Maria Bonita
46-138 Kahuhipa St,Ste A, Kaneohe, HI, 96744
Maria Bonita Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
46-138 Kahuhipa St,Ste A
Kaneohe, HI, 96744 - Phone (808) 247-2429
- Website https://www.mariabonita808.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : 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 : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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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Mikeal H.
I moved here in November from California. I was pretty convinced after trying numerous places that I would not find a decent burrito out here until I met Diego (the owner) and the might spicy pork burrito. Coincidentally being from San Diego I took this as a sign. Wait what's this I can bring my own beer into the restaurant? He cooks the pork to the point where it's still very tender but has just a little crisp to it. It's almost like bacon spread out amongst this glorious burrito. I have given up my search and decided to dedicate myself to only purchasing mexican food from Maria Bonitas. If it was not for the fact that they are closed right now (Sunday) I would be in my fancy sandals headed over there now. Xoxo
(5)PJ D.
My wife and I went to this restaurant because of the reviews we had seen on yelp beforehand. Upon arrival we both agreed the decor is eclectic without being offensive. We noticed there was only one person running the whole shop but he was super polite and seated us. We were given fresh chips & salsa (tasty) and it was cool seeing the man actually making our guacamole fresh. I can recommend the fish tacos for anybody trying this place out. So flavorful and moist plus the portions were filling. The pricing is fair especially when considering the quality is pretty decent. Overall we had a good experience and will hit this place up again.
(4)Mattias A.
I used to frequent this place when it was an Italian restaurant called Satino. It was outstanding and I was bummed when they closed doors. After being empty for a long time I was happy to see that Maria Bonita moved in, although I was skeptic they could live up to the food standards of the previous restaurateur. Well, I'm happy to say I was highly impressed at the first visit and I've been back to Maria Bonita several times since then. This place and food is just how I like it. Down to earth and honest cooking....like it is coming out of someones home. The owner is a hard working guy and does what he can to please his patrons. My favorite: Fish Chimichanga
(5)Ssil T.
This is a no fuss mom and pop Mexican eatery. We've been here 3x and the food is pretty consistent. The salsa they serve with chips is very spicy- too much for my taste. Everything else is really good. I've tried a couple of the burritos and my husband gets the mahi burrito or fish tacos. The servers are friendly. It really is a no fuss place, sit down, order, eat and leave. The only thing I would change is the lighting. I think it's currently fluorescent in there.
(4)Quyen N.
Mexican food in Hawaii - hit or miss. I miss the East-Coast and West-Coast style of Mexican food (not sure how authentic, at least familiar and comforting to me). We decided to check out this place for lunch after our hike in the general area. This location is affiliated with the one in Chinatown (not too impressed with the veggie burrito I got there). This time I ordered the combination platter, which came with a soft or hard taco and enchilada. I so much wanted to like, even love, this place. The interior is nicely artistically decorated. The people running the place are super nice. I loved feasting on the chips and salsa to whet (or rather dampen) my appetite. The veggie options came with grilled veggies, which overwhelmed the enchilada (not enough cheese) and the taco. Too redundant to order grilled veggies for both fares. I would've much rather left out the grilled veggies for a straight-up bean and cheese enchilada and/or taco. I left full but not quite satisfied. To be fair, my boyfriend did enjoy his carne asada taco. Not sure if we'll go back again.
(3)Emily M.
Hubby and I went here with our son and man was it good. The staff is friendly and the manager/owner/cook even came out to tell us thank you for waiting patiently as they had been really busy the night before - it only took like 10 min to get our food! We had wet burrito's and son had a kids quesadilla. I am really picky about my mexican and it was SOOOOO GOOD! Also the fried ice cream for dessert was good as well but one will feed a family of 3. Will definately be going here again.
(5)Josh M.
Every Mexican restaurant should be judged by their chips and salsa. They got it right with the salsa at this neat little restaurant. Delicious food, excellent service and great prices! Fed three for under $25. Chicken Quesadilla, wet California burrito and Carne Asada tacos were all fantastic. It's hard to find great Mexican food in Hawaii, but this joint is the best of the bunch.
(4)Elizabeth N.
This was a last minute decision for me to come here. I was actually going to go to Tasty Korean but I'd been wanting to try this place forever already and kept driving past it.. when I saw it today on my way to Tasty I thought to myself "today is the day!" and quickly turned in before passing it by again. Upon arrival I wasn't sure if it was a seat yourself type of restaurant as I couldn't find the waiters.. there was only one other table of two occupied, so I just found a seat and made myself comfortable. I'd say it took about five minutes, but honestly, once the owner came out he was SOOOOOOO nice and apologized for the wait and he made up for it. He even spoke Spanish... a real Mexican restaurant ♥ yay! lol Not just that, but the food was so tasty and they obviously used nice, fresh, quality ingredients! They even had cilantro and they made our meals pretty quickly. I asked for the chimichanga upon recommendation which was covered in all kinds of yummy goodness and the dos tacos kids meal, which my son was begging for each bite "TACO TACO!!!" and he just devoured both of them! Let's say, I was surprised and content with that! In the end, I didn't even have to ask for a box (I had to get one because my chimichanga was sooo big!! haha). They just noticed I needed one and brought it to my table along with the check after confirming I was ready for it. My son get's kind of fussy lately if we leave drinks behind so I asked if he had a cup we could take and he was really nice about it and gave us one for my son's horchata. I was happy with this place. Not sure about the a/c.. they had one, but the window's were open. It could have been because they weren't busy, I'm not sure. It was a little warm for me, but I'm pregnant so I think my thermometer is a little more drastic than others. lol Anyway the only complaint I have is the parking lot... it's cramped and once you're in, you basically have to back out to get back on the street. 5 stars for this place for kindness, and quality of food :) almost forgot to mention the free chips and salsa!! *bonus*
(5)J.R. C.
Visiting from the states, and had been disappointed with the Mexican Restaurants we had tried in Hawaii. This is the real deal, and the owner took the time to ensure we enjoyed. Nothing fancy, but clean, and great food.
(5)Vanessa G.
Best Mexican food from North Shore to Honolulu! They treat you like family and the food is delicious! The ceviche is hands-down best I've had in awhile,(it has jalapenos) their salsa is smoky and light, their chips fresh, the smothered burrito...or for that matter, anything pork, pork carnitas, tacos, etc! I try to come here at least once a week to get my mexican food fix
(5)Melissa M.
Food and service was excellent. It is a small family ran restaurant with very friendly staff. The food came out quickly and was well prepared. My husband had the steak quesadilla and I had the wet burrito. We also enjoyed the salsa and chips. We will definitely go back again, I really want to try their garlic shrimp.
(5)M O.
I had the wet burrito with shredded beef. Ono! I also loved the salsa. It was so hot and I loved it! Even got to meet the owner, Diego. Such a nice and awesome man! If you haven't tried his food, please try it. You won't be sorry. I like it better than El Mariachi 2 in Aiea.
(5)Tyler L.
Good food & service! Cheese enchiladas were great! :)
(5)Arthur S.
D'aahh i've heard so many good things about this place. It's actually the reason why i stopped in while i was around the area. I believe i came in on a weekend evening going after that healthy, hearty, Mexican rice and bean meal right before bed. I entered the store and noticed the setup immediately. I could tell the restaurant was still fairly new as the seats weren't uniformed and the place had a certain emptiness. On the other hand, there was a sense of down-to-earth Hispanic culture and heritage that was displayed on the artwork hanging on the walls. I walked straight up to the counter, and was greeted with a "Hey Amigo!" and i haven't been greeted like that since the mainland. It was comforting. I was ready for some Authentic mexican. As i sat down and waited for my to-go order, I noticed there was only one waitress, maybe the owners daughter. As she walked around tending to the other customers, i noticed she failed to notice i was even there. The place didn't seem all that busy. But i wasn't offered any water, and no chips or salsa at this joint, compared to El Mariachi, which is also in Kaneohe. It probably took about 15-20 minutes for my order to come out. I think there was only one cook in the back. Food was alright, they had specials that night but i opted for the two chicken enchilada's, rice and beans. I don't know why but i love enchiladas. I don't normally pick anything else when i go to a Mexican resturaunt. So i judge how great the food is by the quality of the enchilada served. Chicken Enchiladas were good, but don't think it surprised me. The rice and beans were good though. May come back again someday to try the wet burrito all the pics look promising.
(3)Jay L.
Food here is excellent. The staff is super friendly! It lacks air conditioning but the food definitely makes up for that lol! Carnitas enchiladas were delicious and the flan goes well for dessert. Will come back here again for sure.
(5)Caeton R.
This place is great. One of the only places we have found on Oahu that serves a good burrito. The wet burritos are our favorites, but everything we have had is great. I almost have 4 stars because the restaurant is usually pretty empty (we always take out). But the few times we have dined in were pleasant experiences.
(5)Al D.
First and foremost, there were ants in the chips that came with the chips and salsa. 3 of them. Small black ones. Gross. Also, the service was pretty bad. There were two people there, a man and a woman but it looked like the man did all the work. For someplace that serves such spicy salsa someone should be making regular rounds to refill water. I ordered the shrimp fajitas. It didn't come out on the sizzling skillet like it does at most other places. Just a small portion on my plate with subpar quality shrimp and TWO little tortillas. No guacamole was served with the plate. And I actually liked the rice and beans but hardly any came with my meal. Plus, the seating was uncomfortable and there was no air con. Is kitchen nightmares still on tv? This place would be an excellent candidate.
