We have been coming here for a long time and love this place. The food is great and it's byob. Usually every time we come the chorizo appetizer is a must. Their entrees are great portions and no matter what we get everything has a lot of flavor and even when you're full you want to keep eating. Last night we got the taco campesino which is basically a burrito but everything inside again has great flavor. Also the taco salad was great and loved the dressing. Def somewhere to keep coming back to! read more

Was here last night 10/13/18 the place is lovely and the wait staff efficient and polite. I had the chicken chimachanga and my daughter had the chicken burrito and the chicken was like shoe leather that looked like beef. My daughter actually questioned that she had ordered chicken and was informed that it was chicken. I thought these two dishes were prepared with shredded chicken but this meat was disgusting. No need to take the left overs home because to warm it up would have only made the meat tougher. I won't return because of these two meals. read more

I've been coming here for 15 years. Good food and service, if a little pricey, and have always returned. Today we went and all ordered a Chimichanga with the Chipotle sauce. We really like the Chipotle and all of us asked for them to go heavy on the sauce. Well, this time they were very skimpy on the sauce, so we asked if they could bring us a "gravy boat" full that we could share, as they have before. They came out with 3 cups, one for each of us. At the time I mentioned it was way too much, but whatever, we used what we needed and enjoyed our meals. Then we got our bill. We were charged $2.00 for each cup of Chipotle, which we only asked for only 1. In all the years coming here, we were never charged for "heavy" Chipotle or if they brought us out "extra Chipotle" . Its a minor point, but I spoke with the owner I saw as we were leaving, and he seemed disinterested and resisted my explanation. For 15 bucks for a Chimichanga, they should give you a enough sauce, and a little extra if you need w/o a $2.00 charge per.....Too much competition today for them to nickle and dime me for a few tablespoons of xtra sauce! Don't be a cheapass!! Otherwise, the food is good..... read more

Sorry but, this place doesn't cook from scratch. If this place was featured on diners, drive ins and dives, it would be the dive!!! FROZEN crap. read more

Hubby and I ordered as 'take out'.....The taco salad, while loaded with beef strips (yum) was a SOGGY mess....The fried taco bowl was soaking wet (looked like wet pieces of lasagna)...Someone ought to buy a salad spinner for the kitchen. Couldn't taste the 'house dressing' as it was just a puddle of water......Hubby said the food was good, but pricey-later he complained of heartburn read more

The hubs and I walked in here finally after driving pass Juanito's a million times. Let me tell you, glad we did. It was delicious! The guac is made table-side and the dishes come out quick and fresh. It's not a five star restaurant, so don't expect white glove service, but everyone who works there is very warm and welcoming. The restaurant is clean and very cutely decorated. I look forward to visiting again and overdosing on enchiladas again. :) Great local place! read more

Love this place! great food! very nice and attentive waiters! I always get the taco salad and am never disappointed !

Alright let me preface this by saying I am a native Texan and am used to authentic Tex-Mex food whether it be at a hole in the wall restaurant ran by people who cannot speak English or an old woman from Mexico living in my hometown who makes tamales using the recipes handed down to her from her mother and her mother before her and her mother before her. That being said, this place did not impress me. I visited this establishment based in the Yelp! reviews, hoping to satisfy my Mexican food itch I've had since I left Texas several months ago. Starting out with the drink orders, we found out that they do not sell alcohol. To me, frozen margarita with salt is a necessity at dinner, while dining at a Mexican establishment. After settling for water, we were then given our chips and salsa. I will say that the chips, whether made at the restaurant or not, I do not know, were delicious. The salsa left a lot to be desired. It was very fresh; however to me it tasted like grounded up tomatoes, onions and cilantro. There was absolutely no hint of jalapeño or any other variety of spice. This was very disappointing as I can typically eat my weight in good chips and salsa. For our dinner I ordered the ground beef burrito, my mother ordered beef fajitas and my wife ordered chicken tamales. My wife ate most of her food, however her complaint was that it had too much masa. The beef fajitas came out smoking hot and smelled delicious. The onions and peppers were very well cooked, however the fajita meat tasted as though it had never been close to a spice rack. It had no flavor other than a slight smoky flavor. The way it was cooked, it would have tasted very good dipped in to some A-1 sauce. My burrito was packed full of ground beef, which I normally would have liked. However, after eating it, I felt as though I was eating a tortilla wrapped in a half pound of ground beef seasoned with Ole' Bay seasoning. The tortilla itself was actually quite delicious; the meat on the other hand was quite underwhelming. The refried beans were very good and I cannot comment on the Spanish rice, as I'm not a fan of that wherever I eat Mexican food. The only one of us that actually ate almost all of their food was my 3 year old son, who got chicken tenders and French fries. Again, I'm sure this place is very good for locals who have a different type of taste for Mexican food, but for me, I won't be going back. read more

