El Vaquero in Barnet

Love this place. My partner and I loved it. Service was great, especially from the manager and our waitress, Riyadh I think her name was. Food was good. The garlic bread is amazing. Meat is good. Drinks are amazing. Thanks for a lovely evening.

Food was great and waitress was nice

Lovely all you can eat, meat is banging

Good food and experience, staff were friendly and service was attentive. Can’t complain

The food is amazing and flavourful and the staff is very friendly .This is a great place for families and friends with a beautiful atmosphere.The Bulgarian manager is also very kind and helpful.

Great food and service. Would recommend to all.

This place has amazing food and staff.The atmosphere is amazing and the staff is very friendly.My steak was cooked just as I like it and there’s a great variety of meat and salads available.This is a great place I really enjoyed it.

Really great quality of food. Eat as much as you want which means you definitely get your moneys worth! Really nice and friendly service. The restaurant was very busy but we were still served with great customer service. 5 stars all round! EDIT: I have since returned to this restaurant and unfortunately did not receive the same service as previous visits. We were rushed by staff to leave the restaurant despite not having been served half the amount of food as usual. The waiters were staring and giving us dirty looks for the last half an our of our meal. We still had over an hour before the restaurant actually closed and had only been in there for about an hour. We definitely did not get our moneys worth and did not enjoy the meal half as much. Really unfortunate as I usually love this place.

I wanted somewhere special to celebrate my important birthday. Some of my friends don’t eat meat, but this place provided enough choices for them as well. I love meat more meat, lots more… Beef chicken lamb. I also wanted to bring in my own cake, and to reorganise the tables to suit my group. The staff could not have been more helpful in looking after me and my mates. Thank you for a wonderful night out

I cannot give 3 stars because the staff is actually nice, but the food is an offence to a Brazilian whereas the meat has only salt mainly, but they were serving it with too many strange sauces that literally destroyed the flavour of the meat. I suppose they do that to adapt to the uk but I didn’t like at all neither my wife. 100 pounds for 2 people not worth it.

Always such lovely food & great service… Thank you for being consistent 🥰

We went for a family birthday the other day. We were greeted by a slightly snotty pair of girls. The food was tasty, especially the steak. The kids loved the chips and garlic bread too. The guys doing the meat were efficient.

I was honestly so impressed! The food was incredible! I definitely want to come back again! Everything I ate was delicious!

Looks great very nice friendly staff just didn't feel the food,might be individual

I left El Vaquero very satisfied they have a great variety of different cuts of meat. Very comfortable and mature setting. Service was good but 1-1 service at the initial beginning of the meal could of been a bit better, as we’re seated down with just a drinks menu so we’re confused to how things work, but however I would still highly recommend.

Have been coming here since 2010 when we moved to Finchley. Always a firm favourite for birthdays and celebrations. Myself, children and any friends I’ve introduced have loved the food, atmosphere, service and its value.

The meat wasn't the best and they kept bringing food even when we told them we didn't want any more. Worst £100 spent

Love it, just wish we could have more than a 2 hr slot..

The food was delicious. Very helpful staff. It's a cosy place.

Great place to eat, food was great, came here for my birthday and will definitely be back, great service!

The first course meal was fantastic with bread .meanwhile the meat, chicken, turkey where properly spice to give the taste.

Just get yourself there and be hungry as the meat just keeps coming😍

Might seem quite expensive at first but certainly worth it, loads of delicious lamb, Beef and chicken

Went for the first time and will defo return. Fantastic meat selection (lamb,steak,chicken and sausages) well seasoned. Salad bar and sauces were also good. Lovely grilled pineapple and marshmallow to finish. The only negative is the "optional" 12.5% service charge automatically added to the bill, so it is nearer £38 ph, which is still not bad for the eat as much as you like and quality.

I ate so much food and it was all worth it. Currently eating a marshamallow at my table. 75% chance I’m throwing up in the car in the way home. Highly recommend.

