Hi There, I usually eat Mexican food maybe 4 times in a year. So far I have been to this place 3 times in one month. For one thing it is within walking distance to where I live, big plus. Anyway, I have tried the Carne Asada, Enchiladas and Tamale plates. I thought the Tamales were exceptional. Some other places that I have tried, it is usually just cormeal with a little bit of filling but here, it was just the opposite, nice amount of filling. Though, all the dishes I have tried were all excellent and the portions were generous. Oh, forgot to mention that the chips, salsa and soft drinks are refillable. The waitresses are always friendly and always come around to make sure everything is OK. To be fair, I come here before the crowd so I cannot comment on how it is when it is busy. The decor and atmosphere is great and music not loud so you can actually enjoy a conversation with nice music in the background. 5 stars because everything just comes together, the food, the service the atmosphere. Its a place where you can relax and enjoy the great food.
I liked this place as soon as I walked in! My day started well because my friend had the day off and was able to have lunch with me. She had dined at Chile Relleno before and said that she had a good experience AND (as a bonus) our coworker loves this place! I knew that it was a Hot and New business on Yelp, but I didn't rush over because Mexican cuisine isn't my favorite. Chile Relleno may have changed my mind! We drove around the Ko'olau Center (in Temple Valley) parking lot a couple of times before we found a space. There's a movie theater and several other restaurants that share the parking, so at peak times, just be patient. The decor and ambiance were winners for me. I liked looking at all of the decorations and was thrilled when I discovered that the lighting above us were clear glass water dispensers with silver spigots! I need to get a picture next time! The service was another plus. Our waitress was patient, efficient, and helpful. She made great suggestions and helped us select delicious menu items! My friend got the Sidral Mundet apple soda and I got the Sangria (grape) soda...yum! We began our feast with complimentary crunchy chips and fresh, slightly spicy salsa. I changed the Fish Tacos to Shrimp Tacos at no extra cost. The flavors were ono...the guacamole and savory sauce made the shrimp seem firmer and sweeter! Overall, we had a fantastic impromptu meal! We plan to return for the horchata, tortilla salad, chile relleno, and more...like the $2.50 Taco Thursdays!
After hanging out at Kuoloa Beach Park, we drove to Chile Relleno for dinner and it was amazing! Their Horchata is the best!! I had the Carnitas and I love how it wasn't greasy. So good! My friends had e fish tacos and the Carne Asada nachos. Three of us are from CA, so the Carne Asada was alright. The nachos were good but the Carne lacked a little flavor. Love the atmosphere and the clean bathrooms. The place has been newly renovated we've been told. Definitely love the real Mexican atmosphere. I wish it was closer to town!! I will definitely come back to try some other dishes.
We were sightseeing and got hungry. We stopped here on a whim, not expecting much. We were very pleasantly surprised! They have a little different twist than we are use to from California, but it was good! Potatoes in a few items, everything was made here, not canned, and we could tell. Be careful, nothing is small. We are leaving fat & happy!!
Hobo Bag Elephant Thai Hippie Stitch Pattern Avarada Purple Messenger Bohemian Purse Geometry Sling Crossbody Cotton Cross Not too many restaurants in the Kahalu'u area so nice to see the fairly New Mexican restaurant that has opened across from Valley of the Temples. If you are on the main Highway (Kahekili) just take a right when you see the McDonalds and you'll find this quaint little Mexican Restaurant. It has a nice family feel to the restaurant, it's always crowded, but never a long wait. Food is good, reasonably priced and great service. Haven't been, but they have live Mexican music on Wednesdays, which should be pretty cool. This is a nice change and one of the few restaurants that may be able to survive in the area. So if you're driving through Kahalu'u, give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Food was lacking flavor and really missed the mark for us. They did have live music which cool, and our server Amanda was amazing!! If it weren't for her, I'd give this place 2 stars. Not a mean person, just simply stating the food was below par. Needs better flavor and all around help in the kitchen.
Take out nachos were soggy and junk. Also found a huge hard piece of avocado in our guacamole. Disappointed since we asked for all the nacho toppings on the side except the cheese and chicken and yet we got our order with toppings on top which made all the chips soggy. This is the second time we've done take out and they got our order wrong
This restaurant is beyond fabulous. The food overall I'd likely give closer to 4 stars, but customer service will always bump my rating up to a 5. Olivia was a phenomenal waitress who met our every need, and as we were in a rush, we got our food, ate, and left within 45 minutes. In order to accommodate that rush, I asked if we could have our food in to-go containers just in case, and we didn't even need it! She also asked if we wanted rice and beans with it, which is the first time I've ever given that option in a Mexican restaurant, which made me excited since I'm not as big a fan of Spanish rice, but I love the beans. First, we were given probably the best chips and salsa I've /ever/ had, and our table of 4 ate 3 baskets worth during that time (again, Olivia was killing it, bringing us a refill, and then a second one when she noticed how quickly we were eating them). Our orders of Horchata came in pitchers, which was probably the most exciting thing I've ever seen. My only wish was that there was a bit more cinnamon in the Horchata - it did seem a little underseasoned in that sense. The food came quickly, and my chile relleno was cooked beautifully and tasted fantastic. The beans were tasty as well, and what I tried of the breakfast burrito was solid as well. I'd be so happy to return to this place, just based on the chips and salsa, but they have so many options on the menu that this feels like a much more authentic Mexican restaurant than I've seen in others in Hawaii, and it was just so tasty.
