I wasn't sure a decent Mexican restaurant could be had in Clarksville as we'd tried 3 before last night. But oh my! was my hubby happy to prove me wrong. I asked for healthy and he said, oh they have great salads. On to the test! I ordered big chunk guacamole and the Bracero salad w/ lime cilantro dressing. Pure delight!! Chicken chunks were huge and well seasoned and juicy even though they were grilled. The dressing was extra special and full of flavor! Not watered down in the least. I was blown away by the attentive and friendly service. No request was ever a bother as you know I begged for more dressing to take home since it was just too much food for one sitting. Hands down the best Mexican food around!
Christina W.
I'm honestly not sure why they only have 3 stars!?!? My husband ordered us dinner from here for date night and I thought it was so good! The rice was perfect and the chicken spinach enchiladas I got were really good! Will definitely go back!
Mallory G.
We used to visit El Bracero often at the Trenton location when we lived over by Exit 1, but when we moved to the opposite side of town we were really missing it. Not sure how we had missed this location next to Publix on Madison St but it is a game changer!!! This location is much smaller than the Trenton or Wilma but is nice and the service was great. We were greeted right away and we asked to be seated at the bar. They have a large drink menu and our drinks came out quickly and strong (a very good strong!). We enjoyed the chips and salsa and also ordered the cheese dip. I ordered the Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla and added the Fajita veggies to it. Came with a side option and I chose the rice. The quesadilla was so large and so flavorful!!! Everything was very fresh and seasoned and grilled perfectly. I really like to add the cheese dip on the rice and it was really good. My only downside on this is that this quesadilla option does not come with the typical side of lettuce, tomato, sour cream...I am sure that is because there is spinach in the quesadilla so it really is not an issue. The hubby ordered the Fajita Burrito with grilled chicken that came with rice and beans. The burrito was very similar to my quesadilla but just not grilled and topped with cheese sauce. Same great quality! He really liked how protein packed this burrito option was. It did not have the typical rice and beans inside, but was packed with chicken and veggies. Still have the rice and beans on the side was great but my husband appreciated how much chicken was in the burrito. The service was very friendly and quick (even though the restaurant was very busy). Although smaller than the other locations this still has a nice atmosphere and is very clean. So happy we finally realized this location is so close and we will be back often!
W L.
Great service, plentiful portions, tasty and filling. They have a varied menu with great staples. I had their chicken and mushroom quesadilla and found it to be more than enough for myself. It came with plenty of veggies too, which made it one of the healthiest Mexican meals I've had in a while. Would definitely return and bring friends.
Joe L.
Visited El Bracero on a Friday night @7pm and the place was very busy. We were seated immediately and our waiter Jorge got us some water along with some chips and salsa. Decided on the Sirloin Steak Fajitas for Two and not long after they delivered a huge iron skillet of steak, onions, and peppers along with soft flour tortillas. The chips and salsa were pretty basic and the salsa had no real flavor other than tomato. Was a bit unusual that they delivered the rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo several minutes before the fajitas. The overall dish was good with plenty on this plate alone to fill you up. Once the fajita platter was delivered you could probably feed three or four people from this platter. Unfortunately, a large platter of meat did not equal great flavor. The steak was plain...no real flavor or fajita seasoning. Maybe the kitchen was busy and forgot to season the meat...who knows but I've had much better fajitas. Service was good, Covid cleaning practices seemed to be ok, but seemed tables were way too close to each other. May come back to try other dishes but I would not recommend the fajitas.
Barbara G.
Went here three years ago, and was not impressed. My husband and decided to try again today, glad we did. Big differences. Great service, food, and prices very reasonable. Ordered the fajitas (sirloin), very good. My favorite was the salsa! Love it! Will be returning.
Stephen L.
This place is awesome ! Been here a ton. Used to live behind here. It is a little pricier than some of the other mexican places around, but not much. You get what you pay for. The service is great. Happy hour every day. The food is fresh and amazing. Bathrooms are clean. The vibe inside is most romantic Mexican in town. Def worth the extra $$. The homemade chicken tortilla soup is killer ! The empanadas and chalupa were also! The bracero bowl is huge ! And amazing
Chris Powell
This place is amazing! Fresh, authentic Mexican food for a great price.
