El Amerikano

Came here for a few visits, everything is delicious.
Brunch: most memorable dish was the Brunch Beignet starter. Holy this is delicious. It’s fried donuts with syrup and bacon and other tasty things I cannot remember because we inhaled the order so quickly.
Wedge with prime rib, prime rib sammich with horseradish, steak with chimichurri sauce. Everything is really good. Will definitely be back.
Side note, this restaurant does to-​go orders, and I really dig that. Quality of take out orders are just as great as dining in.

DELICIOUS!!!
Damn the food is AMAZING
Ordered the nachos to start YUMMMMM
Husband ordered flank steak & loved it
I ordered the enchiladas and ate every last bite
Just walked out & I already want to try more from the menu everything looks & sounds good.
A must try!!!

Had an amazing Father’s day lunch with awesome service!

This place is a little gem in Downtown Fullerton. Owned also by Kentro it’s no surprise the food is yummy. This is a walk in dining place no reservation needed. You order as you walk in waitress/​waiter brings your food to your table. The menu is filled with a lot of options. We ordered three small plates to share. First was the prime rib nachos. It was very good however the dish was filled with dried chips and not enough topping. It lacks generous portion of the prime rib but was still good. Next was the eggplant and Chorizo mini sliders (two). The chorizo sliders were my favorite. Don’t forget to order desert. We ordered the churro dish. Comes with icecream and a shot of espresso to pour over the dish. This is a must!!!
Signature cocktails are available. House made Sangria was good. Not too sweet, just right. I will definitely be back just skipping the nachos unless they get more generous with the toppings.

The food was good.
Staff sucked. The cashiers don’t know their menu.
Once our food came, we didn’t have utensils. Took 2 request and 3 people to finally bring them. By that time, our food was cold. Cold egg as and cold chorizo, cold potatoes. The table water (aka tap water) was room temp and the glasses taste like detergent.
Appreciate that the patio is dog friendly but they don’t offer water for your dog or any menu items (Luckily we bring him both) … And luckily, the Bourbon Room is next door and the sell chicken breast and hamburger patties as sides!

Unilocal challenge 2016 (⁶⁶⁄₁₀₀)
We chose El Amerikano because of the cute lights on the patio! I was told this place was Mexican but it’s definitely an American-​Mexican fusion.
I got the Prime Rib Dip Sandwich, which was so good by the way. Their fries were delicious and perfectly seasoned. You’d probably spend about $ 10-​$ 15 here depending on what you get. Their starters looked pretty good, like the asada tacos and the Amerikano fries. Their burgers looked huge!
This place is so cute and I hope to come back to try more!
Recommendation: Prime Rib Dip sandwich

Came here for a Sunday brunch. They have a system that is unlike most other places. When you arrive you place your order. After your order is placed, then you get seated. So in essence there are no reservations, you get seated when your entire party is present, and when you have placed your order. We arrived a few minutes before they opened, so the servers allowed us to pick a seat before we ordered, which was very nice. They have a very unique and eclectic menu. The breakfast nachos were very tasty. I also had their barbacoa enchiladas (meat was on the dry side) and their breakfast potatoes which were basically fresh hash browns with a side of sour cream (a tad bland). The hubby got their desayuno fajitas with rib eye, egg and potato which he very much enjoyed. We both got their micheladas which were kind of light on the beer and very spicy. I noticed that their «cocktails» are all wine or beer based, so it looks like their liquor license is limited. My favorite part of the whole meal was the Mexican brownie desert and the french press coffee. Overall I was happy with the menu, but I think my expectations were higher, or at least I’ve had this type of food at other places that exceed Amerikano in flavor. Also, you don’t get the same server and so we ended up ordering some things multiple times because communication was off. But they were attentive to us and friendly. Outside seating is really nice (heater took a while to turn on) and the place itself is warm and inviting. Lots of parking in adjacent lot (next to metrollnk station) and I wouldn’t mind a return visit for dinner or another brunch.

