Food was bland (no flavor), really oily, took forever, they were so busy, so many people, not friendly at all. Was not an experience I would ever want to relive twice. Taco Bell has better food, service, and is more reliable. And I really don't like Taco Bell. But you know what you're going to get, they are nice, it has flavor. read more

I can see why this place is always busy! I had heard alot of good things so I finally tried. They had long lines but next time I'll just order ahead of time and call in. Anyways, really tasty food and good service. We will definitely be back. read more

This is one of the best places for easy, quick and delicious Mexican food. The portions are huge and you get what you pay for at Joel's. They have Vegetarian/Vegan and Gluten-free options on their menu. The vegetarian fajita burrito is delicious and the veggies are sautéed to perfection. The veggies are crisp and flavorful unlike most Mexican restaurants where the veggies are over cooked and soggy. Currently the dining room area is closed due to staffing but do offer limited outdoor seating and takeout. If you dislike Taco Bell, this is the place for you!! read more

I was really excited for a fajita burrito, got our food bit in and there was a bunch of cabbage, not a big fan but took a couple bites and once I decided It didn't taste good I took it back to the window and the lady told me if you didn't order it without cabbage I can't do anything and I mean okay I guess that's fair, but I didn't expect a fajita burrito to be filed with cabbage!!! And there aren't ingredients listed on the menu, just the item and price. I was honestly expecting them to remake it after a $30 order, but instead the lady just gave me attitude and I walked away hungry and frustrated. read more

Best burrito in town! And fantastic business practices with awesome staff! Our order was accidentally lost, Joel insisted on refunding the entire order of 4 burritos! Joel, you just made a customer for life! read more

On the advice of a local, as well as Yelp, I stopped for lunch at Joel's. In case you didn't know this already, the more people that are in line for food and the more reviews a restaurant has the better. For noon on a Tuesday, line was 10 deep with plenty waiting for what they ordered. I was advised to get rice and beans, so I ordered two chicken tacos plus rice and beans. I also ordered two steak tacos, which will be dinner tonight. I expected street tacos. What I got was so much better. Crispy taco shells with tons of chicken, cheese, lettuce and plenty of salsa. The rice and beans were perfect to help scoop up all the topping that fell out of the tacos. Chicken was perfect. Not too dry and not too wet. Amazing meal. Well done! read more

Joel's - Two chicken tacos, rice and beans! - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

Went here on a Tuesday afternoon for a quick bite. Line wasn't too bad and we got our food within 10 minutes. I ordered a chorizo breakfast burrito. I wish the chorizo had been more spiced than it was; I've had a lot of chorizo throughout my life and never experienced such an under spiced sausage. The burrito also comes with potatoes in hashed form; mine was burnt but also soaked in grease that later would drip into a pool at the bottom of my foil -very unappetizing when I eventually got to the last few bites. The eggs and cheese were okay. Overall the burrito was sort of bland so I kindly asked for a side of salsa (so I could add some sort of flavor that wasn't grease or burnt hash) but they said they didn't have any.... I was taken back by their response. I have never been to a Mexican food restaurant that didn't allow its patrons the common hospitality to provide them with some sort of salsa... The outdoor seating could've also been tended to a bit more. In the 40~ish minutes we were there, we didn't see a single person come to clean any of the food off the floor or counter space. I don't think I'll be recommending or revisiting Joel's. read more

We stayed in the Sandpoint area for about a month and we were craving some good Mexican food. We were told Joel's has the best Mexican food in town so we gave it a try. Their portions are reasonable for the price. The fish taco was fresh and crispy and overflowing with toppings. The burritos are huge and everything has great flavor. The employees were very friendly. We are from Arizona and we wish there was a fast service Mexican food place this good back home! read more

This place was disappointing after reading such great reviews. The tacos have no flavor and are just a juicy mess not worth your money or calories! The staff was friendly. read more

Based on the reviews and local suggestions we were excited to try this place. My suggestion: don't. 1) no seating 2) the food was cold 3) the meat was riddled with gristle and unrendered fat (Photo below of just what I couldn't bear to chew all the way) 4) the burritos were poorly wrapped and watery so they fell apart 5) no bathrooms 6) the soda machine was poorly maintained 7) no hot sauces to use or condiments Generally speaking the food quality at Taco Bell is better and cheaper. read more

Joel's - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

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My husband and I are new to Sandpoint and Joels is a staple for us! We love the customer service AND the food is fabulous!!

