Full disclosure: I'm a Mexican food snob. I spent 20 plus years in Texas and most Mexican food in Iowa is bland and lacks authentic flavor. That's why I was EXTREMELY surprised to find authentic Mexican food at Chapala in Waterloo. It's a family restaurant that is now 18 years old ...and the recipes are from the kitchen of the grandmother of the owners. The chips and salsa are made on premises and they're very tasty. There's a ton of luncheon specials in the $9-12 range. And the food is REALLY tasty. I had the fresh steak quesadilla with the grilled fresh veggies and it was the best Mexican plate I've had in Iowa in the last five years. Top notch food. Top notch friendly staff. And they even carry Mexican Coca Cola and Mexican Pepsi. Most highly recommended! read more

Chapala - Fresh grilled steak quesadilla...yummy! - Mexican Near Me - Waterloo, Iowa

Great service Great ambiance Great food. Mano took care of me and helped me with my selection. Carne asada and chile relleno Plus caddy margarita. read more

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Great place to go and have unique and amazing drinks ! And let's not talk about how good the food is! It's definitely a must try!

Never ever been disappointed going to chapalas!! I have tried a handful of items on their menu and everything has been delicious, quick and hot! Their staff is so friendly, they really make you feel like family! We go there for most birthdays and date nights, very kid friendly also! read more

Drink recommendation - Cazuela- tequila grapefruit soda, OJ, lime juice with tijerin rim. The service is excellent. Staff is very friendly and and checking to make sure everything is in order. The Green enchiladas are delicious, order with pork (perfectly tender). The burrito especially for lunch (note- ordered with out rice and beans inside) was also very good. read more

I have been a solid customer for many many years n it only keeps get better plus the service is top notch n second to NONE. DO NOT COME if ur not prepared for the absolute best guacamole u have ever tasted n the margaritas are not messing around. Do urself a flavor and CHECK THIS OUT! read more

Chapala - CHAPALLA MEXICAN RESTAURANT - Mexican Near Me - Waterloo, Iowa

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Me and my husband were traveling and got hungry so we decided to stop at chapalas, we have went to many different places and this one definitely made top 3. Our server was wonderful I believe she said her nickname was Nai, she was very prompt and knew what she was doing, very respectful. Although I would only take a star off because of the food wait. Amazing place would definitely recommend! read more

Food was amazing and the customer service outstanding! First time here and will definitely be back!

Great service , great food ! Highly recommended. The fajitas were excellent and the servers were very polite and professional

Heard about this place from many different friends...finally made it over and was pleasantly surprised. Good portions and a fair price. The salsa has a good kick to it. I had the picadillo filled Burito or Chimi (I forget) and it was very good! read more

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Best Mexican restaurant in Iowa. You have to try the lime margarita on ice and the Taquitos.

I had one of the best meals I have had in Waterloo Iowa. The service was excellent and the food was amazing. PS They have Flan!!! Oh, and sopapillas. read more

Okkk, soooo. My first time eating Mexican food in Iowa. Please do not compare it to California lol. It was hard to find authentic Mexican food out in cedar Waterloo, however I heard this place was good. I give it like a 6.5. The margarita was alright, it just tasted like strawberry juice. I was like... where's the tequila? Is this virgin!? Lol. The food looks like a lot, but in actuality it's just spread across the plate. I thought the Chile verde needed more seasoning, however it was still edible. If I had the choice to go back I would because to me it's like the closest thing you'll get to "authentic" Mexican food. At least in cedar valley. read more

Chapala - Chile verde - Mexican Near Me - Waterloo, Iowa

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I just had chicken verde enchiladas and girlfriend had a burrito. Absolutely horrid. The chicken meat was grey and the tortilla was like soggy dead skin. Verde wasn't terrible but as a whole I didn't want to finish it. the burrito was mostly rice and beans and they had the audacity of putting rice and beans on the side on top of it as if you might want to put more on it. The asada was also super rubbery and hard to chew. the guac was under seasoned and the only thing we enjoyed was their queso. $50 down the toilet read more

This is a pretty good place to eat. The service was prompt and the place was very clean. The food was decent.

So a friend of mine had his birthday party here and he received some cards with cash in them. Everyone had dinner and when he went to leave he forgot his cards because they were under his plate. He stood outside and talked for a few minutes and he remembered his cards. He went back in to get them. Ah yeah, at first the waiter said he didn't know what he was talking about. When he talked to the manager, they went and dug the cards out of the trash. Oh wait, no money. The manager wouldn't do anything about it. Cold day in H before I'll darken their door. Makes you wonder what kinda food they're serving you when you got people like that working there. read more

Not much to rave about. We typically go to another Mexican restaurant in Waterloo but decided to try Chapala for once. Not impressed. The service from the staff was subpar, the drinks didn't taste right, and the food was just ok. The only good part was the salsa the bring when they sit you. Amigos or El Patron are better options in the area. read more

