Pulled up to El Charro Mexican Food not expecting much... mostly because, let's be honest, finding great Mexican food in Hawaii sometimes feels like a side quest with low success rates. But plot twist--I was wrong. I ordered the El Charro burrito and was immediately confused... because it was actually GOOD. Like, flavorful-good. Seasoning? Present. Taste? Alive and thriving. I had to pause mid-bite just to process what was happening. Location-wise, it's inside the same building as Aiea Bowl, which is honestly iconic. You can go from strikes to burritos in under 60 seconds--efficient and delicious. Ambiance is a little on the compact side, like "don't bring your entire extended family unless you like playing Tetris with chairs." But when I went, it was pretty empty, so it actually felt chill. Service? Quick and efficient. No nonsense. They got me my food fast, which I respect deeply because I was already emotionally attached to that burrito. Final verdict: 4 stars. Came in with low expectations, left questioning everything I thought I knew about Mexican food in Hawaii. Would absolutely come back for round two. read more

El Charro Mexicano - El charro burrito - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

We went there for lunch and there was no parking, due to the few parking stalls they have, but we found street parking. I ordered the special shredded chicken burrito it was huge I could only finish half, it was tasty and good. My wife ordered the steak quesadillas plate which she enjoyed, but even she couldn't finish her plate. Our waiter this time was so so and the bus help, you needed to ask him for water or what ever you need, he must be new to the job. Restroom was clean and located in the restaurant. read more

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Amazing food and service. My favorites are the Tres jalapeño with cheese and chorizo. I also love to get the five street Carne Asada taco plate or the pollo poblano. Don't forget to get a cold bottle of Mexican Coke and ask for the green and red hot sauce! read more

El Charro Mexicano - Carne Asada street tacos and Tres jalapeños. - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

A hidden jewel for us Mexican food lovers and is only a few steps from the famous Aiea Bowl (another favorite place of mine to eat). The chips and salsa were freshly made. The burrito was perfect with a nice mixture of ingredients all fresh. The restaurant is very clean (including the bathroom) and service is great. If you want an alternative to Taco Bell, this is the place to go. Highly recommend! read more

El Charro Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

A little nervous trying Mexican food in Hawaii but was pleasantly surprised. Located in Aiea shopping center. Staff is friendly. Got the carnitas which was pretty tasty. Salsas are good too. Only downside is needing to pay for chips and salsa and $8 Jarritos. Cost of Mexican food in paradise read more

El Charro Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

I have to be honest I was very skeptical going to this restaurant. I had seen some of the photos taken and they didn't seem as appealing as others from similar restaurants in the area. However, I am so happy I tried this place. Their salsa and chips aren't complimentary but totally worth getting. The salsa is absolutely addicting and flavorful. I had ordered the birria tacos, they weren't on the menus but I had seen a few pics of them, and it was amazing. If you are craving some classic Mexican street tacos these do not disappoint. Don't let the lower star rating keep you back from trying here. You won't regret it. The waiter we had was more than accommodating and respectful. read more

