Found this place on a "Yelp whim". We were in the area and the reviews looked great. And the restaurant did not disappoint. Nice variety of (I think) traditional Mexican food. And all of our meals were fantastic. Nice sized portions as well. The waitstaff was great. Very attentive. It wasn't very noisy, just some background music. Highly recommend. read more

El Mariachi - Burrito with beans and rice - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

I visited on a Saturday around 1:00 PM with a party of seven. The restaurant is modern, clean, and has plenty of parking. From the moment we arrived, the service was excellent. Everyone in our group loved what they ordered, and the food came out quickly. The portions were generous, and every dish arrived hot and fresh, just the way we like it. We ended our meal with dessert, and it did not disappoint. The flan and tres leches cake were both amazing! The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, regularly refilling our water glasses and checking to see if we needed anything. After we finished eating, we stayed for about 30 minutes just chatting and catching up, and we never felt rushed. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience with great food, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere. We'll definitely be back! read more

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A very solid Mexican restaurant. When we were seated, we immediately received water and chips/salsa. The chips were crisp and not oily; the salsa wasn't spicy, but looked fresh with chunks of tomato and onion. Very good fresh salsa. I got the vegetable fajitas ($24.99) and my partner got the Pollo Apanado ($23.99). The fajitas arrived on a sizzling platter. (The pictures I took below are a bit obscured from the steam from my platter!). It was a nice portion, with onion, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and broccoli. The veggies were well prepared - cooked but not mushy. I asked for corn tortillas and no sour cream. Everything arrived as I requested. The Pollo was a special last night - thin chicken breast in a brown mushroom sauce over mashed potatoes with a little cheese and asparagus. Very good. The place was pretty busy on a Saturday evening around 6:30 pm, but we were not rushed at all. Unfortunately, one of the specials they offered last night (cream of crab soup) was not available. Seems a bit early in the evening to run out of a specials item, but I guess it was very popular and good!) The service was very good. Water service especially. Our glasses were never empty before someone came by to refill. The price for the veggie fajitas seems higher than the same dish at other local restaurants. I can't say I noticed a difference in quality or taste from the others. read more

Excellent variety of choices deliciously prepared and served timely with a kind word. Charming place that brings us back again & again.

Food quality was crazy good. A+++. Whole family enjoyed their meals. Definitely back again.

I ordered a Pork Dish - horrible - the pork was tough and dry. food very poor quality husband could not cut through his enchiladas. I will not return. In addition they are over priced. Terrible experience. read more

This place is beyond underrated. It's hidden and tucked away however does not disappoint at all. When we walked in we were seated fast and attended by our waiter quickly. The staff was amazing and it was nice. It's a quiet place not loud at all so it was nice. Let's talk about the food. First of all my son absolutely loved his dish. My son is pretty picky about the foods he eats. This is the first time I've seen him absolutely love a dish. The ribs were cooked perfectly. The meat was tender and juicy well seasoned with the side dish of rice avocado sour cream etc. The Lengua al vino was prob one of the best ways I had lengua. It was perfection with every bite. Excellent by far best place that's made it so far. It's nice to have fresh guacamole that was made versus guacamole that has been made in the morning and then it sits for a while and you could definitely taste the difference. This was fresh and it was really really good with the chips that came with it.. The calamari I'm a huge fan of this each time it's available on the menu. I tend to order out of all the reviews I've made. This has to be my second favorite location that makes it.. It is perfectly breaded, well balanced, and the sauces that came with it as an option. Extremely well you have two options of sauces.. read more

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Services were fast and great. Food not so great to be honest... most of the vegetables on my fajita were too charred. The portion size wasn't on the bigger side and I was able to finish everything. Their queso doesn't seem natural. Not recommended. Great guac though. Two entrees, one dip. Spent $72 with tax and tips. read more

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Consistently delivers tasty, high quality dishes Service is prompt and welcoming. Sound level allows for easy conversation at the table

We love it. We go here often. Beef Fajitas - delicious. I usually ask for extra onions and peppers. Carne Asada - Tender and delicious. Lomo Saltado - Flavorful and yummy. Ceviche - Wife and daughter love it. Plantains - usually delicious but inconsistent. Service, always and consistently fast and friendly. read more

