This place was horrible in every way. Took 10 minutes to get chips and salsa. Another 5 for water. (Not busy). I asked for a soft taco instead of a hard taco in my child's meal with rice and beans, and she brought out a hard taco only, no rice and beans, and the taco tasted bad. I requested the most popular dish with flour tortillas, she brought it out with corn, and the dish was awful. Chewy meat, gross sauce. A $25 dish I didn't eat. Bad food, bad service. Would never go back.
(1)
Ashley Jo J.
I don't mean to hurt Red Iguanas feelings, but this place is better. I'm a huge Mexican food snob, and hands down this is the most authentic, delicious Mexican food in the Salt Lake Valley. Just go eat here. You will not regret it!
(5)
Rider N.
Unbilievable This place is great, you can taste an authentic Mexican Food, they have a good customer service also, I ate tacos al pastor and enchiladas, first time seen those mini tacos. Or I guess this is the Utah style because I went to another local Mexican place and they were serving the same size tacos.
(5)
Nick N.
The all you can eat tacos are an amazing deal for lunch. So much variety! I prefer the asada, chicken, and chile verde. Al pastor is decent, too.
(5)
Sam T.
Great environment, great people and even better food! Love this place and the food here. Really good friends with a former employee of this place and even though he doesn't work there anymore I continue to go enjoy the good food here.
(4)
Steve P.
A lot of what I read was correct.... Good over-priced food with poor service. We enjoyed the ambiance. Our order was placed at other customers table. No apology. We also enjoyed the live entertainment.
(3)
Oscar A.
I took my dad there for dinner on father's day. Thought it would be fun. We ordered a feast. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme that came with beef, chicken and shrimp skewers and nopales. Very good. It'll feed 2-3 people since it also comes with sides. We got the rice and beans. I also ordered the Gallo a la Diabla which is chicken in hot sauce. I had read some good reviews about this plate in particular. I've never had anything like it and it was pretty good stuff. Overall the vibe of the place was good and for how busy they were our waiter was great. I do have to mention they had constant music going on. It seems to be a regular thing although I think they brought in some special singer for the occasion. A girl with a great voice. Unfortunately I can't remember her name. My biggest complaint was the guy with the karaoke machine belting out songs non-stop. It seemed like he liked listening to his own voice and he wasn't exactly Vicente Fernandez. Not to mention he was very loud. It was hard having a conversation with my dad. We only got a few minutes of peace when he took a small break and waited for the girl to get on stage. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he would just take a break for 20 minutes or so once in awhile. Hopefully this doesn't sound too mean but it did mess with the whole experience. Almost ruined it. It was that annoying to me. But maybe others liked it? Anyway, I'll be back but hopefully the karaoke machine won't be. (Photos Available)
(4)
Oscar P.
A number of people had ranted and raved to me about how awesome this place is. And these people are usually right on the money so I imagine that my subpar experience here was a freak thing. It was Saturday night so it was packed. Took about 15 minutes to get a table. No biggie. There was an older gentleman on stage singing Vicente Fernández songs and he was doing a great job. I was waiting for some friends so I didn't really notice that the waiter hadn't come by. 10 min later, my friends show but still no waiter. 10 more minutes roll by and we ask one of the bus boys for our waiter. He shows up. Very apologetic. Very nice guy. We order. I get the carne asada sopes and a fish cevice tostada. Im expecting magic. Not so much. The cevice was way salty. The beans on the sopes were bland. The meat was cold and under seasoned. I had to remind the waiter every time he walked buy if he could get me a refill on my soda. Took 3 tries. When we were done, it took forever to get our check. More reminders. I asked for a box for my sons leftovers. It never came. So....the food was ok at best. The service sucked. But the music was nice, so there's that. I feel I should give it another chance, but who knows......
(2)
D. W.
So many times, as regular readers will have observed, I will lament that leaving the confines of Salt Lake City, either north towards Ogden or south towards Utah County, will tend to carry one into a culinary wasteland. I am literally one more underwhelming visit away, at any restaurant, from adding West Valley City to that last, or perhaps Wasted Valley, as may be more appropriate. If/when one of the better restaurants in that area is a TFGI Friday's, who does admittedly do a very nice job and who I'm not trying to knock, it sort of points up a problem. In this case, I was very excited to go and had high hopes until I saw the extensive menu, in which the high hopes turned into expectations. The word "best" being thrown around at on, including emblazoned on various decor inside the restaurant itself in amidst splashes of some of the most wonderful (and arguably authentic) interior work I've seen in any restaurant. Outside is pretty blah, but inside is fantastic. This place obviously caters to the Latino sports community, with a lot of ads for boxing, including a screen set up for PPVs. When we were there, a soccer broadcast was on, with the play by play being heavily piped through the overheads. Unfortunately, the good feeling stopped almost as soon as we were seated. Wait staff very clearly would have preferred either more linguistically capable patrons or at least someone who wasn't asking questions or making alterations. It's ok to have a preference, but not ok to provide highly questionable service in that case. It didn't get much better when they actually brought the food, starting with chips and salsa. Salsa was almost more like tomato sauce, as in disgusting. A lot of places have "hidden" menus, dependent on fluency and/or nationality and that's cool with me in general, but if there's that much of a decline between the menus, that's another problem. Iced tea, more like dishwater, was also dreadful, so much so that I rejected it and sent it back. They did not have milk, of any kind, for my son, which struck me as odd. There is a ton of food for the money, but a lot of it is poorly executed. My wife kept finding fries in (yes, IN) her chile verde burrito (yeah, no idea, either) and the side of rice she ordered came out nearly dead last. I ordered an Inferno seafood plate, which was served cold...it was pretty flavorful and the notes were all correct, for the most part, but some of the seafood had either gone bad or was on the border and so I got nowhere near finishing it. I also got the sopitos, but had a choice between chicken and beef only, no al pastor or any of the other meat choices on the menu. Ok, fine, whatever. Those came out covered in shredded iceberg lettuce with some sort of Parmesan dust on them (???) instead of Fresca. The actual fried tortilla itself was also questionable and not anywhere near the best I've had. Once I got to it, the flavor of the chicken was ok, but there was not enough of it. Same with the beef, though that was charred nearly to the point of charcoal and chock full of gristle. This place has tons of potential and reasonably authentic flavors, but until execution improves on a drastic level, this place will never be competition for the heavy hitters of the area Mexican restaurants, especially the current reigning king Red Iguana.I may have ordered the "wrong thing", but execution errors applied to nearly everything we ordered, so I have doubts changing an entree is going to miraculously fix that. I also have doubts any changes will be made. We escaped before the rush, which filled the parking lot and a lot of 3200 W. bordering it, so they're apparently not hurting for business. It's a pity, though...this place could be great and instead it's another entry onto the one and out list...
(3)
Natalie O.
Big no bad service bad food bad server completely ignored us table wasn't prep well and food was not cooked well I wouldn't go there I use to Love this place until my last visit they gave us bad service not going back there again
(1)
Cody R.
This restaurant has went from a 5 star to a 3 star review. Every time I used to come here was exceptional, but this last visit with the room temperature food, non-melted cheese, and poor service was very disappointing. I may give this place one more shot or I may just go to El Rancho Grande.
(3)
Sam C.
" The key to good food is to make the food the same way every time you go their and not a hit and run" I guess this applies to this place. Some day food is good and some days the service is good???? I am not sure what to go for when people say that this is a good place to get Mexican food???
(2)
Armando G.
Just had the Taco Buffet and it was AWESOME! Food is always good and worth every penny. I definitely recommend this place to all. You will not be disappointed with any item on the menu. Good service and atmosphere.
(5)
Macey H.
Delicious food! The Mochaletia was amazing. And very filling, they do not skimp on the steak. I only gave this restaurant 4 stars because the service was lacking. Very poor and you have to ask multiple times to get all the things you asked for.
(4)
Meghan M.
One of my favorites! There can be a lot of variation in quality of food based on what you order so I would as your server for recommendations. Any thing the food lacks is more than made up for by the atmosphere. It is so fun, especially with their live music on the weekends. Be sure to check this place out! Warning: parking is a nightmare
(4)
Rachel T.
Horrible service, horrible food! I apologize for the long review, however the visit was so exceptionally poor I don't even know where to begin. Once we were seated it took long over 15 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge us and offer drinks. We ordered our drinks and pretty much never saw our waitress again. Another lady came over to ask if we were being helped because she saw us sitting there for so long without food, water, or chips and salsa. She was helpful and took care of our drinks and went to find our waitress. Shortly after we received our drinks, our initial waitress brought out our drinks we ordered 45 minutes ago and didn't even realize someone else already took care of her job and put all our drinks on the table. Between the four of us we had 10 drinks taking up room on the small table. We asked about specific items and the waitress had pretty much no idea what we were talking about. Not helpful at all. Once our food was ordered we got bombarded by the hostess who was offering his services for his personal massage business. We started worrying about our food because it had been so long... and you have to realize that through this all we haven't seen our waitress in who knows how long. We asked someone to check on our orders and finally began seeing orders come out one-by-one..but don't worry the last item on the table was the appetizer that we ordered with our initial drinks. Which none of us cared to eatat that point. Food was not hot and the meat was all very rough. Lastly, we waved down the waitress to ask for our check and again....she never came back. Finally, we just went up to the front desk and discussed our issues. They offered nothing in return for the poor service. Needless to say, we will never be returning or referring people to El Paisa Grill.
(1)
Andrea M.
Went here tonight with friends. I've never been before. LOVED it. Awesome atmosphere and on the weekends they have live mariachi and karaoke so I will be back for sure! First of all, the service was fantastic. Our waiter was super attentive and such a nice guy. He gave great suggestions too. We ordered the Queso Fundido which was spicy and cheesy and delicious. Very unique Queso. It was delicious. We also ordered Ostiones Guadalajara (half shell oysters topped with shrimp ceviche). To. Die. For. Tasted so fresh and flavorful. We shared the Molcajete Supreme, also so delicious. Highly recommend! I'm going back this weekend with the fam!
(4)
Kevin L.
Craving something authentically Mexican but for something more than tacos, decided to get take-out at El Paisa Grill after looking over their extensive menu. I've heard great things about the Molcajete Supereme, but I felt some dishes are best experienced for dine-in. 1) Queso Fundido (2.5/5) - this was specifically the dish I was craving, but I was pretty disappointed with it since it was a little dry and bland. that being said, I concede that this is another one of those dishes that tastes much better dine-in. 2) Gallo a la Diaba (3.5/5) - slices of chicken breast in pretty spicy sauce (and I can take a lot of heat). nothing too memorable but definitely hit the pot and the sauce was delicious 3) Camarones Zarandeados (5/5) - this was the crown jewel of the meal. grilled shrimp seasoned with adobo then charbroiled, garnished with red onions. I'm not the biggest lover of shrimp but the shrimp was amazing. They give plenty of shrimp, and each piece has a complexity of flavor with just the right amount of heat. Frankly, the only disappointment of the meal was that I regretted not dining in. I can't wait to go back to El Paisa Grill and try what other dishes they have to offer!
(4)
Vi T.
The first time I came here, I was in heaven. A giant molcajete overflowing with beef, chicken, shrimp, cactus, jalapeños, and melty cheese? Am I dreaming? AND there's a side of rice, beans, and warm tortillas? Pinch me. This dish is a good size for sharing. Throw in the ceviche el patron and I'm set. The problem is, it seems to vary. I've been maybe 4-5 times now and twice, it was killer. The other couple of times, the molcajete was just okay. Not bad, just not mind-blowing like the other times. It's a little inconsistent and perhaps that's due to chefs working on different days? I'm not sure. It seems to be a gamble but it's a gamble I'm willing to take here and there. The service is good and sometimes they have live music.
(3)
Sara A.
I'd probably give it more stars, if not for the kj they had. Food was decent and the waiter was very nice. I enjoy singing and know many kj's around the USA, but not as bad as this one, he's a mic hogger, plus when someone sings he turns the music so low, that you can barely hear it, probably doesn't want anyone to sing better than him! And it doesn't matter if you ask nicely to turn the music up a louder, he'll just say no, and will tell you not to sing to loud, only he turns it up for himself, he didn't even ask for our names! Terrible kj, won't come back to restaurant!
(3)
Susan S.
We came here on Thursday and again tonight (Sunday) because our friends wanted a margarita and Mexican food. I'm glad we returned and tried something different than last time. The carnitas were wonderful! Moist and tender, cooked to perfection! There was a live band for entertainment.
(4)
Margo S.
So-so. Molcajete Supreme was ok, the shrimp in it was really good. Queso fundido was overdone, just cheese with nothing else? Was excited to try this place, kind of a let down.
(2)
Vinna E.
What a cute place this is! There was a guy singing for everyone while we enjoyed our dinner. He was singing in Spanish and although I couldn't understand the lyrics, it was still very entertaining. Our server was good and very attentive. We ordered the molcajete which was pricier than other places but the portion was well worth it. There was so much food we couldn't even finish it.
(4)
Hoa T.
This place is very authentic with great service. I made reservation on Yelp for 10 people, and when my party arrived the table was ready with my name on it. The establishment was great with switching our table since our party was cramped into a corner and we had an extra person. The food was delicious. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. One thing was that payment was made at the register and we had to figure out how to divide up the bill ourselves which is no biggy. They can only split the bill up to 6 credit cards.
(4)
Bobby H.
I went and partook of the wonderful taco bar the other day. Let me tell you.. It was delicious. They had a wonderful chicken mole taco, delicious carne asada and tons of different pork taco varieties. They had this amazing sauce at the end of the condiment area. It was a sort of cream sauce.. I believe it was sent from the angels.. It was soooo good! Delicious place and I will be back again.
(4)
Danny L.
I came here for a business lunch. It seemed pretty good as there was a long line for the indoor taco cart. Definitely worth a try as it is quite unique for a restaurant. The taco cart had your choices of meats, salsas, rice and beans. Pretty basic stuff but pretty good. Pro's: - Fast to get food despite line at lunch time. - Nice to be able to control the quantity of food you eat. - Chips and water served to your table. Con's: - Seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.
(3)
Kelsey C.
The only thing to order at El Paisa Grill: Molcajete Supreme. Really. Seriously. I hate to have to tout my credentials, but this is coming from your California-born-and-bred Mexican food snob. The first time we went we tried the usual enchiladas and tacos (the latter of which were pretty legit street tacos). Their taco bar at lunch is supposed to be pretty killer - we have seen a lot of newbies order that. But I always look at what the Mexicans and other Latinos are ordering for recommendation, and usually, without fail (i.e. at every table) what's on their table is the Molcajete Supreme. It's a huge bowl of flavorful shrimp, chicken, beef, onions and mild jalapeno peppers simmered in the most flavorful green sauce ever with big hunks of gooey mild cheese that melts in the sauce (make sure you stir it around to get some in each bite!) Side of beans and rice and a little salad, plus tortillas, are all included. (The corn ones are definitely homemade and hot off the fryer.) My only beef (no pun intended) is that the beef usually is a bit chewy and not super tender. The rest is so good that we just let it slide. Our friends who had just returned from staying with locals in Guatemala said the Molcajete was the best food they've tasted since being there and eating the locals' food. It's about $25 but serves two with plenty leftover to take home (even with my husband who eats like 3 people). Great chips and salsa too (though refills are a minor extra charge.) The service is attentive but not overly friendly (although our friends said on a previous visit one server enjoyed talking with them so much he got nudged by his manager). It can get busy at lunch so get there early if you have a large group. Until I can get more of my favorite California amazing Mexican food, can't wait for more Molcajete!
(4)
Robert J.
It was pretty good. I asked for something and got something different. Oh well. The singer was hysterical as he kissed one of the single ladies I was with. Prices are a little high for the food.
(4)
Katie P.
Our first time here and it will not be our last. My new favorite Mexican restaurant! I've been past it before, and never noticed it. We went because of the Yelp reviews. We really enjoyed the live entertainment, too. I had a small bowl which is actually big) of very yummy Pozole. I also had a huarache. Nom Nom Nom! My hubby had enchiladas, and he was impressed with how good they were. The salsa was very good. Service and staff were both excellent. Our waiter was Freddy. He was funny, helpful, and had good recommendations. The food IS authentic. I will be recommending this place to everyone looking for real Mexican.
(5)
Kayleigh R.
This is a really authentic alternative to the usual cheesy stuff in my area. We go for the molcajete but stay for the delicious margaritas and fun environment. Sometimes there is a mariachi band and other times there is karaoke but there's never a dull moment. We choose the molcajete supreme because of the various meat options. Everything is cooked perfectly! If you give it a few minutes the cotija melts into the sauce creating the most delicious thing you've ever had. I don't recommend going here for a quiet conversation. You can't hear it over all the fun!
(4)
Jose A.
El piasa grill is at it's best semi mediocre mexican food.have been there 2 times and both times have been disappointed.the food is a lot like Mexican America fast food if I want that I will go to betos and it's half the price.
(2)
Lara L.
Little pricey but good food :) Molcajete supreme is $25 is enough for 2 people. Birria $12.95 a ok amount and it was good. A side of Guacamole $8.95 what? That's ridiculous don't order is way too much for just a portion of avocado nah ah way too much $$$ like I said this place is pricey. The food is good I will come back :)
(4)
Matt B.
Best in Utah? Maybe. I came here for lunch yesterday and ordered the Carne Asada plate. Best mexican Carne Asada I've ever had. At $12 the portion size was huge and they definitely didn't skimp on the size of the steak. It was huge and delicious, seasoned so well. The beans were really good too. I prefer a spicier salsa than the complimentary one but it tasted fresh and for being complimentary I can't complain. The dish was served with my choice of flour or corn tortilla. I chose the flour. The guac, beans, rice and carne asada with the lettuce was delicious. Maybe the best in Utah... Idk. I'd have to try some other menu items out before I came to that conclusion. I would say that at least for the carne asada, it is the best I've had anywhere. The decor is inviting and comfortable. I like the imitation palm trees and the colorful paintings on the wall. Despite the shitty location, being on the southwest corner of a busy intersection directly near the freeway it looks surprisingly comfortable and welcoming inside. Good job to whoever worked on the interior design there. Always love restaurants that have excellent food AND excellent decor. Awesome. Try it.
(5)
Kim T.
A little pricey on some items, more so than other divey Mexican restaurants. Husband had the chili verde burrito ... just ok, very bland. I had the Fiesta taco platter. I asked that they give me one of each meat ... 6 mini tacos - $8.99 ... no beans, no rice ... pretty good. There was a guy singing solo ... ok. Bathrooms not clean ... the reason I won't be going back. It's a turn off. Stars are based on my food and ok service.
(3)
Kathleen K.
They carry the title "Best Mexican food in Utah" and they definitely carry the name! Great food, awesome margaritas and food!
(4)
Wallace W.
The food is ok, not great. I had a lunch special of tamal cheese enchilada with rice and beans. It took 40 minutes for my food to arrive at my table. I probably won't be back. My server Ana #2 was one of the worst ever. It took twenty minutes to get my check. Never again!
(2)
Daniel R.
Went to Paisa Grill for the first time the food is delicious but REALLY BAD SERVICE!! The food took forever to come & the waitress seriously forgot about us!! She never came to offer a refill I had to ask a different waitress or go to the front desk if I wanted something. Food is really good some stuff are over price also if you want a refill asked the waitress if they charge because they charged us for extra tortillas & for refills.
(2)
Sarah C.
Shared the molcajete supreme. We liked it, and felt like the price was reasonable. The kids liked their jr burrito and jr quesadilla- portions were large. Live music set a tone that was fun, although a bit loud for conversation. We were promptly seated at a table for six, which was a little small for the seven of us. Meanwhile there were several larger tables that were empty. Drink refills were slow and it took our server FOREVER to bring our ticket (even after asking for it twice) This place is hopping after 7pm on weekends, so go early. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Ezra C.
I picked up my girlfriend at the airport and we started looking for someplace to have dinner. This was a Sunday and as many of you know, Sunday in Salt Lake City means most places are closed. Not only was El Paisa Grill open, but it was packed! They had live music and face painting and balloon animals for the kids. The service was excellent and we were seated at a booth almost right away. We started out with cucumber shots, excellent. These are hollowed out cool cucumbers dusted in chile powder and filled with cucumber vodka. Then had a strawberry margarita and avocado margarita, both delicious. We ordered a half order of Molcajete de Mariscos and one with steak and chicken. We got half orders (they normally serve two people) and still had tons left over. The Molcajete de Mariscos is "A combination of shrimp, octopus, crab meat and fish simmered in green or red sauce, served with nopalitos and Mexican onions". It is served sizzling in a tall bowl and is as fun to look at as it was to eat. Both were delicious and our only regret was not being too full to eat more. I don't know if this was a regular Sunday night, as this was our first time going there... but it must of been some sort of Mexican battle of the bands! We were treated to several different singers and more than one band while we were there. I never expected this much fun on a Sunday! This place also has a full bar with an impressive selection of Tequila. While we were there, they had a separate band playing in there and soccer on the TV. Connected to the bar is a fun outdoor covered patio. I am pretty sure we were the only non-Hispanic people in the place and no one ever made us feel unwelcome. If anything it should speak to the authenticity of the food. We can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Do yourself a favor, when you go, stay away from the "normal" Mexican food you can find anywhere and order from the many Specialties on the menu. All of the appetizers are awesome, but I recommend picking out one of the many seafood items. Portions are large, prices are reasonable... this place it a bit out of the way (although close to the airport), so it is easy to impress your date by taking them to someplace fun (and with great food) that they may not have been to before. Looking for an excuse to go back right away!
(5)
Tristan S.
The closest thing to authentic Mexican food that I've had outside of California! Great environment, live music and awesome service. It was pretty crowded but we didn't have to wait long. Chips and salsa were good and overall a fun place to have dinner.
(4)
Austin P.
