El Mariachi
99-205 Moanalua Rd,Ste 212, Aiea, HI, 96701
El Mariachi Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Aiea for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Aiea for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Aiea for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
99-205 Moanalua Rd,Ste 212
Aiea, HI, 96701 - Phone (808) 487-8226
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Nadia K.
In Aiea, there are not too many options for Mexican food, but luckily there is El Mariachi II and they are all that we need. Located in the Aiea Commercial Center next to Aiea Florist and across from the shopping center with Times and Starbucks, El Mariachi II serves up reasonably priced authentic Mexican dishes. This place is a popular lunch spot so go early or be prepared to wait. While you are waiting for your food, munch on the complimentary chips and salsa. Living in Texas for 7 years, I've tasted some pretty great Tex-Mex but never had a chimichanga until I had one at Compadres (closed). I was sold and have never strayed since. If there's a chimichanga on the menu, I am ordering it. And whenever I'm in the mood for one, I come here. I usually get mine with shredded beef or chicken, but you also have your option of lobster, scallop, shrimp, crab, fish, steak or grilled chicken. Service here is friendly and great. Their original location is in Kaneohe with another location in Kapolei, and a soon to open location in Maunakea Marketplace.
(4)Patricia P.
I was actually really impressed with the food here. I have gone to other Mexican restaurants on the island and I am NOT a fan. I ordered the combo plate: small green wet burrito, YUM! and pork red tamale with Spanish rice and beans. The chips and salsa was also very good. I will definitely be coming back.
(4)Jen R B.
The food was excellent. Took the man out for his Father's day dinner here. He craved Mexican. This place is a hole in the wall but the food was so good. I really liked it. Everything we ordered was delish. The place had a short wait but it's small dining area. Our service was excellent. Our waitress was great and our son enjoyed it too. Overall, we would go back again!
(5)Aramya T.
We walked in as a group not really sure what to expect. The location was a bit on the shady side, and someone complained of the smell. However, we decided to stay, and I was so happy we decided to persist. I took the grilled chicken chimichanga and the fried ice cream. Both of these things were amazing, especially the fried ice cream which I had tried for the first time in my life. The chimichanga was on point as well. The food was absolutely satisfactory, and I would definitely return to the restaurant to try some other things, having complete faith in the cooking. Finally, the service was incredible. Despite a small staff to support our gigantic group, the service was incredible. Never once did we feel like we were waiting a long time for anything (including the food). It was also my buddy's birthday, and they gave him a free dessert with a candle in it and everything. All in all, don't let the outer appearance fool you and help yourself to some excellent Mexican cuisine with some stellar service.
(5)Master Blaster Y.
Good food, quick service, nice chill spot. Came here after a day at the beach. Portions were large, food has flavor hit da spot!
(4)Grace N.
The Carne Asada plate was delicious and totally hit the spot. Horchata was also sweet and refreshing. Service was friendly and for as busy as they were the food came out fast. Would definitely go back if in the area. A little tricky to find because it's not visible from the street.
(4)Heather S.
Found this place by accident... sooo glad that we did. It was our first time here, and we unfortunately did not come with appetites. So, we ordered a plate of the carne asada to share plus quesadillas on the side. These food items alone had really impressed us to where we will be back again, again, and again. Only complaint about the carne asada plate is the rice. It was bright in color but very bland in taste. The steak, however, was juicy and good in size. Only complaint about the quesadillas would be the meat portion, a little more shredded chicken would've made it perfect. The restaurant looks a little run down, but the decor is interesting. It made this Mexican restaurant have some sort of an aztec feel to it.
(4)Debrah D.
Finally another Mexican food joint to add to the list. Fresh salsa with celantro and light tortilla chips served while you wait. We enjoyed the ceviche, it was so fresh and the carne asada dos tacos were bomb too! The place is a hidden gem. Super casual, the servers are cool and will talk football with you. And yes you can bet that the T.V. is switched on to whatever football game. It it a bit small inside but not as small as El Charro up the road. They even have a kids menu. Best part, it is BYOB. Prices are reasonable and comparable to any other Mexican restaurant nearby (El Charro, Acapulco). Overall, this was our first time here, we had a wonderful experience and we will definitely be returning.
(5)Emi H.
4 stars if you're in Honolulu. 10 stars if you're in Aiea. If you live in or near Aiea, you know that there are very few options to dine out in the area. So when my husband suggested we eat at El Mariachi I was a bit apprehensive. But then he showed me all the glowing reviews on Yelp and I felt much better. El Mariachi is located in the center of a small strip and it's very shorts and slippers appropriate. Not sticky divey, but pretty close enough to feel like a legit Mexican spot. Get my drift? We waited five minutes for a table to open up and were seated at one of about twelve tables. I asked about the burritos and my waitress suggested the Fajita Burrito as her favorite. It was jus what you'd imagine, the love child of a fajita and a burrito that met one night, drank way too much patron, and voila now they're looking forward to celebrating their baby's quinceañera. The meat had all the flavor of a sizzling fajita, paired with the comfort of a soft burrito. It came planted in a plate of beans and rice, which are actually my favorite part of the meal. My in-laws ordered salads but you can throw "healthy" out the window because there's very little lettuce and it's served in a deep fried tortilla bowl. It took awhile for our food to come out, but in all honesty, when you eat in Aiea you will take what you can get. Service was really welcoming and I liked what they recommended we eat. Great spot if you love Mexican fare and I'm sure I'll be bringing my Dad back for a future visit. He lives in Aiea and this is hands down way better than eating at McDonald's.
(4)Kevin C.
This might be THE best Mexican food I've had in a long time, and I found it in Hawaii. It wasn't too busy when we went around lunchtime during the week, and my wife and I had an amazing meal. I ordered the fish burrito, which was perfect, and she had tacos. We wish we had more time during our trip to go back.
(5)Joey K.
My first stop and I'm already more impressed than the competition up the street. Read my reviews and you'll know what I'm talking about. Moving on. I got us 2 shrimp burritos. We're used to SoCal Mexican food, and the menu seemed to fit the profile. So I decided that would be a good try. The burritos were huge! A little disappointed in how they were rolled. They were pretty loose and had to be eaten with a fork and knife. Traditionally burritos are rolled tight and can be eaten with two hands, but I digress. It all goes to the same place. They were served with a generous portion of beans and rice. I have to say, of all the Mexican food we've tried on the island, this has been the best so far. So much flavor and so filling. It was one of those meals where you're about to burst, but you keep eating because it's so good you can't stop! I really only have 2 complaints, and I don't want to really call them complaints. Coming from SoCal, we're spoiled by taco shop prices. At nearly $35 for two burrito plates, I was taken back. I know everything in HI is more expensive, but that's almost twice the price. The other one is about the chips and salsa. I ordered our food to go and got a side of chips and salsa as well. The price for dine-in, $0 for your first order. The price to go? $4.50!!! While I certainly understand offsetting the cost of having to place these items to go, I don't think $4.50 is a fair price. The chips are placed inside a brown paper bag and the salsa is in a small plastic cup. $4.50 will cover the cost of 100 paper bags. Overall, we'd definitely still eat here again. But this time, we know how to order.
(4)R B.
When I first started coming here it was great. Good service and good food. But when I came in today it was one of the worst services I've ever had. And the food was a slight step up from Taco Bell. The server wasn't friendly at all. The water we received was room temperature and had no ice in it. We each got our food at different times meaning our plates came one at a time. And it took forever, so did paying the bill. We had to basically wave it in the servers face for them to realize we wanted to pay and leave. This placed used to be great but has declined tremendously. The whole experience is depressing and the service is so slow and rude. I'm over it.
(1)Ebonee B.
Why did i come back to this place! Smh..saw some of my food being microwaved, my chicken looked raw, and service was no bueno. Never again!
(1)Amanda C.
Ate here for lunch the other day and loved it! The salsa was awesome, super flavorful. I got mariachi shredded beef taco, everything was great and the waitress was very friendly and talkative with my 3 year old. :) Fast service, really good experience and our new favorite Mexican on island!
(4)Auxi B.
Very good food!! Salsa is fresh and delicious. I ordered tacos de carne Asada, my husband chicken enchilada and they were both soo good!!! Definitely I will be back ! Happy 5 de mayo!
(5)Hervick R.
My favorite Mexican spot on the island! I feel like I'm in Cabo all over again with the ambiance and Mexican music playing in the background. Service is consistently good; always nice and friendly. I love ceviche but I'm a little disappointed that theirs is too spicy for me. Their carne asada is definitely a must try and can't go wrong with free chips and salsa!
(5)Marni T.
It was our first time here and my boyfriend and I wanted mexican, we looked it up on yelp and El Mariachi popped up. I didn't know how hard it could be to find, but I digress. We walked in and were greeted and told to sit where we want. We sat down and the waitress got us drinks. We ordered our food, while we waited they gave us salsa and chips. The service was very efficient, our food came in a timely matter. My boyfriend got tres combination paltos, which had 3 choices. I got the chicken chimichanga with black beans ($1.00 extra). My chimichanga was very yummy, I love how it was overflowing with shredded chicken. My boyfriend liked everything, he especially liked the guacamole. We both enjoyed everything and will be back for our Mexican fix.
(4)Mel P.
Found this little gem while hungry and wanting some authentic Mexican good near by. It's an amazing little hole in the wall with extremely reasonably well priced food! We are definitely bringing our friends next time. The only reason it's 4 (wish I could say 4.5) stars and not 5 is because they don't serve alcohol (which we can live without, but on the bright side they ARE BYOB).
(5)David C.
They don't give unlimited chips and salsa like most mexican restaurants do. It costs like $3.00 if you want more chips and salsa. The salsa is also not that good. Besides that, the food is pretty good and is a fairly decent value.
(3)Yamato T.
I always get 2 cheese enchiladas, rice and beans, guacamole, salsa and chips and a Jarritos... Being from Southern California, I always crave Mexican food, and this place does not disappoint!
(5)kristine f.
Since my last review, I have been to El Mariachi so often and have even turned my entire family onto it too. Awhile back we threw a family party and decided to do a tapas type party. So I ordered a pan of El Mariachi's oh so tasty shredded pork (*drool*). We used the pork to make our own burritos and nachos, such a good deal. I think I paid around $20 for a big tray full of pork. I'd suggest if you are having a large party going this route since you can kind of do as you please with the pork in order to meet your guest's preferences. Chimichanga is a new favorite of mine. Fried, cheesy goodness. Too bad they do not offer pork as an option of what to put in your 'changa. Perhaps I'll need to make a special request next time I'm there. Enjoy, Yelpies!
(4)Jen T.
We came here after visiting pear harbor because we were starving and this place came up on my yelp to try! We came in and they weren't very busy. The staff were really nice and I ordered their special the carne asada fries and my wife got the nachos. The horchata was on point. The food was okay... it wasn't anything memorable but maybe I ordered the wrong thing... I
(3)Jennifer N.
This is good food, plain and simple. I've had carnival and Chile verde. They are both tender and flavorful. Chicken taquitos are moist and meaty.
(5)Anna H.
I was craving any Mexican food - even mediocre Mexican food - and Yelp led me here. Knowing that the islands are not known for Mexican food (why would they be?) I didn't have high expectations. I just needed something that would satisfy my craving. Not only did El Mariachi satisfy, I wanted to come back for more! I've been here twice and was quite happy with both visits. The first time I got the combo with my two favorite Mexican food items: chili relleno and pork tamale. Although they were both topped with way too much sauce and melted cheese, they were both pretty good. Don't get me wrong, I love sauce and melted cheese, but a good chili relleno and a good pork tamale do not need to be smothered in it. The second time I came I wanted the same thing, but for some reason they were out of both. Perhaps it was because we were ordering at 8:30 and they close at 9. I then decided to go for one of their steak and shrimp specials. Oh boy was it delicious! My husband and I also shared a plate of carne aside fries. Oh boy was that also delicious! We were very excited to have left overs. AND their horchata is pretty darn delicious, too. Service is friendly, and the place is clean enough (I wouldn't say it's impeccable, but who cares with a hole the wall place like this?). Because of it's location (very close to the Aiea Bowling), I see myself coming back for more quite often!
(4)Pamela L.
Nestled in the aiea commercial shopping center, El mariachi is the place to go for great authentic Mexican food. I just moved back home from San Diego, a city with lots of Mexican restaurants, and for someone that loves adobada, you can find that and many more Mexican favorites here. Plus they have horchata. We came around 815pm so there was no wait. The staff was friendly and the food came out hot and fresh. I ordered the taco salad and my boyfriend ordered the chile verde and they were big portions and delicious! We will be long time customers for sure!
(5)Summer T.
Had a date night with my man here since he was craving some Mexican food. The atmosphere was nice and cozy. The waitresses were super nice and great at suggesting what to eat. My guy got the chimichanga and I tried the combination plate with the chile relleno and burrito. Their portions are BIG. I thought my food was a bit on the salty side, especially the refried beans and Spanish rice. I heard the chile relleno was one of their specialty dishes and I was super excited to try it. I wasn't too impressed when I actually ate it. Kindda on the salty side again and oily too. My boyfriend absolutely loved his chimichanga. Their horchata is absolutely amazing!! Sssooooo good!!! It was my first time trying horchata, ever, and I am hooked on that drink! Their fried ice cream was pretty yummy too, although the outer fried part kind of tasted like Frosted Flakes cereal. But still worth every single fat calorie!
(3)Angela Y.
If your in the mood for mexican and your around aiea, this is the place to come. When we went we had to wait a bit because there was a line. However the wait was not to bad. It was about 20 min. Parking is not bad. Tons of parking. When you get seated they give you some chips and fresh homemade salsa. Chips are warm which goes very well with the salsa. Our server was very friendly and quick. I ordered the Un burrito with shredded beef. It came with beans and Mexican rice. Taking the first bight out of the burrito was very unexpected because it was just the flour and shredded beef. However I must say the taste was awsome. I just wish there was more inside the burrito. Overall this place is good and I will definitely come back!
(4)Heather P.
Good service and good food. Started with the nachos with shredded beef. Then the trio plate with a fish taco, chicken chili relleno, and carne asada burrito. The carne asada was the best meat, really good flavor. The Mexican rice was not very good, but everything else was. I recently moved from San Diego, so it was really nice to find this little Mexican spot.
(4)Mike H.
The first time we came here it was great. Today not so much. The service was terrible. Our first serving of chips were stale. We asked for more salsa and never got it. I ordered enchilada Rojas with rice and beans. It tasted ok but was Luke warm. 2 of us had our plates well before the others. Also the first time we received a military discount but this time we were told they don't give it. Disappointed!!
(2)Shradha A.
We had a tough time finding a vegetarian friendly place close to Pearl Harbor. This was one of the very few options and while not terrible, it wasn't something I'd return for even if I lived in HNL. They made us a vegetarian fajita burrito that was plain okay.
(3)Stephen H.
A'ight. Had the "Un Burrito" with shredded beef. Carnitas, carne asada, barbacoa, adobada, shredded chicken, and bean and cheese also offered as filling. A small-ish flour tortilla wrapped around a fair-ish portion of seasoned shredded beef. That's it. No guacamole, no sour cream, no cheese, no onions, no cilantro. A small amount of shredded iceberg lettuce and diced tomatoes was on the side. With Spanish rice, and black beans instead of refried beans $9.95 + $1.00 + tax. Salsa good. I needed to add quite a bit of it to my burrito, and very dry, bland Spanish rice to revive my taste buds. I kept thinking of the huge, "Chango Burrito" of Mama's Mexican Kitchen of muchos anos ago. Now that tasty little burro could subdue the fiercest gorilla appetite. El Mariachi's burrito is just...well...un burrito. In need of mas sabor y una porcion mas grande.
(3)Lisa C.
I wish the food was as good as the server was nice. Very disappointed in the meal. It was luke warm at best and the rice looked and tasted like it had been around for quite some time. I sent mine back. Doubt if I will go again. Shame as I've been there before and it was pretty good.
(2)Jacie T.
I have been searching for a Mexican restaurant since I moved here from Arizona. I found this place due to the high reviews on yelp. I was not dissatisfied! Everything was delicious and flavorful from the chips and salsa at the beginning to the steak burrito, beans and rice. Someone mentioned the steak being too salty, but I didn't think so at all. I loved the cilantro, onions and cheese in the burrito as well (I asked for no tomatoes). My only wish is that they served alcohol...a margarita would have been perfect with my meal. The staff were very friendly and attentive as well; checking on me often to be sure I didn't need anything else and to see how the meal was. My waitress also took the time to explain a few of the items on the menu. I'll definitely be back! If you're searching for a flavorful Mexican restaurant, this is the place!!
(5)Sonia S.
Ay carumba!! *slapping hand on forehead* If only El Mariachi II were located in town ....I'd be eating here more often. I've forever been on my quest to finding belly rubbing good Mexican food. My search may end here. Although it was a trek for us driving for 45 minutes in rush hour traffic to get there, it was worth every painful minute! Quaint and cozy, this lil hole-in-the-wall can put out some mean Mexican grub. Crispy tortilla chips and fresh homemade salsa are served upon being seated. If you like **spicy**, ask for some habañero sauce to kick up your salsa and meal up a couple o' notches. No extra charge for habañero. Eeba!! Eeba!! I opted for the dos combinacion plate with a carne asada burrito and chicken chile relleno ($11.95). Everything was sooo flavorful and delicious down to the last bite! My hun ordered the carne asada plate ($12.95) which was a nice sized rib eye steak with your choice of corn or flour tortilla. The rib eye was a nice, full-sized, juicy steak. Tortillas were teeny tiny. He was expecting a burrito, but this was a "make your own" deconstructed burrito kind of plate. Of course, he liked my plate better so I ended sharing my last few bites with him. A++ for being BYOB as well. If you take beer, they'll store it in their frig for you while you eat and serve it to you as you're ready. I love that! There's also 2 other locations on the island ~ one in Kaneohe and another in Kapolei.
(4)Joe P.
Awesome. Carne Asada plate is da bomb.
(5)Natalie P.
I rarely come to this place because it's not so close to me, but I should frequent it more often! Mexican food is hard to come by on Oahu but this place is legit! I ordered the Combo Plate for $11some (2 items, beans and rice): I had 1 Pork tamale and 1 chicken enchilada. I also shared the carne asada burrito with my gf. Ok so everything was good but what stood out the most was their TAMALE!!!! Tamales are really hard to perfect even my mom who is an amazing cook has a hard time with Tamales (and she's hella Mexican). Their tamale was moist and tasty, it was just amazing...reminiscent of my Cali. days... For my drink I ordered an HORCHATA ...and I must say it was quite delicious, it seems like most Mexican places out here can't get their Horchata right, but this one was just right. Something to remember is they NO LONGER SELL ALCOHOL but you can bring your own!
(5)George S.
The only thing this place is missing is a Hot Latina waitress!!! Or two, or 3.....the last one I remember was in L. A. and her name Waz Huba Huba Nerro. What a Chiquita!!
(5)Gil G.
Menudo Sunday. Of the three places which serve this Mexican Delicacy, MEXICO-Kalihi, EL CHARRO - Aiea and EL MARIACHI 2 - Aiea, IMHO this ranks #3. I'll call it my Not Too... NT greasy, NT spicy, NT salty, NT filled with the solids. The ratio of tripe to the rest, was a bit disappointing. Also lacked the flavor pleasurizer, Patas, maybe trying to be more health conscious. I threw the Kitchen into a tizzy when I asked for oregano and red chili pepper (dried/crushed). The floor manager apologized for the delay and the inability to provide the red peppers... Staple in Mexican Cuisine and for this dish? Great recovery, she brought a ramekin of Habañero! Now we're are talking! My other two go-to's serve all week, and they are very consistent with this soup/ stew. As a cultural phenomenon for Sunday Menudo, it falls a bit short of the bar.
(3)Cruise L.
So glad we came! Open seating, but get there before 5 for no wait! BYOB! Horchatas!
(5)Grace M.
One of my favorite Mexican places hands down! (And that's hard here in Hawaii). The ceviche is by far my favorite!! Next to the ginormous chimichanga that the bf loves. Always guaranteed to leave here full and stuffed
(4)Suzanne T.
This is my go-to Mexican restaurant (usually take-out, as it's a small place and gets crowded). Everything I've tried has been good (I usually get the nachos, enchiladas, or tamales), the service is always very pleasant, even when they're crazy busy, there's always parking available, and prices are reasonable.
(4)Lili H.
Most authentic Mexican food on the island. Everyone usually likes Serg's, but I think this place is way better than Serg's. Of course it doesn't compare to the places back in California, but it's pretty damn close! Ordered the carnitas dos tacos plate this time and it was really good. The tacos are very filling since they give you a lot of meat, unlike other places where it's mostly lettuce. I live in town, so Aiea is "far" for me, but I would make the drive here again if I want Mexican food.
(4)Christine L.
This place loses a star for two reasons, otherwise it could have been a 4star review. First of all when following directions on google maps off of the yelp page, you will be lead nowhere near this restaurant. We had to drop the map and just search for it old school style, with our heads hanging out the window. Finally we found it. For all who have troubles its located in a dark corner of the Aiea Commerical Center. We get seated and I am so happy to find out they have horchata. I love love love horhata but everywhere I've had it here has been watered down and weird. Not here. OMG probably the best horchata I have ever had, including California. So creamy and delicious, I could have had 3 refills. I ordered the chilli relleno with shredded beef per all the great reviews about it. Boyfriend ordered the carne asada chimichanga. The plates came out fast and hot and we dug in. Heres where that other half star drops. Only one of my chilis had filling. One was stuffed with delicious picadillo and the other was just an empty chilli that had been deep fried. Uh.... I brought it to the attention of our server and he brought me out a dish of the meat. But its just not the same. And honestly I have had better chili relleno. Boyfriend loved his chimichanga though, and I will definitely be back for a gallon of horchata.
(3)Sherry-Ann S.
OMG they slay me over there at El Mariachi! I was famished, as I skipped breakfast and my morning coffee today, so decided to go have brunch at 11:00am. No menudo, so was bummed. I tried their Burrito Fajita, as was recommended in another Yelp post. Carmelized onions (red and sweet), mushrooms, green peppers and steak. Served with rice, frijoles, and guacamole and sour cream. I also got the habanero sauce...muy calliente than I am used to but oh so good! Bottom line: their service was excellent, their comida calliente y deliciosa, and I got served quickly and efficiently. So even though they had no menudo *sniff sniff* I still give them 5 stars. I will definitely return at least a few times a month. Loooove me some Mexican food, and they did me right at El Mariachi! ¡OLÉ!
(5)Allan P.
I'm eating here right now and I haven't gotten my food yet but I already like the vibe, the free chips and salsa and our excellent server Amber. You go Amber!
(5)Joseph B.
Fast, clean, cheap, good food, courteous, parking can be a problem, they have carry out because I see many people waiting. We'll be back. Happy cinqo de Mayo!
(5)Corinne M.
People always tell me that Hawaii is NO BUENO on Mexican food. I've been warned by people from all corners of the earth to avoid Mexican food here. Well, folks, I just can't. Not with El Mariachi around. Granted, I have never lived in California, Texas, etc. - aka places where people say all of the "REAL MEXICAN" comes from. I have, however, lived around horse race tracks a large part of my life and as a result made many acquaintances and even some friends born and raised in Mexico. People whose mama's would bring fresh hot tamales in the morning to you and tell you to have a good day and kiss you on your cheek, even if you didn't really know them. These are the people who sparked my love for pork tamales. Sadly, most "Mexican restaurants" either do not sell tamales, or they suck. I was craving a margarita one of the first nights that I arrived to the island, so I pulled up my trusty Yelp app and searched. It led us to El Mariachi (which I would later find that they do NOT have margaritas after all) - but sadly, they were closing! I was so upset! I quickly did a search again, and Yelp led us to El Charro. They were open for a few hours more, so we went up the road and had dinner - and margaritas - there. That was just about El Charro's only win over El Mariachi. I'm a sucker for margaritas, after all. Imagine my excitement when I saw pork tamales on El Charro's menu. I *HAD* to have them. Imagine my disappointment when I got them. I ordered like four more margaritas to try and cover my sadness. I was pretty curious about "this other Mexican place" (El Mariachi) for a few weeks before we decided to try it. We left early this time to make sure that we left plenty of time to eat. I guess we went on a slow night, because since then I have NEVER seen it not crowded. (That's my last complaint about them. No margaritas, and crowded. The rest of this review is about to be incredibly glorified, so if you aren't in the mood to read a review from someone who thinks this is THE BEST PLACE EVER, then move on. Otherwise, keep reading.) Our waitress was SO incredibly nice. She was attentive - filling our drinks without us asking, checking back with us to let us know the food would be ready soon. We started off with queso, which back in the mainland is way creamier and smoother - here it was just kind of cheese on a skillet. Not bad, though. We enjoyed all of it, especially the slightly burnt edges. Crispy cheese is the best. Our waitress refilled our chips with us having to ask, always with a smile on her face. I commented to my husband several times that night (and nights since then) that she is the best waitress I have ever had. I wish I knew her name so I could give her a shout out on here. When our food came, I was hesitant - I had already had the best pork tamales that could ever be eaten, but needed a replacement. All I got was disappointment by El Charro's. But, I had to try again. I was desperate. I was also ready to be extremely let down, because, hey, that's how my tamale track record had been thus far. UNTIL EL MARIACHI. I want SO desperately to order different meals from the menu, but I just can't bring myself to order anything but the pork tamales. (For myself. I tend to steal my husband's food, too, though. Lol) El Mariachi has THE best tamales I have ever eaten, hands down. I don't know what it is. I can't place it - they are just SO incredibly, ridiculously good. Even after being exposed to black market race track tamales cooked by a Mexican ladies people call "Mama," I still have to say it. El Mariachi has THE best tamales I have ever eaten, hands down. There, look, I repeated myself. And now my testimony is on the internet, so it is forever cemented into history. So, I do always order at LEAST two tamales when I come here. I try to branch out, too, though. The chicken quesadillas are awesome. The garlic shrimp is killer. The chile relleno and burritos and taquitos are amazing. EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD. Of course, I'm biased, so NOTHING is as good as the pork tamales, but nothing is bad, either. The prices are cheap, too. You get SO much food for pretty cheap. It isn't Taco Bell cheap, or even mainland Mexican restaurant cheap, but it's probably the cheapest (and BEST) dinner that we frequently have. My husband and I try to make El Mariachi an every Friday night date sort of thing. And when we can't actually go out or don't feel like going out? We place a phone order and pick it up. We just can't go a week without our beloved El Mariachi.
(5)Jessica-Nicole U.
The best Mexican restaurant I've been to. Easy parking... great prices. Delved in Mexican culture. Sometimes I feel like I'm visiting friends in Arizona near the border when I come here.... and best of all the service is EXCELLENT!
(5)Kristine E.
Yelp failed me again!! Not worth the $51 bucks we shelled out ... flan was hard and yuck . Carnitas were greasy as hell so was my sons chicken burrito.. grew up in cali and have had mexican food in az and texas .. this wasnt even close!! Never again...
(1)Craig S.
Love the chips and salsa. While we wait. And wait. And wait. Second helping. Be sure to BYOB so you can drink and talk. Our orders, Mariachi Fajitas and Peacado Vallarta were terrific! Tried the black beans. Bursting with flavor! Actually we ate so much chips and salsa that we didn't eat much of the main meals. But that's ok because we LOVE leftovers! Again the steak and fish were delicious. Well worth the wait. Which is what we see a lot of people doing outside. So we better go.
(5)Hope Y.
So glad we found this place! They make an amazing menudo on the weekends, and i'm a fan of the flautas. Service was good, place was clean, and it was quite affordable. Hubs loved the menudo so much, we had to go back a week later to get more. It's run by a Mexican family, so you know it's authentic, family recipe-food. IMHO it's the best Mexican i've tasted in Hawaii, and that's coming from a Half Mexican chica!
(5)Bea M.
The service is great. Service is fast and everyone is really nice. I was craving Mexican and we stumbled in cause it was close by. The food is just soso.
(3)Corinthian N.
I've been to this restaurant a couple of times, and the service was great. I went to place a to go order, while holding my small child, and the waiter opened every door, pulled out every chair, and brought my food to my car. I've only ordered 1 thing, and that's the shrimp quesadilla's that I LOVE! The shrimp is always cooked perfectly!!! Not great for infants because of the size of the location
(5)Lisa L.
Super tasty! Definitely one of the best mexican restaurants I've tried on the island:) The only thing is it's BYOB, they don't serve liquor. I got the chicken enchiladas and wasn't disappointed. The meal had a lot of flavor, good portion size, and the price point is not bad. The salsa is tasty which is always something I judge a mexican restaurant on. Looking for a good mexican dish, try this place!
(4)Nick D.
Tried the place based on a good yelp score and one of the few places near me that had pictures showing real plates. Had a lot of good and some bad: The place looked like a hole in the wall (the best kind of Mexican restaurants), but was clean and well lit. When we sat down, we were given chips and salsa- the chips needed salt to have any taste, and the salsa tasted like Pizza Hut sauce. Ordering was straight forward, and the food came out fast. Waiter must have been flustered or new as he didn't realise that fajitas came with tortillas. Had a good laugh, and it needed time to cool anyway as it came out REALLY hot. Portions were large, I ended up taking probably half my order home (minus tortillas, used them all, but no one gives enough really). ***If you sit at the table on the right when you walk in that is against the glass- watch out for the switch under the table on the wall. Pretty sure it controls the OPEN sign
(4)Nicole C.
Food tasted good for me, but my hubby did not like his. He said his food tasted old. Our food took about 45 mins to come out, which was ridiculous considering it was not that busy. Customer service was not so good, they took forever to bring us our check. When it was time to pay, the pen they gave us did not work. We asked two different waiters for a pen and none of them brought one to us. All in all i don't think we will be going back.
