The kitchen at El Chingon on Ross Avenue is a repurposed shipping container sitting on a patio. The tacos coming out of it are made with house-ground corn masa tortillas pressed to order. The margaritas are cold and strong. The music is loud. It opened May 1 at 3404 Ross Avenue in Old East Dallas, in a former wholesale florist shop a few blocks from the Arts District, and if you haven’t been yet, someone you know probably has.
The concept started in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter in 2017. GBOD Hospitality Group — brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi and partner Joe Santos — built it into one of San Diego’s higher-energy dining and nightlife operations before expanding to Fort Worth in 2020. Dallas is the third location, and the Ross Avenue space was worth the wait. The 5,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor layout was designed around the patio shipping container kitchen — you order, take your food inside or stay outside, and the room runs at a volume that keeps things moving. Large-scale artwork by Juan Velazquez covers the walls alongside colorful sombreros, illuminated lucha libre masks, and enough TVs to make game day a legitimate reason to show up.
The menu is Mexican street food done with care. Tacos come with your choice of protein — carne asada, al pastor, pollo, carnitas, birria — on those house-made corn masa tortillas, which are the detail that separates this from the average taco spot. The masa is pressed fresh and you can taste the difference. Mulitas stack two tortillas with melted cheese and your protein between them. Quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and loaded fries fill out the menu for everyone else at the table.
The cocktail program is where El Chingon puts its other foot. The Madero — house-made watermelon cordial, TajÃn — is the signature. Any cocktail can be upgraded to “Bad Ass” style: served in a goblet with a TajÃn rim, candy straw, and a Mexican paleta. The margaritas are the priority and the tequila selection is taken seriously. Large-format shareable towers are available for groups. VIP bottle service runs with a reserved table, express entry, and a dedicated server.
Tuesday nights are Forty-Twosdays — taco and tequila flight specials that fill the room fast. Happy hour runs daily from 3 to 9 p.m. Guest DJs run on weekends, live mariachi on select nights. Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s a drinks-and-vibe-first operation with food that’s good enough to be the reason you go on its own.
El Chingon Dallas is at 3404 Ross Avenue in Old East Dallas. Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., happy hour 3 to 9 p.m. Follow @elchingondtx on Instagram for events and specials.