Atmosphere is fun. I've been here twice now, and the first time they had a live Mariachi band. It was awesome! The food is quite good. I love the salsa that comes with the free chips you get when you sit down. Our waitress was the same both times, and she's pleasant enough, but a little less attentive than I would have liked. Get the Molcajete, but make sure you're hungry! It's carne asada, grilled chicken, amazing shrimp, and some kind of cactus in some green sauce, all served in a hot lava bowl. Your last bit is as hot as the first!
(4)
Sean J.
We had the rolled taco appetizers and the chicken fajitas. They were both incredibly tasty and totally worth the price. They were good portions. Very awesome server too! I wish I had gotten his name-he was so nice!
(5)
Rüt G.
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in Utah! I come here and get the molcajete it NEVER disappoints! The food is delicious and service is great. They also do catering which is very convenient for parties! I will definitely continue to come to this place. 5 star place!
(5)
Troy C.
Went for the lunch taco bar, food was good, not the best I have had, service was good, price for the buffet a bit high considering I can get these tacos for 2 for a $1 elsewhere. I will probably give it a try again but not too soon and not too often.
(3)
Dave F.
A Taco Bar sounded like an odd idea, but this was actually excellent. There are 5-6 different meats/chicken/fish and you can have your taco as you like it at El Palsa. The food was great, service was great and the pricing was extremely fair. Definitely will go back----if I can find this place! Note, very convenient to the airport should you want last minute real food, pre-airport fare.
(4)
Yamile Z.
Fuck this place they gave me food poisoning!! I been sick since yesterday and all I had was there stupid shrimp cocktail!! Becareful people you don't want to get the stomach flu !! Like I did never having anything at this place ever again!!
(1)
Jason W.
One of my all time fav places to eat in the Salt Lake valley. The taco bar is an insane deal and a must try for anyone that like authentic tacos. They usually have 6-8 different meats to try and a complete salsa bar with fresh made salsas.
(5)
Jesse S.
The menu had a moderate urine scent to it. The atmosphere was nice. service was typical. prices are average. The food wasn't bad but I think it has been hyped up too much. I will probably not go back.
(2)
Jason B.
"I'd sell my soul for some good chicken." I'm accustomed Old Scratch showing up in various forms and guises. This time was the first he'd appeared as an almost spherical Mexican man with a pushbroom mustache. "Accepted!," he said. "Ole!" He ferried us to El Paisa Grill. It was loud, and for a Sunday night there was quite a crowd. We were seated in the back where we were spared some noise--save from the big speaker that loomed over the table. The Gallo a la Diabla was selected by my wife because what the hell. I found that The Divine Comedy made an oversight in the descriptions of hell: the lake of fire is under a cast iron skillet on which armies of the damned lovingly press dough into rough circles and cook them into devilishly good tortillas. The fajitas were harmless; I enjoyed the extra charred parts. But that Devil's Chicken got some rave reviews. Definitely worth a soul, she said ... she wasn't using it for nothing anyhow.
(4)
Andrea G.
Food and Entertainment It is a great place to bring your family to listen to some mexican music and/or musical acts. If you want to celebrate a special birthday or milestone this is the place to be. They have great drink selections. I've been here a couple of times and I only order the Molcajete Supreme. It comes with seafood, chicken, beef, nopales (cactus), onions, and jalapeño. I recommend the Cantarito (squirt, tequila, and lime). We recently had dinner there for my Goddaughter's 15 birthday dinner on a Saturday night. We were a large group (approx.. 15 people). We had to wait about 20 minutes for our food. In the mean time, we enjoyed lived musical acts. The performers used a computer and microphone to perform "karaoke-like" songs. While it might seem a little boring, it was actually pretty fun. They sang happy birthday for my Goddaughter and even invited her up to the stage. I have also been here on Sundays. They have a cantina next to the restaurant along with outdoor patio. They have live Mariachi or conjunto. Both experiences have been pleasant. Keep in mind this is not a luxury or gourmet restaurant. The place is a little older and the music is loud. My only complain is that the bathroom are super dirty. The sinks have broken soup dispensers and towels. It takes a while to get your food and it can be difficult to have a conversation with someone across the table.
(3)
Sky T.
This place always has many cars parked in front of it so I decided that I had to check it out. So, I went and found that the place is very carefree and fun and packed. The food is just some good ol' Mexican cooking so it doesn't disappoint. It may not be my favorite place for Mexican food but this is a place where you should give it a try at least once. One of the fun things about it is that there is a stage up in front where you can go and karaoke en español and if you have a couple of drinks it is easy to do. The food is good, the place is loud, and it can be a fun night out at this place.
(3)
James D.
This is a quality restaurant that I am surprised more people do not know about. It puts other Mexican restaurants around Salt Lake to shame. If you like Red Iguana (which I don't) you will love El Paisa. A very full menu let's you choose anything from seafood to the staples you are used to. Try the molcajete and you won't be disappointed. Or try anything and I doubt you will be disappointed. Tonight I had the taco fiesta platter and a queso fundido appetizer. It was excellent.
(5)
Eli f.
I went here based off of the review this site has, and well, I wasn't completely pleased... My date both ordered different types of burritos. Both were decent sized, both were a little on the cold side, both came with a salad with ranch dressing. hm.. I felt like both burritos were a little on the bland side. The meat inside the burritos was great. Very well season, not over cooked. however, the majority of either burrito did not contain much meat. . mostly filler. , so yeah.. I'd say this place is right about, if not below average. Sadly, the burritos as betos are better.
(2)
Monica T.
Since my original review, I have found myself at El Paisa on many more occasions. I have since experienced the supreme greatness that is their molcajete supreme, which contains flavorful chunks of beef, chicken, and shrimp in an amazing sauce. One order will easily serve three people. Trust me on this one. I have also been seriously impressed with the gallo a la diabla, because that smoky, tangy, spicy sauce is ridiculously good. They also do top notch renditions of the old standards like fajitas and chile rellenos. And all of you can hate on the karaoke guy all you want, but I think he is full of win. Some examples: one night, while he was singing a fairly off key rendition of "You Are So Beautiful," he came over to our table and had us sing along with him. Then last night, he donned a reggae style hat to sing "Red Red Wine," and then donned a not-gangsta-enough looking purple hat to sing some Pitbull while a couple of girls who appeared to be ten years old danced awkwardly on stage next to him. This may or may not have been related to some birthday festivities that were occurring. Speaking of our visit last night, I must also give props to the server (not ours) who was carrying a Corona to a nearby table and tripped and fell flat on his face. Not only did he not break the bottle, but he gracefully got up, picked up the fallen lime garnish, retrieved a new Corona, and brought it to the table without missing a beat. A lesser server might have crumbled after such an event. With the combination of delicious food and awesome atmosphere, I must add the fifth star. This is the best Mexican food I've had in Utah, and it would fit right in back in my home state of Texas.
(5)
Sam E.
We have been eating here 8-9 times per year for the past five years. This is as close as you can get to real authentic food from South America. The favors, sauces, and spices are very good, best anywhere on the Wasatch Front. We haven't been disappointed by the service, although there has been an occasional language barrier - no big deal. Don't sit close to the stage on Friday night - the Mariachi band is so loud you cannot talk to the rest of your table. Order the molcajete if it is your first visit.
(5)
Andrew S.
I've only eaten here at lunch time so I don't know how crowded it gets at night. I've had a great experience every time though. I would highly recommend the molcajete; I like it so much that I haven't ordered anything else since having it. In my opinion, this is one of the top 4 Mexican restaurants in Salt Lake (along with Chungas, Red Iguana, and Lone Star Taqueria).
(4)
Curtis G.
Our meals at El Paisa were pretty good, and seemed like authentic food from Mexico. I wasn't terribly impressed with their chips and salsa, which seemed rather plain. My wife's fajitas were plentiful, but the portion of my carne a la tampiqueña wasn't as large as I'm used to at other Mexican places. I do have to mention that while waiting for our meal, we saw an employee bringing in a load of supplies from Costco, including a case of El Monterey taquitos! I'd rather eat at Blue Iguana any day!
(3)
Jenni S.
My husband and I were pretty excited Friday night when we rolled up on a full parking lot and El Paise had the right look to it. Upon entering we found there was Mexican entertainment going on as well. Even better! A hostess took us to an empty table, gave us a bar menu and said she'd be back with menus for us. We sat and watched the entertainment. There was a singer, then a pair of dancers, then another singer. I looked through the bar menu several times hoping to order a margarita an get munching on chips and salsa. Time went by and nobody came. We watched a waiter, two waitresses, and a bus boy walk by again and again serving other tables near ours, never even making eye contact with us. We looked around for anyone who might be coming to take our order, but everyone appeared to be in their own little world oblivious to the pair of us sitting at a completely empty table. We sat with our tummies grumbling through 3 or 4 full musical numbers before we finally just got up and headed to the Crown Burger down the street. It's such a shame because we won't be going back and we never even got to see the menu. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I've never sat in a restaurant for that long without having SOMEONE ask if we've been helped. It was like we didn't exist! Can't be a good sign.
(1)
Bud H.
The chips and salsa are quite good. As are the carnitas. All in all, a good palce for lunch.
(3)
D J.
Some of the negative reviews are really surprising. I've been to El Paisa several times and thought it was great. From the outside it doesn't look like anything special. In fact, it's located in an odd strip mall surround by even odder businesses. The interior of the restaurant makes you feel like you've traveled into the heart of Mexico; great decor and a fun atmosphere. Generally there is plenty of seating, but it does fill in quite a bit for lunch. (I have only been there for lunch). On the weekends, live music, mariachi bands and karaoke add to the atmosphere (according to several friends of mine). El Paisa features a large variety of Mexican food, including a street tacos bar for lunch and their famous molcajete. I have been there several times, but admit I've only tried the taco bar and the molcajete (their signature dish). You can't go wrong with either choice! The street-taco style taco bar has 6 different kinds of meats, rice, beans and a slew of condiments. A great lunch at a really reasonable price and the different tacos are excellent. If you're feeling more adventurous go for the molcajete. This large meal is cooked in a sizzling lava bowl and easily feeds 2-3 people. You just have to try it to try appreciate it. - Stick with either one of these dishes are you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Michelle R.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is due to the extremely loud music! Me and my fiance went here over the weekend. I ordered a ceviche tostada for an appetizer. It was delicious! Just the right balance of fish and pico de gallo with cilantro. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme to share. The meats were swimming in sort of a chili verde sauce. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. The mariachis playing in the room were obnoxiously loud. We couldn't hear each other speak. Otherwise, the food was fantastic!
(4)
Alan B.
I tend to be persnickety about Mexican food. I enjoy it, but there's no shortage of Mexican options in this area, so it takes something legitimately outstanding to acquire and maintain my attention. For this reason, I erect a wall of dismissive resistance whenever I am invited to try a new vendor of Mexican meals. El Paisa was no different. It lingered on the List of Places to Try Someday for a long time, adorned with praise and promise, yet unable to surmount my slapdash defenses. Recently, however, a very attractive person with whom I spend much of my time put her foot down. El Paisa is easily the best Mexican food I've eaten in this state. At the risk of alliteratively abusing ambiguous adjectives, the Molcajete is amazing and the fajitas are fantastic. But the Gallo a la Diabla is my favorite so far. It's not as spicy as the name implies, but what it lacks in burn it makes up for in complex and seratonin-inducing flavors. I've since visited on several occasions, and frankly, you're about as likely to find something mediocre on the menu as you are to find the period at the end of this sentence
(5)
Charles S.
I Vacillated furiously between 3 and 4 stars, but then I realized... if I can't decide, then it's probably not deserving of the added points. We followed the conscensus of Yelpers and shared the molcajete supreme. This thing was awesome! 5 stars for sure, no question! This dish is as good as anything I've had anywhere. Yumm. Now for the deductions: the rice was not good. I agree with another reviewer that called it "Minute Rice with frozen veggies added." Nailed it! The beans also tasted like something from a can, with some cheese on top. Even in the molcajete, the chicken was obviously boneless, skinless, breast meat from a frozen package (but the sauce, shrimp and beef more than made up for the mediocre quality of the chicken). It is obnoxiously loud in this place. We were there on a Friday night and it was Spanglish karaoke night at one end of the restuarant. Annoying? Absolutely! Tolerable? Sure. Except that there was a mariachi band playing at the other end of the restaurant in the bar area... at the SAME TIME! It was like some sort of nightmarish battle of the bands where both the "mighty mighty tone-deafs" and the "Caballeros de Guadalupe" were battling it out simultaneously. I had a headache this big and it had Excedrin written all over it! The service... hmmm... yes, the service. It was friendly, but English speakers would be a big plus. We asked what kinds of wine they had available and it took us literally 15 minutes, and 3 translators, to find out. Then, when they did let us know which 2 whites they had, we found that both were warm. Our waitress did stop by and check on us often enough... and she smiled a lot, which needs no translation. I'm not sure if El Paisa is always this chaotic or if that was a special weekend thing. If so, I don't know if I'd ever go back. But, then again, the molcajete might just call out to me one day and I'll have no choice but to return.
(3)
Lisa S.
Well here's the deal (full disclosure: I am not a huge Mexican food lover)... IF you're going to this restaurant for the molcajete...GO! It's amazing, I loved every bite and had never experienced it before, the beans and rice were uneventful. That's all I tasted but the menu was huge. The inside is surprisingly cute, clean, gaudy and very Mexican. Cons: This restaurant is basically in the industrial area of Salt Lake City, Yuck! It was very busy and the greeter sat us next to the wall of the connected bar which wouldn't have been bad except that they had Karaoke/Mariachi going on stage right...and stage left (the bar) was completely different music, it was like "Clash of the Titans" going on in my head, Annoying! The waitress came up after several minutes of non-service (including water) and could not speak a word of English, so after a good 20 minutes I finally got a warm glass of some sort of white wine and the rest of the night we just pointed at pictures so she could understand us, in some ways this might be a good sign of authenticity but really? Not ONE WORD of English? And last but not least, I watched the Mariachi band (all ten or so) walk through the kitchen area where they keep the exposed water, chips/salsa and silverware, to get to the stage. Honestly if I could do 1/2 ratings I'd give this place a 2.5
(3)
Spencer S.
This is my kind of Mexican restaurant. The food is superb, the menu is huge, the staff is friendly and unlike other authentic Mexican restaurants around, I'm looking at you multicolored lizard restaurants, its clientele is mostly Mexican. I know I've said it before but its a critical piece of advice, the first sign of a good authentic ethnic food restaurant is when I'm the only white person there. The second sign is when the wait staff does not speak very good English. If you find yourself in a place with those two attributes, your most likely in for a treat. El Paisa is no exception. Its wonderful. My favorite dish is the molcajete which is meat, chicken and optional shrimp in a sour green sauce with onions and peppers. Its served with beans and rice and tortillas. Skip the flour tortillas and go traditional with the corn tortillas. Its delicious and I have never had it anywhere else. I believe the word molcajete refers to the giant stone bowl the dish is served in which is surface of the sun hot. the molcajetes are priced for 2 people but they are willing to make one for a single person if you ask. You should also ask for the red hot sauce, it is fiery and delicious! Another must try at El Paisa is the chili verde. I loathe to admit it, but its actually better than my own chili verde. But I will persevere despite this affront to my dignity because I can always go to El Paisa and eat their chili verde!
(4)
Jeff P.
Ate there late on 6/13/2012. Nice place, nice folks. Showed-up 5 minutes past their closing time but they fed me anyway. Had some sort of skirt or flank steak smothered in a salsa-like concoction, with the usual Mexican sides -- was tasty, though the beef itself was a little tough and overcooked. Reasonably priced -- got out of there for about $23, covering a full dinner entree, a beer, tax, and tip. A solid choice if you want a comfortable Mexican place with a fairly interesting menu (with more than the usual number of seafood choices) and fair prices.
(4)
Diana L.
In a nutshell: Cool live music. Decent cocktails. Bland food made with cheap ingredients.
(2)
Ryan S.
when we pulled up to El Paisa Grill we could hear music playing inside. I thought there might be a band, but it turned out to be a one-man karaoke kind of thing. and it was loud. really loud. point at the menu to order loud. we all agreed that the food was good although I wish there would have been more to accompany my tacos (I had to ask for salsa, which was hard since I couldn't come up with a good salsa gesture). the menu was pretty expansive as well, which made me think it would warrant a trip back as long as we could ensure that the singing dude would not be present. and then, right as we were finishing our lunch, the singing dude rickrolled us. seriously. I gave the tacos four taco gnomes out of seven on tacoaday.com . there is a slight star reduction for the excessively loud señor rickrollo.
(3)
Jeremiah R.
Slightly above average Mexican food. They probably have the best tacos al pastor I've had outside of Mexico.
(4)
Kim And Betsy T.
The food here was tasty, aside from some rather dried out rice served with our meals. The lack of stars is for service. We arrived on a karaoke night, which was cool, but the waitress took our family to sit right in front of the gigantic speakers, and it was LOUD. We didn't complain or ask to move, but I was wondering why, on earth she thought that was the best place to seat us when there were clearly other places we could have been seated. Couldn't hear myself think, much less hear the waitress. Speaking of our waitress, where did she go??? She took our orders for drinks and brought them after a while and then disappeared after taking our food orders. We waited a long time for our food which was brought by a different waiter. Then we ate, and waited, and waited, and waited. My husband had to go up and ask for the check. Don't know if that's normal, but it was a little irritating. Also, taking my kids to the bathroom a couple of times, I noticed like everybody else had a big basket of chips and some salsa on their tables and it was never offered to us. Bummer! I enjoyed my plate of carnitas, and my husband enjoyed his mole dish, but I don't think the service warrants a repeat visit. It costs A LOT to take a family out to eat. The experience wasn't good enough to rationalize the expense of a repeat visit.
(3)
Kelsey R.
The Molcajete Supreme and refried beans will change your life. One of the best Mexican restaurants in the valley!
(4)
Chris G.
I thought it was great food and a good atmosphere. Very authentic and the lunch specials are a great deal! definitely have some complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa might have been my favorite part of the experience! I'm definitely going back... too many choices that looked very good!
(4)
Sonia J.
El Paisa is definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the valley. I'm really quite surprised that I don't see more web reviews, articles etc. out there for it. The place is pretty large - probably 30 or so tables/booths plus a stage. It gets pretty busy later in the day on the weekends so if you want a quieter meal then the weekdays or lunch would be a better choice. They do serve alcohol - not sure how full of a bar it is though. They serve a lot of seafood but of course all the other Mexican staples as well. I would recommend the molcajete if there are two of you - it's fairly unique and very tasty. The food is hot and served in a "molcajete" which is one of those lava-stone bowl things you've probably seen around. One warning: Don't eat the peppers that come in it unless you are good at handling really spicy stuff! For us wimps you should set the peppers aside and eat the rest.
(5)
K.D. P.
I would pick 3.5 if I could. I have enjoyed their food and crazy loud atmosphere. (both karaoke and mariachi) The first time we went with about 14 or 15 of us - we were seated in the bar along with other families w/kids so that's kind of funny. The wait service has been excellent both times, we got free refills of the free chips and salsa - the girls spoke english =) I have still not tried the molcajete but plan to go back for sure. I had the chile verde burrito and since someone else here said it was so great - I wanted to add my two cents. The pork was superbly tender - the size was great - the rice did have those weird mixed veggies in it for some odd reason - but my slight disappoinment comes because it was sweeter than I'm used too so that was a bummer for me. I'd like a little more spice and less sweet in a chile verde. But it is a very fun place if you're in the mood for loud Mexican music (good or bad!)
(4)
JaNae C.
Absolutely LOVED this place. We've always had excellent service, even when they are packed. When we've been the only gringos, we've been treated almost like royalty. Everything we've eaten has been seasoned exactly as asked (some of my family members can't do much heat). The molcajete is incredible - definitely my favorite Mexican food. Much more authentic than most.
(5)
Todd D.
How do you say "thanks for ripping me off" in Spanish? I told some family that I was going to bring by some tacos for lunch over the weekend and was kind of embarrassed when I unknowingly showed up with a light snack. I grabbed some take out from El Paisa and was pretty surprised by the prices. I'm used to paying no more than a few bucks for a couple of asada tacos so my expectations were extremely heightened. My surprise and expectations turned to sheer disappointment when I saw the portion sizes. The amount of food for the price was unjustifiable. There was nothing special about the quality either, I can't even say that it was good. I could have gotten better tacos from a taco cart for 1/10 of what I paid and wouldn't miss the Gerber style beans or instant rice one bit. Some of the seafood entrees on the menu sent my saliva glands into overdrive so I'll give 2 stars instead of 1 under the assumption that they probably have some delicious options if you've got the pesos.
(2)
Kent B.
Fantastic and very authentic mexican food. My wife and I split a molcajete between the two of us and we had plenty left over to take home. We were there on a Monday evening and they had someone with a great voice on the stage singing in Spanish the whole time. Very fun atmosphere. Two things that kept them from getting 5 stars - the shrimp wasn't deveined and the mexican rice seemed suspiciously like minute rice with some frozen vegetables thrown in.
(4)
Jared S.
The ceviche did not seem fresh ante carnitas, although tasty in the moment, left me with a very greasy feel after we left. The best part was the live mariachi band, which plays each Friday night.
(2)
L. R.
El Paisa Grill brings a small part of Mexico to Utah. The Molcajete is delicious and it is indeed the best in Utah.
(4)
Paul M.
I started going to this place for lunch because it was close by and some of the guys from work said I should try it. Before long it was one of my favorite places and word must have caught on because it does get busy for lunch. One day I decided take my wife there for dinner. We ordered something that we had never had before, which I had come to find out was one of their specialties, molcajete. It was delicious. Since then I have taken my whole family there many times and we have never been disappointed. There is usually live music there on the weekends which is nice. This is a great authentic place with great food and a great selection.