(3)Vanessa A.
Mmm!!! Would definetlty come back. I am always on the lookout for good mexican food. Once seated we were served chips and salsa. They were good. We ordered a chimichanga and a Sope. It was delicious. We were not able to eat it all. Yay for leftovers. The rice and beans were tasty. The horchata was good too. Would recommend others to try this place.
(4)Tolkien L.
Whenever I get the urge to have the closest thing to authentic Mexican, i just come here....Fish Ceviche to start and some ridiculous combination plate. Ask for the home made habanero hot sauce (not from the bottle). Oh my goodness.
(5)Daniel R.
Best Mexican I've had since I got to Oahu. This place is legit and since I've spent most of my life in Texas and California I know a thing or 2 about Mexican good. Server was awesome but they can get overwhelmed. Wish they served chavellas or at least some beers.
(5)Noa F.
This is my go to Mexican place near home. Today I had the steak Chimichanga, for $10.95. I always order "all rice" as I find that the refried beans fill me up too much and honestly I have never really loved them anyway. The tortilla was crunchy like it should be and the steak was decently flavored, although maybe a bit on the salty side. Cheese was cheesy..hahaha. Overall a positive experience. Wait staff is always pleasant. Sometimes they do limit me on the habanero sauce, but that might be nitpicking. I also like their nachos a lot, primarily because they don't put beans in it.
(4)Dave V.
Really big portions of food and server was really friendly.. I would come back again to try the other dishes..
(4)Jenn A.
Shrimp cocktail was ok and my daughter still loves the shrimp quesadilla. Disappointed in the carne asada This time. Compared to last time it was pretty dry. May have been overcooked or under the heat lamp too long. We waited for our food for awhile. Hopefully it's the well cooked carne asada comes back for next time. I'm hoping that's their normal consistency.
(3)Jennifer C.
There is a lack of legit Latin food on Oahu, so I was excited to see one that had high ratings on yelp. I came here with the husband for lunch. We started with the complimentary chips and salsa, which were pretty good. I ordered a horchata and the carnitas salad. The horchata was ginormous, and pretty tasty. Sadly, my carnitas salad was a giant flop. The meat had good flavor, but it was inconsistent and SUPER salty. One bite would be fine, and another would be hypertension-inducing salty. Even the husband who loves salt said it was too much. I was lucky the salad was there to kind of mellow it out. Even with meat aside, the salad wasn't wow in anyway - soggy iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, guac, sour cream, and cheese. The quest for Latin food continues...
(2)Twy J.
My family came here to eat food that was nice of prize to find a good Mexican food place in Hawaii. The chicken tacos my wife enjoyed them. I liked The bean and cheese burrito. It was great. The float is very big and tasty. The spicy shrimp my son really enjoyed a nice spice to them. The chimichanga my other son loved it and said dad please give it five stars
(5)John A.
I wanted to try the chimichanga coming to El Mariachi and glad I did.
(4)Chris A.
Many years ago (when Chili's and Mexico was my go to spots for fajitas) I dined here. I ordered their fajitas with corn tortillas and had a hard time consuming it. It tasted horrible compared to what I was used to. It was only recently I discovered it was the corn tortillas that I didn't care much for, it was too starchy for me. About a month ago I heard an El Mariachi opened up in Kapolei. My first thought was: A Mexican restaurant opening a second location is kind of rare here on the island, so it's gotta be decent, right? Well after my recent trips back here I can gladly say they are more than just decent. I prefer their shredded chicken over their carne asada, the carne asada is a bit on the salty side and a little tough to chew (taking into consideration I'm feeding my grandma this as well). All plates come with Spanish rice, and refried beans. Depending on what you order and the quantity, average cost per plate is $11. If you're not too hungry order an option of one if it's available (like the chile relleno), or their quesadilla plate since both aren't generous portions. Their quesadilla is about half the size of what you'd expect from other Mexican restaurants. Now if you're starving your best option is to order one of their burritos. The portion is huge! Chips and salsa is served if you're dining in, but a second round will cost you. They don't offer chips and salsa for take out orders (not sure why I mention this since I haven't found a restaurant that does). It's a small hole in the wall restaurant with about (13) tables to seat (4) each. There isn't a restroom in here, but they do have one for you to use (I've never had to use it), a restroom key is needed and you'll need to walk out of the restaurant and up to the second level. Mexican music is played on a speaker and there is no bar or alcoholic beverages served here, that's fine though since I love drinking their horchatas. Location is hidden. They are housed across from Young's Kalbee and Palazzo side. If you enter from Kauhale street make your first left into the parking lot in the one way entrance. Keep driving in and it will be the first spot after the price buster building to your right.
(4)Charlie G.
First let me say the service was really good and the people were super friendly. The problem was the food rather bland and not very good. :( I was super excited because of the high reviews and it is right in my neighborhood. Portion size was good, but didn't really matter when the food isn't very good. Definitely not very authentic. The guy that said this Mexican food is better than any he has had in Cali, New Mexico, or Texas is crazy lol. But different strokes for different folks I guess.
(2)Steph S.
The food was super fast and that's what I really liked. The food was pretty good and I would totally bring my friends to this place. If you are looking for a casual place with good Mexican food I would recommend this place.
(4)Geno P.
The rating on here for this place is deceptively high, and the reason is places like this get high marks simply because they exist. And that happens a lot on Oahu. The fact is - finding a decent Mexican restaurant here is like finding a decent Irish restaurant in New Mexico. It just doesn't happen. El Mariachi is an OK joint. It's a strip mall store with seating for only about 30-40 people. The ambiance isn't much and there's no personality here. The menu is the very bare bones of Mexican, and I typically go with the enchiladas with which I've never had an issue. The service is great here, and the pre-food chips and salsa are tasty. I wouldn't mind waiting for the food so long as the chips are there, but the food never takes long. Again, good spot. But not among the best on Oahu - just rated high by default.
(3)Rob D.
Was craving Mexican and found this place on Yelp so we gave it a shot. The place is a whole in the wall but the food and service was good. For the limited choices we have here for Mexican, I give it 4 stars for good tasting food, fast service, and good salsa and chips.
(4)Mory L.
I love their horchata!! Food is very tasty but personally the sauce for the chips needs more spiciness!
(5)Mandy C.
My family and I the last few times that we have visited this location have experinced, poor service, recieved the wrong order, been told that certain ingredients are in a dish when they're not listed on the menu and I had the same thing at the end of October when My sister and her husband came in town. 1st our son order a chicken Quesadilla Plate and got a plan Cheese, our son he said he was alright with that so we let it be. 2nd-- I ordered a Taco Salad, it clearly states on their menu what is included and re fried beans is no where on the menu! On the 4th bite I had reached the unwanted food item of Re-fried bean, I hate bean, yes, I know beans is one of the main ingredients in all Mexican food, I hate it, however, I had taken off the sour cream and guacamole because I didn't like it, beans was no where on the menu. When I pointed it out they said re fried beans were on the Taco Salad, but stated to me were not on the deluxe??? Deluxe means it has it all in my mind. However, when I told them I wasn't eating it they asked if I would like anything else -- I said sure I will take a plain CHEESE Quesadilla and what did they bring me a CHICKEN Quesadilla, I went ahead and ate it. Oh and I was still charged for my original plate of food I sent back, but not charged for the Quesadilla. 3rd -- My husband had the Carnitas plate, the only thing that came out correct!!! However, it did take him 10-15 minutes to get ketchup and the place wasn't that busy when we were in their. Needless, to say and I am sad to say this, it will be a while before we go back in. The last few times we've had the same waiter and he admits to putting the orders in backwards. I joked with my husband maybe, I should of ordered our son cheese and he would of got chicken, and if I ordered chicken I would of gotten cheese. It's just annoying when it's happened multiple times, and and when went from having a waitress, we loved to having the same guy from the time before that messed up our orders the time before and this time. Oh and on my receipt right in front of me it has the waitress down as our Server, versus the Gentleman that ended up delivering our food and the rest of our service.
(2)Olivia K.
Let me start this review by saying Mexican is my ABSOLUTE favorite food. So.....I eat a lot of Mexican food, as often as my guilty, eternally-dieting self might allow. Lol Experience = OK, but id probably skip here and go somewhere else for Mexican. El mariachi in Kaneohe is much better. My favorite thing here was the salsa - good consistency and flavor on point. The guacamole was the most disappointing I've had at a Mexican restaurant. Not nearly enough garlic cumin and lime = no flavor. They also used stringy avocados (could be a few in the batch) that ruined the consistency. I rarely have guacamole leftovers but if I do, I always bring them home. After dinner there was a lot of guacamole leftover that stayed right there when we left. Chile relleno was ok, beans on the watery side. Service was very prompt and friendly, but I'm ultimately going for the food, and this spot would not satisfy my Mexican craving.
(3)Laura R.
I would give this place a 3.5. Service was okay. The server was nice but she kept our empty plates on the table the entire time which made eating dessert awkward. Had a chimichanga which in comparison to Just Tacos was meh. My husband got a chicken taco salad that was delicious and my daughters food was good. The fried ice cream was not to our liking at all. It was my first time having it so maybe I just don't like fried ice cream? A big ball of ice cream rolled in cinnamon?! Nothing special. My husband said he had it before so he was really disappointed. I'd go back to this place though so that's what made me choose 4 instead of 3.
(4)Joe K.
As they say...." third times the charm!" Came here a couple of times since they opened, can't say when that was; but it was quite awhile ago. The first time was years ago and I gotta say the food was forgettable, and that's why I cant even remember what I had. Second time was last year and I remember having the Carmita's.... and again wasn't impressed wouldn't bother to YELP it. Now to the present, and there's been more than one person who raves about their Carne Asada. So I thought..... more than one.... maybe I should try that and see how THAT goes. Now I don't claim to know everything about STEAK! But I do know what tenderness means, seasoned right means, and I certainly know what tastes good. It's a nice sized piece of rib eye seasoned really well. Comes on a big plate with rice, beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Also you'll have a choice of flour or corn tortilla. Everything together was spot on, and went perfect with my authentic Mexican cerveza..... Coors Light! (BYOB) Maybe they could've gave a bit more rice and beans (in my opinion) Service very thorough and friendly, lots of parking, over all a better dining pleasure. Went from forgettable to memorable.... es muy bueno, gracias!
(4)Daniel R.
No, never again. Food was ok... decent at best, definitely did not make up for the incredibly poor service. There is a way better restaurant up the street.
(1)Kalualani F.
We stumbled upon El Mariachi on a date night adventure and loved it. The Seafood Nachos are the BOMB!! The service is quick and awesome. Everyone is friendly and nice. We go back every time we get a chance! Fried ice cream and the horchata are fabulous.
(5)Rebecca G.
This little spot is our go to for local Mexican food. It reminds me of the little hole in the wall places back in south Texas. I only wish they served breakfast. But wait! The chef was kind enough to prepare huevos rancheros for my husband! Amazing! Love the friendly people, and the food is decent. One negative is lack of parking. Maybe someday they will move to a bigger place in the Aiea area.
(3)Kimberly D.
First, if you are expecting Mexican food- walk on by. Here you will find no lime, cumin, cilantro, or any of the flavors associated with authentic Mexican cuisine. Salsa is bland, not horrible, just not Mexican. The carnitas were well prepared and tender as was the chile verde, while the carne asada was tough and not good. Chips, tortillas, etc. are supermarket run of the mill kind. Wait staff are friendly and competent. You could be disappointed if you expect good Mexican based on the Yelp reviews.
(3)Jenny G.
Our fav spot for good Mexican food on the island. Their shrimp ceviche is bomb and is probably the only restaurant that actually puts the "hot" in their hot sauce!!!
(4)John P.
Best Mexican food around! The staff is always friendly and the food is always delicious. Don't mess around with the other Mexican place in Aiea, go straight to El Mariachi and get the Mariachi tacos!!
(5)Hong H.
Chips and salsa were awesome. Ordered the steak nachos and they were also delicious. However when it came to the entrees I've had better. We ordered the combo plate. Shredded chicken tamales, Chile relleno and beef taco. Rice was almost kinda undercooked and relleno was way too much thick batter, overall the entree was what took it down. Service staff was friendly, you asked they served, otherwise you were left alone. I am unfamiliar the competition in the area so I can't say it's worse or better than other mexican restaurants here, but I am comparing it to what I've had and this doesn't come close.
(2)Kara K.
Best Mexican in Aiea!!!! Hands down so good great service and busy yummm! Nachos with shredded beef and the camp burrito!! We will be back forsure
(5)Keith K.
Update 6/17/2014: I still do like this place, but Mexico's is even better. Just posted that review today. Original Post: 6/16/2014 Went here last Thursday and just now catching up to reviewing it. We had visited Charro's the day before and decided we should compare with Mariachi's. Glad we did. I ordered the Carne Asada Chimichanga on our server's recommendation. I'm pretty sure my cardiologist would be livid if he knew I ate this, but it was pretty good. The Spanish rice and refried beans were just that [is it even legal to review Spanish rice and refried beans?]. The only thing I didn't think tasted very good was their complimentary "salsa"... that tasted like spaghetti sauce. Ahem... wrong country, amigos. Our server was very pleasant and helpful and I think it was the owner who wished us a happy eating time and a nice day when we left. Why not a 5? I don't know. I think because at the end of the day, I'd probably return for a pretty good lunch, but would probably not be here for dinner with my wife. ... if that makes sense. Heading to Mexico's this coming week so stay tuned. LOL
(4)Paul B.
This is a great little restaurant. The outside is a little off putting, but the food is surprisingly good. I had the Carne asada and was very impressed. My girlfriend had a chicken tamale, a chicken enchilada, and a burrito and loved all three. The fried ice cream was also really good. This still doesn't compare to mainland Mexican restaurants, but it's one of the best on the island.
(5)Taylor C.
I really like this place. Don't get the carne asada tacos cause they're reallllly fatty and not that good. But that's the only dish I haven't liked. Only other bad thing about this place is that after the first round of chips and salsa they charge you! What kinda mexican place does that!? Dumb. But anyways, I like this place!
(3)Gregg P.
This is one of the better Mexican restaurants on the island. The food is always good. In different visits I received different sized portions of beans and rice. I'm not sure why this was unless I looked more hungry last time. The Chile Relleno was very tasty! I ordered two, but they ran out and were only able to provide me with 1. I was fortunate enough to get one very tasty chicken enchilada as a replacement - with green sauce. This was a nice treat. My companion ordered the chicken quesadillas, she was quite pleased. The service was good, but their knowledge of their food could have been better. I think we had a new waitress, as she knew quite little but she tried hard and I'll give her props for that. Overall, it is always a satisfying experience coming here. It has been and will be our go-to Mexican restaurant of choice. Closest competition: Mexico Restaurant in Kalihi
(4)Arde H.
Huge portions, great food, cheap prices. Can't go wrong with anything here. Get the campeon burrito! (Enough for 2).
(5)Whitney N.
Yummy! I'm always on a quest for good mexican and they delivered! Salsas flavorful and fresh, (get the spicy made w/habanero). Great pre-ice skating dinner spot!
(5)Charlotte V.
After trying out Mexico Restaurant, this place is so much better. The waiter was nice and the guacamole was fresh. I got the horchata which was really good. The beans and rice were well flavored and my chimichanga was awesome. Crispy on the outside and juicy filled meat in the inside. I got grilled chicken inside. The place is way cheaper than Mexico Restaurant too so way better.
(4)Doug T.
I was pretty harsh on their sides during my last review: they had really bland beans, and gouged us for chips (a bit). I think it was just a bad day for the cooks, as I have been back twice since... and the beans were just fine! Also, they DID NOT CHARGE for our one basket of chips (not sure what the deal was the first time). However, they are almost ALWAYS out of pork tamales... so order them if they have them!!!! At least the chicken tamales are a close second. Oh, and ask for some of their habanero salsa if you are so inclined :)
(4)Heather M.
This is the closest i can find of Mexican food. Its pretty darn close. Chips and salsa are given in the beginning. The entrees are pretty big. I had the burrito and wish everything has in it but beggars cant be choosey. It was still good and very filling. Really want to try the fajitas next! The ambience is great. Family friendly, football (soccer) on the tv and mexican decor around the place.
(4)Daniel S.
When I want to treat myself and feed my craving for Mexican food I come here.. Price is good and the portions is awesome.... But biggest like is the service here.... Always get it here.
(5)Chelsea B.
Definitely not a 5 star restaurant BUT if you like Mexican food it is best of what you can get in Hawaii. Coming from the south, Mexican food is a fine art that we took for granted... Been searching for our Mexican fix for 6 months now and this place finally hit the spot.
(4)Christian S.
Overall I'd say that this place is decent. The service is good, but the overall experience is just a little blah. There is plenty of stuff on the menu so that's a plus. The restaurant itself is clean but it just doesn't have a real Mexican restaurant feel with the glaring fluorescent lighting. I thought the food was okay but just lacked a lot of flavor. Not any spice and probably could use a lot of salt. Also, there isn't a kids menu if you're bringing little ones. If you're looking for an ice cold beer or margarita your better bring it without because these guys are byob. Parking is free and plentiful as well if that's a consideration. I guess if I'd probably give the place another shot, but not until I tried somewhere else. Hope this is helpful
(3)Blake V.
Excellent Experience! This is definitely one of the best places for Mexican food on the island. Basically like eating anywhere back in Texas. We had delicious chicken fajita quesadillas and it's the only place on Oahu to get a sopapilla. The guacamole was superior! Customer service is great too!
(5)Jordan S.
Small place, but really good. Their salsa is tasty, the food is great and authentic. Guacamole is really good too. All in all a well rounded Mexican place. The burrito I had was MASSIVE, the chicken and carne asada was really good, and the enchilada sauce was also very good (I like my burritos wet hehe)
(5)Quinn D.
Probably the best Mexican food on the island that i've had. It is located behind the liberty tax where the people banner wave across the parking lot from orange grove yogurt.
(5)Dave I.
A bit tucked away but definitely amazing. The food is fantastic and their homemade mango habanero sauce is amazing a perfect compliment to any entrée.
(5)Val C.
Portions got smaller. Still the best Mexican food out there. I had the beef chimichanga and fried ice cream. Ono.
(4)Aly K.
I used to be a fan but I was soooo disappointed today when I tried to call for take out because I was craving ceviche. I called 10 times and no answer. Mind you it was 12:30pm so it wasn't like they were closed. I don't think being short staffed is an excuse to disregard all take out orders. I would think phone orders at a small restaurant would be a good percentage of their business. I'm big on customer service so needless to say I will NEVER go back and will tell everyone I know about my experience.
(1)Lindsey S.
Friend and I got food poisoning and ended up in the hospital after eating here ... You've been warned about eating here..
(1)Elijah C.
Was craving some Mexican food and didn't feel like cooking, so the wifie took me to the lil spot. Pretty good for being stuck on an island. Although the guacamole was ice cold like it was puillled out of a freezer and on the blan side of flavor like a pre-mix, I wouldn't get it again. I ordered the chicken chimichanga, quite satisfied with the portions. I would overall say this place is definitely a place to visit.
(3)Noel B.
I will not give this place 4 stars or more. From the poor-appearing outside of the restaurant, you will be surrounded by mexican music to hype up the ambience. The inside is appropriately decorated with paintings, bright colors, and of course a statue of the Mother of Guadalupe. For the food, my fiancee and I order two separated dishes: carne asada plate and a chicken fajita burrito. The chips and salsa, beans, rice, and guac were amazing; but we both thought that our chicken and carne asade were drenched in salt. My tongue blistered from dryness. I bet underneath the salt that the carne would had tasted amazing. And finally, be PATIENT. There are 12 tables and only 1 waitress/server! Not a smart move as a lot of people were waiting to be waited. Our drink cups were empty and never refilled. We had to call the waitress to receiver our bill. They ought to have a second person. If the cook used less salt and there was a second server, i probably would had given this place five stars. Maybe a retry later down the road.
(3)Jared H.
This place is a let down... I have frequented the one in Kaneohe which is awesome, however, this one was majorly subpar. The waitstaff we're busy entertaining themselves with conversation amongst each other. The chips that were served were stale and burnt. Food was served cold after waiting over 45 minutes. Which I wouldn't have mind had there been more than three other patrons in the restaurant.
(1)Sala B.
Delicious! Loved the pork nachos! Love our server mike. The food was a great price too! Looking for some good Mexican on oahu? This is the place
(5)Diana A.
Tucked away location in the back of other buildings. New waitress, she was very cheerful and friendly. The food was good. Nothing fancy. Mom and pop atmosphere.
(3)Jan S.
Food was great and we didn't have to wait long...perfect for when you're going during your lunch break. Salsa was excellent, clearly homemade yumm!!! I think the owner (or someone who clearly cares about good costumer service) stopped by every table to make sure thinks were going well. Kudos!
(5)Jackie Q.
Every time we come here, every thing is excellent, from the delicious food to the awesome service. Waitress Amber is extremely friendly and helpful. We get a good vibe from this place, always leave pleasantly stuffed, and love shaking our hips to their upbeat salsa music. Get a combo plate! Love this place!
(5)Venus W.
It's a great little restaurant tucked in a corner. I've eaten here numerous times but never had the chance to share my experiences. There tamales are the Bomb!! I also love their homemade complimentary salsa and chips they give to you as you wait for your food. They do get busy during lunch but it's worth the wait. I will definitely eat there again!!
(5)Angela R.
I had a mean nacho craving and Yelp led me here as the nearest Mexican restaurant. The ambiance is not impressive. It's loud (the colors) and typical with the furnishing (like the decor and furniture). But its not fair to judge a Mexican spot by the ambiance.There is no bathroom in the establishment. If you need to use the potty the key is hanging in front by a sink. What was impressive was the nachos! I ate the carne asada nachos and well it was the shiznit!!!! It had lots of meat. The guacamole, sour cream, cheese, chips, onion and cilantro worked well. I happily fulfilled my nacho craving with moaning sound effects and all!! My hubby got the carnitas. He said it was just ok. I took a bite and agreed. I wanted it to be much more tender. The chips and salsa were yummy. I practically ate 1 whole serving on my own. Service was not memorable but we did get a refill on salsa and it seemed we didn't wait much. Nachos 5 stars + carnitas 2.5 stars + Campeon Burrito+ 4 stars +chips and salsa 4 stars+ service 3.5 stars = 3.75 stars I hope to come again and try other entrees AND fried ice cream with my hunky Mexican hubby!
(4)Jon A.
Ate there on a Sat nught git there about 5 pm. Servuce was good food came out quick! Salsa was not watered down like some places! Had the chicken and steak fajitas and they were very good! Large portion even brought some home! Highly recommended if you are looking for mexican food!
(4)Lai T.
The good news is that the food at El Mariachi 2 isn't completely dreadful. In fact, the pricing is not too bad. I got a 3 item combo for $13.95. But I do think that having to pay $1 extra for black beans is a bit silly. The restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall. Overall, I'd say this was a mediocre experience-not exactly rushing back, but it beats Taco Bell :P
(3)May L.
Love that they opened one in kapolei. Love the fish ceviche, fish with mango and avocado salsa, the combination plates (my mom usually gets enchilada, chile relleno, and burrito), the chips are great and fresh and the salsa is great.
(5)Chris R.
I am not sure why this place is getting rave reviews. Maybe we went there on a off day. Our burritos were not that special. Shrimps were overcooked. I don't know if it's because living in the Bay Area, we are spoiled with Mexican food all over the city. I was really excited to try a good Mexican place in Hawaii, but another disappointment.
(2)Lei N.
I finally tried the food here to see what the hype was all about. Kinda hidden that you wouldn't think there would be food places around there. My friend has been to the restaurant before so she would always talk about it. It was already quite crowded when we entered, then again it was lunch time. The waitress let us sit ourselves at whichever table we wanted and the menus were already waiting for us. The decor was interesting from the sombreros, the Aztec decorations and the television running. Even the way the walls were painted two layers, yellow under and red in an interesting pattern. While we were waiting we got some tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were huge and the salsa, mmm. I thought to myself they were already trying to fill us up but then again if there were more people in our party that would seem nothing. (Just keep in mind we are two girls combining to be 200lbs) Okay, after looking throughout the menu I decided on nachos, I was craving some for the longest time. It was HUGE *that's what she said* and I ended up having to taking a box home. It comes with sour cream and guacamole, but I wasn't a fan of guacamole so I avoided that part of my plate. The next time I decide to come here: 1. Make sure there's more than two people 2. Share a dish with someone since I know I won't ever finish Also if you're coming in a big party and it's during one of those rush hours, be prepared to wait, each table seems to seat a maximum of four, so they have to group tables together.
(3)Emily D.
Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Mexico Restaurant in Kalihi a week before coming here... but really in comparison, there is no competition. Although for a quick fix, El Mariachi will do. Tamales: The masa outside was a bit tough and flavorless. The shredded chicken was decent. Without the sour cream on the side, I'm not sure I would have been able to eat as much of the tamale as I did. Chile Relleno: There was a weird, soggy egg white batter of some sort miscellaneously a strewn kind of around the chile? I was really confused to be honest... I took it all off and just ate the chile with the meat in side. I expected delicious cheeseyness to ooze out, but there was practically no cheese and all shredded meat. I didn't know I had to pick one or the other! Don't get the Chile Relleno. Just don't. Rice & Beans: Decent. I doused the beans with a ton of Tapatios, so I guess that made it a lot better. Chips & Salsa: GREAT! Definitely the best part of the meal. Water Service: I drank all of my water half way through the meal, and never got a refill. Other than that, service was okay.
(3)Christine S.
I had been told by many people that this is the restaurant on the island that serves some of the most authentic Mexican food. I finally gave it a try and I was not disappointed! The inside of the restaurant is small, and decorated with various Mexican art. After sitting down at a table, our waiter took our drink order and brought us some chips and salsa. I was impressed by the chunky salsa and that I could actually taste the cilantro - the chips were even warm! I had the chicken enchiladas, and my husband had the combo plate with a chicken quesadilla and a chicken enchilada. It was not very busy when we went, so our food came out within 10 minutes. I was very surprised when I took my first bite of my enchilada and it was actually very flavourful. My plate came with two enchiladas, beans and rice. I was stuffed after eating one enchilada, so I took the other one home. My husband was a bit disappointed by the small size of his quesadilla. He preferred the enchilada. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive in making sure our cups were full of water, and that the food was made to our liking. I have tried a couple other Mexican restaurants here, but this is definitely my favorite so far.
(5)Ed K.
Not bad, decent portions, and good salsa. Unfortunately, no alcohol served. Be nice to have margaritas with my burrito!
(3)Forest F.
I tried El Mariachi 2 with a friend today for lunch and thought it was pretty good. To me, the best part about El Mariachi is their salsa. The salsa is winners. My buddy had a steak special with roasted mushrooms and shrimp. His food was really good. I had their standard burrito which is big enough to feed 2 people. The burrito was average. I want to come back and try the taco's. They appear to be Mexico style with just the meat, cilantro, and onions. The service was good as usual. Everyone that works at El Mariachi is super friendly.
(4)Tiffany A.
I decided to drop on in for lunch and ordered the Chicken Fajitas for one person (there's an option to serve for 2). I was hoping it would be similar to that of the Kaneohe location, El Mariachi. And yes it was! What comes with the meal are 3 tortillas (corn or flour) with the grilled veggies of bell pepper, onion and mushrooms and your choice meat and the beans and sides. Everything is so delicious and tasty :) The only thing that's kind of disappointing with this entree is that no rice is served with it (how dare they you say??! I know!). So I went ahead and ordered Spanish Rice on the side for about $4 more. But what's good about the side of rice is that it's not only one scoop, I got almost a whole takeout container worth of rice. So not bad. Not sure if that's how they always serve it or if I was just lucky that day haha (it was fairly empty). So if your meal doesn't come with the rice, order it. It's fluffy and tasty! Can't eat Mexican food without Spanish Rice no? Yes to this place!!!
(4)Brad T.
Pretty good mexican place near the new price busters store in Aiea. Decent amount of parking available, although it gets pretty crowded during lunch. Free chips and salsa...that's always a plus! Tried the chile relleno and enchilada combination plate for $10.95. The chile relleno wasn't soggy and oily like some of the other places on the island. Put a little hot sauce on the plate and it's a winner!
(4)Dan M.
I don't understand how this place has an average of four stars. I came here the other day with a friend with slightly higher hopes than usual due to El Mariachi 2's higher than average rating. And as we're both from Southern California, we know good Mexican food. This was also a challenge to see if we could squash Oahu's poor reputation of having only sub-par, unauthentic Mexican food restaurants in it's arsenal. Unfortunately, the search will continue as this place failed to deliver the bueno. Each table will get a complimentary basket of chips and salsa, which earns a thumbs up in my book, but I found myself eating the chips plain as the salsa was bland and a bit...ketchup-y? No spiciness to it, and much sweeter than it should have been. I ordered the Campeon burrito, which is basically a "wet" style chicken and beef burrito smothered in enchilada sauce, sour creme, and guacamole. It's huge, and large enough to split for two, but I would feel bad giving my partner the other half. The enchilada sauce is unauthentic, and again seems to lack any kind of spice or flavor to it. The meat wasn't seasoned very well and although having TWO different kinds of meat in one burrito seems like a for sure thing, the flavors just didn't mesh very well. My friend had the Torta with shredded chicken. Usually he's pretty good at offering a bite of whatever he's ordered...but not this time. I took offense to it at first, but later realized it was an act of kindness. It's served on a ciabatta roll, which typically has a nice crunch to it, if toasted, but the bread all around was soggy. Again, there were seasoning issues with the meat and it looked better than it tasted. It's served with a side of Mexican rice, which also remained untouched as it was way dry and flavorless. Their saving grace is their horchata. The drink of the (Mexican) gods, this wonderful concoction of rice milk and cinnamon is perfect for any day. I would return for this...but only this it seems. Our server was also really good. Very attentive with the refills and courteous the entire time. Again, I don't understand the high rating...perhaps an off day? Maybe my expectations are too high for Mexican food? I don't know...but I would find it hard for me to return again in the future. Adios, El Mariachi Dos. 31 Yelps Review Challenge - October 2012 #31/31 (FINALLY!! DONE!)
