Service is attentive, food is amazingly good. The pollo poblano is great - pair it with a Cantarito in a terra cotta cup. Chips and salsa are great, beans delectable. The fajitas are also good. To-go service as well, which is extremely well packaged. We've never had a bad meal here and eat here probably once every two weeks or so. Great place to bring kids, the servers always pay extra attention to our sons - and make them feel at ease. Best authentic Mexican food in Grand Rapids that I've found thus far and coming from Dallas I have high expectations as far as that's concerned.
(5)
Jon H.
Hands down the best Latino food this side of the state. I frequent here over all other competitors. Today our take out was AMAZING...Staff of 24 said better than any catering we've ever had. Must have!!!
(5)
A D.
If I was able to give this place zero stars I would. I won't eat at an establishment that tries to swindle their customers. Let me explain...I had a craving for chicken tacos and decided to give this restaurant a try. I ordered a la carte (2) chicken tacos ($1.75/ea.) and (1) banana chimichanga & ice cream ($3.99) and somehow my grand total charged was $9.26. When I politely approached the waiter at the counter to ask for an itemized receipt, so that I could see how they came to this total, he asked the older man next to him what the prices of each item was and proceeded to type it into the register...when the total obviously didn't match the amount charged to my card, instead of apologizing and refunding me the difference, they decided that it was in their favor to start making up prices for the items I ordered to make up for their error. They then tried to tell me the chicken tacos I ordered were $1.99 a piece, and when I clearly showed them the menu listed price they then tried to pretend that the dessert was $4.99 (which I also disputed via their listed menu price). I could not take anymore of their ridiculous charades and just asked them to cancel my order and issue me a full refund because I don't support businesses that disrespect and try to steal from their customers this way. So instead of owning up to their error and just refunding me the difference, they lost out on an entire order, a new customer, and all of the people I will not recommend this unethical, shiesty establishment to.
(1)
Deej N.
Food good. Chips and salsa good. Large portions. Friendly service. My husband and I enjoyed it. He had the #6 plate. Beef enchilada and taco. I had beef burrito with cheese sauce on top. We would go back.
(4)
Cassandra N.
There are a lot of great Mexican restaurants in the GR area. El Arriero is not one of them. They're not bad, just not good enough that they would be worthy of a mention if someone asked me for a Mexican restaurant recommendation. I don't like the cheese that they use on their nachos. It's not good. I've been there more than once and it's always the same kind of cheese. The people I've gone with have always liked and enjoyed the food, but I'm apparently a harder sell. Their service is great however. Both times I've gone the servers have been wonderful; seem like good guys!
(3)
Ahmed E.
pretty upset with the place. came here based off the 4 star rating. the place wasn't busy and our waiter abandoned us lousy service all around. our meals were pretty bad. The only good thing was the fajita nachos.
(1)
Jaime S.
(4)
John P.
(5)
Meghan B.
(5)
Ric D.
This place is often mentioned in "Best" lists for Mexican. I was underwhelmed by the enchiladas rancheras (special). Pretty light on the chicken, stodgy cheese, and unexceptional re fried bean enchiladas in a less than memorable sauce. The service was excellent, and I don't look for ambiance in a strip mall restaurant. I will give it another chance, but I have fallen in love with another strip mall Mexican place only a mile away (see my earlier review).
(3)
Philip D.
It's a good authentic Mexican experience! The chips and salsa are homemade and the food is all delicious. Burritos are great and the service is okay.
(3)
Brett H.
If you are looking for large quantities of food at a reasonable price, this is your place. If you're looking for mexican food, move on! We both ordered the special dinner so we got to try a taco, burrito, tostada, enchilada, chalupa, tamale, beans and rice. Service was quick but there was nothing remotely mexican about how the food was seasoned. If you want unseasoned ground beef in a tortilla then you'll love it. You'd think if the cook was going to phone it in the very least he could do is open a packet of lawrys or mccormicks seasoning. Go elsewhere for mexican food.
(1)
T.J. S.
This is the second best Mexican Restaurant that I've been to in Grand Rapids. FAST. They get the food out to you quickly...so quickly that it's still screaming hot when it hits the table. The chips are super fresh and the salsa is money. Every dish that my fiance' and I have had has been excellent. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because of Little Mexico Cafe' on Stocking Ave, which is the BEST Mexican restaurant I've been to in GR. But from where my fiance' and I live, it's too far for us, whereas El Arriero is literally across the street.
(4)
Deelilah J.
They have pretty good food, not great but very solid. Good, fast service as well. I would probably give it a solid 3.5.
(4)
Cameron K.
This is a quirky Mexican restaurant in strip mall land. The prices are very reasonable and my steak was both excellent and a fabulous value. The spices are a little watered down because this is the midwest, but overall it is a solid Mexican option.
(5)
Gretchen D.
Definitely the best choice for Mexican food in the immediate area. Decent chips and fresh salsa (but it could be hotter). Husband had the green chili pork--very tasty. Son had enchiladas (5 different ones), He liked them all, I had a platter. Way too much food! The cheese was fresh. Decent guacamole. Pretty good tamales. It's easy to miss on busy 28th street. In a strip mall just west of Woodland mall on the south side of the street. It looks like it's all booths. Service was prompt and courteous. We used to go to La Cantina (which probably has better atmosphere) but the food is of much higher quality here--so it's our new "go to" place in the area.
(4)
Jori S.
Simply fantastic Mexican food! Great service, tasty food and super affordable. We go here probably twice a month if not more, on nights we don't feel like cooking and we want something reliably good and cheaper than most places. Of particular note: the flautas, guacamole and chimichangas. And of course, the margaritas!
(5)
Derek D.
