El Parian Mexican Restaurant

El Parian is a hidden gem in Virginia Beach. The service is friendly and very attentive to the customers needs. I have two young toddlers who love going here and they do well. It isn’t fancy and with so much open space it doesn’t get too loud. The food is delicious and offers many options too. I suggest the Speedy Gonzales lunch special! It is my favorite :)

Wow from the outside you would never guess how nice this place is. The food and service is great. I’ve always drove by and seen lots of people walking in and out. Today I decided to give them a try since they are he closest Mexican to my house. We love it. They’ve been in business over 16 years and there’s a reason for that.
You might want to try this place next time your in the area. You will be happy.

I came in with a co worker for lunch on a Friday. I had the chimichanga lunch special and it was just okay. Kinda bland. Service was good but I wouldn’t be in a hurry to come back.

I spent part of my childhood in Mexico, and have resigned myself to mediocre fare available in Va. Beach. I’ve had many lunches here and they were OK. Today was the last time I’ll set foot in this restaurant. I ordered 3 Chile Relenos. One bite told me something was wrong. The second bite set me on fire. They had not removed the seeds and veins! It was inedible. The teenage gum-​chewing girl wanted to know if I wanted a box when I pushed it away, and smiled when she told me «that’s how it’s eaten». No one came over, and I was presented with a $ 16.45 bill for three Chile Relenos and an iced tea.
Lesson learned!

Had a taste for Mexican and this spot was near the job but I wish I had driven a little further! Horrible customer service, soggy chimichanga and I had to wave the server down for a refill. It’s dingy on the inside and they really need to clean the carpets. Never again! Go to El Rodeo 5 mins down the road they are a million times better.

Best customer service ever! Food was good but definitely would come back just because of the service.

I have been here many times on my lunch break. The food and service are usually very good. Last week I had a new female server. My lunch total was $ 6.86 which I paid with a card and left a $ 3.00 tip in cash. The waitress took it upon herself to add an additional $ 6.00 tip on my card. Your dishonesty lost a customer.

I went here last night with my boyfriend after hearing that it’s his favorite restaurant. I’m a big fan of Plaza Azteca and wanted to see how this would measure up– boy was I surprised!
When we walked in there was maybe three other people there. I was a little worried, but took into consideration the location (not a stand alone restaurant, located in a strip mall) and the day (Monday night). Still with an open mind, we sat down. We were greeted with chips, salsa and white sauce (A++ white sauce!!) immediately. I think our waitress was new and in-​training, but nonetheless she was very sweet, friendly and quick to notice when our water or white sauce got low.
I got the chimichangas (chicken) and they were AMAZING! It was perfectly crispy and the chicken inside was seasoned perfectly. It definitely had to be the best chimichanga I’ve ever had.
I’m not sure if he was the owner or manager, but someone of importance did come over and ask how our dinner was. I really love when that happens because it shows they truly care. Will 100% be returning.

Well this place is lackluster. The food was bland and had no taste what so ever. The service was good. But I am disappointed with the food

Food has always been good here. Staff is really friendly. Place is always clean. Have had great experience every single time.

I went there with a few friends for dinner on Saturday. Everyone agreed that the food was just not that good. I just got 3 tacos because I wasnt that hungry. The beef tasted like it boiled. No flavor what so ever. We got Mango Margaritas and they were hella strong. Like WOOOO WEEE no mango flavor– just straight alcohol! I may go again to get a good buzz but probably not for the food.

So fantastic! The flavors are great, the price is awesome, the beer selection has imported favorites, and honestly is a great place to eat while you’re waiting at the laundromat. I got the chimichanga lunch plate, and it had just enough food to make my belly happy without the guilt of not being able to finish. The staff is very attentive and helpful too. Plus, the atmosphere is fun. Great décor, traditional music, and a well stocked bar. Very clean. Ingredients are fresh. Menu is packed. Stop in, it is well worth it.