(5)
Oscar A.
I took my dad there for dinner on father's day. Thought it would be fun. We ordered a feast. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme that came with beef, chicken and shrimp skewers and nopales. Very good. It'll feed 2-3 people since it also comes with sides. We got the rice and beans. I also ordered the Gallo a la Diabla which is chicken in hot sauce. I had read some good reviews about this plate in particular. I've never had anything like it and it was pretty good stuff. Overall the vibe of the place was good and for how busy they were our waiter was great. I do have to mention they had constant music going on. It seems to be a regular thing although I think they brought in some special singer for the occasion. A girl with a great voice. Unfortunately I can't remember her name. My biggest complaint was the guy with the karaoke machine belting out songs non-stop. It seemed like he liked listening to his own voice and he wasn't exactly Vicente Fernandez. Not to mention he was very loud. It was hard having a conversation with my dad. We only got a few minutes of peace when he took a small break and waited for the girl to get on stage. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he would just take a break for 20 minutes or so once in awhile. Hopefully this doesn't sound too mean but it did mess with the whole experience. Almost ruined it. It was that annoying to me. But maybe others liked it? Anyway, I'll be back but hopefully the karaoke machine won't be. (Photos Available)
(4)
Oscar P.
A number of people had ranted and raved to me about how awesome this place is. And these people are usually right on the money so I imagine that my subpar experience here was a freak thing. It was Saturday night so it was packed. Took about 15 minutes to get a table. No biggie. There was an older gentleman on stage singing Vicente Fernández songs and he was doing a great job. I was waiting for some friends so I didn't really notice that the waiter hadn't come by. 10 min later, my friends show but still no waiter. 10 more minutes roll by and we ask one of the bus boys for our waiter. He shows up. Very apologetic. Very nice guy. We order. I get the carne asada sopes and a fish cevice tostada. Im expecting magic. Not so much. The cevice was way salty. The beans on the sopes were bland. The meat was cold and under seasoned. I had to remind the waiter every time he walked buy if he could get me a refill on my soda. Took 3 tries. When we were done, it took forever to get our check. More reminders. I asked for a box for my sons leftovers. It never came. So....the food was ok at best. The service sucked. But the music was nice, so there's that. I feel I should give it another chance, but who knows......
(2)
Lisa S.
Well here's the deal (full disclosure: I am not a huge Mexican food lover)... IF you're going to this restaurant for the molcajete...GO! It's amazing, I loved every bite and had never experienced it before, the beans and rice were uneventful. That's all I tasted but the menu was huge. The inside is surprisingly cute, clean, gaudy and very Mexican. Cons: This restaurant is basically in the industrial area of Salt Lake City, Yuck! It was very busy and the greeter sat us next to the wall of the connected bar which wouldn't have been bad except that they had Karaoke/Mariachi going on stage right...and stage left (the bar) was completely different music, it was like "Clash of the Titans" going on in my head, Annoying! The waitress came up after several minutes of non-service (including water) and could not speak a word of English, so after a good 20 minutes I finally got a warm glass of some sort of white wine and the rest of the night we just pointed at pictures so she could understand us, in some ways this might be a good sign of authenticity but really? Not ONE WORD of English? And last but not least, I watched the Mariachi band (all ten or so) walk through the kitchen area where they keep the exposed water, chips/salsa and silverware, to get to the stage. Honestly if I could do 1/2 ratings I'd give this place a 2.5
(3)
Meghan M.
One of my favorites! There can be a lot of variation in quality of food based on what you order so I would as your server for recommendations. Any thing the food lacks is more than made up for by the atmosphere. It is so fun, especially with their live music on the weekends. Be sure to check this place out! Warning: parking is a nightmare
(4)
Hoa T.
This place is very authentic with great service. I made reservation on Yelp for 10 people, and when my party arrived the table was ready with my name on it. The establishment was great with switching our table since our party was cramped into a corner and we had an extra person. The food was delicious. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. One thing was that payment was made at the register and we had to figure out how to divide up the bill ourselves which is no biggy. They can only split the bill up to 6 credit cards.
(4)
Bobby H.
I went and partook of the wonderful taco bar the other day. Let me tell you.. It was delicious. They had a wonderful chicken mole taco, delicious carne asada and tons of different pork taco varieties. They had this amazing sauce at the end of the condiment area. It was a sort of cream sauce.. I believe it was sent from the angels.. It was soooo good! Delicious place and I will be back again.
(4)
Rachel T.
Horrible service, horrible food! I apologize for the long review, however the visit was so exceptionally poor I don't even know where to begin. Once we were seated it took long over 15 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge us and offer drinks. We ordered our drinks and pretty much never saw our waitress again. Another lady came over to ask if we were being helped because she saw us sitting there for so long without food, water, or chips and salsa. She was helpful and took care of our drinks and went to find our waitress. Shortly after we received our drinks, our initial waitress brought out our drinks we ordered 45 minutes ago and didn't even realize someone else already took care of her job and put all our drinks on the table. Between the four of us we had 10 drinks taking up room on the small table. We asked about specific items and the waitress had pretty much no idea what we were talking about. Not helpful at all. Once our food was ordered we got bombarded by the hostess who was offering his services for his personal massage business. We started worrying about our food because it had been so long... and you have to realize that through this all we haven't seen our waitress in who knows how long. We asked someone to check on our orders and finally began seeing orders come out one-by-one..but don't worry the last item on the table was the appetizer that we ordered with our initial drinks. Which none of us cared to eatat that point. Food was not hot and the meat was all very rough. Lastly, we waved down the waitress to ask for our check and again....she never came back. Finally, we just went up to the front desk and discussed our issues. They offered nothing in return for the poor service. Needless to say, we will never be returning or referring people to El Paisa Grill.
(1)
Kevin L.
Craving something authentically Mexican but for something more than tacos, decided to get take-out at El Paisa Grill after looking over their extensive menu. I've heard great things about the Molcajete Supereme, but I felt some dishes are best experienced for dine-in. 1) Queso Fundido (2.5/5) - this was specifically the dish I was craving, but I was pretty disappointed with it since it was a little dry and bland. that being said, I concede that this is another one of those dishes that tastes much better dine-in. 2) Gallo a la Diaba (3.5/5) - slices of chicken breast in pretty spicy sauce (and I can take a lot of heat). nothing too memorable but definitely hit the pot and the sauce was delicious 3) Camarones Zarandeados (5/5) - this was the crown jewel of the meal. grilled shrimp seasoned with adobo then charbroiled, garnished with red onions. I'm not the biggest lover of shrimp but the shrimp was amazing. They give plenty of shrimp, and each piece has a complexity of flavor with just the right amount of heat. Frankly, the only disappointment of the meal was that I regretted not dining in. I can't wait to go back to El Paisa Grill and try what other dishes they have to offer!
(4)
Vi T.
The first time I came here, I was in heaven. A giant molcajete overflowing with beef, chicken, shrimp, cactus, jalapeños, and melty cheese? Am I dreaming? AND there's a side of rice, beans, and warm tortillas? Pinch me. This dish is a good size for sharing. Throw in the ceviche el patron and I'm set. The problem is, it seems to vary. I've been maybe 4-5 times now and twice, it was killer. The other couple of times, the molcajete was just okay. Not bad, just not mind-blowing like the other times. It's a little inconsistent and perhaps that's due to chefs working on different days? I'm not sure. It seems to be a gamble but it's a gamble I'm willing to take here and there. The service is good and sometimes they have live music.
(3)
Sara A.
I'd probably give it more stars, if not for the kj they had. Food was decent and the waiter was very nice. I enjoy singing and know many kj's around the USA, but not as bad as this one, he's a mic hogger, plus when someone sings he turns the music so low, that you can barely hear it, probably doesn't want anyone to sing better than him! And it doesn't matter if you ask nicely to turn the music up a louder, he'll just say no, and will tell you not to sing to loud, only he turns it up for himself, he didn't even ask for our names! Terrible kj, won't come back to restaurant!
(3)
Susan S.
We came here on Thursday and again tonight (Sunday) because our friends wanted a margarita and Mexican food. I'm glad we returned and tried something different than last time. The carnitas were wonderful! Moist and tender, cooked to perfection! There was a live band for entertainment.
(4)
D. W.
So many times, as regular readers will have observed, I will lament that leaving the confines of Salt Lake City, either north towards Ogden or south towards Utah County, will tend to carry one into a culinary wasteland. I am literally one more underwhelming visit away, at any restaurant, from adding West Valley City to that last, or perhaps Wasted Valley, as may be more appropriate. If/when one of the better restaurants in that area is a TFGI Friday's, who does admittedly do a very nice job and who I'm not trying to knock, it sort of points up a problem. In this case, I was very excited to go and had high hopes until I saw the extensive menu, in which the high hopes turned into expectations. The word "best" being thrown around at on, including emblazoned on various decor inside the restaurant itself in amidst splashes of some of the most wonderful (and arguably authentic) interior work I've seen in any restaurant. Outside is pretty blah, but inside is fantastic. This place obviously caters to the Latino sports community, with a lot of ads for boxing, including a screen set up for PPVs. When we were there, a soccer broadcast was on, with the play by play being heavily piped through the overheads. Unfortunately, the good feeling stopped almost as soon as we were seated. Wait staff very clearly would have preferred either more linguistically capable patrons or at least someone who wasn't asking questions or making alterations. It's ok to have a preference, but not ok to provide highly questionable service in that case. It didn't get much better when they actually brought the food, starting with chips and salsa. Salsa was almost more like tomato sauce, as in disgusting. A lot of places have "hidden" menus, dependent on fluency and/or nationality and that's cool with me in general, but if there's that much of a decline between the menus, that's another problem. Iced tea, more like dishwater, was also dreadful, so much so that I rejected it and sent it back. They did not have milk, of any kind, for my son, which struck me as odd. There is a ton of food for the money, but a lot of it is poorly executed. My wife kept finding fries in (yes, IN) her chile verde burrito (yeah, no idea, either) and the side of rice she ordered came out nearly dead last. I ordered an Inferno seafood plate, which was served cold...it was pretty flavorful and the notes were all correct, for the most part, but some of the seafood had either gone bad or was on the border and so I got nowhere near finishing it. I also got the sopitos, but had a choice between chicken and beef only, no al pastor or any of the other meat choices on the menu. Ok, fine, whatever. Those came out covered in shredded iceberg lettuce with some sort of Parmesan dust on them (???) instead of Fresca. The actual fried tortilla itself was also questionable and not anywhere near the best I've had. Once I got to it, the flavor of the chicken was ok, but there was not enough of it. Same with the beef, though that was charred nearly to the point of charcoal and chock full of gristle. This place has tons of potential and reasonably authentic flavors, but until execution improves on a drastic level, this place will never be competition for the heavy hitters of the area Mexican restaurants, especially the current reigning king Red Iguana.I may have ordered the "wrong thing", but execution errors applied to nearly everything we ordered, so I have doubts changing an entree is going to miraculously fix that. I also have doubts any changes will be made. We escaped before the rush, which filled the parking lot and a lot of 3200 W. bordering it, so they're apparently not hurting for business. It's a pity, though...this place could be great and instead it's another entry onto the one and out list...
(3)
Andrea M.
Went here tonight with friends. I've never been before. LOVED it. Awesome atmosphere and on the weekends they have live mariachi and karaoke so I will be back for sure! First of all, the service was fantastic. Our waiter was super attentive and such a nice guy. He gave great suggestions too. We ordered the Queso Fundido which was spicy and cheesy and delicious. Very unique Queso. It was delicious. We also ordered Ostiones Guadalajara (half shell oysters topped with shrimp ceviche). To. Die. For. Tasted so fresh and flavorful. We shared the Molcajete Supreme, also so delicious. Highly recommend! I'm going back this weekend with the fam!
(4)
Margo S.
So-so. Molcajete Supreme was ok, the shrimp in it was really good. Queso fundido was overdone, just cheese with nothing else? Was excited to try this place, kind of a let down.
(2)
Vinna E.
What a cute place this is! There was a guy singing for everyone while we enjoyed our dinner. He was singing in Spanish and although I couldn't understand the lyrics, it was still very entertaining. Our server was good and very attentive. We ordered the molcajete which was pricier than other places but the portion was well worth it. There was so much food we couldn't even finish it.
(4)
Kelsey C.
The only thing to order at El Paisa Grill: Molcajete Supreme. Really. Seriously. I hate to have to tout my credentials, but this is coming from your California-born-and-bred Mexican food snob. The first time we went we tried the usual enchiladas and tacos (the latter of which were pretty legit street tacos). Their taco bar at lunch is supposed to be pretty killer - we have seen a lot of newbies order that. But I always look at what the Mexicans and other Latinos are ordering for recommendation, and usually, without fail (i.e. at every table) what's on their table is the Molcajete Supreme. It's a huge bowl of flavorful shrimp, chicken, beef, onions and mild jalapeno peppers simmered in the most flavorful green sauce ever with big hunks of gooey mild cheese that melts in the sauce (make sure you stir it around to get some in each bite!) Side of beans and rice and a little salad, plus tortillas, are all included. (The corn ones are definitely homemade and hot off the fryer.) My only beef (no pun intended) is that the beef usually is a bit chewy and not super tender. The rest is so good that we just let it slide. Our friends who had just returned from staying with locals in Guatemala said the Molcajete was the best food they've tasted since being there and eating the locals' food. It's about $25 but serves two with plenty leftover to take home (even with my husband who eats like 3 people). Great chips and salsa too (though refills are a minor extra charge.) The service is attentive but not overly friendly (although our friends said on a previous visit one server enjoyed talking with them so much he got nudged by his manager). It can get busy at lunch so get there early if you have a large group. Until I can get more of my favorite California amazing Mexican food, can't wait for more Molcajete!
(4)
Robert J.
It was pretty good. I asked for something and got something different. Oh well. The singer was hysterical as he kissed one of the single ladies I was with. Prices are a little high for the food.
(4)
Katie P.
Our first time here and it will not be our last. My new favorite Mexican restaurant! I've been past it before, and never noticed it. We went because of the Yelp reviews. We really enjoyed the live entertainment, too. I had a small bowl which is actually big) of very yummy Pozole. I also had a huarache. Nom Nom Nom! My hubby had enchiladas, and he was impressed with how good they were. The salsa was very good. Service and staff were both excellent. Our waiter was Freddy. He was funny, helpful, and had good recommendations. The food IS authentic. I will be recommending this place to everyone looking for real Mexican.
(5)
Kayleigh R.
This is a really authentic alternative to the usual cheesy stuff in my area. We go for the molcajete but stay for the delicious margaritas and fun environment. Sometimes there is a mariachi band and other times there is karaoke but there's never a dull moment. We choose the molcajete supreme because of the various meat options. Everything is cooked perfectly! If you give it a few minutes the cotija melts into the sauce creating the most delicious thing you've ever had. I don't recommend going here for a quiet conversation. You can't hear it over all the fun!
(4)
Danny L.
I came here for a business lunch. It seemed pretty good as there was a long line for the indoor taco cart. Definitely worth a try as it is quite unique for a restaurant. The taco cart had your choices of meats, salsas, rice and beans. Pretty basic stuff but pretty good. Pro's: - Fast to get food despite line at lunch time. - Nice to be able to control the quantity of food you eat. - Chips and water served to your table. Con's: - Seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.
(3)
Jose A.
El piasa grill is at it's best semi mediocre mexican food.have been there 2 times and both times have been disappointed.the food is a lot like Mexican America fast food if I want that I will go to betos and it's half the price.
(2)
Lara L.
Little pricey but good food :) Molcajete supreme is $25 is enough for 2 people. Birria $12.95 a ok amount and it was good. A side of Guacamole $8.95 what? That's ridiculous don't order is way too much for just a portion of avocado nah ah way too much $$$ like I said this place is pricey. The food is good I will come back :)
(4)
Rider N.
Unbilievable This place is great, you can taste an authentic Mexican Food, they have a good customer service also, I ate tacos al pastor and enchiladas, first time seen those mini tacos. Or I guess this is the Utah style because I went to another local Mexican place and they were serving the same size tacos.
(5)
Natalie O.
Big no bad service bad food bad server completely ignored us table wasn't prep well and food was not cooked well I wouldn't go there I use to Love this place until my last visit they gave us bad service not going back there again
(1)
Matt B.
Best in Utah? Maybe. I came here for lunch yesterday and ordered the Carne Asada plate. Best mexican Carne Asada I've ever had. At $12 the portion size was huge and they definitely didn't skimp on the size of the steak. It was huge and delicious, seasoned so well. The beans were really good too. I prefer a spicier salsa than the complimentary one but it tasted fresh and for being complimentary I can't complain. The dish was served with my choice of flour or corn tortilla. I chose the flour. The guac, beans, rice and carne asada with the lettuce was delicious. Maybe the best in Utah... Idk. I'd have to try some other menu items out before I came to that conclusion. I would say that at least for the carne asada, it is the best I've had anywhere. The decor is inviting and comfortable. I like the imitation palm trees and the colorful paintings on the wall. Despite the shitty location, being on the southwest corner of a busy intersection directly near the freeway it looks surprisingly comfortable and welcoming inside. Good job to whoever worked on the interior design there. Always love restaurants that have excellent food AND excellent decor. Awesome. Try it.
(5)
Kim T.
A little pricey on some items, more so than other divey Mexican restaurants. Husband had the chili verde burrito ... just ok, very bland. I had the Fiesta taco platter. I asked that they give me one of each meat ... 6 mini tacos - $8.99 ... no beans, no rice ... pretty good. There was a guy singing solo ... ok. Bathrooms not clean ... the reason I won't be going back. It's a turn off. Stars are based on my food and ok service.
(3)
Kathleen K.
They carry the title "Best Mexican food in Utah" and they definitely carry the name! Great food, awesome margaritas and food!
(4)
Wallace W.
The food is ok, not great. I had a lunch special of tamal cheese enchilada with rice and beans. It took 40 minutes for my food to arrive at my table. I probably won't be back. My server Ana #2 was one of the worst ever. It took twenty minutes to get my check. Never again!
(2)
Daniel R.
Went to Paisa Grill for the first time the food is delicious but REALLY BAD SERVICE!! The food took forever to come & the waitress seriously forgot about us!! She never came to offer a refill I had to ask a different waitress or go to the front desk if I wanted something. Food is really good some stuff are over price also if you want a refill asked the waitress if they charge because they charged us for extra tortillas & for refills.
(2)
Sarah C.
Shared the molcajete supreme. We liked it, and felt like the price was reasonable. The kids liked their jr burrito and jr quesadilla- portions were large. Live music set a tone that was fun, although a bit loud for conversation. We were promptly seated at a table for six, which was a little small for the seven of us. Meanwhile there were several larger tables that were empty. Drink refills were slow and it took our server FOREVER to bring our ticket (even after asking for it twice) This place is hopping after 7pm on weekends, so go early. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Ezra C.
I picked up my girlfriend at the airport and we started looking for someplace to have dinner. This was a Sunday and as many of you know, Sunday in Salt Lake City means most places are closed. Not only was El Paisa Grill open, but it was packed! They had live music and face painting and balloon animals for the kids. The service was excellent and we were seated at a booth almost right away. We started out with cucumber shots, excellent. These are hollowed out cool cucumbers dusted in chile powder and filled with cucumber vodka. Then had a strawberry margarita and avocado margarita, both delicious. We ordered a half order of Molcajete de Mariscos and one with steak and chicken. We got half orders (they normally serve two people) and still had tons left over. The Molcajete de Mariscos is "A combination of shrimp, octopus, crab meat and fish simmered in green or red sauce, served with nopalitos and Mexican onions". It is served sizzling in a tall bowl and is as fun to look at as it was to eat. Both were delicious and our only regret was not being too full to eat more. I don't know if this was a regular Sunday night, as this was our first time going there... but it must of been some sort of Mexican battle of the bands! We were treated to several different singers and more than one band while we were there. I never expected this much fun on a Sunday! This place also has a full bar with an impressive selection of Tequila. While we were there, they had a separate band playing in there and soccer on the TV. Connected to the bar is a fun outdoor covered patio. I am pretty sure we were the only non-Hispanic people in the place and no one ever made us feel unwelcome. If anything it should speak to the authenticity of the food. We can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Do yourself a favor, when you go, stay away from the "normal" Mexican food you can find anywhere and order from the many Specialties on the menu. All of the appetizers are awesome, but I recommend picking out one of the many seafood items. Portions are large, prices are reasonable... this place it a bit out of the way (although close to the airport), so it is easy to impress your date by taking them to someplace fun (and with great food) that they may not have been to before. Looking for an excuse to go back right away!
(5)
Tristan S.
The closest thing to authentic Mexican food that I've had outside of California! Great environment, live music and awesome service. It was pretty crowded but we didn't have to wait long. Chips and salsa were good and overall a fun place to have dinner.
(4)
Jenny F.
This place was horrible in every way. Took 10 minutes to get chips and salsa. Another 5 for water. (Not busy). I asked for a soft taco instead of a hard taco in my child's meal with rice and beans, and she brought out a hard taco only, no rice and beans, and the taco tasted bad. I requested the most popular dish with flour tortillas, she brought it out with corn, and the dish was awful. Chewy meat, gross sauce. A $25 dish I didn't eat. Bad food, bad service. Would never go back.
(1)
Ashley Jo J.
I don't mean to hurt Red Iguanas feelings, but this place is better. I'm a huge Mexican food snob, and hands down this is the most authentic, delicious Mexican food in the Salt Lake Valley. Just go eat here. You will not regret it!
(5)
Cody R.
This restaurant has went from a 5 star to a 3 star review. Every time I used to come here was exceptional, but this last visit with the room temperature food, non-melted cheese, and poor service was very disappointing. I may give this place one more shot or I may just go to El Rancho Grande.
(3)
Sam C.
