The place looked cute but upon seeing the menu we realized they don't sell liquor/margaritas! We asked our friendly server and she confirmed this fact so we politely left. I love authentic Mexican food coupled with a nice margarita, so this place was not for me. read more

If you're looking for real Mexican (as opposed to Tex-Mex - of which I'm also a big fan), this is the place. The restaurant is unprepossessing on the outside - think late 60s strip mall - but inside, it's colorfully decorated and cozy. We ordered the guacamole - and it's just as good as the other reviewers say it is! Interesting that they mix in cucumbers - but it works, and our waiter says it's made when you order. My dining companion ordered the vegetarian gorditas - corn meal pancakes sandwich lots of beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and onions. It was awesome! I ordered tacos - spicy beef, chicken, shredded pork, and plain beef. The spicy beef and pork were the winners, but all were very flavorful. I was hungry and 4 was plenty. I will absolutely be back to try the rest of the menu! read more

Good tacos and gorditas. Authentic Mexican not the "American Mex" most places serve. My second favorite place for tacos

I love Tacos Marianas. Check the hours before going, as they keep some different hours/days that what I'm used to. Best guacamole in town in my humble opinion. The tortas and basically all the food is delicious. They also have horchata if you're trying to find some!! read more

Order anything and you'll be happy... If your expecting a giant burrito filled with crap you won't find it here only great tacos and the posole makes me cry how good it is... And you know your gonna get the goods when you can't hear a lick of English in the kitchen and see a few Jesus murals... read more

It's a small but great authentic Mexican restaurant. I ordered four tacos (steak, chorizo, pork that were delicious! I expect to back in the near future. read more

Oh YELPers, why have you forsaken me? As an avid taco head and road warrior, I relay on YOU to lead me to tasty tacos all over the US. Seldom have you steered me wrong but today I was bitterly disappointed. Reviews has me prepared for slow service however, this was utterly sloth-like. And the food didn't even qualify as mediocre. Pretty sure my carnitas were made from shoe leather. Yuck. read more

So so so good! Every type of taco they have is great. Get the chips and guac! It has little bits of cucumber in it and it's amazing!

Oh my... holy goodness. My husband and I have eaten here several times now, and every single time we've left fully satisfied with our mouth's craving more. The pupusas are magnificent, and the nachos are crazy good. Reasonably priced, great service. The guacamole has cucumber in it, which is unusual, but very tasty. We have never had a bad meal here. Highly recommend. Best Mexican food in Des Moines. read more

Fantastic guacamole (with cucumbers) and their steak tacos are seasoned perfectly. We'll worth a visit.

Excellent tacos! Perfectly spiced. Super affordable. Our whole family loves eating her.

It's not as fast as your typical Mexican taqueria/restaurant, because all the cooking is done by a middle aged Mexican woman. I frequently enjoy a assortment of tacos: pork al pastor, steak, tongue, and pork carnita. The gorditas are excellent as well. Grab a Negro modelo or a Jarritos and enjoy the best Mexican in Des Moines. read more

Best Mexican food in Des Moines, period. Carnitas tacos and burritos are the way to go. Simple, just the meat and some cilantro, onion, lime. My only complaint is that their guacamole has queso in it which I don't particularly like. Somewhat erratic opening times and it helps to call ahead if you want takeout because there can be a bit of a wait. Don't be deterred my the parking lot or the exterior -- this place is fantastic. read more

Favorite tacos in Des Moines, possibly favorite Mexican. Very authentic, very fresh, everything is seasoned very well. Word of warning: don't eat here if you're in any kind of rush since it's only one (or a couple if they're busier) lady in the kitchen... Totally worth it! read more

I'm the 132nd review so I'm not going to waste time typing out some major write-up, but rest assured this place has some of the best tacos I've ever had, and they definitely have the best guacamole I've ever eaten. Probably my favorite local restaurant in town, and possibly the entire DSM metro area. I wish they delivered! read more

Authentic Mexican food! I ordered 3 small tacos (they have a nice selection: chorizo, steak, chicken, etc) for $1.25 each. My boyfriend ordered the chicken quesadillas dinner served with rice and beans for $7. It was delicious. The beers are reasonably priced too. The only thing this place is missing are margaritas but I still recommend it due to the food and quick service. read more

This is by far the best Mexican restaurant in Des Moines. It has a charming atmosphere with colorful tables and furniture. The service is quick and friendly. I always have to stop in for a torta or some tacos when I'm in town! read more

Small, cozy Authentic Mexican restaurant. Best guacamole I've ever had as it was very fresh. Great place if you're craving Mexican in Des Moines. read more

Way too many things that is right about it to list - food, atmosphere, service, price!! Be sure to try the carnita's taco. The food here is so authentic. read more

I would like to write a good review on their food but I was asked to leave because of the amount of orders they had.

Tacos Marianas is always a YES! Small but quiet and great service i always go on wednesdays or thursdays or sometimes both!

