4. Restaurants

Pablo’s Mexican Grill

310 Main St, Cedar Falls, IA, 50613
  • (319) 277-8226
  • Store is closed

Pablo’s Mexican Grill Menu

  • Salads
  • Tacos
  • Burrito
  • Salsas
  • Extra
  • Sides
  • Drinks

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pablo’s Mexican Grill

  • Salads
  • Tacos
  • Burrito
  • Salsas
  • Extra
  • Sides
  • Drinks

  • James C.

    This is my favorite burrito place in the Cedar Valley -- it's hands down better than its corporate peer across town... The restaurant attempts to source as many ingredients locally, and it shows. Fresh veggies, cheese, and meats. All in a burrito that is large enough for two meals, unless you're regularly in the habit of eating enough for a small village. The staff varies here - sometimes they're amusingly gruff, other times very helpful. I guess I eat here enough and enjoy it enough to look past it, but they do seem to get some interesting characters. Part of the charm, I guess. It's safe for me to say that if/when I move from here, this will be THE place I will miss. Quality food, priced right.

    (5)

  • Abbie M.

    For the price of what your paying, your getting a lot of fresh ingredients and they are awesone. They experiment with new salsas to spice it up. The burritos are huge. All the ingredients are in front of you so your seeing what goes inside of your burritos. My husband is Mexican and he enjoys the burritos. (For the previous negative nancy.) We have tried a lot of "authentic" Mexican food restaurants around the Midwest and so far this is one of the closest tastes to Mexican food we have gotten.

    (5)

  • Carly R.

    My first thought when walking into Pablo's Mexica Grill was that I was walking into a sit down Mexican restaurant, instead it was similar to Ponchero's minus the queso. Which was surprising but good anyway. The service at this place was good. I asked the man behind the counter to suggest a salsa for my burrito and it was so good. I ordered a steak burrito with rice, verde salsa, pico de gio and corn salsa and guacamole. The steak was dry, under seasoned, and also resembled ground beef more than actual steak. Everything else in the burrito tasted good, but it was brought down by the beef. My friend ordered a chicken burrito with rice, pico de gio and corn salsa. Like the beef the chicken was also dry and under seasoned. One of the things Pablo's Mexican grill offers free chips with every order and the guacamole was on point.

    (3)

  • Patrick T.

    Oh, Pablo you know how to make me full! I have partaken in your delights a couple times now! That full size vegan burrito really hits the spot! I love how you make it right before my eyes, and I get to choose the amount of beans, veggies, rice, salsa's (spicy baby), guac, lettuce, etc I want on my over flowing burrito of goodness! I love how you put some very salty chips right next to that beautiful burrito and I love it how when ever I come here this is the only meal I need to eat that day! Oh Pablo thanks for making me full!

    (4)

  • Amy A.

    Yes, the burritos are huge. They should be at $7.25 for a chicken burrito. All together my lunch of a small pop, chicken burrito with guacamole and a few chips was $11.18. Bit much but again, the burrito was huge. And it was fresh. I came on a Wednesday at 12:15. Not very busy when I arrived but as I sit here a line is forming. The staff was nice. Very informative to other guests about the different menu items. All items are made to order and are fresh. The chips aren't anything special. They are just corn tortilla chips. The eating area isn't anything special. Some tables and chairs and a counter with bar stools that runs along two walls. Seats a lot of people. One of my pet peeves is when they gave me the credit card receipt to sign it had a tip line. To me a tip is for sisters and waitresses who serve me at a table. They refill my drink, bring me my food etc. yes these individuals are making my food but when you go to a restaurant you don't tip the cook, you to the waitress. Not that these people don't deserve tips, but put out a tip bucket, I hate feeling pressured to add a tip on the credit card. I feel like a jerk if I don't. So my 11.18 meal actually cost me $13.18 with my tip. Your welcome.

    (4)

  • Aaron P.

    This is a local burrito establishment that is similar to Pancheros. They are known for their fresh ingredients and huge burritos! They also make good quesadillas. The restaurant in itself is located downtown and can seat a fair amount of people. I like that they are open late at night, past midnight on the weekends. The food is very good, but I do not like that they do not have queso to put in burritos like Pancheros does. I like how they include chips with the meal. My friend and I go here a lot and he always bets me that he will reimburse me for my meal if I can eat the whole burrito in the time that we are there, because he eats fast. I have never been able to do it, so COME HUNGRY! They give you a lot of food. I will give it 4 out of 5, just because I don't like that they don't have queso.

