5 stars for in person service. might be language barrier for pickip orders, but there have been enough times with errors when arriving home that i have to give it a 4. I love the foodb ut with a wheat allergy I can't try everything on the menu. Havent done any desserts. Cant rate drinks, I dont do alcohol. Love their chicken fajitas !, their guacomole, rice , beans, salad, chips and salsa. Love the people who run the place and the wait staff. It is clean and comfortable. Love sitting outdoors for dinner in the summer. read more

I become exceedingly sick (vomiting), the last time I ate their take out. I even considered going to the hospital, I was so sick!!! They've varied in their food products and I just can't go back to risk that ever again! read more

Lot of potential, just missing on a few details to make it really good. The chips and salsa were below average. The chips remind me of nacho chips from a concession stand. The salsa was a bit too sweet. The fajitas fundos (sp?) we're good, but I wish the cheese would have been the melty (chihuahua) type. It was more like a mozzarella type cheese. Overall the food did not have a lot of flavor. It was a bit bland. That said, the service was very good. The place was clean. read more

Arandas - Fajitas fundos - Mexican Near Me - Fairfield, Iowa

no air conditioning. when mentioned said front (south) side had better. said tables were full but one was obviously for employees to sit at and enjoy air conditioning. no one seated there just water and a cell phone. not interested in customer comfort. i never critique restaurants but after hot day outside not interested in sweating in a pay for restaurant. read more

First time visitor. I rate Mexican restaurants on their hot sauce and margaritas and I always have to ask for HOT sauce and it was great. Margaritas were okay. Stopped at lunch and the prices were good for lunch and my lunch portion and food were pretty good. My husband had steak tacos and he said the lunch was good but the steak needed a bit more seasoning. I would need to come back again and try something else to determine if they warrant higher than 4 stars. read more

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We went here, this time, for margaritas and dessert. If it was just for this I would give it 5 stars. But our other visits here have been less successful. Locals love it. It's a standard Fairfield haunt. And here are the pluses. Nachos and dip on arrival always a win. The dessert we had was fantastic. Margaritas are great. But as for the rest... Servers can tend to ignore you. We once booked a massive table which was given to another group before we arrived. The food is, perhaps as with all Tex mex, greasy and not particularly amazing. I think locals know what to order on the menu specifically and so know how to make the place work for them. Certainly a local fav but not sure it's worth it unless you know exactly what you want. read more

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We were hungry and thirsty. The water had stale ice and my quesadilla was served in a cold soft shell. I've had much better elsewhere.

The one thing that is unavoidable about this restaurant is the friendly and speedy service. The atmosphere reminds me of a spot in a major city where you would go to get really great Mexican food; tacky old decor and all the staff fluent spanish speakers. However, the quality in taste does not live up to the painted hole in the wall that Arranda's is. The flavors were shallow and bordered on being completely bland. This would not be so much of a surprise if the cooks were white teenagers filling part-time jobs, but this is not so. As someone from a highly Spanish-speaking area, I was excited to see a Mexican restaurant in a small town that was managed and operated by Spanish-speaking people. Everything about the establishment makes you believe that you're about to have some really tasty and authentic Mexican food, but the first bites are an immediate let down. read more

wore our masks in to be seated ordered drinks and a side of guacamole and cheese dip to go with chips and salsa. 30 + minutes they finally come take our order . Food comes out delivered to the wrong table with unmasked patrons the wife is uncomfortable eating it after being delivered to wrong table especially since she works with children i inform the gentleman that we cant eat it after being delivered to wrong table and i ask her if she wants it remade. He says we arent remaking it i said thats fine ring up what we consumed and we will leave but dont expect their to not be some form of social media backlash over it to which he responds thats not a very grown up thing to do i said no the grown up thing to do would be to remake the food and fix your mistake but you refused so this is what you will get read more

My husband and I stopped here as it was one of the only places in the area we found to allow inside diners. We're so glad we found this place! Some of the best Mexican we've had as self-proclaimed Mexican food divas lol. Fast service, super clean private restrooms, and friendly staff. We'll be stopping by any time we come back to this area! read more

