Just add a little more salt and pepper to the food. Overall great place
This place has sushi AND Mexican food. The beat of both. The service is EXCELLENT - fast and fresh. The ambiance is festive and music is nice for background music. The beer called “the naked Mexican” is very tasty and food was great. I recommend 👍🏼
Best Mexican food in joburg
Real great how they are able to infuse so many flavors and still make it taste good, try Totopos Ranchos you won't go wrong gr8 dining place.
Cocktails are always good especially the margaritas. Always try something new on the menu when I visit. I have enjoyed everything I have tried.
We found this little Gem last night and weren't disappointed! The decor is vibrant, the staff is friendly and the overall vibe was great! Very impressed with the food and drinks. Tasted great! ♡♡ good vibes!
Went there without any plan. Saw the place from outside kinda cute ♥. So we decided to try, I love it's atmosphere very Mexican with those fancy colours 😘😍. Tough to decide the menu as it's sooo many delicious items 😜 but anyway we picked Jalapeño Poppers (is a must try!!) , Arepitas, Chimichanga and Nachos. I'm Soooo much in love with the Poppers - strong and addictive 🤤.... And the Nachos... Oh my!! It's soooo yummy!! The melting cheese... The crispness... 💞. I definitely going back there for more items to try!
Have been here often, had mixed experiences but overall more good than bad. Went just after Christmas and the service was really slow (think they were short staffed). Have been back since and was heaps better. A great place to go for reasonably priced Mexican food. Love the platters, we always order those for some variety. My husband loves the generous servings. We've been for one of the quiz nights as well- was a good, fun atmosphere.
The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and the food is great. Had a most enjoyable time and will definitely be back again. Great new discovery.
On arrival I realised that this is probably a restaurant one should book for before hand as it is very small and tables are limited, as so with most Linden restaurants. All the tables were reserved but yet tge waiters and manager immediately assisted me and made sure to move tables around so that we had somewhere to sit. I wasnt ignored neither left to one side , they made sure to help me as soon as they could without any fuss. The food and the small yet invitefull atmosphere all held hand together with good service and quality taste. We truly enjoyed our evening and will be back soon.
El Jalapeno is a colourful, quirky little Mexican restaurant in Linden. I asked for recommendations and ended up eating the chicken quesadilla. The menu clearly states all food is served mild so don't forget to order some heat if that's your preference. The hot chilli sauce is also not particularly hot so you might need to ask for something additional from the kitchen. The quesadilla was full of cheese and chicken so book complaints there. I followed up with dessert - tres leche, something I've never heard of so I had to experiment. It reminded me of a childhood treat - it's cake soaked in milk with a meringue topping. It has a light flavour, not too sweet and definitely a pleasant way to end my Saturday lunch.
The service is quiet and unassuming. The staff were never far away and responded quickly with a smile on their face.
I'm sure this place would also be fun in the evening - lots of interesting drinks to choose from.
Visited on a Saturday night. First impression was well decorated but very small. Groups of 4+ should definitely book to avoid disappointment. Started off with jalapeno poppers to share, the usual portion of 3 - so far the best we've had. For mains we had a burrito and a quesadilla which was great. The filling and portion was reasonable and the prices were average. Will definitely go again as the menu had many hard to find dishes. Please note they dont do Nachos.
Definitely a hidden gem just wish they expanded the restaurant size a bit.
We visited this vibrant restaurant for a lunch and found the food to be delicious. How refreshing is it to have so many new and interesting food options to choose from and so many vegetarian choices. Staff were helpful and friendly and we found the service to be good.
The primary thumbs up this place gets is the fact that they have loads of meat free options - a HUGE win for those of us that don't eat meat and normally struggle. The staff were very friendly and helpful and after their wonky table caused my drink to fall in my lap, they replaced the drinks,on the house, which really impressed me. The food was a decent portion, flavours ok but nothing to rave about. The vegetable burrito I had contained, to me, really arb veg like green beans which I felt wasn't very Mexican and didn't fit. We ordered churros for dessert which were raw inside but they gladly remade them and they were really tasty! Not a bad place at all, I think I'm just full of nonsense about food :D
Interesting change of culinary scenery. Nice and spicy Mexican casual dining. Reasonable prices. Nice variety of cocktails - obviously tequila features prominently. Will definitetly go again.
