Great place for Mexican food, our go to place when in the area! They gave us warm tortilla chips & 2 different hot sauces as soon as we sat down.They have a very large menu compared to other Mexican restaurants. The tacos & margarita were very good! The staff was friendly, some don't speak English so if they don't respond, they aren't being rude. Most of the customers are Mexican, so it must be authentic read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time, finally made it. I'm soooo glad we did. The service was wonderful, the food was amazing, and the drinks were awesome! The thing my husband loved most of all was that it was more affordable. We will definitely be back. A true gem in Pontiac. read more

Took my dad here for his birthday yesterday and was pleasantly surprised with Sopapillas and the best ice cream I've ever had in my life. The smoothest, creamiest ice cream ever. Now don't get me wrong, the chips and salsa (especially the salsa verde) were definitely the bomb! I also ordered the queso dip with chorizo (sans jalapeños) and it was delicious as well. For my entree, I indulged in tamales which were seasoned well but a tinge on the dry side. And wash everything down with a margarita. I will definitely be back for the Sopapillas and ice cream and the queso dip. Those were the highlights of the day for sure! read more

Honestly this place was way underwhelming than I expected. We ordered Guacamole - it was cold, not enough salt or spice. I also got Chicken Fajita - the chicken was under cooked. The drink special is Margarita for $5 and Bud and Bud Light for $2. This is the only good thing. Place is run down. It is not in a great part of town. My friend got fish taco combo. Again was very mediocre. I would avoid this place. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant by far! The salsas are wonderful! My favorite entree is the wet burrito. Very authentic and it is large! I also love the nachos, fajitas and enchiladas. Oh, and the margaritas are the best. We will never go to another Mexican restaurant in this area as long as Jalapeños is open. Thank you! read more

Love this place a lot. I have been coming here for at least 10 years and they just keep getting better and better. Thank you Jalapenos for a great consistent product and awesome service. f read more

Wow! This place pretty much saved Cinco de Mayo for me! My friend and I had gone to Mexicantown (which I still think is hella lame, sorry) for Cinco de Mayo. After learning that all of the wait times at the few restaurants were all at least 2 hours long, we decided to ditch Mexicantown and eat somewhere else. My friend drove us to this little restaurant. Outside, some guys and little boys were watching some videos on a big screen, and they were blaring that horn-tooting, lively music that I often hear blaring from trucks in my city (San Diego...best Mexican food north of the border!). I took that as a good sign, and we ventured inside. I ordered 2 beef tacos (forgot what my friend ordered), and in the meantime, we chowed down on the chips and delicious salsa. The salsa had just the right amount of spice and heat. When my tacos arrived, I was not disappointed. Juicy shredded beef saturated the taco shells. The pico de gallo was perfect. Wow. A note: If you are a Caucasian female coming here late at night, you might feel slightly awkward, intimidated, or uncomfortable. My friend and I were the only females in the whole restaurant, and none of the men there were at all shy about STARING at us. Not just looking, I mean FULL-ON STARING. To be honest, I don't know if it was just a gender thing or a cultural thing, but if you come in the day time or with a group, you should be fine. Nothing happened except the staring, so if you can deal with that, you're all good, no matter what time of day or night it is. Coming from a town with a nearly unlimited choice of Mexican food restaurants, I was very excited to see that there's a place in Michigan that makes delicious, authentic Mexican food. If you're looking for the real deal, try Jalapenos! read more

