El Paraiso

They are closed. A great new place called Hola Arepa is now open here. I will rate Hola Arepa soon.

Simply fantastic. Had planned pre-​wedding dinner at Pats across the street; after waiting an hour in vain for a table in the insane noise went across the street to El Paraiso. They accommodated our 11 person group immediately, the food was great and the server was attentive and kept track of new arrivals. Quiet atmosphere made conversation among the group easy. Loved it!!!

I love this place! Salsa is awesome, service is great, margaritas are good and the patio is nice as well. The mole sauce was ok, not the best but other than that, I love the food

The menus smell like pungent perfume. Be careful not to inhale when you open them!

I’m giving this four stars for some outstanding service I received, and the food was A-​ok, probably more like a 3.5 stars. However, I was just so happy while I was here that it deserves just a lil bump!
This place was recommended to me as a cheap option for pretty good food. I was warned of iffy service, but the boy and I got it for take out anyways.
We went there, explained we wanted a beer, to look at the menu, and just hang out while we got our order. The host/​server greeted us with the biggest, happiest smile ever and was extremely upbeat and personable while not going over-​board into the oh man, please stop being so cheerful. She seated us instantly (It was not busy at 10pm) and gave us menus and water came shortly after. She came back and we both ordered Pacifico on Tap (4 Mexican beers on tap, how cool?!) however, it was out, so I ordered the Dos Equis Lager (Also out, bummer) however, this server gave me the last of the keg (about a half cup) and we both decided on the Negro Modelo. She said they had been extremely busy and didn’t expect to run out of beers, and she offered a bottle at the same price as taps, but I like my taps, and the beer I eventually got was great. She didn’t have to offer any extras, but I was pleased that she did.
Also it was late night happy hour, so the taps were $ 2, bottles $ 3 and a few apps for $ 4 – 6. So decent.
We ordered the Enchiladas Marineras (3 cheesy enchiladas with shrimp and lobster) served with rice, beans, and salad. It was around 13.99 and since we thought we were feeling hungry, we got a Vegetarian burrito for $ 8.99 as well.
We sat for a long time, but it appeared that everyone that was there had just got there and ordered around the same time as us, but it was LONG, good thing we had the beer or I probably would have noticed and cared more, so I’m not sure if it’s a usual thing or not. Our food eventually came and we parted ways and headed home. The Enchiladas (which came first) had to be re-​heated, but they were wonderful. Super yummy enchiladas, the rice was also great, which I think it due to being made in chicken stock, which since I mostly eat pescaterian was a little saddening, but man it was good. I guess it’s because I haven’t had rice in chicken stock for so long! The beans were weird, but ok, and the salad was nothing special. This ended up filling us up, so I ate the burrito in a drunken state a few days later, it of course was awesome, but the tortilla had become a little soggy.
They have like a billion margaritas that I want to try and a huge strange seafood platter, that might be interesting to check out. It’s open until midnight Thursday-​Sat, so it will be a good late night meal.
Also they have a coupon online for a Buy One get One Free on any Burrito. It appears to never expire, I’d definetly print that out for a cheap meal for two!

Come for the super Happy Hour, stay for Friday karaōke! They make delicious homemade chips, salsa, and guac. Yum!

I heart the shit out of this place! It is awesome. I am always pleased when I am there and when I leave.
I had an ultra awesome time the other night when the group I was with discovered that they have karaōke on Friday nights at 9pm.
The DJ was extraordinarily hilarious and entertaining to the max!
I am so stoked about the combination of an awesome late night happy hour mixed with karaōke and to top it off, fajitas that are so good I sometimes giggle. :)

Standard Mexican-​American food that hits the notes it should: greasy, salty, ginourmous portions slathered in sauce. Service is just a little slow and they didn’t have any AC running on a 90 degree day, but the prices are okay and I have no complaints about the food.

good food and service in past, but the place isn’t as good now. Bad service and the shrimp was tough, and the rest was bland. We were really disappointed in how the quality went down.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant was booked for Cinco de Mayo, so we decided to venture out to something new. Unfortunately, El Paraiso is no bueno. I suppose it’s not surprising that we had no problem getting a table! Due to the rain we sat inside, though the patio does look nice. My friends’ margaritas were simultaneously salty and incredibly sour; not being a tequila fan I ordered a daiquiri, which was ok if a bit watery. We all ordered various enchilada dishes and agreed that the rice was the star of the dinner. When the highlight of your meal is seasoned rice, there is a problem. I kind of feel bad giving El Paraiso a poor review, because the staff were very friendly and even had a prize wheel for Cinco de Mayo goodies including some lovely plastic Corona necklaces… but I digress. I won’t be back.

