This was the worst Mexican I've ever had. The waitress was friendly and attentive but that was the only positive. The chips were over salted, cheap tortilla chips and the salsa was flavorless. I ordered the vegetable fajitas. The black beans were canned, rice was white with a slight brown coloring, prepackaged guacamole, and the vegetables were also flavorless and undercooked - onions and zucchini is not good when completely undercooked. Really disappointed. read more

I've always been a fan of Jalapenos but heard the hype that this isn't "real" Mexican from quite a few folks here and there (mostly folks who lived in LA and took frequent trips to Tijuana, if that says anything). Then I'd hear the complete opposite from other folks--saying it's the most authentic Mexican around (mostly from surfers who visit different areas of Mexico annually... which may say something in itself). I have never lived in LA and I rarely surf, but I'm here to offer my two cents. After finally getting my anglo-ass down to central Mexico I can finally attest that Jalapeno's is real deal. The problem may be that it's too authentic for some -- I mean, you'll be hard pressed to find any sour cream on the menu and if you want guac on your tacos you're s##t out of luck. After eating in a five-star Mexican restaurant in Mexico City that served similar fare, I can tell you that Jalapenos would stand up pretty well. It wasn't head-to-head, but it would have come in maybe a star or a half a star short. In other words, if you were staying at a sweet little mom and pop hotel in Mexico City, they'd tell you to eat here. I've sampled a few thing off the menu and can suggest the chili rellenos and chicken margarita as being fantastic. A warning that the chicken margarita is *very* authentic and the tastes are pretty pungent. Everyone I know loves it, but it might not be for those who prefer more subtle flavors. Other favorites are the ceviche app (which may have been a special), the tortilla soup, the pozole, and the cactus salad (I think that's what it's called... get the one with spinach, cactus and avocado. The dressing is incredible!). The drinks are also great (mango margarita -- yum!) and the staff is great. One of the two owners is always there and always makes the extra effort to ensure that people enjoy their meals. I don't imagine they'd be all that welcoming to those doing a pub crawl, but that's mostly because it's a family restaurant that typically has a few kids running through the bar area as they wait for a table. It can get a little pricey for Mexican, but this is sit-down, not a Taqueria. For a sit-down place the prices are pretty moderate; I don't think you'll pay over $18 for an entree and most hover around the $12 mark. Good people, good food, and a fun and relaxed environment. I suppose you can argue that it's not the kind of food you'd get in Tijuana, but I think it's worth the trip anyway. read more

Best whole food ingredients. All sauces and dishes made in-house. Great drinks (Gloucester style 16oz and plenty of booze) espeically the Margaritas that are made with real juice not that gross green sugar water! I love it here, I love their soups, the Gary's dip, the Chile Rellenos, the Mole sauce, Chicken adobo tacos...todos. And what is better then good honest tasty food, a strong delicious margarita and a hug from Jaime? Nada! read more

This place is AMAZING. My family and I have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. We drive 45 minutes to get here and the service, food, and margaritas are always worth it. Gary's Dip is like heaven in a bowl - it's the perfect queso with pulled chicken and spices and, honestly, it's what keeps me coming back. You can't go wrong with anything on their menu. read more

I went here on a Sunday night with a group of girls after we went bridesmaid dress shopping. We were in desperate need of a good margarita and some food! The margaritas that some of the girls ordered were fantastic. The Blue Agave was the popular choice amongst the group. I got the white sangria which was also amazing! The drinks were exactly what we needed. The food was also perfect! Two of us ordered the lobster quesidilla...she had had it before (pretty much every time she goes here) but I had never had it and was a bit skeptical. How much lobster do you really get in a quesidilla for only $15?? Well..let me tell you..A LOT. It was packed with a ton of lobster meat that was cooked perfectly. it was served with refried beans that were delicious with a little spice to them. read more