Menu is not very veggie friendly-took a star away Waited 15 min for a refill. - took another star away The avocado salsa is great just like everyone has said.- this was by far the best part of the meal I took another star away because, while I know that my mom can be a handful to waitresses by trying to get veggies instead of just re-fried beans subbed into her order(she's a vegetarian), she CLEARLY told the waitress we were vegetarian and even then after several "please, no meat," pleas from my mom, we still ended up with several large pieces of ground beef in the rice. -took another star The waitress then ACCUSED US(!!!!) of complaining about meat in our vegetarian dish in order to try and weasel a free meal. As she put it, "that's what you Indian people do all the time,"(WTF?!!!!). She was VERY RUDE about it, claiming the waiters have no control over the kitchen, the kitchen does whatever they want and sometimes they choose to ignore the waiters instructions. Idk if this place has a manager but it didn't seem like it, because a manager would have come over, said sorry and remedied the situation. instead what we got was the other waiter that was working, who came over and told us if we didn't like our food, to "pay AND leave"- took another star away glancing over the reviews it seems other yelpers have had problems with this one female waitress that doesn't speak much english and has bad hair, and i can't say I'm surprised that we had trouble with her too, i just don't know how or why she still works there. - upon my mother showing her the meat in her rice, she instantly went into defense mode claiming, "well, i didn't put the meat in it" and then SHOVED the check in my mom's face to show her that she wrote vegetarian on the ticket("SEE! SEE! I WRITE VEGGIE" she yelled loud enough to hear across the restaurant). her attitude was like, "i didn't do it, take it up with the cooks", well i hate to break it to you, but IT IS your responsibility as a waitress to make sure the order you take comes out right from then kitchen to the diner. I was really embarrassed by the whole event but the last part made me angry enough to tell the waitress that, this isn't how hospitality works, you say your sorry and try to remedy, EVEN IF IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. I know we special ordered, subbing meat for beans, but it was just a vegetarian order it didn't seem like a HUGE request. i hate to wonder what would have happened if we had ordered gluten free. read more

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Jalapenos are my favorite food. And Jalapenos was delicious. I think our server was a little new--took some time for the chips and salsa to pop-up, but we were pleased to find the salsas were just the right balance of spice and flavor. He was timely with our drinks, helpful and informative as far as the menu items go, and we were glad to take his suggestions to heart (and to belly.) We ordered some tacos (street-style, yay!) and the mole, which inspired awe and reverence in me. My first mole in Michigan and it smacks of authenticity, hitting all the right notes of awesome? Yes, please. The meat was tender, the flavors genuine, drinks delightful, and the company... Well that's up to you. For sure this is a fine date place for the adventurous couple, or gathering spot for any group of peeps interested in engaging their taste buds in a little out-of-gringo experience. read more

This is some pretty awesome authentic mexican food. They even have menudo! Not that i'd ever eat that crap. Anyway, the steak tacos were simple and awesome (with a tomato/onion/cilantro topping), the three salsas at the table were all good, the chips were good, the chicken mole was good. The guacamole was fresh. Really, i have very few complaints. The chiles rellenos were ok, but not the greatest. They don't have carnitas on the menu, which sucks, because that is my favorite. The beef tacos are ground beef. I don't really care, but some people complain about ground beef not being authentic. Those people are dumb. I didn't try them though. My daughter got them and devoured them pretty quickly. They also have all kinds of imported mexican pops and juices. Their coffee is actually pretty good too. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

Great food good atmosphere fast service Been coming here for years with my dad and friends sometime just to have a beer read more

Was told about Jalapenos by friends...better than I expected! Great Margaritas! Incredible carnitas tacos, tamales, chicken Enchilada Verde and the three salsas and chips!! Yum!!! Highly recommended!!!! You won't be disappointed!! Best Mexican food I have had in a long time!! read more

Jalapenos - Carnitas Tacos!!! Incredible! - Mexican Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

This place used to be *so* much better than it currently is. When it changed hands, the quality of the fare went down so far that it's now out of our rotation of places we'd consider eating out. Far better Mexican food can be had close by (try Carnival Market's counter and seating...*very* good stuff!), and this place just isn't well-run anymore. When you can't get *tacos* right, there's something very wrong. I won't one-star them because the green salsa they serve with the chips gratis is still pretty good (though far more runny/watered down than it used to be), it's not overly pricey (comparable to other places, I'd say), and I've never been treated poorly or anything like that. I've no axe to grind, and wish them the best, but the food quality has just slipped to an abysmal level, one which even a cheap meal isn't worth. I can go to the aforementioned Carnival Market, and while it's not full-service, the food is *miles* better, it's certainly more authentic, and yes: it's cheaper, and more wide-ranging in its offerings. Jalapeno's needs to have a firm look in the mirror and ask what they're really doing these days. It sure isn't serving up good Mexican fare, and service has slipped. What, then, is the draw? read more