    (4)

  • Tim S.

    Local, fresh, and delicious. Located right in the heart of Main St., this is easily one of my favorite spots in town. Similar style to Panchero's, but in a whole different league. The best part is that they always have new and experimental salsas to try out. I still dream of the spooky (strawberry/grape/blueberry) salsa from last Halloween. They're also open till 2 on weekends, so it's the perfect spot to grab late night on the way home from the bars. Anyone from CF will tell you that if you're craving a burrito, you want to come here.

    (4)

  • Jon D.

    This place is very solid. It is exceptionally good for fast food Mexican food. It's a huge step above Panchero's. The line always moves quickly. Never be scared when the line is long. The cheese dip is excellent. The tacos are really great. I like the soft shell a ton The quesadillas are full of cheesy greatness. The price is reasonable. You got to give it a chance

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    For reference, this place is similar in style to Pancheros and Chipotle. This is a local restaurant that uses fresh local ingredients to make their food. I usually get a burrito or quesadilla. The burritos are much larger than other chain places. The ingredients taste fresh and delicious, especially the cheese! The quesadillas come loaded with cheese and your meat of choice. I have found I like their chicken the best! Cooked and seasoned to perfection. Overall a great Mexican place with a friendly staff, awesome place to stop by at night while downtown!

    (5)

  • Jordan L.

    Think Chipotle, Pancheros, or even Qdoba is the best burrito place out there? You're wrong. If I got asked to either go on a Caribbean cruise for free or eat at Pablo's, I would have a tough time deciding. Fresh ingredients, burritos bigger than my dog, loaded quesadillas, what more can you ask for? You'll never leave hungry after a meal here because of their monsterous proportions. I'm not sure if they put cocaine in your food at Pablo's because I just can't seem to stop going there. Make the stop, it's life changing.

    (5)

  • Zane P.

    This is one of Cedar Falls top local restaurants. All ingredients are fresh and local. The burritos are huge - I can typically use one for a meal & late snack. The quesadillas are very popular, too. You can dine in or take out. The dining area can serve roughly 50 people, with booths, stools near the window onlooking main street, and outdoor seating during the warmer months. The pricing is rather cheap, ranging anywhere from $6-$12. They create new specialty salsas every month, too. This is a personal sunday "go-to". You can also grab a beer at this place. Open until 2 am on weekends.

    (4)

  • Jennifer V.

    It's CF's best burrito joint, hands down. Perfect hours, massive portions, great flavor, and decent prices.

    (5)

  • J J.

    The food was pretty good. I had a steak burrito. All the ingredients were nice and fresh. I gave it 3 stars because of one of the workers. While my guest and i were trying to enjoy our meal. The female worker was in the back using foul language and talking extremely loud. She was also on her phone alot, then would start dealing with food w/o gloves while working in the back.

    (3)

  • Sheila C.

    This was my go-to place when I was a student at UNI. I love their cheese quesadillas! Wish they had one where I live now.

    (5)

  • Tim G.

    The only place to get a burrito in Cedar Falls, as far as I'm concerned. Try the "Lee's Favorite" salsa. It's my favorite too.

    (5)

  • Spencer H.

    I go to Pablos at least twice a week. Never dissapoints. The smooth seranno salsa is killer

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    I have been loyal to this place since the beginning, coming in sometimes twice a day and usually 3+ plus times per week in the spring/summer/fall time. I have had a couple unpleasant moments since visiting for over 10 years, but it has never had anything to do with the food. I have noticed there are really good staff members that seem to care about the place and their awesome food art, then there are others that aren't even on that level. I work in customer service, so don't get me wrong, I know it can be hard to deal with people in the public every day, they aren't always kind to you. I get that, however if I am being kind to you and maybe even going out of my way to be exceptionally kind since I notice you may not be having a good day, I really don't think it's too much to ask to receive the same in return. Is it that big of a deal to request a little more cheese since what you put on there is probably not enough to even taste? So ultimately I was charged "extra" for more cheese that should have been put on initially, not skimped, and it seemed to irritate the person that I asked. This is where I see inconsistency in the staff, seemingly the new ones, are really skimpy with the salsa, cheese, everything really. Is it because they are nervous about being able to wrap it up? If so, I understand that, BUT could we get a dollar off or something, maybe free "extra's" since they are new and aren't necessarily giving us what we are paying alot of money for? I'm not sure how this would be gauged or measured, just throwing it out there. Today, I got 4 tacos, it came to 13$. I was charged extra for the cheese I spoke of above, definitely should not have been. I did get "extra" salsa on 2 of them I believe and that was an extra charge. Now to the food, I have never had any problems with it. In my opinion they have amazingly delicious and fresh food. There is nothing better than a Pablo's burrito or tacos on a hot summer day, even the salad bowls are fantastic. The fresh variety of salsa's are such a nice experience. I really appreciate this place, as does my family. Even with the staff issue, I will not give them a lower rate, they are too awesome for that.

