I'm just going to say it...El Molcajete is one of the best restaurants in Meridian. We've been dining here since its early opening days and it makes me happy to see so many other people are finally catching on. Service has always been great every single time we've been in. Everyone we've interacted with has been welcoming and attentive. That alone says a lot, in my opinion. We've tried a number of things on the menu over the past few months. My personal favorites are the carne asada and the Pescado Zarandeado. If you're a seafood lover like me, do yourself a favor and order the Del Mar molcajete. It is loaded to the brim and worth every penny of the market price. Now...dessert. The red velvet flan is delicious. But, I'll be honest, it's a little small for the price tag. The churros are the better deal and just as satisfying. Either way, don't skip dessert. My husband orders the strawberry horchata every single time we go. If you're looking for something refreshing, that's probably your answer. The vibes are great and so is the food! Do yourself a favor and stop in for happy hour. You can thank me later :) read more

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Food needs more Zazon (flavor). Pricey for the quality and quantity of food you get. The ambiance is a total vibe though. Decor is beautiful. Staff was excellent. Will we come back? More than likely not. Guacamole: such small quantity but the molcajete makes it deceiving in thinking there is more. The onions and tomatoes need to be sliced a lot smaller. Felt like we were literally bitting mostly that and not getting the true taste of the guac. Also, a hint of lemon would have taken it to another level of delicious (but that's personal preference). Queso fundido con chorizo: we paid an extra $2 for literally specks of chorizo....that didn't taste much like chorizo. A little annoyed about that. The queso...not sure what type of cheese that was but it wasn't what is traditionally used. It was so watery. It was actually weird. Wouldn't order this. Molcajete: very reasonably served. Comes with a side of rice and beans. Beans tasted out of a can and the rice...I've had better. The meats served in the molcajete were good. Presentation was very nice for this plate. Chile relleno: absolutely oily. Dripping in oil actually. My mom needed a few napkins to drain the oil out of it. Not a mom favorite. Camarones à la diabla: not spicy enough to call them this. The serving size was good. Shrimp tastes good but again, nothing spicy about them. Hope this review helps when ordering. read more

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Came here for the first time (Father's Day) and was pretty disappointed.. Chips and salsa- great fresh chips the salsa was super plain. Needed salt and some heat. Ordered the Aguachiles- super delicious but they forgot to add the avocado We also ordered El Molcajete and was delicious Service was pretty disappointing. No drink refills. Came by only once to check in. Now if the place was busy I would be more understanding, but it wasn't. read more

El Molcajete - Aguachiles but they forgot the avocado - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

I'm not one to normal complain or write reviews but I'm extremely disappointed. We have been here a couple times and it's been great. This experience was 180 degrees opposite. This time my wife called in an order and they prove they told her over the phone was $20 difference then the price when I picked up the food. Not that big of a deal but the also did not give me an itemized receipt when I picked it up. I didn't ask so I'll take some blame. Second and bigger issue was my $25 carnitas. More than half the "meat" is inedible. Photo is attached of what I assume is pork skin. I've had better carnitas from a taco shop. They also did not give us the tortillas. Not a huge deal but when you add it all together it makes for a pretty bad experience. read more

El Molcajete - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Terrible! Rice and beans and salsa are terrible queso fundido tasted sweet and maybe had a tbsp of chorizo. Carne asada was burnt and coated almost 30$ they brought my son the saddest hardest bean and cheese burrito I've ever seen. The servers are very friendly and attentive but sadly we will not be back. read more

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Usually when I come in to a New Mexican restaurant, I scoop out the area to see what the diversity is. It was lots of yt folks and I said to myself dang the food isn't going to be good... I was wronged. The food was delicious I usually go with the main dishes because if the main dish ain't good then nothing else is good. The trio molcajete has to be one the best molcajetes I've had. Drinks amazing especially the kiwi-cucumber. Service was great, my server came around perfect times to refill my water and assure if we were doing good. Great music taste that was playing around the restaurant a mixture of Reggaeton, Corridos, and Mexicana Música. We'll definitely come back. Definitely a must!! read more