Sad. I don't know what has happened to this favorite annual eating spot, but if I hadn't enjoyed it for many years, the "one - star" would have appeared. From, cleanliness to tastiness, it all has gone downhill. We had early 6:30 Friday reservations for 8 people and had to wait 40 minutes to be seated. Comfort level was miserable 82 degrees according to their thermostat. Chips tasted as straight from yesterday's Costco bag. Had to go grab our own salsa from the bar because the wait crew disappeared. Dying for a beverage, margarita that finally landed at my seat tasted as if they'd pulled the liquid from the bay (asked for no salt, maybe they dropped a salt shaker in it by accident?). When my food arrived I was warned about my plate being hot, but food was cold to the touch. Worst thing was my experience at the table was better than most of the others'. We come to visit our parents in Rockport twice a year and Jalapeños has been on our list of faves, our experience overall was bad enough to be scratched off permanently. read more

Jalapenos was a pleasant surprise for us when we happened upon it one Saturday night. The service is impeccable, and we have been waited upon on several occasions by the owner himself. True, you may have to wait if you didn't make reservations on a weekend night, but the staff tries their best to find you a place to sit as quickly as possible. (You may have to sit in the bar area rather than the dining room--a small price to pay for good food). I've eaten at many fine Mexican restaurants in my day, and I find the menu at Jalapenos to be authentic, varied, and appealing to all tastes. The food is also extremely fresh, and local ingredients are often used in the daily specials. (If you're lucky enough to see the Fried Clam Tacos on the menu, you're in for a treat--absolutely delectable!) The drink menu is superb, and the choice of tequilas, top-notch. There are many different types of margaritas to choose from, if that's your thing, and they are all served in very large glasses! ;-) Jalapenos is definitely worth the trip after a day a rambling around on the North Shore. read more

I got take out from here last night. First, the service was super friendly. There were a lot of people waiting when I got there, the atmosphere seemed happy and fun, despite the droves of people waiting to eat. I had steak tacos. They were pretty yummy. The pico de gallo that came with it was tasty and the black beans that were served were perfectly seasoned. It's nice, casual, fun and I would definitely go back and bring friends here. read more

FULL DISCLOSURE: 1. My wife and I are "foodies" - we LOVE and enjoy good food and wine. To give you an idea of our tastes, we had dinner the night before our Jalapeno's dinner at Duckworth's Bistro in Gloucester which was excellent, and I highly recommend it. 2. I have traveled throughout South America and Mexico and have eaten a lot of wonderful, local, ceviche. 3. I have never written a Yelp review before but felt I needed to after having one of the worst meals I have ever experienced. Now to my review: My wife had a desire for ceviche after we attended a food fair earlier in the day where a chef demonstrated how to make fresh ceviche. A quick search of Cape Ann restaurants turned up Jalapeno's as just about the only restaurant offering ceviche. We ordered shrimp ceviche, haddock ceviche and a soft shell crab special. Both ceviches were so salty, drowning in too much lime and unfortunately inedible. The soft shell crab was burnt and oozed oil when you cut into it. We also ordered drinks. My wife had a plain "old school" margarita on the rocks with no salt and was good. The red sangria was not home made as suggested and tasted like artificial fruit juice. Even the Harpoon IPA someone in our party ordered tasted "off." Sadly, this was the worst meal I have had in a restaurant in 20+ years. read more

So if you live in Gloucester and have have have to eat Mexican food but can't get out of town then eat here. Other wise drive for a little while and get something way better. The menu is standard mexican with a "fancyish" touch. For the most part when you order a burrito you can't go wrong but I did not heart theirs. Mine was soggy on the bottom like they made it and then let it sit for a while. The soup was good. Even though the portions are big enough overall the prices are more than I'd like to pay for mexican. read more

