Five of us had a great dinner! We ordered Queso Fundio Excellent!, Shrimp al pastor tacos. Yummy!, Green rice...a taste sensation!, Cilantro rice and black beans, crispy chicken tacos never disappoint, Cerviche, Carnitas Kinda Dry! read more

See all

It blows my mind that people consider this restaurant overpriced in some of the other reviews. If you want CHEAP delicious Mexican food, go to Mi Pueblo next door. If you want flavors that are a little more creative with super fresh, clean ingredients and don't mind spending $10 (GASP) on a salad, then go to Marinitas. Guys, this isn't expensive. There's literally one thing that is over $20. If you think this is expensive, then I hate to break it to you, but you probably haven't been eating very good quality food. Marinitas isn't trying to compete with the delicious hole in the wall Mexican places. They were doing the slightly more elevated approach to Mexican food long before Nopalito made it cool and new places began to sprout up all over. As someone who goes here a lot (usually sitting at the bar or getting food to go), I've tried pretty much everything on the menu, and my top picks are the vegetarian plate (which is HUGE), any of the salads, the carne asada tacos, the shrimp tacos, the chile relleno, the chicken enchilada, and the veggie enchilada. They also make a couple really great hot sauces in house, but you don't get them unless you ask for them. One is the house tabasco (not really like tabasco at all--more of a creamy, smokey chipotle sauce) and the other is the habanero hot sauce (which will light your mouth on fire). The chips and salsas are delicious, and they are happy to keep refilling them until you're stuffed. The margaritas are also exactly what you need from a good margarita. I saw a review on here that called the margaritas "bastardized" because they use a sweet and sour mix "instead of limes." Newsflash: they make the mix fresh with limes--they just don't squeeze the limes for each individual drink the way they do at, say, Tommy's on Geary (but you'll be paying more for that). They just put a note on the menu about using homemade sweet and sour mix so that you don't think they're using one of those gross neon green, chemical concoctions you can buy at Safeway when you see them mixing it all up. And again, you can get the house margarita for $10 (THIS IS NOT EXPENSIVE FOR A COCKTAIL. IT ISN'T 2005 ANYMORE). If you like it less sweet, ask for it half-skinny like I do, and they'll put less sugar in. I'm a big fan of all of the servers and bartenders (especially Sawyer, who is a true gem), but if you go during happy hour, you can expect service to be a bit slow since they get so jammed. I don't mind it because that's just the trade off in my mind if I'm getting a margarita for $6. I'm also pretty sure they hire high school kids for the host stand, so don't be offended if they don't seem particularly experienced. This is Marin after all. read more

The best chicken enchiladas I've had. Cooked in its own dish in the oven with a very rich and flavorful red sauce with cheese, which I could've ordered on its own. Outstanding. read more

Marinitas is one of the best Marin restaurants. Let's help them stay afloat during theses hard times and order some takeout.

One of my favorite restaurants in Marin. The service is great, and the chicken tacos are to DIE for. Also a great place for happy hour. The ambience is always fun and overall just a great restaurant. read more

Extremely disappointing return for birthday dinner. As an upscale Mexican restaurant with reputable chef, can't even do right a side of rice and beans- dried out from days ago. Putting tortillas in a paper bag is also a no no. marinitas rendition of their "Cochinita pibil" is rather a mole sauce, and Cochin it's very dry. chose to skip dessert. Did not want to be disappointed even though remember Ed their Pastel de Leches had been delicious. only thing that keeps Marinita's standing is their Margaritas and that's it. read more

Went there Saturday for lunch with my husband. We had the fish tacos, the steak tacos, and a side dish. Cooked just like we requested and just fabulous. Also we had the best service I think we have EVER had there and we've gone many times. The very nice waitress and the very hard at work busboy were an incredible team, fast service, all requests taken care of, both of these service folks were beyond great! The food has definitely gone up a couple of notches. They are AAAA++++. Can't wait to go back! read more

Marinitas catered our wedding at Stafford Lake Park in Novato in June 2019 via the Carta Marinitas Taco Truck (which is really a van). They were experienced with the park, arrived exactly on time, and were able to serve our guests efficiently via a buffet that they set up in the picnic area. The food was delicious and we received so many compliments! Who could say no to a taco bar on a beautiful summer day? The price was just right, too. read more

