Service is great: they all all the way on top of things & they basically run around the restaurant! They have always been very kind whenever we are here! Food: true Mexican, great taste. read more

El Jalapeno - Super burrito w/ suizo!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

Always great food and service. Love the frozen margaritas. Large portions, enough to share.

By far the best Mexican around. The food is great the service is over the top. The service is fast also no matter how busy they are. I am very picky and they accommodate my changes in what I want with out an issue. read more

Nice freestanding Mexican Restaurant. Clean, friendly staff. I mostly enjoyed the unique choices on the menu. They had fajita style meals serve both in a Lava Bowl and a Pineapple. We sat in the bar and watched some sports. Prices are fair, entrees at $10-16 and have large portion. Fajitas could feed 2 adults or one teenage boy! This is an above average Mexican restaurant! read more

El Jalapeno - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

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Ordered online delivery and took 2 hours to get. One of the worst experiences ever had with delivery. Called twice and was told it was

The place was dirty, dusty on top of greasy, just gross. Service was not great, felt like they couldn't be bothered. Very unlikely that I will return read more

I was back home visiting family and friends and ended up at El Jalapeño for the first time. I know! After living in the area my entire life, I had to move to Pittsburgh in order to try it. Glad I did because there is a severe lack of good Mexican around me in Pittsburgh. I met a friend for lunch and had always heard that the Super Burrito was the way to go so I ordered one with the fajita chicken and opted to pay the extra dollar for the Suizo Sauce. A most excellent choice I might add! It is basically queso blanco smothering an already ginormous burrito! The chicken, peppers and onions were very flavorful with a touch of rice, received beans and sour cream. Overall I really liked the dish. I wish that is came with a side of lettuce, tomato and sour cream but sadly, all you get is the burrito. Luckily my friends dish did come with that and she didn't want it. Score for me!!! Honestly though, the addition of this would be a good idea. Since it was Monday and the do 99 cent tacos on Monday, I tried one of those too. It might just be me but, the cheese they used on the taco took your typical Mexican Joint taco and pushed it over the edge! Well worth going here on Monday and just grabbing a bunch of cheap tacos! And don't forget the complimentary chips and salsa. I'd say they were average for your typical Mexican restaurant. The service was just so so. It was lunch and not very busy but our waiter still seemed impatient. He wanted to take the order immediately but we asked for a few minutes. He gave us exactly one minute before asking again. And while we were chatting and catching up he seemed to try to rush us out. He kept asking if we were done. We didn't let it get to us and enjoyed our visit. It was rather worrisome when I realized my water glass was cracked. It was very noticeable but not leaking. Check out the picture. Overall, I really enjoyed the food here. The atmosphere is typical of this type of restaurant but it fits well. Service wasn't the best but wasn't the worst either. I'd strongly recommend giving it a try if you are in the area and looking for decent Mexican Cuisine. read more

El Jalapeno - Super Burrito w/ Suizo Sauce and a 99 cent Taco! Delicious! And huge! - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

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I had the most flavorful dinner, the spinach enchiladas were amazing, the cheese sauce made it exceptional. And I have never had Negra Modelo on tap before, it was a treat! read more

We googled ElJalapeno, looked at the menu and ordered food for pickup. After I came home and realized we didn't get what we ordered we were furious and called to complain. Due to the confusion of Google for our area it gave us the wrong El jalapeno. The manager was totally cool about it. We reordered our food and they wouldn't let us pay for our own screw up! As always great food and great service. That's why we only go to this restaurant for Mexican food read more

I'm originally from Southern California and know what authentic Mexican food looks and tastes like. It's not often you stumble on a place like El Jalapeño in NE Ohio and find real Mexican food that tastes great. Will definitely be returning. read more

I'm from Arizona and the mexican food here just doesn't seem as good; I've had better out of mobile stands. Sorry but the truth hurts.

This is a place of mediocre food ,we've been going there about once a week for about a year because my 4 year old grand daughter loves the place, cheese casadia, they have free kids meal on Wednesday ,they would not give because we only ordered a casadia our bill was over 30 dollars If you must go there check your receipt. read more

My chimichanga was delicious. The cheese sauce on top of it was amazing. The chips and salsa we're not great at all. They included hard taco shells that were broken in half. Our waiter and the woman at the checkout weren't that polite. The waiter for the next table stepped in at times and was great. I guess it's a good place for the area. read more

El Jalapeno - Chimichangas - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

