El Picante Mexican Grill in Bedford

It's not just "Mexican food"; it's a fiesta of authenticity, warmth, and memories. Step inside, and vibrant decor transports you south of the border. The aroma? A symphony of sizzling meats, tangy salsas, and spices dancing on your senses. Each bite echoes this: guac's vibrant freshness, smoky whispers in the carne asada, and the mole poblano's rich tapestry of tradition.

Amazing food full of flavour, great cocktails, very friendly staff! Highly recommend it!!!

Nice Friday afternoon meal, amazing food and staff very friendly. Made a nice change and will definitely be back for more! ;)

Great little find! This small but cosy place was lovely. Food was great, good portions, tasty and value for money. Staff very attentive and friendly.

Really enjoyed the food, it was quick, fresh and yummy! Staff were nice and friendly! Will definitely visit again soon!

Worst mexican food we've ever had. Tasteless full of grease, really stodgy asked for corn tortillas but what we got I have no idea what they were!!! Wine very poor. Restaurant was cold. Waitress tried to rectify meal after we complained and offered to have another one cooked for us I declined husband took up the offer but basically same as the first one.

The food was very, very tasty. The staff were really nice. The price was good.

Used the function room upstairs, and party buffet deal. Excellent service, and facilities (DJ & light setup) All our guests had a great time. 😀

Hired the 1st floor function room for a celebration The only downside was the temperature in the room unfortunately was cold all night despite the tiny heater which kept being switched off by staff !!

My family and I love to eat here, the food is consistently delicious and great value for money. Because the food is so good, I got Picante to cater my 40th birthday party at different venue and everyone raved about the food after, and all the food went! On top on that, the service was exceptional..they went over and above to make sure the food was set up correctly and we had everything we needed. I know its not the most glamorous location in Bedford but the food and service is 'excellente!'

Burrito's are my go to at El Picante but I just tried the Barbacoa Tacos and they were so incredibly tasty... Tender meat, succulent broth and tasty salsa. Get some in before they're gone! No photos to share with this review as there's nothing left. 😁

Diana was my server and she was amazing, super sweet, friendly and attentive she made my experience at this restaurant so much better!! I’m from Mexico and was missing home and she made us feel like we were back at home! Definitely coming back here again and the food was delicious! Thank you Diana!

Really lovely food, friendly staff and quick attentive service

We really enjoyed our lunch here today. Very clean place. Fresh lovely food. Definitely coming back.

Really nice food. Will come back!

Great Service, delicious Mexican food and the cocktails are great too.

My favourite food in bedford. I can't stop eating burritos! Very friendly people too, can't recommend more highly.

Incredible food. Friendly staff. Can't say enough how great it is here. Had takeaways and meals in and never a problem

Awesome food, great people and family oriented. Real diamond in the dirt. The staff could not do enough to make it a happy and memorable experience. Big thanks to Adolfo and Jose for making our dinner experience one to remember. They do some awesome cocktails too!!

Amazing atmosphere! Greeted straight away by very friendly guests, authentic feel. Food was amazing and well priced for portion sizes.

Fantastic Mexican restaurant, wonderful food

My brother and I are regular eaters of the restaurant, like 3,4 times a wk eaters. 2 wks ago, I took my 5 year old daughter in and asked to use the toilet. The guy behind the counter said no. I replied that all the public ones are closed and she's desperate. He said, "Well.... I can't help you. After a couple of minutes of pleadings with him, he said I have to buy something and pay for it first. I said OK. But u need to pay now, I said before she can use the toilet? He said yes. I paid £11 after telling him to just make anything that would cover the cost of my 5 year old using the toilet for a wee. A wee, which didn't happen because she already wet herself by him refusing her access to the facilities and telling me I have to buy and pay upfront for something first. Never again. And I will be letting my followers know of this.

Kept coming up on my timeline, so had to visit when passing. Sharing nachos and jalapeno poppers were great. Will come back for a meal.

We had so much fun in our first visit, from the food to the atmosphere and how enjoyable everything was. Even though it was our first time as I said before we knew it was going to be good, we used to by food from the El Picante when it was a street food vendor, so no surprises here. We had a thorough look at the menu and we decided to go for nachos to share for a start, delicious and generous plate for two. I went for a classic chili con carne, and my wife had a chicken fajita. I fooled my self thinking I was to be able to have a second, churrasco with pork, and I ended up asking to take the food home, lesson learned 😅. They have a very nice selection of beers of which we tried two, both light and refreshing, recommended. The ice on the cake was a shot of tequila after we had both a potion of pistachio and chocolate cake. I have no qualms recommending this place, looking forward to pay another visit.

