Holy Frijoles
908 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD, 21211
Holy Frijoles Menu
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Appetizers
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Ensaladas
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Taco Entrees
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Entrees - Burrito
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Entrees - Chimichanga
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Entrees - Enchilada
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Entrees - Fajita
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Sandwiches
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Sides And Extras
Healthy Meal suggestions for Holy Frijoles
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Appetizers
-
Ensaladas
-
Taco Entrees
-
Entrees - Burrito
-
Entrees - Chimichanga
-
Entrees - Enchilada
-
Entrees - Fajita
-
Sandwiches
-
Sides And Extras
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Address :
908 W 36th St
Baltimore, MD, 21211 - Phone (410) 235-2326
- Website https://holyfrijoles.net/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Hipster
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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.
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Joe K.
I think this place is hit or miss. I am used to great Mexican from San Diego down to Ensenada so anything on the east coast is always a bit iffy for me. My buddy just moved back to Baltimore from the west coast and was craving tacos. He said he'd been to Holy Frijoles once to try it out and wasn't impressed. I hadn't been yet so I was game, but left it up to him. We walked down the strip that is called "The Avenue" and when I saw the exterior, I thought it looked pretty cool. So he (still crazy for tacos) decided to give it a second chance. We sat at the bar which had lamps hanging that really were just bottles of Patron cut in half with a light bulb inside. Extremely cool so I was already digging the interior design of the place. We both got the fish tacos. I got the dinner portion though and we were both blown away! ALMOST as good as the Mahi Mahi fish tacos from SoCal. Based on this meal, my friend decided he must have just come in on an off night his first time. I then decided to return and bring my bride. I got her extremely pumped up and even starved myself just so I could dig into some tacos. Unfortunately, it turned out like my friend's first visit. The tacos were horrible. The fish was fried way too hard, the tortillas were burnt, and the sauce was non-existent. My wife was going to say something to me when she saw what I was served, but I was just too hungry. She got the nachos and they were burnt as well and not what she hoped for. Now I am afraid to go back. The love of my life had the same experience as my best friend on their first visit and I was let down on my second trip. Will I be happy if I go back? Hard to say, but I certainly won't drive out of my way again for this place. Give them a second chance if I'm in the neighborhood?? Absolutely.
(3)Jon L.
The food is pretty tasty, but the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. The music is a little loud (I'm too old, I know) to comfortably chat during dinner. It's more a place to meet with friends over margaritas and nachos. They make their own refried beans and they're vegetarian!
(3)Sarah T.
Wednesday night dollar tacos are not to be missed! For only a dollar you get a taco of your choice (hard or soft, black beans, refried beans or beef) with a generous selection of toppings (lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa). That said, the staff is hit or miss. I have had plenty of friendly experiences there with helpful and attentive staff and one experience that included an unfortunate dose of "Hampden attitude." At the end of the day - the happy hour's worth it.
(4)Robin B.
I was very disappointed in my visit last night. Sat at the seats directly across from the bar. On the chalkboard it said Happy Hour, Margaritas $3!! When I asked was told it did not apply if you sat at a table.... But had to order drink from the bar???? How ridiculous!! Too bad, one of my favorite places to go as a local Hamdenite!!!!!
(2)Gloria S.
Every Hopkins student ought to make the trek through Wyman Park and try out Holy Frijoles at least once throughout their college years here. The food is inexpensive but at the same time is not spectacular. But its quirky ambience and club-like background music makes this place a fun place to hang out. Their margaritas are delicious--just don't expect to be able to order one on Sundays. They don't serve alcohol on Sundays... I learned that the hard way.
(4)Dee H.
Mexican food on the East coast may as well be called Mexi-Cant. I have been very few places that can do it justice. I guess growing up in california spoils for the whole coast. So at my stint in Bawlermo' my eccletic browsing and looking ofr old used trinkets in Hampden turned into hunger and i entered Holy Frijoles. Nice decor like all the other old/new/retro-hip places around the neighborhood. the bar is big for the space, and they had 2 bartenders. a definite plus. I had margaritas while we waited for our seats. It wasn't watered down, and it was potent for their hose margaritas. I Think i may be able to grow to like this place. WE got seated and they bring salsa and chips. The chips were hard and terrible and the salsa was watery, but i was still enjoying the margaritas. I gulped down one then i gulped down two... now tell me what am i supposed to do? Food comes. The chimichungas are good, and the food came out relatively quick for a Friday evening. Margaritas are still coming. The watress is pretty nice and friendly like the rest of the staff, even tho they look like they took evey issue of FADER mag and took the fashion section and copied the look piece by piece ...am i drunk? the chips were terrible! .... mmm...more margaritas.... get the bill... less than 40 bucks for 2 people? And i had DRINKS??Woooow.... Am i seeing this bill right?.... mmm morw margari.... blah... I wanted better chips.... what if i wanted nachos and they have these lousy chips?? seesh... I wonder will another margarita make the chips tase better??
(3)Jesse Y.
This place does stink! I thought I liked it but after today, nope....not a fan. First we ordered 2 diet cokes....and were warned that the diets had "tasted funny" as of late. Well.....yes they did. My questions is....WHY THE HELL NOT FIX IT THEN? No no no, that just makes sense....instead we'll still try to pawn off on the public our nasty old expired funky diet soda syrup. Sheesh. I got up and left. Tried the Golden West down the street but that was an even bigger pain in the arse (see my other review from today). So after not eating at the GW, I came back thru to order a Chile Rellano to go.....waiting a second and was told "Sorry sir we aren't doing carry out today" WTF? So if I ate something and didn't finish it, you wouldn't allow me to take it with me? Of course you would, so gimmie my goddamn chile rellano and let me go. Never going back to this smell hole again.
(2)Brig T.
When you come here, you have to know that there is nothing "Mexican" about it. The spanish in the title may make is seem like they serve mexican food, but if you are expecting a spicy authentic dish, you will be sorely dissapointed. (I'm from the Southwest so I can speak with some authority on this subject.) However, once you get over the fact that you are not going to be served anything authentic, its not bad. I particularly recommend the cucumber margaritas and martinis. The food is ok, the drinks are pretty good, and the atmosphere isnt too bad, as long as you don't mind a ton of kids in the early evening, and total hipster party crowd later at night.
(3)sven g.
I've been back twice since this review, and here's the reasons for the upgraded score: First, the specials. I knew this was why people packed the place, but it turns out there really are some great deals. Second, the food is much improved (or my previous experience was an outlier). Everything I had actually had flavor, and for the most part it was a good flavor. Downfalls: 1) Cilantro. People listen up! It's nasty and completely ruins food for 20% of the population. That's 1/5 of your customer base. 2) Order taking by memory. No one is good at taking orders by memory. I don't care if you think you are, you are not. Restaurants should mandate paper order taking. It's not impressive and makes the dining out experience that much more stressful.
(3)Bear B.
Totally underwhelmed. We ended up here because our first-choice place was without power, and... we were not impressed. It was incredibly noisy, the tables were sticky, the service was pretty indifferent, and the food was not that great - underseasoned meat, oversalted beans, undercooked rice. I was glad to see more options for Mr. Vegetarian, but his burrito was a sad, sad item made with completely overcooked vegetables that seemed to have been steamed without benefit of any spice or marinade or anything. My Carnitas enchilads was actually dry, if you can imagine, though my Paloma (grapefruit soda and tequila) was pretty good. I would have needed two more to be any happier about this meal, though.
(2)Jen T.
Do you like margaritas? If so, this is your jam (especially on Mondays, when house margs are half price); they're a bit pricey, but try a mango (comes with a fresh slice!), cucumber, or pomegranate one. I've never found the food particularly exciting or good but the quesadillas are okay, and like someone else noted, the free chips and salsa are absolutely the best. So much cilantro! Perfect for a snacky and/or boozey evening. I forsee myself spending many summer nights there pretty soon. Service is just fine (they've always been really nice to me), and I like the atmosphere too, because they obviously renovated but it's not all new and spotless. You'll always live in fear that the women's bathroom door latch hook will rip out of the wall the next time someone tries to open it while you're in there peeing out your 4th margarita.
(3)Jay R.
Food was ok but the a great margarita and cheap late night prices make it a great Thursday night spot.
(4)Christie M.
I live in Hampden, so when I want mexican food, the stand-by is to go to Holy Frijoles. The food is mediocre at best and not at all like anything authentic. Free chips and salsa are always a plus though, and the salsa is pretty tasty. The service is bad, very bad. It's the only restaurant I've never left a tip at all at. The servers and bartenders act like they are too cool to be working and look at their customers with disdain. Although I've had bad experiences there, I've also had a few decent ones. The reason to keep coming back are the cucumber margaritas. The house margaritas are good as well and fairly strong.
(2)Ben V.
Mexican Food, Baltimore Style. If you're looking for super authentic Mexican food, at authentic Mexican prices, Holy Frijoles is probably not the spot. But if you're looking for fabulous "Mexirribean" cuisine, HF is your spot. You see, with Holy Frijoles, it's all about Basement Frank. Basement Frank is this incredible, enigmatic ingredient cobbler from the Islands (Trinidad, to be exact.) He makes the equally incredible, cilantro-laden, succulent tomato-filled, best goddamn salsa on planet earth that they give you free of charge just for sitting down in the joint. I literally cannot say enough about how fucking good this salsa is, it puts anything here in my home San Francisco to SHAME!! Papa Lote, just talk to the hand, because Basement Frank is the MAN! Moreover, BF makes their excellent re-fried beans everyday at some godforsaken early hour of the morning. The beans are vegan (I'm told), nice and salty, and perfectly cooked. I literally would eat bowls and bowls of this stuff with just a spoon when I worked here. (DISCLAIMER: I worked here for like 6 months, just one shift a week.) Try mixing those beans with a little of that salsa, and the only thing I can say is OH SHIT!!! That's some serious yum jams. So, why only four stars when obviously Frijoles has some banging ingredients to work with? Well, everything is just kinda the same. And you get sick of it all strangely fast. It's good, but it's just like, too simple or something. Maybe it's Mexican food in general being all the same, and Frijoles being the only place on that side of town to get it. I dunno. It's still good, just like, it slows you down, you know? But the main lack of 5th star stems from the new Yuppie-friendly version of Frijoles that debuted about 2 years ago. We had a joke that Geoff (owner) was pretty much singlehandedly driving up everyone's rent by like $100 in the 'hood by his rapid and visible gentrifying of what was a literal hole-in-the-wall eatery into a venerable bastion of pomp and capitalism. Like seriously, Frijoles is out of control crazy. This is Baltimore, can't you keep it worthwhile and kitschy, guys?
(4)Jill H.
I have been here a million times and had as many 1/2 price margaritas. Go for the tacos, they are cheap and good. I always get a chorizo and a carne taco (which comes with cilantro and onion) and they hit the spot. I wouldn't bother with too much else on the menu, other than 1/2 price quesadilla night. The chips are thick like stale cardboard but we always manage to polish off a basket or two.
(3)Katie M.
Like others have said, Frijoles isn't the best Mexican food in town, but something keeps me coming back. The menu needs updating, and everything is basically the same in different forms. But the margaritas are incredible (I like pomegranite or mango in the winter, lime or cucumber in the summer), and Monday is half price margarita night for the house marg (coming out to $2.75). I don't know what it is the quesadillas, but when I'm drinking, all I can think about are HF black bean and corn quesadillas. If you aren't drinking, try the limeade. Its the closest I've found to "agua de limon" in Baltimore. I think the service is fine, everyone is basically always super nice.
(4)Martine R.
They have a good happy hour. The food is really hit or miss. It's not great Mexican, but from my experience you'll be hard pressed to find great Mexican in Baltimore. This is definitely more of an Americanized Mexican place, but for that, it is pretty decent. The cucumber margarita is delightful!
(3)Laurie W.
This place has, as noted, some of the best salsa I've ever had. For that I give it countless stars. i also loved the vibe and had never been to Hampden before so that was fun. I did think the steak in the fajitas tasted a little weird - not bad, but seasoned like my Dad grilled it in the backyard - not really Mexican or even Tex-Mex. The guacamole was fresh but bland. Margaritas were a little "mixy" and too sweet for my taste... I'll go back - I'd like to try the nachos and skip the entree this time. All in all it was a relaxed and friendly place to hang out, and the server was pleasant and patient with us (we were catching up and were there for a long time - tipped accordingly, of course.) The bartender was friendly as well
(4)Ashley K.
I really like Holy Frijoles...and I don't really know why. The place is infested by annoying hipsters and the food all pretty much tastes the same. Still, I like the decor, the drinks (try the regular or pomegranite margarita) are great, the food is affordable, and you always know what you're going to get. The chicken fajitas and the guacamole are really good. This used to be (and still is when I'm in Hampden) my easy go-to place where meat eaters and vegetarians can all find something to eat and drink.
(4)Dave J.
Great Mexican restaurant in Hamden. Lots of fun with cheap drinks and great Mexican food.
(4)angelo t.
It used to be very good when it occupied the tiny adjacent space. Some time after they expanded the food and everything else went seriously downhill. The last time we went (about a year ago) there were very few people in the restaurant and the lack of people made it very easy to see that this place has some serious housekeeping issues. We noticed a vaguely unclean, "funky" smell all around. This made me seriously wonder about the food-preparation and sanitation. The food was as other described-- drown in cheese, hum-drum flavor, dried out rice.
(1)Laura B.
If I could give this place a 2.5 I would. For drinks only, maybe I'd give it a 4. Good margaritas. Just how I make them at home and 1/2 price margarita happy hour M - F, so that's even better than A-Ok in my book. But, the food, which after all, this place is first a restaurant, then a bar... is mediocre at best. I had enchiladas, my standard Mexican dish. They were really pretty tasteless. The black bean and rice side, eh... Also, the waitstaff tends to be too hip for their own good. So, go there for the margaritas. Go elsewhere for food.
(3)Leah M.
Oh! How I wish Holy Frijoles was better. I trully, really want them to be good...but, much to my dismay, they fall short. Its really hard to come by good Mexican food in Baltimore and I'm glad HF is around at least for the nachos but the other dishes are just so bland. Their burritos are no better than ones you get in the frozen food aisle from the grocery store and they dont have many options - just the basics. The drinks rock and i love how they painted the wall behind the bar. Its awesome. I just wish their food was too.
(2)Corey L.
I first started coming to this place in college in 1996 when it was a 3rd its normal size and they didn't have a liquor license. Now that they have expanded and added a bar, it's even better. I now live in Washington, DC, but still drive up to Baltimore for good Mexican. (Mexican places in DC are either trendy, with 'fusion' in the description, crappy, with 'health department' somewhere in the description, or more often than not, both) I'm not making any claim that Holy Frijoles is authentic Mexican, or even all that wonderful, but it's good food, prices that haven't changed yet this century, and a great atmosphere. I drive 45 minutes up 95 to eat here once a month or so. Street parking usually isn't an issue.
(5)Kathryn E.
Average food - like tacos you make at home on store-bought tortillas, salsa from a jar, or beans you get out of a can. The margaritas are made with a sour mix, which I don't love - prefer fresh lime. That said, it is a cool little local place with edible fare that is not a bad place to meet friends. The staff are always friendly and accomodating. If the great Latino owned hole-in-the-walls on Eastern would get liquor licenses to go with their kick-ass authentic tacos, there would be no need for places like Holy Frijoles, though.
(3)Ricky R.
Decent burritos and a full bar. It's open past ten, serves food late, and the margaritas aren't too bad. It's not the San Francisco Mexperience, but shoot, it's good late night eats.
(3)Curtis W.
All my friends in B-More eat here. They warned me prior to eating there that is wasn't the best place on earth. I actually thought my food was good. Maybe I got lucky. Or maybe it's because it was 7pm and it was the first thing I had to eat all day. When you go make sure to tell the bartender Jesse you think he's hot stuff!
(5)Lee D.
The best Mexican I've had here; space is small and service can take a while, but the food is good. Don't sit next to the door in the winter. Theyve added a bar, its cool, v Hampden hipster- strong drinks and skinny jeans.
(4)Sandra J.
our recent eating experience was cruddy. the food was a sorry excuse for Mexican and the wait was ridiculous.
(2)Nicole M.
I've eaten at Holy Frijoles a number of times. Back in the day, I used to love the salsa and chimichangas. My past few visits have been very disappointing, however. On my last lunch visit, the food was way way way too spicy, and sloppily presented. On my last bar visit, the bartender was an asshole and completely inattentive. My margarita wasn't bad, though. Go to the Golden West instead if you're in Hampden. If you want amazing Mexican and want to drive and hour and a half, head to Johnny Manana's in Philly.
(2)Philip M.
