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    Mekiko Cantina

    4.0 (558 reviews)
    PriceyTacos
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Mekiko Cantina Photos

    Business Info

    MEKIKO CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Trendy

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    Recommended Reviews - Mekiko Cantina

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    Salsa and guacamole flight

    This place is fantastic! Was a bit skeptical about eating Mexican in Hawaii, but, so glad we did! The hostess was so nice and personable, super helpful! Our server was incredibly nice also! Had the salsa and guacamole flight, Carne asada street tacos and a burrito. Super fresh and tasty. Highly recommend this place ! Would go here again for sure!

    Bar area
    Tina A.

    I was craving a burrito for days, being a CA girl I know good Mexican food. I definitely found it here. I ordered the carne asada burrito and a side of the HOT salsa. Mindy made me the best skinny margarita while I waited. The service was great , as was the food. Plenty of tables and barstools available.Super conveniently located near the ABC store, worth the visit! Pl

    Chicken Enchiladas
    Ruby S.

    Guacamole and Two Salsa Flights were crispy, lightly salted, tortilla chips, accompanying fresh and homemade salsa verde, salsa roja, and guacamole. Loved how two Chicken Enchiladas tasted fresh and lean. Each rolled and sealed in corn tortilla, topped with red sauce and cheese. Deliciosa! Refried beans and rice were yummy. Immense gratitude to the staff at Mekiko Cantina who exceeded our expectations and delivered fantastic customer service during a lively evening. Well lit, outdoor ambiance. Our food arrived quickly and piping hot! Frank took great care of us. He deserves a huge raise and promotion.

    The bar
    Beth E.

    We went around 5:40p and got right in. It took a little bit to have someone acknowledge us, yet it did give us time to review the menu and be ready when our server did arrive. My love ordered the Al Pastor Tacos which he liked. I ordered the Shredded Beef Enchiladas which I thoroughly enjoyed. Our server was great. The vibe here was good. They even had a lady playing live music for those dining outside. All the food we saw being delivered looked and smelled delicious. The place is definitely worth a try when you are in the area.

    Stephen S.

    Mekiko Cantina seems more adapted for a general audience rather than those familiar with authentic Mexican flavors. Our waiter didn't do that good of a job of making sure our glasses were filled. The Birria taco sauce tasted like oil.

    Bacon wrapped shrimp
    Sharmeen F.

    Oh man, this place was SO good! It's right across the street from the Aulani Resort that we were staying at and we went multiple times because we loved it so much! The bacon wrapped shrimp were crispy, huge, and flavorful. The birria tacos had a huge portion of meat and the consommé was delicious. The fajitas came out sizzling and flavorful. The tortillas were homemade and worked well with everything. The margarita flight had a mix of sweet, sour, and spicy drinks that paired well with our food. Our servers were always so nice and gave great recommendations. Don't miss this spot if you're in Hawaii!

    Pork Nachos (sub grilled chicken)
    Cathrine S.

    Delicious Mexican food in Ko Olina, we love stopping in when visiting the area. Highly recommend their happy hour! Their chips and salsa flight is delicious and a must try as well. We've never had trouble getting a spot here even on busy weekend nights!

    Grilled ono tacos with a side of Mexican rice.
    John F.

    Heard a lot about Mekiko Cantina by people who found it to be a more affordable restaurant option in the area, particularly at happy hour. The happy hour deals looked okay, but we missed that window and instead ordered off the regular menu. My wife and I each ordered the grilled ono tacos, which came with a side of rice, and while the entrees were certainly okay, they didn't wow us, especially for the price. I will say that the side of rice was quite good. The ambience is loud, and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was okay but didn't wow us either. Being from Arizona, I have many really good Mexican food options to choose from at home, and this isn't bad Mexican food for Hawaii, I suppose, but it doesn't quite rise to the level that will necessarily bring me back. Granted, there aren't a lot of restaurant options in Ko Olina, and I would certainly do it again in a pinch or if someone with me wanted to go, and very likely I'd be willing to try happy hour, but I don't plan to go out of my way to eat here again the next time I'm in the area.

    Macho Mekiko burrito. Just okay. Not great.
    Michelle M.

    This place is a short walk from our hotel and we love Mexican food so we decided to check this place out. We were seated quickly and sat indoors. The music is pretty loud so it was hard to hear the other people at our table. We ordered the quac and chips as a starter, which was good. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband had the macho Mekiko burrito. The fish in my tacos was very dry and tough and there wasn't a good sauce on them. The corn tortillas fell apart after a few bites. I did like the cilantro on top but that was the best thing about them. My husband's burrito was just average. We were underwhelmed with our meal and I wouldn't go back. There are so many other good places to try that we wouldn't waste our time again. The service was good though.

    Churros dessert
    Mina K.

