El Caporal

Uh, yes, yes & yes. This food was delish. Started off with queso dip. Standard and hits the spot. Even the salsa and the white dip (LOVE) were good. Basic taco — awesome. Chile relleno was covered with this yummy green sauce. I had the mixed fajitas and I don’t regret it. I ate it for 3 meals, no joke. My boyfriend had the burrito macho which was huge and good. We were stuffed. Will totally be back.

The reviews don’t lie, this place is some of the best Mexican food I’ve had in my life. Very small place, with a tiny parking lot. Kinda the best kept secret in the West End area.

We came here because we wanted to try something different rather than where we always go and this restaurant had the best reviews.
They were packed, but we were seated in less than 10 minutes. The wait staff is friendly and attentive but not annoyingly so. I hate being constantly interrupted. We ordered Chori-​dip to go with our chips (it was fantastic) the salsa was really good. A lot of places serve really mild salsa, this one had a nice kick but wasn’t overly spicy. I ordered a shrimp chimichanga which is my favorite dish. Despite being SUPER busy the food came out quickly, it was hot and perfectly cooked.
I really can’t say enough good things about this place.

Love their white sauce, and it’s freeeeee!
We literally ate 3 of them, they were so good. The waiter saw that we were literally just chugging it, so he got us another one haha. Love the service.
The food portions are not just huge, they are giant. One plate could literally feed a family of 4. I took my leftovers home with me, and it felt like I was bringing a full take out meal with me. Love the shrimp and scallops. The rice was a bit plain /​boring, but whatever. Interior was a bit worn.
Overall it’s worth a try.

Amazing food. Came here because it had the BEST reviews. Family owned and operated. Great service, we had Roger. Food was absolutely delicious, get their 2.99 margaritas & quest dip.
Burritos were huge
Definitely recommend and will absolutely be back

I have had a long standing affection and commitment to El Paso (Southside location) but after visiting this place a couple times El Caporal has won my heart totally and completely. My first reaction to getting there was, «this is either gonna be awful or amazing». And it definitely was amazing. The chips and salsa are SO good, there’s white salsa which is an all time favorite. I’ve gotten chicken and onions every time and the chicken is so well seasoned, grilled and delicious. I’m not kidding when I say that everytime I talk to anyone about any good places to eat I recommend El Cap. It’s so good!!! Can’t stop talking about it, I’m super addicted!

This is our go to for Mexican food in the area. The servers are really friendly and we consistently have seen and gotten to know the same workers. One of my favorite parts is that the owners continue to make improvements to their building and the space. They are obviously taking a lot of pride and run a great business.
Favorites for us are the Speedy Gonzales, the Chili Relleno and the cheese sauce.

Yummy, fast, and cheap… how i like my women too.

This place is serves excellent Mexican food! I would give it more stars if they had them!

This is the only place we go for Mexican. We go at least once a week! The staff is amazing and know what we like and bring it to our table w/​o asking!
*Hint* If you like hot… ask for a bowl of verde
salsa. The best I’ve tasted next to my husbands!
I grew up eating authentic Mexican Food and this is the closest I’ve had to what I grew up with!
The food is served hot and it’s the best their is.

This place is mediocre at best. The margaritas are pretty bad, the salsa and white sauce is bland. The jalapeño salsa was the highlight. Don’t believe the hype.

The lighting was terrible so dark you could barely read your menu (maybe it was just the dinner turn down). The food was delicious. i got the ribeye steak and shrimp. And a margarita… I could have done without having the margarita, it wasn’t was I was expecting for a Mexican restaurant. I will for sure be going back.

I went here because of all the great reviews, and I was sadly disappointed.
I got nachos el patron and I felt like the portion size was so small compared to the size. I go to other Mexican places and get 3x as much for less money. My friend got the burrito fajita and said it was good though. If I went back again I would definitely order something different.
The service was great, but I was very disappointed with the food.
The location is also weird, as other people have mentioned, and the restaurant is VERY small.

This was a complete chance discovery! Its this tiny hole in the wall that almost takes you to mexico the moment you step in! Really good, almost home cooked mexican food! The fajitas were just incredible! I wasn’t super impressed with the chips but the cheese dip and salsa were good! Its very inexpensive and delicious! I will definitely be returning here!

My favorite local Mexican restaurant. Not a chain, and they serve a delicious white sauce!

This is a great Mexican restaurant that is not a part of a chain. I visited this restaurant over the July 4^th holiday weekend with my father and brother, who lives in the area.
Upon entering, you are greeted enthusiastically by several people and you actually feel welcome. The restaurant is small. The building appears to have been re-​purposed. It looks like it could have been a Long John Silvers or Toddle House in another life. The AC was cranked way up and I was glad that I brought a jacket. There were several booths and a couple of tables that looked like they could seat about 6 –8. There didn’t seem to be a room that could accommodate a large group. I actually like that.
I ordered the Chorizo Quesadillas. The chorizo was fabulous. It had a nice flavor leading me to think it had been prepared and seasoned over time with the spices being allowed to meld rather than just being cobbled together that morning or afternoon.
Both my brother and father got the combo that included enchiladas and a taco. For the listed price, about $ 8.50 as I recall, they got a lot of food. They both had to take the tacos home. The cheese that was on the plate with the taco was plentiful and looked so fresh. Everything looked fresh. My quesadilla came with a guacamole salad. Not liking guac or sour cream, I had them leave it off and even the lettuce remaining was awesome. Yeah, that sounds corny but mixed with the refried beans, I was happy!
The only negative is that my brother and I both felt that the refried beans were a little soupy. They were tasty but we would have preferred them a little thicker.
This is a great place for the price. When I’m in the area, I will definitely visit again.

Always great food and generally good service, frozen margaritas on special a few days a week. Awesome salsa. Skip the big box chains and give this little gem a try.

I really like the food here. It’s a little dark inside but the food is tasty and the service is fast.
Try their burritos, they’re huge!

Well this is my 1^st disagreement with Unilocal.
The food was fast and hot, the service fine and the ambience cozy. But it is not «real good Mexican» just average and not worth 4 stars.
At least what I had. Beef burrito, chicken enchilada and chile relleno all just average.

I’ve been a regular at El Caporal for about five years now, I used to visit this restaurant with my friends every week faithfully when I was in high school. Enough about me, more about this amazing establishment!
Although the restaurant may not be the most aesthetically on the outside, the food overcompensates for that. I’ve never visited a Mexican restaurant with food seasoned and prepared as well as El Caporal has. One of my favorite items on the menu is Pollo Sabroso. [sliced grilled chicken with chorizo and melted white cheese on top, accompanied with rice, beans, & pico de gallo]
Honestly I’ve enjoyed ever meal I’ve had here, and the employees are very welcoming and kind. I’m sure you’ll feel right at home here! No one visits El Cap just once. :)

Don’t let the location/​outside appearance deter you — this place is the real deal when it comes to Mexican food. It just happens to have the oddest location!
The chips and salsa/​white dip are incredible. Every time we are there, we end up going through two baskets of chips and all the salsa (twice!) without even realizing it. And it’s not because we are being mindless — they are that good.
I always get the quesadilla con camerones, or the shrimp quesadilla. It is so good, and a HUGE portion of food. Packed with veggies and tons of shrimp, as well as plenty of lettuce and guac on the side. I also love how the tortilla never seems too greasy at all. It really does taste fresh!
As an FYI — this is a pretty small place. We have never had to wait, but we tend to go on random weeknights. Either way, it would be worth the wait!