Family of 3 visited on a Monday around 5:30pm. The place was already lively with patrons but not…read moretoo busy. We got seated right away. The place has great natural light. There's an option for outside canopy shaded seating but it was too hot for us. The large food portions were huge and excellent tasting! The bathroom was clean but the hand towel dispenser didn't work. The music was a tad bit on the too loud side. The salsa had a nice kick and salsa verde was super yummy. The chips were super fresh and served warm. The wait staff was super attentive. My daughter had the steak burrito, I had the seafood Hacienda Vieja (served enchilada style) and my husband had the Cielo Mar Tierra (chicken, steak and shrimp). Everything was perfectly cooked and the price couldn't be beat for the amount of food! Coming back again & again!

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 ​

We stopped at El Mariachi in Johnston around 6:30 and sat out on the patio, where a house swallow…read moreloudly judged us the entire time. Honestly, the patio ambiance is always pretty good here, bird commentary included. Service was a little slow, and we had to work harder than we should have just to get water, but our waiter was fine overall. Nothing bad, just nothing exceptional either. The complimentary chips and salsa were very good, and I love that they have El Yucateco sauces on the table if you want to spice things up a bit. I had the Chipotle Tacos with chicken for $13, which came with rice and beans. Kim had the #7 combo for $11, with one burrito, one enchilada, and one taco. Both meals were good, but the chicken in my tacos and Kim's burrito was seriously excellent. Tender, flavorful, and probably the best part of the meal. Kim had a small frozen raspberry house margarita for $6.25, and I had a jumbo house margarita on the rocks for $8. The house margaritas were the one thing I would probably upgrade next time. They were very sweet and not quite the stronger margarita flavor I usually prefer. They do offer several premium margarita options, so I suspect that is probably the better route if the drink is a big part of the visit. But they definitely ask premium prices! Our total bill with tip was about $54, which felt fair for two meals, chips and salsa, and two margaritas. Overall, good food, great chicken, nice patio vibe, and a solid casual stop -- just maybe spring for the upgraded margaritas if you have the cash.

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $31 04/18/2026 This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while after seeing a recommendation in a publication. The first time we stopped by a number of years ago, we decided against going in due to there not being many cars in the parking lot. That was definitely not the case last night - the parking lot was nearly full and we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, as they were quite busy. Needless to say, we left quite happy to have stopped - as we really enjoyed the experience. Our initial indicators of a good Mexican restaurant starts with their margaritas and then their chips and salsa. They passed it both areas - as both were above average. We started with a Spicy Jalapeno Margarita (see picture) from the bar while we waited for our table. It was good, but wasn't very spicy. The chips and salsa (see picture) were very good - tasty, fresh salsa that was thick enough to stay on your chips and crispy tortilla chips with enough oil to indicate they were fried fresh. For our meals, my wife ordered the Tacos Carne Asada (see picture), while I opted for the Tacos Carne Asada (see picture) - both based on our waiter Omar's recommendation. Omar was great - loved his recommendations, had a great sense of humor and was quite attentive to our needs! As stated, both my wife and I loved our plates - and yes, we shared with each other as always to both confirm. The only change I made to my plate was requesting corn tortillas - as I much prefer them to flour. I just can't say enough about both plates - not only did we REALLY like them, but there was plenty to bring home for another meal. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

Second visit and glad to say they were consistent. First of all my friend commented on how clean it…read moreis. Service was immediate and regular check ins, friendly by all means. Trying something new, I ordered tacos Al Pastor and the server immediately said "that's my favorite" and he brought out a small taster of house made hot sauce to add if I'd like. The flavor is banging!! Might have found my favorite! The mole enchiladas were interesting and now I'm curious to try more mole recipes. Good as well.

I've been here twice in the last month, once with a fellow Yelp Elite member and once as a solo…read morediner. The staff here is excellent--they regularly check in with you and you'll never feel neglected. I wish I could give higher praise to the food, but both dishes I've had here (barria tacos and a chimichanga) have seemed average at best. I feel that the au jus with the barria tacos didn't seem to have much in the way of flavor. The cheese dip seemed like it must have been sitting in a warmer or something; the texture was off. I can't say I'll never be back again, but I'm not going to be rushing to return either.

Wonderful food lovely staff definitely come here for some authentic Mexican food! The beef was so…read moretender I loved it

All the food was absolutely amazing. We brought in a large group and were well take care of. Rave…read morereviews all around. Kid friendly.

Everything was good! I lived in Texas for 5 yr, Madison WI for the past 4 yr, & I've been DYING for…read moresome good Tex mex. The service? Instant, impeccable. The food was great!! The salsa was so good and I loved the enchiladas. The ambiance felt like my favorite Mexican restaurant in Waco, TX. The food doesn't come with rice and beans--however it was super cost efficient so maybe I ordered something wrong, but I was so full that I didn't need the rice and beans. Definitely stop by!

