La Michoacana

Did not have any fajitas without pineapple I'm not saying that it doesn't taste good. It's just…read morethat I'm not used to that. It must be one of their unique dish ingredients.. the service was good. The chips and salsa were good but we still have the same problem with the pricing. Oh my God do not buy a soft drink or a tea, etc. from them they want four dollars for a soda, which is the cheapest food item that they pay for in their overhead and with only two refills allowed seems a little stingy and they're trying to make some money off of that obviously so the best bet is just to have some water and by the way, the cheapest fajitas on the menu or $20. I'm not from around here. I'm visiting so I'm thinking that there must be a lot of rich people in this area to be spending these high prices at these local restaurants.

What a cool spot in the Cedar Valley. Friendly staff that is fast and present often. Wide range of…read morefun and traditional drinks. I got a duck in my 57 oz Duck Pond Margarita lol. My wife's Margarita was full of yummy candies. Food came out fast, fresh, and tasting great. There's a bit of hustle ambience all around but they also don't mind if you slowly enjoy your meal and drinks. A wonderful Mexican restaurant to dine in.

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Three Amigos Family Restaurant

4.5(64 reviews)

2.9 mi

Great food and service! Fast and reasonable prices. Could eat here every week. It's nice to be…read morerecognized and welcome with each visit!

The food was plenty full and tasteful. The sauce was good and the chips were good. The only reason…read morewhy I am leaving a three star is because the pricing.. these days everybody is trying to save a dollar and everything is seemingly more expensive so I chose a less expensive mail. The menu indicated.$14.99. When I receive my bill, I noticed I was charged.$15.99. The server said that it was because I chose a cheese enchilada and it was a dollar more expensive than the beef or the chicken.. given these times when meat is way expensive, I found that hard to believe that cheese is more expensive than that. Also, I don't remember seeing it on the menu so I reluctantly paid the extra dollar when I was trying to keep my bill with the tip under $20 as I am on a budget and it is splurging for me to eat out..

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Jumbo margarita in a burnt plastic cup.

El Patron Mexican Restaurant

4.1(69 reviews)

0.5 mi

It was a little slow on actually getting seated but to be fair the gal was working solo. That being…read moresaid, it wasn't busy when we stopped by. The food was amazing, the restaurant was very clean and nicely decorated. We ordered the Tacos De Barria's and the Street Tacos Pastor...you get four of each and we split them two and two for the each of us. The Pastor Street Tacos had the perfect amount of char on the meat and the little sweetness from the pineapple was perfect...good quac sauce to boot! The Tacos De Barria were the first we've had up in the area and they were outstanding! With the barria dipping sauce adding even more to the flavor! Service was better once we were actually seated and we'll definitely be back again as the menu has alot of options that look delicious!

Until yesterday, June 30, 2026 I would have given El Patron a 5-star rating. Unfortunately, my bad…read moreexperience left me feeling hurt and unwilling to return. I was with a group of 12 who came in for my birthday lunch. Our table didn't have napkins for our drinks so because no waiters were close by, I went to the bar thinking I could get some napkins without bothering our waitress or other waiters. There wasn't a stack of napkins on the bar (as many other places have) but I noticed some napkins on a lower shelf behind the bar. I took a few and returned to our table. Just as we began to sip our margaritas an employee (manager or owner?) came up to me and accused me of breaking a small decorative piece of pottery! There's absolutely no way I broke the piece! I'm an honest person and if I'd broken something I would have noticed it or heard it break, apologized and offered to pay for it! I was very offended by the nasty accusatory tone that was used toward me. Needless to say our group will take our business elsewhere. There are may other good Mexican restaurants in our area that treat their customers politely!

Colorful decor

Chips & Salsa

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Cool metal artwork

Chapala

4.0(67 reviews)

1.3 mi

To start, the food was delicious! They had a large menu(in my opinion) that was filled with…read moredelicious looking food! Secondly our waitress. Desirae, was very kind and welcoming! She was very polite and gave off a very positive energy! She also(in my opinion) went above and beyond when I asked for a non-alcoholic margarita, and learned how to make it when she didn't know how. On top of that, the ambiance was very nice. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was still noticeable. Both with the music, the temperature inside, the decorations, and the ascetic in general, I would personally say I think it is very nice. All in all, I really enjoyed the whole experience, and I would go back the next time I'm in town!

Great service Great ambiance…read more Great food. Mano took care of me and helped me with my selection. Carne asada and chile relleno Plus caddy margarita.

Who's your daddy

Whaaaaat oooofa

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Fresh grilled steak quesadilla...yummy!

