It is easy to see why La Margarita has earned 4 stars in Yelp. For us, it was 5 stars all the way. Of course we had plenty of tortilla chips with an excellently sauced salsa. The house Margarita's were tasty. My wife had the Bean and Cheese Enchilada and I had the Chicken Chimichanga. Both were so good. Melanie was our server and she was quite friendly. The restaurant was quite busy due to the Joss Stone concert at the nearby Elsinore Theatre. We had the same plans as many but came early. Thanks La Margarita for a fun evening, and a perfect prelude to a great concert. read more

Service was polite and fast considering how busy things were Friday night. They have specials that change frequently and includes food and drinks. This go around I was just feeling some steak tacos... the wife went with the chicken crema and wasnt disappointed... Tequila flight was the appetizer. read more

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This restaurant is great!!! They give you free chips and salsa, and the staff will refill your salsa free of charge. The salsa is a little spicy, and it is really good! I have been here twice. The first time, I ordered the chili relleno with pinto beans and rice, and my friend ordered tacos with black beans. We also got guacamole, and she got a cocktail. The second time, I ordered a veggie burrito with pinto beans and rice. My friends ordered a variety of dishes, and all of them enjoyed their food. Everything was so good!! The staff members were friendly, and they brought our food out incredibly quickly. They accommodated our large party (about 10 people) by giving us a large table and being patient when we needed more time to order. I would definitely eat here again! read more

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This was our first trip to Salem and I am so glad we went here for dinner! Very short walk from the Grand Hotel The cadillac margarita was a steal, considering I only had one and was buzzing after a couple of sips. The food was delish, the ambiance fun, and the service was exceptional. Thank you to the staff for a great time. read more

Fajitas are great. Their chicken is very tender and good quality. The bean dip is very much worth ordering. Little spicy. Great to dip the chips in (and everything else too). Plenty of things for gluten and dairy free. And don't get me started on the margaritas. They've got top-shelf tequila for great prices. Such good food, service, and drinks. I don't know why we ever eat anywhere else, honestly. If they allowed dogs in, we would probably be there weekly. read more

FAVORITE PLACE EVER!! The chicken suizas are superior! My family has been coming here for years, they practically know our orders by now! these workers could not be more sweet and hard-working! Could not recommend this place anymore than I already do! read more

Every other Salem Mexican restaurant is the same except here. This place is the gold standard for Salem Mexican food. The salsa is actually kinda spicy! The staff is very knowledgeable about the menu which is very diverse while only being two pages (not a 6-page binder like most in Salem). Tortillas made fresh in house. Everything is FRESH!! Can't reiterate that enough because it seems to be hard to find in Salem. Margarita menu is a perfect combination of solid classics and fun&fruity. Get the bean dip and the fresh guac! Also, request a TART tapatia margarita. You'll thank me. read more

La Margarita - Fajitas, enchiladas, bean dip, pear margarita, and TART tapatia margarita! - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Great spot with super friendly staff! Affordable prices and delicious food plus dessert, I'm definitely stopping by here again! read more

La Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 3/5 Excellent food, service is quick and efficient, ambiance is hustling & busy, but that's fine. Not too crazy about the upstairs seatings and the ginormous booths (commonly used) which takes up so much valuable spaces, when they can seat more if it set up differently. Hey, as long as the food hits all the right points that's all that matters! Keep up the great food quality and affordable prices. read more

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Great food, atmosphere, and service! The margaritas taste FRESH! I love to try something new on the menu each visit, because everything has been so good! The prices are great as well, I come here with my family a couple times a month. read more

Three teaspoons of beans -Two 1/4th of a cups of rice (that's 8 tablespoons lol) -Four thin chopsticks of enchilada Hahahaha. I'd love to say you get what you pay for but I spent 17 dollars on my meal & half is missing. They didn't even fill up my soda all the way which was almost 4 dollars. Come on La Margarita, what a joke. read more

La Margarita - -Three teaspoons of beans -Two 1/4th of a cups of rice (that's 8 tablespoons lol) -Four thin chopsticks of enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Brought my mom and dad here to have lunch it was their first time here, and i was excited to bring them to one of my favorite restaurants in Salem. However, my mom got the traditional beef enchilada. A couple bites into it and she bit down on this. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!! And definitely not within basic food safety standards. Very disappointed considering I've been a loyal customer since before COVID. It's safe to say we will not be coming back here and recommend you are very cautious when dining here. read more

