Abelardo's Mexican Fresh — Restaurant in Coralville

You get what you pay for.

Look guys they're a newer location and at least the building is new and isn't inside of an old burnt down dairyqueen(cough Cedar Rapids). Anyways; come here on Tuesdays. Order their special; chicken or ground beef tacos with flour, hard shell or fried tortillas 5 for $5.99. You can't beat that. The portions arnt as big as other places that have Tuesday specials but you're not tipping a server and are still able to sit down and eat.

I lived in San Antonio for over a decade and I am extremely appreciative of the attempt to keep a self serving free salsa bar and free chips up front at the counter. It reminds me of all of the 24 hour places there in SA that really knew how to build value to your visit. That being said; they are usually pretty busy and I've only seen chips available upfront 1 time out of my 3 visits to this location so far. Does not affect my rating. It tells me that someone in management is trying. Any other "$20 plus plate" CR "Mexican" place can look at what they're doing and step their game up.

Pay attention to the person calling out orders coming out of the kitchen; once again you dont have a server, you dont have someone advocating for you and your food amongst all the other people in line and waiting. Just get off your phone and act like you're there to eat and you'll do just fine. Seeing a ton of people complaining about service and wait times. If the line is out the door and the drive thru is full; guess what? You're going to have to wait for order and if you don't like that? Go to a super overpriced place nearby that puts fried potatoes in all of their food lol.

Make jamaica agua frescas sweeter 😌 Keep up with the free chips and salsa bar up front.

Thanks for making this...

Having spent a lot of time Mexico, I've always had a deep appreciation for great Mexican food. I was pleasantly surprised to discover Abelardo's in Coralville. This place has quickly become my favorite local spot for great Mexican food. I was surprised to learn that it is a chain restaurant. Order at the counter or at one of the kiosks.

Everything I've had there is good but, for me, the star of the show at Abelardo's are the steak fajitas. The meat is flavorful, and the accompanying vegetables are perfectly grilled. And you're going to get a lot more meat than vegetables, unlike at many other places. I can't get enough of the perfectly cooked rice and beans. The fajitas are served with a huge, hot tortilla, which is perfect for scooping up all the deliciousness. The chips and salsa bar is also a prize. The chips are fresh and crispy, and the various salsas are flavorful and have just the right amount of spice.

If you're looking for great Mexican food in Coralville, I highly recommend Abelardo's. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is inviting, the price is right, and the staff is friendly. Thanks, Joe. It's a great place to experience the flavors of Mexico without having to leave Iowa.

Update: Just returned after a few months being away, and it's...

My friends and I visited Abelardo’s late last night, and I must say, the food exceeded all expectations. It’s undoubtedly some of the best Mexican cuisine in the Iowa City/Coralville area. I ordered a steak burrito, and the meat was perfectly tender, seasoned to perfection, and paired beautifully with their extra green sauce—it was absolutely mind-blowing.

I’ve noticed some negative reviews that seem unfair. The staff at Abelardo’s work incredibly hard and genuinely care about providing great service, as long as they’re treated respectfully. Expecting refunds for minor issues or personal preferences seems unreasonable to me.

If you’re a fan of authentic Mexican food, you’ll love this place. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention their churros—they’re...