This is a really nice hidden gem on 28th St. in Grand Rapids that probably gets overlooked because of the endless miles of popular chain restaurants that surround it. As other reviewers have commented, it can be worrisome to try out a restaurant in a strip mall but El Arriero is a really fantastic place to eat. Not only that, but it's fairly inexpensive to boot. Food: The complimentary (warm) chips and salsa are always a welcome start - both were excellent (the salsa was slightly spicier than the usual Mexican restaurant which was a welcome change to a lot of the bland salsa out there). Everything I had (rice, beans, tilapia tacos and a salad with avacadoes, lettuce and limes) was excellent. The little touches were the best part (like the corn tortillas the fish tacos came wrapped in - which were placed in foil over a hot plate to keep them moist). My wife had enchiladas which were also superb. One item on the menu of note was the tamales (which one can't always find given how time-consuming they are to prepare). Drinks: They have the typical selection of domestic beers and a decent selection of Mexican brews (even some you usually don't see like Negro Modelo and Negro Especial). I couldn't tell if they had a full bar, but they definitely have margaritas (which are supposed to be really good). Atmosphere/Experience: The interior is primarily filled with booths; somehow the tile and neon work together and the whole place still ends up feeling cozy. The staff were superb - attentive, good-natured, and helpful.
(5)
susan e.
I feel almost guilty about posting a mediocre review after reading all of the raves on here. Perhaps I should preface my remarks by saying that I lived in El Paso, Texas for 10 years and crossed the border into Juarez to eat at least a hundred times during my time there, so maybe I am too demanding. The only Mexican food I've ever had in GR that was authentic in the slightest was at Maggie's Kitchen. We visited (group of 6) on a weeknight and were seated right away. The chips were okay, but the salsa was blah. I asked for the hotter salsa and it was hot, but kind of tasteless. I ordered a combination plate that came with a tamale, an enchilada, rice, and beans. I was so excited about having a tamale - you can't usually get one around here. The food was very hot when it came, but quite disappointing. The outside cornmeal of the tamale was mushy and bland, and my enchilada appeared to be nothing more than a corn tortilla with some plain ground beef rolled up in it. The rice was pretty good, and the beans were creamy and delicious. My husband's plate of three enchiladas was drowning in so much cheese that you couldn't see the food underneath, but he said it was pretty good. My SIL's chalupa looked like a skimpy tostada, but the fajitas that three of my tablemates got looked quite tasty. It's too bad the waiter neglected us for so long that the meat got cold by the time he came around to offer more tortillas. I feel like I should perhaps give it another try, since everyone else seems to have loved the food there. For now, though, I'd have to say it was just "okay".
(2)
Brian E.
Looking for a place for dinner close to Woodland mall... The reviews seemed positive so we decided to stop in. Since it was only 4:30 we were seated immediately, beating the 5 pm dinner rush... The place was bright and clean. Chips and salsa appeared immediately and were yummy. I have to say none of my party can handle hot spices, so we went mild on salsa and all the dishes ordered. But just because the salsa was mild didn't mean it lacked flavor... It was really good and the chips light and crispy. We ordered two beef gigante burritos and one taco salad. The beef burritos (w/sauce on the side instead of on top just I case) were delicious! We split a side of guacamole to add to the burritos, and I added the mild salsa to mine... YUM. We forgot to try the sauce that was supposed to go on top. The chicken taco salad I'm told was yummy, however the crispy shell had a weird burnt oil flavor to it (I tried it and agree) but the personage chips with it instead and was very happy-- The salad itself was good. For the three of us it was less than $40 total (no alcoholic beverages)... A steal! And the service was prompt and friendly (even after the place got busy). We definitely will be back.
(5)
Jake S.
This is one of my go-to Mexican restaurants. Good Mexican with decent prices. I like the quesadilla rellena and the enchiladas combo is great.
(5)
Linda D.
There are definitely very shady business practices happening here. I visited this restaurant on a whim since I was craving authentic Mexican food--while waiting for my takeout order, I offered to pay my bill...when I noticed that their cashier was clearly overcharging me for various items I ordered?! I don't appreciate anyone insulting my intelligence and needless to say, I will NOT support a dishonestly run place like this, and neither should you.
(1)
Samantha D.
I ordered take out, so I can't comment on their wait service, but the guy who checked us out was very nice! Our food was great. I had the vegetarian fajitas and then sopapillas for dessert. Nothing to complain about--just really good food! UPDATE: I've been back several times since, both for pickup and dining in, and my love for this place has only grown stronger. That said, you've gotta try the queso dip. Sooooo good!
(4)
Jenna J.
Staff was great, food was pretty good. Felt very authentic. I loved their cocktails in the cute little glass.
(3)
Kendall J.
Really not impressed. I'd tried this place to go before and was disappointed, but I figured they'd been having a bad night. Not so, sadly. Today's lunch had even a cheese quesadilla disappoint. That takes talent to screw up. (Though the plate was hot, the middle of the cheese was cold and not melted. ) Service was so-so. At least the place was clean!
(2)
Mike H.
I go here about every six weeks or so and get the El Trio almost every time. Good fajitas though too. One of my favorite Mexican places in GR.
(4)
Lesley H.
Yes, finally, we found a Mexican spot. I love when my Mexican food tastes better than it looks. I feel like that's how it should be, I mean...who ever saw a pretty plating of refried beans? Although my Husband's fajitas and my enchiladas looked pretty damn delicious. Prior to this, every spot we had tried before served food that was either bland, or left me so overdosed in sodium that I went home and chugged a gallon of water. Not El Arriero. The guacamole tasted fresh, the margarita didn't taste watered down, and our food was yummy. The service was equally friendly, quick and attentive. I personally think it's one of the best in the area, both in authenticity, price, and overall service. Thanks, El Arriero!
(4)
Dawn H.
We thought it was great. The chips are thin and fresh. The salsa was not too hot and you could order hotter salsa. The portions were a nice size. The service was impeccable and our waiter double checked on my daughter's taco that had just cheese.
(4)
Mark W.
I was looking for authentic Mexican restaurant in GR; this place passed the test. Located on busy 28th street, the location is ideal for post shopping break. The service was outstanding as the food was ready within minutes. Chips & salsa were served during the brief wait. Margarita was excellent. I had the VEGETARIAN FAJITAS $8.99 (as described on the menu): A fiesta on a plate! Your favorite fajita is sizzled up with a colorful mix of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. Served with lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Served with warm flour or corn tortillas, rice and beans. Plenty to eat; good flavor 'tho the mushrooms were canned, not fresh. All in all, I will visit again when in Grand Rapids.
