I was looking for something different for lunch and came upon this fantastic spot that has recently opened. I personally love Mexican food and restaurants with a Mexican vibe. The lay out is nice, it's spacious, great color scheme, and most important of all...amazing food! This is a great spot right in the heart of History Chinatown District, Honolulu. I live in the area so I can see my self coming through a lot. Aloha! read more

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I came in to pick up some food on the way home from work. The bartender had to ask the owner/chef permission to take my order. Apparently he was upset that I was making an order to go. I ordered for three people, the items I ordered were no longer available but still on the menu. So I went with the bartenders recommendation. After 35 minutes of waiting for my food, I decided to get away from the blaring music and sit down in the patio area of an empty Restraunt (Friday at 6:30). The chef/owner came out and looked at me and then told the bartender to come get me and tell me to wait at the bar only. Mind you again, the Restraunt was completely empty, but they wanted me to stay inside at the bar. Classic overly controlling owner/chef. He was the only one working back there, I am guessing everyone else quit on him. I will add, it's the only place in hawaii that says no board shorts, T shirts, tank tops and slippers on the front door. The Restraunt is on Smith and hotel street not Rodeo drive, give me a break... no aloha, rude, pretentious, not professional... UPDATE: carne asada tasted like burnt balls of salt. Some special dish tasted like pork in McDonald bbq sauce. Pork tacos tasted like dry jerky. Waste of money. Terrible food. read more

Tlaxcalli - Empty at 6:30 on a Friday night. - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I would eat the chicharron and the ceviche de atun everyday. Aguachiles smack and are spicy

Amazing tacos! I had a few tacos since they just opened, and was very impressed by the taste. As soon as they hit my mouth, the flavor exploded. Tastes of lime, beef, and delicious seasonings as you bite down. The cabbage provides a neutral space in each mouthful to appreciate the complex flavor profile. Additionally, the atmosphere feels authentic, but professional. The service was fast, despite my complex request. I'll be going back today! Excited to try more flavors. read more

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"Sorry sir you may have us confused for another restaurant, we don't serve nachos..." No. No confusion here. To reiterate, 7-11 nachos would have been better than the food served to our party. read more

The food was fresh and delicious. The ambience outdoors is lovely. We had the mixed ceviche and prawn ceviche which were served with crispy tostadas, brisket, lengua and beef cheek tacos, and chiles rellenos. The only thing that took this down a star was the service, and feeling talked down to. We appreciated the education, but we felt it was a little demeaning, specially telling a Hispanic person in our group that rice is not traditional. That's ok, but rice has been introduced everywhere, specially in Hawaii where even McDonalds serve rice. Sure, not traditional, but when you grow up with it as part of a cuisine, a tradition it therefore makes. read more

Neat atmosphere, mediocre food, and a very nasty waiter. We were the only two people in the restaurant midday and were incredibly kind to this guy. For some reason he just kept being rude to us over and over - very narcissistic bullying type of behavior. We just ate our food and ignored it, kept being kind, but it continued. After I wrote this review he immediately sent me a threatening and bullying message. This was a very unpleasant and scary experience that nobody was asking for. (I think he's the owner too.) Steer clear of this place...if it's still open. read more

Just don't. The rudest customer service I have ever experienced. And reading the one star reviews, I'm not the only one that's been dealt with so ungraciously. read more

Hands down the best on Oahu! If you want authentic Mexican cuisine this is the spot to go. The cocktail selection is great, especially for the mezcal lovers. The Mole was spot on and the enchiladas my wife ordered were excellent. I also ordered the aguachiles, if you can handle and enjoy serious spice you will definitely love his recipe. read more

Tlaxcalli - Aguachiles - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service was ok. Food was terrible and cold. I would not recommend. I ordered the aguachiles and they were inedible.

