Authentic Mexican and Latin Flavor at Restaurant El Portal in Elizabeth, NJ

Restaurant El Portal Introduce

For residents and visitors in New Jersey seeking an authentic taste of Mexico and Latin America, Restaurant El Portal stands out as a must-visit culinary destination in Elizabeth. More than just a local spot, this restaurant offers a warm, inviting atmosphere paired with a truly expansive menu that promises something delicious for every palate. Focusing on traditional and popular dishes from Mexican and Latin American culinary traditions, Restaurant El Portal has established itself as a friendly, professional, and reliably flavorful choice for lunch, dinner, and even a quick bite.

The experience at El Portal is designed to be comfortable and engaging. The atmosphere is described as casual, cozy, and trendy, making it an excellent setting for a variety of occasions—whether you're meeting friends, enjoying a family meal, or dining solo. The commitment to fast and friendly service, which has been highlighted by customers, ensures a pleasant visit every time. From the moment you walk in, you'll find a place that is dedicated to serving high-quality, comforting food to the local New Jersey community.

Location and Accessibility

Restaurant El Portal is conveniently situated at a central and accessible spot in Elizabeth, NJ. You can find this authentic eatery at: 179 Elmora Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07202, USA. Its location on Elmora Avenue makes it a familiar landmark for those in the local community. The restaurant caters to all patrons with key accessibility features, including a wheelchair accessible entrance and wheelchair accessible seating, ensuring a comfortable experience for everyone.

For those driving to the location, paid street parking is available nearby. The central Elizabeth address places it within reach of many surrounding neighborhoods in Union County, making it a viable option for a dine-in experience or a quick stop for takeout on your commute through New Jersey.

Services Offered

Restaurant El Portal provides a comprehensive range of service options to meet the needs of a modern, busy New Jersey clientele, from leisurely dining to convenient at-home meals.

Dine-in: Enjoy the full, cozy, and casual atmosphere with table service for an immersive dining experience.
Takeout: Perfect for those on the go or who prefer to enjoy their meal at home or the office.
Delivery: Offering the ultimate convenience, you can have a full Mexican and Latin American feast delivered right to your door.
Reservations: The restaurant accepts reservations, which is ideal for groups or for planning a meal during peak hours to ensure you secure a table.
Dining Hours: Publicly available information indicates online ordering hours often run from late morning to late evening, generally 11:00 AM to 9:40 PM, though official opening hours may be even longer (some sources suggest 10 am - 11 pm). It is always a good idea to confirm hours directly for the most accurate information.
Meal Services: Services cover Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert, accommodating various dining times throughout the day.

Features / Highlights

What truly sets Restaurant El Portal apart are its distinct highlights and offerings, which appeal to a broad demographic looking for quality, speed, and variety in their dining choices.

Fast Service: A standout feature, recognized by customers, is the quick and efficient service, making it an excellent option for a lunch break or when you are pressed for time.
Serves Local Specialty: The menu features items that resonate deeply within the local community, blending Mexican and Latin American flavors.
Diverse Offerings: The restaurant provides a full spectrum of food and beverage options, including Coffee, comforting classic dishes, Healthy Options, Quick Bites, and Small Plates. There is also Happy Hour Food available.
Atmosphere and Crowd: The environment is welcoming for all. It is described as Family-Friendly, great for Groups, and accommodating for Solo Dining, and is noted as a place that welcomes Tourists exploring the Elizabeth area.
Kids' Menu: A dedicated menu for children, featuring items like Kid's Cheese Quesadilla ($5.50), Ham And Cheese Quesadilla ($6.50), and Chicken Fingers With French Fries ($9.95), ensures that the youngest diners are well catered to.

The culinary offerings are the main event, with a truly impressive variety. For example, the Tacos section alone features numerous options, served traditionally with onion and cilantro (and available with green and red sauce, often in orders of four), including Grilled Steak Taco, Pastor Taco, Chicken Taco, Mexican Sausage Taco, and the widely popular Birria Taco, which is offered as three soft tortillas with onion, cilantro, and cheese inside for $18.00. The Birria, known for its rich, slow-cooked flavor, is a must-try for New Jersey taco enthusiasts.

Their selection of Dishes offers hearty, satisfying meals like Grilled Steak ($21.00), Breaded Chicken ($21.00), and the comforting Chicken or Steak Enchiladas with Green Sauce ($19.95), served with yellow rice, refried beans, and a salad. Furthermore, the Fajitas (Chicken, Steak, Shrimp, or Mixed Three Meats) are perfect for sharing or a truly substantial meal, and the customizable Burrito Bowls, available in varieties like Steak, Chicken, Chorizo, and Vegetarian, offer a fresh, modern take on Mexican dining.