(2)Kehaulani W.
Mi restaurante favorito Mexicano en Oahu. Hawaii born and bred, its hard to say what 'authentic' Mexican food is. I will not speak for that, but I know that I can speak for consistency. Every time I go there, I am never disappointed. If you want FLAVOR; delicious, FLAVOR then go here for Mexican food. It's the best we can do on Oahu, seriously! There are real Mexican cooks back there and sà to MANTECA! ;) Another cool thing is they also have frijoles negros if you don't like refried. The winners are: Lobster Chimichanga, CEVICHE, taco salad, carnitas burrito, pescado vallarta, spicy shrimp and the CHILE ROJO is a-maz-ing. The Ceviche tastes just like my Tia's -they can combo it (shrimp and fish) for you ;) Oh if they had sopa azteca I would die. They would be perfect.
(5)Ciera F.
I honestly thought the service was terrible. Our waitress forgot to bring us our hot sauce, cheese, and sour cream. There was no flavor in anything I ate (salsa, queso, rice, beans, burrito). Honestly ruined Mexican food for me for a while. And the place is extremely dusty. I will NOT be going back.
(2)Glenn L.
Wow! what a tool" Eat N" is...you huberous arrogant Pendejos... Comprendez!!! Wow How arrogant..Please give us a break the Comida/ food out in the rural communities..Zacatecas,Estados Nayarit..shoot Baja..Cozumel,Cancun.. kick ass from that over priced food in Mexico city stuff... Besides this isn't Mexico...and if you like it so much go Back...also why don't you put money where your mouth is, Easy to criticize when you don't do it yourself..Open you own restaurant...I don't see this great Comida from Mexico City...maybe open in Gringo Kailua where you live..You huberous tool you make me sick. You know arrogant people like don't understand, I wouldn't go to Mazatlan to eat Hawaiian Kaukau and then insult mexican nationales and say "Wow this Hawaiian food sucks"...Duh!!! Of course it would!!!.. But as Mexican restaurants go in Hawaii, El Mariachi isn't half bad,,I don't eat Taco's and Burritos, chimichanga's or fajita's Gavacho food my friend..Chile Verde,pork chile Rojo/Colorado, Chile Rellenos,Tamales, Mole,Posole, menudo, Birra,lengua etc. etc...not crap you buy at taco bell. So they make do with the stuff than can get, from what I know it is hard to get a lot of authentic quality Mexican ingredients so before you dump all over this Mexican family owned business...I think you should be more tolerant and understanding instead of some arrogant. Cavrone...!!! Back to the restaurant there are two locations, Aiea and Kaneohe, and you won't meet a more sincere and hard working mexican ohana cooking the comida in the back..They even do Menudo from time to time. Don't go late, the quality slides down... but most eateries do. and as far as anything else on the Island...used to be Quintero's another family restaurant excellent food.but gone...and the best sort of West coast west/central mexican food I would say is Rueben's Mexican Restaurant in Hilo on the Big Isle..the family is originally from Estados Nayarit...Good food and great Margarita's big pitchers.. right on Bay drive.. Good luck and I am not arrogant or Mexican..but appreciate a mexican family that works hard to do the best they can. even if a fellow so called mexican compadre take a dump all over them... BTW my friends that eat more standard tacos,burritos, enchiladas..liked the food...I am sorry Salsa is salsa and not Pico de Gallo..like most gringo restaurants call salsa/sauce...
(4)Amanda L.
Went here to get take out one night...I won't go back. I was very excited when they first opened. A close Mexican restaurant that was crowded?!? I went in to get a takeout order and it took forever - we're talking at least 45 minutes to an hour. When I got it home all of the tortillas were soggy. They forgot the side taco and my spicy shrimp was tasty but cold. Super sad :(. With another Mexican restaurant up the hill - I won't return.
(1)Jessie D.
Super good food here. Don't know what people were talking about with the paper plates, I got all my stuff on restaurant style dining ware. Horchata was crisp & on point, always a good sign for a Mexican restaurant. I ordered the 3 choice combo platter with the Chile Rellano, a steak taco and a grilled chicken burrito. Portions were big and definitely of good quality. I ended the meal by splitting a Fried Ice Cream. Kinda strange as it wasn't like other fried ice cream I've had before (kinda like an overgrown malasada with ice cream in the middle.) Good, just not something I was expecting. The spot is kinda hard to find, as it's behind a stairwell and next to a Bible College, but worth the effort of finding it.
(4)Joshua J.
After only two visits, El Mariachi 2 has become my favorite Mexican restaurant on Oahu. The dining area is very small, and there is seating for maybe 30 people at most. The atmosphere is very casual, and the decor is inexpensive yet sufficient. It is actually difficult to find unless you are familiar with the area and know what you are looking for, but that is where the drawbacks to this great restaurant end. The staff is all very friendly, and they are devoted to providing the best service possible. The restaurant does not sell alcohol, but you are allowed/encouraged to BYOB. When I asked one of the waiters if there were any liquor stores nearby, he took me outside and pointed me at the nearby liquor store. Service does slow down slightly when all the tables fill up, but it remains responsive and friendly at all times. The food is great. This is not the commercialized Mexican food that so many Americans are accustomed to, but rather very genuine and high quality. The flavors reminded me of the small family Mexican restaurants that abound in New Mexico and Texas, and the portions were very satisfying. The meats are all juicy and tender, and there is just the right amount of cheese--enough to taste but not so much as to drown the other flavors. My personal favorite was the chicken tamales; the flavors were hearty and, unlike many other places, each bite was moist and full of flavor. My wife ordered the menudo, which she was raving about. Not being a fan of tripe, I didn't taste it myself. The kids loves the quesadillas, but didn't care for the kids burritos. The carne asada wasn't the most tender meat, but was delicious nonetheless. Prices are very reasonable and in fact a few dollars cheaper than other comparable places in Hawaii. Most dishes are in the $9-13 range, with a few more expensive dishes also on the menu. Overall it was a great bargain and delicious food. We will be back!
(4)A F.
Went here tonight for my birthday and I have to say, I loved it! Our server was very nice and the cooks were nice as well. The food is so yummy and I have leftovers for at least 2 days because the portions are HUGE! I didn't care for guacamole until tonight. They make it good!! Everything we ate was great and they gave me a free dessert!! :) I will definitely come here again!!
(4)Nathan S.
I am from Atlanta, GA and we have a large Mexican population so I know good and authentic Mexican food when I come across it and this is just about the best I have ever had. With it's large portions and fair prices you cannot beat this food at any cost. Easily the best Mexican food on the island. It is a must eat for anyone who loves Mexican food. The environment was clean and friendly. Our waitress made sure that through out or dinner we had all we desired. If you are from out of town I recommend buying a shirt.
(5)Sonia K.
Amazing carne asada and carnitas! Dive-y mexican joint was a great place for lunch after we visited Pearl Harbor.
(4)Cecilia D.
I have been to El Mariachi with and without paper plates and it doesn't matter... my meals have been consistently good! I have had their taquitos, tamales, enchiladas and tacos. Husband has had the steak and shrimp and we agree, all yummy and items I would order again. I especially love their ground beef tacos - the meat is seasoned perfectly for my taste. The wait staff is pleasant and quick. Go to El Mariachi if you want an inexpensive and delicious Mexican meal!
(4)Bruce C.
I Love Mexican Burrito!!!!!
(3)William W.
Awesome food with huge portions and at a good price. We had to wait a bit for the waitress but other than that, everything was awesome. The place is a bit small but we went at a good time because there were only a few people there. They do not have a bathroom inside. You have to go outside and upstairs. Kind of a pain. Other than that. I recommend this place.
(4)Carol L.
I had to come here on Cinco de Mayo! Of course we came at 1100 when they opened an took the last remaining table. The next round of patrons had to wait outside. Chips and salsa kepts us happy while our food was cooking. The salsa was really guud with just the right amount of heat. I had chile relenos with carne asade. My hubby had carne asada. The my dish came with beans, rice, sour cream and salsa. His dish came with guac, beans, rice, salsa, and tortillas. MMMM sooo tasty guud. We asked for extra salsa with our meal. Wished she told us it was an extra charge. Other than that. Would come here again!! Authentic mexican fuud better than Mexico in Kalihi!! =)
(4)Nancy S.
Great cerviche. Very reasonable. Not much atmosphere. Only in Ko Olina for 8 days and ate here twice. Second time had Tropical Fish dish. Great papaya & avocado salsa on top. Friendly staff...waitress remembered us on second visit. Husband loved traditional Mexican plates. Lots of food. From Texas so know Mexican foodd!
(4)Helen K.
Went here the first time it opened and have been going back since. By far, this is probably the best Mexican restaurant Hawaii has. I've been to a couple mexican restaurants on this island and this place surpasses them all. One downfall is that they don't serve alcohol here.. and uncertain if its byob. I've lived in LA for 4 years so I've become familiar with what good mexican food is. I was hesitant at first to write this great review as many of you know anything that turns popular, the quality of food and service usually goes down.. and I just can't lose this place!!
(5)Devon S.
I'm gonna basically echo the 1st poster's sentiments here. Best Mexican food i have had on Oahu so far. I'm talking REAL Mexican food prepared by REAL Mexicans. Not only is my search over, but its conveniently located right down the street from where i live. Man this place is great. The food - Like i said before, best of its class that i have had on island. I had the tamales del pollo (chicken tamales) and wow. OK, like you know how you get tamales that are SUPER corny and bready with little filling? Nah, none of that here. I'm talking about perfectly portioned food. I'm a big eater and even I got satiated off one with some re-fried beans and rice. Washed it down with a delicious lemon-lime Jarritos and that was a wrap. VERY nicely priced, too. The service - Excellent. She was the lone waitress that day (i found out that she and her husband, the chef, are proprietors of the establishment) and she glided gracefully from table to table with ease. I even spoke some Spanish with her. I did alright until she started talking like REALLY fast with it and I got confused. LOL Very engaging and friendly. The ambiance - Its a small cozy little joint tucked away in the back side of the shopping area right across the street from Aiea post office. It can get packed pretty easily, but once you eat there, you will see why. Plenty of free parking so don't worry about that. Great to go there on a breezy afternoon and enjoy the Spanish guitar (its a CD) playing while you dine. Well, my search for great Mexican food on Oahu is done. Highest grades across the board for El Mariachi. Now if i could just find a Greek eatery on this rock that's worthy of 5 stars...
(5)Joanna V.
Fresh as fresh gets!! I've been to other Mexican restaurants and I'm so glad my bf found this spot. Just like what everyone else said it's hidden. You have to open your eyes and look for their sign. They are located right smack in the center of the shopping area in the building closest to the ocean. Anyways, It was my first time there and I ordered Ensalada which is basically salad with chicken, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and tomatoes. I got my salad in a huge freshly made tortilla flour bowl. That was the best mexican salad I've ever eaten. All the ingredients was obviously fresh and crisp. My bf ordered a a very tasty beef burrito. I'm thinking next time I'll have my salad with beef. Their beef was so flavorful! I couldn't stop eating off of my bf's dish. Lol!! The waiter was really patient with me. There wasn't any pictures to determine what I wanted to order but I made a good choice. Luckily there's Yelp!! I've seen pictures of there fried dessert and it looks really delicious. So next time I will definitely try it. I also seen some Mexican fruit punch in a glass bottle I was tempted to try that too. But I'll save that experience for next time. I even asked the waiter if was going to get full off of my salad. He said you should be full because I seen some big guys eat that salad and they couldn't even finish it. He was absolutely right!! That was seriously worth more than $8!! The red decor was a bit overwhelming. It made me a feel like I was in Mexico. It took me a while to get comfortable in there although I just ordered take out. Lol!! Over all I was happy with their friendly quick service and satisfied with their tasty food. I'm definitely going back there when I'm craving Mexican food.
(4)Eric X.
This place is good, but Mexico Restaurant in Kalihi is better simply because you're getting a sit down meal for roughly the same prices. My biggest gripe with El Mariachi is not the food, but the fact that it's using plastic and paper plates and cups. It wouldn't put them out of biz to use real dishes and silverware and it would kick the sense of quality up a notch or two. The atmosphere of their dining space is decent, but eating take out style ruins all that effort. Also it sucks that the bathroom is an outside common facility to the strip mall (i.e. disgusting). I made a special trip out here based on reviews, but would not return when Kalihi is much closer, unless they fix aforementioned problem.
(3)Naomi N.
This restaurant is a hidden gem located in Aiea. I first tried this place when they first opened about 3 years ago, and I have been coming back ever since. They serve Authentic Mexican food not Tex-Mex. The is very nice and quick, very attentive also. They don't check up on you so much it's annoying but just enough, I always leave a very good tip because they deserve it! It's a family run and owned business and I hope they're here to stay :)
(5)Doreen S.
Try their Taco salad in the bowl. I had the grilled chicken taco salad in the bowl and it was awesome! The seasoning on the chicken was soooo good. My husband had the shredded beef chimichanga and he rates it a 9 or 10. You get a lot for your money and the quality is great!
(5)Sky S.
OMG!! I am soooooooooooooo HAPPY that I FINALLY found a place where offer great tamale on this island!!!!!!! I am doing happy dance right at this moment lol~!!! At first, I thought this place would be the same Mexican all over the island but I was wrong. It may be little bit expensive than taco bell but we're talking about authentic Mexican food not fake. First visit, food was too salty. Second visit, awesome!!! Seasoned just right. Not greasy nor too salty whatsoever. Third time, I decided to check their tamale... Which I believe the only way to find out "REAL", if you know what I mean. And they were awesome!! So far, this is the BEST Mexican on this island for real... And I do agree with Leon F. They need to start using dishes instead of paper plates.
(5)Dan G.
Very good food! Not very easy to find, but not too big a deal. I will definitely be back when I want real Mexican food.
(5)C O.
El Mariachi 2 is the sister to the original in Kaneohe (read my review on that one for the food perspective at both) but just isn't quite as good as the original. The service is much better, and the food is turned out even quicker, but the flavors, for some confounding reason just aren't as good. El Mariachi (1 and 2) turn out great Americanized Mexican food (for the most part) and have some nuggets of original Mexican cuisine (menudo anyone?) and are consistently one of the better places on the island to get your fix for south-of-the-border flavor!
(4)Cindy T.
I heard at work that this was the best Mexican on the island...we have been on the lookout for a few years, and have not enjoyed most of the Mexican we have tried on Oahu. On a Sunday evening about 6pm, I dragged my family out of the house with the promise of "really good Mexican." Hard to find; be patient and drive up into the shops on the map, even though they look shuttered. When you see Mr Magoo's Pizza, there you are...it is three doors to the right. Yes to the dive-y description from one review, and another yes to the review that talked about the fans chopping the lights with a strobe-effect. But the place is clean, the staff is friendly, and they were right there with chips and salsa and to get the drink order. They have the best selection of Jarritos I have seen, if you are a fan of them, and they are tableside in a cooler for you to peruse. The salsa is very mild with no hotness at all, but freshly made and tasty, We ordered dos tacos plate, carnitas, and pescada mazatlan. Also a large bowl of guacamole (recommended by the server, good choice for the extra chips it comes with.) Loved the guacamole, tasty and buttery; spouse is a lover of spicy, so he asked the server for hot sauce. She offered their homemade habanero sauce. Spouse describes it as fresh with a good habanero taste; it looked thin, but definitely added the heat he wanted. Son did not like his taco meat; the ground beef tasted old and reheated, and dripped a lot of oily grease (more than usual for a taco.) Spouse's fish was mahi, well cooked and covered with a spicy red sauce that he described as chipotle. He liked it, gobbled it up and reached for our plates. My carnitas were beautiful and tasted good. We took home the rest of my carnitas and the guac that we did not finish. Portions were good sized, and all our meals came with spanish rice and refried beans; nothing special to say about those additions. The server verified that El Mariachi 1 is in Kaneohe, as we suspected; spouse says the first one is better. We will have to go with that, since I do not remember. All in all, I would go there again if I was in the area, but not another long trip just for Mexican. I asked the fambam their final opinions, and it was unanimous---customer service and the guacamole!
(3)Thiep N.
One of the better mexican food joints on the island. Actually may be the best one ive visited so far. Food was great although wish they had an ala carte menu. Dont always want rice and beans. Horchata is lacking but food tasted great! Will visit again.. If your from cali or any othe south west state like i am it wont compare but its pretty close!
(4)Val B.
Not the best Mexican food one can get, but it's okay for Hawaii. I'm spoiled with the good stuff from Old Town, San Diego. Staff was friendly, but food was prepared a bit to salty for my liking. I'd go back, if I had to.
(3)ilovefoo d.
this is my favorite mexican place on the island. i love carne asada. so i love all of their selections with carne asada. it's made perfect - delicious, soft, juicy meat with just the right amount of spice. their beans and rice and guacamole are all very good. the salsa they bring out in the beginning is fresh and delicious. the deep fried ice cream is sooo good. i love this place. you will see everybody walks out of here with their plate licked completely clean.
(5)B W.
Great fish burrito, staff very friendly. Byob sweet
(4)Romeo D.
On a recent lunch run to Pearl City, we were disappointed to find our favorite taco spot shut down. Mariachi's was our next stop on a suggestion from one of our friend's that had dined there with his Wife. The atmosphere is bright and colorful, the music is culturally inviting and the food is Awesome! The portions are HUGE and the prices are reasonable for Hawaii. The only thing I did not like about this place is that it is a little hard to find and the bathrooms are not located within the restaurant itself. Most "hole in the wall" places are good anyhow, this one sets the bar high. In a better location, I think the establishment would kill. It's hard to find good mexican food on the island as it is. i would go back again for more.
(4)Melissa S.
Very decent food. Coming from California, I am VERY picky about my Mexican food. The beans were top notch, the same quality you'd find in any taqueria in Cali. The rice had good texture but not too big on flavor, maybe it was just my batch. The carnitas were dry but the flavor was on point, although it was mixed in with another type of pork that tasted like carnitas covered in teriyaki sauce- kinda gross. Staff was chill, overall a good choice if El Charro is packed.
(4)Mr. tyson R.
Good stuff. Like the chile verde. Nice people too
(5)Larry C.
I ordered the garlic shrimp dish and it was ono. Everything was fresh and very delicious. I would have to say it has been the best mexican food I have had since being back home.
(5)Remee A.
El Mariachi is one of my favorite restaurants, the Aiea atmosphere feels a little different than in Kaneohe. The portion sizes at this location were a little bigger than in Kaneohe, but I think the flavor is a little better in Kaneohe. Favorite dishes: Pescado Vallarta, Campeon Burrito and Fajitas
(3)Cory H.
Everything sampled was good! Great tamales and excellent salsas. Fried ice cream was a hit. Best Mexican on the island.
(5)Melissa W.
Very tasty stuff. Can't wait to bring the hubby back to try something else.
(4)Sharsti R.
OH my goodness....after YEARS of trying to find a decent Mexican restaurant we FINALLY found El Mariachi. The wait staff is amazing, and it is nice to have a place my husband can order/speak in Spanish and there is no issue. I should be able to come up with what we HAVEN'T tried, but I can't even do that. The ceviche is AWESOME and you can have it brought to you as spicy or as mild as you like it. Our children who aren't fans of spicy food actually like the salsa which is a plus, cause it's spicy enough that mom likes it too. Definitely a place to go for GREAT Mexican food.
(5)Francisco S.
Good food...tasty carnitas. Quick service. Delicious horchata. Overall, tasty and cheap spot to grab a quick bite.
(4)Nolan Y.
Good Mexican food for the Islands and the guys try hard to please! Tucked away in a mini mall donot blink or you will miss it!
(3)Janet T.
This weekend we went here because I was craving for Mexican food I figure we'll try this place out and I was very disappointed at the food. Service was not the family seated next to us came after their food arrived before us, hubby didnt see cause he was facing towards entrance I across him. Well, we always try tasting the salsa first that comes with the chip. The hubby is Mexican...said that the salsa had an after taste after eating it, I tried it and yes he was right. We figured they may of mixed old & new salsa together or to save time or made ahead of time, like if an onion is cut, it immidately oxidizes same as all other ingredients. We like to taste each ingredient for sure the salsa wasn't to our liking. We ordered a kiddie meal taco for our 2 year old. I ordered Carne Asada plate, hubby had the Carne Burrito plate. My Carne Asada plate it was bland and didn't like it because the wasn't given an option if I wanted it with corn tortilla but had flour blah. Can't say I like it. Hubby had the Burrito plate he said it was ok. Anyways my 2 year old only had half his soft beef taco..So as usual me (mom) eats it...I looked at the meat its ground beef ok, took a bite and it was beefy salty like only salted a taste like when you just add garlic salt added to the ground beef? wtf? I then made the hubby taste it & agreed it was salty no where near to a taco taste..wheres the ground cumin? chili powder? paprika or ancho for color? basic spices which are not spicy to kids just flavor? My poor baby a few hours later I kept filling his toddler cup with cold water which was being empted quickly, he was thursty more than usual because of the increased salt intake he had..I'm disappointed at this place.
(1)Margaret W.
This places looks scary,but as with all good mexican food joints, the rougher it looks on the outside, the bestter the food! Everything we tried was delicious. The chips and salsa and guacamole were a great way to start. Everything else we had, down to the fried ice cream was exceptional. I am from San Diego and have a perticular taste for mexican food and this pace fit the bill 100%. I will be back frequently.
(5)Travis B.
Great food and a really good price,best Mexican food I have had on the island
(4)Colette A.
Found this Mexican retaurant Sunday after Church. Very good food and service. A plus is it is a BYOB restaurant. A little hard to find but is worth it. I would heartily recommend.
(5)Rachel K.
Best Mexican food on the island, hands down!
(5)Noah K.
Wow. Best mexican food on the island. The burrito with the shredded beef was perfection, with beautifuly seasoned beef and vegtables. Will definatly return.
(5)Robyn R.
Perfect and delicious Mexican food in Hawaii. Decor could use some finesse but I actually prefer a hole-in-the-wall establishment. I recommend the carne asada, horchata and fried ice cream.
(5)Geoff K.
Since my first visit have have returned to try the carne asada and tamales. Both were excellent. The Carne asada was very flavorful for a flank steak. The tamales were great.
(4)Jerome B.
An innocent conversation at a dog park went awry, unleashing that which I've kept suppressed for my sanity's sake. Mentioned within the banter were the taboo words, MEXICAN FOOD. As if the words rubbed my inner lamp and unleashed my taqueria genie, asking for my deepest foodie desire, good taqueria mexican food. I asked my genie (it's not big and blue like the cartoon version, rather a more feminine one holding a carne asada burrito haha) how can I appease my craving? Ravenous as a dormant dragon looking for its first meal after a century of slumber. Logic told me not to try, I've been let down one too many times... but the thought and yearning remained for days, a stagnant and pungent atrocity I could not ignore. After three days I could not resist, I gave in to my urge. Primal instinct led me to type mexican food in Yelp and led me here. Genie, don't let me down por favor. I dragged one reluctant coworker to this place in Aiea. An inconspicuous alley of a strip mall. Oh, the places my cravings will lead me to. Anxiety and tension built up as I approached the dive. Upon entering, the ambiance and decor relieved some of that apprehension, as if I stepped into a small Mexican restaurant with the red and green paint on the walls. The decor a bit too nice for my usual taqueria in San Diego, but I'll go with it this time. My server had a real heavy spanish accent. "No way genie, a mexican restaurant in Aiea with real mexicans...a small crooked smile crept upon my face. But the real litmus test. I ordered the enchiladas and quesadilla (alas, it was a Friday during lent season, no meat). Verdict... not bad genie. The meal came with the standard refried beans and rice. The black bean quesadilla was alright. Muy pequeno, no? It came in a smallish flour tortilla, warm with the beans overpowering the queso. What I was really hoping for was an enchilada smothered in sauce. What I got was an enchilada kind of wading in it. Wish I was able to get it with meat as the cheese did not lend to its flavor much. Upon one of the yelpers recommendations, I asked for THE HOT SAUCE, and I got it. I sampled it and the tingling sensation on the brim of my tongue told me, caliente. Plus one point. But the saving grace, mi horchata. I sipped the sweet and pure potable... and it inundated my memories with thoughts of home. If the food was just ok, the horchata would make me come back here. A bit creamy, but with the right amount of cinnamon that was enough to satisfy the enormous craving, settle the genie back in its lamp and into the dark recesses. For this San Diegan, El Mariachi has some pretty good food, but it'll be a place only to quench my occasional cravings. I will always order the horchata though. P.S. My coworker ordered a chimichanga, a massive deep fried burrito. Looked delicious, but I'll wait until after lent to try this place out again.
(3)D. C.
The service was bad the waiter was rushing me to order I told my husband I was not hungry after all so he ate I watched as other people came in and were also rushed into buying what they wanted to sell not what they went in expecting to order something they felt like eating will never go back again never ....
(1)R.B. O.
First time eating at El Mariachi 2. Decided to come here for Cinco de Mayo. The carne asada plate was amazing..the meat had lots of flavor. It came with beans and rice...the beans were good, but wasn't a big fan of the rice as it was kind of bland. The chips and salsa were pretty amazing and we also got the fish ceviche which was probably the best I've ever had!! The chips must have had a lot of salt because my fingers felt swollen afterwards as I'm several months pregnant! but it tasted good..oh well. Don't forget to order the horchata! My husband really enjoyed the carne asada burrito. All in all, this was place is as authentic as it gets! We lived in Los Angeles for several years so been wanting to find authentic since we've moved back home. So glad we found this place and it's just down the street from us. We went during lunch time and there was a line outside..but then again it was Cinco de Mayo...but I heard it does get busy here on regular days as well. Would definitely recommend!
(4)Emiko T.
Mexican deliciousness that I've forgotten since I've moved to the island! Ordered to the fajita burrito with chicken and it was stuffed with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, chicken and a little bit of cheese. Lots of refried beans and spanish rice on the side. The salsa that comes with the chips is also yummy and tart, but unfortunately only the first chips and salsa baskets are complimentary and after that it's 3 dollars. Still worth it if you love your crispy tortilla chips. The bill was reasonable and I felt full when I left. Moving on to the most important part: the service. Excellent service by the sweetest wait staff ever. Checked in on our table often and our food came out in less than ten minutes. Stop by this hole-in-the-wall restaurant that may take a minute to find, but well worth the navigational detours.
(4)Mizzie C.
I didn't expect much here. It's not easy to find and I just got my pedicure done next door and was looking for somewhere to eat close by. I had the carnitas mariachi tacos with the hot secret sauce. It was devine! Perfect amount of spice and the carnitas was seasoned to perfection. One of the most authentic Mexican restaurant in Hawaii.
(5)Shannon C.
Picked up some early dinner for the hubby and myself today. He had the chicken chimichangas and I had their specialty burritos which had both steak and chicken. My burrito was so big!!! It could feed a small family of four with leftovers! I finished a quarter of it and my husband only finished half of his. We both really enjoyed it. It was really good. The only complaint is that I ordered everything to go, but when they gave me my drink, the cover for the cup had a thick film of dust on it. I didn't notice it until after I drove off. Ewwwww! That's the reason I deducted a star.
(4)Cheryl K.
I already have a bad sense of direction, so finding this place was already challenging, which makes finding it a celebration! I ordered the chile relleno and chicken tamale combo plate and my fiance ordered the chile rojo. We got our plates and dug in. The beans and the rice were tasty as well as the rest of our food! Then we continued to eat, and eat, and eat and realized WOW its salty. It was so tasty because it was so SALTY, no wonder. The chips and salsa were great. We love spicy so the salsa was awesome. The food was awesome too but after eating it for 5 minutes we realized we felt like we were in a desert searching for an oasis of water. Haha. I truly like the ambiance of the place and the decor. The servers were all "auths", what me and my fiance call people that work at the restaurant that look like they are from Mexico, Japan, etc. Or maybe they were from So Cal where my fiance is from. Haha. Anyways, we love places that are authentic. Makes it more legit. The only downfall is that it was salty. Both of our entrees were salty. So I don't recommend this place if you are having blood pressure problems. Probably not a good idea. Maybe the cook accidentally had a salt spill accident that night. The place truly has potential. But if you are craving Mexican food and have a gallon or two of water attached to your back, head to El Mariachi in Aiea!
(3)Mike M.
Yuck. What a waste. The food had great potential. Obviously, there were some good family recipes in the kitchen. Unfortunately, during our visit, cutting corners was the rule of the day. My iced tea tasted old and had floaties in it. Obviously recycled from a few days ago- pointed out to the waitress to no avail. "We brew it ourselves, so that is ok" Rice also seemed recycled and was likely instant to begin with. Ditto for the recycled steak in my burrito. Should have stayed home and heated up a costco burrito. This was a first sitting at lunch, no excuse for lousy food- lazy, lazy.
(1)Asahi S.
The food is awesome, service is fantastic and the price is without the best! I highly reccomend this place to ANYONE that wants amazing Mexican.
(5)Shane L.
