Maria Bonita

I'm trying to put into words with how to describe my first experience with a place I heard about, but haven't ate there. This being Maria Bonita.So...truth be told, the last place I could remember eating Mexican food was last year.Oddly enough, my experience at Maria Bonita lived up to the expectations. I didn't think that I'd enjoy their food after this review.So...I ordered their California Burrito (Yeah, surprisingly, that was also the last thing I ate at that time), no cheese or sour cream, and I have to say, after the first few bites, I was a little surprised with the flavor inside. I truthfully didn't expect it to have jalapeños inside there among the amount of roasted vegetables in the burrito. I didn't think it was that spicy initially, but after a few minutes, it started to kind of creep up just a bit. The heat, it wasn't like...'in your face' or anything. It was more like a slow build-up. But I didn't mind it personally after it dissipated a bit.For a small place in the Chinatown area that specializes in Mexican food, I'd say Maria Bonita delivers in all facets.Definitely would come back there for their California Burrito again. I highly recommend this place if you wanted to eat some good Mexican food without paying so much for the food.10 out of 10.

Great food and service. The only issue i have is those brown weak take out containers.

When I have eaten the food from this food truck I am always amazed at how delicious the food is. Diego is the talented owner and chef and he makes us feel like we are his most important customers every time. I get the enchiladas and my partner orders burritos. Amazing flavors in everything. Prices are fair for huge servings. The only downside is Maria Bonita's lunch wagon is only around on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is free parking in the Hardware Hawaii small lot adjacent yo where the food truck parks. We plan to order two dinner plates each this weekend by phone an hour or so before heading over to pick up and pay. That way we can be happy enjoying Maria Bonita's lunch wagon meals several times in the week.

Homemade Mexican food on Hotel st. This place has been around for a long time and once you take a bite you'll know why. Fresh salsa, lots of homemade dishes and prices right! Chili Relleno is nice and simple. Maria's tacos are shredded pork covered in guacamole, so good!Lots of specials to try. Service with a smile.

For years, my former colleagues would rave about this place and for years, I wouldn't go. It was until most recent times where I relocated offices that gave me an opportunity to venture into this cute little restaurant for some delicious Mexican food!After ordering a chili verde wet burrito plate from here, I knew this was the place to fufill my Mexican food craving. The burrito was quite enormous and was filled with a lot of savory ingredients. The carnitas were cooked perfectly and provided a crunchy texture that matched well with the overall dish. I could have stopped eating halfway to save me from the perils of the afternoon crash, but I was too mesmerized by how every ingredient of the dish matched perfectly well to give you the perfect flavor profile. I went back the following week to order a taco salad with asada but ordered ala carte instead of the plate to avoid the potential repeat of an afternoon post-lunch coma. Although your first thought would be "dang that's a lot of cheese" underneath all that cheese and sour cream lies a good amount of asada, beans, lettuce, cilantro, onions, and tomatoes. Again, mixed all together provides you a savory dish. The asada was decently seasoned and cooked well. It was a perfect amount to replenish your energy from the first half of your work day.Safe to say, I have become a fan of this cute little restaurant in Chinatown and wouldn't mind going back for another round. For both occasions of my visit were take out, but you do have a dining option available. It's quite small but its worth checking out. But if you're on a time crunch like me and need to do take out, you can always order there or phone ahead. Service overall is great; the staff there are personable and friendly.

Ole! Today we're visiting Maria Bonita! It's been quite a while since we had some time to cruise around Chinatown, come to think of it, the last time we visited was pre-Covid! Since it was just the hubby and son with me today running an errand nearby, I walked over to see if Maria Bonita was open, because their wet burritos are seriously habit forming. Luckily for us, the shop was empty and still open for about 40 more minutes. The owner was very welcoming and invited us right in! We placed our orders and were seated right away, with waters, salsa and chips delivered within a few minutes. This visit featured: Complimentary salsa and chips - the chips are thin and crispy, perfect texture and taste! The salsa is vibrant and flavorful, a bit spicy-hot for us, but so yummy we couldn't stop! Wet Burrito ($16, entree) - a hefty burrito filled with your choice of meat (shredded chicken, shredded beef, Carne Asada, Carnitas Pork or Ground Beef) or Grilled Veggies, and rice, beans, lettuce, onions and cilantro, smothered in a red enchilada sauce and lots of melted cheeeese... with rice and beans on the side too! If you're a smaller eater, an ala carte option is also available ($13, no rice and beans). Hubby and I split a Carnitas burrito entree, and my son had half of a Carne Asada burrito entree. It is seriously large enough to feed two people! The meat is tender and juicy, vegetables fresh and crisp, and each bite was smile inducing... Whether you choose to eat there or do take out, keep supporting whatever businesses you can... they need you to stay afloat. Stay Safe!

Wow what an amazing experience the Food was good, the atmosphere was outstanding, the Mariachi show was awesome and the service was absolutely top notch. Ned our server was friendly, knowledgeable and on top of his game. Over all it was an amazing experience!!!! We will definitely be going back and recommending it to family and friends!!! Thank you Maria Bonita staff for an enjoyable dinning experience!!!!

Wanted to support local so came to check out this Mexican place! I would definitely recommend good Mexican food for a great price. Parking is street and meter anywhere you can in downtown. It's off of hotel street.The food came out really fast and the portions are very large! Mom loved the flautas and I got a burrito we both had leftovers! We over heard a Chinatown regular business guy say that the mahi was really good so I guess I'll have to go back and give it a try!

This review is a long time coming. The Maria Bonita restaurant is our best and most authentic choice for a Mexican taqueria, that my wife and I, found on the Island. Sort of makes sense to me, being that you would find it in downtown; that's usually where the best food tends to be.While my wife (Mexican/Salvadorian) and I (mixed race) lived in Oahu from 2015 - 2019 and would always miss/ crave good authentic Mexican food. My wife cooks a mean Mexican meal but even she had her cravings for a good taqueria. It was our luck of fulfilling our cravings and finding Maria Bonita while walking around during a festival (I don't remember which festival, there were many hosted in downtown.)Not a large menu but we enjoyed every bite. The carne asada and chicken in the tacos had so much flavor and just the right spice. The rice was on point with the savory flavor. We will be making a return visit after four years and look forward to seeing if our love for Maria Bonita will stand with time.

This hole in the wall restaurant has the best Mexican food in Chinatown (and Kailua where his food truck is near Hawaii Hardware). I had a California burrito and it was really superb! My friend had a tostada and she loved it. The food was freshly cooked for us. I like the owner. He's very friendly with reasonable prices (for example a bottle of water was $1) There are a few tables, nothing fancy but serviceable. Try María Bonita ...you will be hooked.