The service was fast. The food is very freshly made and delicious. The chicken had a nice smoky flavor. It's the best enchilada I've had in years. Not swimming in sauce just enough . The rice and beans were flavorful too. Very nice place! They nailed it! read more

Imelda's Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Caldwell, Idaho

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This place used to be delicious. We went in today for lunch and it was expensive and disappointing. The beans and rice were so dry, it was like they been in a chafing dish for hours. They also lacked seasoning. The tortillas were fresh and delicious (highlight of the meal), but there was barely any meat in the tacos and the chicken was wet and shredded like I make in the crockpot at home. We won't be back. read more

I would like to be able to tell you about the food, but the service was so unforgivably slow I never got to try the food.... Here's what happened, I Waited 10 minutes to order... Just after I paid the server says "we have a bit of a wait". There were 11 people in the place when I sat down, 10 of them already had food. After I sat down one of them got up to leave as a large group was coming in the door, the guy stopped to tell the group it took them 55 minutes to get his order out. I sat and was reading a book.... 1 hour and 5 minutes after I paid, my food still hadn't come out and the waitress was MIA. I finally caught her as she was bringing chips to a table and got a refund. Avoid this place like the plague! read more

Chicos Tex Mex is amazing, from the moment you walk in, you're greeted like family. The staff is so friendly and attentive--they check in on you while you're eating and even take time to visit with you on the way out. The food is just as amazing as the service. Their homemade tortillas, beans, and perfectly fluffy rice are incredible, and the barbacoa and carne asada are absolute must-tries. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

Not sure if another batch of new owners have come in...but my last 2 visits were so disappointing...that I will not be back. Barely a teaspoon of meat on a taco ? For that Price ??? Beans & rice seem day-old and re-heated. read more

We used to love this place but we went here today and from the time we ordered 4 breakfast tacos til the time had them at the table it was 55 minutes which was absolutely ridiculous. They also changed the prices and i noticed they charged me extra for items that usually came on the breakfast tacos... not sure if its new owners or what but this place was a disaster today. read more

Imelda's Restaurant - Bacon breakfast tacos - Mexican Near Me - Caldwell, Idaho

Small but friendly Mexican restaurant specializing in breakfast and reasonable lunch prices. They make their own tortillas here and the chips and salsa are delicious. They are not afraid to serve flavorful yet spicy sauces. There is a wide variety of meats to choose from for nearly all their entrees which I really appreciate. Beans are a pinto style (not refried) but taste great. And I really like the smaller portion sizes. This is order at the counter service so don't expect them to wait on you but the soda refill station is handy and they are very responsive to any requests. The food is very authentic Mexican. read more

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*New Ownership* I so rarely write reviews, but look at them frequently. I feel obligated to share our experience. Evidently the restaurant was taken over by new owners last week. My husband and I almost left before we ordered when I asked about a certain menu item from a very limited menu, and the lady told me she didn't know what it was because they had just "taken over." She didn't even offer to try to figure it out. I wish I had trusted my gut, but we stayed anyway. I can't speak to the food before, but judging from the photos already posted, it was much better. I wish I had taken a picture. The refried beans were tasteless and runny, and just slopped on (and all over) the plate. My meal came with hashbrowns that were greasy, uncooked, and barely warm. They looked like bean sprouts. I was shocked when I received the plate, and couldn't believe they would serve something so horrid looking. I only ate a small amount of the scrambled eggs, and an hour later I was sick. Obviously we will not be returning. read more

The food is awesome here. I've only been here twice but both times, the food is great. Freshly made, including the tortillas. It's just a little hole in the wall type place, so not big. I moved back to Idaho from being in Arizona for many years and really missed good Mexican food. This place is good!! read more

