Love the food. It tastes so good. Lots of menu items. People are nice and fit the Mexican restaurant theme.

Let me tell you, I spent 4 years in Grand Rapids for college and when I came back here for a wedding, I told my wife, don't get Mexican food here, its awful. Well after a week, she was craving Mexican food and researched this place & showed me the reviews and I thought maybe things had changed since I left. Things have not. The salsa here is tomato juice, there isn't a hint of spice. The chips seem like they went down to Mejier and got them on sale. They managed to get my son's carne asada taco wrong, my wife ordered the floutas/taquitos (whatever they have) and for the first time in my life I saw her not finish them. My tacos weren't worth the money and I went in with LOW expectations. I'm bumping this up 1 star b/c they are probably good for Grand Rapids Mexican Food. FOR ALL OUT OF STATE CUSTOMERS - especially those from Texas/Colorado/New Mex/Arizona/California and the West Coast... don't get Mexican food in the Mid West, just wait till you get home. read more

In the area on business. This had good ratings so I thought I would try. Easy to find. In a strip plaza with lots around it. Plenty of parking. Inside it's clean and looks like a typical Mexican restaurant with some added neon signs and accents. The place had a decent crowd. Probably around 16 or so people eating. Sat me in a booth. Brought me chips and salsa immediately. Chips were good salsa was good. Smooth and not any heat so majority would like it. Server came over and got my drink order and I asked him about a few dishes on the menu. He was very nice and answered all my questions. Menu is large and they have lots of the usual fare and choices. I couldn't decide and he helped me narrow it down. I got the chicken chimichangas. They came super fast and hot. 2 small chimichangas with a sauce, refried beans, a small scoop of quac, sour cream, and tomatoes. Really small. Like not enough to evenly distribute to the chimichangas. And the quac was dark like it had been exposed to air for a bit. Taste was OK all around. It was decent. Nothing spectacular but OK. I ate it and it was filling. If you have a large appetite you may want to get something else. Overall it's just OK. Probably try someplace else next time. read more

El Arriero - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Nice place. Chips were stale, salsa didn't have a lot of flavor. Shrimp fajitas were great! The server was very nice and attentive. I would definitely go back! read more

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I can't believe I haven't written a review for El Arriero's yet? I frequent this place OFTEN for lunch during the week. It's close to my work and we can count on a quick lunch here. The quality of their food is consistent and they have really good prices. I especially love their lunch specials menu that they offer Monday-Friday. There are about 10-12 options of lunch special meals all around $10.99 and offer 3-4 items per "combo"! Honestly a great deal. They also do free chips and salsa. I really like their salsa. Also as lame as it sounds, I really love their cheese enchiladas and cheese quesadillas. Those are probably my favorite menu items and I've tried a good mix of items over the years. They can also split bills for you and you pay at the front of the restaurant instead of at the table! read more

First time here. They were very generous with chips and salsa as we were told they had a big gathering. No problem, we had chips and salsa to hold us. I ordered the grilled chicken tacos which were delicious with rice and beans. read more

Great food, Authentic Mexican cuisine, spectacular service. The restaurant was so close to our hotel so the location was perfect

Our 'go to' Mexican .. eat in or takeout, you won't be disappointed! The fajitas .. any of them are great!

My family and me are eating at thus restaurant for last 25+ years. Great people,great food, great atmosphere. Service is great and food comes out super fast. Drinks are great as well. Thank you read more

El Arriero has been a family favorite for years. Lately, whenever we have an outing we come here. The service is great, the mojarra dorada is delicious, chicken fajitas, pollo a la Mexicana are also favs! Honestly, you can't go wrong if you want to support a local Latino owned business. Also, for my birthday they gave me this flan, so nice! read more

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They have an extensive menu of standard fare along with some specialty dishes. The food arrived quickly and was hot and flavorful. Our server was friendly and attentive and answered questions about the menu. The restaurant is bigger on the inside. We stopped in because we were looking for something different in the area and we are really happy we did. We will be back! read more

Delicious food, great service. Everyone enjoyed their meals - fajitas, burritos, tacos, carne asada, etc.

Absolutely delicious! I loved the guacamole, bean dip, and taco salad. The desert was also wonderful! Fried icecream was crispy yet fluffy.

