We had a wonderful experience mid-week; our server Ariz was great -- super attentive, friendly,…read moreand had wonderful suggestions. All of our dishes were well executed and delicious. The guacamole appetizer was great. Margaritas had slightly too much ice, but were delicious. Good beer selection and menu was great. Stand outs was the mole chicken - that sauce was amazing ! The steak on a hot stone was great. The fish and tacos were also great. dessert was great too. The owner / chef Franklin even stopped by our table - great vibe overall. Try it, you'll love it. Not your typical Tex/Mex joint.

I want to like this place, but I've been here twice now and it just misses the mark and is so far…read morefrom being authentic. For starters, we had guacamole and chicken flautas. The guacamole didn't taste fresh at all and the chicken in the flautas had no flavor. For dinner, I had the enchiladas suizas. The chicken was the same chicken used in the flautas aka flavorless and the tomatillo "salsa" did not taste like salsa at all. It actually tasted more like the "avocado mousse" that the flautas were drenched in. My husband had the carnitas michoacan and he said they were just okay/super greasy/wouldn't get them again. Both our meals were supposed to come with rice and beans, but they only bought one side for us to share. When I looked around the restaurant, it seemed like they only bring one side per table regardless of party size. This to me is a rip off especially since this place is pricey. My 2 year old was also with us and we got him chicken fingers and fries from their very limited kids options. When I asked if he can have rice and beans instead of fries, they said no. You're a Mexican restaurant - maybe put a taco option with rice and beans on the kids menu. For dessert, we got tres leches- it was fine. The only other things ordered were a cocktail and a beer. We waited SOOOO long to get the bill and even longer for someone to come back to take our payment. With tip included- our total was about $180. That is very steep for the quality and quantity of food. Sadly, I don't think we will return.

Not sure if this location is owned by the same people as the other Agave location in NJ, but if it…read moreis this one is by far my favorite. We've ordered takeout a few times because we love their seafood soup and steak, but this past Friday we decided to dine in, and we left even more impressed. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. The music set the perfect vibe and paired beautifully with the stylish decor. Also loved that even though the music was loud I could still hear and have conversations without having to scream across the table. The food was an easy 5/5. The grilled octopus appetizer was absolutely delicious and honestly I'd go back just for that dish. It was flavorful, filling, and perfect as is. The seafood steak entree was also amazing, and the margarita flights are a must try. This spot has officially become our go to for date nights.

This place had just open when I went. Food was good. Drinks were good and elaborated which I…read moreappreciate. It's really cute in there. Photo worthy

Outstanding restaurant delivering impressive flavors, prompt service, and inviting surroundings…read more The meal exceeded expectations, creating a memorable visit that felt special, enjoyable, and completely worth returning for another meal soon.

Great local Mexican spot, love their steak and guacamole burrito. The quesadillas here are very…read moregood as well, had a vegetarian one; mushroom and cheese. Staff has been nothing but friendly and accommodating for substitutions due to lifestyle changes. If you're wandering around Van Houten I highly recommend stepping in!

From its pre-Columbian origins to its merger with Spanish and other culinary traditions, Mexican…read morecuisine has a fascinating history and a unique flavor configuration that sets it apart from other cuisines. They are renowned for their vibrant flavors, bold spices, and diverse dishes catering to all tastes using ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro. Authentic Mexican food is more than tacos and salsa. The Garden State is hailed as one of the most diverse states when it comes to food, hosting some of the best Mexican restaurants on the East Coast. Whether one desires a quick taco or a full-course meal, my friends and I were craving rich and bold tastes from Mexico and decided on this family-owned establishment for an early Cinco de Mayo dinner. The reservation was easily made by calling Mariachi Grill, located on Ridge Road in Lyndhurst. Upon arrival at this popular spot to locals, with its cozy and casual interior decked out in traditional Mexican vibes, we were greeted by the staff and immediately got a table by the entrance, but they also have outdoor dining, weather permitting. The menu selection is much smaller than at other restaurants. We decided on the Cheese Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas, California Burrito, Beef Burrito, Chicken Fries with Fries, and Shrimp Fajitas. Some meals are accompanied with a small portion of rice and black beans. Complimentary house chips and salsa started our meal. As the restaurant is working on their liquor license, it's BYOB. One can bring your own tequila or wine, and the staff will mix it with their sangria or margarita mixes. We washed our meal down with a pitcher of sangria. The presentation was very good. The food was made incredibly fresh, well seasoned, deliciously tasty, and generous. The price was very reasonable for the area. Our server Lisa with her outgoing personality and her desire to make our visit enjoyable, which we didn't feel rushed. Good experience overall, which we can recommend.

