Reuben's Mexican Food

Well, there are very few options for Mexican food on the big island but this is definitely on the lower end of what is in my experience true “Tex-Mex” or Mexican food. They don’t have any Aguas Frescas options - only Horchata, which was way too sweet. The beans gave me terrible gas so they are not prepared properly and the chile relleno tasted freeze dried. The nacho cheese with something out of a can that tasted like the can. The service was very kind and timely so that is why I’m giving three stars. Better options on the Kona side if you are jonesing for Mexican food.

Food was great, proper pricing/portions. Staff was friendly and quick. It’s tourist-y and dorky, but I loved the margarita count. Salsas actually have a little bit of heat and lots of garlic. Soooo tasty. Will return!

Ruebens is super authentic. Excellent vegetarian enchiladas & chile relleno so yummy. The esquitos was especially excellent! The customer service was great & the restaurant is so charming, highly recommend this wonderful Mexican food in downtown Hilo . 5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommended as the best Mexican food eatery in Hilo. At our visit, we were seated immediately. The restaurant was 20% full. Our server asked if we wanted chips and salsa along with taking our drink order. Both were served immediately. Our food order was placed at that time. The chips were fresh and crispy. The red salsa was very good. The green salsa was too hot for us. I ordered a shredded beef burrito (wet). Beef tongue tacos were also ordered. The main course was delivered 5 minutes later. The beef in the burrito was tender but had little flavor on its own. The cheese was good. The green sauce over the burrito did not compliment the burrito. Lettuce in the burrito was wilted because of the heat and should not have been put in the burrito. The rice had an oregano taste, which was unexpected and not appreciated. The refried beans had good taste, but there was no texture. The beef tongue was cooked perfectly but had no developed flavor. Pricing for the meal was fair for the type of food. The restaurant was a little dark.

Very nice spot. I had the fish salad it was excellent. One person with tip $21.00

Brah!!! checkm out dis place they get the mean grinds ovah heyah. Go see Caralie and her people .They get dakine customer service and food just as good as the service. They not playing around when its time fo go eat. Website get the menu , have look. Maikai'i Caralie and Staff we coming back fo Taco Tuesday🤣 tell them I sent you!!!! see you all soon!!! 🤙🏾

Excellent tasty Mexican food, excellent service. I usually get things that the (also excellent) local food trucks don't offer, like Tamales and Chile Rellenos, and the beans and rice are addictively excellent as well. We've been coming here since the early 90's, the food is still excellent though the menu size has reduced from many pages down to one sheet, but they still offer my favorites and a good variety. It's not surprising that Hawaii has great Mexican food, the Vaqueros started arriving in large groups in the 1830's to help the cattle industry ramp up on the Big Island, and many people from Mexico enjoy our similar climate, so there are many good Mexican influences in Hawaii. Enjoy this one!

Best Hard Shell Tacos in Hilo. I live in Cali & I am an officionado of tacos. The Carne Asada & Shredded Beef tacos are delicious. Lightest hard shell I've ever bitten into. The green salsa is excellent. Put it on ur list.

We chose Ruben's randomly because I wanted Mexican food yesterday while at the concert in Hilo. The Service was AMAZING even with a full house! We had Chili Reano (poor spelling), and steak soft tacos. both of us thought our food was wonderful. and not one piece of fat on the steak taco. great flavor. Great Everything!

First and foremost, I'd like to thank my dear friend Cait's husband, Steve--thank you for the great recommendation! We stopped here after visiting the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station, and the food was absolutely incredible. We ordered the flautas and enchiladas, and let me tell you--yum, yum, yummy! We also enjoyed a couple of delicious drinks that perfectly complemented the meal. Unfortunately, we didn't get any "before" pictures, just the aftermath--but hopefully, that's proof of just how good the food truly was! Plenty of seating and the staff were incredible with their personal plate recommendations.

Parking for the area is always a challenge and not to blame the restaurant but the area needs a bit more security and cleaning. We were greeted right away and the server automatically asked if we wanted to order drinks. I am a sucker for a good margarita so I ordered the Lilikoi flavored with li hi mui on the rim. Then proceeded quickly to order an early dinner. The food was good enough to finish and because tacos don't fill you up for too long I order a take out. No major complaints but you need to add salsa to everything to add more flavor. The food was lacking salt/seasonings but came out fresh and good enough to eat. Service was good but the ambiance and area keeps me from returning.

