About El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant and Reviews

Welcome to El Tapatio, Where we serve the most authentic Mexican food in our two locations in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and Rowley, MA. Our goal is to ensure the complete satisfaction of every customer. 


Please come and visit us! 

El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant, has been a traditional, family- owned and operated since 2005. The secret success of our menu at El Tapatio is our dedication to using only the highest quality and freshest ingredients available and our commitment to producing freshly prepare meals daily in our kitchen.

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI
El Tapatio
8220 Post Road
N. Kingstown, RI

ROWLEY,MA
300 Newbury Turnpike
Rowley, MA 01969
978-432-1336

E-mail: ELTapatioRI@gmail.com

We have the best food around and an atmosphere to match. Try us and you'll be convinced!

Our recipes are authentic and time-tested. The ingredients are always fresh.

Reviews:

 

Haley K.

My boyfriend and I had a delicious dinner at El Tapatio tonight. All the wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive. We were seated right away, even though it was a busy Saturday night. The decor is cute and reminds you that you are in an authentic Mexican restaurant. We started with chicken taquitos for our appetizer -- they were to die for! The deep fried corn shell was hot and crisp, and the chicken inside was flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth soft - not dry at all. It came with guacamole, which was some of the best I've ever had!For our meals, I ordered the Enchiladas Suizas. I got one chicken and one cheese, and they were covered in a delicious tangy tomatillo sauce. My meal also came with rice and refried beans, which were so so sooooo good. My boyfriend was jealous that his Pollo Asado Burrito didn't come with them as sides, but in El Tapatio's defense, the burrito was already stuffed with rice and black beans! He loved it - it was a humongous size - and said he would get it again. His was also covered in the same tomatillo sauce, which he also loved.To end our meal, we ordered the churros. They were delightfully crisp and not too oily, and we loved how they were served with whipped cream. All of that only for .00!We will be back time and time again!


 

Chelsea L.

Holy Mexican feast! I am so blown away by how great our lunch experience was yesterday at El Tapatio. Everything from start to finish was so great and completely satisfying. We started off with a pitcher of their Cadillac Margarita and their Super Nachos with shredded beef. The pitcher of margaritas was perfectly mixed and not overly loaded with sour mix. The nachos portion was insane. This could easily feed 5-6 people. The shredded beef was so juicy and melted in your mouth, and they absolutely loaded the plate with melty cheese and tons of beans.For our entrees I chose the chicken chimichanga con queso and my boyfriend had the chicken quesadilla. The chimichanga I had was the definition of fried perfection. Even with the queso smothered on top it remained crispy and hot, not soggy at all. My boyfriend loved his quesadilla and could tell the flour tortilla was homemade and fried to order.On top of the amazing food, the service was also great and lightning fast. The restaurant and bathroom were also very clean. This visit to El Tapatio has definitely turned us into huge fans and we will be back ASAP.


 

Glenn J.

We think this place is great. It can get busy on some nights, but the crowds tell you something. They know a good restaurant when they see it. It's family run and well priced. Try it.


 

Bethany C.

My family and I have been dining at El Tapatio for years now and have always had a great experience however the last few times we have dined there the service, quality of food, and the overall upkeep of the restaurant has been going downhill.  Last night we dined there, and both my husband and I were not satisfied with our food, it lacked all flavor and the portions were so small.  My children ordered quesadillas and they were absolutely flat with almost no toppings in there.  When the waiter came to ask about our food, my husband began to explain that we were not happy and why.  Our waiter about 15 seconds into the conversation while my husband was mid sentence, just says "ok" and walks away and returns with our bill.  We never were given an opportunity to explain the issues, were not offered to take the food off the bill, or to remake the food.  We all left hungry unfortunately.  Also, the bathroom is in complete disrepair with water stains everywhere, holes in the walls, and flashing/missing lights.


 

David S.

The food was good, the service was just ok. They were completely rushing us out the door attempting to take my plate away while I was still eating.


 

Matt S.

Really great food and prices. I think this place is a hidden gem. I would say that the service could be a little faster. I think they may have been understaffed the last time I went but I took away from the experience. I'll be back though and will write an update if the service improves


 

Lori L.

Service was horrible tonight.  Food was good.  Service was not good.   Waiter was rude and hard to understand.  Was frustrated with what my daughter was ordering. No patience and did not check on how food was or if we needed anything.  Waited so long for bill.  Won't be back, will go the extra miles to Condesa in Warwick.


 

Eron L.

Hostess group were very helpful.  I was here for cinco de mayo and hit a little snag with where I was seated.  (My fault I did not calculate the the crowd into the dining experience).  They (both with similar thick long dirty blonde hair) helped me relocate during the busy busy night.  Kudos to THAT!  I'll definitely be back.  Ordered the super nachos and shrimp fajitas (5 stars each to those items) TY!- Kelsi and Arabella were the names!


 

Hilary M.

We had a really good time at El Tapatio. The staff is awesome, friendly and efficient. We had chips and salsa within ten minutes of sitting down. I had maybe the best MOJITO I've ever had -- really good. They have lots of tequilas and a comfortable bar. We ate dinner at the bar, it's a little unusual, the bartender is in an area that's below the bar...kind of strange but okay.  Our dinners were delicious -- I had chicken fajitas which were perfectly done and my partner had chicken enchiladas -- which he really enjoyed -- nicely spiced and well done. All in all a good meal and a good time. Thanks El Tapatio!