El Mercadito

3.8(4 reviews)

1.1 mi

I have heard from a friend that there is a truly delicious and authentic taqueria stand in Waterloo…read morethat is connected to a mexican grocery market. She was pretty vague about the location of the spot, so on Friday I kidnapped her and had her help me navigate to the location. She didn't remember the name of the stand, nor did she recall the exact location. After a half hour of roaming through Waterloo, we finally found El Mercadito. I'm a taco purist since living in Philadelphia and giving a lot of business to Taco Riendo. Since moving back to Iowa I have struggled to find authentic tacos. The only other spot I had found was El Super Burrito on Johnson St. in Cedar Rapids. Their tacos were excellent, but they pale in comparison to El Mercadito. I ordered one carne asada taco, and one taco al pastor. Upon receiving the tacos, I was relieved to see it was made exactly how I love them. Corn tortillas filled with succulent steak or pork, and accompanied only by chopped onions, tomatoes and cilantro. It also came with a few limes and sides of red salsa and a salsa verde. The carne asada was delicious. Very tender steak chunks, and the salsa verde and lime was a fine compliment to the delicious and cilantro-heavy pico di gallo. The real treat of the meal was the pork taco. It had a spicy marinade, and it was so soft and chewy. Every bite sent me on a trip back to other delicious taquerias in Austin Texas, or my first love Taco Riendo in Philadelphia. The salsa verde was my favorite. Very spicy tomatillo & lime. The red salsa was also good. It had a smokey flavor that went well, although I could have enjoyed it more had it been slightly spicier. My only complaint about this eating experience is that the option of dining-in was a single picnic table next to the stand. This is my new favorite taco in the state of Iowa. Very authentic, the tacos don't come with the americanized ingredients of sour cream, cheese or anything else you'd find on a "taco" from carlos o'kelly's or taco bell. This is the real deal. Get a few tacos there and it'll change your life.

Very slow service. Hopefully it's just an off day for this fella. Good chips and salsa when it…read morefinally gets refilled. HUGE platters. Great presentation. Delicious food.

Real Taco's!

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Will never finish all this.

Amigos Mexican Restaurant

4.0(63 reviews)

2.2 mi

It's been awhile since I've updated my review on Amigos…read more.. Update from our latest visit tonight as it's been awhile since I've posted and we've been here a number of times. The Panther Burrito has become my go to as it's packed with steak, chicken, shrimp, chorizo, rice, and smothered in cheese. The new Birria items were interesting and the Mrs ordered up The Quesabirra which she said were pretty good but she liked other places versions better. The Margaritas always hit the spot too, we had the lime, a raspberry and our friend had a strawberry version. Service was fast and friendly, the place had gotten a mild face-lift since we'd been in last and it looks quite nice!

The food here is delicious, when they get your order right. However our experience with our server…read moreAlma tonight was very poor and disappointing. Our table witnessed Alma talking negatively about us and it added to the disappointment. Alma was working with her AirPods in taking our order, which did not come out correctly and only checked on our table one time after we received our food and all of our drinks were empty.

Carne asada

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La Placita Taqueria

4.1(19 reviews)

0.8 mi

Dallas FRESH IS SOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER! On La Porte next to Pizza Hut!…read more This place here has worse service ever. The younger woman is horrible. Her attitude and the way she treats customers. They finally hired someone who has good customer service skills but the shitty service remains cause of that other younger woman who speaks perfect English. The owner of the store has a nasty attitude as well, when I originally went to compliment how awesome the store was and the tacos. In reality the tacos are tasteless. The verde and rojo make it a little better but so not worth it. Try Dallas fresh for literally $1 per taco. Authentic steer tacos!

Excellent service and the food was very good. Ever since a friend of mine told me about this place,…read moreI've become a regular customer.

New Botanas área

Smoked Pork Chops!!

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Alambres!!

El Barco Mexican Seafood Bar & Grill

4.5(2 reviews)

1.2 mi

Huge portion sizes, great prices, excellent service (as for Olivia!). Got a paloma which was…read moredelicious and not sweet (a plus in my opinion), and huachinango frito. It was ever so slightly over done but still delicious. Chips were warm, salsa flavorful.

This is our absolute favorite Mexican restaurant! Their burritos are VERY large, and full of sauce…read more The street tacos are perfect! A big portion of meat and super tender! The service has always been kind and quick! Such a cute atmosphere and always a great temp!

Paloma

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Paloma up close

Guanajuato Taco Stand

5.0(7 reviews)

1.4 mi

5 stars for what it is, an amazing roadside food stop in the Midwest! It's a very quaint and…read moreunassuming food truck tucked in a corner of Clark Gas. Burritos are nice and large, and the salsa has a decent kick to it (I can't handle spicy food very well, this had me sweating a bit in the summer heat). I got the chicken, they cooked it right and seasoned it well. Just the right amount of salt and a nice lime hint. Would definitely recommend, particularly if you're a hungry traveler passing by with a hankering for some Mexican food!