We were vacationing on the Big Island and decided to make the 2 hour drive from the Kona coast to Hilo so we could stop to check out the Rainbow & Akaka Falls. The other family members were ATV riding somewhere on the Hilo side. We all agreed we would meet in Hilo for lunch. The first eatery my daughter found was an hour wait. She found Reuben's on the phone and we set out to look for it. There was construction in front of the restaurant, which is why it took us a while to locate . When we entered we were warmly greeted and thought we'd be a party of 10 but there was 6 of us present. They quickly assembled tables to accommodate us and we were seated right away. Thankfully, it was not crowded. Our waitress was very sweet, friendly, and attentive; I took her photo by the sign showing how many margaritas have been served. The restaurant including their rest rooms were very clean. The decor was festive and you felt like you could be somewhere in Mexico instead of Hawaii! The original owner is from Nayarit, Mexico and established Reuben's in 1979. Currently, his son is running the restaurant and he too was very friendly. We ordered and the food came out in a timely manner. The chips, salsa, and guacamole were delicious but not complementary like on the mainland. My Chile Relleno plate was tasty and reasonably priced. Hubby had the 2 cheese enchiladas and enjoyed it. Our entire party agreed that the food was fantastic for being in Hawaii. The other family members were late so they ate somewhere else but they really missed out. We would not hesitate to return here if we ever visit the Hilo area again. We enjoyed our meals and enjoyed their top-notch hospitality!

Walked in on a Tuesday was say immediately. We were greeted with smiles and some water. Ordered some chip and salsa and a virgin lava flow for my daughter. Felt like I walked into someone's home with how comfortable I felt. The cheese enchilada hit the spot and everything tasted fresh. Definitely recommend

I would have given 4 stars but a couple things prevented me from rating that high. Cons: They charge for chips/salsa, even your first one! Strong smell of Pinesol when you walk in the door, not appealing in restaurant. Chips served cold, had to ask to warm up. The old owner sitting in the back of dining room falling asleep after eating. Ok Pros: Food was good, appreciated the crab not tasting like frozen or canned. Classic Margaritas tasty w/ a kick Friendly service. Like the Mexican decor/vibe although older and casual.

Staff was super nice. Chicken tacos were great. Beef tacos were more of a stewed meat. My friend liked them, just different for us. Beans and rice were good, just needed a tad more salt. Strawberry Margarita was just ok. Salsa was good. Green salsa was different. Has a fruit island flare to it. It was spicier than the red salad.

I am so sad that I have to leave a bad review... but this food was so gnarly. It was so bad I think it's actually offensive to hispanics everywhere. The rice is flavorless, no color, everything is SO salty. I rarely feel inclined to review a place but I am actually aghast at the quality of food.

We heard about this place from some locals. So we decided to hit it up for dinner, and kind of regretted it. I ordered a combo plate with two shredded beef tacos and comes with rice and beans. Everything was nice and hot (warmth not flavor), tacos had plenty of meat, nice a crispy. The beans were a little runny but I like them that way and they had plenty of cheese and flavor. The rice was fair, a little bland. Husband ordered the chicken mole and was not impressed. The mole sauce was light and bland and came with two thighs with bone in. Overall he said his whole meal was bland. We were seated quickly, talked to several waitresses that were fast and efficient, but we did specifically have to ask for chips and salsa. Not sure if that is normal, because we experienced the same chip and salsa hoarding experience in Kauai. But anyway, once we got the chips and salsa it was pretty good, chips were thick and crispy and came with two salsas - the green one has some kick. We went later in the afternoon and they had the a/c going in the dining area, and it was pleasant. Lots of tables in a small space, but everything is open, no privacy. Tables filled up quickly but they rotated folks though quickly, they also have a bar but we passed on drinks this time around. Pricing was fair, and may go back and try it again. Overall, bland on flavor but ok on the pocket book.

I have eaten here for years and they have always been amazing but lately the food hasn't been tasting great. My beans in my plate were watery with no taste and my rice was undercooked and hard.

Ate there yesterday, unfortunately one of the dishes we ordered had an eggshell in it. They forgot to add on the canasta to take home for my elderly parents for dinner. Unfortunately my parents couldn't eat the meals because it was so salty. They even tried to add more veggies but it was still very salty. Service felt rushed. Poor customer service, want my money back.