Off the beaten path and worth finding - if you like Mexican food at all you'll like this place. Down below Moanalua Road in the Aiea Shopping Plaza. You go in, they greet you pleasantly and tell you to sit wherever you'd like. Just rectangular tables with tablecloths and Mexican decor on the walls but who cares about decor when you're here for the food! They give you great nachos and salsa to start. I just had the nachos with shredded chicken for a whole meal cause I like them so much (my mouth suddenly started watering...mmmm). Other favorites of ours are the shredded chicken quesadillas, burritos of any type but my wife likes the Fajita Burrito with chicken, etc. etc. I always see couples, families with kids, & during the day the working crowd is there. Have never seen it completely full but often lots of people so that'll tell you something. We've eaten in and often do takeout - they treat you real nice/friendly no matter what, refill your drinks, really seem to care. We really like this place and you will, too.
(5)Jenn K.
I've been coming here since I moved to Aiea about a year ago. I've eaten at the kaneohe one a few times a while back. I really enjoy the food and the staff is usually very friendly. The salsa and chips you get when you first arrive is really good. I always order the shredded chicken chimichanga plate and its only $8. Their chimichanga is sooo good and it comes with rice, beans, sour cream, and guacamole. I've been to mexican places and they just dont do it right. I used to love la bamba on kapahulu before but they closed. This is now my fave mexican place. For the price you cant beat it. People that I went with ordered carne asada, and enchiladas and carnitas. All of them liked their food too. I tried their fried ice cream a couple times, I like it but it seems like its not fried right there. I dont know if its fried and then frozen again. Its different then what I'm normally used to but still alright. If you like the batter type then you may want to skip this. I didn't give them 5 stars because the decor of the place could use a little help, and because a Spanish soap opera was playing on the tv which wasnt very appealing.
(4)J. F.
Sketchy, hole-in-the-wall exterior? Check. Perfectly spiced orchata? Check. Quality chips and salsa? Mehhh. So two of the three things I look for to indicate a quality Mexican joint ain't bad. But what about the food? I went with Big Frank - he ordered the carnitas plate - I ordered the grilled salmon with avocado and mango salsa. Both came with rice and beans. Both were delicious. The carnitas were spicy, sweet, and juicy. The salmon was cooked perfectly - seared on the outside with a little pink in the middle. The salsa on the fish dish was pretty stellar - big chunks of mango and avocado tossed with lime juice, diced jalapeños and green onions. Don't be afraid to order things that you're not familiar with - stray from the tacos and burritos - pretty much everything on this menu is good. Now, a lot has been said about the horchata at El Mariachi. The best ever? Not by a long shot. Refreshing and a good blend of spicy sweet? Absolutely. It's good stuff. I usually don't comment about service - but if you're looking for Johnny-on-the-spot, super attentive service, El Mariachi isn't going to cut it for you.
(4)George D.
Thank Goodness there is a Taco Bell nearby I continue my search without luck. I lived in Mexico for 3 years , as well as the mainland for 20 and truly understand the American version of Mexican food, but this is pathetic. I have tried it twice and was hopeful the first time was just a bad evening. Chile , too breaded and "sin sabor" (without flavor), chicken tacos almost appeared boiled , beans watered down and rice overcooked and flavorless, besides that-- all was good.
(2)Jason D.
I am originally from Cali and have a high standard for Mexican food. This place will give you the Mexican fix your looking for!The food here was very,very good! I ordered the pork tamale and the steak chimichanga. Both excellent! My fiance ordered the carne asada tacos and a horchata which she stated "This is one of the better Mexican eateries in Hawaii!"Add some free Chips and Salsa.....I will be eating here again real soon!
(4)Kristen C.
Just as Annie L. says that "this is by far the most authentic mexican restaurant i've ever eated at" (at least on the west side of the island) lol the food is good and the waitress was SUPER nice and spoke spanish, i even wanted to try some of my spanish, but too sked...lol. I came here for lunch at around 12 and I was the only one there so it was quite awkward with me eating and her eating her lunch on the other table, though 4 other groups of people flowed in middle of my meal. I ordered the dos tacos with shredded chicken and it was pretty good, nice and moist. The chips and salsa are also very delish. and when i asked for the hottest sauce i sure got some hot sauce but i can prob handle a bit hotter. Finally for dessert i ordered the fried ice cream and OMG is it the BOMB, a big hunk of vanilla ice cream fried in a cinnamon cornflake coating with whip cream, chocolate syrup drizzle, and non other than a cherry to top it off. Dang im drooling just thinking about it...haha...anyway, definitely a place to check out for those of you who are on your "quest" to find good mex food in the island.
(5)Susan F.
I usually base Mexican food on the chips and salsa they serve you for free upon entrance. The chips were not hot, and the salsa tasted like it was out of a jar. I had the chile cheese relleno, everything on my plate was warm not hot like it was just made. There was more sour cream then cheese on the chile. The only plus on this place is that it's clean and the décor was ok. So far Toritos is still the best on Oahu, but we have yet to try Joses and a few others. Also, the previous reviews were not helpful at all, bullcrap 5 stars for el mariahi, either I went to this place on their worst day ever, or you reviewers are owners/ workers or paid by the restaurant. Come guys, write honest reviews what's so hard about that, that's what this site is all about anyway.
(2)Sergio s.
best mexican in hawaii...
(4)Carla R.
This place is as good as it gets for Mexican on Oahu! Friendly and fairly quick service, as close to Tex Mex as I have found here and a lot of places actually, and the prices are not terrible. My only complaint, as with most people, is the charging for more than 1 basket of chips and salsa.
(4)Ian S.
I've been to El Mariachi several times, and though I may not know any better than the "quasi Mexican-American" food here in the States, I know what tastes good. My credentials are my taste buds, and I like El Mariachi. It has a nice atmosphere, great service, and very good food. It is not in Mexico City, but thankfully nor am I. For Hawaii, or anywhere, this is a nice restaurant that serves nice food.
(4)Kellie M.
Best Mexican food on the island! Portions are large & tasty to the end. I highly recommend the fajitas. yummmmmmy.
(5)Lily G.
5 stars because let's face it, it's the best Mexican food on the island...at a restaurant for a decent price. I wish Hawaii had places like Cali...or Mexico? But it does not, so if you are looking for anything remotely good come here. It get crowded and is sometimes closed at random times, so you might want to call if you are coming from Honolulu.
(5)Greg M.
delish good horchata
(4)Dean S.
The food is good and the prices are reasonable. I've been here on several occasions and the service is usually terrible, but when I went last night, it was empty and the service was great. They're probably just understaffed when it gets busy. The food is definitely more authentic than most other Mexican restaurants. Most dishes are priced over $10, but the combination plate is a deal, at around $10. I ordered the combo with a burrito and chimichanga. Both were very tasty. With that said, for Mexican food in the Aiea/Pearl City area, I prefer Banditos at Pearl Ridge. The food is not better, but the prices are comparable, plus you have the option of choosing vegetables instead of a starch. Banditos also has a full bar and often runs specials on both food and alcohol.
(3)Desirée H.
Really, really, really good. The food was 5 stars for sure and the ambiance was probably a 3 or 4 because there was just none. I did go here just for good Mexican food which is exactly what I got. The waitress was very nice and the prices were pretty good. My friend brought me here for the first time a month or so ago and I have been dying to get back. We are going this week!
(4)Nikki T.
The best mexican food on this island hands down. Great prices too.
(5)G H.
My kids keep begging to come back to this restaurant. They especially love the guacamole. The first serving of chips are free the first time then it's $3 each refill. The food is very good. The place is clean although it's in a very out of the way place at the back of a strip mall. The staff are friendly.
(4)Al N.
I guess the word got out on this place. When I first discovered El Mariachi 2 (a couple of weeks after they opened), there was only one other customer there for dinner (besides us). The last time we were there we had to wait to get a seat. Apparently from what I've been reading on Yelp there are a lot of experts on Mexican food that know exactly what good Mexican Food is. I'm no expert. I just know what taste good to me. I've been to many Mexican restaurants here in Honolulu and this is one of my favorites. I've tried a bunch of different things here but my favorite is the Fajita Burrito which is a burrito filled with your choice of meat (carnitas are the best IMHO. Although it can be a tad bit dry, it is full of flavor), bell peppers, onions & mushrooms. Also includes rice & beans, guacamole & sour cream. The waitress is very friendly and has always provided us with great service. On my way out I noticed that they had a Yelp sticker on their front door.
(4)Linda H.
the first time i ate here was on cinco de mayo, the chips were homemade and food was delish. ive been there several times since, the chips are out of a bag and the food quality varies but nothing spectacular. the service is eh-eh, could be better. plus if you have a group, they won't split the bill into more than two bills.
(3)K N.
Hands down the best Mexican in Hawaii especially if you love authentic Mexican- the kind you can find on the mainland. This place competes with some of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego. Prices are reasonable. We tried the shredded beef enchilada and mini chicken quesadilla. They were both amazing. If you think taco bell has the best Mexican however, this may not be for you. This place is for people looking for good/authentic Mexican. Chips and salsa they give you is one of the best I've had. I would give it 6 stars for hawaii standards.
(5)Garriann M.
When I found that El Mariachi 2 was in Aiea I was stoked because I thought now I don't have to drive far all the way Kaneohe to enjoy their delicious Mexican food. When I got there, it was around 3:30 pm and there were no customers so I figure instead of take out, I'll just eat in. The host, which was a man, was on the phone and while on the phone he asked me if I was eating in or taking out. I told him I'll eat in. While still on the phone he came to the table to give me the chips, and salsa. The salsa was not as good as the Kaneohe location as it kinda tasted partly fresh, and partly like bottled salsa. Anyway I waited about almost 10 minutes before he took my order because he was still on the phone. Finally I got my order in. I ordered the Carnita Quesadilla. My order came pretty fast. After putting my plate on the table, the host along with the cook, and a woman were all watching TV. Yes, there is a large around 40 inch TV up on the wall. Not one time did any of them came to check on me nor refilled my drink. Their backs were facing me the whole time. Being that I was the only customer in there, i would figure that they could have had better customer service. The food was delicious but the portions for the sides could have been a little bigger. The refried beans were delicious but again, they could be more generous. The carnitas was seasoned perfectly. All in all I would come back again and only because I really enjoy their food.
(3)Jessica A.
really good mexican food ad being from San Diego i know good mexican food its the best i have had since i moved here in feb! omg me and coworkers love to go here after work to have really good food !! one of my really good friends brought her daughter and omg she is 2yrs old and she was "translating" the spanish soap opera it was a kick !!!
(4)M.B. L.
This is our "go to" place for Mexican on the island. The prices are reasonable, and the food is delicious. Decent Mexican food is hard to come by in Oahu. I first ventured into this place after reading some excellent reviews on Yelp. While this place doesn't look like much from the outside (or inside), you can get quick, large portions of food here. My favorite are the enchiladas, cheese chili relleno, and veggie quesadillas. The meat eater's favorite are the pork carnitas. The only downside of the place is the lack of ambience; they don't sell booze; and the walk to the bathroom outside can be scary at night. When I first came here a few years ago as a dine-in customer, the waiter wouldn't tell me that there was a charge for salsa refills after he offered it. That doesn't seem to be a problem anymore. I highly recommend this place for take-out. Make sure you call ahead though. The restaurant can get really busy. I've had to wait outside to get seated before. The wait staff is usually pretty good about moving customers through though. The wait staff is pretty friendly. You can BYOB if you like too. There's plenty of parking too!
(4)Misty P.
Ok, you know once you've stepped into a Mexican restaurant, and all the workers are speaking Spanish that you've got yourself a legit joint. The menu has a wide array of Mexican fare for a small place. The restaurant is tucked away behind these buildings across from the Aiea Shopping Center. I don't even know if I would call the center they are in a shopping center as it houses a pre school, Wayland Baptist University, and other weird shops. A gem, nevertheless. I was introduced here by my old roomate. Pretty reasonable prices for entrees. All entrees come with beans and rice. There are also mix and match plates where you can choose two mains from an array of choices. Complimentary chips and salsa come with the food. All were seasoned well, and tasted great. You can even get Mexican sodas here. It's BYOB here though.
(4)Amber H.
My husband and I are from Texas and we were both craving some authentic Mexican food. We were greeted by the staff and seated right away. Food came in a few mins later. The food was great it reminded me of home. Overall great food, great service and good atmosphere!
(5)Brian B.
I am actually writing this review while waiting for a to go order. This place has very good food and a friendly staff. I have been several times and my food has always been good. The only drawback for this place, it is a little worn and not impeccably tidy. I can totally look past this because the food is really good. And to give a good example, I have an associate that only eats at major restaurants and even though she didn't like the "feel" of the place she loved the food. To the people saying it isn't authentic, they are high. I grew up in southern California (northern Mexico) and this is good food. I came from New Mexico and this place is better than 95% of the restaurants there. I don't think you will be disappointed here. And the carnitas are excellent! (Sent from a phone so sorry about grammar and punctuation)
(5)Alexandra T.
Food was okay... The salsa was not very spicy. My husband and I got the shrimp cocktail and it was not your traditional shrimp cocktail. It was more like a soup? The service was great and the waitresses were really nice.
(3)Jenna M.
The food here is pretty good.....but I don't know how they expect to charge extra for hot habanero sauce when they didn't even serve house chips and salsa!?!?! Also what is a Mexican restaurant with no hot sauce for the food you ordered? It's like ordering french fries and having to pay for ketchup!!! What kind of restaurant (that wants customers to keep bring them business) does that? I thought I was eating at a Mexican restaurant not a Chinese restaurant....no offense! -_- I used to come here a lot but that was my last time!
(1)Rays J.
Living on the border of Mexico for six years I took advantage of how awesome the Mexican food was but moving back to Hawaii and trying certain Mexican food restraunts out her sucked until we came here this place hit the spot.. Place was busy when we went around 1200 only one waitress we didn't wait long and even when we placed our order it was about 15 minutes. The steak tacos aren't as good as El Paso but there pretty damn close. Best Mexican food in Hawaii!!!
(4)S K.
Went here for lunch with a friend. It was a small comfy place...no air conditioning (good thing i wasnt sweating lol). It wasnt crowded (thank goodness) because we went in the morning. Our waitress was really friendly and we didnt have to wait long for her to take our order. I ordered a chimichanga with a side of chile relleno. I heard a lot of good things about the food so i was excited!.....but i was a bit disappointed ....ok so i looove chile rellenos and ive tried it at a lot of different mexican restaurants. Ive never had a cold one. But the chile relleno i recieved here was cold. The cheese inside was not melted at all. It was still in its shredded solid form. The outside was warm which tells me that i guess it was microwaved but obviously not long enough lol...boo....the chimichanga on the other hand was good, and warm lol. Maybe it was just one of those days for them idk. Overall id gladly come back. Because honestly the food wasnt bad. I just dont like cold rellenos lol
(3)Stacy W.
Absolutely awesome! The food was amazing and the service was great!
(5)Stacey M.
THE CLOSEST YOU WILL FIND TO MAINLAND MEXICAN!!! I gave up my search for a great Mexican restaurant after being here about a year. Yesterday I was searching for something and this popped up. I saw the solid 4 star rating and gave it a try. It is the only Mexican place I will go to from here on out. Chips and salsa were great. Fajita burrito was excellent. Only complaint is that they charge for extra chips and salsa...which sucks. They are the first place to ever charge me for this. The beans could use more seasoning and the rice could not be so flowery tasting. Other than that things were good. If they didn't charge extra for the extra chips and salsa they would have a 5 star rating from me.
(4)Jana P.
It wasn't busy when we came in (Thursday night).... We ordered guacamole, mini quesidilla and tamales. The food was good. It was not a big portion like other Mexican restaurants I've been to, but it was good. Chips were fresh, salsa was good, guacamole need a little bit of spice but it was yummy. We'll come again for sure.
(4)Marco L.
El Mariachi 2 Sunday evening, my girlfriend was craving Mexican food from El Charro Mexicano, when we arrived to the location we were disappointed to find out that it was closed. Since she was really eager to eat Mexican food she spotted El Mariachi 2. This place is literally a hole in the wall place. We looked up the ratings on yelp, and say an average of 4-5 stars. We go ahead and walk in only to find it full. No biggie, must be that good right? So we waited, outside since there was no type of host/hostess booth. We waited around five minutes an walked in. The decor was a bit tacky, but that's the same in all Mexican restaurants in the U.S. It could sure use a different table layout though. Once we were seated the waiter didn't bother to say, "Hello, welcome. Any drinks for you?" He just tossed the menus and utensils at us like we were dogs and walked away (So far this place doesn't seen worthy of the 4 star rating it has). We waited 10mins after we were seated until we had to ask the waiter that we wanted drinks, and that we were ready to order. He then asks the other waiter, "Hey is this your table?" He replies "Nah, but I can get them next." Waited another 5 mins for him to actually come to us. I hate being ignored like this. Even though we are still young, that doesn't mean that we aren't valued customers. Any who, I ordered the Horchata as always (Horchata Principal applied here). TERRIBLE Horchata! It's just water with a strong taste of vanilla that overpowers the sweet rice taste. I asked the waitress if I may have water instead of this Horchata (I rather drink the complementary water than pay $2.50 for flavored water) After the drinks came out we had to wait another 10 minutes or so till our food order was taken. Once I ordered in Spanish, the waiter changed his mood towards us. He started calling me Amigo (it's a little too late my friend). Two other groups that arrived after us were served before us so they got their food long before we did. We ordered the Taquito de Pollo, and the combination platter that included: burrito de pollo, quesadilla de puerco, and the enchilada de pollo. The food came out in about 25 minutes, I wouldn't complain on how long it took the food to come out if it weren't for the 30 plus minutes we had to wait before hand, but at this point I was a bit peeved. Food The Taquito came out first. When I saw it I was like," what on earth is this!" They literally took a tortilla that is normally used for burritos stuffed it with chicken and deep fried it, and then cut into six pieces. (If you've eaten Mexican food in Mexico or SoCal then you know thy taquitos are long and thin). This was more of a skinny burrito. It was served along with rice and beans. The "Taquito" was a disappointment in flavor the chicken was dry and salty. The rice and beans were terrible. The rice was made and left out for about four hours and kept warm with a light, you can just taste the staleness and dryness. The beans were either pre-made the day prior or canned. Overall just a terrible plate, it gave is little hope for the combination. We received the combination plate and it was terrible. I seriously just wanted to speak with the owner right then and there. The burrito was soggy since the chicken was soaked with tomatillo sauce, way too salty and sour. The quesadilla was way to oily and greasy that it just made me feel sick, and the enchilada seemed microwaved and drenched in tomatillo sauce. Here's a tip, if the tomatillo sauce is sour and bitter then it's from a can. The fresh sauce will have a nice full tart flavor that is sort of refreshing and the seeds should still be in the sauce. Again this was served with the flavorless pre-made rice and beans. This was a very disappointing dinner and I feel bad that my girlfriend paid for this meal. I do however give props to the cooks, since they can handle so many food orders, it wasn't entirely their fault as much as it was the waiting staff witch is the face of the restaurant. Take it from me, don't waste your money here, just drive up Aiea Heights and go to El Charro (I'm not just saying this). Key issues -Horchata is terrible -If it's full you have to wait outside, which looks bad -Service is slow -They don't follow the order that the tickets are sent in -Staff ignores you and plays favorites -Food quality is poor
(1)Joan A.
the best authentic mexican restaurant on the island! can't wait for the kapolei location to open!!!! please hurry and open already! been waiting so patiently! lol
(5)Kahea P.
¡Dios mÃo, qué asco! How can anyone like the food here? The salsa tastes like canned tomatoes, the food is overly salty (not to be mean, but in my experience, this is a common problem in places with Micronesian cooks...I'm just assuming that's who's back there...) and one of our party had the runs as soon as we got home. Never again. Tips for the owners: 1. Change the rancid oil. Really. It's gross. 2. Educate your cooks on "Tex-mex cuisine" (It's not really Mexican, you yelpers do know that, right? nachos, burritos, chimichangas...¿¡¿¡¿qué?!?!?) Teach them to appreciate the spices, flavors, freshness...not just SALT.
(1)Lawrence O.
The absolute Best mexican in Hawaii! I eat here frequently and have yet to be disappointed. Portions are large and everything is great.
(5)Colleen Z.
Fantastic. I loved the salsa and chips, and my order of shreded chicken enchiladas and chili rellano was awesome. Beans and rice just ok but the entree made up for it. DIL had fajitas and said they were really good. Her fajitas had mushrooms in them which she really liked. I live in Michigan so we do not access to good Mexican food. However, I grew up in Kansas so I know good Mexican and this food would stand up against some of the best.
(4)George G.
Went here with my boss for lunch one day, he kept talking this place up. So, went there to check it out. The place is small, but comfortable. The food was very good, the nachos were fresh and the salsa had a little kick to it, but not the over powering heat (I'm no fan of spicy food) For the meal, I got the chicken chimichanga, it was filling. Came with rice, re-fried beans, gac, sour cream, and let/tom. Went back there today, brought the wife there and she loved it. She is a Banditos fan, but she likes EM2 better now. Found a new spot for Mexican.
(4)Lowana L.
To be honest, I have never had authentic Mexican food. So I don't quite know how to rate my experience of food here. However, the lady and man that were serving us were very friendly and attentive, even when it started to get really busy. When my friends and I entered, there were only 3 other parties there, and the restaurant is a pretty good size. I glanced at the menu, and the names were in Spanish, but luckily there are explanations of the dishes under it. I glanced at it for a while, and the nice lady offered chips and salsa. Nice touch. I decided to order a pork tamale, which came with rice and refried beans. The food took a while to come out, but the game was on the TV, so it pretty much distracted us as we waited. When the food came, it was nice and hot. I dug into the tamale which was well seasoned and not overly salty. There was a good amount of pork in the tamale, which was great! The rice was rather bland and dry, which was a bummer, but the beans were good. I also asked for a side of guacamole, and that was pretty tasty too. For dessert, I ordered their flan. I had high hopes for it because it is a traditional Mexican dessert. But when I dug into it, it was almost jello-like, not creamy and custardy like I thought it would be. Aside from the consistency of the jello, I liked the flavor of it, it was spicy from the cinnamon, and not overly sweet. When I got my bill, I noticed they didn't charge me for the guacamole, which was nice of them. Next time I come, I'll try something new!
(3)Kerri E.
Yum!! The salsa was excellent!!!!!!! Our food was very good too! My daughter loves the rice. Yum!
(4)Al D.
Good prices. Very tasty. Salsa tasted canned but chips are fresh and warm. Friendly service. Good place for families.
(4)Shanti B.
According to reviews on yelp, this place was pretty good. And I don't disagree..not a 100% outstanding, but still reasonable..When we walked into the place, we waited to be welcomed & seated as their sign asks, but was told by an employee that was sitting at a table eating to sit anywhere. I mean whats the point of having a sign stating you want us to wait to be seated if you're not even gonna approach us and/or seat us?! Our server was nice, not the best, but still nice & she did a good job. She brought us chips & salsa as soon as we sat and got our drink order right away (but we just got water). She gave us some time to look over the menu, I ended up getting the carne asada and my girlfriend got dos enchiladas. The carne asada was really good, the steak was tender and soft. Only downside was that a good portion of my steak was fat and unedible..all the sides (Spanish rice, refrained beans, guacamole was all good as well) The dos enchiladas were good as well, although I only tried a few bites I really enjoyed them. I especially like that they use green sauce ( I can't remember what it's called) instead of the traditional red... The place is a little hole in the wall, probably family owned. The whole time we were there only had a couple other customers..staff is very laid back, they don't always approach you at the table they just kinda ask you how you are doing from where ever they are sitting. Overall, a decent experience and I'd go there again for my Mexican food fix. I'd recommend to try if you don't mind the laid back wait staff..it's not like the customer service was horrible its just not the greatest :) Enjoy!!
(4)D H.
In a nutshell, this is quite an ok place to get mexican food. There are both positives and negatives. Negatives: The refried beans are lacking any seasoning whatsoever, the mexican rice is cooked beyond recognition (but does have a nice hint of cumin). The guac is whipped and airy (I'm assuming with sour cream?) and is just ok. The shredded beef I got was clearly yanked from the freezer and microwaved - it was kinda spongy. Positives: the salsa is banging good. fresh onions, cilantro, tomatoes,etc. This is good salsa that is thin (ish) but has good chunks. Great balance. The chips were served warm and were solid tasting. The flavor of the shredded beef barbacoa was fantastic. (it just wasn't fresh). The adoboda meat was quite good also, very nice charred flavor but a bit heavy on the cinnamon. Overall, it's "ok" food. It's what you expect for 10-15 a plate. Oh, one thing, none of my food was actually hot. Just barely warm, kind of a bummer. The service was good though. I wouldn't go back here though, unless I did the BYOB and brought a shitload of booze (it's close, so I can walk home!)
(2)Roberto L.
I try to keep a lot of my reviews flowing in the same format, but this one may be unique. I will talk about the individual dishes and then some things that did not really go well for me. THE GOOD ---------------- Chips and Salsa (Free first round --$3 after that) - These are awesome and the salsa is pretty delicious. I would savor them though, because the size is not worth the 3 bucks per refill. Delicious though! Campeon Burrito ($12.95) - This thing is massive. I mean, take up a plate and fill up your gut massive. It is pretty dang delicious too!! I really enjoyed this burrito, mainly because the size, but also because it includes both steak and chicken. Overall, it is a little pricey, but based on the size it is worth it. Two Combo Plate ($11.95) - My wife ordered this and was happy with what she received. She got a grilled chicken enchilada and a bean and cheese burrito. Overall, it looked pretty good for the price and also came with a side of refried beans and rice. My wife had no complaints about the food at all. THE BAD ------------- Side Sour Cream ($2.00) - At two bucks for a side, this is highway robbery. I will be honest, the sour cream is delicious, but I don't know of any dollop of sour cream that should cost more than a small container of it. Outrageous and should be avoided at all costs. Fountain drinks - We drank water and this may make us sound cheap, but refills here are not free. This is a softdrink machine, where the actual cost of soda is pennies. The price on a refill is between .50 and .75 cents. In my book, that is way too high. Speed - The wait staff here is always pretty friendly. The one thing about this place is that when they get busy, they get slow. It can end up taking a while to not only get food, but also to get the check. Just something to be aware of going in. BOTTOM LINE ============ If you are craving some good Mexican food at a pretty average price, this is the place to head. It is better than most other places on the island and will for sure please just about anyone. Just be prepared to wait for a bit and get nailed with some silly extra costs.
(4)Russel M.
This establishment is the real deal. Being from So Cal this Mexican Food tastes like it does in LA. The prices are fair for the Quality and the service is good. Probably our fave Mex Restaurant near Honolulu at this time.
(5)Marchell T.
My son & I eating here every other week! We love how the people who work there treat us lime family & remember what we always order!
(5)Hohoho B.
I love mexican food so I had heard good things about this place, and with a 4 star rating I had high expectations....WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! When we first got there, the server turns around and tells us just sit anywhere there are menus...ok no problem we pick a table that has been bussed but not wiped down. There were menus on it along with a large wet spot, some lettuce and salsa still on the table. I mean, c'mon.....don't put menus on a dirty table and tell people to sit there! I took my napkin and wiped down the table then I had to ask for extra napkins because mine was dirty from cleaning the table. Then I open my menu and the first thing I see is a huge blob of dried salsa (I think) right in the middle of the page. Upon close inspection all of the menus were dirty also not wiped down. Gross!! I was ready to walk out at this point but the others in my party said the food was supposed to be good. OK, maybe I can be a little forgiving if the food is good. Meh, it was just ok. I had chili rellenos I asked for all rice, no beans....guess what? She couldn't even get that right....my plate had beans (shaking head in disgust)It tasted just OK. Others in my party had small quesedilla which I was told was really good, and the other had a trio combo which also was OK....only OK. Not good enough to make up for the disgusting table and menus! We even had to ask for more chips and salsa when our basket sat empty for more than half the meal. She not once came to check on us, we had to flag her down to ask for it. The place wasn't even busy. Yes there was only the one server but there were only 4 tables including us!!! We went right about lunch time too. I guess word is out about the filth and crappy service? She is lucky she is related to owners, because I'm sure she couldn't cut it in a real restaurant!! To their credit at least they are generous with sour cream. That. Is. All.
(1)Joseph C.
Service was terrible. Place seemed dirty and rundown. Food tasted good but me and my entire family got food poisoning from the chicken. Good salsa and beef though. They really need to fire their extremely unpleasant waitstaff.
(2)Sunshine C.
BEST MEXICAN ON THE ISLAND!!! Love their chicken flautas, steak nachos, steak fajitas OMG and their chips and salsa is so good too! Hubby and I always come here :) Great friendly staff with quick service!!!
(5)Catherine L.
Good mainstream straightforward mexican food. Not stellar but just what you expect out of a Mexican restaurant in Hawaii. We tried the ahi ceviche. Good acidity, fresh taste. Then we had the pulled pork burrito and the beef children plate. both basic but good. In other words, not exceptional but will hit the spot in case of mexican food craving emergency. The staff is fun and efficient though. Cracking jokes, and very helpful.
(3)Jamie B.
I heard about this place from a friend. It really lived up to her recommendation. Best mexican food I have had in a long time! Servers are super nice and the place is clean. The food comes out pretty fast as well. Everything I have tried there has been fantastic!
(5)moejoe r.
We have been here several times however our visit last week will be the last one. Sooooo disappointed. I ordered a torta and asked for NO onions. The 2 waitresses stood just inside the kitchen talking and playing with their cell phones. The waitress brought over our food, put down my husband's plate and then put my plate down in front of me. She repeated our order and as she said 'NO onions' made a funny face and noticed there were onions on the sandwich. She took my plate away and took it back into the kitchen. I said to my husband, "if they just remove the onions I am going to refuse it. They should make a new torta." Less than 3 minutes passed and the waitress was back with the same sandwich, just messier because guess what...they just picked out the onions!!! Whoa...what if I had had an allergy??!! I told her no thank you I was no longer hungry. The waitress said that they could make a new sandwich but I didn't want to take a chance. No manager/owner came over to apologize about my food. When the waitress brought the bill, she said that she took my sandwhich off tne bill...well duh!!! We were not planning on paying for the cook's mistake!!!