Great local Mexican food that is BYOb. I Can't believe we waited so long to try it. They have a…read morecovered patio on the side for outdoor seating. The inside is not that big so be sure to go early or call ahead. The food was excellent and portions were a decent size. The meal starts with complimentary chips and salsa. The chicken mole was so good- highly recommended. They can make a burrito into a platter if requested and The churrasco was very tender. We look forward the dining again soon.

My husband and I are both chefs but sometimes we just want to relax and order in. This place is…read moreAMAZING. Authentic. The flavors were on point. My husband got tinga tostadas with rice and beans. The tinga was absolutely perfect. I had the shrimp taco. The shrimp were big and the flavor was amazing. Now.. the one thing that's usually ehhhh.. The salsa.. tomatillo salsa and it was the best salsa I have ever had. The acid and the heat were perfectly done.. we will make this place a staple.

The food was good, the service went well. We visited the spot as a midpoint for my family to meet…read morefor my granddaughter's 2nd birthday. It's was just 10 of us. We had tacos, sopes, guacamole and soup. The food came out fast. Due to the rain we couldn't use there outdoor dining area but all in all, I'd recommend.

Food: The food was good overall. The taco was decent but not…read moreamazing -- I'd rate it a 6.5/10. Service: Service was smooth with no issues. Everything flowed well. Ambience: The place wasn't really busy, which made it feel real chill and relaxing. A nice laid-back vibe. Wasn't this location, but the location was in Belleville in the planet fitness complex?

We were in the area and looking for a quick lunch. I'd never hear of Taqueria Los Amigos but saw…read morethe great reviews on Yelp and had to try it. It feels very authentic when you walk in. You get 4 tacos for $11. I tried the carnitas, 2 al pastor, and steak. The steak was a bit dry and unseasoned - but the carnitas and al Astor were amazing. I loved they served it with braised onions. It also comes with limes, radish, and salsa. Will definitely be back for carnitas and al pastor!

The server was great she was personable. The restaurant was clean and music was at a moderate…read moretempo. Vibes are there. We ordered Tacos on Tuesday which are 1/2 off. The drinks were mixed really good couldn't taste the alcohol but they crept up on us. Definitely will be back the food was good. I didn't really like the steak taco but the fish hit the spot. The best empanadas I've ever had.

Some of the verrrrrrry best chain restaurant food we've had in a longgggg, longgggg while…read more With only 4 locations in NJ, I honestly wasn't very familiar with Tio Taco at all. With this area being our go to after a Salvation Army drop off run in Passaic, Tio Taco was next up on our list after we had already hit up a few of the restaurants in the Clifton shopping area. We came by at around 12pm on a wintry Saturday afternoon and there was only one table occupied at the time. When we walked in though, unfortunately we weren't greeted by anyone for a good few minutes, so alarms already were going off in our heads of a potentially bad experience coming up. We ended up walking in on our own and seating ourselves before being greeted. The menu was Mexican-oriented as you can imagine - empanadas, tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, steak and seafood Mexican-inspired entrees, etc. It wasn't a huge menu, but plenty to still choose from. We started off with the Beef Empanadas, which were FANTASTICCC. There were 3 large pieces in the order, which easssssily could have been an entree. It was some of the best beef empanadas I've had - honestly. Juicy seasoned beef and very good flavor from the sofrito. It came with a side of lettuce and pico de gallo and cheese dipping sauce. Next, the entrees. We ordered from the Kids menu for the kiddos - a Kids Chicken Quesadilla. First, the order was absolutely HUGEEEE! We were so shocked that the serving was so big that we double-checked with the waiter that it wasn't 2 orders. This was one of the largest kids meals items I had ever seen. There were 6 cut up pieces of the quesadilla, which was generously filled with lots of chicken and melted cheese. There was also a side of deliciously super crispy fries. I had 1 piece of the quesadilla and it stunned me that it was soooo gooood and the entire order probably would have filled me up with ease. My better half ordered the Churrasco Skirt Steak and I had the Short Rib Enchiladas. BOTH were ridiculously superb. The skirt steak was tender, juicy, flavorful and the chimichurri sauce was perfect. One of the better "non-fancy restaurant" steaks that we've had. As for the enchiladas, absolutely delicious! The short rib was soooo juicy and flavorful. Both entrees came with a side of rice and beans. The rice was a bit on the hard side, but I mixed mine with the beans, which made it better. We've been to our fair share of restaurants and, especially chain restaurants, and this was one of the best experiences, service wise and food wise, that we've had. It didn't get off to the best start having to wait a few minutes to be greeted, but our waiter was very friendly, accommodating with our requests for non-glass plates and plastic forks and even brought over extra ketchup and napkins without us asking. He came by to check on us every once in a while as well. And, yes, initially I was brought the wrong order of enchiladas, but they fixed that up asap with a brand new order for me. In closing, I'll say that when we visit chain restaurants these days, most of the food is decent and satisfies our hunger, but nothing very memorable ... the food here was absolutely MEMORABLE and we'll definitely be back.