We had a lovely evening at El Jalapeño. Tiny little restaurant with a very cosy and friendly atmosphere. The decor was fun and inviting and the staff was very friendly and helpful. I had a Margarita Thai, which I will definitely recommend. It is very refreshing and a nice change from a regular Margarita. I will also recommend the starter platter for two, it gives you a nice variety of most of the yummy starters on their menu. Mains were just as yummy. Unfortunately we didn't have space for dessert but looking around in the restaurant it also looked very good.
The best cucumber frozen margarita in town. We haven't been dissapointed... food or cocktail-wise. Awesome staff, awesome food, awesome cocktails ❤
Ordered tamales through order in, was aaaaa-maaaaziiinng.. and Holy Shmole was the mole good. Also had churros, delicious. I cannot wait to visit the place in person.
Popular little restaurant in Linden that serves a wide variety of classic Mexican food at reasonable prices. Decor is bright and rustic. The poppers were just hot enough and both the nachos and the tostadas were good portions and tasty. Margaritas were slightly sweet for my liking but fairly reasonable at R50. Service was really good, friendly and attentive.
Overall good value for money if you want a casual vibe where to you can indulge in Mexican food (and who doesn't?)
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El Jalapeño's motto is "Bringing the flavours of Mexico and Latin America to Joburg!" and on first visit, this vibey little spot tucked away on 7th street in Linden really does its best to deliver! Brightly coloured interiors, recycled mats and recycled glass lamps, all make for a lot of character and I absolutely loved what I found!
I don't know about you but you really cannot beat a zesty margarita paired with a cheesy plate of nachos!
On the starter side:
- Spicy chicken wings
- Jalapeno Poppers - delicious, cheesy and perfectly cooked! These hollowed out crispy crumbed jalapeños filled with cheese and spices served with cream and coriander dip were delicious! These were the clear winner in the starter category for me!
- Vegetarian Totopos Rancheros: layers of beans, cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and melted cheddar with tortilla chips.
On the mains:
- De-shelled prawn fajita freshly cooked in a mix of spices, garlic, onion, peppers dished up sizzling with guacamole, salsa, cheese, pico de gallo, cream and three warm wheat tortillas.
- Chicken Burrito: toasted wheat tortilla wrapped about around beans, rice, chicken, guacamole, lettuce, cheese and pico de gallo, served with cream and salsa on the side. This chicken burrito is exceptional value-for-money and simply stuffed with wholesome chicken. I really could not recommend it more!
This cheap and cheerful, brightly colored Mexican spot is great value-for-money and our service from Jane was friendly and quick... all in all - a great night out!
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Great food and a great linden vibe. Cocktail menu has great variety , food is on point. Very efficient service. Fits in perfectly with the linden vibes. Will definitely be back.
The food is great. Cocktails are lovely, staff is friendly. It's a great vibe any day of the week.
Colourful interior and warm atmosphere. The menu had great variety and the service was good. Would go back to try other menu items. I can't say I was completely wow'd by the flavours, I did have to salt a bit. I had the chicken Empanadas for starters and the prawn Tostadas for mains. Couple of cocktails, shooters etc. The de-shelled prawns were a bit chewy on the Tostadas, think perhaps they were frozen prawns. Churros for dessert and they were delicious!
My absolute favourite Mexican restaurant! The service is good without being obtrusive and annoying. The manager remembers us everytime we return and has a little treat to make us feel welcome, be it churros on the house or a soda float for the kids. The portions are a good size for their price which means you can have starters , mains and dessert without breaking the bank. The empanadas are a winner for starters. The nachos were huge, filling and cheesy. The tamales piled high with your choice of topping. Burritos full and heavy. Churros soft and fluffy. All round a fun dining experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a unpretentious and nice night out.
Awesome addition to our neighbourhood in Linden. Good food,nice flavours and friendly staff. Love the Mexican twist to the decor. The fajitas is a must try.
