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    El Mariachi

    3.5 (56 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    EL MARIACHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    a menu for a mexican restaurant
    Gary M.

    I need to start this restaurant review talking not about the food but the volume of the music. It was so loud inside the restaurant you needed to shout to have a conversation with your dining partners. And your waiter. My wife and I went to El Nuevo Mariachi excited to try their mole sauce. I'm a bit of a mole junkie. It's the first item on their list of entrees (enchiladas rojas, verdes or de mole.) El Nuevo Mariachi doesn't seem to have a website, so I've tried to include some pictures of their menus with this review. We placed our orders for enchiladas de mole, guac, and 2 margaritas. The waitress came back in a bit and informed us that they were out of mole. Soul crushing. I changed my order to fajitas and my wife to two appetizer-sized tacos. Soon we received our margaritas and some complimentary chips and salsa. Salsa was spicier than you will find at most places, and I liked it. Margarita was large at a decent price, but the flavor was average at best. A large guac came out and didn't disappoint. Fajitas were average. My wife wasn't blown away by her tacos. We wanted one more drink before we left and ordered two Bohemia's. They were out of those, too. Back to the sound. On their menu they list "Karaoke de Jueves a domingo de 6pm a 1:45 am". We got there on a Friday just after 6. Thankfully, there were no karaoke performers, just oppressively loud music. To be clear, I had no issue with their choice of music, just the volume. It reminded me of when music has been used in psychological operations to torture people. They have about a half dozen tables outside, but unfortunately they were all filled when we arrived. It was perfect weather this July 1, so this would have been ideal. I did ask the waitress if the music could be turned down. She pinched her finger and thumb together and said "a little bit?" I said "sure." I'm pretty sure the volume didn't change. I think they were making it clear that if you don't like the volume, you shouldn't come here. My wife said she thought it was a cultural thing, but I disagree. We've been to hundreds of Mexican restaurants, and this was a standout. It was like they wanted a party atmosphere, just without many people. Ultimately it strikes me as a good spot if you don't want to talk with your dining companions. Perhaps for a risky first date. Or an afterwork happy hour if you don't really like your co-workers.

    Receipt
    David W.

    We stopped by December 4th, a Sunday at about 6:30pm. They have free parking adjacent to the building. First thing I noticed was the volume of the music. Way too loud. I asked them to turn it down. They didn't. The employees seem happy & work quickly. One complaint was the employee at the register kept playing with his cell phone. The gal that took the order did not wipe the counter down.. We did it ourselves.. The strawberry margarita was ok. I had a Modello bottled beer. The entrees were expensive for what we got. The food came quickly. Too quickly. About 5 minutes. I had a burrito with steak & rice filling. The steak had a lot of grizzled & was a cheaper cut of meat. On top of the burrito was two kinds of cheese...the cheap stuff. Not real cheese. I would think that for $17.00, I would get real cheese & refried beans on the side, or the meal would come with chips & sauce. It came with lettuce & tomatoes on the side with sour cream. The ends of the burrito were crunchy, like it had been sitting a while. My date had Enchiladas Camaro Chipotle. $20.00. Filling but bland. We asked for some extra sour cream (a small watery dollop) & were charged $2.00! Portions were filling. You will be charged 9% tax. I left a $5.00 tip. They have napkins & salt & pepper at the bar area. We always sit at the bar. Overall, it was ok. We will not be going back. $61.00 is a bit much for what we got.

    Mikey A.

    If you're looking for extremely homey Mexican food this will be the place for you. My boyfriend and I split the chimichanga and chicken nachos and it was more than enough food between the both of us. As you can see in the picture the chimichanga is massive. An absolute unit of a chimichanga. The inside was delicious but I personally thought the outside was so greasy and the tortilla was so thick that it held too much grease for me to handle. On the menu I thought it said the chimichanga came with rice and beans but they gave us ours with French fries which made me sad. The nachos were delicious and although I wish more. And with it I was not the most impressed by the spices on the meat. The reason why this dropped to a 3 stars was because of the service. The server did not give us chips and salsa and even after realizing that she had forgot she still never brought them out. Service was also quite slow throughout the dinner. The place was not very busy when we went so it was a bit disappointing. I don't think I would ever be back but I still think it's a decent restaurant if you're looking for lots of Mexican food on Nicolette.