(1)Marylee M.
I did not care for the place. Don't waste your time just go straight to El Mariachi. However, we did have good service
(2)Bryan W.
Wet burrito with shreded verde. Very good!
(5)Sarah G.
I'm giving this place five stars because I'm from PA and I don't have a California reputation to defend :) This place gets five stars from me for the following reasons: 1. It has spicy food. They don't make stuff mild to fit the local taste here. I like that--I find that everything that is advertised as "spicy" here on Oahu is...never spicy. Not that this place has overly spicy food, but it was just enough to give me my spicy food fix AND not need a roll of Tums afterwards. The free salsa is especially satisfying for these cravings 2. They make almost everything on their menu with just veggies. Thank you--I just hope that it doesn't have hidden meat things in it. I didn't taste anything strange so ...hopefully my tastebuds haven't misled me here because I'd hate to not be able to eat here anymore. 3. The portions are HUGE. I didn't eat all day yesterday just because I knew I was coming here and wanted to be able to get the wet burrito...and consume the whole thing. What an amazing meal! The sauce was awesome, the veggies in the burrito were excellent (not mushy or over-cooked) and the tortilla itself was not too hard or too soft (I've been to places that serve it under warmed or over cooked/mushy). This is the only place I've eaten on Oahu that has gotten Mexican food AND spicy mostly right. I crave spicy food like it is my job and six week stays on Oahu always disappointment in that category--but not here. The salsa made me feel good right away. To those that are saying it's too watery: I suppose it's not like the pace and chi-chi's chunky salsa you get at the store, sorry about that...but the salsa here is amazing. I'm used to this type since its what most restaurants in PA serve. As to the service--I found it quite good. We were attended to promptly and throughout the meal were checked up on frequently. The food didn't come out at the same time, but I felt that because there isn't a huge kitchen full of cooks, this is to be expected. I would prefer they bring out food individually as they do than keep my food sitting there, waiting for everyone else's food to be done. Not sure why people complain. I'm definitely coming back here to eat.
(5)Michelle C.
Great Authentic Mexican food. Had the chili relleno and chicken chimi! Very good food and the owner sweet and friendl but the waitress was a bit prickly. Parking is a bit tricky and the Christian rock was the difference between 4 be 5 stars. Suggest some authentic Mexican music and lloved the quirky retro decor.
(4)Giovanni A.
I'm from California so delicious Mexican food is everywhere! We went to some terrible place in Waikiki Christmas Eve, it was a joke. This place, all was forgiven with bad Mexican food in Oahu! The wet burrito is so authentic and delicious, like it came straight from Mexico! The Fajitas were delicious! The chips and dip including their homemade authentic guacamole was to die for! A great meal, they messed up my order and gladly made me a new one! Would recommend to all!
(5)Kyra V.
I love this place! -free chips&salsa I usually like to add salt -great food I love everything, but always get carnitas -awesome prices Everything is cheap!! -good service Nice owner, he usually mans it all -no a/c :/ Defiantly my FAVORITE! (:
(5)Halo-Halo d.
I'm a transplant from California who is accustomed to an abundance of great authentic Mexican food of all varieties. I've always expected an emotional rollercoaster ending in disappointment each time I seek spicy colorful Mexican flavors in Hawaii. Let me put it this way: there are plenty of fine tacos to have in Hawaii, especially surf n turf style or even Asian fusion tacos out of the trucks, but not a whole lot of Mexican food. This place, I am pleased to say, fills a void in my transplanted heart. Mainlanders looking for that real salsa can take comfort in this Windward gem. I would drive across the island to eat at this place. To make a psycho-geographical comparison, that's like saying you'll drive from San Francisco to Sacramento for a meal (even though it's only a couple dozen island miles). There is great decor with colorful paintings, a lunch counter, and even a small stage. I also noticed a projection screen folded up on a wall. Does this place also have events? That would just be a bonus, because the main attraction is the authentic Mexican sabor.
(5)Ryan P.
This place is the real deal. Good Mexican food, nice clean restaurant, authentic decor, nice owner. He is from Acapulco, but cooks all types of Mexican food. I love these one of a kind places like this. Gracias!! Order the Green Shrimp Enchilada. It's amazing.
(5)Scott S.
Not bad for Oahu Mexican. The rice is pretty close to mainland Mexican rice, the beans needs a tiny spice but aren't bad. The meat is good and well cooked. A small amount of heat in the salsa but worth eating. Finally, the fried ice cream really is a ball of ice cream, surrounded by dough that is fried. Like a doughnut filled with ice cream. It's pretty darn good. Overall an ono Mexican experience in Oahu. Worth the drive.
(4)RO F.
I love Mexican food. The folks running it were very sweet and grateful for our business, but we will not be back. The salsa and chips were the best part of the meal. The menudo was lacking in seasoning and the salt shaker only had rice in it. The wet burrito was disappointing as well, the carne asada was tough, the beans were runny and the rice had potato in it.
(2)Cindy P.
Location is a little offbeat but the food and friendly service more than make up for it. Great salsa with a kick to it complimented our byob ipa's We had the spicy mahi burrito and the green wet mahi burrito with rice and beans. All was delicious. We will be back.
(4)Sabrina B.
Um...it was just ok. I ordered the carne asada tacos. A little salty but tender. My only real gripe with my food was the fact that the Mexican rice was slightly crunchy and since when does it ever come with potatoes and carrots mixed in? No bueno!
(3)Austin K.
By far the best Mexican food on Oahu! Truly authentic and great prices. Awesome service and just good people. The time we went in the owner brought the food from the kitchen after HE cooked it. That's what I call service. Highly recommend for your next Mexican cravings!
(5)Cody J.
I stopped by for a take out order on a random afternoon and it was not busy. The people working there were friendly and gave me free chips and salsa. The chips were tasty as was the salsa. It had just enough flavor and spice without overdoing it. I ordered the carnitas burrito and for my friend I got the carne asada burrito. The carnitas were tasty and moist. My friend liked his steak burrito. I was hungry and appreciated the large portions. Its not bargain prices but its not a rip off either. Overall you get good value for your money because of the large portions and the food is good. We both enjoyed our burritos and thought the beans and rice were tasty. Next time I'm in the neighborhood and feel like some tasty Mexican food I'll stop by and explore other menu offerings.
(3)J W.
I can't believe you can find authentic Mexican tucked away deep inside Kaneohe. I can't believe this place is always mostly empty whenever I go, likely due to its hidden location off the main drag. After living in El Paso for 3 years, I've had more than my fair share of mexican. The only redeeming aspect of El Paso is its mexican food, and this place can hold its own against every restaurant there. The pork carnitas is out of the world. The corn tortillas are heated with a little oil over the grill before they come piping hot to your table. Chips and salsa are gratis. The service is always pleasant and I think it's even BYOB. There isn't much to complain about here, this is legit mexican food in Hawaii. They even have menudo on the menu, that just can't be easy to find on the island.
(5)Gerald M.
My wife and I went this evening after reading all the good reviews. We were the only people in the restaurant at first and were very pleased with the spicy salsa and chips. My wife ordered the cheese enchilada platter and was somewhat disappointed as the red sauce was bitter and the enchiladas were stuffed with cheddar cheese, unusual. I had the chile verde and while okay, it tasted more like pulled pork in a thin verde sauce. We are westerners and have lived and dined in uncountable Mexican restaurants in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada. We also spend one or more weeks in Mexico each year. People seem to rave about the free chips and salsa. Maybe this is a Hawaii thing, but when have you had to pay additionally for chips and salsa in a Mexican restaurant?
(3)Kramer J.
My wife and I come here often and love the food and atmosphere. The owner is here every day and always recognizes us and welcomes us. The food is authentic and very reasonably priced. We end up with a tab under 30 dollars with two entrees and an appetizer. The dining area is never crowded, very clean, and a prefect date night. Everything tastes fresh, the menu is easy, and you can tell the owner takes pride in his food, as he will come out personally and check on everyone in the dining room often. Parking is cramped, so you might want to park at Nanco's and cross Kahuhipa st to get here. I always recommend Maria Bonita's, and if you haven't tried it yet, you should!
(5)Vince B.