When I moved from Arizona to Maryland to stay for a while, I was eagerly looking for real Mexican food to devour and savor the flavors. Well, I was in for a BIG rude awakening at one local Maryland restaurant, Jilly's, where they served "southwestern" fajitas. Why was it a rude awakening, you may ask?? Let me tell you. Sitting there and sipping my iced Dr. Pepper with a lemon wedge, I spread out shredded beef, sour cream, grated cheese, sauteed bell peppers and onions in small flour tortillas. Wrapping my fingers around the tortilla wraps with my mouth watering, I took a big bite. Seriously, guys.. The explosion of hickory sweet flavor landed in the back of my throat and I almost threw up!! WTF?! BB-f*cking-Q sauce?!?! That's not even Mexican!! Now, it made perfect sense, as someone reviewed earlier, why many "Mexican" restaurants on East Coast are actually labeled "Mexi-Cants"!!! East Coast people who are originally from Arizona, New Mexico and California KNOW exactly what I am talking about! Now, let's take a look at Holy Frijoles.. When I went into that restaurant for the first time, I was leery and paranoid because of that hickory flavored barf incident. I was impressed with Holy Frijoles' theme and colors (omg, you gotta check out their walls!). Their margaritas were good and could be a little stronger. I liked how they have us wait at the bar for a few minutes to get our drinks, then seat us at the next available table so we could order our food. It felt as if we weren't wasting time waiting around at all! The service was very friendly. I noticed they offer better service if it is not so busy. If it is packed in there, expect some delays because Holy Frijoles is a popular place to drink, dine and hang out. The prices are great and affordable. Their food taste like real Mexican food with a little bit of flavor. To those people and reviewers of Holy Frijoles who expected Mexican food to taste like an orgasm on the taste buds with flavors, flavors and spices - REALITY CHECK! That is REAL Mexican food, honey! Again, I give Holy Frijoles 5 stars for being the one Mexican restaurant on East Coast (so far that I've tasted! ;) ) that actually tasted authentic!! Thanks, Holy Frijoles, for reminding me of home!
(5)Edward K.
Love Holy Frijoles in Hampden. Restaurant fits well in this quaint neighborhood. Cool and hip, but not trying too hard. I'd say it's got pretty good Mexican food too. All other Mexican restaurants in Baltimore get a bad joke.
(4)Mike D.
The wait-staff was unprepared and under-informed about menu items. I'd drink there again, but avoid the food. Possibly the worst guacamole I have ever tried. The steak quesadilla was chewy, and they used chili powder to spice up the tastelessness of most of what was on the table, including the salsa.
(1)Caitlin S.
Holy Frijoles is an attractive, hip spot to grab dinner. I have never had something to eat and said "wow, that was to die for," but the food has been consistently good and prepared as requested. I have dined here with someone who just relocated to Baltimore from Phoenix, and he was pretty pleased with the authenticity of the food. Given the fact that I have been eating at this place with some regularity over the course of seven years or so, I must like it. The service is reliable, the food fills you up, and the prices are cheap, as they should be. I suggest going for lunch or avoiding peak dinner time to avoid waiting for a seat.
(4)christina y.
Granted, I've only been here once, I was still far from impressed with the food. I forget the actual name, but it was basically a burrito stuffed with cheese and potatoes, which sounded really freakin' good at the time, only to be disappointed with what came out of the kitchen. It was underwhelming to say the least, and I feel like I could've done a better job of making it myself. At least it was cheap, so no big loss.
(3)Kevin C.
Solid mexican food. Prices are reasonable (it was about 30 for 2 people). The salsa is definitely something to mention, and the atmosphere is pleasant enough.
(4)Marcie P.
I've eaten here a handful of times and each subsequent experience has been worse. The first meal--an unappetizing enchilada that arrived drowning in greasy cheese--should have been enough to convince me not to return, but so many people have raved about this place that I gave it another go. The tacos were cold, and the only predominant flavor came from the stale shells. Bad food, dirty-looking restaurant and the hipsters are a turn-off. I honestly don't know why people eat here, much less rave about it. Taco Bell does Mexican better than this place. Better yet, stay at home and make the food yourself.
(1)Mike W.
The waitstaff is slow and the food is mediocre. The only reason to come here is because it's the only moderately priced, sit-down, non-chain Mexican in the city. I hear it was better before they expanded, but it sure isn't great now. I won't say avoid this place, but the only reason to go is for lack of options.
(2)richard c.
came into baltimore and ate there last night because it was near our destination and it was seriously awful. my friend said "this is one of THE WORST meals i have in a loooooong time"... my thoughts "on par with taco bell.. maybe worse." our food came out within 5 minutes... but rice was burnt and yet under cooked.. the beans were not really warm. over salty and under spiced. i ordered some guac and got a little bow of green and BROWN under ripe mush that was terrible. if your salsa is brown ... throw it away!!!! the salsa was the only mildly tasty thing and please note i said MILDLY. overall TERRIBLE.
(1)j j.
holy frijoles got a face-lift when they expanded from the single-wide trailer-feeling place on the avenue into the space next door, but i don't think the food got much better. you do get a bit more ambiance if you consider pseudo chic contemporary the right design choice for the middle of hampden. jr: I recently ordered a chicken quesadilla and couldn't help but think they were using one of those purdue short cuts chicken bags. the beer was overpriced. i'll probably go back as soon as i forget how disappointed i was. js: the margarita was a happy delight, staring at the other patrons and judging them was a highlight, I think the ladies bathroom is cool, the food was not delicious-- concur on the chicken tasting fake and preservative infested.
(2)Eric P.
One of the few places to eat mexican food in Baltimore. Nice new bar. Service can be iffy, and the food is nowhere near as good or cheap as it is in California... still, its the place to go when craving Mexican food.
(3)Josiah L.
great mexian food, one of the best in the neighbourhood definitely, and the expansion made it alot more comfortable for seatings.
(4)Kristina L.
great food and nice atmosphere- i would definitely recommend going there and getting the fajitas! :)
(5)Jeremy L.
To say the least, I would prepare a rat found out back of this restaurant myself before I ate inside again. If you enjoy Chipotle, your money is much better spent there. I went to Hampden to scope the food scene, as I didn't have much experience with it. Somehow I end up in this hell hole. There is a difference between "cool" and purposefully "hipster" places versus places that are just grungy and dirty because its blatant the owners and employees couldn't care less. This place is the latter. It smelled like a decaying cat in its own urine throughout the restaurant. Tables sticky, floors sticky and torn up, and again, sticky, torn up menus. The absolute shining light in this never ending Mexican tunnel of disgust is the chips and salsa. Then again, a Mexican place messing that up is like a bar messing up a bottled beer. I ordered three tacos; one carnitas, one fish, and one chorizo. Going in to this dinner, mind you, I literally had not ate all day so just about anything placed in front of me would have been amazing. I ate the fish taco faster than I could realize how bad it was because of my stomach eating itself by then. I took one bite each of the other two tacos, and felt instantly that whatever I had just ate was going to come out one end or the other very soon. The carnitas resembled what was probably a shadow of its former self. Unless the meat was roasted about 49 times, or microwaved, I have no idea how it could be so dry and tasteless. The onions, cilantro, and tortilla even all had more taste. (Tortillas 110% store bought). My favorite was the "chorizo.". I'd put bigger quotation marks around that word if my keyboard allowed. It resembled post apocalyptic burnt tofu? Best way to describe the look and taste. The rice, as everything else seemingly, was at a bare minimum cooked the previous day, and on top of that allowed to sit under a heat lamp, catering tray, whatever they use ALL day long baby. If you can't help but wander in to this place, don't blame me on the way out.
(1)Lindsay W.
the fish tacos were ok, really liked the salsa very fresh and spicy
(3)Will S.
Best bar to get your burrito on, your drunk on and listen to some Electric Wizard while you do it! The dining room is CRAMPED. Cramped in a charming way, but still cramped. The bar is more spacious but still always crowded. If it's late on a weeknight, expect your favorite doom metal to be blasting. The reason for the all the negative reviews is the same reason (aside from the awesome food) for all the good reviews. This place doesn't try to be anything it's not: an awesome Tex-Mex place that's run by a bunch of metalheads and punks. There aren't a bunch of hoidy-toidy types trying to tell you they're pushing the boundaries of haute cuisine with their whateverwhatsit. It's just good burritos and a cool place to eat them. OM-NOM-NOM.
(5)Patrick G.
The food quality is hit or miss. I would've given the food 2 stars. The 1 star is solely based on the staff. Nobody there smiles, they all walk around with this pissed off look like they would rather hit me with a bus than give me a glass of water. I must've said please and thank you a dozen times during my visit but not even a you're welcome from my server. Nobody there looks like they have running water at their houses. I can only assume the owners could honestly give a sh*t what kinda look they're giving the place.
(1)Jude T.
HANDS-DOWN: THE BEST PLACE TO EAT IN HAMPDEN. I don't go to Hampden very often. I usually only go if I want to stop at Service Photo and get something (because I can't wait to order it on B&H and it isn't carried at Techlab), but while I'm there, if I'm hungry, I'll make a trip down to Holy Frijoles for some great fajitas along with salsa and chips. Hell yeah!
(4)Tina G.
Not only do I enjoy this restaurant's name, I cannot say it quickly without smiling, but I also enjoy their cuisine. Their carnitas tacos are my favorite, they keep the salsa coming, and their cucumber margaritas are something I have raved about. It's a quaint little mexican spot with a lot of quirky bits about it. I definitely recommend stopping in sometime.
(4)Jay B.
Two and a half stars, the current average, is about right. I didn't experience apathetic service as others have reported, it was friendly and unpretentious. However, - As soon as I entered, the place smelled bad, like BO, urine, or spilled beer. I couldn't tell and it didn't matter, it stunk. Other reviews apparently pointed this out too. - Salsa was watery, but homemade (?) so the effort's there. - Took them a while to get my food out, two tacos. Portions were pretty small. The bean taco was noticeably unseasoned. The lemon / limeade was nice, though. This is the only place in the neighborhood to get this sort of food, so then perhaps there's no incentive to get the food right. It's a shame, because it could be something special.
(2)Rebecca L.
Food was inedible. There's a much better Mexican restaurant ten minutes away that'll get my business.
(1)Nicole M.
Great mexican food and the nachos are the best!
(4)Kei H.
This is just for bar experience. I've been here four times (twice with family, once with a friend, once with my boyfriend) And I've always gotten the same haughty and aloof bar tender. The last time I went with my bf, he gave us our check in a glass (before we were done ordering...) and just stopped giving us service. He ignored us until we payed. It felt terrible. I am usually very forgiving because I am a bartender myself! I regret ever wasting my time and money in this establishment.. The service killed it for me. Honestly, people will overlook the tiny bathroom with awful lighting, the uncomfortable seating and any unavoidable issues that sometimes arise with food and drinks... but you have to be kind and appreciative of your customers. Not selective of who you want to serve!
(2)Becca R.
My experience with Holy Frijoles has been inconsistent. The service is better at the bar than at a table. The margaritas, chips, and salsa are really good. That alone is a nice way to spend an afternoon. The food is just okay, you can't really go wrong with a burrito. I think the enjoyment of the food has a direct correlation to how much you are drinking. I took out of town guests there and they really enjoyed it. If you are in the area and have never tried it, it's worth checking out.
(3)David K.
Went there with some friends for weekday drinks and had an awesome time. Great nachos...probably the best in the city, super nice wait staff, and great margaritas! Definitely a gem on Hampden!!
(5)Maya K.
I had better experiences in the past - not sure if my standards got higher or the food got worse. The fish tacos were not as good as I remembered, mediocre at best. My friend's enchiladas had almost no sauce on it and he had to snag salsa from everyone else's dishes just to get them down. The drinks were fine. The service was fine. I probably won't be back.
(2)Laura T.
Very good food and I love Mexican food! I love the atmosphere and the people are very friendly. It's also a plus that one of my friends is a cook! They offer a lot of authentic Mexican food for everybody. Bc I'm not a spicy fan, they offer that mild flavr I enjoy and can bear.
(4)Mackenzie Z.
Holy Frijoles was reccomended to me by a friend who use to live in Baltimore. I was excited to come because I love tex mex. The place itself was cute. It had a good vibe and was set up nicely. The service was lacking. I felt like our server really didn't care. I told him I was vegan and needed my food to be, as I said what I wanted. He kinda just reassured himself that it was vegan without the sourcream. My cousin and I both got burritos. When he delivered them, he just set them down And walked away. He gave me my cousins food, which I find really annoying. So we had to switch after we both had to poke at each others food so we could tell if he messed up or just switched them. He alway never came back over until we finished And he just grabbed our empty plates and walked away. The food was eh. The tex mex in Rochester has ten times better food. My burrito was severed with lettuce underneath the burrito on the plate And then sAlsa on the side. My burrito contained refried beans and some vegetables. The tortilla was a little bit stale and didn't hold together well. 50/50 chance that I would and would not go back.
(3)Rachael F.
This is quite possibly the worst excuse or Mexican food I've ever experienced. I would avoid this joint and make another choice other than Mexican of you have to stay in the area. Everything was bland! Oh and don't get the Michelada. It was the worst drink I've ever smelled and tasted!
(1)Nichole B.
Omg is all I can say of this delicious Mexican spot in Hampden. Well for staters it was my birthday weekend and we were on our way to a hip hop shoe and wanted to grab a quick bite to eat. I was accompanied by two of my other female friends. When we got there the wait was roughly 45 minutes considering Saturday night was a busy night. So we grabbed three seats at the bar and they served us complimentary salsa and chips. This is by far the best salsa I have ever tasted. Not only did holy frijoles use the freshest ingredients, but it had the right amount of heat. So we ordered some drinks, I got the Hendricks and cucumber martini and my friend Alyssa ordered a margarita. This place is known for their margaritas. So for dinner I ordered the fish tacos, which was served in a warm flour tortilla. They use cod which was prepared very nicely. Unfortunately the cod is not grilled, it is breaded lightly. Luckily the fish was not greasy and they have a nice crunchy slaw. I did not get the platter because I am not a fan of beans. My friend Kelly jo ordered the veggie burrito, since she is a vegan, she said the burrito was delicious and Alyssa ordered the taquitos, which she absolutley loved. I would honestly come back if I am ever in the Hampden area which may be real soon. Considering i found a few consignment shops as well.
(5)Chris R.
From the Southwest here. Not impressed.
(2)Amy C.
First of all, the name is bad enough and screams "I'm here for simple folks who don't know how to speak proper Spanish but they will think it's cute that the words rhyme." Yes, I KNOW it's pronounced Hole-lee Fri-o-lees. The CORRECT pronunciation, if you want to say it with a proper Spanish accent, is Oh-li Fri-o-lés. The guacamole is boring and bland. It's pretty much just mashed avocado with a TON of lime juice because that was ALL I could taste. Where were the tomatoes? Cilantro? Pepper? My cousins told me the proportions are huge so I ordered the taquitos app as my meal (and it was definitely enough for a meal). Although the tortilla was perfectly crispy, it was TOO crispy and reminded me of a Chinese egg roll stuffed with beef and cheese.
(2)Emily T.
IDK. I just don't know. It seems like everywhere that isn't a "fancy-pants" place in Hampden just has service that gives no fucks. Is that a requirement? Can you say "hello" louder than .345 decibels? Can, or do you bathe? Now don't get me wrong, I wear boots, have tattoos, and generally hate the population as much as the next person, but I mean. I'm not even working and I'm more polite. You work for tips. Am I missing something? Something about my whole experience here just turned me off, to the point where I don't really care if I ever go back. Anyways, mango margarita. Good margarita, practically zero mango taste. Never had any other flavor. They have a decent selection of normal Mexican food. The menu is poorly designed so you can't really tell what you can get on what very easily. But just ramble something off - the waiter or waitress isn't writing it down and it will probably be wrong, anyways. Again, IDK. Nothing special. Food isn't bad, but it isn't awesome. "Not good enough," is a fitting statement. There is absolutely nothing that really makes this place stand out from any other Mexican restaurant in America other than how it's dirty and the staff doesn't seem to speak your language, much like what I'd image an authentic Mexican restaurant actually in Mexico would be like. So maybe, Holy Frijoles is actually really, really great.
(2)Lizzie P.
I've tried really hard to like Holy Frijoles. The ambiance is funky hipster fun and there always seems to be a pleasant and/or lively crowd. Also, the prices are right! Dinner for 2 under 35 bucks isn't always easy to come by. However, the food and mixed drinks are never that great. Third time must be a charm - my boyfriend ordered fish tacos with beans, and the beans were basically stone cold with no seasoning when they came out. I had the enchilada and it appeared like it had been nuked in the microwave and tasted that way too. This was our third time here and probably our last. Our waiter was very nice, and he apologized profusely about the cold beans and crappy food, but that isn't his fault anyway. Frijoles Management: fix your food! And make your drinks taste better.
(2)Alina P.
I am reviewing this restaurant strictly by the food. I'm originally from Texas, so my standards are pretty high when it comes to Mexican food, but Holy Frijoles is simply sub-par for anyone who has ever had decent Mexican food anywhere. I've gotten various tacos and enchiladas there and have found all of them pretty bland. As other reviewers have said, this place is pretty "hipster," but I wouldn't go so far as to call anyone "douche-y." I've always received great service from the waiters/bartenders -- everyone's very friendly and helpful. Their food just sucks.
(2)Doug M.
Took forever to get our food and when we did get it (fajitas and fish tacos), it was lukewarm, almost cold. Our drinks were never replenished until the food was brought out and we had to ask our waitress to refill them. Drinks were good, that is one positive. The fish tacos were made with precooked, frozen battered fish; I would not recommend them. Steak on the fajitas was chewy and overcooked. The fresh salsa and chips were a redeeming quality. A place I would recommend for appetizers and drinks, but not for a decent sit-down meal. There are higher quality restaurants on the same block and for the same or less prices.
(2)Tom T.
Good food, good prices, good service. The chips and salsa are awesome, the tacos and fajitas are good. If you want to eat out, dress casually, and not break the bank... This is a great place to go.
(4)Frank N.
