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    Maria Bonita

    4.2 (267 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
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    MARIA BONITA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Maria Bonita

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    Maria Bonita's California Burrito without cheese or sour cream.  Well worth the price.
    Matt O.

    I'm trying to put into words with how to describe my first experience with a place I heard about, but haven't ate there. This being Maria Bonita. So...truth be told, the last place I could remember eating Mexican food was last year. Oddly enough, my experience at Maria Bonita lived up to the expectations. I didn't think that I'd enjoy their food after this review. So...I ordered their California Burrito (Yeah, surprisingly, that was also the last thing I ate at that time), no cheese or sour cream, and I have to say, after the first few bites, I was a little surprised with the flavor inside. I truthfully didn't expect it to have jalapeños inside there among the amount of roasted vegetables in the burrito. I didn't think it was that spicy initially, but after a few minutes, it started to kind of creep up just a bit. The heat, it wasn't like...'in your face' or anything. It was more like a slow build-up. But I didn't mind it personally after it dissipated a bit. For a small place in the Chinatown area that specializes in Mexican food, I'd say Maria Bonita delivers in all facets. Definitely would come back there for their California Burrito again. I highly recommend this place if you wanted to eat some good Mexican food without paying so much for the food. 10 out of 10.

    Russel M.

    Homemade Mexican food on Hotel st. This place has been around for a long time and once you take a bite you'll know why. Fresh salsa, lots of homemade dishes and prices right! Chili Relleno is nice and simple. Maria's tacos are shredded pork covered in guacamole, so good! Lots of specials to try. Service with a smile.

    Chili Verde Wet Burrito plate
    Crystal R.

    For years, my former colleagues would rave about this place and for years, I wouldn't go. It was until most recent times where I relocated offices that gave me an opportunity to venture into this cute little restaurant for some delicious Mexican food! After ordering a chili verde wet burrito plate from here, I knew this was the place to fufill my Mexican food craving. The burrito was quite enormous and was filled with a lot of savory ingredients. The carnitas were cooked perfectly and provided a crunchy texture that matched well with the overall dish. I could have stopped eating halfway to save me from the perils of the afternoon crash, but I was too mesmerized by how every ingredient of the dish matched perfectly well to give you the perfect flavor profile. I went back the following week to order a taco salad with asada but ordered ala carte instead of the plate to avoid the potential repeat of an afternoon post-lunch coma. Although your first thought would be "dang that's a lot of cheese" underneath all that cheese and sour cream lies a good amount of asada, beans, lettuce, cilantro, onions, and tomatoes. Again, mixed all together provides you a savory dish. The asada was decently seasoned and cooked well. It was a perfect amount to replenish your energy from the first half of your work day. Safe to say, I have become a fan of this cute little restaurant in Chinatown and wouldn't mind going back for another round. For both occasions of my visit were take out, but you do have a dining option available. It's quite small but its worth checking out. But if you're on a time crunch like me and need to do take out, you can always order there or phone ahead. Service overall is great; the staff there are personable and friendly.

    Wet Burrito Entree Plate ($16.00) with rice and beans
    Mona C.

    Ole! Today we're visiting Maria Bonita! It's been quite a while since we had some time to cruise around Chinatown, come to think of it, the last time we visited was pre-Covid! Since it was just the hubby and son with me today running an errand nearby, I walked over to see if Maria Bonita was open, because their wet burritos are seriously habit forming. Luckily for us, the shop was empty and still open for about 40 more minutes. The owner was very welcoming and invited us right in! We placed our orders and were seated right away, with waters, salsa and chips delivered within a few minutes. This visit featured: Complimentary salsa and chips - the chips are thin and crispy, perfect texture and taste! The salsa is vibrant and flavorful, a bit spicy-hot for us, but so yummy we couldn't stop! Wet Burrito ($16, entree) - a hefty burrito filled with your choice of meat (shredded chicken, shredded beef, Carne Asada, Carnitas Pork or Ground Beef) or Grilled Veggies, and rice, beans, lettuce, onions and cilantro, smothered in a red enchilada sauce and lots of melted cheeeese... with rice and beans on the side too! If you're a smaller eater, an ala carte option is also available ($13, no rice and beans). Hubby and I split a Carnitas burrito entree, and my son had half of a Carne Asada burrito entree. It is seriously large enough to feed two people! The meat is tender and juicy, vegetables fresh and crisp, and each bite was smile inducing... Whether you choose to eat there or do take out, keep supporting whatever businesses you can... they need you to stay afloat. Stay Safe!