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I would give a 5 for the drinks they ate amazing tasty and just enough alcohol. But the foood. Well the molcajete to be precise. When you get served food in a Molcajete doesnt mean Anything in there is a molcajete!! I was expecting a steaming molcajete with a slice of carne asada sliced chicken with the veggies and salsa and queso fresco. Instead i got what looked like gumbo . I was expecting rice on the side it was in the molcajete. And just beans on the side. And THREE. Tortillas to go with it all. Besides the look the sausages inside were for gumbo or jambalaya cause that was the flavor it gave too. It was good but not great. So many veggies less meat. Has more bell peppers and onion than could count. Let my partner have all the meat. read more

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Pretty much my go to Mexican restaurant. Wish they opened for lunch on Sundays! The service is always great and the atmosphere is fun and lively. They serve the light tortillas chips with salsa and beans...you can down a basket in no time! Reasonably priced, excellent Mexican food! read more

We really wanted to live this place because it's close to us, and are suppose to be known for their margaritas. However we were sadly unimpressed. The food was very bland, and my husband's food was missing the beans. I ordered the fajita prawn taco salad and was sad to only 5 shrimp on it. The homemade tortilla was great. I had to add some salt to have flavoring. As for my husband, he ordered the Carne A La Tampiquena and was disappointed. The beans were missing and the steak had no flavor. It was cooked to the requested medium rare. The highlight was the creme sauce. We ordered the blackberry margarita for two and thought we could taste the tequila just fine- this seems to be a problem with other reviews. However there was so much puree that it was difficult to drink and overly sweet. The place itself was clean and have lots of people. There was plenty of seating and would be a nice spot to just grab drinks. I'm willing to go try a different margarita. The service was ok, it took a bit to be noticed and seated and they came to check on us only one time. read more

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The good, service was fast, the margarita flight was delicious. The bad, unfortunately the waitress was too busy having her own meal and talking to coworkers vs checking in on us regularly. I asked for my chicken well cooked and it was not, seasoning was on point but not well cooked like I asked for. It was decent, I'd probably would give it another try during the evening. The prices were slightly higher than usual but nothing too extreme. read more

Hi so I went on December 26th 2025, I was traveling from SF to WA and stopped for food, now we are 5 people (3 adults 2 kids) we all picked this place because we are Salvadorian, now when you walk in they are very slow to put you into a table, once you get a table they do give chips but then leave for 20 minutes if they put you in the back. Once they came to get our drinks and food order 6:45pm THEY TOOK 40 MINUTES to just bring drinks. 40 MINUTES!! And took another 20 for food. So in total I had to wait an hour but people next to us got there food within 20-30 min of waiting. Now I'm not sure if it could be because of race because favoritism, but honestly service is brutal for there own race. (Hispanic) FOOD- food isn't good at all, the pupusas are CHICKEN not PORK!! False advertisement in the menu. Which is horrible and quite frankly illegal. The pupusas have salsa and they didn't bring it and asked me IF IT WAS REQUIRED TO BRING IT. ‍ HELLO WHAT LOGIC IS THAT!? Ambiance is horrible. Don't recommend tbh as someone who is Salvadoran and only stopped by because of a trip. Please do not get lied to by there food! You were warned (It's more Mexican! Then Salvadorian fyi) read more

I had the signature chicken enchiladas and they were really good! It came out super quick! The place was cute and cozy. Valentine's Day decorations were up and made the place a little romantic , nice for a date night! Also lunch prices were very good. Lunch is until 5pm on Saturdays. Bathrooms are kinda hard to find. read more

Great venue for authentic Mexican food. Great service but very busy. Service was great and prompt.

Good food. Chips and salsa are really good. I also liked their beans and rice, had more flavor than most places.

Whenever I drive past this restaurant there is always a line. I finally had to find out what all the hype was about. I ate the fajita taco salad and it was absolutely delicious. The food arrived in seemingly no time. After eating there I now know why people are always waiting to get food here! read more

La Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Had a top notch experience at La Margarita! We ordered 2 Diet Cokes, cheese dip as an appetizer, and 2 entrees & our bill was $35. (We were there on a weekday for lunch.) Service was on point & collaborative and ambiance was great. Food was good, not great, but well worth the prices. Bonus they offer both Coke & Pepsi fountain products, and the option for black or pinto refried style beans. We will definitely be back! read more

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Their chips and salsa is the best in town hands down. Their service and food is consistently excellent and I love that they offer take out and delivery now. This place is a classic family gathering restaurant. We love it, a Salem gem. read more

Amazing atmosphere solid 5 star service. Food was good drinks were meh chips were warm and amazing great salsa spicy definitely coming back. Will try different drinks and food. I had suzia enchiladas and was really good. Wife has normal enchiladas rojo and not good. Personal choice im sure. Overall definitely 4 star and WILL be back. Price was VERY reasonable too. read more

La Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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Good food and service, I can't remember the last time we ate here but it is being long time, food was great and quality exceptional, little different than other Mexican restaurants, we are coming back read more