Been coming here since it was about 12 feet wide... The food is much better than the chain Mexican places like Don Pablos. The chips and salsa are awesome, and I always seem to migrate toward the Chicken Chimchanga with Black Beans. I really like the new bar on the left side.... Just know that they only have a Six Day liquor license, so no watching the game and having beers on Sunday here.
(4)Paul E.
2 stars is about it. Food was the downside. Service was adequate and place was ok. Would not return though."
(2)Gail T.
Save yourself and go to a chain restaurant, if you're looking for Americanized Mexican food. The beans taste as they came from a can, rice tastes like it came from a mix. Very disappointing, especially being that they are not necessarily cheap. Tried to give it a chance, however I cannot even eat half of what is on my plate.
(2)Keith K.
Talk about your Tequila wet dream, this place is packing. I was out for a drinking walk on a First Friday in the Hampden area and had so far been stymied by the local bars lack of tequila selection when I stumbled into Holy Frijoles. When I asked our bartendress, Missy Steele, what tequilas they offered, she simply said, "all of them" and she wasn't kidding. Behind the bar rested dozens and dozens of tequilas ranging from the hand painted skull bottles to your basic Patrons, and everything in between. There were so many tequilas back there that the regular booze was relegated to lower shelves. If you like to play 'around the world' with Tequilas, then this is your spot. The food, eh, average at best, but those tequilas more than make up for the lack in kitchen fare as long as you're not too hungry.
(5)Ehsan J.
I went to this place for a date! The food was OK but our waiter was so rude. I paid 15% tip (which was $5) and he came to our table and complained about it by saying I usually get 20% to 25% tip and continues by "Just for the next time!". I left $4 more with a note of "You can not tell people how much tip they have to pay. Just for the next time!". Maybe I shouldn't have left the money but I did anyways! I will not go to this place again.
(1)Jamie M.
I've been a few times, would go again for sure. The food is solid and consistent, and the price is unbeatable. I don't eat big servings, and I like that I can order a couple tacos and not be forced to order a plate of food that could feed 4 of me. If you want a heartier meal, go for the burrito-- it's very good, lots of stuff in it. The service has been good. I've had one very friendly server who was on top of his game, and one mediocre one. I do wish the happy hour drinks could be ordered at the tables and not restricted to the bar. Oh well.
(3)Rita Y.
The service is incredibly slow and it takes forever for your food to get out. We waited maybe 40 minutes to be our food and I got super full off of chips while waiting. The food is pretty tasty though. The nacho grande is hugggee.
(3)Kerri M.
I came here again to give it another try and yea.. Salsa still good. My quesadilla wasn't swimming in grease this time, which is a plus. My boyfriend seemed to enjoy his tacos, they were inhaled within minutes. Service is still kinda lacking, in my opinion. I won't make it a point to come here again, just if I happen to be in the area.
(3)Quin A.
Been here a few times. Food was great and portions were generous. Service was good and they always gave me my preferred spot, a cute window nook, without much wait. Always look forward to returning here.
(4)Emily L.
In a nutshell, the food is good but the service sucks. Fine print below: We arrived after our initial destination turned out to be an extremely sketchy no-go, so we had not planned to come here -- but the interior was charmingly divey, with light fixtures made from sliced-open bottles of Patron (some broken) and colorful art on the slightly-grimy walls. Also, we were starving. We were told it would be a 25-minute wait, and they clocked in at just under 20 before seating us near the door. I was wearing multiple layers, so the blast of cold air every few minutes was actually kind of refreshing! The hostess brought us chips and salsa right away. The salsa was fresh and spicy and the chips were warm, crispy and salty. Pretty soon, we were extremely thirsty. Another 15 minutes before someone came to take our drink order. We gave him our food order too, as we were starving. Drinks followed about 15 minutes after that, along with the queso dip we ordered to stave off starvation (it was pretty blah, tasted like it was rewarmed from a can.) Another 30 minutes for our food. They brought 3 meals out and then looked at my husband. "Did you order anything?" Yes, a taco salad. They made him repeat the whole order, apologized and went off to make it for him. Meanwhile, we dug in (and yes, of course we shared out of sympathy!) My chimichanga was great. The grilled veggies were fresh, not overcooked and added an element of healthiness to the, um, fried tortilla they were served in. :) The salsa verde and pico de gallo, like the salsa that had accompanied the chips, were fresh and well-seasoned. The rice was a little dry and the beans a little oily, but overall it was great Tex-Mex. Our server brought my husband an order of guacamole on the house while he waited, which I thought was nice. Then, probably 15 minutes after that (an hour after the initial order) he got his taco salad. The ingredients were fresh and delicious, but the taco shell had been over-fried and was a very dark brown color. When he tried to break a piece off it shattered, and the shards tasted burned. At this point we just wanted to get going, so he ate the inside part of the salad and asked for the check. When they brought the check we had another surprise: a second taco salad to go. The server shrugged and said, "The kitchen made it twice by accident." Hmm. I appreciated that they gave us a free one (that was cooked correctly, too) but come on, taco salad the next day? Not good. Drinks were also lackluster. I had a house margarita and was glad I had only paid half price for it -- it was super watery and you couldn't taste any tequila. There are so many great places in Hampden that I probably won't return here, despite the delicious food, because the service was so lackluster and slow. Sorry, HF. I wanted to like you.
(2)Hannah S.
Hampden is such a cool part of Baltimore. Very local, hipster, can't tell who's homeless and who pays two grand in rent vibe. This spot fits the scene well. I've had better Mexican, but it's a trendy restaurant and it'll certainly satisfy a weekend hangover or suffice for a reasonably priced date night. Plus they offer free chips and salsa and that rules. If you want Mexican, you won't hate it.
(3)Kay H.
Basing this review solely off drinks. I'm all for drinking drinks even if I don't enjoy them; however, the cucumber margarita was not something I could finish. It was way to syrupy. The server did give us chips and salsa which were very fresh of cilantro and tomatoes. I'm sure the food menu was outstanding but we did not eat there. Prices were very reasonable. Sit outside if you can, great street to people watch !
(2)Samantha C.
My food was decent. But the reason my experience was bad? After eating we noticed a lot of cleanliness issues. First, we could see into the kitchen, where a pile of nachos and lettuce sat on the floor for quite a while. At the bar, we saw a staff member pull pieces of pie out of boxes and put them on plates bare-handed. A female bartender's hair was incredibly greasy and stringy, and she was scratching her scalp, then serving drinks. The bathroom was horrendous. I won't be back.
(1)Lauren S.
This place wasn't bad, but the margaritas could be a bit stronger. The service was pretty good. The food was average I would say. I primarily came for drinks.
(3)Liz J.
Quick service at the sacrifice of good quality food. Our chimichanga and chicken tacos all tasted as if they had been made a few days before and just reheated in a microwave. What should have been crunchy was soggy, what should have been bursting with flavor was boring and mushy. There's gotta be some better Mexican food in Baltimore. The margaritas are pretty good, and the bar is always full of people getting some good drinks.
(2)Jessica R.
YUM. Every bite here was delicious, from the chips and salsa that they served us as we sat down (and that were so tasty that we ordered a second of each for $3), to the chimichanga, to the pie. The chimichanga was large but not gargantuan, warm, and filling. I loved that it came with a dollop of sour cream and a little bowl of salsa. The only thing that could have made this plate better was a dollop of guacamole. The pies--woah. How are these things even possible? We shared two. One was some kind of cookie bomb? Not sure, but each bite was tasty. The other was a salted caramel. I have never tasted anything like it. It was layered and substantial. I feel like I would go back just for the pie. Granted I would happily eat an entire meal first! The service was fine, the prices were good, and the atmosphere was pleasant.
(4)Amanda D.
The food here is GOOD and they have plenty of veggie options. Their drinks are also delicious. Service is hit or miss, and it can be loud in there. I really debated between a 3 and a 4. I think that they could bump up their service just a little bit and then I'd happily increase the rating. Also this place oozes hipster-ness, if you're into that.
(3)Theresa H.
Chicken burrito..looked like Alpo..Smelled like Alpo..Tasted like Alpo.Service at bar great but food GROSS.Put it in a box for my dog$
(1)Dawn A.
The only reason this has one star is because you have assign at least one. This was by far the WORST meal I've ever had. The staff was crappy, slow & pretty sure the waitress was a junkie :( My silverware was dirty, the whole place smells like B.O. & tables/menus were sticky with old beer. THE only bright spot was the pico de gallo but we were only able to eat a little since the basket of chips they brought was all broken pieces....too small to pick up even salsa. NOTHING was fresh, and you could tell it was MICROWAVED. It took forever to get a few meals even though the place was almost empty. The whole time awful industrial techno music was playing. I should have just gone to El Salto!! How the hell is this place still open?
(1)Jack K.
The food: it was ok. I had a chimichanga with chorizo (they didn't give me any beans) and it was decent. The queso and the hot sauce was actually very good. The cucumber margarita was very good, I will say. The service: we were seated immediately (a party of 8 and then 2 came in later) so that was very nice, but the good service ended there. We got drinks and ordered after waiting for the rest of the party to get there and they served us all water automatically after taking our alcoholic drink orders. I had to ask for a water refill and not one of the other 9 diners got a refill on water. The food came out fairly quickly, so that was nice. The issue: splitting the check was a nightmare. We finished eating at 10 p.m. and the waiter asked if we wanted the check. He did not actually ask us if we were splitting or any other info. Then he came back almost ten minutes later with one big check. Well, we wanted to split, so he said write your initials next to the item you ordered. Well, there were 5 cucumber margaritas alone all on one line, so it got confusing. He picked up the check 15 minutes later and said, "This is confusing, I really don't have the time to split it this way because I'm really busy, so I guess i could split it by the items you had, I think I can remember." The restaurant was not that busy and they had 3 bartenders and at least 2 waiters if not 3 and the restaurant is barely medium sized. He then took at least 20 minutes to split our check, he did it incorrectly, charging people for things that others had ordered (which we just accepted and settled after because him redoing would have taken until the next morning) and by the time he had rung us all up, it was 10:50. It took close to an hour to pay. And then he had the gall to say "The gratuity is included but you can add more." Very disappointing. Edit: after being contacted by another waiter, I've decided to give one more star because we are from out of town and expected a split check, which apparently is not common in Baltimore. Even so, the waiter was not polite and this does not remedy the fact he never refilled our waters or tried to explain that splitting is not commonplace here. There are a million things he could have done that he simply did not. Still disappointed.
(3)Tomas G.
I would love to have the opportunity to review this place. Unfortunately, when I went, I was never served! I sat at the bar for about 15min watching those around me receive drinks. My presence was not acknowledged, however, despite my attempts at getting the bartender's attention. Not a busy night either. Shame... I hear they have good margaritas.
(2)Melissa H.
Frijoles is a Hamden landmark. You have to try their cucumber margarita. It tastes like summer. The food is consistent. It's delicious as so are their chips and salsa and guacamole. The atmosphere is great and I love it
(5)Teresa A.
I really badly want to like this place because it used to be one of the places I most frequented in Hampden, but after my last experience I am never coming back ever again. First of all, we had a party of 6 during Christmas time... aka Miracle on 34th street madness in Hampden. So I understand that it was abnormally busy and we had to wait an excruciatingly long time. We were cool with this though, no big deal, we were just hanging out anyway. So, when we sat down, our server was M.I.A., literally it took SOOOO long for her to even come over and give us menus, let alone chips and salsa, let alone waters, let alone drinks, etc..... it was TERRIBLE... after waiting TWO hours for a table, we realized why it was taking so long, because the service sucks! Our server was not at all busy either because she was walking at a snails pace, I don't think the girl smiled once, and I DO think she rolled her eyes every time she came over... and let me say that me and my friends are all very fun, nice people and previous servers, so it's not like we were the issue here. We sat in the back so we were right next to where the bartender would put the drinks for the servers to pick up.... we saw ours sit there for probably 15 minutes before WE stood up and went and got them ourselves. THAT is how terrible the service was. The food was also not the best mexican I have ever had. It was fine, but nothing special. A girl friend of mine ordered something that came out totally wrong and the waitress did nothing to fix it, not surprised there. I am hoping this was a fluke, but I would still avoid this place completely next time I am in the area, this experience was one of the worst I have ever had.
(1)Brittany B.
The service here is really awful, the servers are downright rude. The food isn't anything to write home about either; I came here with a group of friends and ordered the chicken fajitas, they were unseasoned, bland, and very dry
(1)Elliott D.
Sat down on a Saturday at 6:30 and the server was nice enough. Ordered and waited and waited and waited. The manager came by to say that they had run out of some ingredients, please excuse the wait. When the food finally came both burritos were burned. The check was full price. This place needs new management.
(1)Chad B.
I've been to this place twice, most recently last week for a "happy hour" get-together. The restaurant is pretty nice inside. There's some "kitschy" Mexican decor but it gives the place character. We had a large group, and we were seated and standing in the back near the restrooms. Our waiter was very attentive and continually checked to see if we would like additional drinks or appetizers. I had two Dos Equis drafts that tasted great, probably the best-tasting Dos Equis I've ever had. We ordered nachos with shredded beef. The plates were huge and piled with toppings (salsa, cheese, olives, sour cream). Everything on them tasted very fresh, and they included a generous portion of meat. I thought the salsa was good. I think it was homemade because it didn't seem like jar salsa. Of course, each table had bowls of tortilla chips and salsa. We also ordered quesadillas which were nice and crispy. They had a good amount of cheese, and the portion was decent for the price. I thought the restaurant was clean, and the decor and colors worked well together. The staff was friendly and accommodating. It really felt like a cool place to be. If you like Mexican foods and drinks, I recommend it! Not sure how "authentic" it is, but it's fine by my American standards.
(4)Peter S.
I played in a band that played here last night. Before arriving I read about 25-30 reviews and only one review was above 2 stars. The reviews are also very long so I have decided to give my overall experience. We pulled up expecting the place to smell of sticky old stale beer and to be given a cold shoulder from the hipster staff. I expected poor service and soggy food. We walked in, the hostess was very sweet. Met the bartender to ask how the night was going to go, she was super nice and told me if we needed anything to just ask. We sat down, and were immediately waited on by our server. Chips salsa A+, server brought us waters while we looked at the margarita menu. Margaritas came within 5 minutes. A little less than 5 minutes later we ordered - nachos grande , and two chicken salads. The Nachos were huge, fresh jalapeños and veggies. black beans were good and there was a perfect spread of chicken/veggies/beans/etc. over all layers of the chips(not just the top layer). Chips ware crunchy. The two friends I was with seemed to enjoy their meals too. I was worried the bathroom was going to be tiny and disgusting. I don't know what people are used to but it wasn't dirty, didn't smell, and no paper towels all over the ground. no graffiti etc. It seemed like a great restaurant to hang out in with a large bar to hang out if you just wanted to go drink and chill with some folks all night. The manager and sound guy were super helpful and attentive though the whole night. There was a moment where someone broke a glass while we were playing and someone behind the bar without missing a beat came and cleaned it up within thirty seconds. Great overall experience, nice staff, clean enough, great place to have drinks and get some tex mex. I would come back here again in a heartbeat. I would have given it 5 stars but it was my first visit, so if the second visit as good I will post another review and give it a 5 starer. Sorry for all the grammatical errors.
(4)Aleesha R.
Was sitting in the house with the man and decided to go out to celebrate National Margarita Day. Ended up here. We already ate dinner, so we stuck with the chips, salsa and guac. Pretty decent. I forget the name of the margaritas I had. But they were yummy! Something with peach in em and were strong as hell. Good times people watching all of the hipsters! Based on other reviews, I don't think I'd eat a full meal here. But would definitely return for drinks.
(3)X J P.
I wouldn't come here for table dining, but it is a good place to get a few cheap drinks at the bar with some Mexican bar grub. Lots of food and drink specials throughout the week. I'm not a big fan of the enchiladas, but I've enjoyed the tacos, nachos, burritos, and of course the chips and salsa. A lot of people complain about the table service, but the bartenders are awesome! Try the cucumber margarita!
(4)Rebecca G.
I've been going to Holy Frijoles since it was a hole in the wall with hours long waits - and it's definitely always been awesome. We do takeout as often as eating in, and service for both is great. This may be the one restaurant that has never blinked twice or gotten an order incorrect when I ask for no dairy, and they always give extra salsa too! Love their verde, lots of flavor. Burritos are good, especially the chorizo black bean combination.
(4)Mark T.
I've waited four days to write this review, because I don't like to harsh on local establishments and I've eaten here many times before and it's always been OK. That said, we had a bad experience the other night and they handled it badly. As members of a local health club, we walked in with a coupon from Holy Frijoles for club members that was pretty unambiguous: "Free Margaritas for Meadow Mill Club Members in August". No catch, no fine print, no nothing. So we went--four of us from our spin class. We got there and presented our coupon, only to be told it was a misprint. "That should read $5 margaritas", said our waitress. "But tonight, margaritas are half price, which makes them $3.50." We politely responded that "free" means "free", not $5, or $3.50. I should remark here that we are, not to put too fine a point on it, not price-sensitive shoppers, and we were prepared to order food to justify the generosity of this local restaurant's offer, but there was a principal at stake here and we weren't just willing to roll with this. I asked to speak with a manager, so I could hear from his/her own lips just how we weren't entitled to at least a round of what their own coupon promised, and after a considerable delay the bartender came over, dropped three mini-me margaritas on the table, grabbed the coupon, made some pro-forma apology blaming the health club for the misunderstanding, and walked away. Indeed we did order a subsequent round, receiving normal-sized margaritas for $3.50 (they were OK, not anything to write home about), and food which was good (though my entre was wrong, but whatever). Still, this experience really left a bad taste in my mouth, as it were, and I'm writing this not in a fit of pique but out of a sense that they really should pay more attention to their customer service as well as to their promotional programs.