Contact Information

To plan your visit, make a reservation, or place a takeout order, you can contact Restaurant El Portal using the following details:

Address: 179 Elmora Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07202, USA

Phone: (908) 820-0002

Mobile Phone: +1 908-820-0002

What is Worth Choosing

Restaurant El Portal offers a compelling package that makes it a highly recommended choice for authentic Mexican and Latin American cuisine in the Elizabeth, NJ area. It's an establishment that clearly prides itself on its flavorful, generous menu and its commitment to customer satisfaction. The variety of meats and preparations—from the marinated perfection of the Pastor to the satisfying crunch of Chicken Flautas—ensure that traditionalists and adventurous eaters alike will find a new favorite dish.

Choosing El Portal means choosing an experience where quality meets convenience. The ability to dine-in, carry out, or have your meal delivered, combined with friendly and fast service, makes it incredibly versatile. Whether you're craving a classic Grilled Steak Burrito served with salad, sour cream, and guacamole ($15.95), a savory Alambre dish ($19.95), or one of their acclaimed tacos, you'll be getting a fresh, made-to-order meal. Even with isolated feedback regarding side orders, the overwhelmingly positive sentiment about the atmosphere, excellent service (such as that provided by the waiter Cristhian), and the overall tasty food—including the delicious Piña Colada—reinforce its reputation as a top-tier local spot. For a reliable, authentic, and professionally run restaurant that delivers comfort food and specialty items right here in New Jersey, Restaurant El Portal is an exceptional choice.

Restaurant El Portal Food & drink

Flautas
Cheese Flautas $13.00
Order of 3 rolled up crunchy tortillas on a bed of lettuce, topped with refried beans, cheese, sour cream, avocado and tomato.
Chicken Flautas $13.00
Order of 3 rolled up crunchy tortillas on a bed of lettuce, topped with refried beans, cheese, sour cream, avocado and tomato.

Fajitas
Mixed Fajitas (3 Meats) $24.95
Served with rice, salad, sour cream, guacamole, and tortillas.
Chicken Fajita $22.95
Served with rice, salad, sour cream, guacamole, and tortillas.
Steak Fajita $22.95
Served with rice, salad, sour cream, guacamole, and tortillas.
Shrimp Fajita $22.95
Served with rice, salad, sour cream, guacamole, and tortillas.

Alambre
Pastor Alambre $19.95
With meat mixed with bell peppers, onions, bacon with melted mozzarella cheese. Served with tortillas.
Grilled Steak Alambre $19.95
With meat mixed with bell peppers, onions, bacon with melted mozzarella cheese. Served with tortillas.
Chorizo Alambre $19.95
With meat mixed with bell peppers, onions, bacon with melted mozzarella cheese. Served with tortillas.
Grilled Chicken Alambre $19.95
With meat mixed with bell peppers, onions, bacon with melted mozzarella cheese. Served with tortillas.

Tacos
Pork (Carnitas) Taco $14.45
4 pieces with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Pastor Taco $14.45
Order of 4 soft tortilla with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Shrimp Taco $15.50
4 pieces with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Chicken Taco $14.45
Order of 4 with cilantro and onions. Green and red sauce.
Grilled Steak Taco $14.45
4 pieces with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Mexican Sausage Taco $14.45
4 pieces with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Vegetables Taco $14.45
4 pieces with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Chicken Al Pastor Taco $14.45
Order of 4 soft tortilla with onion and cilantro. Green and red sauce.
Birria Taco $18.00
Order of 3 soft tortilla with onion and cilantro and cheese inside. Green and red sauce.

Dishes
Chile Relleno $21.00
De queso.
Breaded Chicken $21.00
With meat served with yellow rice, refried beans, and tortillas.
Grilled Steak $21.00
Chicken Enchiladas With Green Sauce $19.95
Topped with onions, sour cream, and cheese. Served with yellow rice, refried beans and salad.
Steak With Onions $21.00
With meat served with yellow rice, refried beans, and tortillas.
Steak Enchiladas With Green Sauce $19.95
Topped with onions, Sour cream, and cheese. Served with yellow rice, refried beans and salad.
Grilled Chicken $21.00
With meat served with yellow rice, refried beans, and tortillas.
Grilled Shrimp $23.00
With meat served with yellow rice, refried beans, and tortilla.

