This restaurant looked authentic from the outside and inside. As we walked in, we waited five minutes for anyone to even recognize we were there and seated us. The salsa and chips we got right away were very good though, and the chips were hot! Our waiter was a little bit awkward and wasn't the most attentive service I have ever gotten but overall decent. The menu took a while to read but the food was very good and came out on a hot plate! Overall my experience was pretty good and I may be back if I can't find a different place to get Mexican food.
(3)
Kelly G.
I used to LOVE this place, but it's been about a year or more since my last visit. I shouldn't have returned. What the heck happened in the kitchen? The food is completely different! Even the salsa for the chips tastes different. Tonight, I got my standard chimichanga. It was massively disappointing. The flavor is all wrong. Tasted like a lot of tomato in the meat sauce. Almost like eating a bowl of chili. Nope! That's not how a chimichanga should taste! It was also a little too spicy for my sensitive taste buds. My friend said her food tasted weird too. It wasn't inedible, but not the food I remember. This was go-to location for Mexican food in downtown Indy. Something has changed though, and we won't be returning.
(2)
Christine V.
I'm an Indianapolis native, and I return to Acapulco Joe's, on occasion, with the hope that they have somehow improved, and that they've finally become worthy of their primo downtown location. The only positive change, on my most recent visit, is that they now have decent salsa, and not that dreadful stuff in a squeeze bottle. I ordered rice and beans, thinking they couldn't possibly mess up anything so simple. Well, I was wrong...The best thing I can say is that my waitress was very sweet and efficient, and I tipped accordingly. If you want authentic Mexican, in Indianapolis, check out some of the hole-in-the-wall places, on W. Washington St.
(1)
Ivet V.
Coming from texas I know what real authentic Mexican food taste like... Unfortunately this wasn't the best. First took awhile to get seated granted the place was pretty empty. Their lunch speacial wasn't really a lunch special. I ordered the merchant lunch which came with one enchilada rice and beans which was almost 9 dollars. A little too high for one enchilada and a side of not so good rice and beans. The chips and salsa were mediocre , the salsa had too much lime in it. Overall the food was bland and no taste but nonetheless ate because I was starving. I was in shock when I saw a plaque on the wall that said city's best Mexican food! Wow
(2)
Jason O.
With so many great authentic and semi-authentic Mexican restaurants in the city I am amazed that this place keeps the doors open. I thought the food was very similar to frozen dinner quality and the chips tasted like cardboard. I will say that in no way does this review reflect the quality of service. Top notch there in all respects. They also have a fairly large outdoor seating area which was nice too. They guys told me this place is an institution but that's not going to be enough to get me back there. Sorry AJ's
(1)
Audrey W.
This place had mediocre food. Not the best. I've had better Mexican food before. It also took a while to get our food. Their kitchen was behind. Meh. I won't be coming back here and neither will my brother in law and his wife. The chips were the only good part with Joe's sauce. I'd rather go to Chipotle!
(2)
Clare L.
Ewww.... just no. I almost feel bad about leaving this review having read the endearing story about the original "Joe" on the menu. However, I think Joe would turn over in his grave over how downhill this place has gone. 10 years ago, this would have been a solid 3 stars - definitely not the worst Mexican food I'd had at that point, but not the best either. Now its just the worst. The salsa in ketchup bottles on the tables? That can't be sanitary. Other reviewers have posted about even simple tacos, beans and rice being bad, and while those are hard to mess up, I tend to agree. No flavor. Everything seems packaged and processed. At one time, this place was good. I can only hope for Joe's sake they get it back on the right track.
(1)
Chrissy A.
It has been FOREVER since I have been here. We came here for the Devour Downtown. I ordered the Seafood bruit to and it looked delicious. Taste not the greatest. The seafood flavor is WAY overpowering. Too much seafood and nothing else in there. It needs some peppers or onions. We also got some fried ice cream w our meal which was good. Our server was fantastic. I will probably give it another shot and order something else.
(2)
Harrison P.
Just don't go here. I mean I know most Mexican food in America isn't "authentic", but this was like school lunch Mexican food. Nacho cheese and chili.
(1)
Maranda L.
I was a little underwhelmed by the food, service and atmosphere in general. The chips were not fresh, and the salsa did not taste like tomato was a main ingredient. I had the burrito at the waitresses suggestions and my brother had the Acapulco Deluxe dinner. (As an aside, service was not great. Our waitress reeked of cigarettes, she didn't refill drinks, and it took a full 10 minutes to receive our check after asking for it.) If I were to pick out what was wrong, it's that it was not fresh. The meat/rice/beans(/mushrooms, for some reason?) all kind of mixed homogenously together for a very bland burrito that left me feeling like I had a plate of mangled cat food in front of me. We agreed it's a place we would visit again only if, for some reason, we lived or worked next door and were too lazy to go somewhere else. There are far too many wonderful places in indy to spend more time at this one.
(2)
Michael+Jenni B.
Why do people still eat at this horrible restaurant? I have no clue how you can screw up this cuisine as much as they do. Easily top ten worst places to eat in Indy.
(1)
Tim G.
If you are in the mood for a Mexican themed chili dog then this is the place for you. I swear the main ingredient in everything from the refried beans to the tamales is an expired can of Hormel chili. I should have walked out when two of the beers we ordered came back wrong. Then when myself and another person in my party ordered the same dish, they brought back one order with an extra plate to split it. And then there is the extreme dirtiness of the place. The floors haven't been swept for a long time, every air vent is coated in 3 inches of dust, and there are ceiling tiles falling down in the kitchen. The waitress was subpar and seemed inconvenienced by our presence. If you want Mexican food, find any place else.
(1)
John Paul L.
Sub par. The waiters were wearing gym shorts and random t shirts serving food with about the same amount of thought put into it.
(1)
Bob B.
We had 6 eating last week and not one of us were happy with the food. The waitress served the wrong meal to my wife. When discussing this she said if returned then she would have to pay for the meal correction. Weak approach and awful if the restaurant really charges back the wait staff. Only good was the margaritas.
(2)
Brandon S.
Humans: Acapulco Joe's is not a traditional hole in the wall Mexican place. If you are expecting this type of food you will be disappointed because that's not what is served here although they have added some things to the menu in case the original Acapulco food is not your thing. The bottles on the table are not salsa nor are they intended to be. One bottle is filled with taco sauce and another a vinegar sauce I believe. Combining them is actually quite tasty on the chips that are served. They also now serve salsa with the chips as well. They need to work on the salsa. I didn't think it was that great but Im guessing it's really just to please the people that give out one star reviews because they were appalled by the bottles of sauce on the table because they go in thinking all Mexican restaurants should be the same and serve chips and salsa like their neighborhood restaurant. I do not work at this restaurant and my last review was awful for them when new ownership took over however they have stepped up their game, service, and food and I will go back. Some people love the original Acapulco food however it is very heavy and comes with a ton of cheese. I do not recommend ordering an entire platter with all beef as I do not see how anyone can stomach that heavy of a meal and it all kinda blends together. The chili con queso is amazing and always has been however $8.50 for a small serving is scary. Id imagine if they lowered it more people would order and come just because of the chili con. Try the hard tacos and queso!
(3)
Brad P.
Terrible tacos. They put the bare minimum of effort in. The chicken tacos have canned mushrooms in them for volume. The beef on its own is almost inedible. They also screwed up our order. The salsa tastes like mildly spicy ketchup.
(1)
Angeleka D.
Acapulco Joe's has completely stepped up their game since the management switch! $2 Taco Tuesday is my favorite day to go. They seriously needed the overhaul, and are much cleaner, faster, and provide a lot better service. However, the best thing about the change is the food. I've dined for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- try a fish taco, beef burrito, with rice, and guac! Still, the salsa is a little too sweet for me, and the shredded chicken isn't as full of flavor as it could be. At times, the chips are a little too salty. There could be better drink specials, and they might draw more attention adding a local music artist or some fun event nights... Overall, they are better and better every time I go. Acapulco Joe's is trying to become a contender in Mexican fair downtown. Go there, and see how well they stack up!!
(3)
Tim S.
This honestly used to be my favorite Mexican restaurant. But they've dumbed down the food and drinks to become the Taco Bell of 'local' Mexican cuisine. I wouldn't come here again unless I worked in the area and needed a simple lunch option.
(1)
Kristin E.
This was by far the worst Mexican food I have had and the service was sub-par. We were brought chips with no salsa, and were led to think the bottles on the table were the salsa. They tasted like cocktail sauce and would be delicious with shrimp, but were not good with chips. When I asked the waitress if they had any salsa, she responded saying they were making it at the moment. We came during a busy lunch hour, so I am not sure why a Mexican restaurant wouldn't have salsa ready during lunch time. She never came back to our table with an answer as to when the salsa would be ready. Additionally, it took around 30 minutes for our food to come out and it was very sub-par. I would have rather eaten at Casa Bonita in Colorado and at least been served delicious sopapillas at the end.
(1)
Nicki C.
Not fantastic, not horrible. Went during Devour Downtown, and loved the fact that margaritas come with the 2 for $30. Service was solid, food was ok. A little spicier than I thought it would be and my 2 year old son kept calling our nachos "chili". You know- I think he's right. We will probably come back during Devour for the margaritas with the meal, but probably not any other time.
(3)
Corrine P.
I've visited this place twice now since it's been under new ownership. My last experience has a definite story. I visited this place on Friday after work to get some Mexican and Margs. First, the waitress looked at my ID and didn't believe that it was me in my driver's license picture. She looks at me and looks at the picture and back at me again. I thought she was going to deny my drink. She said that I don't look at all the same. I look so much prettier now. I guess that's a compliment? Second, the Margaritas were not good. They didn't taste quite right. They weren't very strong at all. Third, the food is pretty good here. It's fairy pricey, especially for dinner. Fourth, we waited for our check forever. It felt like a really long time and then a really long time for her to take our card and run it. Basically, this wasn't my best restaurant experience. However, if you visit this place, I suggest going for lunch and choosing a lunch special. The Quesadilla deluxe is good as well as the Tres Amigos. Don't buy any mixed drink.
(3)
Bill Z.
Very slow service. Admittedly it is Mother's Day, but the place isn't even full. It took 65 minutes for food to arrive. And then It was staggered and took another 10 minutes for all of us to get our food. Quality was average to be kind. Ingredients were of rather low quality, though the chips & salsa were quite good. We would probably not come back. An added annoyance is a constant intercom barking out various servers' names.
(2)
James T.
Really a 3.5 stars, but much higher than currently rated. Perhaps due to newer management. Fondly remember the old days when EVERYBODY stopped at noon to sing God Bless America led by Joe himself. Also recall that they would close for several weeks each winter so Joe, family, and staff could vacation in Alcapulco, at his expense. Also recall that the city let him park his big Caddy on the sidewalk. And that his tacos were the best I've ever had - before or since. That was 40 years ago! ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! !Salud, Joe! Hey, a line has formed outside- just like the ole days. Never heard of a 2 star restaurant with a line outside!
(4)
Jerry W.
I don't know why there are so many low ratings. I've eaten here twice for lunch and I've really enjoyed the food. Tacos, both soft and crispy, are packed with well-season beef and tons of cheese. The Spanish rice is flavorful. The refried beans are ordinary but good. Even their guacamole is very flavorful though the avocados are not chunky but pasty. The prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. And the fried ice cream is awesome! Staff has been friendly and prompt. I had to wait about five minutes to be greeted and seated today but the place was packed. Inside it's diner-esque but clean. The one complaint I do have was they played a loud and awful version of Happy Birthday for a customer. It's seemed to go on forever. Still, I recommend this place. Oh and one more thing I like, you can pay your check with PayPal using your cell phone!
(4)
Aaron C.
Amazing place with delicious food. I personally love the signature joes salsa that happens to be in a bottle, trust me it's not ketchup. I usually get the combo plate which comes with a taco, joes style soft taco, enchilada, and Spanish rice.
(5)
Will S.
I used to love Acapulco Joes. It was a tradition to go in early on the morning of gay pride and have morning margaritas and breakfast. So when a large group of us got together for dinner last night before a show I was excited to revisit the place I haven't been in a while. No. No. No. Arrived to find our guests already seated on front of baskets of chips, no salsa. We waited a full ten minutes for our server to arrive and express her pleasure that we were finally there. We ordered a pitcher or margaritas and an order of guacamole. The margaritas were awful, weak and suspiciously reminiscent of limeade and the $4.99 guacamole consisted of three melon ball sized balls of avocado and what I suspect was a powdered mix served on a boatload of lettuce. I was then informed there were new owners. My meal, three enchiladas, was inedible. Dry, tough corn tortillas wrapped around a meatlike paste that would have embarrassed the worst Taco Bell on earth. I ate 3/4 of one and passed. Service was slow and terrible, but we had to get to our show, and it was clear that any complaints to the staff would have fallen on deaf ears. Luckily I have my memories of pride morning margaritas because last nights experience at Acapulco Joes will definitely be my last.
(1)
Madeline R.
I love Mexican food. Acapulco Joe's has good food, and I love their outdoor seating. You get to watch the hustle and bustle of downtown Indy while enjoying some chips and salsa. The servers have always been very accommodating.
(3)
Billy V.
The restaurant is clean and wait staff is attentive. The grated cheese on the tacos tastes good . Everything else about this place screams mediocrity. It feels tired and dated and the food is underwhelming. It would sit at the bottom of a very long list of local Mexican restaurants in terms of flavor, freshness, and authenticity of the entrees. Maybe I'm just missing the plot and they truly are a genuine representation of the niche Acapulco cuisine, but I doubt it. Both their taco shells and their chips taste like they were recently dumped out of a bag and the salsa is bland red chunks. If you're in the mood for mediocre Mexican food that won't make you sick then eat here.
(2)
Amber C.
Awesome Downtown Indy mainstay! If you haven't been to Acapulco Joe's, you need to make a visit ASAP. If you've been, but not recently, make your way back! This restaurant has been here for as long as I can remember, but I can't remember the last time that I visited. I was pleasantly surprised by the pleasant atmosphere, cleanliness, and most of all, the great food. Do yourself a favor and trust your server - the chicken quesadilla was one of the best that I've had. The ingredients were fresh, and the meal was flavorful and well presented. This is a great place for date night, or just a friends' night out. You won't be disappointed!
(4)
Brett R.
I am not overly impressed by this establishment. Server was a little pushy, chips were stale however salsa was delicious. I still am not sure about the burrito, a little soggy but tasty. Good for lunch but don't bring your wife, she probably won't like it.
(3)
Taylor R.
I am a very picky eater and like things a certain way. The waitress was totally accommodating. The portions were huge and it had a nice American twist. I found my new favorite restaurant. If you do go be sure to try the salsa in the squeeze bottle!
(4)
Meredith S.
I can respect the fact that Acapulco Joe's has supposedly been an Indy landmark for decades and that people can remember the good ole days of this restaurant... but all I know is what I experienced last week when I came for lunch. I'm not a picky eater. I'm definitely not picky when it comes to Mexican food. Seriously.. how can you mess up tacos, rice, beans, chips and salsa??? Didn't think it was possible... but sadly... it is. Nothing tasted good. Nothing. Nothing at all. It tasted fake and weird and for the amount of money I paid for this, it should've been a salivating, melt in my mouth type experience. They're even advertising that it's under new management with all new flavors! I guess if you have to advertise this, it should be a red flag. Let the food speak for itself... but in Acapulco Joe's case, maybe the best they can hope for is some window advertising. It's unfortunate that it's no good - it's so close to where I work! Oh well. Now I know.
(1)
Jerry W.
Beef burritos consistently cold. Have had to send back to kitchen each time I've ordered. Beef stuff inside is somewhere between Alpo and Hormel. Wish this place was better since I live close by but I'm afraid it's off my list. On a positive note, the cheeseburger isn't bad.
(1)
Paige C.
I absolutely love mexican food...but I couldn't ABHOR anything more than Acapulco Joes. it is seriously the most disgusting meal I have ever had in my life. I'm pretty sure the cheese dip was gravy (like the gravy you get in Biscuits and Gravy) and the salsa that comes out of the ketchup bottle may indeed actually be ketchup. I have had 'so so' and 'kinda gross' mexican before and ate it without too many complaints but my boyfriend and I actually had to send our food back as it was literally inedible. They were very nice about it, which was great and much appreciated, but every time I drive by there I vomit a little bit in my mouth.
(1)
Sonya A.
Mexican? It's not. Edible? Neither. So much processed cheese and faux salsa that I feel plastic-y after eating here. Final verdict, avoid at all costs. Food: 0/5 - I mean even the "salad" is just horribly shredded lettuce with shredded cheese. Location: 3/5 - Outdoor seating isn't so bad. Service: 1/5 - Literally had servers arguing so they wouldn't have to take our table? I only give this place 1/5 stars because I can't do 0/5. What a joke.
(1)
Peter P.
This place is MUCH, MUCH better than it used to be. It's been under new management for a few months now and the difference is huge. They have actual, real homemade salsa now! Not that blended squeeze bottle crap they used to throw out on the table. They've cleaned up the inside and the outside seating area and removed a lot of the kitsch. Sitting outside is actually pretty nice now (it's completely covered so you can sit outside even when it's raining which is pretty cool. They also serve breakfast which is a rarity for Mexican restaurants. The food is typical Americanized Mexican/Tex-Mex, but at least it's passable now. And the prime location downtown is what kicks it up to 3 stars for me (as there are hardly any Mexican restaurants downtown, with one upscale exception).
(3)
Chris S.
Went to Acapulco Joe's for dinner. This is the second time I have been there. I ordered Fajitas with Chicken and Beef. I was disappointed with the quality of the fajitas. It reminded me of BBQ chicken and beef on tortilla. It was not very appetizing. If I wanted BBQ, I would have gone to a BBQ joint. The fajita was not authentic Mexican food. However, the service was good and I am willing to give it another try. I wont be ordering Fajitas from Acapulco Joe's in the future.