 

Abraham H.

Sat for 15 min at an empty bar before someone asked me what I wanted to drink, ordered a margarita with just a splash of sour mix, so the bar tender gave me a shot of tequila mixed with 2 shots of Lime juice?! Shit was litterAlly the worst drink I ever had. I guess I expected more from a Mexican place that had been open for as long as this place had been. Salsa was watery trash and after I saw someone else's food come out I decided to just leave instead of ordering. Won't be back.


 

Tracy G.

We are regulars, we come here at least 2-3 times a month. We have never eaten a bad meal yet. Love their complimentary chips and salsa! The staff is friendly and the food is always served hot and quickly!


 

Basketball 2.

Great place to eat Mexican food. I've been here a few times now and I don't really like Mexican food. For a place that is really uncommon because not a lot of people know where this place is, this place has great food and I don't think I can have any better Mexican food than this.


 

M W.

We've only had great experiences at El Tapatio! The service is fast & very friendly. We often do take out & its equally as delicious as eating at the restaurant. Their table chips are excellent. They taste freshly made (maybe they are??). El Tapatio makes the BEST vegetarian burritos I've had since living in Los Angeles! They are HUGE & delicious. This place is a definite favorite in our family!


 

Sean T.

Nothin. Wrong with cheap Mexican food for lunch here! If you want to leave with a full stomach and a heavy wallet this may be the place for you.That being said I wouldn't classify this as high end dining. The service is always superb and the food is always hot but the flavors are standard for Mexican food and don't stand out against some of my more memorable meals. Now don't get me wrong, I love to come to this place and I don't think I've ever left even thinking about wanting food for several hours!If you want something cheap with generous portions, friendly service and a clean environment I can recommend El Tapatio, but if you are looking for something to appease a food snob you may want to search a bit further!


 

Noralis C.

Food was delicious, customer service needs improvement. The waitress knew all the dishes on the menu and which ones were popular...etc etc. But, our appetizer came out before our drinks. Then the drinks finally come our and she forgets which one of her 3 tables the sodas were going to, that's simple which one of the 3 tables does not have drinks? I had to remind her they were for our table. When the other tables clearly had all their drinks.Nonetheless, the food was delicious. Highly recommend. Hopefully our waitress was just having an off day.


 

Anand B.

Excellent food and service. Black bean soup was amazing. Had N amazing time. The Poloma Margarita was the best.


 

Kat Y.

Nice Mexican food with huge portions! I ordered a shrimp entree, it was made in a spicy sauce with potatoes. It had a side of beans, rice, and some sort of Mexican coleslaw (no mayo). The meal had the right amount of heat to it. There was so much food, I ate the leftovers for 2 more meals. I had the Rosita Margarita, nice and flavorful, but over priced in my option, it was .50. For it's size, I felt it was over priced. The server was very sweet and patient, my girlfriend and I were gabbing for a while before we decided what we wanted so the waitress brought out chips and salsa to snack on. I recommend stopping in and checking out El Tapatio!


 

B N.

Much like the reviews of Chinese and Pizza places in RI, these reviews for this Mexican restaurant must be taken with some large granules of salt. RIslanders seem to have a different concept of what ethnic foods should be than any of the half dozen places big and small that I have previously lived. This restaurant/bar can be enjoyed for a margarita, colorful lively atmosphere, and a low expectations meal. But if you are expecting a good meal with any sort of authentic (or even not that authentic) flavoring, do not come here. Meats are bland and sometimes seemingly totally unseasoned. Fried tortilla shells are often not crispy. Salsa could be made as well by a Minnesota grandma with a Betty Crocker cookbook. Refried beans are a pass. Frankly I enjoy the place for a drink and conversation over a snack with good company. Makes it easy not to overindulge.The staff are all Latin, the decor is what you would expect, and football (yes, soccer) is usually on the TV, but the food seems to be tailored to some local townies. Enjoy it for what it is.


 

Andy A.

Stay Away! Myself and my wife got food Poisoning from this place. We when back the next day and spoke with a man who claimed to be the owner and he refused to aknowledge the fact that the food he served was bad. Just look at all the HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS they have from the RI Department of Health ! Do yourself a favor and stay as far away from this place as possible !  ri.healthinspections.us/…


 

Brian L.

Food was ok. The selection is good but when the food comes out it looks nothing like the pictures in the menu. Got the fish tacos and although the tilapia fish was good, the tacos were soggy and not much filling. Again, nothing like the picture. Nothing like 3 soggy tacos for dinner. Service was ok at best. They were about at 60-70% capacity on Friday night as expected. I was just getting off work and was solo for this meal heading back to NH. I didn't get the attention the tables that had families and set-ups for 4 people got. If there was a full table the waitress went to them often to check to see if everything was ok. Not so much at my solo table. I had to keep sending smoke signals or flagging down the waitress if I needed something.    I'd go back if I craved Mexi that was local to Quonset, but not my top choice.