    Steaming hot
    Hoa N.

    This is our second time here. The first time we came with a friend and the food was great so we thought would give it another try since we wanted Mexican and was in the neighborhood. When we walked in the server asked how many do we told her to adults and return children. She showed us to our table and then brought water then we I order a drink and we're not ready for our food order yet so we said a couple minutes but a couple minutes turned to probably 45 minutes of waiting. Mind you the restaurant was not busy and all the staff was just playing with their phones. It was shocking that the female wait staff didn't understand my request and so a make wait staff came to take our order. We were just about to leave since it was taking them so long to come by to take our food order but we didn't have enough cash to pay for my horchata drink. When we finally got our food order in, them it came out pretty fast. My husband had some enchiladas and I had the combination fajitas. The food was good and I like that they didn't skimp on the shrimp because most places will only give you the tiny shrimps whereas here it was the jumbo size. The flavor of the meat for the fajitas was good. The service was not stellar and so we would not come again.

    Dope artwork inside.
    Jonathan T.

    This is a review of the grocery store and not the restaurant. Feeling the need to get taco wasted, I stopped by El Mariachi to buy some flour tortillas, veggies, salsas, and marinated meats. I've never visited this market before, so I didn't know what to expect. When I stepped inside, I immediately noticed that it is deceptively large and very clean. To the left, there's a robust, affordable, and fresh selection of produce that spans the entire wall. It includes a seemingly infinite amount of cilantro and scallions, which are, of course, essential for most Mexican dishes. El Mariachi also carries all the standard goods every Mexican grocery store should sell, such as various flavored powdered horchatas, dried and sugared fruits, and a hot sauce selection as diverse as the racial and ethnic composition of Central High School's student body. The meat? The pork, beef, and chicken looked like the animals got butchered within the last couple of days. They are much fresher than the Asian grocery stores I frequently visit. My favorite area of El Mariachi is the cooked meats section, since it carries tasty goodies such as the choles (marinated pork) and carnitas. Combined with herbs such as coriander and rosemary, the meats emit an amazing aroma. It permeates the air making your mouth water and belly rumble, instantly. I'm sure I stood there sniffing for about five minutes before I became convinced to purchase half a pound of choles and carnitas for my future feast. #bellyrumble. After collecting all of the taco necessities, I proceeded to the register where everything came out to only $20! This blew my mind considering I have spent a lot more than $20 at Taqueria La Hacienda or Taqueira Los Ocampo on late night taco binges. Over the course of three days, I made 25 glorious tacos and got super Mexican food wasted several times. My belly couldn't have been happier. If you love to cook Mexican food, take a chance and shop at El Mariachi.

    Michael F.

    I drove past El Mariachi the other day and remembered I hadn't written a review from my visit last October. The passage of time hasn't impacted my ability to write a review - my visit there was memorable for all the right reasons. I took a Canadian there on a Friday night for a little slice of America, and El Mariachi is a quintessential independent Mexican-American restaurant. Spanglish menu, telenovelas and soccer on the tvs, bottled beer and cheap margaritas. I had the shrimp and peppers in a spicy garlic sauce, my date had fajitas. When I placed my order, the waitress gave a quick sideways glance at my pink skin and said, 'you like spicy?'. I said sure, I'll just have another beer. I thought nothing of it until about a third of the way thru dinner, when she stopped by again, noticed me sweating, and giggled a little bit. The heat of the sauce was perfect - just enough to gradually build up and be noticed, but so flavorful that I couldn't stop eating it. I sampled the fajitas as well and they were top notch. The four star rating could easily have been five, had karaoke not started so early - and so enthusiastically - in the evening. While it lent credence to the authenticity of the place, it certainly didn't add to the dining experience. I'll be back there again. Exceptional food, good service - an escape to Mexico without delayed flights and TSA groping.