Maria Bonita Restaurant, Kaneohe: TIJUANA Mexico 1979 I don't know how they did it. But, the transformation of this restaurant has been like a time machine experience. Right here in Kaneohe of all places. This building used to be "Satino" Italian Restaurant. A very modest simple place that went out of business a while back. Then the building sat empty for months. My first impression of the interior of Maria Bonita was this. If some TV show or movie, being filmed on Oahu, needed a location set for filming then this would be it. That is, if they needed to film a fight scene in a run down Tijuana Bar circa 1979. I can picture the scene now. McGarrett's sister has been kidnapped (again) by Wo Fat and his thugs and is being held in a triad bar in Tijuana. Chin Ho and Grace Park ( I forget what her character is) bust in and a big fight ensues while McGarrett and Danno are not far behind. Chairs are flying as the cook dives for cover behind the bar. For real. Check this place out. It's perfect. Not one change would have to be made. Now just watch...some producer will probably use this location. Just remember that it was my discovery. Just put me in the credits. That's all I ask. That's what this place is like. Colorful child like mexican mural art everywhere. Fixtures, tables, chairs, kitchen equipment and bar that looks like it was airlifted direct from Tijuana to Kaneohe, in 1979. It has a patina of beer, chips and salsa that just can't be duplicated. You can't buy stuff like that in this country. Don't always go with a first impression. I admit all of us were just a little unsure when we first stepped inside the door and again as we sat down into a nearly empty restaurant. Once the food arrived and my wife spent about 4 minutes looking at it from all angles. You should see the look on her face as she does this. Once she accepted the fact that it looked clean and wholesome and her face went back to normal, we all started to relax and tried the food. Good freshly made chips and home made salsa. I had my standard grilled vegetable burrito. My wife had a chicken enchilada and my daughter had a chicken quesadilla. All came with rice and beans. The food was pretty good. We all liked it and we'll be going back. Is this the best and most authentic Mexican food on the island? Not sure as it seems that no one can agree on Mexican Restaurants. But, some Yelpers think it is the best. Is it the most attractive and creative building? See above comments. I still recommend it. Waiter? There were two people working there that night. The cook, right out of central casting, could be seen doing his job through the open door . The waiter was a very young man of very few words. He took the order when we were ready and brought the food when it was ready. When you get down to it, I guess that's all you need. Speaking is optional when both those things happen efficiently. I don't intend any of this in a negative way. This place is unique and worth a try. Entertaining if you have an imagination. Yes, the place is clean. The salsa and beer were scrubbed off the fixtures long ago I'm sure. My wife would not have allowed us to eat if there were any question what so ever. They do take credit cards now. I'm not sure if they serve alcohol yet. Reservations? Not needed yet. Parking is on the street mostly but there are a few spots just inside the driveway to the right. Lots of closed businesses after 5pm so you shouldn't have to walk more than 200 feet. They have a food truck, also, which is sometimes parked out front. I have never tried the location downtown. Addendum: 2015 Marzo. I originally rated Maria Bonita as 3 Stars in 2011. I originally loved the food and liked the ambience but didn't want to go overboard on the rating. But, now several years later I'm confident that 5 Stars is deserved. The most authentic California style Mexican food on Oahu. I recommend it to those looking for a good meal. It is not fancy in any way. It is the food that counts.
(5)Christy K.
Yum yum! I went here today for lunch, and, as it turns out, the only meal of the day- I can't eat dinner because I'm still so full... I ordered the "wet burrito" with pork carnitas, which is just a HUGE burrito with the typical innards- rice, meat, lettuce, tomato, beans. You can order it with red (chile) or green sauce (tomatillo), and I got red because the waiter says that's how he likes it. I have to say, it was pretty delicious and HUGE. I ate the whole thing and at the end, I had to unbutton my pants. I couldn't believe that I fit that whole thing in my stomach. But I guess that's a testament to how good it is!! My parents both ordered the fish tacos, which are two soft tacos with mahi mahi that's been lightly battered and fried. They really enjoyed them! My sister ordered the chile verde and she devoured it, despite not being "a fan of Mexican food." Haha, whatever! I'd so go back. The portions were all really big, and each of us only ordered a la carte. The food was delicious. The prices were reasonable. And the big cuban waiter was really helpful and friendly! :)
(4)Lois B.
to the person who has only two reviews on Yelp, both of them only sickeningly sweet reviews about Maria Bonita's "awesome food" and great service, i will NOT be holding any horses, much like i will NOT ever be returning to this awful food establishment. stop reviewing your own restaurant. it's NOT ethical.
(1)Gina YeeJi S.
All 14 of us went for a birthday dinner and as it being a Monday night there was only one server for the entire place and it looked like 2 people in the kitchen so our food came late and staggered that those of us that got our food first was well done before the last people got their food. I got their mixed plate with the enchilada and taco. I was hesitant that their asada was the same price as their chicken and ground beef but was a pretty decent quality steak. My husband LOVED their enchilada sauce and their taco was yummy as well. The two stars they lost come from probably one of the most disgusting guacamole that I've ever had :[ so sad. They put shredded lettuce in it and completely ruined an already flavorless guac. Their rice wasn't that great either. So avoid the rice and the guac and you'll be good :] Plus they have AMAZING jamaica that's freshly brewed! One of the best we've had.
(3)Dan F.
Maria Bonita must have been an auto shop before it was a restaurant. The ambiance was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. There was no music playing and the TV wasn't on. There's no A/C and you can easily hear the passerby talking. The ambiance wasn't pleasant. I can imagine what it feels like to eat inside on a hot day. The complementary chips and salsa were okay. The salsa was spicy and tasty, but it wasn't chunky and too watery.The waitress also forgot to give us utensils. And it took about 15 minutes to received our food. However, the food is pretty decent and the portions are huge. I had the Wet Burrito with Steak. The size of the burrito is bigger than my arm and about the size of my ankle. The wet part meant that it was surrounded by some sauce. The steak was thin cut and grilled before it was assembled into the burrito, not precooked steak which was a plus. The salsa went well with the burrito even though it was really spicy. I managed to finish the whole plate including the beans and rice. If it wasn't for the ambiance, I would've given this place 4 stars. It just feels weird to eat at a restaurant without music.
(3)Z Z.
Went here for the first time today and was less than impressed. The place is located in a building connected to an auto-body mechanic shop, or in a place that used to be one. Kinda weird. When we arrived, we noticed that the back kitchen door was wide open (for all the bugs and vermin to come right in) as was the dining room door. I guess there is no A/C here, and I'm not surprised since the restaurant is in a warehouse area. The restaurant is fairly large, but it looks like a Mexican art garage sale is taking place inside. There are tacky paintings strung all around the dining area, and many looked as though they were painted by a high school kid. The booths were made of a super hard rigid plastic (similar to the ones at McDonalds) that were uncomfortable to sit in. The service was slow due to the fact that the male owner was doing all the work while an older female worker (possibly the owner's wife) sat at one of the dining room tables with her laptop and did practically nothing. There was only one other table seated (we were the first ones there...and it was empty when we arrived) and it took a very long time before we got our food. The salsa they use at Maria Bonita's is extremely spicy (which I actually like), but would not be good for kids or anyone not used to spicy things. I ordered the taco/enchilada combo platter with mole sauce. The shredded beef in my dish was dry, clumpy, and tasted bland. The enchilada was buried in lettuce with very little mole sauce (the mole sauce was fine but a bit watery). The rice had some pieces of potato in it, which was kind of different, but overall it was pretty standard as were the beans. Maria Bonita's is the epitome of sub-standard Mexican food that is oh so common here on the island. I won't be returning anytime in the near future and don't expect many other customers will either. I also question the sanitary conditions of this place considering they leave their doors open and lack A/C. Kinda scary.
(2)John K.
I came here during the week for lunch and the place was fairly empty except for one table. I got a complementary chips and salsa, which happened to be very spicy. Unfortunately they did not have horchata:( so I settled for pepsi. I ordered the special, the Chile Releno, which is basically a giant chili pepper with meat in it. Having never tried that before, I was impressed and it was very good. On the contrary to the previous poster, the place does not look like Tijuana mexico, although it has some nice decorations and is pretty normal. There are a few parking stalls, but you can park on the street if you need lots of room. I can't wait to try out different things on the menu and would definitely come here again.
(5)Angie M.
Super delicious and big portion of food for what your paying for. So far I've had the Wet Burrito, Fajitas, Quesadilla, and the best of all authentic Fried Ice cream. You can tell the chef took his time cooking everything rather then rushing or pre cooking. I highly recommend trying this place out. So onoleciois
(5)Ren B.
If I could give negative stars, I would. I don't leave reviews very often but it was so bad I had to talk about my experience. So my usual Mexican spot is Mariachis in kaneohe, but my dad wanted to try a new place to celebrate 25 years at his job. So there was 6 of us, mom, dad, 2 brothers and my daughter. The waitress did not write our orders down which I usually don't care but there was a lot of us. We ordered ground beef nachos for appetizer and when they came, we literally laughed because they were so small. No guacamole and the ground beef had no taste at all and was so greasy. My stomach is hurting as I write this. Half of us get our food, except me and my little brother and daughter. The cook comes out to tell me he forgot to make my chimichanga and had made a burrito by accident. Finally mine comes and then my daughters(who is 3, don't kids get served first?) they had completely forgotten my little brothers taquitos so 10 minutes after they realize that it comes and everyone else is practically done eating. I had shredded beef chimichanga and the meat was dry and tasteless. They barely give u any rice and beans and they got cold after my first couple bites. My daughter would not eat her ground beef tacos either and I don't blame her, I took a bite, gross. The only good thing they did was take off my brothers taquitos from the bill for them coming so late, it's the least they could do. Also my dad went to go pay for the food and said the waitress was cold water rinsing the water cups, no soap. Yikes. I was surprised to see people actually coming to eat there while we were eating. My mom said she would rather eat Taco Bell, and I agree more flavor at Taco Bell! You will probably see a review from her here as well. Anyways, that's just my experience and my opinion but we will never be going there again. I'm going to stick to mariachis from now on.
(1)Bina D.
My husband and I had early dinner on a Sunday, WE were the first customers of the day and were greeted by the owner. We sat down at a table and got chips and salsa plus water right away. The salsa was really good, my husband found it too spicy, but to me it was just perfect. I ordered the enchiladas with shredded beef (my standard Mexican order) and they were OK. The beef inside was very tender and yummy, but the sauce didn't really grab me. I love refried beans and these were not that good, pretty tasteless, could have used more salt. The dish came with sour cream and shredded lettuce, which I'm not used to, but it went really well with the enchiladas. After dinner we chatted with the owner for a while and he was really nice. I think he really puts his effort into the restaurant, but the food was just average to me. I live really close by and I think I will give the restaurant a second chance though; I want to try the homemade Mexican sausage that was on the menu, but that they were out of on that day. Lastly, it's BYOB.