It's actually good mexican food in big island. This restaurant is a must try! they hve free chips too

Our waitress was very friendly and explained to us on menu choices. The food was tasty and good portions. The margaritas kicked my brother's butt. Lol

My friend brought me here as I'm an "out of towner" who likes to try local places. My friend obviously has good taste because this place was THE BEST Mexican restaurant that I've been to in Hawaii! Ambience: Clean. Good music. Adheres to Covid standards. Decorated with a Mexican theme. Cool, but not cold. Location & Parking: conveniently located minutes from my hotel, in old Hilo Town, with lots of common area parking right outside the entrance, in the parking lot. Customer service: Great! Our waitress was articulate, friendly, just the right amount of attentive, and got every one of our orders right. Food came out in a timely manner, as well. Margorona: THIS.DRINK.RIGHT.HERE...Yummmmmmm! A blended strawberry margarita with Lihing powder in the drink and on the rim, with a Coronita tipped in. From now on, when I come to Hilo, THIS IS MY DRINK. Chips and Guac: The chips were not greasy at all, tasted freshly made, lightly seasoned, but that guac...but that guac! So tasty! I was so stuffed from my dinner, but I couldn't stop eating the chips and guac Carne and cheese enchilada combo plate: comes with seasoned rice, beans, cheese. This is the most flavorful, tender, perfectly cooked carne asada that I've ever had. The cheese enchilada was the right amount of gooey, and complimented everything well on the plate. I.ATE.EVERYTHING!!! There wasn't even any residue left. So, I'm already planning my next trip to Hilo around eating here. Reuben, you have gained a new customer for life. I'm

Went to Reuben's for lunch. We asked for chips and salsa ($2.50). Chips were warm and slightly oily. The green salsa is spicy! Loved it! Red salsa very good too. I ordered the Relleno with beans and rice. Relleno was a disappointment. Flat, hardly any cheese. Beans were runny and rice had hard, dry pieces in it. My Mom and aunt had an omelette. It was definitely big enough to share. The egg was very thin and the omelette stuffed with ground beef and other items. They said it was tasty. Ambiance was nice; service very good. We had a classic Margarita, which was tart and strong. Too expensive for what you get, in my opinion. I won't go back.

Super nice place, extremely friendly staff, and a great stop on your Hilo bay downtown shops walk. Had a top shelf margarita, totally awesome, and bean, cheese, and jalapeño nachos. Oddly enough, the jalapeños were on the side and ice cold. That baffled me but the nachos themselves were cooled perfectly and super tasty. We also noticed they have the big red button that turns the volcano on and off....at least that's what we assumed it did. Go in and check it out for yourself, the food we saw going by looked amazing.

The most authentic Mexican food on the big island. We have been trying to find great Mexican food in this area with poor results. Reuben's has great service and decent prices. The Portions are big and the atmosphere is great. My wife was very pleased as well. Looking forward to our next visit.

Food was on point. Authentic flavors, prices are decent. Drinks were great would recommend. Best Mexican food in Hilo blows away the near by competition with their TexMex. Service was quick and very friendly and attentive. Overall some of the best Mexican food I've had on the big island and service

I ordered a margarita and the steak rancheros. Margarita was disappointing and the rancheros had very little flavor. Tasted like they didn't season it. Staff was friendly and on point. Also, the chips and guac was good. We had a group of 12 and most of us didn't like our food due to lack of flavor. We are frequent Mexican food enjoyers but won't be returning to this restaurant.

It's definitely not authentic. It's American-Mexican food. There is nothing to write home about. Friendly service, nice atmosphere.

Fantastic food, drinks and fast service!!! Give it a shot if you're in the mood for Mexican food

We were off the cruise ship for the day and had been dying for Mexican food. We ordered nachos and beer and we both decided it was the best meal we'd had since embarkation day.

The food was great! Service was awesome! The servers were very attentive. Only downsides: chips over-fried and salsa hot. Server did not warn of heat and did not ask if hot was okay.

Staff was quick and on top of everything. Food was amazing and the portions were gracious. Not crowded and the wait for food was barely there.

Gotta try this place, it's good food and excellent customer service. I recommend to everyone that is hungry.

Coming from Southern California, being used to yummy Mexican food, & having read the reviews I was worried this wasn't going to be great but it was! Our food was super tasty! FYI this place is almost impossible to reach on the phone there is only one line and it is non stop busy.. so I called hours ahead and got through after 10 tries and ordered for a later pick up. You can make reservations; if you don't you will definitely have to wait to sit. The salsas and sauces are yummy, a real crab enchilada, what! So cool. Chile relleno and burrito on point. They have a keiki menu as well. The margarita though, I love all things lilikoi and I haven't seen this as an option really anywhere that I can think of so this was special! You can get it frozen or on the rocks. So happy that the only Mexican spot in town is delicious!