(1)Ira J.
Okay there, Mr. El Marchi 2. I got something to say: You make a pretty good burrito and enchilada, your servers are friendly, and your décor/atmosphere works. But please man! Stop nickel and diming me! "You want some more salsa? That'll be another $1.50." "You want a refill on your soda? That'll cost you too." Et cetera. Et cetera. Here's what I recommend you do: Set a slightly higher price on your entrées based on a certain percentage of customers asking for extra salsa/chips/whatever. Do the same for your sodas. Stop making us think about our wallets over and over again throughout the meal. I hate that. You know what I hate worse than that? Not being told the extra stuff I asked for costs extra and discovering it when the check comes. That's appalling. You did that to me today. It was both extremely infuriating and disappointing. Please consider this, Mr. El Marchi 2. After all, I don't speak just for myself. I speak for everyone who feels exactly the same as I do.
(2)Kate T.
This hidden gem reminds me of all the wonderful drunken nights I spent in Mexico. This is one of the only authentic mexican places I have found on island. I'm not going to lie when I walked in there I wasn't expecting much becuase the restaurant didn't look like much but when we got the food it was amazing!! It is a little pricey but what can you expect when you have authentic mexican food in hawaii. The portions are huge and delicious and it did not take a long time to get the food. I liked this place and definitely would come back again!!!
(5)Ocean L.
Came here for lunch today, use to come a lot more when I still lived In aiea. Drove all the way from ewa because I was craving the Carne Asada . Food is always consistent, service was good today. No complaints :) Shrimp ceviche was also on point & the horchata was also refreshing. Definitely coming back when in the mood for Mexican again.
(4)Joseph A.
Great authentic mexican food.. beans and rice seems better than mexicos.. probably the best mexican food I've tasted on island... service was horrible and we basically ignored most of the time... other than service. The food was great
(3)Thomas O.
While driving home I was reminded by Riana S. that today happens to be Tuesday. You know, that awkward third day of the week that makes you wish it was Friday already? Well, what's so doggon special about Tuesday, right? It starts with "T." So does "Taco." Uh-Oh. (Note: We originally planned to go to the gym...but obviously we didn't make it either because of Riana's persuasion skills or my major craving for Mexican food. I think it was a mix of both because I said "yes" without hesitation.) Well I come home and my dad's on the yelp app looking up Mexican food places for some ironic reason. El Mariachi 2 some how sticks because he wanted to try the Fried Ice Cream. Shut the front door! Any mentioning of Fried and Ice Cream in the same sentence and I'm outta here! NTM they're 4 starts, so they've got to be doing something right. I grab Riana and we make it just in time for their last seating just before 8 PM. We're immediately seated and instantly served a basket of warm nachos and salsa. We ate them ALL within 5 minutes I swear. I finally decide on the Campeon (Champion) Burrito which is a Large flour tortilla filled with marinated chicken, carne asada, and everything under the sun served enchiladas style with Mexican salad, sour cream and guacamole. Okay. When they say large, they really mean ¡MUCHO MUCHO GRANDE SEÑOR! Because my mouth literally hung open for a good 2 minutes and it STILL wasn't big enough to bite this Champion. Well I ate about a third of it (like a CHAMP) but after each I bite, I'd look down and see that it kept coming back on my plate. I now have 2 more meals for tomorrow, and an infinite if I play my cards right. The chicken had a sweet savory spice to it that reminded me of Tandoori but the carne asada brought me right back to Mexico City. ¡MUY Excellente! Riana had the Flautas and oh my Hay-soos were these the ebees eknees. Their flaky "Naple" coating and tender chicken morsels kept calling me back for more but I couldn't help but poke at her Mexican rice and refried beans. They too had so much flavor, I couldn't resist another bite. After eating enough meals for 2 armies we were ready for what we came for. ¡FRIED ICED CREAM! Wow this invention is beyond words. Its probably the best dessert in terms of taste and the worst in terms of what it can do to your body. Don't tell your trainer I sent you here to try this because they sure wouldn't appreciate the party you'll have in you mouth, complete with a Mariachi band. Service was muy bien and muy rapido. We are coming here again with all of our amigos for sure!!!!!
(4)Marcus D.
Mexican on Oahu, who would have thought? Place is a little challenging to find, the GPS locations were not right on the dot, but keep searching as it is worth the effort. My wife and I visited the restaurant. The food was good, there was plenty of it, and the prices were not much over what we would expect to pay in the states. Service was prompt and friendly. Decor was a bit lacking, but I come to restaurants to eat and not to appreciate interior design. I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area, but not worth the trip just to eat here.
(4)Lester S.
One of my favorite hole-in-the-wall, neighborhood eateries. Great Mexican food at a reasonable price. The salsa is just right. Ask for the habenero sauce for a little kick to your food. The menu selection is very good with lots to choose from. This place is byob. Servers are friendly. Bring cash or your MasterCard because they don't take American Express.
(4)Marina S.
Ordered combo plate: chicken quesadilla and a chicken burrito. They had shredded chicken and a teaspoon of cheese. Only difference between the two were how they were wrapped. I wouldn't come back.
(1)Brandon L.
My coworkers felt like eating Mexican food for lunch so I tagged along. The place was pretty packed but we managed to get a table for our group of 5. There wasn't any bathroom for the customers to use, but they do have a sink in the corner where you can wash your hands. The complementary chips and salsa were delicious, but it's $1.50 if you want a second serving of salsa. I tried the Dos Tacos (shredded chicken) for $9.95. Decent portion size and it also came with rice and refried beans. I thought it was pretty tasty. Worth a try if you're in Aiea and looking for good Mexican food. iDcard holders get 15% off for up to 4 people
(4)Joanne C.
So this place is the best of the best!!! Of course it's in the wall but that's what makes it so great! The service is awesome. Place opens at 11am just in time for lunch. AC works. Big Screen TV (always playing spanish channels, hopefully during football/ basketball will pay that instead) Place does get busy and sometimes there is a wait time. Family Friendly. Service is always quick and friendly. They love to joke and talk story with their customers especially when our kids are around. Now for the food! Think BIG Plate and super cheap and soo DELISH! My favorite dish: Chicken Flauta with chile verde a must have!
(5)Maile T.
Hubby & I were looking for something different & were pleasantly surprised. The chicken fajitas were soooooo good. Lots if flavor w/ no greese! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Nihi N.
All props to the food, it was good, not great but good What gets me is the way they bill you. When you sit down they give you chips and salsa, normal for any Mexican restaurant, what they don't tell you it's $1.50 and we had 2 helpings of that, which I really didn't mind too much. During the meal I asked for lemons to put in my water, they came back with a half of a lime, cut into to pieces, I didn't want to make an issue so I took it. Of COURSE IM CHARGED $1.00 for it! So besides the nickel and dimming customers, it was a pleasent experience, but I would go somewhere else before coming here!
(3)Aiko A.
Okay, so I went back yesterday to El Mariachi 2 and ordered the chicken flauta...and it was everything I wanted it to be. It was deep friend and flaky goodness. No greasiness. As for the service, the place was packed and the service was timely in spite of having only 2 waitpersons. They definitely earned their 5th star.
(5)Kimberly H.
4 stars?? Really?? This restaurant was just okay for me. Nothing spectacular at all. I knew from the moment I took a bite of the chips and salsa that this place wasn't going to be that great. The service for this restaurant was kinda slow, but the servrer was very nice. It was quite busy and there was only 1 server so I can understand that. My husband ordered 2 enchiladas and the sauce tasted like it came out of a spaghetti o's can, but the reason I'm giving them 2 stars is because their garlic shrimp was super delicious. I'm not sure if I'll go back there again.
(2)Chad Y.
Save Room For Dessert! Fry Me Up Some Ice Cream! I have come here a few times this year and this is one of the best Mexican restaurants on the island! The salsa and the free basket of chips is a great way to start off. Just spicy enough and gives you a refreshed feel. My favorite entree is the Chicken Chimichanga. One of the reasons is because it is as thick as my bicep, but not as firm ;D The crunchy outer layer fulfills my love for anything fried and the chicken is tender. I slather guacamole and sour cream over the entire thing and then just devour it. Get the Habanero Hot Sauce that is homemade to put on top of anything! Just a little though, it is spicy! My BF had a Crab Chimichanga, which had real crab. He really enjoyed it. The only thing I had that was just okay was the Sope. It wasn't bad, still liked it, but it wasn't the best. Don't miss dessert! If you don't have time skip dinner and just come here for dessert! I won't judge you! Get the Fried Ice Cream! A huge ball of vanilla ice cream coated in a crunchy coating with cinnamon and who knows what! It has to be the best fried ice cream I have had! They were all delicious, but this one was something special. Drizzled on top of the ice cream there is caramel and chocolate. I had to keep myself from licking the plate! Ohhhhh, AND BYOB!!!!!!!! :D
(4)Dean W.
Even with a busy Friday lunch crowd service was fast professional and friendly. The overall feeling is that of a family run, family pride, authentic Mexican restaurant. If you are looking to go to a place to show off, don't go here... However if you want some truly terrific food you shouldn't miss it! Prices are good and the portions are large. In fact you might want to be careful if you order one of the larger burritos since you will be very full or needing a place to store your "take home" portion you couldn't finish. This is not one of those "give a lot of food to make up for quality" type situations. Everything served is absolutely delicious. The food is fresh and done very well. This outing consisted of the Seafood Ceviche, Campeon Burrito and the Seafood Quesadilla. All were tasty and done with just the right amount of spices. If you want to have a Cervesa/Beer with your meal you will have to bring your own, they don't mind in the least and will let you know that it's okay if you ask. They do not serve alcohol.
(5)Jody S.
So our electricity was out for the past two days, the family was watching "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2" on the computer and the hubby and I were trying to figure out what we would eat since we had to throw out all our riferigerator food and didn't want to open our freezer since we were aiming to keep the food safe. So after watching the chihuahuas I had a hankering for Mexican food. So thanks to Yelp, we found this restaurant. And with some really good reviews, we headed to find this restaurant. From the outside it looks a little ghetto, with a faded sign and obscure location. However, when you enter the locale it feels like a homey, mom and pop restaurant. The ambience showcased Mexican style decor with Pinatas, sombreros and artwork. We immediately received what looked and tasted like homemade chips and salsa, yum! We ordered cheese quesadilla for the keiki, the hubby ordered steak tacos and I had a combo plate of ono fish tacos (literally r fish was Ono) and a shrimp enchilada. The service was swift and when the food arrived, awesome! It was filling, delicious and authentic. We all grinded our meals. I look forward to definitely going back again.
(5)Tad A.
Was surprised to find two well reviewed Mexican food restaurants in my area. Tried the first one El Mariachi 2 and here's the review. Got the Mariachi Tacos with fish, two Corn Torillas with cilantro, onions, topped with sour cream and spicy salsa. The portions are good sized and i thought i was hungry. Really good authentic Mexican cuisine and having a good Horchata only added to it.
(4)Laura S.
This place is a little hard to find. I didn't even know there was a Mexican restaurant in the back of this shopping center. To be honest, I didn't even know there was a back at all! But beside that point, the food was delicious! I wasn't terribly hungry upon coming here, so me and my boyfriend decided to share a dish. We ordered the Campeon Burrito to share. While waiting for our dish to be prepared, the waitress brought out chips and salsa to munch on. The salsa was really good, I could of easily inhaled a pint of it. (I LOVE SALSA!!!) The food came out pretty quick and the waitress brought us an extra plate, which it a plus considering most places they expect you to eat from the same plate and you have to demand for an extra plate. I have to say I was SURPRISED at the size of this burrito, seriously no one person could eat the whole thing in one sitting. IT WAS HUGE!!! The burrito was about 6 or 7 inches long and about 4 inches wide, it was stuffed and stuffed some more with mountains of meat and lightly covered in what looked like enchilada sauce and cheese. The burrito was very savory and moist. The place looks like a whole in the wall kind of place, but don't let that scare you away, definitely come try this place. I will be back to try out the rest of their menu and will be bringing friends to spread the word. The reason I gave them only 4 stars instead of 5 is because although it was good and the quantity was gargantuan, it wasn't blow your mind out the water good. I have left some places thinking that my life was now complete from the food. Good, but not over the top amazing, but a definite 4 stars for sure.
(4)Loreene A.
It's a small restaurant where military families go. Princes are reasonable,customer service is great and quick. All of the food is delicious as well! Everyone enjoyed it including my fiance who managed to steal most of my delicious enchilada ;)
(5)Christopher C.
Hole- E moly, Ive been searching and searching for good Mexican for forever........and its been hiding right by my new place! Tucked away in a small plaza, the road less travelled proved the better one today. Had I not read the wonderful reviews on this spot by my fellow yelpers, I would never have spotted it (not gonna lie I still had trouble finding it). Great spot I will definitely be back too, and I'll be bringing my friends to as wel!!!!!! Hawaii is awesome, but I do miss my Californian Mexican. The Giants winning the World Series yesterday really made me a bit homesick, and craving good Mexican. I had the Fajita Burrito- tender meat seasoned very well but a bit too heavy on the peppers for my taste, but still so delicious Rice perfectly seasoned, cooked well not too mushy or hard I picked up a side of guacamole based on the reviews I spotted online- its fresh light hits spot (I saved some for later =)) Unfortunately my to go order didnt have the habanero sauce, ill have to check it out next time (there definitely will be a next time!!!!!!!!!!!)
(4)Cy C.
In the words of Speedy Gonzales, "Arriba Arriba Andale." Even though everytime I go to California everyone thinks I'm Mexican, I am not claiming I am but apparently that phrase means, "Come on hurry up!' I know Speedy wasn't saying to go eat but if he went to El Mariachi he might be. If you are near the Aiea area you do have some options for Mexican, though not always great. I live in Salt Lake and I am always trying to find a good Mexican place and I think I found the right spot. Located by Aiea Shopping Center across the street of Times Market. I'll be honest with you I"m not sure how long this place was here, but I remember couple times driving by look at the place and go nah. Luckly I read Yelp reviews which convinced me to go check it out. I was further convinced to see that this place is always crowded. I'm going to stay away from rating decor of Mexican restaurants because what do you you want me to say, they did good job to making you feel like you are in Mexico. This place doesn't have the nicest tables or chairs. Also the table does smell like cleaner. The first impression is always chips and salsa (yes its free I can't believe some places charge you for that). The salsa was a bit spicy but very yummy. First impression of the menu is hey this place looks pretty reasonable. I decided to order the Champion Burrito. All I got to say is the burrito was huge almost hanging off the plate. It had beef and chicken and everything except the kitchen sink. The plate included beans and spanish rise. I was more than satisfied. When I go to a Mexican restaurant, I expect to feel full. Let's just say I was able to bring some home for lunch tomorrow. Finally I must recommend to order the Horchata. Its a cold flavored drink. It honestly taste like you are drinking a churro. Sorry not a great explanation but trust me its pretty refreshing. Okay I feel bad for Sylvestor, poor cat will never catch Speedy. I'll give him a call and invite him to El Mariachi 2.
(4)Jimmy J.
Great food, good prices. I love the pernil/pork.
(4)Cynthia M.
4-5 stars AVERAGE? Umm, I don't think so. I'm Mexican, born and raised in Los Angeles. So I know what AUTHENTIC Mexican food is SUPPOSE to taste like. I heard about this restaurant by some co-workers and decided to check out the reviews on-line. Every single place...Google, Yelp, Eat Out Hawaii, and Urban Spoon rated this place 4-5 Stars. So my boyfriend and I finally made our way there. The restaurant is sort of hidden in the back, but there's plenty of parking around. Right when you're walking up to the door, you can hear the Mexican music playing. We didn't have to wait for a seat; we picked our own table. The atmosphere was great. It was quiet and they had Univision on TV, which I was totally stoked for because I haven't watched a Spanish channel in such a long time. The soccer games were pre-recorded, so ehhh, it wasn't a big deal. We were given a basket of hot chips and salsa which were OKAY. The salsa tasted a mix between a can of tomato sauce and some fresh ingredients. To put it lightly; it wasn't seasoned at all. Everything on the menu I'm very much familiar with so I decided to order chicken flautas and my boyfriend ordered the carne asada plate. For drinks, he ordered a Sprite and I ordered horchata. The horchata was awesome, but there was way too much ice in my cup. Needless to say, the ice melted and it basically watered down my drink. Onto the main dishes...one word...DISAPPOINTMENT. The portions were huge, but it doesn't mean anything to me if the presentation and quality of food is COMPLETELY not what you're expecting. The carne asada plate looked like a big slab of uncooked, fatty steak thrown onto a plate. The steak had more fat deposits than the meat itself. It also looked gray/brown, hence, uncooked. The plate didn't look appealing at all. Now, for those who are familiar with flautas, knows that flautas are flour tortillas that is rolled up around a filling, deep fried, and made very long and thin. My plate looked like I ordered a burrito that was cut into 6 one inch cubes. I was so disappointed. The rice wasn't seasoned and the beans had no taste. Everything we ordered was BLAND. We were done with our plates within 10 minutes and didn't even make a dent. The service was so-so and the wait-staff were nice. The restaurant itself was clean, decorations were nice, and the music was pleasant. Personally, I think this restaurant is over-rated. I suppose since we're on an island, we have to settle with and deal with what is around and that is THE ONLY REASON why the restaurant is rated so high. We're absolutely not coming back here; 1 Star overall.
(1)Dean H.
Still sooooooooo good.... The habanero sauce is still HOT and win! The salsa just hits the spot before the main course comes (too bad the chips costed us an extra 2.50 for a refill...) The ingredients are fresh as ever.... The wait staff was still as sweet and kind as ever, even with a pretty full house Just straight up LOVE this place for sure....
(5)Angela B.
I would go regularly, the food is awesome! The customer service was very good, and when we went, there was no one else in there so it was nice and relaxing. I recommend the steak burrito!
(5)Milani C.
It was just ok. Bases on the reviews I expected more. The portions are big and the place is surprisingly nice based on the outside location. The carne asada was dry and tough as well as their tortillas. The chili releno was great tho I just had cheese and their salsa was fabulous! If I went again I would stick to the nachos and guacamole salsa type stuff because it was great! My tamales where just ok and the rice and beans where a little funny tasting like they where burnt. Other than that it was a good experience as far a service goes I just expected the food to be more than what it was based on what I read from other yelpers. Guess us local people really can't compare our Mexican to one that is truly good Mexican.
(3)Jaylynn A.
Good little hole in the wall restaurant that I go to for all my Mexican cravings and I was able to introduce this place to my boyfriend recently. They give a lot for their prices and the servers are always great. Just wish I would make it to dessert one day. Always too full! Get the fajita burrito with steak!
(4)John B.
5 stars for El Mariachi!! My wife went here with her coworkers for a going away dinner for one that was leaving their company. My wife doesn't like Mexican food that much but she was raving about this place after she went there the first time! she ordered the carne asada chimichunga and brought the leftovers home. she couldn't wait to come back here! went there a few times already and I had their carne asada chimichunga plate every time. can't wait to go back!
(5)Kelly G.
Hola! Right off the bat, El Mariachi gives off the ambiance of tacky, yet delightful, Mexican eating. Arrived right as they opened at 11am on a Wednesday morning and was told to have a seat anywhere. A server brought out chips and salsa, but when we told him we were ordering to go, he took it back. -sad face- No me gusta! Once we put in our order (credit card purchases must be over $10), I had the chance to look around. In their fridge they stock jarritos! Yum yum. Our server was very friendly and spent most of our waiting time talking about how he moved to the island. Given that we were the only people, service was pretty fast. Took about 20 mins to get our food. The carnitas burrito was basically a flour tortilla stuffed with carnitas and some pico de gallo. Came with rice, beans & cheese and some guacamole. The carnitas was just on the greasy side and heavy since there was next to nothing else in the burrito to compliment/lighten it. no me gusta. The horchata is made with milk I think. Its heavy and on the creamier side, but still full of cinnamon rice goodness. Total came out to $13 pre tip. Seemed reasonable pricing for my extremely full tummy. Unfortunately, the quality wasn't enough to get me driving back out just for my future Mexican food cravings. Los sientos, pero mucho gracias senors!
(3)Jason M.
food is ok... but the guacamollle is amazing!!! i always go there, but the most recent time they ran out of guacamolle WTF!
(3)Jennifer H.
First off... Where's El mariachi 1? I mean if there's a 2 where's the 1? I should google that later... We went out to dinner with my bf's parents thinking we could eat at the old compadres (yup, officially evicted and closed) so I frantically looked for a mexican place in pearl city/aiea area for us to eat to avoid eating at the food court across the street. this was the one that popped up high on the list at the time. Service was quick, considering they only had 2 waiters... one i recognized from compadres that i guess found another mexican place to work at. there was a military family with these SUPER annoying lil kids that were running up and down the restaurant and knocked over drinks on my bf's dad's chair so that wasn't a good way to start dinner, but they left soon after we ordered. Hmm.. idk if i liked the salsa, it was kinda tomato pastey like with pico de gallo, but the bf and his parents liked it. They had to "make" more because they ran out so we got some after we ordered instead of before, but I don't think any of us minded. Food came out quick and it was all quite filling. Got a burrito and the bf and his dad got combos which they all ate and were full... the burrito was a lil salty but ehhh... i figured that was alright. This place has actual mexicans cooking in the back so thats a plus. This place might be byob but... not sure about that.... I saw people bringing their own but I didn't see it on the menu so probably best to call to ask... Would definitely go again. Wish it wasn't in such a sketchy location... it's like in the back corner of the shopping complex which made me feel like we were going to either get flashed by some random creeper or someone might rob us... i probably watch too much tv....but other than that... It was good.
(4)Tawny A.
I am hooked. Their flavors are authentic and spot on. They have classics and something for everyone. I do wish they had a few more things on their menu because if anyone on the island could do huevos rancheros or chilaquiles verdes it would be them. The place is small and sometimes it takes a while to get the check or water, but we forgive them because they often have only one or two waitresses' and a packed house.
(4)Daphne A.
Due to Banditos closing down we were craving mexican food. We came to this place after searching on YELP. It's a small hole in the wall and the food was good. Anthony our server was friendly and helpful. The food is yummy and I loved the salsa :) Simple and savory. Nuff Said
(4)Sierra L.
I love this place. The food is incredible and authentic. The workers a great, friendly and your food comes out quick. So far there isn't anything that I didn't like. My go to pupu dish is their shrimp ceviche. It's pretty spicy so I always ask for them to make it mild.
(5)Pins V.
Running around doing errands decided to stop by for dinner...OMG what a great choice! Ordered chicken quesadillas for starter!!! Hubby ordered chili verde and he said it was the best one he's never had..I had the carne asada burrito and it was awesome..all in all food was great and service was excellent!!!
(4)Kalei F.
Tucked away in a little strip mall, this place packs some flavor!! Awesome mexican!! Salsa was addicting, wish it was a little spicier but still very good - really good chips, I wonder if they're homemade? I had the 2 tacos - one with pork and one with chorizo con huevos. I judge all of my mexican restaurants based on their salsa and their chorizo con huevos. If they're truly Mexican, then they really know how to flavor their chorizo and not to add too much egg...just enough for the texture and to keep the chorizo together. So they passed with flying colors!! Definitely nothing memorable about the beans and rice :( Beans tasted bland and processed, and rice was flavorless and kind of hard,crunchy, and maybe a little overcooked. I did however love the fried ice cream!! Definitely not really a traditional fried ice cream.....it was an ice cream rolled in frosted flakes, cinnamon toast crunch and a little more cinnamon and sugar all smashed up and mixed in to create a shell of goodness!! For sure a good dessert for the sugarholic in me!! The service was awesome and they were very accomodating. Restaurant is pretty small but the decor is very Mexican. I do love their chorizo con huevos taco so I will be back!!
(4)B N.
Coming from Southern California, this is probably the most legit Mexican food you'll find on the island. Very friendly staff, too.
(4)Laura W.
I only rated 4 stars because I had to walk across the street to get my own beer. The establishment is byob. Also resulting in the loss of a star, my son's dinner order was incorrect. He accepted the incorrect order and ate it without complaint. The food was awesome! The service was fantastic! It was hidden in a small shopping strip mall and looks like a dump. DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU!!! The food was incredible!!
(4)Mahina A.
Food - 4 Service - N/a Atmosphere - 3 I did not dine in, I ordered take out. A chicken taco salad and ground beef taco salad both in flour tortilla bowls. It was so delicious! This place was pretty hard to find. The outside was outdated and so was the inside. There seemed to be only one waitress on the floor. There was no hostess stand and no clear register or place to pick up my takeout. However, I did overhear her greeting a few regular customers. Service seemed genuine, but can't say from a dine in stand point. I will definitely be going back for take out but based on the appearance, I won't be dining in.
(4)Jen L.
I enjoy eating here and would recommend it to anyone looking for Mexican food. The servers are always happy and are good with kids. I usually order the same thing when I eat here: horchata, FISH CEVICHE (easy on the onions) with chips, and CARNITAS BURRITO. Sometimes the burrito is a hit or miss but the ceviche is always delicious. It's very addicting and I have to force myself to stop eating.
(4)Missy S.
Went here today with the family. We were craving mexican food and were thinking of el charro since it is in aiea as well, but we read the reviews for el mariachi, so we came here instead. We first walk in and the waitor tells us to seat ourselves. He seemed to have been the only one working. Right away we loved the decorations. The walls were red and black, table clothes were the mexican flag colors, and I loved the pictures and crafts on the wall. The place definately looks like a mexican restaurant on the mainland. I decided on the chicken enchiladas with beans and spanish rice. The waitor takes our order, and it took a while to get our food. Like I said, I believe the waitor was the only one working, so he must have cooked our food since he dissapeared in the kitchen almost the whole time. I respect that since its not easy to wait tables and cook all at once. We get our food, and my meal was delicious. My family was also quite impressed with their tacos and tamales. The rice was especially good. I think better then el charro's rice. The waitor after a while then proceeded to talk story with a family sitting behind us (must be friends with them or something), so we never did get our waters refilled, it took forever tracking the waitor down for the bill and then collecting the bill, and he never once asked us how we were doing or if we needed anything else. Mhmmm... But anyway, the food was great. From the salsa and chips, to the enchiladas and rice. A very tasty place. Service could have been way better. But then again maybe more workers next time? I would come back to try other things. Maybe the desserts since they look fantastic. But I think I love el charros more! Their guacamole and burritos are delicious. Just right across the intersection from el mariachi.
(3)Aukele C.
I've never had a bad experience here and we love it. The staff are very nice and accommodating! They even let my stepson bring in outside food since (at the time), he didn't like Mexican food. Nachos are bomb.. Tacos are bomb.. Tortas are bomb.. Fajitas are pretty mean and their guacamole and salsa are top notch. We love it there and always leave on a full tummy! Big portions. Also, you can bring outside beer and stuff... And the fried ice cream tops it all off!!
(5)Maureen M.
Fantastic!! Best Mexican Food on Island. We are from San Diego, CA and this place is great Mexican Food. Every time we come here the food is great and we eat here several times a month. It's a whole in the wall, with loud decor like all great Mexican Food joints are.
(5)James G.
This is a great hole in the wall. This place has some really good Ceviche. We literally couldn't stop eating it. It is white fish with lime, cilantro, red onions and rocking guacamole. If you get it, get it with chips. Service was great, friendly as well. My wife loves their menudo, tripe is cooked until it's silky, soft and delicious. I like their beans, refried and not whole beans. They also have some in house habanero sauce, you need to ask for it though. Nice and spicy. Only downside I would say was trying to locate it but that's just Aiea near rainbow books with the one way driveway in the front. -Food 4/5 -Service 4/5 -Parking 5/5 (Lots of spaces)
(4)Trish P.
i recently wrote about crab chimichangas from 'Mexico Restaurant' - well they have them here too! i will try, try, try, not to compare..... the crab chimichangas from El Mariachi are AWESOME. the plate comes with sour cream, guac, black beans, spanish rice, salad, and 1 huge fried crab chimichanga. here is where i begin to compare (i cant help myself): they give about the same amount of food at both places - which by the way, is a lot of food - but, here's where they differ.... PRICE. the crab chimichanga at Mexico is about $14/$15, while at El Mariachi, its about $12. and they both taste good! when you sit, you get some fresh made salsa that isnt too spicy, but good, and they have an awesome hot sauce there that is good on pretty much everything. Horchata? they got it! and its goooood. but, small compared to the one you get at Mexico (which is pretty damn huge). they have a large selection of mexican sodas, including a tamarind one, and a guava one. the servers/workers are SO NICE! the guy serving us was awesome, funny, helpful and made us feel right at home.... you know, if we were actually mexican. this alone makes me want to come here instead of Mexico. it seems like the servers at Mexico hate their jobs. the people here at El Mariachi love what they do. plus points! there are tons of 2 hour parking in the front of the restaurant, but be advised, they close on the weekdays at 8pm - we did not know this :P
(4)Kelly L.
When we moved to Hawaii from Texas, we knew we had to find a good Mexican restaurant, but we were very skeptical of Mexican food in Hawaii. After located on Yelp, we decided to give it a try ourselves. We were not disappointed! Great little hole in the wall place, but a little difficult to find.....good luck. Awesome Carne Asada tacos, rice and refried beans were delicious. The chips and hot sauce were very good also. The girls working here gave us awesome service and they are very friendly, definitely wanted to make sure we were happy and enjoyed the food. I would definitely recommend this great little Mexican restaurant to anyone in Hawaii who are looking to satisfy that craving for some good Mexican food!!