(3)Bryan C.
I'm Mexican and its really hard to find good and cheap mexican food in HI. I have tried different places in the island like el mariachi (way expensive) and cholos(sucks balls), but maria bonita is the one that my wife and I prefer when we are craving for mexican food. I want to emphasize, it is not california or mexico good!!!!! but for HI they sure serve decent food. The portions are huge, and the price is reasonable. Plus the ppl are so friendly and nice. they provide excellent service. Would definitely recomend this place
(5)Lylia A.
I ordered the supreme meatless nachos. Very good. He used real pinto beans instead of refried. a plus in my book. My meat was actually grilled vegetables, such as zucchini, onions, red and green bell peppers ; all melted with cheese! It was soooo good. The fresh garlicky taste in all that mix was, yum.mee! This meal was so super good, i ordered dinner to go! Oh, and the decor is totally rad! Had she asked or offered me chips & salsa, Maria Bonita would be getting 5 stars. and an extra oh! The owner is super nice and a real mexican, with the mustache and everything!
(4)Dan R.
Best Mexican food I have had on Oahu. Its cheaper than most places, and portions are large. This is the only Mexican restaurant I have been to on Oahu that feels Mexican. Staff is courteous and friendly. Service is quick. Good place for a family meal or a quick bite.
(5)HighStandard S.
food: high quality service: great price: It's Hawaii, what do you expect? chips: no salt, no grease horchata: mildly sweet beans: real, with no lard DOG FRIENDLY!
(4)Brooke F.
Every time I eat here I am always impressed! The food is amazing and I will definitely be coming back for more! I highly recommend the chicken tacos!
(5)Love C.
This place is junk. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but it's the truth. The burrito we got was flavorless, and really disappointing. The fajitas we ordered came out warm. Just warm, not sizzling like they are supposed to come out. On top of that, they only gave two small tortillas, which are not nearly enough for eating all the meat. We asked for two more, which they happily brought, and then happily charged us for. We also needed more sour cream, since the fajitas were lacking flavor. Again, they happily brought us out more, and then happily charged us. In addition to the bland food, it was really irritating that they were out of horchata, our favorite drink to get at a mexican restaurant. They were also out of the desert that we wanted. Needless to say we will not be coming back here ever. The one star goes to the waitress who was friendly and did a good job. It's not her fault the food sucks
(1)Paul B.
I came to this little Mexican restaurant during the first week of its opening. At first it seemed like a small business failing, but my friend and I checked it out. The food we ordered was amazing and the service was good especially since it was the owner waiting the tables and cooking all at once. Ever since then, I come here every Friday after work with a couple of my friends and eat. I have to say the restaurant has come along and has great food. I would def recommend this place to others.
(5)Kelsey P.
My husband and I love trying New Mexican food and he is super picky! We saw this place on yelp and went the last day of our trip. We totally wish we would have gone earlier because it was the best Mexican food we've ever had!! Their red sauce was amazing!! The enchiladas, wet burrito, chips and salsa were so fantastic! Even their beans were amazing! We know this will be a stop or 6 the next time we are on the island!
(5)korikai k.
Yummy fresh chips, and house salsa on the right side of spicy. My chimichanga was awesome. The mahimahi was moist and tasty with tasty rice and beans, golden fried and covered with sour cream and lettuce. I stuffed myself silly and then woke up in the middle of the night wanting another. Def worth checking out, I will for sure go back. They need to post their phone number so that I can order for takeout though.....
(4)C J.
The food and service are fantastic! Get anything, you won't be disappointed. 1 star off for atmosphere but the food is what matters
(4)Em R.
This place is definitely my favorite Mexican food restaurant on the island. The owner (who is also the cook), is very friendly and also accommodates requests that are not on the menu. The last couple times I've dined at Maria Bonita, there were only two workers. However, the wait was reasonable and service was great. Parking is kind of a pain, but the food is amazing!
(5)Paul N.
I have eaten at this place four times and I am done. Its a hit and miss situation with the food and the service. The restaurant owner is very nice but that doesn't make up waiting an hour for your dinner when there is only three other tables with people. If you go by yourself you seem to get your food faster. There beans are not good, the rice is not very mexican and the restaurant doesn't feel mexican.
(1)Isaac O.
Let me first qualify my review by saying that I don't put as much weight on service as most people do. I went there on a Tuesday night with my dad, his friend, my brother, and his girlfriend. When we got there at 7:30'ish, there was only one other group there. A couple guys came in when we were about half way done. The guy who runs the place appeared to be the only guy working, probably because their business appears to be slow and they can't have people on payroll on weekday nights. He was taking the orders, refilling chips, refilling water, cooking, and serving. Because of that, the food took kind of a while to come out. That said, the food was pretty good. Nothing to write home about (but apparently enough to write a Yelp review), but it was good. I had the Enchiladas with Carne Asada and it was both tasty and filling. The salsa that comes with the chips is HOT. If I could make one food related suggestion it would be to have a more mile salsa on hand for those of us with sensitive tongues. Everyone else I ate with said their food was good as well. If they got enough of a reputation to increase business and have some help, I think that with some fine tuning they could be a pretty good place for Mexican food by Hawaii standards. I'm torn between giving the place an overall 3 or 4 stars out of 5. I'd have to give the service 2 stars and the food a solid 4. I've made up my mind. 4 stars out of 5 for Maria Bonita in Kaneohe. If you're a b-word or an a-hole about spotty service, don't go. If you want some decent mexican food and you want to try something other than El Mariachi, stop on by. There's always a seat available.
(4)Shannon M.
We thought Mexican food sounded good while cruising around in the rain on the Windward side. I asked Siri where I could find tacos and voila Maria Bonita was two minutes away. We followed the directions and still almost missed it. It's a small establishment and I was leery. I actually read the Yelp reviews before entering :-) I am so glad I did not judge a book by its cover. Once we stepped in front of the door and saw pictures of the entrees our excitement grew and when we walked inside we immediately felt at home. The restaurant was super clean and there was colorful and eclectic art work adorning the walls. There were some people who brought in their own beer (pretty cool), waiter couldn't have been friendlier and didn't hesitate when I requested his help in deciding on what to have. Upon his recommendation I had the wet burrito with shredded beef. My husband had the tostada. We both enjoyed complimentary chips and salsa and a beverage. At the end of the meal (husband had to help eat that monster burrito) was shocked to see it only cost us $24! The ingredients were fresh and everything was flavorful. It's so exciting to see ingredients you recognize like potatoes, carrots..actual beef vs. something that looks like it was mass produced and heated up from a big bag. Additionally, I love any opportunity to frequent family owned establishments vs. chain restaurants. With the way the food tasted, the way the owners are there cooking and taking the time to say goodbye from the kitchen and make you feel seen..it's just so nice and all too rare. It's so difficult for small businesses to stay afloat and I can't imagine how difficult for a mom and pop restaurant, but my hope is that people will find this gem and frequent it. I felt like someone had taken me home to their family and their grandma made me a home cooked meal. The meals would also be delicious even without the meat. My husband immediately said that he wanted to tell his co-worker who is Mexican and misses authentic Mexican fare. I thought of my uncle from Texas- we are both anxious to help drive business here to help ensure that we don't lose yet another wonderful small business. Driving home we passed Taco Bell and saw their parking lot and tables full, where the family restaurant wasn't near capacity, it made me shake my head. Go take your family, hang out on a date, enjoy it alone (the rare atmosphere where you feel comfortable enough to do so). So glad we stumbled across this place!
(5)Shelly C.
Love the carne asada crispy tacos and their spicy salsa which is always a tad different every time we come... a nice suprise! Flan has got quite a bit of deliciousness too. Total hole in the wall 2 or 3 buildings down the road from koa house. Funky sorta weird decor but place has lots of potential! BYOB. Prices are great. We love supporting these kind of Ma and Pa establishments.
(4)Gary C.
On a recent visit, I got a wet burrito with shredded beef and a friend got a carnitas taco and a shredded beef enchilada. Not only was my burrito excellent, but it was so big we both laughed when we saw it. My companion loved her food, too. Good, friendly service. The parking area is small and parking can be a little difficult. It's very clean and nicely decorated inside. They take cash only. This is our new favorite Mexican food place.
(5)C M.
Since moving back from SoCal, I have been on a mission to find a "decent" Mexican restaurant. I think I may have found it. Hawaii lacks this ethnic food and I haven't been pleased with the other choices out there. We went during lunch time and it was completely empty. It was just the owner, his nephew (the waiter) and us. It was great, it made the wait time short! Upon getting our food we were given a basket of yummy tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa. The salsa, a tad of spice, but it was just enough. The two were great! The owner made me some super fresh and super spicy pico de gallo, after asking for it. When I say super spicy, I mean, the seeds from the jalapeno is in there, HOT! When he found out it was way beyond spicy, he even offered to go back and make me a new one, I declined, as I could dodge the seeds accordingly. I ordered the wet burrito with shredded beef. The beef was soft and well marinated, making it awesome! It came with rice and beans and I found that they were pretty well made too. Everything came out steaming fresh and overwhelming big. I had to eat a 1/3 of it cause it was just too big for me. The prices, well, a bit steep, but everything in Hawaii runs pretty high. I know for a fact that I will not having a burrito for $6 or less like in California, but heck, if I need a fix, I will definitely head on back. I wish they had better parking, but everything in those warehouse buildings have that parking along Kahuhipa; so best probably to find street parking especially if you drive something bigger than a compact car.
