Finding the perfect spot for authentic Mexican Cuisine in Arkansas begins with a look at the full offerings. The el’acapulco mexican restaurant jonesboro menu serves as a navigational map to a rich Jonesboro dining experience. This comprehensive guide details everything from quick Lunch Specials and Combos to elaborate Signature Steak and Seafood dishes. We provide an in-depth breakdown of the extensive offerings, including the many delicious and affordable Comprehensive A La Carte options available. Understanding the breadth of this menu is the first step toward a fantastic meal.
The Value of El Acapulco’s Lunch Specials
The Lunch Specials section of the menu is curated for diners seeking speed and value without sacrificing flavor or substance. These daily offerings are available for a limited time and represent a core part of the restaurant’s appeal to local customers. Each dish maintains the high-quality ingredients and preparation found across the entire menu.
Speedy and Satisfying Combos
The menu provides several concise combination plates for a quick, fulfilling mid-day meal. The Speedy Gonzalez, a classic combination, pairs one beef taco with one beef enchilada and a choice of either rice or beans. Another strong contender is the Special Lunch No. 2, which features a hearty beef burrito alongside portions of rice and beans for a well-rounded meal. These combos are ideal for diners with a brief lunch break.
Signature Ranchero and Fajita Dishes
For those seeking a taste of their full-sized specialties, the Ranchero Lunch Special delivers a rich flavor profile. It consists of grilled chicken and shrimp served over a bed of fluffy Mexican rice, all cooked with sautéed bell peppers and onions, and finally drenched in savory cheese sauce. The Fajitas Lunch Special provides the classic sizzling experience, offering a choice of chicken breast, steak, or a mixture of both cooked with fresh bell peppers and onions.
Lunchtime Burritos and Chimichangas
The Burrito El Acapulco Lunch Special features a flour tortilla stuffed with the diner’s preferred meat filling. This substantial dish is completed with a topping of fresh lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a dollop of cool sour cream, served with rice and beans. A popular alternative is the Asada Burrito Lunch Special, where either steak or grilled chicken is wrapped in a flour tortilla and covered with a generous layer of signature cheese sauce.
The Chimichangas Lunch Special presents a deep-fried, stuffed flour tortilla, consistently a favorite among patrons. It is topped with creamy cheese sauce and served with a refreshing, complete salad side. This salad includes lettuce, sour cream, guacamole dip, and fresh pico de gallo, making it a textural delight.
Essential Appetizers, Dips, and Nachos
The menu offers an array of starters perfect for sharing or enjoying before the main course arrives. These preliminary dishes provide a true taste of Mexican tradition and flavor complexity, from rich cheeses to fresh vegetable preparations.
Creamy Cheese and Guacamole Dips
The cornerstone of any great Mexican meal often lies in its dips. The basic Cheese Dip is a rich, warm starter, but the menu expands to include more complex options. The Chorizo Dip, for instance, blends spicy Mexican sausage directly into the molten cheese sauce, creating a smoky, zesty beginning to the meal. For a vegetable-forward option, the Guacamole Dip is a classic, vibrant blend of fresh avocado and seasonings.
The Tres Amigos Dip combines three essential elements: beans, creamy guacamole, and cheese dip, offering a trifecta of textures and flavors. An even bolder choice is the Guacamole Mexicano Dip, which elevates the simple guacamole by topping it with grilled bacon and a scattering of fresh pico de gallo. These dips pair perfectly with the complimentary warm, crispy tortilla chips.
Loaded Nacho Selections
The Nachos section is highly varied, ensuring a perfect choice for every craving. The Nachos Mexicanos are built on a base of cheese nachos, topped with your choice of fajita meat—chicken, steak, or a mix—cooked with bell peppers and onions. This creates a satisfying, hearty starter.
For those wanting a comprehensive assortment, the Nachos El Acapulco includes ground beef, shredded chicken, and beans. The toppings are rounded out with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream, providing layers of flavor and texture. The premium Seafood Nachos are a deluxe option, featuring grilled shrimp, scallops, and crab meat cooked with peppers and onions for an indulgent, savory combination.
The Diverse World of Tacos and Burritos
The menu dedicates significant space to the fundamentals of Mexican street food: tacos and burritos. The offerings range from simple, traditional preparations to complex, large-format specialties.
Authentic Street and Steak Tacos
The Street Tacos section is an authentic highlight, featuring four soft corn tacos, each with a different meat: steak, grilled chicken, chorizo, and pork. They are simply dressed with chopped onion and cilantro, emphasizing the quality of the meat. A similar choice is the Tacos Carne Asada, which uses four corn tortillas stuffed with chopped rib-eye, also served with the traditional cilantro and onions.
For a seafood twist, the Tacos Del Mar include three soft flour tortillas filled with shrimp or tilapia, cooked with fresh pico de gallo. These lighter options are served alongside Mexican rice and a simple salad. The Taco Asada, a single large soft flour tortilla, is stuffed with grilled chicken or steak, lettuce, and cheese, served with rice and beans for a complete meal.