" The key to good food is to make the food the same way every time you go their and not a hit and run" I guess this applies to this place. Some day food is good and some days the service is good???? I am not sure what to go for when people say that this is a good place to get Mexican food???
(2)
Armando G.
Just had the Taco Buffet and it was AWESOME! Food is always good and worth every penny. I definitely recommend this place to all. You will not be disappointed with any item on the menu. Good service and atmosphere.
(5)
Macey H.
Delicious food! The Mochaletia was amazing. And very filling, they do not skimp on the steak. I only gave this restaurant 4 stars because the service was lacking. Very poor and you have to ask multiple times to get all the things you asked for.
(4)
Nick N.
The all you can eat tacos are an amazing deal for lunch. So much variety! I prefer the asada, chicken, and chile verde. Al pastor is decent, too.
(5)
Sam T.
Great environment, great people and even better food! Love this place and the food here. Really good friends with a former employee of this place and even though he doesn't work there anymore I continue to go enjoy the good food here.
(4)
Steve P.
A lot of what I read was correct.... Good over-priced food with poor service. We enjoyed the ambiance. Our order was placed at other customers table. No apology. We also enjoyed the live entertainment.
(3)
Austin P.
Atmosphere is fun. I've been here twice now, and the first time they had a live Mariachi band. It was awesome! The food is quite good. I love the salsa that comes with the free chips you get when you sit down. Our waitress was the same both times, and she's pleasant enough, but a little less attentive than I would have liked. Get the Molcajete, but make sure you're hungry! It's carne asada, grilled chicken, amazing shrimp, and some kind of cactus in some green sauce, all served in a hot lava bowl. Your last bit is as hot as the first!
(4)
Sean J.
We had the rolled taco appetizers and the chicken fajitas. They were both incredibly tasty and totally worth the price. They were good portions. Very awesome server too! I wish I had gotten his name-he was so nice!
(5)
Rüt G.
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in Utah! I come here and get the molcajete it NEVER disappoints! The food is delicious and service is great. They also do catering which is very convenient for parties! I will definitely continue to come to this place. 5 star place!
(5)
Yamile Z.
Fuck this place they gave me food poisoning!! I been sick since yesterday and all I had was there stupid shrimp cocktail!! Becareful people you don't want to get the stomach flu !! Like I did never having anything at this place ever again!!
(1)
Troy C.
Went for the lunch taco bar, food was good, not the best I have had, service was good, price for the buffet a bit high considering I can get these tacos for 2 for a $1 elsewhere. I will probably give it a try again but not too soon and not too often.
(3)
Dave F.
A Taco Bar sounded like an odd idea, but this was actually excellent. There are 5-6 different meats/chicken/fish and you can have your taco as you like it at El Palsa. The food was great, service was great and the pricing was extremely fair. Definitely will go back----if I can find this place! Note, very convenient to the airport should you want last minute real food, pre-airport fare.
(4)
Jason W.
One of my all time fav places to eat in the Salt Lake valley. The taco bar is an insane deal and a must try for anyone that like authentic tacos. They usually have 6-8 different meats to try and a complete salsa bar with fresh made salsas.
(5)
Jesse S.
The menu had a moderate urine scent to it. The atmosphere was nice. service was typical. prices are average. The food wasn't bad but I think it has been hyped up too much. I will probably not go back.
(2)
Jason B.
"I'd sell my soul for some good chicken." I'm accustomed Old Scratch showing up in various forms and guises. This time was the first he'd appeared as an almost spherical Mexican man with a pushbroom mustache. "Accepted!," he said. "Ole!" He ferried us to El Paisa Grill. It was loud, and for a Sunday night there was quite a crowd. We were seated in the back where we were spared some noise--save from the big speaker that loomed over the table. The Gallo a la Diabla was selected by my wife because what the hell. I found that The Divine Comedy made an oversight in the descriptions of hell: the lake of fire is under a cast iron skillet on which armies of the damned lovingly press dough into rough circles and cook them into devilishly good tortillas. The fajitas were harmless; I enjoyed the extra charred parts. But that Devil's Chicken got some rave reviews. Definitely worth a soul, she said ... she wasn't using it for nothing anyhow.
(4)
Andrea G.
Food and Entertainment It is a great place to bring your family to listen to some mexican music and/or musical acts. If you want to celebrate a special birthday or milestone this is the place to be. They have great drink selections. I've been here a couple of times and I only order the Molcajete Supreme. It comes with seafood, chicken, beef, nopales (cactus), onions, and jalapeño. I recommend the Cantarito (squirt, tequila, and lime). We recently had dinner there for my Goddaughter's 15 birthday dinner on a Saturday night. We were a large group (approx.. 15 people). We had to wait about 20 minutes for our food. In the mean time, we enjoyed lived musical acts. The performers used a computer and microphone to perform "karaoke-like" songs. While it might seem a little boring, it was actually pretty fun. They sang happy birthday for my Goddaughter and even invited her up to the stage. I have also been here on Sundays. They have a cantina next to the restaurant along with outdoor patio. They have live Mariachi or conjunto. Both experiences have been pleasant. Keep in mind this is not a luxury or gourmet restaurant. The place is a little older and the music is loud. My only complain is that the bathroom are super dirty. The sinks have broken soup dispensers and towels. It takes a while to get your food and it can be difficult to have a conversation with someone across the table.
(3)
Sky T.
This place always has many cars parked in front of it so I decided that I had to check it out. So, I went and found that the place is very carefree and fun and packed. The food is just some good ol' Mexican cooking so it doesn't disappoint. It may not be my favorite place for Mexican food but this is a place where you should give it a try at least once. One of the fun things about it is that there is a stage up in front where you can go and karaoke en español and if you have a couple of drinks it is easy to do. The food is good, the place is loud, and it can be a fun night out at this place.
(3)
Eli f.
I went here based off of the review this site has, and well, I wasn't completely pleased... My date both ordered different types of burritos. Both were decent sized, both were a little on the cold side, both came with a salad with ranch dressing. hm.. I felt like both burritos were a little on the bland side. The meat inside the burritos was great. Very well season, not over cooked. however, the majority of either burrito did not contain much meat. . mostly filler. , so yeah.. I'd say this place is right about, if not below average. Sadly, the burritos as betos are better.
(2)
Sonia J.
El Paisa is definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the valley. I'm really quite surprised that I don't see more web reviews, articles etc. out there for it. The place is pretty large - probably 30 or so tables/booths plus a stage. It gets pretty busy later in the day on the weekends so if you want a quieter meal then the weekdays or lunch would be a better choice. They do serve alcohol - not sure how full of a bar it is though. They serve a lot of seafood but of course all the other Mexican staples as well. I would recommend the molcajete if there are two of you - it's fairly unique and very tasty. The food is hot and served in a "molcajete" which is one of those lava-stone bowl things you've probably seen around. One warning: Don't eat the peppers that come in it unless you are good at handling really spicy stuff! For us wimps you should set the peppers aside and eat the rest.
(5)
Monica T.
Since my original review, I have found myself at El Paisa on many more occasions. I have since experienced the supreme greatness that is their molcajete supreme, which contains flavorful chunks of beef, chicken, and shrimp in an amazing sauce. One order will easily serve three people. Trust me on this one. I have also been seriously impressed with the gallo a la diabla, because that smoky, tangy, spicy sauce is ridiculously good. They also do top notch renditions of the old standards like fajitas and chile rellenos. And all of you can hate on the karaoke guy all you want, but I think he is full of win. Some examples: one night, while he was singing a fairly off key rendition of "You Are So Beautiful," he came over to our table and had us sing along with him. Then last night, he donned a reggae style hat to sing "Red Red Wine," and then donned a not-gangsta-enough looking purple hat to sing some Pitbull while a couple of girls who appeared to be ten years old danced awkwardly on stage next to him. This may or may not have been related to some birthday festivities that were occurring. Speaking of our visit last night, I must also give props to the server (not ours) who was carrying a Corona to a nearby table and tripped and fell flat on his face. Not only did he not break the bottle, but he gracefully got up, picked up the fallen lime garnish, retrieved a new Corona, and brought it to the table without missing a beat. A lesser server might have crumbled after such an event. With the combination of delicious food and awesome atmosphere, I must add the fifth star. This is the best Mexican food I've had in Utah, and it would fit right in back in my home state of Texas.
(5)
Sam E.
We have been eating here 8-9 times per year for the past five years. This is as close as you can get to real authentic food from South America. The favors, sauces, and spices are very good, best anywhere on the Wasatch Front. We haven't been disappointed by the service, although there has been an occasional language barrier - no big deal. Don't sit close to the stage on Friday night - the Mariachi band is so loud you cannot talk to the rest of your table. Order the molcajete if it is your first visit.
(5)
Andrew S.
I've only eaten here at lunch time so I don't know how crowded it gets at night. I've had a great experience every time though. I would highly recommend the molcajete; I like it so much that I haven't ordered anything else since having it. In my opinion, this is one of the top 4 Mexican restaurants in Salt Lake (along with Chungas, Red Iguana, and Lone Star Taqueria).
(4)
Curtis G.
Our meals at El Paisa were pretty good, and seemed like authentic food from Mexico. I wasn't terribly impressed with their chips and salsa, which seemed rather plain. My wife's fajitas were plentiful, but the portion of my carne a la tampiqueña wasn't as large as I'm used to at other Mexican places. I do have to mention that while waiting for our meal, we saw an employee bringing in a load of supplies from Costco, including a case of El Monterey taquitos! I'd rather eat at Blue Iguana any day!
(3)
Jenni S.
My husband and I were pretty excited Friday night when we rolled up on a full parking lot and El Paise had the right look to it. Upon entering we found there was Mexican entertainment going on as well. Even better! A hostess took us to an empty table, gave us a bar menu and said she'd be back with menus for us. We sat and watched the entertainment. There was a singer, then a pair of dancers, then another singer. I looked through the bar menu several times hoping to order a margarita an get munching on chips and salsa. Time went by and nobody came. We watched a waiter, two waitresses, and a bus boy walk by again and again serving other tables near ours, never even making eye contact with us. We looked around for anyone who might be coming to take our order, but everyone appeared to be in their own little world oblivious to the pair of us sitting at a completely empty table. We sat with our tummies grumbling through 3 or 4 full musical numbers before we finally just got up and headed to the Crown Burger down the street. It's such a shame because we won't be going back and we never even got to see the menu. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I've never sat in a restaurant for that long without having SOMEONE ask if we've been helped. It was like we didn't exist! Can't be a good sign.
(1)
Bud H.
The chips and salsa are quite good. As are the carnitas. All in all, a good palce for lunch.
(3)
D J.
Some of the negative reviews are really surprising. I've been to El Paisa several times and thought it was great. From the outside it doesn't look like anything special. In fact, it's located in an odd strip mall surround by even odder businesses. The interior of the restaurant makes you feel like you've traveled into the heart of Mexico; great decor and a fun atmosphere. Generally there is plenty of seating, but it does fill in quite a bit for lunch. (I have only been there for lunch). On the weekends, live music, mariachi bands and karaoke add to the atmosphere (according to several friends of mine). El Paisa features a large variety of Mexican food, including a street tacos bar for lunch and their famous molcajete. I have been there several times, but admit I've only tried the taco bar and the molcajete (their signature dish). You can't go wrong with either choice! The street-taco style taco bar has 6 different kinds of meats, rice, beans and a slew of condiments. A great lunch at a really reasonable price and the different tacos are excellent. If you're feeling more adventurous go for the molcajete. This large meal is cooked in a sizzling lava bowl and easily feeds 2-3 people. You just have to try it to try appreciate it. - Stick with either one of these dishes are you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Michelle R.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is due to the extremely loud music! Me and my fiance went here over the weekend. I ordered a ceviche tostada for an appetizer. It was delicious! Just the right balance of fish and pico de gallo with cilantro. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme to share. The meats were swimming in sort of a chili verde sauce. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. The mariachis playing in the room were obnoxiously loud. We couldn't hear each other speak. Otherwise, the food was fantastic!
(4)
Alan B.
I tend to be persnickety about Mexican food. I enjoy it, but there's no shortage of Mexican options in this area, so it takes something legitimately outstanding to acquire and maintain my attention. For this reason, I erect a wall of dismissive resistance whenever I am invited to try a new vendor of Mexican meals. El Paisa was no different. It lingered on the List of Places to Try Someday for a long time, adorned with praise and promise, yet unable to surmount my slapdash defenses. Recently, however, a very attractive person with whom I spend much of my time put her foot down. El Paisa is easily the best Mexican food I've eaten in this state. At the risk of alliteratively abusing ambiguous adjectives, the Molcajete is amazing and the fajitas are fantastic. But the Gallo a la Diabla is my favorite so far. It's not as spicy as the name implies, but what it lacks in burn it makes up for in complex and seratonin-inducing flavors. I've since visited on several occasions, and frankly, you're about as likely to find something mediocre on the menu as you are to find the period at the end of this sentence
(5)
Charles S.
I Vacillated furiously between 3 and 4 stars, but then I realized... if I can't decide, then it's probably not deserving of the added points. We followed the conscensus of Yelpers and shared the molcajete supreme. This thing was awesome! 5 stars for sure, no question! This dish is as good as anything I've had anywhere. Yumm. Now for the deductions: the rice was not good. I agree with another reviewer that called it "Minute Rice with frozen veggies added." Nailed it! The beans also tasted like something from a can, with some cheese on top. Even in the molcajete, the chicken was obviously boneless, skinless, breast meat from a frozen package (but the sauce, shrimp and beef more than made up for the mediocre quality of the chicken). It is obnoxiously loud in this place. We were there on a Friday night and it was Spanglish karaoke night at one end of the restuarant. Annoying? Absolutely! Tolerable? Sure. Except that there was a mariachi band playing at the other end of the restaurant in the bar area... at the SAME TIME! It was like some sort of nightmarish battle of the bands where both the "mighty mighty tone-deafs" and the "Caballeros de Guadalupe" were battling it out simultaneously. I had a headache this big and it had Excedrin written all over it! The service... hmmm... yes, the service. It was friendly, but English speakers would be a big plus. We asked what kinds of wine they had available and it took us literally 15 minutes, and 3 translators, to find out. Then, when they did let us know which 2 whites they had, we found that both were warm. Our waitress did stop by and check on us often enough... and she smiled a lot, which needs no translation. I'm not sure if El Paisa is always this chaotic or if that was a special weekend thing. If so, I don't know if I'd ever go back. But, then again, the molcajete might just call out to me one day and I'll have no choice but to return.
(3)
Kelsey R.
The Molcajete Supreme and refried beans will change your life. One of the best Mexican restaurants in the valley!
(4)
Chris G.
I thought it was great food and a good atmosphere. Very authentic and the lunch specials are a great deal! definitely have some complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa might have been my favorite part of the experience! I'm definitely going back... too many choices that looked very good!
(4)
Spencer S.
This is my kind of Mexican restaurant. The food is superb, the menu is huge, the staff is friendly and unlike other authentic Mexican restaurants around, I'm looking at you multicolored lizard restaurants, its clientele is mostly Mexican. I know I've said it before but its a critical piece of advice, the first sign of a good authentic ethnic food restaurant is when I'm the only white person there. The second sign is when the wait staff does not speak very good English. If you find yourself in a place with those two attributes, your most likely in for a treat. El Paisa is no exception. Its wonderful. My favorite dish is the molcajete which is meat, chicken and optional shrimp in a sour green sauce with onions and peppers. Its served with beans and rice and tortillas. Skip the flour tortillas and go traditional with the corn tortillas. Its delicious and I have never had it anywhere else. I believe the word molcajete refers to the giant stone bowl the dish is served in which is surface of the sun hot. the molcajetes are priced for 2 people but they are willing to make one for a single person if you ask. You should also ask for the red hot sauce, it is fiery and delicious! Another must try at El Paisa is the chili verde. I loathe to admit it, but its actually better than my own chili verde. But I will persevere despite this affront to my dignity because I can always go to El Paisa and eat their chili verde!
(4)
Jeff P.
Ate there late on 6/13/2012. Nice place, nice folks. Showed-up 5 minutes past their closing time but they fed me anyway. Had some sort of skirt or flank steak smothered in a salsa-like concoction, with the usual Mexican sides -- was tasty, though the beef itself was a little tough and overcooked. Reasonably priced -- got out of there for about $23, covering a full dinner entree, a beer, tax, and tip. A solid choice if you want a comfortable Mexican place with a fairly interesting menu (with more than the usual number of seafood choices) and fair prices.
(4)
Diana L.
In a nutshell: Cool live music. Decent cocktails. Bland food made with cheap ingredients.
(2)
Ryan S.
when we pulled up to El Paisa Grill we could hear music playing inside. I thought there might be a band, but it turned out to be a one-man karaoke kind of thing. and it was loud. really loud. point at the menu to order loud. we all agreed that the food was good although I wish there would have been more to accompany my tacos (I had to ask for salsa, which was hard since I couldn't come up with a good salsa gesture). the menu was pretty expansive as well, which made me think it would warrant a trip back as long as we could ensure that the singing dude would not be present. and then, right as we were finishing our lunch, the singing dude rickrolled us. seriously. I gave the tacos four taco gnomes out of seven on tacoaday.com . there is a slight star reduction for the excessively loud señor rickrollo.
(3)
Jeremiah R.
Slightly above average Mexican food. They probably have the best tacos al pastor I've had outside of Mexico.
(4)
Kim And Betsy T.
The food here was tasty, aside from some rather dried out rice served with our meals. The lack of stars is for service. We arrived on a karaoke night, which was cool, but the waitress took our family to sit right in front of the gigantic speakers, and it was LOUD. We didn't complain or ask to move, but I was wondering why, on earth she thought that was the best place to seat us when there were clearly other places we could have been seated. Couldn't hear myself think, much less hear the waitress. Speaking of our waitress, where did she go??? She took our orders for drinks and brought them after a while and then disappeared after taking our food orders. We waited a long time for our food which was brought by a different waiter. Then we ate, and waited, and waited, and waited. My husband had to go up and ask for the check. Don't know if that's normal, but it was a little irritating. Also, taking my kids to the bathroom a couple of times, I noticed like everybody else had a big basket of chips and some salsa on their tables and it was never offered to us. Bummer! I enjoyed my plate of carnitas, and my husband enjoyed his mole dish, but I don't think the service warrants a repeat visit. It costs A LOT to take a family out to eat. The experience wasn't good enough to rationalize the expense of a repeat visit.
(3)
James D.
This is a quality restaurant that I am surprised more people do not know about. It puts other Mexican restaurants around Salt Lake to shame. If you like Red Iguana (which I don't) you will love El Paisa. A very full menu let's you choose anything from seafood to the staples you are used to. Try the molcajete and you won't be disappointed. Or try anything and I doubt you will be disappointed. Tonight I had the taco fiesta platter and a queso fundido appetizer. It was excellent.
(5)
K.D. P.
I would pick 3.5 if I could. I have enjoyed their food and crazy loud atmosphere. (both karaoke and mariachi) The first time we went with about 14 or 15 of us - we were seated in the bar along with other families w/kids so that's kind of funny. The wait service has been excellent both times, we got free refills of the free chips and salsa - the girls spoke english =) I have still not tried the molcajete but plan to go back for sure. I had the chile verde burrito and since someone else here said it was so great - I wanted to add my two cents. The pork was superbly tender - the size was great - the rice did have those weird mixed veggies in it for some odd reason - but my slight disappoinment comes because it was sweeter than I'm used too so that was a bummer for me. I'd like a little more spice and less sweet in a chile verde. But it is a very fun place if you're in the mood for loud Mexican music (good or bad!)
(4)
JaNae C.
Absolutely LOVED this place. We've always had excellent service, even when they are packed. When we've been the only gringos, we've been treated almost like royalty. Everything we've eaten has been seasoned exactly as asked (some of my family members can't do much heat). The molcajete is incredible - definitely my favorite Mexican food. Much more authentic than most.
(5)
Todd D.
How do you say "thanks for ripping me off" in Spanish? I told some family that I was going to bring by some tacos for lunch over the weekend and was kind of embarrassed when I unknowingly showed up with a light snack. I grabbed some take out from El Paisa and was pretty surprised by the prices. I'm used to paying no more than a few bucks for a couple of asada tacos so my expectations were extremely heightened. My surprise and expectations turned to sheer disappointment when I saw the portion sizes. The amount of food for the price was unjustifiable. There was nothing special about the quality either, I can't even say that it was good. I could have gotten better tacos from a taco cart for 1/10 of what I paid and wouldn't miss the Gerber style beans or instant rice one bit. Some of the seafood entrees on the menu sent my saliva glands into overdrive so I'll give 2 stars instead of 1 under the assumption that they probably have some delicious options if you've got the pesos.
(2)
Kent B.
Fantastic and very authentic mexican food. My wife and I split a molcajete between the two of us and we had plenty left over to take home. We were there on a Monday evening and they had someone with a great voice on the stage singing in Spanish the whole time. Very fun atmosphere. Two things that kept them from getting 5 stars - the shrimp wasn't deveined and the mexican rice seemed suspiciously like minute rice with some frozen vegetables thrown in.
(4)
Jared S.
The ceviche did not seem fresh ante carnitas, although tasty in the moment, left me with a very greasy feel after we left. The best part was the live mariachi band, which plays each Friday night.
(2)
L. R.
El Paisa Grill brings a small part of Mexico to Utah. The Molcajete is delicious and it is indeed the best in Utah.
(4)
Paul M.
I started going to this place for lunch because it was close by and some of the guys from work said I should try it. Before long it was one of my favorite places and word must have caught on because it does get busy for lunch. One day I decided take my wife there for dinner. We ordered something that we had never had before, which I had come to find out was one of their specialties, molcajete. It was delicious. Since then I have taken my whole family there many times and we have never been disappointed. There is usually live music there on the weekends which is nice. This is a great authentic place with great food and a great selection.