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First of all this restaurant deserves at least 4 stars and more. I came here solo with low expectations due to the rating, pre glazed over the menu on yelp before deciding to come in since it was near my house, I was just looking for something fulfilling to eat as I was on day 2 of a 3 day hangover, voice near lost, sweaty and stale. I ended up ordering the pollo poblano plate (with beans and rice) with corn tortillas, and a small shrimp chimichanga aka carte with the red and green sauce, and a horchata. I was so pleasantly surprised when the horchata arrived, I have eaten at many Mexican places on Oahu, Maui, even in California and Vegas. When I tell you that I could immediately taste that this horchata was actually homemade and all of the flavors balanced out perfectly I thought that my hang over would cause me to feel nauseous but it was the perfect sweetness perfect spice. The smooth grainy texture from the rice coated my sore throat. Then came the pollo poblano. I have never had this dish in my life but dear god almighty the creamy poblano sauce simmered onion spices, and the thinly cooked chicken breast (and I'm a thighs guy) went together so perfectly. The rice. The co star of the show, was so flavorful I have never had a better Mexican rice in my entire life I don't know if I've just never been to any actual Mexican restaurants (I've literally been to Tijuana and rosarito) but the rice and beans could've just been it for me. THEN CAME THE CHIMICHANGA. Perfect sized not too big not too small, SKIN fried exquisitely, FILLED WITH 4 DIFFERENT CHEESES. shrimp. Imagine a shrimp quesadilla but a burrito shape and it's FRIED excuse me? I had the verde sauce first FIREEEE the roja sauce second I TAKE IT BACK. I kept eating in synchronicities of pollo corn tortilla rice beans verde Rojas with horchata in between. The service was just fine , I read some comments and you know what? if you want a waiter to be at your beckon call go to Morton's or Hy's this is a (most likely) family owned restaurant in Aiea cut them some slack. I said f it and ordered a flan it's Thursday. The spoon is defying gravity sideways in the flan. Petite not too cold not warm, perfect. DENSE. like a cheesecake. Caramelized pool of sugar had a very posh consistency as well. 15/10. Go eat here. Do yourself a favor. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Absolutely divine flan - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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We were craving Mexican food and decided to try El Charro since it's kinda close by to us. It was a Friday night and it wasn't too crowded so we got seated right away. I ordered the California burrito and my boyfriend got the chicken chimichanga. We thought the food was delicious! I really enjoyed my California burrito, the steak and fries were well seasoned and with the right amount of cheese, guac and sour cream. I got it with rice and beans and they were so good too. My boyfriend really liked his chimichanga as well! I tried some of his and it was yummy. We also got horchatas and it was perfectly cinnamon-y and creamy! One of the best horchatas on the island. Our server was nice and quick. Also a tip, get their hot sauce! I think it's homemade and it was fresh and had a great kick to it. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Chicken chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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Stop by El Charo and Got the Green Enchiladas with shredded beef Always a blast for dim sum during lunch Food and staff is always awesome Most definitely will be back as always read more

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Was in the mood for Mexican food and ended up here. Was slightly worried when we walked in and no one was there... Sat down and ordered a California burrito, a tamale, and the enchiladas. Service was quick and the food came out shortly after. The burrito was okay, if not lacking in flavor. The tamale and enchiladas were good but nothing crazy per my coworker. Overall a solid average place that won't blow you away, but you won't be disappointed. Will come back if craving Mexican food and not willing to drive to town or Wahiawa for it... read more

El Charro Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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Don't get me wrong. Pros: the restaurant is cute and clean. Cons: insanely expensive for standard Mexican fare. They charge for everything. Even the tortilla is 3 dollars for 3 if you order a dish that does not come with tortillas that other Mexican restaurant give freely as part of the meal. The flavor profile of the food tends to be "Americanized". A party of 2 can run you over 50 bucks for a simple meal. I actually was in shock at the prices. These are Waikiki prices not prices for a suburb on Oahu. I understand that food costs are getting out of control but come on! 3 dollars for 3 tortillas that cost maybe 50 cents to make? read more

Amazing food! From the chips and salsa to the vegetarian tostadas - I will definitely keep coming back. The ambiance was perfect with the small dining room and the Latin music. Service was friendly and super helpful. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Vegetarian tostadas made vegan style (no cheese or sour cream) and a double order of chips and salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Yes the Food here is amazing, I will definitely go back, My Style of comfort food, my whole family enjoys is as well congratulations!!!

