that highlighted the presence of ripe avocado. It was not spicy but it was incredibly fresh and hard to resist. The other salsa was a roasted red sauce with a bit more of a kick. It’s hard to decide which is my favorite because I couldn’t stay out of either!
Of course I also had to taste their irresistible cocktails prepared with blackberries and so many other choices of fresh fruit such as prickly pear and even guava! There is surely something for everyone’s taste! The guys at the bar absolutely know what they are doing!
The plates at El Bolero are prepared with undeniably fresh, high quality ingredients that are inspired by recipes found across the vast and diverse locales of Mexico. I’m pleased I picked the Enchiladas Verde de Pollo, a surprisingly light take on the traditional enchiladas verdes filled with juicy, tender pulled chicken and topped with tomatillo salsa, tomatoes, shredded Lettuce, asadero cheese, roasted corn relish and queso fresco over a bed of the most incredible garlic white rice. My meal was truly prepared with a passion for Latin cuisine and just the way enchiladas should taste! I can honestly say I’m looking forward to try more of what El Bolero has to offer and you should give them a try if you want to treat yourself to DELICIOUS FOOD :)
Feel free to read more on my visit here

Short and not so sweet. We visited during a busy weekday lunch time, and were greeted by a friendly hostess. Beautiful restaurant, lovely décor, nice bar area, with a swanky ambiance. Those are my pros. It looks like my review will mirror several others. And, I am never happy to post a review of this nature.
We sat at the bar and were delivered the chips and salsa. That was the end of service. Oh, also the chips were thick and flavorless, not my preferred wafer thin, oily and salty morsels.
Yes, the bartender was busy, but we were not approached for our drink orders. Another couple came in just shortly after us and their drink orders were quickly taken. We sat there for 15 – 20 minutes with no attention.
We finally got up and left. Not a good first impression. However, I will note that on our way out the hostess thanked us for coming and «come back to see us again».
Nope, don’t think that will happen. Such a shame as the menu looked inviting.

Nothing special about this place. Extremely ordinary with rather boring décor and impersonal, unnattentive service plus an unimpressive crowd for a Thursday night… and this is simply my experience at the bar.
Once seated, waited over 10 minutes for our table of 5 to be acknowledged… and we actually weren’t acknowledged, I told the manager. I couldn’t understand how in such a small restaurant, TWO managers could miss a table of 5 with no drinks including empty water glasses on the table for 10 minutes. Oh, I know how, they were both more interested in hosting their friends than all guests (save your partying for your day off).
Service got worse as dinner progressed. The worst was when the waiter brought our 2^nd pitcher of sangria (different flavor) and poured into the same glasses as a completely different color of sangria (white vs. Rose). Ok, that’s bad but then he only poured one glass and left the table with 4 other people with empty glasses. I thought he went to get more ice then I saw him at another table so then I realized no, it’s just THAT BAD OF SERVICE. Really perplexing.
What was good? The sangia pitchers were awesome. The chips are darn good. The Salsas are really good too, with a trio of 3. Our waiter who provided horrible service and other servers were polite and friendly when asked for something. Like unnattentive service was their mission and «provide awesome service only when asked»
What was meh good… which means good not great? Every other dish I tried. Ribeye tacos, fundido, and civiche.
Thank goodness for fab friends who can make even a bad service night fun.
No, I don’t recommend but would go back if that’s where my friends wanted to go (which means there were enough redeeming qualities that make me not completely abandon the establishment)

My friend and I met here for brunch this past Saturday around 11:30am and there was hardly anyone there. I’m glad we were able to be seated immediately because I was starving! I’m not sure if there’s a brunch drink special since our waitress didn’t mention one, but it didn’t matter to me this time since I was planning to only drink water. Speaking of the waitress, she was nice and soft. soft, meaning, she definitely didn’t exceed my expectations, but she was good enough for me to say the service was good.
We were quickly graced with chips and salsa once sitting down and the chips were divine. They were probably some of the best chips I’ve had at a restaurant. The chips were soft with just the right amount of oil and seasoning. I really didn’t need either of the two sauces that accompanied the chips since they were already so delicious. The sauces weren’t anything to write home about anyway. It’s too bad that we ran out of chips, and even though the restaurant was over half empty, no one rushed to bring us more.
For my entrée, I ordered the Vegetable Omelet with an addition of Lobster. The omelet was overcooked, flat, tasteless, and I didn’t see or taste much lobster. The worst part of the omelet was the pico de gallo that was sitting on top. The only flavor I could taste with each bite were raw onions. The brunch potatoes were the winner of that plate.
All in all, I liked the style of the restaurant and I am looking forward to visiting El Bolero again to try out their dinner menu.

Vibe: Miami, 1986. The word swanky comes to mind. Reminded me of the old Genaro’s Tropicale.
MVPs
— Bloody Mary was great, really spicy, and really needed.
— Chips come dusted with chili powder and are paired with a great, thick salsa, not overpowering, but nice flavor.
— Tuna tartar was fantastic and served cold and raw with minced peppers and chunks of avocado.
— Steak and chili relleno entrée ($ 24) was really good. The steak was a tad heavy on the salt but savory and tender as could be.
— Guitarist had a nice voice and kept it tasteful.
— Everyone loved the Tres Leches and Churros.
D League
— Pitchers on each table hold water that has not been chilled. Strange.
— Smoked pork chop was dry and accompanied by a rather one-​dimensional sauce. Seriously, why would you attempt to smoke a piece of meat that lean?
— House margarita on the rocks ordered after I was assured it was strong, tasted like diluted crystal light.
I hope they work out the few issues, because this is a really nice place. Feeling generous today and rounding up. 4*