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!

Went on a Friday for lunch with a friend. Service was great. We both ordered the lunch chicken…read morefajitas, but asked for the vegetarian fajitas veggie mix. I highly recommend the switch. they serve chips and salsa and you get quest as well. the salsa does have a slight kick to it, if you're sensitive to spice.

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

I went on a Tuesday with my parents. it wasn't very busy at all. I ordered lunch chicken fajitas,…read more Steve ordered steak fajitas. mom got a chicken taco salad. mom is very particular about spice. she could eat the salsa, the cheese dip, guacamole and her taco salad. the taco salad was full of chicken and not alot of lettuce. the chicken fajitas were good. I tried the steak fajitas and it was really dry. the lunch fajitas were huge. the sides were not huge, but plenty. service was good. I enjoyed my meal and will have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I enjoyed the cheese dip and the guacamole.

We had the Birria tacos and southwest steak bowl. Amazing. The meat in the tacos was incredible…read moreand the bowl was sooooo good. The steak was cut in fine strips and was incredible. The amount of meat in both dishes was incredible. Get your protein fill here!!! Will probably eat here every week now. This isn't a Mexican restaurant. . This is elevated Mexican cuisine.

Friendly staff; very good fresh salsa; had tacos al Astor--Yummy! Birra tacos, juicy and…read moreflavorful. Great meal!

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!

food was horrible, I got tacos that were very white washed, meat was flavorless, all I could taste…read morewas cheese, the tortillas were soggy. I got a horchata and margarita and they were both watered down. highly expensive and not worth the price. Not going back again!

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.

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.

What a great find here in Johnston! We were looking for some mexican food and didn't feel like…read moredriving to Ankeny for our usual spot. On a whim we tried Nuevo, and were really happy we did. Don't let the modest facade or the location (a strip mall behind a gas station) fool you, this place is the real deal. We were greeted at the door and were seated in a booth right away, but there's also a patio with some nice shade if you want to eat outside. The service was prompt, and the meal was about the right pace. Our food was awesome, especially the Tacos al Carbon. I would definitely order this again. Our son really enjoyed the chicken quesadillas, but not as much as the free ice cream dessert that everyone received at the end of the meal - it was great surprise. Overall, this family run restaurant really exceed my expectations, we can't wait to eat here again.

If you live in Johnston and don't love Plaza Mexico (now Nuevo Mexico), you're missing out!…read moreHonestly, I've tried a lot of Mexican places in both Iowa and Minnesota and this place is still my favorite. They changed management a few years ago but kept a lot of the same staff and same favorites that make this place amazing. The menu is extensive but not overwhelming, and avoids the common problem of everything seeming the same. Their specials are unique and they offer everything from tacos to seafood entrees. I've never had anything I didn't love here. The chips and salsa are ACTUALLY free unlimited refills (with no judgments passed), and I always get their cheese dip--it's delish! Their servings are MASSIVE. Served with great presentation on a large round white plate, it's chow time. You can get a great meal (and take half home for leftovers) for lunch special prices of $6-$9 and dinner entrees from $9-$12! I personally love the street tacos, tacos al carbon, and chicken enchiladas. Their ingredients are fresh and steak is amazing! Finally, they end your meal with free sopas (ice cream on a crispy dessert chip drizzled with chocolate sauce, honey, and cinnamon)! This place never disappoints and is a staple in the neighborhood.

Always down to try a restaurant that has such good reviews. Went on. Sunday afternoon and it got…read morecrowded quickly. Ambiance: Inside it feels a little crowded with the table I sat at close to the door and the checkout counter. There is more space in the back. Service: The service was good, replacing the chips and ensuring the water was refilled. Food: The chips and salsa were good. The chips are not too salty and the salsa is mild. The queso is one of the best I've had with a light consistency. For an entree I had beef nachos which were ok but I prefer more queso. Parking: There is plenty of parking. I'll definitely be back to try another menu item.

Making our way from Omaha to Oswego and decided that we wanted to have a quick lunch…read more Cancun is conveniently only 3 or so minutes off of I80. We seated ourselves and were greeted and served in a timely manner. After being served we were checked on a few times but once our plates were empty, we waited a bit before getting the check. For such low lunch prices, it cost us only a little more than if we would have eaten fast-food. Another plus of the location is that we were able to top off our tanks at the gas station that shares a parking lot with the restaurant.

Diego 1100/10 server amazing quality care speed and time amazing night! De telling all of our…read morefriends how amazing & will be back

I've been here once with my partner. The staff were very friendly & inviting. We both enjoyed our…read moremeals (though it's been a bit so I don't recall mine). My partner had the quesadilla. The margaritas were great. The prices were reasonable for the quality & quantity of food. Definitely recommend.

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

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.