This place is awesome! Sat outside on this perfect table for 2 for date night, lots of nice plants and the fish pond with running water makes the outside dining area a very nice experience. We started with the old swine for a drink. It was tasty whiskey and very strong. I rarely drink but I can usually get through 1 cocktail, not this one though. Cool square ice cube, nice aesthetic. Garnishes were neato. Had the fried mahimahi with guac, Cochinita pibil and beef cheek tacos. Fish fry was great, thin crispy batter and very juicy meat. The pibil and the beef cheek were so savory and fatty. There's two bottles of salsa that keep every bite entertaining. The tortillas were sweet and fragrant. Had the churro bread pudding for dessert. Crispy outside with soft gooey inside and a cinnamon glaze that had me scraping it off the plate. read more

Nice quaint little place in Chinatown. The service is very friendly. It was a enjoyable experience. The food is very tasty. I would have never thought I would find someplace ike this in Chinatown. Ther red sauce is very spicy. read more

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Food was just okay. The service however is why we will never return. The cook was the waiter and the bartender all in one! He was EXTREMELY RUDE from the moment we sat down. I asked for a margarita and he said look at the menu that is what we have. We don't serve margaritas here. I said you have a full bar can't u make one. He said we are a traditional Mexican Restaurant and we don't make margaritas here. My mother asked for a "whiskey with water" he told my mother we serve whiskey, if you want a side of ice & water to ruin it on your own you can. UNBELIEVABLY RUDE! I would not recommend this restaurant if you want good food & someone who serves you who is pleasant & gracious. There are so many other restaurants that are grateful to have your business. read more

I was so excited to try them out after a few friends highly recommended them but we ended up leaving and cancelling our order shortly after placing it. The owner/waiter made my family and I feel so uncomfortable and unwelcome. We were seated with menus thrown on a table and met with so much attitude. Nearly everything I wanted to order was "out. He mentioned several times that they were closing at 2:30pm and while we walked in at 1:30 he could have just told us they were no longer accepting walk-in customers and we would've left instead of being sighed at and having eyes rolled at. I'm a huge local/small business supporter but not in this case. I can't rate the food since we ended up leaving but there's no way I'd sit through that kind of treatment even for the best meal. You'd receive better service at Waffle House. Don't own a business or work in customer service if you don't know how to treat people or at least hire someone else to be the face to represent you. read more

Horrible service. They were half open and the place was empty. We went with a few families together with small Kids age 3-6yo. Basically told us they don't have anything. Then when one of our kiddos went to look at a decoration on the wall the owner who as sitting in the back came walking up to the kiddo and told him to go back to his parents. Then I could hear the owner say, "you believe this shit!" We left, will never go back. read more

My new coworkers and I have decided to order out on Wednesdays starting with today and this place. We had a couple of good recommendations from friends. The menu on their website looks great and I couldn't decide. Then I opened Yelp and the first photo was of chicken enchiladas buried under a mound of molé sauce. I'm not a big fan of chicken or enchiladas but I looove me some mole and it looked good! It also tasted good and authentic so I was pleased with my choice. I also ordered both kinds of ceviche to share with everyone. I don't recommend either of them; the flavor is just not there and the fish was tough and cut into very large chunks. It didn't "cook" at all, probably because there was very little lime juice used, from what we could taste. They don't serve rice at all but they do serve pinto beans with each entree. It looked and tasted like they just poured it out of a can. No salt or anything added. I'm open to trying other entrees but not going out of my way to get there. read more

Not sure about the food. Couldn't get past the incredibly rude chef/owner. Asked to look around with an eye to choosing a seat. He basically glared at me and showed me the door. Take your business elsewhere. Give your money to pleasant people. There are plenty of other good Mexican restaurants in Honolulu. read more

Been wanting to try this place, having passed by many times. The outside eating area can be seen from the street and it looked so charming. Decent Mexican food is hard to find and I haven't seen pibil offered anywhere here. So when we looked at the menu posted outside and saw it on the menu, well, gotta go eat ! Hubby and I opted for outside seating with huge umbrellas that shielded us from the heavy ( but brief "passing showers, heavy at times" as per the weather person). Ordered the Conchinita pibil served on banana leaf, accompanied by a small cup of beans and tortillas. The meat was sooo moist,juicy and smoky. I used the spoon to get every bit of the broth at the bottom of the bowl. When you come here, you have to get this dish. Hubby had enmolada. Loved the mole sauce and the chicken was also moist. Very flavorful! The lady that served us was super friendly and sweet- the guy in the kitchen, not so much. But hey, food was good and that is the reason why we came. We read more