Amazing food as always! This place has great food and drinks. The service is always great and fast. Great place to meet up for great food and drinks. Perfect for a date or a large group! I've tried multiple meals and have not been disappointed! Great enchiladas and burritos! My Favorite Mexican restaurant in the Grand Rapids area. Will definitely be back! read more

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We try to eat here every time we are in the area. The TexMex burrito is amazing! The complimentary chips and salsa are delicious as is the white queso. Service was great! read more

No words other than horrible. Very disappointed, in all my years I have been to many places but this is by far the worst restaurant I have ever been. First off my steak was not even cooked all the way and my horchata was absolutely disgusting. They gave me a hard shell taco without even asking. Then the celling started dripping and we told them and they didn't do anything. Horrible experience, never going again and I hope none of you waste your time there. read more

El Arriero - Steak not cooked - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

The food and service are normally good here, but today an apparently new waiter took our order, never brought the cheese dip we asked for, and then charged my credit card three times for $400 and then told us my card was declined and I had to use another card. Normally we pay up from but this waiter came to the table with the bill, said how much it was and waited to be paid. I gave him my card and then he returned and said the card was "declined" which was strange because it is a credit card with a large balance. He then took another card and that went through. I got home and checked my account only to find that he had charged my card three times. I called the restaurant and spoke to a manager who said he would check into it and get back to me immediately. I am still waiting--now with over $500 in charges and a card I cannot use. Very bad service and follow-up read more

El Arriero - Charged three times and then told the card was declined so I had to use another. $525 later still no resolve to this. - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Amazing Mexican food that was not Tex-mex. Kids enjoyed as well as parents. Took a bit for our server to return to us once we had our food, I almost decreased his tip because I waited an additional 20 minutes after asking for my check, but I didn't want to be petty. Please make sure your servers don't forget about people or leave them waiting too long. Some people will leave on the check if you take too long, and while that's never ok--waiting over 5 minutes is not either. The chips and salsa were good, above average salsa that wasn't spicy but had a great flavor profile with hints of spice. My enchiladas were perfect, I got the trio that hosted ground beef, chicken, and pork. Again the flavors were amazing the restaurant was clean. read more

I can't believe I've lived in GR for three years and never tried this place. It's so good, I went two nights in a row! My new favorite Mexican spot for sure! read more

El Arriero - Pollo Poblano - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Went to pick up my order. A bag was waiting for me and I paid for my order. Then I'm told there was one item yet to come. when asked they said it was because they had screwed it up the first time. But that it wouldn't be long. Wouldn't be long turned out to be a half an hour. At which point she plunks a bag down in front of me and says here's the rest of your order. No apology for the mixup and the wait. No apology at all. While the food is not as good the customer service has gone way downhill. We'll be going elsewhere in the future and recommend you do the same. read more

First time eating there tonight and it was absolutely amazing!! I am a big Mexican food fan and love Verde sauce. I had the Pollo Verde and it was the best I've ever had. Fantastic service too!!! read more

Service, excellent! Food; husband had chicken enchilada and burrito. I had flauta dinner and I must say it was best ever!! My husbands was excellent too!! I love this restaurant. You can always count on a good meal and fair price. The fried ice cream? Absolutely the best I've ever had!!!!! read more

Stopped by here with friends, last Sunday. this is our first visit, and we were not disappointed. Service was decent, the feel is comfortable, and we had a great time. Food was electric in its variety, flavor, and presentation. A little dark inside. read more

This place is great. I got a lunch meal was awesome! There was so much food for $10 I got a burrito, taco, rice, chips and salsa! People complain about high food prices, not here. read more

My family and I have been loyal customers for years now and this place NEVER disappoints! I always order two cheese quesadillas with a side of beans and rice and everything is fresh and hot. The service is amazing and quick and everyone never seems to hate their jobs. I love coming here for a bite to eat! read more

So blah. Dispiriting, uninspired, tasteless stuff. Even the beans and rice lack depth of flavor, and that's so bloody easy to obtain. My 'Explosion' cocktail was more of a hiccough, so little hooch did it contain. I had flauras pollo and was so underwhelmed, I left half of it. The salsa is merely ok, less good than bottled and without any spicey zing. The chopped tomatoes on my plate were watery and carried a fridge whiff; the guacamole was over processed and old (grey is the new green, apparently) and the tiny glob of watery sour cream wasn't enough to add anything ti the already-bland dish. Get the picture? Strictly bad 'American' Mexican food that only a white gringo would pay for. Not returning. Blaaaaah. read more

Greasy Mexican food, too much oil, have been multiple times and is not authentic Mexican food as I've had all over Mexico, too Americanized, would love to see it cleaned up in that way to be more authentic. I won't eat here again so do what you want to do. read more

