Bienvenidos a

El Jinete

Great food, made from scratch in Athens, TN

Order OnlineView Menu
Handcrafted Margaritas◆Made-From-Scratch Kitchen◆Authentic Mexican Flavors◆Pickup & Delivery
The soul of Mexico

A journey of flavors, cooked from scratch every day.

From sizzling fajitas and mouthwatering enchiladas to savory tamales and hand-mashed guacamole, every dish is prepared with authentic ingredients and traditional technique, a masterpiece crafted with passion.

Step in, sit down, and let the rich tapestry of regional Mexican cooking come alive at your table.

Explore the full menu →
The dining room at El Jinete in Athens
Est. Athens
Casa favorites

What the regulars order

Street tacos with salsa, lime and cilantro at El Jinete

Street Tacos

Griddle-seared chicken piled into warm corn tortillas, served with salsa roja, lime, onion and cilantro.

Enchiladas smothered in house sauce at El Jinete

Enchiladas Supremas

Rolled and smothered in house sauce, finished with crema. A different filling in every one.

Fried ice cream dessert at El Jinete

Fried Ice Cream

The house classic: a warm, crispy shell, cold vanilla center, caramel and a cherry on top.

From the cantina

Hand-crafted margaritas & specialty cocktails

Full bar, fresh-squeezed citrus, and a house margarita worth the drive. Shaken, salted, and served just how you like it.

See the drink menu
Fresh from the kitchen

A taste of Athens

Margarona at El Jinete AthensBloody mary at El Jinete AthensFilete tampiqueño at El Jinete AthensTrio of tamales at El Jinete AthensMichelada at El Jinete AthensTres leches cake at El Jinete Athens
Word gets around

Loved by the neighborhood

★★★★★

“El Jinete has become one of those rare places that never misses. The food is consistently excellent: fresh, flavorful, and made with the kind of care you can taste. Every dish feels balanced and satisfying, the kind of meal you look forward to all week.”

Daniel J.
★★★★★

“Warmly greeted as we entered. Hostess immediately took us to our table. Great atmosphere.”

John W.
★★★★★

“Delicious food, friendly service, and a friendly atmosphere.”

Perry G.
★★★★★

“Amazing! We ordered margaritas which were awesome. Salsa and chips were fantastic. Guacamole for an appetizer, get the chunky version you will NOT regret it. Enchiladas were sooooo good and the California burrito was to die for. Wish we were staying longer because this would totes be my lunch spot!”

Cassandra T.
★★★★★

“This place was great. I loved the atmosphere, the restaurant was clean, the staff were cheerful, I felt welcomed.”

Iris S.

Don’t feel like cooking?

Online ordering is live. Pick up hot, or have it delivered to your door.

Order PickupOrder Delivery
Come on in

Visit us in Athens

Address
2011 Congress Pkwy S
Athens, TN 37303
Call us
(423) 453-2100
Hours
Mon to Thu & Sun: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Fri & Sat: 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM
Get DirectionsJoin VIP Club