El Patron

This is my favorite mexican food in howell, probably the quickest service you can get, and the food us pretty good.

I was out in Howell yesterday on business and stopped in to have some lunch. The place had that fun (too much going on) décor that is popular in a lot of Mexican style restaurants. The foyer walls were covered floor to ceiling with photos of customers dining. Kinda hokey, but OK. I sat down in a booth and was greeted and presented with a menu. The chips and salsa were on the table almost immediately without ordering. That was nice. I ordered a combo platter to try a few different things. I ate the taco first. I like tacos. It was basic, ground beef — seasoned well. lettuce and a white shredded cheese. It was good. Moving on, I cut the tostada in half and ate that because it had a mound of guacamole on top. I enjoyed that too. Next I took a fork full of the open faced stuffed pepper. It was delicious and the stand out of my meal. I think it was a Poblano pepper. It had a bit of heat to it which is right up my alley. The stuffing all beef (again…“all me”). They had some kind of creamy sauce it was sitting in that was unique but tasti too. I left some of the pepper to try other things. The burrito and enchilada were good, the rice and beans just ok not a lot of flavor so I left most. I was getting pretty full. Went back and finished the tostada and pepper. It was a satisfying meal. People at near by tables were enjoying margaritas and big beers and seemed to be regular patrons.

The best Mexican restaurant and food in Howell! Quick and friendly service. Delicious food with fresh, flavorful taste. Stylish décor that make you feel comfortable. This is the place to go for your Mexican fix. Great deals through the week, too!

You cannot find better or faster service anywhere! The food quality is good and fresh.

Awesome food service and portions. By far the best mxican food in the area. Portions are large and you always have left overs for later. Servers are awesome and always willing to assist you thank you for a great place

went last weekend. food still as good as last visit. best mexican food i’ve had in a long time. hope that statement doesn’t jinks them. beans still great, did order what i didn’t want cause i didn’t want the waiter to wait. it was still great. everything on the plate had white cheese on it, something i don’t usually want/​like but it was great with the tostada and bean burrito.
salsa a little bland but added hot sauce and sugar. poured some on leftovers and when i reheated it, garlic really came thru which i loved.
some guy behind us kept saying — i love this place. and i have to agree. why is there so many good places in this area-​tomato brothers, this place; caio amici’s and wooden spoon in brighton. can’t find food this quality in metro area down here.
Unilocal had website wrong its:

It’s good not great but really good. If you’re in the area and wanting Mexican food you’re safe here. So enjoy

To be quite honest, I’m not sure why this place has such great reviews. I went in the other night, and the food was just not good. I’m pretty confident I could get better Mexican food at Qdoba down the street. The beef was cheap, the topping on the burrito seemed like it came from a can, and the cheese was alright… But there was just not enough. I asked for more cheese and got charged $ 1.50 extra! I will say the warm chips and salsa were good. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there.

First time visit was a great one. Salsa is awesome. Chips weren’t hot though like Mexican Fiesta.
I had a combination plate and accidentally ordered the wrong number, but it still turned out good. Will definitely go back. Margaritas were a little weak though.

My wife and I stopped in for lunch on a week day. There may have been two or three other tables with customers. The service was glacial slow. It took forever to get menus, etc. and while we were waiting someone was clearing off the table across from us a loudly as possible, throw the dishes, etc. into the carts. Annoying.
Once we finally got the meal the food was acceptable although typical Mexican-​ish style compared to some of the authentic Mexican cuisine I’ve had elsewhere.
When we were finished there was no sign of our bill.. .I had to pull someone away from the bar television set in order to pay up and leave. Ridiculously bad service.

Fantastic authentic Mexican food. I have lived in this city for 6 years and have never tried it because of the appearance from the outside. The food and service is fantastic.

Authentic Mexican food… Consistent product at a reasonable price. Nothing fancy, but good overall value.

BEST Mexican in the area by far. Large portion of you want to share or take some home, GREAT salsa, and very fast service. Absolutely in love with their chimichangas. Don’t let the outside deceive you, it’s high quality food and high quality service. One of my favorite spots, no matter how far I have to drive.