We have always wanted to try this place and after finally doing so we are sorry we waited this…read morelong! The gist: exceptional service, warm and flavorful food; energetic ambiance with colors and music, full bar. Extras to know: on the last day of January the restaurant was comfortably warm. I am always cold and typically eat with my coat on but could enjoy tonight's meal without it. Upon arrival we were seated and immediately brought large glasses of water: I love not having to ask AND having a large glass and chips and salsa. The. Hips were typical Mexican restaurant chips; the salsa suited my preference with a bit of sweetness and cilantro. Our server was friendly and 'just right' attentive, allowing us to enjoy our meal while making sure we had drinks. The food came quickly in chilled glasses: the only thing keeping this meal from perfect is actually not so bad- the chipped glasses melted a bit and left a small glass rim puddle- I will ask for a coaster next time. And there WILL be a next time. The menu is extensive and creative with a nod to Iowa in some of the dishes (example: Iowa burrito) Prices totally reasonable for the amount of food. I enjoyed 1/3 of the pollo chorro (grilled chicken breast with chorizo) topped with melted cheese. Delicious combination. Sides of rice, refried beans and lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream in a mini taco shell. The dish came with a warm flour tortilla. Hubby had the Burrito Texano with steak, chicken and shrimp stuffed in a huge tortilla smothered in green sauce and cheese: we stayed for him to finish- he could not NOT eat it all it was so good. Family friendly, beer and margarita friendly, customer friendly, and food coma guaranteed. This is my personal favorite in town!

First time here, outdoor setting was very nice! Great place to sit outside and get a margarita. I…read moregot the mole enchilada and it was very good! Only negative I had was service was a bit slow. We had people get seated 20 min after us also get their ticket and leave before us while we sat and waited for someone to come close us out. Otherwise a great experience and servers were very nice.

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.

I had the Tacos Alambres, and they were amazing. Great flavors, and the portions were huge. Staff…read morewas very friendly and attentive. The restaurant looks very nice, with the murals on the walls and other Mexican decorations.

Had driven by multiple times decided to stop for dinner on a Friday night and sure glad I did…read more Very attentive server with a cool setup inside of the restaurant. Our table ordered : Chrriopollo - was best I've had in metro Chicken enchilada- feedback was very good Watermelon margarita - could tell was fresh not syrup One additional observation was the meal wasn't dripping in cheese / sour cream / slop like many metro Mexican restaurant rather the flavors spoke for themselves Overall Toro Loco will be in our rotation for future stops.

Neat little place to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch. Advertising is poor and quite hard to even…read moreknow this place exist without looking for something to eat on a smartphone navigational app. Needs better advertising considering the truck stop across the street would definitely bring in more business. Other than that food is good and service and atmosphere is good!!

Excellent food, fantastic service, and lively music make the Cancun Grill and Cantina a great place…read moreto eat. It's right next to the truck stop, which is great for weary travelers who are yearning for some quality food in a nice atmosphere. The place is clean and the staff is friendly and accommodating. I really enjoyed the two meals that I had here. I had the Fish Taco plate my first visit and they were awesome. I especially liked the sauce that was provided on the side and the availability of flour or corn tortillas. Today, I had the Juevos Rancheros plate with black beans replacing the usual offering of refrigerator beans. The eggs, themselves, were smothered in a tasty red sauce. Flour tortillas were served on the side. This meal is so good that I had to force myself to not eat the last several bites of the meal as I was already more than full. Of course, there are the usual drink offerings here both with and without alcohol. I had iced tea both visits, so I cannot really comment to much more about it except to say that the tea is refreshing! In closing, I'm sure you'll enjoy your visit to this nice restaurant. Great for families, couples, and singles alike.

Very authentic but some ambiance and VERY clean restaurant. Many dishes look great. The menu is…read moreextensive. So I asked the waiter for a recommendation and the picture attached is a special they run or it is off menu but can be ordered on request. It's street taco perfection The cheese is like a Muenster or Creamy Havarti and the perfect amount in the vase of the taco shell. The beef is marinated and tender- a succulent sweet and spice-savory. Then they fry/crisp the shell and the cheese melts into the beef and the shell takes on a golden crispy outside. The broth served on the side for dipping as well as the additional sauces to pour on the tacos make the meal mind blowing. DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING ELSE! Guacamole also fresh and huge portions. Chips and salsa also on point. I will be back!

My trip this go around was not as pleasant and the food not as flavorful. In building your own my…read moretamale was okay, the rice was not edible because of the smell as it had gasoline or too close to the grill fumes, the red sauce was splattered over both entrees as if the chef was in a hurry with only a few customers in the restaurant-- yet the saving grace was the guacamole it was good even though the chips were hard. The server seemed to be in a haste which made for an uncomfortable environment. Perhaps quality control needs to do a reboot of their products to return back to the good quality food they are noted for serving.

Back again! Plenty of parking outside on an early afternoon…read more We stopped back for another company lunch. This time I checked out the lunch menu. I found what will probably be my go to going forward. We were seated close to the bar. This was also a little closer to the kitchen and were attended to right away. The chips and salsa hit the table right away and we ordered up the guacamole and the queso. Everyone is always really nice and helpful. TVs on over the bar and music plays. I ordered the Huevos con Chorizo this time. Two scrambled eggs with chorizo, Mexican sausage, served with rice and beans. I had them hold the beans. Food came fast again. I was doing the happy food dance my eggs were so good. Once again, an all around great experience. 3 times out of 3 so far.

My daughter told me about this place because she and her friends like to come for margaritas. I…read morelike new places so we decided to give it a shot. Plain and simple, I like this place. It's nothing fancy. Friendly and fast service. It had Mexican music playing on the speakers but it was more of a pop/rock Mexican, not the typical music you usually hear in establishments like this. I enjoyed it. Great Mexican beer on tap for what I thought was reasonable prices. Chips and salsa are good. You have to get the Hildago Molcajete. Huge, temperature hot, layers of different stuff, fantastic. Plenty of leftovers. True molcajete served in the stone bowl. No restaurant is cheap anymore. But this place is pretty reasonably priced, and I thought the food is as good as any other local Mexican restaurant