(2)
S L.
Just....bad. I want my $14 back. Salsa out of a bottle tasted like ketchup. I should've read yelp before I went here. Lesson learned.
(1)
Krys F.
Terrible. I don't understand how they thought it was ok to use mozzarella cheese on Mexican food. I mean, really?!? And an olive on my taco salad??? Couldn't finish my meal. In summary, it was bad. The end. Don't go there ever. And I'm still hungry. They are lucky there are no restaurants open in Indianapolis on Sundays. :-(
(1)
Glenn W.
I'm from Vermont, IL and this restaurant is at the corner of Vermont & Illinois streets. So that's cool...but I've always had a good meal here, with good service too....If you want authentic Mexican....go to Mexico! These people work hard and provide a good product. This is a landmark one of the first Mexican restaurants in Indianapolis. Enjoy the tradition!
(5)
Kate H.
No. Just no. My understanding is that this place used to be great. A sign outside indicates new management. Maybe they should try again. The patio is nice. The margaritas pretty decent. The food is some of the worst food (of any ethnicity) I have ever had. I was pleasantly surprised I didn't get food poisoning- so bonus for that. Indianapolis treated me well otherwise.
(1)
Wanda M.
Acapulco Joe's is certainly a landmark for Indianapolis and I've spent hours over 30 years eating here. I was one of those lucky people waiting in line down the sidewalk at the old restaurant across the street. Small and very little seats but we always enjoyed waiting for Joe and Patty to make our lunches. My children and I have fond memories of Joe joking around with them and the staff that remained for years. The food has definitely gone downhill and the prices have increased as one would expect. Yes, the chips are stale and the salsa is in a squeeze bottle but that's the way it's always been. Most of us enjoy the history and memories when we come here...not the food so much anymore but most old timers will continue to keep Joe's dream alive. The new owners are trying to keep some of the history in place but the joys of the old days are gone.
(4)
Heather D.
Oh hell no. This place should not be allowed to serve anything remotely close to food. Service was incredibly slow despite the unnecessary chaos of the servers running around in their own personal marathons.
(1)
Stephanie G.
I am long time fan of Acapulco Joe's. I have only been in twice under the new management. The place has a much brighter atmosphere now. I note my food was great as usual and generously proportioned. I see the new management has not tried to alter the the traditional dishes Joe's is known for, thanks a bunch. The staff was attentive and friendly as well. It was good to see management had not re-staffed like many often do when they step in. See you soon Joe's for my next chimichanga order. I forgot to mention, Kudos on your new bar code payment system. It's good to know you can pay your bill from your phone and just go. No more waiting for a check to leave. You can even call your waitress via the the new system. Great service upgrade!
(4)
Lora T.
I really like their food, and love the chips and salsa out of the bottle. However, the staff are not overly friendly and the restaurant could use some renovation.
(4)
Tiffany B.
Really? I'm forced to give this place a star? "Acapulco" would suggest Mexico, but do not be fooled friends. Mexican this is not. Quality this is not. Joe? Long gone. The best thing about this place (other than its location in an historic building) is the story of Joe himself, which I heard second hand. He was evidently a grateful immigrant, thankful for the opportunities America has to offer. That's a great story, the food is quite another. You cannot throw a handful of chopped onions into ketchup and call it salsa. You cannot buy all your food stuffs on the clearance aisle of a Walmart castoff store and foist it on the unsuspecting public. And I've seen some people on here make excuses by saying this isn't supposed to be Mexican food. Really? Well, either way, the food sucks. If I were Mexican, I'd be out front campaigning against the mockery this place is making of my native culinary culture. As a resident of Indy, I'd consider doing the same thing, because its places like this that give Indy a bad name. Bleah. Head to La Margarita if you want some good salsa!
(1)
Abbey B.
Acapulco Joe's has a very special place in my heart. It's not the most authentic Mexican, or even the best tasting in town, but it has history and delicious chili con queso. When I was little, my dad would order Acapulco Joe's to go. We would drive downtown and park in some loading zone (my dad was a courier and always got away with parking in random spots) and I would practically race to get in the doors. The glass case full of t-shirts always greeted me, along with the mural painted walls and wood trim. For to-go orders, you walked all the way to the back of the restaurant, to the window that led to the kitchen. There was a microphone there and someone would say you'r name and out would come your brown paper bags full of greatness. As a young'n, my dad would pick me up and they would let me say our name into the microphone. I will always remember the huge, sweaty man with his stained white apron coming out with fist-fulls of brown bags to give us. Doesn't sound appealing, but it warms my heart. Now that I'm older, I love going in during the summer to sit on the patio and drink a margarita. The ceiling fans usually capture any breeze and the pigeons dance around the outside of the fencing. Try the chili con queso, PLEASE! You won't forget it. The taco salad is splendid, as well as the always faithful chimichanga!
(4)
David S.
Service was disappointingly slow, not that we were in a hurry, but when other customers are getting up and looking for wait staff and people that came in after us are receiving entrees and we haven't been served yet. People complaining to management. What's the deal... food is decent but management is lacking.
(1)
Catherine S.
The only reason I am giving Joe's two stars is because I love their Chili Con Queso and salsa. The first 4-5 times I visited that is all my friend and I ordered. One day we decided to actually order something I was so disappointed. Nothing here is good. Everything seems like it is slopped on the plate and smothered in some cheese. The rice and beans are the worst I have ever tasted; my family his hispanic so I've been eating homemade Mexican my entire life and I can't believe anyone could mess up the basics that bad. The beans were super upsetting because they have always been one of my favorite foods. I know this place is under knew management and I've been there once since the new people have taken over and saw no improvement. I hope they start really making some changes and fixing some of the food.
(2)
Devon N.
Went there for devour downtown which was a good deal. I have heard about Joe's and how it is an Indianapolis institution, but I have to admit I don't see why, other than it is one of the first Mexican restaurants in town. I had the fajitas which were prepared with some kind of barbecue sauce. While it was ok it wasn't spectacular. We did get the fried ice cream which was pretty good. That, along with the fact that it was a good value and the service was pretty good, accounts for one of the 3 stars. Overall though it's not worth the drive in from the suburbs.
(3)
Jake K.
Went here for a post event feast to welcome a new commander. We probably should have picked a better venue. The food was the standard TexMex imitations you can get out of a Old El Paso box but the service was horrible. Perhaps they weren't prepared yet or some of the staff skipped work that day, but they were unable to keep up with a group of 15 and some folks had to start their meals (cold Mexican food isn't recommended) and were finished before the other meals arrived. No bueno.
(3)
Dara H.
This was the first time I had been to Acapulco Joe's in many years but I will not be returning. We use to go for lunch all the time when i was working in the area. We were in for dinner and the place was dead. I can remember having to wait to get a table at lunch. Our waitress was kinda rude when I asked a question about the menu. They brought out chips( that were stale) and salsa in in squirt bottles on the table. Ordered 3 soft taco (they don't come with anything for $9.99) and the girl asked if i wanted them American Style or Joe style?? Well i found out Joe style had chili con queso on them. I said OK and when they came out they looked like enchiladas! It was CORN tortillas rolled with hamburger inside and red sauce and chili con queso poured over the top of them. That doesn't work for me cause i don't like corn tortillas. I wanted tacos not enchiladas. Our waitress drooped off our bill and never came back. So after sitting there for a while we went up to the register and she told us she would have gotten it for us. Over all it was poor service and bad food. Sorry Joe!
(2)
Scott M.
LANDMARK UNDER NEW OWNER(S) FINDING ITS WAY Acapulco Joe's for years has been a landmark on the near Northwest side of downtown. It's now under new ownership -- the second changeover since the original family owner-operator. Cleaner and with some improvements in decor, the place is finding its way as far as organization and pricing (read that somewhat struggling management). Tiny, itty-bitty top shelf margaritas for $9 probably won't cut it in a city sprinkled with authentic Mexican restaurants. The recipes are close, but have changed slightly from Joe's. And there seems to be plenty of help. They just don't have their systems down for whatever reason. Give them a chance. Give them some time. Hopefully, things will improve some. It's a tough, competitive business. We hope they succeed.
(3)
Kimber E.
New management is supposed to be a good thing, right? Well in this case, it could possibly be the worst thing to happen to a restaurant. EVER. This is my first visit in a year to Joe's for dinner with my girlfriend and her daughter. I was actually upset that I spent money here. I have had some poor experiences, and as a former restaurant employee I'm certainly understanding of how things work in an establishment such as this. First off, the server stations were FILTHY. you could smell the bathrooms halfway across the dining room. but I still give chances for delicious mexican food. When we sat down, the hostess just yelled at us from across the restaurant asking how many people we had (fine), then walked over to a table and set like 6 menus down and didn't tell us to follow her or anything. She then proceeded to give us the nastiest look like we were supposed to automatically know that that was our table. I then decided to use the restroom and gave someone else at my table my drink order so that i would be able to sit down and enjoy it when I got back. I come back from the bathroom and sat down and my friend told me no one had even came by to get a drink order. 5 minutes AFTER that, a lady finally comes by and gets our drink order, looking less than impressed that we were the table she was sat with. (I also know that feeling, so I can tell when someone else does). She comes back with the drinks and to take our food order and between four people, doesn't write a single thing down. Thats fine, I've worked with and had stellar servers who don't have to write anything down. but we modified our entrees a bit, added sides and such so thats something you should definitely take note of. Never once between us ordering dinner and the food coming did she even stop to check on us. The food came, of course all wrong because she didn't write a single thing down. wasn't even nice about it being wrong, and then it took another 15 minutes to receive the right food. When we were eating the right food, we were SURPRISED at how medicare it was. i didn't even want to take my leftovers home. the cheese on top was cold. the salad was horrendous. the rice had ZERO flavor. the chicken and beans tasted like they had been dried out before they were served. My daughters chicken and fries were better than my Tex Mex cuisine. I was sooo disappointed. If I'm going to spend so much money at a restaurant, i want to at least halfway enjoy my food. We were a table of two young moms and two five year olds. We aren't made of money, but we definitely don't go out to eat if we can't afford our meal and tip at least 30%. It bothers me SO much when a server assumes that because i brought my girls, and I'm in my twenties, that I am cheap and an awful tipper. I waited tables for too many years to be able to be cheap like that. This server was so rude to us basically because she was assuming. Which I cannot stand. She was trying to rush us out on a Sunday evening, even taking my plate full of food away from me before I was done with it. She must have known how awful it was. All in all, this single experience RUINED this restaurant for me. I will never return and never recommend anyone there. I came home hungry and upset with less money in my wallet. thats not okay with me.
(1)
Sam L.
About as American as Tex-Mex can be. Firstly, the bartender comes out with an extra shot of Grand Marnier in case the margarita my girlfriend ordered was "not strong enough". As a former bartender, this is just weird. Just make it right the first time. He later admitted he tried it to see how it tasted...The food was pretty terrible too. I had a lunch special with a chicken enchilada, rice & beans. The beans were dry and tasted like they were from a can. The rice was supposed to be Spanish rice, but tasted like white rice with hot sauce mixed in. The enchilada lacked much flavor, but seemed to at least be made right. To top it off, there was a hair in my girlfriend's fajita salad. They took it off the bill, but weren't very apologetic about it. Not sure how this place is still in business.
(1)
April L.
Taco Tuesday was awesome! The free chips and salsa were a great pairing with the chilli con queso. The cheese stretched to the ceiling!!! The tacos were delicious and drinks mixed perfectly. Thank you Sandy for the excellent service we received throughout the meal. We will be back!!!
(5)
Stacy J.
You walk in and hear music to the likes of Hanson's 'MMM Bop' and Elton John's 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' plus a continuous array of oddly mismatched songs... THEN, if the music isn't confusing enough, the televisions are airing a gory murder mystery show and an off-team's basketball game and who knows what else... Plus decore that hints of old school cafeteria with a SLIGHT touch of Spanish... SOOOO to this your first thought is AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUSINE, RIght!?!?! NOT!!!!!!! AND that's not even taking the food into account! So anyway... this review isn't worth my time to delve into all the details. But we basically went for devour downtown and were pretty dissatisfied! Not welcomed, adequate but slow service, food that was just ok (Fried ice cream was tasty, but if it is truly deep fried, as it should be, then shouldn't it be at least warm where the ice cream is kinda melty and not rock hard, super cold!?)..... oh yeah, and the complementary chips and salsa is a Joke (see other reviews!)!! Was hoping for more... The positive is that we tried it out during Devour, so we were not paying much for our lack of.
(2)
Griffin S.
While I want to write a nice review, I can't. I want to because this is my neighbor, but this place is below average. Margaritas are tasty, and the beers to go are cool, I will give them that. Overall, from service to cleanliness, the place is dull. Breakfast is actually decent, but when you have Le Peep not even a block away, and many more options around, it's hard to step foot in Joe's. I really do hope they change things around, because the history is neat, and the location couldn't be better.
(2)
Randall P.
Alright the food has not changed, which is good but the new management sinks. Joe's was a joint, and the new guys have tried to make something up scale, The Cheap vacuform sign in the entrance has been remove for a awful sign. They placed a table right in the entrance where the you used to pay. The great thing was about Joe's it was a joint not a rubber stamped dining experience. We want our joint back!
(1)
Adam W.
Terrible terrible terrible. Tasted like a TV dinner. No salsa with the chips. Taco Bell is better.
(1)
Sara L.
We do dinner a lot, Kevin and I. Much like sitting on the mats at the gym and talking is our thing, going out to dinner, lunch, brunch and breakfast is our 'thing'. We are dining companions. I love Kevin and we see eye to eye on most things, but my bro has a serious love of Acapulco Joe's that I cannot get behind. But I love Kevin, so I go. We are cruising around in his batmobile, trying to decide where to go, and he wants AJ's again. I'm too tired to think, my brain a raw mess from reading and writing limericks, so I agree. I know that the biggest margarita they can produce is necessary to keep me from imploding, so I order one right away. I can't remember what I ordered or what he ordered. If memory serves me, and it often doesn't, it was probably some kind of American food pretending to be Mexican food combination of meat and cheese with too much HFCS laden sauce wallowing around next to some crappy rice and beans. Oh. oh. I had the worlds worst nachos and he had a chicken chimichanga. I've also had their beef chimichanga and something else, but I cant' remember what. The only thing I ever remember about a night at AJ's is the fun I had with Kevin. I think I block out the memory of what I have eaten there as a sort of mental self-protection method. The waitstaff is usually pretty slow, a bit cranky, and not helpful. At this point, I don't care. I expect it, and I also think it's a crappy restaurant and have no expectation of anything going well there. Kevin loves the salsa. The salsa makes me die inside. Instead of a bowl of salsa that you can dip your chips into, AJ's thinks they've stepped up their game by having squeeze bottles of salsa. It isn't salsa, it's taco sauce and it tastes like the inside of a mummies bandages. I pick up a chip in one hand and then pick up the bottle, covered in whatever has been touching the hands of every other patron that has touched it, and squeeze some 'salsa' onto my chip. I bring it to my lips and hesitate. 'I can't eat this' I think. 'There's probably space semen and baby feces on the bottle, which is now on my hand, which is about to go in my mouth'. I put the chip down next to my plate and smile warmly at my dinner companion. 'Let's talk about ourselves so we can ignore this chip situation'. The food comes and some of it gets eaten because we are hungry. I put the leftovers in Kevin's fridge when we leave, never planning on getting them out of there. 'You're better off in Kevin's fridge, leftovers. In Kevin's fridge, you're likely to find an owner who will love you and appreciate you, find you desirable and want to eat you. In my fridge, you await certain dumpster death'. Eating here is one of my least favorite things. The food is gross, the atmosphere is bad, the drinks are watered down, it's over--priced, the salsa is disgusting and unsanitary....but Kevin loves it.
(2)
Anna W.
This place was absolutely disappointing. The food was bland (I'm not sure how you make bland tacos). The service was horrible. Our waitress seemed to be taking care of all the tables in the front end of the restaurant, which isn't her fault but the fact that she dropped a ToGo bag on the floor and picked it up and placed it on top of the food that I was going to pack up seem to me that she didn't have a sense of cleanliness. Only reason that they are even getting a star, other than the fact that I can't go any lower is at least their Chili con Queso was good for the first 5 minutes it came out (before if got cold and thickened).
(1)
Kara P.
I used to love this place. I used to work in the One America building and would walk here for lunch. Maybe my tastes have changed, or maybe the food has gone downhill, I don't know. I went here for a lunch a few days ago with my hubs and we both ordered the Tres Amigos for lunch. Both of us requested chicken instead of beef. Both orders were brought out as all beef. That was mildly annoying, but not enough to turn me off. What bothered me was the sauce that everything was drowned in. It wasn't *bad*, there was just too much of it. The service was okay. Our waiter was polite and friendly, but very busy. They only appeared to have two servers on duty and each of them were taking care of an entire side of the restaurant. I remember loving their salsa in a squeeze bottle. However I don't love it now. The chips were pretty good, not sure if they make them in house. But the salsa was....sweet, or something. It just didn't taste right to me. No heat at all. The lampshades above the booths are very pretty and festive. However, the thick layer of dust on them is pretty gross. The whole place could have used a good scrubbing. I get that the decor is old, but overall griminess is inexcusable. Not to mention neither of the stalls in the women's bathroom had working locks. I've definitely had worse experiences. But I think I've fallen out of love with Acapulco Joe's.
(2)
Toni F.
NO CHILI RELEENOS......or avocados ....or boiled eggs to put on the salad! This was at 4 pm on a Saturday. The jalapeños we ordered as a side were Raw. The floor around our table was dirty. My family and I have been coming to Acapulco Joe's for many many years. We went this past weekend because family from out of town wanted Joe's chili releenos. The floor under our table was dirty. I walked out of Acapulco Joe's for the last time.
(1)
Beverly B.
Terrible! Terrible service and food! What has happened to this place! Will never go back
(1)
Samantha R.
