This is a special place I would come back to. There are a lot of Mexican places in the area and this one found a way to stand out. It's slightly upscale yet still casual take on food is refreshing, and the care is certainly there. read more

Pajarito - Mexican Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The restaurant has a great atmosphere and all the employees we interacted with were very nice. We ordered 3 of their tacos. Each order gets two tacos which is great for splitting between two people. My girlfriend felt the chicken tacos were a little dry. I thought they were excellent but it was the both our least favorite of the three we tried. The next best taco would be the pork. So good! I loved the flavor. But wait, the beef taco was even better. When you look at it you think, "why would this be on the menu?" because it is only beef. But it is there because the beef is awesome all on it's own. We both wished we could go back in time and order only the beef tacos. The only reason we gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the price. Each order is $9 or $4.50 a taco. That is a lot of $! read more

Really had high expectations for this place. I thought the portions were really small for the price and the dishes didn't wow me like I thought they would. It reminded me of Barrio-tries hard to be an elevated Latina cuisine place but falls short due to high prices and low value food. I wouldn't come back. read more

Fabulous!! Fabulous food. Fabulous service. Server was very friendly and attentive. She was very knowledgeable in the menu and was able to make some good recommendations right off the bat. The wood fired chicken was the best thing we had! Super flavorful and moist chicken. We also had the shrimp tacos which were pretty good. Our server was very accommodating to my dietary restrictions. Would definitely recommend this place and will be back for sure! read more

Solid. As others have said, great guacamole. The Old Fashioned was delish. Brussels sprouts were tasty. Shrimp tacos were okay. Pro tip with kids: get the crispy chicken tacos with everything on the side and the kid basically the gets chicken fingers. And parents get the toppings! Server was okay. Space is so much better than Glockenspiel - open. It gets loud as a result. read more

I wasn't too impressed by this place. Awfully expensive, but it does have a bar making it an after work hot spot. I ordered the torta and found it was far more of an eclectic take on a torta than a traditional torta. This is a place for a fancy and expensive take on Mexican food, not authentic hearty Mexican. read more

I took my wife to Pajarito because she was craving some Mexican food and this is one of the new places popping up over on West 7th. We came by on a Monday night at 6:30 pm and got right in easily. It occupies the place that Glockenspiel used to be at they gave it a face-lift. The atmosphere is very cool and up-to-date. It's dark and cozy, and has some beautiful chandeliers. We ordered a large variety of things approaching it as a many small-plates style. We started with the chips and 3 different salsas for $7. You get about 2oz of each sauce and they were each delicious. The blackened tomato was our favorite. Although it was very good, we thought that the $7 price tag was a bit steep for chips and ~6oz of salsa. My wife wanted enchiladas, and the closest thing on the menu is the turkey enmolada. She's fairly spice averse and this was a little spicy for her, but our thoughtful server brought some extra crema and queso fresco which helped to tame it down for her. I stole a little taste and that turkey was fantastic! The mole was rich and complex too - delicious! I like heat, but I can see how she could find it spicy. When I say I like heat, I regularly sauce my things with Trinidad Scorpion and Ghost chiles, so take my perception of heat with a grain of salt if you're on the fence. We also got the grilled octopus, ribs, braised greens, and mushrooms. The grilled octopus had a nice char on it and was toothsome without being too tough. Pretty darn good! It's well-spiced (without being spicy) and quite flavorful. My only complaint is that it was a bit salty for me. The ribs were excellent. Great "salsa matcha" sauce on them with sesame and green onion. I got a bit of a Korean-Mexican fusion vibe from them and I absolutely loved it! Fantastic dish. Great value too at $13. But honestly, I thought that the braised greens and mushrooms were the stars of the show and the best value of the dinner. The greens were really tender and had a great mole sauce with onions and topped with queso fresco and crispy fried onions. I hoarded this whole thing to myself. Similarly, the mushrooms were just as good with a chipotle tomato sauce and topped with cojita cheese. I loved the smoky flavor and rich cheese and how well the sauce clung to the mushrooms. Excellent! Service was fantastic as well from beginning to end. Our server was great and many other delivered each plate as it was finished and piping hot. With the exception of the pricey chips and salsa, the other dishes were all reasonably priced and We had a great experience at Pajarito and I can't wait to be back. read more

