Chapala Cafe is hands down the best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. My family and I have been going there for years and have had many parties there. The staff is amazing, they always think of their customers first and foremost. The food, oh my goodness! I can't get enough! You are the best! read more

Chapala Cafe - Chicken street tacos MY FAVORITE - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

We all 4 of us are vegetarian. The food is excellent. We ordered Mexican pizza,burritos and enchiladas. We loved the Mexican pizza so much that we repeated the order. So we end up eating 2 pizzas. The food was so good!!! read more

This would be my second time here and it has solid Mexican food! I couldn't stop eating their yummy free tortilla chips before my burrito arrived. My friends and I stopped by at 8pm on a Friday night and it was less than half full. It looked like the live band had just wrapped up. The chile verde burrito my boyfriend and I shared was delicious, but sadly a bit uneven. We found out after that his side had all the chicken and my side had all the meat :(. Overall, a good dining experience with a nice open atmosphere and affordable prices. I would go back again. read more

Chapala Cafe - Our chile verde burrito at Chapala's - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

I came to eat dinner with my family and friends And had the worst experience ever if I could give 0 stars I would. The food was subpar, the service was horrible, and on top of that they charged us gratuity and a liquor tax along with over charging us on meat substitution. I have gone to this restaurant many and it keeps getting worse. We will not be going back again, very disappointing. read more

Ever promise yourself you'd never go back to place but then gave them another chance - only find out that they've managed to not only repeat the original errors but somehow found a way let you down further? Welcome back to Chapala. Who needs salt or pepper (or salsa) to add flavor. You're not here for the food are you? Who needs service from a human? You're not really supposed to be here in the first place now are you? Get back in your car and go back to Costco for making food at home like you should have in the first place because you and I both know that this was a mistake. Here's the real kicker: we don't want to go out at all because they not only ruined the song, they ruined music. Have a nice day. read more

Walked in on a whim because we were starving and it was close to where we parked. The food was delicious. Enchiladas, nachos, and asada fries. They are generous with the chips and salsa too. The salsa could use more salt and flavor but other than that it was great. In the words of my son....its bomb. read more

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Just go here rather than Chipotle, it's good when you get what you like. Cool place to eat with a bunch of people.

I absolutely love this place. The service and food is amazing. Fast service, great food, family atmosphere, they have it all. I haven't seen a live band there in a while, but before Covid they had live bands every week. read more

My wife and I visited this Mexican Restaurant on August 31 and were very impressed with the service, the amount of food, but was not impressed with the atmosphere, as we had to eat outside ( due to COVID 19 requirements) watching all the homeless and other locals walk by with their shopping carts and smoking weed. Now saying all of that, the pricing was quite fair and we would return, but only if we could eat inside. read more

Chapala Cafe - the front of the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

The food is often good, but is inconsistent, and it can sometimes take a while for a waiter to take your order. However, it never stops me from coming back, and is one of the best Mexican restaurants here in Humboldt County. read more

Why does this joint always seem to pack them in? Is it the huge portions? The spacious dining area? The Old Town locale? One thing's for sure, it's not the quality of the food. Chapala's fare is about as bland as it gets. As stated you get huge portions, and yet, that styrofoam-boxed 1/2 chile verde burrito I took home will languish in the fridge untouched, inevitably meeting its landfill doom. The dining experience is pleasant enough. Chapala's great wait-staff efficiently punches orders into Palm Pilot-like gizmos, zapping tickets directly to the kitchen. The three-piece cowboy band that occasionally serenades diners is an unfortunate and overly campy touch, as guests exchange awkward glances and offer forced applause mid-meal. Even a theme-appropriate flamenco guitarist would probably be an unneeded distraction, but three old white dudes singing Happy Trails? Doesn't work for me. Given the dicey nature of Mexican food in Eureka you could do worse than Chapala Cafe, but after three or four visits, I doubt I'll be going back. Again, they must be doing something right because the place seems to be consistently busy. read more

Chapala Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

Fast and attentive service as soon as we walked in. Decent prices. Authentic Mexican food. Fresh chips brought to table right away even if you are only getting drinks. Which we were,but decided to stay for lunch. Which I'm glad we did. Food was hot!! Not the Spivey hot but temp hot and really good. Food is bangin!!! read more

Mediocre! Weird Chicken... Just extremely mediocre all around... Mole, salsa, Margaritas, chips... everything. Service was good for All teenagers. The soup was tasty... read more

My favorite thing about this Mexican restaurant is that they don't skimp on the tortilla chips! They also have a couple different salsas to choose from (one has a more smokey flavor). The staff is always very kind and the food is always delicious. I had a blended mango margarita which tasted great, and I ordered a salad with chorizo tofu. The tofu was a bit on the dry side, but the salad was still good. read more

Chapala Cafe - Salad with chorizo tofu served with rice - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

This used to be my favorite place for Mexican. I don't know what has happened, but the food is just not good anymore. The last thing I got was so spicy I couldn't even eat it. It wasn't just spicy either, it had a very chemical taste that lingered. I tried messaging them on Facebook to ask if it was an off night and they never got back to me so I have decided I'm done with them and I suggest you don't even try. read more