Imelda's Restaurant in Caldwell is as authentic as a home cooked meal in a Mexican household. I know because I have been in hundreds of them in two countries. I stopped to have lunch. The parking can be a challenge. This place can get very busy around noon to one, every day. The kitchen does a good job keeping up with the orders, but expect a wait. Lots of takeout orders. The breakfast menu looks outstanding. The items come with hash browns AND frijoles. You get your choice of corn (maíz) or flour (harina) tortillas. Go with the corn (more on that later). Because the definition of Migas differs in Spanish speaking countries from the Caribbean, Spain, South America and Central America, I asked what theirs was. In Spain, Portugal and parts of South America, Migas uses a base of bread or bread crumbs sautéed in sheep or pork fat. Then eggs are added along with choices such as chorizo, tomatoes, onions and other veggies, even grapes. Cheese is sometimes involved. South of our border and in Texas, Migas involves fried, day-old tortillas triangles taking center stage as the base (as in Chilaquiles, but without the excessive sauce). In Migas, there is always an egg and a source of pork, normally sausage and all mixed together. In Chilaquiles, those items are add-ons, cooking them over the top of the tortilla chip base and soupy sauce. Both items are not recommended for dieters or folks with existing health issues. Choosing from four different sizes of menudo a medium bowl looked right. Unlike a lot of places in the Treasure Valley, Imelda's uses hominy in their recipe. It gives the broth a thicker consistency and a bit of chewiness - very satisfying. It was served with three tortillas (I chose corn). See the photo of the soup and notice the spoon holding the honeycomb tripe. Honeycomb is reticulum tripe from the 2nd and smaller stomach of the cow. It is 1.5-2x more expensive than regular flat tripe and has a wonderful taste and consistency. This form of tripe is only found in households who want their menudo to be of the highest quality. Now to the tortillas. They are clearly hand-pressed. Irregular edges and thickness are the hallmarks of truly handmade. They are almost as thick as a potholder and they retain their nuclear hot condition while wrapped in aluminum. Ten cuidado, take care when handling these heavy torts. Raised on these kitchen specialties, they are called gorditas (little fat ones) and they have a huge corn flavor unlike any you may have ever tasted before. Talk about taking me back to my youth!!! This meal was the best quality and most authentic Mexican cuisine I have experienced since I left BCN, Mexico. read more

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The menudo was fantastic! Will definitely be returning for more. So far it's the best I've had in the treasure valley.

Super bummed! This was my favorite taco place but they no longer have their 3 taco lunch special! The green salsa I got wasn't the same as I remember and it came on a platter with rice and beans. The tacos were also WAY smaller than they used to be! Missing the old menu and food quality. It also didn't help that they messed up our order after giving us the wrong food and following up twice! How hard is it to get a 3 pollo tacos with the works + cilantro! read more

This place use to be really good until it got bought by new owners. Just went today and got 3 tacos with barely anything in them. Unfortunately, this is not the first time, but it was the last time. I'll never go back. read more

Great people and outstanding food. The breakfast tacos are the best. It is always a must stop when visiting Caldwell read more

Imelda's Restaurant - Imelda's has great breakfast tacos - Mexican Near Me - Caldwell, Idaho

Highly recommend this place! Especially if you're looking for a delicious authentic Mexican dish! The homemade corn tortillas are superb. I got the huevos rancheros and the homemade salsa on top was an amazing accompaniment. The service was quick too! It is a cozy clean little place, and just what we were looking for on our way out of town. Thanks Imelda's! read more

Delicious authentic Mexican flavor. I had the two taco plate. I chose chicken mole and guisado on their wonderful hand-made corn tortillas. Happy to learn they use no fats, oils or grease on their beans. I absolutely loved their guisado. I asked for it plain and was blown away by the scrumptious explosion of flavor, the best I've had in Nampa/Caldwell. Mole flavor was great too except I would have liked thicker more sauce or just more of it on my taco. Don't get me wrong, definitely wonderful mole flavor. I took one star off because I'm a rice perfectionist, being of Chinese Mexican decent... I'm a hard-nosed critic. Sopa de arroz needs less water and bit less cummin or seasoning, perfect saltiness! read more

Love, love, love Imelda! Family owned. Everything from scratch and fresh! I am on weight watchers and have this and still stay on my diet! I do not eat the rice and beans when I am dieting) Heaven. read more

Imelda's Restaurant - Chicken tostada. It comes with rice and beans (not shown) Healthy and so tasty! - Mexican Near Me - Caldwell, Idaho

First time at this restaurant, decided to try as the overall rating was good on google. Unfortunately the food did not live up to the ratings. We ordered Chips and salsa, enchilada plate, burrito plate and two tacos. The chips tasted like generic store brand tortilla rounds and the salsa tasted like they went to the Italian restaurant next door and got some marinara sauce. The meats had no seasoning. Not sure they even used salt. The beans had a weird texture and little flavor. The rice was the correct color, but also had no flavor. The most flavorful item was the corn tortillas as they had some grill flavor. Overall bland and not authentic in flavor. read more

Best Mexican food in the Treasure Valley. Worth the drive to Caldwell. We love Imelda's!

