El Potrero Night Club

Awful place. This place is such a ghetto, just wondering why they are in such a good neighborhood?
Staff are rude, old & dirty atmosphere, dirty restrooms, overall i couldn’t find any good aspect in this terrible bar.

So much fun! Very affordable. I wish they had a place in San Diego.

My fiancé and I discovered this place through
and decided to give it a try. When we first walked in we were wondering why we were the only folks in the restaurant. When the friendly waitress gave us our menus we were wondering how we could possibly order $ 35 worth of food/​drinks (our
certificate was $ 25 with a minimum purchase of $ 35) since the menu prices were so inexpensive. We reviewed the certificate once more and nowhere did it mention that it couldn’t be used on alcoholic beverages so we each ordered our drinks (a beer for him and a mojito for me… although my mojito tasted more like margarita mix). Anyway, as we are ordering our food I mention the certificate to the waitress who kindly said I’m sorry but we no longer accept those. We told here we found them through that site just a few hours earlier which is why we were there. She apologized and said the site was supposed to remove them from it two weeks ago and that we could contact the site’s customer service number posted by the front door to request a refund.
We decided since we were hungry and already there we would still eat there (she did comp my drink which is good since it didn’t taste like it was supposed to). Before our meals arrived she brought out some fresh warm tortilla chips, salsa, and bean dip which was great. Soon after finishing our chips/​dip our meals arrived. The food was absolutely delicious (he got Jose’s combo and I got the carne asada topped with a three cheese enchilada and for dessert we got sopapillas). There aren’t many places my fiancé would definitely visit again just for the food, but he definitely wants to return for more of this restaurant’s great food. If you have a craving for good Mexican food you should stop in and try it for yourself… you won’t be disappointed: o)

What the hell did you eat? My wife had the crispy relleno and I had the tampiquena… both were delicious and inspirationly mexican. Not gringo mexican but real mexican or perhaps mexicano. Any case the food was great and the service was fantastic. Did I mention the margs were good too? The house tasted like mexico with tequila and lime and no crappy filler. The cucumber marg was my wife’s favorite and the bling bling was good good… overall I would definately come back.

Ok so I didn’t have an account, but after looking up the phone number so that I could take some information for National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, I stumbled upon a review that I just happen to read that quite frankly pissed me off so I immediately had to speak up. I’m sorry that I’m taking the space where a review should be to do this.
Here’s my review: This place does a lot of great things for the community, things that go beyond food and drinks and the horse and Latino gay men events, drag shows and more. It’s popular for many reasons, and being supporters in the Latino community and the fight against HIV/​AIDS are two of them.
First off, El Potrero is and isn’t many things that’s fine, and everyone is entitled to their opinion especially on sites like this. I think they are helpful. Yeah so the décor has caught a lot of folks off guard, but you never know the reasons for it. Who knows? Could be a dear pet, maybe the owner thought it was comical, maybe they think it is beautiful art, hello people it may even be a cultural thing. CULTURE some people have it some people obviously don’t. El Potrero means the herder, or herdsman of colts. It also is a pasture and farm for rearing horses.
To Miss Misha R. SERIOUSLY!!! You are the reason for my book here. Your comment about you and your prince being the «only legal Americans in the place,» is quite rude, arrogant, and ignorant. NOT to mention quite assumptive. Maybe you’re right maybe not, but to actually say that in a review. Really? I just couldn’t let that one go.
I see your point about the horse, I too am an animal lover, but who they heck are you to say things that make the owner look like some animal-​hating, horse-​killer. Assuming yet again because it may not fit into your little box called Misha’s World. Look, it’s not what you’ve said, but how you’ve said it. Not something that a lady with any prince would do. Your tag line says imperfection is beauty. That is true my dear, but you fail to truly understand the meaning of your own words. Maybe I’m not displaying many lady-​like qualities by calling you out, but I consider myself outspoken and a leader in my community, the community I serve daily.
Overall, El Potrero is a great place to be entertained in many ways. Try it out! You may learn something new and exciting and open yourself up to a different way of life or at least building more character and an understanding of Latino and GLBT cultures.
By the way, the ad about the drag shows in the photo was for an event that EP helped our organization benefit to assist those infected with and affected by HIV/​AIDS. The woman in the photo is la famosa Beatriz Adriana, a Mexican singer, who also has a strong passion for the cause. Mil gracias por todo El Potrero!