I always enjoyed their food, although it also always seemed a bit gloppy, but that could be because I always got it to go in those round aluminum tins with the soggy cardboard on top. I’ve had various enchilada, and shrimp combo dinners, all were good but I can’t now differentiate between all the things I’ve had there. It’s that kind of Mexican food, not inspired, but good quality.
I once asked my wife to pick up some of their food on the way home from work for our dinner, but I meant for her to pick up my order, not for her to also put in an order herself. So when she arrived home with 2 entrees, but not the entrees I had ordered over the phone, I called to apologize that no one was going to pick up the food I had ordered. But hanging up, my conscience got the best of me, and I called back to tell them I’d be there in 10 minutes to get it. After all, it wasn’t their fault that my wife and I suffer from communication problems.

Good, solid Mexican food. The chips & salsa are very good; the guacamole is even better. It’s worth the $ 5!
I ordered the enchiladas rancheras & Ryan ordered tostadas. The portions were large & everything was good.
I’d come back in the summer months to enjoy the patio or on Taco Tuesday when the tacos are only $ 1.50!

Nice Outdoor Patio and good food and drink makes me a happy girl! We came here with a
certificate and I am so glad because we probably would not have found this little gem otherwise.
What we ordered:
Complimentary chips and salsa which were very good, the salsa had great taste with plenty of onions and cilantro. Chips were homemade.
Enchilada plate-​two beef and one cheese which came with salad, sour cream, and pico. Huge servings, enough for two meals.
Tacos-​Choice of meat with cilantro and onions… Looked Yummy, the only thing I was wondering about was the corn tortilla soft shells, they might want to grill them a little.
A side order of re fried beans and a single enchilada. The sides are huge, enough for two to share.
The table next to us had a chimichanga which was the size of a football and the most meat loaded sizzling fajita platter I have seen!
Loved the atmosphere of the Patio on a beautiful night. The service was excellent, food was good, and I will definitely come back before snow falls!
**Tuesdays is Taco Tuesday so the Tacos are $ 1.50 with a beverage purchase.* Definitely a cheap eat night while enjoying the Minnesota Fall weather! Check it out!

Yum and fun, just what you want in a neighborhood restaurant. Recently relocated to MN from California so my standards for Mexican food are high. This place served massive portions of very good rice, delicious refried beans and (my favorite) sopes!!!, a corn pancake-​thingy with lots on top that can be hard to find in the US.
The food was not at California-​levels, sure, but the staff was lovely and attentive; the happy hour and mango margarita were just the thing after a hot day driving a U-​Haul all over this dang city; and I ate myself uncomfortable, which is exactly what should happen when I get near sopes. All in all, a great place!

Love the toquitos! Chips and salsa are good too. Great neighboorhood resturant but don’t expect too much more!

This is a great place to eat at on a summer evening. The deck outside has a great vibe to it & the good food and beverages really makes for an awesome evening.
During the rest of the year however I prefer to get my food to go since I much prefer the ambience of my living room to their indoor space. It’s not bad, but it just doesn’t make me happy in the same way as their outdoor seating does.

I’m not sure why people don’t like El Paraiso. I have always had good food, great service & a reasonable tab.
I don’t have much more to say except this: Don’t listen to the nay-​sayers. Try it out for yourself.