Tuesday 11/19/2024 I've had this spot on my radar for over a month but now I'm finally visiting it. I spent $58.27 on a pick up order via DoorDash and got the carne asada a la Mexicana (medium) $26, shredded chicken chimichanga $19, and tres leches $10. The pick up process was easy and service was decent for the short time I was there picking up. - the carne asada la Mexicana (steak) was better than I expected and I would give a 7.6/10 but $26 for the meal seems overpriced but maybe that's just me. - The chimichanga impressed me as it was better than expected and the chicken was moist and not dried out. Only takeaway is that $19 for the meal is pretty crazy for the portion you get. - The tres leches was a huge letdown. It was average, small, and OVERPRICED (charging $10 whole dollars for it is a scam). - The rice & beans that came with the meals were pretty regular & standard. Besides the Tres leches, the food was actually decent but I have a hard time believing that those high prices are worth it (they're not). read more

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I have to say that the food and service were a little disappointing. My friend had never been there before and I raved how much I love El mariachi. She ordered soft tacos and said that only the steak taco was good. She also ordered a chicken and I brought it home and ate it the next day. The taco had seasoning on it that made it a little salty. I ordered steak and shrimp fajita. It was very good. We also ordered guacamole. I was a little shocked on the amount they give you for the price. It was a small portion and I had to ask for more chips because we ate the first chips with the salsa. I wouldn't order the guacamole next time. the beans in the rice are good. The WAiter did not checked on us frequently and I needed to ask for more water; that usually is never the case. The restaurant was quiet. It was a Saturday late lunch 3 pm. I know I will go back but this time I was disappointed. read more

El Mariachi - Shrimp and steak fajita - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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A Mexican restaurant with some surprises. One of us got cajun jambalaya. Not Mexican. Not bad. I wasn't looking for a touch of New Orleans, but they nailed the sauce, with chicken and shrimp cooked just right. Our other dishes were traditional: shrimp fajitas and chicken fajitas. Again properly cooked and seasoned. Plenty of components to add into the tortilla wrapper. We finished with tres leches dessert. Moist and sweet as it was designed. Is 4 stars harsh? I based it on other Mexican restaurants that are on this level. For 5 stars, I needed them to be a cut above. read more

El Mariachi - Chicken fajita - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

The food is great and I have been going here for years, but I can say that the prices have gone up astronomically and the portions have gotten smaller and that is a major turnoff especially when your loyal clientele are getting the brunt of the shortfalls. We will always come back but value right now can be achieved easily for both the restaurant and the guests. Sorry to be critical but sometimes the vacuum does not allow management to realize that when even one regular feels this them most of them do, but they just won't say anything. read more

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I've eaten here a handful of times and have never been disappointed in the food. This visit, I came during lunch and the service was slightly slow. It seems they only had one server running all the tables. Came right at noon and it wasn't busy. We got seated right away. We ordered the combination chicken & steak fajitas, chicken quesadilla from the appetizer menu, a strawberry frozen margarita, and a mango margarita on the rocks. Everything was delicious! read more

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We just love El Mariachi. It's a lovely restaurant with terrific service. Thank you, Judy! Which just leads me to the delicious food. Tonight we enjoyed the Gambas, the Norteno fajitas and the always wonderful Lomo Saltado. You should go. It's terrific. read more

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Wish I took a picture!! I'm recommending this to my family ASAP because this was some of the best (Tex) Mexican food I've had in a while. I ordered the Yucateca and the pork was so flavorful and smoky, topped with onions and tomato's for that balancing acidic tang that we all love in this type of cuisine. The rice was cooked to my liking, at first glance you think it's plain white rice, but it's flavorful, rich and super soft. Wish I knew how to cook it like that. The seating is cute and soft on the eyes, the musics at a good volume and our server was attentive and polite. read more

Excellent food! The steak was well-flavored, tender, and juicy. Attentive server. The ambiance is quite bright, authentic, and cheery as well! I'll definitely return! (11/7/24) read more

El Mariachi - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

An easy 5 stars! The service that we had at El Mariachi is the best service I have had in all of 2021! They brought us everything we needed (drinks, chips, our food, and the check) so fast and they were very busy that night. I ordered the chicken fajitas, it was so good. Very fresh and came out steaming hot. We also got a strawberry margarita 1/2 pitcher. It was nice that they have options to order sharable portions. Such a well run establishment! read more