(4)Mia M.
We walked in group of five . I must say everyone was satisfied and loved this place . I ordered " Chicken Enchilada " . big portion , totally fill you up ! We asked many questions about menu to owner , one of my friends wanted San Diego style Mexican (?) The owner goes " I don't know " ... style " or " ... style " , I only know Mexican style ! Whatever you want , I will make for you ! " and big smile under his mustache :) Great fun personality Mexican owner . Salsa sauce is super hot . BYOB .
(4)Randy A.
Yummy food...great guacamole....fresh! Super nice service. Friendly people. A winner!
(5)Christine A.
This location is much better than downtown. They will pretty much make you whatever you want even if it is not on the menu. They have specials every day which is great too. The only reason why give it 4 stars instead of 5 is the parking kinda sucks. The salsa is hot and i like it that way, and everything is made from scratch. With 2 people the bill can come out to about $20 which is not bad at all!
(4)Brian R.
I almost didn't see this place because the signage and location is poor. That being said the food is excellent! Fresh chips and salsa and the vegetarian tostada were outstanding. I will bring my family next time. I'm usually vegetarian (fish sometimes) and there's plenty of options.
(5)Maria K.
Best mexican on the windward side hands down! I eat here at least 2x per week so have gotten to know the menu pretty well. The food is always fresh and super tasty. My favorite is the california burrito.
(5)Chelsea S.
I walked into this place after passing the kitchen, open door, food smelled amazing, homely Mexican man at the stove. It was a Tuesday evening and there was one party finishing their meal but other than them it was empty, which is understandable on a rainy Tuesday. We were greeted quickly by the owner's son who was the server giving it a very homey Mexican feel. Water was promptly brought out, though having just turned 21 recently I was hoping for the option of a cerveza or a margarita but they don't sell liquor there. I was scared to brave the salsa, even my mouth-of-steel dad was coughing and his tears were flowing. The salsa is spicy, and their food can have some zip to it. The chimichanga was pretty good, good texture and tastes, the chicken was perfectly cooked, though I would have liked some more sour cream or some wetness on top. My mom had the enchiladas which were good, her food was a little on the cooler side though, they could have benefitted from heated plates and warmer cooking temperatures. The wet green fish burrito was excellent says my dad. As far as the food is concerned, huge portions for affordable pricing, delicious and a good spread of flavors. The service was good too, my only complaint being that all three of our dishes came out at different times, I would have liked them to all be brought out together; I was half done with my food when my dad got his. I say it's worth a try and it's a good place to go for Mexican food in kaneohe.
(4)Cody L.
Pretty straight forward, go in sit down and order some great Mexican food.
(3)Nayda H.
This place is awesome! The food is authentic. I ordered the shredded beef chimichanga, it was delicious. The beef is seasoned well, it had carrots and peppers mixed in. The rice is seasoned well, and the beans are served whole in a sauce, not refried. My husband ordered the shredded spicy pork burrito. Inside the burrito was chopped jalapeños, cilantro, onions. The red sauce served over burritos is homemade, the color is a rich dark red and full of flavor. Service is great, the owner is friendly and we are definitely coming back. Only downside is limited parking. The place is BYOB so plan ahead. They are now accepting credit cards as well, a new and welcomed change! Can't wait to come back, 6 stars if they had it!!!
(5)Vanessa S.
See review at mcbh.usmc.mil/news/Sep2C…
(4)Lilian R.
If you want authentic Mexican food this is the place, this has definitely become my top spot in Kaneohe , the food is amazing.Very authentic, loved it.
(5)Rhiannon Y.
Looked on yelp for a good place to eat Mexican food in Kaneohe with my fiance. Went here, food was OK but then I woke up at 5 am and had food poisoning!! My fiance had it too. We were so sick for 24 hours.... Boooooo :(
(1)Lauren G.
My quest to find good Mexican food in Hawaii is still sadly a bust. I had high hopes about Maria Bonita, but sadly it was very sub par. There was no one in the restaurant, but somehow our waiter still wasn't attentive to us. The salsa was decent and a little on the spicy side, which I appreciated. My husband and I split a wet burrito with steak. While the portion was huge, but the burrito was just okay. We most likely won't be back.
(2)Puddytat C.
I tried the Garlic Shrimp Plate. The shrimp were old and dried, not fresh and plump. The rice and beans portions were small. The flavor of the meal was good, but overall, quality definitely needs improvement. My husband had the shrimp fajitas and commented on the shrimp quality being below par. They also forgot to serve tortillas with the fajitas. Had to ask for them. The salsa is not fresh made, more like bottled hot sauce. This is our first time here, hope it improves. We'll try a wet burrito next time since everyone raves about it, just to give them another chance to redeem themselves. They are large to say the least. We definitely need some good eateries in Kaneohe, something we are sorely lacking. The decor is very plain black and white, quite grim, not colorful like typical Mexican decor. Definitely needs some pop of color. We've lived in CA and travel extensively so we know great Mexican food. Sorry, but this place failed the test this time. I hope they read these reviews.
(2)Karen L.
Gave this place three tries and now they're OUT. Service is slow and inconsistent. I was done eating before my friend's meal even came out. Always one server and one cook. Food was good, but because of service it's getting one star.
(1)Michelle R.
Ordered carne asada chimichanga for myself and guacamole for us all to share. Carne asada was overcooked. Not much flavor at all to my dish. Guacamole had way too much cilantro that it was .overwhelmed. Won't eat there again.
(2)Dawn G.
I'm skeptical about trying new mexican places but it was ok. I had chicken flautas -the chicken was moist and overall it was pretty good. I was impressed with the homemade rice. I will have to try more items and I may give it a higher rating. Worth a try!
(3)Devin N.
This place is so good, I remember when he had a lunch wagon, he always had good food. I love the wet burrito it's the best. A piece to go eat if you are on the windward side :)))
(5)Isiah G.
Closed on sundays but they have a awesome california burrito and they give out free beer on the weekend with you meal.
(5)C. T.
After living in LA for 5 years and moving back home to HI, my wife and I are always up for mexican food. This establishment has been a pleasant surprise. Just as good, if not better than El Mariachi and much better parking situation. Chips are great and salsa, though too spicy for my wife, was great as well. Shredded beef and chicken were tender and flavorful. Grabbed a take out menu and will be coming back.
(5)Kasie R.
Charming, super friendly atmosphere. Open windows provided an airy ambiance not normally found in Mexican restaurants. The art on the walls was all original and likely local. Food was great, waiter was better! Wonderful place to grab a genuine Mexican meal!!!
(5)Abby T.
This is the best Mexican restaurant on the Windward side, hands down. The food is fresh, even the refried beans are homemade. The rice is also delicious and has veggies in it and the seasoning is quite pungent. Also, the salsa is LEGIT because it is actually spicy. The prices are also a lot more reasonable than nearby Mexican restaurants and with good size portions. We ordered: Chile Rieno $10.09 Fish Chimichange $11.99 2 Sopes $10.99 Yes, it's a bit off the main road in Kaneohe, which is why I think there are not as popular as they should be, but its location on Kahuhipa Street is less than 5 minutes away from Windward Mall. The restaurant is family-owned, so the order may not be as fast as other places, but it is definitely made when you order it. It's my new favorite Mexican place in Hawaii.
(5)David K.
Had take out food. First the food was good. Shredded beef burrito and chicken enchadas. Good basic mexican food with quality ingridents. Not very good English so make sure they get your order right. My order was wrong but they corrected it on the spot.
(3)Keith T.
A decent Mexican place. We will go there again. We are from southern CA and just moved from TX so our Mexican pallet is pretty picky. The Salsa was a smoked chipotle style. Had a little heat and good flavor. The carnitas plate was very good. I would say it was on par with some of the best carnitas I have tastes, moist and flavorful. There was one lady waitressing, but she kept things moving.
(4)Janine L.
This little place opened 2 weeks ago right down the street from El Mariachi. We have been unhappy with the service up there so decided to give the new guy a shot. It is open and airy inside, bright colors and friendly faces greet you. Within a minute we had large glasses of ice cold water and REAL tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were great and not from a bag. Salsa was spicy and hot yeah!! The cook came out and took our order- this is small time just opening- and I asked him what was good. He suggested the Wet Burrito. So hubby ordered carnitas (pork) and I went with a standard #5 one taco , one enchilada, both with Asada (steak). The food was delicious and real. The wet burrito was reallly big and came with rice and beans. My taco and enchilada were sooo good, the meat tasty and tender. The beans are fresh and not all refried mush, more like half and half. The rice has flavor and cut up pieces of carrots and potatoes. Really a treat. Food is served on real plates with silverware- not disposable. The cook came out and thanked s for coming and promised that the menu will grow and so will the staff. It was nice to be appreciated as a customer. They DO NOT TAKE CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS- Bring cash!
(4)Leon D.
Man, I love this place. This is a family run business that honestly brings Mexico right here to Hawai'i. Everything is as authentic as you can get. Flautas are a hit and the California Burrito is awesome. The Agua Frescas are great. I can't wait to catch that special day when they have Tacos de Adobada. Yum.
(5)Joylin F.