    Tacos al pastor and carnitas. The al pastor is not off a spit but the carnitas is legit! And they have grilled cebollitas, too!
    Irene D.

    My new favorite place for Mexican! I can't help but pop over for a taco or two when I pick up Mexican ingredients at Marissa's next door. The tacos are so incredibly delicious. I order the al pastor and carnitas. The al pastor was not off the spit, which is not ideal, but they were pretty good. They make their carnitas with manteca in-house. I think I will order the carnitas exclusively from now on. (TOP TIP: They sell the rendered manteca from the carnitas in the Carniceria. Add that to your tamale masa to take them over the top!) I loved that they give you a grilled sweet onion with your tacos. They are crunchy and sweet and not the tiniest bit harsh. This was a gesture that I had only experienced in Mexico.

    Chicken enchilada

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

    The tacos are terrific! We stopped in for a quick lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the delicious pastor tacos. Enjoy.

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    2 years ago

    The food is fire. The beer is cold. The mezcal and tequila is pouring. And that mf be spitting.

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    4 years ago

    They charge me stuff that I didnt even order nor did I even get. Horrible place. Should have read the reviews first.

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    12 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Very good food; the chilaquiles were bomb. The service was great and the atmosphere was fun!

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    13 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Had the fajitas. They were excellent. It was a Thursday night and it was karaoke night. It was loud, but the food was good.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Terrific food and huge portions. Terrific service as well. Will for sure continue coming. Had outdoor seating.

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    12 years ago

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    7 years ago

    This place has amazing food but slow service none the less I would definitely come back again.

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    Maya Cuisine - Torta (left) Maya Burrito (right) Quesabirrias (bottom)

    Maya Cuisine

    4.2(469 reviews)
    4.1 miNortheast
    $$

    The best Mexican food I have ever had in my life, It was truly so good. Phone did not eat first…read more Food and Drink - We started with the chips and guac and the guacamole was outstanding. The onions and tomato that were chopped up in it were so satifyingly chopped I really enjoyed, it was nice and cold too. I got the quesabirria tacos for my meal and they were out of this world, I seriously think I inhaled them and have been thinking about them ever since. We were drinking Pina Coloadas and it made me feel like I was on the beaches of Mexico. Service - There was one server working on a busy Friday night and she killed it; she was attentive and remembered everything whilst also being the bartender too!!! Ambience - it is colorful and bright in there and just almost nostalgic. There is a chipotle style line at the front if you want to just grab something quick and full service in the back of the building, cannot wait to go back.

    This place is a gem in Northeast. I finally got a chance to try this out and loved it. I've always…read moreheard great things about it. They offer a lot of daily specials, but the one that caught my eye most was the BOGO burritos on Wednesdays. Everything that we tried was delicious and fairly priced. You can choose to eat in the self seating dining area, or if you'd like service they have the full bar and restaurant in the back. I was blown away with how it tasted and I felt like I was back in Mexico enjoying their cuisine. I wish I would've went here a lot sooner, but I plan to be back in the future. The staff were friendly.

    Photos
    Maya Cuisine
    Maya Cuisine - Burritos with chicken

    Burritos with chicken

    Maya Cuisine

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    Barrio - Cubano sandwich

    Barrio

    3.5(598 reviews)
    1.5 miDowntown Minneapolis
    $$

    Came for happy hour with my teen. Enjoyed and would hit again, although I wouldn't call it cheap…read more Queso was delightful Tex-Mex style, not Velveeta-like but like genuine cheese. All the tacos we ordered, which included chicken, mushroom, and carnitas, were delicious and with generous fall-out-when-you-pick-it-up levels of filling. CHips and guac and salsa were more basic, nothing to write home about, but did not in any way regret them. It fell down on the drinks, just a little. The HH margarita specials were all a little off. A little too sour, a little too bland, just never quite perfect (yes, I did try multiple, I'm a reviewer doing reviews, it was research, you don't get to judge). Even so, I would wander here again for HH and maybe for regular.