(4)
David H.
Service was great, food was just ok. Pretty typical Mexican food, nothing special or great about it. Had lunch here, lunch menu and selection is pretty broad.
(3)
Alan K.
I've been on a quest to find a favorite Mexican restaurant in Grand Rapids. Though not perfect, El Arriero is definitely a contender. Service has always been fast, friendly and efficient. Chips and salsa are fresh and tasty. I was eating here pretty regularly while on business and enjoyed various enchiladas, rellenos and burritos and they've all been great. My only disappointment has been the vegetable fajitas. Pretty lacking in flavor. I get the feeling that the vegetables may be of the frozen or pre-prepared variety because they have that grayish-green look to them and lack the crispness that you get with fresh stir-fried peppers. They seemed a little too limp and on the watery side. Other than that small disappointment, I've been pretty pleased with most everything I've ordered. Prices are very reasonable.
(3)
Tyler M.
I come here often, always fast and friendly service. Grilled chicken casadilla is dank. Pretty cheap food overall. Free chips and salsa. Great spot to eat
(5)
Lindsay C.
My partner and I came here for a quick dinner. As I recall we were both pretty tired and hungry after a day at work; the place was not very busy, but it was late, too. The place was clean, dimly lit and we got a spacious booth. Our server was attentive and the food came out quick and was hot. We never wanted for water, sour cream, salsa, chips, or anything else. No complaints there. My burrito was a tad bland, honestly. I was SUPER HUNGRY though, so I ate it. ALL of it....which made me feel like exploding. It was a huge burrito. I regretted that decision immensely later lol! My friend's fajita quesadilla was much better. Loaded with chihuahua cheese and veggies, and the meat was all white chicken. It did lack spice, however; I found all of their food lacked spice but was still tasty.
(3)
Charles F.
If there is one thing you can't fault them for, it's speed. I went on a Saturday. These guys were lightning fast on my visit. I was amazed. Really. Fastest service I've ever had. Barely sat down and I had a bowl of chips and salsa in front of me. Seconds later, I had ordered. Probably not more than 4 or 5 minutes later, I had my meal in front of me. Maybe it's just me, but maybe it was TOO fast. I almost felt rushed. Like the server didn't have time to make a recommendation. Then the server would show up every few minutes to check on me, which is nice, but you know how it can be a bit annoying when you're stuffing your face. One of the times he checked up on me, he assumed I was done and was going to give me my check, but I had to stop him and ASK for a menu back to get a desert. Since when does that happen? The food itself was ok. Scores maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10, at least for the Burrito Mexicanos I had. The salsa that came with the appetizer chips was somewhere between being tasteless and tasting kind of like soap. I know! It sounds weird! Maybe I just had a bad batch. In any case, despite my gripes, they still get a high score. You can tell they were trying to serve their customers well. And despite my odd discomfort with the speed of the transaction, it still was very speedy service. I'll probably try them again.
(4)
RodSketti R.
We had high expectations going to El Arriero, due to the high ratings on yelp... We went on a Saturday night. I thought there would be a wait, but they seated us promptly! The waiter was pleasant which is always a plus. The drinks actually had alcohol in them and were reasonably priced. As for the food... I got the plate of each enchilada they had. The best one was the cheese, and I like my meet! So, that's not saying much! My girlfriend got one beef, one chicken and one chorizo taco. They were just tacos with meet... where's the cilantro? where's the onion? She ended up stealing some of the lettuce off of my plate! Flavors were good, but nothing amazing. She said she would have rather eaten a taco from Jose's! Both of our friends got some sort of burrito. They had nothing good to say about it. Salsa was very mild and watery! There were mixed feelings about the beans. I disliked them, girlfriend said it was the best thing El Arriero had to offer. Rice was not a mexican rice! I would go again for some good drinks and to share an entree... without high expectations!
(3)
Robert G.
No local beers. Long wait for food. Food that was supposed to be warm was cold in spots. Not a great dining experience. Won't be back.
(1)
Terri B.
Great authentic food!:) The food was very fresh and great service! Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. Moved to Grand Rapids from Tulsa, OK and was in search of a great Mexican food restaurant and think I may have found it now:)
(4)
Beau R.
I was nearby and saw a few reviews for El Arriero. One of the reviews talked about the burritos being great. Anytime I hear anything about a burrito being good I black out and come too with a burrito in my hand. Most people have 5 senses, but I have 6. The 6th being some time of weird burrito controlling mind trick. Ok so maybe it isn't a sense and this possibly doesn't make any sense at all. But if I hear about a good burrito, I won't stop thinking about it and I immediately go about eating it. I ordered what I believe to be the "Burrito Giganto" to-go over the phone without a menu because I didn't have much time. I told the guy I wanted a carne asada burrito, and told him I didn't have a menu. Anyway it was fantastic. It was covered with a typical enchilada like sauce and cheese. The inside was stuffed with rice, refried beans, lettuce, grilled onion, sour cream, and carne asada. I will have to say this was pretty freaking good for Michigan.
(4)
Jen T.
El Arriero, El Arriero! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 1. Fresh made tortilla chips with home made salsa- nice low simmer of heat 2. Cheese with chorizo dip- good chorizo flavor, nicely balanced and served with fresh hot tortillas (corn available upon request) 3. Camarones Chipotle- perfectly cooked shrimp in a lovely chipotle-crema sauce. Nice and smoky. Served with nicely ripened avocado wedges and hot tortillas. 4. Chicken Poblano- nicely seared boneless chicken breast, smothered in a yummy cheese sauce with fresh poblanos and onions. Served with hot tortillas. 5. Bistek Tampiquena- Perfectly cooked, nicely charred boneless ribeye topped with sauteed fresh jalapenos, onions and tomatoes, squeeze of lime, yum! Served with hot tortillas. 6. Nice, dangerously smooth, margaritas! The large is LARGE. Now the rice and refried beans were "eh", but who cares???? I'm only in town for the week and there were several highly reviewed Mexican places, but I don't regret my choice in the least. I may even break my "don't dine in the same place twice on a single trip" rule.
