Elmyr

This place gets two different ratings because there are two different experiences. There is the smoky bar area that is more of a bar that has food — and then there’s the dining room area that is almost more of a restaurant that has drinks. Service always seems to be better in the bar area.
The food is always okay, but not great. The quesadilla is probably the way to go here. Also, not a big deal to me, but apparently the cooks are allowed to drink as much as they want while working. I witnessed one go through at least 4 – 5 beers in the two hours I was there. but then again, rolling a burrito is probably something you can do while drinking — I would just worry more about any open flames.

I enjoy this place v much. So divey and has great Mexican food and good beer. It’s also super cheap so great place to take a first date lol. Keep in mind it gets super busy on weekends and u can smoke inside by the bar.

Orders food here to go. I had to wait like 15 minutes for restaurant staff to hand my food over that had been on the shelf behind the bar ever since I came in. One guy behind the bar I spoke to about my order literally rolled his eyes and didn’t even care about my order. Didn’t communicate with co-​workers that I asked about picking up my to go order. Nothing, just walked off aimlessly. The only woman behind the bar finally got on it and did the transaction and gave me my food. The food from Elmyr which apparently people on Unilocal «love» is bullcrap. Tasteless «Mexican» food. Just not good whatsoever. I could have gone to Willy’s Mexicana. It would cost less and I wouldn’t have to deal with such an apathetic restaurant staff. Oh also the place is dirty and is just a dive bar. Not impressed, never going back. It was all thumbs down for me.

Not impressed. Was really pumped to try this place out, especially with it being on TV and all for having awesome burritos. I was severely let down. The burrito was dry and just had no flavor. It was for sure packed, but it just lacked, well pretty much everything. Plus I was served the wrong burrito, ordered the fajita and got chicken.
I liked the environment of the bar but with that alone it won’t bring me back.
I am a reasonable person though, maybe it was the wrong burrito that got me but I’d be willing to give this place another try and maybe actually get to try the right burrito this time. I was several bites into this before noticing the chicken, so that’s my fault.
For now… 2 stars is fair.

Don’t be fooled by the hole in the vibe, inside are some real burrito jewels. Unexpected creations that tasted AMAZING!!! Friendly wait staff (and cute ;) Decently priced and vegetarian friendly. Would f*ck with again.

Like others have stated, the service is not great. Not great in the sense that the servers have no personality and don’t speak to you, check up etc. Other than that the food is amazing and fresh. I love their tacos and burritos and the consistency is always on point. Btw there is smoking inside. Parking in back.

Never disappoints. Margarita pitchers are awesome… BBQ chicken soft taco is huge and tastes great. Best bang for your buck and the location in Little 5? With free parking??? Can’t go wrong lol. Only downside for some is… since it is a bar so you will smell smoke that seeps from the outside patio that is the only place you can smoke but the place is small and it travels. It’s open late as well which is a plus. Always my go to spot In little 5.

Met up with some friends here the past weekend and had a blast! Parking in the back was easy. If not there’s a paid lot next door that costs $ 5 I think. People PLEASSSSE try the Jalapeño margarita! I had 2 stood up and the table almost came with me! So spicy (which I like) and the liquor was poured heavy! The queso was good but the guac and salsa were soso. Overall I’ll be back!

To say Elmyr is a Mexican restaurant is like saying a kid’s playground is a theme park.
The burritos are edible, but there are way better options to eat while everything else is open. We ordered a shrimp burrito and a Fajito Burrito … and didn’t finish them. I personally am a black hole for Mexican food and couldn’t finish because I got ‘tired’ of the simplistic taste even with the regular and tomatillo salsas — and adding jalapeños. Even worse, the burritos had shredded cheese instead of goat cheese; therefore, this is not true Mexican…
We ordered some chips and salsa to go with it … you might as well just buy some Santitas from Walmart and you will have better chips. The salsa is good though.
The margaritas have almost no alcohol in them, so stay away from them. I ordered a pitcher and my wife was able to drink it like Powerade; I guzzled it and didn’t get a buzz…
The atmosphere is a smoky mess of people getting one beer and trying to be seen with their friends; the patio is openly connected to the inside restaurant, so it is best just to be on the patio with the smokers than trapped with the secondhand smoke inside. The waitress is just trying to ‘get it done’ in a place that is absolutely blaring punk music. It is only a dive bar — so that is all they really should call it.
The saving grace of Elmyr is being open until the wee hours of the morning … yet there is an actual Mexican restaurant open until late RIGHT around the corner. This place is more Tex-​Mex than Mexican and should be only considered when there are no other alternatives — which, at times, they are.

