Anyone expecting a "restaurant" experience might be sorely disappointed - Mexican Specialities is noisy, invariably busy and always very chaotic. Your meals may not all arrive at the same time. However, the food is INCREDIBLE - authentic Mexican (ie. not American-style Tex-Mex) made with high quality ingredients. Owner operators Jose and Maria (from Mexico City) are delightfully friendly people who love to share their love of Mexican cuisine with their customers. On of the best, and certainly most interesting, places to eat in Auckland.
Only gripe: it's cafe has really limited opening hours: Thursday & Friday 11.00am to 3.00pm & Saturdays 10:00am to 4:00 pm), though you can order supplies online at http://www.mexicanspecialities.co.nz/ Also, the cafe has stopped doing coffee. Doesn't bother me personally - doesn't really go with Mexican food - but fyi for caffeine freaks.
This wee place is so great that I didn't want to tell anyone about it! The food is divine (and pretty cheap), the people are lovely, and the atmosphere is crazy, fun and warm. You can buy cool Mexican hand-crafts (like little skeletons), and traditional Mexican ingredients. It's understated and it's fabulous for it.
This little gem is one of Ellerslie's hidden secrets. Set off the corner of Marua Rd and Celtic Cres, it's hard to see from the road, plus it's only open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for limited hours. The food is fantastic and there are a whole lot of interesting Mexican foodstuffs to browse through and purchase while you wait for your lunch.