(2)Paul S.
Always a top place. I need to branch out more even I go there. But, anything on the menu is good. It's also in a great location.
(3)Vivian N.
Holy Frijoles is one of your neighborhood gems. They basically give you whatever you want and you can customize to fit your needs. Go for the drinks too, soooo good!!
(4)Megan C.
Margaritas are served in pint glasses and on the two occasions I've been here, they have had an exceptionally weak alcohol to mixer ratio. They're cheap, though, so I guess you get what you pay for. Food is passable but certainly not great. A tip- the chorizo is very spicy! I loved the colorful atmosphere- interesting artwork and lights strung all around, and the hostess was very friendly (although the waitress had zero personality). I can't really get over the fact that the restaurant, particularly the couch/bathroom area, seems rather unclean.
(2)Eric H.
I used to love coming to this place. Great bar (Holy Shit that's a lot of tequila), beer's pretty cheap, and the food's affordable. Unfortunately, Holy Frijoles hasn't kept up with the other offerings in Hampden. Service is as it's always been. Food prices have crept up, but the quality's kind of leveled off and even declined. That said, I still usually stop by a couple times a month for lunch. But it's not my go-to joint.
(3)Kelly H.
My best friend and I went here on a Sunday night to take a load off before the start of the workweek. They immediately sat us at a table and brought us chips and salsa, which I couldn't stop eating! We decided to order margaritas--I got a Cucumber Margarita, which was cooling and refreshing, and my friend got a Strawberry Margarita which she said was pretty good. They didn't have it on the menu, but they made it for her anyway! We had an appetizer of Chicken Taquitos, which were really tasty. We also got a side of guac which wasn't the freshest-looking--it was a little bit brown and overly smooth for guacamole, almost like they had pureed it in a food processor, making it a weird texture. My friend and I are guacamole fiends, so this was a little bit of a disappointment for us. For our main dishes, we both got salads. Mine was the House Salad with Steak, which I wasn't wild about. They had used iceberg lettuce and thrown a few grape tomatoes on top with small strips of dry steak. For lack of a better term, the presentation and product were half-assed. However, my friend got the Taco Salad, which she seemed to enjoy. It came in a taco bowl and had a lot of fresh toppings, which made it seem like they had put more effort into it than they had mine. I gave Holy Frijoles four stars because the atmosphere is laid back and all of the food was good with the exception of our guac and my salad. It seems like the kind of place where you just need to know what to order, appetizers being their strength. I would come back just for the chips, margaritas, and taquitos, personally, which were very good. Holy Frijoles seems like a good nibble sip and chat environment, even though you know you aren't going to get a 5 star meal.
(4)Angelina D.
Came here for $1 tacos & that's why it gets the extra star. Service was horrible! Our waitress came up to us & said "did you know what you wanted to drink?" No smile, no hello, she didn't tell us her name. While taking the order she really seemed like she didn't want to be there (or perhaps us). She later dropped off the food & never came back to check in. Later she dropped off the bill without asking if we wanted anything else or acknowledging us & took so long to come back we had to ask the host to get her so we could pay.
(2)Brian H.
Yikes, we should've stayed away given the other Yelp reviews. I remembered this place being good back when I lived in Baltimore in 1998, and we did briefly note their 2.5 star Yelp rating before visiting. The service was actually pretty good, and the atmosphere wasn't bad, but the food, oh the food...just left so much to be desired. It was really awful. Even the salsa that came with the free chips tasted yucky. Overly salty, mass produced. I got a chicken taco in which the chicken appeared to be boiled and shredded, but not ever marinated. It tasted horrible. I could barely eat the whole thing. The chorizo taco was worse and truly not edible. I left most of it on my plate. And the others in our party did the same... Leaving a lot of food uneaten because they couldn't stand the taste. The server asked if we wanted to take anything home...? Naah. I do think the place has potential (great location, decor, vibe) but they'd have start by replacing the chef and sourcing better quality ingredients. We definitively won't return unless that happens.
(2)Mark K.
A lot of people feel bad saying something negative about a local restaurant. They feel (I guess) it's a shot against their own neighborhood, and, by some weird twist of proxy law, a shot against them. Others dislike it when one gives a glowing review to a place that doesn't entirely deserve it. It has the ability to validate and enable mediocrity. So, by those two streams of logic, no one should have a problem with a middling review for a place that is right in the middle of Hampden's The Avenue. How fitting is that? Holy Frijoles is just that. The middling middle. It is neither great, nor terrible. It neither astounds, nor perturbs. It is what it is: a decent restaurant with some quality dishes (the fish tacos, the chorizo burrito, or the now seemingly non-existant potato burrito among them) and a whole bunch of other edible, but virtually flavorless ones (just about anything else I've had off the menu). It is not great Mexican food. No. There will be those who tell you it is. Don't believe them. There will also be those who tell you it is awful and a disgrace to Mexican food. Eh, I've certainly had worse...but the bad places didn't have exquisite cucumber margaritas...or a clientele with really interesting tattoos. I like those things. I don't love them, but I do like them. If you don't...well...just piss off. It gets 3 stars for all of this. It would get 4 stars if they brought back the potato burrito onto the menu.
(3)Amanda F.
We have been here twice, each time has been horrible. Please see below taco salad. It was fried yesterday for maybe 20 hours too long. Just go across the street for the Juciy Lucy burger. Don't make the mistake of coming here. Natty boh in a can... Mojito of straight lime juice.
(1)Samantha M.
My wife and I have been here several times and all of the have been pleasant experiences. We have always sit at the bar and received excellent service. We usually go around happy hour (which is great) during the week and there is never a wait. The bartenders are always attentive and friendly. I only gave 4 stars because I feel the food does not meet their full potential. Don't get me wrong, it's good but nothing to really write home about -so to speak.
(4)Laura G.
1/2 price margaritas during happy hour and other awesome drink specials at the bar. We regularly go here for fish tacos. They're not authentic street tacos or anything, but they're cheap enough and tasty. Haven't had anything else. Atmosphere is cool. Not traditional American Mexican restaurant, music is from the bartender's iPod and if you go in late enough it's loud and a nice break from the jukeboxes at all the bars on the ave.
(4)Kara F.
I want to like this place, but something about it falls short... I wasn't wowed the first time I went there and the second time it was even less impressive. As a Los Angeles native I live for good Mexican food but I'm totally okay with the Tex Mex style... if done right. All in all and OK experience. I might give them another shot, but its not on the top of my list.
(3)_ B.
Awesome price, atmosphere, food & drinks.
(5)Elizabeth O.
I go to Holy Frijoles because I like the atmosphere and the food is good (read: it tastes good, it is not super-authentic Mexican food). The formidable Sweeney nachos are something possibly everyone should experience once (for the love of god, share them - they are enormous). Favorites of mine apart from that include the taco salad with refried beans, chile relleno appetizer, and any variety of the three taco platter. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. It gets very busy, and when it gets busy, it gets loud, depending on how many people are at the bar. Decide if that's something you're up for (especially on a Friday or Saturday night). In my experience, the service has always been fine. As mentioned in other reviews, servers absolutely 100% have that hipster vibe. They range from courteous to friendly. I'm okay with this. I've always been checked up on a couple times during the meal, and that's more than enough for me. Their menu is basically "everything is vegetarian unless otherwise noted." Meat is an add-on unless it's an essential part of the dish - i.e. fish tacos, which I always enjoy, by the way. I'm a fan of their margaritas (which are half price all day Monday, though I've never taken advantage of this). I'm going with 4 stars overall because I think the food weighs in at "very good" rather than wow-amazing-exceptional. I have had exactly one experience with subpar guacamole that was partially brown and, to me, not edible. I take guacamole very seriously - this is not a joke. But I always come back; it's a great place to go with a group of friends, the atmosphere is fun and laid-back, and it's in the perfect location if you plan on spending an evening in Hampden. Having gone many times prior to reading any reviews, I'm genuinely surprised by all the negative. I recommend Holy Frijoles, and if you're on the fence about it, I'd say give it a shot and decide for yourself.
(4)Tama V.
I've been coming here for years and while this place was never GREAT it's definitely going downhill. Service is slow. Food is usually good but portion sizes are getting ridiculous, my three tacos combined had about as much filling as ONE used to/should. I'll probably continue to come here but it definitely won't be as frequently as I used to.
(2)Emily S.
Really great place to grab some Mexican comfort food and amazing margaritas. Under new management and everything is so much better than it was a few years ago. Clean, fresh food, nicer staff. Definitely vegetarian and gluten free aware. Very cool look to the place too.
(5)Kyle J.
Stopped in at 4:30 for a Margarita and guacamole. Bartender was very short with me. Ordered a house Margarita, tastes extremely sour. Saw the bartender pour it pre-made from a container. Guacamole was just OK, with the free salsa testing much better.
(2)Bethany J.
The food is honestly not great, but the drinks, chips and salsa, and casual atmosphere are funky and refreshing. Again, eating anything other than nachos is not recommended!
(3)Allison L.
This was, not surprisingly, super hipster-y, but the food and service were both surprisingly good. We sat at the bar, so the bartender served us, and was very attentive. It was like 6 pm on a weekday so it wasn't super busy but a dinner crowd was kind of beginning to form. The tortilla chips and salsa were good. I ordered the steak quesadilla, which was awesome, not too big, and had awesome tortillas... thick and chewy, and reminded me of really awesome Mexican food I had in New Orleans and have been craving for literally almost a year. It would've been better had there been guacamole on the side, but I didn't really feel the need to pay $4 for a spoonful of guacamole. Besides the overpriced guacamole, prices were really reasonable, and it was a very cheap dinner.
(3)Will W.
Hate to say anything bad about a Hampden restaurant, but it was not good at all. I had steak enchiladas, the steak was dry as a bone and there was nothing else in there to balance it out with. The drinks were good and the server was decent, but the food was really bad and I won't be eating there again, way too many other options. The bar is cool and they have killer drink specials for happy hour, but do yourself a favor skip the main course.
(2)Kristen E.
Okay, so I read all of the other reviews, and I recognized some commonalities: Service: I have had one bad experience with this restaurant (out if probably 20 visits), and the waiter was very apologetic and helpful with the issue. I think that the hipster atmosphere can be a deterrent for some folks, but I've found them all to be civil cordial human beings. I used to work in food service, and I know the differences between bad servers, and busy nights. This place gets crazy busy. It's not always the waiter's/bartenders fault. Food: I don't think the bar for Mexican food should be held very high for this place. The food is good (I love their chimichangas, quesadillas, and anything with chorizo). Is it super authentic? No. Is it yummy? Yes. Which do you care about more as a patron? The chips and salsa is amazing, and I love the guacamole. Conclusion: If you like good food, good drinks, and a chill atmosphere, hit this place up. If you're any of the following: -85 -racist -used to being constantly attended to every three minutes -against having a person who dresses differently than you/has facial piercings/some tattoos as your waiter/bartender -a nazi, or Adolf Hitler himself -Paris Hilton -a General Debbie downer Please refrain from entering this establishment, you'll be upset and get your panties in a wad, and frankly, I'm sure others don't want to deal with you either. Otherwise, get your butt in here and have a drink with me! You'll be pleasantly surprised!
(4)Edward S.
This was my first time there since they expanded into the space next door. (Avery long time). The extra space is roomy and very Hamdenesque. (As well as the patrons). With all the tex-mex joints around it's hard to stand out, and Holy Frijoles has not figured out how. I wonder if most of the joints have the same enchilada sauce vendors? I'm not saying it was bad, but just more of the same homogenized, good fare. It's a great neighborhood place, but may not be worth going out of most people's way for. My wife had a quesadilla and she also enjoyed it. I will say that their salsa has a little bit more kick than most tex-mex places around B'more.
(4)Kojo B.
You know when you go to a place and you forget to yelp about it, yep Holy Frijoles is that type of place. I have been there once but i still remember the strange service so to speak. The magaritas were ok, i went because of happy hour and the food was ok.. The service was just strange. The waitress was just odd, it was like she didnt want to be there, and they messed up an order for a friend who was vegetarian and when she drew her attention, the look she gave was just ridiuculous. (She told them she was vegetarian and lo and behold a meat product was on her plate). I am not one that gets all excited about Mexican, Tex-Mex etc to begin with, but there are way better options in Baltimore.
(1)Janie A.
Bad bad bad bad food. Bad bad bad bad service. Let me get this straight...if I sit at a table and order food, I get free chips and salsa. If I place an order to go (which costs you less), no free chips and salsa. Plus, just really bad, tasteless food. Gross. If I every get a craving for "Mexican" food again, I'm heading over to Chipotle.
(1)William S.
I came for drinks one night and they gave us free chips. I loved the salsa and the drinks were made perfect.
(4)Hannah A.
Food was cheap, server was super hipster but really nice, and the black beans and corn are totally worth your time. I was in Baltimore for the bar exam and wanted Mexican so this was across the street when I said it. I ordered an Arnold Palmer with a shot of rum...it was a little tasteless, which I am going to attribute to the tea and lemonade not having enough flavor to assert themselves. I got two soft tacos, one with refried beans and one with beans and corn. I could have lived without the refried but the black beans and corn were delicious. My friend got a cheese stuffed chili pepper that looked oozy yummy. We shot the shit for over an hour and didn't feel rushed or unappreciated at all, which was a great vibe. And our combined bill was under $20. Can't beat that! Thanks Holy Frijoles.
(4)Julia C.
I loved this place! Went for the first time on Sunday. Service was speedy and the barman Patrick was lovely and very patient with my picky ordering. And the food was grand! I will go back. As soon as possible. Also, the art on the walls is so cool!
(5)Jen K.
Yelp's star rating summed it up best: "Meh. I've experienced better." I've been to Holy Frijoles on the avenue in Hampden several times. It's fine when you're hungry or thirsty and in the area, but nothing I'd suggest anyone go out of their way for. The magaritas are quite syrupy and the food is basic tex-mex. On the up side, you get a pretty good portion for the price! Of note: -Happy hour specials are only available AT the bar. That doesn't even include the side tables near the bar. -Free chips and salsa -The chips are all-corn, but they are fried in the same oil as gluten-containing items. I always eat them, but I may not be a model Celiac.
(2)Andrew M.
A friend recommended this as his favorite Mexican restaurant in Baltimore. I wanted to like it and went in hopes that the mountain of negative reviewers were quite simply wrong. My bad - the experience was "meh" all the way around. The server's hyper-friendliness felt a bit impersonal and service was pretty slow. The food was also pretty disappointing. This may be personal opinion, but a Tex-Mex chimichanga should be deep-fried and not lightly pan-friend. Yes, that's unhealthy. I did not come to your "Mexican Eatery" and order the fried burrito with health on my mind. Another quip is with the way the food is priced. Since when do Mexican restaurants list entree items a la carte and ask you to pay nearly half again the price of the entree if you want to make it a platter? The reason refried beans and rice come with every dish in the first place is because they're dirt cheap. All said and done, the food was pretty average and I left wishing that I had stayed at home and re-heated leftover. Two stars instead of one because the design of the place is pretty neat. I could see it being a good place someday and might give it another try in a few years.
(2)Semra E.
I really loved the vibe of this entire restaurant. Very good for a fun date, or a group of friends. Festive lights, good bartenders and friendly barfly's (such as myself) ;-) I really can't speak enough about this spot. I'll recommend it to lots of others and don't forget to get their fish tacos. REALLY good serving size.
(4)Natasha F.
Chipotle is more authentic. Seriously considered refusing to pay for my meal. Chicken burrito tasted gamey if that's even possible. Queso was coagulated and almost cold. Gross. All the hipsters seemed pretty cheerful, though.
(1)Victoria S.
On a cold wintery Baltimore night, my boyfriend and I ventured to Hampden for a Birthday dinner. We selected Holy Frijoles only because we had a hankering for some Mexican cuisine. I of course looked on Yelp first and saw the 3 starts so was a little nervous we'd be disappointed but we decided we'd experiment anyway and try it out. Their menu is simple and small, typical warm Mexican dishes sure to please any palate. I went with the chicken fajitas and the birthday boy had a chicken quesadilla. They have a really nice mexican drink list, traditional beverages and some of their own. I had the Holy Rita which was a top shelf tequila mixed with Cointreau and lime instead of the sugar induced sour mix. It was delicious! My boyfriend liked it so much he drank his Ginger beer quickly just so he could have one of the 'ritas. The chips and salsa were great. Our food came out quickly and piping hot. My boyfriend LOVED his quesadilla and I was actually blown away by my fajitas. They had tons of kick to it - using pablano instead of traditional bell peppers. The seasoning on the chicken was much more exciting than most chain restaurants. There was fresh minced garlic and other flavors that were really powerful on that fajita dish. I'd definitely recommend it! My only negative comments: 1. would be on the service, while we were enjoying each others company, which I did not mind at all. They were not super attentive. But it looks like that is across the board for all reviewers. 2. They were out of Guac... at 6PM on a Saturday. Seriously?