Parking is a little tight, but worth the dent in my car! Just Kidding!!! Park on the street if you must. I ordered a chicken chimichanga ($13). It was GRANDE & MUY BIEN!!! Frijoles & rice were DELICIOSO. Salsa had the perfect amount of spice for the normal person. (I like it HOT!) Sorry about the generic Spanish, my Boyfriend is 1/2 Mexican and I watch Dora with our son. Haha!
(5)jess a.
terrible! legit awful "Mexican" food. *bleh! I loooove Mexican food. it's so good. so comforting. so simple. but, please...riddle me this: how is it the "Mexican" restaurants in Hawaii consistently miss the mark?! the "Mexican" restaurants should be ashamed of themselves trying to pass off their dishes as "Mexican". Maria Bonita is one such a place that manages to pull this off! now I'm not Mexican, but I sure can tell you what is and is not Mexican food just as I can tell a dog from a cat. my first instinct was to order a chile relleno. *mmmm...chile rellllllleeeeno. but, at Maria Bonita it's more like chile relleNO-NO! I'm not sure where the chef was going with this, but my chile relleno came out a chile crepe! no-no more like a chile omelette--akin to the chile relleno-no I've come to expect from el mariachi. I applaud Maria Bonita for using an actual poblano pepper with some kick to it compared to el mariachi's bell pepper!...yes...they use a flavorless bell pepper which quite honestly should drop the pepper bc it by no means qualifies to be in the same bunch as a Serrano or poblano or even a jalapeño. anyway back to Maria Bonita's chile relleno-no: it was not daintily clothed in a thin, airy, crisp egg white batter like normal...rather, it was straight jacketed by an egg omelette as thick as a flapjack. they then mentioned to make it even worse by stuffing it with your standard yellow and white "Mexican" cheese blend. so it was heavily wrapped in egg over stuffed with yellow greasy chewy matter you assume must be cheese and then buried under a mound of lettuce and sour cream as if the chef was trying to hide it. I mean if the chef is ashamed of his food he'd do his customer a world of a lot better by not serving it at all instead of trying to cover his mistake up with garnish. Maria Bonita's chile relleno-no was tasteless, lifeless, an all around awful experience. I managed to eat just the inside and tear off the eggy blanket. ohhhh and to top it all off: beans...terrible! come on, mb...beans? what I was served was not beans. beans are like a mexican staple. if you cant get your beans right chances are therest of the menu cant possibly be good. this is true at maria bonitas. it was a pinky-greyish-brown soupy mess and the only chunks in it were not beans, but white onions about the size of my thumb nail. again, no taste. awful experience. Maria Bonita, I give you a star because no star is not possible. I actually have more critiques about the service my fiances fish tacos my friends flan and the chips and salsa but I'm exhausted from describing my chile relleno-no nightmare and too tired to continue. but, to sum it all up: TERRIBLE!
(1)Maged R.
we have been looking for a good mexican food resturant every since we moved to the island ,and finaly we found maria bonita resturant across from work we went to try it and we are hooked ,great food ,great service and the price is good.
(5)Wandee T.
We decided to give this place a try since we live in Kaneohe and we lack any real good eateries here. Well, this can be added to the list. I think when we arrived for dinner it was around 5:30 and I feel that they weren't ready to be open because the cook/waiter came to our table completely dirty (as if they had been working all day---I know they do have a lunch truck so maybe they had just brought the lunch wagon back and hadn't had to chance to get cleaned up?) Whatever reason, it was very unpleasant to be served by someone who looked like they had just changed the oil in their car. We ordered some guacamole, chips and salsa. The salsa was good (it's wasn't too spicy but flavorful) but I didn't care for the guac (although made fresh) I didn't like the pieces of lettuce in it. I ordered the chile verde and my husband ordered the special spicy fish burrito. I will have to say the chile verde was ok ( I prefer El Mariachi's it has more flavor). The beans were good (didn't have the lard taste that most Mexican restaurants use). It tasted more healthy not so salty. My husband's spicy fish burrito lacked the spicy...hubby had to add more hot sauce to his burrito. We love hot food! We both agree that maybe this was an off night for them and the staff were really nice but I don't think we'll come back again. I do want to support our local restaurants but I feel we have only a small amount of good eateries here in Kaneohe. Someone needs to bring some good food here please.
(2)A To The K.
before i start yappin, i want everyone to know that i judge mexican restaurants by the carne asada they serve..... the wet burrito with red sauce was what i ordered and a wet burrito with red sauce was what i got...... it was a big ass burrito but the carne asada was a little on the thin side with no flavor and lost among the rice..... yes i ate the entire thing because i was starving. yes i smothered the crap out of it with hot sauce to get more of an overall flavor on my taste buds. yes i am farting all the way home........ one star for the artwork displayed in the place for my kids to admire while they wait for their meal, two star for the big portions that they serve...... even though the carne was a little on the weak side.......( i said carne 4 times ).
(2)Doug F.
pretty good food here, I like there quesadilla. The service here is not the quickest due to they are under staffed a becuase they recenly opened here. As far as price its a little more pricy a little over $10 a plate.
(3)Chris T.
I've eaten here when it was in Waimanalo, food was very good. And I'm sure it is good here. The service here is bad, and I think the server cannot speak, read, or write english. We arrived and were followed to a table. We looked at the menu, and decided what we wanted. It was maybe 5 minutes, and the waitress brought us water. We informed her we were ready to order. She said something in some incomprehensible speech and took our menus. When we arrived there was a party of 4 and a party of two. There was a woman waiting for takeout as well as another man dining alone. 10-15 minutes After we sat, another couple was seated, and two takeout customers placed their order. We received chips maybe 5 minutes after the water, for a total of about 12 minutes. My wife went up front to ask if we could order (we have been without menus for a while), and was told the man takes orders. So he asks my wife if it's a takeout? She said no, were dining in. He said he'd be right there. Immediately after this, he walks over to the other couple seated 10 minutes after us and proceeds to take their order. So 3 parties have ordered before us, and ALL of them arrived after us. Now, as a former chef and restaurant manager, I understand the values of running a business. And I am really patient, this is only the 3rd place I have ever walked out of. But if they want to stay in this location, I think they need to focus on visually noticing who arrives when.
(1)Bill L.
After living in Texas for 20 years, our standards for Mexican food are pretty high. I thought this was some of the best we have had in Oahu. We had the pork carnitas wet burrito. Really good.
(4)Nadine C.
They have HORCHATA here! It's not listed on the menu - I asked for it! I would not have known about it or what it was if I hadn't read Tim C.'s (LA Yelper) review. When I was in LA last week, I went with Alana (LA Yelper) to a Mexican restaurant and had my very first Horchata - yum! It's a rice drink with cinnamon flavor! This time, I went to Maria Bonita in Kaneohe, HI and found it! The waitress said it's available as a mix in Safeway - I'll have to look. Anyway, since I was there, I ordered the #13 Garlic Shrimp plate to go. At home, I donned my gloves (I don't want stinky hands at work) and had some difficulty peeling the shells off of the shrimp. The taste and texture were great! The beans were a bit bland, but the cheese topping helped! I mixed the rice and the salad together for more yumminess! Mmm! There's free parking in the small lot on Kahuhipa Street. It wasn't crowded - just a few customers. The décor is very colorful and cute! The chef and waitress were very friendly and pleasant. I'll be back for sure!
(4)Jennifer Y.
Me and my friends went here for dinner after a nice long day at the beach. We took the kids and they had a great time. They don't serve alcohol but you can bring your own. Service was a little slow but the food was fantastic we will definitely be coming here again
(5)David H.
Been dying to try this place out from all the reviews I've read. Was imagining Menudo and Lengua.....when we got the menu, it was all the regular fare minus some very important staple dishes such as Tamales for example. I was already slightly turned off. We were the only people in the restaurant and there were 6 of us. The waitress brought 4 menus. I had to go grab 2 more. The AC is there, and I assume it's working but they didn't have it on and you all know how hot this summer has been. It was unpleasantly hot and sticky. Our plates came out one at a time and far in between. We were all served after about a 30-40 minute wait. The food was "meh" at best. It lacked enough seasoning/salt. The portions were good and I couldn't finish my spicy Cali Burrito, but it was more because of the lack of flavor than the fact that I was full. We requested take out boxes which came...... No bag to carry them out in; until we requested that as well. Not sure if that's due to the new law or the fact that the waitress didn't have any interest in serving us. Overall, Mexican cuisine in Kaneone has been hit or miss and the best place we've been to is El Mariachi. Don't even consider Don Goyo's an honorable mention. I'd go to Taco Bell before I went there again. Kden Maria Bonita's...... Probably won't see each other again.
(3)M F.
Summary: Parking is difficult. No AC. No one in the restaurant. Cold, inedible, thrown together food. Couldn't eat any part of the meal after a couple of bites. I would have liked the waitress to check back with us so I could get our forgotten side while we were eating, get some more chips and order something else more edible. Maybe it was just the entree I ordered that was unappetizing? I doubt it though. Take out box full of food thrown away. Friendly waitress but overall lackluster service. Prices are cheap, but the food is even cheaper. Nice people, but the food is not worth it. If you want Mexican food, there are much better options on the island than this location. Hopefully it was just an off day? Either way, I don't think I will be back.
(1)Michelle B.
This has been our favorite go-to place for a long time. At one point we were coming here twice a week. The owner and his family are wonderful! They really make us feel at home every time we visit. We had to stop coming for a while because a new server was hard to deal with. She was rude and over charged us a couple of times. She wouldn't listen when we would ask for things. We didn't go back for almost 6 weeks. We felt bad because we really liked the service from the others as well as the food. We have NEVER had a bad meal here. We went back tonight and it was really nice--just like old times. The regular staff was there. The food was excellent and came out quick. The service was great. We will be hitting this spot weekly once again.