This place is so great. Insider tip: get a contarita - it's a yummy tequila cocktail in a clay cup. Great service and the food comes out within 15 minutes without fail. It's always good and consistent - and affordable! read more

I do not ever post reviews. I took my son and his friend to eat Thursday night, all 3 of us woke up Friday morning throwing up with terrible stomachs for 2 days. We did all eat the same thing. I will not being going back. Heard from a few friends has happened to them as well. I don't think this should be a hit or miss in a restaurant. read more

I've eaten at my share of mexican restaurants and I really like this place. It is the best mexican joint in town! Pro: The prices are reasonable. The service is usually fast and friendly. The food is consistant and delicious. They have vegetarian options. What more could I ask for? Well, they always have water, and chips & yummy salsa on my table fast. Their guacamole and cheese sauce are great! They have good drinks like Mexican Coke, horchata, quality Mexican beers and strong house margaritas. If you've never tasted quality tequila, they have it! (I recommend Don Julio or Patron.) And the entres are what you would hope for-- fresh, flavorful, sizzling and/or with lots of sauce and cheese on top! Con: I hope you not on a diet, this is a place to indulge. I wish they were open for breakfast, and on Sunday-- they aren't. Sometimes they can get crowded or just plain loud. Just remember that you can opt to sit on the patio when the weather is nice, or in the back room which is carpeted and seldom used. Ask and you shall receive. Skip their coffee. Disclosure: I'm a vegetarian, so I haven't tried everything on the menu. I usually go in a small party of 4 or less. read more

I've eaten here at least ten times so this review is totally qualified. Service staff: Always very friendly. Sometimes a little forgetful/slow, but always really nice. Management: The owner is kind of a schmoozy dude who lets his staff get in the weeds and doesn't lift a finger to help. Food: Hit or miss. The flautas are good if you get al pastor (it tastes pretty good, but they use very finely chopped pork, and it doesn't taste like authentic al pastor). Otherwise, the carne asada is bland and the chicken bland as well. Fajitas are never a disappointment. Drinks: DO NOT order their blended margaritas. They absolutely suck, even more if you look at the mix they use. It comes in what looks like a bottle of bleach, and it's labeled "lime." If you stick with Don Julio, and get it on the rocks, it's much better. I think they overpour, but a lot of people prefer that. Their import beer prices are whack. $4.75 for a Dos Equis, gtfo. Cleanliness: Sometimes it seems the staff just doesn't care. They'll leave the previous patrons' dirty table settings out for the duration of your visit. My husband once asked the our server to remove it before getting our food. It wasn't even his table, and we felt bad, but come on! We saw three other workers just walk right past it and ignore it. The bathroom is pretty gross too...they should work on that asap. Overall, it's pretty standard Mexican food, so-so experience every time. We'll keep going back though, because sadly, in rural Iowa, it just doesn't get much better. read more

This was the worst Mexican joint I've ever been to in my life. I ordered a Quesadilla and it took probably a half-hour to get it. When it arrived, it was POURING with old grease. Seriously, that's the only thing you could taste in the whole Quesadilla. The waitress demanded I pay for it anyway, even though I hardly took a single bite. It was inedible! She claimed I had ordered it, so I was forced to pay no matter what. She smugly said, "not my problem" when I refused, before walking away and not returning. I will NEVER eat here again. STAY FAR AWAY. read more

Arandas used to be my favorite place in the town for Mexican food. Most of the times chips and salsa are fresh. Pollo Al Diabla ( Guess, I wrote it correctly :) ) is must try for those who like spicy food. From food perspective it is a good place. From service stand point, during my recent visit, i had a terrible experience. I honestly recommend servers be trained in cleanliness and courtesy. They have their way of ignoring requests. I requested my server for spicy salsa and she never got it. Guessing that she forgot, I requested another server and she too never got it. Though, it is a one time experience, they left very bad impression. read more

Staff is a bit slow but the food was good. I very much prefer the buffet they have down the street at the gas station. It is also a bit pricey. Most of my family and friends love it so I couldn't give it less than 4 stars. read more

