This restaurant is so great it made me download Yelp, I crap you not. I'm willing to pursue a career in the promotion of the humble establishment that is El Azteca. Words cannot describe the beauty of the decor, nor the kindness of the staff. Five stars well earned! read more

We've been here several times and will probably go back, but it's not perfect. Service tends to be on the slow side (as if they are understaffed, both on servers and in the kitchen) but the food is decent. The main dining room can feel very loud if there's a table that is talking loudly- the acoustics make it difficult to converse when one party in the room is boisterous. Overall I'd recommend trying this place. Just don't expect miracles, and don't expect a bottomless basket of chips for your salsa. You get one basket, regardless of how many people are in your group. Management- PLEASE consider loosening your policy with larger parties- perhaps one free basket per couple?? read more

I have been to this restaurant twice and both times the service was terrible. The food came out fast but wasn't worth going back.

THE BEST PLACE EVER!!! the food is amazing and the service is top notch! 10/10 recommend to any one.

Best Mexican food around. We prefer the Lansing location, quieter and Marie authentic atmosphere. Can't pass they Lansing without getting the Blue Corns! Best salsa and terrific Cheese Dip! read more

Excellent authentic Mexican food. Prices are reasonable and service has always been tremendous. My wife and I have dinner here once or twice each month. A hidden little gem in Allendale. read more

I was really disappointed because we go here all the time to eat and have amazing service and amazing food. But this time we had really bad service. Our waiter Byron (at least that's what the receipt said who it was) a young, curly haired male with a tattoo on his right forearm. He was very rude. He never cleaned off our table the whole time that we were there. We also waited 20 minutes for our check, we tried to get his attention by waving but he just kept walking past us. We eventually just went up to the cashier. While we waited in line for the cashier he seen us in line, he then rushed to print off our checks, gave them to us with no thank you or anything said. The whole time he was paying all of his attention to the tables with young females. Very disappointed. Please fix this so we can enjoy our experience here again. Thank you. read more

No vayas, No vayas! (English translation: Don't Go, Don't Go!!!!) Why? Bad business model, low quality food, over priced, slow condescending service... This has to be the worst Mexican restaurant I've been to in the Grand Rapids area since I've moved here. To start with, the chips and salsa regimen is totally unbelievable. As an example: a party of 1 sits down, the restaurant serves a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa; a party of 2 sits down, they serve a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa; a party of 3 sits down, they serve a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa, etc, etc, etc. After the first serving of chips and salsa, the next basket of chips costs $1.49 and the next bowl of salsa costs $1.49. We ordered the overpriced cheese dip and didn't receive any additional chips to eat it with. If we had wanted more chips, it would have cost $1.49 more. As for the chips, I found them to be woody, stale--something you would expect to get from a mass Mexican food distribution supplier. Yuck!!! I ordered the Taco salad. I found it to be average at best. The beef was too sweet and the other parts of the salad were average at best. My wife ordered the Quesadilla salad with beef tips. She approved of the beef tips but expected more for the money. The other person in our party order the Alambre Mexicano. It was served with 3 tortillas. ???? Get real! How can they expect anyone to eat this with only 3 tortillas? Remember I said the service was unacceptable, SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. Extra tortillas took forever... Got the picture? My summation: overpriced, underwhelming food, poor service and a business model that was conceived by a bean counter with no business experience. The only thing this restaurant has going for it is a liquor license. Buy a six pack and go to Taco Bell for take out. You'll be much happier!!!!! read more

Great authentic Mexican cuisine with a great atmosphere and huge selection! Choice of burritos is my favorite but everything is excellent!

Not very authentic Mexican food, but I still like it. I would call it Americanized-Mexican food. I go here frequently and I do enjoy the food. I would appreciate the menu being smaller instead of a huge book you feel you must finish before ordering. A few good choices on a menu one quarter the size would benefit everyone, including the owners. The food could use more flavor. I find myself having to order cilantro and using the hot sauces they have on the table, but I figure they are simply catering to their demographic. Overall I do like the place though, and I really want them to succeed. I think it's family owned and I would always prefer to support a locally owned/family owned business. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant in Allendale. Their "quesadilla loca" is my guilty pleasure and I would rather eat here than anywhere else.

Oh man, you need to try the Texas taco! It's huge! All the ingredients were fresh and delicious! A winner for sure! I didn't think I could get good Mexican food in Michigan, but they know what they're doing. read more

