Hispanic Mechanic

My time here with friends was good, but not great. After ringing during the day to get a booking I was informed that they were booked out, but the outside area was on a first come first serve basis, so I arrived early to grab a table. Unfortunately and confusingly, I was told that this table was booked, so I moved over to another one, where ten minutes later I was again told that it was also booked, and I would need to move on. I protested more firmly to the (very polite) waiter, who brought two small tables together for my friends and I, which was very welcome.
The restaurant décor is pleasant and interesting, a mix of Mexican and that sort of ‘steampunk’ style with the internal organs of buildings more exposed. About the only problem here is the location on Glen Osmond Road. Most traffic is cars, which create a reasonably consistent background noise, but every now and then a truck comes through creating a terrible sound which made it much harder to maintain a conversation. Perhaps this problem would not occur if we were inside the restaurant, though.
The food was mixed but generally good. Some dishes were excellent while one was especially average. We were pleasantly surprised by the serving sizes which were larger than expected. My three friends and I paid under $ 100 for the bird in a bowl (chicken salad, huge, delicious, big win), crispy pork hock (huge, but lacking flavour, and not crispy, a bit meh), master kims five star wings (FREAKING DELICIOUS, reasonable portion size, wasabi dip okay but fine on their own), arepas (corn cakes, reasonable taste, reasonable serving size) and papas fritas (chips, well priced, awesome dip — replace the wings’ dip with this one!).
So, would I go back? With two people, probably not. BUT, if I was in a group, I would most definitely. The food is great for sharing and with a large group the value for money would be exceptional – provided we got the right dishes.
TIP: Book well in advance, order good dishes (e.g. the wings), and share.

Hispanic Mechanic has it all going on with excellent food and friendly staff. I was really pleasantly surprised by the broad range of fresh, zesty dishes all at a very affordable price. The cocktail menu does a great job complimenting the food too. Getting more than enough delicious food for two and a couple of drinks for less than $ 90 works for me!

I’m happy to add an extra star in this updated review. The service has improved since my last visit but the food was still inconsistent — a 3 – 4 star experience. The tuna and avocado ceviche was not as good as the last visit (under seasoned and salad was not dressed) but the tacos were better. Nachos were tasty but quite soggy. This time we also tried the kids menu chicken wings which were delicious — crispy on the outside and moist inside.
We were sitting inside initially which had a nice vibe but as soon as a large booking arrived at the next table (the long communal table), it got VERY loud, the kind of loud that takes away your dining enjoyment and appetite. Luckily we managed to grab a table in the courtyard area which is split into the bar area where it’s not reserved and an alfresco dining area.
The courtyard area is the place to be — nice South American music, sunny, green, spacious. We finished our drinks and ordered dessert there while the kids created their own dance floor. A very enjoyable night for the whole family.
Summary: food 3 – 4 stars, atmosphere 4 – 5 stars, service 4 stars, value — very good.
Overall: A very solid 4-​star place. Bring your favourite wine (BYO corkage $ 15) and chill out in the courtyard while the weather is still warm!

Olà from the land of Latino delights. that’s what dining at Hispanic Mechanic will bring to the table! You can expect fresh and delicious Latino food, friendly staff and jugs of margaritas and sangria to get you doing the salsa in your seat!
The atmosphere is great with a trendy yet rustic theme inside complete with bar, outside dining area and fairy lights galore! Latino music constantly plays in the background enriching the dining experience even further!
Hispanic Mechanic was the perfect location for our large group dinner for 12 people. We ordered the $ 39 banquet and added the tacos for $ 5 extra pp. I’m glad we did this as the tacos were amazing — they allow you to each choose your own flavoured taco — go the smokey chicken, you won’t be disappointed!
Entrees consisted of the perfect starters; cheesy corn on the cob, kingfish ceviches & crispy chicken wings! Our tacos were then brought out and boy did they contain that Latino spice we all love! Next came the mains — lots of variety including chicken, beef ribs, pork hock & ensalada Cesar salad. The serving sizes were spot on leaving us a little space to fit in dessert! Beef ribs and the salad were stand out dishes — if I had to fault one dish it would be the pork hock which was quite fatty.
Dessert was amazing — I could’ve gone for seconds. thirds and probably fourths! We shared corn cake which was delicious as well as the Colombian cake Tres Leches which is a sponge cake with cream and caramelized bananas — enough to make any dessert lover go crazy!
Food deserved a ⁵⁄₅ however service was a let down. We ordered several jugs of sangria and margaritas when we first arrived — these took well over 30minutes to reach our table. We actually received our food before our drinks! The speed of service improved significantly throughout the courses of the night with each dish getting brought out in a timely manner. I also appreciated them asking when we would like entrees, main and dessert to come out — need to pace yourself with a banquet!
Overall a great dining experience shared with friends enriched with Latino cuisine & traditions!