I was grabbing a late lunch/​early dinner on a fair weathered Saturday after the dog park. I didn’t know where were the pets friendly until I found this nice joint on Unilocal.
It was nice because it wasn’t populated at all and it surprised me that it was a cafeteria style where you order over the counter. I can’t imagine how the line would pattern out once it gets crowded.
Overall, I had a good experience with my doggy outside in the patio and the nice waiter offered a water bowl.
I ordered the verde chicken+kale salad and a spicy margarita with a ice cream churro to finished off my meal. All was good but I wished the kitchen used a smaller breed for the chicken or marinate it a tad more for flavoring throughout the meat.
I’d visit again to try something else on the menu.
Just a side note, they’re still renovating the pet policy, so have patience with them!

We dined here on Friday night. Pretty good. So, for those of you familiar with DTF, this eatery is owned by the same guy that owns Kentro’s, right around the corner on Commonwealth. Ordering concept is the same, you order at the counter, and then you take your seat. Get here before 6:30 p. m on a Friday night, and you will be fine, after that… Expect a line. I ordered chicken tortilla soup, delicious!!! My husband and I split a fried fish sandwich, it was so ridiculously tasty, I can’t even describe it. House fries are amazing!!! Kids meal was good, both my kids ordered chicken tenders battered in corn meal, they were outstanding, but unseasoned fries are just okay. Service here is on point, I would say, better than Kentro’s. Overall, a really good meal.

What a great find in downtown Fullerton! I haven’t been to downtown Fullerton since my party days years ago. This place is an absolute gem. The food, the ambiance, and the service were all stellar. Great modern appeal with sleek and clean designs. I was surprised that you order at the counter since it felt like a table service place but the concept was effective. Great place for friends or with a date. The menu is creative with a combination of standard staples amongst unique offerings. I had the prime rib nachos and the warm mushroom salad. The nachos were absolutely delicious with generous amounts of thinly sliced prime rib. The staff was really nice and helpful. One of the servers told us to come back for brunch. Definitely looking forward to tasting the rest of the menu!

El Amerikano is a nice place to have lunch or dinner. It’s menu has a variety of choices which are mostly Mexican inspired dishes.
They are a bit expensive but the food is well worth the money. I would come again with a couple friends, it’s a great place to hang out.

This part of Fullerton is pretty cool and accommodating w/​enough options. It’s right in the middle of town, but still far enough away from the university to avoid being just another off campus novelty. Located on the same block as other popular restaurants and bars such as Stubriks, Hopscotch, Slidebar, and Kentro (El Amerikano’s sister restaurant)
This place follows a growing trend of ordering and paying for your food and drinks at the counter. Then taking a number to your table while your order is brought to you. This system seems to work well here, and the efficiency was noticeable, on both ends. Everyone has had that dreaded experience of telling their server that they just need a couple more minutes, only to have their server never return again. Well, problem solved.
On that note. Once you are already enjoying your meal, the servers will periodically come by to check on your drinks, and take drink orders, so that you don’t have to stop and get up, if you don’t want to. Nice.
The menu concept is a slightly upscale and sophisticated take on modern Californian, Mexican [south west] fare. In a casual yet stylish interior setting along with a cool looking and very good sized covered outdoor patio. A step above typical gourmet pub grub, which is fine, and has It’s place too. The menu was perfect in size and not too «busy». Not so much as «a little of everything», but more like «a little something for everyone».
Instead of committing to a couple entrees, we ordered a bunch of starters labeled as «to share», on the menu. They were divided up by meat or vegetarian choices, and being that it was Sun, they also had a nice looking brunch menu available until 3pm.
I decided on the:
Rib Eye Picado
Asada Tacos
Eggplant Enchiladas
Cucumber Ceviche Salad
Graham Cracker Rice Pudding
Paired w/​a couple Franziskaner Weissbier
Good ingredients, straight forward but beautiful presentation, and very approachable flavor combinations make for nice experience. But execution needs a lil’ work, as the skin on the eggplant was an issue, the food in general was not particularly hot, but just room temp.
When dealing with tortillas in any fashion, you can not skimp on quality. Not to mention that the corn tortillas for the tacos did not seem heated or ‘prepared’ at all. The flour tortillas didn’t seem any better either:(Something so simple, yet so very crucial to any Mexican/​South West dish, or any dish where the tortilla is the vehicle. The rice in the graham cracker pudding tasted good, but needed a tiny bit more cooking time. [not just my opinion]
The carne asada would’ve benefitted from a more solid, or slightly traditional Mexican asada season (imo), as opposed to the «red chimichurri» that resembled more of an al pastor marinade, but with out the depth. Also I feel that cabbage is used too often (rib eye picado), when ideas are short. Maybe the salsa verde would have been better used if applied more delicately, or even the side.
Quick, tight, and very friendly service was a very big help. Prices and portions were decent, making it a good deal. I’ll be back to try out the brunch menu, being that they offer tempting scratch made Bacon Brunch Beignets.

