Large portions
The monster burrito and beef tacos are praised for generous portions that remain cost-effective.
Chalco's Mexican grill
Jumeirah Lake Towers
Chalco’s Mexican Grill is a casual Mexican restaurant in Jumeirah Lake Towers, known for generously filled burritos and tacos at approachable prices. You can eat indoors or by the lake when the weather is cooler, or order for takeaway and delivery.
Reputation Score
4.1
★★★★☆
280 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Authentic flavours
Several customers with experience of Mexican food in Mexico describe the tacos as authentic and full of flavour.
Strong tacos
Birria, shrimp, fish and beef tacos are recurring favourites, with extra condiments available at the table.
Good value
Customers repeatedly highlight the combination of taste, filling portions and relatively low prices.
Lake seating
The outdoor tables offer a lakeside setting, especially appealing during Dubai’s cooler months.
Complimentary snacks
Several reviews mention complimentary chips or nachos served with salsa before or alongside the meal.
What to Eat at Chalco's Mexican grill How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Chalco's Mexican grill, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at Chalco's Mexican grill got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 6
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Shrimp tacos Net +3
“The meat and shrimp tacos were legit enchanting! I mean, they knew how to make those little tortilla wonders sing.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The meat and shrimp tacos were legit enchanting! I mean, they knew how to make those little tortilla wonders sing.”July 2023
“Ordered shrimp soft tacos. They were delicious and spicy, especially with the extra condiments available at the table.”April 2025
-
Birria tacos Net +2
“If I was on death row, this would be my last meal. 🌮 Birria Tacos + Horchata 👌🏻”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“If I was on death row, this would be my last meal. 🌮 Birria Tacos + Horchata 👌🏻”May 2024
“Loved the shrimp and birria tacos! 😋yum! Always my go-to taco 🌮 resto, especially on Taco tuesdays ☝🏽👌🏽 highly recommended”October 2025
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Chilli con carne Net +2
“My favorite is chili con carne inside a soft taco 🌮”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favorite is chili con carne inside a soft taco 🌮”September 2025
“Chalcos a very cosy Mexican restaurant, went in for a quick lunch, very good deal with drink, burrito bowl with all the classic toppings, and chilli con carne, I ordered it spicy as it comes, so good, also some nacho chips with salsa, so good, good interior Mexican style, very friendly staff. Worth a visit.”June 2021
-
Enchiladas Net +2
“I ordered via deliveroo from Chalco's Mexican Grill, I ordered pulled chicken in a taco, as well as enchiladas. The tacos were super authentic, I've spent a lot of time in Mexico, they were full of meat and flavor. The enchiladas I chose mild, still pretty spicy unfortunately, but had great flavor.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered via deliveroo from Chalco's Mexican Grill, I ordered pulled chicken in a taco, as well as enchiladas. The tacos were super authentic, I've spent a lot of time in Mexico, they were full of meat and flavor. The enchiladas I chose mild, still pretty spicy unfortunately, but had great flavor.”July 2023
“Love this place! Delicious spicy fish tacos, enchiladas, guacamole, even their “taco salad” is amazing!”February 2026
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Monster burrito Net +2
“I have always tried their monster burrito with different meats which always fills me up. Its messy but worth every bite.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I have always tried their monster burrito with different meats which always fills me up. Its messy but worth every bite.”July 2018
“However, the beef tacos and "monster burrito" are to die for, and unbelievably cost effective considering portion sizes.”April 2026
-
Taco salad Net +2
“I placed my order of a Taco Salad, chips and guacamole, and a Jarrito's Mandarin soda to wash it down. Shortly after sitting at the only vacant table in the place, Edgar delivered my food. I was very pleased at the portion, quality and taste. It definitely reminded me of the good street food you find in California. My order only came to 65.00 dirhams, which I feel is a decent price for that meal. It was both delicious and filling.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I placed my order of a Taco Salad, chips and guacamole, and a Jarrito's Mandarin soda to wash it down. Shortly after sitting at the only vacant table in the place, Edgar delivered my food. I was very pleased at the portion, quality and taste. It definitely reminded me of the good street food you find in California. My order only came to 65.00 dirhams, which I feel is a decent price for that meal. It was both delicious and filling.”February 2020
“Love this place! Delicious spicy fish tacos, enchiladas, guacamole, even their “taco salad” is amazing!”February 2026
Honorable mentions (17)
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All you can eat taco friday Net +1