I've now been to Parajito twice, and the only redeeming quality is the homemade chips. The building and the location are nice, but they haven't done anything to the interior decor to make it feel like anything other than a sports bar. The service has been spotty and average. Each time, I've ordered a signature cocktail, they haven't contained any alcohol for the $11-$12 price tag. I'm especially wary of their on-tap margarita and it's lack of potency. The tacos all sound amazing, but in execution fall really flat - especially the fried chicken taco. It may be my fault for ordering something not so traditional, but it was so salty I could not eat it. They also serve the tacos as they come out, which means you are eating at different times. And even with this type of service, my food has been cold each time. There are far better places to get tacos, and for far less money. read more

We ordered takeout last Friday and I went to pick it up, service was prompt and I asked the person bringing the food to the car if he was sure the order included our quart of margarita mix. He said yes and when I got home 20 minutes later I checked and no margarita mix . I called the restaurant and let them know and they asked how they could make it right and they asked if I live nearby to come pick it up. I said I live 15 - 20 minutes away. They sent a person from the restaurant and delivered the mix along with extra chips, guacamole and a dessert!! A pleasant surprise and why we love this restaurant! Great job! read more

I stumbled upon this place because it was featured on buzzfeed's worth it series. I believe they only have street parking because that's what I ended up doing. I had high expectations for this place especially because of the hype, but it fell flat. My sister and I each got their queso with green chorizo on top and the cheese wasn't the best consistency. The tortillas were good, though. My sister also ordered their different salsas, and I thought they were overpriced for the amount you get. Dont get me wrong, thet were good, but not worth it. The one thing I really liked were the chips though! You could tell they were made at the restaurant and were fresh. The service was also great. Overall, I'm glad I tried this place to check it off my foodie list, but I probably won't be back. read more

Stopped by on Friday, excited to get the octopus again. The excitement didn't last long. Got the octopus, took a bite, all salt. Pure salt. Our great bartender, I believe his name was Xavier, was happy to take it off our bill. He asked what I would like instead? I decided to try the pork ribs. He put the order in and I waited, and waited, and waited? Xavier even said that it wasn't busy for a Friday night. Finally got the ribs. The menu didn't say they were going to be hot, but they were. Three bites in and my mouth was burning. Not fun. Doll got the Enmoladas, which she enjoyed, a little spicy, but enjoyable. Plus, the place is so loud when it's full, so hard to have a conversation. read more

I'm not over how good Pajarito is. The food is delicious and the service is fantastic. Almost everything on the menu is made in-house; tortillas, salsas, chips, etc. Margaritas are tasty (not too sweet) and can't say enough about the great ambiance. The carnitas tacos are literally life changing. If you haven't been, GO! read more

See all

This could have been a great night if it weren't for them serving an alcoholic drink to my pregnant wife. We asked specifically for a non alcoholic drink naturally.... When they realized their mess up, my wife had drank half of the glass, they said "sorry for the consumption." They then proceeded to ignore our table the rest of the night... hoping their mistake wouldn't haunt them. The bill came out at the end of the night and there was NO ADJUSTMENT. THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD SERVED ALCOHOL TO MY PREGNANT WIFE. No remorse. Needless to say, won't be going back!- read more

We love Pajarito! The service is always great and they have a great happy hour menu. I literally crave their habanero margarita. They don't have a kid menu, but they have always been willing to make a quesadilla for our kiddo. read more

This was such a cool find. We loved the decor and ambience of this restaurant immediately. We ordered guacamole and Brussels sprouts to share which you could tell immediately the chips are home made. So good! Then we split to different tacos, carnitas and barbacoas. Both were amazing but if I had to choose carnitas was my fav. I thought the spicy margarita could've been spicy but the flavor and tequila were overall top notch. We all agreed we had to come back soon! read more

Found this restaurant at yelp since I am not familiar with the area. Food was really tasty from queso fundido with delicious tortilla house made, barbacoa tacos and the enmoladas (rich mole sauce) at lot of flavors that melt in your mouth wanting to eat more. read more

See all

Upper scale style joint. Stopped in for a quick work lunch. Nice menu selection. I highly recommend the Yucca's. They are done perfectly. I had the Green Chorizo burger, it hit the spot. Friendly staff and quick service. Perfect for a quick lunch. Definitely a spot worth coming back to. read more

Fantastic service, drinks, and food! Sat at the bar and had great service and chatted with the manager, Vanessa, as well. Would highly recommend! If you're looking for good food, nice people, and amazing drinks- this is the spot! read more

