El Sol Mexican Bar & Grill

If I lived near here I'd want to come every week! I just loved my experience so much. To start, the service by Ezequiel was friendly and attentive and the complimentary salsa and chips were fresh and flavorful.. Perfectly cooked and salted, the chips were a great vessel for the robust flavor of the fresh made house salsa. Next, for my entree I selected chimichangas (soft, not fried) and I wasn't disappointed. I also loved that the "not fried" was an option to the traditional fried chimichangas. The portion was generous and filling and came with house made beans which were excellent and not the type of slop of thick, paste-y type beans you're usually served at a Mexican restaurant. Upon asking for hot sauce Ezequiel came out with the restaurant's signature habanero hot sauce which had a deep spice profile which packed a punch. The menu had a plethora of delectable looking selections so I believe there is something for everyone here, even a separate section for vegetarians. The restaurant was nicely appointed and had that authentic Mexican feel. There was a tastefully decorated Christmas tree by the door during holiday season which added a nice touch to the ambiance. The music wasn't loudly overpowering and there was a good amount of seating so although there were plenty of people there we could still be accommodated and our food came out promptly.I cannot say enough good things about this place! All in all it was excellent and I definitely would return if I were in the area. I wish I had this restaurant closer to me.Thank you, El Sol!

What a great spot! The food was great, affordable, flavorful, and delicious. The drinks were the same! Their house margaritas were bogo, and really very good for a house margarita. The service was not the fastest ever, but the server was helpful enough, and the food and drink good enough, that we can overlook that! The free chips and salsa hit the table almost as fast as we did! The salsa is mild. Very flavorful! Just two of us and we ate almost the whole bottle!we ordered house margaritas, which were not overpowered by sweet and sour mix, you could taste the Tequila. It was well balanced, and they were bogo!We ordered queso, which apparently had been forgotten. Our entrees came out first, so we then asked for the queso, which she then brought out instantaneously. In this case, I would expect for the queso to be comped. Your appetizer should come out before your entree. It wasn't comped, but we didnt complain. I wouldn't order the queso again, underwhelming. The entrees were DELICIOUS. We both devoured our full plate. The sincronizada was bursting with chicken, cheese, and onion. The yellow rice was so flavorful! We both commented about how wonderful the rice was. The ambiance was nice. Not to loud, but there was music and noise. The bathrooms were clean. The tables were clean. The booths are large, the restaurant itself is large with plenty of seating. The prices are fair (2 margaritas, queso, 2 entrees for $65). I wish I had one closer to me. But I'll stop back in the next time I'm in sanford. Thanks!

Stopped here before heading home from the Brightline station. It's not far from where I live and I've been meaning to stop in for awhile now. Great margaritas. The pork carnitas platter was great with rice and beans. The salsa is the perfect temperature. Not too spicy but just spicy enough to have a little kick. They have done some serious decorating for Halloween. Very festive. There is a bar in the center of the restaurant with TV screens if that's your thing. It's a solid choice for Mexican dining.

Service was great. Love the inside decor. Food was great and pretty standard Mexican. We'll be back to try other things on the menu!

Found this little gem during a work trip and man oh man was it good.... They had the best salsa and the house made hot sauce was amazing. The service was friendly and accommodating and you couldn't ask for more. Worth a shot if you are In the area

The food here is still killer! Nancy and I still love ordering the Texanas for two. The price has creeped up to $32, but it is still worth it because they don't skimp on the ingredients. Tonight our platter was stacked!! Everything was deliciously fresh and hot. We were in a group of five and asked if we could move to a table in the back because there just wasn't enough space for us to spread out in a booth to enjoy our meal. Plus the music was so loud that it was obserd. We asked Staff if they can turn the music down a little but they said that they could not; regardless, we appreciated being able to move. The vibe is still fun and colorful with decorative banners hanging around. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals and there was plenty of leftovers to take home. We ordered several rounds of margaritas frozen and traditional since we were here at happy hour and they were delicious. I've been here many times since my last review. Things that I've observed that I wish the restaurant would improve are: (1) decreasing the music volume when it's not so busy, Tonight it was so loud we could hardly think and we're hollering over the music trying to talk to one another; (2) increase the thermostat setting a little. Every time we come here I have remind people to bring their jackets because it gets so cold; and (3) the inside is getting that old restaurant and stinky bathroom smell. They really need to have Stanley Steemer our Cintas come out and steam clean the grout, restrooms, and furniture throughout.Don't get me wrong El Sol is still one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Sanford and the food and service is fantastic, but they need to tighten up a bit. On another note, please fix the broken tiles near the entrance before someone trips, it was broken the last time we were here a month or so ago. Even though our last few experiences were not perfect, they are still very good and I'll recommend them.

Great spot for some of the best Mexican food around. I love coming here. The Arroz con pollo is among my faves.

I found that the service Michael was a excellent server. He was very attentive to all I need. There was so much food. I didn't know what to order cause I didn't like the menu because it was just too big too much stuff. He asked me I wish they would knock it down some Other than that. Everything was perfect. Everything was great. Service was great. The waiter was great Michael. It was fantastic. For me, the food was just outstanding and we got to bring it all home, but we didn't eat.

I came here for lunch. It was OK. I added a tip. Then I discovered the server gave himself another $2 tip when I checked my credit card bill. CHEATERS! That's stealing. I still have the receipt. Don't eat where the servers are THIEVES.

Beautiful decor, spanish music in the air and a variety of options making it a great ambiance for a delicious meal with friends or family.