Specialty Burritos
The Burrito Grande is a monumental offering, spanning fourteen inches and filled with the diner’s choice of grilled chicken, steak, or mixed fillings. This colossal wrap also contains rice, beans, guacamole, lettuce, and pico de gallo, designed for the hungriest customer. The Burrito Loco is another massive option, a twelve-inch tortilla filled with steak or grilled chicken strips, smothered in cheese sauce, and served with a complete salad.
The Cheese Steak Burrito is a savory delight, featuring a twelve-inch tortilla packed with tender rib-eye steak, creamy mozzarella cheese, and grilled onions. It is served with rice and a fresh salad, balancing the richness of the steak. The Burrito Bandera is visually striking, a ten-inch tortilla filled with beans and grilled chicken and topped with three different sauces: cheese, green, and red, representing the colors of the Mexican flag.
Sizzling Fajitas and House Specialties
Fajitas remain a perennial favorite, known for their unmistakable presentation and vibrant flavors. The El Acapulco menu offers many variations on this classic dish, alongside unique house specialties that showcase the chef’s expertise.
Classic and Elevated Fajita Offerings
The standard Fajitas provide the foundational experience with a choice of steak strips, marinated chicken, or a mix, cooked with sautéed onions and bell peppers. All fajita plates are served with the classic accompaniments: flour tortillas, refried beans, rice, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.
The Fajitas Jalisco elevate the dish by combining the three most popular proteins: steak, chicken, and shrimp, creating a richer, more complex flavor. For a truly unique offering, the El Acapulco Fajitas are a spectacular assortment of marinated chicken, pork ribs, steak strips, shrimp, and Mexican sausage. This ultimate combination represents the pinnacle of the restaurant’s fajita presentation. The menu also caters to non-meat eaters with a dedicated Vegetarian Fajita, cooked with a medley of fresh vegetables, including mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and zucchini.
Unique Specialties from the Chef
The Specialties section contains dishes that deviate from the standard Tex-Mex fare, presenting bolder, more regional preparations. The Ranchero Special, a full-sized offering of the popular lunch item, is a highly requested dish. It combines grilled chicken and shrimp over rice, cooked with bell peppers and onions, and smothered in cheese sauce for a robust, cheesy experience.
One of the most authentic and impressive dishes is the Molcajete Mexicano. This traditional platter is served in a heated volcanic rock bowl (molcajete), filled with a medley of grilled chicken, carne asada, pork, and shrimp. The dish is cooked with nopales (cactus) and topped with mozzarella cheese, served with rice and beans. This preparation is a true testament to the restaurant’s commitment to diverse Mexican cooking traditions.
Enchiladas, Chimichangas, and Satisfying Combo Dinners
These sections detail the baked, rolled, and deep-fried options, offering comfort food defined by rich sauces and melted cheese. These dishes are hearty and deeply flavorful, perfect for a full dinner service.
The Breadth of Enchilada Preparations
The Enchiladas section demonstrates a variety of preparation styles and sauces. The Enchiladas Supremas is a sampler plate featuring four distinct enchiladas: one beef, one chicken, one cheese, and one bean. They are all topped with a traditional enchilada sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream, providing a complete overview of the restaurant’s offerings.
For those who prefer a single protein, the Sour Cream Enchiladas are made with three grilled chicken enchiladas, covered with the house-made sour cream sauce recipe. Alternatively, the Enchiladas Mexicans feature three distinct sauces: red, white (cheese), and green, each covering a different filling (beef, cheese, and chicken) for a flavorful and colorful presentation. The Enchiladas Suizas are another chicken-focused option, topped with green and cheese sauce, lettuce, and sliced avocado for a fresh finish.
Deep-Fried Chimichangas and Favorites
The chimichanga is a crisp, deep-fried favorite that is served here in both standard and massive formats. The standard Chimichangas are a stuffed flour tortilla, deep-fried to a golden brown and topped with creamy cheese sauce. It is served with rice, beans, and a full set of salad garnishes.
The Monster Chimichangas caters to a massive appetite, utilizing a fourteen-inch flour tortilla filled with a mixture of steak, grilled chicken, rice, and beans. Like its smaller counterpart, it is topped with cheese sauce and served with a salad mixture including lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole. These substantial entrees are known for their ability to deliver flavor and satiety in equal measure.
The Favorites section also includes other satisfying traditional options such as the Taquitos Mexicanos, four rolled corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, served with a full guacamole salad garnish. The Poblano Dinner features two green chile poblano peppers stuffed with mozzarella cheese, lightly battered and fried, then topped with a mild red sauce.
Steak, Chicken, and Seafood Highlights
Beyond the combination plates and comfort foods, El Acapulco offers full-sized, dedicated steak, chicken, and seafood entrees. These dishes showcase the quality of the restaurant’s proteins and its culinary versatility.