This is quite the interesting place. Food was alright, took a pic of the horse on the wall. Drank couple cheap beers. Found it odd there were signs of stripper night, and cross dressing night. Does that really happen here??? Jukebox has a great selection of Mexican artists if you know how they are.

My husband & I found this in the entertainment book and thought we would give it a try. We were the only ones there besides one other table and we were there for an hour and a half. I thought we were in the wrong place when we walked in. It is a bar/​nightclub with tables along the edge. The décor is crazy – but it didn’t bother me. The atmosphere was a little strange though. I didn’t realize that horse was real until I read these reviews. Hmmmm…
We had our 2 kids with us so I was hoping it would be a quick in & out. There were only a couple of people working and it took FOREVER to get our food. But the delicious chips, salsa and bean dip were a good appetizer. I was thrilled when we finally got our food. It was delicious! I ordered the chicken fajitas. It came with lots of food and a very large platter with toppings and rice & beans. My husband ordered a creamy shrimp dish which he thought was fabulous as well.
I highly recommend it for the food, but the atmosphere and service was not great. Maybe they will start doing take-​out? Then I can give it more stars!

My husband and I have been to El Potrero several times however I was in a rut and always ordered a single bean burrito, smothered in green. This is my standard test for a Mexican restaurant because if they can’t turn out a good smothered bean burrito, then they won’t be able to do anything else well.
So after several visits, and many well executed bean burritos later (perfect size, authentic tasting refritos, nearly perfect green chili), I crawled out on a ledge and ordered the Carnitas Tacos plate ($ 8.50). Wow, I’m now so ready to write this review. The plate (platter actually) comes with three tacos consisting of two lightly fried corn tortillas, crispy and well seasoned pork, grilled onions and tomatoes along with pico (too much cilantro for me but I forgive them for that), creamy refritos, rice (boring) and guac. The tacos are fantastic — the best I’ve had in Denver — with the exception of the taco sampler plate at Jack N Grill (but much less expensive). I LOVE carnitas and these tacos don’t disappoint. I could only eat two as this is a very large meal, but for $ 8.50 this is a great deal.
Instead of the standard chips and salsa served by most Mexican restaurants, El Potrero starts you with chips, fresh salsa and a homemade bean dip — delicious!
I’m always worried that El Potrero will no longer be there as most times we’ve gone the place has been empty. However, it is obvious that lunchtime is not when they do all of their business. They have live music on the weekends and from what we can see, they really pack in the customers for dinner — I’m glad of that. Apparently it’s «latin gay male central» at night — whatever, it looks like whoever parties there must be having a good time.
Service at El Potrero is excellent — because they treat you like they are glad you came in and that they want to make sure you’re happy with your experience. I always feel that the servers really want you to come back and see them again.
The inside dining area is large (per the live band and crowds on the weekends) but the booths are comfortable and large windows let in lots of light — and give you a chance to «gaze out» over lovely Glendale.
The outdoor patio is the perfect place for a lazy lunch of tacos, burritos and margaritas. All it needs is a beach and the ocean, instead of the view of Super Target.
Oh and about the «stuffed» animals. I love animals and don’t understand the whole hunting thing, and I’m not fond of taxidermy but maybe I spent too much time at The Buckhorn (now know as the Buckhorn Exchange) as a kid growing up in Denver (believe me, more dead animals on the wall than at Teddy Roosevelt’s house), as the animal heads (and body in the case of the horse) mounted on the wall just don’t really phase me.
Given all that — food and service wise, El Potrero is a gem!

