El Royale is the new Tex-Mex restaurant in Lakeview where Carrigan’s Beer Garden used to be. It opened last Spring and has become a tough place to get a reservation on peak nights. El Royale is owned by the same group behind Slim’s Pizzeria in Crestline. Both spots excel in great packaging, from menu design to atmosphere. Both spots are certainly cozy; Slim’s is a fraction of the size. This is a big space.
The Food & Drink
For lack of a better description, it would be considered a high-end Mexican restaurant, ex. Lobster Fajitas for $44. Menu items include many familiar Mexican staples. Most entrees were priced in the lower $20s, with steaks being $42-$55. Latin-American cocktails range from $13-$16. They also offer a practical wine and beer list.
Like most Tex-Mex restaurants, chips and salsa are freely provided upon seating—one verde, one rojo. We started with the Brisket Flautas appetizer ($16), beef brisket in fried flour tortillas with consume and cheese. Its accompaniment of pico, guac, and lime helped bring some lightness to this delicious but heavy appetizer. We also started with the recommended House Elote ($14). A roasted corn dish somewhere in the neighborhood of a cheese grits flavor profile with the consistency of a pudding. It’s not quite a dip, but not quite a silverware dish either. It was semi-sweet and fantastic, and along with the Flautas, would be a table-pleasing, shareable beginning.
The Ribeye Fajitas ($35) were a recommendation from the server, and a good one. The Evan’s Meat ribeye would have been a top-notch stand-alone, and the peppers were cooked perfectly, still retaining their crispness. It was served with drawn butter, but we didn’t seem to see the point. Why add what wasn’t needed? It came with rice and beans, guac, sour cream, and tortillas warmed in a little fat. This was a dish, in size, best shared. Consome, which is a broth made from slow-boiling meat with peppers and onions, is an element used in many of their dishes. We also tried the Chicken Tinga Tacos ($22). It’s chicken cooked in tinga, which is a smoky sauce with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. We did ask for some hot sauce, as we always do in Tex-Mex spots. They brought out their Tinga and Ranchero sauces. Both good, but a 1 on the heat meter.
The Service
Full disclosure: we did what we never do, and told them we were with About Town and here for a review, so we’re not the fairest judge on the service. But our server seemed to be knowledgeable about the restaurant and the dishes.
The Atmosphere
El Royale is easily one of the most beautiful spaces in town. They had the great fortune of, at one time, being a plant nursery, and the designers were smart to retain the natural light and reincorporate some of the greenery, both outside and in. Red neon (also on its outdoor sign) dominates the horseshoe bar, which sits in the middle of the indoor dining area. The dining room’s tables are black and white checkered with Brentwood chairs. It’s a wide open space that also has outdoor seating with a section for private parties. It certainly has a garden feel.
The Parking
Located across from an apartment complex, but a couple of blocks away from the center of Lakeview, some street parking is usually available. They also have a valet for those who don’t want to deal with it.
The Bottom Line
El Royale goes big. It’s, first and foremost, a killer space made for revelry. A pitcher of margs, some Latin cocktails, and an app or two would be enjoyable enough. While a tad lighter touch could be added to the food, it’s a definite crowd pleaser and aimed at a traditional Southern palate, with generous and hearty dishes.
2810 6th Avenue | Lakeview | (205) 829-1899 | www.elroyalecafe.com
