Juannita’s Restaurant

Had a great meal graduation weekend… good chips, salsa and margarita’s! Dinner menu was broad and we all really enjoyed the food and service was very friendly!

Never had a bad meal at Juannita’s! Really tasty food and very nice staff. They’re great at accommodating 2 people, or 20. Try it if you haven’t already.

Definitely the best Mexican food I have had in Bloomington. Their carnitas are incredibly good! Their beans and rice are perfection. They also have excellent margaritas. I mean what’s not to love?! I tend to go at dinner, and the service and the food rivals my favorite Mexican restaurants. If you want more authentic and better quality, this is the place.

Had lunch at Juannita’s because we were craving Mexican food. Moved here a couple months ago from California and had been avoiding Indiana Mexican food due to many disappointing meals in NW Indiana in the past.
Found the place to be pretty crowded at lunch time on Tuesday, a good sign! Ordered the lunch special combo. I had two tacos and a tostada. My partner had a molete, a cheese and chile tamale and a tostada. Huge plates of food! Everything was tasty and authentic. We especially appreciated that the refried beans were fresh and not covered with cheese like at Americanized Mexican places. We also liked that the tacos were nice and simple and not full of shredded lettuce and stuff like you would get at Taco Bell. My only gripe is that the tacos were served with one tortilla each. In my many years of enjoying Mexican food in California, I am used to getting two tortillas with each taco. It gives you an extra layer and keeps you from losing all the fillings out of the bottom of the tortilla. Next time I eat here I will ask for extra tortillas. (although maybe the manager will see my Unilocal and start being more generous with the tortillas)
The salsa and chips that come with the meal are okay, but if you want the hotter salsa, just ask your server. Ours brought out both green and red salsas for us when we asked.
This was a situation where we ignored the lousy Unilocal rating and had a very good meal. Hopefully more people will review Juannita’s and will have enjoyed their meal as much as we did. We look forward to returning.

The food is good Mexican for bloomington. Probably the best you can find BUT was completely put off by the awful service I received. As we sat down we ordered and the waitress could not be less interested. We didn’t get our drinks until we received 12 chips for the 3 of us. We then reminded her for the drinks. Tacos were good, but the shells were a tad bit soggy. My friends ordered fajitas and were served as nachos… They didn’t complain so they just asked for some soft shells on the side. The waitress also decided to sit down across from us and eat her dinner instead of getting us the rest of our meal we had asked for politely. Don’t recommend the mojito. It tastes like club soda and lime juice. It’s a shame that the service was awful because the food wasn’t bad.

Quickly becoming a favorite! Mexican food in Bloomington is pretty much the same thing everywhere, but Juanita’s has something else going on. They also just added to their already authentic and tasty menu.
I love the street tacos, especially the Al Pastor (sweet pineapple pork tacos) — delish! They are served on hand-​made corn tortillas and only $ 2/​each for Taco Tuesday. New on the menu is an unlimited soup or salad option — can’t wait to go back and try it!

I’ve only ever had excellent service and excellent food here. One time, I forgot my to-​go box with half a torta in it. It still haunts me…

I’d recommend being careful when reading the menu… the descriptions are unclear and oddly worded. El burro «wrapped in lettuce», but what is the burro being wrapped? Ordered one with chicken, and it appears the burro being wrapped is an absense of chicken with tons of filler rice and beans, and then the lettuce and other things inside. They were nice enough not to charge me. Otherwise, the salsa was bland and the guacamole portion was decidedly small.

Mediocre Mexican food for a pricey menu selection. We came in because of a Hooked deal for «buy one Margarita, get one free taco entrée» but found out after mentioning this deal to the waiter and ordering based our understanding of the deal that the description was not accurate. Luckily, the manager honored part of the deal after we complained.
Complimentary chips and salsa. We got two 32 oz margaritas, which was average but a good amount to get one tipsy. I got the shrimp tacos, which were tasty but the taco shells were super cold. I recommend asking for the hot sauces on the side if you like spicy!
Overall the experience was subpar but the service and quickness of our food being delivered to the table was decent.

I am lost, I am ruined, I may never be able to enjoy one of those other Mexican places again! I fear their doors will be shut up for me as firmly as Chinese takeaway or fast food after eating at Juannita’s. I just returned from lunch where I ordered a variety plate, expecting to eat half of it and be satisfied but not much more. It was all unexpected rather than routine and delightful. I gobbled every bite! How could I have let this place be on the pass-​it-​by of my day for so long?
You must go in and order anything with Juannita’s mole sauce!
I am sincerely afraid to bring my wife. We often eat out at the easy to find Mexican places which are all over our town and most other Midwest towns. If she eats here she also may never be so easily satisfied again. What’s a guy to do?
It is off the main routes but packed at lunch which will tell you something too.
I was so impressed I tried the flan for dessert. It was tasty and smooth in texture but much firmer than I am used to. So I am cogitating that. I may well have to try it again, but there are other things to sample and I am going back to try them.

Like most towns, there is an ‘Authentic‘ Mexican restaurant on every corner in Bloomington. .. . strange though that we have NO chain Mexican joints unless you consider Taco Bell LOL. Among the choices Juannitas stands out as having a more authentic feel and menu. At some places I feel like I am reading a cookie cutter menu with typical fare, several dozen combination choices that all seem the same and a few extras. At Juannitas the menu is more diverse, the selection unique and the food quality is terrific.
Located just off the downtown square, the facility is nothing special — an old house with two stories of dining, and a large (very nice) outdoor patio on the rooftop level that is a great place to hand out in the warmer months.
Service is good, though they can get quite crowded so plan accordingly.
Its worth the wait.

