El Charro- original location
311 N Court Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 622-1922
$$
I had the pleasure to eat at El Charro again last night, after having driven down to Tucson to visit some friends. It's definitely a must-stop for me when I'm in town.
El Charro is "The Nation's Oldest Mexican Restaurant in continuous operation by the same family", according to the website. It's famous for its' Carne Seca, or dried beef. It's made by marinating Angus beef in lime and salt, then sun-drying it on specially built racks on the roof. After drying it is cooked with tomatoes, garlic, chiles and other good stuff. A good review with pictures can be found here.
El Charro has a great vibe, partially due the the rock construction:
n the late 1890's, Flin built a sturdy home on Court Street, part of the exclusive residential section of Tucson known as Snob Hollow. Snob Hollow lay just outside the area that had encompassed the early Spanish presidio. The house was willed to Monica and is the fourth and present site of El Charro Café. It is designated Site Number 14 in El Presidio District on the National Register of Historic Places. The high-ceilinged house is made of the black volcanic basalt rock that characterized most of Flin's buildings. He quarried the rock from his claim at the foot of "A" Mountain, just west of downtown.
The whole place just has a great vibe, lots of little rooms that meander into each other. We ate in the wine cellar, which was a first for me. I didn't take any pics but I found this image online:
Ya gotta go if you ever get to Tucson, which you should, for a million reasons other than just El Charro. The website is worth spending a few minutes visiting, too.
I love this claim. I use it on Ms.Goofy all the time. It works once in a while."We are not the best because we are the oldest,
We are the oldest because WE ARE THE BEST!"
Do they do a relleno at El Charro?
They have been open since 1922, I think, Chile, but who knows?
I think they do have rellenos, MC, but I've never had them. I had the carne seca the first time I went there and I haven't moved past it yet, because it's so unique. There's pdfs of the menu on their site, but I haven't looked at them yet. I love rellenos, maybe I should make some soon.
I had the pleasure of eating at ElCharro several years ago with several of my favorite relatives. I found the food exciting and the ambiance riveting! Loved the authenticity and the relaxed atmosphere. Thanks for reviewing this; it brought back wonderful memories of a lovely visit to Tucscon.
Sincerely,
Barbara