[3] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3 out of 5 stars, with critic Mark Deming writing that this album has a more somber mood than La Costa Perdida and this release "finds them playing with a technical skill that puts their early classics to shame but sounding curiously short on the joy and spontaneity that were once this band's trademark".

[4] Matt Melis of Consequence of Sound scored El Camino Real a B−, praising the "disconnect between the music and what Lowery’s actually singing" and summed up that "irony, tight songwriting, and a delightfully askew window on the world make any new Camper record worth a spin".

[5] In Louder Sound, Stephen Dalton highlighted that this music mixes "sardonic social commentary with sincerity", with "a surprisingly big-hearted, warm-blooded empathy" that draws comparison to Bruce Springsteen.

[7] In Record Collector, Paul McGuinness gave this work 2 out of 5 stars, ending his review, "There’s plenty of sun throughout, but it’s a rougher road and they’re a wearier set of travellers this time around...

It feels as though CVB may have overstretched themselves with this second leg; while La Costa Perdida was worth the wait, El Camino Real leaves the listener having enjoyed the trip, but glad to be getting home.