El Sombrero
• 520 - 17 Ave SW | Calgary, AB | T2S 0B1
Average User Rating:
7.83/10
7.83/10
Recommended by:
92%
92%
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"A Great and Authentic Eatery!"
mary
May 2011 — "El Sombrero has been around since the mid-90's and is probably one of the best Mexican restaurants, in my opinion, in Calgary. Everything is apparently made from scratch and the portions are substantial. In addition to a cozy space with only a dozen or so tables, there is live music 5 days a week! We chose to go to El Sombrero for Mother's Day and actually managed to get a reservation. We were serenaded by a wonderful woman with a beautiful alto voice - at first we thought she had a mike but realized she just has extraordinary lung power! A treat for sure. I decided to try the Tostadas de Pollo - two crispy tortillas covered in beans, chicken, lettuce, cheese, gaucamole and sour cream ($16.50). The meal was very filling and tasty; the prices have gone up since the last time I ate at Sombrero so I was a little surprised but given that everyone else in Calgary overcharges for food compared so many other centres, the prices weren't out of whack. As always, the restaurant was clean and the service decent. A great choice for authentic Mexican food. Be aware there are quite a few steps to get into this restaurant if you have mobility issues. There is free parking in the back of the restaurant."
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8/10
8/10
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"Excellent Food"
Gary
May 2011 — "This place has a very authentic feeling to it. With a little imagination you can convince yourself you have been transported to Mexico. For one thing, the staff of the restaurant look Mexican and speak Spanish to each other as a matter of course. The wall tiles also add to the ambiance. Perhaps the most interesting addition was when a woman dressed in her sombrero and colourful dress got on the little stage and sang a few Mexican folk tunes in Spanish. Magnifico! Una mas cervesa por favor! The menu is quite varied and offers soups, salads, and mains. Most of the mains are from about $15 to $20. I opted for the Combinacion Mexicana. It was a lot of food and great value for the money at $19. (One of each of the following: Tostada, quesadilla, rolleno, taco and enchilada) I took mine with Mole sauce. It was delicious but beware of the jalapenos. El Sombrero offers a number of beers, both domestic and imported. I noted that Pacifico, Corona and Modelo Negra were all the same price. (Five dollars and change) The house wine is Chilean, Gato Negro. My one negative comment would be that the server never came across as friendly. He had one of those faces that didn't appear to smile easily. The food and entertainment easily made up for this one unfortunate negative. Check it out and enjoy. "
User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"El Sombrero for lunch"
J
February 2011 — "I bought the Groupon offer, and we tried it for lunch today. The service was very good, the food very tasty and nicely presented. We enjoyed the experience and our orders were satisfying. Would recommend for sure...was worried because of all the negative comments but OUR experience was great! "
User Rating
8.67/10
8.67/10
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"Great Mexican Food"mary
July 2010 — "I was reluctant to try out El Sombrero because it is a restaurant chain; I've often found the food in the chains to be kind of greasy and often not very good (tastes like it was heated in a microwave). Having traveled to off-beaten Mexican villages where real food can be found, I'm always in search of more authentic Mexican food.
A friend recently encouraged me to give El Sombrero a chance, explaining that she too had not found decent Mexican food in Calgary until this place (and, she is Mexican). El Sombrero has the typical fare found in many Mexican restaurants in the Calgary area, ranging from Quesadillas, tacos and burritos, to mex fries, fajitas and hard shell taco salads. The ambience is simple and feels friendly and welcoming with colourful walls and Mexican decor. I chose the Chicken Quesadilla ($8.99), a very reasonable price for a generous portion with sour cream and salsa as toppers. I have to say, the food was great! With a nice cold beer, the Quesadilla was crispy and not greasy...I'm not sure if they are baked or fried but it was very flavourful. The place was clean and the service was fairly friendly. I'd recommend El Sombrero for basic Mexican food at a great price.
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User Rating
8.67/10
8.67/10
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"Mellow Mexican"
Anne
November 2009 — "El Sombrero is a cozy place to unwind with margaritas, music and Mexican food that's good for a place this far north of the Mexican border. The décor is moderately festive – actually fairly toned down (for the northern clime?). Much of the food tastes homemade and probably is, which might account for the occasionally inconsistent food quality. We always start with the delicious ceviche – a fairly authentic tasting dish of shrimp and seafood with chopped onion, chilies, cilantro, cucumber, and avocado marinated in a tomato, lemon and lime sauce. The burritos are pretty good as are the fajitas, although both dishes could be spicier. The soups and salads are not special here – but the margaritas and many of the starters are great. Serenading musicians are there sometimes, but not every time we’ve been – it may be a good idea to call in advance if you’re counting on that. For a decent price, El Sombrero helps us handle our Mexican restaurant craving.