El Mariachi - Chicken FAJITAS NORTENAS AL CARBON - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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The food here did not taste good. It's very mediocre and bland. For a Hispanic restaurant it doesn't have any authentic flavors and use a lot of American basic ingredients. Like the rice tasted like it came out of a microwave bag of uncle Ben's rice and the cheese tasted like Kraft cheese slices. The inside is nice and the people were kind. The margarita was delicious but other than that the food might look appealing but not worth the price. If you don't like you food seasoned or spicy this would be a good option but it's also kind of pricey. Check out mama pupuseria next door if you want some really good Hispanic food! read more

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Fantastic service and amazing food - the drinks were expensive for the size but everything was amazing

You know, I have come back to El Mariachi after about one year and, I am sorry to say, that the restaurant is not doing well. The food is still solid - except for the salsa that is too liquid-y and has WAY too many onions. The food is okay. But, this time, the service was really not good at all. Wait times were long. Nobody took ownership of our table even though there were many wait staff standing around. Most of them were on their phones and not paying attention. That kept us hungry for far too long after we sat down and it kept us thirsty for too many times after we were eating. When we received service, it was short, just enough to do the job without so much as a smile, a greeting or often any words at all. The only time the waiter was pleasant was when he delivered the bill and it was time to consider a tip. I hate that when it happens that way. I have worked in restaurants all my life and it should NOT be this way. I am sorry to say that this will probably be my last time to El Mariachi. I cannot recommend it to anyone. read more

I am here, enjoying a good strawberry margarita on the rocks with salt and the most delicious chicken enchiladas with Mole sauce!! Now MOLE sauce has chocolate in it, but it's not what you think . It's incredibly delectable! But beware it's addicting !! And the staff is super friendly and amazing and it's a very quaint restaurant read more

El Mariachi - Chicken enchilada with out of this world delicious Mole sauce - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Nice quiet dinner in a local "hole-in-the-wall" favorite. I would characterize the menu as Latin fusion rather than Mexican (despite the chips and salsa to start)! Service was stellar - they didn't hover but kept our glasses full and ensured we had everything we needed. read more

El Mariachi - POLLO ASADO - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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after many years of not coming here , I came on Monday . I order chicken quesadillas think it was going to be a Normal size quesadillas he showed up with 4 little small pieces. very disappointing . read more

Bean and cheese nachos are solid. I do wish they offered agua fresca. Is it the most legit Mexican I've ever had? No, but I appreciate it. Service is good. Ambiance is friendly, low-key, and family-friendly. Plenty of parking is available. read more

Dinner was good. Could have used more heat and herbed spicing. Chicken was very good, tender. Sangria was good- would have liked more fruit, mostly orange peels. Santa Fa Platter with chili relleno, tamale, and cheese enchilada was okay. The quesadilla was better and had a nice amount of guac and sour cream. The pinto beans and rice was really good. read more

El Mariachi - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Great restaurant, we enjoyed the mango and strawberry margaritas. The chicken mole was great, I like it a bit sweet. I enjoyed the chicken tacos. The quesadilla appetizer was tasty but on the small side. Everyone liked the fried ice cream. Great service and nice clean bathrooms. Great place, highly recommend. read more

The complimentary salsa with chips is what I enjoyed the most. Couldn't get enough of that. I ordered fish tacos with rice and beans. I didn't want crispy battered fish so I ordered it without. Two tacos cane with my meal. They were ok but I wouldn't order them again. Way too much oil and the tortillas were sitting right in it so they became overly soggy before I could get to the second one. The waiter was very gracious about getting me another corn tortilla to replace the soggy one. The rice and black beans were good but I would have preferred more beans than rice. There was about a tablespoon of beans on top of a bowl sized rice. I also ordered a size of guacamole. I love fresh guacamole but this one tasted like mayonnaise for some reason. Wasn't a fan of that.Other than that, the restaurant was clean, service was excellent and it was fairly quiet. Great place for dining, I would just choose something else from the menu next time. read more

One of my families favorite spots. We find every excuse to go...birthdays, anniversaries, mid-week dinner when no one feels like cooking. I get the shrimp and steak fajitas, they're mouthwatering and the portion is so big I always am able to bring some home. The carne asada a la Mexicana and enchiladas are both delicious. Check their website before you go, they almost always have coupons you can print out. Was not in the mood for dessert tonight but the flan is fantastic as well! read more