(4)Erin G.
I will clarify that I have only ever been to happy hour on Fridays but have always had a nice time. We have been here three times at about 5 o'clock and usually manage to get a seat at the bar no problem. They have the best deal on draft beer until 7 you can get a Sierra Nevada IPA or a Dos Equis for $2 bucks which is amazing. The food can be a little iffy. The first time I went I tried their fish tacos and loved them but every time I have been back they have tasted just a little different. The best thing though to get is a plate of their GIANT nachos (seriously embarrassingly huge) which are a staggering (sarcasm) $12. My husband and I like to go sit at the bar, have some beers and share a nacho plate and the whole thing comes out to less than $30. The crowd is always interesting young professionals, hipsters, people with lots of beards and even families (often with young children which is more of the dinner crowd and our cue to leave). The bartenders are not overtly friendly but have never been rude to us and sometimes they even give you free chips and salsa. The decor is interesting and the vibe is warm. Would definitely give it a try.
(4)Martha O.
Who puts zucchini on nachos as the "grilled vegetables"??? Yuck. Chips and salsa are good. Bathroom is scary. 2 stars.
(2)Nate W.
I'm here at Holy Frijoles again because this is one of my favorite local spots. The food is wonderful and the atmosphere enjoyable but not fancy. The kitchen was slow again however and the margarita a bit weak. The speed is really hit or miss. Sometimes good sometimes very slow.
(3)Allysa D.
Overall, the Mexican food is alright, but their "The Sweeney" nachos are the best. It is so huge that you can share it with at least 2 other people and still be completely satisfied and full. It's super cheap if you split the cost with others ($10 for the platter) and go to Holy Frijoles on Monday (half off Margaritas). I am also a fan of their Margaritas. Fast service. Not a fan of their chips and salsa - the chips are okay but the salsa is definitely from a jar.
(4)Brittany S.
Spent the day in Hampden this past weekend and walked into this place for some lunch. The bartender Nick was too cool! He was a really nice guy, knew the menu and made a mean cucumber margarita. The drinks I guess were average price about $5-7, the music and atmosphere was cool, I felt like a hipster for the day. I was sad when I ordered 3 chorizo tacos and they didn't have any more chorizo so I settled for a grilled veggie and pork chimichanga. I figured the veggies would help cancel out the fact I ordered a fried burrito.. no? Oh well. The boyfriend ordered a chicken and been burrito and the roommate got the pork enchilada. I love that you can pretty much order anything you want and they make it. We all ordered the platters which comes with beans and rice. The beans were the bomb.com ! I don't even like beans like that! The rice on the other hand was so hard and crunchy, what the hell happened there!? The chimichanga wasn't as fried as I've had before at other restaurants but it was still good. The pork was really good. Although the veggies really weren't the typical veggies you'd see in a Mexican dish they were still really good. It was like a mix of squash and onions instead of red or green pepper. Besides the rice, this place is cool with me.
(4)Michelle R.
I joined yelp just to write this review. Not really sure why this place has sooo many bad reviews. I actually work at a restaurant and I cannot believe some of the negative reviews we get....it's almost like it's beyond ridiculous what some yelpers expactations are! Me and my best friend had just done a yoga class and we were beyond starving. We were going to go somewhere for restaurant week but chose here instead. We both love hampden! It's such a cute little area of the city. We shared the chile relleno,fish tacos, and steak enchiladas. The salsa was so yummy! The perfect hotness! I have never had a chile relleno before and it was soooo good. Not good for my diet but man that thin was tasty! I loved the fish tacos....my only complaint was that they were fried but still delicious. It's hard for me to find fish tacos that I really enjoy so that was a nice surprise. The enchiladas were my least favorite but they were still pretty good. They come with a red sauce that I didn't care for but I think it was just my personal preference. We left sooo stuffed and satisfied! I don't remember our servers name but he was very friendly and attentive :) As far as the other "complaints" about this place I read.... Nothing was "dirty" or "sticky" It definetley didn't smell like bo or cat urine?!?? And I actually really liked the relaxed way of the servers attire. It makes you feel more welcomed in my opinion. I wish my job had that "uniform" Basically this place is great and people need to start being more positive about it!! Hope to come again another time!
(4)Amy P.
I wanted to love this place, I really did. The location, the local owners, and I love me some good guacamole, but I just can't go there anymore. I have been there three times. First, what's good. The nachos and salsa are excellent, even the guac is good. But the vibe is all hipster (is being a bearded stoner in skinny jeans a requirement for working there?) and the service is....uh, laid back. Last time I was there they messed up my order, and were really sort of 'meh' about it. And that was after waiting forever for the server to come back to the table to check on us. The food is only barely above average, and combined with the service? I would say- 'skip'.
(2)Mary M.
I live in the area and have been to Holy Frijoles several times. It's honestly a hit or miss with the food - I usually get a beef burrito and sometimes it's fantastic and other times it needs work. I will say that I've never experienced food at this restaurant that so disgusting that I couldn't eat it - everything I've ordered has ranged from awesome to just okay. The service has the same issue - it's hit or miss. Some of the servers are super nice and attentive, while others act like your being there is the worst thing that has ever happened to them. Obviously, the restaurant owners need to revisit some of their staff. All in all, if I want to go out to eat somewhere without a fuss, I go to Holy Frijoles. However, I don't know if I would make a special trip there if I didn't live in the area.
(3)Gunnar V.
Just thought I would update as I went yesterday. It's the scene of my first date with my wife so we thought it would be fun to go back. I am taking a star back because (1) it is dirty there and (2) they don't have Coke... or Pepsi. They are too hipster to sell Coke or Pepsi? It's like Price Rite cola or something. Also, they have $4 pints of Sierra, which would be decent, but they got rid of that, too. Add all this to the fact that the food is just okay, and you get 2 stars.
(2)C S.
Holy Frijoles always underwhelms, but Baltimore has such a lack of Tex-Mex, I've found myself here on multiple occasions. While its a large, welcoming space, the booths feel sticky-gritty, the bathroom is often funky-nasty, and service is incredibly unreliable (sometimes slow, sometimes good, sometimes friendly, sometimes standoffish, sometimes downright rude). The largest problem though is that the food feels mass-produced and of a bad GFS-quality. I think upping their standards on ingredients (and more consistent preparation and presentation) and general hygiene would transform this place into a standout.
(2)Russ H.
Fun in Funky Town! I have been here a few times and the other night we went in and it was late and needed a quick bite. We ordered a brew and the waiter said 1/2 price QUESADILLAS. So we ordered those and they brought us some wonderful salsa and chips while they were being prepped.. We feasted on the chips and salsa and then this scrumptious cheese filled with good awesome QUESADILLA came and we were very pleased. It was actually plenty of food. we spent a grand total of 15.00! With TIP! We are new residents of Hampden and will definitely be hanging at Holy Frijoles!
(4)Gerry S.
I ordered the chicken enchiladas last night. Everything...EVERYTHING on the plate was the same reddish-brown color. The beans. The rice. The enchiladas themselves. Everything also tasted exactly the same. As if the same thick reddish sauce had been used to make everything on the plate. Finally, everything was almost exactly the same consistency. Thick and mushy. Imagine, if you will, a large oval plate filled with reddish-brown, thick and mushy. I don't need to spell that out any further, do I?
(1)J. M.
What does tex-mex taste like if cooked with rank amateurism and served in a dingy toilet of a "restaurant"? Here's your chance to find out!
(1)Devonna B.
LOL. I forgot I've 'recently' went here. Soooooo.....u ever walk into a joint and the whole place goes silent...disapproving of your presence? LOL. Well with a little less drama, that's what I experienced here. But y'all can faze this country girl who graduated with only 4 other students who looked like her out of a class of 300+ folks. They sat us right next to the kitchen, so we could really feel the life and commotion of the joint in its raw form. ;) Our scantly dressed waitress was kindly hurried. Hey a paying customer is a paying customer....Get that money. :) The food was truly lack luster. Authentic? Not in the least. Its like some kids went to some country for international studies...liked the food....had the opportunity and funds to make a restaurant on one of Baltimore's best strips...and then said....oh lets make mexican food...got some decent recipies and went for it. lol.... why can't we leave cooking to those who can do it. Want an awesome experience? Save your money. Take a trip to DC's Tenleytown. (Bring your friends) and go to Guapos!!!!! You will leave, never to tolerate the basic again. So I tried this place out so you don't have to. UNLESS.......................you are a bar person. Looks like the crowd at the bar was having a jolly time. :)
(1)Morina Y.
Fun with a crew. The chips have gotten a little better but don't expect much, they won't be hot. Food is sustenance and good if you have the craving. Margaritas are cheap, do it. DO NOT GO ON A SUNDAY: no margaritas and it'll smell like bleach-covered puke from the night before.
(2)James T.
I'm starting to notice a trend. This is my second review about a place that I despise in Baltimore. The common denominator.....HIPSTERS!!!!!! I'm not going to discriminate over your lifestyle choice. I have met plenty of awesome, cool, extremely nice hipsters. Some of them I can even call my friends. I just don't get why 80% of the restaurants in Hampden have to hire the douchiest ones! Is it just out of convenience to fit your "look" or the current trend in Hampden?!?! I came here once for happy hour...Don't even let me get started with their dumb ass happy hour rule. Apparently, you can only get those prices when you sit at the bar. So when the bars full and you can't sit there, you're shit out of luck! Only place I have ever been to that does that. So much business is lost just because of that, PERIOD!! When this rule was being explained to me, the douchey hipster bartender talked to me like I was an idiot for not knowing this! She was extremely rude and obviously had no understanding of the concept of customer service. I'm going to just go ahead and call her out. She's the chick that has black hair with the gold highlight in the front. PLEASE FIRE HER!!!! It felt as though she was treating me like scum because i didn't have tattoos all over my body and I didn't dress in all black. The male bartender that was working that day was awesome and could obviously tell where my frustration was coming from. So after being forced to sit at a table right next to the bar, (still not able to get happy hour prices there, even though I was an arm's length away) I then began to experience the way below average service. Our waiter was a douche! We would order drinks and it would take him at least 30 minutes to come back with WATER!!! Come to think of it, I don't think he ever brought me my water. We asked for extra napkins at least 15 times. After finding the napkins ourselves (which was literally two tables away), I decided that I was never coming back to this place. Sometimes I wonder, what the hell is going on with this owner/manager? I would assume he reads the reviews to get an understanding of how bad the service is. All the bad reviews point to the same thing... SERVICE SUCKS!!!! I'm just going to assume that the owner/manager is a hipster that is way too cool for his own restaurant. Therefore, he would rather try salvaging his failing Indy music and/or artistic career then rescue his, what used to be awesome, restaurant.
(1)Elizabeth D.
Holy Frijoles has not perfected Mexican food (or service), but they are generous with the chips and salsa, and I've especially enjoyed their fish tacos, including a sauce that's spicier than I would normally enjoy. The taco salad is huge, as is the chimichanga, and both are good if not extraordinary. I found the carnitas tacos to be pretty sloppy; wet and difficult to eat.
(4)Justin L.
This place has been consistently good for a while now. Great stop for an inexpensive and quick lunch. All the tacos, the salsa, and the guac are exceptional.
(5)Kamilah V.
Until last night, I would've definitely given Holy Frijoles 5 Stars. Walked in around 10:12, the host told us we could sit wherever we liked and gave us chips. We waited for around 10 minutes for a server (we wanted to get some queso and beers). My boyfriend went over to the bar and asked if he could get a beer and the bartender told him we could only drink beer at the bar, and if we were wondering why no one had talked to us, it's because we were in the "dining area" (a table right next to the bar where we've sat and drank and eaten many times before) and walked away. The bar was full so it wasn't like we could move and sit there instead. The host walked by and my boyfriend asked if the kitchen was still open. "Yes," he replied and walked away. We let everyone ignore us for about 5 more minutes before we just left. Totally. Confused.
(2)Shannon G.
This place whomps. The $7 margaritas definitely weren't worth it, and we never got the typical "hey how is everything?" check-in after the food came, so I didn't even have a chance to order a second drink. In fact we didn't hear from the waitress until we had clearly been ready to leave for almost ten minutes. The cheese in the burrito wasn't melted at all...it was just finely shredded "taco" cheese you'd buy at Safeway. The tortilla wasn't steamed, fried, or anything. Just a cold wrap hugging some subpar ingredients. We honestly would have been better off with California Tortilla and some Lime-a-Ritas. G'bye!
(2)Christina H.
Hampden is not a place that I frequent often, but I went there for dinner Saturday night at Holy Frijoles with a friend and we were greeted by a cute hipster hostess that seated us at a high table with wobbly chairs. The waitress came over shortly after we were seated and we asked for a pitcher of cucumber margaritas, but she told us that only beers were available by the pitcher, so we just ordered one margarita each. Our drinks came out with some chips and salsa while we were looking over our food options. This chips were nice, hot and greasy near the bottom and the salsa was made fresh. The cucumber margaritas were awesome. I loved it and wish we could have had a pitcher! I decided to get three soft chicken tacos a la carte and my friend ordered the veggie fajitas. While we waited for our food to arrive, we did a lot of people observing and I felt a little out of place. The restaurant is dimly lit and the atmosphere is very laid back and casual while a majority of the people in the restaurant seemed to be the "hipster" type. I am used to Mexican chain restaurants like Chevy's and Don Pablos where the servings are ridiculously large and the flavor is plentiful. While my food was good, I felt like it didn't match up to my standards of my usual Mexican dishes.
(3)Jessica C.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. This place is DIRTY. Has it ever been cleaned? The food is terrible. The waitress actually took the pies out of the boxes and put them into the fridge with her bare hands. The kitchen floor had nachos all over it. Do you like floor nachos and hand pie? If so, eat here. Disgusting place. But you know, I'd drink here. Alcohol is sanitary. ...but don't use the bathroom.
(1)Dan A.
Holy Frijoles is a small neighborhood Mexican joint. The food here is okay... nothing special or great but it hits the spot when you are simply craving some Tex-Mex food and don't care so much about it tasting authentic or not (or even good for that matter). And while the actual restaurant is somewhat dingy, it still has a neighborhood charm and character that make it a decent place to visit once in a while. So last time I went, I got some fish tacos and beef tacos. The fish was not bad. The beer battered fish was crispy and decently seasoned. However, the sauce was a little bland. Not too big a deal though. Also happened to accidentally take a bite with some tortilla chips in the taco... what a fortunate mistake though because I actually liked it with that added crunch and saltiness. The beef taco was good too I suppose.... but only if you like Taco Bell beef tacos. The meat was vaguely reminiscent of Taco Bell's in texture and flavor. Maybe a little better quality but then again, it doesn't take much to outdo Taco Bell ;) The chips and salsa were average. Not anything special, though the salsa tended to have a little kick to it. It also had a slight canned taste to it. But I thought it was still fine :) We also ordered a margarita which was pretty good. It wasn't the best I've had but it wasn't the worst either. And it had a decent amount of tequila in it too. :) Service is very laid back here so don't come here expecting otherwise. Overall, it's an okay place to grab some Tex-Mex food. While the food isn't amazing, it's a fun neighborhood bar/restaurant that still has a charm of its own despite its shortcomings. 2.5 stars rounded to a 2.
(2)Sarah B.
WHOA WHOA WHOA, Ms. Lippy. Holy Frijoles deserves way more stars than it has currently! This place is top notch. I've been coming here for years and for good reason. The food is always great. The margs are awesome. The people and the atmosphere are the best. It's a little punk rock and that's why I like it. This is one of my favorite spots in Hampden, for sure. Came here recently with my 2 year old. Had to wait a few minutes but we came at 7 o'clock on the Thursday night so was to be expected. She scurried around the place obnoxiously for a couple of minutes but no one seemed to mind (too much). Got seated and were immediately served out free chips and salsa. That kept her occupied while mom and dad sucked down their first marg. Little pricey, but worth it. Food came out promptly and the baby behaved for the most part. We ordered fish tacos, a veggie burrito and quesadillas. All was greatly enjoyed, but we had to take a doggie bag for the dillas. Even on a crowded night our server was speedy and took good care of us.
(5)John P.
The cuisine here was very good compared to most Mexican restaurants in Maryland. On the down side, the place is overdue for a remodel. Atmosphere shows it's age and doesn't offer much human comfort. More of a bar like presentation with the dining area as a backdrop . If you like Mexican , give this one a try.
(3)David L.
This is not my new favorite place the services was horrible in the food tasted so blame it had no flavor I will not return to this place
(1)Zach L.
One star for the service. No two ways about it, the food was bad. It was cold on arrival, tasted more like it was never fully hot, but the service was insanely slow so that is a possibility. On the plus side for a select swarm, the masses of flies seemed to enjoy the food even before we did. That's what I get for ignoring the advice of yelpers in favor of a friendly recommendation. C'est la vie.
(1)Michelle H.
This place has been gradually going down hill and therefore so must my review. We purposely arrived early to beat the dinner rush. The place was empty, to the point that the employees out numbered the patrons 3:1, and the service royally sucked. It took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get anything and everything. The guacamole is not what it used to be and the salsa was so poorly made that we found a 3 inch chunk of jalapeno in it. And, it was almost as if they forgot to put the filling in each of our soft tacos. Holy Frijoles is no longer a go-to place for me. Everything is so inconsistent, you're not sure what you'll get when you go there.
(3)Khadijah S.