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User Rating
8.67/10
8.67/10
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"I'll pass for next time"
Mary
August 2009 — "Probably one of the first Mexican food restaurants I have went to in a long time and I can't say I was overly impressed. It's probably just not my type of food, but here goes. El Sombrero is located upstairs a connecting restaurant on 17th Ave and can be easily missed if you are not searching for it. I give El Sombrero credit for being as authentic as I could have imagined it to be and festive. During mid meal, we were even serenaded by a Mexican entertainer and his guitar.
For appetizers, the calamari came and it was alright, nothing special. My soup sure seemed delicious on paper, but in reality wasn't to be boasted over. The platter meals had an assortment of different things, from rice to beans to chicken. The plate was filled to the rim, and provided choice. Our last order was the desserts, which were very creative and interesting. I shared a deep fried ice cream order with a friend and there was a turtles dish that others in our table dually enjoyed.
My biggest complaint is the service, which was so slow and the diner wasn't even full. My coke never got refills and glasses of water were dry. Next time, thanks, but no thanks. "
User Rating
5.17/10
5.17/10
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"Nice Amosphere, Food OK"Susan
August 2009 — "El Sombrero is a nice little Mexican Restaurant located along 17th Avenue SW. The restaurant itself is quite cozy and nicely decorated. I came here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. The restaurant wasn't too busy at all but had nice Spanish music playing in the background. I ordered the puntas el sombrero, which was sirloin beef tips in a spicy tomato sauce with rice and mixed vegetables on the side. The plate was a fair size and quite filling. The meat was a bit tough but the sauce was quite tasty. Overall, the food was decent (edible) but not "great". I also ordered the deep fried ice cream with honey and chocolate syrup, which wasn't bad. My favorite part about this restaurant is the live entertainment that roams around singing songs near your table. It was just so delightful. My meal came to about $25+ tax and tip. I would recommend this restaurant for a nice evening out."
User Rating
7.83/10
7.83/10
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"Very good mexican food"
Jason
July 2009 — "I think this is one of the best places to have Mexican food in the city. You can find it along 17th ave on top of Ming’s. If you go there on a hot summer day you will find a small and very busy restaurant that comes with person singing you Spanish tunes while you dine. As we sat, down the service was a little slow, but I was willing to overlook this as the food is usually very good. I ordered the Pork Chops with hot Adobo sauce with a side of rice and beans. As always, they were excellent. Perfectly cooked so as to not dry out the pork and you get 2 of them! If you are feeling adventurous like my girl friend you can order the Chef’s Choice, which vary’s depending on his mood that day. But its often a mixture of various tacos, enchiladas, jalepeno poppers and fajitas. It’s a good choice for someone who cant make up their minds on what they want or want to try a bit of everything. After the main course, we ordered the deep fried ice cream (discounted if you order an entrée) and it was also very good. Total bill came to about $50 with drinks and tip for 2 people. Put this on your list of places to try if you Mexican food."
User Rating
7.50/10
7.50/10
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"Very Tasty Margaritas "Nicole
June 2009 — "Ah there is nothing better than enjoying a tasty margarita on a hot sunny day on a patio on trendy downtown 17th Ave. There was two of us just enjoying the sun and people watching, enjoying a great Saturday afternoon. We had delicious lime margaritas for drinks and order just appetizers to share. We had the nachos with salsa and guacamole and beef tacitos. The nachos tasted like homemade fresh chips and the guacamole was so good and also tasted very fresh. It was soo good was asked for extra. The salsa was a little too spicy for us unfortunatley. The beef tacitos were good, not to spicy with lots of flavor. Service was good and quite fast. The food was good price for the the food. The margaritas were on sale so very good value for a pitcher. This is a great little spot especially on a hot, sunny day in Calgary. If your looking to just relax with some a refreshing drink and great apps then this is a good place for you. "
User Rating
8.33/10
8.33/10
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"Very Good Mexican Food"Mary
May 2009 — "My boyfriend and I decided to take my cousins here when they came to visit from Toronto. This Mexican joint is a quaint restaurant with a Mom and Pop feel to it but in the trendy area of Calgary. When we arrived, there was a singer there that night belting out loud beautiful music, in Mexican. I don't think that the servers native language is English as they had a hard time taking our order, but I suppose it adds to the charm. The place is a little tight but only because it's so crowded full of people. As it should be, with the food that they serve! After browsing their huge variety of items on their menu, I decided on the Chef's Choice special which had a mixture of all types of food. On the menu it does not say exactly what it is as it changes with the Chef's feelings for that day. This time, there was tacos, burritos, jalapeno poppers, beans and more. It was excellent. Normally, I find beans very bland and these were flavorful and complimented the other items very well. To top the meal, we had a fried ice cream dessert. A great way to end the night. The prices were a little higher but well worth it. My only complaint was that the singer and music was very loud making it difficult to hold conversation. As great as the entertainment was, it would have been perfect had they been a little bit quieter. Definitely head out there if you haven't already! "
User Rating
7.83/10
7.83/10
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"Tip The Entertainment!"Chin
July 2008 — "Now I should preface this by clarifying that I have yet to go to Mexico, and therefore have no real concept of what constitutes authentic cuisine; however I imagine it might be something like this eatery.