Great place with tasty Mexican food...Their refried beans are the best I have ever eaten, a real test for authentic Mexican cuisine..being from Tucson and Nogales I am an expert. Nice people and generous portions. A Sandpoint must visit for lunch. read more

No salsa bar which dooms such a place. Plus no beer! I would think it's positive reputation is from our neighbors to the north. Portions are adequate but not generous. They are polite but act like the want you out as quickly as possible. Next! read more

Best Mexican specialties and ingredients in town. Always a wait on weekends but worth it.

Best Mexican food I've had in a long time! So happy to have found this gem. And the owners and staff are always friendly and amazing

Great Mexican food in North Idaho. If your in Sandpoint or close by you have got to try this place. I had the Pork Chili Verde burrito, it was fantastic!! My husband had the potato tacos, they were also amazing. read more

I heard this place was incredible and it's great they have so many options on the menu and their service was very fast. But as a first timer to Joel's I'm really disappointed. I added beans as an additional option to my egg & potato breakfast burrito and I'm really disappointed because my entire burrito is just refried beans. My original order was an egg and potato burrito and the amount of eggs and potatoes is minuscule. The entire burrito is basically just a pound of refried beans. Honestly it's completely inedible. I'm very disappointed. read more

These are some amazing burritos. We were in Sandpoint for six days and came back to Joel's three times. My personal favorite is the chicken asada burrito and my husband loved the carne asada burrito. We also came back for breakfast for the Mexican eggs Benedict burrito twice. It's popular and service is a bit slow so be prepared to wait a bit but it's worth the wait for the deliciousness. read more

Joel's - Menu in July 2020 - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

Very good Mexican food. Big portions and outdoor seating. Affordable too. Busy place and one of the only places open late Sunday. read more

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Joel's doesn't need a revue. All the locals know this is a great place to eat. Great owner and staff.

I have been going to Joel's for years. I have since moved away from Sandpoint, but whenever I come back, I always make a stop in here. They make greats tacos with fresh salsa and toppings! The flautas are also great - good flavor and portion size. They are open for breakfast as well and I would recommend any of the egg burritos for an early morning visit. read more

Joel's - Chicken Flautas - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

Best chorizo burrito I've ever had. Make it spicy. It won't disappoint. Rebecca is also very good, but if your not a fan of ketchup like myself, ask them to leave it out. read more

Definitely recommend!!!! Best authentic Mexican food in the area!! The family who own it are super sweet too!! I love their fish taco's!!

I came here while visiting some dear friends and their wedding, my group and I were starving! This place came with a mighty reputation of being warm, welcoming, and delicious. Boy, JOEL'S didn't disappoint. I met Joel himself, who was so kind and friendly. I felt like a member of the family due to the professionalism and friendliness of the entire staff. I had the quesadilla (shredded chicken), chips & salsa, and a drink. I came with some Sandpoint natives and friends (5 of us) and we each spent only $5-$9. Affordable!! But the food was BOMB.COM. Thanks Joel & staff! read more

Long lines but fast service. Chicken asada burrito was delicious. Huge and packed with chicken. Their salsa is good if you don't know salsa otherwise it's ok. I would pass on their guacamole. Guac was not tasty. Carnitas tacos were so good. Carne Asada tacos were the best. Fish taco was good but not great. Nice inside and fun outside seating that was packed. Obviously a local favor and a must stop if you have a Mexican carving. read more

Probably the best burrito place in Sandpoint hands down. What it has going for it: - pricing on par with similar establishments - pretty decent size menu - good location - burrito meats were moist and tasty - outdoor seating What it has going against it: - no parking - limited seating - gets really loud in dinning area when there a lot of people - charge 2% when you use a credit/debit card This place is sort of known by locals as the place to go for a burrito. Order taker was nice and helped my wife out to pick what she wanted to eat. Had a crown of kids that had come in and boy did it get loud. Would I see myself coming here again...yup! read more

Used to be a great burrito stand, but the last several times I've eaten here by burrito was so soggy the tortilla just disintegrated, and it just wasn't good enough to justify the cost. I've been equally unimpressed with their other dishes recently. As much as I like the folks that run the place, I can make way better Mexican food at home for a very small fraction of the price. read more

Just freakin good tacos. It's busy at lunchtime but it moves quick. The pork adobado tacos were awesome!