Nick B.
It's just not that good. We like the other el braceros in the area but this one just isn't up to par. Every time I come here I order a margarita. At the other restaurant it's great, over here it's warm. I always get the carne asada, at this one it's usually dry. Go to a different el bracero if you want good Mexican
Charles M.
It was okay, I definitely don't see what the big deal is everybody said it was supposed to be really good but I actually didn't enjoy it much
Possibly the worst plate of Mexican food I have ever had the luxury of consuming was at El Bracero, located on Madison Street in beautiful Clarksville, Tennessee. El Bracero is a local chain of americanized Mexican restaurants, stretching from central Kentucky to the Clarksville-Montgomery County Area. The El Bracero on Exit 4, near the local mall and Wal-Mart, is a true money-maker, with emphasis on attractive servers, mariachi nights, and a portico where a small Guatemalan woman presses fresh flour tortilla, to the awe of passing patrons. The location on Exit 1 is no different. As they say, however; 'Location, location.". The El Bracero on Madison Street, nestled near the aorta of Historic Downtown Clarksville, is both the oldest and least successful of the three area locations. Madison Street, which runs from Downtown to the rural Sango area, cuts through some of the oldest and poorest areas of town. The locale is comprised of geriatrics and gang members, with little in-between. So it wasn't to my surprise that, on a breezy Cinco de Mayo, the main dining room appeared as though a bomb went off, or the fair was in town. Nervously, I surveyed the scene, and then took a seat with an acquaintance. Service was slow, which I found interesting, considering how unimpressive the lunch-time crowd was. There was a large order being prepared in the kitchen, which, having worked in kitchens before, is understandably time-consuming. However, we had extremely simple orders, and the food took an extremely long time in arriving to the table. However, little could have prepared me for what came next. I ordered carnitas, usually sure-fire in appraising the quality of an AMR (Americanized Mexican Restaurant). What arrived to my table could have made an episode of Dirty Jobs blush. Instead of fried pork pieces, crispy on the outside with gleaming white flesh, I was met by the Black Dahlia crime scene in technicolor. A giant, thick pork loin, hacked in the middle by a dull knife, with a strange gamey smell and a pool of clear, pus-like liquid. Upon consumption, the taste was game, odor, charred pieces mixed with lukewarm fat. You can ask the guy I was with. I was shouting at how awful the food was. The salad was insipid, the avocado tasteless and odorless. I might as well have tucked into some sliced jerky silica packets. The highlight were the tortillas, which paired nicely with the canned refired beans. I have nothing else to say. This place sucks OVERALL RATING: 3/10, disgusting food saved by cheap drinks that i'm not old enough to purchase.
Lacy B.
Food is always good. I've tried a few places around Clarksville and this is as close to authentic as I have found. I wish the queso had salsa mixed in and was not just a bowl of cheese but no big deal I can do it myself. Also the price of "Mexican tacos" as compared to the regular tacos is kinda crappy! The price doubles!!! Overall the service is great and the food is decent.
Elizabeth B.
We went on Friday night, they were pretty busy but it didn't appear that anyone else was waiting. I told the hostess we had a party of nine. She said it's going to be a while. I said ok well wait, she repeated herself. I said well how long 30 minutes and hour? She said I don't know. I asked again bc I wasn't sure she understood. She just shrugged her shoulders obviously not wanting to help me in any way. I then told a waitress your hostess cannot help me how long will it be before a table. She just walked right by me and never stopped to even say anything. We obviously left. A woman was outside, she said oh honey I'd go somewhere else the service is horrible and our table got their food 30 minutes apart and was ordered at the same time. Worst customer service ever. Theyve been open for years. Not sure what the problem was but they were not interested in anymore business. Way to treat your paying customers. Good luck with that.
Bill Y.
I am from California, born n raised, we take Mexican food seriously. This is the best chain in town, I believe there are four in Clarksville, I have had great service in all of them. Food is great and priced right. The big tall alcohol drink they sell for groups, steer clear, a bit overpriced, fun, but overpriced-LOL You come here for the food....great!!
Lori A.
