This is my favorite Mexican Restaurant in Atlanta, and Marietta. The staff is always so friendly and they are there to please. They have the best Margaritas (we get the Texas). Here are some of the great things that we get: Alambre (think philly cheesesteak with pablano peppers, Mexican cheese and avocado), carne asada, pollo entomatado (healthy choice chicken in an adobo and tomatillo sauce), and even their crunchy taco is the best. I pass by several Mexican restaurants to get there because it is just that good.
(5)
Janio V.
I used to come here all the time when lived in Kennesaw. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Prices were fine. The burritos were amazing, chips and salsa were great. Salsa especially has just the right amount of spice. No real complaints here. Definitely the best Mexican Restaurant in Kennesaw.
(4)
Karen K.
I've been looking for a good Mexican place since I started working in Marietta and today I hit the jackpot. I don't normally leave reviews for restaurants but this place deserves a great review. I generally do not like buffets. For whatever reason, I chose to order the buffet and I was pleasantly surprised. The food was hot, fresh and tasty. A big plus: cheese dip and guacamole (GREAT GUAC!) was included on the buffet.The place looks kind of divey, but don't let that fool you. The food, service and prices are excellent.
(5)
Jillian B.
This is a fantastic spot for authentic Mexican cuisine and I look forward to visiting again! It's a small place with big taste! The waitress I had was very courteous and made sure we didn't have to ask for a thing. Unfortunately my visit was cut short due to an emergency and I had to leave pretty quickly without finishing my food and the waitresses thought it had something to with the food, but rest assured it does not! I will be going again for sure! ETA: The leftovers were great. ;)
(4)
Shay G.
I have found a favorite place for Mexican. They have authentic Mexican drinks; horchata was so good. The Chili Rellano was an actual chili instead of the usual sliver of bell pepper. The food was really fresh and tasty. The waitresses were very nice and brought the food quickly. Was an over all great experience. We will must definitely be going back.
(5)
Michael B.
El Nopal sports a great lunch buffet. We use to frequent this place all the time for lunch when I worked in the area. It has one of the best Mexican buffets that I've seen. And the best part is you can eat, have a soda, and leave for a tip for all under $10. I recommend this restaurant if you like Mexican food, a lot of Mexican food.
(4)
D J.
Only dinner review. Have eaten here many times. Great chicken soup and shrimp cocktail , other food is good . Prices are inline and affordable . Place is a little run down but don't let that bother you. The waitstaff is superb! If you can visit here with out smiling and being warmly welcomed I would be suprised. Again the waitstaff is superb .
(4)
Daniel B.
El Nopal is an OK Mexican restaurant located on Cobb Parkway just north of Six Flags White Water. This review is for the restaurant's weekday lunch buffet, which my coworkers and I have visited numerous times over the past several years. While the buffet is an exceptional value, the foods can be hit or miss. Sometimes, the employees allow the food to sit out way too long, so many of the items end up not-so-fresh and unappetizing. However, I do think they have improved upon this over the past year or so. El Nopal's lunch buffet allows you to make your own tacos (hard tortilla shells only) out of pre-marinated chicken and ground beef. There are larger tortilla shells if you want to make a taco salad, which is what I like to do. Also on the buffet are hot items such as Mexican rice, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and taquitos (small tortillas rolled and filled with beef or chicken, cigar-sized). There's also warm queso (cheese) dip, so feel free to scoop and slather it on to make your meal even more healthy. The cold bar is essentially a small Mexican salad bar with lettuce, onion, pickled jalapenos, and dessert (pudding). The best part is probably the fresh guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. El Nopal's sour cream is cold and thick (straight from the container?) and their salsa is a bit runny. The chips are hard and crunchy. One of my favorite items here are their churros (Mexican doughnuts). At least, that's what I think they are. They are small, sweet, fried, and crispy with some cinnamon flavor. Try one. El Nopal has a small bar inside with a couple TVs. Seating consists primarily of small booths and tables. The space is kind of small, so when the restaurant gets busy, it gets very crowded. When the weather is nice, sit outside on their patio next to the garden. The restaurant completed some renovations in the not-too-distant past and the landscaping is beautiful. The management and servers are friendly and service is usually very good.
(3)
Adrienne R.
Love this place. The waiters and waitresses are all super sweet and the food is extremely fresh.