Unfortunately this restaurant got off to a slow start. Now that they've worked out the kinks, the service is excellent. And the food is definitely the best Mexican we've had in SE Iowa. They have excellent Margarita's as well! My family's favorite dish is the Bifstek a la Mexicana which is very flavorful as well as spicy. The burritos and chimis are good, excellent Guac, we just haven't found anything that wasn't good. If you're near Fairfield and in the mood for Mexican, I'd highly recommend Arandas. read more

Food was pretty good. But the salsa tasted suspiciously like store bought salsa. I had a veggie burrito 7/10. Service was excellent, very friendly staff. However, there was a distinct public bathroom smell near the area we were sitting which was hard to ignore. If they could just fix that smell, and change their salsa they would totally be 5 stars worthy. read more

Great, FREE Chips and Salsa... Is the thing I liked most about Arandas! But they could maybe work on a few things! Meals were not that special, my friend ordered a veggie taco salad and for the price there really wasn't' much food in the salad. Mostly just lettuce, beans, rice, and a little avocado. No Veggies really.. Same with the Veggie burrito that I ordered, it had more bang for your buck then the salad did but still no real Veggies in it.. The service was very slow, and not really there for most of our dinner. It took about 10 minutes, for a waiter to come to the table, and another 10 for us to get waters, (and they were not busy at 2 pm when we were there) but they did keep those chips and salsa coming, which made the lunch and experience much better.. The bathroom was in ok, shape, but the water coming out of the sink had a severe smell, that was not good! It made me afraid to wash my hands it stunk so bad! I hope they can put a little more attention into the bathroom water, and the service, cause those chips and salsa are top notch and I love mexican food and would love to go back at some point! read more

After too many times to honestly admit or even count, Food sucks. Sorry. Service was mediocre. If you know about their lunch buffet at the BP do that. It's 4 stars al the way. As far as the restaurant, eat mexican food when you are in Ottumwa. Unless of course, you like freezer burned food and most often, crappy service. The one star is for their "spicy" salsa. If you like spicy, ask for it. Sorry guys, you can totally do better. If you do find yourself eating here, get the "nachos originales" read more

We always get the same server and she's literally the best. We also ways get the same meal and split it but I've never been disappointed with it. Good chips and salsa as well. read more

Very good chips and salsa, better than most places even here in California. I have dined here twice now, and want to also compliment the Margaritas on the rocks, very delicious and better than most I have tried. As far as the service and such, I would have to agree with some of the other reviews, but the staff seem nice enough...I have experienced much worse. read more

Never.going. back. I asked for an ice tea without lemon. The server brought an ice tea with lemon. it took 10 minutes to get more chips and I had to ask another server for chips. The salsa tasted more like tomato sauce or taco sauce out of a jar. I asked for sugar to sweeten my tea and the server clearly didn't understand that I was asking for sugar packets. She kept explaining the difference between sweet and unsweetened tea. I finally pointed to sugar packets at another table and she finally got it. i asked for a beef quesadilla off the ala carte menu and they charged me for the dinner. They didn't take anything off the total bill and didn't budge on the price even though I kept explaining that I didn't order the dinner. No matter how many times I explained to the server and the shift manager that I didn't order the dinner, they insisted on charging me $10 for a quesadilla!!!!!! :( :( I told her that "we're never coming back" and she said ok. Fine with me read more

I was skeptical as the reviews were not all wonderful, but we really wanted Mexican food. The food was very good, the service was great! Nice little patio where we enjoyed our meal outside, even though it was in front of the business. read more

The best is the buffet @ the BP station on 2nd st across from Everybody's. Can't beat the price or the unlimited fresh guac! Pretty decent mexican food for Iowa. read more

Free chips and nachos were good, but the meal I got I specifically asked for only meat and cheese and everything was on them when they can out! The whole time I was there it smelled like the sewer!! Very unappetizing!!!! read more

Where to begin... We have tried to like this place for much too long now. Today was the final attempt. Bleh. Poor service, plastic food. I need to understand how an eating establishment can not want/strive to serve amazing food!? Or at least good food, satisfying quality food. Anyway, never again- I am free from gross. Drive to ottumwa if you're wanting tasty and authentic Mexican eats. read more