(4)Shawn F.
So we were craving Mexican, and we have been to several places that are ok kinda. So I check out what's hot on Yelp, this place pops up. Thank God, because this place is freaking amazing. We are from the south so I'm use to real Mexican, this place is legit. Our tab was $34 bucks for 2 meals drinks and desert, WOW you can hardly get fast food for $20 for 2 adults here. We had chicken fajita and steak chimmy and fried ice cream, let me tell ya the food was BOMB and service was GREAT. We will be going back often, if you are looking for Mexican food look no further this is the only place to go to.
(5)Leilani A.
I was kind of scared to come to this place, but now honestly I prefer this to Taco Bell..lol. Its usually not busy whenever my sisters and I come so we never have to wait for anything. The waiters are always so nice and their service is awesome, the food is also great! We've tried pretty much everything on their menu so I would definitely recommend this place to anyone that is looking for some good Mexican food.
(4)Dave F.
They always give good service here and that's a big plus with me, although I wish I had more water... Oh well, can't always have everything perfect. On this visit I ordered the Campeon Burrito and it was huge! It's a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, steak, Mexican rice, beans, everything all in one! Then its topped with sauce and cheese... In fact it was so filling, I could only handle half of it. It came with a Mexican salad, a sorta green salad with cilantro in it and guacamole. There's also a dollop of sour cream that comes on the side. The gf had the mariachi tacos which she really likes and, could only finish half of it too!!! We ended up taking home half of our meals which made one complete takeout meal!!! That just proves how generous the portions are... This place is a favorite!
(4)Janet K.
Me likey! I got the enchiladas and it was perfect. I'm not sure if I got the wrong hot sauce, but my sauce was not hot at all. I like my mouth to burn and I got none of that. Mexican food is not the same when there's no heat. BF got the carne asada and he gobbled it all up. Their guacamole is out of this world!
(4)Victor J.
Nice little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. Food was very good, service was friendly & timely, but for one word of advice for those of you who don't like spicy food. They put in a Habanero sauce on their Mariachi taco plate. Left with a numb mouth and a good sweat going. Beans was awesome but be Spanish rice was a little lack-luster. If the rice was good it would of been a 5-star review.
(4)Gloria S.
The restaurant has about 12 tables that seats 4 individuals. One can easily put two tables together for larger parties. I placed an order to go, this took about 10 minutes. I had the Chuy's spicy shrimp, about 8 jumbo shrimps that came with black beans, Spanish rice and a very small amount of salsa and guacamole. I thought the Chuy's spicy shrimp was pretty good and its not really that spicy. I also placed a large order of chips, guacamole and salsa. The guacamole was pretty good, it had chunks of onions and tomato! The salsa was spicy and had onion chunks. I was a bit shocked when the bill came out to $25.00 for everything. Now that I had my first experience, I now know what to order and not to order. I would definitely try eating here again!!
(4)Courtney C.
El mariachi 2 may not have a name that inspires confidence in deliciousness or authenticity of flavor, but manages to deliver both neverthelessless. 5 star pro's: Food is yummy and relatively inexpensive. Portions are large. When service is good, it's really good. Homemade horchata! (horchata gets ALL THE STARS) Stars off for: No waitlist tracking or seating, so if there's no tables you have to sort of stand around outside in the... Terrible parking lot. Inconsistent quality of service ( when it's bad, it's bad.) "fried ice-cream" is actually just rolled around in corn-flakes... Overall, I'm a fan. If you don't mind a crowded, divey sort of place, then most definitely give EM2 a go.
(4)L M.
Favorite Mexican restaurant on the island. Lived between Hawaii and Texas so I've had my share of Tex-Mex and Authentic Mexican food. Closest I've ever had! Great prices!
(5)Gina K.
Very nice people there! I love their ceviche (fish cooked in lemon juice with raw onions and chilipeppers, eaten with chips) it has the perfect amount of heat even for me (not a fan of spicy hot food). Was disheartened the Lobster Quesadilla is no longer served but I believe they still have the Lobster Chimichanga. I must say they are excellent at preparing lobster. It has always been tender, never over or under cooked. The portions were very generous for a friendly low price which makes this my favorite Mexican place for seafood in Aiea! Oh the desserts and the unique variety of authentic drinks are also a nice treat. One suggestion would be to update their menu and this time in a larger, more readable font. Take out menus are an overlooked source of revenue. If a business really wants to do things right, *ONLINE ORDERING* is the way to go. So much easier than trying to get a phone order right - over the restaurant noise. You just need the right app!..*programmers*..
(4)Deena T.
The food is 5 star, as are the prices and portions. I am taking off a star for the service, which is not bad by any means, just a little strange. When we arrived, there was a sign asking for people to wait to be seated but nowhere to really wait. The chef motioned us to a table in the back, but the servers didn't really notice us until they seated the couple after us. They didn't have trays, so our waters came two by two, which I thought was a little strange. I wasn't quite sure the kids were going to get water at all. For my 8 year old daughter, who has a small appetite, I ordered a kid's meal ($5.95) which included a burrito, beans, and rice. The burrito had shredded chicken in it and it was pretty substantial for someone with a small appetite. My husband and son both ordered the steak chimichangas, which they both loved. Both guys loved the guac and crispy shell. I had the steak fajitas with corn tortillas. Yum-o! The platter of steak, peppers, mushrooms, and onions was huge, more than double needed for the three tortillas I was given. I really enjoyed the beans, which were flavorful. The chips and salsa were also delicious. Warm tortilla chips can't be beat. I love that they automatically refilled our chip basket when it was empty. We spent about $62 for 4 of us. That includes the tip. We would definitely eat here again.
(4)Gabriel P.
Very happy with the wet burrito. Also the horchata. Gave it 4 stars because nothing beats the food my grandma makes :P.
(4)Laurie P.
Doubt it is authentic, but willing to give it a try! . . . Well that was my quick tip/status update, and let me tell you, it is really hard for me to admit I am wrong. Really hard. But I was wrong about this place! I gave El Mariachi 5 stars, not because it is the best Mexican I have had in Hawaii, but because it is some of the best Mexican I have had in Hawaii OR Southern California. This is actually a rating in comparison to Mexican joints in San Diego and Los Angeles. Having moved to the beautiful islands of Aloha from So Cal, I have been craving and missing good, authentic Mexican food. Food con sabor de la raza! We had been on a hunt for authentic food and hadn't found it yet, I had resigned myself to the fact that we were never going to find it and it would be on annual trips home that I would get tasty carne asada, chile verde, etc etc etc. As soon as we were seated, they brought over a small bowl of salsa and a basket of chips. Now, here is the thing, I never expect salsa to be very good. If you are giving something away for free it has to be cost effective, and tomatoes, chiles, and cilantro are expensive here in Hawaii. (I had a heart attack at the market when I saw that jalapenos were $5 a lb, I could get 10lbs for a $2 back in Cali, but hey living in paradise has its price) The salsa here wasn't the greatest, but it was flavorful. On the mild side but still had a bit of a spicy kick, all in all it was some of the best free salsa I have ever eaten. Also, during this time, we notice that the waitresses and the back of the house are speaking in Spanish. Not Puerto Rican Spanish, not Castellano Spanish, but Mexican Spanish. This gives us a great deal of hope that this actually WILL be an authentic meal! I order the chili verde and, still smarting from the insulting plate I had ordered at Cholo's in Haleiwa, a chile relleno stuffed with cheese (although I could have got it stuffed with various meats . . . that's what she said!). My husband got the combo plate with shredded beef enchilada and 2 carne asada soft tacos. Both plates came with rice and beans and let me say, these tend to be blech. But the rice was from scratch and delicately seasoned (so as to complement but not compete with the meat), and the beans were tasty. They definitely weren't popped out of a can and into a chafing dish and then called refried beans. The tomatillo sauce on the chili verde was delicious and fresh and tasted beautifully of tomatillos (dead give away it is fresh as tomatillo sauce tends to go bad and lose its sabor (flavor) rather quickly. The chile relleno was properly deep fried and coated in a lovely red sauce. It was delicious. The carne asada, which even in So Cal is hit or miss, was really flavorful. I have to say though, I wasn't a fan of the shredded beef. There was a warm spice - cinammon, nutmeg, all spice, clove, something of that nature - in the meat which became stronger and stronger after you had swallowed it. But the meat itself was moist which is a wonder as shredded beef has a tendency to be dry and give you cotton mouth. Also impressive was how good the sauces were - green sauce, red sauce. Yes they were salty but they weren't that salty! We went at the end of the day on Sunday and were one of the last tables seated, so I would expect the sauces were made in the morning and used over the course of the day. To me, the sauces were perfectly seasoned and while well salted did not depend on the salt for the flavor. We ended our meal with a fried ice cream, which was amazing. The crust was made of corn flakes and seasoned with cinnamon and coconut shreds. So tasty and delicious. While not huge, probably better to share 1 after eating one of their large portions. Non-meal related notes: I talked to the waitress and she said if we called ahead we could order mole or posole and they would make it for us. I am incredibly excited about this possibility as I love posole! This is def my go-to Mexican food joint!
(5)Lea K.
I've been to El Mariachi more times than I can remember, but I do remember the food is always sooo good. My husband and I are big mexican food fans (he is mexican) and have tried so many mexican places on O'ahu--some good, some not so good. El Mariachi is by far our favoriite spot! We seriously visit at least every 2 weeks. First of all, the staff is super friendly & the atmosphere is laid back. We are always greeted like old friends & served chips, salsa & drinks right away. If you're an horchata fan, get it here! It's the best i've had on the island..mmmm. The chips are yummy but the salsa is not spicy at all, so if you like it hot, ask for some hot sauce! It's homemade! My favorite to get is the carne asada tacos on corn tortillas. The meat is seasoned so well & is tender. The tacos come with lots of onions & cilantro and are served on two tortillas, thank god. No tortilla breakage, here!! The rice & beans are awesome, too. Great portions & pretty good prices here.
(5)Michelle J.
Loved this place! What more can I say! The food was good the service was great can't wait to go back to it again!. We almost didn't go here we had another place in mind but after we got to that place there was no parking spot in sight so we used our handy yelp app and found this wonderful place like a mile down the road. They had the best quesadilla I had ever eaten. I got the steak hubs got the chicken and of course he said his was better I said mine was better and since he didnt offer me any I had no way to know who's was really better. Again free chips and salsa refills on soda are not free however so for all you folks who love their soda better get a glass of water to go with it or your dishing out 75 cent more a glass. You can also bring in your own beer,wine,and etc...They don't have a cork screw so make sure you have one if you have wine unless some kind old man has one on his pocket knife and lets you borrow his. I observed this on our visit here and thought it nice of him to give this table his pocket knife. Don't forget to get dessert their fried ice cream!
(5)Pamela T.
I love Mexican food. This place is authentic! I come here often with my friend. I usually get the carne asadas. Always comes out the same..very tasty! The service is sometimes not so good..but the food is soooo worth it. Their guacamole is probably my favorite thing there. They give such big portions for the price they charge. I love this place.
(5)Teri-Lyn T.
First time here, loved it. Waitstaff is amazing. Packed but that's a good sign. Best Mexican ever.
(5)Janet E.
I really miss good Mexican food and was told this place is the real deal. It's not. I had shrimp and crab enchiladas and the shrimp was undercooked and the crab was less than fresh. I didn't finish it--very mediocre. The service was so-so. It's more reasonably priced than other Mexican restaurants I've been to on-island, but still not worth the cost.
(2)Michael A.
Need more staff at lunch, the wait was long and there was one server for the entire room and to handle phone orders.
(3)Shelley K.
Okay, I don't know if it was cause I was really hungry or what but damn! this place is good! :) So again, I put my trust into my fellow yelpers and decided to try this place with my bf after reading all the reviews. And I'm so glad I tried it! Thanks Yelp! Before trying this place, I've only really truly liked one other place for mexican food. But I think this place has taken over that #1 spot. When we got there, from the outside, we were thinking "oh gosh, this place does not look that great...how did it get 4 stars?!" but inside its really clean and the server was really friendly. The menu was simple, but had one really big difference compared to other mexican places. I'd never seen so much seafood options on a mexican menu before until coming here. But, I stuck to my usuals and ordered the Chile Relleno with Carne Asada Steak and the Chicken Tamales (on a combination plate). OMG the relleno was delish! They actually stuffed a poblano chile with the steak and it was much more authentic than other places I've had it at. The Tamale was amazing! So soft the corn meal and just so flavorful the chicken. My bf ordered the Chile Roja and that was also on point! The pork was deliciously marinated and the sauce was good. Oh and the chips and salsa was great! The salsa tasted homemade. Best dessert too was the Fried Ice Cream. Yea, I said FRIED. The ice cream was coated with a cinammon crunchy goodness and fried. Just awesome! The restaurant was kinda difficult to find, but I'm telling you its so worth the hunt.
(4)R R.
Nestled in an old strip mall, but worth the trip. Small but busy and quick service. Must try Papaya and avocado salsa!
(4)Arturo G.
I have been in search of a good Mexican restaurant on the island and I might have found my go to spot to get my fixin for some Mexican. The portions they give you are huge and tasty. I couldn't decide on whether to order the Chimichanga or the flauta. After some tough soul searching I decided to go for the chimichanga plate. I must say I had to pat myself in the back for that decision. What they give you is a big ass fried burrito, a good portion of beans and rice, and guacamole. Even with the chimichanga covered in the red sauce it was still crispy. I cannot say enough of the fried banana split ice cream. I kinda figured out 1 of the secret ingredients inside the fried banana which is cream cheese that is from San Antonio, which I think is interesting but it damn sure made it flavorful. The fried ice cream was made with ice cream rolled in corn flakes then fried. At least that is how I think it was made. Now off to the service. The people there were as friendly as you can be. The chef/owner came out to have a chat with us and he was friendly and funny. The wait staff was prompt and courteous. If someone asked me where to find good Mexican food I would suggest this place every time.
(5)Mark C.
Best Mexican food on the island! Chile Verde is at the top of my list. I've gone here so frequently the staff know me very well.
(5)Sandy P.
Worst service by far! Fat Mexican cashier took my take out order n said it would be about 15min. Long story short, got my 2orders which was nachos n chimichanga n hr later! After I ripped her a new one , I didn't get one sorry. That was my first n last n I tell whoever I can not to go there. Very rude!
(1)Shirley L.
This place seems to be always busy. The wait staff is very friendly, but honestly, they seem a little overworked. When, I was there, there were only three ladies handling the entire restaurant - seating, taking orders, bringing food, checking on the tables, closing the bill, packing leftovers, whipping down the tables, etc. We had: (1) quesadilla plate, (2) burrito & taco combo plate, and (3) fried ice cream. Because this place is BYOB (bring your own beverage), we also came prepared with some beers. We had both the quesadilla and burrito with carnitas, which was very flavorful. The key here is that they did not over-do the salt with the carnitas, which is what I believe to be a common mistake with most Mexican places on the island. The one thing I will say is that the burrito seemed a little smaller than what I would have expected. (See my photo.) Maybe it's because I ordered the combo plate? I'm not sure... The fried ice cream was satisfying, but the outside not as crunchy as I would prefer. It's more...sticky and gets caught between your teeth. Haha. I would definitely consider coming back if I'm on that side of the island. But, my one disclaimer is that I went to college in a town full of "taco trucks" (cheap, authentic Mexican food). It's been hard for me to like any Mexican restaurant on the island, but this one is good.
(3)Reid N.
Just got back from San Diego and ate some great mexican food. This food measures up. We will be visiting again in the near future.
(4)Melissa C.
Thought perhaps there finally was a decent taqueria-style restaurant on Oahu from the reviews. Not the case. The service was fine but the food was not good. I had two tacos - one with shredded beef which was fine (not great but edible) and one with grilled chicken. The chicken was so bad that I had to spit out the first bite and couldn't eat it. Beans and rice were ok and salsa didn't have flavor. These two taco with beans and rice combos were about $11 each, way over priced for not being that good.
(1)D C.
Service was great when they opened. They get a little busy and they vapor lock. The waiter completely screwed my order up and never refilled the drinks. Hire more staff!
(1)Raymond S.
Friendly and attentive staff. Service was extremely quick. Food was delicious. Pretty fair prices.
(4)Yaz C.
I feel like I just got stung in the stomach with a big wad of fatness! Ambiance was pretty good, but the salsa and guacamole, not so much did I dig 'em. However, rather than flailing in the mediocrity of the sides, I was saved by the shredded chicken El Mariachi tacos, which were Soooo ONO! Also, they were actually out of Fried Ice Cream. (yeah like, what? Like that happens! Not!) So, I probably won't go back anytime soon, but if I was with a crew down to eat there it'd be no problem.
(3)Eric A.
The waitress was very efficient and friendly, she made sure we where good with the service and that the food was what we wanted. I requested a Carne Asada with no starch and also jumbo shrimp, which the waitress did a fine job making sure what I wanted. Everything was on point! Hurray for El M 2!! I will definitely go back
(4)Christy T.
My FAVORITE Mexican restaurant on the island! The Highlights: Service - all the servers there work like they own the place...in a good way! They are incredibly friendly and always accommodating! Although it's busy almost all the time we go, you'd never be able to tell from their demeanor. Food: I'm the type of foodie that usually orders the same thing over and over...boring, huh? Well, I've actually had several things from here and these are all my favorites: pork tamales (ask for their habanero sauce on the side if you like a little kick...or a really huge punch in the face...it's SPICY!!) The size of the tamale is hearty and the masa is moist with perfect consistency. I could eat the masa on it's own, so the pork is a plus! Carne Asada Mariachi Tacos. This automatically comes with habanero on top, so I always ask for it on the side. The beef is flavorful and I think they somewhat season the corn tortillas too because they taste awesome! Carne Asada Torta...oh so yummy beef sandwich. The bread is soft and the toppings perfectly compliment the beef. They are generous with the guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. And if you haven't picked up on it yet, ask for some habanero on the side! Rice and beans...mixed feelings here. The beans are exactly how I like them...smooth and creamy. The rice on the other hand is usually disappointing. It sometimes taste like leftovers that have been reheated because it can sometimes be clumpy and dry. My mother-in-law taught me how to make Mexican Rice so it's extremely hard to please me now. Horchata. Unfortunately they do not serve alcohol, but a great alternative is their Horchata! It's a milky-cinnamon-y drink (made from rice, not with milk) that compliments anything you eat...even more so if you eat spicy like me. Chips and salsa. Love their salsa! Freshly made everyday and has a nice kick. Dine-in so you get this for free...otherwise they'll charge you for take out. Located in a little shopping center across the street from the Aiea post office and down the hill from times...this is a hidden gem that you don't want to miss!
(5)Jennifer H.
Pretty good Mexican food, for being on an island where there is no such thing. Portions are huge. The thing that can make or break a Mexican joint for me is the Spanish rice and guac. Rice was decent, but the guac is hella onozzzz. The wait can be long cause it's a tiny tiny little restaurant, but definately good if you're just trying to get a Mex fix.
(3)Jenn Y.
It's ok. It wasn't like OMG I love it. I tried other places and this was ok. thats all
(3)Jacob L.
Meh, the beans were cold and I thought it was a little bland. Bring on the hot sauce!!!
(2)Colby M.
The food is really good. Only problem is this place is overpriced in some departments! If you want extra salsa, it's like 3 bucks. Soft drinks are also expensive as well as some of the food on the menu. My wife and I went in for lunch and our meal came out to 40 dollars with two plates and two drinks. It was a little outrageous.
(3)I Crush Your Head C.
If you get the carnitas, you will be happy. If you get something else, you will be sad. Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth? Get the carnitas.
(3)Melissa J.
I have visited "El Mariachi 2" twice now - and I still can't decide whether or not I really like it. I don't hate it -- but I don't love it. If you are in the mood for Mexican then give it a shot. It's not bad food, I think I just have really high standards since I grew up on it (we are talking of 20+ years of burritos here people). This is definitely a "CA" type Mexican food. You can tell from the pictures that they serve quality food - at least in my opinion anyway. I think the problem today was that I ordered something in one of the pictures (on Yelp), and I expected it to come out looking exactly like the picture and it didn't. That is both the beauty and curse of eating at a non-chain restaurant. Today I had the carne asada tacos and I was disappointed in the plating -- very sloppy and totally skimped on the rice and beans. There was a very tiny bit of pico de gallo, too, unlike the pictures posted on Yelp (I know, I know, I should have taken a picture of mine). The meat was seasoned very well, and it was tasty. My mom always says that love is in the details, and I guess the Chef was not feeling very loving today! BUT it did taste good, and I can with confidence recommend their guacamole :) Beggars can't be choosers -- so I will take what I can get when it comes to decent Mexican food. It's close, reasonably priced ... so I am sure I will be back.
(3)Kristin S.
This is probably my favorite restaurant on the island, so it's only appropriate to write my first Yelp review on El Mariachi (II). This is the most authentic Mexican food I've found on Oahu thus far - you can tell by the beans! (I looove beans). They obviously use lard, so if you're counting calories I would count this out. It's so worth it though, amazing and authentic flavor! As for the other, non-bean food - incredible and all made with fresh ingredients! Amazing guacamole. Delicious salsa. Generous portions. Friendly staff. I could go on, but what it comes down to is you need to try it yourself! If you're a meat lover, try the carne asada plate (and if you're a seafood lover, add scallops!) - it's dinner AND lunch the next day! Also, make sure to try the guacamole, totally worth it!
(5)Erica G.
Best mexican food on this island (oahu) hands down! My husband and I are from South Texas (he's from Corpus Christi and I'm from Brownsville) and we had been looking for a great mexican resturant that has food like "back home" and today, we found it!! We both got burritos, I got the Carne Asada and I ate the entire thing! I was so impressed with the food there! The atmosphere is awesome! We will definately be going back again, and again! The drive from Mililani to Kaneohe is worth it!
(5)Shelly i.
I'm not going to get into the whole "this is authentic Mexican" flim flam because there's no way I could even judge that. But... I do know what I like and that's tasty food, good value, clean surroundings, and nice people. Does El Mariachi 2 have all of the above? Check. My friend invited me to tag along with her and her boyfriend on a Wednesday night. They go to El Mariachi 2 quite a bit and were surprised by how crowded it got. We had a short wait for a table and were seated and brought menus, salsa and chips almost immediately. I ordered a horchata even though I wasn't 100% sure what it was. Turns out it is a sweetened rice milk. Very refreshing and it came in a very large cup. In fact, I could have just drank that and I'd be full but I decided to order the nachos to make it a balanced meal. The nachos were a heaping oval sized platter of shredded beef (you have a choice of meats), re-fried beans, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and green onion. I finished maybe a fourth of the plate. It was good but I'm kind of over restaurant nachos. It's much better when you make your own and spread the beans and cheese evenly on each chip. There was tongue on the menu as well, which is what I will be all about next time I go. My friends said the ceviche is very good and filling so once I'm able to eat raw fish again I'm going to try it. El Mariachi closes around 9-ish but there were people still coming in and being served. There was a single waitress on the floor so service got a little slow, but she was friendly and got our orders right and the cups are so big you don't really need a water refill, especially when you're full of horchata. If you aren't familiar with the Aiea area and want to try El Mariachi 2 it is in the shopping center between Wendy's and the library on the 1st floor. There's a lot of parking available. Bathrooms are key controlled and not that clean, but you might not care after all those re-fried beans.
(4)Aaron T.
Awesome. Anything on their menu is worth getting. There is not a single dish here that is just mediocre. It is all phenomenal.
(5)Scott P.
Best salsa I've had in Hawaii. Love this place
(4)Chassidy S.
This place was not what I expected it to be. Comfortable ambiance and food was delicious. Generous portions for the right price. Staff was friendly and attentive... And they're always washing hands... Appreciated the extra effort on cleanliness. Go check them out!
(4)J A.
Had a few visits here recently and I tried the shrimp and fish ceviches. They come with 2 pieces of fried corn tostadas. They're not skimpy on their cilantro topping so if you don't like cilantro I would recommend you request no cilantro. They both have simple ingredients that include onions, tomato, cilantro, fish or shrimp, lettuce with lemon juice squeezed all over. They're both tasty and refreshing but I preferred the shrimp ceviche over the fish.
(4)Frank T.
Food is great & service is average. Get's busy on weekends.
(4)Aline T.
Great place to get Mexican food if you're in the Aiea, Pearlridge, Pearl City area. It's located in the mall strip that has orange tree, in the back. The head lady and I'm guessing her daughter are the ones who take your order. I'd reconfirm your order, cuz she messed up on mine! I always order take out when I come here...the container is huge, and when you open the container it's about half full. Sad. I know it's just visual appeal but when I open a container, I'd like to see it full! Which is why I ordered a tres combinacion platos (combination plate w/ 3 choices) this time around ($11.95). If you don't get the combination, the amount of food you get for your money seems pricey. Chicken Burrito - just a tortilla barely filled with chicken. When I bit it, it was very tender and juicy! Surprise! I guess it's not all about size! Pork Tamale - my "friend" got the last one (around 8pm), he said it was good. -_- I ordered 2 shredded beef enchilada but they gave me chicken instead. It was very tasty, but c'mon! I ordered a chicken burrito already! I wanted beef! Mexican rice is okei. You don't get much anyway. So, there's a few cons about this place, but I still eat here. It's a love/hate relationship I guess.
(4)lisa h.
Best beans I've had on the island. Carnitas = delicious, shrimp salad = yummy, my kids gobbled their bean and cheese burritos. Nice service, not fancy, feels and tastes authentic. Good find! I like it better than Serg's, Luibueno's, and Cholo's. No booze, though. :(
(4)Mitchell N.
Yowzers! El Mariachi is hands down the best Mexican restaurant I've eaten at on O'ahu. It's tucked away behind Orange Tree, next to Waylands College at the bottom of Aiea Heights Drive. It's easy to pass by, I've driven by it on the way to the post office several times without even glancing at it. Fortunately, word of mouth is strong here. Parking in the evening is plentiful. Despite the casual, friendly, and clean environment, I was immediately put off when our party was told there were no drinks - beer or margaritas. We immediately began to question the recommendation, especially after pouring over their menu we saw much of the same as the famed restaurant in Kalihi. Fortunately for everyone, that was the only negative. Chicken and Beef enchiladas, Chimichanga, Sopes, Tamales, and Quesadillas - I was stuffed! The portions (except for the enchiladas) were overly generous, with more than enough guacamole and whipped cream. All the plates were served with the standard rice and beans, and while it's easy to conclude that it's all standard fare, it was simply all better than anywhere else I've eaten. The fish was fresh, the chimichanga deep fried perfectly, and the service was fast. Again, nothing out of the ordinary...if you've eaten at any Mexican restaurant, you'll recognize similar tastes and the same menu...just better. The service was outstanding. The young man was friendly, courteous, and gave recommendations easily without being pushy. Rave review, so why not the 5 stars? It can be mentioned in the same sentence as some of the best on the mainland, but lacks the menu diversity, has no drinks, and might not compete with Mexican establishments in any price range. This shouldn't deter you though, I'd easily give it a recommendation to my closest friends and family and will be coming back here for years.
(4)Derek S.
Appearance is not everything and I would never judge a taqueria on it's ambiance because its the food that matters...well, both were just mediocre. Good but not great or terrible. I have had better Mexican many many times before. If you are in the mood for mexican this will satisfy your craving. Service was sub par but this was not the fault of the owner as he was waiting on extra help to arrive. I tried the kalua pork tacos which were ok..was going to have the fish tacos but for 5 dollars extra (on top of an already 10 dollar taco plate for two tacos) that is just absurd. Over priced. I guess I'm just used to California taquerias where the prices are cheap and the food homemade and delicious ...dime a dozen. Staff is really friendly and I'd come back here if I was in that part of the island and desperate for mexican food.
(2)Brandon O.
went here with my family one day cause we craving hispanic food...the food wasn't anything noteworthy. here's something, when my mom went to go take a bite out of her chile relleno, she noticed that the insides were still cold. Had the waitress take it back. Also, they charge $2+ for a scoop of sour cream. Can't complain about the atmosphere because I've been to far worse looking Mexican eateries. Waitress was young...She did alright. Wouldn't recommend, won't condemn...Its just a forgettable restaurant.
(2)Robert R.
One of my favorite spots on the island. Great Mexican food with a very friendly and helpful staff. My girlfriend and I probably eat here three or four times a month. Extra points awarded for being BYOB, Times is right across the street and a great place to grab a beer to enjoy with dinner. Try the chicken fajita burrito, I promise you won't be disappointed!
(5)Erika A.
I am a Mexican from Mexico and I approve this food! It is very authentic and tasteful. If you are looking for the real deal, this is the place to go. However, if you have never had "real Mexican food" this may not be for you. Their ceviche is awesome and their tamales are amazing. I am a big fan of this restaurant and will continue coming out there to eat. Plus the staff is very friendly and the place is never crowded. I love eating and listening to the Mexican music!
(4)Hannah C.
It's so yummy my fav dish is lobster chimchunga, yes I wrote lobster...... I don't know how the service is since I always put a phone order in and take it to go
(5)Thomas P.
This place has some of the best mexican food here on oahu. Everything is good portions and not too pricey. Its far away enough from the main strip so it is not well known. Free chips and salsa is a good start and the food is not to shabby.
(4)Joey L.
Great food! I ordered the garlic shrimp as always and as always I was very happy with the service and the meal. Great place to take a friend for a nice dinner.
(5)Michelle W.
