OMG!! This place has the best burritos ever. They have a lot of vegetarian options which I love and the prices aren't bad either. The potato burrito and tofu burrito are my favorites. They serve these pickled carrots on the side of some of their dishes that are crunchy and spicy. Yum! read more

Great VEGAN choices! Love the tofu tacos and potato burrito. Also, in the summer they have vegan ceviche tostadas that are tasty.

I was up at Schweitzer for a bit of snowboarding, and was told that Joel's was the place to go for authentic taco or burrito. I didnt think it was possible in North Idaho, but with all the hype, I decided to try. I was surprised to find that I could not have un cerveza. You can serve espressos (not Mexican in any way), but not cervezas? Then, to top it off, no complimentary chips and salsa? Since when is carne asada made with ground beef? No bueno. No offense to all you yelpers from Cali, but this was not authentic Mexican food. I may be 3rd generation American with okay English, but I know Mexican. read more

Absolutely love everything we have ever tried here especially the poppers! Staff are very friendly and fast! Love this place. Only wish they were open longer read more

Joel's has hands down the best customer interactions I have ever gotten in any restaurant. Ever. Having had really great service before, what makes this stand out is Joel himself has not only remembered my name each time I've gone in (about twice a year) since I first went in 2012, but seems to genuinely care about all his friends/customers day-to-day lives. It's probably the equivalent of your grandparents seeing the same set of friends and family at their local bodega decade after decade, bonding the community just through where they shop and eat. Oddly enough, this really does seem to be the best Mexican food in the entire panhandle. Sandpoint has many things going for it, but honestly one of it's best is the man and his team behind the name Joel's. read more

If real mexican food is what you crave, then look no further. The jalapeno poppers are the best you'll ever have and the california burrito as well as the fish taco are scrumtrulesant. This is my all time favorite place to eat when it comes to authentic mexican food. read more

This is actually the best place to eat in town, friendly family run business ... very clean, everything is tasty ... and the ceviche is as good as anywhere! read more

Best Mexican food in town. The owners are the most friendly people in the world. Joel and "Mrs. Taco" are just awesome. They remember you, even if you haven't been in in ages. Absolutely love everything they make. read more

I just love going to Joel's. The people are very friendly and get your order quick. The food is fantastic! I just love the super burrito. Prices are fair for the amount of food you get. If you want great Mexican food, Joel's is the place to go. read more

I know there are a lot of Caucasians in the area, so as a Mexican I will be honest ;) The beans and sauces - canned. The sour cream will turn your food into soup because it's so watery. This is North Idaho so it would make sense that many haven't experienced what good quality, fresh Mexican food is. The lady (I think her name is Maria) isn't professional. The second time I came here, I walked in on her (in the lobby) talking very loudly about her sisters daughter for everyone to hear (the first time I came with my son she stood outside shouting at me from the parking lot that they close at 3:30). It's not professional to talk about your family problems and what a bad mother your Sister is to her teenage daughter and what a "brat" your niece is. Second - put a freaking sign somewhere, anywhere that says you don't take cards! It is so inconsiderate of your customers to not have that posted, make them wait in line for 15 minutes, order and *then* you tell them. If Tourists are this towns lifeline, it's the courteous thing to do for those who aren't locals and don't have their banks here that they can go to and withdraw money without being charged a fee. I watched this lady with other customers and could very easily tell that she had a bit of an attitude, was confrontational. I didn't witness an ounce of professionalism during my two visits. Third - Who closes at 3:30? I hear so much about the stores here in Sandpoint struggling for survival because of all the "big companies" and rich people coming in to town. No, the businesses are struggling because they close at 3 pm and a good majority of them don't accept Debit and Credit Cards. The town says it has to do with family and that's why they close early. Well if you want to run a Business then there are certain choices you have to make. My family turned our Mexican Restaurant into a family place where we all put in time working growing up and even now when I visit. We got to spend time with each other and still ran a successful Business. The only reason this place is a "landmark" here is because the town is insanely small (less than 8 thousand people) and they are one of TWO mexican places in town. To be honest, I thought the food and service at Jalapeno's was better, professional and closer to what I grew up on. This place unfortunately lost 7 local customers. read more

Now they have this new equipment for ringing through purchases wherein they turn the screen around and you're forced to tip. It's just so obnoxious. I'd rather pay a higher price for the taco then have the owner sluff off his labour costs on us and put us in this awkward position where we now have to choose how much to tip on 4 pre-determined buttons. For what??? They don't do one more thing than an employee at McDonald's does. It's gross. Not coming back. read more

Great burritos! Only really open for lunch with their hours. Fast and friendly and tasty. Ok the real reason to go... Off the menu they offer Jalapeño Poppers and they are the best I've ever had. The sauce is like heroin it's so good. Get a few, don't share. Maybe a few more. Cash only! read more

Amazing! Sandpoint is stock full of great places to eat.... if I only had time for one this would be it for sure.