(5)
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Address :2126 S 3200 W
West Valley City, UT, 84119
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes 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.
Jenny F.
This place was horrible in every way. Took 10 minutes to get chips and salsa. Another 5 for water. (Not busy). I asked for a soft taco instead of a hard taco in my child's meal with rice and beans, and she brought out a hard taco only, no rice and beans, and the taco tasted bad. I requested the most popular dish with flour tortillas, she brought it out with corn, and the dish was awful. Chewy meat, gross sauce. A $25 dish I didn't eat. Bad food, bad service. Would never go back.
(1)Ashley Jo J.
I don't mean to hurt Red Iguanas feelings, but this place is better. I'm a huge Mexican food snob, and hands down this is the most authentic, delicious Mexican food in the Salt Lake Valley. Just go eat here. You will not regret it!
(5)Rider N.
Unbilievable This place is great, you can taste an authentic Mexican Food, they have a good customer service also, I ate tacos al pastor and enchiladas, first time seen those mini tacos. Or I guess this is the Utah style because I went to another local Mexican place and they were serving the same size tacos.
(5)Nick N.
The all you can eat tacos are an amazing deal for lunch. So much variety! I prefer the asada, chicken, and chile verde. Al pastor is decent, too.
(5)Sam T.
Great environment, great people and even better food! Love this place and the food here. Really good friends with a former employee of this place and even though he doesn't work there anymore I continue to go enjoy the good food here.
(4)Steve P.
A lot of what I read was correct.... Good over-priced food with poor service. We enjoyed the ambiance. Our order was placed at other customers table. No apology. We also enjoyed the live entertainment.
(3)Oscar A.
I took my dad there for dinner on father's day. Thought it would be fun. We ordered a feast. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme that came with beef, chicken and shrimp skewers and nopales. Very good. It'll feed 2-3 people since it also comes with sides. We got the rice and beans. I also ordered the Gallo a la Diabla which is chicken in hot sauce. I had read some good reviews about this plate in particular. I've never had anything like it and it was pretty good stuff. Overall the vibe of the place was good and for how busy they were our waiter was great. I do have to mention they had constant music going on. It seems to be a regular thing although I think they brought in some special singer for the occasion. A girl with a great voice. Unfortunately I can't remember her name. My biggest complaint was the guy with the karaoke machine belting out songs non-stop. It seemed like he liked listening to his own voice and he wasn't exactly Vicente Fernandez. Not to mention he was very loud. It was hard having a conversation with my dad. We only got a few minutes of peace when he took a small break and waited for the girl to get on stage. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he would just take a break for 20 minutes or so once in awhile. Hopefully this doesn't sound too mean but it did mess with the whole experience. Almost ruined it. It was that annoying to me. But maybe others liked it? Anyway, I'll be back but hopefully the karaoke machine won't be. (Photos Available)
(4)Oscar P.
A number of people had ranted and raved to me about how awesome this place is. And these people are usually right on the money so I imagine that my subpar experience here was a freak thing. It was Saturday night so it was packed. Took about 15 minutes to get a table. No biggie. There was an older gentleman on stage singing Vicente Fernández songs and he was doing a great job. I was waiting for some friends so I didn't really notice that the waiter hadn't come by. 10 min later, my friends show but still no waiter. 10 more minutes roll by and we ask one of the bus boys for our waiter. He shows up. Very apologetic. Very nice guy. We order. I get the carne asada sopes and a fish cevice tostada. Im expecting magic. Not so much. The cevice was way salty. The beans on the sopes were bland. The meat was cold and under seasoned. I had to remind the waiter every time he walked buy if he could get me a refill on my soda. Took 3 tries. When we were done, it took forever to get our check. More reminders. I asked for a box for my sons leftovers. It never came. So....the food was ok at best. The service sucked. But the music was nice, so there's that. I feel I should give it another chance, but who knows......
(2)D. W.
So many times, as regular readers will have observed, I will lament that leaving the confines of Salt Lake City, either north towards Ogden or south towards Utah County, will tend to carry one into a culinary wasteland. I am literally one more underwhelming visit away, at any restaurant, from adding West Valley City to that last, or perhaps Wasted Valley, as may be more appropriate. If/when one of the better restaurants in that area is a TFGI Friday's, who does admittedly do a very nice job and who I'm not trying to knock, it sort of points up a problem. In this case, I was very excited to go and had high hopes until I saw the extensive menu, in which the high hopes turned into expectations. The word "best" being thrown around at on, including emblazoned on various decor inside the restaurant itself in amidst splashes of some of the most wonderful (and arguably authentic) interior work I've seen in any restaurant. Outside is pretty blah, but inside is fantastic. This place obviously caters to the Latino sports community, with a lot of ads for boxing, including a screen set up for PPVs. When we were there, a soccer broadcast was on, with the play by play being heavily piped through the overheads. Unfortunately, the good feeling stopped almost as soon as we were seated. Wait staff very clearly would have preferred either more linguistically capable patrons or at least someone who wasn't asking questions or making alterations. It's ok to have a preference, but not ok to provide highly questionable service in that case. It didn't get much better when they actually brought the food, starting with chips and salsa. Salsa was almost more like tomato sauce, as in disgusting. A lot of places have "hidden" menus, dependent on fluency and/or nationality and that's cool with me in general, but if there's that much of a decline between the menus, that's another problem. Iced tea, more like dishwater, was also dreadful, so much so that I rejected it and sent it back. They did not have milk, of any kind, for my son, which struck me as odd. There is a ton of food for the money, but a lot of it is poorly executed. My wife kept finding fries in (yes, IN) her chile verde burrito (yeah, no idea, either) and the side of rice she ordered came out nearly dead last. I ordered an Inferno seafood plate, which was served cold...it was pretty flavorful and the notes were all correct, for the most part, but some of the seafood had either gone bad or was on the border and so I got nowhere near finishing it. I also got the sopitos, but had a choice between chicken and beef only, no al pastor or any of the other meat choices on the menu. Ok, fine, whatever. Those came out covered in shredded iceberg lettuce with some sort of Parmesan dust on them (???) instead of Fresca. The actual fried tortilla itself was also questionable and not anywhere near the best I've had. Once I got to it, the flavor of the chicken was ok, but there was not enough of it. Same with the beef, though that was charred nearly to the point of charcoal and chock full of gristle. This place has tons of potential and reasonably authentic flavors, but until execution improves on a drastic level, this place will never be competition for the heavy hitters of the area Mexican restaurants, especially the current reigning king Red Iguana.I may have ordered the "wrong thing", but execution errors applied to nearly everything we ordered, so I have doubts changing an entree is going to miraculously fix that. I also have doubts any changes will be made. We escaped before the rush, which filled the parking lot and a lot of 3200 W. bordering it, so they're apparently not hurting for business. It's a pity, though...this place could be great and instead it's another entry onto the one and out list...
(3)Natalie O.
Big no bad service bad food bad server completely ignored us table wasn't prep well and food was not cooked well I wouldn't go there I use to Love this place until my last visit they gave us bad service not going back there again
(1)Cody R.
This restaurant has went from a 5 star to a 3 star review. Every time I used to come here was exceptional, but this last visit with the room temperature food, non-melted cheese, and poor service was very disappointing. I may give this place one more shot or I may just go to El Rancho Grande.
(3)Sam C.
" The key to good food is to make the food the same way every time you go their and not a hit and run" I guess this applies to this place. Some day food is good and some days the service is good???? I am not sure what to go for when people say that this is a good place to get Mexican food???
(2)Armando G.
Just had the Taco Buffet and it was AWESOME! Food is always good and worth every penny. I definitely recommend this place to all. You will not be disappointed with any item on the menu. Good service and atmosphere.
(5)Macey H.
Delicious food! The Mochaletia was amazing. And very filling, they do not skimp on the steak. I only gave this restaurant 4 stars because the service was lacking. Very poor and you have to ask multiple times to get all the things you asked for.
(4)Meghan M.
One of my favorites! There can be a lot of variation in quality of food based on what you order so I would as your server for recommendations. Any thing the food lacks is more than made up for by the atmosphere. It is so fun, especially with their live music on the weekends. Be sure to check this place out! Warning: parking is a nightmare
(4)Rachel T.
Horrible service, horrible food! I apologize for the long review, however the visit was so exceptionally poor I don't even know where to begin. Once we were seated it took long over 15 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge us and offer drinks. We ordered our drinks and pretty much never saw our waitress again. Another lady came over to ask if we were being helped because she saw us sitting there for so long without food, water, or chips and salsa. She was helpful and took care of our drinks and went to find our waitress. Shortly after we received our drinks, our initial waitress brought out our drinks we ordered 45 minutes ago and didn't even realize someone else already took care of her job and put all our drinks on the table. Between the four of us we had 10 drinks taking up room on the small table. We asked about specific items and the waitress had pretty much no idea what we were talking about. Not helpful at all. Once our food was ordered we got bombarded by the hostess who was offering his services for his personal massage business. We started worrying about our food because it had been so long... and you have to realize that through this all we haven't seen our waitress in who knows how long. We asked someone to check on our orders and finally began seeing orders come out one-by-one..but don't worry the last item on the table was the appetizer that we ordered with our initial drinks. Which none of us cared to eatat that point. Food was not hot and the meat was all very rough. Lastly, we waved down the waitress to ask for our check and again....she never came back. Finally, we just went up to the front desk and discussed our issues. They offered nothing in return for the poor service. Needless to say, we will never be returning or referring people to El Paisa Grill.
(1)Andrea M.
Went here tonight with friends. I've never been before. LOVED it. Awesome atmosphere and on the weekends they have live mariachi and karaoke so I will be back for sure! First of all, the service was fantastic. Our waiter was super attentive and such a nice guy. He gave great suggestions too. We ordered the Queso Fundido which was spicy and cheesy and delicious. Very unique Queso. It was delicious. We also ordered Ostiones Guadalajara (half shell oysters topped with shrimp ceviche). To. Die. For. Tasted so fresh and flavorful. We shared the Molcajete Supreme, also so delicious. Highly recommend! I'm going back this weekend with the fam!
(4)Kevin L.
Craving something authentically Mexican but for something more than tacos, decided to get take-out at El Paisa Grill after looking over their extensive menu. I've heard great things about the Molcajete Supereme, but I felt some dishes are best experienced for dine-in. 1) Queso Fundido (2.5/5) - this was specifically the dish I was craving, but I was pretty disappointed with it since it was a little dry and bland. that being said, I concede that this is another one of those dishes that tastes much better dine-in. 2) Gallo a la Diaba (3.5/5) - slices of chicken breast in pretty spicy sauce (and I can take a lot of heat). nothing too memorable but definitely hit the pot and the sauce was delicious 3) Camarones Zarandeados (5/5) - this was the crown jewel of the meal. grilled shrimp seasoned with adobo then charbroiled, garnished with red onions. I'm not the biggest lover of shrimp but the shrimp was amazing. They give plenty of shrimp, and each piece has a complexity of flavor with just the right amount of heat. Frankly, the only disappointment of the meal was that I regretted not dining in. I can't wait to go back to El Paisa Grill and try what other dishes they have to offer!
(4)Vi T.
The first time I came here, I was in heaven. A giant molcajete overflowing with beef, chicken, shrimp, cactus, jalapeños, and melty cheese? Am I dreaming? AND there's a side of rice, beans, and warm tortillas? Pinch me. This dish is a good size for sharing. Throw in the ceviche el patron and I'm set. The problem is, it seems to vary. I've been maybe 4-5 times now and twice, it was killer. The other couple of times, the molcajete was just okay. Not bad, just not mind-blowing like the other times. It's a little inconsistent and perhaps that's due to chefs working on different days? I'm not sure. It seems to be a gamble but it's a gamble I'm willing to take here and there. The service is good and sometimes they have live music.
(3)Sara A.
I'd probably give it more stars, if not for the kj they had. Food was decent and the waiter was very nice. I enjoy singing and know many kj's around the USA, but not as bad as this one, he's a mic hogger, plus when someone sings he turns the music so low, that you can barely hear it, probably doesn't want anyone to sing better than him! And it doesn't matter if you ask nicely to turn the music up a louder, he'll just say no, and will tell you not to sing to loud, only he turns it up for himself, he didn't even ask for our names! Terrible kj, won't come back to restaurant!
(3)Susan S.
We came here on Thursday and again tonight (Sunday) because our friends wanted a margarita and Mexican food. I'm glad we returned and tried something different than last time. The carnitas were wonderful! Moist and tender, cooked to perfection! There was a live band for entertainment.
(4)Margo S.
So-so. Molcajete Supreme was ok, the shrimp in it was really good. Queso fundido was overdone, just cheese with nothing else? Was excited to try this place, kind of a let down.
(2)Vinna E.
What a cute place this is! There was a guy singing for everyone while we enjoyed our dinner. He was singing in Spanish and although I couldn't understand the lyrics, it was still very entertaining. Our server was good and very attentive. We ordered the molcajete which was pricier than other places but the portion was well worth it. There was so much food we couldn't even finish it.
(4)Hoa T.
This place is very authentic with great service. I made reservation on Yelp for 10 people, and when my party arrived the table was ready with my name on it. The establishment was great with switching our table since our party was cramped into a corner and we had an extra person. The food was delicious. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. One thing was that payment was made at the register and we had to figure out how to divide up the bill ourselves which is no biggy. They can only split the bill up to 6 credit cards.
(4)Bobby H.
I went and partook of the wonderful taco bar the other day. Let me tell you.. It was delicious. They had a wonderful chicken mole taco, delicious carne asada and tons of different pork taco varieties. They had this amazing sauce at the end of the condiment area. It was a sort of cream sauce.. I believe it was sent from the angels.. It was soooo good! Delicious place and I will be back again.
(4)Danny L.
I came here for a business lunch. It seemed pretty good as there was a long line for the indoor taco cart. Definitely worth a try as it is quite unique for a restaurant. The taco cart had your choices of meats, salsas, rice and beans. Pretty basic stuff but pretty good. Pro's: - Fast to get food despite line at lunch time. - Nice to be able to control the quantity of food you eat. - Chips and water served to your table. Con's: - Seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.
(3)Kelsey C.
The only thing to order at El Paisa Grill: Molcajete Supreme. Really. Seriously. I hate to have to tout my credentials, but this is coming from your California-born-and-bred Mexican food snob. The first time we went we tried the usual enchiladas and tacos (the latter of which were pretty legit street tacos). Their taco bar at lunch is supposed to be pretty killer - we have seen a lot of newbies order that. But I always look at what the Mexicans and other Latinos are ordering for recommendation, and usually, without fail (i.e. at every table) what's on their table is the Molcajete Supreme. It's a huge bowl of flavorful shrimp, chicken, beef, onions and mild jalapeno peppers simmered in the most flavorful green sauce ever with big hunks of gooey mild cheese that melts in the sauce (make sure you stir it around to get some in each bite!) Side of beans and rice and a little salad, plus tortillas, are all included. (The corn ones are definitely homemade and hot off the fryer.) My only beef (no pun intended) is that the beef usually is a bit chewy and not super tender. The rest is so good that we just let it slide. Our friends who had just returned from staying with locals in Guatemala said the Molcajete was the best food they've tasted since being there and eating the locals' food. It's about $25 but serves two with plenty leftover to take home (even with my husband who eats like 3 people). Great chips and salsa too (though refills are a minor extra charge.) The service is attentive but not overly friendly (although our friends said on a previous visit one server enjoyed talking with them so much he got nudged by his manager). It can get busy at lunch so get there early if you have a large group. Until I can get more of my favorite California amazing Mexican food, can't wait for more Molcajete!
(4)Robert J.
It was pretty good. I asked for something and got something different. Oh well. The singer was hysterical as he kissed one of the single ladies I was with. Prices are a little high for the food.
(4)Katie P.
Our first time here and it will not be our last. My new favorite Mexican restaurant! I've been past it before, and never noticed it. We went because of the Yelp reviews. We really enjoyed the live entertainment, too. I had a small bowl which is actually big) of very yummy Pozole. I also had a huarache. Nom Nom Nom! My hubby had enchiladas, and he was impressed with how good they were. The salsa was very good. Service and staff were both excellent. Our waiter was Freddy. He was funny, helpful, and had good recommendations. The food IS authentic. I will be recommending this place to everyone looking for real Mexican.
(5)Kayleigh R.
This is a really authentic alternative to the usual cheesy stuff in my area. We go for the molcajete but stay for the delicious margaritas and fun environment. Sometimes there is a mariachi band and other times there is karaoke but there's never a dull moment. We choose the molcajete supreme because of the various meat options. Everything is cooked perfectly! If you give it a few minutes the cotija melts into the sauce creating the most delicious thing you've ever had. I don't recommend going here for a quiet conversation. You can't hear it over all the fun!
(4)Jose A.
El piasa grill is at it's best semi mediocre mexican food.have been there 2 times and both times have been disappointed.the food is a lot like Mexican America fast food if I want that I will go to betos and it's half the price.
(2)Lara L.
Little pricey but good food :) Molcajete supreme is $25 is enough for 2 people. Birria $12.95 a ok amount and it was good. A side of Guacamole $8.95 what? That's ridiculous don't order is way too much for just a portion of avocado nah ah way too much $$$ like I said this place is pricey. The food is good I will come back :)
(4)Matt B.
Best in Utah? Maybe. I came here for lunch yesterday and ordered the Carne Asada plate. Best mexican Carne Asada I've ever had. At $12 the portion size was huge and they definitely didn't skimp on the size of the steak. It was huge and delicious, seasoned so well. The beans were really good too. I prefer a spicier salsa than the complimentary one but it tasted fresh and for being complimentary I can't complain. The dish was served with my choice of flour or corn tortilla. I chose the flour. The guac, beans, rice and carne asada with the lettuce was delicious. Maybe the best in Utah... Idk. I'd have to try some other menu items out before I came to that conclusion. I would say that at least for the carne asada, it is the best I've had anywhere. The decor is inviting and comfortable. I like the imitation palm trees and the colorful paintings on the wall. Despite the shitty location, being on the southwest corner of a busy intersection directly near the freeway it looks surprisingly comfortable and welcoming inside. Good job to whoever worked on the interior design there. Always love restaurants that have excellent food AND excellent decor. Awesome. Try it.
(5)Kim T.
A little pricey on some items, more so than other divey Mexican restaurants. Husband had the chili verde burrito ... just ok, very bland. I had the Fiesta taco platter. I asked that they give me one of each meat ... 6 mini tacos - $8.99 ... no beans, no rice ... pretty good. There was a guy singing solo ... ok. Bathrooms not clean ... the reason I won't be going back. It's a turn off. Stars are based on my food and ok service.
(3)Kathleen K.
They carry the title "Best Mexican food in Utah" and they definitely carry the name! Great food, awesome margaritas and food!
(4)Wallace W.
The food is ok, not great. I had a lunch special of tamal cheese enchilada with rice and beans. It took 40 minutes for my food to arrive at my table. I probably won't be back. My server Ana #2 was one of the worst ever. It took twenty minutes to get my check. Never again!
(2)Daniel R.
Went to Paisa Grill for the first time the food is delicious but REALLY BAD SERVICE!! The food took forever to come & the waitress seriously forgot about us!! She never came to offer a refill I had to ask a different waitress or go to the front desk if I wanted something. Food is really good some stuff are over price also if you want a refill asked the waitress if they charge because they charged us for extra tortillas & for refills.
(2)Sarah C.
Shared the molcajete supreme. We liked it, and felt like the price was reasonable. The kids liked their jr burrito and jr quesadilla- portions were large. Live music set a tone that was fun, although a bit loud for conversation. We were promptly seated at a table for six, which was a little small for the seven of us. Meanwhile there were several larger tables that were empty. Drink refills were slow and it took our server FOREVER to bring our ticket (even after asking for it twice) This place is hopping after 7pm on weekends, so go early. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Ezra C.
I picked up my girlfriend at the airport and we started looking for someplace to have dinner. This was a Sunday and as many of you know, Sunday in Salt Lake City means most places are closed. Not only was El Paisa Grill open, but it was packed! They had live music and face painting and balloon animals for the kids. The service was excellent and we were seated at a booth almost right away. We started out with cucumber shots, excellent. These are hollowed out cool cucumbers dusted in chile powder and filled with cucumber vodka. Then had a strawberry margarita and avocado margarita, both delicious. We ordered a half order of Molcajete de Mariscos and one with steak and chicken. We got half orders (they normally serve two people) and still had tons left over. The Molcajete de Mariscos is "A combination of shrimp, octopus, crab meat and fish simmered in green or red sauce, served with nopalitos and Mexican onions". It is served sizzling in a tall bowl and is as fun to look at as it was to eat. Both were delicious and our only regret was not being too full to eat more. I don't know if this was a regular Sunday night, as this was our first time going there... but it must of been some sort of Mexican battle of the bands! We were treated to several different singers and more than one band while we were there. I never expected this much fun on a Sunday! This place also has a full bar with an impressive selection of Tequila. While we were there, they had a separate band playing in there and soccer on the TV. Connected to the bar is a fun outdoor covered patio. I am pretty sure we were the only non-Hispanic people in the place and no one ever made us feel unwelcome. If anything it should speak to the authenticity of the food. We can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Do yourself a favor, when you go, stay away from the "normal" Mexican food you can find anywhere and order from the many Specialties on the menu. All of the appetizers are awesome, but I recommend picking out one of the many seafood items. Portions are large, prices are reasonable... this place it a bit out of the way (although close to the airport), so it is easy to impress your date by taking them to someplace fun (and with great food) that they may not have been to before. Looking for an excuse to go back right away!
(5)Tristan S.
The closest thing to authentic Mexican food that I've had outside of California! Great environment, live music and awesome service. It was pretty crowded but we didn't have to wait long. Chips and salsa were good and overall a fun place to have dinner.
