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Polli's Mexican Restaurant
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
15 reviews for Polli's Mexican Restaurant
We've eaten here many times over the years. It's a down home local place that serves decent Mexican food and good margaritas at reasonable prices. It's been rainy up here and that means we don't feel like driving long distances. We debated between Casanova's, which we've liked in the past, and Polli's and the margaritas won out. We found a parking space in their lot and went in. We were seated almost immediately in the small side room. I normally order my margaritas blended, w/ salt. Alan orders his on the rocks w/o salt. Mine came, I took a sip and it was tasteless. No tequila, no citrus, nothing. I sent it back. I'm turning into such a total princess. The waitress brought the second one, which was equally tasteless. Meanwhile Alan's had arrived, w/ salt. He didn't make a fuss over that. I tasted his and it was fine, so I ordered mine on the rocks. It was better. I have had years of happily drinking their blended margaritas. I don't know what changed.
A smallish basket of chips and salsa costs $2.25 or $2.50. I don't remember them charging for it, but Alan does so it must be so. The chips are a mixture of corn and flour. I don't like flour tortilla chips but Alan does, so that works. The salsa was homemade and terrific, nicely balanced, chunky, flavorful and a generous portion.
Mondays are BBQ night. I had been debating between the BBQ chicken or the carnitas and having the chicken be on sale decided it. I had the chicken and Alan had baby back ribs. They came w/ a salad and a choice of baked potato, fries or rice. We both chose baked potatoes and the house dressing on the salads, which combined lime and cashews. The baked potatoes were large, though not mammoth, and were a little underdone. The salad was fresh and the dressing was good. The chicken was small and may have even been local. They served half a chicken. I gave Alan the leg and he gave me a rib. Both were good. The rib was meaty and tender. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was the same on both and it was good. Not too spicy. They had a list of common sense/common courtesy rules about keeping children under control, cell phone use and table camping printed on the menu. I liked that. We'll probably be back on a future trip.
Good, cheap, and surprisingly good vegetarian options. We got the vegetarian taquitos (small) and guac (large) and 2 margs. This was more than enough food/drink and we left feeling full and happy.
The chips are also an important part of this place. Freshly made tortilla chips mixed with corn chips. Yum! Ask for some salsa with the guac, it's all a delish combination.
Margs ok. 4/10 - very sour, which is insane coming from me (I used to suck on 1/2 lemons by themselves).
Darn good food at good prices.
Good service, even gave us the larger special for less then what we ordered on the kids menu for my son.
Good mexican food
Delicious margaritas!
Good fun. It was average Mexican food, EXCELLENT margaritas and good locals. Worth a slight trip off the beaten path!
Killer margaritas...
I love the chips and the salsa is by far the best on the island.
The decor is very mexican, but for some reason the feel a need to play pop music. Service is good...sometimes.
I don't like the beans, rice, tamales, enchiladas.....kinda bland
We were extremely happy to find a huge variety of tofu and TVP dishes but a little sad to hear there was sour cream in the guacamole. This place gets four stars because of a combination of the warm wait staff and the amazing vegetarian options. Flour and corn chips await!
I had the tofu enchiladas and my wife had the TVP tacos. Very filling and tasty. If I had a complaint, it would be that their house hot sauce talks big, but doesn't scorch. I guess a kid-friendly place like this has to protect itself.
Edit: Knocking it down to two stars since every time I go here I order something different, but all the dishes taste and look the same.
This seemed like standard tex-mex to me. An entree covered in cheese next to a pile of refried beans and some rice. This isn't really what I go for when I want Mexican-ish food.
Other people have said good things about the margarita's, ours were not good though, and we even ordered them with Patron!
I had my entree with pork and it was pretty dry. Nothing was bad really (although the margaritas were close to it), but nothing was especially great either.
Really good, quality mexican food served in large portions. Nice on the wallet too. Polli's is so cute and local inside. They have excellent margaritas as well that are really strong.
The salsa and chips are excellent. Pretty much the only thing you should get is something with fish in it.....fish tacos, fish burrito supreme...you get the idea.
Giant portions, average price for the rest of the island. Food is COVERED in cheese though, and you feel gross looking at your food.
The nachos with everything on them are good (and could easily be a meal), and the service is pretty friendly.
The best Mexican this island has to offer. Generous portions (for a trucker's appetite). I love enchilladas stuffed with pork and chillies and smothered with cheese... Yum! Great fish tacos and mexican salads as well. It's not Cali quality, but it's damn fine food. Plus it's just down the block from the best art supply store on the island (Upcountry Fine Arts).
Oh man, ono grinds. The Makawaoie nacho plate is a wonderful heap of mexican goodness. The chips come with corn AND flour chips, and if you've never had flour chips, you are missing out. The food is pretty good, not really "authentic" mexican, but a touch fancier, without being pretentious. You can show up either in surf shorts right from the beach, or in "formal" aloha shirts (you locals know what I mean) and fit in just the same.
In Makawao, you cant be to picky. Of the three or four restaurants here, this is the most laid back. I tried burritos, tacos, fish, chicken, veggie....all tasted the same. OK prices, but don't expect great food. Yeah, like Tom said, the highlight is the flour chips......
the food here is terrible.
Great atmosphere, good food and perfect for the whole family.