Where to begin?! I’m glad this place has changed hands because I wasn’t overly impressed with its previous incarnation. I’d read good things from other Unilocalers about its current state and decided it would be a good choice for a weekday dinner out.
Stepping out of the throng of noise inside the restaurant to visit the mens room, I was delightfully reminded of some of the haciendas where I had stayed in Costa Rica a few years ago. The rustic design and interesting artworks really sell this place for me. We were out for dinner on what I thought was a balmy night outside but my mother had other ideas so we sat indoors.
We were sat at a long table with planterbox dividers splitting it into three smaller table areas. I was apprehensive at first because I was hoping to have a nice family dinner with my parents and my partner and it didn’t seem fitting to share a table with another group (not trying to sound snobby, but it all turned out well in the end)
I will throw in this tip here and also in tips: If you want an animated, busy, exciting dinner with lots! of noise, opt for a table in the main indoors dining space.
If you want a quieter, more intimate experience, perhaps ask for somewhere outside or in another area.
I found the service top-​notch. Attentive, detailed assistance with menu choices, quick drinks brought to the table, no hovering over us trying to move us along, not too frantic or rushed, friendly and fun. Some solid staff recruitment choices have gone on here.
We decided to share our food, and I’m really glad we did. For starters, we had corns on the cob… on skewers, chicken wings and nachos. All amazing flavours, great portion size and came out really quickly.
For mains, we had the pork spare ribs (so good with the habanero sauce!), vegetarian enchaladas, duck tacos, chicken tacos, lamb tacos and tuna tacos. None of it fell below a level of supreme delicious for any of us. The tuna was a real standout with the watermelon salsa really lifting the flavour profile. All of that food between five people almost got finished, but not quite. The waiter was happy to give us a to-​go bag with the leftover enchilada and taco.
The wine list was easy to navigate and it was a reasonable price for a bottle (or two!) of red. We opted for the 2011 Aramis (Mclaren Vale) shiraz. As far as 2011 reds goes, this was a standout.
All up, it was a top night. The noise factor did get to me towards the end of the evening, but it doesn’t really reflect on the venue itself… except that they could use some noise diffusers on the walls and ceiling.
I will venture back soon and try a different area. Hasta pronto Hispanic Mechanic!

The BEST by far Latin restaurant I have tried in quite a long time. Granted, having come from the SW of the USA the cuisine is often just «Tex-​Mex.» My friends and I sampled the very large and completely shareable nachos ($ 15) to which we added pulled smokey and very tender chicken. This well seasoned dish was ample and made from quality ingredients. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Afterwards we shared the delectable empanadas 2 for $ 6.50, a bit pricey for the portion but again high quality outer pastry with a wonderful corn flavour. The meat filling could have been more generous but it to was spiced perfectly and was not at all greasy. Another HIGHLY recommended dish.
Price wise all dishes at the table were adequate and delicious. This is a good value for the money.

My family and I went here for lunch and couldn’t have been happier.
Service was incredibly fast and attentive. Our waiter took the time to explain everything to us and his recommendations were most welcome. It was great for example, to hear about Hispanic Mechanic’s connection to Lucky Lupitas and how some of the furniture and glassware had been salvaged from the now defunct Sangrias.
Talking of which, the fit out of the restaurant itself was also very impressive. Industrial and colourful with a large outdoor area that will be worth revisiting with a large group of friends on warm summer nights.
On the all important food, we enjoyed almost all of what we ordered save for a crispy pig’s hock dish with a somewhat challenging bed of tamal (corn meal). The tamal has a gelatinous texture which I didn’t really enjoy. This is a personal preference though as those of you who like porridge would probably take no issue with it! Overall the food was great and came out to our table quickly and beautifully presented.
Well worth visiting!