See all

I grew up nearby in Fairfax and I really like this place. Laidback but nice atmosphere, very tasty and upscale mexican cuisine. Perhaps a bit pricey. I highly recommend the vegetarian enchiladas, even if you normally order meat dishes. Seriously amazing. read more

Well, I've been wanting to come here for quite some time, and it was a bit of a let down. The menu looks amazing but the execution not so. I had the Polenta and Mushroom appetizer, with pine nuts - and the verde sauce was totally soupy, like drowning in verde. It made the polenta soggy and overall meh... mushrooms were good, flavor okay but not worth the soupiness. It needs just a thick regular sauce/glaze sauce, and would be a hit. Next was the Chipotle Shrimp appetizer, and flavor was good, kind of spicy, but guess what - soupy (seems to be a theme), flavor good, it comes with bread and it was totally soggy due to the soup (not sauce). Chill on the soup, chefs!! Veggie tacos, were okay, the best part was the queso along the bottom, but very much lacking flavor, plain, and kind of a salad in a taco. The place was nice inside, but if you want to go here, try something other than anything drowning in soup. read more

Ballsy woman alert! Years ago I heard the owner, Heidi Krahling, at some event opining about her desire to someday open a Mexican place. The only obstacle she could think of was how to sell Mexican food at a high enough price point to be profitable. Well, not only did she move forward with plans to open a high-end Mexican place, but she opened it right next door to a very popular down-scale sit-down taqueria. Chutzpah anyone? The lady apparently knew what she was doing as this place has been packed since day one. Oddly enough, the place next door remains packed as well. So, there you have it: Within yards of each other you can pick up a few tacos and get change for a ten or you can pick up a few tacos at Marinitas and need a trip to the ATM. Yelp friends can probably already predict my preference. I've not dined at Marinitas since shortly after they opened when I found it physically pretty and way overpriced. This time, all I came for was drinks and chips and here's how things went down: Total spent, before tip: $32 Total items consumed (by me and B): * 2 skinny Margaritas at happy hour prices (prior to 6 p.m.) * 2 skinny Margaritas at regular prices ($11 each. Are you kidding??) * Chips + salsa (complimentary, I believe) All I can say is, if I'm gonna spend $11 for a margarita, it'd better be in NYC or SF. I'm happy that Marinitas is stimulating the economy but I'll be doing my future drinking elsewhere, probably after eating at the place next door. read more

I hadn't realized that San Anselmo could be so hip and so cool until I dined at Marinitas. This huge restaurant was bustling on a Thursday night. The dim lights provided a relaxing atmosphere while the service was friendly and efficient. We started with the free chips and salsa and added the delicious guacamole on. We also chose the deluxe margaritas (a $38 pitcher) which were yummy and less likely to cause hang-overs than the $32 pitcher... I had the tomate salad with shrimp, Ibis chose the veggie quesadillas, and Kelly had the carne asada tacos. We all loved our food and finished just about every last bite! (The portions were reasonable but not over-sized). I'd love to come back here for a drink at the bar or another dinner. $32 each for food, margaritas, tax, and tip works for me! read more

The ambiance is really comfortable -- wide open with natural breeze as well as some fan or AC which made it very pleasant on a warm day. I wanted to get a few side dishes and they wouldn't let me get things on the vegetarian platter without ordering the entire platter. No substitutions. So, a couple of the platter items were mediocre. In addition we got guacamole and pinto beans; they were not on the platter. The food was pretty good except for the "roasted sweet potatoes" were really like steak fries with a hot sauce on them. I prefer a "can do" attitude. The waiter asked the "chef" and apparently what I wanted was just too much for them to do even though there were very few people in the restaurant. read more

Best crispy chicken tacos in Marin! We went on Saturday, then had to go back on Sunday as well after a hike at Phoenix lake. Sunday the bar has a bloody bar where you can make your own bloodies. Pretty awesome! The bar manager Mike was super passionate about his drinks and the restaurant provided great customer service and makes amazing margaritas! He mentioned that the seasonal mango margarita is the best one. We'll definitely be back to try them! read more

