el meson restaurante

one of my favorite restaurants. the food is always so tasty. the fish tacos are great. sweet not spicy.

cautious thumbs up.. today was my first visit to el meson. and really one meal is not enough to define one's experience, unless for some reason there is a disaster which, thankfully, didn't happen on my visit. some reviewers have written about the colombian origin of the owners and the restaurant is advertised as a "spanish" restaurant. the ambiance is definitely more mexican hispanic than spanish. they had a special august menu (uploaded a pic of it on to urbanspoon) which had, among other things, a "mayan" ceviche. this was a fish ceviche as opposed to the peruvian seafood ceviche which one can find in another dayton restaurant (which i too have reviewed). the ceviche was not as good as the ceviche from the other restaurant, but it was passable. my entree was carne asada and while that was good with its topping of green salsa, it was served with cold potato salad and lettuce with cucumber and tomato salad, in the same plate. that made for an odd juxtaposition of hot and cold on the same plate. the meat was quite good without being outstanding. the service was amazingly quick. oh, i did ask for a spanish sherry to go with my "spanish" meal, but they were out of the one that i wanted. they served me another sherry which was complimentary but which tasted quite awful.
all in all, i do think i will visit it again and try other dishes on the menu but at this point i am only willing to give it a cautious thumbs up.

i only have one question: where's this restaurant been all my life?! once we walked in, it was like we were transported to a local restaurant somewhere in south america. everthing was authentic, from the exquisite food, to the superb customer service. if u have't been here, put this on top of ur bucket list & go there! u will not be disappointed in ur expectations :-). we will be back!!

i've been going to this place for as long as i can remember and worked there for a short time. i've never had a bad experience working there or as a guest. the castro family and their awesome staff has mastered this business with all its challenges bringing to life a spectacular atmosphere and menu to offer a latin flavor to the miami valley highlighting on different occasions everything that latin food and culture has to offer!

my favorite place in dayton. i'm writing my first urbanspoon review for this place because it is my favorite. i like so many things about el meson that covering it all would make this review unreadably long. besides, many folks have covered these things already. so i just want to hit the top items. 1) amazing choices, ever-changing, 2) great family and staff. very warm. 3) food quality is out-of-sight! 4) 'fun atmosphere' is an understatement. i better stop. so, are there better spanish cuisine places other places? why would i care? this place is beyond great. i want to eat every tapa, every time - and drink far more, every time i go. el meson is fantastic.

wonderful!. i've been going to el meson for years...and i've never had a bad dish or a bad experience. the staff is friendly, energetic and attentive. the food is some of the most delicious that i have ever eaten. i can't recommend this restaurant enough! so great!!!!

great atmosphere. good food, great atmosphere. server was very willing to answer questions about the menu. will definitely go back

mahi mahi great, carne asada so-s. the dinner was very good and you could tell the freshness and home made quality of the meal. i had the coconut mahi-mahi and was very satisfied. my fiance had carne asada and was not that impressed. however, both of us thought that the flan for dessert was amazing.

festive-go for the tapas. had a great meal last saturday night. went full-on tapas. my favorites? empanadillas (beef and salmon), filipino style egg rolls, the aji', coconut shrimp! homemade chorizo just ok, a little tough for my taste. will be back soon, so much more to try!

[t]he variety of items on the menu is so diverse it would take several visits to try them all

treat!. great variety and quality of tapas! can never get tired of this place. really great service with friendly waiters and food served right as its ready. fun, friendly, and a bit of different option from regular trendy places

fabuloso!. finally a decent latin restaurant in dayton. the food is a fusion of many latin cuisines without losing its authenticity. while some may find the prices a bit high it is defenitely worth it from the appetizers, dishes, drinks and deserts. even after cleaning my plate, the crepas argentinas are so delicious, there is no sharing my desert. i like my pozole a little bit spicier but they are willing to accomodate and provide extra chile de arbol if you ask.

i really don't know what all the fuzz is about. the meat is not fresh, the portions for two ($40) is one single joke and their service staff is very arrogant. sorry a no go!

very enjoyable. service was enthusiastic and outstanding. menu was unique and diverse. fare is not only spanish, but a sampling latin cuisine from all over. bravo!

well deserved success. love this place. i remember when they were crammed in to the tiny little space which is now the west end of their dining area. these folks have committed heavily to the latin/south american and spanish theme, and have really created something special in west carrollton. when i have visitors from out of town i often bring them here to show off our diverse culture. i hope they're not staying for more than a day, because el meson is a tough act to follow around here. [although rue dumaine is now on my list as well]

el meson is a little too pricey to be on my regular rotation, but i try to get in a few times a year at least. they have an extensive menu which represents most of the spanish- and portuguese-speaking world. i almost always choose from their monthly special page which is seasonal and highlights a particular cuisine or style.