Worst service ever- rushed through my meal after 6 total bites the waiter was waving a to go box at me. Top Shelf margarita was mix only. I ordered a shot which was delivered in a double a Shot glass with single shot quantity. Extremely disappointed
I wasn't sure a decent Mexican restaurant could be had in Clarksville as we'd tried 3 before last night. But oh my! was my hubby happy to prove me wrong. I asked for healthy and he said, oh they have great salads. On to the test! I ordered big chunk guacamole and the Bracero salad w/ lime cilantro dressing. Pure delight!! Chicken chunks were huge and well seasoned and juicy even though they were grilled. The dressing was extra special and full of flavor! Not watered down in the least. I was blown away by the attentive and friendly service. No request was ever a bother as you know I begged for more dressing to take home since it was just too much food for one sitting. Hands down the best Mexican food around!
I'm honestly not sure why they only have 3 stars!?!? My husband ordered us dinner from here for date night and I thought it was so good! The rice was perfect and the chicken spinach enchiladas I got were really good! Will definitely go back!
We used to visit El Bracero often at the Trenton location when we lived over by Exit 1, but when we moved to the opposite side of town we were really missing it. Not sure how we had missed this location next to Publix on Madison St but it is a game changer!!! This location is much smaller than the Trenton or Wilma but is nice and the service was great. We were greeted right away and we asked to be seated at the bar. They have a large drink menu and our drinks came out quickly and strong (a very good strong!). We enjoyed the chips and salsa and also ordered the cheese dip. I ordered the Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla and added the Fajita veggies to it. Came with a side option and I chose the rice. The quesadilla was so large and so flavorful!!! Everything was very fresh and seasoned and grilled perfectly. I really like to add the cheese dip on the rice and it was really good. My only downside on this is that this quesadilla option does not come with the typical side of lettuce, tomato, sour cream...I am sure that is because there is spinach in the quesadilla so it really is not an issue. The hubby ordered the Fajita Burrito with grilled chicken that came with rice and beans. The burrito was very similar to my quesadilla but just not grilled and topped with cheese sauce. Same great quality! He really liked how protein packed this burrito option was. It did not have the typical rice and beans inside, but was packed with chicken and veggies. Still have the rice and beans on the side was great but my husband appreciated how much chicken was in the burrito. The service was very friendly and quick (even though the restaurant was very busy). Although smaller than the other locations this still has a nice atmosphere and is very clean. So happy we finally realized this location is so close and we will be back often!
Great service, plentiful portions, tasty and filling. They have a varied menu with great staples. I had their chicken and mushroom quesadilla and found it to be more than enough for myself. It came with plenty of veggies too, which made it one of the healthiest Mexican meals I've had in a while. Would definitely return and bring friends.
Visited El Bracero on a Friday night @7pm and the place was very busy. We were seated immediately and our waiter Jorge got us some water along with some chips and salsa. Decided on the Sirloin Steak Fajitas for Two and not long after they delivered a huge iron skillet of steak, onions, and peppers along with soft flour tortillas. The chips and salsa were pretty basic and the salsa had no real flavor other than tomato. Was a bit unusual that they delivered the rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo several minutes before the fajitas. The overall dish was good with plenty on this plate alone to fill you up. Once the fajita platter was delivered you could probably feed three or four people from this platter. Unfortunately, a large platter of meat did not equal great flavor. The steak was plain...no real flavor or fajita seasoning. Maybe the kitchen was busy and forgot to season the meat...who knows but I've had much better fajitas. Service was good, Covid cleaning practices seemed to be ok, but seemed tables were way too close to each other. May come back to try other dishes but I would not recommend the fajitas.
Went here three years ago, and was not impressed. My husband and decided to try again today, glad we did. Big differences. Great service, food, and prices very reasonable. Ordered the fajitas (sirloin), very good. My favorite was the salsa! Love it! Will be returning.
This place is awesome ! Been here a ton. Used to live behind here. It is a little pricier than some of the other mexican places around, but not much. You get what you pay for. The service is great. Happy hour every day. The food is fresh and amazing. Bathrooms are clean. The vibe inside is most romantic Mexican in town. Def worth the extra $$. The homemade chicken tortilla soup is killer ! The empanadas and chalupa were also! The bracero bowl is huge ! And amazing
This place is amazing! Fresh, authentic Mexican food for a great price.