Food is pretty good but this is easily the worst service in Atlanta. It’s like a running joke for people who live nearby. Last time I was here we got so tired of waiting we just left cash on the table and left… our server was out back smoking a bowl… Goodbye El Myr. Never again.

Smoke filled restaurant. Have to wash my cloths after being in there for more than 5 minutes. Smells like the bottom of a ash tray.
Chips were good, salsa tasted like pizza sauce? The fajita burrito was ²⁄₃ rice with alittle steak and red peppers. It was I’d say just ok, prolly below average. The ratings on Unilocal seem a bit inflated. If you want to drink and smoke and your 20 go here. If your looking for a good Mexican restaurant keep looking.
One good thing is it’s cheap, and everyone is drinking Blue Ribbon beer. And like others stated horrible slow service.

Items I’ve tried:
I’ve eaten here many times and tried a lot of items. Haven’t tried a burrito that I didn’t like yet, with a favorite being the potato, black olive, and corn version. The pepper lovers nachos are also interesting and unusual. Recently tried the house salad and was really impressed! Lettuce, tomato, onion, grilled corn and cotija with the creamy Mexicano dressing was amazing and one of the best salads I’ve had in while. Next time I’ll order it with tofu and make it my whole meal.
Vegetarian/​Vegan Friendly?:
Super veg friendly. Can order burritos etc. without cheese for vegans, and vegetarians already have a lot of options on the menu.
Service:
Service is often a little slow/​inattentive, but it’s about what you would expect here. Doesn’t detract from the experience– just good to know.
Other:
El Myr is the best. Go order a grizz and hang out for a while.

Mediocre food– the burritos are predominantly rice, nachos are covered only in the center and it all lacks flavor. The margaritas taste like its a mix.
TERRIBLE service– rude waiters that act like you’re an inconvenience, they took forever to take or order and we waited on our bill for about 45 mins before I got up and asked for them to get us one. Then they were rude about it. My boyfriend ended up telling them to fuck off (not polite but COMPLETELY deserved)
DO NOT go on a date here, I don’t suggest ever going here.

Came here on New Years Eve — as they are a vegan friendly restaurant. The staff were not helpful upon our arrival, I had to approach them to ask about table availability. Unfortunately, the entire restaurant was smoking — there is no smoke free area at all, so we left.

This Is A Vegetarian Review
My wife and I just found this place while walking around the neighborhood. The vegetarian food was amazing! The service was amazing! And the experience was unique in just the right way.
It’s like if you took a divey, hipster bar and mashed it together with fantastic Mexican food. And it doesn’t get much better than that…

Chips were good. Salsa was fantastic. Veggie Quesadilla was wonderful. Service was poor. Does not take American Express. Does not provide detailed receipts (actually refused to do so). I can’t recommend this restaurant for the business traveler and I won’t be back.

First let me say, this place as some pretty damn good food.
You walk in, smell the cigarette smoke, hear loud 80’s rock music and start to contemplate how the food will taste. Surprisingly enough though is was actually pretty legit. I ordered the nacho burrito and was thoroughly delighted with how good it tasted. My date had enjoyed her food as well and she’s generally pretty picky. I appreciate that the prices are good and the food is tasty, definitely will be back.
⁴⁄₅ stars only because of the smoking.

