The Rodriguez Family welcomes you to Cazador Mexican Restaurant. We're glad that you've decided to join us to experience the authentic flavors of Mexico. Every day, we have the freshest ingredients, salsas, and specialty items, all created in our own kitchen. For over 20 years, our family has been serving award-winning, authentic Mexican cuisine in Ankeny, Iowa.
Offering a large selection of Tequilas, a full-service Bar and take-out, we're open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. From our chicken tortilla soup and chips and cheese dip to our fajitas, enchiladas, carne asada, deep fried ice cream, and grandma's homemade flan, there's nothing dull about our diverse menu.
Offering a large selection of Tequilas, a full-service Bar and take-out, we're open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. From our chicken tortilla soup and chips and cheese dip to our fajitas, enchiladas, carne asada, deep fried ice cream, and grandma's homemade flan, there's nothing dull about our diverse menu.
Services
For over 20 years, Cazador Mexican Restaurant has been a local staple in Ankeny, Iowa. A family-owned Mexican restaurant, we pride ourselves upon offering generous portion sizes and friendly, attentive service. Customers come in for our family-friendly atmosphere, award-winning food, and amazing drink specials, and they don't leave disappointed.
Open seven days a week for lunch, dinner, and take-out, Cazador Mexican Restaurant takes pride in serving authentic Mexican cuisine to the Ankeny community. The secret to our success is the quality of our food. We use only the freshest meats, produce, and ingredients to bring the authentic flavors of Mexico to every signature dish and specialty item we serve from our kitchen.
Cazador Mexican Restaurant is incredibly proud of the fact that we've been voted consistently as "Ankeny's Best Mexican Restaurant." We believe the quality and presentation of our food speaks for itself. Whether you're a fan of our sizzling fajitas, our Mexican-style steak, or our signature Cadillac margaritas, you can't go wrong with our selection of tantalizing favorites.
Reviews (25)
Cody M.
Jan 22, 2022
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Kristyn M.
Jan 21, 2022
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What a great experience.
Had no wait being seated early on a Thursday evening.
The waiter was great. We ordered drinks and then gave us ample time for us to figure out options.
He suggested chicken over steak for the fajitas. This was a win cause the chicken fajitas were fantastic.
I couldn't eat it all.
My husband had the cazador burrito and it's one of the biggest he's ever had.
We got to chatting with Gustavo and he was so kind to share his knowledge of tequila with us.
It was a great experience.
I'll go again just to hang with him.
Had no wait being seated early on a Thursday evening.
The waiter was great. We ordered drinks and then gave us ample time for us to figure out options.
He suggested chicken over steak for the fajitas. This was a win cause the chicken fajitas were fantastic.
I couldn't eat it all.
My husband had the cazador burrito and it's one of the biggest he's ever had.
We got to chatting with Gustavo and he was so kind to share his knowledge of tequila with us.
It was a great experience.
I'll go again just to hang with him.
Delores Hudson
Dec 17, 2021
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Kevin Clemen
Nov 19, 2021
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Tascha Sassine
Oct 25, 2021
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Paul Tibbs
Sep 30, 2021
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Sarina P.
Jul 20, 2021
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For tex mex in the midwest, this is really good and for a Mexican restaurant, pleasantly surprised by the taste of the cheeseburger and thick cut French fries. The chips and salsa that came before ordering were amazing. The chips were thin, crispy and fresh! The salsa had lots of fresh tomatoes in it and tasted fresh and not spicy (again we are in midwest). The Mexicano burrito was delicious with a strong chicken taste even though we got the beef. I suspect their Mexican rice has a bit more chicken broth in it than we are used to from tex mex.
They were all very friendly and welcoming to us tired
They were all very friendly and welcoming to us tired
Matt Helmick
Jun 23, 2021
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Douglas T.
Jun 04, 2021
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Tried this place for the first time with my significant other and step daughter. The staff was very friendly and helpful we were greeted coming in and had a server stop by shortly after receiving the complimentary chips and salsa. We had order in and serve red our food shortly afterwards. The food was great and filling. I would not hesitate to come back and eat there again. The only reason I did not give them five stars is we had to ask for queso twice.
Benjamin Anderson
May 31, 2021
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I brought my wife and kids in with their first visit to Cazador and they really enjoyed it ... wife and myself chose the Taco bowls (she had the beef and I had the steak & chicken combo) (beef preferable Tastier) youngest chose cheese quesadilla (4 yr old gave thumbs up) 13 yr old chose the burrito Mexicano( I had a bite it was delicious!) Not a bad pricing of around $48
No deserts this round ~ pretty full and not a fan of desert custards...
No deserts this round ~ pretty full and not a fan of desert custards...
Bill L.
May 23, 2021
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I 've ate their tocos up until March 2021. Last dining I ordered two tocos. With rice and beans. The tocos meat was the taste of raw abnominal beef meat.
Tasted like either dog or cat. The taste lasted for hours after not finishing my meal. I 've never returned nor will I recommend eating at this Mexican place.
Tasted like either dog or cat. The taste lasted for hours after not finishing my meal. I 've never returned nor will I recommend eating at this Mexican place.
Jim D.
Apr 25, 2021
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This spot has an authentic Mexican feel similar to what you might find in Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas. The bar is loaded with top shelf tequila and other liquors of usual fare. The beers are what you would expect, Pacifico, Dos Equis, Corona etc.
The food is delish. The steak tacos don't disappoint. I'm a fan of the place! Just off of I-35 and Delaware across from Casey's.
The food is delish. The steak tacos don't disappoint. I'm a fan of the place! Just off of I-35 and Delaware across from Casey's.
Gwen H.
