El Cerro Azul

I’ve eaten dinner here a few times now and each time I have been so impressed with the wait staff. It’s a very family feel restaurant and the servers are all attentive and personable. They can roll with my sarcasm too :) We have had to wait a few times but never longer than 15 minutes. This place can get packed!
Ok, so the food. I haven’t had a bad meal yet! My husband always gets a burrito or fajitas and I usually switch it up. I do wish they had more enchilada options. Hint hint, wink wink. Poblano enchiladas, please.
Mondays are $ 1 taco night and Thursdays are $ 1 Margarita night. Expect a wait on these nights.

Don’t let the outside deceive you! This place is a hidden gem. Went there Saturday night. Nice décor inside. Great service and the food was excellent. The salsa/​chips provided had a nice spice to it — not too spicy or tomatoey flavor. Had the Fajitas Al Pastor and it was a huge portion, had great flavor, fresh veggies and pineapple, and cooked very well and sizzling at the table. We also had a shrimp quesadilla which was stuffed full. No beer on tap but we can overlook that since the food and service were very good This place beats any «chain» any day. Will definitely be back, just wish we’d discovered it sooner.

We recently moved to Powhatan and have been on the hunt for good local places. Coming from 16 years of living in the city, we’ve generally found the local joints to be very disappointing. But, this was a incredibly refreshing experience — I might normally put this place at 4 stars, but given the mediocre meals we’ve had recently, this place really impressed me! Nice atmosphere — a bit surprising from what you might think walking up to the place. Great service. Great food — nice to see some creative options that go beyond every other run-​of-​the-​mill Mex spot. Guac was fresh and delicious. Chips were also fresh — salsa was good — I was not a huge fan of the white sauce (little to sweet for me), but others liked it. Our dinners were excellent — we tasted each others’ meals and they actually had distinct flavor profiles — not just a bunch of beans and cheese. Only sad we didn’t save room for dessert. We have now found a spot in the area that we’ll be patronizing regularly — yay!

Great quality food and at a decent price! Love dollar taco Mondays! Everything I’ve had there has been great.

Not your average cookie cutter Tex-​Mex. Freshly prepared innovative entrees. I first impression is always the Salsa. This salsa had multiple layers of flavor, not just tomato sauce with onions. Staff friendly and attentive (we we’re there at 4pm).

Best Mexican food East of the Mississippi. Salsa is good. Guac is good. Family friendly. Affordable. And they should get 5 stars for $ 1 Margarita night alone. I think I’ve tried everything in the menu at least once and it rarely disappoints. Super fast service. Friendly staff. Management is always around. Definitely a winner!

I eat here quite often it’s my favorite Mexican restaurant in Richmond, food is fresh and authentic not to mention the best Rica Margaritas ever! Staff is friendly and fast you will always run into someone you know here, great neighborhood place

Probably the most reliable place in Powhatan. Always quick and satisfying. Made even better by the recent renovations. Gets a little busy on Mondays but they move people fairly well. Good margaritas.

Food and Service are the best in town out of all mexican restaurants! I’m not sure what planet the negative reviewers are from, but this place has always been awesome. I’m sure it might depend on what you order, but every single dish I have gotten was always very tasty and plated nicely. The managers here are awesome and funny, and always remember you when you return, BY NAME. Very personable, I love it. Not to mention — on Thursdays they offer 2 different margarita type of drinks for A DOLLAR (with purchase of meal). YUMM!!!

Food quality and service have come way down since the establishment first opened. We prefer the Plaza Azteca. Our recent visit to El Cerro involved a 2 inch piece of broom straw in our food. Complained to the waiter, he said sorry.

This is a pretty solid Tex-​Mex joint. We were seated quickly, the staff were all prompt and kind. Drinks were never empty and the service was top notch.
The tortilla chips are homemade and delicious. The salsa is not spicy at all, but definitely has a fresh taste to it. The guacamole is fine, but just fine. I ordered the tilapia salad and it was so delicious. My dining partners ordered fajitas and a burrito. They seemed to enjoy them and it all looked good.
The décor is quaint and pretty standard for a place that is screaming «WE’RE TEX-​MEX! ENJOY!»
The best part is that it’s actually enjoyable and worth a visit.

This is a great restraint. If you have not eaten her you owe it to yourself and your friends. The food and portions are great. The prices are very reasonable. The atmosphere is warm and charming. The staff are very professional and friendly.

Really great Mexican food. Loved it. I will return next time I’m in VA. I had a burrito with shrimp, scallops, zucchini, mushrooms, and potatoes. I forget the name of it but I’ll never forget the taste.

Clean establishment and good food. Average service and average ambiance. Nothing to go out if your way for but definitely the better choice I you are in the area and enjoy Mexican.

Had my first try of some of their lunch takeout items today, I’d say they are a pretty average Mexican place. The food was good put nothing that wowed me. Will have to try some specialty stuff next time.

The salsa is definitely from canned tomatoes. White sauce (which I don’t touch) was just ranch dressing according to my date.
More to come…

Another strip mall Mexican place, but this one is pretty good. My wife had vegetable tacos and I had the burrito el special. Both were good, and the service was fine. The salsa with the chips was very good, the fresh guacamole just okay. Place seemed clean, and wasn’t overdone with the cheesy Mexican decorations.

Forgive the short review but I’m not stoked enough to embellish this.
Average Salsa
Average Service
Average Beans
Average Rice
Country/​Bumpkin Atmosphere
Average Food
Only worth eating here if you are in the area but otherwise don’t venture out.

You cant beat dollar taco night every Monday! The rest of the menu is forgettable.

LOve, Love, Love!
Not only is thier food delicious, but their margeritas are too!
It is also extrememly economical, family of four can eat for about $ 35. WOW