I love this place. Best Tex-​mex tacos ever. Fantastic cheap food and super chill/​charming staff — love you Noah!
I wouldn’t call this place a dive. Only thing I don’t like is that they still allow smoking but nobodies perfect :)

«Well, my Mom used to feed me nachos from the bar at The Grand before I was off the bottle, and I turned out normal.» — Arrow: Season 3, Episode 21
What constitutes a dive? Well, you walk in and think «do I want to eat/​drink here?,» the place is small and people pack in and stand around just to get a spot at the bar or a table and people talk about it all the time. Elmyr fits all of the above! And I’m kind of bummed that I have only been here one time now that I am writing my review.
I came here before a comedy show at Variety Playhouse — perfect pre-​show dinner spot — with some friends. So many choices on the menu and I wanted to try everything. It took a bit for a server to come back and help us (including wiping down the table), but they were pretty busy. I’m sure we are not the only ones who were here before the show. After much debate, I opted for the Grilled Steak Nachos. I love all things Mexican, but nachos really top my list. They are the perfect food if you are really hungry. Once we ordered, the food came out pretty quickly.
The nachos were loaded and I was ready to dig into the hearty serving of tortilla chips, melted Monterey Jack cheese (and a ton of it), green leaf lettuce, salsa fresca, red onions, jalapeños, and sour cream. I let my friends each have a taste, but I devoured the rest all by myself. The steak was perfectly cooked to a mid-​rare and all that gooey cheese — so rich and delicious. I went through a couple of glasses of unsweet iced tea (which I regretted half way through the show).
Over all a great meal and super cheap. Our server was attentive once we got her attention the first time. The back room has 4 or 5 tables and it is more spread out and quieter. Much preferred to the cramped bar area for me. I’ll definitely return now that I know how great it is… I can only imagine how great it is after binge drinking as well.

Oh, Elmyr. You have my heart (and my liver). l just moved back to Atlanta after fifteen years, and upon exiting the bus, l came straight to you, even though l was dog tired. Your menu had changed –and it seems for the better, but l always loved whatever was on there– but l ordered my old usual, the spinach and jalapeño quesadilla with mushrooms, and it was like l never left. My tastebuds thanked you, and were pissed when l got drunk and forgot my leftovers on the bus home.
ln the fifteen years l was gone, l only returned once, on a layover in 2008 or so, and my layover was long enough to leave the airport to visit with friends, and the only place l wanted was YOU. Not just for the fine service, the fact that l knew l would see folks l knew there (which l did), but because that goddamned quesadilla was not only nostalgic and promised to taste EXACTLY the same, it was just that fucking good. l’m pretty positive you have a stash of crack hidden in the wall that goes into all the food, just to ensure your longevity when times are lean. And your longevity continues, so there ya go. l know l should expand my tastes and actually try something else on your menu, and l promise l will so l can write more reviews about how fucking fantastic you are. Now that l’m back –and even though l’m a 45 minute commute from you– you are where l return, again and again. You’re kinda like the best fuckbuddy ever, where l can’t get enough… but am too much of an alcoholic to actually have a full-​blown relationship with you, because l never want to get kicked out, and l probably would. And now that you have Angelina, Sid, and Heather (and all the other wonderful folks l have yet to meet now that l’m back), l should probably watch myself. But one thing l guarantee is that l’ll be back. Repeatedly.

Dear Elmyr,
You are indeed worthy of 4 stars. While I had to stoke out my table, and hunt a server down every now and then, you delivered. And here’s why…
#1: Your food is cheap —
I was starving last night (Saturday), and opted for the shrimp tacos ($ 7.75) with green sauce (picante). That + a pitcher of sangria ($ 13) with friends brought my contribution to around $ 12. Not too bad given my slight buzz and full stomach, which brings me to my next point…
#2: Your portions are large —
I spent at least 5 minutes contemplating how best to eat my shrimp taco. It was that stuffed! My taco was filled to the brim with shrimp and came wrapped in two tortillas. And what’s more, it was actually pretty good! Even without the green sauce, it had a slight kick from the spicy slaw. And I love me some fresh cilantro.
#3: Your service is quick–
Like seriously speedy. We ordered and five minutes later had our sangria. Another five minutes or so and we had our tacos — my friend ordered the grilled mahi, which she also loved.
#4: You don’t put up a front–
You’re not pretending to be anything you’re not. Your servers aren’t rude, but they do check in when they feel like it, and if we want their attention, you expect us to have the gall to get it. I kinda like that about you.
And most importantly…
#5: You entertain me–
Seriously, if there’s one sin I’m guilty of other than gluttony, it’s people watching and Elmyr is like a gold mine. For those reading, if you’re anything like me I suggest you get a table in the front room by the bar. You won’t be disappointed.
Overall, I just want to say that I had a great time last night!
Thank you for feeding me Elmyr,
Broke Student Deb