Wonderful Mexican food and service. We dine in and order out quite often. They can accommodate large parties and are BYOB. I brought margarita mix and tequila once and they brought me a margarita glass with crushed ice without even asking. I love their taco salad with chicken it is always so fresh and delicious (and very filling) I always have leftovers, I also love their vegetable enchiladas with creamy chipotle sauce. My husband always gets the Burrito Loco with creamy chipotle sauce. Great atmosphere. The parking lot is awful but worth the annoyance for sure. read more

Food is awful at best. Service is terrible. Don't know how they are still open or even have a 4 star review for that matter. Your better off going to Taco Bell next door, at least that place isn't disguising itself as a dining establishment. read more

Love this place!! Best Mexican in town!! Travel a long way to eat here!!! Great guacamole!!!

Combination Platter #6 is to die for A Vegetable Delight for sure. I have not been here in about 4-5 years and I was in the area and I just couldn't drive by with out ordering takeout and getting this. Once you eat this you will always get this. read more

If youre looking for the real deal, this is it. Authentic..delicious..and plenty of choices. Its BYOB which makes Juanitos an even better choice for lunch or dinner. Service is very good. read more

Excellent authentic Mexican Restaurant in Howell New Jersey. used to be difficult to find truly authentic Mexican food in this area, so Juanito's was the only place you could go for it, and it was always high quality. If anything they've gotten better over the years. The enchiladas are amazing, as are the empanadas. Also, I would give the fish soup a try. Always fresh and tender, never fishy tasting, and bursting with a lot of flavor. They're a little pricey, but the portions are huge and the quality of the ingredients is high. More than worth the price. Also try the fresh guacamole made tableside... So fresh and full of flavor. I can't stand when I get stale tortilla chips, but this is never the case at Juanito's. The chips are always crisp warm and salty. I think the best thing about the place is the fresh salsa. Loaded with vegetables, garlic, onions, tomato and Chili Peppers. read more

Went here for the first time for lunch and I was amazed. Some of the best Mexican food I ever had. Good sized portions and food was served fresh. I have vacationed to Mexico numerous times and it is difficult to find authentic Mexican cuisine in this area but Juanito's definitely gets the job done. Will definitely be going back. read more

We went to Jaunito's 2 on Sat. Feb. 21st, 2009 as a group of 8. We called ahead at 9:20 asking what time they are seating until, which we were told 10 pm. As such, we all arrived by 9:40 at which time we were told that we could not order appetizers, so we ordered our main course. 2 of the 8 orders where incorrect which they did correct with a laugh as if they were too good to re-do the order. My dish was brough out with the wrong beans, but I didn't care. When a friend requested more tortillas for his fajitas, he was told the kitchen was closed. The staff turned down the heat as to make it uncomfortable, I requested they turn it back up ("please") - to what was returned to me as a laugh and again, "too good attitude". As someone who put himself through college working in restaurants (manager, sous chef, etc at well established restaurants) - this was extremely inappropriate. It is a shame - I've been to this restaurant many times - though the service was never good - it was never this poor and offensive. The food is very good - but I will never return. read more

Juanito's 2 is ok, but the service is sometimes slow, and I find that I usually wind up going a little further away into Freehold for one of my favorite local Mexican places. I also like the Juanito's in Red Bank better. read more