Have been here twice. First time: Meeting my mom and her boyfriend for dessert. We are seated at a table, and out waitress never comes... We track her down, and I give my order then she walks away... There were 3 more people at the table and she never asked for their order..? Also, they do not have a dessert menu, they just tell you what they have. Second time: Went with friends for appetizers and drinks. My friend ordered a strawberry margarita which ended up being so bad that she couldn't drink it. (she has never returned a drink before). She asks to return it, and have it taken off of her bill, as she only had a few sips because it was so bad. The waitress starts interrogating her about what is wrong with the drink specifically, and why she can't just drink it. She then leaves the table to ask her manager what to do, because "they don't usually take drinks off the bill". Then she takes the drink and brings it to her manager to show how much my friend had to drink.. I felt the whole thing was very unprofessional.. and I'm not a picky person. The drink was eventually taken off the bill, after several awkward conversations with the waitress. Overall, the food is alright. The guacamole is wonderful. Probably wouldn't choose to go back. read more

Gary's dip is out of this world...l ate like a king. The staff was nice and the food was out of control great. I am a chef and l know food...this was amazing. I recommend the margaritas and the Gary's dip....the shredded chicken was amazing and the steak was so perfect in seasonings. Very well done! I was impressed Gloucester...l will be back read more

I'm a fan of this place for the service and drinks. We were seated at the bar as it was packed! I started with a frozen strawberry margarita, and they added a rum shot in it. It was really good. The chips were too salty and the salsa was basically tomatoes. We both ordered chicken fajitas, which come with guac, rice, and beans. Everything else was a buck extra (sour cream, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes). I thought the chicken was very peppery so I didn't like it much. We ended up staying here the entire night because of the bar staff. Gary is an AWESOME bartender; so friendly and nice. Rosie was on staff that night, and she is a freaking riot. I swear, she was so funny! We came back the next night and were immediately remembered by the owner and staff. It was great to feel like a local when we were just visiting. Great, great fun! read more

Jalapenos is Mexican cuisine at some of its best! I'm the kind of person that sort of has to be 'in the mood' for Mexican, but I've been to Jalapenos a handful of times and have yet to be disappointed. I tried the virgin strawberry pina colada...amazing. It's thick and fruity without being too much like a dessert, though if you fill up easily like I do, it may be a bit much to order with a full meal. As for the food, the chips and salsa are fresh and delicious, and the carne asada is tender, flavorful, and goes wonderfully with their homemade guacamole that accompanies it. You don't even miss having any cheese (and I love cheese). I've also tried a burrito and it was soft and flavorful without being too spicy or bland. Waiters are consistently friendly and willing to please, and the atmosphere with murals and other artistic touches really help set the mood of feeling as though you're thousands of miles from the Coastal Massachusetts location. Jalapenos always seems to be bustling with patrons, so making a reservation would definitely be in order if you're planning to bring your family. Though on a warm Summer night, waiting around isn't too bad with the neighboring shops and ocean air of downtown Gloucester. The city has been undergoing a bit of an overhaul and has progressively gotten nicer over the years. All in all, I would definitely recommend Jalapenos to anyone looking for local, authentic style Mexican cuisine at a fair price and with a nice, not 'tacky' atmosphere. read more

To my enduring surprise, Jalapenos stands where a Mexican restaurant has no business (Gloucester's Main Street) and amounts to a passable (if not at all authentic) dining experience. Appropriately enough, their strength is the Mexicanization (how's that not a word?) of fish. The menu is pretty extensive (too long, perhaps) and there's some real garbage to be had if you forget your geography and get too adventurous. The mole, for example, might just be horrendous enough to make a lesser man swear off Mexican for a slap year. The bartenders are efficient and well-trained. Generally, the staff is pleasant. If you're on a pub crawl, several stops deep, rocking an 80s-era sweatband, you and your merry band of bacchanalia seekers may not be fully embraced. I can see where North Shore folks who haven't eaten in a proper and authentic Mexican restaurant might believe this a five-star experience. I'm taking one, though, for the aforementioned fecal mole and another for the alluded-to bitterness over the souring experience of last year's crawl. read more