(5)
J G.
My family and I regularly go to El Nopal when we are looking for a nice Mexican dinner with a friendly service. the food is great the servers are very nice and treat our kids like kings.. I go there often with business clients and employees for the lunch buffet as it is very reasonably priced. When I go with the family it's usually for dinner on a weekend night. They even have live music sometimes. Say hello to the owner Diane. She is very hands on and maybe even take care of you herself. One tip: order the Diane's special margarita. It is among the best I have had.
(5)
Daniel V.
This review might be a tad bit biased because my family owns this restaurant. But I will be truthful nonetheless. They started us off with chips, salsa, and cheese dip. It was all very good. I loved the horchata they gave us. One of the best I've ever had. I usually get the Texas fajitas which are really something special combining steak, chicken, and shrimp which are well seasoned. the price is good for the amount of good food they give you. The restaurant looks nice and has a nice environment. The mariscos we had were the absolute best I've ever had. I went to El Barco (in Chicago) a few weeks later and had one because they said they were good. Nowhere near as good as the one I had here. The freshly prepared churros were amazing. They even came with ice cream and everything. One of my favorite restaurants I've ever been to...
(4)
Try O.
This place is a skip. Always trying different Mexican restaurants and this one is the same run of the mill you find everywhere. The restaurant is a dump and don't be fooled by their website photos of their food, it looks nothing like that and is not presented that way. Our service was fine though.
(2)
M W.
My family's favorite Mexican restaurant around town. Their Burrito Jumbo (get it with Steak) is delicious!! Make sure you get good Tequila in your margaritas, the kind they typically use is cheap. They run good specials, but honestly I usually just get the Burrito Jumbo!!
(5)
Herman W.
Margaritas ok. Service great!
(3)
Crystal V.
Great food and a great environment ! I loved everything I ate from this place. I recommend the shrimp cocktail and the fajitas, they're absolutely amazing. For desert you have to taste the churroz which are accompanied with ice cream. The people there are very friendly and make you feel like you're at home (:
(5)
Dan F.
Finally, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Marietta! The food is really good, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. The guacamole is particularly good and I highly recommend it.
(5)
Tasia K.
We absolutely love, love, love this place. We've dined in on most occasions and also had takeout. The service is always good and always quick. I don't know that I've been to another restaurant who brings out delicious, hot, made-to-order food so quickly. It seems like only a few minutes go by from the time we sit down to when our drinks come out, to when we get our entrees. I tend to always order the same thing...choosing from among my favorites of beef tacos, chimicangas, steak fajitas or beef enchiladas. I always get a side of beans/rice and a healthy side of sour cream. We also enjoy sitting on the large veranda when the weather permits. Although the restaurant is situated on a very busy road (Cobb Pkwy) you really don't notice the heavy traffic. I love that the veranda (and front of the restaurant) is full of all these fresh flowers and shrubs. It feels like you are dining on someone's garden patio...and says a lot about the owners - who take pride in the exterior appearance of their business. This stretch of Cobb Pkwy isn't the prettiest, and it's refreshing to see this little gem stick out among all the other boring buildings. Bottom-line...it's clean, good service, great food, and good prices. This is our go-to spot for Mexican fare OTP.
(5)
Janet B.
Had high expectations after reading all the reviews but was disappointed. The buffet is $7.75 drink extra. There was enough selection on the buffet but everything looked dried out, like it's been sitting there for hours. Salsa tasted like canned tomatoes no flavor or celantro. Sorry 3 stars is best I can give.
(3)
Kelly M.
Well. We tried El Nopal for the first time and, sad to say, we aren't impressed. Had high hopes, but the food was just okay and the prices are HIGH!! Kids meals are $6.50!! Our girls got small quesadillas and it was $2 to add meat. So, $8.50 for kids' meals. We're talking one small tortilla, folded in half with cheese and meat. What?! With NO alcohol, our bill was $46 for a family of four. NOT what I would expect at a Mexican restaurant. Would have been easier to take if the food had blown us away, but it didn't. My taco was soggy, my enchilada had some brown sauce on it that, trust me, was not mole. The whole dinner was mediocre, at best. But, I will say the server was super nice. We wanted to find a new favorite Mexican restraint, but this isn't it. So...NEXT!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Nadine W.