Portions got smaller. Flavors are mid. The first time I had their food I was impressed. This time.... I could've went to Taco Bell for the same price I paid here. read more

This place is legit! Went here with a co-worker and I got their Super charro burrito with carne asada. Comes with rice and beans too and lots of cheese. Everything was tasty and portion sizes are huge! read more

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I walked in right before lunch hour. And only one table was occupied. I wanted to do a take out of only "chips and salsa". The server told me that take out orders must be done outside around the corner. I couldn't understand why my order couldn't have just been taken since it was not crowded! The salsa was kinda watery and had a spice too it. The inside has Mexican like decor with wooden tables for dine in, but once I got outside to the take out window I had to wait! Guess I'm not returning. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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Would not come here again. It was my first time trying this place I arrived at around 6-7pm waited for 20 minutes at the to go door before anyone came up to take my order. And then it took 30 minutes for my order to come out. So I waited 50 minutes total. I understand it was busy but their communication was lacking. The workers would walk by and glance over but not acknowledge you. A quick "Sorry I'll be right with you" can go a long way. I ordered the super charro burrito. I asked for ONLY carne asada with pico & crema INSIDE the burrito instead of on the side. My burrito came with BOTH chicken and asada and the crema & pico in containers instead of inside. The beans had a good flavor but the rice was VERY strong on the garlic. The burrito itself was not terrible but not great. I felt that it was overly filled with refried beans so it was mushy and not as much meat compared to the amount of beans. Also very pricy $26 for a burrito is crazy! read more

I like coming here. Today's host was very ? My iced tea took super long , (3) requests ! Presentation of food was nice ! Lots of music ! A couple was served their food separately.... After much waiting. Man received his shrimp taco before women ... he was just about done when women waited and waited and waited for her burrito , poor service ! I was accidentally given someone else's bill I said do you accept tap ?! I can pay for it now ?! Because I just got my dessert I was like , felt like rushed confused . read more

El Charro Mexicano - Fried ice cream , apologies for not taking a before picture , it was good , first time I've had a fried ice cream - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

What's the sense in having all this alcohol, when you don't have a good bartender?? Like for real...it took her 20mins to make 2 drinks. And they weren't even good! read more

El Charro Mexicano - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Not too many Mexican food options in Aiea But this restaurant is pretty good on Aiea hts. Ambience is nice; clean, and service is good. Our waitress was a newbie so we give her a pass on knowledge of the menu but she was very pleasant. Food is delicious and servings are plentiful. My litmus test on Mexican food is based on their refried beans and Spanish rice; both are delicious. Rescuer nachos was good but a tad too much ground beef and needs more cheese. The chimichanga plate was excellent. Enjoyable meal. read more

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My friend recommended this place. There was no wait on a Saturday night. That was good for us as I was starving. There were so many good menu items it was hard to choose. Three people had the super charro burrito, another had the tamale plate and I chose the Chile relleno with shredded beef. I am glad I ordered the single as it was huge. What really stood out was the sauce. Homemade and just the right amount of spice. The shredded beef was tender and loaded with cheese. It came with a dollop of sour cream, rice and beans. I asked for hot sauce for my beans and rice. They brought green and red. Both tasted amazing and they looked house made. My friend like his tamale and he ate the whole thing. The super burrito was huge and it came with beans and rice. It had to be good as they were devoured. I liked the decor and the staff were fun and friendly. They were good at replenishing our waters. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Address - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Me and my bff was so hungry and we were going to eat a Aiea Bowl but it was take out only. So where did we go next to El Charro Mexicano Aiea! Omg the quick service and the food was so good and hit the spot. But we want to share how much aloha Angel was to us. His service was so awesome and always checked on us! His excellent service will not be missed. Yall need to go there and ask for him! He definitely will have us coming back. Mahalo Angel! A hui hou, malama pono read more

El Charro Mexicano - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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We did takeout. Haven't been there in awhile and it was because of the takeout containers they used recycled materials containers the food/rice used to stick to the bottom of the container. So we ordered takeout again this time around. Ok twenty minutes for preparation on order but it took longer than expected. New containers great microwave access. What was not expected, food portions were reduced with a higher price. The menudo was more soupy with way less content and they forgot the half and half sauce on my wife's chimichanga which was very dry and little bit hard. Will not return till I hear of improvement. El Marriachi down the street is not an option. read more