I'm not a fan of those upscale Mexican style restaurants. Tex Mex is my jam and frankly this place is one of my favorites. I love the salsa on the table and I love the excessive amount of cheese I get. The beef has jalapenos in it and I love spicy food. This place reminds me of being a kid and going with my dad. It might not be everyone's favorite, but it is my favorite!
(4)
Kelly D.
Always love Joe's. You gotta love a place where the food hasn't changed, the decor hasn't changed, and even some of the wait staff hasn't changed since I started going there, which I think was in 2004. Our waitress was very kind and helpful - and very honest about what she did and didn't like! My friend from out of town got a strange look on her face when "God Bless America" started playing in the midst of the pop music, and I felt sorry for her, because she just doesn't understand. Four stars because I have had trendier or perhaps tastier Mexican food, but I'll keep going back to Joe's.
(4)
Aubrey A.
Beginning of summer always makes me want to walk or ride everywhere. I was craving a margarita, so obviously, I decided upon Mexican food for dinner to pair with my oh so important margarita. We walked to a Mexican place that was closer to our apartment in the St. Joseph Historic District, but they were closed, so we decided to make the long walk to Acapulco Joe's. First, we walked in and instead of saying, "Okay, follow me!" the hostess just walked away and we assumed she was taking us to our table. She then asked if my 5 year old needed a highchair. I feel like I need to have a "Really?" sesh with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers. Then, she tried to seat us directly in the sunlight on an 85 degree day. No thank you! Our server seemed nice, although it seemed a little forced. Of course, I got the standard dirty look when I ordered my alcoholic drink. It's definitely not that vegetarian friendly, but I settled for the Cheese Quesadilla dinner-- something I can make at home. It was so-so food, but I was super excited for my large and in-charge margarita that left me with a pretty sweet buzz. Our service was absolutely terrible, and my germaphobe self was very weary and worried about the Salsa-in-a-Bottle, but I ate it anyway. And, WHAT'S WITH THE INTERCOM SYSTEM? I had like 27 heart attacks throughout my meal. I didn't have high hopes for this "Mexican" food, and even though the Margarita was pretty awesome, I will probably never be back. Do yourself a favor, don't make the trip.
(1)
Candise S.
came in on a Groupon. The food was... well terrible. cheap ground beef and no flavor to the taco meat. I had the taco salad which was plain as could be. you get more on a taco bell taco salad which taste better than this place. The chip were greasy and not salted. Even with a Groupon I feel it was a poor value. The server was pretty good though.
(1)
Jane R.
I think 2 Stars is an accurate rating. Food has always been plentiful and unauthentic. It is very casual and unfortunately the new owner has lost some of the "kitsch" that made it fun. Like being an unauthentic Mexican restaurant in the Midwest. I mean who serves a slice of hard boiled egg and pickled beet on top of a Mexican dish?? Joe did! The queso has less chili, used to be yellow and red, now just red. We had the Mexican pizza, and the ground beef had no flavorings. I used to be able to smell it a block away on my way to work in the AM. No God Bless America either. Probably won't be back - sometimes hokey just makes a place, and when you take it away, you got nothing.
(2)
Randy B.
We stopped for lunch during the week, and had the tacos. The service was terrible, they were way under-staffed. It took us forever to order our food, and even longer to get our food. My girlfriend's fork was dirty, and it took several minutes to get the waitresses attention for a new one. The tacos were just okay, and the cheese was not melted at all. By the time we were done eating, there was shredded cheese everywhere, because it wouldn't stay in the shell. The only bright-side is their chips with the sweet "watery" salsa is delicious. I had too many, since we had to wait so long.
(2)
Katie S.
I love me some delicious Mexican food, and I work downtown, so naturally, I ended up at Acapulco Joe's at one point. A coworker had been talking this place up for awhile, so I figured I was in for a treat. Sadly, I was disappointed in more ways than one. The first problem: the service. I went with three coworkers for lunch on a Tuesday. Given that it was lunch time, we were prepared for a bit of a wait. What we weren't prepared for was being completely forgotten by our waitress. None of us ever got refills on our drinks, despite running out fairly early in the meal. Two of us ordered taco salads and they forgot to add the tomatoes. That wouldn't have been a big deal, if the waitress had actually remembered to bring us some after I mentioned this. But alas, she did not. And when she finally did reemerge from the depths of the kitchen to bring us our checks (which, btw, she just tossed on the table in a pile, leaving us to sort them out), there was no apology or acknowledgement of the fact that we'd been left without drinks or tomatoes or any service at all. Oh, and she only gave mints to one member of our table. Wtf? Seriously??? The second problem: the food. The chips were tasteless (how do you mess up tortilla chips), and as others have mentioned, you're expected to top the chips with subpar salsa from a squeeze bottle. I can't even imagine how many different pathogens were on my hands after that... The main dishes weren't anything to write home about, either. Our taco salads were just shredded iceberg lettuce with a big old mound of cheese on top. There were some beans buried at the bottom, but you had to dig for them, pretty much upending the entire salad in the process. And again, no tomatoes ever surfaced. Grrr! They also put pickles, olives, and beets (one of each) on the taco salad which was really odd. The other two members of our party had burritos and I guess they were passable. Another note on the food: this place is NOT vegetarian friendly. I only saw one item, the cheese quesadilla dinner, that was vegetarian. Of course, you can have meat left off of other things, but don't expect much selection if you're veggie. If the truly authentic Mexican restaurants we usually go to can have an entire vegetarian section, I see no reason why super Americanized Acapulco Joe's can't add options. But I digress.. Overall, this was a poor experience. I would never pick this place for a meal, and will only go again if I'm with a group that is dead set on going there. And if someone else is paying. :-)
(1)
Christian D.
No. I tried to treat some of my family from Texas... it was embarrassing. :-( Our server was rude, the food was less than impressive, and their "authentic" menu included a section called "For The Gringo." Not cool.
(1)
Ed B.
Meh, just not the same as it was when the old man was alive. Most of the Mexican places we visit are far better, loved this place 20 years ago but won't be back anytime soon.
(2)
Russell H.
Acupulco Joe's.... Mexican food without the pesky high quality fresh ingredients that plague other places! Ok first the good: We were seated promptly and the service was mostly OK. Our waitress didn't seem overly enthusiastic, but it was towards the end of the night and she was probably tired. She did do a decent job at getting our food out in a timely way, although we waited a bit on the check. Also, my wife had the cheese quesedillas, and they were actually quite good. Also the refried beans weren't bad either. The Bad: Everything else. Much of our food seemed like it came straight out of a can. I had the Mexican Pizza, which was stuffed with taco meat straight from the nearest middle school cafeteria. The chips and salsa were not good. At all. The chips were very plain and flavorless, and the salsa was a thin liquid that you have to squeeze from a bottle. Pretty gross now that I really stop to think about it. Long story short, there have got to be better places to eat. Or just don't eat, that would also be a better option. EDIT: I just browsed back over my review of this place and saw that for some reason I gave it 2 stars. Unacceptable. It sucked sooo bad. 1 star for you Acupulco Joe; it's better than you deserve.
(1)
Dario N.
Horrible service. Wouldn't know what the food is like since I was sitting there for 25 minutes without seeing a waitress even after asking the absolutely clueless host to get us a waitress. We were given stale chips by a busboy. Got up and left... regret even sitting down.
(1)
Chyna M.
LOVE their queso! And their salsa. If you want to get really crazy, mix the two together. FOODGASM!
(4)
Shawna V.
I got the groupon and used it to treat my parents and my brother. At the first impression the resturant seemed like your standard mexican digs on atmosphere. I'd read the other reviews on yelp but decided it was a good deal and I'd give it a try. We got a seat in the back section which was good because we had my nephew and he was a handful. The chips were great, though they didn't bring out our queso for a while we'd already gotten through one basket before they go to that and they knew from the moment we sat we got queso (it was part of the groupon) The salsa in a bottle stuff was good on the chips The queso was strange, it was like a flour milk mix that had the cheese fail to bond and wound up in it in little chunks. I've messed up a cheese sauce before but I'm not a chef in a restaurant. Still I ate it cos hey I like cheese. My Tortas were okay a bit too much lettuce I mean I am a vegetarian and I love my vegetables but WTF am I supposed to do with twin peaks of lettuce? Fire your cook or get chef Ramsey to come do it for you...sheesh. I bet there are a ton of ppl in the city who can cook amazing authentic mexican. The mexican place in my hometown has crazy good food, I bet you could get some of those guys to come help you out or something.
(2)
Michael M.
Food at Acapulco Joe's is as good as it everwas. The service was great. Mary is the best.
(4)
Deborah B.
It's one of those lazy Sundays and we are debating where to eat lunch. Since moving to Indy our go-to mexican place has been Adobo Grill but on Sundays they aren't open till 4 so we decided to try Acapulco Joe's. Big Mistake... HUGE! We walk in and the place is fairly crowded, especially for a Sunday in downtown Indy. We waited a little longer than 5 minutes before someone came to our table. We ordered Chips and guacamole, and margaritas. Margaritas were awful.too sweet for my taste, no real lime flavor, tasted very corn-syrupy. Guacamole looked and tasted like it was made three days prior, and stored in the fridge was a very unappealing brownish hue. Chips were stale. I ordered the combo plate. The spanish rice was overcooked and complete mush, the tacos were decent and edible but I did not touch the rice after my first bite. The tacos and enchilada were completely smothered in cheese and sauce. It wasn't awful, but I prefer my food not be drowning in sauce. I also think I could walk into any grocery store and get a frozen mexican style entree, throw it in my microwave, and it would taste like this, or better.Also, how much cheese does this place go through in a day? Every plate I saw had an entire bag of shredded cheese or cheese sauce on it. Nothing tastes fresh and the "ketchup" bottles are full of wierd sweet, and ketchupy syrups, none of which resembled salsa. I just don't get it. Regarding the staff: Our waitress was very sweet, but some of the staff seemed to not want to wait on people. The staff were all pretty immature and fighting over who was doing what. Think "Lord of The Flies" meets "Really bad mexican restaurant." A staff member was at the hostess stand and a group of people were standing in front of her waiting to be seated and the hostess loudly yells back to the other staff..."it's not my turn who's turn is it!?!!" It was actually very entertaining and bordering on hilarious. I am dumbfounded at why this place was so crowded. The first time in history I walked out of a mexican restaurant, and had 3/4 of my margarita left, not finishing chips and guac, and hating the spanish rice. If all the food in Indy was this bad I would probably be skinny again! I hate to give one star reviews but this place was just that bad.
(1)
Willie S.
Classic. Unique. Heartburn inducing. Healthy food hell. Vegetarian excluding. Best chips ever when fresh/marginally stale. Old guy salsa. Ground mystery meat covered in cheese. What is bibb lettuce? Did I mention dehydrating gut wrenching fullness. Sorry kids - old folks like the place - appreciate uniqueness. It is rare. It is not always the best. I met Joe - he was a kookie entrepreneur who made a living for himself. And started with nothing. There is more authentic Mexican food - but there is not more authentic 1970's Ameri/Mex experience in Indy. Enjoy the past while it exists. How many 35 year old restaurants are in Indy.
(4)
Nick C.
Wow! So many haters of this place. Now I am not going to contend this is the best Mexican place under the sun (far from it), but it is not a 1 star experience either. My first try of Acapulco Joe's and I thought the sauce was runny, chips were plain, and the food was nothing special - I still wouldn't have given it a 1 star (maybe a 2.5). AJ's has grown on me a bit. They put a ton of cheese on their tacos and they are fairly tasty. I'll go to bat for AJ's.. take it for what it is and don't expect it to be more and you will walk away just fine.
(3)
Jim W.
So sorry I didn't read the reviews. I promise I won't let my excitement for Mexican food get me going without reading first. Server was put out by any requests. Not a smile to be had. Chairs - rickety. If you reach dine to pull your chair closer... Grime. I should have kept - but was with co-workers and didn't want to make a scene. Everything said about chips and bottled salsa. Spot on. We asked for some hot sauce.. None.., but there was something staff made for themselves she brought out.. Still not great .., but FAR better than they serve customers. Tres amigos ... Blah. No one at the table of five had good things to say. Not bad, just not good if that makes sense. Blah... I had ice tea... Asked fir sweeter. A small handful was dropped on table. Impressive.
(1)
Lo B.
Completely awful, terrible, do NOT go! And someone please let them know ketchup with black pepper in it does not make salsa!
(1)
M P.
Probably the worse chips and salsa I have had in my life!! We waited for over 10 minutes for someone to even serve our table. And watch out people. They are just soooo busy (yeah right) that if you use a credit card and have mutliple checks at your table, prepare yourself for being overcharged ie they put in their own tip amount. Calling to speak with a manager was a waste of time. I was told that they are just so busy they make mistakes with tips, especially if everyone at the table got the exact same thing and had the same tab amount. I WILL not be giving Acapulco Joe's my business and will do my best to deter anyone else I know from going there. I would have given them a 0/5 but it won't let me rate them that low. Avoid...avoid...avoid! One of the worse restaurants downtown! Under new management is a joke!
(1)
Howard L.
Sorry, but I have to say stay away from this place. We picked up a tamale dinner to go. That included 2 tamales, rice and beans. The sauce over the tamales (which themselves were ok) and rice was like ketchup with some seasoning. The rice had no body or taste, and was probably oversoaked - and was like a paste of some sort. Anyway, nice downtown location, but this sampling was enough for us to conclude that we shall never return.
(1)
Jessica G.
Let me start by saying this...I've been eating here since I was in the womb. No joke. My mom was a waitress there when Joe was still around. That being said, this place has seen better days. Through the numerous different owners and managers this place has gone down the toilet. The food doesn't even taste the same.
(2)
Carl B.
Sorry Acapulco Joe's. I tried you before reading yelp, and perhaps that was not the best idea. But at least I gave you a good ole' unbiased try. Salsa in ketchup bottles, really? If it was good salsa it might be tolerable, but it really wasn't. The two dinner pieces I tried were equally unappealing. We each finished about half. Acapulco Joe's... Sorry, but ugh.
(1)
Nichole H.
I really wish that I had read the yelp reviews before I bought a Groupon to Acapulco Joe's. Miserable experience. I've seen this place a zillion times and always wanted to try it out. I can never get that $25 or hour of my life back. The hostess was on the phone so she just waved her hand at us, I assume to sit anywhere we wanted. The bus person who took our drink order had no idea whether they had flavored margaritas. The waitress could have cared less that we were there. The chips they brought were not very tasty, and the salsa was weirdly sweet. Sweet? The queso was funky. No flavor and strange consistency. We each ordered the combo which had a hard taco, a soft taco, an enchilada with rice and beans. I've had worse food, but that's not the criteria you should be applying. Two stars is generous. Maybe 1.5,
(2)
Lacey U.
I'd been here a few other times and was highly unimpressed, however, heard the GM was not too happy after our last visit and had done some "re-organizing." I needed a quick bite to eat after work and thought I'd give it a try again. It was a Tuesday evening and probably half of the inside restaurant was filled. I was seated immediately outside and had prompt wait service. I'll have to say the service this time around was excellent. I had another obligation in about 45 minutes and had plenty of time to spare. If I had to rate solely on service, I'd say it was great. However, the food could use some up-scaling. The Margarita was so tart and sour and didn't have any "spirits" in it. I ordered the Three Amigos (Enchilada, soft taco, hard-shell taco) and MAY have been served Taco Bell with some cheddar nacho cheese. Not worth the $9.00 menu price. The meat really was something from Taco Bell (comes frozen in a bag and you add some water and let it boil in a metal tub for hours - quite greasy as well). Also had a panhandler approach the table pretty aggressively, but the wait staff was on it immediately. Glad to see the service has improved... now, move to the kitchen.
(3)
Rick M.
Since moving to Indy last year I was told about Acapulco Joe's. Finally this past Saturday I was able to try it out. The portions were large and they must have an attractive contract with the cheese distributor for each of the dishes in our group were overloaded with cheese. The food was tasty, nothing special. The salsa, served from a squeeze bottle that needed washed, was less than appealing. Not sure if it was just our server or the norm but we did not have a small bowl to put the salsa in. The guacamole was good. I shared chicken fajitas with my date and the chicken was good. The peppers and onions were cooked perfectly. One person in our group was disappointed in the fact they were out of 'any' wine. Saturday night and out of wine? Overall I rate it ok as the the price made up for any misgivings in the food. Many other places in the city to try before I go back.
(3)
Ashley J.
I hate to give bad reviews. BUT, this place deserves it. I went with 2 other people earlier this year and the food was terrible. We waited for awhile before being asked what we wanted. Then the food came and I literally ate two bites. I had an enchilada. How do you mess that up? Also, what is with the squirt bottles of different sauces on the table? Is that suppose to be salsa? Either way, they were terrible. The chips were so stale they were chewy. The only saving grace was that they served cold beer. But, I can get beer anywhere. I definitely won't be back
(1)
Izzy A.
Wow, might be the worst restaurant in Indy... Awful food, awful service. Seriosly, I have no idea how this passes for food at all. Taco Bell is like Ruths Kris compared to this.
(1)
Jonathon M.
I lived next door to Joe's for 2 years and when I think of true Indianapolis landmark restaurants, Joe's ranks right up there with some of the more upscale locations. It might not be fancy, refined, or authentic, but it is modest, satisfying, and affordable. Don't go to Joe's expecting authentic Mexican, think of it as Hoosier-Mex . They have an especially unique take on salsa that I really enjoy. You actually squirt it out of a bottle onto your chip in appose to dipping your chip in it. It is a little sweet and just the right amount of heat. Add that with the best fried ice cream dessert in town and you have a true taste of Indy.
(4)
Mike W.
Breakfast is decent and reasonably priced Nice spot for a quick breakfast on a Sunday morning before church.
(3)
Ryan M.