We stopped in the other night as we are still looking for good Mexican food like we had in California. I had heard that this place was great and had good food so we gave it a try. I ordered the fajitas and my spouse she ordered chili verde and we both were very disappointed. The fajitas were loaded with oil and tasted like burnt meat and veggies with no other flavor involved. The chili verde was so over powered with cumin (is the spice she said) the only thing to help it was a tortilla and some sour cream. However the service was great and the staff was friendly. Our food was to the table in 10 mins of placing our order. Most places when we ask for the side of beans and rice on the side for our daughter scoop it out seconds before serving it. These beans and rice were cooked done already and mine were still hot. We might return and try other things in the menu but wasn't super impressed. read more

Most wonderful and yummy late dinner here.My fiancee and I are out of towners and WOWed.Our service was exceptional for drinks and foods. He had a chicken chimi platter and I had a spicy shrimp,Camerones al Mojo de Ajo with mushrooms.The food tasted like it was JUST made. My shrimp were fresh tasting and prepared perfectly! This place is clean and festive. GO THERE!! read more

Very good food and service! The prices seem to be going up a little, but the food and atmosphere are still worth it. Can't wait for things to get back to normal so we can go back. read more

This place has the best Margaritas anywhere, and I've never got anything I didn't enjoy, and I've had nearly everything. The chips can vary, and and sometimes the queso, but that just shows they don't get it out of a package. The tamales are amazing! read more

Went inside to order take out. Everything went great. Food was great. Packages were great. Not styrofoam and reheat able tins instead. I loved that. Food was excellent. Price was fair. Restaurant was clean and everyone had masks on except the patrons. The deduction is because until they come out from behind the bar they have the masks down- where they are packing my Togo order. So I felt like my containers got contaminated. Also saw staff hugging unmasked customers out the door. Lovely place. Excellent food. Would definitely go again. read more

So, I'm actually a terrible person. I'm one of those vegetarians who is really bad at being a vegetarian. I don't mean that I "slip" and eat meat ever, because I don't... I mean that I never quite learned how to eat. I know that sounds weird, but if eating were a class in school, I'd probably be getting a C in it at best. I say this, because I actually hate vegetarian food in general. I want to eat what every one else is eating, but I can't. I can't because I've forced vegetarianism on myself since I was 5. So, while this place did have a good few vegetarian options, I chose none of them. I chose to make my own vegetarian option... which confused my server. I'm a terrible person. I wanted a burrito from the regular menu, but without cheese, and with broccoli. And perhaps tomatoes. I'm getting bolder with my ordering these days, as opposed to before when I refused to order something that I had to make any kind of amendment to. I was afraid of annoying someone, or worse, getting that look. If you're a vegetarian, you know what look I'm talking about. In fact, you probably know what I'm talking about if you're not a vegetarian. It's when someone looks at you with "seriously?" written across their face. All you can do in response is write "...yes?" across yours. Anyhow, my food was brought last. That was to be expected. It was also covered in cheese. Everyone around me was looking at me with big eyes. "What's the vegetarian going to do now?" They all wondered. I looked up at each of them in turn, with apology in my eyes. I'm not sure what my eyes thought they were apologizing for. Perhaps they were tired of their owner repeatedly making people feel sorry for her for this exact kind of thing. I opened my mouth to explain to everyone that they needn't pity me. I would simply scoop the cheese off to one side. This is my life burden; I am used to it. However, before I could stammer anything out, my server grabbed my plate. "Oh, sorry." He said. "They put cheese on it." And the cheesy food was gone in a flash. The fear and pity disappeared from everyone's eyes, the panic and apology from mine, and all was well again. Crisis averted. Also, the food ended up being pretty okay. It was not excellent, but it was not by any means bad. The servers were very friendly, and the bathroom was clean. That's all I can really hope for in a restaurant. So, yay? Yes, I think. read more

It's a gringo-friendly place with numbered combination plates. I love chili rellenos, so I tried theirs, & their interpretation was unique & delicious. Melty cheese inside, light breading, smothered in white gravy, & a sprinkle of crumbled cheese on top. I've been sampling ethnic restaurants in Waterloo during outrageously excessive waits for truck loads out of the incompetent Tyson plant. Anyway, there's industry that brings people who know how to cook to town. read more

Chapala - Chiles relleno, oh! - Mexican Near Me - Waterloo, Iowa

Favorite Mexican place in the cedar valley. Always consistent and always quality ingredients which leads to great sauces and great flavors. The margs are always mixed well. You know you're drinking a marg and not straight up tequila or just flavor. Most people order the fajitas but I usually opt for less diy foods. Also have burgers and chicken tenders so If your friends or little ones don't want Mexican food then they can still come. read more

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Me gusta. The service is always attentive and friendly, although there can be a language barrier. You get a gang of food for what you pay, and it is delicious. The margaritas will also knock you on yourass. I recommend the cadillac margarita. The salsa is too spicy for my taste, but I have a low tolerance for spice. Queso and guac is good, fajitas are fantasic, and their burritos are massive. I highly recommend! read more