My boyfriend and I enjoyed an early dinner here yesterday. After years of loving Plaza Azteca, we came here on a whim and… we enjoyed it!
Even though the place is located in a shopping plaza and two doors down from a Food Lion, the inside is rather spacious. It’s a nice change from bumping shoulders and butts at the PA restaurants.
The menu included the traditional Mexican restaurant dishes, Quesadilla Ranchera, Chimichangas, etc… We got a 3 ct beef hard tacos and two «Tostaguacs» (tostadas with guacuamole) as our appetizers and they tasted great!
The service was decent and very quick since we were the first and for a while the only customers in the restaurant at that time. They seem to have more menu items than PA. The meals were also slightly less expensive (maybe 50 cents — $ 1 difference in the same items). So with two ala carte menu items and two dinner entrees, we ate for about $ 45. The special for that day was a fajitas combo for I think $ 9.
Overall, I’m very glad that we ate here. I’ve been hooked on PA for nearly half a decade and was scared out of my mind to risk $ 40 on a terrible meal. We might be back for lunch this weekend!

Nice place with a friendly staff. I took my wife and daughter there recently for lunch and we all had a good meal. Our server was very attentive and kept our drinks refilled and brought us fresh chips and salsa after we quickly devoured the first batch. Their food and the prices are on par with the other mexican restaurants in the area.
Im looking forward to trying their margaritas next time we go there for dinner!

I am a big fan of authentic Mexican food. growing up in Los Angeles has probably a big factor in that. I’ve also tried authentic Mexican food in San Antonio texas, Cancun and ensenada Mexico. Hands down this doesn’t compare to any Mexican food I’ve had throughout my many years of eating Mexican food. However the service was very good.

As a someone who lived in south Texas for 10 years I’ve been looking for a good Mexican place since getting here. I was very pleased with the quality if food as well as the atmosphere and service. I will definitely be back.

This is my second visit to this restaurant in 10 days. The restaurant is quite large and has a mexican ambiance about it. The waiter staff are extremely pleasant and will cater for any request, but the amazing part of my experience was the food itself. On my first visit I had chicken burritos which were great. My second visit tonight, I had a marinated chicken dish with onions, peppers, rice and beans. The chicken was excellent and the rest of the dinner complimented the chicken. The sauces were as good as you can get and my waiter even provide me with a green sauce at my request. Overall it was a great meal, service was excellent and the ambiance was like being in Mexico. Thanks very much.
John

Went there once so far. I ordered the carnitas tacos and were possibly the best I’ve ever had. Well cooked with fat trimmed. Also had a magarita which was quite good.
It’s a family place. Nice size. Parking a plenty.
Best I’ve had in vb so far. Can’t wait to try the chorizo tacos.

The food was gross, the service HORRENDOUS! I was the first of a party of 10 to arrive. I went ahead and ordered my daughter’s food (she got chicken nuggets and fries and wouldn’t eat the nuggets. Ominous sign!) After the other people started trickling in, I asked if I could order since I’d been sitting there 20+ minutes and the others were still talking. Never in life have I asked a waitress if I can go ahead and order and have her shake her head all disgusted and say «No…well I’d rather take the whole order at once but okay.» Look I waited tables for 3 years, I know what is to be expected and what is an outrageous demand. You would think she’d be excited to get a big table, but seemed out of it and like she didn’t care that we were there at all. Come on, all you had to do was walk back there and put it in. I said not to worry about it if it was that big of a deal. Then she comes to take everyone’s order and skipped me! Then the manager was not at all helpful with a food mix up. We all got the wrong checks so we had to deal with him getting frustrated and redoing them all when we went to pay.
We all agreed that our food was disgusting. The kids had fun doing the face painting and karaōke, but we will NEVER be going back!

Pretty good Mexican food for the Virginia Beach area. I’m orginally from Texas and when I have a craving for Mexican I come to this place. The margaritas are amazing and their selection in Mexican beers is impressive. I usually get the carne asada plate that is delicious. The staff is friendly and fluent in Spanish. What more could you ask for? Ps. If you’re looking for Menudo they don’t have it here.