First visit tonight, been meaning to go for a while. It was a very relaxed and jovial atmosphere. Everything was excellent: the staff were so nice and helpful and the food was absolutely wonderful. The dishes we had were all amazingly tasty and perfectly prepared. This is genuinely our new favourite restaurant and I'm already looking forward to going back

I got a delivery, which was 15 minutes later than the expected delivery time. Food turned up luke warm and tasted pretty average. I ordered a quesdilla and nachos to share. The nachos were £12 and was half a shop bought bag of crisps shop bough pre grated mozzarella cheese on top, the mince and chicken again were Luke warm. Extremely disappointed at the lack of effort put in for a 'Mexican' restaurant. I expected home made not shop bought as I could have done better myself for less than £5.

Got takeaway for dinner but went in to order & the restaurant is really clean, the staff are very helpful also. The food was amazing, only thing I would tweak a bit is make the large burritos a bit bigger but it’s still very tasty. The fajitas, churros & empanadas are great also. I had some cocktails & they were perfect ! Would definitely visit & recommend for authentic Mexican Cuisine 😊

Looked for a place to eat , find this little gem had been recommended, decided to give it a try , fantastic food nice and fresh , wasn’t a long wait as unfortunately no one was in the restaurant, but I would recommend this restaurant to everyone

The food was delicious and the staff were very welcoming. Would highly recommend.

My husband is an regular customer there and has always said lovely things about this place. Today i went there for the first time and instantly the service was amazing. The men at the front were very friendly and helpful very bubbly an helped me to understand their menu properly with no rush!

Be carefully with daughter girl friends or women especially if they had few drinks the staff like to take them upstairs to callum ......they all aware though !!!empty flat mattress on the floor ....be aware!!!!!!

We were made feel part of the El Picante family from the moment we arrived. Mario and Manuel were amazing waitors, the food was fantastic and very reasonable, the atmosphere lively and I could not have wished for a better family meal visiting from Ireland! Nachos, fajitas, chicken wings, burrito, all were divine and all accompanied by the beaming friendly smiles of Mario! The staff take the time to chat to customers and really make you feel relaxed and taken care of. We will be back 😀

Wow, what a surprise. It’s been a while since we’ve not eaten mexican food this good. It might not look like a place you’d go in when looking from the outside, but please do. The burritos are amazing. ¡Muchas gracias!

Great food and even better tequila. Mario was the perfect host, extremely knowledgeable about tequila. Had a very interesting conversation on it. I think you should do a Tequila tasting evening and showcase how real tequila tastes and that it’s equal to gin or better. Tequila is the next big thing to hit the U.K. Throw away your outdated concepts of the worm and salt/lime and try have a try of proper Tequila

You want authentic Mexican food with the most friendliest people waiting you, then this is the little gem in Bedford to visit! We’ve been here a few times and every time the food is on point! Not only that the staff are extremely helpful and friendly. Even when they are so busy they always have time to chat and laugh with you. It’s a family vibe restaurant and the food is delicious. They provide different types of sauces, from the mildest to the ones that’ll blow your mind and make you sweat! Take it from me I highly recommend this gem in Bedford and go as a couple or as a group because the vibe is catered for all!

Amazing food. Best burritos and margarita I have ever had. Our 2 year old loved this place so much, he was jamming to the music. The staff was very entertaining with him. It was a lovely experience. Thank you! Will definitely come back!

Apologies for saying the music is too loud . Wrong place ! No music at El Pcante.

The food is amazing, and the people working there are lovely. I love the way the restaurant looks inside. 😁

Well… Being the UK national, we assume we do not have the best Mexican food available in the UK, because of course, we are not in America. America is intertwined beautifully with its Mexican and Hispanic neighbours and their contributions as Americans themselves to a thriving food culture… I was surprised to find the best Mexican food in El Picante to be so darn good!!! It’s definitely not “traditional” and that’s fine, it’s the modern age; it ought not to be. The melody of flavours in the food here are gorgeous! The decor and aesthetic of the space, it’s all charming enough and gritty enough. Maybe a bit too “hip” for its own good, but tame enough to not feel out of place amongst the air of cool vibes… I went to other restaurants providing Mexican food while visiting London but their food are hardly a five star 3 course. However, this is a great Mexican restaurant with super friendly staff and fabulous food. The staff were lovely, helpfully discussing the vegan menu for one of our friend who is a vegetarian. The drinks were also amazing. We will come back.