Cute place with amazing drinks and food! Fresh and creative! Delish! The shrimp tacos, sweet potatoes, yucca and sopes were the fave at our table. read more

Wow, what's not to like here!? We just moved here and decided to venture out from Chaska. Salsa selection to start was great, chips were good too (really good). Waitress steered to the best choices and they were a home run. Chilaquiles were TASTY, then the grilled Octopus... jeez Louise those are good and one of the most unique dishes I have ever had. Reasonable prices and Team style service top notch. We will be back. 2nd time this weekend. Got there late and a very busy night but they worked hard to get us in. We had friends along for first time and they were wowed! Tacos, brussel sprouts, and more of the above mentioned were again excellent. I had a margarita and it was excellent too. We have lived in TX and had some good Mexican. This place is legit. read more

We've been here twice now and highly recommend! The first time, we came with our Passport for 2-4-1 margaritas and they didn't disappoint. Really well done! We also enjoyed several apps and tacos and felt like we had a delicious, filling meal without breaking the bank. We came again recently for happy hour with friends and it was great. I'm not drinking but they had a pretty tasty lemonade and a few other non-alcoholic options, and my husband loved the michelada. We shared the wings, the nachos, and the sliders. The sliders were the stand-out on the happy hour menu, but the chips are really great and made the nachos a step above, and the wings were tasty and a little different from the usual buffalo option, which we liked! It was nice and quiet on a Monday for Happy Hour, much busier on a weekend night but still fairly easy to get a seat for two at the bar. read more

If I could go a half star more I think I would. I really love Mexican/Latino/Hispanic food. Growing up in California, I was kind of spoiled for great choices. Having moved to MN I'm still on the quest for good Mexican food near my house. We went to Pajaritos with some friends to scratch that itch for Mexican food. I would say that it was enjoyable, but beyond that it didn't really hit the spot. The drinks here were really good. I remember looking over their drink menu and appreciating that it had some character. I think beer and cocktail menus are great places to show some humor and character. The drinks were reasonably priced, reasonably sized, and had some good flavor to them. Now for the food. To start with, yes I know this isn't going to be like that little burrito stand near my college. This is Mexican food being "elevated" to a "higher" level of fine dining. My issue with a lot of these places is that it is hard to improve on already amazing food. You have to do something really special to make something like this works. I've been to a place that makes it work and it is fantastic, this was not that place though. Mexican flavor is about heat, spices (flavor), and the ingredients it is cooked with. A taco isn't a complicated dish to make, but in that simplicity it is very difficult to do it well. That being said charging $10+ for two tacos means that these had better be amazing tacos. They weren't worth $10. They were good, but they lacked anything that defined them as beyond good. I also had the queso fundido, which also lacked pizzaz. It tasted like different pesto by the end of the meal. In terms of being, and I will borrow from a fellow reviewer here, a "bastardized Gringo Fest Mexican", this place isn't bad. That being said the price tag that comes with going here doesn't serve it any favors. The little rickety store down the street will do it better and cheaper. 47/100 read more

Super yummy tacos! We also got the pineapple and habanero marg mixes to go. They were delicious as well.

Very disappointed. My 3rd visit and keeps getting worse! Staff and atmosphere-wonderful! Food-lousy and for sure NOT Mexican cuisine. Prices very high and some kind of "gringo" soul food recipe. They need to hire a Mexican chef. The barbacoa- blah"-old roast beef with lots of fat. Rojas was 99% onions and tortillas must have come from local CUB store No free chips and salsa like Most places. Little tiny salsa cups with awful taste. The Chipotle was green and tasted lite vinegar. Sorry-nothing good to say. read more

When I tell you this place is awesome it is awesome! The food was delicious very authentic, and satisfying! The beef Barbacoa tacos were the star of the show! The grilled shrimp tacos were not half stepping either,the chips for the nachos were so light and airy,I don't think I've ever tasted anything so good!! I love yelp and I'm happy they created it for Great places like this to get exposure!!! read more

See all

I was just visiting the Minneapolis/St Paul area, and my friends had read a positive review of this new Mexican restaurant, so we tried it. Wish I could bring it home with me! The food selection was so unique. We shared several selections, and everything was very fresh and interestingly prepared. read more

Pajarito - Mexican Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great food...great wait staff...super cool atmosphere! Tacos tasty as were house Margaritas! Thanks to Andy our server. read more