I’m hoping to move walking distance from here. I’m scared.
My first visit came because a friend from Boston was visiting and I wanted something new to me, cheap, and very Atlanta, and a friend suggested Elmyr.
I don’t think either of us had intended on eating, it was like 10pm, but everything sounded good. The night was a blur but we split a margarita pitcher, which was awesome, and then I think I had a bbq chicken quesadilla. Maybe it was pork. I do know it was a quesadilla. And huge. And delicious.
I have since had a burrito, the potato and green chile one. Holy crap that thing is HUGE for under six bucks. And margaritas are $ 5 and come in a pint glass. I LOVE THIS PLACE.
Only downfall is the service is pretty rough but kinda should expect that when looking at this place.

Dive bar, yes. People watching, yes. Decently priced food, yes. Outstanding service, no.
I headed there for a low key date night on Friday. We were lucky enough to snag a 2 person table in the corner. After about 5 minutes, a guy came over and tossed some menu’s on the table and walked away. About 5 minutes later he came back and we ordered margs, a beer, and the trio of dips (I’d 100% pass on the chips and dip next time… the guac was in desperate need of salt, lime, or any flavor really. The queso was subpar Velveeta, at best. The salsa was most edible of the three… and it was almost $ 10. Chips were a little soft, like they’d been sitting out for a while).
We both ordered quesadillas, I had rice & black beans, he had the steak. Both were ahhhhh-​mazing. I was sad that I ordered the chips and dips because I really loved my quesadilla but could only eat half, it was so large. I boxed the rest and gave it to a homeless guy outside. Price was incredible good for both these items.
It’s an experience, for sure. I loved seeing the eclectic mix of patrons, and servers (we had 3 people covering our table because they kept disappearing). Marg was pretty strong. Food wasn’t bad to boot. Will I be making this my regular Mexican go-​to? Absolutely not. But I will go back.

Not even sure I would call the food here edible. I ended up ordering a chips and queso, and the steak tacos.
The chips and queso… Well, the best way to describe that is as if they went to the grocery store and bought a bag of tostitos, and a package of velvet cheese… Wow I could have made this at my house, but way better. Plus, the chips were stale! How do you mess up something so simple?
As for the tacos, the steak was over cooked and very chewy. The lettuce was wilted, and soggy, and there was more cheese than any thing else.
I’m very confused as to why any of the reviews for this restaurant are good. When you go out, you want something that actually tastes better than something you can whip up at home, and here you can’t get that. Otherwise I guess no one here knows what flavor, or quality is. I’d rather go to taco bell.
Lastly, the service and overall atmosphere.
I ended up having to wait 6 minutes before anyone ever came to my table even though two servers walked by 3 times. If you’re going to have a seat yourself type establishment, make sure you have some type of system that ensures the customers actually get service. I also did not realize places other than strictly bars allowed smoking inside. It’s 2015. Get with the program. Not everyone and their mother wants to enhale smoke at the risk of their health, especially when wanting to get a taco.

If terrible service doesn’t bother you, you’ll enjoy the fresh food which I can never complain about. Decent draft beer selection, but they only have dos Equis Amber on draft, I much prefer the lager.
We waited for a server for over 10 minutes. When I went and found a server, an older woman, I mentioned to her that we hadn’t been helped yet and she responded quite loudly «Welp, we’ll get to you!» with no sense of urgency or concern.
The waiter finally came over and asked if we needed to order… he also had no sense of urgency and cut me off when I started ordering tacos and said «you don’t want a drink?» Why yes I do… but I’m hungry and want to be sure you get my full order.
The tacos are great, I especially love the shrimp tacos, the mahi are okay but could use more flavor. The portions are large and you can tell the veggies are fresh, always an abundance of cilantro which I appreciate.
If it weren’t for the food being consistent I wouldn’t go back, but I do from time to time and put up with the service. However, more taco spots are opening across Atlanta…

My friend and I were in the Little Five Points area studying and decided to grab dinner before heading back home. Elmyr was right around the corner so we decided to check the place out.
I ordered some soft tacos of smoked pork and steak and my friend ordered the pas thai burrito.
The food came out pretty quickly, probably since there weren’t too much people eating out on a rainy evening.
We were both extremely shocked by the gigantic size of the burrito. I’d say it was nearly as big as or perhaps even larger than the Chipotle burritos. She said it was delicious and the inside was packed with so many ingredients. I also enjoyed my tacos. I’m not sure I loves the pork one but definitely liked the steak tacos. The meat pieces were big and chewy, just as I like them.
Elmyr is definitely a place worthy of revisiting. I’ll come back for lunch on a sunny day to see how different the ambience would be.