(5)Charlotte M.
What a nice surprise to find authentic Mexican-style cuisine tucked in Kaneohe. The Mahi tacos were quite good, though think I'll request the tortillas skip the fryer next time. Authentic salsa that was not reminiscent of a can of Heinz tomato sauce (like so many local establishments). Friendly owner whom takes pride in his cooking. I would describe this as similar to a small Mexican food place you may find in southern California. Give it a try and you may be surprised.
(4)Kelly W.
Mostly authentic Mexican food and definitely in top 5 "Mexican" places on Oahu. Some of the other reviews have nailed it....the food isn't really consistent- some days you will have amazing food and some days it is so-so. The chips and salsa are delicious (spicy salsa)! I do like the food here but El Mariachi a street away usually wins the votes amongst my friends, so we end up eating there more often. The place is rarely too busy, so the service is pretty quick and there's usually please type of parking (even though it is a weird and tight space). The style inside is also kind of fun...it's almost like 50s diner meets sports bar meets Mexican restaurant. Overall, I would recommend the restaurant, and many of the authentic dishes here!
(3)Casey C.
Had the tacos, one carnitas and one carne asada. Both very good, although it was better after I added some salsa. I ate all the beans and rice too, which is unusual for me. Everyone in our party enjoyed their food. Customer service is great; friendly and funny server. Parking is tight, I suggest finding street parking if you can. Planning to be back to try other menu items!
(4)Micha D.
Nice small airy place with Mexican music in the background. It was a good experience. Food was good. Server was friendly. Food came out fast. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because I was looking forward to their fried ice cream people have raved about but they said they only do it occasionally which bummed me out just a little. But overall everything was wonderful. We will totally be going back!
(4)Thomas R.
Really solid food. Had enchiladas suizas and the wet burrito. Staff were friendly and attentive. While the decor is eclectic, this is a place I will definitely go back too.
(5)J S.
Went to Maria Bonita last week with family. It is a little place, possibly hard to find at night..we may have driven past it. But we found it! They provided free chips and and salsa, which was really yummy. I got carne asada tacos (comes w/two) and they were delicious! We also ordered flautas w/ chicken, spicy pork burrito, and fish tacos. The flautas was also a winner! Service was good, no complaints. The restaurant is BYOB. and the food came out in a timely manner. There isn't an abundance of mexican food on the island, but this is hands down the best and most "authentic" (in my limited opinion) that I have tried here. Would DEFINITELY recommend if you are on the kaneohe side (I think there is also a town location) and are craving some good mexican food!
(4)Smash S.
We've been driving from honolulu not knowing there's a location in Chinatown! We just moved here from California and this is the best mexican food we've had so far on the island. The service is friendly and very helpful, they know every detail about the menu. Everything I've had so far is really good, today they have pastor and its amazing! Great meat quality, so much flavor. Overall, this place is worth the drive wherever you are on the island
(5)Val B.
Parking is sharp. But it can be done. We got guacamole. Mixed with lettuce? It was like ..... may I get some avocado with my lettuce? Do I have a salad with avocado? My boo didn't like his meal. Sorry don't remember. I ordered the fish wet burrito. It was hUge. Had to take a doggie bag. It was good. Servers were nice.
(3)Young C.
First of all, as soon as we parked in front of the kitchen door, we saw one of the cooks put a burrito in the microwave and heat it up prior to placing it on the plate. If you want fresh, I don't think the microwave is it. We decided to try It anyways since yelp had given it 4 stars. Once seated we ordered an enchilada, wet carne asada burrito, tacos and a spicy California burrito. While waiting we ate stale chips and house made salsa. The enchilada had an interesting fishy taste and my fiancée was unable to finish her dish. Her brother ordered the California burrito with was subpar at best. The tacos were average. The best thing was the wet burrito. It had great flavor and was decent portion size. Tried to order a horchata, but the waitress didn't know what it was. For the price, freshness, and taste, I will probably look elsewhere for Mexican food. Service was great tho.
(2)Julie M.
I love this place and I love the food :) it's located couple doors down from pancake house, across the car wash auto spa. They accept cash and card! Portions are really worth it as well. I have brought my family and friends on multiple occasions and they loved it as well.
(5)Tif-funny T.
Outstanding! Love this place. China town and kaneohe both taste spectacular. If you want to eat something close to a home cooked Mexican meal this is the place to go. Very casual good portions and I am so infatuated with their rice for some reason. I had the wet burrito the regular burrito and the tacos all with carne asada and it was all so tasteful. Do yourself a favor and drive to kaneohe or Chinatown if you are craving Mexican food. I assure you it is worth the drive. Don't waste your time and settle.
(5)Nathan C.
Pretty descent for the area but unfortunately as I've gone here a few times I've noticed the quality of the food is not consistent, it's hit or miss and they can often run out of some dishes, which can be frustrating if you go for a specific dish, overall though I've enjoyed eating here
(3)Lindsey S.
After reading several reviews I was prepared to go in and love this restaurant, but I have to say it did not live up to expectations. Let me start by saying the parking lot is hard to get out of so try to park on the street if you can. When we walked up I wanted to giggle at the decor, 70s booths, green checked tables, and seriously eclectic art. We sat at a booth, an the waitress was nice enough, really quiet and shy. They do not serve alcohol, when asked we were told its byob!!! If only we knew! We ordered carnitas sope and wet burrito, neither were shockingly good, and there was actually a piece of plastic wrap in my sour cream... I would have told the waitress but she never came back to check on us! When she came to ask if we wanted dessert she didn't ask how the meal was. Honestly it wasn't anything horrible, but it won't be on my list to go back to.
(3)Jessica M.
Maria Bonita is a great little hole in the wall. Pretty good Mexican food for Hawaii! Their chimichanga is awesome! Also the spicy pork burrito! I've tried quite a few things here and its all been good. The enchiladas zuisas are so yummy! Get the fried ice cream....its amazing!!! Prices are very reasonable. The owner diego is a really nice guy. He works really hard and treats us like vip! He always has a smile on his face. I hope this place gets more business because it deserves it!
(5)jojo l.
My bf and I were craving Mexican and decided to try this place out after reading rave reviews. Sadly, we were disappointed in the lackluster food. We started with a guacamole bowl...or shall I say guaca-onion bowl! It seemed like they used the store bought avocado dip and mixed in A LOT of onions and put in a couple pieces of avocado. The entrees were lacking in flavor and didn't seem like much care was put into it, except for MORE ONIONS. The combo he had was loaded with onions and the shredded beef for both our entrees tasted like over-cooked beef with mixed with sauce. The beans were runny and the rice had huge chunks of carrots in them. I've never seen carrots in the rice at other Mexican restaurants before. Maybe it was because we stopped in towards the end of the night? Also, I noticed a can of Raid inside their refrigerator (or maybe it's used as storage?) which was very un-appetizing. This experience solidified my love for Torito's in town. Although the food was disappointing, the service was pleasant.
(1)Traceee R.
Just had dinner at this wonderful establishment and oh my goodness! I recently moved here from San Antonio, TX and this is the best Mexican food I have had so far! I had the Chile Verde Wet Burrito. The Verde sauce was authentic and the pork had a fresh from the grill flavour. The salsa,served with chips, was fresh and not a ketchup derivative. Diego, the proprietor, was pleasant and joy to speak to as well! Not a lot of parking and BYOB (which I will be doing next time!)
(4)Cameo F.
Best Mexican food on the island! Tried for the first time. We had Marias tacos and the enchilladas zuisa. Excellent! Hole in the wall with limited parking but worth it. Very affordable too. Large portions.
(5)Melissa L.
Dragged my friend here since I was craving some bomb Mexican food and wasn't disappointed at all. Everything extremely tasty and our server was super friendly and attentive. I would skip out on the appetizers simply because the plate was huge!! we both didn't finish it. The parking lot is a bit weird so I would maybe look for street parking first.
(5)Henry H.
Both me and my fiancée are from California and being here in Hawaii we craved real Mexican food. Looking around at reviews this was the only place that I felt comfortable taking her while we were first dating. Amazing food! Let's just say it was good enough that I'm getting married to her now so didn't mess up on my choice on going here. Good service and food! Has become our Mexican fix on the island!
(5)Mike O.
I don't know folks. I think the place has changed. First we noticed a large bank of AC units that weren't running on a still and very humid night. Sweating at the table is not my idea of a fun night out. Next, We both ordered dishes with their renowned verde green sauce. What was served wasn't green and bright with cilantro-tomatillo flavor. Whatever it was, it was dead. If they were out for the night why not simply tell us? We would have ordered something else. Instead we were served a substitute without explanation. Lest you think I'm being too harsh, the topper is that we both ended up with mild food poisoning the next day. The place used to be nice but now is grimy, dingy and the food was rancid. Plus its uncomfortable inside. Other than that, great place!
(1)Nikki H.
