Not as authentic as they advertise. I've been to my fair share of Mexican places around the country and I wasn't terribly impressed by Michael's. We started with the guacamole appetizer. No chips? It was literally five bucks for a small cup of this. It was actually some of the least appealing guac I've ever had. Very slimy in texture and not much flavor. This wasn't fresh at all, but either some store bought or day old mix. For the first time in my life I didn't finish the guac that I was served. The sweet potato fries sounded appealing, but they were not so good either. Very soggy and undercooked. No ketchup? At least there was hot sauce... I wasn't in the mood for anything after those two appetizers. Not to mention they don't have much that's vegetarian at all. At least the hostess and waitress were pleasant. Three stars may be overly generous...
(3)
Alex W.
I was not impressed at all. I've heard people around town talk this place up, so naturally I had to give it a try. I was expecting Authentic food and great Margaritas. As they say they have some of the best in town. Nope. The food was not authentic. It was very average, nothing special about it. We did have chips and salsa, and that was pretty good, but it's hard to screw that up. The Margaritas we alright, they we decently priced, which was great and all, but nothing special. You do get a good sized portion, and it's very reasonably priced. The menu is large and you do have plenty of options. The staff was friendly and the food came quick. I just don't think the food is worth it. It's just not that impressive. Even my Husband, who likes just about any Mexican food, was not impressed. I wouldn't suggest this place.
(2)
Sarah G.
I'll chime in that the jalapeño bottle caps are worth a try - definitely also the margaritas and bean dip (which comes in an edible flour tortilla bowl) - but when it comes to entrees, just a-ok. I had the beef taco and chicken enchilada combo plate. And don't get me wrong, I ate all of it, but it was really average in terms of Mexican food. Pretty reminiscent of a plate you could have at any other Midwest Mexican restaurant. Edible yet forgettable.
(3)
Fishstick Y.
Cheap and worth it. The beef in the fajitas is excellent. The jalepeno bottle caps are on point. The chicken wings are also cooked crispy, just as I like. The only drawback to this place is the spice isn't there. I ordered the hot wings and were probably on level with a mild at Buffalo Wild Wings. However, the hot bbq is very flavorful even if not hot. Friendly staff, down home environment, and good drinks make cheap and worth it.
(4)
BluesMan M.
Best Mexican Food in Northeast Nebraska Period!!! Breakfast Burrito, Burrito, The Michael's Burrito, Enchilada with Beans & Quaso, Fajitas, Philly Cheese Steak, Taco's there NEW Homemade Onion Rings, Ann's Washington Apple's are the BEST.... Stop in and try them out. Michael's Cantina Home of The Margarita.
(5)
Paula L.
Great Mexican restaurant, especially for this smaller city. I was pleased to find out that this Michael's is the same as the one in Omaha's Old Market and somewhat surprised to find out the McCook location was the original. What I really like about both locations is how fresh the food is, and how you can tell the veggies are freshly chopped and the chicken nicely grilled on my fajita chicken salad. Very affordable. Great for kids with lots of entrees on the kids menu and regular menu for them or to split. Good selection of beer. Although I didn't have the tamales this time, they are very good. You will not go away hungry. And if you're on the road, and Norfolk is a rest stop, this is a great local spot to check out so you can avoid another chain restaurant.
(4)
Alyssa C.
This is the best place to eat in Norfolk and easily the best Mexican food hands down!!! Food always comes out really fast, hot, and very tasty. They also take to go orders so if you live out of town and don't have enough time to sit down and eat this is an excellent option.
(5)
Reed N.
Excellent seasoning and marinade of the beef fajita meat here. I had the tasty strips of goodness on a salad that was otherwise unimpressive. Do yourself a favor and just get the fajitas. Better idea. The beef taco shells are fried up fresh and they use that same fajita meat. Delicious. Good service and friendly folks round out a fine lunch stop for me and a colleague.
(4)
Amy F.
This place was accross from our hotel, so we went over for dinner. The prices are decent for the amount of food you get. No chips and salsa when you sit down, I thought that was strange. The house (big cactus) marg was good, not the best, but pretty good. They have a kids menu The service was good
(3)
Makayla R.
This is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant. The rice is amazing! Being a picky eater, I usually don't like rice, but Michael's is the best!
(5)
Gabby A.
Michael's Cantina is an alright Mexican/American restaurant. It's basically the local version of Carlos O'Kelly's, and is definitely better than its chain competitor. The entree's are alright. I haven't been here in quite a few years and nothing is standing out in my memory about them. I do remember enjoying their chimichanga's. They do have fantastic bean dip, and this has stuck with me over the years. The beans have a wonderful smokey flavor, great melty cheese on top, and it comes in a mini-fried tortilla shell (think small version of a taco salad shell). It's quite tasty. I also remember their fried ice cream that has any number of toppings plopped or drizzled on it (I remember really enjoying the Kahlua topping). There aren't a lot of fantastic restaurants in Norfolk, so if you need a place to go and are in the neighborhood, give this a try. I would recommend for more authentic Mexican to visit Tienda Leon's or Mezcal.
(3)
Natalie P.
Good food, good booze. Great place to meet with friends and the jalapeño bottle caps are a must have. Had a Pomegranet Margarita the other night- not much flavor to it, but the guacamole was really good.
(4)
David S.
Great little authentic Mexican restaurant. I've tried a few in Norfolk and this one might be my favorite so far. Reasonable cost, good margarita, and tasty food!
(4)
Ambri W.
Super good and one of my favs in Norfolk. Jalapeno peppers are always a must for an appetizers and their table float is awesome too.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Quincy V.