After searching for good, authentic Mexican food we were referred to Chapala's & it is now one of our most favorites!! The food is delicious, the service is great & the prices are so reasonable for the Coast. Some of our favorites are the chimichanga's, tamales, carnitas, enchiladas, & chili verde. But honestly, we haven't had a bad dish yet! We even love their chips & salsa. read more

Amazing!!!!! My friend is a vegetarian and we shared a Mexican pizza and empanadas- so delicious! The margaritas were also amazing!!! Highly recommend! read more

Still the best Mexican in Humboldt. The chips and salza are great, and you can easily spoil your appetite with them. I usually get the three enchilada combo with verde sauce. Always, always, always delicious! I've never had desert there. I'm too stuffed from the meal! I've tried other Mexican restaurants (one of which is actually advertised on the mural inside Chapala). None of them can compare to Chapala. None. read more

The food was authentic Mexican with ample serving size and lots of versatility on the menu. The staff was warm and responsive. Just one block from the beach it was the perfect place for dinner for two or for the whole family. Really loved the peach margarita. Plenty of seating. Highly recommend read more

Chapala Cafe - Entrance to the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

Wow. With all the great Mexican restaurants in town, I'm surprised at all the good reviews of Chapala. Our entire table agreed the food was terrible. Humdrum salsa, stale chips, canned beans, packaged crunchy taco shells...seriously? If I wanted that I'd let my mom cook me tacos. In the midwest. And if I am to pay $4 for a mundane microbrew, I expect there to be a tap involved. On the positive side, service was fine...and I like the live music they have there. If we ever return, it will be for margaritas and entertainment only. read more

I always get great food and even better service here! My standard is the carnitas taco salad and mango margarita. I can't eat the whole thing it's so huge. Warm chips served with hot or mild salsa is always served up as soon as we arrive. I don't know what the schedule is but there is usually fun live music around dinner time. They have a perfect section upstairs for large groups or parties. We've held several birthday parties as well as baby showers up there. They'll do a buffet style for large groups or a fixed menu. It's very affordable and you get a ton of food for the buffet. The staff is very accommodating and helpful. I love Chapala's. I can't explain some of the bad reviews this place has gotten. read more

We found this spot in a travel magazine... I've had better Mexican Food coming from Los Angeles, but it wasn't "BAD"... the chili rellano was .... lacking... and my enchilada was... lacking... and the taco my girlfriend had was... lacking... (I mean it was a pre made taco shell) Needless to say, this place was poppin'... And they sat us in front of the window which apparently gives you 10% off... There is a saying I grew up hearing though... if you go to a mexican restaurant and there aren't Mexicans eating there... walk out... enough said... read more

This place is the best if you want clean food without any contamination! Vegan and gluten-free options. Always fresh! The best in Humboldt County! read more

Terrible. The food here is not quality Mexican food. I have been to the country of Mexico many times throughout my life and it is nothing like what you get there. The service began well enough. We were greeted promptly by a very nice man and quickly shown to our table. But that is where any semblance of efficient and courteous service ended. It took well over ten minutes to get the waitress to even look as though she was coming to take our order...we had to flag her to get her to our table. Go to Oaxaca's or La Patria...they are ALWAYS nice there, and the food is by far and away more authentic. read more

Decent Mexican food at a reasonable price. We have been here twice. They have the usual Mexican fare. Tried the molé, burritos, tamales and nothing really stood out. read more

Convenient location in Old Town, look for the sidewalk sign at the corner. Went here for a party. Nice private floor upstairs. Noticed the manager finishing a house meal downstairs as we came in, a good sign. The margaritas were perfect, the guacamole was very good. The place has a nice ambiance so that it is a pleasant place to sit and eat. The waiting come easy. The kitchen turned out appetizers right away and then served a large order at once in good time. As much as we didn't want to rush, our party did have a timetable and the restaurant was nicely prepared. We ate and enjoyed the meal without rushing. The burrito was real classic Mexican style, soft and delicious in sauce on a plate with a tamale. The relleno was great, I could have gone for more of that. The beans and rice on the side were amazing. They have some higher end dishes I would love to try, but this one was a reasonable price for a nice restaurant. The tamale I think was maybe frozen, but with the sauce and the rest of the plate it still was enjoyable. I ate almost the whole thing. Those appetizers were perfect as well, they were fresh and hot and they nailed the filling and the crust. Definitely on my list for Eureka. read more

Been coming here since I was a kid. Through a couple different owners. Mostly things have stayed the same and that keeps me coming back. My only complaint would be the same at almost all restaurants that serve chips. Every once in a while they are stale as can be. But overall great and consistent. Good service too! Meals prepared and served quickly so if you need to get in and out you usually can pretty quickly. I've never been sick here and I've eaten here a couple times a min for over 20 years. Solid. read more