Great atmosphere, ono food, and great margaritas!! Our go to for Mexican food in Hilo. Always coming back

I find it annoying all the people from off the island bashing this place. I have been eating here for years. My favorite Mexican restaurant on the island. Who cares about getting charged $2 for chips and salsa? You don't get free crap in Hawaii. I'm pretty sure if you are regulars they don't charge. I don't pay attention to such trivial things. Hawaii is super expensive even for restaurants, I want them to stay in business. If you want more they will bring you some. The beans are made from scratch. You can taste the difference. The rice is sticky Mexican rice, which is what it should be in Hawaii. Delicious!! I have been eating the chicken burrito for 8 years. I put a whole bowl of the super spicy green salsa on it. My hubby often has the Chile relleno and carna asada, I steal hubby's guacamole. We haven't eaten here since everything shut down in March, we finally ate here again a few days ago. We loved EVERY BITE!! They now have queso on the menu but I never have room for it. Everything was perfect!! All the regular wait staff are gone which is sad, we knew them pretty well. The food here is fresh and made from scratch. Carne Asada, Chile Relleno, Chicken burrito

Reubens almost never disappoints, our whole family (10-15 people) usually comes here once a week to have a meal together. The owner & waitresses are always nice. Food went up in price over the year or so, but who's food prices haven't?! Definitely get #35 every single time, enchilada & Chile relleno. But switch it up from time to time with a deluxe nachos & extra chips to have more later.

I came to this restaurant because I heard many good things about it , and I wanted to try real Mexican food as some recommendations told about. We entered the restaurant and the welcoming want the best even tho it was empty . I felt rushed to order considering their menu is not short they should allow the clientele to look a few more minutes before going to the table and ask if we are ready ( on drinks and water I'm always down for right after we sit) Now , about the food I was very disappointed, Mexican rice tasted like it was a day or couple days old with too little flavor , most of food that we tried lacked of flavor Unfortunately is a no coming back for me .

Great place in hilo to get a quick Mexican food fix. Hands down the best green salsa salsa!!! Lots of water required!

Wow. If I took an order at my job an just completely did it wrong, wouldn't be in business long. I asked for sour cream on my burrito and it ended up on my friend's burrito (he hates sour cream). Burritos in the wrong take-out containers. What is with the "queso"? I would call it velveeta but it would be an insult to velveeta. Four entrees, one small container of hot sauce. One positive- guacamole was tasty. Won't go back. Edited from one star to three. One of the party enjoyed his meal.

This spot is practicing social distancing with its guests by having tables 6ft apart. Seeing how it was pre COVID, to now I felt safe to have a quick bite to eat and enjoy a Margorona! Staff was friendly and wearing masks. Hand sanitizer available upon entry. Nachos were great and very filling and enough to share with 2-3 people. Drinks are reasonable and good. Would I return? Yes to try the other flavors!

Best food we had on island during our visit and would love to eat there again! From the drinks, food, and quality service this is a must for anyone in Hilo. Prices were also very fair!

Just waited 40 min for two been burritos for $15. Watery and tasteless burritos, according to kids. How the heck it took them so long to slap some beans in a tortilla and wrap it? What a waste of 40 min in paradise!

Great food and Great Customer service Authentic food...coming back for sure!! Love it

Went here for the first time and I love it. The place is decorated very cute. Staff is fantastic. They have a fully stocked bar and their margaritas were very good. The food was fantastic. I live in Pahoa and we have 2 place and both could take a note from this place. I'm from NYC and my whole adult life has been in the restaurant business which employs mostly Mexicans so I have been eating home cooked authentic Mexican food for as long as I can remember and this place is the closest to it so far. I'm definitely going back

Food was to Salty ... Ok to be honest. I've only eaten there once. Yesterday. The Enchilada was extremely salty. The nachos were ok. The salsa was adequate. Maybe I should have gotten a Burrito

I had the chips and salsa with queso, jalapeño poppers, and a quesadilla with shrimp and carne asada. This shit was amazing !! Everything. The strawberry lemonade was so damn good ! Must try.