The chips and salsa are excellent. Their cucumber margarita is the best margarita I've tasted. The tacos are simple but good. $1 taco night is on Wednesdays!
(4)Ada G.
We showed up on a Sunday for lunch. They don't serve margaritas on Sunday AND they only have one server, so it's extremely slow. Also, they run out of almost all things on the menu. Ended up ordering fried fish tacos. Pretty hard to mess it up, but they managed to do it. One tiny piece of fish the size of my pinky, over-friend and chopped up to take up the whole taco, drowned in nasty chipotle mayo. Having spent most of my life in the company of incredible Mexican friends, family, food and culture, I think this place should lose the "mexican" title in the name. Seriously worst "mexican" food experience ever. I would choose a 7-11 microwaved burrito over this place.
(1)Keith N.
We went there for lunch today. The service was very slow and the food was bad. The steak was over cooked and tasted like charred meat. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)Rebecca B.
Everything is just okay. Service is OKAY, food is OKAY. Table is usually sticky. John Waters dines there so it can't be all THAT bad. We went in the other night and were told "the oven was broken"... really? You can't get someone in to fix the oven... in a RESTAURANT?
(3)Michelle B.
I'm always on the lookout for a good burrito. Sadly, Holy Frijoles is definitely not the place for that. In what world does a burrito not come standard with rice? The black beans were bland and boring and I honestly can make better ones at home. Maybe they have other options that are better but when I want Mexican food it means I want a burrito so I won't be going back.
(2)O M.
They gave us plastic utensils. In a bag. This isn't a restaurant--it's a company picnic.
(1)Daniel F.
Burnt beans, old tasting. Wait staff needs some coaching
(1)Chad G.
Food was better than expected. Service was far below. Went to this restaurant this afternoon with a friend of mine. Were seated at a table across from the bar. Chips and salsa are served complimentary when seated. We both ordered water an an entree. Price point is good for what you get. I was pleased with the amount of food I received for my $8.50. I had the three taco entree. I ordered one soft shell beef, one hard shell beef, and one soft shell chicken taco. It came with beans and rice, and as it turns out some sour cream and a little salsa. The rice was a little dry but had decent flavor. The BEANS, yes BEANS, are something to rave about. They aren't your typical refried, plopped on a plate that if they sit too long they create some type of a dried shell resembling a cow pattie in more than one way. They were actually GOOD! Now getting excited over refried beans is a little silly, and I realize this, but they are doing something noone else is, and it rocks! The beans consistency was thinner than you would normally think of, and had a reddish hue to them. It was is if they had been simmered with a very mild hot sauce for quite awhile. I was very pleasantly surprised! The beef they served on the tacos was pretty tasty. A slight more spice than you'd normally expect to find because it caters to the public but not at all overbearing. I'm a spicy guy, so the hotter the better. For me it would rate about a 1 on the spicy meter whereas others may see it as 3-4. Very good flavor. The chicken was under spiced, a definite 0 on the spicy meter, and pretty bland overall, would not recommend. But now for the service, it was very poor. I honestly don't know if they were understaffed or if Skyler, Stryper, or whatever his name was, was just not a very good waiter. We waited a long time for extra chips and salsa even though we could see the tub of chips and the salsa.(Believe me I WAS prepared to go make the acquisition if they had been one extra minute!) My friend ordered a side of guac which wasn't brought out till he was about finished. Skyler(or whatever his name was) said he wouldn't be charged for that. Ya think? And we ended up getting a check that wasn't ours. I may not have noticed if it wasn't over twice what ours should have been LOL, I'm sure my face was priceless! I may repeat because of the food and see if the service improves. But right now it's really pretty bad.
(2)Bmore Judgemental ..
Yet another place in Baltimore that used to be awesome, and now sucks complete ass. I don't know what the hell is wrong with the waiting staff, someone needs to tell them that part of their job is being NICE to people. I ordered a bloody mary which comes with their 'jalapeno stuffed olives' as a garnish. Now, out of the 3 times or so I've ordered this bloody mary (it's not good, i just really like bloody mary's) they have NEVER actually had the jalapeno stuffed olives in stock. On this particular occasion, they were out of stuffed olives as usual, but the waitress offers me regular olives instead. When she actually brings the drink however, there are no olives in sight. When I politely ask for the olives that were promised to me, she breaths heavy and walks away almost stomping her feet (very mature). She comes back with ONE olive on a small plate, ONE. After this encounter, we got our food, it sucked. The waitress continued to act like we were miserable people. We left, didn't tip, and we've never been back. My friend actually nominated Frijoles for Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare's. So look for this restaurant to get made fun of by ol' Ramsay. I personally can't wait..
(1)Glenn S.
I went here back over the summer I believe. I had the fish tacos and a Dogfish. The fish tacos were actually really good however the black beans that i got on the side were very dry. The waitress was ok but I see a lot of people on here talking about how bad the service was. It doesn't surprise me though, my friend went back and said it was just terrible and he's never going back...I feel like Hampden is out of good places to eat...
(2)Roger M.
This place does not deserve a long review, so here's the nitty-gritty: The wait staff looks like they're whacked on heroin and DESPERATELY need a bath. If a UFO landed on The Ave. and Elvis walked out with JFK and Jesus, the staff couldn't show any less interest or enthusiasm. But heroin addicts tend to be pretty mellow. Extreme "I'm trying too hard to not care!" Hampden hipster. The inside itself shares the staff's hygiene ignorance and is pretty dirty. "I don't want to touch the table" dirty. Lastly, the food. It's one of those places that serves a version of what American's expect Mexican food to taste like and even then, it's pretty crappy. YOU can tell the rice and beans have been sitting out in a big hotel pan all day and there is NO WAY any food should come out that fast. I've waited longer at Taco Bell. Made fresh to order? Ummm, no. They get 2 stars because the beer was very cold and they had Pacifico. If you want good Mexican, head to Fells Point, north of Eastern Ave. There are many authentic Mexican restaurants that serve up the best stuff in the city. I personally love Tortillaria on Eastern, between Broadway and Ann. Or for a glitzy atmosphere, Miguels in Silo Point.
(2)Javier A.
While Baltimore residents have some understandly low standards for Mexican food, to call Holy Frijoles even decent is an insult to real Mexican food elsewhere. The food tastes canned and the chefs seem to think that just because you slap a tortilla onto something or deep fry it (or both) suddenly it's "authentic" Mexican. It's not. Do yourself a favor, if you want better "Mexican" food go to Chipotle--at least the food there doesn't taste like crap.
(1)E R.
Went during lunch and had the place almost to myself. The staff was super attentive and helped me navigate towards a vegan meal- turns out everything but meat/cheese/sour cream fell into the category! Enchilada sauce was VERY spicy, but my waiter kept my glass filled so I powered thorough it.
(5)Deon R.
This is the second time I've come to this spot but the first time id been here at night. Its very chill do whatever atmosphere makes me feel comfy. They have great house made salsa and chips and they give it out once you are seated for free. Staff seems nice and helpful. Interesting mexican menu with the great classic stuff too. A lot of people come here at night and it made it seem pretty fun. We had picked some drinks we never had and liked them overall which kept us there talking and laughing so much we forgot about going to the movies. Nothing too impressive about the interior at all but great for informal hangouts, drinks and tacos.
(3)Adam H.
Decided to hit this place up after a long hiatus. I've probably dined at this spot at least 20 times, so being new to yelp I thought it's 'bout time I say something. I've lived in nearby-Charles Village for almost 4 years and visited Hampden too many times to count. So I'm very aware of the hipster invasion our lil' nook of the city tends to attract. I'm not put off by any "category of people", just individual assholes. So my fiance and I walked into Holy Frijoles expecting a mob-scene on the eve of July 4th. Was pleasantly surprised to see anything but. About 80% of the tables were full. So I walked up to the hostess stand, and instead of a smile or a hello, this dime-store Bettie Page wanna-be was texting away at her iPhone. I had to look over the hostess stand to believe what I was seeing. After the texting was finished she picked up her head and half-rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you too! Sheesh!" She told us there were 2 names already on the list so we got 2 beers from a very attentive bartender and had a seat next to the ladies room door. After a short wait and checking out the art on the wall Bettie Page came back and told us they had some no-shows and we could sit at one of the 4 or 5 open tables. We got a table very close to the bar and Bettie brought us chips with a salsa that's a lot more mild and runny then I remember. The salsa used to be chunkier, and have a real kick to it. Not sure why they changed. The ramekins were as shallow as ever. I understand that the chips and salsa is not the meal, but come on! The ramekins hold enough salsa for maybe 4 chips. Our mutton-chopped skinny waiter saved the experience. He was very quick, attentive and really seemed to enjoy our company. One thing I noticed the waiter do for us was check back with us after the food was ran. A lost art in waiting tables. I ordered the steak fajitas. I was offered a choice of temp. It was a good thing I said medium, because the steak strips were overcooked and extremely chewy. The 3 tortillas came on a small plate, with a ramekin of chopped tomatoes that I guess was supposed to pass for pico de gallo. At least the cheese and sour cream was fresh. I was never blown away from Holy Frijoles, and tonight was no exception. The bartender, waiter and atmosphere (I'm a sucker for quality local art on walls) kept me from rating this place a one or even less. I'm going to stick to the east side of town next time I have an itch for Mexican food.
(2)Christopher M.
A miserable experience. Our nearly-absent waitress was barely audible, and acknowledged our requests with monosyllabic grunts. I've never felt less cared for in a restaurant. The complimentary salsa they brought out with chips was almost gray. I had to muster some courage to give it a try, it didn't taste like it looked, but it was not encouraging. I got chorizo enchiladas, the chorizo was almost flavorless, the tortillas were terrible. And by the time I finished half my plate, I had lost my appetite. The music was crazy loud, not necessarily a bad thing, but be aware.
(1)Jonathan G.
I've been a handful of times, and tried a number of items on the menu, and I just don't like it. The service is fine, the drink selection is acceptable, and even the location and atmosphere is fine. But the food stinks. When it comes to Mexican, I usually go for pork-based dishes, and their pork is incredibly dry and stringy. Nothing has flavor or a unique appeal. I'm really not picky when it comes to Mexican, so I don't think I have very high standards. It's just lousy food. A good friend of mine stood up for Frijole's, and went back several times. Until he found a staple in their food. A friend of his explained that lettuce and other similar produce come stapled, and the employees tear them apart - they don't physically remove the staples. They just assume that tearing them apart lets the staples fall to the ground.
(2)Salvadore D.
I am a definite fan of their burritos. Good margaritas, too. I just wish the kitchen stayed open later on weekends :)
(4)Colby R.
Excellent handmade chips and salsa. Good fresh food, and flavors. Might not be straight mexican, but I'd recomend it for a good margarita (except sundays).
(3)Jen G.
I used to love this place when I lived nearby. It's probably been at least 2-3 years since I've been in, and the other night decided to go in for dinner. Mistake. The salsa and chips were decent, but sad to say, that's the only good thing I can offer about this experience. My margarita was essentially margarita mix on the rocks...couldn't detect the alcohol in the drink. The waiter couldn't be bothered to refill our water glasses, which is unfortunate because they serve some rather spicy food here. I ordered chicken enchiladas and even made sure to confirm with the waiter that the enchiladas were filled with corn and black beans. This was not the case. The enchiladas consisted of tortillas filled with a few bits of chicken and a lot of spicy sauce, covered with spicy sauce and a little cheese. I took about 3 bites and couldn't eat any more. When the waiter came back quite a while later, I told him the meal was not good and was not what was described on the menu. He apologized and brought the check, which included no discount. When I asked him nicely to remove the enchiladas, he did, which I appreciated. Definitely not going back to Holy Frijoles and will not recommend it to my friends.
(1)Jessie B.
The place smells like a dirty fish tank, the featured cocktails taste like shit, food is extremely meh at best. Head to Highlandtown or Fells for a more authentic meal. If you like a more Americanized Mexican dinner than you could still do better somewhere else.
(1)Carmen B.
Hipster/Scenester joint with horrible food.
(1)Kelly B.
Some of the best and reasonably priced 'mexican' food and margaritas I have ever had! Hipster/artsy/urban atmosphere. Cool booths with old school wooden tables and benches. Cute bar with fancy lights. Comfy couches in the back behind the bar. At the entrance there are two booths on either side of the door, and they are backed by church confessional doors - very cool! Free chips and spicy salsa when you sit down. The chips are the good kind - probably that are cut and cooked right there. The salsa had a bit of a kick to it, but I'm sure most people could handle it. The service was pretty good. We got chips very shortly after being seated (and only had to wait about 20-30 minutes during Honfest, so not too bad at all). Water refills came very often. Friendly and accommodating staff. The food and drinks: Fresh Cucumber Margarita / $6.50 Conquistador tequila with Triple Sec and house-made margarita mix combined with fresh muddled cucumbers. At first, a very odd taste. I thought it was very salty, but it might have just been the tequila. As I continued to drink it, it grew on me. I wasn't sure what "muddled cucumbers" meant, so I looked it up: Muddling is the technique of mashing an ingredient for use in a drink to add texture, scent, color and taste. Sometimes ingredients are muddled and strained, but often, as in the classic mojito, the components are left in to make a drink more attractive. I don't think the drink had a very strong flavor of cucumber, but munching the bits in the drink after I was finished was an excellent finish. They tasted slightly pickled (maybe?), like what you get frequently on the side with Thai and Vietnamese appetizers. Entrees included: Chorizo Taco Platter / $9.50 (ala carte tacos for 2.25 each) Three taco platter with beans and rice, served with cheese, shredded lettuce, and picante. Choose from crispy corn tortillas or soft flour tortillas. I chose the crispy, because I don't like soft tacos... The chorizo was superb. It was juicy and pretty much melted in my mouth when eating a piece that fell out of the taco. Slightly spicy but nothing too significant. The rice was kind of bland but still good. The beans were refried and I'm never really a big fan of those, but everyone else with me seemed to like them. Three tacos is pretty filling and honestly, the platter wasn't really needed. I hardly had any room for any of the rice and beans, especially after we munched down on the chips and salsa we were given when we sat down. Con Carne Burrito / $8.50 A large flour tortilla stuffed with cheese, poblano peppers, onions, and your choice of fillings, rolled up and served with lettuce and salsa fresca. Was told this was one of the best burritos my friend had ever eaten. She was so stuffed she stopped eating, but then ended up finishing it anyway so she (a) didn't have to carry it around Honfest, and (b) because it was so damn good. Carnita$ Verde Enchilada / $10 Two corn tortillas filled with our slow roasted carnitas, topped with our salsa verde and cheese then baked. Served with side of black beans & corn and rice. Was told this was delicious and none of it was left on the plate when all was said, done and eaten.
(5)Bill C.
Any reviews over 2 stars for this place has to be owner or employee reviews. We used to go here a few times a year and always enjoyed it. On our last visit we realized the place has hit rock bottom. Food was blah, salsa which is always the best tasted like dishwater. Service was not bad, but nothing special. There are so many better Mexican restaurants out there and better places to eat in Hamden. I would pass on this place.
(1)Matt B.
We have been going to Frijoles for years now, probably almost 10 years, since it was just the little tiny hole in the wall. We have been going that long for a good reason - good food and always better than your chain Tex-Mex places, good margaritas and all at a reasonable price. We were in last night for dinner with some friends and we were significantly less than impressed. I had a fish taco and a carnitas taco and my wife had a taco salad and neither meal was very good. Mine was cold by the time I took my second bite and the grilled veggies in my wife's taco salad were just about raw - not so grilled. Fish taco was lacking any real volume, couple small pieces of fried fish and a little bit of cabbage slaw, and the carnitas was way salty. Since our last visit (maybe about 6 months) they've changed up their salsa - we definitely liked it better before. The service was very lacking, seemed our girl had other things on her mind and they certainly were not that busy. It took us about fifteen minutes to get napkins and silverware. I have also never waited more than about ten minutes for food here - last night we waited about twenty. I suspect our waitress's lack of attention was the reason. Our margaritas were also not as good, at least not as good as we remember them anyways. Seemed like a lot more mix and a lot less booze. Not sure if they've undergone some management, staff or ownership changes but something has definitely changed and we felt it was not for the better. We will probably be back to give them another shot, but if we're disappointed again it will probably be the last time.
(2)Melody C.
I'm no Mexican food connoisseur, but HF has decent food if you're hungry and on The Avenue. IMO unless you're heading to The Dizz, you should stop in. I've been here a total of three times; twice I had very satisfying steak quesadillas, and my boyfriend complimented the chimichangas and tacos. The other experience was an afternoon of drinking. Several shots had us feeling very nice. Thank you, bartender whom I do not remember. They give you a nice serving of chips and salsa to start with. Mm mm. The waiter is probably a local hipster, so service is as expected - a little slow and not super enthusiastic. Pants a little too tight, sir? Whatever. The food's good, I'll be back for sure.
(3)Teraneh J.
Dirty, dingy and dim inside just enough to hide it all. Decent portions of food for what you pay for, but honestly, just how expensive are beans and tortillas! Been here twice and both times the waiters mixed up the orders. Being a vegetarian, I was glad I cut into my supposed veggie burrito because it so happened to be a friend's chicken burrito! Service is non-existent, and waiters are quite rude. Laid-back is one thing, lack of service is another. Will not come here again.
(1)Daniel J.
