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My family and I Love this place. We are originally Mexican and this is the best Mexican food we can get in Vancouver area. We have been through their menu and we have our favorites. Their chips and salsa is awesome and we usually buy large container to take home. Fresh guacamole that you can not find any where else.
Their Fajitas are delicious and they are popular with every body else. Chile Relleno, Mexican classic is done very well, better than the ones in Mexico. We cheer for them and way to go El Nopalito for many more years.
I thought it was time to give this restaurant a try, especially since there was some really good reviews.. from 2008. I didn't realize this until after I got back home.
I had one of their enchilada dishes, and clearly it was NOT homemade sauce, and it had been microwaved. I'd also ordered the beef, and got chicken. My wife had the fajitas, and 90% of her dish was onions. We'd also ordered chips and salsa, and the salsa was also pre-made, and we only got 15-16 chips... for $3.
All in all, a very unsatisfying experience; we should have known when we walked in, and there was nobody else there.
I'm no great enthusiast of Mexican food, although it makes a nice change. What I like about this place is the atmosphere - it has a really nice feel to it with bits of Mexicana and earthy colours.
The service is slow and they seem understaffed, so make sure that time is on your side when you visit. The staff are very pleasant and friendly.
I enjoy this place enough to have gone back a few times, although as I said, I am no expert on this type of food.
We shared the mole poblano, and the chicken enchiladas. I also ordered the guacomole (more like a chopped avocado salad and I loved it!), and beans and rice.
Everything we tasted was perfectly seasoned, and super fresh.
I can't wait to go back.
Everything tastes home made, right down to the tortillas and salsa. I've never had such good Mexican food. This place is always hopping, and I would highly recommend it. I intend to try everything on the menu!
The service is decent...sometimes everyone seems a bit spaced out but they are friendly and the food arrives quickly.
What makes it soooo good is that everything tastes fresh....the tortillas are awesome...the salsas are so good especially the green tomatillo.....and it honestly just tastes like good wholesome fresh food for the right price. Do yourself a favour and try a chicken with green salsa instead of a greasy hamburger :)
It appears to be family run and we learned our server was from Mexico City so I assume that this food is local fare there. Well, they must dine well in Mexico City as we found nothing to fault in the food presentation or, most importantly for Mexican food, the taste. I tried the beef fajitas I absolutely love it the service was excellent. The owners make you feel very welcome and will explain anything on the menu
In my opinion, the prices are a little high here. But all the wonderful flavours of their dishes will lure me back anytime. Highly recommended!
Great Mexican restaurant in North Van. Nice cozy atmosphere. The fajitas are my favorite. The fajita filling comes sizzling hot with a great lime juice (I think) flavor somehow in the oil. I can't explain it but you have to try it.
In anticipation of some friends visiting from Mexico in late August, we've been checking out a few Mexican/Spanish restaurants in Vancouver. Last night, based on fairly positive reviews, it was El Nopalito in North Van. The litre of Mango Margaritas for $26 was fresh-tasting but we were hard-pressed to discern the presence of tequila. There are no complimentary chips/salsa and even tortillas are extra ($2). The tortilla soup and consomme were quite good at around $5/serving. The mains we chose varied in price from $11 - $18. Each came with mixed green salad, rice and refried beans. The steak/onions I had were tasty and there were no complaints with the other mains. In comparison to similar restaurants the serving sizes would be considered small but adequate. The Churro/ice cream dessert we shared was fresh and tasty ($5.50)
The Sombrero lamps are funky, the colors of tradional mexico and the display of bottled spices at the entry is interesting.
We (4) were the only patrons (8:00pm on a Thursday) and as a result the service was fine. Overall, I felt that we didn't get $120 (including tip) worth of value because of the low-alcohol-content drinks and the relatively small serving sizes. I would return but won't be bringing my mexican visitors to experience El Nopalito in August.
We recently moved to the north shore and since have made this a regular spot. The food is consistently great and they are always very friendly to our 2 year old. As a Mexican food fan, I know it's tough to find a decent Mexican place in the lower mainland. We've been happy to keep going back here. Family-run restauirant type service.
Our experience was just OK - but nothing special. I thought it was a little over priced for what it was and the quality of the food/service they offer. They are definitely under serviced with only one waitress to do drinks and food to all tables.
That said, the food was tasty - and hence the four stars on food.
We might return return for a lunch - but not dinner.
My husband and I started going to El Nopalito right when he opened many years ago. We have since moved, but still return all the way from Vancouver for his chicken fajitas. I have woken some nights dreaming about those fajitas...they are that good.