“Both times we opted in for their "All you can eat Taco Friday" offer and was absolutely worth it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Both times we opted in for their "All you can eat Taco Friday" offer and was absolutely worth it.”January 2021
-
Beef tacos Net +1
“However, the beef tacos and "monster burrito" are to die for, and unbelievably cost effective considering portion sizes.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“However, the beef tacos and "monster burrito" are to die for, and unbelievably cost effective considering portion sizes.”April 2026
-
Birria Net +1
“Very nice mexican food, try the weekend specials like carnitas or birria, its like eating in Mexico.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Very nice mexican food, try the weekend specials like carnitas or birria, its like eating in Mexico.”August 2020
-
Birria durados Net +1
“The best place to get authentic mexican food in all UAE, i strongly recommend the birria durados, IT IS AMAZING!!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The best place to get authentic mexican food in all UAE, i strongly recommend the birria durados, IT IS AMAZING!!”October 2022
-
Burrito Net +1
“Great food, tasty burrito. That's all i can say about this place.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great food, tasty burrito. That's all i can say about this place.”April 2025
-
Burrito bowls Net +1
“Chalcos a very cosy Mexican restaurant, went in for a quick lunch, very good deal with drink, burrito bowl with all the classic toppings, and chilli con carne, I ordered it spicy as it comes, so good, also some nacho chips with salsa, so good, good interior Mexican style, very friendly staff. Worth a visit.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Chalcos a very cosy Mexican restaurant, went in for a quick lunch, very good deal with drink, burrito bowl with all the classic toppings, and chilli con carne, I ordered it spicy as it comes, so good, also some nacho chips with salsa, so good, good interior Mexican style, very friendly staff. Worth a visit.”June 2021
-
Burritos Net +1
“This is the second time visiting, and although we were happy with our order, the burritos we had first time around was hands down the best item on their menu.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“This is the second time visiting, and although we were happy with our order, the burritos we had first time around was hands down the best item on their menu.”January 2020
-
California monster burrito Net +1
“Went for the super deluxe burrito as it’s a favourite and the California monster burrito. The food is just so good here.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Went for the super deluxe burrito as it’s a favourite and the California monster burrito. The food is just so good here.”August 2024
-
Carnitas Net +1
“Very nice mexican food, try the weekend specials like carnitas or birria, its like eating in Mexico.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Very nice mexican food, try the weekend specials like carnitas or birria, its like eating in Mexico.”August 2020
-
Fajitas Net +1
“The fajitas is tasty but they should increase a little bit the quantity of guacamole and put the cheese aside and not on the top of the beans.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The fajitas is tasty but they should increase a little bit the quantity of guacamole and put the cheese aside and not on the top of the beans.”October 2022
-
Pulled chicken burrito Net +1
“I got a pulled chicken burrito with guacamole inside as an extra and it was so huge and good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I got a pulled chicken burrito with guacamole inside as an extra and it was so huge and good.”May 2023
-
Quesadilla Net +1
“The portions are large, even the starter Quesadilla could easily act as a main for the less hungry.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The portions are large, even the starter Quesadilla could easily act as a main for the less hungry.”May 2021
-
Soft taco Net +1
“My favorite is chili con carne inside a soft taco 🌮”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favorite is chili con carne inside a soft taco 🌮”September 2025
-
Spicy fish tacos Net +1
“Love this place! Delicious spicy fish tacos, enchiladas, guacamole, even their “taco salad” is amazing!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love this place! Delicious spicy fish tacos, enchiladas, guacamole, even their “taco salad” is amazing!”February 2026
-
Super deluxe burrito Net +1
“Went for the super deluxe burrito as it’s a favourite and the California monster burrito. The food is just so good here.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Went for the super deluxe burrito as it’s a favourite and the California monster burrito. The food is just so good here.”August 2024
-
Super deluxe with shredded beef Net +1
“And my favourite order is Super Deluxe with shredded beef 🍖💝 ,”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“And my favourite order is Super Deluxe with shredded beef 🍖💝 ,”November 2025
-
Valentina sauce Net +1
“They have Valentina sauce 😀 Bonus for those hardcore Mexican foodies out there.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They have Valentina sauce 😀 Bonus for those hardcore Mexican foodies out there.”January 2020
What to Avoid (7)
Food 7
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10 Inch burrito Net −1