I go into Mexican restaurants claiming to be authentic with high standards. I've been spoiled by the gems in Southwest Detroit. Given that, Pontiac also has a sizable Mexican-American population of recent immigrants in an urban setting, so I felt the expectations were legitimate. The look and feel of this restaurant is nice, albeit a little too bright. It feels newly renovated, so it's very up to date and contemporary, though the Mexican decor feels a little faux and forced. The staff is all extra friendly, attentive, and accommodating. It's a casual place with moderate pricing, but sadly a notch more expensive than similar competition. Fresh and warm complimentary tortilla chips with 3 salsas were standard, and appetizing. There is also a modest bar with mostly the minimal complementary options for the enjoyment of a margarita, tequila or some Coronas with your meal. I was surprised to see menudo on the menu, a beef tripe laden Mexican soup that eats like a meal. The super combo I got had a small burrito topped with cheese, a chili relleno in sauce, and a quesadilla. The sides were standard Mexican rice and beans with a touch of cheese, and extra corn tortillas were included. The food was all tasty, but I was disappointed that the only meat options in my combo were ground beef and chicken (boring). Additionally, I felt that each item in the combo was small in size. This is not just my indulgent, Midwest palate talking, but even in authentic Mexican cuisine, I believe that the food items can be a little bigger, with more meat in each item. The meat filling in the burrito and enchilada was very modest - just an ounce or so, if that, in each item. I had to eat extra tortilla chips and finish my rice and beans to get full at the end of the meal. Strike out! My girlfriend's taco dinner, also served with tasty and plentiful sides of rice and beans, was able to be ordered with carnitas. (Hmm, why would they not offer carnitas in their combo dinners then?) She had a choice of 3 tacos with corn tortillas or 2 tacos with flour tortillas. With that being said, I expected the corn tortillas she chose to be smaller, but boy were they small. Remember the failure that was Sony Minidiscs? The ' muy poco' size of these were a failure as well, in my opinion. Each of her tacos only had a little over an ounce of carnitas (just 4 oz. total in all the tacos), if that. While the tacos were tasty, they were just too small! I have seen authentic Mexican restaurants in Southwest Detroit that use more generous nearly CD-size corn tortillas, and load each taco with about 2 oz. of satisfying meat, for 6 oz. in the whole meal, not to mention having the option of more adventurous meats at your disposal to boot over there. Our 2 dinners came to about $22'ish before tip. This was steep considering many Mexican restaurants of similar caliber offer deals such as "2 combo dinners for $11.99." Overall, this was an OK place - bigger portions and more meat in their items. Either that, or bring the price down. This place is not much more authentic than the Azteca chain of Mexican restaurants. I would say this is a passable, albeit overpriced Mexican restaurant that toots authenticity, but still borders on American people pleaser. read more

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Omg. What a hidden gem that I am glad I found. The $18 nacho could feed six people. Not to mention how good it was. Loaded with beef and all the other ingredients needed to make a great nacho. All the salsas seem to be homemade, and tasty.margaritas were great also and packed a punch. Quick prompt service also. read more

A casual dining place. Their house margarita is huge. It tasted good! I ordered the Bistec a la Mexicana and I was not disappointed. The servers are really nice and they thought I was Mexican so one of the servers talked to me in Spanish! The place has a lot of decorations. I will definitely visit again! read more

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I'll only go here if there's a group of co-workers going. Other than that...it's not my first or even second choice in the area. The rice is dry and hard, the beans bland and the wait times during lunch hour are fairly long. When I crave Mexican food in the area I'll just hit El Maguey instead as they are cheaper, have better salsas and chips, offer more meat options and the service is faster. Jalapenos is alright, certainly decent but nothing special, IMO. read more