Marinitas - Latin American Near Me - San Anselmo, California

NO BUENO In San Alselmo :( Poor to inconsistent service and confusing menu and extremely disappointing enchiladas. read more

Marinitas is the best Mexican restaurant in Marin. We have been loyal customers for about 13 years now. The food is great and authentic. The service is usually great, once in a while I will get a rogue server or host. However, most of the time I get great service. read more

Disgusting old food served. Get sick every time I try it. Please close down. read more

Who doesn't love Marinitas? Try the chicken tacos! And ask for the homemade Tabasco. It's incredible. read more

White folks' version of Mexican food...meaning an expensive version of Taco Bell and NOT authentic. We had the (un)fortunate experience of sitting next to a group of folks (three couples) that got louder and louder as they consumed their Margaritas. They were actually making ANIMAL NOISES DURING DINNER. Stay classy, guys. ARGH! We also had a super slow waitress; from the time we sat down to the time we were first acknowledged took a total of 11 minutes. We almost walked out, but since it was already close to 9:00 p.m., we stayed. The chips and salsa were good and we ordered guac and it was nothing to write home about. I ordered enchiladas (RICE AND BEANS ARE EXTRA). The green rice was not flavorful and it looked like something you might make in first grade for St. Patrick's Day. I bumped this review up because the decor is pretty awesome, but now that I think about it they might keep it so dark because they don't want you to see how they are ripping you off and faking you out with their fraudulent excuse for Mexican food. read more

Forget jetting off to Argentina, San Anselmo's Marinitas is the place for food that covers the entire continent. Every dish we had looked like food porn, straight from Gourmet! This is old-school style pan-Latin cuisine that's guaranteed to offer something everyone will like. Pluse, it's down the street from Sean Penn's house, so you may even get more spice and heat than you bargained for! Disclosure: I'm a huge Heidi Krahling fan and have been since she opened Insalata's in the 90s. She was one of the original visionaries to use simple, locally grown ingredients. I also loved her book Mediterranean Women Stay Slim Too--her no-nonsense approach to cooking and life makes interesting reading. Marinitas, her latest, is a cool respite from the Marin heat. Interiors are a funky mix of tropical hardwoo-paneled colonial with the assorted TV-top Santa for decoration. Food runs the gamut from classic tacos to Brazil's national dish, feijoada, on Monday nights. We kept it simple for our first visit and were not disappointed. Chips and salsa are gratis--we spent 1/2 the meal trying to figure out the delish secret spice in the red salsa. We're still wondering. Guacamole was divine--the best we've had since the prep-at-your-table version at our fave NYC Mexican restaurant, Rosa Mexicano. Next up was a gorgeous, Gourmet photo-worthy treat of crispy masa boats with adobo chicken, black beans, cotija cheese, and crema Mexicana. We finished up with Tres Leches cake with Dulce du Leche sauce. Wow...this was stunning and the best dulce du leche I've had outside of Buenos Aires. Can't wait to get back across the bridge!! Note: they're on Open Table read more

See all

Wow what a surprise! We literally were driving around wondering where to eat last night and stumbled upon this gem. The food is AMAZING and even our picky 10-yr old was amazed. So happy to find a new option in Marin!! Absolutely go eat at Marinitas! read more

Had an early dinner on a Saturday. We sat in the bar and our server/bartender, Mike, was amazing! He detailed the flavor profiles of the flight of tequilas, was super friendly and open to any and all questions, and shared that the park across the way had music later on. Not to mention the food-ceviche, salmon, tacos, Chile rellano! OMG. YOM. Just go support this place and it's staff! read more

Any of their appetizers are amazing. We ordered their dip and it was mouthwatering oh my goodness! For lunch I had the fish tacos. Yum! I will definitely be back for their specialties on Wednesdays and Thursday's! The servers were also skilled in everything. They knew how to bar tend, serve, and bus. I really like this place. read more

See all

Not a fan of their guac; but their enchiladas are fantastic, as are their salads, margaritas and specials. Not the least expensive of places, but the decor and service make up for that. read more

Wow! Amazing chips, guacamole, fish tacos and carnitas. And the sangria is the best we hav had. Thank you for a great dinner.

