Arcelia’s Mexicana Restaurant

Salsa is spicy, the way it should be. So is the chile verde; it had plenty of flavor. Mine had nice 1″ chunks of pork that shredded with the touch of my fork, so I know it had been simmering for quite some time. The flour tortillas are a little thicker, which I used to create a chile verde soft taco.
I also ordered a plain beef taco a la carte. Nothing to write home about. I felt the meat was a bit under seasoned.
I had 2 margaritas on the rocks, and you could tell it was from a homemade mix. Happy hour must last til 7pm on the week days, because my two margs were like $ 8 with tax.
My server, Catalina, was very attentive and brought me everything I needed promptly and with a smile. You can tell they take service seriously since they are a family run restaurant. :)
Overall, I will have to try more menu items before I can claim that this place beats Chavas, but my first experience was very good and I will definitely go back!

This is a great place to eat and drink. The food is good, the beer is cold and the margaritas are just right. The chips were served hot. They’re made of chunky corn tortillas cut and fried on the premises. The salsa is an old family recipe from Mexico.
My daughter had enchiladas de crema, and I had chile verde. They are both wonderful, but don’t miss the rice and beans that come with them. They’re good too.
There are some reviews on here from groupon users who have never been to Mexico. Unless you’re homesick for a goat taco from a roadside stand, this is as authentic as it gets. I didn’t see ceveche or some of the other regional dishes on the menu, but this is as good of chile verde as I have ever eaten anywhere.
Bottom line? It’s definitely worth the trip.

I’ve been here a handful of times now, and every time was the same: a great and relaxing meal with friendly and helpful staff.
I have to admit, though, I have always ordered the same menu items, so I can’t give you much on the food other than it is worth the 30+ min drive for me to Soulard. The housemade chips they bring to you while you read the menu are so fresh, crispy and warm. The salsa has the right kick to it to pair with a house or frozen margarita, too.
If you happen to be there on a Friday or Saturday, try the special soup.
The décor is very family oriented– this is a family restaurant which used to be in a different location. There are family portraits and newspaper clippings framed which document the history of this family business. They’ve won STL awards for their food and atmosphere, and within a short period of time there, you’ll understand why.
Hands down, a must try. Olé!

Ever since I moved to Lafayette Square last year I have heard nothing but «Ohh i miss Arcelia’s it was so good!». So when I heard they were re-​opening in Soulard i was very excited to try this place. But… upon dinging there today, unfortunately I was not impressed.
I ordered a skinny margarita, which was actualy quite good. But everything else was not up to my mexican restaurant standards. The chips were almost too hard to eat. The salsa was decent. The cheese dip was very very thick… hard to even scoop it out.
They also didn’t have a lot of «favorites» i like to order at a mexican restaurant. Now I’m not the type to complain about a smaller menu… I’m all about quality dishes over the number of dishes you can make. But… this menu dind’t have a lot of options.
For my entre I ordered a combination and got a beef enchilada and a chicken burrito. The enchilada was good. The sauce was quite tasty. But the burrito was very bland. The chicken inside was not seasoned at all. The beans that accompanied it were almost «crispy» on top. And it was more of a cheddar cheese shredded on top as opposed to a typical mexican white cheese. And that cheddar cheese when it melted was so hard my friend could not even cut her burrito.
The service was okay. Not bad, but nothing to write home about either.
With so many other great mexican restaurants in the area, I will most likely choose another one next time.

I’m not much of a Soulard person but when we came across $ 10 off coupon from Taste Cards we decided to try them out.
I’m glad we did because the food was good, fresh & authentic. The drinks were strong too which I love & our waitress was extremely nice and helpful. We didn’t have to wait long to get our food either.
The place is small but its very very good & the owner Marta is very friendly. We will come back for sure.

With Cherokee Street so close, I would pass on Arcelias. I heard such great things about it as a St. Louis Mexican joint that has been around for years in Lafayette Square. I was pumped to hear that it re-​opened just down the street from our house.
I hate being let down and I feel like my experiences here have been just that. The salsa was OK, not very memorable due to its lack of spice. The margaritas were weak and had that pre-​mixed taste. I am beginning to realize that the art of making a margarita has been monopolized by pre-​made mixes at many restaurants. Jose Cuervo is rolling in his grave, wait is Jose Cuervo a real person or just the brand name??? Ok, blonde moment and I digress. I would skip the margarita and go for a Mexican beer instead.
As for the food, I ordered the queso with chorizo appetizer. Actually, this is the best thing I have had here. It is a tad greasy from the melted cheese but who can go wrong with spicy meat and melty cheese on a tortilla? For the main course, I ordered the fist tacos. I consider myself a bit of a fish taco connoisseur. These don’t pass the test with me. Fish was not fried which wins points with me but it was on the dry side and not very flavorful. Others I have visited with ordered the chili verde that is chunks of pork with a green tomatillo sauce. It didn’t pack any heat and no one has ever raved about it afterwards.
The service was good and nothing to complain about there.
This isn’t horrible Mexican food by any means but as stated above, we can’t justify going here anymore with Cherokee St. just a short drive away. Unless we are REALLY lazy or lose our car keys…

More authentic than Chavas. A nice low key place for a meal.