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I am glad to have a good Mexican restaurant on this part of Overland. Mexican food is probably my go-to comfort food. I had the enchiladas with red sauce. The red sauce was exactly the enchilada flavor I was looking for. I wish they had other options than just chicken. It was topped with a cream sauce, avocado, and cotija cheese and that excellent enchilada sauce. I think I ate too much of the chips and salsa because I couldn't finish the main meal. But I couldn't help myself! The chips were a little thicker than other restaurants but that's okay. It came with refried beans and rice. I always eat more chips with the refried beans. I sat next to the bar and was served by the bartender which was perfectly fine with me. It was a quiet evening which was just right. I liked the decor and the painting on the wall. read more

El Molcajete - Chips and salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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First off the atmosphere and music were very nice with a casual feel. Our server was the very friendliest and was there every time we needed something, sweet girl. It's been a while here in Idaho since we have had really good Mexican food, this is it!! The chicken taquitos were shredded breast meat with all the fixings and ties to perfection. Excellent! My husband's burrito was a healthy portion served with refried beans that tasted homemade. Another win! This is quickly going to become a regular place for us! Thank you! read more

It didn't take long for the vacant Biscuit & Hogs location on Overland to transform into El Molcajete, I wish they took more time to figure things out. We were expecting a low key vibe Mexican restaurant when we walked in but found a host station, a bar in the middle of the space and plastic chairs with tables. The tables do have wrapped silverware - more about that later. There's some paint touch that needs to be done along the wall and the space towards the back is devoid of character and very cold. Anna was a server and we felt she rushed us the entire time. Before I get to the timeline. She brought us a basket of complementary basket of chips and then told us a refill would $2.00 Too bad the complementary chips were cold and stale. I would have paid $2.00 straight up for fresh and hot chips on the first basket. Here's a quick timeline. There was a couple who were sitting next to us. They moved to another table because it was cold. Naturally they received their order first yet they were still there eating while we had already had our meals, are, paid and left. Her pacing was off and we honestly felt that we were annoyance more than anything. The forest green plates with the gold trim and the gold silverware just don't match the theme. I almost thought that they were leftover from Biscuits & Hogs. When I checked their photos online, I discovered that to be not true. Matter of fact, El Molcajete should have kept those charcoal grey and black plates instead of the green and gold gaudy ones and the gold silverware. The beans are made with manteca which is pork lard. This is a problem for vegetarians and for folks who don't eat pork and there are no vegan options. The prices are close to $20-$30 per person which is like downtown Dallas prices. The chicken enchiladas my wife, who is from Jalisco, didn't have much chicken, the rice needed salt, and the tomatillo sauce was from a can. To quote the owner, "This is stuff that, if I were to invite you to my house, this is what my mom's gonna serve you, Or if you were to go to Mexico City with me, in the streets of Mexico, this is what you're gonna see in the streets of Mexico." Maybe in the gentrified colonia of Polanco in México City because nothing presented to us was Mexican street food or with flavors from Jalisco. I asked to modify the Tres Marias. - three quesadillas. One with mushrooms and cheese and two with epazote and cheese. The tortillas were homemade but the green salsa served on the side lacked flavor and pasión In summary, I think Molcajete wants to be something it's not. If I compare it to Pollos y Mariscos El Guero, there are miles of differences and for us to experience the flavors of Mexico, we'll drive to El Guero and feel like we're in streets of Mexico City o en la casa de mi suegra en Jalisco. read more

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Favorite lunch spot, great lunch special deals! Great bar. Great authentic Mexican food. read more

El Molcajete - Michelada and chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

We Celebrated my birthday earlier this month there We were a group of 12 and it was a Saturday Evening and tho it was busy We received the best service. Our waitress Celeste was awesome, She was on the ball always smiling and on top of our orders. The Food is GREAT! I coming from the Mexican restaurant business and my mother being a chef in California. I am very picky about my Mexican food, When new Mexican restaurants open up I like to go and Critique them. And the Molcajete has delicious and authentic food made from scratch and their recipes are savory a combination from 2 states in Mexico. Jalisco and Mexico D.F This place will definitely be my favorite Mexican restaurant in Ada County. I suggest you try this place out. read more

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This place is 5 stars across the board. The service is probably 6 stars, the food 5 stars. Highly recommend the molcajete clásico. Margarita was delicious, beans and rice, chips, salsa, delicious. Laura was our server and was amazing. The whole team, you can tell they take their service seriously.. Restrooms were clean, music was great. Todo bien. Highly recommended as somebody who has eaten tons of good Mexican food growing up in Southern California. read more

Food has come along nicely since it opened. Traditional food made right. I very much enjoy this restaurant.