Not as authentic as they advertise. I've been to my fair share of Mexican places around the country and I wasn't terribly impressed by Michael's. We started with the guacamole appetizer. No chips? It was literally five bucks for a small cup of this. It was actually some of the least appealing guac I've ever had. Very slimy in texture and not much flavor. This wasn't fresh at all, but either some store bought or day old mix. For the first time in my life I didn't finish the guac that I was served. The sweet potato fries sounded appealing, but they were not so good either. Very soggy and undercooked. No ketchup? At least there was hot sauce... I wasn't in the mood for anything after those two appetizers. Not to mention they don't have much that's vegetarian at all. At least the hostess and waitress were pleasant. Three stars may be overly generous...
(3)Alex W.
I was not impressed at all. I've heard people around town talk this place up, so naturally I had to give it a try. I was expecting Authentic food and great Margaritas. As they say they have some of the best in town. Nope. The food was not authentic. It was very average, nothing special about it. We did have chips and salsa, and that was pretty good, but it's hard to screw that up. The Margaritas we alright, they we decently priced, which was great and all, but nothing special. You do get a good sized portion, and it's very reasonably priced. The menu is large and you do have plenty of options. The staff was friendly and the food came quick. I just don't think the food is worth it. It's just not that impressive. Even my Husband, who likes just about any Mexican food, was not impressed. I wouldn't suggest this place.
(2)Sarah G.
I'll chime in that the jalapeño bottle caps are worth a try - definitely also the margaritas and bean dip (which comes in an edible flour tortilla bowl) - but when it comes to entrees, just a-ok. I had the beef taco and chicken enchilada combo plate. And don't get me wrong, I ate all of it, but it was really average in terms of Mexican food. Pretty reminiscent of a plate you could have at any other Midwest Mexican restaurant. Edible yet forgettable.
(3)Fishstick Y.
Cheap and worth it. The beef in the fajitas is excellent. The jalepeno bottle caps are on point. The chicken wings are also cooked crispy, just as I like. The only drawback to this place is the spice isn't there. I ordered the hot wings and were probably on level with a mild at Buffalo Wild Wings. However, the hot bbq is very flavorful even if not hot. Friendly staff, down home environment, and good drinks make cheap and worth it.
(4)BluesMan M.
Best Mexican Food in Northeast Nebraska Period!!! Breakfast Burrito, Burrito, The Michael's Burrito, Enchilada with Beans & Quaso, Fajitas, Philly Cheese Steak, Taco's there NEW Homemade Onion Rings, Ann's Washington Apple's are the BEST.... Stop in and try them out. Michael's Cantina Home of The Margarita.
(5)Paula L.
Great Mexican restaurant, especially for this smaller city. I was pleased to find out that this Michael's is the same as the one in Omaha's Old Market and somewhat surprised to find out the McCook location was the original. What I really like about both locations is how fresh the food is, and how you can tell the veggies are freshly chopped and the chicken nicely grilled on my fajita chicken salad. Very affordable. Great for kids with lots of entrees on the kids menu and regular menu for them or to split. Good selection of beer. Although I didn't have the tamales this time, they are very good. You will not go away hungry. And if you're on the road, and Norfolk is a rest stop, this is a great local spot to check out so you can avoid another chain restaurant.
(4)Alyssa C.
This is the best place to eat in Norfolk and easily the best Mexican food hands down!!! Food always comes out really fast, hot, and very tasty. They also take to go orders so if you live out of town and don't have enough time to sit down and eat this is an excellent option.
(5)Reed N.
Excellent seasoning and marinade of the beef fajita meat here. I had the tasty strips of goodness on a salad that was otherwise unimpressive. Do yourself a favor and just get the fajitas. Better idea. The beef taco shells are fried up fresh and they use that same fajita meat. Delicious. Good service and friendly folks round out a fine lunch stop for me and a colleague.
(4)Amy F.
This place was accross from our hotel, so we went over for dinner. The prices are decent for the amount of food you get. No chips and salsa when you sit down, I thought that was strange. The house (big cactus) marg was good, not the best, but pretty good. They have a kids menu The service was good
(3)Makayla R.
This is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant. The rice is amazing! Being a picky eater, I usually don't like rice, but Michael's is the best!
(5)Gabby A.
Michael's Cantina is an alright Mexican/American restaurant. It's basically the local version of Carlos O'Kelly's, and is definitely better than its chain competitor. The entree's are alright. I haven't been here in quite a few years and nothing is standing out in my memory about them. I do remember enjoying their chimichanga's. They do have fantastic bean dip, and this has stuck with me over the years. The beans have a wonderful smokey flavor, great melty cheese on top, and it comes in a mini-fried tortilla shell (think small version of a taco salad shell). It's quite tasty. I also remember their fried ice cream that has any number of toppings plopped or drizzled on it (I remember really enjoying the Kahlua topping). There aren't a lot of fantastic restaurants in Norfolk, so if you need a place to go and are in the neighborhood, give this a try. I would recommend for more authentic Mexican to visit Tienda Leon's or Mezcal.
(3)Natalie P.
Good food, good booze. Great place to meet with friends and the jalapeño bottle caps are a must have. Had a Pomegranet Margarita the other night- not much flavor to it, but the guacamole was really good.
(4)David S.
Great little authentic Mexican restaurant. I've tried a few in Norfolk and this one might be my favorite so far. Reasonable cost, good margarita, and tasty food!
(4)Ambri W.
Super good and one of my favs in Norfolk. Jalapeno peppers are always a must for an appetizers and their table float is awesome too.
(5)