This was the worst Mexican food I've had in my entire life...I love Mexican food and eat it all the time. As of matter of fact I live right down the street from Mexican Town in Detroit so I know what good Mexican food taste like and this isn't it. First let me talk about the mystery meat they are passing off as beef then let's move on to the grey ass watery refried beans accompanied by what is supposed to be mexican fried rice; instead it looks more like fried rice from the Chinese joint who puts peas in their Mexican fried rice I mean really WTF is this ???? This place uses very low quality ingredients to make their food..its really sad. Oh btw...I never saw guacamole in a squeeze bottle with th consistency much like ketchup. Avoid this place for sure...the only thing decent was the $5 margaritas. They were huge! The rest of the shit you can keep! Place needs to be closed down...real shit hole! read more

Their food isn't fresh, and it doesn't have much flavor... employees are really nice though, also someone was right their plates are dirty.

Food was simple but very good. Salsa was mild, but had really good flavor. We had the burritos, fried quesadillas, chicken enchiladas and veggie fajitas. All the dishes were very good. Service was good and fast. The margarita was also delicious! The restaurant could've been a bit cleaner but overall it was a good experience. read more

This is one of my favorite places to get authentic Mexican food. It's delicious and reasonably priced.

I ordered a nacho from here tonight $20.00 out the door and It was awful!!! A bunch of greasy burnt around the edges chips with a thin amount of dry, tasteless ground beef, topped with stiff overcooked cheese. It was suppose to be a nacho supreme but I saw and tasted very little onion or bell pepper. They gave salsa and sour cream but it wasn't enough to serve the 3 people who was eating the nacho. They should have given extra salsa to use for the mound of chips they give to try and make the nacho look big. 2 THUMBS DOWN for this restaurant. I would not recommend anyone eating here. read more

My husband and I have been coming here for years, even when we were only dating. This place is absolutely fantastic. You know it's authentic when the server can barely speak English and you can hear them chattering away in Spanish. When we first came they were only serving one salsa with the chips, now there's three! And all of them are great, sometimes I mix them together for a crazy blast of flavor. I always get the enchiladas verde, so delicious. Loads of spices and flavor in every bite, I even use the chips and salsa on my entree like a huge nacho dish. My husband always get some kind of burrito, always switching between them. No complaints at all, service is usually on point, and the food is awesome. read more

Went here for dinner once because we used to attend a church that inhabited the building years ago. The food was pretty good, and the portions were decent for the price. We did feel a little out of place as the only White people there. Service wasn't great, had to flag a waitress down several times for refills. The weirdest part was when I asked for extra tortillas to go, after I quickly went through the 3 they brought me with my fajita plate. The waitress said it would cost me extra if I wanted to take them with me. I said I'd eat them there if that was the deciding factor, she brought more, and I did. Lo and behold, there was an extra charge for them on the bill anyway. Decided not to argue the point. read more

Ate lunch here today with my coworkers. It's not in a great part of Pontiac but the food is worth it. Parking is convenient. Lunchtime crowd was pretty big. Atmosphere is what you would expect. Very eclectic and attractive. The restaurant is clean and well cared for. Brittney did a great job.as our waitress. Chips and salsa are excellent. Everything is house made and tastes like it. The flautas and tacos el pastor are both very good. Not too spicy but they both have a good spice level. Because it was a work lunch, no margaritas today so will have to wait for next time. Overall, I was very impressed. We will be back. Need to try the dinner and mole sauce in the near future. read more

Nachos, who doesn't loveeeee nachos. The ones at this restaurant comes in a pizza box. The steak ones are out of this world, and the beef and chicken are good too. The tamales are excellent and where available in other than pork, but that changed recently. The food is good, the sauces acceptable, but all in a lt is a good Mexican restaurant. read more