Amazing Food. Great service. Overall amazing

Great atmosphere and great food. You can’t ask for much more !!

best "all you can eat" experience I've ever had! oh, delicious steak, a decent variety of greens for salad, sweet and pleasant service, great vibe! we'd definitely go back! make sure to try the barbecued pineapples! tho the sangria could have been a bit stronger, but it could be good when you don't have a designated driver!

I decided to explore a culinary gem a few years ago and I can't stop going. What a delightful experience it turned out to be! El Vaquero, a South American restaurant, truly exceeded our expectations with its all you can eat extravaganza. From the moment we stepped in, the vibrant atmosphere captivated us. The decor, imbued with warm, earthy tones and subtle South American motifs, set the perfect stage for our feast. The staff welcomed us with genuine smiles and an eagerness to serve, making us feel like honored guests at a festive gathering. The highlight, undoubtedly, was the food. El Vaquero offers a unique dining experience where succulent meats are expertly grilled on skewers and then carved directly onto your plate. It's a carnivore's dream come true! Each cut, from the juicy sirloin to the tender lamb, was cooked to perfection, oozing with flavors that tantalized our taste buds. The side dishes, although meant to play a supporting role, stood out with their fresh, vibrant flavors. But it's not just the food that makes El Vaquero shine; it's the impeccable service. The servers, with their intuitive understanding of diner needs, ensured our plates were never empty and our glasses always full. Their recommendations were spot on, enhancing our dining experience. El Vaquero isn't just a restaurant; it's a celebration of South American culinary artistry. Whether you're a meat lover or just someone who appreciates good food and great vibes, this place is a must-visit. We left with satisfied bellies and the promise to return soon. Kudos to El Vaquero for making our evening unforgettable!

Amazing food and service always. the staff looked after us very well, as they always do Highly recommend to visit and much better service and food than Mill Hill

Had dinner there. Offered cuts were good, but could do with more variety. Also, the salad bar although good, was not getting replenished. It could be a small factor, but makes all the difference. And weren't offered dessert.

El Vaquero is located on the High Street with ample parking. Step free access, entering from the street level. Transport links are excellent, with local buses situated just outside. The restaurant is a good size. The decor is nice. The food is definitely for meat eaters. This is a buffet style service. You grab your salad & vegetables sit at the table, and the meat comes on skewers with garlic bread and chips. The meat choices are beef, lamb & chicken. All the meats are seasoned well with a variety of marinades. You can choose how you want your beef & lamb cooked. Excellent value for money as you can eat as much as you want. This place is family-friendly. The pricing is very reasonable considering the amount of food & quality. Overall, it was an excellent night out.

El Vaquero is located on high street Whetstone, it looks inviting from the outside and it’s inviting from the inside also. It’s hails from Argentine, it’s technically an all you can eat establishment, you chose your vegetables, salads firstly then the meats is carved up and served to you, all sorts of meats are served, and it will served to you until you say your stuffed. The meats are so tasty, delicious and freshly cooked and served to you by the friendly servers, you will not be disappointed, vegetarians are fully catered also , so you will not miss out, the desert is also on the same tune, which is carved pineapple and ice cream, this is based on the assumption you have left enough space for desert. This is a great place to eat out, especially if you love meats, I definitely recommend and will return, making sure I fast for a day before attending.

Wow! Such an amazing place. Great food, lovely atmosphere, amazing service. The cuts of meat were incredible, the salad bar amazing and desert delicious. Highly recommended!!!

Went here to celebrate 3 birthdays, food was fabulous. We all had a great evening.

It's only been my 4th time going to El Vaquero, and it was again another very enjoyable evening. If you like meats,it's absolutely amazing. Great salad bar. Great service and atmosphere. Incredible food that comes to the table with different choices and the hot pineapple and the hot lage marshmallow to finish a great evening.

Love this place. Great food. Great service. Lovely staff. And great for people like me who are allergic to everything. Manager personally walked me round and explained what I could / couldn't eat. Definitely coming back! Thank you El Vaquero staff x

Place was awesome, staff were awesome, atmosphere was great and left in a food coma so can't recommend enough. Love this place.