A mixed bag of Zomato reviews left me unsure of what to expect at El Jalapeño - whilst Mexican food is easy, it can go wrong very fast. Luckily this wasn't the case here at all and we were very happy with our meal.
I had a delicious non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri which I got rid of pretty fast. We ordered one of the platters to share between 2 of us - a great way to sample multiple dishes at a very reasonable price.
We opted for the taco, tostada and tamale platter with a combination of chicken, pork and beef. The pork was outstandingly tender and the beef and chicken were both delicious. It was our first time trying tamales and whilst tasty, they probably won't replace tostadas and tacos as our favorite.
For a weekday night the place was surprisingly busy, a great sign of a place that's popular. Definitely worth a visit.
Great place, great vibe, great Mexican fare will be back!!!! Love the fact you can order from Hashi next door as well!! Love the Linden Street vibe.
Festive and fun feel at this place. Tequila-based every-kind-of-drink. My tip: steer clear of the mexican cerveza and remember that you can order sushi from Hashi (next door) directly to your table at El Jalapeno
I had such a great time here! Delicious food, fast service and an enjoyable ambience 👌👌 Can't wait to come back and bring everyone I know!
Fantastic Mexican food. Starters: Botanas Mixtas tasting platter. Mains included: Chicken Tamales, Chicken Fajitas and Roasted Veg Burrito. Desert: Churros Con Chocolate
The food was delious and decently presented. Service was very friendly and relatively quick.
The decor was simple and fun. The Manager Freedom was really good to us from start to finish and very attentive which we loved. We were even given extra delious deserts afterwards. Loads more meals to sample on the next visit back.
Danger! There is a (very good) Mexican restaurant within walking distance to my home! This is going to be a problem. Who can resist tasty cocktails, shooters with a punch, Jalapeño Poppers which are firm but the cheese is melted perfectly inside, empanadas, crunchy and fresh pulled pork tacos and the oh so tasty Fajitas with marinated steak strips!?
I can't that's for sure!
The pics might not do it justice as we do seem to be more attracted to colour and the bright red of tomatoes and caramel brown of anything deep fried, but don't let them fool you (as they did to me for a while)!
The service was very good, decor is minimalistic but effective and we were pleasantly surprised.
Linden has yet another gem!
My friend and I stumbled upon this little hidden gem a while ago and I was so glad we did. This small restaurant more than holds its own with the bigger Mexican restaurants that I have been to. The food is fresh and o so good. I ordered the pull pork tacos, while my friends got a beef quesadilla. Can't wait to go again.
A typical Linden "Hole in the wall" style restaurant, with a couple of very friendly waiters and only about a dozen tables. Very cozy and intimate, and you immediately feel relaxed and welcome when you arrive.
Their Margaritas are superb, and their Tostado's are the best I've had.
A little disappointed by the Tomales and Tacos, but their Buritos and Quesedillas were very good. An all-round great family dinner. We'll definitely be back!
Delicious food! Quite a diverse menu - recommend the platters as you get to try a bit of everything. Good service. I've been a number of times and have always been impressed.
This place has a really nice vibe and is in the up and coming trendy neighbourhood. The food was delicious - we had a starter platter and nachos for starters. And chicken and pork soft shell tacos. The only fault was the service. It was very slow (the food came quickly, but our waiter was a bit absent) - I had to wave quite a few times to get his attention. Other than that a pleasant experience.
I am rating El Jalapeño purely on their dessert as we were actually eating at Hashi next door but ordered a flan from El Jalapeño for dessert (they are owned by the same lady). The flan was absolutely delicious and we are very much looking forward to come try the full menu!
Excellent dinner! Shared the Botanas Mixtas which was delicious and very substantial. Added the gambas which were to die for! Best churros since eating them in Spain. So impressed! Will be here again.
Friendly, efficient service. Excellent food with good size portions. Love that the chef came out and spoke to each table. Will definitely go back.
Huge variety of authentic Mexican food. The food is amazing and it's very hard to decide to eat. The platters are a winner because it has various dishes that are included. Only down side is the restaurant is a bit small and cramped and they don't have beer on tap which would make the food even better.