(5)
Veronica D.
Great food. Pleasant atmosphere. The portions were very generous and meals were reasonably priced. We will definitely go back!
(5)
Brian S.
My wife and I decided on mexican food the other day, so we decided to try a place we hadn't been to before. El Arriero is located across from the Woodland Mall on 28th street. The decor is fairly modern, not very well lit, but the place looks clean. When we arrived it was reasonably busy, about 75% full. Always a good sign. Hundreds of my coworkers are hispanic immigrants, so I have a reasonable exposure to authenticity when it comes to Mexican food. Here's the problem with "authentic" Mexican food: most people really don't want it at a restaurant. My definition of "authentic" is the food that the ethnic group in question cooks and eats at home for themselves. In the case of Mexican food, most of what they make at home is very simple and doesn't translate well to a restaurant setting. Nobody is going to pay for a plain tortilla with beans and steak. It's the same way with any home-cooked food. When I make spaghetti, I use three ingredients: noodles, ground beef, and spaghetti sauce. I enjoy it well enough, but I would be upset if I saw something that simple and unimaginative delivered to me at a restaurant where I'm paying much more money for it. We started off with the standard complimentary chips and salsa. The first batch of chips were homemade, but room temperature, but since the chips I eat are cold the vast majority of the time, it wasn't a big deal. The second basket was warm, which was a plus. The salsa was marginal, very watery and not quite enough cilantro for my taste. I've had better and I've had worse. Our order consisted of a burrito dish for my wife and fish tacos for me. The ground beef on my wife's burrito was not seasoned, and I'm honestly not sure if smothering enchilada sauce on top of it really makes it count as a "burrito" anymore. As I said before I ordered the fish tacos. I received three plates. One contained refried beans with a small patch of melted white cheese on it as well as dry, flavorless, overcooked mexican rice. I could tell it was a dehydrated mix, as there were various kinds of beans in it that hadn't quite been re-hydrated fully. The beans were also a disappointment. Just mush and they actually started to form a crust after ten minutes of sitting on the plate. On to plate #2: This contained my toppings, the vast majority of which was iceberg lettuce. Also there were a few dices of tomatoes and onions with a slight dash of cilantro. Finally, avocado and lime slices topped it off. The last plate actually contained the tacos, two in total. The fish had a decent flavor, and unlike most Mexican restaurants I've been to, they were served on soft, white corn tortillas, which I generally prefer to the standard flour tortilla seen at most of these places. There were two things about the tacos I didn't like. First, they were wrapped in aluminum foil. That's fine for your local, hole-in-the-wall lunch counter, but in an actual sit-down restaurant with waiters and waitresses? Can anyone say T-A-C-K-Y? This is what I mean about authenticity. Wrapping tortillas in aluminum foil is something that Mexicans and other Hispanic people actually do. Using aluminum foil may be authentic, but it doesn't translate well in a restaurant setting, and honestly, it's kind of off-putting. I realize this place is on the low end cost-wise, but the time and expense wrapping food in foil can be better spent on presentation. It makes sense since it keeps the contents warm, but I'm literally sitting less than thirty feet away from the kitchen. This isn't a to-go order and it shouldn't lose that much heat on the way out. Then again, it probably should, which was my second problem. The tacos were just too. darn. hot. Not spice-wise, temperature-wise. I literally could not touch then for the first few minutes without getting burned. Thankfully, despite all the problems I'd had so far, once I assembled my toppings and bit into it it was quite good. Nothing to write home about, but it was a $7 dish as well. When it came time to pay...I paid. This is probably what I liked the best about this restaurant. I didn't have to wait three months for our waiter to finally notice we were finished eating and take my credit card, and then wait another five months for him to return with the slip for me to sign. When we were done, we went up and paid. I don't know about you, but I LOVE it when restaurants do this. I just hate that feeling of being held hostage by the waiter/waitress when we're waiting for the whole process to finish. Once, I actually spent over 45 minutes at a different restaurant waiting for a waiter to bring back my receipt and credit card. It earned him a 1-penny tip (so he would know I didn't just forget). El Arriero has some positive things going for it, but overall it fails to stand out from the wave of low-budget Mexican eateries that have been popping up in GR lately.
(2)
Mark C.
Since moving to the Grand Rapids area in 2001, El Arriero has been the #1 choice for my family for Mexican food and the bar by which all others are judged. If you're looking for a Mexican restaurant on 28th St don't let 'mathematics' get in the way, Division is boring anyways ;-). This should be your only choice. Especially since you don't have to pay for the chips and salsa which are always fresh & tasty! I have yet to have anything on the menu here that I did not like. In fact, El Arriero helped me to get over my dislike of Guacamole. Which is quite the achievement, I think. I usually come here very hungry, and when that happens, I get the 'Special Dinner', which last I checked, was $10.25. This meal choice is not for the faint of heart, as it contains a little bit of everything on two platters, not plates, platters, quite the tasty bargain. This is usually chased down by one, if not two tall cold glasses of draught Dos Equis Amber. They have plenty of vegetarian friendly dishes as well, and the few vegetarian friends I have RAVE about them. A side note, we've dubbed the white shredded cheese they use in/on their dishes here 'Magic Cheese' since it's quite awesome and 'disappears' rather quickly. If I don't get the Special Dinner, I'll usually order a couple/three Cheese Enchiladas off their Ala Carte menu. I could go on and on about how all the food here is so good, but I'd rather just spend the next few words imploring you to just go and try them if you haven't already. You will not be disappointed! The service too, is as good as the food, so tip well!
(5)
Saniya S.
Free chips and salsa. Great portions. Good variety of vegetarian dishes. I don't eat meat so usually I substitute shrimp for chicken or beef and it's never gone wrong! Get the enchilada with shrimp or fried chimichanga with shrimp, or any of the other dishes with shrimp, you can't go wrong!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Jon T.
(5)Patricia H.
(1)JP W.