You may get lucky on the food, but with a large Latino community here in Baltimore, you can find better elsewhere (Try Highlandtown). Holy Frijoles is mediocre, at best. The service is sub-par, unless you like being treated like a bother by cooler-than-thou Hipsters. They make an enjoyable Fish Taco, and the drink specials are solid. Other than that, nothing special here.
(2)Judith Priest ..
I used to eat here when I was poor, about 10 years ago. Then I ate there because it seemed fun and it was convenient. Then I realized how awful the food was, so I stopped going. Then I forgot how awful the food was, and I stopped in for lunch the other day. Big mistake. We went in on a beautiful sunny day. Once inside the darkness, I began to realize why I stopped going. But against my better judgment, we went ahead and got a table. They had the most morose music you could imagine playing. It was horrible, and I like some pretty horrible, morose music. But this went beyond that. But I guess that's what happens when you let 21 year old art student beertenders pick out the music. There was some mid-30s men sitting at the bar, not one of them had a smile on their face. They were all staring down at their drinks looking like poor lost souls. We got the nachos. They were terrible. IF they had been cooked through, it might have made them better. IF the chips under the top layer had any toppings on them they might have been better. IF the chips under the top layer were anything but the broken shards that remain at the bottom of the chip bag they could have been better. Alas, they were none of those things. The toppings were barely there, and what was there were cold in spots, lukewarm in others. As for the service... hahaha. What a joke. I don't think the waiter was capable of smiling. He didn't know what kinds of beer they had. The server who plopped our plate of food down in front of us did so without a smile, a nod, or even eye contact. I get it that this place is an old hipster hangout. I get it that these are art students who would rather be doing anything else. But I guess at this point in my life, I have no need for piss poor food served with piss poor attitudes.
(1)Kristina K.
I had my reservations in traveling to kitchy Hampden, of all places, for Mexican food but now I see why this place's called Holy Frijoles as my first bite made me want to vocalize a related exclamation. All I can say is that the drinks were strong and craftily mixed, and the food was holy s..surprising--a good bet are the burritos or the fajitas. Decor was traditional and slightly inviting (under-board, if you will); a bit shockingly, the place gets packed even late into the eve so it's clearly loved by the locals. For a sit-down Mexican place in Baltimore, Holy Frijoles rocks.
(3)Rachel F.
I'm pretty sure I could curl up inside of one of Holy's taco salads and die a happy girl. 'Nuff said. (Well, one more thing said: Great happy hour specials)
(4)Trey M.
Their chips and salsa are amazing but try and save room for the fish tacos because they are also really good.
(4)Kara P.
Probably the worst "Mexican" food I've ever had. I don't understand how the owners or chef think that this is food is good. Mexican food is so easy to do right, I don't understand how they can't improve on this. It's sad that they are taking up good real estate on 36th street.
(1)Trey M.
I have to say, holy Frijoles is my favorite mexican food in Baltimore, i am a bit picky still but over all i am a true fan and love those 1$ tacos, mmmmmm goood.
(3)Drew R.
Last time with Holy Frijoles. We live up the street, so it's convenient. We've only done carry-out, but the hipster smell of B.O. has become overwhelming. Agree with other posters, check your order before you leave. I was once told that they didn't have guac because their prep chef was sick. How the hell do you not have guacamole? The place has a helluva location, but sadly is staffed by stinky hipsters who are not concerned with basic hygiene, stink up the place, and are too stoned to get your order right. I've also figured out that they substitute their burnt steak with a ton of black beans. Just.....just don't get food here. It's not good. Drinks, sure...but no food....
(2)Shelley V.
Excellent carnitas verde enchiladas were had at this funky joint! I definitely loved the vibe and decor of this joint. I initially got a off-putting vibe from from the young, blondish hostess who seemed in a pissy mood and sat us in a small room off the kitchen instead of the main room where there was plenty of tables open. She barely greeted us, just grunted and sat us in what seemed like never-never land near a touristy seeming family. Ah, maybe the main room is for locals only?$&@! Luckily, she was not our server and the young hip guy who waited on us made up for her attitude. We didn't have alcohol so i can't comment on how their drinks were and quality of them, sorry! However, my carnitas verde enchiladas was the freaken bomb! I think they must've put crack in them because I ate it all and kept saying "goddamn, this is good!" M had a chile relleno and chicken enchilada and said they were pretty good as well. Will I ever have as good of Mexican food here as I would back in LA, the capital of Mexican food? Probably not... However, when I hit up Hampden and the antique stores - I will come back to HF! You need beans to keep your strength up while power shopping!!
(4)Sean B.
Food is hit or miss, kitchen folks always look sketchy when the walk through the diningroom. Staff is often more fabulous/bored/over it or busy chatting to provide good service. somewhat worried about hygiene of servers and lots of wet rags to wipe surfaces down. That said, great chips and salsa. Ate lunch twice a week there for almost a year. No one remembered my name or what I drank....don't expect fine dining service but an acknowledgement of a 'regular' would have been appreciated.
(3)Tiffany B.
The worst service! The bartender is currently playing w his IPad & is only able to serve 1 customer. Mr Talkative must be the only tip he cares about...we were told to hold on after asking if we could order...hahaha $1 tip! We would have left at least $5!
(1)Brodie W.
If you like fish taco's, this is the place to go! Really enjoy going there during lunch. Services is decent and the place has a lot of character. Why only 3 stars? Other dishes are ok and if it is packed, the place doesn't run well. Would recommend going but it is probably a better bar at night.
(3)Erin M.
You guys used to be so awesome, but in recent years things have gone downhill. Please get the management to actually manage things and improve the quality of the food you are putting out. The food you serve is fairly simple, there is no excuse for making it so poorly.
(2)Sarita E.
I've been living a two minute's walk from Holy Frijoles for 2 years now and have gone almost every Wednesday during that time for "dollar taco night." Frijoles does not have the best Tex-Mex menu, but for one dollar, you'd think the tacos were a steal. But watch out, they come at a hefty non monetary price. Maybe I should expect that if I'm only paying one dollar for a taco, I'll receive terrible service, unfortunately, I receive awful service here on any given night, at any price. The lack of customer respect and the "I'm above it" attitude of servers at Frijoles is really starting to get tired. With my weekly group of 4 people, between drinks and tacos, we usually spend about $40 and tip the bar or wait staff $10 on that. Despite this, we've never received quality, or, even mediocre service. Unfortunately, I may have to add Frijoles to the list of pretentious hipster bars/restaurants in Hampden (my OWN neighborhood!) that I can no longer eat at (along with Golden West.) If you're willing to sacrifice service and quality for price, or, if you enjoy being looked down on by your waiter because you're not wearing flannel and a fedora, then Frijoles might just be the place for you. But, if you just expect to be given the normal courtesy afforded a paying customer, I recommend you try a different Hampden hang out. Why not Rocket to Venus on Chestnut? It's more expensive but definitely worth the extra $2-3/entree in food quality, atmosphere and service. The bar and wait staff here seems to have found a nice balance between cool and courteous. As a side note - Holy Frijoles DOES NOT recycle! Baltimore has a single stream recycling pick up. That means you can pretty much throw anything except Styrofoam and food into the recycling bin (you don't even have to rinse the cans!) I was surprised to see bartenders throwing Boh cans in the trash and when I inquired I was told there was not recycling. Come on, Frijoles, get a recycling bin already! At least then you'd be doing SOMETHING good for anyone other than yourselves.
(2)Kirk R.
Just bad. I've been here twice. The first time there, a mouse ran through the restaurant at the base of the bar, right past the table where I was eating. Fast forward a few years, I decided to give this place another shot. My first impression this time: the place stinks...literally, it smells...like dirty bar rags. It hits you in the face as soon as you enter. Bad sign, I should have just left, but wasn't ready to give up. We got our food. The rice was crunchy. Like, old-crunchy. We didn't finish. Didn't see any mice this time though.
(1)Janie P.
Was going to visit with some of my Baltimore buddies and this was the place they picked. They love it. Me, well, after reading the Yelp reviews, I was nervous and had quite low expectations. First, the chips and salsa, tasty. The chips were warm and crisp and the salsa was fresh and had a touch of heat. The Cucumber Margarita went very well with it. I ended up ordering the black bean chimichanga. It didn't come with rice or beans, so I got an order of beans as I was unsure of the size of the chimichanga. Well, the chimichanga was huge. Definitely could have done without the rice and been satisified, which was good for me, because the rice was nasty. Tasted like someone dumped a pack of taco seasoning into it. It was strange because everything else had been so delicious. My friends ordered the grilled veggie taco salad, the steak taco salad and some quesadillas. All nice portion sizes, so no need for beans or rice. As long as you avoid the rice, your dinner at Holy Frijoles should be a 4 star experience.
(4)Jamie S.
No booze on Sundays?! Don't look into the kitchen! Don't stray from the menu! If yer gonna eat then split a plate with your sweetie and dig in. The food is usually ok if you have low expectations. Don't go all DC and ask for special orders or you might find a dirty sock in your food. That being said the portions are pretty generous so the food might suck but at least you get a lot of it! Happy Hour margeritas are awesome though! Mango margerita and cucumber margeritas are great but only the "house" margeritas are on special, and you have to be "sitting" at the bar to get the HH specials. I haven't sworn this place off yet so it's still got some charm for me. Hey, it's cheap!
(3)Kaitlyn G.
Holy Frijoles: The definition of a love-hate relationship. The food, average at best. The beans taste as if they came directly out of the can, anytime I've had rice it's been dry, the salsa lacks flavor and the presentation is pretty awful. Every now and again you may get a decent server, but overall most act is if you're just bothering them. So... why do I go there at least once a week? Location and Margaritas. Typically I sit at the bar, but that's mainly out of fear of the large mice (maybe rats?) I've seen upon occasion, scurrying along the perimeter of the dining areas. On a positive note, I haven't had a sighting in a few months, but I don't know if the rodents or the management deserve the credit for that. The bartenders are almost always friendly and prompt, and being on the avenue in Hampden makes for a nice place to grab a drink with a friend. When I go here I typically order chips and guacamole, and two house margaritas with salt, for around $20. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a restaurant, but as a bar it's satisfying.
(2)Cheeze W.
This place has been trending down this year. Food is not nearly as good as in has been. In fact, it's downright poor. The service was poor. We thought the waiter was on something which would explain a lot. Also seems like the prices have increased. We will skip it for 2012.
(1)Erin V.
I guess this place is okay, but if you asked my Mexican mom she'd give it 1/2 a star. We got the nachos and enchiladas and she could immediately tell that every ingredient came from a can. Their chorizo isn't real chorizo, it just tastes like what you'd find in a chili dog. I am giving this place three stars because the service was pretty good and it is a nice place to hang out. I eat in Hampden a lot, but never had any problems with douchey hipster waiters. Ever! Anyway, I like their ginormous burritos and if you are in the mood for some good, fake, American Mexican food, then this is the place for you!
(3)Michael M.
A fun place to get good, cheap Mexican food. it's supposed to be a little tacky. I get nervous when I go to a Mexican Resturant that is classy.
(5)Lauren S.
The food and service are pretty hit or miss, but for the most part this place isn't horrible. Plus they have Natty Boh. Natty Boh and Mexican food is an amazing combination of awful and amazing, and you should really try it sometime.
(3)Al P.
Gross.Bland. Awful Service. Taco Bell is better than this dump.
(1)Sarah P.
We were in the area the evening of Artscape, and not wanting to fight our way through the crowds to the authentic Mexican restaurants in the Fells Point Area, I called Frijoles to assure that the kitchen was still open on a Sunday evening. When we arrived 15 minutes later, we were told that the kitchen had closed early by the hostess, who I believe was the same Bettie Page wanna-be described by Adam H. I told her that I was the same woman who just called, and she offered a half-apology half-shrug, and said that they had decided to close 45 minutes early. Every time I've eaten at Frijoles, it's a mediocre experience at best, and after this time, I won't be back.
(1)Scott R.
This was my first visit, so I'm sorry to see the mixed "gone downhill" reviews. My band was playing at Fraziers across the street in during an all-day Sunday festival event. We were able to slip over here for lunch mid afternoon - and it was really pretty good. I'm guessing crowds were smaller than normal being Sunday afternoon and no-alcohol-service, so we didn't have any trouble getting seated. Service was still a bit slow, since they had one waiter for about 10 tables. And the background music was downright creepy at points. Even so, the food rocked. Salsa was excellent, guac was decent, my carnitas verde platter was excellent, and everyone else really enjoyed their meals. This place reminds me a bit of Mencken's Cultured Pearl back in the day ...
(3)Jennifer H.
Don't eat here. This is the kind of place where the servers sigh and roll their eyes when customers walk in...because they might have to do a bit of WORK. The whole restaurant is dark and dingy, and the food is not good.
(1)lisa y.
I think my diner in crime (Gretchen D) summed up our experience here pretty well. I just want to add that I got the chicken fajitas for my meal. This is the first time that I had gotten fajitas and have not had any rice included in my meal. The tortillas were cold as well. I had to add a ton of salt, pepper and chili sauce to my chicken to give it some sort of flavor. I must have put in a lot of salt b/c I was thirsty and had to stop at McDonald's afterwards for a large soda. I don't think I'll be back here again...
(2)N J.
Pros: Great salsa and a cool atmosphere, with a lot of local art on the walls. Good margaritas and HUGE plates of nachos, and pretty tasty Tex-Mex food. Cons: Occasionally slow service, crowded on the weekends. This place is still my favorite place to eat in Hampden, even if the service is hit-or-miss.
(4)Jayson H.
This is really a cool restaurant and I really wanted to like it... but, the food was not very good. The place is fun, laid back, cool decor, great bar. Wait staff is friendly if not a little too mellow. I had an early dinner and was there with the end of the happy hour crowd. The chips were stale and greasy - would have been much better if warmed up. We asked for another basket and got exactly the same the 2nd time. Salsa tastes fresh but needs a little heat to it. Tacos were good and a bargain ($1 on Wednesdays). Everything else was pretty marginal to boring. Portions were fair to average for the prices.
(2)Ben M.
Still love the food, but the last three or four times (over about a six month period) I've gone in, the service has been pretty bad. I don't ask for much and don't need waiter/waitress to be my best friend. But, lately it seems when I place an order that's the last I see of the server for long stretches of time. Hopefully new staff will rotate in and it will get better.
(3)Katie R.
We go often, but only for happy hour, where we can get decent $3 margaritas and $2 beers. The food is ok, but certainly nothing special. The chips are super stale during the summer-- they are out right by the bar, and that's a shame because the salsa is pretty good.
(2)Andrew h.
I had heard great reviews of this place and decided to go with my wife. When I stepped inside all of the hostess and some of the wait staff were playing scrabble. Once they saw me they promptly got up and walked right past me... no "hey how's it going" or "Welcome" nothing... So once someone made there way back to me, they asked if they could help, and took us to a booth right in front of the main window, which probably was a bad idea because the faces I was making while eating here couldn't have been very good. The waitress was horrid... no smile, talked in a very low voice. It was as though her boyfriend had broken up with her 5 mins before her shift, and if that did happen I feel sorry for you, but maybe you should take a day off if you're that upset. By the end of the meal I almost had to ask her if she was ok... it was bad. We wanted to get a margarita but to our dismay they didn't have frozen ones (no big deal for me, but was for the wife). So now with our two waters we anxiously awaited our food, I had taco's and the wife had enchiladas. The tacos were BLAND, under seasoned... if you call yourself a Mexican restaurant and can't do tacos right.. how are you still open? The wife's enchiladas were just as bland as my taco's, my guess is that the enchiladas were pre-made due to the fact the cook couldn't add veggies to them. The only thing that was any good on either one of our plates was the re-fried beans, and even those were "meh". Maybe this is a good place to have a drink with it's hipster decor, and local atmosphere, and who knows maybe after a few drinks the food would have been better, but I don't think I'll go back to this place when there is a Chipotle right around the corner from me.
(1)Jared M.
Nice decor, cool vibe, but the food was less than authentic; enchiladas were good, but the burrito was a mushy bean mess, the chips seemed a little stale, and they don't have plantains on the menu. The management is nice. I recommend it as a cool place to hang out but don't set your expectations of the food too high.
(3)Kristen V.
Not like it used to be... I'm on a kick of writing reviews today and I feel the need to bitch about much I feel the 'love' they used to put in the food disappeared. Apparently, we broke up. I felt like it became less and less interested in me back in the spring of 2008. But i kept going.. showing up.. anything for my mexican love! This past winter, I revisited the Ho-Fro. Things were definitely different. We seemed so.. distant. Canned tomato salsa? what is that?!? Raising the price of single tacos? stab me in the heart! I do give you credit for expanding the menu and adding weekly specials but let me ask you.. where is the love? Farewell my undying love for the garlic Caesar salad. You're too rich for my pocket now.. Besides I've moved on to real southwestern tex-mex.. well shit.. i am living in Texas now. p.s. Corey and Melissa are still the coolest!
(2)Bradley N.
People looking for something authentically Mexican or even Tex-Mex should not stop here. This is Hampden-style stuff with a Southwestern border flair. It has risen and fallen several times since opening and being discovered as part of the pantheon of must-see places on the Avenue. It's got life and energy, a bar scene, lots of college-age visitors, and is loud and dark when the evening comes. You will have a great time if you bring the fun and funk with you. Don't over analyze or deconstruct this place. It is best enjoyed when you view it with a less critical , a slightly blurred, eye.