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It does not look like much from the outside. But as they say "you cant judge a book by it's cover."
Very colourful , cozy and vibey little spot in Linden with a great atmosphere.
The food was delicious. We had a table of 15 and not one person had anything bad to say about the food. The Jalapeno Poppers were a definite hit. I ordered the Maya platter, which would be my recommendation for any first timers. You get to try a little bit of everything if your not sure what to order and it is more than enough food for 2. I also tried the Tamales which personally I did not enjoy, but that is a matter of opinion as others loved them. Also if you are not up for Mexican you can order from Hashi next door. One of the diners at our table ordered a Sushi pizza which she said was different , but good.
If you have been to some of the other newer Mexican restaurants in Joburg you be would familiar with the ever popular flavoured craft tequilas. Unfortunately you wont find that on El Jalapenos menu, however they do offer a range of cocktails, shooters and beers.
Make a reservation before you go as there is not much seating.
El Jalapeño is joining a large surge of Mexican restaurants popping up in Jo'burg. We dropped in on a busy evening without a reservation and we were happily accommodated. The margaritas are super tasty and go down well with the totopos rancheros starter which was tasty and packed with fresh ingredients. I had the beef tamales for main, tamales are delicious corn meal parcels cooked in corn husk and this was my first time finding them on the menu at a Mexican restaurant in Jo'burg, they definitely did not disappoint.
El Jalapeño is an awesome new addition to Lindens new restaurant hub.
What a cool little place. Small, vibey and very colorful with good food! The jalapeño poppers are incredible and so was the mushroom/chilli quesadilla, just the right amount of spice and heat. They had some nice looking cocktails as well so I'll have to go back for those.
This being said, the service was a great let down. Our waitress had to be called every time we wanted to order so eventually we started using any waiter around (quite annoying). Like I said, it's a small place and we got there when the place was still quiet so if the food wasn't so good, this rating would be much lower ...
Amazing food. Has authentic Mexican dishes. If you want more than tacos, nachos and the usual suspects this place is for you. The tamales were amazing. If you want a different dessert other than churros (and how I do love churros), try the bunuelos which are absolutely divine. They would get a 5 rating from me except they didn't have authentic Mexican hot chocolate which the owner promised to source. Authentic Mexican, a must try.
For Hashi and El Jelepeno (same owners). First of all the quality of the food is fantastic, so fresh! Another pro is that both restaurants allow the ordering from each other so it makes finding a hang-out much easier. Also, if you are Spanish and would love a good chat then it is the best place for that in Linden.
You need to book early in the day to get a table. Loved the ambiance, it is fun and vibey, but the food was only OK. I had the pork tacos. It was fresh, but I was not blown away by flavour.
An interesting addition to the Linden food scene. Not the best Mexican I've ever had as it lacks flavour and "umph", but a vibey spot for a quick midweek dinner. If you're with a crowd who aren't keen on Mexican, they can simply order off the Hashi menu (next door restaurant) as they share a kitchen and the staff are more than willing to accommodate you.
Outrageously delicious food - had the chicken burrito as well as tastes of the beef quesadillas, nachos and the vegetarian tostadas and everything was spot on. There are plenty of vegetarian options if you're into that, and heaps of drinks options too. Goes to prove that dynamite comes in small packages. It's something different - make sure you book a table in advance!
Great food. Good flavor. Guacamole needs more attention! Lacked seasoning and could do with a bit of livening. Awesome frozen margaritas! The strawberry one was amazing. Don't order the agua de jamaica drink. Boyf hated it.
Ria Fraser @CityFlavours
+3.5
The vibrant decor immediately transports you to Mexico, the restaurant really has a great vibe. The menu has quite a variety to choose from and everyone around the table really enjoyed their meals. Service was a bit slow and unfriendly, but shouldn't be a problem if you just having a relaxed lunch.