The salsa was decent - I thought it was a little bland (not as much cilantro or chile as I like), but my husband thought it edged on being too spicy. The prices were great for the sheer amount of food you get - neither me nor my husband finished our meals (he's got an excellent leftover lunch). The food was solid, but nothing special. I got the Tres Amigos, which has chile verde, chile colorado, chile rellano, and rice and beans. The chile verde was delicious, the chile colorado flavorful but NOT at all spicy (every other time I've had it, it's been super spicy), and the chile rellano ok (it only tasted like cheese). My husband got the carne asada, and gave me a bite - that was *fantastic*! I was jealous :) The service was good - the wait staff was attentive, but not hovering. The highlight of my husband's night: they're the first restaurant we've found in Iowa that serves Bohemia (a Mexican beer that he fell in love with when we lived in Tucson). read more

Want Mexican and want to sit down? Try Chapala out! Nice staff, consistent food, and enjoyable atmosphere! My husband and I love going here! My favorite has to be their fajitas! Delish! read more

Best Mexican in the Cedar Valley!! If you wanted to bathe in cheese, this is the place to go and I say this as an extreme positive.(Minus the way cheese makes you not poo) The Nachos here are some of the best out there due to the amount of cheese that is on there which is the right amount to bathe in. The fajitas are good but not great. Just doesn't have that good grease built up on the cooker to give it a wonderful taste. But literally anything on the menu is rated average or high so there is not one bad thing you can get here! read more

Muy bien!!!! Had a date night and we'd never been there before. Completely impressed by the ambiance and decor. Our service was top notch and friendly. Holy portions!! Make sure you come hungry. Our seafood burrito was fantastic and despite the mammoth serving of delicious, your bank won't be broken as we had two additional sides along with a taco craving quelled and yet our wallets felt no pain. Check it out! Very impressed! Tip: Definitely eat their dessert in the restaurant don't wait trust me! read more

I like this place. Decent prices, food, atmosphere, and service. Great margaritas just a little pricey

This is the best mexican that I have had in the cedar valley. The service has always been fast and friendly. With that being said it is still stand americanized mexican. However, their pollo (chicken) mole is the best that I have had. read more

Cheese dip is the best in town! Burritos are amazing! Nachos are amazing! Everything is so good there. And their margaritas are a must have! And its all for a good price. read more

First time guest - will never go back. The food was good, but the service was horrible. So horrible that I can't stop talking about it. My friends and I ordered our drinks (constantly had to ask for refills) and meals. We were eating and talking when the server dropped off the check. By this time we'd been there almost an hour. She said we needed to pay because she had to leave. We told her that our friend wanted dessert and we needed the check split 3 ways. She seemed annoyed and said maybe she could transfer the check to someone else. She came back and didn't remember what we had ordered so we had to tell her - again. She brought out the dessert and checks and said we needed to pay now. I asked about transferring and she said they couldn't do that. Which is highly suspect. Then not 4 minutes later a host stops and asks if she could take our checks. Now this is getting annoying. I know full well the second I pay that check we no longer will be served. Which is exactly what happened. As a customer I don't want to hear how you need to visit your grandma - I'm paying for a meal out and pay well for service. Normally on a $12 check I will give my server $5 because I appreciate good service. We finally relented and paid. She gave each of my friends the wrong change and stood at the table while I filled out the charge slip. Horrible experience that I will not be repeating. read more

The food was very good, especially for the cost. However, the frozen margaritas don't taste like margaritas and didn't have even the smallest amount of tequila in them. You couldn't detect the taste of tequila and that is probably why the frozen margaritas tasted odd. I had a large one and felt no effect at all. read more

Chapala - Mexican Near Me - Waterloo, Iowa

This place has the best fajitas in town! Go for lunch & only $7.99! You can't beat it! Everything is fresh & delicious! Service is friendly & the restaurant is clean. Food is brought out in a timely manner. Drinks are delicious. If you are a light weight drinker DO NOT order the Cadillac margarita. It tastes good but will knock you straight on your butt! Lots of tequila In that. I highly recommend this place! read more

Food fair. Portions huge. Service hit or miss, but the miss can be pretty bad.

Great food. Menu was large with lots of variety. The place was pretty crowded with a couple large groups, but they seemed to be able to handle it. Had no complaints about the service. Salsa was super good. Portions were good. Price was good. Beer was cold. Not much else needed. Saw another review where someone was claiming the tip amount was changed, so I will be monitoring that the next couple days. read more

I think this place serves the greatest Mexican food. I am truly in love with their chips& salsa too. The only thing is that the service is sometimes good and sometimes like they don't see you there! read more

Great margaritas. Chips and salsa good. Queso is fabulous. Service had always been very fast and very good. Sometimes our food comes out too fast so we wait to order till we are ready. I love fish tacos and chapalas has horrible fish tacos. That's the only thing I wouldn't recommend. Otherwise love this place!! read more