El Jefe Cocina & Bar

Important Note:First, if you're from out of town, it's important to note the VFW is different from other ones you may have heard of or seen. There is no membership requirements. This is important because El Jefe uses the VFW kitchen and you are welcome to eat and drink in their space! This initially threw us off. We walked past this building both ways and then behind it to a parking area where we found the El Jefe taco truck that was NOT in use.Finally, we walked inside the VFW to inquire where El Jefe was and they said, "here!" And gave us all other relevant information. Food:We ordered drinks, chips and salsa, and, a little later, tacos. Thankfully one of the salsas was actually hot. It's been a complaint of mine with taco places. There might be a slightly spicy sauce but nothing hot. El Jefe had a hot sauce that had me going "whoa!" But then diving in for more because it's so tasty. We also ordered queso. It was so tasty we got a second one. The tacos were loaded with both ingredients and flavor. They disappeared quickly. Service:The bartender was awesome. Friendly and conversational. This is a space where you meet great new people.

The shrimp tacos were very good. Not your average tacos and highly recommended.The churro donuts are not served hot which is why we didn't love them. They are tossed in a cinnamon sugar mix and topped with chocolate sauce. If they had been hot we would have been elated.Service is excellent.

Let's talk about the good, the bad, and the uglyWho am I kidding, it was all goodStarted with avocado fries and chipotle cream Definately our new favorite appetizer An avocado, or two, quartered into wedges, breaded with a crunchy breading, then deepfried. Amazing Also ordered chips and quac. Chips are made on site, quartered white corn tortillas, then deep fried and salted. Great. Only exceeded by the guacamole, fresh and simple. All that avocado, tomatoes cilantro and salt can make it. Boom.Next came the tacos, carnitas and asada. Both were good, but we liked the carnitas more. However, the pork was more like tinga, not carnitas. Real carnitas are hunks of pork shoulder, cooked in fat until soft. Then for tacos it is usually chopped, then fried crisp. These were more like Mexican pulled pork Great, but not exactly carnitas.The asada was fairly typical, which is to say merely okThey were both served on doubled corn tortillas. They are white corn, not yellow corn. And I just dont find white corn tortillas that good.The salsa were very good, but spicy. We got salsa verde with the pork and chipotle with the asada. Both delicious, but spicy, if that is a concern of yours. Not for me, but tastes differ, so if mild is your gig, be sure to askI would go five stars, but the tortillas bring it down. You may think that is petty, but a taco place needs great tortillas to get five stars.

I really, really love this place. It's the kind of place that has flavor and freshness packed into every single dish, and the manager takes his time getting to know customers at each and every table. Truly an incredible overall experience. Even the staff and cookies bringing over our meals were very kind, attentive, and made sure we were 100% happy with our food. The teal & black interior was cozy, cool, artsy, and inviting. Apparently the patio during the summer is a hit, as well! I hear they'll be having a huge Cinco de Mayo celebration with a DJ.The spread we had the honor of trying was fantastic. Authentic, big flavors, and beautiful presentation. Check out the details belowMargarita flight:Original tangletown, blackberry ginger, spicy mango, and blood orange mezcal. I would come back just for this Red & Green & Mole Enchiladas:I don't have enchiladas often, but man, that mole sauce was incredibly savory and tummy-warming. Love the cheesiness and fresh meat as well Cauliflower Tacos:The Cauliflower tacos surprised me. I'm usually a huge meat eater, but the sort of red/orange sauce made them savory enough to really fill out the taco flavor profile. The veggies were also cooked perfectly: not mushy, not too crunchy.Cuban Torta Sandwich:I think this was the best thing I tasted this night. Homemade mustard, homemade pickles, and double pork make for literally the best Cuban I've ever tasted in my life.Highly recommend! Ask for the server's recommendations for some great tips.

Well, El Jefe definitely deserves the fifth star. We stopped by tonight to help celebrate their third anniversary. El Jefe knows how to have a good time, celebrating their third anniversary with a patio margarita/beer bar and a DJ playing some nice tunes. We loved to see Angie back to help out on this special occasion......We had the Tangletown margarita which was really good. It was super busy so we got some food to go. I had the nachos with carnitas which as usual was very good. My wife had her new favorite, the burrito bowl, this time with pastor. She really liked the flavor of the Al pastor. She also says the rice is awesome!

It was my first visit and I was impressed. The Tacos were flavorful and the Margaritas were tasty. Check them out if you're in the Minneapolis area. * Asada Tacos * Margarita Flight

Went out for a casual taco and drink night and decided on El Jefe in south Minneapolis (Lyndale/Diamond Lake Road). I was surprised how busy it was for a week day night but then again, the restaurant isn't the biggest, but don't let that fool you about the food and drinks. Here's my quick take ratings:* Overall 3.5 out of 5 stars* Food - 3.5 out of 5 stars* Drink - 4 out of 5 stars* Service - 4 out of 5 stars (a little under-staffed for how many people were there)* Quality/value - 3 out of 5 stars (there's definitely a premium on the price of tequila, but I can't fault a restaurant for trying to maximize their highest margin items)The best value is the Three Amigos, chips and salsa/queso for $7 and add guacamole for an extra $2. Orders of tacos come in triplets and I got the combo (pollo, carnitas, and barbacoa), which was pretty good, but it seemed a little steep at $14/15. Drinks ranged from $9-15+ and they have a full bar, which offers some variety. Overall, it was a good experience, but there are a lot of other taco/tequila restaurants in south Minneapolis. That said, I appreciate the local, mom & pop restaurants and want to support them when I can. There is also free parking in the lot behind the building but it was full, and there's free street parking nearby.

Jefe was holding a private event with their food truck and I decided to try some tacos. I got the carnitas tacos, which had pork carnitas in salsa verde cilantro and queso fresca.It was ready pretty quickly and it was loaded with pork and was super juicy and flavorful. I added some of the salsa that comes with it and it was spiced perfectly and not too saucy and not too chunky.The corn tortillas were two per taco, like a street taco, They were great corn versions and held the ingredients well.It came with homemade chips that were super crispy and perfect for dipping into the rest of the salsa cup.Highly recommended if you see the food truck. I need to try the brick and mortar restaurant now.

Such a great experience for cinco de Mayo! Amazing service and the tacos were amazing! First time here, but we will definitely be back! Young man helping hosting and bussing tables was so welcoming and a hard worker.

This was my first time at El Jefe and they did not disappoint!! The guacamole and chips were delicious paired with the margarita flight. A friend and I shared the meat plate for 2. The seasoning was on point!!! I cannot wait to come back. This is a must visit restaurant!!