1-19-2017 630pm. We are huge fans of Pablo and his restaurant, we know him from soccer and working out. However tonight was not his night. The server was quick but was very hard to understand, and got confused. We got jalapeno poppers and they were cooked so fast at such a high temperature that they weren't completely cooked on the inside and hard on the outside. I got a chicken fajita it was dry and lacked the flavor that it normally has. We noticed the food also was lower quality. It had what looked like a pre cut peppers and onions on it. It also didn't have the traditional green onion that you usually find in it. again it wasn't bad it just wasn't up to the high standards they had previously set. Jenn got a steak burrito, again it lacked flavor and the normal quality and portion sizes that are the norm here. I am not sure if it is due to them opening up a second location or not. This was the only legit mexican spot in the area, and hopefully they can rebound or else we might be looking else where. read more

I came here for lunch and the place was empty except a group of old ladies at a large table. Despite an empty restaurant it took 15 minutes before someone came to my table to bring water. And another 15 minutes before I could give a food order. The queso dip was watery and bland. Which is shocking for being $6 for the dip size portion. The food was mediocre-fast Mexican style. The beans came in a dish of liquid with approximately 10 individual beans in it -yes I counted. I can't imagine coming here when it is busy. Speakers playing music were blown and despite this, they blasted music through the static. Positives-clean inside, nice booths and tables. Relatively cheap although not worth even that price for this lower end Mexican food. Not sure why everyone raves about this place and gives it high stars. read more

This place is new and occupies a building that seems to gain and lose a new business every six months. This place may be there to stay. Not being a Mexican cuisine "lover", this place was good. The food was fantastic. I had the #29 which was four burritos-1-beef, 1-cheese, 1-chicken, and 1-bean all topped with lettuce, fresh sliced tomato and sour cream. It came with a side of red rice. Everything on the plate was gone, so yeah it was delicious. The very ends of the burritos were hard, other than that, no complaint. I must note that the re fried beans were very creamy of which I liked. The wife had the chimichangas and she said they were fantastic. She also thought the red rice was tasty as did I. Two of my kids had the dinosaur chix nuggets and my oldest had a cheeseburger. Service was well above average. Our waiter checked on us just enough to be attentive but not so much to annoy. Most impressive was when my son told he didn't like the cheese on the burger. The waiter brought him a regular burger without hesitation and at no charge. Needless to say, we were extremely pleased with service. The price for all five of us-$37...and we all had regular drinks and I had a beer (Btw, Happy Hour 2PM-6PM-$2 bottled beer) The crunchy ends of the burrito were a minor setback. I think this place deserves five stars. We will visit again. read more

This is our go to Mexican restaurant. We go here all the time. They're good is really good, service is nice an overall great place read more

El Jalapeno - Their outstanding fajitas (chicken and steak combo). - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

Well... I haven't been here since they first opened (I guess a year ago or so) but decided to try it again due to everyone's positive comments (and a BOGO coupon :) I was not disappointed. The atmosphere is fun, the service is fast and friendly. Chips and salsa are good ... salsa's not hot. The order came out fast and accurate. Overall, we'll be back! read more

I am not usually a big fan of Mexican, spicy food and unknown ingredients never sit well with me. However, this place pleasantly surprised me. The wait staff was very attentive and made our group feel welcome. I can't think of another place I've been to where they were so on top of keeping our drinks filled! The food was very authentic and was definitely made fresh. The atmosphere was very pleasant and comfortable. read more

We traveled to nearby Austinstown OH for a funeral this weekend and after driving around the commercialized interstate exit areas for a while, finally realized we had to get onto Yelp to find anything that remotely looked interesting/appetizing. Searched on the greater Youngstown OH for "best food" as well as "best restaurant," sorted by most ratings, and El Jalapeno came up consistently. Have to say, driving into Niles OH, we were a bit surprised at how the demise of the steel industry and economy has really impacted small town America. Found El Jalapeno in an old vacant shopping center area. We were extremely surprised and relieved to see dozens of cars in the restaurant's parking lot (always a good indicator to us that it's a preferred establishment). The interior decor is lively, music is latino pop and a bit elevated. Loads of energy abounds there, spawned by the waitstaff who all seem to be walking at double pace, and most of whom were frantically chewing gum and keeping beat with the music. Very, very nice employees. We thought we were going to order carryout, but the gentleman who greeted us invited us to sit at the bar, offered us complimentary chips and salsa while we looked at the menu. We ended up spending so much time pouring over what we wanted, we became intrigued by the atmosphere and activity, so decided to eat in. Portions are HUGE, and the prices are very reasonable if you consider you're getting two hefty adult-sized portions for each item you order. I ordered the Suprema Enchiladas (4 different enchiladas and spanish rice, covered with shredded lettuce, sour cream (crema) and a slice of a nice, ripe tomato). Hubby had the Camarrones de Diablo (shrimp in hot sauce) accompanied by mexican rice and hot homemade tortillas. We ordered a side of guacamole (homemade) that easily had to be an entire cup of the stuff. My husband was so excited when he asked for fresh jalapenos and they not only obliged, but offered to slightly grill them to make them hotter. All the food is homemade - including the sauces. You can taste the quality. Food was served very quickly after order, and the bartender was very happy to acknowledge that everyone speaks to the portion sizes so she anticipated we would need containers for the leftovers. The only slight disappointment was that I ordered a glass of Sangria and asked if it was homemade. The answer was, "No, it's from a bottle." I asked what brand it was and it was Carlo Rossi. Surprisingly, it didn't taste that bad (it was very cold) - it had a very slight effervescent/bubbly effect. The food was so good that the wine review, frankly, was an afterthought. Finished up our evening jaunt by stopping by the President William McKinley's memorial for a quick photo opp as well as one of the handcrafted large steel man in front of the Niles Iron & Metal Co. read more

