El Molcajete Mexican Restaurant and Cantina — Restaurant in Delano

Typical Mexican restaurant and cantina atmosphere. But, a really nice big TV for those into that, too, and I imagine they put on games and such if you want to kick back with a taco and beer and watch. Service could be better, but that maybe due to our servers being switched over on us and information not relayed between shift change (or whatever caused our first server to stop serving us and leave the restaurant 10 minutes after seating us - hope it wasnt a family emergency and just a weird business practice). Food was fairly decent: proteins were excellent, bean/rice were good, other components were fresh but boring. Named after a molcajete, I would expect lots of fresh spices and pastes and lots of sauces. They don't even make their own hot sauce, but hand out a bottle of cholula. Use that molcajete! Being "El Molcajete" I was also hopeful for more exotic ingredients from that culture like nopal, chilles (beyond the jalepeno), squash, quoina (even though I am not a fan), or at least something outside the realm of iceberg lettuce and the classic under-ripe tomato that accompany every other Tex-Mexican-American place and so-called-Mexican fast food "Bell" or "Johns" seems to serve. Above all, avoid the horchata, imagine as if its made with cyanide, because it tastes like poison! Staff said it is made from concentrate, but tastes more like the powdered mix and is beyond terrible at that! If I order horchata at a restaurant, I expect a nice tasty glass someone might serve their abuela on her birthday. Something tasteful and restaurant quality, fit for an adult, served with respect, not powder poured from an envelope made for kids! It is shameful they are trying to pass it off to naive Minnesotans as if it is the real deal. This horchata is nothing more than "Mexican Kool-Aid" for kids, something mama might whip together in 30 seconds so her small child will give her peace. There is a reason you don't see pitchers of Kool-Aid passed off as juice in restaurants! If you can't take it up a few notches and serve the real thing or at least something close to the real thing, chef should take it...

El Molcajeta just blew my mind. I cannot believe my luck, finding great Mexican food in the small town I now call home. When my wife and I moved from Chicago to MN we tried many joints in the western Suburbs and hated them all. Then we moved to Delano and found a gem we hope will flourish for a long time. Real Hispanics were running the place, which is always a good sign. There wasn't some MN scandahoovian lady greeting you with a horribly accented 'Hola' (stick to the lefse and meatballs folks). No these guys know what they're doing in the kitchen.

My enchiladas verdes were delicioso and were accompanied by a nice helping of rice and beans. My wife tried the carnitas tacos and seemed to enjoy them very much. The tacos and the enchiladas were both topped to please the MN palate with iceburg lettuce, but we are sure they have cilantro and onion back in that kitchen and next time we will ask if they would use them to top the tacos. They also had horchata and that made my night. This lightly spiced rice-milk drink has been a favorite of mine since my college days of two am burrito binges. So folks if you live in the area or are visiting give El Molcajeta a try. You won't be disappointed and you'll be supporting a small local joint (that's always a...

This is strictly a condemnation of their customer service and to-go service only; the food is passable enough (I am a latino-american) and if you show up physically and eat in-house the portions are fair-ish, (if a bit overpriced) BUT if you order to-go they totally rip you off. A side order of beans and rice consists of about an ice cream scoop of both and will run you $5.00! It's a bit ridiculous. Also, the "Served with Lettuce, Tomato, and Sour Cream" is literally a half-cup of shredded iceberg, 1/2 of a tomato slice, and about 1 Tablespoon of sour cream. On top of that you are charged an additional $.50 for EACH INDIVIDUAL DISH ORDERED! Including sides! So, if you want to frequent this business and give them your custom, show up in person and eat in-house or you're gonna get ripped off.As for the customer service, I've never had anyone be out-and-out rude, (though I know those who have) but they don't seem overly interested in your business; it's borderline as if you're putting them out sometimes. I would have given them 3, maybe 4 stars but friendly staff is important to me (and I'll tip accordingly!) and I also expect my take-out portions to match my in-house portions as I frequently order out. That's...