(4)Austin P.
Atmosphere is fun. I've been here twice now, and the first time they had a live Mariachi band. It was awesome! The food is quite good. I love the salsa that comes with the free chips you get when you sit down. Our waitress was the same both times, and she's pleasant enough, but a little less attentive than I would have liked. Get the Molcajete, but make sure you're hungry! It's carne asada, grilled chicken, amazing shrimp, and some kind of cactus in some green sauce, all served in a hot lava bowl. Your last bit is as hot as the first!
(4)Sean J.
We had the rolled taco appetizers and the chicken fajitas. They were both incredibly tasty and totally worth the price. They were good portions. Very awesome server too! I wish I had gotten his name-he was so nice!
(5)Rüt G.
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in Utah! I come here and get the molcajete it NEVER disappoints! The food is delicious and service is great. They also do catering which is very convenient for parties! I will definitely continue to come to this place. 5 star place!
(5)Troy C.
Went for the lunch taco bar, food was good, not the best I have had, service was good, price for the buffet a bit high considering I can get these tacos for 2 for a $1 elsewhere. I will probably give it a try again but not too soon and not too often.
(3)Dave F.
A Taco Bar sounded like an odd idea, but this was actually excellent. There are 5-6 different meats/chicken/fish and you can have your taco as you like it at El Palsa. The food was great, service was great and the pricing was extremely fair. Definitely will go back----if I can find this place! Note, very convenient to the airport should you want last minute real food, pre-airport fare.
(4)Yamile Z.
Fuck this place they gave me food poisoning!! I been sick since yesterday and all I had was there stupid shrimp cocktail!! Becareful people you don't want to get the stomach flu !! Like I did never having anything at this place ever again!!
(1)Jason W.
One of my all time fav places to eat in the Salt Lake valley. The taco bar is an insane deal and a must try for anyone that like authentic tacos. They usually have 6-8 different meats to try and a complete salsa bar with fresh made salsas.
(5)Jesse S.
The menu had a moderate urine scent to it. The atmosphere was nice. service was typical. prices are average. The food wasn't bad but I think it has been hyped up too much. I will probably not go back.
(2)Jason B.
"I'd sell my soul for some good chicken." I'm accustomed Old Scratch showing up in various forms and guises. This time was the first he'd appeared as an almost spherical Mexican man with a pushbroom mustache. "Accepted!," he said. "Ole!" He ferried us to El Paisa Grill. It was loud, and for a Sunday night there was quite a crowd. We were seated in the back where we were spared some noise--save from the big speaker that loomed over the table. The Gallo a la Diabla was selected by my wife because what the hell. I found that The Divine Comedy made an oversight in the descriptions of hell: the lake of fire is under a cast iron skillet on which armies of the damned lovingly press dough into rough circles and cook them into devilishly good tortillas. The fajitas were harmless; I enjoyed the extra charred parts. But that Devil's Chicken got some rave reviews. Definitely worth a soul, she said ... she wasn't using it for nothing anyhow.
(4)Andrea G.
Food and Entertainment It is a great place to bring your family to listen to some mexican music and/or musical acts. If you want to celebrate a special birthday or milestone this is the place to be. They have great drink selections. I've been here a couple of times and I only order the Molcajete Supreme. It comes with seafood, chicken, beef, nopales (cactus), onions, and jalapeño. I recommend the Cantarito (squirt, tequila, and lime). We recently had dinner there for my Goddaughter's 15 birthday dinner on a Saturday night. We were a large group (approx.. 15 people). We had to wait about 20 minutes for our food. In the mean time, we enjoyed lived musical acts. The performers used a computer and microphone to perform "karaoke-like" songs. While it might seem a little boring, it was actually pretty fun. They sang happy birthday for my Goddaughter and even invited her up to the stage. I have also been here on Sundays. They have a cantina next to the restaurant along with outdoor patio. They have live Mariachi or conjunto. Both experiences have been pleasant. Keep in mind this is not a luxury or gourmet restaurant. The place is a little older and the music is loud. My only complain is that the bathroom are super dirty. The sinks have broken soup dispensers and towels. It takes a while to get your food and it can be difficult to have a conversation with someone across the table.
(3)Sky T.
This place always has many cars parked in front of it so I decided that I had to check it out. So, I went and found that the place is very carefree and fun and packed. The food is just some good ol' Mexican cooking so it doesn't disappoint. It may not be my favorite place for Mexican food but this is a place where you should give it a try at least once. One of the fun things about it is that there is a stage up in front where you can go and karaoke en español and if you have a couple of drinks it is easy to do. The food is good, the place is loud, and it can be a fun night out at this place.
(3)James D.
This is a quality restaurant that I am surprised more people do not know about. It puts other Mexican restaurants around Salt Lake to shame. If you like Red Iguana (which I don't) you will love El Paisa. A very full menu let's you choose anything from seafood to the staples you are used to. Try the molcajete and you won't be disappointed. Or try anything and I doubt you will be disappointed. Tonight I had the taco fiesta platter and a queso fundido appetizer. It was excellent.
(5)Eli f.
I went here based off of the review this site has, and well, I wasn't completely pleased... My date both ordered different types of burritos. Both were decent sized, both were a little on the cold side, both came with a salad with ranch dressing. hm.. I felt like both burritos were a little on the bland side. The meat inside the burritos was great. Very well season, not over cooked. however, the majority of either burrito did not contain much meat. . mostly filler. , so yeah.. I'd say this place is right about, if not below average. Sadly, the burritos as betos are better.
(2)Monica T.
Since my original review, I have found myself at El Paisa on many more occasions. I have since experienced the supreme greatness that is their molcajete supreme, which contains flavorful chunks of beef, chicken, and shrimp in an amazing sauce. One order will easily serve three people. Trust me on this one. I have also been seriously impressed with the gallo a la diabla, because that smoky, tangy, spicy sauce is ridiculously good. They also do top notch renditions of the old standards like fajitas and chile rellenos. And all of you can hate on the karaoke guy all you want, but I think he is full of win. Some examples: one night, while he was singing a fairly off key rendition of "You Are So Beautiful," he came over to our table and had us sing along with him. Then last night, he donned a reggae style hat to sing "Red Red Wine," and then donned a not-gangsta-enough looking purple hat to sing some Pitbull while a couple of girls who appeared to be ten years old danced awkwardly on stage next to him. This may or may not have been related to some birthday festivities that were occurring. Speaking of our visit last night, I must also give props to the server (not ours) who was carrying a Corona to a nearby table and tripped and fell flat on his face. Not only did he not break the bottle, but he gracefully got up, picked up the fallen lime garnish, retrieved a new Corona, and brought it to the table without missing a beat. A lesser server might have crumbled after such an event. With the combination of delicious food and awesome atmosphere, I must add the fifth star. This is the best Mexican food I've had in Utah, and it would fit right in back in my home state of Texas.
(5)Sam E.
We have been eating here 8-9 times per year for the past five years. This is as close as you can get to real authentic food from South America. The favors, sauces, and spices are very good, best anywhere on the Wasatch Front. We haven't been disappointed by the service, although there has been an occasional language barrier - no big deal. Don't sit close to the stage on Friday night - the Mariachi band is so loud you cannot talk to the rest of your table. Order the molcajete if it is your first visit.
(5)Andrew S.
I've only eaten here at lunch time so I don't know how crowded it gets at night. I've had a great experience every time though. I would highly recommend the molcajete; I like it so much that I haven't ordered anything else since having it. In my opinion, this is one of the top 4 Mexican restaurants in Salt Lake (along with Chungas, Red Iguana, and Lone Star Taqueria).
(4)Curtis G.
Our meals at El Paisa were pretty good, and seemed like authentic food from Mexico. I wasn't terribly impressed with their chips and salsa, which seemed rather plain. My wife's fajitas were plentiful, but the portion of my carne a la tampiqueña wasn't as large as I'm used to at other Mexican places. I do have to mention that while waiting for our meal, we saw an employee bringing in a load of supplies from Costco, including a case of El Monterey taquitos! I'd rather eat at Blue Iguana any day!
(3)Jenni S.
My husband and I were pretty excited Friday night when we rolled up on a full parking lot and El Paise had the right look to it. Upon entering we found there was Mexican entertainment going on as well. Even better! A hostess took us to an empty table, gave us a bar menu and said she'd be back with menus for us. We sat and watched the entertainment. There was a singer, then a pair of dancers, then another singer. I looked through the bar menu several times hoping to order a margarita an get munching on chips and salsa. Time went by and nobody came. We watched a waiter, two waitresses, and a bus boy walk by again and again serving other tables near ours, never even making eye contact with us. We looked around for anyone who might be coming to take our order, but everyone appeared to be in their own little world oblivious to the pair of us sitting at a completely empty table. We sat with our tummies grumbling through 3 or 4 full musical numbers before we finally just got up and headed to the Crown Burger down the street. It's such a shame because we won't be going back and we never even got to see the menu. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I've never sat in a restaurant for that long without having SOMEONE ask if we've been helped. It was like we didn't exist! Can't be a good sign.
(1)Bud H.
The chips and salsa are quite good. As are the carnitas. All in all, a good palce for lunch.
(3)D J.
Some of the negative reviews are really surprising. I've been to El Paisa several times and thought it was great. From the outside it doesn't look like anything special. In fact, it's located in an odd strip mall surround by even odder businesses. The interior of the restaurant makes you feel like you've traveled into the heart of Mexico; great decor and a fun atmosphere. Generally there is plenty of seating, but it does fill in quite a bit for lunch. (I have only been there for lunch). On the weekends, live music, mariachi bands and karaoke add to the atmosphere (according to several friends of mine). El Paisa features a large variety of Mexican food, including a street tacos bar for lunch and their famous molcajete. I have been there several times, but admit I've only tried the taco bar and the molcajete (their signature dish). You can't go wrong with either choice! The street-taco style taco bar has 6 different kinds of meats, rice, beans and a slew of condiments. A great lunch at a really reasonable price and the different tacos are excellent. If you're feeling more adventurous go for the molcajete. This large meal is cooked in a sizzling lava bowl and easily feeds 2-3 people. You just have to try it to try appreciate it. - Stick with either one of these dishes are you won't be disappointed!
(5)Michelle R.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is due to the extremely loud music! Me and my fiance went here over the weekend. I ordered a ceviche tostada for an appetizer. It was delicious! Just the right balance of fish and pico de gallo with cilantro. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme to share. The meats were swimming in sort of a chili verde sauce. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. The mariachis playing in the room were obnoxiously loud. We couldn't hear each other speak. Otherwise, the food was fantastic!
(4)Alan B.
I tend to be persnickety about Mexican food. I enjoy it, but there's no shortage of Mexican options in this area, so it takes something legitimately outstanding to acquire and maintain my attention. For this reason, I erect a wall of dismissive resistance whenever I am invited to try a new vendor of Mexican meals. El Paisa was no different. It lingered on the List of Places to Try Someday for a long time, adorned with praise and promise, yet unable to surmount my slapdash defenses. Recently, however, a very attractive person with whom I spend much of my time put her foot down. El Paisa is easily the best Mexican food I've eaten in this state. At the risk of alliteratively abusing ambiguous adjectives, the Molcajete is amazing and the fajitas are fantastic. But the Gallo a la Diabla is my favorite so far. It's not as spicy as the name implies, but what it lacks in burn it makes up for in complex and seratonin-inducing flavors. I've since visited on several occasions, and frankly, you're about as likely to find something mediocre on the menu as you are to find the period at the end of this sentence
(5)Charles S.
I Vacillated furiously between 3 and 4 stars, but then I realized... if I can't decide, then it's probably not deserving of the added points. We followed the conscensus of Yelpers and shared the molcajete supreme. This thing was awesome! 5 stars for sure, no question! This dish is as good as anything I've had anywhere. Yumm. Now for the deductions: the rice was not good. I agree with another reviewer that called it "Minute Rice with frozen veggies added." Nailed it! The beans also tasted like something from a can, with some cheese on top. Even in the molcajete, the chicken was obviously boneless, skinless, breast meat from a frozen package (but the sauce, shrimp and beef more than made up for the mediocre quality of the chicken). It is obnoxiously loud in this place. We were there on a Friday night and it was Spanglish karaoke night at one end of the restuarant. Annoying? Absolutely! Tolerable? Sure. Except that there was a mariachi band playing at the other end of the restaurant in the bar area... at the SAME TIME! It was like some sort of nightmarish battle of the bands where both the "mighty mighty tone-deafs" and the "Caballeros de Guadalupe" were battling it out simultaneously. I had a headache this big and it had Excedrin written all over it! The service... hmmm... yes, the service. It was friendly, but English speakers would be a big plus. We asked what kinds of wine they had available and it took us literally 15 minutes, and 3 translators, to find out. Then, when they did let us know which 2 whites they had, we found that both were warm. Our waitress did stop by and check on us often enough... and she smiled a lot, which needs no translation. I'm not sure if El Paisa is always this chaotic or if that was a special weekend thing. If so, I don't know if I'd ever go back. But, then again, the molcajete might just call out to me one day and I'll have no choice but to return.
(3)Lisa S.
Well here's the deal (full disclosure: I am not a huge Mexican food lover)... IF you're going to this restaurant for the molcajete...GO! It's amazing, I loved every bite and had never experienced it before, the beans and rice were uneventful. That's all I tasted but the menu was huge. The inside is surprisingly cute, clean, gaudy and very Mexican. Cons: This restaurant is basically in the industrial area of Salt Lake City, Yuck! It was very busy and the greeter sat us next to the wall of the connected bar which wouldn't have been bad except that they had Karaoke/Mariachi going on stage right...and stage left (the bar) was completely different music, it was like "Clash of the Titans" going on in my head, Annoying! The waitress came up after several minutes of non-service (including water) and could not speak a word of English, so after a good 20 minutes I finally got a warm glass of some sort of white wine and the rest of the night we just pointed at pictures so she could understand us, in some ways this might be a good sign of authenticity but really? Not ONE WORD of English? And last but not least, I watched the Mariachi band (all ten or so) walk through the kitchen area where they keep the exposed water, chips/salsa and silverware, to get to the stage. Honestly if I could do 1/2 ratings I'd give this place a 2.5
(3)Spencer S.
This is my kind of Mexican restaurant. The food is superb, the menu is huge, the staff is friendly and unlike other authentic Mexican restaurants around, I'm looking at you multicolored lizard restaurants, its clientele is mostly Mexican. I know I've said it before but its a critical piece of advice, the first sign of a good authentic ethnic food restaurant is when I'm the only white person there. The second sign is when the wait staff does not speak very good English. If you find yourself in a place with those two attributes, your most likely in for a treat. El Paisa is no exception. Its wonderful. My favorite dish is the molcajete which is meat, chicken and optional shrimp in a sour green sauce with onions and peppers. Its served with beans and rice and tortillas. Skip the flour tortillas and go traditional with the corn tortillas. Its delicious and I have never had it anywhere else. I believe the word molcajete refers to the giant stone bowl the dish is served in which is surface of the sun hot. the molcajetes are priced for 2 people but they are willing to make one for a single person if you ask. You should also ask for the red hot sauce, it is fiery and delicious! Another must try at El Paisa is the chili verde. I loathe to admit it, but its actually better than my own chili verde. But I will persevere despite this affront to my dignity because I can always go to El Paisa and eat their chili verde!
(4)Jeff P.
Ate there late on 6/13/2012. Nice place, nice folks. Showed-up 5 minutes past their closing time but they fed me anyway. Had some sort of skirt or flank steak smothered in a salsa-like concoction, with the usual Mexican sides -- was tasty, though the beef itself was a little tough and overcooked. Reasonably priced -- got out of there for about $23, covering a full dinner entree, a beer, tax, and tip. A solid choice if you want a comfortable Mexican place with a fairly interesting menu (with more than the usual number of seafood choices) and fair prices.
(4)Diana L.
In a nutshell: Cool live music. Decent cocktails. Bland food made with cheap ingredients.
(2)Ryan S.
when we pulled up to El Paisa Grill we could hear music playing inside. I thought there might be a band, but it turned out to be a one-man karaoke kind of thing. and it was loud. really loud. point at the menu to order loud. we all agreed that the food was good although I wish there would have been more to accompany my tacos (I had to ask for salsa, which was hard since I couldn't come up with a good salsa gesture). the menu was pretty expansive as well, which made me think it would warrant a trip back as long as we could ensure that the singing dude would not be present. and then, right as we were finishing our lunch, the singing dude rickrolled us. seriously. I gave the tacos four taco gnomes out of seven on tacoaday.com . there is a slight star reduction for the excessively loud señor rickrollo.
(3)Jeremiah R.
Slightly above average Mexican food. They probably have the best tacos al pastor I've had outside of Mexico.
(4)Kim And Betsy T.
The food here was tasty, aside from some rather dried out rice served with our meals. The lack of stars is for service. We arrived on a karaoke night, which was cool, but the waitress took our family to sit right in front of the gigantic speakers, and it was LOUD. We didn't complain or ask to move, but I was wondering why, on earth she thought that was the best place to seat us when there were clearly other places we could have been seated. Couldn't hear myself think, much less hear the waitress. Speaking of our waitress, where did she go??? She took our orders for drinks and brought them after a while and then disappeared after taking our food orders. We waited a long time for our food which was brought by a different waiter. Then we ate, and waited, and waited, and waited. My husband had to go up and ask for the check. Don't know if that's normal, but it was a little irritating. Also, taking my kids to the bathroom a couple of times, I noticed like everybody else had a big basket of chips and some salsa on their tables and it was never offered to us. Bummer! I enjoyed my plate of carnitas, and my husband enjoyed his mole dish, but I don't think the service warrants a repeat visit. It costs A LOT to take a family out to eat. The experience wasn't good enough to rationalize the expense of a repeat visit.
(3)Kelsey R.
The Molcajete Supreme and refried beans will change your life. One of the best Mexican restaurants in the valley!
(4)Chris G.
I thought it was great food and a good atmosphere. Very authentic and the lunch specials are a great deal! definitely have some complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa might have been my favorite part of the experience! I'm definitely going back... too many choices that looked very good!
(4)Sonia J.
El Paisa is definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the valley. I'm really quite surprised that I don't see more web reviews, articles etc. out there for it. The place is pretty large - probably 30 or so tables/booths plus a stage. It gets pretty busy later in the day on the weekends so if you want a quieter meal then the weekdays or lunch would be a better choice. They do serve alcohol - not sure how full of a bar it is though. They serve a lot of seafood but of course all the other Mexican staples as well. I would recommend the molcajete if there are two of you - it's fairly unique and very tasty. The food is hot and served in a "molcajete" which is one of those lava-stone bowl things you've probably seen around. One warning: Don't eat the peppers that come in it unless you are good at handling really spicy stuff! For us wimps you should set the peppers aside and eat the rest.
(5)K.D. P.
I would pick 3.5 if I could. I have enjoyed their food and crazy loud atmosphere. (both karaoke and mariachi) The first time we went with about 14 or 15 of us - we were seated in the bar along with other families w/kids so that's kind of funny. The wait service has been excellent both times, we got free refills of the free chips and salsa - the girls spoke english =) I have still not tried the molcajete but plan to go back for sure. I had the chile verde burrito and since someone else here said it was so great - I wanted to add my two cents. The pork was superbly tender - the size was great - the rice did have those weird mixed veggies in it for some odd reason - but my slight disappoinment comes because it was sweeter than I'm used too so that was a bummer for me. I'd like a little more spice and less sweet in a chile verde. But it is a very fun place if you're in the mood for loud Mexican music (good or bad!)
(4)JaNae C.
Absolutely LOVED this place. We've always had excellent service, even when they are packed. When we've been the only gringos, we've been treated almost like royalty. Everything we've eaten has been seasoned exactly as asked (some of my family members can't do much heat). The molcajete is incredible - definitely my favorite Mexican food. Much more authentic than most.
(5)Todd D.
How do you say "thanks for ripping me off" in Spanish? I told some family that I was going to bring by some tacos for lunch over the weekend and was kind of embarrassed when I unknowingly showed up with a light snack. I grabbed some take out from El Paisa and was pretty surprised by the prices. I'm used to paying no more than a few bucks for a couple of asada tacos so my expectations were extremely heightened. My surprise and expectations turned to sheer disappointment when I saw the portion sizes. The amount of food for the price was unjustifiable. There was nothing special about the quality either, I can't even say that it was good. I could have gotten better tacos from a taco cart for 1/10 of what I paid and wouldn't miss the Gerber style beans or instant rice one bit. Some of the seafood entrees on the menu sent my saliva glands into overdrive so I'll give 2 stars instead of 1 under the assumption that they probably have some delicious options if you've got the pesos.
(2)Kent B.
Fantastic and very authentic mexican food. My wife and I split a molcajete between the two of us and we had plenty left over to take home. We were there on a Monday evening and they had someone with a great voice on the stage singing in Spanish the whole time. Very fun atmosphere. Two things that kept them from getting 5 stars - the shrimp wasn't deveined and the mexican rice seemed suspiciously like minute rice with some frozen vegetables thrown in.
(4)Jared S.
The ceviche did not seem fresh ante carnitas, although tasty in the moment, left me with a very greasy feel after we left. The best part was the live mariachi band, which plays each Friday night.
(2)L. R.
El Paisa Grill brings a small part of Mexico to Utah. The Molcajete is delicious and it is indeed the best in Utah.
(4)Paul M.
I started going to this place for lunch because it was close by and some of the guys from work said I should try it. Before long it was one of my favorite places and word must have caught on because it does get busy for lunch. One day I decided take my wife there for dinner. We ordered something that we had never had before, which I had come to find out was one of their specialties, molcajete. It was delicious. Since then I have taken my whole family there many times and we have never been disappointed. There is usually live music there on the weekends which is nice. This is a great authentic place with great food and a great selection.