This L5P tradition deserves your attention. Elmyr is the stuff of myth. Legend has it that a love-​struck chupacabra cried silver tears upon the spot and that’s where the first burrito tree grew. Back then, it cost about three-​fifty. But the simple truth of the matter (at least in modern day), is that they make some excellent burritos (and related fare). You won’t go home hungry. I had a Green burrito with some steak in it. It totally hit the spot. It was larger than my fist, and I still ate it. Delicious.
And the prices are good. Occasional specials will sometimes put a burrito and a beer in your hand for south of $ 10. What’s not to like about that? Speaking of which, the bar will happily serve up whatever deleterious substance you may desire.
And this is L5P. Little Five Points (for the uninitiated) is known for its color, its counter-​culture, its artistry, and for being the general bohemian melting-​pot that it so wonderfully is. Elmyr is part and parcel of the whole L5P experience. This means no pretenses. It means genuine, no-​holds-​barred discourse, graffiti, and just cool people. It also means «smoker friendly,» in case you are averse to such things (as I am).
But the food is delicious, and I’ll happily return for more. Holler if you’re coming with.

Elmyr has got some decent vegetarian and vegan options and it’s easy to ask questions about allergens here. Wait staff were pleasant and reasonably on the ball, the décor is pleasant, and overall the environment is nice. I wish I could give this place a higher rating, but as long as they allow people to smoke where I’m eating I just can’t. It’s disgusting, it’s an affront to public health, and I was frankly shocked to find out that it was legal since the last time I saw ashtrays in a restaurant was over ten years ago.

I pass by here often… I just never thought to go in. The outside kind of made me a little skittish about it haha. But I was really hungry in the area and wanted to try something new this… this place popped up! Plus bf wanted to go too! Was happy to see it was a Taco joint.
This place strikes me as a … Bar meets restaurant + hipsters. Not that it’s a bad thing. That’s what ran through my mind when I walked in.
NOTE: The smell of cig smoke is pretty obvious inside. Blech. I really hated it. Had to knock off a star for that.
Parking — there is street parking. Make sure to pay. Or like other VaHi folks, park your car a few blocks down and walk on over.
Inside
When you walk in, you will see only the bar, but when you look to your left, you’ll see lots of tables around in the back. I saw a good amount of people at the bars as well as those who just wanted to eat. You can also seat yourself: D
Food
I ordered a Green Burrito with Tofu. It was pretty good! It was also VERY fresh from the grill. I had to wait a good 5 mins before I ate it. But when I did dig into it, I could tell the veggies and tofu inside were decently fresh, esp the broccoli & peppers. It had a good amount of everything in there too. The burrito itself is massive. I couldn’t finish it. I had to take half of it home. Oh — the burrito wasn’t falling apart :) Hate when some places stuff it so much, the skin starts to tear.
I also had a few bites of my bf’s Pad Thai Burrito. I had no idea someone had the idea to put Pad Thai in burrito form. Haha. This was actually better than my own Green Burrito. I would order this if you like the very Americanized Pad Thai haha. I’m a fan. I feel strange saying that I enjoyed a Pad Thai burrito lol.
Each burrito bowl cam with a sauce — green or red. Green is spicy. Red is normal.
Looks like I found a perfect place to go to a bar with a beer in hand + food that won’t make me regret eating it the next morning!

The place to be for huge burritos. I think that’s all I’ve ever ordered here.
My wife remarked on how I eat my huge burrito all wrong. Unlike some who tend to stand it tall and eat downwards, I prefer leaving it prone, slicing end to end and filling the gash with salsa. From there, it gets a bit messier, but I don’t care.
Green burrito is my favorite.
Always had good service here.