(5)Timothy M.
(5)Simon P.
(5)Adrienne S.
(4)Bec B.
(2)Doug R.
(2)Mark C.
(4)Tim K.
(5)April G.
Service is attentive, food is amazingly good. The pollo poblano is great - pair it with a Cantarito in a terra cotta cup. Chips and salsa are great, beans delectable. The fajitas are also good. To-go service as well, which is extremely well packaged. We've never had a bad meal here and eat here probably once every two weeks or so. Great place to bring kids, the servers always pay extra attention to our sons - and make them feel at ease. Best authentic Mexican food in Grand Rapids that I've found thus far and coming from Dallas I have high expectations as far as that's concerned.
(5)Jon H.
Hands down the best Latino food this side of the state. I frequent here over all other competitors. Today our take out was AMAZING...Staff of 24 said better than any catering we've ever had. Must have!!!
(5)A D.
If I was able to give this place zero stars I would. I won't eat at an establishment that tries to swindle their customers. Let me explain...I had a craving for chicken tacos and decided to give this restaurant a try. I ordered a la carte (2) chicken tacos ($1.75/ea.) and (1) banana chimichanga & ice cream ($3.99) and somehow my grand total charged was $9.26. When I politely approached the waiter at the counter to ask for an itemized receipt, so that I could see how they came to this total, he asked the older man next to him what the prices of each item was and proceeded to type it into the register...when the total obviously didn't match the amount charged to my card, instead of apologizing and refunding me the difference, they decided that it was in their favor to start making up prices for the items I ordered to make up for their error. They then tried to tell me the chicken tacos I ordered were $1.99 a piece, and when I clearly showed them the menu listed price they then tried to pretend that the dessert was $4.99 (which I also disputed via their listed menu price). I could not take anymore of their ridiculous charades and just asked them to cancel my order and issue me a full refund because I don't support businesses that disrespect and try to steal from their customers this way. So instead of owning up to their error and just refunding me the difference, they lost out on an entire order, a new customer, and all of the people I will not recommend this unethical, shiesty establishment to.
(1)Deej N.
Food good. Chips and salsa good. Large portions. Friendly service. My husband and I enjoyed it. He had the #6 plate. Beef enchilada and taco. I had beef burrito with cheese sauce on top. We would go back.
(4)Cassandra N.
There are a lot of great Mexican restaurants in the GR area. El Arriero is not one of them. They're not bad, just not good enough that they would be worthy of a mention if someone asked me for a Mexican restaurant recommendation. I don't like the cheese that they use on their nachos. It's not good. I've been there more than once and it's always the same kind of cheese. The people I've gone with have always liked and enjoyed the food, but I'm apparently a harder sell. Their service is great however. Both times I've gone the servers have been wonderful; seem like good guys!
(3)Ahmed E.
pretty upset with the place. came here based off the 4 star rating. the place wasn't busy and our waiter abandoned us lousy service all around. our meals were pretty bad. The only good thing was the fajita nachos.
(1)Jaime S.
(4)John P.
(5)Meghan B.
(5)Ric D.
This place is often mentioned in "Best" lists for Mexican. I was underwhelmed by the enchiladas rancheras (special). Pretty light on the chicken, stodgy cheese, and unexceptional re fried bean enchiladas in a less than memorable sauce. The service was excellent, and I don't look for ambiance in a strip mall restaurant. I will give it another chance, but I have fallen in love with another strip mall Mexican place only a mile away (see my earlier review).
(3)Philip D.
It's a good authentic Mexican experience! The chips and salsa are homemade and the food is all delicious. Burritos are great and the service is okay.
(3)Brett H.
If you are looking for large quantities of food at a reasonable price, this is your place. If you're looking for mexican food, move on! We both ordered the special dinner so we got to try a taco, burrito, tostada, enchilada, chalupa, tamale, beans and rice. Service was quick but there was nothing remotely mexican about how the food was seasoned. If you want unseasoned ground beef in a tortilla then you'll love it. You'd think if the cook was going to phone it in the very least he could do is open a packet of lawrys or mccormicks seasoning. Go elsewhere for mexican food.
(1)T.J. S.
This is the second best Mexican Restaurant that I've been to in Grand Rapids. FAST. They get the food out to you quickly...so quickly that it's still screaming hot when it hits the table. The chips are super fresh and the salsa is money. Every dish that my fiance' and I have had has been excellent. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because of Little Mexico Cafe' on Stocking Ave, which is the BEST Mexican restaurant I've been to in GR. But from where my fiance' and I live, it's too far for us, whereas El Arriero is literally across the street.
(4)Deelilah J.
They have pretty good food, not great but very solid. Good, fast service as well. I would probably give it a solid 3.5.
(4)Cameron K.
This is a quirky Mexican restaurant in strip mall land. The prices are very reasonable and my steak was both excellent and a fabulous value. The spices are a little watered down because this is the midwest, but overall it is a solid Mexican option.
(5)Gretchen D.
Definitely the best choice for Mexican food in the immediate area. Decent chips and fresh salsa (but it could be hotter). Husband had the green chili pork--very tasty. Son had enchiladas (5 different ones), He liked them all, I had a platter. Way too much food! The cheese was fresh. Decent guacamole. Pretty good tamales. It's easy to miss on busy 28th street. In a strip mall just west of Woodland mall on the south side of the street. It looks like it's all booths. Service was prompt and courteous. We used to go to La Cantina (which probably has better atmosphere) but the food is of much higher quality here--so it's our new "go to" place in the area.
(4)Jori S.
Simply fantastic Mexican food! Great service, tasty food and super affordable. We go here probably twice a month if not more, on nights we don't feel like cooking and we want something reliably good and cheaper than most places. Of particular note: the flautas, guacamole and chimichangas. And of course, the margaritas!
(5)Derek D.