The decor of this restaurant is a bit odd and doesn't scream Mexican to me but don't let it fool you. I have had many enchiladas in my day and I have to say this is the BEST enchilada I have ever had - piping hot in a ceramic bowl with chicken, cheese, and an excellent red sauce. The chips are really great as well - thin and just the right amount of salt. The 2 salsas (red and green) are AMAZING. Seriously - I could just eat that and be satisfied... and the Margaritas are REAL.- I am talking fresh squeezed limes and oranges. non of that sweet and sour mixed crap. So grab a seat order a margarita, enjoy the complimentary chips and salsas and have the enchiladas... Welcome to a bit of awesomeness. read more

We came here on a Thursday and sat in the bar area after 6pm. It was already packed full of ppl. So im like ok this place must be good. And YES it is. Sitting in the bar area was ok but the service wasn't that good. Happy hour drinks were great and strong. We ordered the Tres Ceviche and all 3 were very refreshing and had so much flavor. Cheese enchiladas were so yummy! The Chicken Tacos with Potatoes inside was very good and filling. This place is great!!! read more

See all

We stopped by for drinks and small plates on Christmas Eve. Although we had reservations, the place was unusually empty. Our server was distracted, brought the wrong beer but didn't offer to make it right, failed to bring one appetizer, brought one we didn't order and told charged us for it even when we pointed out that we didn't want it. We asked for water, which came at the same time as the bill. We had to flag down our server as he was wandering around with a lost look in his face. The food was okay, but so pricey, especially when we had to pay for things we didn't order or want! read more

Oh seriously? This food is delicious cold! I missed the "on time delivery text" and by the time I got it of course it was cold. Zapped it and served it, we loved it!! One would have to be a qualified curator of taste, that I am not but ... this was something special. I don't know, not "Mexican" possibly "Latin", my friend said, "not Latin in the Roman sense" - haha! Anyway - bursting with flavors, so delicious we did not talk, just enjoyed every bite and each taco had a different taste. I loved their brussel sprouts, so good I could eat it for breakfast! I just looked up the location of the establishment, I will be there and if not now, order for delivery again - most definitely make this restaurant 5 stars squared! I just re-read this post and concur with my taste buds explained! Funny! Just to add a little more - so good I don't want to brush my teeth, keep the taste as long as I can. read more

Duck tacos are the must there. Nice place. I go there mostly because everything else decent is closed in the area when they are open:)

I just went for the first time this weekend and had such a great experience! The hostess are so cute and sweet and the service is fast, friendly, and hilarious. The food was amazing, I ordered the fundido and chicken enchiladas which were just delicious! I definitely recommend this place for anyone that has not been :) read more

Sooo tired of trying to get a decent margarita here. I don't like sweet and sour or agave in there. We sit at the bar, I asked if they had one made with tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice (very classic). He says "so a skinny margarita?" Um no, a regular one. He educated me that "that IS the definition of a skinny margarita." I say ok fine. He brings back tequila and lime juice. After a bit I ask him to put a splash of Cointreau in there. He walks to the other end of the bar and puts a splash in from the pre-made mix, yep, sweet and sour. Super annoying since I told him I don't like sweet and sour. Then he says, "so you should have said you wanted a 1/2 skinny margarita." I explained that I didn't want that, then I stopped because I don't feel like arguing with the bartender on my first night out in a while. He continues with a smug "take it from a guy who's been slinging margaritas for a while". I really wanted to explain to him that I've been drinking real margaritas longer than he's been making them. He should to to Playa and have a Kill Bill, that's what a margarita should taste like. read more

