Papaya Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Arlington

Friday evening visit. Arrived around 830pm, the venue was about 60% full, equally distributed between restaurant & bar areas. The atmosphere was very dim, but offset w/ very colorful lights. The location is clearly a low cost strip mall space, but decorated very well. Honestly reminded me of my San Antonio relatives, a mix between alcohol on display and plants and photos of exotic locations. So, Homey feeling?

Ordered Guacamole appetizer, a Sangria swirl margareta, and Fajitas Nortenas to share.

The guac didn't have the cilantro flavor we were expecting, but it was still good. Little slices of jalapeño, or more likely green bell pepper, in the mix. Perfectly salted chips, not too oily. Prompt delivery of chips & salsa upon being seated.

The Margarita was very watered down. They need to fix the ratio of sweet & sour mix, and use better alcohol. All I really tasted was salt from the rim. Also, not a bad idea to offer the sugar rim option, and maybe some more flavors of frozen alcohol to diversify the flavor.

Fajitas were fanrastic! Chicken & marinated steak, truly marinated with real savory flavor, and a ton of grilled veggies, typical o ion and green & red bell peppers. Combination flour and corn tortillas felt store bought, but they complimented the meal. Fajita setup was perfect, and included charro beans and rice w/ peas and corn. It would have been nice to have have a black bean option. Very delicious!

Desert options were very limited. But they did offer Tres Leches cake on the menu, and cinnamon churros. Yum!

Staff was attentive, attempted to be gracious, and helpful. It was difficult to tell if they were having a good night or not. Several staff faces looked fake-happy. The dj who set up was too loud, and made the experience...

1st timer and I wasn’t happy about my experience. We arrive and no staff is in site so we seat ourselves. About a few minutes later a waitress comes from the kitchen to greet us and takes our drink order. Then another waiter comes and brings us chips and salsa. At this time he tells us that they don’t serve breakfast in the weekends. I’m surprised considering the reason we chose Papaya was because it showed up on my search as one of the best places in Arlington to have chilaquiles. The menu didn’t have chilaquiles and breakfast wasn’t offered. Already disappointed but wanted to give the place a chance. I ordered picadillo chile relleno and my boyfriend ordered the pollo poblano. The picadillos in my chile relleno was bland and way too blended for my liking. The rice was hard and bland as well. I did like the enchilada that came with my entree but that was really it. The pollo poblano had a flavorful green sauce but the chicken was tough and chewy. I walked in with high hopes and left greatly dissatisfied. Our waitress noticed we left the majority of our food and asked if we wanted to go boxes. She was surprised when we declined the to go boxes. I’ll give them another chance but make sure it’s for...

Really enjoyed this Mexican spot! One of the better places in Arlington, that's for sure. The atmosphere could use some work. Improved lighting and making sure all of the tables don't wobble. But you don't care about the atmosphere if you are reading this, right? You are here for the food! 😋

The food was delicious and honestly some of the largest portion sizes I have had at any restaurant for the price. The asada and carnitas tacos were terrific 🔥🔥 If I go again, I would probably just order all asada tacos. The burrito was tasty too although if they cut back on the amount of cheese it would be better. It's also cheese sauce rather than cheese (at least that's what it tasted like). If you aren't a cheese lover, don't get the burrito. If you are, you will be in heaven. The rice and beans are standard.

Service was great. They were constantly checking in on us and you could tell it is a small family operation.

Definitely check this place out if you are in the mood for margaritas. They are strong and flavorful.

Overall, this is a great place to get your Mexican food fix. Stop in and help out a small business! Don't spend $15 at chipotle, get some better tasting food and a lot more of it for the same...