This is a really nice hidden gem on 28th St. in Grand Rapids that probably gets overlooked because of the endless miles of popular chain restaurants that surround it. As other reviewers have commented, it can be worrisome to try out a restaurant in a strip mall but El Arriero is a really fantastic place to eat. Not only that, but it's fairly inexpensive to boot. Food: The complimentary (warm) chips and salsa are always a welcome start - both were excellent (the salsa was slightly spicier than the usual Mexican restaurant which was a welcome change to a lot of the bland salsa out there). Everything I had (rice, beans, tilapia tacos and a salad with avacadoes, lettuce and limes) was excellent. The little touches were the best part (like the corn tortillas the fish tacos came wrapped in - which were placed in foil over a hot plate to keep them moist). My wife had enchiladas which were also superb. One item on the menu of note was the tamales (which one can't always find given how time-consuming they are to prepare). Drinks: They have the typical selection of domestic beers and a decent selection of Mexican brews (even some you usually don't see like Negro Modelo and Negro Especial). I couldn't tell if they had a full bar, but they definitely have margaritas (which are supposed to be really good). Atmosphere/Experience: The interior is primarily filled with booths; somehow the tile and neon work together and the whole place still ends up feeling cozy. The staff were superb - attentive, good-natured, and helpful.
(5)susan e.
I feel almost guilty about posting a mediocre review after reading all of the raves on here. Perhaps I should preface my remarks by saying that I lived in El Paso, Texas for 10 years and crossed the border into Juarez to eat at least a hundred times during my time there, so maybe I am too demanding. The only Mexican food I've ever had in GR that was authentic in the slightest was at Maggie's Kitchen. We visited (group of 6) on a weeknight and were seated right away. The chips were okay, but the salsa was blah. I asked for the hotter salsa and it was hot, but kind of tasteless. I ordered a combination plate that came with a tamale, an enchilada, rice, and beans. I was so excited about having a tamale - you can't usually get one around here. The food was very hot when it came, but quite disappointing. The outside cornmeal of the tamale was mushy and bland, and my enchilada appeared to be nothing more than a corn tortilla with some plain ground beef rolled up in it. The rice was pretty good, and the beans were creamy and delicious. My husband's plate of three enchiladas was drowning in so much cheese that you couldn't see the food underneath, but he said it was pretty good. My SIL's chalupa looked like a skimpy tostada, but the fajitas that three of my tablemates got looked quite tasty. It's too bad the waiter neglected us for so long that the meat got cold by the time he came around to offer more tortillas. I feel like I should perhaps give it another try, since everyone else seems to have loved the food there. For now, though, I'd have to say it was just "okay".
(2)Brian E.
Looking for a place for dinner close to Woodland mall... The reviews seemed positive so we decided to stop in. Since it was only 4:30 we were seated immediately, beating the 5 pm dinner rush... The place was bright and clean. Chips and salsa appeared immediately and were yummy. I have to say none of my party can handle hot spices, so we went mild on salsa and all the dishes ordered. But just because the salsa was mild didn't mean it lacked flavor... It was really good and the chips light and crispy. We ordered two beef gigante burritos and one taco salad. The beef burritos (w/sauce on the side instead of on top just I case) were delicious! We split a side of guacamole to add to the burritos, and I added the mild salsa to mine... YUM. We forgot to try the sauce that was supposed to go on top. The chicken taco salad I'm told was yummy, however the crispy shell had a weird burnt oil flavor to it (I tried it and agree) but the personage chips with it instead and was very happy-- The salad itself was good. For the three of us it was less than $40 total (no alcoholic beverages)... A steal! And the service was prompt and friendly (even after the place got busy). We definitely will be back.
(5)Jake S.
This is one of my go-to Mexican restaurants. Good Mexican with decent prices. I like the quesadilla rellena and the enchiladas combo is great.
(5)Linda D.
There are definitely very shady business practices happening here. I visited this restaurant on a whim since I was craving authentic Mexican food--while waiting for my takeout order, I offered to pay my bill...when I noticed that their cashier was clearly overcharging me for various items I ordered?! I don't appreciate anyone insulting my intelligence and needless to say, I will NOT support a dishonestly run place like this, and neither should you.
(1)Samantha D.
I ordered take out, so I can't comment on their wait service, but the guy who checked us out was very nice! Our food was great. I had the vegetarian fajitas and then sopapillas for dessert. Nothing to complain about--just really good food! UPDATE: I've been back several times since, both for pickup and dining in, and my love for this place has only grown stronger. That said, you've gotta try the queso dip. Sooooo good!
(4)Jenna J.
Staff was great, food was pretty good. Felt very authentic. I loved their cocktails in the cute little glass.
(3)Kendall J.
Really not impressed. I'd tried this place to go before and was disappointed, but I figured they'd been having a bad night. Not so, sadly. Today's lunch had even a cheese quesadilla disappoint. That takes talent to screw up. (Though the plate was hot, the middle of the cheese was cold and not melted. ) Service was so-so. At least the place was clean!
(2)Mike H.
I go here about every six weeks or so and get the El Trio almost every time. Good fajitas though too. One of my favorite Mexican places in GR.
(4)Lesley H.
Yes, finally, we found a Mexican spot. I love when my Mexican food tastes better than it looks. I feel like that's how it should be, I mean...who ever saw a pretty plating of refried beans? Although my Husband's fajitas and my enchiladas looked pretty damn delicious. Prior to this, every spot we had tried before served food that was either bland, or left me so overdosed in sodium that I went home and chugged a gallon of water. Not El Arriero. The guacamole tasted fresh, the margarita didn't taste watered down, and our food was yummy. The service was equally friendly, quick and attentive. I personally think it's one of the best in the area, both in authenticity, price, and overall service. Thanks, El Arriero!
(4)Dawn H.
We thought it was great. The chips are thin and fresh. The salsa was not too hot and you could order hotter salsa. The portions were a nice size. The service was impeccable and our waiter double checked on my daughter's taco that had just cheese.
(4)Mark W.
I was looking for authentic Mexican restaurant in GR; this place passed the test. Located on busy 28th street, the location is ideal for post shopping break. The service was outstanding as the food was ready within minutes. Chips & salsa were served during the brief wait. Margarita was excellent. I had the VEGETARIAN FAJITAS $8.99 (as described on the menu): A fiesta on a plate! Your favorite fajita is sizzled up with a colorful mix of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. Served with lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Served with warm flour or corn tortillas, rice and beans. Plenty to eat; good flavor 'tho the mushrooms were canned, not fresh. All in all, I will visit again when in Grand Rapids.