I will admit that I've been to Acapulco Joe's twice, mainly because I live a few blocks away. I got cold chips both times, and a very slow start to service the first visit. The staff is generally nice, but I should note the restaurant was pretty dead both times. But Acapulco Joe's rating is only knocked down for me because they have the ketchupiest hot sauce on the planet - it's definitely a place for gringos! Though my gringo wife wont even eat the hot sauce... The Chimichangas are good, though I'm not a fan of the cheese sauce so much either. If you want a 2/5 delicious Mexican meal for about 4/5 price, check it out.
(2)
Meg M.
This is hands down the WORST Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. It's too bad they're taking up prime real estate downtown. Inside it was dirty and cramped. They seated us by a giant garbage can next to the server's station. There were flies buzzing around... I just about lost my appetite. They have their "salsa" in grimy, sticky squirt bottles sitting out on the table. Not fresh. At all. All the different flavors of salsa had a kind-of sweet flavor to them like they used ketchup or french dressing to make it. And what self respecting restaurant puts their salsa in a bottle and expects people to squirt it on to their chips?! Appalling. I could go on and on about how horrible the food and general experience was. Long story short, I will never go back.
(1)
Joel L.
Looking forward to a night downtown, and then came here for Devour Downtown in Indy. I shouldn't have wasted the 30 minutes of gas. Nice place but service was terrible, 35 minutes before appetizer, 30 minutes later food which was barely average, and took act of god to get check. 1 hr and 35 minutes later finally out of there. We saw atleast 2-3 parties just get up and leave. Needless to say will not be wasting my time here ever again.
(1)
Kellie J.
This place should be ashamed of itself for claiming to be a Mexican restaurant! The drinks were watered down (my margarita tasted like fruit juice), the chips were terrible (not sure how to screw up chips), and the salsa was NOT salsa. The drinks and appetizers were so bad that my friends and I decided not to order from the menu. We figured that if a place is capable of screwing up chips and salsa, then we didn't want to think about how bad the dinner would be. The decor and music choices were also very confusing for a "Mexican" restaurant. Finally, the service was beyond terrible. I'm not sure what was worse...the rude waitress or the ones that simply ignored us altogether. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant then I would look somewhere else. If you are looking for an Americanized version of a Mexican restaurant with food and drinks that are mediocre at best, then you found your place.
(1)
Darren B.
Went to lunch there today, Ordered lunch special burrito, very small and not very special. Size of taco bell burrito supreme for $8.95. Waitress brought second batch of chips but no salsa. Seemed to be bothered that we were dining there. Never offered a refill on the drink and check was dropped at table when only 15 percent of meal was eaten. No offer of dessert either
(1)
Andrew S.
I haven't been here recently, but used to get their chips, salsa, and guacamole frequently. I have never had a bad experience. I don't expect this place to be the ultimate mexican restaurant, so that could have something to do with it. There is one in Greenwood near where I live which I like. I get their Three Amigo's dinner. I have had no issues at this one, and I have eaten here three or four times now. The chips were not stale, and the salsa is indeed not hot at all...
(4)
Amanda N.
Worst Mexican food ever. Queso was some powered mix with the consistency of grits and taste of vomit. Ordered the 3 amigos- not the greatest either. Didn't like the sauce on it. My boyfriend ordered the same thing and was sick the next day; I also had an upset stomach too but he actually finished his plate. Server was good though-a little slow because it was busy but still not too bad. The margaritas were good.
(1)
Kristin Q.
The food is subpar and very americanized. On the other hand, the salsa is disgusting. Who pours salsa our of a squeeze bottle? GROSSS
(1)
Jennifer N.
Go here for the margaritas and only the margaritas.
(1)
Kjirsten K.
I am not a fan of Acapulco Joe's. This is americanized mexican food at it's worst. As mentioned by others, the salsa is served in squeezable ketchup bottles; something I have a really hard time getting past. With that said, go to this place not expecting mexican food and enjoy some cheesy, greasy, comfort food. Basically this is a greasy spoon that was inspired by mexican dishes. The last time I was there, I got the crunchy tacos and I have to say they were alright. There was so much cheese piled on I could hardly see the tacos underneath. This place is guaranteed to have you stumbling out filled to the gills with that guilty feeling from doing something you know you shouldn't have.
(2)
Dean F.
I went with a small group under protest. I don't care for Joe's cheesy motif and cheese-heavy food so I order a burger and a Rolling Rock. The burger was burnt beyond recognition and nobody on the staff offered to make it right. My expectations were low going in and Joe's still managed to under-perform. It appears to be in a death spiral from its glory days, long past. Honestly, give me Taco Bell instead, any day and any time.
(1)
Terry D.
Even if desperate for food - try to move past it. The service was hurried, the food was american and the atmosphere is horrible. I had to ask to get some chips cleaned up off the floor of the table. I am surprised the Health Dept. has been called recently.
(1)
Jessie D.
The review is based on my love for their chimichangas and salsa in squeeze bottles. Best chimichanga in town! I heard some of the dishes aren't that great but I stand behind my opinion on this one. I like going there when they aren't rushed either because the servers are usually really sweet.
(5)
Mario M.
Went for breakfast but never tasted the food we were there for 25 min and never saw our server so we got up and left. The busboy brought us stale nachos. No utensils no suger or cream on the table. Do yourself a favor and find somewhere else.
(1)
Alan S.
Disappointed. Took 7 people for dinner and our server was the GM. We were craving chili rellenos but he said they didn't have any. Really? At 6pm??? Drove 45 minutes and couldn't get what we wanted. No apology. No attempt to make it right. Disappointing. The dinners were just so so. I doubt we go back.
(2)
Beth C.
I was here for 20 minutes but never ate any food, aside from one chip. My sister was craving Mexican, so we decided to give this place a shot. Upon entering, there was a large party waiting to be seated so I stepped up to the counter to find out the situation and see about putting our name in for a table. I was promptly ignored by three people. Instead, someone grabbed two menus and asked my sister, who was at the back of the line, how many were in her party. Huh? Weird but perhaps you somehow overlooked me while I was at the counter. No biggie. After being seated, a basket of chips was literally tossed on the table by a waitress who made no attempt at conversation or eye contact. We waited and waited for her to come by for our drink order but she simply kept busy attending to her other tables. While waiting, I ate a chip. You have to squirt salsa on your chips from a dirty ketchup bottle on the table. The salsa actually had the after taste of ketchup. Yuck. While I fiddled with said ketchup salsa, my sis made eye contact with the waitress who still never said anything and never acted like we existed. Had she said, "Sorry I am so busy but I'll be riiight back!" or anything at all to acknowledge us, I would have been less eager to collect my coat and bag and bounce. Alas, that is exactly what we did 20 unfortunate minutes later. I will likely never come back here as I have had shit service before but not to this extreme. Ever. Plus I don't like ketchup on my chips.
(1)
Eric N.
Seriously disappointed. For all the potential this joint exudes, it sure fails to live up to it. I'm not a fan of most "American-Mexican" places, so consider that, but the sweet salsa in a bottle, sweet taco beef, and otherwise unremarkable food made sure I won't revisit.
(2)
Mrs. D.
I was in Indy for a girl scout trip. I was craving Mexican and we decided to give this place a try. BIG MISTAKE..... The biggest dissapointment was the chips and salsa, they had bottles of hot sauce on the table that was supposed to be their 'salsa'. I asked for mild and they brought a dish of what tasted like canned or jarred salsa, it was nasty. I don't know about all of you, but fresh salsa with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, ect is why I go to Mexican restaurants! The busboy brought our chips, it was a while before someone came to take our order. I would not waste your money.
(1)
Lord B.
Chips and Salsa and Chili Con Queso... 'Nuff said! Ok, I'll go on, the place is a little dirty and old feeling but they have damn good food!
(4)
Joshua C.
Stopped by Acapulco Joe's with some coworkers today for lunch. I'm pretty sure I've found the worst "Mexican" food in Indianapolis. I'm still on the fence if Taco Bell would be a wiser dining decision although I'm pretty sure it would be a cleaner environment. Kind of a shame that it's such a bad place. Would be great to get a worthwhile restaurant in that location.
(1)
Craig K.
This is not Mexican food. This is Joe's food. You do not come here expecting authentic Mexican delicacies. You come here to eat Americanized abominations full of tangy red sauce and melted globs of artery clogging cheese. When someone comes to Joe's they should judge it for what it is instead of expecting it to be something it is not. It is great at what it does. I would never want it to change. I recommend their version of Chile Rellenos and the Acapulco Deluxe Dinner. As a displaced Hoosier in Manhattan, I would love either right now. So if you are close by and reading my review make your way to Joe's post-haste and try one.
(5)
Chris M.
As long as you aren't expecting traditional Mexican food this place rules. What you can expect are large portions and tons of cheese! Their tacos come with so much shredded cheese it almost makes me cry tears of joy. The enchiladas are really good. The ground beef here is ground very fine and almost turns into a paste or something. I know that sounds gross, but its awesome. So are their nachos. Don't expect a pile though. They come out as individually topped chips. The salsa or taco sauce, or whatever it is, comes in a ketchup bottle (doesn't bother me one bit but gets plenty of people all upset). It doesn't tastes like any salsa I've ever had before either. None of their food tastes like what you get in any real authentic Mexican restaurants or any of those La Hacienda/El Azabache/whatever spots which all basically have the same menu and recipes. To me this tastes like the food made at home by this American family in Texas we used to visit when I was a kid. I've not had their breakfast but have heard good things. They also play "God Bless America" everyday at noon. Go check out Joe's with an open mind and get some cheesy beefy tex-mex goodness.
(4)
Jeff D.
Service was better this time, but the food is lacking in originality and quality. I felt achy and nauseous the rest of the day. I won't be back unless I'm dragged there by workmates.
(2)
Tim T.
The other reviewers are correct... this is by far, and I'm not kidding, the worst food I've ever had in Indianapolis. I've been there once (no second trip required to check out the rest of the menu) for a take out order... another reviewer here mentions the salsa tastes funny... kind of sweet. That's because they use KETCHUP mixed with dried red peppers (the kind you put on your pizza)! Oh my god. No need to break down how bad the rest of the food was... I had a combo plate with a beef enchilada (easily this was made a few weeks prior... ever watch KITCHEN NIGHTMARES?), and taco, beans and rice. I ate only a few bites of each items, and had to throw the towel in, and threw the rest of it out (if I wasn't in such a big hurry, I would've went back for a refund). The clueless lunchtime crowd that continues to eat here probably loves Applebees too... no big surpise there.
(1)
Mike F.
I don't think that people go to this place to be overwhelmed by the quality of the food. This is definitely not authentic Mexican food--it's "Tex-Mex." Acapulco Joe's is authentic Indianapolis. It is a landmark. The chips and salsa (out of a squeeze bottle) are excellent. I'm usually too full off of them to eat my meal.
(4)
Matthew B.
5 stars for being what it is. This is Indianapolis's first Mexican restaurant. It's food is arguably less authentically "Mexican" than Taco Bell--it sort of reminds me of cafeteria-style Mexican. The interior feels like a throwback to the 1970's, with lots of photos on the walls. They blast God Bless America over the speakers twice a day (the founder was very fond of his adopted country). Good drinks. Good tamales. Good times.
(5)
Corinne W.
The food is mediocre, but they have THE BEST taco sauce on the planet. I buy it in bulk. Seriously.
(5)
Vivian D.
After living Indianapolis for five years, we decided to give the place a try. We ordered the chicken flauta's and were underwhelmed by the food. the chips were store old, funky, and stale. The 'salsa' was like watered-down ketchup with a few spices thrown in. The sour cream was ok, but the guacamole looked old and seemed flat in taste. The service was ok. While I suspect that they would punt with you, there were no vegetarian items listed, and the "chili gravy" that accompanied everything seemed a mystery to us. As several others have noted the place is nowhere near authentic--it is more akin to truck-stop Mexican. We can check this off the places to try out in Indy.
(1)
osvaldo r.
Worse service and food ever! I went there for a late lunch during a Sunday afternoon. There were a handful of customers inside or outside but it somehow took my server 10 minutes to even come to my table. That was followed by 20 mins for two soggy, nasty chicken tacos. It was one of the worst dinning experiences I've ever had! Steer away.
(1)
Jami D.
After walking by on numerous walks, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try. We were very hungry from a long long walk. What a mistake that was. The food was laughably gross. Read on if you don't get queasy easily.... The chips were stale, hardly salty, and very dry. Since they didn't bring salsa, we decided to use what we thought was hot sauce to moisten the chips. It was not hot. According to other reviews, this thin and practically flavorless concoction was supposed to be salsa. It tasted nothing like any salsa I've ever tried, and was not even as good as store-bought. The only good note is that they serve Negro Modelo, a great dark beer. You really need it to choke down what comes later. We ordered some chile rellenos as an appetizer. I LOVE chile rellenos, and generally at authentic or non-authentic places, they are good, if not awesome. What came out looked like large hush puppies, served with what is supposed to be con queso and lettuce and tomato. Over-fried, meat was lower grade than Taco Bell, and I need a whole new paragraph on the queso sauce. "It tastes like the color gray!" my boyfriend exclaimed, though I highly doubt the color gray has a texture like cream of wheat. Isn't queso supposed to be smooth? It also had a lackluster color and lackluster flavor. There was very little chile and a whole lot of fried coating and the nasty meat. We started to get nervous about the main course. I decided on the "Mexican" Dinner, which has an enchilada, taco, spanish rice, and refried beans. It's very hard to go wrong with any of those, right? Well, Acapulco Joe's is just short-bus enough to get it completely foul. First off, I have never seen soupy spanish rice from a packet, authentic, inauthentic, homemade, or even a frozen meal. This was practically a stew, and tasted like it was bathed in the crap they call salsa. The beans were insulting. I tried mixing them together to combat the tastes, but it still sucked. The taco shell was stale, the cheese was still very cold, it was pretty much all lettuce and tomato, and they had slopped the enchilada sauce all over the side, making it even harder to eat properly. The enchilada sauce was not good, and I have had better ones from a freezer aisle. Normally, I would finish even a large plate at a mexican restaurant, but after only a few bites, I was done. We laughed and made fun of how bad it was all the way home. I even considered smoking a cigarette to get the taste out of my mouth. Well, it had the last laugh. One of us woke up at 3 am with numerous bouts of diarrhea and the other has a stomach ache all day. I'll leave it up to you to figure out who was who. If anyone wants to go to Acapulco Joe's with you, or even claims to like their food, call an asylum or slap them in the face. They need one or the other.
(1)
TOMMY o.
10 yrs ago, this was the place to go after working Night Shift, we Loved the Spicy Sausage & Biscuits for breakfast recently we went there, it seems dirty & the food was cold, it's lost it's ambiance & they didn't want me to play God Bless America by Kate Smith??????? Joe's gone now too (probably rolling in his grave)
(1)
Steve R.
Sucks. The mexican food was like Chili's, and the margaritas were nothing special. No thanks.
(1)
Mike M.
We had dinner at the Greenwood location. The chips were cold and old. The salsa is very sweet. Chicken dishes are all dark meat. Service was so-so. The quality was below Taco Bell, and the price was very expensive for what you get. Sorry but I will never go back.
(1)
Rachael W.
Blech. I am never going anywhere my co-workers go for lunch again. I haven't been here in at least 15 years and there is a reason for that. It's not good. Things have not changed. Salsa in squeeze ketchup bottles, American-Mexican food, and the National Anthem at full blast on the hour. First off, let me say the service was good. Our server was fast, no nonsense, and accurate while this place was packed. I spent $12 (included tip) and this is the run down. A water and the Tres Amigos lunch special which included a hard shell taco, an enchilada, and soft taco. The hard taco: ground beef. lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese. The enchilada and soft shell taco were identical. One was a flour tortilla and the other a corn tortilla. One was covered in queso while the other in chili sauce. Both rolled up ground beef. On the side was about a 1/2 cup of sour cream. I paid $12 for a serving of rolled up ground beef swimming in a variety of sauces. I felt yucky, cheap, and dirty when we left. When people suggest eating here I will decline.
(1)
Jessica R.
Food = Delicious, Service = Meh, Bottled Beer Prices = Ridiculous (in a bad way)
(3)
Matt S.
When it comes to Mexican restaurants in Indiana, my standards aren't that high. However after two visits I think it is safe to say that this is the worst Mexican joint I can recall going to. The salsa is gross (tastes like ketchup, french dressing, and tomatoe juice). The service is average at best, and the food is very generic. And, to top it off, their prices are too high, especially considering what you're getting. I have to believe that Acapulca Joe's is only in business because they have a good location.
(1)
MJ W.
I was not too impressed. The chips are like taco shells, the salsa is taco sauce in a ketchup bottle. I'm still searching for a good place to get fresh salsa in Indianapolis!
(2)
c v.
I used to love this place but lately it seems to have gone downhill. My chips were stale last time we went and I could never find our waitress.
(2)
Ronald B.
I liked the place. Ok food in a sports bar feel. Had three salsas on table. Were watery but tasted goof. The hot had a nice sweetness to it. Prices are good for what you get.
(3)
Meghan L.
this place blows. go here if you suck. the food sucks. it is expensive. they don't give you napkins. make sure you wipe your greasy disgusting hands on the stupid rude waiters on your way out. as you are driving home to the fart factory where you live. because if you like this restaurant, that is probably where you live. p.s. have fun not eating here after like 8pm because that's apparently when everything godly in indianapolis closes.
(1)
Lauren S.
GI effects were felt and experienced shortly after consuming food here. Food and service were subpar. Will never eat here again!
(1)
J H.
Fun environment with good cheap eats. It's not really anything special but it is an Indianapolis institution. I highly recommend the tamales and the chips and salsa to start the meal are always delicious!
(3)
B R.
Acapulco Joe's was an ok experience but it's right next to Le Peep, which I've heard *much* better things about. I will try it before going back to AJ. I went for lunch so I didn't drink, but they advertised a lot of drink specials. They were good for groups - they accomodated our large group with no advance notice, and there was another big group that had brought in their own birthday cake.