(5)Oscar A.
I took my dad there for dinner on father's day. Thought it would be fun. We ordered a feast. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme that came with beef, chicken and shrimp skewers and nopales. Very good. It'll feed 2-3 people since it also comes with sides. We got the rice and beans. I also ordered the Gallo a la Diabla which is chicken in hot sauce. I had read some good reviews about this plate in particular. I've never had anything like it and it was pretty good stuff. Overall the vibe of the place was good and for how busy they were our waiter was great. I do have to mention they had constant music going on. It seems to be a regular thing although I think they brought in some special singer for the occasion. A girl with a great voice. Unfortunately I can't remember her name. My biggest complaint was the guy with the karaoke machine belting out songs non-stop. It seemed like he liked listening to his own voice and he wasn't exactly Vicente Fernandez. Not to mention he was very loud. It was hard having a conversation with my dad. We only got a few minutes of peace when he took a small break and waited for the girl to get on stage. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he would just take a break for 20 minutes or so once in awhile. Hopefully this doesn't sound too mean but it did mess with the whole experience. Almost ruined it. It was that annoying to me. But maybe others liked it? Anyway, I'll be back but hopefully the karaoke machine won't be. (Photos Available)
(4)Oscar P.
A number of people had ranted and raved to me about how awesome this place is. And these people are usually right on the money so I imagine that my subpar experience here was a freak thing. It was Saturday night so it was packed. Took about 15 minutes to get a table. No biggie. There was an older gentleman on stage singing Vicente Fernández songs and he was doing a great job. I was waiting for some friends so I didn't really notice that the waiter hadn't come by. 10 min later, my friends show but still no waiter. 10 more minutes roll by and we ask one of the bus boys for our waiter. He shows up. Very apologetic. Very nice guy. We order. I get the carne asada sopes and a fish cevice tostada. Im expecting magic. Not so much. The cevice was way salty. The beans on the sopes were bland. The meat was cold and under seasoned. I had to remind the waiter every time he walked buy if he could get me a refill on my soda. Took 3 tries. When we were done, it took forever to get our check. More reminders. I asked for a box for my sons leftovers. It never came. So....the food was ok at best. The service sucked. But the music was nice, so there's that. I feel I should give it another chance, but who knows......
(2)Lisa S.
Well here's the deal (full disclosure: I am not a huge Mexican food lover)... IF you're going to this restaurant for the molcajete...GO! It's amazing, I loved every bite and had never experienced it before, the beans and rice were uneventful. That's all I tasted but the menu was huge. The inside is surprisingly cute, clean, gaudy and very Mexican. Cons: This restaurant is basically in the industrial area of Salt Lake City, Yuck! It was very busy and the greeter sat us next to the wall of the connected bar which wouldn't have been bad except that they had Karaoke/Mariachi going on stage right...and stage left (the bar) was completely different music, it was like "Clash of the Titans" going on in my head, Annoying! The waitress came up after several minutes of non-service (including water) and could not speak a word of English, so after a good 20 minutes I finally got a warm glass of some sort of white wine and the rest of the night we just pointed at pictures so she could understand us, in some ways this might be a good sign of authenticity but really? Not ONE WORD of English? And last but not least, I watched the Mariachi band (all ten or so) walk through the kitchen area where they keep the exposed water, chips/salsa and silverware, to get to the stage. Honestly if I could do 1/2 ratings I'd give this place a 2.5
(3)Meghan M.
One of my favorites! There can be a lot of variation in quality of food based on what you order so I would as your server for recommendations. Any thing the food lacks is more than made up for by the atmosphere. It is so fun, especially with their live music on the weekends. Be sure to check this place out! Warning: parking is a nightmare
(4)Hoa T.
This place is very authentic with great service. I made reservation on Yelp for 10 people, and when my party arrived the table was ready with my name on it. The establishment was great with switching our table since our party was cramped into a corner and we had an extra person. The food was delicious. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. One thing was that payment was made at the register and we had to figure out how to divide up the bill ourselves which is no biggy. They can only split the bill up to 6 credit cards.
(4)Bobby H.
I went and partook of the wonderful taco bar the other day. Let me tell you.. It was delicious. They had a wonderful chicken mole taco, delicious carne asada and tons of different pork taco varieties. They had this amazing sauce at the end of the condiment area. It was a sort of cream sauce.. I believe it was sent from the angels.. It was soooo good! Delicious place and I will be back again.
(4)Rachel T.
Horrible service, horrible food! I apologize for the long review, however the visit was so exceptionally poor I don't even know where to begin. Once we were seated it took long over 15 minutes for our waitress to acknowledge us and offer drinks. We ordered our drinks and pretty much never saw our waitress again. Another lady came over to ask if we were being helped because she saw us sitting there for so long without food, water, or chips and salsa. She was helpful and took care of our drinks and went to find our waitress. Shortly after we received our drinks, our initial waitress brought out our drinks we ordered 45 minutes ago and didn't even realize someone else already took care of her job and put all our drinks on the table. Between the four of us we had 10 drinks taking up room on the small table. We asked about specific items and the waitress had pretty much no idea what we were talking about. Not helpful at all. Once our food was ordered we got bombarded by the hostess who was offering his services for his personal massage business. We started worrying about our food because it had been so long... and you have to realize that through this all we haven't seen our waitress in who knows how long. We asked someone to check on our orders and finally began seeing orders come out one-by-one..but don't worry the last item on the table was the appetizer that we ordered with our initial drinks. Which none of us cared to eatat that point. Food was not hot and the meat was all very rough. Lastly, we waved down the waitress to ask for our check and again....she never came back. Finally, we just went up to the front desk and discussed our issues. They offered nothing in return for the poor service. Needless to say, we will never be returning or referring people to El Paisa Grill.
(1)Kevin L.
Craving something authentically Mexican but for something more than tacos, decided to get take-out at El Paisa Grill after looking over their extensive menu. I've heard great things about the Molcajete Supereme, but I felt some dishes are best experienced for dine-in. 1) Queso Fundido (2.5/5) - this was specifically the dish I was craving, but I was pretty disappointed with it since it was a little dry and bland. that being said, I concede that this is another one of those dishes that tastes much better dine-in. 2) Gallo a la Diaba (3.5/5) - slices of chicken breast in pretty spicy sauce (and I can take a lot of heat). nothing too memorable but definitely hit the pot and the sauce was delicious 3) Camarones Zarandeados (5/5) - this was the crown jewel of the meal. grilled shrimp seasoned with adobo then charbroiled, garnished with red onions. I'm not the biggest lover of shrimp but the shrimp was amazing. They give plenty of shrimp, and each piece has a complexity of flavor with just the right amount of heat. Frankly, the only disappointment of the meal was that I regretted not dining in. I can't wait to go back to El Paisa Grill and try what other dishes they have to offer!
(4)Vi T.
The first time I came here, I was in heaven. A giant molcajete overflowing with beef, chicken, shrimp, cactus, jalapeños, and melty cheese? Am I dreaming? AND there's a side of rice, beans, and warm tortillas? Pinch me. This dish is a good size for sharing. Throw in the ceviche el patron and I'm set. The problem is, it seems to vary. I've been maybe 4-5 times now and twice, it was killer. The other couple of times, the molcajete was just okay. Not bad, just not mind-blowing like the other times. It's a little inconsistent and perhaps that's due to chefs working on different days? I'm not sure. It seems to be a gamble but it's a gamble I'm willing to take here and there. The service is good and sometimes they have live music.
(3)Sara A.
I'd probably give it more stars, if not for the kj they had. Food was decent and the waiter was very nice. I enjoy singing and know many kj's around the USA, but not as bad as this one, he's a mic hogger, plus when someone sings he turns the music so low, that you can barely hear it, probably doesn't want anyone to sing better than him! And it doesn't matter if you ask nicely to turn the music up a louder, he'll just say no, and will tell you not to sing to loud, only he turns it up for himself, he didn't even ask for our names! Terrible kj, won't come back to restaurant!
(3)Susan S.
We came here on Thursday and again tonight (Sunday) because our friends wanted a margarita and Mexican food. I'm glad we returned and tried something different than last time. The carnitas were wonderful! Moist and tender, cooked to perfection! There was a live band for entertainment.
(4)D. W.
So many times, as regular readers will have observed, I will lament that leaving the confines of Salt Lake City, either north towards Ogden or south towards Utah County, will tend to carry one into a culinary wasteland. I am literally one more underwhelming visit away, at any restaurant, from adding West Valley City to that last, or perhaps Wasted Valley, as may be more appropriate. If/when one of the better restaurants in that area is a TFGI Friday's, who does admittedly do a very nice job and who I'm not trying to knock, it sort of points up a problem. In this case, I was very excited to go and had high hopes until I saw the extensive menu, in which the high hopes turned into expectations. The word "best" being thrown around at on, including emblazoned on various decor inside the restaurant itself in amidst splashes of some of the most wonderful (and arguably authentic) interior work I've seen in any restaurant. Outside is pretty blah, but inside is fantastic. This place obviously caters to the Latino sports community, with a lot of ads for boxing, including a screen set up for PPVs. When we were there, a soccer broadcast was on, with the play by play being heavily piped through the overheads. Unfortunately, the good feeling stopped almost as soon as we were seated. Wait staff very clearly would have preferred either more linguistically capable patrons or at least someone who wasn't asking questions or making alterations. It's ok to have a preference, but not ok to provide highly questionable service in that case. It didn't get much better when they actually brought the food, starting with chips and salsa. Salsa was almost more like tomato sauce, as in disgusting. A lot of places have "hidden" menus, dependent on fluency and/or nationality and that's cool with me in general, but if there's that much of a decline between the menus, that's another problem. Iced tea, more like dishwater, was also dreadful, so much so that I rejected it and sent it back. They did not have milk, of any kind, for my son, which struck me as odd. There is a ton of food for the money, but a lot of it is poorly executed. My wife kept finding fries in (yes, IN) her chile verde burrito (yeah, no idea, either) and the side of rice she ordered came out nearly dead last. I ordered an Inferno seafood plate, which was served cold...it was pretty flavorful and the notes were all correct, for the most part, but some of the seafood had either gone bad or was on the border and so I got nowhere near finishing it. I also got the sopitos, but had a choice between chicken and beef only, no al pastor or any of the other meat choices on the menu. Ok, fine, whatever. Those came out covered in shredded iceberg lettuce with some sort of Parmesan dust on them (???) instead of Fresca. The actual fried tortilla itself was also questionable and not anywhere near the best I've had. Once I got to it, the flavor of the chicken was ok, but there was not enough of it. Same with the beef, though that was charred nearly to the point of charcoal and chock full of gristle. This place has tons of potential and reasonably authentic flavors, but until execution improves on a drastic level, this place will never be competition for the heavy hitters of the area Mexican restaurants, especially the current reigning king Red Iguana.I may have ordered the "wrong thing", but execution errors applied to nearly everything we ordered, so I have doubts changing an entree is going to miraculously fix that. I also have doubts any changes will be made. We escaped before the rush, which filled the parking lot and a lot of 3200 W. bordering it, so they're apparently not hurting for business. It's a pity, though...this place could be great and instead it's another entry onto the one and out list...
(3)Andrea M.
Went here tonight with friends. I've never been before. LOVED it. Awesome atmosphere and on the weekends they have live mariachi and karaoke so I will be back for sure! First of all, the service was fantastic. Our waiter was super attentive and such a nice guy. He gave great suggestions too. We ordered the Queso Fundido which was spicy and cheesy and delicious. Very unique Queso. It was delicious. We also ordered Ostiones Guadalajara (half shell oysters topped with shrimp ceviche). To. Die. For. Tasted so fresh and flavorful. We shared the Molcajete Supreme, also so delicious. Highly recommend! I'm going back this weekend with the fam!
(4)Margo S.
So-so. Molcajete Supreme was ok, the shrimp in it was really good. Queso fundido was overdone, just cheese with nothing else? Was excited to try this place, kind of a let down.
(2)Vinna E.
What a cute place this is! There was a guy singing for everyone while we enjoyed our dinner. He was singing in Spanish and although I couldn't understand the lyrics, it was still very entertaining. Our server was good and very attentive. We ordered the molcajete which was pricier than other places but the portion was well worth it. There was so much food we couldn't even finish it.
(4)Kelsey C.
The only thing to order at El Paisa Grill: Molcajete Supreme. Really. Seriously. I hate to have to tout my credentials, but this is coming from your California-born-and-bred Mexican food snob. The first time we went we tried the usual enchiladas and tacos (the latter of which were pretty legit street tacos). Their taco bar at lunch is supposed to be pretty killer - we have seen a lot of newbies order that. But I always look at what the Mexicans and other Latinos are ordering for recommendation, and usually, without fail (i.e. at every table) what's on their table is the Molcajete Supreme. It's a huge bowl of flavorful shrimp, chicken, beef, onions and mild jalapeno peppers simmered in the most flavorful green sauce ever with big hunks of gooey mild cheese that melts in the sauce (make sure you stir it around to get some in each bite!) Side of beans and rice and a little salad, plus tortillas, are all included. (The corn ones are definitely homemade and hot off the fryer.) My only beef (no pun intended) is that the beef usually is a bit chewy and not super tender. The rest is so good that we just let it slide. Our friends who had just returned from staying with locals in Guatemala said the Molcajete was the best food they've tasted since being there and eating the locals' food. It's about $25 but serves two with plenty leftover to take home (even with my husband who eats like 3 people). Great chips and salsa too (though refills are a minor extra charge.) The service is attentive but not overly friendly (although our friends said on a previous visit one server enjoyed talking with them so much he got nudged by his manager). It can get busy at lunch so get there early if you have a large group. Until I can get more of my favorite California amazing Mexican food, can't wait for more Molcajete!
(4)Robert J.
It was pretty good. I asked for something and got something different. Oh well. The singer was hysterical as he kissed one of the single ladies I was with. Prices are a little high for the food.
(4)Katie P.
Our first time here and it will not be our last. My new favorite Mexican restaurant! I've been past it before, and never noticed it. We went because of the Yelp reviews. We really enjoyed the live entertainment, too. I had a small bowl which is actually big) of very yummy Pozole. I also had a huarache. Nom Nom Nom! My hubby had enchiladas, and he was impressed with how good they were. The salsa was very good. Service and staff were both excellent. Our waiter was Freddy. He was funny, helpful, and had good recommendations. The food IS authentic. I will be recommending this place to everyone looking for real Mexican.
(5)Kayleigh R.
This is a really authentic alternative to the usual cheesy stuff in my area. We go for the molcajete but stay for the delicious margaritas and fun environment. Sometimes there is a mariachi band and other times there is karaoke but there's never a dull moment. We choose the molcajete supreme because of the various meat options. Everything is cooked perfectly! If you give it a few minutes the cotija melts into the sauce creating the most delicious thing you've ever had. I don't recommend going here for a quiet conversation. You can't hear it over all the fun!
(4)Danny L.
I came here for a business lunch. It seemed pretty good as there was a long line for the indoor taco cart. Definitely worth a try as it is quite unique for a restaurant. The taco cart had your choices of meats, salsas, rice and beans. Pretty basic stuff but pretty good. Pro's: - Fast to get food despite line at lunch time. - Nice to be able to control the quantity of food you eat. - Chips and water served to your table. Con's: - Seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.
(3)Jose A.
El piasa grill is at it's best semi mediocre mexican food.have been there 2 times and both times have been disappointed.the food is a lot like Mexican America fast food if I want that I will go to betos and it's half the price.
(2)Lara L.
Little pricey but good food :) Molcajete supreme is $25 is enough for 2 people. Birria $12.95 a ok amount and it was good. A side of Guacamole $8.95 what? That's ridiculous don't order is way too much for just a portion of avocado nah ah way too much $$$ like I said this place is pricey. The food is good I will come back :)
(4)Rider N.
Unbilievable This place is great, you can taste an authentic Mexican Food, they have a good customer service also, I ate tacos al pastor and enchiladas, first time seen those mini tacos. Or I guess this is the Utah style because I went to another local Mexican place and they were serving the same size tacos.
(5)Natalie O.
Big no bad service bad food bad server completely ignored us table wasn't prep well and food was not cooked well I wouldn't go there I use to Love this place until my last visit they gave us bad service not going back there again
(1)Matt B.
Best in Utah? Maybe. I came here for lunch yesterday and ordered the Carne Asada plate. Best mexican Carne Asada I've ever had. At $12 the portion size was huge and they definitely didn't skimp on the size of the steak. It was huge and delicious, seasoned so well. The beans were really good too. I prefer a spicier salsa than the complimentary one but it tasted fresh and for being complimentary I can't complain. The dish was served with my choice of flour or corn tortilla. I chose the flour. The guac, beans, rice and carne asada with the lettuce was delicious. Maybe the best in Utah... Idk. I'd have to try some other menu items out before I came to that conclusion. I would say that at least for the carne asada, it is the best I've had anywhere. The decor is inviting and comfortable. I like the imitation palm trees and the colorful paintings on the wall. Despite the shitty location, being on the southwest corner of a busy intersection directly near the freeway it looks surprisingly comfortable and welcoming inside. Good job to whoever worked on the interior design there. Always love restaurants that have excellent food AND excellent decor. Awesome. Try it.
(5)Kim T.
A little pricey on some items, more so than other divey Mexican restaurants. Husband had the chili verde burrito ... just ok, very bland. I had the Fiesta taco platter. I asked that they give me one of each meat ... 6 mini tacos - $8.99 ... no beans, no rice ... pretty good. There was a guy singing solo ... ok. Bathrooms not clean ... the reason I won't be going back. It's a turn off. Stars are based on my food and ok service.
(3)Kathleen K.
They carry the title "Best Mexican food in Utah" and they definitely carry the name! Great food, awesome margaritas and food!
(4)Wallace W.
The food is ok, not great. I had a lunch special of tamal cheese enchilada with rice and beans. It took 40 minutes for my food to arrive at my table. I probably won't be back. My server Ana #2 was one of the worst ever. It took twenty minutes to get my check. Never again!
(2)Daniel R.
Went to Paisa Grill for the first time the food is delicious but REALLY BAD SERVICE!! The food took forever to come & the waitress seriously forgot about us!! She never came to offer a refill I had to ask a different waitress or go to the front desk if I wanted something. Food is really good some stuff are over price also if you want a refill asked the waitress if they charge because they charged us for extra tortillas & for refills.
(2)Sarah C.
Shared the molcajete supreme. We liked it, and felt like the price was reasonable. The kids liked their jr burrito and jr quesadilla- portions were large. Live music set a tone that was fun, although a bit loud for conversation. We were promptly seated at a table for six, which was a little small for the seven of us. Meanwhile there were several larger tables that were empty. Drink refills were slow and it took our server FOREVER to bring our ticket (even after asking for it twice) This place is hopping after 7pm on weekends, so go early. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Ezra C.
I picked up my girlfriend at the airport and we started looking for someplace to have dinner. This was a Sunday and as many of you know, Sunday in Salt Lake City means most places are closed. Not only was El Paisa Grill open, but it was packed! They had live music and face painting and balloon animals for the kids. The service was excellent and we were seated at a booth almost right away. We started out with cucumber shots, excellent. These are hollowed out cool cucumbers dusted in chile powder and filled with cucumber vodka. Then had a strawberry margarita and avocado margarita, both delicious. We ordered a half order of Molcajete de Mariscos and one with steak and chicken. We got half orders (they normally serve two people) and still had tons left over. The Molcajete de Mariscos is "A combination of shrimp, octopus, crab meat and fish simmered in green or red sauce, served with nopalitos and Mexican onions". It is served sizzling in a tall bowl and is as fun to look at as it was to eat. Both were delicious and our only regret was not being too full to eat more. I don't know if this was a regular Sunday night, as this was our first time going there... but it must of been some sort of Mexican battle of the bands! We were treated to several different singers and more than one band while we were there. I never expected this much fun on a Sunday! This place also has a full bar with an impressive selection of Tequila. While we were there, they had a separate band playing in there and soccer on the TV. Connected to the bar is a fun outdoor covered patio. I am pretty sure we were the only non-Hispanic people in the place and no one ever made us feel unwelcome. If anything it should speak to the authenticity of the food. We can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Do yourself a favor, when you go, stay away from the "normal" Mexican food you can find anywhere and order from the many Specialties on the menu. All of the appetizers are awesome, but I recommend picking out one of the many seafood items. Portions are large, prices are reasonable... this place it a bit out of the way (although close to the airport), so it is easy to impress your date by taking them to someplace fun (and with great food) that they may not have been to before. Looking for an excuse to go back right away!
(5)Tristan S.
The closest thing to authentic Mexican food that I've had outside of California! Great environment, live music and awesome service. It was pretty crowded but we didn't have to wait long. Chips and salsa were good and overall a fun place to have dinner.
(4)Jenny F.
This place was horrible in every way. Took 10 minutes to get chips and salsa. Another 5 for water. (Not busy). I asked for a soft taco instead of a hard taco in my child's meal with rice and beans, and she brought out a hard taco only, no rice and beans, and the taco tasted bad. I requested the most popular dish with flour tortillas, she brought it out with corn, and the dish was awful. Chewy meat, gross sauce. A $25 dish I didn't eat. Bad food, bad service. Would never go back.
(1)Ashley Jo J.
I don't mean to hurt Red Iguanas feelings, but this place is better. I'm a huge Mexican food snob, and hands down this is the most authentic, delicious Mexican food in the Salt Lake Valley. Just go eat here. You will not regret it!
(5)Cody R.
This restaurant has went from a 5 star to a 3 star review. Every time I used to come here was exceptional, but this last visit with the room temperature food, non-melted cheese, and poor service was very disappointing. I may give this place one more shot or I may just go to El Rancho Grande.
(3)Sam C.