    (5)

  • Rex J.

    I was a big Pancheros advocate before I was introduced to this local favorite. You definitely get a bigger burrito and a larger quesadilla than you would at Pancheros. The ingredients taste more fresh too. The only down side is that they don't have queso sauce, but the mozzarella cheese at Pablos trumps the shredded cheese you would get at Pancheros any day. I would strongly recommend this location if you're looking for a big burrito or quesadilla at a reasonable price. Also, I always support the local restaurants, so more power to Pablos!

    (5)

  • Heather M.

    Just have to update since we finally got to satisfy our Pablo's craving on a trip to Iowa! Just as delicious as I remember and our burritos were huge! We thought they were bigger than normal, maybe they knew it had been 5 months since our last delicious Pablo's visit. I held one up next to my 4 week old niece and they were about the same size :) I saved my innards as leftovers and brought them back to Colorado carefully in a cooler....it was a delicious treat after that awful long drive! Can't wait until next time!

    (5)

  • Kate B.

    Um the burrito is bigger than my head! Salsas are delightful! Fajita veggies are awesome! Come here and rock this delicious food! Set up as a walk up and order then pay & sit. Quick service and great food! Right on Main Street!

    (4)

  • Jill T.

    Go to Panchero's instead. This place is so disappointing. The lighting is awful (it's hard to tell if it's even open when you are inside), the decor (if you can call it that) pathetic, the food mediocre, and the service abysmal. They use cold generic commercial white flour tortillas (Panchero's makes their own), and chips from a generic cellophane bag (which they pull out right in front of you). The kitchen is not clean, nor are the workers. I ordered iced tea and the staff asked if I wanted a S, M, or L. I ordered a small and then she said, "Oh, we are out of smalls" and I had to buy a medium. The prices on the website are wrong, too. There are so many better options. I don't know why anyone would waste time, money, or calories here.

    (1)

  • James R.

    why do white people ruin food? seriously if you are going to cook it cook it like the country or place you took it from cooks it no need to mix it with other useless stuff.. Mexican grill....huh ? I'm quite sure you would be better suited for an AUTHENTIC MEXICAN experience at la michoacana in Waterloo were you not only get great food, but actual Mexican culture from actual Mexicans . Not some cultural carpetbaggers who thought it would it would be "diverse" to have it in their town.

    (1)

  • Kelsey A.

    My absolute favorite place to get a burrito. Great ingredients and salsas. I recommend this place to everyone. It also has a great staff.

    (5)

  • Jami Jo H.

    I really love this place. The ingredients are all fresh and bought local. I usually get the quesadilla and I can normally make two meals out of it. They have new unique salsas on a regular basis, and their guac is amazing. They also sell bottled Coca-Cola. They are now open Sundays!!!

    (5)

  • Katy L.

    "Hooray, they're open on Sundays now!" has to be the battle cry of the Cedar Valley. After being closed on Sundays since they opened, Pablo's has expanded their hours so that you can enjoy their delightful food all week long - and man, is it good. Although their tortillas are nothing special, the ingredients they put in them are fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Don't skip the veggies, either; it's so worth the extra dollar or so. I'm always amazed that they can fit what seems like pounds of food into that tortilla, then amazed again later when I can take down the whole burrito on my own. Pablo's also rotates their specialty salsa so that there's something new to look forward to every time - my favorite was some kind of pineapple-mango-spicy concoction that I haven't seen since that visit, but I hold my breath each time I walk in the door, hoping to see it again. Don't be intimidated by the length of the line, because a Pablo's burrito is so worth the wait. The people working there take care in preparing your food, so just grab your smartphone and check Facebook or something while you're queued up. BONUS: they serve it with a handful of chips on the side. Although the volume of chips seems small, it's actually a great way to add a little extra crunch without adding to your tab.