(4)David H.
Service was great, food was just ok. Pretty typical Mexican food, nothing special or great about it. Had lunch here, lunch menu and selection is pretty broad.
(3)Alan K.
I've been on a quest to find a favorite Mexican restaurant in Grand Rapids. Though not perfect, El Arriero is definitely a contender. Service has always been fast, friendly and efficient. Chips and salsa are fresh and tasty. I was eating here pretty regularly while on business and enjoyed various enchiladas, rellenos and burritos and they've all been great. My only disappointment has been the vegetable fajitas. Pretty lacking in flavor. I get the feeling that the vegetables may be of the frozen or pre-prepared variety because they have that grayish-green look to them and lack the crispness that you get with fresh stir-fried peppers. They seemed a little too limp and on the watery side. Other than that small disappointment, I've been pretty pleased with most everything I've ordered. Prices are very reasonable.
(3)Tyler M.
I come here often, always fast and friendly service. Grilled chicken casadilla is dank. Pretty cheap food overall. Free chips and salsa. Great spot to eat
(5)Lindsay C.
My partner and I came here for a quick dinner. As I recall we were both pretty tired and hungry after a day at work; the place was not very busy, but it was late, too. The place was clean, dimly lit and we got a spacious booth. Our server was attentive and the food came out quick and was hot. We never wanted for water, sour cream, salsa, chips, or anything else. No complaints there. My burrito was a tad bland, honestly. I was SUPER HUNGRY though, so I ate it. ALL of it....which made me feel like exploding. It was a huge burrito. I regretted that decision immensely later lol! My friend's fajita quesadilla was much better. Loaded with chihuahua cheese and veggies, and the meat was all white chicken. It did lack spice, however; I found all of their food lacked spice but was still tasty.
(3)Charles F.
If there is one thing you can't fault them for, it's speed. I went on a Saturday. These guys were lightning fast on my visit. I was amazed. Really. Fastest service I've ever had. Barely sat down and I had a bowl of chips and salsa in front of me. Seconds later, I had ordered. Probably not more than 4 or 5 minutes later, I had my meal in front of me. Maybe it's just me, but maybe it was TOO fast. I almost felt rushed. Like the server didn't have time to make a recommendation. Then the server would show up every few minutes to check on me, which is nice, but you know how it can be a bit annoying when you're stuffing your face. One of the times he checked up on me, he assumed I was done and was going to give me my check, but I had to stop him and ASK for a menu back to get a desert. Since when does that happen? The food itself was ok. Scores maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10, at least for the Burrito Mexicanos I had. The salsa that came with the appetizer chips was somewhere between being tasteless and tasting kind of like soap. I know! It sounds weird! Maybe I just had a bad batch. In any case, despite my gripes, they still get a high score. You can tell they were trying to serve their customers well. And despite my odd discomfort with the speed of the transaction, it still was very speedy service. I'll probably try them again.
(4)RodSketti R.
We had high expectations going to El Arriero, due to the high ratings on yelp... We went on a Saturday night. I thought there would be a wait, but they seated us promptly! The waiter was pleasant which is always a plus. The drinks actually had alcohol in them and were reasonably priced. As for the food... I got the plate of each enchilada they had. The best one was the cheese, and I like my meet! So, that's not saying much! My girlfriend got one beef, one chicken and one chorizo taco. They were just tacos with meet... where's the cilantro? where's the onion? She ended up stealing some of the lettuce off of my plate! Flavors were good, but nothing amazing. She said she would have rather eaten a taco from Jose's! Both of our friends got some sort of burrito. They had nothing good to say about it. Salsa was very mild and watery! There were mixed feelings about the beans. I disliked them, girlfriend said it was the best thing El Arriero had to offer. Rice was not a mexican rice! I would go again for some good drinks and to share an entree... without high expectations!
(3)Robert G.
No local beers. Long wait for food. Food that was supposed to be warm was cold in spots. Not a great dining experience. Won't be back.
(1)Terri B.
Great authentic food!:) The food was very fresh and great service! Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. Moved to Grand Rapids from Tulsa, OK and was in search of a great Mexican food restaurant and think I may have found it now:)
(4)Beau R.
I was nearby and saw a few reviews for El Arriero. One of the reviews talked about the burritos being great. Anytime I hear anything about a burrito being good I black out and come too with a burrito in my hand. Most people have 5 senses, but I have 6. The 6th being some time of weird burrito controlling mind trick. Ok so maybe it isn't a sense and this possibly doesn't make any sense at all. But if I hear about a good burrito, I won't stop thinking about it and I immediately go about eating it. I ordered what I believe to be the "Burrito Giganto" to-go over the phone without a menu because I didn't have much time. I told the guy I wanted a carne asada burrito, and told him I didn't have a menu. Anyway it was fantastic. It was covered with a typical enchilada like sauce and cheese. The inside was stuffed with rice, refried beans, lettuce, grilled onion, sour cream, and carne asada. I will have to say this was pretty freaking good for Michigan.
(4)Jen T.
El Arriero, El Arriero! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 1. Fresh made tortilla chips with home made salsa- nice low simmer of heat 2. Cheese with chorizo dip- good chorizo flavor, nicely balanced and served with fresh hot tortillas (corn available upon request) 3. Camarones Chipotle- perfectly cooked shrimp in a lovely chipotle-crema sauce. Nice and smoky. Served with nicely ripened avocado wedges and hot tortillas. 4. Chicken Poblano- nicely seared boneless chicken breast, smothered in a yummy cheese sauce with fresh poblanos and onions. Served with hot tortillas. 5. Bistek Tampiquena- Perfectly cooked, nicely charred boneless ribeye topped with sauteed fresh jalapenos, onions and tomatoes, squeeze of lime, yum! Served with hot tortillas. 6. Nice, dangerously smooth, margaritas! The large is LARGE. Now the rice and refried beans were "eh", but who cares???? I'm only in town for the week and there were several highly reviewed Mexican places, but I don't regret my choice in the least. I may even break my "don't dine in the same place twice on a single trip" rule.