What a great night with friends at this new hot spot! It was recommended we have the banquet as there were 9 of us. 2 friends had dietary requirements and were able to order what they wanted off the main menu, which made them very happy. We were able to bring our own wine and pay $ 15 corkage which is always great!
Food was tasty and came out fast. I feel we needed more time to finish each course before the next course came out, and staff were a bit too snappy to clear plates away when were were still wanting to pick at the plates.
All round though a good experience! Very happy!

And yet another edition to the Mexican Restaurant family in Adelaide! Hooray! Loving this so much. Sisters with Lucky Lupitas and United Latino Cocina.
My partner and I have been really excited about trying out this restaurant for a while. The name of it might be misleading, I should probably ask the owners what that is all about.
The restaurant itself is decked out. All sorts of exciting décor, furniture and bar. It is laid out in a smart way separating the front bar area from the restaurant. That way, if you want to stop in for a drink, you don’t have to sit in the midst of diners.
Get your party on, this place is great for groups. There is a long share table in the middle and a bunch of other tables scattered around the restaurant. I imagine that when it warms up the outside area will be decked out as well. I saw a pizza oven on my way in, so that is exciting.
We made a last minute decision to go here and we were lucky to be seated fast at the share table. This table featured 5 different house made hot sauces to douse your food in. This made my partner very happy!
Surprised by the Korean-​Mex menu, we had to order each item. I had never tried the fusion before. Something about tacos with kim-​chi salad appeals to me. My fav item on the menu was the Crispy Chicken taco with Wasabi Mayo. So yummy — even though wasabi is generally Japanese.
The Duck taco from the specials board was also a winner, great smokey flavor with Mexican spices in the background. Tortillas were fresh and soft. The Elote was very tasty (just like Lucky Lupitas), but I feel could have done with a little more mayo and cheese.
The staff were also tentative and helpful with the menu. We actually got our service very fast in consideration of how busy it was. I was impressed.
I am looking forward to see how this restaurant grows and also when I have some time to sample the many types of tequila behind the front bar! Check it out!

Wow. This place… I think I have found my new favorite restaurant in Adelaide. There are so many aspects to Hispanic Mechanic that I don’t know where to start, but I’ll try to sum it all up as best I can.
We lived in Crafers for a few years, so the drive to the city always took us down Glen Osmond road. Late last year we saw the stirrings of something interesting. «Hispanic Mechanic» was being constructed and I thought it might be a restaurant, but also wondered if it would just be a bunch of Hispanic guys hotting up cars and stuff. I’m glad it was the former.
Lucky Lupitas is one of my favorite restaurants as is its sister restaurant United Latino Cucina, so when we walked into Hispanic Mechanic and saw familiar faces from those restaurants, including the head chef, I was excited straight away.
We were given a few options on where to sit and chose the communal long table in the centre to get right amongst it and were given menus quickly and our drink orders were taken a few minutes later — great service. One thing I’ll mention here is that HM is much much bigger than the other two restaurants (Lucky Lupitas and United Cocina) which was good to see as it means less chance of having to wait.
We ordered some Mexican beers and then ordered an assortment of dishes, but stuck to the Korean-​Mex section of the menu except for a duck taco and Elote (which is a Lucky Lupitas specialty). The great thing about HM is their Mexican Korean fusion menu. Tacos with wasabi mayonnaise! So freaking good. Kimchi slaw… What?! But it all works so well, it’s genius.
I was blown away by the imagination and quality at Hispanic Mechanic and the interior and graphic design of the restaurant is really cool and fitting with the food. They also have a gorgeous bar with over 20 tequilas, rums, Mexican beers and all the food from the restaurant is available at the bar. They make their own chili sauces and rubs which can be bought in the bar and they are amazing. If you love chili like me, try the habanero sauce. It has a kick! The outdoor area looks like it will kick off in summer too, so I can’t wait to take a group of friends here for a Korean-​Mex party!