    A favorite place of ours to sip, share, eat and relax! All items on the menu are easily delish, fajitas come on a sizzling hot plate with plenty of sides to dress it up. Even their chips are fresh and crunchy to pair with the salsas! Although it was busy, our server did a great job at staying attentive and kind!

    Our son got the Keiki burrito with Rice.  It's always good if they finish the whole plate
    Cheryl L.

    Great spot to go for happy hour with the family. It's walkable from the hotels Aulani and Four seasons and without the resort prices. Love the idea to eat off the hotel property. The staff was helpful and the bathroom was clean. The inside is cute and they were playing reggaeton so we were happy to hangout there after our meal.

    3 mini churros for that price..
    Eli N.

    We went back to Mekiko's Cantina recently only because our neighbors wanted to meet for dinner. Honestly, I had serious hesitation -- the last time we ate there, the service wasn't great -- and unfortunately, this visit wasn't any better. First off, it's not authentic Mexican food -- it's Tex-Mex, and the portions are small for the prices you pay. The food itself is just okay at best -- I'd rate it a 5 out of 10. The truth is, I think a lot of people go there simply because they're staying in Ko Olina, and there aren't many dinner options nearby. If you don't have a car or don't want to eat at the resorts, you basically end up there by default. Also, no complimentary chips and salsa -- you have to pay for it, which is rare for a "Mexican" restaurant, but I guess that's Hawaii pricing for you. The service was the biggest letdown. As we were still eating, a busboy started clearing plates right in front of us without even asking if we were done. It felt rushed and careless. Then when we asked for dessert, the staff acted irritated, as if we were bothering them or keeping them past closing time. Speaking of dessert -- we ordered the churros, and that was another disappointment. For $17.99, you get three mini churros with three sauces. There's literally more sauce than churros. Three tiny churros for nearly eighteen bucks -- it felt like a joke. The ambiance doesn't help either -- the restaurant feels like a cafeteria, and the music doesn't fit the theme (Cuban and generic Spanish music in a Tex-Mex place?). The low point came after dinner. My daughter had left her food behind, and we realized it just minutes later. I called immediately -- about five minutes after we left -- and asked if it was still there. The manager said they throw out everything as soon as customers leave, which I found ridiculous considering how quickly they cleared our table. It's a small restaurant -- they easily could've noticed us walking out and called out. I asked if they could remake the tacos (just three plain ones), but the manager refused, saying they don't do takeout. She offered to make them the next day with a discount but wouldn't comp them. We had a brief argument, and I drove back. Once there, a different manager -- Sal -- came out. Sal was great: professional, polite, and understanding. He apologized and made the tacos for us right away. Sal was the only bright spot of the evening. He understands customer service and deserves recognition. Because of him, I'm giving this place two stars instead of one. But overall, Makiko's still misses the mark -- poor service, off-theme atmosphere, and food that's just average. If you're in Ko Olina and want real Mexican food, skip Mekiko's -- unless you're really hungry and don't want to drive anywhere.

    Birra tacos and margarita

    The food was amazing and the service was fabulous. Totally recommend. We were a party of 10 and they accommodate us asap.

    Guac and salsa flight - medium and spicy salsa

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    Service was amazing and the food just as great! Server and management did an amazing job of making our party feel taken care of.

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    Mekiko Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mekiko Cantina

    When is happy hour?

    3:00 till 5:00; Great margaritas.

    Tried ordering take out but they stop taking take out orders at 5:30pm?

    5:00 yes

    Do you have gluten free options?

    Yes

    Do you take reservations?

    They don't accept reservations.

    Do you need reservations for dinner?

    I would recommend it. We tried to walk in for dinner and were told it was a 40 minute wait, but we got lucky and they had a bar table open shortly after.

    View All 6 Questions

    Frida Taqueria

    Frida Taqueria

    4.3
    (317 reviews)
    7.3 mi
    $$

    Good food and good service. The inside decor is fun and cheerful. It is a small restaurant, but…read morecomforting and quiet. Everything is fresh. They have a coffee flan, which was great for coffee lovers. I would definitely go again. The server was very sweet. Mahalo.

    We were excited to try this place after reading the Yelp reviews and craving Mexican food. I don't…read moreusually leave negative reviews because I know restaurants can have an off day, so I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. We're also not people who only enjoy fancy restaurants--we're just as happy grabbing musubi from 7-Eleven or pork hash from the Manapua Man. Good food is good food, regardless of where it's from. We placed an online order for pickup, and the first item we opened was the carne asada plate. Right away, everything looked very dry. The meat was tough and chewy, and the rice was clumpy and dry, almost as if it had been sitting out for a while. It wasn't a great first impression. The biggest disappointment, though, was the tres leches cake. We love tres leches and order it whenever we get the chance, whether it's from a restaurant, farmers market, or a local home baker. We ordered two slices. After one bite of the first slice, it had a distinctly sour taste that reminded us of spoiled milk, so we stopped eating it immediately. Before trying the second slice, we smelled it first, and it had the same spoiled milk smell. To make sure we weren't imagining it, we brought both slices to family members, and everyone agreed that they smelled like spoiled milk. At that point, we no longer felt comfortable eating the rest of our order. Although the horchata tasted fine, we ended up throwing everything away because we had lost confidence after the dessert experience. I can only speak on our experience, but unfortunately it was a very disappointing one. I understand that not every meal will be perfect, but serving a dessert that smelled and tasted spoiled was concerning. Hopefully this was an isolated incident, but based on our visit, we won't be returning.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Cheesecake
    Cheesecake
    Storefront... can't judge a book by its cover!!!