We have been trying to find Mexican food on island for a while now. Our friend recommended this place and it did not disappoint! In fact I'm thinking it may be our place to go after church more often! Everything tasted great. The atmosphere is laid back and everyone is friendly, observant and sweet. Our glasses were always filled and the chips and salsa were overflowing. The food came out fast and hot. It was nice being able to see the food being made since they have an open floor plan and a large window looking straight into the kitchen. The bathrooms were clean and private. All in all I would recommend this place to all of our friends and family looking for a great experience, friendly service, good portions, reasonable prices and great food.
Was skeptical at first because good Mexican food is hard to find but after my mother in law brought some of this food home I fell in love. I've only tried the Koolau Chile Relleno twice now but both times it's been AWSOME!!! It's also safe to say I normally don't eat anything else at Mexican restaurants so I'm VERY picky when it comes to Chile Rellenos. Also I normally never order anything other than chicken Chile Rellenos because one I'm not a big fan of ground beef and two a lot of places don't do it right so the entire Chile Relleno is just greasy. But both times I've gotten the Koolau which if you have seen the menu is made with beef! It's just that darn good. My only critique is I would love more of the panela cheese... but that's just me because I LOVE cheese. My husband has tried the stuffed peppers and taco salad he liked both. Taco salad comes with a lot of sour cream and toppings which he loved. My boys had the quesadilla they like it. I loved that it came with guacamole a small salad and sour cream. Overall this place is AWESOME and I'm so glad they are right down the street from me. I can't wait to try all their other dishes.
More times than not, it's the service that'll win me over, more than the food itself. At Chile Relleno, the food is decent, but it's the service that will keep me coming back. It was awesome - very friendly, and the food came out at a decent pace. On a Wednesday night, there was a full house by 6:15pm. Not sure if this is the case every night, or because there was live entertainment. Chips/salsa are free (yes!). My friend ordered her go-to at mexican restaurants - the chimichanga, and I ordered a fiesta bowl with carne asada (it's basically a salad over a bed of spanish rice and black beans). Portions are generous - we both took home half of our meals because we wanted to save room for dessert - CHURROS with ice cream! W00t! Parking is plentiful, but be careful of the traffic if you're heading here from kaneohe town during rush hour.
We've been lacking quality Mexican food this side of the Ko'olau so we were excited to hear a potentially hot spot would only be a 7 minute drive from home. Perhaps we need to dine in vs take out as the photos and reviews seem to be decent. However, on our 12.03.17 visit, we were not impressed. The food lacked flavor and overall passion. It's as if they were rushed and threw everything in the takeout containers without giving it another thought. Will give this place another try based off the other good reviews.
Meh. Mediocre at best. My friend's nachos had too much cheese on top, so it didn't melt all the way through. They should later the cheese instead. The bottom chips were all plain chips. No. My mini quesadilla also had too much cheese. Also, they nickel and dime you on top of already overly charging overall for everything. I think it might be illegal to charge for BYOB. I've never seen anywhere do that on the mainland.
Stopped here randomly! It is located across the Valley of Temples! It is nicely decorated and has festive music. There was a good amount of seating and a variety of choices on the menu. The menu had a good amount of vegetarian options and meat choices of course. There was a complimentary chips and salsa. I feel like the salsa is the kind that is bought from the store. It was still pretty good and had a little kick to it. I ordered the mamamia Chile Relleno. It came with Mexican rice and black beans with cheese on top. The Chile Relleno had cheese inside of it with shrimp and fish on the top. The sauce it was with was the most delicious part! The rice and beans weren't anything out of the ordinary. The ladies working there were very friendly and made sure we didn't need anything at all times and kept our waters full. Food: 8/10 Service: 10/10
This place just debuted a new menu the day before so I can't compare it to what the old menu was like. I'm eating keto and had just had some dental work done so it wss a precarious situation in my mouth, ha! They have all day breakfast options so I ordered their chorizo 2 egg omelette since I needed to eat soft food. It was amazing! Plenty of chorizo and the omelette itself was thin (which I like!). The meat was flavorful with their specialty rojo sauce. The omelette was not too wet (a hangup for me) and not too dry (another hangup). It comes with your choice of rice and beans or country potatoes. My husband ate the potatoes and said they were ok. I asked if they can substitute a green salad instead of rice&beans/potatoes and they said "Of course!" So this will be my family's go-to the next time we're craving Mexican in Kaneohe. They can eat salsa, tortilla chips and chimichangas while I eat their amazing chorizo omelette again. Service was also great!