First off, brunch is only served on weekends. Not knowing that, my friends and I went around 11am on a Friday, looking for brunch food.
I got the Manchego salad and a shot of espresso. My friends got the steak nachos and eggplant mole.
First off, the espresso was pretty good. They brew Stumptown coffee so it had that little sour aftertaste.
My salad was okay. It was filled with lots of goodies like dates, avocado, corn, chicken. I think the chicken was the worst part though. It was overcooked and dry. The dates were a nice touch, but I thought the salad fell flat of my expectations.
The nachos were not that great considering the price too.
The eggplant mole was very good though. It’s heavily seasoned so it paired well with the salad.
I don’t venture out to Fullerton often, but I’d definitely skip this place the next time.

Always great. Find items on the menu you can not find any where else. Sister restaurant to Kentro that is always very good. Great addition to the great Fullerton dining scene.
Service is always first rate.

Two Saturdays in a row I came to El Amerikano for brunch because yes, it was just that good. To find a place that has unique, delicious brunch items and is not crawling with a ton of people (yet) is absolute gold.
Highlights:
$ 6 mimosas
Great outdoor patio seating
Friendly service
Chorizo hash benedict (#1 favorite)
Carne Asada Torta
Avocado Toast (note: Usually I mock restaurants that highlight their avo toast as the best. But really, their avo toast is ridiculously good)
The only thing is, the restaurant doesn’t open until 11 AM so doing an earlier brunch isn’t a possibility. But, since it isn’t crazy busy, I’m more than happy with that. Highly recommend next you’re in Fullerton!

Super convenient if you find yourself in or around the Fullerton Metrolink center (aka downtown Fullerton) and are peckish and/​or thirsty. I happened to be both and after perusing the area’s offerings, found myself drooling over the prime rib nachos plastered all over Amerikano’s Unilocal page so I headed their direction immediately after stepping off the train.
The place was empty my entire stay (from 2ishpm-​6ishpm), which seems pretty normal for this time period. I sat at the bar and ordered the prime rib nachos. I was promptly given a carafe of water and utensils and shortly after, the beautiful bounty of nachos appeared. It was the perfect amount for one person to consume over a 4-​hour period and I’d recommend it as a starter for a group, as it’s enough to give you an idea of the heartiness of the dish without it taking you out before the main course. The chips were expertly fried… crispy AND chewy. I loved the cheese (more like queso), the chimichurri added a nice kick, and the prime rib was every bit as meaty as one would hope for as a nacho topper. It had endurance, too… didn’t get soggy at all.
I had a glass of wine later in the afternoon and they have a good selection and aren’t stingy with the pours, either!