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Moved here recently from Arizona and have been missing really god Mexican food. This place did not disappoint. Cute fairy gardens, lighting, pond, excellent atmosphere. I had their mole (holy cow, so yummy and fresh) my son had their steak tacos. It's byob and just very kick back. They've put a lot of their own sweat into their restaurant and it shows, it's growing into something really great for the community here in ChinaTown. read more

Second time here. The food is spot on. Seasoning is perfect, service has been great. Definitely a place we plan to keep coming back to.

Had high expectations for this place, sadly the food was lacking. We started with the spicy aguachillies which was raw shrimp in a spicy lime sauce and chilies. I have to say I have a high tolerance for spice but this was just straight up inedible. The chilies were reminiscent of ghost peppers which are just way too spicy for most people and takes away from the experience. Also ordered the Birria made with goat and the broth was basically flavorless and lacking salt. My wife ordered the Chicharron which was again lacking flavor and didn't meet her expectations as she loves chicharron. Also the owner/chef has a very cold demeanor. read more

This is a sad place with a lot of potential. It seems authentic enough, whether in the charming interior space or the lovely garden seating area. Mariachi music plays and you feel transported to Mexico. The night we went there was one waiter and the chef. Only two other tables of patrons. The food was good, and the waiter helpful. The chef, however was a sad and grumpy man who gave off the vibe he'd rather be home, and could care less whether anyone was in his restaurant or not. When we walk by, there's never anyone in there. I suspect it has to do with the attitude from the top down. It really is disappointing. The food is good, but not great. They've got a nice selection of Mezcal and Tequila and some unusual cocktails. If only the vibe was better. Falta. read more

This was our third visit to this unique, deliciously different Mexican restaurant, and the best yet. I ordered the octopus and shrimp appetizer to share with our friends and it was perfect. The shrimp was plentiful and cooked just right, as was the octopus. This could suffice as a meal, as crispy tortillas are served with it. For main courses, we ordered chicharron (pork belly), tacos with pork and carne asada, and beef chile relleno. Churros bread pudding was our shared fabulous dessert. A one- person French press coffee was about the best I've ever had in a restaurant, balancing the sweetness of the pudding. I also enjoyed a shot of an exceptional tequila between the appetizer and pork belly. Don't recall the brand, but it was aged and really nice. read more

The food was excellent. That's what's most important. Honolulu has really been missing a Mexican restaurant with such an interesting variety of dishes. I'm rooting for this place to stay in business. Now, we were waited on by the owner, and perhaps he was having a bad day because he just wasn't very personable at all. I get it. Being personable isn't always easy, but service needs to be friendlier. read more

Poor service. The owner is so incredibly rude. Bad bad energy. Food is mediocre... used to be better

Really good food and attentive service. We had the chorreada with carne asada, topped with cotija cheese and the king mushroom mole. The mole is exceptional. The Palomas made with sotol were very tasty, I had two. We finished it off with a delicious churro bread pudding. Will definitely come here again. Not busy on a Tuesday but I imagine it gets packed on the weekends. read more

We'd never considered "high end" Mexican food. This. is. We actually went there as we met someone who had eaten there and raved raved raved about it. They have a somewhat limited menu, but they take real pride in what they do. (Less positive view: they don't make substitutions or modifications). What they serve is impressive. The one desert (not on the menu? but recommended by the person who raved about it) a sort of Chalupa with caramel sauce was excellent - two of us shared it. Wishing them great success. For us, one visit will hold us for a while, but others may feel differently. read more

This guy is so rude. We were there at 5 PM when they opened. The guys stared right at us through the door didn't even open the door for us and welcome us in and then said we needed long sleeve shirts. I said this is Hawaii apparently tank tops are not allowed. I hope this restaurant closes for lack of good customer service. read more

I was happily amazed at how spectacular the food was. Indoor or outdoor. The Food was great . not much more needs to be said read more