My husband and I ate here today for the first time and the food Was horrible I had fish tacos they where so salty I couldn't Eat them my husband had the burritos Mexicanos he ate like two bites And couldn't eat anymore it was that bad what a waste of money We will not eat here again read more

You can tell by the clientele..... The portions are outrageous.... Truly too much food. People come here to fill their gut. It is painfully obvious. The MICROWAVE IS IN USE HERE..... but if quick hot food is what you want then, this is the place for you. It is by no means high end..... It's what we have grown to expect for 'Americanised Mexican' cuisine.... Large amounts of substandard food.......( cheap food to fill your pie hole ). The atmosphere hasn't really changed from the last two places which failed... It's fun.... Clean and kid friendly. I haven't had any of the mixed drinks or experienced the bar service but it looks fun..... The outside bar lacks a 'feeling' of fun..... It doesn't say..." Let's Play !!!". read more

The best Mexican food in the Youngstown, Niles and Warren area! The food is always hot, fresh and seasoned. My family and I go once a week. The staff is fast and friendly, but they are very crowded on Friday night. I love the Red Snapper fish tacos and their De La Casa fajitas Never been let down! read more

El Jalapeno - #42 - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

Came here on the recommendation of a colleague who said the fish tacos were pretty good. When I arrived I was greeted immediately and sat down at the bar. The server suggested a margarita and I countered with a beer. Their beer selection is geared toward someone with a lighter taste so I compromised by ordering a Dos Equis lager. I also ordered the fish tacos and wasn't given the choice of hard or soft shell, despite what was described in the menu. Fortunately, I like soft shells, which is what was brought to me. I did have to ask for silverware and a plate. When the food was placed in front of me, I was asked if everything was ok. I replied that I didn't know yet. The comment was lost on the staff and I have eaten most of my meal and sat for over 20 minutes before being asked again if everything is good. The employees have been standing by the front entry talking the entire time. I'm not impressed with the service at all and it affected my enjoyment of the meal. I was finally able to request guacamole for my third and final taco. Overall, the food was good and I may come back despite the lousy service. Truthfully, that speaks to the meager selection of restaurants in this area and not the quality of the food. read more

Hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area! I can't tell you how many times I've been here, and I have never had one bad experience ever. The service is great! The servers are super friendly and fast. You will never have an empty drink or salsa bowl on your table! The food is great! Always super hot, and super yummy. The servings are huge as well! It's such a challenge to finish. Some of my favorites are the fajitas, chimichanga, enchiladas, super burro grande quesadilla, and the ala carte tacos and burritos are fab! You won't be disappointed in what you chose! The best thing is the prices, they are awesome. Easy to find coupons too, makes your bill even cheaper! read more

Best we've had locally. The burritos decebrados is life. And if you ask nicely, you can get crispy carnitas tacos. Best taco in the area by far read more

Excellent Mexican food, chile rellano was superb. Very clean, absolute best service anywhere! I travel a lot and this is a gem that you have to try if you are in this area. read more

Absolutely the best Mexican Restaurant around, fast, great food, nice people. I've lived here a long time, visited all the local ones, even the new ones, and there's no comparison. read more

Probably the best place around to eat, especially for the price! The super steak burrito is awesome , fills you up , delicious and not so pricey! The service is good , they all work together actually impressive because not many work that way anymore unfortunately. read more

El Jalapeno - Tortilla chips & queso. - Mexican Near Me - Niles, Ohio

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Wow, I'm a fan. After my last disappointment at a Mexican restaurant, I was beginning to think that I could not and would not find a good Mexican place here. I was mistaken, because a friend at church pointed us to El Jalapeno. The chips were great, food was done to perfection and it was reasonably priced. There was plenty of food for the both of us, with some to take home for later. read more

This review is not based on the food, or service., because it has always been my favorite Mexican restaurant. We had a immediate family member go there, and saw a Cockroach crawling across the table and go between the seats. They tried to tell the staff and the picture they had taken of the roach, but he didn't seem to understand what they were trying to show him. It has to be bad that a cockroach would come out during this time of day. As I said very disappointed, because it has always been my favorite place. Haven't been back since i seen this. read more

