El Chico

[metro]

Driving down NW Expressway this morning, and noticed El Chico's recently went out of business.


Looks like the El Chico on N May has closed too.

[ultimatesooner]

its about time - that time has been terrible the last couple of times my wife picked that place to eat

[trousers]

its about time - that time has been terrible the last couple of times my wife picked that place to eat

What did you do to make her that mad at you lol?

[ultimatesooner]

What did you do to make her that mad at you lol?

she generally makes poor decisions when it comes to place to eat and she liked some guacoamole crap they make right @ your table

[Joe Kimball]

Well, there's no accounting for taste, and there's generally enough varied tastes concerning Tex-Mex food in these parts to fit in at a street fair.

I thought they were fine. I know the breadth of authenticity that concerns Mexican food about as intimately as an Oklahoman can get, and they weren't it. But the food was good in its own right, and they had a nice church bulletin discount. There's a measure of memories with this as well, from childhood to my adulthood. I'll miss them.

[Prunepicker]

I've been thinking about the El Chico on NW Expressway and remember
that it was pretty good. Of course, Nino's was far, far better which is why I
didn't go to El Chico unless whomever I was with wanted to go there.

[Pete]

Really surprised it stayed open as long as it did.

One of the few remaining restaurants from the 70's and 80's.

[bchris02]

El Chico is a terrible Mexican restaurant. It won't be missed. I wish the one in Quail Springs Mall would bite the dust and be replaced by something cool. I remember when it opened as a Garcia's. Garcia's >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> El Chico.

[Achilleslastand]

The last time I recall El Chicos being good were when they had the one in Shepard Mall. Cant say I didn't see this coming.

[Pete]

^

And it probably wasn't very good then, either. We just had very little to compare it to.

Like most things, restaurants have come a long way in the last 30 years or so.

[Achilleslastand]

^

And it probably wasn't very good then, either. We just had very little to compare it to.

Like most things, restaurants have come a long way in the last 30 years or so.

They were actually pretty good but not anymore and its not even close. There used to be a place on NW 23rd{N side, around Western} as well as a place on S Walker just a block or 2 south of I40 that was pretty good both of which names escape me. There was also El Charrito in Paseo that was pretty good.

[Susie]

So now we compare it to Ted's or half a dozen other similar restaurants that are no better than El Chico's or worse?

[Garin]

I could be wrong but i think the one on Hefner & May is closed also.

[OKCDrummer77]

I could be wrong but i think the one on Hefner & May is closed also.

There isn't one there, but there is one a mile south (May & Britton) that is alive and well.

[Garin]

There isn't one there, but there is one a mile south (May & Britton) that is alive and well.

Yup your right, I was by there on Friday at lunch time and there was only five cars in the parking lot, which is the reason I thought it was closed cause a few weeks ago it was at lunch time and there was not a single car in the lot.

[Martin]

S Walker just a block or 2 south of I40

wasn't that one called la roca? -M

[Achilleslastand]

wasn't that one called la roca? -M

That was it.......Thank you!

[GaryOKC6]

El Chico corporate also owns Cantina Laredo which is in Penn Square.

[Achilleslastand]

El Chico corporate also owns Cantina Laredo which is in Penn Square.

Belch.....
Laredos has never been the same since they were on 63rd.

[Prunepicker]

Belch.....
Laredos has never been the same since they were on 63rd.

Laredo's name was changed to Casa de los Milagros. It's on N Classen.

[Achilleslastand]

Laredo's name was changed to Casa de los Milagros. It's on N Classen.

Yes I know I should have phrased that differently.
It isn't owned by the same people anymore is it?

[Prunepicker]

Yes I know I should have phrased that differently.
It isn't owned by the same people anymore is it?

I believe it is. I'm going to eat there this week, unless I decide to go to
Los Amigos.

[Urbanized]

Belch.....
Laredos has never been the same since they were on 63rd.

You're talking about two different places. Cantina Laredo in Penn Square is a chain store and apparently part of El Chico according to GaryOKC6. It's awful, BTW.

The former LAREDO restaurant was/is locally-based and family-owned. The building it was in on 63rd was sucked up by the Chesapeake campus. The owner used the funds from the sale to (very slowly) build a replacement which opened a few years ago next to the Belle Isle IHOP at NW Expressway and Classen. It was renamed Casa de Milagros because of a name dispute with a chain...presumably the one in PSM.

[bchris02]

You're talking about two different places. Cantina Laredo in Penn Square is a chain store and apparently part of El Chico according to GaryOKC6. It's awful, BTW.

Cantina Laredo must have really went downhill then. I had them several years ago in Houston and was pretty impressed. Of course it wasn't the most amazing Mexican food but for a chain place it was decent. Definitely a cut above chains like El Chico, On The Border, etc. The thing is though, with Mexican food, non-chain doesn't necessarily mean good. I have had so many terrible Mexican food experiences at hole in the wall restaurants.

[zookeeper]

Cantina Laredo must have really went downhill then. I had them several years ago in Houston and was pretty impressed. Of course it wasn't the most amazing Mexican food but for a chain place it was decent. Definitely a cut above chains like El Chico, On The Border, etc. The thing is though, with Mexican food, non-chain doesn't necessarily mean good. I have had so many terrible Mexican food experiences at hole in the wall restaurants.

Remember that any discussion about food and restaurants is subjective. It's never black and white. Somebody will always love the very places you hate and vice versa.