This is my favorite Mexican Restaurant in Atlanta, and Marietta. The staff is always so friendly and they are there to please. They have the best Margaritas (we get the Texas). Here are some of the great things that we get: Alambre (think philly cheesesteak with pablano peppers, Mexican cheese and avocado), carne asada, pollo entomatado (healthy choice chicken in an adobo and tomatillo sauce), and even their crunchy taco is the best. I pass by several Mexican restaurants to get there because it is just that good.
(5)Janio V.
I used to come here all the time when lived in Kennesaw. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Prices were fine. The burritos were amazing, chips and salsa were great. Salsa especially has just the right amount of spice. No real complaints here. Definitely the best Mexican Restaurant in Kennesaw.
(4)Karen K.
I've been looking for a good Mexican place since I started working in Marietta and today I hit the jackpot. I don't normally leave reviews for restaurants but this place deserves a great review. I generally do not like buffets. For whatever reason, I chose to order the buffet and I was pleasantly surprised. The food was hot, fresh and tasty. A big plus: cheese dip and guacamole (GREAT GUAC!) was included on the buffet.The place looks kind of divey, but don't let that fool you. The food, service and prices are excellent.
(5)Jillian B.
This is a fantastic spot for authentic Mexican cuisine and I look forward to visiting again! It's a small place with big taste! The waitress I had was very courteous and made sure we didn't have to ask for a thing. Unfortunately my visit was cut short due to an emergency and I had to leave pretty quickly without finishing my food and the waitresses thought it had something to with the food, but rest assured it does not! I will be going again for sure! ETA: The leftovers were great. ;)
(4)Shay G.
I have found a favorite place for Mexican. They have authentic Mexican drinks; horchata was so good. The Chili Rellano was an actual chili instead of the usual sliver of bell pepper. The food was really fresh and tasty. The waitresses were very nice and brought the food quickly. Was an over all great experience. We will must definitely be going back.
(5)Michael B.
El Nopal sports a great lunch buffet. We use to frequent this place all the time for lunch when I worked in the area. It has one of the best Mexican buffets that I've seen. And the best part is you can eat, have a soda, and leave for a tip for all under $10. I recommend this restaurant if you like Mexican food, a lot of Mexican food.
(4)D J.
Only dinner review. Have eaten here many times. Great chicken soup and shrimp cocktail , other food is good . Prices are inline and affordable . Place is a little run down but don't let that bother you. The waitstaff is superb! If you can visit here with out smiling and being warmly welcomed I would be suprised. Again the waitstaff is superb .
(4)Daniel B.
El Nopal is an OK Mexican restaurant located on Cobb Parkway just north of Six Flags White Water. This review is for the restaurant's weekday lunch buffet, which my coworkers and I have visited numerous times over the past several years. While the buffet is an exceptional value, the foods can be hit or miss. Sometimes, the employees allow the food to sit out way too long, so many of the items end up not-so-fresh and unappetizing. However, I do think they have improved upon this over the past year or so. El Nopal's lunch buffet allows you to make your own tacos (hard tortilla shells only) out of pre-marinated chicken and ground beef. There are larger tortilla shells if you want to make a taco salad, which is what I like to do. Also on the buffet are hot items such as Mexican rice, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and taquitos (small tortillas rolled and filled with beef or chicken, cigar-sized). There's also warm queso (cheese) dip, so feel free to scoop and slather it on to make your meal even more healthy. The cold bar is essentially a small Mexican salad bar with lettuce, onion, pickled jalapenos, and dessert (pudding). The best part is probably the fresh guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. El Nopal's sour cream is cold and thick (straight from the container?) and their salsa is a bit runny. The chips are hard and crunchy. One of my favorite items here are their churros (Mexican doughnuts). At least, that's what I think they are. They are small, sweet, fried, and crispy with some cinnamon flavor. Try one. El Nopal has a small bar inside with a couple TVs. Seating consists primarily of small booths and tables. The space is kind of small, so when the restaurant gets busy, it gets very crowded. When the weather is nice, sit outside on their patio next to the garden. The restaurant completed some renovations in the not-too-distant past and the landscaping is beautiful. The management and servers are friendly and service is usually very good.
(3)Adrienne R.