Another year, another trip to Joels...completely satisfied. Sad to see so many bad reviews due to covid precautions. STAY HOME if you are not comfortable. That is your right!! read more

Great food! Had the fish tacos, ceviche, carne asada burrito, and Chile verde burrito! All was super delicious! Great portion sizes as well.

Excellent takeout, large portions, tasty food, excellent. Fast service. Inside seating and some seating outside

When you've got a hankering for the biggest burrito the size of your head, Joels is the place. Very creative ingredients. Something for everyone! In fact, I find it overwhelming to look at all the options, and then end up getting the same thing... however it is amazing! I've never had a quesadilla that I praised. But for realz, this is the best dang quesadilla. I don't know what they put in it that would be different than home. Eat at Joel's. read more

Five star food. One star COVID precautions and environmental awareness. COVID FRIENDLY -- not a mask in sight from the staff and about 10% of the patrons wore masks. We made up 3% of this 10%. Dropped the rating due to the lack of COVID precautions and styrofoam containers. We ate outside and quickly wrapped up as more people encroached on the outdoor space. As a healthcare provider and a lover of food, this was really hard to reconcile. read more

Joel's - Pork adobada. Kid friendly -- not spicy. - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

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Meh, nothing to tell home about. Feels like the green salsa put in the burritos is to cover up a lack a flavor. Price meets size for sure, but who wants that much plan rice? Beans taste like their out of a can and the fish taco is a let down. Again, way to much cabbage, ratios are just too out of control here. read more

Joel's - Beans anyone? Wait I ordered the super burrito? - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

Excellent food for a fair price. Owners and employees are always upbeat and friendly.

Amazing breakfast burrito and such kind staff. Would highly recommend this to anyone passing through.

Get the jalapeño poppers. They are not on the menu as they are a local thing, but man were they great! Also had the carne Assad burrito and the chicken chimichanga. Undeniably in my top 2 Mexican food experiences ever!!! read more

Joel's - Half eat food never looks great in pics, but wow!!! Incredible authentic mex food!!! - Mexican Near Me - Sandpoint, Idaho

Only place in Sandpoint where I saw anybody with even a little melanin in their skin. Not hatin', just sayin. I could go on and on about this curiosity, but it's probably only curious to me and I don't feel like dragging through the hazards of monoculture. So I won't. Instead, this. Joel is Sandpointese for Jose. And, in the language of my tastebuds, Joel means damn good food. By whatever conveyance you choose (though bikes on a sunny hungover Saturday would be my recommendation), go. Across from the square and the farmer's market, bay door rolled up to let that first hint of autumn penetrate my taco, happy people sampling plates that only made their smiles broader. Sandpoint is a cool little town. When it snows you can't see anybody, but they're there. And they're nice and they'll treat you to a wonderful time. Whatever your enthusiastic fancy - biking, water sports, sliding down hills with slippery boards strapped to your feet - it's a town for all seasons. For just chillin' with your friends it's perfect as well. When you go, and you should, check Joel's for the midday repast (closed for supper). You'll not regret it. read more

Unexpectedly great Mexican food in quaint downtown Sand Point. This place was jam-packed with lines out the door, and it was easy to see why when we got our food. It was packed at lunchtime on a weekday, so send someone in your group to stake out a table while everybody else orders. TONS of menu choices, including a wide selection of different kinds of fish - almost too many to choose from! The swai taco (about $2) was big and delicious. It seems like the lines are often long, but they move quickly and service is pretty fast. The ceviche was outstanding - you get a large cup and tortilla chips for dipping for about $7. It's enough for a light meal on its own, or you could add a (generously stuffed) taco to make a heartier meal. My only (tiny) complaint is that they charge 25 cents for soda refills. Honestly, I'm not sure how they could even monitor this, it's so darn busy. Fortunately, you don't have to stand in line all over again - just catch the cashier's eye, hand him a quarter and nod toward the soda fountain, they'll get your drift. read more

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Great Mexican style food with quick service. This boardwalk style restaurant is an awesome quick bite for those long beach days only a few minutes from City Beach. read more