Cleanliness - no pass. The tables are clean, the dishes are clean, but the floors are atrocious. Thank god I'm not eating off them, but then, the area that El Mariachi 2 is located isn't particularly clean either. That said: The food is good. Not great, but good. We've had times that the chips seem stale, but normally they're fresh and warm. The salsa has always been good, and the guacamole grande is something pretty awesome, and even my guacamole-hating husband loves it. One complaint I do have is that after the first basket of chips, which isn't even enough to finish your salsa, you have to pay, which I wouldn't mind if the food wasn't priced exactly the same as everywhere else that does have free refills on chips and salsa. The rice that comes with the food ranges from bad to just okay. The cooks have a tendency to not notice special instructions (ie no sour cream). The waiters are nice, but you do sometimes have to flag them down to get your check or a refill on water. The chicken fajitas are awesome, as are the taquitos and chicken tacos. I'm not so thrilled with the nachos, as they seem to go soggy very quickly, and have a ton of grease on the plate under the chips. The wait doesn't tend to be bad if there is one, although if you try to go on a Friday or Saturday night, there typically will be one. We simply avoid eating out on those days all together. They do offer take out, however, I don't really recommend it, as the fried stuff (nachos, taquitos and tacos) tend to get soggy by the time you get home. If you do get take out, go for fajitas, or similar items that you put together yourself, and save yourself from the pain of soggy chips.
(3)Carolyn S.
Let me preface this: this only gets 4 stars b/c it is in hawaii; on the mainland i would give it 2 stars. We just don't have much in the way of decent mexican here, and it happens that el mariachi is just better than the others... if you live in hawaii and want mexican, this is a decent option.
(4)Gary P.
Best Mexican food that I've had so far on the island.
(4)Nicole W.
Just to start, this is not authentic Mexican food. If that is what you are looking for, you should probably learn how to cook it. However, I really liked this place. I came here for lunch on a Tuesday because I had to go to the post office. I have to admit, it took a little bit of looking at pictures on the Internet to figure out where this place was, but I am glad I found it. It was very busy, but the waiter/host seated us as quickly as he could. The waiter was friendly and was doing the best he could with so many tables. It looked like they were just busy out of nowhere. I don't know why people are complaining about the salsa. To me it was the best part! It had plenty of cilantro but not too much that it was overpowering. It also had onions, garlic, salt&pepper. It was a good, simple recipe that was utterly addicting. I got the chimichanga which was pretty good. I split it in half and put the other half along with the beans and rice for dinner. However, my friend got the tacos and they looked delicious. They came in corn tortillas which I love! The prices were about the same as the mainland too. I just wish they had a lunch special. This is probably the best Mexican food you will have on the island, not the best Mexican food you will have in your life.
(4)Louie Andrew G.
Awesome!!
(4)Chris A.
Holy.. Don't even get us started on how delicious the food is here... We liked Mexican food before, but after visiting this restaurant, Mexican food is pretty much a staple now....but only at this place. El Mariachi II has the typical burritos, tacos, etc, but there is something different in their quality that makes this joint unique. There is a level of freshness that they achieve that keeps customers coming back. While we were waiting for our entrees, we were served complimentary salsa and chips. The chips themselves were warm and crunchy and paired well with the fresh, housemade salsa. Also, if you like your food spicy, try asking for some of their hot sauce. Normally, we can handle spicy food, but we literally had to order milk to put the flames out. You'll get a kick out of it. Guaranteed. Although the restaurant does not look that appealing from the outside, the decor and the Mexican music videos makes you feel like you're in Mexico. The staff is very attentive too. BYOB too--perfect with delicious Mexican food.
(4)Kim W.
The service here is great.....I can't say enough for good service that is friendly and genuine! The food here is delicious too! We walked in and were seated immediately, salsa and chips were on out table within 30 seconds, and I had a drink in my hand within 2 minutes. The menu has many choices. My husband ordered a chicken tamale and I order a combo plate with an enchilada and a chicken quesadilla. Rice is good too, doesn't have a bunch of random stuff in it....so I was happy! My husband was in love with the salsa which was fresh, mild, and had a lot of cilantro in it (I'm not a salsa fan so I trust his judgement). We ordered the fried ice cream per everyone else's reccomemdation and I was not dissapointed :)
(4)Mi T.
Best Mexican food!! love it!
(5)chuck m.
I should of been mexican because I LOVE mexican food and El Mariachi delivers in what I expect. All I have to say CARNITAS, CARNITAS and CARNITAS. It so good I would eat here everyday but that means I would be about 500 lbs. The food is really good, tasteful and plentiful. The carnitas dish is half meat on one side and everything else on the other. That's alot of meat. I forgot what my wife ate because I was too busy living in hog heaven. Really small dining room. Maybe about 9 tables so it's real intimate with the people next too you. The prices are really good for as much food you get so it's really worth the drive to kaneohe. Another perk is that it's BYOB. CHEEHOO. The staff is really friendly and outgoing. Check it out. You'll be happy you did........
(4)Brianna G.
As a major Mexican food junkie I would have to say this is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants! Hands down the best tacos Ive ever had. And fried ice cream to finish the meal is awesome!
(5)Clarissa S.
Glitter in the air, folks. It's a celebration. We've found our go-to spot for Mexican food. The food was delicious. We seriously enjoyed everything we had, including our daughter's simple chicken quesadilla and the shredded nachos. My husband and I got something fancier, because we're sophisticated adults and fatasses. He got the spicy shrimp plate, which he said was some of the best he's had. There was a good amount of shrimp on the plate, most places skimp when it comes to seafood plates. I expected it to come with tortillas, since that's what we're used to from the sit down Mexican spots in California. They don't, but really, it doesn't matter. It's just extraneous carbs. I got the scallop chimichanga. They were out of lobster, so I chose my second choice and I wasn't let down. That thing was stuffed with cheese and scallops. And it was larger than I was thinking so I only ate half. My husband liked mine so much that he took both of the crunchy ends of the chimichanga and then took my leftovers to work with him. Service was stretched thin. But what could we expect? It was Valentine's Day and there was only one server and one busser, who I think was actually a part of the kitchen staff because I kept on seeing him go in the back to help. I felt so bad for them! I waited tables for a long time and I remember being the only server on holidays. They were constantly busy, too. Tables were never empty because parties constantly kept on coming in. If I were working that night as the only server I probably would have cliffed myself in an instant. And even though they were constantly busy you could tell that they were working their asses off. Service was still friendly, our food came out fast and hot and they were accommodating. So really, nothing to complain about. Pricing was honestly cheaper than I expected, mainly because I've seen a lot of places put a helluva markup on seafood meals. But all in all, our meal was about $45. Which is decent when you consider that we had a bigass plate of nachos ($10ish), two seafood entrees ($14-$15ish each), and a kids meal ($6sh). I don't mind that they charge for more than one basket of chips. You know, the first batch is free anyways. That salsa is hella good, btw. Bottom line, this place is just as good, if not better than where we used to eat in California.
(5)Erik C.
The food here is actually very good. The 3 stars are because of the service. I have gone there where I have received good service and also when it has been bad. Its a hit or miss I guess. Good food never the less.
(3)C K.
It really is more 3.5 stars. Food was really good, good price, and large portions. Service was slow but typical for Hawaii and there was only one guy in the kitchen and we had a large group. They lose stars for not having a bathroom in the restaurant. Inconvenient especially if I had been by myself with my 2 kids. My oldest can normally go on his own but I wouldn't trust him going outside by himself and my youngest is at the tail end if potty training so without help, that would have been "fun". The other reason I deducted was because they don't split checks-not a big deal EXCEPT they will only run one credit card and no ATM in sight. We also didn't know until the end of the meal. I currently have an IOU out with a friend because I had some cash but not enough to cover tip which was added in for our group. In the future I would probably just order carry out since the food was good except for the chips which seemed stale.
(3)Caitlin T.
So I am a spicy girl, I love my spice. If you too are a lover of the pleasant feeling of burning in your mouth, you will be disappointed in El Mariachi part deux. If you haven't been to this place before or if you aren't looking for it, you will miss it. Heck, we were looking for it and we still missed it. Our server, (and possibly owner?), was very nice and talkative. Joking with us about what we ordered. I ordered Dos Enchiladas, 1 shredded beef and 1 chicken. The shredded beef had the red sauce on it. The red sauce definitely had more flavor than the green sauce that was on the chicken enchilada. Both sauces had no spice at all. The green sauce had very little flavor, seemed watery. They came with refried beans and rice. Both were okay, but definitely not something I would get on their own. Hubby had the Campeon Burrito. This burrito has chicken and beef in it and comes with the red enchilada sauce on it. This burrito is huge. Even with my helping, we got through a little over half of it. Besides its size, it was your generic wet burrito. For our 2 entrees and 2 sodas it came to $26 with plenty leftovers. Not bad for the amount of food. By the time we started eating, the place was full. If you have a group of 5 or more, come early.
(3)Laura N.
Good authentic food, small cozy place off the beaten path. Service was great. Chips and salsa were delish! I had the carnitas which were quite rich and tasty. My mom had the shredded beef chimichanga. The flavor was balanced and my son had a their bean and cheese burrito which he loved! Try the habenero salsa! Yum. The only draw back was the heavy filling feeling after easy such rich food, but that's a given when eating Mexican :).
(4)Kristina B.
There was a long piece of black hair in my mom's burrito...gross
(1)Amy W.
Hole in the wall but does not disappoint! This is some seriously awesome Mexican food! Haven't had anything on the menu I didn't like and the staff is friendly and service is great!
(5)Pj L.
Service was the worst I've experienced and the first time EVER I did not leave a tip. Waiter did not check on us THROUGHOUT LUNCH. Had to ask for water refill! We were charged $3.00 for wanting more chips :). After lunch we waited at least 15 mins for the check. After asking for the check and a takeout box, he brought the check without clearing our plates instead he placed the takeout container on the plate with half eaten food. I'll go up the street to El Charro next time we're in the mood for Mexican food. Maybe they care whether their customers have a good experience.
(1)Lisa C.
Let me start by saying that I have lived by Mexico for years before living here and I know good, authentic Mexican food. This food was ok but it was NOT authentic Mexican... I ordered the Carnitas plate. It was alright but a little on the dry side. My husband ordered the Fajita Burrito and the black beans and for some odd reason, they tasted like Olives (which we both hate) The place was relatively small and, after asking for a high chair, I went to get one myself because of the slow response. Despite that, the waitress was the only one and was very friendly. It took a while to get our food. Overall, it wasn't exactly the best. But it was ok food. Though I think it was great for island Mexican! On a side note: EXCELLENT HORCHATA!!!
(2)Maxine M.
You know the phrase "it's never as good as the first time"? Well it is with this place... This place is really starting to grow on me. The salsa is perfection, the guacamole is perfection, the meats are seasoned to perfection. There isn't a thing I would change about this bomb authentic Mexican food. *Ahem* except (and by far just a little) - the restroom situation. I've never been keen on having to leave the establishment to go to the toilet. Maybe it was too early, but the lights weren't on in that corner of the building up stairs where the restroom is located. You just never know who/what is lurking in the shadows in the dark and I would be really annoyed if I had to take my son up there in the dark. I'm just saying. The staff here is really friendly and parking is easy.
(4)T F.
We have lived on the mainland for years and enjoyed wonderful and great Mexican food. Since we moved back to the islands, we had not found a place that satisfied our cravings for good Mexican food... until now. A few months ago a good friend of ours told us to try this place, so we did. And we are SO happy we did, the food is EXCELLENT!!! We tend to go at lunch time which is bad because they are almost always very busy. While the service is always very friendly and nice, they are just so busy that it can be a wait to get our order in or to get a table. So, if you have the time, go eat! The portions are big too!
(4)Valerie L.
At first glance, the menu looked awfully meaty and even kind of expensive but my neighbors had HUGE plates on their tables and I vaguely remembered a Yelp review mentioning the word vegan...I bravely ordered vegetarian tacos (which were not on the menu) and I was presented with a HUGE plate of four corn tortillas with tons of grilled veggies, black beans, rice, tomatoes and onions and only a hint of cheese all for only $8.95. I finished 2/3 of my food and was stuffed (probably ate 1/3 of the basket of chips with salsa. Yummy, fresh, probably not super authentic without the lard, but I was happy! Very good service! El Mariachi 2 exceeded my expectations for Aiea and for Mexican food in Hawaii.
(4)Christine D.
I love this place! Great prices, good food, friendly staff! Small and cozy, about as authentic as it gets in Hawaii...
(4)Se R.
Two words...Pork Flautas! El Mariachi accepts ID Cards! SWEET!
(5)Jennifer S.
I come from California, and if I say this is good mexican food, I mean it. There really aren't that many authentic places that don't try and charge you an arm and a leg! Good prices, lots of food, good service. I prefer getting take out :) Make sure you call ahead of time, because 2 times I called to place a take out order and they stated they were closing early 'cause it was slow. ??
(4)Lani J.
Honestly, I was expecting more. From all of the great things I've heard about this place, I was a little disappointed. I've been living in Aiea for over a year now and my other half and I recently decided to give it a go for the very first time. The guacamole was good, but at the same time, it wasn't amazing considering the fact that it tasted like something I could make at home. But I did like the fact that it was fairly inexpensive and they gave us a huge portion of it. My bf and I both ordered the combination plates. 2 burritos and 1 enchilada. When the plates arrived at our table, it looked almost...incomplete. The 2 burritos were served dry with no sauce on top. I was expecting sauce. I'm a saucey kinda chick. Only the enchilada was served with sauce. The plates only came with the spanish rice and beans but no salsa or sour cream. I was like, "Forreals?" lol. Now, I understand that this is El Mariachi 2 and not the original El Mariachi. So I can't speak for the original El Mariachi. But seeing as I was slightly disappointed in this place, I highly doubt I will make a trip out to the original anytime soon. If you want better, do yourself a favor and check out Torito's on Kapahulu at the Market City shopping center. One word for that place, BOMB! I could get started on that place but I'll just go ahead and write my review for them lol. Anyhoo, the servers were friendly but we did wait quite a while for our food and I did notice that the couple that arrived after us received their food before us-not cool. Check out Torito's instead!
(2)Jen H.
I found something better than the steak!!! the pork.... OMG. must get all your tacos/burritos/enchiladas/fajitas/etc with this!!! smoky and soft pork!!!
(5)Sharon D.
The shredded beef tacos are great! Haven't had bad food here yet. Seating and parking can be limited. No restroom facilities that I saw. Lots of families because of good portions and prices. The food is very good for Hawaii, some of the best on Oahu if you prefer Tex-Mex style (not Baja-style). They usually have a soccer game on if you are into sports. If you are in the Aiea area or at Pali Momi, give them a try.
(4)Kekoa B.
There aren't very many good Mexican Restaurants in Hawaii, but this one is so far the best I've had. I personally love their Horchata and their homemade hot sauce is awesome. It gets you with a bit of a zing at the beginning and then hits you a little bit later. The food is really good too, maybe not as authentic as some mainland restaurants near the Mexican boarder, but I like it.
(5)angela a.
My husband and I took a change on El Mariachi 2, based on all the great yelp reviews and a friend highly recommended it. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and my husband ordered a quesadilla. We both split an order of white cheese dip (that was not on the menu). The "white" cheese dip was nothing but melted monterey jack cheese on a skillet. If you've had the famous mexican white cheese from the mainland, you know what we were searching for and melted monterey jack was NOT it. My enchiladas were very bland and so was my husband's quesadilla. We both ate about 1/2 our meal because it was edible and the price we paid. We will not be eating here again.
(2)Ron H.
Best mexican food on the island. Rojo is the best here. Food is fresh and they got Mexican soda.
(5)Dave N.
This is "my" favorite Mexican restaurant on Oahu. In the 30+ years I have been going to and looking for decent Mexican food, El Mariachi 2 tops my list. Mexican style food is one of my favorites. So much so, I frequent Taco Bell more often than I should. I can hear some of you saying already... This guy eats at Taco Bell? What da heck does he know about Mexican food?!? I enjoy Mexican food so much, I'll go anywhere to get my fix... (Taco Bell, Taco Time, Taco Del Mar, El Burrito, Compadres [when they existed], Maui Tacos, Chili's, etc.) To cut to the chase, the quality of food is 5-stars in my book. The quantity you receive, I'd go with 4-stars. Service and atmosphere, I'll have to say 3-stars "at best". Starting with the restaurant itself. This is more of a "hole in the wall" or "mom & pop" restaurant, so if you're expecting more, you will be disappointed. The restaurant is clean, but by no means is it a fancy place. The level of service will vary. When slow, your server may make the time to chat and make small talk. When busy, your order will be taken and your food will be delivered. Again, if you are expecting a fine dining "I live to serve you" experience, my 4-star rating will be a bit off from your rating. I've probably visited El Mariachi 2 at least ten times and I've tried about 6 - 8 different items from the menu. This includes what I've ordered and what I've sampled from what my family has ordered. Everything has been tasty and well prepared. This goes, not only for the main item, but also for the rice & beans which comes with most meals. As for the quantity of food. By the time I'm done, I'm either overly stuffed or taking a little bit home. As with any restaurant rated here on Yelp, your rating may vary. Just know that I enjoyed the food enough to take the time to write a positive review... And finally, my soon to be seven year old daughter would want me to say, the Horchata drink is a favorite of hers. It's a milky drink with a vanilla and cinnamon flavor.
(4)Julie H.
After reading all these amazing yelp reviews my bf and i headed down to El Mariachi 2! It was easy enough to find... in the shopping center across from Samurai and Times... and hidden away in the back building on the left. We got there a little after 6 on a Friday night and were seated immediately. It wasn't crowded at all. Before I get into the food, i just want to say that the service here is great! Super fast and friendly and nice. No problems at all in that department. SO, we got our chips n' salsa and YUM YUM we were off to a great start! We ordered the fish ceviche and carne asada plate to split and it came rather quickly (shortly after we finished off our chips and salsa). I was so excited to eat! The first bite, .... meh. Added some guacamole... second bite, ... still meh??? I don't know how this happened! My fellow yelpers never ever steer me wrong. I'm almost always in agreement with the yelp majority! WHAT HAPPENED??? Here's my theory. The sun didn't set until right before our food arrived and that's when I noticed.... the fans. The lighting above the spinning fans created this faint strobe light affect which had an unconscious ill effect on my stomach. I tried to look away but I could see it everywhere! The reflection off the table tops, as a shadow across my bf's face, all across the walls! And THAT'S why I did not enjoy my experience here. On the other hand, my boyfriend didn't care for anything either. It wasn't BAD... but it just wasn't anything great. The 2 things we ordered (plus 1 coke) came out to over $25. Not worth $25. Sorry El Mariachi 2!
(2)Jeremy D.
Holy smokes! The food was SOO DAMNED GOOD! After a visit to another Taco joint this weekend, I felt like continuing the Mexcian diet for dinner last night. While at work, I Yelped for mexican nearby and found El Mariachi 2. It was 8:45 PM, too late! So today, I got hungry early and made my move! I pulled up their Yelp profile and took a peak at their reviews. I found a few choices that looked good and gave them a call. Fifteen minutes later, I had a bag full of goodies that would alter my taste buds. I ordered the combination plate; Chicken Tamale, Carne Asada Chile Relleno, and a Carne Asada Taco. The taco: Wow. So much meat with a great salsa fresca. The tortillas (5") were warm, soft, and perfectly chewy! I couldn't help but eat that handful of happiness with urgency. It was soo good, I thought I was going to regret having gotten the combination. After devouring the taco, I sampled the refried beans and mexican rice. Pretty standard fare for Mexican sides, but I was glad that the beans weren't too salty and the rice was not over seasoned. Solid rating on the sides too. The tamales... HOT TAMALES! This was really good too. I didn't want to eat any more because I considered having another first bite later. HAHA I Couldn't resist. Soo good. The shredded chicken was warm and flavorful. Not too much sauce or cheese and a dallup of sour cream to finish it off. Chile Rellenos with Carne Asada: I don't order chile relleno too often as it isn't one of my favorites. El Mariachi 2 may have ruined Chile Relleno for me at any other Mexican restaraunt. Hot, spiced just right, and tender; this was an awesome dish that I won't forget anytime soon. I was so impressed that I had to call them and tell them just what I thought. Can't remember having enjoyed a meal this much in a long time. Weekly lunch spot for sure!
(5)grace g.
Probably one of the best mexican restaurants I've ever eaten at in Hawaii! Everything was perfect. We were greeted at the door, seated right away and they took our orders quickly (they were pretty busy). They gave us choices of either corn or flour tortilla. My tamales with chicken and enchiladas with ground beef was good. I am not one to eat enchiladas all the time because it's a hit or miss with the sauce. But, el mariachi... You won my taste buds! They serve horchata and jarritos drinks also. Their hours were from 11am to about 8/9 pm. Try it!!!! You won't be dissatisfied.
(5)Kristina E.
Best Mexican restaurant on the island! Came here to try it out two years ago and have been coming here ever since. Everything I've had has been amazing. First time I came here it was empty and they served everything on paper plates. Two years later, there's always a crowd and they serve food on real plates! They've come a long way because their food is awesome. Service is always quick and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Portions are pretty big...I always have leftovers. I always like to start the meal with a nice cold Jarritos. My faves are the carnitas, chimichunga, flautas, and sopes. To be honest, nothing has ever disappointed me and that's what keeps me going back. The only junk thing is that they don't serve alcohol! Nothing goes better with Mexican food than a Corona or margarita. But not to worry, it's byob.
(5)Laura D.
Let me first say I'm from way south Texas and the Mexican food down there is amazing. So I have high standards for good texmex food. That said, I won't be going back here. I gave two stars just for the chips and salsa. That's it. We went for early lunch and there were maybe only 2 other couples eating. So it wasn't that busy then. Service was incredibly slow. I asked for some napkins in the beginning of the meal and never got them. It did get busier (and I have no idea why) but does it really take 15 minutes to get the check? And $25 for two meals? Come on now. Mexican food is made cheap and should be cheap. I don't mind spending money for quality food but this wasn't quality food I ordered the beef enchiladas with beans and "Spanish" rice. They were meh... Not awful but I can never imagine myself craving them agin. The sauce tasted more like canned tomato sauce than enchilada sauce. And the rice lacked the flavor and spices in spanish rice. It was all bland. Now my husband ordered the beef fajitas. They were dry and they weren't chewy or fatty but not tender. Definitely not melt in your mouth. The tortillas obviously weren't hand made as they were thin and lacked that fluffy homemade flour-y texture. By the time we left there were people waiting outside. Why??? Hawaii is 0-5 for Mexican food. And I'm done searching.
(2)Lisa F.
Fish tacos with real fish, smooth & creamy fresh guacamole & great refried beans. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Kasey B.
This place is probably the best comfort-style Mexican food on the island. That said, wear your stretchy pants, sit back, and eat till you can't breathe.
(4)Randy S.
The food is spot on and has good serving sizes. The prices are fair for Hawaii and the place is cozy. They usually only have one waitress on staff but she is super efficient and knows the menu. The guys in the back cooking everything up do a heck of a job.
(4)Roy D.
Food was bland, totally lacking in flavor. I expect Mexican food to be very flavorful and have some spice, but this place missed it. I ordered the green tea and it tasted like it was going bad.
(2)Kimberly F.
This place is gross! I came here a couple times with a friend who swore by it and each time I was disgusted and left wanting to immediately throw up and take a shower. Not only was the food gross, the restaurant looks and feels filthy. Not my first choice for Mexican at all! I will not be returning.
(2)jazzy l.
The wait staff was courteous and this place is KID FRIENDLY. I never would of thought to eat Mexican in Hawaii but our friends who lived there wanted to eat it. This white guy we spoke to from Arizona who moved to HI said it's the "best place". I ordered the grilled fish with avocado and papaya with black beans and spanish rice. It was $13.95 I think. They are generous with the gucamole and salsa chips. Overall it's decent and you can't go wrong.
(4)Monica V.
Pretty good place, The best Mexican food I've tasted on the island so far..if you like your food spicy ask for a side of their habanero sauce!
(4)E N.
El Mariachi is okay. If we are going to throw the "I know Mexican cuisine" credentials around... then listen up: Born in Mexico City... the place in the world with THE best overall Mexican cuisine by far Affiliated with Mexico City chapter of Slow Food International I have designed culinary tours of Mexico City My "foodie" web-pals in Mexico City publish Culinaria Mexicana and Saborearte I pee on the vast majority of Mexican restaurants in California, Texas & Georgia. With my obnoxiousness out of the way... El Mariachi is okay... on a bad day my cooking is far superior to theirs... and their menu is generally boring Mexican-American quasi authentic stuff.... certainly not a place to get excited about. Serg's Kitchen in Manoa is the best Mexican on O'ahu (other than my house)... its no Pujol but its serviceable. "Mexico" in Kalihi and its sibling "Mexico Lindo" in Kailua are just God awful... the owner must be the least culinary endowed person in all of Mexico... forget execution... the recipes are simply terrible... you can tell the guy never cooked a single meal in his life and then decides to open a restaurant in Hawaii because most people don't know any better. I mean something as straightforward as A la Diabla... make a freaking garlic infused roux... add a strained puree of Arbol chiles... thicken then toss in some Shrimp for 35 seconds... and they fk it up by mixing ketchup wtih canned chipotle sauce and calling that a Mexican sauce... clearly amateurs. But that is the Mexico / Mexico Lindo axis of guacala... El Mariachi isn't quite as horrible... still the meal is not a complete package. Fak... I am not asking for Duck braised in Mole Verde... or Calf Brain tacos with Huitlacoche sauce! I think if I walked in to a Mexican place in Hawaii that could serve a simple peasant meal of heirloom beans cooked in a clay pot, some Hawaii Kai foraged cactus salad, a tomatillo-arbol-ancho salsa, quality wedge of Queso Fresco and some handmade tortillas... I think I would have an orgasm. Instead we are faced with El Marichi's horrible factory tortillas, terrible beans, mediocre salsa... and dry rice... and of course not even some sad Nopales from a jar =(
(3)Dani D.
YUMMY!!! Much better than all of the well advertised mexican places on the island. Service was great, very friendly and attentive. The inside was small but nice and very clean. Can be easy to miss but the guy at the top of the hill with the sombrero and the sign made it much easier to find. Will definitely be back!
(4)Mary J.
Deffinately a whole in the wall, but deffinately good. I'm from SoCal..so I felt a tiny bit of home. The food was deelish...try the Mariachi Tacos w/ shredded beef..they were SOO good! Guacamole was also yummy! Only thing is there was only one waitress, bless her little heart, she was running around. We got there at 6:30 monday night and were able to sit right away. Stoner approved! Will go back forrrrr surrrre :)
(4)KC C.
It wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing... I personally could not believe this restaurant didn't even have a restroom inside of the establishment. Food portion is generous but I'm not sure if I'd wanna come back here considering they don't have a good atmosphere...
(2)Roshni P.
Delicious, quick, clean and great service! You can tell it is a local gem by the crowds! Authentic! For vegetarians, the refried beans have pork so get black beans.
(5)Jose G.
If you're in the area looking to satisfy your craving for Mexican food, then this is the place to go to. I recommend starting with the fish or shrimp ceviche appetizer (serves about 4 people). Ceviche has a nice blend of lime and spiciness. They don't skimp out on the shrimp or fish either. I also tried the fish tacos, delicious! Our server was very helpful and attentive. Great place! I would eat here again.
(4)Tina D.
The food here is really good. It is close by to where I live and I have tried other Mexican establishments that aren't as tasty as this place.
(4)Jaime A.
The best authentic Mexican food we've had in Hawaii!! Our new fave!! Carnitas tacos were AMAZING, but the shrimp ceviche appetizer was ridiculously awesome and could've served as an entire meal! The service was also great and personal, chefs were quick, and the place had a great atmosphere.. All good things!!
(5)Victorious D.
Two words: Roach tamale. Ate here a few years ago and found live roaches in my food-after I ate most of it. Haven't been able to eat Mexican since. But who knows. Maybe they got some pest control since.
(1)Jorge F.
Been here twice now and love it. Amber is a great hostess. Food is great and big portions. One of those hidden gems that must be found. We will definately spread the word to our friends who love mexican food.
(5)Stephanie M.
Food=life, life=love, love=food. Who am I to break the cycle? Moral of the story, I love this place! The staff is awesome, very sweet and attentive. And the food is authentic and generous portion wise! The horchata is a must have! Highly recommend!
(5)Jeremy B.
The staff was very friendly and the food was on the higher end for quality of Mexican food on Oahu. There is an issue with the acoustics so the restaurant was really noisy with just a few people inside and there wasn't any music playing. Also, there was a TV on the wall but it was off which seemed strange on a Sunday when sports are on. It's also BYOB so bring some corona or dos equis!
(4)Cynthia B.
The location was a bit difficult to find but its in the shopping center across from where the yelp directions told us that we had arrived at. The place has an authentic feel and there is one TV that was playing football since it is newly in season. (Michigan state won) The menu is not hard to follow and I decided to order the Dos Tacos with Carnitas.They serve them on flour or hard shell. I didn't see corn tortilla but they may have it if you ask for it. Tacos come with lettuce, pico, cilantro and cheese. They also include rice and beans. It was a good hearty portion and the service was great. They didn't forget anything we asked for and they asked if we wanted refills when the drinks were low. I would say for three people look to spend around 30.00 including regular drinks. If you prefer to support small local businesses this is a great place to go.
(4)Angela C.
So delicious, so fresh, and so full with their big portions. Services was great and fast. Chips and salsa came right away as soon as we sat down. The shrimp ceviche was so fresh and tasty. The horchata was deliciously sweet with a dash of cinnamon. Lots of daily specials to choose from, the huge burrito caught my hubby's eyes. and for me, I wanted the Menudo, that wasweekend only. Both of those dishes were so satisfying and delicious. The burrito was filled with cheese, meat, beans and rice. The Menudo was flavorful with lots of tender piece of tripe, that melts in my mouth. We are so happy and full at the end. Highly recommend!