The place is tiny, often full, often empty. The food is always great. At times I do find it a bit pricey, but I keep going back despite this. The owner is always friendly.
I do miss the chance to have a beer with my food, but those darn fajitas are worth it!
This is Mexican food, but honestly you'd do better at Taco Bell... I think the closest one is in Delta. Slow service (we sat and waited 30 minutes to even get anybody's attention), unfriendly servers, expensive, and the food was nothing special.
I've been spoiled by excellent Mexican food, but this was lackluster all around. Definitely not returning here.
I went to this restaurant twice and found it 50/50 for food. The main dishes are tasty but the rice and beans on the side are tasteless and poor. The margaritas are yummy and fresh and the salsa is delicious. I never had a problem with service but then I speak up and don't like a hovering waitress. The price is a bit steep for the quality of the food though if the side dishes matches the main dish I wouldn't complain.
We often eat at Nopalito and I feel compelled to speak on the great food, great service and great atmosphere. The Fajitas are positively "crave-worthy" and the homemade salsa beats any I have eaten before. The service is consistently prompt and polite . All sauces are made from scratch. Even their black beans (sides) were marinated with some Mex spices I haven't experienced before. Portions were just right. A delightful change from Shrek sized portions they serve up elsewhere, such as stuffed, gigantic 10 inch burritos chock full of canned beans.
We just got back from El Nopalito, and needless to say we were very disappointed. There were only two other tables seated at the time we came in. The waitress was very slow to arrive at our table. She did not wipe down our still dirty table.
Two of the three ordered tortilla soup to start. The broth was very thin and flavorless, I could see them making it up as we waited. Tortilla soup should be rich and cooked over a period of time, not slapped together like some Home Ec recipe. This appy took about 20min to arrive, she never brought waters or anything either. Two of us split the Polblano and enchiladas.
We asked for one of the the enchiladas to be vegetarian and she made a big deal about how they don't usually do it when its busy (2 other tables there) and finally after some hesitation she gave in. Dishes came and were weak and low grade mexican food. Mole sauce was garbage, the poblano tasted like grease and stale pepper. The quesadilla was a simple fold in half job. Totall bill with 3 beers was $78....
Shitty service and below average food. Most any mexican is better than this
My family and I have been visiting this place for few years already and have been through their menu. We have our favorites in menu such as chicken Taquitos, Chimichangas and Burritos. What we love about this place is freshness. Food is fresh and it is made in spot. They have great drinks; our favorite drink is Mango Margaritas, tastes awesome. Our food has never been served late considering that we always order chips and salsa with Quesadilla as appetizer before we start.
I recently went with a few friends to this place and was very dissapointed. Along with others, we waited 45 mins for our food and there was only two other tables there. We felt like we were being avoided. I have been here before, and thought things have changed... but in no way they did. I am a Mexican food lover and this place disappointed me. I have tried the Margaritas and it seem that they forgot the Tequila.....? How could they!
The food was good... only because we were all starving to death and the service.....well..... thats another story. Others be warned... you will wait for your food. The only best Mexican in Vancouver... is Casa de Amigos... no one has come close to it.
Went for a birthday dinner, waited nearly 15 minutes for drinks (one of two tables in restaurant), had to ask for birthday girl's drink (forgotten water), no sharing plates for groups nachos, no replacement cutlery or napkins, no quality check (for appys or mains), no offer of drink refills. The fastest thing that happened all night was the waitress giving us the bill (dropped from two inches above the table) with a clank. I guess the birthday girl didn't want dessert (the server clearly didn't care to even offer it). We were told to "calm down" when we held up the bill complete with credit card (over five minutes after it was given). I have been here several times before and although the food is usually good the service usually isn't. This is the first time that i have ever had to ask a server to stop being rude to my fiancee. We dine out at least two or three times a week and this is easily in my top three for 'Worst Service/Restaurant Experience Ever'. The server was inattentive, rude and confrontational. If you choose to eat here BEWARE!!
Fast service on a Friday evening with some tasty fajitas - try the shrimp one! Looks like they have hired more staff. Water glasses were always full and the appetiser came out quickly and the main course came soon after.
read other reviews before going so was prepared for poor service, and planned a relaxing long meal. service was not as slow as mentioned, but i can see how the solo waitress could become overwhelmed on a busy night.
the food was excellent. enchiladas and the taco soup were outstanding! wifes fajitas looked great also.
highly recommend el nopalito
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