TU AMOR, MARIA BONITA!!!!!!!!!!! So after a day of last min holiday shopping, I decided that I'd rather go out to eat than go home and cook something. When this happens I know that I can sway my husband that this is a great idea when I suggest Mexican food. Since we were in Keneohe I suggested we try Maria Bonita, and I'm SO GLAD we did. The parking lot is tiny, and so you will have better luck parking on the street, no biggie. When you walk in, don't get disappointed. This place is a tacky hole in the wall with repurposed 50's style diner booths, mismatched tables, horrendous paint, and a lot of amazing Matador black velvet paintings and other Mexican-y art. Basically, if you've ever been to Mexico it's your typical restaurant. We seat ourselves and the waitress quickly brings over chips, salsa, water and menus. The salsa is SPICY, so my husband is instantly impressed. If you're timid of anything above the degree of medium, don't try the salsa. Looking over the menu I instantly saw fajitas for only TWELVE BUCKS. I haven't seen fajitas that cheap ANYWHERE on Oahu. Most of the time they are $24+ and that's for ONE person serving. I got the steak fajitas and my husband had the spicy pork burrito. We also shared the carne asada mini tacos. So, here's why MB is so awesome. People will argue about which style Mexican food is better depending on what state that borders Mexico you're from; I.E. Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex etc. This isn't that kinda Mexican, this is Authentic Mexico Mexican. The owner, whom we met, is from Acapulco. He moved here in 1991, because he likes tropical climates, and eventually opened up two locations of Maria Bonita in the course of 14 years. He is passionate about his quality of food, making sure that it's as close to home as he can make it himself. WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GONNA GET THAT BESIDES MEXICO??????? I've been to Mexico more than I can remember in my life, and I can back his claim that his food is legit. I'm so stoked about this, too. I know we're gonna come here over and over because the food is excellent, the prices are friendly and the service is stellar.
(5)Kaity S.
After trying many many mexican restaurants on island my husband and I finally found this restaurant! The food was amazing along with the service! We'll definitely be coming back. Thanks for a great expierence!!
(5)Estella E.
You can't go wrong with anything you order. I prefer the carnitas because they are uh-mazing!!
(5)Christa Lei S.
Maybe I should have asked them to not place lettuce and sour cream on top of my enchiladas... This place was alright. The carnitas were great, but the lettuce and sour cream sort of ruined the flavor of the delicious red sauce. Yes, it's Hawaii-- but I've had some pretty good Mexican food on this island, so that's no excuse. Most of the reviews suggest burritos (wet style,) but I'm not a big fan of burritos. Anyway, if I were you, I'd get the carnitas enchiladas but ask for no lettuce and sour cream. You are golden otherwise. The horchata is very creamy, not as thick as I'm used to, but I can tell they use whole milk to make the horchata. The dessert was good, but I'm used to sopapillas being a lot fluffier, this was sort of just a piece of fried toast (albeit, it was delicious!) I'll have to try it again sometime, hopefully it'll taste better without those two additions (that come standard.)
(3)Keisha P.
I have been here a few times, and each and every time I just love their food and all the people who work here! This is a little restaurant, with a small parking lot. Not the best decor, however the food is soooooo good! I love the spicy fish burrito! They also serve complimentary chips and salsa (a bit spicy) that is delicious as well. To top it all off, this location is BYOB, so bring your corona and premixed margaritas and enjoy! The kitchen and wait staff is awesome and extremely friendly. They are so personable. They told us they are thinking of having salsa and disco night (still BYOB). I recommend this place for the great hospitality and delicious mexican food!
(5)Jay S.
Best Mexican food on Oahu. My wife and I eat here several times a month. Tried the mahimhi chimichanga yesterday. Loved it.
(4)Beau M.
So I just move back here from San Diego and I'm pretty disappointed in this place, usually the dirty grimier Mexican restaurants are supposed to have the best food! But nope, the food was just as crappy as their decor... So first off their salsa, on the spicy side but pretty good not gonna lie, then got the guacamole; cost about $5 It wasn't worth it, I felt like they put too much cilantro, and garlic in it, or at least mine. What makes it worst was the portion. Next was my order, I wanted to try Maria's signature tacos, but she told me they ran out of avocados!? So already you know the guac I just had isn't fresh. SMH so instead I see my favorite burrito, the California. So it cost bout $11 and when it came, I was sadly disappointed of the portioning. But it's what's on the inside right? Wrong! Once again the put too much cilantro in it, with the onions on the outside? Also their "so called" carne asada tasted like old roast beef with the cheap packet of gravy you get from your local Long's drugs. I was upset, if I were to pay $11 at a Mexican restaurant in north county SD, I would get 2 full meals, a drink and a little mariachi man singing. That's not it, ask for some horchata, the cup was full of ice, ALL THE WAY UP! so they probably ran out and filled it half full, then loaded the ice. it was instant horchata for sure. Whatever, how's your guys fried ice cream? Oh sorry were out... Fricken bogus! Never again am I going here. I know it's pretty hard to find a decent Mexican restaurant in Hawaii but damn! Well idk, if anyone thinks this place Maria's bogista's is great. If your ever in Oceanside California, eat at Colima's to try some real Mexican cuisine, cause this was crap! That one star is for our server, because I feel sorry she has to serve crap on a platter to customers.
(1)Dawn P.
Very delicious! We read the reviews and ole' Beau's review had us concerned. I've lived in San Diego and San Antonio and thought this was just as good as I've had there. The portions are great and I'm stuffed! I got the shredded chicken taco and pork enchilada and my Hubbie got the spicy pork burrito, all great! I did think the guacamole was just okay because they mixed it with shredded lettuce and whole cilantro leaves instead of cutting it and that's why we gave it a 4 vice 5 star. Salsa is puréed and spicy-perfect! Hubbie doesn't want to leave out how great the horchata was. I think the son served us and he gave fantastic enthusiastic service.
(4)Angelica A.
Alright, so I'm originally from California and my husband is from the southern most part of Texas, so we're pretty picky with Mexican food. First off, unlike most people from California, I know when to put my pride aside. Especially when it comes to good food. Here in Hawaii, we were hesitant to give any Mexican restaurants a chance, because 9/10 times places in California are a miss! My husband and I have read numerous reviews about how this place has runny salsa, or the food doesn't compare. We say don't trust those reviews. If you want chunky salsa you're leaving towards "pico." Salsa, if you want to get all technical, is "sauce." Hell, go to an On the Border or Chevy' s in the mainland, if the servers don't mix the salsa they serve you, is going to be runny. With that being said, I know because I used to work at an OTB, and that is not real Mexican food. Anyways, This was the first Mexican restaurant we gave a chance, and it was a hit! This was the second visit we made here within a week. The first time we ordered, I had the shrimp enchiladas with salsa verde, and my husband ordered the California burrito. I was impressed. The shrimp was juicy and my husband's burrito wasn't sloppy and greasy like the rest of the bucket places in California. The vegetables in his burrito looked fresh, and instead of French fries in there, they actually used real potatoes. Now, the horchata... that needs it's own section. I love that stuff. L O V E I T. It was like Christmas morning. It was delicious. You have to try it for yourself because it's just that good. However, this time we went, the horchata wasn't ready. But that's okay. Now I know where to grab some of i'm ever craving. All in all, if you want good Mexican, come here. The family that owns this place is really friendly, and knows their menu. The food is good, trust me. Oh, and I recommend the salsa verde carnitas or the shrimp enchiladas, and my husband recommends his picks- the wet burrito and California burrito. ENJOY!
(5)Tania J.
Worst service ever. Came here for cinco de mayo and initially it seemed promising with the filled restaurant which was clearly a little hole in the wall, maybe a hidden gem. After waiting a while, we finally got someone's attention and was seated within 5 min. We were given water and after about 10 min, chips (which were somewhat stale) and salsa (bland), at which time our order was taken. Still optimistic at this point. We put in our order for guacamole and 2 entrees. Afterwards there were several more couples seated after us. We went through the chips and salsa within minutes (we were starving) and continued to sit for approximately 40 minutes. No one checked on us. As I was peering around the restaurant, 3 other couples who got here after us got their appetizers and additionally were getting refills of chips and salsa while we literally sat and twiddled our thumbs. No apologies, no explanations. When we finally got our entrees, grilled mahi mahi and the combination platter, my fish was so dry that I had to take sips of water with each bite to get it down. The rice and beans were pretty good, I just wish those portions were bigger to help get the fish down. My fiancé went with carne asada which he said was delicious. Between the food and service, thus place gets one and a half stars.
(1)Courtney K.
most authentic & tasty mexican food on the island. the servers are so nice and attentive.
(5)Danielle S.
Excellent food and very generous portions! Clean and so accommodating. My son wanted to bite the table and my husband knocked over an entire glass of water...twice!!!.....they were very quick to bring towels and clean up! And smiled while 'possibly' laughing with us. Will definitely come here again!
(5)Angelena D.
There's no good excuse for why I haven't written a review until now. My husband and I have been going to Maria Bonita's since we moved to Kaneohe which was about a month ago, and we LOVE it! The atmosphere, food, owner, and folks who work there make this place great! It's not fancy, but if you're going to judge them on the decor, then don't go or grow an open mind! The owner and folks who work there are so humble and nice, and you can tell they have passion and love for what they do. While my husband and I are both white and cannot give %100 to the authenticity of the food, I would say that I have a fairly good judgment of what is authentic Mexican and Mexican-American. Some of our favorites: The Horchata drink! A must have! Carnitas pork, wet burrito (red and green sauce), carnitas pork tacos, spicy fish burrito, and the mole enchiladas (YUM! ...if you like mole) We are glad to say that we have become regulars and hope that others find this place as enjoyable as we do. A place to enjoy great food made with a lot of heart and love and a place to remember that it's about the people in your life, not the materials! Enjoy : )
(5)