We had a great time here for dinner! We got our food quick and our server was sweet and attentive…read more The food portions were also much larger than I expected and they gave us a free desert at the end of our meal. It was a little hot inside but would definitely recommend!! I'll be coming here again

We wanted to go to the nearby High Trestle Trail Bridge, so we stopped here for lunch with our…read moregrandkids on a weekday just after noon. We were quickly seated and got our drinks and started to look over the menu, which house lots of options! The kids settled in on a grilled cheese and a taco respectively. I decided to get the lunch burrito and my wife went for the lunch enchilada. Our food came out pretty quickly and everything was very fresh tasting and the serving sizes are huge! For a lunch special I expected a lunch-sized portion and I got what I would consider an evening-sized portion. The same for my wife's meal. When we were wrapping up, they came out with ice cream for the kids. They really enjoyed that even though you would've thought they'd have been full after all they ate for lunch. The spice level on everything was very mild. The salsa had just a little bit of a zing to it but nothing that would stop the kids for eating it. Next time I will ask for some hot sauce or throw some jalapeños in my entrée, but I do like it spiced up a bit. Service was very good and a gentleman who I assume is the owner was very funny and engaged well with everyone in the restaurant. They have a parking lot and everything was neat and clean. We did not partake of any adult drink offerings, but they did have what look to be a nice nicely stocked bar

Great Bang Bang Shrimp! Margaritas were good. I got the 42 ounce. Came in a cool giant margarita…read moreglass!

This place totally looks like it used to be someone's house…read more The street corn used mayonesa--which added a healthy (and welcome) burst of lime flavor. Don't add any additional--otherwise the lime flavor will be overpowering. This was an exceptional dish--very generous amounts of cheese and Tajin seasoning as well. The chips were served very warm and they don't skimp on them. I thought the salsa was a tad thick, but that's probably just my preference for thinner salsa... Service was very good--staff checked in regularly--and they took the step of bringing my extra spoon out on a plate. I thought that was interesting as well. I don't know if it was a Monday special, but my tallboy of Pacifico was only $3. I didn't even know they had Pacifico tallboys--I thought this was an exceptional value. Some minor quibbles with my barria tacos--the verde salsa was heavy on the jalapeno--overpowering in fact. The shells themselves were griddled to perfection and there was a healthy amount of cheese in them. The broth was pretty greasy--not something I had experienced previously. The meat was tender, but not very flavorful. On an individual basis, if only one of these issues was present, this would have been a five. The cumulative (minor) issues knocks the overall review down to about a 4.25. The booths are very large and tall, but there's not much room for fat boys like myself to squeeze in.

Stands out as my favorite mexican restaurant in Ames. I left for a year and all I was craving was…read moretheir queso. Above the rest in Ames. They have a small outside area and a bar. Not sure why by they do not serve alcohol at this time and are moving (yikes). But the food is still good. Service is very fast polite and professional.

WOW! It's both good and sad that I don't live in Ames, because if I did, I'd eat here ALL the time!…read moreOne of the Mexican restaurants we've ever been to! Salsa was fresh and chips were good and crispy. I got the steak tacos on corn tortillas and beans. All so great!

We stopped here for lunch while driving out to Colorado. It is a little off 80 but totally worth…read moreit. Clean restaurant- lots of seating and the food was great. Great service too! Don't let the outside of the restaurant deceive you. This place is good!!

Great food!! I look forward to coming here every time we are in town visiting Service is always…read morewonderful,atmosphere is very nice. Everyone we talk to that has been there feels the same way.

Amazing food great service . Very consistent . Always a wonderful experience.....this is our go to…read moreplace any time we want authentic great tasting Mexican food .

Walked in and loved the decor! Ordered margaritas,one house and one jalapeño, both were delicious,…read moretasted handmade. Ordered chorizo tacos and relleno burrito, both were good. Unique side came with the burrito, a refreshing change from most Mexican restaurants. Staff was friendly and attentive, food was delivered quickly. Definitely recommend, we will stop by again!

Hands down the best Mexican restaurant in Grimes. Between the free queso (that's right, not just…read morefree chips and salsa, but QUESO), the margs, and the atmosphere, Hacienda Vieja is a 10/10. Add on my favorite dish, El Presidentes, and it's an 11!

I would not recommend this place. The food was poor tasting. The rice had no flavor at all and…read moretasted watery. The fajitas were made up of mainly the peppers, hardly any meat at all. The nachos were soggy, I had asked that the toppings be put on the side however the request went unanswered. I was expecting so much better considering the reviews I read before hand ​

They have gone down hill. I got food poisoning a few months ago, but tried to brush it off as…read moresomething else. I went with some friends a week ago and everything was dry and had no flavor. The chips were stale and the salsa was old. I was very sad to have these two incidents since I've always thought the service and people were so nice.

Always fresh and hot. Made to order every time. Our go to for great Mexican food. A half hour drive…read morefor the best Mexican restaurant is not a problem.

Best mexican in Pella! The chile relleno was amazing! Quick service…read more Great portion sizes nice atmosphere

Great Mexican spot for quite authentic Mexican food! The inside is spacious and has a good mix of…read morebooth and table type seating. When sat we got free chips and salsa brought super quick and menus. The service was a bit slow however and there was some communication gaps. We requested few items that were never brought, but not a huge deal. The fajitas were great and the pricing was good!

Coming from Arizona, I've definitely missed those authentic Mexican flavors, and El Molcajete…read moredelivered. Everything we had was incredible. The carne asada was packed with flavor, and pairing it with the bacon-wrapped shrimp took the whole plate to another level. The shrimp tacos were easily some of the best I've had--fresh, loaded with toppings, and that sauce they put on them was seriously out of this world. The service was just as impressive as the food. Everyone was attentive, welcoming, and made the entire experience enjoyable from start to finish. I honestly can't think of a single thing that was lacking. Great food, authentic flavors, phenomenal service, and an overall top-tier experience. If you're in Ankeny, definitely stop by and give El Molcajete a try. Moving here from Arizona and finding a gem like this was a huge win. My wife and I already know this is going to become one of our regular spots. Easily a 10/10 experience! Can't complain the ambiance was a nice open concept.

This is my stepdaughter and her husband's favorite Mexican restaurant in their hometown, so we…read morestopped in as a group of 6 on a Friday night. We were seated right away and ordered a pitcher of Skinny Margaritas. They were VERY tasty, well-prepared, and a good accompniament to our chips and salsa. They bring out both mild and spicier salsa, and of course there are options for guac and cheese sauce. For dinner we got a variety of dishes. Two of the group shared a bowl and it was enough for them with leftovers. I got the Loco Burrito, and it was easily 2 meals for me. Others got tacos and shrimp, and everyone enjoyed their dishes. Service was excellent, and the staff worked together to keep things moving right along! I believe this is an old Golden Corral Building, so there is a lot of seating, and a bar right when you walk in the door. Great food and drink!!

This small business has the best ambiance in terms of decoration, setting, and color. The service…read morewas standard diner quality with quick food delivery and generous chips and salsa. The food is home made and done with care. I felt like my grandma had made this

Excellent food, quick service. Large portions for the prices. Happened to be there on a Wednesday…read morenight so we hopped across the street to the town farmers market which was a great way to end dinner.