Walking in to El Borracho on a Monday evening around 8:30, I was surprised to find it quite busy. Located in the popular new Coredo building complex in Shin-Nihonbashi, it’s an upscale Mexican restaurant serving traditional dishes. Lively groups of business people made up the majority of the crowd, but there were a few couples mixed in. I made a reservation just in case, and was glad that I did, as there were only a few seats left at the bar.

The staff were super friendly and the head chef even came out to discuss in depth the menu options for my vegan friend. His thoroughness was impressive and he eventually decided to make him a special salad with a tasty lemon vinegar dressing with tortillas on the side for his main dish.

To start off I ordered a Negra Modelo (¥650). While not a craft beer, it’s a very nice Vienna lager that matches well with the food, and is often my beer of choice when eating Mexican. But if you have a craving for tequila, El Borracho boasts over 100 varieties to choose from. They also have a wide assortment of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks as well.

For an appetizer I opted for the standard, tortilla chips, with an ample portion of tasty guacamole flavored with cilantro (¥560). I also tried the Setas al Ajillo (¥810), a garlic and mushroom stir fry in oil accompanied by some bread for dipping. Off to an excellent start, I was anxiously anticipating the rest of the meal. For the main dishes, the staff’s recommendations of pulpos ala marinela and tacos Pastor, were both excellent. The pulpos ala marinela (¥780) was full of tender chunks of octopus cooked with ripe tomatoes in a red garlicky sauce with a hint of red pepper. It was my favorite dish of the evening and highly recommended. The tacos Pastor consisted of strips of marinated pork shoulder with a mildly spicy salsa and pineapple, nicely complemented with cilantro. A very traditional and popular taco, it’s available in the very simply put, “Small” and “Big”sizes (¥750/¥980).

Overall, I was very pleased with the meal and the warmth of the staff. Nothing was overly spicy, but I’m sure they’d be willing to accommodate a request for anyone desiring some heat. For those not fond of cilantro, the staff checked if we wanted it in our meal or not when we ordered. In the future, I anticipate another visit to El Borracho to delve deeper into their menu.

(note: all prices are tax included)

Open 11:00~23:30