I've been going to El Gringo regularly for ten years. The ground beef tacos can be a bit greasy, the rice can be a little dry, and the wait staff aren't always the speediest, but everything else is fantastic. (And the comment about the wait staff is a very rare complaint.)
The portions are always huge, and the food always good, but what really seals the deal is the salsa; generous servings, and the best I've had in the L.A. area.
Yes, even with a couple of minor complaints, El Gringo still earns five stars, because everything else is that good.
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