The best authentic Mexican food around. It's my go to always…read more The elote and Mexican Shrimp Cocktail are to die for

The best hole in the wall around. I've never had a bad meal there, the service is exceptional (the…read moreteam makes you feel like family), and the cost for the quality of your food is unmatched. Their empanadas are my favorite - we bring a platter to every get together and they go in minutes! Absolutely worth going/ordering out from.

Got food to go, and it was prepare quickly and nicely separated out for ease of travel and then…read morelater assembly. I got the enchiladas, which were very cheesy and full of steak and accompanied by a good portion of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream for preferred portioning. The meal also came with rice and beans which were nice and definitely served to round out the meal. I also got a side of maduros, which was a hearty portion, but they were a bit softer and less crispy on the outside than I like. They were still nice and sweet as a good side/dessert option. Food was good to go, look forward to having it on site next time.

I recently visited this restaurant for the first time on the recommendation from friends, who…read moreadvised going only when the establishment is not busy. According to them, service tends to decline under pressure--particularly because the bartender is often pulled away to assist in the kitchen, and the manager doesn't seem to read the room effectively when additional support is clearly needed. Upon arrival, the restaurant was fairly quiet, with only one other table occupied. Despite this, our experience felt disorganized from the start. Our waitress was kind, but there was a noticeable language barrier that made it difficult to ask questions or receive drink and food recommendations. My impression was that maybe she was new? The manager watched her talk with us, but didn't step in when we couldn't all communicate effectively. This was the first and last time we ever saw our waitress. The bartender took over the dining room from there. One point of confusion was the absence of chips and salsa at our table. At most Mexican restaurants, this is typically a complimentary starter. We weren't served any, but later observed other tables receiving them. It appeared that chips and salsa may need to be ordered separately, but there was no clear indication of this on the menu or from the staff. On a positive note, the food arrived quickly and was served hot. The enchiladas were well-presented and came with a generous selection of sides including pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream (all included, no extra charge). The green sauce was flavorful with a good level of spice--definitely a highlight. The margarita, however, was underwhelming. It was served in a large cup, which was promising at first glance, but it tasted heavily diluted and juice-forward--more style than substance. We ordered churros for dessert, which turned into a frustrating experience. After waiting an hour (we could NOT get the manager or the bartenders attention sooner because they were hectically running around) we finally were able to request an update from the manager. The manager then brought out the dessert with an apology. We were told they'd be on the house from the manager themselves, due to the delay, but the final bill still included the charge hand-delivered by the manager. Clear lack of attention to detail. Throughout our visit, the restaurant only had five tables occupied, yet the overall atmosphere felt chaotic and poorly managed. If service becomes this scattered during a slow night, it's difficult to imagine how they might handle a larger group or busy service. On a more positive note, the decor was beautiful and thoughtfully curated, giving the space a warm and inviting ambiance. One final note: the restaurant appears to operate under two different names, which caused confusion when searching for directions. It's unclear why this is the case, and it made it difficult to confirm if we were arriving at the correct location. In summary, while there were some highlights in terms of food and ambiance, the service and organization left much to be desired. I'm open to giving the restaurant another try, but only under the right circumstances.

Chips are consistently good. Ordered appetizer for 2 plus…read morethe entree. Food came all at the same time so did not get a chance to enjoy the meal. I ordered shrimp tacos and it was way too salty I did not even finish 1 myself. Very disappointed considering that we come here for almost 20 years now. Service is lacking too and some tables were not cleaned from the moment we arrived and left. It was an eye sore to see uncleaned tables. Seems understaffed too. I guess we are not coming back anymore. It's a shame that after Covid it is not the same as before.

Recommendation, try the GAUCHO CHICKEN, ask for the Jim Bowie sauce on side and sub the regular…read morerice w. jambalaya rice. Phenomenal combo. Always busy on the weekends, nice family oriented restaurant. Kid friendly