Not worth your time. 5 of us for an early dinner on a Sunday afternoon. Only 4 tables were occupied. Server never once asked how our meal was. Server never once asked to refill our drinks. Server never once attempted to satisfy us in any way. Food was below average. Since when do you get broccoli and cauliflower fried up in the fajita vegetables????? No taste, no flavor, no spice. Over $100 before tip (no appetizer) for disappointing food. I normally tip 30% for good service....... they got 10% and it was too much. Do yourself a favor and go next door to Taco Bell...... order off the dollar menu. read more

THIS RESTAURANT IS A SCAM!!! My friend and I decided to give this local Mexican restaurant a try tonight. What a mistake! Regardless of the fact that the food was only okay, the real kicker is that they are absolutely attempting to pull some shady business with the bill. I ordered flautas for $13 and my friend ordered a chimichanga for $14; no appetizers, drinks or dessert. According to my math, that amounts to $27 plus 1.89 in tax, bringing the grand total to $28.89. To my surprise, the bill showed a total of $37.48 - almost ten dollars over what the actual total should have been. The receipt reflected that a 20% gratuity was already included in the bill, which still does not add up to $37.48. 20% of 28.89 is only $5.78, where are they getting those extra dollars from??? When attempting to inquire with the manager on duty, Rigo, he tried to say that the bill was correct. After explaining how math works and also threatening to call the Better Business Bureau on his establishment, he then tried to deflect the discrepancy onto being a computer error. Nice try....YOU ARE SCAMMERS!!! read more

I have been a customer of Juanitos II in Howell for at least fifteen years, The food is always good. I was there yesterday (4/27/18) with my wife and adult son. Although the food was good, the service was openly hostile. My wife had the tres tacos for an entree and asked about the lack of sauce( they had put chipotle sauce on only one taco). When she asked the waiter about it he got defensive about it and said that there was sauce. After a song and dance , he went back to the kitchen and got her more. My son complained about the lack of steak in the fajita and again the waiter got defensive and after a lot of lip, brought a side of steak which was an extra $4.00. Let's not forget this was a $22.00 entree to start. They are getting cheaper with the food and the prices are on the rise. The owner was absolutely worthless when we talked to him. We have spent thousands of dollars at Juanitos II . Apparently this guy doesn't think that the customer is always right. This was a totally negative dining experience and the waiter had the tableside manner of a toad. I gave it one star because I don't think I can leave no stars. I won't be going back. Adios, amigos. Joseph D. read more

had dinner there the other night and the food was fantastic!!! wonderful atmosphere and the service was excellent!!! was there with my high school buddies wth their wives and they were very happy with the whole place!!! read more

this place has done nothing but go down hill these past years. Quanity n Quality are both NOT what they used to be. I've gone one day and the food was good and the next time horrible NEVER excellent like it once was. Cut your burrito open and make sure your getting what your paying for. Three times i ordered the LOCO Burrito and it has not come with avocado or peppers. This is by no means a cheap place to eat!!! and what ever you do don't complain to the owner I was told "I AM A SINNER AND GOD IS GOING TO PUNISH ME" The true sin is paying good money for poor service and low quality food. SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLAR AND GO NEXT STORE TO TACO BELL atleast you know your getting what you pay for.. read more

excellent food and service. not fast food type Mexican food. at dinner..bring your own tequila for homemade margaritad

I feel the need to write this review a few months later because of all the wonderful reviews it's getting. My mother and brother were visiting and we wanted a quick lunch. There were four tables with patrons in the whole place, one paying their check, one eating and one had just been sat. My mother and I decided to spilt a chicken burrito and my brother ordered something along the lines of enchiladas, all drinking waters and one ice tea. The food took close to 45 min to come out and wasn't all that good (I didn't even want to finish the half I ordered). Our billed ended up being $35! Let me recap it was lunchtime, we only ordered one soda and two meals that normally run pretty cheap. The service was mediocre at best, we constantly had to flag the waiter and by this point we were one of two tables. I would never go back. If you are looking for good Mexican food try Escondios or Rosolitas both are within driving range and are far better. read more

Never had a bad meal here. Their standard menu is great, whether you want basic Mexican or something fancy. I've eaten here for 15 years and enjoyed everything. It's a great place for families, from tacos to specialties. read more