Be sure to stop and buy some baby wipes before heading home. You'll get mud butt for sure. The service is friendly. The front of the house is clean. Not sure about the kitchen. read more

authentic mexican food! fresh, tasty, and very reasonable prices. customer service is PROMPT sweet & friendly

Unfortunately we sat by a very load crowd of people which posed a negative atmosphere for us. But besides that, everything else was terrible. The bathrooms are tiny and smelled like dirty mop water, not very sanitary nor welcoming. They sat us in the back of the restaurant, the only fan back there was not working. We felt claustrophobic, and very hot. The food was okay.. We got a side of guacamole which was warm but kinda tasted fresh. Most of the food was soggy, and the tortillas tasted like they made the tortillas on the floor. And what we really hated was the long wait for our food, yes we did have a big group of friends but it took over 45 minutes to get our food. All we had was the stale tasting chips and warm guacamole. By the time our food came we could hardly eat any of it. Just from looking at the outside of the restaurant you can most definitely tell that they are not high end. The have plastic tables and chairs. By the end of everything we wanted to throw up. read more

The best Mexican food you find in Fairfield maybe even Southeast Iowa, They cater little bit more to the vegetarian side they do the chicken and other things but overall the food quality is better than most of restaurants in the area read more

The nicest people run this restaurant. I like the food and the atmosphere is fun. They always serve free chips and salsa and their margaritas are gigantic. If you like jalapeños they serve these delicious pickled jalapeños that I have never found anywhere else. read more

Best Mexican food in town! Plus a full bar! Way better than La Hacienda, which is the only other choice for mexican food in Fairfield.

Sorry, but this place completely disappoints. I hate giving poor reviews because, I truly want small businesses like this to prosper. I went here with a party of 4. There were only 5 other dining patrons, however it took forever to get our food, and when we received our food it just got worse. For starters, my wife ordered a tamale....it was made with some sort of corn meal, or corn bread mix with no meat, and not cooked in a corn husk.....seriously masa and lard are not that expensive. This in my opinion is completely unacceptable. I had a burrito with a ranchero sauce which was utterly half assed. Poorly seasoned ground with limp iceberg lettuce and some sour cream wrapped in a tortilla and smothered in a weak tomato sauce. I really wanted pork but they do not serve pork....I have never been to a Mexican restaurant that does not serve pork. I hate giving poor reviews and I realize this a small town, but people deserve better than this and there are other wonderful options available in Fairfield. My suggestion is to look at other options for dining. read more

The best Mexican Restaurant in Fairfield. The food is what makes it stand out compared to the other ones. Small and cozy place with decent service. Portion sizes are big, fresh and yummy. I have never had a meal here I didn't like. Parking needs some work and the bathrooms are nothing to be desired but otherwise its a great little place. read more

Super cheap. Food was AMAZING! The only thing I kind of disliked was the margaritas. Little bit too much strawberry flavoring in them.

I wanted to go to my favorite restaurant but it was closed for remodeling. I read the reviews for this place and was skeptical but decided to anyway . The service was fast and the food was normal Mexican food but then when I was done the service went to, well you know. I sat there for 10 minutes after they cleared the table and no one brought me a ticket. A waiter went buy and asked if I was ready, I said yes thinking I would get a ticket. 10 minutes later my waitress walked by and I asked for a ticket again. I waited another 5 minutes and got up and went to the counter. She presented me a ticket for $21.00. I had a $8.99 meal with ice tea. She could not understand why I was upset and got the manager who fixed the ticket. It was a good thing I was not in a hurry. The 1 star is for the service not the food. read more

Despite the restaurant name, this is not authentic Mexican food. It is your run of the mill Amerimexican food. Portions are large, food is edible, and service was pretty fast. The building seemed kind of rundown, particularly the bathroom which was kind of dingey . I wouldn't go back as the food was nothing special. read more

The food was excellent tonight! I feel like it gets better every time I visit. The service is pretty slow. Waited awhile for the waiter to come back and take our order, but once we did the food came out fast. read more