Have been a few times now and never a bad experience. Burrito is huge and really tasty. Wife, who is a veggie, loves their 3-bean and halloumi options. Good price and friendly service.

This was probably one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had! Very warm atmosphere, and our waiter Mario was very kind and attentive. The food was amazing. Everything was cooked fresh and was extremely flavourful. Me and my 3 friends had the best time and will definitely be coming back!

I've been eating at El Picante for years and they come highly recommended! The food is absolutely delicious, with a great variety of traditional Mexican dishes and some unique twists on classic favorites. The atmosphere is vibrant and welcoming, with colorful decor and very friendly staff. The prices are excellent for the quality and quantity of the food you're served. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a Mexican restaurant in Bedfordshire.

We had around 14 of us and the service was great most meals came out at the same time. Enjoyed by everyone

A lovely authentic restaurant! Both me and my partner have been to central/south America and we always come here when we miss that stage of our lives! Service was great, food was great, staff was AMAZING! Will be coming back again!

I didn't expect to find that good place with Mexican food in this area! Lovely atmosphere and service and so tasty food. For sure I'll be back! I recommend to all who want to try Mexican food.

Great Food, great service & Great cocktails! This place is a real gem in bedford.

Beautiful atmosphere upon arrival, the host was amazing great character. My eyes are bigger then my belly so I have my take out bag of goodies 😊. Thanks Mario at El Picante, we will be back.✌️

I used to love this place, but sadly it has gone down hill, and I wont waist my money again. For the price you pay you would expect more meat, esspecially as I added extra beef but could not find any at all. It is a shame becuase the flavours are nice but unfortunately not worth the price.

Food was amazing, big portions, cozy atmosphere and super friendly staff 👌 definitely will come back soon ☺️ P.S. very nice beer 👍🏼

Lovely cozy place.....we loved Mother's day lunch. Thank you.

Amazing place, had been wanting to try here for a long time. First of all- completely unexpected, but THE COCKTAILS WERE AMAZING! Worth going just for drinks. May look a bit unassuming being where it is next to the bus station, but the food was amazing- think I went for an enchilada, we also had some other starters. Owners were really funny and service was with a smile. Prices pretty reasonable I thought. Will definitely be going again. Highly recommended.

Expensive. I used to be a regular but since the quality and quantity has dropped. It's a shame because when I tried to talk to them about this they were very defensive. Overall I will not be going back any more.

staff is very helpful and kind, the food is amazing and the bathrooms are very clean, overall a great place to have a filling meal for under £15

Delicious food and the service was also good

Review of function room 🥳 14/01/2023 I had my 21st birthday celebrations at the function room upstairs at El Picante. As part of the hire you receive a 'build your own burrito' buffet at £16 per adult and £8 per child (for a Saturday night) The staff were more than happy to anwser any questions I had, provide an hour of set up time as well as sort music. On the night, The food and drinks were brilliant. My family really enjoyed the variety of food on the buffet and the choice of drinks. Manuel was our party host and kept the event lively and fun. He really made the event special for me and my family. ❤️ Everytime I have been I have been welcomed with a warm smile and friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend a visit!

Met up with a friend for dinner here, and we were lucky to get a table without booking on a Friday night. Our server was a friendly guy who really made us laugh (sadly I forgot to get his name). The food was amazing - I went with something I knew (sizzling fajitas) but next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I'm going to be more adventurous, as there is just so much choice on the menu. Great food, fast service, easy to reach location - we will be back soon.

Review of function room 🥳 14/01/2023 I had my 21st birthday celebrations at the function room upstairs at El Picante. As part of the hire you receive a 'build your own burrito' buffet at £16 per adult and £8 per child (for a Saturday night) The staff were more than happy to anwser any questions I had, provide an hour of set up time as well as sort music. On the night, The food and drinks were brilliant. My family really enjoyed the variety of food on the buffet and the choice of drinks. Manuel was our party host and kept the event lively and fun. Everytime I have been I have been welcomed with a warm smile and friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend a visit!

Been coming here a number of years, I've never had anything bad from the menu. The food is exceptional and the staff are lovely.