Had the opportunity to go to El Molcajete on Monday. Shared the Molcajete Classico. Delicious !!! Beef, chicken & prawns all cooked perfectly and flavorful !! Service is always friendly & helpful ! read more

El Molcajete - Molcajete Classico - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

You can always tell a good Mexican restaurant by their salsa, and this place has it. Many different salsa choices, and all are great. I highly recommend the fajitas, but you can't go wrong with anything that is on the menu. Elmer (owner) is so helpful and present with questions about the menu and a great host. Taeya is our favorite server and we always request her section on a Friday/Saturday night. You gotta try this place, it's my favorite! read more

Ordered the queso fundido and recieved queso for nachos! In no way is queso fundido soupy. Tasted as if it had cheddar in it Very disappointed in that. To eat I had the molcajete. That was very good. Meat was savory, nopal and jalapeño was cooked perfectly. The waitress wasn't very attentive but I've had worse. read more

What a wonderful experience. Such a sweet, hardworking family. Food was fantastic. Flavor profiles were so delicious. Energy of the environment was great (Even received a brief education in tequilas )! Highly recommend! read more

Customer service was very attentive and considerate the food was good and the size portions were great. I also enjoyed all the art on there walls ambiance was very pleasant read more

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I had the Chili Relleno w/ rice and beans. It was excellent! This is my dish I use to compare Mexican restaurants and it is the best I've had in Boise/meridian. Nice atmosphere and not too crowded at lunchtime. I will definitely be back. Great service as well! read more

Amazing food and service every time. This is a weekly spot for us. I can't wait to see how they continue to decorate. The birria and nachos are incredible. 10/10!! read more

El Molcajete - Homemade guacamole and fresh chicharrones along with their house chips and salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

So delicious! We had a large party and they got us in quickly and the servers were super friendly and helpful. We got a classic molcajete and some tacos al pastor, all of which were amazing! We will definitely be back, I can't wait to try other dishes. read more

Ate there last night with my husband, SIL and BIL. Food was so good, as was their chicharrones and guacamole and their queso. Also, highly recommend their coconut margarita! Yum! The service was excellent and everyone was friendly. Love that it is a family run business! read more

The outside decor does not reflect the absolute delicious food we got. You can tell they take their traditional style food serious. The food was absolutely amazing. I got enchiladas and they were the best I've ever had. The hibiscus marg was to die for. All the food and drinks we got were so fresh and so good! Best Mexican food I have had in the valley for sure, plus very nice bartenders. Will be coming back! read more

El Molcajete - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

The food was delicious. The aguachiles were amazing--savory, refreshing, and the side sauce definitely brings the heat. Highly recommend if you like spicy. I also ordered the chicken enchiladas, which were great. For dessert, the fried ice cream was good, but the tres leches cake was really good and definitely the standout. The bartender was knowledgeable and experienced, which made the experience even better. Would come back again. read more

El Molcajete - 3 Enchiladas Plate Aguaschiles - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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My wife and I went to this place yesterday. This might just be the best Mexican food I've had in my 20 years of living here --it's about time! Walking in, the décor doesn't impress much. It's colorful, and a bit all over the place, but honestly, that's part of the charm of a traditional Mexican restaurant. The one standout? A picture of a woman dressed Day of the Dead style -- oddly perfect. The music on one side of the restaurant sounded like some kind of Mexican rock. Personally, I found it annoying, but I'll give them points for being authentic. Everyone that worked in the restaurant appeared to be Mexican except for one very skinny white guy -- he looked like a fish out of water. We were pleasantly surprised that the food didn't come out instantly. Instead, it took a little time, which told us it was being cooked fresh and not reheated from a microwave. Major points there. I ordered the beef fajitas, which arrived in a very unusual thick stone bowl. The presentation was excellent, and the flavor was good, though it lacked the smoky char of meat cooked over an open flame. My wife had the street tacos, which unfortunately had little flavor on their own. They seemed to rely on salsa to bring them to life. Speaking of salsa -- it was excellent. Rich, homemade, and flavorful with just the right amount of kick. Even my wife, who normally avoids spice, enjoyed it. My only complaint was the heavy saltiness. The water was terrible. But let's be honest, most restaurants do this to nudge you toward ordering drinks. One caution: prices are on the high side, especially for the location (the old Biscuit and Hogs spot). For two people, our bill was over $50. I personally don't mind paying extra for fresh, well-presented Mexican food, but families should take note. Overall: Great presentation, fresh cooking, excellent salsa, but pricey. Worth it for date night, maybe less so for feeding a whole family. read more