(2)
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Address :365 N Illinois St
Indianapolis, IN, 46204
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Mackenzie F.
This restaurant looked authentic from the outside and inside. As we walked in, we waited five minutes for anyone to even recognize we were there and seated us. The salsa and chips we got right away were very good though, and the chips were hot! Our waiter was a little bit awkward and wasn't the most attentive service I have ever gotten but overall decent. The menu took a while to read but the food was very good and came out on a hot plate! Overall my experience was pretty good and I may be back if I can't find a different place to get Mexican food.
(3)Kelly G.
I used to LOVE this place, but it's been about a year or more since my last visit. I shouldn't have returned. What the heck happened in the kitchen? The food is completely different! Even the salsa for the chips tastes different. Tonight, I got my standard chimichanga. It was massively disappointing. The flavor is all wrong. Tasted like a lot of tomato in the meat sauce. Almost like eating a bowl of chili. Nope! That's not how a chimichanga should taste! It was also a little too spicy for my sensitive taste buds. My friend said her food tasted weird too. It wasn't inedible, but not the food I remember. This was go-to location for Mexican food in downtown Indy. Something has changed though, and we won't be returning.
(2)Christine V.
I'm an Indianapolis native, and I return to Acapulco Joe's, on occasion, with the hope that they have somehow improved, and that they've finally become worthy of their primo downtown location. The only positive change, on my most recent visit, is that they now have decent salsa, and not that dreadful stuff in a squeeze bottle. I ordered rice and beans, thinking they couldn't possibly mess up anything so simple. Well, I was wrong...The best thing I can say is that my waitress was very sweet and efficient, and I tipped accordingly. If you want authentic Mexican, in Indianapolis, check out some of the hole-in-the-wall places, on W. Washington St.
(1)Ivet V.
Coming from texas I know what real authentic Mexican food taste like... Unfortunately this wasn't the best. First took awhile to get seated granted the place was pretty empty. Their lunch speacial wasn't really a lunch special. I ordered the merchant lunch which came with one enchilada rice and beans which was almost 9 dollars. A little too high for one enchilada and a side of not so good rice and beans. The chips and salsa were mediocre , the salsa had too much lime in it. Overall the food was bland and no taste but nonetheless ate because I was starving. I was in shock when I saw a plaque on the wall that said city's best Mexican food! Wow
(2)Jason O.
With so many great authentic and semi-authentic Mexican restaurants in the city I am amazed that this place keeps the doors open. I thought the food was very similar to frozen dinner quality and the chips tasted like cardboard. I will say that in no way does this review reflect the quality of service. Top notch there in all respects. They also have a fairly large outdoor seating area which was nice too. They guys told me this place is an institution but that's not going to be enough to get me back there. Sorry AJ's
(1)Audrey W.
This place had mediocre food. Not the best. I've had better Mexican food before. It also took a while to get our food. Their kitchen was behind. Meh. I won't be coming back here and neither will my brother in law and his wife. The chips were the only good part with Joe's sauce. I'd rather go to Chipotle!
(2)Clare L.
Ewww.... just no. I almost feel bad about leaving this review having read the endearing story about the original "Joe" on the menu. However, I think Joe would turn over in his grave over how downhill this place has gone. 10 years ago, this would have been a solid 3 stars - definitely not the worst Mexican food I'd had at that point, but not the best either. Now its just the worst. The salsa in ketchup bottles on the tables? That can't be sanitary. Other reviewers have posted about even simple tacos, beans and rice being bad, and while those are hard to mess up, I tend to agree. No flavor. Everything seems packaged and processed. At one time, this place was good. I can only hope for Joe's sake they get it back on the right track.
(1)Chrissy A.
It has been FOREVER since I have been here. We came here for the Devour Downtown. I ordered the Seafood bruit to and it looked delicious. Taste not the greatest. The seafood flavor is WAY overpowering. Too much seafood and nothing else in there. It needs some peppers or onions. We also got some fried ice cream w our meal which was good. Our server was fantastic. I will probably give it another shot and order something else.
(2)Harrison P.
Just don't go here. I mean I know most Mexican food in America isn't "authentic", but this was like school lunch Mexican food. Nacho cheese and chili.
(1)Maranda L.
I was a little underwhelmed by the food, service and atmosphere in general. The chips were not fresh, and the salsa did not taste like tomato was a main ingredient. I had the burrito at the waitresses suggestions and my brother had the Acapulco Deluxe dinner. (As an aside, service was not great. Our waitress reeked of cigarettes, she didn't refill drinks, and it took a full 10 minutes to receive our check after asking for it.) If I were to pick out what was wrong, it's that it was not fresh. The meat/rice/beans(/mushrooms, for some reason?) all kind of mixed homogenously together for a very bland burrito that left me feeling like I had a plate of mangled cat food in front of me. We agreed it's a place we would visit again only if, for some reason, we lived or worked next door and were too lazy to go somewhere else. There are far too many wonderful places in indy to spend more time at this one.
(2)Michael+Jenni B.
Why do people still eat at this horrible restaurant? I have no clue how you can screw up this cuisine as much as they do. Easily top ten worst places to eat in Indy.
(1)Tim G.
If you are in the mood for a Mexican themed chili dog then this is the place for you. I swear the main ingredient in everything from the refried beans to the tamales is an expired can of Hormel chili. I should have walked out when two of the beers we ordered came back wrong. Then when myself and another person in my party ordered the same dish, they brought back one order with an extra plate to split it. And then there is the extreme dirtiness of the place. The floors haven't been swept for a long time, every air vent is coated in 3 inches of dust, and there are ceiling tiles falling down in the kitchen. The waitress was subpar and seemed inconvenienced by our presence. If you want Mexican food, find any place else.
(1)John Paul L.
Sub par. The waiters were wearing gym shorts and random t shirts serving food with about the same amount of thought put into it.
(1)Bob B.
We had 6 eating last week and not one of us were happy with the food. The waitress served the wrong meal to my wife. When discussing this she said if returned then she would have to pay for the meal correction. Weak approach and awful if the restaurant really charges back the wait staff. Only good was the margaritas.
(2)Brandon S.
Humans: Acapulco Joe's is not a traditional hole in the wall Mexican place. If you are expecting this type of food you will be disappointed because that's not what is served here although they have added some things to the menu in case the original Acapulco food is not your thing. The bottles on the table are not salsa nor are they intended to be. One bottle is filled with taco sauce and another a vinegar sauce I believe. Combining them is actually quite tasty on the chips that are served. They also now serve salsa with the chips as well. They need to work on the salsa. I didn't think it was that great but Im guessing it's really just to please the people that give out one star reviews because they were appalled by the bottles of sauce on the table because they go in thinking all Mexican restaurants should be the same and serve chips and salsa like their neighborhood restaurant. I do not work at this restaurant and my last review was awful for them when new ownership took over however they have stepped up their game, service, and food and I will go back. Some people love the original Acapulco food however it is very heavy and comes with a ton of cheese. I do not recommend ordering an entire platter with all beef as I do not see how anyone can stomach that heavy of a meal and it all kinda blends together. The chili con queso is amazing and always has been however $8.50 for a small serving is scary. Id imagine if they lowered it more people would order and come just because of the chili con. Try the hard tacos and queso!
(3)Brad P.
Terrible tacos. They put the bare minimum of effort in. The chicken tacos have canned mushrooms in them for volume. The beef on its own is almost inedible. They also screwed up our order. The salsa tastes like mildly spicy ketchup.
(1)Angeleka D.
Acapulco Joe's has completely stepped up their game since the management switch! $2 Taco Tuesday is my favorite day to go. They seriously needed the overhaul, and are much cleaner, faster, and provide a lot better service. However, the best thing about the change is the food. I've dined for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- try a fish taco, beef burrito, with rice, and guac! Still, the salsa is a little too sweet for me, and the shredded chicken isn't as full of flavor as it could be. At times, the chips are a little too salty. There could be better drink specials, and they might draw more attention adding a local music artist or some fun event nights... Overall, they are better and better every time I go. Acapulco Joe's is trying to become a contender in Mexican fair downtown. Go there, and see how well they stack up!!
(3)Tim S.
This honestly used to be my favorite Mexican restaurant. But they've dumbed down the food and drinks to become the Taco Bell of 'local' Mexican cuisine. I wouldn't come here again unless I worked in the area and needed a simple lunch option.
(1)Kristin E.
This was by far the worst Mexican food I have had and the service was sub-par. We were brought chips with no salsa, and were led to think the bottles on the table were the salsa. They tasted like cocktail sauce and would be delicious with shrimp, but were not good with chips. When I asked the waitress if they had any salsa, she responded saying they were making it at the moment. We came during a busy lunch hour, so I am not sure why a Mexican restaurant wouldn't have salsa ready during lunch time. She never came back to our table with an answer as to when the salsa would be ready. Additionally, it took around 30 minutes for our food to come out and it was very sub-par. I would have rather eaten at Casa Bonita in Colorado and at least been served delicious sopapillas at the end.
(1)Nicki C.
Not fantastic, not horrible. Went during Devour Downtown, and loved the fact that margaritas come with the 2 for $30. Service was solid, food was ok. A little spicier than I thought it would be and my 2 year old son kept calling our nachos "chili". You know- I think he's right. We will probably come back during Devour for the margaritas with the meal, but probably not any other time.
(3)Corrine P.
I've visited this place twice now since it's been under new ownership. My last experience has a definite story. I visited this place on Friday after work to get some Mexican and Margs. First, the waitress looked at my ID and didn't believe that it was me in my driver's license picture. She looks at me and looks at the picture and back at me again. I thought she was going to deny my drink. She said that I don't look at all the same. I look so much prettier now. I guess that's a compliment? Second, the Margaritas were not good. They didn't taste quite right. They weren't very strong at all. Third, the food is pretty good here. It's fairy pricey, especially for dinner. Fourth, we waited for our check forever. It felt like a really long time and then a really long time for her to take our card and run it. Basically, this wasn't my best restaurant experience. However, if you visit this place, I suggest going for lunch and choosing a lunch special. The Quesadilla deluxe is good as well as the Tres Amigos. Don't buy any mixed drink.
(3)Bill Z.
Very slow service. Admittedly it is Mother's Day, but the place isn't even full. It took 65 minutes for food to arrive. And then It was staggered and took another 10 minutes for all of us to get our food. Quality was average to be kind. Ingredients were of rather low quality, though the chips & salsa were quite good. We would probably not come back. An added annoyance is a constant intercom barking out various servers' names.
(2)James T.
Really a 3.5 stars, but much higher than currently rated. Perhaps due to newer management. Fondly remember the old days when EVERYBODY stopped at noon to sing God Bless America led by Joe himself. Also recall that they would close for several weeks each winter so Joe, family, and staff could vacation in Alcapulco, at his expense. Also recall that the city let him park his big Caddy on the sidewalk. And that his tacos were the best I've ever had - before or since. That was 40 years ago! ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! !Salud, Joe! Hey, a line has formed outside- just like the ole days. Never heard of a 2 star restaurant with a line outside!
(4)Jerry W.
I don't know why there are so many low ratings. I've eaten here twice for lunch and I've really enjoyed the food. Tacos, both soft and crispy, are packed with well-season beef and tons of cheese. The Spanish rice is flavorful. The refried beans are ordinary but good. Even their guacamole is very flavorful though the avocados are not chunky but pasty. The prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. And the fried ice cream is awesome! Staff has been friendly and prompt. I had to wait about five minutes to be greeted and seated today but the place was packed. Inside it's diner-esque but clean. The one complaint I do have was they played a loud and awful version of Happy Birthday for a customer. It's seemed to go on forever. Still, I recommend this place. Oh and one more thing I like, you can pay your check with PayPal using your cell phone!
(4)Aaron C.
Amazing place with delicious food. I personally love the signature joes salsa that happens to be in a bottle, trust me it's not ketchup. I usually get the combo plate which comes with a taco, joes style soft taco, enchilada, and Spanish rice.
(5)Will S.
I used to love Acapulco Joes. It was a tradition to go in early on the morning of gay pride and have morning margaritas and breakfast. So when a large group of us got together for dinner last night before a show I was excited to revisit the place I haven't been in a while. No. No. No. Arrived to find our guests already seated on front of baskets of chips, no salsa. We waited a full ten minutes for our server to arrive and express her pleasure that we were finally there. We ordered a pitcher or margaritas and an order of guacamole. The margaritas were awful, weak and suspiciously reminiscent of limeade and the $4.99 guacamole consisted of three melon ball sized balls of avocado and what I suspect was a powdered mix served on a boatload of lettuce. I was then informed there were new owners. My meal, three enchiladas, was inedible. Dry, tough corn tortillas wrapped around a meatlike paste that would have embarrassed the worst Taco Bell on earth. I ate 3/4 of one and passed. Service was slow and terrible, but we had to get to our show, and it was clear that any complaints to the staff would have fallen on deaf ears. Luckily I have my memories of pride morning margaritas because last nights experience at Acapulco Joes will definitely be my last.
(1)Madeline R.
I love Mexican food. Acapulco Joe's has good food, and I love their outdoor seating. You get to watch the hustle and bustle of downtown Indy while enjoying some chips and salsa. The servers have always been very accommodating.
(3)Billy V.
The restaurant is clean and wait staff is attentive. The grated cheese on the tacos tastes good . Everything else about this place screams mediocrity. It feels tired and dated and the food is underwhelming. It would sit at the bottom of a very long list of local Mexican restaurants in terms of flavor, freshness, and authenticity of the entrees. Maybe I'm just missing the plot and they truly are a genuine representation of the niche Acapulco cuisine, but I doubt it. Both their taco shells and their chips taste like they were recently dumped out of a bag and the salsa is bland red chunks. If you're in the mood for mediocre Mexican food that won't make you sick then eat here.
(2)Amber C.
Awesome Downtown Indy mainstay! If you haven't been to Acapulco Joe's, you need to make a visit ASAP. If you've been, but not recently, make your way back! This restaurant has been here for as long as I can remember, but I can't remember the last time that I visited. I was pleasantly surprised by the pleasant atmosphere, cleanliness, and most of all, the great food. Do yourself a favor and trust your server - the chicken quesadilla was one of the best that I've had. The ingredients were fresh, and the meal was flavorful and well presented. This is a great place for date night, or just a friends' night out. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Brett R.
I am not overly impressed by this establishment. Server was a little pushy, chips were stale however salsa was delicious. I still am not sure about the burrito, a little soggy but tasty. Good for lunch but don't bring your wife, she probably won't like it.
(3)Taylor R.
I am a very picky eater and like things a certain way. The waitress was totally accommodating. The portions were huge and it had a nice American twist. I found my new favorite restaurant. If you do go be sure to try the salsa in the squeeze bottle!
(4)Meredith S.
I can respect the fact that Acapulco Joe's has supposedly been an Indy landmark for decades and that people can remember the good ole days of this restaurant... but all I know is what I experienced last week when I came for lunch. I'm not a picky eater. I'm definitely not picky when it comes to Mexican food. Seriously.. how can you mess up tacos, rice, beans, chips and salsa??? Didn't think it was possible... but sadly... it is. Nothing tasted good. Nothing. Nothing at all. It tasted fake and weird and for the amount of money I paid for this, it should've been a salivating, melt in my mouth type experience. They're even advertising that it's under new management with all new flavors! I guess if you have to advertise this, it should be a red flag. Let the food speak for itself... but in Acapulco Joe's case, maybe the best they can hope for is some window advertising. It's unfortunate that it's no good - it's so close to where I work! Oh well. Now I know.
(1)Jerry W.
Beef burritos consistently cold. Have had to send back to kitchen each time I've ordered. Beef stuff inside is somewhere between Alpo and Hormel. Wish this place was better since I live close by but I'm afraid it's off my list. On a positive note, the cheeseburger isn't bad.
(1)Paige C.
I absolutely love mexican food...but I couldn't ABHOR anything more than Acapulco Joes. it is seriously the most disgusting meal I have ever had in my life. I'm pretty sure the cheese dip was gravy (like the gravy you get in Biscuits and Gravy) and the salsa that comes out of the ketchup bottle may indeed actually be ketchup. I have had 'so so' and 'kinda gross' mexican before and ate it without too many complaints but my boyfriend and I actually had to send our food back as it was literally inedible. They were very nice about it, which was great and much appreciated, but every time I drive by there I vomit a little bit in my mouth.
(1)Sonya A.
Mexican? It's not. Edible? Neither. So much processed cheese and faux salsa that I feel plastic-y after eating here. Final verdict, avoid at all costs. Food: 0/5 - I mean even the "salad" is just horribly shredded lettuce with shredded cheese. Location: 3/5 - Outdoor seating isn't so bad. Service: 1/5 - Literally had servers arguing so they wouldn't have to take our table? I only give this place 1/5 stars because I can't do 0/5. What a joke.
(1)Peter P.
This place is MUCH, MUCH better than it used to be. It's been under new management for a few months now and the difference is huge. They have actual, real homemade salsa now! Not that blended squeeze bottle crap they used to throw out on the table. They've cleaned up the inside and the outside seating area and removed a lot of the kitsch. Sitting outside is actually pretty nice now (it's completely covered so you can sit outside even when it's raining which is pretty cool. They also serve breakfast which is a rarity for Mexican restaurants. The food is typical Americanized Mexican/Tex-Mex, but at least it's passable now. And the prime location downtown is what kicks it up to 3 stars for me (as there are hardly any Mexican restaurants downtown, with one upscale exception).
(3)Chris S.
Went to Acapulco Joe's for dinner. This is the second time I have been there. I ordered Fajitas with Chicken and Beef. I was disappointed with the quality of the fajitas. It reminded me of BBQ chicken and beef on tortilla. It was not very appetizing. If I wanted BBQ, I would have gone to a BBQ joint. The fajita was not authentic Mexican food. However, the service was good and I am willing to give it another try. I wont be ordering Fajitas from Acapulco Joe's in the future.