Have you ever wanted Mexican sounding food without a real Mexican menu? Well, your search has ended. Look no further than Marinitas. If you can get past the angry & entitled millennial that guards the door under the pretext of hostess, you will enter an interior reminiscent of an old library found on a sunken Spanish galleon. Complete with a photo of La Virgin de Guadalupe...or whatever her name is. Any who.... Regarding their menu, which is possibly why you chose to come here, lets just say the food is decent. Definitely not great, definitely not bad. It has flavors and names reminiscent of Latin food and closest to Tex-Mex, but I would call it more, Cal-Mex (potatoes and watercress in your tacos is a CA cuisine thing not "Mex") Even the margaritas are bastardized and made with sweet and sour mix instead of limes. Their menu is small and boring and focuses entirely around tacos and enchiladas (for some strange reason beans and rice are extra), a special of the day and a couple plates that aren't very exciting either. Over all, Marinitas is really just ok. I honestly can neither love this place or hate it. The atmosphere tends to be busy and slightly loud, they have a full bar. It warrants a stop if you live around here and don't want to drive to SF for some real and very good Latin food. They get 4 stars for convenience and atmosphere, 3 stars for flavor and 0 stars for their menu. read more

When I'm craving delicious Mexican food and great drinks I head to Marinitas. The tacos, especially the carne asada tacos, are a must-try, and the daily specials add variety to this small yet tasty menu. For starters, the guacamole and Marinita's salad are scrumptious. If you're a fan of tequila, you're in luck. The Supremo Margarita is an excellent pick and uses high-quality 100% agave tequila. If you love mint in your drinks like me, the mojito or the addicting non-alcoholic citrus-mint cooler is for you. Aside from the menu, the restaurant is usually hopping and includes lots of cozy booths as well as a large bar. It's dimly lit and has a relaxed, casual vibe, great for a date night or girls' night out. It's open rather late for Marin (12am on weekends and 11pm during the week), giving it points in suburbia. The service is generally decent as well. read more

See all

Wow, Marinitas well exceeded our expectations! It was superseded by superior service from Mike and Gina. They were absolutely amazing and made our evening. We will definitely come back. Not only was the service outstanding, but the food and drinks were delicious. I highly recommend getting their famous margaritas and tres leches for dessert. I would recommend a main entree too but everything I've tried here has all be SOOOO yummy I couldn't recommend a single dish. read more

I live in Fairfax and our family has gone here for several years, a couple of times a year and the food is typically excellent, BUT the last time we went a big bug crawled out of the salad (see picture)! Of course you tell the waitress this and expect an apology and a new salad or no cost for the $20 salad. Her response was "oh, did it fly in?" No, it crawled out of the lettuce and is covered in dressing. We had to say we're not paying for it and asked for the manager who came out 15 minutes later and explained that there food is organic, and they do find bugs in the greens often. No apology, no consideration of what would make us happy as customers. Consider us ex-customers. read more

Marinitas - That's a bug crawling out of our salad :^( - Latin American Near Me - San Anselmo, California

On business trip, colleague and I went for dinner. Surprised over low reviews, as our experience was great: service was top notch and delicious food and drinks. We split the guacamole and chips, veggie plate and salmon. Friend raved over the mojito and I enjoyed their margarita on the rocks. Veggie plate was flavorful, quinoa hearty full of spices, poblano chile was smokey and sweet potato was delicious. Salmon was topped with a citrusy salad which sat on a potato cake surrounded with a sweet mole sauce. Great blend of spice, tang, and flavors. Even their salsas were good. Great place to dine. read more

Marinitas - Veggie plate - Latin American Near Me - San Anselmo, California

See all

The Sunday Brunch menu was fantastic. Everything sounded so good, making a decision was difficult. We each had a different dish, and we were all raving about how delicious it all was. I will have to plan ahead a few weeks so I can try the rest of the menu! The decor and ambiance were also very well thought out. It's a little difficult to describe it in terms of a genre. The closet I can come to describe it is "funky Mexican antique store" all the way up to the rafters. On each of my visits, we've had nothing short of warm, smiling and gracious service as well. read more

This is not a traditional Mexican restaurant, however, it is a great restaurant! The food is delicious! My favorites are the Salmon Tostaditas, Ceviche Trio, Marinitas little gem salad, and Bistec Argentino. The ingredients are quality and dishes are well rounded. The margaritas are delicious as well (I don't like mine very sweet). I like the dim lighting. It creates a relaxed ambiance, even with how noisy it can get because it's so popular. I'd suggest making a reservation, as it is often crowded. read more

I decided to order a large togo order for a couple friends and the food turned out wonderful we all enjoyed the chicken enchiladas, green rice and black beans. Don't forget to get guacamole and chips you won't find any place better then Marinitas . read more