Best tacos I have had for sure. They are only open for a few months starting in spring till about…read moreearly fall Fridays and Saturdays. I try and make it every week because you won't get tacos anywhere else like you will here. Real authentic Mexican food with great workers/owners. Only thing I would wish for is that they were open year round.

On the alley next to Clarke Gas

Updated look

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4 Steak tacos with avocado slices, delicioso!

Tacoz California

4.7(19 reviews)

6.8 mi

Excellent vibe and atmosphere. Best quesabirria tacos I've had in a long time. Very friendly…read morepeople. Great lunch spot!

Two words: authentic and fresh Two more words: local family…read more One word: OUTSTANDING! This is a wonderful family run restaurant across from the tire center near the Parkade in Cedar Falls. They serve authentic street tacos and authentic birria tacos and quesadillas that make you realize that the taste of Southern California cuisine resides within the area. And their homemade guacamole is also top notch. If you're anywhere near the area, you should definitely try this gem. Most highly recommended!

Very cool decor

Street Tacos and Birria Ramen

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Pizzadilla was delish!

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6 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Nick R.

0

1

0

11 years ago

By far the best authentic Mexican I have had outside of Mexico. I even took my sister in law who lived in San Diego and she loved it! If you want real Mexican food this is the place to go. Rice and beans are a must and don't be scare to try the tongue taco. I just hope they bring back the habanero orange sauce!!! read more

Colt Y.

0

6

9

6 years ago

This place has very good food with good service I just moved to this side of town and was looking for a good Mexican food restaurant and this is the place they even have a drive-through you don't have to get out of your car I recommend this place 100% to anybody it is a very good place to eat read more

Kelli P.

0

18

45

1 year ago

I love this place! I found it about 18 years ago when I was pregnant. The baby in my belly now is 17 and when I took him here he ate it everyday for a month straight! Paid door dash to bring it to CF. Asada tacos all day! Never tried anything else! read more

Cherie P.

0

5

0

14 years ago

I love love love their steak tacos, and steak burritos! They are super friendly and reasonably priced. If you try it you will love it too!

Spam S.

0

11

1

4 years ago

foods mid, service is mid. i recommend to try for yourself but personally not my fav.

Erin M.

19

2

0

11 years ago

Very yummy and authentic mexican food.

La Michoacana - mexican - Updated October 2026

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Taqueria Los Reyes

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the best birria tacos i have ever laid eyes on. I DEVOURRRRED these tacos very fast. not only that…read morebut the workers were amazing! so accommodating, respectful, and well mannered! you can tell they make all of their food with love. ive always loved los reyes' street tacos, and have been a big fan of them since they first opened as a small business! LOVE, and will be back soon!

My California burrito with al pastor was magnificent. I would've never expected to find Mexican…read morefood this good in a small town in Iowa. Make sure you get their hottest salsa! Que rico!

PepperJax Grill

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Well this will be 2 nights in a row of ordering from here. We have not ordered the Philly. We had a…read morebowl, the steak had the best flavor, better than anything I've ordered at Pancheros. Ordering pick up, the service is what you'd usually expect. The app is awful.

Stopped in on a Saturday around 12:30 and just beat a moderate rush of customers. Our food was…read moreprepared quickly and was tasty. The employees were doing all they could to keep things moving, but there were only 2 of them, which I'm guessing is the result of the current labor shortage. Even with that, they were keeping up OK. There were plenty of tables available in the dining room, with small stacks from previous diners still on the table (they clear for you), so not really a problem. Our food was very hot and fresh, and they add seasoning that is very tasty. I'd just had a similar sandwich a few days prior at a full-service bar, and this one was leaps and bounds better.

El Mercadito

3.8

(4 reviews)

