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

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.

I love the food and use to order once every while, I usually order the torta,today i looked forward…read moregetting the flame burger. I made a call to go, and after I get there they said there was no order at all. It broke me because I was going through it , I came all the way there and was not looking forward to waiting. Hate to say it but won't be doing business with them again. , maby they'll have yours

We ordered take out and it held up surprisingly well. Ordered the quesadilla maya and it was a…read moreperfect balance of flavors. The take out order was also prepared in a reasonable amount of time. They gave us plenty of chips, salsa, and queso to share.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.