This is a fantastic little Mexican place. The parking is wonky. But worth the finagling!! The food is authentic and sooo yummy

This is a family restaurant and the food is reflective of that. The staff is welcoming and patient and answers questions as you make your choices from the chalkboard menu. The tortillas are made on-site and are some of the best I've ever tasted. The food is always fresh and tasty and after trying, I'm sure you will be back to try another dish. Indoor & outdoor seating. read more

Delightful Cafe! Friendly and helpful staff, delicious food! A fortunate discovery as we paused a day in Caldwell to let the snow move east!!!​ read more

Great staff! Everyone was friendly. You order and pay at the counter and they will bring your food to you. They have self serve drinks. The food was a bit slow to come out. BUT The ingredients seemed fresh and everything that was supposed to be warm was warm and the cold stuff was cold. I can tell this is a local fave because they had plenty of customers. The food was a bit bland for me. I added a lot of salt to everything. They use store-bought chips for chilaquiles instead of making them or at least using the right kind of pre-made chips. The refried beans seemed like they weren't cooked long enough because they had a bit of a gritty texture versus a creamy soft texture and they didn't have much flavor. The food is not bad but it wasn't great either. This is the perfect place for folks on a low-sodium diet. You might love the food here. Give them a try. Three stars for great staff and fresh ingredients! read more

Cannot go wrong at Imelda's. The four tortillas and Guisado are amazing! Prices went up but prices went up on everything else so nothing new. read more

Oh my goodness... this is a tiny jewel of a restaurant! I chose tacos with rice and decried beans. Soooo good. They make their tortillas fresh, both corn and flour. Nothing beats homemade tortillas. Nothing. I tried one each , corn tortilla taco and flour tortilla taco. The BEST. EVER. I'm bringing my dad here. He would be blown away! Next week. Me. Dad. It's a date! read more

This small little place is a great place for lunch. Good house-made corn and flour tortillas. We both had the three taco platter special. All ingredients were fresh, even the tomatoes which are not in season right now. Would have preferred all white meat chicken and my husband's pulled chicken did have a small bone in it, otherwise this rating would have been 5-stars. Excellent portion sizes. Good service. Very nice employees. Only downsides are their small shop size, so it fills up fast and there may not be seating. Parking is a little tough too during peak hours. Bathroom was only so-so. Overall, very good. Will be going there again. read more

Three of us had a fantastic lunch at Imeldas today. Consistently the best Mexican food we have ever eaten. Personable service and delicious food for about 30 years. Our go-to place in Caldwell for sure. read more

I finally found Mexican food that reminds me of the authentic New Mexico dishes I grew up loving. The place is non stop with new comers, individuals who literally come every single day, and those who make it there meeting place to gather with friends and family. I spoke briefly with Jessica the acting manager who is extremely friendly and takes the time to get to know the customers. Jessica mentioned the individuals who come every morning never order the same thing it's a different item daily. I can see why. If I had the time I would probably do the same until I tried at least one time everything on the menu. The green chili is my favorite and the red isn't half bad either. If your in Caldwell especially in morning hours it's the spot to be for breakfast!! read more

I like this little place. Just for the sake of saving Time I ordered the lunch special which is three tacos and a soft drink. The tortillas are homemade and were spectacular. $8.22 for lunch served with a smile. However, skip the fish taco if you don't like battered and deep fried fish. Good stuff and MUCH better than any other Mexican place I've tried in Caldwell. read more

Imelda's Restaurant - Family feel... - Mexican Near Me - Caldwell, Idaho

Service was by far the best I have had in months. Even though you order at the counter, seat yourself. I was greeted with a smile, food was brought out to my table, fresh coffee was made just for me as I was the only patron. House made, Mexican, traditional food. Very very clean restaurant, with the flavor of a authentic taco truck. Highlight was made from scratch corn tortillas. read more

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This use to be a great place to eat reminded me of El Valle Tejas. Then their portions went down for thier price the tortilla was bigger than what they gave you and it's not Texas way. read more

I haven't had menudo this good since I left Texas. The tortillas were fresh and delicious and the barbacoa was some of the best I've had. An ice cold Big Red soda and a hot bowl of menudo, nothing better! LOVE THIS PLACE. read more

Been coming here for years and love it every time. New owners and it has been sucking ever since. Today was the final straw. They brought my menudo out in a paper bowl and a plastic spoon. I will eat here again. read more

went with friends and experienced great, fresh mexican food and a very friendly staff. It's a small space and plenty of people know it's great food, but we managed to get a table for four. You order and pay at the counter, but they bring you your food and clear your tables afterward. Definitely going back and bring the family. read more

Food was good just not what I had imagined. I had Chile Colorado tacos, which I would never order except they don't serve carne asada or Al pastor which are my go to. Probably try the shredded beef next time. read more