Love this place. The waiters and waitresses are all super sweet and the food is extremely fresh.
(5)J G.
My family and I regularly go to El Nopal when we are looking for a nice Mexican dinner with a friendly service. the food is great the servers are very nice and treat our kids like kings.. I go there often with business clients and employees for the lunch buffet as it is very reasonably priced. When I go with the family it's usually for dinner on a weekend night. They even have live music sometimes. Say hello to the owner Diane. She is very hands on and maybe even take care of you herself. One tip: order the Diane's special margarita. It is among the best I have had.
(5)Daniel V.
This review might be a tad bit biased because my family owns this restaurant. But I will be truthful nonetheless. They started us off with chips, salsa, and cheese dip. It was all very good. I loved the horchata they gave us. One of the best I've ever had. I usually get the Texas fajitas which are really something special combining steak, chicken, and shrimp which are well seasoned. the price is good for the amount of good food they give you. The restaurant looks nice and has a nice environment. The mariscos we had were the absolute best I've ever had. I went to El Barco (in Chicago) a few weeks later and had one because they said they were good. Nowhere near as good as the one I had here. The freshly prepared churros were amazing. They even came with ice cream and everything. One of my favorite restaurants I've ever been to...
(4)Try O.
This place is a skip. Always trying different Mexican restaurants and this one is the same run of the mill you find everywhere. The restaurant is a dump and don't be fooled by their website photos of their food, it looks nothing like that and is not presented that way. Our service was fine though.
(2)M W.
My family's favorite Mexican restaurant around town. Their Burrito Jumbo (get it with Steak) is delicious!! Make sure you get good Tequila in your margaritas, the kind they typically use is cheap. They run good specials, but honestly I usually just get the Burrito Jumbo!!
(5)Herman W.
Margaritas ok. Service great!
(3)Crystal V.
Great food and a great environment ! I loved everything I ate from this place. I recommend the shrimp cocktail and the fajitas, they're absolutely amazing. For desert you have to taste the churroz which are accompanied with ice cream. The people there are very friendly and make you feel like you're at home (:
(5)Dan F.
Finally, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Marietta! The food is really good, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. The guacamole is particularly good and I highly recommend it.
(5)Tasia K.
We absolutely love, love, love this place. We've dined in on most occasions and also had takeout. The service is always good and always quick. I don't know that I've been to another restaurant who brings out delicious, hot, made-to-order food so quickly. It seems like only a few minutes go by from the time we sit down to when our drinks come out, to when we get our entrees. I tend to always order the same thing...choosing from among my favorites of beef tacos, chimicangas, steak fajitas or beef enchiladas. I always get a side of beans/rice and a healthy side of sour cream. We also enjoy sitting on the large veranda when the weather permits. Although the restaurant is situated on a very busy road (Cobb Pkwy) you really don't notice the heavy traffic. I love that the veranda (and front of the restaurant) is full of all these fresh flowers and shrubs. It feels like you are dining on someone's garden patio...and says a lot about the owners - who take pride in the exterior appearance of their business. This stretch of Cobb Pkwy isn't the prettiest, and it's refreshing to see this little gem stick out among all the other boring buildings. Bottom-line...it's clean, good service, great food, and good prices. This is our go-to spot for Mexican fare OTP.
(5)Janet B.
Had high expectations after reading all the reviews but was disappointed. The buffet is $7.75 drink extra. There was enough selection on the buffet but everything looked dried out, like it's been sitting there for hours. Salsa tasted like canned tomatoes no flavor or celantro. Sorry 3 stars is best I can give.
(3)Kelly M.
Well. We tried El Nopal for the first time and, sad to say, we aren't impressed. Had high hopes, but the food was just okay and the prices are HIGH!! Kids meals are $6.50!! Our girls got small quesadillas and it was $2 to add meat. So, $8.50 for kids' meals. We're talking one small tortilla, folded in half with cheese and meat. What?! With NO alcohol, our bill was $46 for a family of four. NOT what I would expect at a Mexican restaurant. Would have been easier to take if the food had blown us away, but it didn't. My taco was soggy, my enchilada had some brown sauce on it that, trust me, was not mole. The whole dinner was mediocre, at best. But, I will say the server was super nice. We wanted to find a new favorite Mexican restraint, but this isn't it. So...NEXT!!
(2)