Just walking into Jalapeno's I was underwhelmed. I was expecting a nice little casual Mexican restaurant, instead it was way too fancy for me. I was also thrown off because I saw several empty clean tables yet I was told there were no tables available and asked if we wanted to sit at the bar. I walked up to the bar and there was really no where for my wife and I to sit without trying to squeeze in between two people. As I was waiting I looked over the menu and was shocked at the menu prices. All I wanted was a simple burrito dinner and it looked like we were going to have to shell out at least $40 for dinner. I know this isn't too expensive, but for a casual Mexican restaurant it is. I think they only get away with this because it's Gloucester and choices are limited. We were finally seated after 10 minutes. It was very obvious they didn't want to seat us at a four-top and we had to wait for a two-top to open up. This was annoying because it wasn't all that busy. We sat down and I don't know if it was just the room we were in or the people but the place was so loud I couldn't even talk to my wife. Then they brought us chips and salsa but it wasn't really salsa at all. Instead what they serve is this fancy pico de gallo mix and chips that I swear were just pulled out of a bag you can buy at the grocery store. I expect chips and salsa at a Mexican place. If this was their idea of salsa I think I'll pass. Also, any place that can't make their own chips fresh isn't for me. There were just too many things wrong with this place. I rarely walk out of a place but didn't want to spend my money here so we drove to Beverly to get some real Mexican food that was a little easier on the wallet. I didn't find the staff very friendly at all. They weren't exactly rude, but defiantly not very welcoming. I don't think we'll go back. read more

Came in on a Saturday night around 8pm and it was BUSY (a good sign in my book!) we were seated immediately. Got the Queso Dip for an app and it was fantastic, we ate it through out the whole meal. I got the pablano chimichanga (chicken) and loved it, the pablano sauce was fantastic and the rice was good (can't say I've ever had bad rice at Mexican restaurant). My girlfriend got the Carnitas Tacos and was a huge fan. Overall a great experience and we will Definatly be back. Had a chance to meet one of the owners, Steve, what a fantastic guy. Extremely nice, informative and overall great person! We highly recommend this restaurant over the chainy style restaurants! read more

Not a bad tex-mex place. We were definitely hungry coming in here. We eradicated 3 servings of chips and salsa before my black bean soup ($4) came out. The restaurant had a horrible mix of mexican and american love songs playing right over our table and were desperately looking to be fed. The chips and salsa were definitely bland. The salsa is fresh and while the the texture was just firm tomatos, there was no peppers or spice so it was mostly just watery and only the taste of cilantro came through. The black bean soup was also a bit bland. It had mostly whole black beans in a healthy soup cup. Served with sour cream, there wasn't any hint of garlic, chili or even stock. It wasn't bad soup and mostly made a suitable alternative to eat the chips with but I was hoping it have a nice flavorful soup. For an entree I had the chochinita pibil ($15) off the specials menu. This was marinated pulled pork in a spicy red sauce served with tortillas, rice and beans and picked onions. The dish was great and I loved the pork. The pickled onions worked well with the meat and when added with some of their habanero hot sauce on a tortilla, it really hit the spot. You can tell the pork was marinated a long time and the flavor was really soaked in. The pork was juicy but not overly soft. I was really happy with the entree. The service was good here. Friendly and responsive. The food came out slowly although it could have been just our impatience and hunger. If I were back in the area, its a worthwhile place to try but the area seems to have a number of good restaurants around to make this a go-to place. read more

The menu looked great! Don't be deceived. We ordered take out. They said 20 minutes. We waited OVER an hour for the food. We told them we had been waiting that long and someone just replied, "I'll check" and never came back. Brought the food back to the motel. Worst meal ever! My taco had two shrimp in it! It was supposed to come with cabbage and other things, as well as cheese. Quesadillas were supposed to be cheese and they had onions and peppers in it; had to pick it all out. The burrito bowl with chicken was horrible; chicken had no flavor. We asked for plastic ware, but didn't get any; fortunately we located some at the motel. Poor service and poor food. So disappointing to be on vacation, craving Mexican food and end up with crappy food. :( If I could give it a less than one star rating, I would! read more

Expensive drinks, slow service mediocre food. Very disappointed. Skinny Margaritas were delish tho.