My first time here - I had the carnitas plate with black beans & flour tortillas. The carnitas were delicious - tasty & a little crispy. The Spanish rice, beans & salsa were fine. I'll come back for a carnitas burrito! The restaurant is clean & soacious; the staff is helpl & friendly!
The Chili Relleno is a New Mexico restaurant. I love Mexican food and Chili Rellenos. This restaurant has a classic Mexican Decore, artwork and stucco. They Took some time in making the inside to look like you went back in time, an Old Mexican home. I loved all the beautiful wooden carved pieces placed around the restaurant. They offer booths and table seating. The restaurant has an open kitchen setting. This restaurant was fresh and clean. My friend and I were greeted when we walked in and seated right away. We were handed menus and chips and salsa. Chiles Rellenos (literally, stuffed peppers) are one of the classics that Mexican restaurants almost always offer. It's Normally a Pabano Chili filled with cheese, making them ideal for vegetarians. The Chili is battered and then deep fry. They use Queso fresco as their stuffing, a Mexican cheese, Queso fresco has a salty-sour kick, like feta. Ive had Queso Fesco sprinkled on top of my meals as a garnish, but this is the first time I've had it Cooked inside my Chili Relleno. I was surprised the cheese didn't melt and it kept its shape after being fried . All the Chili Relleno I've had in the past, were stuffed with Jack cheese. This restaurant offers 6 different Chili Rellenos. They offered the traditional cheese and they have a few stuffed ones. Please note: When they say "stuffed", the so called "stuffing" is actually on top of the Chili Relleno. The "stuffed" options are carne, vegetarian, corn, seafood and roasted potatoes. I ordered the corn. My Chili Relleno had grilled corn on top with a Verde sauce. It also came with rice and beans. I opted out, on the refried beans and ordered black beans instead. They cook their refried beans with Lard, FYI. My friend ordered the seafood Chili Relleno. Hers came with shrimp and fish with a spicy red sauce. This was her first time having a Chili Relleno. She enjoyed her meal, she especially love the sauce. I ordered The Tardictionales burrito to take home to my husband . I changed the Burrito to my husband's liking and they were happy to do that for me. I went with the Kearny Asada. My Extremely picky Husband, was very happy with his burrito. They also offer Enchiladas, Tacos, Quesadillas, Tamales, Chimichangas, Carnitas, Ceviche, Rice bowls and Salads. I'm giving this restaurant four stars instead of five, because I wasn't a fan of the Salsa, it was not chunky. They give small portions of the salsa and they did not refill our chips. Also I wasn't a fan of the guacamole, It just taste like avocado, it was missing something. All in all, our meal was delicious and our server was attentive and friendly. I will be back to try some of the other dishes at this restaurant.
Located in the Koolau Shopping Center. This was the old Hawaiian food place next to Times Supermarket. Just opened a few months ago and word is beginning to get out so it's getting crowded at nights. Was a packed room tonight at 7pm. Reasonable prices, a lot of food, and excellent waitresses. Service was spot on despite the crowd. They have this weird thing about water- you have to ask for it to get it, so don't be upset if they don't bring you water immediately. It apparently says that on the front of the menu, but who looks at the front of a menu?! Horchata is amazing! It's fresh and homemade. I ordered the taco salad with Kailua pork. Everything was fresh- lettuce, edamame, pork- just a great dinner! Bill for two came out to o $30. Not bad!
This place is great!! Reasonably priced food and you get a big plate. Free chips and salsa. Nice service--very pleasant staff. Clean bathroom. Didn't have to wait long. Taste ono. And if you waiting for dmv great place to kill time.
My favorite Mexican place on the island. It's honestly a little taste of my childhood. The wall decor is authentic murals, I recognize the artist from a restaurant in my old hometown. The location is super convenient, right across from valley of the temples, I'll spend all day there and then walk across to this cute spot. They are byob ($2 charge per person) but there is a grocery store that has a huge selection of wine and beers next door. Last time I went I ordered the Carne Asada and omg was it perfect! Juicy and tender and just melt in your mouth. Served with rice and beans and guacamole, was a good price for the quality. Portions could have been bigger but overall the taste made up for it. Only thing I didn't understand was the peas in the guacamole, felt that was a little hipster but that's just me...The waitstaff is amazing, attentive but not in your face. Very knowledgeable about the menu and answered all my questions. Get the lemonade personal pitcher, shipped in fresh from Maui and I don't think I've had anything better. I wanted to take some extra home and make slushees out of it. I think the coolest thing about the decor was the two wooden sculptures they have. A giant carved octopus is by the kitchen, and a horse herd pillar as you walk in. Will definitely be coming back.
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