Amazing experience. Definitely will go again. Staff was very pleasant. Steaks absolutely delicious.

Really good food. Ive been here a few times. It is over 40miles aways from my home but it is worth the travel

Lovely place definitely going back meat all cooked to protection 😋 👌

Very good food and amazing staff!! Really taken good care of us

The steak was very nice! I came here for my friends birthday and the waiters were very generous and friendly.

First time visiting and probably last. Was really impressed with the meat, however it all went down hill when we were left 10 minutes with no food coming to the table, then we were asked if we wanted a specific meat to which we said yes, they never bought it, they then asked another 3 times until they finally bought it out just before our booking ended. We were then rushed through the desert. I understand we had the table for 1 hour and a half but we were a party of 8. We were also left waiting a couple of times. The times should be different if you have a bigger party in my opinion, a decent amount of money was spend and we didn't not expect that kind of service. I suggest you looking into this to avoid disappointment other customers.

Amazing service and food, will come again

Amazing food. It was top notch. The staff were really friendly and the service was great. I 100% recommend.

Lovely food. Went here for supper

The meat all-you-can-eat is amazing. Lots of different types of meat and their salad bar is truly delicious. Definitely come away feeling stuffed after charred pineapple and a giant marshmallow. Definitely recommend and warrants another visit.

This Jawn bussing. El vaquero changed my life. The gains will be unreal trust the process lil bro 😎

Blimey what a scram this was, took the missus here, she loved it, we ate so much I think we gained 5kg ahahah. Would 100% recommend bring your fam here.

This Jawn fiya . Meat goes crazy ,just wait for the gains to come through they about to be fire

I've been here twice for birthday celebrations. Good food and staff are great 👍

could improve: staff tell customers to take plate at the salad bar. Very good food

Myself and my partner are here last night and had a wonderful time. Noah, our server, was FANTASTIC. They were incredibly busy but she made sure we knew how everything worked and was lovely. We were asked how we liked our steak which was cooked beautifully. We were also asked mid way what we liked and if we wanted anything specific bought round. When we’ve been to other restaurants with this style of serving it’s felt like they bring round the cheaper meats more regularly and hold off on the fillet steak but not here. We also loved the free extra dessert at the end. We will definitely be coming back! I took off a star for atmosphere just because of where our table was. We were in the middle of the room and with people getting up to go to the buffet and staff varying round the meats etc it just felt a tad intrusive.

Always good food. Friendly efficient staff

Delicious food, nice atmosphere, friendly staff, cater to allergies. Highly recommend a visit.

Went here for food and cannot say enough about it. Food is excellent, lots of options and always offered when needed. The staff were all very friendly, checking on us often and couldn't do enough for you. We had the all you eat and you can't knock that level of food at that price. Would go back anytime ! Thankyou.

The meat was amazing, everything we tasted was very tasty. A bit too much chicken options would like a bit more steak. Salad buffet could be better, but again everything was tasty. Very good service but a bit noisy inside.A great option if you are hungry

This was my second time visiting this restaurant in the past few months and I couldn't recommend it any higher. First and most importantly, the food is amazing! In the rodizio style there are various flavours of different meats plus selections of more unusual dishes like chicken heart. The staff are friendly and attentive, making sure your visit is as pleasurable as possible.

Great atmosphere, absolutely love staff and food was out of this world! Their dessert of pineapple and marshmallow was so light after all the meat. Definitely would go again! Thank you for such a great experience ☺️

Just really great. Hadn’t eaten here before and the staff were really attentive and responsive and the food was high quality and endless!! Would definitely recommend!

Food is mostly nice - the chicken sausages however are vile as they’re full of grease! The lamb options are superb! What frustrated our group was the amount of times meat was being dropped all over us while the waitress was carving it. I had steak dropped on my jeans and the stain still hasn’t come out, so they’re ruined! My partner had steak dropped on his shirt and it then fell down the side of his chair! One of our group is pescatarian and had steak dropped into his plate - with no offer to change his salmon plate despite it then being contaminated. Disappointing.