The atmosphere is great! The staff are super friendly as well. However, there is NO spice in the food here. Mexican with no spice?? Really?! That is crazy. I grew up in TX and was extremely disappointed with the food at this restaurant. The only good thing on the menu - once you resign yourself to the fact there is no spice - is the queso fundido appetizer. At least it satisfies my craving for melted cheese. And the frozen strawberry margarita is pretty sweet - more tequila would be better. If you are looking for strong margaritas and spicy food, you are better off going to Acapulco's in Beverly. read more

Lotsa good reviews for this place. I don't know how my experience could have been so bad. The food was substandard. I ordered a spicy margarita which consisted of a glass of jalapeno juice with a shot of tequila. The service was worse still. I can't give them another chance, maybe they can turn it around. read more

We had skipped lunch so decided to have an early dinner here and were not disappointed. We were immediately brought fresh chips and homemade salsa (the good stuff with actual tomatoes in it!). We ordered a few margaritas which were very tasty and had a decent amount of alcohol in them. Many of the dinners come with a choice of 2 between beans, rice and veggies so I asked what the veggie was and our server said it was a type of mexican squash called chayote which we had never heard of. We all went with that and beans with our meals, which turned out to be a good choice. Always nice to try something new. My husband had the best chicken mole that he's ever had, and I had some really good chile rellano. The server suggested that I could have a combo with one beef and one chicken, which is what I did. Our daughter got the lobster quesadilla, which she said was very good. (It looked a bit small to me, but she seemed satisfied.) Overall, it was a great meal and great service. We'd definitely go back if were were in the area and had a hankering for Mexican. read more

I am disappointed with having to give them such a low rating. They used to have amazing food. And the service used to be very friendly. The server we got was humorless and unfriendly. The food was a sad situation. I got a beef chimichanga... that was barely hot. Which means the food was probably sitting out for a bit. The beef inside the chimi was dry... like the service. The only good thing that night was the company , the tortillas and salsa. The chips were warm and tasted good as did the salsa. It's too bad because i would always be excited to go . Now... read more

Normally I'm a big fan of Jalapeno's. Love the atmosphere, the food and the drinks. The service is usually pretty good. But my experience Friday, I'm not sure if I will come back. I called on Monday and made a reservations for about 20 people. I was going out to dinner with a bunch of friends to celebrate my birthday. When I called to make the reservation they asked me to change the time from 7 to 6. I said No. The earlies I could get there was 6:30 and they were okay with that. I gave them my name and number just in case there was a problem. All day I had a nervous feeling that something was going to go wrong that night. So I get there and they "LOST" the reservation. How do you lose a reservation. I flipped out. What was I suppose to do? There was no way I was going to be able to get in touch with people and tell them we needed to go someplace different. The gentlemen at the desk told me that would be able to put a table together for us but we would have an hour wait. That was unacceptable but what other options did I have at the time. They did end up seating us earlier than we were quoted but the table was in the shape of an L and I felt like I was at a wedding and I had to go around the table saying thank you for coming. We did luck out with some people not showing up until later. The drinks and the food were good. But I'm not sure I'll every come back with a party of more than 4 people. read more

Dinner and drinks were delicious! Service was excellent! Safety protocols are in place!

We ordered take out for my daughter's bday and everything was excellent. Grilled shrimp tacos, enchiladas, chimichanga and straw quesadillas. We are looking forward to going back again and enjoying cocktails with dinner! read more

My favorites: Chicken adobo tacos Mexican Steak tips Gary's dip Flautas Any quesadilla Any enchilada Try the Black Gold margarita! Have Jaime make you a cucaracha shot! read more

Great meal! our waitress was very helpful with my daughter's picky eating request. My white sangria was sweet and delicious, and their queso and chips were great (not too salty). A good meal, cute atmosphere, friendly service. read more

Jalapenos has always been one of my favorite places to eat in Gloucester. I've never had a bad meal here, their food is always delicious. I'm sad they took the ceviche off the menu! ::edit:: Oops. Ceviche is there, apparently I can't read. read more