This is the best tasting Mexican food in Livingston county. The service is friendly and fast but I don’t feel rushed. Free chips and salsa are definitely a bonus. And, if you go on your birthday, they take your picture with a sombrero on then post it on the restaurant wall. Awesome place to eat!

Good Mexican grub… especially for Michigan (lived in Texas a few times). Good, fast service. Good kids menu for fussy ones.

If you like good mexican food this is the place. The chips and salsa are a great start to your meal. The service is great, if there is something wrong with your meal they will fix it. The décor is very bright and warming.

Your run-​of-​the-​mill, generic Mexican food — but still delicious!
Large margaritas, large portions, and FAST SERVICE.
My fiancé and I were craving Mexican food, and since moving to the area — had not been to El Patron yet. From pulling in the parking lot to arriving back home, it only took us 50 mins for the whole trip. We kicked ourselves for eating so quickly later, but that didn’t change the quality of the food. I always order Huevos Rancheros, and I was not displeased with the meal at El Patron. Delicious! We had leftovers to go around, and they were still ok when reheated.

I have avoided the place since it looked kind if plain from the outside. What a mistake’! The food is great and I have found a new treat in Howell!
I had the Shredded Beef Burritos Verde. Taste was fantastic– fresh and bold. It comes with rice and beans– and a 32 ounce Dos Eques topped off a great meal. Service was superior– I came on a Thursday night and there were six waiters/​waitresses on duty.
Service was FAST and I look forward to visiting with my wife very soon. Thank you for the fine, inexpensive meal!

We went there on a whim (SIKE, we did tons of research) and weren’t quite sure what to expect… well let me tell you… The bottom-​less chips and salsa were a plus and the chips that came out were clearly freshly made. We attended with a party of 6 and everyone in the party was content if not excited about their meal! I myself ordered a meal (with knowledge of gluten and what would and would not have gluten) and when it came out my partner asked the server (for his own re-​assurance) if the tortilla’s were corn and the waiter immediately became concerned and said yes, but they are fried in the same oil as flour (COMPLETELY blanked my mind). The server, Leonardo, was so kind to take the meal back and help me find what I was able to eat.
Margarita’s, corn chips, good company, and amazing décor. I rate it A ++ and great service :)

After finishing up some errands, met up with friends to have lunch… I selected El Patron and I was told this was their favorite Mexican restaurant. As you approach the restaurant, there’s a big sign identifying the restaurant… they have outdoor patio seating area and their windows are covered with painting, thus you cannot see inside the restaurant.
I walked in and said, need table for five with two kids. As soon as I got seated, the chips and salsa came out, the waiter asked what I wanted to drink… since they had Pepsi products, I settled for water (sorry, I’m a coke fan).
The chips and salsa were excellent. The chips came out warm, which was a nice touch. As I waited for my friends to arrive, I studied their menu… being first timer, I was overwhelmed… but studied the menu page to page to see what I wanted to eat. Once the friends arrived, we ordered right away.
I went with speedy Gonzalez, which came with one taco, one enchiladas and option of beans or rice… went with rice. I also ordered tamales. The food came out within five minutes… granted the restaurant wasn’t busy, but I was taken back by how quickly the foods came out… I know some side items are ready to go… but foods came out quicker then ordering at Taco Bells.
Okay… enough said… verdict on the foods.
— Chips & Salsa — excellent! Couldn’t stop eating them.
— Tamales — wasn’t sure what to expect (which meat)… when I got it, it was covered with melted cheese, ground beef and gravy on top. The tamales were dried… the gravy didn’t help… I’ve never had a tamales served in this fashion, but I’m always up for new experiences. I would not order this next time I’m there.
— Speedy Gonzalez — the enchiladas was okay… the sauce on top was bland and could have used more flavor. The rice was little dried… it had chunks of peppers and ground beef — not sure if this was an accident or not… but was kind of surprised to ground beef in my rice… something new for me. As for the taco… well… the taco’s from Taco Bell was better… it lacked flavors… the ground beef had no seasoning.
Overall, not bad… the service was excellent… food was decent… Next time I’m there, will have to try other dishes on the menu.