Pretty much the saddest tacos I’ve had. Dry and under seasoned meats. Also, very expensive for anyone who knows how much tacos should be.
They’ve apparently recently changed owners, and while I didn’t have many dishes before, judging it based upon their current food offerings, stick with the free chips and salsa.

$ 12 for 3 tacos isn’t unreasonable, now it all depends on the quality of the ingredients and flavor. If I were to rate the tacos you proudly serve at your restaurant from a 1 – 5 they would be a 2. I wouldn’t mind paying $ 4 for a taco that is above average but based on the flavor of the tacos that are served at your restaurant, they are definitely not worth that amount.
I don’t exactly recall getting any toppings as this visit was a while ago. I remember getting more than a few sauces and I don’t recall getting anything other sides with that order. A friend of mine happened to get a torta which was definitely much better than the tacos but the sauces were still quite watery. I understand if the majority of your customers do not prefer spicy sauces then fine give them salsa that isn’t spicy. There should still be a spicy option for those who do and may expect it from a Authentic Mexican Restaurant.
A good example would be having a scale from 1 – 5 like the one Siam House uses.
I would not mind visiting the restaurant again but based on my first experience here, it was not so great. I will update my next visit here soon.

Best Mexican food in Bloomington! The best! Everything MELTS in your mouth and if you want it to it WILL melt your mouth too!
This isn’t a chain store. It’s family owned and the recipes have come with them. Thank you for being here!!!

El Norteño left a hole in my heart, and this place helped ease the sting. Cheerful, okay service. Tasty shrimp tacos. Really good salsa and chips. The horchata made me add an entire star. I’ll go back just for that alone, but also to see what else they can do. Bonus points if it’s move into the old El Norteño space north of the square.

Enjoyed a great lunch sitting outside at Juannita’s. The porch in the back is very nice and the food and service were great. I had a chimichanga and strawberry margarita and both were delicious. I read poor reviews on the outdoor seating but I think it’s very nice. There is a TV for those who wish to watch it and music playing to set the mood. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun Mexican experience.

If you’re looking for an authentic atmosphere and cuisine– choose this– one perk which my not be authentic but much appreciated — my Pacifico beer was served in a frosted beer glass! I ordered a bean burrito and a side dish of grilled cactus– just to try it. Both were great. The out door patio dining was perfect with Mexican music at a pleasant volume playing. The patio is on the second story– accessible by stairs and ramp. There are a few bistro tables, nice sturdy plastic picnic tables with umbrellas and cozy circular sofa in front of a big screen TV– The bathrooms were very clean. Our waiter provided great and friendly service. The food was delicious– there is much indoor seating available also. I will be back to dine here again …

They have cactus! It is delicious and absolutely recommended. The bright yellow restaurant is hard to miss. The food is good and okay, but what sets it apart from other places is that cactus!

Wow that’s a colorful building. Parking is tight, seating is tight.
Mexican-​ish food, I guess it would do in a pinch. As in you’re 50 to 100 miles from anywhere good.
If you dig «queso sauce» and rice in your burritos, you’re gonna love this place.

Its really unfortunate. I really want to like this place, and honestly I do like the food. Its no Tijuana contender and doesn’t even compare to the Mexican food I get back home in San Diego but for Btown its the best around. The first two times I went the service was so-​so but I gave them a good review anyways because any decent restaurant works the kinks out in their service after the first few months of business.
HOWEVER, Juannitas has fallen off the boat. Theyve been open for five months and still disappoint me every time I go regarding their service. I usually get takeout and occasionally done in. When I am eating there I can just ask the waiter if there’s a problem or misunderstanding. However, the last three times I’ve gotten takeout they have completely botched my order (which I failed to realize every time until I got home due to the fact that you can’t see into the containers).
The most recent order (about a week and a half ago) I paid special attention to all aspects. I was ordering with my buddy, and since we wanted to pay separately we put in two separate orders (we thought this would make it easier for them). We both ordered the enchiladas mexicanas with tinga and sides of frijoles con queso.
When we picked up the orders I asked for an extra bag of chips (which is supposed to be free just as it is when you eat in). When I went to pay the bill I realized that not only did she add a $ 0.99 charge for the extra chips but she also charged me $ 0.99 for what she called a «service fee» which they apply to every takeout order. There was also a third $ 0.99 charge that was unexplained but I was so tired of asking her for clarification on the receipt that I was fed up and just paid whatever it said and left. $ 8 enchiladas and $ 3 queso somehow turned from an $ 11 meal into $ 14.94. Not cool!
To top it all of when we got home and unpacked the food the lady had put both of the sides of rice that came with the enchiladas in my bag and both of the queso’s in my friends bag. As far as they knew the orders were completely separate so had we not both been eating at my place I would have been without queso and him without rice. I wouldn’t be that heated about it but this is the third time they either totally screwed up my order or left something out that they charges me for altogether.
Morale of the story… they penny pinch the hell out of you and do little to ensure that your order is correct. Do yourself a favor and if you’re going to eat here just dine in.