“They market a promo of a 10 inch burrito but when it came it was not even 5 inches and they said " the tortilla is 10 inches before they wrap it.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“They market a promo of a 10 inch burrito but when it came it was not even 5 inches and they said " the tortilla is 10 inches before they wrap it.”March 2026
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Burrito bowl meal deal Net −1
“we took the Lunch special and the Burrito bowl meal deal and were in one word : disappointed!!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“we took the Lunch special and the Burrito bowl meal deal and were in one word : disappointed!!”February 2022
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Chili con carne quesadilla Net −1
“Instead, I opted for the Chili Con Carne Quesadilla, which was underwhelming and lacked flavor.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Instead, I opted for the Chili Con Carne Quesadilla, which was underwhelming and lacked flavor.”March 2025
-
Enchiladas plate Net −1
“My girlfriends enchiladas plate was a joke.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“My girlfriends enchiladas plate was a joke.”March 2026
-
Homemade lemonde Net −1
“If you are ordering the homemade lemonde, ask for no sugar, as it is probably the sweetest lemonade I have ever had.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“If you are ordering the homemade lemonde, ask for no sugar, as it is probably the sweetest lemonade I have ever had.”February 2025
-
Lunch special Net −1
“we took the Lunch special and the Burrito bowl meal deal and were in one word : disappointed!!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“we took the Lunch special and the Burrito bowl meal deal and were in one word : disappointed!!”February 2022
-
Taquitos Net −1
“Taquitos were 3.5/10 Chicken was very hard to chew and flavour wasn’t there too much”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Taquitos were 3.5/10 Chicken was very hard to chew and flavour wasn’t there too much”November 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Arrive early. For Taco Tuesday, arrive early: one diner reported hungry-crowd chaos before eating more than 12 tacos.
Check the menu. Ask which menu is current before ordering; old and new menus reportedly caused a popular quesadilla to be missed.
Adjust lemonade. If ordering the homemade lemonade, ask for no sugar because one customer found it exceptionally sweet.
Choose cool weather. Plan outdoor lakeside seating for winter or cooler weather, when the indoor heat is less of a concern.
Check parking. Parking around Cluster D can be difficult, so allow extra time before walking down to the waterside restaurant.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Lake Terrace Tower - Cluster D
Al Thanyah Fifth - Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
| Mon | 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Tue | 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Wed | 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Thu | 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Fri | 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Sat | 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Sun | 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Uneven service
Multiple diners report delayed orders, forgotten drinks and staff who did not check on their tables.
Hot interior
The restaurant has been described as uncomfortably hot, including reports of a non-working A/C in summer.
Inconsistent food
Some visits have produced underwhelming dishes, including bland quesadillas and disappointing Taco Tuesday food.
Tough chicken
One customer found the chicken in both the taquitos and tacos hard to chew and lacking flavour.
Small seating
The dining area is compact, with limited indoor tables and extra seating outside.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
45 AED
Lunch Bowl Special
“, and for 45 AED, you get a tortilla less bowl with a choice of filling plus a free drink”Google review · February 2025
59 AED
Taco All You Can Eat
“On Tuesdays, it is Taco All You Can Eat for 59 AED”Google review · February 2025
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Chalco’s Mexican Grill is a casual Mexican spot in Jumeirah Lake Towers where the main draw is filling food at relatively modest prices. The monster burrito, Super Deluxe with shredded beef, birria tacos and shrimp tacos are among the dishes customers return for. Reviews also mention Taco Tuesday and other all-you-can-eat taco promotions, plus complimentary chips or nachos with salsa.
The food is not perfectly consistent. Some diners describe authentic, flavourful tacos and excellent guacamole and salsas, while others found chicken tough, shrimp tacos average or quesadillas bland. Portions can also vary: one customer praised the huge pulled-chicken burrito, while another disputed the advertised size of a burrito.
It is worth checking the current menu and asking about fillings before ordering. Service is the bigger caution. Several recent reviews describe long waits, forgotten drinks and inattentive staff, although other visits report quick, friendly service.
The small interior can become very hot; outdoor lakeside tables are more attractive in cooler weather. Parking near Cluster D may take patience, and Taco Tuesday crowds make arriving early sensible.