Pajarito - Mexican Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

A great spot for Mexican and margaritas. We sat at the bar for drinks and got a normal margarita and the Habanero Margarita along with chips and guacamole. The Habanero Margarita was actually very spicy and has a good kick but wasn't too overpowering. Definitely give it a try. The chips were freshly made and thick with a generous amount of salt read more

Pajarito - Mexican Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This was a night where everything seemed perfect. I walked in and was greeted promptly by a host and quickly seated. The restaurant is located in a neighborhood but has all the charm and quality of a big city restaurant. Food and service were fantastic. If you haven't been I hope you are as pleasantly surprised as I was! Maybe my favorite dining experience this year!! read more

Good. But I live on the West Side and can get incredible Mexican food not far away from Pajarito. Yucca fries are wonderful. Guac and the salsas are great and I really like the texture of the chips. The menu is decent, although overall I feel like it is overpriced. read more

Upscale Mexican with some killer margaritas. Nice place but not fancy. I've always had decent service here. Friendly folks. If you are looking for authentic Mexican this is not your place, but it's good. read more

The drinks were good, the food was ok and the service... bad. I didn't want to base my decision off of one bad service, where after waiting over 45 minutes for drinks and apps, we went to the bar and got drinks on our own and ended up canceling our order after the server admitted that she forgot to put it in. SO, I gave it another try. I got my food this time and it was ok. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. The drinks again were great and our server was, meh. I'd go back for the margaritas and sit at the bar. read more

Welllll, I will say that people really seem to like it, so take this accordingly. We had the guacamole, which was perfectly fine, and all the salsas, which were not great. However, I understand that this is a yuppie type place and they need to cater to their audience. Yet... Please take the braised greens tacos off the menu. The tortillas are mush instantly. If you need to serve greens, do it on rice, or double up. Tennessee hot chicken should be hot and flavorful. If you guys want to be southern fusion, own it.. Right now, it's just weird "Mexican food". However, the locals seem to love it, so hell, you be you, yo. But yeah, if you are from the West Coast, it's just another disappointment. read more

Really cool atmosphere! Loved our server. He reminded me of Lloyd from the show Entourage. My fav things: - The avocado verde salsa & chips - The Torta (OMG, so good) - Regular Margarita So-so things: - Their house margarita (but my friend loved it) - The cashew salsa - Pastor tacos (great flavor, pork was a little dry) Would definitely return! Salut! read more

Our go to spot for higher end Mexican. Brussel sprouts are awesome as well as everything else.

Best chips. Hands down! Fun atmosphere. Lots of space. Variety of really good cocktails. Unrivaled food! Did I mention the chips!!

It's strange to think that only a couple of years ago I was eating spaetzle and red cabbage in the exact same spot. I'll start with the food. Great selection of salsas. Interesting menu - in other words don't expect an "Old Mexico" experience. Someone actually planned a menu that incorporates a little northwoods fusion into traditional Mexican dishes. As far as the atmosphere, it was dark and the space is open, so on a busy Friday night, it is LOUD. If you get drunk on one of the interesting infused booze concoctions, you probably won't care, however. read more

Moderately upscale Mexican eatery with fine decor and good food. On a Monday night this place was bustling with people. We ordered the scallops, yucca, chicken, chicken tacos, chilaquiles and queso fundido. Everything was pretty great to taste but the Chicken Tacos were particularly delish. Overall a great dining experience that I would recommend to others. read more

This is an amazing place for food and drink! I live in Arizona and I can tell this is authentic--AUTHENTIC Mexican food. The corn chips are home made and fresh and crispy! Guacamole is slightly lumpy with avocados--just the way it should be. The "street tacos" are great too. Andy was our server and he was just the right amount of service vs leave us to eat... read more

Pajarito - Mexican Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Pro's Margarita -10/10 Very well made, had not been stingy with the liquor, well balanced. Octopus -9/10 Perfectly cooked, only complain if I was to, for a guy who's used to a filling up with a entre, this will not be enough. Pork chop -8/10 We went here twice within a week, first time I asked for the pork chop to be well done, second time I forgot. Second time the meat was a bit pink and I didn't like that. Chips - 10/10 Love it - wish there was more sauce though Quesadilla - 9/10 Kids loved it. Yucca - 10/10 Fabulous, even the kids loved it. Cons 1. Not enough parking 2. Not cheap, pretty pricy Wait times about 30 minutes on Friday night, Sunday no wait time. 3 entrees , 2 drinks - $80 Overall - 8 or 9 out of 10 Would I go again - Absolutely YES, but only for a special occasion. read more