Mexican restaurant expanding in Lexington with fast casual location near UK campus

Janet Patton
·2 min read

A family-owned Mexican restaurant is expanding in Lexington.

El Charro Authentic Mexican Cuisine, which already has two locations, is opening a third streamlined edition near the University of Kentucky campus just off South Broadway.

Flor Gonzalez said she and her parents, Martha and Armando Gonzalez, opened their first restaurant at 4371 Old Harrodsburg Rd. 11 years ago and the second one at 3090 Helmsdale Place nearly two years ago.

Now they plan to open the new El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar at 561 S. Broadway in September. It will be where Maiden City Brewing had a restaurant and bar that closed at the end of the year. Parking is available in the adjacent lot off of Broadway and Oliver Lewis Way.

What’s on the menu at El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar?

While the first two El Charro restaurants are full service, the taco and tequila bar will be fast casual, Flor Gonzalez said. Customers will order at the counter and then food and drinks will be brought to their tables.

The menu will be slimmed down as well, she said.

“We will focus on tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas and house favorites such as arroz con pollo and chimichangas,” she said.

Why does Lexington have so many new coffee, chicken and Mexican restaurants?

The ribeye tacos at El Charro will be on the new streamlined menu at El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar at 561 S. Broadway. It’s expected to open in September.
The ribeye tacos at El Charro will be on the new streamlined menu at El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar at 561 S. Broadway. It’s expected to open in September.
El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar will have favorites from the other two locations such as Arroz con Pollo.
El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar will have favorites from the other two locations such as Arroz con Pollo.

“We’re trying to take the top sellers at other establishments and have them at our new location,” she said. “What we already know works the best, that we can serve quickly, efficiently and with high quality.”

The bar side of the restaurant will be a tequila bar with a wide array of fresh margaritas including pineapple, watermelon, blackberry, blueberry and cucumber jalapeno.

Watermelon margaritas are one of the many fresh fruit flavored options at El Charro.
Watermelon margaritas are one of the many fresh fruit flavored options at El Charro.
The new El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar will feature lots of fresh fruit flavored margaritas as well as cucumber jalapeno.
The new El Charro Tacos and Tequila Bar will feature lots of fresh fruit flavored margaritas as well as cucumber jalapeno.

“We also will have other tequila-based cocktails such as Palomas and Cantaritos, which are very popular in Mexico,” she said. “And we will definitely off a wide selection of Mexican bottled and draft beer.”

El Charro Tacos & Tequila Bar

Where: 561 S. Broadway

Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday to Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight

Online: elcharrolex.com

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