El Charro Mexicano is next to the famous Aiea Bowl and The Alley restaurant in Aiea. My friend and I were able to get a table on a very busy Cinco de Mayo for lunch. The place was packed at 11:30. Our server came with menus right away and brought us water pretty quickly. We ordered and this is where I had to knock off some stars. My California Burrito came after about 15 minutes but ugh, my friends enchilada plate did not come for another 15 minutes. He didn't come by to give us an update, my friend ended up walking up to them and asking where her order was., as it was about 30 minutes since we ordered it. It came after about 5 additional minutes. Food coming out at different times is a pet peeve of mine and really, should not even happen. The food was good, my burrito tasted even better after another server offered me some hot sauce. It had steak, fries, guacamole, sour cream and rice in it. It was very tasty. My friend liked her ground beef enchiladas too. Kind of a bummer that her food took so long, otherwise I would have rated this higher. read more

El Charro Mexicano - California burrito - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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We happened to be walking by this place, which is right next to Aiea Bowl, and it is always hard to pass up Mexican food! We were seated quickly and the place was pretty busy inside. The food was hot and fresh and really tasty. Now, as everyone knows, I grew up in San Diego and so I'm really picky about my Mexican food! This really was had some of the better Mexican food I've had in Hawaii. The rice cooked just right. The veggie burrito had black beans and cheese mixed in with the veggies which made it really flavorful. I'm a cheese enchilada girl, but my husband shared his shredded beef enchilada and it was packed with meat. So good. My son had the shrimp tacos and I think they were the best dish we ordered. We all kept saying how good everything was and that we'd definitely come back! read more

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Amazing Cali Burrito. Absolutely ridiculous. Get this next time. No cheese, no sour cream but still perfect ratios of things. Would come back for more. I was tempted to get a second one. Thank you. read more

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The charro taco plate had a lot of flavor. The rice and beans were a very nice surprise. It is hard to find good Mexican rice in Hawaii. Service was excellent. We'll be back. read more

I like the decorative chairs. I've been here a couple of times and it's ok. The staff is friendly and the restaurant dining area is clean. The menu is simple and troublesome. You don't see prices and there is no simple beef (carne asada) only burrito. You got to get a mix of chicken and beef. Food was average to me. I feel they could use a little more seasoning. You have to ask for hot sauce or any other condiments. Overall three stars. I just wasn't too excited for the food but I do plan to visit and try something else. Now excuse me, I'm going to get dessert. M read more

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I think this is a solid 3 star Mexican restaurant. But you need to moderate your expectations because this is Hawai'i and I haven't had decent Mexican since living in Texas. This is what I would call a sort of "good enough" neighborhood taqueria in San Antonio where I'm from. It hits the spot when you have a craving but nothing to write home about. I'm sitting here on a Saturday evening and the only server is slammed. I feel bad for her. Limited seating inside. Enchiladas are my benchmark food I try at any new restaurant to give me a sense of how they're going to be. Mine were just fine. I had the rojos enchiladas and the red sauce wasn't homemade. It was likely from a can which was a shame because there was a bunch of it. The rice was pretty good. Usually at bad Mexican restaurants the rice is bland. Not so here. Probably the best part of the meal for me. I also ordered a michelada. I love the ones at Jorge's on the north shore. These were...let's just say they tossed some clamato or some premix into a pint glass with beer and called it a michelada. Not terrible but not great. Usually, micheladas are gaudy things full of...well, everything. This is what you get when you've just come home from a double shift and just toss some stuff together and slam it. Having said that, I would come back here to get it again if I didn't want to drive to Jorge's. All in all not bad for a small neighborhood Mexican restaurant. Give it a try if you're near aiea. It's on the 3rd story of the aiea shopping center thing, right next to Aiea bowl (you can just plug that into your gps). If you can't park on the third level, just park next to mcdonalds and take the stairs. read more

I had come here with my family who is visiting from out of town. We were at the Swap Meet and we're hungry. I had come here a couple years ago and remembered have a great experience. I also enjoyed the decor of the place. It gives it a great vibe. Our server was nice, and was prompt with filling our drinks and consistently checked in with us. I had the cheese enchiladas. They were so good. My family also enjoyed their meal. I will definitely be back! read more

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pay for chips/ salsa? $25.50 for tastey but really fatty chilli verde. I will stick to main land mexican food in the future.