    Menu
    Shawna U.

    Wanted to support local so came to check out this Mexican place! I would definitely recommend good Mexican food for a great price. Parking is street and meter anywhere you can in downtown. It's off of hotel street. The food came out really fast and the portions are very large! Mom loved the flautas and I got a burrito we both had leftovers! We over heard a Chinatown regular business guy say that the mahi was really good so I guess I'll have to go back and give it a try!

    Dan A.

    Takeout meals on two occasions at Maria Bonita on S. Hotel St. I've been satisifed in general with both meals. Chinatown has & is undergoing much needed change with an influx of new businesses over the past few years but there are still pockets of seediness even on a busy street such as Hotel. If you can get past the exterior and adjacent businesses this is a nice Mexican restaurant. The interior is clean, air-conditioned and well decorated with paintings and such on the walls. Service for takeaway has been good. The first meal was a wet chile verde burrito. Excellent. On Friday night, decided on a beef quesadilla plate with chips & salsa. Bit on the salty side but alright. Salsa was quite good...quite spicy as well. Reasonable prices make this an underrrated eatery.

    Posing in front the taco truck!
    Christine L.

    I love supporting small restaurants and businesses. I truly believe they're the spice of life. So, having found this gem down the street from my office on Oneawa St in Kailua, I decided to walk over and partake of some amazing Mexican food. This truck is parked between Goodwill and Timmy T's sandwich shop. I ordered a flautas plate with pork, and the California burrito plate for myself and my other half. Diego is an absolutely amazing man. 22 years of culinary skills making Mexican delights. The flautas are Heaven. I enjoyed every flaky bite. So perfectly balanced with the toppings. Little pieces of potato add texture to the beans and rice. I'm addicted already. The portion was large so I have lunch for tomorrow. Yay! The California burrito is a little spicy and very large. The whole thing was whacked. Lol. Thank you Diego and staff for satisfying my cravings today. I will be back often. They are open M-Sat 5-9pm for dinner. Don't miss out.

    The old adage "non si mette mai formaggio e pesce" doesn't really apply here.
    Smile808 ..

    Great service!! Chips are awesomely thin and crispy, which we like, and the salsa is on point..fire roasted, homemade and spicy.. We pride ourselves on trying and usually loving "hole-in-the-wall" gems, but c'mon. Gave it a chance even after I heard the microwave being used 2 minutes after our order was taken. Won't say much more bc the gentleman was super nice and the chips were good. Clearly freshness and authenticity have been altered for these "strange" times.

    Special - Sopas!  Really good
    Shane A.

    Haven't been here in a few months. Shop got updated with AC which is a huge plus. We'd normally stop in and it'd be like a sauna in there with just ceiling fans. Gotta be comfy when eating. On to the food. Chef told me he has some specials he put together. I landed on the Sopas with chorizo. Plate came packed with 2 sopas covered with veggies, cheese, and sour cream. Top that off with a small serving of beans and rice. Beans and rice had lots of flavor. The sopas was light and soft. Chorizo was good with some bits of crispy texture which I like. I recommend this place for mexican food to my downtown business friends. No place in town as good as Maria's for mexican.

    Leslie A.

    This is the closest thing to truly authentic Mexican food in HNL! The staff is super accommodating and nice! They seem to have the same mini corn tortillas every place has high is significantly smaller than the ones on the mainland. They are generous in the filling of the traditional street tacos. This is much more filling than other places I've tried even in downtown. They are not quick to make the food but that is not a bad thing. I came upon this place bc a coworker recommended it. And. I am glad I listened bc it is easy to pass up it's Small door and indistinct front. This is a def must stop!