(5)Veronica D.
Great food. Pleasant atmosphere. The portions were very generous and meals were reasonably priced. We will definitely go back!
(5)Brian S.
My wife and I decided on mexican food the other day, so we decided to try a place we hadn't been to before. El Arriero is located across from the Woodland Mall on 28th street. The decor is fairly modern, not very well lit, but the place looks clean. When we arrived it was reasonably busy, about 75% full. Always a good sign. Hundreds of my coworkers are hispanic immigrants, so I have a reasonable exposure to authenticity when it comes to Mexican food. Here's the problem with "authentic" Mexican food: most people really don't want it at a restaurant. My definition of "authentic" is the food that the ethnic group in question cooks and eats at home for themselves. In the case of Mexican food, most of what they make at home is very simple and doesn't translate well to a restaurant setting. Nobody is going to pay for a plain tortilla with beans and steak. It's the same way with any home-cooked food. When I make spaghetti, I use three ingredients: noodles, ground beef, and spaghetti sauce. I enjoy it well enough, but I would be upset if I saw something that simple and unimaginative delivered to me at a restaurant where I'm paying much more money for it. We started off with the standard complimentary chips and salsa. The first batch of chips were homemade, but room temperature, but since the chips I eat are cold the vast majority of the time, it wasn't a big deal. The second basket was warm, which was a plus. The salsa was marginal, very watery and not quite enough cilantro for my taste. I've had better and I've had worse. Our order consisted of a burrito dish for my wife and fish tacos for me. The ground beef on my wife's burrito was not seasoned, and I'm honestly not sure if smothering enchilada sauce on top of it really makes it count as a "burrito" anymore. As I said before I ordered the fish tacos. I received three plates. One contained refried beans with a small patch of melted white cheese on it as well as dry, flavorless, overcooked mexican rice. I could tell it was a dehydrated mix, as there were various kinds of beans in it that hadn't quite been re-hydrated fully. The beans were also a disappointment. Just mush and they actually started to form a crust after ten minutes of sitting on the plate. On to plate #2: This contained my toppings, the vast majority of which was iceberg lettuce. Also there were a few dices of tomatoes and onions with a slight dash of cilantro. Finally, avocado and lime slices topped it off. The last plate actually contained the tacos, two in total. The fish had a decent flavor, and unlike most Mexican restaurants I've been to, they were served on soft, white corn tortillas, which I generally prefer to the standard flour tortilla seen at most of these places. There were two things about the tacos I didn't like. First, they were wrapped in aluminum foil. That's fine for your local, hole-in-the-wall lunch counter, but in an actual sit-down restaurant with waiters and waitresses? Can anyone say T-A-C-K-Y? This is what I mean about authenticity. Wrapping tortillas in aluminum foil is something that Mexicans and other Hispanic people actually do. Using aluminum foil may be authentic, but it doesn't translate well in a restaurant setting, and honestly, it's kind of off-putting. I realize this place is on the low end cost-wise, but the time and expense wrapping food in foil can be better spent on presentation. It makes sense since it keeps the contents warm, but I'm literally sitting less than thirty feet away from the kitchen. This isn't a to-go order and it shouldn't lose that much heat on the way out. Then again, it probably should, which was my second problem. The tacos were just too. darn. hot. Not spice-wise, temperature-wise. I literally could not touch then for the first few minutes without getting burned. Thankfully, despite all the problems I'd had so far, once I assembled my toppings and bit into it it was quite good. Nothing to write home about, but it was a $7 dish as well. When it came time to pay...I paid. This is probably what I liked the best about this restaurant. I didn't have to wait three months for our waiter to finally notice we were finished eating and take my credit card, and then wait another five months for him to return with the slip for me to sign. When we were done, we went up and paid. I don't know about you, but I LOVE it when restaurants do this. I just hate that feeling of being held hostage by the waiter/waitress when we're waiting for the whole process to finish. Once, I actually spent over 45 minutes at a different restaurant waiting for a waiter to bring back my receipt and credit card. It earned him a 1-penny tip (so he would know I didn't just forget). El Arriero has some positive things going for it, but overall it fails to stand out from the wave of low-budget Mexican eateries that have been popping up in GR lately.
(2)Mark C.
Since moving to the Grand Rapids area in 2001, El Arriero has been the #1 choice for my family for Mexican food and the bar by which all others are judged. If you're looking for a Mexican restaurant on 28th St don't let 'mathematics' get in the way, Division is boring anyways ;-). This should be your only choice. Especially since you don't have to pay for the chips and salsa which are always fresh & tasty! I have yet to have anything on the menu here that I did not like. In fact, El Arriero helped me to get over my dislike of Guacamole. Which is quite the achievement, I think. I usually come here very hungry, and when that happens, I get the 'Special Dinner', which last I checked, was $10.25. This meal choice is not for the faint of heart, as it contains a little bit of everything on two platters, not plates, platters, quite the tasty bargain. This is usually chased down by one, if not two tall cold glasses of draught Dos Equis Amber. They have plenty of vegetarian friendly dishes as well, and the few vegetarian friends I have RAVE about them. A side note, we've dubbed the white shredded cheese they use in/on their dishes here 'Magic Cheese' since it's quite awesome and 'disappears' rather quickly. If I don't get the Special Dinner, I'll usually order a couple/three Cheese Enchiladas off their Ala Carte menu. I could go on and on about how all the food here is so good, but I'd rather just spend the next few words imploring you to just go and try them if you haven't already. You will not be disappointed! The service too, is as good as the food, so tip well!
(5)Saniya S.
Free chips and salsa. Great portions. Good variety of vegetarian dishes. I don't eat meat so usually I substitute shrimp for chicken or beef and it's never gone wrong! Get the enchilada with shrimp or fried chimichanga with shrimp, or any of the other dishes with shrimp, you can't go wrong!
(4)