What’s on offer?
El Grito started life in Merchant’s Arch, Temple Bar, in 2015, and relocated to Mountjoy Square in 2018. In 2023, a colourful outpost opened in Rathmines, with a third location opening in Jervis Shopping Centre. Run by Tomasz Oleksy and his wife Lucia Arvizu – he’s Polish, she’s from Guanajuato in central Mexico – the restaurant takes its name from the 1810 call to arms that sparked Mexico’s independence.
The menu sticks to the basics with tacos, nachos, and tortas (a Mexican sandwich layered with refried beans, guacamole and your pick of protein), alongside gringas (cheese-filled flour tortillas), alambre (a vegetable mix served with soft corn tortillas and rice), and chimichangas for those seeking a deep-fried burrito fix. Fillings range from smoky chorizo pork, carnitas and pastor (both pork) to tender barbacoa beef, with options for chicken, vegan pastor (soy) and cactus for the meatless crowd.
There are four house-made salsa options and you pick one per dish ordered: Hidalgo (mild), Maya (medium), Maria (spicy), and Moctezuma (extra spicy). You can buy a bottle of sauce as an add-on to your order.
Weekend brunch brings chilaquiles – fried tortillas smothered in salsa and topped with eggs, beans and cheese. Collecting your order is an experience in itself, thanks to the Rathmines space decked out with sombrero lampshades, piñatas and cacti.
Tang restaurant review: Delicious food, charming service, keen prices ... this is in a league of its own
Our restaurant reviewer’s top takeaway picks of 2024
Restaurant of the year, best value and Michelin predictions: Our reviewer’s top picks of 2024
Seafood Café restaurant review: A Sunday lunch seafood feast is a wonderful thing, especially at this price
What did we order?
One nachos, beef tacos, vegetarian alambre and el pastor chimichanga.
How was the service?
We ordered on site in the restaurant, and the service was friendly and chatty.
Was the food nice?
The nachos were tasty and generous with plenty of toppings – guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and jalapenos. For the tacos, four soft corn tortillas were filled with our choice of braised beef, which was slow-cooked and shredded and came topped with melted cheese, raw onion, coriander and chips with a mild Hidalgo salsa. The vegetarian alambre was delicious, with fried cactus and a mix of peppers, cheese and grilled onion. It was served with a bundle of soft corn tortillas and the Maria salsa.
The el pastor chimichanga, a deep-fried burrito, in a crisp and golden shell, was stuffed with pulled pork which had a sweetness from the pineapple. The green Maria salsa worked nicely with it.
What about the packaging?
The food is either wrapped in foil, or in compostable cardboard containers.
What did it cost?
€54 for dinner for three people: nachos, €13; vegetarian alambre, €15; beef tacos, €13; and el pastor chimichanga, €13.
Where does it deliver?
Takeaway and delivery by Deliveroo within a 5km radius. Open Mon-Fri, 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun,10am-10pm.
Would I order it again?
Yes, it’s tasty Mexican food and the house-made sauces are particularly good.