Just had dinner 10/20/18. To each his own. I've been coming here for 30 years. If you're expecting healthy light Tex Mex, then go to the other place! I love my cheesy, heavy Mexican food with atmosphere like Mexico. I've had Mexican food in LA, Honolulu, Mission in San Francisco, and it's like comparing apples and oranges. One is not better than the other, they're just all different. Upon walking in last night, Reuben's was hopping. It was crowded, loud and boisterous, with lots of loud laughter...not your first date kinda place. I liked this. For the reviews that complained about the poor service, the owners, the price being high, the cleanliness, I've been coming here for 30 years, believe me Reuben's has improved. The owners have aged and mellowed out, the bathrooms and decor were remodeled about 10 years ago (and is much better than before). There are more combo plates with a better menu offering. The wait help last night was efficient and friendly. I had the Chile rilleno, chicken flauta, rice and beans. It was ono! $14.50 but I got enough food for next day lunch, which reheated well. There was so much shredded chicken in my flauta. My Chile rilleno had just the right amount of cheese and I could taste the pepper, which wasn't overwhelmed with batter. We were disappointed with the fried ice cream dessert. We ordered it last year and it was like a malasada with big scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. Last night it tasted like an "It's It" ice cream sandwich with crumbly oatmeal cookie around vanilla ice cream. Not yummy at all. I just returned from east San Francisco Bay Area, had Mexican food twice. To me, my dinner at Reuben's was better!

The best I can say about this place is that it is conveniently located. We were hungry after the Farmer's Market and it is literally around the corner. Unfortunately, the food is the most bland Mexican food I have had in my life. The restaurant is cute, the staff are friendly and efficient, but the food lacks flavor in a big way. No layers, no depth, no heat. Everything was just one bland note. The location is convenient, but definitely walk on somewhere else.

Reuben's isn't the best and it isn't the worst. Some things on the menu better than others. I am normally an enchilada person but theirs just doesn't have enough flavor so I go with a wet burrito and dump some extra salsa on and that usually does the trick. Good alcoholic beverages, the staff are really nice, and the food comes out fast. A local favorite.

Stopped in for early lunch Hubby had the cheese enchiladas and I had Chile Rellno! Great staff great tequila! Cute Mexican place in heart of Hilo

Come and add to the Margarita counter, I think they are pushing 150,000 served. Get the nachos and pozole.

I loved it, very authentic Mexican Food. Best on the big island. The food was the closest to how my mama made it.

The interior looks humble, but the food was great. I really liked the food, fresh and very flavorful. The service was great too. There were homeless people around the restaurant, which didn't make me feel comfortable when walking out.

If you've lived in California at all, you know that people who've had authentic Mexican food can always tell. Yes, there's an eye test. Then the smells. But when the real metal of a place is tested is of course in the quality of the food and the taste. I must admit, as soon as I walked in, this place definitely passed the eye test. A little too much so at first. It has the planting table top covers over the intricate Spanish table cloths. They had papel picado strung from the door all the way to the back of the restaurant. All they needed was women wearing traditional rosarita dresses and I would've probably written it off for trying too hard. But they refrained. As a matter of fact, the servers were in leggings, t-shirts and sneakers. That was encouraging because what that tells me is that they hustle and they need to wear something functional. Gold Star and point for Reuben's. Of course as a foodie, I know my way around a menu in virtually every culture so this was a no brained. Margarita and Flauta! The Strawberry Margarita was spectacular. Especially on a hot and humid Hilo day (and unintended but completely accurate alliteration)! Finely blended (Yes, I'm a man's man! But I can enjoy a nice blended drink from time to time) and we were given the option of salt, sugar or li hing rimmed glass! Gold Star and point for Reuben's. Side note: they have a running margarita counter. I'm not 100% positive on how they tally, if it's daily or per drink or monthly but it's a cool gimmick. The flauta followed shortly after with a small side of beans and rice (well, it was a decent portion but I just love beans and rice so it's never enough for me) on a dangerously hot plate. Another point awarded to Reuben's. Any fine Mexican establishment will endanger you physically in order to ensure your foods freshness. It's just a fact of Mexican foodie life. Deal with it! The prices were a little high for Mexican but the quality of food definitely softened the blow on my wallet. It wasn't crazy expensive, just a little higher than normal. But then again, they are in beautiful Hilo Town. In the middle of a growing art scene and of course bustling tourist area. An easy 4 Star and worth a visit no matter when you visit!

This place was fantastic! The food tasted really authentic, the carne asada was to die for. The portion was big, I didnt even finished. The meat was well seasoned and tender. The rice was amazing and so were the beans. My friend had the enchiladas and she loved it, finished every part of it. We also ordered the churros, which comes with vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately they don't have mexican coke, which is ussually what I enjoy the most with mexican food. They also did not had tamarind soda. But overall the service was great and so was the food. Def coming back.

The food doesn't taste good. Highly expensive to poor quality cooking. This mexican place is one of the least I recommend.