I went with a group of 6 around noon on a Tuesday, and there was no wait. The food was hit or miss, but I would definitely come back to try other things.
— Prime rib nachos (⁵⁄₅) — The chimichurri that comes with this is so… Good… SO GOOD. I didn’t get too many pieces of prime rib, but the ones I did have were fairly tender. Must get!!!
— Cauliflower fritas (³⁄₅) — Good, but not great. The sauce it comes with is very creamy and the cauliflower comes fried — making this dish a bit too heavy for my taste. But, if you eat the cauliflower alone, it’s pretty good! There’s manchego sprinkled on top which adds a nice touch.
— Grilled fish sandwich (²⁄₅) — I felt like I was eating a coleslaw sandwich with bits of fish mixed in. I might have just gotten unlucky with a smaller serving of fish, but it still made for a disappointing entrée. I can’t comment much on the fish itself because I didn’t really taste (be it for lack of fish or flavor, idk)… But at least the coleslaw was good?
Nice vibes here though, and it seems like it’d be a pretty cute spot for evening dates.

El Amerikano wasn’t really at all what I was expecting when I did a little research for lunch places in the area. After reading the description for chimichurri skirt steak, and a few other interesting looking things on the menu, I made my way there anticipating a dark, cozy, sit-​down experience. What I got instead was what I am experiencing more and more lately; an order at the counter, now, right now, pay-​the-​tip-​up-​front place. The menu is on the wall in big letters, and is simple enough to not have to take too long in ordering, but there is a bit of a rush feel to it, especially if there is a line, which there wasn’t in our case. We went ahead and ordered a bottle of their cabernet to go with the skirt and added on an order of their Amerikano Fries.
Chimichurri Skirt steak: We ordered this medium rare, more on the rare side. The cook nailed it. A very nice piece of meat. The colossal onion rings that came with it were very tasty too, and I liked the green sauce that was splotched here and there. It had a little kick to it. My only complaint about this dish is the chimichurri itself. It was a bit course, more of a chopped herb topping etc. All of the flavors were there, but I would have rather it be blended just a bit. I scraped the bulk of it off and it worked for me. My wife enjoyed it as well.
Amerikano Fries: These were pretty good. Think carne asada fries with a chorizo crumble instead of the carne. Good overall, but really filling. We split this one first, and barely had room for the skirt. They had plenty of diced tomato, chives, crema, and melted cheese.
Wine: quaffable. We didn’t feel the need to spit it out, and it actually went fairly well with the items. Note the selection is very minimal, and there is no full bar. Beer and wine only, Chipotle style.
I would prefer to tip for good service after the fact. My only other complaint would be that they have the plates in the outside patio area upside down on the tables. They have a thin black ring on the rim of the plates. I ran my napkin along the tabletop and picked up more of the black grime. Not clean, and my food was on one of those plates. Yuck.

Came here for a double date and it was delicious! I’ve been to Kentro which is their sister restaurant so I knew this place would be good.
I stared with the prime rib nachos ($ 9) and had the skirt steak with enchiladas ($ 19). The nachos did not disappoint. They were amazing, with slices of prime rib on top! The steak was cooked to a medium rare and tender and juicy! I really liked the rice that went with it. It had black beans and corn. The enchilada was okay. I’d skip this and just get the steak. I also tried my friends steak salad, and it was really good! It had large chunks of avocado mixed with steak!
It’s a great casual place for dinner right in downtown fullerton.

Just a quick update since I wrote my first review not too long ago.
This time I came with 4 of my girls and had a chance to try more of their menu items.
So getting to the nitty gritty:
Rib eye and creamed corn poblano — nicely seasoned rib eye, medium/​pink slightly dry but not bad. The creamed corn was a good, rich component.
Skirt steak with fries — thick hearty chimichurri, tough but cooked to a good medium, great crispy seasoned fries
Grilled fish — to me it was pretty fishy tasting, but others likes i
Cauliflower frites — delicious!
Portobello fries — just ok but the cauliflower was much better
Mac and cheese — passable, didn’t stand out against everything else
Manchego salad — delicious and super large portion, beautiful mix of flavors
Cobbler — wish we could have had the churros instead but the coffee machine was broken.
Lovely meal amongst friends. Obviously some items were a miss but we were very satisfied with our meal.