My wife and I decided to use an Entertainment Book coupon for a nice lunch before the first Minnesota Gopher Football game at their new stadium.
We entered the establishment and for some reason the smells of Cozumel ruffled my olfactory senses. It smelled like every restaurant there for some reason, which isn’t bad, just different.
On the TV screens play Mexican music videos, which was kind of cool. The chef paces back and forth in the kitchen behind a small slit in the wall with a shelf to hold the various offerings from his skillet.
Lots of seafood buckets showed up and every plate was heaping with sea foods or sizzling fajitas.
I ordered the house margarita to start off with as my wife and I discussed the banalities of other restaurants compared to the ambiance at El Paraiso. The margarita was amazing! I took a sip and looked gleefully at our server and said, Mmmmm… Tasty!
I ordered the tongue Torta (Sandwich) and my wife got the shrimp skewers. The waitress seemed a little disinterested overall, but not in a horrible way. She just seemed like she would rather be somewhere else rather than helping us.
The sandwich was awesome, tongue was a little fattier than I remembered it as a kid, but maybe that was how it was supposed to be. The fries that came with it were delicious. Super crispy, and some of the best I have ever had.
My wife’s shrimp dish was huge with lots of vegetables and shrimp and came with corn tortillas and rice. She really enjoyed them and brought half home since there was so much food.
I ordered a Pacifico to have with my lunch and it was really a very pleasant lunch in a pretty cool restaurant.

I pass this place a lot on my way to diferent places, and had made a mental note to check it out. Finally did on a Thursday evening. Parking is right there in front and the staff is friendly. The waiter/​host broke out in Spanish when he greeted us (me and my husband) and once I was out of my 3 phrases I had to confess I didn’t really know the language.
The place was sort of empty except 3 other couples/​groups and 2 more came in afterwards. Two of the families looked Hispanic and I always take that as a good sign. Both these families ordered the same dish — a gigantic seafood grill/​stew that was around $ 40 on the menu.
The complimentary chips were decent and when I asked for a hot salsa — forgot to say picante — I received something that was warm, and mildly hot. I ordered their house special Margarita at the waiter’s recommendation and the shrimp diablo that came with rice, beans and salad. The special Margarita for close to $ 10 was nothing special and low in tequila content. The rice and beans were pretty good, the diablo was so-​so as far as the sauce goes. The shrimp were tender and the portion was generous. There was enough left-​over for another meal.
I may go back to check their live mariachi…

How did Unilocalers miss this one in Minneapolis, a town starved not so much for good Mexican food, but for a good sit-​down restaurant just a hop and a skip from the casual cafeteria dining on East Lake Street?
Okay, this isn’t going to be a rave review, but El Paraiso does have a full menu, generous portions, all the right beers, decent wait staff and a comfortable sit-​down atmosphere, as well as on-​site parking.
Now, the food… Well, it was just so-​so. They did a good job of caramelizing the onions, which is vital to making good fajitas. The chicken and beef are cut thin and have good texture. The shrimp was tangy, although I’m not a fan of tail-​on.
The problem was that they went too bland with the spices. Maybe that was because a gringo family showed up and the cook made a judgment call, I don’t know. Not much cilantro, and practically no heat. Yo comprendo that a lot of Midwesterners can’t handle their jalapeño, but puh-​leeze!
I had the house special fajita combo with a cup of horchata and a side of guacamole. Lots of different ways to make guac, I know, but at least mash the avocado all the way, okay? And how about a little onion, tomato and cilantro, amigo? A teaspoon of onion and tomato in a cup of guac is NOT enough. Could have used a dash of salt and garlic, too, and a little squeeze of lime. Details, hermano!
Again, the fajitas were good, but not great. Mainly they lacked a bit of zest and the character of more cilantro. I’m assuming you can specify these things, but you shouldn’t have to. Nice waitress, and she was training in a newbie chica, not much English, but trying hard.
Somebody on google mentioned a live mariachi band on weekends. Not on Tuesdays. They had recorded mariachi blaring too loudly from speakers, and a Mexican soap on a couple tiny TV’s in either corner. If you like Mexi-​polka, you’re in heaven. They did turn it down on request. Not sure what the soap was about… some chica with a fancy hat was either slapping or kissing the same guy.
The horchata was fine. We’ll probably be back. Mild food, friendly atmosphere.