El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Lyndon

So, me and the old lady are at a birthday party at champs. We can't help but notice there's a mexican resteraunt next door. It's only 430, so we know it's dead, and we can get in and out fast. That was the plan walking in. Go eat at a place with the same sysco ingredients as everywhere else and be satisfied. Or so we thought.

Hoooo-leeeee crap. This place is amazing. The atmosphere is cool and the staff is friendly, but the food is genuinely next level. It starts with their crafted-in-house salsa. Bright and vibrant with a ton of flavor and the right amount of heat for mass appeal. Then, they bring out the crafted-in-house queso. Expertly spiced, smooth and creamy. I got tacos. (Crosses myself and says a hail mary) They are absolutely the best tacos I've ever tasted in the city of louisville. The last time I tasted those flavors was in a hole in the wall joint in Florida where no one spoke English. The chorizo......there's something I can't identify. Some flavor I don't know fills the olfactory cavity with every bite. I was entranced. I asked what the flavor was, but the server didn't know. She went on to explain that the chorizo is also made in-house, and the recipes are more traditional with a more authentic flavor profile.

Meanwhile, my old lady gets the barria torta. Something neither of us had heard of, but the pics looked excellent. Reminded me of the ropa vieja at Havana rumba. What she got was a Mexican pot roast sandwich the size of a dinner plate. Hot, juicy meat piled high, covered in pickled onions and dripping with au jus. Served with a ramiken of au jus for dipping......She sat there playing with her food. Tearing off bits to flavor differently with the myriad of options available. Verde and rojo, both made by hand. Lime, cilantro, red diced onions, pickled onions, and the aforementioned queso. She must have tried a dozen different combinations. Making o faces and noises the entire time. She didn't finish half.

So needless to say her and I were planning our next visit two bites in. As we sat there, my other measuring stick for mexican resteraunts filled the room around me. What I look for is, do people from that culture eat there? The answer is a resounding yes. When we left, there were more people of Hispanic descent eating than any other group. It was truly a spectacular experience.

I have found my new spot.

You should come...

On a recent outing for Mexican (we wanted to go to HAY!!! CHI-WA WAA, but it has closed), we ended up at El Mariachi. That’s not to be read as a consolation restaurant. Not at all. El Mariachi was awesome and unbelievably authentic.

We were immediately greeted when we walked in and seated just as quickly…and before we knew it bam there was basket of chips and salsa.

The menu was pretty extensive, and written about 50/50 English/Spanish. True to form, though Jim (that’s me!) ordered tacos. I absolutely love tacos that are made on a corn tortilla, my choice of meat, and nothing but onion and cilantro. My meat choices for this visit were carne asada, chorizo, and carnitas, my wife one of the shrimp meals.

The food delivery was well-timed, as we had just finished up our first basket of chips. I asked for some salsa verde to accompany my tacos. Everything tasted GREAT. The salsa verde could have been a bit spicier, but that’s not a complaint. I was in taco heaven.

The only “problem” we experienced was a bit of a language barrier, but that wasn’t the problem of the restaurant. The restaurant is very authentic (like I said before), and I don’t think English is the primary language of the employees. We’ve been to Mexico and to Spain and can work our way though most restaurant conversations fairly well and were to order our meals relatively easily (and with a little bit of menu pointing) and, much to my delight, were delivered the way we wanted them.  The “problem” came when I ordered an iced tea refill and got sweet tea instead, but given the situation I’m not going to give that a lot of weight.

The décor is authentically Mexican, and the music was at a good volume level. The televisions were on channels that were covering soccer, the volume all the way down.

El Mariachi is hidden away in a small retail area (that supports another Mexican eater), it’s very easy to miss this restaurant, so SLOW DOWN, obey the speed limit, and...

I have been fortunate enough to be served by Yazmin on several occasions, and I can say without a doubt that she is the best waitress I have ever met. Her service is impeccable, always prompt, and with an attention to detail that really stands out. From the moment we arrive, Yazmin greets us with a warm smile, and her positive attitude is maintained throughout the entire experience. She makes sure that our drinks are always full and our dishes arrive at the table at the perfect temperature. Her promptness does not compromise the quality of the service at all, as she is always attentive to our needs and anticipates any request.

The restaurant, for its part, is consistently excellent. The food is always fresh and arrives at the table at the ideal temperature, demonstrating a clear commitment to quality. The atmosphere is welcoming, and you can tell that every detail is carefully thought out to provide a memorable dining experience.

Also, I want to highlight the work of the manager, Juan. Every time we visit the restaurant, he makes sure that my family and I have the best experience possible. He is always friendly, approachable, and clearly committed to the satisfaction of his customers. Juan has a knack for making every visit feel special, and that's something we deeply appreciate.

Bottom line, if you're looking for a place with great food and exceptional service, this is it. Thank you Yazmin and Juan for making every visit a...