All I can say is WOW!!! THE MOST AUTHENTIC MEXICAN AROUND!!! The salsas were amazing, the guacamole was just like in Mexico when it is thinner and more like a sauce...the burritos were a good size and were delicious!! For some reason, everyone has problems with rice and beans, but I will easily overlook it since I can put some of the amazing salsa on them!!! I will defnitely go back!! The prices are amazing too!! read more

Food is really good. Steak Fajitas are a must. Margaritas are good. the only thing that knocks off 2 stars is the service. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's terrible: waiting 10+ minutes for a drink order or food order (waited 20 minutes max before to put our drink order in). May take 15 minutes to waive your server down to get your check. read more

GREASY AND TASTELESS NACHOS. The beef was greasy and tasteless. The chips were greasy and tasteless. There were not any fresh ingredients except some diced white onions, no tomatoes an no cilantro! General lack of taste. They need to use spices. The jalapeños that came with were from a jar and were soggy. There was no guacamole ( not even a token amount ) and only 1 tablespoon-sized container of sour cream. I do not recommend this dish. In fact it has given me a bad aftertaste. My companion agrees and is complaining of a tummy ache. A five-year-old with a microwave would better job. read more

This is my go-to place for Mexican food. The place is cute and the service is pretty solid. I typically order either the chimi or the verde enchiladas. Both are consistently awesome. I don't think I've tried one of their margaritas there... hmmm... gonna have to do that next time I'm there. Bottom line: if you're looking for solid mexican food for a good price, check it out. read more

Let me start by saying the food was good, but the price that i was charged and the price on the menu were inconsistent. I called back and ask one of the employees and i was told the price is what it is. Even with tax, it was not what it should have been. The response that i received was inappropriate. I will not be back. read more

I wish that I could give them 3 1/2. Great, friendly staff. Good prices. I liked that they came out with a different array of hot sauces, but none of them had much flavor. All and all I'd recommend giving it a try, but they could definitely make some small changes to improve. read more

Some of the best Mexican food in SE Michigan. Authentic flavors, friendly staff, and great prices make Jalapeños one of the best restaurants around. read more

Jalapenos - Barbacoa Enchiladas Verde - Mexican Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

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all I have to say is the tacos with pastor or Mexican sausage and the salsa. Fantastic. Wife and I go nearly every week read more

Just tried this place a week or so ago for lunch. Ordered take out. I had the chicken flaunts which were tasty. My other co-workers had combo #6 and traditional tacos were yummy too! We'll be back! read more

A friend highly recommended Jalepenos. After reading through several reviews I agree with many-the food is not bad, but the service was not great. Our meal arrived at our table at varied times with my rice and beans coming last, 15 minutes after my main course. read more

Sub par The tortilla soup was like warm, salty, greasy, with no peppers or jalapeños. Likely just microwaved, who knows. Got the tampiquna. The enchilada beef was just beef, no spice. The steak strips were equally without any seasoning. Come on, your a Mexican, or at least a Tex Mex outfit, so get it together. The flauta was like warm, probably microwaved. The retried beans were like warm, you all are seeing a there here. Thev tasted ok. It was a high disappointment for one of the busier restaurants in Pontiac. I know I'm from Texas, but shoot man, you need to spice up you food,!drop the salt, get some real spices, and make some fresh food. IMO, a big disappointment. read more

Our first visit! Great Mexican food, cold Mexican draft beer, good service, what else could one ask for? The place is clean, the service was fairly good. It is not Mexican Town, but it is much closer to home. The location is convenient, the parking, excellent. Prices are reasonable. We will be back. read more

Food is very good - I've been here before. However, I did not appreciate the disregard received From staff. We were seated for 15 minutes, with no service when other people that came after us were seated immediately with appetizers and service. Caught the attention and said hi to 2 staff members, patiently waiting for service. Due to this neglect, we walked out without a chance to even order. Very disappointed :( read more

Holy Queso dip!!! THE BEST!! I have just chimichanga-ed my way into the best food coma ever!! Fantastic read more