Premium Steak Offerings
The Steak section features several cuts and preparations, suitable for a refined dinner. The Carne Asada is a simple, classic preparation of thin rib-eye steak cooked with onions, emphasizing the meat’s natural flavor. For a more robust meal, the Steak Tampiquena presents a twelve-ounce t-bone steak, served with the standard accompaniments of rice, beans, and flour tortillas.
A more elaborate preparation is the Steak Charro, a twelve-ounce T-bone steak cooked with bacon, mushrooms, and onions, all smothered in a rich cheese sauce. The premium Rib-Eye and Shrimp plate is a surf-and-turf offering, pairing a ten-ounce rib-eye with perfectly seasoned shrimp, onions, and bell peppers. This pairing provides a flavorful balance between land and sea.
Dedicated Chicken Dishes
Chicken dishes, or Pollo, are plentiful and often feature rich sauces. The Pollo En Acapulco is a standard favorite, an eight-ounce grilled boneless chicken breast simply topped with creamy cheese sauce. Another popular item, the Pollo Monterrey, involves chopped grilled chicken smothered with smoky chorizo and mozzarella cheese, providing a hearty, zesty profile.
A creamy and flavorful option is the Pollo Adobado, featuring strips of grilled chicken and spinach covered with the homemade sour cream sauce recipe. The pollo loco options on the lunch menu translate to various preparations, demonstrating the kitchen’s skill in handling chicken. The Pollo y Camaron is a surf-and-turf option, an eight-ounce grilled chicken breast paired with shrimp, sautéed with onions and bell peppers for a complete entree.
Selections from the Sea
The Seafood section provides fresh, vibrant options, moving beyond the standard fare. The Filete a la Mexicana features two grilled tilapia fillets, served with a side of rice and steamed vegetables, a lighter, healthier option. The Camarones al Ajillo is a fragrant dish of grilled shrimp prepared with a blend of fresh garlic and butter, served with rice and salad.
For those who enjoy a kick of heat, the camarones a la diabla (hot and spicy shrimp) provides a significant amount of heat, served with rice and salad. The Tocino Camarones is an indulgent choice of bacon-wrapped shrimp, a savory combination that is served with rice and salad. These seafood options offer a refreshing break from the beef and chicken-heavy sections of the menu.
Sides, A La Carte, and the Kid’s Menu
El Acapulco ensures all dining needs are met with extensive A La Carte choices, a dedicated children’s menu, and numerous side options to complete any meal. The ability to customize an order highlights the flexibility of the kitchen.
Building Your Perfect Plate with A La Carte
The A La Carte menu allows guests to select individual components to build a custom plate or to add extra servings. Individual items like the Beef Enchilada, Chicken Chimichanga, and Beef Burrito are available separately. This section is perfect for small meals or for diners who wish to sample many different items. The Chile Poblano Pepper, a pepper stuffed with mozzarella cheese, is available here for individual enjoyment.
Individual tacos are offered in both Soft Tacos and Soft Tacos Fajita Meat varieties, accommodating different preferences for texture and filling. Vegetarian options are also represented, notably with the Bean Burrito.
Kid-Friendly and Adult Options
The Kid’s Menu, designed for children ten and under, includes classic, approachable dishes. Options range from the Kids Child’s Pollo (chicken strips topped with cheese sauce, served with rice and beans) to familiar favorites like Kids Chicken Strips and Fries and Kids Cheeseburger & Fries. These selections ensure that younger guests have satisfying and simple choices.
Corresponding Adult portions are also listed, such as Adults Chicken Strips and Fries and Adults Cheeseburger & Fries, providing larger servings of the comfort food items. This allows all members of a dining party to order from the same style of food, regardless of the official menu section.
Essential Sides and Desserts
The Sides menu offers necessary accompaniments like Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, and Rice with Cheese Sauce. Larger portions of essential dips, such as the 20 oz. Large Cheese Dip to Go, are also available. Fresh elements like Pico de Gallo and Jalapeños can be added to customize heat and flavor.
The Desserts section provides a sweet conclusion to the meal. Classic offerings include the Sopapilla, a light, puffy pastry dusted with cinnamon sugar. Other traditional Mexican desserts featured are Flan, a creamy custard with a caramel topping, and Churros, the universally loved fried dough pastries. Xangos, a creamy cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla, is another featured sweet treat.
This detailed review of the el’acapulco mexican restaurant jonesboro menu underscores the restaurant’s commitment to offering an expansive, authentic, and high-value Mexican dining experience for the entire family. From a quick lunch to a lavish dinner, El Acapulco provides an option for every craving and every budget.
Last Updated on December 5, 2025 by Alex Cesaria
Alex Cesaria is the creative force behind Nomad Girl, an all-day café and ristorante with a signature Milanese flair located in the heart of Nomad, New York City. With years of experience in the hospitality industry, Alex blends refined Italian sensibilities with New York’s energetic dining culture to create a place that feels both elegant and welcoming.