Jalapeño's has delicious Mexican food! We shared a delicious queso appetizer, and all of us enjoyed our meals. I got the pozole, which is something that I love and is not easy to find, and though it was a bit too spicy for my personal preference, it was delicious! The only unpleasant part of our experience came with the service. There were four of us in our group, and three of us ordered drinks. We had out-of-state IDs, and not only did the waitress make a big deal about having to check with her manager about it, but she also came back and accused all of us of having fake IDs and acted like she was doing us the biggest favor for serving us drinks. This was insulting and unkind, and we didn't appreciate that she kept bringing this up throughout our time there. read more

I was meeting friends of mine for dinner. First of all there wasn't a noticeable sign out front to indicate where the restaurant was. The waitress we had was super nice and on top of everything. I ordered chicken enchiladas with poblano sauce. It was basically boiled chicken wrapped in a tortilla with the sauce poured on top. The chicken wasn't seasoned, it was extremely bland. I barely finished one of the three enchiladas. I don't think I would recommend this place to anyone to be quite honest. read more

This place has fallen so much. What used to be a great place has crumbled. Slow service (took over an hour to get my food) served my dish wrong multiple times, and after refusing to wait another hour for them to fix it, they were nice enough to still charge me for the dish I did not eat and was madd wrong. Stay away! read more

I am staying in Gloucester for the night and was recommended to try this place. The chips are stale and have no salt. The salsa is sub par and tastes like tomato soup. The "le mejor" margarita with "fresh orange and lime juices, Don Julio and Cointreau" tastes like a well margarita with basement 'from concentrate' juice. And for $12.95. Not impressed and would not recommend. read more

The margaritas are awesome and the food is awesome too! The owner was our server and is very funny and personable. My cousin and I tried this restaurant for dinner while we were in Gloucester on vacation and we liked it so much we went back the next day for lunch. Will definitely be back again if we are even in Gloucester again. read more

I have been searching for legit Mexican food since moving to the east coast, and I finally found my spot! I have been back several times and it has been consistent with every time. Margaritas: They are strong, and have a ton of flavors to choose from. Be careful with the spicy one... two of those and you will definitely feel it in the morning (but your night will be more fun). Food: The Chicken Adobe Tacos were amazing, it is definitely going to be my go to dish. Order this with nachos for appetizers to share with a friend! Also noteworthy of mentioning: Anotojitos Mexicanos, Enchiladas with green sauce and the Flautas. I rarely write Yelp reviews, but felt it was necessary for others to know about this hidden gem! If you are from Gloucester or headed up there for the day make sure to hit this awesome spot for lunch, dinner, or drinks. read more

Best chicken cheese dip ever! Great food and wicked awesome margaritas! We went in for a late bite and had a baby with us. The manager gave us a nice table in a quiet area away from the bar crowd. Everything was delicious! read more

Awful experience. Everyone seemed busy but no customers seemed pleased. Food items littered the floor. Mexican salad arrived as a bowl of wet spinach topped with tomatoes, one piece of onion, and cooked green beans. Not an avocado in sight as was mentioned in the menu. Won't be back. Just bizarre. read more

Great food, great service and our food was fresh and tasty. Joe our server was wonderful with refilling our drinks and delivery of our food immediately so it was hot. Relaxing atmosphere and decorated very nicely. I had the fish tacos and my boyfriend had the chicken with vegetables, rice and beans. We were both pleased with our first dining experience at Jalapeños. We will be returning soon. read more

See all

This place has incredible food! Love their queso, and black bean soup! Unfortunately my husband and I, along with out two friends had pretty subpar service. A waitress named Lisa decided that it would be professional to not only accuse us all of having fake ID's (even though most of us were 22 or over) because we were out of state, we then explained to her that she could scan every license to see that they were valid, and we all offered alternative forms of ID, she continued to explain to us the ways in which we could be lying. We had to suggest to her that she speak with her manager about it, and she came back and begrudgingly and suspiciously served us our watery margaritas. One of my friends didn't even want to give her ID to this waitress because she's from Costa Rica. We didn't get an apology, or any contrition. My recommendation, get takeout. read more