I am sad to say, I have to get my magic eraser out and remove two stars from my review of Arcelia’s. Our second visit was not as favorable as our first. Do they do lunch better then dinner? Or was our first visit a fluke or was this last one a miss? Not sure, but last nights visit on a Taste Card coupon was a major disappointment.
House Margarita — Weak. Ordered with no salt, got it with salt. Drank from straw.
Queso with Chorizo — Tortillas were tough and chewy.
Chips & Salsa — Salsa to0 strong in garlic. Chips reminded me of a multi-​grain chip from a bag.
Tamale Dinner — Made in house was questionable due to their quality
Beans & Mexican RIce — No flavor and dried out.
Large Combination Dinner — Soft Chicken Taco — Good, best thing of the night. Burrito top was hard under the melted cheese. Enchilada was just okay.
Flan — Was over cooked.
Service — It was obvious he wanted to be elsewhere.
It is a shame my food did not taste as good as my pictures looked. With the difference in the two visits, I am not sure I will be returning. I am thankful I got $ 10 off with my Taste Card. Which brings up a question, wouldn’t you bring on your A-​Game when you know a diner is using a coupon? That way you’d persuade them to return and pay full price.

Fajitas weren’t that good. Salsa is pretty good.

Our server was new, which I would’nt have guessed except she said so. Really welcomed us to the place. The atmosphere was nice and quiet, very mellow. The food was not really impressive. I ordered tamales, because I’ve never had them. The bf ordered something with cactus and chorizo and eggs. My tamales were not that good — they tasted like grits and were kind clumped together. The chili on top of them was bland. Like I said, i’ve never had tamales, but I don’t think that’s how they’re supposed to taste. They just seemed like they had been made and rewarmed (and not all the way). The cactus dish wasn’t really interesting.
I used a taste st louis card. We were in a rush, and the problem came at the end of our visit. Our server took my card and then preceeded to take orders from a large table, leaving us just sitting there for about 10 minutes before another server came and asked if she could help out and then ran our cards.

I have been visiting Arcelia’s since it was at 9^th and Victor. We went two weeks after re-​open and the food was OK.
However :-)
Wear your sunglasses.
1. The light over the hostess station is set on «stun».
2. It is far too bright in the dining area.
3. The hostess light completely derails any chance of ambiance in both the seating area and the bar.
Come on, this is easy stuff, and it’s FREE. Turn the damn lights DOWN please.

Arcelia’s has been a staple for Mexican food in St. Louis for many years, when they closed their location in Lafayette square, it was missed by many St. Louisans. The restaurant re opened in Soulard and its to the delight of many. I ordered a combination platter of a Bean Burrito and a beef enchilada, and it was very tasty to say the least.
It seemed like everyone else in the group enjoyed their meals just as much, which in itself is a good thing. They have homemade chips, that are hot and very tasty, I am not a big fan of the salsa, but it is tasty, I just prefer a little more roasted flavor.
The server seemed to know the menu very nicely and was able to answer some questions that some in our group had concerning their meals, they were awesome with getting our drinks to the table, and keeping them filled which is always a big thing for me.
The place is clean, and comfortable, however we were seated in the bar since the dining room was filled up, and we had a large party, however they did get us seated quickly and almost immediately.
I am glad Arcelia’s is back, hopefully it will regain its status as a St. Louis favorite for Mexican food.

Went here the other night on a recommnedation of a mutal friend. I have to say, I am a fan. The chips were pretty good and the salsa had a bit of a kick to it. There was nothing special about the tamales that I ordered, but that is ok. They were solid as far as tamales go and were covered in chili. I was hoping that they would be smothered in their green chili but it was their red chile which was still pretty good.
The margaritas didn’t taste strong, but after two of them I was feeling their effects. The prices were decent for four margaritas, two appetizer and three entrees. I think we’ll definitely be back for another round.

The new arcelia’s is definitely NOT the old arcelia’s! The white cheese dip was lumpy and barely hot, it was like they used Ortega taco sauce to flavor the beef, and the empanadas where not what they used to be. I had high hopes and was expecting it to be like it was before they closed. I was very disappointed!