Went here this weekend with my girlfriend, mostly due to the convenient location. We will not be back. My concerns began as we walked into the restaurant and saw a sign on the door saying the first order of chips & salsa was free but subsequent orders would incur a charge. Not exactly the friendliest greeting, and also the ONLY Mexican restaurant I've ever been to that charges for this. I will say that the staff all seemed quite friendly, though the frequency with which they threw around the word "amigo" felt way too forced. But on to my main concern: the food. I got nervous as soon as I opened the menu and saw the first two items listed under their "Mexican Favorites" or "House Specialities" or whatever the section was labeled: the first was a steak with fries. The second was chicken tenders with fries. This was off-putting, to say the least. In fact, the menu as a whole seemed to be lacking in authentic Mexican dishes. I decided to go with the Carne Sonora, since it's kind of hard to screw up skirt steak. The steak itself was pretty good, but the sides were sub-par. The refried beans tasted like they'd just come out of a can. The rice was completely flavorless. And it came with a bowl of some puzzling soup-like concoction that contained beans, bacon, and hotdogs. HOTDOGS. It looked and tasted like something I imagine being fed to prisoners in countries that lack human rights laws. I am truly puzzled by the prevalence of positive reviews for this place. Especially those saying they go here for "authentic" Mexican food. I'm pretty sure they don't even know what that is. read more

Food was good. Love the unique tables and chairs! Service was kind of lacking . Came in the door, was greeted by an employee then he proceeded to answer the phone to take a rather long order so we're standing there wondering if we were supposed to seat ourselves. He then hung up the phone and pointed us to a table. Could've done that before answering the phone. Waited a long time for the check. read more

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Great salsa. Chimichanga was really good. Eat it before it becomes soggy from the sauce. Prices are higher than other Mexican places I been to. read more

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Great food! I liked it a lot! Drinks were great too! Reminds of an Azteca franchise in the west coast

Very good, authentic food. Prices are a little high for what you get. The first round of chips and salsa are free. They charge after that, but the first portion size is pretty generous. Friendly staff, but service could be a bit faster. read more

El Aztecas - Taco salad - Mexican Near Me - Allendale, Michigan

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These guys have amazing food as well as great service. It's also nice that they actually do their best to follow COVID guidelines. I have yet to have bad service or food from this place. Take out is also very convent and nice as well. read more

Went to El Azteca last night for dinner in-between studying, and I had a very good experience. It was pretty crowded when I went, all of the booths were filled. I ordered the Enchilada Verdes. The name is pretty self-explanatory. The enchiladas were very good, as were the rice and beans. They give you chips and salsa on the house, and they gave free refills of both. The service was friendly and the atmosphere was nice. Overall it was a good experience and I will gladly go there again. read more

Excellent Texas taco salad! Chicken, beef and shrimp were cooked to perfection! Service was great and price was reasonable! Will be returning! read more

El Aztecas - Y - Mexican Near Me - Allendale, Michigan

We called ahead to pick up our order and they didn't even ask for a name for the order so when my boyfriend got there and paid, he was antagonized for 5 minutes after they brought the food out about whether or not he had already paid for the order and/or if the order was even his, which he did receive a receipt for after paying for the food when first arriving. The food is average at best considering the prices are super high and the portions don't really make up for it. read more

Average food, slow service. Salsa seemed watered down. Staff is not very communicative, or very attentive even when the restaurant is slow. Maybe I was there on an off night, but food was not good enough to make me want to come back and try them again. read more

Usually pretty quick to get your food up to you, and it is pretty dang tasty. The menu is very large and the wait staff is friendly. Salsa and chips served beforehand. read more

Welcome back to Allendale! Great service, great tacos and the beer is very cold. The Texas Taco Salad is the best! read more

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Won't be going back. Waited 15 minutes for server to take our order. Waited another hour for food. At one point we asked the sever how much longer to which she replied "I don't know." Waited another ten minutes after we were done for our check. Finally got up and paid on way out. Food is a bit overpriced. Nothing special as far as Mexican food goes. read more

We love this place! The food is great, the service is excellent, the decor is fun, and the staff makes you feel like a treasured friend. The burritos are big enough that my wife and I always share one - El Aztecas is happy to bring an extra plate - and even then we both leave full. We've tried just about everything on the menu and haven't found anything yet we didn't like. The margaritas are good, and generously sized. Pricing is very reasonable, seating has never been a problem for us, and the restaurant is kid-friendly. Nothing bad to say - just go! read more

I am gluten intolerant, I know it's my problem, but Mexican is usually the easiest to find something I can safely eat. I was told the only meat I could safely eat was the fajita meat and it would only be seasoned with salt and pepper. Ummmm, how is that Mexican? Also, my husband ordered grilled jalapeños and they forgot them, when he asked she wet to check and said they were almost done. Another 10 minutes go by and still no peppers. After he finished his last bite, the server asked if still wanted them. They still weren't done. read more

Once upon a time there was a man who was hungry for food. He went to an eating establishment in hopes of stuffing his face. Food is stellar. Beyond stellar, it's interstellar. I can't believe it it's so good. Holy f. Ps the man in the story was me read more

The menu here is exactly the same as the El Burrito restaurants in the GR area. And, like them, there is El Yucateco habanero hot sauce (both red & green) on the table. The food was good -- as is typical at El Burrito, too. My Alambre Mexicano did not have as much of the red sauce on it as I am used to getting at the Grandville El Burrito -- but, still, it was good. My wife ordered the Fiesta Fajitas. She said it was good but a little dry. Our server was attentive, and there was no long wait for the food. Recommendation: give it a try. read more

There are other places in town to go before going here. Service was poor and slow, waited about 25 minutes for our food with only 5-6 tables taken. Salsa as bland and no chip refills. Beans and rice lacked flavor while the portions were small for the price. The waitress was not familiar with the daily specials and even after she went found out what they were she still got them wrong and we were over charged. Kids meals about the same size portion as an adult but with a drink still cost $7.50 read more

Staff is always friendly. Food is absolutely delicious. Authentic Mexican food. Quick service, great drinks, nice restaurant.