My mother-in-law took my wife and I here as a treat. She had been before and insisted it would be good. I was a little leery because of the reviews, but it was delicious. The owner's wife served us and we learned that they have major staffing issues (like seemingly every other restaurant). It isn't fast food, so expect a meal to take over half an hour. The food was spectacular. The octopus cocktail, mole, and cochinita de pibil were outstanding. The cocktails were excellent. I will be recommending this place and will be back. read more

Tlaxcalli - Duck in Mole - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have bene eating Mexican slop all of my life. This place is spoiled my taste buds. Thank you so much! I was back for a2nd visit inna week. Loved it even more. read more

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Came here for an early dinner with my partner and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. Cute seating area outside, great for a date night. We had the Pescado a la Veracruzana (fish) and the Cochinita Pibil (pork), which were both excellent. The green olives with the fish and the sauce for the pork were delicious, and we finished all the tortillas and beans that came with the entrees. If anything we were a little hungry afterwards so we would probably order an additional dish next time. Delicious flavors and great addition to the Chinatown area. read more

Tlaxcalli - Brunch Menu 03/21 - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I'm afraid I might not get a table after writing my review. For fear, it's going to get SO crowded, I won't be able to get a table!! But if you're following me on Yelp, then you deserve to know my secret! Tlaxcalli's food is so Deliciously different. It seems so simple yet the flavor that Chef Julio combines is Amazing! You'll want to lick the sauces off the dishes. We're so Excited to go back and try the other dishes. Then order our already favorites to go, like the Oxtail in Chile Pasilla and the Rib Tip Chile Verde. My boyfriend (whose Mexican from the mainland) heard from a friend about this place. So we were eager to try it, since we've pretty much have tried every single Mexican restaurant on Oahu. We pulled into the outside meter machine parking lot right across the street from the restaurant. The parking price is very reasonable. We were greeted my Tan, Chef's wife. She asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside. Since it was about 20 minutes til closing, we opted to sit inside. The decor is so clean, simple and beautiful inside. You could tell Tan added her touch with some cute Easter decorations. I had already been looking at the menu on the way, so we knew what we wanted to order. But then, when we got there, we got carried away. We got the Campechana, Three Tacos (smoked brisket, pork and cachete), Oxtail in Chile Pasilla & Pescado A La Veracruzana. Plus a Rib Tip Chile Verde to go. We barely touched our entrees! The Campechana was Huge with so much seafood. The Tacos were all so Ono, but the pork was my favorite. Dipping the freshly made tortillas in the Oxtail dish was Wonderful followed by a spoonful of the beans. The heat from the homemade hot sauce were too much for me but my boyfriend loves them. I loved the homemade green guacamole hot sauce which was milder but still with a little kick. Put a dab of that on your food, then take a spoon of beans. You'd think you died and went to food heaven. I'm glad we didn't get a chance to finish all our food, two reasons. DESSERT and enriched flavor! Since the Oxtail and Verde had a couple days to sit in our refrigerator. Those spices just marinated more into the meat. We made our own homemade tortillas and enjoyed Tlaxcalli food all over again. Lastly, but NOT unforgettable! In fact, I might need to start with dessert so I won't be so full to enjoy & appreciation the Creativity & Mind-Blowing Plate Licking Churro Breading Pudding!!! Hope my pictures tell the rest of the story! Tlaxcalli isn't your typical Mexican restaurant, there's actually enough of those around. So don't be waiting for the chips & salsa to be served. You don't even want any cause you really want to save your appetite for real authentic next level Mexican Cuisine! Next visit we're getting the Shrimp Ceviche, Chipotle Ahi Caesar Salad, Tostada with Chicken Tinga & Cochinata Pibil. Plus, the Oxtail & Rib Tip Chile Verde to go. If we're lucky, the Cinco Leches Cake, (yes not three layers but FIVE Layers) will be available. By far, hand down, Favorite Mexican restaurant. Can't wait to see what other dishes Chef Julio will be serving up. read more