" The key to good food is to make the food the same way every time you go their and not a hit and run" I guess this applies to this place. Some day food is good and some days the service is good???? I am not sure what to go for when people say that this is a good place to get Mexican food???
(2)Armando G.
Just had the Taco Buffet and it was AWESOME! Food is always good and worth every penny. I definitely recommend this place to all. You will not be disappointed with any item on the menu. Good service and atmosphere.
(5)Macey H.
Delicious food! The Mochaletia was amazing. And very filling, they do not skimp on the steak. I only gave this restaurant 4 stars because the service was lacking. Very poor and you have to ask multiple times to get all the things you asked for.
(4)Nick N.
The all you can eat tacos are an amazing deal for lunch. So much variety! I prefer the asada, chicken, and chile verde. Al pastor is decent, too.
(5)Sam T.
Great environment, great people and even better food! Love this place and the food here. Really good friends with a former employee of this place and even though he doesn't work there anymore I continue to go enjoy the good food here.
(4)Steve P.
A lot of what I read was correct.... Good over-priced food with poor service. We enjoyed the ambiance. Our order was placed at other customers table. No apology. We also enjoyed the live entertainment.
(3)Austin P.
Atmosphere is fun. I've been here twice now, and the first time they had a live Mariachi band. It was awesome! The food is quite good. I love the salsa that comes with the free chips you get when you sit down. Our waitress was the same both times, and she's pleasant enough, but a little less attentive than I would have liked. Get the Molcajete, but make sure you're hungry! It's carne asada, grilled chicken, amazing shrimp, and some kind of cactus in some green sauce, all served in a hot lava bowl. Your last bit is as hot as the first!
(4)Sean J.
We had the rolled taco appetizers and the chicken fajitas. They were both incredibly tasty and totally worth the price. They were good portions. Very awesome server too! I wish I had gotten his name-he was so nice!
(5)Rüt G.
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in Utah! I come here and get the molcajete it NEVER disappoints! The food is delicious and service is great. They also do catering which is very convenient for parties! I will definitely continue to come to this place. 5 star place!
(5)Yamile Z.
Fuck this place they gave me food poisoning!! I been sick since yesterday and all I had was there stupid shrimp cocktail!! Becareful people you don't want to get the stomach flu !! Like I did never having anything at this place ever again!!
(1)Troy C.
Went for the lunch taco bar, food was good, not the best I have had, service was good, price for the buffet a bit high considering I can get these tacos for 2 for a $1 elsewhere. I will probably give it a try again but not too soon and not too often.
(3)Dave F.
A Taco Bar sounded like an odd idea, but this was actually excellent. There are 5-6 different meats/chicken/fish and you can have your taco as you like it at El Palsa. The food was great, service was great and the pricing was extremely fair. Definitely will go back----if I can find this place! Note, very convenient to the airport should you want last minute real food, pre-airport fare.
(4)Jason W.
One of my all time fav places to eat in the Salt Lake valley. The taco bar is an insane deal and a must try for anyone that like authentic tacos. They usually have 6-8 different meats to try and a complete salsa bar with fresh made salsas.
(5)Jesse S.
The menu had a moderate urine scent to it. The atmosphere was nice. service was typical. prices are average. The food wasn't bad but I think it has been hyped up too much. I will probably not go back.
(2)Jason B.
"I'd sell my soul for some good chicken." I'm accustomed Old Scratch showing up in various forms and guises. This time was the first he'd appeared as an almost spherical Mexican man with a pushbroom mustache. "Accepted!," he said. "Ole!" He ferried us to El Paisa Grill. It was loud, and for a Sunday night there was quite a crowd. We were seated in the back where we were spared some noise--save from the big speaker that loomed over the table. The Gallo a la Diabla was selected by my wife because what the hell. I found that The Divine Comedy made an oversight in the descriptions of hell: the lake of fire is under a cast iron skillet on which armies of the damned lovingly press dough into rough circles and cook them into devilishly good tortillas. The fajitas were harmless; I enjoyed the extra charred parts. But that Devil's Chicken got some rave reviews. Definitely worth a soul, she said ... she wasn't using it for nothing anyhow.
(4)Andrea G.
Food and Entertainment It is a great place to bring your family to listen to some mexican music and/or musical acts. If you want to celebrate a special birthday or milestone this is the place to be. They have great drink selections. I've been here a couple of times and I only order the Molcajete Supreme. It comes with seafood, chicken, beef, nopales (cactus), onions, and jalapeño. I recommend the Cantarito (squirt, tequila, and lime). We recently had dinner there for my Goddaughter's 15 birthday dinner on a Saturday night. We were a large group (approx.. 15 people). We had to wait about 20 minutes for our food. In the mean time, we enjoyed lived musical acts. The performers used a computer and microphone to perform "karaoke-like" songs. While it might seem a little boring, it was actually pretty fun. They sang happy birthday for my Goddaughter and even invited her up to the stage. I have also been here on Sundays. They have a cantina next to the restaurant along with outdoor patio. They have live Mariachi or conjunto. Both experiences have been pleasant. Keep in mind this is not a luxury or gourmet restaurant. The place is a little older and the music is loud. My only complain is that the bathroom are super dirty. The sinks have broken soup dispensers and towels. It takes a while to get your food and it can be difficult to have a conversation with someone across the table.
(3)Sky T.
This place always has many cars parked in front of it so I decided that I had to check it out. So, I went and found that the place is very carefree and fun and packed. The food is just some good ol' Mexican cooking so it doesn't disappoint. It may not be my favorite place for Mexican food but this is a place where you should give it a try at least once. One of the fun things about it is that there is a stage up in front where you can go and karaoke en español and if you have a couple of drinks it is easy to do. The food is good, the place is loud, and it can be a fun night out at this place.
(3)Eli f.
I went here based off of the review this site has, and well, I wasn't completely pleased... My date both ordered different types of burritos. Both were decent sized, both were a little on the cold side, both came with a salad with ranch dressing. hm.. I felt like both burritos were a little on the bland side. The meat inside the burritos was great. Very well season, not over cooked. however, the majority of either burrito did not contain much meat. . mostly filler. , so yeah.. I'd say this place is right about, if not below average. Sadly, the burritos as betos are better.
(2)Sonia J.
El Paisa is definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the valley. I'm really quite surprised that I don't see more web reviews, articles etc. out there for it. The place is pretty large - probably 30 or so tables/booths plus a stage. It gets pretty busy later in the day on the weekends so if you want a quieter meal then the weekdays or lunch would be a better choice. They do serve alcohol - not sure how full of a bar it is though. They serve a lot of seafood but of course all the other Mexican staples as well. I would recommend the molcajete if there are two of you - it's fairly unique and very tasty. The food is hot and served in a "molcajete" which is one of those lava-stone bowl things you've probably seen around. One warning: Don't eat the peppers that come in it unless you are good at handling really spicy stuff! For us wimps you should set the peppers aside and eat the rest.
(5)Monica T.
Since my original review, I have found myself at El Paisa on many more occasions. I have since experienced the supreme greatness that is their molcajete supreme, which contains flavorful chunks of beef, chicken, and shrimp in an amazing sauce. One order will easily serve three people. Trust me on this one. I have also been seriously impressed with the gallo a la diabla, because that smoky, tangy, spicy sauce is ridiculously good. They also do top notch renditions of the old standards like fajitas and chile rellenos. And all of you can hate on the karaoke guy all you want, but I think he is full of win. Some examples: one night, while he was singing a fairly off key rendition of "You Are So Beautiful," he came over to our table and had us sing along with him. Then last night, he donned a reggae style hat to sing "Red Red Wine," and then donned a not-gangsta-enough looking purple hat to sing some Pitbull while a couple of girls who appeared to be ten years old danced awkwardly on stage next to him. This may or may not have been related to some birthday festivities that were occurring. Speaking of our visit last night, I must also give props to the server (not ours) who was carrying a Corona to a nearby table and tripped and fell flat on his face. Not only did he not break the bottle, but he gracefully got up, picked up the fallen lime garnish, retrieved a new Corona, and brought it to the table without missing a beat. A lesser server might have crumbled after such an event. With the combination of delicious food and awesome atmosphere, I must add the fifth star. This is the best Mexican food I've had in Utah, and it would fit right in back in my home state of Texas.
(5)Sam E.
We have been eating here 8-9 times per year for the past five years. This is as close as you can get to real authentic food from South America. The favors, sauces, and spices are very good, best anywhere on the Wasatch Front. We haven't been disappointed by the service, although there has been an occasional language barrier - no big deal. Don't sit close to the stage on Friday night - the Mariachi band is so loud you cannot talk to the rest of your table. Order the molcajete if it is your first visit.
(5)Andrew S.
I've only eaten here at lunch time so I don't know how crowded it gets at night. I've had a great experience every time though. I would highly recommend the molcajete; I like it so much that I haven't ordered anything else since having it. In my opinion, this is one of the top 4 Mexican restaurants in Salt Lake (along with Chungas, Red Iguana, and Lone Star Taqueria).
(4)Curtis G.
Our meals at El Paisa were pretty good, and seemed like authentic food from Mexico. I wasn't terribly impressed with their chips and salsa, which seemed rather plain. My wife's fajitas were plentiful, but the portion of my carne a la tampiqueña wasn't as large as I'm used to at other Mexican places. I do have to mention that while waiting for our meal, we saw an employee bringing in a load of supplies from Costco, including a case of El Monterey taquitos! I'd rather eat at Blue Iguana any day!
(3)Jenni S.
My husband and I were pretty excited Friday night when we rolled up on a full parking lot and El Paise had the right look to it. Upon entering we found there was Mexican entertainment going on as well. Even better! A hostess took us to an empty table, gave us a bar menu and said she'd be back with menus for us. We sat and watched the entertainment. There was a singer, then a pair of dancers, then another singer. I looked through the bar menu several times hoping to order a margarita an get munching on chips and salsa. Time went by and nobody came. We watched a waiter, two waitresses, and a bus boy walk by again and again serving other tables near ours, never even making eye contact with us. We looked around for anyone who might be coming to take our order, but everyone appeared to be in their own little world oblivious to the pair of us sitting at a completely empty table. We sat with our tummies grumbling through 3 or 4 full musical numbers before we finally just got up and headed to the Crown Burger down the street. It's such a shame because we won't be going back and we never even got to see the menu. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I've never sat in a restaurant for that long without having SOMEONE ask if we've been helped. It was like we didn't exist! Can't be a good sign.
(1)Bud H.
The chips and salsa are quite good. As are the carnitas. All in all, a good palce for lunch.
(3)D J.
Some of the negative reviews are really surprising. I've been to El Paisa several times and thought it was great. From the outside it doesn't look like anything special. In fact, it's located in an odd strip mall surround by even odder businesses. The interior of the restaurant makes you feel like you've traveled into the heart of Mexico; great decor and a fun atmosphere. Generally there is plenty of seating, but it does fill in quite a bit for lunch. (I have only been there for lunch). On the weekends, live music, mariachi bands and karaoke add to the atmosphere (according to several friends of mine). El Paisa features a large variety of Mexican food, including a street tacos bar for lunch and their famous molcajete. I have been there several times, but admit I've only tried the taco bar and the molcajete (their signature dish). You can't go wrong with either choice! The street-taco style taco bar has 6 different kinds of meats, rice, beans and a slew of condiments. A great lunch at a really reasonable price and the different tacos are excellent. If you're feeling more adventurous go for the molcajete. This large meal is cooked in a sizzling lava bowl and easily feeds 2-3 people. You just have to try it to try appreciate it. - Stick with either one of these dishes are you won't be disappointed!
(5)Michelle R.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is due to the extremely loud music! Me and my fiance went here over the weekend. I ordered a ceviche tostada for an appetizer. It was delicious! Just the right balance of fish and pico de gallo with cilantro. We ordered the Molcajete Supreme to share. The meats were swimming in sort of a chili verde sauce. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. The mariachis playing in the room were obnoxiously loud. We couldn't hear each other speak. Otherwise, the food was fantastic!
(4)Alan B.
I tend to be persnickety about Mexican food. I enjoy it, but there's no shortage of Mexican options in this area, so it takes something legitimately outstanding to acquire and maintain my attention. For this reason, I erect a wall of dismissive resistance whenever I am invited to try a new vendor of Mexican meals. El Paisa was no different. It lingered on the List of Places to Try Someday for a long time, adorned with praise and promise, yet unable to surmount my slapdash defenses. Recently, however, a very attractive person with whom I spend much of my time put her foot down. El Paisa is easily the best Mexican food I've eaten in this state. At the risk of alliteratively abusing ambiguous adjectives, the Molcajete is amazing and the fajitas are fantastic. But the Gallo a la Diabla is my favorite so far. It's not as spicy as the name implies, but what it lacks in burn it makes up for in complex and seratonin-inducing flavors. I've since visited on several occasions, and frankly, you're about as likely to find something mediocre on the menu as you are to find the period at the end of this sentence
(5)Charles S.
I Vacillated furiously between 3 and 4 stars, but then I realized... if I can't decide, then it's probably not deserving of the added points. We followed the conscensus of Yelpers and shared the molcajete supreme. This thing was awesome! 5 stars for sure, no question! This dish is as good as anything I've had anywhere. Yumm. Now for the deductions: the rice was not good. I agree with another reviewer that called it "Minute Rice with frozen veggies added." Nailed it! The beans also tasted like something from a can, with some cheese on top. Even in the molcajete, the chicken was obviously boneless, skinless, breast meat from a frozen package (but the sauce, shrimp and beef more than made up for the mediocre quality of the chicken). It is obnoxiously loud in this place. We were there on a Friday night and it was Spanglish karaoke night at one end of the restuarant. Annoying? Absolutely! Tolerable? Sure. Except that there was a mariachi band playing at the other end of the restaurant in the bar area... at the SAME TIME! It was like some sort of nightmarish battle of the bands where both the "mighty mighty tone-deafs" and the "Caballeros de Guadalupe" were battling it out simultaneously. I had a headache this big and it had Excedrin written all over it! The service... hmmm... yes, the service. It was friendly, but English speakers would be a big plus. We asked what kinds of wine they had available and it took us literally 15 minutes, and 3 translators, to find out. Then, when they did let us know which 2 whites they had, we found that both were warm. Our waitress did stop by and check on us often enough... and she smiled a lot, which needs no translation. I'm not sure if El Paisa is always this chaotic or if that was a special weekend thing. If so, I don't know if I'd ever go back. But, then again, the molcajete might just call out to me one day and I'll have no choice but to return.
(3)Kelsey R.
The Molcajete Supreme and refried beans will change your life. One of the best Mexican restaurants in the valley!
(4)Chris G.
I thought it was great food and a good atmosphere. Very authentic and the lunch specials are a great deal! definitely have some complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa might have been my favorite part of the experience! I'm definitely going back... too many choices that looked very good!
(4)Spencer S.
This is my kind of Mexican restaurant. The food is superb, the menu is huge, the staff is friendly and unlike other authentic Mexican restaurants around, I'm looking at you multicolored lizard restaurants, its clientele is mostly Mexican. I know I've said it before but its a critical piece of advice, the first sign of a good authentic ethnic food restaurant is when I'm the only white person there. The second sign is when the wait staff does not speak very good English. If you find yourself in a place with those two attributes, your most likely in for a treat. El Paisa is no exception. Its wonderful. My favorite dish is the molcajete which is meat, chicken and optional shrimp in a sour green sauce with onions and peppers. Its served with beans and rice and tortillas. Skip the flour tortillas and go traditional with the corn tortillas. Its delicious and I have never had it anywhere else. I believe the word molcajete refers to the giant stone bowl the dish is served in which is surface of the sun hot. the molcajetes are priced for 2 people but they are willing to make one for a single person if you ask. You should also ask for the red hot sauce, it is fiery and delicious! Another must try at El Paisa is the chili verde. I loathe to admit it, but its actually better than my own chili verde. But I will persevere despite this affront to my dignity because I can always go to El Paisa and eat their chili verde!
(4)Jeff P.
Ate there late on 6/13/2012. Nice place, nice folks. Showed-up 5 minutes past their closing time but they fed me anyway. Had some sort of skirt or flank steak smothered in a salsa-like concoction, with the usual Mexican sides -- was tasty, though the beef itself was a little tough and overcooked. Reasonably priced -- got out of there for about $23, covering a full dinner entree, a beer, tax, and tip. A solid choice if you want a comfortable Mexican place with a fairly interesting menu (with more than the usual number of seafood choices) and fair prices.
(4)Diana L.
In a nutshell: Cool live music. Decent cocktails. Bland food made with cheap ingredients.
(2)Ryan S.
when we pulled up to El Paisa Grill we could hear music playing inside. I thought there might be a band, but it turned out to be a one-man karaoke kind of thing. and it was loud. really loud. point at the menu to order loud. we all agreed that the food was good although I wish there would have been more to accompany my tacos (I had to ask for salsa, which was hard since I couldn't come up with a good salsa gesture). the menu was pretty expansive as well, which made me think it would warrant a trip back as long as we could ensure that the singing dude would not be present. and then, right as we were finishing our lunch, the singing dude rickrolled us. seriously. I gave the tacos four taco gnomes out of seven on tacoaday.com . there is a slight star reduction for the excessively loud señor rickrollo.
(3)Jeremiah R.
Slightly above average Mexican food. They probably have the best tacos al pastor I've had outside of Mexico.
(4)Kim And Betsy T.
The food here was tasty, aside from some rather dried out rice served with our meals. The lack of stars is for service. We arrived on a karaoke night, which was cool, but the waitress took our family to sit right in front of the gigantic speakers, and it was LOUD. We didn't complain or ask to move, but I was wondering why, on earth she thought that was the best place to seat us when there were clearly other places we could have been seated. Couldn't hear myself think, much less hear the waitress. Speaking of our waitress, where did she go??? She took our orders for drinks and brought them after a while and then disappeared after taking our food orders. We waited a long time for our food which was brought by a different waiter. Then we ate, and waited, and waited, and waited. My husband had to go up and ask for the check. Don't know if that's normal, but it was a little irritating. Also, taking my kids to the bathroom a couple of times, I noticed like everybody else had a big basket of chips and some salsa on their tables and it was never offered to us. Bummer! I enjoyed my plate of carnitas, and my husband enjoyed his mole dish, but I don't think the service warrants a repeat visit. It costs A LOT to take a family out to eat. The experience wasn't good enough to rationalize the expense of a repeat visit.
(3)James D.
This is a quality restaurant that I am surprised more people do not know about. It puts other Mexican restaurants around Salt Lake to shame. If you like Red Iguana (which I don't) you will love El Paisa. A very full menu let's you choose anything from seafood to the staples you are used to. Try the molcajete and you won't be disappointed. Or try anything and I doubt you will be disappointed. Tonight I had the taco fiesta platter and a queso fundido appetizer. It was excellent.
(5)K.D. P.
I would pick 3.5 if I could. I have enjoyed their food and crazy loud atmosphere. (both karaoke and mariachi) The first time we went with about 14 or 15 of us - we were seated in the bar along with other families w/kids so that's kind of funny. The wait service has been excellent both times, we got free refills of the free chips and salsa - the girls spoke english =) I have still not tried the molcajete but plan to go back for sure. I had the chile verde burrito and since someone else here said it was so great - I wanted to add my two cents. The pork was superbly tender - the size was great - the rice did have those weird mixed veggies in it for some odd reason - but my slight disappoinment comes because it was sweeter than I'm used too so that was a bummer for me. I'd like a little more spice and less sweet in a chile verde. But it is a very fun place if you're in the mood for loud Mexican music (good or bad!)
(4)JaNae C.
Absolutely LOVED this place. We've always had excellent service, even when they are packed. When we've been the only gringos, we've been treated almost like royalty. Everything we've eaten has been seasoned exactly as asked (some of my family members can't do much heat). The molcajete is incredible - definitely my favorite Mexican food. Much more authentic than most.
(5)Todd D.
How do you say "thanks for ripping me off" in Spanish? I told some family that I was going to bring by some tacos for lunch over the weekend and was kind of embarrassed when I unknowingly showed up with a light snack. I grabbed some take out from El Paisa and was pretty surprised by the prices. I'm used to paying no more than a few bucks for a couple of asada tacos so my expectations were extremely heightened. My surprise and expectations turned to sheer disappointment when I saw the portion sizes. The amount of food for the price was unjustifiable. There was nothing special about the quality either, I can't even say that it was good. I could have gotten better tacos from a taco cart for 1/10 of what I paid and wouldn't miss the Gerber style beans or instant rice one bit. Some of the seafood entrees on the menu sent my saliva glands into overdrive so I'll give 2 stars instead of 1 under the assumption that they probably have some delicious options if you've got the pesos.
(2)Kent B.
Fantastic and very authentic mexican food. My wife and I split a molcajete between the two of us and we had plenty left over to take home. We were there on a Monday evening and they had someone with a great voice on the stage singing in Spanish the whole time. Very fun atmosphere. Two things that kept them from getting 5 stars - the shrimp wasn't deveined and the mexican rice seemed suspiciously like minute rice with some frozen vegetables thrown in.
(4)Jared S.
The ceviche did not seem fresh ante carnitas, although tasty in the moment, left me with a very greasy feel after we left. The best part was the live mariachi band, which plays each Friday night.
(2)L. R.
El Paisa Grill brings a small part of Mexico to Utah. The Molcajete is delicious and it is indeed the best in Utah.
(4)Paul M.
I started going to this place for lunch because it was close by and some of the guys from work said I should try it. Before long it was one of my favorite places and word must have caught on because it does get busy for lunch. One day I decided take my wife there for dinner. We ordered something that we had never had before, which I had come to find out was one of their specialties, molcajete. It was delicious. Since then I have taken my whole family there many times and we have never been disappointed. There is usually live music there on the weekends which is nice. This is a great authentic place with great food and a great selection.
(5)