This is a wonder gem of a place in an unexpected location. I was working at the theater next door and only had a short time for a meal break when we got there. We were seated immediately after spinning a prize wheel at the entrance (winning a tee-shirt) during the dinner rush on a weeknight. The decor is dark wood, old-worldy, and the service was quick. We were greeted and seated quickly, drink orders taken and delivered in time to make our dinner choices. I ordered something I had never seen before, "El "Jibarito" Based on Chicago's famous dish from El Borinquen - slow roasted pork carnitas served between thin slices of crisp fried plantain, topped with an orange pico de gallo salsa, chipotle mayo, Mexican cream and cheese." The food came out quickly and hot. My companion got a couple of tacos, which she enjoyed. The Jibarito was delicious, each layer of flavor coming out in every bite. I live in a town full of good Mexican food, and this little gem in Salem delighted me with surprise. If I'm ever back I will make a point to return. read more

It's been some time since we have eaten at La Margarita and the food was delicious as always and the service very prompt. We had the flan for dessert which was a little disappointing- more like a pudding than a flan. Four of us arrived on a week day at 5 pm, looking forward a quiet dinner and catching up with our friends. We were seated at a booth in the separate back section. Within 15 minutes a group of 6 was seated next to us and within 20 minutes a group of 8 was seated nearby. All hope of our being able to converse was over. We finished our food and went home. This restaurant has been a favorite of ours over the years so we will go back. Anytime we return we will request the quietest area available. read more

La Margarita is very tight. It is a cozy space. If you don't mind being packed in to a small space with a lot of others, this is the place to be. The margaritas for two was only OK. The blackberry margarita was very sweet and had very little tequila. The fajita taco salad was very bland and only had about 6 shrimp. All of the base ingredients were very separated. Had to break the shell to be able to mix the beans and rice. The carne a la tampiquena was also pretty under seasoned overall. But the chicken crema enchilada was really good. The housemade tortillas were awesome and you could tell they were fresh. Feel it was a bit over priced for the quality. read more

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The service was excellent, but the food was bland. Although the spicy salsa that came with the chips made up for that! I don't think I would return as there are other restaurants with better flavors in the area. That's just my preference. Again, the waiter and man at the counter were excellent and food came out quickly. read more

Amazing food and service, great staple in the community rice and beans always filled with flavor which is a great surprise for a side!

Went for lunch today with my co-workers for a bonding session, and I completely forgot to take a picture of the scrumptious enchilada I got because we were so busy chatting and digging into the wonderful food. Had good quick service, and everyone was incredibly friendly! Will definitely be heading back read more

Been here many times as it's a go-to close to work. Went to lunch on the weekend and enjoyed a chimichanga and margarita flight. Clean place with good chips and salsa (always sets the bar for me lol) and fun experience with the flight. Only negative was we got seated in the back section and seemed to get forgotten at times. read more

La Margarita - Margarita flight - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

It was our first stop at La Margarita. It was a Friday night in September, dreary and perfect for the warm, inviting, ambiance of the restaurant. The server was either stretch too thin or distracted which we didn't love but her peers did a wonderful job reading our queues and making happen! In all, it was a good experience. Typical Americanized Mexican styled fair with flavor and execution. If you're expecting run-of-the-mill, you'll be pleasantly (enough) surprised. If you're expecting authentic fare in a nicer background, you won't be. Worth a stop in! read more

La Margarita - Enchilada Suiza - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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We ate here for the first time on March 17(going to ACDC tribute band next door at the Elsinore)for our anniversary. The atmosphere is electric on a Friday night, people bustling here & there; the food was fantastic, drinks were great, service was superb(thanks for the salsa refills)and for an old disabled guy like me, the bathrooms were clean, spacious and nice. We were able to park right across the street, too. read more

Prices were great, food was good, service was good. Looking forward to going back again next time I'm in town.

Great food and service. Every time I'm in Salem I stop by for a great meal. The staff is friendly and always prompt service.

We had a birthday dinner here for one of our group. The restaurant was non assuming from the outside, but once you walk in, it was very nice. Once we ordered, we received our food very quickly. I had the quesadilla with chicken it was quite good. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. The birthday girl however did not eat her fish tacos she said they were not appetizing to look at. Other than that, everything was great. read more

No alcohol in their margaritas. Food and service was good. To me, there should be at least a hint of tequila taste in a margarita.

They have grilled fish, which is amazing! It's so healthy! I thought the service was very good and we really had a great time there!

Great service, terrible food. I've eaten at this restaurant for 50 years and the has slowly declined. Last night was the worst and I won't go back again. The chicken enchilada left a bad feeling in my stomach until the next day. After ordering my food it came out in 3-4 minutes, and this isn't a fast food restaurant. read more