Yum! Ate at here not long ago and had the best tacos I've had in quite a while. We just had the tacos - which reminded me of the street tacos in Tijuana - but with tortillas better than you can find anywhere!! The were just melt-in-your-mouth good. Also had the papusas which were excellent - the pickled cabbage that came with it was the perfect balance to their savory cheese filling. read more

Incredible tacos and cheap cerveza! What more can one ask for? The head, tounge and asada are especially tasty.

I came in right before close (although hours listed on Yelp until 11 pm). They were very polite and insisted I stay to eat. I enjoyed an order or guacamole and three Gorditas with the pastor. It was very authentic. The guacamole was different with the cucumbers, but I liked it! I am curious if this is a traditional recipe that I've just never seen. I love small mom and pop places. read more

It's the best Mexican food we have found in Des Moines--authentic tacos, good salsa and thumb-liking good Pastor pork. Give yourself a few extra minutes for your meal because service is rarely quick. read more

Authentic and yummy! Wonderful place to sit down with friends and enjoy a nice meal. Great service Great food Great price I bring all my friends here when they come visit!! Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in DSM. read more

Absolutely stellar hole-in-the wall authentic taco slam-jamma-ramma! This is a Des Moines secret, and for those who are "terrified" of the area...go ahead, stay home and make your Ortega gringo tacos. The rest of us will be at Mariana's. Stellar selection of meats for your tacos; you won't be able to eat just one. Rice and beans and sides galore, and OH MY THAT SALSA...yowza! We don't live in the Des Moines area but are here several times a year to visit family so we will DEFINITELY return. Mucho gusto! read more

I hate Mexican food, but this place I love Mexican food. It's Iowa and all mexican food here sucks and claims to be authentic and is catered to .....dare I say white people. This place does not hold back on the flavor and spices of their food. I only eat Mexican food here in all of Iowa. read more

Food is decent. Customer service not so much. Tried calling for over half an hour to put an order in. No answer. Then had to wait 20 minutes for my three tacos. read more

Love the guacamole. Love the tacos al pastor. Love the tacos adobadas. Love everything. Just like back home in Utah, where authentic mexican taco trucks are a dime a dozen. So glad to have found this gem. Get yo'self an orange jarritos and treat yo'self. read more

Tacos Mariana's - Mexican Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Delightful and authentic. Was delicious food and not your typical Tex-Mex options. The tiny tacos were filling and the fresh salsa was fiery and tasty. Good ambiance took you to Southern Mexico. read more

Was one of the worst Mexican restaurants I've been to. They didn't have chips and salsa or queso, beans and rice weren't good at all. Quesadilla had more cheese than meat. And to top it off they didn't have margaritas or daquaris. Service was okay. And the whole building smelled of cat piss. Would not recommend or return. read more

DO NOT ORDER A BURRITO THERE if your looking for taste and something bigger than a bean burrito you get at Taco Bell, that maybe the reason there is a mobile taco stand across the street. Im from California and been eating mexican all my life and i know authentic and good when i run into it. Im not sure if i was just a bad draw when it came to making my burrito de asada but when i got it there was burnt meat in it and hardly any seasoning at all, i was so disappointed because of the reviews i read on it. Maybe the rest of the menu is worth trying since NO ONE other than me commented on the burritos but take my word for it, the burritos is very badly made and insulting for size. 4 bites of meat and the rest tortilla only. read more

This wonderful resturant is not in West Des Moines, and the food is not as bland as in West Des Moines either. BEST authentic mexican food in the metro. Most recently stopped on a Friday night. A steady stream of patrons, yet we had easy parking and an open booth or table to choose from. Everything was made from scratch, including the guacamole that was fresh and amazing! Be patient, and you will be pleasantly surprised by your experience. We regularly go for lunch and get the taco special. read more

This is hands down the best Mexican joint in town!! Home is southern California, I've been spoiled with many hole in the wall AMAZING taco joint...Mariana's came pretty close to some of the best I've had. I ordered asada and carnitas tacos, very tasty! Well seasoned meat, not tough at all. My boyfriend got the asada burrito with rice/beans, big portion and very good as well. If you're here on a Sunday grab a pork tamale (or two) :-) I'd attach a picture but we devoured all the food before I decided to write this review. You must try this place if you haven't already! read more

This restaurant features authentic Mexican food that you can not get north of the border for authentic inexpensive Mexican cost

Pretty solid place to eat! The food is equally as good as the location is sketchy...

This is probably among the best Mexican food I have ever had. House made salsas that are legit spicy, delicious tacos, fluffy rice, and beans that look like beans! Also, it seems like it is a community/family run place, which is a bonus. The food was really good and cheap and the service was excellent. Did I mention the salsa? It brought a tear to my eye. read more

Went here tonight for my husbands birthday with a big group. The tacos were amazing. My favorite was the chorizo! The staff was super nice. Great experience all around! read more

By far, the best Mexican food in Des Moines. I had tacos. Fresh and authentic. Super affordable. Good selection of food on the menu. Overall great spot. I plan to eat there as much as possible while I'm in town. read more