El Patron

Everything was on point! The staff was great I definitely recommend it. Only downside was the parking but that's just how Albany is 😅

I’m giving El Patron Mexican Grill and Cantina one whole star just for the spot it’s in. I don’t know what this building was originally meant to be, but the stained glass windows are giving a definite church vibe, while the topless ladies 1920s frescoes still up at both ends of the main dining room are more “Grand Central Station” vibes. There are plenty of existing interior Art Deco 1920s elements. It’s a REALLY NICE space. The decent sized bar is at the back of the space. The exterior has a GREAT, bright paint scheme (oranges and blues - FUN!).

Disclosure: I don’t eat beef, pork or poultry. That’s usually not a problem for me at American Mexican restaurants. These days you can pretty much always find fish options and nachos etc. When I first started reading the menu at El Patron I was worried. Pretty much everything I was seeing had chicken or pork. But this is a LARGE menu and when I slipped a few pages I found not only does El Patron have a Vegetarian menu. They even have a VEGAN menu! I was impressed.

I wanted to try as many things as possible. But the portions here are what I would describe as HUGE.

My plan was to try as many different tacos as possible. But I ordered stupidly. I’m pretty sure I could have mixed and matched more types of tacos if I had thought it out. Each “full taco order” is 3 LARGE tacos. And if you get the whole meal option it comes with a PLATTER that is half refried pinto beans and half Mexican rice (both very tasty and extremely filling).

I started with Guacamole and Bean Dip. The guacamole is made from avocado puree. I’m not a fan. I wouldn’t get it again. The Bean Dip is really Queso on top of refried beans. Which, let’s face it, is DELICIOUS.

FYI: This food is Salty. With a capital “S.” Drink your water so you can enjoy all the salt!

The first tacos I ordered were Grilled Shrimp. Honestly? They were DELICIOUS. All they had were grilled shrimp, lettuce and a little cheese. They came with spicy salsa (actually spicy…) and pico de gallo (very good). I ate the first shrimp taco plain. It was really good. Then I ate one with the pico and another with the spicy salsa. ALL DELICIOUS.

Then I ordered the Vegan Tacos. Which were even MORE filling because they are refried beans, sliced avocado, lettuce and tomatoes served with a side of the spicy salsa. Also, DELICIOUS.

I wanted to try the Vegetarian Tacos and Grilled Fish Tacos. But I couldn’t even finish what I ordered.

Excellent value for your money.

El Patron's food is always Great! The drinks are hit and miss depending on the bartender at the time. The service for the most part is good however in the past few months El Patron's has initiated àn 4% charge for use of credit cards, keep in mind this has nothing to due with the tip. So, when you go if at all possible bring CASH!! To avoid additional cost. ENJOY!!!!😊

The decor in this restaurant is very unique as it was formally a church. Luckily there wasn’t a wait and we were able to get promptly seated for dinner. The server was very attentive and nice. I ordered the Quesadillas Texanas and it was very good - I just wish it came with rice and beans for the price.

We had an amazing meal here! The space is beautiful, the food is delicious, and the margaritas are strong. We got the Carne a la Diabla and the Texanas fajitas (chicken, steak, and shrimp) which were both really good. I also got a side cheese quesadilla and was a little disappointed that it seemed to have American cheese, but my husband really liked it. Overall we really enjoyed our meal here and would definitely go back next time we are in Albany.