El Fenix Mexican Restaurants

Disgusting. Never again. Went to El Fenix with a coworker today due to a $ 10 coupon applied to the table. The $ 10 off was not worth the experience at this location at all.
First, upon being seated, a waitress came and asked about our drink orders. At least five minutes passed with no sign of our sodas or the waitress. After more waiting, a different waiter brought out drinks and left. A third, yes third, totally different waiter came to take out order.
After waiting and waiting, we finally received our food. No offers for refills, nothing. We both been drinking our original sodas, and finally flagged down the third waiter toward the end of the meal to ask for a refill and our check. No apologies for the inattentive was or the changes in waitstaff. Not sure what’s going on there, but it was the worst service I’ve had in a while, and I eat out a lot.
The food itself was mediocre at best. Chips and salsa are not great, and the food tasted very plain.
Perhaps the most disturbing is the general cleanliness and condition of the restaurant. It doesn’t look like they have cleaned it since it opened decades ago. There are light fixtures on the half wall next to the booths at eye level, and they were literally covered in dust. Many of the light colored stucco walls were discolored due to dirt and grime. There is a huge fireplace in the middle of the restaurant that looks like a campfire, and it also had layers of dust all over it. If the dining room looked like that, I am scared to imagine what the kitchen looks like.
Due to the terrible service, mediocre food & cleanliness, I will NEVER go back and would advise against it.
I would much rather have Mi Cocina, Uncle Julio’s, or Anamias any day!

Drove from Austin to Dallas today, Veterans Day, with my wife. Arrived in North Dallas around lunch so we stopped at El Fenix for lunch. We were greeted and ask if we were vets I said I was and was informed my lunch would be free. I was handed a special menu and told to pick from it.
Our service was good as was the food. When the check came my lunch showed as a charge when we went to pay I stated I was a vet and then the bomb.
I was asked for proof I explained I had no proof and was from out of town and was not told I needed proof.
No deal I needed proof, I paid the bill but how sad when I guess the Martinez family is so selective.
If you go there and are offered something free make sure you ask what the catch is.
US Army 1969 – 1970

Went there for lunch yesterday. From the minute we entered the restaurant, we were greeted, seated, and basically treated as if we were the only patrons in the restaurant, even though there were many patrons. Best service we have ever received anywhere.

Doesn’t matter what location you’re at. They are all good. The veggie burrito was perfect with the grilled veggies! We went back to get chips and salsa to take home with us!

Good lunch specials and fast service make this a great place for lunch on a work day. Not the best Tex Mex ever but nothing too bad about it either. One of my co-​workers thought the salsa tasted like urine but I just thought it tasted like mediocre salsa. I’d return on a workday but if I were going to dinner with my husband or friends I’d probably pick some place a little better.

I am 100% satisfied. The drinks 100%, the food 100% and the service 100%. If other staff see you in need they inquire. Not 100% satisfied that I have over eaten.

Great place to eat! Super friendly staff. great food. it is old school. but the nostalgic feel is awesome. make you think your part of the old days.
Food is really good. quick on your order also.
Overall must visit. you won’t be disappointed.

El fenix is so good. My favorite are the chicken supreme fajitas. Their guacamole and queso appetizer is also great. The chips are always crisp and fresh.

Giving it three stars because the floaters were a great price. The salsa was cold, chips were cold and queso beef tasted like it was out a jar.

This place was just alright.
The eating area is huge and is good for groups. Very colorful and typical of what you would expect for a tex-​mex place.
The food was just okay. Nothing fantastic. I suppose it’ll do if you’re hungry and need something right away.
Not stellar.
I had the lunch fajitas. Just not enough for a meal.
A girl’s gotta eat.

I love this place, but lately been seeing less and less of Barney. He is the reason my family and I come here. Over 20 years of Barney, he is El Fenix. Love the food, need more Barney!

If you are looking for Taco Bell Style food with some free chips and salsa then this the place. The service is a 0. The guy brought our drinks then sat in the corner of the restaurant and chattered with the other employees. He was on his phone and very inattentive to us. He finally came around to take our orders, My husband got the chicken tortilla soup and I got the chicken enchilada lunch special. Our food came out in less than 5 minutes, that should have been the first red flag to me.
The chicken tortilla soup: There was something clearly wrong with it. My husband could not bite or cut into it. He took out all the chicken and snacked on the broth.
The Enchiladas: The chicken inside had a very gamy taste to them. The course lacked flavor, and I think I lost my appetite.
Please just stay away.

The original owners, the Martinez family sold El Fenix to Firebird Restaurant Group in 2008 and the quality has dramatically dropped down since then. The food tastes nothing like it used to, and on this particular visit the service was really lacking. I ordered the chicken tortilla soup and it was nothing at all like I remembered it to be. The chicken tasted really old so I actually removed all the chicken from my soup so that I could eat the rest. My wife had the chicken enchiladas and they were extremely tasteless, besides the taste of old chicken. We both ended up with upset stomachs after this visit, and sadly it will be our last. I really used to love coming here, but it will have to remain as a memory for now.
R.I.P. Old El Fenix, you will be missed…

You can’t get good Mexican food In St. Louis but you can in Texas. El Fenix has the flavor. The chips are crisp and light. The salsa is layered with flavor. I sampled a couple enchiladas and a tamale DELICIOUS. The rice and beans were perfectly cooked and wonderful. Take it from someone who has eaten a lot of great Mexican food In San Diego and El Paso, El Fenix is one of the best.

OMG the chips and salsa here are to die for! Seriously, I could just come here for them.
I dined here with a huge group and the service was pretty quick. Or waiter was super friendly and got everyone’s order pretty accurate. I tried their fish tacos which were incredibly yummy. It came with rice which I couldn’t stomach to eat because it was just too much food.
It wasn’t the most authentic Mexican food I’ve tasted but it did not fail to disappoint.

The margaritas had hardly any tequila in them and my friend got sick from the food. They’re supposed to have the best margaritas and they were horrible. They didn’t even come with a lime… lol. The service was great at the beginning but as I’m writing this, we’ve been sitting here for 10 minutes waiting for our check. They aren’t even busy. I prefer Casa Navarro just down the road. The margaritas and service are a lot better there. I just wanted to try this place because it looked like a huge building. Very disappointed. Don’t come here unless you want cheap Mexican food and service.

Good, consistent tex-​mex.
Wednesdays are enchilada specials, eat good tex-​mex enchiladas for cheap.

Ho Hum but good food and service. Didn’t knock my socks off but I would go there again.

Wonderful margaritas and cheese enchiladas. I also had a beef taco. I love their chips and salsa and the sopapillas were great for desert!

I’m not sure what the fascination with El Fenix is. It’s absolutely appalling — and I mean the food.
The service is fine.
Back to the food. If you’re wanting Mexican, there are several unique, authentic and very affordable places in this area. Just Unilocal them.
If you want low quality, questionable looking ingredients slapped onto your plate, and you enjoy the flavor of over processed food, then by all means, go right on in.