El Mariachi

El Mariachi's service has been consistently underwhelming from the service standpoint, and my latest experiences there only reinforce this impression. Their long-standing policy necessitates prepayment for any orders exceeding $25, a detail they relayed to me over the phone in a rather condescending manner. This policy, as they emphasized, has been in effect for over three years, an expectation I have never heard of before, which feels unnecessarily rigid and poorly communicated. My attempts to order their habanero sauce have been equally frustrating. The sauce, which is supposed to come one per plate at no charge, requires a specific request to be PHYSICALLY PRESENT at the restaurant despite repeatedly requesting over the phone during a take out order. The reason being is because "it comes from the kitchen" which makes me ask, does the front of the house not talk to to the kitchen at all? Doesn't all food come from the kitchen? I hope so because if it doesn't, where does it come from?During one visit, I explicitly asked for the sauce THREE TIMES to accompany my plates, a request I repeated before, during, and after placing my take out order in person in the restaurant. Unfortunately, upon returning home, I realized they had forgotten the sauces entirely. When I drove back to pick them up, the employee handed them to me directly, without a bag, leaving me to manage several semi-sealed but leaky containers on the drive back.Moreover, the lack of basic provisions like utensils with takeout orders shows a lack of attention to detail that can significantly dampen the dining experience. While the food itself may be decent, the service lapses--from the inflexible payment policies to the forgetfulness about condiments and essentials--make for a frustrating experience that detracts from what could otherwise be an enjoyable meal.

One of not so many places that I can get close to authentic Mexican food on the islands. They don't disappoint and very friendly workers.They survived through the pandemic and I am so glad they are still in business.

So I follow Foodbeast "eating every bean and cheese burrito on the planet" series haha, and I finally got the craving to get one. I recently moved back here from San Diego, and although I knew it wasn't going to exactly the same, the main things I was looking for was that it was simple and not too pricey (over $15). I ordered just the burrito (not a plate) from El Mariachi for takeout and it was $11.81 total. It's a pretty standard burrito so I was content, the service was nice, and the restaurant itself was chill with a good amount of space

I love my local Mexican restaurant. The food is Traditional Mexica food, home cooking comfort food, and delicious. My favorites are the shrimp burrito and the Kearny Asada burrito and chips and guacamole. We are starting to come here at least twice a month. The food is a little bit on the higher price in, but worth the cost They give really good portions. The food is extremely comforting, they give you more than enough food for the cost and you will leave full. The restaurant is large. It's a two buildings, side by side. But they do not have outdoor seating. The aesthetics inside is typical Mexican decor. There is plenty of free parking, in the parking lot surrounding the restaurant. You'll find them, in the Safeway shopping center, right across the street from LNL Hawaiian barbecue. This food comes out quickly and the service is extremely friendly. They take orders over the phone but anything over $25. She will have to pay by credit card during your phone order.

When your friends tell you that they have a favorite restaurant, meet them there!The first time we joined our friends to try out a New Mexican restaurant in Kapolei they sat down and said "We hope this place is as good as El Mariachi, which is our favorite Mexican restaurant." It was not as good. We then spent more than a year meeting them at other restaurants, and halfway through each meal someone would mention El Mariachi. I truly wish we'd met them there earlier than we did, because I'd have had so many more meals at this quiet family friendly restaurant!I ordered a fish dish with garlic and mushrooms. as it authentic Mexican? Dunno. What I do know is that the fish was perfectly cooked, the spices were on point, and the portions were generous. I also know that the choices my table mates made also looked really good. I don't know what they were, because I was really busy enjoying my own meal. The salsa was thin but filled with flavor, and the chips were nice and crunchy. Did we have fried ice cream at the end of our meal? NO, because we were too full, but I'll get it next time for sure!Service was friendly and fast, and our friends were welcomed with huge smiles and waves. I loved the chance to try their favorite place, and was so happy to be able to add it to my favorites list as well. If you are looking for Mexican food on the Leeward side you'll do well to come here before you go to any of the other flashier places nearby.

First time eating here. My goal is to try as many new places on this gorgeous island. Cute little place in a busy shopping complex of Kapolei Shopping Center. I was greeted with a warm smile by the server and got seated right away. Great variety of burritos, tamales, fajitas, and enchiladas. I ordered a steak carne asada plate. Your meal comes with chips and salsa. My steak was perfectly cooked. Plate included guacamole, refried beans, Mexican rice, pico de gallo, and tortilla. Price was reasonable. If you're on the west side, stop by check them and other great great restaurants out.

El Mariachi is a mexican resturant located in the busy shopping complex of Kapolei. There, you can find tons of parking regardless of how much traffic this complex brings in-n-out. If I ever crave mexican, I come here since it is the most convenient place and because of my familiarity with the area. I've never dined-in here but I always order the same thing via takeout: a carne asada plate with flour tortilla.The total for my plate typically comes out to about $26. The food is pretty good. They do provide a great amount of meat and beans. They don't provide a lot of guacamole and tomatoes though. In addition, it cost an extra $7.86 (via the third party website) for extra guac which to me is crazy. I feel as if I have a high standard for mexican food due to the states having some of the best I have ever tasted, but this place is alright compared to the others on island. On the side note, the restaurant is very clean, and the staff (both in the store and over the phone) are welcoming and kind. !! TIP: If you are ordering take out for pick up, CALL THE RESTAURANT! Don't use the third party sites (Grubhub or Seamless) even though it says it is $0.00 fee. For some reason, the price for my plate on the third party service was $30.21. BUT when I called it in and paid over the phone, my total was $26.13. And why is the guacamole an extra $7.86 on the website? I am pretty sure it is cheaper overall if you just call.

The place is clean, service is excellent and most of all the quality and taste of the food is beyond amazing. The only thing I didn't see on the menu was chicken mole. Very great place to bring the family.

8 years later! That's the last time I did a review for this restaurant. So, I came because my friends wanted to eat here. I'm not one to fuss so I agreed to give it another try. Service- very friendly and welcoming Ambiance- quaint, clean, booth and table seating Food- delicious! I had the shrimp chimichanga plate and it was perfect. My friends had some beers and I had an unsweetened tea. We all enjoyed our entrees and the attentive service. Chips and salsa was good too... served without asking. Mahalo for the awesome dinner with my awesome friends. Will I return? Yes.

We live in Colorado and stopped in after several experiences with lousy Mexican food on Oahu over several days...From the moment we walked in, we LOVED it. The chips were freshly made, as was the salsa. Very much a "Mom n' Pop" operation, it is clear that lots of attention and care goes into their food. My quesadilla was wonderful, and my wife's tamale and relleno were delicious as well. Just an all-around, good Mexican food place...nice casual atmosphere....owned and operated by really nice people! If you are over on the Kapolei side of Oahu...don't miss it!