We had lunch here and tried the Nachos and Tachos, food was delicious, staff were friendly and prices were reasonable. Can't really fault this venue

I have eaten takeaways from here often, but never been in the restaurant before. What a great place. Lovely atmosphere with friendly happy staff and genuine music and ambiance. Prices were extremely reasonable. My friends, who did not know the restaurant loved it too. We will definitely be going back

The food was as good as it always is I would recommend this place to everyone

Have used El Picante several times in the last 3 months for takeaway through Uber Eats. The food is generally very good and tasty. Have had the chilli con carne, chicken burrito, chicken roja and calamari. It is not the cheapest takeaway but at the moment which takeaways aren't. My only gripe was in the most recent order... we ordered two orders of calamari and received two boxes with only 4 small pieces in each. That's £1.50 per ring which is pretty ridiculous. Otherwise mains are good and very filling.

I ordered my first take away from here and it was the best take away I've ever had. Everything was unbelievably nice. Me and my girlfiend just booked a table for a meal right after it and the customer service was the funniest experience ever had he was brilliant. Can't wait to eat put of here already. Thanks Jake & Amanda

Best restaurant I have ever been too. Brilliant service, main Man Emmanuel is amazing so down to earth great laugh no awkward atmosphere at all, fun definitely a laugh. Went for my birthday and even got a cake and a sombrero and was sang happy birthday too loved it. The food was spectacular great choice of soft drinks & alcoholic drinks, cocktails & mocktails. I’m so glad I went here, I am definitely going again. Thankyou for a lovely time.

We went for lunch here as we fancied something different . The food was lovely but I would say slightly over priced.however The service was excellent and nothing was to much trouble and a big thank you . The owner was very honest and happy with a sense of humour which makes a refreshing change nowadays so thank you for making our visit lovely . Many thanks

Awesome Mexican food nice family run business with tasty food

A great, fantastic family run restaurant. I absolutely love coming here. It is my usual spot to come and eat with my daughter. The food is absolutely amazing. The service here is far better than anywhere else. I would highly recommend coming here above all else.

Amazing. Great atmosphere and we visited at lunch time. Really got me and my son together. Thank you.

Lovely friendly staff and food was amazing so tasty and reasonably priced. Had a great night.

Hands down the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. Mexican beer was great too. I’ve never ordered lamb in a burrito before but I gotta recommend it. The waiter was so very Mexican American, full of life and enthusiasm and seems like a real solid guy. The kitchen is open view and the staff were good fun too; pro-tip: ask them where to visit in Mexico. Also; the salsa is so full of flavour I couldn’t believe it

Just lovely, really enjoyed it, fantastic food, great service always, looking forward to the next one 😀

Amazing Mexican food. Loved the atmosphere. I was here for the first time with my son and sure to go again. The boss was a great host. Thank you!

Amazing food and amazing staff. Definitely worth a visit and will be back for more. * Visited again and still the best most authentic Mexican food ever. Perfect, and the staff are amazing too 👍

Mexican food at home away from Mexico. Warm welcoming staff will make you keep talking and admiring them . Above all the food served is to the point YUMMY and super delicious.Deserts are fresh and delicious. Three cheers to the team and can’t find an excuse for not coming here. Three cheers

Came here for a birthday meal with my friends . One of the best Mexicans I have had. Super authentic feel and service was brilliant.

New to Bedford from London and this is one of the few spots I’ve tried. Honestly one of the best burritos I’ve ever had. The Churro’s were amazing also. Defiantly adding to my list of regular eatery. Also very nice staff!

Possibly, if not definitely, my favourite restaurant in Bedford. The aesthetic of the restaurant is so warming and the quality of the food is top tier 👌. Come here frequently and have yet to be disappointment👋.

Go to place when eating out in Bedford. Would highly reccomend👍🏻👌🏻

Great food, wonderful service I will be back again.

Amazing Amazing food Extremely friendly caring staffs Just felt so homely here can't express Thanks Carlos and Team 🙏

Manager was rude and obnoxious. He was more interested in loudly insulting us rather than fixing the error with the order. When challenged on this he said that it was his style of management and he wanted to be different from other restaurants. So heads up to anyone interested in this place, it turns out its a theme restaurant where you pay to be insulted. * You forgot to mention in your response that your Manager exclaimed he needed to “Man up” and that he wasn’t a “Man” for not just dealing with it.