    Came here as we were heading to see the phantom of the opera at the Orpheum. I remember going to…read moreBarrio in St. Paul a long time ago so I was excited to try it again. The service was amazing and our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The other staff help a lot as well and bring food out as it comes so you are always being seen to. Ambiance is a little cramped on the main floor, but they have a beautiful bar and the typical fun downtown leisure hangout. The food was ok. The burrito was nothing to wrote home about. I liked that it was grilled and all, but honestly prefer chipotle by a wide margin. About a 2. The yucas and meatballs were amazing and I was really glad we took the suggestion and ordered them. 4 to 5 The black beans were ehh and nothing really special and a little dry I would not recommend. I love black beans and was a bit disappointed. 1 to 2. The tacos were a hit and if I go again I would definitely lean towards the tacos, chips, and apps. 4 The beet salad was ok but expected a little more for the price. It was ok. 3 All and all a pleasant experience but not anything that will blow you away.

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    Barrio - Bar from the top floor

    Bar from the top floor

    Barrio - Guac and chips

    Guac and chips

    Barrio - Left to Right: Pink Elephant, Black Diamond, Cobre Verde

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    Left to Right: Pink Elephant, Black Diamond, Cobre Verde

    Centro - Enchiladas

    Centro

    4.0(380 reviews)
    3.7 miNortheast
    $$

    Centro on Quincy St definitely passed the afternoon vibe check. The soft serve margaritas were…read moreAHMAZING -- smooth, refreshing, and perfect for a daytime outing. The tacos weren't bad either, flavorful and satisfying without being too heavy. What really stood out was the service. Everyone was beyond awesome, friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience feel easy and welcoming. Good drinks, good food, good energy all around.

    This was first time at this location but my second time getting Centro. We went on a Saturday night…read moreand got a table right away but it wasn't cleaned off yet. You seat yourself so most people were snagging whatever spot they could get. You order at a QR code so there isn't actually a server. They had water you grab yourself but it was on the other side of the bar and not in an obvious location. So just be aware that it is there but you might need to look for it. The food came quick. My friend got the cool ranch wrap and chips and queso. I got the cool ranch wings. Their chips and queso is very good although I could do without the onions and jalapeño on top. The wings were alright. I wasn't really getting that cool ranch flavor and it tasted more just like your standard dry rub. I wasn't a fan of the ranch itself. My friend didn't care for her wrap as it was cold and she felt that the chicken was actually raw/undercooked. She also didn't get any cool ranch flavor come through: Not sure if I'd recommend this place or need to come back but I have had their quesadillas which were good and I did like their queso.

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    Centro
    Centro - Quesadilla

    Quesadilla

    Centro - Gogo juice (espresso) and Holly Dolly Christmas Mule

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    Gogo juice (espresso) and Holly Dolly Christmas Mule

    El Sazon Cocina & Tragos - Birria croquette

    El Sazon Cocina & Tragos

    4.7(72 reviews)
    3.2 miSouthwest
    $$

    El Sazon is amazing and a gem in the community…read more This is everything you want in a small business in your local community, a feeling like you're going over a relatives home. Exceptional, personal service, passionate cooking, warm and inviting atmosphere. The owners Chef Cristian and wife Karen are absolutely amazing and the sweetest. I'd been previously for various events, but this was the first trip just for a casual pop in and dinner. Went for nachos as a table, I snagged a birria burrito bowl, and we had a churro cheesecake for dessert. Chefs, absolute, kiss. You can taste the passion. There's a lot in the back for parking, and pricing is more than fair if not, a killer value in my opinion. Definitely check them out!