My favorite place to get mexican on the island! Used to come here a lot and it's been awhile, but we finally came back and was glad to see they have remained consistently wonderful. They have definitely gotten way busier over the years, which is a great sign! I switch it up but my go-tos are steak fries, California burrito, chimichanga, rice, and you need to get their horchata! I tried to ask for my California burrito "chimichanga style" and she didn't know what that meant..when I tried to explain, she still didn't understand and sent me an actual chimichanga lol. Nothing bad on them at all, just a heads up for others who may ask for this. Also, they do charge for chips/salsa, but their salsa is super good! There is never an empty table for long, but they do work fast so the turnaround is decent. Great location (central) but parking can be a bummer mostly due to the bowling alley. Inside is pretty tightly spaced and can get almost uncomfortably hot. Overall, wonderful people and great service, paired with amazing food. Will definitely be back more often! read more

Cinco de Mayo!! Seated promptly & greeted by our server, Porter. Nice guy, friendly & very willing to be of service. Food gated delicious as expected. Awesome atmosphere, clean. Check provided in a timely manner. No qualms! read more

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Food was very good, portions were generous. Unfortunately they did not have the steak lunch I wanted. Service was good although the restaurant became extremely busy. read more

Sat down and waited about 10 minutes for someone to take our order. Another group of people came in sat after us three men, and it was just me and my friend who is a woman, lady waitress asked group of men if someone took their order they said no, so she took the order before us!!!!!! It was busy. Feel bad for the waiter that originally helped us. read more

El Charro is my favorite Mexican food in island so far. The rice and beans are flavorful and authentically seasoned (I am from California for flavor reference). The birria tacos are a family favorite and we never forget to start the meal with the steak nachos. The only complaint I have is the Togo order serving size of sizes. When you charge a surplus for guacamole, it would be nice to receive more than ONE spoonful of guacamole. Otherwise, el charro is a solid 8/10! read more

Meh... In no particular order: *The music was louder than it needed to be (yes I asked for it to be turned down) *The rice was overly garlicky *No prices on the menu however they were listed after scanning a QR code *Only Mexican restaurant I've been too that charges for chips and salsa *Chicken and steak were well over cooked and bland *Found the stem of an onion in my taco read more

El Charro Mexicano - Stem of onion - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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Jalapeños with chorizo is good It's close to authentic in my opinion Jamica can taste better and salsas could do better The rice here is super good read more

Not sure what happened to this place but it used to be one of our favorites. We went on a Tuesday night around 630-7. Took them 10 minutes to get us water and menus. We waited another 10 and still didn't take our order. They had 2 people working too. One was just standing around the other kept walking by and saying one minute. After 20 minutes we left disappointed and went somewhere else to eat. Hopefully they fix it so I can change my review. read more

A good bit of people in my neighborhood recommended El Charro for some good Mexican cuisine. It's one of the closest ones to me in Pearl City so I decided to give it a go. Very small place next to Aiea Bowl. I had to park below and walk up the stairs because parking is slim! Interior is cute, open seating at any clean table. I got a mango margarita on the rocks with a lihing mui rim. My friend got the strawberry margarita blended. Both were good, pretty sweet. For food, we got chips and guacamole - the chips weren't greasy and nicely friend, guacamole tasted really fresh. The portions are large! For the price it's expected. I got the carnitas plate which was really good with their in house hot sauces. The birria tacos were really good as well. Neither one of us finished our meals. Service wasn't bad. It took some time for our waitress to come over and she forgot our waters twice. It took a while for the margaritas to come out but food was quick after that. read more

El Charro Mexicano - Carnitas Plate - Mexican Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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