As of three months ago, Joel's now accepts CREDIT CARDS!!!! I still paid with cash yesterday. Next time... #shocked

Best Mexican food around, probably the best in North Idaho! I've had some great Mexican food living in San Diego but this place tops those... authentic food, you can't go wrong with anything you try! Get's pretty crowded at lunch so calling ahead is helpful! read more

My favorite lunch spot in Sandpoint! Never had anything I didn't like from their menu. I recommend trying everything. Seriously!

This place was awesome! Great prices, friendly staff, and delicious fresh food. Even the place itself seemed clean and open, even though it was quite busy in there. If you're craving Mexican food, this is your place! The grilled swai was a great white fish that I had never had before and it had a great mild (not fishy) flavor. It came with tons of toppings and vegetables that just one taco was enough to fill me up! Must go! read more

Joel's not only has great food but the service and the owners are awesome too! It's a family run place so the daughter and son and everyone work here together. The hours aren't great (wish they were open more) but the food is great and reasonably priced! Much love for Joel's! read more

I've known this place since it was a shack back in the 90s. Consistently outstanding Mexican fare at a fair price. I've been something of a regular whenever passing through my old hometown, and you will be hard pressed to find better Mexican in North Idaho. I've eaten much of the menu and it is great throughout. An addendum to previous reviews: they now take credit cards--a major improvement. Consistently friendly service is an added boon. What follows isn't a criticism, because you can't really fault a successful business model that pays the bills and serves the public well...but it would be awesome to enjoy a nice taco afternoon at Joel's with a cool brew or a bucket of Coronas.... read more

Delicious, lots of choices, fresh, friendly service, good prices. Love it- been coming here since day 1!

Best Mexican in sandpoint but stop coming here! It is too popular. Horchata! Tofu fajita burrito. Chile relleno burrito. Have yet to try eggs Benedict burrito. Outside seating, dog friendly. read more

The food is average fast food Mexican. Not worth the 20 minute wait. The cashier was friendly and offered suggestions. However, another employee was down right rude when we asked for promised extra chips. I won't recommend or return. read more

The BEST in the WEST Mexican food! You cant go wrong with anything on the menu at Joel's. It is also a great hangout spot. Enjoy the afternoon here. Not open in the evenings. Indoor/Outdoor dining. read more

These out of towner's just don't know what to order! It is any businesses prerogative as far as what payment type an hours they want to run, and the do take cards now;) The wahoo fish tacos, carne asada burritos, and poppers are some of my faves! Is this CA or CO standard Mexican food, no, they have their own flavor and we are lucky to have them here in Sandpoint! Their kids run the register, and are supper friendly and welcoming. I don't know what some of these people are tiling about... Joel's is great!!! read more

Breakfast Burritos are super good and hit the spot in the morning - They are always consistent and the owners and staff are always very friendly. We're lucky to have Joels up here in North Idaho! read more

What to say, except the quintessential restaurant in town to go eat authentic Mexican food. Always busy, staff always happy to help. Try the fish burrito (huge!). Very tasty. Call ahead and pick up recommended (generally always a line, though it moves quickly). Small sit down area if you want. Outside tables when the sun is shining and it's warm! Have been eating there since it was a small wooden takeaway hut. Only place I go for this kind of food. Pointless going anywhere else :) read more

Very popular local favorite. GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT FOOD! Family owned and run. Burritos are huge and stuffed to the max with great ingredients...and they're inexpensive. The perfect meal, served up fresh and quick. It's a win/win. Fish tacos are also very good, but don't overlook their special of the day! read more