Dec 24, 2019
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Provided you stick with the Mexican food and don't try to order the few American options, you're going to be hit with the best Mexican on offer in Ankeny and perhaps the surrounding area. Delicious, friendly staff which make a point to get to know regulars. Staff mostly speak Spanish, a plus for anyone with little English knowledge.
My personally recommendation: the vegetable fajitas. You wouldn't think veggies could taste that good in a fajita but you'd be surprised! Full bar, booths and table seating. Local gem all the locals go to. Also, don't be surprised with the
My personally recommendation: the vegetable fajitas. You wouldn't think veggies could taste that good in a fajita but you'd be surprised! Full bar, booths and table seating. Local gem all the locals go to. Also, don't be surprised with the
Danita S.
Dec 01, 2019
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This is favorite Mexican food joint in Ankeny for sure! I find the location convenient and parking plentiful. The hostess(es) at the front are often not the most inviting or quick about ringing out your bill but that's really my only complaint. All the waiters have been friendly, knowledgable and efficient. Their mixed drinks are really good and their liquor selection is good. The bartenders are cool. The place is always clean. The menu is laid out smartly and the options are vast - they have great house specials too! I'm one of those people who is crazy for queso and I've tried
M. F.
Nov 30, 2019
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We stopped here on our way from KC to Rochester, Minnesota. Ordered a Piccadillo chimichanga, with rice and beans, soft chicken taco and chili rellano, waters to drink. The beef in the chimi had a very strong clove flavor, which I'm not a fan of, so I didn't care for that. The chili rellano was one of the egg type not fried in a batter. The chicken in the taco was shredded, excellent. Chips and salsa were warm and fresh! Service was good. Our total came to $20 with tip. Would probably try the Guadalajara close by, next time!
Tony G.
Jul 14, 2019
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Had a terrible experience today. We were seated promptly and our order was taken in a reasonable time. Then the drinks were not delivered until our meal was delivered. I ordered shrimp and beef fajitas, but got beef fajitas. I did not see the waiter again until we were done eating. At that time I told him about the mistake, he came back and told me the cook put shrimp on my plate. I told him I didn't receive any shrimp. He told me next time to tell him before I ate the food. Basically accused me of not telling the truth. The fajitas were not good, but I would not have complained about that
Cheryl G.
Jul 05, 2019
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Tried it again. I think it was worse than the first time. Apparently nobody has cleaned since my first review in 2015. Food was still bland. I'm still convinced that all the good reviews are from people who have not traveled outside of the country line or state. This to me what I'd call Mexican food food for 1st grade. It's just bland.
Mark D.
Feb 18, 2019
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Kelly V.
Jan 11, 2019
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Angie M.
Nov 30, 2018
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Jenny B.
Jul 29, 2018
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The food here is garbage. I’ve given this place a chance a couple of times. Every time I’ve been disappointed. The steak tacos are filled with grey meat and stale cilantro and onions. They don’t even serve pico with it. They give you a teeny tiny side of sauce with it and it’s weak. For $12.50 this dish is a joke. Not to mention, they charge $8.00 for chips and salsa for a carry out order. Whaaaaat?!?! You don’t pay for chips and salsa when you dine in and every other Mexican restaurant gives those free. Management has poor customer service. Save your money and drive to Johnston to El
Joe K.
May 22, 2018
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Enchiladas verdes were bland. Maybe 2 tablespoons of tomatillo sauce.
Salsa was terrible. Tomato juice, runny, with no heat. The spicier salsa was bitter.
Guacamole was awful. Did not taste like avocado at all.
Poor service. My water was delivered with 3 ice cubes which melted quickly. No one ever returned to my table to refresh my drink. Unacceptable. Waited nearly ten minutes after I finished my meal to get the check. Again, unacceptable.
When I told the waiter the guacamole tasted bad, he became somewhat defensive and said it was fresh, with a scowl. Wrong response.
Salsa was terrible. Tomato juice, runny, with no heat. The spicier salsa was bitter.
Guacamole was awful. Did not taste like avocado at all.
Poor service. My water was delivered with 3 ice cubes which melted quickly. No one ever returned to my table to refresh my drink. Unacceptable. Waited nearly ten minutes after I finished my meal to get the check. Again, unacceptable.
When I told the waiter the guacamole tasted bad, he became somewhat defensive and said it was fresh, with a scowl. Wrong response.
Sara R.
Apr 18, 2018
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I have eaten here several times. I have usually had a good experiences here. The last time I was in I ordered a dish that normally comes with meat but I just wanted veggies. They actually charge me $3 more. They saved money as meat is way more expensive than onions and peppers. I have not berm back since. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants to choose from that do not charge to sub veggies instead of meat
Martin L.
Apr 03, 2017
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Stopped in on a Sunday night since it was near my hotel. What a quiet place! No music, tv on low volume, people sitting silently at the bar. Seating and service were immediate. I ordered a Margarita and a chicken tostada. The margarita was basically the exact same stock margarita that you would get at any one of 1000 chain Mexican restaurants so nothing special. The tostada was huge...granted mostly lettuce but still, a full plate for less than $7. And it came out in minutes. I would definitely try this place again when I have an appetite for more of a full meal.
Bill L.
Jun 18, 2014
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I have not had a craving for Mexican food in a long time so I was waiting for the moment I was to try this place out. It is located right off the interstate and share the same parking lot as two hotels. If you are staying at one of these hotels, this would be a walk across the lot to get food.
One thing I noticed immediately was most of their staff were Caucasian and most of their Hispanic employees were possibly American due to their perfect English. Their menu included basic Mexican items, but also some American products for those who just wanted to keep it simple.
They brought out chips
One thing I noticed immediately was most of their staff were Caucasian and most of their Hispanic employees were possibly American due to their perfect English. Their menu included basic Mexican items, but also some American products for those who just wanted to keep it simple.
They brought out chips
