El Loco

For those that speak even the tiniest bit of Spanish, you could probably make that the name is Spanish. To be specifically, this Mexican bar/eating place is a cool spot for all. Whether you’re keen for a drink, a snack or a crazy time, ''El Loco'' in Surry Hills has got them all. I would say that this is one of those places where you could have dinner, then have a few drinks in one spot. Often times people tend to have dinner in one place then move to another for drinks, but El Loco has the best of both worlds.

Located in Surry Hills, El Loco is literally across the road from Le Monde, in which I had talked about a few weeks back. While I am unsure whether the place is available for lunch or in the afternoon, one thing that’s clear to us all is that it does come to life in the evening. What looks to be another hotel bar in the front is actually a cool and super cozy eating and chilling zone in the back. Walk through the regular hotel bar you’ll feel that the ambience is completely different on the inside. They have an open mini-kitchen, in which you can witness your Mexican delights being prepared before your eyes. The menu board just above the chefs add on to their rustic feel, with the bar just opposite a few steps away. If you’re not too familiar with the food they offer, take a sneak peak at what the chefs are cooking away and make sense of that in the menu!
The bar has a good selection of what I would label as Mexican and tropical drinks. Since

I was there for the Mexican food, I couldn’t resist myself from a cool bottle of Corona with a slice of lime to get the night going. With me being me, I always try to get something that I haven’t had before with the cuisine that I’m not too familiar with. I tried one of their tacos, but actually replaced the crispy taco shell for a softer alternative in the tortilla. The chicken ''pollo'' was my choice. Inside the tortilla lied grilled chicken that was beautifully marinated with various spices. On top of the chicken was a flavourful salsa that had the inclusion of sweet corn. It may sound like a regular salsa but the quality and freshness and crispiness of the vegetables will surprise you.

On another occasion, I opted for the pork ''torta'' for a change. At first glance, it was like a burger, with grilled pork and cabbage. Well, I guess that’s what it was and what it was meant to be. A simple burger, but packed a punch of flavors. Once again I was not left disappointed by the quality and freshness of the ingredients in which made me return for more.

For desserts to add a kick of sugar, we also tried some churros. Unfortunately I did not manage to take any photos for the churros, most probably because my hands were all too dirty from the tortilla and burger that had grease and sauces on my hands. Of course, they were delicious. How could a place serving Mexican food not make great churros anyway? Delicious.

El Loco belongs to a larger brand that opens very reputable restaurants and eateries within the Sydney area. If you’re familiar with the club at Wynyard called Ivy, that’s basically in the chain as well. The standards are quite high for the quality of the products in these places so be sure to check them out. I will be reviewing and recommending about place from the brand Merivale, but let me first try to find some pictures of the food to show you!

I really can’t emphasise and describe the ambience of this place enough. While it is like a bar, like an eating place, like a cantina, like a (fill your own description here). This place really thought out its decors and small details in order to create a really cool vibe. Everything from the sign that you bring to your table once you order, to the table cloth, to the colourful and pattern-rich trays they bring your tacos in. Everything was brainstormed and you could really feel it. This place is a guarantee to take your stress away after a long.

The easiest way to get to the place is simply to walk if you don't live too close from the city. I think there are also buses that run up and down the street, but I never know where the stops are...

El Loco Surry Hills Mexican Eatery : Ratings 

-- Accessibility - 7.5/10

-- Price - 8.5/10

-- Selection - 7.5/10

-- Staff Friendliness - 9.5/10

-- Cleanliness - 8.5/10

-- Overall - 8.5/10

For more information on the place, check out El Loco here:

http://merivale.com.au/elloco

Or if you’d like to do a bit more reading - a more precise reading - of Merivale as a brand and as to what and where they offer, be sure to check out this link as well:

merivale.com.au

If you like the content of this post, or just want to check out some pictures that I take on my adventure, feel free to like and/or follow me on instagram at oat93, cheers!