When I heard that Arcelia’s was closing in Lafayette Square, I almost lost it! They are the only place that has a unique little dish called Enchilladas de Crema — my GO TO Lenten meatless Friday meal! What was I going to do? The little devil on my shoulder said, «Screw it, let’s get a burger!» and he had my attention.
Not to worry. I’ll be going to hell for other reasons, but not because Arcelia’s closed… because they were kind enough to reopen! Hallelujah!
Tried the new Soulard location and my Enchilladas de Crema tasted exactly the same! These enchiladas — stuffed with cheese, sour cream and green chilis, then topped with another helping of cheese and cilantro — are the best. We also got queso as an appetizer and bless them for bringing out a giant bowl of it, not the traditional tiny bowl you usually get.
The new location is nicer inside and service was great. Check it out — unless you’re lactose intolerant, then it’s probably not a great idea.

I was so disappointed when Arcelia’s closed down their Lafayette Square location, however they recently reopened in Soulard and they do not disappoint.
I actually decided to give the new Arcelia’s a chance because of a recent Groupon deal, which included two entrees and two margaritas. So I stopped by for lunch to meet up with a friend. I noticed that the menu was actually labeled as Arcelia’s Originals, and wasn’t the same bland Mexican you see at most typical places.
First off are the chips and salsa, they are by far the best. I am typically not a salsa fan but at Arcelis I am in love with it. As far as an entrée I ordered the Mexican Meatballs, which were amazing. They are actually made witch Chicken instead of beef and served in a soup with rice. It was great, and has become my new favorite. I highly recommend ordering it.
Next up was the service, which was stellar. This is a family owned restaurant, and the staff take pride in that. Our waiter took great pride in the food, and took customer service to the next level. I wish that other restaurants would even try half as hard as they do here.
I cant wait to return and have another order of the Mexican Meatballs.

Whoever has given this restaurant less than 4 or 5 stars either had a bad day or doesn’t know what great Mexican food should be. Ignore the reviews from October time frame — they were just re-​opening in their new location and were working the kinks out. Every restaurant goes through startup bugs, and this one was no exception. But they have figured it out and are right on track.
Arcelia’s hands down makes THE best chips and salsa around… they deep fry thick cut tortillas, and they are always served hot with a little residual oil in them… perfect for holding on to the salt which you WILL use! The salsa is like no other… a tomato & spicy pepper blend balanced with garlic and onion, it is to die for. Best thing… they do not charge for it. You can purchase jars of salsa for $ 5 ($ 4 refills if you bring them back), as well as fresh made chips to go. (Hint: they are great for making nachos later on!)
I always get the chicken fajitas, you can’t go wrong with these, especially since they have re-​employed one of their former cooks who nails the recipe very well. The soft tortillas are thicker than average, so they stand up to whatever you want to put on them. Being a Gringo I know I don’t eat them the «right» way (that is, like a piece of bread to mop up the fajitas… I eat them like a soft taco… oh well, it’s how I like them!).
The restaurant is run by a dedicated Mexcian family who started the restaurant with their mother a few decades ago. Now they have re-​opened and run it in her honor. It is NOT a run-​of-​the-​mill ordinary Mexican restaurant with 400 combinations. This is AUTHENTIC Mexican food, and well worth the trip. It is a block down from McGurk’s Irish Pub, for a point of reference.
Please support this place… give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!

So happy they are back in business!
Family owned and it shows. They are the real deal here in STL, I have been to the so called «good» Mexican restaurants in STL and they all blend together and are not at all special, but Arcelia’s is the exception. Real good food for a reasonable price!
Plus, I went in with my wife and young son, they could not have been better about making sure the little guy was happy. Prior to our meals arriving they brought out some extras for him to eat and even washed his toddler plate for us before leaving.
They are working off a limited menu right now but no worries… what they do have available is worth your time. Plus they have added happy hour specials during the week with a taco bar!

Arcelias Mexican restaurant, formerly located in Lafayette Square just opened at 12^th and Allen in Soulard. It’s small and pleasantly decorated in typical Mexican flair. GREAT location for a Mexican restaurant!
Unfortunately, the food doesn’t add up for me. It’s okay, but nothing special. The chips are hard like cardboard. The salsa is simple and has kick. The tacos have cheddar cheese and the only beef choice is ground beef. I can get that at Taco Bell. Bummer, because I was hopeful :(
They are on limited menu because they just opened. I hope the full menu offers a better selection. I’ll be back to give it a try. No liquor yet…

I learned today that one of my favorite mexican restaurants when I first moved to the neighborhood closed earlier this month. Arcelia’s was our go-​to weeknight spot for great chips and salsa going back 10 years. Seriously, say what you want, but they had some of the best.
What feels disappointing is the fact that more business is not always good for business. The restaurant drastically changed a few years ago after becoming featured. It became a choice for many suburban folks on their way to events downtown and the like. The owners raised their prices and changed many menu options, and the waits become increasingly unbearable on even weeknights. Another great city establishment sold out :) We therefore took our business to places like Lily’s on Kingshighway.
After 20 years of business to the neighborhood, it was sad that they closed their doors. I truly hope it was not out of lack of business or customers and perhaps a more personal reason.