Oh my deliciousness!!! It's official - i like Mexican food. Stopped by for late afternoon Sunday lunch, the little tables on the sidewalk were packed. One of the coolest things of this spot is that you can order from both Hashi Sushi nextdoor and El Jalapeno - a nice problem solver for a nights out where not everyone is keen on the same cuisine. As for the food - oh my! We had arepitas for staters - little bursts of flavour with delish pulled beef and creamy feta. Our mains - Pollo Tachos and Tostadas were filling and fresh - i like my food mild but if you want a bit more bite - just ask for it. And that special touch? The Mexican chef that came around for a quick check-in - always special. Thank you El Jalapeno and Linden - we'll definitely be back.
Linden is the new ... Wait no linden is different. And it's nice. I like it. El Jalapeño fills the need for a Mexican restaurant in the area. The menu has more variety than most others and the taste is good. I recommend a trip to linden to try it out.
You know the food is great when a real Mexican comes our of the kitchen to greet you! This is a real gem in the hub of Linden. I would recommend it any day!
Populating 7th street, a nice buzz for a Friday night. Service is good. Have a margaretia. Mexican food that is not layered with heavy cheese, flavours are light and comforting.
Quirky setting. fajitas are perfect for the winter. Decent guacamole. And I must say value for money. I def go back. In terms of The greatest Mexican Restuarant, I would say this second third
On my list.
Great find! el Jalapeño delivers - our food came out quickly and was delicious - spot on in terms of flavour - can highly recommend the tacos and burritos. Service is attentive. Will definitely be back.
What a great find! Delicious, wholesome, Mexican food and friendly, efficient service. Tried the chicken fajitas which came in a decent portion size with warm tortillas- so yum! Also tried the chicken burrito which had just the right amount of filling and was very authentic and flavorsome.
What a great find! This place us amazing Mexican food which isn't covered in cheese the whole time. Great service, great food . . . Highly recommended.
Zoë Dorothy Brentano
+4.5
My boyfriend and I went here for an early Saturday night dinner and the initial impression was slow service - The waitress took some time to bring us menu's and to take our orders. Once we had ordered, our drinks and food were actually very quick to come out. The food was tasty and authentic, but if you are looking for hot then you have to specifically order hot. The staff are all very friendly and helpful, the owner even came around to check if we were happy with the food. The seating arrangement is quite different, expect to sit outside if you don't book - the place got full at around 8pm. We will be back to try more of their menu
We do many culinary things well here in South Africa, but admittedly Mexican food is not one of them - until now. El Jalapeño is one of the newcomers in Linden's growing number of wonderful eateries - and I'd certainly place it at the top of the list. Run by a Venezuelan husband and wife team, and more importantly, with a Mexican chef in kitchen, El Jalapeño turns out delicious and good value platters of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and the like. While many places may call themselves "Mexican" rarely does one find delicious soft corn tortillas and yummy tamales like you do here. It makes my mouth water just thinking about my next meal here. My one recommendation to the kitchen would be to work on those heavy-handed churros, I have absolute faith that they'll be lighter and delicious when next I sit down to order.
Went with the family for lunch on Sunday. All food ordered was very nice, the burritos though were a favourite. Kids really enjoyed the food - flavourful but not hot. Good efficient service as well.
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Lovely ambience and helpful staff. The owners are charming and helpful and I enjoyed the fact that the food was a move away from the Tex-mex slop that we are used to as South Africans. Lighter and more subtle flavours that don't leave trails of overzealously cheesed rivulets running down your hands and chin. The cocktails were well presented and my classic margarita perfectly balanced - my husband especially enjoyed the beer cocktail 'michelada'. I loved the flan for dessert but we were really let down by the much anticipated churros. The dough was fried to within an inch of its life - so crisp and overly rolled in sugar. However the cardinal sin was the chocolate dipping sauce. It certainly was NOT made of chocolate! After a couple of bites when I was left wondering why there was no velvety chocolate residue in my mouth I tasted the sauce on its own. I couldn't believe it when I tasted it and realized that i had been served chocolate sauce out of a bottle - and I mean the cheap kind that the ice cream truck puts on its soft serves!!! Please, please invest in the proper thing, this was a very disappointing end to what otherwise was a nice meal. So 3.5 because of the whole package, but would have been lower if just based on the dessert.