Welcome back to Allendale. Great customer service and kid friendly. Food is great and can't wait to come back for more. read more

El Aztecas - Chile Colorado - Mexican Near Me - Allendale, Michigan

We were all in the mood for authentic Mexican food, so Taco Bell wouldn't do. We decided to give this restaurant a try and we're all very impressed. HUGE selection, great pricing, good food, and friendly staff. Our table of five ordered and served within 20 mins. Our portions were large and our food was tasty. The rice was a bit flavorless, but....it was all great nonetheless. We will be returning customers. read more

Food was amazing and I love the restaurant's aesthetic, will definitely be back soon! - GVSU student

I ordered chicken, pechuga Mexicana, which came with grilled chicken which was tasty. But, the salad had a strong taste of some type of washing chemical. The avocado that was on top was good but most was lost in salad. Spoke with waiter they deducted a portion of the cost. If I ever go back I will order enchiladas only. Had looked forward to a great meal and was very disappointed. read more

Been in here a couple times so far, and I've had nothing but good service and excellent food! Definitely some of the best Mexican food in the area. Always be sure to come hungry because there is never a shortage of food. read more

Food was great! Service was great! Best Beans and rice around! The staff is very friendly. We go often and they even remember what we order! Great family friendly place to go. read more

I rarely write a bad review... With that said, I can't tell you if the food was good or not. We arrived around 6:30pm and sat at the bar. We placed our drink order and I was impressed by the bartender. I watched him inspect all of the glasses before he poured any drinks. Later I discovered that he was checking to see if the glasses had even been washed... We placed our food order around 6:45pm. Upon our second drink order the manager was at the bar. He set our glasses aside and placed new glasses in front of us to pour new drinks when I noticed that one of the glasses had lip prints on it. I picked it up and noticed that there was still fingerprints and little bits of food on the outside. Not the kind of stuck-on food bits that made it through the dish washer but the kind that appear on your kids glass before he puts it into the sink to be washed. I set the glasses aside and asked the manager to fill our previous glasses, the ones the bartender carefully selected. Time passes, and passes, and passes... 90 minutes go by before I ask the bartender the ETA on our food. He said he would check on our order. Ten minutes later I see him waiting and busing tables. He never returned to the bar that evening. After about five more minutes I asked a young woman if she could cancel our food order and get us the bill for our drinks. Ten minutes later she came back to let me know that her dad was canceling the food order. No mention of the bill. Fifteen minutes later, while talking with another patron about his take-out order that he had called in an hour before, I finally got fed up and grabbed the first employee that came in sight. I had to threaten him that if we didn't have our bill within five minutes we were leaving without paying. I made sure there were enough patrons nearby so that it was understood that we were not trying to leave without paying but if we could not get a bill we had no choice. Finally, the manager came over and asked us what we had ordered, rang it up, took the credit card to the take-out counter and then didn't even have the nerve to come back and apologize. He gave the bill to a waitress to bring over! What a piece! As I'm writing this I realize how much more I am pissed off about this place. No one ordered a prime-rib well done or anything, it was all tacos and such. We waited two hours for our food and it never arrived. As we were leaving I overheard another patron asking to cancel his food order and just get his drink orders. I told him what I went through and how he needed to go about getting his bill before the place closed. At some point soon this place will close permanently... I hope the property owner knows whats going on at this place so he can line up a new tenant. Soon! read more

El Azteca was pretty good. Their tacos were delicious, beans were OK but nothing to write home about. We asked for a hotter version of the salsa that they give you w/the tortilla chips. It was terrible. I enjoy hot salsa but this was hot just for the sake of being hot and didn't have any actual flavor. I love a good flavorful hot salsa but they absolutely blew it w/that offering. Hopefully they come up with a better version. (My fave Mexican place has a HOT salsa that makes me feel like a masochist; it hurts me but the flavor is so good I can't help but want more!) read more

My wife and I decided to try El Azteca in Allendale, MI because she likes Mexican food and it was close to home. The restaurant was full, so we felt fortunate to be seated quickly. Our waitress was pleasant and very attentive. We were greeted with a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa. Drink orders were taken and they arrived quickly. Their menu was extensive, perhaps too extensive. We placed our order and then the wait began. I don't know if they were short staffed in the kitchen, but it took 45 minutes or more for our order to be served. Our food was tasty. It was warm, not hot as we had been expecting. We also thought the food was under seasoned for a Mexican restaurant, particularly those items that were supposed to be authentic. Because of the long wait for our food, we will choose another establishment when we have a taste for Mexican cuisine. read more