Went here last night because it was close to Petco. The stuffed animals made me kind of want to eat at Petco instead, but after I got over the shock of the front half of the white horse, the baby calf, the deer, etc. the food was good. Loved the warm bean dip change from cold salso. Hubby had fajitas he liked, I had the BACON wrapped shrimp. We were the only people there after a table of uniformed postal workers left (one woman with a loud, foul mouth.. .) Dance floor was unique, service was great. My kids would be traumatized by the animals so I doubt we’ll go back with them. Would like to try their breakfast menu– it looked great.

If a place makes me cry I promise to tell you about it.
The first time I was there my handsome prince and I walked in and sat down right between the wall and the bar. We were the only legal American’s in the place. Which at the time I thought was a very good thing, because we were in the mood for authentic Mexican fare.
I’m a very visual person so I set right to work drinking in all of the décor. El Potrero has a big bar like feel complete with old hardwoods on the floors and walls, with tons of taxidermy, everywhere. And then the sky fell in on this chicken-​little.
I looked up, and directly above my seat was a full sized, once live, half horse! I shit you not! It wasn’t a horse head, not even the head and neck, it was the whole front half of this ‘suspended in animation’ beast. It’s legs kicking wildly as if to kick the shit out of the bastard that stuffed him.
And that’s when the water works started. I’m such a sucker for animals. I love animals more than most people. I’m a vegan-​nazi, truth be told. I couldn’t imaging what provoked these people to have this gorgeous creature cut in half, mutilated, stuffed with resin, and finally affixed to the wall, where people could see it while they eat. I was trying not to make a scene but I was blubbering snot bubbles, and gasping for my next breath bawling when prince charming ushered me out of there so fast the hostess was left dazed and confused.
True story!

OMG, they have a ½ stuffed horse on the wall in here!!! And it is the same color as ST (my horse)! Why would anyone stuff their horse (except for Roy Rogers and at least Trigger was stuffed whole)?
HOWEVER, once seated on the nice patio with a nice view and when the warm bean dip and salsa were delivered, I forgot about the horse and enjoyed this little place in Glendale with ghosts of discos past dancing around. The lunch special was fajitas for $ 5.99, chicken or beef and they do not allow ½ and ½. Everything was fresh and good tasting. They had tecate and XX on tap which topped off a pleasant lunch.
And then, I had to go back to the car and pass that ½ stuffed horse. GAG.

22APR2009
Another weekday lunch. I ordered a burrito chicharron and received a bean burrito. Very tasty, but not what I ordered. I was happy with it and told the waiter that it was not what I ordered, but I was happy. He brought out a complete chicharron burrito plate. Which I took home. I am very pleased with the service.
20SEP2008
Another Saturday lunch on the warm and sunny patio.
This time with margaritas for just $ 2!
Enjoyable Mexican music playing over the speakers.
By the way; I love the stuffed animals (including the horse) as they are so retro.
17JUN2008
We ate lunch here last Saturday and had our usual enjoyable time.
Sat out on the deck and enjoyed the perfect weather.
I had the $ 5.99 chicken fajitas which was a great bargain. Very tasty. Well prepared and a good quantity.
We usually get à la carte burritos as they are a terrific lunch value.
The service is always super friendly.
Go and enjoy a good, affordable Tex-​Mex meal.

The food is good, reasonably priced, AND you get free bean dip in addition to your chips and salsa! I had the carnitas gorditas plate. Everything was fresh and the refried beans had that decadent ‘made with lard’ richness to them.
The place was not crowded (Wednesday night) and the service was very friendly.
Depending on your Glendale history, you may have a flashback when you walk in this place — as the former «Jimmy’s» reggae bar. Look to your right and you’ll see the sprawling outdoor patio that has borne witness to many a drunken summer evening.
The price on beers is pretty high but they have a good happy hour — something like $ 2 beers or dollar off from 4pm — 6pm. Maybe even 2-​for-​1?
This place is open till 2AM every night. Our waiter told us the place gets pretty hoppin’ and the crowd is a good mix of people. For instance, last weekend was a Celina tribute cover-​band.
When the weather gets warmer (whenever that’s going to happen.) do not pass up the patio. It is worth checking this place out.