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    Storefront... can't judge a book by its cover!!!
    Paniolos - Kapolei

    Paniolos - Kapolei

    3.4
    (281 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    We try this place for the first time. They greeted us a we…read morecame in. As we were deciding what to choose, the 2 girls weren't as friendly n polite just stood there. Never offended any help or suggestion. The looks was as if they were bored. We got the carnesada burrito n shredded beef nachos. The place is clean n cool. I think when the other worker lady walked in they moved more. Thinking it was their boss. Customer came in n they moved faster n more polite. Good to see. As a customer I always watch who ever working n how the greeted n serve their people. Now the nachos I got was shredded beef n refried beans with the melted cheese n toppings. The food is good n nice portion the give. Burrito was good n fat, pretty feeling. Cured our appetite The 1 star missing is because they need better customer service n be more friendly n better service. Will I come back .... yes because the food is good

    This place is well suited for a paniolo with a small appetite. I happened to be riding my horse…read morearound Kapolei and got hungry, so I stopped at this Mexican restaurant. Food was tasty, but the protein portion was fitting for a keiki cowboy. Me being of the large paniolo variety would have liked a bit more chopped steak in my bowl. I wish they offered a extra protein option or a mega portion bowl. Aside from being a featherweight in the meat department, the ingredients were fresh and tasty. I got guacamole, which was extra of course. The salsas were tasty and the rice, onions, and lettuce were all good. Service was good and it was quick to go in, order, and get my bowl while my horse waited in the horse parking area in front of TJ Maxx next to a primer grey Honda Civic.

    Photos
    Paniolos - Kapolei
    Paniolos - Kapolei
    Paniolos - Kapolei

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    Monkeypod Kitchen

    Monkeypod Kitchen

    4.0
    (5.5k reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Good solid experience with nice food and nice ambiance…read more Caesar salad was good and fresh 9/10. Siamin was maybe my favorite dish, smokey the noodles extra al dente and the pork was flavorful 10/10. Pesto Gnocchi was pillowy and soft and the pesto sauce was light and flavorful and was one of the few vegetarian options. I would get again 8.5/10. Side of broccoli was spicy and zesty 10/10. Cocktails were also very nice way to start. It's a tradition to always hit the minkeypod when in hawaii and will continue. Don't forget the pies!

    Came here while staying at Aulani. We weren't too hungry yet and mainly got appetizers and drinks…read moreduring happy hour. Majority of the appetizers we got were good. - truffle fries..well...their truffle fries and cant really go wrong - taro dumplings (i forgot if thats what we got but they were good but not blown away either) - corn chowder was good - brisket pesto pizza? (Im overdue with the review so forgot what pizza it exactly was) but i remember this was good. It was in the happy hour menu is all i can remember. - wings but unsure about the goat cheese dip. I prefer plain ranch - the kids pasta was good. Well, one kiddo loved it while the other didn't. So it depends on preferences on this one. I will say i did taste it and it was meh... - another kiddo got the shoyu noodles and its plain. So if you got a simple palate plain jane child, they will like this one. For drinks, it depends on taste and preferences. I was bummed on this one. Mainly looking fwd to the drinks and it didn't satisfy my tastebuds. It was too twisted, fusion, modified etc. i prefer a mai tai a plain old fashioned mai tai without the fixings. The orange foam was too strong it overwhelmed the dark rum im used to and prefer. So i decided to try the ube rey instead which was much better but still not as much to my liking/preferences. Went back to Aulani a but bummed and decided to get another at Aulani the next day instead and I will say, i liked it better as it followed the more traditional way of making it. So if you prefer traditional ways, this may not be for you and if planning to drink, simply keep with the simplier generic drinks, wine or beer. If you prefer to try different ways and flavors, then you will love this. Service was great and our server was attentive at all times. Thank you. Ambiance was good but outdoor seating may be a bit of a nuance due to flies swarming around you often. The swinging table fan helps but are still annoying plus the tropical heat also didn't help.

    Photos
    Banana Cream Pie Strawberry Cream Pie
    Banana Cream Pie Strawberry Cream Pie
    Guava cream pie
    Guava cream pie
    Virgin mai tai

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    Virgin mai tai

    Mekiko Cantina - tacos - Updated August 2026

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