(2)S L.
Just....bad. I want my $14 back. Salsa out of a bottle tasted like ketchup. I should've read yelp before I went here. Lesson learned.
(1)Krys F.
Terrible. I don't understand how they thought it was ok to use mozzarella cheese on Mexican food. I mean, really?!? And an olive on my taco salad??? Couldn't finish my meal. In summary, it was bad. The end. Don't go there ever. And I'm still hungry. They are lucky there are no restaurants open in Indianapolis on Sundays. :-(
(1)Glenn W.
I'm from Vermont, IL and this restaurant is at the corner of Vermont & Illinois streets. So that's cool...but I've always had a good meal here, with good service too....If you want authentic Mexican....go to Mexico! These people work hard and provide a good product. This is a landmark one of the first Mexican restaurants in Indianapolis. Enjoy the tradition!
(5)Kate H.
No. Just no. My understanding is that this place used to be great. A sign outside indicates new management. Maybe they should try again. The patio is nice. The margaritas pretty decent. The food is some of the worst food (of any ethnicity) I have ever had. I was pleasantly surprised I didn't get food poisoning- so bonus for that. Indianapolis treated me well otherwise.
(1)Wanda M.
Acapulco Joe's is certainly a landmark for Indianapolis and I've spent hours over 30 years eating here. I was one of those lucky people waiting in line down the sidewalk at the old restaurant across the street. Small and very little seats but we always enjoyed waiting for Joe and Patty to make our lunches. My children and I have fond memories of Joe joking around with them and the staff that remained for years. The food has definitely gone downhill and the prices have increased as one would expect. Yes, the chips are stale and the salsa is in a squeeze bottle but that's the way it's always been. Most of us enjoy the history and memories when we come here...not the food so much anymore but most old timers will continue to keep Joe's dream alive. The new owners are trying to keep some of the history in place but the joys of the old days are gone.
(4)Heather D.
Oh hell no. This place should not be allowed to serve anything remotely close to food. Service was incredibly slow despite the unnecessary chaos of the servers running around in their own personal marathons.
(1)Stephanie G.
I am long time fan of Acapulco Joe's. I have only been in twice under the new management. The place has a much brighter atmosphere now. I note my food was great as usual and generously proportioned. I see the new management has not tried to alter the the traditional dishes Joe's is known for, thanks a bunch. The staff was attentive and friendly as well. It was good to see management had not re-staffed like many often do when they step in. See you soon Joe's for my next chimichanga order. I forgot to mention, Kudos on your new bar code payment system. It's good to know you can pay your bill from your phone and just go. No more waiting for a check to leave. You can even call your waitress via the the new system. Great service upgrade!
(4)Lora T.
I really like their food, and love the chips and salsa out of the bottle. However, the staff are not overly friendly and the restaurant could use some renovation.
(4)Tiffany B.
Really? I'm forced to give this place a star? "Acapulco" would suggest Mexico, but do not be fooled friends. Mexican this is not. Quality this is not. Joe? Long gone. The best thing about this place (other than its location in an historic building) is the story of Joe himself, which I heard second hand. He was evidently a grateful immigrant, thankful for the opportunities America has to offer. That's a great story, the food is quite another. You cannot throw a handful of chopped onions into ketchup and call it salsa. You cannot buy all your food stuffs on the clearance aisle of a Walmart castoff store and foist it on the unsuspecting public. And I've seen some people on here make excuses by saying this isn't supposed to be Mexican food. Really? Well, either way, the food sucks. If I were Mexican, I'd be out front campaigning against the mockery this place is making of my native culinary culture. As a resident of Indy, I'd consider doing the same thing, because its places like this that give Indy a bad name. Bleah. Head to La Margarita if you want some good salsa!
(1)Abbey B.
Acapulco Joe's has a very special place in my heart. It's not the most authentic Mexican, or even the best tasting in town, but it has history and delicious chili con queso. When I was little, my dad would order Acapulco Joe's to go. We would drive downtown and park in some loading zone (my dad was a courier and always got away with parking in random spots) and I would practically race to get in the doors. The glass case full of t-shirts always greeted me, along with the mural painted walls and wood trim. For to-go orders, you walked all the way to the back of the restaurant, to the window that led to the kitchen. There was a microphone there and someone would say you'r name and out would come your brown paper bags full of greatness. As a young'n, my dad would pick me up and they would let me say our name into the microphone. I will always remember the huge, sweaty man with his stained white apron coming out with fist-fulls of brown bags to give us. Doesn't sound appealing, but it warms my heart. Now that I'm older, I love going in during the summer to sit on the patio and drink a margarita. The ceiling fans usually capture any breeze and the pigeons dance around the outside of the fencing. Try the chili con queso, PLEASE! You won't forget it. The taco salad is splendid, as well as the always faithful chimichanga!
(4)David S.
Service was disappointingly slow, not that we were in a hurry, but when other customers are getting up and looking for wait staff and people that came in after us are receiving entrees and we haven't been served yet. People complaining to management. What's the deal... food is decent but management is lacking.
(1)Catherine S.
The only reason I am giving Joe's two stars is because I love their Chili Con Queso and salsa. The first 4-5 times I visited that is all my friend and I ordered. One day we decided to actually order something I was so disappointed. Nothing here is good. Everything seems like it is slopped on the plate and smothered in some cheese. The rice and beans are the worst I have ever tasted; my family his hispanic so I've been eating homemade Mexican my entire life and I can't believe anyone could mess up the basics that bad. The beans were super upsetting because they have always been one of my favorite foods. I know this place is under knew management and I've been there once since the new people have taken over and saw no improvement. I hope they start really making some changes and fixing some of the food.
(2)Devon N.
Went there for devour downtown which was a good deal. I have heard about Joe's and how it is an Indianapolis institution, but I have to admit I don't see why, other than it is one of the first Mexican restaurants in town. I had the fajitas which were prepared with some kind of barbecue sauce. While it was ok it wasn't spectacular. We did get the fried ice cream which was pretty good. That, along with the fact that it was a good value and the service was pretty good, accounts for one of the 3 stars. Overall though it's not worth the drive in from the suburbs.
(3)Jake K.
Went here for a post event feast to welcome a new commander. We probably should have picked a better venue. The food was the standard TexMex imitations you can get out of a Old El Paso box but the service was horrible. Perhaps they weren't prepared yet or some of the staff skipped work that day, but they were unable to keep up with a group of 15 and some folks had to start their meals (cold Mexican food isn't recommended) and were finished before the other meals arrived. No bueno.
(3)Dara H.
This was the first time I had been to Acapulco Joe's in many years but I will not be returning. We use to go for lunch all the time when i was working in the area. We were in for dinner and the place was dead. I can remember having to wait to get a table at lunch. Our waitress was kinda rude when I asked a question about the menu. They brought out chips( that were stale) and salsa in in squirt bottles on the table. Ordered 3 soft taco (they don't come with anything for $9.99) and the girl asked if i wanted them American Style or Joe style?? Well i found out Joe style had chili con queso on them. I said OK and when they came out they looked like enchiladas! It was CORN tortillas rolled with hamburger inside and red sauce and chili con queso poured over the top of them. That doesn't work for me cause i don't like corn tortillas. I wanted tacos not enchiladas. Our waitress drooped off our bill and never came back. So after sitting there for a while we went up to the register and she told us she would have gotten it for us. Over all it was poor service and bad food. Sorry Joe!
(2)Scott M.
LANDMARK UNDER NEW OWNER(S) FINDING ITS WAY Acapulco Joe's for years has been a landmark on the near Northwest side of downtown. It's now under new ownership -- the second changeover since the original family owner-operator. Cleaner and with some improvements in decor, the place is finding its way as far as organization and pricing (read that somewhat struggling management). Tiny, itty-bitty top shelf margaritas for $9 probably won't cut it in a city sprinkled with authentic Mexican restaurants. The recipes are close, but have changed slightly from Joe's. And there seems to be plenty of help. They just don't have their systems down for whatever reason. Give them a chance. Give them some time. Hopefully, things will improve some. It's a tough, competitive business. We hope they succeed.
(3)Kimber E.
New management is supposed to be a good thing, right? Well in this case, it could possibly be the worst thing to happen to a restaurant. EVER. This is my first visit in a year to Joe's for dinner with my girlfriend and her daughter. I was actually upset that I spent money here. I have had some poor experiences, and as a former restaurant employee I'm certainly understanding of how things work in an establishment such as this. First off, the server stations were FILTHY. you could smell the bathrooms halfway across the dining room. but I still give chances for delicious mexican food. When we sat down, the hostess just yelled at us from across the restaurant asking how many people we had (fine), then walked over to a table and set like 6 menus down and didn't tell us to follow her or anything. She then proceeded to give us the nastiest look like we were supposed to automatically know that that was our table. I then decided to use the restroom and gave someone else at my table my drink order so that i would be able to sit down and enjoy it when I got back. I come back from the bathroom and sat down and my friend told me no one had even came by to get a drink order. 5 minutes AFTER that, a lady finally comes by and gets our drink order, looking less than impressed that we were the table she was sat with. (I also know that feeling, so I can tell when someone else does). She comes back with the drinks and to take our food order and between four people, doesn't write a single thing down. Thats fine, I've worked with and had stellar servers who don't have to write anything down. but we modified our entrees a bit, added sides and such so thats something you should definitely take note of. Never once between us ordering dinner and the food coming did she even stop to check on us. The food came, of course all wrong because she didn't write a single thing down. wasn't even nice about it being wrong, and then it took another 15 minutes to receive the right food. When we were eating the right food, we were SURPRISED at how medicare it was. i didn't even want to take my leftovers home. the cheese on top was cold. the salad was horrendous. the rice had ZERO flavor. the chicken and beans tasted like they had been dried out before they were served. My daughters chicken and fries were better than my Tex Mex cuisine. I was sooo disappointed. If I'm going to spend so much money at a restaurant, i want to at least halfway enjoy my food. We were a table of two young moms and two five year olds. We aren't made of money, but we definitely don't go out to eat if we can't afford our meal and tip at least 30%. It bothers me SO much when a server assumes that because i brought my girls, and I'm in my twenties, that I am cheap and an awful tipper. I waited tables for too many years to be able to be cheap like that. This server was so rude to us basically because she was assuming. Which I cannot stand. She was trying to rush us out on a Sunday evening, even taking my plate full of food away from me before I was done with it. She must have known how awful it was. All in all, this single experience RUINED this restaurant for me. I will never return and never recommend anyone there. I came home hungry and upset with less money in my wallet. thats not okay with me.
(1)Sam L.
About as American as Tex-Mex can be. Firstly, the bartender comes out with an extra shot of Grand Marnier in case the margarita my girlfriend ordered was "not strong enough". As a former bartender, this is just weird. Just make it right the first time. He later admitted he tried it to see how it tasted...The food was pretty terrible too. I had a lunch special with a chicken enchilada, rice & beans. The beans were dry and tasted like they were from a can. The rice was supposed to be Spanish rice, but tasted like white rice with hot sauce mixed in. The enchilada lacked much flavor, but seemed to at least be made right. To top it off, there was a hair in my girlfriend's fajita salad. They took it off the bill, but weren't very apologetic about it. Not sure how this place is still in business.
(1)April L.
Taco Tuesday was awesome! The free chips and salsa were a great pairing with the chilli con queso. The cheese stretched to the ceiling!!! The tacos were delicious and drinks mixed perfectly. Thank you Sandy for the excellent service we received throughout the meal. We will be back!!!
(5)Stacy J.
You walk in and hear music to the likes of Hanson's 'MMM Bop' and Elton John's 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' plus a continuous array of oddly mismatched songs... THEN, if the music isn't confusing enough, the televisions are airing a gory murder mystery show and an off-team's basketball game and who knows what else... Plus decore that hints of old school cafeteria with a SLIGHT touch of Spanish... SOOOO to this your first thought is AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUSINE, RIght!?!?! NOT!!!!!!! AND that's not even taking the food into account! So anyway... this review isn't worth my time to delve into all the details. But we basically went for devour downtown and were pretty dissatisfied! Not welcomed, adequate but slow service, food that was just ok (Fried ice cream was tasty, but if it is truly deep fried, as it should be, then shouldn't it be at least warm where the ice cream is kinda melty and not rock hard, super cold!?)..... oh yeah, and the complementary chips and salsa is a Joke (see other reviews!)!! Was hoping for more... The positive is that we tried it out during Devour, so we were not paying much for our lack of.
(2)Griffin S.
While I want to write a nice review, I can't. I want to because this is my neighbor, but this place is below average. Margaritas are tasty, and the beers to go are cool, I will give them that. Overall, from service to cleanliness, the place is dull. Breakfast is actually decent, but when you have Le Peep not even a block away, and many more options around, it's hard to step foot in Joe's. I really do hope they change things around, because the history is neat, and the location couldn't be better.
(2)Randall P.
Alright the food has not changed, which is good but the new management sinks. Joe's was a joint, and the new guys have tried to make something up scale, The Cheap vacuform sign in the entrance has been remove for a awful sign. They placed a table right in the entrance where the you used to pay. The great thing was about Joe's it was a joint not a rubber stamped dining experience. We want our joint back!
(1)Adam W.
Terrible terrible terrible. Tasted like a TV dinner. No salsa with the chips. Taco Bell is better.
(1)Sara L.
We do dinner a lot, Kevin and I. Much like sitting on the mats at the gym and talking is our thing, going out to dinner, lunch, brunch and breakfast is our 'thing'. We are dining companions. I love Kevin and we see eye to eye on most things, but my bro has a serious love of Acapulco Joe's that I cannot get behind. But I love Kevin, so I go. We are cruising around in his batmobile, trying to decide where to go, and he wants AJ's again. I'm too tired to think, my brain a raw mess from reading and writing limericks, so I agree. I know that the biggest margarita they can produce is necessary to keep me from imploding, so I order one right away. I can't remember what I ordered or what he ordered. If memory serves me, and it often doesn't, it was probably some kind of American food pretending to be Mexican food combination of meat and cheese with too much HFCS laden sauce wallowing around next to some crappy rice and beans. Oh. oh. I had the worlds worst nachos and he had a chicken chimichanga. I've also had their beef chimichanga and something else, but I cant' remember what. The only thing I ever remember about a night at AJ's is the fun I had with Kevin. I think I block out the memory of what I have eaten there as a sort of mental self-protection method. The waitstaff is usually pretty slow, a bit cranky, and not helpful. At this point, I don't care. I expect it, and I also think it's a crappy restaurant and have no expectation of anything going well there. Kevin loves the salsa. The salsa makes me die inside. Instead of a bowl of salsa that you can dip your chips into, AJ's thinks they've stepped up their game by having squeeze bottles of salsa. It isn't salsa, it's taco sauce and it tastes like the inside of a mummies bandages. I pick up a chip in one hand and then pick up the bottle, covered in whatever has been touching the hands of every other patron that has touched it, and squeeze some 'salsa' onto my chip. I bring it to my lips and hesitate. 'I can't eat this' I think. 'There's probably space semen and baby feces on the bottle, which is now on my hand, which is about to go in my mouth'. I put the chip down next to my plate and smile warmly at my dinner companion. 'Let's talk about ourselves so we can ignore this chip situation'. The food comes and some of it gets eaten because we are hungry. I put the leftovers in Kevin's fridge when we leave, never planning on getting them out of there. 'You're better off in Kevin's fridge, leftovers. In Kevin's fridge, you're likely to find an owner who will love you and appreciate you, find you desirable and want to eat you. In my fridge, you await certain dumpster death'. Eating here is one of my least favorite things. The food is gross, the atmosphere is bad, the drinks are watered down, it's over--priced, the salsa is disgusting and unsanitary....but Kevin loves it.
(2)Anna W.
This place was absolutely disappointing. The food was bland (I'm not sure how you make bland tacos). The service was horrible. Our waitress seemed to be taking care of all the tables in the front end of the restaurant, which isn't her fault but the fact that she dropped a ToGo bag on the floor and picked it up and placed it on top of the food that I was going to pack up seem to me that she didn't have a sense of cleanliness. Only reason that they are even getting a star, other than the fact that I can't go any lower is at least their Chili con Queso was good for the first 5 minutes it came out (before if got cold and thickened).
(1)Kara P.
I used to love this place. I used to work in the One America building and would walk here for lunch. Maybe my tastes have changed, or maybe the food has gone downhill, I don't know. I went here for a lunch a few days ago with my hubs and we both ordered the Tres Amigos for lunch. Both of us requested chicken instead of beef. Both orders were brought out as all beef. That was mildly annoying, but not enough to turn me off. What bothered me was the sauce that everything was drowned in. It wasn't *bad*, there was just too much of it. The service was okay. Our waiter was polite and friendly, but very busy. They only appeared to have two servers on duty and each of them were taking care of an entire side of the restaurant. I remember loving their salsa in a squeeze bottle. However I don't love it now. The chips were pretty good, not sure if they make them in house. But the salsa was....sweet, or something. It just didn't taste right to me. No heat at all. The lampshades above the booths are very pretty and festive. However, the thick layer of dust on them is pretty gross. The whole place could have used a good scrubbing. I get that the decor is old, but overall griminess is inexcusable. Not to mention neither of the stalls in the women's bathroom had working locks. I've definitely had worse experiences. But I think I've fallen out of love with Acapulco Joe's.
(2)Toni F.
NO CHILI RELEENOS......or avocados ....or boiled eggs to put on the salad! This was at 4 pm on a Saturday. The jalapeños we ordered as a side were Raw. The floor around our table was dirty. My family and I have been coming to Acapulco Joe's for many many years. We went this past weekend because family from out of town wanted Joe's chili releenos. The floor under our table was dirty. I walked out of Acapulco Joe's for the last time.
(1)Beverly B.