The best burritos. Ever. We’ve been multiple times and it’s perfect every single time. Fun and friendly vibe! Will be back soon! ❤️

This weekend, I have been at El Picante for a friends’ birthday party. They booked the tables upstairs so that we could have the room for us only, we were 30 or 40 people. The decoration was not too much, and it was welcoming. The food was a mixed buffet, many options – there were some vegan/vegetarian options too - everything was very good and tasty, I would say GREAT. Everyone enjoyed it; however, we were expecting the buffet to be refilled or topped up again once the food was finishing. There was a guy from the staff who took care of us throughout out dinner, he was also being the DJ. Apparently, according to him we should not have drunk water, and as a joke, when I asked for some water, he went “There is water in the toilet! Go there!” ah ah ah. Nice music and good vibes, c’mon! This place is in the city centre of Bedford, it is cosy and comfortable. I would say that it is local, so it is very convenient. The staff was also nice, welcoming, and friendly. They all were organised and ready for the service! Overall, it was a nice experience, even if I was a little hungry when we left!

Always love visiting, the food is delicious and great value for money. Served by what we think is the manager, young woman with curly hair, absolutely lovely.

Very nice people friendly and welcoming. Food was very nice and super tasty.

Best Mexican food in the town not first time to eat here and definitely not the last

Best Mexican l had in el picante, very welcoming and lovely atmosphere. Thank you all you guys.

I just love going or ordering form here the people are just so lovely and friendly and remember you. I always get the vegetarian burrito even though I'm not vegetarian. I also get some nachos to share with my dad. It is definitely our favorite place to go for a nice Mexican lunch.

Very nice restaurant not sure if he was the manager or owner but very welcoming good service and the food was good

Really delicious food, friendly staff glad I finally got the chance to eat here. Definitely recommend can't wait to go again 😊

Excellent service, very knowledgeable about their dishes and beverages. Will definitely come again 👍

Was overcharged twice on our bill Manuel came out three times and overcharged on all bills the first bill was £95 and the second was £88 the food was not worth £61 pounds as my son only got one meal and my wife and I just got nachos and a 3 of cocktails do not recommend and will not be coming back

services is brilliant,brilliant atmosphere the staff here are a laugh

Happened to come across this place while looking for a Mexican away from the usual chains. And what a find this turned out to be. A homely feel to the place with an open kitchen. The cocktails were well made. The starters and mains were fresh and made to order. The portions were ample and the taste was finger licking good. What made the experience even better was Manuel, the all on one person who ensured we got the best of our experience. Will be back…and soon

The food tastes great and the portions are generous. There is a nice atmosphere that helps you forget that you're at Bedford bus station.

What a great restaurant. Took my husband Steve and my friend for her birthday meal and we had so much fun. The guy who attended to us was friendly and funny. The food was amazing. Definitely worth going. We'll be back again.

The food was super tasty, full of flavour & the service was v.good & v.friendly. we were made to feel so welcome. I will definitely be going back again & again!! Highly recommend the mango/habonaro burrito, whilst the habonaro has a firery kick it was perfectly balanced with the sweet mango & the burrito itself was huge. Anyone liking authentic Mexican food this is the place for you 10/10 all day long.

Really fantastic! Ordered as takeaway and was really impressed, great portion sizes, reasonably priced, loads of awesome vegetarian and fish options, pistachio and hazelnut cake is devine! Look forward to dining in and trying the tilapia and more! My go-to mexican from now on 😁 thank you!

There are not many Mexican restaurants in the UK and so it was refreshing to stumbled across this little gem. The service was friendly and professional with accurate advice about the food that was very welcome. I have saved the best for last :). The food was absolutely delicious. Freshly made and they clearly didn't scrimp on any of the ingredients as the meal was substantial leaving me feeling well fed and satisfied after paying the bill which I thought was very reasonable. A well deserved 5 stars for this establishment.

Food was absolutely amazing. I ordered food to collect at 8:45pm but didn't realise they closed at 9pm. I am in the area working and was advised by a colleague that the food here was great. I got lost ( Google maps kept redirecting) and arrived at 9pm. The lovely staff didn't show any annoyance and waited for my arrival before closing. Thank you for being so kind. Both my colleague and I loved the food ( I had a sirloin steak burrito) it was tasty, hot and fabulous. Will definitely be back and would highly recommend 👌