(3)Tim R.
Decent Mexican food at a decent price, I got I the ultimate nachos (think that's what they were called?) as my main course and still couldn't finish them all! Very good! Kinda felt out of place in the environment, as i am a country boy at heart and most of the staff and patrons are artsy but them made me feel welcome nontheless in my camo hat! lol
(3)Sophia T.
Holy Frijoles is ok. I've been here twice, and other reviewers can attest to the same thing - it really does smell kind of funky in there. Expect to wait at least 15 minutes if you go during peak hours. The food is good, but not memorable. It took a while for us to get our food, but we did go during peak hours. The complimentary chips and salsa did a good job of tiding us over... then again, there were two of us, and we went through three baskets before receiving our orders. They DO serve Dangerously Delicious Pies, which are phenomenal (try the sweet potato or Berger cookie pie)! We ordered a slice to go - they messed up our order and gave us a slice on the house. That said, it's good Mexican food for Baltimore. I'm from California, so I think I'm allowed to be a bit of a snob when it comes to burritos, tacos, and the like.
(3)Kate T.
Pros: Luuuuv the chips and salsa for starters. Some serious "kick" in the salsa- as in tons of garlic. Can not get enough garlic. Twice in one week I had to go for a burrito with Chirizo and chicken. Yummy. Prices are fantastic and all-in-all this might be my favorite place to eat in Baltimore. Nice place to eat with a group of friends and relax. Cons: Strange smell in the dining room and service was not so great.
(4)Phil B.
If you finish your meal then go ahead and finish your girlfriend's meal - that ought to tell you something about the quality of food in a place or that you're a glutton. I'm going to say the former so now you know this is a good place to eat. This was a Saturday and the wait for a table was kind of long. At least there were couches to sit on and make the wait more passable. The bar was full so getting beers and margaritas took a few minutes, but the wait was not terrible.
(4)Ria S.
The food is pretty good for cheap eats, and the tacos aren't bad--the place seems to get dirtier with each visit, sticky floors, unkempt servers, long wait times, crowded, and just not worth it anymore...
(2)Sean H.
I wouldn't come here for the food or the ambiance really, but the happy hour ain't to shabby. For knock off Mexican chow it's a bit pricey and the whole place seems a bit lazy. It's not a bad place to hang out but it's never my first, second, or third choice.
(2)Erica C.
Oh man...this place is artsy kid infested. The food is alright....not authenic..but alright. They give you plenty of chips and salsa...which is a plus...even though the chips suck. The burritos are huge and taste alright, better off at a chain for food. But, if you are into the artsy 20-something seen, this is your place no matter the food quality.
(3)P C.
If I wanted a bitchy wait staff I'd go to Dick's Last Resort.
(1)Scott P.
I love Holy Frijoles. I love it enough to almost lie and give it four stars. But I can't keep it real (tm) and do that with a clean conscience. Everything about this place is hit or miss. I dig consistency. I need consistency. I need to know that the fish tacos are gonna be spot on each and every time. Unfortuntaly, that's just not the case here. Every third time I come here, I end up bitching about the food to some random Hampden hobo who won't even accept the dry chimichanga that I'm trying to pawn off on him. Their bar is great, and worth going to alone for the chips and great selections. Their cucumber margarita is enough to get naked for. Not that I've ever gotten naked for a margarita. ... FROM a few of 'em... well, dang.
(3)Sarah F.
PROS: 1. cheap margaritas on mondays 2. food is quite affordable 3. chips and salsa aren't bad 4. cool lookin bar 5. the bartenders are pretty nice CONS: 1. it's like a god damned hipster factory exploded in this place 2. the cheap food is often cold and sometimes sucks 3. the waiters can really be assholes 4. i know they're half price but the margarita taste like sour mix over ice...where's my tequila? (maybe stick to beer...you know what you're gonna get)
(3)Ting S.
good place even though no more 1 buck taco. And the layout of table is a little bit too crowed. However, i still like to eat here!
(4)Sean L.
This place is lousy. I had a great meal there once, but then returned a couple months later to order the same thing and it wasn't half as good as I remember. Our waiter literally stunk--smelled like he hadn't taken a shower in weeks. Plus, the place felt really dirty. Needs to be steam cleaned/pressure washed! Doesn't leave a good taste in your mouth when it comes to eating. This is not good Mexican.
(2)Sarah A.
I've come here after work a few times with friends who wanted to grab a drink. It's an alright bar with alright prices--nothing to get excited about. They have a great dollar-taco deal on Wednesdays, which is something I do get excited about, even though I can never seem to remember to go. I've been once, and the tacos were a little flimsy, but a pretty good portion. Shoulda ordered more.
(3)Seth S.
We both got enchiladas (hers: vegetarian, mine: beef), and they were as far from what we expected as was possible. When they came out, it looks like someone actually got sick on our plates, and covered it with cheese to hide the vomit. Under this cheese was, well, I'm not really sure still! The tortillas were beyond soggy. When I bit in, I couldn't discern any of the flavors - it was just all masked with too much chili powder. The rice on the side was severely dried out, and the beans tasted like, well, the enchiladas. The only upsides were the drinks (creative drink list, good drinks), and the service was pretty good. I also liked the recycled Patron bottles as shades over the ceiling lights. Beyond that, we won't be back.
(1)Judy C.
Meh. Sadly it is one of the more popular places in Hampden, so that place does attract a crowd. Otherwise, the food is below average/average, and their margaritas are salty! I mean I like salt in my margarita, but dios mio, those drinks will make you do fishy face! Really nothing special about this place.
(2)Kenny M.
Seems like every time we come back here, the food is less appealing. :(
(2)Sarah M.
I think it's a requirement of Hampden food service employees to be oblivious to their customers and have an attitude. My friend ordered a vegan burrito and was delivered one laden with cheese and sour cream. The waiter promptly disappeared for about 10 minutes and when he returned to check on us, he claimed that she must have told him the wrong order. The food's not good enough to justify the atrocious service.
(2)Erin C.
I've been here a couple times with my fiancee because we were desperate for Mexican food and didn't want to venture out of North Baltimore. I find the food very bland and overly fried, and the service was negligent at best. I don't know why some servers think it is hip to ignore the customers but I don't think it's cool and I'd rather just go to Chipotle.
(1)D Y.
I don't know about the other items, but the FISH TACO was AMAZING! ugh! The chips and salsa SUCK though. As did the service. And the restaurant was DIRTTTTY. But, GO for the Fish Taco!
(4)JJ J.
Honestly, I really do think this is the best Mexican place(but only for one thing...read on) of most places I've been in Baltimore(including nacho mamas and a few places in Highlandtown). With that being said, there is only one thing I will get here and it's the only thing that's worth getting. That is the fish tacos. I get a few of them a la carte. They are seriously some of the best fish tacos I've ever had. I've brought friends here from Cali who also attest that these are comparable to the amazing ones you can get off carts in Cali. But I've also seen reviews of inconsistency here. That means that some nights, the food will be amazing, and other nights it won't be. But i guess the reward far exceeds the risk, once you try these fish tacos. The drink selections are always solid. Generally i'll go with a bottle of my favorite beer there: Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout and 2 or 3 fish tacos. Give the fish tacos a try for sure. And if you're a fan of Guinness, get the Sam Smtih Oatmeal Stout. You most likely won't be disappointed.
(4)Tiffany G.
Good cucumber margaritas.
(2)Erin B.
The good: - Creative veggie burrito goes beyond the basic set of veggies - First time I've ever had a veggie chimichunga and I LOVED it. Pleasingly fried, huge tube of delicious veggies and cheese--wow! - Reasonably priced margaritas and other creative cocktails - Great guacamole - Doesn't cost much - You can wear your pajamas - Usually have very, very nice waitresses - Nice decor and atmosphere The bad: - Disgusting odor. Take out the trash, people! Clean up a bit! - Chips = always burned - 2/3 of the times we've been there, they've brought us chips and dip without also bringing water. If you get a spicy part of the salsa, this is a problem! Final analysis: Go on a day when they've got the doors and windows wide open to let in the fresh air. Definitely get a cocktail. If you hair isn't washed and you're wearing your pajamas, you can't really be that picky about food prep quality, can you?
(3)mack s.
meh-xican. lackluster service from staff, dubious odors in the dining room and supernaturally mediocre food.
(1)Michael O.
Not a lot of options for mexican food in Baltimore as far as I know, but this is a good one!
(4)Jay L.
Thought the food was good, but the service was absolutely miserable. They actually make it feel like you're being an inconvenience to them by being there. We had to get our drinks at the bar, because the one time we saw our 'server' was when she walked by and I literally grabbed her arm to get some service, and was looked at like I was a jerk. The food was relatively good. Nothing mind-blowing. Then, at the end, the waitress tried to act nice when she gave us the check. Ridiculous. Hipsters shouldn't be in food service.
(2)Eric H.
Interesting place. Not attractive but a little weird in an artistic way. Interesting clientele. Young people trying to look individual. Pricey for amount you get. Burritos from a past time, probably '80s. Not Latino owned. Service took time but I would go again.
(3)Gretchen D.
I've gone past this establishment several times during my visits to Hampden, and the exterior always intrigued me. After the Blue Moon and Café Hon debacles, I decided to give it a try. Sadly, my first impression was ruined more by the wait staff than by the food itself. Frijoles was pretty empty upon our arrival, and aside from a table of six, it stayed that way. In other words, there was no reason for our waitress to be so absent from our table - especially when we could clearly see her waiting hand and foot on the table of six directly across from us. Perhaps she felt like we wouldn't tip her as well because we were a smaller table. Ever hear of a self-fulfilling prophesy? As for the food, it was only so-so, but it wasn't like I had my expectations set incredibly high - after all, it's a bar, more than a restaurant - you can smell the stale alcohol when you first walk in. Onward we trudge: The salsa that came with our complimentary chips was really good. I found myself noshing like an addict. I ordered the Chimichanga and my first thought was, "is that a Chimichanga in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" It was HUGE. But I quickly realized the size was bolstered considerably because they put the beans INSIDE the chimi instead of on the side, like at most restaurants - what a cheat! Also, I was looking for some cheesy goodness with my meal. Nope. If there was any cheese, it had liquefied inside the tortilla, and wasn't discernable at all. There was a wee bit of lettuce used more as a garnish scattered around the plate, and there was no rice at all, though I probably could have ordered it as a side. Speaking of sides, you could also order guacamole as a side dish, but that would have cost another $4.00!! I'm sorry; did I just mistake this place for Rosa Mexicanos, home of fresh table-side guacamole-makin'? On a bright note, we ordered nachos as an appetizer, and found those to be quite tasty! Jalapenos lovers, rejoice! You'll be in heaven upon first bite! And the amount of sour cream served with the entrees was more than generous - a plus in my book! So aside from liquid entertainment, I probably wouldn't hit Holy Frijoles anytime soon. If I lived in Hampden, then it might be my cool 'local', but overall this place leaves me yawning.
(2)David L.
the services was okay. and the food was okay but i would have had a better night if the bartender wouldn't have called me a BLIPSTER, but the drinks were really good and i enjoyed them a lot.
(3)J H.
Pros: Good Margaritas, good draft beers, Good Chile Rellenos. Good Enchiladas Cons: Mediocre salsa and beans. Boring dishes overall- lacking spice and heat. Restaurant seems a bit filthy if you ask me, especially the original right side of the restaurant. What the heck is that smell? Rodents dying in dirty dishwater? I probably should round this up to two stars, but Baltimore is so miserable when it comes to Mexi-food, I have to be nice to the few establishments that even make a noble effort. Service was pretty good. Man, this is a tough one. Three stars, no more, no less..
(3)Susan M.
The place has a grunge type of atmosphere (hard rock music, "interesting" paintings on the wall) but the staff is really friendly and the food is pretty awesome. Big portions and the food reminded me of the food in Cancun. I've had their burritos and enchiladas which I thought were really good, and the tacos, which aren't anything too special. Only thing I didn't like is the bar being closed on Sunday, but otherwise this place has good food and a great neighborhood feel.
(4)Erica M.
The food here isn't bad, but I've had much better Mexican food. It's pretty mediocre, and sometimes the servers have mussed up the orders of my party. Ask about the spice level of each dish if you can't take the heat, because a lot of the time you don't get a warning that your food is laced with fire.
(3)Barry M.
I love this place! I'm in Baltimore at least twice a year and now make this a required stop each visit. Their food is outstanding (best refried beans; and get your burrito drunken), but I love the eclectic feel of the place from the decor to the staff. Feels like a college town type of place that I would find in Athens or Tallahassee. Reasonably priced too.
(4)Pascal P.
If you want good Mexican food I'd recommend trying to find something a little more exciting than Holy Frijoles. They do make the tastiest nachos I've ever had, but the rest of their food, while not bad, is pretty boring and generic. If you're desperate for Mexican then this place will do, but there are better options out there. Edit: I recently went here again and I was impressed enough with what I got to come back and add another star to my review. I tried a couple of different types of soft tacos and they were much tastier and more interesting than they used to be two or three years ago. The nachos remain excellent, and the prices are still very fair. It's still more Americanized than a lot of the Mexican food you can get in Upper Fells Point or Highlandtown, but for tasty Tex-Mex this restaurant has become hard to beat. Edit #2: I've continued to have good experiences with the food here but I learned that the margaritas are not worth getting. They're weak and taste like sugary margarita mix, not tequila and lime juice. The restaurant has also become overrun with hipsters, but I guess that skinny jeans and ugly tattoos don't really affect the taste of the food.
(4)Alex Z.
This place has decent Mexican food that is very authentic in some ways. The salsa was unusual...not very spicy, but very flavorful, with lots of cumin, which some people would like and others might not. I got tacos, and the pork taco was outstanding...but I didn't like the fact that it came in a flour tortilla instead of a (soft) corn one. I also got a fish taco, which was pretty good too. The menu isn't very big and is a bit lacking on selection: there are no soups, and everything is pretty simple. Lots of great and basic mexican dishes that you CAN'T find here. But, the ones we ordered were good. We came here for lunch but this place has a bar too...only four beers on tap but they have Yuengling and Dos Equis which makes me happy. Service was very good and both the hostess and our waitress were very nice. I would gladly come back here!
(4)Kate M.
Food is terrible...tasteless, microwaved, takes forever. Service is terrible. And the place smells terrible. I can't figure out why anyone goes here...or why it's even still open. Hampden needs a new Mexican place!! I'm routing for El Salto 3. :)
(1)Brian S.
Used to go more often but haven't been back in a while. Good for cheap mexican food, which is neither good nor horrible. It is what it is. The guacamole is awesome though.
(3)M. M.
Bumping up a star since I recently went back here after being gone for a while and it seems to have upped its game. I always end up ordering the nachos - the chips are so good I can't imagine wanting anything other than the nachos, and they are so huge even if you order the small size you can forget about eating anything else - and the addition of steak, beans, fresh salsa and LOTS of guac (you get the biggest bowl of it here that I've ever seen, if you order it) make them really standout. The ingredients seemed a bit fresher than my last visit a year or so ago. I know Baltimore/ Washington is not a hotbed of great Mexican cuisine, but the only place I know that does better chips is 2 hours away in Annapolis and that's usually 2 more hours than I have time for. The place looked like it had been fixed up a bit since my last visit. I am not sure why anyone would complain about the "decor", it's a standard hipster restaurant with booths, tables, a bar, and art on the walls. It looks fine to me and frankly it looks better than most of the big-empty-space with artsy-tables that I usually see. It looks just fine especially when I'm shoving those nachos in my face. The Drunken Sweeney is pretty cool, the portions at least of nachos are huge (like 2-3 days worth for me ) and the bill for 2 plates and drinks was like 35 bucks. Service was fine during a weekday dinner hour, even though there were quite a few people eating and drinking. They did ask if we wanted separate checks (we didn't). I wish this place was closer to my neighborhood so I could go more often. It sure beats Chipotle.
(4)Herman C.
Nice atmosphere and dollar tacos on Tuesday but that's about the extent of the positives. The free basket of tortillas were legit soggy. My entree was the steak fajitas. I requested medium rare and it came out well done. The onions and veggies were barely cooked. No rice, beans or guac included. The tortillas came out cold and there wasn't much flavor at all. One and done.
(2)Jane A.
Met up with a girlfriend for dinner during the week. We were seated and attended to right away. I ordered the cucumber margarita because it sounded interesting and my friend had a mango margarita. The mango marg was syrupy and the cucumber marg was sub par. I kept munching on the chips because I was hungry- but the salsa wasn't very good. I ordered the chicken fajitas and she had the fish tacos. She seemed to enjoy her dish- mine was just okay. Not a lot of meat, not a ton of flavor... just meh. As we sat there, the place got hotter and hotter. The doors were open and I don't think they had any fan going. By the time we left we were sweating, and really only leaving in order to go cool off. Service was fine.
(2)Kim Y.
Food maybe mediocre at best. Very slow service that tries too hard to be hipster and trendy, vs focusing on hospitality or service. Their tacos are my least preferred in Baltimore. Really wanted to enjoy, came twice and disappointed both times. I would maybe come back for just drinks next time but certainly not for a meal.
(1)Helen B.
Tasty, fresh salsa with a little kick. Black beans were a little dry, but the pork tacos with corn tortillas were delicious. Three meals and two sangrias came to $40. Good price, fresh food, and good service. Would definitely go back.
(4)