Best Mexican Food, Service, and Ambiance!! New "Go To" while in town! Highly recommend!! read more

Finally a good authentic Mexican restaurant Salsa was the clue that this is the real deal Fresh and slightly smoky I had the chile rellenos which were excellent. There were a few other things I want to try on another trip Our server Juan was attentive and helpful in making choices which I appreciate on first time visits to restaurants They are in the location of Biscuit and hog by Majestic theater The owner/ chef came out and chatted with us and other tables. We loved her and will be back read more

Significantly over priced Mexican food. There is no justification for charging this much. You can find food of the same quality--if not better--at many other Mexican restaurants in the valley for a fraction of the price. read more

Service was great!! Refills came before asking and dishes were cleared fast once finished. At first the Del Mar didn't have enough sauce but our server noticed when bringing the food and immediately went to the kitchen to request more sauce. We didn't even say a word but she apologized and said more sauce was needed in order to really enjoy our food. She was right cause the sauce added another level of flavor. The camarones dish was also solid and we were told the tortillas had refills so keep loading up the tortillas. We were very pleased and can't wait to explore the menu next time. They are still in the works of getting an alcohol license and hopeful it will be acquired in the next month. They really want to have special drinks available with the meals. read more

El Molcajete - Los Molcajetes - Del Mar - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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My friend and I both ordered the mole. I asked if I could have two corn tortillas and a flour one (the meal comes with three tortillas). The corn tortillas were delicious but the flour tortilla was almost raw. The complimentary salsa didn't have salt at all and no salt on table. The chips were so-so. The mole came in a bowl with a small mound of rice and some sliced chicken breast meat on top, covered in mole sauce with onions on top. Both my friend and I agreed the mole was a little sweet. It was good but just a little sweet and for $16 I expected at least one whole piece of chicken. I'm including a pic of the completely under-cooked tortilla. If they can tweak a couple of things I would rate them higher. read more

El Molcajete - Way undercooked flour tortilla - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

We absolutely love this place! The molcajete clásico is perfect to share for $38 and is delicious every time. Their service is always great and the vibe is casual and comfortable for weeknight dinners. Definitely give it a try if you're looking for a delicious molcajete in the treasure valley. read more

We had the Molcajete Classic and it was awesome. Very rich flavor. My son got the enchiladas. He asked for some hot sauce and they had some house made sauce that is super hot. Highly recommend. read more

It was great. The food was fresh and the staff is top notch. We had Nachos, burritos and enchiladas. All was good! No complaints from us! We will be back, read more

The foods quality and price are above and beyond with service being even better. The restaurant resembles a true hard working family bringing the true taste of Mexico to Idaho. They are also celiac safe and more than accommodating with allergies and substitutions. read more

Our family enjoyed an early dinner for our first time here yesterday. Cute place, fun atmosphere. The table settings and platings were beautiful! Didn't get pictures of everything, but snapped a few to tickle your tastebuds. The Chicken Fajitas were delicious. The Chicken enchiladas were full and tasty, but the chicken could use some seasoning to make it even better. The Camerones Al Mojo De Ajo were also good, but the shrimp could use a little more seasoning as well and the dish could really use some salsas/sauces on the side to elevate it. The Quesadilla and Burrito were good, and the grandkids loved the Chicken Burrito kids meals. Chips and salsa were yummy, but didn't love the $2 charge for each additional bowl after the first - especially since the food pricing is a bit on the higher end. The service was amazing! read more

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Very new and very good! Extensive menu with some unique creations along with standards. One of those 'unique' is their molcajete (hence their name) - delicious! Attentive, friendly service and reasonably priced. Check it out. read more

I had the Molcajete it was ok at best the asada was over cook the chips they brought us were horrible stale, even my tea was bad! Never again! read more

The server was great! She was very fast and very helpful Best fish tacos I think I have ever had! The Mocajete was awesome! read more

El Molcajete - Mocajete Classico - Mexican Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

This is our second visit and we brought some friends this time. The food and service was excellent again. The tortilla chips are light and crispy and the salsa is flavorful. Everyone enjoyed their meals. read more

Wow!!! The food is damn amazing. Everything was cooked to perfection. The chips and salsa (haha we had 3 salsas they were so good). We will be back. Our server Carlos was very personable and quick. read more