I have heard from a friend that there is a truly delicious and authentic taqueria stand in Waterloo…read morethat is connected to a mexican grocery market. She was pretty vague about the location of the spot, so on Friday I kidnapped her and had her help me navigate to the location. She didn't remember the name of the stand, nor did she recall the exact location. After a half hour of roaming through Waterloo, we finally found El Mercadito. I'm a taco purist since living in Philadelphia and giving a lot of business to Taco Riendo. Since moving back to Iowa I have struggled to find authentic tacos. The only other spot I had found was El Super Burrito on Johnson St. in Cedar Rapids. Their tacos were excellent, but they pale in comparison to El Mercadito. I ordered one carne asada taco, and one taco al pastor. Upon receiving the tacos, I was relieved to see it was made exactly how I love them. Corn tortillas filled with succulent steak or pork, and accompanied only by chopped onions, tomatoes and cilantro. It also came with a few limes and sides of red salsa and a salsa verde. The carne asada was delicious. Very tender steak chunks, and the salsa verde and lime was a fine compliment to the delicious and cilantro-heavy pico di gallo. The real treat of the meal was the pork taco. It had a spicy marinade, and it was so soft and chewy. Every bite sent me on a trip back to other delicious taquerias in Austin Texas, or my first love Taco Riendo in Philadelphia. The salsa verde was my favorite. Very spicy tomatillo & lime. The red salsa was also good. It had a smokey flavor that went well, although I could have enjoyed it more had it been slightly spicier. My only complaint about this eating experience is that the option of dining-in was a single picnic table next to the stand. This is my new favorite taco in the state of Iowa. Very authentic, the tacos don't come with the americanized ingredients of sour cream, cheese or anything else you'd find on a "taco" from carlos o'kelly's or taco bell. This is the real deal. Get a few tacos there and it'll change your life.

Very slow service. Hopefully it's just an off day for this fella. Good chips and salsa when it…read morefinally gets refilled. HUGE platters. Great presentation. Delicious food.

Tapatio Mexican Grill

3.5

(30 reviews)

Plato Loco and Fajita Fundito, a Cuba Margarita and a Raspberry Margarita…read more Good sized portions. The Plato Loco was steak, chicken, onions, mushrooms, rice and beans. The Fajitas Fundito was steak, onions, and cheese...Terri's not a pepper fan so she had those eliminated from the plate. All very good!! Service was good as well..a little sporadic but very friendly. A little sparse on the decorations but a nice place Will be back! Many items on the menu look very good!

Great food! I like to get the Mexican pizza with shredded beef, and extra sour cream! It's really…read moregood. It's technically an appetizer I think, but I have it as my meal. Service is pretty good, never had an issue. Clean inside

Gyro Hut

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Don't let the low stars fool you . This place is a hidden gem. Food options are limited in Waterloo…read morebut the food here is pretty bomb! I got the double gyro sandwich. My other colleagues liked their rice platter. It's like a Halal cart food in ny. Prices aren't bad. Friendly workers. Would come back again.

This is the only place in the area to get a decent gyro. Every time I've ordered for pickup the…read morefood is hot and ready upon my arrival. The only suggestion I have is it would be nice to include 2 flat breads in the supreme gyro meal because there is more than enough fillings to fill 2 over stuffed gyros! Will be back for more!

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

3.3

(57 reviews)

Wow... I'm from Texas and this BBQ is pretty Good, 95% of the time…read more I highly Recommend the Ribs, Jalapeño Mac'n'Cheese o and the Ribs.

The food was pretty good. It is not a sit down and be served restaurant. They have a lot of room…read morefor improvement on the cleaning of the men's bathroom, I actually think it has mold around toilet. There was not a service really you get own drinks all they do is bring meal to table

La Isla Mexican Grill

(9 reviews)

Excellent chips, salsa & queso! The chicken chimichanga was pretty darn good too. Excellent…read morefriendly service. Very enjoyable especially with a strawberry margarita!

Stopped in here with my uncle to try a new restaurant. Have not been in here since lark brewery…read moreclosed. It looks awesome! Brightened up the place and knocked out a wall. Mexican restaurants are normally a safe bet for me even with a gluten and dairy allergy. This restaurant was not the case. The tortillas are eat at your own risk. Corn tortillas chips are fried in the same place as some of the meats. All meat is cooked in flour except for the carne asada, pollo carnitas, and pollo con queso. Even then these 3 items are cooked on a grill that can have major cross contamination. My uncle and I ended up ordering. I had questions due to my allergies and I believe our waitress was new because she went to grab someone 2 different times to ask questions. My uncle got the fajitas burrito and I got the pollo carnitas after talking about what I could eat that was safe. I did end up having to send it back because they put cheese in the refried beans after I order everything without cheese or sour cream. The waitress brought it back out and all I asked was if they remade everything because I have had issues at other restaurants who just swapped everything onto another plate and I just wanted to make sure I did not get sick. Our waitress said she needed to double check and I believe the manager showed up? Not really sure. But I was basically treated like I was a problem. "We do not state we have anything gluten free nor will be label anything as such" All I wanted to make sure was that what I ordered was actually safe for me. I do not appreciate being treated this way and will most likely not be back. My uncle enjoyed the atmosphere but said the food was "meh" and I agree.

LongHorn Steakhouse

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Absolutely excellent food. Amazing staff. And wonderful drinks. The rack of ribs tasted great and…read morethe meat fell off the bones. Always a great meal here.

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