Best breakfast taco I have ever had. Getting to go to Imelda's is such a treat. Amazing prices, amazing hot sauce, and everything tastes fresh. The only downfall of this place is their hours. I work in boise 8 - 5 so stopping over in caldwell for lunch is impossible. They are not open on sundays (and now saturdays too I believe). So I really can only stop by if I take a day off. Oh well this place still deserves 5 stars for their amazing food! read more

I was really disappointed with my recent visit to this restaurant. I'm not in the Nampa/Caldwell area that often and so when I was, I immediately checked Yelp for a good recommendation. Needless to say I can't agree with the majority on this one. Visited on a Saturday afternoon. Location is somewhat strange and definitely challenging for parking. I found it most odd that they advertised themselves out front as a cafe, we almost thought we were in the wrong place. Signage is poor for those who are unfamiliar with the location. The menu is simple, I think.....It was honestly confusing. There were pictures of combination plates but then a chalkboard menu with build your own tacos. Other reviewers raved about the tacos, so I went that route. Choose 3 tacos for $6 something. I picked barbacoa, chicken and chile colorado. The tortillas were very good. First two tacos not bad, but nothing to recommend or brag about. Third taco (chile colorado) was horrible. All I could taste was red sauce and honestly it tasted like it came out of a can. It took a very long time for the food to come out. I understand the whole made to order. But there was only one other family waiting at a table and no one else in the restaurant. I watched one meal at a time come out to them. I would say it was probably 20 minutes before our tacos came out and another 5 minutes before our kid's enchilada. It also seemed odd we weren't offered the customary chips and salsa to abide our time. Would have made entertaining two young children much more bearable. Honestly, bummed we wasted an hour and our money here. It's not often Yelp leads me astray. Guess you can't win them all. On a side note....I was adding up the items we ordered and I am 99% sure we were overcharged. The chalkboard sign explained you got a price break for 3 tacos, but I believe we were charged the per taco price. Wished I would have not declined a copy of my receipt. (I was informed the 3 taco price break is only provided if you order 3 of the same taco. So if you know what you like, then opt for 3 of the same to save a few bucks). read more

Hot damn! This little gem is tucked away on "the boulevard" (look at me, becoming an honorary Caldwellian) before you hit Dutch Goose. It's a cozy little room with a counter, plenty of seating, and family memorabilia on the wall. These are seriously the best tacos I've had in Caldwell (I know... it was really hard to choose between this place and Tacos El Rey... but I made my decision). The tortillas are ridiculously fresh, chewy and tasty. I tried the chile colorado, guisado and barbacoa. All were outstanding and their one salsa (yeah, when it's this good, you don't need seven varieties of salsa) was perfect for each one. You an expect a wide variety of coffee drinks, a soda fountain, and more traditional Mexican food (enchilada plates, menudo, burritos, etc.). If you don't mind spending a few more pesos, this is your taco and caffeine destination. Give 'em a try, they're more than worth it. read more

Great small taqueria located in Caldwell. It is tucked a way a little, so you have to look for it. Tried it for the 1st time yesterday. Outstanding!! Homemade tortillas, fresh ingredients, and generous portions. Only negative is it is very small, and super busy. Order took 15 minutes to get to us. But food (3 taco platter) was tasty. Will go back again when in area. read more

Imelda's is one of those places that you go to that has the right mix of "this is what Mexican food should be like" and the Americanized version of Mexican food. Like any other restaurant, it's not without it's merits and issues, but overall, this place merits a visit. The first thing I noticed walking in here is that the place is pretty homey. I kind of liked that. I felt the service, both how nice everyone was and how the food was presented, kind of reinforced that feeling. The person I was with ordered a soup that she said reminder her of her mom's soups, so that's good. I personally don't necessarily always love "it's just like home" stuff, but still. The service at the front and from the waitstaff was good -- no complaints at all. The food here is a mixed bag, in my opinion. I liked my tacos (steak), but they were a bit too Americanized for me. I thought that being in a place like that, they'd be more "street tacos" than anything, but no. The tacos were not bad -- that's not at all what I'm saying, but they were more along the lines of tacos you'd get at a different restaurant. Based exclusively on the tacos alone, I would give this place two stars. However, my friend ordered the soup I mentioned before. She loved it. It had all sorts of stuff in it, looked fairly meaty, and smelled wonderful. I asked her how she felt about it, and she said it was easily 4 stars. I think the service and ambiance was three stars, so there we are. If you're in the area and looking for Mexican, you're probably gonna be ok here. If you're looking for something more authentic, perhaps this isn't the place for you. read more