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Visited at around noon on a Friday. Only two customers inside. A large bearded man in the kitchen noticed us, came out to ask if we wanted to sit inside or outside. I remembered the patio area to be quite charming so asked for outside. He pushed open the screen door, went ahead of us, then let go of the door as I was passing through so I had to catch it or get hit by it. He placed us at a table that could accommodate 4 people (we were only two), dropped two menus and left. The sun was on my face, so we shifted to a picnic style table that was in the shade. We were the only two customers outside. When the man returned he informed us that there was an additional 20% charge to sit at the picnic table. I really thought he was joking as I asked him why, and he said, in all seriousness, that it was a table for six and should be available should a party of six came in. I should mention there was more than one picnic table, and no one else in the outdoor part of the restaurant. He then offered another small table for two. It was acceptable and we got up to move, but I was so put off by his lame explanation about the picnic table that I muttered to my friend. "Let's go!" But she wanted to try the food so we stayed. The food came (pulpo) and it was room temperature octopus plopped on some sauce. The tortillas were also lukewarm. The beans, although delicious, were also room temperature. Our server was brusque, unwelcoming, and answered our few questions about the food reluctantly. A highly disappointing experience for both of us. I had had dinner there once before and the food was delightful and the service friendly. Never again. My friend said not to leave a tip, but I left a dollar. read more

Not sure why there's such a low rating because this place is phenomenal. I had just gotten back from a trip to Mexico and this really hit the spot- it was even better than a lot of the food I had. The mezcal cocktail was to die for and so was the tuna and then the super juicy pork. Finished it with a churro bread pudding. Amazing. read more

Probably the strangest dining experience that I have had in Honolulu. But the strange had nothing to do with the food. I have lived in Oaxaca and traveled quite a bit in Mexico - the eats were good. The service was....unique. We were the only people in the place but were treated totally as unwanted persons. The owner was really gruff - but that word hardly covers it. He seemed downright resentful that we came into his restaurant. He was mean spirited. Guy needs a happy transfusion. Remember the Soup Nazi? Think Taco Nazi. I kinda feel like I'd have to go back just to try to get the guy to crack a smile! But I am sure that would just be wasted time. read more

Since moving from NYC to Hawaii eleven years ago we've missed only one type of food. That type is TRUE Mexican food. Not anymore. Tlaxcalli Mexican Restaurant in Chinatown is the pure essence of homemade Mexican food. Like Cosme and the late Centrico in Manhattan, Tlaxcalli hits on all cylinders. First of all the Aloha greeting. We felt totally at home. We were happily seated in a charming and beautiful courtyard with flowers and small gnome like statues. The sound of streaming water just added a soothing texture. Being former wine educators ( 35 years in NYC) we were delighted that the restaurant is BYOB. BUT it was the food. Expertly created dishes brought back memories of Aaron Sanchez and his time running Centrico. We had the following: Taquitos 4 rolled tortillas filled with choice of chicken tinga or smoked brisket, fried crispy and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and avocado sauce. COCHINITA PIBIL Pork shoulder marinated in achiote, spices and citrus, wrapped in banana leaf and served with pickled red onions. Served with beans and tortillas. Enmoladas 3 rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken and smothered with our housemade mole, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Served with beans and tortillas. This is a TRUE destination restaurant. Relaxing and delicious. read more

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Absolutely the most amazing service. The food was to die for. + Price is very reasonable. I ordered take out, and enjoyed the meal tremendously. That being said, I am SO SO SO excited to have this restaurant near me. I truly loved the tacos and the ceviche, (both poke and shrimp were divine). Cant wait to try more dishes next. Plus their hot sauces are soooo yammy!!! read more

Delicious authentic Mexican food. Everything tasted fresh and clean. Homemade tortillas were delicious. As a group we ordered the taquitos and ahi ceviche. Both were delicious, especially the ahi which was served with crispy tostadas. I ordered the stuffed chili which was a perfect portion for me. The table ordered rib tips, pork shoulder, oxtail and mole enchiladas. The churo bread pudding was amazing! Everything was mouthwatering. The prices are fair. Bob Beautiful outdoor seating read more

Service was fantastic and the food was next level. 10/10 without a doubt the best Mexican on Oahu. If you are looking for legit Mexican food this is the place to go. Cocktails are great as well! We will be back!! Thank you again!! read more