Terrible! Terrible service and food! What has happened to this place! Will never go back
(1)Samantha R.
I'm not a fan of those upscale Mexican style restaurants. Tex Mex is my jam and frankly this place is one of my favorites. I love the salsa on the table and I love the excessive amount of cheese I get. The beef has jalapenos in it and I love spicy food. This place reminds me of being a kid and going with my dad. It might not be everyone's favorite, but it is my favorite!
(4)Kelly D.
Always love Joe's. You gotta love a place where the food hasn't changed, the decor hasn't changed, and even some of the wait staff hasn't changed since I started going there, which I think was in 2004. Our waitress was very kind and helpful - and very honest about what she did and didn't like! My friend from out of town got a strange look on her face when "God Bless America" started playing in the midst of the pop music, and I felt sorry for her, because she just doesn't understand. Four stars because I have had trendier or perhaps tastier Mexican food, but I'll keep going back to Joe's.
(4)Aubrey A.
Beginning of summer always makes me want to walk or ride everywhere. I was craving a margarita, so obviously, I decided upon Mexican food for dinner to pair with my oh so important margarita. We walked to a Mexican place that was closer to our apartment in the St. Joseph Historic District, but they were closed, so we decided to make the long walk to Acapulco Joe's. First, we walked in and instead of saying, "Okay, follow me!" the hostess just walked away and we assumed she was taking us to our table. She then asked if my 5 year old needed a highchair. I feel like I need to have a "Really?" sesh with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers. Then, she tried to seat us directly in the sunlight on an 85 degree day. No thank you! Our server seemed nice, although it seemed a little forced. Of course, I got the standard dirty look when I ordered my alcoholic drink. It's definitely not that vegetarian friendly, but I settled for the Cheese Quesadilla dinner-- something I can make at home. It was so-so food, but I was super excited for my large and in-charge margarita that left me with a pretty sweet buzz. Our service was absolutely terrible, and my germaphobe self was very weary and worried about the Salsa-in-a-Bottle, but I ate it anyway. And, WHAT'S WITH THE INTERCOM SYSTEM? I had like 27 heart attacks throughout my meal. I didn't have high hopes for this "Mexican" food, and even though the Margarita was pretty awesome, I will probably never be back. Do yourself a favor, don't make the trip.
(1)Candise S.
came in on a Groupon. The food was... well terrible. cheap ground beef and no flavor to the taco meat. I had the taco salad which was plain as could be. you get more on a taco bell taco salad which taste better than this place. The chip were greasy and not salted. Even with a Groupon I feel it was a poor value. The server was pretty good though.
(1)Jane R.
I think 2 Stars is an accurate rating. Food has always been plentiful and unauthentic. It is very casual and unfortunately the new owner has lost some of the "kitsch" that made it fun. Like being an unauthentic Mexican restaurant in the Midwest. I mean who serves a slice of hard boiled egg and pickled beet on top of a Mexican dish?? Joe did! The queso has less chili, used to be yellow and red, now just red. We had the Mexican pizza, and the ground beef had no flavorings. I used to be able to smell it a block away on my way to work in the AM. No God Bless America either. Probably won't be back - sometimes hokey just makes a place, and when you take it away, you got nothing.
(2)Randy B.
We stopped for lunch during the week, and had the tacos. The service was terrible, they were way under-staffed. It took us forever to order our food, and even longer to get our food. My girlfriend's fork was dirty, and it took several minutes to get the waitresses attention for a new one. The tacos were just okay, and the cheese was not melted at all. By the time we were done eating, there was shredded cheese everywhere, because it wouldn't stay in the shell. The only bright-side is their chips with the sweet "watery" salsa is delicious. I had too many, since we had to wait so long.
(2)Katie S.
I love me some delicious Mexican food, and I work downtown, so naturally, I ended up at Acapulco Joe's at one point. A coworker had been talking this place up for awhile, so I figured I was in for a treat. Sadly, I was disappointed in more ways than one. The first problem: the service. I went with three coworkers for lunch on a Tuesday. Given that it was lunch time, we were prepared for a bit of a wait. What we weren't prepared for was being completely forgotten by our waitress. None of us ever got refills on our drinks, despite running out fairly early in the meal. Two of us ordered taco salads and they forgot to add the tomatoes. That wouldn't have been a big deal, if the waitress had actually remembered to bring us some after I mentioned this. But alas, she did not. And when she finally did reemerge from the depths of the kitchen to bring us our checks (which, btw, she just tossed on the table in a pile, leaving us to sort them out), there was no apology or acknowledgement of the fact that we'd been left without drinks or tomatoes or any service at all. Oh, and she only gave mints to one member of our table. Wtf? Seriously??? The second problem: the food. The chips were tasteless (how do you mess up tortilla chips), and as others have mentioned, you're expected to top the chips with subpar salsa from a squeeze bottle. I can't even imagine how many different pathogens were on my hands after that... The main dishes weren't anything to write home about, either. Our taco salads were just shredded iceberg lettuce with a big old mound of cheese on top. There were some beans buried at the bottom, but you had to dig for them, pretty much upending the entire salad in the process. And again, no tomatoes ever surfaced. Grrr! They also put pickles, olives, and beets (one of each) on the taco salad which was really odd. The other two members of our party had burritos and I guess they were passable. Another note on the food: this place is NOT vegetarian friendly. I only saw one item, the cheese quesadilla dinner, that was vegetarian. Of course, you can have meat left off of other things, but don't expect much selection if you're veggie. If the truly authentic Mexican restaurants we usually go to can have an entire vegetarian section, I see no reason why super Americanized Acapulco Joe's can't add options. But I digress.. Overall, this was a poor experience. I would never pick this place for a meal, and will only go again if I'm with a group that is dead set on going there. And if someone else is paying. :-)
(1)Christian D.
No. I tried to treat some of my family from Texas... it was embarrassing. :-( Our server was rude, the food was less than impressive, and their "authentic" menu included a section called "For The Gringo." Not cool.
(1)Ed B.
Meh, just not the same as it was when the old man was alive. Most of the Mexican places we visit are far better, loved this place 20 years ago but won't be back anytime soon.
(2)Russell H.
Acupulco Joe's.... Mexican food without the pesky high quality fresh ingredients that plague other places! Ok first the good: We were seated promptly and the service was mostly OK. Our waitress didn't seem overly enthusiastic, but it was towards the end of the night and she was probably tired. She did do a decent job at getting our food out in a timely way, although we waited a bit on the check. Also, my wife had the cheese quesedillas, and they were actually quite good. Also the refried beans weren't bad either. The Bad: Everything else. Much of our food seemed like it came straight out of a can. I had the Mexican Pizza, which was stuffed with taco meat straight from the nearest middle school cafeteria. The chips and salsa were not good. At all. The chips were very plain and flavorless, and the salsa was a thin liquid that you have to squeeze from a bottle. Pretty gross now that I really stop to think about it. Long story short, there have got to be better places to eat. Or just don't eat, that would also be a better option. EDIT: I just browsed back over my review of this place and saw that for some reason I gave it 2 stars. Unacceptable. It sucked sooo bad. 1 star for you Acupulco Joe; it's better than you deserve.
(1)Dario N.
Horrible service. Wouldn't know what the food is like since I was sitting there for 25 minutes without seeing a waitress even after asking the absolutely clueless host to get us a waitress. We were given stale chips by a busboy. Got up and left... regret even sitting down.
(1)Chyna M.
LOVE their queso! And their salsa. If you want to get really crazy, mix the two together. FOODGASM!
(4)Shawna V.
I got the groupon and used it to treat my parents and my brother. At the first impression the resturant seemed like your standard mexican digs on atmosphere. I'd read the other reviews on yelp but decided it was a good deal and I'd give it a try. We got a seat in the back section which was good because we had my nephew and he was a handful. The chips were great, though they didn't bring out our queso for a while we'd already gotten through one basket before they go to that and they knew from the moment we sat we got queso (it was part of the groupon) The salsa in a bottle stuff was good on the chips The queso was strange, it was like a flour milk mix that had the cheese fail to bond and wound up in it in little chunks. I've messed up a cheese sauce before but I'm not a chef in a restaurant. Still I ate it cos hey I like cheese. My Tortas were okay a bit too much lettuce I mean I am a vegetarian and I love my vegetables but WTF am I supposed to do with twin peaks of lettuce? Fire your cook or get chef Ramsey to come do it for you...sheesh. I bet there are a ton of ppl in the city who can cook amazing authentic mexican. The mexican place in my hometown has crazy good food, I bet you could get some of those guys to come help you out or something.
(2)Michael M.
Food at Acapulco Joe's is as good as it everwas. The service was great. Mary is the best.
(4)Deborah B.
It's one of those lazy Sundays and we are debating where to eat lunch. Since moving to Indy our go-to mexican place has been Adobo Grill but on Sundays they aren't open till 4 so we decided to try Acapulco Joe's. Big Mistake... HUGE! We walk in and the place is fairly crowded, especially for a Sunday in downtown Indy. We waited a little longer than 5 minutes before someone came to our table. We ordered Chips and guacamole, and margaritas. Margaritas were awful.too sweet for my taste, no real lime flavor, tasted very corn-syrupy. Guacamole looked and tasted like it was made three days prior, and stored in the fridge was a very unappealing brownish hue. Chips were stale. I ordered the combo plate. The spanish rice was overcooked and complete mush, the tacos were decent and edible but I did not touch the rice after my first bite. The tacos and enchilada were completely smothered in cheese and sauce. It wasn't awful, but I prefer my food not be drowning in sauce. I also think I could walk into any grocery store and get a frozen mexican style entree, throw it in my microwave, and it would taste like this, or better.Also, how much cheese does this place go through in a day? Every plate I saw had an entire bag of shredded cheese or cheese sauce on it. Nothing tastes fresh and the "ketchup" bottles are full of wierd sweet, and ketchupy syrups, none of which resembled salsa. I just don't get it. Regarding the staff: Our waitress was very sweet, but some of the staff seemed to not want to wait on people. The staff were all pretty immature and fighting over who was doing what. Think "Lord of The Flies" meets "Really bad mexican restaurant." A staff member was at the hostess stand and a group of people were standing in front of her waiting to be seated and the hostess loudly yells back to the other staff..."it's not my turn who's turn is it!?!!" It was actually very entertaining and bordering on hilarious. I am dumbfounded at why this place was so crowded. The first time in history I walked out of a mexican restaurant, and had 3/4 of my margarita left, not finishing chips and guac, and hating the spanish rice. If all the food in Indy was this bad I would probably be skinny again! I hate to give one star reviews but this place was just that bad.
(1)Willie S.
Classic. Unique. Heartburn inducing. Healthy food hell. Vegetarian excluding. Best chips ever when fresh/marginally stale. Old guy salsa. Ground mystery meat covered in cheese. What is bibb lettuce? Did I mention dehydrating gut wrenching fullness. Sorry kids - old folks like the place - appreciate uniqueness. It is rare. It is not always the best. I met Joe - he was a kookie entrepreneur who made a living for himself. And started with nothing. There is more authentic Mexican food - but there is not more authentic 1970's Ameri/Mex experience in Indy. Enjoy the past while it exists. How many 35 year old restaurants are in Indy.
(4)Nick C.
Wow! So many haters of this place. Now I am not going to contend this is the best Mexican place under the sun (far from it), but it is not a 1 star experience either. My first try of Acapulco Joe's and I thought the sauce was runny, chips were plain, and the food was nothing special - I still wouldn't have given it a 1 star (maybe a 2.5). AJ's has grown on me a bit. They put a ton of cheese on their tacos and they are fairly tasty. I'll go to bat for AJ's.. take it for what it is and don't expect it to be more and you will walk away just fine.
(3)Jim W.
So sorry I didn't read the reviews. I promise I won't let my excitement for Mexican food get me going without reading first. Server was put out by any requests. Not a smile to be had. Chairs - rickety. If you reach dine to pull your chair closer... Grime. I should have kept - but was with co-workers and didn't want to make a scene. Everything said about chips and bottled salsa. Spot on. We asked for some hot sauce.. None.., but there was something staff made for themselves she brought out.. Still not great .., but FAR better than they serve customers. Tres amigos ... Blah. No one at the table of five had good things to say. Not bad, just not good if that makes sense. Blah... I had ice tea... Asked fir sweeter. A small handful was dropped on table. Impressive.
(1)Lo B.
Completely awful, terrible, do NOT go! And someone please let them know ketchup with black pepper in it does not make salsa!
(1)M P.
Probably the worse chips and salsa I have had in my life!! We waited for over 10 minutes for someone to even serve our table. And watch out people. They are just soooo busy (yeah right) that if you use a credit card and have mutliple checks at your table, prepare yourself for being overcharged ie they put in their own tip amount. Calling to speak with a manager was a waste of time. I was told that they are just so busy they make mistakes with tips, especially if everyone at the table got the exact same thing and had the same tab amount. I WILL not be giving Acapulco Joe's my business and will do my best to deter anyone else I know from going there. I would have given them a 0/5 but it won't let me rate them that low. Avoid...avoid...avoid! One of the worse restaurants downtown! Under new management is a joke!
(1)Howard L.
Sorry, but I have to say stay away from this place. We picked up a tamale dinner to go. That included 2 tamales, rice and beans. The sauce over the tamales (which themselves were ok) and rice was like ketchup with some seasoning. The rice had no body or taste, and was probably oversoaked - and was like a paste of some sort. Anyway, nice downtown location, but this sampling was enough for us to conclude that we shall never return.
(1)Jessica G.
Let me start by saying this...I've been eating here since I was in the womb. No joke. My mom was a waitress there when Joe was still around. That being said, this place has seen better days. Through the numerous different owners and managers this place has gone down the toilet. The food doesn't even taste the same.
(2)Carl B.
Sorry Acapulco Joe's. I tried you before reading yelp, and perhaps that was not the best idea. But at least I gave you a good ole' unbiased try. Salsa in ketchup bottles, really? If it was good salsa it might be tolerable, but it really wasn't. The two dinner pieces I tried were equally unappealing. We each finished about half. Acapulco Joe's... Sorry, but ugh.
(1)Nichole H.
I really wish that I had read the yelp reviews before I bought a Groupon to Acapulco Joe's. Miserable experience. I've seen this place a zillion times and always wanted to try it out. I can never get that $25 or hour of my life back. The hostess was on the phone so she just waved her hand at us, I assume to sit anywhere we wanted. The bus person who took our drink order had no idea whether they had flavored margaritas. The waitress could have cared less that we were there. The chips they brought were not very tasty, and the salsa was weirdly sweet. Sweet? The queso was funky. No flavor and strange consistency. We each ordered the combo which had a hard taco, a soft taco, an enchilada with rice and beans. I've had worse food, but that's not the criteria you should be applying. Two stars is generous. Maybe 1.5,
(2)Lacey U.
I'd been here a few other times and was highly unimpressed, however, heard the GM was not too happy after our last visit and had done some "re-organizing." I needed a quick bite to eat after work and thought I'd give it a try again. It was a Tuesday evening and probably half of the inside restaurant was filled. I was seated immediately outside and had prompt wait service. I'll have to say the service this time around was excellent. I had another obligation in about 45 minutes and had plenty of time to spare. If I had to rate solely on service, I'd say it was great. However, the food could use some up-scaling. The Margarita was so tart and sour and didn't have any "spirits" in it. I ordered the Three Amigos (Enchilada, soft taco, hard-shell taco) and MAY have been served Taco Bell with some cheddar nacho cheese. Not worth the $9.00 menu price. The meat really was something from Taco Bell (comes frozen in a bag and you add some water and let it boil in a metal tub for hours - quite greasy as well). Also had a panhandler approach the table pretty aggressively, but the wait staff was on it immediately. Glad to see the service has improved... now, move to the kitchen.
(3)Rick M.
Since moving to Indy last year I was told about Acapulco Joe's. Finally this past Saturday I was able to try it out. The portions were large and they must have an attractive contract with the cheese distributor for each of the dishes in our group were overloaded with cheese. The food was tasty, nothing special. The salsa, served from a squeeze bottle that needed washed, was less than appealing. Not sure if it was just our server or the norm but we did not have a small bowl to put the salsa in. The guacamole was good. I shared chicken fajitas with my date and the chicken was good. The peppers and onions were cooked perfectly. One person in our group was disappointed in the fact they were out of 'any' wine. Saturday night and out of wine? Overall I rate it ok as the the price made up for any misgivings in the food. Many other places in the city to try before I go back.
(3)Ashley J.
I hate to give bad reviews. BUT, this place deserves it. I went with 2 other people earlier this year and the food was terrible. We waited for awhile before being asked what we wanted. Then the food came and I literally ate two bites. I had an enchilada. How do you mess that up? Also, what is with the squirt bottles of different sauces on the table? Is that suppose to be salsa? Either way, they were terrible. The chips were so stale they were chewy. The only saving grace was that they served cold beer. But, I can get beer anywhere. I definitely won't be back
(1)Izzy A.
Wow, might be the worst restaurant in Indy... Awful food, awful service. Seriosly, I have no idea how this passes for food at all. Taco Bell is like Ruths Kris compared to this.
(1)Jonathon M.
I lived next door to Joe's for 2 years and when I think of true Indianapolis landmark restaurants, Joe's ranks right up there with some of the more upscale locations. It might not be fancy, refined, or authentic, but it is modest, satisfying, and affordable. Don't go to Joe's expecting authentic Mexican, think of it as Hoosier-Mex . They have an especially unique take on salsa that I really enjoy. You actually squirt it out of a bottle onto your chip in appose to dipping your chip in it. It is a little sweet and just the right amount of heat. Add that with the best fried ice cream dessert in town and you have a true taste of Indy.
(4)Mike W.
Breakfast is decent and reasonably priced Nice spot for a quick breakfast on a Sunday morning before church.
(3)Ryan M.