Came on Wednesday night with London friends. Have never experienced this before where they come round with all the meat skewers, such an amazing choice! And also an amazing buffet salad bar choice. Beautiful food and great service from lovely attentive & friendly staff. Will definitely be back

We are deeply fascinated by our visit to this restaurant! We decided to celebrate our son's birthday here and we do not regret it. Wonderful attitude, excellent service, uniquely delicious and freshly served food, great atmosphere, everything was simply unique.We would like to thank the manager Galin who welcomed us so warmly,thanks also to Pamela, the girl who was always by our side all evening and took care of our comfort. I was very touched by the way they treat the birthday boy, how they put a great hat on his head and sing happy birthday. Just awesome!Thank you for making our evening unforgettable! Kind regards Marina Bobcheva

We went last night as a family of 4 for my sons’ 30th birthday. That man can eat at the best of times so i thought the “all you can eat” option would be a good call. We weren’t disappointed. Great food and lots of it. Sirloin, rump, spicy beef steak, minted lamb, sausages and chicken cooked to perfection. Finished off with the best barbecued pineapple and marshmallow. Would definitely recommend!

If I could give more than 5 stars, then I simply would! I used to work in the area and attend this branch and I must say I find it difficult to fault! The team atmosphere and chef from the back are always happy and smiling and just make me happy to be a part of the evening! I speak for worl colleagues and friends and my partner when I say well done team and appreciate the customer service and the fact of opportunities given to a young batch of people and wishing nothing but success moving forward and keep delivering high level of service! Restaurants in the city could definitely learn a thing or two from you at El Vaquero.

Great quality meat and help yourself bar. Good vegetarian options. Friendly staff

Nice. Reasonably priced for all you can eat. Good quality food. Good salad bar for vegetarians.

Made a booking for 5pm, we arrived on time. Lady came to bring us to our table (at the back), we were then left without any given instruction (this is our first time in the restaurant). Waited for about 10mins, another waitress came and asked for our drinks and meat preferences. That's the time when we said it's our first time and no clue how it works. She tried to explain. That's the time we stood to get food. The meats was not served until another 10mins.. we've lost 30mins already. At 6pm, the waitress came and informed us that meat is only served for 1 more hour. Which is ridiculous as it's just been served for 30mins to our table. Not to mention, we've been saying no to the meat as they were serving it way too fast, and plate was filled. We thought food was going to go around, and because we don't want the food cold, i said later (when I'm ready). To add on top, my mum's stomach started feeling funny after 2nd meat, and she had to go 3x to the toilet! And several times at home. (Mum was not able to eat her price worth). Me and daughter was also not able to eat our fill. Not only did we felt neglected at first, but food service was too fast when it started and after 30mins were we only informed meat is only served for 60mins. Total bill price was £129 for 2 adults, and 13years old. Not coming back, not worth it. Edit - I got your response, it was your business, El Vaquero in Whetstone. If you can't find my details that's not my problem. I'm not willing to come back to experience what we did after spending that much money.

Brilliant experience! Great service, high quality meat (highlights were fillet steak, teriyaki chicken, ribeye) and amazing salad bar. Also served grilled pineapple and marshmallow at the end which was yummy! We were well looked after by the staff and the atmosphere was vibrant.

Wow such beautiful food people and all cooked to perfection. The salad is delicious and imagine it’s available to eat as much as you like! Fabulous place definitely worth a visit more than once and add a cheeky margarita

Yum Yum Yum Yum YUUUMMMMY I REFUSE TO LEAVE A REVIEW....AS WORD CANNOT DISCRIBE HOW YUMMY THIS PLACE IS!!!!!

Food is ok but overpriced and there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of meat choices in comparison to another Brazilian restaurant i have been to.

Best pastry in the town. Thumbs up from my side.

Staff was lovely and professional at all times. However, l felt because they had a wedding party there at the same time. l felt my group was not offered the same amount of food, l felt like it was leftover from the wedding group.