This is a wonderful place to get real authentic Mexican food without a long drive. The guac is excellent and make sure you bring your appetite because portions are big! Not only was the food good but the atmosphere was very family orientated which was another huge turn on. Great place for the family and food I definetly recommend! read more

This has been our go to Mexican restaurant for many years. The staff is always friendly and the food delicious. More authentic then other places which are typically Tex mex. BYOB, we have brought anything from coronas to buckets of margaritas. Have tried many different dishes and my favorite is the chicken chimichanga and their nachos are fantastic. My last tip is Bring a sweater its always a little chilly in there! read more

Im so happy to have found a local Mexican restaurant that serves authentic, quality food. The guacamole is prepared tableside, (served with homemade tortilla chips) and is killer good. Even the fresh salsa that they bring every table is super tasty. My favorite dish is the Burrito Loco with Salsa Verde. The Enchilada Suiza and Flautas Doradas are also winners. The staff is very friendly and the service is always good. My only complaint is how quickly your food comes out..I don't like to feel rushed when I'm out for a nice dinner. The atmosphere is charming and quaint and they have done the best that they could have given the highway location. The place is BYO and the prices are fair. This place is definitely a "keeper." read more

They accommodated a large party on short notice on a Saturday night. Food was good for the most part. No issues there... Service needs quite a bit of work though. Ok overall. read more

It was great - authentic Mexican food. Very good. highly recommend the guacamole. They make it at your table. I had the tamales. Excellent.

Love this local and cozy place. You forget the route 9 is 10 ft from you. The food is good and not just taste but in portions. If you enjoy Mexican food then this is a must. read more

We loved this place, food and service is great. I knocked off one star b/c the guacamole (made table side) turned out to be just a mashed up avocado with nothing else in it. However, the guac that came with my meal was actually really good, so maybe it was just the person who made it that day - but since it cost us 8 bucks, they lose a point. That being said, probably the best fajitas I have ever had. We will def try this place again. read more

Excellent Mexican restaurant. Food is fresh and delicious, service is attentive and quick, atmosphere is very authentic Mexico. My general rule of thumb (being a northern Central New Jersey transplant) is that if someone from south or south Central New Jersey reviews a restaurant and they give it a low rating, it is usually excellent. If they give a high rating to a restaurant, it is usually horrible. read more

Food was a big disappointment. Nothing seemed seasoned and the scallops and shrimp were so overdone they were the consistency of rubber. My salad was drenched in dressing and the rice was super bland. The only thing nice about it was the atmosphere. Jose Tejas still comes in strong as the best Mexican food for your money in central Jersey...head there. read more

Food is ok. Chips are good. The Service is ok but the place always seems dirty to me.

This is OK for a Mexican restaurant..BYOB allows you to bring your own tequila and they have the margarita mix.. Go for the real traditional Mexican entrees and you will be fine. They just have to update the decor and bathrooms. read more

Authentic Mexican Food, a friendly staff. It's never very crowded though, it's not a good location so that may be why. Great prices and service. read more

Loved the burrito!! The music and atmosphere was nice. The kids enjoyed it and asked to go back already! I thought the rice could have used a bit more of something but other than that it was good. Service was okay. I don't like soda in a bottle though! read more

Everthing is great and authentic unless you want something vegetarian--or a chimichanga (which isn't Mexican anyway, so meh). The staff is friendly but they definitely give you your personal space, and a bit too much of that. read more

Good food for dine in. Ordered take out today, was told 15 min, got there in 20, waited 40 more! And when I finally got home after all the wait I couldn't figure out what it was I was waiting for cause it was all cold, and not just a bit cooled off from the ride, just cold. Also the chicken burrito we ordered had next to no sauce, had some pieces of chicken that were just inedible and had quite a few pieces of beef mixed in with it. This food is normally great but tonight was a terrible disappointment. Go in and dine in, or order lunch take out. Take out dinner is apparently the last thing they care about. If I hadn't had this place many times before and seen the good side, this would be a 1 star review with no chance of return. read more