I will admit that I've been to Acapulco Joe's twice, mainly because I live a few blocks away. I got cold chips both times, and a very slow start to service the first visit. The staff is generally nice, but I should note the restaurant was pretty dead both times. But Acapulco Joe's rating is only knocked down for me because they have the ketchupiest hot sauce on the planet - it's definitely a place for gringos! Though my gringo wife wont even eat the hot sauce... The Chimichangas are good, though I'm not a fan of the cheese sauce so much either. If you want a 2/5 delicious Mexican meal for about 4/5 price, check it out.
(2)Meg M.
This is hands down the WORST Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. It's too bad they're taking up prime real estate downtown. Inside it was dirty and cramped. They seated us by a giant garbage can next to the server's station. There were flies buzzing around... I just about lost my appetite. They have their "salsa" in grimy, sticky squirt bottles sitting out on the table. Not fresh. At all. All the different flavors of salsa had a kind-of sweet flavor to them like they used ketchup or french dressing to make it. And what self respecting restaurant puts their salsa in a bottle and expects people to squirt it on to their chips?! Appalling. I could go on and on about how horrible the food and general experience was. Long story short, I will never go back.
(1)Joel L.
Looking forward to a night downtown, and then came here for Devour Downtown in Indy. I shouldn't have wasted the 30 minutes of gas. Nice place but service was terrible, 35 minutes before appetizer, 30 minutes later food which was barely average, and took act of god to get check. 1 hr and 35 minutes later finally out of there. We saw atleast 2-3 parties just get up and leave. Needless to say will not be wasting my time here ever again.
(1)Kellie J.
This place should be ashamed of itself for claiming to be a Mexican restaurant! The drinks were watered down (my margarita tasted like fruit juice), the chips were terrible (not sure how to screw up chips), and the salsa was NOT salsa. The drinks and appetizers were so bad that my friends and I decided not to order from the menu. We figured that if a place is capable of screwing up chips and salsa, then we didn't want to think about how bad the dinner would be. The decor and music choices were also very confusing for a "Mexican" restaurant. Finally, the service was beyond terrible. I'm not sure what was worse...the rude waitress or the ones that simply ignored us altogether. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant then I would look somewhere else. If you are looking for an Americanized version of a Mexican restaurant with food and drinks that are mediocre at best, then you found your place.
(1)Darren B.
Went to lunch there today, Ordered lunch special burrito, very small and not very special. Size of taco bell burrito supreme for $8.95. Waitress brought second batch of chips but no salsa. Seemed to be bothered that we were dining there. Never offered a refill on the drink and check was dropped at table when only 15 percent of meal was eaten. No offer of dessert either
(1)Andrew S.
I haven't been here recently, but used to get their chips, salsa, and guacamole frequently. I have never had a bad experience. I don't expect this place to be the ultimate mexican restaurant, so that could have something to do with it. There is one in Greenwood near where I live which I like. I get their Three Amigo's dinner. I have had no issues at this one, and I have eaten here three or four times now. The chips were not stale, and the salsa is indeed not hot at all...
(4)Amanda N.
Worst Mexican food ever. Queso was some powered mix with the consistency of grits and taste of vomit. Ordered the 3 amigos- not the greatest either. Didn't like the sauce on it. My boyfriend ordered the same thing and was sick the next day; I also had an upset stomach too but he actually finished his plate. Server was good though-a little slow because it was busy but still not too bad. The margaritas were good.
(1)Kristin Q.
The food is subpar and very americanized. On the other hand, the salsa is disgusting. Who pours salsa our of a squeeze bottle? GROSSS
(1)Jennifer N.
Go here for the margaritas and only the margaritas.
(1)Kjirsten K.
I am not a fan of Acapulco Joe's. This is americanized mexican food at it's worst. As mentioned by others, the salsa is served in squeezable ketchup bottles; something I have a really hard time getting past. With that said, go to this place not expecting mexican food and enjoy some cheesy, greasy, comfort food. Basically this is a greasy spoon that was inspired by mexican dishes. The last time I was there, I got the crunchy tacos and I have to say they were alright. There was so much cheese piled on I could hardly see the tacos underneath. This place is guaranteed to have you stumbling out filled to the gills with that guilty feeling from doing something you know you shouldn't have.
(2)Dean F.
I went with a small group under protest. I don't care for Joe's cheesy motif and cheese-heavy food so I order a burger and a Rolling Rock. The burger was burnt beyond recognition and nobody on the staff offered to make it right. My expectations were low going in and Joe's still managed to under-perform. It appears to be in a death spiral from its glory days, long past. Honestly, give me Taco Bell instead, any day and any time.
(1)Terry D.
Even if desperate for food - try to move past it. The service was hurried, the food was american and the atmosphere is horrible. I had to ask to get some chips cleaned up off the floor of the table. I am surprised the Health Dept. has been called recently.
(1)Jessie D.
The review is based on my love for their chimichangas and salsa in squeeze bottles. Best chimichanga in town! I heard some of the dishes aren't that great but I stand behind my opinion on this one. I like going there when they aren't rushed either because the servers are usually really sweet.
(5)Mario M.
Went for breakfast but never tasted the food we were there for 25 min and never saw our server so we got up and left. The busboy brought us stale nachos. No utensils no suger or cream on the table. Do yourself a favor and find somewhere else.
(1)Alan S.
Disappointed. Took 7 people for dinner and our server was the GM. We were craving chili rellenos but he said they didn't have any. Really? At 6pm??? Drove 45 minutes and couldn't get what we wanted. No apology. No attempt to make it right. Disappointing. The dinners were just so so. I doubt we go back.
(2)Beth C.
I was here for 20 minutes but never ate any food, aside from one chip. My sister was craving Mexican, so we decided to give this place a shot. Upon entering, there was a large party waiting to be seated so I stepped up to the counter to find out the situation and see about putting our name in for a table. I was promptly ignored by three people. Instead, someone grabbed two menus and asked my sister, who was at the back of the line, how many were in her party. Huh? Weird but perhaps you somehow overlooked me while I was at the counter. No biggie. After being seated, a basket of chips was literally tossed on the table by a waitress who made no attempt at conversation or eye contact. We waited and waited for her to come by for our drink order but she simply kept busy attending to her other tables. While waiting, I ate a chip. You have to squirt salsa on your chips from a dirty ketchup bottle on the table. The salsa actually had the after taste of ketchup. Yuck. While I fiddled with said ketchup salsa, my sis made eye contact with the waitress who still never said anything and never acted like we existed. Had she said, "Sorry I am so busy but I'll be riiight back!" or anything at all to acknowledge us, I would have been less eager to collect my coat and bag and bounce. Alas, that is exactly what we did 20 unfortunate minutes later. I will likely never come back here as I have had shit service before but not to this extreme. Ever. Plus I don't like ketchup on my chips.
(1)Eric N.
Seriously disappointed. For all the potential this joint exudes, it sure fails to live up to it. I'm not a fan of most "American-Mexican" places, so consider that, but the sweet salsa in a bottle, sweet taco beef, and otherwise unremarkable food made sure I won't revisit.
(2)Mrs. D.
I was in Indy for a girl scout trip. I was craving Mexican and we decided to give this place a try. BIG MISTAKE..... The biggest dissapointment was the chips and salsa, they had bottles of hot sauce on the table that was supposed to be their 'salsa'. I asked for mild and they brought a dish of what tasted like canned or jarred salsa, it was nasty. I don't know about all of you, but fresh salsa with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, ect is why I go to Mexican restaurants! The busboy brought our chips, it was a while before someone came to take our order. I would not waste your money.
(1)Lord B.
Chips and Salsa and Chili Con Queso... 'Nuff said! Ok, I'll go on, the place is a little dirty and old feeling but they have damn good food!
(4)Joshua C.
Stopped by Acapulco Joe's with some coworkers today for lunch. I'm pretty sure I've found the worst "Mexican" food in Indianapolis. I'm still on the fence if Taco Bell would be a wiser dining decision although I'm pretty sure it would be a cleaner environment. Kind of a shame that it's such a bad place. Would be great to get a worthwhile restaurant in that location.
(1)Craig K.
This is not Mexican food. This is Joe's food. You do not come here expecting authentic Mexican delicacies. You come here to eat Americanized abominations full of tangy red sauce and melted globs of artery clogging cheese. When someone comes to Joe's they should judge it for what it is instead of expecting it to be something it is not. It is great at what it does. I would never want it to change. I recommend their version of Chile Rellenos and the Acapulco Deluxe Dinner. As a displaced Hoosier in Manhattan, I would love either right now. So if you are close by and reading my review make your way to Joe's post-haste and try one.
(5)Chris M.
As long as you aren't expecting traditional Mexican food this place rules. What you can expect are large portions and tons of cheese! Their tacos come with so much shredded cheese it almost makes me cry tears of joy. The enchiladas are really good. The ground beef here is ground very fine and almost turns into a paste or something. I know that sounds gross, but its awesome. So are their nachos. Don't expect a pile though. They come out as individually topped chips. The salsa or taco sauce, or whatever it is, comes in a ketchup bottle (doesn't bother me one bit but gets plenty of people all upset). It doesn't tastes like any salsa I've ever had before either. None of their food tastes like what you get in any real authentic Mexican restaurants or any of those La Hacienda/El Azabache/whatever spots which all basically have the same menu and recipes. To me this tastes like the food made at home by this American family in Texas we used to visit when I was a kid. I've not had their breakfast but have heard good things. They also play "God Bless America" everyday at noon. Go check out Joe's with an open mind and get some cheesy beefy tex-mex goodness.
(4)Jeff D.
Service was better this time, but the food is lacking in originality and quality. I felt achy and nauseous the rest of the day. I won't be back unless I'm dragged there by workmates.
(2)Tim T.
The other reviewers are correct... this is by far, and I'm not kidding, the worst food I've ever had in Indianapolis. I've been there once (no second trip required to check out the rest of the menu) for a take out order... another reviewer here mentions the salsa tastes funny... kind of sweet. That's because they use KETCHUP mixed with dried red peppers (the kind you put on your pizza)! Oh my god. No need to break down how bad the rest of the food was... I had a combo plate with a beef enchilada (easily this was made a few weeks prior... ever watch KITCHEN NIGHTMARES?), and taco, beans and rice. I ate only a few bites of each items, and had to throw the towel in, and threw the rest of it out (if I wasn't in such a big hurry, I would've went back for a refund). The clueless lunchtime crowd that continues to eat here probably loves Applebees too... no big surpise there.
(1)Mike F.
I don't think that people go to this place to be overwhelmed by the quality of the food. This is definitely not authentic Mexican food--it's "Tex-Mex." Acapulco Joe's is authentic Indianapolis. It is a landmark. The chips and salsa (out of a squeeze bottle) are excellent. I'm usually too full off of them to eat my meal.
(4)Matthew B.
5 stars for being what it is. This is Indianapolis's first Mexican restaurant. It's food is arguably less authentically "Mexican" than Taco Bell--it sort of reminds me of cafeteria-style Mexican. The interior feels like a throwback to the 1970's, with lots of photos on the walls. They blast God Bless America over the speakers twice a day (the founder was very fond of his adopted country). Good drinks. Good tamales. Good times.
(5)Corinne W.
The food is mediocre, but they have THE BEST taco sauce on the planet. I buy it in bulk. Seriously.
(5)Vivian D.
After living Indianapolis for five years, we decided to give the place a try. We ordered the chicken flauta's and were underwhelmed by the food. the chips were store old, funky, and stale. The 'salsa' was like watered-down ketchup with a few spices thrown in. The sour cream was ok, but the guacamole looked old and seemed flat in taste. The service was ok. While I suspect that they would punt with you, there were no vegetarian items listed, and the "chili gravy" that accompanied everything seemed a mystery to us. As several others have noted the place is nowhere near authentic--it is more akin to truck-stop Mexican. We can check this off the places to try out in Indy.
(1)osvaldo r.
Worse service and food ever! I went there for a late lunch during a Sunday afternoon. There were a handful of customers inside or outside but it somehow took my server 10 minutes to even come to my table. That was followed by 20 mins for two soggy, nasty chicken tacos. It was one of the worst dinning experiences I've ever had! Steer away.
(1)Jami D.
After walking by on numerous walks, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try. We were very hungry from a long long walk. What a mistake that was. The food was laughably gross. Read on if you don't get queasy easily.... The chips were stale, hardly salty, and very dry. Since they didn't bring salsa, we decided to use what we thought was hot sauce to moisten the chips. It was not hot. According to other reviews, this thin and practically flavorless concoction was supposed to be salsa. It tasted nothing like any salsa I've ever tried, and was not even as good as store-bought. The only good note is that they serve Negro Modelo, a great dark beer. You really need it to choke down what comes later. We ordered some chile rellenos as an appetizer. I LOVE chile rellenos, and generally at authentic or non-authentic places, they are good, if not awesome. What came out looked like large hush puppies, served with what is supposed to be con queso and lettuce and tomato. Over-fried, meat was lower grade than Taco Bell, and I need a whole new paragraph on the queso sauce. "It tastes like the color gray!" my boyfriend exclaimed, though I highly doubt the color gray has a texture like cream of wheat. Isn't queso supposed to be smooth? It also had a lackluster color and lackluster flavor. There was very little chile and a whole lot of fried coating and the nasty meat. We started to get nervous about the main course. I decided on the "Mexican" Dinner, which has an enchilada, taco, spanish rice, and refried beans. It's very hard to go wrong with any of those, right? Well, Acapulco Joe's is just short-bus enough to get it completely foul. First off, I have never seen soupy spanish rice from a packet, authentic, inauthentic, homemade, or even a frozen meal. This was practically a stew, and tasted like it was bathed in the crap they call salsa. The beans were insulting. I tried mixing them together to combat the tastes, but it still sucked. The taco shell was stale, the cheese was still very cold, it was pretty much all lettuce and tomato, and they had slopped the enchilada sauce all over the side, making it even harder to eat properly. The enchilada sauce was not good, and I have had better ones from a freezer aisle. Normally, I would finish even a large plate at a mexican restaurant, but after only a few bites, I was done. We laughed and made fun of how bad it was all the way home. I even considered smoking a cigarette to get the taste out of my mouth. Well, it had the last laugh. One of us woke up at 3 am with numerous bouts of diarrhea and the other has a stomach ache all day. I'll leave it up to you to figure out who was who. If anyone wants to go to Acapulco Joe's with you, or even claims to like their food, call an asylum or slap them in the face. They need one or the other.
(1)TOMMY o.
10 yrs ago, this was the place to go after working Night Shift, we Loved the Spicy Sausage & Biscuits for breakfast recently we went there, it seems dirty & the food was cold, it's lost it's ambiance & they didn't want me to play God Bless America by Kate Smith??????? Joe's gone now too (probably rolling in his grave)
(1)Steve R.
Sucks. The mexican food was like Chili's, and the margaritas were nothing special. No thanks.
(1)Mike M.
We had dinner at the Greenwood location. The chips were cold and old. The salsa is very sweet. Chicken dishes are all dark meat. Service was so-so. The quality was below Taco Bell, and the price was very expensive for what you get. Sorry but I will never go back.
(1)Rachael W.
Blech. I am never going anywhere my co-workers go for lunch again. I haven't been here in at least 15 years and there is a reason for that. It's not good. Things have not changed. Salsa in squeeze ketchup bottles, American-Mexican food, and the National Anthem at full blast on the hour. First off, let me say the service was good. Our server was fast, no nonsense, and accurate while this place was packed. I spent $12 (included tip) and this is the run down. A water and the Tres Amigos lunch special which included a hard shell taco, an enchilada, and soft taco. The hard taco: ground beef. lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese. The enchilada and soft shell taco were identical. One was a flour tortilla and the other a corn tortilla. One was covered in queso while the other in chili sauce. Both rolled up ground beef. On the side was about a 1/2 cup of sour cream. I paid $12 for a serving of rolled up ground beef swimming in a variety of sauces. I felt yucky, cheap, and dirty when we left. When people suggest eating here I will decline.
(1)Jessica R.
Food = Delicious, Service = Meh, Bottled Beer Prices = Ridiculous (in a bad way)
(3)Matt S.
When it comes to Mexican restaurants in Indiana, my standards aren't that high. However after two visits I think it is safe to say that this is the worst Mexican joint I can recall going to. The salsa is gross (tastes like ketchup, french dressing, and tomatoe juice). The service is average at best, and the food is very generic. And, to top it off, their prices are too high, especially considering what you're getting. I have to believe that Acapulca Joe's is only in business because they have a good location.
(1)MJ W.
I was not too impressed. The chips are like taco shells, the salsa is taco sauce in a ketchup bottle. I'm still searching for a good place to get fresh salsa in Indianapolis!
(2)c v.
I used to love this place but lately it seems to have gone downhill. My chips were stale last time we went and I could never find our waitress.
(2)Ronald B.
I liked the place. Ok food in a sports bar feel. Had three salsas on table. Were watery but tasted goof. The hot had a nice sweetness to it. Prices are good for what you get.
(3)Meghan L.
this place blows. go here if you suck. the food sucks. it is expensive. they don't give you napkins. make sure you wipe your greasy disgusting hands on the stupid rude waiters on your way out. as you are driving home to the fart factory where you live. because if you like this restaurant, that is probably where you live. p.s. have fun not eating here after like 8pm because that's apparently when everything godly in indianapolis closes.
(1)Lauren S.
GI effects were felt and experienced shortly after consuming food here. Food and service were subpar. Will never eat here again!
(1)J H.
Fun environment with good cheap eats. It's not really anything special but it is an Indianapolis institution. I highly recommend the tamales and the chips and salsa to start the meal are always delicious!
(3)B R.
Acapulco Joe's was an ok experience but it's right next to Le Peep, which I've heard *much* better things about. I will try it before going back to AJ. I went for lunch so I didn't drink, but they advertised a lot of drink specials. They were good for groups - they accomodated our large group with no advance notice, and there was another big group that had brought in their own birthday cake.
(2)