Food was fresh they keep serving food. Most important part is staff are very kind and very helpful. They have very good vibes and very positive. I well recommend this restaurant to everyone.

It was an excellent meal, all the meat was flavorful and hot. Our server, Noa, was very attentive and kind in answring all our questions. Definitely worth the price, an excellent place to go for a birthday!

All you can eat Great assortment of meat

Outstanding food, the service was amazing . Young lady serving us really was a pleasure. Cocktails are 10/10!! I’ve never eaten so much meat in my life and I’d defo return! Amazing establishment !! Thanks el vaquero for an amazing eve xxx

Went there on father's day great food, could not fault it service was excellent.

Amazing food, friendly staff.. would definitely recommend if you're a meat lover

Food was good and plentiful, be careful when ordering all you can drink water, if you order for 1 they times that by how many people are on the table, definitely not advertised as that and can be very costly, check that they don't charge you for extra bottles

What a great restaurant to spend some time with family or friends. Great hospitality, the food was delicious. Their staff is in another level, they were all friendly and professional. Definitely a place to go back.

Awesome place - all you can eat menu, with loads of meat being brought to your table periodically, and unlimited salad bar, with very nice selection of salads. Place has Brazilian vibe, some nice Brazilian cocktails. Will come again. It's pricey, bit worth it

Really nice food, staff were so friendly and when I mentioned about a feta salad I saw on website that unfortunately wasn't present in buffet they specially cut some feta up for me, which was so nice of them

You will definitely leave this restaurant full. Do good good . Almost any type of meat served from time to time by waiters. Quite large buffet and tasty drinks.

Excellent food. Good atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff.

We arrived for a large private party of 100+ guests and we’re greeted by very friendly staff. The salad bar was groaning with freshly made dishes, most of which I absolutely had to try as they looked so tempting and we were spoiled for choice. The staff were super efficient and so professional which makes such a happy change. The chicken, sausages and beef were delicious and beautifully cooked, and I couldn’t help noticing how well trained the staff were with their expertise at carving the meat at the tables without splashing the guests with the juices! So much variety, and if that wasn’t enough, bowls of crispy hot chips were served at the tables!. The BBQ pineapple and giant marshmallows were an enormous hit, so much so, that I have already booked to have dinner again next week with my family who will love it. A new go-to restaurant when I have a “can’t be bothered to cook” night!

We went for dinner at a private function. It was packed but despite this the venue coped admirably. Staff couldn’t have been more helpful, food was good, copious and freshly prepared. Salad bar, as always, excellent. A local gem.

I've lived close by for years but never tried this restaurant before. I always thought it was purely a barbequed meat restaurant and I don't eat meat. I was invited by friends to dine there Mid May 2023 and I went expecting an average meal at best. I have to say, happily, my expectations were not met! I had a fabulous meal and most enjoyable time. The restaurant is light and airy and the chairs very comfortable. The plentyful staff were the most welcoming and attentive at any restaurant I have visited for some time. Every time I glanced at the bar, someone came over and asked me If I wanted anything. The way it worked was that we went to the salad bar to start our meal. There was a wonderful selection of different salads, all looking fresh and home made. They were all delicious from the Waldorf (memories of Faulty Towers) through to the green bean, cole slaw, cous cous, green salad and on and on. There was also hot rice, spaghetti, tomato sauce, and baked potato (not the jacket kind) and a large bowl of Chili con Carne. Our friends then had the barbequed meat selection upon which I can't comment but they enjoyed themselves. The waiters came around, again and again, each time with something different from the barbeque. I noticed Chicken Wings, Spiced fillet stake, sausages of various types, roast lamb, other steaks, never ending eaten with a cotinuous supply of salads from the bar. Being a non meat eater, I was offered either fresh salmon or sea bass for my main course. I chose the latter which came beautifully straight off the grill and had been made to look pretty. It was delicious, just like you might expect on Masterchef with that pure whiteness of colour you would expect from really fresh fish. Continuous bowls of chips arrived constantly too. The waiters then came round with hot, giant marshmallows and then hot barbequed pineapple which was 'to die for delicious'. Unfortunately my wife wasn't able to come with me on the night and I immediately decided that I will go back as soon as possible and take her to sample the marvellous food. Value for money is terrific and I just could not fault anything. Highly recommended (as you might guess)