With the exception of the hoity-toity table of rich oil-barons who felt the need to NOT tip the nice Mexican lady serenading all the patrons; everything about El Sombrero is warm and comforting.
Not knowing what to order while there, I decided to let the kitchen have their way with my meal - in other words I ordered the Chef Special -. In return I received a large platter full of delicacies such as enchiladas, taquitos and quesadillas, along with a what I can only describe as stewed chicken and potatoes with green chiles.
Bottom line, come here for the great ambiance, and even better food. Oh and BE SURE TO TIP THE ENTERTAINMENT!"
User Rating
7.83/10
7.83/10
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"Great for Mexican Food, however seating is squishy"Shannon
March 2008 — "Before the lacrosse game, our family always heads to El Sombero for the best tasting authentic mexican food in Calgary. They beat out Salt and Pepper by a long shot. The meals are very large and are a good bang for your buck, I would suggest coming to this restaurant hungry. They carry authentic mexican beer besides corona and their gucamole is the best I've ever tasted. The only down fall is that despite making reservations, the restaurant is crowded and the tables are small and close together. Despite this aspect, still the best Mexican Food you can get. Located on 17th above Ming "
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8/10
8/10
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"Decent Food, Great Atmosphere"Pedro
November 2007 — "I went to El Sombrero for dinner a couple of nights ago. When we first arrived, we were seated at a table for eight despite having made a reservation for nine. Luckily, one member of our party was a no-show, so it turned out fine.
As far as the food goes, El Sombrero is quite good. It certainly isn't excellent, but you'll definitely leave feeling full (the portions are big). I had the three enchilada dinner: one filled with beef, one veggie and the other chicken. All three were smothered in melted cheese and served with refried beans and rice. The chicken enchilada tasted a bit off, but the beef and veggie were quite tasty.
The best part of the restaurant is its location and decor. Don't go expecting anything fancy, just a relaxing place to talk, drink and eat."
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7/10
7/10
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"Pleasant Taste of Mexico"
Dana
August 2007 — "I haven't been to Mexico (yet), but my boyfriend has and he reckons this place is pretty authentic. We've been to El Sombrero three times so far and have yet to encounter waiting staff who can't speak Spanish. An extensive menu offers a range of typical meals such as enchiladas, tacos and quesadillas, and most seem to come served with a yummy bean paste, light salad, a few nachos and rice. The prices are pretty reasonable and the meals are definately filling. They have a small, pleasant and private outdoor dining area overlooking 17th Ave, and the atmosphere inside is distinctly Mexican with wall-hangings and sombreros. We were lucky to enjoy some live guitar music inside during one visit. This restaurant offers a fun taste of Mexico and until I can get to the country itself, I will be popping in regularly."
User Rating
7.67/10
7.67/10
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DescriptionEl Sombrero is a favourite among Calgarians who enjoy Mexican food. A solid menu selection, above-average service, great food and terrific ambiance contribute to the restaurant's overall appeal. Conveniently located on trendy 17th Avenue S.W., it's just a short walk to a number of pubs, lounges and bars (ideal for pre- and post dinner drinks). Prices and portions are very reasonable. Restaurant parking available at the back; street parking only in front. Closed Mondays.
Location Information520 - 17 Ave SW
Calgary
AB
T2S 0B1