    Maria's taco plate
    Hanna N.

    I really, really wanted to like this place. Most hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints are fabulous. This one was a let down for a couple of reasons. Positives: free chips and salsa when you dine in, wide menu selection Downers: waited over an hour for 2 lunch plates. Unacceptable. No apology, just an awkward "Finally. That's what happens when there's a big order in front of you" as he brought out our food. The food was good, other than the meat being salty. Definitely not worth the wait, especially during a lunch break. Ugh. Maybe, just MAYBE it was an off day for this restaurant. Even so, won't be back.

    Christine G.

    Located in China town, so it's all street parking. We called in an order and they told us 10-15min, after arriving 10min later we waited another 25min. The food is fresh, big portioned, and reasonably priced. This place is one of the few authentic Mexican restaurants in Hawaii.

    Spreaaaaaad.

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    17 days ago

    Fantastic Tacos, great proportions!!! Friendly and quick service! Would definitely recommend!!! 10 outta 10

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    3 years ago

    Good food for reasonable price although it's take out only, but one of the better Mexican food here in Hawaii

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    2 years ago

    It's a gem. Don't miss the authentic food made by the family matriarch. Margaritas are great, but the El Diablo is once in a lifetime!

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    2 years ago

    The place is a hole in the wall. The tacos are so good. The owner is super chill. Better get um while you can.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Maria Bonita Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Maria Bonita

    What are their business hours? Yelp says 11 AM. But the guy who answered said they were closed.

    Their hours are very odd. The best way to know is call them the day off when you decide to go.

    How is the salsa and how spicy?

    A bit salty, just how I love it. Made in house. Medium spicy.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Da Cantina - Menu

    Da Cantina

    4.9(12 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Sister location and part of the original Alejandro's next door. If you've eaten at Alejandro's then…read moreyou know what I mean. Only difference now is they are a sit down establishment serving margaritas and the like. I try carne asada at almost every Mexican eatery I stop at and this place rises to the top. Authentic taste; as if you were somewhere in Mexico. Any menu item is well flavored. That's all you need to know. Oh, their portions are huge so be mindful when ordering. If I had to pick one thing bordering negative it is the location as they are on Kalihi Street well into the Kalihi Valley. But, you will get used to it after your first visit; afterall, it's worth the journey into the "valley" Couple things you should know and that is chicken enchiladas are not made daily. I think it's Tuesday and Thursday? Not sure but it is limited. If you don't already know, their Kapahulu location closed a few years ago. They do intend on opening another location in Pauoa Valley I'm told and another location in Pearl Kai... I hope I'm not spreading rumors.... Regardless.... get there or be square!

    This is a really great local find in the middle of a neighborhood. Good spot to have some tacos…read moreand watch sports. The bar seats were all taken by locals from the area. First time driving through this part of Kalihi. Reminded me of where I used to live in Waipahu.

    Photos
    Da Cantina
    Da Cantina - What a carne asada burrito looks like inside the wrap

    What a carne asada burrito looks like inside the wrap

    Da Cantina

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    Taqueria El Ranchero - Shrimp taco

    Taqueria El Ranchero

    4.0(2.4k reviews)
    16.5 mi
    •$$

    My foodie friends wanted to make sure we stopped here on our food adventure. I always love coming…read morehere because the Mexican food is pretty good! But what I didn't know was that they don't have a happy hour...they have a HAPPY DAY!!!!! 10-6 PM! So even though we were not really hungry cause we just had lunch, we ordered some crispy tacos...which are four minis. The day was getting happier and happier! The bartender was great! Friendly and attentive! And it still has the same great vibe to just relax and enjoy! Gracias and Mahalo El Ranchero!