Attended an event of about 100 people on Thursday 18 May. The staff coped amazingly well with such a large number and nothing was too much trouble for them. Excellent food and it kept coming, so go hungry! All You Can Eat Salad bar And Hot Vegetable Buffet - great variety and all delicious and catered for vegetarians as well. Although I ordered the meat option, the Seabass and Salmon was much complimented on by those who had ordered it on my table. Would highly recommend.

I've lived close by for years but never tried this restaurant before. I always thought it was purely a barbequed meat restaurant and I don't eat meat. I was invited by friends to dine there Mid May 2023 and I went expecting an average meal at best. I have to say, happily, my expectations were not met! I had a fabulous meal and most enjoyable time. The restaurant is light and airy and the chairs very comfortable. The plentyful staff were the most welcoming and attentive at any restaurant I have visited for some time. Every time I glanced at the bar, someone came over and asked me If I wanted anything. The way it worked was that we went to the salad bar to start our meal. There was a wonderful selection of different salads, all looking fresh and home made. They were all delicious from the Waldorf (memories of Faulty Towers) through to the green bean, cole slaw, cous cous, green salad and on and on. There was also hot rice, spaghetti, tomato sauce, and baked potato (not the jacket kind) and a large bowl of Chili con Carne. Our friends then had the barbequed meat selection upon which I can't comment but they enjoyed themselves. The waiters came around, again and again, each time with something different from the barbeque. I noticed Chicken Wings, Spiced fillet stake, sausages of various types, roast lamb, other steaks, never ending eaten with a cotinuous supply of salads from the bar. Being a non meat eater, I was offered either fresh salmon or sea bass for my main course. I chose the latter which came beautifully straight off the grill and had been made to look pretty. It was delicious, just like you might expect on Masterchef with that pure whiteness of colour you would expect from really fresh fish. Continuous bowls of chips arrived constantly too. The waiters then came round with hot, giant marshmallows and then hot barbequed pineapple which was 'to die for delicious'. Unfortunately my wife wasn't able to come with me on the night and I immediately decided that I will go back as soon as possible and take her to sample the marvellous food. Value for money is terrific and I just could not fault anything. Highly recommended (as you might guess)

Overall was good. Just a suggestion: The website should make it VERY CLEAR that for the fish option it is ONLY ONE TIME dish with only two pieces of VERY THIN fillet fish - which is really shameful and overpriced for £25. Instead, It could be at least one WHOLE big fish OR a four fillet fish. The Feijoada was cold even though it was in the "hot section". We hope our suggestion will be taken into consideration and we will definitely come back with the whole family and friends again. Thank you.

Nice food and location, the staff is very friendly and fast I would recommend the place if you like all you can eat meal.

El Vaquero is a unique place in Finchley where you will keep on getting served different meat until you ask the waiters to stop giving you food via a card or a buzzer on the table. Difficult not to get the meat sweat here! Really great place to take a group of meat lovers. Also there is a small chance you might bump into a celebrity or two.

Lovely choice of meats and always a fantastic service who serve you with a smile

Absolute great food, atmosphere and the staff were amazing, definitely would be visiting again 💯

Great quality food, good price and atmosphere we also got given free shots! This has become a regular

The restaurant is on the main road, so is easy to find and park. One of our group was vegetarian, but this was no problem as a special plate of falafel and vegetable samosas was brought without asking. The food for the meat-eaters was superb and kept coming and coming until no more could be eaten. There was also a wide range of salads on offer (help yourself) and the wine was good and reasonably priced. The people working there were very friendly, helpful and accommodating. A first-class experience and well worth a visit for either a special occasion or a simple meal out.

Really nice place. Great service. Nice food