    (4)

  • Jeremiah H.

    Great quesadillas with a Negro Modelo to boot. Nice, clean place with friendly workers. Great food for the price.

    (4)

  • Audrey K.

    More and more (and more addicting)!! Try the burrito and you'll come back the next day for more. Try the chicken quesadilla and you're hooked for life. Incredible fresh, local ingredients and cool local folks. The salsas are truly an art (try the seasonal fruit salsa). A neighborhood favorite!

    (5)

  • Tim D.

    CAREFUL... It'll grow on you!!!! Years ago it didn't seem all that special. Once you get hooked on their special salsas and their chicken quesadillas you're screwed. I return 2-3 sometimes 4 times a week!!! I'm now officially an addict.

    (5)

  • Andrea T.

    Was passing through town and we wanted Mexican food. Based on reviews, we came here. It was the IA/IA State football game weekend and I guess we stopped when half time was happening. The line was very long and slow moving. Grrr. It took us quite some time to get our food. I had a quesadilla with just chicken and cheese with salsa on the side. My fiancé had the tacos, one of each meat. Both of our items had lots of food for the money. They also tasted great! I did like that they had lots of unique salsa choices too!

    (4)

  • Juli C.

    This is my favorite place to eat. Fresh and flavorful. Love all the salsa choices. It's a regular lunch destination.

    (5)

  • Chad F.

    If you are in the mood for quick Mexican style food then this is the place to be in CF. They serve tacos, quesadillas, and burritos and with these you get your choice of various meats, veggies, beans, rice, guacamole, home made salsas, and other tasty ingredients. The thing that brings most people in is the RIDICULOUSLY huge burrito. They weigh about 2 pounds if you get them loaded. Two average sized people could easily split one of these and be satisfied, but where is the fun in that? You need to CONQUER this burrito. You are David and it is Goliath. Just be sure to be near a bathroom in a few hours, you are going to need it. Trust me.

    (4)

  • Mark W.

    By far my absolute favorite burrito place in the entire United States!!! (well, it beats the chain restaurants anyways). Where else can you get delicious 2 1/2 lb burritos late at night? The ingredients are fresh and very good. Plenty of choices for toppings and sauces. The chipotle hot sauce is my favorite. I don't buy into people's arguments that Pablos doesn't "mix the ingredients." I've never had a problem with how they make their burritos, and I know for a fact that anyone can ask them to "mix it more" and they do. A few of my friends ask that every time we come in. The addition of the "Little Guy Burrito" (1 1/2 lb) was a great idea. This really helps out for people with smaller appetites or when you want Pablo's but don't have the room for the full size. Their quesadilla's are also very good. Gotta visit this great local favorite.

    (5)

  • Lindsay M.

    Want a good review Pablo's? "That'll be extra." I went to Pablo's on Friday night. They were open late - awesome! They had terrible service - ridiculous! Here's the deal, I'm a Mexican Food fanatic, therefore critic. Pablo's was ... about average. Nothing more. Nothing less. The food was good, quantity was large, but the service and expectation for the food was not up to par. I ordered the smaller size burrito. The meat had no flavor, the grilled veggies were mushy and definitely had been sitting since early in the day. I asked for salsa on my burrito (mind it was the smaller burrito) but the server barely put more than 1/2 of a scoop, so I asked for a bit more since it clearly wasn't enough for one bite! The server said "that'll be extra", fine . Then sour cream - "that'll be extra". Umm, alright. Then he broke my burrito when trying to fold it. I told him just to put it in a bowl since he was manhandling the food I was going to try to eat. I asked for chips to eat with my burrito since it was more of a taco salad now. "That'll be extra." Dude, YOU broke my burrito and now you're going to charge me for chips? Alright, how much is extra? $30 for 3 burritos... a whole lot extra! I'd rather go to Chipotle with their fresh food, free salsa and sour cream any day!

    (2)

  • Bryan M.

    The best and biggest burritos in the Cedar Valley. They're loved so much the band Knuckle Sandwich even wrote a song about them. Also a great choice for vegetarians. Cheap, fast, fresh and local. What more could you want?

    (5)

  • Collin B.

    Good food, friendly service. You get alot of food for your money!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Mexican Cuisine

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.

Pablo’s Mexican Grill

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