The Roommate and I went here for dinner a week or so ago and it was so-so. If I had to base it on the food alone, El Jalapeño would get 4 stars, but something was off with the service this visit and I wasn't super thrilled. I ordered the steak quesadilla. very cheesy and very yummy as a quesadilla should be. Service was just slow, despite the only average amount of customers in the place and the waiter was not very attentive. I had a difficult time keeping a drink in my glass. But, maybe it was just an off day. Sometimes you deal with the mediocre service to have some really good eats and that would be the case here. read more

For over two years my family has been enjoying the food here and it still never disappoints us! On Sunday we went for Father's Day and it was packed!! We were seated right away but it did take a while for our food to get there. I had to leave to go to work. Score the food arrived and the staff was sooooo worried that I was upset. I wasn't In The least! My family brought me my meal after they had theirs and you know what -- it was still excellent!!!! All of us had a great meal and the best part is my husband had what he says was his best Fathers Day in a long time! And that made it especially awesome! The staff here all seem to care about their patrons. They check on their tables - even when it's slammed - and they always make you feel welcome. I have a feeling we will continue to visit here for many more years! If you have not been here - please check it out! Best Mexican food in Northeast Ohio! read more

This use to be one of our favorite Mexican restaurants! What a disappointment it was today. Service was slow...waiter was rude and unfriendly! Won't be coming back. read more

WELL, To start with, the food is good. As posted by the previous post the Salsa is fresh and the chips are wonderful. Their Burritos, Tacos, Tamoles, and other dinner fair are wonderful as well. This is not the reason for the rating on this restaurant. Let me explain. First of all I took a friend who had never been there before and gave them rave reviews on their service and food. Then we were ushered to a table and a speedy Gonzales waiter commenced to ask what we wanted and we ordered beverages which when brought to the table were accompanied with "Well, what do you want? Have you decided? (This occurred when we were at the table for about 2 minutes which was followed by OH you need time?) DUH! ! Then after coming back to the table three times asking if we were ready and making us feel as if we were in a restaurant race, we ordered and didn't have even 5 minutes to talk when our plates were slapped in front of us blazing hot which means nothing but "MICROWAVE!!". We commenced to talk and munching and were bombarded with "anything else?" several times and when half way through the meal, our plates were almost snagged from in front of us to a speedy "Done yet!" If I had not grabbed the edge of the plate it would have been snatched away. If there is anything I hate, it is to have a waiter standing on the side lines waiting to take my plate and hand me the tab. EWhen checking out, the gentleman at the register was almost as fast, did not appear as if he could care less that we had just been a customer, or if we were thinking about coming back. So, here is a little advice for "EL JALAPENO". Teach your waiters that the customer comes to your restaurant to have a leisurely meal, not feel as if they are in a PIE eating contest. Teach them to read body language so that they might know when the customer is ready to order so that they aren't making numerous trips to the table making a nusance of themselves. Last but not least, learn to make your customers feel as if they are the focus. Good luck, and I will let you know how things are down the street at Azteca as I have seen good reviews on YELP. read more

Definitely the best Mexican in trumbull/mahoning county and quite possibly our favorite restaurant in general. The only thing that beats the food is the phenomenal service. Our check is never much and we always have a meal for the next day!!! Love this place! read more

Favorite place to get Mexican! No other place compares. Great deals during happy hour. The owner is very friendly and makes you feel welcomed. The staff is awesome and inviting as well. And the food... AMAZING! I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. Family favorite! read more

Out here from Phoenix, possibly looking for a house and found this place listed. Great staff! Fast service, but excelent food. And I know good mexican food! I'll be visiting again weather or not if we move! Dinner for 2 was less than $20 total!! read more

Menu too extensive... order a breakfast burrito or, if carb phobic, a chicken burrito bowl... both always EXCELLENT. Salsa is irresistible and the gracious waitstaff keeps bringing more. read more

My daughter, grandson and I stopped here for dinner. For an appetizer we ordered chili con queso which was good. The chips were good and the salsa was mild. I ordered quesadilla de fajitas. The menu indicated it was one quesadilla filled with beans, steak and/or chicken, cheese, served with rice, beans and salad, topped with chili con queso. What it didn't say was that the quesadilla covered an entire large plate, with the beans and rice served on an additional plate. The meat was moist and tender and delicious. The rice was very tasty. Good meal but you definitely need to take a lot home. My daughter ordered camorones de lujo (shrimp covered in homemade cheese and chipolte sauce, served with grilled vegetables and rice. Very good, but might have been better with a little salad. My 7 year old grand son ordered off the kids menu, quesadilla and rice. He loved it. The meal came to $47.00 including tip and was well worth it. read more