Great service and super tasty cocktails. We went with a large group and they managed to keep us all happy. I had a delicious roast veg burrito and the margaritas were really super tasty.
Some meals seemed to be better than others. The soft taco meal didn't impress but I was super happy with all my food.
Keen to go back!
Amazing food and lovely people. The ambiance is really cool and out of the ordinary. Definitely will be back! The best: gorditas and quesadilla
An awesome new addition to Linden - el jalapeño has some of the best poppers around, a great vibe and delicious chow! Next time - tequila! Def be back soon!
Really enjoyed dinner here. Cute decor.
Chicken wings were overcooked though. Other than that we had absolutely no complaints. Everything else we ordered was tasty, fresh and cooked to perfection. Our waiter was also helpful and friendly.
We will definitely be back (especially for more strawberry margheritas)
Great quality Mexican food at an affordable price! Has more variety and authentic dishes than your average Mexican restaurant. The starter platter is definitely worth a try! Very cute Mexicana decor really ties the whole vibe together nicely. If you have an iron stomach ask for the spicey option, packs a major punch! Definitely recommend the burritos too!
Great place with fast service. Food was tasty and the beer called The Naked Mexican is delicious. Great vibe and music. Wasn’t very busy but a good place to go out and eat. Food is reasonably priced and cocktails are strong.
Great food and drink. Real value for money. Service was good but not sure how it is when it's not busy. Still, they have great Mexican food.
Went there without any plan. Saw the place from outside kinda cute ♥. So we decided to try, I love it's atmosphere very Mexican with those fancy colours 😘😍. Tough to decide the menu as it's sooo many delicious items 😜 but anyway we picked Jalapeño Poppers (is a must try!!) , Arepitas, Chimichanga and Nachos. I'm Soooo much in love with the Poppers - strong and addictive 🤤.... And the Nachos... Oh my!! It's soooo yummy!! The melting cheese... The crispness... 💞. I definitely going back there for more items to try!
BEST Mexican-themed cocktails ever! This place is so quaint and perfect in its own little way. Beautiful atmosphere and very yummy food. This place is a little gem in Linden, and I'd recommend anyone to give it a try if they're wanting an "exotic" escape during a meal time :)
Food is Awesome, best sauce i have ever tasted
Good margaritas! I've always felt there's some room for improvement with their foodn though, specifically in terms of freshness and flavour. Perhaps some updated preparation techniques? Not sure, but I'm missing something.
Would still recommend it for a nice, low-key outing, as it's in a quieter part of Linden.
I really enjoyed the evening here. I went on a quiz night and it was fun and involved and entertaining. On top of that the food was tasty and just the right portion. The best thing though was the cocktails. Amazing mix ratio and varied options available so it is entirely your choice which cocktail to enjoy.
My favourite week day hangout. Chilled vibes, great drinks and their pulled pork quesadillas are amazing.
Yes, I have been back. Several times.
Interesting eatery in an unusual location, yet it seems like it has grown brothers and sisters up and down the row of shops making it easier to decide at the last minute whether you feel like one or the other dishes.
Decor and atmosphere very appropriate and staff very willing to assist with menu choices.
Food was good and served reasonable quickly and the drinks were pretty standard, yet not always the regular wine/brandy/coke variety. Good place for an impromptu dinner when the lights go out.
Lovely little side street cafe. We didn’t eat there but the drinks were amazing!
I ate here for the first time, and it was pretty good. The food was decent and the service was good. The atmosphere was basic but cheerful. I wouldn't make this a regular restaurant but I did enjoy it. I ate the enchiladas and my partner ate the quesedillas (both the vegetarian options) we also had the jalapeño poppers as well as the guacamole and tortilla chips - all were good.
Came for a quick drink. Stayed for the night. It was my lady's birthday and they pulled out all the stops for her. Amazing stuff. Great food. Intimate atmosphere. Fantastic, attentive staff. You have a new fan. Thank you.
Wow delicious food !! Loved the presentation and the decor. Also pretty cool that they've partnered up with the sushi place next door so you can order from both menus :) will definitely come back.
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