    The food at Taqueria El Ranchero is still very good, and the prices are reasonable. I had the wet…read moreseafood burrito with shrimp, and as usual, it had an impressive amount of shrimp in it. Flavor was solid, portion was generous, and the food itself is the main reason I keep coming back. The ambiance is chill and local. Most of the afternoon crowd seemed to know each other, which gives the place a comfortable neighborhood feel. That said, the inside is a little dingy and could probably use a renovation. The issue on this visit was the service. When we got there, it was pretty empty, maybe 4 or 5 people sitting at the bar. The guy working behind the bar seated us, but then never brought menus, never brought water, and never came back to take our order. When my friend tried waving him down, he ignored us. Eventually another employee came in, and the bartender just told him, "Go take his order," without acknowledging us at all. I don't know if he was only working the bar that day, but he could have at least brought water, menus, or simply said someone would be right with us. Instead, the whole interaction came across as dismissive and unnecessary. Food was very good as always, but service matters too. Based on this visit, I'd call it 3 stars overall.

    Photos
    Taqueria El Ranchero - Tacos in the cantina

    Tacos in the cantina

    Taqueria El Ranchero - WATERMELON SANGRIAS

    WATERMELON SANGRIAS

    Taqueria El Ranchero - SEAFOOD WET BURRITO

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    SEAFOOD WET BURRITO

    K-Mex HI - Bowl with Soicy Bulgogi

    K-Mex HI

    4.5(81 reviews)
    1.1 mi•Kaka'ako
    •$$

    With only a few hours between church services on the weekend my fiancé and I tend to go to our…read morenormal hot spots - ramen, curry, burgers, the occasional k-bbq and pho joints. But we were looking for something different, quick, and tasty. That's what we got at K-Mex HI although to be quite frank - the parking lot here is terrible! Mostly due to their location in the middle of the street with a handful of street parking locations shared with multiple other businesses down the lane. It took us 3 rounds of driving before we ended up deciding it was better to drop me off to order and pick up the food and have my man drive around into another larger parking lot to wait the 15-ish minutes it would take for our food to be ready. The owners were so nice. Answering all of my insistent questions, smiling when I ended up ordering something different from what they recommended on the menu (my bad - it's a question I ask all businesses even though I usually decide what I want beforehand LOL). They asked if I needed a bag, if I needed utensils and napkins, and even checked in on me while they made the food! Awesome service and I'm sure it would be the same if we decided to eat in. I liked the atmosphere. It was small but homely, clean, and there were a few small fish tanks in the corner! 15-ish minutes later, food packed up - I jumped back in the car and we drove down to South Shore Market in Ward to eat at the tables and take a glance if Ocean Taste's line was... long (it was). And let me tell you... the food? Delicious. The amount of food? Good for the price! And overall pretty darn great experience. I wasn't the biggest fan of the spicy pork (not my preference). But my fiancé liked it and his only comment was that it was a bit greasy for his liking. Reminded him he was in-fact eating spicy pork which is normally served on his plate lunch in a piece of tinfoil so the oil doesn't get everywhere! The carne asada was super delish along with the gochujang hot sauce cups we found at the bottom of the bag. I'd get K-Mex HI again if I was in the area but I'd love to see them in another location where I can more easily park! That's the only real bummer about this place and has deterred me from returning. :(

    Cute little taco place nestled between a couple buildings off to the back end. They have a "double…read moreparking " lot which means if you leave before the person parked behind you then you need to wait or hope they move for you. We got lucky because it was only take out/pick up orders so nobody stayed parked behind us for long. There is also street parking. I had 3 tacos and did 2 chicken and 1 beef. They have several sauces to choose from that range from hot to hotter imo lol...a Tapatio and some other brands. Mine actually tasted great without it. The restaurant has a few tables, a couple fish tanks, flat screen tvs and just an overall cute vibe. Everything looked clean.

    Photos
    K-Mex HI - Indoor seating

    Indoor seating

    K-Mex HI - Entrance to K-Mex HI

    Entrance to K-Mex HI

    K-Mex HI

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    Maria Bonita - mexican - Updated October 2026

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