El Tango Taqueria

05/12/2008 Posted by shakesomeaction

My fiance and I ate here for the first time this past weekend. We'd heard nothing but great things about the food but no one told us what do do when we walked in so we kind of just stood there looking confused! Luckily the drill was explained to us by a man who I assumed was the owner. He was really friendly and upbeat, which usually annoys me but not here--his enthusiasm seemed sincere and genuine. We were slightly disappointed to find out that they didn't serve alcohol, but I had the iced tea and it was absolutely delicious. Now that we know it's BYOB, I'm sure we'll be taking advantage of that! The decor was really unique and interesting, and we liked the fact that the dining area was small and UNcrowded (Saturday night at 6:30pm, and we were the only ones in the dining room, though several groups came in for carryout while we were there) I ordered the California Avocado-Lime burrito with fish. It was the absolute best burrito in the entire world. I'm a Chipotle nut, but I'm not sure I can go back there now after eating this burrito! I'm still dreaming about it, and probably will until I go back and eat another one! When we left, the three employees who were there gave us a friendly thank you and good night, as if we had been coming there every day for years. It was really nice. I definitely recommend it.

Pros: friendly service, fresh food, short wait time

Cons: no parking lot

08/06/2007 Posted by abartsch

Best food in Lakewood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and beyond. I cannot believe this place still has seating available on Friday Nights. People in Cleveland accept mediocre food and I have eaten plenty of it since coming to the area. But Tango is bar none the best food I have eaten anywhere in Cleveland. They could double the prices on the menu and I'd still go back. Oh yeah, it's BYOB so as the owner tells me "bring as much as you can carry." My wife and I are now lifelong customers at Tango.

Pros: Great Food, Cheap, BYOB

Cons: Closed Sunday

04/20/2007 Posted by ouphikap21

This great little gem on Madison in Lakewood serves unique Mexican, Southwestern, Cuban, Latin American food. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant with tacos & burritos. They serrve delicious, unique dishes prepared with only the freshest ingredients. My personal favorite dish is the Ropa Vieja. Some other favorites are their unique (and huge!) quesadillas and the fish tacos. They also have great housemade salsas and guacamoles. Finally, they do not have a liquor license but you are allowed to bring in your own beverages. There is no corkage fee. I gurantee you will go home satisfied and stuffed!

Pros: Fresh, local, cheap, unique

01/25/2007 Posted by einhard

There are few restuarants that are as outstanding as El Tango Taqueria. In spite of what one bitter customer is spreading on the Internet, the restuarant is clean, friendly and serves some of the best food in the Cleveland area. (It should be noted that health inspectors are some of the most loyal customers.) The specials change frequently, so you can eat something different everyday you visit. I have eaten at El Tango Taqueria on several occasions and haven't decided what I like the best. The burrito was outstanding and large enough for a large eater like myself to have leftovers. If you are one who likes the mass produced Mexican food that is everywhere in the United States, then this probably isn't your place. They don't serve hot sauce in small plastic packages. But if you are someone who likes to try varied and unique foods, El Tango Taqueria is the place for you. Don't be discouraged by one review from someone who should have stuck to Taco Bell.

Pros: Great food, clean and friendly

01/18/2007 Posted by georgemal

Don't eat at El Tango unless you want a nice case of Hepatitus. I saw the owner himself remore half eaten salsa cups from a table and then pour the remains into new cups, which he then tried to serve to me! I looked over the counter and would you believe it- There were ten or fifteen half used salsas sitting there waiting to be re-used! I have already called the health dept. but who knows if they will catch him doing it or not. I don't know if they have "health spies" which is what they would need- but if you don't believe me, just peer over the counter (it's an open kitchen) and see for yourself! God knows what else he re-uses. This place is revolting. Never, never eat here.

06/30/2006 Posted by lowrydah

Our poetry circle (18 people - we had no problems with music either) met at El Tango and found the atmosphere and service to be outstanding. The food is bar none the best Mexican this side of the Rockies. The Cowboy makes the tastiest, freshest salsa that I have found in any restaraunt. Recommended: anything on the menu with a focus on the Tortas! Especially the Franciscan Fish Torta.

06/04/2006 Posted by cpmabb

This is a cool *little* restaurant with really great tasting food. However, if you request to have no cheese or other dairy, beware...I did this, I saw the guy write it down on our order. It came to me with cheese on it and possibly the chipotle cream sauce as well. At first I could not tell if there was cheese on it or not. I unfortunately shared it with my 2 1/2 yr old son who is allergic to dairy(I mentioned that when ordering as well). My son had a severe reaction to the small amount of cheese that he got and fortunately the reaction was controlled with medicine. Just beware and inspect your food very carefully before eating. I made this mistake, I hope you don't. BTW we waited for more than 45 minutes for our food.

Pros: great food

Cons: poor service, understaffed

06/03/2006 Posted by kvimr

The first time I ate here I thought it was a little peculiar, but I went back today and now that I know the drill (ordering at the counter, paying for extras, etc) I really enjoyed it. The food is wonderful, vegetarian friendly, and of very high quality. Even the iced tea is good. I'm so glad this place exists near Cleveland and I highly recommend it for brunch or a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon.

Pros: small, affordable, did not feel rushed

Cons: no bathroom ?!?!

05/10/2006 Posted by marge333

The food is great but the service is not. We often find the staff not happy to see customers and an experience this week made us feel unwelcome. The staff refused to reduce the level of the music for our group to have a conversation, even though we were the only patrons. The music was TOO LOUD! After three requests we were told that they could not change the "concept" of the restaurant for a few (8) people.

Pros: Unique Combinations, Enchilada Plate, Attractive Atmosphere

Cons: Long Wait for Food, music too loud, unresponsive manager

06/29/2005 Posted by sxp16

That's all we eat there (we've tried the other stuff - but) -> every Saturday at lunch (almost). Great salsas (3 types), and all the items have a mix of subtle but varying flavors. Make sure the owner is cooking (cowboy hat, white t-shirt) - the food is not the same when it is one of his assistants. The food is worth the wait.

Pros: The food, The burrito, The salsas

Cons: Wait time for food, Small place