El Dorado a quiet option for Mexican food in Macon
Don't let the location fool you -- this quiet little Mexican restaurant near the Macon Mall packs a solid punch. The prices at El Dorado are reasonable, the service is personable, and the food is as good as any other Mexican restaurant in this area.
We came at dinner time on a Thursday and it was very quiet. One group finished their meal soon after we arrived and we were the only ones left. Considering this, our food took quite a while to come to the table. We had long finished our large cheese dip for $6.50 and Dorado stuffed jalapeños by the time our entrees arrived.
The cheese dip was fine, but the stuffed jalapeños were more flat than stuffed. For $5.95 you get three peppers with chorizo, chicken and melted cheese on top. The chips weren't warm or salted and the salsa wasn't bad.
Everything else was more than satisfactory. We tried two shrimp dishes -- the spicy Camarones ala Diabla with broccoli and zucchini over rice and the garlic Camarones al Mojo de Ajo with rice, beans and a salad -- for $10.95 each and found them quite good, with tender, flavorful shrimp and generous portions.
I had the fried chimichangas, two for $9.50. There was more than enough to take home for the next day's lunch. There's also a fajita version for $10.50 with just one very large chimichanga filled with steak or chicken, with grilled onions, green peppers and tomatoes.
The fajita taco salad is exactly what you'd expect, a tall fried flour tortilla filled with lettuce, tomato, peppers, onions, tomatoes and grilled steak or chicken, for $9.50. There are several other salads to choose from, starting at $6.50.
Lunch specials include the two-item combo for $5.50 and the three-item combo for $6.75. You can choose from the usual suspects such as quesadillas, tacos and burritos, as well as more unusual choices such as tostadas, tamales and guacamole salad.
Each lunch item can be made with stewed chicken, ground beef, beans, cheese or even spinach and mushrooms. Lunch fajitas are only $8.75 with all the usual fixings, and a Platillo special, for $8.75, that consists of a cheese-covered plate of grilled goodies and three tortillas.
A part of the menu we didn't explore that looks like fun is the Tacos y Mas Tacos. The Tacos al Pastor, with marinated pork and pineapple in adobo sauce, are just $8.50 for three, as are the steak or grilled chicken ones. The pulled pork or chorizo ones are just $7.95 and the fish or shrimp ones are $9.50 with slaw and chipotle salsa.
If you need a change of scene for your Mexican fix, try El Dorado on Mercer University Drive.
El Dorado
Address: 3555 Mercer University Drive, Macon
Phone: 478-477-5494
Website: www.eldoradomexicangrillga.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
Payment: Cash, credit
Smoking: No
Alcohol: Yes
Kids Menu: Yes
Noise Level: Low
Health Rating: 97
Price range: $5.45-$13
Rating: 2.5 stars
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 6:39 PM with the headline "El Dorado a quiet option for Mexican food in Macon ."