I came here for an office Christmas party and we had a truly fun time. If you have a large group, and it is available, I recommend getting the upper floor of the restaurant to accommodate your party. It's open to the lower floor, so you can still hear the quaint, Western tones of the Tumbleweeds (acoustic folk group) playing live Thursday through Sunday. It was also a plus to have the entire upper space, as we had lots of gift-giving and Secret Santa activities that would have been difficult in the main dining room. Our service was excellent; our party received jumbo size margaritas at no extra charge, and who can argue with that? They have many different flavors of margs. I had the mango (my usual) and was pleased enough to have several. Our server was very friendly, happy to recommend drinks, tequilas for the margs, and the tastiest items on the menu. The food here is not the most mind-blowing Mexican food, but it is still very good. The atmosphere is very lively and fun, and I personally think their margaritas are better than at Rita's Cafe, another local favorite (whose food is much better; alas, the best margaritas can't be coupled with the best South of the Border cuisine). The main issue with their food is that it doesn't stand out. it is very standard for Mexican food in California; they could definitely learn to be more daring in their dishes. All in all, though, Chapala is a fun and tasty local treat, and I would recommend it, at the very least for the delicious margaritas! read more

Came here with 6 other people a few months ago. The experience was okay, it was my first time here. The food is good. The portions are generous and the salsa and chips are good. (I recommend the spicy one.) The food is relatively normally-priced. Although, the waiter was slow and forgot to get our drinks or messed up the order a few times. It was fine, because there was a lot of us. However my issue was that he just kept forgetting to refill my drink. Overall it's a good spot and it's good food. read more

Why do people come to Chapala, you may ask? Well first of all, they have triple-sized liquor margaritas that are awesome. We got there in an off hour and the wait-staff was super-cool, and the portions, although not the best California Mexican food I've ever tasted, were huge. I could have gone without the lettuce in my veggie burrito, because that's always a mistake, but the salsas were decent even if they were your typical California fare... It's good for Mexican food in Eureka... That's all I have to say, and I'm sticking by that. read more

Great place for delicious authentic Mexican cuisine. Food is decently priced and the margaritas are amazing. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend!

In my opinion, this is the best Mexican food restaurant in Eureka. They have friendly and attentive staff, and a really great chile relleno . read more

Great food and great service! Would definetly recommend to anyone! Very comfortable energy and almost felt at home. Waiter Paco was great as well. Very good food. read more

The first thing that struck me was that the wait staff were well-dressed in black pants and white shirts. They proved to be both professional and friendly. I was with someone who was inordinately thirsty and it was almost comical how quickly his water got refilled...like, 4 times. That said, I didn't feel that we were being hovered over, which nobody wants when they're relaxing over a nice meal. I had their "guacamole salad" and a chicken tamale. My companion had quesadillas which came with guacamole, tomato, shredded lettuce, and I think black olives. He also had refried beans. All of the food tasted fresh and delicious. One note: my tamale - I'm used to abuela-style, steamed in the corn husks so the masa comes out really moist and flavorful. This seemed more like corn bread. Not bad, just not what I was expecting. Our order was taken quickly, drinks were served immediately, and our food order did not take too long at all. I really liked the ambiance. Everything from the beautiful front door to the walls and the quiet atmosphere. Very enjoyable dinner, start to finish. read more

This place is okay, I expected better for the price. I ordered albóndiga soup ($13) and the taste was just okay. For that price I would expect it to come with rice, had to order that separately another $5 for rice I believe. Aside from that I was extremely disappointed by the large amounts of oil that my soup contained. I literally spent about 30 minutes spooning it out of my soup, because every bite tasted like oil. 30 minutes 4 napkins later I was finally able to remove the top layer of oil/grease from my soup. I was very upset, if you're going to price food at a fine restaurant level (take into consideration I ordered a soup) the least you could do is serve something the right way. I don't know a person who likes to eat spoonfuls of oil. read more

Super fast and excellent service!!!! Love this place!! I have only been here once and didn't know what to expect but wow! It's so good and the service was super fast. The owner isn't just some guy who you ne'er see apparently works here all the time and he seated us and gave us our food. Totes cool beans!!! read more

Chapala Cafe - Yummy!! Cheese Enchilada and Chicken Tamale combo plate. - Mexican Near Me - Eureka, California

This place was great went here with my fiancé she had a combination plate and I had the Cali burrito. This place exceeded my expectations for Mexican food in Humboldt both of us said how great it was. Will definitely be coming back and prices were good as well. read more

This restaurant is amazing. Delicious food, the people who work there are so sweet and accommodating. Very vegan friendly, rice and beans (all types) are 100% vegan, just ask for no cheese if you get a side of beans.They also have a veggie fajita plate that is very good. Vegan spanish rice is hard to find making this place is a rarity worth checking out. read more

Chips were stale, service was poor, messed up our order after repeating multiple times, shreaded tacos had a dark sauce that was not very good, offer pico digio as and appetizer for $3.00, and it is a very small bowl. Overall would never come back. read more

Wow, its been awhile since I felt like I was bothering a waiter for coming into an almost empty restaurant. Food was OK but it was a bit insulting the way he led us to our table without talking or looking at us, dropped our menus on the table, and then ignored us for the rest of the time. There is better mexican food close by with nicer people... read more