Harden's says

There's also a branch that takes reservations at 15-16 Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2QZ

survey result

Summary

£33
    £
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

A “varied and interesting menu” of “excellent tacos” – made with tortillas hand-pressed daily from masa harina for authenticity, taste and freshness – make this trio “worth a visit”. A list of 32 tequilas and mezcals adds to the feeling that they are “Mexican for real” (although the soundtrack is decidedly more hip-hop than mariachi).

Summary

£31
    £
4
Very Good
3
Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Cool”, if “cramped” – this “fab wee place” in the New Town serves “fresh and deliciously different Mexican food” from a “short menu”, although “some customers may find the music not to be to their vibe”. (The Thistle Street original has a no-reservations policy, but “they take your name and call you when a table is ready”; the newer Teviot Place branch near the university takes bookings.)

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at El Cartel?

64 Thistle St, Edinburgh, EH2 1EN

Restaurant details

No dress code
24

Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£7.00 £8.50 £5.00
Drinks  
Filter Coffee £2.00
Extras  
Service 10.00%