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I ordered for pickup and was told that it will be ready in 15 minutes. Arriving they asked me for the name the order was place on but I was never asked for one. They said they never put the order in and they just started . I waited but when receiving my food the proportions were so small for the cost. I ordered two fajitas mix and two drinks. I paid 70 dollars and I didn't have the option of drink sizes. I was given a small drink. I would not recommend this place. It was my first time eating here and I would not come back. read more

The service was friendly and attentive. The food, however, was a huge disappointment. The salmon was very fishy smelling and tasted off. The calamari was slimy and greasy. The salads and quesadillas were ok. Will try another restaurant. read more

We ordered the combo fajitas and chicken enchiladas for delivery and it arrived fairly quickly at a warm temperature. Combo fajitas (steak and chicken): This was $24 ($21 for just chicken but +$3 to make it a combo with steak), and although this is a bit pricier than other places this was quite good! The steak was cut into thin strips and was tender and easy to chew; the chicken was also juicy and well seasoned. The toppings were fresh, the only thing was that they only provided 3 flour tortillas when other restaurants give 4-5. Chicken enchiladas: The chicken was dry and while the enchilada wasn't bad, it certainly didn't stand out. This was cheaper at about $14-$15, but I'd rather have gotten more fajitas. In addition to our food, they also gave us free chips and salsa in the delivery order. I loved how light and crispy the chips were. read more

Had lunch here with my friend. Would definitely return. The food was fresh and didn't leave me feeling heavy. The black beans were flavorful and not just salty like a lot of other places. The margs were delicious. The tequila offerings for their special margs were great! Fancier table set up than I usually see at similar restaurants and loved it. Delicious vegetarian options. Keep up the great work El Mariachi team! read more

Always excellent. I have been a customer for many years and am never disappointed. Love the fajitas and the salmon and chicken dishes too. Friendly service and happy to see read more

As always, superb Mexi/Central American cuisine. And service is very attentive and efficient. Highly recommended. One of the best restaurants of its kind in Rockville - if not THE best. read more

Da food always great! Good delivery! One time my salsa wasn't right but they made sure it great this time! Love u guys! read more

El Mariachi - Enchiladas! - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Best Mexican food in Montgomery County and maybe in Maryland! Atmosphere: Being popular on a Friday night at 8pm, there was a 20min wait as the place was packed (a good sign). Interior was nice and was of the style of a small Mexican family restaurant. This place has been operating for over 20 years successfully! Service: Serviice was decent but nothing spectacular as there was a language barrier present. It makes the place more authentic Meal Quality: Salsa was good and had the right amount of flavor and texture. Ordered the beef & chicken enchiladas in a salsa verde. The chicken was good but the beef was spectacular as it was more of a brisket quality. I finished it up with a cajetas dessert that was a fine finish to the meal with its frozen ice cream covered in shaved coconut and drizzled in dulce de leche read more

El Mariachi - Beef & chicken enchiladas - Latin American Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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I ordered 2 carne asada, 1 flan, and 2 cokes and my order was wrong! The carne asada itself tasted fine, the rice had no flavor, and the guac tasted old. I ordered 2 CAN cokes and received flat coke in a plastic container. I ordered a flan and received a tres leches cake. I wouldn't have mind if the tres leches tasted good. However, it was nasty and tasted as if they just dipped hard bread in milk. I will not be returning and advise for orders to be checked before sent out. read more

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My husband and I have been going to El Mariachi for many years. The food is very good & some of the employees recognize us. On Friday night, I was in the shopping center where it is located & decided to walk in to place a takeout order for our dinner. It was early, so there were a handful of customers. No employee was at the door, so I walked to the back where takeout is picked up. There were 3 servers between the kitchen door & the cash register area. It is located next to the bar. A bartender was serving a margarita to a customer sitting on a barstool. All 3 servers looked at me & ignored me. I waited, standing & finally decided to sit at the bar. I was seated with one seat between me and the male customer. The bartender said to the man, "you're waiting for an order, so do you want chips & salsa while you wait?" He said "yes" & was given that. He then started slicing lemons & limes for his bar tray without saying anything to me. I said "I'd like to order takeout " & then he paid attention. He took my order & I asked for a drink while I waited. I paid the bill, which a server had to process. I was not offered chips & salsa. I was literally invisible to the staff. One of the servers has seen me there dozens of times & I've always had great interactions with everyone there. I am very upset about what happened there. read more