They've got a pretty extensive menu that'll take you a very long time to read if you're weighing all your options. It's on 28th Street in one of the many plazas. It's got authentic Mexican food that's fairly solid at a good price. They've got fajitas, which are fairly popular (next to their burritos, which are HUGE.) But the plate doesn't come out sizzling like it does at other Mexican places, which has the food end up going a bit cold a bit quicker. With that being said, the portions are unbelievable and can easily be a place where you get dinner and lunch for the next day. They've also got a ton of lunch specials, dinner specials, combos, and add-ons that you can just get for a few extra bucks, which is clutch if you want to try a bunch of different menu items. Overall, they've got fantastic service, free chips and salsa, and good food. read more

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Drove past and decided to give this place a try. We're glad we did. I ordered the steak sopes, they come with a side of rice and beans. The sopes were fried perfectly and were very tasty. Ask for a side of salsa to add flavor, if you need it. My boyfriend ordered the Chiles Poblanos, a little different than your typical chiles rellenos, but still good. We both had micheladas to drink and they are pretty darn good!! We will be back for both, the drinks and the food. They get pretty busy on a Sunday evening. read more

El Arriero - Steak sopes - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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We saw this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We were given chips and salsa. Started with chicken soup, which was good. I had the chili relano, which was very cheesy. My guest had the sopes which were good. The service was outstanding and the food was good but not excellent. read more

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My daughter and I really enjoyed our first visit here. We found ourselves in Grand Rapids, at lunchtime and she wanted Mexican-style food, so we checked Yelp and came here. We were greeted and sat quickly, our waitress was fabulous, we enjoyed our chips and salsa, and our meals! The ambiance was lovely, and we just had a really great time. My daughter loves rice and beans and was very happy with what they offered here. She was less enthused about her chicken enchilada, but when the leftovers made it home, my son gobbled it up and loved it. I did not go wrong with my choice of chorizo - and my taco! Ah, so delicious!! I'm sure there are many fabulous places I haven't visited in Grand Rapids, but I would certainly come back here! read more

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Love this place! They have the best chips and salsa, and the staff is great. We have been several times now, and every time the food has been good. read more

Good authentic cheap eats! Another place people don't really recognize hidden in a mini mall read more

Some of the best shrimp fajitas I've ever had! Tasty and flavorful. Good salsa as well! The service was sloooooow tho, that's part of why I gave them a 4. I'm looking forward to going back there too and trying some other items. Unfortunately, I don't get to GR that often as I will have a hard time ordering something else other than the fajitas as they were so good. read more

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First time here. I enjoyed the Real Burrito with chicken, beef and chorizo. I was glad to ask for the cheese sauce on the side, because I did not care for it. It was more like nacho sauce rather than cheese. I mixed the burrito with the beans and rice which were very good. Pro tip ask for the hot salsa and add that if you want a nice burn in the throat as you are leaving! read more

El Arriero - Real Burrito with cheese sauce on the side. - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

What's not to like about El Arriero? The service is always spot on! The food is always delicious and the Margaritas always have a generous pour of tequila! We generally go here during the week when we don't feel like cooking. Ask for a side Queso to dip your free chips in. It's so good, it just may be laced with crack! (Not really.) I almost always get the Arriero Chimichanga, because it's quite large and comes with chicken, steak and shrimp! I also only eat half of it so I can enjoy it the next day for lunch! I just need to figure out a way to enjoy the Margaritas for lunch too! For the amount of food that you get here, it's priced very well! I have certainly never left there still feeling hungry! This will be our go to spot for delicious Mexican food for years to come! read more

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Friendly and unpretentious. I don't know a great deal about the cuisine, but it tastes good to me. It seems to be popular with Spanish speakers. I especially recommend the carnitas dinner. read more

El Arriero is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. I have not found a queso dip in the area better than theirs . Food is wonderful and the servers are awesome . Great margaritas too :) read more

They bring you warm chips and salsa that has a medium spice to it. The service was excellent. We shared a combo that had an enchilada, burrito, and quesadilla. I added on a side of refried beans topped with shredded white cheese. For $1.30 we upgraded to steak in our three items. The steak was well flavored. The quesadilla had a lot of cheese and the tortilla was pan fried before serving it to us. The enchilada tasted like the red sauce was from a can. The burrito had a delicious red tomato sauce on it. Overall, good service and food. Also it is affordable. They play Spanish music. read more

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This place was good, a solid choice for Latin American food. They do the basics very well and nothing tasted bad. Their service was pretty good as well, but the highlight of the meal were the churros. Also note of you ask for hot sauce it is recently spicy and homemade, I personally loved it but it was super hot. Great new spot, we'll be back. read more

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