(5)Tiffiny S.
Overall, I'd give this place 3.5 stars. Food was ok. Service was excellent! I ordered carne asada tacos. One crispy and one with a soft corn tortilla. (BEWARE: crispy taco means the crispy taco shell you find in the box at the grocery store. I spent time in Cali so I thought crispy meant a fried flour tortilla). Anywho, carne asada flavor was ok. It had a floured texture to the outside of it that I'm not used to. My tacos also came with rice and beans. Kudos to the server, Amber, who did a good job of taking care of the entire restaurant's orders. As well as her "hostess" who sat me and got my chips/drink. They were on top of it!
(3)Joanne E.
Great option when you don't want to drive into town and have to return home through the rail traffic hell. We've eaten here many times, and the food is always good and service friendly. My husband is more of a Mexican food afficionado than I am, and he prefers this place to the one up the hill by the bowling alley. One of my sons loves the kids meal quesadilla with the shredded chicken. I must say, their shredded chicken is the one of the best I've tasted in a Mexican restaurant, very juicy with the right amount of seasoning. Their grilled steak and carnitas are also delicious. My other son always has the carne asada, which is a total deal for under $15! The meat is good quality steak. Not Hy's quality, of course, but great for the price and setting. Our favorites here are the chimichanga, burritos, sopes, and tacos. On our last visit they had run out of salsa (HUH????? This alone should be minus 5 stars in a Mexican place!!), but they gave us a gigantic bowl of guacamole in its place. Not quite the same, but a nice gesture nonetheless. Towards the end of our meal they brought out freshly made salsa, just in time to add to our meals. Don't forget to end your meal with their fried ice cream or "la banana de goyo," which is a banana chimichanga dessert. Bueno!
(4)Nicole K.
While attending college in Southern California, I had wonderful opportunities to try really really good Mexican food. Since moving back home, the options for really really good Mexican food have dwindled considerably, so I am always on the lookout for recommendations! (*Hint Hint*) After hearing great reviews for El Mariachi, I found my way to Aiea! Located in the Aiea Commercial Center, El Mariachi is a bit of a hidden gem. There are a few stalls located right in front of the restaurant and shared with neighboring businesses. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon after the usual lunch rush and were immediately seated. As we poured over the menu, our friendly waiter brought a basket of tortilla chips and salsa for us to munch on. The salsa was terrific and our waiter kindly brought us more with our meal upon request. I went ahead and ordered the Chicken Tamales which came with a side of rice, beans, and a small salad of lettuce and pico de gallo. The first tamale was terrific! The masa's soft and buttery texture just melted in my mouth and the chicken filling was well seasoned. The second tamale, however, was dry, dense, and hard - I couldn't even bite into it! I tried to eat around the inedible parts, but eventually gave up. The flavors were spot on, but the texture just could not be salvaged... Aside from this mishap, the rest of my meal was worthy of a return trip when my cravings hit again. I just won't order the tamales again...
(3)Keli B.
Love coming here. Female staff has always been a wonderful waitress. What's neat about her is she always remembered us. Food is very awesome and prices are very reasonable! Their fried ice cream is the best I have tasted. I highly recommend coming here.
(4)Jessica P.
I'm from San Diego and have been missing my local taco shops serving up carne asada fries. Well this place offers the bomb carne asada fries plate which I did not originally find on the menu but on the "Specials" board. Our party also ordered chile relleno plate which came with rice and beans, shredded beef taco, and a carne asada burrito. Everything was delicious. The only downside was the chips and salsa. The chips weren't as fresh as I thought it would be.
(4)Divina R.
Fast and friendly service. Huge portions. Food is like most Mexican restaurants which was pretty good. My boyfriend had the steak and shrimp fajita special and I had the special burrito. Chips and salsa is free but they charge $1.50 extra for refills. Out of all the Mexican restaurants, this place could have to be one of my favorites.
(4)D T.
Great to see mexican (tex-mex) here in oahu. Got an odobada burrito. Tasted good, but seemed to be seasoned with li hing. Which im not a fan of, yet wasnt bad. Very good amount of meat in the burrito. Waitress was very nice and friendly. Always love service with a smile. Venue and parking is limited though. Would come again.
(4)Pierre F.
Best Mexican on the island. Killer salsa. Nothing worse then starting off a Mexican meal with terrible salsa, like Cholo's the worst salsa on the island. El Mariachi is the bomb, it's authentic and good prices.
(5)Joe S.
Hola Amigo!! Este es el mejor restaurante Mexicano jamás !! You seek the best in Mexican on this (or any) side of Oahu? Que? This is THE BEST EVER. I have not in New Mexico, Texas, California, Arizona, or Nevada found such a place. Location = Across the street from the Gas Station and McDonald's in a hidden strip mall on the LEFT as you enter the street. All the way back in there on the RIGHT. Yes, a bit hard to find, though WORTH THE EFFORT. Parking = Ample. Customer Service = I can't say enough. Price = You get what you pay for. I paid $13 for a HUGE plate of deliciousness. A super deal anywhere on Island. Menu selections = you will find a lot written in Mexican. How cool (and authentic) is that, right? Establishment = Spotless. About 10 tables with 4 chairs each. No booths. It's not that kind of place... it's so much better... Portions = Grande. I had ours take away and it took two containers just for my "Combinacion" with Tres (3) selections. I had the go-to staple Burrito, and Tamale and Chimichanga. It came with Red Rice and Re-fried Beans. WOW... Taste ?? Need you ask? The ingredients are top-of-the-line. I would swear they use Rib-eye for their beef and Black Pig for their pork. The freshest veggies and.... WOW!!! I'm literally blown away with this place. What an authentic, delicious, friendly, VERY satisfying meal. BYOB = Bring Your Own Beverage. Sure, they serve authentic Mexican Coke here, which is NOT like American Coke. You must have one if you never have. It's so unique to your pallet. BYOB in this establishment means you can bring Cerveza (beer) or hard liquor. Oh my... stand by... I will return for the BEST in EVERYTHING Mexico has to offer on Oahu.
(5)Shruti J.
This is a hole in the wall kind of restaurent! Me and my husband went there looking at all the reviews on Yelp. As we went in, we were welcomed by a very sweet waitress. Complimentary chips and salsa was given while we looked through the menu (Salsa was fresh and amazing). I ordered the Grilled Chicken chimichanga and my husband wasnt sure about his order so he asked the waitress for suggestions. He ordered the Grilled chicken Fajita Burrito. We are spicy food lovers and we ordered a side of Habanero sauce (Always order this at El Mariachi if you are a spicy food lover). The food was great and the portions were humongous! Literally twice of what I had expected. The habanero sauce made it even more delicious. I would definitely recommend this place and will definitely visit again for my Spicy burrito cravings. Never forget Habanero sauce!!!
(5)Kristyn F.
I had the carne asada. It was so good , portions was huge and well worth the price. Workers were really nice. Chips and salsa was also fresh and warm: I'll definitely be coming back in the future and I honestly can't wait. I came during lunchtime on a weekday so luckily it wasn't crazy busy. Food was really quick
(5)Bryan G.
Stopped here as a tourist after going to the swap meet at the stadium. The food here is awesome. Great salsa, and great chili relanos (my favorite). This is definitely a great find. You can tell by all the locals that it must be good. Highly recommended!
(5)Adrienne B.
What a giant cluster f of ordering tonight was. After being seated and browsing the menu and deciding I did not in fact want my usual omigah Mexican food order of chicken enchiladas, I proceeded to order chili rellenos and sopes, both which were sold out. Our waiter told us that it was odd since no one ever really orders them, so it was strange that I was wanting both items that were sold out (yay me?). After settling on a chimichanga which I never get, we then found out they were out of guacamole (candid camera?). Now I know what you're thinking, they didn't have a thing you wanted how are you giving four stars? Let me tell you... The shredded chicken in my chimichanga was incredible...so incredible that I would order a bowl of just shredded chicken. The rice and retried beans were average, but holy yum to that chicken (I ended up hollowing out most of my chimichanga just to eat the chicken). Free chips and salsa are provided and Mexican sodas are for sale in addition to fountain sodas. Service was good and parking was surprisingly easy for this lot. When the bill came, we learned they were also out of nickels and dimes, but despite the funnies of "guess what's not in the kitchen," I will definitely be back, hopefully to try the chiles rellenos.
(4)Ranier D.
Finally a good Mexican spot comparable to the places I love in LA. The prices arent too bad and the horchata actually tastes like horchata and not milk water.
(4)Michel V.
The food here was really tasty & flavorful! We were looking for a Mexican restaurant & turned to yelp to start our search. El Mariachi had several positive reviews & the pictures of the food looked appetizing so we decided to check it out. It is kind of a hidden location with ample parking which is a plus. We arrived around 6pm & it wasn't crowded at all. Our waitress was Amber & she was super friendly & helpful! She offered her recommendations & the popular items. I really enjoyed her enthusiasm as a waitress as she made the experience a fun & memorable one. I order the chicken chimichanga which was Sooooo yummy! The chicken wasn't dry or over cooked. Very tasty! If you like spicy ask for their hot sauce. It's a good addition! I don't remember what my bf ate but he enjoyed it. Good food, great service! We will back again :)
(4)Marissa D.
Had lunch here today and was pleasantly surprised! It's tucked away, kinda hidden. Thoroughly enjoyed my combo plate: carne asada and cheese chile relleno and pork tamale. Service was excellent! The only thing missing was a margarita! No bar here. Definitely would rate it as one of the top Mexican food restaurants in Hawaii. If you're in the area, definitely check it out!
(4)Aloha I.
Everything about this place totally rules. The food is authentic and, for an island seriously lacking in good Mexican food, this is the best you'll find. The only thing keep me from giving it 5 stars is that it closes SO EARLY (8pm on weekdays; 9 on Weekends). Surely they could stretch that an extra hour!
(4)Cindy B.
Boyfriend and I were craving Mexican food and decided to try this place out through the good yelp reviews! We went on a Thursday night around 630 pm and it was pretty empty. We were told to sit wherever we wanted. As soon as we sat down the waiter brought over warm chips and salsa, and took our drink orders at the same time. We wanted to try the Jarritos ($2.75), which are fruit flavored sodas in glass bottles. We opted for the Mango flavor and boy it was so good! For the main dish, my boyfriend ordered the special (~$15) they had for the night. I forgot what it was called, but the dish came with ribeye steak, enchiladas, warm flour tortilla, Spanish rice, and refried beans. My boyfriend enjoyed his meal! No complaints about anything! Being able to make your own soft tacos were great! I ordered the steak chimichanga (~$11) which was accompanied with Spanish rice, refried beans, guacamole, and sour cream. The dish came out pipping hot! The chimichanga was on the bigger size. It was crunchy and fairly good, however the steak was VERY salty (one star down for this reason). With a little less seasoning on the steak, the dish would've been excellent. Overall, food came out on timely manner, staff was friendly, and food was good. Definitely recommended if you're craving Mexican food!
(4)Jenel O.
I had the chili verde (about $12) and it was ok. The chips were good but salsa was just ok. Service was good, efficient and polite. There are other things on the menu and after looking at more pictures on Yelp that I wouldn't mind trying. Arrived pretty late (maybe 2:30pm?) and it was still pretty crowded. Located near the now-closed Aiea Pricebusters on the lower side of Moanalua Road across Aiea Shopping Center. It's a little harder to find because it's hidden in the back.
(3)Juliet M.
I went here the other night. There are a few things that need to be improved! The salsa is sooooo bland. It is on the right track but missed the mark, there is NO heat at all, and beyond a little garlic is stopped there. I had the enchiladas, of which the beef enchilada the tortilla was hard like it was not heated up all the way...or super old. The chicken enchilada was okay though. The rice and beans were pretty good as well. All and all, again the food presented in a half assed sloppy way! A trend for the Aiea area.
(4)Esteban S.
I have to give this place three stars due to the service, not sure if they were under staffed tonight or what but when first walking in I couldn't tell if I should find a seat or wait to be seated. After I awkwardly got seated the server (guy) brought out the menu and immediately left for a while, he came back 5min later and asked me for a drink, and before I was able to say what I wanted to order he was gone, waited another 5-8 min and he came back and finally took my order. Server was also very awkward and barley spoke or made any eye contact. But finally after that the awkwardness with the server the food came out pretty quick and things got better after that lol. I must admit the food was great, I ordered the 2 Chile rellenos with shredded beef and they were awesome. Good size, nice and filled, and came with beans and rice, sour cream, and side of lettuce and tomatoes. Definitely recommend them. So in the end food was great, service needs work. I'll still go back simply because the food was good. Only other thing is they don't serve alcohol! Really wanted a beer or a Margarita with my food, Oh well.
(3)Nat N.
I am on a quest to show my friend who loves Banditos, that there are better Mexican restaurants on the island than Banditos! The other week we tried El Charro next to Aiea Bowl and she thought it was ok, but not as good as Banditos. So our next stop was El Mariachi 2, which is right down the road from El Charro. Friend: these chips are really good! I wonder if it's because you're dumping salt on them? Me: salt makes everything taste better! (our second basket of chips arrive and we don't add salt) Friend: I think the salt is what's making the chips taste good! By the way, the first basket of chips is free. The second basket will cost ya $1.50. We learned that the hard way (after the check arrived). Minus one star for not apprising us of this when we asked for another basket. My friend liked her chimichanga - in fact, she said it was just as good as Banditos, which to me, is a milestone, since we've gone to numerous Mexican restaurants and none of them could compare to Banditos, in her book. But for most people, that's not really saying much since Banditos isn't exactly regarded as the King of Mexican restaurants in Hawaii. My two taco plate was just ok. I ordered it with one steak taco, and one chicken. Nothing outstanding, and the mexican rice was too dry. The fried ice cream wasn't anything to scream about either. I'd say you'd be better off up the street at El Charro.
(3)Eric C.
I went here with highish expectations given previous reviews, however the entire experience was substandard. I arrived with no staff in sight. After seating myself, and perusing the menu left on all the tables my server finally showed up from the kitchen. When he took my order, I had the feeling that I had interrupted something else he would much rather be doing than his job. I ordered the carne asada, would have liked a nice Mexican beer to wash it down however they don't serve alcohol here. My food arrived quickly, probably because it was woefully under cooked. I ordered medium-well, I received medium-rare at best. After 5 minutes of trying to find my server (I was one of two tables in the whole place FYI), he set it back to the kitchen and finally brought the ice water I'd asked for three times. I finally got my food back 10 minutes later, the steak was right but everything else was cold. I ate it just to end this terrible experience and make my escape.
(1)Amanda D.
If I could give no stars I would. To start off there was horrible service. Waited at least ten minutes before we had our drink order taken. At that point ready to order. After waiting another 10-15 mins finally got our drinks and a few mins after got our food. Ifi wanted what I got I could have made it at home, way better. Carne asada was half fat...salsa had no spice, horchata was powder that sat at the bottom of the cup and shredded beef looked like chicken tasted liked spam. .. I'm from a border city and this was nothing of what I was expecting. Won't be back that's for sure.
(1)Lara R.
Being from California, I just can't fathom people saying this place is good. I actually feel bad not liking it because of the good reviews I read and what I was told from people. But my carne asada un burrito was blah, the steak had some flavor but not much and there really wasn't anything in the burrito. My husband got the campeon burrito, it was huge in size, but not in taste. My kids got quesadilla (hard to go wrong) and chicken taquitos, they were so so taste wise, probably the best tasting thing we ordered. We left feeling like we paid way more then what we should have. $50 for the food, 3 sodas, tax and a small tip because they weren't very attentive to us. Definitely a big disappointment to us.
(2)Eduardo D.
The food here was EXCELLENT! What made it a bad experience was the extremely unprofessional busboy named Adam. He verbally attacked a member of our party for no reason just because she asked for no cilantro and tomato on her taco. He brought out the wrong plate 3 times. He got very loud and indignant. He even had the nerve to ask the member of our party to leave or he would call the police, because he felt that our party's member was being loud and disturbing other customers. The truth of the matter is that the busboy was being loud and disturbing other customers as well as slamming plates and bowls down on the table. Overall, I can say that the food here is excellent, but if you have a busboy named Adam working your table, I would leave IMMEDIATELY!!!
(4)Caila M.
I don't think the food is worth the money. $12 a plate, no free refills on drinks which they didn't tell us so we racked up $8 just in drinks. Also, it's $3 for chips and salsa which they didn't tell us. Maybe it's because I'm from San Diego and come from a hispanic family, so my standards are high when it comes to Mexican food but i dont think we'll be coming back. First off I got more of a taco shop vibe then a restaurant which is okay. The chips were okay but the salsa wasn't my style. Looked homemade but tasted like spicy tomatoe sauce. I ordered the Carne Asada plate. The beans were burnt, the guacamole tasted old and my Carne Asada was a hunk of steak that had no flavor and was about 2/3 fat which I couldn't eat. I'm used to a thin cut of meat that has been marinating for at least 24 hours and then grilled. No fat. My daughter had a quesadilla. Can't really go wrong there, cheese and tortilla. My husband had the fajita Burrito. He liked it just the same problem with the beans. Our bill came out to $44 which was a huge surprise. If you want good Mexican food, great atmosphere and service...go to El Charro across the street. For $3 less we had an appetizer, 3 meals, and 2 desserts. Free refills and free chips and salsa. That's our usual spot. We would've just gone there but they are closed Sunday.
(3)Jennifer M.
I love this place. Really good salsa, food, and service. I always get the chimichanga and sometimes the ceviche.
(4)Katy G.
Amazing food, reasonably priced, great service & a huge parking lot! Love this place!
(5)Andrea H.
I was greeted with soggy tortilla chips, so I could have easily estimated the rest of my food was just going to leave me disappointed, but with a void in my heart for Mexican food I put those whispers in my head aside and continued browsing the menu. Yes, this is Hawaii, so my expectations for this specific cuisine aren't sky high, and I was assuming just a taste of something remotely close would fulfill that desire. I proved myself wrong that night. Back to those chips. When I go to Mexican restaurants I love being greeted with an abundant basket of warm tortilla chips and deep, deep, red salsa. Unfortunately, on this occasion I was greeted with a soggy basket of what reminded me of store bought chips. Hoping for a better outcome with my main dish (enchiladas with chicken), I figured I'd play it safe and order something simple - something that could be done oh so right, but was I oh so wrong. The shredded chicken was tender, yes, but saturated in what seemed like a very oily, salty braising liquid/basting sauce. So much so that my tortilla was practically disintegrated by the time I stopped eating. The rice and refried beans were alright, not quite the same layering of flavors from what I've experienced before. I ate about one-third of my enchilada and had a few forkfuls of rice and beans, but I just couldn't get myself to finish it.
(1)Riana S.
I hate beans but damn, El Mariachi made me fall in love with them. Thomas O. and I were craving for mexican food (and it is Taco Tueseday after all) so we decided to go somewhere near my hood. Enter El Mariachi 2. Sure they use 4 different font faces for their tshirt but hey, they've got great food. I ordered the flautas and Thomas O. ordered this massive burrito. Massive is totally understated, IT WAS HUUUUGGGEEEE. It practically took up the whole plate and by the time Thomas was done, it looked like he didn't even touch it. I had a bite, it was delicious! The flautas were...amazing. It was light and flaky, the chicken was very tender. It tasted awesome with the salsa and sour cream. Did I mention I loved the beans? I wasn't able to finish it because it was big so I took the rest home. This meal was basically a race to the prize at the end: fried ice cream. Drizzled with chocolate and caramel with whip cream, this ball of heaven is...heaven. Not too much cinnamon, which was perfect. The crust on the outside could've been more crunchy but the flavors were really good. The service was awesome. Right when we walked in we were seated almost immediately. The waiter was very funny and nice, which made the experience even better. I think I found my new favorite Mexican restaurant.
(4)Jack L.
Consistently good. Friendly service and about the best Mexican you'll get on Oahu.
(4)Alejandro R.
Automatically sensed authenticity when I stepped in. I was wearing a corona shirt and the cook quickly said hola and threw the Mexican "what's up" head tilt. They have good menudo, good tortillas, and good horchata; the foundation of any Mexican restaurant. Their Spanish is good and tells me they are legit. My criticism of Mexican food is based on the home made food I was raised on when my grandma from Michoacan cooked for us. I like it and will always keep coming back. As with authentic Mexican restaurants you get the real thing with these guys. Oh and good salsa too
(5)Tamra P.
I don't eat much Mexican food here but that's probably because there aren't many memorable Mexican places to choose from. Luckily the hubby and I went for something different and trusty Yelp led us to this quaint hole in the wall. It is very tucked away in a semi dumpy strip mall but don't let that deter you, there is a fiesta in your mouth waiting to happen inside! Very casual yet energetic ambiance inside. Hit up J&J's nearby to grab some liquor of choice, it's BYOB. Otherwise, they also have fun looking Mexican sodas and horchata. Their salsa tastes homemade and delicious; I think we asked for 2 more servings to smother our food with. The carne asada burrito was chock full of flavorful meat! It came with rice, refried beans, guacamole, and a little bit of salad. I asked for a side of sour cream too and mmmm....mariachiing in my seat. Hubby did his famous "surprise me" order and the waitress did not disappoint! He had a massive plate of prime rib, shrimp, onions, mushrooms, rice, refried beans, and a side of tortillas. He was also in heaven! He also ordered an extra order of tortillas and with all the leftovers he has plenty for lunch tomorrow, as do I. Unfortunately we were way to stuffed to enjoy the fried ice cream but we will definitely be sure to make room for it on our next visit!
(4)Stace P.
Great Mexican food served up quick. Customer service here is always great. The waitress here is always friendly and cheerful. Happy to answer any questions and offer any suggestions you may need. Food is tasty and portions are great.
(5)Nikki H.
Thank Yelp, yet again, for helping me find a delicious new spot to try. My husband was in the mood for Mexican food (what else is new?) and we were not sure where to go because prior to moving here the people we'd known that had lived here before us all said "Hawaii has NO good Mexican food places." Well, they obviously didn't know where to go and were idiots because I can say with confidence that, as a Native Texan, El Mariachi is legit. I have high standards for my Mexican food, and El Mariachi didn't disappoint. I enjoyed the Tres Combination with 2 carne asada tacos on soft corn tortillas and a pork tamale..YUM YUM DELICIOSO! My husband loved his food too. I think he plans on making El Mariachi a weekly go to spot for eating Mexican food. Our waitress was super nice, super helpful and fast with everything. The food was hot, yummy and came out quick. Only TWO tiny itty bity gripes: 1. Finding that place initially is a mother humper. It's in a shady confusing strip mall location and the parking sucks. 2. They are BYOB so you cannot enjoy a beer or margarita with your food unless you bring it. That's it. Not a deal breaker by any means. Next time I'll bring my carona/tecate/dos equis and then head to El Mariachi.
(4)Crystal L.
Very good! Best Mexican we have had in Hawaii. I had the shredded beef chimichangas which was excellent and huge! Enough to eat for lunch tomorrow. Husband had the fajita with shrimp, chicken and beef. The meat was very well seasoned and yummy. Fried ice cream was an excellent end to dinner. Will definitely come here again!
(5)Dee K.
For all the haters. U r on an Hawaiian island. Go back home. To locals this is better than Taco Bell. Sorry.
(5)Crystal B.
I work literally a few doors down so its really convenient for me when I need to grab a quick bite, but want a full meal. I always get the chips and salsa to go ($4 but its free when you dine in so idk why it would be $4. I could see $2.50, but nothing more) and the Chicken Flauta ($7-$8). Service really varies on the day, time, and person. Sometimes theyre nice and sometimes theyre just scrambling around so they "forget" to be nice. Just my opinion. Doesnt prevent me from going though. Food is really good and I always see a bunch of Military people or people from the Mainland which tells me that its good enough as well as being authentic Mexican food. I mean no disrespect or harm when I say that :) It just lets me know that its legit people because I dont truly know what authentic Mexican food tastes like! I recommend trying this place out if youre into Mexican food or are looking for something that tastes authentic!
(4)Jennifer M.
Great Mexican food in Hawaii is a rare thing to come across, so thankfully I found this place! Every time, the food is delicious and hits the spot. The staff has always been very nice and accommodating and I always feel welcome. I mainly get the food to-go, and they always prepare it so quickly. Definitely try this place out!
(5)Tyler J.
It is just ok. I guess I cant say I have had better on the island... yet. still looking. As a former resident of west coast mainland, this is a 2 star mainland mexican place. I guess everyone has their own idea of good mexican food, so here is why. Steak was kinda salty, not spiced just grilled. beans were ok, not a lot of extra flavor. rice was oily. Chili Verde was ok, basic flavor. had a lot of lime flavor, which could be unique but it didn't jump off my plate. shredded beef was ok, tacos were average. salsa was very good though. we might go back to try something else, but not impressed so far.
(2)Pammy F.
Amber is an asset to this place...gr8 personality and service. Husband really loved his chimichunga and nachos! Don't think we gave enough tips to the cooks though..sorry...
(4)Ashley M.
This is the first Mexican place I have tried here and it was alright. I had the carne Asada and my husband had the nachos. He didn't care for the nachos at all and my carne Asada was decent but had a lot of fat on it :( the corn tortillas were really fragile so just a heads up! Also, our take out order didn't come w/ any chips or salsa and that's the #1 thing I look forward to when I eat Mexican good.
(3)Jake M.
I got excited when I saw the line at the door but was ultimately disappointed. The servers were cheery and friendly and we never waited for anything. But.... The food is so-so. We tried quesadillas, a combo plate with tacos and enchiladas and a carne asada with corn tortillas. Not bad, but it tasted like pretty generic American-style Mexican food. The decor was a little sad and they DON'T SERVE ALCOHOL. I guess if I lived in the area and had a family, I might like the place, but it's not something I'm going to try again.
(2)Chris L.
Looks like a hole-in-the-wall. Really good salsa. Had an awesome quesadilla and enchilada. Really happy with the selection of food.
(4)Daphne F.
Oh dear, where to begin. Most importantly, I'll get to the point and agree that I did enjoy the food and the hubby (who is waiting for the day that compadres is reborn) is content with settling for el mariachi 2 as a filler. We have come to terms with the fact that we're probably better off ordering take out from this place next time. Unlike most yelpers on here, we happened upon the restaurant while they were still relatively quiet. The overhead fans hadn't yet been turned on and there were only 3 tables when we walked into the joint. Yes, it is a little hole in the wall and parking can be a bit difficult. We got the stink eye when we parked in front of a nail place and didn't walk in for a pedicure. Whoops. It was quick to come to our attention that if you don't speak spanish with them that you're just as easily on their sh*t list because you're barely worth their time - so it seems anyway. The table behind us had both people working at the time constantly stopping by their table and we ordered our food and got it served. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of their taquitos. I think Just Tacos has better taquitos than they do here. The one thing I did absolutely adore was their shredded beef. Hubby got the chimichanga with shredded beef and I ordered the mini quesadillas and taquitos in both beef and chicken to test out the flavors. I didn't find anything special about the chicken, but the shredded beef quesadilla was amazing. Unfortunately, they fried the taquitos to the point that anything in the center was a dry chewy meat thing with no flavor, so bleh. Oh, and it took over a half hour to get our food. Remember there were only THREE TABLES when we walked in. Somethings gotta give in that kitchen because that was just ridiculous. Luckily, we all got water, so there was no issues with potential over charging for refills or anything. Like I said, we'd go back for take out, but probably won't deal with the wait times again. I ended up leaving before they even acknowledged us to bring the bill, so I can't comment on that part, I'll leave it to the hubby.
(3)Krissy F.
Very small place! Tried it out for the first time today during the lunch hour. Limited parking and very crowded seating inside. I felt like we were packed inside the restaurant like sardines and even commented that to the man who stated he was the owner. Literally back to back with the tables next to you with people sitting on the isles. Ridiculous. He was however very nice to us and apologetic. It was pretty packed. They give free chips and salsa with unlimited refills to the customers which is a thumbs up and the salsa was absolutely delicious! It was actually my favorite thing I ate there!!!! I would go back just to get some salsa to go and take home with me lol. The food is authentic Mexican food you would get in Mexico. We all got a combo platter where you can choose either two or three menu items. I had a ground beef taco which was good but I found the ground beef to be a little to salty and then I also had a pork tamale as my second item which was yummy. The rice and beans were ok. The food wasn't anything to rave about and it did give me bad indigestion and an upset tummy afterwards however nobody else who ate with me complained of this and everyone else enjoyed their food but we all agreed on a 3 star rating. It's not tex mex like I'm used to back in Texas but it was ok. The salsa was delicious though. I'd go back just for the salsa! Yum!
(3)Kai F.
Every year we order trays of food for a Christmas party and our company has their Christmas luncheon here. Today I called to place a order and to my surprise a recording comes on to say that they will be closed until the 18th. What are we to do now the food was for this week. What kind of a business closes for two weeks and right before the holidays, does the owner not realize that this is a busy time of the year and people usually order or come to eat for parties. I guess the owner doesn't care if they lose out on money and customers. If they don't care than I guess we have to take our money and business somewhere else!!!!! This sucks so irritated they should think before doing something like this or at least give customers a heads up in advance!
(1)Holly B.
This is a family fav. We dine here at least once a month and are always happy. My fav is the pork chile relleno with black beans (instead of refried beans) plate. Delicious! The shrimp ceviche is good and the horchata is good too. It can be difficult to drag my significant other out to dinner, but he goes willingly to El Mariachi!
(4)