El Bravo

Average gringo Mexican food.. I live five minutes from El Bravo and have eaten there three times since Christmas. It is very over-rated. I ordered a tamale. and it was what I would call pre-fab. It was not made with corn husks, and the corn meal was cake like. Also the food appears to be microwaved. I ordered a burrito and it was cold. I had to send it back. The enchilada was very mediocre-- cheese was gluey and sauce tasted as if it was from a can. . For the same money and in the same neigborhood, you can get much better food at Via de las santos or Las Gloriosas.…

World's Best Tamales. This is a great little family run restaurant serving delicious Mexican dishes all made from scratch. The real standout here are the tamales. Get the green corn chicken tamales with green sauce. The homemade tortillas rival Carolina's. Other good items are the enchiladas, carne asada and green chili burros. The word has gotten out about the tamales and there is now an El Bravo at the Sky Harbor airport. The food is still good at the airport branch but the real deal is at the 7th Street location.…

Authentic Mexican food with a no-fuss attitude where taste takes top priority.. In Short
Look past a few pinatas and Mexican beers signs and discover why this neighborhood restaurant is a local favorite for its Sonoran-style dishes. Go for the jalapeno-studded machaca or the stacked enchiladas and Navajo tacos, a definite rarity.…

OK, But Not Worth A Special Trip. I want to like El Bravo more than I actually do; to nod knowingly about the authentic,understated masterpieces emanating from this hole in the wall. But the glorious reputation, perhaps earned from an earlier era, utterly escapes me. Maybe I just havent ordered the right thing yet? My son swears by the beef burro. I dont want to defame the food. It's quite satisfactory in a simple way - but hardly memorable. Evening service is friendly but understaffed and slow. El Bravo is fine for a quick bite, but if you're an out of towner looking for WOW mexican food, take the Best of Phoenix notices with a healthy grain of salt.…