    I'm not exaggerating when I say the shrimp burrito at El Sazón might have altered the course of my…read morelife. I've eaten a lot of burritos around Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eagan--you name it--but nothing has ever come close to this masterpiece. The only hiccup was the ordering process. They really want you to order through a QR code, which threw me off for a second. It's not the most intuitive setup, and I definitely had a "wait... am I doing this right?" moment. But once the order was in, everything turned around fast. The service was smooth, friendly, and the food came out quicker than I expected. And that shrimp burrito? Unreal. The tortilla was warm and perfectly toasted, the sauce had that rich, savory kick that makes you pause mid‑bite, and the shrimp... there were so many I genuinely lost count. No filler, no fluff--just pure shrimp glory from start to finish. If you're anywhere near Minneapolis and even remotely into shrimp, get yourself to El Sazón. That burrito deserves its own fan club.

    Photos
    El Sazon Cocina & Tragos - Design on their wall

    Design on their wall

    El Sazon Cocina & Tragos - Steak meal

    Steak meal

    El Sazon Cocina & Tragos - Store front

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    Store front

    Colita - Chicken tostadas

    Colita

    4.4(611 reviews)
    3.6 miSouthwest
    $$$

    It's Taco Tuesday and I was craving Mexican food, but I didn't just wanna go to the type of place…read moreyou think of when "Mexican" is brought up... I'm fancy, so I wanted something a bit more upscale. I did a little bit of research and wouldn't you know it... Colita came up. So here's how it went! Atmosphere/Appearance: Set south of downtown and a bit west of The Mall of America on Penn Avenue is this gem. There is no private parking lot, but plenty of street parking to leave your fly ride. But once you walk up to the restaurant you can immediately understand the message they're trying to send. Everything looks so modern, straightforward with straight lines, grey colors and light woods. There is a small outdoor section where you can dine if you get lucky enough to land a spot there. Inside carries a very similar style with a little nod to the pueblos and architecture of the southwest. The decor is minimalistic and the "loudest" thing in the room is the live plant wall seated directly behind the bar, which was super cool. Service: I can't remember who took care of us, but we had no issues whatsoever. Food/Drink: I was able to try so many different dishes and drinks here and the list is below... : Xochitl In Love : La Clandestina : Tuna Tostada : Chicken Tinga Tostada : Seared Scallops : Tlayuda : Colita Old Fashioned : Lamb Barbacoa Tacos : Duck Tamal However, my favorite things were the Lamb Barbacoa Tacos, Duck Tamal and Seared Scallops, in that order. The food here is phenomenal, the drinks are excellently crafted and things are served tapas style so you don't get too full off of just one thing! Order a whole bunch of stuff and share with the table! Value: As I mentioned earlier, I wanted upscale and the priced dddooo reflect that. Lol. This is a nice place so be prepared to spend... Like you're downtown somewhere. In conclusion, I loved this place and I will come back over and over. Check this place out the next time you're in the area!

    Been to Colita a few times, great meal every time. The latest visit was with my best friend, we had…read morea fun dinner catching up over delicious food. The Tostadas (one order of the Tuna and one order of the Charred Eggplant) were on point. The shrimp tacos and corn elote were yummy too. The Churros were amazing! - A great way to cap off a nice meal. Lucky to have such a great restaurant so close to where we live - my best friend and I both walked to the restaurant because of the snow.

    Photos
    Colita - Interior

    Interior

    Colita - Seared Scallops with carrot puree, salsa macha, peanut, and fresno

    Seared Scallops with carrot puree, salsa macha, peanut, and fresno

    Colita - Fun cocktail and delicious mocktail!

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    Fun cocktail and delicious mocktail!

    El Mariachi - mexican - Updated May 2026

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