It's just not that good. We like the other el braceros in the area but this one just isn't up to par. Every time I come here I order a margarita. At the other restaurant it's great, over here it's warm. I always get the carne asada, at this one it's usually dry. Go to a different el bracero if you want good Mexican
It was okay, I definitely don't see what the big deal is everybody said it was supposed to be really good but I actually didn't enjoy it much
Restaurantji Recommends
Possibly the worst plate of Mexican food I have ever had the luxury of consuming was at El Bracero, located on Madison Street in beautiful Clarksville, Tennessee. El Bracero is a local chain of americanized Mexican restaurants, stretching from central Kentucky to the Clarksville-Montgomery County Area. The El Bracero on Exit 4, near the local mall and Wal-Mart, is a true money-maker, with emphasis on attractive servers, mariachi nights, and a portico where a small Guatemalan woman presses fresh flour tortilla, to the awe of passing patrons. The location on Exit 1 is no different. As they say, however; 'Location, location.". The El Bracero on Madison Street, nestled near the aorta of Historic Downtown Clarksville, is both the oldest and least successful of the three area locations. Madison Street, which runs from Downtown to the rural Sango area, cuts through some of the oldest and poorest areas of town. The locale is comprised of geriatrics and gang members, with little in-between. So it wasn't to my surprise that, on a breezy Cinco de Mayo, the main dining room appeared as though a bomb went off, or the fair was in town. Nervously, I surveyed the scene, and then took a seat with an acquaintance. Service was slow, which I found interesting, considering how unimpressive the lunch-time crowd was. There was a large order being prepared in the kitchen, which, having worked in kitchens before, is understandably time-consuming. However, we had extremely simple orders, and the food took an extremely long time in arriving to the table. However, little could have prepared me for what came next. I ordered carnitas, usually sure-fire in appraising the quality of an AMR (Americanized Mexican Restaurant). What arrived to my table could have made an episode of Dirty Jobs blush. Instead of fried pork pieces, crispy on the outside with gleaming white flesh, I was met by the Black Dahlia crime scene in technicolor. A giant, thick pork loin, hacked in the middle by a dull knife, with a strange gamey smell and a pool of clear, pus-like liquid. Upon consumption, the taste was game, odor, charred pieces mixed with lukewarm fat. You can ask the guy I was with. I was shouting at how awful the food was. The salad was insipid, the avocado tasteless and odorless. I might as well have tucked into some sliced jerky silica packets. The highlight were the tortillas, which paired nicely with the canned refired beans. I have nothing else to say. This place sucks OVERALL RATING: 3/10, disgusting food saved by cheap drinks that i'm not old enough to purchase.
Food is always good. I've tried a few places around Clarksville and this is as close to authentic as I have found. I wish the queso had salsa mixed in and was not just a bowl of cheese but no big deal I can do it myself. Also the price of "Mexican tacos" as compared to the regular tacos is kinda crappy! The price doubles!!! Overall the service is great and the food is decent.
We went on Friday night, they were pretty busy but it didn't appear that anyone else was waiting. I told the hostess we had a party of nine. She said it's going to be a while. I said ok well wait, she repeated herself. I said well how long 30 minutes and hour? She said I don't know. I asked again bc I wasn't sure she understood. She just shrugged her shoulders obviously not wanting to help me in any way. I then told a waitress your hostess cannot help me how long will it be before a table. She just walked right by me and never stopped to even say anything. We obviously left. A woman was outside, she said oh honey I'd go somewhere else the service is horrible and our table got their food 30 minutes apart and was ordered at the same time. Worst customer service ever. Theyve been open for years. Not sure what the problem was but they were not interested in anymore business. Way to treat your paying customers. Good luck with that.
I am from California, born n raised, we take Mexican food seriously. This is the best chain in town, I believe there are four in Clarksville, I have had great service in all of them. Food is great and priced right. The big tall alcohol drink they sell for groups, steer clear, a bit overpriced, fun, but overpriced-LOL You come here for the food....great!!
Worst service ever- rushed through my meal after 6 total bites the waiter was waving a to go box at me. Top Shelf margarita was mix only. I ordered a shot which was delivered in a double a Shot glass with single shot quantity. Extremely disappointed