Joel was in the kitchen, and I said- hey are you the real Joel? He replied yes. He even had the name Joel on his shirt for proof. I said- hey Joel pick me out something amazing. What he served me and my crew was amazing. Nothing more to say. They've got amazing breakfast and lunch options, but they close at 4pm. I heard an unconfirmed rumor that if you pay in pesos, you get a 30% discount. I actually started that rumor so I'm pretty sure it's just a ridiculous rumor. read more

They're super rigid about their menu. I wanted a taco with their tofu chorizo to go and they would only do a tofu chorizo burrito hold the tortilla with a side of corn tortilla. That's much more complicated and of course then I couldn't take it to go since I had to assemble it myself. Then it came with scrambled eggs which of course is nothing like a taco! read more

I've been in town almost a year and this is still my favorite restaurant. Sure, they have their "off" days, but the food is ALWAYS fantastic. Love the fish tacos, the burritos, the salads, the soup and the quesadillas. Sometimes I have a hard time ordering something new because my regular orders are so darn tasty! Anytime we have visitors from out of town, this place is a MUST. The only drawbacks are: 1) They aren't open for dinner. 2) They don't serve menudo. 3) Because they are a family run business, if someone comes in who is a friend of the family, you may have a longer wait while they give hugs all around and spend a few minutes visiting. This is actually very cool, but not when you are in a hurry and trying to get a bite in while running late. Seriously! Best restaurant in town! Best Mexican food around! Great value! Amazing food! Try their poppers (not on the menu). read more

Joel's was delicious! I couldn't believe how many great reviews this place got and thought it was going to be too good to be true, but we stopped by here and it IS as good as everyone says it is! We got the shrimp burrito and the Pollo asada burrito. The portion size was huge and the sauces were delicious. I'm sure all the other things on the menu are great too. If you don't know what you want, the employees are really great at making recommendations! read more

Absolutely horrendous experience. Very surprising given the positive reviews. I went with the "Blackened Chicken" Burrito that the cashier recommended, which was not blackened chicken, or edible. The chicken was breaded, had no blackened seasoning, and was tough, gray, nasty, and seemed old. I don't return food. I returned this inedible specimen. Except I didn't, because they refused to let me exchange the misnamed, nasty burrito for something else, leaving me grossed out, hungry, and $10 light. I've never heard of a reputable establishment not offering a refund or exchange when presented with an unhappy customer. Steer clear... read more

My whole family LOVES JOELS!!! Joels is our daily go to spot in Sandpoint! I've never been disappointed with my food. My usual is a grilled swai fish taco, but I also love the chilaquiles, the beef cotija taco, the chicken quesadilla, and the regular fish taco! You can't go wrong here. Lunch is always busy so it pays to call in your order to save time! read more

So miss good Mexican food from Cali. We came for a visit up from Spokane and we were so satisfied with Joel's. The service was great. Everyone was super nice. Loved that they suggested the blackened salmon taco so good! Hubby got a burrito. Really great Mexican food overall. Will not disappoint. If your in Sandpoint it's a must have! read more

My chicken fajitas were awesome. Definite 5/5. My wife had tacos...the chicken adobada was great and the carne asada was good, minus two large grisly pieces. The value was top notch and we will be back! read more

Absolutely the best Mexican food in North Idaho. Mexican eggs Benedict burrito is outstanding. Carne asada burrito and fish tacos are also a must have. Only downside is they are only open until 4 PM. read more

My must go place to eat when I am in Sandpoint. Great local family that serves up fantastic food, I especially love the carne asada burrito and the chicken burrito. Gets very busy around lunch so be sure to call ahead if you are in a hurry. read more

Great food! I had carne aside tacos. Very reasonable prices. Only downside is no seating available. We got our food to go and had about a 25 minute wait. But, when the food is that good you get a lot of people going for lunch. read more

Definitely my favorite place to eat at when in town. We come to Sandpoint for a week or two out of the year and almost daily eat at Joel's. The service is amazing! The sweet family is always attentive and smiling. As far as the food you really can't go wrong. If you want jalapeño poppers its best to get there early because unfortunately they sell out fast. This trip I had a chimichanga for the first time and it was incredible. Be sure to check this place out and when you're done eating check out the Alpine shop next door! read more

If you're lucky enough to be around when it's open you should eat there. It's 5 stars for a reason. Tip: get the poppers. They are hand-made, spicy as hell and amazing. read more