Salads
Grilled Steak Salad $15.95
Regular Salad $8.99
Mixed greens and tomato.
Shrimp Salad $16.95

Burrito Bowls
Steak Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Shrimp Bowl $19.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Chorizo Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Vegetarian Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Chicken Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Carnitas Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.
Pastor Bowl $18.95
Burrito Bowls comes with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, corn, sour cream, cheese, avocado and choice of meat.

Mexican Soda's
Jarritos $3.50

Side Orders
Pico De Gallo $5.50
Onion, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro.
Corn Tortillas $2.50

Natural Juices
Carrot $6.95

Tortas
Grilled Steak Torta $12.50
Mexican sandwich that comes with meat, cheese, avocado, tomato, chiles in vinegar, beans and mayo.
Torta Especial $13.50
Special sandwich that comes with ham, eggs, sausage and breaded chicken.
Breaded Chicken Torta $12.50
Mexican sandwich that comes with meat, cheese, avocado, tomato, chiles in vinegar, beans and mayo.
Grilled Chicken Torta $12.50
Mexican sandwich that comes with meat, cheese, avocado, tomato, chiles in vinegar, beans and mayo.
Pastor Torta $12.50
Mexican sandwich that comes with meat, cheese, avocado, tomato, chiles in vinegar, beans and mayo.
Ham Torta $12.50
Mexican sandwich that comes with meat, cheese, avocado, tomato, chiles in vinegar, beans and mayo.

Appetizers
Tostadas With Shrimp $16.95
3 crunchy tortillas, topped with meat, beans, lettuce, sour cream, avocado and cheese.
Tostadas With Steak $15.50
3 crunchy tortillas, topped with meat, beans, lettuce, sour cream, avocado and cheese.
Tostadas With Chicken $15.50
3 crunchy tortillas, topped with meat, beans, lettuce, sour cream, avocado and cheese.
Nachos With Chicken $15.50
Guacamole Con Nachos $13.00

Burritos
Pork (Carnitas) Burrito $15.95
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.
Grilled Steak Burrito $15.95
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.
Chicken Burrito $15.95
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.
Pastor Burrito $15.95
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.
Shrimp Burrito $17.50
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.
Chorizo Burrito $15.95
Vegetables Burrito $15.95
With meat, yellow rice, refried beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in flour tortilla. Served with salad, sour cream and guacamole.

Kids Menu
Ham And Cheese Quesadilla $6.50
Kid's Chicken Quesadilla $9.50
Chicken Fingers With French Fries $9.95
Kid's Cheese Quesadilla $5.50

Restaurant El Portal Details

Service options
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Fast service
Serves local specialty

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings
Coffee
Comfort food
Happy hour food
Healthy options
Quick bite
Small plates

Dining options
Brunch
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Table service

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Trendy

Crowd
Family-friendly
Groups
Tourists

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Children
Good for kids
Kids' menu

Parking
Paid street parking

Restaurant El Portal Photos

Restaurant El Portal Location

Restaurant El Portal

New Jersey Union County Elizabeth Elmora Avenue

179 Elmora Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07202, USA

Restaurant El Portal Reviews

An average rating of ★4.2 from 499 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

This place is spectacular, with a great atmosphere and excellent service. We went a few days ago, and the waiter Cristhian was very kind and helpful. The food was very tasty. I would definitely come back many more times.The Piña Colada is delicious. 🍹
June 30 · Marcella PL
They charged me SEVEN dollars for a side of avocado. It wasn’t even a full avocado. When I get my food, I see that the salad comes with avocado already. They could have disclosed that. On top of that, they gave me what looks like one little scoop of rice which is what I was looking forward to the most. $29 for this meal was super ridiculous.
October 19 · Stephanie G
Extremely disappointing experience. The food was overpriced and far from authentic Mexican cuisine. A 20% service fee was added simply because our order exceeded $70, which was not clearly disclosed. We spent $120 on four orders of Birria tacos, which were among the worst I’ve ever had. I would not recommend this place—save your money and dine elsewhere.
July 22 · Onassis Pertuz
This place was fantastic! I did not expect the food to be so good. Definitely stop here if you are in Elizabeth
October 10 · Dragoonman14
I recently dined at El Portal Taqueria, and it was an incredible experience! The highlight of my meal was undoubtedly the birria tacos. They were packed with flavor, perfectly tender, and paired beautifully with the rich, savory consommé. The seasoning was spot on, making every bite absolutely mouthwatering. The service was friendly, and the atmosphere was welcoming. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!
January 15 · Reggie Gutierrez